Browse publications by year: 2025

Glucocorticoids as emerging pollutants in surface water: A systematic review on their global occurrence and distribution

Lima E Silva MA, Lorca da Silva R, Teixeira TP, Rocha TL, Marcon M

Environ Res, 2025 May 15;273:121280.
PMID: 40032243 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.121280

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are synthetic drugs widely used for treating several diseases with inflammatory pathophysiology. In general, 1-20% of the concentration of GCs initially administered is eliminated unchanged in the urine while still in its active form, and therefore, fractions of GCs are constantly released in effluents. Currently, water treatment plants do not have sufficiently effective technologies to remove these substances completely, favoring the presence of these emerging pollutants in the effluents of wastewater treatment plants. In this context, we conduct a systematic review to identify studies that found GCs in surface water. The general data of the included studies, the GCs found and their concentration, the water body where the GCs were found, and the place and date of sampling were summarized. GCs have already been found in the surface water of 24 countries, mainly China, Malaysia, and the United States. Countries with the highest concentrations of GCs found in surface water were Mexico, India, and Brazil. Betamethasone, budesonide, corticosterone, cortisol, cortisone, dexamethasone, fludrocortisone, fluticasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, prednisone, and triamcinolone were reported at concentrations ranging from 0.00098 to 24760 ng/L, including in water for human consumption. Revised data showed that the real presence of these substances worldwide is still underestimated, requiring further studies to determine their real distribution. Furthermore, we believe that some strategies can be adopted to mitigate surface water contamination by GCs, such as the intensification of public programs about educational activities related to the rational use of medicines, and the urgent need to improve and expand the water treatment methods.

MeSH terms: Environmental Monitoring; Humans
Fulltext Effectiveness of hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy including lower extremities in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review protocol

Qu YL, Harun D, Chai SC, Ebner-Karestinos D, Araneda R, Zanudin A

BMJ Open, 2025 Mar 03;15(3):e091062.
PMID: 40032384 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091062

INTRODUCTION: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a paediatric disorder with permanent impairment of movement and posture with a prevalence of about 2.11 in 1000 births in the world. Given the therapeutic effect of hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy including lower extremities (HABIT-ILE) in children with CP, a systematic review of the available literature on this topic is warranted. The objective of this study is to systematically review the effectiveness of HABIT-ILE on upper extremity, lower extremity and trunk outcomes within the domains of body functions and structures, activity and participation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in children with CP.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will be conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Searches will be conducted in six databases: MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, OT seeker and Web of Science for available published literature. The grey literature sources will include WorldCat, National Technical Information Service, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Open Grey, WHO and OpenDOAR. Manual searches of citations of included papers will be performed to collect all experimental studies of HABIT-ILE in children with CP. The level of evidence for included articles will be classified according to the level of evidence in the guidelines for systematic reviews on the American Occupational Therapy Association website. Based on the study design of the included articles, the risk of bias will be assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, the Cochrane Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions tool and the quality assessment tool recommended by the American Occupational Therapy Association. In order to synthesise the data, narrative synthesis will be used, along with meta-analysis, if available.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: As this study only reviewed previously published articles, ethical approval was not required. The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024518179.

MeSH terms: Child; Humans; Research Design; Physical Therapy Modalities; Upper Extremity/physiopathology
Mechanism of enhanced quality of Acetes chinensis powder-Alaska Pollock surimi: Gel properties, rheological properties, micro-structure

Li Q, Feng J, Jia R, Wei H, Huang T, Zhang J, et al.

Food Res Int, 2025 Mar;205:116009.
PMID: 40032485 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116009

To enhance the gel properties of Alaskan pollock surimi, the Acetes chinensis powder (ACP) with different contents (0.5-3 % w/w) was added to the surimi and its mechanisms were investigated. Results showed that adding 1.5 % ACP increased gel strength to 4198.47 g·cm, improved textural properties and storage modulus (G'), as well as reduced free water and drip loss by 49.7 % and 36.7 %, respectively. Moreover, secondary structure analysis showed a 33.5 % increase in β-sheet and a 34.7 % decrease in random coil, reflecting a more organized protein structure. This is associated with a 195.6 % increase in endogenous glutaminase activity and a 14.7 % increase in facilitated cross-linking of MHC heavy chains. ACP also promoted the unfolding of protein and the exposing of more sulfhydryl groups that converted into disulfide bonds (increased by 4.8 %). These resulted in a more compact protein structure, denser microstructure, and homogeneous gel network. In conclusion, 1.5 % ACP effectively improves surimi gel properties, offering valuable insights for optimizing thermal gelation.

MeSH terms: Animals; Food Handling/methods; Glutaminase/chemistry; Polyporaceae/chemistry; Powders*; Rheology*; Protein Structure, Secondary; Fish Proteins/chemistry; Gadiformes*
Primary management of prostate cancer by universal health coverage effective coverage index

Blas L, Shiota M, Onozawa M, Joung JY, Koo KC, Türkeri L, et al.

World J Urol, 2025 Mar 04;43(1):146.
PMID: 40032670 DOI: 10.1007/s00345-025-05530-7

PURPOSE: Prostate cancer is under-researched in many Asian countries because the paucity of comprehensive cancer registries has prevented large studies from comparing primary prostate cancer therapies. We aimed to provide further insights into recent trends in primary prostate cancer management across multiple Asian countries and regions according to universal health coverage.
METHODS: This is part of the Asian Prostate Cancer (A-CaP), a prospective and multicenter study conducted in 12 Asian countries. The study cohort comprised patients newly diagnosed between January 2016 and December 2018. Patients were allocated to three categories according to the universal health coverage effective coverage index (Category 1 ≥ 80; Category 2, 70-79; and Category 3,

MeSH terms: Aged; Asia/epidemiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Universal Coverage*
Fulltext Algorithmic and mathematical modeling for synthetically controlled overlapping

Mahmood Z, Safran M, Abdussamad, Alfarhood S, Ashraf I

Sci Rep, 2025 Mar 04;15(1):7517.
PMID: 40032834 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-87992-8

For most classifiers, overlapping regions, where various classes are difficult to distinguish, affect the classifier's overall performance in multi-class imbalanced data more than the imbalance itself. In problem-data space, the overlapped samples share similar characteristics, resulting in a complex boundary, making it difficult to separate the samples of classes from each other, causing performance degradation. The research community agreed upon the relationship of the class overlapping issues with the classifier performance, but how much the classifier is affected is still unanswered. There is also a gap in the literature to demonstrate the different levels of class overlapping in multi-class problems. Accordingly, in this paper, four algorithms are implemented to synthetically generate controlled overlapping samples to be used with multiclass datasets using different schemes to show the worst effect of class overlapping. Experiments involve using different state-of-the-art non-parametric classifiers, support vector machines, k-nearest neighbor, and random forest, to classify these multi-class datasets to validate the class overlapping effect on their learning. The models are used to test the suitability, stability, and versatility of the proposed algorithms for the schemes and to highlight the effect of growing overlapping samples in complex multi-class problems having an imbalanced distribution of data and class overlapping issues. The experimental results using 20 real-world datasets, show the different levels of overlapping data and the effect of each level on the underlying classifiers.
Fulltext Synergistic transfer learning and adversarial networks for breast cancer diagnosis: benign vs. invasive classification

Deebani W, Aziz L, Aziz A, Basri WS, Alawad WM, Althubiti SA

Sci Rep, 2025 Mar 03;15(1):7461.
PMID: 40032913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-90288-6

Current breast cancer diagnosis methods often face limitations such as high cost, time consumption, and inter-observer variability. To address these challenges, this research proposes a novel deep learning framework that leverages generative adversarial networks (GANs) for data augmentation and transfer learning to enhance breast cancer classification using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The framework uses a two-stage augmentation approach. First, a conditional Wasserstein GAN (cWGAN) generates synthetic breast cancer images based on clinical data, enhancing training stability and enabling targeted feature incorporation. Second, traditional augmentation techniques (e.g., rotation, flipping, cropping) are applied to both original and synthetic images. A multi-scale transfer learning technique is also employed, integrating three pre-trained CNNs (DenseNet-201, NasNetMobile, ResNet-101) with a multi-scale feature enrichment scheme, allowing the model to capture features at various scales. The framework was evaluated on the BreakHis dataset, achieving an accuracy of 99.2% for binary classification and 98.5% for multi-class classification, significantly outperforming existing methods. This framework offers a more efficient, cost-effective, and accurate approach for breast cancer diagnosis. Future work will focus on generalizing the framework to clinical datasets and integrating it into diagnostic workflows.

MeSH terms: Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods; Neural Networks (Computer)*
Comparative analysis of SD biosensor standard™ M10 HPV and seegene anyplex™ II HPV HR for detecting high-risk human papillomavirus: a concordance study

Jerip AR, Noni V, Anthony VK, Bong ACS, Adam J, Tan CS

BMC Infect Dis, 2025 Mar 03;25(1):304.
PMID: 40033233 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-025-10714-y

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer, primarily caused by persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infections, is a significant health burden, particularly in low-resource settings such as Sarawak, Malaysia. Effective prevention depends on effective vaccination and early hrHPV detection. This study compares the performance of the point-of-care test (POCT) SD Biosensor Standard™ M10 HPV and laboratory-based Seegene Anyplex™ II HPV HR assay, focusing on their ability to detect and genotype hrHPV in self-collected high vaginal swab samples.
METHODS: A total of 151 archived self-sampled high vaginal swabs from the Sarawak Urban and Rural Action for Cervical Cancer Elimination Programme (Program SUARA) were analyzed. hrHPV detection and genotyping were performed using Anyplex, which identifies 14 hrHPV genotypes, and M10, which detects HPV16, HPV18, and other hrHPV categorized into six genogroups. Agreement between the assays was evaluated using Cohen's Kappa (κ), McNemar's test, and overall agreement percentages. Statistical significance was determined with p-values, and discordant results were further analyzed for potential diagnostic implications.
RESULTS: The overall agreement between M10 and Anyplex for hrHPV detection was 92.05% (κ = 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.93), indicating almost perfect agreement. M10 demonstrated comparable sensitivity for detecting HPV16, HPV18, and other hrHPV genotypes, achieving 96.91% agreement (κ = 0.89, 95%CI 0.73-1.00) in hrHPV classification when discordant results were excluded. Genogrouping also showed almost perfect agreement (κ = 0.91, 95% CI 0.82-0.98). McNemar's test indicated no significant difference in hrHPV detection rates (p > 0.05), affirming their comparable performance in detecting clinically significant hrHPV infections.
CONCLUSION: The SD Biosensor Standard™ M10 HPV POCT and the Seegene Anyplex™ II HPV HR assay demonstrated almost perfect agreement in hrHPV detection and classification, supporting their complementary roles in cervical cancer prevention. M10's rapid, field-deployable design makes it suitable for resource-limited settings, while Anyplex provides enhanced genotyping capability in laboratory environments, allowing informed vaccine strategy. Incorporating both assays into cervical cancer prevention programs can improve screening coverage and accessibility, particularly in underserved areas. These findings align with the World Health Organization's cervical cancer elimination goals, reinforcing the importance of adaptable diagnostic tools in diverse healthcare contexts.

MeSH terms: Adult; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & control; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/virology; Female; Genotype; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Middle Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity; Biosensing Techniques/methods; Young Adult
ACTION Malaysia-perception and barriers to obesity management among people with obesity and healthcare professionals in Malaysia

Nor Hanipah Z, Abdul Ghani R, Goon MDME

BMC Public Health, 2025 Mar 03;25(1):835.
PMID: 40033266 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-22052-4

BACKGROUND: Timely weight loss conversations between healthcare professionals (HCPs) and people with obesity (PwO) can help in effective obesity management. The Awareness, Care, and Treatment in Obesity maNagement in the Asia Pacific region (ACTION APAC) studied the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviours toward obesity among PwO and HCPs in nine countries of South and Southeast Asia. The current study is a subgroup analysis based on the Malaysian population, known as ACTION Malaysia (ACTION-MY), and aims to explore the attitudes, perceptions, behaviours, and barriers to effective obesity management among both PwO and HCPs.
METHODOLOGY: An online survey in dual languages (Malay and English) was conducted between April 2022 and May 2022 among 1001 adult PwO and 200 HCPs (general practitioners, endocrinologists, obstetricians/gynaecologists, cardiologists, and other appropriate specialities).
RESULTS: The findings highlighted significant gaps in obesity awareness, with 57% of PwO misclassifying their weight status as normal or overweight. While 68% of PwO valued discussing weight management with HCPs, success rates remained low. On average, patients made three weight loss attempts in adulthood, with 63% regaining weight even after maintaining weight loss for six months or more. Key barriers included insufficient exercise, motivation deficits, and poor hunger control. Although 88% of HCPs recognised obesity as a chronic disease affecting overall health, patient disinterest, limited awareness of treatment options, and time constraints hindered effective intervention. Despite 70% of PwO trusting HCPs' medication recommendations, only 10% received weight loss prescriptions.
CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasises the need for enhanced communication between HCPs and PwO, along with comprehensive support that includes mental health services. Addressing the perception gap regarding weight management responsibility is crucial. The results suggest that culturally contextualised approaches to obesity management in Malaysia are essential. Our findings highlight the urgent need for developing treatment strategies and policies targeting identified barriers and establishing collaborative frameworks to enhance obesity management within Malaysia's healthcare system.

MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Attitude of Health Personnel; Female; Health Personnel/psychology; Humans; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
Exploring the influence of the critical factors on intentions of employee turnover in the banking segment: a comprehensive mediating analysis

Alnehabi M, Al-Mekhlafi AA

BMC Psychol, 2025 Mar 03;13(1):187.
PMID: 40033406 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-02302-7

The banking sector in Saudi Arabia is integral to achieving the Vision 2030 plan. High employee turnover has been identified as a critical concern, resulting in increasing expenses and lower profitability in the industry. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation is required to determine the variables leading to the high turnover intention and loss of competent employees. This study aims to investigate the relationships between organizational commitment, organizational identification, and employee turnover intention, as well as the mediating roles of employee performance and corporate reputation. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 550 employees in the banking sector through a survey questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was conducted to analyze the data. The findings indicated significant correlations between seven of the eight hypotheses, whereas an insignificant correlation was seen between organizational identification and turnover intention. Furthermore, three mediating associations received partial mediation, and one exhibited full mediation. Model fit indices demonstrated a satisfactory fit, with values below the suggested threshold of 0.08, while the AVE values surpassed the criterion of 0.50. All variables together explained 29% of the turnover intention variance, which met the substantial threshold. The findings demonstrated the importance of these factors in addressing the issue of high employee turnover, which in turn affects the stability and prosperity of the banking industry and, therefore, the Saudi economy as a whole.

MeSH terms: Banking, Personal; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Male; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Saudi Arabia; Organizational Culture; Intention*
Psychometric properties of the Sport Mental Health Continuum - Short Form scale (Sport MHC-SF): cross-cultural validation and measurement invariance of the Chinese adaptation

Wang X, Zhou Y, Li L, Kueh YC, Zeng L, Kuan G

BMC Psychol, 2025 Mar 03;13(1):183.
PMID: 40033429 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-02487-5

BACKGROUND: Sport Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (Sport MHC-SF) is an adaptation of the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form for athletes. Although validated in Western contexts, its applicability to the Chinese population remains unexplored. This study aims to validate the Chinese adaptation of the Sport MHC-SF in Chinese university athletes, evaluate its reliability and validity, and confirm its factorial structure.
METHODS: A total of 1,025 Chinese university athletes (65% male, mean age 20 ± 1.54 years) were included in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multi-group CFA (MGCFA) were conducted using Mplus 8.0 to evaluate the factorial structure and assess measurement invariance across sports levels.
RESULTS: Both the three-factor and second-order models demonstrated a good fit for the Chinese adaptation of the Sport MHC-SF. Chi-square values were 262.704 (74) and 262.705 (74), respectively, with a comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.968, a Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) of 0.961, a standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) of 0.027, and a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.050 (90% CI: 0.043-0.056). Measurement invariance across ranked and non-ranked athletes was confirmed, with minimal changes in fit indices (ΔCFI ≤ 0.01, ΔTLI ≤ 0.01, ΔRMSEA ≤ 0.015) from configural to strict invariance.
CONCLUSION: The Chinese adaptation of the Sport MHC-SF scale has strong construct validity, reliability, and measurement invariance, making it a reliable tool for future research on the well-being of Chinese athletes. This study fills a critical gap in cross-cultural validation, offering a foundation for future research and practical applications in sports psychology among Chinese athletes.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; China; Cross-Cultural Comparison*; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Surveys and Questionnaires/standards; Sports/psychology; Universities; Reproducibility of Results; Young Adult
Neurobiological Mechanisms of Ketamine Use, its Addiction, and Withdrawal: A Mini Review

Ng SH, Lee YZ, Hong MY, Kow ASF, d'Arqom A, Tham CL, et al.

Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol, 2025 Mar 03.
PMID: 40033594 DOI: 10.2174/0127724328362434250224105609

Ketamine, a substance used for anesthesia and known for inducing dissociation, can lead to addiction and the development of severe withdrawal symptoms. Ketamine alters brain networks before affecting somesthetic sensation. Ketamine abuse was especially prevalent in East and Southeast Asia, and its popularity has continued to expand globally in recent decades. Ketamine is gaining popularity in the public and private sectors as a cheaper off-label depression treatment. Unfortunately, ketamine may cause side effects, such as heart and blood vessel instability, respiratory depression, liver injury, hallucinations, etc. The pain-relieving and mental effects of ketamine might induce reliance; thus, it should be used cautiously. This review highlights the neurobiological processes underpinnings of ketamine's addictive potential, withdrawal, and its effects on brain networks like the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and mesolimbic pathway, which play vital roles in decision-making, memory, and reward processing. In addition, the involvement of neurotransmitter systems, specifically glutamate and dopamine, in mediating the addictive properties of ketamine and the neuroadaptive changes that occurred during withdrawal are also discussed. It also explains that low-dose ketamine can alter the secretion of stress hormone cortisol and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation, possibly attributed to the current repurposing study of ketamine as a fast-acting antidepressant. Understanding these pathways is essential for developing effective ketamine addiction treatments, managing withdrawal symptoms, and possibly reversing brain changes for the betterment of human health and psychological well- being.
Fulltext Discrete Repetition Effects for Visual Words Compared to Faces and Animals, but No Modulation by Expectation: An Event-Related Potential Study

Song B, Sommer W, Maurer U

Eur J Neurosci, 2025 Mar;61(5):e70047.
PMID: 40033627 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.70047

Repetition suppression (RS) refers to the reduction of neuronal responses to repeated stimuli as compared to nonrepeated stimuli. The predictive coding account of RS proposes that its magnitude is modulated by repetition probability (P(rep)) and that this modulation increases with prior experience with the stimulus category. To test these proposals, we examined RS and its modulation by P(rep) for three stimulus categories for which participants had different expertise (Asian faces, written Chinese words and animals) using EEG. Cantonese speakers watched paired stimuli (S1-S2) of a given category with S2 being the same or a different stimulus as S1. Attributes of S1 (e.g., the sex of the first face) served as a cue for the repetition probability of S2. There were significant repetition effects and distinct topographic distributions across stimulus categories. Repetition effects in the N250 component were present in all stimulus categories, but in words, they appeared earlier and showed distinct topographic patterns compared to faces and animals. These results suggest that repetition effects differ between stimulus categories, presumably depending on prior experience and stimulus properties, such as spatial frequency. Importantly, we failed to find evidence for effects of P(rep) across any of the three categories. These null findings of P(rep) effects are putatively indicating an absence of expectancy modulation of repetition effects.

MeSH terms: Facial Recognition/physiology; Adult; Animals; Electroencephalography/methods; Face; Female; Humans; Male; Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology; Photic Stimulation/methods; Young Adult
Accuracy of colour Doppler ultrasound for nasogastric tube placement in emergency department: A prospective observational study

Ong MY, Ahmad Zahedi AZ, Zambri A, Noor Azhar M, Bustam A, Mohd Alip R, et al.

Emerg Med Australas, 2025 Apr;37(2):e70020.
PMID: 40033973 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.70020

OBJECTIVE: Nasogastric tube (NGT) placement is a common procedure in EDs. Successful NGT placement reduces complications such as aspiration pneumonia, pneumothorax and mortality. While chest radiography is the gold standard for confirmation, colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) has demonstrated high accuracy. As its applicability in the ED remains underexplored, the present study evaluates the accuracy of CDU in confirming NGT placement in the ED.
METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary hospital ED from October 2022 to October 2023. Adult patients requiring NGT insertion were eligible. NGT placement was performed using a standardised protocol and confirmed with CDU and chest radiography. Accuracy of CDU was assessed against chest radiography, and procedural times for confirmation were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis H test.
RESULTS: Of 157 patients screened, 144 were included. CDU demonstrated 92.45% (95% confidence interval 85.67-96.69) sensitivity, 80.56% (63.98-91.81) specificity, positive predictive value 0.93 (0.88-0.96), negative predictive value 0.78 (0.64-0.88), positive likelihood ratio 4.75 (2.44-9.27) and negative likelihood ratio 0.09 (0.05-0.19). The median (interquartile range) confirmation times were 3.0 min (2.0-3.0) for CDU and 42.0 min (30.0-55.0) for radiography (P

MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Emergency Service, Hospital*; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity
Fulltext Fabrication and performance analysis of ZnO/Ge/porous Si photodetectors for near-infrared detection

Qasim Mogdad MM, Rahman AA, Ahmed NM, Rajamanickam S, Almessiere MA

Heliyon, 2025 Feb 28;11(4):e42426.
PMID: 40034303 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42426

This paper reports on the fabrication of zinc oxide (ZnO)/germanium nanoparticles (Ge NPs)/porous silicon (PSi) photodetector for near-infrared (NIR) detection. Ge NPs are synthesized via pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) followed by spray coating onto the porous Si substrate and subsequent deposition of a ZnO layer. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) confirms the presence of Ge NPs, along with the formation of Ge microwires and a mesh-like Ge pattern on the porous Si surface, attributed to Ge NP supersaturation during spray coating. Ge NPs act as a source of photogenerated electrons, transferring them to the ZnO layer. Additionally, the Ge microwire network facilitates barrier-dominated conduction, further contributing to the generation and transfer of photogenerated electrons. The device achieves its best performance at a bias voltage of 6 V under illumination with 805 nm light, a light intensity of 1.44 mW cm2, and a switching frequency of 6.5 Hz and responsivity of 0.16 A W⁻1.
Fulltext Serology reveals comparable patterns in the transmission intensities of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in Langkat district, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia

Lubis IND, Nainggolan IRA, Meliani M, Hasibuan BS, Sangaran K, Samsudin L, et al.

Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 2025;15:1504741.
PMID: 40034395 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1504741

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of malaria in Indonesia has declined significantly over the last few decades. Thus, a demand for more sensitive techniques to describe low levels of transmission in the country is important. This study was conducted to evaluate antibody response to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in an area nearing elimination in North Sumatera Province, Indonesia.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Langkat district, North Sumatera Province, in June 2019. Basic demographic data and filter paper blood spots were collected from 339 participants. Antibody responses to two P. falciparum (PfAMA-1 and PfMSP-119) and two P. vivax (PvAMA-1 and PvMSP-119) antigens were measured using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Seroconversion rates (SCR) were estimated by fitting a simple reversible catalytic model to seroprevalence data for each antibody. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with exposure.
RESULTS: The overall malaria seroprevalence was 10.6% for PfAMA-1, 13% for PfMSP-119, 18.6% for PvAMA-1, and 7.4% for PvMSP-119. Seropositive individuals for P. falciparum (PfAMA-1/PfMSP-119) and P. vivax (PvAMA-1/PvMSP-119) were similar at 20.7%, with no significant differences observed between age groups (p > 0.05). Based on the reversible catalytic model, the calculated SCRs indicated a higher level of P. falciparum transmission than P. vivax using all tested antigens. In the adjusted model, only spending nights in the forest was associated with P. vivax seropositivity (odd ratio: 3.93, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: The analysis of community-based serological data helps describe the similar levels of P. falciparum and P. vivax transmission in the Langkat district. The use of a serological approach enhances the detection of past exposure, aiding in the identification of epidemiological risk factors and malaria surveillance in low transmission settings in Indonesia.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Indonesia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Protozoan Proteins/immunology; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Young Adult
Fulltext Exosome-based miRNA delivery: Transforming cancer treatment with mesenchymal stem cells

Balaraman AK, Arockia Babu M, Afzal M, Sanghvi G, M M R, Gupta S, et al.

Regen Ther, 2025 Mar;28:558-572.
PMID: 40034540 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2025.01.019

Recently, increasing interest has been in utilizing mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs), especially exosomes, as nanocarriers for miRNA delivery in cancer treatment. Due to such characteristics, nanocarriers are specific: biocompatible, low immunogenicity, and capable of spontaneous tumor accumulation. MSC-EVs were loaded with therapeutic miRNAs and minimized their susceptibility to degradation by protecting the miRNA from accessibility to degrading enzymes and providing targeted delivery of the miRNAs to the tumor cells to modulate oncogenic pathways. In vitro and in vivo experiments suggest that MSC-EVs loaded with miRNAs may inhibit tumor growth, prevent metastasis, and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, these improvements present difficulties such as isolation, scalability, and stability of delivered miRNA during storage. Furthermore, the issues related to off-target effects, as well as immunogenicity, can be a focus. The mechanisms of miRNA loading into MSC-EVs, as well as their targeting efficiency and therapeutic potential, can be outlined in this manuscript. For the final part of the manuscript, the current advances in MSC-EV engineering and potential strategies for clinical application have been described. The findings of MSC-EVs imply that they present MSC-EVs as a second-generation tool for precise oncology.
Fulltext Radiotherapy as a primary treatment modality for a young man with a primary urethral plasmacytoma: case report and literature review

Lim SH, Poh TE, Wee HC, Awang Basry NSB, Tajul Arifin MSB, Yong KY

Front Oncol, 2025;15:1528536.
PMID: 40034589 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1528536

Primary urethral plasmacytoma is an extremely rare form of solitary plasmacytoma, with only 10 cases reported in the literature. It involves localized clonal proliferation of plasma cells without systemic disease. This report presents a 29-year-old man with acute urinary retention and a urethral mass, confirmed as solitary plasmacytoma. The patient was treated with 45 Gy of local radiotherapy, resulting in complete tumor resolution without recurrence or progression at a 2-year follow-up. Given its rarity, treatment strategies for primary urethral plasmacytoma are not well-defined. Radiotherapy is preferred over surgery in young patients due to the radiosensitivity of plasma cell tumors and its ability to preserve sexual and urinary function. A review of previous cases treated with radiotherapy alone, using doses of 40-50 Gy, showed favorable outcomes with no recurrences reported over follow-up periods ranging from 6 months to 12 years. Only one patient experienced minor long-term complications. This report highlights the effectiveness of radiotherapy as a primary modality for managing primary urethral plasmacytoma, offering excellent local control while preserving organ function. Individualized treatment plans should consider patient age, fertility concerns, and tumor characteristics. Further research is necessary to optimize treatment protocols and long-term surveillance strategies due to the potential risk of recurrence or progression to multiple myeloma.
Fulltext Aptamer based immunotherapy: a potential solid tumor therapeutic

Mathavan S, Tam YJ, Mustaffa KMF, Tye GJ

Front Immunol, 2025;16:1536569.
PMID: 40034705 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1536569

Aptamer-based immunotherapy can be a new hope for treating solid tumors with personalized and specific approaches toward cancer therapies. Aptamers are small synthetic single-stranded nucleic acids that may bring in a paradigm shift in treating solid tumors. These are highly selective drugs applied in cellular immunotherapy, cytokine modulation, and immune checkpoint suppression. This review provides an overview of the recent advances in aptamer-based technologies with specific key clinical trials involving AON-D21 and AM003. Aptamers are potently active in immune regulation and tumor targeting. However, aptamer stability and bioavailability are seriously compromised by the issues relating to renal clearance and rapid degradation through nucleases. The latter are reviewed here along with novel improvements, some of which involve chemical modifications that greatly enhance stability and prolong the circulation time; exemplary such modifications are PEGylation, cholesterol conjugation, and the synthesis of circular nucleic acids. The regulatory aspect is also crucial. For example, in addition to specific strategies to prevent drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in cancer remediation medications, this paper underscores the need of risk assessment, particularly because of immunogenicity and organ failure. The use of aptamers is expanded by the development of SOMAmers, X-aptamers, and bioinformatics. To make aptamer-based drugs a major part of cancer treatment, future research should concentrate more on resolving existing issues and expanding their beneficial uses.

MeSH terms: Animals; Humans; SELEX Aptamer Technique
Stressors and suicidal ideation in low-income adults in Malaysia: A serial mediation analysis of social support and mental health symptoms

Shukri M, Armitage CJ, Koon CS, Tarmizi NN

Int J Soc Psychiatry, 2025 Mar;71(2):295-306.
PMID: 39412828 DOI: 10.1177/00207640241288686

BACKGROUND: Studies have documented a heightened risk of suicidal ideation in response to stressors, especially among people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, the mechanisms of this association remain elusive.
AIMS: Drawing on the social deterioration and counteractive models, this study aims to elucidate the pathways linking stressors to suicidal ideation through serial mediation of social support and mental health symptoms in Malaysia.
METHOD: Data were collected from 404 low-income adults (33.2% male and 66.8% female) receiving monthly financial assistance from Malaysia's social welfare department. We employed stressor measures (i.e. financial, family and work), the Oslo Social Support Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Suicidal Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised.
RESULTS: A total of 46.8% of participants reported mild-to-severe anxiety and depressive symptoms, with 11.1% classified as high risk for suicide. Direct and indirect effects were found. After controlling for age and gender, social support and mental health symptoms mediated the link between stressors and suicidal ideation. The serial mediation analysis indicates that stressors are connected to heightened suicidal ideation through a sequence involving insufficient social support, followed by elevated levels of mental health symptoms.
CONCLUSION: Understanding the multifaceted relationships among stressors, social support, mental health symptoms and suicide ideation expands the potential for developing targeted interventions and preventive strategies tailored for vulnerable populations. Clinical work with low-income individuals may include implementing early systematic efforts to develop accessible mental health and integrated care services.

MeSH terms: Adult; Anxiety/psychology; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Poverty*; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Surveys and Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Social Support*; Young Adult; Suicidal Ideation*
Case discussions in pediatric neurosurgery: a model for improving service delivery and neurosurgery education in Southeast Asia

Baticulon RE, Esguerra JML, Lazuardy MA, Kho GS, Low SYY, My LQ, et al.

Neurosurg Focus, 2025 Mar 01;58(3):E13.
PMID: 40022759 DOI: 10.3171/2024.12.FOCUS24816

OBJECTIVE: The number of pediatric neurosurgeons worldwide remains inadequate. Opportunities for fellowship training and continuing medical education in pediatric neurosurgery are limited, particularly for neurosurgeons in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to describe the setup and conduct of a recurring online meeting to discuss diagnostic and treatment dilemmas in pediatric neurosurgery, organized by a group of pediatric neurosurgeons in Southeast Asia.
METHODS: Available meeting reports since inception in 2022 and registration data for the year 2024 were analyzed. Meeting recordings were reviewed to describe the cases presented for opinion. A focus group discussion was conducted among core team members to evaluate the virtual meetings.
RESULTS: From January 2022 to August 2024, the Southeast Asian pediatric neurosurgery group organized 16 online meetings to discuss 50 patients. Based on the report for 12 meetings (75%), the mean number of participants for each session was 45 ± 11, with 91% ± 5% of the attendees being present for at least 15 minutes. Review of 2024 registration data showed that 142 unique participants from 15 countries attended the 5 meetings for this year. Most were neurosurgery residents (65%) and neurosurgery consultants (23%). Of 50 cases presented, the majority were tumors (52%) and craniofacial disorders (16%). Discussions centered on most probable diagnosis (34%), best treatment option (90%), and recommended surgical approach (82%).
CONCLUSIONS: International case discussions in pediatric neurosurgery are feasible and sustainable online, with the potential to improve service delivery, strengthen the workforce, and grow professional networks. Leadership and time commitment from a core group are essential to ensure the success of these global neurosurgery collaborations.

MeSH terms: Neurosurgeons/education; Adolescent; Asia, Southeastern; Child; Child, Preschool; Delivery of Health Care; Female; Humans; Male; Neurosurgical Procedures/education; Neurosurgical Procedures/methods

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