DEV Community: Keith Lim

UCD together with MCD-like inflammatory point out: surgery excision is extremely effective.

Keith Lim — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 09:26:50 +0000

The study demonstrated that CapsNet achieved the best discriminative performance (accuracy 81.3%, specificity 80.7%, sensitivity 82.2%) although its area under the curve was just marginally better than that of the optimal random forest (RF) based radiomics model. Not surprisingly, the performance of the CNN was only comparable to the other radiomics models.

This study demonstrated that CapsNet is a viable potential framework for discriminating the subtypes of NSCLC, and its use could be extended to the recognition of other diseases especially in limited single-center datasets.
This study demonstrated that CapsNet is a viable potential framework for discriminating the subtypes of NSCLC, and its use could be extended to the recognition of other diseases especially in limited single-center datasets.
3D motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium prepared rapid gradient echo (MERGE) can characterize carotid atherosclerotic plaque morphology and composition. The present study aimed to evaluate its performance by comparing it with reference images and assessing the inter-reader agreement.

Eighty-four patients were prospectively recruited and scanned with 3D MERGE. Two trained magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) readers measured and calculated the maximum wall thickness (WT), maximum vessel diameter, total vessel area, lumen area, wall area, normalized wall index, plaque volume, intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) volume, and calcification volume independently. IPH, calcification, mixed calcification, and ulceration were identified. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the inter-reader agreement. MERGE performance was assessed in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihoatherosclerotic plaques. Therefore, MERGE can be a promising imaging approach in atherosclerotic-vulnerable plaque.
To evaluate the value of intraoperative B-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE) in differentiating low-grade and high-grade gliomas.

A total of 172 patients with glioma were examined by B-mode ultrasound to obtain a tumor sonogram. Intraoperative SWE was performed on 52 patients to obtain Young's modulus values of peritumor tissue and tumor tissue, and the differences in conventional B-mode signs and Young's modulus values of gliomas of different grades were then compared. The diagnostic performance of SWE in glioma grading was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and the intra- and interobserver reliability of SWE was analyzed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

For B-mode ultrasound, patient age, cystic degeneration, and peritumor edema were independent risk factors for high-grade glioma (P<0.05, OR >1). For SWE, Young's modulus values of peritumor tissue, low-grade glioma, and high-grade glioma tissues were 8.20 (7.50, 9.70) kPa, 19.65 (15e different grades of gliomas.
The non-invasive characterization of glioma metabolites would greatly assist the management of glioma patients in the clinical setting. This study investigated the applicability of intra-subject inter-metabolite correlation analyses for differentiating glioma malignancy and proliferation.

A total of 17 negative controls (NCs), 39 low-grade gliomas (LGGs) patients, and 25 high-grade gliomas (HGGs) subjects were included in this retrospective study. Amide proton transfer (APT) and magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) imaging contrasts, as well as total choline/total creatine (tCho/tCr) and total N-acetylaspartate/total creatine (tNAA/tCr) ratios quantified from magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) were co-registered voxel-wise and used to produce three intra-subject inter-metabolite correlation coefficients (IMCCs), namely, R

, R

, and R

. The correlation between the IMCCs and tumor grade and Ki-67 labeling index (LI) for tumor proliferation were explored. The differences incorrelation with the Ki-67 LI (R=0.46, P=0.0008) and the tumor-grade stratification with AUC increased to 0.85 (sensitivity 80.0%, specificity 79.5%).

This study demonstrated that glioma patients showed stronger inter-metabolite correlations than control subjects, and the IMCCs were significantly correlated with glioma grade and proliferation. The multi-IMCCs combined model further improved the performance of clinical diagnosis.
This study demonstrated that glioma patients showed stronger inter-metabolite correlations than control subjects, and the IMCCs were significantly correlated with glioma grade and proliferation. The multi-IMCCs combined model further improved the performance of clinical diagnosis.
Vascular geometry may play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the geometrical characteristics of basilar artery (BA) and the presence, burden, and distribution of BA plaques using magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging.

Patients with cerebrovascular symptoms in the posterior circulation were recruited and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. The BA's geometrical characteristics, including actual length, straightened length, tortuosity, lateral basilar artery-vertebral artery (VA) angle, lateral mid-BA angle, and BA convexity, were measured. The presence of plaques, stenosis, and plaque burden, including mean and maximal wall thickness, were evaluated. The BA's cross-sectional vessel wall was divided into 4 quadrants dorsal, ventral, right, and left quadrant. The distribution of BA plaques was analyzed.

Of 344 recruited patients (mean age 68.1±11.1 years; 200 males), 100 (29.1%) had BA plaques. selleck chemicals Patients with BA plaques had higher tortuosity of the BA (13.6±9.0
9.7±7.7, P<0.001) compared to those without BA plaques. Multivariate regression analysis showed that tortuosity of the BA was associated with the presence of BA plaques (OR, 1.641; 95% CI, 1.232 to 2.186; P=0.001) and mean wall thickness (β, 0.045; 95% CI, 0.008 to 0.081; P=0.017). The plaque distribution in the left wall and right wall of BA was more frequent in patients with right (P=0.006) and left (P<0.001) convex BA, respectively.

The BA's geometrical characteristics, particularly tortuosity and convexity, are independently associated with the presence, burden, and distribution of plaques in the BA.
The BA's geometrical characteristics, particularly tortuosity and convexity, are independently associated with the presence, burden, and distribution of plaques in the BA.selleck chemicals

Serious motivation air maintain compared to totally free breathing technique in mediastinal radiotherapy for lymphoma.

Keith Lim — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 09:23:18 +0000

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of browsing TikTok for 20 min on patients' preoperative anxiety.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Anesthesiology of The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2021 to March 2021. The 80 patients were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group browsed TikTok for 20 min, but the control group did not. Preoperative anxiety was measured with the help of the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) and anxiety visual analog test (AVAT). Preoperative anxiety, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) were checked before and after 20 min of TikTok browsing. Patient satisfaction with anesthesia was evaluated as the patient entered and exited the operating room.

The pretest APAIS scores, AVAT scores, vital signs and patient satisfaction were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Compared with the control group, patient anxiety levels and systolic blood pressure decreased significantly after 20 min of TikTok browsing (p < 0.05), and patient satisfaction with anesthesia was significantly higher (p < 0.05). In the experimental group, after patients browsed TikTok for 20 min, all of the physiological and behavioral variables of anxiety were significantly reduced (p < 0.05).

TikTok is a popular, simple, effective, noninvasive and inexpensive method for decreasing preoperative anxiety, and browsing TikTok can lower a patient's blood pressure and heart rate to some extent.
TikTok is a popular, simple, effective, noninvasive and inexpensive method for decreasing preoperative anxiety, and browsing TikTok can lower a patient's blood pressure and heart rate to some extent.In June and July of last year, members of the JAACAP editorial team recruited researchers and clinicians around the globe to complete an open-ended online questionnaire about their perceptions of the pandemic's effects on children and adolescents and which of these issues deserved immediate attention in future research. In May, JAACAP published the survey results.1 In keeping with these findings, the Book Forum has turned its focus to reviewing resources specific to the concerns raised by these participants.Tea is one of the three most widely consumed beverages in the world, not only because of its unique flavor but also due to its various health benefits. The bioactive components in tea, such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, polypeptides, pigments, and alkaloids, are the main contributors to its health functions. Based on epidemiological surveys, the consumption of tea and its compounds in daily life has positive effects on cardiovascular diseases, cancers, hepatopathy, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. In experimental studies, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-obesity, cardiovascular protective, liver protective, and hypoglycemic activities of tea and the related mechanisms of action have been widely investigated. The regulation of several classical signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), and wingless/integrated (Wnt) signaling, is involved. Clinical trials have also demonstrated the potential of tea products to be applied as dietary supplements and natural medicines. In this paper, we reviewed and discussed the recent literature on the health benefits of tea and its compounds, and specifically explored the molecular mechanisms involved.Mycoplasma genitalium is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is responsible for several sexually transmitted infections, including non-gonococcal urethritis in men and several inflammatory reproductive tract syndromes in women. Here, we applied subtractive genomics and reverse vaccinology approaches for in silico prediction of potential vaccine and drug targets against five strains of M. genitalium. We identified 403 genes shared by all five strains, from which 104 non-host homologous proteins were selected, comprising of 44 exposed/secreted/membrane proteins and 60 cytoplasmic proteins. Based on the essentiality, functionality, and structure-based binding affinity, we finally predicted 19 (14 novel) putative vaccine and 7 (2 novel) candidate drug targets. The docking analysis showed six molecules from the ZINC database as promising drug candidates against the identified targets. Altogether, both vaccine candidates and drug targets identified here may contribute to the future development of therapeutic strategies to control the spread of M. genitalium worldwide.OTOG encodes for otogelin, a component of the tectorial membrane. This gene is associated with nonprogressive mild-to-moderate hearing loss. However, no studies have yet identified the association between OTOG variation and severe-to-profound hearing loss. Therefore, to address this issue, a family-based whole-exome sequencing strategy (WES) was carried out. Two unrelated Iranian families with non-syndromic hearing loss were identified, and WES was conducted on one selected candidate from each family. As a result, a rare homozygous missense variant, OTOG (c.C2383Tp.R795C), was detected in both of the subjected probands, and segregation analysis confirmed the c.C2383T variant in seven cases of severe-to-profound hearing loss. Additionally, the results from the protein modeling demonstrated that the altered position of a few disulfide bonds in the TIL domain may have a deleterious impact on protein stability and normal functionality. In conclusion, it seems that the homozygosity of the OTOG c.C2383T mutation sheds light on hearing loss pathobiology. Nevertheless, further studies are required to unravel the precise function of OTOG mutation, which is potentially associated with severe-to-profound hearing loss.Angiostrongylus vasorum is an emerging parasitic nematode of canids and causes respiratory distress, bleeding, and other signs in dogs. Despite its clinical importance, the molecular toolbox allowing the study of the parasite is incomplete. To address this gap, we have sequenced its nuclear genome using Oxford nanopore sequencing, polished with Illumina reads. The size of the final genome is 280 Mb comprising 468 contigs, with an N50 value of 1.68 Mb and a BUSCO score of 93.5%. Ninety-three percent of 13,766 predicted genes were assigned to putative functions. Three folate carriers were found exclusively in A. vasorum, with potential involvement in host coagulopathy. A screen for previously identified vaccine candidates, the aminopeptidase H11 and the somatic protein rHc23, revealed homologs in A. vasorum. see more The genome sequence will provide a foundation for the development of new tools against canine angiostrongylosis, supporting the identification of potential drug and vaccine targets.see more

Cardioprotective Qualities associated with Mannitol-Involvement associated with Mitochondrial Blood potassium Stations.

Keith Lim — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 09:37:35 +0000

e group.Peripheral biomarkers are important tools for detecting occupational exposures to prevent the onset and/or progression of diseases. Studies that reveal early peripheral biomarkers are highly important to preserve the health of workers and can potentially contribute to diagnosing and/or prognosing occupational pathologies. Exposure to crystalline silica is a problem in several workplaces because it increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, cancer, and pulmonary fibrosis, clinically defined as silicosis. Silicosis is diagnosed by chest radiography and/or lung tomography in advanced stages when there is a severe loss of lung function. Peripheral biomarkers can help in diagnosing early changes prior to silicosis and represent a highly important technical-scientific advance that is minimally invasive. This review aimed to investigate the biomarkers studied for evaluating occupational exposure to crystalline silica and to understand the recent advances in this area. Potential oxidative, inflammatory, and immunological biomarkers were reviewed, as well as routine biomarkers such as biochemical parameters. It was found that biomarkers of effect such as serum CC16 and l-selectin levels could represent promising alternatives. Additionally, studies have shown that neopterin levels in urine and serum can be used to monitor worker exposure. However, further studies are needed that include a greater number of participants, different times of exposure to crystalline silica, and a combination of silicosis patients and healthy volunteers. Evaluating the concentration of crystalline silica in occupational environments, its impact on biomarkers of effect, and alterations in lung function could contribute to revealing early health alterations in workers in a more robust manner.
Diffusion MRI of the brain enables to quantify white matter fiber orientations noninvasively. Several approaches have been proposed to estimate such characteristics from diffusion MRI data with spherical deconvolution being one of the most widely used methods. Spherical deconvolution requires to define--or derive from the data--a response function, which is used to compute the fiber orientation distribution (FOD). Different characteristics of the response function are expected to affect the FOD computation and the subsequent fiber tracking.

In this work, we explored the effects of inaccuracies in the shape factors of the response function on the FOD characteristics.

With simulations, we show that the apparent fiber density could be doubled in the presence of underestimated shape factors in the response functions, whereas the overestimation of the shape factor will cause more spurious peaks in the FOD, especially when the signal-to-noise ratio is below 15. Moreover, crossing fiber populations with a separation angle smaller than 60° were more sensitive to inaccuracies in the response function than fiber populations with more orthogonal separation angles. Results with in vivo data demonstrate angular deviations in the FODs and spurious peaks as a result of modified shape factors of the response function, while the reconstruction of the main parts of fiber bundles is well preserved.

This work sheds light on how specific aspects of the response function shape can affect the estimated FODs, and highlights the importance of a proper calibration/definition of the response function.
This work sheds light on how specific aspects of the response function shape can affect the estimated FODs, and highlights the importance of a proper calibration/definition of the response function.The negative consequences of personal exclusion have been demonstrated by multiple studies. Less is known about the consequences of witnessing one's own group being excluded by other groups, although studies suggest exclusion can be experienced vicariously and negatively affects members of the excluded group. Results of the present lab-based experiment (N = 153) indicate, in line with our predictions, that witnessing intergroup exclusion (a national majority excluded by a minority, manipulated by an adapted intergroup Cyberball paradigm) produced a sense of personal exclusion. find more It also increased self-reported distress and behavioral aggression measured in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm), especially among participants high on collective narcissism a belief that the exaggerated greatness of the in-group is not sufficiently appreciated by others. Contrary to expectations, a short mindful decentration intervention (instructing participants to observe thoughts and emotions as transient mental products without engaging with them) delivered while participants were witnessing intergroup exclusion (vs. inclusion) produced changes in heart rate variability reactivity indicative of emotional arousal, especially among collective narcissists. We concluded that collective narcissism is associated with distress in the face of intergroup exclusion, aggressive retaliation, and in consequence, it is a risk-factor predisposing group members to stress-related health and psychosocial problems. Furthermore, a mindful decentration, despite being an effective strategy to reduce maladaptive stress in most people, may be counterproductive in addressing high collective narcissists' responses to threat to the in-group's image.
Callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors predict risk for aggression and rule-breaking. Low social affiliation (i.e. reduced motivation for and enjoyment of social closeness) is hypothesized to be a phenotypic marker for CU behaviors in early childhood. However, studies need to establish observational methods to objectively assess social affiliation as well as to establish parenting practices that can buffer pathways from low social affiliation to CU behaviors.

Using data from a longitudinal twin study of 628 children (age 2, 47% females; age 3, 44.9% females), we examined reciprocal associations between observed social affiliation, CU behaviors, and oppositional-defiant behaviors. We tested whether positive parenting moderated associations over time.

We established that an observed measure of social affiliation derived from the Bayley's Behavior Rating Scale and Infant Behavior Record showed high inter-rater reliability and expected convergence with parent-reported temperament measures. Lower social affiliation at age 2 uniquely predicted CU behaviors, but not oppositional-defiant behaviors, at age 3.find more

Which ought to be prioritized regarding COVID-19 vaccine inside Tiongkok? Any illustrative research.

Keith Lim — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 09:05:35 +0000

No effects of living in isolated MSAs were found for those with at least a high school education, but older adults with less than a high school education had lower cognitive function in MSAs with greater isolation (b=-0.274, p<0.05). The degree of dissimilarity was not associated with cognitive function. The association between segregation and cognitive function did not vary by race.

Metropolitan segregation was associated with lower cognitive function among older adults, especially for those with lower education living in racially isolated MSAs. This suggests complex associations between individual socioeconomic status, place, and cognitive health.
Metropolitan segregation was associated with lower cognitive function among older adults, especially for those with lower education living in racially isolated MSAs. This suggests complex associations between individual socioeconomic status, place, and cognitive health.
Monocyte count and serum albumin (Alb) have been proven to be involved in the process of systemic inflammation. Therefore, we investigated the prognostic value of monocyte-to-albumin ratio (MAR) in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

We enrolled a total of 3561 patients in the present study from January 2013 to December 2017. They were divided into two groups according to MAR cut-off value (MAR < 0.014, n=2220; MAR ≥ 0.014, n=1119) as evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The average follow-up time was 37.59 ± 22.24 months.

The two groups differed significantly in the incidences of all-cause mortality (ACM; P<0.001), cardiac mortality (CM; P<0.001), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; P=0.038), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs; P=0.037). Multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed MAR as an independent prognostic factor for ACM and CM. The incidence of ACM increased by 56.5% (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.565; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.086-2.256; P=0.016) and that of CM increased by 76.3% (HR = 1.763; 95% CI, 1.106-2.810; P=0.017) in patients in the higher-MAR group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis suggested that patients with higher MAR tended to have an increased accumulated risk of ACM (Log-rank P<0.001) and CM (Log-rank P<0.001).

The findings of the present study suggested that MAR was a novel independent predictor of long-term mortality in patients who underwent PCI.
The findings of the present study suggested that MAR was a novel independent predictor of long-term mortality in patients who underwent PCI.The ovary is the most important organ for maintaining female reproductive health, but it fails before most other organs. Aging-associated alterations in gene expression patterns in mammalian ovaries remain largely unknown. In this study, the transcriptomic landscape of postnatal mouse ovaries over the reproductive lifespan was investigated using bulk RNA sequencing in C57BL/6 mice. Gene expression dynamics revealed that the lifespan of postnatal mouse ovaries comprised four sequential stages, during which 2517 genes were identified as differentially enriched. Notably, the DNA repair pathway was found to make a considerable and specific contribution to the process of ovarian aging. Temporal gene expression patterns were dissected to identify differences in gene expression trajectories over the lifespan. In addition to DNA repair, distinct biological functions (including hypoxia response, epigenetic modification, fertilization, mitochondrial function, etc.) were overrepresented in particular clusters. Association studies were further performed to explore the relationships between known genes responsible for ovarian function and differentially expressed genes identified in this work. We found that the causative genes of human premature ovarian insufficiency were specifically enriched in distinct gene clusters. Taken together, our findings reveal a comprehensive transcriptomic landscape of the mouse ovary over the lifespan, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying mammalian ovarian aging and supporting future etiological studies of aging-associated ovarian disorders.
Financial stressors such as wealth loss, indebtedness, and bankruptcy have gained the attention of public health scholars since the Great Recession. In this study, we extend this area of research by comparing the mental and physical impact of multiple financial stressors during midlife, a pivotal period in the life course for wealth accumulation and disease onset.

With data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (www.nlsinfo.org), an ongoing survey of adult men and women in the U.S., we used logistic regression to estimate the associations between financial stressors and the risk of a psychiatric disorder or high blood pressure diagnosis from ages 31-39 in 1996 to ages 50-59 in 2016 (N = 7,143). Financial stressors include multiple types of wealth loss, debt, and bankruptcy.

Even after adjusting for a comprehensive set of confounders, many of the financial stressors we considered had similar associations with the risk of a psychiatric disorder, whereas only debt and bankruptcy were associated with the risk of high blood pressure. The best fitting models for both health outcomes included a simple indicator of indebtedness. Stock losses were not significantly associated with either health outcome.

Given the recent volatility in the U.S. economy, our results highlight the potential loss of health that may occur if nothing is done to prevent economically vulnerable populations from sliding into financial crisis. Our results also emphasize the need for additional research to develop individual-level interventions to improve health among those already experiencing financial difficulties.
Given the recent volatility in the U.S. economy, our results highlight the potential loss of health that may occur if nothing is done to prevent economically vulnerable populations from sliding into financial crisis. CH-223191 datasheet Our results also emphasize the need for additional research to develop individual-level interventions to improve health among those already experiencing financial difficulties.CH-223191 datasheet