Critical Evidence Research Articles

Prognostic and immune implications of a novel 7-methylguanosine-related microRNA signature in breast invasive carcinoma: from exploration to validation.

This study aims to develop and validate a prognostic signature based on 7-methylguanosine-related (M7G-related) miRNAs for predicting prognosis and immune implications in breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA). M7G-related miRNA data of BRCA were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-penalized, univariate, and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to construct the prognostic signature. Furthermore, the predictive validity was verified using Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival risk and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plots. Internal random sampling verification was used to simplify and validate the signature. RT-qPCR was used to quantify the expression level of transcriptional profiles. The independent prognostic role of the risk score was validated using univariate and multivariate regression. Single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) was used for functional and immune enrichment analysis. A total of 18 M7G-related miRNAs were identified to construct the prognostic signature in BRCA. The low-risk group exhibited significantly higher overall survival than the high-risk group in the KM survival plot (P < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for 1-, 3-, and 5-year survivals in the ROC curve were 0.737, 0.724, and 0.702, respectively. The survival significance in the training and testing cohorts was confirmed by random sampling verification. The most prominent miRNAs in the signature were the miR-7, miR-139, miR-10b, and miR-4728. Furthermore, immune scores for B, mast, and Th1 cells varied between risk groups. Our research demonstrated that CD52 was the most positively correlated gene with immune cells and functions in BRCA. Our study presents a comprehensive and systematic analysis of M7G-related miRNAs to construct a prognostic signature in BRCA. The signature demonstrated excellent prognostic validity, with the risk score as an independent prognostic factor. These results provide critical evidence for further investigation of M7G miRNAs and offer new insights for BRCA patients in the context of effective immunotherapy.

Tracking Post-Disaster Chronic Disease: Protocol for the RECOVER Cohort Study

Introduction:There is growing evidence that disasters may increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, including diabetes, dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. However, how much disaster exposure specifically affects chronic disease risk is unknown. This presentation introduces the study protocol for the Risk of hEalth ConditiOn AdVerse Events after disasteRs (RECOVER) Cohort Study, which addresses this gap.Method:The primary aim of RECOVER is to determine the extent to which disaster exposure specifically increases the risk of developing chronic disease (Aim 1). The secondary aims of the study are to determine if the nature, duration and severity of disaster exposure are risk factors for disease (Aim 2), to map mediators of post-disaster chronic disease risk (Aim 3), and to identify potential biomarkers of post-disaster chronic disease risk (Aim 4). RECOVER will recruit over 6000 adults (1:1 disaster exposed vs unexposed) in Australia to a nationally representative cohort for longitudinal follow-up. Detailed data will be obtained annually on disaster exposure, demographic, social and health factors. The primary health outcome (Aim 1) of chronic disease will be defined as new, incident diabetes, cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and will be ascertained through data linkage with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. A biomarker sub-stream will include ~1,000 participants who provide a hair and saliva sample for cortisol and epigenetic analysis.Results:N/AConclusion:There is an urgent need for detailed individual-level data to analyze the nature of the association between disaster exposure and chronic disease. In 2020 alone, 16.8 million Australians were exposed to disasters. The frequency and severity of disasters are only expected to grow due to climate change. As the first prospective cohort study to longitudinally track individual-level disaster exposure and chronic disease outcomes, RECOVER will fill a critical evidence gap.

Cenozoic Shortening and Propagation in the Eastern Kuqa Fold‐And‐Thrust Belt, South Tian Shan, NW China

AbstractIn an orogen‐foreland basin system, syn‐orogenic sedimentation and deformation records within the foreland basin provide critical evidence for understanding uplift and erosion processes of adjacent orogenic belts. Foreland fold‐and‐thrust belts (FTBs) are widely developed around the Tian Shan range, Central Asia. Problem of how crustal shortening accumulates and propagates from the Tian Shan to adjacent foreland basins is essential for understanding the overall dynamics of Tian Shan. In this study, we interpreted three high‐resolution seismic reflection profiles to estimate the magnitude and distribution of Cenozoic shortening across the Eastern Kuqa FTB, South Tian Shan foreland. Combined with well‐dated syntectonic stratigraphy, we further evaluate the timing, rate, and migration of the deformation front of the Kuqa FTB. Our results suggest that the Kuqa FTB's total crustal shortening increases westward. The distribution of crustal shortening across secondary structural belts shows a gradual, basinward decrease, which can be explained by the telescoped mechanism. Propagation rates of the Kuqa FTB's deformation front indicate an episodic propagation of the foreland thrust wedge, with an acceleration after ∼12 Ma. Similar episodic propagation pattern has also been observed in other foreland FTBs around the Tian Shan, but they show significant spatio‐temporal variations in the propagation stages and related rates.

Using a Killer’s Statements as Critical Evidence to Support a Charge of Third-Degree Murder (as Opposed to Self-Defense) When Physical Evidence is Inconclusive: A Case Report

In a conversation over a few beers, a killer bragged to a witness that seven years earlier he had shot a man and buried the body.

Bacterial diversity and co‐occurrence patterns differ across a world‐wide spatial distribution of habitats in glacier ecosystems

Abstract Glaciers cover nearly 10% of the Earth's surface and are unique biomes dominated by microbial communities that support key ecosystem processes. The melting of glaciers is among the most conspicuous consequences of global climate change, with impacts on microbial ecology and associated biogeochemistry. However, we are still missing an integrative understanding of microbial biodiversity from divergent habitats associated with glaciers. Here, we compiled global microbiome metadata from 93 representative glaciers over 180 locations and used random forest, microbial ecological networks and structural equation modelling to evaluate the biodiversity and environmental factors associated with the glacier microbiomes of seven contrasting habitats: water, epilithic biofilm, cryoconite, mat, ice, sediment and permafrost soil. The results showed that microbial diversity largely changed across habitats, with the highest in permafrost soil, followed by sediment, ice, mat, cryoconite, water and epilithic biofilm. More importantly, we provided critical evidence that the environmental and climatic factors associated with the microbiomes of glaciers varied with glacier habitats. Microbial diversity in water was highly correlated with latitude, cryoconite microbial diversity was significantly (p = 0.01) correlated with pH, and permafrost soil and sediment microbial diversity were mainly explained by temperature (17.05% and 13.37% respectively). Using ecological association network analysis, we identified some tightly linked common microbial taxa (e.g. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes) that were present in all the habitats and were vulnerable to climatic factors, such as temperature and precipitation. This study demonstrated that microbial diversity, drivers and co‐occurrence patterns differ among glacier habitats globally, and diverse habitat‐dependent glacier microbiomes could serve as early warning sentinels for the study of life on glaciers and its potential future in a warming world. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Barriers and facilitators to resilience for rural cancer survivors during COVID-19.

The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers and facilitators of resilience for rural cancer survivors during COVID-19. A descriptive qualitative study design was used to achieve the study objected. We recruited six posttreatment cancer survivors, four caregivers of cancer survivors, and one survivor who also identified as a caregiver, all from rural Southwest Virginia. Participants completed 60-90 minute virtual interviews that were recorded, transcribed, and verified in Dedoose qualitative software. Data was analyzed using an inductive and deductive coding strategies, and thematic analysis was used to develop key themes. Four key themes emerged from the data: 1) Religious faith is a primary source of resilience, 2) Spiritual cancer care strengthens resilience, 3) Virtual platforms provide critical connections to faith communities, and 4) Fearful and fatalistic cancer beliefs reduce resilience. The findings provide critical descriptive evidence that faith facilitates resilience for rural cancer survivors, while rural cultural norms of fearful and fatalistic cancer beliefs reduce resilience. In the context of COVID-19, rural survivors prioritize utilizing virtual support groups to strengthen their resilience. Nurses should incorporate a spiritual assessment into survivorship care, and guide survivors to existing virtual support groups.

Quantifying the interconnectedness between poverty, health access, and rabies mortality.

The global 2030 goal set by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies deaths, has undeniably been a catalyst for many countries to re-assess existing dog rabies control programmes. Additionally, the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development includes a blueprint for global targets which will benefit both people and secure the health of the planet. Rabies is acknowledged as a disease of poverty, but the connections between economic development and rabies control and elimination are poorly quantified yet, critical evidence for planning and prioritisation. We have developed multiple generalised linear models, to model the relationship between health care access, poverty, and death rate as a result of rabies, with separate indicators that can be used at country-level; total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and current health expenditure as a percentage of the total gross domestic product (% GDP) as an indicator of economic growth; and a metric of poverty assessing the extent and intensity of deprivation experienced at the individual level (Multidimensional Poverty Index, MPI). Notably there was no detectable relationship between GDP or current health expenditure (% GDP) and death rate from rabies. However, MPI showed statistically significant relationships with per capita rabies deaths and the probability of receiving lifesaving post exposure prophylaxis. We highlight that those most at risk of not being treated, and dying due to rabies, live in communities experiencing health care inequalities, readily measured through poverty indicators. These data demonstrate that economic growth alone, may not be enough to meet the 2030 goal. Indeed, other strategies such as targeting vulnerable populations and responsible pet ownership are also needed in addition to economic investment.

Protective Effects of a Jellyfish-Derived Thioredoxin Fused with Cell-Penetrating Peptide TAT-PTD on H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage.

Thioredoxin (Trx) plays a critical role in maintaining redox balance in various cells and exhibits anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, whether exogenous Trx can inhibit intracellular oxidative damage has not been investigated. In previous study, we have identified a novel Trx from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata, named CcTrx1, and confirmed its antioxidant activities in vitro. Here, we obtained a recombinant protein, PTD-CcTrx1, which is a fusion of CcTrx1 and protein transduction domain (PTD) of HIV TAT protein. The transmembrane ability and antioxidant activities of PTD-CcTrx1, and its protective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in HaCaT cells were also detected. Our results revealed that PTD-CcTrx1 exhibited specific transmembrane ability and antioxidant activities, and it could significantly attenuate the intracellular oxidative stress, inhibit H2O2-induced apoptosis, and protect HaCaT cells from oxidative damage. The present study provides critical evidence for application of PTD-CcTrx1 as a novel antioxidant to treat skin oxidative damage in the future.

Patient and public involvement in research published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2015–2021: A scoping review

Introduction: The British Journal of Occupational Therapy ( BJOT) recently introduced a requirement for authors to report Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). The public and people using health and social care services have knowledge which holds value in research beyond use as data. Involvement in research process can help shape the generation of critical evidence informing policies and practices; however, little is known about prior PPI reporting. Method: A scoping review was conducted identifying public involvement in research published in BJOT between 2015 and 2021. An electronic search was conducted using key terms. Data were extracted in duplicate or triplicate using GRIPP2 short form checklist. Results: Twenty-five studies were identified which reported public involvement, this was 6% of research published in BJOT. Patients and public were mainly involved in study steering or advisory groups and their primary activity was developing or piloting study materials. There were low levels of reporting the aim, outcome and critical reflections on involvement activities. Main approaches to involvement were consultation (37%) and collaboration (30%). There was inconsistent use of language and terms. Recommendations: Consistent PPI reporting using Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP 2), critical reflection of impact of PPI, acknowledgement of public contributors, future scoping review investigating impact of BJOT PPI authorship guidelines.

Testing adaptive interventions to improve PTSD treatment outcomes in Federally Qualified Health Centers: Protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) disproportionately affects low-income individuals and is untreated in 70% of those affected. One third of low-income Americans are treated in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which do not have the capacity to provide all patients with first-line treatments such as Prolonged Exposure (PE). To address this problem, FQHCs could use low-intensity interventions (e.g., Clinician-Supported PTSD Coach: CS PTSD Coach) and medium-intensity interventions (e.g., PE for Primary Care: PE-PC) to treat PTSD with fewer resources. However, some patients will still require high-intensity treatments (e.g., full-length PE) for sustained clinical benefit. Thus, there is a critical need to develop stepped-care models for PTSD in FQHCs. MethodWe are conducting a Sequential, Multiple Assignment, Randomized Trial (SMART) with 430 adults with PTSD in FQHCs. Participants are initially randomized to CS PTSD Coach or PE-PC. After four sessions, early responders step down to lower frequency interaction within their assigned initial treatment strategy. Slow responders are re-randomized to either continue their initial treatment strategy or step up to Full PE for an additional eight weeks. The specific aims are to test the effectiveness of initiating treatment with PE-PC versus CS PTSD Coach in reducing PTSD symptoms and to test the effectiveness of second-stage strategies (continue versus step-up to Full PE) for slow responders. ConclusionsThis project will provide critical evidence to inform the development of an effective stepped-care model for PTSD. Testing scalable, sustainable sequences of PTSD treatments delivered in low-resource community health centers will improve clinical practice for PTSD.

From research to health policy: The Noguchi story in the past, present and next 25 years

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) is a semi-autonomous institute of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon. Founded in 1979, the Institute was built with a grant aid from the Government of Japan as a gift to the people of Ghana in memory of the renowned Japanese medical scientist, Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, who died from Yellow fever infection while conducting research on the disease in Ghana. The Institute has a three-pronged mandate to conduct health related research, build human capacity and provide specialized diagnostic and disease monitoring services in support of the Ghana Health Service. Over the past 40 years, the Institute has grown to be a leading biomedical research institute in the African region. It has strong and long-standing collaborations with scientists and institutions in Africa, Japan, Europe, Australia and North America on several projects on diseases of public health importance. The Institute also hosts several regional and national centres such as Regional Influenza laboratory. The Institute’s research activities are relevant to the control and prevention of infectious diseases in Ghana, particularly, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Buruli ulcer, Polio, Malaria and emerging infectious diseases. The Institute also plays a technical/advisory role to government through collaborations with disease control programmes and has since inception provided the country with needed critical evidence in support of health policy as well as laboratory diagnostic services among others. Going forward, the Institute seeks to expand and consolidate its activities in areas of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), clinical trials, genomic surveillance and academic programs and in the next 25 years, NMIMR hopes to approach every research area using the one health approach.

The effect of group support psychotherapy on adherence to anti-retroviral therapy and viral suppression among HIV positive young people: Study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Several studies have demonstrated an association between psychological risk factors and HIV disease progression. However, there is limited information on the use of psychological interventions to improve HIV treatment outcomes in young people living with HIV. This pilot trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of group support psychotherapy in improving adherence to anti-retroviral therapy and viral suppression in young people living with HIV in Uganda. We recruited 120 young people with HIV, aged 10-18 years, who had non-viral suppression 6 months after initiating first-line anti-retroviral therapy (ART) from community based HIV clinics in Kitgum district, northern Uganda. Participants were randomly assigned to receive GSP plus IAC (N = 60) or IAC alone (N = 60). Primary outcomes will be indicators of feasibility and acceptability as well as preliminary effectiveness of GSP in improving ART adherence and viral suppression analysed by intention to treat using cluster-adjusted t tests and permutation tests. Secondary outcomes will be measures of depression, anxiety and cost-effectiveness. The trial has been approved by the Makerere College of Health Sciences School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology. Recruitment began in June 2021 and 120 young people living with HIV with their adult caregivers have been recruited to the trial. An analysis of baseline and 6-month data is in progress. The results of this trial will not only be presented at national and international conferences but also submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and as a report to the funding agencies. This pilot trial will provide critical evidence to support the ongoing mental health integration into routine HIV care in Uganda. Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR): 202006601935462.

Disentangling the rhythms of human activity in the built environment for airborne transmission risk: An analysis of large-scale mobility data.

Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, substantial public attention has focused on the role of seasonality in impacting transmission. Misconceptions have relied on seasonal mediation of respiratory diseases driven solely by environmental variables. However, seasonality is expected to be driven by host social behavior, particularly in highly susceptible populations. A key gap in understanding the role of social behavior in respiratory disease seasonality is our incomplete understanding of the seasonality of indoor human activity. We leverage a novel data stream on human mobility to characterize activity in indoor versus outdoor environments in the United States. We use an observational mobile app-based location dataset encompassing over 5 million locations nationally. We classify locations as primarily indoor (e.g. stores, offices) or outdoor (e.g. playgrounds, farmers markets), disentangling location-specific visits into indoor and outdoor, to arrive at a fine-scale measure of indoor to outdoor human activity across time and space. We find the proportion of indoor to outdoor activity during a baseline year is seasonal, peaking in winter months. The measure displays a latitudinal gradient with stronger seasonality at northern latitudes and an additional summer peak in southern latitudes. We statistically fit this baseline indoor-outdoor activity measure to inform the incorporation of this complex empirical pattern into infectious disease dynamic models. However, we find that the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic caused these patterns to shift significantly from baseline and the empirical patterns are necessary to predict spatiotemporal heterogeneity in disease dynamics. Our work empirically characterizes, for the first time, the seasonality of human social behavior at a large scale with a high spatiotemporal resolutio and provides a parsimonious parameterization of seasonal behavior that can be included in infectious disease dynamics models. We provide critical evidence and methods necessary to inform the public health of seasonal and pandemic respiratory pathogens and improve our understanding of the relationship between the physical environment and infection risk in the context of global change. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number R01GM123007.

Real-time flexural fracture behaviors and toughening mechanisms of bamboo slivers with different fiber content and moisture content

Bamboo has great potential for manufacturing heterotypic engineered components, owing to its excellent flexibility and toughness. To better understand how bamboo sliver fractures behave after bending and to learn what biophysical properties of bamboo contribute to their flexural toughness, bamboo slivers with different fiber cell (FC) contents and moisture contents (MCs) were placed under buckling load and real-time cracking behaviors were observed using in situ microscopy and analyzed by Python. The results showed that the presence of more FC or MC in bamboo led to a later generation and slower propagation of cracks during the bending process. The tensile strength of the pure FC was significantly greater than that of the pure parenchyma cell (PC), causing cracks to deflect when they reached the FC. Both FC’s and PC’s tensile properties decreased as MC increased, indicating that water weakens the links in bamboo and results in more fracture deflections. Therefore, both fiber and moisture contributed to toughening by deflecting fractures. This study provides critical experimental evidence on the effects of the fibrous structure and water content on the flexural fracture behaviors of bamboo slivers. Furthermore, it provides a theoretical foundation for the selection of raw materials for bamboo-winding and bamboo-woven composites.

The Water–Employment–Migration nexus: Buzzword or useful framework?

SummaryMotivationCritical development studies have overlooked water‐related nexuses and frameworks proposed by development agencies that recognize that water and sanitation are linked to other development challenges and identify the synergies and trade‐offs between sectors. In particular, critical development studies have ignored these nexus approaches urged upon the governments of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the world's most water‐scarce region.PurposeThe article presents a case study of the Water–Employment–Migration (WEM) nexus framework, which has been recently proposed in policy circles. The analysis reflects on the extent to which this new nexus may be either a buzzword or instead a useful framework to improve national policies in the MENA region.Methods and approachWe undertook a comprehensive review of the relevant literature on the WEM nexus. We complemented this secondary data with interviews with key informants from the institutions involved in the WEM nexus, as well as from youth organizations active in the Mediterranean region and working in the development sector.FindingsWhat emerged is that there are no concrete examples of how to operationalize the WEM nexus at the policy level. Many respondents in the MENA region highlighted the need to “mainstream WEM in policies and plans” but were vague when asked how. There is a need for more critical evidence to elevate the WEM nexus from a discussion topic among regional organizations, to a concept that can be useful and practical.Policy implicationsRather than a new nexus, which would capture only a few sectors relating to water, what is needed is a systems thinking approach, able to encompass the complexity and multifaceted issues relating to water resources.

Exercise in Adolescence Enhances Callosal White Matter Refinement in the Female Brain in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

A total of 1 in 20 infants born annually are exposed to alcohol prenatally, which disrupts neurodevelopment and results in several disorders categorized under the umbrella term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Children and adolescents affected by FASD exhibit delayed maturation of cerebral white matter, which contributes to deficits in executive function, visuospatial processing, sensory integration, and interhemispheric communication. Research using animal models of FASD have uncovered that oligoglia proliferation, differentiation, and survival are vulnerable to alcohol teratogenesis in the male brain due in part to the activation of the neuroimmune system during gestation and infancy. A comprehensive investigation of prenatal alcohol exposure on white matter development in the female brain is limited. This study demonstrated that the number of mature oligodendrocytes and the production of myelin basic protein were reduced first in the female corpus callosum following alcohol exposure in a rat model of FASD. Analysis of myelin-related genes confirmed that myelination occurs earlier in the female corpus callosum compared to their counterparts, irrespective of postnatal treatment. Moreover, dysregulated oligodendrocyte number and myelin basic protein production was observed in the male and female FASD brain in adolescence. Targeted interventions that support white matter development in FASD-affected youth are nonexistent. The capacity for an adolescent exercise intervention to upregulate corpus callosum myelination was evaluated: we discovered that volunteer exercise increases the number of mature oligodendrocytes in alcohol-exposed female rats. This study provides critical evidence that oligoglia differentiation is difficult but not impossible to induce in the female FASD brain in adolescence following a behavioral intervention.

Estimating the dietary and health impact of implementing front-of-pack nutrition labeling in Canada: A macrosimulation modeling study.

Front-of-pack labeling (FOPL) has been identified as a cost-effective policy to promote healthy diets. Health Canada has recently published FOPL regulations that will require food and beverages that meet or exceed set thresholds for sodium, sugars, or saturated fat to display a 'high in' symbol on the front of the package. Although a promising measure, its potential impact on dietary intakes and health have not yet been estimated in Canada. This study aims to estimate (1) the potential dietary impact of implementing a mandatory FOPL among Canadian adults; and (2) the number of diet-related non-communicable disease (NCD) deaths that could be averted or delayed due to these estimated dietary changes. Baseline and counterfactual usual intakes of sodium, total sugars, saturated fats, and calories were estimated among Canadian adults (n = 11,992) using both available days of 24 h recalls from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition. The National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate usual intakes, and adjusted for age, sex, misreporting status, weekend/weekday, and sequence of recall. Estimated counterfactual dietary intakes were modeled from reductions observed in experimental and observational studies that examined changes in sodium, sugars, saturated fat, and calorie content of food purchases in the presence of a 'high in' FOPL (four counterfactual scenarios). The Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl was used to estimate potential health impacts. Estimated mean dietary reductions were between 31 and 212 mg/day of sodium, 2.3 and 8.7 g/day of total sugars, 0.8 and 3.7 g/day of saturated fats, and 16 and 59 kcal/day of calories. Between 2,183 (95% UI 2,008-2,361) and 8,907 (95% UI 8,095-9,667) deaths due to diet-related NCDs, mostly from cardiovascular diseases (~70%), could potentially be averted or delayed by implementing a 'high in' FOPL in Canada. This estimation represents between 2.4 and 9.6% of the total number of diet-related NCD deaths in Canada. Results suggest that implementing a FOPL could significantly reduce sodium, total sugar, and saturated fat intakes among Canadian adults and subsequently prevent or postpone a substantial number of diet-related NCD deaths in Canada. These results provide critical evidence to inform policy decisions related to implementing FOPL in Canada.

Rapid and simultaneous determination of nine volatile solvents in ink entries with improved gas chromatography

Volatile compounds such as alcohols and ethers are added into ballpoint pen inks, gel pen inks and water-based rollerball pen inks as humectants or solvents. The composition of solvents in inks and their amounts of evaporation are critical evidence for identifying the types of pens or dating ink entries. Relative quantification methods using gas chromatography (GC) or gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were employed to analyze alcohols and ethers in most previously reported studies, but they were not convenient for researchers of the same field to compare results. Besides, those methods are time-consuming, with an average time of 23−36 min per run. Therefore, in this work a rapid quantification method was established to simultaneously determine nine volatile solvents commonly existed in ink entries, including ethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, glycerol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, 2-phenoxyethanol (PE) and diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DGME), while 1,3-butanediol was used as the internal standard. A GC system equipped with flame ionization detector (FID) was adopted to separate the nine target analytes. The analysis time was reduced to 9–12 min. The linearity of the calibration curves was good in the ranges of 10–3000 ng/cm for all target analytes, and Pearson correlation coefficients were all greater than 0.999. The results indicate that the established method provides sensitive, precise, and accurate quantification of nine volatile solvents in ink entries. What’s more, this method raises analytical efficiency greatly and has lower requirements of instruments, showing promising application in questioned document examination and ink dating.

Health Economics Research on Non-surgical Biomedical HIV Prevention: Identifying Gaps and Proposing a Way Forward

Although HIV prevention science has advanced over the last four decades, evidence suggests that prevention technologies do not always reach their full potential. Critical health economics evidence at appropriate decision-making junctures, particularly early in the development process, could help identify and address potential barriers to the eventual uptake of future HIV prevention products. This paper aims to identify key evidence gaps and propose health economics research priorities for the field of HIV non-surgical biomedical prevention. We used a mixed-methods approach with three distinct components: (i) three systematic literature reviews (costs and cost effectiveness, HIV transmission modelling and quantitative preference elicitation) to understand health economics evidence and gaps in the peer-reviewed literature; (ii) an online survey with researchers working in this field to capture gaps in yet-to-be published research (recently completed, ongoing and future); and (iii) a stakeholder meeting with key global and national players in HIV prevention, including experts in product development, health economics research and policy uptake, to uncover further gaps, as well as to elicit views on priorities and recommendations based on (i) and (ii). Gaps in the scope of available health economics evidence were identified. Little research has been carried out on certain key populations (e.g. transgender people and people who inject drugs) and other vulnerable groups (e.g. pregnant people and people who breastfeed). Research is also lacking on preferences of community actors who often influence or enable access to health services among priority populations. Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis, which has been rolled out in many settings, has been studied in depth. However, research on newer promising technologies, such as long-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis formulations, broadly neutralising antibodies and multipurpose prevention technologies, is lacking. Interventions focussing on reducing intravenous and vertical transmission are also understudied. A disproportionate amount of evidence on low- and middle-income countries comes from two countries (South Africa and Kenya); evidence from other countries in sub-Saharan Africa as well as other low- and middle-income countries is needed. Further, data are needed on non-facility-based service delivery modalities, integrated service delivery and ancillary services. Key methodological gaps were also identified. An emphasis on equity and representation of heterogeneous populations was lacking. Research rarely acknowledged the complex and dynamic use of prevention technologies over time. Greater efforts are needed to collect primary data, quantify uncertainty, systematically compare the full range of prevention options available, and validate pilot and modelling data once interventions are scaled up. Clarity on appropriate cost-effectiveness outcome measures and thresholds is also lacking. Lastly, research often fails to reflect policy-relevant questions and approaches. Despite a large body of health economics evidence on non-surgical biomedical HIV prevention technologies, important gaps in the scope of evidence and methodology remain. To ensure that high-quality research influences key decision-making junctures and facilitates the delivery of prevention products in a way that maximises impact, we make five broad recommendations related to: improved study design, an increased focus on service delivery, greater community and stakeholder engagement, the fostering of an active network of partners across sectors and an enhanced application of research.

An Improved VGG16 and CNN-LSTM Deep Learning Model for Image Forgery Detection

As the field of image processing and computer vision continues to develop, we are able to create edited images that seem more natural than ever before. Identifying real photos from fakes has become a formidable obstacle. Image forgery has become more common as the multimedia capabilities of personal computers have developed over the previous several years. This is due to the fact that it is simpler to produce fake images. Since image object fabrication might obscure critical evidence, techniques for detecting it have been intensively investigated for quite some time. The publicly available datasets are insufficient to deal with these problems adequately. Our work recommends using a deep learning based image inpainting technique to create a model to detect fabricated images. To further detect copy-move forgeries in images, we use an CNN-LSTM and Improved VGG adaptation network. Our approach could be useful in cases when classifying the data is impossible. In contrast, researchers seldom use deep learning theory, preferring instead to depend on tried-and-true techniques like image processing and classifiers. In this article, we recommend the CNN-LSTM and improved VGG-16 convolutional neural network for intra-frame forensic analysis of altered images.