Background: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a median nerve compression neuropathy within the carpal tunnel characterized by pain, paresthesia, sensory disturbances, muscle weakness, and decreased hand function. This condition is commonly found in individuals with repetitive gripping activities and may significantly affect daily functional activities and quality of life. Conservative physiotherapy management is recommended as a first-line intervention for mild to moderate CTS before surgical treatment. Objective: This case report aims to evaluate the effectiveness of conservative physiotherapy management in a patient with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome at Universitas Sebelas Maret Hospital (RS UNS) in 2025. Methods: This study employed a case report design involving a 61-year-old male patient diagnosed with CTS. Physiotherapy assessment included pain evaluation using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), range of motion measurement using a goniometer, muscle strength assessment with Manual Muscle Testing (MMT), Tinel test, and functional ability evaluation using the Wrist Hand Disability Index (WHDI). Physiotherapy diagnosis was established based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework. Conservative physiotherapy interventions consisted of infrared therapy, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), ultrasound, massage, stretching exercises, and strengthening exercises. Data were analyzed descriptively. Results: Initial assessment revealed moderate pain, limited palmar flexion range of motion, decreased wrist muscle strength, sensory disturbances, and functional disability with a WHDI score of 30%, categorized as moderate disability. Following conservative physiotherapy intervention, the patient demonstrated clinical improvements including pain reduction, increased comfort during wrist movement, and enhanced hand functional ability. Conclusion: Multimodal conservative physiotherapy management was effective in reducing pain, improving wrist function, and enhancing activity and participation in a patient with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This approach represents a safe and evidence-based option for the initial management of CTS.

ABSTRACT The probabilistic surrogates used by Bayesian optimizers make them popular methods when function evaluations are noisy or expensive to evaluate. While Bayesian optimizers are traditionally used for global optimization, their benefits are also valuable for local optimization. In this paper, a framework for gradient‐enhanced unconstrained local Bayesian optimization is presented. It involves selecting a subset of the evaluation points to construct the surrogate and using a probabilistic trust region for the minimization of the acquisition function. The Bayesian optimizer is compared to conjugate‐gradient and quasi‐Newton optimizers from MATLAB and SciPy for unimodal problems with 2 to 40 dimensions. The Bayesian optimizer converges the optimality as deeply as the optimizers used for comparison and often does so using significantly fewer function evaluations. For the minimization of the 40‐dimensional Rosenbrock function for example, the Bayesian optimizer requires half as many function evaluations as the MATLAB and SciPy optimizers to reduce the optimality by 10 orders of magnitude. For test cases with noisy gradients, the probabilistic surrogate of the Bayesian optimizer enables it to converge the optimality several additional orders of magnitude relative to the conjugate‐gradient and quasi‐Newton optimizers. The final test case involves the chaotic Lorenz 63 model and inaccurate gradients. For this problem, the Bayesian optimizer achieves a lower final objective evaluation than the SciPy quasi‐Newton optimizer for all initial starting solutions. The results demonstrate that a Bayesian optimizer can be competitive with quasi‐Newton and conjugate‐gradient optimizers when accurate gradients are available, and significantly outperforms them when the gradients are inaccurate.

Distal radius fractures (DRF) are often immobilized using a conventional plaster cast although orthoses offer a time- and resource-saving alternative. This prospective randomized study compared the conservative DRF treatment using an orthosis (OPTIVOhand®) with plaster cast immobilization. Besides the maintenance of reduction result (primary endpoint), functional and subjective outcomes (secondary endpoints) were examined. 53 patients with isolated DRF were randomized to the orthosis group (OG) or the control group (CG). The follow-up examinations included radiological, clinical, and functional evaluations (ROM, grip strength, DASH score, SF-36) as well as patient satisfaction questionnaire. 41 of the 53 patients included (OG: n = 21, CG: n = 20) were followed up until the 12 months follow-up. The rate of secondary dislocations was comparable in both groups (OG: n = 3; CG: n = 2; p > 0.05). Additionally, the OG showed significantly (p < 0.05) better subjective function (DASH score) 6 weeks and 3 months after injury, and a higher quality of life (SF-36 physical component summary) at 2 and 6 week follow-up. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in OG and mean application time was significantly shorter (OG: 02:35 min vs. CG: 07:35 min; p < 0.001). This study's functional and radiological results on conservative DRF treatment did not reveal a significant difference in maintenance of reduction result between modern orthoses and conventional plaster casts, while achieving higher patient satisfaction. Hence, orthoses offer a good alternative to plaster casts, especially for stable fracture types. German Clinical Trials Register, Identifier: DRKS00017695. Trial registration date 04.11.2019, (https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00017695).

The skin and oral environment represent complex microbial ecosystems that host diverse bacterial communities with potential health-promoting properties beyond the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In this study, four bacterial and three yeast isolates were obtained from saliva (S1, S3, S5, and S6) and human skin (A1, A2, and A3) and subjected to identification and functional characterization. Phenotypic identification by API and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identified bacterial isolates as Limosilactobacillus sp. (S1) and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (S3, S5, and S6), while the yeasts were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (A1, A2, and A3). The isolates were evaluated for their functional properties, including antimicrobial activity, autoaggregation, antioxidative potential, resistance to freeze-drying, survival in simulated saliva and GIT conditions, adhesion to Caco-2 and HaCaT cell lines, and biofilm-forming ability. Lcb. rhamnosus S3 demonstrated the highest probiotic potential, characterized by strong inhibition of S. aureus, high autoaggregation capacity, substantial survival following freeze-drying, and good tolerance to simulated saliva and GIT conditions. Limosilactobacillus sp. (S1) demonstrated the strongest antimicrobial activity against C. acnes and the highest adhesion capacity to HaCaT cells, indicating its suitability for topical dermatological applications. Although S. cerevisiae isolates did not exhibit antimicrobial activity, they showed strong autoaggregation and notable antioxidant capacity. However, their low resistance to freeze-drying limits their applicability in probiotic formulation development.

To address the slow convergence and sensitivity to a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the minimum-entropy autofocus (MEA) algorithm in the refocusing of moving targets, this paper proposes a sparsity-assisted minimum-entropy autofocus algorithm. Within the framework of the traditional gradient descent MEA with variable step size, the proposed method introduces soft-thresholding-based sparse reconstruction to make moving targets more prominent and suppress background clutter in the image domain. A joint metric combining image entropy and the Hoyer sparsity measure is then constructed, and a three-point adaptive, variable step-size search is employed to reduce the number of evaluations of the cost function, thereby effectively mitigating clutter interference and significantly accelerating the optimization while maintaining good focusing quality. Simulation and real-data experiments demonstrate that, under complex phase errors and different SNR conditions, the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional variable-step MEA in terms of image entropy, image sparsity, and runtime, while keeping the phase error estimation accuracy within a small range. These results indicate that the proposed method can achieve satisfactory moving-target focusing performance and exhibits promising engineering applicability.

Femoral shaft fractures are common high-energy injuries, typically seen in young and active adults. Conservative treatment methods have largely been replaced by surgical fixation due to high complication rates and prolonged immobilization. Interlocking intramedullary nailing has become the gold standard for these fractures, providing axial, rotational, and angular stability while permitting early mobilization and rehabilitation. A prospective, observational study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedics, Community Based Medical College, Bangladesh (CBMC,B) Hospital, Mymensingh, Bangladesh, between January 2022 and December 2024, to evaluate the clinical, radiological and functional outcomes of femoral shaft fractures managed with interlocking intramedullary nailing. A total of 40 patients aged between 18 and 60 years with acute, closed diaphyseal fractures of the femur were included. Exclusion criteria were pathological fractures, Grade III open fractures, paediatric patients, and polytrauma cases with unstable vitals. All patients underwent interlocking intramedullary nailing under spinal/epidural anesthesia. Follow-up was done at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Clinical and radiological union, complications, and functional outcomes were assessed. Functional evaluation was performed using Thoresen’s criteria. The mean age of the patients was 32 years, with males predominating (75%). Road traffic accidents accounted for 70% of injuries. AO classification revealed 32-A fractures as the most common (45%). Radiological union was achieved in 38 patients (95%), with a mean union time of 16.4 weeks. Complications included superficial infection (5%), limb length discrepancy &gt;2 cm (5%), malunion (2.5%), and nonunion (5%). Functional outcome assessment showed excellent results in 70% of patients, good in 20%, fair in 5%, and poor in 5%. Interlocking intramedullary nailing is a safe, effective, and reliable procedure for femoral shaft fractures. It ensures high union rates, allows early mobilization, and yields excellent to good functional results in the majority of patients. Despite some complications, outcomes remain favorable compared to other treatment modalities, confirming its role as the gold standard for managing diaphyseal femoral fractures. CBMJ 2026 January: vol. 15 no. 01 P:117-120

Aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera) is an underutilized tuber with considerable nutritional and functional potential that could contribute to dietary diversification and food security in Nigeria. This study evaluated the mineral composition, vitamin profile and functional properties of aerial yam flour used as meals in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Standard analytical procedures prescribed by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) were employed. Potassium was determined using flame photometry, while calcium, magnesium, iron, chlorine, manganese and iodine were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Vitamins analyzed included thiamine (vitamin B₁), riboflavin (vitamin B₂), pyridoxine (vitamin B₆), folate (vitamin B₉), and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) using established methods. Functional properties such as bulk density, water absorption capacity, emulsification capacity, foaming capacity, oil absorption capacity and least gelation capacity were evaluated. Data were analyzed using SPSS and presented as mean ± standard error. Comparative analysis showed significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) between aerial yam flour and control corn flour. Aerial yam flour had significantly higher chlorine content (38.97 ± 0.01 mg/100 g) but lower iron, potassium, calcium, manganese and iodine contents compared to corn flour, while magnesium levels were comparable. Vitamin analysis indicated that aerial yam flour is a good source of vitamin C but contained lower levels of vitamins A, B-complex (B₁, B₂, B₆, B₉), and vitamin B₁₂. Functional property evaluation revealed high bulk density (0.88 ± 0.01 g/ml), high water absorption capacity (75.37 ± 0.02%), and strong gelation ability, indicating suitability for moisture-rich and thickened food formulations.

Chronic kidney disease is a global health issue, and novel therapeutic alternatives to dialysis and kidney transplantation must be developed. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney organoids recapitulate developmental processes and mimic kidney-like structures in vitro and have thus attracted attention for treating chronic kidney disease. However, the limited vascularization and immaturity of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney organoids remain major barriers to their clinical application. The latest technological advances and specific challenges in kidney organoid vascularization and maturation were thoroughly examined in this review. Diverse approaches were considered, including coculturing with endothelial cells, in vivo transplantation, applying biomaterials and microfluidic systems, controlling molecular signaling, and metabolic reprogramming. However, issues persist such as low reproducibility, lack of standardization, insufficient functional evaluations, and inadequate safety assessments. Future studies should focus on developing multifactorial and strategies for integrating multiple cell types, establishing maturation assessment criteria, and verifying the long-term functionality and safety of three-dimensional bioprinting technologies. Technologies for the vascularization and maturation of kidney organoids show promise as foundational methods for use innovative regenerative medicine and the development of drug discovery therapies.

Mechanistic insights and functional evaluation of an Artemisia annua essential oil nanoemulsion for antibacterial topical application against Staphylococcus aureus.

Discovery of small molecule CHI3L1 inhibitors by SPR-based high-throughput screening.

Growing new teeth: A systematic review of functional whole-tooth regeneration in orthotopic animal models.

Development of activators for SERCA2a for heart failure treatments.

Oxidative stress (OS), inflammation, and lipoprotein dysfunction contribute to the high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). This study examined whether OS-related biomarkers-myeloperoxidase (MPO), paraoxonase-1 (PON1), and homocysteine (HCY)-and their derived ratios (MPO/PON1, MPO/HDL-C, PON1/HDL-C) are associated with cardiovascular risk. A case-control study was conducted including 42 HD patients and 42 matched healthy controls. Plasma HCY levels, MPO activity, and PON1 activity were measured, along with lipid profiles. Functional OS ratios were calculated. HD patients showed higher MPO activity and HCY levels and lower PON1 activity compared with controls (p < 0.001). MPO/PON1 and MPO/HDL-C ratios were significantly elevated before and after dialysis, indicating increased oxidative imbalance. The MPO/PON1 ratio may represent a novel biomarker of OS and CVD risk in HD patients, supporting the evaluation of HDL functionality for improved risk stratification.

Rapid design and production of Alpha-1 antitrypsin fusion proteins in a plant-based cell-free expression system.

Integrating multimodal data fusion for comprehensive characterization, antioxidant marker discovery, and geographical origin tracing of Platycodonis Radix.

Haloarcula rubripromontorii BS2, an extremely halophilic archaeon was obtained from the solar salt pans of Goa, India. It grew luxuriantly on EHM medium with 25% NaCl with a bright orange pigmentation. This study aimed to extract and characterize the carotenoids from Haloarcula rubripromontorii BS2 and evaluate their antioxidant properties, biocompatibility and provide insight into their potential therapeutic applications. Preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to fractionate and separate the haloarchaeal carotenoids. Further detailed characterization using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), Raman spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for each fraction confirmed the presence of C50 carotenoids primarily bacterioruberin, monoanhydrobacterioruberin, and their different isomeric forms. Our results indicate that these carotenoids are more stable in oil compared to solvents. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays resulted in an IC50 of 4.31 ± 0.07 µgmL-1 and 2.04 ± 0.02 µgmL-1 respectively, indicating their potential as excellent antioxidants. Haloarchaeal carotenoids were found to be biocompatible with human keratinocyte skin cells (HaCaT). C50 carotenoids from Har. rubripromontorii BS2 represent promising, eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic antioxidants for use in high-value cosmetic and dermatological applications.

Multimodality Imaging of the Pericardium.

Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography for Structural and Functional Evaluation of Ligament Microdamage.

Obesity represents a significant global health challenge and is closely linked to the prevalence of metabolic syndromes and liver disorders. In Taiwan, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has instituted specific evaluation protocols for functional foods to mitigate body fat accumulation, underscoring mechanisms beyond caloric restriction. The present study sought to assess the anti-adipogenic and metabolic effects of pterostilbene (PTS) using a rat model of high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, in compliance with Taiwan's regulatory standards for health claims about "difficult-to-form body fat". Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed a HFD for six months to induce obesity. Subsequently, the SD rats were administered PTS orally at dosages of 30 or 50 mg/kg/day for 45 days. This study evaluated various parameters, including body weight, food intake, feed efficiency, body fat percentage, liver weight, and serum biochemical markers. Forty-five day 30 and 50 mg/kg PTS oral treatment significantly reduced body weight gain, food intake, and feed efficiency (all p<0.05). Remarkably, over 70% of the rats exhibited reduction in body fat exceeding 0.02%, meeting the established regulatory efficacy standards. Furthermore, notable improvements were observed in the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and glucose (GLU) levels (all p<0.05). PTS is a promising natural compound for the formulation of health foods aimed at enhancing fat metabolism and providing liver protection. The observed effects are consistent with physiological expectations and aligned with the regulatory efficacy criteria established in Taiwan.

Interventions to improve executive functions and self-awareness in the early phase post-traumatic brain injury: A systematic review.