Large Segments Research Articles

CTCF-dependent insulation of Hoxb13 and the heterochronic control of tail length

Mammalian tail length is controlled by several genetic determinants, among which are Hox13 genes, whose function is to terminate the body axis. Accordingly, the precise timing in the transcriptional activation of these genes may impact upon body length. Unlike other Hox clusters, HoxB lacks posterior genes between Hoxb9 and Hoxb13, two genes separated by a ca. 70 kb large DNA segment containing a high number of CTCF sites, potentially isolating Hoxb13 from the rest of the cluster and thereby delaying its negative impact on trunk extension. We deleted the spacer DNA to induce a potential heterochronic gain of function of Hoxb13 at physiological concentration and observed a shortening of the tail as well as other abnormal phenotypes. These defects were all rescued by inactivating Hoxb13 in-cis with the deletion. A comparable gain of function was observed in mutant Embryonic Stem (ES) cells grown as pseudoembryos in vitro, which allowed us to examine in detail the importance of both the number and the orientation of CTCF sites in the insulating activity of the DNA spacer. A short cassette containing all the CTCF sites was sufficient to insulate Hoxb13 from the rest of HoxB, and additional modifications of this CTCF cassette showed that two CTCF sites in convergent orientations were already capable of importantly delaying Hoxb13 activation in these conditions. We discuss the relative importance of genomic distance versus number and orientation of CTCF sites in preventing Hoxb13 to be activated too early during trunk extension and hence to modulate tail length.

Quantitating SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies from human dried blood spots.

In the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the collection of dried blood spots (DBS) enabled public health laboratories to undertake population-scale seroprevalence studies used to estimate rates of SARS-CoV-2 exposure. With SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity levels now estimated to exceed 94% in the United States, attention has turned to using DBS to assess neutralizing antibodies within cohorts of interest. With this goal in mind, we generated contrived DBS (cDBS) and whole blood-derived DBS from convalescent and vaccinated individuals and subjected DBS eluates to a battery of assays, including a SARS-CoV-2 multiplexed microsphere immunoassay (MIA), a receptor binding domain (RBD)-human ACE2 inhibition assay (iACE2), a cell-based pseudovirus neutralization assay, and real-time PCR-based surrogate neutralization assay (NAB-Sure). The DBS results were benchmarked against paired serum samples tested in a clinically validated SARS-CoV-2 plaque reduction neutralization titer (PRNT) assay. The results of an 8-plex MIA and NAB-Sure assays demonstrated highly significant correlations with PRNT values when evaluated with a panel of 86 paired serum-DBS samples. Both the MIA and NAB-Sure are adaptable to automated liquid handlers for high-throughput capacity. While neutralizing assays were limited to the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 WA1, this study nonetheless represents an important proof of concept demonstrating the potential utility of DBS as a biospecimen type for use in assessing immunity to SARS-CoV-2 at the community and population levels.IMPORTANCESARS-CoV-2 variants of concern continue to circulate globally and remain a serious health threat to large segments of the population. From a public health standpoint, identifying vulnerable communities based on immune status is critical in terms of vaccine booster recommendations. In this report, we investigated the utility of dried blood spots (DBS) as a biospecimen type from which to estimate SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers. Using contrived and whole blood-derived DBS, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies are readily measurable in DBS eluates and correlate with plaque reduction neutralization titer (PRNT) values from paired serum samples. Moreover, several of the methods used to estimate SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in DBS eluates are adaptable to high-throughput platforms.

Advances in bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mice for gene analysis and disease research.

Transgenic mice, including those created using Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs), are artificial manipulations that have become critical tools for studying gene function. While conventional transgenic techniques face challenges in achieving precise expression of foreign genes in specific cells and tissues, BAC transgenic mice offer a solution by incorporating large DNA segments that can include entire expression units with tissue-specific enhancers. This review provides a thorough examination of BAC transgenic mouse technology, encompassing both traditional and humanized models. We explore the benefits and drawbacks of BAC transgenesis compared to other techniques such as knock-in and CRISPR/Cas9 technologies. The review emphasizes the applications of BAC transgenic mice in various disciplines, including neuroscience, immunology, drug metabolism, and disease modeling. Additionally, we address crucial aspects of generating and analyzing BAC transgenic mice, such as position effects, copy number variations, and strategies to mitigate these challenges. Despite certain limitations, humanized BAC transgenic mice have proven to be invaluable tools for studying the pathogenesis of human diseases, drug development, and understanding intricate gene regulatory mechanisms. This review discusses current topics on BAC transgenic mice and their evolving significance in biomedical research.

Girlcore: the Right Way to be Female? Examining the Effect of Choice Feminism on What it Means to be a 'Woman' through the Language and Trends of Tiktok

Since the beginning of the 2010s and the advent of what many call the fourth wave of feminism, “choice feminism” has accounted for an increasingly large segment of people who call themselves “feminists”. This movement can widely be observed through commentary on femininity on social media such as TikTok and women choose to use the platform. Since the rise of TikTok in 2020 many different trends and debates have appeared in relation to what it means to be a “girl” or “woman”, and these instances can be observed and analysed to ask a larger question of what being female and identifying as such means in the modern era and years to come. In a world more and more defined by our online presence and the use of social media, there is a landscape in which there is increasing desire to market oneself. In using micro-labels, micro-labels here referring to the hyper-specific aesthetic or identity related categories that have risen in popularity over the last couple years on social media (Sojit Pejcha, 2023), we transform ourselves from human beings to concepts. This process seems to be specifically taken up by women who exercise their “choice” to objectify themselves in a radical new way; something that I argue is much more comfortable than having to deal with the true acceptance of the human experience and what it means to be a woman.

Multi-targets cleavage of BmNPV genome through genome-wide repeat sequence using CRISPR/Cas9 antiviral system.

The escalating severity of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) infections poses significant challenges to the silkworm industry, especially when massive production shifts occur from the eastern regions to western regions with lower labor costs. Education and experience levels are different and disease control is badly needed. To solve the problems, we have developed an innovative CRISPR/Cas9 system specifically targeting BmNPV to enhance viral resistance. For the system, we selected BmNPV genes linked to virus replication and proliferation as targets, designing 2 sites for each gene. Mutating the target sequence renders the system incapable of efficiently cleaving the virus genome, hence decreasing cleavage efficiency. We conducted a search for "NGG" or "CCN" target sequences in the BmNPV genome, excluding non-recurring and potential targets in the B.mori genome. We successfully identified 2 distinct target sequences in the BmNPV genome-one being repeated 12 times and the other three times. These sequences lead to fragmentation of virus genome into multiple large segments that are difficult to repair. Transgenic silkworms demonstrate robust resistance to viruses, significantly boosting their survival rates compared with wild-type silkworms under various virus infection concentrations. Our system efficiently targets dozens of viral genomes with just 2 sequences, minimizing transposable elements while ensuring cutting effectiveness. This marks a pioneering advancement by using repetitive elements within the virus genome for targeted CRISPR cleavage, aiming for antiviral effects through genome fragmentation rather than disrupting essential viral genes. Our research introduces innovative concepts to CRISPR antiviral investigations and shows promise for the practical application of gene editing in industrial silkworm strains.

Study on the influence of the sY1192 gene locus in the AZFb/c region on sperm quality and pregnancy outcome.

Y chromosome microdeletions are an important cause of male infertility. At present, research on the Y chromosome is mainly focused on analyzing the loss of large segments of the azoospermia factor a/b/c (AZFa/b/c) gene, and few studies have reported the impact of unit point deletion in the AZF band on fertility. This study analyzed the effect of sperm quality after sY1192 loss in 116 patients. The sY1192-independent deletion accounted for 41.4% (48/116). Eight patterns were found in the deletions associated with sY1192. The rate of sperm detection was similar in the semen of patients with the independent sY1192 deletion and the combined sY1192 deletions (52.1% vs 50.0%). The patients with only sY1192 gene loss had a higher probability of sperm detection than the patients whose sY1192 gene locus existed, but other gene loci were lost (52.1% vs 32.0%). The hormone levels were similar in patients with sY1192 deletion alone and in those with sY1192 deletion and other types of microdeletions in the presence of the sY1192 locus. After multiple intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) attempts, the pregnancy rate of spouses of men with sY1192-independent deletions was similar to that of other types of microdeletions, but the fertilization and cleavage rates were higher. We observed that eight deletion patterns were observed for sY1192 microdeletions of AZFb/c, dominated by the independent deletion of sY1192. After ICSI, the fertilization rate and cleavage rate of the sY1192-independent microdeletion were higher than those of other Y chromosome microdeletion types, but there was no significant difference in pregnancy outcomes.

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) as social enterprise

ABSTRACT Discontinuities between the positive outcomes for business entities in Western capitalist countries and low-quality standards of living for large segments of their populations have grown in recent decades. Combined with environmental degradation worldwide and a poor quality of life for many, the future does not look bright for the ability of these societies and their economies to continue to prosper. Proposed institutional solutions include the development of a different form of organization, the social enterprise, broadly defined as a mission focused and profit-making entity. In the United States, these organizations are few, of varied legal form, relatively small and relatively young. Sometimes a mission focus is the reason for the organization’s existence, while for others, the business is the focus with the mission secondary. The Employee Stock Ownership Plan company (ESOP) has been in existence in the United States for decades. It is also varied in legal form, always profit-focused, and often focused on the welfare of workers and communities. Can the ESOP business fill any part of the societal need for which the social enterprise is justified? This paper examines the argument for, purpose, and features of social enterprises and ESOPs to consider possible commonalities in purpose and outcomes.

CRISPR-Cas9/Cas12a systems for efficient genome editing and large genomic fragment deletions in Aspergillus niger.

CRISPR technology has revolutionized fungal genetic engineering by accelerating the pace and expanding the feasible scope of experiments in this field. Among various CRISPR-Cas systems, Cas9 and Cas12a are widely used in genetic and metabolic engineering. In filamentous fungi, both Cas9 and Cas12a have been utilized as CRISPR nucleases. In this work we first compared efficacies and types of genetic edits for CRISPR-Cas9 and -Cas12a systems at the polyketide synthase (albA) gene locus in Aspergillus niger. By employing a tRNA-based gRNA polycistronic cassette, both Cas9 and Cas12a have demonstrated equally remarkable editing efficacy. Cas12a showed potential superiority over Cas9 protein when one gRNA was used for targeting, achieving an editing efficiency of 86.5% compared to 31.7% for Cas9. Moreover, when employing two gRNAs for targeting, both systems achieved up to 100% editing efficiency for single gene editing. In addition, the CRISPR-Cas9 system has been reported to induce large genomic deletions in various species. However, its use for engineering large chromosomal segments deletions in filamentous fungi still requires optimization. Here, we engineered Cas9 and -Cas12a-induced large genomic fragment deletions by targeting various genomic regions of A. niger ranging from 3.5kb to 40kb. Our findings demonstrate that targeted engineering of large chromosomal segments can be achieved, with deletions of up to 69.1% efficiency. Furthermore, by targeting a secondary metabolite gene cluster, we show that fragments over 100kb can be efficiently and specifically deleted using the CRISPR-Cas9 or -Cas12a system. Overall, in this paper, we present an efficient multi-gRNA genome editing system utilizing Cas9 or Cas12a that enables highly efficient targeted editing of genes and large chromosomal regions in A. niger.

Long range segmentation of prokaryotic genomes by gene age and functionality.

Bacterial and archaeal genomes encompass numerous operons that typically consist of two to five genes. On larger scales, however, gene order is poorly conserved through the evolution of prokaryotes. Nevertheless, non-random localization of different classes of genes on prokaryotic chromosomes could reflect important functional and evolutionary constraints. We explored the patterns of genomic localization of evolutionarily conserved (ancient) and variable (young) genes across the diversity of bacteria and archaea. Nearly all bacterial and archaeal chromosomes were found to encompass large segments of 100-300 kb that were significantly enriched in either ancient or young genes. Similar clustering of genes with lethal knockout phenotype (essential genes) was observed as well. Mathematical modeling of genome evolution suggests that this long-range gene clustering in prokaryotic chromosomes reflects perpetual genome rearrangement driven by a combination of selective and neutral processes rather than evolutionary conservation.

International practice of state regulation in the field of gambling

State regulation in the field of gambling is an important factor for the harmonization of these relations and their adjustment. Currently, world practice does not have special legislation that would establish international requirements for the organization and conduct of gambling. However, the development of gambling business in other countries of the world has a long history and considerable experience of successful state regulation of these legal relations. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to study similar practices of other states and their possible consideration for further improvement of state regulation in the field of gambling in Ukraine. The article presents certain aspects of state regulation of activities related to the organization and conduct of gambling in some countries of Europe (Switzerland, France, Malta) and North America (United States of America, Canada). It is emphasized that public management and administration in the field of gambling should be aimed at solving the main problems of this sphere of social relations: meeting the needs and interests of a certain group of people; prevention of gambling; protection of citizens from criminal encroachments that pose a danger to a large segment of the population; full and timely receipt of taxes provided for by law to the state budget and their allocation to socially important needs; prevention of types of gambling addiction not permitted by law; combating corruption offenses and legalization (laundering) of proceeds obtained through crime, etc. As evidenced by international practice, in order to solve these problems and eliminate existing problems and risks in this area, a more or less permanent trend is developing in the world (for those countries in which gambling is allowed and controlled): the adoption at the national level of a special regulatory law (legal act); creation of a system of relevant authorized state bodies of public administration with the distribution of organizational, permitting, supervisory and jurisdictional powers; maintenance of the necessary balance of public interests and the interests of business entities and individuals by introducing a system of permissive, agreeable and prohibitive methods of legal regulation and relevant organizational and legal measures.

Utility of the AngelMed Guardian System in myocardial bridging: a case report

BackgroundMyocardial bridging (MB) is a known congenital anomaly in which a segment of the coronary artery transverses from the epicardium through the myocardium. MB may clinically manifest as recurrent angina, acute coronary syndrome, ventricular dysrhythmia, and even sudden cardiac death. On electrocardiogram (EKG), MB can present with findings consistent with significant ST-segment changes. The AngelMed Guardian System (the Guardian device) was developed in an effort to optimize the time from the onset of myocardial ischemia to intervention. The device analyzes myocardial electrical changes and alerts the patient to seek emergent medical evaluation if an acute ST-segment deviation is detected. We describe the first documented case of the Guardian device detecting acute ST-segment changes secondary to myocardial bridging.Case PresentationA 50-year-old male, with a history of percutaneous coronary intervention of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) artery, presented to his cardiologist’s office with reports of recurrent, atypical chest pain. The Guardian device was implanted. One month after implantation, the patient experienced chest pain and was alerted by the Guardian device to seek emergent medical evaluation. Initial EKG and high-sensitivity troponins were negative for acute ischemia. Guardian device interrogation revealed significant ST depressions, encouraging further ischemic evaluation. The exercise myocardial perfusion imaging revealed an apical reversible defect. Left heart catheterization revealed a large segment of mid-LAD MB with the patient’s previous LAD stent noted to be widely patent along with no evidence of new obstructive coronary disease. Following the identification of the MB, medication regimen adjusted and the patient denied recurrence of chest pain or Guardian alerts.ConclusionsWe describe the first documented case of the Guardian device detecting acute ST-segment changes that were secondary to myocardial bridging. The Guardian device appropriately documented an ischemic event not appreciated with initial EKG or troponin testing. With the assistance of the Guardian device, we were able to rapidly identify MB as the cause for the ischemic EKG changes and subsequent abnormal stress test, optimize medical management, and prevent recurrent atypical chest pain along with office and hospital visits.

MosaicFusion: Diffusion Models as Data Augmenters for Large Vocabulary Instance Segmentation

MosaicFusion: Diffusion Models as Data Augmenters for Large Vocabulary Instance Segmentation

Pola Preferensi Politik Pemilih Pemula Di Kota Makassar

First-time voters are a fairly large segment of voters. This shows that First-Time voters are a large resource in politics in Indonesia. Indonesia as a democratic country certainly expects every element of society to be actively involved in every democratic process, including the first-time voter segment. First-time voters as an important segment then have quite good political awareness. Through this political awareness, a pattern of political preference formation will then be formed. First-time voters as a large political resource are of course highly expected to be able to participate, at least voting in elections. So far, existing research regarding First-time voters only places as mere objects. However, this research then examines in more depth the patterns of political preference formation that will influence the political behavior of first-time voters. This research is qualitative research with primary data obtained through in-depth interviews with high school students as research informants. Based on the research conducted, it appears that First-time voters in Makassar City have quite good political awareness, which is an implication of their better political knowledge. So, when making choices in an election, First-time voters have a tendency to make their own choices based on their political preferences. The pattern of forming political preferences of first-time voters is sociology, rationality and psychology. Keywords: Firs-time voters, Political Preferences, Political Awareness

Incorporating multiracial and multiethnic experiences into genetic counseling practice and research: A necessary opportunity.

The conflation of race and genetic ancestry can have harmful consequences. Biological conceptualizations of race have long been used to justify inequities and distract from social structures that afford opportunities to some that are unjustly denied to others. Despite recent efforts within the scientific community to distinguish between the sociopolitical constructs of race and ethnicity and the biological constructs of genetic ancestry and genetic similarity, their conflation continues to influence genomic research and its translation into clinical care. One overlooked aspect of this problematic conflation is the extent to which discrete monoracial and monoethnic categorization systems persist and perpetuate unequal benefit-sharing in the clinical translation of genomic technologies. In genetic service delivery, reliance on discrete racial and ethnic categories undermines the clinical translation of genomic technologies for large segments of the global population. For multiracial and multiethnic individuals, who have complex identities that defy discrete categorization systems, the potential benefits of genomic discoveries are especially elusive. Scholars have recently begun to call for the inclusion of multiracial, multiethnic, and admixed individuals in race, ethnicity, and ancestry frameworks in genetics and genomics. However, little work has been done to explore and address the unique challenges and opportunities posed by multiracial/multiethnic individuals in genetic counseling specifically. We discuss how conceptualizing diversity along discrete racial and ethnic lines perpetuates inequitable patient care and limits efforts to increase inclusion and belonging within genetic counseling. Moreover, we argue that ongoing efforts to mitigate racial inequity must actively challenge the paradigm of monoracial and monoethnic categories to accomplish their goal.

Lightweighting cost impacts on market adoption and GHG emissions in U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet

Abstract Vehicle lightweighting is a promising strategy that can reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions without compromising vehicle’s performance or size. The cost of lightweighting plays a critical role in determining the adoption of lightweighting technologies by consumers and manufacturers among advanced vehicle technologies. This analysis estimates the cost of lightweighting needed to achieve significant light-duty vehicle adoption to provide reductions in GHG emissions. Three different costs of lightweighting scenarios in the U.S. market including a baseline scenario, advanced technology scenario, and widespread scenario are evaluated employing Automotive Deployment Options Projection Tool (ADOPT). ADOPT leverages a database of over 700 existing vehicle models and options, enabling it to provide a high degree of realism and capture the unique characteristics of popular vehicles and the endogenously evolvement of the vehicle options. For baseline scenario, the lightweighting fraction reached by about 15% and GHG emissions are reduced by more than 50% in 2046 compared to 2015. The widespread scenario further reduces the GHG emissions by about 4% from the additional 10% glider mass reduction compared to the baseline scenario. The benefit came largely from lightweighting being implemented in the large market segment of lower-price vehicles, due to the relatively low lightweighting cost ($5/kg).

Asian representation in the United States (US) oncology workforce.

152 Background: The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) started the Diversity in Oncology initiative in 2017. Minority representation in the US oncology physician workforce was the subject of a recent series of ASCO State of the Oncology Workforce in America snapshots (1). However, Asian minority representation was not mentioned in any of these reports. Our objective was to determine the proportion of Asian workforce in various oncology specialties inclusive of physician and non-physician practitioners as well as physician trainees. Methods: We searched the web for publicly available data on Asian representation among US oncology adult (A) and pediatric (P) practitioners and trainees. Major data sources included the 2020 US Census, Association of American Medical Colleges, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and professional societies. Practitioners included hematologists/oncologists (H/O), gynecologic oncologists (GYNO), radiation oncologists (RADO), surgical oncologists (SURGO), hematopathologists (HP), oncology nurse practitioners (ONP), oncology physician assistants (OPA), and oncology nurses (ON). Trainees included fellows (F) and residents (R). For reference, we obtained similar data on US population, medical students (MS), adult internal medicine residents (AIMR), gynecology residents (GYNR), pediatric residents (PR), pathology residents (PATHR), surgery residents (SURGR), nurses (RN), nurse practitioners (NP), and physician assistants (PA). For a snapshot of the oncology workforce, data from 2020-2022 were used. Whenever available, we obtained serial data for trainees over the years. Results: A snapshot of the proportions of Asians based on their professions is shown (Table). While Asians comprise only 6.2% of the US population, between 14.7% to 32.1% of physician practitioners in various oncology subspecialties are Asian. Moreover, between 17.9% to 35.3% of oncology physician trainees and 26.7% of medical students are Asian and these proportions have remained stable from 2005 to 2022. Data are unavailable for HP, SURGO, and non-physician practitioners except for OPA (7.0%) and RN (7.2%). Conclusions: Asians comprise a large segment of the US oncology workforce. While only 1 in 20 people in the US are Asians, between 1 in 3 and 1 in 5 oncology physician practitioners and trainees are Asians. Data are limited for non-physician practitioners. Asian minority representation should be highlighted and considered as an example of success in diversity. 1. JCO Oncol Pract 2020-2022. Snapshot of Asian representation among oncology trainees and practitioners in the US. Trainees 2022 A-H/O-F 35.3% AIMR 35.9% 2022 P-H/O-F 20.0% PR 22.0% 2022 RADO-R 26.4% MS 26.7% 2022 GYNO-F 17.9% GYNR 14.9% 2022 HP-F 20.0% PATHR 26.6% 2022 SURGO-F 21.2% SURGR 19.2% Practitioners 2021 A-H/O 32.1% OPA 7.0% 2021 P-H/O 20.4% RN 7.2% 2021 RADO 25.9% HP/SURGO/ONP/ON NA 2020 GYNO 14.7% US Census 6.2%

Distributing a Sane Beverage? The Social Differentiation of Access to Water in Paris

Water management depends on both the physical and social structures of large cities. In Paris, these elements interacted to limit and constrain access to water for large segments of the population for long periods of time. The very unequal distribution of property in the city is central to understanding water regimes in Paris and their evolution over time. This article analyzes the evolution of water systems in Paris from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, considering access to water (and its quality) as well as the provision of sewers to remove waste soiled materials. Important social variations in the modalities of access to water within the city persisted for a long time. They were a consequence of choices made in organizing the distribution of water in the city.

AGAP duplicons associate with structural diversity at Chromosome 10q11.22.

The 10q11.22 chromosomal region is a duplication-rich interval of the human genome and one of the last to be fully assembled. It carries copy-number variable genes associated with intellectual disability, bipolar disorder, and obesity. In this study, we characterized the structural diversity at this locus by analyzing 64 haploid assemblies produced by the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium. We identified eleven alternative haplotypes that differ in the copy number and/or orientation of large genomic segments, ranging from hundreds of kilobase pairs (kbp) to over one megabase pair (Mbp). We uncovered a 2.4 Mbp size difference between the shortest and longest haplotypes. Breakpoint analysis revealed that genomic instability results from nonallelic homologous recombination between segmental duplication (SD) pairs with varying similarity (94.4-99.6%). Nonetheless, these pairs generally recombine at positions where their identity is higher (>99.6%). Recurrent inversions occur with varying breakpoints within the same inverted SD pair. Inversion polymorphisms shuffle the entire SD arrangement, creating new predispositions to copy-number variations. The SD architecture is associated with a catarrhine-specific subgroup of the AGAP gene family, which likely triggered the accumulation of SDs at this locus over the past 25 million years of human evolution. Our results reveal extensive structural diversity and genomic instability at the 10q11.22 locus and expand the general understanding of the mutational mechanisms behind SD-mediated rearrangements.

An Assessment of the Safety, Efficacy, and Tolerability of a Novel Scalp Treatment Regimen Combining a Hydroxy Acid-Based Scrub and Copper Tripeptide Serum in the Management of Seborrheic Dermatitis in Adults.

Background and objective Scalp dandruff, a prevalent dermatological condition marked by flaking and itching, affects a large segment of the population. Sun exposure, genetics, and dryness, along with winter conditions, indoor heating, and hard water, all contribute to moisture loss and scalp imbalance.This study aimed to evaluatethe safety, efficacy, and tolerability of a novel regimen combining a scalp scrub with hydroxy acidderivatives for exfoliation and dandruff removal, and a serum containing copper tripeptide-1, witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), hesperidin, hyaluronic acid, and pea protein (Pisum sativum) for hydration and scalp health. Methods This prospective, interventional, open-label, single-center study assessed the safety, efficacy, and in-use tolerability of a scalp scrub and serum regimen for mild to moderate dandruff. Ethical approval was granted by ACEAS - Independent Ethics Committee and all participants provided written consent. The study evaluated changes in Adherent Scalp Flaking Score (ASFS), scalp hydration with the Corneometer® CM 825, hair thickness, hair density, and scalp condition using CASLite Nova.Scalp appearance and treatment usage perception were evaluated on day 1, day 8, and day 15. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS Statistics v29.0.1.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and Microsoft Excel 2019, with results reported as p-values and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results As per the ASFSscale for adherent scalp flaking, a significant improvement of 61.24% (p<0.0001) was observed by day 15. Assessmentswith CASLite Nova showed significant increases in hair density and hair thickness by 12.48% (p<0.0001) and 25.36% (p<0.0001), respectively. Regarding scalp condition, the proportion of individuals with a dry scalp and significant keratin decreased from 65.52% at baseline to 6.9% by day 15. The incidence of dry scalp with fine dandruff also decreased from 6.9% at baseline to 0% by day 15. Conversely, the percentage of individuals with a dry scalp and some keratin increased from 27.59% at baseline to 48.28% by day 15. Also, the proportion of subjects with a normal scalp, characterized by good hair density and thickness, increased from 0% at baseline to 44.83% by day 15. Scalp skin hydration, measured by Corneometer® CM 825, showed a significant improvement of 76.24% (p<0.0001) from baseline to day 15. Overall, there were notable enhancements in scalp appearance, with reductions in itchiness, redness, roughness, and scaliness. All subjects reported satisfaction with the treatment. Conclusions The ThriveCo scalp regimen (scalp scrub + serum) has been demonstrated to be both effective and safe in treating and reducing scalp dandruff in healthy adults. The regimen significantly reduced ASFS by effectively removing visible scalp flakes from day 1 to day 15 with continuous use. Furthermore, the kit improved overall scalp condition, increased skin hydration, and enhanced the scalp's appearance. The components include scalp scrub with hydroxy acidderivatives for exfoliation and dandruff removal, and a serum containing copper tripeptide-1, Hamamelis virginiana, hesperidin, hyaluronic acid, and pea protein (Pisum sativum) for hydration and overall scalp health over the 15-day treatment period. The synergistic effects of this regimen work to clear visible dandruff flakes, reduce adherent scalp flaking, rejuvenate the scalp, and simultaneously strengthen the hair.

A financial inclusion model for Nigeria: Standardizing advisory services to reach the unbanked

Financial inclusion remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, where a large segment of the population, particularly in rural areas, lacks access to formal financial services. This review proposes a standardized advisory services model designed to bridge the gap between financial institutions and the unbanked. The model aims to address key barriers, including low financial literacy, lack of trust in financial systems, and limited access to technology and infrastructure. By integrating financial literacy programs, digital advisory platforms, and community-driven partnerships, the model offers a comprehensive solution to expand financial inclusion in Nigeria. The review explores the demographic characteristics of Nigeria’s unbanked population and the underlying reasons for their exclusion from the formal financial system. It highlights the role of standardized advisory services in building trust and providing accessible financial education, savings, and credit opportunities. Drawing from global examples such as Kenya’s M-Pesa and India’s Jan Dhan Yojana, the model incorporates best practices for outreach and engagement. A critical component of the model is its reliance on digital and mobile technology to deliver services to underserved communities. Additionally, the review emphasizes the importance of a strong regulatory framework, with the Central Bank of Nigeria playing a key role in monitoring and enforcing standards. The model also outlines challenges to implementation, including cultural resistance, technological infrastructure gaps, and sustainability concerns. By promoting financial inclusion, this advisory services model is expected to foster economic empowerment, poverty reduction, and overall economic growth in Nigeria. The review concludes with policy recommendations, urging collaboration between public and private sectors to ensure the scalability and success of the model across diverse regions. Keywords: Financial Inclusion, Advisory Services, Nigeria, Review.