Control Levels Research Articles

Research on Rapid and Non-Destructive Detection of Coffee Powder Adulteration Based on Portable Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Technology

This study explores the feasibility of using portable near-infrared spectroscopy for the rapid and non-destructive detection of coffee adulteration. Spectral data from adulterated coffee samples in the 900–1700 nm range were collected and processed using five preprocessing methods. For qualitative detection, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm was applied. For quantitative detection, two optimization algorithms, Invasive Weed Optimization (IWO) and Binary Chimp Optimization Algorithm (BChOA), were used for the feature wavelength selection. The results showed that convolution smoothing combined with multiple scattering correction effectively improved the signal-to-noise ratio. SVM achieved 96.88% accuracy for qualitative detection. For the quantitative analysis, the IWO algorithm identified key wavelengths, reducing data dimensionality by 82.46% and improving accuracy by 10.96%, reaching 92.25% accuracy. In conclusion, portable near-infrared spectroscopy technology can be used for the rapid and non-destructive qualitative and quantitative detection of coffee adulteration and can serve as a foundation for the further development of rapid, non-destructive testing devices. At the same time, this method has broad application potential and can be extended to various food products such as dairy, juice, grains, and meat for quality control, traceability, and adulteration detection. Through the feature wavelength selection method, it can effectively identify and extract spectral features associated with these food components (such as fat, protein, or characteristic compounds), thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of detection, further ensuring food safety and enhancing the level of food quality control.

Impact of Biochar and Hydroretentive Polymers on the Biochemical and Physiological Traits of Satureja rechingeri Jamzad Under Water Deficit Stress

Satureja rechingeri is a valuable medicinal plant, but its growth can be significantly impacted by water deficit stress. To investigate the effects of biochar (BC) and hydroretentive polymers (HPs) on various eco-physiological traits of savory under a water deficit, an experiment was conducted over two consecutive cropping seasons (2017–2019). A randomized complete block design with a split-plot factorial arrangement and three replications was used. The treatments consisted of three levels of irrigation (95 ± 5, 75 ± 5, and 55 ± 5% FC), which were applied to the main plots, and combinations of two levels of biochar and two levels of HPs, which were applied to subplots. The results show that a water deficit reduced the relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, and dry matter yield of the shoots. Furthermore, the activity of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased in two-year-old plants. The MDA content significantly decreased by 15.6% in the second year compared to in the first year under a water deficit. The application of HPs caused a decrease of 26.4%, 32.5%, and 27.5% in POD, CAT, and APX enzyme activities, respectively, compared to their control levels. In the biochar treatment, there was a significant reduction in the activity of POD, APX, and CAT in the leaves.

Anticoagulation control of warfarin in anticoagulation medication therapy adherence clinics

AbstractBackgroundWarfarin therapy remains essential in anticoagulation management and its quality is measured by the time in therapeutic range (TTR). In Malaysia, some healthcare centres provide the Anticoagulation Medication Therapy Adherence Clinic (ACMTAC) service for warfarin management, which is managed by pharmacists.AimTo evaluate overall TTR and to analyse the occurrence of thromboembolic and bleeding complications in warfarin patients.MethodThis cross‐sectional, retrospective cohort study included patients who received warfarin treatment over a 3‐year period (2019–2021). Data were collected from 49 healthcare centres in Malaysia with ACMTAC services. TTR was calculated using the Rosendaal method from international normalised ratio (INR) data acquired across these centres. TTR ≥ 65% was defined as good control of anticoagulation therapy. Ethical approval was granted by the Medical Research and Ethics Committee, Ministry of Health Malaysia (Reference no: NMRR‐ 21‐779‐59275) and the study conforms with the Declaration of Helsinki.ResultsThe mean age (±standard deviation [SD]) of the 1464 included patients was 60.3 (±13.1) years, and 732 (50.0%) were male. Atrial fibrillation (65.7%) and valve replacement (23.1%) were the main indications for warfarin therapy. From 2019 to 2021, the annual mean TTR (±SD) were 63.1% (±24.5%), 64.0% (±25.0%), and 64.1% (±26.3)% respectively. For three consecutive years, more than 49% of patients achieved good control of anticoagulation therapy. Among the 49 centres, over 24 (49.0%) achieved a mean TTR of ≥65%, and the mean TTR varied significantly between centres (p < 0.001). The occurrence of bleeding and thromboembolic events was 227 (15.5%) and 15 (1.0%) respectively.ConclusionIn Malaysia, the anticoagulation control of warfarin under ACMTAC management is moderate, with about half of patients demonstrating good control levels. Over a 3‐year observation period, there was variation in TTR among the centres.

Outcomes of type A aortic dissection in Australia.

Without surgical intervention, type A aortic dissection (TAAD) carries a high risk of life-threatening complications and mortality. Due to the low incidence of aortic dissection, case numbers vary significantly between institutions. This study reports outcomes for patients undergoing surgical TAAD repair in Australia between 2001 and 2021, and the impact of institution case numbers on mortality. Retrospective multicentre cohort study using the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) data, including consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for TAAD. Patients were divided into groups based on 30-day mortality. Secondary morbidity outcomes are reported. Between 2001 and 2021, 2604 patients (median age 65; 67% male) underwent operative intervention for TAAD. Over this period, the number of aortic dissections recorded in the database annually increased (from <50 to >200 cases per year), consistent with the increasing number of contributing institutions. Thirty-day mortality rates varied by unit from 0% to 100%, with an average over the period of 18%. Despite unit case numbers ranging from 1 or 2 to over 200 cases, funnel plot analysis demonstrated no units fell outside the accepted 99.7% control level for 30-day mortality. Individual surgeons showed decreased mortality with increased caseload. Non-survivors were more likely to have prior respiratory or cerebrovascular disease, previous myocardial infarction, or severe left ventricular dysfunction. Post-operative stroke, return to theatre for bleeding, renal failure and atrial fibrillation were more common in the non-survivors (P < 0.05). Mortality outcomes for TAAD in Australia have improved over time, stabilizing at 18% over the last 5 years. Units performing fewer operations for TAAD showed equivalent mortality outcomes to high volume units, while surgeons performing fewer procedures displayed a higher mortality.

The Metabolic Profile of Plasma During Epileptogenesis in a Rat Model of Lithium-Pilocarpine-Induced Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) arises mostly because of an initial injury. Certain stimuli can make a normal brain prone to repeated, spontaneous seizures via a process called epileptogenesis. This study examined the plasma metabolomics profile in rats with the induced TLE to identify feasible biomarkers that can distinguish progression of epileptogenesis in three different time points and reveal the underlying mechanisms of epileptogenesis. Status epilepticus (SE) was induced by repetitive intraperitoneal injections of low-dose lithium chloride-pilocarpine hydrocholoride. Blood samples were collected 48h, 1week, and 6weeks after SE, respectively. Plasma metabolites were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry. Statistical analysis was performed using MetaboAnalyst 6.0. An orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model was employed to represent variations between the TLE model groups and respective controls. Volcano plot analysis was used to identify key features, applying a fold-change criterion of 1.5 and a t-test threshold of 0.05. 48h after SE, dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) and creatinine levels were decreased, whereas glycine and creatine levels were increased. The only metabolite that changed 1week after SE was pyruvic acid, which was increased compared to its control level. Lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and succinic acid levels were increased 6weeks after SE. The identified metabolites were especially related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. The results illustrate that distinct plasma metabolites can function as phase-specific biomarkers in TLE and reveal new insights into the mechanisms underlying SE.

Access to clean energy in Africa revisited: The roles of women empowerment, corruption control, FDI and sectoral growth.

One of the key contributors to climate change is energy consumption, with the type of energy used having implications on the natural environment and health of users. To promote environmental sustainability and sustainable development, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 aims to achieve accessibility, and affordability of clean and modern forms of energy for all. This study aims to investigate the effects of women empowerment, corruption control, foreign direct investment, and sectoral growth on access to clean energy in Africa, as well as the effects of the interrelatedness of these factors on clean energy access. Using data on 32 countries in Africa from 2002 to 2021 and rigorous econometric techniques, the study finds that women empowerment and corruption control significantly increase access to clean energy in Africa while sectoral analyses show varying effects of growth in the different sectors on clean energy accessibility. Furthermore, it is found that corruption control is not able to reverse situations of adverse effects of some variables on access to clean energy in some cases, likely due to the low levels of corruption control in Africa. The results suggest that African countries could enhance access to clean energy for its citizens and harness the full potential of clean energy, to promote sustainable development and improve the lives of their population, by empowering women, fighting corruption, and cultivating balanced economic growth.

Understanding the Influence of Gd Deposition on the MPI and MRI Performance of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles for Multimodal Imaging Applications.

Fe3O4 core Gd shell nanoparticles are interesting candidates as multimodal MRI/MPI contrast agents/tracers that can potentially provide MPI signal from the magnetic iron component while still achieving positive MRI contrast from the Gd shell. However, a current challenge in synthesizing these NPs is controlling the uniformity of the Gd shell while maintaining the particle size. In this study, we show that by using thermal decomposition of mixed metal oleate precursors, the iron oxide nanoparticle core with Gd shell coating can be varied from 7% to 27% while maintaining a high level of control over the particle size, producing highly uniform particles of d = 13.5 nm. Iron oxide nanoparticles with moderate Gd coating have resulted in improved MPI signal and MRI relaxation compared with commercial tracers, indicating that iron oxide core Gd shell nanoparticles are effective materials for both MPI and MRI applications. These results demonstrate the ability to synthetically control both the amount of the Gd shell and the size of the core-shell iron oxide nanoparticles, which can be applied to other magnetic nanomaterials.

Atherogenic index of plasma and cardiovascular disease risk in cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome stage 1 to 3: a longitudinal study

BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major contributor to the global disease burden. Previous studies have established a link between the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and CVD. However, it remains unclear whether cumulative AIP and AIP control influence the future incidence of CVD in individuals with Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) syndrome. This study aims to explore the association between cumulative AIP, AIP control levels, and the risk of CVD in individuals with CKM syndrome from stages 1 to 3.MethodsParticipants with CKM syndrome were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Cumulative AIP was calculated using triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), while AIP control levels were categorized into four groups via k-means clustering. CVD was defined by self-reported heart disease or stroke. Multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were employed to examine the association between AIP and incident CVD in individuals with CKM syndrome.ResultsA total of 793 participants (18.84%) developed CVD. After adjusting for confounders, cumulative AIP were associated with the developing CVD (OR=1.139, 95% CI: 1.017-1.275, P=0.0245). Compared to group 1 (best AIP control), the OR (95% CI) for incident CVD were 1.278 (0.959-1.702) for group 2, 1.329 (1.076-1.641) for group 3, and 1.195 (0.974-1.465) for group 4. Restricted cubic spline regression indicated the relationship between cumulative AIP and CVD risk is linear (P for nonlinear = 0.3377).ConclusionsIn middle-aged and elderly individuals with CKM syndrome, higher cumulative AIP and poorer AIP control were associated with an elevated incidence of CVD. These findings suggest that enhanced assessment of the AIP index could inform targeted prevention strategies for CVD in the context of CKM syndrome.

Persistent subclinical renal injury in female rats following renal ischemia reperfusion injury.

The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) continues to rise in both men and women. Although creatinine levels return to normal quicker in females following AKI than in males, it is unclear whether subclinical renal injury persists in young females post-AKI. This study tested the hypothesis that AKI results in subclinical renal injury in females despite plasma creatinine returning to sham levels. 12-13-week-old female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized to sham or 45-minute warm bilateral ischemia-reperfusion surgery as an experimental model of ischemic AKI. Rats were euthanized 1, 3-, 7-, 14-, or 30-days post-AKI/sham. Plasma creatinine, cystatin C, kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), and NGAL were quantified via assay kits or immunoblotting. Kidneys were processed for histological analysis to assess tubular injury and fibrosis and electron microscopy to examine mitochondrial morphology. Immunoblots on kidney homogenates were performed to determine oxidative stress and apoptosis. Plasma creatinine levels were greater 24 hours post-AKI but returned to sham control levels 3 days post-AKI. However, cystatin C, KIM-1, and NGAL were greater 30 days post-AKI compared to sham. Tubular injurytubulointerstitial fibrosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction were all greater in 30-day post-AKI rats compared to sham. Additionally, 30 days post-AKI rats had greater p-JNK expression and lower antioxidant enzyme GPx1 and catalase levels compared to sham. AKI resulted in greater expression of cleaved caspase 3, TUNEL+ cells, and caspase 9 than sham. Despite the normalization of creatinine levels, our data support the hypothesis that subclinical renal injury persists following ischemia-reperfusion injury in young female rats.

Suppressing astrocytic GABA transaminase enhances tonic inhibition and weakens hippocampal spatial memory.

Pharmacological suppression of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transaminase (GABA-T), the sole GABA-degrading enzyme and a potential therapeutic target for treating brain disorders such as epilepsy, increases not only phasic inhibition but also tonic inhibition. However, the specific cellular source, neuromodulatory effects and potential therapeutic benefits of this enhanced tonic inhibition remain unexplored due to the lack of cell-type-specific gene manipulation studies. Here we report that the increase in tonic GABA currents observed after GABA-T suppression is predominantly due to increased tonic GABA release from astrocytes rather than action-potential-dependent synaptic GABA spillover. General GABA-T knockdown (KD) by a short hairpin RNA considerably increased tonic GABA currents in dentate granule cells, thereby enhancing tonic inhibition. An astrocyte-specific rescue of GABA-T following general GABA-T KD normalized the elevated tonic GABA currents to near control levels. Tetrodotoxin-insensitive tonic GABA currents were significantly increased after general GABA-T KD, whereas tetrodotoxin-sensitive tonic GABA currents showed no significant increase, suggesting that this enhanced tonic inhibition is primarily action-potential independent. General GABA-T KD reduced the spike probability of granule cells and impaired dorsal hippocampus-dependent spatial memory, which were fully reversed by astrocyte-specific GABA-T rescue. These findings suggest that suppressing astrocytic GABA-T may be sufficient to influence the excitatory/inhibitory balance in the brain and associated behaviors. Our study implies that the therapeutic benefits of pharmacological GABA-T suppression may be largely attributed to the modulation of astrocytic GABA-T and its impact on tonic GABA release from astrocytes. Here, we report distinct effects of GABA-T suppression depending on cell type; suppressing GABA-T in astrocytes enhances tonic inhibition, while its suppression in GABAergic neurons augments phasic inhibition. Our findings demonstrate that targeted suppression of astrocytic GABA-T not only enhances tonic GABA release from astrocytes but also significantly influences the excitation/inhibition balance in the brain, with consequential effects on behavior. This suggests that astrocytic GABA-T modulation holds promising potential for developing novel therapeutic strategies aimed at treating cognitive and neurological disorders through the regulation of astrocytic GABA metabolism. GAD glutamate decarboxylase, MAO-B monoamine oxidase B, BEST1 bestrophin 1, GABA-T GABA transaminase, GAT GABA transporter, DG dentate gyrus, SSA succinic semialdehyde.

Influence of the drug Toxo-bond on hematological and biochemical blood indicators of chickens infected with Fusariotoxicosis

The article presents studies on the effect of the adsorbent preparation "Toxo-bond" on some hematological and biochemical indices of the blood of broiler chickens infected with fusariotoxicosis. In particular, as a result of hematological, biochemical and microbiological studies conducted by researchers in fusariotoxicosis of chickens, a significant therapeutic effect of the adsorbent preparation "Toxo-bond" was noted. An increase in the amount of hemoglobin, leukocytes. An increase in the level of glucose and total protein in the body of chickens receiving the drug, compared with birds of the sick and control groups. It was found that the hematological and biochemical indices of the blood of chickens in the experimental group were higher than in the control group of patients, and lower than the control level of healthy chickens, which also indicates the hematopoietic effect of the drug.

Vitamin K Antagonist Use and Level of Anticoagulation Control Among Patients at a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Tanzania.

Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) continue to be the principal anticoagulants for both the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism. The use of VKA often requires regular monitoring to avoid over-anticoagulation and prevent thromboembolic complications. The aim was to determine the indication for VKA use and factors associated with suboptimal anticoagulation control among patients in northern Tanzania. This was a retrospective cohort study that examined the anticoagulation data of patients on long-term VKA from 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2022. Eligible participants were those on VKAs for at least 7 days and with at least 3 international normalized ratio (INR) results. The level of anticoagulation control was determined through the calculation of the time-in-therapeutic range (TiTR) using the Rosendaal and the percent of INR in therapeutic range methods. TiTR was found to be 17% using the direct method and 16% using the Rosendaal formula. 102 tests out of 365 were within the target range (28%). Absence of health insurance (aRR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.06-1.44, P = .007), alcohol consumption (aRR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.15-1.62, P < .001), and prolonged intervals between tests of 14 to 28 days (aRR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.05-1.74, P = .018) showed association with INR being out of range. Patients who achieved target therapeutic anticoagulation control were less than the acceptable 65%. Anticoagulation outcomes were better in patients with frequent INR monitoring and those with health insurance. Alcohol consumption carries a high risk of poor anticoagulation control. Further studies are needed to enforce better INR control.

Elevated frequencies of activated memory B cells in multiple sclerosis are reset to healthy control levels after B cell depletion with Ocrelizumab

In multiple sclerosis (MS) the B cell depleting drug ocrelizumab has shown high efficacy in reducing inflammatory activity. Its mechanism of action is unclear due to B cell subset complexity and unknown roles in pathogenesis. Here, we comprehensively phenotyped and quantitated peripheral blood B cell subsets before and after ocrelizumab infusion to gain insight into the fate of B cell subsets with pathogenic potential. Peripheral blood B cells were collected from treatment naïve patients at baseline and months one, three, and six following the first course of ocrelizumab treatment; at 6 months following the second treatment cycle; ~14 months following their last infusion; and from healthy controls. Flow cytometry combined with cluster analysis was used to track depletion and repletion of naïve, memory, and antibody secreting cells. By month one, naïve B cells were depleted, but a small subset of memory B cells were retained with no depletion of antibody secreting cells. Uniform manifold approximation and projection for dimension reduction analysis of flow cytometry data revealed two non-class switched naïve clusters and two class switched memory clusters. One class switched cluster was activated in MS patients but largely absent in healthy controls. Both memory B cell subsets underwent depletion after a single six-month course of ocrelizumab treatment after which their proportions were reset to heathy control levels. These observations suggest that activated class-switched memory B cells could serve as a biomarker of recent or ongoing MS disease activity to guide redosing.

The Relationship Between Resilience and Mental Health Status Among Nurses With Workplace Violence Experiences: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nurses encounter many stressors and challenges at work, which can negatively affect their mental and physical health. Modern theories of resilience suggest that resilience is a dynamic process of positive adaptation to adversity. This process involves personal growth through adversity, developing effective coping strategies and inculcating the ability to cope with stress. The resilience process involves individual characteristics, social support and environmental factors, including workplace culture. Strengthening nurses' resilience can help them cope with adversity, maintain their mental health and well-being and support their provision of care. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between workplace characteristics, resilience and mental health status among nurses with experiences of workplace violence. The study objectives were to analyse the relationships between workplace characteristics, resilience and mental health status among nurses with experiences of workplace violence and to investigate the effects of resilience on nurses' mental health outcomes. In this cross-sectional study, full-time nurses at a medical centre in Taiwan completed a questionnaire survey. Of 600 distributed questionnaires, 334 nurses were identified to have experienced workplace violence. The questionnaires included items on workplace violence, resilience, metal health status (burnout and mental distress), sleep quality, work characteristics (job control, psychological job demands and workplace justice) and demographic characteristics. Data were analysed through chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression. Nurses with low resilience tended to be younger, work more rotating/night shifts and perceive lower levels of job control and workplace justice. They also reported higher risks of burnout and mental distress and lower sleep quality. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that psychological job demands, workplace justice and resilience significantly influenced nurses' mental health status. Nurses with high resilience exhibited a lower risk of mental distress and higher sleep quality. However, resilience was not associated with burnout. The findings revealed how workplace factors and resilience influence nurses' mental health. The findings help nurse managers and policymakers develop strategies to promote nurses' resilience and mental health and mitigate the adverse effects of negative workplace events.

Serum choline, leptin and interleukin-6 levels in fibromyalgia syndrome-induced pain: a case–control study

BackgroundFibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) predominantly affects middle-aged women, characterized by musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and cognitive issues. Choline, an endogenous molecule, may influence FMS due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. This study compared choline, leptin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in FMS patients and controls and examining their association with pain severity.MethodsVolunteers with FMS were clinically diagnosed at a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department. The control group included pain-free volunteers. Pain severity was gauged using a numeric scale, dietary choline intake through a questionnaire. Serum choline, leptin and (interleukin)IL-6 levels were measured from fasting blood samples of volunteers with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).ResultsAll FMS patients (n = 38) and healthy volunteers (n = 38) were female. Pain score in patients with FMS was 7.6 ± 0.2. Dietary choline intake was lower in patients with FMS than the controls (p = 0.036). Serum choline and leptin levels were lower in the FMS group compared to control (p = 0.03). Serum IL-6 levels were higher in the FMS group than in the control (p < 0.001). There was weak positive correlation between IL-6 levels and pain scores and there were no correlation between leptin levels and pain scores in FMS.ConclusionsThis research highlights FMS's complex nature, involving neurochemical, immunological, and nutritional factors. It suggests the significance of choline's anti-inflammatory effect, leptin's metabolic function, and IL-6's role in FMS pathology. The results suggest that reduced dietary choline might influence serum choline, leptin, and IL-6 levels, potentially impacting FMS-related pain. This points to the potential of supplementary choline intake in FMS management.Trial registrationNot applicable (Non-interventional study).

Modelling transmission and control of Toxoplasma gondii in New Zealand farmland.

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the world's most prevalent parasites and has significant impacts on the health of humans, domestic animals and wildlife. In New Zealand's rural environments, T. gondii creates economic losses for the farming industry and threatens vulnerable native avifauna and marine mammals. Predator control of rodents and feral cats has potential to reduce or even eliminate transmission of T. gondii on farms; however, the efficacy of such management is uncertain. We apply a mathematical model of T. gondii transmission dynamics in feral cat and rodent populations in New Zealand farmland and simulate varying intensities of predator control to predict changes in T. gondii prevalence and environmental contamination levels over time. The model predicts that predator control is relatively ineffective for reducing transmission in areas with high environmental contamination rates. However, assuming low rates of environmental contamination, local elimination of T. gondii could be achievable, for example, by control that sustains large reductions of 88%, 69% and 59% in feral cat, house mouse and ship rat populations, respectively, over 56 weeks. Predator control is, therefore, a potentially viable approach for managing T. gondii in some rural environments, but only if high levels of population control are sustained.

Insulin degludec 100 U/mL for treatment of spontaneous diabetes mellitus in dogs.

The advantages of insulin degludec 100 U/mL (IDeg100) in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) include consistent release, predictable glucose-lowering effect, and minimal day-to-day variability. To describe the use of IDeg100 in dogs with DM, level of diabetic control and adverse effects. Thirty-three client-owned dogs with DM. A prospective, multi-institutional, uncontrolled study of newly diagnosed or previously insulin-treated, with or without comorbidities and with or without concurrent medications. Clinical signs and continuous glucose monitoring data were monitored and guided insulin dose adjustments. A per-protocol analysis was performed. The final dose of IDeg100 in dogs was 1.3 U/kg (median, range, 0.4-2.2) achieved in 14 days (median, range, 3-32). Seventy-nine percent (26/33) of the dogs had comorbidities with 42% (11/26) having more than 1 comorbidity. Sixty-four percent (21/33) of dogs were receiving concurrent medications with 62% (13/21) receiving more than 1 non-insulin medication. Seventy-six percent (25/33) were scored as having excellent/very good DM control. From baseline to study exit, dogs showed improvements in both ALIVE DM clinical score (from 3 [0-8, 96.49% CI (2-5)] to 1 [0-7, 96.49% CI (1-2)]; P = .0007) and average 3-day interstitial glucose (from 332.8 ± 68.7 mg/dL, 95% CI [308.8-357.2] to 229.0 ± 56.3 mg/dL [CI 209.0 - 248.9]; P < .0001). Insulin degludec 100 U/mL is effective for the treatment of dogs with DM. Eighty-four percent (28/33) of dogs responded to once daily dose of IDeg100 with low frequency of clinical hypoglycemia.

Brachytherapy in soft tissue sarcomas (literature review)

The article presents an analysis of publications on the effectiveness of brachytherapy in the soft tissue sarcomas. It has been shown that this method is an important part of the combined treatment of this pathology and the indications for its use are constantly expanding. The authors point to a high level of local control of the disease (from 50 to 96 % of cases). The greatest effectiveness of brachytherapy is observed in combination with surgical tumor removal.

Neural-WDRC: A Deep Learning Wide Dynamic Range Compression Method Combined With Controllable Noise Reduction for Hearing Aids.

Wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) and noise reduction both play important roles in hearing aids. WDRC provides level-dependent amplification so that the level of sound produced by the hearing aid falls between the hearing threshold and the highest comfortable level of the listener, while noise reduction reduces ambient noise with the goal of improving intelligibility and listening comfort and reducing effort. In most current hearing aids, noise reduction and WDRC are implemented sequentially, but this may lead to distortion of the amplitude modulation patterns of both the speech and the noise. This paper describes a deep learning method, called Neural-WDRC, for implementing both noise reduction and WDRC, employing a two-stage low-complexity network. The network initially estimates the noise alone and the speech alone. Fast-acting compression is applied to the estimated speech and slow-acting compression to the estimated noise, but with a controllable residual noise level to help the user to perceive natural environmental sounds. Neural-WDRC is frame-based, and the output of the current frame is determined only by the current and preceding frames. Neural-WDRC was compared with conventional slow- and fast-acting compression and with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)-aware compression using objective measures and listening tests based on normal-hearing participants listening to signals processed to simulate the effects of hearing loss and hearing-impaired participants. The objective measures demonstrated that Neural-WDRC effectively reduced negative interactions of speech and noise in highly non-stationary noise scenarios. The listening tests showed that Neural-WDRC was preferred over the other compression methods for speech in non-stationary noises.

Revealing Sarcophyton extract's alleviating potential against gentamicin-induced renal and testicular toxicity in rat model

BackgroundGentamicin (GEN) is a potent antibiotic known for inducing oxidative stress and causing adverse effects in the kidneys and testes. Sarcophyton species possess significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them potential candidates for addressing oxidative stress and inflammation-related gentamicin toxicity. The study aims to explore the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Sarcophyton acutum methanol extract (SAME) to counteract gentamicin effects.MethodsSarcophyton acutum were collected and macerated with methanol, followed by phytochemical analysis of extract. Twenty-four adult male albino rats were separated into four equal groups: Control, SAME-treated (200 mg/kg/day), GEN-treated (100 mg/kg/day), and GEN + SAME-treated rats. Various parameters, including body weight, relative kidney and testes weight, differential white blood cell count, blood urea, creatinine, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, total antioxidant capacity, myeloperoxidase activity, and histopathological changes in kidney and testes tissue, were analyzed.ResultsPhytochemical analysis revealed SAME's composition, including alkaloids, saponins, phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins, with an average total antioxidant capacity of 10.503 ± 0.632 mg AAE/g extract. GEN treatment resulted in altered body and organ weights, changes in white blood cell percentages, elevated urea and creatinine levels, reduced luteinizing hormone and testosterone, decreased renal and testicular tissue total antioxidant capacity, and increased myeloperoxidase levels in both tissues. However, the administration of SAME with GEN attenuated these effects, restoring parameters closer to control levels. Histological evaluation showed that GEN treatment induced significant renal tissue damage characterized by enlarged renal corpuscles, glomerular tuft hypertrophy, tubular dilation, and necrosis, interstitial leukocyte infiltration, and tubular hyaline cast formation. Co-administration of SAME with GEN mitigated these effects, reducing renal corpuscle swelling, tubular vacuolization, and hypertrophy and preventing hyaline deposition and leukocyte infiltration. In testicular tissue, GEN injection caused seminiferous tubule atrophy, decreased spermatogenic layer thickness, and interstitial expansion and degeneration. However, SAME administration with GEN preserved normal tubular size and spermatogenic layer thickness, reduced vacuolization, and epithelial necrosis, and maintained spermatogenesis.ConclusionSarcophyton acutum methanol extract demonstrates promising protective effects against gentamicin-induced renal and testicular toxicity in rats, signifying its potential as a therapeutic agent to mitigate antibiotic-induced oxidative damage in vital organs.