Simple Tool Research Articles

Fast Multi-User Searchable Encryption with Forward and Backward Private Access Control

Untrusted servers are servers or storage entities lacking complete trust from the data owner or users. This characterization implies that the server hosting encrypted data may not enjoy full trust from data owners or users, stemming from apprehensions related to potential security breaches, unauthorized access, or other security risks. The security of searchable encryption has been put into question by several recent attacks. Currently, users can search for encrypted documents on untrusted cloud servers using searchable symmetric encryption (SSE). This study delves deeply into two pivotal concepts of privacy within dynamic searchable symmetric encryption (DSSE) schemes: forward privacy and backward privacy. The former serves as a safeguard against the linkage of recently added documents to previously conducted search queries, whereas the latter guarantees the irretrievability of deleted documents in subsequent search inquiries. However, the provision of fine-grained access control is complex in existing multi-user SSE schemes. SSE schemes may also incur high computation costs due to the need for fine-grained access control, and it is essential to support document updates and forward privacy. In response to these issues, this paper suggests a searchable encryption scheme that uses simple primitive tools. We present a multi-user SSE scheme that efficiently controls access to dynamically encrypted documents to resolve these issues, using an innovative approach that readily enhances previous findings. Rather than employing asymmetric encryption as in comparable systems, we harness low-complexity primitive encryption tools and inverted index-based DSSE to handle retrieving encrypted files, resulting in a notably faster system. Furthermore, we ensure heightened security by refreshing the encryption key after each search, meaning that users are unable to conduct subsequent searches with the same key and must obtain a fresh key from the data owner. An experimental evaluation shows that our scheme achieves forward and Type II backward privacy and has much faster search performance than other schemes. Our scheme can be considered secure, as proven in a random oracle model.

Transcranial ultrasonography as a predictor of disease progression in multiple sclerosis

BackgroundDevelopment of novel biomarkers for multiple sclerosis (MS) is of utmost importance to improve the capability to predict disease progression and disability. Transcranial ultrasonography (TCS) is a noninvasive imaging technique that allows the visualization of major parenchymal structures. This study aimed to evaluate the role of parenchymal transcranial sonography as a predictor for disease severity and progression in MS patients. Sixty patients with clinically definite Multiple sclerosis divided into two groups, relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) group and chronic progressive MS (CPMS) group were included.ResultsThere was a statistically significant increase in the mean diameters of the third ventricle, both frontal horns of lateral ventricle in RRMS and CPMS group compared to control values, and in CPMS group compared to RRMS group. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was significantly positively correlated with the diameter of right frontal horn of lateral ventricle in CPMS group. Linear regression analysis revealed that diameters of right frontal horn of lateral ventricle and third ventricle were independent predictors for MS severity.ConclusionsTCS can be used as a simple noninvasive tool for prediction of disease severity and progression in MS patients.

Developing the experimental skills of pre-service physics teachers

In this paper we present the focus, objectives, content and implementation of the elective course Selected Demonstration Experiments designed for physics teaching students. We map students’ personal experiences with the implementation of physics experiments in lower secondary school and high school, as well as their knowledge of the possibilities of demonstrating physical phenomena through experiments with simple tools. The continuing lack of experimentally oriented activities in physics education naturally has a negative impact on the experimental skills of physics teaching students. In this context, the prospective teacher should be able to carry out a wide range of physical experiments, demonstrations, experiments and measurements, interpret them appropriately and involve them in active perception. The lack of experimental equipment in schools for individual (or small group) student work can be at least partially overcome by the use of commonly available simple tools (plastic containers, stationery household tools, toys). Their availability is a strong motivation for individual observations, investigations and measurements at home. In the school laboratory, the teacher can easily provide such tools for frontal experiments, parallel work by groups of students or project work following observations at home. We consider and present a model of blended learning in an educational laboratory environment. In this paper we present selected ideas for physics observations and experiments with simple tools in the form of engaging video demonstrations. We have included the creation of our own educational video demonstration as a student semester project in the course presented. We present the success of achieving our learning objectives through student assessment.

Development of a Recycled Materials Lab Kit for an Electrostatics Experiment

Lab kits play an essential role in supporting the learning process. This study aims to develop a feasible and practical physics experiment kit on static electricity from simple tools and materials. The static electricity lab kit was developed using the 4D model (define, design, develop, disseminate). The stages carried out in this study are only up to the third stage, namely development, because the output is in the form of lab kit products. The lab kit is made using simple tools and materials easily found in everyday life. The props can also be disassembled easily. Four physics teachers from different schools conducted validation of the lab kit. The validation results show that in terms of media, the lab kit has valid criteria, with a percentage of 98.08%. Regarding material, the lab kit also has valid criteria, with a percentage of 96%. Overall, the static electricity lab kit met valid criteria with an average percentage of 97.5%, showing that the lab kit could be disseminated directly to students. It is hoped that using this lab kit can help teachers explain the concept of static electricity and make it easier for students to understand it.

Validación de la versión española del cuestionario PURE-4 para la detección precoz de la artritis psoriásica en pacientes con psoriasis

Background and objectivePsoriasis often precedes the onset of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), so dermatologists often face the challenge of early identifying signs of PsA in patients with psoriasis. Our aim was to validate the Spanish version of the PURE-4 questionnaire as a screening tool for PsA, evaluate its performance in terms of sensitivity, specificity, feasibility, reliability, and build validity. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional, observational, multicenter trial of adult patients with psoriasis. Initially, patients were assessed by a dermatologist and completed 2 self-administered versions (in print and online) of the PURE-4 questionnaire. Afterwards, the rheumatologist, blinded to the PURE-4 results, assessed the presence/absence of PsA, being the reference to determine the performance of the PURE-4 questionnaire. ResultsA total of 268 patients were included (115 [42.9%] women; mean age, 47.1±12.6). The prevalence of PsA according to rheumatologist diagnosis was 12.7% (34 patients). The mean PURE-4 score for patients with psoriasis diagnosed with PsA was 2.3±1.1, and 1.3±1.3 for patients without PsA (P<.001). The cutoff value ≥2 demonstrated the best performance for detecting PsA, with a negative predictive value of 95.1% (95% confidence interval, 90.3-97.6). ConclusionsThe PURE-4 questionnaire demonstrated good performance in detecting PsA, with an optimal cutoff point ≥2. This simple tool could facilitate early referral of patients to the rheumatology unit.

Pelvic abscess treatment: A novel experience with UNICO drainage

Pelvic abscess can be a life-threatening condition due to infected fluid collection. Usually, pelvic abscess occurs as a complication of surgical procedures or pelvic organ tumors, inflammatory pelvic conditions, infectious gastrointestinal tract and gynecological diseases. Drainage is the standard treatment of pelvic abscess especially after failure of the antibiotic therapy. UNICO drainage is an innovative catheter for minimal invasive centesis and miscellaneous drainage procedures. In this report, it was used on three patients with pelvic abscess of different etiology: Pelvic inflammatory disease, Crohn disease, and endometriosis. In all cases, UNICO drainage was applied transrectally under loco-regional anesthesia. The procedure was well tolerated with rapid improvement of clinical conditions in all cases. The procedure was easy and rapid and there were no complications in any of the three cases reported. UNICO drainage is a simple and effective drainage tool and it can be a valid alternative for pelvic abscess drainage.

Avoiding food waste from restaurant tickets: a big data management tool

PurposeThis study aims to address the global food waste problem in restaurants by analyzing customer sales information provided by restaurant tickets to gain valuable insights into directing sales of perishable products and optimizing product purchases according to customer demand.Design/methodology/approachA system based on unsupervised machine learning (ML) data models was created to provide a simple and interpretable management tool. This system performs analysis based on two elements: first, it consolidates and visualizes mutual and nontrivial relationships between information features extracted from tickets using multicomponent analysis, bootstrap resampling and ML domain description. Second, it presents statistically relevant relationships in color-coded tables that provide food waste-related recommendations to restaurant managers.FindingsThe study identified relationships between products and customer sales in specific months. Other ticket elements have been related, such as products with days, hours or functional areas and products with products (cross-selling). Big data (BD) technology helped analyze restaurant tickets and obtain information on product sales behavior.Research limitations/implicationsThis study addresses food waste in restaurants using BD and unsupervised ML models. Despite limitations in ticket information and lack of product detail, it opens up research opportunities in relationship analysis, cross-selling, productivity and deep learning applications.Originality/valueThe value and originality of this work lie in the application of BD and unsupervised ML technologies to analyze restaurant tickets and obtain information on product sales behavior. Better sales projection can adjust product purchases to customer demand, reducing food waste and optimizing profits.

Cardiovascular medications and overall survival in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

75 Background: The assessment of comorbid cardiovascular disease can predict health outcomes and may risk-stratify patients for adverse events and death. Current methods used to estimate patient risk, such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), are based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, which are a poor indicator of severity and complexity of comorbid disease. Alternatively, the number of cardiovascular drugs could be an efficient tool for estimating patient risk. In this study, we examined the relationship between cardiovascular medications and survival in patients being treated for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Methods: A nationwide retrospective observational study of US Veterans with de novo mHSPC in the Veterans Health Administration between 2011-2021 with at least 1 prescription medicine of any class. We determined the number of cardiovascular drugs from Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) drug class C prescribed in the year prior up to 14 days before initiation of treatment. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to assess the association between number of drugs with overall survival (OS) while accounting for important covariates including age, body-mass index (BMI), prostate specific antigen (PSA), CCI, race, and weight change. Results: Among 7,875 veterans, a median (IQR) of 2 (1-4) unique cardiovascular medications were filled in the year prior to treatment. The mean age was 74.3 years (SD 10.0) with a median CCI of 3 (3-6). Age was associated with increased number of cardiac medicines with a mean of 1.6 drugs in &lt;60 years, 2.2 drugs in 60-69, 2.5 drugs in 70-80, and 2.5 drugs in 80+ years (p&lt;0.001). Increased number of medications was associated with decreased OS using the Kaplan-Meier method (p&lt;0.001, see table). After adjusting for age, race, BMI, weight change, PSA, and CCI, the number of medications was independently associated with increased mortality with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.05 (1.03-1.06) for each additional cardiac drug. Increased mortality was observed in patients treated with 2 or more cardiac drugs (see table). Conclusions: The number of cardiovascular medications is associated with decreased survival in veterans undergoing treatment for mHSPC, even after accounting for important covariates including age, BMI, PSA, and CCI. The assessment of cardiovascular medications may provide a simple and reliable tool to estimate comorbid disease and survival in patients with cancer. [Table: see text]

Development, Validity, and Reliability of an Easy-to-Use Nutrition Counseling Tool for Thai Outpatients with Liver Cirrhosis

Objective: We developed a simple nutritional counseling tool for adults with liver cirrhosis, aiming for doctors, nurses, and patients as the tool’s primary users.Material and Methods: The tool was created in a booklet design and based on the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guideline, which comprises four parts, knowledge about cirrhosis, consequences of malnutrition, nutritional recommendations, and calculation of dry body weight and appropriate daily nutritional requirements. Content validity was assessed by three hepatologists using the item objective congruence (IOC) index wherein a score ≥0.5 indicated valid content. Face validity was evaluated by three doctors, three nurses, one dietitian, and three patients for readability, coherence, understandability, and attractiveness using a rating score of 0-10. A reliability test to calculate dry body weight and carbohydrate and protein intake per meal using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was conducted to determine the agreement among seven doctors and three nurses (inter-raters) using a total of nine case scenarios.Results: The contents of the booklet were valid (IOC: 1.00 for all 19 items). For face validity, the scores for readability, coherence, attractiveness, and understandability were 7.6, 8.6, 9, and 8.6 out of 10, respectively. The overall comments showed that the new instrument was attractive and convenient. All doctors and nurses correctly calculated the dry body weight, and carbohydrate and protein intake for nine case scenarios, indicating excellent agreement (ICC: 1.0, p-value&lt;0.001).Conclusion: The novel nutritional counseling booklet is valid and shows excellent reliability among healthcare providers in calculating body status and nutritional requirements.

Establishment of a novel human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 infection model using cell-free virus.

The primary mode of infection by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is cell-to-cell transmission during contact between infected cells and target cells. Cell-free HTLV-1 infections are known to be less efficient than infections with other retroviruses, and transmission of free HTLV-1 is considered not to occur in vivo. However, it has been demonstrated that cell-free HTLV-1 virions can infect primary lymphocytes and dendritic cells in vitro, and that virions embedded in biofilms on cell membranes can contribute to transmission. The establishment of an efficient cell-free HTLV-1 infection model would be a useful tool for analyzing the replication process of HTLV-1 and the clonal expansion of infected cells. We first succeeded in obtaining supernatants with high-titer cell-free HTLV-1 using a highly efficient virus-producing cell line. The HTLV-1 virions retained the structural characteristics of retroviruses. Using this cell-free infection model, we confirmed that a variety of cell lines and primary cultured cells can be infected with HTLV-1 and demonstrated that the provirus was randomly integrated into all chromosomes in the target cells. The provirus-integrated cell lines were HTLV-1-productive. Furthermore, we demonstrated for the first time that cell-free HTLV-1 is infectious in vivo using a humanized mouse model. These results indicate that this cell-free infection model recapitulates the HTLV-1 life cycle, including entry, reverse transcription, integration into the host genome, viral replication, and secondary infection. The new cell-free HTLV-1 infection model is promising as a practical resource for studying HTLV-1 infection.IMPORTANCECo-culture of infected and target cells is frequently used for studying HTLV-1 infection. Although this method efficiently infects HTLV-1, the cell mixture is complex, and it is extremely difficult to distinguish donor infected cells from target cells. In contrast, cell-free HTLV-1 infection models allow for more strict experimental conditions. In this study, we established a novel and efficient cell-free HTLV-1 infection model. Using this model, we successfully evaluated the infectivity titers of cell-free HTLV-1 as proviral loads (copies per 100 cells) in various cell lines, primary cultured cells, and a humanized mouse model. Interestingly, the HTLV-1-associated viral biofilms played an important role in enhancing the infectivity of the cell-free infection model. This cell-free HTLV-1 infection model reproduces the replication cycle of HTLV-1 and provides a simple, powerful, and alternative tool for researching HTLV-1 infection.

FORECASTING RAINFALL VOLUME IN SELANGOR WITH A COMBINED ARIMA MODEL

Flash flood is the most hazardous type of flooding, mainly caused by extensive rainfall. It also can cause significant harm to a community’s economy, ecology, and society without warning at an irrational pace. Therefore, this study was conducted to detect the time series element within the rainfall data, select the optimal model, and make predictions about the volume of rainfall in Selangor. A variety of univariate time series models were utilized, including the naïve model, decomposition model, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model, exponential models, and combined models. Historical monthly rainfall data collected from Petaling station and Subang station from 2018 to 2022 were used to estimate the parameters of the models, and the model was evaluated for the smallest error of measurements. Previous research mostly focused on complex methodologies for forecasting rainfall. However, this research aimed to identify a simple tool for fast prediction of rainfall. The results showed that the combination of the ARIMA (2,0,3) model from Petaling Station and the ARIMA (4,0,4) model from Subang station were able to capture the trends and seasons in the time series with the lowest error of measurement on short-term predictions of rainfall volume. Furthermore, the study delves into the concept of combined time series models, which are blended using weighted performance measures to enhance prediction accuracy further. The research acknowledges certain limitations of univariate time series models, notably their inability to account for intricate interactions among environmental variables and potential long-term trends, such as those stemming from climate change. Overall, the study explores the potential of combining models to refine predictions for forecasting rainfall volume in Klang Valley.

Sosialisasi Alat Tanam Benih Jagung Berbasis Double Seed Hopper Di Kecamatan Pegagan Hilir

The process of planting corn using conventional methods that have been happening in the community so far has become a problem faced by partners. As a result, the corn planting process takes a long time due to the stages of land preparation, seed placement, and corn covering not occurring simultaneously. By providing training and direct assistance to partners on the use of corn seed planting tools, it can improve their understanding and skills in using the tool effectively. By conducting socialization methods to provide understanding to partners with the aim of the community understanding the use of corn seed planting tools based on the double seed hopper and understanding how to maintain the tool. Thus, with this tool, the corn seed planting process becomes faster. Corn planting is the most widely produced crop in the world, and corn seed plants are most suitable for planting in high-temperature areas. Especially in Indonesia, corn plants cover more than 100 million hectares, consisting of 70 countries and even 53 developing countries. The tool being socialized is a simple tool that is used with human power by pushing without the use of motorized equipment. In the planting process, the spacing between corn seed plants and the number of corn seeds can be adjusted during the planting process. The vessel or container supplying corn seeds is a hopper located at the top, and a hole is provided at the bottom of the hopper, which is the outlet channel. Thus, the results of this socialization can shorten the time in the corn seed planting process. Keywords : corn seed; produktif; corn seed planting tool; hopper; maintenance

Evaluation of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) as serum marker for liver fibrosis

Background & aimsWith the increase in patients at risk of advanced liver disease due to the obesity epidemic, there will be a need for simple screening tools for advanced liver fibrosis. Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) is a serum biomarker for fibrotic processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate sST2 as marker for liver fibrosis in patients successfully treated for chronic hepatitis C.Methods424 patients from the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study were screened for inclusion in this post-hoc cohort study. Inclusion criteria were sustained virological response (SVR), available elastography (VCTE) and serum samples for biomarker analysis before and after treatment. For the validation of sST2, values were compared to VCTE, FIB-4 and APRI using Spearman’s correlation and AUROC analyses.ResultsData of 164 subjects were finally analyzed. Median sST2 values slightly increased with VCTE-derived fibrosis stages and remained stable after reaching SVR within the respective fibrosis stage, suggesting that sST2 is not influenced by liver inflammation. However, correlation of sST2 pre- and post-treatment with VCTE was fair (Spearman’s rho = 0.39 and rho = 0.36). The area under the curve (AUROC) for sST2 in detecting VCTE-defined F4 fibrosis (vs. F0-F3) before therapy was 0.74 (95%CI 0.65–0.83), and 0.67(95%CI 0.56–0.78) for the discrimination of F3/F4 fibrosis vs. F0-F2. Adding sST2 to either APRI or FIB-4, respectively, increased diagnostic performance of both tests.ConclusionssST2 can potentially identify patients with advanced fibrosis as a single serum marker and in combination with APRI and FIB-4.

Gesture imitation performance in community-dwelling older people: assessment of a gesture imitation task in the screening and diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Gesture imitation, a simple tool for assessing visuospatial/visuoconstructive functions, is reportedly useful for screening and diagnosing dementia. However, gesture imitation performance in healthy older adults is largely unknown, as are the factors associated with lower performance. To address these unknowns, we examined the gesture imitation performance of a large number of community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years in Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture (southern Japan). The examiner presented the participants with eight gesture patterns and considered it a success if they could imitate them within 10 s. The success rate of each gesture imitation was calculated for three diagnostic groups: cognitively normal (CN) (n = 1184), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 237), and dementia (n = 47). Next, we reorganised the original gesture imitation battery by combining six selected gestures with the following scoring method: if the participants successfully imitated the gestures, immediately or within 5 s, two points were assigned. If they succeeded within 5-10 s, one point was assigned. The sensitivity and specificity of the battery were investigated to detect the dementia and MCI groups. Factors associated with gesture imitation battery scores were examined. Except one complex gesture, the success rate of imitation in the CN group was high, approximately 90%. The sensitivity and specificity of the gesture imitation battery for discriminating between the dementia and CN groups and between the MCI and CN groups were 70%/88%, and 45%/75%, respectively. Ageing, male sex, and a diagnosis of dementia or MCI were associated with lower scores on the gesture imitation battery. Gesture imitation tasks alone may not be sufficient to detect MCI. However, by combining gestures with set time limits, gesture imitation tasks can be a low-burden and effective method for detecting dementia, even in community medicine, such as during health check-ups.

Comparison of modified quick sequential organ failure assessment models as triage tools for febrile patients.

Effective triage of febrile patients in the emergency department is crucial during times of overcrowding to prioritize care and allocate resources, especially during pandemics. However, available triage tools often require laboratory data and lack accuracy. We aimed to develop a simple and accurate triage tool for febrile patients by modifying the qSOFA score. We retrospectively analyzed data from 7,303 febrile patients and created modified versions of qSOFA using factors identified through multivariable analysis. The performance of these modified qSOFAs in predicting in hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Through multivariable analysis, the identified factors were age (A), male sex (M), SpO2 (S), and lactate levels (L). The AUROCs of ASqSOFA (for in-hospital mortality: 0.812; 95% CI: 0.789-0.835, for ICU admission: 0.794; 95% CI: 0.771-0.817), which included age and SpO2 with qSOFA, were simple and not inferior to other more complex models (e.g., ASMqSOFA, ASLqSOFA, and ASMLqSOFA). ASqSOFA also displayed significantly higher AUROC than other triage scales, such as the modified early warning score and Korean triage and acuity scale. The optimal cut-off score of ASqSOFA for the outcome was 2 and the score for redistribution to a lower-level emergency department was 0. We demonstrated that ASqSOFA can be employed as a simple and efficient triage tool for emergency febrile patients to aid in resource distribution during overcrowding. It may also be applicable in pre-hospital settings for febrile patient triage.

Strategi Membangun Jaringan Bisnis Dengan Pemasok Bahan Baku Produk Fruit Sandwich

In the age of globalization and intensifying business competition, the endurance of a business heavily relies on its capacity to establish and sustain an efficient business. The purpose of business networking is to expand professional networks, obtain information and resources, and support overall business growth and development. This becomes crucial, especially for businesses engaged in the food industry, where the quality and availability of raw materials play an important role in determining the success of the final product. One product that is increasingly in demand is Fruit Sandwich, a culinary innovation that combines the flavors of fresh fruit with the concept of a practical and nutritious sandwich. Fruit Sanwich is a typical Japanese sandwich that is currently viral and has become a favorite of many people lately. To produce high-quality products, companies need to establish close cooperation with raw material suppliers. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method, aiming to present a descriptive overview of the strategy in establishing a business network with suppliers of raw materials for fruit sandwich produkcts. The research data collection technique includes observation which is a literature study that uses journals as the main object and produces fruit sandwich products. This study aims to determine the business network, production process, marketing, and finance of fruit sandwich products. The results showed that the business network carried out by this fruit sandwich is in the form of a cooperation network with several raw material suppliers such as quality fruits and bread. the production process carried out still uses simple tools, Fruit sandwich marketing is still carried out by relying on word of mouth only, and the monthly profit generated from this Fruit sandwich business is Rp. 13,663,000, with a profit percentage of 37%.

Prediction of the risk of 3-year chronic kidney disease among elderly people: a community-based cohort study

Objective We conducted a community-based cohort study to predict the 3-year occurrence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among population aged ≥60 years. Method Participants were selected from two communities through randomized cluster sampling in Jiading District of Shanghai, China. The two communities were randomly divided into a development cohort (n = 12012) and a validation cohort (n = 6248) with a 3-year follow-up. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors. A nomogram was established to predict the occurrence of CKD within 3 years. The area under the curve (AUC), the calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) curve were used to evaluate the model. Result At baseline, participants in development cohort and validation cohort were with the mean age of 68.24 ± 5.87 and 67.68 ± 5.26 years old, respectively. During 3 years, 1516 (12.6%) and 544 (8.9%) new cases developed CKD in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. Nine variables (age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, exercise, previous hypertension, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin and serum creatinine) were included in the prediction model. The AUC value was 0.742 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.728–0.756] in the development cohort and 0.881(95%CI, 0.867–0.895) in the validation cohort, respectively. The calibration curves and DCA curves demonstrate an effective predictive model. Conclusion Our nomogram model is a simple, reasonable and reliable tool for predicting the risk of 3-year CKD in community-dwelling elderly people, which is helpful for timely intervention and reducing the incidence of CKD.

Amino Acid-Based Molecular and Membranous Chiral Tools for Enantiomeric Recognition.

Given the need, both academic and industrial, for new approaches and technologies for chiral discrimination of enantiomers, the present work demonstrates the development through rational design and integration of two new chiral platforms (molecular and membranous) for enantioselective recognition through visual as well as microscopic observation. The molecular platform (TPT) is based on the tryptophan derivative developed through the condensation of two tryptophan units with terepthaloyl chloride. While TPT based on l-tryptophan recognizes R-mandelic acid over the S-isomer, the host with reverse chirality (TPDT) recognizes S-mandelic acid over R-isomer. The role of chemical functionality in this sensitive recognition process was established experimentally by developing an analogue of TPT and by judiciously using different chiral analytes. Importantly, a detailed theoretical study at the molecular level revealed the U-shaped conformation of TPT, creating a cavity for accommodating a chiral guest with selective functional interaction resulting in the discrimination of enantiomers. Finally, a chiral polymeric mat of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) (2:3) impregnated with TPT was developed via electrospinning. The resulting fibrous mat was successfully utilized for chiral recognition through microscopic and architectural observation. Hence, the present work reports simple chiral tools for enantiomeric recognition.

AND Logic Gate-Regulated DNAzyme Nanoflower for Monitoring the Activity of Multiple DNA Repair Enzymes.

Despite the progress that has been made in diverse DNA-based nanodevices to in situ monitor the activity of the DNA repair enzymes in living cells, the significance of improving both the sensitivity and specificity has remained largely neglected and understudied. Herein, we propose a regulatable DNA nanodevice to specifically monitor the activity of DNA repair enzymes for early evaluation of cancer mediated by genomic instability. Concretely, an AND logic gate-regulated DNAzyme nanoflower was rationally designed by the self-assembly of the DNA duplex modified with both apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site and methyl lesion site. The DNAzyme nanoflower could be reconfigured under the repair of AP sites and O6-methylguanine sites by apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) and O6-methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) to produce a fluorescent signal, realizing the sensitive monitoring of the activity of APE1 and MGMT. Compared to the free DNAzyme duplex, the fluorescent response of the DNAzyme nanoflower increased by 60%, due to the effective enrichment of the DNA probes by the nanoflower structure. More importantly, we have demonstrated that the dual-enzyme activated strategy allows imaging of specific cancer cells in the AND logic gate manner using MCF-7 as a cancer cell model, improving the specificity of cancer cell imaging. This AND logic gate-regulated multifunctional DNAzyme nanoflower provides a simple tool for simultaneously visualizing multiple DNA repair enzymes, holding great potential in early clinical diagnosis and drug discovery.

Student nurses' practices and willingness to teach relatives breast self-examination in Nigeria.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death for women worldwide. Breast self-examination (BSE) is an essential, low-cost, and simple tool for detecting breast cancer early. Employing the idea of 'charity begins at home' by involving student nurses in teaching BSE to relatives will improve early detection. To assess nursing students' practice and willingness to teach BSE to their relatives. A college of nursing and midwifery in one state under North-Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed. Through incidental sampling technique 197 respondents were selected from the first to the third year. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential analyses, with a p-value of 0.05 were conducted. Respondents indicated where they learned about BSE. There were 98.5% respondents who had heard about BSE, and 89.8% of them had good practice of BSE. However, a quarter did not teach BSE to relatives. There were no statistically significant associations noted. Most of the nursing students were aware of BSE and knew how to perform it, although a quarter did not teach BSE to their relatives. Therefore, it may be necessary to sensitise nurses to cultivate the habit of teaching BSE to relatives and women in the community. It is crucial to provide nurses with the skills and knowledge required to carry out BSE effectively, as well as teach women how to perform it on themselves, to improve breast cancer detection rates in Nigeria.