Publications by authors named "Anderson Benjamin"
Influenza D virus (IDV) is a newly emerged zoonotic virus increasingly reported worldwide. Cattle are considered the main reservoir of IDV, although it was first isolated from pigs. IDV infects multiple animal species and contributes to the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC).
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- - A survey of aging researchers revealed significant disagreement on key questions about aging, such as its definition, causes, onset, and rejuvenation, indicating a lack of consensus in the field.
- - Researchers have varying interpretations of what constitutes "aging," leading to different experimental approaches and priorities, which complicates the understanding and study of the aging process.
- - The findings highlight the necessity for clearer definitions and targeted goals within aging research, as well as strategies to address ongoing disagreements, in hopes of advancing the field.
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- Cancer is a major health issue in Kenya, being the third leading cause of death, with breast cancer alone causing 3,100 deaths each year, highlighting the need for integration of cancer care in universal healthcare.
- The Ministry of Health conducted a cost-benefit analysis of breast cancer prevention and treatment, modeling three scenarios: early diagnosis, clinical breast exam-led screening, and mammogram-led screening to assess their economic and health impacts.
- Over 40 years, the analysis shows that while all strategies are economically viable, the clinical breast exam approach is the most beneficial, yielding $2.3 billion in net economic benefits and saving 236,000 lives, compared to $1.9 billion and 34,000 lives saved with
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- The study investigates how haustorial parasitism affects the plastid genome, particularly within the Santalales order, by comparing non-parasitic and hemiparasitic plant families to understand the transition to a parasitic lifestyle.
- Researchers sequenced and analyzed new samples' plastomes and nuclear ribosomal genes to explore phylogenetic relationships and evolution patterns in plastid genes.
- Findings revealed significant genetic changes, including a complete loss of certain plastid genes in confirmed parasites, suggesting a link between plastome evolution and the shift toward parasitism.
We characterize the subsurface thermal degradation of an inert analog of high-explosive molecular crystals (Eu:Y(acac)(DPEPO)) (EYAD) embedded inside of a plastic bonded explosive simulant using feedback-assisted wavefront shaping-based fluorescence and Raman spectroscopies. This technique utilizes wavefront shaping to focus pump light inside a heterogeneous material onto a target particle, which significantly improves its spectroscopic signature. We find that embedding the EYAD crystals in the heterogeneous polymer results in improved thermal stability, relative to bare crystal measurements, with the crystal remaining fluorescent to >612 K inside of the heterogeneous material, while the bare crystal's fluorescence is fully quenched by 500 K.
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- Cannabis has been traditionally used for gastrointestinal issues, with patients reporting relief for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), despite limited supporting research.
- A study using a mouse model of colitis found that daily treatment with high cannabigerol (CBG) hemp extract significantly reduced the severity of the disease and improved colon health indicators.
- The treatment also altered the gut microbiome and normalized metabolic pathways related to inflammation, suggesting potential as a new therapeutic option for IBD.
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- The study aimed to identify workplace factors affecting the well-being of healthcare leaders in rural areas by conducting a Rural Leader Burnout survey among executive leaders.
- Out of 288 surveyed, 81% reported job satisfaction, but 40.2% experienced burnout, and nearly 50% intended to leave their roles within two years, with factors like work control and organizational trust influencing these outcomes.
- Key themes from qualitative data pointed to industry challenges, operational issues, and relationship difficulties, highlighting opportunities to improve working conditions and support rural healthcare leaders to reduce burnout and turnover.
Single-Shot Standoff Hyperspectral Raman Imaging of a Chemical Warfare Agent Simulant.
Appl Spectrosc
November 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study showcases a method for imaging liquid diisopropyl methylphosphonate from a distance of 1 meter using two techniques: multi-bandpass filter imaging (MBFI) and fiber-bundle imaging spectroscopy (FBIS).
- MBFI offers good spatial resolution but struggles with spectral resolution because of limitations in available filters, while FBIS excels in spectral resolution at the cost of spatial resolution due to a limited number of fibers.
- For effective FBIS results at 1 meter, the minimum required pump fluence is identified as 10 mJ/cm² to achieve quality single-shot spectra.
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- - The study investigates how geographical factors impact breast cancer survival rates in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the need for improved healthcare access in these regions.
- - Researchers analyzed data from over 2,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer, revealing that those in rural areas had significantly lower 4-year survival rates (39%) compared to those in urban areas (49%).
- - Findings indicate that women living more than an hour from a hospital faced even worse outcomes, emphasizing the urgent need for interventions to address these healthcare disparities.
Absorption-invariant focusing efficiency for wavefront-shaping controlled reflection from absorbing disordered media.
J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis
April 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on how absorption impacts the controlled reflection of waves from disordered materials by using numerical models and experimental tests.
- Key findings indicate that absorption changes key properties like eigenvalue density, average reflectance, and matrix element density related to reflection.
- Interestingly, despite these changes caused by absorption, the effectiveness of controlled reflection remains constant, showing that wavefront-shaping techniques are robust against absorption effects.*
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- * Conducted between 2020 and 2023, the research involved patients with invasive breast cancer from both an underserved hospital and a cancer center, analyzing data collected through a social needs screening tool.
- * Results showed that 76% of patients with access to city-funded mammograms underwent screening, but those at the underserved hospital were more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage of cancer.
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- The study evaluates an electronic prospective medication order review (EPMOR) system designed to automate and enhance pharmacists' review processes for medication orders.
- A team of clinical experts created criteria integrated into the electronic health record (EHR), and the outcomes of human pharmacists were compared with those generated by EPMOR.
- Results showed that while EPMOR successfully identified some medication orders that passed and failed reviews, further research is needed to improve these algorithms for safety and efficiency before broader implementation.
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- The Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI), launched by WHO in 2023, focuses on improving early detection and management of breast cancer across 21 Asian countries.
- A study investigated data availability for key performance indicators (KPIs) like stage at diagnosis and treatment completion by reviewing literature and national cancer reports.
- Findings showed that only 57% of countries published relevant national cancer statistics, with significant differences from WHO estimates, and highlighted a strong link between early diagnosis, survival rates, and universal health coverage.
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- A study conducted in Santa Clara County from May to December 2021 analyzed 10,131 COVID-19 genomic sequences to assess the effectiveness of various disease surveillance strategies amid limited public health resources.
- The results showed that contact tracing was more successful than spatiotemporal methods in identifying nonresidential spread, while school reporting provided better insights than workplace reporting.
- The study suggests that the decreasing cost of genomic sequencing could allow public health authorities to evaluate and improve disease surveillance strategies in real-time for various viral diseases beyond COVID-19.
The emergence of antibacterial resistance (ABR) is an urgent and complex public health challenge worldwide. Antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) are considered as a new pollutant by the WHO because of their wide distribution and emerging prevalence. The role of environmental factors in developing ARGs in bacterial populations is still poorly understood.
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- The demand for organic cocoa beans has led to food fraud issues like mislabeling and adulteration, prompting calls for verification of authenticity in international markets.
- This study developed robust models using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and chemometric techniques to quickly classify cocoa beans as organic or conventional, finding distinct differences in fluorescence intensity and peak wavelengths.
- Advanced classification models like Linear Discriminant Analysis and Neural Networks demonstrated high accuracy rates (up to 100%) in distinguishing between the two types, showing that this method can help ensure integrity and reduce fraud in the cocoa supply chain.
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- - The first Lancet Oncology Commission on Global Cancer Surgery, published in 2015, emphasized the global burden of cancer and the critical role of surgical care, while highlighting existing gaps in providing safe and accessible cancer surgery.
- - The new Commission builds on the previous work by proposing actionable solutions aimed at enhancing access to cancer surgery globally, involving expertise from international leaders in the field.
- - It outlines solution frameworks across nine domains tailored to the six WHO regions, with eight specific actions designed to improve cancer surgical capacity and promote equity, affordability, and safety for all patients.
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- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Namibia, highlighting the need to understand racial disparities in their treatment and outcomes to better address and reduce mortality rates.
- The study aimed to track the entire breast cancer journey of Namibian women, categorizing data by race according to the World Health Organization’s framework.
- Findings showed that three-year overall survival rates varied significantly by ethnicity, with Black women having the lowest survival rate at 60%, compared to 80% for those of mixed ancestry and 89% for White women, necessitating targeted interventions.
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- The text discusses the need for more research on neurodevelopmental impairments in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) as current data is limited and primarily from small cohorts.
- It outlines the NITRIC trial, which includes 1371 children under 2 years old undergoing heart surgery with a focus on the long-term effects of treatment using nitric oxide.
- The follow-up study will assess cognitive and socioemotional outcomes of these children up to age 5, identifying risk factors and evaluating screening tools for predicting neurodevelopmental success at school entry.
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- - This study investigates how different symptoms of depression relate to frailty and health outcomes in patients undergoing haemodialysis, focusing on somatic (physical) and cognitive (mental) aspects.
- - Results show that both types of depression symptoms are linked to higher levels of frailty and lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL), but not directly tied to higher rates of mortality or hospitalisation after adjusting for frailty.
- - The findings suggest that the impacts of somatic symptoms on health risks might be influenced by their similarity to frailty symptoms, highlighting the complexity of managing depression in this patient group.
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- - The study investigates how sarcopenia (low muscle mass) and frailty interact in male and female patients undergoing haemodialysis, focusing on potential gender differences and the role of age.
- - Results reveal that low muscle mass is more prevalent in males, significantly impacting their grip strength and likelihood of frailty, while these associations are weaker or non-existent in females.
- - The findings suggest distinct clinical implications for sarcopenia in male and female haemodialysis patients, highlighting the need for further research to develop personalized treatment strategies.
Automatic Classification of Antimalarial Herbal Drugs Exposed to Ultraviolet Radiation from Unexposed Ones Using Laser-Induced Autofluorescence with Chemometric Techniques.
Justice Allotey Pappoe Jerry Opoku-Ansah Charles Lloyd Yeboah Amuah Peter Osei-Wusu Adueming Samuel Sonko Sackey Benjamin Anderson
J Fluoresc
January 2024
Article Synopsis
- Exposure to ultraviolet radiation affects the effectiveness of antimalarial herbal drugs (AMHDs), leading to the need for distinguishing between UVR-exposed (UVR-AMHDs) and non-exposed (Non-UVR-AMHDs) versions for public health safety, especially in warmer climates.
- This study introduces a novel approach using laser-induced autofluorescence (LIAF) combined with various chemometric techniques to classify UVR-AMHDs based on their spectral data.
- Chemometric algorithms were evaluated, revealing that methods like K-nearest neighbour (KNN) and support vector machine (SVM) achieved over 99% classification accuracy, making this technique valuable for quickly identifying compromised herbal drugs in areas vulnerable to malaria