Chronic Jet Lag Disrupts Circadian Rhythms and Induces Hyperproliferation in Murine Lacrimal Glands via ROS Accumulation.

Purpose: Chronic jet lag (CJL) is known to disrupt circadian rhythms, which regulate various physiological processes, including ocular surface homeostasis. However, the specific effects of CJL on lacrimal gland function and the underlying cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Methods: A CJL model was established using C57BL/6J mice.

Leptin Receptor Deficiency-Associated Diabetes Disrupts Lacrimal Gland Circadian Rhythms and Contributes to Dry Eye Syndrome.

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on the circadian rhythms and function of lacrimal glands (LGs) in contributing to dry eye syndrome. We assessed the effects of hyperglycemia on circadian gene expression, immune cell recruitment, neural activity, and metabolic pathways, and evaluated the effectiveness of insulin in restoring normal LG function.

Methods: Using a T2DM mouse model (db/db mice), circadian transcriptomic changes in LGs were analyzed through RNA sequencing over a 24-hour period.

Temperature influence on matric suction in unsaturated soils: experimental insights.

Temperature is a critical factor affecting the matric suction of unsaturated soils. This study employed a simple and time-saving method to investigate the influences of temperature and moisture content on the temperature dependence of matric suction in loess and sand soils. Based on experimental data, the fitting performance of three data-fitting models-Brooks-Corey, van Genuchten, and Fredlund-Xing -was evaluated at temperatures above 0 °C.

Evaluating Senegal's COVID-19 surveillance system for early detection and response: lessons from the Keur Massar district, March 03, 2020 to May 31, 2022.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of strong surveillance systems in detecting and responding to public health threats. We sought to evaluate attributes of Keur Massar district's existing COVID-19 surveillance system.

Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2022; desk review covered data collected from March 03, 2020 to May 31, 2022 in 18 health posts.

Valuing the importance of sex differences in prodromal Alzheimer's disease based on structural magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be optimally managed from a healthcare point of view if detected at a prodromal stage. Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is known as prodromal AD, has attracted extensive attention and research.

Objective: To identify the differences in cognitive function and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features between men and women with MCI on the basis of A/T/N classification system ("A" means amyloid-β biomarker, "T" means tau biomarker, and "N" means neurodegeneration biomarker as determined by clinical imaging (e.

Scaling Up Departmental Health Insurance Units in Senegal: A Mixed-Method Study.

In response to the failure of community-based health insurance (CBHI) at the municipal level, some African countries are implementing district or departmental CBHIs to improve universal health coverage. After creating two CBHIs at the departmental level in 2014, Senegal launched a campaign to disseminate the model in 2022. This article presents the stakeholders' perspectives on the factors and challenges of scaling up CBHI departmentalization in Senegal.

Implementing a pragmatic randomised controlled trial in a humanitarian setting: lessons learned from the TISA trial.

Introduction: High-quality evidence is crucial for guiding effective humanitarian responses, yet conducting rigorous research, particularly randomised controlled trials, in humanitarian crises remains challenging. The TISA ("traitement intégré de la sous-nutrition aiguë") trial aimed to evaluate the impact of a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) intervention on the standard national treatment of uncomplicated Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in children aged 6-59 months. Implemented in two northern Senegalese regions from December 22, 2021, to February 20, 2023, the trial faced numerous challenges, which this paper explores along with the lessons learned.

Willingness of West African Consumers to Buy Food Produced Using Black Soldier Fly Larvae and Frass.

The use of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and frass in agriculture can make an important contribution to food and nutrition security. However, it is important to understand whether consumers are willing to consume food products resulting from the use of BSF larvae as animal feed or BSF frass as fertilizer. This study employed the stated preference approach as food products produced using BSF larvae and frass are not currently available on the market.

Analysis of care for adolescent victims of gender-based violence in Senegal: a qualitative study.

In Senegal, many adolescent victims of gender-based violence (GBV) do not receive care. The aim of this study was to analyse the care circuit for adolescent victims of GBV, taking gender differences into account. This was a qualitative case study.

Hippocampal volume maximally modulates the relationship between subsyndromal symptomatic depression and cognitive impairment in non-demented older adults.

Background: Subsyndromal symptomatic depression (SSD) is associated with an elevated risk of cognitive impairment in non-demented older adults. Given that hippocampal and middle temporal gyrus atrophy have been shown to cause SSD, our study aimed to investigate the effect of hippocampal volume on the association between SSD and cognitive impairment.

Methods: 338 non-demented older adults from the ADNI (Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative) cohort who underwent cognitive assessments, questionnaires on depressive symptoms and MRI brain were studied.

The hepatokine FGF21 stopped lipogenesis and reduced testosterone production in mLTC-1 Leydig Cell Line.

Beyond their link to metabolic issues like type 2 diabetes, factors like lifestyle, environment, and excess weight may also influence fertility. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a liver-derived hormone linked to energy balance, has recently emerged as a potential player in female mammalian reproduction. In male, only two studies have described potential effects of FGF21 on fertility.

Determinants of timely administration of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine in Senegal in 2019: Secondary analysis of the demographic and health survey.

In developing countries, hepatitis B is spread primarily by the perinatal or horizontal route. Thus, the Senegalese government recommends administering the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine (HepB0) within 24 hours of birth. The objective was to identify the determinants of timely administration of HepB0 in Senegal in 2019.

Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Palate: Diagnostic and Surgical Strategy.

Pleomorphic adenoma is a benign tumor of the salivary glands. It develops preferentially in the parotid gland. The authors report a localization of a pleomorphic adenoma on the palate and discuss the value of CT scan in therapeutic strategy.

The Economic Burden of Severe Acute Malnutrition with Complications: A Cost Analysis for Inpatient Children Aged 6 to 59 Months in Northern Senegal.

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a high-fatality condition that affected 13.7 million children under five years of age worldwide in 2022, with complicated cases requiring extensive inpatient stay with an accompanying caregiver. Our objective was to assess the costs of inpatient treatment for complicated SAM in children aged 6 to 59 months in Northern Senegal and identify cost predictors.

Long-term high fructose intake reprograms the circadian transcriptome and disrupts homeostasis in mouse extra-orbital lacrimal glands.

This study aims to explore the effects of long-term high fructose intake (LHFI) on the structure, functionality, and physiological homeostasis of mouse extra-orbital lacrimal glands (ELGs), a critical component of ocular health. Our findings reveal significant reprogramming of the circadian transcriptome in ELGs following LHFI, alongside the activation of specific inflammatory pathways, as well as metabolic and neural pathways. Notably, LHFI resulted in increased inflammatory infiltration, enhanced lipid deposition, and reduced nerve fiber density in ELGs compared to controls.

Feasibility and Safety of the "One-Week Breast Radiation Therapy" Program.

Aims: FAST-Forward and UK-FAST-trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of five-fraction breast adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) and have become the standard of care for selected early breast cancer patients. In response to the additional burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented "One-Week Breast RT," an innovative program delivering five-fraction whole breast RT in a complete 5-day workflow. The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of our program.

Landmark-based spherical quasi-conformal mapping for hippocampal surface registration.

Background: The cognitive decline induced by Alzheimer's disease (AD) is closely related to changes in hippocampal structure captured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To accurately analyze the morphological changes of the hippocampus induced by AD, it is necessary to establish a one-to-one surface correspondence to compare the morphological measurements across different hippocampal surfaces. However, most existing landmark-based registration methods cannot satisfy both landmark matching and diffeomorphism under large deformations.

Strengthening and utilizing response groups for emergencies flagship: a narrative review of the roll out process and lessons from the first year of implementation.

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) faces members who encounter annual disease epidemics and natural disasters that necessitate immediate deployment and a trained health workforce to respond. The gaps in this regard, further exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, led to conceptualizing the Strengthening and Utilizing Response Group for Emergencies (SURGE) flagship in 2021. This study aimed to present the experience of the WHO/AFRO in the stepwise roll-out process and the outcome, as well as to elucidate the lessons learned across the pilot countries throughout the first year of implementation.