Self-Expandable Metal Stents for Obstructing Colon Cancer and Extracolonic Cancer: A Review of Latest Evidence.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality, with many patients presenting with malignant colorectal obstruction (MCO). Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) have emerged as a minimally invasive key intervention, both as a bridge to surgery (BTS) in curative setting sand for palliation in advanced disease. This review aims to provide an evidence-based analysis of SEMS indications, contraindications, and efficacy across curative and palliative contexts, with focus on long-term outcomes.

Artificial intelligence applied to bed regulation in Rio Grande do Norte: Data analysis and application of machine learning on the "RegulaRN Leitos Gerais" platform.

Bed regulation within Brazil's National Health System (SUS) plays a crucial role in managing care for patients in need of hospitalization. In Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, the RegulaRN Leitos Gerais platform was the information system developed to register requests for bed regulation for COVID-19 cases. However, the platform was expanded to cover a range of diseases that require hospitalization.

The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival.

The unsustainable use of wildlife is a primary driver of global biodiversity loss. No comprehensive global dataset exists on what species are in trade, their geographic origins, and trade's ultimate impacts, which limits our ability to sustainably manage trade. The United States is one of the world's largest importers of wildlife, with trade data compiled in the US Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS).

An Unusual Presentation of Plantar Psoriasis: A Case Report.

Plantar psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, typically characterized by erythematous plaques with thick silvery scales localized on the soles. This condition can significantly impair patients' quality of life, particularly through pain and mobility challenges. It is considered a subtype of plaque psoriasis but presents unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its specific location.

Changes and collapse in lacustrine system in Antarctic Peninsula ice-free area: Boeckella and Buenos Aires lakes.

Some Antarctic ice-free areas have been affected by changes in lacustrine zones and permafrost thawing due to rising air temperatures over the last 60 years Temperature time-series were analyzed to understand the processes leading to the changes of Boeckella and Buenos Aires lakes, north Antarctic Peninsula. Statistical calculations were applied to average, maximum, and minimum temperatures, as well as to indexes such as Positive Degrees Day, Freezing/Thaw Day, and days with temperatures ≥ 0 °C and ≥ 10 °C. Changes in the region over recent decades were observed in mean and maximum temperatures and an increase in minimum temperature since the mid-1990s.

A new tool to quantify biodiversity change under landscape transformation.

Identifying how species richness or diversity changes with different proportions of natural and anthropized environments in the landscape is important for landscape management for conservation. Here, we propose a new method to assess biodiversity changes in landscapes with varying proportions of habitat types. The algorithm is based on the resampling of individuals recorded in different habitats considering both the proportion occupied by each habitat in the landscape and the number of individuals recorded in each habitat.

Plasma Surface Modification of the Inner Wall of Montgomery's Tracheal Implant (T-Tube).

Tracheal stenosis (i.e., the abnormal narrowing of the trachea) can occur due to a variety of inflammatory and infectious processes as well as due to therapeutic procedures undertaken by the patient.

Blockchain in Health Information Systems: A Systematic Review.

(1) Background: With the increasing digitalization of healthcare systems, data security and privacy have become crucial issues. In parallel, blockchain technology has gradually proven to be an innovative solution to address this challenge, as its ability to provide an immutable and secure record of transactions offers significant promise for healthcare information management. This systematic review aims to explore the applications of blockchain in health information systems, highlighting its advantages and challenges.

Stimulus-induced rotary saturation imaging of visually evoked response: A pilot study.

Spin-lock (SL) pulses have been proposed to directly detect neuronal activity otherwise inaccessible through standard functional magnetic resonance imaging. However, the practical limits of this technique remain unexplored. Key challenges in SL-based detection include ultra-weak signal variations, sensitivity to magnetic field inhomogeneities, and potential contamination from blood oxygen level-dependent effects, all of which hinder the reliable isolation of neuronal signals.

Potential advantage of invasive estuarine worms over native species under exposure to relevant concentrations of graphene oxide: Behavioral and biochemical insights.

Technological development using graphene oxide (GO) has increased in the last years, leading to the release of this contaminant to final sinks, such as estuaries. Due to their potential to flocculate and deposit when interacting with high ionic strength media, GO poses a threat, especially to benthic organisms like polychaetes. In addition to chemical contamination, estuaries also face a severe threat from invasive species, which can cause irreversible damage to ecosystems.

Artificial Intelligence and Colposcopy: Automatic Identification of Vaginal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Precursors.

: While human papillomavirus (HPV) is well known for its role in cervical cancer, it also affects vaginal cancers. Although colposcopy offers a comprehensive examination of the female genital tract, its diagnostic accuracy remains suboptimal. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) could enhance the cost-effectiveness of colposcopy, but no AI models specifically differentiate low-grade (LSILs) and high-grade (HSILs) squamous intraepithelial lesions in the vagina.

The global loss of avian functional and phylogenetic diversity from anthropogenic extinctions.

Humans have been driving a global erosion of species richness for millennia, but the consequences of past extinctions for other dimensions of biodiversity-functional and phylogenetic diversity-are poorly understood. In this work, we show that, since the Late Pleistocene, the extinction of 610 bird species has caused a disproportionate loss of the global avian functional space along with ~3 billion years of unique evolutionary history. For island endemics, proportional losses have been even greater.

A Comprehensive Review of Artificial Intelligence and Colon Capsule Endoscopy: Opportunities and Challenges.

Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) enables a comprehensive, non-invasive, and painless evaluation of the colon, although it still has limited indications. The lengthy reading times hinder its wider implementation, a drawback that could potentially be overcome through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) models. Studies employing AI, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), demonstrate great promise in using CCE as a viable option for detecting certain diseases and alterations in the colon, compared to other methods like colonoscopy.

Bacterial Volatile Organic Compounds as a Strategy to Increase Drought Tolerance in Maize ( L.): Influence on Plant Biochemistry.

Maize is highly susceptible to drought, which affects growth and yield. This study investigated how bacterial volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) affect maize drought tolerance. Drought reduced shoot size but increased root length, an adaptation for accessing deeper soil moisture.

The effect of Biokos™, a natural lipopeptide surfactant extracted from the bacterium Pseudomonas, on Epistylis infections in Carassius auratus.

In the aquaculture industry, biocides are routinely used to treat parasitosis in fish, and researchers are continually developing sustainable alternatives that can replace these harsh chemicals. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new natural compound, BiokosTM, for the treatment against Epistylis sp. in Carassius auratus fish.

Variables Associated with the Effectiveness of Ball Possession in At-Home Futsal Matches.

This study aims to identify contextual situations (score, game time, the interaction between teammates and opponents, start and restart plays) that increase the odds ratio of maintenance of ball possession and scoring a goal. Twenty professional futsal players were evaluated in seven home official matches. The games were filmed to analyze the offensive actions.

Understanding and applying biological resilience, from genes to ecosystems.

The natural world is under unprecedented and accelerating pressure. Much work on understanding resilience to local and global environmental change has, so far, focussed on ecosystems. However, understanding a system's behaviour requires knowledge of its component parts and their interactions.