A facile microfluidic chip design for DNA detection using dengue serotypes as a proof-of-concept case study.

Dengue fever is caused by any of the four serotypes of dengue viruses, DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 spread by mosquito bites and is important to distinguish between them due to lack of cross-protective neutralizing antibodies for each serotype. Secondary infections also put individuals at higher risk for severe dengue illness than those who have not been previously infected. Current preferred assays include reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and ELISA.

Enhancing Tennis Practice: Sensor Fusion and Pose Estimation with a Smart Tennis Ball.

This article demonstrates the integration of sensor fusion for pose estimation and data collection in tennis balls, aiming to create a smaller, less intrusive form factor for use in progressive learning during tennis practice. The study outlines the design and implementation of the Bosch BNO055 smart sensor, which features built-in managed sensor fusion capabilities. The article also discusses deriving additional data using various mathematical and simulation methods to present relevant orientation information from the sensor in Unity.

Decomposing scale, technique and composition effects of foreign direct investment on environmental quality.

This study aimed to investigate how the decomposing scale effect, technique effect and composition effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) impact on carbon dioxide (CO) emissions for 115 nations spanning 1999 to 2019 by employing Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) model. The results indicated that FDI, real GDP per capita, capital-labor ratio, institutional quality and urbanization increase CO emissions while the square of real GDP per capita and trade openness contributed to reducing CO emissions. Also, our findings fail to support Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory.

Haplotype frequency inference from pooled genetic data with a latent multinomial model.

In genetic association studies, haplotype data provide more refined information than data about separate genetic markers. However, large-scale studies that genotype hundreds to thousands of individuals may only provide results of pooled data. Methods for inferring haplotype frequencies from pooled genetic data that scale well with pool size rely on a normal approximation, which we observe to produce unreliable inference when applied to real data.

Meta-analyses reveal support for the Social Intelligence Hypothesis.

The Social Intelligence Hypothesis (SIH) is one of the leading explanations for the evolution of cognition. Since its inception a vast body of literature investigating the predictions of the SIH has accumulated, using a variety of methodologies and species. However, the generalisability of the hypothesis remains unclear.

PDADMAC/Alginate-Coated Gold Nanorod For Eradication of Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilms.

Introduction: Over 75% of clinical microbiological infections are caused by bacterial biofilms that grow on wounds or implantable medical devices. This work describes the development of a new poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC)/alginate-coated gold nanorod (GNR/Alg/PDADMAC) that effectively disintegrates the biofilms of (), a prominent pathogen responsible for hospital-acquired infections.

Methods: GNR was synthesised via seed-mediated growth method, and the resulting nanoparticles were coated first with Alg and then PDADMAC.

Screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children and adolescents with obesity: A scoping review of national and international pediatric obesity and pediatric OSA management guidelines.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent complication that affects up to 60% of children and adolescents with obesity. It is associated with poorer cardiometabolic outcomes and neurocognitive deficits. Appropriate screening and intervention for OSA are crucial in the management of children with obesity.

A spatio-temporal model of multi-marker antimalarial resistance.

The emergence and spread of drug-resistant parasites have hindered efforts to eliminate malaria. Monitoring the spread of drug resistance is vital, as drug resistance can lead to widespread treatment failure. We develop a Bayesian model to produce spatio-temporal maps that depict the spread of drug resistance, and apply our methods for the antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.

The impact of human cadaveric dissection on professional identity formation in medical students.

Background: As technology advances, some schools are moving away from human cadaveric dissection to teach anatomy, leading to concern regarding the possible loss of a professional identity building experience. This study explored the role of dissection in students' professional identity formation.

Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted using survey methodology and semi-structured interviews of medical students at an American-style graduate-entry medical school in Singapore.

RNA is a key component of extracellular DNA networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

The extracellular matrix of bacterial biofilms consists of diverse components including polysaccharides, proteins and DNA. Extracellular RNA (eRNA) can also be present, contributing to the structural integrity of biofilms. However, technical difficulties related to the low stability of RNA make it difficult to understand the precise roles of eRNA in biofilms.

Effectiveness of educational interventions for nurses caring for patients with chronic kidney disease in improving nurse outcomes: A systematic review.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions for nurses caring for patients with chronic kidney disease in improving knowledge, nurse-patient interaction, performance, skills competence and clinical decision-making.

Design: Systematic review.

Methods: Search of literature for randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies and pre-experimental studies on chronic kidney disease-related educational interventions for nurses was conducted across 10 databases.

Paediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt failures: 12-year experience from a Singapore children's hospital.

Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt failures in children are devastating. The primary aims of this study are to, firstly, review our institutional series of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) insertions and identify factors associated with shunt failure.

Methods: This is a single-institution, retrospective study conducted over a 12-year period.

Age, but not an immune challenge, triggers terminal investment in the Pacific field cricket, .

The terminal investment hypothesis proposes that, when individuals are faced with a threat to survival, they will increase investment in current reproduction. The level of the threat necessary to elicit terminal investment (the dynamic terminal investment threshold) may vary based on other factors that also influence future reproduction. Here, we tested whether there is an interactive effect of age and an immune challenge on the dynamic terminal investment threshold in the Pacific field cricket, .

ROS-generating alginate-coated gold nanorods as biocompatible nanosonosensitisers for effective sonodynamic therapy of cancer.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) emerges as a promising non-invasive alternative for eradicating malignant tumours. However, its therapeutic efficacy remains limited due to the lack of sonosensitisers with high potency and biosafety. Previously, gold nanorods (AuNRs) have been extensively studied for their applications in photodynamic or photothermal cancer therapy, but their sonosensitising properties are largely unexplored.

Measuring Interprofessional Collaboration's Impact on Healthcare Services Using the Quadruple Aim Framework: A Protocol Paper.

Despite decades of research on the impact of interprofessional collaboration (IPC), we still lack definitive proof that team-based care can lead to a tangible effect on healthcare outcomes. Without return on investment (ROI) evidence, healthcare leaders cannot justifiably throw their weight behind IPC, and the institutional push for healthcare manpower reforms crucial for facilitating IPC will remain variable and fragmentary. The lack of proof for the ROI of IPC is likely due to a lack of a unifying conceptual framework and the over-reliance on the single-method study design.

The influence of immune challenges on the mean and variance in reproductive investment: a meta-analysis of the terminal investment hypothesis.

Finding the optimal balance between survival and reproduction is a central puzzle in life-history theory. The terminal investment hypothesis predicts that when individuals encounter a survival threat that compromises future reproductive potential, they will increase immediate reproductive investment to maximise fitness. Despite decades of research on the terminal investment hypothesis, findings remain mixed.

Chatbot-mediated learning of cardiac auscultation.

Previous research suggested cardiac auscultation is underdeveloped in physicians-in-training. Developing proficiency requires wide exposure to signs, practice and feedback, which may not regularly occur in clinical environments. Our novel pilot study using a mixed-methods approach (n = 9) suggests chatbot-mediated learning of cardiac auscultation is accessible and possesses unique advantages, including immediate feedback, helping in the management of cognitive overload and facilitating deliberate practice.

Electrical Properties and Lifetime Prediction of an Epoxy Composite Insulation Material after Hygrothermal Aging.

In this study, we conducted the hygrothermal aging of an epoxy composite insulation material at 95% relative humidity (RH) and temperatures of 95 °C, 85 °C, and 75 °C. We measured electrical properties, including volume resistivity, electrical permittivity, dielectric loss, and breakdown strength. It was found to be impossible to estimate a lifetime based on the IEC 60216 standard, because it uses breakdown strength as its criterion even though breakdown strength hardly changes in response to hygrothermal aging.

Strategic Paragraphing 2.0: Techniques for Enhancing Inter-Paragraph Coherence.

Most of us pay attention to intra-paragraph coherence: the idea that the sentences within a paragraph should logically develop a single idea. But we forget, or we struggle to master inter-paragraph coherence: the idea that paragraphs should be arranged so that our argument develops logically. Proximity isn't always enough to signal to readers how paragraphs are building on one another to create a compelling argument.

Trans-generational immune priming is not mediated by the sex of the parent primed: a meta-analysis of invertebrate data.

Traditionally, only vertebrates were thought capable of acquired immune responses, such as the ability to transfer immunological experience vertically to their offspring (known as trans-generational immune priming, TGIP). Increasing evidence challenges this belief and it is now clear that invertebrates also have the ability to exhibit functionally equivalent TGIP. This has led to a surge in papers exploring invertebrate TGIP, with most focusing on the costs, benefits or factors that affect the evolution of this trait.

Harnessing the power of memory-like NK cells to fight cancer.

Natural killer (NK) cells possess the innate ability to eliminate cancerous cells effectively. Their crucial role in immunosurveillance has been widely recognized and exploited for therapeutic intervention. Despite the fast-acting nature of NK cells, NK adoptive cell transfer lacks favorable response in some patients.

Systematic, comprehensive, evidence-based approach to identify neuroprotective interventions for motor neuron disease: using systematic reviews to inform expert consensus.

Objectives: Motor neuron disease (MND) is an incurable progressive neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options. There is a pressing need for innovation in identifying therapies to take to clinical trial. Here, we detail a systematic and structured evidence-based approach to inform consensus decision making to select the first two drugs for evaluation in Motor Neuron Disease-Systematic Multi-arm Adaptive Randomised Trial (MND-SMART: NCT04302870), an adaptive platform trial.

Tethered cord secondary to focal nondisjunction of the primary neural tube: experience from a Singapore children's hospital.

Purpose: Tethered cord due to focal nondisjunction of primary neuralisation (FNPN) is a rare form of spinal dysraphism. We present our institutional experience in managing children diagnosed with FNPN.

Materials And Methods: This is a single institution, retrospective study approved by the hospital ethics board.

Screening for metabolic complications of childhood and adolescent obesity: A scoping review of national and international guidelines.

The rise in prevalence of childhood obesity is paralleled by an increase in obesity-related metabolic complications, which add significantly to the population burden of cardiovascular morbidity in the long term. Early detection of obesity-related metabolic complications through appropriate screening strategies forms a crucial aspect of obesity management. We performed a scoping review of international and national guidelines on the management of pediatric obesity to evaluate the recommendations on screening for metabolic complications, namely, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.