Prevalence and Outcomes of Emergency Presentations of Colorectal Cancer in Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnoses are frequently made through emergency presentations (EPs), a new cancer diagnosis following an emergency care episode or unplanned inpatient admission. The extent and implications of EPs are not well known in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system, where robust CRC screening protocols exist. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the route of CRC diagnosis also remains unclear.

A novel approach to designing viral precision vaccines applied to SARS-CoV-2.

Efficient precision vaccines against several highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses are currently lacking. Proteolytic activation is instrumental for a number of these viruses to gain host-cell entry and develop infectivity. For SARS-CoV-2, this process is enhanced by the insertion of a furin cleavage site at the junction of the spike protein S1/S2 subunits upstream of the metalloprotease TMPRSS2 common proteolytic site.

Physical properties and mass models of Deglet Noor and Arichti semi-dry Algerian date fruits: A comparative study.

For thousands of years, date fruit ( L.) has been a popular diet in arid and semi-arid locations. It has religious importance for Muslims and is especially important during the holy month of Ramadan.

Molecular identification and antifungal susceptibility profiles of etiologic agents of oral candidiasis among HIV-positive patients: A multicenter study.

Background And Purpose: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a serious risk factor for oral candidiasis (OC). In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the frequency of species collected from the oropharyngeal cavity of HIV-positive patients and the sensitivity of these isolates to antifungal drugs.

Materials And Methods: Oral samples were collected from 169 HIV-positive patients.

Outcomes Associated with Adolescent Dating and Sexual Violence Victimization: A Systematic Review of School-Based Literature.

Dating and sexual violence (DSV) is a common occurrence among school aged youth and has been associated with numerous harmful long-term outcomes. The goal of this article is to better understand the range of outcomes associated with DSV during youth and adolescence. This systematic review consists of 28 school-based studies from 20 journals discussing outcomes of youth experiences of DSV.

Determining the feasibility of calculating pancreatic cancer risk scores for people with new-onset diabetes in primary care (DEFEND PRIME): study protocol.

Introduction: Worldwide, pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis may improve survival by enabling curative treatment. Statistical and machine learning diagnostic prediction models using risk factors such as patient demographics and blood tests are being developed for clinical use to improve early diagnosis.

Emergency Presentations Predict Worse Outcomes Among Patients with Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: Emergency presentation (EP) of cancer, a new cancer diagnosis made following an emergency department (ED) visit, is associated with worse patient outcomes and greater organizational stress on healthcare systems. Pancreatic cancer has the highest rate of EPs among European studies but remains understudied in the U.S.

The Impact of Race on Pancreatic Cancer Treatment and Survival in the Nationwide Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.

Objectives: Among patients with pancreatic cancer, studies show racial disparities at multiple steps of the cancer care pathway. Access to healthcare is a frequently cited cause of these disparities. It remains unclear if racial disparities exist in an integrated, equal access public system such as the Veterans Affairs healthcare system.

In-vivo detection of white adipose tissue browning: a multimodality imaging approach.

Detection and differentiation of brown fat in humans poses several challenges, as this tissue is sparse and often mixed with white adipose tissue. Non-invasive detection of beige fat represents an even greater challenge as this tissue is structurally and functionally more like white fat than brown fat. Here we used positron emission tomography with F-fluorodeoxyglucose, computed tomography, xenon-enhanced computed tomography, and dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound, to non-invasively detect functional and structural changes associated with the browning process of inguinal white fat, induced in mice by chronic stimulation with the β-adrenergic receptor agonist CL-316243.

Diabetes Status and Pancreatic Cancer Survival in the Nationwide Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.

Background: Long-standing type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer, however, its influence on cancer-associated outcomes is understudied.

Aims: To examine the associations between diabetes status and pancreatic cancer outcomes.

Methods: We identified patients diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the national Veterans Administration System from 2010 to 2018.

Adipose tissue and skeletal muscle wasting precede clinical diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Patients with pancreatic cancer commonly develop weight loss and muscle wasting. Whether adipose tissue and skeletal muscle losses begin before diagnosis and the potential utility of such losses for earlier cancer detection are not well understood. We quantify skeletal muscle and adipose tissue areas from computed tomography (CT) imaging obtained 2 months to 5 years before cancer diagnosis in 714 pancreatic cancer cases and 1748 matched controls.

Improving Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines for Managing Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Among Gastroenterologists at a US Academic Institution.

Background: Clinical guidelines reserve endoscopic surveillance after a gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) diagnosis for high-risk patients. However, it is unclear how closely guidelines are followed in clinical practice. We examined the effectiveness of a standardized protocol for the management of GIM among gastroenterologists at a US hospital.

Electronic tongue for determining the limit of detection of human pathogenic bacteria.

The Electronic tongue (ET) has been used as a diagnostic technique in the medical sector. It is composed of a multisensor array set with high cross-sensitivity and low selectivity characteristics. The research investigated using Astree II Alpha MOS ET to determine the limit of early detection and diagnosis of food-borne human pathogenic bacteria and to recognize unknown bacterial samples relying on pre-stored models.

Case report: Homozygous variants of and in two Arab patients with nemaline myopathy.

Nemaline myopathies are a heterogeneous group of congenital myopathies caused by mutations in different genes associated with the structural and functional proteins of thin muscular filaments. Most patients have congenital onset characterized by hypotonia, respiratory issues, and abnormal deep tendon reflexes, which is a phenotype encountered in a wide spectrum of neuromuscular disorders. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) contributes to a faster diagnosis and facilitates genetic counseling.

Synthesis, DFT investigations, antioxidant, antibacterial activity and SAR-study of novel thiophene-2-carboxamide derivatives.

Synthetic strategy for the synthesis of thiophene 2-carboxamide derivatives substituted with hydroxyl, methyl and amino groups at position-3 was proposed. The strategy includes the cyclization of the precursor ethyl 2-arylazo-3-mercapto-3-(phenylamino)acrylate derivatives, 2-acetyl-2-arylazo-thioacetanilide derivatives and N-aryl-2-cyano-3-mercapto-3-(phenylamino)acrylamide derivatives with N-(4-acetylphenyl)-2-chloroacetamide in alcoholic sodium ethoxide. IR, H NMR, and mass spectroscopic analyses were used to characterize the synthesized derivatives.

Polylactide Nanoparticles as a Biodegradable Vaccine Adjuvant: A Study on Safety, Protective Immunity and Efficacy against Human Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania Major.

Leishmaniasis is the 3rd most challenging vector-borne disease after malaria and lymphatic filariasis. Currently, no vaccine candidate is approved or marketed against leishmaniasis due to difficulties in eliciting broad immune responses when using sub-unit vaccines. The aim of this work was the design of a particulate sub-unit vaccine for vaccination against leishmaniasis.

How concerning is a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern? Computational predictions and the variants labeling system.

In this study, we evaluated the use of a predictive computational approach for SARS-CoV-2 genetic variations analysis in improving the current variant labeling system. First, we reviewed the basis of the system developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the labeling of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants and the derivative adapted by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Both labeling systems are based on the virus' major attributes.

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of dairy waste: effect of temperature and initial acidity on the composition and quality of solid and liquid products.

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of dairy processing waste was performed to investigate the effect of temperature and initial pH on the yield and composition of the solid (hydrochar) and liquor produced. All hydrochars met the EU requirements of organo-mineral solid fertilizers defined in the Fertilizing Products Regulation in terms of phosphorus (P) and mineral content. Laboratory scale HTC was performed using pressurized reactors, and the products (solid and liquid) were collected, stored and analyzed for elemental composition and nutrient content using Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis) and other analytic techniques.

Following drug degradation and consequent taste deterioration of an oral reconstituted paediatric suspension during dosing interval via electronic tongue.

Background: The taste of oral liquid dosage forms is a crucial factor that impacts pediatric patient compliance. Taste of suspensions can be typically evaluated by human volunteers. Recently, the electronic tongue (ET) has been proven as an emerging tool that could be useful to follow up various formulations' properties like taste and composition.

Effect of early feeding practices and eating behaviors on body composition in primary school children.

Background: Understanding children's feeding practices and eating behaviors is important to determine etiology of childhood obesity. This study aimed to explore the relationship between early feeding practices, eating behavior and body composition among primary school children.

Methods: The data were collected from 403 primary school children.

Catalytic valorisation of biomass levulinic acid into gamma valerolactone using formic acid as a H donor: a critical review.

This review sheds light on the catalytic valorisation of agroforestry biomass through levulinic acid and formic acid towards γ-valerolactone and other higher-value chemicals. γ-Valerolactone is produced by the hydrogenation of levulinic acid, which can be achieved through an internal hydrogen transfer reaction with formic acid in the presence of catalyst. By reviewing corresponding catalysts, the paper underlines the most efficient steps constituting an integrated sustainable process that eliminates the need for external H sources while producing biofuels as an alternative energy source.