A novel hyperparameter search approach for accuracy and simplicity in disease prediction risk scoring.

Objective: Develop a novel technique to identify an optimal number of regression units corresponding to a single risk point, while creating risk scoring systems from logistic regression-based disease predictive models. The optimal value of this hyperparameter balances simplicity and accuracy, yielding risk scores of small scale and high accuracy for patient risk stratification.

Materials And Methods: The proposed technique applies an adapted line search across all potential hyperparameter values.

Macrolide Resistance in the Complex: Implications for Integrative and Conjugative Elements.

The recognition of the complex (AUC) as an emerging uropathogen has led to growing concerns due to a limited understanding of its disease spectrum and antibiotic resistance profiles. Here, we investigated the prevalence of macrolide resistance within urinary AUC isolates, shedding light on potential genetic mechanisms. Phenotypic testing revealed a high rate of macrolide resistance: 45%, among a total of 189 urinary AUC isolates.

Thyroid Malignancy among Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thyroid Lesions in a Tertiary Care Centre.

Introduction: The most prevalent endocrine cancer in the world is thyroid cancer, and its incidence is on the rise. The distinction between benign and malignant thyroid nodules must be made, which is why fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid lesion is necessary and required. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of thyroid malignancy among fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid lesions in a tertiary care centre.

Traditional utilization of bamboo in the Central Siwalik region, Nepal.

Bamboo are the fastest growing perennial woody grasses that have versatile applications. Most of the local people inhabiting the riverine area of the Siwalik region of Nepal rely on bamboo products for economic benefits and medicinal uses. Our objective was to identify the diversity of bamboo species, their ethnomedicinal practices, and economic and ecological importance.

Seedling emergence and biomass production of soybean cultivars under wheat-soybean relay cropping.

Diversification and intensification of cropping systems can ensure farm profitability while reducing negative environmental impacts of agriculture. Wheat-soybean relay cropping (RC), which consists in planting soybean into standing wheat prior to its harvest, may have this potential although it is poorly adopted by French and European farmers. One of the reasons underlying this lack of adoption could be poor emergence rates and biomass production of soybean, due to a severe competition from the already established primary crop for water, light and nutrients during the co-growth or intercrop phase.

Exploiting root exudates to manage soil-borne disease complexes in a changing climate.

Ongoing climate change will both profoundly impact land-use (e.g., changes in crop species or cultivar and cropping practices) and abiotic factors (e.

Burden of human metapneumovirus infections among children with acute respiratory tract infections attending a Tertiary Care Hospital, Kathmandu.

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Every year millions of children suffer from viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) ranging from mild to severe illnesses. Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is among the most frequent viruses responsible for RTIs.

WHO competency framework for health authorities and institutions to manage infodemics: its development and features.

Background: In April 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) Information Network for Epidemics produced an agenda for managing the COVID-19 infodemic. "Infodemic" refers to the overabundance of information-including mis- and disinformation. In this agenda it was pointed out the need to create a competency framework for infodemic management (IM).

Ecosystem services of cover crops: a research roadmap.

Crops that provide ecosystem services (ESs) beyond crop production are gaining interest from farmers, policymakers, and society at large. Cover crops (CCs), grown either as the sole crop or mixture, provide multiple ESs that contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Little is known to date as to whether and to what extent ESs provided by CCs are affected by genotype × environment × management (G×E×M) interactions.

Effect of cropping systems and climate on soil physical characteristics, field crop emergence and yield: A dataset from a 19-year field experiment.

A long-term field experiment was conducted from 1989 to 2007 in northern France in a loamy soil to assess the cumulative effects of cropping systems (CSs) on soil compaction, soil porosity, soil structure, crop emergence and yield. Three CSs, including different crop rotations and cultivations (early or late sowing and harvesting), were compared. CS I was the succession of spring pea/winter wheat/oilseed rape (flax from 2001)/winter wheat while CSs II and III were the succession of sugar beet/winter wheat/maize/winter wheat.

Collaboration With People With Lived Experience of Mental Illness to Reduce Stigma and Improve Primary Care Services: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Collaboration with people with lived experience of mental illness (PWLE), also referred to as service users, is a growing priority to reduce stigma and improve mental health care.

Objective: To examine feasibility and acceptability of conducting an antistigma intervention in collaboration with PWLE during mental health training of primary care practitioners (PCPs).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This pilot cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted from February 7, 2016, to August 10, 2018, with assessors, PCPs, and patients blinded to group assignment.

A Public Health Research Agenda for Managing Infodemics: Methods and Results of the First WHO Infodemiology Conference.

Background: An infodemic is an overflow of information of varying quality that surges across digital and physical environments during an acute public health event. It leads to confusion, risk-taking, and behaviors that can harm health and lead to erosion of trust in health authorities and public health responses. Owing to the global scale and high stakes of the health emergency, responding to the infodemic related to the pandemic is particularly urgent.

Sterile cerebrospinal fluid ascites, hydrothorax and hydrocele as a complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunting in an elderly patient.

An 89-year-old man with a history of multiple abdominal surgeries and ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement for normal pressure hydrocephalus presented for intractable abdominal bloating and scrotal swelling, for which imaging revealed massive ascites, bilateral hydrocele and small bilateral pleural effusions. Cardiac, hepatic and renal workup were insignificant. Culture and cytology of ascitic fluid were negative for infection or malignancy.

Production and distribution system of maize seed in Nepal.

This study analyses the gaps and issues in the production and distribution system of maize seed in Nepal. A total of 682 households were surveyed in 2017 by employing multistage random sampling with probability proportionate to size by representing different (tarai and hill) agro-ecological zones. Twelve focus group discussions (FGDs) and four key informant interviews (KII) were also carried out.

Post-emergence seedling damage due to vertebrate pests and its impact on soybean establishment.

The quality of field crop establishment is an indicator of the productivity and yield quality of a given crop. Several biotic and abiotic factors, as well as cropping practices, affect the quality of field crop establishment. More specifically to soybean, recent studies quantified pre-emergence seedling losses and identified the associated causes of non-emergence.

Transaminitis is an indicator of mortality in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Since its discovery in Wuhan, China in December of 2019, the novel coronavirus has progressed to become one of the worst pandemics seen in the last 100 years. Recently, there has been an increased interest in the hepatic manifestations of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).

Aim: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 positive patients and study the association between transaminitis and all-cause mortality.