The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer in Singapore.

: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries implemented lockdowns and social distancing measures, which may delay the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to review the impact of the pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment outcomes of CRC. : Patients who underwent colonoscopy or surgery for CRC were included.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in the Czech Republic.

Introduction: Lyme borreliosis (LB), an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), is the most common tick-borne disease in Europe. To further characterize the LB burden in the Czech Republic, we conducted a seroprevalence study and estimated the incidence of symptomatic Bbsl infections.

Methods: Anti-Bbsl IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in sera collected from the adult population in 2011 -2012 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot tests at the National Reference Laboratory.

A Mitochondrion-Targeting Piezoelectric Nanosystem for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction via Autophagy Regulation.

Mitochondrial damage caused by external stimuli, such as high glucose levels and inflammation, results in excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Existing antioxidants can only scavenge ROS and cannot address the root cause of ROS production, namely, abnormal mitochondria. To overcome this limitation, the study develops a piezoelectric synergistic drug-loaded nanosystem (BaTCG nanosystem) that targets mitochondria.

Evaluation of a customised Sensititre YeastOne plate containing isavuconazole for antifungal susceptibility testing in Singapore.

This study evaluated the performance of a customised Sensititre YeastOne (SYO) plate including isavuconazole (YIT) against existing practice (comprising SYO YO10 plate and isavuconazole gradient strip) in order to streamline the workflow for antifungal susceptibility testing in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. A total of 101 (51 yeasts and 50 moulds) clinical isolates were included for analysis. Isolates included in the study were recovered from a variety of body sites and reflected the case mix encountered in daily practice.

Medical diagnosis based on artificial intelligence and decision support system in the management of health development.

Background: Medical diagnosis plays a critical role in our daily lives. Every day, over 10 billion cases of both mental and physical health disorders are diagnosed and reported worldwide. To diagnose these disorders, medical practitioners and health professionals employ various assessment tools.

SUMOylation of Warts kinase promotes neural stem cell reactivation.

A delicate balance between neural stem cell (NSC) quiescence and proliferation is important for adult neurogenesis and homeostasis. Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-dependent post-translational modifications cause rapid and reversible changes in protein functions. However, the role of the SUMO pathway during NSC reactivation and brain development is not established.

Risk factors for Lyme disease among residents of rural, suburban, and urban areas in the United States: A Case-Control Study.

lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States, with 476,000 cases estimated each year. It is unclear how LD risk factors vary by residential setting. We conducted a case-control study on LD risk by rural, urban, and suburban residential settings.

Sensing data and methodology from the Adaptive DBS Algorithm for Personalized Therapy in Parkinson's Disease (ADAPT-PD) clinical trial.

Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) is an emerging advancement in DBS technology; however, local field potential (LFP) signal rate detection sufficient for aDBS algorithms and the methods to set-up aDBS have yet to be defined. Here we summarize sensing data and aDBS programming steps associated with the ongoing Adaptive DBS Algorithm for Personalized Therapy in Parkinson's Disease (ADAPT-PD) pivotal trial (NCT04547712). Sixty-eight patients were enrolled with either subthalamic nucleus or globus pallidus internus DBS leads connected to a Medtronic Percept PC neurostimulator.

Targeting Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Receptor: A Perspective on Small-Molecule Modulators and Their Therapeutic Potential.

TSHR is a member of the glycoprotein hormone receptors, a subfamily of class A G-protein-coupled receptors and plays pivotal roles in various physiological and pathological processes, particularly in thyroid growth and hormone production. The aberrant TSHR function has been implicated in several human diseases including Graves' disease and orbitopathy, nonautoimmune hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, cancer, neurological disorders, and osteoporosis. Consequently, TSHR is recognized as an attractive therapeutic target, and targeting TSHR with small-molecule modulators including agonists, antagonists, and inverse agonists offers great potential for drug discovery.

Arl2 GTPase associates with the centrosomal protein Cdk5rap2 to regulate cortical development via microtubule organization.

ADP ribosylation factor-like GTPase 2 (Arl2) is crucial for controlling mitochondrial fusion and microtubule assembly in various organisms. Arl2 regulates the asymmetric division of neural stem cells in Drosophila via microtubule growth. However, the function of mammalian Arl2 during cortical development was unknown.

Improvements in Therapy Experience With Evoked Compound Action Potential Controlled, Closed-Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation-Primary Outcome of the ECHO-MAC Randomized Clinical Trial.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a well-established treatment for chronic neuropathic pain. However, over- or underdelivery of the SCS may occur because the spacing between the stimulating electrodes and the spinal cord is not fixed; spacing changes with motion and postural shifts may result in variable delivery of the SCS dose and, in turn, a suboptimal therapy experience for the patient. The evoked compound action potential (ECAP)-a measure of neural activation-may be used as a control signal to adapt SCS parameters in real time to compensate for this variability.

Astrocytes control quiescent NSC reactivation via GPCR signaling-mediated F-actin remodeling.

The transitioning of neural stem cells (NSCs) between quiescent and proliferative states is fundamental for brain development and homeostasis. Defects in NSC reactivation are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. quiescent NSCs extend an actin-rich primary protrusion toward the neuropil.

Corpus Callosum-Mediated Interhemispheric Interactions in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Purpose: The corpus callosum is crucial for interhemispheric interactions in the motor control of limb functions. Human and animal studies suggested spinal cord pathologies may induce cortical reorganization in sensorimotor areas. We investigate participation of the corpus callosum in executions of a simple motor task in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Astrocytes control quiescent NSC reactivation via GPCR signaling-mediated F-actin remodeling.

The transitioning of neural stem cells (NSCs) between quiescent and proliferative states is fundamental for brain development and homeostasis. Defects in NSC reactivation are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. quiescent NSCs extend an actin-rich primary protrusion toward the neuropil.

C9-Aryl-substituted berberine derivatives with tunable AIE properties for cell imaging application.

Berberine (BBR), a widely used isoquinoline alkaloid derived from natural sources, exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics and has biological applications such as in selective lipid droplet imaging and photodynamic therapy. However, natural BBR suffers from low fluorescence quantum yield () and monotonous emission wavelength. In this paper, a series of C9-position-aryl-substituted berberine derivatives with a D-A structure were designed and synthesized.

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato prevalence in Ixodes scapularis from Canada: A thirty-year summary and meta-analysis (1990-2020).

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bb) are a complex of bacteria genospecies that can cause Lyme disease (LD) in humans after the bite of an infected Ixodes spp. vector tick. In Canada, incidence of LD is increasing in part due to the rapid geographic expansion of Ixodes scapularis across the southcentral and eastern provinces.

Functional and Promiscuity Studies of Three-Residue Cyclophane Forming Enzymes Show Nonnative C-C Cross-Linked Products and Leader-Dependent Cyclization.

Enzymes catalyzing peptide macrocyclization are important biochemical tools in drug discovery. The -residue clophane-orming nzyme (3-CyFEs) are an emerging family of post-translational modifying enzymes that catalyze the formation of three-residue peptide cyclophanes. In this report, we introduce three additional 3-CyFEs, including ChlB, WnsB, and FnnB, that catalyze cyclophane formation on Tyr, Trp, and Phe, respectively.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Head and neck cancers are a heterogeneous, aggressive, and genetically complex collection of malignancies of the oral cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, paranasal sinuses and salivary glands, which are difficult to treat. Regional lymph nodes metastasis is a significant poor prognosis factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Metastasis to the regional lymph nodes reduces the 5-year survival rate by 50% compared with that of patients with early-stage disease.