PhyloMix: Enhancing microbiome-trait association prediction through phylogeny-mixing augmentation.

Motivation: Understanding the associations between traits and microbial composition is a fundamental objective in microbiome research. Recently, researchers have turned to machine learning (ML) models to achieve this goal with promising results. However, the effectiveness of advanced ML models is often limited by the unique characteristics of microbiome data, which are typically high-dimensional, compositional, and imbalanced.

5-FU Weakens Defensive Functions of the Junctional Epithelium.

Aim: To investigate additional factors contributing to the pathophysiology of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis and periodontitis beyond the systemic immune suppression caused by the chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU).

Methods: 5-Fluorouracil was topically delivered to the non-keratinized, rapidly proliferating junctional epithelium (JE) surrounding the dentition, and acts as an immunologic and functional barrier to bacterial ingression. Various techniques, including EdU incorporation, quantitative immunohistochemistry (qIHC), histology, enzymatic activity assays, and micro-computed tomographic (μCT) imaging, were employed to analyze the JE at multiple time points following topical 5-FU treatment.

Antioxidant, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities of squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium L).

Plants constitute a source of natural phytochemical components which are widely known for their potential biological activities. This work concerned a study of the antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities of squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium L.) parts (flowers, fruits, leaves and stems) using different solvent extracts (cyclohexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water).

Tetragonia tetragonioides extract prevented high-fat diet-induced obesity and changed hepatic and adipose transcriptomic signatures in C57BL/6J male mice.

Obesity, often driven by high-fat diets (HFD), is a major global health issue, necessitating effective preventive measures. Tetragonia tetragonoides, a plant with known medicinal properties, has not been extensively studied for its effects on HFD-induced obesity and related genetic changes in mice. This study explores the impact of Tetragonia tetragonoides extract (TTE; 300 mg/kg) on obesity-related traits in C57BL/6J male mice, with a focus on transcriptomic changes in the liver and white adipose tissue (WAT).

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to Optimize Post-Operative Recovery (COPE): a randomized controlled feasibility trial in extremity fracture patients.

Background: Outcomes following surgery to operatively manage extremity fractures are variable, and up to two-thirds of patients report chronic post-surgical pain. Preliminary evidence suggests that psychotherapy directed at improving coping skills and reducing somatic vigilance may improve outcomes among fracture patients. The objective of this pilot study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a randomized controlled trial comparing an online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program versus usual care in patients with an operatively managed open or closed extremity fracture.

Addressing evidence needs during health crises in the province of Quebec (Canada): a proposed action plan for rapid evidence synthesis.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid availability of evidence to respond in a timely manner to the needs of practice settings and decision-makers in health and social services. Now that the pandemic is over, it is time to put in place actions to improve the capacity of systems to meet knowledge needs in a situation of crisis. The main objective of this project was thus to develop an action plan for the rapid syntheses of evidence in times of health crisis in Quebec (Canada).

Developing a decision support tool to predict delayed discharge from hospitals using machine learning.

Background: The growing demand for healthcare services challenges patient flow management in health systems. Alternative Level of Care (ALC) patients who no longer need acute care yet face discharge barriers contribute to prolonged stays and hospital overcrowding. Predicting these patients at admission allows for better resource planning, reducing bottlenecks, and improving flow.

Identifying the mentorship needs among faculty in a large department of psychiatry- support for the creation of a formal mentorship program.

Background: Study aims were to assess the current state and needs of faculty to inform the design of a formal mentorship program in a large academic Department of Psychiatry.

Methods: A 57- item self-administered online survey questionnaire was distributed to all faculty members.

Results: 225 faculty members completed the survey (24%).

Home oxygen therapy for Thai preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. What are the predictive factors for successful weaning: a 20-year review.

Background: Consequences of lung injury and inflammation in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) contribute to prolonged oxygen requirements. Home oxygen therapy (HOT) is an alternative way of respiratory support in infant with BPD. However, there is no consensus on weaning guidelines.

The association between self-reported total gestational weight gain by pre-pregnancy body mass index and moderate to late preterm birth.

Background: Inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has been associated with preterm birth. However, studies demonstrate inconsistent associations.

Objectives: We examined the associations between categorical and continuous total GWG and moderate to late preterm birth (32-<37 weeks), and evaluated differences in these associations by pre-pregnancy BMI.

Profiles of physician follow-up care, correlates and outcomes among patients affected by an incident mental disorder.

Objectives: This study identified profiles of outpatient physician follow-up care and other practice features, mostly after detection of incident mental disorders (MD), and associated these profiles with patient characteristics and subsequent adverse outcomes.

Methods: A cohort of 170,957 patients age 12 + with a new or recurrent MD detected in 2019-20 was investigated based on data from the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System. Latent class analysis was performed to identify follow-up care profiles, mostly within one year of MD detection.

The effect of arm positions used during radiography on spinal alignment parameters assessed by 3D ultrasound imaging in adolescents with and volunteers without idiopathic scoliosis.

Purpose: Clinicians monitor scoliosis progression using multiple radiographs during growth. During imaging, arms must be elevated to visualize vertebrae, possibly affecting sagittal alignment. This study aimed to determine the arm position that best represents habitual standing (and possibly allowing hand-based skeletal maturity assessment) to obtain frontal and lateral stereo-radiographs as measured using frontal, sagittal, and transverse angles.

Results from the PROmoting Early Childhood Outside cluster randomized trial evaluating an outdoor play intervention in early childhood education centres.

Participation in outdoor play is beneficial for the health, well-being, and development of children. Early childhood education centers (ECECs) can provide equitable access to outdoor play. The PROmoting Early Childhood Outside (PRO-ECO) study is a pilot randomized trial that evaluates the PRO-ECO intervention on children's outdoor play participation.

Circulating serum metabolites as biomarkers and predictors of residual feed intake in lactating dairy cows.

This study explored the potential of circulatory serum metabolite profiles to increase understanding of the physiology of feed efficiency and identify biomarkers to predict residual feed intake (RFI) in lactating Holsteins. Serum metabolite profiles were compared in high (n = 20) and low RFI (n = 20) cows at early, mid, and late lactation stages. The low RFI cows had decreased (P < 0.

Improving spleen segmentation in ultrasound images using a hybrid deep learning framework.

This paper introduces a novel method for spleen segmentation in ultrasound images, using a two-phase training approach. In the first phase, the SegFormerB0 network is trained to provide an initial segmentation. In the second phase, the network is further refined using the Pix2Pix structure, which enhances attention to details and corrects any erroneous or additional segments in the output.

A benchmark of deep learning approaches to predict lung cancer risk using national lung screening trial cohort.

Deep learning (DL) methods have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in assisting with lung cancer risk prediction tasks using computed tomography (CT) scans. However, the lack of comprehensive comparison and validation of state-of-the-art (SOTA) models in practical settings limits their clinical application. This study aims to review and analyze current SOTA deep learning models for lung cancer risk prediction (malignant-benign classification).

Nationwide cervical precancer screening in Ghana: concurrent HPV DNA testing and visual inspection under an expanded hub-and-spoke model.

Cervical cancer continues to disproportionately burden women in sub-Saharan Africa, and is the commonest gynecological cancer in Ghana. The Cervical Cancer Prevention and Training Centre (CCPTC), Battor, Ghana spearheaded the Ghana arm of the mPharma 10,000 Women Initiative (mTTWI) between September 2021 and October 2022. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of nationwide concurrent screening using high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) DNA testing and visual inspection methods, as well as factors associated with the screening outcomes.

Mitigating anthropogenic climate change with aqueous green energy.

Reaching net zero emissions and limiting global warming to 2 °C requires the widespread introduction of technology-based solutions to draw down existing atmospheric levels and future emissions of CO. One such approach is direct air CO capture and storage (DACCS), a readily available, yet energy-intensive process. The combination of DACCS and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) allows for independently powered carbon capture plants to inject concentrated carbon into deep marine sediments where storage is generally safe and permanent.

Deterministic patterns in single-cell transcriptomic data.

We report the existence of deterministic patterns in statistical plots of single-cell transcriptomic data. We develop a theory showing that the patterns are neither artifacts introduced by the measurement process nor due to underlying biological mechanisms. Rather they naturally emerge from finite sample size effects.

The North American Repository for Archaeological Isotopes.

Here, we present the North American Repository for Archaeological Isotopes (NARIA), the largest open-access compilation of previously reported isotopic measurements (n = 28,374) from bioarchaeological samples in North America (i.e., Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and the United States of America) covering a time-frame of more than 12,000 years.

Child and youth participation in child protection: Provincial harm reduction policy efforts in the Canadian Province of New Brunswick.

Background: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) affirms interdependent rights to protection and participation, but barriers continue to hinder participation in protection practices.

Objective: What can be learned from young people's participation in their own protection when it comes to harm reduction public policy efforts?

Participants And Setting: This study focused on provincial public policy in New Brunswick, Canada and involved both children and adults in research design and data collection. The provincial Youth Voice Committee was created to inform the development and implementation of the provincial harm reduction strategy.

PbsNRs: predict the potential binders and scaffolds for nuclear receptors.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a class of essential proteins that regulate the expression of specific genes and are associated with multiple diseases. In silico methods for prescreening potential NR binders with predictive binding ability are highly desired for NR-related drug development but are rarely reported. Here, we present the PbsNRs (Predicting binders and scaffolds for Nuclear Receptors), a user-friendly web server designed to predict the potential NR binders and scaffolds through proteochemometric modeling.