Molecular analysis of influenza A(H3N2) in a remote tropical island during 2014-2019 to identify the frequency of introduction and local circulation.

Background: The sources of new antigenic Influenza A(H3N2) variants and the role of tropical regions in the global A(H3N2) circulation remain unclear. By conducting molecular analysis, this study aimed to identify A(H3N2) introduction events and the duration of local circulation in a geographically remote tropical island.

Methods: Nasopharyngeal/nasal samples were collected from symptomatic children under five years old in a remote tropical island of the Philippines between 2014-2019.

Case discussions in pediatric neurosurgery: a model for improving service delivery and neurosurgery education in Southeast Asia.

Objective: The number of pediatric neurosurgeons worldwide remains inadequate. Opportunities for fellowship training and continuing medical education in pediatric neurosurgery are limited, particularly for neurosurgeons in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to describe the setup and conduct of a recurring online meeting to discuss diagnostic and treatment dilemmas in pediatric neurosurgery, organized by a group of pediatric neurosurgeons in Southeast Asia.

Application of the 6 pillars of sustainable global surgical partnerships by the Neurosurgery Outreach Foundation with lower-middle-income countries in Asia.

Objective: The global need for neurosurgical care is significant and often unmet. Building partnerships between high-income countries (HICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) can help bridge the gap. Six features of sustainable global surgical partnerships have been identified; however, their application in neurosurgery has not been studied.

Improving access to epilepsy surgery: a review of the global praxis, implementation science, and relevant policy frameworks.

Objective: In this review of experiences across the world, the authors aim to demonstrate a roadmap to success in initiating epilepsy surgery programs. The goal of closing the gap of underutilization and inequitable access to epilepsy surgery requires an understanding of potential solutions and evaluation of best practices from a broad range of literature.

Methods: The PubMed and Global Index Medicus databases were systematically queried for eligible articles relevant to the topic.

Recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the INCAPS COVID 2 study.

Background: Understanding pandemic-related reductions and subsequent recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia is important for guiding regional public health efforts.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: In this subanalysis of a worldwide survey on the impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular diagnostic care in April 2020 and April 2021, recovery of testing volume in Asia was compared among subregions, World Bank income groups and imaging modalities.

Search for Magnetic Monopole Pair Production in Ultraperipheral Pb+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.36 TeV with the ATLAS Detector at the LHC.

This Letter presents a search for highly ionizing magnetic monopoles in 262  μb^{-1} of ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collision data at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.36  TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. A new methodology that exploits the properties of clusters of hits reconstructed in the innermost silicon detector layers is introduced to study highly ionizing particles in heavy-ion data.

Assessment of microplastics and heavy metal contamination in surficial sediments of Pasig River, Philippines during wet season.

This study investigates the contamination of microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals in surficial sediments of the Pasig River, Philippines, during the wet season. This season, marked by heightened rainfall, runoff, and stormwater flow, potentially enhances the dispersion and accumulation of pollutants, leading to elevated pollution levels. MPs and heavy metals pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health, and their accumulation in river sediments warrants urgent attention.

PthXo2B Orthologue Tal7 of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Strain IX-221 Acts as a Major Virulence Factor in Indica Rice Without Activating a Clade III SWEET Gene.

In rice bacterial blight, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae deploys transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) that upregulate host susceptibility genes. Thirty-four amino acid repeats in TALEs each specify a base in the DNA target, via a repeat-variable diresidue (RVD; positions 12 and 13).

Genomic characterization of antimicrobial-resistant in chicken meat from wet markets in Metro Manila, Philippines.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) is recognized as a significant public health problem worldwide. This study investigated the occurrence of MDR serovars in chicken meat from wet markets in Metro Manila, Philippines from February to July 2022. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) testing, the serovar, drug resistance, and virulence profiles of isolates were characterized.

Understanding the factors that shape vaccination ecosystem resilience: a qualitative assessment of international expert experiences and perspectives.

Introduction: 'Shocks' or external stressors to vaccination programmes can lead to decreased vaccination coverage rates. The capacity of vaccination ecosystems to effectively respond and adapt to shocks demonstrates programme resilience. This study sought to describe components that contribute to resilience in national immunisation programmes.

Elevated blood glucose and unfavourable tuberculosis treatment outcomes in a low-income setting: findings from a prospective cohort study in Eswatini.

Introduction: The increasing burden of diabetes mellitus in low- and middle-income countries negatively impacts tuberculosis control. To understand this dual burden in Eswatini, we describe the prevalence and predictors of elevated baseline blood glucose and unfavourable tuberculosis treatment outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study at 11 health facilities in Eswatini and included adults ≥18 years commencing tuberculosis treatment.

Colonial Mentality and Diabetes Self-Management in Filipino Americans.

Aim: To examine the correlation between colonial mentality and diabetes self-management among Filipino Americans with T2DM.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive and correlational survey study.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used the Colonial Mentality Scale for Filipino Americans to measure colonial mentality and the Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire to measure self-management behaviours.

Second metatarsophalangeal joint dislocation in hallux valgus: a radiographic study using a two-dimensional coordinate system.

Background: Hallux valgus (HV) poses additional challenges when accompanied by second metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint dislocation, often requiring complex surgical intervention. This study aimed to analyze HV feet with second MTP joint dislocation using a 2-dimensional coordinate system to better understand the anatomical structure of this condition.

Methods: Weightbearing foot radiographs of 49 HV feet with second MTP joint dislocation (group D), 68 HV feet without second MTP joint dislocation (group W), and 54 control feet (group N) were analyzed.

The Asian Pacific association for the study of the liver clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) affects over one-fourth of the global adult population and is the leading cause of liver disease worldwide. To address this, the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) has created clinical practice guidelines focused on MAFLD. The guidelines cover various aspects of the disease, such as its epidemiology, diagnosis, screening, assessment, and treatment.

The neuropeptidomes of the sea cucumbers Stichopus cf. horrens and Holothuria scabra.

The Philippines is a renowned marine biodiversity hotspot, home to several sea cucumber species with unusual biological traits. Among these, Stichopus cf. horrens is notable for its ability to undergo rapid body wall liquefaction when stressed, coupled with remarkable regenerative abilities.

Exploring the effects of N234 and N343 linked glycans to SARS CoV 2 spike protein pocket accessibility using Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations.

The N234 and N343-linked glycans of the SARS-CoV 2 spike protein are known to stabilize the up-conformation of its receptor-binding domains (RBDs), enabling human angiotensin enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor binding. However, the effect of spike-hACE2 binding on these important glycans remains poorly understood, and these changes could have implications in the development of drugs that inhibit viral entry. In this study, Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations of the hACE2-free and hACE2-bound spike protein are performed.

Assessing Clinical Value of New Treatment Strategies: ESMO-MCBS and ASCO-VF Evaluation in Phase III Trials at ASCO Annual Meeting 2022.

Purpose: The European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) and the ASCO Value Framework (ASCO-VF) are tools designed to assess the value of anticancer therapies. International conferences are the primary venues for sharing trial outcomes, often influencing clinical practices even before full publications are available. This analysis compares the ESMO-MCBS and ASCO-VF in evaluating the benefit of all phase III trials presented at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting (AM) and to examine the level of agreement between these scales.

Discovery of Key Candidate Protein Biomarkers in Early-Stage Nonsmall Cell Lung Carcinoma through Quantitative Proteomics.

Difficulties in early-stage diagnosis are among the factors contributing to the high mortality of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. Unfortunately, diagnostic biomarkers are currently lacking, limiting options in the clinic. To discover proteins that have potential for biomarker applications, we performed an in-depth quantitative proteomic analysis on a cohort of Filipino early-stage NSCLC lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients.

Transformation toward precision large-scale operations for sustainable farming: A review based on China's pig industry.

This review evaluates the current situation of pig farming, identifies challenges, and projects for the sustainable development of the Chinese pig industry. A literature review using keyword searches was conducted on Google Scholar for articles from 2017-2023. The review included studies focused on pig farming in China, covering prospects, challenges, quantitative data on production, marketing, and consumption, automation in livestock farming, and publications from peer-reviewed journals, credible websites, government reports, and conference proceedings.

Modulation of growth-related protein expression of native chicken in low altitude in West Jawa, Indonesia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the response-ability of local chickens to their rearing habitat, especially at low altitudes, to comprehensively understand the cellular response related to protein growth.

Materials And Methods: Studies of cellular responses related to modulation and growth-related protein salinization for three local Indonesian chicken breeds to low altitudes with high temperatures have been conducted in two locations with altitudes <55 m above sea level. Three hundred local chickens, each consisting of one hundred Sentul, Kedu, and Pelung chickens.

Leveraging AI to optimize vaccines supply chain and logistics in Africa: opportunities and challenges.

Examining the current situation of the vaccine supply chain in Africa, the article highlights the importance of AI technologies while outlining the prospects and problems in vaccine supply chain management in Africa. Despite the significance of vaccinations, many African children are unable to receive them due to logistical challenges and a lack of infrastructure. AI has the potential to increase productivity by streamlining logistics and inventory management, but it is hampered by issues with data privacy and technology infrastructure.

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) for pediatric mesenchymal hamartoma: A case report.

The case involves a one-year-old male with a mesenchymal hamartoma involving the right hepatic lobe. The tumor-free segments comprised 17% of the liver volume, which placed the patient at risk for post-resection liver failure. A staged approach, the associating liver partition with portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy, was employed.

Frequency and Determinants of Flare and Persistently Active Disease in a Large Multinational Prospective Lupus Cohort.

Objective: In contrast to relapsing-remitting patterns, persistently active disease (PAD) is a disease activity pattern in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that is inadequately studied. We sought to identify the frequency and determinants of flare and PAD in SLE.

Methods: Flare was defined using the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI flare index), and PAD was defined as an SLEDAI-2K score of ≥4, excluding serology only, on two or more consecutive visits with a maximum six-month interval.

Interplay of student characteristics multidimensional engagement and influencing factors in online computer science education.

Digital technology is reshaping the landscape of higher education, especially in the field of computer science. As digital platforms become central to the learning process, understanding student engagement in these continuously evolving environments is increasingly vital. This study explores the current state of online learning among undergraduate computer science students, investigates factors influencing their engagement, and proposes strategies to enhance online education.