Integrating digital technologies in dental technician education: A comparative study of national examination in Asian countries.

Background/purpose: The integration of digital technologies in dental technician education revolutionized the profession in Asian countries. Despite the growing adoption of digital methods, national examinations predominantly relied on traditional techniques. This study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of national examination standards and digital course integration in dental technician education among 5 countries including Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, and China.

Robotic surgery for paediatric neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction: a systematic review.

Objective: To evaluate in a systematic review the outcomes, benefits, and limitations of robot-assisted surgeries for paediatric neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), as robot-assisted techniques have emerged as a potential alternative, offering enhanced precision, dexterity, and visualisation.

Methods: This review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO identifier CRD42023464849) and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We included studies of paediatric patients (aged <18 years) with neurogenic LUTD undergoing robot-assisted continence surgery, assessing safety and efficacy.

A descriptive analysis of nurses' self-reported mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: An international study.

Aim: To describe the self-reported mental health of nurses from 35 countries who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: There is little occupationally specific data about nurses' mental health worldwide. Studies have documented the impact on nurses' mental health of the COVID-19 pandemic, but few have baseline referents.

Mitrofanoff complications: time-to-event analysis of split versus intact appendix and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the complication rates associated with split versus intact appendix Mitrofanoff procedures using a single-center retrospective analysis and a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Subjects And Methods: The study comprised a retrospective cohort analysis at a single institution, analyzing patients who underwent a laparoscopic-assisted Mitrofanoff with or without splitting the appendix from 2005 to 2016. The focus was on complications related to both Mitrofanoff and ACE channels.

Evidence-Based Surgical Guidelines for Treating Children With Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Background: Surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in children. However, there is considerable variation in surgical management practices worldwide, highlighting the need for standardized Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG).

Methods: The CPG development involved assembling a multidisciplinary group, prioritizing 10 key topic areas, conducting evidence searches, and synthesizing findings.

Carbonate fluorapatite coatings on phillipsite represent a significant sink of phosphorus in abyssal plains of the western Pacific Ocean.

As an essential micronutrient, phosphorus plays a key role in oceanic biogeochemistry, with its cycling intimately connected to the global carbon cycle and climate change. Authigenic carbonate fluorapatite (CFA) has been suggested to represent a significant phosphorus sink in the deep ocean, but its formation mechanisms in oceanic low-productivity settings remain poorly constrained. Applying X-ray absorption near edge structure, transmission electron microscopy, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer analyses, we report a unique mineral assemblage where CFA crystals coat phillipsite in abyssal sediments of the East Mariana Basin and the Philippine Sea.

Adult-Onset Still's Disease Mimicking Myositis: A Case Report.

The combination of severe myalgia, progressive weakness, and blood in the urine often leads a neurologist to consider myositis. Accordingly, reddish urine may be linked to urine myoglobinuria brought about by muscle destruction. Nevertheless, in a young patient with normal creatine kinase complaining of immobility, adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) should be one of the top differentials.

Computational epitope-based vaccine design with bioinformatics approach; a review.

The significance of vaccine development has gained heightened importance in light of the pandemic. In such critical circumstances, global citizens anticipate researchers in this field to swiftly identify a vaccine candidate to combat the pandemic's root cause. It is widely recognized that the vaccine design process is traditionally both time-consuming and costly.

Pain in adults with cystic fibrosis - Are we painfully unaware?

Background: A previous Australia-wide pilot study identified pain as a significant burden in people with CF (pwCF). However, the prevalence, frequency and severity have not been evaluated using validated tools.

Methods: Australian adults, pwCF and healthy controls (HC) were invited to complete an online questionnaire from July 2023 - February 2024, consisting of four validated tools: Brief Pain Inventory, Pain Catastrophising Scale, PAGI-SYM and PAC-SYM.

Long-term human influence on the demography and genetic diversity of the hyperdominant Bertholletia excelsa in the Amazon Basin.

The Amazon rainforest is characterized by a limited number of hyperdominant trees that play an oversized role in its ecosystems, nutrient cycle, and rainfall production. Some of these, such as the Brazil nut, appear to have been intensively exploited and dispersed by Indigenous populations since their earliest arrival in this part of South America around 13,000 years ago. However, the genetic diversity-and geographic structure-of these species remains poorly understood, as does their exact relationship with past human land use.

Risk of Nipah Virus Seroprevalence in Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic pathogen with the potential to cause human outbreaks with a high case fatality ratio. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, available evidence on NiV infections occurring in healthcare workers (HCWs) was collected and critically appraised. According to the PRISMA statement, four medical databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Scopus) and the preprint repository medRixv were inquired through a specifically designed searching strategy.

Velopharyngeal Insufficiency and Impaired Tongue Movement Indicate Neuromuscular Disorders: A 10-Year Statistical Study in a Single Tertiary Institution.

: This study aimed to determine the positive predictive value of our NMD Suspicion Criteria in the diagnosis of NMDs. Other clinical factors routinely examined in our voice and swallowing examinations were also investigated to see if they had a significant association with the diagnosis of NMDs. : This study retrospectively investigated the medical charts of patients who visited our Voice and Swallowing outpatient clinic between 2013 and 2022.

Isolation and Bioactivity of Natural Products from sp. MA37.

The isolation and characterization of bioactive metabolites from species continue to represent a vital area of research, given their potential in natural product drug discovery. In this study, we characterize a new siderophore called legonoxamine I, together with a known compound, streptimidone, from the talented soil bacterium sp. MA37, using chromatographic techniques and spectroscopic analysis.

Comparison of Vaccination Regimens on Immune Responses Using PED Replicon Vaccine: A Field Trial in PED-Negative and PED-Positive Thai Swine Farms.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an economically important pathogen of swine, causing severe diarrhea in neonates with high morbidity and mortality. Vaccination is a key strategy for PEDV control, but optimizing regimens based on herd status is essential for improving immunity and protection. This study evaluated immune responses to different vaccination protocols using a PED replicon vaccine (PED-RP) in Thai swine farms with varying PED statuses.

Fleece-Lined Whelping Pools Associated with Reduced Incidence of Canine Hip Dysplasia in a Guide Dog Program.

Using genetic selection, Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) has reduced the incidence rate of canine hip dysplasia (CHD). However, given that CHD is polygenic and multifactorial, environmental factors may impact the expression of this developmental condition. The objective of this original, correlational research was to investigate the relationship between the substrate in the whelping pool used from birth to 3 weeks of age and CHD diagnosis.

Application of a ImageJ-Based Method to Measure Blood Flow in Adult Zebrafish and Its Applications for Toxicological and Pharmacological Assessments.

Blood flow is an important physiological endpoint to measure cardiovascular performance in animals. Because of their innate transparent bodies, zebrafish is an excellent animal model for assessing in vivo cardiovascular performance. Previously, various helpful methods for measuring blood flow in zebrafish larvae were discovered and developed.

Combined application of metagenomics and FEAST to trace sources of microbial eukaryotic contamination in the Pasig-Marikina-San Juan (PAMARISAN) river system in Metro Manila, Philippines.

Microbial eukaryotes are vital to global microbial diversity, but there is limited information about their composition and sources in contaminated surface waters. This study examined the pathogens and potential sources of microbial eukaryotic communities in polluted sink environments using the 18S rDNA amplicon sequencing combined with the fast expectation-maximization for microbial source tracking (FEAST) program. Six sampling sites were selected along the Pasig-Marikina-San Juan (PAMARISAN) River System, representing different locations within the waterway and classified as sinks (n = 12), whereas animal fecal samples collected from various farms were classified as sources (n = 29).

The mediating role of physical activity and quality of life in the association between knee osteoarthritis-related symptoms and physical function of post-COVID patients in Metro Manila: a study protocol.

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition affecting joint function. Regular physical activity can enhance functional capacity and reduce pain. However, there is a scarcity of studies relating to knee OA during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly its impact on symptoms and quality of life.

Comparative analysis of certified emission reduction methodologies for methane emission reduction in China.

As one of the top emitters of methane (CH), China must take action to achieve its carbon neutrality goal. Programs to reduce CH emissions would benefit from the establishment of the China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) trading market. However, studies investigating the impact of the CCER trading market on CH reduction remain limited.

Metabolic profiling of endophytic fungi acting as antagonists of the banana pathogen Colletotrichum musae.

Three endophytic strains, Phomopsis sp., Fusarium proliferatum, and Tinctoporellus epimiltinus, isolated from various plants in the rainforest of the Philippines, were investigated regarding their ability to repress growth of the pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum musae on banana fruits causing anthracnose disease. An in vitro plate-to-plate assay and an in vivo sealed box assay were conducted, using commercial versus natural potato dextrose medium (PDA).

Overcoming low status or maintaining high status? A multinational examination of the association between socioeconomic status and honour.

We examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and endorsement of honour. We studied the SES-honour link in 5 studies (N = 13,635) with participants recruited in different world regions (the Mediterranean and MENA, East Asian, South-East Asian, and Anglo-Western regions) using measures that tap into various different facets of honour. Findings from these studies revealed that individuals who subjectively perceived themselves as belonging to a higher (vs.