Computational structure-based design of antiviral peptides as potential protein-protein interaction inhibitors of rabies virus phosphoprotein and human LC8.

Rabies is a serious zoonotic disease caused by the rabies virus (RABV). Despite the successful development of vaccines and efforts made in drug discovery, rabies is incurable. Therefore, development of novel drugs is of interest to the scientific community.

Conventional endotracheal tubes versus polymer-coated tubes in ventilator-associated pneumonia development: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Endotracheal tubes (ETT) are used in patients who require ventilatory support. Colonization of ETTs by microorganisms is associated with developing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Thus, this meta-analysis aims to compare conventional endotracheal tubes with those made using materials designed to prevent colonization.

Factors associated with mortality in thoracic trauma patients in Cameroon.

Background: Thoracic trauma is the third most common cause of death after abdominal injury and head trauma in polytrauma patients. The identification of a patient at risk of thoracic trauma mortality is necessary to avoid delays that may lead to morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the objective was to assess the factors associated with mortality among thoracic trauma patients in Cameroon.

Drivers and barriers to the choice of production systems among smallholder pig farmers: Evidence from Northern Uganda.

Pork consumption has risen significantly in many emerging nations, prompting diverse pig production systems. This study explored the drivers and barriers to the choices of pig production systems and the challenges confronting pig farmers in Northern Uganda. Data were collected from 240 pig farmers using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using multinomial logit regression.

Optimized heparin adsorption using macroporous zeolites: A comprehensive study.

Heparin is a highly valuable active pharmaceutical ingredient, typically derived from porcine intestinal mucosa. Traditionally, various commercial resins have been used as adsorbents for heparin extraction; however, there has been growing interest in exploring more cost-effective adsorbents in recent years to improve heparin recovery. Zeolites, a typical aluminosilicate known for their high surface area, porosity, and thermal stability, were selected for evaluation in this study.

A novel sensitizer reduces EGFR-TKI resistance by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and autophagy.

Background: The incidence and mortality of lung cancer are high, and treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is the preferred first-line treatment for patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations. However, EGFR-TKI resistance leads to treatment failure. Yifei-Sanjie pill (YFSJ) is a novel type of Chinese patent medicine for lung cancer.

Factor XIa Inhibitor Reversal in Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Case Report.

Background/objectives: There is currently no consensus regarding the optimal strategy for reversal of anticoagulation in life-threatening hemorrhage associated with factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitors.

Methods: For this clinical case report, informed consent was obtained from surrogate.

Results And Discussion: Here, we present the case of an 82-year-old female who sustained a large subdural hematoma after a fall.

A new perspective on apoptosis: Its impact on meat and organoleptic quality in different animals.

Apoptosis serves as the initial phase in the conversion of muscle to meat, driving key biochemical and morphological changes in the postmortem muscle. To effectively improve and control meat quality across different animal species, it is important to gather more information on the mechanisms by which apoptotic potential, mediated through the interaction of apoptosis-related molecules, influences meat quality variations. The apoptotic potential, determined by the balance between apoptotic and anti-apoptotic molecules, such as Ca, cytochrome , caspases, and heat shock proteins, varies among different species.

Elective hand surgery and concomitant corticosteroid injection: Confirming increased infection risk using A national dataset.

Background: Recent studies demonstrate a link between corticosteroid injection and surgical complications when procedures occur shortly after steroid administration. These publications focus on single procedures like carpal tunnel release. This study seeks to demonstrate how surgical site infection risk changes across thirteen common elective hand procedures when steroid injection is performed contemporaneously.

ENHANCING TRANSCRANIAL FOCUSED ULTRASOUND TREATMENT PLANNING WITH SYNTHETIC CT FROM ULTRA-SHORT ECHO TIME (UTE) MRI: A MULTI-TASK DEEP LEARNING APPROACH.

Utilizing a multi-task deep learning framework, this study generated synthetic CT (sCT) images from a limited dataset of Ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI for transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) planning. A 3D Transformer U-Net was employed to produce sCT images that closely replicated actual CT scans, demonstrated by an average Dice coefficient of 0.868 for morphological accuracy.

Effect of long and short half-life PDE5 inhibitors on HbA1c levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, owing to their mechanism of action, have been gaining recognition as a potential case of drug repurposing and combination therapy for diabetes treatment. We aimed to examine the effect of long and short half-life PDE5 inhibitors have on Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in people with elevated HbA1c (>6%) to assess mean difference in HbA1c levels from baseline versus controls after any PDE5 inhibitor intervention of ≥4 weeks, excluding multiple interventions.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in chronic liver disease: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.

Background: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic liver disease (CLD). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess and compare the prevalence of SIBO among CLD patients (with and without with complications of end stage liver disease) and healthy controls.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched from inception up to July-2024 for case-control studies reporting SIBO in CLD.

Say Real-time Linguistic Guidance Supports Novices in Writing Utterances for Conversational Agent Training.

Writing utterances to train conversational agents can be a challenging and time-consuming task, and usually requires substantial expertise, meaning that novices face a steep learning curve. We investigated whether novices could be guided to produce utterances that adhere to best practices via an intervention of real-time linguistic feedback. We conducted a user study in which participants were tasked with writing training utterances for a particular topic () for a conversational agent.

Lifelike and Deformable Lung Phantoms for 4DCT Imaging: A Three-Dimensional Printing Approach.

Respiratory motion phantoms can be used for evaluation of CT imaging technologies such as motion artifact reduction algorithms and deformable image registration. However, current respiratory motion phantoms do not exhibit detailed lung tissue structures and thus do not provide a realistic testing environment. This paper presents PixelPrint, a method for 3D-printing deformable lung phantoms featuring highly realistic internal structures, suitable for a broad range of CT evaluations, optimizations, and research.

A human-centered approach for sharing patient experiences through digital storytelling: a research through design study.

This article outlines a human-centered approach to developing digital patient stories, for sharing their experiences in health care, while preserving patient and others' privacy. Employing a research-through-design approach, the study proposes a design solution using visualization and digital storytelling to document patients' and families' experiences and emotions, as well as their interactions with healthcare professionals in the postnatal unit. By transforming selected observational data into animated stories, this approach has the potential to elicit empathy, stimulate stakeholder engagement, and serve as a practical training tool for clinicians.

Therapeutic Levels of Acetaminophen Causing AKI: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Our case highlights the importance of being aware of the potential renal complications that can occur with acetaminophen, even when used at dosages slightly above the recommended therapeutic dose.

The early market access vehicle - An innovative demand-driven model to catalyse introduction of new optimal health products in low- and middle-income countries.

Low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) account for a significant proportion of the burden of disease for communicable illnesses globally; with malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and HIV/AIDS being the leading causes of death. Despite this disparity, LMICs often have limited or delayed access to newer optimal health products compared to high-income countries (HICs). This limitation in access, driven by a myriad of barriers, undermines the potential health benefits that could be gained in LMICs through the introduction of better health products.

Exploring the biological impact of bacteria-derived indole compounds on human cell health: Cytotoxicity and cell proliferation across six cell lines.

Over the past two decades, research has increasingly focused on the interactions between diet, gut microbiota, and host organisms. Recent evidence suggests that tryptophan, an essential amino acid, can be metabolized by gut microbiota into indoles, which have significant biological effects. However, most research is limited to indole and its liver metabolite, indoxyl sulfate.

Correction: A Comprehensive Review of Novel FDA-Approved Psychiatric Medications (2018-2022).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56561.

Outcomes of the Paul Glaucoma Implant in Refractory Secondary Glaucoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Paul Glaucoma Implant (PGI) surgery in patients with secondary glaucomas.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective chart review of adult patients with medically recalcitrant secondary glaucoma who underwent PGI implantation at a single tertiary center between August 2022 and June 2023. The primary outcome measure was surgical success.

Examining the Proximal Relationship between Religious Coping and Depression among Trauma-Exposed Adults.

Depression is a common consequence of sexual victimization. Although religious coping has been previously studied within the context of sexual victimization, there is a dearth of research examining the potential reciprocal relationships between religious coping and depression among adults with a history of sexual victimization at the daily level. The current study addresses this important gap by leveraging an intensive longitudinal design and data analysis to explore bidirectional daily relations between religious coping and depression symptoms in a community sample of adults with a history of sexual victimization.

Advancements and Future Directions of Dual-Target Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy in Preclinical and Clinical Studies.

In recent years, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has made groundbreaking progress in the treatment of various cancer types, particularly hematological malignancies. In the meantime, various preclinical and clinical studies have extensively explored dual-target CAR-T therapies which can be designed to recognize two antigens simultaneously based on the immunophenotype of tumor cells. Compared with single-target CAR-T approach, dual-target CAR-T therapies demonstrate varying degrees of superior antitumor CAR effects, prevent antigen escape and relapse, reduce on-target off-tumor effects, and ensure durable responses in different types of cancer.

Preoperative levels of physical activity can be increased in pancreatectomy patients via a remotely monitored, telephone-based intervention: A randomized trial.

Background: Higher levels of preoperative physical activity are associated with improved outcomes after pancreatectomy, but it remains unclear if preoperative activity levels are modifiable.

Methods: Patients undergoing pancreatectomy were randomized 1:1 to a telephone-based intervention at least one week before surgery or to control. All patients wore wearable devices to remotely collect physical activity and clinical data.

Outcomes of trauma patients on chronic antithrombotic therapies in a trauma center in a rural state.

Objective: The number of trauma patients presenting with chronic antithrombotic therapy is on the rise. The risk of hemorrhage, the leading cause of death in trauma patients, increases for those on such therapy. This study sought to compare the clinical outcomes of patients on warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), or antiplatelet agents.