Pneumothorax detection and segmentation from chest X-ray radiographs using a patch-based fully convolutional encoder-decoder network.

Pneumothorax, a life-threatening condition characterized by air accumulation in the pleural cavity, requires early and accurate detection for optimal patient outcomes. Chest X-ray radiographs are a common diagnostic tool due to their speed and affordability. However, detecting pneumothorax can be challenging for radiologists because the sole visual indicator is often a thin displaced pleural line.

A wait to remember.

The author shares a short story about their experience of the possibility of having a serious eye condition and losing their sight. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Norleucine Substitution Enhances Self-Assembly of a Lanthanide-Binding Polypeptide Coiled Coil.

A de novo lanthanide-binding coiled-coil polypeptide (MB1-2) was previously reported to self-assemble into a trimeric complex upon addition of Tb with a micromolar range dissociation constant. This study examines the effect of substitution of hydrophobic residues in heptad repeats of MB1-2 on the thermodynamic stability of the resulting Tb-peptide complex. Substitution of isoleucine to norleucine in each heptad repeat was assessed considering the greater accessible surface area of the latter and predicted increased hydrophobic interaction.

Repeated toluene inhalation in male and female adolescent rats induces persistent drug preference and impairs cognitive and social behavior.

Rationale: Adolescent inhalant use is an understudied and undertreated disorder, particularly in females. Chronic exposure to inhalants, like toluene, can have long-lasting effects on behavior. However, most animal studies lack the incorporation of both sexes and do not focus on the abstinence period.

Efficient RNA extraction method for acquiring high-quality RNA from various tissues of the fiber crop abaca, Née.

Isolation of high-quality RNA from abaca is very challenging due to the presence of polyphenols, polysaccharides, and its high fiber content. In this study, we compared six extraction methods across three tissue types and different developmental stages (-grown young versus field-grown mature tissue). The Invitrogen PureLink RNA kit proved to be the most efficient in extracting RNA from young abaca tissues (leaves, pseudostem, and corm).

Interspecies differences in the transcriptome response of corals to acute heat stress.

Rising sea surface temperatures threaten the survival of corals worldwide, with coral bleaching events becoming more commonplace. However, different coral species are known to exhibit variable levels of susceptibility to thermal stress. To elucidate genetic mechanisms that may underlie these differences, we compared the gene repertoire of four coral species, , , and , that were previously demonstrated to have differing responses to acute thermal stress.

Living with a child with MSUD: Psychosocial issues of Filipino parents with a child with maple syrup urine disease.

Purpose: Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a common inborn error of metabolism diagnosed in the Philippines. A family may experience stress, anxiety, sorrow, or feelings of helplessness when a child is diagnosed to have a genetic disorder, which can lead to chronic care and disability. This study aims to explore the psychosocial issues experienced by Filipino parents with children having MSUD.

Investigating the geography of thought across 11 countries: Cross-cultural differences in analytic and holistic cognitive styles using simple perceptual tasks and reaction time modeling.

This article investigates cross-cultural differences in analytic/holistic cognitive styles among participants from 11 countries: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Ghana, Philippines, Slovakia, Taiwan, and Türkiye. Using a preregistered design, 993 university students were assessed with three perceptual tasks based on Navon's hierarchical figures and Gottschaldt's embedded figures. Analytic and holistic cognitive styles were estimated using reaction time modeling, specifically a Bayesian four-parameter shifted Wald distribution and a hierarchical linear ballistic accumulator model.

G.T.A.R.A. : A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Guitar Lessons for Restoring Hand Function among Patients with Unilateral Hand Impairment.

Objective: To determine the effects of guitar lessons (intervention group) in comparison to conventional occupational therapy (OT) sessions (control group) on hand function of chronic stroke patients with unilateral hand impairment.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial enrolled 34 chronic stroke patients with unilateral hand impairment. Participants were grouped randomly into intervention (guitar lessons) and control (conventional occupational therapy) groups.

A rapid and high-throughput fraud detection method of Philippine coconut wine () using H qNMR spectroscopy.

Methanol contamination of the Philippine coconut spirit (often called coconut wine) is the major cause of -related deaths in the country. Hence, a strict quality control and detection method must be established for methanol in tandem with ethanol analysis. In this study, a quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) method using H analysis was developed to quantify the methanol and ethanol in 26 samples collected from four different provinces in Luzon, Philippines.

Enhancing systematic literature review adapting 'double diamond approach'.

Current literature review frameworks often lack quantification of literature volume, guidance on keyword inclusion, confidence in identifying knowledge gaps, and the formulation of research questions, which can lead to potential bias in research. This undermines the validity and reliability of reviews. In this paper, we aim to enhance the systematic literature review (SLR) methods-starting with a review of review literature followed by a review of empirical literature-to address these challenges.

Insights into Ecological Resettlements and Conservation-led Displacements: A Systematic Review.

A systematic literature review (SLR) on ecological resettlements and conservation-led displacements (hereafter 'ER') is essential for guiding future research and conservation strategies, yet it has not been conducted. We performed a comprehensive two-stage review-a review of reviews and a review of empirical articles from Web of Science and Scopus-using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). We extracted and analyzed data from 164 research articles, revealing three key themes in ER research: publication trends and geographical distribution, methodological approaches and data types, and thematic focus with associated governance and equity indicators.

Extent and Nature of Television Food and Nonalcoholic Beverage Marketing in 9 Asian Countries: Cross-Sectional Study Using a Harmonized Approach.

Background: Rising childhood obesity rates in Asia are adding risk for the future adult burden of obesity and noncommunicable diseases. Weak policies across most Asian countries enable unrestricted marketing of obesogenic foods and beverages to children. Television is the common medium for food marketing to reach this audience.

Successful Models of Virtual Experiential Education Initiatives in Global Health for International Students.

Experiential learning activities help students prepare for their future careers by providing opportunities for hands‑on practice experiencing real‑world scenarios. Innovations in technology can facilitate experiential learning and cross‑cultural connections for large groups of students in multiple global settings through a virtual platform. However, designing these opportunities with diverse groups of students for a virtual environment can be challenging.

The importance of helical structures to the overall activity and structural stability of a lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 in n-hexane.

Bacterial lipases are versatile extracellular enzymes with a catalytic triad at the active site and a flexible 'lid' that modulates catalytic accessibility. We combined computational modeling with preliminary in vitro testing to assess the structural stability and activity of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 lipase (PAL). We evaluated several systems consisting of the native and mutant forms of the lipase in n-hexane using molecular dynamics simulations.

onitoring drug fficacy through ulti-mics esearch initiative in lzheimer's isease (MEMORI-AD): A protocol for a multisite exploratory prospective cohort study on the drug response-related clinical, genetic, microbial and metabolomic signatures in Filipino patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Dementia is one of the leading causes of disability among older people aged 60 years and above, with majority eventually being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Pharmacological agents approved for dementia include acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) inhibitors like rivastigmine, donepezil and galantamine and the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine, prescribed as monotherapy or in combination with each other, depending on the severity of disease. There is currently no available study demonstrating the clinical response to these drugs for AD in the Filipino population.

Enhanced skin cancer diagnosis: a deep feature extraction-based framework for the multi-classification of skin cancer utilizing dermoscopy images.

Skin cancer is one of the most common, deadly, and widespread cancers worldwide. Early detection of skin cancer can lead to reduced death rates. A dermatologist or primary care physician can use a dermatoscope to inspect a patient to diagnose skin disorders visually.

Prescribing Patterns in a Primary Care Service in a Rural Site in the Philippines from April 2019 to March 2020 - A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Appropriate use of medication is an important indicator of quality healthcare delivery among children. Previously published studies on drug utilization involved Filipino households in general and were conducted in the 1990s. No recent Philippine studies have been conducted that focus on drug utilization in children.

Advanced Extraction Techniques and Physicochemical Properties of Carrageenan from a Novel Cultivar.

Carrageenans are valuable marine polysaccharides derived from specific species of red seaweed (Rhodophyta) widely used as thickening and stabilizing agents across various industries. , predominantly cultivated in tropical countries, is the primary source of kappa-carrageenan. Traditional industrial extraction methods involve alkaline treatment for up to three hours followed by heating, which is inefficient and generates substantial waste.

"Men Need Role Models": Exploring the Facilitators and Barriers for Yoga Participation Among Men.

Yoga is a holistic form of physical activity taken up for various reasons, including physical and mental health, and sometimes spirituality. Despite the growing popularity of yoga as a form of health-enhancing physical activity, data show the uptake among men to be consistently low compared to women. To gain an understanding of barriers and facilitators for yoga uptake and adherence among men, four focus group discussions (three male groups, one female group) and three individual interviews were undertaken.

Assessing the spatial scale of synchrony in forest tree population dynamics.

Populations of forest trees exhibit large temporal fluctuations, but little is known about the synchrony of these fluctuations across space, including their sign, magnitude, causes and characteristic scales. These have important implications for metapopulation persistence and theoretical community ecology. Using data from permanent forest plots spanning local, regional and global spatial scales, we measured spatial synchrony in tree population growth rates over sub-decadal and decadal timescales and explored the relationship of synchrony to geographical distance.

Comparative genomics reveals putative copper tolerance genes in a Fusarium oxysporum strain.

Copper has been widely used as a main component in fungicides due to its versatility and effectivity. However, copper contamination from the environment creates selective pressure for the emergence of copper-tolerant pathogenic fungal strains that may proliferate and further cause damage to important agricultural crops. Although some studies focused on specific cellular mechanisms of copper tolerance, comprehensive genomic data is lacking.

Analyzing the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission in select regions of the Philippines: A modeling approach to assess the impact of various tiers of community quarantines.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted communities worldwide, and effective management strategies are critical to reduce transmission rates and minimize the impact of the disease. In this study, we modeled and analyzed the COVID-19 transmission dynamics and derived relevant epidemiological values for three regions of the Philippines, namely, the National Capital Region (NCR), Davao City, and Baguio City, under different community quarantine implementations. The unique features and differences of these regions-of-interest were accounted for in simulating the disease spread and in estimating key epidemiological parameters fitted to the reported COVID-19 cases.