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This article shows the driving factors of rural women's participation in the TWITEZIMBERE and REKATUJANE rice cooperatives in the GIHANGA commune. These factors are related to the preservation of traditional culture in Burundi in general and in rural areas in particular, where women are in the majority. To achieve this, the research methodology used is both qualitative (individual interviews and documentary research) and quantitative (questionnaire administered to respondents). The results of this research show that traditional culture has forced rural women to stay at home to care for children and perform various household chores. This situation of isolation leads to a lack of information about the benefits of rice-growing cooperatives and the value they can bring to their members. It is also observed that rural women lack the will to adopt the new rice farming practices in Cooperatives. This situation of lack of will to adopt new behavior has hindered the massive participation of rural women in rice cooperatives. Finally, the article emphasizes that the illiteracy of these rural women and the lack of external technical and financial support are considered other important factors that constituted the barriers to their massive participation in rice cooperatives. To deal with this series of problems, the researcher has discovered strategies that can encourage rural women to participate massively in rice cooperatives, in particular, to become members of rice cooperatives that help their members to make them known and receive external technical and financial support, for example, incentives from the government. For this, the Government must therefore help them by providing multifaceted support including local and foreign technical and financial partners. Similarly, cooperative leaders might seek out various donors for their agricultural cooperative associations.

Qualitative research enabled us to explore the personal perceptions and institutional factors that facilitated academic success, as well as challenges, of a sample of 40 academically talented students with autism spectrum disorder (2e/ASD) who were enrolled in highly competitive colleges and universities in the United States. We explored their high school academic and social experiences, their college transition, parental views of their talents and disabilities, as well as college service providers’ opinions about their academic progress and needs. We identified some specific strength-based teaching and instructional strategies and academic experiences that students reported as contributing to their academic success during high school including challenging and advanced classes, use of strengths-based learning strategies (like independent study, and positive relationships with teachers and counselors. We also found that the level of disability support offered by the college was an important consideration for the academic success of this population, as was an understanding of the laws and regulations that apply and don’t apply when students with disabilities attend college. 

Background: The age-dependent sporadic form of PD is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the Substantia Nigra (SN), gliosis, and vascular changes. Vascular changes may contribute to the onset of the disease and exacerbate the neurodegenerative process, as some vascular changes occur before the onset of neuronal loss. To demonstrate the anti-neuroinflammatory efficacy of a new compound, a water-soluble form of dihydroquercetin (DHQ-WF), we studied the structural changes of microcirculatory vasculature, astroglial GFAP, and vascular endothelial growth factor –A (VEGF-A) mRNA expression in the SN of young and old rats after unilateral nigral treatment by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and oral administration of DHQ-WF.Materials and methods: The experiments were performed on 18 young (8 weeks - 10 weeks old; 250 g - 320 g) and 18 old (18 months - 19 months old; 390 g - 450 g) male Vistar rats. Young and adult rats from the experimental groups were stereotactically injected with 2 μL LPS solution (LPS from Escherichia coli; 0,01 μL/mL) into one side of the SN. Control young and old rats were similarly injected with 2 μL sterile saline. Half of the animals in both the control and experimental groups (6 animals in each group) received a 2 ml solution containing DHQ-WF at a concentration of 3 mg/ml orally every day. After 8 weeks, brains were harvested and serial cryostat sections were prepared for histochemical (FITC-labeled tomato lectin), immunohistochemical (anti-GFAP Antibody, Cy3 Conjugate) staining, and real-time PCR (mRNA VEGF-A).Results: Eight weeks after LPS injection into the SN, a significant excess of areas occupied by cell bodies and processes of astroglial cells, the density of microcirculatory vessels, and mRNA VEGF-A expression was observed in old animals compared to control old animals and young LPS-treated rats.  Oral administration of DHQ-WF to LPS-treated rats resulted in a significant reduction of these parameters in old animals.Conclusion: Injection of LPS into rat SN induces neuroinflammation and vascular angiogenesis, maximally expressed in old animals.  Administration of DHQ-WF for 8 weeks significantly reduces these LPS-induced changes. DHQ-WF may be an effective treatment for reducing the effects of neuroinflammation in the aging brain.

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition triggered by infection, poses a significant healthcare challenge with high mortality rates. The interplay between genetics and the immune response in sepsis, particularly in surgical and trauma patients, is complex and critical. Genetic polymorphisms, particularly in cytokine genes like TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8, have been extensively studied for their influence on sepsis susceptibility, severity, and outcomes. Polymorphisms can alter gene expression and cytokine production, leading to variations in immune responses. Studies have also explored polymorphisms concerning sepsis in genes encoding CD86, TLR4, and SIRT6. This review highlights the association between genetic polymorphisms and inflammatory responses, focusing on their impact on sepsis outcomes in surgical and trauma patients. Genetic variations play a significant role in sepsis risk, severity, and prognosis, with potential implications for personalized therapeutic strategies. Biomarkers such as cytokine gene polymorphisms may aid in predicting sepsis risk and guiding treatment decisions. Complementary therapies like acupuncture and novel biomarkers like microvesicles carrying mitochondrial content provide additional avenues for personalized sepsis management. Furthermore, multiomics approaches offer promise in predicting postoperative outcomes in surgical patients. Understanding the genetic basis of sepsis is essential for improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, ultimately leading to better clinical outcomes. Combining genomics, bioinformatics, and clinical expertise, precision medicine can revolutionize sepsis management by tailoring interventions to individual genetic profiles, thus enhancing patient care and outcomes.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) grapples with a critical shortage of nurses, exacerbating disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. This mini-review examines the factors impacting the nursing workforce in the DRC and presents potential solutions to strengthen it. Decades-long regional conflicts have endangered the nursing workforce, resulting in an imbalanced distribution that disproportionately favors urban areas over rural regions. Inadequate healthcare funding, compounded by mismanagement, has led to resource scarcity and inequitable distribution, further hampering nursing efforts. Additionally, stagnant policy reforms and ineffective advocacy have hindered improvements in nurse employment, wages, education, and working conditions. Infrastructure deficiencies and medical supply shortages have also contributed to reduced incentives for nursing professionals. Therefore, we undertook a mini-review aimed at offering a succinct and targeted overview of nursing care in the DRC. This involved analyzing available literature and data concerning the nursing workforce with a particular focus on the DRC. We believe that addressing these interlinked challenges necessitates comprehensive strategies that prioritize establishing regional stability, responsibly allocating and increasing healthcare funding, incentivizing nurse recruitment and retention through policy adjustments, enhancing healthcare infrastructure and nursing education, and fostering both local and global collaboration. Investing in nursing is paramount for transforming healthcare delivery in the DRC, particularly considering nurses' pivotal roles in delivering preventive, therapeutic, and palliative care services. Strengthening nursing capacity and addressing systemic challenges are essential steps toward mitigating healthcare disparities and enhancing population health, aligning with the objectives outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Lead telluride (PbTe) is considered one of the most promising materials in thermoelectrics due to its unique thermoelectric properties. This semiconductor exhibits a high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) in certain temperature ranges, making it highly effective for converting heat energy into electricity. Additionally, PbTe is characterized by stability and low thermal conductivity, which further enhances the efficiency of thermoelectric devices. Another advantage of using PbTe is its relative affordability and high availability of raw materials. This makes it attractive for manufacturing mass thermoelectric devices such as thermoelectric modules for automobiles, industrial thermoelectric generators, heat recirculation, and others. The paper provides a review of works and an analysis of general approaches to semiconductor thermoelectric materials, including lead telluride.

Background: Prophylactic dental procedures following implant placement are critical to the long-term success of implants and are also dependent on the patient maintaining effective home care.Purpose: Evaluation of the effectiveness of preventive measures in patients with diabetes during long periods after prosthetic treatment with implants.Materials and methods: The study included 62 patients with diabetes with edentulism using 146 dental implants. Patients underwent constant monitoring, including regular occupational hygiene during follow-up examinations. Their frequency was set individually from 2 to 4 times A clinical index including Bleeding on Probing (BOP), Probing Depth (PD), and Marginal Bone Loss (MBL). Results: In patients included in the preventive protocol after 12 months, the mean BOP was 1.4 ± 0.15, and PPD was 2.46 ± 0.42. After 12 months in patients mean MBL was 0.72 ± 0.6 mm, after 3 years MBL was 1.24 ± 0.25 mm. For patients who were excluded from preventive services after 12 months, the mean BOP 1.9 ± 0.25, and the mean PPD was 3.56 ± 0.28). After 12 months in patients mean MBL was 0.87 ± 0.7 mm, after 3 years MBL was 1.52 ± 0.32 mm (p > 05). Compared to persons enrolled in the preventive protocol, those in the group without services were more likely to develop peri-implantitis (42.4% vs. 12,6%). The survival rate of implants after 3 years was 98.4%. The survival rate of implants in those patients who were excluded from preventive services after 3 years was 95.4%.Conclusion: For patients with diabetes, regular medical examinations, accompanied by professional oral hygiene procedures, prevent the development of negative reactions of the soft tissues surrounding the implant.

Nutritious and safe foods are essential to meet normal physiological and metabolic functions. This study evaluated heavy metals in selected food products for newborns and toddlers. These substances may result in adverse health risks and young children are extremely vulnerable due to their immature immune systems and organs. Industrialization and technological advancement have contributed to an increase in heavy metals in the soil; therefore, entering the food system in potentially harmful amounts. Safe levels have been established by monitoring agencies to reduce the presence of heavy metals. Ten national brands of baby foods were analyzed for selected heavy metals. The main ingredients ranged from vegetables, fruits, dairy, poultry, meats, and grains. The products were analyzed in triplicates using QQQ-ICP-MS instrumentation to detect the presence of arsenic, cadmium, zinc, lead, nickel, aluminum, and chromium. Based on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry [1] guidelines for safe quantities, aluminum (4.09 µg/g and 2.50 µg/g) and zinc (33.5 µg/g 69.5 µg/g, and 30.2 µg/g) exceeded the recommended levels of 1 µg/g/day and 2 - 3 µg/g /day respectively. Mixed model analysis found significant differences in metal concentrations (F6,24 = 2.75, p = 0.03) with an average metal concentration of 0.96 µg/g. However, no significant correlations were found between the packaging materials used and the observed metal concentrations in the food samples. The study concluded that the presence of heavy metals may be due to food type and the soil on which it is grown and not the packaging materials, establishing food system contamination by heavy metals.

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) is a major limiting side effect of many common chemotherapeutics often leading patients to terminate their chemotherapy treatment regimen early. The development of CIPN differs by chemotherapeutic class, with platinum- and taxane-based treatments demonstrating the highest incidence rates. Despite its relatively high prevalence, there are currently no FDA-approved treatments for CIPN, and clinicians must rely on the off-label use of several analgesics and various non-pharmacological approaches to treat CIPN symptoms in patients. Novel insights on the development of CIPN have identified new drug targets leading to several Phase II clinical trials to be initiated. Here, we describe recent advances in drug development for CIPN.

Stevia is a natural sweetener that has gained attention as a potential sugar substitute for glycemic control and weight management. Extensive research has shown that high sugar consumption is linked to obesity, dental caries, and other health issues. Stevia, derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, offers sweetness without calories and has a favorable glycemic profile. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in regulating blood glucose levels and reducing overall sugar and caloric intake. Consumer attitudes suggest a positive reception of Stevia as a sugar substitute among health-conscious individuals. However, further research is needed to understand its long-term effects and consumer sentiments. Future investigations should prioritize human clinical trials, targeted studies in diabetic populations, and exploration of Stevia’s interaction with gut microbiota, among other aspects. Stevia shows promise as a health-conscious alternative in glycemic control and weight management.

Background: Effective medication to manage diabetes mellitus-related organ complications with minimal adverse drug toxicity is still in pursuit by scientists worldwide. This study investigated the cardio-protective of Rida herbal bitter (RHB) in a high-fat diet/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.Methods: Thirty-two matured male Wistar rats (250 ± 20g) were used. The animals were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks before diabetes induction. A single dose of (35 mg/kgb.wt) freshly prepared STZ was injected intraperitoneally to induce diabetes. The animals were allocated into four groups, 8rats/group. Group I: control; Group II: HFD/STZ-induced diabetic rats; Groups III & IV: HFD/STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with 0.3 ml RHB & 200 mg/kgb.wt metformin respectively. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed, blood was sample collected via cardiac puncture and the heart was excised and homogenized. The blood samples and cardiac homogenates tissue were centrifuged to retrieve clear supernatant plasma for biochemical assay.Results: Diabetic rats exhibited significant (p < 0.05) elevated blood glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), cardiac biomarkers, lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), pro-inflammatory cytokines, food, and water intake levels with a reduction in body weight, cardiac antioxidant activity, and total protein. RHB administration significantly (p < 0.05) diminished the blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c, cardiac biomarkers, MDA, pro-inflammatory cytokines, lipid profile, food, and water intake, and improved the body weight cardiac antioxidant activity, and total protein.Conclusion: Rida herbal bitter possesses a cardio-protective effect from this study and could be a better alternative medication for managing diabetes and its related cardiovascular complications.

Animals are companions that have continued to hold importance in the average American household. Traditional animals like dogs and cats are often treated as family members due to the human-animal bond. Although it seems as if there are many benefits to having animals in the home, it comes at a price—pet-borne illnesses. Compared to adults, the pediatric population is at a greater risk for these types of illnesses. Animals are natural reservoirs for many bacteria that may be passed to children, especially those who are immunocompromised. The goal of this article is to educate parents on the risks and symptoms of common pet-borne illnesses that are difficult to prevent from coming into the home.

Background: Long-term care for patients with chronic kidney disease, whether in the pre or post-dialysis period, has a destructive impact on patients and their caregivers that can significantly worsen their quality of life. Objectives: To assess the quality of life (QOL) among caregivers of children suffering from chronic kidney disease and to identify the possible factors affecting their quality of life. Subjects and methods: Between March 2023 and May 2023, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted at King Saud Medical City for caregivers of all pediatric patients aged from 6 months to 14 years with CKD stage-3B and beyond who have been followed up for at least three months in the pre or post-dialysis period since 2015. The study applied the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) to evaluate the caregivers’ quality of life. Result: A total of 95 caregivers were involved in the study. The age ranged between 24 and 53 years, with an arithmetic mean of 39.3 and a standard deviation of (± 6.6) years, and almost two-thirds (65.3%) were Saudi nationals. Most pediatric patients were on peritoneal renal dialysis (41%), whereas 29.5% were on hemodialysis. The mean and SD of the overall score was 56.10 ± 17.40 out of a possible range of 0-100. Regarding its domains, the highest score was observed regarding the social domain (62.11 ± 21.12), whereas the lowest was the physical domain (49.55 ± 18.42). After controlling for confounding, married, high socio-economic, and more educated caregivers have higher QOL scores than singles, low socio-economic, and lower knowledgeable caregivers, and the three factors together were responsible for approximately 41% variability of the QOL score (r – square = 0.406). Bivariate Pearson correlation showed significant correlations among different quality-of-life domains (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There was a significant association between quality-of-life scores and demographic characteristics of chronic kidney disease caregivers; they need the highest support to cope with their delicate patients. 

The history of the origin of the medical uses of Radioiodine (RAI) has been compromised by false narratives as recently as June 2023 in the “Thyroid “article “Radioactive Iodine: A Living History”. Primary sources document Dr. Saul Hertz (1905 - 1950) as solely conceiving of the medical uses of RAI, being the first and foremost to develop the experimental data, bringing RAI from bench to bedside, and extending the use of radionuclides to diagnose and/or treat cancer and other conditions. Dr Hertz predicted and worked toward conquering cancer with other radionuclides. Saul Hertz overcame the racism of his time, a world war interrupting his first clinical study, a strong pushback from the surgeons, and unethical medical publishing practices. Today, Nuclear Medicine, Radiopharmacy, Medical Physics, and other specialties are collaborating and actively building on Saul Hertz’s enduring foundational work. 

The article presents materials that make it possible to understand the reason for the absence of one of the classic signs of inflammatory processes in patients with acute pneumonia. The peculiarities of the functional significance of the lungs for the body are the reason that in the case of inflammation in the tissues of the organ, nature has provided for the presence of a more important adaptive mechanism instead of pain as a signal sign. Understanding the causes of the absence of pain in pneumonia in the initial period, which is most responsible for timely and effective care for these patients, allows us to look at the pathogenesis of the disease from a new point of view, which is of fundamental importance for the correction and selection of pathogenetic means of care.

The combustion properties of energetic materials have been extensively studied in the scientific literature. With the rapid advancement of data science and artificial intelligence techniques, predicting the performance of solid rocket propellants (SRPs) has become a key focus for researchers globally. Understanding and forecasting the characteristics of SRPs are crucial for analyzing and modeling combustion mechanisms, leading to the development of cutting-edge energetic materials. This study presents a methodology utilizing artificial neural networks (ANN) to create multifactor computational models (MCM) for predicting the burning rate of solid propellants. These models, based on existing burning rate data, can solve direct and inverse tasks, as well as conduct virtual experiments. The objective functions of the models focus on burning rate (direct tasks) and pressure (inverse tasks). This research lays the foundation for developing generalized combustion models to forecast the effects of various catalysts on a range of SRPs. Furthermore, this work represents a new direction in combustion science, contributing to the creation of a High-Energetic Materials Genome that accelerates the development of advanced propellants.

Introduction: The current gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis by real-time RT-PCR has limitations of gene numbers that can be detected. In this study, we developed a low-cost and high-throughput next-generation sequencing technology that can overcome the limitations of RT-PCR. Methodology: A targeted sequencing panel (TSP) consisting of approximately 500 amplicons was designed that can simultaneously detect a broad range of gene loci of SARS-CoV-2 and genes for the most common viruses of respiratory infectious viruses in a single run of up to 96 samples. 448 samples and 31 control samples were examined independently with both TSP and RT-PCR, results were compared for accuracy and other indicators. Results:  TSP identified 50 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples with a 99.33% match to RT-PCR results. It is not surprising that TSP also identified multiple viral infections from 96 samples, whereas RT-PCR could not. TSP demonstrated its ability to conclude diagnosis for those undecided from RT-PCR tests. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that TSP is a fast and accurate test for detecting multiple pathogen infections of the respiratory tract.

Introduction: The use of local anesthesia (LA) prior to arterial blood gas sampling is recommended but is not widely used. We tested the hypothesis that intradermal administration of local anesthesia would be as effective as subcutaneous administration in reducing pain from arterial blood gas sampling.Aims: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intradermal and subcutaneous lignocaine on patient-perceived pain during arterial blood gas sampling. The secondary aims were to evaluate if different routes of LA administration had an impact on the difficulty and complications of ABG sampling.Methods: We undertook a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial in New Zealand. We enrolled patients attending a nurse-led outpatient oxygen clinic who were 18 to 90 years of age and who had an oxygen saturation of 93% or less at rest. Patients were randomly assigned to receive intradermal 1% lignocaine, subcutaneous 1% lignocaine, or subcutaneous normal saline. Patients and nurse assessors were blinded to the treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was a patient-assessed pain score using a graphic rating scale (0-10).Results: 135 patients were randomized (54 patients in the intradermal lignocaine group, 54 patients in the subcutaneous lignocaine group, and 27 in the subcutaneous saline group). The mean patient-assessed pain score for the intradermal lignocaine group was 1.8 (+/- 1.1), which was a relative reduction of 47% (95% C.I. 31%-59%, p < 0.0001) from the mean patient-assessed pain score of 3.4 (+/- 1.1) for the subcutaneous saline group. The mean patient-assessed pain score for the subcutaneous lignocaine group was 2.1 (+/- 1.1), which was also a significant relative reduction of 36% (95% C.I. 17%-51%, p = 0.0001) compared to the subcutaneous saline group. Intradermal lignocaine reduced pain more than subcutaneous lignocaine, with a relative pain reduction difference of 20% (95% CI -4%-49%, p = 0.05). Bruising was more frequent in the subcutaneous lignocaine group (9.3%) than in the intradermal (0%) and saline groups (0%). Conclusion: Intradermal lignocaine is at least as effective as subcutaneous lignocaine for reducing patient-perceived pain from arterial blood gas sampling and results in less bruising.

German universities of applied sciences have provided a large number of technical talents to society, and have made significant contributions to the enhancement of German education and industry. Drawing on the professional construction experience of German universities of applied sciences, this paper summarizes the path of civil engineering materials courses in China's high-level applied universities. The proposals for curriculum reform were discussed. Colleges and universities can cultivate professionals with strong hands-on abilities, strong exploration abilities, and a scientific research spirit. In addition, this paper puts forward that China needs to make changes from three levels: the country, universities, and teachers. Based on learning from the experience of collaborative education between teaching and scientific research in German universities, we have embarked on a road of education with China characteristics.

Background: Patients with acute and chronic leukemia presenting with hyperleukocytosis are at risk of developing leukostasis which has serious and life-threatening complications. Leukapheresis is usually performed to reduce the complications of leukostasis in patients presenting with hyperleukocytosis and clinical manifestations compatible with leukostasis. Methods and materials: A retrospective study of patients with acute and chronic leukemia who received leukapheresis for hyperleukocytosis between the 1st of January 2013 and the 31st of December 2023 at King Fahad Specialist Hospital (KFSH) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia was performed. Results: Over a period of 11 years, a total of 50 patients with acute and chronic leukemia presenting with hyperleukocytosis and clinical manifestations of leukostasis; 32 patients with acute leukemia (AL) and 18 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); received leukapheresis at our institution. Among the 32 patients with AL who received leukapheresis, 24 patients (75%) had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 7 patients (21.88%) had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 1 patient (3.13%) had bilineage acute leukemia (BAL). At presentation of their AL: 3 patients (9.38%) had fever, 9 patients (28.13%) had infections, 4 patients (12.5%) had palpable spleen or liver, 6 patients (18.75%) had palpable external lymph nodes, and 9 patients (28.13%) had extramedullary disease (EMD). After receiving induction and consolidation cycles of chemotherapy, 11 patients (34.38%) of AL patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). At the end of the follow-up, 17 patients (53.1%) with AL were alive while 15 patients (46.9%) were dead. The 8-year overall survival (OS) for all patients with AL subjected to leukapheresis was 47%. The 5 years OS for patients with AL who subsequently received HSCT and those who did not receive allogeneic HSCT were 70% and 40% respectively. The mean white blood cell (WBC) count of CML patients subjected to leukapheresis was 465.5 × 109/L, 11 patients (61.11%) had clear signs of leukostasis, and 8 patients (44.44%) had splenomegaly at presentation. Regarding the disease stage at presentation, 14 CML patients (77.78%) had chronic phase (CP), 2 patients (11.11%) had accelerated phase (AP) and 2 patients (11.11%) had blast phase (BP). Regarding the fate of CML patients at the end of the study were: 15 (83.33%) were alive, 1 (5.56%) dead, and 2 (11.11%) were unknown as they lost follow-up. However, the 10-year OS of patients with CML subjected to leukapheresis was 90%. Conclusion: Patients with acute or chronic leukemia presenting with hyperleukocytosis and either ongoing or impending leukostasis should have urgent cytoreductive chemotherapy and leukapheresis to prevent life-threatening complications. Although the outcome of AL patients presenting with leukostasis is generally poor, prompt cytoreductive therapy and leukapheresis, followed by induction chemotherapy and allogeneic HSCT may improve the outcome. Also, urgent cytoreduction including leukapheresis improves the outcome of patients with CML presenting with hyperleukocytosis and leukostasis.