Screening attendance of breast or cervical cancers and its associated factors among 30-49 year old women in Gedeo zone, South Ethiopia : cross-sectional study

Introduction: Breast and cervical cancers are the most frequent and fatal cancers among women. Thus, early detection is necessary to improve the prognosis of affected women. However, in Ethiopia, the rates of screening remain alarmingly low. Objective: To assess the magnitude of screening attendance for breast or cervical cancer, as well as the factors that predict it, among women aged 30–49 years old in Gedeo Zone, South Ethiopia, in 2023. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a multi-stage cluster sampling technique. Data were collected using pretested, structured questionnaires by trained interviewers. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify factors associated with screening attendance. Results: A total of 554 women participated in the study. Of them, 132 (23.8%) were screened for breast or cervical cancer. Higher age of 40–44 versus 45–49 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.18 [95% CI 1.59, 10.9]), higher education status ([AOR] 5.49 [95% CI 2.01, 13.1]), having family or a friend with history of breast or cervical cancer ([AOR] 5.55 [95% CI 2.47, 12.5]), short anticipated time to seek help ([AOR] 4.66 [1.31, 11.7]), adequate health literacy ([AOR] 6.98 [95% CI 2.82,13.3]) and high self-efficacy ([AOR] 2.32 [95% CI 1.08, 4.96]) were positive factors with higher screening attendance. High response cost ([AOR] 0.19 95% CI [0.08, 0.50]) was a negative factor and associated with lower screening attendance. Conclusion and recommendation: The study found that only one in four women attended breast or cervical cancer screening. Screening uptake was better in women with higher education, health literacy, self-efficacy, and older age–similar to factors associated with other health seeking behavior. Interestingly, history of breast or cervical cancer in a friend or relative was also associated with higher uptake. This indicates that in addition to awareness campaigns, personal testimonials of survivors could encourage women to visit screening facilities

German evidence- and consensus-based guideline on the management of penile urethritis

Die Urethritis ist ein häufiges, überwiegend durch sexuell übertragene Erreger wie Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae oder Mycoplasma genitalium verursachtes Krankheitsbild. Alleine aufgrund klinischer Merkmale ist die Unterscheidung der Erreger und der Ausschluss von Koinfektionen nicht sicher möglich. In der praktischen Versorgungssituation wird jedoch oftmals, noch vor dem Erregernachweis, eine empirische antibiotische Therapie durchgeführt. Ziel dieser evidenzbasierten S3-Leitline ist die Förderung einer rationalen Syndrom-orientierten Herangehensweise an das klinische Management männlicher Jugendlicher und Erwachsener mit Symptomen einer Urethritis. Neben Empfehlungen für Diagnostik, Klassifikation und Therapie beinhaltet die Leitlinie Empfehlungen zur Indikationsstellung für die empirische antibiotische Behandlung der penilen Urethritis. Neu gegenüber vorbestehenden, erregerspezifischen Leitlinien ist unter anderem das Flowchart für das Syndrom-orientierte praktische Management. Bei Indikation zur empirischen Behandlung und Verdacht auf eine gonorrhoische Urethritis soll Ceftriaxon angewandt werden. Zusätzlich sollte, aufgrund des Risikos für eine Koinfektion mit Chlamydia trachomatis, Doxycyclin verordnet werden, es sei denn, eine Wiedervorstellung zur Behandlung möglicher Koinfektionen ist gesichert. Bei Verdachtsdiagnose einer nichtgonorrhoischen Urethritis soll die empirische Therapie mit Doxycyclin erfolgen. Azithromycin ist zur empirischen Behandlung der gonorrhoischen und nichtgonorrhoischen penilen Urethritis nur einzusetzen, wenn Kontraindikationen gegenüber Doxycyclin bestehen. Detaillierte Empfehlungen zur Differenzialdiagnostik, erregerspezifischen Behandlungen, spezifischen Situationen und zur Beratung und Nachsorge finden sich in der Leitlinie

Primary headache attributed to external compression or traction to the head : a narrative review

Background: The aim of this review is to synthesize the existing knowledge regarding headaches attributed to external physical stimuli, as classified by the ICHD-3 (Group 4.6). Two forms can be distinguished in this group: (1) headache attributed to external compression and (2) headache attributed to external traction. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using the Medline (PubMed) database and other relevant academic sources. All English-language articles were subjected to a relevance assessment. Results: The prevalence of the two types of headache varies considerably, with a higher incidence observed in women or in the presence of predisposing factors (e.g., work with compulsory helmets or long hair). An external-compression headache is typically described as a pressing sensation, whereas an external-traction headache is characterized by a sensation of pulling. The headaches typically persist for less than an hour after the stimulus has ceased, and the intensity is typically reported as mild to moderate. Apart from avoiding the trigger, which is not always possible, effective therapies have not been established. Conclusion: Both types of headaches are relatively common, yet they remain underrepresented in the scientific literature. Furthermore, there is a dearth of comprehensive overviews. If the triggering factor cannot be eliminated, both types of headaches can interfere with daily living and working

T14diLys/DOPE liposomes : an innovative option for siRNA-based gene knockdown?

Background/Objectives: Bringing small interfering RNA (siRNA) into the cell cytosol to achieve specific gene silencing is an attractive but also very challenging option for improved therapies. The first step for successful siRNA delivery is the complexation with a permanent cationic or ionizable compound. This protects the negatively charged siRNA and enables transfection through the cell membrane. The current study explores the performance of the innovative, ionizable lipid 2-Tetradecylhexadecanoic acid-(2-bis{[2-(2,6-diamino-1-oxohexyl)amino]ethyl}aminoethyl)-amide (T14diLys), in combination with 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE), for siRNA delivery and the impact of the production method (sonication vs. extrusion) on the particle properties. Methods: Liposomes were produced either with sonication or extrusion and characterized. The extruded liposomes were combined with siRNA at different N/P ratios and investigated in terms of size zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, lipoplex stability against RNase A, and knockdown efficiency using enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP)-marked colon adenocarcinoma cells. Results: The liposomes prepared by extrusion were smaller and had a narrower size distribution than the sonicated ones. The combination of siRNA and liposomes at a nitrogen-to-phosphate (N/P) ratio of 5 had optimal particle properties, high encapsulation efficiency, and lipoplex stability. Gene knockdown tests confirmed this assumption. Conclusions: Liposomes produced with extrusion were more reproducible and provided enhanced particle properties. The physicochemical characterization and in vitro experiments showed that an N/P ratio of 5 was the most promising ratio for siRNA delivery

Changes in reproduction mediate the effects of climate change and grassland management on plant population dynamics

Climate change is one of the largest threats to grassland plant species, which can be modified by land management. Although climate change and land management are expected to separately and interactively influence plant demography, this has been rarely considered in climate change experiments. We used a large-scale experiment in central Germany to quantify the effects of grassland management, climate change, and their joint effect on the demography and population growth rate of 11 plant species all native to this temperate grassland ecosystem. We parameterized integral projection models with five years of demographic data to project population growth rate. We hypothesized that plant populations perform better in the ambient than in the future climate treatment that creates hotter and drier summer conditions. Further, we hypothesized that plant performance interactively responds to climate and land management in a species-specific manner based on the drought, mowing, and grazing tolerances as well as the flowering phenology of each species. Due to extreme drought events, over half of our study species went quasi extinct, which highlights how extreme climate events can influence long-term experimental results. We found no consistent support for our expectation that plants perform better in ambient compared with future climate conditions. However, several species showed interactive responses to the treatments, indicating that optimal management strategies for plant performance are expected to shift with climate change. Changes in population growth rates of these species across treatments were mostly due to changes in plant reproduction. Experiments combined with measuring plant demographic responses provide a way to isolate the effects of different drivers on the long-term persistence of species and to identify the demographic vital rates that are critical to manage in the future. Our study suggests that it will become increasingly difficult to maintain species with preferences for moister soil conditions, and that climate and land use can interactively alter demographic responses of the remaining grassland species

Micellar solvent accessibility of esterified polyoxyethylene chains as crucial element of polysorbate oxidation : A density functional theory, molecular dynamics simulation and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry investigation

Given that the amphiphilicity of polysorbates represents a key factor in the protection of proteins from particle formation, the loss of this property through degradative processes is a significant concern. Therefore, the present study sought to identify the factors that contribute to the oxidative cleavage of the polysorbate (PS) molecule and to ascertain the preferred sites of degradation. In order to gain insight into the radical susceptibility of the individual polysorbate segments and their accessibility to water, conceptual density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations were performed. The behavior of monoesters and diesters was examined in both monomer form and within the context of micelles. The theoretical results were corroborated by experimental findings, wherein polysorbate 20 was subjected to 50 ppb Fe2+ and 100,000 lx·h of visible light, and subsequently stored at 25 °C/60% r.h. or 40 °C/75% r.h. for a period of 3 months. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that unesterified polyoxyethylene(POE) chains within a polysorbate 20 molecule exhibited the greatest water accessibility, indicating their heightened susceptibility to oxidation. Nevertheless, the oxidative cleavage of esterified polyoxyethylene chains of a polysorbate 20 molecule is highly detrimental to the protective effect on protein particle formation. This occurs presumably at the oxyethylene (OE) units in the vicinity of the sorbitan ring, leaving a nonamphiphilic molecule in the worst case. Consequently, the critical degradation sites were identified, resulting in the formation of degradation products that indicate a loss of amphiphilicity in PS

Seeing economic development like a large language model : a methodological approach to the exploration of geographical imaginaries in generative AI

The recent hype surrounding the disruptive potential of AI technologies in the form of large language models or text to image generators also raises questions for geographical research and practice. These questions include the power relations and inequalities inscribed in these systems, their significance for work and labor relations, their ecological and economic impact, but also the geographical and spatial imaginaries they reproduce. This article focuses on the latter and formulates a series of theoretical and methodological considerations for dealing with the output of these systems. As we assume that outputs generated by large language models will play an increasing role in the future, both in public and media discourses as well as in the discourses and practices of spatial planning and economic policy making, we consider it important to gain a critical understanding of these socio-technical systems. The empirical object of investigation of this paper is generated output that deals with questions of regional development and economic challenges in three European regions that are currently particularly affected by the transition to a climate-neutral economy and are designated by the European Union as Just Transition Fund Territories. We are particularly interested in how geographical imaginaries about these regions are formulated, how economic and social problems of these regions are presented and how this is translated into planning advice and development plans

Trisomy 26 in a Holstein calf with disorders of sex development

Hypospadias occurs sporadically in male livestock and is characterized by a non-fused urethra during fetal development. In this study, perineal hypospadias, a bifid scrotum, penile hypoplasia, and bilateral abdominal cryptorchidism were diagnosed in a neonatal Holstein male calf. Septicemia was also suspected due to hypothermia, blurred conjunctivae, and loss of sucking and swallowing reflexes. Gross pathology revealed that both testicles were located intraabdominally caudally to the kidneys. Histopathological examination of the hypospadias showed a urothelium-lined mucosal fold and parts of the corpus cavernosum penis and prepuce in the subcutis. Whole genome sequencing was performed on the affected calf. Analysis of short-read coverage depth along the chromosomes identified an entire extra copy of chromosome 26. Based on the comparison of available variant calling data from the sire, the identified trisomy 26 is due to non-disjunction of homologous chromosomes during the generation of paternal gametes. We have shown for the first time an association between bovine hypospadias and trisomy 26, which adds to the understanding of variation in fetal male sexual development

Discovery of nostatin A, an azole-containing proteusin with prominent cytostatic and pro-apoptotic activity

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are intriguing compounds with potential pharmacological applications. While many RiPPs are known as antimicrobial agents, a limited number of RiPPs with anti-proliferative effects in cancer cells are available. Here we report the discovery of nostatin A (NosA), a highly modified RiPP belonging among nitrile hydratase-like leader peptide RiPPs (proteusins), isolated from a terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. Its structure was established based on the core peptide sequence encoded in the biosynthetic gene cluster recovered from the producing strain and subsequent detailed nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectrometry analyses. NosA, composed of a 30 amino-acid peptide core, features a unique combination of moieties previously not reported in RiPPs: the simultaneous presence of oxazole/thiazole heterocycles, dehydrobutyrine/dehydroalanine residues, and a sactionine bond. NosA includes an isobutyl-modified proline residue, highly unusual in natural products. NosA inhibits proliferation of multiple cancer cell lines at low nanomolar concentration while showing no hemolysis. It induces cell cycle arrest in S-phase followed by mitochondrial apoptosis employing a mechanism different from known tubulin binding and DNA damaging compounds. NosA also inhibits Staphylococcus strains while it exhibits no effect in other tested bacteria or yeasts. Due to its novel structure and selective bioactivity, NosA represents an excellent candidate for combinatorial chemistry approaches leading to development of novel NosA-based lead compounds

Educational attainment and cognitive behavioral therapy treatment outcome in late-life depression : a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the association of different levels of educational attainment with the impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Late-Life Depression (LLD-CBT) compared to a supportive unspecific intervention (SUI). Methods: A secondary analysis of the multicenter, randomized controlled trial “CBTlate” was conducted with n = 229 participants aged 60 years and older with moderate to severe depression who received either LLD-CBT (n = 115) or SUI (n = 114). Depressive symptoms as outcome were assessed with the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Educational attainment was categorized according to the school and vocational education based system (CASMIN). Intention-to-treat analysis was performed using multilevel mixed effects linear models. Results: While the model showed no significant overall effect of education on treatment outcome, analysis revealed a significant treatment effect for the low educational attainment group (group*time interaction, x2(2) = 6.45, p = .040) with LLD-CBT being superior to SUI in the reduction of depressive symptoms from baseline to the end of treatment (Estimated Marginal Mean Difference (EMMD) = 5.30, 95 %-CI = 8.93 to 2.12) and to follow-up (EMMD = -7.34, 95 %-CI = 11.24 to 3.43). There was no corresponding significant effect for the medium and high educational group. In the low remission and response rates were significantly higher in the LLD-CBT compared to the SUI group at follow-up. Conclusion: Participants may have responded differently to LLD-CBT and SUI depending on their previous school and vocational education. This may be taken into account for future research and potentially when treating patients with LLD and individualizing interventions for this patient group