Analysis of gene expression data from non-small celllung carcinoma cell lines reveals distinct sub-classesfrom those identified at the phenotype level

Microarray data from cell lines of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) can be used to look for differences in gene expression between the cell lines derived from different tumour samples, and to investigate if these differences can be used to cluster the cell lines into distinct groups. Dividing the cell lines into classes can help to improve diagnosis and the development of screens for new drug candidates. The micro-array data is first subjected to quality control analysis and then subsequently normalised using three alternate methods to reduce the chances of differences being artefacts resulting from the normalisation process. The final clustering into sub-classes was carried out in a conservative manner such that subclasses were consistent across all three normalisation methods. If there is structure in the cell line population it was expected that this would agree with histological classifications, but this was not found to be the case. To check the biological consistency of the sub-classes the set of most strongly differentially expressed genes was be identified for each pair of clusters to check if the genes that most strongly define sub-classes have biological functions consistent with NSCLC

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. // Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. // Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. // Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

The International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce (INPST) and the power of Twitter networking exemplified through #INPST hashtag analysis

Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools. Methods: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST. Results and Conclusion: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

A Decomposition Approach based on Taylor Series for Solving Bi-Level Large Scale Quadratic Problems with Fuzzy Numbers

This paper presented a decomposition approach and TOPSIS approach to solve a bi-level large-scale quadratic programming problem (BLLSQPP) with fuzzy parameters in the objective function based on Taylor series and compare between a decomposition algorithm and TOPSIS approach. The basic idea of the proposed approach is to convert the fuzzy number nature of this problem into equivalent deterministic nature. Then the Taylor series will be combined with decomposition algorithm to obtain the satisfactory solution for problem under investigation. To demonstrate the power of the proposed approach, a numerical example is solved and compared with the solutions of the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach

Influences of olive leaf extract in the kidney of diabetic pregnant mice and their offspring

Abstract Background Phytotherapeutic treatment is used in the treatment of diabetes and its complications. The current study aims to evaluate the significant effect of supplementation of aqueous olive leaf extract (OLE) (Olea europaea) in the kidney of diabetic pregnant mice and their fetuses. Forty pregnant mice were divided into four groups contained 10 mice each after mating. The first group was the control (G1). The second group (GII) was intraperitoneally injected by a single dose of (240 mg/kg body weight) of streptozotocin (STZ). The third group (GIII) was administrated with a daily oral dose of extract of olive leaf extract (100 mg/kg) from days 1 to 18 of gestation. The fourth group (GIV) was injected intraperitoneally by a single dose of (240 mg/kg body weight) of STZ and post-treatment with oral dose of extract of olive leaves from days 1 to day 18 of gestation. Results Both mothers and their fetuses of STZ-induced diabetic group showed a decrease in weight compared to control and diabetic group supplemented OLE extract. According to the biochemical and histopathological observations, the STZ-induced diabetic group showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in serum urea and creatinine levels parallel with detectable histopathological changes in kidney tissues of pregnant mice and their fetuses. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in serum urea and creatinine (P < 0.05) of diabetic mother group under treatment with OLE as compared to diabetic mice. Also, histological findings showed improved renal architecture as reflected by reduced glomerular and tubular necrosis in pregnant mice and their fetuses when compared with control group. Also, there was an increase in the anti-angiotensin II (Ang II) immunoreactivity in renal tubules, intra-glomerular, and interstitial cells in the kidney tissue of STZ-induced diabetic group which was markedly improved by treatment with OLE. Conclusion Oral administration of aqueous olive leaf extract to diabetic pregnant mice and their fetuses has ameliorative effect on weight gain as well as kidney functions and has the ability to minimize the damage in the kidney and placental tissue caused by hyperglycemia, and this effect may be attributed to its antioxidant activity

Enhancement of Antimicrobial and Dyeing Properties of Cellulosic Fabrics via Chitosan Nanoparticles

The primary goal of this study is to prepare chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) by the ionic gelation method via the treatment of chitosan (0.2 wt.%) with tripolyphosphate (0.2 wt.%) ultrasonically for 45 min. FT-IR spectroscopy and TEM images were used to characterize and validate CSNP production. Cellulosic materials with different concentrations of CSNPs have better antibacterial and colouring characteristics. The treated cellulosic fabrics were analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy, SEM, and thermogravimetric analysis. Colourimetric data measurements expressed in K/S values were used to evaluate the impact of CSNPs on the dyeing affinity of cellulosic materials. In addition, antibacterial activity against bacteria and fungi was tested on the treated cellulosic fabrics. According to the K/S values, cellulosic textiles treated with CSNPs (0.3 wt.%) had a better affinity for acid dyeing. These textiles also offer better antibacterial properties and are more resistant to washing, light, and rubbing. A cytotoxicity study found that CSNPs give cellulosic materials antibacterial and acid dyeing properties, which is good for the environment

Cytological, hormonal, and ovarian hemodynamic alteration during the normal oestrus and split heat cycles in bitches

Hormonal levels, particularly progesterone (P4), could be used to predict the day of luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, which is important not only for optimum ovulation but also for the detection of some abnormalities such as split heat. This study aimed to determine cytological, hormonal, and ovarian vascularity changes in normal cyclic and split heat bitches during proestrus and estrous phases. Pluriparous females (n=40) were categorized into two groups as follows: Group A (n=35; with a normal sequence of oestrus cycle) and Group B (n=5; split heat females with a short duration of proestrus). Doppler and hormonal assessments were performed daily from day 0 until day 15. Compared to Group B, both ovarian arteries (OA) Doppler indices decreased in Group A, with the most significant decline occurring between days 7 and 12. While peak velocity (PSV; cm/sec) was elevated in Group A compared to its value in Group B. In Group A, estradiol (E2) levels were higher (P 0.05) than in Group B, with the most significant increase observed between days 7-12. Group A showed an increase in nitric oxide (NO) from days 8 to 12 with no change in split heat bitches (P<0.05). P4 levels were slightly elevated (P<0.05) until they reached 3.5±0.09 and 8.25±0.22 ng/ml on days 10 and 15, respectively. Nevertheless, bitches showed split heat in Group B, P4 level was low. In Group A, IGF-1 levels were elevated in the proestrus phase until day 9 (155.32±5.26) and in the estrous phase until day 15 (175.56±3.66) compared to other groups. In Group B, the dominance of small intermediate cells and RBCs on all days remained unchanged on all days, in contrast to Group A, where cornified cells began to dominate on day 15. In conclusion, these data suggested that the evaluation of ovarian hemodynamics, in addition to hormonal and cytological assessments, could be critical parameters not only for the optimum ovulation prediction by progesterone assay related to LH but also for the detection of any abnormalities such as split heat or irregular estrous interval

Cytological, hormonal, and ovarian hemodynamic alteration during the normal oestrus and split heat cycles in bitches

Hormonal levels, particularly progesterone (P4), could be used to predict the day of luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, which is important not only for optimum ovulation but also for the detection of some abnormalities such as split heat. This study aimed to determine cytological, hormonal, and ovarian vascularity changes in normal cyclic and split heat bitches during proestrus and estrous phases. Pluriparous females (n=40) were categorized into two groups as follows: Group A (n=35; with a normal sequence of oestrus cycle) and Group B (n=5; split heat females with a short duration of proestrus). Doppler and hormonal assessments were performed daily from day 0 until day 15. Compared to Group B, both ovarian arteries (OA) Doppler indices decreased in Group A, with the most significant decline occurring between days 7 and 12. While peak velocity (PSV; cm/sec) was elevated in Group A compared to its value in Group B. In Group A, estradiol (E2) levels were higher (P 0.05) than in Group B, with the most significant increase observed between days 7-12. Group A showed an increase in nitric oxide (NO) from days 8 to 12 with no change in split heat bitches (P&lt;0.05). P4 levels were slightly elevated (P&lt;0.05) until they reached 3.5±0.09 and 8.25±0.22 ng/ml on days 10 and 15, respectively. Nevertheless, bitches showed split heat in Group B, P4 level was low. In Group A, IGF-1 levels were elevated in the proestrus phase until day 9 (155.32±5.26) and in the estrous phase until day 15 (175.56±3.66) compared to other groups. In Group B, the dominance of small intermediate cells and RBCs on all days remained unchanged on all days, in contrast to Group A, where cornified cells began to dominate on day 15. In conclusion, these data suggested that the evaluation of ovarian hemodynamics, in addition to hormonal and cytological assessments, could be critical parameters not only for the optimum ovulation prediction by progesterone assay related to LH but also for the detection of any abnormalities such as split heat or irregular estrous interval