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The STI CNM Real-Time PCR Kit from Vitro S.A. (Spain) demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity, is cost-effective, and can detect the three main etiological agents of urethritis/cervicitis in a single multiplex PCR. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant public health problem and a significant burden of morbidity and mortality in hospitals. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the number of daily infections to be 1 million. Currently, the number of infections and antimicrobial-resistant strains is rising. A rapid and accurate etiologic diagnosis is critical to solving this problem. In this study, we compared the STI CNM Real-Time PCR Kit using the Xpert® CT/NG technique (Cepheid®, USA) as Gold Standard for the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and EasyNAT® MG (Ustar Biotechnologies (Hangzhou) Ltd., China) as Gold Standard for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma genitalium infection. Regarding C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, out of 200 samples, there was a match in 199 cases, with only one positive sample not being detected by the STI CNM Real-Time PCR Kit. This results in a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 100% for this kit. Diagnosing M. genitalium infection, out of 200 samples, the STI CNM Real-Time PCR Kit correctly detected all negative and positive samples, with 100% agreement compared to the reference technique. In summary, the STI assay has a very high sensitivity and specificity, comparable to other commercial diagnostic kits. Furthermore, it has the advantage of bundling the detection of the three main bacterial agents of urethritis/cervicitis, resulting in better cost efficiency.

Meckel’s cave tumour, a rare benign tumour originating from the Schwann cells surrounding the trigeminal nerve within the Meckel’s cave region, can present with a variety of clinical manifestations. We report a case of a 44-year-old male patient who presented with symptoms of tear deficiency, including dryness, ocular discomfort, and blurred vision. Diagnostic evaluation revealed the presence of a Meckel’s cave tumour harming the trigeminal nerve, leading to alacrimia. This case highlights the association between Meckel’s cave tumour and tear deficiency disorders.

The aim of this work is to study the existence of zero-Hopf bifurcations of a new hyperchaotic system, using the averaging theory of dynamical systems of second order. Furthermore, at most one periodic orbit can bifurcate from the origin of coordinates.

Within the field of nanomedicine, which is revolutionizing cancer treatment, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have shown advantages over conventional chemotherapy when tested on cancer cells in preclinical studies. SLNs have proven to be an innovative strategy for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer cells, providing greater efficiency than existing treatments in various studies. The encapsulation of antineoplastic drugs in SLNs has facilitated a sustained, controlled, and targeted release, which enhances therapeutic efficiency and reduces adverse effects. Moreover, the surface of SLNs can be modified to increase efficiency. For instance, the coating of these particles with polyethylene glycol (PEG) decreases their opsonization, resulting in a longer life in the circulatory system. The creation of positively charged cationic SLNs (cSLNs), achieved by the utilization of surfactants or ionic lipids with positively charged structural groups, increases their affinity for cell membranes and plasma proteins. Hyaluronic acid has been added to SLNs so that the distinct pH of tumor cells would stimulate the release of the drug and/or genetic material. The current review summarizes the recent research on SLNs, focusing on the encapsulation and transport of therapeutic agents with a cytotoxic effect on triple-negative breast cancer.

In this study, the biodegradation properties of leather treated with various finishing chemicals were evaluated in order to enhance the sustainability of leather processing. We applied advanced analytical techniques, including FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Leather samples treated with different polymers, resins, bio-based materials, and traditional finishing agents were subjected to a composting process under controlled conditions to measure their biodegradability. The findings revealed that bio-based polyurethane finishes and acrylic wax exhibited biodegradability, while traditional chemical finishes like isocyanate and nitrocellulose lacquer showed moderate biodegradation levels. The results indicated significant differences in the biodegradation rates and the impact on plant germination and growth. Some materials, such as black pigment, nitrocellulose lacquer and wax, were beneficial for plant growth, while others, such as polyurethane materials, had adverse effects. These results support the use of eco-friendly finishes to reduce the environmental footprint of leather production. Overall, this study underscores the importance of selecting sustainable finishing chemicals to promote eco-friendly leather-manufacturing practices.

Purpose: To investigate best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), subretinal fluid (SRF) absorption time or ellipsoid zone (EZ) restoration time and various variables in patients with persistent SRF after successful primary repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD)., Methods: This retrospective multicenter study allowed independent analysis of the healing pattern by two observers based on composite of serial cross-sectional macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans. Univariate and multivariate analyses were implemented., Results: One hundred and three cases had persistent SRF after pars plana vitrectomy, scleral buckling, or pneumatic retinopexy. By univariate analysis, SRF resolution time correlated positively with the number of retinal breaks ( p  < 0.001) and with increased myopia ( p  = 0.011). Using multivariate analysis, final BCVA (log MAR) correlated positively with age, duration of RRD, initial BCVA (OR = 3.28; [95%CI = 1.44-7.47]; p  = 0.015), and SRF resolution time (OR = 0.46 [95%CI 0.21-1.05]; p  = 0.049). EZ restoration time was longer with increasing number of retinal tears (OR = 0.67; [95%CI 0.29-1.52]; p  = 0.030), worse final BCVA, and presence of macula-off RRD (OR = 0.26; [95%CI 0.08-0.88]; p  = 0.056). SRF resolution time correlated marginally with prone position., Conclusions: Residual posterior SRF is more common in eyes with multiple breaks or in myopic eyes. Final BCVA is better in younger subjects and in eyes with shorter duration of RRD. Persistent SRF is a self-limited disorder with a mean resolution of 11.2 months with good visual prognosis improving from a mean baseline logMAR of 1.08 to 0.25 at one year., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

This article describes findings from the evaluation of Healthy Families NZ (HFNZ), an equity-driven, place-based community health initiative. Implemented in nine diverse communities across New Zealand, HFNZ aims to strengthen the systems that can improve health and well-being. Findings highlight local needs and priorities including the social mechanisms important for reorienting health and policy systems towards place-based communities. Lessons encompass the importance of local lived experience in putting evidence into practice; the strength of acting with systems in mind; the need for relational, learning, intentional, and well-resourced community organisation; examples of how to foster place-based 'community-up' leadership; and how to enable responsiveness between communities and local and national policy systems. A reconceptualisation of scaling in the context of complexity and systems change is offered, which recognises that relationships and agency are key to making progress on the determinants of health., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To conduct a proof-of-concept study of the detection of two synthetic models of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using polarimetric imaging., Approach: Two SARS-CoV-2 models were prepared as engineered lentiviruses pseudotyped with the G protein of the vesicular stomatitis virus, and with the characteristic Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Samples were prepared in two biofluids (saline solution and artificial saliva), in four concentrations, and deposited as 5-µL droplets on a supporting plate. The angles of maximal degree of linear polarization (DLP) of light diffusely scattered from dry residues were determined using Mueller polarimetry from87 samples at 405 nm and 514 nm. A polarimetric camera was used for imaging several samples under 380-420 nm illumination at angles similar to those of maximal DLP. Per-pixel image analysis included quantification and combination of polarization feature descriptors in 475 samples., Main Results: The angles (from sample surface) of maximal DLP were 3° for 405 nm and 6° for 514 nm. Similar viral particles that differed only in the characteristic spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2, their corresponding negative controls, fluids, and the sample holder were discerned at 10-degree and 15-degree configurations., Significance: Polarimetric imaging in the visible spectrum may help improve fast, non-contact detection and identification of viral particles, and/or other microbes such as tuberculosis, in multiple dry fluid samples simultaneously, particularly when combined with other imaging modalities. Further analysis including realistic concentrations of real SARS-CoV-2 viral particles in relevant human fluids is required. Polarimetric imaging under visible light may contribute to a fast, cost-effective screening of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens when combined with other imaging modalities., Competing Interests: Emilio Gomez-Gonzalez reports financial support was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Institute of Health ‘Carlos III’. Emilio Gomez-Gonzalez reports financial support was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and ERDF. Francisco Jose Garcia-Cozar reports financial support was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Institute of Health ‘Carlos III’. Alejandro Barriga-Rivera reports financial support was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and ERDF. Olga Muñoz reports financial support was provided by Center of Excellence ‘Severo Ochoa’. Juan Carlos Gomez-Martin reports financial support was provided by Center of Excellence ‘Severo Ochoa’. Jose Luis Ramos reports financial support was provided by Center of Excellence ‘Severo Ochoa’. Olga Muñoz reports financial support was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (LEONIDAS Grant). Juan Carlos Gomez-Martin reports financial support was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (LEONIDAS Grant). Jose Luis Ramos reports financial support was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (LEONIDAS Grant). Emilio Gomez-Gonzalez has patent Apparatus and method for the optical detection of pathogens at a distance pending to Universidad de Sevilla and Andalusian Health Service. Alejandro Barriga-Rivera has patent Apparatus and method for the optical detection of pathogens at a distance pending to Universidad de Sevilla and Andalusian Health Service. Javier Marquez-Rivas has patent Apparatus and method for the optical detection of pathogens at a distance pending to Universidad de Sevilla and Andalusian Health Service. One coauthor serves as Handling Associate Editor for the Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy & Radiative Transfer - Olga Muñoz, (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Introduction: In Aotearoa New Zealand, being enrolled with a Primary Health Care (PHC) provider furnishes opportunities for lower cost access to PHC, preventative care and secondary health care services, and provides better continuity of care. We examine the characteristics of populations not enrolled, and whether enrolment is associated with amenable mortality., Method: We retrieved records of all deaths registered 2008 to 2017 in Aotearoa New Zealand, which included demographic and primary cause of death information. Deaths were classified as premature (aged under 75 years) or not, and amenable to health care intervention or not. The Primary Health Organisation (PHO) Enrolment Collection dataset provided the PHC enrolment status. Logistic regression was used to estimate the risk of amenable deaths by PHO enrolment status, adjusted for the effects of age, sex, ethnicity and deprivation., Results: A total of 308,628 mortality records were available. Of these, 38.2% were premature deaths, and among them 47.8% were amenable deaths. Cardiovascular diseases made up almost half of the amenable deaths. Males, youths aged 15-24 years, Pacific peoples, Māori and those living in the most socio-economically deprived areas demonstrated a higher risk of amenable mortality compared to their respective reference category. One in twenty (4.3%) people who had died had no active enrolment status in any of the calendar years in the study. The adjusted odds of amenable mortality among those not enrolled in a PHO was 39% higher than those enrolled [Odds Ratio = 1.39, 95% Confidence Interval 1.30-1.47]., Implications: Being enrolled in a PHC system is associated with a lower level of amenable mortality. Given demonstrated inequities in enrolment levels across age and ethnic groups, efforts to improve this could have significant benefits on health equity., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Silwal et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

This study aimed to assess whether the advanced characteristics of serum lipoprotein subclasses could better predict the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its severity compared to other established risk factors in subjects with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes. This observational, cross-sectional substudy analyzed DR-related data from 309 T1D and 264 T2D subjects. The advanced lipoprotein and glycoprotein profile was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (Liposcale test). NMR analysis of lipoproteins revealed that T1D subjects with DR showed standard non-HDL particles, despite higher IDL lipid concentrations. Notably, IDL lipids were elevated in T1D subjects with worsened DR. VLDL and LDL were smaller, whereas HDL triglycerides were increased in DR compared with non-DR. On the other hand, the T2D subjects with DR showed altered characteristics in the LDL fraction, mainly revealed by a significant decrease in smaller LDL and a reduction in LDL-C. Moreover, the glycoprotein profile did not reveal significant changes among DR groups, regardless of the type of diabetes. However, lipoprotein characteristics and glycoproteins unveiled by NMR analysis did not improve the predictive value of conventional lipids or other traditional, well-established biomarkers of DR in our cohorts.

Effective testing is essential to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. Here we report a-proof-of-concept study on hyperspectral image analysis in the visible and near-infrared range for primary screening at the point-of-care of SARS-CoV-2. We apply spectral feature descriptors, partial least square-discriminant analysis, and artificial intelligence to extract information from optical diffuse reflectance measurements from 5 µL fluid samples at pixel, droplet, and patient levels. We discern preparations of engineered lentiviral particles pseudotyped with the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 from those with the G protein of the vesicular stomatitis virus in saline solution and artificial saliva. We report a quantitative analysis of 72 samples of nasopharyngeal exudate in a range of SARS-CoV-2 viral loads, and a descriptive study of another 32 fresh human saliva samples. Sensitivity for classification of exudates was 100% with peak specificity of 87.5% for discernment from PCR-negative but symptomatic cases. Proposed technology is reagent-free, fast, and scalable, and could substantially reduce the number of molecular tests currently required for COVID-19 mass screening strategies even in resource-limited settings., (© 2022. The Author(s).)