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Abstract Germ cell connectivity via intercellular bridges is a widely conserved feature across metazoans. However, its functional significance is poorly understood. Intercellular bridges are essential for fertility in male mice as genetic ablation of a critical bridge component, TEX14, causes spermatogenic failure, but the underlying reasons are unknown. Here we utilized a Tex14 hypomorph with reduced intercellular bridges along with Tex14-null mice that completely lack bridges to examine the roles of germ cell connectivity during spermatogenesis. We report that in males deficient for TEX14 and intercellular bridges, germ cells fail to complete meiotic DNA replication, synapsis and meiotic double-strand break repair. They also derepress retrotransposons and accumulate retrotransposon-encoded proteins during meiosis. Single-cell RNA-sequencing confirms sharing of transcripts between wild-type spermatids and demonstrates its partial attenuation in Tex14 hypomorphs, indicating that intercellular bridges enable cytoplasmic exchange between connected germ cells in testes. Our findings suggest that regulation of meiosis is non-cell-intrinsic and inform a model in which intercellular bridges influence critical meiotic events and protect germline genome integrity during spermatogenesis.

Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications is an important part of future driver assistance and traffic control systems that will reduce accidents and congestion. The millimeter-wave (mmWave) band shows great promise to enable the high-data-rate links that are required or at least beneficial for such systems. To design such systems, we first need a detailed understanding of the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) propagation channels. This paper provides a systematic account of a series of measurement campaigns for such channels, conducted by the four research institutions of the authors over the past year. After a description of the similarities and differences of the channel sounders used in the campaigns, a description of the measurements in two European and one American city is given, and the scenarios of convoy, opposite-lane passing, and overtaking, are described. This is then followed by key results, presenting both sample results of power delay profiles and delay Doppler (or angular) spectra, as well as the statistical description such as delay spread and size of stationarity region. We also discuss the availability of spatial diversity in V2I connections and the correlation of the channels between different frequency bands.

Lycopene is a carotenoid derivative, which is a natural pigment synthesized by plants and microorganisms during the photosynthesis process. The study aimed to extract lycopene from tomatoes using organic solvents in a ratio of 2:1:1 of hexane, acetone, and ethanol. The amount of lycopene extracted was (4.87 mg/100 g). We notice a decrease in the values of the liver enzymes ALT, ALK, and AST upon oral administration of lycopene to male infected rats compared to with their values when acrylamide is given alone. A change was also noted in the liver tissue after treatment with lycopene compared to the infected group, as there was an improvement in the central vein, lobules, hepatic sinusoids, and Coover cells after they were congested, expanded, and contained bloody bleeding. In conclusion, lycopene as an antioxidant phyto-component, can protect liver against damages caused by acrylamide (or acrylic amide). Tomatoes can be considering as functional vegetable for protecting liver from damages of chemicals such as acrylamide. Keywords: Acrylamide, lycopene extraction, physiological properties, phytocomponent.

This paper proposes a hybrid approach that combines intelligent algorithms and modular design to solve a foraging problem within the context of swarm robotics. Deep reinforcement learning (RL) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) are deployed in the proposed modular architecture. They are utilized to search for many resources that vary in size and exhibit a dynamic nature with unpredictable movements. Additionally, they transport the collected resources to the nest. The swarm comprises 8 E-Puck mobile robots, each equipped with light sensors. The proposed system is built on a 3D environment using the Webots simulator. Through a modular approach, we address complex foraging challenges characterized by a non-static environment and objectives. This architecture enhances manageability, reduces computational demands, and facilitates debugging processes. Our simulations reveal that the RL-based model outperforms PSO in terms of task completion time, efficiency in collecting resources, and adaptability to dynamic environments, including moving targets. Notably, robots equipped with RL demonstrate enhanced individual learning and decision-making abilities, enabling a level of autonomy that fosters collective swarm intelligence. In PSO, the individual behavior of the robots is more heavily influenced by the collective knowledge of the swarm. The findings highlight the effectiveness of a modular design and deep RL for advancing autonomous robotic systems in complex and unpredictable environments.

Abstract Introduction Local recurrence and distant metastasis after curative surgery and chemotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious complication and is considered a failure of the therapeutic strategy. The aim of this study is to identify the different prognostic factors associated with tumor recurrence and distant metastasis in CRC. Design An analytical cross-sectional design was employed, and our hospital clinical and pathology databases were queried for non-metastatic CRC (stage I-III). Patients were included if they underwent surgery and chemotherapy between 01/2016 to 12/2018 and demographic information, tumor characteristics and postoperative outcomes were extracted from each case. The data were entered into a database using SPSS version 21. Univariate analysis was initially performed, followed by a multivariate analysis to develop a prognostic model for tumor recurrence and distant metastasis in CRC. Result A total of 138 non-metastatic CRC patients were enrolled in this study. The demographic characteristics of all patients are summarized in Table 1. Our study included 65 male and 73 female patients with a Median (IQR) age of 69 (17.7) years. Among the cases, 91 (65.9%) patients had no recurrence, and 47 (34.1%) patients developed a recurrence during follow-up. Univariate analysis revealed that positive lymph nodes (p = 0.03) and tumor deposits ≥ 4 (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with colorectal tumor recurrence and/or metastasis. However, variables such as age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, family history of CRC, PNI, LVI, tumor size, and histological features like mucinous or signet ring cell morphology did not show any statistical significance (p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, lymph node status, and tumor deposits, identified that tumor deposits ≥ 4 was the only predictor of tumor recurrence following colorectal surgery and chemotherapy. Conversely, positive lymph node status did not show statistical significance (p = 0.3). Further analysis revealed that patients who had tumor deposit number ≥ 4 tend to experience local recurrence/distant metastasis more than patients with tumor deposit number

Objectives Providing adequate access to mental health services is a global challenge. Smartphone apps offer a potentially cost-effective, available and accessible solution for monitoring, supporting and treating mental health conditions. This systematic review describes and evaluates the usage of smartphone apps across a wide range of mental health disorders in terms of clinical effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability.Design This is a systematic review of studies examining treatment, self-monitoring and multipurpose smartphone apps for mental health disorders.Data sources Studies were identified through a comprehensive search of the Ovid and PubMed databases. Articles published up to 14 January 2024 were included based on predefined criteria.Eligibility criteria We included randomised controlled trials that compared mental health apps (single- or multipurpose) with treatment-as-usual or no treatment for clinical populations with mental health disorders. Studies were excluded if they focused on web-based interventions, combined apps with non-TAU treatments or targeted physical health apps.Data extraction and synthesis Two independent reviewers screened and selected studies, with a third reviewer resolving inconsistencies. Extracted data included study details, participant characteristics, app information and outcome measures related to effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability. A risk-of-bias assessment for each study was conducted.Results Out of 4153 non-duplicate articles screened, 31 studies met full-text eligibility criteria. These included 6 studies on treatment apps, 4 on self-monitoring apps and 21 on multipurpose apps for a range of mental health disorders. Fifteen were identified as having between some and high concern on the risk-of-bias assessment. While smartphone apps were generally effective and acceptable, their feasibility appeared to decline over time.Conclusions Smartphone apps are promising tools for mental healthcare, demonstrating effectiveness and acceptability. However, challenges such as reduced feasibility over time, potential biases and underrepresented demographics require further research. This review proposes five recommendations for improving clinical translation in future studies.

Summary: Radiolabeled antibodies against the HIV-1 envelope protein, gp120, have been previously tested in animal models and in people with HIV (PWH). Nanobodies offer advantages over antibodies, including smaller size and faster clearance, which allow labeling with fluorine-18. In this study, three nanobodies (J3, 3E3, B9) chosen based on their binding properties to the conserved CD4-binding site of gp120 were labeled with fluorine-18 and used for PET imaging in mice bearing wild-type (WT) and/or gp120-expressing (Env+) tumors. [18F]J3 and [18F]3E3 selectively targeted Env+ tumors and not WT tumors, with minimal background signal. Switching from non-site-specific radiolabeling method to sortase A-mediated site-specific conjugation at the C-terminus improved binding to Env+ tumors for all nanobodies. Site-specifically 18F-labeled J3 nanobody is the most promising candidate with the highest level of binding. These results establish an Env+ imaging method that will enable next stage testing in an HIV-1 preclinical infection model and potentially in PWH.

Background: Rwandan individuals bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are at-risk of Ebola virus disease. A 2019 to 2021 vaccination campaign called UMURINZI offered a Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V. 2-dose heterologous Ebola vaccine regimen (Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo) to Rwandan individuals aged ≥2 years and not pregnant. In this region with high rates of pregnancy, preventing pregnancy until their second dose of the Ebola vaccine is essential to ensure full protection. This analysis describes contraceptive use, pregnancy incidence, serious adverse events (SAE), and the effect of pregnancy and SAE on receipt of the second dose among women in the UMURINZI vaccination campaign. Methods and findings: During the vaccination campaign, women who were fertile and sexually active were counseled as part of the campaign by trained UMURINZI nursing staff about preventing pregnancy until dose two (56 days post-dose one) and offered contraception. Women were followed up to their second dose appointment. Contraception, pregnancy incidence, and SAE were recorded. Of the 47,585 fertile and sexually active women, the mean age was 28·0 years (standard deviation 9·9 years), 54·7% (n = 26,051) were from Rubavu and 45·3% (n = 21,534) were from Rusizi, and 71·9% (n = 34,158) had not crossed the DRC border in the last year. Sixty-six percent (66·6%, n = 31,675) were not using modern contraception at baseline and 19·1% (n = 9,082) were using hormonal implants, 10·9% (n = 5,204) injectables, 2·9% (n = 1,393) oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), and 0·5% (n = 231) intrauterine devices. After contraceptive counseling, 8·0% (n = 2,549) of non-users initiated a method of contraception and 3·6% (n = 50) of OCP users switched to a more effective method. Of the 969 incident pregnancies detected after dose one, 18·8% (n = 182) resulted in an obstetric SAE, primarily due to spontaneous abortion which occurred in 16·0% (n = 155) of all incident pregnancies. Other obstetric SAE included 14 blighted ova, 9 stillbirths, 1 termination due to hydrops fetalis, 1 cleft palate, and 2 threatened abortions resulting in normal deliveries. Six pregnant women had a non-obstetric SAE (0·6%), including 1 postpartum death from COVID-19 and 5 hospitalizations. Among the 74,002 women without an incident pregnancy detected after dose one, 0·01% (n = 4) had an SAE; 2 were fatalities due to hypertension and diabetes in one case and seizures in the other, and the other 2 were hospitalizations. No SAE were determined to be related to the vaccine by the program physicians. Among the 74,002 women without an incident pregnancy detected after dose one, 94·6% (n = 69,986) received dose two; in contrast, among the 969 women with an incident pregnancy detected after dose one, 34·5% (n = 334) received dose two after pregnancy completion. Conclusions: Many fertile and sexually active women who sought vaccination during UMURINZI were not using contraception prior to vaccination, and contraceptive method uptake after family planning counseling and method provision was low. Most women who became pregnant after the first vaccination dose did not receive the second dose, thus potentially reducing protection against Ebola. Family planning messaging for this context should be developed and pilot-tested. The estimated risk of spontaneous abortion was similar to previous estimates from Rwanda and other African countries. Author summary: Why was this study done?: In 2019, the UMURINZI Ebola vaccination campaign was launched in Rwanda as a result of repeated outbreaks across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the high volume of Rwandan individuals crossing the border regularly. Pregnant women were excluded from UMURINZI due to limited vaccine safety data in pregnant women at the time. Unplanned incident pregnancy after vaccine dose one could reduce the number of women who receive dose two. To the best of our knowledge, there is no identifiable literature about offering family planning methods for short-term pregnancy prevention during multidose vaccination campaigns. What did the researchers do and find?: We describe contraceptive use, pregnancy incidence, serious adverse events (SAE), and the associations between pregnancy and SAE and the outcome of receipt of the second vaccine dose among women in the campaign. Contraceptive method use was low and uptake after family planning counseling and method provision was also low. Many women who became pregnant after the first vaccine dose did not receive the second dose, thus potentially reducing protection against Ebola. What do these findings mean?: Large-scale vaccination campaigns are often outbreak-driven, time-limited, and exclude pregnant populations due to safety concerns, and family planning messaging for this context should be developed and pilot-tested. Given the limited nature of programmatic data, we were unable to explore the role of predictors of family planning use such as partner information, frequency of sexual intercourse, or income which would be informative for designing family planning messaging for this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the relationship between regional epithelial thickness and corneal toricity and estimate the epithelium's impact on corneal power in normal corneas. Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study evaluating 200 eyes from 200 patients categorized into one of three groups based on corneal toricity obtained with Scheimpflug imaging: (1) 80 non-toric (NT) eyes (< 0.50 diopters [D] in any meridian), (2) 80 with-the-rule (WTR) eyes (⩾ +1.50 D @90 ± 22.5°), and (3) 40 against-the-rule (ATR) eyes (⩾ +1.50 D @180 ± 22.5°). Epithelial thickness maps (9 mm) were generated using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) imaging (Avanti RTVue XR; Optovue, Inc). Mathematical modeling was used to evaluate the epithelium's impact on corneal power. Results: There were no differences in mean curvature between groups (range: 43.2 to 43.7 µm). Average epithelial thickness profile within the central 9-mm zone varied by approximately 2 µm or less laterally but was thinner superiorly than inferiorly in all three groups (52.45 to 53.36 vs 56.01 to 56.48 µm) with no significant differences between groups. There were no differences in any measured epithelial metric at any location nor any deviation in overall epithelial thickness pattern between groups. There were minimal average variations (< 4 µm) across the cornea between central and peripheral values in any meridian. The modeled impact on corneal optics was a net reduction in curvature by approximately 0.30 D with less than 0.10 D of possible variation resulting from differences in regional thickness. Conclusions: Regional epithelial thickness was unrelated to underlying corneal toricity and had minimal impact on corneal power in normal eyes. There was no evidence that normal epithelium significantly masks underlying normal stromal toricity, nor does the epithelium significantly contribute to corneal power under normal conditions. [J Refract Surg. 2025;41(2):e91–e101.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and measures used to contain it have had a significant psychosocial impact. This paper reports a study of its psychological effects in 108 UK residents who completed an online survey between the first and second waves of the pandemic asking them to describe the main difficulties that they experienced and how they coped with these, what they had learnt from the pandemic, and their anticipations of a post-pandemic future. Deductive thematic content analysis of the results in terms of diagnostic constructs of personal construct psychology identified overarching themes of transitions, with themes of anxiety, threat, loss of role, sadness, contempt, and stress; strategies, with themes of constriction, hostility, and individual coping strategies; reconstruction, including revision of superordinate constructs, revision of subordinate constructs, and no reconstruction; and anticipations, with themes of recovery of certainty and structure, constriction, dilation, aggression, and no anticipation. Two contrasting patterns were observed, one characterized by failure to reconstrue, hostility, and/or constriction, and the other by revision of superordinate constructs, dilation, and/or aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In engineering applications, there is a need to reform the excitation methods used for jet impingement to achieve simpler and more effective thermal exchange. Jet impingement is a highly effective method for enhancing heat transfer, characterized by its ability to create high heat transfer coefficients. These characteristics make it a preferred method in applications requiring efficient thermal management, such as cooling of electronic components, turbine blade cooling in jet engines, and material processing. However, traditional excitation methods for jet impingement can be complex and challenging to implement. Therefore, there is a growing interest in developing new excitation methods that are simpler and more effective. The methods used can be categorized into three groups, including passive self-excited jets, active excited jets, and hybrid methods. Passive methods, such as annular, swirling, and sweeping jets, utilize the inherent characteristics of jet flow without requiring additional energy consumption. Active systems, on the other hand, involve supplementary devices such as fans or pumps to intensify heat transfer. Examples of active excited jets include synthetic and pulsed jets. Hybrid methods combine two or more methods to further thermal improvement that can reach more than 20%. This paper reviews experimental and numerical hybrid methods to enhance heat transfer to impinged surfaces. Experimental tools, including high-speed imaging, methods, such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), are reviewed. The efficacy of these methods is evaluated by comparing their performance, highlighting the potential for optimization and innovation in jet impingement heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iraqi Journal of Community Medicine is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the identification of glass foreign bodies using conventional X-ray in a gelatinous model. The study aimed to determine the visibility of glass fragments on radiographs and explored the size of fragments that may not be detected. The research found that glass fragments as small as 1 mm were visible on X-ray imaging, challenging the misconception that glass is not radiopaque. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in clinical settings, as the size of glass foreign bodies can impact radiographic accuracy. [Extracted from the article]