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Aim: Calcium hydroxide (CH) has been considered as a direct pulp capping materials (DPC) for the last decades despite having some limitations. Phosphorylate pullulan (PPL) incorporated with CH (CHPPL) is a novel biomaterial that was introduced as a promising DPC material. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the inflammatory response and mineralized tissue formation (MTF) ability of PPL‐based CH formulations on rat molars after DPC. Methodology: This study consisted of six groups: CH with 1% PPL (CHPPL‐1); 3% PPL (CHPPL‐3); 5% PPL (CHPPL‐5); Dycal and NEX MTA Cement (N‐MTA) as the positive control, and no capping materials (NC). One hundred twenty maxillary first molar cavities were prepared on Wistar rats. After capping, all the cavities were restored with 4‐META/MMA‐TBB resin and pulpal responses were evaluated at days 1, 7, and 28. Kruskal–Wallis followed by Mann–Whitney U‐test was performed with a significance level of 0.05. Immunohistochemical expression of IL‐6, Nestin, and DMP‐1 was observed. Results: At day 1, CHPPL‐1, N‐MTA, and Dycal exhibited no to mild inflammation, whilst CHPPL‐3, CHPPL‐5, and NC showed mild to moderate inflammation, and the results were significantly different (p <.05). At day 7, mild to moderate inflammation was observed in CHPPL‐1, N‐MTA, and Dycal, whereas CHPPL‐3, CHPPL‐5, and NC exhibited moderate to severe inflammation. Significant differences were observed between CHPPL‐1 and N‐MTA with NC (p <.05), CHPPL‐1 and CHPPL‐3 with CHPPL‐5 and Dycal (p <.05), and CHPPL‐3 with N‐MTA (p <.05). A thin layer of mineralized tissue formation (MTF) was observed in all groups. At day 28, CHPPL‐1, Dycal, and N‐MTA showed no to mild inflammation, whilst CHPPL‐3, CHPPL‐5, and NC exhibited mild to severe inflammation, and statistically significant difference was detected (p <.05). CHPPL‐1, Dycal, and N‐MTA exhibited continuous MTF, whilst CHPPL‐3, CHPPL‐5, and NC had thicker and interrupted MTF. Significant differences were observed between CHPPL‐1, CHPPL‐3, and N‐MTA with NC group (p <.05). Variable expressions of IL‐6, Nestin, and DMP‐1 indicated differences in the materials' impact on odontoblast‐like cell formation and tissue mineralization. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CHPPL‐1 has the potential to minimize pulpal inflammation and promote MTF and had similar efficacy as MTA cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinchona alkaloid-derived sulfonamides and ester dimers containing chiral hyperbranched polymers have been successfully synthesized and applied as catalysts in asymmetric reactions. Several hyperbranched polymers derived from cinchona alkaloids, incorporating sulfonamides and esters, were synthesized through Mizoroki--Heck coupling polymerization. These polymers were subsequently applied in enantioselective Michael addition reactions. As the prepared polymers are not soluble in frequently used organic solvents, they act as efficient catalysts in the enantioselective reaction of β-ketoesters to nitroolefins, achieving up to 99% enantioselectivity with good yields. The insoluble property allows them to better satisfy "green chemistry" requirements and be used several times without losing the enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaemia among preeclamptic (PE) women is a major undefined health issue in Bangladesh. This study explored the risk factors associated with anaemia and mapped the regional influences to understand the geographical inequalities. Methods: Data from 180 respondents were prospectively collected from the Preeclampsia ward of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Bangladesh. Anaemia was defined as a blood haemoglobin level less than 11.0 g/dl. Preeclampsia was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg with proteinuria. Factors associated with anaemia were explored using the chi-square test. Logistic regression (LR) was done to determine the level of association with the risk factors. Results: Among the participants, 28.9% were identified as having early onset and 71.1% reported late onset of PE. 38.9% of the subjects were non-anaemic, whereas mild, moderate, and severe anaemia was found among 38.3%, 17.8%, and 5% of patients respectively. The following factors were identified; including age range 25–34 (OR: 0.169, p < 0.05), a lower education level (OR: 3.106, p < 0.05), service-holder mothers (OR: 0.604, p < 0.05), pregnancy interval of less than 24 months (OR: 4.646, p < 0.05), and gestational diabetes mellitus (OR: 2.702, p < 0.05). Dhaka district (IR: 1.46), Narayanganj district (IR: 1.11), and Munshiganj district (IR: 0.96) had the highest incidence rates. Conclusion: Determinants of anaemia must be considered with importance. In the future, periodic follow-ups of anaemia should be scheduled with a health care program and prevent maternal fatality and fetus morbidity in patients with PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of green macroalgae as a novel, natural feed additive for broilers that have a greater concentration of active ingredients. Materials and Methods: Four experimental groups of 180-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb-500) were randomly assigned, with three replicates in each group: the control group [T0, maintained only with basal diet] and three treatment groups supplemented with macroalgae for 35 days along with basal diet [T1 = 0.05% (w/w); T2 = 0.1% (w/w); T3 = 0.2% (w/w) macroalgae]. Live weight, carcass weight, and organs' weight were noted at the conclusion of the experiment. The meat quality was examined using the muscles of the thighs and breasts, and blood serum was obtained for biochemical assessment. Results: The results revealed that dietary supplementation of green macroalgae (0.1%) in broiler rations significantly (p < 0.05) improved the growth performance compared to other treated groups and controls. With increasing weight, it enhanced meat quality traits assessed by increased water holding capacity, ultimate pH, redness and yellowness, and decreased lightness of muscles in the thighs and breasts. Both the levels of serum cholesterol and abdominal fat decreased and showed no unwholesome effects on liver and kidney functions. Conclusions: For the production of safe and high-quality poultry meat, marine green macroalgae (Enteromorpha intestinalis) could be used as a potential feed additive. It enhanced the growth rate in broilers and improved meat quality and serum biochemical parameters for supplying healthy meat in the human food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the settlement of Rohingya people in Cox's Bazar, national and international NGO s have undertaken initiatives such as trust-building and community relationships for establishing social cohesion between the Rohingyas and host communities. However, cohabitation between the two communities is far-behind, and social conflict between the two communities has been a reality for the host society. By applying multiple approaches – perception survey among the local people, focus group discussion (FGD) among the Rohingyas and key informant interviews, this article finds that Rohingya settlement has resulted many challenges such as scarcity of resources, competition over livelihood options, price hikes, decaying of the physical environment, and security complexities. These challenges have been a source of generating conflict instead of building social cohesion in Cox's Bazar. Survey results outline that local people are anxious about population growth, social unrest, illicit business and drugs, and potential political conflict. The FGD among the Rohingyas explores the uncertain future of the refugee, frustration over livelihood, health, and education for their children. Overall results highlight that social, economic, environmental and political changes in the post-settlement phase post-2017 have been a potential source of conflict. Analysis suggests that the conflict potential for the host society stemming from the Rohingya displaced population is significant enough that the host government and international organisations should consider actions, policies, and diplomatic actions to address the social tension and remedy the emergent problems in the area. Such measures include those that strengthen efforts at repatriation initiatives for the refugee population, and those that can ensure livelihood opportunities for them without compromising such opportunities for the host population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to identify novel biostimulatory compounds in boar seminal gel (SG), saliva and semen using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The bio-stimulatory effect of SG, SG + saliva and SG + semen on young boar for semen collection as well were employed to study bio-stimulatory effects on gilts and sows. Distilled water (DW) exposure was kept as control. SG, saliva and semen were screened for total 105, 96 and 89 compounds. The highest concentration was of alkanes followed by sugar alcohols, then hydrocarbons, amino acids and fatty acids. Elaidic acid was the novel compound identified in pigs. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) number of males got trained in exposure to SG (80%), SG + saliva (75%) and SG + semen (75%) than control (0%). The time (hrs) taken by young boars to get trained on exposure to combination of SG + saliva (244 ± 22.19) and SG + semen (216 ± 13.14) was lesser (p < 0.05) than SG (356 ± 61.85) alone. Interval (hrs) from initiation of exposure for exhibition of different sexual behaviour by males on exposure to SG, saliva and semen was lesser (p < 0.05) than control. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher number of females showed estrus response to exposure of SG (72.72%), SG + saliva (69.23%) and SG + semen (76.92%) than control (0). Interval (hrs) taken to exhibit estrus was shorter (p < 0.05) in females exposed to SG + saliva (201.88 ± 12.66), SG + semen (198.20 ± 9.42) than SG (262.14 ± 20.06) alone. Interval (hrs) for exhibition of different sexual behaviour by females on exposure to SG + saliva and SG + semen was lesser (p < 0.05) than control. In conclusion, novel compounds were identified in boar seminal gel, saliva and semen with biostimulatory properties have been identified in boar SG, saliva and semen. The combined exposure of SG with saliva and semen has more intense biostimulation effect than SG alone for training of young boars and estrus induction in gilts and sows. Such compounds biostimulatory effects can be exploited for augmenting reproductive efficiency in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telehealth systems in underserved countries leverage various low-cost portable medical sensors to transmit patients’ vital information to remote doctors, facilitating timely diagnoses and interventions. However, the potential risks associated with inaccurate data pose considerable threats to the health of individuals. This study focuses on identifying high-quality portable hemoglobin sensors, employing the Japanese clinical pathology laboratory as a gold standard. Out of the eight sensors evaluated in this study, four were found to be highly erroneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) targeting neoantigens can effectively treat a selected set of metastatic solid cancers. However, harnessing TILs for cancer treatments remains challenging because neoantigen-reactive T cells are often rare and exhausted, and ex vivo expansion can further reduce their frequencies. This complicates the identification of neoantigen-reactive T-cell receptors (TCRs) and the development of TIL products with high reactivity for patient treatment., Methods: We tested whether TILs could be in vitro stimulated against neoantigens to achieve selective expansion of neoantigen-reactive TILs. Given their prevalence, mutant p53 or RAS were studied as models of human neoantigens. An in vitro stimulation method, termed "NeoExpand", was developed to provide neoantigen-specific stimulation to TILs. 25 consecutive patient TILs from tumors harboring p53 or RAS mutations were subjected to NeoExpand., Results: We show that neoantigenic stimulation achieved selective expansion of neoantigen-reactive TILs and broadened the neoantigen-reactive CD4 + and CD8 + TIL clonal repertoire. This allowed the effective isolation of novel neoantigen-reactive TCRs. Out of the 25 consecutive TIL samples, neoantigenic stimulation enabled the identification of 16 unique reactivities and 42 TCRs, while conventional TIL expansion identified 9 reactivities and 14 TCRs. Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that neoantigenic stimulation increased neoantigen-reactive TILs with stem-like memory phenotypes expressing IL-7R, CD62L, and KLF2. Furthermore, neoantigenic stimulation improved the in vivo antitumor efficacy of TILs relative to the conventional OKT3-induced rapid TIL expansion in p53-mutated or KRAS-mutated xenograft mouse models., Conclusions: Taken together, neoantigenic stimulation of TILs selectively expands neoantigen-reactive TILs by frequencies and by their clonal repertoire. NeoExpand led to improved phenotypes and functions of neoantigen-reactive TILs. Our data warrant its clinical evaluation., Trial Registration Number: NCT00068003, NCT01174121, and NCT03412877., Competing Interests: Competing interests: NL, SPK and SAR have a pending patent application. The rest of the authors report no competing interest., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Prostate cancer is a common cancer with significant implications for global health. Prompt and precise identification is crucial for efficient treatment strategizing and enhanced patient results. This research study investigates the utilization of machine learning techniques to diagnose prostate cancer. It emphasizes utilizing deep learning models, namely VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, and ResNet50V2, to extract relevant features. The random forest approach then uses these features for classification. The study begins by doing a thorough comparison examination of the deep learning architectures outlined above to evaluate their effectiveness in extracting significant characteristics from prostate cancer imaging data. Key metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy are used to assess the models' efficacy. With an accuracy of 99.64%, ResNet50 outperformed other tested models when it came to identifying important features in images of prostate cancer. Furthermore, the analysis of understanding factors aims to offer valuable insights into the decision-making process, thereby addressing a critical problem for clinical practice acceptance. The random forest classifier, a powerful ensemble learning method renowned for its adaptability and ability to handle intricate datasets, then uses the collected characteristics as input. The random forest model seeks to identify patterns in the feature space and produce precise predictions on the presence or absence of prostate cancer. In addition, the study tackles the restricted availability of datasets by utilizing transfer learning methods to refine the deep learning models using a small amount of annotated prostate cancer data. The objective of this method is to improve the ability of the models to generalize across different patient populations and clinical situations. This study's results are useful because they show how well VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, and ResNet50V2 work for extracting features in the field of diagnosing prostate cancer, when used with random forest's classification abilities. The results of this work provide a basis for creating reliable and easily understandable machine learning-based diagnostic tools for detecting prostate cancer. This will enhance the possibility of an early and precise diagnosis in clinical settings such as index terms deep learning, machine learning, prostate cancer, cancer identification, and cancer classification., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Rafiqul Islam et al.)

Portable medical sensors play an important role in healthcare services, especially in rural communities. Many telehealth systems use these devices for providing patients' vital information from a distance to remote doctors. Erroneous data will not only mislead the remote doctor for correct diagnosis but it will cause health threats to these unreached community people. Therefore, it is very important to identify good sensors with an acceptable level of accuracy but within the affordable price of the available sensors in the market. This study aims to identify quality portable cholesterol sensors with high accuracy with the reference of the Japanese clinical pathology laboratory as a gold standard. We have considered cholesterol sensors that measure total cholesterol for this study that are commonly used in the developing countries of Asia. We found that out of four, three of them were very much erroneous and cannot be recommended even for primary healthcare.