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To investigate the comparative effectiveness of commonly used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for comorbid depression in older adults with chronic somatic diseases by applying a target-trial-emulation framework. Danish target-trial-emulation study including 43,061 individuals aged ≥65 years (54.1% females, mean age 77.8 years) with a first redeemed prescription for depression with sertraline (n = 6673), escitalopram (n = 7104) or citalopram (n = 29,284) in 2006–2017. Individuals had cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease (COPD)/asthma, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, or osteoporosis. Outcomes were treatment switching, combination/augmentation, psychiatric hospital contact for depression, and any psychiatric in-patient care. Follow-up was one year and adjusted Cox regression analyses calculated hazard rate ratios (HRR) within each somatic disease. Across all six disease groups and four outcomes, we found that citalopram use, compared with sertraline, was associated with lower risks in several analyses, with statistically significant results in cancer, CVD, COPD/asthma, and diabetes (e.g., HRRs for psychiatric hospital contacts for depression/any psychiatric in-patient care ranging between 0.47 and 0.61). For escitalopram, compared with sertraline, some analyses indicated poorer outcomes with significantly higher risks for combination/augmentation treatment (HRRs ranging between 1.15 and 1.40). Although observational studies are prone to confounding, these findings indicate clinically relevant differences between the SSRIs, with better outcomes in citalopram users and poorer outcomes in escitalopram users than sertraline, urging the need for clinical studies in this vulnerable patient population. • SSRI use is common in older adults with somatic diseases, but evidence of SSRIs' comparative effectiveness is scarce. • We assessed SSRIs' comparative effectiveness in older adults with chronic somatic diseases and showed varied effectiveness. • Citalopram users had better, while escitalopram users had poorer clinically relevant outcomes compared to sertraline. • Differences were significant in cancer, cardiovascular disease, COPD/asthma, or diabetes populations. • One should interpret the findings cautiously because of the study's observational nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concurrent polypharmacy and potentially-inappropriate-medication (PIMs) use with antidepressants in older adults is understudied. We investigated the prevalence and associated user characteristics of concurrent polypharmacy (≥5 drugs) and PIMs with antidepressants in all older adults (≥65 years) in Denmark based on prescriptions filled at community pharmacies during 2015–2019. We applied a cross-sectional and cohort study design using socio-demographic and clinical data from Danish registers. A total of 261,479 older adults (mean age 76 years, females 63%) redeemed at least one prescription of antidepressants during 2015–2019. The prevalence of polypharmacy was 73%, and PIMs was 56%, with over 80% using at least one other nervous system drug or cardiovascular system drug concomitantly with antidepressants. Characteristics associated with higher concurrent use of polypharmacy and PIM with antidepressants were older age, marital status as widow/widower/separated/single, place of residence predominantly in the rural regions, non-western origin, and having somatic diagnoses. Some characteristics showed opposite directions of the associations with the two outcomes, including previous antidepressant use and psychiatric diagnoses being associated with higher use of polypharmacy but lower use of PIM. High polypharmacy and PIM use with antidepressants underline the importance of regularly reviewing pharmacological treatments in older adults with depression. • In older adults using antidepressants, 73% concurrently used polypharmacy (≥5 drugs). • About 56% concurrently used potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs). • Socially disadvantaged groups were more likely to use polypharmacy and PIMs. • Also, somatic, psychiatric comorbidity increased the use of polypharmacy and PIMs. • Prescribers should regularly review polypharmacy in older adults with antidepressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component school-based intervention on physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) among urban adolescents in Bangladesh.Design: Cluster-randomised controlled trial.Methods: Eight high schools were randomly assigned to either intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). Participants (n = 160 per group, 40 school) were in grades 8-9. A 12-week multi-component intervention was developed based on the WHO's Health-Promoting Schools framework. The IG received weekly supervised circuit exercise (30 min/week), health education session (10 min/week) with health educational materials, and lunchtime sports activities (20 min/week). The main outcome measures included self-reported PA, ST, knowledge on PA and SB, which were assessed at baseline, 8 and 12 weeks. Repeated measures ANCOVA was used to evaluate the intervention effects.Results: Total PA (MET-min/week) was increased from baseline to 8 and 12 weeks in the IG (3%-5%) but decreased in the CG (5%-3%) and significantly improved in the IG compared to the CG (p < 0.001) over time. Average ST (min/day) reduced from baseline to 8 and 12 weeks in the IG (28%-35%), while remained unchanged in the CG (6%-5%). The IG had a significantly lower average ST than the CG at 12 weeks. The average knowledge scores on PA and SB were significantly higher in the IG than the CG at 12 weeks (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Our intervention has demonstrated some promising effects on increasing PA, reducing ST, and improving PA and SB knowledge. This study underscores the need for a scaled-up evaluation in other locations including rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of chemicals extracted from natural sources should be encouraged due to the significant number of cancer deaths each year and the financial burden imposed by this disease on society. The causes of almost all cancers involve a combination of lifestyle, environmental factors, and genetic and inherited factors. Modern medicine researchers are increasingly interested in traditional phytochemicals as they hold potential for new bioactive compounds with medical applications. Recent publications have provided evidence of the antitumor properties of phytochemicals, a key component of traditional Chinese medicine, thereby opening new avenues for their use in modern medicine. Various studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between apoptosis and autophagy, two critical mechanisms involved in cancer formation and regulation, indicating diverse forms of crosstalk between them. Phytochemicals have the ability to activate both pro-apoptotic and pro-autophagic pathways. Therefore, understanding how phytochemicals influence the relationship between apoptosis and autophagy is crucial for developing a new cancer treatment strategy that targets these molecular mechanisms. This review aims to explore natural phytochemicals that have demonstrated anticancer effects, focusing on their role in regulating the crosstalk between apoptosis and autophagy, which contributes to uncontrolled tumor cell growth. Additionally, the review highlights the limitations and challenges of current research methodologies while suggesting potential avenues for future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is performed to investigate the heat transfer performance and fluid flow characteristics using a helical screw tape insert in pipe flow. An inserted tube geometry was improved using a helical coil i.e., wire-wrapped with 1.92 twist ratio. Single-phase, horizontal, and a laminar flow (200 < Re <2300) through an annular channel is considered. A flow domain is created first, and then discretized, later all boundary conditions are applied and finally, simulated it using ANSYS FLUENT. The results are analyzed and processed further to check for mesh sensitivity and experimental validation. The simulated results showed that the heat transfer rate in terms of Nusselt number increased 1.34-2.6 times, whereas, the friction factor also increased 3.5-8 times for wire-wrapped-tube i.e., the tube with helical screw tape insert in comparison to the plain tube. The thermal performance factor was evaluated and the maximum value is found 3.79 at a constant pumping power. The pressure drop was estimated which was increased due to the increased flow restriction by inserted coils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A finite element code for rotordynamic analysis of flexible rotors is developed. • Code functionalities enable selection of rotor design parameters for safe operation. • Code is validated by an experimental test-rig and an already established rotor code. • Opensource development provides an alternative to costly commercial rotor codes. Abstract Precise prediction of dynamic response is an important first step in the design and troubleshooting of rotating machinery. Utility of the finite element (FE) method in rotordynamics is well entrenched and has translated into many specialized codes for rotor response prediction. Most specialized codes are propriety software with expensive subscriptions which restrict the access for small-scale rotating machinery manufacturers and researchers to these codes and employed algorithms. In contrast, this paper presents the detailed algorithm and benchmarking of an open-source FE code VibronRotor for rotordynamic analysis. FE formulation in code is based on the work of Nelson and McVaugh (1976). Functionalities of the code include Campbell diagram, critical speed map, mode shapes, imbalance response, orbit plots, and instability threshold analysis. An important capability to analyze the stability of closed-loop electromechanical levitation systems is also explained. These analysis tools are described with design insights to enable selection of rotor design parameters for stable operation and failure prevention. VibronRotor is verified with results from an established rotordynamic software and validated with an inhouse-developed rotor test-rig. Open-source development is primarily aimed to support rotating machinery manufacturers and start-ups to design and troubleshoot rotors without expensive reliance on commercial software. VibronRotor is written to run on a free scientific programming language GNU Octave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The aim of the study was to assess the association of physical activity (PA) with the presence of diabetes related complications among Bangladeshi type 2 diabetic subjects. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Out Patient Department (OPD) of BIRDEM, Bangladesh. A group of 977 subjects were randomly selected and followed up. Diabetes was diagnosed following the WHO study group criteria. The level of PA was categorized into inactive/low (<150 min/week) and moderate-to-vigorous (≥150 min/week). The WHO recommended Asian criteria was used to identify general obesity. Retinopathy was detected by fundal photography, CKD by serum creatinine and hypertension was diagnosed clinically. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the associations of PA with diabetes related complications. Results Out of the 977 subjects investigated, 468 were male and 509 were female (mean ± SD of age, 56 ± 8 years). In the study subjects, 74% were either inactive or in low PA and of them 65.1% were overweight/obese. Analysis showed that inactive/low PA was associated with all the three diabetes related complications (p < 0.001)–hypertension, retinopathy, and nephropathy. Multivariate analysis showed that inactive/low level of PA was strongly associated with complications like retinopathy (p < 0.001) and hypertension (p = 0.01) in the female patients. It was also found to be highly associated with retinopathy (p < 0.001) among the male patients. Conclusion A large number of urban Bangladeshi population are involved only in low PA or remain inactive themselves, which is leading to obesity and it seems to have a strong association with diabetes related complications in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image sharing is one of the most popular activities of smart citizens in recent time. People tend to frequently upload images through smart devices to express different aspects of their life with connected peers using the image sharing feature facilitated by different social media services such as Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest, and Instagram, etc. The service providers of such web services are utilizing the image features and high availability of cloud storage at low cost for providing friend recommendation service to build online smart community. However, after reports of citizens surveillance by government agencies and the celebrity photo leakage incident in iCloud, users have become concerned about their photo privacy. In addition to that, the cloud services are vulnerable to security threats and an adversary capable of breaching the security would be able to access the images residing in the cloud storage. Obfuscating images before sharing can be considered as a potential solution; however, de-obfuscating and then classifying millions of images at the service provider's end does not provide privacy guarantee and it is computationally expensive. Motivated by this scenario, we propose a practical privacy-preserving image-centric friend recommendation framework compatible with smart devices which protects the privacy of images through obfuscation and classifies obfuscated images using the deep neural network to build user profiles for friend recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) is one of the most promising next-generation lithium-ion battery systems due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, Li-S batteries suffer from a short cycling life, poor mechanical stability and low coulombic efficiency. Developing a robust solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) plays a critical role in alleviating these issues. Current approaches for a robust SEI are mostly based on using additives, which negatively impact the energy density. Herein, newly developed electrochemical conditioning techniques were applied to study their effects on the formation of the SEI in Li-S batteries. The dynamic mechanisms in the battery associated with each conditioning technique were investigated using city and highway models based on real world driving conditions. City and highway models incorporated various electrochemical characterization techniques while introducing varying levels of cycling stress. As an additive free approach, the novel plateau targeted conditioning method improves Li-S SEI formation that increases battery capacity and cycling stability. This work will pave the way for the realization of additive free approaches to improving the performance of Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & aim Pregnant mothers with diabetes, especially in developing countries, are particularly prone to suffer from dietary imbalances due to superstitions and irrational beliefs and practices. The study aimed to explore the existing beliefs and practices related to food intake among Bangladeshi diabetic pregnant mothers. Material & methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 diabetic pregnant mothers (age in yrs, M ± SD, 30 ± 4), selected purposively from outpatient department of Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. SPSS 16.0 were used for data analysis. Results About 40% mothers had uncontrolled glycaemic status. 43% mothers believed that food should not be taken during the ‘call for prayer’ and 91% of them practiced it. For ‘eclipse’ the percentage of such kind of belief was much higher (80%) and 90% of them practiced it. With varying proportion for particular fishes 44–58% respondents believed that some fishes should be avoided due to the increased movement of child, fetal malformation and disease. 93% actually practiced it. 28% had adverse beliefs about duck meat, 78% pineapple and 8% had about coconut. The corresponding percentages for practice were 82%, 99% and 50% respectively. Mentally and physically abnormal child, different kinds of child illness and threat of abortion were among the reasons for misbeliefs about those foods. Conclusion There are a number of nonscientific beliefs and prejudices among this pregnant mother regarding the intake of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major depressive disorder (MDD/depression) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in the rapidly growing aging population, affecting nearly one in every ten older adults (65 years and older). Socio-economic status (SES) is widely described as a risk factor for MDD in older adults while access to care for MDD is also likely to be affected by SES. Equity in access to health care can be defined as equal access for equal needs and can partially be evaluated by assessing the utilization of care services. Denmark is considered an egalitarian county. However, inequality in access to Danish health care has been discussed in the scientific literature. Past studies reported that inequality in access to Danish health care is associated with low SES, old age, ethnicity, living alone, receiving public benefits, and multi-morbidity. Concerning MDD care, studies in different populations have shown that access to MDD care is influenced by gender, age, SES, place of residence, ethnicity, among others. However, existing studies primarily focused on individuals aged below 65 years. We, therefore, describe the pattern of hospital contacts due to MDD in older adults from 2006 to 2018 in Denmark. More specifically, we assess the prevalence and incidence of hospital contacts due to MDD in older adults across various subgroups based on socio-demographic-economic and clinical factors. We further examine whether the pattern of the prevalence and incidence of hospital contact due to MDD in older adults changed over time. Lastly, we explore determinants (associated factors) of hospital contact due to MDD in older adults. For studying prevalence, we followed a cross-sectional study design and for the incidence and association study, we carried out a historical cohort study. We used individual data from the Danish nationwide medical and socio-demographic registers linked by a personal identification number. We included all individuals aged 65 and older residing in Denmark in the study period between 2006 to 2018. Individuals who had at least one hospital contact due to MDD (ICD10: F32/F33) during the study period were considered as a case. For incidence and association analyses, we included those individuals who had at least one year of follow-up since they turned age 65. Individuals were censored at the date of death, emigration, hospital contact with MDD, and the end of 2018, whichever came first. Included factors were age, sex, marital status, education, occupation, socio-economic status (based on education and occupation), place of residence (geographical region), country of origin (ethnicity), Charlson comorbidity index within last ten years, somatic and psychiatric hospital contact within the last one year, and calendar year. For association analysis, we applied Poisson regression models and estimated rate ratios (IRR) with their 95% confidence interval (CI). We identified 28,318 older adults (of 62.6% women) from a total population of 1.54 million aged 65 years or older, who had at least one hospital contact (including in- out and emergency) with a main reason of MDD during 2006-2018. Overall (including sex-stratified), a decreasing trend of both prevalence and incidence was observed during the study period, e.g., the incidence rate was 21 in 2006-2010 and 9 in 2015-2018 per 10,000 PY. Both prevalence and incidence rates were noticeably higher in women than in men. This pattern was consistent throughout all subgroups based on socio-demographical and clinical factors, e.g., in the low SES group, the incidence rate was 15 in men and 23 in women per 10,000 PY. A higher rate of hospital contact due to MDD was associated with older age (age 81-85 vs. age 65-70, IRR, 95% CI: 2.10 (1.91-2.31), being women (vs. men, 1.30, 95% CI: 1.25-135), marital status as being separated (vs. married/registered partner, 1.14, 95% CI: 1.14 (1.06-1.23), living single (vs. couple, 1.24, 95% CI: 1.15-1.33), within last year for each somatic hospital contact (1.05, 95% CI: 1.05-1.06), within last year had a psychiatric hospital contact (vs. had no contact, 1.71, 95% CI: 1.52-1.92), within last ten years for each unit of Charlson index (1.08, 95% CI: 1.06-1.09). Besides, we found that ethnically being non-western, living in the geographical region other than the city of Copenhagen and Funen county, and calendar year as more recent years were significantly associated with a reduced rate of hospital contact due to MDD. In summary, hospital contacts due to MDD have gradually decreased in past years since 2006 in Danish older adults. Factors associated with the hospital contact due to MDD were e. g., being older, women, single, somatic comorbidity, and previous health care contact. Being of non-western origin had a lower rate of hospital contact due to MDD, but no link between SES and hospital contact was detected. The study is funded by The Central Denmark Region's Health Sciences Research Fund [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]