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Abstract Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors and can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Radiologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, and radiation oncologists rely on brain MRI for diagnosis, treatment planning, and longitudinal treatment monitoring. However, automated, objective, and quantitative tools for non-invasive assessment of meningiomas on multi-sequence MR images are not available. Here we present the BraTS Pre-operative Meningioma Dataset, as the largest multi-institutional expert annotated multilabel meningioma multi-sequence MR image dataset to date. This dataset includes 1,141 multi-sequence MR images from six sites, each with four structural MRI sequences (T2-, T2/FLAIR-, pre-contrast T1-, and post-contrast T1-weighted) accompanied by expert manually refined segmentations of three distinct meningioma sub-compartments: enhancing tumor, non-enhancing tumor, and surrounding non-enhancing T2/FLAIR hyperintensity. Basic demographic data are provided including age at time of initial imaging, sex, and CNS WHO grade. The goal of releasing this dataset is to facilitate the development of automated computational methods for meningioma segmentation and expedite their incorporation into clinical practice, ultimately targeting improvement in the care of meningioma patients.

Metabolic diseases result from interactions between genetic and lifestyle factors. Understanding the combined influences of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and lifestyle is crucial. This study employs genetic risk scores (GRS) to assess SNPs, providing insight beyond single gene/SNP studies by revealing synergistic effects. Here, we aim to investigate the association of a 23-SNP GRS with metabolic disease-related traits (obesity and type 2 diabetes) to understand if these associations are altered by lifestyle/dietary factors. For this study, 106 Minangkabau women were included and underwent physical, anthropometric, biochemical, dietary and genetic evaluations. The interaction of GRS with lifestyle factors was analyzed using linear regression models, adjusting for potential confounders. No statistically significant associations were observed between GRS and metabolic traits; however, this study demonstrates a novel interaction observed between 13-SNP GRS and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake, and that it had an effect on HbA1c levels (p = 0.026). Minangkabau women with low MUFA intake (≤7.0 g/day) and >13 risk alleles had significantly higher HbA1c levels (p = 0.010). This finding has implications for public health, suggesting the need for large-scale studies to confirm our results before implementing dietary interventions in the Indonesian population. Identifying genetic influences on dietary response can inform personalized nutrition strategies to reduce the risk of metabolic disease.

Antecedentes. Los efectos inducidos por la COVID-19 en pacientes con cáncer de vejiga primario no están aclarados actualmente. Objetivo. Investigar los efectos de la pandemia en el diagnóstico, el tratamiento y el seguimiento del cáncer de vejiga primario. Método. Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo unicéntrico de todos los pacientes que se sometieron a procedimientos diagnósticos y quirúrgicos por cáncer primario de vejiga durante noviembre de 2018 y julio de 2021. Se incluyeron 275 pacientes en el estudio. Los pacientes fueron asignados a uno de dos grupos: pre-COVIDBC (antes de la pandemia) o COVIDBC (durante la pandemia). Resultados. Los pacientes con cáncer de vejiga diagnosticados durante la pandemia se encontraban en su mayoría en estadios más altos (T2) (p = 0.04), el grupo de riesgo era más alto en el cáncer de vejiga no invasivo del músculo (p = 0.02), y la recurrencia y las puntuaciones de progresión aumentaron (p = 0.001) en comparación con antes del período pandémico. Además, el tiempo hasta la cirugía desde el diagnóstico (p = 0.001) y la duración de los síntomas (p = 0.04) aumentaron considerablemente durante la pandemia, y la tasa de seguimiento disminuyó significativamente (p = 0.03). Conclusiones. Destaca el aumento significativo del cáncer de vejiga invasivo del músculo y del cáncer de vejiga no invasivo del músculo de muy alto riesgo durante la pandemia.

Metabolic diseases result from interactions between genetic and lifestyle factors. Understanding the combined influences of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and lifestyle is crucial. This study employs genetic risk scores (GRS) to assess SNPs, providing insight beyond single gene/SNP studies by revealing synergistic effects. Here, we aim to investigate the association of a 23-SNP GRS with metabolic disease-related traits (obesity and type 2 diabetes) to understand if these associations are altered by lifestyle/dietary factors. For this study, 106 Minangkabau women were included and underwent physical, anthropometric, biochemical, dietary and genetic evaluations. The interaction of GRS with lifestyle factors was analyzed using linear regression models, adjusting for potential confounders. No statistically significant associations were observed between GRS and metabolic traits; however, this study demonstrates a novel interaction observed between 13-SNP GRS and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake, and that it had an effect on HbA1c levels (p = 0.026). Minangkabau women with low MUFA intake (≤7.0 g/day) and >13 risk alleles had significantly higher HbA1c levels (p = 0.010). This finding has implications for public health, suggesting the need for large-scale studies to confirm our results before implementing dietary interventions in the Indonesian population. Identifying genetic influences on dietary response can inform personalized nutrition strategies to reduce the risk of metabolic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-lactating dairy goats require a substantial amount of protein. Protected protein supplements could provide a significant quantity of rumen undegradable protein (RUP), ensuring an adequate protein supply for high-lactating dairy goats. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of protected protein supplements on the productivity of Etawah crossbred dairy goats. The study involved 16 Etawah crossbred lactating goats with an average milk production of 0.94 ± 0.38 L head-1 day-1 and an average body weight of 46.80 ± 7.50 kg. A randomized block design of four treatments and four replications was used. The treatment ration were: R0= a ration with 0% protected protein supplement content as control, R1= R0 + 5% protected protein supplement, R2= R0 + 10% protected protein supplement, and R3= R0 + 15% protected protein supplement. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and continued to the Duncan test. The results showed that the R1, R2, and R3 treatments significantly (P<0.05) influenced the increase in feed intake, milk production, milk component production, milk urea nitrogen, and blood urea nitrogen. However, no significant effect was observed on milk quality, milk density, blood hematology, blood glucose, triglycerides, or economic factors. It can be concluded that adding a 5% protected protein supplement improved the performance of Etawah crossbred dairy goats without compromising milk quality and animal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical power generation in Oman depends mainly on natural gas, while in rural areas it is based mainly on diesel fuel. Oman has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The objective of this paper is to propose an optimal energy mix model for electricity generation from various energy sources, such as gas, diesel, wind, and photovoltaic, that considers more renewable sources in the energy mix. The optimization model minimizes various costs such as construction cost, operation cost, fuel cost, and carbon emissions, while satisfying the load demand. In this paper, Masirah Island is selected to perform our analysis. Several scenarios are contemplated, including grid extension to the island. The results found that gas-powered generators with 20% PV and storage are the best option in terms of the levelized cost of electricity. The grid extension is an economically feasible option if the existing load is more than doubled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discounting has always been a controversial subject among economists and philosophers yet discounting practice remained an essential element of any public policy. The purpose of this paper is to argue against using the practice of discounting in Cost-Benefit analysis for large engineering/public projects particularly aimed at mitigating the effects of global warming, as it creates bias against the future generation. Using systems thinking approach the paper has counter argued against all the three arguments, used to justify discounting, i.e., pure time preference, the opportunity cost of capital, and risk. The paper has shown intuitively that both the consumption- and the investment-based rationales used to justify discounting are in conflict when we take the holistic approach to the environment. The paper clearly is on a topic of great significance for environmental economists and environmental policy specialists. The perspective taken in the paper is a thought-provoking one with the relevance of “systems thinking” for the discounting debate.