Abstract In the frame of radiotherapy treatment of cancer, radioresistance remains a major issue that still needs solutions to be overcome. To effectively improve the radiosensitivity of tumors and reduce the damage of radiation to neighboring normal tissues, radiosensitizers have been given increasing attention in recent years. As nanoparticles based on the metal element gadolinium, AGuIX nanoparticles have been shown to increase the radiosensitivity of cancers. Although it is a rare nanomaterial that has entered...

Abstract Aim To inform the oversight of future clinical trials during a pandemic, we summarise the experiences of the Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) for the Randomised Evaluation of COVID therapy trial (RECOVERY), a large-scale randomised adaptive platform clinical trial of treatments for hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Methods and findings During the first 24 months of the trial (March 2020 to February 2022), the DMC oversaw accumulating data for 14 treatments in adults (plus 10 in...

Abstract Background Aggravation of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors is threatening the efforts to control malaria by reducing the efficacy of insecticide-based interventions hence needs to be closely monitored. This study investigated the intensity of insecticide resistance of two major malaria vectors An. funestus sensu stricto (s.s.) and An. gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) collected in southern Ghana and assessed the bio-efficacy of several long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) against these mosquito populations. Methods The insecticide susceptibility...

Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background The prevalence of small for gestational age (SGA) may vary depending on the chosen weight-for-gestational-age reference chart. An individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted to assess the implications of using a local reference (STOPPAM) instead of a universal reference (Intergrowth-21) on the association between malaria in pregnancy and SGA. Methods Individual participant data of 6,236 newborns were pooled from seven conveniently identified studies conducted in Tanzania and Malawi from 2003–2018 with data on...

Abstract Background Elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a striking challenge for countries with high or moderate disease burden. Therefore, using China as a practical case to share experiences for similar countries may accelerate the achievement of the WHO 2030 target of 90% reduction in HBV-related incidence. We aim to evaluate the impact of national HBV immunization strategies in China; and the feasibility to achieve WHO 2030 targets under different scenarios. Methods We constructed...

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of evidence-based clinical decision-making. Clinical management guidelines (CMGs) may help reduce morbidity and mortality by improving the quality of clinical decisions. This systematic review aims to evaluate the availability, inclusivity, and quality of pandemic influenza CMGs, to identify gaps that can be addressed to strengthen pandemic preparedness in this area. Methods Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, TRIP (Turning Research Into Practice), and Guideline Central were searched systematically...

Abstract Background The SARS-CoV-2 containment strategy has been successful in mainland China prior to the emergence of Omicron. However, in the era of highly transmissible variants, whether it is possible for China to sustain a local containment policy and under what conditions China could transition away from it are of paramount importance at the current stage of the pandemic. Methods We developed a spatially structured, fully stochastic, individual-based SARS-CoV-2 transmission model to evaluate the feasibility...

Abstract Background Exploiting cancer metabolism during nutrient availability holds immense potential for the clinical and therapeutic benefits of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Dietary methionine is a metabolic dependence of cancer development, but how the signal transduction integrates methionine status to achieve the physiological demand of cancer cells remains unknown. Methods Low or high levels of dietary methionine was fed to mouse models with patient-derived xenograft or diethyl-nitrosamine induced liver cancer. RNA sequence and metabolomics were...

Cascaded operations play an important role in traditional electronic computing systems for the realization of advanced strategies. Here, we introduce the idea of cascaded operations into all-optical spatial analog computing. The single function of the first-order operation is difficult to meet the requirements of practical applications in image recognition. The all-optical second-order spatial differentiators are implemented by cascading two first-order differential operation units, and the image edge detection of amplitude and phase objects are demonstrated....

Abstract Background Insecticidal mosquito-proof netting screens could combine the best features of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), the two most important front line vector control interventions in Africa today, and also overcome the most important limitations of these methods. This study engaged members of a rural Tanzanian community in developing and evaluating simple, affordable and scalable procedures for installing readily available screening materials on eave gaps and windows of their own houses,...

Abstract Background Waist circumference (WC), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) are considered surrogate indicators of abdominal fat deposition, but the longitudinal association of these indices with cardiovascular (CV) events in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains unclear. Our study aimed to examine the associations between abdominal obesity indices and incident CV events among people with T2D and to compare their predictive performance in risk assessment....

Abstract Background: International Confederation of Midwives and World Health Organization recommend core competencies for midwifery educators for effective theory and practical teaching and practice. Deficient curricula and lack of skilled midwifery educators are important factors affecting the quality of graduates from midwifery programmes. The objective of the study was to assess the capacity of university midwifery educators to deliver the updated competency-based curriculum after the capacity strengthening workshop in Kenya. Methods: The study used a...

Abstract Background The aim of the study were to analyze the lumbar volumetric bone mineral density (BMD), fat distribution and changes of skeletal muscle with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to evaluate the relationship between body composition and BMD. Methods One hundred seventy-seven postmenopausal women with T2DM and 136 postmenopausal women without diabetes were included in the study and were divided into two groups according to...

Abstract Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the primary mode of treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It slows disease progression and reduces the spread of infection. HIV treatment is also known to require a high level of adherence of over 90% to achieve good treatment outcomes and viral load suppression. In Sierra Leone, about 70% of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) are non-adherent in their first year of treatment. Understanding the reasons behind this high...

Cascaded operations play an important role in traditional electronic computing systems for the realization of advanced strategies. Here, we introduce the idea of cascaded operations into all-optical spatial analog computing. The single function of the first-order operation is difficult to meet the requirements of practical applications in image recognition. The all-optical second-order spatial differentiators are implemented by cascading two first-order differential operation units, and the image edge detection of amplitude and phase objects are demonstrated....

Abstract Background Exploiting cancer metabolism during nutrient availability holds immense potential for the clinical and therapeutic benefits of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Dietary methionine is a metabolic dependence of cancer development, but how the signal transduction integrates methionine status to achieve the physiological demand of cancer cells remains unknown. Methods Low or high levels of dietary methionine was fed to mouse models with patient-derived xenograft or diethyl-nitrosamine induced liver cancer. RNA sequence and metabolomics were...

Abstract Exosomes of human cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) are very promising for treating cardiovascular disorders. However, the current challenge is inconvenient delivery methods of exosomes for clinical application. The present study aims to explore the potential to enhance the therapeutic effect of exosome (EXO) from human CDCs to myocardial hypertrophy. A heart homing peptide (HHP) was displayed on the surface of exosomes derived from CDCs that were forced to express the HHP fused on the N-terminus...

ObjectiveThis study sought to evaluate a modified palatoplasty technique (MPT) concerning the postoperative outcomes and associated influencing factors.DesignA retrospective cohort study.Participants and settingOne hundred forty-three consecutive patients with non-syndromic cleft palate, who received MPT before one year of age within an oral and maxillofacial surgery department of a university-affiliated tertiary hospital between 2011-2017, were reviewed.Main measuresThe postoperative wound healing and velopharyngeal function (VPF) were the primary outcome measures. The sex, age at surgery, cleft type,...

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) can cause multiple sequelae and is currently incurable. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation might provide an effective treatment method for POI. However, the clinical application of systemic MSC transplantation is limited by the low efficiency of cell homing to target tissue in vivo, including systemic MSC transplantation for POI treatment. Thus, exploration of methods to promote MSC homing is necessary. This study was to investigate the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound...

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) can cause multiple sequelae and is currently incurable. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation might provide an effective treatment method for POI. However, the clinical application of systemic MSC transplantation is limited by the low efficiency of cell homing to target tissue in vivo, including systemic MSC transplantation for POI treatment. Thus, exploration of methods to promote MSC homing is necessary. This study was to investigate the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound...

Abstract Background The prevalence of small for gestational age (SGA) may vary depending on the chosen weight-for-gestational-age reference chart. An individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted to assess the implications of using a local reference (STOPPAM) instead of a universal reference (Intergrowth-21) on the association between malaria in pregnancy and SGA. Methods Individual participant data of 6,236 newborns were pooled from seven conveniently identified studies conducted in Tanzania and Malawi from 2003–2018 with data on...

Abstract Objective Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is associated with elevated morbidity and mortality, and it usually occurs in older adults. Our goal here was to assess the efficacies of muscle mass-related biomarkers, such as, aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase (AST/ALT) and creatinine/cystatin C*100 (Cr/CysC*100), in predicting 1-, 2-, and 3-year mortalities of older CAP patients. Methods Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants: A teaching hospital in western China. Hospitalized CAP patients, aged≥60 years. We separated patients into...

Abstract Background Waist circumference (WC), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) are considered surrogate indicators of abdominal fat deposition, but the longitudinal association of these indices with cardiovascular (CV) events in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains unclear. Our study aimed to examine the associations between abdominal obesity indices and incident CV events among people with T2D and to compare their predictive performance in risk assessment....

Abstract Aim To inform the oversight of future clinical trials during a pandemic, we summarise the experiences of the Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) for the Randomised Evaluation of COVID therapy trial (RECOVERY), a large-scale randomised adaptive platform clinical trial of treatments for hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Methods and findings During the first 24 months of the trial (March 2020 to February 2022), the DMC oversaw accumulating data for 14 treatments in adults (plus 10 in...