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Reduction of Cry j 1 allergenicity by nano-sized electrostatic atomized water particles (NEAWPs) in human bronchial epithelium and dendritic cells
No full textAbstract Japanese cedar pollen (Cryptomeria japonica) is a major cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis in Japan, and Cry j 1 has been identified as its principal allergen. Although current treatments provide symptomatic relief, they do not prevent sensitization, highlighting the need for novel preventive strategies. Nanosized electrostatically atomized water particles (NEAWPs) are nanometer-scale water droplets containing reactive oxygen species (ROS) that have demonstrated antimicrobial activity; however, their effects on airborne allergens remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated whether NEAWPs could reduce the allergenicity of Cry j 1 in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and monocytic antigen-presenting cells (THP-1). Briefly, Cry j 1 was exposed to NEAWPs for 24–48 h, and allergenicity was assessed by ELISA, calcium imaging, flow cytometry, and cytokine analyses. NEAWPs treatment markedly reduced Cry j 1 antigenicity in a time-dependent manner, achieving 98.6% reduction after 48 h. In BEAS-2B cells, untreated Cry j 1 induced significant Ca²⁺ influx and upregulated IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-6 expression, whereas NEAWP-treated Cry j 1 failed to elicit these responses. Similarly, in THP-1 cells, NEAWP-treated Cry j 1 decreased CD11c+CD86+ cells and inflammatory cytokine production. These results indicate that NEAWPs denature Cry j 1, preventing epithelial activation and antigen presentation, thereby attenuating downstream immune responses. This study provides the first evidence that NEAWPs can effectively reduce the allergenicity of Japanese cedar pollen, suggesting a potentially non-invasive, environmentally friendly approach for allergy prevention. Therefore, future studies are required to explore the molecular mechanisms, in vivo efficacy, and safety of NEAWPs exposure to establish its translational potential in managing pollinosis and other airborne allergies
Glymphatic dysfunction and its association with clinical symptom severity in narcolepsy type 1: a case–control DTI-ALPS study
No full textAbstract Background Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, primarily caused by hypothalamic orexin deficiency. Beyond neurotransmitter dysregulation, recent evidence suggests that impaired metabolic waste clearance may contribute to its pathophysiology. This study aimed to assess glymphatic function in NT1 using diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) and to explore its relationship with clinical and polysomnographic features. Methods A total of 92 NT1 patients and 45 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent 3.0 T DTI and overnight polysomnography. The ALPS index was calculated to quantify glymphatic efficiency. Correlation and regression analyses examined associations between ALPS values and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), and other clinical parameters. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis evaluated the predictive performance of ALPS for NT1 diagnosis. Results The ALPS index was significantly lower in NT1 patients than in controls (1.24 ± 0.07 vs. 1.33 ± 0.06, P < 0.001), indicating impaired glymphatic function. Reduced ALPS values correlated with higher ESS scores (r = − 0.39, P < 0.001), shorter MSLT latency (r = 0.36, P = 0.002), and greater cataplexy severity. Each 0.1-unit decrease in ALPS increased the odds of NT1 by 2.8-fold (adjusted OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.43–5.41, P = 0.003). The ALPS index showed good diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.81), which improved when combined with MSLT (AUC = 0.87, P = 0.018). Conclusions NT1 is associated with significant glymphatic dysfunction, and the degree of impairment correlates with symptom severity. The DTI-ALPS index provides a quantitative and noninvasive biomarker that may aid in disease evaluation and individualized management of narcolepsy
Agriculture aid for harvesting and pruning
No full textAbstract Farmers working on steep terrain need comfortable tools to improve their working conditions. Olive harvesting, which uses long unbalanced tools for reaching high branches, causes back pain. The posture of farmers, during harvesting operations, has been studied to determine the factors that are relevant in the evaluation of physical fatigue. The paper describes an exoskeleton designed to assist farmers during harvest and pruning. The exoskeleton, worn by the farmer, offers an additional arm to support the harvester. The proposed exoskeleton uses a spring to better balance the weight of the tool on the user’s body, reducing the weight on the upper limbs. The kinematics of the selected architecture is analysed. The exoskeleton is discussed with an emphasis on its advantages and disadvantages. A group of operators has tested the exoskeleton on the field. Myoelectric tests have been performed to evaluate the fatigue. The results are positive, the exoskeleton reduces the perceived load, allowing sufficient dexterity to work outdoors. The research shows that it is possible to create inexpensive exoskeletons for agriculture. The proposed exoskeleton can also be successfully used for branching, painting, and cleaning glass
Professional identity formation of clinician-educators through contributions to staff development in neonatology: a qualitative thematic analysis
No full textAbstract Background Clinician-educators (CEs) play a critical role in improving the quality of healthcare by promoting the staff development (SD) among healthcare professionals. However, little is known about how clinical supervisors transition into CEs through their contribution to SD. Methods We employed a constructionist approach to thematic analysis to explore the professional identity formation (PIF) of supervisors as they evolved into CEs by contributing to an SD course on neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nineteen Japanese neonatology CEs. Using the socialisation factors of PIF as the theoretical framework, we generated themes influencing their identity formation as CEs. Results Prior to contributing to SD, neonatology supervisors had only a vague sense of responsibility and leadership within their clinical setting. Their educational approach was traditional and unidirectional, and they experienced mixed feelings – such as honour and anxiety – when invited to participate in SD as CEs. After contributing to SD, they developed their professional identity as CEs through rich socialisation factors, including role models, educational experiences, peer CEs, and independence from peer practitioners, aligning with the socialisation factors of PIF. This transformation was marked by a strong desire to pass on their mission to the next generation of healthcare professionals while contributing to society, motivation for educational activities with positive emotions, and the adoption of a learner-centred, bidirectional approach to education. Conclusions This study elucidates the process by which neonatology supervisors develop their professional identities as CEs, identifies key influencing factors, and highlights effective strategies to foster CEs’ identity formation in informal and ad hoc SD settings
Assessing digital rectal examination and prostate-specific antigen knowledge: a study of Syrian medical students’ knowledge for prostate cancer screening
No full textAbstract Background Prostate cancer (PCa) is a global health issue, and its early detection is crucial. In post-conflict Syria, the role of future physicians in managing non-communicable diseases is paramount. However, the preparedness of Syrian medical students to handle PCa screening is unknown. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceived competence regarding PCa, Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing among senior medical students at the University of Damascus. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 641 clinical-year (fourth, fifth, and sixth year) medical students using a validated, self-administered questionnaire. A two-stage cluster sampling technique was employed. The questionnaire assessed sociodemographic data and specific knowledge of DRE and PSA. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA to identify significant differences across demographic and academic variables. Results A significant dissonance was found between theoretical awareness and practical knowledge. While awareness of DRE (98.1%) and PSA (97.2%) was nearly universal, practical experience was exceptionally low, with only 1.4% of students having ever performed a DRE. Knowledge of DRE procedures was significantly higher in male students than female students (p < 0.001). A paradoxical trend was observed wherein DRE knowledge increased from the fourth to the fifth year but declined in the final (sixth) year (p < 0.001). The most critical finding was a profound deficit in the clinical interpretation of PSA values; while 34.3% knew the normal range for Total PSA, knowledge of the Total/Free PSA ratio (16.5%) and Free PSA (11.2%) was alarmingly poor. A family history of PCa did not correlate with higher knowledge scores. Conclusion Senior medical students at Damascus University exhibit a critical theory-practice gap in PCa screening. They are aware of the screening modalities but lack the practical and interpretive knowledge essential for clinical competence. This deficit highlights an urgent need for curricular reform, emphasizing hands-on training and clinical reasoning to ensure the next generation of Syrian physicians is adequately prepared to manage this prevalent disease
Bridging the gap: the role of student conferences in advancing sport and exercise medicine in the medical school curricula
No full textAbstract Background Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) is an expanding specialty yet remains under-represented in medical school curricula. Persistent barriers limit medical students’ understanding of SEM and awareness of career pathways. Student-led conferences may address these gaps by providing targeted exposure and early engagement. This study evaluated the impact of a national, student-led SEM conference on delegates’ knowledge, preparedness, and perceptions of SEM across UK medical schools. Methods The 2024 National Undergraduate SEM Conference was hosted by University College London and the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health. Seventy-three delegates from sixteen UK medical schools completed pre- and post-conference questionnaires. Responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale and analysed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Free-text data was collected and underwent thematic analysis. Results Significant improvements (p < 0.0001) were seen in awareness of SEM career pathways (+ 55.7%), preparedness for a SEM career (+ 46.2%), understanding of SEM (+ 44.4%), and awareness of barriers to accessing careers in SEM (+ 41.4%). Interest in SEM also increased (p = 0.0034). 86% of delegates wanted more SEM-related opportunities in medical school; 87% felt current SEM curriculum coverage was inadequate; and 70% felt SEM to be under-supported by medical schools in content exposure and opportunity. Qualitative themes highlighted the need for greater clinical exposure, mentoring, and student-led opportunities. Conclusion A one-day, national, student-led SEM conference significantly improved delegates’ understanding, sense of preparedness, and career awareness, while identifying curriculum deficiencies. Through the outcomes of its practical workshops and lectures, and its examination of systemic barriers to entry, this national conference extends prior single-centre findings. Student-led initiatives offer a scalable, low-cost approach for enhancing SEM education of medical students by supplementing educational gaps in the medical school curriculum. Clinical trial number Not Applicable
Fostering innovation and building youth capacity in global health: design, implementation, and evaluation of a youth-led digital health hackathon
No full textAbstract Background African countries face significant challenges in their healthcare systems, including inadequate human resources, insufficient budgetary allocation, and poor leadership and management. Digital health solutions hold immense potential to address these challenges, but a digitally capable healthcare workforce is crucial for harnessing this potential. We designed and implemented Federation of African Medical Students’ Associations (FAMSA) AfroHack ‘24, a four-day virtual hackathon, to empower African medical students to develop and implement innovative digital health solutions for critical public health issues. Methods This four-day virtual hackathon brought together medical students from across Africa. Participants received training in design thinking, innovation in the African context, and effective pitching. They then collaborated in teams to develop digital health solutions addressing key themes like HIV/AIDS prevention, non-communicable diseases, and infectious disease outbreaks. Pre- and post-hackathon surveys were conducted to assess changes in participants’ skills and confidence. Narratives from the open-call proposals were analyzed to identify emergent themes. Results The hackathon attracted applications from 21 teams across six African countries. Five teams were selected. The mean age was 23.88 years (SD: 2.60), 70.6% were male, and 53% were from Nigeria. The proposed solutions leveraged technologies like mobile health applications, AI/machine learning, and wearable devices. Participants self-reported improvements in teamwork (70.6%), pitching (41.2%), and design thinking (23.5%) skills. Common challenges included team coordination (23.5%), internet connectivity issues (17.6%), and time constraints (17.6%). Conclusion The AfroHack ‘24 hackathon was a valuable platform to foster innovative ideas to address global health disparities in African countries, build digital health innovation capacity, and establish collaborative relationships with experienced global health professionals. Future innovation events may build on these strategies to empower healthcare trainees
Shaping collaborative practice: a qualitative case study of educators’ experiences in integrated interprofessional education
No full textAbstract Background Preparing a collaboration-ready health and social care workforce capable of delivering high-quality, patient-, client-, family-, and community-centred care requires the integration of interprofessional education (IPE) into pre-licensure curricula. Such a curriculum employs experiential and situated learning approaches to engage students in progressively complex, real-world, team-based learning activities. Although the literature broadly supports IPE, few studies have examined the impacts of integrated IPE curricula on fostering effective interprofessional collaborative practice across health and social care professions. Methods This qualitative case study explored these impacts from the perspectives of classroom-based facilitators and practice-based preceptors involved in delivering IPE in Canada. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with twenty-six participants from four Canadian post-secondary institutions and were analyzed inductively using thematic content analysis. Findings and Discussion Key findings emerged across six themes: (1) Gender Representation; (2) Availability of Facilitators and Preceptors; (3) Mode of Delivery; (4) Nature of Curriculum; (5) Perception of Interprofessional Education as Extracurricular; and (6) Limited and Inequitable Access to Practice-Based Interprofessional Education. These themes reflect persistent structural and institutional barriers, as well as opportunities to improve IPE delivery. Conclusions To advance meaningful interprofessional collaborative practice in health and social care, institutions should offer substantial incentives to increase faculty and clinician involvement in IPE delivery; utilize both in-person and online modes of delivery; and foster inter-institutional partnerships. These strategies support the World Health Organization’s call for the sustainable integration of IPE into professional degree programs in health and social care, ultimately aiming to improve patient-, client-, family-, and community-centred care
Enhancing clinical training evaluation: leveraging artificial intelligence algorithms for effective online practicum assessment
No full textAbstract Objective This framework shall be founded upon the amalgamation of multiple AI algorithms and course data, with the overarching objective of furnishing medical students with real-time feedback and personalized learning support. Methods A variety of artificial intelligence algorithms are used. Results The outcomes derived from the test group analysis of AI algorithms for predicting satisfaction with online clinical apprenticeships were as follows: in terms of accuracy, all the algorithms achieved the accuracy of over 70% except for LGBM and GradientBoosting; in terms of precision, the top five best algorithms were GradientBoosting (0.917), LGBM (0.880), CNN (0.865), LinearSVC (0.851), and CatBoost (0.833); in terms of recall, the top three best algorithms were gnb (0.415), PBNN (0.410), and RNN (0.410); in terms of F1 score, the top four best algorithms were PBNN (0.536), NeuralDecisionTree (0.520), Gnb (0.514), and NeuralDecisionForest (0.509) ; and in terms of AUC, most of the algorithms displayed high performance levels except for RNN. Our web-based platform has been successfully implemented through the utilization of the LinearSVC algorithm. This system is conveniently accessible via a designated web page ( https://zhouchengmao-streamlit-app-5-lsvc-a-st-app-lsvc-apsoocpc-gxze7n.streamlit.app/ ), where users may engage with its functionalities. Conclusions When considering the results of both the training and test groups collectively, it was evident that Linear SVC demonstrated favorable performance across multiple evaluation metrics. Therefore, it could be regarded as one of the best-performing algorithms
Improved RNA-based metagenomic sequencing for rapid pathogen detection in pets
No full textAbstract In veterinary medicine, particularly in pet clinics, the accurate and rapid detection of pathogens is crucial for effective disease diagnosis and treatment. Traditional diagnostic methods are often time-consuming and fall short in identifying a broad spectrum of pathogens. The newly developed metagenomic transcriptomics next-generation sequencing (mtNGS) technology is a promising tool for the rapid detecting RNA- and DNA-based pathogens. However, its application in pet clinics has been limited due to high costs, complex operational procedures, and the absence of unified protocols. Here we established a standardized mtNGS workflow for pathogen detection tailored to various clinical sample types from pets. This workflow involves the extraction of total RNA without rRNA depletion and sequencing using Illumina platforms. It also incorporates Bowtie2 to eliminate host genome sequences and MetaPhlAn3 to identify microbial compositions. Our mtNGS technology was evaluated in 16 diverse clinical cases involving body fluids, fecal samples, nasopharyngeal swabs, and tissue samples from dogs, cats, and parrots. Notably, it detected pathogens in all cases, including an identification of Mycobacterium intracellulare in a cat, highlighting its utility in diagnosing zoonotic diseases. These results, corroborated by traditional techniques, demonstrate that the mtNGS-based diagnostic approach is particularly advantageous in cases where conventional diagnostics are insufficient or when multiple co-infections are suspected. This method exhibits potential in diagnosing complex clinical diseases that are challenging to identify using traditional techniques, thus representing a promising tool and can be widely applied in veterinary diagnostics
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