Search Results (67)

Background/Objectives: As reported by the World Health Organization, Mpox (monkeypox) is an important disease present in 110 countries, mostly in South Asia and Africa. The number of Mpox cases has increased rapidly, and the medical world is worried about the emergence of a new pandemic. Detection of Mpox by traditional methods (using test kits) is a costly and slow process. For this reason, there is a need for methods that have high success rates and can diagnose Mpox disease from skin images with a deep-learning-based autonomous method. Methods: In this work, we propose a multi-class, fast, and reliable autonomous disease diagnosis model using transformer-based deep learning architectures and skin lesion images, including for Mpox disease. Our other aim is to investigate the effects of self-supervised learning, self-distillation, and shifted window techniques on classification success when multi-class skin lesion images are trained with transformer-based deep learning architectures. The Mpox Skin Lesion Dataset, Version 2.0, which was publicly released in 2024, was used in the training, validation, and testing processes of the study. Results: The SwinTransformer architecture we proposed in our study achieved about 8% higher accuracy evaluation metric classification success compared to its closest competitor in the literature. ViT, MAE, DINO, and SwinTransformer architectures achieved 93.10%, 84.60%, 90.40%, and 93.71% accuracy classification success, respectively. Conclusions: The results obtained in the study showed that Mpox disease and other skin lesion images can be diagnosed with high success and can support doctors in decision-making. In addition, the study provides important results that can be used in other medical fields where the number of images is low in terms of transformer-based architecture and technique to use. Full article

Background: Several studies highlighted that tailored health communication interventions improve cervical screening participation, vaccination coverage, and awareness about self-sampling benefits. The “COMUNISS” project was aimed at increasing awareness about cervical cancer prevention, identifying barriers to screening, and promoting screening uptake in under-screened women. Methods: A dedicated website with a Q&A session regarding HPV-associated diseases has been set up. Participants were invited to complete a questionnaire to gather demographic information, knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer, and attitudes toward screening based on the Health Beliefs Model (HBM). Women can also require a vaginal self-sampling kit at your home to perform the HPV-DNA analysis. Results: The website registered over 1000 users over 6 months, and 256 women completed the survey. Nearly half were under-screened. The HBM revealed a high susceptibility and severity perception of diseases, regardless of screening participation, whereas older women declared a high perception of barriers. One-quarter of the women who had requested the self-collection kit returned it for the HPV-DNA testing. Conclusions: The project found significant gaps in knowledge regarding extra-cervical HPV-related cancers, interpretation of screening results, and effectiveness of self-collection. These findings highlight the need to plan targeted information campaigns to enhance awareness and adherence to screening programs. Full article

Background: The gut–brain axis, significantly influenced by the gut microbiome, is a growing focus in mental health research. This study aimed to investigate gut microbiome differences between anxious and non-anxious participants. Methods: A convenience sample of 119 participants consisted of 56 participants with self-assessed low to zero levels of anxiety and 63 with self-assessed mild to severe levels of anxiety, using the self-rated Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) test. Fresh stool samples were collected for bacterial DNA extraction. DNA library preparation was performed using shotgun methodology, sequenced with the NextSeq 500/550 High Output v2.5 300 cycle kit, and mapped using minimap2. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted using One Codex. Results: The study participants were all of white race/ethnicity and the mean age, 54 (anxious group) vs. 55 (non-anxious) yr old, was not different between groups (p = 0.75). In the anxious group, 33% were females versus 25% in the non-anxious group, p = 0.46. Six percent of the anxious group reported a prior diagnosis of depression and 8% had irritable bowel syndrome, compared to none in the non-anxious group (p = 0.02, p = 0.006, respectively). Mann–Whitney tests revealed higher relative abundances of the genera Clostridioides (p = 0.011) and Bacteroides (p = 0.002) in the anxious group. Conversely, the anxious group had lower levels of the genera Bifidobacterium (p = 2.118 × 10⁻¹⁰), Faecalibacterium (p = 0.020), and the Phylum Actinobacteria (p = 1.516 × 10⁻⁸). Conclusions: Our findings corroborate previous studies, showing significant gut microbiome differences between anxious individuals and their non-anxious counterparts. These results support further exploration of microbiome-centric anxiety research. Full article

Patchouli oil (PO) is a natural substance famous for its immune-enhancing and anti-inflammatory effects. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by epidermal gene mutations, skin barrier dysfunction, and immune dysregulation, making patchouli volatile oil a potential candidate for AD treatment. Initially, PO was mixed with ethyl oleate (EO), castor oil ethoxylated ether-40 (EL-40), anhydrous ethanol, and water to form a patchouli oil microemulsion (PO-ME) system. The formulation ratios were optimized using the Box–Behnken design-effect surface method, and their products were characterized for type, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and appearance. Additionally, patchouli oil microemulsion gel (PO-MEG) was developed with a specified concentration of 1.5% carbomer-940 as the matrix, and its pH, stability, viscosity, and permeability were evaluated. We assessed the irritation tests of PO-MEG using a rat self-control model and the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The results demonstrated that should be attributed to non-irritating. This study also assessed the efficacy of optimized PO-MEG on AD-like symptoms using a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced BALB/c mouse model. Compared with the model group, the in vivo efficacy studies have shown the PO-MEG group significantly reduces dermatitis scores, mast cell counts, epidermal thickness, and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune factors in skin homogenates. This suggests that PO-MEG would become a safer topical formulation for treating atopic dermatitis. Full article

Background: The increasing trend of cervical cancer in women in their 20s in Japan is largely attributable to the low rate of cervical cancer screening. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling among 24-year-old Japanese women who had never previously been screened for cervical cancer during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: In August 2021, consenting eligible women received HPV self-sampling kits. An Evalyn brush was used for self-sampling, and a Cobas 4800 PCR-based HPV DNA test was used to detect high-risk HPV genotypes. We analyzed the return rates of self-sampling kits and conducted a survey on the acceptability of the self-sampling method. Results: Of the total 1997 eligible women, 13.4% (268/1997) agreed to participate. The return rate of the kits was 72.4% (194/268), corresponding to 9.7% of the eligible population. Among the participants who returned the kits, 14.9% (29/194) tested positive for HPV, and 41.4% (12/29) of these underwent subsequent cytological testing. The questionnaire results indicated that 57.8% of participants reported no pain during self-sampling, and 72.9% expressed a willingness to continue using the self-sampling method in the future. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that opt-in HPV self-sampling among 24-year-old women who had never been screened for cervical cancer had a favorable kit return rate and was well accepted by the participants, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the follow-up cytology test rates were low, highlighting the need for improved post-screening management. Full article

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by a multifactorial etiology in which genetic and environmental factors interplay. An exclusively cutaneous condition has been described and defined as cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). In Italy, a nationwide blood donor survey found an overall HEV prevalence of 8.7%, with an interregional variation from 2.2% to 22.8%. In this study, we aimed to estimate HEV seroprevalence in a cohort of patients affected by SLE and CLE attending the Lupus Clinic, Sapienza University of Rome. Serum samples were tested for anti-HEV immunoglobulin Ig G and M antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Statistical analysis was performed. In total, 138 patients were enrolled, 92 (67%) affected by SLE and 46 by CLE. The prevalence of HEV infection was 23.9% in the CLE group and 7.6% in the SLE group. The anti-HEV+ prevalence was significantly more frequent in CLE. Some mechanisms may be linked to increased susceptibility to HEV such as a molecular mimicry associated with the CLE condition or with the skin compartment/skin self-antigens, as well as the involvement of the genetic background. Regarding the possible risk factors, no association was found, although, of note, the odds of HEV+ relative to contact with animals and to eating raw seafood were strongly higher than the unit in the CLE group. Full article

Multifunctional hydrogel dressings remain highly sought after for the promotion of skin wound regeneration. In the present study, multifunctional CHS-DA/HACC (CH) hydrogels with an interpenetrated network were constructed using hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride modified chitosan (HACC) and dopamine-modified chondroitin sulfate (CHS-DA), using genipin as crosslinker. The synthesis of HACC and CHS-DA was effectively confirmed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy. The prepared CH hydrogels exhibited a network of interconnected pores within the microstructure. Furthermore, rheological testing demonstrated that CH hydrogels exhibited strong mechanical properties, stability, and injectability. Further characterization investigations showed that the CH hydrogels showed favorable self-healing and self-adhesion properties. It was also shown that increasing HACC concentration ratio was positively correlated with the antibacterial activity of CH hydrogels, as evidenced by their resistance to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) tests, fluorescent images, and a cell scratch assay demonstrated that CH hydrogels had good biocompatibility and cell migration ability. The multifunctional interpenetrated network hydrogels were shown to have good antibacterial properties, antioxidant properties, stable storage modulus and loss modulus, injectable properties, self-healing properties, and biocompatibility, highlighting their potential as wound dressings in wound healing applications. Full article

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Georgia Institute of Technology made the decision to keep the university doors open for on-campus attendance. To manage COVID-19 infection rates, internal resources were applied to develop and implement a mass asymptomatic surveillance program. The objective was to identify infections early for proper follow-on verification testing, contact tracing, and quarantine/isolation as needed. Program success depended on frequent and voluntary sample collection from over 40,000 students, faculty, and staff personnel. At that time, the nasopharyngeal (NP) swab, not saliva, was the main accepted sample type for COVID-19 testing. However, due to collection discomfort and the inability to be self-collected, the NP swab was not feasible for voluntary and frequent self-collection. Therefore, saliva was selected as the clinical sample type and validated. A saliva collection kit and a sample processing and analysis workflow were developed. The results of a clinical sample-type comparison study between co-collected and matched NP swabs and saliva samples showed 96.7% positive agreement and 100% negative agreement. During the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, 319,988 samples were collected and tested. The program resulted in maintaining a low overall mean positivity rate of 0.78% and 0.54% for the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, respectively. For this high-throughput asymptomatic COVID-19 screening application, saliva was an exceptionally good sample type. Full article

Cervical cancer is highly preventable through vaccination, early detection, and treatment, yet is the fourth most common cancer globally. HPV testing is superior to cytology for the detection of cervical pre-cancer, and jurisdictions around the world are implementing HPV primary screening, which offers the opportunity for self-screening, an important self-care intervention. Digital health solutions are also increasingly important components of self-care. In this study, we assessed the acceptability and completion of self-screening for cervical cancer offered through a digital platform within a low screening uptake region of British Columbia. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the acceptability of self-screening for cervical cancer offered through a digital platform as measured by return rates of self-screening kits. Patients due or overdue for cervix screening were invited to participate. Eligible participants registered online to receive a self-screening kit, which included a device for vaginal self-screening, instructions, and a return envelope, sent to their home. After self-screening using the vaginal device, HPV testing was conducted. HPV-negative participants were returned to routine screening, and HPV-positive participants were recommended for cytology or colposcopy. Attendance rates at follow-up were evaluated. Participants were invited to complete an acceptability survey. From April 2019 to December 2023, 283 participants were sent kits, with 207 kits returned for a completion rate of 73%. Of valid samples (n = 202), 15 were HPV positive, and 93% attended follow-up care. Most respondents found the CervixCheck website easy to use, informative, and secure and were satisfied with receiving their results online. CervixCheck had a high completion rate among participants who were sent a self-screening kit. High compliance with recommended follow-up and high acceptability of self-screening for cervical cancer was observed. Most participants indicated they would self-screen again in the future. Innovative approaches to cervical screening, including self-screening and the use of digital health interventions, are ways to enhance equity and improve uptake of cervical screening. Full article

Advanced microfabrication technologies have revolutionized the field of reflective encoders by integrating all necessary optical components and electronics into a miniature single-chip solution. Contemporary semiconductor sensors could operate at wide tolerance ranges that make them ideal for integration into compact and lightweight modular encoder kit systems. However, in order to achieve the high accuracy of the operating encoder, precise mechanical installation is still needed. To overcome this issue and exploit the full potential of modern sensors, the self-calibratable absolute modular rotary encoder is developed. The equal division average (EDA) method by combining the angular position readings from multiple optical sensors is used to simplify the installation process and ensure the high accuracy of the system. The produced prototype encoder is experimentally tested vs. the reference encoder and the measurement deviations of using different numbers and arrangements of optical sensors are determined. The obtained results show encoder ability to handle the mounting errors and minimize the initial system deviation by more than 90%. Full article

Cooperation between catabolism and anabolism is crucial for maintaining homeostasis in living cells. The most fundamental systems for catabolism and anabolism are the glycolysis of sugars and the transcription–translation (TX-TL) of DNA, respectively. Despite their importance in living cells, the in vitro reconstitution of their cooperation through purified factors has not been achieved, which hinders the elucidation of the design principle in living cells. Here, we reconstituted glycolysis using sugars and integrated it with the PURE system, a commercial in vitro TX-TL kit composed of purified factors. By optimizing key parameters, such as glucokinase and initial phosphate concentrations, we determined suitable conditions for their cooperation. The optimized system showed protein synthesis at up to 33% of that of the original PURE system. We observed that ATP consumption in upstream glycolysis inhibits TX-TL and that this inhibition can be alleviated by the co-addition of glycolytic intermediates, such as glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, with glucose. Moreover, the system developed here simultaneously synthesizes a subset of its own enzymes, that is, glycolytic enzymes, in a single test tube, which is a necessary step toward self-replication. As glycolysis and TX-TL provide building blocks for constructing cells, the integrated system can be a fundamental material for reconstituting living cells from purified factors. Full article

There is a significant need to develop new environmentally friendly, extraction-free sample collection mediums that can effectively preserve and protect genetic material for point-of-care and/or self-collection, home-collection, and mail-back testing. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) was used to create anti-ribonuclease (RNase) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) aptamers against purified RNase A conjugated to paramagnetic carboxylated beads. Following eight rounds of SELEX carried out under various stringency conditions, e.g., selection using Xtract-Free™ (XF) specimen collection medium and elevated ambient temperature of 28 °C, a panel of five aptamers was chosen following bioinformatic analysis using next-generation sequencing. The efficacy of aptamer inactivation of RNase was assessed by monitoring ribonucleic acid (RNA) integrity via fluorometric and real-time RT-PCR analysis. Inclusion of aptamers in reaction incubations resulted in an 8800- to 11,200-fold reduction in RNase activity, i.e., digestion of viral RNA compared to control. Thus, anti-RNase aptamers integrated into XF collection medium as well as other commercial reagents and kits have great potential for ensuring quality intact RNA for subsequent genomic analyses. Full article

Cervical cancer (CC) was diagnosed in 3159 women in France in 2023, and 1117 died from it. Organized screening for cervical cancer is potentially very effective for participating women. However, reaching under-screened populations remains a major challenge. The present qualitative study explored women’s opinions on what discourages or encourages them to participate in CC screening and assessed the acceptability of two experimental strategies (urinary or vaginal self-sampling kits) to increase the screening coverage in three rural French administrative departments with low medical density and/or low screening participation rates. Forty-eight semi-structured interviews and four focus groups were conducted by a team of psychologists. Results showed that the participants accepted at-home self-sampling to reach non-participating women in medically underserved areas. However, they suggested that the type of kit sent should be adapted to the patient’s profile (embarrassment from earlier exams, cultural aspects, fear of invasiveness, etc.), and that kits should be simple to use (in understandable language taking sociocultural aspects into account). Women wished to be assured that testing on self-samples is accurate and needed information about further actions in case of a positive result. Full article

Normal testicular development ensures the process of spermatogenesis, which is a complex biological process. The sustained high productivity of spermatogenesis throughout life is predominantly attributable to the constant proliferation and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The self-renewal and differentiation processes of SSCs are strictly regulated by the SSC niche. Therefore, understanding the developmental pattern of SSCs is crucial for spermatogenesis. The Shaziling pig is a medium-sized indigenous pig breed originating from central China. It is renowned for its superior meat quality and early male sexual maturity. The spermatogenic ability of the boars is of great economic importance to the pig industry. To investigate testicular development, particularly the pattern of SSC development in Shaziling pigs, we used single-cell transcriptomics to identify gene expression patterns in 82,027 individual cells from nine Shaziling pig testes at three key postnatal developmental stages. We generated an unbiased cell developmental atlas of Shaziling pig testicular tissues. We elucidated the complex processes involved in the development of SSCs within their niche in the Shaziling pig. Specifically, we identified potential marker genes and cellular signaling pathways that regulate SSC self-renewal and maintenance. Additionally, we proposed potential novel marker genes for SSCs that could be used for SSC isolation and sorting in Shaziling pigs. Furthermore, by immunofluorescence staining of testicular tissues of different developmental ages using marker proteins (UCHL1 and KIT), the developmental pattern of the spermatogonia of Shaziling pigs was intensively studied. Our research enhances the comprehension of the development of SSCs and provides a valuable reference for breeding Shaziling pigs. Full article

Cervical cancer incidence is increasing among Japanese women, which is partly attributed to low screening rates. This study examined the implementation of opt-in human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling among Japanese women aged 30–39 years who had not undergone cervical cancer screening, focusing on those requiring preconception care. The responses to the opt-in approach and effectiveness in detecting cervical squamous intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or worse (CIN2+) were evaluated. Participants used the Evalyn^® Brush for self-sampling, with HPV testing conducted using the Cobas 4800 system (version 2.2.0). Out of 3489 eligible, unscreened women from four municipalities in Fukui Prefecture, only 10.6% (370/3489) requested the self-sampling kit. Of these, 77.3% (286/370) returned the kit (HPV testing rate: 8.2% (286/3489)). The HPV positivity rate was 13.7% (39/285), yet only 61.5% (24/39) of those with positive HPV results proceeded to cytology testing. Subsequently, three cases of CIN2+ were detected (10.5/1000). While this study demonstrated a reasonable kit return rate and indicated the capability of opt-in HPV self-sampling to detect CIN2+ cases in unscreened women, the low ordering rate of kits and suboptimal compliance for follow-up cytology testing highlight significant challenges. The findings suggest the need for more effective strategies to enhance participation in cervical cancer screening programs. Full article