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Background: Venous thromboembolism is a significant complication after knee replacement. The short-term efficacy disparities between different types of graduated elastic compression stockings (GCS) among patients undergoing total/unicompartmental knee replacement remain unclear.

Objective: The aim of the trial was to compare the efficacies on hemodynamics and morphology of femoral vein between two types of GCS, providing more evidence on GCS prophylaxis among patients undergoing total/unicompartmental knee replacement.

Methods: In this single center, double-blind, parallel design, randomized trial, 141 adult patients who underwent selective, unilateral total/unicompartmental knee replacement operation for the first time were enrolled, with 71 were assigned to type A GCS and 70 to type B GCS, respectively. Compressed ultrasound of the lower extremity was conducted before the operation (without GCS, as preoperative baseline) and within 24 hours post operation (postoperative baseline , with GCS, and with GCS + ankle pump). The relative changes in TV and PV, as well as the diameter of the femoral vein in the healthy leg, were assessed both before and after GCS application following the knee replacement surgery.

Results: The median ages were 67.0 years in type A group and 68.0 years in type B group. All parameters of femoral vein were comparable between type A and type B GCSs. Compared with postoperative baseline, GCS + ankle pump significantly reduced femoral vein diameter and improved the TV in both GCS types; GCS and GCS + ankle pump also significantly increased the TV (median 1.2%, IQR -21.4% to 58.6%, P = 0.0384; median 14.0%, IQR -24.3% to 93.0%, P = 0.0019, respectively) in left leg, while not significant in right leg.

Conclusion: The efficacies of two GCSs were comparable, and both were effective in improving velocity and morphology of femoral veins of the healthy legs among patients undergoing knee replacement, especially in improving TVs of femoral veins for left leg.

Introduction: Identifying skeletal injuries significantly impacts patient outcomes in trauma cases. This study aims to compare the diagnostic accuracy of X-ray (XR) and computed tomography (CT) in detecting elbow fractures among patients presenting at the emergency department (ED). Additionally, the study assesses the potential contribution of the fat pad sign to enhancing the diagnostic accuracy of XR images in identifying elbow fractures. The secondary aim focused on evaluating the precision of XR imaging in determining the necessity for surgical intervention among patients presenting with elbow trauma.

Methods: Conducted retrospectively at an ED within a secondary hospital, this study included patients with elbow trauma between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2020, who underwent both XR and CT imaging of the elbow joint. Following the application of exclusion criteria, the analysis comprised 183 patients based on remaining image data.

Results: When comparing XR to CT for fracture detection, XR exhibited a sensitivity of 46.9%, specificity of 85.9%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 79.3%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 58.4%, area under the curve (AUC) of 0.664. Considering the fat pad sign in XR as a fracture indicator, the sensitivity is 60.2%, specificity is 81.2%, PPV is 78.7%, NPV is 63.9% and AUC is 0.707. A significant difference was found when comparing the AUCs obtained with and without considering the fat pad sign (p = 0.039). Regarding surgical treatment decision-making, XR showed a sensitivity of 50%, specificity of 100%, PPV of 95%, NPV of 100%, and an AUC of 0.750 when compared to CT.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that XR alone is insufficient for detecting elbow fractures and determining the need for surgical treatment. Incorporating the fat pad sign improves the diagnostic accuracy of XR. In cases where suspicion of fracture is high, considering CT imaging is crucial to avoid missed diagnoses, prevent complications, and guide treatment decisions effectively.

Exploration of the microbiome has been referred to as a final frontier in biological research. This is due to its precedence for generating insights on the holistic functioning of organismal biology by exploring the interactions between hosts and their associated symbiotic organisms. The microbiomes of many vertebrate groups still require exploration to advance current knowledge and fill previous knowledge gaps. This study generated initial descriptions of the bacterial microbiomes of three species of dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion) from the 16S rRNA gene region targeting the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions. This led to the successful identification of 1,073 and 4,502 independent amplicon sequence variants from buccal swab and faecal material samples, respectively. This newly acquired information is intended as a baseline for future work incorporating holobiont information. The diversity of microbial taxa suggests that the total dwarf chameleon microbiome is similar to other squamates investigated to date, as well as chelonians (Testudines). Microbial frequency differences were noted in comparison to crocodilians (Archosauria) and mammalian groups. Furthermore, this study aimed to examine the influence of habitat transformation on the composition of the microbiome in dwarf chameleons as each of the study species occupy both urban and natural habitats. Given that most urban habitats are highly transformed, the expectation was that microbial assemblages of the gastro-intestinal tracts of all three Bradypodion species would show significant differences between populations (i.e., natural, or urban). It was found, however, that the level of effect was contingent on species: B. melanocephalum populations showed noticeable microbiome differences between urban and natural populations; B. thamnobates showed variations in microbial community dispersions between populations; and B. setaroi showed no significant microbiome differences based on diversity metrics although some frequency differences, in microbiome composition, were observed between populations. We suggest that the magnitude of difference between the habitats occupied by the populations is a factor, given the apparent disparity between the natural and urban habitats for B. melanocephalum as compared to the other two species.

Knowledge of feeding ecology is essential for effective management of a primate and its habitat. The Mantled guereza Colobus guereza is a predominantly folivorous monkey that occurs in different parts of eastern Africa, including the Maze National Park in Ethiopia. Despite many studies conducted in the area, there is no up-to-date data that was carried out on feeding ecology of the Colobus guereza. The aim of this study is to determine the dietary composition and feeding preference of the Colobus guereza in the park. To better understand this, we randomly selected three study groups along the Maze River. We used instantaneous scan sampling method to collect feeding data from September 2021-August 2022. We followed guerezas from 6:30 to 10:30 in the morning and 13:30 to 17:25 in the afternoon collecting feeding activity data between 5 min intervals during 10-min scan duration. Overall, guerezas were observed to eat eight plant species and unidentified invertebrates in the park. Of these, Trichilia emetica contributed the highest proportion accounted 53.36% and 27.83% in the wet and dry season respectively, while unidentified invertebrates were rarely utilized over the course of this study. We also found that young leaves were consumed more (n = 1,794, 75.31%) in the wet while mature leaves were eaten more (n = 1,215, 43.61%) over the other diet components in the dry season. These results suggest that the guerezas in the park exhibit temporal dietary flexibility. The observed dietary flexibility may be partly due to seasonal changes in availability of food plant parts in the groups' home ranges in the park. Our results suggest that maintaining the park is critical to protect food plant species for this primate, which at present constitutes only a few.

Background: To investigate the relationship between serum renal function indicators and preeclampsia (PE) in pregnant women at second trimester of pregnancy, determine the optimal critical values of the above indicators, and further identify the independent risk factors of PE.

Methods: We assessed the renal function indicators in second trimesters of 137 pregnant women with PE and 137 normal pregnant women who delivered at Shijiazhuang Fourth Hospital between January 2020 to December 2022. Paired t-tests, paired Mann-Whitney U tests, and Chi-square tests were used to evaluate differences of clinical data between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was employed to establish the optimal critical values of the above indicators. A 1:1 matched case-control logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent risk factors for PE.

Results: The levels of serum uric acid and the ratio of serum uric acid to serum creatinine were significantly higher in the PE group compared to the control (P < 0.001), while the serum creatinine levels were higher in control group (P = 0.002). The incidence of adverse maternal (P < 0.001) and neonatal outcomes (P < 0.001) in the PE group were higher than those in the control group. A ROC analysis based on the occurrence of PE showed that the levels of serum uric acid (P < 0.001), serum creatinine (P = 0.006) and the ratio of serum uric acid to serum creatinine (P < 0.001) were statistically significant. After adjusting for confounding factors, elevated serum uric acid (a OR = 1.012, 95% CI [1.005-1.019], P < 0.001) and an increased serum uric acid to serum creatinine ratio (a OR = 1.190, 95% CI [1.053-1.346], P = 0.005) were identified as independent risk factors for PE. There was no significant difference in renal function between maternal and newborn group in relation to the occurrence of adverse outcomes (P > 0.05 vs. all groups).

Conclusions: Through the analysis of renal function indicators in patients with PE in the second trimester of pregnancy and those in a normal control group, it is found that elevated serum uric acid and serum uric acid to serum creatinine ratio in PE individual may serve as indicative markers for the onset of PE. Targeting this subset of the population for monitoring and management during the second trimester could enhance the efficacy of medical interventions.

Background: Burkholderia pseudomallei is a soil- and water-dwelling bacterium that causes the life-threatening infection melioidosis. Patients typically acquire this infection through environmental exposure, so reducing B. pseudomallei levels in the environment could mitigate the risk of infection. Trichoderma asperellum is a biological control agent that synthesizes a diverse range of antimicrobial substances targeting other microorganisms. This study therefore examined the antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of T. asperellum culture filtrate against B. pseudomallei.

Methods: The antibacterial activities of T. asperellum culture filtrates, collected at various time intervals, were assessed against B. pseudomallei using the agar well diffusion method. Subsequently, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), and anti-biofilm activities of the culture filtrate exhibiting the highest inhibitory effect were determined. Bactericidal efficacy was further evaluated via a time-kill assay. The mechanisms underlying inhibition were then investigated using scanning electron microscopy and crystal violet uptake assays.

Results: Filtrate collected from 7-day old cultures of T. asperellum (TD7) exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on B. pseudomallei, with an inhibition zone of 30.33 ± 0.19 mm. The MIC of TD7 against B. pseudomallei was 7.81 ± 0.00 mg/mL and the MBC ranged from 7.81 ± 0.00 to 11.72 ± 1.75 mg/mL. Time-kill studies with TD7 confirmed its bactericidal activity, with complete elimination of B. pseudomallei occurring within 30 min treatment at 62.48 mg/mL (8xMIC) and 24 h treatment at 7.81 mg/mL (1xMIC). At a concentration of  7.81 mg/mL, TD7 also significantly reduced B. pseudomallei biofilm formation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed surface roughening and cell shrinkage of TD7-treated B. pseudomallei. TD7-treated bacteria were also found to absorb more crystal violet dye than untreated cells, indicating that TD7 might inhibit and kill B. pseudomallei by disrupting cell membrane permeability.

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that T. asperellum culture filtrates possess bactericidal activity and effectively disrupt biofilm formation by B. pseudomallei. This suggests that T. asperellum could potentially be used to reduce the presence of B. pseudomallei in the environment and, consequently, lower the incidence of melioidosis.

Background: Oases are azonal, highly productive, densely vegetated areas within drylands, often converted to agriculture, and characterized by significant biocultural diversity. Despite their importance, comprehensive information on the global distribution and biocultural diversity of oases has been lacking.

Methods: To address this gap, a detailed bibliographic search and random forest modeling were combined to create a global map of oases, with a focus on Asia and North Africa (ANA).

Results: In the ANA region, oases cover 1.5% of the dryland area and are populated by 150 million people, with an additional 268 million people living nearby and most likely being dependent on them. Globally, oases contain more than 8,200 vertebrate species, of which 13% are classified as threatened. However, less than 0.5% of their total area is currently under protection, making oases one of the least conserved ecosystems worldwide. These findings highlight the distinct biocultural, ecological, and geopolitical importance of oases, which are increasingly threatened by climate change and direct human impacts. Despite their significance, oases remain undervalued, emphasizing an urgent need for developing adaptative strategies to sustainably manage these pivotal ecosystems.

Background: In India, joint families often encompass members spanning multiple generations cohabiting in the same household, thereby sharing the same ethnicity, genetics, dietary habits, lifestyles, and other living conditions. Such an extended family provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the effect of genetics and other confounding factors like geographical location, diet and age on the skin microbiota within and between families across three generations.

Methods: The present study involved seventy-two individuals from fifteen families from two geographical regions of Maharashtra, India. The 16S rRNA sequencing of V3-V4 regions was performed and the generated taxonomic profiles were used for downstream analysis.

Results: Our study highlights a significant difference in community composition (beta diversity) between families (PERMANOVA; p = 0.001) and geographical locations (p = 0.001). We observed geographical location-wise differences in the relative abundances Staphylococcus in the families from Pune (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.007), and Bacillus in the Ahmednagar families (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.004). When within and between-family comparisons of skin microbiota composition were carried out between different generations (G1-G2, G2-G3, and G1-G3); we observed skin microbiota tended to be more similar within than between families but this difference was not significant.

Conclusion: This study underscores the diversity and commonalities in skin microbiota composition within and between families. Our result suggests that geographical location is significantly associated with the genus composition of skin microbiota, which is quantitatively unique for a family and likely explained by co-habitation.

Background: Music is a primary source of pleasure for humans. Nevertheless, there is large interindividual variability in how individuals experience and derive pleasure from music and music-related activities. With this study we propose and validate the Italian version of the extended Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (eBMRQ), the most in-depth and comprehensive tool for investigating the diverse characterization of individual sensitivity to pleasure in music. In addition, we aim to investigate eBMRQ scores as a function of age, gender, and musicianship across Italian population.

Methods: For the validation process of the Italian eBMRQ, we first conducted forward and backward translation from the original English eBMRQ version. The new Italian version was then administered to 1,012 participants who were fluent in Italian from the north and the south of Italy through online surveys (age range 18-86 years old; M = 34.9, SD = 16.9, females 74%). Unrestricted confirmatory analysis was computed for both six-factor and single-factor models. The effect of gender, age, and musicianship on eBMRQ scores was analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results: The quality assessment of the factor solution indicated that the Italian eBMRQ demonstrated acceptable quality and reliability, making it a valid tool for assessing sensitivity to music reward. All factors were significantly correlated with each other, in line with previous adaptations of the BMRQ. Our findings indicate that females reported higher music reward sensitivity compared to males, except for Social Reward subscale. Moreover, individual reward sensitivity was significantly higher among musicians and amateurs compared to non-musicians, although this trend did not emerge for Sensory-motor and Mood Regulation subscales. Also, overall musical reward sensitivity was negatively associated with age.

Conclusions: The results obtained suggest the feasibility of applying the Italian version of eBMRQ as a reliable tool in the field of affective and clinical music-related research. Furthermore, the significant associations we have highlighted between eBMRQ scores, gender, age, and musicianship contribute to emphasizing the significant impact of individual factors on music reward sensitivity.