Uso da adaptação transcultural nos cursos de pós-graduação em Enfermagem / Use of cross-cultural adaptation in Postgraduate Nursing courses / Uso de la adaptación transcultural en las carreras de grado en Enfermería

Objetivo: analisar a produção científica brasileira, na Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, que utilizou o método de adaptação transcultural. Método: estudo documental, com busca realizada na Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações, que resultou em 140 dissertações e 72 teses para análise, oriundas de Programas de Pós-Graduação da região Sudeste, seguida das regiões Nordeste, Sul e Centro-Oeste, sem representação da região Norte. Resultados: os instrumentos adaptados foram, em sua maioria, procedentes do idioma inglês. Prevaleceram as pesquisas na área/campo Assistencial, destacando-se a linha de pesquisa Processo de Cuidar em Saúde e Enfermagem. Identificou-se descompasso entre o que é produzido na área e o que é recomendado internacionalmente. Conclusão: verificou-se aumento na utilização da adaptação transcultural como método de pesquisa, com persistência das assimetrias acadêmicas regionais e sem consenso sobre o referencial metodológico.

Objective: to analyze the Brazilian scientific production in Postgraduate Nursing education using the cross-cultural adaptation method. Method: documentary study with searches carried out in the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations resulting in 140 Master's theses and 72 Doctoral dissertations for analysis originated from Postgraduate Programs carried out in the Southeast region of Brazil, followed by the Northeast, South and Midwest regions ­ there was no representation of the North region. Results: the adapted instruments were, mostly, originally written in English. Research in the Care area/field prevailed, highlighting the line of research called Health and Nursing Care Process. A gap between what is produced in the area and what is recommended internationally was identified. Conclusion: an increase in the use of cross-cultural adaptation as a research method was noticed, with the persistence of regional academic asymmetries and lack of consensus on the methodological framework.

Objetivo: analizar la producción científica brasileña, en el Postgrado en Enfermería, que utilizó el método de adaptación transcultural. Método: estudio documental, la búsqueda se realizó en la Biblioteca Digital de Tesis y Disertaciones, se obtuvieron 140 tesis de maestría y 72 tesis de doctorado para análisis, provenientes de Programas de Posgrado de la región Sudeste, seguida de las regiones Nordeste, Sur y Centro-Oeste, no se encontraron documentos de la región Norte. Resultados: los instrumentos adaptados fueron, en su mayoría, del idioma inglés. Predominaron las investigaciones en el área/campo Asistencial, se destacó la línea de investigación Proceso de Atención en Salud y Enfermería. Se identificó que lo que se produce en el área no coincide con lo que se recomienda a nivel internacional. Conclusión: se comprobó que aumentó el uso de la adaptación transcultural como método de investigación, que persisten las disparidades académicas regionales y que no hay consenso sobre el marco metodológico.

Comparative efficacy of bilateral mesh sacrospinous ligament suspension versus laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy in patients with metroptosis.

This study assesses the efficacy of bilateral mesh sacrospinous ligament suspension (MSSLS) compared to laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) in patients with uterine prolapse. Ninety-eight patients with uterine prolapse were evaluated at our hospital from January 2021 to January 2023. Patients were equally divided into two groups: the study group (undergoing MSSLS) and the control group (undergoing LSC) using a random number table. Various parameters including operation time, bleeding volume, indwelling catheter time, exhaust time, hospital stay, pelvic organ prolapse stage, postoperative recurrence rate, pain severity, quality of life, pelvic floor function, impact on sexual life, complications, and recurrence rate were recorded. The study group showed significant reductions in operation time, bleeding volume, indwelling catheter time, exhaust time, and hospital stay compared to the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in Aa, Ba, Ap, Bp, and C between the two groups before surgery (P > 0.05), but six months postoperatively, these indexes were significantly lower in the study group (P < 0.05). Pain severity did not differ significantly between the two groups before surgery (P > 0.05), but was significantly lower in the study group six months postoperatively (P < 0.05). Quality of life, pelvic floor function, and sexual life quality did not significantly differ before surgery, at 6 months, and at 12 months postoperatively (P > 0.05). All patients were followed up for 12-14 months, with an average follow-up time of (13.02 ± 1.36) months. The incidence of complications was significantly lower in the study group (P < 0.05), but there were no recurrences in either group, thus the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). MSSLS emerges as a safe and efficacious treatment for uterine prolapse, notably reducing both complications and recurrence rates, rendering it suitable for broad clinical application.

The Associations of Pornography Use and Body Image Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Men.

This study investigated the relationship between pornography use and men's body image, utilizing the social comparison theory as the theoretical framework. The research focused on a moderated mediation model, examining the role of social body comparison as a mediator between pornography use (frequency and problematic use) and men's body image. The sample consisted of 726 men aged 18-68, with 223 (30.7%) identifying as sexual minorities. Sexual minority men reported higher levels of pornography use frequency, problematic use, perceived realism, social body comparison, negative body image, and psychological distress compared to heterosexual men. Findings revealed that problematic pornography use (but not frequency of use) was related to higher levels of social body comparison, which, in turn, were related to higher levels of negative body image. The perceived realism in pornography did not moderate the examined associations. Clinicians should consider the impact of the relationship between pornography and body image among men.

Differences and correlations between industrial experts and semi-trained assessors in the sensory evaluation of strong-aroma baijiu using rate-all-that-apply.

Baijiu has rich and complex sensory characteristics, and how to make the sensory analysis results given by baijiu industrial experts better understood by consumers has been attracting a lot of attention. In this study, 35 strong-aroma baijiu samples were evaluated by 12 industrial experts and 21 semi-trained assessors, respectively, using rate-all-that-apply (RATA) methods, which involved 2 groups of lexicons generated by the 2 panels. The results showed that the RATA method was suitable for analyzing and distinguishing different baijiu samples by both industrial experts and semi-trained assessors. Although the industrial experts and the semi-trained assessors selected very different lexicons to describe the same strong-aroma baijiu samples, most descriptors from the expert evaluators are either positively or negatively correlated with the semi-trained assessors, such as the attributes "aldehyde," "mud," "multi-grain," and "scorched," and these attributes are effective in distinguishing different strong-aroma baijiu samples. These correlations could enable the marketing promotion and consumer evaluation of baijiu products in the future. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The result could help baijiu market, in particular the worldwide beverage market, better understand how different baijiu samples are described and evaluated by industrial experts, and further enable the marketing promotion and consumer evaluation of baijiu products in the future.

Comparison of the clinical effect of unilateral transverse process extrapedicular and bilateral transpedicular percutaneous kyphoplasty for thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture.

Background: Osteoporosis vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) are common with the aging process. This study aimed to compare the effects of unilateral transverse process extrapedicular (UEPKP) and bilateral transpedicular percutaneous kyphoplasty (BTPKP) for patients with thoracolumbar OVCF. Methods: Data from 136 patients with OVCF treated with single-level PKP in our hospital between May 2019 and April 2021 were studied. Patients were grouped based on surgical procedure: there were 62 patients in the UEPKP group and 74 in the BTPKP group. All clinical and radiological data were collected from medical records. Clinical outcomes, including visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores of the lumbar spine, were evaluated preoperatively, postoperatively, and at the follow-up visit. The radiological evaluations (anterior vertebral height rate and local kyphosis angle) and complications were also collected. Results: All patients had successfully improved after surgery. In the UEPKP group, patients showed a significantly shorter operating time and lower fluoroscopy frequency than patients in the BTPKP group (p < 0.05). However, a significantly better distribution score and cement volume were found in the BTPKP group (p < 0.05). The UEPKP group achieved a significantly better VAS score (0.6 ± 0.5 vs. 0.9 ± 0.8) and ODI (24.7 ± 3.1 vs. 27.5 ± 1.8) at the final follow-up visit than the BTPKP group (p < 0.05). The UEPKP group showed significantly worse radiological outcomes (anterior height rate and local kyphosis angle) at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups (p < 0.05). As for complications, the UEPKP group showed significantly fewer facet joint violations and intraspinal leakages (p < 0.05). Conclusion: UEPKP could be a safe and effective alternative procedure for patients with thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, which possesses an apparent advantage in reducing intraspinal leakage and facet joint violation over BTPKP.

Dosimetric comparison of ZAP-X, Gamma Knife, and CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery for single brain metastasis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the dosimetric characteristics of ZAP-X stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for single brain metastasis by comparing with two mature SRS platforms. METHODS: Thirteen patients with single brain metastasis treated with CyberKnife (CK) G4 were selected retrospectively. The prescription dose for the planning target volume (PTV) was 18-24 Gy for 1-3 fractions. The PTV volume ranged from 0.44 to 11.52 cc.Treatment plans of thirteen patients were replanned using the ZAP-X plan system and the Gamma Knife (GK) ICON plan system with the same prescription dose and organs at risk (OARs) constraints. The prescription dose of PTV was normalized to 70% for both ZAP-X and CK, while it was 50% for GK. The dosimetric parameters of three groups included the plan characteristics (CI, GI, GSI, beams, MUs, treatment time), PTV (D2, D95, D98, Dmin, Dmean, Coverage), brain tissue (volume of 100%-10% prescription dose irradiation V100%-V10%, Dmean) and other OARs (Dmax, Dmean),all of these were compared and evaluated. All data were read and analyzed with MIM Maestro. One-way ANOVA or a multisample Friedman rank sum test was performed, where p < 0.05 indicated significant differences. RESULTS: The CI of GK was significantly lower than that of ZAP-X and CK. Regarding the mean value, ZAP-X had a lower GI and higher GSI, but there was no significant difference among the three groups. The MUs of ZAP-X were significantly lower than those of CK, and the mean value of the treatment time of ZAP-X was significantly shorter than that of CK. For PTV, the D95, D98, and target coverage of CK were higher, while the mean of Dmin of GK was significantly lower than that of CK and ZAP-X. For brain tissue, ZAP-X showed a smaller volume from V100% to V20%; the statistical results of V60% and V50% showed a difference between ZAP-X and GK, while the V40% and V30% showed a significant difference between ZAP-X and the other two groups; V10% and Dmean indicated that GK was better. Excluding the Dmax of the brainstem, right optic nerve and optic chiasm, the mean value of all other OARs was less than 1 Gy. For the brainstem, GK and ZAP-X had better protection, especially at the maximum dose. CONCLUSION: For the SRS treating single brain metastasis, all three treatment devices, ZAP-X system, CyberKnife G4 system, and GammaKnife system, could meet clinical treatment requirements. The newly platform ZAP-X could provide a high-quality plan equivalent to or even better than CyberKnife and Gamma Knife, with ZAP-X presenting a certain dose advantage, especially with a more conformal dose distribution and better protection for brain tissue. As the ZAP-X systems get continuous improvements and upgrades, they may become a new SRS platform for the treatment of brain metastasis.

MolGC: molecular geometry comparator algorithm for bond length mean absolute error computation on molecules.

Density Functional Theory (DFT) is extensively used in theoretical and computational chemistry to study molecular and crystal properties across diverse fields, including quantum chemistry, materials physics, catalysis, biochemistry, and surface science. Despite advances in DFT hardware and software for optimized geometries, achieving consensus in molecular structure comparisons with experimental counterparts remains a challenge. This difficulty is exacerbated by the lack of automated bond length comparison tools, resulting in labor-intensive and error-prone manual processes. To address these challenges, we propose MolGC, a Molecular Geometry Comparator algorithm that automates the comparison of optimized geometries from different theoretical levels. MolGC calculates the mean absolute error (MAE) of bond lengths by integrating data from various DFT software. It provides interactive and customizable visualization of geometries, enabling users to explore different views for enhanced analysis. In addition, it saves MAE computations for further analysis and offers a comprehensive statistical summary of the results. MolGC effectively addresses complex graph labeling challenges, ensuring accurate identification and categorization of bonds in diverse chemical structures. It achieves a 98.91% average rate in correct bond label assignments on an antibiotics dataset, showcasing its effectiveness for comparing molecular bond lengths across geometries of varying complexity and size. The executable file and software resources for running MolGC can be downloaded from https://github.com/AbimaelGP/MolGC/tree/main .

Estimating the cost and affordability of healthy diets: How much do methods matter?

Recently developed cost and affordability of healthy diet (CoAHD) metrics have quickly become mainstream food security indicators. However, published research on the sensitivity of estimation methods is limited. This paper focuses on two important innovations in CoAHD measurement at the global level. First, we develop a demographic scaling factor to adjust healthy diet costs for cross-country differences in age structures, since younger populations generally require fewer calories than older populations. Second, we improve the way in which household expenditure available for purchasing food ("food budgets") are derived. In addition, we explore sensitivity of global CoAHD estimates to potential problems with the representativeness and food product coverage of global food price data and vary assumptions for activity levels that shape energy expenditure requirements. We apply these explorations to the EAT-Lancet reference diet in 137 countries using price data from 2017. Relative to the conventional methods, we find that demographic scaling and improved food budget derivation substantially reduces the estimated population who cannot afford a healthy diet, from 3.02 to 2.13 billion. Adjustments for low product coverage can lead to modest reductions for specific regions and food groups, while higher physical activity assumptions increase the share of people who cannot afford a healthy diet, though perhaps implausibly so. Methods clearly matter in CoAHD estimation, and more accurate and timelier CoAHD estimates have substantial scope to improve policy analysis, design and targeting.

Deep learning algorithms for melanoma detection using dermoscopic images: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is a serious risk to human health and early identification is vital for treatment success. Deep learning (DL) has the potential to detect cancer using imaging technologies and many studies provide evidence that DL algorithms can achieve high accuracy in melanoma diagnostics. OBJECTIVES: To critically assess different DL performances in diagnosing melanoma using dermatoscopic images and discuss the relationship between dermatologists and DL. METHODS: Ovid-Medline, Embase, IEEE Xplore, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched from inception until 7th December 2021. Studies that reported diagnostic DL model performances in detecting melanoma using dermatoscopic images were included if they had specific outcomes and histopathologic confirmation. Binary diagnostic accuracy data and contingency tables were extracted to analyze outcomes of interest, which included sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), and area under the curve (AUC). Subgroup analyses were performed according to human-machine comparison and cooperation. The study was registered in PROSPERO, CRD42022367824. RESULTS: 2309 records were initially retrieved, of which 37 studies met our inclusion criteria, and 27 provided sufficient data for meta-analytical synthesis. The pooled SEN was 82 % (range 77-86), SPE was 87 % (range 84-90), with an AUC of 0.92 (range 0.89-0.94). Human-machine comparison had pooled AUCs of 0.87 (0.84-0.90) and 0.83 (0.79-0.86) for DL and dermatologists, respectively. Pooled AUCs were 0.90 (0.87-0.93), 0.80 (0.76-0.83), and 0.88 (0.85-0.91) for DL, and junior and senior dermatologists, respectively. Analyses of human-machine cooperation were 0.88 (0.85-0.91) for DL, 0.76 (0.72-0.79) for unassisted, and 0.87 (0.84-0.90) for DL-assisted dermatologists. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that DL algorithms are as accurate as senior dermatologists in melanoma diagnostics. Therefore, DL could be used to support dermatologists in diagnostic decision-making. Although, further high-quality, large-scale multicenter studies are required to address the specific challenges associated with medical AI-based diagnostics.

Whole-genome sequencing for antimicrobial surveillance: species-specific quality thresholds and data evaluation from the network of the European Union Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance genomic proficiency tests of 2021 and 2022.

As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance shifts to genomics, ensuring the quality of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data produced across laboratories is critical. Participation in genomic proficiency tests (GPTs) not only increases individual laboratories' WGS capacity but also provides a unique opportunity to improve species-specific thresholds for WGS quality control (QC) by repeated resequencing of distinct isolates. Here, we present the results of the EU Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance (EURL-AR) network GPTs of 2021 and 2022, which included 25 EU national reference laboratories (NLRs). A total of 392 genomes from 12 AMR-bacteria were evaluated based on WGS QC metrics. Two percent (n = 9) of the data were excluded, due to contamination, and 11% (n = 41) of the remaining genomes were identified as outliers in at least one QC metric and excluded from computation of the adjusted QC thresholds (AQT). Two QC metric correlation groups were identified through linear regression. Eight percent (n = 28) of the submitted genomes, from 11 laboratories, failed one or more of the AQTs. However, only three laboratories (12%) were identified as underperformers, failing across AQTs for uncorrelated QC metrics in at least two genomes. Finally, new species-specific thresholds for "N50" and "number of contigs > 200 bp" are presented for guidance in routine laboratory QC. The continued participation of NRLs in GPTs will reveal WGS workflow flaws and improve AMR surveillance data. GPT data will continue to contribute to the development of reliable species-specific thresholds for routine WGS QC, standardizing sequencing data QC and ensure inter- and intranational laboratory comparability.IMPORTANCEIllumina next-generation sequencing is an integral part of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance and the most widely used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) platform. The high-throughput, relative low-cost, high discriminatory power, and rapid turnaround time of WGS compared to classical biochemical methods means the technology will likely remain a fundamental tool in AMR surveillance and public health. In this study, we present the current level of WGS capacity among national reference laboratories in the EU Reference Laboratory for AMR network, summarizing applied methodology and statistically evaluating the quality of the obtained sequence data. These findings provide the basis for setting new and revised thresholds for quality metrics used in routine WGS, which have previously been arbitrarily defined. In addition, underperforming participants are identified and encouraged to evaluate their workflows to produce reliable results.

The Effect of Comparative Direction and Comparative Gap on Self-Deception.

Purpose: Self-deception refers to an individual holding inflated beliefs about their abilities, plays a crucial role in human behavior and decision-making. Individuals may inflate their abilities when subject to comparisons with others. This study examined the impact of social comparison on self-deception through the implementation of two behavioral experiments. Methods: In Experiment 1, we recruited a sample of 152 undergraduate students. Participants were falsely informed that they performed better (downward comparison) and worse (upward comparison) than average on a game. Subsequently, their level of self-deception was assessed by asking them to predict their performance in a future game, with more inflated predictions indicating greater self-deception. In Experiment 2, we gathered 126 undergraduate students to broaden the current study. This experiment examined the combined effects of comparison direction and comparison gap on self-deceptive behavior. Results: The findings showed that self-deception was more common in circumstances of upward comparison than in downward comparison or no comparison (Experiment 1). Furthermore, Individuals were more inclined to participate in self-deception when encountering a notable performance gap relative to others, particularly in scenarios involving upward social comparison (Experiment 2). Conclusion: The findings suggested that when confronted with threatening social comparative information, people tended to use self-deception to protect themselves. Members of the large gap group experienced strong feelings of unfairness and negative emotions, which led to self-protective behaviors and a greater likelihood of self-deception.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry quantification of phytochemicals in Withania somnifera using data-dependent acquisition, multiple-reaction-monitoring, and parallel-reaction-monitoring with an inclusion list.

Characterization of botanical extracts by mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analysis helps in determining the phytochemical composition that underlies their bioactivity and potential health benefits, while also supporting reproducibility of effects in clinical trials. The quantification of seven withanolides in Withania somnifera using three mass-spectrometry methods was evaluated using Deming regression. Two high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry methods were used, one operating in data-dependent acquisition mode and the other in parallel-reaction-monitoring mode with an inclusion list. The two high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry methods were compared to a multiple-reaction-monitoring method. We evaluated in-source fragmentation of steroidal glycosides and optimized the methods accordingly. A novel software approach to integrating parallel-reaction-monitoring data acquired with an inclusion list was developed. Combining and comparing quantitative results allowed for quantitative specificity, good precision, and adjustment of instrument source conditions for optimal quantification by multiple-reaction-monitoring mass spectrometry, an analytical method that is widely accessible in analytical and phytochemical laboratories.

Comparing deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining technologies and evaluating their probable impacts on deep-sea pollution.

Deep-sea polymetallic nodules (PMN) hold promise as a future resource, with various consortia like MOES, IOM, GSR, KORDI, and COMRA actively exploring mining possibilities. However, current technologies lack environmental sustainability. This study comprehensively compares the technologies proposed by different consortia for deep sea mining (DSM). It evaluates the designs and prototypes of key components like crawlers, conveyor belts, crushers, riser pipes, and slurry tailing discharge mechanisms for their technical feasibility and environmental impact. Environmental concerns regarding sediment disturbances, nodules pick-up methods, crushing, and tailing material filtration are addressed in this article. It is suggested that further research and development efforts are needed to optimize technologies and integrate effective environmental protection measures into DSM operations.

Difference in medical student performance in a standardized patient encounter between telemedicine and in-person environments.

INTRODUCTION: Telemedicine is an increasingly common form of healthcare delivery in the United States. It is unclear how there are differences in clinical performance in early learners between in-person and telemedicine encounters. MATERIALS & METHODS: The authors conducted a single-site retrospective cohort study of 241 second-year medical students to compare performance between in-person and telemedicine standardized patient (SP) encounters. One hundred and twenty medical students in the 2020 academic year participated in a telemedicine encounter, and 121 medical students in the 2022 academic year participated in an in-person encounter. SPs completed a multi-domain performance checklist following the encounter, and the authors performed statistical analyses to compare student performance between groups. RESULTS: Students who completed in-person encounters had higher mean scores in overall performance (75.2 vs. 69.7, p < 0.001). They had higher scores in physical exam (83.3 vs. 50, p < 0.001) and interpersonal communication domains (95 vs. 85, p < 0.001) and lower scores in obtaining a history (73.3 vs. 80, p = 0.0025). There was no significant difference in assessment and plan scores (50 vs. 50, p = 0.96) or likelihood of appropriately promoting antibiotic stewardship (41.3% vs. 45.8%, p = 0.48). CONCLUSION: The authors identified significant differences in clinical performance between in-person and telemedicine SP encounters, indicating that educational needs may differ between clinical environments.

Is it worthy to use environmental DNA instead of scientific trawling or video survey to monitor taxa in soft-bottom habitats?

Non-extractive techniques such as video analysis are increasingly used by scientists to study marine communities instead of extractive methods such as trawling. Currently, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is seen as a revolutionary tool to study taxonomic diversity. We aimed to determine which method is the most appropriate to describe fish and commercial invertebrate diversity comparing bottom trawl hauls, video transects and seawater eDNA. Our results reveal that video detected the lowest number of taxa and trawling the highest. eDNA analysis is powerful to describe marine bony fish communities, but some taxa of importance for the ecosystem such as elasmobranchs, crustaceans or molluscs are poorly detected. This may be due to several factors such as marker specificity, incomplete reference gene databases or low DNA release in the environment. For now, the various methods provide different information and none is exhaustive enough to be used alone for biodiversity characterisation.

A meta-analysis of Chinese men's penile size in a global context.

BACKGROUND: Penile size is a topic of significant interest among men and healthcare professionals. However, data on adult male penile dimensions in China are scarce, hindering clinical counseling and research. This study aimed to establish normative data for Chinese penile size and compare it with a global reference population. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of published studies on penile size, focusing on Chinese and international data. Studies from East and Southeast Asia were excluded to minimize regional confounding factors. The analysis included 23 Chinese studies encompassing 34,060 men aged 16-57 years, and 19 international studies encompassing 15,216 men aged 16-91 years. Penile length and circumference were assessed in both flaccid and erect states. RESULTS: This study established the first nomogram and percentile distribution chart for adult male penile size in China. The mean flaccid length was 7.42 cm (standard deviation [SD] ± 0.95 cm), and the mean flaccid circumference was 8.54 cm (SD ± 0.62 cm). The mean erect length was 12.42 cm (SD ± 1.63 cm), and the mean erect circumference was 10.75 cm (SD ± 1.34 cm). Compared with the global reference population (flaccid length: 9.09 cm ± 1.51 cm, flaccid circumference: 9.12 cm ± 0.93 cm; p < 0.05 for both), Chinese men exhibited statistically significant shorter flaccid lengths and circumferences. No significant differences were observed in erect length or circumference between Chinese men and the global reference population (p > 0.05 for both). Notably, the growth coefficient during erection (defined as the percentage increase from flaccid length to erect length) was significantly higher in Chinese men (67.39%) compared with the global average (43.45%; p < 0.05), supporting the hypothesis of a proportionally greater increase in shorter penises. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel and comprehensive data on penile size in Chinese men. Compared with a global reference population, Chinese men exhibited shorter flaccid penises but a higher proportional increase upon erection. These findings may be of value for clinical counseling and future research on penile size variations. The newly developed nomogram and percentile chart can serve as a valuable tool for both patients and healthcare professionals.

Decoding of the isotopic fingerprint of tequila 100% agave silver class and image analysis to evaluate differences between spirits.

This communication shows the decoding of Isotopic Fingerprint of Tequila 100% agave silver class (IFTequila100% agave) in three areas corresponding to isotopic variations due to: plant used as raw material, fermentation and distillation process, and hydrolysis process. Isotopic tracers that make them up correspond to the δ13CVPDB ethanol-δ13CVPDB ethyl acetate-δ13CVPDB isoamyl alcohol, δ13CVPDB ethyl acetate-δ13CVPDB isoamyl alcohol-δ13CVPDB n-propanol and δ13CVPDB ethyl acetate-δ13CVPDB n-propanol-δ13CVPDB methanol, respectively. Once the IFTequila100%agave has been decoded, an image comparison was performed against isotopic fingerprints of spirits (Tequila, Bacanora, Raicilla, Sotol, and Mezcal). Results show that it is possible classifies 100% of samples analyzed. Likewise, from decoding it is possible to determine the critical process stage to determine variations with respect to the IFTequila100%agave. The chemometric analysis developed corresponds to an auxiliary analytical tool useful for the inspection processes currently carried out by the authorities to determine the authenticity of the beverage.

Measurement invariance of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 across country, ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation: A cross-cultural study between Brazil and the U.S.

Intuitive eating is defined as being connected to internal hunger, satiety, and appetitive cues and flexibly using these cues to determine when, what, and how much to eat. The Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) is a widely used measure of facets of intuitive eating. However, the scale has shown unstable factor structure in several validation studies and there is a lack of studies investigating the measurement invariance of the IES-2 beyond sex. We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the IES-2, testing several factor structures among Brazilian and U.S. samples of men and women; to test measurement invariance across country of origin, ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation; and to evaluate its internal consistency. Three models of the latent structure of the IES-2 were tested using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in a total of 1072 young adults (452 Brazilians and 620 Americans), aged 18-35 years. Results demonstrated that only a 3-factor solution with 11 items of the IES-2 showed adequate fit to the data for both countries. This model demonstrated scalar invariance across sex and sexual orientation, but only configural invariance was found across country of origin and ethnicity. Good internal consistencies were found for both the Brazilian and American samples. The present study provides support for a 3-factor solution with 11 items of the IES-2, to Brazilian and American samples. The study also offers evidence of internal consistency, and invariance between sex (i.e., male and female) and sexual orientation (i.e., heterosexual participants and sexual minority participants).

Using non-randomized trials to assess the clinical benefit of systemic anti-cancer treatments: Viable or not?

BACKGROUND: The Dutch Committee for the Evaluation of Oncological Agents (cieBOM) assesses the clinical benefit of systemic anti-cancer treatments (SACTs). For SACTs tested in non-randomized trials (NRTs), cieBOM primarily utilizes response-related thresholds as assessment criteria. As sufficiency of NRT-based evidence for benefit assessments is questionable, this study investigated whether and how NRTs can be used to assess the clinical benefit of new SACTs initially appraised by cieBOM based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: Using the RCTs underpinning cieBOM recommendations issued between 2015 and 2017, we searched for matching NRTs and applied the NRT-related assessment criteria by cieBOM to them. We then compared the assessment outcomes to the respective RCT-based cieBOM recommendations. Further, we investigated how the assessments would change when applying different response-related thresholds and adding a progression-free survival (PFS) threshold. RESULTS: For 13 of the 37 eligible recommendations, a matching NRT was found. Two treatments were assessed positively and six negatively; five treatments were non-assessable. Two positive recommendations matched a positive NRT-based assessment; one matching negative assessment was found, and one treatment could not be assessed based on either trial results. Adding a > 6 months PFS threshold decreased the number of non-assessable NRTs (five to two). CONCLUSIONS: Limited publications and inconsistent data reporting hampered the viability of NRTs for clinical benefit assessments of SACTs beyond the scope of rare indications. Further, response-related assessment criteria alone might not fully grasp the clinical benefit of novel SACTs. NRT-based assessments should be considered with caution due to uncertainty of the trial results.

PCMD: A multilevel comparison database of intra- and cross-species metabolic profiling in 530 plant species.

Comparative metabolomics plays a crucial role in investigating gene function, exploring metabolite evolution, and accelerating crop genetic improvement. However, a systematic platform for comparing intra- and cross-species metabolites is currently lacking. Here, we report the Plant Comparative Metabolome Database (PCMD; http://yanglab.hzau.edu.cn/PCMD), a multilevel comparison database based on predicted metabolic profiles in 530 plant species. PCMD serves as a platform for comparing metabolite characteristics at various levels, including species, metabolites, pathways, and biological taxonomy. The database also provides a series of user-friendly online tools, such as Species-comparison, Metabolites-enrichment, and ID conversion, enabling users to perform comparisons and enrichment analyses of metabolites across different species. In addition, PCMD establishes a unified system based on existing metabolite-related databases by standardizing metabolite numbering. PCMD is the most species-rich comparative plant metabolomics database currently available, and a case study demonstrated its capability to provide new insights into understanding plant metabolic diversity.