Our Lady of Fatima University

Extended Reality (XR) technologies – encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality – are increasingly being integrated with gamification strategies to promote health among older adults. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on gamified XR applications, develop a conceptual model of gamification elements, and identify gaps and recommendations for future research. Most studies originated from Europe and were published between 2020 and 2024. The majority employed virtual reality (92.6

Acinetobacter baumannii has become a prominent healthcare-associated pathogen due to its exceptional environmental persistence, biofilm-forming capacity, and the global emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pan-drug-resistant lineages. The declining effectiveness of conventional antibiotics has renewed interest in bacteriophage-based strategies as alternative or adjunctive antimicrobial approaches. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent advances in bacteriophages targeting A. baumannii, integrating microbiological, structural, immunological, and translational perspectives that shape therapeutic efficacy and resistance dynamics. We highlight the central role of bacterial surface structures, including capsular polysaccharides, outer membrane proteins, and lipooligosaccharides, which act simultaneously as virulence determinants, phage receptors, and modulators of antimicrobial susceptibility. Phage-mediated antibacterial activity is achieved through receptor-specific lysis, biofilm disruption, capsule and envelope remodeling, and indirect resensitization to antibiotics, frequently accompanied by fitness trade-offs in phage-resistant bacterial subpopulations. We further discuss how formulation strategies, phage-derived enzymes, engineered phages, and phage-antibiotic combinations influence treatment outcomes, with particular attention to delivery routes, dosing strategies, and host immune context. Importantly, we distinguish direct phage effects from secondary immunological consequences of bacterial clearance and critically evaluate evidence from in vitro studies, animal infection models, and emerging clinical reports. Finally, we examine regulatory and manufacturing challenges that currently limit broader clinical translation. This review positions bacteriophage-based interventions as a promising, evolution-aware complement to antibiotics for managing drug-resistant A. baumannii, while underscoring the requirements for their rational and durable clinical implementation.

This literature review examines how music therapy is used as a non-drug intervention for managing stress, anxiety, and depression. Evidence suggests that music influences emotional regulation, physiological responses, and cognitive functions through psychological, physical, and neurological pathways, making it a valuable supportive approach. Findings from experimental studies, clinical trials, and practical applications consistently show that music therapy can reduce stress, ease anxiety symptoms, and provide relief from depressive feelings. While it has certain limitations, comparative studies indicate that music therapy is compatible with standard treatments and can improve overall therapeutic outcomes. The instruments employed to measure reductions in stress scores, anxiety ratings, depression rates, and physiological markers such as cortisol levels and heart beat rate variability show that music-based therapy frequently passed clinical thresholds for significance. With results out, integration of music therapy as a safer, easily accessible, and very effective mechanism for mental health betterment, thus giving it further implementation in the healthcare sector and wellness factor. The instruments employed to measure reductions in stress scores, anxiety ratings, depression rates, and physiological markers such as cortisol levels and heart beat rate variability show that music-based therapy frequently passed clinical thresholds for significance. With results out, integration of music therapy as a safer, easily accessible, and very effective mechanism for mental health betterment, thus giving it further implementation in the healthcare sector and wellness factor.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide, requiring timely and accurate diagnosis to guide appropriate therapy and reduce antimicrobial resistance. Although urine culture remains the diagnostic gold standard, its prolonged turnaround time and susceptibility to pre-analytical variability limit its clinical efficiency. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have positioned urinalysis as a promising alternative diagnostic approach, utilizing machine learning and deep learning algorithms for automated analysis and prediction. This review synthesizes current evidence on AI applications in urinalysis for UTI diagnosis, examining computational techniques, diagnostic performance, clinical integration, limitations, and future directions. The literature demonstrates that AI-powered urinalysis can achieve diagnostic accuracy comparable to urine culture, with high sensitivity and specificity while reducing diagnostic time. Integration of AI into clinical workflows has the potential to enhance decision-making, streamline laboratory processes, and support antimicrobial stewardship. However, challenges related to data heterogeneity, algorithm interpretability, validation, and regulatory requirements remain significant barriers to widespread adoption. Overall, AI-driven urinalysis represents a transformative opportunity to complement the existing diagnostic standard and advance more rapid, efficient, and personalized approaches to UTI management.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus exhibits heightened tolerance to antimicrobial therapy through restricted drug penetration, extracellular polymeric substance-mediated protection, metabolic heterogeneity, and persister cell formation, limiting the effectiveness of current treatment strategies. CRISPR-Cas systems have emerged as programmable antimicrobial tools capable of targeting resistance genes, virulence determinants, and regulatory pathways; however, existing approaches remain largely gene-centric and insufficiently integrated with the biological complexity of biofilm-associated infections. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and integrative analysis of CRISPR-based strategies for targeting MRSA biofilms by linking molecular CRISPR mechanisms with key biofilm processes and evaluating their translational potential. CRISPR-Cas systems have emerged as programmable antimicrobial platforms with the ability to selectively target resistance genes, virulence factors, and regulatory networks. In MRSA biofilms, these systems are increasingly being explored for their potential to disrupt biofilm-associated determinants and weaken the molecular basis of persistence. Recent advances involving Cas9, Cas12a, and Cas13 highlight the potential of CRISPR-based targeting to interfere with resistance mechanisms, quorum sensing pathways, and structural components relevant to biofilm stability. Emerging in vivo studies, particularly those using engineered bacteriophages and localized delivery systems, provide early evidence that CRISPR-based strategies can reduce bacterial burden and impair biofilm integrity under physiologically relevant conditions. Nevertheless, significant barriers remain, including limited penetration into mature biofilms, delivery inefficiency, off-target activity, immunogenicity, resistance evolution, and regulatory uncertainty. Ultimately, CRISPR-based interventions represent a promising but still developing approach for the control of MRSA biofilm-associated infections, requiring further refinement in delivery design, target selection, and translational validation.