bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genital porokeratosis: A case report and review of pathogenesis and genitogluteal subtypes of porokeratosis
Authors: Hamm Camille , Lipson Jennifer
Published: January 2025

Porokeratosis is a condition characterized by abnormal epidermal keratinization with a unique morphology of papules or plaques surrounded by a thread-like border of scale corresponding to the cornoid lamella on histology. Many established subtypes have been described; however, genitogluteal porokeratosis is a rare entity. We present the case of a 58-year-old male with pruritic reddish lesions affecting the genitals and thighs, diagnosed with genital porokeratosis. This case highlights features of this rare and diagnostically challenging subtype of porokeratosis.
Window decompression surgery for a large radicular cyst in a 7-year-old patient: A case report
Authors: Song Guan-jie , Wang Lu , Gao Li-rong
Published: January 2025

Radicular cysts are rarely present in the primary dentition because of the distinct biological cycle of primary teeth. Cyst formation in children may cause bony expansion and resorption, malposition, delayed eruption, enamel defects, or damage to the developing permanent successors. Various treatment modalities for the management of radicular cysts have been reported in the literature. In this case, the preferred treatment approach is window decompression surgery (WDS) combined with gap retainers. Long-term follow-up revealed good healing of the bony lesion. The present case involved an abnormally large radicular cyst in a 7-year-old girl. After surgery, WDS was performed, and a gap retainer was provided. At the 9-month follow-up, the radicular cyst had healed and the impacted tooth had erupted. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical effectiveness of WDS for impacted teeth within root radicular cysts.
People with spinal cord injury or stroke are able to reach moderate-to-vigorous intensity while exercising on an end-effector robot assisted gait trainer: A pilot study
Authors: Bonnevie Tristan , Moily Kavya , Barnes Sarah , McConaghy Melissa , Ilhan Emre
Published: January 2025

Background: Spinal cord injury and stroke are neurological disorders that lead to aerobic deconditioning and increased likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Sessions of at least 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise is recommended but decreased mobility limits engagement in such exercise. The aim of the study was to assess whether individuals can achieve exercise recommendations with the assistance of an end-effector robot assisted gait trainer (E-RAGT).

Methods: We conducted an observational study during which participants were required to complete one exercise session on an E-RAGT. Heart rate, dyspnea, lower limb fatigue and enjoyment were monitored. Based on current guidelines, participants were considered to have reached exercise recommendations if they reached prespecified intensity thresholds for at least 20 minutes.

Results: Five people with spinal cord injury and ten people with stroke agreed to participate. Every participant was able to reach moderate-to-vigorous exercise intensity and 3 out of 5 participants with spinal cord injury and 4 out of 10 participants with stroke were able to maintain this intensity for at least 20 minutes. Overall, participants rated their session as very enjoyable with a median score of 4 out of 5 on a Likert Scale (IQR 3 to 4).

Discussion: Individuals with spinal cord injury or stroke who use an E-RAGT can reach moderate-to-vigorous exercise intensity, but not all are able to maintain this intensity of exercise according to disease-specific recommendations. Future research should explore the effectiveness of a training program using an E-RAGT.
Integrated Care for People Living With Rare Disease: A Scoping Review on Primary Care Models in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Countries
Authors: Vidic Nada , McGlynn Anna , Abdi Fatemeh , Tam Chun Wah Michael , Crampton Reginald Michael , Lim Kean-Seng , Palmer Elizabeth Emma , Taylor Natalie , Harris-Roxas Ben
Published: January 2025

Introduction/Objectives:

Individually rare, rare diseases are collectively common resulting in frequent health system use. Navigating the health system persists as a challenge. Primary care provides longitudinal contact with the health system and is placed to provide integrated rare-disease-care.

Methods:

This scoping review used Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA methods with a Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research based data extraction tool to find how integrated rare-disease-care is delivered, enablers and barriers to the same, in primary care settings in contemporary literature in OECD countries.

Results:

The Primary Care Provider (PCP) role varies from routine primary care to shared-rare-disease-care models. In the 26 papers, the most frequently cited PCP roles included involvement in diagnosis (n = 14), care coordination (n = 16), primary and preventative care (n = 18), management of components of rare-disease-care (n = 13), and treatment monitoring (n = 10). Individuals whose PCP was actively involved in their care were reported to have shortened diagnostic delay, improved transitions of care across the lifespan, reduced unplanned utilization of emergency and hospital services, comprehensive psychosocial care, improved quality of life across environments including home, school and work and improved palliative care experiences.

Conclusions:

Sufficient communication from specialists, information, resources, time and reimbursement for complex care are still needed. Future integrated-rare-disease-care models should be developed by, or with, PCPs.
Sell the losers? Keep the winners? None of the above – Focus on the median!
Authors: Kumar Valath Sree , Pinsky Eugene
Published: January 2025

This paper presents an approach to index portfolio re-balancing, focusing on the median slice of asset performance instead of the more traditional focus on “winners” and “losers.” In the proposed approach, one constructs an equal-weight portfolio from the index’s median (by returns) component. We consider the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) as a case study and introduce a systematic re-balancing strategy that targets the middle third (“median”) segment of asset performers within the index. The proposed methodology provides significantly better returns and mitigates drawdowns compared with a passive “buy-and-hold” strategy while promoting a disciplined and simple portfolio re-balancing strategy. The study empirically evaluates the effectiveness of the median-based re-balancing strategy over historical data. We compare our strategy to a benchmark portfolio closely tracking the DJIA index and other popular re-balancing strategies focusing on winners and losers, including the Dogs of the Dow strategy. We provide a simple model to compare factor loadings offered by such strategies and show that the median strategy provides broad diversification across sectors. We also analyze factor exposures of the proposed strategy using the 3-factor Fama-French model.

The analysis demonstrates that the “median” rotation strategy consistently outperforms the Dow Jones and the broad market index S&P-500, yielding higher returns and reduced drawdowns.
Improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery in Canada: A Call to Action—Part II
Authors: Avery Emma , Valiquette Chantal R. , Moltaji Syena , Snell Laura
Published: January 2025

Background: In May 2022, we challenged our colleagues to evaluate their educational approaches, policies, recruitment strategies, and leadership organizations with an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) lens. Methods: Two virtual national round table meetings were held in 2023 to discuss approaches to integration of the EDI principles into current Canadian plastic surgery training programmes. Additionally, integrative documents and processes were established within our programme to act as a guide for integration of the principles of EDI in the areas of resident education, recruitment, and retention. Results: There is an increasing awareness amongst Canadian plastic surgeons of the importance of integrating EDI education into our plastic surgery training programmes, yet there is a lack of experience and/or lack of resources available to facilitate these changes. Our taskforce (Division of Plastic Surgery at the University of Toronto) implemented an EDI curriculum in our programme in 2 main domains: Education and Recruitment Strategies. Conclusions: Breaking down some of the long-entrenched inequities in our healthcare system is an ongoing process. More work needs to be done toward increasing our trainee and faculty exposure to EDI principles, so that they can integrate these skills into their clinical practice, leadership, and beyond. Our taskforce’s successes and challenges can act as a useful resource to other programmes desiring to initiate similar change.
Breaking Down Silos in Treating Cardiovascular and Cancer-Related PTSD
Authors: Kronish Ian M. , Edmondson Donald , Arch Joanna J.
Published: January 2025

Both cardiovascular events and cancer can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This article compares the prevalence, risk factors, correlates, and consequences of disease-related PTSD symptoms in cardiac and cancer patients. The review supports the development of interventions that alleviate PTSD symptoms in adults with these conditions. Interoceptive bias (i.e., hypervigilance, misinterpretation, or heightened distress toward bodily signals) and avoidance of recommended health behaviors are promising mechanistic targets for interventions across both groups. Policy implications include the need to fund intervention development inclusive of scientists, clinicians, and patients with both diseases. This will enable research teams to leverage overlapping target mechanisms and behavioral intervention strategies. Standardized cross-disease screening and treatment of disease-related PTSD symptoms has the potential to improve secondary prevention behaviors, quality of life, and prognosis in the 20–40% of patients who develop significant PTSD symptoms after surviving cardiovascular, cancer, or other life-threatening medical events.
Endoscopic Lesser Trochanter Excision for Ischiofemoral Impingement
Authors: Anderson Devon E. , Scott Elizabeth J. , Mather R. Chad
Published: January 2025

Background:

Ischiofemoral impingement (IFI) is a rare yet underrecognized cause of posterior hip, low back/sacroiliac region, and deep gluteal pain. Patient anatomy, including femoral anteversion, coxa valga, posterior pelvic tilt, and lumbar stiffness, contributes to symptomatic IFI.

Indications:

Indications for surgical intervention include exclusion of alternative causes of posterior gluteal pain, failed nonoperative intervention including physical therapy and injection targeting the ischiofemoral space, and narrow ischiofemoral distance with quadratus femoris edema with or without sciatic nerve entrapment and protection of hamstring repair.

Technique Description:

Our preferred technique includes endoscopic lesser trochanter (LT) excision through a posterior approach in the prone position. The patient is positioned with the hips in slight flexion and the knees at 60° of flexion to take tension off the sciatic nerve. Fluoroscopy is used to localize the LT for 4 planned portal sites, creating a diamond around the LT: 2 for sciatic nerve retraction, 1 for endoscopic visualization, and 1 for working. The sciatic nerve is identified, bluntly mobilized, and protected. Radiofrequency ablation is used to dissect through the quadratus femoris from the posterior-central LT and expose the posterior LT. A 5.5-mm diamond-tip bur is then used to fully excise the LT flush with the femoral cortex. The patient is kept touch-down weightbearing for 6 weeks to reduce the risk of proximal femur stress fracture.

Results:

Endoscopic LT excision has been widely reported as a reliable method to increase ischiofemoral distance and relieve mechanical bone impingement and sciatic nerve entrapment. In our experience, the posterior approach in the prone position allows for maximum visualization to identify and protect the neurovascular structures, completely excise the LT, and treat concomitant pathology.

Conclusions:

Our preferred technique for surgical treatment of IFI with posterior endoscopic LT excision in the prone position is safe based on sciatic nerve visualization and effective with complete LT excision.

Patient Consent Disclosure Statement:

The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.
Introduction to a series of reflections on a quarter century of TKIs for CML
Authors: Druker Brian J.
Published: January 2025

This Review Series highlights the transformative impact of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) on therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the last 25 years. Brian J. Druker introduces the series by providing a Perspective that recalls the initial presentation at the 1999 American Society of Hematology annual meeting, revealing a 100% response rate at effective doses of imatinib in the phase 1 study. Guilhot and Hehlmann review long-term outcomes of patients with CML treated with TKIs in major studies and note that survival of patients with CML now approaches that of the general population. Hughes et al address the issue of treatment-free remission and explore the criteria for safely discontinuing TKIs for select patients. Finally, Cruz-Rodriguez and Deininger discuss mechanisms of resistance, emerging therapeutic strategies, and the promise of BCR::ABL1 degraders and TKI combinations.
A park-based group mobility program for older adults with difficulty walking outdoors: a qualitative process evaluation of the Getting Older Adults Outdoors (GO-OUT) randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kokorelias Kristina M. , Ripat Jacquie , Barclay Ruth , Jones C. Allyson , Mayo Nancy E. , Grant Theresa , Scodras Stephanie , Alsbury-Nealy Kyla , Ryder-Burbidge Charlotte , Salbach Nancy M.
Published: January 2025

Background

The Getting Older Adults Outdoors (GO-OUT) randomized controlled trial showed that a workshop and 10-week park-based outdoor walk group (OWG) was superior to the workshop and 10 weekly reminders (WR) with increasing walking capacity, but not outdoor walking activity, health-promoting behavior, or successful aging, among older adults with difficulty walking outdoors. The objective of this planned process evaluation was to explore participants’ perceptions of mechanisms of impact of and contextual factors influencing experiences with the interventions to help explain the observed intervention effects on study outcomes.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive study involving semi-structured interviews conducted at 6-months post-baseline was conducted. A directed content analysis was undertaken.

Participants

We interviewed 27 adults (52% male, 48% female, mean age 76 years) from the OWG (n = 13) and WR group (n = 14).

Results

We identified two themes including: “Holding Me Accountable to Walk More Frequently”, and “We Walked Farther, With More Ease and Confidence, and We Felt Better”. Participants in both groups described how the OWG and WR programs provided some degree of structure and accountability to others that increased their motivation to walk outdoors. Participants described how the OWG led to improved walking capacity (e.g., increased walking distance) and confidence. Interacting with people during OWG sessions led to a sense of enjoyment, and well-being.

Conclusions

Community programs that incorporate structure, accountability, and opportunities for social interaction, can help improve motivation to increase outdoor walking activity and a sense of belonging for older adults with difficulty walking outdoors. Park-based OWG programs appear to convey additional important benefits related to improved physical function and well-being.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03292510 Date of registration: September 25, 2017.
Public health economic modelling in evaluations of salt and/or alcohol policies: a systematic scoping review
Authors: Mensah Joseph Prince , Thomas Chloe , Akparibo Robert , Brennan Alan
Published: January 2025

Background

Public health economic modelling is an approach capable of managing the intricacies involved in evaluating interventions without direct observational evidence. It is used to estimate potential long-term health benefits and cost outcomes. The aim of this review was to determine the scope of health economic models in the evaluation of salt and/or alcohol interventions globally, to provide an overview of the literature and the modelling methods and structures used.

Methods

Searches were conducted in Medline, Embase, and EconLit, and complemented with citation searching of key reviews. The searches were conducted between 13/11/2022 and 8/11/2023, with no limits to publication date. We applied a health economic search filter to select model-based economic evaluations of public health policies and interventions related to alcohol consumption, dietary salt intake, or both. Data on the study characteristics, modelling approaches, and the interventions were extracted and synthesised.

Results

The search identified 1,958 articles, 82 of which were included. These included comparative risk assessments (29%), multistate lifetables (27%), Markov cohort (22%), microsimulation (13%), and other (9%) modelling methods. The included studies evaluated alcohol and/or salt interventions in a combined total of 64 countries. Policies from the UK (23%) and Australia (18%) were the most frequently evaluated. A total of 58% of the models evaluated salt policies, 38% evaluated alcohol policies, and only three (4% of included modelling studies) evaluated both alcohol- and salt-related policies.

The range of diseases modelled covered diabetes and cardiovascular disease-related outcomes, cancers, and alcohol-attributable harm. Systolic blood pressure was a key intermediate risk factor in the excessive salt-to-disease modelling pathway for 40 (83%) of the salt modelling studies. The effects of alcohol consumption on adverse health effects were modelled directly using estimates of the relative risk of alcohol-attributable diseases.

Conclusions

This scoping review highlights the substantial utilisation of health economic modelling for estimating the health and economic impact of interventions targeting salt or alcohol consumption. The limited use of combined alcohol and salt policy models presents a pressing need for models that could explore their integrated risk factor pathways for cost-effectiveness comparisons between salt and alcohol policies to inform primary prevention policymaking.
L-shaped association of dietary inflammatory index (DII) and chronic diarrhea: results from NHANES 2005–2010
Authors: Zhao Qing , Xu Yue , Li Xiangrui , Chen Xiaotian
Published: January 2025

Background

Since diet is a known modulator of inflammation, the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), which quantifies the inflammatory potential of an individual’s diet, becomes a significant parameter to consider. Chronic diarrhea is commonly linked to inflammatory processes within the gut. Thus, this study aimed to explore the potential link between DII and chronic diarrhea.

Methods

This research utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2010. The DII was calculated according to the average intake of 28 nutrients using information gathered from two 24-hour recall interviews. The Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) was adopted to describe chronic diarrhea, identifying stool Type 6 and Type 7. Multivariate logistic regression models examined the causal connection between DII and chronic diarrhea. Additionally, subgroup analyses and interaction tests were conducted.

Results

The study encompassed 11,219 adults, among whom 7.45% reported chronic diarrhea. Initially, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a positive association between DII and chronic diarrhea. Nevertheless, this connection lost statistical significance (OR = 1.00; 95% CI, 0.96–1.05; P = 0.8501) after adjusting for all confounding variables. Stratified by sex, the analysis revealed a notable rise in the risk of chronic diarrhea with increasing DII among female participants (all P for trend < 0.05). This tendency remained constant even after full adjustment (P for trend = 0.0192), whereas no significant association was noted in males (all P for trend > 0.05). Furthermore, an L-shaped association emerged between DII and chronic diarrhea, with an inflection point of -1.34. In the population with DII scores below -1.34, each unit increase in DII correlated with a 27% reduction in the probability of chronic diarrhea (OR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57–0.93), whereas in the population with DII scores above -1.34, the risk increased by 4% (OR = 1.04; 95% CI, 0.98–1.10). Merely, the gender interaction was shown to be statistically significant based on subgroup analyses and interaction tests.

Conclusions

A favorable association between DII and chronic diarrhea exists in adults in the United States. Nevertheless, additional long-term prospective studies are required to confirm and solidify those findings.
Comparative assessment of a virtual performance measure with self-report and performance-based outcomes in patients with hip osteoarthritis
Authors: Razmjou Helen , Denis Suzanne , Robarts Susan , Wainwright Amy , Dickson Patricia , Roszkowski Ania , Murnaghan John
Published: January 2025

Background

The purposes of this study were to examine the reliability and factorial and convergent validity of a virtual performance measure (VPM) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip joint and to compare the known-group validity of the VPM with traditional self-report and performance-based outcomes.

Methods

The VPM score was based on the results of 10 videos showing increasing difficulty in performing specific functional tasks. Patients were requested to choose the video that best reflected their own level of function. Clinical presentation and radiological findings were documented. Self-report measures were the lower extremity functional score (LEFS) and pain scale. The performance-based measures were the 30- second Chair Stand Test (CST) and the 40-meter fast paced walk test (40 m FPWT) test.

Results

Data of 100 patients, 64 (64%) females, mean age: 67 ±10 were examined. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient that examined internal consistency of the VPM total score was 0.88. Factor analysis showed two distinct domains. Moderate correlations were observed between the VPM total score and the LEFS, pain score, and 40 m FPWT (r > 0.50). The VPM and the LEFS were able to differentiate between candidates and non-candidates for hip arthroplasty and between those with and without assistive walking devices. There was no statistically significant difference between the overall accuracy of the VPM and LEFS in the area under the curve value (0.72 vs. 0.71) with respect to candidacy for surgery.

Conclusions

This study provides substantial evidence towards the validity and reliability of the VPM outcome measure in patients with moderate to severe OA of the hip joint. Digitally based outcome measures have the potential of enhancing remote measurement of functional difficulties in specific situations.

Clinical trial number

Not applicable.
Effectiveness of an environmental educational program on intern dentists’ knowledge and practices regarding eco-friendly green dentistry: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Hassan Eman Helmy , Lotfy Nesma , Abdou Mamdouh Hanafy , Fetohy Ebtisam Mohamed , Hussein Mohamed Fakhry
Published: January 2025

Background

The dental industry is associated with significant environmental impacts so there is a growing need for eco-friendly practices in dentistry. This study aimed to assess dental interns’ knowledge and practices regarding eco-friendly dentistry before and after the implementation of the environmental educational program.

Methods

An interventional quasi-experimental study (one group pre-test-post-test design) was conducted on 69 intern dentists at the Faculty of Dentistry Alexandria University. Assessment of knowledge and practices related to eco-friendly dentistry was performed three times: before, after two months, and after four months of the educational program.

Results

The mean age of participants was 23.72 years; 56.5% were males; 89.9% hadn’t received prior training on eco-friendly dentistry; and 40.6% obtained their green dentistry information from online websites. The educational program significantly improved their knowledge (median score percentage went from 50% before the intervention to 81.82% and 81.82% after two and four months of the conducting of the educational program, respectively.) and eco-friendly practices (median score percentage increased from 58.33% before the intervention to 75% and 66.67% after two and four months of the intervention, respectively) and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Significant positive correlations were noticed between knowledge and practice either before or after the training program (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

There was a significant improvement in knowledge and practices of the participants after the implementation of eco-friendly educational program. The successful educational program in early career is important in reducing waste generation and resource consumption, as well as potential cost savings on the long run.

Clinical trial registration number

PACTR202405544685014. Date: 20 May 2024, “retrospectively registered”.
Airway pressures generated by high flow nasal cannula in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a computational study
Authors: Shamohammadi Hossein , Weaver Liam , Saffaran Sina , Tonelli Roberto , Laviola Marianna , Laffey John G. , Camporota Luigi , Scott Timothy E. , Hardman Jonathan G. , Clini Enrico , Bates Declan G.
Published: January 2025

Introduction and objectives

High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy is an increasingly popular mode of non-invasive respiratory support for the treatment of patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF). Previous experimental studies in healthy subjects have established that HFNC generates flow-dependent positive airway pressures, but no data is available on the levels of mean airway pressure (mPaw) or positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) generated by HFNC therapy in AHRF patients. We aimed to estimate the airway pressures generated by HFNC at different flow rates in patients with AHRF, whose functional lung volume may be significantly reduced compared to healthy subjects due to alveolar consolidation and/or collapse.

Materials and methods

We developed a high-fidelity mechanistic computational model of the cardiopulmonary system during HFNC therapy using data from healthy subjects, and then measured the mPaw and PEEP levels produced when different amounts of alveolar consolidation/collapse were incorporated into the model.

Results

When calibrated to represent normal lung physiology in healthy subjects, our model recapitulates the airway pressures produced by HFNC at different flow rates in healthy volunteers who were breathing normally, with their mouths closed or open. When different amounts of alveolar consolidation/collapse are implemented in the model to reflect the pathophysiology of AHRF, the mPaw and PEEP produced by HFNC at all flow rates increase as the functional lung volume decreases (up to a mPaw of 11.53 and a PEEP of 11.41 cmH2O at 60 L/min with the mouth closed when 50% of the model’s alveolar compartments are non-aerated). When the model was matched to individual patient data from a cohort of 58 patients with AHRF receiving HFNC at 60 L/min, the mean (standard deviation) of the mPaw / PEEP produced by HFNC in the models of these patients was 8.56 (1.50) / 8.92 (1.49) cmH2O with mouths closed, and 1.73 (0.31) / 1.36 (0.36) cmH2O with mouths open.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the airway pressures produced by HFNC in patients with AHRF could be higher than is currently assumed based on experimental data from healthy subjects, particularly in patients whose mouths remain closed. Higher levels of PEEP could be beneficial if they lead to alveolar recruitment and improved lung compliance, but could cause alveolar overdistension if they do not, motivating the close monitoring of the effects of HFNC on lung mechanics. Further clinical studies are warranted to directly measure the airway pressures produced by HFNC in patients with different severities of AHRF.
Awareness and knowledge regarding female genital schistosomiasis among European healthcare workers: a cross-sectional online survey
Authors: Marchese Valentina , Remkes Aaron , Kislaya Irina , Rausche Pia , Brito André , Hey Jana Christina , Rasamoelina Tahinamandranto , Rakotoarivelo Rivo Andry , May Jürgen , Fusco Daniela
Published: January 2025

Background

Adequate knowledge and awareness regarding diseases are essential for appropriate, high-quality healthcare. Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) is a non-sexually transmitted gynaecological disease that is caused by the presence of Schistosoma haematobium eggs in the female genital tract and the resulting immune response that causes tissue damage. It is estimated to affect 56 million women, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where healthcare workers (HCWs) have limited awareness and knowledge of FGS. Most migrants in Europe are female, often from SSA and therefore at risk of FGS. This study investigated awareness and knowledge of FGS among European HCWs with the aim of informing strategies to improve the management of migrant health.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered, closed, multilingual, anonymous online questionnaire between 1st June 2023 to 31st January 2024. Medical doctors (MDs) (n = 581) and nurses or midwives (NMs) (n = 341) working in infectiology, gynaecology, urology and general, travel, internal or occupational medicine in European countries were enrolled in the survey. A Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with MDs’ knowledge and awareness of FGS and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were estimated. Practices related to FGS were described using counts and proportions for a subsample of MDs aware of FGS.

Results

Among the 922 eligible participants, FGS awareness was 43.7% (CI95%: 39.6; 47.9) for MDs and 12.0% (CI95%: 8.8; 16.0) for NMs. FGS awareness among MDs was higher among men (50.0%; CI95%: 43.7; 56.3), working in clinics for migrants (72.0%, CI95%: 63.2; 79.7) and among infectiologists/travel medicine specialists (68.9%, CI95%: 62.2; 75.0). No knowledge was reported by 67.6% (95% CI 63.7–71.4) of MDs, while 25.3% (CI95%: 21.8; 29.0) had low and 7.1% (CI95%: 5.1; 9.5) medium knowledge. Working in healthcare for migrants was positively associated with medium knowledge (aPR = 3.49; CI95% 1.67;7.28), which was lower for general practitioners (aPR = 0.23, CI95%:0.07;0.81).

Conclusions

Our study highlights that HCWs in Europe might not be adequately prepared to manage FGS patients, resulting in a high risk of neglect. We believe that the promotion of existing medical networks could improve knowledge about FGS and thus the health of migrant women.
The Venus score for the assessment of the quality and trustworthiness of biomedical datasets
Authors: Chicco Davide , Fabris Alessandro , Jurman Giuseppe
Published: January 2025

Biomedical datasets are the mainstays of computational biology and health informatics projects, and can be found on multiple data platforms online or obtained from wet-lab biologists and physicians. The quality and the trustworthiness of these datasets, however, can sometimes be poor, producing bad results in turn, which can harm patients and data subjects. To address this problem, policy-makers, researchers, and consortia have proposed diverse regulations, guidelines, and scores to assess the quality and increase the reliability of datasets. Although generally useful, however, they are often incomplete and impractical. The guidelines of Datasheets for Datasets, in particular, are too numerous; the requirements of the Kaggle Dataset Usability Score focus on non-scientific requisites (for example, including a cover image); and the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act) sets forth sparse and general data governance requirements, which we tailored to datasets for biomedical AI. Against this backdrop, we introduce our new Venus score to assess the data quality and trustworthiness of biomedical datasets. Our score ranges from 0 to 10 and consists of ten questions that anyone developing a bioinformatics, medical informatics, or cheminformatics dataset should answer before the release. In this study, we first describe the EU AI Act, Datasheets for Datasets, and the Kaggle Dataset Usability Score, presenting their requirements and their drawbacks. To do so, we reverse-engineer the weights of the influential Kaggle Score for the first time and report them in this study. We distill the most important data governance requirements into ten questions tailored to the biomedical domain, comprising the Venus score. We apply the Venus score to twelve datasets from multiple subdomains, including electronic health records, medical imaging, microarray and bulk RNA-seq gene expression, cheminformatics, physiologic electrogram signals, and medical text. Analyzing the results, we surface fine-grained strengths and weaknesses of popular datasets, as well as aggregate trends. Most notably, we find a widespread tendency to gloss over sources of data inaccuracy and noise, which may hinder the reliable exploitation of data and, consequently, research results. Overall, our results confirm the applicability and utility of the Venus score to assess the trustworthiness of biomedical data.
Synthesizing evidence to guide the design and implementation of effective strategies for discontinuing postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in surgical settings: an umbrella review post-WHO 2018 recommendations
Authors: Bwire George Msema , Magati Renatus B. , Ntissi Hafidhi H. , Mbilinyi Tusaligwe , Manguzu Martine A. , Nyondo Goodluck G. , Njiro Belinda J. , Nkinda Lilian B. , Munishi Castory G. , Nyongole Obadia , Ndayishimiye Pacifique , Majigo Mtebe V.
Published: January 2025

Background

Postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP) involves using antibiotics after surgery to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs). However, studies have shown that PAP offers no additional benefits compared to discontinuation after surgical incision closure, prompting its de-implementation to prevent unnecessary antibiotic use that may contribute to antibiotic resistance. We conducted this review to synthesize evidence for guiding the design and implementation of effective strategies for discontinuing PAP practice and optimizing antibiotic use in surgical settings.

Methods

This umbrella review searched for articles from PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus, focusing on reviews conducted on human subjects on PAP to prevent SSIs, published in English language from 2019 to 5th July 2024. This review followed guidelines from PRISMA-P and PRIOR. The risk of bias (methodological quality) was assessed using AMSTAR-2. The pooled risk ratio (RR) was estimated using a fixed-effects model (Mantel–Haenszel method), while I2 was used to assess the heterogeneity between reviews. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024566124).

Results

In our umbrella review, we screened 1156 articles, with 28 review articles found eligible for final analysis, involving over 457 primary studies. About 80,483 patients were involved in 9 meta-analysis reviews, which were used to estimate the pooled RR. We found no significant benefits to patients from continuing PAP beyond 24-h post-surgery compared to immediate discontinuation, RR: 1.07 (95% CI: 0.97–1.17, I2: 25%, p-value: 0.22). Strategies such as regularly assessing and refining guidelines to fit specific surgical settings and patients’ characteristics, multidisciplinary collaboration, availability of resources needed for best practices, education and training healthcare workers on SSI prevention and antibiotic stewardship, and patient education in SSI prevention and proper antibiotic use were recommended to improve best practices in surgical settings.

Conclusions

Prolonging antibiotic prophylaxis beyond 24-h post-surgery did not show significant protective benefits against SSIs. Our findings support the 2018 WHO recommendation for the immediate discontinuation of PAP following surgical incision closure in clean and clean-contaminated procedures. Further de-implementation research studies are needed to guide the effective discontinuation of PAP practice.
Case report: Long-term GPS tracking throughout the breeding and non-breeding seasons of the streaked shearwater Calonectris leucomelas
Authors: Kamata Taito , Shirai Masaki , Hirata Kazuhiko , Sato Takahiro , Mukai Haruka , Yamamoto Maki , Sekijima Tsuneo
Published: January 2025

The collection of wildlife tracking information throughout a species’ entire life cycle is important for comprehensive ecological elucidation and the establishment of practical protected areas. Although streaked shearwater (SS) is a seabird species for which biologging techniques are highly developed, there have been no reports of successful global positioning system (GPS) tracking during the early breeding and non-breeding seasons, when recapture is difficult. In this study, we succeeded in long-term GPS tracking, obtaining highly accurate tracking data during the non-breeding season from November to March and the early breeding season from April to July. We discuss the relationship between prey distribution and the marine environment to understand the species’ foraging habitat preferences. In September 2018, we attached GPS tags to birds breeding on Toshima, in the Izu Islands, and recaptured two birds in August 2020 and 2022. The tags worked for 277 and 549 days and fixed 23,510 and 37,233 positions, respectively. During the early breeding season, the foraging area had low sea surface temperatures (SST) and high chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations and moved northward as the season progressed. During the non-breeding season, one bird wintered in the South China Sea and the other off northern New Guinea. In the South China Sea, SS preferred sea areas with an average SST of 26 °C and high Chl-a concentrations (> 0.8mg/m3), whereas off northern New Guinea, SS preferred an area with an average SST of 29 °C. The foraging area used during the early breeding season depended on the optimal water temperature zone for their primary prey—Japanese Anchovy. The foraging areas used during the non-breeding season matched the optimal water temperature zones of the main fish distributed in each sea area. The GPS tracking data obtained in this study, while not a statistically sufficient sample size, are valuable and provide new insights into the environmental preferences of SS during early breeding and non-breeding seasons; life stages for which little information is available.
Exploring parent-child relationships in a Swedish child and adolescent psychiatry - cohort of adolescents with internet gaming disorder
Authors: Kapetanovic Sabina , Nielsen Maiken Due , André Frida , Gurdal Sevtap , Claesdotter-Knutsson Emma
Published: January 2025

Background

While recent studies suggest a high prevalence of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) clinics, little is known about the factors contributing to problematic gaming among these patients. Given the well-established role of parenting and parent-child relationships in the development of problem behaviors, this study aimed to explore parent-child relationships within a Swedish cohort of CAP patients with IGD.

Methods

A total of 72 adolescents from CAP clinics in Skane, Sweden, diagnosed with IGD based on DSM-V criteria (73% boys), aged 13 to 18 years were included in the study. The adolescents completed the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents (GASA) and reported on aspects of parent-child communication, such as parental control and adolescent disclosure and secrecy, and family climate. Adolescents were categorized as engaged, problem or addicted gamers based on core approach. Independent sample t-tests, Pearsons’s correlations, and multivariate regression analyses were used to address the study goals.

Results

Independent sample t-tests revealed that girls showed lower levels of parental knowledge than boys. Bivariate correlation analyses showed that IGD-symptoms were related to lower levels of child disclosure, while multivariate regression analyses revealed that higher IGD-symptoms were predicted by high levels of child secrecy and low child disclosure.

Conclusion

Parent-child relationships, in particular adolescent information management to parents, plays an important role for the level of IGD-symptoms in a clinical sample of adolescents. We suggest that therapeutic interventions for IGD should integrate family-focused strategies, such as parent training programs fostering open communication between parents and their children.
Antibacterial properties and biological activity of 3D-printed titanium alloy implants with a near-infrared photoresponsive surface
Authors: Wang Ming-Kang , Xiao Fan , Xu Xu
Published: January 2025

Purpose

SLM 3D printing technology is one of the most widely used implant-making technologies. However, the surfaces of the implants are relatively rough, and bacteria can easily adhere to them; increasing the risk of postoperative infection. Therefore, we prepared a near-infrared photoresponsive nano-TiO2 coating on the surface of an SLM 3D-printed titanium alloy sheet (Ti6Al4V) via a hydrothermal method to evaluate its antibacterial properties and biocompatibility.

Methods

Using SLM technology, titanium alloy sheets were 3D printed, and a nano-TiO2 coating was prepared on its surface via a hydrothermal method to obtain Ti6Al4V@TiO2. The surface morphology, physicochemical properties, and photothermal response of the samples were observed. The Ti6Al4V groups and Ti6Al4V@TiO2 groups were cocultured with S. aureus and E. coli and exposed to 808 nm NIR light (0.8 W/cm2) and viable plate count experiments and live/dead bacterial staining were used to assess their in vitro antibacterial properties.

Results

The hydrophilicity of the nano-TiO2 coating sample significantly improved and the sample exhibited an excellent photothermal response. The temperature reached 46.9± 0.32 °C after 15 min of irradiation with 808 nm NIR light (0.8 W/cm2). The Ti6Al4V group showed significant antibacterial properties after irradiation with 808 nm NIR light, and the Ti6Al4V@TiO2 group also had partial antibacterial ability without irradiation. After irradiation with 808 nm NIR light, the Ti6Al4V@TiO2 group showed the strongest antibacterial properties, reaching 90.11± 2.20% and 90.60± 1.08% against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively.

Conclusions

A nano-TiO2 coating prepared via a hydrothermal method produced synergistic antibacterial effects after NIR light irradiation.
Impact of digital exposure on premarital sex and contraception use among unmarried Indian youth
Authors: Ubale Pragati Dattatraya , Mishra Punit , Aditi  , Acharya Rajib , Sekher T.V.
Published: January 2025

Background

Premarital sex in India is hugely stigmatized. With the widespread use of mobile phones and the internet, attitudes and behaviors towards premarital sexual activities are inevitably shifting. This study investigates the impact of digital exposure, specifically mobile phones and the internet on premarital sex and contraception use among unmarried Indian youths.

Methodology

Utilizing data from the 5th National Family Health Survey, the analysis includes 172,568 women and 33,397 men aged 15–29 years. The study applies univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical methods, such as Chi-square tests and Multiple Logistic Regression. Propensity Score matching addresses selection bias, estimating the impact of digital exposure on premarital sexual activities and condom use.

Results

The findings show that youth exposed to mobile phones and the internet are more likely to engage in premarital sex and use condoms during their first sexual encounter. Specifically, 13.46% of men and 2.83% of women reported premarital sex, with 60.84% of men using condoms at first sex. These behaviors are significantly associated with age, education, urban residence, and mass media exposure.

Conclusion

Digital exposure significantly influences premarital sexual behaviors and contraception use among unmarried Indian youth. Adoption of mobile devices and internet usage in India should be accompanied by the implementation of holistic and culturally appropriate technology-driven interventions to provide sex education in India.
Synergistic effect on lignolytic enzyme production through co-culturing of white rot fungi during solid state fermentation of agricultural residues
Authors: Singh Jatinder , Mandal Anjali , Nandabalan Yogalakshmi Kadapakkam
Published: January 2025

Background

The current study has demonstrated that the co-culturing strategy as compared to mono-culture enhanced the lignolytic enzymes activity due to their synergistic effect on solid substrate. Synergistic effect during the co-culturing of white rot fungi (WRF) can be utilised to degrade contaminants from the environment since lignolytic enzymes are responsible for the degradation of lignin and organic pollutants.

Methods

This study used a mixed WRF culture comprising Pleurotus ostreatus (PO), Trametes versicolor (TV), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PC) and Daedaelia flavida (DF) to produce enzymes such as laccase, manganese (MnP) and lignin peroxodase (LiP) using solid state fermentation (SSF) process. Wheat straw (WS), paddy straw (PS) and cotton stalks (CS) were selected as substrates for lignolytic enzyme production to lower the cost and length of the process. Based on their enzymatic activity, selected fungal strains were categorised.

Results

Pair of TV-PC on reactive blue MR (RB-MR) dye agar plates exhibited the highest levels of peroxidase activity, with a maximum diameter of 45 mm. TV and PC pair showed the highest levels of laccase (810 U/L), LiP (693 U/L) and MnP (681 U/L) activity due to synergistic interaction and CS substrate was verified to be beneficial for laccase, MnP and LiP enzyme production. SDS-PAGE and SEM analysis characterised the lignolytic enzymes and cotton stalks substrate, respectively.

Conclusions

In the present investigation, Trametes versicolor and Phanerochaete chrysosporium showed the highest laccase and peroxidases activity, respectively. Synergistic effect was observed during co-culturing of Trametes versicolor and Phanerochaete chrysosporium on RB-MR dye. Significantly, the highest lignolytic activity was observed in cotton stalk substrate.
Milk-derived bioactive peptides
Authors: Kashung Phareichon , Karuthapandian Devi
Published: January 2025

Bioactive peptides are the functional concept that refer to fragments of proteins that provide both functional and nutritional benefits as a functional component. Milk has been widely exploited as a source of diverse bioactive peptides. Bioactivity of peptides depends on amino acid composition and sequence specific to bioactivity. The production of bioactive peptides can be carried out through classical and bioinformatics approaches. In the classical approach, enzymatic hydrolysis, simulated digestion and hydrolysis by microbial enzymes are included. In the bioinformatics approach, databases, QSAR modeling, molecular docking and design of experiments (DoE) with response surface methodology are employed for identification and characterization of bioactive peptides from milk proteins. Milk-derived peptides have been identified to be antihypertensive, anti-diabetic, cytomodulatory, antioxidative, antimicrobial, and mineral binding peptides with wide applications as nutraceuticals in commercial products and food preservatives in food industry. Hence, this review has attempted to provide insight into the approaches and applications of milk- derived bioactive peptides with nutraceuticals properties in the development of functional foods.

Graphical Abstract