Using a prognostic medical device for early identification of pressure ulcers: protocol for study design.

Background: An objective, physiological measurement taken using a medical device may reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers through earlier detection of problems signs before visual signs appear. Research in this field is hampered by variations in clinical practice and patient-level confounders.

Aim: The authors outline key considerations for designing a protocol for a study to assess the efficacy and safety of a prognostic medical device in reducing pressure ulcer incidence in a hospital, including comparators, randomisation, sample size, ethics and practical issues.

Social Determinants of Health and Incident Apparent Treatment-Resistant Hypertension Among White and Black US Adults: The REGARDS Study.

Background: We examined the association of multilevel social determinants of health with incident apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH).

Methods And Results: We analyzed data from 2774 White and 2257 Black US adults from the REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) study taking antihypertensive medication without aTRH at baseline to estimate the association of social determinants of health with incident aTRH. Selection of social determinants of health was guided by the Healthy People 2030 domains of education, economic stability, social context, neighborhood environment, and health care access.

Population-average mediation analysis for zero-inflated count outcomes.

Mediation analysis is an increasingly popular statistical method for explaining causal pathways to inform intervention. While methods have increased, there is still a dearth of robust mediation methods for count outcomes with excess zeroes. Current mediation methods addressing this issue are computationally intensive, biased, or challenging to interpret.

Application of marginalized zero-inflated models when mediators have excess zeroes.

Mediation analysis has become increasingly popular over the last decade as researchers are interested in assessing mechanistic pathways for intervention. Although available methods have increased, there are still limited options for mediation analysis with zero-inflated count variables where the distribution of response has a "cluster" of data at the zero value (i.e.

Greater socioenvironmental risk factors and higher chronic pain stage are associated with thinner bilateral temporal lobes.

Introduction: Previous research indicates ethnic/race group differences in pain and neurodegenerative diseases. Accounting for socioenvironmental factors reduces ethnic/race group differences in clinical and experimental pain. In the current study sample, we previously reported that in individuals with knee pain, ethnic/race group differences were observed in bilateral temporal lobe thickness, areas of the brain associated with risk for Alzheimer's disease, and related dementias.

Impact on stable chest pain pathways of CT fractional flow reserve.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of introducing CT fractional flow reserve (FFR) on stable chest pain pathways, concordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) chest pain guidelines, resource usage and revascularisation of patients from a tertiary UK cardiac centre rapid access chest pain clinic (RACPC).

Methods: Single-centre before and after study comparing data from electronic records and Strategic Tracing Service of all RACPC patients attending between 1 July 2017 and 31 December 2017, and 1 August 2018 and 31 January 2019.

Results: Two hundred and sixty-eight and 287 patients (overall mean age 62 years, range 26-89 years, 48.

Our experience in developing and operating the Airway Intervention Registry for Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (AIR-RRP): national data collection.

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is characterised by benign wart-like growths in the respiratory tract caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). These warts vary in size and grow quickly, causing voice changes and airway obstruction. Whilst the condition is rare, RRP is more common and aggressive in children.

RAC1B function is essential for breast cancer stem cell maintenance and chemoresistance of breast tumor cells.

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSC) are presumed to be responsible for treatment resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis of breast tumors. However, development of BCSC-targeting therapies has been held back by their heterogeneity and the lack of BCSC-selective molecular targets. Here, we demonstrate that RAC1B, the only known alternatively spliced variant of the small GTPase RAC1, is expressed in a subset of BCSCs in vivo and its function is required for the maintenance of BCSCs and their chemoresistance to doxorubicin.

Variation in IL6ST cytokine family function and the potential of IL6 trans-signalling in ERα positive breast cancer cells.

High expression of the transmembrane receptor IL6ST (gp130) has been identified as a predictive biomarker of endocrine treatment response in ERα-positive breast cancers. To investigate its function further in this disease, this study evaluated the expression, function and signalling of IL6ST in ERα-positive breast cancer cell lines and investigated crosstalk between ERα and IL6ST. IL6ST was differentially expressed in ERα-positive breast cancer cell lines (low in MCF-7, high in ZR751 and T47D), while multiple soluble isoforms of IL6ST were identified.

FAK promotes stromal PD-L2 expression associated with poor survival in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic Cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, with less than 8% of patients surviving 5 years following diagnosis. The last 40 years have seen only small incremental improvements in treatment options, highlighting the continued need to better define the cellular and molecular pathways contributing to therapy response and patient prognosis.

Methods: We combined CRISPR, shRNA and flow cytometry with mechanistic experiments using a Krasp53 mouse model of pancreatic cancer and analysis of publicly available human PDAC transcriptomic datasets.

Self-sustaining smouldering combustion for the treatment of industrial oily waste.

Significant onsite handling and offsite management costs are incurred by oilfield operators annually to properly manage hydrocarbon waste streams such as tank bottoms or other oily sludge or oil impacted soil generated during oil and gas production processes. The current study reports for the first-time technical results of a field trial on use of a smouldering combustion technology performed in an active oilfield. Two treatment batches with oily sludges, stabilized through blending with soil, resulted in permanent hydrocarbon removal (98-99.

Reproductive history differs by molecular subtypes of breast cancer among women aged ≤ 50 years in Scotland diagnosed 2009-2016: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The aetiology of breast cancers diagnosed ≤ 50 years of age remains unclear. We aimed to compare reproductive risk factors between molecular subtypes of breast cancer, thereby suggesting possible aetiologic clues, using routinely collected cancer registry and maternity data in Scotland.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 4108 women aged ≤ 50 years with primary breast cancer diagnosed between 2009 and 2016 linked to maternity data.

Prospective Assessment of the Diagnostic Accuracy of Multi-site Photoplethysmography Pulse Measurements for Diagnosis of Peripheral Artery Disease in Primary Care.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with cerebral and coronary artery disease. Symptomatic PAD affects about 5% of people over 55 years; many more have asymptomatic PAD. Early detection enables modification of arterial disease risk factors.

Infection after ureteroscopy for ureteric stones: analysis of 71 305 cases in the Hospital Episode Statistics database.

Objectives: To investigate the burden of infectious complications following ureteroscopy (URS) for ureteric stones on a national level in England using data from the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data warehouse.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort was identified and followed up in HES during the period April 2013 to March 2020 for all procedure codes relating to ureteroscopic stone treatment (M27.1, M27.

Patent foramen ovale closure: A prospective UK registry linked to hospital episode statistics.

Aims: PFO closure is a percutaneous intervention, which aims to reduce risk of recurrent stroke by preventing paradoxical embolism. The objective of this study was to measure procedural safety and longer-term effectiveness of PFO closure in a UK setting.

Methods And Results: Prospective registry data from patients with cryptogenic stroke eligible for PFO closure were collected for up to 2 years and linked to routine data sources for additional follow-up.

National Cohort Study of Health Care Resource Use After Pediatric Tracheostomy.

This cohort study uses Hospital Episode Statistics admission data to evaluate hospital resource use and associated costs for pediatric tracheostomy.

Validation of a Standardised Duplex Ultrasound Classification System for the Reporting and Grading of Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Objective: Duplex ultrasound (DUS), a non-invasive means of arterial mapping, allows for the reliable diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). One of the authors (C.P.

Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) is Associated with Movement-Evoked Pain Severity in Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain: Sociodemographic Differences.

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one of the leading causes of pain and disability in adults in the United States and disproportionately burdens non-Hispanic Black (NHB) individuals and females. Approximately 90% of CLBP cases are of unknown cause, and it is imperative that potential causes be explored. It has been reported that diet quality can influence pain state via diet-induced inflammation.

Epigenome-wide DNA methylation profiling of conditioned pain modulation in individuals with non-specific chronic low back pain.

Background: The pathoanatomic cause of chronic low back pain (cLBP) cannot be identified for up to 90% of individuals. However, dysfunctional processing of endogenous nociceptive input, measured as conditioned pain modulation (CPM), has been associated with cLBP and may involve changes in neuronal gene expression. Epigenetic-induced changes such as DNA methylation (DNAm) have been associated with cLBP.

Sociodemographic Differences in Pain Medication Usage and Healthcare Provider Utilization Among Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain.

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is the most common reason for individual suffering and health care utilization in adults. Ample evidence suggests sociodemographic variables and socioeconomic status (SES) influence pain. However, a framework informing associations on race, SES, and the utilization of pharmacologic therapies and provider type are limited-particularly in cLBP.

Coblation intracapsular tonsillectomy: A cohort study of NHS practice in England using Hospital Episode Statistics.

Objectives: To identify paediatric intracapsular Coblation tonsillectomy procedures from routine administrative data in England, and determine their safety.

Design: Retrospective observational cohort study of four ENT centres using routine data from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).

Setting: Acute NHS trusts in England conducting exclusively intracapsular Coblation tonsillectomy.