Commutability assessment of new standard reference materials (SRMs) for determining serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D using ligand binding and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays.

Commutability is where the measurement response for a reference material (RM) is the same as for an individual patient sample with the same concentration of analyte measured using two or more measurement systems. Assessment of commutability is essential when the RM is used in a calibration hierarchy or to ensure that clinical measurements are comparable across different measurement procedures and at different times. The commutability of three new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for determining serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], defined as the sum of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], was assessed through an interlaboratory study.

The association between behavioral habits and physical health status in prostate cancer patients: a large US national health-related survey.

Background: The impact of behavioral habits such as exercise on the physical health of prostate cancer (PCa) patients is poorly understood. We aimed to investigate PCa patients' exercise habits and the association between exercise and self-reported physical health status.

Methods: The 2016-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) databases were used to identify men with a history of PCa.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy in the twenty-first century: a review of the pathophysiology and clinical trials for novel disease-specific therapeutics.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is an idiopathic and nonischemic systolic dysfunction with onset toward the end of pregnancy and up to 5 months postpartum. Its clinical phenotype overlaps with pregnancy-associated cardiomyopathy rendering both a continuum of the same disease. Incidence varies geographically and is highest in areas where risk factors are prevalent.

Prehabilitative/rehabilitative exercise, nutrition, and psychological support for bladder cancer: A scoping review of randomized clinical trials.

The study of prehabilitation and rehabilitation ([p]rehabilitation) to alleviate the sequelae of bladder cancer and its treatment has generated numerous opportunities to improve the quality of life of bladder cancer survivors. The authors conducted a scoping review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to identify knowledge gaps in and research directions for (p)rehabilitative support for those affected by bladder cancer. The authors systematically searched six databases and synthesized key findings from RCTs conducted from January 1, 2004, through March 15, 2022, that enrolled participants with bladder cancer, survivors, or caregivers in outpatient (p)rehabilitative programs (e.

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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is caused by exposure to a traumatic or stressful event. Symptoms related to this disorder include persistent re-experiencing of memories and fear generalization. Current pharmacological treatments for PTSD are insufficient, with fewer than 30% of patients reporting symptom remission.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Brain Age and Health in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Single-Arm Pilot Clinical Trial.

Backgrounds: Sleep disturbances are prevalent among elderly individuals. While polysomnography (PSG) serves as the gold standard for sleep monitoring, its extensive setup and data analysis procedures impose significant costs and time constraints, thereby restricting the long-term application within the general public. Our laboratory introduced an innovative biomarker, utilizing artificial intelligence algorithms applied to PSG data to estimate brain age (BA), a metric validated in cohorts with cognitive impairments.

Alterations of Placental Sodium in Preeclampsia: Trophoblast Responses.

Background: Evidence suggests that increasing salt intake in pregnancy lowers blood pressure, protecting against preeclampsia. We hypothesized that sodium (Na) evokes beneficial placental signals that are disrupted in preeclampsia.

Methods: Blood and urine were collected from nonpregnant women of reproductive age (n=26) and pregnant women with (n=50) and without (n=55) preeclampsia, along with placental biopsies.

Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Repair of Kidney Transplant Ureteral Strictures.

Objective: To evaluate outcomes of robotic-assisted transplant ureteral repair (RATUR) for the management of kidney transplant ureteral strictures (TUS).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 41 consecutive patients who underwent RATUR for TUS at multiple tertiary referral centers between January 2016 and December 2022. RATUR was performed utilizing a robotic-assisted transperitoneal approach.

How do we leverage data through replication and warehousing to meet blood collection and transfusion service needs.

Background: With the widespread adoption of Blood Establishment Computer Systems and other Blood Collection and Transfusion Service (BCTS) clinical information systems (CIS), electronic blood donor, product, and patient data are now routinely required for clinical, regulatory, operational, and quality needs. That data are often not readily accessible for such secondary use within CIS databases, particularly for applications with significant data availability requirements such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. Data replication provides one avenue by which CIS data can be made more readily available.

Predicting Peak Productivity in Urologic Medicare Practice via Work-Relative Value Units.

Objective: To explore factors associated with productivity in urologic practice. Work-relative value units (wRVUs), the basis for Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and private payer reimbursements, commonly serve to estimate physician productivity. Limited data describes which practice factors predict increased wRVU productivity.

Combined approaches, including long-read sequencing, address the diagnostic challenge of HYDIN in primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a disorder of the motile cilia, is now recognised as an underdiagnosed cause of bronchiectasis. Accurate PCD diagnosis comprises clinical assessment, analysis of cilia and the identification of biallelic variants in one of 50 known PCD-related genes, including HYDIN. HYDIN-related PCD is underdiagnosed due to the presence of a pseudogene, HYDIN2, with 98% sequence homology to HYDIN.

Advances in the characterisation and identification of mastic ( sp.) resin in archaeological samples by GC-QToF-MS.

The optimisation and application of an analytical method based on gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-QToF-MS) is proposed for the first time for the characterisation and identification of mastic ( sp.) resin in archaeological samples. The GC-QToF-MS method demonstrated higher sensitivity compared to single quadrupole GC-MS and enabled enhanced structural elucidation power to be exploited, particularly due to the high mass resolution and accuracy, the possibility to use standard and low ionisation energies as well as its tandem MS capabilities.

Venture capital investment in urology, 2011 to mid-2021.

Introduction: To characterize venture capital (VC) investments in urology in the past decade that represent promising innovations in early-stage companies.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of deals made between VC investors and urologic companies from January 1, 2011, through June 28, 2021, was conducted by using a financial database (PitchBook Platform, PitchBook Data Inc). Data on urologic company and investor names; company information and funding categories (surgical device, therapeutic device, drug discovery/pharmaceutical, and health care technology companies); and deal sizes (in US dollars) and dates were abstracted and aggregated.

Comparing Intravenous Labetalol and Intravenous Hydralazine for Managing Severe Gestational Hypertension.

Background Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are the leading causes of both maternal morbidity and maternal mortality. Hypertensive disorders are acute obstetric emergencies, which refer to various life-threatening medical challenges known to develop during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, requiring urgent attention to reduce blood pressure (BP) for the benefit of the affected mothers and infants. Hydralazine and labetalol have been widely used as the first-line medications in the management of severe hypertension during pregnancy.

The Significance of Physical Activity Education: A Survey of Medical Students.

Introduction: Less than 20% of US adults meet physical activity (PA) recommendations, yet few physicians provide consistent PA counseling. There is limited research on the state of education of PA counseling in medical school curricula. The purpose of this study was to analyze medical students' perspectives on the current state and perceived quality of PA education in medical school.

Evaluation of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) in people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with immunotherapies or targeted therapies: protocol for a single-arm, mixed-methods pilot study.

Introduction: People with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immunotherapies (IT) or targeted therapies (TT) may have improved outcomes in a subset of people who respond, raising unique psychological concerns requiring specific attention. These include the need for people with prolonged survival to reframe their life plans and tolerate uncertainty related to treatment duration and prognosis. A brief intervention for people with advanced cancer, Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM), could help people treated with IT or TT address these concerns.

Perceived Value of Holistic Needs Assessment in Supporting the Needs of Women With Breast Cancer.

Background: Holistic needs assessments (HNAs) were designed to identify and support the physical, psychological, and social impacts of cancer, yet delivery methods vary significantly.

Objective: The study aimed to explore views of HNAs from the perspectives of healthcare professionals and women with breast cancer, including how the HNA contributed to providing support.

Methods: A qualitative case study approach was adopted, with 4 hospitals in England.

Patterns of care for people with small cell lung cancer in Victoria, 2011-19: a retrospective, population-based registry data study.

Objectives: To report stage-specific patterns of treatment and the influence of management and treatment type on survival rates for people newly diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Design: Cross-sectional patterns of care study; analysis of data prospectively collected for the Victorian Lung Cancer Registry (VLCR).

Setting, Participants: All people diagnosed with SCLC in Victoria during 1 April 2011 - 18 December 2019.

Analytical variation concerning total 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement, where are we now? A DEQAS review of current assay performance.

The Vitamin D External Quality Assessment Scheme (DEQAS) distributes serum samples globally, on a quarterly basis, to assess participants' performance of specific methods for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and other vitamin D metabolites. In this review an assessment of the state of the art in the performance of 25OHD methods is presented. This assessment is based on an analysis of data submitted by scheme participants for the 2021/22 distribution cycle, which comprised of four distributions each containing five DEQAS samples.

The Use of Chatbots in Oncological Care: A Narrative Review.

Background: Few reports have investigated chatbots in patient care. We aimed to assess the current applications, limitations, and challenges in the literature on chatbots employed in oncological care.

Methods: We queried the PubMed database through April 2022 and included studies that investigated the use of chatbots in different phases of oncological care.

Molecular evidence for new foodways in the early colonial Caribbean: organic residue analysis at Isla de Mona, Puerto Rico.

Unlabelled: Ceramic objects account for over 90% of the cultural material recovered from archaeological sites in the Caribbean. However, little research has been conducted on molecular evidence for past food production from these same vessels. Forty ceramic sherds from Isla de Mona have been analysed by GC-MS and GC-C-IRMS in order to address questions surrounding foodways in the Greater Antilles prior to and post European arrival.