A comparison of the accuracy and feasibility of a low-cost mobile application versus higher-cost handheld 3D scanner for digital ear prosthetics.

Background: Facial prosthetics are an important means to rehabilitate patients with congenital or acquired facial defects. However, with a time-consuming manual workflow and workforce shortage, access to facial prosthetics is limited in Australia and worldwide, especially for rural and remote patients. Optical 3D scanning has been increasingly integrated in digitizing data.

Compulsive ChatGPT usage, anxiety, burnout, and sleep disturbance: A serial mediation model based on stimulus-organism-response perspective.

The limited understanding of the detrimental repercussions stemming from the adoption of artificial intelligence, exemplified by ChatGPT, on users' mental health issues underscores the urgency of our current research endeavor. In response to this knowledge gap, our study employs the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework and implements a serial mediation model to probe into the impacts of compulsive ChatGPT usage on users' mental health outcomes. This model serves as a powerful analytical lens, allowing us to unravel the relationships between the stimulus (compulsive ChatGPT usage), organism (anxiety and burnout), and response (sleep disturbance).

Assessment of temperature dynamics and microbial community responses in aerobic membrane bioreactors from mesophilic to hyper-thermophilic conditions.

This study investigates the impact of temperature variations on the performance of an aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) as it transitions from mesophilic (30 °C) to hyper-thermophilic (65 °C) conditions. The microbial community structure was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess how temperature influences microbial diversity and composition. In mesophilic conditions, the system exhibited high alpha diversity with a Shannon index of 5.

Phosphorous intake in foods and phosphorus status markers in circulation in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study.

Phosphorus (P) additives may be deleterious for health. We measured the P content of key foods, and associations of P intake with biomarkers in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS). Direct chemical analysis of 92 foods was done with the molybdenum blue spectrophotometric method and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Tobacco Biomarkers by Latino Heritage and Race, US, 2007 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: Tobacco biomarkers reflect smoking intensity and are used to assess cessation status. No study has evaluated variation by Latino heritage.

Methods: Data from the 2007 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to evaluate geometric mean concentrations of serum cotinine and urinary total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), stratified by smoking status and race and ethnicity, and ROC curves estimated values to distinguish smokers from nonsmokers by race and ethnicity and Latino heritage.

Determining the learning curve of minimally invasive antireflux surgery: systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.

The rapid uptake of minimally invasive antireflux surgery has led to interest in learning curves for this procedure. This study ascertains the learning curve in laparoscopic and robotic-assisted antireflux surgery. A systematic review of the literature pertaining to learning curves in minimally invasive fundoplication with or without hiatal hernia repair was performed using PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases.

How to repair a para-conduit hernia post minimally invasive oesophagectomy: the left hiatoplasty approach.

Repair of a paraconduit hernia post oesophagectomy can be challenging. We present a safe and effective method of left hiatoplasty which is feasible in the majority of cases, achieving primary no-mesh repair while protecting the gastric conduit. Operative photos and videos describe the technique and key considerations.

Racial Disparities in Clinical Outcomes of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: An Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample 2006 to 2018.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of race on in-hospital outcomes of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy using the National Inpatient Sample.

Methods And Results: We conducted a retrospective study using data from the National Inpatient Sample database 2006 to 2018. We focused on Takotsubo cardiomyopathy hospitalizations, excluding those with acute coronary syndrome as the primary diagnosis.

Age matters: The effect of regret and loss aversion on cultured meat acceptance.

Cultured meat shows great promise as a more sustainable alternative to conventional meat consumption. However, consumer acceptance of cultured meat remains a great challenge as studies indicate a general reluctance to adopt this product. Notably, while existing literature has provided various factors influencing consumer acceptance of cultured meat, there is a limited focus on the use of affective cues.

Intersectionality in Developing a Virtual Community of Practice Platform on Abortion.

Abortion is an essential healthcare service in many countries including Canada. The number of people who seek abortion is disproportionately higher among equity-deserving populations. Yet the knowledge needed to provide evidence-based, culturally safe, and gender-affirming abortion services remain limited among healthcare professionals.

Innovative hyper-thermophilic aerobic submerged membrane distillation bioreactor for wastewater reclamation.

For the first time, a hyper-thermophilic aerobic (>60 °C) bioreactor has been integrated with direct submerged membrane distillation (MD), highlighting its potential as an advanced wastewater treatment solution. The hyper-thermophilic aerobic bioreactor, operating up to 65 °C, is tailored for high organic removal, while MD efficiently produces clean water. Throughout the study, high removal rates of 99.

Exploring predictors of help-seeking behaviors among women with postpartum depression: A social media recruited sample.

Background: Postpartum depression is among the most common complications associated with child-bearing having a period prevalence rate of 17%. Despite the prevalence of postpartum depression, recognition and treatment remains low.

Methods: This paper examines the predictors of help-seeking behavior among a sample (N = 326) of postpartum women.

Association Between Dietary Intake of Phosphorus and Measures of Obesity in the Jackson Heart Study.

Background: The relation between phosphorus (P) intake and obesity is equivocal, with hypotheses in both directions.

Objectives: We investigated the relationship between P intake, assessed from a current database, and calculated bioavailable P intake and obesity among African-American adults.

Methods: We examined associations between original and bioavailable P (total, added, and natural) and BMI and waist circumference (WC) in a cross-sectional study of 5306 African-American adults (21-84 y) from the Jackson Heart Study.

Superior semicircular canal dehiscence postoperative outcomes: a case series of 350 repairs.

Background: Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence (SSCD) is a dehiscence of the otic capsule which normally lies over the superior semicircular canal. This database constitutes the largest series of SSCD patients to date.

Objective: To determine what preoperative factors, if any, contribute to postoperative outcomes and evaluate symptom resolution in a large SSCD patient cohort.

Perceived organizational support and its impact on employee's intention to stay: Dataset from the electronics industry in Vietnam.

This dataset investigates the complex interactions between perceived organizational support (POS) and Employee's intention to stay (ITS) in Vietnam's electronics industry, emphasizing the subtleties of job satisfaction (JS) and work-life balance (WLB) against a backdrop of socialist economic principles. The analysis is underpinned by a structured questionnaire distributed among employees across various corporations, including prominent entities like Samsung, Foxconn, and Luxshare, in Vietnam's northern industrial zones. A total of 604 legitimate responses were amassed via a convenience sampling strategy.

Self-Lubricating, Living Contact Lenses.

The increasing prevalence of dry eye syndrome in aging and digital societies compromises long-term contact lens (CL) wear and forces users to regular eye drop instillation to alleviate discomfort. Here a novel approach with the potential to improve and extend the lubrication properties of CLs is presented. This is achieved by embedding lubricant-secreting biofactories within the CL material.

Risk Factors for Severe Seafood Allergy Among Adults in an Urban City in Vietnam.

Purpose: Increasing seafood consumption is associated with more frequent reports of food allergy. Little is known about seafood allergy (SFA) among adults in Vietnam. We investigated the characteristics of individuals with SFA and the risk factors for severe SFA.

Effectiveness of virtual reality interactive simulation practice in prosthodontic education: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Virtual reality-based interactive simulation (VRIS) provides a safe and controlled environment for dental students and professionals to develop skills and knowledge. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using the VRIS for prosthodontic practice and to explore the trends, application areas, and users' attitudes towards VRIS.

Materials And Methods: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for searching studies published until 21 March 2023 that reported quantitative or qualitative learning outcomes related to the use of VRIS for dental prosthodontic practice and clinical training.

Vagal Sparing Gastrectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Radical gastrectomy is associated with significant functional complications. In appropriate patients may be amenable to less invasive resection aimed at preserving the vagal trunks. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the functional consequences and oncological safety of vagal sparing gastrectomy (VSG) compared to conventional non-vagal sparing gastrectomy (CG).

Identification and Characterization of a Small Molecule Bcl-2 Functional Converter.

Unlabelled: Cancer cells exploit the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 to evade apoptosis and develop resistance to therapeutics. High levels of Bcl-2 leads to sequestration of pro-apoptotic proteins causing the apoptotic machinery to halt. In this study, we report discovery of a small molecule, BFC1108 (5-chloro-N-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-2-[(4-methoxybenzyol)amino]benzamide), which targets Bcl-2 and converts it into a pro-apoptotic protein.

Engineered living materials for the conversion of a low-cost food-grade precursor to a high-value flavonoid.

Microbial biofactories allow the upscaled production of high-value compounds in biotechnological processes. This is particularly advantageous for compounds like flavonoids that promote better health through their antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer and other beneficial effects but are produced in small quantities in their natural plant-based hosts. Bacteria like have been genetically modified with enzyme cascades to produce flavonoids like naringenin and pinocembrin from coumaric or cinnamic acid.

Data on chemical composition of coffee husks and lignin microparticles as their extracted product.

Coffee husks are an abundant and underutilized biomass waste released from coffee production. Experimental analysis showed that coffee husks consisted of 39.2 ± 0.

Asthma and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in a community setting.

Objectives: The association between asthma and COVID-19 mortality remains inconclusive. We examined the association between asthma and clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19.

Study Design: A case-control study based on a surveillance cohort in Harris County, Texas.

The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: Cross-national measurement invariance and convergent validity evidence.

Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) is a widely used measure that captures somatic symptoms of coronavirus-related anxiety. In a large-scale collaboration spanning 60 countries ( = 21,513), we examined the CAS's measurement invariance and assessed the convergent validity of CAS scores in relation to the fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) and the satisfaction with life (SWLS-3) scales. We utilized both conventional exact invariance tests and alignment procedures, with results revealing that the single-factor model fit the data well in almost all countries.