Keep on Keeping on - Mirena IUD for 8 Years.

Counsel patients that their Mirena IUD retains contraceptive effectiveness for extended use up to 8 years. The cumulative failure rate for years 6 through 8 was 0.68%, similar to reported rates for the first 5 years of use.

Analytical Validation of the Labcorp Plasma Complete Test, a Cell-Free DNA Comprehensive Genomic Profiling Tool for Precision Oncology.

To help guide treatment decisions and clinical trial matching, tumor genomic profiling is an essential precision oncology tool. Liquid biopsy, a complementary approach to tissue testing, can assess tumor-specific DNA alterations circulating in the blood. Labcorp Plasma Complete is a next-generation sequencing, cell-free DNA comprehensive genomic profiling test that identifies clinically relevant somatic variants across 521 genes in advanced and metastatic solid cancers.

Resistance mutations that distinguish HIV-1 envelopes with discordant VRC01 phenotypes from multi-lineage infections in the HVTN703/HPTN081 trial: implications for cross-resistance.

The Antibody Mediated Prevention (AMP) trials showed that passively infused VRC01, a broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) targeting the CD4 binding site (CD4bs) on the HIV-1 envelope protein (Env), protected against neutralization-sensitive viruses. We identified six individuals from the VRC01 treatment arm with multi-lineage breakthrough HIV-1 infections from HVTN703, where one variant was sensitive to VRC01 (IC < 25 ug/mL) but another was resistant. By comparing Env sequences of resistant and sensitive clones from each participant, we identified sites predicted to affect VRC01 neutralization and assessed the effect of their reversion in the VRC01-resistant clone on neutralization sensitivity.

Association between clinical laboratory indicators and WOMAC scores in Qatar Biobank participants: The impact of testosterone and fibrinogen on pain, stiffness, and functional limitation.

Objectives: The association between baseline laboratory parameters and experienced well-being in healthy individuals remains uncertain. This study explored the relationship between clinical laboratory profiles and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores for pain, stiffness, and physical functional limitation in healthy individuals in Qatar.

Methods: Clinical laboratory data were collected from 1,764 Qatar Biobank participants who also completed the WOMAC questionnaire: lipid profiles (high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and triglycerides), endocrine markers (TSH, T3, T4, estradiol, and testosterone), and two inflammatory markers (CRP and fibrinogen).

Prediction of checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy efficacy for cancer using routine blood tests and clinical data.

Predicting whether a patient with cancer will benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) without resorting to advanced genomic or immunologic assays is an important clinical need. To address this, we developed and evaluated SCORPIO, a machine learning system that utilizes routine blood tests (complete blood count and comprehensive metabolic profile) alongside clinical characteristics from 9,745 ICI-treated patients across 21 cancer types. SCORPIO was trained on data from 1,628 patients across 17 cancer types from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Exploring the relationship between medically unnecessary childhood penile circumcision and adult mental health.

There is increasing recognition of the need to address the diverse experiences of individuals subjected to medically unnecessary, non-voluntary genital cutting in childhood. This includes children with intersex traits undergoing 'normalisation' surgeries and those with anatomically normative genitalia, such as female genital cutting or male circumcision. While most research on non-therapeutic childhood penile circumcision centres on the physical risks and benefits, far less attention has been given to the potential long-term mental health impacts, particularly from a psychotherapeutic perspective.

Intrinsic and extrinsic control impact motivation and outcome sensitivity: the role of anhedonia, stress, and anxiety.

Background: Motivated behaviors vary widely across individuals and are controlled by a range of environmental and intrinsic factors. However, due to a lack of objective measures, the role of intrinsic extrinsic control of motivation in psychiatric disorders remains poorly understood.

Methods: We developed a novel multi-factorial behavioral task that separates the distinct contributions of intrinsic extrinsic control, and determines their influence on motivation and outcome sensitivity in a range of contextual environments.

A Photo-Narrative Intervention for Children With Severe Neurological Impairment in the PICU.

Context: Parents of children with severe neurological impairment (SNI) face barriers in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to humanistic care. Photo-narratives are a promising strategy to share perspectives about well-being.

Objective: This study describes the iterative refinement and lessons learned in adapting a photo-narrative intervention for children with SNI in the PICU.

The status quo of global geriatric radiation oncology education: A scoping review.

Purpose: To identify potential gaps in geriatric radiation oncology (RO) education worldwide, as measured by geriatric oncology (GO) content within postgraduate RO training program (TP) curricula across 8 focus countries.

Methods And Materials: The need for improved education around GO is internationally recognized and is a key strategic priority of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG).Two reviewers undertook a systematic scoping review from March to September 2023.

Novel polymorphic and copy number diversity in the antibody IGH locus of South African individuals.

The heavy chain of an antibody is crucial for mediating antigen binding. IGHV genes, which partially encode the heavy chain of antibodies, exhibit vast genetic diversity largely through polymorphism and copy number variation (CNV). These genetic variations impact population-level expression levels.

Hydridostannylene Derivatives of Magnesium and Calcium.

Reactions of a m-terphenylhydridostannylene with β-diketiminato magnesium and calcium hydrides provide bis-μ-hydrido species, the heterobimetallic constitutions of which are maintained after the addition of THF donor solvent. In both cases, reactions with hex-1-ene result in the formation of tetravalent organostannyl alkaline earth derivatives. Whereas the magnesium reagent undergoes facile twofold addition, the calcium-centered process is arrested after a single alkene reduction event.

Nucleophilic Triphenylgermanides of Magnesium and Calcium.

The dimeric calcium and magnesium hydrides, [(BDI)AeH] [BDI=HC{(Me)CNDipp}, Dipp=2,6-i-PrCH; Ae=Mg or Ca] do not react with PhGeH in non-coordinating solvent. Addition of THF, however, induces deprotonation and access to monomeric Ae-germanide complexes, [(BDI)Ae{GePh}(THF)], both of which have been structurally characterized. Although this process is facile when Ae=Ca, the analogous magnesium-based reaction requires heating to temperatures >100 °C, under which conditions germanide formation is complicated by THF ring opening and the generation of an alkaline earth germyl-C-terminated n-butoxide, [(BDI)Mg{μ-O(CH)GePh}].

Association Between Spinal Manipulation, Butalbital Prescription, and Medication Overuse Headache in Adults With Tension-Type Headache: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background And Aims: Butalbital is an acute headache medication commonly prescribed for tension-type headache (TTH), although discouraged by guidelines due to a risk of medication overuse headache (MOH). Considering spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) may reduce TTH frequency and intensity, we hypothesized adults with TTH receiving chiropractic SMT would be less likely to receive a butalbital prescription over 2 years versus matched controls not receiving SMT. We secondarily compared likelihood of MOH between cohorts.

TB programme outcomes in South Fly District, Papua New Guinea, were maintained through COVID-19.

Setting: An established response to an outbreak of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) on Daru Island, South Fly District (SFD), Western Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Objective: To describe and evaluate the trends in TB case notification disaggregated by demographic and clinical characteristics, programmatic interventions for TB and COVID-19 and treatment outcomes in 2017-2022.

Design: A cohort study of routinely collected programmatic data of all patients registered for TB treatment in SFD comparing pre-COVID (2017-2019) to COVID (2020-2022) periods.

Tumor and blood B-cell abundance outperforms established immune checkpoint blockade response prediction signatures in head and neck cancer.

Background: Immunotherapy has improved the outcomes for some patients with head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the low and variable response rates observed highlight the need for robust response biomarkers to select patients for treatment.

Patients And Methods: We assembled and analyzed a large HNSCC dataset, encompassing 11 clinical cohorts including 1232 patient samples, spanning a variety of disease subtypes and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatment types, tissue sources, data modalities, and timing of measurements.

Active Surveillance for Pleomorphic Adenomas of the Parotid-Tumor Growth Rate, Potential Malignancy, and Surgical Sequalae.

Objective: The outcomes of active surveillance (AS) for pleomorphic adenomas (PA) as an alternative to upfront parotidectomy have not been previously documented in the literature. This cohort study aims to assess the safety and feasibility of AS for parotid gland PA.

Methods: All patients with of previously untreated PA managed between 1990 and 2015 were reviewed.

Engaging Burn Survivors, Their Families, and the Burn Community in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research: A Burn Survivor- and Burn Community Stakeholder-Generated and Prioritized Research Agenda.

Burn survivors are involved in burn research, but typically in the role of research subject. We believe that the outcomes and impact of burn research can be improved by engaging survivors as collaborators in the planning, implementation, and dissemination of burn research. The goal of this work was to produce the first burn research agenda generated and prioritized by burn survivors and other stakeholders from the burn community.

'It opens up a whole new world for everybody': how carers of people with dementia view the online empowered conversations communication course.

Objectives: This paper explores (1) experiences of participating in Empowered Conversations, an online communication course for carers of people with dementia and (2) how participants felt the course had changed their experience of caring.

Method: Fifteen semi-structured interviews were completed with carers who had attended Empowered Conversations as part of a larger feasibility trial conducted in Greater Manchester, UK (ISRCTN15261686). Data were analysed using applied thematic analysis.

The Rehabilitation Landscape in a Low-to-Middle-Income Country: Stakeholder Perspectives and Policy Implications-A Qualitative Study.

The need for rehabilitation is increasing on a global level due to a rise in non-communicable diseases, aging and medical advances, and in South Africa (SA), due to the quadruple burden of disease. More information is required regarding rehabilitation scope and practices in SA to optimize the provision of rehabilitation interventions in the context of the transforming health care sector in SA, a low-to-middle-income country (LMIC). The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives of South African rehabilitation stakeholders on the landscape of rehabilitation in SA.