Impact of a simple educational intervention on awareness regarding cardiovascular disease among school-going adolescents in a rural area of Bengaluru district, India.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death in India. Atherosclerosis begins in the second decade of life; thus, preventive efforts beginning in adolescence are crucial. Yet, there are no national or regional school-based educational programs in India for the prevention of CVD.

Prediction of successful labor induction in persons with a low Bishop score using machine learning: Secondary analysis of two randomized controlled trials.

Background: The objective of this paper was to identify predictors of a vaginal birth in individuals with singleton pregnancies and a Bishop Score <4, following Induction of Labor (IoL) using dinoprostone vaginal insert (DVI). Secondarily, we sought to understand the association between oxytocin use for labor augmentation and IoL outcomes.

Methods: We developed and internally validated a multivariate prediction model using machine learning (ML) applied to data from two Phase-III randomized controlled double-blind trials (NCT01127581, NCT00308711).

Stem-Cell Therapy for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) in Newborns.

Premature newborns are at a higher risk for the development of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), acute lung injury (ALI) associated with lung inflammation, disruption of alveolar structure, impaired alveolar growth, lung fibrosis, impaired lung angiogenesis, and development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) with severe long-term developmental adverse effects. The current therapy for BPD is limited to supportive care including high-oxygen therapy and pharmacotherapy. Recognizing more feasible treatment options to improve lung health and reduce complications associated with BPD is essential for improving the overall quality of life of premature infants.

Impact of macular fluid volume fluctuations on visual acuity during anti-VEGF therapy in eyes with nAMD.

Objectives: To study the effect of repeated retinal thickness fluctuations during the anti-VEGF therapy maintenance phase in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods: Data were extracted from electronic medical records of 381 nAMD patients, aged ≥50 years; baseline VA ≥33 and ≤73 letters; ≥24 months' follow-up and ≥2 optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements. OCT scans were analysed using an artificial intelligence algorithm that quantified the volumes of intraretinal fluid (IRF), subretinal fluid (SRF), pigment epithelial detachments (PED) and central subfield thickness (CSFT).

Association between visual acuity, lesion activity markers and retreatment decisions in neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Background/objectives: To investigate the association between optical coherence tomography (OCT) markers of lesion activity and changes in visual acuity (VA) during anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy of eyes diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD); and how VA and OCT markers are considered in physicians' decision to retreat with anti-VEGFs.

Subjects/methods: Retrospective, non-comparative, non-randomised cohort study involving electronic medical record data collected from 1190 patient eyes with nAMD diagnosis at two sites in the United Kingdom. Two sub-cohorts consisting of 321 and 301 eyes, respectively, were selected for analyses.

Patient costs incurred by people living with HIV/AIDS prior to ART initiation in primary healthcare facilities in Gauteng, South Africa.

Purpose: To quantify costs to patients of accessing HIV care prior to ART initiation.

Materials And Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, costs incurred by HIV-positive patients prior to ART initiation were estimated at urban primary healthcare facilities in South Africa. Costs included direct costs, indirect (productivity) costs, carer and coping costs (value of assets sold and money borrowed).