Reconciling heterogeneous dengue virus infection risk estimates from different study designs.

Uncovering rates at which susceptible individuals become infected with a pathogen, i.e., the force of infection (FOI), is essential for assessing transmission risk and reconstructing distribution of immunity in a population.

Linking multiple serological assays to infer dengue virus infections from paired samples using mixture models.

Dengue virus (DENV) is an increasingly important human pathogen, with already half of the globe's population living in environments with transmission potential. Since only a minority of cases are captured by direct detection methods (RT-PCR or antigen tests), serological assays play an important role in the diagnostic process. However, individual assays can suffer from low sensitivity and specificity and interpreting results from multiple assays remains challenging, particularly because interpretations from multiple assays may differ, creating uncertainty over how to generate finalized interpretations.

Relevance of patient-centered actigraphy measures in pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a qualitative interview study.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are severe, progressive diseases characterized by key symptoms such as dyspnea and fatigue. These symptoms impair physical functioning, with patients struggling to perform their daily activities. One traditional measure of physical functioning and exercise capacity is the 6-minute walk test (6MWT).

Systematic review of interventions to promote colorectal cancer screening: Benchmarking effect sizes and screening rates.

Objective: The effectiveness of behavioral interventions is typically evaluated relative to control conditions using null hypothesis significance testing (i.e., < .

The dose-response relationship in physical activity interventions: Does greater duration, number of sessions, and contact time enhance behavior change?

Objectives: We tested whether an intervention's dosage influences health behavior change. Intervention dosage was indexed by the duration of the intervention, the number of sessions, and total contact time in treatment arms of trials to promote physical activity.

Method: The research comprised two studies.

Do Hemodynamic Definitions of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Distinguish Between Distinct Phenotypes of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Disease?

Background: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) is defined by chronic organized thrombi in the pulmonary circulation without or with pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). The current definition of CTEPH has adopted lower mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) thresholds. Our aim was to identify its impact on the characterization of patients with CTEPD.

How affective and instrumental physical activity outcomes are associated with motivation, intentions, and engagement in subsequent behavior.

Physical activity (PA) produces various outcomes, including affective responses and instrumental benefits (e.g., weight loss, health).

Reconciling heterogeneous dengue virus infection risk estimates from different study designs.

Uncovering rates at which susceptible individuals become infected with a pathogen, i.e. the force of infection (FOI), is essential for assessing transmission risk and reconstructing distribution of immunity in a population.

The spectrum of systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary hypertension: Insights from the ASPIRE registry.

Background: There are limited data assessing the spectrum of systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Methods: Data for 912 systemic sclerosis patients assessed between 2000 and 2020 were retrieved from the Assessing the Spectrum of Pulmonary hypertension Identified at a REferral centre (ASPIRE) registry and classified based on 2022 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) guidelines and multimodality investigations.

Results: Reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) diagnostic threshold to >2WU resulted in a 19% increase in precapillary PH diagnoses.

Predictors of intraocular pressure response and survival after phacoemulsification for glaucomatous eyes in the IRIS registry (Intelligent Research in Sight).

This retrospective cohort study describes the real-world incidence and maintenance of clinically meaningful intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction ("response") following stand-alone phacoemulsification for 667,987 eyes with suspected or confirmed glaucoma in the IRIS Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) from 1/1/2013-9/30/2019. Intraocular pressure responders had ≥ 20% IOP reduction in daily mean IOP from baseline on two consecutive postoperative visits. We declared failure if a responder no longer maintained ≥ 20% IOP reduction.

Systematic Review: Outcome Prediction in Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis.

Background And Aims: Approximately 1 in 4 patients with ulcerative colitis experiences a severe exacerbation of disease requiring hospitalization, termed acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC). These episodes pose a major burden on patients with ulcerative colitis and early prediction of their outcomes based on clinical data is crucial to optimize therapy.

Methods: A systematic review was performed using Embase and Medline for articles between 2000 and 2023.

A new measure of regulatory focus: Preventing measurement error by promoting best validation practices.

Objective And Background: The goals of this project were to improve our understanding of chronic regulatory focus constructs and to provide researchers with a measure that adequately assesses the constructs, can distinguish individual differences effectively across the range of the constructs, and is appropriate for use in diverse populations.

Method: Employing best practices in construct validation, we developed the International Personality Item Pool Regulatory Focus Scale (IPIP-RFS). Utilizing 14 samples (N = 4867), we established substantive (via expert ratings and regulatory focus literature), structural (via factor analysis, item response theory, and measurement invariance), and external (via convergent, discriminant, and predictive associations) validity.

Primary Practice Patterns for the Initial Management of Open Angle Glaucoma.

Prcis: About one-fourth of survey respondents from an ASCRS database initiate treatment for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) with laser trabeculoplasty. Factors impacting physicians' choice of laser versus topical treatment for POAG were explored.

Purpose: To characterize primary treatment preferences (topical medication versus laser trabeculoplasty or intracameral sustained release implants) in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and determine factors related to primary intervention selection.

Linking measures to mechanisms of action in behavior change: A qualitative analysis of expert views.

Rationale: Testing mechanisms of action (MoAs) hypothesized to underlie behavior change can enhance intervention effectiveness. Rigorous measurement of putative mechanisms is critical to this effort, but measures are rarely validated with respect to target MoAs.

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate challenges of linking measures to putative MoAs and to identify priorities for future research.

Modelled impact of virtual fractional flow reserve in patients undergoing coronary angiography (VIRTU-4).

Background: The practical application of 'virtual' (computed) fractional flow reserve (vFFR) based on invasive coronary angiogram (ICA) images is unknown. The objective of this cohort study was to investigate the potential of vFFR to guide the management of unselected patients undergoing ICA. The hypothesis was that it changes management in >10% of cases.

Effects of Exposure to Conflicting Health Information on Topic-Specific Information Sharing and Seeking Intentions.

Despite considerable evidence that exposure to conflicting health information can have undesirable effects on outcomes including public understanding about and trust in health recommendations, comparatively little is known about whether such exposure influences intentions to engage in two communication behaviors central to public health promotion: information sharing and information seeking. The purpose of the current study is to test whether exposure to conflicting information influences intentions to share and seek information about six health topics. We analyzed data from two waves of a longitudinal survey experiment with a nationally representative sample of U.

A Bioinformatic Algorithm based on Pulmonary Endoarterial Biopsy for Targeted Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Therapy.

Background: Optimal pharmacological therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains unclear, as pathophysiological heterogeneity may affect therapeutic outcomes. A ranking methodology based on pulmonary vascular genetic expression analysis could assist in medication selection and potentially lead to improved prognosis.

Objective: To describe a bioinformatics approach for ranking currently approved pulmonary arterial antihypertensive agents based on gene expression data derived from percutaneous endoarterial biopsies in an animal model of pulmonary hypertension.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Prophylactic Laser Peripheral Iridotomy for Primary Angle Closure Suspects.

Purpose: To assess the cost-utility of prophylactic laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) for primary angle closure (PAC) suspects (PACS).

Design: Economic evaluation.

Methods: Our Markov model randomized PACS eyes to LPI or observation for 40 one-year cycles (100,000 iterations per strategy).

Invasive haemodynamics predict outcomes in paediatric pulmonary artery hypertension.

Background: Invasive haemodynamics are often performed for initiating and guiding pulmonary artery hypertension therapy. Little is known about the predictive value of invasive haemodynamic indices for long-term outcomes in children with pulmonary artery hypertension. We aimed to evaluate invasive haemodynamic data to help predict outcomes in paediatric pulmonary artery hypertension.