Comparative performance of risk prediction indices for mortality or readmission following heart failure hospitalization.

Aims: Risk prediction indices used in worsening heart failure (HF) vary in complexity, performance, and the type of datasets in which they were validated. We compared the performance of seven risk prediction indices in a contemporary cohort of patients hospitalized for HF.

Methods And Results: We assessed the performance of the Length of stay and number of Emergency department visits in the prior 6 months (LE), Length of stay, number of Emergency department visits in the prior 6 months, and admission N-Terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP (LENT), Length of stay, Acuity, Charlson co-morbidity index, and number of Emergency department visits in the prior 6 months (LACE), Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure (GWTG), Readmission Risk Score (RRS), Enhanced Feedback for Effective Cardiac Treatment model (EFFECT), and Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry (ADHERE) risk indices among consecutive patients hospitalized for HF and discharged alive from January 2017 to December 2019 in a network of hospitals in England.

Understanding the role of metabolic syndrome in prostate cancer risk: A UK Biobank prospective cohort study.

Predictive value of metabolic syndrome for prostate cancer risk is not clear. We aimed to assess the association between metabolic syndrome and its components with prostate cancer incidence. The primary outcome was prostate cancer incidence, i.

Correction: Diversity and sex differences in rectal gland volatiles of Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Diptera: Tephritidae).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

3D Super-Resolution Imaging of PSD95 Reveals an Abundance of Diffuse Protein Supercomplexes in the Mouse Brain.

PSD95 is an abundant scaffolding protein that assembles multiprotein complexes controlling synaptic physiology and behavior. Confocal microscopy has previously shown that PSD95 is enriched in the postsynaptic terminals of excitatory synapses and two-dimensional (2D) super-resolution microscopy further revealed that it forms nanoclusters. In this study, we utilized three-dimensional (3D) super-resolution microscopy to examine the nanoarchitecture of PSD95 in the mouse brain, characterizing the spatial arrangement of over 8 million molecules.

Seminal fluid proteins in the Queensland fruit fly: Tissue origins, effects of mating and comparative genomics.

In many insect species, the ability of males to inhibit their mates from remating is an important component of fitness. This ability is also essential for the effective management of insect pests, including tephritid fruit flies, using the Sterile Insect Technique. Here we apply transcriptomics and proteomics to male reproductive tissues before and after mating to characterize components of semen that might mediate remating inhibition in Queensland fruit fly.

Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in cancer patients: Two cohorts in UK and Hong Kong.

Background: Limited research exists on the risks and spectrum of complications in post-acute phase of COVID-19 in cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the post-acute effects of COVID-19 on different types of morbidities among cancer patients across two regions with different healthcare systems and dominant variants of COVID-19.

Materials And Methods: Cancer patients with COVID-19 from the UK Biobank (UKB, n = 2230; March 16, 2020 to May 31, 2021; pre-Omicron-variants dominant) and electronic medical records in Hong Kong (HK cohort, n = 22,335; April 1, 2020 to October 31, 2022; Omicron-variant dominant) were included.

Prospective surveillance and early intervention to prevent chronic breast cancer-related arm lymphedema-what are the barriers?

Up to one in five early breast cancer patients develop chronic upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer treatments. This treatment complication is irreversible and can significantly impact the quality of life of breast cancer survivors. The model of prospective surveillance and early intervention has emerged as a potential strategy to prevent the development of this debilitating treatment-related complication.

Application of Artificial Intelligence in Symptom Monitoring in Adult Cancer Survivorship: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care may afford new avenues for personalized and patient-centered care. This systematic review explored the role of AI in symptom monitoring for adult cancer survivors.

Methods: A comprehensive search was performed from inception to November 2023 in seven bibliographic databases and three clinical trial registries.

StrataXRT and Mepitel Film for Preventing Postmastectomy Acute Radiation Dermatitis in Breast Cancer: An Intrapatient Noninferiority Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) is a notable challenge for patients with breast cancer undergoing postmastectomy radiation therapy (RT). This study evaluates the efficacy, safety, and user experience of StrataXRT versus Mepitel Film for ARD prevention.

Methods And Materials: This multicenter, noninferiority trial involved intrapatient randomization of 44 patients with histologically confirmed breast carcinoma who had undergone postmastectomy RT across 4 Australian hospitals from January 1 to December 31, 2017.

Template-based modeling of insect odorant receptors outperforms AlphaFold3 for ligand binding predictions.

Insects rely on odorant receptors (ORs) to detect and respond to volatile environmental cues, so the ORs are attracting increasing interest as potential targets for pest control. However, experimental analysis of their structures and functions faces significant challenges. Computational methods such as template-based modeling (TBM) and AlphaFold3 (AF3) could facilitate the structural characterisation of ORs.

Routine Spironolactone in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists have been shown to reduce mortality in patients after myocardial infarction with congestive heart failure. Whether routine use of spironolactone is beneficial after myocardial infarction is uncertain.

Methods: In this multicenter trial with a 2-by-2 factorial design, we randomly assigned patients with myocardial infarction who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention to receive either spironolactone or placebo and either colchicine or placebo.

Long-term clinical outcomes and healthcare resource utilization in male and female patients following hospitalization for heart failure.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalization, and sex differences in care have been described. We assessed sex-specific clinical outcomes and healthcare resource utilization following hospitalization for HF.

Methods And Results: This was an exploratory analysis of patients hospitalized for HF across 10 Canadian hospitals in the Patient-Centered Care Transitions in HF (PACT-HF) cluster-randomized trial.

Breast cancer survivorship care: a narrative review of challenges and future directions.

Background And Objective: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide. With a growing number of BC survivors (BCSs), the number of survivors who require high-quality survivorship care is increasing. Various recommendations have been proposed for survivorship care plans (SCPs).

Improving patient outcomes in acute and subacute stroke using a wearable device-assisted rehabilitation system: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Multidisciplinary rehabilitation facilitates post-stroke functional recovery, but is associated with resource and accessibility barriers. This study evaluated the combination of a wearable device-assisted system (WEAR) and conventional therapy for post-stroke rehabilitation.

Methods: This randomized, controlled, parallel group, clinical trial was conducted at two rehabilitation centers.

Antisolvent-assisted growth of inorganic CsPb(Br,I) under ambient conditions.

Controlling the growth of halide perovskite films under high relative humidity (RH) ambient conditions is significant for practical applications. Here, we control the antisolvent-assisted growth reactions with a constant temperature and low RH. With the hot casting setup and antisolvent during growth reactions, the synthesis of high coverage and pinhole-free CsPb(Br,I) films is achieved in ambient air.

Improving analysis of cognitive outcomes in cardiovascular trials using different statistical approaches.

Background: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaires are commonly used to measure global cognition in clinical trials. Because these scales are discrete and bounded with ceiling and floor effects and highly skewed, their analysis as continuous outcomes presents challenges. Normality assumptions of linear regression models are usually violated, which may result in failure to detect associations with variables of interest.

Quality of life issues in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ: a systematic review.

Purpose: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast is one of the most common pre-invasive cancers diagnosed in women. Quality of life (QoL) is extremely important to assess in studies including these patients due to the favorable prognosis of the disease. The primary objective of this systematic review was to compile a comprehensive list of QoL issues, all existing QoL assessment tools, and patient-reported outcome measures used to assess DCIS.

Validation of the Skin Symptom Assessment (SSA) questionnaire for the evaluation of radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Radiation dermatitis (RD) is a painful side effect of radiation therapy (RT). The objective of this analysis was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Skin Symptom Assessment (SSA) questionnaire in evaluating the severity of patient- and clinician-reported outcomes for RD in breast cancer patients by comparing it to a validated assessment tool, the Radiation-Induced Skin Reaction Assessment Scale (RISRAS) questionnaire.

Methods: This study compared patient and clinician-reported outcomes for RD from previous clinical trials conducted in a Canadian cancer centre.

StrataXRT for the prevention of acute radiation dermatitis in breast cancer: a pilot study.

Purpose: Previous literature has produced heterogeneous results on StrataXRT for prevention of acute radiation dermatitis (RD) in breast cancer. This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of StrataXRT in a cancer center.

Methods: The study consisted of five cohorts: (1) patients with large breasts treated with local radiation therapy (RT) either in the supine position or (2) the prone position, (3) patients receiving locoregional breast RT with any breast size, and (4) patients receiving chest wall RT, either locally or (5) locoregionally.

Bridging the care gap: radiation therapy in elderly and frail cancer patients.

Purpose Of Review: This review aims to address the gap in radiation therapy (RT) care for elderly cancer patients. It will discuss the barriers to implementing effective RT in elderly and frail patients with a focus on breast cancer and metastatic settings.

Recent Findings: Recent studies indicate that SBRT provides better pain control for bone metastases compared to cEBRT, but elderly patients are underrepresented in these trials.