Diagnostic yield of upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy and colonoscopy in patients with iron deficiency anaemia while on direct oral anticoagulants.

Background: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) related to occult gastrointestinal tract (GIT) blood loss is associated with high rates of GIT malignancies. Major society guidelines recommend bidirectional endoscopic evaluation for all men and post-menopausal women with newly diagnosed, unexplained IDA. However, in patients prescribed direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), the endoscopic yield, specifically the rate of high-risk findings, including colorectal cancers (CRCs) and advanced adenomas (AAs), is unknown.

The impact of zinc pre-exposure on ciprofloxacin resistance development in .

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that is predicted to worsen in the coming years. While improper antibiotic usage is an established driver, less is known about the impact of other endogenous and exogeneous environmental factors, such as metals, on AMR. One metal of interest is zinc as it is often used as a supplement for diarrhea treatment prior to antibiotics.

Caliber of sensory axons in vivo varies spatially and temporally and is influenced by the cellular microenvironment.

Unlabelled: Cell shape is crucial to cell function, particularly in neurons. The cross-sectional diameter, also known as caliber, of axons and dendrites is an important parameter of neuron shape, best appreciated for its influence on the speed of action potential propagation. Most studies of axon caliber focus on cell-wide regulation and assume that caliber is static.

Reprogramming patient-iPSC specific retinal organoids for deciphering epigenetic modifications of RNA methylation.

Background: Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has emerged as a powerful tool for disease modeling, providing an innovative platform for investigating disease mechanisms. iPSC-derived organoids, including retinal organoids, offer patient-specific models that closely replicate in vivo cellular environments, making them ideal for studying retinal neurodegenerative diseases where retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are impacted. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs, plays a critical role in RNA metabolic processes such as splicing, stability, translation, and transport.

Randomized controlled trials - The what, when, how and why.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are at the top of the pyramid of evidence as they offer the best answer on the efficacy of a new treatment. RCTs are true experiments in which participants are randomly allocated to receive a certain intervention (experimental group) or a different intervention (comparison group), or no treatment at all (control or placebo group). Randomization, along with other methodological features such as blinding and allocation concealment, safeguard against biases.

Incidence of Alpha-Gal IgE Sensitization in 3000 Military Personnel, Assessing Sex, Race, Installation, and Occupational Impacts.

: IgE to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) is associated with (lone star tick) bites, accounting for the regional distribution of the alpha-gal syndrome (AGS). Longitudinal studies describing risk factors for incident alpha-gal sensitization are lacking. The objective of this project was to assess the incidence of alpha-gal IgE seroconversion and identify associated demographic, occupational, and geographical risk factors among US military personnel.

Systematic Automated Population-Based Surveillance to Improve Outcomes in Primary Cutaneous Melanoma.

Importance: Patients with a primary cutaneous melanoma (PCM) are at increased risk of developing a second primary melanoma (SPM). Earlier stage at diagnosis is associated with better 5-year mortality, yet low compliance with recommended follow-up after treatment for PCM and high rates of patients lost to follow-up are reported in the literature. Strategies to enhance population-based surveillance for SPM have not been well described.

IoT-Based Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitoring System and Validation of Its Effectiveness in Hospital Environments.

Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is the most common adverse medical event that affects patients. Internationally, healthcare workers (HCWs) are monitored for hand hygiene compliance to reduce HAI risk. While direct observation is considered the gold standard for monitoring, it has several disadvantages.

Genome-wide screen overexpressing mycobacteriophage Amelie genes identifies multiple inhibitors of mycobacterial growth.

The genome sequences of thousands of bacteriophages have been determined and functions for many of the encoded genes have been assigned based on homology to characterized sequences. However, functions have not been assigned to more than two-thirds of the identified phage genes as they have no recognizable sequence features. Recent genome-wide overexpression screens have begun to identify bacteriophage genes that encode proteins that reduce or inhibit bacterial growth.

Empowerment and utilization of HIV testing among partnered women in Zambia: Evidence from the Zambia demographic and health survey 2018.

In Zambia, women are disproportionally more affected by HIV compared to men. This has mainly been attributed to harmful gender norms that enhance male dominance and disempower women, preventing them from exercising their right to negotiate for safe sex and utilizing HIV prevention services such as HIV testing. This study examined associations between empowerment and HIV testing among married and partnered women.

Screening for frequent hospitalization risk among community-dwelling older adult between 2016 and 2023: machine learning-driven item selection, scoring system development, and prospective validation.

Background: Screening for frequent hospitalizations in the community can help prevent super-utilizers from growing in the inpatient population. However, the determinants of frequent hospitalizations have not been systematically examined, their operational definitions have been inconsistent, and screening among community members lacks tools. Nor do we know if what determined frequent hospitalizations before COVID-19 continued to be the determinant of frequent hospitalizations at the height of the pandemic.

Psychometric properties of the Malay and Chinese Epilepsy Self-Stigma Scale (ESSS).

Objective: Self-stigma means internalizing negative beliefs and attitudes associated with stigmatized identity. This study aimed to translate and validate the Malay and Chinese versions of the Epilepsy Self-Stigma Scale (ESSS).

Methods: The Epilepsy Self-Stigma Scale was translated into the Malay (ESSS-M) and Chinese versions (ESSS-C) according to standard principles and were tested in 100 Malay and 100 Chinese-speaking people with epilepsy (PWE) respectively.

A Literature Review of the Educational Gaps and Needs in Migraine Management: An Asian Perspective Within a Global Context.

Migraine is a common neurological disorder that presents considerable challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. These changes are especially relevant in rapidly developing regions such as Asia, with an increasingly productive population and ongoing advancements in healthcare systems and infrastructure. Despite its substantial impact, migraine management remains inadequate, potentially due to deficiencies in medical education.

Evaluating a Lung Abscess in a Pediatric Patient using Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS).

Application of ultrasound to evaluate pediatric respiratory disease in the emergency department setting is rapidly growing, particularly as we often weigh the risks of exposure to radiation with other readily available imaging modalities in the acute care setting. In this case report, we describe how point of care ultrasound (POCUS) was utilized by emergency providers to characterize a lung abscess diagnosed in a pediatric patient. We also compare the ultrasound findings to other imaging studies.

"Let's get PrEP'd" - A pilot service evaluation of the LVNDR health digital pre-exposure prophylaxis pathway for HIV prevention.

Background: Despite the availability of PrEP, 2023 data have demonstrated an increase in new HIV diagnoses. LGBTQ + individuals are disproportionately affected by HIV. PrEP access is crucial but limited due to high demand on sexual health services.

Correction: Investigating ethical tradeoffs in crisis standards of care through simulation of ventilator allocation protocols.

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

The Glutamate-Serine-Glycine Index as a Biomarker to Monitor the Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Objective: Bariatric surgery effectively treats non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The glutamate-serine-glycine (GSG) index has emerged as a non-invasive diagnostic marker for NAFLD, but its ability to monitor treatment response remains unclear. This study investigates the GSG index's ability to monitor NAFLD's response to bariatric surgery.