Longitudinal association between hemoglobin and lung function with insights into the incidence of airflow obstruction: an observational study.

Background/aims: Evidence regarding the long-term association between hemoglobin (Hb) levels and lung function in individuals from the general population is scarce. This study aimed to determine the longitudinal association between Hb levels and lung function in a community-based population cohort in South Korea.

Methods: We used linear mixed regression analysis to evaluate the longitudinal associations between Hb levels and lung function parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV), and FEV/FVC.

Liposomal bupivacaine as one component of the postoperative management of limb amputations in cats: a retrospective study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) as part of an opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic protocol on postoperative pain control in cats undergoing limb amputation surgery compared with traditional pain management protocols more heavily reliant on injectable opioid and non-opioid analgesics.

Methods: Medical records of 29 cats that underwent forelimb or hindlimb amputation were reviewed to evaluate postoperative systemic pain medications utilized, appetite and time to discharge as presumptive gauges of postoperative pain. Statistical analysis of the data included Wilcoxon's rank-sum test and Fisher's exact test.

Distinct Circle of Willis anatomical configurations in healthy preterm born adults: a 3D time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography study.

Background: Preterm birth (< 37 weeks' gestation) alters cerebrovascular development due to the premature transition from a foetal to postnatal circulatory system, with potential implications for future cerebrovascular health. This study aims to explore potential differences in the Circle of Willis (CoW), a key arterial ring that perfuses the brain, of healthy adults born preterm.

Methods: A total of 255 participants (108 preterm, 147 full-term) were included in the analysis.

Identifying Digital Markers of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a Remote Monitoring Setting: Prospective Observational Study.

Background: The symptoms and associated characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are typically assessed in person at a clinic or in a research lab. Mobile health offers a new approach to obtaining additional passively and continuously measured real-world behavioral data. Using our new ADHD remote technology (ART) system, based on the Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapses (RADAR)-base platform, we explore novel digital markers for their potential to identify behavioral patterns associated with ADHD.

Plasma proteomic evidence for increased β-amyloid pathology after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Previous studies have suggested that systemic viral infections may increase risks of dementia. Whether this holds true for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus infections is unknown. Determining this is important for anticipating the potential future incidence of dementia.

Patterns of physical activity in hunter-gatherer children compared with US and UK children.

Contemporary hunter-gatherers are highly active, but little is known about physical activity levels in hunter-gatherer children. We analysed 150 days of accelerometer data from 51 BaYaka hunter-gatherer children (aged 3-18) in the Republic of Congo, comparing it with British and American children using samples from Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). BaYaka children were highly active, engaging in over 3 h of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily, surpassing British adolescents by over 70 min.

A deep learning based model for diabetic retinopathy grading.

Diabetic retinopathy stands as a leading cause of blindness among people. Manual examination of DR images is labor-intensive and prone to error. Existing methods to detect this disease often rely on handcrafted features which limit the adaptability and classification accuracy.

Cross-talk-free, high extinction ratio, and ultra-compact all‑optical 4 × 2 encoder using graphene-based plasmonic waveguides.

This paper presents an all-optical 4 × 2 encoder based on graphene-plasmonic waveguides for operation in the wavelength range of 8-12 μm. The basic plasmonic waveguide consists of a silicon (Si) strip and a graphene sheet supported by two dielectric ridges. Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are stimulated in the spatial gap between the graphene sheet and the Si strip.

Machine learning photodynamics decode multiple singlet fission channels in pentacene crystal.

Crystalline pentacene is a model solid-state light-harvesting material because its quantum efficiencies exceed 100% via ultrafast singlet fission. The singlet fission mechanism in pentacene crystals is disputed due to insufficient electronic information in time-resolved experiments and intractable quantum mechanical calculations for simulating realistic crystal dynamics. Here we combine a multiscale multiconfigurational approach and machine learning photodynamics to understand competing singlet fission mechanisms in crystalline pentacene.

A Rectal Cancer Surgery Dataset: Use of artificial intelligence to aid automation of error identification.

Minimally invasive surgery is complex and prone to variation not routinely objectively measured. We established an association between skills and patient outcomes. The evolving application of artificial intelligence techniques could assist intraoperative analysis.

The relationship between intraoperative EndoFLIP™ distensibility index and manometry lower esophageal sphincter basal mean pressure in patients undergoing anti-reflux surgery.

Background: Decisions made for anti-reflux surgery can be guided by both EndoFLIP™ measurement of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) distensibility index (DI) and esophageal manometric measurement of lower esophageal function, but the exact nature of their relationship to one another is unknown despite serving similar purposes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between pre-operative LES basal mean pressure with esophageal manometry and intraoperative gastroesophageal DI using EndoFLIP™ following crural dissection to aid in informing surgeons' decision-making during anti-reflux surgery.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease who underwent preoperative esophageal manometry evaluation and anti-reflux surgery with EndoFLIP™ intraoperatively between December 2020 and January 2024.

Association between periodontitis and physical fitness in law enforcement workers.

Objectives: Oral and periodontal health have been linked to systemic health, cardiovascular disease and inflammation markers. Physical fitness has been linked to increased inflammatory response, but only few studies have investigated the association between oral health with physical activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between oral and periodontal health status and physical fitness in British law enforcement workers.

An overview of radiography research and publication productivity in Denmark.

Objectives: This paper presents the progress of publications with Danish radiographers in scientific journals. The objective was to gain an overview of research in radiography in Denmark by exploring how publications with radiographer involvement have evolved over time in Denmark. We conducted a literature search on February 20th 2024 to identify papers authored or co-authored by Danish radiographers over the past thirteen years.

COVID-19 and influenza vaccine Hesitancy among adults hospitalized in the United States, 2019-2022.

Background: Understanding similarities and differences between hesitancy for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines could facilitate strategies to improve public receptivity toward vaccination.

Methods: We compared hesitancy for COVID-19 vaccines during the first 13 months of availability (January 2021-January 2022) with hesitancy for influenza vaccines in the 15 months prior to COVID-19 vaccine availability (October 2019-December 2020) among adults hospitalized with acute respiratory illness at 21 hospitals in the United States. We interviewed patients regarding vaccination status, willingness to be vaccinated, and perceptions of vaccine safety and efficacy.

A Latent Trait-based Measure as a Data Harmonization and Missing Data Solution Applied to the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort.

Background: Collaborative research consortia provide an efficient method to increase sample size, enabling evaluation of subgroup heterogeneity and rare outcomes. In addition to missing data challenges faced by all cohort studies like nonresponse and attrition, collaborative studies have missing data due to differences in study design and measurement of the contributing studies.

Methods: We extend ROSETTA, a latent variable method that creates common measures across datasets collecting the same latent constructs with only partial overlap in measures, to define a common measure of socioeconomic status (SES) across cohorts with varying indicators in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort, a consortium of pregnancy and pediatric cohorts.

Anatomical considerations for thread-based brow lifting and wrinkle treatment.

This review explores the anatomical considerations and technical aspects of thread lifting for the forehead and eyebrow, focusing on the relationships between vascular structures, muscular anatomy, and age-related changes in the forehead-eyebrow complex. It highlights the critical importance of understanding neurovascular pathways, particularly the supratrochlear and supraorbital vessels, as well as the appropriate thread placement techniques necessary for optimal outcomes. The review demonstrates that I-shaped threads, when placed beneath the frontalis muscle, provide a safer and equally effective alternative to traditional U-shaped designs.

Development of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-grafted coumarins as selective carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and tubulin polymerization inhibitors with potent anticancer activity.

This study presents the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a novel series of coumarin-based compounds (9a-t) as potential anticancer agents. The compounds were strategically designed to inhibit cancer-related carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms IX and XII and tubulin polymerization. Two approaches were employed for CA inhibition: utilizing the coumarin motif to occlude the CA active site entrance and incorporating zinc-binding groups (sulfonamide, carboxylic acid, and thiol) to interact with the catalytic zinc ion.

Understanding Local Thermal Comfort and Physiological Responses in Older People Under Uniform Thermal Environments.

The ageing population has increased the attention on care services for older people, particularly concerning their health and thermal comfort. However, most existing studies focus on the overall thermal comfort of older people, with insufficient research into their local thermal needs for different body parts, impeding precise thermal adjustments and optimal thermal satisfaction. This study investigated the local thermal comfort and skin temperature of older people under various environmental conditions.

Diagnostic Performance of the Modified Lung-RADS in a Tuberculosis-endemic Country: The Korean National Lung Cancer Screening Program.

Background: In 2019, Korea initiated the world's first national low-dose computed tomography (CT) lung cancer screening (LCS) program, adapting the Lung CT Screening Reporting and Data System (Lung-RADS) to counteract the high false-positive rates driven by prevalent tuberculosis.

Research Question: Does the modified Lung-RADS enhance screening specificity while maintaining sensitivity?

Study Design And Methods: This nationwide, retrospective, cohort study included high-risk current smokers aged 54 to 74 with at least 30 pack-years, participating in the national LCS program from 2019 to 2020. The modified Lung-RADS 1.

Investigation of potential toxic effects of nano- and microplastics on human endometrial stromal cells.

Nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs) have become a global concern in recent years. Most current research on the impact of plastics on obstetrics has focused on their accumulation in specific tissues in animal models and the disease-causing potential of MPs. However, there is a relative lack of research on the cellular changes caused by the accumulation of MPs.

Association between menopausal age and smoking status defined using urinary cotinine or tobacco-specific nitrosamine metabolite 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2018.

This study aimed to establish the optimal cut-off values for urinary cotinine and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL)to determine smoking status in Korean women over 20 years of age and to assess the correlation of these biomarkers with reproductive health, particularly menopausal age, in postmenopausal women. Utilizing data from the 7th edition of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016- 2018), researchers included postmenopausal women aged 40-60 years who were within 5 years of menopause. Self-reported smoking status was aligned with biomarkers levels to calculate optimal cut-off values, classifying a total of 503 postmenopausal women into four groups: never smokers (cotinine <0.