Development and Validation of a Machine Learning Method Using Vocal Biomarkers for Identifying Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The two most commonly used methods to identify frailty are the frailty phenotype and the frailty index. However, both methods have limitations in clinical application. In addition, methods for measuring frailty have not yet been standardized.

Diabetes complications in people with alcohol use disorder and type 2 diabetes.

Background: People living with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who develop Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) may be at higher risk of diabetes-complications.

Aim: Our aims were to compare diabetes-monitoring and incidence of diabetes-complications between people with and without AUD prior to T2DM diagnosis attending primary care in England.

Design & Setting: We used the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum linked with Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and Office for National Statistics (ONS) mortality data.

Diagnosing anaemia via smartphone colorimetry of the eye in a population of pregnant women.

Objective Screening for disease using a smartphone camera is an emerging tool for conditions such as jaundice and anaemia, which are associated with a colour change (yellowing in jaundice; pallor in anaemia) of the external tissues. Based on this, we aimed to test a technique to non-invasively screen for anaemia in a population highly affected by anaemia: pregnant women in India. In this group, anaemia can have severe health consequences for both the mother and child.

Learning Curve of Microsurgical Anastomosis: Training for Resident Education.

Background: Acquiring microsurgical anastomosis skills requires considerable time and effort. Moreover, appropriate and systematic training for acquiring microsurgical anastomosis skills is lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the learning curve for acquiring microsurgical anastomosis techniques among orthopaedic surgery residents.

Periodontitis and the incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Introduction: Periodontitis and other oral health indicators are reportedly related to systemic inflammation. Our study aimed to investigate a possible association of oral health status (periodontitis and number of missing teeth) and oral hygiene behaviors (frequency of tooth brushing, dental visit, and dental scaling) with the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) incidence.

Methods: Utilizing the Korean National Health Insurance Database, we conducted a nationwide, population-based cohort study involving participants from the 2003 national health screening program.

Association of ABO Gene rs2073823 Polymorphism with Microvascular Complications, sP-Selectin Levels and Lipid Profile in Type 2 Diabetes.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a prevalent metabolic disorder linked to chronic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, which contributes to the development of microvascular complications (MVCs) such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic neuropathy (DN). Genetic factors, including variations in the ABO gene, may influence these complications. This study aimed to investigate the association between the ABO rs2073823 polymorphism and the risk of MVCs in patients with T2D, as well as its impact on inflammatory biomarkers, endothelial markers, and lipid profiles.

Prevalence and correlates of severe anxiety among front-line nurses during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a large-scale multi-center study.

Background: Nurses have been at the forefront of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, facing extended work hours and heightened stress, predisposing them to psychological distress. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and correlates of severe anxiety among frontline nurses in China during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A large-scale multi-center survey was conducted from November to December 2022 and from April to July 2023.

Retrospective comparison of cortical bone trajectory and pedicle screw in lumbar fusion for patients over 80, including sagittal balance: a single-center study.

Background: Comparative studies of posterior lumbar interbody fusion with cortical bone trajectory and pedicle screw in older patients, particularly in those aged ≥ 80 years, are rare. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical and surgical outcomes following posterior lumbar interbody fusion with pedicle screw fixation compared to cortical bone trajectory in patients aged ≥ 80 years with degenerative lumbar spine disease.

Methods: We included 68 patients aged ≥ 80 years who underwent degenerative lumbar spinal surgery at our spine center between January 2011 and December 2020.

A novel tool for assessing pediatric emergency care in low- and middle-income countries: a pilot study.

Background: Globally, most children seek emergency care at general rather than specialized pediatric emergency departments. There remains significant variation in the provision of pediatric emergency care, particularly in resource-constrained settings. The objective of this study is to pilot a self-assessment tool to evaluate pediatric emergency care capabilities in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) hospitals on the African Continent.

Optimizing data collection for obstetrical ultrasound research at the primary health care level in rural Uganda.

Background: Neonatal and maternal mortality remains high in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Quality data collection is crucial to understand the magnitude of these problems and to measure the impact of interventions aimed at improving neonatal and maternal mortality. However, data collection in the low-income country setting, especially in rural areas, has been a challenge for researchers, policy makers, and public health officials.

Comprehensive analysis of clinical, pathological, and molecular features in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: frequent and mutations and higher mutation burden in myeloproliferative CMML compared to myelodysplastic CMML.

Various aspects of myeloproliferative chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (MP-CMML) and myelodysplastic CMML (MD-CMML) have been reported but inconsistencies remain. This study conducted a comprehensive retrospective analysis of clinical, pathological, and molecular data from a cohort of CMML. The results revealed a higher frequency of and mutations and a greater mutation burden in MP-CMML, characterized by more tier 1 or 2 variants and dominant mutations.

Adjusting for switches to multiple treatments: Should switches be handled separately or combined?

Treatment switching is common in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Participants may switch onto a variety of different treatments, all of which may have different treatment effects. Adjustment analyses that target hypothetical estimands - estimating outcomes that would have been observed in the absence of treatment switching - have focused primarily on a single type of switch.

Effects of blood pressure lowering in patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis before endovascular thrombectomy.

Background: The effects of blood pressure (BP) lowering in patients treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) before endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) are unclear.

Aims: This study aims to investigate whether intensive and conventional BP management affect outcomes differently, depending on IV tPA administration before EVT.

Methods: In this subgroup analysis of the Outcome in Patients Treated with Intra-Arterial Thrombectomy-Optimal Blood Pressure Control (OPTIMAL-BP; ClinicalTrials.

Recent updates on plant protein-based dairy cheese alternatives: outlook and challenges.

In response to population growth, ethical considerations, and the environmental impacts of animal proteins, researchers are intensifying efforts to find alternative protein sources that replicate the functionality and nutritional profile of animal proteins. In this regard, plant-based cheese alternatives are becoming increasingly common in the marketplace, as one of the emerging dairy-free products. However, the dairy industry faces challenges in developing dairy-free products alternatives that meet the demands of customers with specific lifestyles or diets, ensure sustainability, and retain traditional customers.

Multicentric Cross-Sectional Survey to Assess the Variation of Fractionation Strategies Used in the Management of Head and Neck Cancers in the Asian Region (INNOCENCE-ASIA).

Purpose: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are in general treated with conventional fractionation regimen of 1.8-2 Gy per fraction. Altered fractionation (ALFT) strategies such as hypofractionation radiotherapy (HYPO-RT), accelerated fractionation radiotherapy (AFRT), and hyperfractionation radiotherapy (HFRT) have not been practiced uniformly across centers in different parts of the world.

Optimal Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Carotid Artery Stenting: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background: Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an alternative treatment for patients with carotid artery stenosis who are not eligible for carotid endarterectomy. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after CAS aims to prevent ischemic stroke. However, its optimal duration remains unclear.

Mechanism of Fe(II) Chemisorption on Hematite(001) Revealed by Reactive Neural Network Potential Molecular Dynamics.

Atomic-scale understanding of important geochemical processes including sorption, dissolution, nucleation, and crystal growth is difficult to obtain from experimental measurements alone and would benefit from strong continuous progress in molecular simulation. To this end, we present a reactive neural network potential-based molecular dynamics approach to simulate the interaction of aqueous ions on mineral surfaces in contact with liquid water, taking Fe(II) on hematite(001) as a model system. We show that a single neural network potential predicts rate constants for water exchange for aqueous Fe(II) and for the exergonic chemisorption of aqueous Fe(II) on hematite(001) in good agreement with experimental observations.

Tetra-Cationic Distibane Stabilized by Bis(α-iminopyridine) and Its Reactivity.

The work establishes the salt of a tetra-cationic distibane, [LSb][CFSO] = [][OTf] (CFSO = OTf), stabilized by a bis(α-iminopyridine) ligand , defying the Coulombic repulsion. The synthetic approach involved a dehydrocoupling reaction when a mixture of and Sb(OTf) in a 1:1 ratio was treated with EtSiH/LiBEtH as the hydride source. Compound [][OTf] was also achieved from [LSbCl][OTf] as a precursor and using EtSiH.

Factors Associated With Cocaine Use at 17 and 20 Years Old: A Longitudinal Analysis of a Nationally Representative Cohort.

Purpose: Despite growing concerns about trends in cocaine use, there is a shortage of longitudinal research that prospectively examines risk and protective factors associated with cocaine initiation and use in general youth populations. This study addresses this gap.

Methods: Growing Up in Ireland is a nationally representative cohort.

The Management of Upper-Extremity Xylazine-Associated Wounds.

Purpose: Xylazine has been associated with necrotic soft tissue wounds that have placed a challenging burden on patients who inject drugs in the Philadelphia region's health care system over the last few years. An analysis of our initial experience is being presented to guide future treatment and directions for future research.

Methods: A retrospective review of 55 patients with patient-reported xylazine use and associated upper-extremity wounds at a single institution was performed.

Comparison of Clazosentan and Nimodipine on Vasospasm and Vasospasm-Related Outcomes after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage : A Post-hoc Propensity Score-Matched Analysis of Six Randomized Clinical Trials.

Objective: Clazosentan is a recently approved endothelin receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of vasospasm and related complications following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). To date, no direct, head-to-head comparison between clazosentan and nimodipine has been conducted. In this study, we indirectly assessed the efficacy and safety of these two drugs in preventing vasospasm and its associated outcomes after aSAH.

Sustained effects after a multidisciplinary lifestyle modification program for overweight and obese children.

Background: Lifestyle modification (LM) is the mainstay in the management of obese children. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of a pediatric cohort participating in a hospital-based LM program.

Methods: Overweight/obese children and adolescents who visited a multidisciplinary LM program "The Health and Vitality Clinic" were included.