Synthetic Data Generation via Generative Adversarial Networks in Healthcare: A Systematic Review of Image- and Signal-Based Studies.

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have emerged as a powerful tool in artificial intelligence, particularly for unsupervised learning. This systematic review analyzes GAN applications in healthcare, focusing on image and signal-based studies across various clinical domains. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we reviewed 72 relevant journal articles.

Outcome of post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence surgery in men with preoperative idiopathic detrusor overactivity.

Background: Urodynamic evidence of storage dysfunction such as detrusor overactivity (DO) and/or poor compliance are present in up to 30-40% of patients after Radical Prostatectomy (RP). However, the current optimal management of men with DO on preoperative urodynamics prior to male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery is not known.

Methods: We performed a systematic search of the literature including articles on patients undergoing SUI surgery after prostatectomy with preoperative DO between January 2003 and May 2023 to ensure contemporaneous data was obtained.

Modification and Validation of an Autism Observational Assessment Including ADOS-2 for Use with Children with Visual Impairment.

Children with visual impairment (VI) are at risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however standard observational diagnostic assessments are not validated for this population. The primary objective of the study is to validate a modified version of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2, Module 3), for children with VI. A cross-sectional observational study was undertaken with 100 (mean 5½ years, SD 10.

Papillomavirus infection and male infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Increasing attention is being paid to the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in men and specifically reproduction. Growing evidence suggests an association between HPV infection with many adverse effects including the impairment of semen parameters, the increase of blastocyst apoptosis, the reduction of endometrial implantation of trophoblastic cells, as well as the increase rate of miscarriages and spontaneous preterm birth.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, CINHAL, PsycINFO, and ERIC from inception to 2nd of July 2024, for studies that investigated the association between HPV infection with sperm parameters and fertility outcomes.

The status and future of essential geodiversity variables.

Rapid environmental change, natural resource overconsumption and increasing concerns about ecological sustainability have led to the development of 'Essential Variables' (EVs). EVs are harmonized data products to inform policy and to enable effective management of natural resources by monitoring global changes. Recent years have seen the instigation of new EVs beyond those established for climate, oceans and biodiversity (ECVs, EOVs and EBVs), including Essential Geodiversity Variables (EGVs).

Long-term monitoring of mammal communities in the Peneda-Gerês National Park using camera-trap data.

Background: In the past decades, agricultural land abandonment and declining land-use intensity became common, especially in the Mediterranean countries of southern Europe. In some areas, this development opened up possibilities for rewilding and the recolonisation or expansion of large mammal populations. Yet, in some instances, co-occurrence of wild mammals and free-ranging domestic herbivores might lead to potential conflicts.

Deep learning techniques in PET/CT imaging: A comprehensive review from sinogram to image space.

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is increasingly used in oncology, neurology, cardiology, and emerging medical fields. The success stems from the cohesive information that hybrid PET/CT imaging offers, surpassing the capabilities of individual modalities when used in isolation for different malignancies. However, manual image interpretation requires extensive disease-specific knowledge, and it is a time-consuming aspect of physicians' daily routines.

Causes for Retraction in the Biomedical Literature: A Systematic Review of Studies of Retraction Notices.

Background: Many studies have evaluated the prevalence of different reasons for retraction in samples of retraction notices. We aimed to perform a systematic review of such empirical studies of retraction causes.

Methods: The PubMed/MEDLINE database and the Embase database were searched in June 2023.

Automated detection of airflow obstructive diseases: A systematic review of the last decade (2013-2022).

Background And Objective: Obstructive airway diseases, including asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), are two of the most common chronic respiratory health problems. Both of these conditions require health professional expertise in making a diagnosis. Hence, this process is time intensive for healthcare providers and the diagnostic quality is subject to intra- and inter- operator variability.

Teacher Perspectives on Primary-Secondary School Transition Projects During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Opportunity areas are primarily selected to improve the social mobility of citizens using education. This paper explores teachers' perspectives on school transitions, particularly emphasizing the role of school transition intervention activities in supporting students' resilience, behavior, academic understanding, and positive parental involvement. Informed by Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions (MMT) theory, the paper focuses on the outcomes of school transition intervention activities applied to new Year 7 students in a UK opportunity area.

L-Tetrolet Pattern-Based Sleep Stage Classification Model Using Balanced EEG Datasets.

Background: Sleep stage classification is a crucial process for the diagnosis of sleep or sleep-related diseases. Currently, this process is based on manual electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis, which is resource-intensive and error-prone. Various machine learning models have been recommended to standardize and automate the analysis process to address these problems.

COVID-19 information seeking pattern and perceived benefits in Nigeria: a cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: access to COVID-19 related information is fundamental to making accurate decisions and performing evidence-based actions aimed to control its spread and improve health. This study assessed pattern and perceived benefits of COVID-19 related information in Nigeria.

Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among adult Nigerian residents aged 18-years and above in the geopolitical zones using multistage sampling strategy.

Process evaluation of the New Interventions for independence in Dementia Study (NIDUS) Family stream randomised controlled trial: protocol.

Introduction: New Interventions for independence in Dementia Study (NIDUS)-Family is an Alzheimer's Society funded new manualised, multimodal psychosocial intervention to support people living with dementia (PLWD) to achieve goals that they and their family carers set, towards living as independently and as well as possible at home for longer. This process evaluation will be embedded within the NIDUS-Family Randomised Controlled Trial intervention-arm (n=199), testing how the intervention influences change, as measured by goal attainment. The evaluation will test, refine and develop the NIDUS-Family theoretical model, associated causal assumptions and logic model to identify key mechanisms of impact, implementation and contextual factors influencing the intervention's effectiveness.

Glycoprotein Acetyls: A Novel Inflammatory Biomarker of Early Cardiovascular Risk in the Young.

Background Low-grade inflammation in the young may contribute to the early development of cardiovascular disease. We assessed whether circulating levels of glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) were better able to predict the development of adverse cardiovascular disease risk profiles compared with the more commonly used biomarker high-sensitivity CRP (C-reactive protein). Methods and Results A total of 3306 adolescents and young adults from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (mean age, 15.

Prevalence of multidrug resistance in spp. isolated from wild bird feces in an urban aquatic environment.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been detected in the microbiota of wildlife, yet little is known about the origin and impact within the ecosystem. Due to the shortage of nonepizootic surveillance, there is limited understanding of the natural prevalence and circulation of AMR bacteria in the wild animal population, including avian species. In this surveillance study, feces from wild birds in proximity to the River Cam, Cambridge, England, were collected and spp.

Association between diabetes and edentulism and their joint effects on health status in 40 low and middle-income countries.

Introduction: Previous studies on the diabetes-edentulism relationship have yielded conflicting results. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the association between diabetes and edentulism, and their joint effects on health status in adults from 40 low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Research Design And Methods: Data from the World Health Survey were used for this cross-sectional study (2002-2004).

Core and occasional species: A new way forward.

Various methods have been used to divide communities into core species and occasional or satellite species. Some methods are somewhat arbitrary, and there is evidence that many communities are more multimodal than bimodal. They also tend to rely on having multiple years of data.

Life under COVID-19 for LGBT+ people in the UK: systematic review of UK research on the impact of COVID-19 on sexual and gender minority populations.

Objective: To systematically review all published and unpublished evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of UK sexual and gender minority (LGBT+; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex and queer) people.

Methods: Any relevant studies with or without comparator were included, with outcomes of: COVID-19 incidence, hospitalisation rates, illness severity, death rates, other health and well-being. Six databases (platforms) were searched-CINAHL Plus (Ovid), Cochrane Central (Cochrane Library), Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Science Citation Index (Web of Science) and Scopus between 2019 and 2020 in December 2020, using synonyms for sexual and gender minorities and COVID-19 search terms.

Sarcopenia and Mild Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults from Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Background: Little is known about the relationship between sarcopenia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objective: This study aimed to investigate this association among community-dwelling adults aged≥65 years from six LMICs.

Methods: Cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) were analyzed.

Changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviours from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: a systematic review.

Objective: In March 2020, several countries banned unnecessary outdoor activities during COVID-19, commonly called 'lockdowns. These lockdowns have the potential to impact associated levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Given the numerous health outcomes associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviour, the aim of this review was to summarise literature that investigated differences in physical activity and sedentary behaviour before vs during the COVID-19 lockdown.