Diagnostic Decision-Making Variability Between Novice and Expert Optometrists for Glaucoma: Comparative Analysis to Inform AI System Design.

Background: While expert optometrists tend to rely on a deep understanding of the disease and intuitive pattern recognition, those with less experience may depend more on extensive data, comparisons, and external guidance. Understanding these variations is important for developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can effectively support optometrists with varying degrees of experience and minimize decision inconsistencies.

Objective: The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze the variations in diagnostic decision-making approaches between novice and expert optometrists.

Nurses and allied professionals' engagement in clinical research-in-practice: a statement of the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions of the European Society of Cardiology.

Many nurses and allied professionals (NAPs) lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to engage in conducting and implementing research. This statement describes the importance of NAPs' involvement in clinical research within the context of cardiovascular care. The existing gaps, barriers and enablers to NAPs involvement in research as a potential response to workforce issues in these professions as well as to contribute to excellence in patient care delivery and associated outcomes are identified.

The Promotion of Oral Nicotine Pouches for Non-Smoking Cessation Purposes on TikTok.

Introduction: Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) are increasingly prevalent among young people and feature widely within social media content. This study systematically analyzes the most viewed videos on TikTok relating to ZYN (the most popular ONP, manufactured by a subsidiary of Philip Morris International) to understand their content sentiment and patterns, as well as the demographics and potential commercial biases of their creators.

Methods: We used an Apify scraper in July 2024 to collect URLs and metadata for the top 100 most viewed videos on TikTok under the #ZYN hashtag.

Temperature-Dependent Magnetic Resonance Relaxation Behaviors in Porous Materials.

We observe divergent temperature-dependent magnetic resonance relaxation behaviors across various brine-saturated porous materials. The paramagnetic and diamagnetic nature of the samples underlies these divergent behaviors. The temperature-dependent trends of the longitudinal T_{1} and transverse T_{2} relaxation times are systematically explained via distinct relaxation-diffusion regimes of Brownstein-Tarr theory.

Upper Limit on the Photoproduction Cross Section of the Spin-Exotic π_{1}(1600).

The spin-exotic hybrid meson π_{1}(1600) is predicted to have a large decay rate to the ωππ final state. Using 76.6  pb^{-1} of data collected with the GlueX detector, we measure the cross sections for the reactions γp→ωπ^{+}π^{-}p, γp→ωπ^{0}π^{0}p, and γp→ωπ^{-}π^{0}Δ^{++} in the range E_{γ}=8-10  GeV.

Simultaneous Unbinned Differential Cross-Section Measurement of Twenty-Four Z+jets Kinematic Observables with the ATLAS Detector.

Z boson events at the Large Hadron Collider can be selected with high purity and are sensitive to a diverse range of QCD phenomena. As a result, these events are often used to probe the nature of the strong force, improve Monte Carlo event generators, and search for deviations from standard model predictions. All previous measurements of Z boson production characterize the event properties using a small number of observables and present the results as differential cross sections in predetermined bins.

Benzodiazepine-Free Cardiac Anesthesia for Reduction of Postoperative Delirium: A Cluster Randomized Crossover Trial.

Importance: Delirium is common after cardiac surgery and associated with adverse outcomes. Intraoperative benzodiazepines may increase postoperative delirium but restricting intraoperative benzodiazepines has not yet been evaluated in a randomized trial.

Objective: To determine whether an institutional policy of restricted intraoperative benzodiazepine administration reduced the incidence of postoperative delirium.

Effects of multienzyme supplementation on energy and nutrient digestibility in various feed ingredients for pregnant gilts.

The utilization of exogenous fiber-degrading enzymes in commercial swine diets is a strategy to increase the nutrient and energy density of poorly digestible ingredients. In a prior set of studies, dietary multienzyme blend (MEblend) supplementation increased the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, non-starch polysaccharides, and energy in complete high-fibrous gestation diets by 6% when fed to gestating sows. The current study aimed to determine the effects of MEblend (containing xylanase, β-glucanase, cellulase, amylase, protease, pectinase, and invertase activities) supplementation on ATTD of energy and nutrients of individual feedstuffs commonly used in gestating sow diets across major pork-producing regions worldwide, which differ in their fibrous components.

Isolation of Soil Microorganisms Using iChip Technology.

The iChip isolation technique uses an in-situ isolation device that increases the cultivability of previously unculturable microorganisms. Microorganisms are an important source of novel chemistries and potentially bioactive molecules. However, only 1% of environmental microorganisms can be cultured using conventional laboratory methods.

Assessing the role of education level on climate change belief, concern and action: a multinational survey of healthcare professionals in nephrology.

Background: Climate change poses a significant risk to kidney health, and countries with lower national wealth are more vulnerable. Yet, citizens from lower-income countries demonstrate less concern for climate change than those from higher-income countries. Education is a key covariate.

Adaptive Immunity Determines the Cancer Treatment Outcome of Oncolytic Virus and Anti-PD-1.

The immune checkpoint inhibitor, anti-programmed death protein-1 (anti-PD-1), enhances adaptive immunity to kill tumor cells, and the oncolytic virus (OV) triggers innate immunity to clear the infected tumor cells. We create a mathematical model to investigate how the interaction between adaptive and innate immunities under OV and anti-PD-1 affects tumor reduction. For different immunity strength, we create the corresponding virtual baseline patients and cohort patients to decipher the major factors determining the treatment outcome.

Impact of cardiac position, morphology and operative technique on long-term fontan outcomes in heterotaxy.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the outcomes of heterotaxy patients undergone the Fontan operation, focusing on morphological features and surgical techniques.

Methods: Eighty-two consecutive heterotaxy patients who underwent the Fontan operation from 1985 to 2021 were compared to 150 patients with tricuspid atresia (TA) and 144 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were used to analyze transplant-free survival and predictor of outcomes.

Nano-delivery of a novel inhibitor of ERCC1-XPF for targeted sensitization of colorectal cancer to platinum-based chemotherapeutics.

In this study, a novel inhibitor of ERCC1/XPF heterodimerization, A4, was used as an inhibitor of repair for DNA damage by platinum-based chemotherapeutics. Nano-formulations of A4 were developed, using self-assembly of the following block copolymers: methoxy-poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(α-benzyl carboxylate-ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PBCL), methoxy-poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL), or methoxy-poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly (D, L, lactide) (PEO-b-PDLA 50-50). The nano-formulations were characterized for their average diameter, polydispersity, morphology, A4 encapsulation and in vitro release.

The correlation between blastocyst morphological parameters and chromosomal euploidy, aneuploidy and other chromosomal abnormalities following pre-implantation genetic testing-a single center retrospective study.

Purpose: To examine the association between blastocyst morphology and chromosomal status utilizing pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A).

Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study including 169 in-vitro fertilization cycles that underwent PGT-A using Next Generation Sequencing (2017-2022). Blastocysts were morphologically scored based on Gardner and Schoolcraft's criteria.

Risks and rates, and the mathematical link between them.

The risk over a given time span can be calculated as one minus the exponentiated value of the negative of the integral of the incidence density function (or hazard rate function) over that time span. This relationship is widely used but, in the few instances where textbooks have presented it, the derivations of it tend to be purely mathematical. I first review the historical contexts, definitions, distinctions and links.

Initial Results of the Québec Resilience Project (QRP): a Longitudinal and Representative Population-Based Study of Children's Development Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic (2017-2022).

The COVID-19 pandemic instigated changes in almost all aspects of youth's life. While numerous studies have been implemented to understand how these changes are related to youth's development, few concerned large representative samples. This study introduces the methodology and initial results of the Quebec (Canada) Resilience Project (QRP), a representative longitudinal study.

Is There a Need to Reassess Protein Intake Recommendations Following Metabolic Bariatric Surgery?

Purpose Of Review: Protein intake is recognized as a key nutritional factor crucial for optimizing Metabolic Bariatric Surgery (MBS) outcomes by preventing protein malnutrition, preserving fat-free mass, and inducing satiety. This paper discusses the current evidence regarding protein intake and its impact on clinical outcomes following MBS.

Recent Findings: There are considerable gaps in the understanding of protein requirements following MBS, as existing guidelines are based on limited and inconsistent reports.

Prioritizing questions and topics for the development of guidelines and consensus-based recommendations supported by ILAE: A scoping review and proposal of prioritization criteria.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and consensus-based recommendations (CBRs) require considerable effort, collaboration, and time-all within the constraints of finite resources. Professional societies, such as the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), must prioritize what topics and questions to address. Implementing evidence-based care remains a crucial challenge in clinical practice.

Revitalising strong cultural connections and resilience: Co-designing a pilot Elder-led mentorship program for Indigenous mothers in a remote northern community in Alberta, Canada.

Connecting with traditional knowledge and culture promotes the well-being of Indigenous parents and creates healthy environments for child development. Community Elders in a remote northern community in Alberta, Canada, collaborated with researchers to design a pilot Elders Mentoring Program. The programme aims to support young Indigenous mothers(-to-be), bringing back cultural traditions and teachings.

Budget impact analyses of hemoglobin A1c and lipid panel point-of-care testing with Afinion™ 2 in Canada and Italy.

Screening and monitoring of diabetes or dyslipidemia frequently involves a multi-step process requiring patients to obtain test requisitions from their primary care physician (PCP), followed by a laboratory visit and re-consultation. Point-of-care testing (POCT) for hemoglobin A (HbA) and lipid panel can streamline the patient care pathway. This study assessed the budget impact of introducing Afinion™ 2 POCT (Abbott Rapid Diagnostics) from the Canadian and Italian societal perspectives.

Fatal overdoses among people with HIV experiencing nonfatal overdoses in British Columbia, Canada.

The breadth of the overdose crisis is underestimated because of a lack of quantifying nonfatal overdoses. We estimate the proportion of nonfatal overdoses among all people with HIV (PWH) in British Columbia, Canada, and the prevalence of fatal overdoses among people who had a nonfatal overdose, stratified by sex. A small proportion of PWH who experienced a nonfatal overdose subsequently died of a fatal overdose, signaling opportunities for crucial interventions and treatment to prevent overdose death.

Aging with HIV and HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the most effective therapeutic intervention for HIV infection. With improved survival, comorbidities, including neuropsychiatric and HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (NCI) are of increasing concern to aging people with HIV (PWH). The clinical features and the inter-individual variability of the aging process confound the elucidation of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in aging PWH.