Aetiology of chronic liver disease is a valuable factor for stratifying adverse outcomes of acute decompensation: prospective observational study.

Background/aims: Acute decompensation (AD) is defined as the development of complications related to portal hypertension and liver dysfunction that affect the progression of chronic liver disease (CLD) or liver cirrhosis (LC). Variations exist in patient demographics and prognostic outcomes of AD based on the aetiology of CLD, encompassing LC. However, limited research has been conducted to analyse these discrepancies across aetiologies.

Complete genome sequence of the marine mangrove fungus Sarcopodium sp.QM3-1 confirmed its high potential for antimicrobial activity.

Mangroves, owing to their unique living environment, serve as an important source of natural bioactive compounds. Sarcopodium sp. QM3-1, a marine fungus isolated from mangrove sediments of Quanzhou Bay, exhibited antifungal activity against the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Magnaporthe oryzae.

Characteristics of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis and their association with treatment outcomes: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: There are few data on the treatment of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant (MDR) or rifampicin-resistant (RR) tuberculosis, especially with more recently available drugs and regimens. We aimed to describe the clinical and treatment characteristics and their associations with treatment outcomes in this susceptible population.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Prediction of mortality and prioritisation to tertiary care using the 'OUR-ARCad' risk score gleaned from the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic-A retrospective cohort study from South India.

Background: Judicious utilisation of tertiary care facilities through appropriate risk stratification assumes priority, in a raging pandemic, of the nature of delta variant-predominated second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India. Prioritisation of tertiary care, through a scientifically validated risk score, would maximise recovery without compromising individual safety, but importantly without straining the health system.

Methods: De-identified data of COVID-19 confirmed patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in South India, between April 1, 2021 and July 31, 2021, corresponding to the peak of COVID-19 second wave, were analysed after segregating into 'survivors' or 'non-survivors' to evaluate the risk factors for COVID-19 mortality at admission and formulate a risk score with easily obtainable but clinically relevant parameters for accurate patient triaging.

Assessment of temporospatial and kinematic gait parameters using human pose estimation in patients with Parkinson's disease: A comparison between near-frontal and lateral views.

Gait disturbance is one of the most common symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) that is closely associated with poor clinical outcomes. Recently, video-based human pose estimation (HPE) technology has attracted attention as a cheaper and simpler method for performing gait analysis than marker-based 3D motion capture systems. However, it remains unclear whether video-based HPE is a feasible method for measuring temporospatial and kinematic gait parameters in patients with PD and how this function varies with camera position.

Congenital Titinopathy: Comprehensive Characterization of the Most Severe End of the Disease Spectrum.

Unlabelled: Congenital titinopathy has recently emerged as one of the most common congenital muscle disorders.

Objective: To better understand the presentation and clinical needs of the under-characterized extreme end of the congenital titinopathy severity spectrum.

Methods: We comprehensively analyzed the clinical, imaging, pathology, autopsy, and genetic findings in 15 severely affected individuals from 11 families.

Molecular Mechanisms of Phthalate-Induced Hepatic Injury and Amelioration by Plant-Based Principles.

Phthalates are the emerging environmental toxicants derived from phthalic acid and its constituents, which are moderately present in plastics and many personal care products. Phthalate exposure occurs through various environmental factors, including air, water, and soil, with absorption facilitated via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Upon exposure, phthalates become bioavailable within the biological systems and undergo biotransformation and detoxification processes in the liver.

Attitudes Toward General Vaccination Mediate the Association Between Influenza Vaccination History and Pneumococcal Vaccination Intention Among Older Adults in China.

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations play a crucial role in disease prevention among older adults and are recommended to older adults aged 60 years and over in China, but the vaccination rates are suboptimal. Behavioral spillover indicates that a change in one behavior may lead to changes in other related behaviors. Based on the Behavioral Spillover Theory, this study aimed to investigate the association between influenza vaccination history and pneumococcal vaccination intention, as well as the mediating role of negative attitudes toward general vaccination among older adults in China.

Conceptual Knowledge of Oral Health Among Primary School Teachers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-A Cross Sectional Survey.

: School teachers need to have a better understanding of oral health aspects as schools serve as an effective environment for learning. Educators hold a significant position in conveying the importance they attribute to oral health in their lives. According to the World Health Organization, school teachers should include oral health promotion activities to evaluate students' oral health, track injuries, illnesses, and absenteeism related to oral health, advocate oral health prevention, and serve as role models.

The Potential Clinical Utility of the Customized Large Language Model in Gastroenterology: A Pilot Study.

The large language model (LLM) has the potential to be applied to clinical practice. However, there has been scarce study on this in the field of gastroenterology. Aim: This study explores the potential clinical utility of two LLMs in the field of gastroenterology: a customized GPT model and a conventional GPT-4o, an advanced LLM capable of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).

Willingness and determinants of elder care modes among elderly individuals: insights from underdeveloped regions in Western China.

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the willingness of elderly individuals regarding their choice of elderly care modes in underdeveloped regions of Western China and to identify the key factors influencing the willingness.

Methods: We distributed a total of 20 000 questionnaires using the multistage stratified cluster random sampling method, and successfully collected 19 460 of them. After conducting quality checks, we deemed 19 040 questionnaires valid for analysis.

Ultraviolet-Induced Fluorescence Dermoscopy, a Novel Diagnostic Technique in Dermatological Practice: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Ultraviolet-induced fluorescence dermoscopy (UVF dermoscopy) is a novel diagnostic technique for identifying and diagnosing numerous skin tumors, inflammatory dermatoses, and infectious diseases. The ultraviolet (UV) band has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 400 nm. When intense UV radiation with shorter wavelengths strikes a target chromophore, visible light (VL) with a longer wavelength and lower energy is produced in the skin.

Angiosome Territories of Vestibulocochlear Nerve (VIII).

Background: Taylor and Palmer introduced an angiosome (vascular) concept in reconstructive plastic surgery in 1987. The angiosome is considered a segment of a nerve (cranial or peripheral nerve) supplied by a primary source of blood vessels.

Purpose: To observe the arteries supplying the vestibulocochlear nerves (VIII) from the brainstem till their termination.

Obstetric danger signs in context: A mixed methods study exploring knowledge and sociocultural factors among pregnant women.

Background: Maternal morbidity and mortality persist due to delays in seeking care for obstetric complications. Deficits in comprehending danger signs contribute to preventing early identification. There is limited research on awareness levels among rural Indian women.

Knowledge and Attitude Related to Sexually Transmitted Infections and Contraceptive Use Among Patients Attending the Venereology Outpatient Department in Thiruvallur: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which contribute to a significant amount of mortality and morbidity in the reproductive life of adults, are infections that can be prevented by healthy sexual behavior and education about the same. This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude toward STIs and contraceptive use among patients attending the Venereology Outpatient Department (OPD). Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients more than 18 years of age attending the Venereology OPD, Government Medical College and Hospital, Thiruvallur, India, from March to May 2024.

[How to Achieve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in The Korean Society of Gastroenterology?].

With the increasing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in organizations and institutions, academic societies in gastroenterology and hepatology are beginning to take actionable steps toward achieving DEI. The successful implementation of DEI initiatives leads to excellence in the field, improved patient outcomes, particularly in areas where health disparities are prevalent, and advances in the gastrointestinal discipline. Such implementation also results in a workforce that better reflects the growing diversity of the population.

Lower electronic health record adoption and interoperability in rural versus urban physician participants: a cross-sectional analysis from the CMS quality payment program.

Background: The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 introduced the Meaningful Use program to incentivize the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in the U.S. This study investigates the disparities in EHR adoption and interoperability between rural and urban physicians in the context of federal programs like the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 and the 21st Century Cures Act.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of rationally designed pyrazoles as insecticidal agents.

The current research focused on the synthesis of two series of pyrazole derivatives and evaluation of their insecticidal effectiveness. In the first series, seven pyrazole Schiff bases 3a-g were successfully synthesized with yields (79-95%) by condensing phenylfuran-2-carbaldehyde with substituted pyrazole rings. In the second series, eleven amino acid-pyrazole conjugates 6a-k were synthesized utilizing acetic acid, sulfuric acid, morpholine, and EDC.

A cross-country network analysis of disease infodemics: Looking through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Infodemics surrounding pandemics and epidemics have persisted for centuries and continue to impede efforts to promote high vaccination coverage. We explored the complex interplay between COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and COVID-19-related infodemics across Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand using the novel network analysis. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey and recruited 1822 participants from the general populations of India (n = 411), New Zealand (n = 413), Ghana (n = 523), and Germany (n = 413) to complete COVID-19 infodemic measures and demographics questions.

VIEWER: an extensible visual analytics framework for enhancing mental healthcare.

Objective: A proof-of-concept study aimed at designing and implementing Visual & Interactive Engagement With Electronic Records (VIEWER), a versatile toolkit for visual analytics of clinical data, and systematically evaluating its effectiveness across various clinical applications while gathering feedback for iterative improvements.

Materials And Methods: VIEWER is an open-source and extensible toolkit that employs natural language processing and interactive visualization techniques to facilitate the rapid design, development, and deployment of clinical information retrieval, analysis, and visualization at the point of care. Through an iterative and collaborative participatory design approach, VIEWER was designed and implemented in one of the United Kingdom's largest National Health Services mental health Trusts, where its clinical utility and effectiveness were assessed using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Regulation and Compliance in Telemedicine: Viewpoint.

The US COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended on May 11, 2023. Lawmakers and regulators extended some flexibilities while they deliberate effective long-term telemedicine policy. Here, we discuss critical challenges in telemedicine compliance and regulation grounded in scholarly literature and current events.