General Health of Healthcare Professionals With Low Back Pain.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of morbidity in the healthcare profession. It is a complex problem of the biopsychosocial factors (BPS) effect, where processing mechanisms affect the experience of pain, function, participation in society and personal prosperity. Psychological factors are important predictors of poor outcomes because they can significantly influence pain management and coping.

Functional assessment of cancer therapy - head & neck (FACT-HN) translation and validation in Serbian.

This study aimed to translate and validate the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Head & Neck (FACT-HN) in a Serbian-speaking population, assessing its psychometric properties and utility in evaluating the quality of life in head and neck cancer patients. The research focuses on determining the translated questionnaire's reliability, validity, and cultural relevance. A total of 106 Serbian-speaking head and neck cancer patients completed the translated FACT-HN, along with other validated instruments, including the EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-HN43, CES-D, and GAD-7.

Validation of musculoskeletal segmentation model with uncertainty estimation for bone and muscle assessment in hip-to-knee clinical CT images.

Deep learning-based image segmentation has allowed for the fully automated, accurate, and rapid analysis of musculoskeletal (MSK) structures from medical images. However, current approaches were either applied only to 2D cross-sectional images, addressed few structures, or were validated on small datasets, which limit the application in large-scale databases. This study aimed to validate an improved deep learning model for volumetric MSK segmentation of the hip and thigh with uncertainty estimation from clinical computed tomography (CT) images.

Mid- to Long-Term Clinical Outcomes and Failure Rates After ALPSA Lesion Repair.

Background: Anterior labroligamentous periosteal sleeve avulsion (ALPSA) lesions are associated with recurrent shoulder instability and higher rates of failure after capsulolabral repair compared with similarly treated Bankart lesions. Although these lesions can portend poor outcomes, there are limited data on the associated conditions and postoperative course in a young, active population.

Purpose: To evaluate the mid- to long-term clinical course and failure rates after ALPSA repairs and assess features associated with these outcomes.

Deciphering brain activation during wrist movements: comparative fMRI and fNIRS analysis of active, passive, and imagery states.

Understanding the complex activation patterns of brain regions during motor tasks is crucial. Integrated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers advanced insights into how brain activity fluctuates with motor activities. This study explores neuronal activation patterns in the cerebral cortex during active, passive, and imagined wrist movements using these functional imaging techniques.

Cost Outcomes of Virtual Surgical Planning in Head and Neck Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.

Background: Virtual surgical planning (VSP) is an emerging method in head and neck reconstruction with demonstrated benefits, however, its economic viability is supported with mixed evidence.

Methods: A structured search was performed in five electronic databases. Studies that performed an economic evaluation on VSP in head and neck reconstruction were included.

Fetuin-A levels in diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the main microvascular complications of diabetes and one of the most common causes of vision loss worldwide. Fetuin-A is a glycoprotein correlated with insulin resistance and has been measured in DR patients. Herein, we aimed to investigate these studies through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Improving Quality of Care for Vacation-Related Emergency Department Visits: A Narrative Review of Patient Satisfaction and Contributing Factors.

Emergency departments (EDs) encounter substantial challenges during peak vacation periods, including increased patient volumes, limited access to medical histories, language and cultural barriers, insurance complexities, and disruptions in continuity of care. These factors strain emergency department operations, resulting in prolonged wait times, diagnostic errors, and compromised care quality. This study reviews the literature to identify patient satisfaction indicators and common challenges and evaluate strategies to improve patient outcomes during vacation-related emergency department visits.

Japan Diabetes Complications Study: Revisiting one of the first large-scale clinical studies in East Asians with diabetes.

This review highlights the significance of the Japan Diabetes Complications Study (JDCS), one of the earliest large-scale studies of people with type 2 diabetes outside Europe and the United States, in understanding type 2 diabetes mellitus among East Asian populations, particularly in Japan. Historically, large-scale clinical studies on type 2 diabetes mellitus have predominantly focused on Western populations, despite East Asians comprising the largest proportion of diabetic patients globally. The JDCS, which was initiated in 1996, enrolled 2,033 Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Thighplasty for Transfemoral Amputations and Osseointegration: Lower Rate of Complications Than Thighplasty for Body Contouring.

Background: Modern techniques in lower extremity amputation have made significant advances to improve prosthetic control and soft-tissue envelopes through various techniques, including medial thighplasties. These advances are necessary to enhance the fit and functionality of the prosthesis in transfemoral amputations.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all thighplasties performed at our institution in patients with ipsilateral transfemoral amputation from November 2017 to December 2021.

Factors Influencing Patient-Centered Care and Shared Decision-Making in Primary Care Settings in Saudi Arabia: A Scoping Review.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has undergone many reforms in light of Vision 2030, and the health sector is no exception. Vision 2030 highlights the importance of utilization and increased quality in primary care. Patient-centered care (PCC) and shared decision-making (SDM) are two methods used to increase healthcare quality globally.

Mid-term angiographic evaluation of LIMA-LAD anastomoses following LAD endarterectomy in coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: Diffuse coronary artery disease remains a critical issue that heart surgeons continue to research in terms of treatment options. An alternative method applied during coronary bypass surgery to achieve complete revascularization is coronary artery endarterectomy. Since the reliability of this technique and its effects on mortality and morbidity are still debated in the literature.

European recommendations from health care professionals and people living with obesity on safe practice for bariatric and metabolic surgery medical tourism: a modified delphi consensus statement from EASO, IFSO-EC and ECPO.

Background: Bariatric and metabolic surgery tourism (BMT) is becoming an increasingly popular route to treatment for patients living with obesity. Recent reports have highlighted that some patients travelling abroad for bariatric surgery have received inadequate care, fraudulent care, and, tragically, some cases have resulted in death. This study aimed to define consensus in Europe regarding safe practices concerning BMT.

Improving implementation of needle and syringe programmes to expand, scale up, and sustain evidence-based prevention interventions for HIV and hepatitis C in prisons.

The 1990 resolution by the UN General Assembly committed member states to provide health-care equity for people in prison, who are included in the global goals to control HIV and eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. WHO has set ambitious HCV elimination targets by including people who inject drugs (PWID), yet has not prioritised PWID who are incarcerated, a substantial population who have or are at risk for HCV infection. Human rights principles of health-care equity stipulate that "prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community, without discrimination on the grounds of their legal status".

Potential of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in the Management of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Narrative Review.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction presents a major clinical challenge due to its complex pathophysiology and limitations in its therapeutic options. This comprehensive review explores the comparative effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, focusing on their impact on diabetic versus non-diabetic patients, individuals with chronic kidney disease, and the elderly. A comprehensive literature search identified randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and clinical studies that evaluated the role of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in managing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Rheumatic heart disease burden and determinants in cardiac patients: A follow up care concern in Ethiopia.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a neglected tropical disease and remains one of the leading causes of cardiovascular-related deaths in Ethiopia. This study aims to assess the burden of RHD and identify its determinants in the country. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was employed from January 5 to April 15, 2023, among cardiac patients attending Jimma Medical Center.

Brain Function Characteristics of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Aged 4-9 Years During a GO/NOGO Task: An Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study.

Purpose: This study investigated whether abnormal cerebral activity observed in adolescents and adults with ADHD also occurs in children during the early developmental stages of executive function.

Methods: The study included 52 children with ADHD aged 4.0-9.

Barriers to establishing teledermatoscopy in primary health care in Sweden.

Introduction: Teledermatoscopy (TDS) has proven to be effective and reliable for diagnosis of skin malignancies. The factors that determine the success of implementation of TDS are largely unknown.

Objectives: To investigate barriers to implementation of TDS in primary health care (PHC) at center and individual level.

Performance of a Non-Invasive System for Monitoring Blood Glucose Levels Based on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Technology ().

Background: The need for frequent blood glucose (BG) monitoring and the inconveniences associated with self-monitoring of BG (SMBG) have driven the development of non-invasive approaches.

Methods: This prospective study aimed to investigate the accuracy of glucose level calculation using the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology system. People with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and normal glucose metabolism were included.

Occurrence and Phenotypic Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant (MRSA) in Emergency Medical Service Ambulances as a Potential Threat to Medical Staff and Patients.

An ambulance used by an emergency medical service team is the workplace of specialised medical personnel, providing daily transportation for patients in life-threatening conditions, from all walks of life, with numerous diseases and injuries. MRSA (methicillin-resistant ) strains are classified as Gram-positive cocci, characterised primarily by their multidrug resistance. Infections caused by have a low treatment success rate and are associated with persistent carrier state.

Incidence of Diabetic Retinopathy in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Study Using Real-World Data.

: This study aimed to assess the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) treated in primary-care settings in Catalonia, Spain, and identify key risk factors associated with DR development. : A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the SIDIAP (System for Research and Development in Primary Care) database. Patients aged 30-90 with T2DM who underwent retinal screening between 2010 and 2015 were included.

Comparative Study of Potassium Ion-Selective Electrodes with Solid Contact: Impact of Intermediate Layer Material on Temperature Resistance.

This paper presents a comparative study on the temperature resistance of solid-contact ion-selective electrodes, depending on the type of solid-contact material. Five types of potassium electrodes, with a valinomycin-based model membrane, were developed using different types of mediation layers, namely a conductive polymer (poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and a perinone polymer), multi-walled carbon nanotubes, copper(II) oxide nanoparticles, and a nanocomposite consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and copper(II) oxide. We examined how the measurement temperature (10 °C, 23 °C, and 36 °C) affects the sensitivity, measurement range, detection limit, selectivity, as well as the stability and reversibility of the electrode potential.