How Does Tobacco Use Affect the Cognition of Older Adults? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis Based on a Large-Scale Survey.

Introduction: Tobacco is a well-established risk factor for cancer, but its association with other morbidities needs consideration. The low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) with unprecedented demographic transformation lack evidence on tobacco use and its impact on cognitive health.

Aims And Methods: Using a propensity score matching approach, we utilized data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India.

Increasing the collection flow rate to 2 mL/min is effective and reduces the procedure time in off-line photopheresis.

Background: Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) treatment, mostly based on apheresis technology, is used for immunomodulation in various diseases such as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, graft versus host disease and other (auto)immune disorders. The aim of this study was to collect high cell counts and purity in shorter procedure times using an ECP off-line system with an increased collection flow rate of 2 mL/min to a target volume of 200 mL buffy coat.

Study Design And Methods: In this prospective study, data of routinely performed off-line photopheresis treatments were collected and analyzed at the Central Institute for Blood Transfusion & Department of Immunology (ZIB) of the Tirol Kliniken, to assess absolute cell counts and procedure times and to calculate collection efficiencies (CE2).

A neutral comparison of algorithms to minimize L penalties for high-dimensional variable selection.

Variable selection methods based on L penalties have excellent theoretical properties to select sparse models in a high-dimensional setting. There exist modifications of the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) which either control the familywise error rate (mBIC) or the false discovery rate (mBIC2) in terms of which regressors are selected to enter a model. However, the minimization of L penalties comprises a mixed-integer problem which is known to be NP-hard and therefore becomes computationally challenging with increasing numbers of regressor variables.

Capillary carbon dioxide tension increases in hospital staff wearing filtering facepiece masks: a prospective crossover study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed worldwide hygiene practices. In particular, the use of filtering face piece (FFP) masks markedly increased. Concerns have been raised regarding possible negative respiratory effects of wearing FFP masks.

TrustNShare: Development of a Blockchain-Based Data Trust Model for Secure and Controlled Health Data Sharing Grounded on Empirical Research.

Ensuring data quality and protecting data are key requirements when working with health-related data. Re-identification risks of feature-rich data sets have led to the dissolution of the hard boundary between data protected by data protection laws (GDPR) and anonymized data sets. To solve this problem, the TrustNShare project is creating a transparent data trust that acts as a trusted intermediary.

Smokeless Tobacco Use and Cessation Attempts during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) use among women is widely prevalent in Manipur state accounting for 45% users as per Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-2 India. Studies from India and elsewhere indicate changes in the way people used SLT during COVID-19 lockdown. This study explores individual and economic influences on SLT consumption and cessation attempts by tribal women in Manipur during the first COVID-19 lockdown (March-June, 2020) in India.

Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Calcifications in Overweight or Obese Persons with Prediabetes: Can They Predict T2 Diabetes and Coronary Vascular Events?

Background: It is difficult to predict the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in subjects with prediabetes and obesity. The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for coronary artery calcifications (CACs) and the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary vascular events (CVEs) after 7 years in 100 overweight or obese persons with prediabetes, according to the baseline coronary artery calcium score (CACS).

Methods: Lipids, HbA1c, uric acid, and creatinine were assessed.

Antioxidant Genetic Variants Modify Echocardiography Indices in Long COVID.

Although disturbance of redox homeostasis might be responsible for COVID-19 cardiac complications, this molecular mechanism has not been addressed yet. We have proposed modifying the effects of antioxidant proteins polymorphisms (superoxide dismutase 2 (), glutathione peroxidase 1 (), glutathione peroxidase 3 () and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, ()) in individual susceptibility towards the development of cardiac manifestations of long COVID-19. The presence of subclinical cardiac dysfunction was assessed via echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in 174 convalescent COVID-19 patients.

Rhinosinusitis Treatment with Cineole: Patient-Reported Quality of Life Improvements from a Non-Interventional, Pharmacy-Based Survey.

Background: Rhinosinusitis is commonly treated with decongestants, analgesics, and local corticosteroids. Phytotherapeutics are also utilised for symptomatic relief, including cineole, the main component of eucalyptus oil.

Methods: The current non-interventional, anonymised survey investigated quality of life in participants with rhinosinusitis (with or without additional symptoms of bronchitis) via the German version of a validated quality of life questionnaire (RhinoQol).

Invasive Fungal Infections: The Early Killer after Liver Transplantation.

Background: Liver transplantation is a standard of care and a life-saving procedure for end-stage liver diseases and certain malignancies. The evidence on predictors and risk factors for poor outcomes is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to identify potential risk factors for mortality and to report on overall 90-day mortality after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), especially focusing on the role of fungal infections.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Pediatric Patients with Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy and Deep Brain Stimulation.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been increasingly used in the management of dyskinetic cerebral palsy (DCP). Data on long-term effects and the safety profile are rare.

Objectives: We assessed the efficacy and safety of pallidal DBS in pediatric patients with DCP.

Immune response after two doses of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine and risk of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in Tyrol, Austria: an open-label, observational phase 4 trial.

Background: Correlates of protection could help to assess the extent to which a person is protected from SARS-CoV-2 infection after vaccination (so-called breakthrough infection). We aimed to clarify associations of antibody and T-cell responses after vaccination against COVID-19 with risk of a SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection and whether measurement of these responses enhances risk prediction.

Methods: We did an open-label, phase 4 trial in two community centres in the Schwaz district of the Federal State of Tyrol, Austria, before the emergence of the omicron (B.

Gender differences in referrals for deep brain stimulation for essential tremor.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for essential tremor (ET). Gender differences in DBS have been recognized for Parkinson's disease. In this systematic chart review, we also observed a gender differences in DBS for ET.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Characteristics of Polypoidal Lesions in Caucasians.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to analyze the swept source-optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) characteristics of polypoidal lesions in Caucasian patients.

Methods: In this retrospective observational case series, 43 polypoidal lesions in 32 eyes of 32 patients were diagnosed using indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and compared to SS-OCTA at a tertiary medical retina center (Clinic Landstrae, Vienna Healthcare Group, Austria) between June 2017 and March 2020. Vascularity was identified by color-coded B-scan SS-OCTA while morphology was described as revealed by en face SS-OCTA after alignment with ICGA-confirmed findings.

Effects of successful parathyroidectomy on neuropsychological and cognitive status in patients with asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism.

Purpose: Besides typical clinical symptoms, primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is associated with impaired quality of life and cognitive status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life and cognitive impairment in patients with pHPT, before and after parathyroidectomy.

Methods: We conducted a panel study, which included asymptomatic pHPT patients scheduled for parathyroidectomy.

Implementation of drone based delivery of medical supplies in North-East India: experiences, challenges and adopted strategies.

Timely delivery of medical supplies is essential in the healthcare sector, which is hampered by factors such as poor transportation network, traffic and adverse environmental conditions. Alternatively, drone operations can leapfrog the last mile logistic solutions in hard-to-reach terrains. The present paper elucidates the implementation process of drone-based delivery of medical supplies, operational challenges and innovations adopted by scientists in Manipur and Nagaland.

Bladder cancer screening: The new selection and prediction model.

The objective of this study was to offer new approach for selection of persons with asymptomatic bladder cancer (BC) and highly risky persons for the BC occurrence. Also, it is a part of the BC screening protocol (study is ongoing). Study populations were 100 newly diagnosed (diagnosis maximum 1-year old) males with BC and 100 matched (by sex and age ±5 years) controls (not oncology patients from the same hospital).

Can triclosan-coated sutures reduce the postoperative rate of wound infection? Data from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Wound infections are typical postoperative complications with considerable therapeutic consequences and high personnel and financial costs. Previous meta-analyses have shown that triclosan-coated sutures can reduce the risk of postoperative wound infection. This work aimed to update previous meta-analyses with a special focus on different subgroups.

Assessment of COVID-19 Impact on Commercial Sex Workers in India: A Formative Research by Media Scanning.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic restricted movement, closed businesses, and economic activities which disproportionately affected people globally. This pandemic has resurfaced the existing cracks in the societal set-up and has pushed the vulnerable and marginalized communities like migrant workers, people with disabilities, geriatric population, and commercial sex workers (CSWs) to an edge for their existence.

Materials And Methods: Due to the paucity of peer-reviewed research publications on CSWs, formative research was conducted to identify the determinants and attributes of the challenges faced by CSWs during COVID-19 situation in India.

Sodium evolution in hyponatraemia: a mixed effects model analysis of the Hyponatraemia Registry.

Objective: Achieving recommended targets of sodium correction is challenging to physicians treating hyponatraemia. Plasma sodium has to be increased effectively, yet overcorrection must be prevented. This is often hampered by a high variability of responses to treatment.

Gender differences in COVID-19 knowledge, risk perception, and public stigma among the general community: Findings from a nationwide cross-sectional study in India.

Introduction: Individual and community characteristics predictive of knowledge, perception, and attitude on COVID-19, specifically on gender, have not been adequately explored.

Objective: To examine the gender differences in COVID-19 knowledge, self-risk perception and public stigma among the general community and to understand other socio-demographic factors which were predictive of them.

Method: A nationally representative cross-sectional multi-centric survey was conducted among adult individuals(≥18 yrs) from the community member (N = 1978) from six states and one union territory of India between August 2020 to February 2021.

Intermodal correlation of quantitative CT-data and MRI-biomarkers derived from synchronous spectral CT-maps and breast MRI-examinations with molecular biomarkers in invasive ductal breast carcinomas.

Objective: To asses the correlation of data derived from dual-layer (DL)-CT material-maps and breast MRI data with molecular biomarkers in invasive breast carcinomas.

Methods: All patients at the University Breast Cancer Center who underwent a clinically indicated DLCT-scan and a breast MRI for staging of invasive ductal breast cancer from 2016 to 2020 were prospectively included. Iodine concentration-maps, and Zeffective-maps were reconstructed from the CT-datasets.

Prediction of Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Clinically Node-Negative T1 and T2 Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Using Supervised Machine Learning Approach.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is generally considered an indolent cancer. However, patients with cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) have a higher risk of local recurrence. This study evaluated and compared four machine learning (ML)-based classifiers to predict the presence of cervical LNM in clinically node-negative (cN0) T1 and T2 PTC patients.