Experiences of violence among adolescent girls and young women in Nairobi's informal settlements prior to scale-up of the DREAMS Partnership: Prevalence, severity and predictors.

Introduction: We sought to estimate the prevalence, severity and identify predictors of violence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in informal settlement areas of Nairobi, Kenya, selected for DREAMS (Determined Resilient Empowered AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) investment.

Methods: Data were collected from 1687 AGYW aged 10-14 years (n = 606) and 15-22 years (n = 1081), randomly selected from a general population census in Korogocho and Viwandani in 2017, as part of an impact evaluation of the "DREAMS" Partnership. For 10-14 year-olds, we measured violence experienced either in the past 6 months or ever using a different set of questions from those used for 15-22 year-olds.

Identifying influential observations in a Bayesian multi-level mediation model.

Increasingly complex models are being fit to data these days. This is especially the case for Bayesian modelling making use of Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. Tailored model diagnostics are usually lacking behind.

Prophylactic ureteral catheterization in the intraoperative diagnosis of iatrogenic ureteral injury.

Background: Iatrogenic ureteral injury (IUI) is a rare but feared complication in pelvic surgery. Prophylactic ureteral catheterization (PUC) is inconsistently used to reduce this risk, however no strong evidence exists for this practice. The objective is to investigate whether prophylactic ureteral catheterization can enhance intraoperative detection of IUI and reduce associated patient morbidity.

Perioperative Antibiotics in Clean-Contaminated Head and Neck Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The optimal evidence-based prophylactic antibiotic regimen for surgical site infections following major head and neck surgery remains a matter of debate.

Methods: Medline, Cochrane, and Embase were searched for the current best evidence. Retrieved manuscripts were screened according to the PRISMA guidelines.

Assessing the Complex Causes of Kidney Allograft Loss.

Background: Although graft loss is a primary endpoint in many studies in kidney transplantation and a broad spectrum of risk factors has been identified, the eventual causes of graft failure in individual cases remain ill studied.

Methods: We performed a single-center cohort study in 1000 renal allograft recipients, transplanted between March 2004 and February 2013.

Results: In total, 365 graft losses (36.

Repetitive Motor Control Deficits Most Consistent Predictors of Conversion to Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: The onset of freezing of gait (FOG) represents a turning point in the lives of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). FOG increases fall risk and is associated with worse physical and mental health related quality of life, thus increasing disease burden. Moreover, therapeutic studies aiming to ameliorate freezing have had limited success.

Intraoperative xenon for prevention of delirium after on-pump cardiac surgery: a randomised, observer-blind, controlled clinical trial.

Background: Older patients undergoing cardiac surgery have a 40-60% risk of developing postoperative delirium (POD), which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In animals, xenon has been found to be neuroprotective. Little is known about its neuroprotective effects in humans.

Visuoperceptual profiles of children using the Flemish cerebral visual impairment questionnaire.

Aim: To investigate the underlying factor structure of the 46-item Flemish cerebral visual impairment (CVI) questionnaire, differentiate the factor scores of children with and without CVI, and examine the impact of comorbidities on factor scores.

Method: The records of 630 children (386 males, 244 females; median age 77mo; interquartile range 63-98mo) who visited the CVI clinic and the Centre for Developmental Disabilities at the University Hospitals of Leuven from 2001 to 2018 were reviewed systematically. Inclusion criteria included an up-to-date questionnaire, a definitive diagnosis, and clinical assessment.

Mapping species richness using opportunistic samples: a case study on ground-floor bryophyte species richness in the Belgian province of Limburg.

In species richness studies, citizen-science surveys where participants make individual decisions regarding sampling strategies provide a cost-effective approach to collect a large amount of data. However, it is unclear to what extent the bias inherent to opportunistically collected samples may invalidate our inferences. Here, we compare spatial predictions of forest ground-floor bryophyte species richness in Limburg (Belgium), based on crowd- and expert-sourced data, where the latter are collected by adhering to a rigorous geographical randomisation and data collection protocol.

Clinical presentation, treatment modalities and outcome in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma: A single center experience.

Adrenocortical carcinoma is an orphan disease usually associated with a poor prognosis. Surgery is the only treatment with a curative intent, leaving systemic therapy mainly for the purpose of symptom control. First line combination chemotherapy with Etoposide, Doxorubicin, Cisplatin and Mitotane (EDP-Mitotane) is considered the standard of care, although this regimen is not associated with an overall survival benefit.

Tranexamic acid to reduce bleeding after dental extraction in patients treated with non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants: design and rationale of the EXTRACT-NOAC trial.

Bleeding after dental extraction in patients treated with non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOAC) may lead to unplanned reinterventions and interruption of anticoagulation, thereby exposing patients to a risk of thromboembolism. We have designed a study (EXTRACT-NOAC) to investigate whether tranexamic acid (TXA) mouthwash decreases bleeding after extraction in such patients. The study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Obstetric and maternal outcomes in patients diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma during pregnancy: a multicentre, retrospective, cohort study.

Background: Outcomes for mother and child following a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma during pregnancy are underinvestigated, and antenatal management of the disease has not been reported on widely. The aim of this study was to assess obstetric outcomes, antenatal management, and maternal survival in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed during pregnancy who were registered in the International Network on Cancer, Infertility and Pregnancy (INCIP) database.

Methods: We did a multicentre, retrospective cohort study including oncological and obstetric data from 134 pregnant patients diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma between Jan 1, 1969, and Aug 1, 2018.

Power Distance and Physician-Nurse Collegial Relations Across 14 European Countries: National Culture is Not Merely a Nuisance Factor in International Comparative Research.

Purpose: This study illustrates the huge untapped potential of quantifying the impact of culture in making meaningful comparisons across groups. Our focus is on cross-national differences in nurses' reports of their relations with physicians, and how the measurement of this complex construct and the evaluation of true differences are related to dimensions of national culture.

Design: We examine across 14 European countries the association between indices of national culture from the seminal work of Hofstede and 39,435 nurses' ratings of their relations with physicians.

Bayesian model selection in linear mixed models for longitudinal data.

Linear mixed models (LMMs) are popular to analyze repeated measurements with a Gaussian response. For longitudinal studies, the LMMs consist of a fixed part expressing the effect of covariates on the mean evolution in time and a random part expressing the variation of the individual curves around the mean curve. Selecting the appropriate fixed and random effect parts is an important modeling exercise.

Technical Verification and Assessment of Independent Validation of Biomarker Models for Endometriosis.

There is a great need for a noninvasive diagnosis for endometriosis. Several biomarkers and biomarker panels have been proposed. Biomarker models consisting of CA-125, VEGF, Annexin V, and glycodelin/sICAM-1 were previously developed by our group.

The oral health-related section of the interRAI: Evaluation of test content validity by expert rating and assessment of potential reasons for inaccurate assessments based on focus group discussions with caregivers.

Objectives: To explore the failure of the oral health-related section of the interRAI (ohr-interRAI), this study investigated test content validity (A.) and reasons for inaccurate assessments (B.).

Does intensity-modulated radiation therapy lower the risk of osteoradionecrosis of the jaw? A long-term comparative analysis.

The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of different radiation techniques on the long-term incidence of osteoradionecrosis in head and neck cancer. Risk factors and the occurrence of osteoradionecrosis were analyzed in a retrospective, comparative, observational study. Medical files and radiological images of 109 patients treated with primary intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and 129 patients treated with primary three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) were evaluated.

Loss of 1p36.33 Frequent in Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

Background: Low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) is a rare subtype of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Limited data regarding the molecular-genetic background exist beyond mutations in the RAS signaling pathway. There is a growing need to better characterize these tumors due to chemoresistance and limited therapeutic options in advanced or recurrent disease.

Dental age estimation in Somali children and sub-adults combining permanent teeth and third molar development.

Estimation of an individual's age has important applications in forensics. In young individuals, it often relies on separate evaluations of permanent teeth (PT) and third molars (TM) development. Here, we analysed the age prediction performance of combined information from PT and TM in an unusual sample of healthy Somalis, born and living in Finland.

Cross-Country Validation of the Association Between Oral Health and General Health in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Objective: Oral health is known to be associated with general health, but longitudinal relationships between oral health and general health indicators have not yet been fully explored in international research.

Setting And Participants: The sample consisted of 3 longitudinal databases: a sample from Belgium from the Protocol 3 project (n = 8359), a combined sample from 6 European countries (n = 2501) from the IBenC study (Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands), and a sample from New Zealand (n = 15,012). All clients were 65 years or older and received long-term home care services.

Contribution of HCAHPS Specific Care Experiences to Global Ratings Varies Across 7 Countries: What Can be Learned for Reporting These Global Ratings?

Background: Given the increased international interest in improvement strategies for patient experiences with care, it is important to understand whether the same specific care experiences affect global ratings across countries. Moreover, reporting of these global ratings currently substantially varies in both research and public reporting.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to examine the differential magnitude of associations between Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) specific care experiences and global ratings, and to explore implications for reporting these global ratings.

PROMs following breast-conserving therapy for breast cancer: results from a prospective longitudinal monocentric study.

Background: Treatment of breast cancer includes many options and shared decision making is becoming standard practice. Within the context of treatment individualization, the omission of radiotherapy (RT) can be considered. It is thereby of great importance to correctly foresee the side effects attributed to RT.

Occurrence of Diabetic Nephropathy After Renal Transplantation Despite Intensive Glycemic Control: An Observational Cohort Study.

Objective: The kinetics and risk factors of diabetic nephropathy after kidney transplantation remain unclear. This study investigated the posttransplant occurrence of diabetic nephropathy and the contribution of posttransplant glycemic control.

Research Design And Methods: We performed a single-center prospective cohort study of 953 renal allograft recipients and 3,458 protocol-specified renal allograft biopsy specimens up to 5 years after transplantation.