Differences in lasers and laser technologies: what does a clinician need to know?

Purpose Of Review: This review focuses on recent advancements in laser technologies used in urology, particularly in enucleation, vaporization, lithotripsy, and focal laser ablation (FLA). The growing use of the thulium fiber laser (TFL) and the development of pulsed thulium lasers (p-Tm:YAG) highlight the relevance of this review, as these innovations aim to improve precision and outcomes in urological procedures.

Recent Findings: Recent studies have shown the advantages of TFL in achieving precise tissue ablation, reduced retropulsion offered by the Moses technology in holmium lasers, and the potential of pulsed thulium lasers for more precise control of the effects on tissues.

Multi-Physical Lattice Metamaterials Enabled by Additive Manufacturing: Design Principles, Interaction Mechanisms, and Multifunctional Applications.

Lattice metamaterials emerge as advanced architected materials with superior physical properties and significant potential for lightweight applications. Recent developments in additive manufacturing (AM) techniques facilitate the manufacturing of lattice metamaterials with intricate microarchitectures and promote their applications in multi-physical scenarios. Previous reviews on lattice metamaterials have largely focused on a specific/single physical field, with limited discussion on their multi-physical properties, interaction mechanisms, and multifunctional applications.

Communicating certainty via verbal probability phrases: comparing health contexts with no context.

Introduction: Medical professionals often use verbal phrases to communicate uncertainties and certainties with their patients and the general public.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate factors that can influence people's interpretation of probability phrases of certainty and uncertainty communicated by doctors in health and medical settings.

Methods: An experimental study with a randomized factorial design was conducted to examine both context-related factors and individual difference factors on participants' interpretation across directions of phrases and frames of the context.

Machine learning classification and biochemical characteristics in the real-time diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma using Raman spectroscopy.

This study aimed to identify biomolecular differences between benign gastric tissues (gastritis/intestinal metaplasia) and gastric adenocarcinoma and to evaluate the diagnostic power of Raman spectroscopy-based machine learning in gastric adenocarcinoma. Raman spectroscopy-based machine learning was applied in real-time during endoscopy in 19 patients (aged 51-85 years) with high-risk for gastric adenocarcinoma. Raman spectra were captured from suspicious lesions and adjacent normal mucosa, which were biopsied for matched histopathologic diagnosis.

A potential VEGF-driven hypothesis of calvarial centripetal proliferation in cerebral proliferative angiopathy.

Cerebral proliferative angiopathy (CPA) is a rare subtype of cerebral arteriovenous malformation, characterized by unique angiographic features and clinical presentations. Although the clinical and angiographic characteristics of CPA have been well described, their impact on the surrounding tissues remains underexplored. Herein, we investigated the presence of calvarial thickening in patients with CPA, and discuss its potential pathogenesis.

Photocatalytic upcycling of polylactic acid to alanine by sulfur vacancy-rich cadmium sulfide.

Photocatalytic conversion has emerged as a promising strategy for harnessing renewable solar energy in the valorization of plastic waste. However, research on the photocatalytic transformation of plastics into valuable nitrogen-containing chemicals remains limited. In this study, we present a visible-light-driven pathway for the conversion of polylactic acid (PLA) into alanine under mild conditions.

Longitudinal associations of flare and damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of organ damage (damage) and flare and to examine longitudinal associations between flares and subsequent damage accrual, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Patients enrolled in the Asia Pacific Lupus Collaboration cohort with ≥3 years of prospectively captured data were studied. Flares were assessed at routine visits, while damage ((Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology) Damage Index) was assessed annually.

Fish collagen mediated alteration of wheat starch thermal properties during multi-species co-fermentation.

This study explores the impact of multi-species co-fermentation on the thermal properties of wheat starch, emphasizing the innovative use of fish collagen as an additive. The effects of adding different levels of fish collagen (0 %, 3 %, 6 %, 9 %, 12 %, and 15 %) on the thermal properties of starch were investigated during co-fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Utilizing analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), we observed a significant increase in the degree of order from 1.

Innovating chitosan-based bioinks for dermal wound healing: Current progress and future prospects.

The field of three-dimensional (3D) bio/printing, known as additive manufacturing (AM), heavily relies on bioinks possessing suitable mechanical properties and compatibility with living cells. Among the array of potential hydrogel precursor materials, chitosan (CS) has garnered significant attention due to its remarkable physicochemical and biological attributes. These attributes include biodegradability, nontoxicity, antimicrobial properties, wound healing promotion, and immune system activation, making CS a highly appealing hydrogel-based bioink candidate.

Particulate matter, socioeconomic status, and cognitive function among older adults in China.

Background: Both air pollution and low socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with worse cognitive function. The extent to which low SES may compound the adverse effect of air pollution on cognitive function remains unclear.

Methods: 7,087 older adults aged 65 and above were included from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and followed up in 4 waves during 2008-2018.

Assessment of fracture risk with FRAX and FRAXplus.

FRAX, a risk calculator that provides individualized 10-year probabilities of hip and major osteoporotic fracture, has been widely used for fracture risk assessment since its launch in 2008. It is now incorporated into very many guidelines worldwide to inform osteoporosis management. In this review, we explore the development of FRAX and how it enhances fracture risk prediction as compared to use of bone mineral density alone, as well as approaches to utilizing FRAX in determining intervention and assessment thresholds.

Profile and methodology of ancillary protective measures employed during percutaneous renal cryoablation in a single high-volume centre.

Objectives: To evaluate the at-risk organs that require protection during percutaneous cryoablation (PCA) of renal tumours and the correlation with patient and target lesion characteristics, type of protective measure used and postoperative outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Single-centre retrospective review of patients with renal tumours who underwent PCA between 2008 and 2020. Final analysis included 374 tumours.

Exploring the lived experience of Chinese family caregivers caring for end-of-life cancer patients at home: a phenomenological study in Singapore.

Purpose: The Chinese community constitutes the largest demographic and faces the highest rates of cancer incidence in Singapore. Given this, palliative care plays a crucial role in supporting individuals, particularly those nearing the end of life, with family serving as their primary source of support. Many Chinese family caregivers in Singapore reported significant unmet needs in cancer care provision, with studies indicating that they often bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities.

Biomaterial-based strategies for primary human corneal endothelial cells for therapeutic applications: from cell expansion to transplantable carrier.

The treatment of corneal blindness due to corneal diseases and injuries often requires the transplantation of healthy cadaveric corneal endothelial graft tissue to restore corneal clarity and visual function. However, the limited availability of donor corneas poses a significant challenge in meeting the demand for corneal transplantation. As a result, there is a growing interest in developing strategies alleviate this unmet need, and one of the postulated approaches is to isolate and expand primary human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) for use in cell therapy.

Improving sleep quality in maternity patients in a Singapore academic hospital: a best practice implementation project.

Introduction: Prolonged sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality are common complaints among pregnant and postpartum women, and they have adverse effects on the physiological and psychological well-being of mothers antenatally and postnatally.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to improve antenatal and postnatal mothers' night-time sleep quality during hospitalization in an obstetric ward through multi-faceted interventions.

Methods: This project followed the JBI Model of Evidence-based Healthcare and applied the seven phases of the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework to conduct context analysis, strategy implementation, and review of practice using evidence-based audit criteria.

Transferrin Saturation, Serum Iron, and Ferritin in Heart Failure: Prognostic Significance and Proteomic Associations.

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is currently defined as a serum ferritin level <100 or 100 to 299 ng/mL with transferrin saturation (TSAT) <20%. Serum ferritin and TSAT are currently used to define absolute and functional ID. However, individual markers of iron metabolism may be more informative than current arbitrary definitions of ID.

Prognostic roles of hematological indicators in programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 inhibitors for small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer death in the world, with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounting for about 10-15% of all lung cancers. Although programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors represent a major breakthrough in SCLC treatment, only a minority of patients will benefit and there is still a lack of accurate biomarkers to guide clinical application. Inflammation plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis, tumor development, metastasis, and drug resistance, but there is limited research on the predictive value of these inflammatory indicators in SCLC.

Collagen deposition in lung parenchyma driven by depletion of interstitial Lyve-1 macrophages prevents cigarette smoke-induced emphysema and loss of airway function.

Introduction: Collagen is essential for maintaining lung structure and function and its remodeling has been associated with respiratory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the cellular mechanisms driving collagen remodeling and the functional implications of this process in the pathophysiology of pulmonary diseases remain poorly understood.

Methods: To address this question, we employed ; mice with specific depletion of Lyve-1 macrophages and assessed the content, types and organization of collagen in lung compartments at steady state and after chronic exposure to cigarette smoke (CS).

Impact of Clinical Surveillance on Outcomes of Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Background: Local recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) occurs in 10%-20% of patients, with salvage potential in early recurrences. Yet, clear surveillance protocols are lacking. We compare survival outcomes and suitability for salvage in symptomatic and incidentally detected locally recurrent NPC.

Gait speed assessment in confined spaces: Development of a novel automated 4-m static-start test to measure dynamic-start gait speed.

Objectives: To promote standardization and feasible measurements of gait speed across the field, we developed a device that used light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology to measure gait speed from a standing-start testing procedure conducted on a 4-m total walkway. We compared this automated (LiDAR-based) standing-start 4-m gait speed test (AS-4MG) with automated and manual (stopwatch-based) dynamic-start 4-m gait speed tests (AD-4MG and MD-4MG, respectively) on between-method agreement, measurement repeatability, and predictive validity with functional outcomes.

Methods: A sample of 48 community-dwelling adults (mean [SD], 69 [9] years) participated in this method comparison study.

From Clinical to Benchside: Lacticaseibacillus and Faecalibacterium Are Positively Associated With Muscle Health and Alleviate Age-Related Muscle Disorder.

Sarcopenia is an age-related muscle disorder that increases risks of adverse clinical outcomes, but its treatments are still limited. Gut microbiota is potentially associated with sarcopenia, and its role is still unclear. To investigate the role of gut microbiota in sarcopenia, we first compared gut microbiota and metabolites composition in old participants with or without sarcopenia.

A real-world study to evaluate effectiveness of mepolizumab in treating severe asthma in Taiwan (REMIT).

Background: REMIT is the first real-world study of mepolizumab effectiveness in patients with severe asthma (SA) in Taiwan.

Objectives: The primary objective evaluated changes in clinically significant exacerbations (CSEs; defined as use of oral corticosteroids (OCS) or emergency department (ED) visits and/or hospitalizations) in the 12 months pre- and post-mepolizumab treatment. Secondary objectives assessed changes in the number of CSEs requiring ED visits/hospitalizations and daily maintenance OCS (mOCS) dosage 12 months pre- and post-mepolizumab treatment.