Application value of split-bolus contrast injection combined with dual-energy CT scanning technology in pediatric CTU imaging.

Objective: To explore the clinical value of combining split-bolus contrast injection with dual-energy CT(DECT) scanning technology in pediatric computed tomography urography (CTU) imaging.

Methods: A total of 128 children aged 0-17 years were prospectively selected and randomly assigned to three groups: A, B, and C. For Group A, a high-pitch flash mode was employed, where a single bolus of contrast agent was followed by four-phase scanning (noncontrast, cortex, medulla, and excretory phases).

Models for pure tone audiometry enabling computational evaluation: Introduction to Japanese extensive experiences.

Pure tone audiometry including "masking" is the most basic test in audiological medicine. Masking is based on theoretical models of sound perception and propagation and has been widely discussed since the 1950s. In Japan, such discussion has been conducted extensively, starting from early periods up to recent times, with success to enable mathematical simulation, but the achievements have little been disclosed to the English-speaking world.

Chlorine-substituted transformation products generated during chlorination of the organophosphorus insecticide disulfoton induce anti-acetylcholine esterase activity.

Global concern regarding transformation products (TPs) derived from contaminants, including pesticides, in the environment and during water treatment has been growing markedly. In the present study, we investigated the anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of an aqueous solution of the organophosphorus insecticide disulfoton, a toxicological endpoint for determining the acceptable daily intake of disulfoton, both in the presence and the absence of metabolism during chlorination. Disulfoton rapidly reacted with free chlorine and completely disappeared within 0.

Single-Session Interventions for Mental Health Problems and Service Engagement: Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Most people with mental health needs cannot access treatment; among those who do, many access services only once. Accordingly, single-session interventions (SSIs) may help bridge the treatment gap. We conducted the first umbrella review synthesizing research on SSIs for mental health problems and service engagement in youth and adults.

Evaluation of Multipeptide Sequences Identified in Silico for the Serological Detection of Antibodies against Vector-Borne Diseases.

The socioecological conditions of Mexican regions are conducive to the spread of vector-borne diseases. Although there are established treatment guidelines for dengue and rickettsiosis, diagnosis is complicated. The objective of this work was to identify epitopes of Rickettsia and dengue virus that could be used in serology screening against vector-borne diseases.

Role of Tailored Timing and Frequency Prompts on the Efficacy of an Internet-Delivered Stress Recovery Intervention for Health Care Workers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Prompts offer a promising strategy to promote client engagement in internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT). However, if the prompts do not meet the needs of clients, they can potentially be more obtrusive rather than helpful.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test if prompts tailored based on timing and frequency, aligned with preintervention goal setting, can increase usage and the efficacy of a therapist-supported ICBT stress recovery intervention for health care workers.

Use of Augmented Reality for Training Assistance in Laparoscopic Surgery: Scoping Literature Review.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery training is a demanding process requiring technical and nontechnical skills. Surgical training has evolved from traditional approaches to the use of immersive digital technologies such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. These technologies are now integral to laparoscopic surgery training.

The Social Construction of Categorical Data: Mixed Methods Approach to Assessing Data Features in Publicly Available Datasets.

Background: In data-sparse areas such as health care, computer scientists aim to leverage as much available information as possible to increase the accuracy of their machine learning models' outputs. As a standard, categorical data, such as patients' gender, socioeconomic status, or skin color, are used to train models in fusion with other data types, such as medical images and text-based medical information. However, the effects of including categorical data features for model training in such data-scarce areas are underexamined, particularly regarding models intended to serve individuals equitably in a diverse population.

Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Pioneering a Zone-Based Strategy in Digital Nerve Autografting.

Background: Digital nerve injuries significantly affect hand function and quality of life, necessitating effective reconstruction strategies. Autologous nerve grafting remains the gold standard due to its superior biocompatibility, despite recent advancements in nerve conduits and allogenic grafts. This study aims to propose a novel zone-based strategy for donor nerve selection to improve outcomes in digital nerve reconstruction.

Phenomenological Description of the Experiences of Teenagers With Critically Ill Parents.

Background: Critical illness not only threatens the life of the patient but also may profoundly impact the lives of their loved ones. For teenagers with a critically ill parent, these impacts may have significant, developmentally impactful effects. A descriptive understanding of these effects may advance scholarly understanding of the challenges these teenagers face.

Efficacy and safety of dapsone in adult primary immune thrombocytopenia.

To assess efficacy and safety of dapsone in adult immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a real-word study cohort were performed. Participants were adults with primary ITP, transient response to corticosteroids ± intravenous immunoglobulin, and a platelet count ≤ 30x109/L (or ≤ 50x109/L with bleeding). Patients in the RCT were randomized in arm A (prednisone x3weeks+dapsone for 12 months) or arm B (prednisone alone).

Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma in children and adolescents.

Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) is an aggressive mature T-cell lymphoma characterized by significant hepatosplenomegaly, bone marrow involvement, and minimal or no lymphadenopathy. Primarily affecting young adults, it is exceptionally rare in children and adolescents. This makes diagnosis and treatment particularly challenging for pathologists and pediatric oncologists.

ALLG APML5: Bioavailability and safety of oral arsenic trioxide assessed during consolidation therapy for APL.

The prognosis for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has improved dramatically since the introduction of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and intravenous arsenic trioxide (ATO). However, ATO administration requires daily infusions over several months, representing an onerous burden for hospitals and patients. We evaluated the bioavailability of a novel encapsulated oral ATO formulation in APL patients in first complete remission during standard-of-care consolidation.

Probabilistic Approaches for Risk Assessment and Regulatory Criteria Development: Current Applications, Gaps, and Opportunities.

Traditional ecological and human health risk assessment often relies on deterministic frameworks that preclude the presence of variability or uncertainty among input parameters characterizing exposure, effects, and risk. To promote increased realism and generate more robust risk management decisions, probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) has been introduced as a foundational grouping of techniques that seeks to broadly characterize variability among its components. While multiple methods exist (e.

The Derivation of Acute and Chronic Environmental Quality Standards for Nickel in European Surface Waters: A Demonstrable need to follow scientific evidence.

Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) derived under the European Water Framework Directive are legally binding and enshrined in individual European Member State Country national legislation. These EQS are derived following well-established guidance documents. In 2013, EQS for nickel were derived for freshwaters to be protective against long and short-term exposures, at 4 and 34 µg L-1, respectively.

The European Registry for Patients with Mechanical Circulatory Support (EUROMACS) of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Fourth report: Focus on standardized outcome ratios.

Objectives: This fourth report aimed to provide insights into patient characteristics, outcomes, and standardized outcome ratios of patients implanted with durable Mechanical Circulatory Support across participating centers in the European Registry for Patients with Mechanical Circulatory Support (EUROMACS) registry.

Methods: All registered patients receiving durable mechanical circulatory support up to August 2024 were included. Expected number of events were predicted using penalized logistic regression.

Collaborative Core Curriculum Initiative: Alignment With Nursing Professional Development Roles.

Multiple intensive care units shared core knowledge, skills, and competencies but provided separate orientations leading to inconsistencies in practice, variations in onboarding, and poor use of resources. In this article, the methods of aligning the nursing professional development practitioner roles to the process of standardizing a core curriculum are described. This collaborative initiative sought to increase the knowledge and comfort of the new nurses while setting precedence for collaboration with educational endeavors between the units.

Intraindividual Comparison of Image Quality Between Low-Dose and Ultra-Low-Dose Abdominal CT With Deep Learning Reconstruction and Standard-Dose Abdominal CT Using Dual-Split Scan.

Objective: The aim of this study was to intraindividually compare the conspicuity of focal liver lesions (FLLs) between low- and ultra-low-dose computed tomography (CT) with deep learning reconstruction (DLR) and standard-dose CT with model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) from a single CT using dual-split scan in patients with suspected liver metastasis via a noninferiority design.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study enrolled participants who met the eligibility criteria at 2 tertiary hospitals in South Korea from June 2022 to January 2023. The criteria included (a) being aged between 20 and 85 years and (b) having suspected or known liver metastases.

Thin Layer Chromatography Goes Ultrasmall to Assay Sphingosine Kinase Activation in Single Primary Leukemic Cells.

Cell-to-cell heterogeneity in lipid signaling underlies variations in response and recurrence for many cancers, including leukemias. A highly parallel, miniaturized thin-layer chromatographic platform capable of assaying single cells was developed. Ultrasmall volumes (50 pL) of standard fluorescent lipids were separated with excellent repeatability, reproducibility, and limits of detection.

Conservative Reconstruction of the Lower Limb with a Bilayer Porous Collagen Matrix after a Spider Bite.

Brown recluse spider bites may cause symptoms ranging from local cutaneous reactions to systemic visceral loxoscelism. Most bites are self-limiting, but some can lead to necrotic ulcerations with severe complications and soft tissue defects. Necrotizing ulcers are uncommon and have various clinical presentations, so no standard treatment exists.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Pregnancy and Postpartum Periods.

Purpose: Early detection and management of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and postpartum are essential. This systematic review and meta analysis aimed: (1) to examine the state of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) use, and (2) in a subset of studies, evaluate 24-hour ABP parameters in the prediction and identification of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP).

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in March of 2022 for English language studies published after 2000.

The Risk of Postoperative Periprosthetic Femoral Fracture After Total Hip Arthroplasty Depends More on Stem Design Than Cement Use: An Analysis of National Health Data from England.

Background: In this study, we estimated the risk of surgically treated postoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures (POPFFs) associated with femoral implants frequently used for total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: In this cohort study of patients who underwent primary THA in England between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2020, POPFFs were identified from prospectively collected revision records and national hospital records. POPFF incidence rates, adjusting for potential confounders, were estimated for common stems.

The international trial of nasal oxygen therapy after cardiac surgery (NOTACS) in patients at high risk of postoperative pulmonary complications: Economic evaluation protocol and analysis plan.

Introduction: High-Flow Nasal Therapy (HFNT) is an innovative non-invasive form of respiratory support. Compared to standard oxygen therapy (SOT), there is an equipoise regarding the effect of HFNT on patient-centred outcomes among those at high risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications after undergoing cardiac surgery. The NOTACS trial aims to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of HFNT compared to SOT within 90 days of surgery in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Fipronil in sub-lethal doses leads to immuno-toxicological effects in broiler birds.

Pesticides, including fipronil, are used mainly in agriculture; however, in veterinary and animal husbandry, their potential use is to control the pests responsible for vector-borne diseases. Their residues in agriculture products and direct use on farms are responsible for potentially harming livestock and poultry. So, this study was designed to evaluate the toxico-pathological effects of fipronil on the immune system of poultry birds.

Comparison of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and molybdenum blue colorimetry for total phosphorus determination in freshwater invertebrates.

Molybdenum blue colorimetry (MBC) is the dominant, well-established method used for determining total P in environmental media, including in organismal tissues. However, other elemental methods for P determination are available, including inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Given the extensive literature using MBC to determine P in organismal samples, it is important to assess P analyses by ICP-MS and MBC to ensure that the two methods produce comparable data.