Decentralized clinical trials are better for the participants and for the planet: the case study of a double-blind randomized controlled trial in Singapore (PROMOTE study).

Introduction: Novel technologies have enabled the decentralization of many aspects of clinical trials, but little research has been done on the impact of these changes on the participant experience, trial operations, or the environment.

Methods: A fully decentralized clinical trial conducted in Singapore is used as a case study to evaluate the operational outcomes, environmental impact (via life cycle assessment), and participants experience (qualitative interviews) of the decentralized model compared to a traditional study with in-person visits.

Results: The decentralized study achieved high participant retention rates (97%) and high completion rates for clinical data, even for biological samples.

Machine learning Hubbard parameters with equivariant neural networks.

Density-functional theory with extended Hubbard functionals (DFT +  + ) provides a robust framework to accurately describe complex materials containing transition-metal or rare-earth elements. It does so by mitigating self-interaction errors inherent to semi-local functionals which are particularly pronounced in systems with partially-filled d and f electronic states. However, achieving accuracy in this approach hinges upon the accurate determination of the on-site and inter-site Hubbard parameters.

Real-world usage and effectiveness of recombinant factor IX Fc in haemophilia B from the B-SURE study in France.

Background: More real-world data are needed to complement existing phase III studies on the efficacy and safety of recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) in people with haemophilia B.

Objectives: We report final data from the B-SURE study, evaluating the real-world usage and effectiveness of rFIXFc in France.

Methods: Previously treated patients (all ages/severities) received on-demand or prophylactic rFIXFc during B-SURE.

Individual characteristics influencing the general population's level of knowledge of end-of-life practices: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Informed end-of-life decision-making requires a high level of death literacy. We still know little about the general population's level of knowledge and its determinants.

Aim: To assess knowledge of the general population regarding the legal status and definitions of various end-of-life practices, and to compare the level of knowledge according to individual characteristics known to influence death literacy.

Assessing and comparing compassionate communities benefits across cities in diverse cultural contexts: a step toward the identification of the most important ones.

Background: As Compassionate Communities (CCs) are developing worldwide, there is a growing need to systematically assess if they are having the expected effects on the community. Although having a single strategy would be ideal in terms of standardization and comparison, due to the inherent heterogeneity of CCs, it is not known how feasible this would be.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of creating a general strategy, based on the results of a series of focus groups conducted across three diverse CCs, to guide the evaluation of already existing programs and the development of new ones.

Evaluating the effectiveness of prompt engineering for knowledge graph question answering.

Many different methods for prompting large language models have been developed since the emergence of OpenAI's ChatGPT in November 2022. In this work, we evaluate six different few-shot prompting methods. The first set of experiments evaluates three frameworks that focus on the quantity or type of shots in a prompt: a baseline method with a simple prompt and a small number of shots, random few-shot prompting with 10, 20, and 30 shots, and similarity-based few-shot prompting.

Evidence-based exercise recommendations to improve functional mobility in older adults - A study protocol for living systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objectives: This is a protocol for a living systematic review and meta-analysis.This review will assess the effects of state-of-the-art exercise interventions designed to promote functional mobility. Therefore, after identifying all potential interventions, we will use the F.

Modulation of microtubule dynamics by monovalent ions.

The microtubule cytoskeleton is a dynamic network essential for many cellular processes, influenced by physicochemical factor, such as temperature, pH, dimer concentration, and ionic environment. In this study, we used in vitro reconstitution assays to examine the effects of four monovalent ions (Na, K, Cl, and Ac) on microtubule dynamics, uncovering distinct effects for each ion. Na was found to increase microtubule dynamicity by raising catastrophe frequency, polymerization and depolymerization speeds, and ultimately reducing microtubule lifetime by 80%.

Factors Influencing Pregnant Women's Participation in Randomised Clinical Trials in India: A Qualitative Study.

Objective: To explore factors affecting participation of pregnant women in randomised clinical trials in Belagavi, Karnataka, India.

Design: A qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions as data collection methods.

Setting: Primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities and their community catchment areas in Belagavi district.

Foreword: Progress in Construction Safety and Health.

The construction has always been a large economic sector that is very hazarous to work in. Over the past 40 years there have been major improvements in safety and health practices driven by increased research and more rapid adoption of best practices, not just in the developed countries but also in emerging economices. This special issue aims to showcase a specturm of perspectives from research to practice, about the current state of construction safety and health.

Applications of Cell-Based Protein Array Technology to Preclinical Safety Assessment of Biological Products.

Off-target evaluation is essential in preclinical safety assessments of novel biotherapeutics, supporting lead molecule selection, endpoint selection in toxicology studies, and regulatory requirements for first-in-human trials. Off-target interaction of a therapeutic antibody and antibody derivatives has been historically assessed via the Tissue Cross-Reactivity (TCR) study, in which the candidate molecule is used as a reagent in immunohistochemistry (IHC) to assess binding of the candidate molecule to a panel of human tissue sections. The TCR approach is limited by the performance of the therapeutic as an IHC reagent, which is often suboptimal to outright infeasible.

Human Dermal Microvascular Arterial and Venous Blood Endothelial Cells and Their Use in Bioengineered Dermo-Epidermal Skin Substitutes.

The bioengineering of vascular networks is pivotal to create complex tissues and organs for regenerative medicine applications. However, bioengineered tissues comprising an arterial and venous plexus alongside a lymphatic capillary network have not been explored yet. Here, scRNA-seq is first employed to investigate the arterio-venous endothelial cell marker patterning in human fetal and juvenile skin.

Accuracy of intraoral scanners in neonates cleft anatomy.

Aim: This study investigated the accuracy of intraoral scanner (IOS) based on different image acquisition technologies in the field of presurgical-orthopedictreatment (PSOT) in neonates with cleft.

Methods: Dental cast models of clinical situations representing unilateral cleft-lip-palate(UCLP), bilateral cleft-lippalate( BCLP) and cleft-palate(CP) with reference PEEK-scanbodies (Cares RC Mono-Scankörper, Straumann, Switzerland) were scanned utilizing four IOS systems: CareStream-CS3600®(CS), Medit-i500®(MD), Cerec-Omnicam®(SO), 3Shape-Trios-3®(TS). One calibrated operator made 5 scans from each model using each IOS (N=60).

Couple-Based Intervention to Improve HIV Care Engagement for Women and their Partners in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Outcomes of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

We evaluated a couple-based intervention targeting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care needs of women, with the option to support HIV-related needs of male partners. Adult women with HIV adherence difficulties in a monogamous relationship with a male partner for ≥6 months were recruited in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Twenty couples were randomized (1:1) to either START Together, a five-session manualized behavioral intervention, or treatment as usual, adherence counseling referral.

Shaping the future rural healthcare landscape: perspectives of young healthcare professionals.

Introduction: Rural communities continue to struggle to access quality healthcare services. Even in countries where the majority of the population live in rural and remote areas, resources are concentrated in big cities, and this is continuing. As a result, countries with the highest proportion of rural residents correlate with the poorest access, which has negative implications for the health and wellbeing of people.

Large and Stable Nanopores Formed by Complement Component 9 for Characterizing Single Folded Proteins.

Biological nanopores offer a promising approach for single-molecule analysis of nucleic acids, peptides, and proteins. The work presented here introduces a biological nanopore formed by the self-assembly of complement component 9 (C9). This exceptionally large and cylindrical protein pore is composed of 20 ± 4 monomers of C9 resulting in a diameter of 10 ± 4 nm and an effective pore length of 13 nm.

Effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy: Main results of a practice-research network study.

Background: Emotion-Focused Therapy is one of the evidence-based psychotherapies for a range of psychological problems. While most evidence was gained from randomized controlled studies or process research at university settings, there is a need for more outcome research conducted within practitioner-researcher networks assessing the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy in private practice.

Methods: A total of  = 70 clients with a variety of psychiatric disorders have been included in the bi-national practitioner researcher network for Emotion-focused Therapy Switzerland-Germany.

Thermometer Ions, Internal Energies, and In-Source Fragmentation in Ambient Ionization.

Ionization and fragmentation are at the core of mass spectrometry. But they are not necessarily separated in space, as in-source fragmentation can also occur. Here, we survey the literature published since our 2005 review on the internal energy and fragmentation in electrospray ionization sources.

Increased interferon I signaling, DNA damage response and evidence of T-cell exhaustion in a patient with combined interferonopathy (Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome, AGS) and cohesinopathy (Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, CdLS).

Background: Type I interferonopathies including Aicardi-Goutiéres Syndrome (AGS) represent a heterogeneous group of clinical phenotypes. Herein, we present a Case with combined AGS and Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS)-a cohesinopathy-with comprehensive analysis of the immune and genomic abnormalities.

Case And Methods: A 20-year old man presented with chilblain lesions and resorption of distal phalanges of fingers and toes, somatic and psychomotor retardation, microcephaly, synophrys, hearing losing and other aberrancies consistent with the phenotype of CdLS.

A state-of-the-art review of the recent advances of theranostic liposome hybrid nanoparticles in cancer treatment and diagnosis.

Theranostics is a way of treating illness that blends medicine with testing. Specific characteristics should be present in the best theranostic agents for cancer: (1) the drugs should be safe and non-toxic; (2) they should be able to treat cancer selectively; and (3) they should be able to build up only in the cancerous tissue. Liposomes (LPs) are one of the most efficient drug delivery methods based on nanotechnology.

Optimization of x-ray dark-field CT for human-scale lung imaging.

Background: X-ray grating-based dark-field imaging can sense the small angle scattering caused by object's micro-structures. This technique is sensitive to the porous microstructure of lung alveoli and has the potential to detect lung diseases at an early stage. Up to now, a human-scale dark-field CT (DF-CT) prototype has been built for lung imaging.

Physiology and Pathophysiology of Marathon Running: A narrative Review.

Background: Marathon training and running have many beneficial effects on human health and physical fitness; however, they also pose risks. To date, no comprehensive review regarding both the benefits and risks of marathon running on different organ systems has been published.

Main Body: The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive review of the benefits and risks of marathon training and racing on different organ systems.