Evaluation of the integration of palliative care in a fragile setting amongst host and refugee communities: Using consecutive rapid participatory appraisals.

Background: Palliative care is seldom integrated in healthcare in fragile, conflict affected and vulnerable settings with significant refugee populations.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the integration of palliative care into a fragile, conflict affected and vulnerable community in Northern Uganda.

Design: Consecutive Rapid Participatory Appraisals were conducted to evaluate the integration of palliative care in Adjumani District.

Defining non-inferiority margins in randomised controlled surgical trials: a protocol for a systematic review.

Background: The reporting of randomised controlled non-inferiority (NI) drug trials is poor with less than 50% of published trials reporting a justification of the NI margin. This is despite the introduction of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) extension on reporting of NI and equivalence in randomised trials. It is critical to set the appropriate NI margin as this choice dictates the conclusions of the trial.

Radiation-induced cavernoma in pediatric CNS tumors: a systematic review and treatment paradigm.

Purpose: This retrospective systematic literature review aimed to summarize available data regarding epidemiology, etiology, presentation, investigations, differentials, treatment, prevention, monitoring, complications, and prognosis for radiation-induced cavernous malformations (RICMs) in pediatric patients.

Methodology: Review conducted per PRISMA guidelines. Google Scholar, PubMed, Trip Medical Database, and Cochrane Library searched utilizing a keyphrase, articles filtered per inclusion/exclusion criteria, duplicates excluded.

Common peroneal nerve injury after tibial plateau fractures: A case series.

Introduction: Common peroneal nerve (CPN) injury is a rare but significant complication of knee trauma. Given its low incidence, there is limited published evidence, but reports have shown dislocations and fractures associated with varus deformity are more likely to injure the nerve, causing foot drop. This study aims to document the incidence and outcome of CPN palsy in tibial plateau fractures (TPF).

The First Modified Delphi Consensus-Building Exercise on Surgical Ward Rounds in the United Kingdom National Health Service.

Background: The ward round is an integral part of everyday surgical practice. It is a complex clinical activity that requires both sound clinical management and communication skills. This study reports the results of a consensus-building exercise on the common aspects of the general surgical ward rounds.

The Scottish COVID Cancer Immunity Prevalence Study: A Longitudinal Study of SARS-CoV-2 Immune Response in Patients Receiving Anti-Cancer Treatment.

Background: Cancer and anti-cancer treatment (ACT) may be risk factors for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and limited vaccine efficacy. Long-term longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate these risks. The Scottish COVID cancer immunity prevalence (SCCAMP) study characterizes the incidence and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in patients with solid tumors undergoing ACT.

Concussion education in medical students studying in Scotland: an assessment of knowledge and future needs.

Background: Physicians play a key role in ensuring athletes with concussion safely return to sport. Research has shown deficiencies in concussion education amongst physicians and medical students. However, studies have not previously been conducted in UK medical schools.

Meta-analysis on reporting practices as a source of heterogeneity in in vitro cancer research.

Objectives: Heterogeneity of results of exact same research experiments oppose a significant socioeconomic burden. Insufficient methodological reporting is likely to be one of the contributors to results heterogeneity; however, little knowledge on reporting habits of in vitro cancer research and their effects on results reproducibility is available. Exemplified by a commonly performed in vitro assay, we aim to fill this knowledge gap and to derive recommendations necessary for reproducible, robust and translational preclinical science.

A 10-year retrospective observational study on the utility and prescription standards of dexamethasone in pediatric neuro-oncosurgery in a tertiary care center.

Object: This study aimed to retrospectively assess dexamethasone utility in pediatric CNS tumor patients over a 10-year period, to better understand dosing variability, and highlight optimal practice.

Methods: All pediatric CNS tumor cases managed operatively for a 10-year period at a single center were reviewed. Information was gathered on demographics, dexamethasone doses, course durations, weaning regimes, PPI co-prescription, adverse events, and route of administration.

Polygenic risk scores for prediction of breast cancer risk in women of African ancestry: a cross-ancestry approach.

Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) are useful for predicting breast cancer risk, but the prediction accuracy of existing PRSs in women of African ancestry (AA) remains relatively low. We aim to develop optimal PRSs for the prediction of overall and estrogen receptor (ER) subtype-specific breast cancer risk in AA women. The AA dataset comprised 9235 cases and 10 184 controls from four genome-wide association study (GWAS) consortia and a GWAS study in Ghana.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of survival outcomes in T2a and T2b gallbladder cancers.

Background: The 8th edition of AJCC TNM staging of Gallbladder cancer subdivided T2 stage into T2a and T2b based on tumour location. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes in T2a and T2b gallbladder cancers.

Methods: Literature search of Medline, Web of science, Embase and Cochrane databases was performed.

Study protocol: a multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, phase 2, randomised controlled trial of autologous macrophage therapy for liver cirrhosis (MATCH).

Introduction: Liver cirrhosis is a growing global healthcare challenge. Cirrhosis is characterised by severe liver fibrosis, organ dysfunction and complications related to portal hypertension. There are no licensed antifibrotic or proregenerative medicines and liver transplantation is a scarce resource.

Marked and widening socioeconomic inequalities in type 2 diabetes prevalence in Scotland.

Background: This study investigated the association between socioeconomic status and type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence in Scotland in 2021 and tested the null hypothesis that inequalities had not changed since they were last described for 2001-2007.

Methods: Data from a national population-based diabetes database for 35-to-84-year-olds in Scotland for 2021 and mid-year population estimates for 2019 stratified by sex and fifths of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation were used to calculate age-specific prevalence of T2D. Age-standardised prevalence was estimated using the European Standard Population with relative risks (RRs) compared between the most (Q1) and least (Q5) deprived fifths for each sex, and compared against similar estimates from 2001 to 2007.

Primary total ankle replacement surgery is a cost-effective intervention.

Aims: The primary aim was to assess the cost-effectiveness of primary total ankle replacements (PTAR) in the UK. Secondary aim was to identify predictors associated with increased cost-effectiveness of PTAR.

Methods: Pre-operative and six-month post-operative data was obtained over a 90-month period across the two centres receiving adult referrals in the UK.

Digital health and primary care: Past, pandemic and prospects.

This article reflects on the breadth of digital developments seen in primary care over time, as well as the rapid and significant changes prompted by the COVID-19 crisis. Recent research and experience have shone further light on factors influencing the implementation and usefulness of these approaches, as well as unresolved challenges and unintended consequences. These are considered in relation to not only digital technology and infrastructure, but also wider aspects of health systems, the nature of primary care work and culture, patient characteristics and inequalities, and ethical issues around data privacy, inclusion, empowerment, empathy and trust.

Evaluating Polygenic Risk Scores for Breast Cancer in Women of African Ancestry.

Background: Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) have been demonstrated to identify women of European, Asian, and Latino ancestry at elevated risk of developing breast cancer (BC). We evaluated the performance of existing PRSs trained in European ancestry populations among women of African ancestry.

Methods: We assembled genotype data for women of African ancestry, including 9241 case subjects and 10 193 control subjects.

Validation of markerless strain-field optical tracking approach for soft tissue mechanical assessment.

Strain measurement during tissue deformation is crucial to elucidate relationships between mechanical loading and functional changes in biological tissues. When combined with specified loading conditions, assessment of strain fields can be used to craft models that accurately represent the mechanical behavior of soft tissue. Inhomogeneities in strain fields may be indicative of normal or pathological inhomogeneities in mechanical properties.

Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting (MACS): A Useful Sperm-Selection Technique in Cases of High Levels of Sperm DNA Fragmentation.

Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) can be used to separate apoptotic sperm with high proportions of fragmented DNA from the rest, thus improving the overall quality of the seminal sample. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the efficiency of the MACS technique to increase reproductive outcomes in patients with high levels of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm-injection (ICSI) cycles. In this study, we analyzed a total of 724 assisted-reproduction-technique (ART) cycles that were divided into two groups: the study group ( = 366) in which the MACS selection technique was performed after density-gradient centrifugation (DGC), and the control group ( = 358) in which only DGC was used for sperm selection.

Consent in forefoot surgery; What does it mean to the patient?

Aims: This study aimed to assess patient risk recall and find risk thresholds for patients undergoing elective forefoot procedures.

Methods: Patients were interviewed in the pre-assessment clinic (PAC) or on day of surgery (DOS); some in both settings. A standardised questionnaire was used for all interviews, regardless of setting.

Endometriosis and Reproduction: What We Have Learned.

Endometriosis, despite only affecting 10-15% of women of fertile age, is still an enigmatic disease. Recent developments in assisted reproductive technology have contributed to a better understanding of where and how endometriosis could compromise fertility. In this mini-review we will show how the main point of damage in endometriosis is quantitative impairment of the ovaries, if the "less is more" mantra should be applied when considering ovarian surgery, and when fertility preservation prior to ovarian surgery could be considered.