A probabilistic approach to estimating timber harvest location.

Determining the harvest location of timber is crucial to enforcing international regulations designed to protect natural resources and to tackle illegal logging and associated trade in forest products. Stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) can be used to verify claims of timber harvest location by matching levels of naturally occurring stable isotopes within wood tissue to location-specific ratios predicted from reference data ("isoscapes"). However, overly simple models for predicting isoscapes have so far limited the confidence in derived predictions of timber provenance.

Comparative performance of risk prediction indices for mortality or readmission following heart failure hospitalization.

Aims: Risk prediction indices used in worsening heart failure (HF) vary in complexity, performance, and the type of datasets in which they were validated. We compared the performance of seven risk prediction indices in a contemporary cohort of patients hospitalized for HF.

Methods And Results: We assessed the performance of the Length of stay and number of Emergency department visits in the prior 6 months (LE), Length of stay, number of Emergency department visits in the prior 6 months, and admission N-Terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP (LENT), Length of stay, Acuity, Charlson co-morbidity index, and number of Emergency department visits in the prior 6 months (LACE), Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure (GWTG), Readmission Risk Score (RRS), Enhanced Feedback for Effective Cardiac Treatment model (EFFECT), and Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry (ADHERE) risk indices among consecutive patients hospitalized for HF and discharged alive from January 2017 to December 2019 in a network of hospitals in England.

Effects of upper extremity blood flow restriction training on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Low load resistance training with blood flow restriction (LL-BFRT) has been shown to improve muscle strength and hypertrophic function. The effect of LL-BFRT on lower extremity muscle improvement has been widely discussed. However, no studies have discussed the effect of this training method on the upper extremity muscles until now.

Diagnostic accuracy of MRI-based radiomic features for EGFR mutation status in non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases: a meta-analysis.

Objective: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based radiomic features for predicting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for studies published up to April 30, 2024. We included those studies that utilized MRI-based radiomic features to detect EGFR mutations in NSCLC patients with brain metastases.

Assessing UK patients' knowledge of anaesthetists and anaesthesia.

Background: Previous UK studies found that only 50-67% of patients are aware that anaesthetists are qualified doctors, and public knowledge of anaesthetists' roles was poor. This study aimed to assess patients' knowledge of anaesthetists and anaesthesia, to identify if there has been any improvement over the past two decades. A secondary aim was to determine if exposure to anaesthetists during day case surgery improved patient knowledge.

Quantifying the diverse contributions of hierarchical muscle interactions to motor function.

The muscle synergy concept suggests that the human motor system is organized into functional modules composed of muscles "" toward common task goals. This study offers a nuanced computational perspective to muscle synergies, where muscles interacting across multiple scales have functionally similar, complementary, and independent roles. Making this viewpoint implicit to a methodological approach applying Partial Information Decomposition to large-scale muscle activations, we unveiled nested networks of functionally diverse inter- and intramuscular interactions with distinct functional consequences on task performance.

Connectional differences between humans and macaques in the MT+ complex.

MT+ is pivotal in the dorsal visual stream, encoding tool-use characteristics such as motion speed and direction. Despite its conservation between humans and monkeys, differences in MT+ spatial location and organization may lead to divergent, yet unexplored, connectivity patterns and functional characteristics. Using diffusion tensor imaging, we examined the structural connectivity of MT+ subregions in macaques and humans.

Algorithmic profiling as a source of hermeneutical injustice.

It is well-established that algorithms can be instruments of injustice. It is less frequently discussed, however, how current modes of AI deployment often make the very discovery of injustice difficult, if not impossible. In this article, we focus on the effects of algorithmic profiling on epistemic agency.

Navigating the wild west: a review of guidance on clinical communications using personal BYOD, IM and third-party apps in the UK and Ireland.

Introduction: The ubiquity of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) personal smartphones, Instant Messaging (IM), and third-party apps, has made these technologies compelling for efficient communications between clinicians regarding patient care. However, the sensitivity of patient-related information necessitates secure, GDPR compliant modalities that prevent unauthorised access and ensure confidentiality. This scoping review explores existing guidelines, policies, and regulations that advise clinicians in the UK and Ireland on the secure use of these digital communication tools.

Association between penicillin allergy labels and serious adverse events in hospitalized patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: To date, several studies have demonstrated that erroneous labeling of Penicillin allergy (PAL) can significantly impact treatment options and result in adverse clinical outcomes, while other studies have reported no negative effects. Therefore, to systematically evaluate these effects and investigate the association between adverse clinical outcomes and the Penicillin label, we conducted this meta-analysis.

Method: Searches were conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from inception to 13 July 2024.

Critical appraisal of methodological quality and completeness of reporting in Chinese social science systematic reviews with meta-analysis: A systematic review.

Background: A systematic review is a type of literature review that uses rigorous methods to synthesize evidence from multiple studies on a specific topic. It is widely used in academia, including medical and social science research. Social science is an academic discipline that focuses on human behaviour and society.

Co-designing a film showcasing the dental experiences of community returners (ex-offenders).

Background: The oral health of over 90,000 individuals in UK prisons is four times worse than the general population. A recent scoping review on the oral health of prisoners inside the justice system highlighted the lack of research about what happens when they transition out of prison to become community returners.

Objectives: To co-design a film to showcase the dental experiences of community returners before and after they transition out of prison, change perceptions and inform oral health research priorities.

From pilot study to practice: Integrating medical students into COVID-19 contact tracing in a hospital setting.

This paper addresses a timely and significant issue in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact tracing played a crucial role in reducing transmission rates. The challenges faced in inpatient settings are valuable to explore.

Machine Learning-Based Prediction of Binge Drinking among Adults in the United State: Analysis of the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey.

Little is known about the association of social media and belief in alcohol and cancer with binge drinking. This study aimed to perform feature selection and develop machine learning (ML) tools to predict occurrence of binge drinking among adults in the United State. A total of 5,886 adults including 1,252 who ever experienced with binge drinking were selected from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6).

Long term health outcomes in people with diabetes 12 months after hospitalisation with COVID-19 in the UK: a prospective cohort study.

Background: People with diabetes are at increased risk of hospitalisation, morbidity, and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Long-term outcomes for people with diabetes previously hospitalised with COVID-19 are, however, unknown. This study aimed to determine the longer-term physical and mental health effects of COVID-19 in people with and without diabetes.

Safety and effects of anti-obesity medications on weight loss, cardiometabolic, and psychological outcomes in people living with overweight or obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Overweight and obesity pose serious health challenges for individuals and societies. This study aims to facilitate personalised treatment of obesity by summarising recent research on weight-loss pharmacotherapies, with a focus on their effects on weight reduction, cardiometabolic health, psychological outcomes, and adverse events.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis included searches of Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to June 8, 2024.

Comparative efficacy of neuroprotective agents for improving neurological function and prognosis in acute ischemic stroke: a network meta-analysis.

Background: Ischemic stroke is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of combined disability and mortality globally. While reperfusion therapies play a critical role in the management of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), their applicability is limited, leaving many patients with significant neurological deficits and poor prognoses. Neuroprotective agents have garnered attention for their potential as adjunct therapies; however, their relative efficacy remains unclear.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux-related chronic cough: can new tools improve patient assessment?

https://bit.ly/41woxTD.

Role of pulmonary rehabilitation in extracellular matrix protein expression in vastus lateralis muscle in atrophic and nonatrophic patients with COPD.

Background: In response to exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), the type of muscle fibre remodelling differs between COPD patients with peripheral muscle wasting (atrophic patients with COPD) and those without wasting (nonatrophic patients with COPD). Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are major constituents of the cell micro-environment steering cell behaviour and regeneration. We investigated whether the composition of ECM in atrophic compared to nonatrophic patients with COPD differs in response to PR.

Receiver design for the REACH global 21-cm signal experiment.

We detail the REACH radiometric system designed to enable measurements of the 21-cm neutral hydrogen line. Included is the radiometer architecture and end-to-end system simulations as well as a discussion of the challenges intrinsic to highly-calibratable system development. Following this, we share laboratory results based on the calculation of noise wave parameters utilising an over-constrained least squares approach.

Sustainable management of riverine NO emission baselines.

The riverine NO fluxes are assumed to linearly increase with nitrate loading. However, this linear relationship with a uniform EF is poorly constrained, which impedes the NO estimation and mitigation. Our meta-analysis discovered a universal NO emission baseline (EF = k/[NO ], k = 0.

Association of the Triglyceride-Glucose Index and Obesity Indicators with Multiple Chronic Diseases: A Longitudinal Cohort Study Based on CHARLS.

Objective: To explore the relationship between triglyceride glucose (TyG) and the obesity combined indexes and the occurrence of multiple chronic diseases (MCD), which will help to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of this condition.

Methods: 3037 participants in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which was conducted from 2011 to 2015 were selected for this study. They were divided into four groups (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) based on the quartiles of TyG, TyG-BMI, TyGWC and TyGWHtR in the baseline data.

Exploring the experiences of children's palliative care for forced migrant families in the United Kingdom: an interpretative phenomenological study.

Introduction: This study focused on understanding the experiences of forced migrant families and the health care professionals who care for them within palliative care. Palliative care for children requires an active, holistic approach to care, with a focus upon improving quality of life. Forced migrant families encounter a range of additional challenges including the loss of family, belongings, and all sources of familiarity and support.

The effect of gut microbiome-targeted therapies in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: The incidence of NAFLD is increasing. Preclinical evidences indicate that modulation of the gut microbiome could be a promising target in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Method: A systematic review and network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effect of probiotics, synbiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplant, and antibiotics on the liver-enzyme, metabolic effects and liver-specific in patients with NAFLD.