A unified framework for diagnostic test development and evaluation during outbreaks of emerging infections.

Evaluating diagnostic test accuracy during epidemics is difficult due to an urgent need for test availability, changing disease prevalence and pathogen characteristics, and constantly evolving testing aims and applications. Based on lessons learned during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we introduce a framework for rapid diagnostic test development, evaluation, and validation during outbreaks of emerging infections. The framework is based on the feedback loop between test accuracy evaluation, modelling studies for public health decision-making, and impact of public health interventions.

Stress and the City: Mental Health in Urbanized vs. Rural Areas in Salzburg, Austria.

Background: Living in the city is associated with a higher risk of suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression. Due to an increase of migration to the city, the association between mental health and city life is highly relevant to society.

Methods: We analyzed data of 9573 participants (Ø 55.

Including educational status may improve cardiovascular risk calculations such as SCORE2.

Background: The association between education and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has been well described for decades. Nevertheless, most cardiovascular risk models, including SCORE2, still do not take educational status into account even if this factor is easily assessed and costs nothing to acquire. Using carotid plaques as a proxy for ASCVD, we analysed educational status as associated with carotid plaque development, to determine if the relationship remains, how it relates to traditional risk factors and, how it impacts the European cardiovascular risk model, SCORE2.

Causal Inference for Continuous Multiple Time Point Interventions.

There are limited options to estimate the treatment effects of variables which are continuous and measured at multiple time points, particularly if the true dose-response curve should be estimated as closely as possible. However, these situations may be of relevance: in pharmacology, one may be interested in how outcomes of people living with-and treated for-HIV, such as viral failure, would vary for time-varying interventions such as different drug concentration trajectories. A challenge for doing causal inference with continuous interventions is that the positivity assumption is typically violated.

Investigating the Added Value of Beck's Depression Inventory in Atherosclerosis Prediction: Lessons from Paracelsus 10,000.

Depression is the most common mental illness worldwide and generates an enormous health and economic burden. Furthermore, it is known to be associated with an elevated risk of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD), particularly stroke. However, it is not a factor reflected in many ASCVD risk models, including SCORE2.

Analysis of fibrin networks using topological data analysis - a feasibility study.

Blood clot formation, a crucial process in hemostasis and thrombosis, has garnered substantial attention for its implications in various medical conditions. Microscopic examination of blood clots provides vital insights into their composition and structure, aiding in the understanding of clot pathophysiology and the development of targeted therapeutic strategies. This study explores the use of topological data analysis (TDA) to assess plasma clot characteristics microscopically, focusing on the identification of the elements components, holes and Wasserstein distances.

Outpatient management of prolonged seizures and seizure clusters to prevent progression to a higher-level emergency: Consensus recommendations of an expert working group.

Objective: The management of prolonged seizures (PS) and seizure clusters (SC) is impeded by the lack of international, evidence-based guidance. We aimed to develop expert recommendations regarding consensus definitions of PS, SC, and treatment goals to prevent progression to higher-level emergencies such as status epilepticus (SE).

Methods: An expert working group, comprising 12 epileptologists, neurologists, and pharmacologists from Europe and North America, used a modified Delphi consensus methodology to develop and anonymously vote on statements.

Assessment of subjective well-being of healthcare workers in response to heat and personal protective equipment under controlled conditions using a standardized protocol.

Background: Due to climate change, the increasing frequency of hot summer days and heat waves can result in occupational heat strain, especially in non-air-conditioned workplaces. Healthcare workers (HCW) engaged in patient care are particularly affected, as they are additionally exposed to physical stress. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) can aggravate heat strain in HCW.

Thrombosis prophylaxis following trauma.

Purpose Of Review: This review explores the persistent occurrence of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in major trauma patients despite standard thrombosis prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) or unfractionated heparin (UFH). It investigates the inadequacies of standard pharmacologic prophylaxis and proposes alternative approaches not covered in current trauma guidelines.

Recent Findings: Recent studies highlight the effectiveness of monitoring and adjusting subcutaneous LMWH doses based on anti-Xa levels for the purpose of reducing VTE in trauma patients.

Comparative Analysis of Instrumental Variables on the Assignment of Buprenorphine/Naloxone or Methadone for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder.

Background: Instrumental variable (IV) analysis provides an alternative set of identification assumptions in the presence of uncontrolled confounding when attempting to estimate causal effects. Our objective was to evaluate the suitability of measures of prescriber preference and calendar time as potential IVs to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of buprenorphine/naloxone versus methadone for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD).

Methods: Using linked population-level health administrative data, we constructed five IVs: prescribing preference at the individual, facility, and region levels (continuous and categorical variables), calendar time, and a binary prescriber's preference IV in analyzing the treatment assignment-treatment discontinuation association using both incident-user and prevalent-new-user designs.

Which terms should be used to describe medications used in the treatment of seizure disorders? An ILAE position paper.

A variety of terms, such as "antiepileptic," "anticonvulsant," and "antiseizure" have been historically applied to medications for the treatment of seizure disorders. Terminology is important because using terms that do not accurately reflect the action of specific treatments may result in a misunderstanding of their effects and inappropriate use. The present International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) position paper used a Delphi approach to develop recommendations on English-language terminology applicable to pharmacological agents currently approved for treating seizure disorders.

Radial nerve motor palsy after COVID vaccination: A case report.

Vaccinations are one of the most effective ways in primary prevention of infectious diseases. Due to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, an extensive public discussion considering possible side effects has been started. In this report, we present a patient with a radial nerve motor palsy after a vaccination with tozinameran (Comirnaty®).

Sustained effort network for treatment of status epilepticus/European academy of neurology registry on adult refractory status epilepticus (SENSE-II/AROUSE).

Background: Status Epilepticus (SE) is a common neurological emergency associated with a high rate of functional decline and mortality. Large randomized trials have addressed the early phases of treatment for convulsive SE. However, evidence regarding third-line anesthetic treatment and the treatment of nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is scarce.

Effects of heat and personal protective equipment on thermal strain in healthcare workers: part B-application of wearable sensors to observe heat strain among healthcare workers under controlled conditions.

Purpose: As climate change accelerates, healthcare workers (HCW) are expected to be more frequently exposed to heat at work. Heat stress can be exacerbated by physical activity and unfavorable working requirements, such as wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Thus, understanding its potential negative effects on HCW´s health and working performance is becoming crucial.

Staged treatment response in status epilepticus: Lessons from the SENSE registry.

Objectives: Although in epilepsy patients the likelihood of becoming seizure-free decreases substantially with each unsuccessful treatment, to our knowledge this has been poorly investigated in status epilepticus (SE). We aimed to evaluate the proportion of SE cessation and functional outcome after successive treatment steps.

Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of a prospective, observational, multicenter cohort (Sustained Effort Network for treatment of Status Epilepticus [SENSE]), in which 1049 incident adult SE episodes were prospectively recorded at nine European centers.

Aetiology, ejection fraction and mortality in chronic heart failure: a mediation analysis.

Objective: Clinical decision making in chronic heart failure (CHF) is based primarily on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and only secondarily on aetiology of the underlying disease. Our aim was to investigate the mediating role of LVEF in the relationship between aetiology and mortality.

Methods: Using data of 2056 Austrian patients with CHF (mean age 57.

The platelet transcriptome and proteome in Alzheimer's disease and aging: an exploratory cross-sectional study.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and aging are associated with platelet hyperactivity. However, the mechanisms underlying abnormal platelet function in AD and aging are yet poorly understood. To explore the molecular profile of AD and aged platelets, we investigated platelet activation (i.

Inverse Association between Educational Status and Coronary CT Calcium Scores: Should We Reflect This in Our ASCVD Risk Assumptions?

Education is not a factor included in most cardiovascular risk models, including SCORE2. However, higher education has been associated with lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Using CACS as a proxy for ASCVD, we studied the association between CACS and educational status.

A global survey on the attitudes of neurologists and psychiatrists about functional/psychogenic/dissociative/nonepileptic-seizures/attacks, in the search of its name.

Purpose: We conducted an observational study to investigate the opinions of neurologists and psychiatrists all around the world who are taking care of patients with seizures [epilepsy and functional seizures (FS)].

Methods: Practicing neurologists and psychiatrists from around the world were invited to participate in an online survey. On 29th September 2022, an e-mail including a questionnaire was sent to the members of the International Research in Epilepsy (IR-Epil) Consortium.

Optimizing outcomes in heart failure: 2022 and beyond.

Although the development of therapies and tools for the improved management of heart failure (HF) continues apace, day-to-day management in clinical practice is often far from ideal. A Cardiovascular Round Table workshop was convened by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) to identify barriers to the optimal implementation of therapies and guidelines and to consider mitigation strategies to improve patient outcomes in the future. Key challenges identified included the complexity of HF itself and its treatment, financial constraints and the perception of HF treatments as costly, failure to meet the needs of patients, suboptimal outpatient management, and the fragmented nature of healthcare systems.

Effective contact tracing for COVID-19: A systematic review.

Contact tracing is commonly recommended to control outbreaks of COVID-19, but its effectiveness is unclear. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched four databases using a range of terms related to contact tracing effectiveness for COVID-19. We found 343 papers; 32 were included.

Dissecting the Spectrum of Stroke Risk Factors in an Apparently Healthy Population: Paving the Roadmap to Primary Stroke Prevention.

We aimed to investigate, for the first time, the spectrum of stroke risk factors specific to the population of the Republic of Moldova. The subjects were examined according to a pre-established protocol of risk factor estimation. The study involved 300 subjects, including 60% women and 40% men, with a mean age of 49.

Telemedicine for Individuals with epilepsy: Recommendations from the International League Against Epilepsy Telemedicine Task Force.

Worldwide, People with Epilepsy (PWE) are confronted with several barriers to face-to-face consultations. These obstacles hamper appropriate clinical follow-up and also increase the treatment gap for Epilepsy. Telemedicine holds the potential to enhance management as follow-up visits for PWE are focused on more on clinical history and counselling rather than physical examination.