Empowered or challenged? The dual impact of condition-specific electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in the person-centred care of women with breast cancer: A qualitative study.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate patients' experiences with electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (ePROMs) during follow-up consultations with registered nurses and surgeons in breast cancer care.

Methods: A qualitative approach was employed, using focused ethnography with participant observations during patient consultations at a Plastic and Breast Surgery outpatient clinic, followed by individual interviews with the patients. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke.

Mentorship in medical education: reflections on the importance of both unofficial and official mentorship programs.

Mentorship, consisting of its official and unofficial forms, transforms medical trainees into competent and well-rounded physicians. In this commentary, we reflected on existing mentorship programs at the McMaster School of Medicine, highlighted lessons from a new peer-based mentorship program, and revisited the benefits of integrating diverse mentorship styles to enhance medical education.

A comprehensive head-to-head comparison of key plasma phosphorylated tau 217 biomarker tests.

Plasma phosphorylated-tau 217 (p-tau217) is currently the most promising biomarker for reliable detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Various p-tau217 assays have been developed, but their relative performance is unclear. We compared key plasma p-tau217 tests using cross-sectional and longitudinal measures of amyloid-β (Aβ)-PET, tau-PET, and cognition as outcomes, and benchmarked them against cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker tests.

Actuator Size of Magnetic Controlled Growth Rod (7 cm vs. 9 cm) is Not Predictive of Unplanned Return to the Operating Room: A Retrospective Multicenter Comparative Cohort Study.

Background: Magnetic controlled growth rods (MCGR) are the most common type of implant used for operative treatment of patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS). Rods can have either a 7-cm actuator, allowing 2.8 cm of potential expansion, or a 9-cm actuator which allows 4.

Management of Coronary Artery Diseases in Systemic Vasculitides: Complications and Strategies.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) presents a significant risk for patients with systemic vasculitides, a group of disorders characterized by the inflammation of blood vessels. In this review, we focus on the pathophysiological mechanisms, complications, and management strategies for CAD in systemic vasculitides. We highlight how the inflammatory processes inherent in vasculitis contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia.

Modification of 316L Stainless Steel, Nickel Titanium, and Cobalt Chromium Surfaces by Irreversible Immobilization of Fibronectin: Towards Improving the Coronary Stent Biocompatibility.

An extracellular matrix protein, fibronectin (Fn), was covalently immobilized on 316L stainless steel, L605 cobalt chromium (CoCr), and nickel titanium (NiTi) surfaces through an 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) pre-formed on these surfaces. Polarization modulation infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) confirmed the presence of Fn on the surfaces. The Fn monolayer attached to the SAM was found to be stable under fluid shear stress.

Hymecromone Promotes Longevity and Insulin Sensitivity in Mice.

Given that the extracellular matrix polymer hyaluronan (HA) has been implicated in longevity, we asked whether 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU), an inhibitor of HA synthesis, impacts lifespan in mice. We designed a prospective study of long-term administration of 4-MU with conventional C57BL/6J mice. We find that 4-MU extends median survival from 122 weeks (control) to 154 weeks (4-MU), an increase of 32 weeks ( < 0.

Complicated Pneumonia in a Child: Hydropneumothorax Associated with MIS-C and GAS Superinfection.

A hydropneumothorax is an uncommon complication of pneumonia, particularly in pediatric patients, and typically arises secondary to conditions such as malignancies, esophageal-pleural fistula, thoracic trauma, or thoracocentesis. While pneumothorax is rarely reported in adults with COVID-19 and is even less common in children, isolated cases have been noted in those with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). A recent alert has also been issued about increased Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections in Europe.

Deciphering the mechanism of γ-cyclodextrin's hydrophobic cavity hydration: an integrated experimental and theoretical study.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are host systems with inherent capability for inclusion complex formation with various molecular entities, mostly hydrophobic substances. Host CDs are highly accommodative to water molecules as well and usually contain water in the native state. There is still an ongoing discussion on both the total number of water molecules and their preferred binding position inside the cavities of the CDs.

The association between teacher distress and student mental health outcomes: a cross-sectional study using data from the school mental health survey.

Background: Few studies have examined the inter-relationships between teacher and student mental health. We aimed to examine associations between teacher distress and student mental health difficulties and if student perceptions of school safety moderate these associations.

Method: Data from 23,568 students in grades 6-12 and 1,478 teachers from 268 schools participating in the School Mental Health Surveys in Ontario, Canada, were used.

Multiferroic and Phonon Properties of the Double Perovskite PrFeAlO.

With the help of a microscopic model and Green's function technique, we studied the multiferroic and phonon properties of the recently reported new multiferroic PrFeAlO (PFAO) compound, which belongs to the double perovskite ABB'O family. The magnetization decreases with the increase in temperature and disappears at the ferromagnetic Curie temperature TCFM. The polarization increases with the application of an external magnetic field, indicating strong magnetoelectric coupling and confirming the multiferroic behavior of PFAO.

A proof-of-concept study of a prototype needle that mitigates intraocular pressure rise following intravitreal injection.

Purpose: To determine the feasibility of a prototype needle that enhances vitreous reflux (VR) to control intraocular pressure (IOP) in intravitreal injection (IVI).

Methods: We created an eye model to compare IVI using a standard 30-G needle with four different versions of a 30-G prototype needle with one to four surface grooves that enhanced VR. We injected 50, 70, and 100 µl saline through porcine sclera or 460-µm-thick rubber and measured the peak and 3-second pressure before we extracted the needle and measured the 10-second pressure.

Polymer-Based Extracting Materials in the Green Recycling of Rare Earth Elements: A Review.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are becoming increasingly important in the development of modern and green energy technologies with the demand for REEs predicted to grow in the foreseeable future. The importance of REEs lies in their unique physiochemical properties, which cannot be reproduced using other elements. REEs are sourced through mining, with global exploration of additional commercially viable mining sites still ongoing.

Differential modulation of mutant CALR and JAK2 V617F-driven oncogenesis by HLA genotype in myeloproliferative neoplasms.

It has been demonstrated previously that human leukocyte antigen class I () and class II () alleles may modulate JAK2 V617F and CALR mutation (CALRmut)-associated oncogenesis in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). However, the role of immunogenetic factors in MPNs remains underexplored. We aimed to investigate the potential involvement of genes in CALRmut+ MPNs.

Microvascular Decompression: An Effective Approach for Trigeminal Neuralgia Caused by a Dolichoectatic Basilar Artery after Multiple Treatment Failures.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), characterized by recurrent episodes of intense facial pain, poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. TN can be triggered by many factors, with rare cases (< 0.05% of the general population) associated with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD).

Mechanical properties of freestanding few-layer graphene/boron nitride/polymer heterostacks investigated with local and non-local techniques.

van der Waals two-dimensional materials and heterostructures combined with polymer films continue to attract research attention to elucidate their functionality and potential applications. This study presents the fabrication and mechanical testing of 2D material heterostacks, consisting of few-layer boron nitride and graphene heterostructures synthesized chemical vapor deposition, capped with a polymethyl methacrylate layer and suspended across ∼200 μm wide trenches using a combined wet-dry transfer method. The mechanical characterization of the heterostacks was performed using two independent approaches: (a) non-local testing with a custom-built tensile testing platform and (b) local load-displacement testing employing atomic force microscopy probes, complemented by finite element simulations.