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Objective: To map oral health‐related standard of care in the context of head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment across the European Union (EU). Materials and Methods: Six hundred and ninety centers across the European Union were contacted. The questionnaire contained questions focusing on the team/department structure, HNC treatment planning routines, and assessment and handling of dental treatment needs prior to cancer treatment. Results: Eighty‐seven centers across the EU responded. Department structure and number of HNC patients treated per year varied widely and dental professionals are included as part of the team in about 25% of the centers. Standard of care, in terms of dental assessment and preventive dentistry routines, such as recording an orthopantomogram, offering dental treatment, and providing a radiation protection splint and splint for fluoride application, differed significantly among the European regions. Independent of the region, these aspects are positively affected if dental professionals are part of the interdisciplinary treatment team and if dental treatment is offered within the center. Conclusion: Dental professionals are still only to a very limited extent included in interdisciplinary treatment planning teams of HNC patients. However, their inclusion and/or offering dental treatment within the same hospital/center appears to improve oral health‐related standard of care. Clinical Relevance: Inclusion of dental professionals in treatment planning teams of HNC patients appears to improve oral health‐related standard of care within HNC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to compare the levels of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), salivary, and serum matrix metalloproteinase‐9, interleukin (IL)‐17, IL‐36γ, and IL‐38 in individuals with healthy periodontium, gingivitis, and periodontitis and to evaluate their correlations with clinical periodontal parameters. Materials and Methods: Ninety systemically healthy and nonsmoking volunteers divided into a healthy (H) group (n = 30), a gingivitis (G) group (n = 30), and a periodontitis (P) group (n = 30) were included in this study. Clinical periodontal parameters of volunteers were recorded, and GCF, unstimulated saliva, and serum samples were collected. Data analysis was done with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Bonferroni correction were used for multiple comparisons and post hoc statistical analyses. Results: The group H had significantly lower clinical parameters than the group P (p < 0.001). GCF and salivary IL‐36γ and IL‐38 levels were significantly higher in the group P than in the H and G groups (p < 0.05). Positive correlations between biochemical findings and clinical periodontal parameters were observed. Conclusions: IL‐36γ and IL‐38 levels in GCF, saliva, and serum correlate with clinical periodontal parameters and may play a role in determining the activity of periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, used to treat childhood hematological malignancies (acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL] and acute myelocytic leukemia [AML]) can negatively affect oral tissues and organs. This study aimed to evaluate the oral health‐related quality of life in children with ALL/AML. Materials and Methods: A total of 99 children, including 49 undergoing ALL/AML (41 with ALL and eight with AML) and 50 healthy volunteers, were included in this cross‐sectional study. The mean age of the entire study group was 78.63 ± 34.41 months. The mean age of the ALL/AML and control groups was 87.12 ± 35.04 and 70.95 ± 34.85 months, respectively. The Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (SOHI), the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT/dmft) index, and the Turkish version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS‐T) were administered to all children. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22.0). The Pearson chi‐square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare demographic data. Results: The age and gender distributions of the two groups were similar. According to ECOHIS‐T, the children in the ALL/AML group had significantly more loss of function (eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.) than those in the control group. Conclusions: Oral health and self‐care were negatively affected by childhood ALL/AML and its treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the estimated prevalence, sociodemographic features and impacts of Bulimia Nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED; BN or BED of low frequency and/or limited duration) when comparing the DSM‐5 with the broader ICD‐11 diagnostic criteria for size and specifiers of binge‐eating episodes in a general population epidemiological sample. Methods: 2977 individuals (1524 women and 1453 men) aged ≥15 years from randomly selected households in South Australia were interviewed in person. Participants were asked questions relating to sociodemographic features, symptoms of eating disorder pathology, physical and mental health‐related quality of life (HRQoL; SF‐12) and role impairment. Results: The estimated prevalence of only one diagnosis, namely BED, was lower when applying DSM‐5 criteria than when applying ICD‐11 criteria, largely due to the Criterion B binge‐eating specifiers of the DSM‐5. There were no significant differences in participants' demographic features, HRQoL, or role impairment between the comparable diagnosis of either scheme. Conclusions: There were few differences in distribution and similar levels of health impacts when applying either diagnostic scheme in this epidemiological study. However, cases of BED may be missed when using the stricter criteria of DSM‐5 in epidemiological surveys. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical utility of the DSM‐5 and ICD‐11 diagnostic specifiers of binge‐eating. Highlights: In a representative sample of the Australian general population the estimated prevalence of BED was significantly lower when applying DSM‐5 criteria than when applying ICD‐11 criteria.The estimated prevalence of BN or OSFED did not differ when applying DSM‐5 criteria or when applying ICD‐11 criteria.Participants with a BN, BED or OSFED diagnosis experienced similar levels of health impacts when either DSM or ICD criteria were applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies on early abstinence suggest that cognitive function is significantly reduced in the first year of abstinence, which raises the question of whether it is relevant to early relapse in patients with substance use disorders. This study investigates the extent to which impairments in executive function and memory predict alcohol relapse in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Understanding these relationships is crucial for improving therapeutic approaches to prevent relapse in patients with AUD. Methods: We selected 116 adult patients (79 male and 37 female) diagnosed with AUD based on DSM‐5 criteria, all of whom were undergoing alcohol detoxification treatment. A comprehensive array of neuropsychological tests was administered to assess global cognition, memory, and executive functions. Patients' alcohol use was monitored monthly during a 6‐month follow‐up period. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used to explore the relationship between cognitive function and the likelihood of alcohol relapse. Results: Impairments in global cognition, semantic and phonemic fluency, cognitive flexibility, and learning ability during detoxification were significant predictors of relapse in AUD patients, showing similar predictive values at both 3 and 6 months post‐treatment. An abnormal Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score increased the risk of relapse by 123% (HR: 2.227), and impairments in both semantic and phonemic fluency each increased the risk by 142% (HR: 2.423). Additionally, abnormal performance on the MoCA, Trail Making Test Part B (TMT‐B), and California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) was associated with a higher number of drinking days at 3 months (IRR: 3.764; IRR: 2.237; IRR: 2.738, respectively) and abnormal MoCA and TMT‐B scores at 6 months (IRR: 2.451; IRR: 1.859, respectively). Conclusions: The MoCA test is a valuable tool for predicting relapse risk in AUD patients undergoing detoxification treatment, with similar predictive value for relapse at 3 or 6 months. Learning ability needs to be assessed and their impairments considered in the treatment of AUD patients. Future research should explore strategies for managing patients with impairments in memory and learning ability to enhance treatment effectiveness and prevent relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To date, there is a lack of data regarding the acceptance of the guidelines for infective endocarditis (IE) prevention among dentists in Italy, and similarly, there are no data on the understanding and compliance of those among dental hygienists (DH). Thus, we tried to assess the ability of DH to recognize and manage categories of patients at high risk of EI, to identify which dental procedures are at increased risk and to assess the level of knowledge of doses and how antibiotic prophylaxis should be administered in specific cases. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was prepared and made accessible online by sharing a Google Forms® link; general personal data and educational background information were collected to obtain a profile of the participants. Results: A total of 362 DH answered to our web‐based survey, showing a prevalent female percentage (86.7%) and the most represented age group of 30–39 years old (43.1%). Regarding the gender differences, there were not overall statistically significant differences; similarly, we did not find any differences regarding the overall number of wrong questions if considering the different ages of the participant and the year of graduation. Graduates in Northern Italy have mistaken fewer questions than graduates in other geographical areas. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest survey about the knowledge of IE for DH ever performed. Because the overprescription of antibiotics contributes to the development of drug resistance, antibiotic stewardship should be at the forefront of patient care. Our data reflect the need for placing a greater emphasis on IE prophylaxis education in training and during continuing professional development events for DH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study examined the association between the number of remaining teeth and the incidence of postoperative respiratory complications in patients undergoing heart valve surgery. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 157 patients who underwent heart valve surgery between April 2010 and March 2019. Data on patient characteristics including systemic and oral conditions were extracted and postoperative respiratory complications were set as outcomes. Patients were divided into two groups according to the number of remaining teeth (≥20, <20). After adjusting for confounding factors with propensity scoring, logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association of remaining teeth number with the incidence of postoperative respiratory complications. In addition, subgroup analysis was performed by stratifying the data into quintiles based on the propensity score. Results: Univariate analysis showed significant differences between the two groups in factors, including age, past cardiac surgery experience, New York Heart Association functional classification class IV, denture use, tooth extraction before surgery, occlusal support, and periodontitis. Logistic regression analysis showed that patients with <20 remaining teeth had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative respiratory complications than those with ≥20 remaining teeth, with an odds ratio of 29.800 (p = 0.004). Subgroup analysis showed that the odds ratio for the patients with <20 remaining teeth was 9.000 (p = 0.038). Conclusions: The results suggest that heart valve surgery patients shall get attention on oral disease prevention by dental care practitioners to maintain a sufficient number of teeth for the prevention of postoperative respiratory complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: It is not clear if an oral hygiene protocol to control biofilm applied before cardiac surgery can reduce infection rates. Objective: We aim to verify the effectiveness of an oral hygiene protocol in reducing postoperative infections when compared to usual practices, in patients admitted to a cardiology unit, prior to cardiac surgery. Design, Setting and Participants: Randomized, blind, controlled clinical trial, with 107 participants who expected to undergo cardiac surgery, randomized into two groups: Experimental Group (EG) standardized oral hygiene protocol (54) and Control Group (CG), usual practices performed in patients admitted (53). Intervention: a standardized oral hygiene protocol, 1 day before surgery: professional prophylaxis with a portable ultrasound device, tooth brushing and flossing plus a 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate solution (0.12% CHX) mouth rinsing. When applicable, removable prostheses cleaning. Primary outcome: the presence of infection. Results: The occurrence of postoperative infection was higher in CG = 7 (13.2%) than in EG = 5 (9.3%); but no statistical difference was found between protocols (p = 0.518). The length of stayed from surgery to discharge presented a statistical difference (p = 0.047; RR = 4.9; CI = 1.01–24.33); the percentage of postoperative infection was almost five times higher in those participants who stayed 11 or more days. Conclusion: The standardized oral hygiene protocol with mechanical and chemical cleaning, 1 day before cardiac surgery, was not more effective than the usual practices performed regarding the reduction of postoperative infections. Other interventions regarding oral hygiene procedures before cardiac surgery must be studied to contribute to the reduction of adverse post‐surgical events. Clinical Trial Registration: Site Ensaclinicos.gov.br number U1111‐1214‐2862. Descriptors Healthcare Associated Infections, Cardiovascular Diseases, Periodontal Diseases, Dental Biofilm, Cardiovascular Surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although lung expansion therapy with positive end‐expiratory pressure (PEEP) following heart surgery is associated with positive clinical outcomes, whether such therapy can improve oxygenation and diminish the occurrence of lung complications when performed during heart surgery with extracorporeal circulation (ECC) is not yet clear. Objective: Analyze the impact of lung expansion therapy with PEEP at 20 cmH2O for 60 s during elective heart surgery. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted. The experimental group (EG) (n = 27) received PEEP at 20 cmH2O for 60 s during heart surgery at the moment in which ECC was ended. No intraoperative maneuver was performed in the control group (CG) (n = 15). Results: The incidence of atelectasis upon hospitalization and the pre‐maneuver oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) were similar between the groups. A lower incidence of atelectasis in the immediate postoperative period (7.4%, p = 0.03) and shorter time on noninvasive mechanical ventilation (TNIMV) (5.78 ± 2.54, p = 0.01) were found in the EG compared with the CG. Conclusions: The application of PEEP at 20 cmH2O for 60 s during heart surgery reduces the incidence of atelectasis in the immediate postoperative period and shortens the TNIMV. This maneuver proved to be safe, with no adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Luminal esophageal temperature (LET) monitoring during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is widely used to reduce the incidence of endoscopically detected esophageal lesion (EDEL). We sought to assess whether specific patterns of LET variation are associated with EDEL. Methods: A high‐fidelity multisensor probe was used to record LET in AF patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or cryoballoon ablation (CBA). Explainable machine learning and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis were used to predict EDEL and assess feature importance. Results: A total of 94 patients (38.3% persistent AF, 71.3% male, 72 RFA, and 22 CBA) were included. EDEL was detected in 11 patients (10 RFA and one CBA). In the RFA group, the highest LET recorded was similar between patients with and without EDEL (40.6 [40.1–41]°C vs. 40.2 [39.1–40.9]°C; p =.313), however, the rate of LET rise for the highest recorded peak was higher (0.08 [0.03–0.12]°C/s vs. 0.02 [0.01–0.05]°C/s; p =.033), and the area under the curve (AUC) for the highest peak was smaller (412.5 [206.8–634.1] vs. 588.6 [380.4–861.1]; p =.047) in patients who had EDEL. In case of CBA, the patient with EDEL had a faster LET decline (0.12 vs. 0.07 [0.02–0.14]°C/s), and a smaller AUC for the lowest trough (2491.3 vs. 2629.3 [1712.6–5283.2]). SHAP analysis revealed that a rate of LET change higher than 0.05°C/s and an AUC less than 600 were more predictive of EDEL in RFA. Conclusion: The rate of LET change and AUC for the recorded temperature predicted EDEL, whereas absolute peak temperatures did not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sepsis, a syndrome of organ dysfunction caused by an unregulated host response to infection. This study aimed to develop a novel sepsis diagnostic model of hematological parameters and evaluate its effectiveness in the early identification and prognosis of sepsis in emergency departments. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in Emergency Department. Cell population data parameters related to monocytes and neutrophils were obtained using the Mindary BC‐6800 plus hematology analyzer. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the performance of the parameters and establish a diagnostic and prognostic model of sepsis, which was then verified with a validation cohort. Results: Mon_XW exhibited the best diagnostic performance (area under the ROC curve [AUC] = 0.848, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.810–0.885, p < 0.001), followed by Neu_Y and Neu_YW (AUC = 0.777 95% CI: 0.730–0.824, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis identified Mon_XW and Neu_Y as independent predictors, which were used to establish a diagnostic model named hematological parameter for sepsis (HPS). HPS demonstrated the best diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.862 (95% CI: 0.826–0.898, p < 0.001), sensitivity of 70.0%, and specificity of 87.1%, compared to C‐reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). The validation cohort also found that the positive predictive value of HPS was 70.4% and the negative predictive value was 92.2%. Conclusion: The developed HPS model showed promising diagnostic efficacy for sepsis in the emergency department, which outperformed CRP and PCT in terms of sensitivity and specificity. By enabling early identification and prognosis of sepsis, that contributes to reducing sepsis‐related mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The STOMP (stopping over‐medication of people with a learning disability, autism or both with psychotropic medicines) initiative and NICE guidelines regarding the management of challenging behaviour in adults with intellectual disability (ID) promote the use of non‐pharmacological approaches ahead of medication, with an emphasis also on reducing dosage or stopping medication where appropriate. Here the authors report on the findings of a service evaluation looking at how often a community intellectual disability psychiatry clinic initiates non‐pharmacological approaches in cases referred for challenging behaviour, and importantly whether this impacts the dosages of medication subsequently prescribed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which aimed to evaluate older adult cost savings from student pharmacist-assisted Medicare Part D plan comparisons. Cited are the method used to recruit subjects as well as the characteristics of study participants, the potential of lower cost medications to improve medication adherence and health outcomes, and the ability of plan comparisons to enhance the pharmacy students' geriatric pharmacotherapy education and skills.

Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is a persistent public health problem in Tanzania. The current approach for its management is nutrition counselling. However, there has been no commercial production of ready‐to‐use supplementary foods for the management of MAM in the country but rather imported from companies outside the country. The objective of the study was to determine the ability of a ready‐to‐use food supplementation versus corn soya blend (CSB+) to manage MAM. The randomised controlled trial employed three parallel arm approach. The first arm received CSB+ and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counselling, the second arm received ready‐to‐use food (RUF) and IYCF counselling and the third arm, a control group, received IYCF as standard care for three consecutive months. Results indicated that the overall proportion of children who recovered from MAM was 65.6%. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the proportion of children who recovered from MAM between the three arms (CSB+, RUF and standard care). Results revealed further a high recovery rate of 83.7% in the RUF arm, followed by 71.9% in the CSB+ arm and 41% in the standard care arm. The risk differences for RUF compared with CSB+ and standard care were 11.8% and 42.7%, respectively. RUFs can be used as an alternative supplement to conventional CSB+ for the management of MAM in children and, thus, has the potential to scale up its use to address the problem of MAM among 6 to 59 months' children. Key messages: Moderate acute malnutrition can progress to the severe form, which is a life‐threatening condition if not well managed.Chronic undernutrition, in turn, can have an impact on the nutritional status of future generations, tending to result in 'intergenerational growth failure', a cycle of poor diet that continues throughout generations with lifelong implications.Supplementary foods can be formulated from locally available ingredients that are accessible, cheap and can deliver the required amounts of nutrients essential for the effective recovery of children with MAM.Supplementation of RUFs is more effective in treating MAM when compared to other conventional supplementation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anorexia nervosa is associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) and deficits in bone microarchitecture and strength. Low BMD is common in atypical anorexia nervosa, in which criteria for anorexia nervosa are met except for low weight. We investigated whether women with atypical anorexia nervosa have deficits in bone microarchitecture and estimated strength at the peripheral skeleton. Method: Measures of BMD and microarchitecture were obtained in 28 women with atypical anorexia nervosa and 27 controls, aged 21–46 years. Results: Mean tibial volumetric BMD, cortical thickness, and failure load were lower, and radial trabecular number and separation impaired, in atypical anorexia nervosa versus controls (p <.05). Adjusting for weight, deficits in tibial cortical bone variables persisted (p <.05). Women with atypical anorexia nervosa and amenorrhea had lower volumetric BMD and deficits in microarchitecture and failure load versus those with eumenorrhea and controls. Those with a history of overweight/obesity or fracture had deficits in bone microarchitecture versus controls. Tibial deficits were particularly marked. Less lean mass and longer disease duration were associated with deficits in high‐resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR‐pQCT) variables in atypical anorexia nervosa. Discussion: Women with atypical anorexia nervosa have lower volumetric BMD and deficits in bone microarchitecture and strength at the peripheral skeleton versus controls, independent of weight, and particularly at the tibia. Women with atypical anorexia nervosa and amenorrhea, less lean mass, longer disease duration, history of overweight/obesity, or fracture history may be at higher risk. This is salient as deficits in HR‐pQCT variables are associated with increased fracture risk. Public Significance: Atypical anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disorder in which psychological criteria for anorexia nervosa are met despite weight being in the normal range. We demonstrate that despite weight in the normal range, women with atypical anorexia nervosa have impaired bone density, structure, and strength compared to healthy controls. Whether this translates to an increased risk of incident fracture in this population requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of the study was to analyze objective and subjective olfactory/gustatory function in post‐COVID‐19 infection (PCI). Materials and Methods: Patients with past PCR‐confirmed COVID‐19 infection and persistent olfactory/gustatory complaints were investigated. Olfactory threshold and identification, gustatory detection, identification, and magnitude scaling were tested. Results: A total of 42 PCI subjects were compared to 41 age‐ and gender‐matched controls with no COVID‐19 history. All PCI tested had mild COVID‐19 disease. Mean interval between COVID‐19 confirmations to testing was 7.4 ± 3.1 months. PCI subjects complained of combined dysfunction in 85.7%, isolated olfactory or gustatory dysfunction in 7.1% each. Combined complaints were significantly higher in PCI (p < 0.001). Objective testing showed significantly higher prevalence of dysfunction in PCI versus controls for hyposmia (73.8%, 12.2%), anosmia (11.9%, 0%), odor identification (68.5%, 83.0%), hypogeusia (23% and 2.4%, respectively), and impaired magnitude scaling, (p < 0.05). All PCI subjects with hypogeusia had abnormal gustatory magnitude scaling. Conclusions: While most PCI subjects complained of combined gustatory and olfactory dysfunction, objective testing showed in the majority an isolated single sense dysfunction, with a low level of agreement between subjective and objective findings. Abnormal objective results for all olfactory and gustatory functions tested may suggest a central rather than peripheral mechanism, although concomitant mechanisms cannot be excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate bone metastasis induced by Notch signalling pathway dysregulation and to demonstrate that SPARC is a potential therapeutic target in adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) with Notch dysregulation. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 144 AdCC patients. RNA‐sequencing and enrichment analyses were performed using 32 AdCC samples. Osteonectin/SPARC and the Notch activation indicator Notch intracellular domain (NICD) were detected using immunohistochemistry. Cell proliferation and migration assays were conducted using stably NICD over‐expressing cells. The effect of SPARC on osteoclast differentiation in NICD cells was investigated using western blotting, quantitative reverse transcription PCR, tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase staining and resorption assays. Results: RNA‐sequencing analysis showed that genes down‐regulated in Notch‐mutant AdCCs, such as SPARC, were enriched in ossification and osteoblast differentiation. Most (75/110, 68.2%) Notch1‐wild‐type AdCCs showed SPARC over‐expression, whereas 30 out of 34 (88.2%) Notch1‐mutant tumours showed low SPARC expression. SPARC over‐expression was then found negatively to be correlated with NICD expression in 144 AdCCs. NICD over‐expression promoted cell growth, migration and osteoclast differentiation, which could be partly reversed by exogenous SPARC. Conclusions: Notch activation in AdCC contributes to bone metastasis through SPARC inhibition. The study results suggest that SPARC may represent a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze and summarize the clinicopathological features, risk factors for cervical nodal metastasis, and prognostic factors of malignant sublingual gland tumors (MSLGT). Methods: Patients diagnosed with MSLGT were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to December 2017 at Shanghai Ninth Hospital. The clinicopathological features were summarized, and the correlations between clinicopathological parameters, cervical nodal metastasis, and local–regional recurrence were evaluated using the Chi‐square test. Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the survival and independent prognostic factors. Results: Seventy‐nine patients were included, and the 5‐year overall survival and disease‐free survival rates was 85.7% and 71.7%, respectively. Gender and clinical tumor stage were risk factors for cervical nodal metastasis. Tumor size and pathological lymph node (LN) stage were independent prognostic factors for adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the sublingual gland; while age, pathological LN stage, and distant metastasis were prognostic factors for patients with non‐ACC of the sublingual gland. Patients with higher clinical stage were more likely to undergo tumor recurrence. Conclusions: Malignant sublingual gland tumors are rare, and neck dissection should be performed in male MSLGT patients with higher clinical stage. Among patients with both ACC and non‐ACC MSLGT patients, pN+ indicate a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Head and neck dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (HNDFSP) is extremely rare and not entirely understood. Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features of HNDFSP and identify the expression of its clinically relevant indicators, with the expectation of improving the existing treatment strategies. Methods: A long‐term follow‐up of patients with HNDFSP who received treatment between 2000 and 2021 at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital was conducted. The clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical data of the patients were retrieved and analyzed. The endpoint of the study was the incidence of significant disease‐related clinical events (recurrences or metastasis). Results: A total of 49 patients with HNDFSP were included in the study, with males (92.7%) predominating than females (7.3%). Eighteen patients developed recurrent disease (36.8%) after surgery, and the median time of recurrence was 48 months (interquartile, 20–74 months). Metastasis occurred in two cases (4.1%). Two patients died during follow‐up, both with local recurrence, and one of them with intestinal metastasis. Post‐operation radiotherapy was administered to eight patients (16.3%) and the effect in local control was remarkable. Age, tumor size, and negative margins with sufficient safety width were the main independent factors affecting the disease‐free survival. Several potential targeted therapeutic indicators, including EZH2 (80.0%), EGFR (91.4%), PDGF (97.1%), PD‐L1 (77.1%), and VEGF (77.1%), were positively expressed in most tumor samples. Conclusion: HNDFSP is rare, significantly challenging to control locally, and has a worse prognosis with current treatment strategies. Wide local excision and long‐term follow‐up are needed. Radiotherapy could improve the prognosis of patients with HNDFSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) generates long‐term sequelae, but studies investigating patients with chronic pain syndrome (CPS) are limited. This study aimed to establish the etiological factors of CPS in patients with post‐COVID‐19 conditions. Methods: This was a case–control retrospective study. The predictor variables were sex, diabetes mellitus, obesity (predisposing factors), unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, impaired rehabilitation (disabling factors), repeated exposure to COVID‐19 (precipitating factor), home isolation, stress overload, fear of dying, admission to intensive care unit, prone positioning, and use of medications (reinforcing factors). The outcome variable was the presence of CPS. Findings: This study included 120 individuals. Prolonged days of isolation (p = 0.005), fear (p < 0.001), stress overload (p < 0.001), and impaired rehabilitation (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with CPS. Conclusions: A significant relationship was found between prolonged days of isolation, fear, stress overload, impaired rehabilitation, and CPS. Implications for nursing practice: The study findings can assist nurses by promoting their knowledge of the causes of CPS and supporting the care planning needs of patients with post‐COVID‐19 conditions, in addition to promoting the use of the NANDA‐International taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Successful return to pre‐injury occupational performance following distal radius fracture (DRF) may be influenced by person and environment factors such as pain, age, social support, and socioeconomic status. The primary aim of this study was to explore Australian hand therapists' current clinical practice and determine whether they consider these factors during the management of DRF. Methods: A mixed methods online survey was distributed to members of the Australian Hand Therapy Association. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the quantitative data, and the qualitative data were analysed by content analysis. Results: Of the 120 members who completed the survey, 68% were occupational therapists and 32% were physiotherapists with 74% in the private and 26% in the public health‐care setting. Most factors perceived to influence recovery were consistent with person factors and a biomechanical approach. Other factors related to occupational performance, such as social and leisure skills, environment and culture were reported less often. When asked about defining occupational performance, the key categories identified through qualitative open responses were 'performing meaningful activities/occupations', 'performing work/employment', and 'completing activities/function'. Conclusion: The data suggest that hand therapists in Australia primarily identify person factors as key to recovery after DRF. Context and environmental factors that influence occupational performance did not appear to be considered as often during treatment or when defining occupational performance. Further research is needed to explore the contextual and environmental factors that influence hand therapy intervention and determine whether they play a role in the successful return to pre‐injury occupational performance following DRF. Consumer and community involvement: The survey was conceptualised by the research team, which included two experienced hand therapists and piloted with 10 consumers. Hand therapists (consumers) of various years of experience and discipline (i.e., occupational therapy and physiotherapy) provided feedback to improve the survey in terms of content, comprehensibility, and length. No clients/patients of hand therapists were involved in the development of the survey or the study, and the consumers of the study were considered hand therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A better understanding of the effects of lower levels of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), as a common exposure, is needed. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of mild-moderate PAE and episodic binge drinking on perinatal outcomes. Methods: The data were obtained from three prospective cohorts with a combined sample of 281 participants: 125 with PAE and 156 without PAE. Alcohol-related measures included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, timeline follow-back questionnaires (covering the periconceptional period, mid-gestation, and late gestation), and biomarkers. Absolute alcohol per day (AAD) and per drinking day (AADD), number of binge episodes, and maximum number of drinks in a 24-h period were estimated. Perinatal outcomes included gestational age and anthropometric measures. Data were analyzed using correlation and multivariable regression analysis. Results: Among women with PAE, average alcohol consumption across the periconceptional period and pregnancy was 0.37 oz ± 0.74 AA/day (~5 drinks/week). After adjusting for tobacco co-exposure and sociodemographic characteristics, significant associations between all alcohol measures and gestational age at delivery were observed, including cumulative measures of AAD (β = -0.58; 95% CI: -0.98; -0.17) and AADD (β = -0.58; 95% CI: -0.90; -0.26) during pregnancy and the periconceptional period. A significant association between the maximum number of drinks in a 24-h period and birth length percentile (β = -0.70; 95% CI: -1.36; -0.04) was observed in the final model. PAE was associated with lower birth weight percentile in univariate analyses only. Conclusions: Results of this study demonstrate a negative association between mild-moderate PAE and episodic binge drinking with gestational age at delivery and birth length percentile after controlling for other factors. Robust negative effects of PAE, including in the periconceptional period before pregnancy recognition, on duration of gestation highlight the need for primary prevention efforts aimed at PAE in persons of reproductive age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are widespread, devastating and complex. About 20% of people who consume alcohol develop problem use, accounting for over 5% of worldwide deaths. While numerous animal models have facilitated understanding of the consequences of excessive drinking, translational models allow for experimental manipulation of factors thought to contribute to AUD liability. Methods: We employ a single-exposure conditioned place preference assay (SE-CPP) to investigate the influence of age, sex and the opioid peptide β-endorphin (bE) on the initial rewarding effects of ethanol, a strong predictor of AUDs. Adolescent (PND28-35) and adult (PND70-90) male and female, control C57BL/6J and bE-deficient mice were tested following a single injection of 1.5 g/kg of ethanol. Following the SE-CPP test, animals were deeply anesthetized, sacrificed, and perfused, and the brains were subsequently sectioned at 40 microns and processed for immunohistochemical localization of c-fos. One-sample, two-tailed t-tests were used to assess drug preference or aversion and the locomotor effects of alcohol. Results: In general, adults were more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than adolescents, and outcomes depended on sex and bE. For example, among females, adolescents were stimulated by the drug, but insensitive to locomotor effects as adults, while among males, adolescents were insensitive and adults sedated. Wild-type adolescents of both sexes failed to evince initial subjective reward from the drug, but bE-deficient adolescents, and all adult subjects, preferred a context once associated with ethanol over one that had been paired with saline. c-fos immunoreactivity in multiple brain regions was attenuated in bE-deficient animals, though influences of both sex and bE grew stronger with age. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the utility of the SE-CPP paradigm for elucidating factors that contribute to the liability for AUDs, and supports the growing body of research that shows that sensitivity to the rewarding effects of alcohol changes during the course of development. Our results also suggest that developmental contributions are sex-dependent, and may also depend on the influence of endogenous opioid signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introudction: There is increased risk of skin cancer in patients with gloermular disease or those with renal transplant. Objectives: To compare the risk of skin cancer between kidney recipients (KTRs) and patients with glomerular disease (GD). Design: The cohort comprised patients with KTRs (n = 61) and GD (n = 51) in Central and Central West Queensland, Australia. A quantitative cohort study was undertaken to study the risk of skin cancer in rural communities between two subgroups of patients with kidney diseases in relationship to immunosuppression. Statistical analyses of the differences in incidence of skin cancers between the two groups were done by chi‐square test, Fisher's exact test, independent t‐test and McNemar's test. Findings: KTRs with non‐melanoma skin carcinoma (NMSC) increased significantly after treatment with immunosuppressants (pre‐transplantation, n = 11 [18.0%], post‐transplantation, n = 28 [45.9%]; p < 0.001). There were no differences in number of patients with NMSC observed in the GD group (pre‐diagnosis, n = 6 [11.8%], post‐diagnosis, n = 7 [13.7%]; p = 1.000). Compared to the risks at 1 year post‐immunosuppressants, the incidence of NMSC of KTRs increased significantly at 3 years (20.3% vs. 35.4%, p < 0.001) and 5 years (20.3% vs. 62.2%, p < 0.001) post‐immunosuppressants, whereas the increased incidence of NMSC was observed only at 5 years (2.1% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.012) in the GD cohort. The mean cumulative number of NMSC in KTRs increased significantly at 3 years (p = 0.011), and 5 years (p = 0.001) post‐immunosuppressants, compared to the risks at 1 year post‐immunosuppressants, however, no differences were noted in the GD cohort. Discussion: Immunosuppressants increased the risk of NMSC in KTRs. The increased risk is likely dependent on the intensity and duration of immunosuppressants. Conclusion: In patients with a high risk of NMSC, reducing skin cancer risk should be considered in conjunction with the optimisation of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Decisional conflict is used increasingly as an outcome measure in advance care planning (ACP) studies. When the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) is used in anticipatory decision‐making contexts, the scale is typically tethered to hypothetical scenarios. This study reports preliminary validation data for hypothetical scenarios relating to life‐sustaining treatments and care utilisation to inform their broader use in ACP studies. Methods: Three hypothetical scenarios were developed by a panel of multidisciplinary researchers, clinicians and community representatives. A convenience sample of 262 older adults were surveyed. Analyses investigated comprehensibility, missing data properties, sample norms, structural, convergent and discriminant validity. Results: Response characteristics suggested that two of the scenarios had adequate comprehensibility and response spread. Missing response rates were unrelated to demographic characteristics. Predicted associations between DCS scores and anxiety (r's =.31–.37, p <.001), and ACP engagement (r's = −.41 to −.37, p <.001) indicated convergent validity. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of older adults reported clinically significant levels of decisional conflict when responding to a range of hypothetical scenarios about care or treatment. Two scenarios showed acceptable comprehensibility and response characteristics. A third scenario may be suitable following further refinement. Patient or Public Contribution: The scenarios tested here were designed in collaboration with a community representative and were further piloted with two groups of community members with relevant lived experiences; four people with life‐limiting conditions and five current or former care partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aimed to investigate the level of undergraduate nursing students' professional identity (PI) during the COVID‐19 pandemic and its potential influences. Methods: This cross‐sectional study included 742 undergraduate nursing students from Chengdu Medical College. Basic demographics, personal characteristics and PI score were collected. Chi‐squared test, one‐way analysis of variance, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: In the classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021, the PI score was 96.85 ± 18.26, 105.37 ± 17.46, 106.67 ± 22.08 (P <.001). PI score was the independent predictive factor for both "want to be a nurse" and "willingness to serve during COVID‐19 or other pandemics". Conclusions: PI contributes greatly to nursing students' willingness to be a nurse and overcome pandemics. The challenge of culturing PI during COVID‐19 pandemic revealed the necessity of developing individual management strategies for nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lesion size is reported to become larger as contact force (CF) increases. However, this has not been systematically evaluated in temperature-guided very high-power short-duration (vHPSD) ablation, which was therefore the purpose of this study. Methods: Radiofrequency applications (90 W/4 s, temperature-control mode) were performed in excised porcine myocardium with four different CFs of 5, 15, 25, and 35 g using QDOT-MICRO™ catheter. Ten lesions for each combination of settings were created, and lesion metrics and steam-pops were compared. Results: A total of 320 lesions were analyzed. Lesion depth, surface area, and volume were smallest for CF of 5 g than for 15, 25, and 35 g (depth: 2.7 mm vs. 2.9 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.15 mm, p < .01; surface area: 38.4 mm² vs. 41.8 mm², 43.3 mm², 41.5 mm², p < .05; volume: 98.2 mm³ vs. 133.3 mm³, 129.4 mm³, 126.8 mm³, p < .01 for all pairs of groups compared to CF = 5 g). However, no significant differences were observed between CFs of 15-35 g. Average power was highest for CF of 5 g, followed by 15, 25, and 35 g (83.2 W vs. 82.1 W vs. 77.1 W vs. 66.1 W, p < .01 for all pairs), reflecting the higher incidence of temperature-guided power titration with greater CFs (5 g:8.8% vs. 15 g:52.5% vs. 25 g:77.5% vs. 35 g:91.2%, p < .01 for all pairs except for 25 g vs. 35 g). The incidence of steam-pops did not significantly differ between four groups (5 g:3.8% vs. 15 g:10% vs. 25 g:6.2% vs. 35 g:2.5%, not significant for all pairs). Conclusions: For vHPSD ablation, lesion size does not become large once the CF reaches 15 g, and the risk of steam-pops may be mitigated through power titration even in high CFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Although extra-pulmonary vein (PV) triggers (ExPVTs) play a role in atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation (AFCA), the mechanism is unknown. We explored whether the locations of ExPVTs were associated with low-voltage scar areas (LVAs). Methods: Among 2255 consecutive patients who underwent a de novo AFCA, 1696 (male 72.1%, median 60 years old, paroxysmal 64.7%) were included who underwent isoproterenol provocation and voltage mapping of the left atrium (LA) during their procedures. We investigated the associations between ExPVTs and their mean LA voltage and colocalization of ExPVTs within LVAs (<0.2 mV). Results: We observed ExPVTs in 181 (10.7%) patients (60 in the LA, 99 in the right atrium [RA], 16 biatrial, and 6 unmappable). A lower mean LA voltage was independently associated with the existence of ExPVTs (OR 0.77 per 1 SD mV increase, 95% CI 0.60-0.99, p = .039). Among 76 patients who had ExPVTs[LA], 43 (56.6%) had ExPVTs within LVAs. During a median of a 42-month follow-up, patients with ExPVTs had a higher AF recurrence than those without (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.48-2.37, Log-rank p < .001), but colocalization of ExPVTs and LVAs (Log-rank p = .544) and the anatomical location of ExPVTs (Log-rank p = .084) did not affect the rhythm outcome. Conclusions: The presence of ExPVTs was associated with low LA voltage and poor rhythm outcome post-AFCA, but the colocalization of ExPVTs and LVA in LA did not affect rhythm outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: His bundle pacing (HBP) and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) emerge as better alternatives to right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP) in patients with bradycardia requiring permanent cardiac pacing. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of LBBAP, HBP, and RVAP in Japanese patients with bradycardia. Methods: A total of 424 patients who underwent successful pacemaker implantation (HBP, n = 53; LBBAP, n = 75; and RVAP, n = 296) were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The primary study endpoint was the cumulative incidence of heart failure hospitalization (HFH) during the follow-up. Results: The success rate for implantation was higher in the LBBAP group than in the HBP group (94.9% and 81.5%, respectively). Capture threshold increase >1V during the follow-up occurred in the HBP and RVAP groups (9.4% and 5.1%, respectively), while it did not in the LBBAP group. The cumulative incidence of HFH was significantly lower in the LBBAP group than the RVAP (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.12 [95% confidence interval: 0.02--0.86]; p = .034); it did not differ between the HBP and RVAP groups (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.48 [95% confidence interval: 0.17-1.34]; p = .16). Advanced age, mean percent right ventricular pacing (per 10% increase), left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, and RVAP were associated with HFH. Conclusions: Compared to RVAP and HBP, LBBAP appeared more feasible and effective in patients with bradycardia requiring permanent cardiac pacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation creates wide, shallow lesions using radiofrequency (RF) heating. It is uncertain if adjusting RF energy based on atrial wall thickness provides extra benefits. We studied the safety and effectiveness of tailored HPSD energy based on left atrial (LA) wall thickness (LAWT) for circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Methods: We enrolled 212 patients (68.4% male, mean age: 59.5 ± 11.0 years) and randomly assigned them to two groups: LAWT-guided CPVI (WT, n = 108) and conventional CPVI (control, n = 104). Both groups used an open irrigated-tip deflectable catheter to apply 50 W for 10 s to the posterior LA, while controls used 60 W for 15 s on other LA regions. RF delivery time in WT was titrated (15 s at LAWT > 2.1 mm, 13 s at 1.4-2.1 mm, and 11 s at <1.4 mm) according to the computed tomogram-myocardial thickness color map. Results: After a mean follow-up of 13.4 ± 7.0 months, the WT and control groups showed no significant difference regarding clinical recurrence rate (13.9% vs. 5.8%, respectively; p = .061) and major complication rate (4.6% vs. 3.8%, respectively; p > .999). The total procedure time, cardioversion rate, and post-procedural AAD prescription rates did not significantly differ between the groups. Conclusions: The LAWT-guided energy titration strategy did not result in improved procedural safety and efficacy compared to the conventional 50--60 W-HPSD CPVI in patients with PAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF) utilizing radiofrequency (RF) applications with a very high-power and short-duration (vHPSD) has shortened the procedure time, the determinants of pulmonary vein (PV) gaps in the first-pass PVI and acute PV reconnections are unclear. Methods: An extensive encircling PVI was performed with the QDOT MICRO catheter with a vHPSD (90 W-4 s) in 30 patients with AF (19 men, 64 ± 10 years). The association of the PV gap sites (first-pass PVI failure, acute PV reconnections [spontaneous reconnections or dormant conduction provoked by adenosine triphosphate] or both) with the left atrial (LA) wall thickness and LA bipolar voltage on the PVI line and ablation-related parameters were assessed. Results: PV gaps were observed in 29 (6%) of 480 segments (16 segments per patient) in 17 patients (56%). The PV gaps were associated with the LA wall thickness, bipolar voltage, and the number of RF points (LA wall thickness, 2.5 ± 0.5 vs. 1.9 ± 0.4 mm, p < .001; bipolar voltage, 2.59 ± 1.62 vs. 1.34 ± 1.14 mV, p < .001; RF points, 6 ± 2 vs. 4 ± 2, p = .008) but were not with the other ablation-related parameters. Receiver operating characteristic curves yielded that an LA wall thickness ≥2.3 mm and bipolar voltage ≥2.40 mV were determinants of PV gaps with an area under the curve of 0.82 and 0.73, respectively. Conclusions: The LA voltage and wall thickness on the PV-encircling ablation line were highly associated with PV gaps using the 90 W/4 s-vHPSD ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery (POAF) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Several scores were used to predict POAF, with variable results. Thus, this study assessed the performance of several scoring systems to predict POAF after mitral valve surgery. Additionally, we identified the risk factors for POAF in those patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort included 1381 recruited from 2009 to 2021. The patients underwent mitral valve surgery, and POAF occurred in 233 (16.87%) patients. The performance of CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, POAF, EuroSCORE II, and HATCH scores was evaluated. Results: The median age was higher in patients who developed POAF (60 vs. 54 years; p < .001). CHA2-DS2-VASc, POAF, EuroSCORE II, and HATCH scores significantly predicted POAF, with areas under the curve of the receiver operator curve (AUCROC) of 0.56, 0.61, 0.58, and 0.54, respectively. We identified age > 58 years, body mass index > 28 kg/m², creatinine clearance < 90 mL/min, reoperative surgery, and preoperative inotropic and intra-aortic balloon pump use as predictors of POAF. We constructed a score from these variables (PSCC-AF). A score > 2 significantly predicted POAF (p < .001). The AUCROC of this score was 0.67, which was significantly higher than the AUCROC of the POAF score (p = .009). Conclusion: POAF after mitral valve surgery can be predicted based on preoperative patient characteristics. The new PSCC-AF score significantly predicted POAF after mitral valve surgery and can serve as a bedside diagnostic tool for POAF risk screening. Further studies are needed to validate the PSCC-AF-mitral score externally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the incidence of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) increases, better treatments that improve healing should reduce complications of these ulcers including infections and amputations. We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing outcomes between a novel purified reconstituted bilayer membrane (PRBM) to the standard of care (SOC) in the treatment of non‐healing DFUs. This study included 105 patients who were randomized to either of two treatment groups (n = 54 PRBM; n = 51 SOC) in the intent to treat (ITT) group and 80 who completed the study per protocol (PP) (n = 47 PRBM; n = 33 SOC). The primary endpoint was the percentage of wounds closed after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included percent area reduction, time to healing, quality of life, and cost to closure. The DFUs that had been treated with PRBM healed at a higher rate than those treated with SOC (ITT: 83% vs. 45%, p = 0.00004, PP: 92% vs. 67%, p = 0.005). Wounds treated with PRBM also healed significantly faster than those treated with SOC with a mean of 42 versus 62 days for SOC (p = 0.00074) and achieved a mean wound area reduction within 12 weeks of 94% versus 51% for SOC (p = 0.0023). There were no adverse events or serious adverse events that were related to either the PRBM or the SOC. In comparison to the SOC, DFUs healed faster when treated with PRBM. Thus, the use of this PRBM is an effective option for the treatment of chronic DFUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin Cutaneous Melanoma (SKCM) is a form of cancer that originates in the pigment‐producing cells, known as melanocytes, of the skin. Delay wound healing is often correlated with the occurrence of and progression of SKCM. In this comprehensive study, we investigated the intricate roles of two important wound healing genes in SKCM, including Matrix Metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP2) and Matrix Metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP9). Through a multi‐faceted approach, we collected clinical samples, conducted molecular experiments, including RT‐qPCR, bisulphite sequencing, cell culture, cell Counting Kit‐8, colony formation, and wound healing assays. Beside this, we also used various other databases/tools/approaches for additional analysis including, UALCAN, GEPIA, HPA, MEXPRESS, cBioPortal, KM plotter, DrugBank, and molecular docking. Our results revealed a significant up‐regulation of MMP2 and MMP9 in SKCM tissues compared to normal counterparts. Moreover, promoter methylation analysis suggested an epigenetic regulatory mechanism. Validations using TCGA datasets and immunohistochemistry emphasized the clinical relevance of MMP2 and MMP9 dysregulation. Functional assays demonstrated their synergistic impact on proliferation and migration in SKCM cells. Furthermore, we identified potential therapeutic candidates, Estradiol and Calcitriol, through drug prediction and molecular docking analyses. These compounds exhibited binding affinities, suggesting their potential as MMP2/MMP9 inhibitors. Overall, our study elucidates the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications of MMP2 and MMP9 in SKCM, shedding light on their complex interplay in SKCM occurrence and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology of facial scars shows a wide variation in terms of texture and colour. To date, there are no reliable predictors of aberrant scarring. We conducted a retrospective analysis to identify factors associated with specific scar features and types. Photographs and medical records of 428 patients with facial scars were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with keloids were excluded. The mean age of the patients was 45.43 ± 23.13 years with a male‐to‐female ratio of 1:1.36. Atrophic scars were the most common (42.8%), followed by flat scars (38.7%) and hypertrophic scars (18.5%). Scars on the forehead were more likely to be atrophic, whereas scars on the chin/jaw and around the mouth were more likely to be hypertrophic. Hypopigmentation was significantly more common in scars located on the forehead. Redness (erythema) was significantly more common in scars located on the chin/jaw. Old scars were less likely to be erythematous, and hypertrophic. Atrophic scars were more common in younger patients. Scars caused by dermatologic conditions, such as acne, were more likely to be atrophic, whereas surgical scars had the lowest risk of being atrophic or hypertrophic. In conclusion, the location, onset, and cause of facial scars were associated with specific features of scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Acute visual impairment is the most feared complication of giant cell arteritis (GCA) but is challenging to predict. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluates orbital pathology not visualized by an ophthalmologic examination. This study combined orbital and cranial vessel wall MRI to assess both orbital and cranial disease activity in patients with GCA, including patients without visual symptoms. Methods: Patients with suspected active GCA who underwent orbital and cranial vessel wall MRI were included. In 14 patients, repeat imaging over 12 months assessed sensitivity to change. Clinical diagnosis of ocular or nonocular GCA was determined by a rheumatologist and/or ophthalmologist. A radiologist masked to clinical data scored MRI enhancement of structures. Results: Sixty‐four patients with suspected GCA were included: 25 (39%) received a clinical diagnosis of GCA, including 12 (19%) with ocular GCA. Orbital MRI enhancement was observed in 83% of patients with ocular GCA, 38% of patients with nonocular GCA, and 5% of patients with non‐GCA. MRI had strong diagnostic performance for both any GCA and ocular GCA. Combining MRI with a funduscopic examination reached 100% sensitivity for ocular GCA. MRI enhancement significantly decreased after treatment (P < 0.01). Conclusion: In GCA, MRI is a sensitive tool that comprehensively evaluates multiple cranial structures, including the orbits, which are the most concerning site of pathology. Orbital enhancement in patients without visual symptoms suggests that MRI may detect at‐risk subclinical ocular disease in GCA. MRI scores decreased following treatment, suggesting scores reflect inflammation. Future studies are needed to determine if MRI can identify patients at low risk for blindness who may receive less glucocorticoid therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to analyze myocardial work in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) using a noninvasive pressure strain loop (PSL) technique to provide a basis for the quantitative assessment of left ventricular (LV) systolic function. Methods: LV myocardial work of 107 AF patients (56 with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 51 with persistent atrial fibrillation) and 55 healthy individuals were assessed by the noninvasive PSL and then compared. Results: Global longitudinal strain (GLS) in absolute values, global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), and global work efficiency (GWE) were significantly lower in the AF group than control group, whereas peak strain dispersion (PSD) and global wasted work (GWW) were significantly higher (P <.05). Further subdivision according to the AF type revealed that, compared with the controls, GLS in absolute values and GWE decreased significantly; PSD and GWW increased significantly in the paroxysmal AF group (P <.05). Nevertheless, GWI and GCW were not significantly different between paroxysmal AF and control groups (P >.05). Compared to paroxysmal AF, persistent AF induced a further decrease in absolute GLS and GWE and a further increase in GWW (P <.05), but PSD did not increase further (P >.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that GWI and GCW were independently associated with systolic blood pressure. GWW was associated with types of AF and left atrial volume index (LAVI). GWE was correlated with age, types of AF, disease duration, and LAVI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve predicting myocardial injury was higher for GWE and GWW than for GLS (area under the curve:.880,.846, and.821, respectively). Conclusions: Non‐invasive PSL can quantitatively assess LV systolic function in patients with different kinds of AF and detect early subclinical myocardial injury in patients with paroxysmal AF. GWE and GWW outperform GLS and LV ejection fraction when assessing myocardial injury. Systolic blood pressure, type of AF, LVAI, disease duration, and age may be associated with myocardial injury in patients with AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mechanism of typical slow‐fast atrioventricular nodal re‐entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and its anatomical and electrophysiological circuit inside the right atrium (RA) and Koch's Triangle (KT) are not well known. Objective: To identify the potentials of the compact AV node and inferior extensions and to perform accurate mapping of the RA and KT in sinus rhythm (SR) and during AVNRT, to define the tachycardia circuit. Methods: Consecutive patients with typical AVNRT were enrolled in 12 Italian centers and underwent mapping and ablation by means of a basket catheter with small electrode spacing for ultrahigh‐density mapping and a modified signal‐filtering toolset to record the potentials of the AV nodal structures. Results: Forty‐five consecutive cases of successful ablation of typical slow‐fast AVNRT were included. The mean SR cycle length (CL) was 784.1 ± 6 ms and the mean tachycardia CL was 361.2 ± 54 ms. The AV node potential had a significantly shorter duration and higher amplitude in sinus rhythm than during tachycardia (60 ± 40 ms vs. 160 ± 40 ms, p <.001 and 0.3 ± 0.2 mV vs. 0.09 ± 0.12 mV, p <.001, respectively). The nodal potential duration extension was 169.4 ± 31 ms, resulting in a time‐window coverage of 47.6 ± 9%. The recording of AV nodal structure potentials enabled us to obtain 100% coverage of the tachycardia CL during slow‐fast AVNRT. Conclusion: Detailed recording of the potentials of nodal structures is possible by means of multipolar catheters for ultrahigh‐density mapping, allowing 100% of the AVNRT CL to be covered. These results also have clinical implications for the ablation of right‐septal and para‐septal arrhythmias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early diagnosis of dementia is important for both initiation of non‐pharmacological activities to slow cognitive decline as well as the development of disease‐modifying drugs; however, it appears there may be a tendency for formal diagnosis to be delayed. Since the current status of diagnosis in Japan is unclear, we conducted a survey with family caregivers of patients with dementia using questionnaires and interviews to investigate the factors regarding the dementia diagnosis process in Japan. Methods: We distributed questionnaires to family caregivers of people with dementia and conducted additional follow‐up interviews with approximately half of them. We calculated odds ratios for the time to diagnosis using logistic regression analysis for each characteristic from the questionnaire data. We also created co‐occurrence networks from the interview data in order to provide qualitative context to the questionnaire data. Results: We collected 68 questionnaires and conducted 32 interviews. The median time to diagnosis was 12 months, and logistic regression analysis showed a significant trend toward shorter time to diagnosis in the absence of other caregivers. In addition, there were significant differences in age, relationship with patients and the time from the first visit to the final diagnosis between groups with and without other caregivers. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the presence or absence of other caregivers may affect caregivers' behaviour and the time taken to receive a diagnosis of dementia. These findings indicate it may be beneficial to predict inhibiting factors and change approaches based on caregivers' and patients' background to promote early diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of antioxidant (sodium ascorbate) on tooth sensitivity after two in‐office bleaching techniques (light‐activated and chemical bleaching). Materials and Methods: Ten patients aged 18–25 were bleached in four groups according to bleaching materials and/or antioxidant used. Group A: Maxillary right quadrant received light‐activated bleaching with antioxidant. Group B: Maxillary left quadrant received light‐activated bleaching without antioxidant. Group C: Mandibular right quadrant received chemical bleaching without antioxidant. Group D: Mandibular left quadrant received chemical bleaching with antioxidant. The tooth sensitivity was recorded using Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and Schiff Scale (SS) immediately after treatment, 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month follow‐up periods. Results: Group B exhibited higher sensitivity values than Group A. This difference was statistically significant on the first day after treatment (p = 0.027* in NRS and p = 0.046* in SS). Furthermore, antioxidant incorporation in Group D led to a reduction in teeth sensitivity values compared to Group C. This disparity was highly significant on the first day after treatment (p = 0.001* in NRS and p < 0.001** in SS). Conclusions: The antioxidant (10% sodium ascorbate) reduces the intensity of tooth sensitivity at the different follow‐up periods, especially after 1 day from bleaching. Clinical Significance: Using 10% sodium ascorbate after bleaching is advisable to reduce post‐operative tooth sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed older adults to high risk of sarcopenia. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and its risk factors among Japanese community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data through questionnaires and physical measurements among 242 older adults. Sarcopenia was assessed using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. The results revealed that 14.5% had sarcopenia, which was significantly associated with age, nutritional status, number of prescription medications, body mass index, and self-rated health. On multivariate analysis, the risk of malnutrition was independently significantly associated with sarcopenia. Approximately 70% of participants reported decreased social interaction and going outside, but with no significant association with sarcopenia. In addition, approximately 65% of the participants had an exercise habit and went outside at least once a week, thus maintaining a good level of activity. These findings suggest that prevention of sarcopenia during the pandemic required provision of opportunities for older adults to remain active and positive assessment of nutritional status and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Managing nutrition in critically ill patients involves many medical fields. However, the nutrition management of critically ill patients has not been comprehensive enough to achieve multidisciplinary team cooperation in China and many other countries. Furthermore, there is no standardized management model or process. Aim: To explore the multidisciplinary cooperative nutrition management model for critically ill patients in the ICUs in China, verify its clinical effect and provide a clinical practice reference for the nutrition management of critically ill patients. Study Design: A multidisciplinary cooperative nutrition management team, including ICU doctors, ICU nurses, clinical nutritionists, clinical pharmacists and radiologists, was established for critically ill patients. According to a literature review and domestic guidelines, the standardized process of nutritional management for critically ill patients was constructed through the Delphi expert consultation method. One hundred thirty‐two patients in the ICU were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. A routine nutrition management mode, which was the nutrition management plan mainly formulated by the ICU doctor in charge only and the ICU nurses responsible for the implementation and monitoring of nutrition support, was implemented in the control group. And a multidisciplinary nutrition management mode, which was the nutrition management implemented by the multidisciplinary teams with the standardized nutrition management process for critically ill patients, was adopted in the experimental group. The early nutritional support rate, nutritional indexes (serum albumin, preprotein, haemoglobin and hs‐CPR), mechanical ventilation time, ICU hospitalization days and hospitalization expenses of the two groups were compared. Results: The early nutritional support rates of the experimental group and the control group were 89.39% and 69.7%, respectively (χ2 =.002, p =.031). Serum albumin (35.4 vs. 33.1 g/L), preprotein (153.2 vs. 125.9 mg/L) and haemoglobin (97.5 vs. 90.6 g/L) in the experimental group were significantly higher than in the control group (p =.000,.016,.033). The days of hospitalization in the ICU of the experimental group were shorter than in the control group (5.1 vs. 7.1, p =.039). High‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, the days of mechanical ventilation and ICU hospitalization expenses of the experimental group were lower than in the control group; however, the difference was not statistically significant (p =.713,.068,.489). Conclusions: Because of the severity and complexity of patients' diseases, it is necessary to implement multidisciplinary nutrition management for critically ill patients. Research shows that the multidisciplinary nutrition management standardized process for critically ill patients that was constructed in this study can effectively improve nutritional indexes such as serum albumin, preprotein and haemoglobin, shorten the length of stay in the ICU and promote the rehabilitation of patients, and this process be widely used in the clinic. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Structured multidisciplinary nutrition management operational processes can guide clinical practice. They could be widely used in the clinical nutrition management of critically ill patients in critical care units or other departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Critically ill patients are more vulnerable to medical adhesive‐related skin injuries (MARSI), whose prevention is a constant challenge and one of the main quality indicators of nursing care. MARSI associated with indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) fixation is a relevant adverse event, mainly because of the constant involuntary traction and high skin vulnerability of the fixation site. Silicone adhesive tape has appreciable qualities for fragile skin among the range of adhesives, leading to the inference that it reduces the risk of MARSI. Aim: To compare silicone adhesive tape for IUC fixation with acrylate tape regarding its safety and efficacy. Study Design: This was a randomized controlled trial blinded to the patients and evaluator. Data were collected from an intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary university hospital in Brazil. Patients with IUC and no MARSI at the fixation site were considered eligible. The omega (Ω) fixation technique was used for IUC fixation. A total of 132 participants were enrolled and divided into two research groups: 66 patients in the intervention group (silicone tape) and 66 in the control group (acrylate tape). Outcomes were the incidence of MARSI, patient outcome in the ICU and hospital and partial, total and overall spontaneous detachment of the tapes. Results: The overall incidence of MARSI was 28%, with 21% in the silicone group and 35% in the acrylate group, with no statistically significant difference (p =.121), including the severity of the lesions (p =.902). However, partial (p =.003) and overall (p <.001) detachment of the tapes were more frequent in the silicone group. Conclusions: Silicone tape is no safer than acrylate tape for IUC fixation and is less adhesively effective. Relevance to Clinical Practice: There is no evidence to support the extensive use of silicone tape in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients can often access the internet and social media for health information but it is not clear how much they trust and use the information retrieved. Objective: To investigate the social media and internet use rates and preferences of orthopaedic patients, to reveal to what extent they self‐treat, and to probe the affecting factors. Methods: Two thousand fifty‐eight patients admitted to an orthopaedic polyclinic were asked to fill out a survey (voluntarily) consisting of 15 items, to collect demographic data, preference for platforms and sources used, trusted sources, and the extent to which information obtained was used for self‐care. Results: The most preferred and most trusted sources of information were Google and other search engines, and physicians' personal websites (p < 0.001). Discussion: Variables such as age, gender, educational level and occupation affect the research preferences. Reliance on social media decreases with increasing educational levels (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Health information and knowledge services should work with health professionals to improve aspects of health literacy among orthopaedic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perinatal mental health disorders affect up to 20% of all women. Women of refugee background are likely to be at increased risk, yet little research has explored this. This study aimed to assess if women of refugee background are more likely to screen risk positive for depression and anxiety than non‐refugee women, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); and if screening in pregnancy using the EPDS enables better detection of depression and anxiety symptoms in women of refugee background than routine care. Methods: This implementation study was conducted at an antenatal clinic in Melbourne, Australia. Women of refugee and non‐refugee backgrounds were screened for depression using English or translated versions of the EPDS and a psychosocial assessment on a digital platform. The psychosocial assessment records of 34 women of refugee background receiving routine care (no screening) were audited. Results: Overall, 274 women completed the EPDS; 43% of refugee background. A similar proportion of women of refugee and non‐refugee backgrounds had EPDS scores of ≥9 (39% vs. 40% p = 0.93). Women receiving the combined EPDS and psychosocial screening were more likely to receive a referral for further support than women receiving routine care (41% vs. 18%, p = 0.012). Conclusion: Similarly, high proportions of women of refugee and non‐refugee backgrounds were at increased risk of experiencing a current depressive disorder in early pregnancy, suggesting pregnancy care systems should acknowledge and respond to the mental health needs of these women. Screening appeared to facilitate the identification and referral of women compared to routine care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The presence of cannon A waves, the so called "frog sign", has traditionally been considered diagnostic of atrioventricular nodal re‐entrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Nevertheless, it has never been systematically evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess the independent diagnostic utility of cannon A waves in the differential diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs). Methods: We prospectively included 100 patients who underwent an electrophysiology (EP) study for SVT. The right jugular venous pulse was recorded during the study. In 61 patients, invasive central venous pressure (CVP) was registered as well. CVP increase is thought to be related with the timing between atria and ventricle depolarization; two groups were prespecified, the short VA interval tachycardias (including typical AVNRT and atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia (AVRT) mediated by a septal accessory pathway) and the long VA interval tachycardias (including atypical AVNRT and AVRT mediated by a left free wall accessory pathway). Results: The relationship between cannon A waves and AVNRT did not reach the statistical significance (OR: 3.01; p =.058); On the other hand, it was clearly associated with the final diagnosis of a short VA interval tachycardia (OR: 10.21; p <.001). CVP increase showed an inversely proportional relationship with the VA interval during tachycardia (b = −.020; p <.001). CVP increase was larger in cases of AVNRT (4.0 mmHg vs. 1.2 mmHg; p <.001) and short VA interval tachycardias (3.9 mmHg vs. 1.2 mmHg; p <.001). Conclusion: The presence of cannon A waves is associated with the final diagnosis of short VA interval tachycardias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Omphalocele and gastroschisis are the most frequent congenital developmental abdominal wall defects. Prenatal diagnosis of omphalocele and gastroschisis is critical in the management of the pregnancy, affording patients the option of termination. This study aims to evaluate the prenatal diagnosis and postnatal outcomes of omphalocele and gastroschisis cases. Materials and Methods: The cases of gastroschisis and omphalocele diagnosed prenatally and followed up at our university were evaluated retrospectively between January 2019 and January 2022. Maternal demographic and clinical characteristics and perinatal outcomes were compared between the cases. Results: This study evaluated 42 omphalocele and nine gastroschisis cases. All gastroschisis cases were isolated (p =.001). Additional anomalies were present in 61.9% of omphalocele cases. While two patients with gastroschisis refused the invasive procedure, the genetic results of the others were normal. The karyotype was abnormal in 42.9% of omphalocele cases (p =.008). Half of the omphalocele cases were terminated, and 38.1% (n = 8) of the terminated omphalocele cases were trisomy 18. The coexistence of multiple system anomalies and cystic hygroma was high in the terminated cases. In all cases of gastroschisis, only the intestines protruded from the abdominal wall into the amniotic fluid. The number of survivors of omphalocele was 23.8%. The median hospital stay was 25 and 14 days for gastroschisis and omphalocele, respectively. Conclusion: Prenatal diagnosis of omphalocele and gastroschisis is critical in pregnancy management. The presence of associated anomalies determines the prognosis of omphalocele and gastroschisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Several guidelines exist to inform best‐practice management of community‐dwelling fallers. This study aimed to outline a pragmatic approach to developing an audit tool for guideline‐based care of falls and provide an overview of current practice. Methods: An audit tool to determine compliance with guideline‐based care was developed with an allied health and physiotherapy focus, utilising the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health‐Care Guidelines for Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People (2009) and Queensland State Government 'Stay on your Feet' guidelines. A retrospective audit of medical records was completed in July 2020 of community‐dwelling people aged 65 years and over with a fall‐related emergency department (ED) presentation in a medium‐sized metropolitan hospital in Australia. Data were compared between patients admitted to hospital and those discharged home from the ED. Results: Ninety‐three patients were included: 68 were discharged home from ED and 25 were admitted to hospital. There was a significant difference in receiving an allied health review (p <.001) between admitted patients (96%) and those who discharged home from ED (68%). The Clinical Frailty Scale was only completed for 23% of patients. Physiotherapy quality‐of‐care (n = 46 patients) was variable, with poor completion of physical outcome measures (7%) and fall education (4%). However, assessment of mobility was routinely completed (94%), and most patients were referred to an appropriate community service (66%). Conclusions: Adherence to guideline‐based care of community‐dwelling fallers is inconsistent. Improvements are required in the consistency of risk stratification, comprehensive physical assessment and patient education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 'Australian National University Alzheimer's Disease Risk Index' (ANU‐ADRI) assesses the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is a potential tool for its prevention. Objectives: The aim of this study is to adapt the ANU‐ADRI‐SF (the short version of ANU‐ADRI) into the Turkish language and Turkish cultural context. Methods: The study was methodological and involved the translation and intercultural adaptation of the ANU‐ADRI‐SF into the Turkish language. The study included 384 community‐based participants from a province in the Western Black Sea Region of Türkiye. Data was collected via an online form prepared using Google Forms. Results: The index was translated from its original language, English, into Turkish and then retranslated to English by bilingual translators. It was then reviewed and evaluated for possible issues related to translation and degrees of equivalence. When TR‐ANU‐ADRI‐SF levels were compared according to sex, the mean risk scores were found to be 11.25 ± 7.02 for males and 11.69 ± 7.99 for females. After cross‐cultural adaptation, the TR‐ANU‐ADRI‐SF was conceptually intelligible to Turkish adults. Conclusions: The TR‐ANU‐ADRI‐SF is a valid and reliable AD risk assessment tool. Implications for practice: Given the increase in AD and its impact on people's health, there is a great need for strategies to be implemented by health professionals to improve the lifestyle of the adult population. For use in conjunction with these strategies, a localised AD risk assessment tool that can be applied by clinicians or by individual patients has been adapted and introduced to the Turkish literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]