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Objective Methods Results Conclusion To evaluate the safety, efficacy, tolerability, and cost‐effectiveness of bedside or office‐based ureteric stent insertion.Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses‐Protocols (PRISMA‐P) and A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2 guidelines, we searched PubMed/the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), the Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Dimensions for English‐language studies from 1978 to April 2023. Inclusion criteria focused on primary ureteric stent placements outside of the operating theatre (OT).A total of 15 studies involving 2072 stents were included. Success rates for correctly positioned stents in bedside or office‐based insertions ranged from 60% to 95.8%, with most studies reporting ≥80% success rates. Common failure reasons included impacted stones and difficulty identifying the ureteric orifice. Pain and tolerability were assessed using various methods, with validated tools indicating moderate pain levels, but most patients would undergo the procedure again under local anaesthesia. Complication rates were generally low, with minor complications such as haematuria or postoperative fever being the most common. Procedural costs were significantly lower in non‐OT settings, with estimates indicating savings of up to four‐fold.Bedside or office‐based ureteric stent insertion is a viable alternative to OT procedures, offering high success rates, manageable pain levels, low complication rates, and substantial cost savings. This approach is particularly advantageous in settings with limited OT access, highlighting its potential for broader adoption in urological practice. Future research should focus on standardising pain assessment methods and randomised studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess whether prostate biopsy rates have altered with the July 2018 change in Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rebates supporting multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for diagnosing prostate cancer. Methods: Biopsy data (both trans-rectal and trans-perineal) were obtained from the Victorian Agency for Health Information from July 2016 to June 2022. The data were stratified by financial year, age group and hospital type (public vs private). Comparison was made between rates pre and post the mpMRI MBS code change. Results: There was an 11.9% increase in the number of biopsies performed per year compared to the pre-MBS change period. There is a significant decreasing trend (P < 0.001–4) in number of biopsies in the 40–49, 50–59 and 60–69-year-old age groups with a significant increasing trend (P < 0.001) in the 70–79 and 80–89-year-old age groups. There was a 32.9% reduction in the mean number of biopsies performed per year in public hospitals, compared with an 18.3% increase in private. Conclusion: Contrary to expectations, and proposed funding, there has been an increase in the number of prostate biopsies since MRI became more easily available. This change will put increased pressure on the health budget and the large increase in biopsies in elderly patients was not anticipated when the changes were proposed. A review of the criteria is suggested. What is known about the topic? Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) is increasingly used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. In 2018, it was included in the Medicare Benefits Schedule with the expectation that the number of prostate biopsies performed would decrease. What does this paper add? By 2022, biopsies increased nearly 12% with over a 50% increase in the 80–89 age group – those least likely to benefit from curative treatment. What are the implications for practitioners? The criteria for funding mpMRI and the performance of prostate biopsies should be altered to enable better use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we compared the social media net sentiment of one policy with two names. Specifically, we analyzed Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to understand how social media users engaged with each term on social media from March 2010 to March 2017. The net sentiment was measured with a sample of over 50 million micro-blogs, and the analysis was done using a combination of digital instruments and human validation. We found a significant difference between the social media engagement and sentiment of both terms, with the ACA performing significantly better than Obamacare, despite Obamacare's higher conversation volume. With the ACA having an average of 26% less negative sentiment than Obamacare, the findings of this study emphasize the need to be careful when attaching nicknames to public policy. The findings also have implications for policymakers and politicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) purports to worse clinical outcomes, and therefore early identification is important. Research has focused on blood biomarkers and basic investigations such as ECG and echocardiography, which have the advantage of wide availability and low cost but are limited in their sensitivity and specificity. Imaging the myocardium to directly look for inflammation and scarring has therefore been explored, with a number of new methods for doing this gaining wider research interest and clinical availability. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with contemporary multiparametric mapping techniques and late gadolinium enhancement imaging, is an extremely valuable and increasingly used non-invasive imaging modality for the diagnosis of myocarditis. The recently updated CMR-based Lake Louise Criteria for the diagnosis of myocarditis incorporate the newer T1 and T2 mapping techniques, which have greatly improved the diagnostic accuracy for IIM myocarditis.18F-FDG-PET/CT is a well-utilized imaging modality in the diagnosis of malignancies in IIM, and it also has a role for the diagnosis of myocarditis in multiple systemic inflammatory diseases. Endomyocardial biopsy, however, remains the gold standard technique for the diagnosis of myocarditis and is necessary for the diagnosis of specific cases of myocarditis. This article provides an overview of the important tests and imaging modalities that clinicians should consider when faced with an IIM patient with potential myocarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the implementation of a 'Supported-at-Home' video tuition program for patients self-administering intracavernosal alprostadil injections for erectile dysfunction. The study aimed to assess the safety, efficacy, and acceptability of this method. Results showed that the video instructions were clear and useful, with most patients finding the self-administration process easy. The study concluded that the 'Supported-at-Home' approach is safe, effective, and acceptable, potentially increasing clinic productivity when used alongside traditional face-to-face appointments. [Extracted from the article]

Science students need exposure to activities that will help them to become familiar with phenomena exhibiting exponential decay. This paper describes an experiment that allows students to determine the rate of thermal energy loss by a hot object to its surroundings. It requires limited equipment, is safe, and gives reasonable results. Students record the decreasing temperature values displayed by a thermometer, which was initially heated by body contact. The procedure is easy to repeat, taking only 3 min. The students then convert temperature changes into thermal energy losses and plot graphs. Data analysis can be used to teach graphing and ratio interpretation. This experiment can be used by high school or first-year college students in situations where resources or space may be limited or where large student populations dictate a need for uncomplicated experimental procedures, particularly those that minimize the production of chemical waste.

The LIM-Homeodomain transcription factor Lhx2 is an essential organizer of early eye development and is subsequently expressed in retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). To determine its requirement in RPCs, we performed a temporal series of conditional inactivations in mice with the early RPC driver Pax6 α-Cre and the tamoxifen-inducible Hes1(CreERT2) driver. Deletion of Lhx2 caused a significant reduction of the progenitor population and a corresponding increase in neurogenesis. Precursor fate choice correlated with the time of inactivation; early and late inactivation led to the overproduction of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and rod photoreceptors, respectively. In each case, however, the overproduction was selective, occurring at the expense of other cell types and indicating a role for Lhx2 in generating cell type diversity. RPCs that persisted in the absence of Lhx2 continued to generate RGC precursors beyond their normal production window, suggesting that Lhx2 facilitates a transition in competence state. These results identify Lhx2 as a key regulator of RPC properties that contribute to the ordered production of multiple cell types during retinal tissue formation.