Perception and satisfaction of blind individuals regarding an electronic cane prototype with a wearable haptic device

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the perception and degree of satisfaction of blind individuals regarding an electronic cane prototype with a wearable haptic interface. Methods: Two scenarios with different obstacles were created to conduct tests with the canes (the user's cane and the prototype one). The perception and satisfaction of participants regarding the electronic cane were assessed using a questionnaire, the number of collisions during the tests, and the time each individual took to complete the course in each scenario. Results: Ten blind individuals who used the white cane participated in this study. Eight were males, and two were females. Their age ranged from 23 to 43 (average 32.3 ± 7.13 years and median 32 years). There was a tendency for fewer collisions with ground obstacles when the electronic cane was used than when the white cane was used. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the number of collisions and the course completion time in each scenario with either canes tested. Conclusion: Overall, the perception and satisfaction of individuals regarding the prototype used were positive.

Adaptação e validação do instrumento Coping Behaviour Inventory para o idioma português europeu / Adaptation and validation of the Coping Behavior Inventory into European Portuguese / Adaptación y validación del Coping Behavior Inventory al portugués europeo

Resumo Enquadramento: Os estudantes de enfermagem estão sujeitos a stress ao longo do curso de enfermagem sobretudo durante a prática clínica. O conhecimento das estratégias de coping utilizadas permite identificar recursos para mitigar o stress a que estes estão sujeitos. Objetivo: Traduzir e validar o instrumento Coping Behaviour Inventory para o idioma português europeu. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo metodológico onde foi utilizada uma amostra não probabilística de 113 estudantes dos 4 anos do curso de licenciatura em enfermagem. Para a aferição das propriedades psicométricas do instrumento foi determinada a validade de construto da escala pelo método de análise de componentes principais e a consistência interna pelo cálculo do coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: Pela análise fatorial exploratória foram extraídos quatro fatores comuns que explicam 57,5% da variância retida sendo o valor alfa de Cronbach para a escala total de 0,668. Conclusão: O Inventário de comportamentos de coping apresenta características psicométricas adequadas no idioma português europeu, sendo um instrumento fiável na avaliação das estratégias de coping utilizadas pelos estudantes de enfermagem.

Abstract Background: Nursing students are exposed to stress during their nursing program, particularly during clinical practice. Identifying the coping strategies used during this period can help identify resources to mitigate the stress they face. Objective: To translate and validate the Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI) into European Portuguese. Methodology: Methodological study with a nonprobability sample of 113 students attending the four years of the nursing program. To assess the psychometric properties of the instrument, its validity was analyzed using the principal component analysis method and its internal consistency by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results: Four common factors were extracted from the exploratory factor analysis, explaining 57.5% of the variance, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.668 for the total scale. Conclusion: The European Portuguese version of the CBI has adequate psychometric characteristics and is a reliable tool for assessing the coping strategies used by nursing students.

Resumen Marco contextual: Los estudiantes de enfermería están sometidos a estrés a lo largo de sus estudios, especialmente durante las prácticas clínicas. El conocimiento de las estrategias de afrontamiento (coping) utilizadas nos permite identificar recursos para mitigar el estrés al que están sometidos. Objetivo: Traducir y validar el instrumento Coping Behavior Inventory para el idioma portugués europeo. Metodología: Se trata de un estudio metodológico que utilizó una muestra no probabilística de 113 estudiantes de los cuatro años de la carrera de Enfermería. Para evaluar las propiedades psicométricas del instrumento, se determinó la validez de constructo de la escala mediante el método de análisis de componentes principales y la consistencia interna mediante el cálculo del coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: El análisis factorial exploratorio extrajo cuatro factores comunes que explican el 57,5% de la varianza retenida, con un valor alfa de Cronbach para la escala total de 0,668. Conclusión: El Inventario de Comportamientos de Afrontamiento tiene características psicométricas adecuadas en portugués europeo y es un instrumento fiable para evaluar las estrategias de afrontamiento utilizadas por los estudiantes de enfermería.

Uso da adaptação transcultural nos cursos de pós-graduação em Enfermagem / Use of cross-cultural adaptation in Postgraduate Nursing courses / Uso de la adaptación transcultural en las carreras de grado en Enfermería

Objetivo: analisar a produção científica brasileira, na Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, que utilizou o método de adaptação transcultural. Método: estudo documental, com busca realizada na Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações, que resultou em 140 dissertações e 72 teses para análise, oriundas de Programas de Pós-Graduação da região Sudeste, seguida das regiões Nordeste, Sul e Centro-Oeste, sem representação da região Norte. Resultados: os instrumentos adaptados foram, em sua maioria, procedentes do idioma inglês. Prevaleceram as pesquisas na área/campo Assistencial, destacando-se a linha de pesquisa Processo de Cuidar em Saúde e Enfermagem. Identificou-se descompasso entre o que é produzido na área e o que é recomendado internacionalmente. Conclusão: verificou-se aumento na utilização da adaptação transcultural como método de pesquisa, com persistência das assimetrias acadêmicas regionais e sem consenso sobre o referencial metodológico.

Objective: to analyze the Brazilian scientific production in Postgraduate Nursing education using the cross-cultural adaptation method. Method: documentary study with searches carried out in the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations resulting in 140 Master's theses and 72 Doctoral dissertations for analysis originated from Postgraduate Programs carried out in the Southeast region of Brazil, followed by the Northeast, South and Midwest regions ­ there was no representation of the North region. Results: the adapted instruments were, mostly, originally written in English. Research in the Care area/field prevailed, highlighting the line of research called Health and Nursing Care Process. A gap between what is produced in the area and what is recommended internationally was identified. Conclusion: an increase in the use of cross-cultural adaptation as a research method was noticed, with the persistence of regional academic asymmetries and lack of consensus on the methodological framework.

Objetivo: analizar la producción científica brasileña, en el Postgrado en Enfermería, que utilizó el método de adaptación transcultural. Método: estudio documental, la búsqueda se realizó en la Biblioteca Digital de Tesis y Disertaciones, se obtuvieron 140 tesis de maestría y 72 tesis de doctorado para análisis, provenientes de Programas de Posgrado de la región Sudeste, seguida de las regiones Nordeste, Sur y Centro-Oeste, no se encontraron documentos de la región Norte. Resultados: los instrumentos adaptados fueron, en su mayoría, del idioma inglés. Predominaron las investigaciones en el área/campo Asistencial, se destacó la línea de investigación Proceso de Atención en Salud y Enfermería. Se identificó que lo que se produce en el área no coincide con lo que se recomienda a nivel internacional. Conclusión: se comprobó que aumentó el uso de la adaptación transcultural como método de investigación, que persisten las disparidades académicas regionales y que no hay consenso sobre el marco metodológico.

Validity and reliability of the Iranian-developed version of the leisure questionnaire for people with multiple sclerosis: Psychometric properties.

Background: An effective and reliable assessment tool is essential for evaluating the leisure activities of patients. The purpose of this study is to assess the validity and reliability of the Iranian-developed version of leisure questionnaire for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Psychometric methods were used to assess face, content, differential, and convergent validity, as well as test-retest reliability. The study used SPSS software to enter data and assessed content validity using descriptive characteristics and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) based on ratings by experts. Independent t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the differential validity, while the Pearson test was used to analyse the convergent validity by comparing it with the Nottingham Leisure Questionnaire (NLQ). The study calculated the reliability of the questionnaire using the paired t-test and ICC. Results: The subjects were 60 patients with MS. The content validity analysis showed a single measure validity coefficient of 0.158 and an average measure coefficient of 0.751, both of which were statistically significant. The results of the differential validity analysis for the entire questionnaire were also significant (t = -3.058, P = 0.003). Additionally, the convergent validity and reliability of the questionnaire were 0.92 and 0.82, respectively. Conclusion: The 50-item leisure questionnaire designed for patients with MS demonstrated good validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used as an effective research tool for exploring the leisure activities of individuals with MS.

A study on possible risk factors for progressive supranuclear palsy in southern part of India.

Background: The etiological factors leading to progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the role of various risk factors in patients with PSP. Methods: A case-control study was conducted over a period of two years from March 2016 to March 2018. The cases were recruited independently by two senior neurologists and a consensus was then reached after discussion for their inclusion. The controls were free of parkinsonian features or dementia and matched by age (± 3 years), sex, and race with the cases. The study population was then interviewed using a standard questionnaire for various possible risk factors. Variables with a significance (P ≤ 0.05) in univariate analysis were considered for bivariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and logistic-regression analysis. Results: A total of 51 cases with an equal number of controls were included in this study. Ten separate variables that included poor educational status, well water, smoking, tapioca, bakery/fast food, tea ≥ 5 cups/day, personality, exposure to pets, exposure to cattle, and family history of stroke were found to show statistical significance after univariate analysis. Among these, tapioca consumption, fast food and bakery items consumption, type A personality, and family history of stroke were found significant after adjusting for the confounding factors. Conclusion: The possible etiological factors that have a relevance in the causation of PSP as borne out in our study include dietary habits such as tapioca, fast food, and bakery items consumption, family history of stroke, and type A personality trait.

Associations of Wearable Activity Tracker Use With Physical Activity and Health Outcomes in Patients With Cancer: Findings from a Population-Based Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is a global issue for cancer survivors. Wearable activity trackers are promising to address physical inactivity by providing real-time feedback on physical activity and offering opportunities for self-monitoring and goal setting. Meta-analysis has reported the effects of interventions that incorporate wearable activity trackers on improved physical inactivity and related health outcomes (eg, BMI, anxiety and depression, and self-rated health status). However, wearable activity trackers were often used as an adjunct to physical activity interventions, and the effectiveness of wearable activity trackers alone is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the association of wearable activity trackers with physical activity and health outcomes in patients with cancer. METHODS: Data from 957 cancer survivors from the Health Information National Trends Survey-Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (HINTS-SEER) were analyzed. The outcome variables examined were time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity, weekly frequency of strength training, BMI, anxiety and depression levels, and self-assessed health status. The primary independent variable was whether cancer survivors had used wearable activity trackers within the past 12 months. Design-based linear regression for continuous outcome variables and ordinal logistic regression for ordinal outcome variables were conducted to determine the associations after controlling for sociodemographic, cancer-related, and health-related factors. All data analyses accounted for the complex survey design and sample weights. RESULTS: Only 29% of cancer survivors reported wearable activity tracker use. Bivariate analyses showed that younger age (P<.001), higher education (P=.04), higher income (P<.001), and an employed status (P<.001) were significantly associated with wearable activity tracker use. Wearable activity tracker use was significantly associated with higher time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (adjusted =37.94, 95% CI 8.38-67.5; P=.01), more frequent strength training per week (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.50, 95% CI 1.09-2.06; P=.01), and better self-rated health status (adjusted OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.09-2.29; P=.01), but not with BMI or anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the uptake of wearable activity trackers is low and highlights the digital divide among patients with cancer. This study has confirmed the associations of wearable activity tracker use with physical activity and self-rated health, supporting using wearable activity trackers as a promising tool to facilitate physical activity promotion.

Validity of self-reported number of pregnancies and maternal age at first birth among females attending organized mammographic screening.

AIMS: Reproductive history conveys information about potential health risks later in adulthood. This study aimed to examine the validity of self-reported number of pregnancies and maternal age at first birth (AFB) among females attending BreastScreen Norway. METHODS: Participants were identified through the Janus Serum Bank cohort in Norway and were eligible for this cross-sectional validation study if they participated in a health survey issued by BreastScreen Norway between 2006 and 2015. Retrospective self-reported survey information on number of pregnancies and AFB in years was validated against prospectively collected information from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) using the Spearman rank (rs) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: After exclusions, 51,598 subjects were included in the analysis on number of pregnancies and 46,919 in the analysis on AFB. On average, study subjects were 59-60 years old when completing the health survey and had become first-time mothers roughly 36 years earlier. Survey-based information about number of pregnancies was highly correlated and demonstrated high agreement with the registry data (rs=0.967, 95% CI 0.964-0.969; ICC=0.884, 95% CI 0.882-0.885). Survey-based information about AFB demonstrated even higher correlation and very high agreement with the registry data (rs=0.975, 95% CI 0.973-0.976; ICC=0.974, 95% CI 0.974-0.975). CONCLUSIONS: Retrospectively recalled survey-based information about number of pregnancies and AFB was highly accurate when validated against prospectively collected information in the MBRN. These survey-based data are valuable for future epidemiological research, and linkage to the MBRN may not be required when these data are available.

The Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey (NCPHS): a design study.

BACKGROUND: Effective public health initiatives should be founded on a comprehensive and robust understanding of health-related factors including societal and community contexts. The Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey (NCPHS) aims for insights into the adult population on topics relevant for planning public health practices at county and municipality levels. METHODS: The NCPHS includes a core questionnaire on public health-related topics and demographics, including indicators of socio-economy, with additional optional questions and scales varying across data collections. Samples are drawn from the Norwegian National Population Register and 'washed' against the Common Contact Register to retrieve digital contact information and exclude those who cannot be contacted electronically. NCPHS was piloted in 2015 and 2018 (four counties). After some revision of instruments and sampling procedures, surveys have been carried out in most Norwegian counties since 2019. The total number of participants has now passed 400,000. RESULTS: Expedient data analysis has enabled the Norwegian Institute of Public Health to present comprehensive reports within 6 weeks of completed data collections. In these, outcome variables are analysed against district (within counties), gender, age, educational attainment and self-reported sufficiency of household income. Tables are also made available at the municipality level. CONCLUSIONS: The NCPHS represents a valuable addition to existing data sources, providing critical information for planning purposes for local and regional public health authorities, for assessing trends over time, comparisons across counties and regions and for evaluation of policies and interventions. The value of such a system during times of crisis was demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Embedding the 'CoolCuddle' intervention for infants undergoing therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy in NICU: an evaluation using normalisation process theory.

OBJECTIVES: Newborn infants exposed to lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain around birth may develop brain dysfunction (hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy-HIE). These infants undergo 72 hours of cooling therapy and most are not held by their parents in the UK. We examined the implementation of 'CoolCuddle', identifying factors that impact embedding of this complex intervention in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across England. DESIGN: Process evaluation and qualitative study using a standard questionnaire and interviews. Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) core constructs were used to assess relevant issues to staff embedding 'CoolCuddle', to discern change over time and different settings. Qualitative interviews provided valuable contextual exploration of implementation. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Six tertiary NICUs in England. Thirty-seven families with a newborn baby undergoing cooling therapy for HIE were recruited from September 2022 to August 2023; 17 NICU staff Normalisation MeAsure Development (NoMADs) at six NICUs over 6 months were included; 14 neonatal/research nurses from three participating NICUs were interviewed. INTERVENTION: The family-centred intervention 'CoolCuddle' was developed to enable parents to hold their infant during cooling, without affecting the cooling therapy or intensive care. OUTCOME MEASURES: NoMAD questionnaires at three timepoints over 6 months and NPT informed qualitative interviews. RESULTS: NoMAD questionnaires at baseline showed more variation between units, for intervention acceptability, than those at 3 and 6 months. Qualitative data highlighted that staff understood the benefits of CoolCuddle but were apprehensive due to perceived risks involved in moving cooling babies. A rigorous standard operating procedure was flexible enough to incorporate the use of local processes and equipment and provided the relevant procedural knowledge to deliver CoolCuddle safely. CONCLUSIONS: The CoolCuddle intervention can be implemented safely under the supervision of standard neonatal teams as part of usual practice in diverse NICU settings in England. The importance of having a rigorous standard operating procedure, which can be adapted to support local settings, is highlighted. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN10018542; Results: registered on 30 August 2022.

Physical space of thirty pediatric intensive care units in the United States of America: a national survey.

Introduction: The design of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) rooms significantly impacts patient care and satisfaction. The aims were first, to describe the current physical space across PICUs in the USA, and second, to identify what proportion of PICUs are compliant with current guidelines. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted, targeting division chiefs and medical directors of PICUs nationwide. The survey collected data on unit type, construction and renovation dates, room sizes, and available amenities. According to the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals, PICU rooms are recommended to be single rooms, at least 200 sq ft, have a window and a private bathroom. Data were anonymized and reported as median and interquartile ranges or frequencies and percentages. Results: Thirty units responded. Among the respondents, 26 had general PICUs, 9 had cardiac ICUs, and 3 had intermediate care units, with some units containing multiple types of ICUs. The median annual admissions were 1,125, with a median occupancy rate of 78%. Twenty-three percent of units had at least one double room, and 3% had triple or quadruple rooms. The median room size was 265 sq ft (IQR 230; 304), the smallest room size was 220 sq ft (IQR 179; 275), and the largest single room size was 312 sq ft (IQR 273; 330). Thirty-seven percent of units had bathrooms in every room, while 80% had windows in every room. Additionally, 46% of units had dialysis capabilities in every room, and 7% had negative pressure capabilities in every room. The median building year was 2008 (IQR 2001;2014), with 36% of units having undergone at least one renovation. Larger rooms were associated with more recent build dates (p = 0.01). Only 30% of the PICUs met the guidelines for physical space. These compliant units were built at a median of 4 years ago (IQR 1; 8). Conclusion: This study highlights the variability in PICU room design and amenities across healthcare facilities. Many units still fall short of meeting the guidelines for room size, windows, and private bathrooms. Future research should investigate the relationship between room characteristics and patient outcomes to inform better design practices, with a goal of improving patient experiences and clinical outcomes.

A machine learning-based online web calculator to aid in the diagnosis of sarcopenia in the US community.

Background: Sarcopenia places a heavy healthcare burden on individuals and society. Recognizing sarcopenia and intervening at an early stage is critical. However, there is no simple and easy-to-use prediction tool for diagnosing sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to construct a well-performing online web calculator based on a machine learning approach to predict the risk of low lean body mass (LBM) to assist in the diagnosis of sarcopenia. Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys 1999-2004 were selected for model construction, and the included data were randomly divided into training and validation sets in the ratio of 75:25. Six machine learning methods- Classification and Regression Trees, Logistic Regression, Neural Network, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)-were used to develop the model. They are screened for features and evaluated for performance. The best-performing models were further developed as an online web calculator for clinical applications. Results: There were 3046 participants enrolled in the study and 815 (26.8%) participants with LBM. Through feature screening, height, waist circumference, race, and age were used as machine learning features to construct the model. After performance evaluation and sensitivity analysis, the XGBoost-based model was determined to be the best model with better discriminative performance, clinical utility, and robustness. Conclusion: The XGBoost-based model in this study has excellent performance, and the online web calculator based on it can easily and quickly predict the risk of LBM to aid in the diagnosis of sarcopenia in adults over the age of 60.

Attitudes, practices and perceived barriers toward implementing non-pharmacological management for rheumatoid arthritis among rheumatologists: an online cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: Our study aimed to evaluate the integration level of non-pharmacological management (NPM) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), analyze attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers towards NPM implementation, and identify factors contributing to the underutilization of non-pharmacological treatment in RA. Material and methods: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among rheumatologists in Morocco. Rheumatologists received an online questionnaire gathering sociodemographic data, NPM integration level for RA, exploring their attitudes, practices and perceived barriers regarding the integration of NPM for RA, using a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. Univariate analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for under-integration of NPM for RA. Results: Out of 440 questionnaires sent, 132 rheumatologists responded to the survey (mean age of 44 ±12 years, 112 (84.8%) females, median professional experience of 15 years [4.7; 26.3]) with a response rate of 30%. All rheumatologists agreed on the importance of NPM integration into their practice with 130 (98.5%) supporting the necessity of tailored recommendations of NPM of RA for the Moroccan context. Sixty-nine (52.3%) reported a lack of NPM integration for RA. Only 36 (27.3%) consistently provided personalized NPM from RA diagnosis and 47 (35.6%) involved patients in decision-making. Comment perceived barriers included difficulties in organizing multidisciplinary care (122; 92.4%), difficulties with time management in consultation (119; 90.2%), and lack of multidisciplinary team members (116; 87.9%). In univariate analysis, lack of suitable training and lack of knowledge on NPM of RA were risk factors of under-integration of NPM of RA with respectively an odds ratio (OR) of 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01-0.86 and OR of 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15-0.76. Conclusions: Our study revealed significant insufficiencies in the integration of NPM of RA among Moroccan rheumatologists. Perceived barriers, including insufficient training, lack of knowledge, and infrastructural limitations, hinder effective implementation. Addressing these through tailored education and multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for improving RA management.

Public engagement with consumer sleep technology for obstructive sleep apnea screening: implications for equity, access, and practice.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To characterize public practices and perspectives on the use of consumer sleep technology (CST) and evaluate perspectives on using CST as a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). METHODS: We designed a survey instrument incorporating content from validated instruments (STOP-BANG and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and hypothesis-generated questions. Survey development involved multidisciplinary collaboration among three board-certified sleep medicine experts, researchers, and consumers. The survey was disseminated across a national sample of adults living in the United States via an online platform. RESULTS: Among 897 respondents, the mean (SD) age was 47.5 (16.9) years; 73.1% were female, 81.8% were White, and 505 respondents (56.3%) reported having tracked sleep using CS. Factors associated with decreased odds of CST use included household income <$30,000 (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.28-0.79; p=0.004), Medicaid insurance (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.26-0.69; p=0.001), Medicare insurance (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.41-0.84; p=0.004), and lack of a primary care physician (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.33-0.91; p=0.021). Most respondents (91.1%) agreed or strongly agreed that screening for OSA would be a useful feature of CST, but respondents reporting an education of high school diploma or less (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29-0.79; p=0.004) were less likely to agree with this statement. CONCLUSIONS: Attitudes toward and use of CST differed based on demographic and socioeconomic factors. Further study is needed to understand and address barriers to CST adoption and to characterize implications for equitable access to care for sleep disorders.

Advanced breast diffusion-weighted imaging: what are the next steps? A proposal from the EUSOBI International Breast Diffusion-weighted Imaging working group.

OBJECTIVES: This study by the EUSOBI International Breast Diffusion-weighted Imaging (DWI) working group aimed to evaluate the current and future applications of advanced DWI in breast imaging. METHODS: A literature search and a comprehensive survey of EUSOBI members to explore the clinical use and potential of advanced DWI techniques and a literature search were involved. Advanced DWI approaches such as intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were assessed for their current status and challenges in clinical implementation. RESULTS: Although a literature search revealed an increasing number of publications and growing academic interest in advanced DWI, the survey revealed limited adoption of advanced DWI techniques among EUSOBI members, with 32% using IVIM models, 17% using non-Gaussian diffusion techniques for kurtosis analysis, and only 8% using DTI. A variety of DWI techniques are used, with IVIM being the most popular, but less than half use it, suggesting that the study identified a gap between the potential benefits of advanced DWI and its actual use in clinical practice. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the need for further research, standardization and simplification to transition advanced DWI from a research tool to regular practice in breast imaging. The study concludes with guidelines and recommendations for future research directions and clinical implementation, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in this field to improve breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Advanced DWI in breast imaging, while currently in limited clinical use, offers promising improvements in diagnosis, staging, and treatment monitoring, highlighting the need for standardized protocols, accessible software, and collaborative approaches to promote its broader integration into routine clinical practice. KEY POINTS: Increasing number of publications on advanced DWI over the last decade indicates growing research interest. EUSOBI survey shows that advanced DWI is used primarily in research, not extensively in clinical practice. More research and standardization are needed to integrate advanced DWI into routine breast imaging practice.

The Danish National Health Survey 2023: study design and participant characteristics.

AIM: To describe the design of the Danish National Health Survey (DNHS) 2023, participants' demographic characteristics and differences in demographic and selected health-related characteristics between respondents invited by web-mode and paper-mode. METHODS: A sample of 25,000 residents in Denmark aged 16 years or above was invited to participate in the DNHS 2023 using a mixed-mode approach (web/paper mode). Web-mode invited were additionally invited to participate in an accelerometer study. The self-administered questionnaire included 83 questions about health, health behaviour and morbidity. Descriptive statistics were used to describe characteristics associated with response and invitation mode. RESULTS: The response proportion was 40.8%. Non-response was more frequent among men, individuals of the youngest age groups, individuals with non-Western backgrounds, unmarried and individuals from densely populated areas. The response proportion was higher among web-mode invited (42.0%) than paper-mode invited (22.6%). Paper-mode invited respondents were more often women, aged 80 years or older, and widowed compared with web-mode invited respondents. CONCLUSIONS: The DNHS 2023 is a national health survey including adult residents in Denmark. Non-response was more pronounced among some subgroups; however, calibrated weights were calculated to minimise non-response bias. The survey is essential for public health surveillance and can be used in health planning and policy development. Furthermore, the data from the survey can be used for research on the population's health and health behaviour. For future waves of the DNHS, it should be considered whether resources should be used to invite people unsubscribed from digital-post due to the low response proportion.

Perceptions and attitudes toward artificial intelligence among frontline physicians and physicians' assistants in Kansas: a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: This survey aims to understand frontline healthcare professionals' perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and assess how AI familiarity influences these perceptions. Materials and Methods: We conducted a survey from February to March 2023 of physicians and physician assistants registered with the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. Participants rated their perceptions toward AI-related domains and constructs on a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating stronger agreement. Two sub-groups were created for analysis to assess the impact of participants' familiarity and experience with AI on the survey results. Results: From 532 respondents, key concerns were Perceived Communication Barriers (median = 4.0, IQR = 2.8-4.8), Unregulated Standards (median = 4.0, IQR = 3.6-4.8), and Liability Issues (median = 4.0, IQR = 3.5-4.8). Lower levels of agreement were noted for Trust in AI Mechanisms (median = 3.0, IQR = 2.2-3.4), Perceived Risks of AI (median = 3.2, IQR = 2.6-4.0), and Privacy Concerns (median = 3.3, IQR = 2.3-4.0). Positive correlations existed between Intention to use AI and Perceived Benefits (r = 0.825) and Trust in AI Mechanisms (r = 0.777). Perceived risk negatively correlated with Intention to Use AI (r = -0.718). There was no difference in perceptions between AI experienced and AI naïve subgroups. Discussion: The findings suggest that perceptions of benefits, trust, risks, communication barriers, regulation, and liability issues influence healthcare professionals' intention to use AI, regardless of their AI familiarity. Conclusion: The study highlights key factors affecting AI adoption in healthcare from the frontline healthcare professionals' perspective. These insights can guide strategies for successful AI implementation in healthcare.

Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST) science: Our Galaxy.

As we learn more about the multi-scale interstellar medium (ISM) of our Galaxy, we develop a greater understanding for the complex relationships between the large-scale diffuse gas and dust in Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs), how it moves, how it is affected by the nearby massive stars, and which portions of those GMCs eventually collapse into star forming regions. The complex interactions of those gas, dust and stellar populations form what has come to be known as the ecology of our Galaxy. Because we are deeply embedded in the plane of our Galaxy, it takes up a significant fraction of the sky, with complex dust lanes scattered throughout the optically recognizable bands of the Milky Way. These bands become bright at (sub-)millimetre wavelengths, where we can study dust thermal emission and the chemical and kinematic signatures of the gas. To properly study such large-scale environments, requires deep, large area surveys that are not possible with current facilities. Moreover, where stars form, so too do planetary systems, growing from the dust and gas in circumstellar discs, to planets and planetesimal belts. Understanding the evolution of these belts requires deep imaging capable of studying belts around young stellar objects to Kuiper belt analogues around the nearest stars. Here we present a plan for observing the Galactic Plane and circumstellar environments to quantify the physical structure, the magnetic fields, the dynamics, chemistry, star formation, and planetary system evolution of the galaxy in which we live with AtLAST; a concept for a new, 50m single-dish sub-mm telescope with a large field of view which is the only type of facility that will allow us to observe our Galaxy deeply and widely enough to make a leap forward in our understanding of our local ecology.

There are many individual components contributing to the overall evolution of our Galaxy, the Milky Way. Through understanding the physics and chemistry of the Galaxy around us, we better understand our origins, our environment, and where we're going. Here we outline a number of observational surveys of our Galaxy that would produce a step change in our understanding of the evolution of the Galaxy around us, both as a template for others, and as the only way of understanding our place in the larger Universe. We present surveys of the Galactic Plane focusing on the dust and magnetic fields, chemistry, and dynamics of the gas. We then suggest surveys of local stars and star forming regions to uncover the origins of stars, planets and how those planetary systems evolve over the course of their lives, helping to put our Sun and Solar System in context. These types of observations require simultaneously sensitive, long wavelength (between 0.3 and 3 millimetre) observations as well as a large coverage of the sky, and cannot be done with current observatories operating at these wavelengths. Future leaps in understanding these systems will require a new telescope; a large telescope at a good observing location with a large field of view. This telescope, the Atacama Large Sub-mm Telescope (AtLAST; http://atlast-telescope.org/) is being developed, and here we are presenting the science cases for this new telescope from the point of view of our Galaxy. Together, these studies will revolutionise our understanding of the history and evolution of our Galaxy and bring us yet another step closer to understanding our place in, and the evolution of, our Universe.

Utilization of radiometric data for mapping primary and secondary sources of gamma radiation and radon/thoron release potentials in Ireland.

Background: This paper presents a novel approach to predict and map radon and thoron levels. We developed separate radon and thoron prediction maps for Ireland and introduced a system for producing high-resolution 3D radiation maps which may be used for planning purposes in residential areas, recycling and demolishing waste depots, and quarries of building and construction material. Additionally, we highlight the critical need to monitor thoron alongside radon in indoor surveys, as thoron's shorter half-life and higher energy levels may pose a greater health risk. Methods: We utilized Tellus radiometric survey data and indoor radon measurement records to investigate the spatial correlation between elevated indoor radon activity and anomalies in radioelement concentrations. We also estimated the degree of thoron interference in indoor radon surveys conducted in Ireland using CR-39 detectors. Field and laboratory surveys were performed to produce high-resolution radiation maps for four Irish quarries and estimate the radon and thoron potential of these quarries. Results: Our initial findings suggest that thoron may be the primary health issue in some parts of Ireland, surpassing radon. For example, our map shows that the expected thoron potential in county Donegal is significantly higher than that for radon. Our radon and thoron exhalation tests on building material samples from four random quarries confirm this. We also estimate that over 20% of the elevated indoor radon activity recorded by the EPA using CR-39 detectors may be attributed to thoron-related sources. Conclusion: This study contributes to a better understanding of the prevalence and impact of radon and thoron in Ireland, helping to determine the main radiological health issue related to indoor air quality in the country. Thoron's impact on indoor air quality and health has been understudied in Ireland, necessitating more comprehensive studies and monitoring programs to accurately assess the prevalence and impact of both radon and thoron.

Development and validation of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0.

OBJECTIVE: Scientific interest in the concept of food addiction is growing, but more studies are needed in youth samples. Brief, psychometrically valid, and developmentally appropriate measures are needed to support the assessment of food addiction in large-scale studies of youth that need to minimize participant burden. While a brief version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) exists for adults, no comparable scale exists for youth. Thus, the current study aimed to develop a brief and valid measure of food addiction for use in youth populations (the modified YFAS for children 2.0). METHOD: Data stem from the Food Addiction Denmark (FADK) Project, where random samples of 559 adolescents from the general population and 413 adolescents from a population with mental disorder completed the 35-item original YFAS for children 2.0 (YFAS-C 2.0). An abbreviated 13-item version was developed, and the psychometric properties of the modified YFAS-C 2.0 (mYFAS-C 2.0) were then evaluated. RESULTS: The mYFAS-C 2.0 exhibited a one-factor structure and was found to have sound psychometric properties regarding internal consistency and convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity. This was evident in both the general adolescent population sample and the sample of adolescents with mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The mYFAS-C 2.0 provides a brief and psychometrically valid measure of food addiction for youth, which may be beneficial for study designs (e.g., epidemiological samples) that aim to minimize participant burden. Future research on the test-retest reliability of the mYFAS-C 2.0 and its psychometric properties in younger children are important next steps.