Virtual reality-guided mindfulness for chronic pain in cancer survivors: protocol for the virtual mind study-a single-group feasibility trial.

Background: Chronic cancer-related pain (CRP) can have a significant negative impact on quality of life. Mindfulness is hypothesized to mitigate chronic CRP by regulating both physical and emotional resistance to pain. In recent years, there has been interest in the use of virtual reality (VR) to deliver mindfulness meditation. VR provides an immersive and engaging environment, which may enhance one's focused attention to present-moment experiences, potentially making mindfulness less effortful and more efficacious for individuals with chronic pain. There has been little research in this area for people with a history of cancer. Objective: The aim of this mixed methods study is to evaluate the feasibility of a VR-guided mindfulness (VRGM) intervention offered to adult cancer survivors with chronic CRP. Methods: This mixed methods feasibility study will employ a single-arm, pretest-posttest design with semistructured interviews. In total, 15 cancer survivors will be enrolled in a 6-week home-based intervention that consists of 10-15 min of daily VRGM practice. The primary outcome is feasibility as assessed by accrual rates, retention in the study, intervention adherence, questionnaire completion, and side effect rates. Participants will be assessed on psychosocial outcome measures (i.e., pain, sleep, depressive and anxiety symptoms, fatigue, quality of life, and mindfulness) before and after the intervention, and 6 weeks post intervention (follow-up). Changes in pain will be described in relation to levels of immersion and presence in the virtual environment, trait mindfulness, and amount of VRGM practice. Qualitative information will provide subjective detail on participants' experience with VRGM to complement quantitative data. This study has been approved by the Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta Cancer Committee (HREBA.CC-20-0411). Conclusions: This novel intervention provides a potential alternative treatment to pharmacological pain management. Results from this study may inform future larger VGRM trials for chronic CRP to help reduce suffering in people with cancer. Study findings will be disseminated through open access publications, traditional conference presentations, professional cancer organizations, and social media platforms.

Prospective validity of a clinical prediction rule for response to non-surgical multidisciplinary management of knee osteoarthritis in tertiary care: a multisite prospective longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES: We tested a previously developed clinical prediction tool-a nomogram consisting of four patient measures (lower patient-expected benefit, lower patient-reported knee function, greater knee varus angle and severe medial knee radiological degeneration) that were related to poor response to non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis. This study sought to prospectively evaluate the predictive validity of this nomogram to identify patients most likely to respond poorly to non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Multisite prospective longitudinal study. SETTING: Advanced practice physiotherapist-led multidisciplinary service across six tertiary hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Participants with knee osteoarthritis deemed appropriate for trial of non-surgical management following an initial assessment from an advanced practice physiotherapist were eligible for inclusion. INTERVENTIONS: Baseline clinical nomogram scores were collected before a trial of individualised non-surgical management commenced. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Clinical outcome (Global Rating of Change) was collected 6 months following commencement of non-surgical management and dichotomised to responder (a little better to a very great deal better) or poor responder (almost the same to a very great deal worse). Clinical nomogram accuracy was evaluated from receiver operating characteristics curve analysis and area under the curve, and sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative likelihood ratios were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 242 participants enrolled. Follow-up scores were obtained from 210 participants (87% response rate). The clinical nomogram demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.70 (p<0.001), with greatest combined sensitivity 0.65 and specificity 0.64. The positive likelihood ratio was 1.81 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.36) and negative likelihood ratio 0.55 (95% CI 0.41 to 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: The knee osteoarthritis clinical nomogram prediction tool may have capacity to identify patients at risk of poor response to non-surgical management. Further work is required to determine the implications for service delivery, feasibility and impact of implementing the nomogram in clinical practice.

Placental, maternal, fetal, and technical origins of false-positive cell-free DNA screening results.

The introduction of noninvasive prenatal testing has resulted in substantial reductions to previously accepted false-positive rates of prenatal screening. Despite this, the possibility of false-positive results remains a challenging consideration in clinical practice, particularly considering the increasing uptake of genome-wide noninvasive prenatal testing, and the subsequent increased proportion of high-risk results attributable to various biological events besides fetal aneuploidy. Confined placental mosaicism, whereby chromosome anomalies exclusively affect the placenta, is perhaps the most widely accepted cause of false-positive noninvasive prenatal testing. There remains, however, a substantial degree of ambiguity in the literature pertaining to the clinical ramifications of confined placental mosaicism and its potential association with placental insufficiency, and consequentially adverse pregnancy outcomes including fetal growth restriction. Other causes of false-positive noninvasive prenatal testing include vanishing twin syndrome, in which the cell-free DNA from a demised aneuploidy-affected twin triggers a high-risk result, technical failures, and maternal origins of abnormal cell-free DNA such as uterine fibroids or unrecognized mosaicisms. Most concerningly, maternal malignancies are also a documented cause of false-positive screening results. In this review, we compile what is currently known about the various causes of false-positive noninvasive prenatal testing.

People With Cancer Experience Worse Psychosocial and Financial Consequences of COVID-19 Compared With Other Chronic Disease Populations: Findings From the International COVID-19 Awareness and Response Evaluation Survey Study.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have profound psychosocial impacts across the globe. In this analysis of the International COVID-19 Awareness and Response Evaluation (iCARE) survey study, we comparatively investigated the psychosocial effects of COVID-19 on individuals with cancer and people with other chronic illness. METHODS: iCARE study respondents were divided into two groups on the basis of self-reported health status: (1) active/current cancer (with or without any other chronic condition: heart disease, lung disease, hypertension, diabetes, severe obesity, immunity disease, and depressive or anxiety disorder); and (2) other chronic condition, but not cancer. Linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the associations between health status and outcomes. RESULTS: Worldwide, 18,154 iCARE study respondents (mean age, 50.8 years) from 175 countries were included in the analysis. Among them, 3.8% (n = 677) identified as having active/current cancer and 96.2% (n = 17,477) identified as having other chronic condition. Multivariate analyses showed significant associations between having cancer and declined mental (ß = .364; P < .0001) and physical (ß = .317; P < .0001) health since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, relative to those with other chronic illness. Moreover, individuals with cancer demonstrated a higher likelihood of reporting maladaptive coping mechanisms such as increased alcohol use (ß = .457; P < .0001) and financial hardships such as not paying rent/mortgage (ß = .476; P < .0001), compared with people with other chronic illness. CONCLUSION: Individuals with cancer worldwide tended to have worse psychosocial and financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with other chronic disease populations. Clinicians need to be aware of the importance of attending to the specific mental health needs of individuals with cancer during and after COVID-19-related restrictions.

"A Hippo Out of Water": A Qualitative Inquiry of How Cancer Survivors' Experienced In-Person and Remote-Delivered Mind-Body Therapies.

Background: Mind-body therapies (MBTs) are an effective treatment option for people living with and surviving from cancer to help manage unwanted physical and psychological symptoms and side-effects related to treatment and the illness itself. Many of these structured MBTs, such as Mindfulness Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) and tai chi/qigong (TCQ) programs are common; however, COVID-19 caused most research intervention trials and clinical programs to halt completely, or rapidly adapt an online modality. The Mindfulness and Tai Chi for Cancer Health (MATCH) study, a large-scale study that compared MBCR to a structured TCQ program for treating psychological and physical health outcomes for cancer survivors, adapted to an online, Zoom delivered, program at the outset of COVID-19. Objectives: Study objectives were to explore the experiences of MATCH study participants who took the MBCR or TCQ program completely in-person, those who took the program completely online (over zoom), and participants who had to shift from in-person to online delivery midway through their series of TCQ classes. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants following participation in either the MBCR or TCQ program of the MATCH study. Results: We derived four themes from the data: 1) attending to personal needs, 2) functional, interpersonal, and COVID19-related challenges, 3) unique engagement styles based on mode of delivery, and 4) ease of transitioning to remote delivery. We found that thematic outcomes were variable and largely based on individual preference, such as valuing more autonomy online, or appreciating the interpersonal connection of being in-person. Our results further indicated that the process of shifting from in-person to online within a short time-period was a relatively seamless transition that had minimal impact on participant experience. Conclusions: Insights from this study highlight the benefits of digital mind-body therapies for cancer survivors that extend beyond the acute effects of COVID19.

Triple trouble: uncovering the risks and benefits of early fetal reduction in trichorionic triplets in a large national Danish cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Triplet pregnancies are high risk for both the mother and the infants. The risks for infants include premature birth, low birthweight, and neonatal complications. Therefore, the management of triplet pregnancies involves close monitoring and may include interventions, such as fetal reduction, to prolong the pregnancy and improve outcomes. However, the evidence of benefits and risks associated with fetal reduction is inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the outcomes of trichorionic triplet pregnancies with and without fetal reduction and with nonreduced dichorionic twin pregnancies and primary singleton pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: All trichorionic triplet pregnancies in Denmark, including those with fetal reduction, were identified between 2008 and 2018. In Denmark, all couples expecting triplets are informed about and offered fetal reduction. Pregnancies with viable fetuses at the first-trimester ultrasound scan and pregnancies not terminated were included. Adverse pregnancy outcome was defined as a composite of miscarriage before 24 weeks of gestation, stillbirth at 24 weeks of gestation, or intrauterine fetal death of 1 or 2 fetuses. RESULTS: The study cohort was composed of 317 trichorionic triplet pregnancies, of which 70.0% of pregnancies underwent fetal reduction to a twin pregnancy, 2.2% of pregnancies were reduced to singleton pregnancies, and 27.8% of pregnancies were not reduced. Nonreduced triplet pregnancies had high risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes (28.4%), which was significantly lower in triplets reduced to twins (9.0%; difference, 19.4%, 95% confidence interval, 8.5%-30.3%). Severe preterm deliveries were significantly higher in nonreduced triplet pregnancies (27.9%) than triplet pregnancies reduced to twin pregnancies (13.1%; difference, 14.9%, 95% confidence interval, 7.9%-21.9%). However, triplet pregnancies reduced to twin pregnancies had an insignificantly higher risk of miscarriage (6.8%) than nonreduced twin pregnancies (1.1%; difference, 5.6%; 95% confidence interval, 0.9%-10.4%). CONCLUSION: Triplet pregnancies reduced to twin pregnancies had significantly lower risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, severe preterm deliveries, and low birthweight than nonreduced triplet pregnancies. However, triplet pregnancies reduced to twin pregnancies were potentially associated with a 5.6% increased risk of miscarriage.

Integrating Palliative Care in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Qualitative Study Exploring Patient, Caregiver, and Clinician Perspectives.

PURPOSE: To explore patient, caregiver, and clinician perspectives on palliative care for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). PARTICIPANTS & SETTING: 8 patients who had undergone or would undergo HSCT, 4 caregivers, and 16 HSCT clinicians. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: This qualitative, interpretive descriptive study used semistructured interviews conducted via telephone or videoconference. FINDINGS: Responses were categorized into the following two themes: concerns and challenges during and after HSCT, and tensions with integrating palliative care into HSCT. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The findings from this study highlight the unique and varied needs of patients and their caregivers during and after HSCT. More research is required to determine how to best integrate palliative care in this setting.

First-trimester prediction of preterm prelabour rupture of membranes incorporating cervical length measurement.

OBJECTIVES: To examine early pregnancy risk factors for preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) and develop a predictive model. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a cohort of mixed-risk singleton pregnancies screened in the first and second trimesters in three Danish tertiary fetal medicine centres, including a cervical length measurement at 11-14 weeks, at 19-21 weeks and at 23-24 weeks of gestation. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify predictive maternal characteristics, biochemical and sonographic factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine predictors for the most accurate model. RESULTS: Of 3477 screened women, 77 (2.2%) had PPROM. Maternal factors predictive of PPROM in univariable analysis were nulliparity (OR 2.0 (95% CI 1.2-3.3)), PAPP-A < 0.5 MoM (OR 2.6 (1.1-6.2)), previous preterm birth (OR 4.2 (1.9-8.9)), previous cervical conization (OR 3.6 (2.0-6.4)) and cervical length ≤ 25 mm on transvaginal imaging (first-trimester OR 15.9 (4.3-59.3)). These factors all remained statistically significant in a multivariable adjusted model with an AUC of 0.72 in the most discriminatory first-trimester model. The detection rate using this model would be approximately 30% at a false-positive rate of 10%. Potential predictors such as bleeding in early pregnancy and pre-existing diabetes mellitus affected very few cases and could not be formally assessed. CONCLUSIONS: Several maternal characteristics, placental biochemical and sonographic features are predictive of PPROM with moderate discrimination. Larger numbers are required to validate this algorithm and additional biomarkers, not currently used for first-trimester screening, may improve model performance.

Sonographic Assessment of Fetal Sex: More than External Genitalia.

Early identification of fetal sex is possible due to both improved ultrasound resolution and the incorporation of cell-free DNA testing into routine prenatal screening services. While ultrasound assessment of the external genitalia generally suffices, there are instances where identification of the internal genitalia becomes vital to allow accurate prenatal diagnosis and comprehensive counseling. This manuscript outlines the methodology and clinical utility of assessing fetal genitalia beyond conventional sonography from the second trimester onward and is the first to describe direct visualization of the fetal vagina.

Risks and pregnancy outcome after fetal reduction in dichorionic twin pregnancies: a Danish national retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Twin pregnancies carry a higher risk of congenital and structural malformations, and pregnancy complications including miscarriage, stillbirth, and intrauterine fetal death, compared with singleton pregnancies. Carrying a fetus with severe malformations or abnormal karyotype places the remaining healthy fetus at an even higher risk of adverse outcome and pregnancy complications. Maternal medical conditions or complicated obstetrical history could, in combination with twin pregnancy, cause increased risks for both the woman and the fetuses. To our knowledge, no previous studies have evaluated and compared the outcomes of all dichorionic twin pregnancies and compared the results of reduced twins with those of nonreduced and primary singletons in a national cohort. These data are important for clinicians when counseling couples about fetal reduction and its implications. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe and compare the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including the risk of pregnancy loss, in a national cohort of all dichorionic twins-reduced, nonreduced, and primary singletons. In addition, we examined the implications of gestational age at fetal reduction on gestational age at delivery. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of all Danish dichorionic twin pregnancies, including pregnancies undergoing fetal reduction and a large proportion of randomly selected primary singleton pregnancies with due dates between January 2008 and December 2018. The primary outcome measures were adverse pregnancy outcomes (defined as miscarriage before 24 weeks, stillbirth from 24 weeks, or single intrauterine fetal death in nonreduced twin pregnancies), preterm delivery, and obstetrical pregnancy complications. Outcomes after fetal reduction were compared with those of nonreduced dichorionic twins and primary singletons. RESULTS: In total, 9735 dichorionic twin pregnancies were included, of which 172 (1.8%) were reduced. In addition, 16,465 primary singletons were included. Fetal reductions were performed between 11 and 23 weeks by transabdominal needle-guided injection of potassium chloride, and outcome data were complete for all cases. Adverse pregnancy outcome was observed in 4.1% (95% confidence interval, 1.7%-8.2%) of reduced twin pregnancies, and 2.4% (95% confidence interval, 0.7%-6.1%) were delivered before 28 weeks, and 4.2% (95% confidence interval, 1.7%-8.5%) before 32 weeks. However, when fetal reduction was performed before 14 weeks, adverse pregnancy outcomes occurred in only 1.4% (95% confidence interval, 0.0%-7.4%), and delivery before 28 and 32 weeks diminished to 0% (95% confidence interval, 0.0%-5.0%) and 2.8% (95% confidence interval, 0.3%-9.7%), respectively. In contrast, 3.0% (95% confidence interval, 2.7%-3.4%) of nonreduced dichorionic twins had an adverse pregnancy outcome, and 1.9% (95% confidence interval, 1.7%-2.1%) were delivered before 28 weeks, and 7.3% (95% confidence interval, 6.9%-7.7%) before 32 weeks. Adverse pregnancy outcomes occurred in 0.9% (95% confidence interval, 0.7%-1.0%) of primary singletons, and 0.2% (95% confidence interval, 0.1%-0.3%) were delivered before 28 weeks, and 0.7% (95% confidence interval, 0.6%-0.9%) before 32 weeks. For reduced twins, after taking account of maternal factors and medical history, it was demonstrated that the later the fetal reduction was performed, the earlier the delivery occurred (P<.01). The overall risk of pregnancy complications was significantly lower among reduced twin pregnancies than among nonreduced dichorionic twin pregnancies (P=.02). CONCLUSION: In a national 11-year cohort including all dichorionic twin pregnancies, transabdominal fetal reduction by needle guide for fetal or maternal indication was shown to be safe, with good outcomes for the remaining co-twin. Results were best when the procedure was performed before 14 weeks.

Cell-free DNA screening for rare autosomal trisomies and segmental chromosome imbalances.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes of pregnancies at high-risk for rare autosomal trisomies (RATs) and segmental imbalances (SIs) on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening. METHOD: A retrospective study of women who underwent cfDNA screening between September 2019 and July 2021 at three ultrasound services in Australia. Positive predictive values (PPVs) were calculated using fetal chromosomal analysis. RESULTS: Among 23,857 women screened, there were 93 high-risk results for RATs (0.39%) and 82 for SIs (0.34%). The PPVs were 3.8% (3/78, 95% CI 0.8%-10.8%) for RATs and 19.1% (13/68, 95% CI 10.6%-30.5%) for SIs. If fetuses with structural anomalies were also counted as true-positive cases, the PPV for RATS increased to 8.5% (7/82, 95% CI 3.5%-16.8%). Among 85 discordant cases with birth outcomes available (65.4%), discordant positive RATs had a significantly higher proportion of infants born below the 10th and 3rd birthweight percentiles than expected (19.6% (p = 0.022) and 9.8% (p = 0.004), respectively), which was not observed in the SI group (2.9% < 10th (p = 0.168) and 0.0% <3rd (p = 0.305)). CONCLUSION: The PPVs for SI and RAT results are low, except when a structural abnormality is also present. Discordant positive RATs are associated with growth restriction.

Factors affecting cord blood leptin levels in a consecutive birth cohort.

INTRODUCTION: The fetus that fails to meet its ideal growth trajectory has increased risks of poor health outcomes throughout life. "Gold standard" methods of anthropometric assessment such as measurement of percentage body fat can be difficult to apply across populations and other biomarkers such as serum concentration of umbilical cord blood leptin may be more effective for screening. This study reports cord blood leptin levels in a large prospective consecutive birth cohort and assesses the relationship between leptin and neonatal and maternal factors. METHODS: Venous umbilical cord blood samples were collected from a prospective consecutive cohort of pregnancies at the time of delivery. Maternal and neonatal characteristics and details of delivery were collated. Serum leptin levels were measured, associations with demographic features were identified, and a normal range was established. The association between cord leptin level and neonatal outcome was tested. RESULTS: Umbilical cord leptin and maternal and neonatal characteristics were collected at 1275 births. The median leptin value was 10.8 ng/ml (IQR: 6.4, 17.8 ng/ml). Log10 leptin was significantly associated with gestation at delivery, birthweight (BWt), infant sex, plurality, and maternal body mass index (BMI) (p < .001). Observed leptin values were expressed as multiples of the median (MoM). The mean leptin MoM was significantly lower in infants admitted to NICU following delivery (0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78-0.91 versus 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.06 (controls), p < .001). There was no significant association between leptin MoM values and 5-min Apgar scores. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal cord leptin levels are influenced by a number of maternal and fetal characteristics. Absolute levels can be adjusted to account for normal population variation. Infants requiring admission to NICU have lower mean leptin MoM levels. Further studies are needed to see whether the identification of fetuses with polarized leptin levels (<5th or >95th centile) will benefit from further surveillance or intervention in infancy.

Routine first trimester combined screening for preterm preeclampsia in Australia: A multicenter clinical implementation cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess pregnancy outcomes following first trimester combined screening for preterm preeclampsia in Australia. METHODS: We compared pregnancy outcomes of women with singleton pregnancies who underwent first trimester combined preeclampsia screening with the Fetal Medicine Foundation algorithm between 2014 and 2017 in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, with those from women who received standard care. The primary outcomes were preterm preeclampsia and screening performance. Effect estimates were presented as risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 29 618 women underwent combined screening and 301 566 women received standard care. Women who had combined screening were less likely to have preeclampsia, preterm birth, small neonates, and low Apgar scores than the general population. Women with high-risk results (≥1 in 100) were more likely to develop preterm preeclampsia (2.1% vs. 0.7%, risk ratio [RR] 3.04, 95% CI 2.46-3.77), while low-risk women (risk <1 in 100) had lower rates of preterm preeclampsia (0.2% vs. 0.7%, RR 0.26, 95% CI 0.19-0.35) and other pregnancy complications. Screening detected 65.2% (95% CI 56.4-73.2%) of all preterm preeclampsia cases, with improved performance after adjustment for treatment effect. CONCLUSIONS: First trimester screening for preeclampsia in clinical practice identified a population at high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and low-risk women who may be suitable for less intensive antenatal care.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review of Participants' Adherence to Home Practice.

BACKGROUND: Although mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have demonstrated efficacy for alleviating psychological distress in cancer survivors, little is known about the extent to which participants adhere to assigned home practice. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize and appraise the literature on rates and correlates of adherence to mindfulness home practice among cancer survivors. METHODS: Four databases (PubMed, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, PsycInfo, and CINAHL) were searched for studies published before October 15, 2020. Articles were included if they evaluated the benefits of an MBI program for adults with cancer. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies (N=1811 participants) meeting the inclusion criteria were identified (randomized controlled trials (n=13), non-randomized controlled designs (n=2), single-group studies (n=6)). The pooled adherence rate for participants' home practice was 60% of the assigned amount, which equated to 27 min per day during the intervention period. There was some evidence for a relationship between home practice of mindfulness techniques and improvements in mood, stress, anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.33 to 0.67). Factors including marital status, mood disturbance at baseline, intervention modality, and personality traits were evaluated in relation to adherence to home practice, but the current literature was inadequate to evaluate whether a relationship exists. CONCLUSION: Adherence to mindfulness home practice among cancer survivors is suboptimal, and most of the correlates of adherence studied to date are non-modifiable. More research is warranted to scrutinize the role of home practice in mindfulness-based interventions, including assessment of modifiable factors influencing adherence to improve benefits for this population.

Factors Influencing Preference for Intervention in a Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery and Tai Chi/Qigong in Cancer Survivors.

Introduction: An important gap between randomized efficacy research and real-world implementation of complementary therapies is the role of patient preferences in influencing engagement and outcome. Several studies have highlighted the benefits of patient preference on health outcomes, but few have investigated the factors associated with preference for interventions, which may be critical to assure the success of program implementation. The current study sought to explore the factors associated with patient preference in an ongoing randomized preference-based trial of Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) versus Tai Chi/qigong (TCQ) (the Mindfulness and Tai Chi/qigong in Cancer Health [MATCH] study). Materials and Methods: A multi-method study design was used. A subsample of participants were purposely selected from the ongoing MATCH study to have representation from both intervention arms and from both men and women across different age groups. Open-ended, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted to explore the factors influencing initial patient preference. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by using inductive thematic analysis. The treatment acceptability and preference measure was administered to determine patients' ratings of acceptability and credibility of both preferred and nonpreferred interventions. Results: A total of 13 participants were interviewed prior to program attendance, with 8 (62%) preferring TCQ and 5 (38%) choosing MBCR. Major themes related to patients' preference for intervention included: (1) expectations about the preferred intervention; (2) knowledge of the intervention; (3) past experiences with the intervention; and (4) self-efficacy. Participants' mean treatment acceptability scores were higher for their preferred program than their nonpreferred program. Conclusion: Understanding the factors that influence cancer survivors' preference for mind-body interventions can augment health care providers' knowledge of the barriers and facilitators for successful implementation of interventions in clinical settings, as well as help patients make informed treatment decisions and improve satisfaction and outcomes. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT03641222.

Placental Growth Factor and Adverse Obstetric Outcomes in a Mixed-Risk Cohort of Women Screened for Preeclampsia in the First Trimester of Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the association between placental growth factor (PlGF) and adverse obstetric outcomes in a mixed-risk cohort of pregnant women screened for preeclampsia (PE) in the first trimester. METHODS: We included women with singleton pregnancies screened for PE between April 2014 and September 2016. Outcome data were retrieved from the New South Wales Perinatal Data Collection (NSW PDC) by linkage to the prenatal cohort. Adverse outcomes were defined as spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) before 37-week gestation, birth weight (BW) below the 3rd centile, PE, gestational hypertension (GH), stillbirth, and neonatal death. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 11,758 women. PlGF multiple of the median (MoM) was significantly associated with maternal sociodemographic characteristics (particularly smoking status and parity) and all biomarkers used in the PE first trimester screening model (notably pregnancy-associated plasma protein A MoM and uterine artery pulsatility index [PI] MoM). Low levels of PlGF (<0.3 MoM and <0.5 MoM) were independently associated with sPTB, low BW, PE, GH, and a composite adverse pregnancy outcome score, with odds ratios between 1.81 and 4.44 on multivariable logistic regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Low PlGF MoM levels are independently associated with PE and a range of other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Inclusion of PlGF should be considered in future models screening for adverse pregnancy outcomes in the first trimester.

Promoting adherence to physical activity among individuals with cardiovascular disease using behavioral counseling: A theory and research-based primer for health care professionals.

Physical activity (PA) promotion remains a cornerstone of primary and secondary prevention efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). While frontline health care providers (HCPs; e.g., family physicians, cardiologists, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, etc.) are in an optimal position to administer PA-promoting interventions to their patients, many HCPs may feel ill-equipped to address common obstacles to implementing and maintaining complex health behavior change. Behavioral counseling refers to a collection of theory- and empirically-supported strategies and approaches to health behavior promotion that can be learned and applied by HCPs for CVD prevention and treatment. In this selective review, we discuss prominent theories of health behavior change and the empirical intervention literature regarding PA promotion in community and CVD-samples and provide practical recommendations for integrating effective behavioral counseling strategies to clinical practice for frontline HCPs. We argue that behavioral counseling interventions for PA can be effectively executed within the contextual constraints of health settings through subtle shifts in communication strategies and brief counseling approaches. The administration of behavioral counseling for PA by HCPs has enormous potential to reduce CVD incidence and progression at a population level.

Prenatal Diagnosis of a Facial Teratoma. A Proposed Approach to Diagnose Prenatal Facial Anomalies.

We report on a rare case of a prenatally diagnosed isolated facial teratoma, presenting as an avascular elongated ossified lesion arising from the inferior lateral rim of the orbit. There was no evidence of fetal compromise throughout the course of the pregnancy, which resulted in term delivery of a healthy neonate by elective Caesarean section. We summarize the key features, differential diagnoses, prognosis and management of fetal facial lesions.

Effects of Yoga-Based Interventions on Cancer-Associated Cognitive Decline: a Systematic Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize and evaluate evidence available on the effects of yoga on cancer-associated cognitive decline (CACD). RECENT FINDINGS: A systematic review was conducted using four databases of articles published before January 1, 2020. Ten articles met the inclusion criteria (six randomized controlled trials, two single-arm studies, one non-randomized controlled trial, and one case series study). Studies were predominantly conducted with breast cancer patients using low-intensity hatha yoga programs. Of the 10 articles, five reported some positive effects on CACD, but significant biases were possible due to design shortcomings. Cohen's d effect sizes ranged from |0.03| to |0.74|. The evidence to date is insufficient to suggest that yoga is beneficial for attenuating CACD. More rigorous trials controlling for non-specific factors are warranted. The field would also benefit from examining self-delivered modes of yoga for treating CACD in various cancer populations to enhance practice sustainability and generalizability.