Updating a diesel engine exhaust job-exposure matrix with published measurement data.

A job-exposure matrix (JEM) is a tool that can estimate diesel engine exhaust (DEE) exposures. JEMs based on expert judgment or measurement data are limited by the information available at the time of development. Over time, more information about hazardous exposures is understood through additional measurements and peer-reviewed publications. This study presents a systematic approach to updating an existing DEE JEM using published data to better reflect current scientific knowledge. The literature was searched for occupational exposure studies that measured DEE as elemental carbon (EC) between January 2010 and May 2022. Four-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 2002 and National Occupational Classification-Statistics (NOC-S) 2006 codes were assigned to each identified subgroup within the studies. EC exposures were categorized as low (0-10 µg/m3), moderate (10-20 µg/m3), or high (>20 µg/m3). Weighted arithmetic means were calculated for each industry-occupation intersection (IOI) identified in the literature. These means were used to adjust, or retain, the existing exposure level within the JEM cells using a decision tree based on the number of studies, workplace locations, and pooled sample size of the weighted mean. Concordance was measured between the updated JEM (Diesel Exhaust in Canada JEM (DEC-JEM)), the previous (existing) JEM, and the Canadian Job-Exposure Matrix (CANJEM). Thirty-seven studies were identified from the published literature reporting on 53 unique IOIs (20 NAICS and 34 NOC-S codes), including occupations in the mining, construction, and transportation industries. Exposure levels for 66% of identified IOIs increased, most in construction and mining. After the decision tree's results were expanded to the full DEC-JEM, the exposure level of 486 IOIs (12.5% of DEC-JEM) and 286,710 workers (15.8% of DEE-exposed workers) increased. There was a significant correlation between qualitative exposure levels in the updated DEC-JEM and CANJEM (Kendall's τ = 0.364, p < 0.001). This study describes a systematic approach to updating an existing JEM to incorporate new scientific knowledge. The updated DEC-JEM better reflects existing exposure knowledge in several industries, particularly construction. Future analyses include investigating its use as an exposure assessment tool in disease surveillance.

The Effect of Racial Concordance for Black Patients in Addiction Treatment: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, Black people with substance use disorders (SUDs) have less access to treatment and worse treatment outcomes compared to White people. Though systemic racism is the root of these inequities, adapting treatment settings to serve this population may be a pragmatic way to improve access and outcomes. Shared racial identity between a patient and a provider, or racial concordance, is one feature of culturally tailored care that may improve treatment access, experiences, and outcomes for Black people. There is some evidence that racial concordance improves medical treatment for Black patients in non-addiction settings, but it is unknown whether racial concordance affects experiences or outcomes in addiction treatment. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-to understand the effect of racial concordance on Black patients in addiction treatment. Three reviewers read each title and abstract to identify eligible articles. The inclusion criteria were: (1) Black patients; (2) treatment access, experiences, or outcomes; and (3) patient-provider racial concordance in addiction treatment. One reviewer completed full-text reviews and data extraction. RESULTS: We identified 259 nonduplicate articles and completed full-text reviews of 77 articles. Eleven articles, published between 1971 and 2016, met criteria. Racial concordance was not associated with treatment access or engagement, though it was associated with some positive outcomes including increased perceived provider empathy. Few studies met the review criteria and there were no randomized controlled trials. CONCLUSIONS: The studies identified in this review did not provide adequate evidence that racial concordance improved treatment access, experiences, or outcomes for Black patients. Future research should include a wider range of outcome measures, including relational measures (eg, medical trust, discrimination) and examine whether and under what circumstances racial concordance improves experiences and outcomes for Black patients in addiction treatment.

Opportunities and lessons learned from a retrospective analysis of administrative billing data to understand the language profile of high-risk close contacts of COVID-19 cases in Ontario.

Background: During a public health emergency, it is vital to have access to data sources that can identify communities disproportionately affected and to ensure public health communications are meeting the needs of diverse populations. Objective: To explore how administrative billing data for language interpretation services could be used as an additional source of information to understand the language profile of high-risk close contacts of COVID-19 cases. Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted using administrative billing data from Public Health Ontario's Contact Tracing Initiative from May 2020 to February 2022. Data from the Contact Tracing Initiative were utilized to identify drivers that could have influenced patterns in language interpretation requests. Trends were compared with community language profiles using 2021 Canadian Census data. Results: Interpreters responded to 2,604 requests across 38,518 interpretation minutes and provided information in 50 different languages. The top five requested languages were French, Arabic, Spanish, Punjabi and Mandarin. Five distinct periods were identified of different language predominance including Spanish in spring/summer 2020, French in summer/fall 2020 and Arabic in spring 2021. Overall, these trends aligned with the language profile of health units contributing most submissions. Conclusion: Public health agencies could benefit from using existing secondary data sources to understand the language interpretation needs of their communities. This study also demonstrated how existing data sources could be used to help assess how communities are being disproportionately affected by public health emergencies and how this might change over time.

Repeatability and Reproducibility of a Modified Lekholm and Zarb Bone Quality Classification Based on Cone Beam Computed Tomography: An Observatsion Study.

Aim: We propose a modified Lekholm and Zarb classification that considers all possible combinations of cortical and cancellous bone to provide parameters that favor greater repeatability and reproducibility. Materials and Methods: This observational and analytical study consisted of a sample of 50 cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Two new types (V and VI), three subtypes to type II (II-A, II-B, and II-C), and two subtypes to type III (III-A and III-B) were added to the original bone quality classification. The new types refer to regenerated bone (type V) and bone with some pathology (type VI). The subtypes are described as type II-A: thick cortical surrounding the abundant cancellous bone with sharp trabeculae throughout the image and presence of small and visible medullary spaces; type II-B: thick cortical surrounding the abundant cancellous bone with predominance of diffuse trabeculae in the basal bone and predominant presence of wide and visible medullary spaces; type II-C: thick cortical surrounding the abundant cancellous bone with predominance of very thick and sharp trabeculae in the basal third as well as presence of small and visible medullary spaces; type III-A: thin cortical surrounding the abundant cancellous bone with sharp trabeculae throughout the image and presence of small and visible medullary spaces; type III-B: thin cortical surrounding the abundant cancellous bone with predominance of diffuse trabeculae and presence of diffuse medullary spaces. Five dental specialists were trained in the use of the modified classification and were provided with CBCT-sectioned images of edentulous jaws for classification. Each specialist classified the images twice at a 7-day interval. The strength of intra-examiner and inter-examiner agreement was measured with Cohen's and Fleiss' kappa index, respectively. In addition, the agreement between both classifications was analyzed. All data were analyzed at a 95% confidence level, considering a P-value <0.05. Results: According to the modified Lekholm and Zarb classification, an almost perfect intra-examiner agreement was significant (P < 0.05) in all five specialists, with the kappa index [k] ranging from 0.91 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82-0.99) to 0.95 (95% CI: 0.89-1.00). Furthermore, substantial inter-examiner concordance (k=0.76; 95% CI: 0.73-0.79) was significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The high repeatability and reproducibility of the modified Lekholm and Zarb classification on CBCT suggest its applicability to distinguish between the various combinations of cortical and cancellous bone and help to define treatment appropriately to optimize results.

Shared decision-making in the treatment of bipolar disorder: findings from a nationwide naturalistic cohort study in everyday clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Shared decision-making (SDM) is of increasing importance in mental health care, however, large studies on the effects of SDM in bipolar disorder (BD) are scarce. AIM: To gain insight into the relationships between SDM, guideline concordance of treatments in everyday practice, satisfaction with care, and medication adherence in BD. METHOD: In a nationwide observational study on the treatment of BD, patients were asked questions about their involvement in treatment. These questions were clustered according to the three-talk model (TTM) for SDM, which involves team talk, option talk, and decision talk. A composite concordance score for multimodal treatments was made, and satisfaction with care (score 1 to 10) and medication adherence (DAI-10) were measured. RESULTS: 839 patients with BD from various outpatient treatment centers were included. Patients were highly involved in decision-making. In multiple regression, team talk was significantly positively associated with guideline concordance (b = 5.10, p = .045), and decision talk was positively associated with satisfaction with care (b = 0.82, p < .001) and medication adherence (b = 1.18, p = .003). CONCLUSION: Positive associations were found between SDM, guideline concordance, satisfaction with care, and medication adherence, suggesting that investing in these steps of the decision-making process together with patients and their significant others, will help to improve quality of care.

The Use of Teledermatology for Skin Cancer Referrals: A Retrospective Study in a Single Tertiary Centre.

INTRODUCTION: Teledermatology utilises telecommunications technology to deliver dermatological care remotely, incorporating live video consultations, store-and-forward systems, and hybrid approaches. It is particularly valuable in underserved or remote areas with limited access to dermatologists. Reported benefits include reduced face-to-face consultations for benign lesions, leading to increased capacity for severe cases, improved access for rural patients, and enhanced satisfaction among clinicians and patients. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of teledermatology, integrating it into the National Health Service (NHS) framework for managing referrals and ensuring continuity of care. This study examines the outcomes of two-week wait referrals for suspected skin cancer, focusing on diagnostic concordance between teledermatology and histopathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted at Addenbrooke's Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals, via a retrospective review of patient records from November 2022 to May 2023. Inclusion criteria were all patients referred by their general practitioner (GP) under the two-week wait for suspected skin cancer pathway. Data collected included patient demographics, waiting times, clinical and histological diagnoses, and patient re-referrals for the same problem. The primary objective was to assess diagnostic concordance between the clinical diagnosis from teledermatology and histopathology. Secondary objectives included accuracy of lesion site description, patient waiting times, and computed time savings from the use of teledermatology. RESULTS: The study covered 71 patients (34 males, 37 females) aged 19-87 years (mean: 59.63), with Fitzpatrick skin I-III predominating. A total of 110 individual lesions were assessed, and 46 required surgical management. Clinical and histological concordance was 62%, with 100% accuracy for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and melanoma. The service saved 10 hours of consultant time and reduced the need for 62 initial face-to-face consultations. Lesion site documentation had a 73% correlation between GPs and dermatologists. Diagnoses varied widely between GPs and dermatologists, with a 31% concordance. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that teledermatology is a safe and effective method for managing two-week wait referrals for suspected skin cancer, reducing footfall, and saving time and costs for both clinicians and patients. While there are limitations, the usage of teledermatology allows increasingly limited capacity for face-to-face consultations to be reserved for high-risk patients. Further studies in different regions should explore teledermatology's utility across diverse demographics, particularly to address healthcare disparities for those with darker skin tones.

Analytical and clinical validation of a NGS panel in detecting targetable variants from ctDNA of metastatic NSCLC patients.

BACKGROUND: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a promising biomarker for noninvasive cancer diagnostics, particularly in the context of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Detecting targetable variants through ctDNA analysis offers the potential to guide treatment decisions, especially in cases where tissue samples are insufficient or unavailable. METHOD: In this study, we developed and validated a next-generation sequencing panel targeting 101 cancer-related genes (101-test) to detect somatic variants in ctDNA from a large cohort of Chinese patients with metastatic NSCLC. The performance of the 101-test was assessed by evaluating its limit of detection (LOD), accuracy, and precision in identifying molecular variants. Additionally, the concordance between ctDNA and tissue samples for detecting targetable variants was analyzed in 904 patients. RESULTS: The 101-test demonstrated a LOD of 0.38% for single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), 0.33% for insertions and deletions (InDels), and 0.33% for fusions. Sensitivity was 98.3% for SNVs, 100% for InDels, and 100% for fusions when compared to digital droplet PCR (ddPCR)/breakpoint PCR reference methods. The by-variant sensitivity for somatic variants was 97.5%, with a specificity of 99.9% between tumor-only and tumor-normal analyses. In a real-world cohort, the concordance between ctDNA and tissue samples for identifying targetable variants was 72.2% (457/633). Notably, the EGFR S768I variant, recently recommended by clinical guidelines, achieved an 80% concordance rate. Furthermore, 4.3% of patients (27/633) with targetable variants were identified exclusively through ctDNA testing. CONCLUSION: The ctDNA-based 101-test is a highly sensitive and specific tool for detecting targetable variants in metastatic NSCLC, particularly in cases with insufficient tissue samples. The findings support the use of ctDNA testing as a reliable and complementary method to traditional tissue-based molecular analysis, enhancing the precision of treatment strategies for NSCLC patients.

Prevalence and concordance of penile, anal, and oral human papillomavirus infections among sexually active heterosexual men in Ibadan, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The data on epidemiology of Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in men are scarce relative to women generally, particularly among men engaging in heterosexual relationships. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors for penile, anal, and oral HPV in men in two communities in Ibadan, Nigeria. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey involving a face-to-face interview, a clinical examination, and sample collection from participants. HPV genotyping was performed with Anyplex II 28 HPV assay. The prevalences and factors associated with HPV infections using multivariable models and concordance between sites. RESULTS: Of 316 men, the proportion of any HPV infection in the penile, anal, and oral sites was 40.5%, 9.7%, and 7.8%, respectively. The proportion of any high-risk HPV, low-risk HPV, and multiple HPV infections was highest in the penis followed by the anal and oral sites. Only 5/316 (1.6%) men had concordant HPV in all three sites, with the highest concordance in penile-anal sites relative to penile-oral and anal-oral sites. The odds of penile HPV were higher in men aged 25 years and above. Having penile HPV was associated with higher odds of detecting anal HPV and vice versa. Oral HPV was less likely in men not living with their sexual partners. CONCLUSION: Penile HPV is the most common infection followed by anal HPV and oral HPV infections among heterosexual Nigerian men. Concordant HPV infections was highest in penile-anal sites. Nigerian men, as in other settings, are a reservoir of HPV and it is important to conduct more robust studies to appreciate their role in HPV transmission, epidemiology, and prevention.

Examining the impact of sleep deprivation on medical reasoning's performance among anaesthesiology residents and doctors: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Working long consecutive hours' is common for anaesthesia and critical care physicians. It is associated with impaired medical reasoning's performance of anaesthesiology and serious medical errors. However, no study has yet investigated the impact of working long consecutive hours' on medical reasoning. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the impact of working long consecutive hours' on the medical reasoning's performance of anaesthesiology and intensive care physicians (residents and seniors). METHODS: This multicentric, prospective, cross-over study was conducted in 5 public hospitals of Normandy region. Two groups of anaesthesia and critical care physicians were formed. One was in a rest group, RG (after a 48-hours weekend without hospital work) and the other in Sleep Deprivation Group (SDG) after a 24 h-consecutives-shift. Changes in medical reasoning's performance were measured by 69-items script concordance tests (SCT) through to the two tests. Group A completed the first part of the assessment (Set A) after a weekend without work and the second part (Set B) after a 24 h-shift; group B did the same in reverse order. The primary outcome was medical reasoning's performance as measured by SCT in RG and SDG. The secondary outcomes included association between the performance with the demographic data, variation of the KSS (Karolinska sleepiness scale) daytime alertness score, the number of 24 h-shift during the previous 30 days, the vacations during the previous 30 days, the presence of more or less than 4 h consecutives hours slept, the management of a stressful event during the shift, the different resident years, the place where the shift took place (University hospital or general hospitals) and the type of shift (anaesthesia or intensive care). RESULTS: 84 physicians (26 physicians and 58 residents) were included. RG exhibited significantly higher performance scores than SDG (68 ± 8 vs. 65 ± 9, respectively; p = 0.008). We found a negative correlation between the number of 24 h-shifts performed during the previous month and the variation of medical reasoning's performance and no significant variation between professionals who slept 4 h or less and those who slept more than 4 h consecutively during the shift (-4 ± 11 vs. -2 ± 11; p = 0.42). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that medical reasoning' performance of anaesthesiologists, measured by the SCT, is reduced after 24 h-shift than after rest period. Working long consecutive hours' and many shifts should be avoided to prevent the occurrence of medical errors.

An exploratory qualitative study on factors influencing the level of agreement in symptom reports in child-caregiver dyads.

OBJECTIVES: Clinicians often rely on caregiver proxy symptom reports to treat cancer-related symptoms in children. Research has described disagreement between children's and caregivers' symptom reports. Factors influencing the level of agreement is an understudied area. Thus, this study aimed to examine potential factors contributing to the level of agreement between symptom reports provided by children and their caregivers. METHODS: Sixteen child-caregiver dyads participated separately in semi-structured interviews after completing a brief symptom measure independently using an electronic device. Child and caregiver quantitative symptom responses were reviewed in real-time and incorporated into the semi-structured interview. Sample characteristics and the level of agreement between symptom reports were calculated using descriptive statistics. Transcribed participant interviews were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Nearly half of child-caregiver dyads exhibited a moderate (37.5%, n = 6) or low (18.75%, n = 3) level of agreement on the abbreviated symptom measure. Qualitative analysis identified 5 themes: recognizing symptoms, experiencing symptoms, communicating symptoms, re-assessing and treating symptoms, and influencing individual and relationship factors. Influencing individual, including a child's tendencies or personality traits, and relationship factors intersected the other themes, partially explained their symptom perceptions, and served to facilitate or hinder symptom communication. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Symptom communication is an important part of the symptom cycle, comprised of symptom recognition, experience, and management. Individual and relational factors may influence discrepancies in symptom perceptions between the child and caregiver. Clinicians and researchers should consider developing interventions to enhance symptom communication and promote collaboration between children and their caregivers to address symptom suffering during cancer treatment.

Characterization of sequence variations in the extended flanking regions using massively parallel sequencing in 21 A-STRs and 21 Y-STRs.

In forensic genetics, utilizing massively parallel sequencing (MPS) to analyze short tandem repeats (STRs) has demonstrated several advantages compared to conventional capillary electrophoresis (CE). Due to the current technical limitations, although flanking region polymorphisms had been mentioned in several previous studies, most studies focused on the core repeat regions of STRs or the variations in the adjacent flanking regions. In this study, we developed an MPS system consisting of two sets of multiplex PCR systems to detect not only the STR core repeat regions but also to observe variants located at relatively distant positions in the flanking regions. The system contained 42 commonly used forensic STRs, including 21 autosomal STRs (A-STRs) and 21 Y-chromosomal STRs (Y-STRs), and a total of 350 male individuals from a Chinese Han population were genotyped. The length and sequence variants per locus were tallied and categorized based on length (length-based, LB), sequence without flanking region (core repeat regions sequence-based, RSB), and sequence with flanking region (core repeat and flanking regions sequence-based, FSB), respectively. Allele frequencies, Y-haplotype frequencies, and forensic parameters were calculated based on LB, RSB, and FSB, respectively, to evaluate the improvement in discrimination power, heterozygosity, and effectiveness of forensic systems. The results suggested the sequence variations have more influence on A-STRs and could improve the identification ability of MPS-STR genotyping. Concordance between MPS and CE methods was confirmed by using commercial CE-based STR kits. The impact of flanking region variations on STR genotype analysis and potential factors contributing to discordances were discussed. A total of 58 variations in the flanking regions (53 SNPs/SNVs and 5 InDels) were observed and most variations (48/58) were distributed in A-STRs. In summary, this study delved deeper into the genetic information of forensic commonly used STR and advanced the application of massively parallel sequencing in forensic genetics.

Postpartum menstrual equity: Video and audio analysis of vaginal bleeding counseling during postpartum inpatient care at a southeastern US tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: Despite the universal nature of postpartum vaginal bleeding after childbirth and the importance of managing vaginal bleeding in the postpartum period to monitor health status, little is known about the information or products that birthing individuals are provided. Investigating current practices may offer insights to enacting more supportive and equitable postpartum care. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the patterns and content of vaginal bleeding counseling provided to birthing parents while on a postnatal inpatient unit. DESIGN: Observational study of inpatient postpartum care. Birthing parents and their companions consented to video and audio recording of themselves, their infants, and healthcare team members during their postnatal unit stay. METHODS: Following IRB approval and in coordination with clinicians at a tertiary hospital in the southeastern United States, data were collected with 15 families from August to December 2020. A multidisciplinary team coded video and audio data from each family from 12 h before hospital discharge. This analysis evaluates patterns of vaginal bleeding counseling timing, content, and language concordance and thematic content of this communication. RESULTS: Birthing parent participants were self-identified Hispanic White (n = 6), non-Hispanic Black (n = 5), non-Hispanic White (n = 3), and non-Hispanic multi-race (n = 1). Six were Spanish-speaking and eight had cesarean section births. The timing, content, and language concordance of vaginal bleeding communication varied, with these topics mainly addressed in the hour preceding discharge. Twelve of the 15 birthing parents had communication on these topics between 2 and 5 times, 2 had one exchange, and 1 had no counseling on postpartum bleeding observed. Four of the six Spanish-speaking birthing parents had counseling on these topics that was not language concordant. Postpartum vaginal bleeding management involved the themes of access to products, patient safety, and meaningful counseling. There was a lack of adequate access, variation in accurate and respectful care, and a busy clinical environment with differences in information provided. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that there are opportunities to strengthen clinical practices for more consistent, proactive, and language concordant vaginal bleeding and subsequent menstrual care postpartum. Menstrual equity is an important part of dignified and safe care.

Video analysis of when and what information on vaginal bleeding was shared between people who just gave birth and their healthcare team at the hospital.Why did we do the study? After birth, people must take care of vaginal bleeding. It is important for people in the hospital to recognize warning signs for too much bleeding, have access to pads, and feel supported by their healthcare team before discharging to home. There has been little research on experiences with inpatient counseling on postpartum vaginal bleeding­a part of the reproductive life cycle­for new parents. We wanted to watch and listen in hospital rooms so we could think about the best ways for healthcare providers to talk about vaginal bleeding. What did we do? We asked 15 people who just gave birth, people staying with them at the hospital, and their healthcare team if we could video and sound record in their hospital rooms. They could start and stop recording anytime. We only recorded people who agreed to be in the study. What did we learn? We watched recordings of the last 12 hours at the hospital before each family went home. We found that most of the time, the healthcare workers did not talk about vaginal bleeding. People who spoke Spanish did not always have someone interpreting into their language. Sometimes family members had to translate and ask for pads. Some people did not have enough pads or underwear and had to wait after asking for more. What does it mean? We found ways to improve teaching about vaginal bleeding after birth. We recommend always having an interpreter when needed, giving people enough pads and underwear in their rooms, including companions in the teaching, and having enough healthcare workers to answer requests. These ideas would improve the counseling and give everyone the support needed after giving birth.

Concordance of Ultrasound and Dual-Energy CT in Diagnosing Gouty Arthritis in the Knee Joint: A Retrospective Observational Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the consistency between ultrasound and dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for the diagnosis of gout in the knee joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ultrasound and DECT images of 176 knee joints from 167 patients diagnosed with gout at the Gout Specialty Clinic of Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital from February 2022 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The knee joint was segmented into five anatomical regions: intra-articular, anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral. The location of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition was recorded. Tophi were classified as hypoechogenic, isoechogenic, hyperechogenic, or strongly echogenic. The Kappa test was used to assess the consistency between the two examination methods in different regions of the knee joint. The McNemar chi-square test was utilized to conduct a differential analysis between the DECT and ultrasound results. The chi-square test was used to assess differences in the rate of tophi detection with different echogenicities by DECT. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between MSU crystal deposition volume and clinically relevant indicators. RESULTS: Double contour (61.4%) was the most common intra-articular ultrasound sign. In the extra-articular region, MSU crystals were commonly deposited in and around the popliteal groove region (ultrasound: 52.3%; DECT: 60.0%). Corresponding MSU deposits on DECT were found in 7 of 54 joints with aggregates detected on ultrasound, and in 15 of 108 joints with DC. Tophi with hyperechogenicity or strong echogenicity were more likely to be detected on DECT than those with hypoechoic or isoechoic features (84.3% and 90.9% vs. 55.1% and 27.8%, respectively). For the assessment of MSU deposits, ultrasound showed an overall higher positive rate than DECT (81.1% vs. 72.2%), with poor consistency between the two examinations (κ = 0.177). In distinct anatomical regions, ultrasound and DECT showed high consistency in the medial (κ = 0.651) and lateral (κ = 0.705) views, with no significant difference. The intra-articular (κ = 0.316) and anterior (κ = 0.346) regions exhibited only fair consistency, with statistically significant diagnostic differences. When exclusively assessing cases with tophi, ultrasound and DECT demonstrated similar consistency in the medial, lateral and anterior views (κ = 0.633, 0.712, and 0.400, respectively), with statistically significant differences. In the intra-articular region, the consistency was reduced (κ = 0.237), and the differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound and DECT are effective methods to detect MSU deposition in gout of the knee. However, the consistency between the two techniques varies in different anatomical locations. Clinical assessment should be tailored based on the specific anatomical position. DECT is advantageous for the evaluation of intra-articular MSU deposits, while ultrasound is more sensitive for the early detection of scattered MSU deposits.

Do longer duration nonclinical toxicology studies provide predictive clinical safety value? The IQ consortium longer duration nonclinical to clinical translational database.

The IQ Consortium's DruSafe Leadership Group previously reported results of a nonclinical to clinical translational database for First-In-Human (FIH)-enabling animal toxicology studies. We have completed an additional translational database populated with longer duration (>1 month) animal toxicology studies and longer duration (Phase 2 and beyond) clinical trials. The blinded database was composed of 127 molecules. Animal and clinical data were categorized by organ system and animal model (e.g. rodent, dog). The 2 × 2 contingency table (true positive, false positive, true negative, false negative) was used for statistical analysis and both the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were determined. As also reported in the FIH database, the NPV was the strongest predictive performance measure at 96 %. The PPV was lower than the FIH database with the rodent at 29 %, dog at 21 % and NHP at 20 %. No new additional target organs were observed in 62 % of the entries. A new target organ was identified in 38 % of the entries, with the majority in a rodent (26 %) and fewer in the dog (8 %) or NHP (12 %). However, new target organ data resulted in only a PPV of 13 %, suggesting that current ICH requirements for longer duration animal general toxicology studies should be re-evaluated and better aligned with the 3Rs. A newer paradigm could include an appropriately justified single animal model for longer duration studies, in addition to utilizing New Approach Methods (NAMs) that would provide translational safety data, but additional research is needed.

Beliefs and experiences of educators when involved in the design of a Learning-by-concordance tool: A qualitative interpretative study.

BACKGROUND: Based on the involvement of qualified educators in its design, the Learning-by-Concordance tool aims to promote the learning of reasoning in contexts of uncertainty. However, data are still scarce on the experience of educators in terms of sharing and exposing their reasoning processes using this tool. PURPOSE: This study sought to explore the beliefs and experiences of educators when involved in the design of a Learning-by-Concordance tool. METHOD: This research used a descriptive qualitative design. Four dialogue groups were conducted with educators with different roles and responsibilities while designing a Learning-by-Concordance tool. A descriptive interpretative analysis of educators' verbatim quotes was done. FINDINGS: A total of 14 participants took part in the study. The results show the discomfort of educators despite their recognized expertise. Three themes emerged: 1- the need to be reassured by the opinions of colleagues; 2-feeling like impostors; and 3- concerns for the quality of instructional supports. CONCLUSIONS: The role taken by educators for teaching reasoning in contexts of uncertainty is to draw on practical experience where different types of knowledge intersect and are mobilized, to overcome feelings of insecurity, and to engage in close and authentic conversation with learners.

Clinical Significance of Tumor Location for Ureteroscopic Tumor Grading in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

Background: Although previous literature shows tumor location as a prognostic factor in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), there remains uninvestigated regarding the impact of tumor location on grade concordance and discrepancies between ureteroscopic (URS) biopsy and final radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) pathology. Methods: In this international study, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 1,498 patients with UTUC who underwent diagnostic URS with concomitant biopsy followed by RNU between 2005 and 2020. Tumor location was divided into four sections: the calyceal-pelvic system, proximal ureter, middle ureter, and distal ureter. Patients with multifocal tumors were excluded from the study. We performed multiple comparison tests and logistic regression analyses. Results: Overall, 1,154 patients were included; 54.4% of those with low-grade URS biopsies were upgraded on RNU. In the multiple comparison tests, middle ureter tumors exhibited the highest probability of upgrading, meanwhile pelvicalyceal tumors exhibited the lowest probability of upgrading (73.7% vs 48.5%, p = 0.007). Downgrading was comparable across all tumor locations. On multivariate analyses, middle ureteral location was significantly associated with a low probability of grade concordance (odds ratio [OR] 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-1.00; p = 0.049) and an increased risk of upgrading (OR 2.80; 95% CI, 1.20-6.52; p = 0.017). The discordance did not vary regardless of caliceal location, including the lower calyx. Conclusions: Middle ureteral tumors diagnosed to be low grade had a high probability to be undergraded. Our data can inform providers and their patients regarding the likelihood of undergrading according to tumor location, facilitating patient counseling and shared decision making regarding the choice of kidney sparing vs RNU.

Enhancing self-management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease: the role of autonomy support in health goal pursuit.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition that significantly affects patients' physical, mental, and social health, as well as their overall quality of life. Effective management of the disease demands self-management skills, enabling patients to navigate the daily challenges associated with IBD, such as unpredictable flare-ups, frequent hospitalization, severe symptoms, pain, and physical changes. Objectives: This study examines the motivational aspects of self-management for patients with IBD and focuses on the role of autonomy and directive support from healthcare professionals in enhancing their self-concordance and self-efficacy. Design: From November 2022 to February 2023, a cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted at the IBD Center of Internal Medicine Clinic in Szeged, Hungary. Methods: A total of 374 adult patients with IBD completed the paper-pencil questionnaire, of whom 241 patients (64.4%) had Crohn's disease, and 133 patients (35.6%) had ulcerative colitis. Results: Based on the findings of the path analysis (χ2 (8) = 18.914, p = 0.01, comparative fit index = 0.935, TLI = 0.837, root mean squared error of approximation = 0.06), autonomy support positively predicted self-concordance (ß = 0.48) and self-efficacy (ß = 0.02), particularly during disease relapse. In addition, self-concordance and self-efficacy predicted more positive (ßs = 0.28 and 0.35) and fewer negative emotional experiences (ßs = -0.09 and -0.20). The model's associations varied between the relapse and remission groups, indicating distinct impacts on different states of the disease. Conclusion: Overall, autonomy support from healthcare professionals has been shown to enhance self-management in patients with IBD, particularly during disease relapse. Meanwhile, self-concordance and self-efficacy act as positive internal factors, thus reducing negative emotional experiences, especially during remission. In sum, this study underscores the need for further exploration of the motivational aspects of self-management and provides insights into developing interventions that promote the health behaviors of patients with IBD.

Self-management of inflammatory bowel disease patients Autonomy support from healthcare professionals has been shown to significantly improve the effectiveness of self-management in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (especially during disease relapse), by enhancing their self-concordance and self-efficacy. In this case, the interplay between disease activity, positive and negative emotions, and self-regulatory mechanisms underscores the importance of examining the motivational aspects for developing interventions that promote health behaviors in patients with IBD.

Concordance between venous sinus pressure and intracranial pressure in patients investigated for idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a cause of chronic headaches that are probably driven by raised intracranial pressure (ICP). Cerebral venous sinus pressure is thought to play a role in the underlying pathology, but its relation with intracranial pressure requires further investigation. We aimed to evaluate the concordance between lumbar puncture opening pressure (LPOP) as indicator of the ICP and cerebral venous sinus pressure in patients investigated for IIH. METHODS: In this case-series replication study, all patients with IIH suspicion and who underwent cerebral venous sinus pressure measurement followed immediately by LP opening pressure (LPOP) measurement were retrospectively included. Pearson's correlation and measurement agreement (Bland-Altman plots) between venous pressure and LPOP were analyzed. RESULTS: 52 consecutive patients (46 women; median age, 31 years [IQR = 25-42]) were included. The mean pressure in the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and in the torcular were 20.9mmHg (SD ± 7.3) and 20.8 mmHg (SD ± 6.8), respectively. The mean LPOP was 22mmHg (SD ± 6.4). Pressure measured in the transverse venous sinus, the torcular, and the SSS correlated with LPOP (p < 0.001). Bland-Altman plots showed that torcular pressure strongly agreed with LPOP (mean difference of 1.7mmHg). The limit of agreement (LOA) (mean difference ± 1.96SD) contained 98.1% of the differences between the two methods, confirming the concordance between the two measures. Torcular pressure and LPOP were consistent in patients with a trans-stenotic pressure gradient ≥ or < to 8 mmHg (mean difference: 1mmHg and 2.4mmHg, respectively), and for those with a LP OP ≥ or < to 18mmHg (mean difference: 1.8mmHg and 1.95mmHg, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In patients investigated for IIH, the ICP measured at the LP is correlated and concordant with the torcular pressure. These results confirm previous findings and further corroborate the hypothesis that cerebral venous system plays a major role in CSF dynamics and ICP.

Clinical, ultrasound and anatomopathological concordance of thyroid nodules in Kinshasa: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The European Thyroid Association Thyroid Imaging Data and Reporting Systems (EU-TIRADS) is widely used in the risk stratification of thyroid nodule malignancy. However, data on the subject in Sub-Saharan Africa are limited. The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical, sonographic and histopathological concordance of thyroid nodules in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. METHODS: This was an analytical cross-sectional study that examined the clinical, ultrasound and pathological data of 61 patients from 4 hospitals in the city province of Kinshasa over a period of 24 months, from June 01, 2020 to May 31, 2022. RESULTS: Of the 61 patients, their mean age was 47.38 ± 8.8 years. The mean clinical score of the patients was 3.4 ± 0.84 with the extremes ranging from 1 to 5. The majority of the patients were classified as having an intermediate risk, ie 85.2% of the cases. It was noted that 41% of the nodules had a high risk according to the EU-TIRADS score and 8.2% of the nodules were malignant after histopathological analysis. The ROC curves reported at the diagnosis of malignancy show an area under the curve of 0.709 with 95% CI (0.486-0.931), a Youden index of 0.769 for the clinical score, and an area under the curve of 0.830 with 95% CI (0.605-0.995), a Youden index of 0.772 for the EU-TIRADS score. CONCLUSION: In a low-income country, a well-performed thyroid ultrasound and the well-applied clinical score could be an important tool in the selection of thyroid nodules suspected of malignancy and requiring histopathological examination to avoid excessive acts in the patient.

Physiological and communicative emotional disconcordance in children on the autism spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Individuals on the autism spectrum commonly have differences from non-autistic people in expressing their emotions using communicative behaviors, such as facial expressions. However, it is not yet clear if this reduced expressivity stems from reduced physiological reactivity in emotional contexts or if individuals react internally, but do not show these reactions externally to others. We hypothesized that autism is characterized by a discordance between in-the-moment internal psychophysiological arousal and external communicative expressions of emotion. METHODS: Forty-one children on the autism spectrum and 39 non-autistic, typically developing (TD) children of two age groups (2-4 and 8-12 years) participated in a low-level stress task whilst wearing a wireless electrocardiogram. Children's negative emotional expressions (facial, vocal, bodily) were coded following standardized protocols. Alexithymia traits were assessed using the Children's Alexithymia Measure with school-aged children only. Data analyses involved ANOVAs, correlations, and sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: There were no group differences in physiological arousal (heart rate) or in communicative expressions of stress to the stress task. For TD preschoolers, physiological arousal during the stress task was associated with vocal expressions and for TD school-aged children, they were associated with facial and bodily expressions. By contrast, for children on the autism spectrum, physiological arousal during the stress tasks was not associated with communicative expressions across age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that children on the autism spectrum might experience emotional disconcordance, in that their physiological arousal does not align with their communicative expressions. Therefore, the internally experienced stress of children on the autism spectrum may be inadvertently missed by teachers and caregivers and, consequently, learning opportunities for teaching emotional communication and regulation may be also missed. Our results support the use of wearable biosensors to facilitate such interventions in children on the autism spectrum.