A systematic review of interventions to increase the use of smoking cessation services for women who smoke during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Although many pregnant women accept referrals to stop-smoking support, the uptake of appointments often remains low. AIM: The aim was to review the success of interventions to increase the uptake of external stop-smoking appointments following health professional referrals in pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and CINAHL were searched in February 2023 for studies with interventions to increase the uptake rates of external stop-smoking appointments among pregnant women who smoke. Eligible studies included randomised, controlled, cluster-randomised, quasi-randomised, before-and-after, interrupted time series, case-control and cohort studies. Cochrane tools assessing for bias and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. RESULTS: Two before-and-after studies were included, including a combined total of 1996 women who smoked during pregnancy. Both studies had a serious risk of bias, and meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity. One study testing carbon monoxide monitors and opt-out referrals showed increased uptake of external stop-smoking appointments, health professional referrals and smoking cessation rates compared to self-identified smoking status and opt-in referrals. Results were limited in the second study, which used carbon monoxide monitors, urinary cotinine levels and self-disclosed methods to identify the smoking status with opt-out referrals. Only post-intervention data were available on the uptake of appointments to external stop-smoking services. The number of health professional referrals increased, but change in smoking cessation rates was less clear. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to inform practice regarding strategies to increase the uptake of external stop-smoking appointments by women during pregnancy.

Neonatal near miss: A review of current definitions and the need for standardisation.

Neonatal near miss (NNM) refers to a newborn who almost died in the neonatal period and is often perceived as part of a spectrum that includes stillbirth and neonatal death. NNM audits might improve recognition of risk factors and substandard care, facilitate benchmarking and inform prevention strategies to improve perinatal outcomes. This review shows that available NNM definitions are inconsistent and vary widely. This is likely to undermine the development of effective prevention strategies and global comparisons. Expert opinion may help reaching a consensus, thus enabling targeting of the appropriate population which would lead to more meaningful data for perinatal audits.

Effectiveness of neonatal "near miss" audits in reducing perinatal morbidity and mortality: a systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: This review will assess the effectiveness of neonatal near-miss audits in reducing perinatal mortality and morbidity, as implemented in health care facilities. INTRODUCTION: Every year, 2.5 million newborns die and 2.6 million more are stillborn worldwide. While many perinatal deaths are preventable, their reduction has been markedly slower than the decline of maternal or child mortality rates. It is hypothesized that neonatal near miss is part of the spectrum of stillbirth-neonatal death and that auditing these cases might reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will consider neonatal near-miss audits implemented in health care facilities worldwide. Randomized controlled trials, cluster-randomized trials, quasi-randomized controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies, interrupted time series, case-control, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and case series will be included. Conference abstracts, letters, studies duplicating validation data from previous studies, gray literature, and unpublished studies will be excluded. METHODS: Using the JBI guidelines for conducting systematic reviews of effectiveness, the review will search the following electronic bibliographic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS, and SciELO. No publication date or language limits will be imposed. Two independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts, and full-text studies, assessing methodological quality with the JBI critical appraisal tools. GRADE will be used to assess the confidence in the findings. Covidence will be used for data extraction and management. A meta-analysis will be performed if the selected studies are sufficiently homogeneous. If not, the results will be discussed as a narrative synthesis. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO (CRD42021224090).

Mutations in Homologous Recombination Genes and Outcomes in Ovarian Carcinoma Patients in GOG 218: An NRG Oncology/Gynecologic Oncology Group Study.

Purpose: We hypothesized that mutations in homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes beyond BRCA1 and BRCA2 improve outcomes for ovarian carcinoma patients treated with platinum therapy and would impact the relative benefit of adding prolonged bevacizumab.Experimental Design: We sequenced DNA from blood and/or neoplasm from 1,195 women enrolled in GOG-0218, a randomized phase III trial in advanced ovarian carcinoma of bevacizumab added to carboplatin and paclitaxel. Defects in HRR were defined as damaging mutations in 16 genes. Proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative hazards for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).Results: Of 1,195 women with ovarian carcinoma, HRR mutations were identified in 307 (25.7%). Adjusted hazards for progression and death compared with those without mutations were lower for women with non-BRCA HRR mutations [HR = 0.73; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.57-0.94; P = 0.01 for PFS; HR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50-0.90; P = 0.007 for OS] and BRCA1 mutations (HR = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66-0.97; P = 0.02 for PFS; HR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.94; P = 0.01 for OS) and were lowest for BRCA2 mutations (HR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.40-0.67; P < 0.0001 for PFS; HR = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.25-0.53; P < 0.0001 for OS). A test of interaction showed no difference in the effect of bevacizumab on PFS between cases with and without mutations.Conclusions: HRR mutations, including non-BRCA genes, significantly prolong PFS and OS in ovarian carcinoma and should be stratified for in clinical trials. The benefit of adding bevacizumab was not significantly modified by mutation status. Clin Cancer Res; 24(4); 777-83. ©2017 AACR.

Textual Analysis of General Surgery Residency Personal Statements: Topics and Gender Differences.

PURPOSE: Applicants to US general surgery residency training programs submit standardized applications. Applicants use the personal statement to express their individual rationale for a career in surgery. Our research explores common topics and gender differences within the personal statements of general surgery applicants. METHODS: We analyzed the electronic residency application service personal statements of 578 applicants (containing 3,82,405 words) from Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools to a single ACGME-accredited general surgery program using an automated textual analysis program to identify common topics and gender differences. Using a recursive algorithm, the program identified common words and clusters, grouping them into topic classes, which are internally validated. RESULTS: We identified and labeled 8 statistically significant topic classes through independent review: "my story," "the art of surgery," "clinical vignettes," "why I love surgery," "residency program characteristics," "working as a team," "academics and research," and "global health and policy." Although some classes were common to all applications, we also identified gender-specific differences. Notably, women were significantly more likely than men to be represented within the class of "working as a team." (p < 0.01) Furthermore, men were significantly more likely than women to be represented within the class of "clinical vignettes" (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Applying textual analysis to a national cohort, we identified common narrative topics in the personal statements of aspiring general surgeons, noting differences between the statements of men and women. Women were more likely to discuss surgery as a team endeavor while men were more likely to focus on the details of their surgical experiences. Our work mirrors what has been found in social psychology research on gender-based differences in how men and women communicate their career goals and aspirations in other competitive professional situations.

Nonverbal contention and contempt in U.K. parliamentary oversight hearings on fiscal and monetary policy.

In parliamentary committee oversight hearings on fiscal policy, monetary policy, and financial stability, where verbal deliberation is the focus, nonverbal communication may be crucial in the acceptance or rejection of arguments proffered by policymakers. Systematic qualitative coding of these hearings in the 2010-15 U.K. Parliament finds the following: (1) facial expressions, particularly in the form of anger and contempt, are more prevalent in fiscal policy hearings, where backbench parliamentarians hold frontbench parliamentarians to account, than in monetary policy or financial stability hearings, where the witnesses being held to account are unelected policy experts; (2) comparing committees across chambers, hearings in the House of Lords committee yield more reassuring facial expressions relative to hearings in the House of Commons committee, suggesting a more relaxed and less adversarial context in the former; and (3) central bank witnesses appearing before both the Lords and Commons committees tend toward expressions of appeasement, suggesting a willingness to defer to Parliament.

QuickTox™ Kit for QuickScan Aflatoxin FREE.

The QuickTox Kit for QuickScan Aflatoxin FREE uses competitive lateral flow technology and a reader based system for quantitative determination of total aflatoxins in varied matrixes. Aqueous based extraction protocols are used for corn and wheat, reducing use of solvents. Fifty percent ethanol (Reagent Alcohol) extraction is used for oats, sorghum, and barley. Eighty percent ethanol (Reagent Alcohol) extraction is used for whole peanut, peanut seed, and peanut hull samples. Matrix specific assay procedures and calibration curves are used to enable analyses across multiple sample types. The performance of this assay was examined using naturally contaminated aflatoxin corn samples and spiked samples of barley, oats, sorghum, wheat, whole peanut, peanut seed, and peanut hull samples. All data were judged against previously established acceptance criteria. Performance was evaluated in linearity, selectivity, matrix, lot consistency, and robustness experiments in the sponsor's laboratory. Results produced in all studies except robustness were within acceptable ranges. Out of range robustness study results reflected simultaneous deviation in sample volume and assay development time compared to the standard assay procedures. Aflatoxin B1, B2, and G1 were detected with approximately equal sensitivity; sensitivity for G2 was 64% that of B1. The presence of other common mycotoxins did not interfere with the assay. Matrix studies in an independent laboratory examined corn and barley to challenge both aqueous and ethanol based extraction procedures. All data points in these studies fell within the ranges defined in the acceptance criteria. The assay exhibited a linear dose response over the range tested, 0-100 ppb, with R(2) values exceeding 0.93 and RSDr values for results ranging from 2.27 to 23.84%.

Textual analysis of internal medicine residency personal statements: themes and gender differences.

CONTEXT: Applicants to US residency training programmes are required to submit a personal statement, the content of which is flexible but often requires them to describe their career goals and aspirations. Despite their importance, no systematic research has explored common themes and gender differences inherent to these statements. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to analyse US applicants' Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) personal statements using two automated textual analysis programs, and to assess for common themes and gender-associated differences. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 2138 personal statements (containing 1,485,255 words) from candidates from 377 national and international medical schools applying to US internal medicine (IM) residency programmes through ERAS was conducted. A mathematical analysis of text segments using a recursive algorithm was performed; two different specifications of the text segments were used to conduct an internal validation. RESULTS: Five statistically significant thematic classes were identified through independent review by the researchers. These were best defined as referring to: the appeal of the residency programme; memorable patients; health care as public policy; research and academia, and family inspiration. Some themes were common to all applications. However, important gender-specific differences were identified. Notably, men were more likely to describe personal attributes and to self-promote, whereas women more frequently expressed the communicative and team-based aspects of doctoring. The results were externally validated using a second software program. Although these data comprise part of the national pool, they represent applicants to a single specialty at a single institution. CONCLUSIONS: By applying textual analysis to material derived from a national cohort, we identified common narrative themes in the personal statements of future US physicians, noting differences between men and women. Together, these data provide novel insight into the dominant discourse of doctoring in this generation of students applying for further training in US IM residency programmes, and depict a diverse group of applicants with multiple motivations, desires and goals. Furthermore, differences seen between men and women add to the growing understanding of bias in medical education. Training programmes may benefit by adapting curricula to foster such diverse interests.

A course-based research experience: how benefits change with increased investment in instructional time.

There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. An alumni survey revealed that time spent on a research project is also a significant factor in the value former students assign to the experience one or more years later. We conclude: 1) implementation of a bioinformatics project within the biology curriculum provides a mechanism for successfully engaging large numbers of students in undergraduate research; 2) benefits to students are achievable at a wide variety of academic institutions; and 3) successful implementation of course-based research experiences requires significant investment of instructional time for students to gain full benefit.

A broadly implementable research course in phage discovery and genomics for first-year undergraduate students.

UNLABELLED: Engaging large numbers of undergraduates in authentic scientific discovery is desirable but difficult to achieve. We have developed a general model in which faculty and teaching assistants from diverse academic institutions are trained to teach a research course for first-year undergraduate students focused on bacteriophage discovery and genomics. The course is situated within a broader scientific context aimed at understanding viral diversity, such that faculty and students are collaborators with established researchers in the field. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) course has been widely implemented and has been taken by over 4,800 students at 73 institutions. We show here that this alliance-sourced model not only substantially advances the field of phage genomics but also stimulates students' interest in science, positively influences academic achievement, and enhances persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Broad application of this model by integrating other research areas with large numbers of early-career undergraduate students has the potential to be transformative in science education and research training. IMPORTANCE: Engagement of undergraduate students in scientific research at early stages in their careers presents an opportunity to excite students about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and promote continued interests in these areas. Many excellent course-based undergraduate research experiences have been developed, but scaling these to a broader impact with larger numbers of students is challenging. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunting Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program takes advantage of the huge size and diversity of the bacteriophage population to engage students in discovery of new viruses, genome annotation, and comparative genomics, with strong impacts on bacteriophage research, increased persistence in STEM fields, and student self-identification with learning gains, motivation, attitude, and career aspirations.

QuickTox kit for QuickScan aflatoxin.

The QuickTox Kit for QuickScan Aflatoxin uses lateral flow technology and a reader-based system for quantitative determination of total aflatoxins. The performance of this assay was examined using corn samples naturally contaminated with aflatoxins in internal and independent laboratory evaluations and was judged against previously established acceptance criteria. Performance was evaluated for linearity, selectivity, matrix, robustness, and stability experiments. All data points in these studies fell within the ranges defined in the acceptance criteria. The assay exhibits linear dose response over the range tested, 0-100 ppb, with R2 values exceeding 0.98. RSDr values for results ranged from 4.7 to 17.7% across all tested levels. The four major aflatoxin types in corn are detected in the assay, with highest sensitivity for the most prevalent type, B1. Assay results are unaffected by the presence of other common mycotoxins. Robustness studies co-varied assay timing (-20%, 60% compared to the standard assay), temperature (18-30 degrees C), and sample volume (+/- 20% compared to the standard assay). Judged against the acceptance criteria, results were unaffected by these changes. The QuickTox Kit for QuickScan Aflatoxin assay is a user-friendly and reliable method for determination of total aflatoxins.

Development and analysis of an instrument to assess student understanding of foundational concepts before biochemistry coursework.

Biochemistry is a challenging subject because student learning depends on the application of previously learned concepts from general chemistry and biology to new, biological contexts. This article describes the development of a multiple-choice instrument intended to measure five concepts from general chemistry and three from biology that are considered prerequisite for biochemistry learning. This instrument is specifically designed with a factor structure that includes three multiple-choice items for each of the eight concepts and the most common incorrect ideas that students could have as distractors. It can be used as a pretest to identify students' incorrect ideas about those concepts and to determine if instruction helps students overcome those incorrect ideas when used as a posttest. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis support a very good fit for an eight-factor solution. This manuscript represents a report on the current state of instrument development. We seek to share our methods and instrument design principles with the broader community.

Probabilistic peak calling and controlling false discovery rate estimations in transcription factor binding site mapping from ChIP-seq.

Localizing the binding sites of regulatory proteins is becoming increasingly feasible and accurate. This is due to dramatic progress not only in chromatin immunoprecipitation combined by next-generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) but also in advanced statistical analyses. A fundamental issue, however, is the alarming number of false positive predictions. This problem can be remedied by improved peak calling methods of twin peaks, one at each strand of the DNA, kernel density estimators, and false discovery rate estimations based on control libraries. Predictions are filtered by de novo motif discovery in the peak environments. These methods have been implemented in, among others, Valouev et al.'s Quantitative Enrichment of Sequence Tags (QuEST) software tool. We demonstrate the prediction of the human growth-associated binding protein (GABPalpha) based on ChIP-seq observations.

The genomics education partnership: successful integration of research into laboratory classes at a diverse group of undergraduate institutions.

Genomics is not only essential for students to understand biology but also provides unprecedented opportunities for undergraduate research. The goal of the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP), a collaboration between a growing number of colleges and universities around the country and the Department of Biology and Genome Center of Washington University in St. Louis, is to provide such research opportunities. Using a versatile curriculum that has been adapted to many different class settings, GEP undergraduates undertake projects to bring draft-quality genomic sequence up to high quality and/or participate in the annotation of these sequences. GEP undergraduates have improved more than 2 million bases of draft genomic sequence from several species of Drosophila and have produced hundreds of gene models using evidence-based manual annotation. Students appreciate their ability to make a contribution to ongoing research, and report increased independence and a more active learning approach after participation in GEP projects. They show knowledge gains on pre- and postcourse quizzes about genes and genomes and in bioinformatic analysis. Participating faculty also report professional gains, increased access to genomics-related technology, and an overall positive experience. We have found that using a genomics research project as the core of a laboratory course is rewarding for both faculty and students.