Recently Published Articles
Immunotherapy Usage Has Not Increased Sub-Lobar Pulmonary Resections Despite Reduced Pneumonectomies
Abstract:
The landscape of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has changed due to liberalized utilization of computed tomography, developments in immunotherapy and targeted treatments, and guidelines encouraging sublobar resections. We analyzed the implications of these advances for surgical procedures over a 16-year period. The National Cancer Database was used to identify NSCLC incident cases from 2004 to 2020. Histology, stage, grade, and treatment were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. 2,028,553
Core and activating Symptoms of Depression in Chinese Teachers and Comparison between Different Gender and Stage of Teaching: A Network Analysis Approach
Abstract:
Depression, increasingly recognized as a critical factor impacting mental health, notably affects various populations, including teachers. This study aimed to delineate the specific characteristics of depressive symptom networks among Chinese teachers, identify the core symptoms of depression within this demographic, and examine the variations in depressive symptom networks across different genders and teaching stages. The study encompassed 1,670 teachers. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Central symptoms were identified through centrality indices. Network stability was examined via a case-dropping procedure. Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG) was used to identify the activating symptoms.
Diabetic Foot and Leg Ulcer & Peri-wound Neuropathy Healing Feasibility Studies
Abstract:
Diabetic foot and leg ulcers represent a significant global health burden and are frequently associated with peripheral neuropathy, vascular compromise, infection, and high rates of recurrence and amputation. Standard wound care often fails to achieve healing in chronic cases due to unaddressed underlying neuropathic and vascular pathology. This feasibility study evaluated the Hemastyl™ System in patients with long-standing diabetic foot and leg ulcers that had failed standard care and, in many cases, had been diagnosed for amputation. Two prospective feasibility cohorts comprising 39 chronic infected diabetic wounds were treated with the Hemastyl™ System. Outcomes included rapid microbe reduction, high wound closure rates, subjective improvement in neuropathy-related symptoms, and avoidance of amputation in all amputation-diagnosed cases. These findings suggest that targeting neuropathy, vasculature, and microbial burden concurrently may offer a promising app...
On Terms: Maladaptive Behavior
Abstract:
There is no shortage of terms that are used to describe and articulate the strategies, practices, and underpinnings associated with the work engaged in by behavior analysis. Two terms that a clinic-focused behavior analyst may hear often are maladaptive behavior and problem behavior. These terms are not only common within our everyday practice, but they are also peppered throughout behavioral literature. Despite their permanency in the behavior analyst's repertoire, their meanings remain inconsistent, interchangeable, and conceptually unclear. For over a century, this lack of precision has gone unchecked, despite extensive research on undesirable or clinically significant behaviors. This article offers individuals a recount of the history, definitional limitations, and functional implications of these terms. From the perspective of early psychological scholarship and contemporary behavior-analytic sources, I argue that the field of Applied Behavi...
Conjunctival Resection for Mooren's Ulcer Refractory to Medical Therapy: A Case Report
Abstract:
To report a rare case of Mooren’s ulcer in a healthy young male without systemic autoimmune disease, and to highlight the effectiveness of conjunctival resection as therapy for cases unresponsive to medical management. A 34-year-old immunocompetent male presented with progressive peripheral corneal ulceration in the left eye. Extensive systemic and infectious evaluations, including rheumatologic, immunologic, and microbiological testing, were unremarkable. Human leukocyte antigen genotyping was DR17(03)-negative and DQ2-positive. Rheumatological evaluation yielded no definitive systemic diagnosis. Despite immunosuppressive therapy with adjuvant medications, the epithelial defect and stromal inflammation persisted. The patient underwent conjunctival resection, resulting in marked reduction in inf...
The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Analytic Therapy in Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Abstract:
The present study examines the effectiveness of Cognitive-Analytic Therapy (CAT) in women diagnosed with breast cancer and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on reducing PTSD symptomatology and improving their mental health state (depression, self-esteem, post- traumatic growth, quality of life, therapeutic alliance). Additionally, the investigation includes the determination of the demographic, socio-economic and medical factors’ impact on mental health indicators in women with breast cancer and PTSD. The sample was 188 women with breast cancer and PTSD at the Chemotherapy Unit of ‘Agios Andreas’ General Hospital in Patras. The questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis in order to determine any statistically significant correlations between the experimental and the control group and between psychological scales and the demographic and socio-economic factors. The findings confirm the effectiveness of CAT in wo...
Osteoarthritis Falls Origins, Risks, and Prevention: Do we Need an Ecological Guiding Explanatory Framework?
Abstract:
Lower limb osteoarthritis, a widespread age related chronic condition is often accompanied by an increased tendency to fall and thereby various degrees of intrinsic and extrinsic injury. Falls, in turn may provoke the disease alone and in turn a high falls risk and cycle of recurrent falls and heightened disability. This report which updates what is known about falls in the context of disabling osteoarthritis argues for a possible future ecological orientation rather than a focal uni dimensional approach to addressing this costly health problem. It examines osteoarthritis falls risk factors, falls injury prevention attempts, and recommendations to advance research and practice using an ecological analytic approach in this regard. Using the
A Decision Tree Ensemble Approach to Diabetes Prediction using the Framingham Heart Dataset, Exploring the Role of AI-Associated Interventions in Reducing Diabetes-Related Adverse Outcomes Between Men and Women
Abstract:
Diabetes poses significant public health challenges, with many individuals remaining undiagnosed and at risk of complications. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of decision tree ensemble methods for predicting diabetes onset using the Framingham Heart Study Teaching Dataset and to explore sex-specific risk patterns relevant to AI-driven interventions. We analyzed data from 11,627 participants, incorporating demographics, vital signs, smoking status, medication use, and laboratory measures. Random Forest classifiers were developed to predict diabetes incidence at approximately 6-year (Period 2) and 12-year (Period 3) follow-ups. Class imbalance was addressed using undersampling, oversampling, and the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE).
Maxillary Sinus Lift Using the Lateral Window Technique with Hydroxyapatite and Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate (β-TCP) Graft
Abstract:
This narrative literature review investigates the clinical feasibility of maxillary sinus lift using the lateral window (or traumatic) technique, employing a grafting material composed of hydroxyapatite associated with beta-tricalcium phosphate. The study is based on the premise that bone resorption and sinus pneumatization—common in edentulous posterior maxillae—pose a challenge to achieving primary stability during dental implant placement. Given the limitation imposed by reduced residual bone height, bone-grafting surgical techniques become necessary to enable implant-supported rehabilitation. The objective of this work is to analyze, through a literature review, the efficacy of combining synthetic biomaterials as an alternative to autogenous bone grafts, which are considered the gold standard in implant dentistry. A bibliographic search was conducted in the PubMed and LILACS databases and through the VHL portal, prioritizing articles addressing the biologi...
Assessment of Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, And Willingness Towards Organ Donation: A Cross- Sectional Study at Tibebe-Ghion Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, 2023
Abstract:
To assess knowledge, attitude and willingness towards organ donation of nurses in Tibebe-Ghion Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, 2023. A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to May 30, 2023, using a census of all eligible nurses (N=215). Data were collected with a structured questionnaire adapted from validated tools. Binary logistics regression was used to identify factors associated with willingness to donate, with results presented as adjusted odds ratios with 95% confident intervals. The overall response rate of this study was 98% (n=206). The mean age was 29.5 (±4.8) years, and 55.8% were male. Overall, 61.7% (95% CI: 54...