Addressing Missingness in Predictive Models That Use Electronic Health Record Data.

Electronic health record (EHR) data are increasingly used to develop prediction models that guide clinical decision making at the point of care. These include algorithms that use high-frequency data, like in sepsis prediction, as well as simpler equations, such as the Pooled Cohort Equations for cardiovascular outcome prediction. Although EHR data used in prediction models are often highly granular and more current than other data, there is systematic and nonsystematic missingness in EHR data as there is with most data.

Quality indicator survey of clinical practice guidelines for esophagogastric junction cancer 2023.

Clinical practice guidelines for esophagogastric junction cancer (EGJ GLs) were published in 2023. In order to evaluate how EGJ GLs have been adopted into clinical practice worldwide and to identify any outstanding clinical questions to be addressed in the next edition, this survey was conducted. An electronic questionnaire was developed.

Personalized Interactive Music Systems for Physical Activity and Exercise: Exploratory Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Personalized Interactive Music Systems (PIMSs) are emerging as promising devices for enhancing physical activity and exercise outcomes. By leveraging real-time data and adaptive technologies, PIMSs align musical features, such as tempo and genre, with users' physical activity patterns, including frequency and intensity, enhancing their overall experience.

Objective: This exploratory systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of PIMSs across physical, psychophysical, and affective domains.

Reciprocity in dynamics of supramolecular biosystems for the clustering of ligands and receptors.

Multivalent binding and the resulting dynamical clustering of receptors and ligands are known to be key features in biological interactions. For optimizing biomaterials capable of similar dynamical features, it is essential to understand the first step of these interactions, namely the multivalent molecular recognition between ligands and cell receptors. Here, we present the reciprocal cooperation between dynamic ligands in supramolecular polymers and dynamic receptors in model cell membranes, determining molecular recognition and multivalent binding via receptor clustering.

A geometric condition for robot-swarm cohesion and cluster-flock transition.

We present a geometric design rule for size-controlled clustering of self-propelled particles. We show that active particles that tend to rotate under an external force have an intrinsic, signed parameter with units of curvature which we call curvity, that can be derived from first principles. Experiments with robots and numerical simulations show that properties of individual robots (radius and curvity) control pair cohesion in a binary system, and the stability of flocking and self-limiting clustering in a swarm, with applications in metamaterials and in embodied decentralized control.

Randomized Sham Controlled Trial of Targeted Lung Denervation in Patients with COPD (AIRFLOW-3).

Rationale: AIRFLOW-3 was a 1:1 randomized, double blind, sham controlled trial of the d'Nerva Targeted Lung Denervation (TLD) System in patients with COPD.

Objective: Evaluate the impact of TLD on COPD exacerbations compared to optimal medical treatment.

Methods: AIRFLOW-3 patients were symptomatic (CAT ≥10) with moderate to very severe airflow obstruction (25% ≤ FEV ≤ 80% predicted) and GOLD E status (≥2 moderate or ≥1 severe exacerbation over prior 12 months).

A causal framework for the drivers of animal social network structure.

A major goal of behavioural ecology is to explain how phenotypic and ecological factors shape the networks of social relationships that animals form with one another. This inferential task is notoriously challenging. The social networks of interest are generally not observed, but must be approximated from behavioural samples.

Evaluating Long-Term Effectiveness of Cystic Fibrosis Modulator Therapies After Rapid Adoption: A Dual-Approach Study.

Rationale: Modulator therapies like ivacaftor have revolutionized clinical management of cystic fibrosis (CF), showing marked short-term benefits in trials but heterogeneous findings in long-term observational studies. Since newer modulators have become the standard of care for the majority living with CF in the U.S.

Microtubule-based nucleation results in a large sensitivity to cell geometry of the plant cortical array.

Many plant cell functions, including cell morphogenesis and anisotropic growth, rely on the self-organisation of cortical microtubules into aligned arrays with the correct orientation. An important ongoing debate is how cell geometry, wall mechanical stresses, and other internal and external cues are integrated to determine the orientation of the cortical array. Here, we demonstrate that microtubule-based nucleation can markedly shift the balance between these often competing directional cues.

The Dino Study: Rationale and protocol for a randomized controlled trial of the Incredible Years Dinosaur Program with daily assessments.

Background: Children with conduct problems vary considerably in how they respond to behavioral interventions. Although group-based, child-focused programs are increasingly implemented, research still relies on retrospective parent or teacher reports and group-level outcomes. These traditional approaches often obscure individual differences in treatment response and reduce the potential for individualized behavioral support tailored to each child's unique profile.

Evaluating the predictive accuracy of cognitive screeners BAMCOG and MoCA in identifying postoperative delirium risk in aortic valve replacement patients: A cohort study.

Postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative encephalopathy (POE) are common complications in older adults undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR), yet the predictive accuracy of cognitive screening tools remains uncertain. In this prospective cohort study, 50 patients aged 65 years and older scheduled for AVR between January and October 2022 underwent preoperative assessment with the Brain Aging Monitor Cognitive Assessment (BAMCOG) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Postoperatively, POD was evaluated with the Delirium Observation Screening (DOS) scale and POE with electroencephalography (EEG).

Breaking the reproducibility barrier with standardized protocols for plant-microbiome research.

Inter-laboratory replicability is crucial yet challenging in microbiome research. Leveraging microbiomes to promote soil health and plant growth requires understanding underlying molecular mechanisms using reproducible experimental systems. In a global collaborative effort involving five laboratories, we aimed to help advance reproducibility in microbiome studies by testing our ability to replicate synthetic community assembly experiments.

Cost-effectiveness of Targeted Next Generation Sequencing for TB drug-resistance testing as an alternative to the standard of care in South Africa.

Background: South Africa faces emerging resistance to TB drugs like bedaquiline. Phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST), the current reference standard for bedaquiline DST, has long turnaround times. Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) offers a comprehensive alternative, potentially delivering faster results.

Fixed-Duration Epcoritamab Plus R2 Drives Favorable Outcomes in Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma.

Epcoritamab is a subcutaneous CD3xCD20 bispecific antibody approved as monotherapy for relapsed/refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL). We evaluated fixed-duration epcoritamab with rituximab plus lenalidomide (R2) in R/R FL in arm 2 of EPCORE® NHL-2 (phase 1b/2; NCT04663347). Patients received epcoritamab (2 step-up doses, then 48-mg full doses) for up to 2 years and R2 for up to 12 cycles (28 days/cycle).

Protein profiles and associated biological pathways among different etiologies of chronic kidney disease: new insights from DAPA-CKD.

Background: We investigated circulating protein profiles and molecular pathways among various chronic kidney disease (CKD) etiologies to study its underlying molecular heterogeneity.

Methods: We conducted a proteomic biomarker analysis in the DAPA-CKD trial recruiting adults with and without type 2 diabetes with an eGFR of 25 to 75 mL/min/1.73m2 and a UACR of 200 to 5000 mg/g.

Increasing Awareness and Early Detection of Common Skin Diseases in Indonesia Through an mHealth App: Protocol for an Awareness and Acceptability Study and Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Various media are used to enhance public understanding about diseases. While mobile health apps are widely used, there is little proof for using such apps to raise awareness of skin diseases.

Objective: We intend to develop an app, called DEDIKASI-app, to raise awareness of skin diseases, including leprosy.

Pain, Agitation, Delirium, and Iatrogenic Withdrawal Syndrome Management in Children Who Are Critically Ill: Protocol for a European Clinical Practice Guideline Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Approach.

Background: In pediatric intensive care units, pain, sedation, delirium, and iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) must be managed as interrelated conditions. Although clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist, new evidence needs to be incorporated, gaps in recommendations addressed, and recommendations adapted to the European context.

Objective: This protocol describes the development of the first patient- and family-informed European guideline for managing pain, sedation, delirium, and IWS by the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care.

Effects of Imidacloprid on Afrotropical Aquatic Ecosystems: A South African Microcosm Study.

Pesticides are widely used to meet the food demands of a growing population, with various types used to control pests depending on the crops grown. Rainfall, overspray, and runoff from agricultural fields can wash these insecticides into water bodies, posing documented environmental risks. Imidacloprid is commonly used in Afrotropical regions such as South Africa, yet limited information is available on its toxicity to aquatic ecosystems within this climate region.

Gadolinium-Enhanced Aneurysm Wall Imaging and Risk of Intracranial Aneurysm Growth or Rupture.

Importance: Recent longitudinal studies in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) suggested that aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) predicts growth and rupture. However, because these studies were limited by small sample size and short follow-up duration, it remains unclear whether this radiological biomarker has predictive value for UIA instability.

Objective: To determine the 4-year risk of instability of UIAs with AWE and investigate whether AWE is an independent predictor of UIA instability.

Myo-inositol Supplementation to Prevent Pregnancy Complications in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Pregnant individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) present with a higher risk of pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and preterm birth. Myo-inositol supplementation may reduce these risks.

Objective: To determine whether daily supplementation with myo-inositol during pregnancy among individuals with PCOS reduces the risk of a composite outcome of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and preterm birth.

A Study of Academics' Perceptions of Ethical Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Scientific Research and Publishing.

This study investigates how scientists, educators, and ethics committee members in Türkiye perceive the opportunities and risks posed by generative AI and the ethical implications for science and education. This study uses a 22-question survey developed by the EOSC-Future and RDA AIDV Working Group. The responses were gathered from 62 universities across 208 universities in Türkiye, with a completion rate of 98.

Associations of adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund lifestyle recommendations with health-related quality of life and fatigue in Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer survivors: results from the SURVAYA study.

Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer face unique long-term social and health challenges that impact their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study explores the association between lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, body composition, and nutrition) and HRQoL as well as fatigue in AYA cancer survivors.

Methods: The cross-sectional SURVAYA study analyzed data from long-term AYA cancer survivors (5-20 years post diagnosis, aged 18-39 at diagnosis) in The Netherlands.

Design of Two Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 3 Trials of Deucravacitinib, an Oral, Selective, Allosteric TYK2 Inhibitor, in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Background And Objectives: Deucravacitinib, a first-in-class, oral, selective, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, demonstrated efficacy across the primary endpoint and all key secondary endpoints in the phase 2 PAISLEY SLE trial in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here, we describe 2 phase 3 trials [POETYK SLE-1 (NCT05617677), POETYK SLE-2 (NCT05620407)] which will assess the efficacy and safety of deucravacitinib in patients with active SLE. These phase 3 trials have been designed to replicate the successful elements of the phase 2 trial, including its glucocorticoid-tapering strategy and disease activity adjudication.

Electrical impedance myography captures features of muscle structure measured by MRI and transcriptomic analysis in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Background: Electrical impedance myography (EIM) has been proposed as an efficient, non-invasive biomarker of muscle composition in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).

Objective: We investigate whether EIM parameters are associated with muscle structure measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), muscle histology, and transcriptomic analysis as well as strength at the individual leg muscle level.

Methods: We performed a multi-center cross-sectional study enrolling 33 patients with FSHD.

Tonal Tinnitus Does Not Interfere with Tone Detection at the Tinnitus Pitch-Matched Frequency.

Individuals with tinnitus hear sounds that are not present in the external environment. Whereas hearing difficulties at frequencies near those matching the tinnitus pitch are a common complaint for individuals with tinnitus, it is unclear to what extent the internal tinnitus sounds interfere with the detection of external sounds. We therefore studied whether pure-tone detection at the estimated frequency corresponding to the tinnitus pitch (f) was affected by confusion with the tinnitus percept.