Background: Fungal infections in surgical wounds are a significant concern, with increasing incidence and morbidity. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of fungal species isolated from surgical-Site Infections (SSIs) and describe their clinical features/signs and symptoms.Methods: A systematic review was conducted using ten electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, AJOL, Google Scholar, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, and JSTOR. Studies published between 2020 and 2025 were included, and data on fungal species, clinical features/signs and symptoms, and patient demographics were extracted.Results: A total of 350 studies met the inclusion criteria, with Candida albicans being the most common pathogen (39.7%). Non-Candida moulds, such as Aspergillus and Fusarium, species represented 16.9% of isolates. The most common clinical features/signs and symptoms were wound discharge/pus (65.4%), erythema/redness (54.3%), and swelling/edema (49.1%). The prevalence of fungal species varied by gender, with C. albicans being more common in men (41.1%) and “Other” fung being more common in women (21.3%).Conclusion: Fungal infections in surgical wounds are a significant concern, with C. albicans being the most common pathogen. The clinical presentation of fungal infections is non-specific and can be similar to bacterial infections. Early recognition and treatment are crucial to prevent complications and improve patient outcomes. Clinicians should be aware of the clinical features/signs and symptoms of fungal infections and consider them in the differential diagnosis.

Aim: COVID-19 is a viral disease that first emerged in Wuhan, a city in China's Hubei province, and has been declared a pandemic. The aim of this study is to evaluate pain, physical activity, and general health status in individuals who have had COVID-19. Methods: The study was conducted on 58 men and 76 women who had recovered from COVID-19. The Physical Activity Questionnaire, McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire, and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) Questionnaire were administered to assess the participants' pain, physical activity, and overall health status. The Anderson-Darling test was applied for normality analysis, the Two-Simple T test was applied to examine the relationship between normally distributed parameters, and the Mann-Whitney U test was applied for non-normally distributed parameters. To determine the relationship and degree between parameters, the Pearson Correlation test was applied to normally distributed parameters and the Spearman rho test was applied to non-normally distributed parameters. Results: At the end of the study, it was found that after Covid-19, male individuals most frequently described “leaking” pain followed by “throbbing” pain, while female individuals described ‘throbbing’ pain followed by “leaking” pain. For protection, 72.41% of male individuals and 72.37% of female individuals were found to have received the Biontech vaccine. A significant difference was found between genders in terms of physical activity (p<0.05). When comparing the surveys according to physical activity status, a significant difference was found in McGill-Melzack scores between the very active-minimal active and very active-inactive groups (p<0.05). No significant difference was found between any groups for NHP 1 and NHP 2 scores (p>0.05). Conclusion: The study evaluated pain, physical activity, and overall health status in individuals who had contracted COVID-19. We believe it will make significant contributions to clinical sciences in this regard.

Introduction. Contemporary medical education places increasing emphasis not only on the acquisition of foundational knowledge in clinical and biomedical sciences but also on the development of non-technical competencies, among which communication skills constitute a critical domain. In paediatrics, effective communication assumes particular significance, as it necessitates interaction not solely with the child patient but also with parents or legal guardians. To foster these competencies at an early stage of professional formation, the course “Fundamentals of Communication with a Child” was implemented at Bogomolets National Medical University. Materials and Methods. The study enrolled 153 first-year students of the medical faculty. Assessment of knowledge acquisition was conducted using the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) grading scale. The following assessment modalities were employed: formative and summative evaluation, performance of practical tasks, role-play simulations, and a post-course survey addressing student satisfaction with instructional content and pedagogical methods. The study did not receive grant support and was conducted as part of the research work of the Department of Paediatrics No. 2 of the Bogomolets National Medical University. State registration code 0120U100804. Results. The findings indicated an adequate level of theoretical knowledge, alongside measurable improvement in practical competencies, particularly in active listening, empathic engagement, and establishment of effective rapport with paediatric patients. Positive progression was observed in students’ performance during simulated clinical encounters. Distribution of final grades according to the ECTS scale revealed a predominance of high achievement levels. More than 94% of respondents expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the course; over 88% reported a substantial enhancement in communication skills. The practical component elicited the strongest interest (93%), especially interactive communication with children and structured case discussions. The principal challenges identified included insufficient prior experience in paediatric communication (56.2%), with the most pronounced difficulties occurring in interactions with children under 3 years of age (35.9%) and adolescents aged 14–18 years (23.5%). Conclusion. The course “Fundamentals of Communication with a Child” demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing both theoretical understanding and practical communication abilities among first-year medical students. Interactive pedagogical strategies—including role-play simulations, clinical scenario-based training, and group discussions—were highly rated by participants and contributed significantly to increased self-efficacy in paediatric communication contexts. These results support the curricular integration of dedicated communication training in early medical education and underscore the necessity of reinforcing targeted strategies for communication with the youngest children and adolescents.

This paper attempts to explore and analyze the medical issue and its effects on human relations as portrayed in literary writings. The paper is an interdisciplinary study of literature that deals with literature from the medical humanism perspective, connecting two diverse academic disciplines such as medicine and literature. For the theoretical perspective, it borrows the insights of Hulail and Charon, the theorists of medical humanities. In this paper, the characters who represent doctors and patients from the selected stories of Anton Chekhov are analyzed from the perspective of medical humanism, particularly the concept of narrative medicine developed by Hulail and Charon. The paper concludes that Chekhov’s works bridge the clinical science with literature through empathy, ethics, respect, and humanly behavior among sick people, with their illness and medication.

Background:Osteology plays a central role in anatomical, biological, and clinical sciences. However, a comprehensive understanding of its global research landscape, historical development, and emerging trends has been lacking. This study aimed to fill that gap by conducting a scientometrics and visual analysis of bone tissue research over the past 190 years.Methods:A bibliometric study was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science All Collection, and PubMed. Publications were included if they focused on the structure or function of bones and were peer-reviewed articles. Variables included publication volume, journal quartile, citation metrics (h-index, g-index, m-index), collaboration networks, and keyword trends. Countries were classified by income level and geographic region.Results:A total of 8103 publications were included. The field showed modest growth until 1967, followed by a marked increase peaking in 2021. Most articles were original research (91%) and published in Q1 journals (63.9%). Europe and the Americas accounted for over 80% of publications, while low- and lower-middle-income countries contributed <4%. High-income countries dominated Q1 output and collaboration networks. The most common keywords included phylogeny, osteoporosis, and dinosaur. Technological and molecular approaches have become more prominent since the 2000s.Conclusions:This is the first global scientometrics analysis of osteology research. It reveals historical trends, regional inequalities, and thematic evolution, offering valuable insights for researchers, institutions, and policymakers to foster more inclusive and strategically guided research in osteology.

Desirability of outcome ranking (DOOR) is a paradigm for the design, monitoring, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of clinical trials based on patient-centric benefit-risk evaluation, developed to address limitations of existing approaches and advance clinical trial science. The first step in implementing DOOR is defining an ordinal DOOR outcome representing a global patient-centric response, a cumulative summary of the benefits and harms for an individual patient. This article aims to develop an analysis methodology for the setting where the DOOR outcome is a progressive time-varying state, and there is interest in event times and times that patients spend in more and less desirable states. We develop methods to estimate and make inferences about the temporal treatment effects. If the k-levels of the DOOR outcome are monotone, then k - 1 non-overlapping Kaplan-Meier survival curves can be estimated and plotted. The areas under the curves asymptotically follow a multivariate Gaussian distribution. We apply restricted mean survival time (RMST) concepts to the ordinal Kaplan-Meier curves and provide steps for estimating the covariance structure. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methods perform well in practical settings. We generate censoring time under a uniform distribution and event times under a multi-state structure. The proposed estimators have small biases, the 95% confidence intervals have correct coverage probabilities, and the proposed tests accurately control the type I error rate under the null hypothesis. We illustrate the methods using data from Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT-1), a clinical trial that compared remdesivir vs placebo for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. Ordinal DOOR outcomes, which incorporate benefits and harms and represent an overall patient response, have recently been recommended by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) as a standard approach to benefit:risk analysis. Such endpoints recognize the cumulative nature of outcomes on patients, account for correlations between efficacy and safety, incorporate multivariate survival outcomes, offer generalizability to inform clinical practice, and recognize finer gradations of patient response and binary outcomes. Robust and interpretable analysis methodologies for ordinal outcomes are needed. Restricted mean survival time is a useful nonparametric approach for robust treatment effect estimation. We provide a framework for inference using multiple RMSTs to analyze DOOR and other ordinal outcomes using an interpretable time metric.

The US federal government is committed to maximizing its return on biomedical research investment. This tenet is exemplified by policies that promote broad, responsible sharing of research products generated with public funds, including the recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) Final Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy and the NIH Updated Public Access Policy. Scientific data management and sharing must occur in a FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) manner for it to be broadly usable and thereby most impactful [1,2]. The NCI Office of Data Sharing (ODS) conducted a series of workshops to identify clinical features and profiles derived from patients and study participants that inform these respective basic, translational, clinical, and populational science research analyses. The workshop outputs lay the groundwork for developing best practice recommendations on high-value, impactful clinical data features to collect and share with the wider research community. The workshop also highlighted additional data types and methodologies represented across the NCI-funded research portfolio that need structured outputs to be better defined to similarly allow broad sharing in a FAIR manner. In this article we summarize the workshop discussions on data use challenges, present potential solutions, and outline attendee consensus on the minimum patient-derived clinical information needed to complete a wide spectrum of cancer research. We further propose preliminary guidance for policymakers and researchers to implement regarding collection and management of human derived clinical data in consistent and impactful ways that can improve the sharing process and outcomes for data end users.

Background: The external ear plays a significant role in clinical, surgical, and forensic sciences. Anthropometric data are essential for surgeries, hearing aid design, and forensic identification. Ethnic diversity influences auricular morphology, emphasizing the need for population-specific data. This study provides data on the Okrika tribe, exploring sexual dimorphism and applications in clinical and forensic practice. Aim: To establish anthropometric auricular parameters for the Okrika tribe, with potential applications in clinical and forensic contexts. Materials and Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study recruited 450 Okirika indigenes (245 males, 205 females) aged 18+ years with no ear abnormalities or previous surgeries. Digital vernier calipers measured ear length, width, lobular length, and lobular width on both ears. Measurements were taken with subjects sitting upright and head in Frankfort horizontal plane. Data were analyzed using R programming environment, with sex differences assessed via independent sample T-test and correlations with stature via Pearson's/Spearman's correlation. P &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study enrolled 450 Okirika participants (245 males, 205 females). Males were significantly taller, while females had higher BMI and greater central obesity. Males had larger right lobule width (17.3mm vs 16.3mm) and left ear width (31.1mm vs 30.3mm). Ear width measurements showed prominent sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism was most pronounced in ear width measurements, with males having larger dimensions. External ear dimensions didn't correlate with stature in males and females. Ear size and height are independent traits, making ear measurements unreliable for predicting stature. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into Okrika tribe's external ear morphology, highlighting significant sexual dimorphism in auricular width dimensions. The findings offer a valuable reference for clinicians and forensic experts, guiding reconstructive surgery and sex estimation. The study contributes to external ear morphometry knowledge, emphasizing the need for population-specific research in diverse populations.

The metopic suture, a cranial feature between the two halves of the frontal bone, normally fuses during early childhood. However, in some individuals, it persists into adulthood, known as metopism. Knowledge of this variant is important in clinical radiology, neurosurgery, anthropology, and forensic science. To determine the incidence, morphological types, and anatomical characteristics of the metopic suture in adult human skulls. Fifty dry human skulls were studied in the Department of Anatomy, GMC Amritsar, to assess the presence, type (complete or incomplete), and morphological pattern (linear, V-shaped, and bifurcated) of the metopic suture. A total of 6 skulls (12%) showed the presence of the metopic suture. Among them, 5 were complete and 1 was incomplete. Linear sutures were the most common morphological pattern. Although not frequently observed, the persistent metopic suture has clinical, forensic, and anthropological relevance. Awareness of its morphology and frequency is essential for differential diagnosis and proper interpretation of radiological findings.

Human motion recognition holds significant value in clinical rehabilitation, human-machine interaction (HMI), and sports science. Self-powered triboelectric sensors (TESs) based on triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction offer promising solutions for applications such as precision medicine, sign language translation, and robotics. However, challenges such as signal stability, complex motion decoupling, and long-term durability remain. This Perspective systematically explores these challenges by focusing on the critical role of material design and structural innovation in enhancing TESs performance. First, we analyze the core triboelectric sensing mechanism and compare traditional polymers with novel high-performance materials that overcome limitations in dielectric properties, mechanical strength, and environmental stability. We then explore structural innovations such as biomimetic design, multimodal integration, and textile integration to enhance sensitivity, comfort, and large-area deployment. In addition, we systematically analyzed the motion recognition mechanisms of the lower limbs, upper limbs, trunk, and head/neck from the perspective of physiological partitioning and summarized the progress of TESs in various application scenarios. Finally, we identify existing technical challenges and general strategies and envision future developments through the integration of artificial intelligence to achieve real-time, precise biomechanical feedback and auxiliary diagnosis of diseases, aiming to provide a technical roadmap for self-powered sensing systems and promote their implementation in smart healthcare and immersive interaction applications.

Background: Establishment of the Integrated Master’s Programme in Pharmacy at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor (MF UM [Maribor, Slovenia]) was driven by national pharmacist shortages, expansion of the pharmaceutical industry, increasing clinical pharmacy needs, and harmonisation under EU Directives 2013/55/EU and 2024/782/EU. These factors underscored the necessity of a second accredited pharmacy programme in Slovenia. This review summarises the development that led to accreditation in December 2024. Methods: A chronologic document-based review was performed using institutional archives, three accreditation applications, reports from the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (NAKVIS), internal strategic analyses, collaboration agreements, and national statistical data. These materials were integrated with the scientific literature on pharmacy education and EU regulatory frameworks to identify structural, pedagogic, and contextual elements shaping the final programme. Results: Development of the Integrated Master’s Programme in Pharmacy progressed through three phases: early conceptualisation (2006–2016); two accreditation attempts (2017–2020), which clarified curricular, staffing, and competency gaps; and a comprehensive redesign (2021–2024) involving interdisciplinary collaboration among the MF UM, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor (FKKT UM), clinical institutions, and pharmaceutical industry partners. The final curriculum was aligned with EU competence requirements and integrated biomedical, technological, analytical, and enhanced clinical sciences. Strong inter-faculty collaboration and robust clinical and industrial components were formalised through extensive partnerships. Conclusions: The programme represents a significant advance for Slovenian pharmacy education, addressing national workforce needs, strengthening regional development, and complementing existing educational capacities. Establishment of the Integrated Master’s Programme in Pharmacy at the MF UM highlights the value of strategic planning and cross-sector collaboration in contemporary pharmacy education.

BACKGROUND In 2021, North Carolina implemented Medicaid transformation, shifting from fee-for-service (FFS) to Managed Care, 1 radically changing non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services. Research has examined experiences of beneficiaries and providers in navigating this new system, but there has not been a systematic analysis of trends in NEMT usage during the transformation. METHODS We analyzed North Carolina NEMT Medicaid claims data between 2019 and 2023. We examined trends in service provision and cost 1) overall, 2) by travel mode, 3) by public versus private provider, and 4) by urban versus rural geography. The database infrastructure used for this project was supported by the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research and the CER Strategic Initiative of the University of North Carolina’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (5-UL1-TR002489-05). RESULTS There were increased NEMT claims through both recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and Medicaid expansion, but these were unevenly distributed across providers and geographies. We found faster growth among private providers, especially those serving Managed Care Organization (MCO) claims rather than fee-for-service claims. We also found disparities between urban versus rural geographies. LIMITATIONS Our unit of analysis is the Medicaid claim, not NEMT trip or beneficiary. We were limited to broad beneficiary geographic information, which we matched to Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) county classifications. Medicaid transformation and pandemic recovery occurred simultaneously, complicating separation of their effects. CONCLUSION Concentrated growth among urban and private claims highlights difficulty in providing expedient, cost-effective rural NEMT. Increases in cost per claim suggest the new system should be monitored as it pursues its goal of increasing efficiency through transformation.

Abstract Objective: This study aims to promote integration between basic and clinical sciences by delivering three case-based integrated sessions to second-year medical students and evaluating their feedback on these sessions. Methods: The study is based on feedback collected from second-year medical students at Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine during the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 academic years, who participated in sessions titled “Bridging Cases from Clinic to Basic Sciences.” Student opinions were collected via a structured digital survey using a 5-point likert scale. Data were presented as frequencies and percentages; differences across sessions were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results: Across all three sessions, the vast majority of students stated that the sessions were relevant to medical education, the content was sufficient, and they helped bridge basic and clinical sciences. The sessions increased interest in basic sciences, facilitated learning, and strengthened the demand for more integrated sessions. No statistically significant differences were found between sessions (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: The findings indicate that the case-based integrated sessions were well received and contributed positively to the integration of basic and clinical sciences. This model may serve as an effective example of integration for other medical schools. Keywords: Medical education, integration, case-based learning, basic sciences, clinical sciences

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented strain on global healthcare systems, with clinical laboratory professionals serving at the critical frontline of diagnostic response. This study examines the relationship between formal biosafety commitments and the realities faced by healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the frontlines. It evaluates the effectiveness of a targeted, in-person biosafety training program for HCPs, particularly clinical laboratory scientists, in the Philippines. Methods: This mixed-methods, convergent analysis compares training outcomes with participants’ self-reported workplace challenges during the pandemic. The objective is to explore the connection between knowledge acquisition and the systemic constraints affecting practical application. Results: The quantitative analysis of ∼200 participants demonstrates the significant success of the training intervention, with overwhelmingly positive evaluations from participants. In contrast, qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended responses revealed a surprisingly different reality in the field. The findings highlight a “preparedness paradox”; that while the professionals were successfully upskilled through training, they returned to systemically broken environments where their enhanced competency was undermined by institutional deficiencies. Conclusion: The study provides crucial local evidence, as it contextualizes broader international trends within the specific challenges and resource constraints of the Philippines, laying the groundwork for understanding how adjustments and training innovations can improve biosafety outcomes in low- and middle-income country contexts. Finally, the study argues that effective pandemic preparedness requires a holistic, multilevel strategy that integrates personnel training with robust systemic support, including resource management, mental health services, and equitable compensation structures, to build a truly resilient healthcare workforce.

Background Engineering students face growing mental health challenges driven by heavy workloads, competitive assessment, and a culture that normalizes stress. These vulnerabilities are compounded by structural inequalities disproportionately affecting women, marginalized racial and ethnic groups, first-generation students, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The intersection of academic pressure with social inequities amplifies dropout risks and undermines diversity in higher education. At the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, ongoing curricular reforms and the growing presence of affirmative-action students from national inclusion policies offer a unique opportunity to transform institutional culture and examine these dynamics in depth. Methods This protocol outlines a four-year longitudinal, two-cohort study investigating how individual, contextual, and institutional factors—including intersectionality, affirmative action, and curricular reforms—affect engineering students’ mental health, motivation, and engagement. Grounded in Community-Based Participatory Research, Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model, and Self-Determination Theory, the study assesses the impact of institutional reforms aligned with national policies, identifies barriers and facilitators to equity, and co-develops actionable recommendations to transform academic practices and policy. A mixed-methods, multiphase design will collect surveys and data for all students entering from 2025 to 2028 (3,480 students). Two 2025 cohorts from distinct curricular models will be followed longitudinally, with no study-based selection and proportional representation of affirmative-action, gender, and sociodemographic groups. Qualitative activities will also engage 20 faculty, alongside students; quantitative data will be analyzed with descriptive and longitudinal models, and qualitative data will undergo thematic coding. Participatory processes ensure collaborative data interpretation and co-design of a mental-health promotion intervention with students, faculty, and staff within the research-governance structure. Discussion The study will illuminate how institutional, individual, and contextual factors intersect to shape students’ well-being and academic experiences. Findings are expected to reveal structural barriers, protective factors, and effects of curricular reforms and affirmative-action policies. Its participatory, systemic approach offers a model for other university settings—including public and population health—showing pathways to foster culture change and co-create evidence-based policies that promote well-being and equity. The study also seeks to strengthen students’ capacity to apply these principles in their future practice. Clinical trial registration Open Science Framework (OSF), DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/N43TD .

Introduction Inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) comprise a heterogeneous group of rare disorders, characterized by a wide spectrum of immunological alterations that influence the presentation and age at onset of disease. Approximately 30,000 Canadians suffer from primary immunodeficiency. Canada is home to several specific populations with a higher incidence of unique IEIs. Canada lacks a comprehensive database detailing the epidemiology, clinical and immunological phenotypes, and genotypes of patients with IEIs. We developed the novel and innovative Canadian Inborn Errors of Immunity National Registry (CIEINR), a machine-readable, high-quality dataset that promotes research through standardized data exchange and supports patient advocacy. Methods CIEINR was established by a national steering committee of 13 clinician scientists from 9 Canadian provinces, through monthly virtual meetings. Following a literature review of existing international IEI registries, the peer-reviewed study protocol, consent forms, and governance documents were developed. ImmUnity Canada, the national patient organization, was consulted to review the protocol. Ontology-based data collection forms were developed in collaboration with bioinformatics scientists to capture input data in a structured fashion. Regulatory documents and standardized data collection forms were harmonized with United States Immunodeficiency Network and European Society for Immunodeficiencies to support data sharing, methodological consistency, and interoperability. A continuous quality improvement framework aligns with the Canadian Drug Agency’s Best Practices and Standards to Enhance the Quality of Rare Disease Registries in Canada. Results The CIEINR has been established and includes 25 centers across Canada. Electronic clinical research forms in the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) platform were successfully piloted including the embedded analytic tools such as RareLink and Phenopackets on patients’ data with variable forms of IEIs. Conclusion By collecting high-quality, precise, ontology-based patient data, the CIEINR will improve understanding of the Canadian IEI landscape, identify challenges and opportunities for patients and their healthcare providers, and support research and advocacy.

Background Even though a lot has been written on ‘failure to fail’ behaviors of educators in developed and resource-rich countries, there have been no studies from developing and resource-constrained countries, which are among the major contributors of international medical graduates to the healthcare systems worldwide. Understanding such behaviors of examiners has significant implications for professionalism, patient safety, and healthcare worldwide. Using game theory, the current study explores the determinants of ‘failure to fail’ underperforming medical students from examiners of six medical schools in Pakistan. Methods A qualitative multi-institutional case study was carried out in Pakistan. Using a purposive maximum variation sampling technique, 15 examiners of basic and clinical sciences from six medical schools providing undergraduate medical education were selected and interviewed. The data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a Framework analysis approach. Results The examiners were against passing any student who did not deserve to pass, but they reported failure to do so. Using Game Theory, we identified four key elements that may influence examiners’ decision-making in assessment: players and their strategies, perceived personal payoffs, perceived social payoffs, and game rules (policies, norms, and practices). The examiners comply under pressure from various players, including the students, friends, family, higher administration, and political figures. Their behaviors were also influenced by rules set by examiners, the assessment system, the competitive market, and socio-culture environment. Conclusions The personal, social, and systemic constraints and consequences lead to poor assessment of medical students’ knowledge and competence, which has significant implications for patient safety and healthcare worldwide. Some of these constraints may be unique to the developing countries’ context; however, many others are prevalent even in the developed countries. Whether through examiner peer mentorship, restructured institutional incentives, or clear assessment policies, breaking the equilibrium of ‘failure to fail’ lies in a society of integrity and accountability.

To describe the current composition, characteristics, and perceptions of department leaders at colleges of veterinary medicine in North America. This was a survey-based observational study. The study population was composed of department leaders of academic departments at colleges of veterinary medicine in North America. A questionnaire was distributed electronically to record demographic data as well as the respondents' perceptions of rewards, challenges, and desired competencies. The data collection period was from January 6, 2025, through March 15, 2025. Data were summarized and compared to evaluate differences in responses based upon the sex of the respondent as well as the type of department that they represented (ie, clinical vs basic science). 118 surveys were distributed, with 63 responses (54%). The mean respondent age was 56.4 years, and they had served for an average of 5.1 years. Of respondents, 28 were female and 27 male, 4 declined to respond, and 78% identified as Caucasian. Female respondents were younger (55.4 vs 62.4 years) than male respondents. There were no differences based upon whether one led a clinical or basic science department. Little difference was found in the demographics of department leaders, or in their preparation or satisfaction of or their role based upon sex or type of department they led. While satisfaction with the role was high, substantial challenges were noted, particularly related to human resources and budgetary and time management. The importance of good communication skills, empathy, and emotional intelligence was highlighted. The findings inform skill development and performance of academic leaders in colleges of veterinary medicine.

Advanced Deep Learning Approach for Predicting Heart Disease Through Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Features and Data Science Techniques

Contemporary dental hygiene practice has evolved into a complex intersection of clinical care, behavioural science, and systemic health management, yet traditional linear frameworks struggle to capture this multifaceted reality. This narrative examination explores how complexity theory, particularly complex adaptive systems, offers dental hygienists a more authentic lens for understanding and navigating the unpredictable, interconnected nature of modern healthcare.Drawing from systems thinking and real-world scenarios, we examine complexity theory's applications across clinical decision-making, professional identity development, interprofessional collaboration, and education. Through cases ranging from managing periodontal disease with comorbidities to designing adaptive community programmes, this exploration reveals how embracing uncertainty and interdependence enhances effective practice.Complexity-informed dental hygienists develop enhanced capabilities for adaptive reasoning, collaborative leadership, and context-sensitive care. Educational implications include curricula fostering epistemic flexibility and systems thinking, while organisational considerations emphasise policy frameworks supporting distributed leadership and iterative innovation.Instead of viewing complexity as a challenge to overcome, this examination positions it as healthcare's fundamental characteristic requiring skilled navigation. For dental hygienists, embracing complexity theory represents an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to healthcare transformation and a responsibility to develop adaptive expertise for 21st century practice.