Use Of Screening Research Articles

Association between heated tobacco product use and airway obstruction: a single-centre observational study, Japan

BackgroundWhile heated tobacco products (HTPs) may affect pulmonary function, the evidence supporting the utility of screening for HTP use in clinical settings is insufficient. We examined the association between HTP...

A novel ITGA2B double cytosine frameshift variant (c.1986_1987insCC) leads to Glanzmann's thrombasthenia in a cat.

Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) is a congenital platelet disorder affecting approximately 1:1 000 000 people globally and characterized by impaired platelet aggregation and clot retraction. Autosomal recessive, loss-of-function, variants in ITGA2B or ITGB3 of the αIIbβ3 receptor cause the disease in humans. A cat affected by Glanzmann's and macrothrombocytopenia was presented to the UC Davis VMTH. Severe thrombopathia in this cat has an underlying genetic etiology. A single affected patient, 2 age-matched clinically healthy controls, and a geriatric population (n = 20) of normal cats. Physical examination and clinical pathology tests were performed on the patient. Flow cytometry and platelet aggregometry analyses for patient phenotyping were performed. Patient and validation cohort gDNA samples were extracted for Sanger sequencing of a previously identified ITGA2B (c.1986delC) variant. Reverse transcriptase PCR was performed on patient and healthy control PRP samples to verify ITGA2B variant consequence. A novel c.1986_1987insCC autosomal recessive variant in ITGA2B was identified. This variant was absent in a population of 194 unrelated cats spanning 44 different breeds. Complete loss of ITGA2B transcript and protein expression was verified by RT-PCR and flow cytometry, explaining the underlying etiology of GT, and likely macrothrombocytopenia, in this cat. This study emphasizes the role of precision medicine in cardiovascular disease of cats and identified yet another variant that may be of utility for screening in the feline population. This study provides a small-volume, standardized, successful protocol for adequate platelet RNA isolation and subsequent molecular assessment of gene expression in cats.

Seek and ye shall find: The utility of perioperative VTE screening in high-risk oncologic patients undergoing abdominopelvic surgery.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing major oncologic surgery using an epidural catheter (EC) for postoperative analgesia with mechanical prophylaxis and without chemoprophylaxis. Six hundred and twenty-sixpatients undergoing major oncologic surgery from 2009 to 2023 were evaluated. VTE was defined as deep vein thrombosis above the level of the knee. Lower extremity venous duplexes (LEVDs) were done preoperatively and postoperatively after the EC was removed. All patients received mechanical thromboprophylaxis, but not chemical prophylaxis, while the EC was in place. A generalized linear multivariable model was constructed to identify risk factors that predict pre and postoperative VTE. 29/626 patients (4.6%) were found to have preoperative VTE. 16/626 (2.6%) were found to have a postoperative VTE when their preoperative LEVD was negative. In comparison to patients without preoperative VTE, those with VTE were more likely to be male, anticoagulated, and have a history of coronary artery disease.Patients in the postoperative VTE group were older, male, anticoagulated, and had a history of VTE. On multivariable analysis, previous history of VTE was the risk factor most strongly associated with both pre and postoperative VTE. Oncologic patients undergoing elective abdominopelvic surgery with epidural analgesia should be screened in the perioperative setting with LEVD to identify VTE and possibly prevent PE.

Geospatial Disparities in Youth Sexually Transmitted Infections During COVID-19

Introduction: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, routine sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings decreased, and test positivity rates increased due to limited screening appointments, national-level STI testing supply shortages, and social distancing mandates. It is unclear if adolescent preventive STI screening has returned to pre-pandemic levels and if pre-existing disparities worsened in late-pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 22,974 primary care visits by 13-19-year-olds in the Philadelphia metropolitan area undergoing screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia in a 31-clinic pediatric primary care network during 2018-2022. Using interrupted-time-series analysis and logistic regression, pandemic-related changes in the asymptomatic STI screening rate and test positivity were tracked across patient demographics. Neighborhood moderation was investigated by census-tract-level Child Opportunity Index in 2023. Results: The asymptomatic STI screening rate dropped by 27.8 percentage points (pp) and 13.5pp when the pandemic and national STI test supply shortage began, respectively, but returned to pre-pandemic levels after supply availability was restored in early 2021. Non-Hispanic-Black adolescents had a significant pandemic drop in STI screening rate, and it did not return to pre-pandemic levels (-3.6 pp in the late-pandemic period, p< 0.01). This decrease was more pronounced in socioeconomically and educationally disadvantaged neighborhoods (7.5 pp and 9.9 pp lower, respectively) than in advantaged neighborhoods (both p< .001), controlling for sex, age, insurance type and clinic characteristics. Conclusions: Neighborhood socioeconomic and educational disadvantage amplified racial-ethnic disparities in STI screening during the pandemic. Future interventions should focus on improving primary care utilization of non-Hispanic-Black adolescents to increase routine STI screening and preventive care utilization.

Organoids as a biomarker for personalized treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer: drug screen optimization and correlation with patient response

BackgroundThe inability to predict treatment response of colorectal cancer patients results in unnecessary toxicity, decreased efficacy and survival. Response testing on patient-derived organoids (PDOs) is a promising biomarker for treatment efficacy. The aim of this study is to optimize PDO drug screening methods for correlation with patient response and explore the potential to predict responses to standard chemotherapies.MethodsWe optimized drug screen methods on 5–11 PDOs per condition of the complete set of 23 PDOs from patients treated for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). PDOs were exposed to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), irinotecan- and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. We compared medium with and without N-acetylcysteine (NAC), different readouts and different combination treatment set-ups to capture the strongest association with patient response. We expanded the screens using the optimized methods for all PDOs. Organoid sensitivity was correlated to the patient’s response, determined by % change in the size of target lesions. We assessed organoid sensitivity in relation to prior exposure to chemotherapy, mutational status and sidedness.ResultsDrug screen optimization involved excluding N-acetylcysteine from the medium and biphasic curve fitting for 5-FU & oxaliplatin combination screens. CellTiter-Glo measurements were comparable with CyQUANT and did not affect the correlation with patient response. Furthermore, the correlation improved with application of growth rate metrics, when 5-FU & oxaliplatin was screened in a ratio, and 5-FU & SN-38 using a fixed dose of SN-38. Area under the curve was the most robust drug response curve metric. After optimization, organoid and patient response showed a correlation coefficient of 0.58 for 5-FU (n = 6, 95% CI -0.44,0.95), 0.61 for irinotecan- (n = 10, 95% CI -0.03,0.90) and 0.60 for oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (n = 11, 95% CI -0.01,0.88). Median progression-free survival of patients with resistant PDOs to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy was significantly shorter than sensitive PDOs (3.3 vs 10.9 months, p = 0.007). Increased resistance to 5-FU in patients with prior exposure to 5-FU/capecitabine was adequately reflected in PDOs (p = 0.003).ConclusionsOur study emphasizes the critical impact of the screening methods for determining correlation between PDO drug screens and mCRC patient outcomes. Our 5-step optimization strategy provides a basis for future research on the clinical utility of PDO screens.

Tracking of serum lipid levels from childhood to adulthood: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and aimsThe utility of lipid screening in pediatric settings for preventing adult atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases partly depends on the lifelong tracking of lipid levels. This systematic review aimed to quantify the tracking of lipid levels from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. MethodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar in March 2022. The protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; ID: CRD42020208859). We included cohort studies that measured tracking of lipids from childhood or adolescence (<18 years) to adulthood (≥18) with correlation or tracking coefficients. We estimated pooled correlation and tracking coefficients using random-effects meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed with a review-specific tool. ResultsThirty-three studies of 19 cohorts (11,020 participants) were included. The degree of tracking from childhood and adolescence to adulthood differed among lipids. Tracking was observed for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (pooled r = 0.55–0.65), total cholesterol (pooled r = 0.51–0.65), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (pooled r = 0.46–0.57), and triglycerides (pooled r = 0.32–0.40). Only one study included tracking of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.42–0.59). Substantial heterogeneity was observed. Study risk of bias was moderate, mostly due to insufficient reporting and singular measurements at baseline and follow-up. ConclusionsEarly-life lipid measurements are important for predicting adult levels. However, further research is needed to understand the tracking of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the stability of risk classification over time, which may further inform pediatric lipid screening and assessment strategies.

Access to inpatient mood management services after stroke in Australian acute and rehabilitation hospitals.

Post-stroke mental health impairments are common, but under-assessed and under-treated. We aim to describe trends in the provision of mood management to patients with stroke, and describe factors associated with adoption of national mood management recommendations for stroke within Australian hospitals. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the biennial Stroke Foundation Audit Program. Participating acute (2011-2021) and rehabilitation hospitals (2012-2020) in Australia. In the acute audit, 22,937 stroke cases were included from 133 hospitals. In the rehabilitation audit, 15,891 stroke cases were included from 127 hospitals. Hospital- and patient-level mood management processes. Among 133 acute hospitals (22,937 stroke episodes), improvements were made between 2011 and 2021 in utilization of mood screening (17% [2011], 33% [2021]; p < 0.001) and access to psychologists during hospital stay (18% [2011], 45% [2021]; p < 0.001). There was no change in access to a psychologist among those with a mood impairment (p = 0.34). Among 127 rehabilitation hospitals (15,891 stroke episodes) improvements were observed for mood screening (35% [2012], 61% [2020]; p < 0.001), and access to a psychologist during hospital stay (38% [2012], 68% [2020]; p < 0.001) and among those with a mood-impairment (30% [2012], 50% [2020]; p < 0.001). Factors associated with receiving mood management processes included: younger age, not requiring an interpreter and longer length of stay. Adherence to mood management recommendations has improved over 10 years within Australian hospitals. Those aged over 65, requiring an interpreter, or with shorter hospital stays are at risk of missing out on appropriate mood management.

Clinical utility of maternal TORCH screening in fetal growth restriction: A retrospective two-centre study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the indications for maternal TORCH (Toxoplasma gondii, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV)) serology, with a focus on the yield in isolated fetal growth restriction (FGR). A retrospective review of antenatal TORCH testing between January 2014 and December 2018 was carried out at two hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. TORCH testing ordered for pregnancy losses and stillbirth was excluded. Medical records of 718 pregnancies were reviewed, representing 760 fetuses. Isolated FGR was the indication for TORCH screening in 71.2% of pregnancies. Screens ordered for isolated FGR were positive in 7.4% (95% CI 5.5-10.0%). There were 49 positive maternal immunoglobulin M (CMV = 34, Toxoplasma = 15). Two acute maternal infections during pregnancy were diagnosed (CMV = 1, Toxoplasma = 1), with both screens ordered to assess symptomatic maternal illness. There was one neonatal CMV infection, born to a woman with symptomatic primary CMV. No maternal or neonatal rubella or HSV infections were identified. We found a diagnostic yield of TORCH screening for isolated FGR of 0.0% (95% CI 0.00-0.8%). An estimated AUD$64 269.75 was expended on maternal TORCH screens in this study. Maternal TORCH testing for isolated FGR is of no diagnostic yield and should be abandoned.

Enhancing seismic assessment and risk management of buildings: A neural network-based rapid visual screening method development

Some of the existing buildings are designed based on lower design standards or even without considering seismic design standards. Recent earthquakes have further highlighted the vulnerability of these buildings when subjected to severe seismic activity. Consequently, it has become imperative to conduct seismic vulnerability assessments of the existing building stock. Therefore, the assessment of the existing building stock is required through the utilization of Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) methods. However, the existing conventional RVS methods used in seismic building assessments have shown limited accuracy. Furthermore, because these methods were developed based on expert opinions and/or due to access limitations to detailed assessment-based generated data used for their development, further enhancing them is challenging. To address these limitations, a new RVS method, which leverages Neural Networks (NN) and building-specific parameters, for reinforced concrete, adobe mud, bamboo, brick, stone, and timber buildings has been proposed in this study. Unlike conventional methods that rely on site seismicity class, the developed data-driven approach incorporates building-specific parameters such as the fundamental structural period and building spectral acceleration. The developed RVS method is specifically tailored to analyze diverse types of buildings in regions with varying seismicity risks, all in preparation for an impending earthquake. In this study, the developed RVS method demonstrated a promising 68% test accuracy, effectively representing the building performance against earthquakes. These findings illustrate the potential of the developed NN based RVS method in assessing existing buildings, thereby mitigating potential loss of life and property during imminent earthquake and alleviating the associated economic burden. Furthermore, this study introduces a new RVS method that can pave the way for future advancements in the field of seismic vulnerability assessment of existing buildings.

Association of COVID-19 Pandemic with Colorectal Cancer Screening: Impact of Race/Ethnicity and Social Vulnerability

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health care delivery, including cancer screening practices. This study sought to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on colorectal cancer (CRC) screening relative to social vulnerability.MethodsUsing the Medicare Standard Analytic File, individuals 65 years old or older who were eligible for guideline-concordant CRC screening between 2019 and 2021 were identified. These data were merged with the Center for Disease Control Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) dataset. Changes in county-level monthly screening volumes relative to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020) and easing of restrictions (March 2021) were assessed relative to SVI.ResultsAmong 10,503,180 individuals continuously enrolled in Medicare with no prior diagnosis of CRC, 1,362,457 (12.97%) underwent CRC screening between 2019 and 2021. With the COVID-19 pandemic, CRC screening decreased markedly across the United States (median monthly screening: pre-pandemic [n = 76,444] vs pandemic era [n = 60,826]; median Δn = 15,618; p < 0.001). The 1-year post-pandemic overall CRC screening utilization generally rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels (monthly median screening volumes: pandemic era [n = 60,826] vs post-pandemic [n = 74,170]; median Δn = 13,344; p < 0.001). Individuals residing in counties with the highest SVI experienced a larger decline in CRC screening odds than individuals residing in low-SVI counties (reference, low SVI: pre-pandemic high SVI [OR, 0.85] vs pandemic high SVI [OR, 0.81] vs post-pandemic high SVI [OR, 0.85]; all p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a decrease in CRC screening volumes. Patients who resided in high social vulnerability areas experienced the greatest pandemic-related decline.

Unmet Social Needs and Breast Cancer Screening Utilization and Stage at Presentation

Unmet social needs in local populations may hinder the development of targeted cancer control interventions aimed at improving screening utilization and early-stage breast cancer diagnosis to ultimately improve breast cancer survival disparities. To evaluate if (1) city-funded screening mammography is associated with utilization of screening mammography, (2) unmet social needs are associated with utilization of screening mammography, and (3) unmet social needs are associated with later-stage disease at diagnosis. This cohort study included patients with stages I-IV invasive ductal or lobular carcinoma treated at an academic medical center (including both an underserved safety-net hospital [SNH] and a National Cancer Institute-designated academic cancer center [ACC]) from 2020 to 2023. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older and able to consent. Data were analyzed between July 2023 and September 2023. The Health Leads Social Needs Screening Toolkit, a screening tool that gathers information on the most common social need domains affecting patient health. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was utilized to evaluate the following primary outcomes: (1) routine screening mammography and (2) American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition clinical stage at presentation. Of the 322 women who completed the Health Leads Social Needs Screening Toolkit, 201 (62%) self-identified as Hispanic, 63 (19%) as non-Hispanic Black, and 63 (19%) as non-Hispanic White. Two hundred fifty-five (76%) patients with access to city-funded screening mammography completed a screening mammogram. Patients who presented to the SNH were more likely to present with late-stage disease compared with early-stage disease (15 of 48 [31%] vs 50 of 274 [18%]; P = .04). On multivariable logistic regression, not completing a screening mammography was associated with having an increasing number of unmet social needs (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.55-0.99; P = .047) and an increasing age at diagnosis (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.89-0.96; P < .001). Moreover, increasing unmet social needs was significantly associated with late-stage diagnosis above and beyond screening mammography (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.01-1.89; P = .04). In this cohort study, access to screening mammography did not translate to utilization of screening mammography, increasing unmet social needs were significantly associated with lower rates of screening mammography, and those with increasing unmet social needs were more likely to present with late-stage disease. This association transcended recruitment site (SNH vs ACC), indicating that patients in either hospital setting may benefit from unmet social needs screening to overcome access to care barriers associated with late-stage disease at diagnosis.

Factors associated with utilization of cervical cancer screening services among HIV-positive women aged 18 to 49 years at Lira regional referral hospital, Northern Uganda

BackgroundWomen with HIV have a higher risk of getting cervical cancer due to induced immunosuppression. Though this burden could be avoided through early identification and appropriate management, there is a paucity of information about the utilization of cervical cancer screening (CCS) services in Lira City, Uganda. This study investigated the level and factors associated with the utilization of cervical cancer screening services among HIV-positive women aged 18 to 49 years at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, Lira City, Uganda.MethodsWe conducted a facility-based cross-sectional study employing quantitative techniques. We used consecutive sampling to recruit 297 HIV-positive women at the ART clinic of Lira Regional Referral Hospital. A structured researcher-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were performed to summarize the data. A modified Poisson regression using robust standard errors was performed to ascertain the factors associated with the utilization of cervical cancer screening. Prevalence ratios at 95% confidence intervals were reported.ResultsOut of 297 respondents, 175(58.9%) utilized cervical cancer screening in this study. The factors found to be associated with CCS were; having ever heard of CCS (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [PR] 1.80, 95% CI 1.31–2.49, p < 0.001), knowing where CCS is done (Adjusted PR 1.99, 95% CI 1.42–2.81, p < 0.001), fear of CCS outcomes (Adjusted PR 0.67, 95% CI 0.54–0.84,p < 0.001), not knowing whether CCS is beneficial or not (Adjusted PR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20–0.75,p = 0.005) and having friends/relatives who screened for cervical cancer (Adjusted PR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09–1.59, p = 0.005).ConclusionThe level of utilization of cervical cancer screening services among HIV-positive women was suboptimal. Implementation of structured interventions aimed at improving cervical cancer screening awareness among HIV-positive women is crucial. Additionally, to increase opportunities for screening and knowledge on cervical cancer prevention, screening programs can target HIV-positive women during their routine clinic visits.

Determinants of breast cancer screening utilization among female healthcare workers in selected hospitals in Ogbomoso, Oyo state

Objective: The study aimed at identifying the determinants of breast cancer screening among FHW in the three levels of care. FHW have greater influence on women's positive perception of breast cancer.&#x0D; Method: Descriptive cross- sectional design was employed. Purposive sampling technique was used. Data collected with the aid of validated structured questionnaire. Data analyzed using SPSS version 22 and presented in tables and graphs. The hypotheses were tested using chi square at 0.05 level of significance.&#x0D; Results: Findings revealed that 40 (18.6%) were doctors, 104 (48.4%) nurses and 71 (32.4%) others. Majority of the respondents (81.4%) had good knowledge of BSE, 73.4% had good knowledge of CBE, however, more than half of the respondents (52.6%) had poor knowledge of mammography. Age, lack of time, financial constraints, fear of positive diagnosis among others were some of the factors identified.&#x0D; Conclusion: Majority of the respondents had good knowledge. However, only the practice of BSE was good while the others were poor. Therefore, there is an urgent need for sensitization of FHW on the need to undergo the screening especially clinical breast examination and mammography

Diagnostic Utility of Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Equivalent Parameter in the Evaluation of Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia – Our Experience from Northeast India

Background: Reticulocytes are red blood cell precursors with an average lifespan of 1–2 days. Reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret-He) is an early marker of iron deficiency (ID) erythropoiesis and reflects real-time information regarding the synthesis of young erythrocytes in the bone marrow. The objective of this study is to determine the diagnostic utility of Ret-He in patients having microcytic hypochromic anemia in comparison with serum ferritin and iron studies. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the diagnostic utility of the Ret-He parameter in patients having microcytic hypochromic anemia in comparison with the serum ferritin, iron studies and its role in routine hematological screening for nutritional deficiency anemia like ID. Design and Settings: The design involves observational study. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based observational study was carried out in a referral hospital. Hematological parameters were processed using Sysmex XN1000 (Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan) analyzer and were compared with Serum iron studies using biochemistry analyzer (VITROS® 250 Chemistry System) from 201 participants who presented with microcytic hypochromic anemia. Main Outcome and Measures: Relationship of Ret-He parameter and its diagnostic utility for screening of iron-deficient states. Sample Size: The sample size was 201. Results: When serum ferritin is taken as “the gold standard” to detect ID, with Ret-He cutoff of 27.15 pg/cell, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between Ret-He and serum ferritin (P &lt; 0.001). We found a sensitivity of 57.37% and specificity of 75.95% with area under the curve of 0.681, positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 3.8%, and accuracy of 62.19% for Ret-He in detecting ID anemia (IDA). Also found a statistically significant negative correlation between Ret-He and total iron binding capacity (P &lt; 0.001). There was no statistical correlation between Ret-He and serum iron levels in our study. Conclusions: The present study suggests Ret-He is one of the better and more reliable hematological parameters indicating ID and, when used along with biochemical parameters like serum ferritin, can give valuable inputs in a better screening and diagnosis of IDA; hence proper treatment is possible. Limitations: The multicentric study is required to standardize Ret-He reference values, and follow-up to therapy of the subjects was not done. Additional hemoglobin variant analysis data would have been favorable to the study.

A Narrative Review of Cervical Cancer Screening Utilization Among Haitian Immigrant Women in the U.S.: Health Beliefs, Perceptions, and Societal Barriers and Facilitators.

Haitian immigrant women living in the U.S. have a higher rate of cervical cancer mortality than any other ethnic group, primarily due to lower rates of screening test utilization. Therefore, it is important to understand the issues affecting their pap smear screening behaviors. We conducted a narrative review of articles from PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, CINAHL/Nursing, and Psych Info. Inclusion criteria: U.S. Haitian immigrant, screening, cervical cancer, health beliefs/perceptions. Exclusion criteria: HPV-vaccine. Primary barriers: (1) lack of knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV, and pap smears; (2) lack of culturally appropriate dissemination of information; and (3) difficulty obtaining the test. Primary facilitators: (1) provider recommendations, (2) Haitian media to disseminate health information, and (3) having health insurance. This review highlights the points for intervention by health professionals and policy makers to address this group's low pap smear utilization.

Summary of the National Advisory Committee on Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (NAC-STBBI) Statement: Recommendations on Screening for Syphilis in Non-Pregnant Adults and Adolescents.

Sustained and significant increases in Canadian rates of infectious syphilis prompted the National Advisory Committee on Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (NAC-STBBI) to update the existing screening recommendation for non-pregnant adults and adolescents. These guidelines were developed following the 2014 World Health Organization Handbook. The research question was: "What is the clinical utility of syphilis screening using risk-based versus population-wide approaches for adolescents and adults?" The evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The environmental scan included 11 guidelines on syphilis screening published between 2014 and January 2023. Two systematic reviews were identified and included. In the updated literature search from November 6, 2019, to January 17, 2023, there were no published systematic reviews on the effectiveness of risk-based screening or the comparison of risk-based and interval screening; however, one recent randomized control trial in Canada was published. Evidence for outcomes, patient values and preferences, resources, acceptability, equity, cost and cost effectiveness and feasibility were reviewed. This statement provides two screening recommendations for adults and adolescents. Recommendation 1: NAC-STBBI recommends syphilis screening in all sexually active persons with a new or multiple partners and/or upon request of the individual. They also recommend screening every three to six months in individuals with multiple partners. Recommendation 2: NAC-STBBI recommends that targeted "opt-out" screening programs should be considered as frequently as every three months when serving population groups and/or communities experiencing a high prevalence of syphilis (and other STBBI). Both are strong recommendations with moderate certainty of evidence.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Concerning Cervical Cancer Screening Among Reproductive Age Group Women in Low-Resource Settings Yenagoa Bayelsa State.

Nigeria has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Both the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) and cervical screening are effective prevention strategies against both HPV infection and cervical cancer. Lack of awareness, limited knowledge, limited decision-making agency, lack of spousal support and stigma are barriers to uptake of these preventive measures. Cervical cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Eighty three percent (83%) of the world's new cases and 85% of all cervical cancer-related deaths occur in developing countries. It is primarily caused by human papilloma virus (HPV); a sexually transmitted pathogen that could be prevented with safe sexual practice and using vaccines, among others. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of reproductive age group women in low resource setting in towards cervical cancer and its prevention in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State Nigeria. This study employed the use of a descriptive study design to examine the knowledge and assessment of cervical cancer among women of reproductive age (19-54), about cervical cancer, its prevention, and their utilization of Pap smear screening; using a convenience sample of 406 women in two communities (Okaka and Agudama) in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Women voluntarily completed a structured questionnaire. Results showed that women who participated in the study were aware of cervical cancer (78.3%; n=318) but many (70.4%; n= 286) were unaware of Pap smears as the screening tests for cervical cancer. Although few of them (45.6%; n =185) knew about a screening center, out of which 17.6% (n= 32) reported that the screening center was less than 2km away from their residences. There is need for health care professionals, to intensify efforts to increase awareness about cervical cancer screening and encourage women through the different clinics to use these services. The benefits of screening and early diagnosis of cervical cancer should be emphasized to enhance the utilization of cervical cancer screening services.

Remote State Estimation With Posterior-Based Stochastic Event-Triggered Schedule

This paper aims to study the state estimation problem under the stochastic event-triggered (SET) schedule. A posterior-based SET mechanism is proposed, which determines whether to transmit data by the effect of the measurement on the posterior estimate. Since this SET mechanism considers the whole posterior probability density function, it has better information screening capability and utilization than the existing SET mechanisms that only consider the first-order moment information of measurement and prior estimate. Then, based on the proposed SET mechanism, the corresponding exact minimum mean square error estimator is derived by Bayes rule. Moreover, the prediction error covariance of the estimator is proved to be bounded under moderate conditions. Meanwhile, the upper and lower bounds on the average communication rate are also analyzed. Finally, two different systems are employed to show the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed methods.

FBXO8 is a novel prognostic biomarker in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer and suppresses breast cancer progression by targeting c-MYC

F-box only protein 8 (FBXO8) is a recently identified member of the F-box proteins, showcasing its novelty in this protein family. Extensive research has established FBXO8's role as a tumor suppressor in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer, Nevertheless, its functional, mechanistic, and prognostic roles in primary and metastatic breast cancer, particularly in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer, various stages, as well as its potential implications in immunotherapy, tumor microenvironment, and prognostic survival among breast cancer patients, remain unexplored. In this article, we employed a multi-dimensional investigation leveraging TCGA, TIMER, TISIDB, STRING, MEXPRESS, UALCAN, and cBioPortal databases to explore the underlying suppression mechanism of FBXO8 in breast cancer. FBXO8 negatively correlates with MYC, NOTCH, WNT and inflammatory signaling pathways in breast tumor microenvironment. Furthermore we conducted RT-PCR, western blot, cell proliferation, cell migration, and mRNA target gene RT-PCR analyses to elucidate the role of FBXO8 in breast cancer progression. Mechanistically, PTEN and FBXW7 expression were down-regulated and MYC, IL10, IL6, NOTCH1, WNT6 mRNA expressions were up-regulated in FBXO8 knockdown cell lines. c-MYC silenced cells showed an increase in FBXO8 protein level, which suggests a negative feedback loop between FBXO8 and c-MYC to control breast cancer metastasis. These findings illuminate the novel role of FBXO8 as a prognostic and therapeutic target across different molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Finally, through the utilization of virtual screening and Molecular Dynamics simulations, we successfully identified two FDA-approved medications, Ledipasvir and Paritaprevir, that demonstrated robust binding capabilities and interactions with FBXO8

Next-Generation Tags for Fluorine Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: Designing Amplification of Chemical Shift Sensitivity.

Fluorine NMR is a highly sensitive technique for delineating the conformational states of biomolecules and has shown great utility in drug screening and in understanding protein function. Current fluorinated protein tags leverage the intrinsic chemical shift sensitivity of the 19F nucleus to detect subtle changes in protein conformation and topology. This chemical shift sensitivity can be amplified by embedding the fluorine or trifluoromethyl reporter within a pyridone. Due to their polarizability and rapid tautomerization, pyridones exhibit a greater range of electron delocalization and correspondingly greater 19F NMR chemical shift dispersion. To assess the chemical shift sensitivity of these tautomeric probes to the local environment, 19F NMR spectra of all possible monofluorinated and trifluoromethyl-tagged versions of 2-pyridone were recorded in methanol/water mixtures ranging from 100% methanol to 100% water. 4-Fluoro-2-pyridone and 6-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridone (6-TFP) displayed the greatest sensitivity of the monofluorinated and trifluoromethylated pyridones, exceeding that of known conventional CF3 reporters. To evaluate the utility of tautomeric pyridone tags for 19F NMR of biomolecules, the alpha subunit of the stimulatory G protein (Gsα) and human serum albumin (HSA) were each labeled with a thiol-reactive derivative of 6-TFP and the spectra were recorded as a function of various adjuvants and drugs. The tautomeric tag outperformed the conventional tag, 2-bromo-N-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)acetamide through the improved resolution of several functional states.