Search

The objective of this study was to investigate occupational and hobby exposures to silica, solvents, and heavy metals and the odds of having the idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) phenotypes dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) versus inclusion body myositis (IBM), lung disease plus fever or arthritis (LD+), and systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease–associated overlap myositis (OM). The sample included 1,390 patients (598 with DM, 409 with PM, and 383 with IBM) aged ≥18 years from a national registry. Of these, 218 (16%) were identified with LD+, and 166 (12%) with OM. Of these, 218 (16%) were identified with LD+, and 166 (12%) with OM. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and explored joint effects with smoking. High silica exposure was associated with increased odds of having DM (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.18–3.46, compared to no exposure; Ptrend = 0.004), LD+ (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.10–2.78, vs no LD; Ptrend = 0.005), and OM (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.19–3.61, Ptrend = 0.020). Moderate to high heavy metals exposure was associated with greater odds of having LD+ (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.00–2.14, Ptrend = 0.026) and OM (OR 1.59, 95% CI 0.99–2.55, Ptrend = 0.051). Greater odds of having LD+ were seen among smokers with moderate to high silica exposure versus nonsmokers with low or no exposure (high‐certainty assessment OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.31–4.90, Pinteraction = 0.061). These findings, based on a systematic exposure assessment, suggest that occupational and hobby exposures to silica and heavy metals contribute to adult IIM phenotypes, including DM, OM, and LD+, a possible marker for antisynthetase syndrome or other autoantibody‐associated lung diseases.

ABSTRACTThe Cell Division Cycle and Apoptosis Regulator (CCAR) protein family members have recently emerged as regulators of alternative splicing and transcription, as well as having other key physiological functions. For example, mammalian CCAR2/DBC1 forms a complex with the zinc factor protein ZNF326 to integrate alternative splicing with RNA polymerase II transcriptional elongation in AT-rich regions of the DNA. Additionally, Caenorhabditis elegansCCAR-1, a homolog to mammalian CCAR2, facilitates the alternative splicing of the perlecan unc-52gene. However, much about the CCAR family’s role in alternative splicing is unknown. Here, we have examined the role of CCAR-1 in genome-wide alternative splicing in Caenorhabditis elegansand have identified new alternative splicing targets of CCAR-1 using RNA sequencing. Also, we found that CCAR-1 interacts with the spliceosome factors UAF-1 and UAF-2 using mass spectrometry, and that knockdown of ccar-1affects alternative splicing patterns, motility, and proteostasis of UAF-1 mutant worms. Collectively, we demonstrate the role of CCAR-1 in regulating global alternative splicing in C. elegansand in conjunction with UAF-1.

This study presents an experimental investigation of vibration-assisted machining (VAM) techniques for monocrystalline silicon. The author introduces a novel high-frequency two-dimensional vibration-assisted machining system which is used to conduct slot milling experiments using ultrasonic high-frequency. For comparison, a low-frequency non-resonant vibration-assisted machining system is also used in the experiments. The effects of machining parameters, including feedrate, cutting speeds, and vibration parameters, including vibration modes and amplitudes, on the machining performance are thoroughly investigated. The surface roughness, edge chipping generation, and tool wear under various machining conditions are characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that, under specific machining and vibration parameters, a nanometric surface roughness (Ra) can be achieved. The ultrasonic vibration-assisted micro-milling (UVAMM) system is found to offer better surface quality, improved edge quality, and reduced tool wear. This study demonstrates that vibration-assisted micro-milling is a valuable technique for producing silicon components at scales ranging from a few microns with a nanometric surface finish with an improvement of 144 % compared to Conventional Machining (CM). The proposed 2D UVAMM system in this paper also provides valuable insight into the direction for utilizing 2D vibration-assisted machining systems to achieve superior machining results.

In the UK and the European Union, a rare disease is defined as a condition affecting less than one in 2000 people. Approximately 7000 diseases are classified as rare and around 300–400 million people worldwide live with a rare disease. Rare and undiagnosed diseases are receiving significant attention globally and increasingly in nursing practice. This attention is concurrent with policy and innovation, as well as research into rare and undiagnosed diseases, both broadly and focusing on specific diseases or disorders. There is also increased clinician, patient, family and stakeholder awareness, which is driving the research and development agenda, with a focus on finding treatments. Nurses, as the largest global healthcare professional group, have an important role in the care and support of patients and their families. Nurses are often the first, and sometimes the only, healthcare professional a patient has access to. Whether they are a specialist or generalist, the role of the nurse is often the common link during the patient's healthcare journey. This article presents insight into the nature of rare diseases, with a focus on cardiovascular presentations and the identification of red flags using an illustrative care study to bring focus to ‘thinking rare’ when assessing patients.

Approximately 320 million surgeries occur annually worldwide, increasingly performed on an ageing, comorbid population in whom postoperative complications contribute significantly to mortality. While anesthesiologists have led advances in perioperative care, the optimal structure of the provision of postoperative care has lacked discourse. In this article, we describe the implementation, structure, role, and benefits of an Anesthesiology Perioperative Outreach Service (APOS) at a Canadian tertiary hospital, providing proactive daily review and management of high-risk surgical patients. The APOS involves routine reviews and care on surgical wards, emphasizing collaboration among anesthesiology, internal medicine, surgery, and geriatric medicine teams, with a specific screening pathway to identify patients experiencing myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery. We discuss case vignettes to illustrate common examples of how the APOS enabled early detection and treatment escalation for deteriorating patients and provide a focused narrative literature review. The anesthesiology-led perioperative outreach model described herein could provide an implementable framework for institutions seeking to enhance their quality of postoperative care—particularly among complex, comorbid patients at risk of postoperative morbidity.

IMPORTANCE: Evidence-based treatment decisions for advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) require individualized patient-centered decision-making that accounts for patient and cancer characteristics. OBJECTIVE: To create an accessible guidance document to educate clinicians and patients on biomarkers informing prognosis and treatment in unresectable or metastatic GEP-NENs. METHODS: A multidisciplinary panel in-person workshop was convened to define methods. English language articles published from January 2016 to January 2023 in PubMed (MEDLINE) and relevant conference abstracts were reviewed to investigate prognostic and treatment-informing features in unresectable or metastatic GEP-NENs. Data from included studies were used to form evidence-based recommendations. Quality of evidence and strength of recommendations were determined using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework. Consensus was reached via electronic survey following a modified Delphi method. FINDINGS: A total of 131 publications were identified, including 8 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, 6 randomized clinical trials, 29 prospective studies, and 88 retrospective cohort studies. After 2 rounds of surveys, 24 recommendations and 5 good clinical practice statements were developed, with full consensus among panelists. Recommendations focused on tumor and functional imaging characteristics, blood-based biomarkers, and carcinoid heart disease. A single strong recommendation was made for symptomatic carcinoid syndrome informing treatment in midgut neuroendocrine tumors. Conditional recommendations were made to use grade, morphology, primary site, and urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic levels to inform treatment. The guidance document was endorsed by the Commonwealth Neuroendocrine Tumour Collaboration and the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The study results suggest that select factors have sufficient evidence to inform care in GEP-NENs, but the evidence for most biomarkers is weak. This article may help guide management and identify gaps for future research to advance personalized medicine and improve outcomes for patients with GEP-NENs.

Background: In Malawi approximately, 88.3% people living with HIV are aware of their HIV status. Significant gaps are among men aged 15–34 years; only 72% know their HIV status. To reach men, Jhpiego, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH), implemented the Men’s Mobile Wellness Clinic (MMWC) at workplace settings in Blantyre, Malawi between October 2019 and March 2020. Methods: We conducted a descriptive qualitative study to understand motivators and barriers to MMWC service uptake by employees and employers. Primary data was drawn from in-depth telephone interviews from four study populations: employers who accepted or declined to host the MMWC at their worksite, and employees who accessed or did not access the services. We performed a thematic analysis using Nvivo 12 software to identify patterns and themes across the dataset. Findings: Main reasons given for using the service among male employees were a desire to know their health status, availability of free health services at the workplace, and good quality services offered by MMWC staff, and support from their supervisor. Men who did not access services stated reasons such as work-clinic scheduling conflicts, lack of adequate promotion of the service, and miscommunication on the criteria about who should attend the MMWC. Employers who accepted to host the MMWC stated convenience and employee’s rights to know their health status. Those who declined either stated that employees did not want the services or COVID-19 preventive measures by the MOH between October 2019 and March 2020 restricted participation. Conclusion: This study underscores the potential utility of MMWC services including HIV testing among men. The desire to know their health status, availability of free MMWC services at the workplace, good quality services offered by MMWC staff, and the endorsement of MMWC by supervisors were main motivators to access the MMWC services. Sensitizing supervisors and employees about the benefits of the MMWC services, strengthening demand creation, and clarifying eligibility are important to facilitate MMWC uptake among men in Malawi.

The objective of this research was to validate a single, trunk-mounted wearable sensor (Optimeye S5, Catapult Australia, Melbourne) to measure the cadence of swimming strokes, cycling pedals and running strides in a triathlon. While similar validations have been performed in swimming and running, it is a novel application in cycling, and thus, across a whole triathlon. Seven triathletes were recruited to participate in a sprint distance triathlon which was filmed and simultaneously measured by a single, trunk-mounted wearable sensor. To validate the wearable sensor, individual swimming strokes, cycling pedal strokes and running strides were manually counted by viewing the wearable sensor data and video footage. While analysing cycling data, changes in cycling subtask performances were noticed, thus, a secondary analysis in cycling was conducted to investigate. The 95% limits of agreement analysis indicated the sensor validly measured swimming strokes (mean bias = −0.034 strokes), cycling pedal strokes (mean bias = −0.09 strokes) and running strides (mean bias = 0.00 strides) with minimal to no bias (p> 0.05). Further analysis of cycling revealed the wearable sensor is an acceptably valid tool to measure the duration of out of saddle riding (mean bias = 0.08 s), however, significant differences in the duration of in saddle riding (mean bias = −0.5 s) and coasting were identified (mean bias = 0.39 s). A single trunk mounted wearable sensor is a valid tool to measure movement cadence in a triathlon, however, further validation is required to generate a full understanding of cycling subtask performances.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors often experience post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), is defined as new or worsened impairments in physical, cognitive and/or mental health status persisting beyond hospital discharge. These impairments negatively impact survivors’ quality of life and their return to work or usual activities. Moreover, family members are also impacted as recognized by the term, PICS-Family (PICS-F). PICS poses an increased burden on the health care system and has a negative societal impact. There are ongoing efforts to understand risk factors for PICS-related impairments; design and evaluate interventions for specific impairments (including the use of an ARDS survivorship core outcome set); and refine and evaluate ICU recovery clinics to support and treat survivors and their families.

Background: The HIV/AIDS epidemic has disproportionately affected Black individuals in the USA, and this health disparity has increased over time. Despite the effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as a prevention tool for HIV, there are disparities in its use, and uptake of this intervention remains low among racial and ethnic minorities, including Haitians/Haitian Americans. In this study, factors influencing PrEP use among Haitians/Haitian Americans in Miami, FL, are explored to provide necessary data to address disparities. Methods: The research team collaborated with local organizations to recruit 30 individuals (Haitians/Haitian Americans) between February 4 and October 1, 2021, and conducted semi-structured interviews. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and NVivo® was used to analyze the transcripts for emergent themes. Results: The study sample comprised 30 adults of Haitian descent in Miami, FL (50% female, approximately 67% with a high school education or more, mean age = 43.7 ± 13 years, and 74.2% born in Haiti). Four primary themes emerged from the analysis: (1) limited PrEP awareness, (2) underutilization of PrEP, (3) inadequate discussion of HIV prevention strategies, and (4) PrEP delivery encompassing barriers and facilitators for PrEP delivery and promotion strategies. Conclusion: This study indicated that there is a critical need to increase Haitians/Haitian Americans’ knowledge regarding PrEP. Health communication interventions tailored specifically for Haitians/Haitian Americans that target stigma, attitudes toward HIV, and risk perception may be significant in increasing PrEP in this population.

Individuals who provide services for people living with HIV (PLWH) face numerous work-related challenges, including psychosocial and structural factors affecting the quality of care that they provide. Little is known about the factors that relate to burnout among service providers for PLWH. The current study seeks to examine the factors associated with burnout and the role of resilience and coping in the context of burnout. Via convenience sampling, data was collected from 28 professionals (e.g., peer counselors, HIV testers, case managers/case workers, group facilitators, or social workers) serving PLWH in the USA. Participants completed quantitative measures on sociodemographics, organizational factors, discrimination, trauma, depression, and burnout. A sub-sample of 19 participants provided in-depth qualitative data via semi-structured interviews on burnout, coping, and resilience as a buffer against the effects of burnout. Thematic content analysis revealed themes on the factors related to burnout (e.g., discrimination, limited financial and housing resources, and COVID-19), rejuvenating factors, coping with burnout, and intervention strategies. Additionally, Pearson’s product moment correlations revealed significant associations between mental health variables such as depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder symptomology with (a) discrimination and microaggressions and (b) burnout. The current study highlights challenges to providing HIV care, including structural barriers and discrimination that are doubly impactful to the professionals in this sample who share identities with the PLWH whom they serve. These findings may inform the development of an intervention targeting burnout among individuals providing services to PLWH and motivate change to remove structural barriers and improve quality of care for PLWH.

Network control theory (NCT) is a simple and powerful tool for studying how network topology informs and constrains the dynamics of a system. Compared to other structure–function coupling approaches, the strength of NCT lies in its capacity to predict the patterns of external control signals that may alter the dynamics of a system in a desired way. An interesting development for NCT in the neuroscience field is its application to study behavior and mental health symptoms. To date, NCT has been validated to study different aspects of the human structural connectome. NCT outputs can be monitored throughout developmental stages to study the effects of connectome topology on neural dynamics and, separately, to test the coherence of empirical datasets with brain function and stimulation. Here, we provide a comprehensive pipeline for applying NCT to structural connectomes by following two procedures. The main procedure focuses on computing the control energy associated with the transitions between specific neural activity states. The second procedure focuses on computing average controllability, which indexes nodes’ general capacity to control the dynamics of the system. We provide recommendations for comparing NCT outputs against null network models, and we further support this approach with a Python-based software package called ‘network control theory for python’. The procedures in this protocol are appropriate for users with a background in network neuroscience and experience in dynamical systems theory.

Viscosity, or the “thickness,” of aerosols plays a key role in atmospheric processes like ice formation, water absorption, and heterogeneous kinetics. However, the viscosity of sea spray aerosols (SSA) has not been widely studied. This research explored the relationship between particle size and viscosity of authentic SSA particles through particle bounce, atomic force microscopy analysis, and predictive viscosity modeling from molecular composition. The study found that 40 nm SSA particles had estimated viscosities around 104Pa·s and bounce fractions three times higher than 100 and 200 nm particles with less than 102Pa·s at a relative humidity (RH) of 60%. Additional studies revealed the Kelvin effect and particle density, influenced by particle size, have a greater impact on size-dependent bounce fractions than changes in RH across impactor stages. While changes in the level of surfactants can impact particle bounce, the increased viscosity in smaller SSA is attributed to the formation of gel-like phase states caused by cation–organic cross-links between divalent calcium ions and organic anions enriched in the smaller particles. This work shows the smallest gel-like SSA particles observed in the field are highly viscous, which has implications for cloud formation, secondary aerosol growth, and pollutant transport in coastal environments.

In Indonesian‐occupied West Papua, Christianity has been adopted, adapted, and transformed by the indigenous people of various ethnic groups to become part of their social and cultural landscape. Christianity has also prominently figured in their continuing struggle for political self‐determination. Based on an ethnographic and historical study of the Kingmi Church of West Papua, this article analyses the emergence of an indigenous church in a post‐mission era and interrogates how indigenous congregations transform and harness Christianity for their cultural, social, and political projects. Building upon recent developments in the Anthropology of Christianity – from the study of the impact of mission and colonial encounters to the study of indigenous churches – and using indigenous politics as an analytical lens, this article proposes a decolonial approach to the study of vernacular Christianity in West Papua. The case of Kingmi church highlights not only that Christianity shapes Papuan politics, but also that indigenous politics have shaped Christian belief, resulting in the development of an indigenous church that works on a model of endogenous transformation that is oriented towards indigenous self‐determination.

Transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration has revolutionised equine assisted reproduction, particularly in in vitroembryo production. This literature review examines the complications associated with transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration in mares and its potential impact on future fertility. While transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration is generally safe, it has inherent risks, ranging from mild rectal bleeding to severe complications such as peritonitis and acute haemorrhage. Factors influencing complication rates include veterinarian experience, mare anatomy and procedural technique. Despite concerns, studies suggest that repeated transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration does not significantly impair future fertility, with normal pregnancy rates observed in mares undergoing artificial insemination or embryo transfer after transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration. However, further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects on ovarian function and oocyte quality. Veterinary practitioners must prioritise appropriate training and procedural precautions to minimise the risk of complications and safeguard mare welfare and fertility in the expanding field of equine assisted reproduction.

Subcortical brain structures are involved in developmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders. Here we performed genome-wide association studies meta-analyses of intracranial and nine subcortical brain volumes (brainstem, caudate nucleus, putamen, hippocampus, globus pallidus, thalamus, nucleus accumbens, amygdala and the ventral diencephalon) in 74,898 participants of European ancestry. We identified 254 independent loci associated with these brain volumes, explaining up to 35% of phenotypic variance. We observed gene expression in specific neural cell types across differentiation time points, including genes involved in intracellular signaling and brain aging-related processes. Polygenic scores for brain volumes showed predictive ability when applied to individuals of diverse ancestries. We observed causal genetic effects of brain volumes with Parkinson’s disease and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Findings implicate specific gene expression patterns in brain development and genetic variants in comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders, which could point to a brain substrate and region of action for risk genes implicated in brain diseases.

Background: Medical devices for fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) are becoming available at a fast pace. The main challenge for surgeons lies in the lack of in-depth knowledge of optical imaging, different technical specifications and poor standardisation, and the selection of the best device based on clinical application. Methods: This manuscript aims to provide an up-to-date description of the commercially available fluorescence imaging platforms by comparing their mode of use, required settings, image types, compatible fluorophores, regulatory approval, and cost. We obtained this information by performing a broad literature search on PubMed and by contacting medical companies directly. The data for this review were collected up to November 2023. Results: Thirty-two devices made by 19 medical companies were identified. Ten systems are surgical microscopes, 5 can be used for both open and minimally invasive surgery (MIS), 6 can only be used for open surgery, and 10 only for MIS. One is a fluorescence system available for the Da Vinci robot. Nineteen devices can provide an overlay between fluorescence and white light image. All devices are compatible with Indocyanine Green, the most common fluorescence dye used intraoperatively. There is significant variability in the hardware and software of each device, which resulted in different sensitivity, fluorescence intensity, and image quality. All devices are CE-mark regulated, and 30 were FDA-approved. Conclusion: There is a prolific market of devices for FGS and healthcare professionals should have basic knowledge of their technical specifications to use it at best for each clinical indication. Standardisation across devices must be a priority in the field of FGS, and it will enhance external validity for future clinical trials in the field. Graphical abstract:

Neuroimaging has been widely adopted in psychiatric research, with hopes that these non-invasive methods will provide important clues to the underpinnings and prediction of various mental health symptoms and outcomes. However, the translational impact of neuroimaging has not yet reached its promise, despite the plethora of computational methods, tools, and datasets at our disposal. Some have lamented that too many psychiatric neuroimaging studies have been underpowered with respect to sample size. In this review, we encourage this discourse to shift from a focus on sheer increases in sample size to more thoughtful choices surrounding experimental study designs. We propose considerations at multiple decision points throughout the study design, data modeling and analysis process that may help researchers working in psychiatric neuroimaging boost power for their research questions of interest without necessarily increasing sample size. We also provide suggestions for leveraging multiple datasets to inform each other and strengthen our confidence in the generalization of findings to both population-level and clinical samples. Through a greater emphasis on improving the quality of brain-based and clinical measures rather than merely quantity, meaningful and potentially translational clinical associations with neuroimaging measures can be achieved with more modest sample sizes in psychiatry.

People with disabilities consistently advocate for their right to be self-determined. Decades of research highlight the positive impacts of self-determination intervention on in-school and post-school outcomes of secondary students with disabilities. Increasingly, self-determination interventions are being implemented in inclusive contexts for allstudents, including students with and without disabilities. To enable implementation with high fidelity, further examination of the supports needed by teachers is required. In this study, the authors examine the impacts of differing intensities of teacher implementation supports (online modules only vs. online modules + coaching) on the initiation of the self-determined learning model of instruction (SDLMI) by schools and teachers and outcomes for students that arise from more intensive implementation when schools and teachers do initiate. Results suggest that intensifying teacher implementation supports has a positive impact on a cascading series of outcomes for schools, teachers, and students. In this study, the authors discuss the implications of the results for future research and practice.

Given the high prevalence of psychological distress among vocational training (VT) students, this study aimed to assess the role of interpersonal emotional competence as a resilience factor promoting the educational success of this population. We postulated that emotional competence would promote educational success, both directly and indirectly by fostering students’ help-seeking intentions when facing a personal or school-related problem. To test these hypotheses, we used a sample of 219 VT students from the Canadian province of Quebec (68% women, Mage= 24.58; SDage= 7.95) enrolled in various programs (e.g. institutional and home care assistance, welding and fitting, secretarial studies, and professional cooking). These students were assessed two times, during the first half of their training and again after their training. Results from structural equation modelling revealed that emotional competence was a positive predictor of help-seeking intentions and educational success. However, having the intention to seek help did not translate into higher levels of educational success. Overall, these results highlight the importance of supporting VT students in the development and strengthening of their emotional competence to promote their educational success. Future research is needed to further understand the help-seeking process among VT students and its implications for their academic outcomes.

Morphogenesis requires embryonic cells to generate forces and perform mechanical work to shape their tissues. Incorrect functioning of these force fields can lead to congenital malformations. Understanding these dynamic processes requires the quantification and profiling of three-dimensional mechanics during evolving vertebrate morphogenesis. Here we describe elastic spring-like force sensors with micrometre-level resolution, fabricated by intravital three-dimensional bioprinting directly in the closing neural tubes of growing chicken embryos. Integration of calibrated sensor read-outs with computational mechanical modelling allows direct quantification of the forces and work performed by the embryonic tissues. As they displace towards the embryonic midline, the two halves of the closing neural tube reach a compression of over a hundred nano-newtons during neural fold apposition. Pharmacological inhibition of Rho-associated kinase to decrease the pro-closure force shows the existence of active anti-closure forces, which progressively widen the neural tube and must be overcome to achieve neural tube closure. Overall, our approach and findings highlight the intricate interplay between mechanical forces and tissue morphogenesis.

Sepsis is common and expensive, and evidence suggests that sepsis order sets may help to improve care. Very incomplete evidence exists regarding the effects of sepsis order sets on the value of care produced by hospitals or the societal costs of sepsis care.

Among survivors of critical illness, prescription of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) at hospital discharge is thought to be an important, modifiable patient safety concern. To date, there are little empirical data evaluating this issue.

To synthesize participant retention data and related reporting in studies evaluating post-hospital outcomes of survivors of critical illness after an intensive care unit (ICU) stay.

Purpose To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) profile and the incidence of IOP spikes following selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) between pigmentary glaucoma (PG) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).Materials and Methods Retrospective comparative study of 65 PG eyes of 51 patients matched with 65 POAG eyes of 65 patients who received SLT. Matching was done based on age, gender, glaucoma severity, pre-laser IOP, and number of medications. Post-SLT IOP spike was defined as IOP elevation ≥5mmHg, 30-45 min after the laser.Results In PG and POAG groups, the average age was 62.33 ± 9.18 and 62.58 ± 9.19 years (p = 0.95). The glaucoma severity (p = 0.708), baseline IOP (PG = 21.61 ± 1.34mmHg vs. POAG = 21.13 ± 5.09mmHg, p = 0.943), and number of topical glaucoma medications(PG = 2.34 ± 1.34 vs. POAG = 2.1 ± 1.41, p = 0.342) were comparable. More PG patients were on oral acetazolamide (PG = 26.15% vs. POAG = 1.5%, p < 0.001). Average logMAR visual acuity was significantly higher in the POAG group (0.207 ± 0.3 vs. 0.192 ± 0.37, p = 0.012). Eyes with PG received lower laser energy (POAG = 63.65 ± 22.03 mJ vs. PG = 43.71 ± 25.68 mJ, p < 0.001). IOP spikes were recorded in 5 PG eyes (7.6%) and none in the POAG group (p = 0.058). Failure rates were similar (PG = 50.7% and POAG = 43.1%, p = 0.205). In multivariable analysis, only pre-laser IOP (coefficient = 2.154 [CI: 0.765–3.543], p = 0.003) was a significant predictor of IOP change percentage after 12 months.Conclusions SLT was comparably effective in both PG and POAG. IOP spikes were observed only in the PG group, though the total laser energy was lower in this group compared with POAG.

Mass gathering disasters involving large numbers of casualties can adversely affect the performance of healthcare systems. This scoping review aims to explore the current literature on the preparedness of health professionals for disasters during mass gathering events. Four databases were searched to identify papers examining health professionals' disaster preparedness during mass gatherings between 2011 and 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews was applied to undertake this review. A total of 2024 articles were identified, of which 18 qualified for inclusion in the scoping review. Some studies reported the level of professionals' preparedness for disaster management, while others reported strategies to enhance preparedness and challenges associated with disaster preparedness during mass gatherings. More studies are needed in this field to better understand the level of disaster preparedness of health professionals to improve response and management of potential disasters during mass gathering events.