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Athletes' history of concussions is an important indicator of risk potential in organized sports. The purpose of this project was to explore differences by sport classification (contact vs. noncontact) and sex on concussion history among university club sports participants. This was a cross-sectional quality improvement study (n = 593). The outcomes were self-reported answers to: (1) How many times have you been diagnosed with a concussion? and (2) How many times have you had your "bell rung"/"dinged"? Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association of contact club sport participation and sex on the history of concussion and prior experience of having their bell rung. Models were adjusted for age, race, participation in multiple sports, and years of participation in sports, and years in college. When compared to those in non-contact club sports, the adjusted odds of reporting ever having a concussion were 2.29 times higher for those participating in contact club sports (OR = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.49, 3.53). In the model for having a bell rung, those participating in a contact sport had 1.90 times greater odds of reporting having their bell rung in the past compared to those in noncontact sports (OR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.25, 2.88). Whereas males and females did not differ in their self-reported concussion history, females had significantly lower odds of reporting having their bell rung in the past than males (OR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.69). Female athletes have a higher reporting of concussion incidence than that of male athletes. The use of terminology and variance in slang versus medical terms has the potential to affect reporting outcomes. Reporting of concussion incidents has the potential to be influenced by the nature of sport culture and sport participation in contact versus noncontact sports. Club sport athletes could benefit from tailored education related to concussions based on these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Online instruction within higher education is a growing trend. Asynchronous online courses vary widely in design elements. Research is needed to evaluate the impact of course design on student outcomes. A large, asynchronous undergraduate medical terminology course was modified to increase authentic language use, student interaction, formative feedback, retrieval practice, and metacognition. The purposes of this study were to describe modified course design elements and evaluate the impact of modifications on student outcomes compared with a standard course implemented concurrently. Methods: This prospective, quasi-experimental study included 494 students (modified course, n = 277; standard course, n = 217). Measures included student participation, performance, course satisfaction, self-efficacy (SE), and engagement. Results: Participation in assignments was high (88–94%). Students in both courses experienced growth in SE for medical terminology use. Students in the modified course earned significantly higher course grades and reported higher satisfaction levels. No significant differences in SE or exam scores were found between courses. Marginal significance was found for increased behavioral engagement for students in the modified course. Conclusions: Modifications based on language learning and learning science principles were feasible to implement within a large, asynchronous online medical terminology course. Modifications resulted in greater student satisfaction and improved course grades. Exam performance was not significantly different between the modified and standard courses. Future research should focus on modifications preparing students for summative assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assigning students to work in permanent teams is a design principle in Team-based learning (TBL). It has been assumed that a stable team composition supports the emergence of collaborative problem-solving and learning: when students became more familiar with each other, they shared more information and resolved discrepancies together, which in turn stimulated knowledge acquisition and comprehension. However, this assumption had not been probed by a randomized controlled trial with performance assessment as an outcome. In an online course for second term medical students, 50% of the students were reassigned to new teams for each of the 24 problems to be solved during four classes, thus precluding familiarity. The learning outcome was assessed shortly after the third of four classes by a domain knowledge test. Whether TBL teams were permanent or temporary did not affect the score of a domain knowledge test. As expected, participation in online TBL improved the domain knowledge test results. Overall, the permanent team seems to be less important for cognitive learning outcomes than previously assumed, but this may depend on the specific educational setting. However, team familiarity may still be important for team decision-making. As clinical reasoning in the medical workplace often involves collaborating in changing teams, future research on TBL should focus on how to utilize this format to prepare medical students for decision-making and optimal learning outcomes under these conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like other key terms in the medical and health humanities—empathy, creativity, and reflection, to name just a few—wellness has become a weasel word, rife the language of optimization, duty, and self-perception. While alternative vocabularies exist—well-being and quality of life among them—these options usually privilege the objectives of academic (often psychological) research, health institutions, and the economic state apparatus, rather than people themselves. In mind of these concerns, why attempt to make a case for wellness at all? We present a historically informed, theoretically driven, praxis-guided framework for a renewed vision of social wellness (a concept first defined in the late 1950s). While definitions since Bill Hettler's "hexagonal" model (1980) have included mutual respect for others and the assumption of cooperative behaviors, conspicuously absent from contemporary definitions and usage is any mention of the aesthetic realm, which we—alongside philosophers like Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum—take as a central human capability. How can the relational possibilities of arts engagement be understood as not just a means of promoting individual wellness, but also as a method and outcome of social wellness? We propose that social wellness is ultimately premised on the interplay between wellness of the collective and the strength of the relational encounters it engenders. We turn to a key practice paradigm—community arts engagement—as both a vehicle for and site of social wellness. With brief reference to a Canadian exemplar, we conclude with concrete recommendations for addressing critical opportunities for advancing arts-led social wellness initiatives involving academic and community partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Named Entity Recognition (NER) is fundamental in natural language processing, involving identifying entity spans and types within a sentence. Nested NER contains other entities, which pose a significant challenge, especially pronounced in the domain of medical-named entities due to intricate nesting patterns inherent in medical terminology. Existing studies can not capture interdependencies among different entity categories, resulting in inadequate performance in nested NER tasks. To address this problem, we propose a novel Layer-based architecture with Segmentation-aware Relational Graph Convolutional Network (LSRGCN) for Nested NER in the medical domain. LSRGCN comprises two key modules: a shared segmentation-aware encoder and a multi-layer conditional random field decoder. The former part provides token representation including boundary information from sentence segmentation. The latter part can learn the connections between different entity classes and improve recognition accuracy through secondary decoding. We conduct experiments on four datasets. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our model. Additionally, extensive studies are conducted to enhance our understanding of the model and its capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Language barriers in healthcare lead to miscommunication between professionals and patients, thereby reducing the quality of and equitable access to healthcare. In African countries, the recognition and formal study of these barriers is severely limited despite Africa having more languages than any other continent. Our study investigates language barriers in healthcare facilities in Zomba district in Malawi, where three major local languages are spoken. Methods: We employed a mixed methods approach and conducted a questionnaire-led study. Data were gathered at 22 health facilities, from 79 healthcare professionals and 312 outpatients using a semi-structured questionnaire. Findings were corroborated using document analysis to review legislation and policies, curriculum documents and patient notes. Results: Language discordance emerged as a problem for professionals and patients. Both faced challenges due to vocabulary limitations for medical terms in English and Chichewa. Professionals did not receive training on how to effectively communicate medical concepts in local languages. Most patients did not speak English, which was used for all written records. Patient understanding of the information given to them verbally during consultations or in written health notes was very low, and this diminished their confidence in the diagnosis or treatment they received. Social factors including gender, age or patient experience, as well as patient literacy or perceived low literacy, poor rapport between healthcare professionals and patients, and a lack of privacy during consultations all exacerbated communication issues. Consequences of language barriers included unsatisfactory care experiences and compromised exchanges of health information. Strategies used by professionals to cope with these challenges were flexibility in the choice of language, reliance on physical checks and non-verbal communication indicators and the occasional use of ad-hoc interpretations. Conclusion: Language barriers in healthcare facilities in Malawi have serious implications on the quality of healthcare provided. We propose solutions such as the development of dictionaries with phrases for symptoms and conditions, sensitisation courses that incorporate language considerations for both professionals and patients. Policies such as the provision of interpreters and staff allocation are discussed. We recognise that coordinated efforts at national and international levels are key to securing significant funding for effective interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of involving patients in medical education is widely accepted, but their contribution to medical curriculum design is not well documented. Patients have the potential to bring a unique perspective and more refined experience to curriculum development. This applies particularly to those with long-term conditions (LTCs) who have multiple exposures to doctors throughout their healthcare journey. The aim of this study is to explore what views patients with LTCs have on the attributes medical students require to have, in order to provide them with high-quality care. Ten patients with LTCs, encompassing both primary and secondary care over a broad set of demographics, were interviewed by telephone using a semi-structured questionnaire. The interviews were recorded using a digital voice recorder and manually transcribed verbatim onto a Microsoft Word document for thematic analysis using NVIVO software and following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Five themes have emerged highlighting where the care of LTC patients could be improved: ‘advocacy’; ‘compassion’; ‘the desire to be acknowledged as an individual’”; acknowledgement of their expertise”; and ‘benefits of continuity of care’. The findings make a major contribution to undergraduate and postgraduate clinical training development. They reinforce themes in healthcare which need more emphasis in the medical curriculum, whilst simultaneously highlighting that even well-recognised concepts such as patient-centred holistic care, are not well implemented in the context of actual practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theranostics is a new term for long‐established principles in nuclear medicine. The generalisability of the term means there is a very broad use of the term across the medical literature, not all of which is consistent with the intent in nuclear medicine. The term molecular theranostics better reflects the philosophy and application in nuclear medicine. Even with a clearer definition, there are a number of challenges or controversies whose debate provides a richer understanding of the principles and applications of molecular theranostics. Radioiodine imaging and therapy of hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer provide the historical context for theranostics. The prototype molecular theranostic is the 68Ga/177Lu DOTATATE pair that targets somatostatin receptor subtype 2 in neuroendocrine tumors. The potential value of precision medicine of radiation dosimetry in molecular theranostics needs a balanced discussion with limitations of reactive dosimetry and the opportunities for predictive or pre‐treatment dosimetry. Despite challenges and limitations, molecular theranostics is a powerful tool in the precision medicine landscape. Molecular theranostics is a vehicle for improved outcomes in cancer patients with a future‐facing portfolio of opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism explores the potential benefits of using a long-acting glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor agonist (GIPRA) to offset gastrointestinal adverse effects associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) therapy. The study involved healthy participants who received a single dose of the GIPRA along with daily doses of liraglutide, a selective GLP-1 RA. The results showed that co-exposure to the GIPRA reduced the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events commonly seen with GLP-1 RA treatment. These findings suggest that GIPRA may improve the tolerability and adherence to GLP-1 RA therapy. [Extracted from the article]

Despite the existence of established standards and guidelines for pathology reporting, many pathology reports are still written in unstructured free text. Extracting information from these reports and formatting it according to a standard is crucial for consistent interpretation. Automated information extraction from unstructured pathology reports is a challenging task, as it requires accurately interpreting medical terminologies and context‐dependent details. In this work, we present a practical approach for automatically extracting information from unstructured pathology reports or scanned paper reports utilising a large multimodal model. This framework uses context‐aware prompting strategies to extract values of individual fields, such as grade, size, etc. from pathology reports. A unique feature of the proposed approach is that it assigns a confidence value indicating the correctness of the model's extraction for each field and generates a structured report in line with national pathology guidelines in human and machine‐readable formats. We have analysed the extraction performance in terms of accuracy and kappa scores, and the quality of the confidence scores assigned by the model. We have also evaluated the prognostic value of the extracted fields and feature embeddings of the raw text. Results showed that the model can accurately extract information with an accuracy and kappa score up to 0.99 and 0.98, respectively. Our results indicate that confidence scores are an effective indicator of the correctness of the extracted information achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve up to 0.93 thus enabling automatic flagging of extraction errors. Our analysis further reveals that, as expected, information extracted from pathology reports is highly prognostically relevant. The framework demo is available at: https://labieb.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/. Information extracted from pathology reports of colorectal cancer cases in the cancer genome atlas using the proposed approach and its code are available at: https://github.com/EtharZaid/Labieb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent efforts to reclassify non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are intended to divert attention to the metabolic basis of the disease rather than to alcohol consumption. This reclassification recognizes the role of obesity, sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits in the development of the disease, leading to a better understanding of its etiology. Nevertheless, the transition has posed its own challenges, particularly with regard to communication between patient and healthcare professional. Many healthcare professionals report difficulty in explaining the nuanced concepts, especially the term "steatosis". In addition, the change in terminology has not yet removed the stigma, with ongoing debates about the appropriateness of the terms "fatty" and "steatotic". Surveys suggest that while "obesity" may be perceived as more stigmatizing, the medical term "steatotic liver disease" is not considered as stigmatizing, indicating a disconnect in perceptions between healthcare professionals and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is an umbrella medical term referring to pain and swelling on the posterior aspect of the calcaneus. High‐resolution ultrasound imaging is commonly used in daily practice to assess the pathological changes of the Achilles tendon, cortical bone of the calcaneus, and soft tissues located inside the retrocalcaneal space to optimize the management of relevant patients. To the best of our knowledge, a standardized ultrasound protocol to evaluate the retrocalcaneal bursal complex is lacking in the pertinent literature. In this sense, our step‐by‐step sonographic approach is intended to be an easy and ready‐to‐use guide for sonographers/physicians in daily practice to assess this anatomical complex in patients with Achilles tendinopathy. Needless to say, the peculiar histological features of this V‐shaped synovial/fibrocartilaginous bursa surrounding the posteroinferior wedge of the Kager's fat pad and the retrocalcaneal space make the examination challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Graft failure, one of the most common outcomes in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction randomized controlled trials, lacks a consensus definition. The purpose of this study was to systematically summarize current practice and parameters in defining anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction graft 'failure'. Recent Findings: Forty studies (4466 participants) satisfied the inclusion criteria. Of these, 90% either defined failure formally or referenced the etiology of failure, the remaining 10% used the term failure without referencing the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction graft. Among the included studies, there was a high level of inconsistency between the definitions of graft failure. The extracted data was categorized into broader groups, revealing abnormal knee laxity (80%) and graft re-rupture (37.5%) as the most common parameters incorporated in the definitions of graft failure in high-level randomized controlled trials. Summary: This review shows that anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction randomized controlled trials lack a consistent definition for graft failure. A universal definition is vital for clarity in medical practice and research, ideally incorporating both objective (e.g. graft re-rupture) and subjective (e.g. validated questionnaires) parameters. A composite outcome should be established which includes some of the common parameters highlighted in this review. In the future, this review can be used to assist orthopaedic surgeons to establish a formal definition of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction graft 'failure'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor comprehension of prostate cancer (PCa) medical terms can create barriers to PCa treatment discussions. The authors measured comprehension of PCa terms and its relationship to health literacy in a group of Black men who were newly diagnosed with PCa. They examined whether tailoring communication with alternative colloquial words would be helpful and acceptable. Methods: Patients were recruited from urology clinics (N = 152). After they met with their providers to discuss PCa treatment options, they participated in an educational supplement delivered as a structured interview. The supplement tailored PCa treatment information by allowing men to choose between colloquial and medical terms for genitourinary (GU) function. Health literacy was measured using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, and comprehension of common PCa terms was assessed using published methods. Pearson correlation was used to estimate the association between health literacy and comprehension of PCa terms. Spearman rank correlation (r) was used to assess the relation between the total number of medical terms preferred (range, 0–10) and Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine scores (range, 0–66). Results: Most patients (62%) had low health literacy, which was strongly correlated with their understanding of PCa terms (r = 0.526; p <.001). Poor comprehension of many PCa terms established the need to use alternative language for GU function (only 20% knew the word incontinence). There was a statistically significant positive association between the number of medical terms preferred and health literacy (r = 0.358; p <.001). A majority of patients (91%) preferred a mixture of medical and colloquial terms. Conclusions: Tailoring communications with colloquial terms for GU function was preferred by most patients regardless of health literacy. Poor comprehension of common prostate cancer terms for genitourinary function creates health literacy barriers to treatment discussions. Tailoring medical terms with alternative colloquial words preferred by patients was helpful regardless of health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever-growing electronic medical corpora provide unprecedented opportunities for researchers to analyze patient conditions and drug effects. Meanwhile, severe challenges emerged in the large-scale electronic medical records process phase. Primarily, emerging words for medical terms, including informal descriptions, are difficult to recognize. Moreover, although deep models can help in entity extraction on medical texts, they require large-scale labels, which are time-intensive to obtain and not always available in the medical domain. However, when encountering a situation where massive unseen concepts appear or labeled data is insufficient, the performance of existing algorithms will suffer an intolerable decline. In this article, we propose a balanced and deep active learning framework for Medical Named Entity Recognition (MedNER) to alleviate the above problems. Specifically, to describe our selection strategy precisely, we first define the uncertainty of a medical sentence as a labeling loss predicted by a loss-prediction module and define diversity as the least text distance between pairs of sentences in a sample batch computed based on word-morpheme embeddings. Furthermore, aiming to make a trade-off between uncertainty and diversity, we formulate a Distinct-K optimization problem to maximize the slightest uncertainty and diversity of chosen sentences. Finally, we propose a threshold-based approximation selection algorithm, Distinct-K Filter, which selects the most beneficial training samples by balancing diversity and uncertainty. Extensive experimental results on real datasets demonstrate that MedNER significantly outperforms existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document contains summaries of various research studies conducted in Spain. The studies cover a range of topics, including antibiotic effectiveness in treating urinary tract infections, adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, non-commercial clinical trials, compliance with safety reporting regulations, clinical trial safety activities and workload, the efficacy of montelukast in long COVID patients, prospective genotyping for statin therapy, sex-based differences in adverse events, anti-cytomegalovirus T lymphocyte therapy, nabiximols for cannabis detoxification, gender differences in alcohol effects, and the safety and efficacy of platelet-rich plasma for erectile dysfunction. These studies provide valuable insights into different medical conditions and treatments, highlighting the need for further research and personalized care. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The objective is to analyze and review the clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging characteristics of rheumatoid meningitis (RM) in six patients with known rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with RM from August 2012 to June 2023. To identify the cases, we used medical term search engines and the hospital´s radiology case database. Clinical information and laboratory findings were gathered from the medical records. A neuroradiologist with five years of experience reviewed and analyzed the RM to determine the characteristics findings of RM. Results: Six patients with RM are included. Seizures along with headaches were among the clinical signs that were documented. All the patients had high levels of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (ACPA) in the peripheral blood. Biopsy in two cases confirmed typical rheumatoid nodules. Leptomeningeal enhancement was found bilaterally in all cases and was predominantly found in the frontoparietal region. "Mismatch DWI/FLAIR" was found in five patients. Bilateral subdural collections could be found in two patients. Brain PET scan revealed increased metabolism in two cases. Conclusion: Rheumatoid meningitis is a rare complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with challenging clinical diagnosis due to non-specific symptoms. This study highlights the importance of MR in detecting characteristic neuroimaging patterns, including "mismatch DWI/FLAIR", to aid in early diagnosis. Increased awareness of this condition may facilitate timely intervention and improve prognosis. These results still need to be verified by large studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

agmus, optic neuritis, and visual field defects, in patients with MS. They found that these ocular manifestations were associated with specific clinical and demographic characteristics, such as younger age at MS onset and longer disease duration. The study highlights the importance of regular ophthalmic evaluations in patients with MS to detect and manage these ocular complications.The fifth study explored the association between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and cognitive function in patients with MS. The authors found that thinner RNFL was associated with worse cognitive performance, particularly in processing speed and executive function. The study suggests that RNFL thickness could serve as a potential biomarker for cognitive impairment in MS.Overall, these articles provide valuable insights into various aspects of neuro-ophthalmology, including the diagnosis and treatment of retinal artery occlusion, the shortage of neuro-ophthalmologists, the use of atropine eye drops for myopia progression, the role of S-cones in blue cone monochromacy, the differentiation of sagging eye syndrome and trochlear nerve palsy, the non-specific nature of optic nerve T2-hyperintensity and atrophy in glaucomatous optic neuropathy, the surgical management of spheno-orbital meningiomas, and the risk factors and outcomes of ocular manifestations in MS. These findings can inform clinicians and researchers in their understanding and management of neuro-ophthalmological conditions. [Extracted from the article]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a report challenging the traditional understanding of respiratory droplets and aerosols in the transmission of respiratory pathogens. The report acknowledges that particle size is not the only factor in transmission and that infectious respiratory particles can be generated through activities like breathing, speaking, and singing. However, the report primarily focuses on proposing new terminology and does not provide specific guidance on infection control measures. The authors argue for the use of the term "aerosol" as it is already widely recognized and encompasses the complexity of particle size, composition, and transport properties. They also emphasize the need for further research to inform effective infection control strategies. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on dysphagia, a medical condition characterized by difficulty in swallowing, which can occur due to impairments in the oral, pharyngeal, or oesophageal phases of swallowing. Topics include the phases of normal swallowing, the prevalence and causes of dysphagia, and its association with neurological conditions such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, and stroke.

The PAUD school mapping geographic information system (GIS) is an innovative Android-based application designed to efficiently assist users in finding the closest route to PAUD schools. By leveraging GPS technology, this system displays a detailed geographic map that guides users effectively through their surroundings. At the core of its functionality is the Dijkstra Algorithm, which ensures the calculation of the shortest path to the desired location, making navigation straightforward and reliable. The design process employs UML (Unified Modeling Language) to create a clear structure and user-friendly interface, enhancing the overall user experience. Developed in Java and supported by the Android Studio platform, this GIS provides essential information about PAUD addresses, their statuses, and available facilities. This comprehensive approach allows users to make informed decisions about educational opportunities for their children. The system has undergone rigorous testing to validate its effectiveness. This practical application demonstrates the system's capability in real-world scenarios and highlights its role in improving access to early childhood education. Furthermore, the PAUD mapping geographic information system is a valuable community resource. By delving into geographic data and providing actionable insights, it aims to bridge gaps in educational access. Ultimately, this GIS is an essential tool for parents and educators, facilitating informed choices and enhancing the journey toward quality education for young learners. Its integration of modern technology with educational accessibility makes it an ultimate resource in fostering early childhood development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Appropriate use of medical terminology is one of the core conditions for successful communication in monolingual and multilingual healthcare communities. The modern scientific language is based on the descriptive terminology. However, it is often the case that the advantages of descriptive terminology are at odds with the ability to express complex concepts in just a few words. To solve this practicality problem it is customary to coin abbreviations and acronyms preferred to traditional eponyms. Today eponyms are considered ambiguous and non-descriptive, linked to the terminology of the past. The overview of this study demonstrates that the current habit of using acronyms can increase the scientific descriptive capacity compared to eponyms. On the other hand, acronyms remain ambiguous and more ephemeral than eponyms. Furthermore, eponyms are not as descriptive as acronyms, but they still carry important information for a medical student. If you truly believe in the importance of Medical Humanities in the medical curriculum, two aspects cannot be overlooked. First, eponyms bring students closer in an almost subliminal way to the history of medicine and the non-strictly technical-scientific field of medicine. Second, medicine is a complex science applied to humans and must strive to keep the patient at the center of its interests. Patients and their families preferably ask us to use eponyms. Which terminology to choose for medical students? The teachers have the last word. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy of DL-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) in the treatment of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) has been reported previously. However, the course of treatment that shows curative effect and cytokines predictive of the efficacy of NBP in the treatment of PSCI have not been systematically evaluated. This study aimed to assess the efficacy, course of treatment, and cytokines that can predict the effectiveness of NBP in treating poststroke cognitive impairment PSCI. Methods: This study has been registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42024518768). Randomized controlled trial (RCT) data dated by November 12, 2023 were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang, CNKI, CSTJ, and SinoMed databases using medical subject terms combined with free words. The updated Cochrane RoB-I Risk of Bias tool was utilized for literature quality evaluation. Statistical analysis were carried out using Review Manager 5.4.1 software. Results: Thirty-eight original studies involving 5417 PSCI patients were analyzed. The results showed that NBP had a beneficial impact on cognitive function in PSCI patients when used alone or in combination therapy, as assessed by the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale. The effect sizes were significant for both monotherapy and combination therapy. Subgroup analyses based on treatment cycle indicated that NBP enhanced cognitive function in PSCI patients from 1 week after intervention: MMSE (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI [0.28, 0.58], P < 0.001), MoCA (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI [0.27, 0.61], P < 0.001). There was a cumulative enhancement in cognitive function within 6 months after NBP treatment based on the MoCA scores (SMD = 0.61, 95% CI [0.30, 0.91], P < 0.001). Furthermore, decreased levels of the cytokines Hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, Hcy, NSE, MDA, MMP-9, and Cys-C (SMD = −2.28, 95% CI [−2.97, 1.58], P < 0.001) and increased levels of BDNF, VEGF, and TIMP-1 (SMD = 2.80, 95% CI [1.66, 3.94], P < 0.001) were also predictive of treatment efficacy. Conclusion: NBP plays a beneficial role in improving cognitive function in PSCI patients, and their prognoses could be predicted by serum cytokine levels. However, high-quality, multicenter, multisample, and RCTs are still needed to confirm the clinical validity of NBP due to its low methodological quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preterm birth is a process that fundamentally alters parental or caregiver roles, particularly in the early weeks of childbirth. Caregiver experiences can be distressing due to struggles with an unfamiliar and potentially threatening environment of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). These experiences can affect the development of parenting or caregiving roles to a greater extent. Supporting caregivers of preterm infants through education and information sharing can significantly improve neonatal outcomes. This study sought to explore the experiences of caregivers with hospitalized preterm infants regarding the education and information they received from healthcare workers on the care of preterm infants. Method: An exploratory descriptive qualitative study that explored caregivers' experiences with the management of preterm infants hospitalized at the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a tertiary level facility with an annual delivery of almost 7500 and a bed capacity of 26. The study utilized a deductive approach and a purposive sampling technique to recruit 16 caregivers who participated in an in-depth interview using a piloted semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: The study identified three major themes, which were (1) preterm infant feeding and keeping infants warm, (2) routine procedures and activities at the NICU, and (3) preparation towards homecare after discharge. Seven (7) sub-themes were generated. Caregivers were satisfied with the education and information they received on infant feeding and keeping the infant ward. They also had adequate education that prepared them for home care of the preterm infant. Caregivers did not receive timely information and education on the health status of their infants and the care processes of the NICU. They felt they were left out as they were not involved in decision-making. Regarding the care of the preterm infant. The inadequate flow of information and use of medical terminologies were a great source of worry and frustration for participants. The study showed that although the NICU staff were willing to offer health education to caregivers, information giving and education were not structured and hence did not address all the needs of the caregivers. Conclusion: Healthcare providers caring for preterm infants include caregiver education in their routine NICU activities and procedures. These processes start from the period of admission till discharge. Their education sessions primarily focus on breastfeeding, keeping the infant warm and adequate preparation of caregivers for preterm infant home care. This notwithstanding there are gaps in caregiver education and information on routine procedures in the NICU as well as information on the health needs of the infant. Participants are not fully involved in the decision-making processes and the use of medical terminologies compound caregivers' frustrations and anxieties. It is important to develop structured educational programs tailored to address the information needs faced by caregivers to ensure optimal health outcomes for their preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and purpose Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a factitious disorder characterized by the search for and induction of somatic symptoms, the falsification of laboratory results, and even the mutilation of a loved one, usually a child, by a parent or caregiver. Paediatricians often only have information about the child's condition from an interview with the child's guardian, so it is very important to differentiate feigned disorders from real, sometimes difficult to diagnose, cases of illness. We may suspect them if the parent reports unusual symptoms in the child, insinuates further treatments and hospital stays, has above-average knowledge of medical terminology, and is aggressive towards the staff. Prominent among the causes of Munchausen syndrome by proxy are first and foremost the desire to focus the parent/carer's attention on themselves and the expectation of recognition for their care and concern for the child. Methods and materials The following review was based on articles from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Key search terms included munchausen syndrome, munchausen syndrome by proxy, treatment, diagnosis, paediatric condition falsification, factitious disorder. Conclusions Due to the nature of this disorder, physicians of different specialities may come across it during their practice. Increasing their knowledge on this topic and the effects of Munchausen syndrome by proxy will allow the correct diagnosis to be established and appropriate psychiatric therapy with psychological care to be introduced, as well as protecting children who are victims of the actions of their caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-world data (RWD) in the medical field, such as electronic health records (EHRs) and medication orders, are receiving increasing attention from researchers and practitioners. While structured data have played a vital role thus far, unstructured data represented by text (e.g., discharge summaries) are not effectively utilized because of the difficulty in extracting medical information. We evaluated the information gained by supplementing structured data with clinical concepts extracted from unstructured text by leveraging natural language processing techniques. Using a machine learning-based pretrained named entity recognition tool, we extracted disease and medication names from real discharge summaries in a Japanese hospital and linked them to medical concepts using medical term dictionaries. By comparing the diseases and medications mentioned in the text with medical codes in tabular diagnosis records, we found that: (1) the text data contained richer information on patient symptoms than tabular diagnosis records, whereas the medication-order table stored more injection data than text. In addition, (2) extractable information regarding specific diseases showed surprisingly small intersections among text, diagnosis records, and medication orders. Text data can thus be a useful supplement for RWD mining, which is further demonstrated by (3) our practical application system for drug safety evaluation, which exhaustively visualizes suspicious adverse drug effects caused by the simultaneous use of anticancer drug pairs. We conclude that proper use of textual information extraction can lead to better outcomes in medical RWD mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of language in psychiatry and the challenges posed by linguistic diversity in medical education, particularly in India. It highlights the need for language training programs to ensure effective communication and quality care for patients. The article introduces the Clinical Linguistic Proficiency Program (CLPP), a novel approach implemented in a tertiary care institute in Karnataka, India, to train psychiatric residents in Kannada and Hindi. The CLPP follows an adult learning model, emphasizes peer learning, and focuses on speaking skills first. It includes classroom training, role-playing exercises, and simulated practice to enhance residents' communication skills and cultural competence. The article concludes by discussing the strengths and limitations of the CLPP and suggesting future directions for its improvement and expansion. [Extracted from the article]

Student engagement while learning a new, unfamiliar vocabulary is challenging in health science courses. A group role-play activity was created to teach students medical terminology and learn why its correct usage is important. This activity brought engagement and relevance to a topic traditionally taught through lecture and rote memorization and led to the development of an undergraduate and a stand-alone introductory course to teach students medical terminology. The undergraduate course was designed to be a fully online medical terminology course for health science students and a face-to-face course for first-year dental students founded in active learning and group work. The course's centerpiece learning activity focused on using published case studies with role-play. In this group activity, students are challenged to interpret a published patient case study as one of the members of a healthcare team. This course models the group work inherent in modern health care to practice building community and practicing professional skills. This approach gives students the capacity to work asynchronously in a team-based approach using our learning management system's wiki tool and requires students to take responsibility for their learning and group dynamics. Students practice identification, writing, analyzing, and speaking medical terms while rotating through the roles. Students in both classes self-reported a 92% to 99% strong or somewhat agreement using a five-point Likert scale that the course pedagogy was valued and helpful in their learning of medical terminology. Overall, this method has proven to be an engaging way for students to learn medical terminology. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Role-play can engage students and encourage learning in identification, pronouncing, writing, and understanding medical terminology in multiple course formats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cohort scheduling intentionally places students in the same sections of several classes (e.g., biology, algebra, and writing) with a consistent peer group and is typically done for small groups (<30 students) to enable better interaction among students. The goal of this study was to compare cohort scheduling to traditional scheduling methods among freshmen in a physiology-related program. Outcomes included retention to the university and major, semester grades, and institutional integration and perceived group cohesion. Incoming freshmen (n = 209) were randomized into control (n = 43; scheduled with traditional methods) and intervention (n = 166; coenrolled in first-year seminar course, biology, and medical terminology) groups. Outcomes were collected via surveys or requested from the university registrar. There was no significant difference in the likelihood of retention to the university or major and no differences between groups in pass/fail rates for the first-year seminar or biology courses. At the end of the semester, there were no differences between groups in Perceived Cohesion for Small Groups (P = 0.102) or the Institutional Integration Scale (P = 0.357). However, the intervention group scored higher on the Institutional Integration Scale's subscales related to social integration and faculty. Cohort scheduling did not impact retention to the university or major but improved secondary outcomes related to retention, specifically social integration and student perceptions of faculty. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Compared with traditional scheduling methods, cohort scheduling freshman in physiology programs does not improve retention but improves students' social integration and perceptions of faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of future imaginaries in medical markets, examining the framing of egg freezing on fertility clinic websites. Egg freezing is a recent example of what medical sociologists term anticipatory medicalization. It primarily promises a measure against the anticipated risk of female infertility due to reproductive aging. Economic sociologists, on the other hand, see a focus on a future full of risks and opportunities as a significant characteristic of capitalism. Accordingly, marketing activities aim to shape consumer imaginaries and expectations of the future to increase demand. Through a thematic analysis of all available textual data on egg freezing from fertility clinic websites in Turkey, I show how these websites depict the social context of egg freezing and its implications for the future. The websites define potential service users, their life circumstances, goals, and ethical concerns, portraying egg freezing as a strategy for time and risk management. By doing so, the websites can stir women's hopes and dreams of future relationships and childbearing, as well as their fears of future infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The reproductive service of egg freezing is marketed as a means to achieve desirable imagined futures or to prevent undesirable ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the historical and cultural significance of the term "Turkish saddle" in medical terminology. The term refers to a depression in the sphenoid bone of the skull, named after the saddle used by the Turks. The article explores the cultural importance of horses and mules in Turkish mythology and folklore, as well as the history of the Turkish saddle itself. It also discusses the anatomical features of the sella turcica and its clinical relevance. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding the social and historical context behind medical terms for medical professionals. [Extracted from the article]

The glans clitoris has a corona; however, unlike the corona of the glans penis, the corona of the glans clitoris is practically "nonexistent" as evidenced by the noteworthy absence of its mention and depiction in anatomical and clinical sciences. Accordingly, the corona of the glans clitoris has been neglected in anatomical education and clinical practice. This report details the history regarding the anatomical terminology of the glans and identifies that descriptions of the glans penis, corona of the glans penis, and other penile structures have preceded descriptions of the homologous anatomy of the clitoris by at least a century. Today, recognition of the corona of the glans clitoris, as well as the coronal sulcus and neck of the clitoris should be commonplace. Henceforth, the corona of the glans clitoris and its related anatomy including the sulcus of the glans clitoris and neck of the clitoris should be incorporated into anatomical and clinical language, illustrations, textbooks, education, and practice. Likewise, efforts should be made to propagate knowledge regarding the corona of the glans clitoris, coronal sulcus, and neck of the clitoris to the general public. Giving names to the anatomical structures of the clitoris will undoubtedly increase the awareness of their existence which, in turn, will encourage their clinical assessment and result in decreased morbidity and mortality. Likewise, improved self-awareness of clitoral anatomy will promote self-care which is important in the prevention of disease and the promotion of optimal sexual health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively more-apparent body parts are often used to name relatively less-apparent body parts. To explore this etymological phenomenon, this report assesses anatomical terminology derived from some of the most apparent structures of the human body—hairs. Hair-related anatomical terminology involves varied etymons, roots, and derivatives: calvus "bald," cilia "eyelashes," glaber "hairless," pilus "hair," pubes (historically referring to the developing beard), pudendum "modesty" (referring to hair growth that covers genitalia), tempus "time" (referring to the location where hair commonly grays, thus showing a person's age), and tragus "goat" (referring to the tuft of hair that resembles the beard of a goat). Also including lanugo, vibrissae, hirci, flocculus, and cauda equina, a systematic review of Terminologia Anatomica and Terminologia Neuroanatomica revealed 285 unique non-duplicate hair-related terms. Several anatomical terms allude to particular age groups or sexes, but are used indiscriminately (e.g., tragus alludes to the older male ear, though may describe the fetal female ear). Likewise, human-centric anatomical terminology influences non-human anatomical terminology— a turtle has a "temporal bone" only because some humans develop gray hair on the sides of their heads as they age. Accordingly, etymological recursion is common: The human ear has a tragus, named after the goat, and the goat ear has a tragus, named after the human tragus, that was named after the goat. The use of Latin as the foundation of anatomical and medical terminology may appear seriously supercilious; however, it is often simply super silly. After all, hundreds of body parts are formally named after hair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the title indicates, this article deals with the origins of anatomic terminology and its development up to the present day. The first attempt to name anatomical structures in animals and humans date back to Alkmaion, i.e. to the fifth century BC. Further work has been done at the same time by the Hippocratics and about 100 years later by Aristotle. As the Alexandrians Erasistratos and Herophilos first in history dissected human bodies, they expanded the anatomical terms. Until Celsus (around Christ's birth) and even later on, anatomical terminology was almost exclusively based on the Greek language. Thus, Celsus and not—as frequently done—Galenos has to be called the father of Latin-based anatomical terminology. Due to several translations including Arabic, first periods of proverbial Bable resulted. Return to systematic order was achieved finally by Andreas Vesal (1514/15–1564) and Caspar Bauhin (1560–1624). But again due to translations into several national languages, the uniformity of the anatomical nomenclature was undermined. Thus, by the end of the nineteenth century, in 1895 the newly founded Anatomische Gesellschaft created a uniform terminology, the Basle Nomina Anatomica (BNA). Although it has been revised several times, it is still the very basic of human anatomical terminology. Recently, an attempt was made to replace it by English translations of the original Latin (and also still Greek) terms to mainly get machine-readable denominations. As this will result again in non-uniformity of terminology, the Anatomische Gesellschaft proposes a version of the latest, generally accepted terminology, based on the Latin terms but incorporating recent developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of large language models (LLMs) in diagnosing a historic case of pediatric leukemia. The authors selected a 19th-century case report of a child with unclassified leukemia and used four LLMs to analyze the clinical information and provide a diagnosis. Three out of the four LLMs diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), while one made an incorrect diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The article highlights the limitations and potential biases of LLMs in diagnosing historical medical cases and emphasizes the importance of clinician expertise in making accurate diagnoses. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the format for presenting a clinical case in scientific journals, emphasizing the importance of sharing interesting cases to enhance medical knowledge and motivate practitioners. It highlights the benefits of case reports, such as being easily written and quickly described, compared to lengthy clinical trials. The article also outlines the necessary components of a clinical case report, including the title, abstract, introduction, case description, discussion, conclusion, patient perspective, conflict of interest, acknowledgments, and author information. It stresses the ethical considerations, such as obtaining informed consent from patients before publishing their cases. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Fentanyl and lidocaine are two drugs that are often suggested to lower the reaction of the blood flow to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Aims and Objectives: The main goal of our study is to find out how the heart and blood vessels react when laryngoscopy and intubation are used. A comparison was made between fentanyl 2 mcg/kg and fentanyl 2 mcg/kg plus 15 mg of paracetamol per kg of body weight. The goal was to find the best and safest ways for these options to reduce stress during laryngoscopy and intubation. Materials and Methods: The anesthesiology department and the general surgery department at the medical college and hospital that is connected to it worked together on the study. The study included a total of 120 patients, covering a wide age range from 20 to 70 years, and including both males and females. The patients had physical statuses I and II, indicating their overall health. In Group A, patients were given a pre-medication of 0.02 mg/kg of glycopyrrolate and then 2 mg/kg of fentanyl through an intravenous (IV) 90 s before they were intubated. Fentanyl at a dose of 2 mcg/kg was given to patients in Group B 90 s before they were intubated. A dose of 15 mg/kg of paracetamol was also given 10 min before the operation. As a starting point, the medical team wrote down the patient's heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and mean artery pressure before they started intubation. Results: Large rise in HR was seen in Group A, while Group B's HR stayed close to the baseline. There was a clear rise in mean blood pressure in both groups after intubation. Group A, on the other hand, saw a rise that was clear and lasted for 6 min, while Group B did not. When compared to IV fentanyl alone, IV fentanyl and paracetamol work better at lowering the changes in blood flow that happen during laryngoscopy and airway intubation. Conclusion: This finding highlights the potential benefits of combining these two medications for improved patient outcomes. Endotracheal intubation, fentanyl, paracetamol, and laryngoscopy are all important medical terms that are commonly used in health-care settings. These procedures and medications play a crucial role in various medical interventions and treatments. Understanding the significance and proper usage of these terms is essential for health-care professionals to provide effective care to their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the characteristics of attribute relationships in SNOMED CT, a representative medical terminology system used for documenting diseases, treatments, and other health-related terms in medical records. In SNOMED CT, concepts that have clinical meanings are specifically defined by connecting to other concepts using attribute relationships, forming a complex ontology. This study analyzes the diverse characteristics of attribute relationships using a machine learning technique called association rule analysis. The study results showed that, first, attributes for each of the 19 concept areas are clearly distinguished; second, key attributes with a support of 0.2 or higher were found in the clinical finding and procedure area, which are representative concept areas; third, 14 attribute pairs with a dependency characteristic showing a confidence of 0.95 or higher are identified. Additionally, we visualized support and confidence between attribute relationships through a network graph to understand the associations between attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings from a needs analysis survey to determine the extent to which the current English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course for healthcare students meets the needs of this population. A structured questionnaire was shared with the students (N=180) from different healthcare departments to examine the preferability of different aspects. Many participants gave great value to ESP courses whose importance was mainly to learn medical or pharmaceutical terminology and communicative skills. Yet, the participants preferred the conversational content over the grammatical one. Most participants perceived the four English skills as important. The overall conclusion shows that the main objective of an ESP course is language fluency to be able to communicate and achieve any requirement in their career. Moreover, the study shows that the conventional methods of assessment are less preferred and that students prefer assessments where teamwork is involved. They also preferred to receive the learning materials via online or technological methods, and they preferred class activities and audio/video aids. Yet, a great number did not prefer using an English Language Laboratory. Finally, most of them agreed that being in a mostly English-speaking community at the university is convenient to enhance their communication skills in English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anatomical terms in medical literature have been used with varying meanings, leading to confusion in clinical practice. This study aims to investigate the ambiguity of anatomical terms in clinical dentistry. Methods: Dentists who have undergone specialised training with at least one year of clinical experience were recruited to participate in the study. They were requested to localize specific terms on a skull and provide explanations based on their experience or opinion. All data were recorded, and then descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: Seventy-eight participating dentists gave their consent and were eligible to study. For each anatomical term presented to dentists at least two meanings were provided, with some terms having up to eight interpretations. While most meanings were consistent with medical or dental literature, some responses revealed new interpretations not documented in textbooks. Conclusions: Dentists expressed anatomical terms with diverse meanings, possibly influenced by their various subspecialties. It is crucial to acknowledge this variability to prevent confusion. Emphasizing the consistent use of anatomical terms among dental professionals in the future is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing volume of medical information available in digital format presents a significant challenge for researchers seeking to extract relevant information. Manually analyzing voluminous data is a time-consuming process that constrains researchers' productivity. In this context, innovative and intelligent computational approaches to information search, such as large language models (LLMs), offer a promising solution. LLMs understand natural language questions and respond accurately to complex queries, even in the specialized domain of medicine. This paper presents MédicoBERT, a medical language model in Spanish developed by adapting a general domain language model (BERT) to medical terminology and vocabulary related to diseases, treatments, symptoms, and medications. The model was pre-trained with 3 M medical texts containing 1.1 B words. Furthermore, with promising results, MédicoBERT was adapted and evaluated to answer medical questions in Spanish. The question-answering (QA) task was fine-tuned using a Spanish corpus of over 34,000 medical questions and answers. A search was then conducted to identify the optimal hyperparameter configuration using heuristic methods and nonlinear regression models. The evaluation of MédicoBERT was carried out using metrics such as perplexity to measure the adaptation of the language model to the medical vocabulary in Spanish, where it obtained a value of 4.28, and the average F1 metric for the task of answering medical questions, where it obtained a value of 62.35%. The objective of MédicoBERT is to provide support for research in the field of natural language processing (NLP) in Spanish, with a particular emphasis on applications within the medical domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial or complete imaging resolution of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has gone by many names in the past few decades, including LV recovery, remission, reverse remodeling, and, most recently, improvement. This phenomenon has been described in a variety of clinical scenarios, including removal of an acute myocardial insult, unloading with durable LV assist devices, and treatment with various devices as well as pharmacotherapies, termed guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). Irrespective of definition, systolic improvement is associated with improved clinical outcomes compared to persistent systolic dysfunction. In the past few years, systolic improvement has been distinguished from HFrEF as a new clinical entity referred to as HF with improved EF (HFimpEF). Given the relative novelty of this condition, there is a paucity of data with regard to the clinical trajectory and management of this population. In this review, we describe the history of myocardial improvement terminology and explore notable findings that have led to the delineation of HFimpEF. Additionally, we highlight the importance of understanding LV trajectory and the potential opportunity for new GDMT management for clinicians when treating patients with HFimpEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]