Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2025 Mar 14;29(2):180-183. doi: 10.1188/25.CJON.180-183.
ABSTRACT
Gender minority groups, comprising individuals whose gender identity and/or expression differ from their sex assigned at birth, experience significant health disparities in the United States and abroad. Members of this popula.
PMID:40096563 | DOI:10.1188/25.CJON.180-183
Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2025 Mar 14;29(2):135-143. doi: 10.1188/25.CJON.135-143.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patient-provider cost-of-care conversations are one method to decrease the burden of financial distress. However, providers have identified a lack of confidence in initiating these conversations and time constraints as barriers.
OBJECTIVES: To improve provider confidence and patient satisfaction in four oncology clinics, a practice improvement initiative was conducted to evaluate a patient-provider cost-of-care conversation protocol.
METHODS: Two physicians and four advanced practice providers implemented the protocol in their clinics. Twenty-three patients participated in cost conversations with their providers during a routine clinic visit. Seventeen patients agreed to complete a follow-up interview.
FINDINGS: Provider confidence with initiating cost-of-care conversations improved post-protocol implementation. Provider feedback reflected support for the protocol and new insight into patients’ struggles with treatment-related financial toxicity. Patients reported being highly satisfied when discussing treatment costs with their providers. Comments from patients reflected their appreciation that providers took the time to discuss their financial concerns.
PMID:40096558 | DOI:10.1188/25.CJON.135-143
Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2025 Mar 14;29(2):E52-E59. doi: 10.1188/25.CJON.E52-E59.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Antineoplastic drug (AD) exposure presents severe risks to healthcare workers. Previous studies have demonstrated that patient bathrooms are highly contaminated and have led to concern for excreta as a source of environmental contamination with ADs.
OBJECTIVES: This study assessed AD contamination and current cleaning practices to remove AD surface contamination in patient bathrooms.
METHODS: Three surfaces in the bathrooms of patients who had received etoposide and/or cyclophosphamide were sampled and analyzed for contamination at three time points. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used for analysis. Interviews and observations of daily and discharge cleaning were conducted to understand cleaning practices.
FINDINGS: A significant reduction in etoposide contamination on toilets and floors was observed following discharge cleaning; however, no significant reduction was observed on walls for either AD or on floors for cyclophosphamide.
PMID:40096556 | DOI:10.1188/25.CJON.E52-E59
Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Mar 17:ciaf114. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaf114. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: As syphilis rates have increased globally, chancroid has dramatically declined as a cause of genital ulcer disease (GUD).
METHODS: We recruited patients ≥18 years presenting to an STI clinic with GUD from Lilongwe, Malawi from November 2019 – April 2022. Lesion exudates were tested by darkfield microscopy (DFM) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Treponema pallidum (TP), and by PCR for Haemophilus ducreyi (HD), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT). We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of DFM relative to TP PCR, the distribution of GUD etiologies by PCR, and the performance of our HD PCR relative to Allplex Genital Ulcer assay (Seegene Inc) using the Cohen’s kappa statistic.
RESULTS: We enrolled 568 participants; the median age was 27 years (interquartile range: 23, 34), 61% (345/564) were men, and 13% (60/464) were living with HIV or newly diagnosed with HIV. DFM identified TP in 55 (10%) of participants, with a sensitivity and specificity of 12% and 94%, respectively. PCR identified TP in 367 (65%), HD in 128 (23%), HSV in 98 (17%), and CT in 36 (6%) of participants with only 1/36 (2.8%) with serovar L1, L2 or L3 consistent with lymphogranuloma venereum; no etiology was identified in 48 (8%). External validation confirmed the high HD prevalence (Cohen’s kappa 0.78, 89% agreement).
CONCLUSION: Syphilis and chancroid are common etiologies of GUD in Malawi. Our findings underscore the value of highly sensitive molecular diagnostic methods to periodically assess GUD causes among STI patients in countries using syndromic management.
PMID:40096547 | DOI:10.1093/cid/ciaf114
Int J Med Mushrooms. 2025;27(2):13-37. doi: 10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2024057053.
ABSTRACT
Current drug policy classifies psilocybin, a compound found in psychoactive mushrooms, as having high abuse potential while overlooking its therapeutic properties. We evaluated the risk of psilocybin mushrooms to Brazilian public health compared to other toxic agents and assessed the need for regulatory discussions. This retrospective cross-sectional study followed STROBE guidelines, using data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) on adverse events reported from 2007 to 2022. Participants were categorized into a general drug abuse group, which was further divided into psilocybin and unknown mushroom subgroups. Clinical outcomes included non-hospitalization, hospitalization, and death, with associations analyzed via the Chi-square test. Out of 112,451 individuals seeking medical attention for drug abuse-related events, men predominated (n = 79,514; 70.7%), with alcohol being the primary agent (n = 71,824; 49.2%). The psilocybin mushroom group included 13 participants, and the unknown mushroom group included 51. Hospitalization rates were 19.5% (n = 21,923) for drug abuse, 46.2% (n = 6) for psilocybin mushrooms (0.02% of all hospitalizations) (99% CI: 10.6%-81.6%), and 23.5% (n = 12) for unknown mushrooms (99% CI: 8.3%-38.7%). Mortality was 1.8% (n = 2035) for drug abuse group, with no fatal events in the psilocybin or unknown mushroom groups. Deaths were mainly linked to cocaine (33.3%). These findings suggest a low risk for psilocybin mushrooms, though underreporting may be a factor. This study underscores the need for evidence-based regulatory discussions to ensure safe access to psilocybin for clinical and ceremonial use.
PMID:40096533 | DOI:10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2024057053
Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 2025 Mar 17;0(0):1-31. doi: 10.11607/jomi.11079. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of gradually and non-gradually surface-roughened dental implants with identical macro-design and anodized surface topography on osteogenic differentiation in vitro in three-dimensional cell culture.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study compared two groups of implants, gradually (TiUltra) and non-gradually (TiUnite) anodized surfaces. Mouse-derived bone marrow stem cells (MSCs) were cultivated up to passage three. Subsequently, the GelXA BONE bioink, which had been homogeneously combined with the cells, was transferred into poly-lactic acid cages that had been previously rinsed in phosphate-buffered saline. To assess cell viability and proliferation, metabolic activity was measured. The adhesion of cells was evaluated through the use of a DNA-binding probe. The expression of osteogenic differantiation genes was analysed through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis on days 7, 14, and 21. The osteogenic gene expression markers were Type-I collagen, fibronectin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteopontin (OSP), osteocalcin (OC), with ß-Actin serving as the housekeeping gene.
RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed in cell viability and proliferation values. Nevertheless, the qPCR values for osteogenic differentiation markers were notably elevated in the TiUltra group comparison to both theTiUnite and the control groups (p< 0.05). ALP values were significantly lower in the TiUltra group (p< 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that the TiUltra surface demonstrated higher osteogenic gene expression than the TiUnite surface. However, further experimental and clinical studies are required.
PMID:40096517 | DOI:10.11607/jomi.11079
Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 2025 Mar 17;0(0):1-25. doi: 10.11607/jomi.11283. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The investigation of implant osseointegration is crucial for ensuring the long- term stability of implants. Employing bibliometric analysis allows for a comprehensive understanding of the current research landscape and emerging trends in this domain, thereby informing future research directions.
METHODS: Utilizing the Web of Science database, we conducted a comprehensive search for articles pertaining to oral implant bone grafting published between January 1, 2014, and November 20, 2024. Our analysis encompassed several bibliometric parameters, including the number of publications, publication year, journal, impact factor, title, author, institution, keywords, and citation count. We employed VOSviewer to perform keyword co-occurrence network analysis and co-citation network analysis, and CiteSpace was utilized for national collaboration analysis and coupled clustering. Additionally, we leveraged online platforms for further visualizations.
RESULTS: A comprehensive search yielded 384 articles published across 143 journals, authored by 2,066 individuals affiliated with 714 institutions spanning 52 countries, and encompassing 1,886 distinct keywords. The journals “Clinical Oral Implants Research” and “International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants” exhibited the highest publication volumes. Seoul Natonal University emerged as the most prolific institution in this doain. China was identified as the leading country in terms of publication output, while the United States demonstrated the highest level of international collaboration. The term “osseointegration” was the most frequently occurring keyword.
CONCLUSION: This study presents a quantitative and statistical analysis of literature pertaining to oral implant bone grafting over the past decade. The findings offer valuable insights into the key areas of interest and the latest advancements in the clinical application of this field.
PMID:40096515 | DOI:10.11607/jomi.11283
J Pediatr Rehabil Med. 2024 Dec;17(4):397-402. doi: 10.1177/18758894241299901. Epub 2024 Dec 8.
ABSTRACT
PurposeThis study aimed to survey individuals who regularly use urinary catheters to understand health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs they experience to advocate for health-policy change.MethodsSurvey content was generated by non-profit organizations and programmed into Qualtrics. It was distributed in Spanish and English via email and social media accounts. The survey was open from 1/19/21-2/15/21 and only included individuals who either used catheters themselves or were the care partner of an individual who used catheters. For non-normally distributed data, log-transformed confidence intervals were used to achieve approximately normal distributions; data was then transformed to be analyzed using an approximate 95% confidence interval (CI), and a Mann-Whitney U test was completed to test the equality of medians between groups. Associations between catheter types and out-of-pocket costs were performed using the Kruskal-Wallace non-parametric test.ResultsOne thousand two hundred and forty seven individuals responded. An equal percentage (43%) of catheter users were covered by public/government or private insurance plans only; 14% had both. Among those with public/government insurance, 8% reported their insurance did not cover any catheter costs versus 17% of those with private insurance. The median yearly out-of-pocket costs for privately insured respondents who paid anything was $1200 compared to $540 for those with public/government insurance.ConclusionOut-of-pocket expenses for catheters vary. Those with public/government insurance pay less out-of-pocket.
PMID:40096507 | DOI:10.1177/18758894241299901
Sensors (Basel). 2025 Mar 6;25(5):1614. doi: 10.3390/s25051614.
ABSTRACT
This study calibrates an affordable, solar-powered LoRaWAN air quality monitoring prototype using the research-grade Palas Fidas Frog sensor. Motivated by the need for sustainable air quality monitoring in smart city initiatives, this work integrates low-cost, self-sustaining sensors with research-grade instruments, creating a cost-effective hybrid network that enhances both spatial coverage and measurement accuracy. To improve calibration precision, the study leverages the Super Learner machine learning technique, which optimally combines multiple models to achieve robust PM (Particulate Matter) monitoring in low-resource settings. Data was collected by co-locating the Palas sensor and LoRaWAN devices under various climatic conditions to ensure reliability. The LoRaWAN monitor measures PM concentrations alongside meteorological parameters such as temperature, pressure, and humidity. The collected data were calibrated against precise PM concentrations and particle count densities from the Palas sensor. Various regression models were evaluated, with the stacking-based Super Learner model outperforming traditional approaches, achieving an average test R2 value of 0.96 across all target variables, including 0.99 for PM2.5 and 0.91 for PM10.0. This study presents a novel approach by integrating Super Learner-based calibration with LoRaWAN technology, offering a scalable solution for low-cost, high-accuracy air quality monitoring. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of deploying these sensors in urban areas such as the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, providing a valuable tool for researchers and policymakers to address air pollution challenges effectively.
PMID:40096496 | DOI:10.3390/s25051614
Sensors (Basel). 2025 Mar 6;25(5):1608. doi: 10.3390/s25051608.
ABSTRACT
Forcecardiography (FCG) uses force sensors to record the mechanical vibrations induced on the chest wall by cardiac and respiratory activities. FCG is usually performed via piezoelectric lead-zirconate titanate (PZT) sensors, which simultaneously record the very slow respiratory movements of the chest, the slow infrasonic vibrations due to emptying and filling of heart chambers, the faster infrasonic vibrations due to movements of heart valves, which are usually recorded via Seismocardiography (SCG), and the audible vibrations corresponding to heart sounds, commonly recorded via Phonocardiography (PCG). However, PZT sensors are not flexible and do not adapt very well to the deformations of soft tissues on the chest. This study presents a flexible FCG sensor based on a piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) transducer. The PVDF FCG sensor was compared with a well-assessed PZT FCG sensor, as well as with an electro-resistive respiratory band (ERB), an accelerometric SCG sensor, and an electronic stethoscope for PCG. Simultaneous recordings were acquired with these sensors and an electrocardiography (ECG) monitor from a cohort of 35 healthy subjects (16 males and 19 females). The PVDF sensor signals were compared in terms of morphology with those acquired simultaneously via the PZT sensor, the SCG sensor and the electronic stethoscope. Moreover, the estimation accuracies of PVDF and PZT sensors for inter-beat intervals (IBIs) and inter-breath intervals (IBrIs) were assessed against reference ECG and ERB measurements. The results of statistical analyses confirmed that the PVDF sensor provides FCG signals with very high similarity to those acquired via PZT sensors (median cross-correlation index of 0.96 across all subjects) as well as with SCG and PCG signals (median cross-correlation indices of 0.85 and 0.80, respectively). Moreover, the PVDF sensor provides very accurate estimates of IBIs, with R2 > 0.99 and Bland-Altman limits of agreement (LoA) of [-5.30; 5.00] ms, and of IBrIs, with R2 > 0.96 and LoA of [-0.510; 0.513] s. The flexibility of the PVDF sensor makes it more comfortable and ideal for wearable applications. Unlike PZT, PVDF is lead-free, which increases safety and biocompatibility for prolonged skin contact.
PMID:40096462 | DOI:10.3390/s25051608
