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Exploring the emerging concept of precision rehabilitation: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: This descriptive qualitative study explored knowledge users' perspectives on precision rehabilitation concepts, barriers, facilitators, and future directions as part of a convergent mixed methods scoping review. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen clinicians, administrators, and researchers from three North American tertiary care rehabilitation centers were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling to participate in individual semi-structured interviews. Conventional qualitative content analysis followed a deductive thematic approach based on predetermined categories. RESULTS: Analyses revealed three main themes: (1) Although precision rehabilitation shares foundational concepts with precision medicine, there are certain elements, such as personalization, that are uniquely expressed; (2) Rehabilitation-specific facilitators to precision approaches include the use of unobtrusive technology to collect large amounts of data in real-world contexts, while barriers include rehabilitation's typically small, heterogeneous sample sizes; and (3) The future of precision rehabilitation will require collaborative data-sharing to focus on determining care trajectories that enhance functional outcomes. CONCLUSION: Findings provide the first qualitative synthesis of knowledge users perspectives to complement quantitative evidence and inform the emerging field of precision rehabilitation.

Humans

Improving insurance deduction identification: a hybrid artificial intelligence model using machine learning and expert systems.

PURPOSE: Financial challenges in healthcare systems worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Iran, have increased hospitals' reliance on insurance reimbursements. Unrecognized insurance deductions often cause severe financial shortages, making efficient deduction management crucial. This study aimed to design a hybrid intelligent system for identifying and predicting insurance deductions by combining machine learning and expert system frameworks. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A mixed-methods design was applied in four stages. First, a scoping review identified the causes and patterns of insurance deductions. Second, interviews with 15 insurance experts produced a validated checklist and a dataset from inpatient billing records. Third, using the CRISP-DM methodology, machine learning algorithms were developed and tested in SPSS Modeler alongside a fuzzy expert system developed in MATLAB. Finally, the model was validated using the holdout method. FINDINGS: Four categories of deduction drivers were identified: service provision, registration errors, document submission issues, and revenue conversion processes. The CHAID decision tree outperformed other algorithms with a 99% precision rate and the lowest Mean Absolute Error (9.43). A brief assessment of potential overfitting was conducted to ensure that the CHAID model's high accuracy was interpreted cautiously and supported by the validation results. The fuzzy expert system with validated rules was adaptable for deduction classification, especially for cases unsuitable for quantitative modeling. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The hybrid model improves detection and prevention of deductions, offering actionable insights for hospital administrators, insurers, and policymakers. Its implementation can enhance hospital information systems, streamline claims processing, and optimize revenue management amid financial constraints.

Machine Learning

Cochlear size variation in a large-scale international multicentre cohort.

AIM: This study aims to (1) review the literature on cochlear size, measured by the A-value, to assess reported variation across studies, and (2) consolidate cochlear parameters-specifically basal turn diameter (A-value) and width (B-value)-measured using the standardized DICOM viewer OTOPLAN®, and compare these with published data. METHODS: A scoping literature review was conducted using the search term "diameter of cochlear basal turn" to identify studies reporting A-value measurements. To complement this, cochlear measurements obtained with OTOPLAN® were collected from clinical collaborators across multiple international centres. The ratio of B- to A-values, which defines the cochlear basal turn shape, was calculated as previously described by Khurayzi et al. (2021). RESULTS: The literature review identified 38 studies comprising 5,206 A-value measurements (average: 9.08 mm; range: 8.01-10.03 mm). Additionally, 5,580 OTOPLAN® measurements were collected from 43 clinics across 25 countries (mean: 9.07 mm; range: 6.67-11.45 mm). Overall, 68.7% of cochleae exhibited an elliptical basal turn shape. CONCLUSION: Using a large, international multicentre dataset and a standardized measurement tool, this study demonstrates substantial variation in cochlear size and shape across clinical cohorts from different regions. The mean A-value (9.07 mm) is consistent with previously published literature, while the wider observed range highlights greater anatomical variability within a multicentre clinical population than previously reported. The majority of cochleae demonstrate an elliptical basal turn configuration.

Humans

Consultants' views of a district's services.

A postal questionnaire survey of consultants in the Bath Health District was conducted to establish a means for individual consultants to express their views about the provision of health services in the district, so that by working together a new relationship between the District Health Authority (DHA) as purchaser and the clinicians as providers of services could commence. A response rate of 84 per cent was achieved. The survey sought views on clinical and management issues to be used in the development of service agreements (contracts) and views on topics identified by general practitioners (GPs) as areas in need of improvement. Detail is given of results relating to out-patient services, issues of communication and the continuing role of community hospitals. Most consultants sanctioned the appropriateness of referrals by GPs to out-patient services but they identified some out-patient referrals as inappropriate. This justifies a further review of the out-patient services to be purchased by the DHA. Consultants were in agreement that there was scope for review of out-patient follow-ups. They agreed with GPs that discharge summaries could be provided within 24 hours of patient discharge to improve communication with GPs and that consultants should be available by pager to be contacted by GPs, but disagreed with GPs about the feasibility of giving patients on waiting lists a firm admission date at the time of going on the waiting lists. The majority of consultants were in favour of continuing support for community hospitals. They identified overall social value of community hospitals and greater clinical value of out-patient services than in-patient services in community hospitals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ambulatory Care

[Chronic disease, the chronic patient and his family. Psychosocial impact of diabetes mellitus].

Concerning a revision about the mutual influence between the diabetes, the diabetic and his family, the author reviews the literature about the psychosocial area of the Family Physician content's work. It is also confirmed the high prevalency of the chronic disease and the importance of the family ecosystem, not only as support but also as problem to the bearing person of such type of disease. Studies of chronic disease indicate that family dysfunction is associated with poor health outcomes. The areas which more and better have been studied in this scope are reviewed. Thus, having as backdrop the diabetes management, the family's diabetic influence in general is reviewed, as well as the parental attitudes, the family organization and the family life events. Finally, the health care team role is reviewed and particulary the role of the family physician in the management of this type of patients. It is pointed out, as example of the Family Medicine specific contribution, the improving cooperation with medical treatment from the diabetic.

Adaptation, Psychological

Mixed vascular deformities of the lower limbs, with particular reference to lymphography and surgical treatment.

A series of patients with congenital blood and lymph anomalies of the lower limb investigated and treated at St Thomas's Hospital, London, are reviewed. They fell into three classes: (1) those in which the venous element predominated (Klippel and other syndromes), (2) those with arteriovenous shunts and (3) those with angiomas of blood or lymph vessels scattered through the limb (diffuse mixed angiomas). Most of the patients were investigated by angiography (of blood or lymph systems) as well as by plethysmography, dermal temperature measurements and other techniques in the thermal laboratory. Phlebography showed most abnormalities in the Klippel group and was useful in delineating them before operation. The importance of confirming the existence of an adequate deep venous circulation prior to ablation of abnormal superficial vessels is emphasized. Arteriography showed most abnormalities in the group with suspected arteriovenous shunts. The most commonly performed operations in this group were for control of overgrowth of the limb or for ulceration. Lymphography showed many of the Klippel group to suffer from insufficiency of the main pathways, either aplasia or hypoplasia. In addition many had vesicles, fistulas and lymph cysts. Patients in the arteriovenous shunt group had large hyperplastic lymph pathways, which were possibly either congenital or a hypertrophic response. One hundred and thirty-eight operations were performed in 46 patients for a variety of lesions and disabilities. These are reviewed. The scope and benefit of surgery in these children are greater than has been accepted in the past. Three patients required amputation of a limb. There were 5 deaths in the series, 4 of these being in the scattered angioma group and in patients in whom the deformities extended beyond the limb into the trunk.

Adolescent

Isolated heart perfusion techniques for rapid screening of myocardial preservation methods. Anoxia versus ischemia.

Isolated nonworking and working heart preparations are described and recent modifications that increase their reliability and scope are reviewed. Isolated perfused tissues are superior to other models for screening myocardial preservation techniques. The metabolic and functional differences between anoxia and ischemia are stressed, myocardial glycolysis is reviewed, and from basic studies potentially fruitful avenues for investigation of myocardial preservation techniques are outlined. Better application of available knowledge of myocardial metabolism could further reduce the risks of cardiac operation.

Animals

[Special indications for using the whole body scanner (author's transl)].

In addition to the role of the body scanner in the diagnosis of diseases of the body cavity and parenchymal organs, the authors review the scope and indications for using whole body computer tomography in special situations. Examples are given of its use in the diagnosis of tumours in the vicinity of the skull base, in the orbits, the facial skeleton, soft tissue tumours, bone diseases and CT-controlled biopsies.

Adult

Sudden infant death syndrome: impact on families and a direction for change.

Until recently, there were no standardized approaches to the diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of death in the age group of one week to one year in the United States. This has led to confusion among professionals and hardships for parents and families. The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Act of 1974 provided funding for the dissemination of information, counseling, and education. The author reviews the scope of the SIDS problem, the ways in which it affects families, and mechanisms by which community resources can be mobilized to assist families.

Adaptation, Psychological

Certificate of need: the Massachusetts experience.

Certificate of Need legislation is one of several regulatory programs designed to control the allocation of health care delivery resources. This paper examines the Massachusetts experience with Certificate of Need, focusing on two major administrative law controversies--the extent of the regulatory agency's power to participate actively in the planning process, and the scope of review of agency decisions permitted under a non-judicial appeals mechanism. The study concludes that any Certificate of Need program may be strengthened by accurately defining the roles of the participants and by providing for safeguards within the system itself.

Decision Making

Management of intractable pain: the scope and role of nerve blocks: review of one year's experience.

This paper presents the first one year's experience of nerve blocking procedures carried out for the relief of intractable pain. The control of pain is complex and has led to the development of Pain Clinics employing the skills of different specialties. The scope and organisation of such a clinic developed at Auckland Hospital is outlined. Some 103 patients were referred with intractable pain from cancer, musculo-skeletal disorders, neurogenic causes and ischaemic causes and ischaemic problems. Of these, 55 percent derived complete relief. Breakdown of results demonstrate that over 70 percent of patients in the groups of pain of neurogenic and ischaemic origin had complete relief of pain. Recognised complications of major nerve blocking procedures were encountered in a small percentage of patients, but these caused no great concern. Nerve blocks have a definite place in the treatment of chronic pain and form an important adjunct to the overall management.

Anesthetics, Local

Androgens and male sexual function: a review of human studies.

The scope of this article will be a review and brief discussion of recently gathered information on androgens and sexual behavior in men. It will include experimental observations on the covariance between androgens, mainly testosterone, and sexual functioning in normal heterosexual men and studies on sexual dysfunction and homo-sexual behavior. The effects of castration, hypogonadal conditions, hormonal replacement, and endogenous testosterone variations on sexual behavior are examined. Further psychoendocrine studies, are necessary to evaluate the role of gonadal hormone production in impotency. Current pharmacological research does not furnish specific evidence, that the administration of androgens or preparations that stimulate the secretion of endogenous androgens have beneficial effects on functional impotence. After reviewing the studies on male homosexuality and androgen levels, the article concludes that it has not been established that homosexual men are characterized by abnormalities in plasma testosterone.

Adolescent

Update in medical toxicology.

This article examines some current issues in toxicologic care. First there is a review of the scope of pediatric poisonings and some aspects of initial management. Then there is a discussion of the decision-making process required to properly use gastric decontamination in the management of poisonings. Each of the common methods available--emesis, gastric lavage, activated charcoal, catharsis, and whole bowel irrigation--is discussed. Finally, several new and old antidotes are reviewed, namely naloxone, glucagon, bicarbonate, dimercaptosuccinic acid, digoxin-specific fab fragments, and flumazenil.

Antidotes

Long-term hormone therapy for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Hormone therapy is widely provided to control menopausal symptoms and has been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and dementia in older women. This is an updated version of a Cochrane review first published in 2005. OBJECTIVES: To assess the long-term effects of prolonged use (at least one year) of hormone therapy on mortality, cardiovascular outcomes, cancer, gallbladder disease, fractures and cognition in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. SEARCH METHODS: We used the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, three other databases and two trial registers, together with reference checking, citation searching and contact with study authors to identify the studies included in the review. The latest search date was 26 September 2024. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised, double-blind trials in which peri- or postmenopausal women took hormone therapy or placebo for at least one year. We included various oestrogen formulations, with or without progestogens. We focused on studies assessing hormone therapy's effects on long-term clinical outcomes, including death, coronary events and cancer. Hormone therapy's efficacy in managing menopausal symptoms was beyond the scope of this review, and is assessed in other Cochrane reviews. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected studies, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous data and mean differences (MDs) for continuous data, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We assessed the certainty of the evidence using GRADE. MAIN RESULTS: We included 24 studies - with two newly added in this update - involving 45,660 participants. We derived nearly 70% of the data from two well-conducted studies: the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS 1998) and the large, multi-component Women's Health Initiative research programme, which included two hormone therapy arms (WHI 1998). Across all the studies, most participants were postmenopausal American women with one or more comorbidities. The mean participant age in most studies was over 60 years. Only one included study focused on perimenopausal women. We present full results for all included studies with available data in the main review. The results presented below are drawn from WHI 1998, in which the combined hormone therapy arm and the oestrogen-only arm were run concurrently, with women assigned to the appropriate trial based on their uterus status. One study with 16,608 postmenopausal women with an intact uterus compared combined continuous hormone therapy (conjugated equine oestrogen and medroxyprogesterone acetate) to placebo, and measured outcomes at an average of 5.6 years of follow-up. Based on this study, combined continuous hormone therapy probably makes little to no difference to the risk of a coronary event (RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.44; moderate-certainty evidence). It may increase the risk of stroke (RR 1.39, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.09; low-certainty evidence) and venous thromboembolism (RR 2.03, 95% CI 1.55 to 6.64; low-certainty evidence). Compared to placebo, combined continuous hormone therapy probably increases the risk of breast cancer (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.56; moderate-certainty evidence) and probably makes little to no difference to the risk of lung cancer (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.46; moderate-certainty evidence). It may increase gallbladder disease requiring surgery (RR 1.64, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.06; 14,203 participants; low-certainty evidence), and probably reduces the risk of all clinical fractures (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.86; moderate-certainty evidence). One study including 10,739 postmenopausal women who had undergone a hysterectomy compared oestrogen-only (conjugated equine oestrogen) hormone therapy to placebo, and measured outcomes at an average of seven years' follow-up. Based on this study, oestrogen-only hormone therapy probably makes little to no difference to the risk of coronary events (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.13), venous thromboembolism (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.74) and breast cancer (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.01), all with moderate-certainty evidence. It may make little to no difference to the risk of lung cancer (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.48; low-certainty evidence). Oestrogen-only hormone therapy probably increases the risk of stroke (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.67) and gallbladder disease requiring surgery (RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.24), and probably reduces the risk of all clinical fractures (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.80), all with moderate-certainty evidence. We judged most included studies to have a low risk of bias for most domains. The overall certainty of evidence for the main comparisons was moderate. The main limitation was that only about 30% of women were 50 to 59 years old at baseline, the age group most likely to consider hormone therapy for vasomotor symptoms. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Long-term follow-up of women using hormone therapy suggests that the risk profiles vary between combined hormone therapy and oestrogen-only therapy. Oestrogen-only hormone therapy probably makes little to no difference to coronary events, and probably increases the risk of stroke and gallbladder disease. It probably makes little to no difference in the risk of breast cancer, and probably reduces the risk of all fractures. Combined hormone therapy may increase the risk of thromboembolism and probably increases the risk of breast cancer. These results should be interpreted with caution as they are based on one study using oral hormone therapy, which may not represent the risks of the hormone therapy currently used in clinical practice.

Humans

Adverse effects of milk formula ingestion on the gastrointestinal tract. An update.

The large-scale use of cow's milk in infant feeding is less than one hundred years old. Much progress has been made by the manufacturers of proprietary formulas during this period to make their products safer. Although the current formulas provide an excellent "substitute" for the majority of infants, problems still remain, and it is necessary for every pediatrician and gastroenterologist to be aware of these. The purposes of this article are to review the adverse effects of nonhuman milk on the gastrointestinal tract, to examine the underlying mechanisms, and hopefully to stimulate further thought and research. Particular emphasis will be placed on hypersensitivity reactions, because there now appears to be a swing back to this diagnosis as a result of more sophisticated immunologic investigations. The arguments in favor of breast-feeding, the systemic biochemical differences resulting from different formulas, and the indications for specialized formula feeding are all beyond the scope of this review.

Animals

Consultation-liaison psychiatry: a psychosomatic service in the general hospital.

Consultation psychiatry, an outgrowth of the tenets of psychosomatic medicine that followed the departure from mental-hospital psychiatry to the general-hospital-based psychiatric units, is similar to those consultation services in other specialties available on medical-surgical wards. Its primary aim is to interpret the psychosocial phenomena of health and illness and to redirect the physician from disease- to patient-orientation and to a comprehensive approach. Its functions are diagnostic-therapeutic, instructional and research directed. The psychosomatic orientation is a sine qua non in the understanding of the psychosocial meaning of physical illness, its effect on psychic disability, the psychosocial adjustment of the patient and his family and his ability to adapt to illness and the hospital. An essential feature is the evaluation of the doctor-patient relationship, especially when severe illness requires serious interventions, including the consultation and its reciprocal effect upon the doctor-patient relationship. Liaison activity consists of interpretive-therapeutic mediation between the patient and the therapeutic team when strain endangers their satisfactory cooperation. The therapeutic activity must be short-term and so construed as not to interfere with the primary treatment. The instructional aspect is for the sake of the usual recipients of the service, as well as residents and students. Teaching the interview techniques, especially to students, should demonstrate the holistic approach, comprehensive diagnosis and the need of avoiding orthodox one-sidedness. This paper reviews briefly the scope and role of consultation psychiatry, compares its North American model with its status elsewhere and explores the resistances to it.

Adaptation, Psychological

Protein secretion in gram-positive bacteria.

Gram-positive bacteria often secrete large amounts of proteins into the surrounding medium. This feature makes them attractive as hosts for the industrial production of extracellular enzymes. Compared to Escherichia coli, relatively little is known about the mechanism of protein secretion in these organisms. However, the recent identification of Bacillus subtilis genes whose gene products are highly homologous to some of the Sec (secretion) proteins of E. coli strongly suggests that important principles of protein translocation across the plasma membrane might be highly conserved. In contrast, the steps following the actual translocation event might be different in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The scope of this review is to outline the recent progress that has been made in the elucidation of the secretion pathway in Gram-positive bacteria and to discuss potential applications in strain improvement for the industrial production of extracellular proteins.

Bacterial Proteins