Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Despite the recognized importance of community engagement during disease outbreaks, methods describing how to operationalise engagement are lacking. The Community Perception Tracker (CPT) was designed by Oxfam to systematically record real-time information on disease perceptions and outbreak response actions in order to adapt programmes. Methods We conducted a phased, qualitative methods, process evaluation in Zimbabwe and Lebanon to understand whether the CPT approach was a feasible way to incorporate community perceptions into COVID-19 response programming and whether this resulted in more relevant programming. We conducted 3 rounds of interviews with 15 staff using the CPT, analysed programmatic data, and conducted multiple rounds of phone-based interviews with outbreak-affected populations (41 to 50 participants per country each round). Qualitative data were thematically analysed and quantitative data descriptively summarized. Results Initially CPT implementing staff struggled to differentiate how the CPT differed from other monitoring tools that they were familiar with and felt that the training did not convey the full process and its value. However, with practise, collaboration and iterative improvements to the recommended CPT steps, staff found the process to be feasible and a significant value-add to their programming. Staff initially focused more on quantitively summarizing perceptions but eventually developed processes for maximizing the qualitative data on perceptions too. Trends emerging from the CPT led to frequent programmatic tweaks to COVID-19 messaging and product distributions. Emergent trends in perceptions also led staff to work cross-sectorally and advocate to other actors on behalf of populations. Outbreak-affected populations exposed to the programmes reported high levels of knowledge about COVID-19 and reported they practiced preventative behaviours, although this waned with time. Most population members also felt the COVID-19 programmes were relevant to their needs and said that non-government organisations were a trusted source of information. Conclusions The CPT appears to be a promising approach for ensuring that community engagement is undertaken systematically and that community perspectives are actively incorporated to improve programming. While crisis-affected populations generally found the programmes to be useful and relevant and to have influenced their knowledge and behaviours, it is not possible to attribute this to the CPT approach due to the study design.

Background In India and other low- and middle-income countries, multiple family and community members are influential in caregivers’ perceptions of vaccination. Existing literature indicates the primary caregiver, typically the mother, is instrumental in vaccine decision-making, but this may vary in contexts. We investigated the role of stakeholders in India who influence caregivers’ vaccination perceptions, as this is essential to developing strategies to promote vaccine acceptance and improve uptake. Methods This research was conducted in 2019 in Mewat District in Haryana, an area in India with extremely low vaccination coverage. We conducted six focus group discussions with 60 participants in the following categories: fathers of children under-5 years old, expectant mothers, mothers-in-law, community health workers, and community influencers such as locally elected officials and religious leaders. Results Our results highlighted four themes that influence vaccine uptake. First, while caregivers associated vaccination with reductions in specific diseases, they also noted that vaccination services brought broad health gains, including improved nutrition, antenatal guidance, and social support. Second, community health workers critically influenced, positively or negatively, caregivers’ vaccination perceptions. Third, community health workers faced gaps in their education such as limited training on vaccine side-effects, placing them at a disadvantage when dealing with families. Finally, we found that mothers-in-law, fathers, and religious leaders influence caregivers’ perceptions of vaccination. Conclusions Communication of broader benefits of vaccines and vaccination services by community health workers could be impactful in increasing vaccine acceptance. Vaccine uptake could potentially be improved by facilitating community health workers’ ownership over vaccine acceptance and uptake by involving them in the design and implementation of interventions to target mothers and mothers-in-law. A ‘bottom-up’ approach, leveraging community health workers’ knowledge to design interventions, and giving a voice to key members of the household and society beyond mothers alone, may sustain health improvement in low vaccine coverage areas.

Introduction Accurate grading at the time of diagnosis is fundamental to risk stratification and treatment decision making, particularly for men being considered for Active Surveillance (AS). With the introduction of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) there has been considerable improvement in sensitivity and specificity for the detection and staging of clinically significant prostate cancer. Our study aims to determine the role of PSMA PET/CT in men with newly diagnosed low or favourable intermediate risk prostate cancer to better select men for AS. Method This is a retrospective single centre study performed from January 2019 and October 2022. This study includes men identified from electronic medical record system who had undergone a PSMA PET/CT following newly diagnosed low or favourable-intermediate risk prostate cancer. Primary outcome was to assess the change in management for men being considered for AS following PSMA PET/CT results on the basis of PSMA PET characteristics. Results In total, there were 11 of 30 men (36.67%) who were assigned management by AS and 19 of 30 men (63.33%) who had definitive treatment. 15 of the 19 men that needed treatment had concerning features on PSMA PET/CT results. Of the 15 men with concerning features on PSMA PET, 9 (60%) men were found to have adverse pathological features on final prostatectomy features. Conclusion This retrospective study suggests that PSMA PET/CT has potential to influence the management of men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer that would otherwise be appropriate for active surveillance.

Aim The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare in Australia have yet to be fully determined. There are well documented decreases in the rates of screening and diagnostic testing for many cancers in 2020, with commensurate stage migration of cancers when they are eventually detected. We aimed to determine whether there was a decrease in the rate of prostate cancer (PC) screening and testing in Australia in 2020. Method Data was extracted from the Department of Human Services (DHS) website for Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers for tests pertinent to detection of Prostate Cancer. This data is de-identified and publicly available. Data was analysed at both a national, and a state level. Results For 2020 nationwide the percentage change for prostate cancer testing was minor with 97% as many PSA tests, 99% as many prostate MRIs, and 105% as many prostate biopsies as the average for the preceding years. The differences were not significant (PSA tests p  = 0.059 and prostate biopsies p  = 0.109). The predicted values are fairly similar to both the average values for the preceding 5 years and the actual number of tests done in 2020. With exception of PSA tests in Victoria the actual number of tests performed was within the 95% Prediction Interval (performed: 167,426; predicted 171,194–196,699; p  = 0.015). Conclusion The current pandemic has had a widespread reach across Australia, with varying impact across each state and territory. Contrary to the trends across the world, our data suggest that during 2020 in Australia most areas remained unaffected in terms of prostate cancer testing excluding Victoria, which had statistically significant decrease in the number of PSA tests correlating with the extended lockdown that occurred in the state.

Cues in the micro-environment are key determinants in the emergence of complex cellular morphologies and functions. Primary among these is the presence of neighboring cells that form networks. For high-resolution analysis, it is crucial to develop micro-environments that permit exquisite control of network formation. This is especially true in cell science, tissue engineering, and clinical biology. We introduce a new approach for assembling polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic environments that enhances cell network formation and analyses. We report that the combined processes of PDMS solvent-extraction and hydrothermal annealing create unique conditions that produce high-strength bonds between solvent-extracted PDMS (E-PDMS) and glass—properties not associated with conventional PDMS. Extraction followed by hydrothermal annealing removes unbound oligomers, promotes polymer cross-linking, facilitates covalent bond formation with glass, and retains the highest biocompatibility. Herein, our extraction protocol accelerates oligomer removal from 5 to 2 days. Resulting microfluidic platforms are uniquely suited for cell-network studies owing to high adhesion forces, effectively corralling cellular extensions and eliminating harmful oligomers. We demonstrate the simple, simultaneous actuation of multiple microfluidic domains for invoking ATP- and glutamate-induced Ca2+ signaling in glial-cell networks. These E-PDMS modifications and flow manipulations further enable microfluidic technologies for cell-signaling and network studies as well as novel applications.

Background Handwashing with soap is critical for the prevention of diarrhoeal diseases and outbreak related diseases, including interrupting the transmission of COVID-19. People living in large displacement settings are particularly vulnerable to such outbreaks, however, practicing handwashing is typically challenging in these contexts. Methods We conducted a qualitative assessment of the implementation of a combined intervention to facilitate handwashing behaviour in displacement camps and in surrounding communities in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo during the COVID-19 pandemic. The intervention comprised a ‘hardware’ infrastructural component (provision of the Oxfam Handwashing Station) and a ‘software’ hygiene promotion package (Mum’s Magic Hands). We used programmatic logbooks, interviews with implementation staff and focus group discussions with crisis-affected populations to assess the use, feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Results Both components of the intervention were viewed as novel and appealing by implementing staff and crisis-affected populations across the study sites. The acceptability of the handwashing station could be improved by redesigning the tap and legs, exploring local supply chain options, and by providing a greater number of facilities. The implementation of the hygiene promotion package varied substantially by country making it challenging to evaluate and compare. A greater focus on community engagement could address misconceptions, barriers related to the intuitiveness of the handwashing station design, and willingness to participate in the hygiene promotion component. Conclusions The combination of a ‘hardware’ and ‘software’ intervention in these settings appeared to facilitate both access and use of handwashing facilities. The acceptability of the combined intervention was partially because a great deal of effort had been put into their design. However, even when delivering well-designed interventions, there are many contextual aspects that need to be considered, as well as unintended consequences which can affect the acceptability of an intervention.

Objective To investigate the relationship of preoperative prostate size, urinary retention, positive urine culture, and histopathological evidence of prostatitis or incidental prostate cancer on baseline and 3‐month nadir prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) value after Holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP). Patients and methods Data from 90 patients who underwent a HoLEP by En‐bloc technique were analyzed. PSA values at baseline and at 3‐month follow‐up, preoperative urinary retention and urine culture status, weight of resected tissue, and histopathological evidence of prostatitis or prostate cancer were recorded. We performed univariable and multivariable gamma‐regression analyses to determine the impact of the aforementioned perioperative variables on preoperative PSA, 3‐month postoperative PSA, and change in PSA. Results Serum PSA reduced significantly at 3 months from 6.3 ± 5.9 ng/mL to 0.6 ± 0.6 ng/mL. On both univariable and multivariable analysis, 3‐month nadir level was independent of all preoperative factors examined, except preoperative urinary retention status. Although patients with smaller prostate (resected tissue weight <40 g) had less percentile reduction in PSA when compared with those with larger prostate (resected tissue weight >80 g) (77.67% vs 89.06%; P < .001), patients from both these groups noted a similar PSA nadir level after 3 months (0.54 vs 0.56 ng/dL). The drop in PSA level after HoLEP remained stable up to 1‐year follow‐up. Conclusions PSA nadir 3 months after HoLEP remains relatively consistent across patients, regardless of preoperative prostate size, PSA value, urine culture status, and histopathological evidence of prostatitis or incidental prostate cancer.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the institutionalization of remote and hybrid work, reshaping both organizational practices and policy debates. While scholarship has extensively documented the benefits and challenges of telework, limited evidence exists on its gendered impact within the Indian IT sector and the governance mechanisms that can address these challenges. This study examines how remote work influences women’s work–life balance, productivity, job satisfaction, and career progression, while situating the findings within the broader policy and governance frameworks. A survey of 110 female IT professionals in India was conducted and analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models. Results reveal that hybrid work is the most preferred arrangement, balancing autonomy with visibility. Yet, barriers such as limited visibility (52.7%), extended working hours (39.1%), and domestic interruptions (31.8%) persist. Regression findings show that organizational support (β = 0.41, p < .01) and flexible scheduling (β = 0.36, p < .05) enhance job satisfaction, whereas heavy domestic workloads reduce productivity (β = –0.32, p < .05). The study extends boundary theory and the flexibility paradox to the Indian IT context, while also highlighting the role of governance and policy enablers. By aligning organizational practices with national gender equity policies, Digital India initiatives, and local-level support mechanisms such as community childcare and digital infrastructure, this research provides actionable insights for designing equitable hybrid work models.

Background: The association between Lynch syndrome (LS) and a higher risk of upper tract urothelial carcinoma is well established, but its effect on the risk of bladder and kidney cancers remains controversial. This review aimed to compare the relative risk (RR) of bladder and kidney cancer in confirmed LS germline mutation carriers compared to the general population. Methods: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar were searched on 14 July 2022 for studies published in English that reported on the rates of urological cancer in adults with confirmed LS germline mutation. The quality of included studies was assessed using Cochrane’s tool to evaluate risk of bias in cohort studies. Random effects meta-analysis estimated the pooled relative risk of bladder and kidney cancer in LS carriers compared to the general population. The quality of the overall evidence was evaluated using GRADE. Results: Of the 1839 records identified, 5 studies involving 7120 participants from 3 continents were included. Overall, LS carriers had a statistically significantly higher RR of developing bladder cancer (RR: 7.48, 95% CI: 3.70, 15.13) and kidney cancer (RR: 3.97, 95% CI: 1.23, 12.81) compared to unaffected participants (p < 0.01). The quality of the evidence was assessed as “low” due to the inclusion of cohort studies, the substantial heterogeneity, and moderate-to-high risk of bias. Conclusion: Lynch syndrome is associated with a significant increase in the relative risk of kidney and bladder cancer. Clinicians should adopt a lower threshold for germline mutation genetic testing in individuals who present with bladder cancer. Further studies evaluating the role and cost-effectiveness of novel urine-based laboratory tests are needed. High-quality studies in histologically proven renal cell carcinoma and their underlying germline mutations are necessary to strengthen the association with LS.

Recent discoveries have allowed a mathematical and computational foundation for understanding the rheology of particles suspended in viscoelastic fluids. We employ these new tools to understand the shear and the extensional rheology of such suspensions.0.1 Shear rheologyIn this project, we study the time dependent evolution and steady values of the bulk shear stress in non-Brownian rigid particle suspensions during start-up of shear flow via experiments and numerical simulations. We compute the per-particle “extra” stress contribution to suspensions due to the interaction of the particles with the elastic fluid as well as the particle-particle hydrodynamic interactions. Previously, non-colloidal suspensions in viscoelastic fluids have been studied in steady shear flows mostly through experiments for relatively concentrated suspensions but there are very few computational simulation studies that may shed light into these experiments. We are not aware of any theoretical or 3D direct numerical studies in the literature that compute the viscometric functions of viscoelastic suspensions in the start-up of shear flow. We are also not aware of any experimental data regarding rigid particle suspensions in polymeric fluid undergoing start-up of shear flow appearing in any previous work. Thus, there is a great opportunity to use high performance computing to study the evolution of stress in viscoelastic suspensions starting from rest and compare with transient shear experiments.First, we compute the viscometric functions (viscosity and first normal stress di↵erence coe- cient) of dilute suspensions as a function of shear strain for a wide range of Weissenberg numbers. The Weissenberg number, Wi, is the ratio of fluid relaxation timescale to flow timescale 1 ˙ . We show that the “extra” per-particle stress contribution can be decomposed into two components: 1) the direct contribution from the rigid particles as they resist deformation in the flow, known as the iv stresslet; and 2) the contribution from the polymeric fluid as it deforms around the particles, leading to extra stresses in the fluid phase, known as the particle-induced fluid stress (PIFS).We validate our “single particle” numerical simulations in the Wi << 1 regime by comparing the stresslet and the PIFS results with small Wi theory that we develop for the time-dependent evolution of average stress in a dilute particle suspension. We perform numerical simulations using both the Oldroyd-B equation and the Giesekus equation. The parameters of both models are chosen such that they fit to the steady shear rheology of the Boger fluid used by Dai et al. [14]. We find that the per-particle viscosity and the primary normal stress coecient evolve monotonically to steady state with strain at all Wi studied. The steady viscosity values show shear-thickening with Wi but the steady primary normal coecient values are non-monotonic with Wi in agreement with Yang et al. [88].We also study non-dilute suspensions in Boger fluids via numerical simulations to elucidate the e↵ect of particle-particle hydrodynamic interactions on the stress contributions. We use an implementation based on the class of Immersed Boundary (IB) methods to simulate multiple moving particles in computational domain. These simulations include fully resolved particle-scale hydrodynamics and fluid stresses. The IB method has a main disadvantage, the loss of resolution near the particle boundaries due to interpolation of information between the Lagrangian and Eulerian meshes - consequently the solid-fluid interface is not sharp.