Comparison of choroidal thickness measurements between spectral-domain OCT and swept-source OCT in normal and diseased eyes

Purpose: Sub-foveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) is affected in many ocular diseases. The aim of this study was to compare SFCT measurements between Topcon 3D 2000 spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and Topcon swept-source OCT (SS-OCT), with different laser wavelengths, in normal and diseased populations.MATERIALS AND Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional, noninterventional study including 27 normal volunteers and 27 participants with retinal disease. OCT scans were performed sequentially and under standardized conditions using both SD-OCT and SS-OCT. The OCT scans were evaluated by two independent graders. Paired t-tests and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess the statistically significant difference between SFCT measurements as measured by the two devices.Results: Mean SFCT measurements for all 54 participants were 264.9±103.1 mum using SD-OCT (range: 47-470 mum) and 278.5±110.5 mum using SS-OCT (range: 56-502 mum), with an inter-device ICC of 0.850. Greater variability was noted in the diseased eyes. Inter-device ICCs were 0.870 (95% CI; 0.760-0.924) and 0.840 (95% CI; 0.654-0.930) for normal and diseased eyes, respectively. However, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.132).CONCLUSION: Both machines reliably measure SFCT. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings

Exploring the Feasibility of Integrating Mental Health into a Family Planning Program in low-resource settings

Introduction: Mental health challenges remain a pressing issue, underscored by the glaring gap between the elevated demand and the scarce resources. Research has highlighted the effectiveness of integrating mental health services with primary care services, particularly in low-resource settings. Purpose: The objective of this research was to evaluate the perceived implications and feasibility of integrating basic mental health services into an existing community-based family planning initiative in Pakistan. By adopting a community-driven and co-produced methodology, our study not only ensured a deeper resonance with local needs but also paved the way for a sustainable and transformative uptake of mental health services in low-resource settings. This co-produced strategy, anchored in mutual collaboration and shared expertise with the community, promises a more holistic, enduring, and adaptive integration of essential health services within community frameworks.Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative research approach to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the program's feasibility and potential for expansion. Interview tools and guides, tailored to the regional language, were developed by the Research Associate to gather insights from the lady health workers involved in delivering the intervention, as well as from the clients. Overall, our team conducted 24 interviews, of which 9 were with the lady health workers and 15 with clients. The interviews were facilitated by the Research Associate and a Psychologist.Results: Utilizing the socio-ecological model, we thematically analyzed factors at individual, interpersonal, and community levels that support or hinder the integration of mental health services with existing community-based programmes. We also examined the intervention's impact on its users and the healthcare providers.Our analysis underscores the significant potential of integrating mental health services into existing community-based health programmes, such as family planning, in low-resource settings. Predominant themes highlighted women's willingness to use these services, influenced by strong relationships and trust in the lady health workers, ease of access to services, and community support. Identified barriers to integration included prevailing poverty, a preference for direct financial incentives in addition to counseling, confidentiality concerns in tight-knit communities, and the lingering stigma surrounding mental health.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the value of community collaboration in healthcare, particularly in low-resource settings. The co-production approach blends professional guidance with local insights, fostering community ownership and enhancing program sustainability. As the first to merge mental health with family planning in Pakistan, our research suggests that future health initiatives can greatly benefit from community-driven methods, leading to more sustainable and transformative health outcomes

Factors predicting need for post-operative ventilation after microsurgical clipping of cerebral aneurysms – a multivariate analysis

Patients with aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aSAH) frequently require Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, pre-operatively and more often, post-operatively due to the need for ventilatory support and specialized monitoring. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of post-operative ventilatory requirement in patients with aSAH and identify the possible predictive factors that might influence the need of post-operative ventilation in these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively identified a five-year data of all patients with aSAH who underwent surgical clipping using a structured proforma. Aneurysm was confirmed by Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) or Computerized Tomographic Angiography (CTA)

Barbarians at the British Museum: Anglo-Saxon Art, Race and Religion

A critical historiographical overview of art historical approaches to early medieval material culture, with a focus on the British Museum collections and their connections to religion

Pakistan'da toplumsal arkeoloji: Gandhara'daki üç yerleşimin durum çalışması

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Thesis (M.S.): Bilkent University, Department of Archaeology, İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University, 2018.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-89).This thesis examines the scope of conducting a community archaeology project at three archaeological sites from Gandhara, Pakistan; Mankiala, Mohra Muradu and Jandial. In analyzing this possibility, the context in which such a project would be conducted is presented through a look at Pakistan’s history of archaeological research, as well as a variety of factors that have contributed to the decrepit state of Pakistan’s cultural heritage, today. Community archaeology as a method of archaeological research is discussed in detail, along with its meaning as understood by various scholars, and its importance within archaeological research today. The proposed methodology is then presented; the Community Archaeology Project Quseir (CAPQ) methodology, devised for a project in Quseir, Egypt, has become a primary guiding principle for community archaeology projects worldwide. Its applicability in Pakistan is examined in this study through fieldwork conducted in the form of one-on-one interviews with people residing around the three selected sites, as well as external observations made during site visits. This anthropological fieldwork aimed to explore how interviewees perceived the sites they live around, through conversations about their knowledge regarding the respective sites, and their views on tourism, archaeological research, and possible educational interventions which can aid in enhancing their knowledge, experience and interpretation of archaeological sites. The results of this fieldwork display, amongst other findings, a heightened interest in the aforementioned educational interventions, a positive sign for future archaeological research in the country.by Rida Arif Siddiqui.M.S

Quality of reporting of randomised controlled trials of artificial intelligence in healthcare: A systematic review

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of reporting of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare against Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials-AI (CONSORT-AI) guidelines.Design: Systematic review.Data sources: We searched PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies reported from January 2015 to December 2021.Eligibility criteria: We included RCTs reported in English that used AI as the intervention. Protocols, conference abstracts, studies on robotics and studies related to medical education were excluded.Data extraction: The included studies were graded using the CONSORT-AI checklist, comprising 43 items, by two independent graders. The results were tabulated and descriptive statistics were reported.Results: We screened 1501 potential abstracts, of which 112 full-text articles were reviewed for eligibility. A total of 42 studies were included. The number of participants ranged from 22 to 2352. Only two items of the CONSORT-AI items were fully reported in all studies. Five items were not applicable in more than 85% of the studies. Nineteen per cent (8/42) of the studies did not report more than 50% (21/43) of the CONSORT-AI checklist items.Conclusions: The quality of reporting of RCTs in AI is suboptimal. As reporting is variable in existing RCTs, caution should be exercised in interpreting the findings of some studies

Exploring the Feasibility of Integrating Mental Health into a Family Planning Program in low-resource settings

Introduction: Mental health challenges remain a pressing issue, underscored by the glaring gap between the elevated demand and the scarce resources. Research has highlighted the effectiveness of integrating mental health services with primary care services, particularly in low-resource settings