MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-centre, evaluatorblinded, split-face, randomised study investigating the effects of thermal spring water (TSW) in improving efficacy and tolerability of standard acne therapy. Total of 31 participants with mild-to-moderate acne were recruited and subjected to TSW spray to one side of the face 4 times daily for 6 weeks in addition to standard therapy. The other side received standard therapy only.

RESULTS: Six (19.4%) males and 25 (80.6%) female with mean age 25.1±6.13 participated, 15 (48.4%) had mild acne while 16 (51.6%) had moderate acne. Seven (22.6%) were on oral antibiotics, 25 (80.6%) used adapalene, 6 (19.4%) tretinoin and 21 (67.7%) benzoyl peroxide. Skin hydration improved and better on spring water treated side with mean difference12.41±30.31, p = 0.04 at the forehead, 39.52±65.14, p < 0.01 at the cheek and 42.172±71.71, p < 0.01 at the jaw at week 6. Participants also report significant reduction in dryness at the treated side at week 6, mean difference 0.93±0.10, p < 0.001. TEWL, sebum and pH were comparable on both sides with no significant differences. Tolerability towards standard therapy improved as early week 2 with reduction of stinging following application of topical therapy (mean difference 0.62±1.43, p = 0.03), increase in skin feeling good (-1.79±1.70, p < 0.001) and skin suppleness (0.62±1.43, p < 0.001). These improvements were significantly maintained till week 6. Cardiff acne disability index significantly improved at week 6 (p<0.001) despite no significant changes in Comprehensive Acne Severity Scale score before and after treatment.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, single-centre study conducted via questionnaire. Patients aged 18 years old and above, who were diagnosed with non-curable pulmonary hypertension were recruited and given the assessment tool - perceptions of palliative care instrument electronically. The severity of pulmonary hypertension was measured using WHO class, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide and the 6-minute walking test distance.

RESULTS: A total of 84 patients [mean age: 35 ±11 years, female: 83.3%, median N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide: 491 pg/ml (interquartile range: 155,1317.8), median 6-minute walking test distance: 420m (interquartile range: 368.5, 480m)] completed the questionnaires. Patients with a higher WHO functional class and negative feelings (r = 0.333, p = 0.004), and cognitive reaction to palliative care: hopeless (r = 0.340, p = 0.003), supported (r = 0.258, p = 0.028), disrupted (r = 0.262, p = 0.025), and perception of burden (r = 0.239, p = 0.041) are more receptive to palliative care. WHO class, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, and 6-minute walking test distance were not associated with higher readiness for palliative care. In logistic regression analyses, patients with positive feelings (β = 2.240, p = < 0.05), and practical needs (β = 1.346, p = < 0.05), were more receptive to palliative care.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a digital parenting program (called Naungan Kasih in Bahasa Melayu [Protection through Love]) delivered in Malaysia, with varying combinations of 2 components included to encourage engagement. The study is framed around the following objectives: (1) to determine the recruitment, retention, and engagement rates in each intervention condition; (2) to document implementation fidelity; (3) to explore program acceptability among key stakeholders; (4) to estimate intervention costs; and (5) to provide indications of the effectiveness of the 2 components.

METHODS: This 10-week factorial cluster randomized trial compares ParentText, a chatbot that delivers parenting and family violence prevention content to caregivers of preschool-aged children in combination with 2 engagement components: (1) a WhatsApp support group and (2) either 1 or 2 in-person sessions. The trial aims to recruit 160 primary and 160 secondary caregivers of children aged 4-6 years from 8 schools split equally across 2 locations: Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan. The primary outcomes concern the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and its components, including recruitment, retention, and engagement. The effectiveness outcomes include caregiver parenting practices, mental health and relationship quality, and child development. The evaluation involves mixed methods: quantitative caregiver surveys, digitally tracked engagement data of caregivers' use of the digital intervention components, direct assessments of children, and focus group discussions with caregivers and key stakeholders.

RESULTS: Overall, 208 parents were recruited at baseline December 2023: 151 (72.6%) primary caregivers and 57 (27.4%) secondary caregivers. In January 2024, of these 208 parents, 168 (80.8%) enrolled in the program, which was completed in February. Postintervention data collection was completed in March 2024. Findings will be reported in the second half of 2024.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first factorial cluster randomized trial to assess the feasibility of a hybrid human-digital playful parenting program in Southeast Asia. The results will inform a large-scale optimization trial to establish the most effective, cost-effective, and scalable version of the intervention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: OSF Registries; https://osf.io/f32ky.

METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive literature search for YKP and their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and retention in HIV care on PsycInfo (Ovid), PubMed and Google Scholar using combinations of the keywords HIV/AIDS, ART, adolescents, young adults, adherence (or compliance), retention, men who have sex with men, transgender, injection drug users, people who inject drugs and prisoners. We included empirical studies on key populations defined by WHO; included the terms youth and adolescents and/or aged between 10 and 24; examined adherence to or retention in HIV care; and published in English-language journals. All articles were coded using NVivo.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The systematic search yielded 10 articles on YKP and 16 articles on behaviourally infected youth and adolescents from 1999 to 2014. We found no studies reporting on youth and adolescents identified as sex workers, transgender people and prisoners. From existing literature, adherence to ART was reported to be influenced by age, access to healthcare, the burden of multiple vulnerabilities, policy involving risk behaviours and mental health. A combination of two or more of these factors negatively impacted adherence to ART among YKP. Collectively, these studies demonstrated that future programmes need to be tailored specifically to YKP to ensure adherence.

METHODS: This was a web-based cross-sectional study conducted among the public in Malaysia between August to October 2022. All Malaysian adults over 18 years of age were included. Knowledge on home quarantine instructions and COVID-19 warning signs were measured using "True," "False," or "I'm not sure", while attitude towards home quarantine instructions was measured using a five-point Likert Scale. The questionnaire was initially constructed in English and then translated into the national language, Bahasa Malaysia. Face and content validation were performed. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was found to be satisfactory.

RESULTS: 1,036 respondents were analyzed, comprised mostly of females (743, 71.6%) with a history of COVID-19 (673, 64.9%). In the knowledge domain, more than 80% of the respondents answered 9 out of 11 home quarantine instructions statements correctly. 457 (44.1%) were unaware or unsure about the minimum distance of the infected individual's bed from the rest of the occupants in a shared bedroom. The respondents reported relatively weaker knowledge in identifying uncommon warning signs of COVID-19 deterioration, including anuria (162, 44.5%), ingestion problems (191, 52.5%), and immobility (195, 53.6%). In the attitude domain, more than 90% of respondents answered correctly in 8 out of 9 questions. Respondents with a previous history of COVID-19 infections had better knowledge than COVID-19 infection-naïve individuals towards both home quarantine instructions and COVID-19 warning signs.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to examine the effectiveness of a marital self-disclosure intervention for improving the level of fear of cancer recurrence and the dyadic coping ability among gastric cancer survivors and their spouses.

METHODS: This is a quasiexperimental study with a nonequivalent (pretest-posttest) control group design. The study will be conducted at 2 tertiary hospitals in Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 42 patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy and their spouses will be recruited from each hospital. Participants from Jingjiang People's Hospital will be assigned to an experimental group, while participants from Taizhou People's Hospital will be assigned to a control group. The participants in the experimental group will be involved in 4 phases of the marital self-disclosure (different topics, face-to-face) intervention. Patients will be evaluated at baseline after a diagnosis of gastric cancer and reassessed 2 to 4 months after baseline. The primary outcome is the score of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF) for patients. The secondary outcomes are the scores of the FoP-Q-SF for partners and the Dyadic Coping Inventory.

RESULTS: Research activities began in October 2022. Participant enrollment and data collection began in February 2023 and are expected to be completed in 12 months. The primary results of this study are anticipated to be announced in June 2024.

CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to assess a marital self-disclosure intervention for improving the fear of cancer recurrence in Chinese patients with gastric cancer and their spouses. The study is likely to yield desirable positive outcomes as marital self-disclosure is formulated based on evidence and inputs obtained through stakeholder interviews and expert consultation. The study process will be carried out by nurses who have received psychological training, and the quality of the intervention will be strictly controlled.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05606549; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05606549.

METHODS: We conducted a phase 1, first-in-human trial combining crenigacestat with BCMA CAR T-cells at a single cancer centre in Seattle, WA, USA. We included individuals aged 21 years or older with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, previous autologous stem-cell transplant or persistent disease after more than four cycles of induction therapy, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, regardless of previous BCMA-targeted therapy. To assess the effect of the GSI on BCMA surface density on bone marrow plasma cells, participants received GSI during a pretreatment run-in, consisting of three doses administered 48 h apart. BCMA CAR T cells were infused at doses of 50 × 106 CAR T cells, 150 × 106 CAR T cells, 300 × 106 CAR T cells, and 450 × 106 CAR T cells (total cell dose), in combination with the 25 mg crenigacestat dosed three times a week for up to nine doses. The primary endpoints were the safety and recommended phase 2 dose of BCMA CAR T cells in combination with crenigacestat, an oral GSI. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03502577, and has met accrual goals.

FINDINGS: 19 participants were enrolled between June 1, 2018, and March 1, 2021, and one participant did not proceed with BCMA CAR T-cell infusion. 18 participants (eight [44%] men and ten [56%] women) with multiple myeloma received treatment between July 11, 2018, and April 14, 2021, with a median follow up of 36 months (95% CI 26 to not reached). The most common non-haematological adverse events of grade 3 or higher were hypophosphataemia in 14 (78%) participants, fatigue in 11 (61%), hypocalcaemia in nine (50%), and hypertension in seven (39%). Two deaths reported outside of the 28-day adverse event collection window were related to treatment. Participants were treated at doses up to 450 × 106 CAR+ cells, and the recommended phase 2 dose was not reached.

INTERPRETATIONS: Combining a GSI with BCMA CAR T cells appears to be well tolerated, and crenigacestat increases target antigen density. Deep responses were observed among heavily pretreated participants with multiple myeloma who had previously received BCMA-targeted therapy and those who were naive to previous BCMA-targeted therapy. Further study of GSIs given with BCMA-targeted therapeutics is warranted in clinical trials.

METHODS: The video was developed using the BC delay explanatory model. A self-administered pre- and post-survey on 241 newly diagnosed BC patients in University Malaya Medical Center was performed. The Wilcoxon matched paired signed rank test was used to evaluate patients' pre and post perceived knowledge using a Likert scale 0 to 4 (0 = "no knowledge," 4 = "a great degree of knowledge"). Treatment adherence among participants were measured after 1-year follow-up.

RESULTS: Eighty percent of the patients reported that the video met or exceeded their expectations. In total 80.5% reported that the video was very effective and effective in improving their perspective on BC treatments. There was improvement in perceived knowledge for treatment options (mean scores; M = 0.93 versus M = 2.97) (p < 0.001) and also for perceived knowledge on types of operation, information on chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, healthy diet, physical activity after treatments, and care of the arm after operation(p < 0.001). In total 89.4%, 79.3%, and 85.9% adhered to surgical, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy recommended treatment, respectively.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a novel instrument, termed the questionnaire on perceived prosthodontic treatment needs (PPTN), that assesses perceived prosthodontic treatment needs in adults.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The PPTN was developed following a literature review, consultation with healthcare workers, and patient interviews. It included 15 questions and a self-rated need for prosthodontic treatment, categorized on a Likert scale. A cross-sectional descriptive study was completed on 193 dental patients seeking or receiving prosthodontic treatment.