Race, ethnicity, and considerations for data collection and analysis in research studies.

Research studies involving human subjects require collection of and reporting on demographic data related to race and ethnicity. However, existing practices lack standardized guidelines, leading to misrepresentation and biased inferences and conclusions for underrepresented populations in research studies. For instance, sometimes there is a misconception that self-reported racial or ethnic identity may be treated as a biological variable with underlying genetic implications, overlooking its role as a social construct reflecting lived experiences of specific populations.

The impact of an intervention to reduce dispersal from wastewater drain sites on carbapenem-resistant colonization and bloodstream infection on a hematopoietic cell transplant and hematologic malignancy unit.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of an intervention to limit dispersal from wastewater drain (WWD) sites on meropenem-nonsusceptible patient and environmental colonization and bloodstream infection (BSI) on a hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) and hematologic malignancy (HM) unit.

Design: This quasi-experimental study included pre/postintervention point-prevalence surveys in July 2019 and June 2020, respectively. The retrospective cohort included HCT/HM patients with BSI between 2012 and 2022.

The Instrumented Stand and Walk (ISAW) test to predict falls in older men.

Objective measures of balance and gait have the potential to improve prediction of future fallers because balance and gait impairments are common precursors. We used the Instrumented Stand and Walk Test (ISAW) with wearable, inertial sensors to maximize the domains of balance and gait evaluated in a short test. We hypothesized that ISAW objective measures across a variety of gait and balance domains would improve fall prediction beyond history of falls and better than gait speed or dual-task cost on gait-speed.

Evaluating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Postpartum Depression.

Studies examining the impact of natural disasters noted that in the setting of stable rates of depression, postpartum depression (PPD) increased in vulnerable subgroups. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may similarly impact maternal health. This study aimed to characterize the effect of COVID-19 on the incidence of PPD and to identify vulnerable subgroups.

Healthcare Delivery and Huntington's Disease During the Time of COVID-19.

Background: Safer-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic altered the structure of clinical care for Huntington's disease (HD) patients. This shift provided an opportunity to identify limitations in the current healthcare infrastructure and how these may impact the health and well-being of persons with HD.

Objective: The study objectives were to assess the feasibility of remote healthcare delivery in HD patients, to identify socioeconomic factors which may explain differences in feasibility and to evaluate the impact of safer-at-home orders on HD patient stress levels.

A gender comparison of motivations for seeking leadership positions among gastroenterologists.

Background And Aims: A gender gap exists in leadership positions in gastroenterology. However, individual motivations for seeking leadership positions within the gastroenterology community among men and women have not been explored. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether motivations for pursuing and attaining leadership positions in gastroenterology differ by gender.

Pulmonary Function and Systolic Blood Pressure in Very Low Birth Weight Infants at 34 - 36 Weeks of Corrected Age.

Purpose: Preterm infants are at increased risk of systemic hypertension compared to term infants. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has been shown to be associated with hypertension in preterm infants albeit with no causation reported. BPD is characterized by abnormal pulmonary function tests (PFTs), specifically elevated passive respiratory resistance (Rrs), decreased passive respiratory compliance (Crs) and decreased functional residual capacity (FRC).

Association of Intervals Between Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation and Surgical Resection With Pathologic Complete Response and Survival in Patients With Esophageal Cancer.

Importance: Pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) may be a clinical prognostic marker of superior outcomes. In patients with esophageal cancer, pCR is associated with increased survival. While mechanisms for increasing the likelihood of pCR remain unknown, in other solid tumors, higher rates of pCR have been associated with longer time intervals between CRT completion and surgical procedures.

The role of a nurse telephone call to prevent no-shows in endoscopy.

Background And Aims: Preventing missed appointments, or "no-shows," is an important target in improving efficient patient care and lowering costs in gastrointestinal endoscopy practices. We aimed to investigate whether a nurse telephone call would reduce no-show rates for endoscopic appointments, and to determine if hiring and maintaining a nurse dedicated to pre-endoscopy phone calls is economically advantageous. Our secondary aim was to identify predictors of no-shows to endoscopy appointments.

A Clinical Tool for the Prediction of Venous Thromboembolism in Pediatric Trauma Patients.

Importance: Although rare, the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pediatric trauma patients is increasing, and the consequences of VTE in children are significant. Studies have demonstrated increasing VTE risk in older pediatric trauma patients and improved VTE rates with institutional interventions. While national evidence-based guidelines for VTE screening and prevention are in place for adults, none exist for pediatric patients, to our knowledge.