A Multifaceted Nursing Process to Reduce Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in a Medical Intensive Care Unit in the Era of COVID-19.

Background: The catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rate started to rise in October 2020 in our medical intensive care unit (ICU) during the early months of COVID-19 pandemic. A multidisciplinary taskforce therefore took the initiative in developing the CAUTI reduction process.

Methods: In this quality improvement initiative, the effectiveness of the CAUTI reduction process was examined retrospectively during the 25-month period from October 2020 to October 2022 in the medical ICU.

Precision in Spinal Cord Injury Research: A Novel Electromagnetic Impactor for a Consistent Porcine Model.

Purpose: Replicating spinal cord injury (SCI) in large animals is necessary for evaluating therapeutics for potential human translation, yet there is currently no commercial, standardized device for inducing SCI. We present the fabrication and testing of a custom impactor device for producing repeatable contusion SCI in porcine models.

Methods: We first designed and built the device.

Mass Spectrometry Imaging with Matrix-Enhanced SIMS: The Influence of Matrix Deposition Rate on Crystal Size and Signal Enhancement.

Matrix-enhanced secondary ion mass spectrometry and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization are two mass spectrometry imaging techniques used to image biological molecules in cells and tissues. Both techniques utilize an organic matrix coating to enhance the detection of molecular ions. The homogeneity and crystal size of the matrix coating are critical for obtaining high quality images.

Intracranial Nanogel Pellets Carrying Temozolomide and Paclitaxel for Adjuvant Brain Cancer Therapy.

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most frequently diagnosed primary malignant brain tumor. Despite multimodal therapy with surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, recurrence of the tumor is almost always guaranteed due to the infiltrative nature of the disease. Moreover, the blood brain barrier imparts an additional layer of complexity by impeding the delivery of therapeutic agents to the tumor, hence limiting the efficacy of systemically delivered drugs.

Ultrasound inhibits tumor growth and selectively eliminates malignant brain tumor in vivo.

Glioma is one of the most common primary malignant brain tumors. Despite progress in therapeutic approaches, the median survival of patients with glioma remains less than 2 years, generating the need for new therapeutic approaches. Ultrasound (US) is widely used in medical fields and is used as a therapeutic tool mainly for improving the performance of therapeutic entities.