Locally Advanced Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus: Is Esophagectomy Associated with Improved Overall Survival?

Background: Esophagectomy in locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma is challenging and carries risk. The value of esophagectomy in locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma is not well-defined.

Study Design: The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with cT4 esophageal adenocarcinoma from 2004 to 2020.

Locally advanced pancreatic cancer: Is surgical palliation associated with improved clinical outcome relative to medical palliation?

Background: The value of palliative surgery in pancreatic cancer is not well-defined.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database for patients undergoing curative-intent resection, palliative surgery or medical palliation for clinical stage cT4N0-2M0 pancreatic cancer. Cohorts were 1:1:1 propensity-score-matched for comorbidities and stage.

A Computational Approach to Identifying Cultural Keywords Across Languages.

Distinctive aspects of a culture are often reflected in the meaning and usage of words in the language spoken by bearers of that culture. Keywords such as душа (soul) in Russian, hati (heart) in Indonesian and Malay, and gezellig (convivial/cosy/fun) in Dutch are held to be especially culturally revealing, and scholars have identified a number of such keywords using careful linguistic analyses (Peeters, 2020b; Wierzbicka, 1990). Because keywords are expected to have different statistical properties than related words in other languages, we argue that a quantitative comparison of word usage across languages can help to identify cultural keywords.

Does commission on cancer (CoC) accreditation mitigate the effect of care fragmentation on clinical outcome in localized rectal cancer?

Background: Studies of fragmented care (FC) in rectal cancer have not adjusted for indicators of hospital quality and may misrepresent the effects of FC.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients undergoing care for clinical stage II and III rectal adenocarcinoma between 2006 and 2019. Those undergoing FC were sub-categorized based on whether (FC CoC) or not (FC non-CoC) they received systemic therapy at CoC accredited facilities.

Clinical stage T2N0M0 rectal adenocarcinoma: Is radical resection associated with improved overall survival in patients with low-risk histology?

Background: Prior studies evaluating the efficacy of local excision compared to radical resection in the treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma lacked sufficient power to identify differences in outcomes for patients with cT2 disease but low-risk histopathology. We compared the outcomes of local excision and radical resection for low-risk histopathology and high-risk histology of patients with cT2N0M0 rectal adenocarcinoma to assess their outcomes.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database for patients presenting with cT2N0M0 rectal adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2019 and categorized them as low-risk histopathology or high-risk histology.

Association between COVID-19 diagnosis and postoperative outcomes in sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: A national cohort study.

Background: We seek to determine the association between COVID-19 diagnosis and postoperative outcomes following bariatric surgery.

Methods: Using the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality Improvement Project (MBSAQIP) database, patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass without a COVID-19 diagnosis were 2:1 propensity-score matched to those with COVID-19 infection pre or postoperatively.

Results: 1369 (0.

Esophageal cancer: Does inaccuracy in clinical staging affect our ability to reach optimal outcomes?

Background: Pretreatment clinical staging is used to decide the course of treatment in early-stage esophageal cancer. Few studies assess the effect of inaccurate clinical staging on oncologic outcomes.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients undergoing esophagectomy for clinical stage cT1bN0 esophageal carcinoma between 2010 and 2019.

Fragmented care in localized pancreatic cancer: Is commission on cancer accreditation associated with improved overall survival?

Background: Prior studies of fragmentation of care in pancreatic cancer have not adjusted for indicators of hospital quality such as Commission on Cancer accreditation. The effect of fragmentation of care has not been well defined.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy with perioperative systemic therapy for clinical stages I-III pancreatic cancer between 2006 and 2019.

Fragmented care, Commission on Cancer accreditation, and overall survival in patients receiving surgery and chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.

Background: Increasing regionalization for esophagectomy for cancer may lead patients to travel for surgery at one institution and receive chemotherapy at another closer to home. We explore the effects on survival for care fragmentation, the Commission on Cancer status of secondary institutions providing chemotherapy, and the type of institution performing surgery.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify all patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer and received perioperative chemotherapy between 2006 and 2019.

Rectal neuroendocrine tumors: Can they be observed?

Background: Studies comparing approaches to managing rectal neuroendocrine tumors are underpowered by institutional series. The efficacy of expectant management relative to local excision and radical resection is poorly defined.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients presenting with non-metastatic rectal neuroendocrine tumors between 2004 and 2019.

Integration of an APP-Led Supportive and Palliative Oncology Care Program: A Quality Improvement Project.

Patients with advanced cancer have been found to demonstrate severe symptoms and low quality of life at diagnosis; therefore, it is imperative that they have early access to palliative care services along the continuum of care. Oncology advanced practice providers are uniquely poised to serve as champions for primary palliative care integration within their practice. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop and implement an APP-led supportive and palliative oncology care (SPOC) program within routine cancer care.

Early-Stage Ampullary Cancer: Is Local Excision an Effective Alternative to Radical Resection?

Background: The efficacy of local excision (transduodenal or endoscopic ampullectomy) in treating early-stage ampullary cancer has not been well defined.

Study Design: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients undergoing either local tumor excision or radical resection for early-stage (cTis-T2, N0, M0) ampullary adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2018. Cox modeling was used to identify factors associated with overall survival.

Association of Resident Independence With Short-term Clinical Outcome in Core General Surgery Procedures.

Importance: Prior studies evaluating the effect of resident independence on operative outcome draw from case mixes that cross disciplines and overrepresent cases with low complexity. The association between resident independence and clinical outcome in core general surgical procedures is not well defined.

Objective: To evaluate the level of autonomy provided to residents during their training, trends in resident independence over time, and the association between resident independence in the operating room and clinical outcome.

Laparoscopic and robotic paraesophageal hernia repair in United States veterans: Clinical outcomes and risk factors associated with reoperation recurrence.

Background: Despite surgical advances, rates of paraesophageal hernia recurrence remain high. We evaluate outcomes of paraesophageal hernia repair in United States veterans, safety of robotic technology, and risk factors for reoperation for recurrence.

Methods: The Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic paraesophageal hernia repair from 2010 to 2021.

A matched cohort comparison of endoscopic resection, chemoradiation and esophagectomy in the treatment of early-stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The efficacy of endoscopic resection in early-stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma has not been defined.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients presenting with cT1N0M0 esophageal squamous cell cancer between 2004 and 2017. Transitive match methods were used to 1:1:1 propensity match patients undergoing endoscopic resection to patients undergoing esophagectomy and those undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy.

Is local excision an appropriate treatment modality in patients presenting with early-stage (cT1 N0 M0) rectal adenocarcinoma?

Background: Prior studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of local excision relative to surgical resection in early-stage rectal adenocarcinoma have primarily included low rectal cancers treated with abdominoperineal resection as control comparison cohorts. The role of local excision in early-stage rectal adenocarcinoma is incompletely defined.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients with cT1 N0 M0 rectal adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2019.

The role of endoscopic resection in early-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma: Esophagectomy is associated with improved survival in patients presenting with clinical stage T1bN0 disease.

Background: Studies evaluating endoscopic resection for early-stage (cT1N0M0) esophageal adenocarcinoma include small numbers of patients with T1b tumors. The role of endoscopic resection in esophageal adenocarcinoma remains incompletely defined.

Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients presenting with esophageal adenocarcinoma between 2010 and 2017.

PrEP Demographics and Disparity: The Race, Ethnicity, Gender Identity, Sex Assigned at Birth, Sexual Orientation and Age of Current PrEP Use.

Purpose: Identification of disparity in preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prescription by demographic group.

Design: Exploratory descriptive study.

Methods: Secondary data analysis of 1114 patients who received PrEP from Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM) between 2017 and 2020.

The Perception of Preparedness in Undergraduate Nursing Students During COVID-19.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of preparedness in nursing students who transitioned to online and virtual learning platforms brought about by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Design: Descriptive, correlational, nonexperimental research design.

Method: Data collection was attained through Facebook groups using the Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice Survey and questions about comfort in nursing skills and multiple patient assignments.

Contemporary Matched-Cohort Comparison of Surgical Approach to Inguinal Hernia Repair: Are Minimally Invasive Approaches Associated with Higher Rates of Recurrence?

Background: Current studies evaluating outcomes for open, laparoscopic, and robotic inguinal hernia repair, in general, include small numbers of robotic cases and are not powered to allow a direct comparison of the 3 approaches to repair.

Study Design: We queried the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database to identify patients undergoing initial elective inguinal hernia repair between 2013 and 2017. Propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression were used to make risk-adjusted assessments of association between surgical approach and outcome.

Are Residents Able to Perform a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with Acceptable Outcomes When the Attending Is Not Scrubbed?

Background: Recent socioeconomic pressures in healthcare and work hour resections have limited opportunities for resident autonomy and independent decision-making. We sought to evaluate whether contemporary senior residents are being given the opportunity to operate independently and whether patient outcomes are affected when the attending is not directly involved in an operation.

Study Design: The VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) Database was queried to identify patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy between 2004 and 2019.

Improving Critical Care Nurses Perceived Self-Efficacy in Providing Palliative Care: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: Palliative care is a service that focuses on quality of life and symptom management. It is particularly important for patients with chronic disease. Palliative care in general is an underutilized service for various reasons.

A Systematic Review Exploring Racial Disparities, Social Determinants of Health, and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Black Women.

Objective: To explore and describe racial disparities, the role of social determinants of health, and individual risk behaviors among Black women as related to sexual health and/or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Data Sources: Electronic resource databases used were PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed articles published during 2010 to 2020 were considered.

ChemTables: a dataset for semantic classification on tables in chemical patents.

Chemical patents are a commonly used channel for disclosing novel compounds and reactions, and hence represent important resources for chemical and pharmaceutical research. Key chemical data in patents is often presented in tables. Both the number and the size of tables can be very large in patent documents.