This study introduces RadOncCalc, a mobile and web-based platform designed to consolidate oncology research and guidelines into one accessible tool for radiation oncologists. By providing up-to-date dose constraints and contouring guidelines, RadOncCalc enhances clinical decision-making and patient care quality in radiation oncology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report the development of peptide-glycosaminoglycan hydrogels as injectable biomaterials for load-bearing soft tissue repair. The hydrogels are injectable as a liquid for clinical delivery, rapidly form a gel , and mimic the osmotic swelling behaviour of natural tissue. We used a new model to demonstrate their application as a nucleus augmentation material for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Initial interaction with health care system presents an important opportunity to provide substance use disorder (SUD) rehabilitation in the form of mental health services (MHSs). This study aims to identify predictors of receipt of MHSs among adult trauma patients with SUD and positive drug screen.
Methods: In this analysis of 2017-2021 American College of Surgeons-Trauma Quality Improvement Program (ACS TQIP), adult(≥18 y) patients with SUD and positive drug screen who survived the hospital admission were included.
Purpose: Patients with cancer are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus disease (COVID). Transportation barriers made travel to obtain medical care more difficult during the pandemic. Whether these factors led to changes in the distance traveled for radiotherapy and the coordinated location of radiation treatment is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSelf-assembling peptides are a promising biomaterial with potential applications in medical devices and drug delivery. In the right combination of conditions, self-assembling peptides can form self-supporting hydrogels. Here, we describe how balancing attractive and repulsive intermolecular forces is critical for successful hydrogel formation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To report the percentage of resident graduates in the modern era who establish careers in academic radiation oncology 5 to 10 years after residency.
Materials And Methods: The study population included 1147 radiation oncologists who completed residency between 2011 and 2017 and were practicing radiation oncologists in 2021.
Results: The percentage of 2011-2017 graduates with an academic career in 2021 (5 to 10 y after residency): Holman Pathway resident: Yes, 74% versus No, 43% ( P <0.
We present two cases of patients with extensive breast disease who underwent a reverse abdominoplasty for closure following resection: one of Paget's disease extending beyond the breast borders and another of a locally recurrent triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma following mastectomy in a patient who previously had an ipsilateral thoracotomy. The reverse abdominoplasty flap is a reconstructive option not readily considered for closure following mastectomy. However, we believe that the reverse abdominoplasty flap should be considered when evaluating patients for anterior chest wall reconstruction because it is a simple and versatile coverage option.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Emergent trauma laparotomy is associated with mortality rates of up to 40%. There is a paucity of data on the outcomes of emergent trauma laparotomies performed in the pediatric population. The aim of our study was to describe the outcomes, including mortality and FTR, among pediatric trauma patients undergoing emergent laparotomy and identify factors associated with failure-to-rescue (FTR).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTech Innov Patient Support Radiat Oncol
December 2022
In recent years, the number of educational medical resources accessible to residents and practicing radiation oncologists online has grown exponentially to include discussion boards, wikis, videos, podcasts, journal clubs, online communities, and interactive experiences to augment medical education. In this review, we identify, catalog, and critically evaluate educational websites, smartphone applications, web-based multimedia, and podcasts for radiation oncologists. Literature searches were conducted over a 2-month period (April to May 2022) using OVID-MEDLINE and PubMed with a combination of relevant search terms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Ground-level falls (GLFs) in older adults are increasing as life expectancy increases, and more patients are being discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for continuity of care. However, GLF patients are not a homogenous cohort, and the role of frailty remains to be assessed. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the impact of frailty on the in-hospital and 30-day outcomes of GLF patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBack pain affects a person's health and mobility as well as being associated with large health and social costs. Lower back pain is frequently caused by degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Current operative and non-operative treatments are often ineffective and expensive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Mech Behav Biomed Mater
November 2021
Many early stage interventions for intervertebral disc degeneration are under development involving injection of a biomaterial into the affected tissue. Due to the complex mechanical behaviour of the intervertebral disc, there are challenges in comprehensively evaluating the performance of these injectable biomaterials in vitro. The aim of this review was to examine the different methods that have been developed to mechanically test injectable intervertebral disc biomaterials in an in vitro disc model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComplete blood count, serum chemistry values, and biological reference intervals were compared between two age groups (34-49 and 84-120 days old) of healthy male and female laboratory raised natal multimammate mice (). Blood was collected via cardiocentesis under isoflurane anesthesia. Data sets of machine automated complete blood counts and clinical chemistries were analyzed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLegumes are high in protein and form a valuable part of human diets due to their interaction with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria known as rhizobia. Plants house rhizobia in specialized root nodules and provide the rhizobia with carbon in return for nitrogen. However, plants usually house multiple rhizobial strains that vary in their fixation ability, so the plant faces an investment dilemma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
March 2021
Purpose: The geographic distribution of practicing radiation oncologists is of concern for multiple stakeholders within the field. Employment outcomes of graduating residents can affect that distribution, and they are of major concern to current residents. Data investigating employment outcomes of recent graduates are sparse.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Data regarding the amount and use of nonclinical time (NCT) in radiation oncology residency programs are scarce. We surveyed every U.S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Chemoprophylaxis with either unfractionated heparin (UFH) or Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin (LMWH) are recommended to prevent Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) after trauma. Experimental work has shown beneficial effects of LMWH in animal models, but it is unknown if similar effects exist in humans. We hypothesized that treatment with LMWH is associated with a survival benefit when compared to UFH.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF