A host of issues: pseudoreplication in host-microbiota studies.

Pseudoreplication compromises the validity of research by treating non-independent samples as independent replicates. This review examines the prevalence of pseudoreplication in host-microbiota studies, highlighting the critical need for rigorous experimental design and appropriate statistical analysis. We systematically reviewed 115 manuscripts on host-microbiota interactions.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Family Assessment and Feedback Intervention (FAFI): Effects on Mental Health Literacy and Attitudinal Engagement with Health Supports and Services.

This randomized controlled trial tested the Family Assessment and Feedback Intervention (FAFI), a new intervention to enhance family engagement with emotional and behavioral health services. The FAFI is a guided conversation with families about results of their multidimensional assessment that is set in the context of motivational enhancement. It differs from other assessment-with-feedback interventions by extending the focus of assessment beyond the target child to parents and the family environment, addressing parental emotional and behavioral problems and competencies, spanning a broad range of children's and parents' strengths and difficulties, and being generalizable to many settings and practitioners.

The Vermont Family Based Approach in Primary Care Pediatrics: Effects on Children's and Parents' Emotional and Behavioral Problems and Parents' Health-Related Quality of Life.

This randomized controlled trial tested the Vermont Family Based Approach (VFBA) in primary care pediatrics. The VFBA is a model of healthcare delivery that shifts the focus from the individual to the family, emphasizes emotional and behavioral health, and uses evidence-based health promotion/prevention along with the treatment of emotional and behavioral problems. Participants were 81 families of 3-15-year-olds.

Comparison of the Comprehensive Complication Index and Clavien-Dindo systems in predicting perioperative outcomes following radical nephroureterectomy.

Background: Complications can occur following radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in 20-40% of patients. The Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) is an alternative grading system to the Clavien-Dindo (CD) grading system that aggregates all complications experienced by a patient on a continuous (as opposed to categorical) scale. We investigate whether the cumulative nature of CCI renders it superior to CD in predicting perioperative course after RNU.

Patient-Reported Quality of Life and Convalescence After Minimally Invasive Kidney Cancer Surgery.

Objective: To better characterize recovery after minimally invasive kidney surgery, we present a study describing patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following minimally invasive radical nephrectomy (RN) and partial nephrectomy (PN).

Methods: Patients who underwent minimally invasive PN or RN for renal cancer were invited to enroll in a prospective, patient-reported HRQOL study using the Convalescence and Recovery Evaluation (CARE) instrument and Short Form-12. Patients completed questionnaires at baseline, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery.

A robust strategy for proteomic identification of biomarkers of invasive phenotype complexed with extracellular heat shock proteins.

As an extension of their orchestration of intracellular pathways, secretion of extracellular heat shock proteins (HSPs) is an emerging paradigm of homeostasis imperative to multicellular organization. Extracellular HSP is axiomatic to the survival of cells during tumorigenesis; proportional representation of specific HSP family members is indicative of invasive potential and prognosis. Further significance has been added by the knowledge that all cancer-derived exosomes have surface-exposed HSPs that reflect the membrane topology of cells that secrete them.

Health Promotion in Primary Care Pediatrics: Initial Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial of the Vermont Family Based Approach.

The Vermont Family Based Approach (VFBA) is an innovative approach to healthcare delivery that addresses challenges of the healthcare system in the United States. The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial of the VFBA at a primary care pediatric clinic. The goal of the trial was to test the feasibility of the VFBA in pediatrics and to improve healthcare engagement and health outcomes for families.

Increasing Access to Empirically-Validated Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder:: Dissemination of PEERS into Community Health Settings.

Objectives: This research project aims to build capacity for social skills interventions for ASD for adolescents in community mental health settings in Delaware, using The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS), a social skills group program developed at UCLA.

Methods: Aim 1: A two-day education on PEERS was provided to community clinicians (n=15), and clinicians completed a survey assessing their perception of implementing a social skills group intervention for families at three time points. Aim 2: Five PEERS groups were held at three community mental health locations.

Societal costs of localized renal cancer surgery.

Introduction: Hospital-related costs of renal cancer surgery have been described, but the societal costs of surgery-related lost productivity are poorly understood. We estimated the societal cost of renal cancer surgery by assessing surgery-related time off work (TOW) taken by patients and their caretakers.

Materials And Methods: A total of 413 subjects who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy enrolled in an IRB-approved prospective study received an occupational survey assessing employment status, work physicality, income, surgery-related TOW, and caretaker assistance.

Clinical Use of Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite for Clinical Practice to Assess Patient Reported Prostate Cancer Quality of Life Following Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy.

Purpose: EPIC-CP (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite for Clinical Practice) is a short questionnaire that comprehensively measures patient reported health related quality of life at the point of care. We evaluated the feasibility of using EPIC-CP in the routine clinical care of patients with prostate cancer without research infrastructure. We compared longitudinal patient and practitioner reported prostate cancer outcomes.

Measurement of prostate-specific antigen by use of a novel blood collection and analytical system.

Background: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used in the detection and monitoring of prostate cancer. We developed a system for the self-collection and transport of capillary whole blood for PSA analysis, with the goal of reducing phlebotomy visits and, thus, increasing the access and utilization of PSA in prostate cancer screening and monitoring.

Methods: The blood collection device [BIOSAFE Blood Transport System (BTS] collects 70 microL of blood through a heparin-coated material into 200 microL of stabilizing solution.

Dose-dependent inhibition of theophylline metabolism by disulfiram in recovering alcoholics.

The influence of disulfiram on theophylline metabolism was studied in 20 recovering alcoholics. Ten of the patients, who were selected at random, received 250 mg of disulfiram daily. The other 10 patients received 500 mg of disulfiram daily.

Effects of restricted feeding schedules on circadian organization in squirrel monkeys.

Free running circadian rhythms of motor activity, food-motivated lever-pressing, and either drinking (N = 7) or body temperature (N = 3) were recorded from 10 squirrel monkeys maintained in constant illumination with unlimited access to food. Food availability was then restricted to a single unsignaled 3-hour interval each day. The feeding schedule failed to entrain the activity rhythms of 8 monkeys, which continued to free-run.

Screening tests for new teat dips.

Increased use of after-milking teat dips has resulted in the appearance of many new teat dips and a need for methods of evaluation of efficacy. A method was developed for determining the ability of a disinfectant to kill bacteria on the teat ends. Results from several known efficacious products indicated an approximate 95% reduction in bacterial flora.