Weight and shape overvaluation and its relation to anxiety, depression, and maladaptive eating symptoms for patients up to 4 years after bariatric surgery.

Background: Weight and shape overvaluation (WSO; undue influence of weight and shape on self-evaluation) is common among individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. Little is known about how WSO relates to poorer outcomes for patients remote from surgery.

Objectives: To examine associations between WSO with anxiety and depression symptoms and various maladaptive eating behaviors in patients up to 4 years post-bariatric surgery.

COVID-19-Related Increases in Depressive and Anxious Symptoms Are Associated with Maladaptive Eating Among Patients up to 4 years Post-bariatric Surgery.

Introduction: Depressive and anxious symptoms and maladaptive eating behaviors fluctuate with stressful events for patients seeking bariatric surgery. These associations are less clear for patients postoperatively. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a frame, we examined associations between changes in depressive and anxious symptoms and maladaptive eating behaviors between up to four years postoperatively.

Factors associated with a positive phosphatidylethanol test during liver transplantation evaluation.

Background: Early identification of alcohol use is crucial for informing recommendations of appropriate follow-up treatment pre-liver transplant and optimizing post-liver transplant outcomes. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether there are psychosocial factors associated with a positive PEth test.

Methods: All patients who underwent a routine pre-surgical psychological evaluation for liver transplant listing (all etiologies, including acute liver failure, dual organ, and re-transplantation) at a single health care system in 2020 were included in a retrospective chart review.

A qualitative study of the barriers to using blinding in in vivo experiments and suggestions for improvement.

In animal experiments, blinding (also known as masking) is a methodological strategy to reduce the risk that scientists, animal care staff, or other staff involved in the research may consciously or subconsciously influence the outcome. Lack of masking has been shown to correlate with an overestimation of treatment efficacy and false positive findings. We conducted exploratory interviews across academic and a commercial setting to discuss the implementation of masking at four stages of the experiment: during allocation and intervention, during the conduct of the experiment, during the outcome assessment, and during the data analysis.

Synthesis of the C4-C16 Polyketide Fragment of Portimines A and B.

Stereoselective synthesis of the C4-C16 polyketide fragment of portimines A and B is reported, enabled by our previously established method for the stereoselective synthesis of -α,α'-dihydroxyketones. The preparation of this advanced fragment provides insights useful for the total synthesis of portimines A and B. An asymmetric Evans aldol reaction was used to install the C10-C11 adjacent stereogenic centers before incorporation of indantrione, followed by epoxidation and epoxide opening to forge the challenging -α,α'-dihydroxyketone functionality.