Skin Cancer Awareness, Beliefs, Behaviors, and Access to Care Among the Homeless and Underinsured Patients Using a Free Clinic in Nebraska.

Introduction: To understand the attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and access to care surrounding sun safety for a primarily homeless or underinsured patient population at a student-run health clinic.

Methods: All adult attendees at the health clinic were invited to complete an anonymous 16-item questionnaire that assessed their sun safety history, practices, knowledge, and beliefs.

Results: Fifty participants completed our questionnaire, with 35 individuals (70%) reporting that they were without permanent residence, and 21 individuals indicating that they were uninsured or using Medicaid (42%).

Long-term impact of artificial intelligence on colorectal adenoma detection in high-risk colonoscopy.

Background: Improved adenoma detection rate (ADR) has been demonstrated with artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted colonoscopy. However, data on the real-world application of AI and its effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) screening outcomes is limited.

Aim: To analyze the long-term impact of AI on a diverse at-risk patient population undergoing diagnostic colonoscopy for positive CRC screening tests or symptoms.

Assessing prescriber adherence with Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guideline-recommended reliever therapy.

In 2019, a landmark change was made to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines in which an as-needed low-dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-formoterol inhaler was updated to be the preferred reliever therapy for all asthma patients. Use of short-acting beta-agonist monotherapy is no longer recommended. The purpose of this study was to assess provider adherence with the GINA guidelines in regards to reliever therapy.

A phase II, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial of pegfilgrastim for patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis.

Background: In trials conducted in India, recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF) improved survival in alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH). The aim of this trial was to determine the safety and efficacy of pegfilgrastim, a long-acting recombinant GCSF, in patients with AH in the United States.

Methods: This prospective, randomized, open label trial conducted between March 2017 and March 2020 randomized patients with a clinical diagnosis of AH and a Maddrey discriminant function score ≥32 to standard of care (SOC) or SOC+pegfilgrastim (0.

Documenting the Impact of Infra Low Frequency Neurofeedback on Underserved Populations With Complex Clinical Presentations.

There is a crisis in mental health. The demand for services is huge; the efficacy of current services is lacking, and the traditional path to developing effective treatments is not working. This paper describes an approach based on implementing infra low frequency (ILF) neurofeedback in agencies that work with the underserved and collecting data on client's concerns, behavior, quality of life and cognitive performance.

Atypical Presentation of Acquired Hypoganglionosis in a Patient Taking Clozapine.

Acquired hypoganglionosis (HG) is a rare enteric gastrointestinal neuromuscular disorder previously associated with chronic inflammation that can lead to constipation, ileus, and even death. There is little known about the pathophysiology of acquired hypoganglionosis, and it is unclear if medications are related to the development of the disease. Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat refractory schizophrenia that is well known for its side effects including agranulocytosis and gastrointestinal dysmotility.

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) as an Uncommon Extraintestinal Complication of Crohn's Disease: Case Vignette and Systematic Literature Review.

While the association of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been described in a few case reports, management of ITP as an extraintestinal manifestation of Crohn's disease (CD) is less studied. There are approximately a dozen cases describing the management of patients dually diagnosed with CD/ITP. Previous reports postulated that the mechanism of ITP in CD was through the presence of circulating immune complexes in the serum and antigenic mimicry due to increased mucosal permeability in active colitis, versus increased mucosal production of TH1-type proinflammatory cytokines during CD flares, which may account for remission of ITP with surgery for CD.

Evaluating the risk of adverse events with interventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound procedures in cirrhotic patients.

Background: Hepatic cirrhosis is associated with greater adverse event rates following surgical procedures and is thought to have a higher risk of complications with interventional procedures in general. However, these same patients often require interventional gastrointestinal procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). While studies examining this scenario exist, the overall body of evidence for adverse event rates associated with ERCP/EUS procedures is more limited.

Tranexamic Acid and Computer-Assisted Surgery in Cemented and Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty: Are the Effects Additive for Blood Conservation?

Introduction: Efforts continue to minimize blood loss associated with total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The primary objective of this study was to determine whether computer-assisted surgery (CAS) and tranexamic acid (TXA) were additive in minimizing blood loss in cemented TKA. The secondary objective was to assess the combined effectiveness of CAS and TXA in cementless TKA.

Shipping-Induced Aggregation in Therapeutic Antibodies: Utilization of a Scale-Down Model to Assess Degradation in Monoclonal Antibodies.

It is vital to understand the impact of transportation on monoclonal antibody (mAb) product quality during drug product development. Fully representative real-time shipment studies are resource intensive, so in this work, we studied laboratory agitation methods to mimic the effect of real-time shipment on aggregation, specifically subvisible particle formation. The agitation methods studied include a rotator, orbital shaker, vortexer, and shipping simulator vibration table.

NAFLD prevalence differs among hispanic subgroups: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Aim: To compare prevalence rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) between Hispanics of Mexican origin and Hispanics of Dominican and Puerto Rican origin.

Methods: We evaluated prevalence rates of NAFLD between the two largest sub-populations of Hispanics in the United States; Hispanics of Mexican origin and Hispanics of Caribbean origin (Dominican and Puerto Rican), in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. MESA is a large, population based, multi-center cohort study comprised of 6814 healthy Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian men and women aged 45-84.

Noncollinear third-harmonic Maker fringes for the determination of third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities.

We describe noncollinear third-harmonic Maker fringes for the determination of third-order optical nonlinearities. This method builds on the same principles as conventional Maker fringes experiments, but thanks to the limited interaction length of two intersecting beams, it allows to eliminate the requirement of taking into account the contribution of air to the third-harmonic signal. Thus, third-order susceptibilities can be accurately determined without the need for a vacuum chamber.

Development of antimicrobial coatings by atmospheric pressure plasma using a guanidine-based precursor.

Antimicrobial coatings deposited onto ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) films were investigated using an atmospheric pressure - plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD) process. Varying concentrations of a guanidine-based liquid precursor, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine, were used, and different deposition conditions were studied. Attenuated total reflectance - Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study the chemical structure and elemental composition of the coatings.

Modification of silicon carbide surfaces by atmospheric pressure plasma for composite applications.

In this study, we explore the use of atmospheric pressure plasmas for enhancing the adhesion of SiC surfaces using a urethane adhesive, as an alternative to grit-blasting. Surface analysis showed that He-O2 plasma treatments resulted in a hydrophilic surface mostly by producing SiOx. Four-point bending tests and bonding pull tests were carried out on control, grit-blasted, and plasma-treated surfaces.

Effect of HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitor on DNA synthesis and free radical oxidation in the gastric mucosa under normal conditions and during indometacin-induced ulcerative process in the stomach of albino mice.

We studied the effect of simvastatin (24 mg/kg per os for 30 days) on DNA synthesis ((3)H-thymidine autoradiography) and free radical oxidation (chemiluminescent method) in the gastric mucosa of albino mice under normal conditions and in ulcerative process induced by single indometacin administration. Simvastatin treatment activated free radical oxidation, which was seen from enhanced chemiluminescence in the mucosa homogenate (by 1.7-4.

Endoscopic clips prevent displacement of intestinal feeding tubes: a long-term follow-up study.

Background: Displacement of jejunal feeding tubes is a major problem in enteral feeding. Although endoscopic clips have been used to prevent migration of the tube during placement, the long-term effect of the clips on tube displacement is unknown.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term effect of endoscopic clips on preventing displacement of the jejunal feeding tube.

Derm Access: a new triage system to rapidly identify suspicious skin lesions.

Background: Many screening programs have been implemented for the general population; however, dermatology appointment wait times continue to be long. Changes in scheduling would allow patients with suspicious skin lesions access to more immediate care.

Objectives: The objective was to introduce a method for decreasing dermatology appointment wait times to allow patients with a high-risk skin lesion to be seen in a more efficient manner.

Informed consent in dermatologic surgery.

Background: The issue of informed consent retention has not been previously addressed in dermatology literature. Several studies in other fields of medicine have shown that retention rates are below 50%.

Objective: To determine the percentage of complications recalled at 20 minutes and at 1 week after the informed consent process.

Differential metabolic rates in prefrontal and temporal Brodmann areas in schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder.

In an exploration of the schizophrenia spectrum, we compared cortical metabolic rates in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) with findings in age- and sex-matched normal volunteers. Coregistered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans were obtained in 27 schizophrenic, 13 SPD, and 32 normal volunteers who performed a serial verbal learning test during tracer uptake. A template of Brodmann areas derived from a whole brain histological section atlas was used to analyze PET findings.

Striatal size and relative glucose metabolic rate in schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia.

Background: Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) shares social deficits and cognitive impairment with schizophrenia, but is not typically characterized by frank psychosis. Because striatal size and functional activity have both been shown to be associated with psychotic symptoms, we carried out the first study of SPD to assess the caudate and putamen for comparison with findings in schizophrenia.

Methods: Patients with SPD (n = 16), schizophrenic patients (n = 42), and age- and sex-matched normal control subjects (n = 47) were assessed with magnetic resonance imaging.

Thalamic activation during an attention-to-prepulse startle modification paradigm: a functional MRI study.

Background: Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex reflects early stages of information processing and is modulated by selective attention. Animal models indicate medial frontal-thalamic circuitry is important in PPI modulation. We report data from the first functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study examining whether attending to or ignoring a prepulse differentially activates brain areas within this circuitry.