Prosodic Preferences of Surface Electromyography-based Subvocal Speech for People With Laryngectomy.

Introduction: People who undergo a total laryngectomy lose their natural voice and depend on alaryngeal technologies for communication. However, these technologies are often difficult to use and lack prosody. Surface electromyographic-based silent speech interfaces are novel communication systems that overcome many of the shortcomings of traditional alaryngeal speech and have the potential to seamlessly incorporate individualized prosody.

Broad-Spectrum Micronutrients or Antidepressants for Antenatal Depression: Effect on Maternal and Infant Birth Outcomes in an Observational Secondary Analysis of NUTRIMUM.

Purpose/background: One-fifth of women experience antenatal depression. Untreated antenatal depression is associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. This study investigated the effect of broad-spectrum micronutrients (BSM; vitamins and minerals), used to treat antenatal depression (NUTRIMUM trial), on birth outcomes.

Effect of Combination Antihypertensive Pills on Blood Pressure Control.

Background: Hypertension is a global health issue causing increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Adherence to prescribed medication is a crucial factor in obtaining targeted outcomes, and fixed-dose combined antihypertensive pills (FCAPs) have been shown to help combat difficulties associated with polypharmacy management. This study investigated the influence of combination antihypertensives on blood pressure (BP) management.

Comparison of pooled cohort equation and PREVENT™ risk calculator for statin treatment allocation.

Background And Aims: Effective hypercholesterolemia management is linked to lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The 2018 AHA/ACC guidelines recommended using the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) for lipid management, but these may overestimate risk and be less accurate for certain racial groups. The AHA's new PREVENT equation, which omits race and includes cardiometabolic factors, aims to provide a more accurate risk assessment for a diverse population.

Bipedalism or bipedalisms: The os coxae of StW 573.

There has been a long debate about the possibility of multiple contemporaneous species of Australopithecus in both eastern and southern Africa, potentially exhibiting different forms of bipedal locomotion. Here, we describe the previously unreported morphology of the os coxae in the 3.67 Ma Australopithecus prometheus StW 573 from Sterkfontein Member 2, comparing it with variation in ossa coxae in living humans and apes as well as other Plio-Pleistocene hominins.

Trends in Atrial Fibrillation and Ablation Therapy During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected many aspects of health care and continues to have an impact as waves of COVID-19 cases re-emerge. Many procedures were negatively impacted by the pandemic, and management was primarily focused on limiting exposure to the virus. We present an analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to delineate how COVID-19 affected atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Improving Patient Outcomes Using Measures to Increase Discharge Rates to Home.

Background Post-acute care (PAC) centers are facilities used for recuperation, rehabilitation, and symptom management in an effort to improve the long-term outcomes of patients. PAC centers include skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care hospitals. In the 1990s, Medicare payment reforms significantly increased the discharge rates to PAC centers and subsequently increased the length of stay (LOS) among these patient populations.

Negative effects of COVID-19 on the implantation rate of cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator device.

Introduction: COVID-19 drastically impacted the landscape of the United States' medical system. Limited data is available on the nationwide implantation trends in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator (CRT-D) devices before and during the pandemic. We aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CRT-D insertion rates and adverse outcomes related to delays in care.

Temporal trends in outcomes following inpatient transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Introduction: Despite the growing adoption of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), there remains a lack of clinical data evaluating procedural safety and discharge practices.

Aims: This study aims to investigate if there have been improvements in postoperative clinical outcomes following TAVR.

Methods: In this large-scale, retrospective cohort study, patients who underwent TAVR as an inpatient were identified from 2016 to 2020 using the National Readmissions Database.

Current Trends in Hypertension Identification and Management: Insights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Following the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guidelines.

Background: Hypertension is a global health issue associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate contemporary hypertension identification and management trends following the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines.

Methods And Results: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2017 to 2020 were analyzed.

Fatal ventricular arrhythmias in myocarditis: A review of current indications for defibrillator devices.

Historically, patients with myocarditis were considered for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) utilization only in the chronic phase of the disease following the development of persistent cardiomyopathy refractory to medical therapy or occurrence of a major ventricular arrhythmic event. However, recent literature has indicated that ventricular arrhythmias are frequently reported even in the acute phase of the disease, challenging the long-standing perception that this disease process was largely reversible. Given this changing environment of information, the latest US and European guidelines were recently updated in 2022 to now consider ICD implantation during the acute phase which has significantly increased the number of individuals eligible for these devices.

Surgical Site Infections in Trauma Exploratory Laparotomies Preoperative Ceftriaxone and Metronidazole Versus Cefoxitin.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing traumatic exploratory laparotomy. The goal of this study was to compare antibiotic usage and subsequent outcomes in patients undergoing traumatic exploratory laparotomy. A retrospective chart analysis and a chi-square test of independence were performed to examine the relation between preoperative cefoxitin versus ceftriaxone and metronidazole and the rate of SSI development.

Heartbeats in Distress: Unveiling Cardiac Sarcoidosis Through Palpitations.

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), a rare complication of systemic sarcoidosis, can have subtle or no symptoms. It is characterized by granuloma formation in the myocardium, which can occur in isolation or alongside systemic sarcoidosis. Clinical manifestations include conduction system disorders (e.

Safety of Percutaneous Endoscopic Jejunostomy Placement Compared With Surgical and Radiologic Jejunostomy Placement: A Nationwide Inpatient Assessment.

Background And Aims: We compared the safety and outcomes of percutaneous jejunostomy tubes placed endoscopically (PEJ), fluoroscopically by interventional radiology (IR-jejunostomy), and open jejunostomy placed surgically (surgical jejunostomy).

Methods: Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, we identified hospitalized patients who underwent a jejunostomy from 2016 to 2019. Selected patients were divided into 3 cohorts: PEJ, IR-jejunostomy, and surgical jejunostomy.

Electrical Stimulation of Vocal Fold Adduction Triggered by Laryngeal Electromyography Using a Custom Implant.

Purpose: Medialization procedures for unilateral vocal fold (VF) paralysis generally improve voice but do not fully replace dynamic VF adduction. Paralyzed VFs typically experience synkinetic reinnervation, which makes it feasible to elicit movement through electrical stimulation. We tested a novel laryngeal pacing implant capable of providing closed-loop (automatic) stimulation of a VF triggered by electromyography (EMG) potentials from the contralateral VF.

Sex-based differences in left ventricular assist device clinical outcomes.

Background: Heart failure (HF) continues to be a significant public health issue, posing a heightened risk of morbidity and mortality for both genders. Despite the widespread use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD), the influence of gender differences on clinical outcomes following implantation remains unclear.

Objectives: We investigated the impact of gender differences on readmission rates and other outcomes following LVAD implantation in patients admitted with advanced HF.

Geographic variability and operator trends of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in the United States.

Backgrounds: Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) devices are used for primary mitral regurgitation (MR) and secondary MR. Despite the growing use of TEER devices, there have not been many studies on operator experience or procedure volumes by state.

Aims: We aimed to investigate nationwide operator volume trends and geographic variation in access to TEER.

Move it or lose it: Predicted effects of culverts and population density on Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) connectivity.

Roadways and railways can reduce wildlife movements across landscapes, negatively impacting population connectivity. Connectivity may be improved by structures that allow safe passage across linear barriers, but connectivity could be adversely influenced by low population densities. The Mojave desert tortoise is threatened by habitat loss, fragmentation, and population declines.

Impact of Frailty on Left Ventricular Assist Device Clinical Outcomes.

Frailty is a clinical syndrome prevalent in older adults and carries poor outcomes in patients with heart failure. We investigated the impact of frailty on left ventricular assist device (LVAD) clinical outcomes. The Nationwide Readmission Database was used to retrospectively identify patients with a primary diagnosis of heart failure who underwent LVAD implantation during their hospitalization from 2014 to 2020.