Identification of pancreatic cancer risk factors from clinical notes using natural language processing.

Objectives: Screening for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is considered in high-risk individuals (HRIs) with established PDAC risk factors, such as family history and germline mutations in PDAC susceptibility genes. Accurate assessment of risk factor status is provider knowledge-dependent and requires extensive manual chart review by experts. Natural Language Processing (NLP) has shown promise in automated data extraction from the electronic health record (EHR).

Detection and quantification of Babesia species intraerythrocytic parasites by flow cytometry.

Objectives: Recent work has demonstrated that automated fluorescence flow cytometry (FLC) is a potential alternative for the detection and quantification of Plasmodium parasites. The objective of this study was to apply this novel FLC method to detect and quantify Babesia parasites in venous blood and compare results to light microscopy and polymerase chain reaction methods.

Methods: An automated hematology/malaria analyzer (XN-31; Sysmex) was used to detect and quantify B microti-infected red blood cells from residual venous blood samples (n = 250: Babesia positive, n = 170; Babesia negative, n = 80).

Continuity of Care: A Primer for Family Medicine Residencies.

Continuity of care has been an identifying characteristic of family medicine since its inception and is an essential ingredient for high-functioning health care teams. Many benefits, including the quadruple aim of enhancing patient experience, improving population health, reducing costs, and improving care team well-being, are ascribed to continuity of care. In 2023, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) added two new continuity requirements-annual patient-sided continuity and annual resident-sided continuity-in family medicine training programs.

Skin Biopsy Techniques.

Because many skin lesions and disorders can appear similar, primary care clinicians often struggle to diagnose them definitively without histopathologic information obtained from a biopsy. This review article explains how to decide whether a lesion should be biopsied and what type of biopsy technique to use and then outlines the stepwise approach to each of the most common skin biopsy techniques: shave, saucerization, punch, fusiform, and subcutaneous nodule biopsies. Finally, potential pitfalls and complications are discussed so the clinician can avoid those and can provide a cosmetically acceptable result from these common outpatient procedures.

Patient on Immunomodulatory Therapy Experiencing Joint Pain and Skin Lesions: A Case Report.

A woman in her late fifties was admitted to the Family Medicine Inpatient Service directly from Rheumatology clinic for polyarticular pain and erythema with concern for infection. She was taking immunosuppressant medications for a history of multiple autoimmune diseases. Examination showed increasing erythema and tenderness on the upper and lower extremity joints.