Evaluation of appropriate transmission-based precautions for non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses.

Appropriateness of transmission-based precautions after positive result for a non-SARS-CoV-2 virus was evaluated. Most patients (77.2%) lacked appropriate precautions within 3 hours of virus detection; 36.

Evaluation of Basal Plus Versus Sliding Scale Insulin Therapy on Glucose Variability in Critically Ill Patients Without Preexisting Diabetes.

Background: There is limited evidence evaluating the impact of insulin treatment strategies on glucose variability in critically ill patients without preexisting diabetes.

Objective: Compare basal plus insulin (BPI) and sliding scale insulin (SSI) impact on glycemic control outcomes in critically ill patients without preexisting diabetes experiencing hyperglycemia.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective review analyzed critically ill patients with hyperglycemia who received either BPI or SSI.

Development and Initial Evaluation of an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Readiness Assessment Plan.

To describe the composition of an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) readiness assessment plan (APPE-RAP) along with initial findings following retrospective application to a cohort of students. The APPE-RAP uses existing summative assessment data within the ExamSoft platform on six skills and 12 ability-based outcomes from the pre-APPE curriculum. Thresholds were created to sort students into three readiness categories for skills and knowledge, determine overall readiness, and identify need for curricular review.

Impact of Opioid Administration in the Intensive Care Unit and Subsequent Use in Opioid-Naïve Patients.

Background: Opioids are a mainstay of therapy for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) as part of the analgesia-first approach to sedation. Despite knowledge of acute consequences of opioid based analgosedation, less is known about the potential long-term consequences, including the effect of opioid administration in the ICU on subsequent opioid use in opioid-naïve patients.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between ICU opioid administration to opioid-naïve patients and subsequent opioid use following discharge.

Clinical and Short-Term Radiographic Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion With Expandable Lordotic Devices.

Background: Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) is a well-accepted procedure for the treatment of degenerative lumbar disease. However, its ability to restore lumbar lordosis has been limited. Development of expandable lordotic interbody devices has challenged this limitation, furthering the scope of minimally invasive surgery.

Cohort analysis of desmopressin effect on hematoma expansion in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and documented pre-ictus antiplatelet use.

Antiplatelet therapy at the time of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) may increase risk for hemorrhage expansion and mortality. Current guidelines recommend considering a single dose of desmopressin in sICH associated with cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitors or adenosine diphosphate receptor inhibitors. Adult subjects with sICH and concomitant antiplatelet therapy admitted to a large, tertiary care center were included.

Association of Preoperative Diagnosis with Clinical Yield of Muscle Biopsy.

Background: Muscle biopsy is a common diagnostic marker for myopathy assessment; however, it has a relatively low pathologic yield of less than 60%. Additionally, both diagnostic and non-diagnostic muscle biopsies can provide guidance for treatment, i.e, provide therapeutic usefulness.

Referring Service Effect on Muscle Biopsy Diagnosis and Management in Myopathy.

Introduction Requests for muscle biopsy for evaluation of myopathy originate from a variety of different specialties. It is unknown whether the specialty of the referring service affects the likelihood of diagnostic biopsy or the therapeutic usefulness of a biopsy. Methods We reviewed 106 consecutive muscle biopsies requested by healthcare providers in neurology, rheumatology, family medicine, oncology, and gastroenterology.

Treatment of Salmonella-Contaminated Eggs and Pork with a Broad-Spectrum, Single Bacteriophage: Assessment of Efficacy and Resistance Development.

Numerous studies have assessed the efficacy of phage-based methods to inhibit Salmonella contamination in food products. As with most antibacterials, bacteria can develop resistance to phage in vitro. Here, we applied a single broad-spectrum Salmonella phage, vB_SalS_SJ_2 (SJ2; 10 PFU; MOI = 10), to Salmonella-contaminated meat and eggs to quantify the development of resistance in actual food matrices.

The impact of orally administered phages on host immune response and surrounding microbial communities.

Numerous studies have shown the efficacy of phage therapy in reducing foodborne pathogen carriage in food animals. Fewer studies have focused on host reactions, especially in terms of phage-mediated acute immune responses and effects on the gut microbiome. Here we administered O157:H7 phages in low (single dose of 10 PFU) or high (single dose of 10 PFU) quantities to mice.

Treatment of Severe Alcohol Withdrawal.

Objective: Approximately 50% of patients with alcohol dependence experience alcohol withdrawal. Severe alcohol withdrawal is characterized by seizures and/or delirium tremens, often refractory to standard doses of benzodiazepines, and requires aggressive treatment. This review aims to summarize the literature pertaining to the pharmacotherapy of severe alcohol withdrawal.

Optimizing Anticoagulation Management Through the Use of a Hospital Engagement Network Metric for Inpatient Anticoagulant-Associated Hemorrhage.

Background: The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), a national hospital engagement network (HEN), establishes health-system metrics to assess and improve quality of care. In 2012, a metric for inpatient anticoagulant hemorrhage was developed. The utility of this metric to improve anticoagulation care has not been assessed.

Serum Trimethylamine-N-Oxide is Elevated in CKD and Correlates with Coronary Atherosclerosis Burden.

Trimethlyamine-N-oxide (TMAO) was recently identified as a promoter of atherosclerosis. Patients with CKD exhibit accelerated development of atherosclerosis; however, no studies have explored the relationship between TMAO and atherosclerosis formation in this group. This study measured serum concentrations and urinary excretion of TMAO in a CKD cohort (n=104), identified the effect of renal transplant on serum TMAO concentration in a subset of these patients (n=6), and explored the cross-sectional relationship between serum TMAO and coronary atherosclerosis burden in a separate CKD cohort (n=220) undergoing coronary angiography.

Influence of preparation design and existing condition of tooth structure on load to failure of ceramic laminate veneers.

Statement Of Problem: Although investigators have evaluated the effect of ceramic veneer preparation design, limited information is available regarding preparation design in association with the condition of existing tooth structure.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of preparation design and the amount of existing tooth structure on the fracture resistance of pressable ceramic laminate veneers.

Material And Methods: Thirty-two extracted human maxillary central incisors were allocated into 4 groups (n=8) to test for 2 variables: (1) the preparation design (a 2 mm incisal reduction shoulder finish line with or without palatal chamfer) and (2) the existing amount of tooth structure (non-worn tooth or worn tooth).

Esthetic templates for complex restorative cases: rationale and management.

Unlabelled: Complex restorative cases require difficult clinical decisions regarding the final esthetic outcome in which the operator must visualize the definitive restorative position of the teeth. These critical decisions need to be made before treatment is rendered. Communicating these decisions to the patient and the treatment team are crucial prior to achieving clinical success.