Racial disparities in access to minimally invasive proctectomy for rectal cancer-a National Surgical Quality Improvement Program study.

Aim: The aim of this work was to determine racial disparities in access to minimally invasive proctectomy using a national database.

Method: A retrospective review of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program evaluated for surgical approach (robotic, laparoscopic or open), demographics and comorbidity, and then compared by race.

Results: A total of 3511 patients (325 Asian, 2925 White, 261 African American/Black) with cancer who underwent a proctectomy between 2016 and 2020 were included.

Characteristics of pathologic complete response for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NACRT) is the standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancers. The purpose of this study was to determine patient and tumor factors associated with a pathologic complete response (pCR).

Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program proctectomy-targeted database was utilized to identify all patients from 2016 to 2020 who underwent NACRT followed by proctectomy with curative intent for T3-4N0-2 rectal cancers.

Virtual interviews for resident and fellow recruitment.

Since 2020, all general surgery residency interviews have been mandatorily virtual, elevating the importance of social media and online reputation management for applicants and residency programs. This article highlights how virtual interviews changed the way programs and applicants engage each other online, including some pros and cons of these new interactions.

Glycemic Variability in Patients With Stage II-III Colon Cancer Treated With Surgery and Adjuvant Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To examine glycemic variability within one month and one year following surgery and throughout adjuvant chemotherapy among patients with stage II-III colon cancer, with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Sample & Setting: 58 patients with stage II-III colon cancer treated with surgery and chemotherapy.

Methods & Variables: A retrospective analysis of electronic health record data over one year showed glycemic variability, measured as standard deviation and coefficient of variation.

Hartmann's reversal is associated with worse outcomes compared to elective left colectomy: A NSQIP analysis of 36,794 cases.

Background: Hartmann's reversal (HR) is associated with significant technical difficulty and morbidity. Using the ACS-NSQIP database, we assessed the outcomes of HR as compared to elective left colectomy (LC).

Methods: The 2016-2019 ACS-NSQIP datasets were queried to identify patients undergoing HR and elective LC.

Glycemic Variability Within 1 Year Following Surgery for Stage II-III Colon Cancer.

Objective: To examine glycemic variability within 1 month and 1 year following surgery among adult patients, with and without Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), treated for stage II-III colon cancer.

Method: A retrospective analysis of electronic health record data was conducted. Glycemic variability (i.

Detecting an Itinerant Optical Photon Twice without Destroying It.

Nondestructive quantum measurements are central for quantum physics applications ranging from quantum sensing to quantum computing and quantum communication. Employing the toolbox of cavity quantum electrodynamics, we here concatenate two identical nondestructive photon detectors to repeatedly detect and track a single photon propagating through a 60 m long optical fiber. By demonstrating that the combined signal-to-noise ratio of the two detectors surpasses each single one by about 2 orders of magnitude, we experimentally verify a key practical benefit of cascaded nondemolition detectors compared to conventional absorbing devices.

Quantum Repeater Node Demonstrating Unconditionally Secure Key Distribution.

Long-distance quantum communication requires quantum repeaters to overcome photon loss in optical fibers. Here we demonstrate a repeater node with two memory atoms in an optical cavity. Both atoms are individually and repeatedly entangled with photons that are distributed until each communication partner has independently received one of them.

Quantum Teleportation between Remote Qubit Memories with Only a Single Photon as a Resource.

Quantum teleportation enables the deterministic exchange of qubits via lossy channels. While it is commonly believed that unconditional teleportation requires a preshared entangled qubit pair, here we demonstrate a protocol that is in principle unconditional and requires only a single photon as an ex-ante prepared resource. The photon successively interacts, first, with the receiver and then with the sender qubit memory.

Nondestructive detection of photonic qubits.

One of the biggest challenges in experimental quantum information is to sustain the fragile superposition state of a qubit. Long lifetimes can be achieved for material qubit carriers as memories, at least in principle, but not for propagating photons that are rapidly lost by absorption, diffraction or scattering. The loss problem can be mitigated with a nondestructive photonic qubit detector that heralds the photon without destroying the encoded qubit.

Evaluation and Medical Management of Uncomplicated Diverticulitis.

Uncomplicated diverticulitis is common, and its evaluation and treatment have evolved over time. Most patients present in a nontoxic manner with localized pain, leukocytosis, and reliable findings on computed tomography (CT). Healthy and stable patients are typically treated in the outpatient setting with very high rates of success.

A quantum-logic gate between distant quantum-network modules.

The big challenge in quantum computing is to realize scalable multi-qubit systems with cross-talk-free addressability and efficient coupling of arbitrarily selected qubits. Quantum networks promise a solution by integrating smaller qubit modules to a larger computing cluster. Such a distributed architecture, however, requires the capability to execute quantum-logic gates between distant qubits.

Less is more: creation and validation of a novel, affordable suturing simulator for anorectal surgery.

Background: Duty hour restrictions have increased the role of simulation in surgical education. A simulation that recreates the unique visual, anatomic, and ergonomic challenges of anorectal surgery has yet to be described. The aim of this study was to develop a low-cost, low-fidelity anorectal surgery simulator and provide validity evidence for the model.

Deterministic Shaping and Reshaping of Single-Photon Temporal Wave Functions.

Thorough control of the optical mode of a single photon is essential for quantum information applications. We present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of a light-matter interface based on cavity quantum electrodynamics. We identify key parameters like the phases of the involved light fields and demonstrate absolute, flexible, and accurate control of the time-dependent complex-valued wave function of a single photon over several orders of magnitude.