Atomic-Scale Characterization of Microscale Battery Particles Enabled by a High-Throughput Focused Ion Beam Milling Technique.

The cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) require improvements to address issues such as surface degradation, short-circuiting, and the formation of dendrites. One such method for addressing these issues is using surface coatings. Coatings can be sought to improve the durability of cathode materials, but the characterization of the uniformity and stability of the coating is important to assess the performance and lifetime of these materials.

Tuning the Surface Chemistry of Second-Harmonic-Active Lithium Niobate Nanoprobes Using a Silanol-Alcohol Condensation Reaction.

The surface functionalization of nanoparticles (NPs) is of great interest for improving the use of NPs in, for example, therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The conjugation of specific molecules with NPs through the formation of covalent linkages is often sought to provide a high degree of colloidal stability and biocompatibility, as well as to provide functional groups for further surface modification. NPs of lithium niobate (LiNbO) have been explored for use in second-harmonic-generation (SHG)-based bioimaging, expanding the applications of SHG-based microscopy techniques.

Tunable functionalization of silica coated iron oxide nanoparticles achieved through a silanol-alcohol condensation reaction.

The surface properties of nanoparticles play an important role in their interactions with their surroundings. Silane reagents have been used for surface modifications to silica shells on iron oxide nanoparticles, but using these reagents presents some challenges. An alternative approach to modifying the surfaces of these silica shells was developed to impart different terminal functional groups, such as a thiol, alcohol, or carboxylic acid, through the use of alcohol-based reagents.

The Association of Frailty With In-Hospital Bleeding Among Older Adults With Acute Myocardial Infarction: Insights From the ACTION Registry.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether frailty is associated with increased bleeding risk in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Background: Frailty is a common syndrome in older adults.

Methods: Frailty was examined among AMI patients ≥65 years of age treated at 775 U.

Perioperative antiplatelet therapy and cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing joint and spine surgery.

Study Objective: Perioperative thrombotic complications after orthopedic surgery are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The use of aspirin to reduce perioperative cardiovascular complications in certain high-risk cohorts remains controversial. Few studies have addressed aspirin use, bleeding, and cardiovascular outcomes among high-risk patients undergoing joint and spine surgery.

Association Between Anemia, Bleeding, and Transfusion with Long-term Mortality Following Noncardiac Surgery.

Background: Preoperative anemia is a well-established risk factor for short-term mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, but appropriate thresholds for transfusion remain uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine long-term outcomes associated with anemia, hemorrhage, and red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Methods: We performed a long-term follow-up study of consecutive subjects undergoing hip, knee, and spine surgery between November 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009.

Impact of an Intervention to Improve Weekend Hospital Care at an Academic Medical Center: An Observational Study.

Background: Hospital care on weekends has been associated with delays in care, reduced quality, and poor clinical outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a weekend hospital intervention on processes of care and clinical outcomes. The multifaceted intervention included expanded weekend diagnostic services, improved weekend discharge processes, and increased physician and care management services on weekends.

Association of weekend continuity of care with hospital length of stay.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of physician continuity of care with length of stay, likelihood of weekend discharge, in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission.

Design: A cohort study of hospitalized medical patients. The primary exposure was the weekend usual provider continuity (UPC) over the initial weekend of care.

Quality of care for heart failure patients hospitalized for any cause.

Objectives: The study sought to assess the quality of care for heart failure patients who are hospitalized for all causes.

Background: Performance measures for heart failure target patients with a principal diagnosis of heart failure. However, patients with heart failure are commonly hospitalized for other causes and may benefit from treatments such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction.

Monitoring the pulse of hospital activity: electronic health record utilization as a measure of care intensity.

Background: Hospital care on weekends has been associated with reduced quality and poor clinical outcomes, suggesting that decreases in overall intensity of care may have important clinical effects. We describe a new measure of hospital intensity of care based on utilization of the electronic health record (EHR).

Methods: We measured global intensity of care at our academic medical center by monitoring the use of the EHR in 2011.

Standardized cardiovascular data for clinical research, registries, and patient care: a report from the Data Standards Workgroup of the National Cardiovascular Research Infrastructure project.

Relatively little attention has been focused on standardization of data exchange in clinical research studies and patient care activities. Both are usually managed locally using separate and generally incompatible data systems at individual hospitals or clinics. In the past decade there have been nascent efforts to create data standards for clinical research and patient care data, and to some extent these are helpful in providing a degree of uniformity.