Multi-center experience with an off-the-shelf single retrograde thoracic branch endoprosthesis for acute aortic pathology.

Objectives: The thoracic branch endoprosthesis (TBE®, WL Gore, Flagstaff AZ) offers an off-the-shelf single option for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) of aortic arch pathology with sealing in zones 0-2. This study reports the early outcomes of TBE®-TEVAR for acute indications.

Methods: Clinical data, imaging, and outcomes of patients treated with TBE®-TEVAR at seven institutions were retrospectively reviewed (March 2017- March 2024).

Pharmacist-Led Deprescribing for Patients With Polypharmacy and Chronic Disease States: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Current literature and practice have demonstrated that pharmacists have an integral role in deprescribing. However, research regarding their impact on patients with chronic diseases is limited. To assess the impact of a pharmacist-led intervention on deprescribing inappropriate medication for patients with chronic diseases within a four-month study period compared to patients receiving usual care.

The Use of Cellular- and/or Tissue-Based Therapy for the Management of Pyoderma Gangrenosum: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an uncommon inflammatory neutrophilic disorder with a spectrum of clinical presentations with variable courses. Most cases are associated with an autoimmune disorder and manifest in middle-aged adults as a painful lesion that progresses to painful necrotizing ulcers of the lower extremity. Owing to its variability, clinical diagnosis remains difficult and many patients are often misdiagnosed, with resulting delay in treatment.

Hydrosurgical Debridement Use Associated With Decreased Surgical Site-Related Readmissions: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction: Debridement is the cornerstone of wound care management. It allows for the removal of fibrinous and necrotic debris from the wound bed as well as the reduction of bacterial bioburden, thus allowing for proper granulation and wound healing. Hydrosurgical debridement uses a controlled, high-pressure fluid jet to cut and remove necrotic debris, contaminants, and bacteria, thereby facilitating a potentially more aggressive debridement.

Decreased postoperative pain and opioid use following prepectoral versus subpectoral breast reconstruction after mastectomy: A retrospective cohort study: Pain after pre- versus subpectoral reconstruction.

Background: Prepectoral (PP) breast reconstruction is now commonly performed and minimizes dissection of the pectoralis major muscle. Data are lacking comparing the immediate postoperative recovery of these patients as compared with traditional subpectoral (SP) breast reconstruction.

Methods: From December 2015 to February 2017, 73 patients underwent PP prosthetic-based reconstruction at a single academic institution.

Semaglutide: A Novel Oral Glucagon-Like Peptide Receptor Agonist for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex and chronic condition that requires continuous medical care. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia can lead to serious microvascular and macrovascular complications, such as coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, and stroke. Type 2 DM occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce adequate insulin to regulate glucose levels and when there is a decrease in sensitivity to insulin in the body.

Cryopreserved Allograft Use in Vascular Surgery.

In vascular surgery, bypass procedures are standard treatments for many arterial and venous diseases. The choice of conduit for the bypass operation is fundamental in planning for the appropriate intervention for each individual patient. Although an autogenous conduit is superior, this option is not available in many patients, and prosthetic grafts have been the preferred conduit in a variety of clinical situations.

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis and Blount disease as indicators for early metabolic surgical intervention.

Background: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and Blount disease are strongly associated with pediatric obesity, yet they have only recently been identified as indications for consideration of metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS).

Objectives: To describe the relationships between pediatric obesity, MBS, SCFE, and Blount disease.

Setting: Nationwide database.

Metabolic differences in breast cancer stem cells and differentiated progeny.

In general, tumor cells display a more glycolytic phenotype compared to the corresponding normal tissue. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that tumors are composed of a heterogeneous population of cells. Breast cancers are organized in a hierarchical manner, with the breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) at the top of the hierarchy.

The RNA-binding protein Musashi-1 regulates proteasome subunit expression in breast cancer- and glioma-initiating cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells, similar to normal tissue stem cells, rely on developmental pathways, such as the Notch pathway, to maintain their stem cell state. One of the regulators of the Notch pathway is Musashi-1, a mRNA-binding protein. Musashi-1 promotes Notch signaling by binding to the mRNA of Numb, the negative regulator of Notch signaling, thus preventing its translation.

Targeted elimination of breast cancer cells with low proteasome activity is sufficient for tumor regression.

Breast cancers are thought to be organized hierarchically with a small number of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), able to regrow a tumor after sublethal treatment while their progeny lack this feature. Furthermore, BCSCs are highly resistant to conventional anticancer treatments. According to the cancer stem cell hypothesis, all cancer stem cells in a tumor have to be eliminated to achieve cancer cure.

A role for glycogen synthase kinase-3 in antagonizing mycobacterial immune evasion by negatively regulating IL-10 induction.

Mtb dysregulates monocyte/macrophage functions to produce a large amount of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10. An important function of IL-10 in promoting Mtb survival is the suppression of antigen presentation of monocytes/macrophages to T cells. This dampens the host immune responses and provides an opportunity for immune evasion.

Factors influencing preferences for alternative medicine by Korean Americans.

Use of alternative medicine among the public has increased rapidly over the last few decades. Studies on alternative health care have been conducted on the general public and on major ethnic groups, but not on Korean Americans, who are one of the fastest growing Asian populations in the United States. This study was a cross-sectional survey of 143 Korean Americans in the Greater New York Metropolitan area; all of them were users of alternative medicine.

Acculturation and dietary habits of Korean Americans.

This is the first study to investigate how food and nutrient intakes vary with the levels of acculturation of Korean Americans using a dietary assessment tool tested for validity and reliability. The respondents were Korean Americans (n 486) resident in the Greater New York metropolitan area, USA. They were divided into two groups according to the total score of acculturation: low- and high-acculturated groups.

Development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire for Korean Americans.

A food frequency questionnaire for Korean Americans (KFFQ) was developed by modifying Block's Health Habits and History Questionnaire (HHHQ). The final KFFQ contained 118 food items taking into account culturally specific dietary patterns. Validation of the KFFQ was conducted to compare the nutrient intakes assessed by the KFFQ against those measured by seven-day dietary records in 73 Korean Americans.