Experiences managing behavioral symptoms among Latino caregivers of Latino older adults with dementia and memory problems: a qualitative study.

Background: Latinos are more likely than non-Latino Whites to develop dementia and be prescribed antipsychotics for dementia-related behavioral symptoms. Antipsychotics have significant risks yet are often overprescribed. Our understanding of how Latino caregivers of Latino older adults living with dementia perceive and address behavioral issues is limited, impeding our ability to address the root causes of antipsychotic overprescribing.

Two-year retest reliability and predictive validity of the Self- and Informant-Personality Inventory for ICD-11 in older adults.

The adopted a fully dimensional model of personality disorder. The Personality Inventory for (PiCD) and Informant-Personality Inventory for (IPiC) were developed to assess the trait model, and the PiCD has since received significant validation support. However, there has only been one prior study of longitudinal predictive validity of the PiCD, two relatively short test-retest reliability studies of the PiCD, and no prior longitudinal tests of the IPiC.

Cumulative Update of a Systematic Overview Evaluating Interventions Addressing Polypharmacy.

Importance: Polypharmacy is associated with mortality, falls, hospitalizations, and functional and cognitive decline. The study of polypharmacy-related interventions has increased substantially, prompting the need for an updated, more focused systematic overview.

Objective: To systematically evaluate and summarize evidence across multiple systematic reviews (SRs) examining interventions addressing polypharmacy.

Recommendations for Performance Evaluation of Machine Learning in Pathology: A Concept Paper From the College of American Pathologists.

Context.—: Machine learning applications in the pathology clinical domain are emerging rapidly. As decision support systems continue to mature, laboratories will increasingly need guidance to evaluate their performance in clinical practice.

Safety in parenteral nutrition compounding.

Parenteral nutrition (PN) compounding is a complex process that requires knowledge and training to ensure the safety and efficacy of this form of nutrition support therapy. Unfortunately, errors and lack of adherence to safe PN compounding recommendations and sterile compounding requirements have resulted in patient injury and death. These lapses in the safe provision of PN have been the result of various factors, including a lack of understanding of PN compatibility, stability, and sterility requirements, as well as drug product shortages and order entry errors.

Juneteenth in STEMM and the barriers to equitable science.

We are 52 Black scientists. Here, we establish the context of Juneteenth in STEMM and discuss the barriers Black scientists face, the struggles they endure, and the lack of recognition they receive. We review racism's history in science and provide institutional-level solutions to reduce the burdens on Black scientists.

Margins in Stage I and II Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Review From the American Head and Neck Society.

Importance: The assessment and management of surgical margins in stage I and II oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most important perioperative aspects of oncologic care, with profound implications for patient outcomes and adjuvant therapy. Understanding and critically reviewing the existing data surrounding margins in this context is necessary to rigorously care for this challenging group of patients and minimize patient morbidity and mortality.

Observations: This review discusses the data related to the definitions related to surgical margins, methods for assessment, specimen vs tumor bed margin evaluation, and re-resection of positive margins.

Inpatient Decongestive Therapy for Lymphedema in Acute Postsurgical Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

 Head and neck lymphedema is an omnipresent morbidity related to head and neck cancer therapies. Studies on therapy for these patients in the acute postsurgical population have not been published to date.  To assess changes in the measurements of lymphedema in surgical head and neck cancer patients during the hospital stay with implementation of modified decongestive therapy (MDT).

Mechanical adaptations in walking using carbon fiber ankle foot orthoses for patients with peripheral artery disease.

Background: The effectiveness of community-based walking programs for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) can be limited by calf claudication during exercise. Recent evidence finds adding carbon fiber ankle foot orthoses (AFO) to a walking program can result in improvements in patient mobility and delay claudication onset when walking.

Research Question: How may carbon fiber AFO alter ankle walking mechanics and corresponding triceps surae muscle recruitment in a manner that could improve patient mobility?

Methods: In this repeated measures cohort study, fifteen patients with PAD were fit with bilateral AFO before completing self-paced gait analysis including electromyography.

Reasons for Having Unprotected Sex Among Adolescents and Young Adults Accessing Reproductive Health Services.

Introduction: Although research suggests that young people are more likely to have unprotected sex than adults, their reasons for doing so are not well-understood. Among a sample of young people accessing no-cost contraceptive services, we explored their reported reasons for having unprotected sex and their willingness to have unprotected sex in the future.

Methods: We recruited sexually active assigned female at birth youth at 10 family planning clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area (n = 212).

Referral Patterns of Outpatient Palliative Care among the Head and Neck Cancer Population.

 Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) experience unique physical and psychosocial challenges that impact their health and quality of life. Early implementation of palliative care has been shown to improve various health care outcomes.  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the patterns of referral of patients with HNC to outpatient palliative care as they relate to utilization of resources and end-of-life discussions.

Evaluation of Viral Loads in Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Infection: Higher Loads Do Not Translate Into Different Testing Scenarios.

The Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant is very infectious, and it is spreading quickly during this pandemic. In the study, we compared viral loads estimated by means of the Ct values emerging from RT-PCR swab tests in surging cases infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in the fourth wave of COVID-19 with the three prior waves. The data comprised viral loads from positive cases detected within the UPMC health care system in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Evaluation of the Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test for bronchoalveolar lavage.

Accurate and rapid laboratory tests are essential for the prompt diagnosis of COVID-19, which is important to patients and infection control. The Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test is a real-time RT-PCR intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory specimens. In this study, we assessed the analytical performance characteristics of this rapid test for SARS-CoV-2 in 60 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens.

Thyroidectomy with and without laryngectomy: Differences in post-operative hypocalcemia and management.

Background: Total laryngectomy (TL) with thyroidectomy can pose significant risks to parathyroid function, and variance in rates of post-operative hypocalcemia (POH) based on extent of thyroidectomy have not been previously reported. Our objective is to identify the rates of hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism in TL+/-thyroidectomy and compare this to matched thyroidectomy alone cohorts.

Methods: Multi-institutional retrospective chart review of patients treated surgically for laryngeal cancer with TL or benign/malignant thyroid disease with thyroidectomy at regional tertiary care centers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana from 2016 to 2019.

Protein requirements for critically ill ventilator-dependent patients with COVID-19.

Background: Recent studies indicate critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are hypermetabolic; however, protein requirements in critically ill COVID-19 patients are unknown. Our intent was to evaluate the nitrogen accretion response to varying protein intakes for critically ill ventilator-dependent patients with COVID-19.

Methods: Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) with COVID-19, admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and who required mechanical ventilation were retrospectively evaluated.

Incidental finding of a needle in the root of the mesentery of an 11-month-old boy: A case report.

Foreign body (FB) ingestion is very common in the pediatric population. Children will have different presentations based on their age, size, type, and site of the ingested FB. Some children can present with serious complications, others can be completely asymptomatic.

How do contraindications to non-opioid analgesics and opioids affect the likelihood that patients with back pain diagnoses in the primary care setting receive an opioid prescription? An observational cross-sectional study.

Background: Given the risks of opioids, clinicians are under growing pressure to treat pain with non-opioid medications. Yet non-opioid analgesics such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have their own risks: patients with kidney disease or gastrointestinal diseases can experience serious adverse events. We examined the likelihood that patients with back pain diagnoses and contraindications to NSAIDs and opioids received an opioid prescription in primary care.

The Role of Health Care Providers in Young Women's Attitudes about and Willingness to Use Emergency Contraceptive Pills.

Background: Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are an underused resource among adolescent and young adult women who have unprotected sex. This analysis examines young women's attitudes about and willingness to use ECPs, with particular attention to their experiences with health care providers.

Methods: Sexually active young women (ages 15-25, assigned female at birth, N = 212) completed a self-administered survey at 10 family planning clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Examining the relationship of immunotherapy and wound complications following flap reconstruction in patients with head and neck cancer.

Background: Immunotherapy agents are used to treat advanced head and neck lesions. We aim to elucidate relationship between immunotherapy and surgical wound complications.

Methods: Retrospective multi-institutional case series evaluating patients undergoing ablative and flap reconstructive surgery and immunotherapy treatment.

"It's Worked Well for Me": Young Women's Reasons for Choosing Lower-Efficacy Contraceptive Methods.

Study Objective: To understand the diverse reasons why some young women choose contraceptive methods that are less effective at preventing pregnancy, including condoms, withdrawal, and emergency contraception pills, even when more effective contraceptive methods are made available to them.

Design: In-depth interviews with young women at family planning clinics in July-November 2016. Interview data were thematically coded and analyzed using an iterative approach.