Vocal Fatigue Experiences and Mitigation Strategies in the Sacred Harp Singing Community.

Objectives: Sacred Harp singers sing at a high volume for sustained periods of time without collective warm-up or cool-down exercises, ostensibly putting them at elevated risk for vocal fatigue (VF) and associated vocal pathologies. Participants are also likely to lack formal vocal training. The purpose of this study was to (1) assess singers' experiences with VF, (2) document singers' strategies for mitigating VF, and (3) determine whether vocal training was associated with decreased vocal difficulties.

Effects of Specialist Palliative Care for Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery for Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Specialist palliative care benefits patients undergoing medical treatment of cancer; however, data are lacking on whether patients undergoing surgery for cancer similarly benefit from specialist palliative care.

Objective: To determine the effect of a specialist palliative care intervention on patients undergoing surgery for cure or durable control of cancer.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a single-center randomized clinical trial conducted from March 1, 2018, to October 28, 2021.

Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Encapsulation Geometry Impacts Three-Dimensional Developing Human Engineered Cardiac Tissue Functionality.

Cardiac tissue engineering has been working to alleviate the immense burden of cardiovascular disease for several decades. To improve cardiac tissue homogeneity and cardiomyocyte (CM) maturation, in this study, we investigated altering initial encapsulation geometry in a three-dimensional (3D) direct cardiac differentiation platform. Traditional engineered cardiac tissue production utilizes predifferentiated CMs to produce 3D cardiac tissue and often involves various cell selection and exogenous stimulation methods to promote CM maturation.

Assessing the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool in the detection of human DNA in water.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a highly sensitive and cost-effective tool that is increasingly being applied to studies of biodiversity and species detection. This non-invasive method relies on the collection of environmental samples that contain genetic material being shed into surrounding environment by the target organism/s. While forensic science has a long history of using molecular tools for collecting DNA from the environment, the detection of human DNA from environmental water samples has been limited.

Detecting marine pests using environmental DNA and biophysical models.

The spread of marine pests is occurring at record rates due to globalisation and increasing trade. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging tool for pest surveillance, allowing for the detection of genetic material shed by organisms into the environment. However, factors influencing the spatial and temporal detection limits of eDNA in marine environments are poorly understood.

Engineered cardiac tissue microsphere production through direct differentiation of hydrogel-encapsulated human pluripotent stem cells.

Engineered cardiac tissues that can be directly produced from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in scalable, suspension culture systems are needed to meet the demands of cardiac regenerative medicine. Here, we demonstrate successful production of functional cardiac tissue microspheres through direct differentiation of hydrogel encapsulated hiPSCs. To form the microspheres, hiPSCs were suspended within the photocrosslinkable biomaterial, PEG-fibrinogen (25 million cells/mL), and encapsulated at a rate of 420,000 cells/minute using a custom microfluidic system.

Statistical analysis plan for the Surgery for Cancer with Option of Palliative Care Expert (SCOPE) trial: a randomized controlled trial of a specialist palliative care intervention for patients undergoing surgery for cancer.

Background: The impact of specialist palliative care intervention in patients undergoing surgery for cancer has not been studied extensively. The SCOPE randomized controlled trial will investigate the effect of specialist palliative care intervention in cancer patients undergoing surgery for selected abdominal malignancies. The study protocol of the SCOPE Trial was published in December 2019.

"Like Pieces in a Puzzle": Online Sacred Harp Singing During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Sacred Harp singers the world over gather weekly to sing out of , a collection of shape-note songs first published in 1844. Their tradition is highly ritualized, and it plays an important role in the lives of many participants. Following the implementation of lockdown protocols to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, groups of Sacred Harp singers quickly and independently devised a variety of means by which to sing together online using Zoom ("zinging"), Jamulus ("jamzinging"), and Facebook Live ("stringing").

Unconventional use of ablative fractional photothermolysis in arm contouring.

Brachioplasty, in addition to several nonsurgical interventions (e.g. cryolipolysis, noninvasive radiofrequency, and intense-focused ultrasound) have been described as efficacious in the elimination of excess skin laxity from the upper arms.

The Efficacy of Surgical Excision Plus Adjuvant Multimodal Therapies in the Treatment of Keloids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Research evaluating the efficacy of multimodal therapy for the treatment of keloids has reported combination regimens are most effective.

Objective: To compare recurrence rates for keloids treated with surgery plus one adjuvant intervention (dual therapy) versus surgery plus 2 or more adjuvant interventions (triple therapy).

Materials And Methods: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of combination treatment for keloids.

Direct Production of Human Cardiac Tissues by Pluripotent Stem Cell Encapsulation in Gelatin Methacryloyl.

Direct stem cell encapsulation and cardiac differentiation within supporting biomaterial scaffolds are critical for reproducible and scalable production of the functional human tissues needed in regenerative medicine and drug-testing applications. Producing cardiac tissues directly from pluripotent stem cells rather than assembling tissues using pre-differentiated cells can eliminate multiple cell-handling steps that otherwise limit the potential for process automation and production scale-up. Here we asked whether our process for forming 3D developing human engineered cardiac tissues using poly(ethylene glycol)-fibrinogen hydrogels can be extended to widely used and printable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels.

Modeling the Kinetics of Serum Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, Ubiquitin Carboxyl-Terminal Hydrolase-L1, and S100B Concentrations in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), and S100B have been shown to be predictive of patients with brain injury. Kinetics of these biomarkers in injured humans have not been extensively examined. This prospective multi-center study included patients with mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury.

Utility of point of care assessment of platelet reactivity (using the PFA-100®) to aid in diagnosis of stroke.

Background: Rapid and accurate diagnosis of patients presenting with symptoms of stroke is needed to facilitate the timely delivery of proven effective treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The aim of this study was to determine whether early assessment of platelet reactivity in patients presenting with symptoms of AIS was associated with a diagnosis of AIS, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or stroke mimic.

Methods: This prospective study included patients with symptoms of AIS treated at an inner-city emergency department (ED).

Oesophagectomy for squamous cell carcinoma: lessons from a decade of consecutive resections.

The aim of this study was to analyse the outcome following oesophageal resection for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a large volume unit. Between 1987 and 1997, 166 patients with SCC underwent oesophagectomy. The outcomes and pathological characteristics of this cohort were then analysed.

Nutritional status affects long term survival after lobectomy for lung cancer.

Study Objectives: Nutritional status has been reported as a predictor of complications following surgery for lung cancer. However, the impact of impaired nutrition in the long term has not been extensively studied. We have analysed our own experience after lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Redo antireflux surgery--the importance of a tailored approach.

Objective: Although several studies have examined early outcome following redo antireflux surgery, there is little data on the long-term efficacy of these procedures. We reviewed our experience of these operations in order to assess the long-term results which can be achieved by choosing redo antireflux procedures based on the results obtained from pre-operative oesophageal function testing.

Methods: The case notes of 26 patients who underwent a repeat antireflux procedure between 1981 and 2000 were reviewed.

Characterization of a peptide inhibitor of Janus kinase 2 that mimics suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 function.

Positive and negative regulation of cytokines such as IFN-gamma are key to normal homeostatic function. Negative regulation of IFN-gamma in cells occurs via proteins called suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and -3. SOCS-1 inhibits IFN-gamma function by binding to the autophosphorylation site of the tyrosine kinase Janus kinase (JAK)2.

Histological determinants of survival in completely resected T1-2N1M0 nonsmall cell cancer of the lung.

Background: The histologic determinants of survival after surgical resection of stage II nonsmall cell lung cancer are poorly understood. We analyzed the prognostic significance of a number of histologic features after complete resection of T1-2N1M0 nonsmall cell cancer of the lung.

Methods: The case notes and histology of all patients who underwent a potentially curative surgical resection for T1-2N1M0 nonsmall cell carcinoma of the lung between 1991 and 1997 were reviewed retrospectively.

Pneumonectomy for stage I (T1N0 and T2N0) nonsmall cell lung cancer has potent, adverse impact on survival.

Background: Surgically treated, stage I (T1N0 and T2N0) nonsmall cell lung cancer has a relatively favorable prognosis. Our aim was to determine whether performing a pneumonectomy in this group of patients has an impact on survival.

Methods: Four hundred eighty-five patients with stage I nonsmall cell lung cancer undergoing lung resection between 1991 and 2000 were studied.

Do women live longer following lung resection for carcinoma?

Objective: To determine whether patient gender affects the outlook following lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Prospectively collected data on 833 patients undergoing lung resection for NSCLC between 1990 and 2000 in a single unit were analysed.

Results: 581 patients were male (mean age 64.