Predictors of extended length of stay following outpatient reduction mammaplasty.

Purpose: Reduction mammaplasty has transitioned into a largely outpatient procedure in the United States. Following planned outpatient procedures, patients may still be admitted for additional inpatient care, incurring clinical and economic burden. Prior literature has not explored the preoperative and perioperative determinants of extended lengths of stay (LOS) after breast reduction surgery.

The impact of a shadowing program on medical students' interest in plastic surgery.

Given the lack of formal education on plastic surgery services during the preclinical years of medical school, many medical students commonly misunderstand the breadth and depth of the field. Shadowing is highly impactful in shaping students' desire to pursue surgery, but the impact of plastic surgery shadowing remains unexplored. The study design utilized an anonymous web-based survey containing questions surrounding prior interest in surgery, race, gender, medical school progress, and clinical versus OR shadowing.

Concordance of National Insurance Criteria with WPATH Standards of Care for Gender-Affirming Surgery.

Background: Given that gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is considered medically necessary for transgender and gender-diverse individuals who desire it, the aim of this study was to assess the concordance of insurance criteria for GAS with the most recent World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8.

Methods: Insurance policies for coverage of gender-affirming genital surgery ("bottom surgery"), chest surgery ("top surgery"), and facial reconstruction from companies representing 80% of the market coverage in each state were evaluated. Policies were classified into 3 categories: no coverage, case by case, or preauthorization.

National Legislative Favorability and Insurance Coverage for Adult and Adolescent Gender-Affirming Surgery.

Background: Despite established medical necessity, laws prohibiting coverage discrimination, and increasing numbers of transgender and gender-diverse patients seeking gender-affirming surgery (GAS), cost and restrictive insurance policies continue to be the most common barriers. As recent legislation places further restrictions on GAS, this study aimed to provide an updated review of insurance policies and assess the relationship between legislative favorability and coverage.

Methods: Insurance policies of groups representing 80% market coverage in each state were collected for gender-affirming chest, genital, and facial surgery.

Preventing Metastasis Using Gold Nanorod-Assisted Plasmonic Photothermal Therapy in Xenograft Mice.

Despite significant research regarding metastasis, there has been limited success in preventing it. However, gold nanoparticle (AuNP) technology has shown the potential to inhibit metastasis. Our earlier studies of gold nanorod-assisted plasmonic photothermal therapy (AuNRs-PPTT), where gold nanorods (AuNRs) were irradiated with near-infrared (NIR) light to induce heat, were utilized in slowing cancer cell migration .

Complete Genome Sequences of Bacteriophages Isolated from Freshwater Samples in Omaha, Nebraska.

The complete genome sequences of four bacteriophages, UNO-SLW1 to UNO-SLW4, isolated from freshwater samples, are 39,092 to 39,215 bp long. The genomes are highly similar (identity, >0.995) but dissimilar from that of phage Pf-10 (the closest relative, 0.

Deficient acid handling with distal RTA in the NBCe2 knockout mouse.

In many circumstances, the pathogenesis of distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) is not understood. In the present study, we report that a mouse model lacking the electrogenic Na(+)-HCO3 (-) cotransporter [NBCe2/Slc4a5; NBCe2 knockout (KO) mice] developed dRTA after an oral acid challenge. NBCe2 expression was identified in the connecting tubule (CNT) of wild-type mice, and its expression was significantly increased after acid loading.

Increased Epithelial Sodium Channel Activity Contributes to Hypertension Caused by Na+-HCO3- Cotransporter Electrogenic 2 Deficiency.

The gene SLC4A5 encodes the Na(+)-HCO3 (-) cotransporter electrogenic 2, which is located in the distal nephron. Genetically deleting Na(+)-HCO3 (-) cotransporter electrogenic 2 (knockout) causes Na(+)-retention and hypertension, a phenotype that is diminished with alkali loading. We performed experiments with acid-loaded mice and determined whether overactive epithelial Na(+) channels (ENaC) or the Na(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter causes the Na(+) retention and hypertension in knockout.

Low Na, high K diet and the role of aldosterone in BK-mediated K excretion.

A low Na, high K diet (LNaHK) is associated with a low rate of cardiovascular (CV) disease in many societies. Part of the benefit of LNaHK relies on its diuretic effects; however, the role of aldosterone (aldo) in the diuresis is not understood. LNaHK mice exhibit an increase in renal K secretion that is dependent on the large, Ca-activated K channel, (BK-α with accessory BK-β4; BK-α/β4).