Contextualizing the Resurgence of U.S. Housestaff Union Activity.

There is a growing trend of resident and fellow physician unionization in the United States, with 14 new housestaff unions formed at private employers since 2022. This resurgence of housestaff union organizing parallels the last era of housestaff activism in the 1960s. Today's housestaff organizing takes place within the context of longstanding challenges in medicine, including the burnout and systemic inequities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and an increase in national activism and labor organizing.

Education About Specialty Palliative Care Among Nonhealthcare Workers: A Systematic Review.

Context: Despite the expansion of palliative care (PC) services, the public has little knowledge and holds misperceptions about PC, creating barriers to accessing timely specialty PC.

Objectives: To systematically review the evidence regarding the efficacy of educational interventions to improve knowledge and attitudes about PC among nonhealthcare workers.

Methods: We searched five databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CIANHL, Web of Science, and Scopus) for studies investigating educational interventions about specialty PC in adults who identified as patients, caregivers, or members of the public.

Voice Assistants' Responses to Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccine: National Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Artificial intelligence-powered voice assistants (VAs), such as Apple Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa, interact with users in natural language and are capable of responding to simple commands, searching the internet, and answering questions. Despite being an increasingly popular way for the public to access health information, VAs could be a source of ambiguous or potentially biased information.

Objective: In response to the ongoing prevalence of vaccine misinformation and disinformation, this study aims to evaluate how smartphone VAs respond to information- and recommendation-seeking inquiries regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

Using Wearable Biosensors to Predict Length of Stay for Patients with IBD After Bowel Surgery.

Background And Aims: It remains unknown whether ambulation or sleep predicts postoperative length of stay for patients with IBD. We aim to identify the utility of wearable biosensors in predicting postoperative length of stay for patients with IBD.

Methods: Associations of postoperative length of stay with step count/sleep duration/sleep efficiency measured by wearable biosensors were examined.

Black Race and Public Insurance Are Predictive of Inappropriate Evaluation of Iron Deficiency Anemia and Diarrhea.

Background And Aims: Socioeconomic status, race, and insurance can impact healthcare delivery and utilization in several chronic disease states. The primary aim of our study was to determine whether race and insurance status are predictors of having an appropriate workup for celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when presenting with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and chronic diarrhea.

Methods: Medical records of patients seen at the University of Chicago Medical Center between January 1, 2006, and September 20, 2017, were reviewed.

Cumulative Histologic Inflammation Predicts Colorectal Neoplasia in Ulcerative Colitis: A Validation Study.

Background: Chronic inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with the development of colorectal neoplasia (CRN). A group at St. Mark's Hospital reported a novel cumulative inflammatory index that predicted the development of CRN in UC patients that we validated with an independent, well-described, matched, case-controlled cohort from the University of Chicago.

Efficacy and safety of induction therapy with calcineurin inhibitors followed by vedolizumab maintenance in 71 patients with severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis.

Background: Following induction therapy with a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) in severe ulcerative colitis, transitioning to vedolizumab as maintenance therapy could be an option.

Aim: To report on the largest cohort of patients successfully induced with CNIs who were transitioned to vedolizumab maintenance therapy.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of adult patients with severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis.

Long-Duration Oral Vancomycin to Treat Clostridioides difficile in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Is Associated With a Low Rate of Recurrence.

Objectives: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are susceptible to Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), suffering from greater morbidity and mortality than the general population. Previous studies have proven the efficacy of oral vancomycin therapy in CDI, but there are no definitive guidelines to treat patients with IBD. We assessed the relationship between the length of vancomycin therapy and rates of CDI recurrence and reinfection in patients with IBD.

Low-Dose Metronidazole is Associated With a Decreased Rate of Endoscopic Recurrence of Crohn's Disease After Ileal Resection: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background And Aims: Recurrence of Crohn's disease after surgical resection and primary anastomosis is an important clinical challenge. Previous studies have demonstrated the benefit of imidazole antibiotics, but have been limited by adverse events and medication intolerance. We evaluated whether administration of low-dose metronidazole [250 mg three times per day] for 3 months reduces endoscopic postoperative recurrence rates.

Real-World Experience with Tofacitinib in IBD at a Tertiary Center.

Background And Aims: Many inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients do not respond to medical therapy. Tofacitinib is a first-in-class, partially selective inhibitor of Janus kinase, recently approved for treating patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We describe our experience with the use of tofacitinib for treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe IBD.

Abnormal Pouchogram Predicts Pouch Failure Even in Asymptomatic Patients.

Background: Anastomotic complications after restorative total proctocolectomy with IPAA for ulcerative colitis alter functional outcomes and quality of life and may lead to pouch failure. Routine contrast enema of the pouch assesses anastomotic integrity before ileostomy reversal, but its clinical use is challenged.

Objective: The purpose of this research was to assess the relationship among preoperative clinical characteristics, abnormal pouchography, and long-term pouch complications.

Dietary aflatoxin-induced stunting in a novel rat model: evidence for toxin-induced liver injury and hepatic growth hormone resistance.

Background: Despite a strong statistical correlation between dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-exposure and childhood stunting, the causal mechanism remains speculative. This issue is important because of emerging interest in reduction of human aflatoxin exposure to diminish the prevalence and complications of stunting. Pediatric liver diseases cause growth impairment, and AFB1 is hepatotoxic.