Association of Age and Patient Satisfaction Scores: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Patient satisfaction surveys, used as a quality indicator, play a role in determining reimbursement. Quality-based payments have been used by Medicare for physician reimbursement since 2015. Numerous papers report a scoring bias associated with nonmodifiable patient demographics, such as age or gender.

Electronic Patient Reported Outcome (ePRO) Measures in Patients with Soft Tissue Sarcoma (STS) Receiving Palliative Treatment.

The PazoQoL prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter study was designed to continuously assess global health related quality of life (HRQoL) during treatment with pazopanib or physician-preferred chemotherapy over a 9-week period. The questionnaires were completed by the patients at home with great reliability during this time period. Continuous electronic patient reported outcome (ePRO) enabled early detection of the onset of deterioration and timely initiation of countermeasures.

Clinical characteristics and predictors of neonatal outcomes in chorioamnionitis at term gestation: A cohort study.

Objective: To investigate the association between clinical and laboratory characteristics of chorioamnionitis in deliveries at term gestation with adverse neonatal outcomes.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: The study is based on data from the Swedish Pregnancy Register, enriched with clinical data extracted from medical charts.

Factors Associated with Potentially Inappropriate Screening for Vitamin D Deficiency among Women in Medically Underserved Regions of West Texas.

Testing for vitamin D deficiency (VDD) has been on the increase due to its association with several diseases. However, inappropriate testing for VDD, defined as screening for VDD among individuals with a low risk, has been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with potentially inappropriate screening for VDD among medically underserved populations in West Texas.

Comparison of Creatinine, Urea, Ionized Calcium, and Bicarbonate Methods by 2 POC Systems and a Mainframe Chemistry Analyzer.

Background: The i-STAT (iST) and GEM Premier ChemSTAT (ChmST) are point-of-care systems that measure electrolytes, metabolites, acid-base parameters, and hematocrit on blood. We compared results for creatinine, urea (blood urea nitrogen [BUN]), total carbon dioxide (tCo2), and ionized calcium (ion Ca) on blood by the ChmST and iST to Beckman DxC600 (DxC600) results for creatinine and urea on plasma and GEM Premier 5000 (GEM5K) results for ion Ca and tCo2 on blood.

Methods: 107 heparinized blood specimens were analyzed on the ChmST and iST systems, with plasma tested by DxC600 for creatinine and BUN and blood tested by GEM5K for ion Ca and tCo2.

Efficacy of organo-selenium-incorporated urinary catheter tubing for in vitro growth inhibition of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and H. influenzae.

Purpose: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are of significant medical burden in cost, morbidity, and mortality. Experimental selenium-coated medical devices have demonstrated non-toxic in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity. While antimicrobial-coated catheters have shown efficacy in preventing CAUTIs, selenium has not been tested in this context.

The transcriptomic landscape of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense during magnetosome biomineralization.

Background: One of the most complex prokaryotic organelles are magnetosomes, which are formed by magnetotactic bacteria as sensors for navigation in the Earth's magnetic field. In the alphaproteobacterium Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense magnetosomes consist of chains of magnetite crystals (FeO) that under microoxic to anoxic conditions are biomineralized within membrane vesicles. To form such an intricate structure, the transcription of > 30 specific structural genes clustered within the genomic magnetosome island (MAI) has to be coordinated with the expression of an as-yet unknown number of auxiliary genes encoding several generic metabolic functions.

Development of a Business Model Resilience Framework for Managers and Strategic Decision-makers.

Following the massive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy and on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular, the concept of resilience has experienced a renaissance. As an organizational concept, business model resilience describes the extent to which an organization can maintain or quickly recover its value proposition despite unexpected current or future disruptions (Palzkill-Vorbeck 2018). Although research has been conducted in this area for decades, there is still a lack of a unified framework that brings together the findings from research and links them to organizational practice.

Use of Antimicrobial-Coated Catheters in Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections and Bacteriuria: A Meta-Analysis for Clinicians.

Introduction: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections comprise a significant burden to the health care system and are of major concern for indwelling catheter use. Catheter coatings have been studied for their potential to reduce risk of infection. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to determine the efficacy of coated catheters across clinical studies in preventing these common nosocomial infections.

The Complex Transcriptional Landscape of Magnetosome Gene Clusters in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense.

Magnetosomes are complex membrane organelles synthesized by magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) for navigation in the Earth's magnetic field. In the alphaproteobacterium Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense, all steps of magnetosome formation are tightly controlled by >30 specific genes arranged in several gene clusters. However, the transcriptional organization of the magnetosome gene clusters has remained poorly understood.

Association between Payer-Class and Patient Satisfaction Scores in an Academic Urology Outpatient Clinic.

Introduction: As physician reimbursement models transition from fee-for-service to value-based purchasing, patient satisfaction is becoming an important payment modifier. Studies have shown correlation between nonmodifiable patient attributes and satisfaction scores. This study aims to investigate potential patient bias in survey scores associated with payer type in an academic urology outpatient clinic setting.

Sesbanimide R, a Novel Cytotoxic Polyketide Produced by Magnetotactic Bacteria.

Genomic information from various magnetotactic bacteria suggested that besides their common ability to form magnetosomes, they potentially also represent a source of bioactive natural products. By using targeted deletion and transcriptional activation, we connected a large biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) of the -acyltransferase polyketide synthase (-AT PKS) type to the biosynthesis of a novel polyketide in the alphaproteobacterium Structure elucidation by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) revealed that this secondary metabolite resembles sesbanimides, which were very recently reported from other taxa. However, sesbanimide R exhibits an additional arginine moiety the presence of which reconciles inconsistencies in the previously proposed sesbanimide biosynthesis pathway observed when comparing the chemical structure and the potential biochemistry encoded in the BGC.

Potential Bias of Patient Payer Category on CG-CAHPS Scores and Its Impact on Physician Reimbursement.

Introduction: Patient satisfaction scores play an ever increasing role in physician reimbursement. Positive scores contribute to a physician earning up to 9% reimbursement bonuses, while negative scores may contribute up to 9% reduction in reimbursement. This method of reimbursement modification is already standard within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is quickly catching on with commercial payers.

An automated oxystat fermentation regime for microoxic cultivation of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense.

Background: Magnetosomes produced by magnetotactic bacteria represent magnetic nanoparticles with unprecedented characteristics. However, their use in many biotechnological applications has so far been hampered by their challenging bioproduction at larger scales.

Results: Here, we developed an oxystat batch fermentation regime for microoxic cultivation of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense in a 3 L bioreactor.

Review of New Implantable Tibial Nerve Stimulators in Comparison to Established Third Line Treatment Modalities for Nonneurogenic Overactive Bladder.

Introduction: New technologies are currently evolving in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome, giving physicians and patients additional options when conservative care fails to resolve symptoms. The purpose of this review is to compare the prospective clinical data of the new small implantable devices stimulating the tibial nerve to recent prospective clinical studies of sacral nerve stimulation, percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation and botulinum toxin injection, which are currently the most established third line treatment modalities in overactive bladder syndrome.

Methods: A literature search on PubMed®/MEDLINE® was performed for new technologies in neuromodulation to improve overactive bladder syndrome.

New Implantable Tibial Nerve Stimulation Devices: Review of Published Clinical Results in Comparison to Established Neuromodulation Devices.

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to offer an update for medical providers practicing general urology and urogynecology in evolving and new promising technologies for neuromodulation in patients with OAB.

Patients And Methods: A focused literature search for the years 2015 through 2019 was conducted on PubMed/Medline for the terms: "new techniques" AND "neuromodulation" AND "tibial nerve stimulation" AND "overactive bladder". We limited our search to publications in English, for the last five years and with patient follow-up of at least 3 months.

Probing the Nanostructure and Arrangement of Bacterial Magnetosomes by Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering.

Magnetosomes are membrane-enveloped single-domain ferromagnetic nanoparticles enabling the navigation of magnetotactic bacteria along magnetic field lines. Strict control over each step of biomineralization generates particles of high crystallinity, strong magnetization, and remarkable uniformity in size and shape, which is particularly interesting for many biomedical and biotechnological applications. However, to understand the physicochemical processes involved in magnetite biomineralization, close and precise monitoring of particle production is required.

Validity of sentinel node biopsy in early oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: This study investigates the possibility and sensibility of using sentinel node biopsy (SNB) during surgery for oropharyngeal carcinomas with clinically and radiographically unremarkable cervical lymph nodes.

Materials And Methods: A total of 36 patients who were treated for early oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma and unremarkable cervical lymph nodes were included in this study. After lymphoscintigraphy for detecting sentinel lymph nodes (SLN), the SLN were excised first.

Effectiveness of a standardized patient education program on therapy-related side effects and unplanned therapy interruptions in oral cancer therapy: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Oral agents for cancer treatment are increasingly prescribed due to their benefits. However, oral cancer medications are difficult to handle and have a considerable potential for side effects. This type of therapy requires a high level of self-management competence by the patient.

[Internet Use by Oncology Outpatients: Results of a Survey in Germany].

Objective: Internet has become an important source of information for cancer patients regarding disease and treatment. A national survey was conducted to assess the importance of Internet in the routine care of cancer patients in Germany.

Method: The cross-sectional survey included 5,984 outpatients (56.