Investigation of Lung Cancer Cell Response to Cryoablation and Adjunctive Gemcitabine-Based Cryo-Chemotherapy Using the A549 Cell Line.

Due to the rising annual incidence of lung cancer (LC), new treatment strategies are needed. While various options exist, many, if not all, remain suboptimal. Several studies have shown cryoablation to be a promising approach.

Machine learning and related approaches in transcriptomics.

Data acquisition for transcriptomic studies used to be the bottleneck in the transcriptomic analytical pipeline. However, recent developments in transcriptome profiling technologies have increased researchers' ability to obtain data, resulting in a shift in focus to data analysis. Incorporating machine learning to traditional analytical methods allows the possibility of handling larger volumes of complex data more efficiently.

The Assessment of a Novel Endoscopic Ultrasound-Compatible Cryocatheter to Ablate Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease that may be treated utilizing thermal therapies. Cryoablation is an effective, minimally invasive therapy that has been utilized for the treatment of various cancers, offering patients a quicker recovery and reduced side effects. Cryoablation has been utilized on a limited basis for the treatment of PDAC.

Evaluation of a New Cystoscopic Cryocatheter and Method for the Destruction of Bladder Cancer: Preliminary Study.

To assess the ability to deliver full-thickness bladder wall cryoablation through a cystoscopic approach using a new closed-loop 6F cryocatheter and thermal dose-controlled protocol. Evaluations were conducted using a chronic porcine model wherein 10 lesions/animal were created throughout the bladder (bladder wall, trigone region, ureteral orifice, and distal ureter). A 6F cryocatheter was passed through the working channel of a flexible cystoscope.

Say you'll be there: Associations between observed verbal responses, friendship quality, and perceptions of support in young adult friendships.

Friendships are a primary source of social support during young adulthood; however, little is known about the factors associated with young adults feeling greater support during interactions with friends. We examined how micro-level verbal responses and macro-level judgments of friendship quality were associated with perceptions of support following an interaction between friends. Same-gender friend dyads ( = 132; 66.

Protein-coding circular RNAs - mechanism, detection, and their role in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a unique class of non-coding RNAs and were originally thought to have no protein-coding potential due to their lack of a 5' cap and 3' poly(A) tail. However, recent studies have challenged this notion and revealed that some circRNAs have protein-coding potential. They have emerged as a key area of interest in cancer and neurodegeneration research as recent studies have identified several circRNAs that can produce functional proteins with important roles in cancer progression.

An In Vitro Investigation into Cryoablation and Adjunctive Cryoablation/Chemotherapy Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer Using the PANC-1 Cell Line.

As the incidence of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to grow, so does the need for new strategies for treatment. One such area being evaluated is cryoablation. While promising, studies remain limited and questions surrounding basic dosing (minimal lethal temperature) coupled with technological issues associated with accessing PDAC tumors and tumor proximity to vasculature and bile ducts, among others, have limited the use of cryoablation.

EDS-related Feeding Difficulties: Preventing the Placement of a Surgical Feeding Tube.

Feeding difficulties due to functional gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (i.e., nausea, pain, and bloating) are well described in patients with hypermobile-type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Investigation of Bladder Cancer Cell Response to Cryoablation and Adjunctive Cisplatin Based Cryo/Chemotherapy.

Due to a rising annual incidence of bladder cancer, there is a growing need for development of new strategies for treatment. In 2018, the World Cancer Research Fund and other groups reported that there were ~550,000 new cases worldwide of bladder cancer. It has been further estimated that >200,000 individuals die annually from bladder cancer worldwide.

Cryoablation: physical and molecular basis with putative immunological consequences.

Cryoablation (CA) is unique as the that impacts all cellular processes. CA is independent of cell cycle stage and degree of cellular stemness. Importantly, CA is typically applied as a non-repetitive (single session) treatment that does not support adaptative mutagenesis as do many repetitive therapies.

Improving Care for Sickle Cell Pain Crisis Using a Multidisciplinary Approach.

Objectives: Frequent hospitalizations for sickle cell disease (SCD) vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) are associated with school absenteeism, emotional distress, and financial hardships. Our goal was to decrease hospital days for VOC admissions by 40% over a 5-year period.

Methods: From October 2011 to September 2016, a multidisciplinary quality-improvement project was conducted with a plan-do-study-act methodology.

Understanding Liability Risks and Protections for Pediatric Providers During Disasters.

Although most health care providers will go through their careers without experiencing a major disaster in their local communities, if one does occur, it can be life and career altering. The American Academy of Pediatrics has been at the forefront of providing education and advocacy on the critical importance of disaster preparedness. From experiences over the past decade, new evidence and analysis have broadened our understanding that the concept of preparedness is also applicable to addressing the unique professional liability risks that can occur when caring for patients and families during a disaster.

Understanding Liability Risks and Protections for Pediatric Providers During Disasters.

Although most health care providers will go through their careers without experiencing a major disaster in their local communities, if one does occur, it can be life and career altering. The American Academy of Pediatrics has been in the forefront of providing education and advocacy on the critical importance of disaster preparedness. From experiences over the past decade, new evidence and analysis have broadened our understanding that the concept of preparedness is also applicable to addressing the unique professional liability risks that can occur when caring for patients and families during a disaster.

Defeating Cancers' Adaptive Defensive Strategies Using Thermal Therapies: Examining Cancer's Therapeutic Resistance, Ablative, and Computational Modeling Strategies as a means for Improving Therapeutic Outcome.

Background: Diverse thermal ablative therapies are currently in use for the treatment of cancer. Commonly applied with the intent to cure, these ablative therapies are providing promising success rates similar to and often exceeding "gold standard" approaches. Cancer-curing prospects may be enhanced by deeper understanding of thermal effects on cancer cells and the hosting tissue, including the molecular mechanisms of cancer cell mutations, which enable resistance to therapy.

Dose Escalation of Vitamin D Yields Similar Cryosurgical Outcome to Single Dose Exposure in a Prostate Cancer Model.

Vitamin D (VD) is an effective adjunctive agent, enhancing the destructive effects of freezing in prostate cancer cryoablation studies. We investigated whether dose escalation of VD over several weeks, to model the increase in physiological VD levels if an oral supplement were prescribed, would be as or more effective than a single treatment 1 to 2 days prior to freezing. PC-3 cells in log phase growth to model aggressive, highly metabolically active prostate cancer were exposed to a gradually increasing dose of VD to a final dose of 80 nM over a 4-week period, maintained for 2 weeks at 80 nM, and then exposed to mild sublethal freezing temperatures.

Assessment of Cryosurgical Device Performance Using a 3D Tissue-Engineered Cancer Model.

As the clinical use of cryoablation for the treatment of cancer has increased, so too has the need for knowledge on the dynamic environment within the frozen mass created by a cryoprobe. While a number of factors exist, an understanding of the iceball size, critical isotherm distribution/penetration, and the resultant lethal zone created by a cryoprobe are critical for clinical application. To this end, cryoprobe performance is typically characterized based on the iceball size and temperature penetration in phantom gel models.

Effects of alcohol-based hand hygiene solutions on breath alcohol detection in the emergency department.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of alcohol-based hand hygiene solution (ABHS) use by care providers on point-of-care alcohol breath analyzer interpretation under different clinically relevant conditions. Among each test condition (foam vehicle with immediate testing, gel vehicle with immediate testing, allowing hands to dry after the use of ABHS, and donning gloves after the use of ABHS), alcohol was detected in breath at 1 minute after use of ABHS. Because the use of ABHS by individuals administering breath alcohol detection may result in false-positive detection of alcohol, staff using these devices should consider traditional hand hygiene with soap and water.

Cost-effectiveness of point-of-care testing for dehydration in the pediatric ED.

Objectives: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and subsequent dehydration account for a large proportion of pediatric emergency department (PED) visits. Point-of-care (POC) testing has been used in conjunction with clinical assessment to determine the degree of dehydration. Despite the wide acceptance of POC testing, little formal cost-effective analysis of POC testing in the PED exists.

Investigation of the Impact of Cell Cycle Stage on Freeze Response Sensitivity of Androgen-Insensitive Prostate Cancer.

Background: Cryoablation, an effective means of ablating cancer, is often used in conjunction with adjuvants that target cancer cells in a specific cell cycle stage to increase treatment efficacy. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of cell cycle stage on cancer freeze response as well as investigate the potential cellular kinetic effect of calcitriol, the active metabolic of vitamin D3, when used as a cryosensitizing adjuvant in order to maximize prostate cancer cell death.

Methods: Cell cycle distribution of PC-3 cells was analyzed via flow cytometry to compare gap 1, synthesis, and gap 2/mitosis phase subpopulations pre- and postfreeze as well as changes elicited by calcitriol pretreatment.

In situ pediatric trauma simulation: assessing the impact and feasibility of an interdisciplinary pediatric in situ trauma care quality improvement simulation program.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and measure the impact of an in situ interdisciplinary pediatric trauma quality improvement simulation program.

Methods: Twenty-two monthly simulations were conducted in a tertiary care pediatric emergency department with the aim of improving the quality of pediatric trauma (February 2010 to November 2012). Each session included 20 minutes of simulated patient care, followed by 30 minutes of debriefing that focused on teamwork, communication, and the identification of gaps in care.

Nasal disc battery removal: a novel technique using a magnetic device.

Disc batteries as foreign bodies present challenges in both diagnosis and management and carry a high risk for complications. We describe a novel device for disc battery removal using a magnet and basic medical supplies readily available in the emergency department setting. We also review diagnosis, complications, and management recommendations for disc batteries as foreign bodies.

Psychiatric disease and drug abuse.

Purpose Of Review: The term 'dual diagnosis' most commonly refers to the combination of severe mental illness and substance-use disorder (SUD). It is estimated that 7-10 million people in the USA alone have at a minimum one psychiatric disorder in addition to a SUD. As many of the psychiatric illnesses implicated have their origins in childhood, the pediatric population is not immune to this 'dual diagnosis', particularly with the increasing availability of street drugs and increasing accessibility to prescription drugs.

Remember the saphenous: ultrasound evaluation and intravenous site selection of peripheral veins in young children.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to measure the width and depth of peripheral veins using bedside ultrasound in children younger than 3 years. Secondary objectives included the evaluation of other vein and patient characteristics that may affect intravenous (IV) site selection. Assessment of nursing preferences for peripheral IV site selection was performed.