IMPROVED PORTABLE INSTRUMENT TRACKING SYSTEM FOR SURGICAL TRAINING.

Surgeons in training have a limited opportunity to practice their skills in a realistic surgical environment. Surgical training models are expensive and are often single-use exercises involving consumable supplies. The goal of the work presented in this paper is to increase surgeon training time by developing a surgical training simulator that is portable, inexpensive, and offers a realistic surgical environment.

Malignancy risk associated with radioactive iodine therapy for Graves' disease.

Background: Radioactive iodine therapy (RAI) is a frequently chosen therapy for Graves' disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether RAI for Graves' disease increases the risk of thyroid malignancy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of all Graves' disease patients who underwent thyroidectomy at a single institution between 2013 and 2022.

Can large language models address unmet patient information needs and reduce provider burnout in the management of thyroid disease?

Background: Patient electronic messaging has increased clinician workload contributing to burnout. Large language models can respond to these patient queries, but no studies exist on large language model responses in thyroid disease.

Methods: This cross-sectional study randomly selected 33 of 52 patient questions found on Reddit/askdocs.

Language-based exclusion associations with racial and ethnic disparities in thyroid cancer clinical trials.

Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in thyroid cancer care may be mitigated by improving enrollment of more diverse patient populations in clinical trials. We studied trial eligibility criteria and enrollment to assess barriers to equitable representation.

Methods: ClinicalTrials.

Magnetically responsive micro-clustered calcium phosphate-reinforced cell-laden microbead sodium alginate hydrogel for accelerated osteogenic tissue regeneration.

The rising prevalence of bone injuries has increased the demand for minimally invasive treatments. Microbead hydrogels, renowned for cell encapsulation, provide a versatile substrate for bone tissue regeneration. They deliver bioactive agents, support cell growth, and promote osteogenesis, aiding bone repair and regeneration.

Evaluation of Esthetic Results after Mass Removal with Elliptical Skin Excision Using Ultrasonography to Measure Skin Thickness.

The growth of benign cutaneous masses causes the overlaying skin to expand and become thinner, especially at the central, most projected point. In this retrospective study, a surgical technique comprising an elliptical skin excision was employed to account for these skin changes. This retrospective study enrolled 980 patients with benign masses.

Self-Powered Water Splitting of NiFeN@FeN Bifunctional Catalyst Improved Catalytic Activity and Durability by Forming FeN on Catalyst Surface via the Kirkendall Effect.

Highly efficient water splitting electrocatalyst for producing hydrogen as a renewable energy source offers potential to achieve net-zero. However, it has significant challenges in using transition metal electrocatalysts as alternatives to noble metals due to their low efficiency and durability, furthermore, the reliance on electricity generation for electrocatalysts from fossil fuels leads to unavoidable carbon emissions. Here, a highly efficient self-powered water splitting system integrated is designed with triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and NiFeN@FeN catalyst with improved catalytic activity and durability.

Incidental Ga-DOTATATE uptake in thyroid nodules: Is guideline-directed management still appropriate?

Background: Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography imaging has been shown to be an independent risk factor for malignancy in thyroid nodules. More recently, a new positron emission tomography radiotracer-Gallium-68 DOTATATE-has gained popularity as a sensitive method to detect neuroendocrine tumors. With greater availability of this imaging, incidental Gallium-68 DOTATATE uptake in the thyroid gland has increased.

The effect of real versus sham intermittent theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with conventional treatment on poststroke dysphagia: a randomized controlled trial.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to the pharyngeal motor cortex has shown beneficial effects on poststroke dysphagia. Previous studies, however, using intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) for dysphagia have targeted the suprahyoid motor cortex. This study aimed to investigate the effects of iTBS to the pharyngeal motor cortex in patients with poststroke dysphagia, using ultrasound and videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS).

Abnormalities of Rest-Activity and Light Exposure Rhythms Associated with Cognitive Function in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

We aimed to examine the difference in rest-activity rhythm (RAR) and light exposure rhythm (LER) between patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal controls (NC), and to verify their relationships with cognitive functions. The neuropsychological battery was administered to participants above 50 years old. The MCI diagnosis was made according to Petersen's criteria.

Effect of Personalized Blue-Enriched White Light Intervention on Rest-Activity and Light Exposure Rhythms in Mild and Moderate Alzheimer's Disease.

Objective: We aimed to examine the effectiveness of personalized light intervention using a blue-enriched light-emitting-diodes device on rest-activity rhythm (RAR) and light exposure rhythm (LER) in patients with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: AD patients with poor sleep quality and/or insomnia symptoms were assigned into either an experimental group (EG) or control group (CG) in a single-blind design. Personalized light intervention was given at 9-10 h after individual dim light melatonin onset, lasting for 1 h every day for two weeks in the EG (77.

Comparison of intermittent theta burst stimulation and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on spinal cord injury-related neuropathic pain: A sham-controlled study.

Objective: To compare the effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on spinal cord injury-related neuropathic pain with sham controls, using neuropathic pain-specific evaluation tools.

Design: A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial.

Setting: Rehabilitation medicine department of a university hospital.

Disparities in access to high-volume parathyroid surgeons in the United States: A call to action.

Background: Parathyroidectomy by a high-volume surgeon is associated with a reduced risk of perioperative complications and of failure to cure primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism. There are limited data on disparities in access to high-volume parathyroid surgeons in the United States.

Methods: We used publicly available 2019 Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment data to identify all surgeons who performed >10 parathyroidectomies for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, anticipating that fee-for-service beneficiaries likely represent only a subset of their high-volume practices.

Comparison of Antiplatelet Monotherapies After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention According to Clinical, Ischemic, and Bleeding Risks.

Background: Clopidogrel was superior to aspirin monotherapy in secondary prevention after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefits of clopidogrel across high-risk subgroups METHODS: This was a post hoc analysis of the HOST-EXAM (Harmonizing Optimal Strategy for Treatment of coronary artery diseases-EXtended Antiplatelet Monotherapy) trial that randomly assigned patients who were event free for 6 to 18 months post-PCI on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to clopidogrel or aspirin monotherapy. Two clinical risk scores were used for risk stratification: the DAPT score and the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction Risk Score for Secondary Prevention (TRS 2°P) (the sum of age ≥75 years, diabetes, hypertension, current smoking, peripheral artery disease, stroke, coronary artery bypass grafting, heart failure, and renal dysfunction).

A Novel Risk Score to Predict Hungry Bone Syndrome After Parathyroidectomy for Renal Hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: Hungry bone syndrome (HBS) is a known complication of parathyroidectomy. Patients with renal hyperparathyroidism are particularly vulnerable to HBS because of their prolonged exposure to electrolyte abnormalities and elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH). However, in-depth characterization of predictive factors for HBS in these patients is lacking.

One-stage reconstruction using a fibula osteocutaneous free flap and an anterolateral thigh free flap for an extensive composite defect after en bloc resection of squamous cell carcinoma on the mouth floor, mandible, and anterior neck: A CARE-compliant case report.

Rationale: Although regional metastasis to the lymph nodes is common in advanced oral cancer, extensive local invasion into surrounding structures such as the mandible, skin and soft tissue of the neck, and masticator space is relatively rare. Sometimes surgical treatment cannot be performed and only palliative chemotherapy and radiation therapy are offered to preserve the quality of life of patients with advanced oral cancer. Nevertheless, the surgical resection of tumors remains the most effective treatment.

Evaluation of the Pinhole Method Using Carbon Dioxide Laser on Facial Telangiectasia.

Facial telangiectasias are small, dilated blood vessels frequently located on the face. They are cosmetically disfiguring and require an effective solution. We aimed to investigate the effect of the pinhole method using a carbon dioxide (CO) laser to treat facial telangiectasias.

Nanoscale Polishing Technique of Biomedical Grade NiTi Wire by Advanced MAF Process: Relationship between Surface Roughness and Bacterial Adhesion.

Nitinol (NiTi), an alloy of nickel and titanium, wires are an important biomedical material that has been used in catheter tubes, guidewires, stents, and other surgical instruments. As such wires are temporarily or permanently inserted inside the human body, their surfaces need to be smoothed and cleaned in order to prevent wear, friction, and adhesion of bacteria. In this study, NiTi wire samples of micro-scale diameters (i.

Estimated Effect of Parathyroidectomy on Long-Term Kidney Function in Adults With Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

Background: Multidisciplinary guidelines recommend parathyroidectomy to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m. Limited data address the effect of parathyroidectomy on long-term kidney function.

Performance evaluation of newly developed surrogate virus neutralization tests for detecting neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

We evaluated newly developed surrogate virus neutralization tests (sVNT) for detecting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against the receptor binding domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). VERI-Q SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Detection ELISA Kit (MiCo BioMed, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, hereafter, "eCoV-CN") is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based sVNT, and VERI-Q SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Rapid Test Kit (MiCo BioMed, hereafter, "rCoV-RN") is a point-of-care lateral-flow immunochromatography test with auto-scanner. A total of 411 serum samples were evaluated.