Surgical Lumbar Sympathectomy in Mice.

Peripheral nerve injuries are common, and full functional recovery after injury is achieved in only 10% of patients. The sympathetic nervous system plays many critical roles in maintaining bodily homeostasis, but it has rarely been studied in the context of peripheral nerve injury. The extent of postganglionic sympathetic neuronal functions in distal targets in the periphery is currently unclear.

A Perspective on Electrical Stimulation and Sympathetic Regeneration in Peripheral Nerve Injuries.

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are common and devastating. The current standard of care relies on the slow and inefficient process of nerve regeneration after surgical intervention. Electrical stimulation (ES) has been shown to both experimentally and clinically result in improved regeneration and functional recovery after PNI for motor and sensory neurons; however, its effects on sympathetic regeneration have never been studied.

Interpretive Qualitative Evaluation Informs Research Participation and Advocacy Training Program for Seniors: A Pilot Study.

An 8-week educational intervention co-taught by medical students and faculty was designed to foster communication between clinical researchers and populations of interest to ultimately increase participation in clinical research by older adults, including underrepresented groups. Weekly topics focused on age-related changes and health conditions, socio-contextual factors impacting aging populations, and wellness strategies. To evaluate the successes and weaknesses of an educational intervention aimed at increasing the participation of older adults in clinical research.

Members of the CUGBP Elav-like family of RNA-binding proteins are expressed in distinct populations of primary sensory neurons.

Primary sensory dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons are diverse, with distinct populations that respond to specific stimuli. Previously, we observed that functionally distinct populations of DRG neurons express mRNA transcript variants with different 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs). 3'UTRs harbor binding sites for interaction with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) for transporting mRNAs to subcellular domains, modulating transcript stability, and regulating the rate of translation.

Discrepancies in Financial Conflicts of Interest in Robotic Cardiothoracic Surgery Studies.

Background: In academic surgery publications, self-reporting of conflicts of interest (COI) has often proved to be inaccurate. Here, we review the accuracy of COI disclosures for studies related to the use of robotic technology in cardiothoracic surgery and evaluate factors associated with increased discrepancies.

Methods: A literature search identified robotic surgery-related studies with at least 1 American author published between January 2015 and December 2020 from 3 major American cardiothoracic surgery journals (The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery).

Conditioning electrical stimulation fails to enhance sympathetic axon regeneration.

Peripheral nerve injuries are common, and there is a critical need for the development of novel therapeutics to complement surgical repair. Conditioning electrical stimulation (CES) is a novel variation to the well-studied perioperative electrical stimulation, both of which have displayed success in enhancing the regeneration of motor and sensory axons in an injured peripheral nerve. CES is a clinically attractive alternative not only because of its ability to be performed at the bedside prior to a scheduled nerve repair surgery, but it has also been shown to be superior to perioperative electrical stimulation in the enhancement of motor and sensory regeneration.

Disruption of Endosomal Sorting in Schwann Cells Leads to Defective Myelination and Endosomal Abnormalities Observed in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.

Endosomal sorting plays a fundamental role in directing neural development. By altering the temporal and spatial distribution of membrane receptors, endosomes regulate signaling pathways that control the differentiation and function of neural cells. Several genes linked to inherited demyelinating peripheral neuropathies, known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, encode proteins that directly interact with components of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT).

A Cost-Utility Analysis of the Use of Closed-Incision Negative Pressure System in Vascular Surgery Groin Incisions.

Objective: Closed-incision negative pressure therapy (CINPT) with the Prevena system has been used and clinically evaluated in high-risk groin incisions to reduce the risk of postoperative complications. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis evaluating CINPT in femoral-popliteal bypass with prosthetic graft.

Methods: A literature review looking at prospective randomized trials determined the probabilities and outcomes for femoral-popliteal bypass with and without CINPT.

Angiogenesis is critical for the exercise-mediated enhancement of axon regeneration following peripheral nerve injury.

Enhancing axon regeneration is a major focus of nerve injury research, and the quality of the surgical nerve repair plays a large role in the aggregate success of nerve regeneration. Additionally, exercise is known to promote successful axon regeneration after surgical nerve repair. In this study, we asked how exercise-induced nerve regeneration is affected when a transected nerve is repaired with or without fibrin glue.

Assessment of Financial Conflicts of Interest Related to the Use of Dermal Substitutes in Burn Management.

This study aims to systematically review the accuracy of the self-reporting of conflicts of interest (COIs) among studies related to the use of dermal substitute products in burn management and evaluate factors associated with increased discrepancies. To do so, a literature search was done to identify studies investigating the use of dermal substitutes in burn management published between 2015 and 2019. Industry payments were collected using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments database.

Reporting of Financial Conflicts of Interest in Studies of Placental Membrane Allografts.

To systematically review the accuracy of self-reported financial conflicts of interest (COI) by authors of placental membrane allograft product studies. A PubMed search identified placental membrane allograft studies published between 2015 and 2019. Industry payments were collected using the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments database.

Assessment of self-reported financial conflicts of interest in vascular surgery studies.

Objective/background: With increased collaboration between surgeons and industry, there has been a push towards improving transparency of conflicts of interest (COIs). This study aims to determine the accuracy of reporting of COIs among studies in major vascular surgery journals.

Methods: A literature search identified all comparative studies published from January 2018 through December 2018 from three major United States vascular surgery journals (Journal of Vascular Surgery, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, and Annals of Vascular Surgery).

The prevalence of asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 as determined by routine preoperative testing.

Background: The coronavirus disease SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has swiftly spread throughout the globe, greatly influencing all aspects of life. As in previous pandemics, concerns for limited resources and a sustainable medical workforce have been on the forefront of infrastructure modifications. Consequently, surgical specialties have needed to consider each surgical case for necessity and safety during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Assessment of Conflicts of Interest in Studies of Breast Implants and Breast Implant Mesh.

Background: With increased collaboration between surgeons and industry, there has been a push towards improving transparency of conflicts of interest (COI).

Methods: A literature search identified all articles published between 2016 - 2018 involving breast implants/implantable mesh from three major United States plastic surgery journals. Industry payment data from 8 breast implant/implantable mesh companies was collected using the CMS Open Payments database.

Conflicts of Interest in Studies Related to Mesh Use in Ventral Hernia Repair and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction.

Objective: To examine the accuracy of the reporting of conflicts of interest (COI) among studies related to mesh use in ventral hernia repair and abdominal wall reconstruction.

Summary Background Data: Accurate declaration of COI is integral to ensuring transparency of study results. Multiple studies have demonstrated undeclared COI are prevalent in surgical literature.

A Cost-Utility Analysis Comparing Immediate Oncoplastic Surgery with Delayed Oncoplastic Surgery in Smoking Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Oncoplastic reduction mammoplasty for smoking breast cancer patients committed to smoking cessation may be performed immediately (increasing smoking-related risk) or in a delayed fashion (increasing radiation-related risk).

Objective: Our aim was to examine the cost utility of immediate versus delayed oncoplastic reconstruction when operating on a smoking patient with breast cancer and macromastia with a long-term commitment to smoking cessation.

Methods: A literature review determined the probabilities and outcomes for the treatment of unilateral breast cancer with immediate or delayed oncoplastic surgery.

Examination of genetic and pharmacological tools to study the proteasomal deubiquitinating enzyme ubiquitin-specific protease 14 in the nervous system.

Strategies for enhancing protein degradation have been proposed for treating neurological diseases associated with a decline in proteasome activity. A proteasomal deubiquitinating enzyme that controls substrate entry into proteasomes, ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14), is an attractive candidate for therapies that modulate proteasome activity. This report tests the validity of genetic and pharmacological tools to study USP14's role in regulating protein abundance.