Evaluation of students' perceptions of the Socrative application versus a traditional student response system and its impact on classroom engagement.

Background And Purpose: Student response systems (SRSs) or "clickers" are common tools that lecturers can implement into didactic lectures. Socrative is a convenient and free SRS application that can be downloaded on personal handheld devices and used by faculty and students. It is unknown if students prefer using this application and what advantages or disadvantages can be seen with Socrative's use.

Semen collection and ejaculate characteristics of the Leopard Tortoise ().

The preservation of spermatozoa is an important tool used in conservation programs to increase the genetic diversity of threatened and endangered species. Although routinely used to manage conservation programs for higher vertebrates, there have been limited attempts to establish reproductive assistance programs for tortoises. The purpose of this study was to develop a model for collecting and characterizing semen in Testudinidae.

Glutaraldehyde cross-linking increases the stability of Lumbricus terrestris erythrocruorin.

Since donated red blood cells must be constantly refrigerated, they are not available in remote areas and battlefields. We have previously shown that the hemoglobin of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (LtEc) is an effective and safe substitute for donated blood that is stable enough to be stored for long periods at the relatively high temperatures that may be encountered in remote areas. The goal of this study was to further increase the thermal stability of LtEc by covalently cross-linking LtEc with glutaraldehyde (gLtEc).

Incident Atrial Fibrillation and the Risk of Congestive Heart Failure, Myocardial Infarction, End-Stage Kidney Disease, and Mortality Among Patients With a Decreased Estimated GFR.

Background: The association of atrial fibrillation (AF), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and adverse events remains unknown.

Study Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study from Ontario, Canada.

Setting & Participants: 1,422,978 adult residents with eGFRs < 90mL/min/1.

Longitudinal Blood Pressure in Late-Stage Chronic Kidney Disease and the Risk of End-Stage Kidney Disease or Mortality (Best Blood Pressure in Chronic Kidney Disease Study).

Whether different methods of quantitating blood pressure (BP) in late chronic kidney disease better mimic pathophysiological processes and clinical outcomes remains unclear. In a retrospective study, we determined the association of BP with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and all-cause mortality with BP modeled at baseline versus longitudinally with time-varying Cox models as (1) current (most recent) clinic visit, (2) lag (visit immediately preceding the current), (3) cumulative (average of previous measurements), and (4) change from baseline to the most recent. Among 1203 (6913 visits) study patients, the mean age and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate were 66 and 18 mL·min·1.

Nucleation and growth of copper selective-area atomic layer deposition on palladium nanostructures.

The nucleation and growth of copper atomic layer deposition (ALD) on palladium have been investigated for applications in nanoscale devices. Palladium nanostructures were fabricated by electron beam lithography and range in size from 250 nm to 5 μm, prepared on oxidized silicon wafers. Copper ALD using Cu(thd)(s) and H(g) as reactants was carried out to selectively deposit copper on palladium seeded regions to the exclusion of surrounding oxide surfaces.

Risk and complications of venous thromboembolism in dialysis patients.

Background: Contemporary data on venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk in dialysis patients are limited. Our objective was to determine the risk and complications of VTE among incident maintenance dialysis patients.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using administrative databases.

A Pilot Study of OkKidney, a Phosphate Counting Application in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis.

Background: Hyperphosphatemia is associated with adverse outcomes in patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD). We have shown that a fixed meal phosphate binder dosing schedule is not appropriate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the beta version of OkKidney, a phosphate counting app that matches meal phosphate content with binder dose.

The role of the physician in Israel's maternal child health clinics: surveys of professional and parental perceptions.

Background: Preventative health services are a pediatric health care cornerstone, which strives to promote health and prevent illness and injury. In Israel, Maternal Child Health Clinics (MCHC) provide these well child services for ages 0-6 years. MCHC care includes physician visits; however, the physician's role is not well defined.

Transanal minimally invasive surgery for rectal polyps and selected malignant tumors: caution concerning intermediate-term functional results.

Purpose: Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) is gaining worldwide popularity as an alternative for the transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEMS) method for the local excision of rectal polyps and selected neoplasms. Data on patient reported outcomes regarding short-term follow-up are scarce; data on functional outcomes for long-term follow-up is non-existent.

Methods: We used the fecal incontinence severity index (FISI) to prospectively assess the fecal continence on the intermediate-term follow-up after TAMIS.

Hemodialysis Access Choice: Impact of Health Literacy.

Background: Hemodialysis patients need to make decisions about vascular access and diet that they may not fully understand. In this study, we hypothesized that patients with low health literacy are likely to choose a central venous catheter (CVC) and have higher serum potassium (K), serum phosphate (P), and inter-dialysis weight gains (IDWG).

Objective: Primarily, the study sought to describe the health literacy of patients treated with hemodialysis in a Canadian tertiary care center.

The Collaborative Payer Provider Model Enhances Primary Care, Producing Triple Aim Plus One Outcomes: A Cohort Study.

Rising health care costs are threatening the fiscal solvency of patients, employers, payers, and governments. The Collaborative Payer Provider Model (CPPM) addresses this challenge by reinventing the role of the payer into a full-service collaborative ally of the physician. From 2010 through 2014, a Medicare Advantage plan prospectively deployed the CPPM, averaging 30,561 members with costs that were 73.

Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients by Albuminuria and Estimated GFR.

Background: The risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is elevated with albuminuria or a low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). However, the VTE risk due to the combined effects of eGFR and albuminuria are unknown.

Study Design: Population-based cohort study.

Morbidity and mortality in infant mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei): A 46-year retrospective review.

Long-term studies of morbidity and mortality in free-ranging primates are scarce, but may have important implications for the conservation of extant populations. Infants comprise a particularly important age group, as variation in survival rates may have a strong influence on population dynamics. Since 1968, the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP, Inc.

Nationwide comprehensive gastro-intestinal cancer cohorts: the 3P initiative.

Background: The increasing sub-classification of cancer patients due to more detailed molecular classification of tumors, and limitations of current trial designs, require innovative research designs. We present the design, governance and current standing of three comprehensive nationwide cohorts including pancreatic, esophageal/gastric, and colorectal cancer patients (NCT02070146). Multidisciplinary collection of clinical data, tumor tissue, blood samples, and patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures with a nationwide coverage, provides the infrastructure for future and novel trial designs and facilitates research to improve outcomes of gastrointestinal cancer patients.

Community Practice Implementation of a Self-administered Version of PREMM to Assess Risk for Lynch Syndrome.

Background & Aims: Lynch syndrome is a genetic disorder that greatly increases risk for colorectal and other cancers, although it is underdiagnosed. Prediction of MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6 (PREMM) is a web-based tool that analyzes individuals' personal/family histories of cancer to quantify their likelihood of carrying a germline mutation associated with Lynch syndrome. We investigated the feasibility of systematic risk assessment for Lynch syndrome in a community gastroenterology practice using a patient-completed version of PREMM.

The application of rapid prototyping to improve bone reconstruction in immediate dentoalveolar restoration: a case report.

Purpose: This article describes the use of rapid prototyping (RP) for diagnosis, planning, and execution of the reconstruction of hard and soft tissue in socket defects using immediate dentoalveolar restoration (IDR).

Summary: In cases of tissue loss in anterior dental areas, esthetic rehabilitation poses a major challenge with respect to treatment planning with the goal of long-term tissue maintenance. The IDR technique consists of immediate reconstruction in a single procedure of bone and soft tissue around implants placed immediately after extraction, and prosthetic rehabilitation.

An epitope-specific DerG-PG70 LEAPS vaccine modulates T cell responses and suppresses arthritis progression in two related murine models of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune joint disease maintained by aberrant immune responses involving CD4+ T helper (Th)1 and Th17 cells. In this study, we tested the therapeutic efficacy of Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System (LEAPS™) vaccines in two Th1 cell-driven mouse models of RA, cartilage proteoglycan (PG)-induced arthritis (PGIA) and PG G1-domain-induced arthritis (GIA). The immunodominant PG peptide PG70 was attached to a DerG or J immune cell binding peptide, and the DerG-PG70 and J-PG70 LEAPS vaccines were administered to the mice after the onset of PGIA or GIA symptoms.

The Risk of Acute Rejection Following Kidney Transplant by 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Status: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Prediction of acute kidney transplant rejection remains imperfect despite several known risk factors. There is an increasing appreciation of the potential importance of the vitamin D pathway in immunological disease and transplantation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D with acute rejection.

LEAPS Vaccine Incorporating HER-2/neu Epitope Elicits Protection That Prevents and Limits Tumor Growth and Spread of Breast Cancer in a Mouse Model.

The prototype J-LEAPS T cell vaccine for HER-2/neu breast cancer (J-HER) consists of the murine HER-2/neu H-2 CD8 T cell epitope covalently attached through a triglycine linker to the J-immune cell binding ligand (ICBL) (human 2 microglobulin peptide). The J-ICBL was chosen for its potential to promote Th1/Tc1 responses. In this proof-of-concept study, the ability of J-HER to prevent or treat cancer was tested in the TUBO cell-challenged BALB/c mouse model for HER-2/neu-expressing tumors.