Feasibility and Acceptability of a "Click & Collect" WIC Online Ordering Pilot.

Background: Barriers to shopping for foods in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have been reported. Online ordering options may improve the WIC shopping experience but are understudied.

Objective: The objective of this study was to test feasibility and acceptability of a "Click & Collect" model for WIC online ordering from the perspective of WIC participants.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Studies of Disc-on-Pillar (DOP) Arrays: Contrasting Enhancement Factor with Analytical Performance.

The use of nanomachining methods capable of reproducible construction of nano-arrayed devices have revolutionized the field of plasmonic sensing by the introduction of a diversity of rationally engineered designs. Significant strides have been made to fabricate plasmonic platforms with tailored interparticle gaps to improve their performance for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. Over time, a dichotomy has emerged in the implementation of SERS for analytical applications, the construction of substrates, optimization of interparticle spacing as a means to optimize electromagnetic field enhancement at the localized surface plasmon level, and the substrate sensitivity over extended areas to achieve quantitative performance.

Octreotide Added to a Proton Pump Inhibitor Versus a Proton Pump Inhibitor Alone in Nonvariceal Upper-Gastrointestinal Bleeds.

Literature indicating clinically relevant benefits of an adjunctive somatostatin analog to standard therapies in nonvariceal upper-gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is lacking. The primary objective of this study was to find the association between outcomes in patients with NVUGIB treated with octreotide and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI; combination group) compared with those treated with a PPI alone. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults admitted within a 5-hospital health care system with a NVUGIB treated with a PPI continuous infusion with or without an octreotide infusion.

Death or Damnation: Surrogacy and Religious Beliefs.

MC is a 42-year-old female who was in a motor vehicle accident and suffered multiple contusions as well as a fracture of the left femur, pelvic ramus, and left orbit. Due to contusion of the brain, MC has been comatose for over a week and is on mechanical ventilation to protect her airway. There is no written declaration of surrogacy.

Psychosocial Determinants of Food Acquisition and Preparation in Low-Income, Urban African American Households.

Background: Psychosocial factors are important determinants of health behaviors and diet-related outcomes, yet relatively little work has explored their relation to food-purchasing and preparation behaviors in low-income populations.

Aim: To evaluate the psychosocial factors associated with food-related behaviors.

Methods: Cross-sectional data collected from 465 low-income African American adult caregivers in the baseline evaluation of the B'more Healthy Communities for Kids obesity prevention trial.

Disparities in Initial Oral Antidiabetic Medication Adherence Among Veterans with Incident Diabetes.

Background: Medication nonadherence is a prevalent public health issue, particularly among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), and negatively affects health outcomes. Because of the prevalence of DM among U.S.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Meeting MTM Eligibility Criteria Based on Star Ratings Compared with the Medicare Modernization Act.

Background: Previous research found racial and ethnic disparities in meeting medication therapy management (MTM) eligibility criteria implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in accordance with the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA).

Objective: To examine whether alternative MTM eligibility criteria based on the CMS Part D star ratings quality evaluation system can reduce racial and ethnic disparities.

Methods: This study analyzed the Beneficiary Summary File and claims files for Medicare beneficiaries linked to the Area Health Resource File.

Sedative Plasma Concentrations and Delirium Risk in Critical Illness.

Background: The relationship between plasma concentration of sedatives and delirium is unknown.

Objective: We hypothesized that higher plasma concentrations of lorazepam are associated with increased delirium risk, whereas higher plasma concentrations of dexmedetomidine are associated with reduced delirium risk.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was embedded in a double-blind randomized clinical trial, where ventilated patients received infusions of lorazepam and dexmedetomidine.

Cultural Aspects of End-of-Life Care Planning for African Americans: An Integrative Review of Literature.

Advance directive completion rates among the general population are low. Studies report even lower completion rates among African Americans are affected by demographic variables, cultural distinctives related to patient autonomy, mistrust of the health care system, low health literacy, strong spiritual beliefs, desire for aggressive interventions, importance of family-communal decision making, and presence of comorbidities. An integrative review was conducted to synthesize nursing knowledge regarding cultural perspectives of end-of-life and advance care planning among African Americans.

NIH Funding within Otolaryngology: 2005-2014.

Objective Analyze grants awarded between 2005 and 2014 to otolaryngology departments that appear in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePORTER database, summarize characteristics of grant recipients associated with otolaryngology departments as listed in the RePORTER between 2005 and 2014, and identify trends in otolaryngology NIH funding between 2005 and 2014 by topic. Study Design Case series. Setting NIH database inquiry.

Predictors of Continued Smoking and Interest in Cessation Among Older Female Smokers.

Objectives: Older female smokers are highly vulnerable, yet little is known about their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding smoking cessation.

Methods: Southeast region Women's Health Initiative participants identified as smokers on at least one prior assessment were surveyed in 2012 regarding current tobacco use.

Results: Most of these current and former smokers ( N = 409, 63% response) were non-Hispanic White (81.

Assessment of Clinical Pharmacy Interventions to Reduce Outpatient Use of High-Risk Medications in the Elderly.

Background: Use of high-risk medications in the elderly (HRME) and drug-disease (Rx-DIS) interactions in the elderly, as defined by the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Measures, are significantly associated with mortality, hospital admission, and need for emergency care. No published studies to date evaluate interventions to reduce the use of HEDIS-defined HRME, although many studies have postulated a beneficial effect of such interventions.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of pharmacist interventions on use of HRME and Rx-DIS interactions in the outpatient elderly population.

How Many Nonprotein Calories Does a Critically Ill Patient Require? A Case for Hypocaloric Nutrition in the Critically Ill Patient.

Calculation of energy and protein doses for critically ill patients is still a matter of controversy. For more than 40 years of nutrition support, the total amount of nutrients to be delivered to these patients has been calculated based on expert recommendations, and this calculation is based on the administration of nonprotein calories in one attempt to ameliorate catabolic response and avoid the weight loss. New evidence suggests protein delivery is the most important intervention to improve clinical and metabolic outcomes.

Strangers With Benefits: Attraction to Outgroup Men Increases as Fertility Increases Across the Menstrual Cycle.

Research typically reveals that outgroups are regarded with disinterest at best and hatred and enmity at worst. Working from an evolutionary framework, we identify a unique pattern of outgroup attraction. The small-group lifestyle of pre-human ancestors plausibly limited access to genetically diverse mates.

Salivary Biomarkers, Oral Inflammation, and Functional Status in Patients With Heart Failure.

Aims: To describe correlations and agreement between salivary and serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 and determine which biomarkers predict worse functional class in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods: Serum and saliva were collected from 75 hospitalized patients with HF (57 ± 12 years, 43% female, New York Heart Association [NYHA] Classes I [4%], II [43%], and III [53%]). Oral inflammation was rated as good, fair, or poor.

TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODY PREVALENCE AND TWO NEW GENOTYPES OF THE PARASITE IN ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN GEESE (NENE: BRANTA SANDVICENSIS).

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite transmitted by domestic cats ( Felis catus ) that has historically caused mortality in native Hawaiian birds. To estimate how widespread exposure to the parasite is in nene (Hawaiian Geese, Branta sandvicensis), we did a serologic survey for T. gondii antibody and genetically characterized parasite DNA from the tissues of dead birds that had confirmed infections by immunohistochemistry.

Understanding Patient Barriers to Kidney Transplant Evaluation.

Background: Some patients referred for kidney transplant evaluation fail to attend the visit. Our goal was to compare demographic, socioeconomic, and psychologic factors between evaluation visit attendees and absentees.

Methods: A convenience sample of patients referred and scheduled for kidney transplant evaluation at a single center from November 2012 to December 2013 participated in a phone survey reporting socioeconomic, demographic, and clinical characteristics; health literacy; and perceived knowledge and concerns about transplantation.

Denitrification versus respiratory ammonification: environmental controls of two competing dissimilatory NO3(-)/NO2(-) reduction pathways in Shewanella loihica strain PV-4.

Denitrification and respiratory ammonification are two competing, energy-conserving NO3(-)/NO2(-) reduction pathways that have major biogeochemical consequences for N retention, plant growth and climate. Batch and continuous culture experiments using Shewanella loihica strain PV-4, a bacterium possessing both the denitrification and respiratory ammonification pathways, revealed factors that determine NO3(-)/NO2(-) fate. Denitrification dominated at low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratios (that is, electron donor-limiting growth conditions), whereas ammonium was the predominant product at high C/N ratios (that is, electron acceptor-limiting growth conditions).

Controlling complexity: the clinical relevance of mouse complex genetics.

Experimental animal models are essential to obtain basic knowledge of the underlying biological mechanisms in human diseases. Here, we review major contributions to biomedical research and discoveries that were obtained in the mouse model by using forward genetics approaches and that provided key insights into the biology of human diseases and paved the way for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.