Monitoring Rates of Malnutrition Risk in Outpatient Cancer Centers Utilizing the Malnutrition Screening Tool Embedded into the Electronic Health Record.

Background: The risk of malnutrition in patients with cancer is well documented. However, screening to identify patients at risk in ambulatory cancer centers is not standardized nor uniform. The 2-question Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) is validated in the ambulatory oncology setting and endorsed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Symptoms in Children Receiving Treatment for Cancer-Part II: Pain, Sadness, and Symptom Clusters.

Children and adolescents receiving treatment for cancer experience multiple symptoms as a consequence of their disease and its treatment that interfere with the child's quality of life. Understanding of symptom assessment in children with cancer is foundational to the work of the Children's Oncology Group Nursing Discipline, whose research aims are to address knowledge gaps including understanding illness-related distress. This article is the second of a two-part summary of current evidence addressing the assessment of symptoms frequently reported by children and adolescents receiving treatment for cancer.

Extending the Reach of Pediatric Emergency Preparedness: A Virtual Tabletop Exercise Targeting Children's Needs.

Objectives: Virtual tabletop exercises (VTTXs) simulate disaster scenarios to help participants improve their emergency-planning capacity. The objectives of our study were to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of a VTTX in improving preparedness capabilities specific to children's needs among pediatricians and public health practitioners, (2) document follow-up actions, and (3) identify exercise strengths and weaknesses.

Methods: In February 2017, we conducted and evaluated a VTTX facilitated via videoconferencing among 26 pediatricians and public health practitioners from 4 states.

Assessing Change Over Time in Voice Handicap and Voice-Related Perceived Control Using Ecological Momentary Assessment.

Objectives: Voice handicap has generally been measured at a single timepoint. Little is known about its variability from hour to hour or day to day. Voice handicap has been shown to be negatively related to voice-related perceived control in cross-sectional studies, but the within-person variability in voice-related perceived control is also unknown.

Surgical Outcomes for the Treatment of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

This study aimed to compare outcomes of concomitant palatoplasty and sphincter pharyngoplasty with pharyngeal flap and sphincter pharyngoplasty alone for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Thirty-one cases were identified for inclusion in the study.

Interdisciplinary Relationship Models for Complementary and Integrative Health: Perspectives of Chinese Medicine Practitioners in the United States.

Objectives: The combination of biomedicine and traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) is often referred to as integrative medicine. However, the degree to which the medical disciplines are integrated varies between medical settings, and it is believed by some to be impossible due to epistemological and paradigmatic differences. Clinicians' perspectives are important determinants of how different medical disciplines are used together.

Lessons Learned from Using Global Outcome Measures to Assess Community Pharmacy Performance.

Introduction: As value-based and alternative payment models proliferate, there is growing interest in measuring pharmacy performance. However, little research has explored the development and implementation of systems to measure pharmacy performance. Additionally, systems that currently exist rely on process and surrogate outcome measures that are not always relevant to patients and payers.

Lasting Legacy: Maternal Perspectives of Perinatal Palliative Care.

Background: Many of the leading causes of infant mortality are diagnosed prenatally, presenting providers with the ability to present perinatal palliative care planning as an option.

Objective: Our study adds to the literature both by describing infant interaction with the health care system and by gaining deeper understanding of the maternal experience after being offered perinatal palliative care.

Methods: The study was conducted at a public university-based medical center in the Midwest.

Prevalence and Molecular Characteristics of Clostridium difficile in Retail Meats, Food-Producing and Companion Animals, and Humans in Minnesota.

Community-associated Clostridium difficile infection (CA-CDI) now accounts for approximately 50% of CDI cases in central Minnesota; animals and meat products are potential sources. From November 2011 to July 2013, we cultured retail meat products and fecal samples from food-producing and companion animals in central Minnesota for C. difficile by using standard methods.

Facilitators and Barriers of Cervical Cancer Screening and Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination Among Somali Refugee Women in the United States: A Qualitative Analysis.

Introduction: Eastern Africa has the highest rates of cervical cancer incidence (42.7 per 100,000) and mortality (27.6 per 100,000), substantially higher than worldwide incidence (14.

Seasonal and Regional Variations in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation Rates in Adults without Cardiovascular Risk Factors.

Rationale: Colder temperatures have been shown to increase hospitalization and mortality rates in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiac disease. Seasonal influences on exacerbation rates in adults with severe COPD but without significant cardiovascular disease are unclear. In addition, regional variations in COPD exacerbations in North America have not yet been explored.

Best Practices for Testing the Predictive Validity of Ideal Partner Preference-Matching.

Many psychological hypotheses require testing whether the similarity between two variables predicts important outcomes. For example, the ideal standards model posits that the match between (A) a participant's ideal partner preferences, and (B) the traits of a current/potential partner, predicts (C) evaluative outcomes (e.g.

Item Response Theory Analyses, Factor Structure, and External Correlates of the Italian Translation of the Personality Inventory for Short Form in Community-Dwelling Adults and Clinical Adults.

To assess the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the 100-item short form of the Personality Inventory for (PID-5-SF), 2,143 community-dwelling adults (59.6% female), and 706 adult clinical participants (52.4% female) were administered the Italian translation of the PID-5.

Interdependence in Health and Functioning Among Older Spousal Caregivers and Care Recipients.

Older spousal caregiving relationships involve support that may be affected by the health of either the caregiver or care recipient. We conducted a longitudinal analysis using pooled data from 4,632 community-dwelling spousal care recipients and caregivers aged ⩾50 from the 2002 to 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We specified logistic and negative binomial regression models using lagged predictor variables to assess the role of partner health status on spousal caregiver and care recipient health care utilization and physical functioning outcomes.

Endoscopic Anatomy of the Tensor Fold and Anterior Attic.

Objectives The objectives of the study were to (1) study the anatomical variations of the tensor fold and its anatomic relation with transverse crest, supratubal recess, and anterior epitympanic space and (2) explore the most appropriate endoscopic surgical approach to each type of the tensor fold variants. Study Design Cadaver dissection study. Setting Temporal bone dissection laboratory.

Characteristics of Patients With Existing Advance Directives: Evaluating Motivations Around Advance Care Planning.

Introduction: Although 80% of patients endorse an advance directive (AD), less than 35% of American adults have a documented AD. Much research has been done on barriers to creating ADs; however, there is a paucity of research addressing motivations for creating ADs. Previous research has identified 4 categories of influence for engaging in advance care planning (ACP).

A Cadaveric Study of the Thread Trigger Finger Release: The First Annular Pulley Transection Through Thread Transecting Technique.

Background: After the thread transecting technique was successfully applied for the thread carpal tunnel release, we researched using the same technique in the thread trigger finger release (TTFR). This study was designed to test the operational feasibility of the TTFR on cadavers and verify the limits of division on the first annular (A1) pulley to ensure a complete trigger finger release with minimal iatrogenic injuries.

Methods: The procedure of TTFR was performed on 14 fingers and 4 thumbs of 4 unembalmed cadaveric hands.

Beyond Risk and Protective Factors: An Adaptation-Based Approach to Resilience.

How does repeated or chronic childhood adversity shape social and cognitive abilities? According to the prevailing deficit model, children from high-stress backgrounds are at risk for impairments in learning and behavior, and the intervention goal is to prevent, reduce, or repair the damage. Missing from this deficit approach is an attempt to leverage the unique strengths and abilities that develop in response to high-stress environments. Evolutionary-developmental models emphasize the coherent, functional changes that occur in response to stress over the life course.

Motivations and Features of Co-Parenting an Infant With Complex Congenital Heart Disease.

This study described co-parenting motivations and quality of co-parenting features for parents of infants with complex congenital heart disease (CCHD), including differences over time by illness severity. Existing transcripts of parenting experience at infant age 1 and 12 months for 23 parent couples were analyzed using directed content analysis. Data were quantitized for additional description.

Revising Working Models Across Time: Relationship Situations That Enhance Attachment Security.

We propose the Attachment Security Enhancement Model (ASEM) to suggest how romantic relationships can promote chronic attachment security. One part of the ASEM examines partner responses that protect relationships from the erosive effects of immediate insecurity, but such responses may not necessarily address underlying insecurities in a person's mental models. Therefore, a second part of the ASEM examines relationship situations that foster more secure mental models.

Inappropriate Utilization in Fee-for-Service Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans.

This study uses a national multi-payer claims database to test for differences in potentially inappropriate emergency department (ED) visits and ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) admissions in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Rates of ACS admissions for MA enrollees were approximately one third those of FFS beneficiaries, controlling for covariates, which included the beneficiary's health status as represented by their risk score. This study then compared FFS and MA beneficiaries when they moved from one type of health plan to another.

Education for the Next Frontier in Patient Safety: A Longitudinal Resident Curriculum on Diagnostic Error.

Diagnostic error is a common, serious problem that has received increased attention recently for its impact on both patients and providers. Presently, most graduate medical education programs do not formally address this topic. The authors developed and evaluated a longitudinal, multimodule resident curriculum about diagnostic error and medical decision making.