Evaluating the Impact of Surgical Residents on Hospital Quality and Operational Metrics.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to conduct a follow up analysis comparing operational and quality measures of the pre-residency period with those of a mature program comprised of a full cohort of 15 residents, with 3 residents in each post graduate year (PGY) 1-5.

Design: A retrospective review of 25,900 surgeries performed by the general, breast, plastics, thoracic, and vascular services at a single regional medical center was performed and surgeries were classified as pre-residency period and residency period. Independent variables included patient demographics, comorbidity burden, emergency department arrivals, and outcomes of interest included daily elective case volume, the percent of cases performed during 'off-hours' (defined as 7p-7a), operating room (OR) and procedure minutes, average length of stay (LOS), average total hospital charges, rates of 30-day return to OR (ROR), ED visits, and readmissions, and patient satisfaction.

Utilizing domain knowledge to improve the classification of intravenous contrast phase of CT scans.

Multiple intravenous contrast phases of CT scans are commonly used in clinical practice to facilitate disease diagnosis. However, contrast phase information is commonly missing or incorrect due to discrepancies in CT series descriptions and imaging practices. This work aims to develop a classification algorithm to automatically determine the contrast phase of a CT scan.

MRI free water mediates the association between diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space and executive function in four independent middle to aged cohorts.

Introduction: Diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index was proposed for assessing glymphatic clearance function. This study evaluated DTI-ALPS as a biomarker for cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) related vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID).

Methods: Four independent cohorts were examined.

The Association of Spousal Relationship Quality and Social Support With Maternal-Infant Bonding: Moderating Roles of Maternal Age and Paternal Occupation.

This study examined associations between spousal relationship quality and social support with mother-infant bonding among women in Rawalpindi, Pakistan (Intervention Arm: n = 352, M = 25.1, SD = 4.7; Control Arm: n = 358, M = 25.

Peripheral Intravenous Catheter-Associated Injuries in Neonates: Monitoring, Diagnosis, Management, and Complications.

Advances in neonatal medicine over the last several decades have led to improvements in survival for the most fragile and critically ill infants. A mainstay of supporting the health needs of hospitalized infants involves use of peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters to administer medications, parenteral nutrition, and blood products. However, PIV catheters are not without risks and complications such as infiltration and extravasation.

Associations of Traumatic Brain Injury and Hearing: Results From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS).

Objective: To examine associations of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with self-reported and clinical measures of hearing function.

Setting: Four US communities.

Participants: A total of 3176 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study participants who attended the sixth study visit in 2016-2017, when hearing was assessed.

Identification and Characterization of Chemical Compounds in Compound Shougong Powder by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS Combined With Multiple Data Processing Techniques.

Compound Shougong Powder (CSP) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation recognized for its efficacy in reducing swelling and relieving pain. It is primarily used clinically for the treatment of malignant tumors. However, research on the chemical compounds present in CSP remains limited.

MicroRNAs secreted by the parasitic nematode Brugia malayi disrupt lymphatic endothelial cell integrity.

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease affecting over 51 million people in 72 endemic countries. Causative agents of LF are mosquito-borne parasitic nematodes Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori. The adult parasites impact the integrity of lymphatic vessels and damage valves, leading to a remodeling of the lymphatic system and lymphatic dilation.

Risk reduction in SARS-CoV-2 infection and reinfection conferred by humoral antibody levels among essential workers during Omicron predominance.

The extent to which semi-quantitative antibody levels confer protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in populations with heterogenous immune histories is unclear. Two nested case-control studies were designed within the multisite HEROES/RECOVER prospective cohort of frontline workers to study the relationship between antibody levels and protection against first-time post-vaccination infection and reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 from December 2021 to January 2023. All participants submitted weekly nasal swabs for rRT-PCR testing and blood samples quarterly and following infection or vaccination.

Primary healthcare provider-perceived barriers to implementing an evidence-based pathway for undifferentiated lower gastrointestinal tract symptoms: A qualitative inquiry.

Background: Primary healthcare providers play a critical role in diagnosing and managing digestive disorders. Standardized clinical care guidelines have been developed, but with limited and inconsistent implementation. An evidence-based gastroenterology clinical care pathway (GUTLINK) has been proposed in one region of Canada; however, little is known in the medical literature about potential barriers to pathway implementation within primary care.

Synthetic anti-RNA antibody derivatives for RNA visualization in mammalian cells.

Although antibody derivatives, such as Fabs and scFvs, have revolutionized the cellular imaging, quantification and tracking of proteins, analogous tools and strategies are unavailable for cellular RNA visualization. Here, we developed four synthetic anti-RNA scFv (sarabody) probes and their green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions and demonstrated their potential to visualize RNA in live mammalian cells. We expressed these sarabodies and sarabody-GFP modules, purified them as soluble proteins, characterized their binding interactions with their corresponding epitopes and finally employed two of the four modules, sara1-GFP and sara1c-GFP, to visualize a target messenger RNA in live U2OS cells.

A core glycolipid vaccine elicits cross-reactive antibodies against Salmonella spp. and protects against invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella disease in mice.

Background: Enteric fever caused by Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A in addition to gastroenteritis and invasive disease, predominantly attributable to nontyphoidal Salmonella serovars Typhimurium and Enteritidis, are major causes of death and disability across the globe. A broad-spectrum vaccine that protects against disease caused by typhoidal and nontyphoidal serovars of Salmonella is not available for humans but would prevent a considerable burden of disease worldwide.

Methods: We previously developed a broad-spectrum vaccine for Gram-negative bacteria that is based on the inner core domain of detoxified Escherichia coli O111, Rc (J5) mutant lipooligosaccharide, a highly conserved antigen across Gram-negative bacteria, complexed with an outer membrane protein of group B Neisseria meningitidis.

Predicting pack-ice seal occupancy of ice floes along the Western Antarctic Peninsula.

We explore the habitat use of Antarctic pack-ice seals by analyzing their occupancy patterns on pack-ice floes, employing a novel combination of segmented generalized linear regression and fine-scale (∼ 50 cm pixel resolution) sea ice feature extraction in satellite imagery. Our analysis of environmental factors identified ice floe size, fine-scale sea ice concentration and nearby marine topography as significantly correlated with seal haul out abundance. Further analysis between seal abundance and ice floe size identified pronounced shifts in the relationship between the number of seals hauled out and floe size, with a positive relationship up to approximately 50 m2 that diminishes for larger floe sizes and largely plateaus after 500 m2.

Comparative analysis of 2 approaches to monitor countries' progress towards full and equal access to sexual and reproductive health care, information, and education in 75 countries: An observational validation study.

Background: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Indicator 5.6.2 is the "Number of countries with laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information, and education.

The American Rescue Plan Act and Access to Health Care for Latinos According to Citizenship Status.

Objective: We studied patterns in health care access between Latino and non-Latino White adults according to citizenship status before and after the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 was enacted to determine whether inequities changed.

Methods: This study used 2019-2022 National Health Survey Interview data. Differences in predicted probabilities from logistic regression models were used to estimate changes in health care access outcomes (any insurance coverage, private insurance coverage, delaying care due to cost, and having a usual source of care) among Latino citizens, Latino noncitizens, and non-Latino White citizens in periods before and after ARPA's enactment (2019-2020 vs 2021-2022).

Classification of direct threats to the conservation of ecosystems and species 4.0.

Identifying and assessing the magnitude of direct threats to ecosystems and species are critical steps to prioritizing, planning, implementing, and assessing conservation actions. Just as medical clinicians and researchers need a standard way to talk about human diseases, conservation practitioners and scientists need a common and comprehensive language to talk about the threats they are facing to facilitate joint action, evaluation, and learning. To meet this need, in 2008 the IUCN Species Survival Commission and the Conservation Measures Partnership produced the first version of a common threats classification with the understanding that it would be periodically updated to take into account new information and learning.

Role of Individual and Network Factors in HIV Care Continuum Outcomes among PLWH: An Egocentric Network Study in Yunnan, China.

Due to limited data on the determinants of HIV care continuum outcomes among people living with HIV (PLWH) in resource-limited settings, this study aimed to identify individual and social support network factors influencing these outcomes, thereby informing the development of intervention strategies to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. PLWH in Yunnan, China, were recruited using convenience sampling at three stages of the HIV care continuum: linkage to care, antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, and viral suppression. An egocentric network design combined with multilevel logit modeling was employed to investigate factors associated with ART initiation and viral suppression.

Implantation of Islets Co-Seeded with Tregs in a Novel Biomaterial Reverses Diabetes in the NOD Mouse Model.

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results in autoreactive T cells chronically destroying pancreatic islets. This often results in irreplaceable loss of insulin-producing beta cells. To reverse course, a combinatorial strategy of employing glucose-responsive insulin restoration coupled with inhibiting autoreactive immune responses is required.

Identifying Factors that Influence Pediatric Echo Lab Image Quality: Development and Validation of a New Assessment Tool.

No method of evaluating transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) image quality (IQ) has been validated. Furthermore, structural echo lab elements impacting IQ are unknown. We sought to develop and validate a TTE IQ grading tool and determine patient and echo lab features associated with IQ.

Disposable intravenous infusion sets as a temporary intravascular shunt for major limb replantation: a retrospective study.

Objective: The key to increasing the success rate of limb preservation lies in timely restoration of the blood supply to the severed limb, This study examines the clinical effect of a disposable intravenous infusion device as a temporary vascular shunt device which can quickly restore blood circulation in the replantation of severed limbs.

Methods: A retrospective review of all amputated major limbs in our department from May 2005 to May 2022. Patients treated with intravenous infusion tubes as temporary vascular shunt devices were included in group A(shunt group ) and those who could not use temporary intravascular shunt devices were included in group B (no shunt group).

Multivariate stochastic modeling for transcriptional dynamics with cell-specific latent time using SDEvelo.

Recently, RNA velocity has driven a paradigmatic change in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies, allowing the reconstruction and prediction of directed trajectories in cell differentiation and state transitions. Most existing methods of dynamic modeling use ordinary differential equations (ODE) for individual genes without applying multivariate approaches. However, this modeling strategy inadequately captures the intrinsically stochastic nature of transcriptional dynamics governed by a cell-specific latent time across multiple genes, potentially leading to erroneous results.

Oxidized phospholipid and transcriptomic signatures of THC-related vaping associated lung injury.

E-cigarette/vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI) is strongly associated with vitamin E acetate and often occurs with concomitant tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use. To uncover pathways associated with EVALI, we examined cytokines, transcriptomic signatures, and lipidomic profiles in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from THC-EVALI patients. At a single center, we prospectively enrolled mechanically ventilated patients with EVALI from THC-containing products (N = 4) and patients with non-vaping acute lung injury and airway controls (N = 5).

Dynamic control of 2D non-Hermitian photonic corner skin modes in synthetic dimensions.

Non-Hermitian models describe the physics of ubiquitous open systems with gain and loss. One intriguing aspect of non-Hermitian models is their inherent topology that can produce intriguing boundary phenomena like resilient higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) and non-Hermitian skin effects (NHSE). Recently, time-multiplexed lattices in synthetic dimensions have emerged as a versatile platform for the investigation of these effects free of geometric restrictions.

Strontium isoscape of sub-Saharan Africa allows tracing origins of victims of the transatlantic slave trade.

Strontium isotope (Sr/Sr) analysis with reference to strontium isotope landscapes (Sr isoscapes) allows reconstructing mobility and migration in archaeology, ecology, and forensics. However, despite the vast potential of research involving Sr/Sr analysis particularly in Africa, Sr isoscapes remain unavailable for the largest parts of the continent. Here, we measure the Sr/Sr ratios in 778 environmental samples from 24 African countries and combine this data with published data to model a bioavailable Sr isoscape for sub-Saharan Africa using random forest regression.