Upper Arm Versus Forearm Placement of Long Peripheral Catheters for Blood Sampling: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The impact of site selection on blood sampling and catheter functionality for long peripheral catheters (LPCs) is unclear.

Purpose: To compare outcomes of LPCs placed in the upper arm vs the forearm.

Methods: A single-site, randomized trial was conducted among adult patients requiring an LPC for difficult venous access or prolonged therapy.

Intermediate-Term Oncologic Outcomes of Partial Nephrectomy Versus Cryoablation in Renal Tumors >3 cm: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis.

Purpose: Cryoablation (CA) and partial nephrectomy (PN) are effective nephron-sparing treatments for small renal masses. While guidelines list thermal ablation as an option for tumors <3 cm, limited data compare PN and CA in larger tumors. We compared intermediate-term oncologic outcomes between PN and CA in renal masses >3 cm.

Gender-Based Disparities in Academic Orthopaedic Surgery Physician Compensation in 2023.

Background: Orthopaedic surgery remains one of the least diverse specialties in medicine. Parity in opportunity and recognition are key factors in attracting and retaining a diverse group of individuals in the field. The primary purpose of this study was to assess gender-based discrepancies in total salary compensation by rank for academic orthopaedic surgery faculty.

From Castaways to Discoveries: Unveiling Treasures in Skin RNAseq Using a Novel Multidimensional Data Processing Workflow Including Infection-Host Dynamics.

Defining physiology and methods to measure biological mechanisms is essential. Extensive datasets such as RNA sequencing are used with little analysis of the knowledge gained from the various methodologies. Within this work, we have processed publicly available NCBI RNAseq datasets using a combination of bioinformatics tools for the largest physiological organ, the skin.

The relationship between cardiometabolic abnormalities and mortality in the Women's Health Initiative: A comparison of associations among women with cancer to women without cancer.

Background: Prior studies of participants with breast and other obesity-associated cancers in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) showed worse mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes for individuals with a higher number of cardiometabolic risk factors at study entry. The purpose of this analysis is to compare the relationship between cardiometabolic abnormalities and mortality among women with and without cancer in the WHI.

Methods: Women with one of five early-stage obesity-associated cancers (breast, colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma) and controls without any new or prior history of cancer were selected from the WHI-Life and Longevity after Cancer ancillary study.

Phase 2, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study of Fiztasovimab (NPC-21) for Kidney Transplant Recipients at High Risk of Cytomegalovirus Infection (LionHeart21).

Background: Kidney transplantation (KT) has dramatically improved the quality of life of patients with end-stage kidney disease. However, the incidence of opportunistic infections has also increased because of immunosuppression. A common infection after KT is cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Long-term dietary allyl isothiocyanate, a TRPA1 agonist, ameliorates cardiac fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction in aged mice.

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is a sensory channel expressed in vagal afferent nerves that detect noxious stimuli. Trpa1 knockout accelerates age-related cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in mice. This study investigated whether TRPA1 activation with its selective agonist, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), prevents cardiac aging.

Impacts of spring freeze events on a perennial tree fruit crop across the central and eastern USA.

This study uses a crop simulation model driven by 40 years (1981-2020) of daily gridded meteorological data from PRISM to assess the impacts of spring freeze events on cherry trees, a representative temperate perennial tree-fruit crop, across six regions of the central and eastern USA: the Northern and Southern Great Plains (NGP, SGP), Upper Midwest (UMW), Ohio Valley (OHV), New York-Pennsylvania (NY-PA), and Virginia-North Carolina (VA-NC). Freeze damage exhibits a clear latitudinal gradient, with damage frequency and severity decreasing from south to north. The most frequent and severe damage occurs in the SGP, followed by VA-NC, while the least is observed in the UMW and NY-PA.

The Impact of Rosemary and Ginger Extracts on Aging and Healthspan in Drosophila.

Aging leads to a decline in physiological functions and increased risk of mortality, yet therapeutic avenues are limited. Dietary phytochemicals provide an attractive approach to counteract age-related health decline. Here, we have examined the impact of feeding extracts of rosemary and ginger, prepared via three different extraction methods, on markers of aging and healthspan in the fruit fly Drosophila.

Novel Non-Destructive Detection Methods for in Northern Red Oak and Chestnut.

Oak wilt, caused by the fungal pathogen , spreads via root grafts and insect vectors, threating oaks ( spp.) and chestnuts ( spp.) in the United States.

Deep Learning Estimation of Small Airways Disease from Inspiratory Chest CT: Clinical Validation, Repeatability, and Associations with Adverse Clinical Outcomes in COPD.

Rationale: Quantifying functional small airways disease (fSAD) requires additional expiratory computed tomography (CT) scan, limiting clinical applicability. Artificial intelligence (AI) could enable fSAD quantification from chest CT scan at total lung capacity (TLC) alone (fSAD).

Objectives: To evaluate an AI model for estimating fSAD, compare it with dual-volume parametric response mapping fSAD (fSAD), and assess its clinical associations and repeatability in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The Microbiome in Asthma Heterogeneity: The Role of Multi-Omic Investigations.

Asthma is one of the most prevalent and extensively studied chronic respiratory conditions, yet the heterogeneity of asthma remains biologically puzzling. Established factors like exogenous exposures and treatment adherence contribute to variability in asthma risk and clinical outcomes. It is also clear that the endogenous factors of genetics and immune system response patterns play key roles in asthma.

Current opinion in anesthesiology: post-traumatic stress disorder following birth.

Purpose Of Review: Traumatic childbirth can lead to childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD) or retraumatize those with prior trauma, contributing to long-term maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. This condition affects approximately 4-7% of postpartum patients. Given the concerningly high maternal morbidity and mortality rates in the USA, it is crucial to further analyze the risk factors and clinical management recommendations for the prevention of CB-PTSD.

Development of a Situation-Specific Biopsychosocial Model of Pain in Heart Failure.

Theories of pain have been developed in several patient populations, but none currently exist for heart failure (HF) that include contributing factors and associated outcomes. We developed a situation-specific theory of pain in HF by adapting the biopsychosocial model of pain. Existing theoretical and empirical literature in HF samples was utilized to construct the new theory.

The Final Rule in a Bind: What We Are Learning From Suboptimal Simultaneous Heart-Kidney Outcomes and Potential Solutions to the Problem.

Background: The 2018 revision of the adult Heart Allocation Policy (aHAP) led to a notable increase in the rate of simultaneous heart-kidney transplants (SHKT) in the United States. However, this policy has faced criticism for its inability to enhance post-transplant survival rates or decrease mortality among SHKT recipients on the waitlist, although high-quality kidneys are used.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, covering 1549 SHKT cases from 2015 to 2021.

Therapist Coaching in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy in the Netherlands: An Archival Lag Sequential Analysis Study.

In vivo therapeutic coaching of parent-child interactions is the primary mechanism of change in behavioral parent training programs such as parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), yet relatively little research has examined the coaching process. The primary aim of this study was to explore the bidirectional interaction between therapist-parent dyads to better understand how therapists influence parent behavior and vice versa. Observational data from two research projects were analyzed separately and together using lag sequential analysis (LSA).

Comparative Radiotracing Quantifies Brain Cellular Uptake and Catabolism of Bispecific Antibodies Targeting Transferrin Receptor and CD98hc.

Bispecific antibodies (bAbs) that engage cerebrovascular targets, induce transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and redistribute to secondary targets within the brain parenchyma have the potential to transform the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of central nervous system disorders. Full understanding of the pharmacokinetics (PK) of these agents, including their potential for delivering cargo into brain parenchymal cells, is a key priority for the development of numerous potential therapeutic applications. To date, the brain PK of bAbs that target transferrin receptor (TfR-1) and CD98 heavy chain (CD98hc) has been characterized using techniques incapable of distinguishing between CNS clearance of intact protein from uptake and catabolism by brain parenchymal cells.

A toolkit to implement opioid quality improvement efforts in primary care: Findings from a mixed-methods study.

Objective: The Six Building Blocks: A Team-Based Approach to Improving Opioid Management in Primary Care (6BBs) program provides a roadmap for improving the management of patients on opioid therapy for chronic pain. The goal of this project was to evaluate the How-to-Implement Toolkit (Toolkit) for clinics to independently implement the 6BBs without a practice facilitator.

Methods: Eight healthcare organizations with 62 clinics participated in the program.

Distinct Network Morphologies from In Situ Polymerization of Microtubules in Giant Polymer-Lipid Hybrid Vesicles.

Creating artificial cells with a dynamic cytoskeleton, akin to those in living cells, is a major goal in bottom-up synthetic biology. In this study, we demonstrate the in situ polymerization of microtubules encapsulated in giant polymer-lipid hybrid vesicles (GHVs) composed of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and an amphiphilic block copolymer. The block copolymer is comprised of poly(cholesteryl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate) as the hydrophobic block and either poly(6-O-methacryloyl-D-galactopyranose) or poly(carboxyethyl acrylate) as the hydrophilic extension.

σ-σ conjugation Across Si─O─Si Bonds.

Polysiloxanes and silsesquioxanes (SQs) are known to be insulating materials. We describe here polysiloxane copolymers where this is not the case. Thus,MeVinylSi─O─SiMeVinyl/Br-Ar-Br copolymers exhibit conjugation via Si─O─Si bonds contrary to the widespread understanding that such linkages must be insulating.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Translation of the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) into Spanish.

ImportanceSelective, modified radical, and radical neck dissections are common surgical procedures that can result in significant musculoskeletal issues of the neck and shoulder. Quality-of-life evaluations after neck dissection must assess and quantify these dysfunctions to allow subsequent comparison of outcomes after different treatments.ObjectiveThere is no validated Spanish-language questionnaire designed to evaluate neck and shoulder dysfunction after cervical lymphadenectomy.

Gaslighting the Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Medical Student: How US Medical School Assessment Practices Perpetuate Systemic Inequities.

 Physicians from racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) populations are woefully under-represented in the medical profession. The consequences of under-representation are far reaching, with profound impacts on social justice efforts and public health. One solution to remedy this crisis involves the aggressive recruitment of students from REM backgrounds.

Construction costs and tradeoffs in carnivorous pitcher plant leaves: towards a pitcher leaf economic spectrum.

Background: Leaf economic theory holds that physiological constraints to photosynthesis have a role in the coordinated evolution of multiple leaf traits, an idea that can be extended to carnivorous plants occupying a particular trait space that is constrained by key costs and benefits. Pitcher traps are modified leaves that may face steep photosynthetic costs: a high-volume, three-dimensional tubular structure may be less efficient than a flat lamina. While past research has investigated the photosynthetic costs of pitchers, the exact suite of constraints shaping pitcher trait variation remain under-explored-including constraints to carnivorous function.