Digital Divide Among Homebound and Semi-Homebound Older Adults.

Using the 2022 National Health and Aging Trend Study data, we examined the digital divide among homebound and semi-homebound older adults. About 11% of older Medicare beneficiaries in 2022 were homebound or semi-homebound. Compared to non-homebound older adults, homebound older adults were significantly less likely to own a cellphone.

Hospital 4Ms: Documentation and association with patient characteristics.

Background: For the thousands of health systems recognized as Age-Friendly, considerable progress has been made to integrate 4Ms into clinical care. This study evaluated associations between 4Ms documentation and patient characteristics in an inpatient setting.

Methods: In this prospective cohort, hospitalizations included were from patients in an Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit where the 4Ms were adopted and implemented.

Geographical Distribution of Osteopathic Neurosurgery Residents.

Introduction: The neurosurgery residency match has grown increasingly competitive, especially for osteopathic (DO) medical students, amidst the transition to a single accreditation system in 2020. This shift required former American Osteopathic Association (AOA) programs to apply for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation, leading to a notable reduction in programs with a history of accepting DO applicants. This study aims to explore both potential geographical trends in residency match among recent DO neurosurgical residents and in the number of DO neurosurgical residents pre- and post-ACGME merger.

Postoperative Altered Mental Status: A Case Report and Diagnostic Dilemma.

Postoperative altered mental status (AMS) is a prevalent and complex issue that poses a significant diagnostic challenge in the clinical setting. Clinical presentation consists of cognitive disturbances that can range from mild confusion to coma. Given the complexity and variability of AMS, each patient requires a careful and thorough evaluation to identify the underlying cause.

Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation and infant brain development: role of gut microbiome.

Perinatal stage represents a critical period for brain development. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid preferentially accumulated in the brain that may benefit neurodevelopment. Microbial colonization and maturation parallel with the rapid development of infant metabolic and brain function that may influence the effects of DHA on neurological development.

Use of Long Spinal Board Post-Application of Protocol for Spinal Motion Restriction for Spinal Cord Injury.

Introduction: Historically, prehospital care of trauma patients has included nearly universal use of a cervical collar (C-collar) and long spine board (LSB). Due to recent evidence demonstrating harm in using LSBs, implementation of new spinal motion restriction (SMR) protocols in the prehospital setting should reduce LSB use, even among patients with spinal cord injury. Our goal in this study was to evaluate the rates of and reasons for LSB use in high-risk patients-those with hospital-diagnosed spinal cord injury (SCI)-after statewide implementation of SMR protocols.

Ten-Year Piece of Retained Products of Conception: An Unusual Cause of Secondary Infertility.

Retained products of conception (RPOC) occur when the placenta does not properly separate from the uterine wall. The prevalence of RPOC varies between countries and the result of pregnancy, between vaginal delivery, cesarean delivery, and miscarriage or dilation and curettage (D&C). Overall, RPOC has a higher incidence in developed countries where practices tend toward earlier manual removal of the placenta instead of waiting for spontaneous delivery.

Ethanol Inhalation as a Method to Denature the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus caused the 2019 COVID pandemic by infecting almost eight hundred million people worldwide. Because it was a new viral infection, there were no vaccines or small molecule medications that could prevent or treat the disease.  This chapter provides some details for an obscure treatment for COVID-19, that has decades of anti-viral activity data both in vitro and in vivo in the literature.

Social Media Use by American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Members.

Introduction: Social media offers physicians marketing opportunities previously unavailable. We sought to evaluate social media use and its correlation with public rankings among Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons members.

Methods: A list of members and demographics was collected.

Preparation for implementation of evidence-based practices in urban schools: A shared process with implementing partners.

Background: Shifting organizational priorities can negatively affect the sustainment of innovations in community settings. Shifting priorities can present barriers to conducting clinical research in schools if a misalignment occurs between school district priorities and the aims of the study. Often this misalignment occurs due to a shift during the period between when the study is submitted for funding and when research activities begin.

Changes in health-related quality of life over the first three months of medical marijuana use.

Background: The psychosocial impact of medical marijuana use is not yet known. This study evaluated short-term changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over the first three months of medical marijuana use.

Methods: This prospective, observational, longitudinal study followed adults newly recommended for medical marijuana by a physician for any of the more than 20 qualifying medical conditions in Pennsylvania.

Sensory Dysfunction, Microbial Infections, and Host Responses in Alzheimer's Disease.

Sensory functions of organs of the head and neck allow humans to interact with the environment and establish social bonds. With aging, smell, taste, vision, and hearing decline. Evidence suggests that accelerated impairment in sensory abilities can reflect a shift from healthy to pathological aging, including the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurological disorders.

Comparison of estimated glomerular filtration rate using five equations to predict acute kidney injury following hip fracture surgery.

Background: Decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) following hip fracture surgery. Delaying surgery for preoperative treatment of comorbidities is controversial in this patient population. The purpose of this study was 1) to assess differences in demographics and comorbidities between AKI and non-AKI groups, 2) to analyze equations used in calculating eGFR, and 3) to identify the equation which best predicts the development of AKI following hip fracture surgery.

Threat Impairs the Organization of Memory Around Motivational Context.

Previous work highlighted a critical role for top-down goals in shifting memory organization, namely, through studying the downstream influences of event segmentation and task switching on free recall. Here, we extend these frameworks into the realm of motivation, by comparing how threat motivation influences memory organization by capturing free recall dynamics. In Study 1, we manipulated individuals' motivation to successfully encode information by the threat of exposure to aversive sounds for forgetting.

A Surgical Conundrum: Addressing a Large Nasal Defect Following Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

Managing large nasal defects following Mohs surgery presents complex reconstructive challenges due to the nose's prominent and visible nature. These cases require a careful balance of preserving structural integrity, optimizing cosmetic outcomes, and maintaining vascular health. In situations where primary closure is impractical due to defect size and location, innovative techniques like the double rhomboid transposition flap offer versatile solutions, addressing both aesthetic concerns and functional requirements.

Caregiver and student perspectives on school services for students with traumatic brain injury during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify unique challenges created by COVID-19 school closures for students with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families with relation to special education accommodations, therapy services, social support systems, and mental health complications.

Methods: Forty-one caregivers and students participated in semi-structured, virtual interviews. Families had students in kindergarten through 12th grade who experienced a TBI prior to spring 2020 and were receiving support services at schools in Pennsylvania (US).

Perceived Risk of Binge Drinking among Older Alcohol Users: Associations with Alcohol Use Frequency, Binge Drinking, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Alcohol Treatment Use.

Despite the high prevalence of alcohol use and binge drinking among older adults, little research has been conducted on the association between their alcohol risk perception and alcohol use patterns. Using data on past-year alcohol users aged 50 and older (N = 6693) in the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we examined the (1) associations between risk perception of binge alcohol use 1-2 times a week and alcohol use frequency, binge use frequency, and alcohol use disorder (AUD), and (2) the association between alcohol treatment use and risk perception. About 40% of past-year alcohol users perceived great risk of binge alcohol use 1-2 times a week, and 27% of past-year users had binge drinking in the past month.

Associations between Cannabis Consumption Methods and Cannabis Risk Perception.

Given diversified cannabis products, we examined associations between cannabis consumption methods and cannabis risk perception of smoking cannabis 1-2 times a week. Using the 2022 U.S.

Evidence for central sensitization as classified by the central sensitization inventory in patients with pain and hypermobility.

Introduction: Pain is a very common complaint among patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSDs). Often challenging to treat, insights into the underpinnings of pain in this population have been fleeting. Central sensitization (CS) has been postulated as a potential etiological factor.