Remote Perioperative Monitoring in Adult Cardiac Surgery: The Impact on 1000 Consecutive Patients.

Background: Our remote patient monitoring (RPM) program for adult cardiac surgery patients aims to remove barriers to access, provide continuity of expert care, and increase their time-at-home. The RPM program integrates novel biosensors, an application for audiovisual visits, messaging, biometric data tracking, patient-reported outcomes, and scheduling with the aim of reducing postoperative length of stay and 30-day readmissions, while simultaneously increasing the rate of patients discharged to home.

Methods: Our institutional database was utilized for this retrospective review of 1000 consecutive RPM patients who underwent coronary artery bypass, valve, and coronary artery bypass + valve, at 3 hospitals from July 2019 through April 2023.

Perceptions of Frailty and Prehabilitation Among Thoracic Surgeons: Findings From a National Survey.

Background: Frailty is associated with increased perioperative morbidity and mortality. How thoracic surgeons recognize, measure, and mitigate frailty in their daily clinical practice is unknown. We administered a national survey to determine the current practices of thoracic surgeons managing frail patients.

The Risk of Pretransplant Blood Transfusion for Primary Graft Dysfunction After Lung Transplant.

Background: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of short- and long-term mortality associated with lung transplantation. The impact of pretransplantation blood transfusions for recipients is not fully elucidated.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of 206 consecutive lung transplantations performed at a single academic center (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL) from January 2018 to July 2022.

Portal Vein Recanalization Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt for Noncirrhotic Chronic Portal Vein Thrombosis Leading to Successful Pregnancy: Case Report.

Portal vein recanalization transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (PVR-TIPS) is a safe and effective procedure for decompression of portal hypertension (PH). In this short case series, 2 women with chronic noncirrhotic portal vein thrombosis were treated with PVR-TIPS. Both patients hoped to conceive.

Treatment of Extreme Central Venous Occlusive Disease With Massive Esophageal Bleeding.

Central venous occlusions are common in the population of dialysis patients and develop as a result of arteriovenous access. Whereas these patients most commonly present with edema and varicosities, a rare presentation is esophageal varices. Here we present the case of a young man with life-threatening esophageal hemorrhage as a result of central venous occlusions, successfully treated with an azygos vein to right atrial bypass.

Orthotopic Heart Transplantation in a Patient With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Marfan Syndrome.

A 24-year-old man with Marfan syndrome and heart failure from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was referred to our institution in cardiogenic shock for advanced therapies. He was supported by a femoral intra-aortic balloon pump, then bridged to orthotopic heart transplantation. This is a report of an orthotopic heart transplantation in a patient with both Marfan syndrome and heart failure from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Functional genotype classification groups distinguish disease severity in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a genetic disorder due to pathogenic variants in the COL7A1 gene. In this study we determined the association between different categories of COL7A1 variants and clinical disease severity in 236 RDEB patients in North America. Published reports or in-silico predictions were used to assess the impact of pathogenic variants in COL7A1 on type VII collagen (C7) protein function.

Complications Following Open Versus Minimally Invasive Resection of Gastric Adenocarcinoma.

Background And Objectives: Gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) is commonly treated with open or minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The preferred surgical approach remains unclear. This study sought to assess utilization over time, compare complication rates by surgical approach, and identify predictors of experiencing complications.

Miniscope Imaging of Nucleus Accumbens Neural Activity in Freely Behaving Rats: Virus Injection, Gradient Index Lens Implantation, Recording Strategies, and Analytical Methods.

In vivo calcium imaging in freely moving rats using miniscopes provides valuable information about the neural mechanisms of behavior in real time. A gradient index (GRIN) lens can be implanted in deep brain structures to relay activity from single neurons. While such procedures have been successful in mice, few reports provide detailed procedures for successful surgery and long-term imaging in rats, which are better suited for studying complex human behaviors.

Salidroside Improves Oocyte Competence of Reproductively Old Mice by Enhancing Mitophagy.

The decline of oocyte quality with advanced maternal age has a detrimental effect on female fertility. However, there is limited knowledge of therapeutic options and their mechanisms to improve oocyte quality in reproductively older women. In this study, we demonstrated that supplementation of salidroside improves the oocyte quality of reproductively old mice.

Short-chain fatty acid metabolites propionate and butyrate are unique epigenetic regulatory elements linking diet, metabolism and gene expression.

The short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) propionate and butyrate have beneficial health effects, are produced in large amounts by microbial metabolism and have been identified as unique acyl lysine histone marks. To better understand the function of these modifications, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing to map the genome-wide location of four short-chain acyl histone marks, H3K18pr, H3K18bu, H4K12pr and H4K12bu, in treated and untreated colorectal cancer (CRC) and normal cells as well as in mouse intestines in vivo. We correlate these marks with open chromatin regions and gene expression to access the function of the target regions.

Understanding the Medical Education Experiences of Low-Income Students Through a Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Lens: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Background: Diversity in the physician workforce is critical for quality patient care. Students from low-income backgrounds represent an increasing proportion of medical school matriculants, yet little research has addressed their medical school experiences.

Objective: To explore the medical school experiences of students from low-income backgrounds using a modified version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (physiologic, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization) as a theoretical framework.

Accurate identification of primary site in tumors of unknown origin (TUO) using DNA methylation.

Tumors of unknown origin (TUO) generally result in poor patient survival and are clinically difficult to address. Identification of the site of origin in TUO patients is paramount to their improved treatment and survival but is difficult to obtain with current methods. Here, we develop a random forest machine learning TUO methylation classifier using a large number of primary and metastatic tumor samples.

Divergent roles of mA in orchestrating brown and white adipocyte transcriptomes and systemic metabolism.

N-methyladenosine (mA) is among the most abundant mRNA modifications, yet its cell-type-specific regulatory roles remain unclear. Here we show that mA methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) differentially regulates transcriptome in brown versus white adipose tissue (BAT and WAT), leading to divergent metabolic outcomes. In humans and mice with insulin resistance, METTL14 expression differs significantly from BAT and WAT in the context of its correlation with insulin sensitivity.

Cost drivers of gastric sleeve procedures performed using robotic platform.

Background: Robotic bariatric surgery adoption rates have increased, and the higher costs associated with robotic sleeve gastrectomy (rSG) are a concern.

Objectives: To investigate the factors associated with increased costs of rSG.

Setting: US hospital database.

Deep learning model to identify and validate hypotension endotypes in surgical and critically ill patients.

Background: Hypotension is associated with organ injury and death in surgical and critically ill patients. In clinical practice, treating hypotension remains challenging because it can be caused by various underlying haemodynamic alterations. We aimed to identify and independently validate endotypes of hypotension in big datasets of surgical and critically ill patients using unsupervised deep learning.

Sex hormone-dependent host-microbiome interactions and cardiovascular risk (XCVD): design of a longitudinal multi-omics cohort study.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) present differently in women and men, influenced by host-microbiome interactions. The roles of sex hormones in CVD outcomes and gut microbiome in modifying these effects are poorly understood. The XCVD study examines gut microbiome mediation of sex hormone effects on CVD risk markers by observing transgender participants undergoing gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), with findings expected to extrapolate to cisgender populations.

Clinical efficacy of OS-01 peptide formulation in reducing the signs of periorbital skin aging.

Background: The aging of the skin, particularly around the periorbital region, is a complex process characterized by the accumulation of senescent cells, decreased collagen production, and reduced skin elasticity, leading to visible signs such as fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging.

Objective: This study investigates the efficacy of a novel topical formulation, OS-01 EYE, containing the senomorphic peptide, OS-01, along with other active ingredients, in improving the skin around the eyes.

Methods: A 12-week clinical study was conducted with 22 participants who applied OS-01 EYE twice daily.

Effectiveness of shared decision making strategies for stroke prevention among patients with atrial fibrillation: cluster randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of multiple decision aid strategies in promoting high quality shared decision making for prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Design: Cluster randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Six academic medical centers in the United States.

Dysregulation of Airway and Systemic Interferon Responses Promote Asthma Exacerbations in Urban Children.

Background: Determining why some upper respiratory illnesses provoke asthma exacerbations remains an unmet need.

Objective: To identify transcriptome-wide gene expression changes associated with colds that progress to exacerbation.

Methods: 208 urban children (6-17 years) with exacerbation-prone asthma were prospectively monitored for up to two cold illnesses.

Impact of Kidney Disease in Patients Undergoing Catheter Directed Interventions for Intermediate to High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

Background: Catheter-directed interventions (CDIs) for pulmonary embolism (PE) continue to evolve. However, due to the paucity of data, their use has been limited in patients with underlying kidney disease.

Methods: The National Readmission Database (2016-2020) was utilized to identify intermediate to high-risk PE (IHR-PE) patients requiring CDI (thrombectomy, thrombolysis, and ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis).