Utilizing Simulated Telemedicine Encounters to Conduct Nationwide Studies of Physician Communication Practices.

High-quality communication and shared decision making (SDM) are crucial elements of effective patient care. SDM conversations are intimate and logistically challenging to capture. Evaluating alternative methods to effectively observe how physicians conduct these conversations may improve research efforts in this core discipline of medicine.

p-Type BiVO for Solar O Reduction to HO.

Photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) can directly utilize solar energy to drive chemical reactions to produce fuels and chemicals. Oxide-based photoelectrodes in general exhibit enhanced stability against photocorrosion, which is a critical advantage for building a sustainable PEC. However, most oxide-based semiconductors are n-type, and p-type oxides that can be used as photocathodes are limited.

Navigating "regulatory fog": Challenges to rigorous abortion research after the Dobbs v. Jackson decision.

In 2022, the United States' Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade and federal protections for abortion.

The mechanisms of frequency tuning in gecko auditory hair cells.

We developed an isolated auditory papilla of the crested gecko to record from the hair cells and explore the origins of frequency tuning. Low-frequency cells displayed electrical tuning, dependent on Ca-activated K channels; high-frequency cells, overlain with sallets, showed a variation in hair bundle stiffness which when combined with sallet mass could provide a mechanical resonance of 1 to 6 kHz. Sinusoidal electrical currents injected extracellularly evoked hair bundle oscillations at twice the stimulation frequency, consistent with fast electromechanical responses from hair bundles of two opposing orientations, as occur in the sallets.

Leveraging Ergonomics and Human Factors (E/HF) for community impact: what have we learned about how to make a difference.

Ergonomics and Human Factors (E/HF) practitioners are increasingly engaged in projects meant to centre underserved communities and reduce inequities. The subdiscipline of E/HF that has emerged to explore the application of E/HF in this way is called community ergonomics. In this qualitative-descriptive study, we reflect on the progress made in the field of community ergonomics since its original conceptualisation in 1994.

Apportionment of oxygen demand contributions from aircraft and pavement deicer freezing point depressants in airport runoff, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2005-2022.

Aircraft anti-icers and pavement deicers improve the safety of airport operations during winter precipitation events. Runoff containing these products can contribute elevated biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) to receiving streams. We monitored runoff from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport at one upstream site, three outfall sites, and one downstream site from 2005 to 2022 for BOD, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and freezing point depressants used in deicing and anti-icing fluids to determine the primary sources of BOD and COD in the receiving stream.

APOE4 impact on soluble and insoluble tau pathology is mostly influenced by amyloid-beta.

The APOE4 allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). While APOE4 is strongly associated with amyloid-beta (Aβ), its relationship with tau accumulation is less understood. Studies evaluating the role of APOE4 on tau accumulation showed conflicting results, particularly regarding the independence of these associations from Aβ load.

Lessons Learned From the Liver About the Undergraduate to Graduate Medical Education Transition.

The burden of cirrhosis and chronic liver disease is growing, yet there is a projected worsening deficit in hepatology providers. As such, cirrhosis and liver disease have been important inclusions within the core curricula of Internal Medicine. Formal assessments of provider preparedness resulting from the curriculum are lacking though.

TRP drop, TRP drop: a steady patter of anti-schistosomal target illumination.

Infections caused by parasitic flatworms impart a significant disease burden. This is well exemplified by the neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis, which afflicts millions of people worldwide. The anti-schistosomal activity of various chemotypes has been known for decades, but the parasite targets of many of these remain undefined.

Non-instrumented management of traumatic atlanto-axial rotatory subluxation: surgical technique.

Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation (AARS) in the adult population is primarily trauma-induced. Conservative and surgical treatments have both been used successfully in treating AARS. In cases where AARS cannot be reduced by conservative measures, open reduction and fusion is the conventional treatment approach.

Increased usage of doxycycline for young children with Lyme disease.

Background: The 2018 Infectious Disease Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that up to 3 weeks or less of doxycycline is safe in children of all ages. Our goal was to examine trends in doxycycline treatment for children with Lyme disease.

Methods: We assembled a prospective cohort of children aged 1 to 21 years with Lyme disease who presented to one of eight participating Pedi Lyme Net centers between 2015 and 2023.

Latest Advancements in Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS): Revisiting an Established Therapy with New Possibilities.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) are non-invasive therapies widely used for pain relief and neuromuscular adaptation. However, the clinical research supporting the efficacy of TENS in chronic pain management is limited by significant methodological flaws, including small sample sizes and inconsistent reporting of stimulation parameters. TENS modulates pain perception through various techniques, targeting specific nerve fibers and pain pathways.

Know your brain aging to know your resilience in neurodegenerative diseases.

This scientific commentary refers to 'Brain aging rejuvenation factors in adults with genetic and sporadic neurodegenerative disease', by Casaletto . (https://doi.org/10.

The UW Experience: Feasibility of De Novo Letermovir for Primary Prophylaxis After Abdominal Solid Organ Transplant.

Background: Letermovir is approved for primary prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in high-risk kidney transplant recipients. However, many experts suggest the drug be reserved as a second-line agent when valganciclovir is not tolerated or fails.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the feasibility of a de novo letermovir prophylactic approach for CMV high-risk and seropositive abdominal solid organ transplant patients.

Adapting self-measured blood pressure monitoring to reduce health disparities (ASPIRE): a pilot hybrid effectiveness‑implementation study protocol.

Background: Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite advances in blood pressure management, significant racial and ethnic disparities persist, resulting in higher risks of stroke, heart disease, and mortality among non-White populations. Self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring, also known as home blood pressure monitoring, has shown promise in improving blood pressure control, especially when combined with feedback from healthcare providers.

Efficacy and safety of anesthetic agents in awake craniotomy using monitored anesthesia care protocol: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Awake craniotomy (AC) facilitates real-time brain mapping, maximizing tumor resection while preserving critical neurological functions. This study systematically reviews the efficacy of several anesthetic protocols under Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) during AC, focusing on clinical outcomes. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using data from observational studies and randomized trials involving AC under MAC.

Resting state BOLD-perfusion coupling patterns using multiband multi-echo pseudo-continuous arterial spin label imaging.

The alteration of neurovascular coupling (NVC), where acute localized blood flow increases following neural activity, plays a key role in several neurovascular processes including aging and neurodegeneration. While not equivalent to NVC, the coupling between simultaneously measured cerebral blood flow (CBF) with arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood oxygenation dependent (BOLD) signals, can also be affected. Moreover, the acquisition of BOLD data allows the assessment of resting state (RS) fMRI metrics.

Cutting through the noise: A narrative review of Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers for routine clinical use.

As novel, anti-amyloid therapies have become more widely available, access to timely and accurate diagnosis has become integral to ensuring optimal treatment of patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). Plasma biomarkers are a promising tool for identifying AD pathology; however, several technical and clinical factors need to be considered prior to their implementation in routine clinical use. Given the rapid pace of advancements in the field and the wide array of available biomarkers and tests, this review aims to summarize these considerations, evaluate available platforms, and discuss the steps needed to bring plasma biomarker testing to the clinic.

Research Attitudes Questionnaire scores and retention in a recruitment registry.

Background: Recruitment registries are maximally effective when registrants are retained to the point of referral. The Research Attitudes Questionnaire (RAQ) has previously been shown to predict research participation behaviors, including Alzheimer's disease clinical trial completion.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that RAQ score is associated with retention behaviors in a local recruitment registry.

Appropriate Use Criteria for Neoplastic Compression Fractures.

Background Context: Clinical outcomes are directly related to patient selection and treatment indications for improved quality of life. With emphasis on quality and value, it is essential that treatment recommendations are optimized.

Purpose: The purpose of the North American Spine Society (NASS) Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) is to determine the appropriate (ie, reasonable) multidisciplinary treatment recommendations for patients with metastatic neoplastic vertebral fractures across a spectrum of more common clinical scenarios.

Prenatal opioid exposure, neonatal abstinence syndrome diagnosis, and child welfare involvement.

Background: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), or withdrawal from prenatal opioid exposure at birth, can trigger a referral to child protective services (CPS). However, there is some evidence of selection into NAS diagnosis because NAS screening is not universal. Such referrals may protect the infant, help connect the mother to services, or cause harm.

Fully biodegradable hierarchically designed high-performance nanocellulose piezo-arrays.

While piezoelectric sensing and energy-harvesting devices still largely rely on inorganic components, biocompatible and biodegradable piezoelectric materials, such as cellulose nanocrystals, might constitute optimal and sustainable building blocks for a variety of applications in electronics and transient implants. To this aim, however, effective methods are needed to position cellulose nanocrystals in large and high-performance architectures. Here, we report on scalable assemblies of cellulose nanocrystals in multilayered piezoelectric systems with exceptional response, for various application scopes.

Spatially programmed alignment and actuation in printed liquid crystal elastomers.

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) exhibit reversible shape morphing behavior when cycled above their nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature. During extrusion-based 3D printing, LCE inks are subjected to coupled shear and extensional flows that can be harnessed to spatially control the alignment of their nematic director along prescribed print paths. Here, we combine experiment and modeling to elucidate the effects of ink composition, nozzle geometry, and printing parameters on director alignment.

Hypomorphic RAG2 Deficiency Promotes Selection of Self-Reactive B Cells.

Reduced function or hypomorphic variants in recombination-activating genes (RAG) 1 or 2 result in a broad clinical phenotype including common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and even adult-onset disease. Milder RAG variants are less characterized. Here we describe the longitudinal course of a milder combined RAG deficiency in 3 of 7 siblings sharing the same RAG2 mutations over a 50-year study.

MOG antibody-associated disease epidemiology in Olmsted County, USA, and Martinique.

Objectives: To report myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) epidemiology in two American regions using 2023 diagnostic criteria.

Patients And Methods: We compared age- and sex-adjusted incidence and prevalence of MOGAD per 2023 diagnostic criteria in Olmsted County (Minnesota [USA]) and Martinique (Caribbean [FR]) (01/01/2003-12/31/2018, prevalence day) using Poisson regression. Archived sera in 68-85% were available for MOG-IgG testing by live cell-based assay at Mayo Clinic.