Updated Adjustment of the HCAHPS Survey for New Modes of Survey Administration and Patient Mix.

Background: Web-first multimode survey protocols increase HCAHPS survey response rates and representativeness but may result in different HCAHPS scores because of survey mode effects and selective email address availability. A variable absent from many patient-mix adjustment models that may result in more positive patient experiences is whether the hospital admission was planned; adjustment for planned stays may better measure hospital performance.

Objectives: Develop adjustments for new Web-first survey protocols and planned admissions to facilitate comparisons across hospitals.

A Commitment to Gender Equity in Medicine: An American Medical Women's Association Position Paper.

The American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) highlights the ongoing gender inequities in the medical profession, particularly in pay, leadership roles, workplace treatment, and work-life integration. To present evidence of gender disparities in medicine, analyze their root causes, and propose strategies for fostering a more equitable and inclusive environment. Despite progress, women physicians continue to face significant disparities, including lower salaries, underrepresentation in leadership roles, and discrimination.

Adrenal Venous Sampling in the Investigation of Hyperaldosteronism: A Retrospective Practice Review from a Large Academic Medical Center.

Background: Hyperaldosteronism involves complex, multidisciplinary management, including clinical testing, radiological exams, and adrenal venous sampling (AVS). This study assesses AVS outcomes at a large referral center, focusing on cannulation success, lateralization of aldosterone-producing adenomas, and correlation with radiological and surgical findings.

Methods: A retrospective review of 153 patients who underwent AVS from September 2016 to January 2024 was conducted.

Individualized blood pressure regulation and acute kidney injury in older patients having major abdominal surgery: a pilot randomized trial.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common postoperative complication, and hypotension may contribute. We therefore tested the primary hypothesis that individualized intraoperative blood pressure regulation reduces postoperative AKI in older surgical patients.

Methods: We enrolled patients ≥60 years old scheduled for elective major abdominal surgery with invasive arterial pressure monitoring.

With a little help from my friends: importance of protist-protist interactions in structuring marine protistan communities in the San Pedro Channel.

Unlabelled: Marine protists form complex communities that are shaped by environmental and biological ecosystem properties, as well as ecological interactions between organisms. While all of these factors play a role in shaping protistan communities, the specific ways in which these properties and interactions influence protistan communities remain poorly understood. Fourteen years and 9 months of eukaryotic amplicon (18S-V4 rRNA gene) data collected monthly at the San Pedro Ocean Time-series (SPOT) station were used to evaluate the impacts that environmental and biological factors, and protist-protist interactions had on protistan community composition.

Structural analysis of extracellular ATP-independent chaperones of streptococcal species and protein substrate interactions.

Unlabelled: During infection, bacterial pathogens rely on secreted virulence factors to manipulate the host cell. However, in gram-positive bacteria, the molecular mechanisms underlying the folding and activity of these virulence factors after membrane translocation are not clear. Here, we solved the protein structures of two secreted parvulin and two secreted cyclophilin-like peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) ATP-independent chaperones found in gram-positive streptococcal species.

Neural Sensitivity to Ambiguous Social Exclusion Reflects Information Processing Bias in Midadolescents With Higher Levels of Aggression.

Aggression is commonly associated with increased experiences of peer rejection and maladaptive social information processing biases throughout development. Little is known about the neural correlates of peer rejection that might underlie social information processing biases, and whether these neural correlates are common or different across early- and mid-adolescents on a continuum of aggression. Using the Cyberball task, we examined mediofrontal theta (4-7 Hz) event-related EEG spectral power during conditions of explicit and ambiguous social exclusion in 117 participants (57 early adolescents, ages 10-12 years, and 60 mid-adolescents, ages 14-16 years).

TccP4: a novel effector identified in the strain 1551-2 required for attaching and effacing lesion formation on infected Nck-null cells.

is a pathogen that causes sporadic cases and outbreaks of diarrhea. The main virulence feature of this bacterium is the attaching and effacing (AE) lesion formation on infected intestinal epithelial cells, which is characterized by the formation of pedestal-like structures that are rich in F-actin. The Brazilian 1551-2 strain can recruit F-actin using both the Nck-dependent and the Nck-independent pathways, the latter of which uses an adaptor protein named Tir-cytoskeleton coupling protein (TccP/EspF).

Transcriptome-Wide Association Study Identified Novel Blood Tissue Gene Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer Risk.

Objective: A number of susceptibility genes in prostate tissue have been identified to be associated with prostate cancer (PCa) risk. However, the reported genes based on assessing prostate tissue could not fully explain PCa genetic susceptibility. It is believed that genes functioning in the immune system may fill in the gap of some missing heritability.

"Everything cannot be handled virtually": Understanding intention and use of digital health technologies among rural adults and rural cancer survivors.

Purpose: This qualitative study assessed internet access and use, barriers and facilitators to participating in digital health interventions or programs, and the engagement experience in virtual versus in-person health interventions among rural adults and rural cancer survivors.

Methods: Rural adults (n = 10) and rural cancer survivors (n = 10) were recruited from previous studies to participate in an in-depth interview. The interview guide contained eight open-ended questions related to participation in technology-based programs.

Glycemic control to improve post-operative outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Results of the SUGAR (Surgical Universal euGlycemic Attainment during Recovery) initiative.

Objective: Hyperglycemia, or glucose values >180 mg/dL, is associated with adverse post-operative outcomes. Our objective was to determine the impact of improving peri-operative glycemic control and evaluate infectious complications among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoing open gynecologic surgery.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team standardized pre-operative screening, referral algorithms, and intra-operative and post-operative hyperglycemia management (Surgical Universal euGlycemic Attainment during Recovery initiative).

Cervical cancer stage distribution and survival outcomes in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, with a disproportionate burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding the cervical cancer stage and outcomes is crucial for developing effective interventions and reducing its burden. We aimed to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of cervical cancer stage distribution and survival outcomes in Africa.

Caspase 3-specific cleavage of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 48 enhances drug-induced apoptosis in AML.

Dysfunction or dysregulation of deubiquitination is closely related to the initiation and development of multiple cancers. Targeted regulation of deubiquitination has been recognized as an important strategy in tumor therapy. However, the mechanism by which drugs regulate deubiquitinase is not clear.

Redox-Detecting Deep Learning for Mechanism Discernment in Cyclic Voltammograms of Multiple Redox Events.

In electrochemical analysis, mechanism assignment is fundamental to understanding the chemistry of a system. The detection and classification of electrochemical mechanisms in cyclic voltammetry set the foundation for subsequent quantitative evaluation and practical application, but are often based on relatively subjective visual analyses. Deep-learning (DL) techniques provide an alternative, automated means that can support experimentalists in mechanism assignment.

Optically Transparent Carbon Electrodes for Single Entity Electrochemistry.

We demonstrate the application and benefit of optically transparent carbon electrodes (OTCEs) for single entity nanoelectrochemistry. OTCEs are prepared by pyrolyzing thin photoresist films on fused quartz coverslips to create conductive, transparent, thin films. Optical, electrical, topographical, and electrochemical properties of OTCEs are characterized to evaluate their suitability for single entity electrochemistry.

What Is the State of the Literature About Refugees Aged 45 and Older from Burma in Third-Country Resettlement Contexts?: A Scoping Review.

Background And Objective: Older adult refugees from Burma face unique challenges in third-country resettlement, yet their experiences are often overlooked in research and policy. This scoping review aims to examine the literature on refugees aged 45 and older from Burma in third-country resettlement contexts, identify factors contributing to successful integration, and elucidate the unique challenges they encounter.

Research Design And Methods: We systematically searched seven databases using Arksey and O'Malley's framework.

Transient Triplet Metallopnictinidenes M-Pn (M = Pd, Pt; Pn = P, As, Sb): Characterization and Dimerization.

Nitrenes (R-N) have been subject to a large body of experimental and theoretical studies. The fundamental reactivity of this important class of transient intermediates has been attributed to their electronic structures, particularly the accessibility of triplet vs singlet states. In contrast, electronic structure trends along the heavier pnictinidene analogues (R-Pn; Pn = P-Bi) are much less systematically explored.

Refractory and Resistant Herpes Simplex Virus Mucocutaneous Infections in Immunocompromised Patients: Literature Review and Proposed Definitions for Use in Clinical Trials.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is one of the most prevalent viral infections worldwide. In general, host immunity is sufficient to clear viral shedding and recurrences, although it is insufficient to prevent subsequent virologic reactivations. In immunocompromised patients, prolonged and difficult-to-treat HSV infections may develop.

Can social pain be medicated away? A pilot study on everyday discrimination and its exacerbation of opioid misuse risk in people of color with chronic pain.

Despite mounting evidence of a robust relation between discrimination and poor pain outcomes in people of color (POC) with chronic pain, little is known about everyday discrimination's role in increasing the risk of opioid misuse and its potential interactive effects. This study aimed to evaluate the potential moderating effect of everyday discrimination on the relationship between chronic pain severity and the risk of opioid misuse among POC with chronic pain. Everyday discrimination was assessed using the 9-item Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS), while the risk of opioid misuse was measured with the 14-item Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain (SOAPP).

Position-based assessment of head impact frequency, severity, type, and location in high school American football.

Introduction: Research on head impact characteristics, especially position-specific investigations in football, has predominantly focused on collegiate and professional levels, leaving a gap in understanding the risks faced by high school players. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of three factors-player position, impact location, and impact type-on the frequency, severity, and characteristics of impacts in high school American football. Additionally, we examined whether and how player position influences the distribution of impact locations and types.

Autologous Fat Grafting in Hand Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Background: Autologous fat grafting (AFG) has gained popularity in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, including hand surgery, due to its regenerative potential and dual benefits of enhancing aesthetics and function. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of AFG in treating various hand pathologies.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.

Optimizing Point-in-Space Continuous Monitoring System Sensor Placement on Oil and Gas Sites.

We propose a generic, modular framework to optimize the placement of point-in-space continuous monitoring system sensors on oil and gas sites aiming to maximize the methane emission detection efficiency. Our proposed framework substantially expands the problem scale compared to previous related studies and can be adapted for different objectives in sensor placement. This optimization framework is comprised of five steps: (1) simulate emission scenarios using site-specific wind and emission information; (2) set possible sensor locations under consideration of the site layout and any site-specific constraints; (3) simulate methane concentrations for each pair of emission scenario and possible sensor location; (4) determine emissions detection based on the site-specific simulated concentrations; and (5) select the best subset of sensor locations, under a given number of sensors to place, using genetic algorithms combined with Pareto optimization.

Stem cell status and prognostic applications of cuproptosis-associated lncRNAs in acute myeloid leukemia.

Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a highly heterogeneous hematological malignancy, remains a major challenge in adult oncology. Stem cell research has highlighted the crucial role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in regulating cellular differentiation and self-renewal processes, which are pivotal in AML pathogenesis and therapy resistance.

Methods: This study explores the relationship between cuproptosis-related lncRNAs and AML prognosis, providing novel insights into their impact on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.