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PURPOSE: To prospectively and blindly compare intraoperative laparoscopic ultrasonography to preoperative contrast-enhanced computerized tomography in detecting liver lesions in colorectal cancer patients. Additionally, we compared conventional (open) intraoperative ultrasonography with bimanual liver palpation to contrast-enhanced computerized tomography in a subset of patients. METHODS: From December 1995 to March 1998, 77 consecutive patients underwent curative (n = 63) or palliative (n = 14) resections for colorectal cancer. All patients undergoing curative resections were randomized to either laparoscopic (n = 34) or conventional (n = 29) surgery after informed consent. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced computerized tomography, diagnostic laparoscopy, and laparoscopic ultrasonography before resection. In those patients who had conventional procedures, intraoperative ultrasonography with bimanual liver palpation was also done. All laparoscopic ultrasonography and intraoperative ultrasonography evaluations were performed by one of two radiologists who were blinded to the CT results. All hepatic segments were scanned using a standardized method. The yield of each modality was calculated using the number of lesions identified by each imaging modality divided by the total number of lesions identified. RESULTS: In 43 of the 77 patients, both the laparoscopic ultrasonography and CT scan were negative for any liver lesions. In 34 patients, a total of 130 lesions were detected by laparoscopic ultrasonography. CT, or both. When compared with laparoscopic ultrasonography, intraoperative ultrasonography with bimanual liver palpation identified one additional metastatic lesion and no additional benign lesions, laparoscopic ultrasonography identified two patients with mets who had negative preoperative contrast-enhanced computerized tomography. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic ultrasonography of the liver at the time of primary resection of colorectal cancer yields more lesions than preoperative contrast-enhanced computerized tomography and should be considered for routine use during laparoscopic oncologic colorectal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A revolutionary academic-practice partnership model was implemented at the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) with the University of Maryland School of Nursing, through which the preparation and transition to practice of new graduate nurses were reimagined, resulting in intentional support for staffing the nursing workforce. Groups of nursing students were paired with a UMMS-funded clinical instructor to take a full patient assignment for one 12-hour shift in a UMMS hospital each week. This instructor-led cohort is equivalent to one UMMS nurse and was included in the staffing numbers of participating units., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Purpose: Obesity is a major health problem and must be evaluated and treated in cardiac rehabilitation patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the scope of this problem in an urban-based cardiac rehabilitation program by evaluating the prevalence of obesity, and comparing the clinical and risk factor profiles and outcomes of patients stratified according to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) weight classifications., Methods: Four hundred forty-nine consecutive cardiac rehabilitation patients, aged 57 +/- 11 years, were stratified according to the NHLBI criteria as: normal (body mass index [BMI] 18-24.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2), class I/II obese (BMI 30-39.9 kg/m2), and class III morbidly obese (BMI > or = 40 kg/m2). Baseline cardiac risk factors and dietary habits were identified, and both pre- and postexercise training measurements of exercise tolerance, weight, and lipid profile were obtained., Results: Overweight and obesity (BMI > or = 25 kg/m2) were present in 88% of patients. Compared to normal weight patients, obese patients were younger and had a greater adverse risk profile (higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, larger waist circumference, lower exercise capacity, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level) at entry. After 10 weeks, all groups had a significant increase in exercise capacity, and on average obese patients in each category lost weight (Class I/II--4 lbs and Class III--12 lbs). Dropout rates were similar among the groups., Conclusion: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent in cardiac rehabilitation. Overweight and obese patients had a greater adverse cardiovascular risk profile, including a lower exercise capacity in the latter. Thus, targeted interventions toward weight management in contemporary cardiac rehabilitation programs are important. Although short-term outcomes appear promising, greater efforts to improve these outcomes and to support long-term management are needed.

We explored the relation between various potential sources of maternal periconceptional pregnancy exposures to pesticides and congenital anomalies in offspring. Data were derived from a case-control study of fetuses and liveborn infants with orofacial clefts, neural tube defects, conotruncal defects, or limb anomalies, among 1987-1989 California births and fetal deaths. We conducted telephone interviews with mothers of 662 (85% of eligible) orofacial cleft cases, 265 (84%) neural tube defect cases, 207 (87%) conotruncal defect cases, 165 (84%) limb cases, and 734 (78%) nonmalformed controls. The odds ratio (OR) estimates did not indicate increased risk for any of the studied anomaly groups among women whose self-reported occupational tasks were considered by an industrial hygienist likely to involve pesticide exposures. Paternal occupational exposure to pesticides, as reported by the mother, revealed elevated ORs for only two of the cleft phenotypes [OR = 1.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.9-3.4] for multiple cleft lip with/without cleft palate and OR = 1.6 [95% CI = 0.7-3.4] for multiple cleft palate]. Use of pesticide products for household gardening, by mothers or by professional applicators, was associated with ORs > or =1.5 for most of the studied anomalies. Use of pesticide products for the control of pests in or around homes was not associated with elevated risks for most of the studied anomalies, although women who reported that a professional applied pesticides to their homes had increased risks for neural tube defect-affected pregnancies [OR = 1.6 (95% CI = 1.1-2.5)] and limb anomalies [OR = 1.6 (95% CI = 1.0-2.7)]. Having a pet cat or dog and treating its fleas was not associated with increased anomaly risk. Women who reported living within 0.25 miles of an agricultural crop revealed increased risks for offspring with neural tube defects [OR = 1.5 (95%CI = 1.1-2.1)]. For many of the comparisons, data were sparse, resulting in imprecise effect estimation. Despite our investigating multiple sources of potential pesticide exposures, without more specific information on chemical and level of exposure, we could not adequately discriminate whether the observed effects are valid, whether biased exposure reporting contributed to the observed elevated risks, or whether nonspecific measurement of exposure was responsible for many of the observed estimated risks not being elevated.