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We sought to determine the impact of the indication for shunt placement on shunt-related outcomes after major arterial injuries. We hypothesized that a shunt placed for damage control indications would be associated with an increase in shunt-related complications including shunt dislodgement, thrombosis, or distal ischemia.A prospective, multicenter study (eleven level one US trauma centers) of all adult trauma patients undergoing temporary intravascular shunts (TIVS) after arterial injury was undertaken (January 2017-May 2019). Exclusion criteria included age15years, shunt placement distal to popliteal/brachial arteries, isolated venous shunts, and death before shunt removal. Clinical variables were compared by indication and shunt-related complications. The primary endpoint was TIVS complications (thrombosis, migration, distal ischemia).The 66 patients who underwent TIVS were primarily young (30years [IQR 22-36]) men (85%), severely injured (ISS 17 [10-25]) by penetrating mechanisms (59%), and had their shunts placed for damage control (41%). After a median SDT of 198min [89-622], 9% experienced shunt-related complications. Compared by shunt placement indication (damage control shunts [n=27] compared to non-damage control shunts [n=39]), there were no differences in gender, mechanism, extremity AIS, MESS score, fractures, or surgeon specialty between the two groups (all p0.05). Patients with shunts placed for damage control indications had more severe injuries (ISS 23.5 compared to 13; SBP 100 compared to 129; GCS 11 compared to 15; lactate 11.5 compared to 3.6; all p0.05), and had more frequent shunt complication predictors, but damage control shunts did not have significantly more TIVS complications (11.1% compared to 7.7%, p=0.658). Shunt complication patients were discharged home less often (33% vs 65%; p0.05) but all survived.Shunts placed for damage control indications were not associated with shunt complications in this prospective, multicenter study.

Background: Early diagnosis and prompt debridement of necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) improves the outcome. We sought to determine whether failure to admit NSTI patients to acute care surg...

Background Outcome data on the very elderly patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) are sparse. We sought to examine short- and long-term mortality in the 80 plus years population following EGS. Methods Using our institutional 2008-2018 EGS Database, all the 80 plus years patients undergoing EGS were identified. The data were linked to the Social Security Death Index to determine cumulative mortality rates up to 3 years after discharge. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine predictors of in-hospital and 1-year cumulative mortality. Results A total of 385 patients were included with a mean age of 84 years; 54% were female. The two most common comorbidities were hypertension (76.1%) and cardiovascular disease (40.5%). The most common procedures performed were colectomy (20.0%), small bowel resection (18.2%), and exploratory laparotomy for other procedures (15.3%; e.g., internal hernia, perforated peptic ulcer). The overall in-hospital mortality was 18.7%. Cumulative mortality rates at 1, 2, and 3 years after discharge were 34.3%, 40.5%, and 43.4%, respectively. The EGS procedure associated with the highest 1-year mortality was colectomy (49.4%). Although hypertension, renal failure, hypoalbuminemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and elevated liver enzymes predicted in-hospital mortality, the only independent predictors of cumulative 1-year mortality were hypoalbuminemia (odds ratio, 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-4.27; p = 0.025) and elevated serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGOT) level (odds ratio, 2.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-4.70; p = 0.029) at initial presentation. Patients with both factors had a cumulative 1-year mortality rate of 75.0%. Conclusion More than half of the very elderly patients undergoing major EGS were still alive at 3 years postdischarge. The combination of hypoalbuminemia and elevated liver enzymes predicted the highest 1-year mortality. Such information can prove useful for patient and family counseling preoperatively. Level of evidence Prognostic, Level III.

Research has demonstrated that older adults with multiple chronic diseases (CD) are particularly vulnerable to depression. Meeting current recommendations for physical activity (PA) may help ameliorate the impact of depression on this population. Nonetheless, the impact of frequency versus duration of PA on depression in older adults remains to be explored. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the combined effect of PA and multiple CD on depression and the combined effect of the frequency, duration, and multiple CD on depression in older adults. Methods: The present study utilized data from the 2017 and 2020 Living Profiles of Older People Surveys. Data from a total of 19,907 older adults (10,042 older adults from 2017 and 9865 older adults from 2020) were included in the present study. Depression was assessed using the Korean version of the Short Form of Geriatric Depression Scale (K-SGDS) and CD included cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, thyroid syndromes, orthopedic complications, and diabetes. Participants who participated in PA ≥ 150 min/week were categorized as the high PA group, and those who participated in PA < 150 min/week were categorized as the low PA group. Furthermore, the frequency of PA (FRE) was divided into high FRE (≥5 times/week) and low FRE (

The objective of this study was to describe and compare the timing of cervical spine clearance in trauma patients with an unreliable physical examination. We prospectively included adult trauma patients admitted with a cervical collar and an unreliable clinical examination (as defined by the NEXUS criteria) at two level 1 trauma centers: one in the USA (US) and one in Denmark (DK). We excluded patients with cervical spine injuries requiring a collar or surgery as treatment and patients with a collar placed after hospital arrival. The primary outcome was time from emergency department (ED) arrival to collar removal. Secondary outcomes included time to CT of the cervical spine (CTCS). At the US trauma center, an institutional protocol allowing cervical spine clearance exclusively by CTCS was in place. At the Danish trauma center, cervical spine clearance was based on a clinical evaluation by an orthopedic surgeon, usually after CTCS. A total of 113 patients were included (US: n = 56; DK: n = 57). The median age was 47 years, and 68% were males. The main reasons for an unreliable physical examination were a Glasgow Coma Scale score below 14 (35%), distracting injuries (26%), cervical spine tenderness (13%) and intoxication (13%). The injury severity score at the US trauma center was higher than at the DK trauma center (median: 17 vs. 11, p = 0.03). Both time to CTCS (median: 41 vs. 18 min, p

Background The long-term consequences of in-hospital complications remain largely unknown. We sought to study the effect of complications on the long-term functional outcome of trauma patients. Methods Patients with an Injury Severity Score ≥ 9 admitted to 3, level I trauma centers between 2015 and 2017 were contacted 6 to 12 months postinjury and administered a validated trauma quality-of-life survey, assessing for the presence of any functional limitation. Functional limitation was defined as the inability to perform independently one or more activities of daily living (eg, driving, walking on flat surfaces/upstairs, dressing). Medical records and the trauma registry were reviewed systematically for all patient and injury variables. The occurrence of predefined in-hospital complications (eg, pneumonia, surgical site infection) was recorded. The impact of in-hospital complications on functional limitation was assessed using multivariate logistic regression models. Results Of 1,709 patients, 1,022 completed the study. The mean age was 58 y, 56% were male, 94% had blunt trauma, and the mean Injury Severity Score was 15. A total of 168 patients (16.4%) had a minimum of 1 in-hospital complication and reported significantly more functional limitations in most activities of daily living at 6 to 12 months, compared with those without complications. In multivariable analyses adjusting for confounders, the occurrence of complications was associated with a greater likelihood of functional limitation 6 to 12 months postinjury (odds ratio = 1.82, 95% confidence interval 1.22–2.69, P = .003). Conclusion Trauma patients with in-hospital complications have a worse long-term functional outcome. In addition to prevention of primary complications, more rehabilitation resources should be made available to trauma patients who survive complications.

Background Recent small randomized trials suggest that primary anastomosis with a diverting loop ileostomy (PADLI) is a safe alternative to Hartmann's procedure (HP) for patients with acute diverticulitis necessitating emergent operation. We sought to examine the 30-day outcomes of patients undergoing emergent HP vs PADLI. Method Using the American College of Surgeons NSQIP Colectomy Procedure Targeted Database from 2012 to 2016, all patients with acute diverticulitis who underwent emergent HP or PADLI were identified. Multivariable logistic models were constructed to compare the 30-day mortality, overall morbidity, and individual postoperative complications (eg surgical site infection, bleeding, sepsis) of the 2 procedures, controlling for all preoperative variables (eg demographics, comorbidities, laboratory values, illness severity), as well as intraoperative and procedure-specific variables (eg wound classification). Results Of 130,963 patients, 2,729 patients were included. Median age was 64 years, 48.5% were male; the majority of patients underwent HP and only 208 (7.6%) underwent PADLI. Hartmann's procedure patients had more comorbidities (eg COPD: 9.8% vs 4.8%; p = 0.017), were more functionally dependent (6.3% vs 2.4%; p = 0.025), and were sicker (eg septic shock: 11.1% vs 5.3%; p = 0.015) compared with PADLI patients. The mortality rates for HP vs PADLI were 7.6% and 2.9%, respectively (p = 0.011). The morbidity rates were 55.4% and 48.6%, respectively (p = 0.056). In multivariable analyses, compared with HP, PADLI did not result in increased rates of mortality (odds ratio 0.21; 95% CI 0.03 to 1.58; p = 0.129) or morbidity (odds ratio 0.96; 95% CI 0.63 to 1.45; p = 0.834). The odds of most major postoperative complications were also similar for HP and PADLI overall. Conclusions Currently, surgeons perform HP more frequently than PADLI. When controlling for patient population differences, PADLI appears to be at least a safe alternative to HP for select patient populations needing emergent surgical management of acute diverticulitis.

Recent studies suggest that obesity is a risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection, possibly due to disruptions in the intestinal microbiome composition. We hypothesized that body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased incidence of C. difficile infection in surgical patients.In this nationwide retrospective cohort study in 680 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program participating sites across the United States, the occurrence of C. difficile infection within 30 days postoperatively between different BMI groups was compared. All American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program patients between 2015 and 2016 were classified as underweight, normal-weight, overweight, or obese class I-III if their BMI was less than 18.5, 18.5 to 25, 25 to 30, 30 to 35, 35 to 40 or greater than 40, respectively.A total of 1,426,807 patients were included; median age was 58 years, 43.4% were male, and 82.9% were white. The postoperative incidence of C. difficile infection was 0.42% overall: 1.11%, 0.56%, 0.39%, 0.35%, 0.33% and 0.36% from the lowest to the highest BMI group, respectively (p0.001 for trend). In univariate then multivariable logistic regression analyses, adjusting for patient demographics (e.g., age, sex), comorbidities (e.g., diabetes, systemic sepsis, immunosuppression), preoperative laboratory values (e.g., albumin, white blood cell count), procedure complexity (work relative unit as a proxy) and procedure characteristics (e.g., emergency, type of surgery [general, vascular, other]), compared with patients with normal BMI, high BMI was inversely and incrementally correlated with the postoperative occurrence of C. difficile infection. The underweight were at increased risk (odds ratio, 1.15 [1.00-1.32]) while the class III obese were at the lowest risk (odds ratio, 0.73 [0.65-0.81]).In this nationwide retrospective cohort study, obesity is independently and in a stepwise fashion associated with a decreased risk of postoperative C. difficile infection. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential and unexpected association.Prognostic/Epidemiologic, Level IV.

Spontaneous retroperitoneal and rectus sheath hemorrhage (SRRSH) is associated with high mortality in the literature, but studies on the subject are lacking. The objective of this study was to identify early predictors of the need for angiographic or surgical intervention (ASI) in patients with SRRSH and define risk factors for mortality. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a tertiary academic hospital. All patients with computed tomography-identified SRRSH between 2012 to 2017 were included. Exclusion criteria were age below 18 years, possible mechanical cause of SRRSH, aortic aneurysm rupture or dissection, and traumatic or iatrogenic sources of SRRSH. The primary outcome was the incidence of ASI and/or mortality. Of 100 patients included (median age 70 years, 52% males), 33% were transferred from another hospital, 82% patients were on therapeutic anticoagulation, and 90% had serious comorbidities. Overall mortality was 22%, but SRRSH-related mortality was only 6%. Sixteen patients underwent angiographic intervention (n = 10), surgical intervention (n = 5), or both (n = 1). Flank pain (OR 4.15, 95% CI 1.21–14.16, p = 0.023) and intravenous contrast extravasation (OR 3.89, 95% CI 1.23–12.27, p = 0.020) were independent predictors of ASI. Transfer from another hospital (OR 3.72, 95% CI 1.30–10.70, p = 0.015), age above 70 years (OR 4.24, 95% CI 1.25–14.32, p = 0.020), and systolic blood pressure below 110 mmHg at the time of diagnosis (OR 4.59, 95% CI 1.19–17.68, p = 0.027) were independent predictors of mortality. SRRSH is associated with high mortality but is typically not the direct cause. Most SRRSHs are self-limited and require no intervention. Pattern identification of ASI is hard.

Background The Enhanced Protein-Energy Provision via the Enteral Route Feeding Protocol (PEP uP) has been shown to be feasible, safe, and effective in delivering significantly more energy/protein, though it has not been well studied in surgical/trauma patients. We hypothesized that PEP uP will effectively increase energy/protein delivery to critically ill surgical/trauma patients. Methods This multicenter, prospective, randomized pilot study included adult patients admitted to surgical service who were expected to require mechanical ventilation for >24 hours and intensive care unit (ICU) care for >72 hours. Subjects were randomized to PEP uP or standard care. The PEP uP protocol includes initiation at goal rate, semi-elemental formula, prophylactic prokinetic agents, 24-hour volume-based goals, and modular protein supplementation. The primary outcome was nutrition adequacy over the first 12 ICU days. Results Thirty-six subjects were enrolled. Slow recruitment resulted in early trial termination by the sponsor. There were no baseline differences between groups. PEP uP patients received more protein (106.8 ± 37.0 vs 78.5 ± 30.3 g/d, P = 0.02). Energy delivery was not significantly different (1400.0 ± 409.5 vs 1237.9 ± 459.1 kcal, P = 0.25). Vomiting was more common in the PEP uP patients (32% vs 12%, P = 0.03). PEP uP protocol violations included 2 patients (15.4%) not receiving pro-motility medications, 3 (23.1%) not receiving volume-based feeds as ordered, and 4 (30.8%) not receiving supplemental protein. Conclusions In surgical/trauma patients, PEPuP seemed to improve protein delivery but was difficult to implement successfully and may increase vomiting rates.

Detention and removal of unauthorised immigrants by United States (U.S.) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has steadily increased despite declining rates of unauthorised migration. ICE detainees are held in overcrowded detention centres, often without due process and deprived of adequate food, sanitation, and medical care. Conditions of ICE detention contribute to malnutrition and increase the likelihood of infectious disease exposure, including tuberculosis (TB). TB infection interacts with Type 2 Diabetes (DM2), disproportionately affecting individuals who are routinely targeted by federal immigration practices. When two diseases interact and exacerbate one another within a larger structural context, thereby amplifying multiple disease interactions, this is called a syndemic. In this paper, we examine malnutrition in ICE detention as a pathway of bidirectional risks for and interactions between TB and DM2 among ICE detainees. Drawing from literature on detention conditions, TB, and DM2 rates along the U.S.-Mexico border, we propose an ICE-TB-DM2 syndemic model. We present a map displaying our proposed syndemic model to demonstrate the spatial application of syndemic theory in the context of ICE detention, strengthening the growing scholarship on syndemics of incarceration and removal.

Background Optimal use of interventional procedures and diagnostic tests for patients with suspected choledocholithiasis depends on accurate pretest risk estimation. We sought to define sensitivity/specificity of transaminases in identifying choledocholithiasis and to incorporate them into a biochemical marker composite score that could accurately predict choledocholithiasis. Methods All adult patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy by our Emergency Surgery Service between 2010 and 2018 were reviewed. Admission total bilirubin (TB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was captured. Choledocholithiasis was confirmed via intraoperative cholangiogram, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) or C-statistic for AST, ALT, ALP, and TB as a measure of detecting choledocholithiasis was calculated. For score development, our database was randomly dichotomized to derivation and validation cohort and a score was derived. The score was validated by calculating its C-statistic. Results 1089 patients were included; 210 (20.3%) had confirmed choledocholithiasis. The AUC was .78 for TB, .77 for ALP and AST, and .76 for ALT. 545 and 544 patients were included in the derivation and the validation cohort, respectively. The elements of the derived score were TB, AST, and ALP. The score ranged from 0 to 4. The AUC was .82 in the derivation and .77 in the validation cohort. The probability of choledocholithiasis increased from 8% to 89% at scores 0 to 4, respectively. Conclusions Aspartate aminotransferase predicted choledocholithiasis adequately and should be featured in choledocholithiasis screening algorithms. We developed a biochemical composite score, shown to be accurate in preoperative choledocholithiasis risk assessment in an emergency surgery setting.

Older adults with disease and disability are particularly vulnerable to experiencing more severe consequences of depression. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between disease comorbidities (number of disease: ND0, 1 disease: ND1 and 2 or more diseases: ND &ge, 2), hand grip strength (low HGS and high HGS), and the prevalence of depression in Korean older adults. Data from the living profiles of older people survey that was conducted by the ministry of health and welfare in Korea were utilized. Data for 6107 females and 4347 males were appropriate for statistical tests. The results demonstrated that depression was more prevalent as ND increased (p &lt, 0.01). In addition, HGS appeared lower as ND increased in both male (p &lt, 0.01) and female subjects (p &lt, 0.01). Furthermore, relative to ND0 and low HGS, ND0 and high HGS showed a ~65% reduction in the prevalence of depression (p &lt, 0.01). After adjusting for age, the prevalence of depression was reduced by ~60% in the subgroup with ND0 and high HGS relative to ND0 and low HGS (p &lt, 0.01). These data demonstrate that muscular strength indices such as HGS may be useful when assessing depression in older adults. Further research in this area is warranted.

Background Obesity has long been considered a risk factor for postoperative adverse events in surgery. We sought to study the impact of body mass index (BMI) on the clinical outcomes of the high-risk emergency general surgery (EGS) elderly patients. Methods All EGS ≥65 years old patients in the 2007-2016 ACS-NSQIP database, identified using the variables ‘emergency’ and ‘surgspec,’ were included. Patients were classified into five groups: normal weight: BMI Results A total of 78,704 patients were included, of which 26,011 were overweight (33.1%), 13,897 (17.6%) had Class I obesity, 5904 (7.5%) had Class II obesity, and 4490 (5.7%) had Class III obesity. On multivariable analyses, compared to the nonobese, patients who are overweight or with Class I-III obesity paradoxically had a lower risk of mortality, bleeding requiring transfusion, pneumonia, stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). Additionally, the incidence of MI and stroke decreased in a stepwise fashion as BMI progressed from overweight to severely obese (MI: OR: 0.84 [0.73-0.95], OR: 0.73 [0.62-0.86], OR: 0.66 [0.52-0.83], OR: 0.51 [0.38-0.68]; stroke: OR: 0.80 [0.65-0.99], OR: 0.79 [0.62-1.02], OR: 0.71 [0.50-1.00], OR: 0.43 [0.28-0.68]). Conclusion In our study of elderly EGS patients, overweight and obese patients had a lower risk of mortality, bleeding requiring transfusion, pneumonia, reintubation, stroke, and MI. Further studies are needed to confirm and investigate the obesity paradox in this patient population.

BACKGROUND In the trauma population, ketamine is commonly used during rapid sequence induction. However, as ketamine has been associated with important side effects, this study sought to compare in-hospital mortality in trauma patients after induction with ketamine versus other induction agents. METHODS We retrospectively identified adult trauma patients intubated in the pre-hospital phase or initially in the trauma bay at two urban level-1 trauma centers during a 2-year period using local trauma registries and medical records. In-hospital mortality was compared for patients intubated with ketamine versus other agents using logistic regression with adjustment for age, gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS), systolic blood pressure (SBP)

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has a wide range of technical difficulty. Preoperative risk stratification is essential for adequate planning and patient counseling. We hypothesized that gallbladder wall thickness (GWT) is more objective marker than symptom duration in predicting complexity, as determined by operative time (OT), intraoperative events (IE), and postoperative complications.All adult patients who underwent LC during 2010-2018 were included. GWT, measured on imaging and on the histopathologic exam, was divided into three groups:3 mm (normal), 3-7 mm and7 mm. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the association between GWT and 1) operative time, 2) the incidence of IE and 3) postoperative outcomes.A total of 1089 patients, subjects to LC, were included in the study. GWT was positively correlated with median OT (p 0.001), the incidence of IE (p 0.001) and median length of hospital stay (p 0.001). GWT independently predicted IE (OR = 2.1 95% CI: 1.3-3.4) and outperformed symptom duration, which was not significantly associated with any of the outcomes (p = 0.7).GWT independently predicted IE and may serve as an objective marker of LC complexity.

The impact of immunosuppression on the outcomes of emergent surgery remains poorly described. We aimed to quantify the impact of chronic immunosuppression on outcomes of patients undergoing emergent colectomy (EC). The Colectomy-Targeted ACS-NSQIP database 2012–2016 was queried for patients who underwent colectomy for an emergent indication. As per NSQIP, chronic immunosuppression was defined as the use of corticosteroid or immunosuppressant medication within the prior 30 days. Patients undergoing EC for any indication were divided into two groups: immunosuppressant use (IMS) and no immunosuppressant use (NIS). Patients were propensity-score-matched on demographics, comorbidities, preoperative laboratory values, and operative variables in a 1:1 ratio to control for confounding factors. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included overall 30-day morbidity, individual postoperative complications (e.g., wound dehiscence, anastomotic leak, and sepsis), and hospital length of stay. Out of a total of 130,963 patients, 17,707 patients underwent an EC, of which 15,422 were NIS and 2285 were IMS. Totally, 2882 patients were matched (1441 NIS; 1441 IMS). The median age was 66 [IQR 56–76]; 56.8% were female; patients more frequently underwent a diversion procedure rather than primary anastomosis (68.4% vs 31.6%). Overall, as compared to NIS, IMS patients had higher 30-day mortality (21.4% vs 18.5%, p = 0.045) and overall morbidity (79.7% vs 75.7%, p = 0.011). Particularly, IMS patients had increased rates of unplanned intubations (11.5% vs 7.9%, p = 0.001), wound dehiscence (5.7% vs 3.5%, p = 0.006), progressive renal insufficiency 2.2% vs 1.2%, p = 0.042), pneumonia (12.6% vs 10.0%, p = 0.029), and longer median hospital length of stay [12.0 (8.0–21.0) vs 11.0 (7.0–19.0), p

BACKGROUND Supplemental oxygen is recommended during the initial treatment of trauma patients according to several guidelines, but the supporting evidence is sparse. We aimed to describe the use of supplemental oxygen and occurrence of hyperoxemia in the initial phase of trauma management at two level 1 trauma centers, TC1 and TC2. METHODS In this prospective, observational study we included trauma patients ≥16 years of age. Data on pre- and in-hospital supplemental oxygen, arterial oxygen tension (PaO2 ), and outcomes (in-hospital mortality, hospital- and intensive care unit length of stay) were collected. RESULTS We included 56 patients. There were 22 (39%) females with a mean age of 49 years (SD: 18) and a median Injury Severity Score of 9 (IQR: 4-14, n = 49). A total of 23 (45%) out of 51 spontaneously breathing patients received pre-hospital supplemental oxygen, but did not differ significantly from the patients that did not receive supplemental oxygen. In-hospital, 29 (59%) out of 49 spontaneously breathing patients received supplemental oxygen. The median PaO2 was 26.5 kPa [IQR: 22.2-34.1] in four intubated patients and 12.3 kPa [IQR: 9.7-25.7] in eight patients with spontaneous respiration on supplemental oxygen. At TC1 a significantly greater proportion of spontaneously breathing patients received both pre-hospital (TC1: 18 [64%]; TC2: 5 [21%], P = 0.002) and in-hospital (TC1: 24 [92%]; TC2: 7 [30%], P

Childcare policies have special significance in the Republic of Korea, due to population aging and low birthrates. This study identified policy differences between governments with different ideologies and derived relevant policy implications. We analyzed the childcare policy framings of the conservative Park Geun-Hye administration and the progressive Moon Jae-In administration through validated media articles. We confirmed that the policies of both administrations are not different from each other: both employ negative problem-diagnostic framing. The media regard their policies as similar: both have strong state-led characteristics. Some differences exist: conservative media criticize childcare funding and progressive media support its principles. The progressive administration employed temporal framing and emphasized benefits to recipients, while the conservative administration did not employ temporal framing and emphasized political intentions. Further, the progressive administration had denser connections with policy performers and emphasized the private sector’s active involvement. The paper concludes with recommendations for more effective policy processes.

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) are defined as inadvertent injuries that occur during an operation and are associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and health care costs. We sought to study the impact of attending surgeon experience as well as resident training level on the occurrence of iAEs.The institutional American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and administrative databases for abdominal surgeries were linked and screened for iAEs using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification-based Patient Safety Indicator "accidental puncture/laceration." Each flagged record was systematically reviewed to confirm iAE occurrence and determine the number of years of independent practice of the attending surgeon and the postgraduate year (PGY) of the assisting resident at the time of the operation. The attending surgeon experience was divided into quartiles (6 years, 6-13 years, 13-20 years,20 years). The resident experience level was defined as Junior (PGY-1 to PGY-3) or Senior (PGY-4 or PGY-5). Univariate/bivariate then multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusting for patient demographics, comorbidities, and operation type and/or complexity (using RVUs as a proxy) were performed to assess the independent impact of resident and attending surgeon experience on the occurrence of iAEs.A large tertiary care teaching hospital.Patients included in the 2007-2012 ACS-NSQIP that had an abdominal surgery performed by both an attending surgeon and a resident.A total of 7685 operations were included and iAEs were detected in 159 of them (2.1%). Junior residents participated in 1680 cases (21.9%), while senior residents were involved in 6005 (78.1%). The iAE rates for attending surgeons with6, 6-13, 13-20, and20 years of experience were 2.7%, 1.7%, 2.4%, and 1.4%, respectively. In multivariable analyses, the risk of occurrence of an iAE was significantly decreased for surgeons with20 years of experience compared to those with6 years of experience (odds ratio=0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.86, p = 0.011). On bivariate analyses, iAEs occurred in 1.2% of junior resident cases, while senior residents had an iAE rate of 2.3%. However, after risk adjustment on multivariable analyses, the resident experience level did not significantly impact the rate of iAEs.The surgeon's level of experience, but not the resident's, is associated with the occurrence of iAEs in abdominal surgery. Efforts to improve patient safety in surgery should explore the value of pairing junior surgeons with the more experienced ones thru formalized coaching programs, rather than focus on curbing resident operative autonomy.

Purpose: The possibility of interaction between physical and mental fatigues was investigated in this study. Should any interaction between the physical and psychological fatigue takes place, it must accompany the changes in the brain. Therefore, the level of central activation ratio (central fatigue) has been measured as a function of monetary reward to elicit the extrinsic motivation. Methods: Twenty four healthy young male subjects performed quadriceps isotonic extensions until they experience the muscular fatigue. Then, the notification of the monetary reward depending on the level of extension force for the next 3 attempts were given to the experimental group, while no such information was given to the control group. During these post-fatigue isometric maximum voluntary contraction trials, the transcranial magnetic stimulation was delivered on the motor cortex to measure the central activation ratio. Two-way repeated ANOVA were performed. Results: Pre- vs. Post-fatigue comparisons confirmed that the subjects regardless of the group experienced the peripheral fatigue although the level of peripheral fatigue was less pronounced in the group with extrinsic motivation. On the other hand, the central activation ratio of the extrinsic motivation group did not displayed any decrease as the control group did. Conclusion: The results from this study provided an evidence showing the effects of motivation on the muscular fatigue. What’s intriguing is, however, the level of fatigue at the brain level showed no significant sign of fatigue when the monetary reward was suggested. It is presumable to suggest that the high motivation made our subjects prone to the central fatigue, and such effects might have decrease the peripheral muscle fatigue in turn.

[Purpose] Perception plays an important role in understanding the environment or related objects in order for humans to perform physical movements more effectively. Sometimes they create different movements with different perceptions. Especially, visual perception errors that occur in sports situations can have a considerable effect on performance. Accurate knowledge of the environment in this process of perception is important in performing movements or actions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of learning formation on perception using Muller-Liar illusion diagrams. To measure this, we compared the feedback group that induced knowledge learning and the control group that did not provide knowledge To see if there is a difference. Therefore, in this study, we have provided a visual feedback that can establish the cognitive awareness of the actual stimuli length to subjects, and investigated the changes in their matching action responses. [Methods] A total of 32 young and healthy subjects were randomly divided into two groups (Feedback and Non-Feedback groups). Subjects were asked to match the stimulus size with their index fingers and thumbs. Initially (pre-test), three different visual stimuli (inward, outward, and no arrows) were randomly presented 60 times (20 times each) and the grip sizes were recorded using the Liberty Motion Analysis System (Polhemus Co., America). Then, video clips of two lines merging each other were presented as feedbacks. Post-test protocol was identical to the pre-test protocol. The data were analyzed using the 3-way ANOVA with one RM factor (2 x 3 x 2). [Results] Results showed a significant 2-way interaction effect. Post-hoc results showed significant interaction between stimulus shape and pre/post-tests only in the experimental group. There was a significant decrease in the grip size after feedback in the OUT condition of experimental group. However, in the control group, there was no interaction between stimulus shape and pre/post-tests. [Conclusion] Overall, current results indicates that, while visual illusion can affect the action, the provision of visual feedback can establish the awareness of actual stimulus size and suppress the influence of illusion on action.

Temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy, in combination with maximal safe resection and radiotherapy, is the current standard of care for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Despite this multimodal approach, GBM inevitably relapses primarily due to resistance to chemo-radiotherapy, and effective treatment is not available for recurrent disease. In this study we identified TMZ resistant patient-derived primary and previously treated recurrent GBM stem cells (GSC), and investigated the therapeutic activity of a pro-apoptotic variant of oHSV (oHSV-TRAIL) in vitro and in vivo. We show that oHSV-TRAIL modulates cell survival and MAP Kinase proliferation signaling pathways as well as DNA damage response pathways in both primary and recurrent TMZ-resistant GSC. Utilizing real time in vivo imaging and correlative immunohistochemistry, we show that oHSV-TRAIL potently inhibits tumor growth and extends survival of mice bearing TMZ-insensitive recurrent intracerebral GSC tumors via robust and selective induction of apoptosis-mediated death in tumor cells, resulting in cures in 40% of the treated mice. In comparison, the anti-tumor effects in a primary chemoresistant GSC GBM model exhibiting a highly invasive phenotype were significant but less prominent. This work thus demonstrates the ability of oHSV-TRAIL to overcome the therapeutic resistance and recurrence of GBM, and provides a basis for its testing in a GBM clinical trial.

In this study, we verified the effects of smartphone addiction proneness of young children (ages one to six) on problematic behaviors and emotional intelligence. We investigated whether parental self-assessment of smartphone usage affects the way in which children's smartphone addiction impacts their behaviors and emotional intelligence. Smartphone addiction proneness sub-factors interfere with daily life and compulsory control through voluntary isolation and personality distortion. Differences exist in daily-life interference according to parental ages, voluntary isolation according to parental occupations, and personality distortion according to parental academic backgrounds. Among attributes of young children's smartphone usage, differences exist in compulsory control needs and personality distortion starting from a young age, and compulsory control needs according to the child's daily smartphone usage. Moreover, no correlations exist between independent variables of daily-life interference and the emotional intelligence outcome variable. All addictive tendencies have significant positive effects on problematic behaviors, and significant negative effects on emotional intelligence. The greater the degree to which parents are self-evaluative of their smartphone usage, the lower is the influence of children's smartphone addiction proneness on their problematic behaviors. This study suggests that parents' self-reflective attitude towards smartphone usage can undermine the negative effects of smartphone overuse by young children. Study verified effects of smartphone addiction proneness of young children.Addictive tendency relates to problem behaviors and reduced emotional intelligence.Parents' attitude can undermine negative effects of smartphone overuse by children.

[Purpose] While primary motor cortex activation has been implicated as a key factor in the arthrogenic muscle inhibition after knee joint injury, no viable rehabilitation protocol has been developed to accommodate this factor. In this study, transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied as a means of dissipating arthrogenic muscle inhibition by introducing temporary motor cortex excitation prior to the rehabilitation. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-four subjects who have underwent the surgery due to knee injury were recruited, and randomly assigned to the control or the simulation groups. The levels of electromyography signals during the maximum voluntary contraction of the quadriceps muscle before, during, and after training designed for the quadriceps strength rehabilitation were measured. [Results] When compared to controls, subjects who received the transcranial magnetic stimulations showed significantly increased levels of voluntary muscle contraction after the training. Moreover, the beneficial effect of the stimulation increased as the rehabilitation progressed. [Conclusion] Transcranial magnetic stimulation itself does not directly improve the symptoms related to knee injuries. However, the use of this technique can provide a time window for effective intervention by dissipating the unwanted effect of the arthrogenic muscle inhibition during rehabilitation.

The decision to emergently operate on nonagenarian patients (NONAs) can be complex due to the uncertainty about outcomes and goals of care at this advanced age. We sought to study: (1) the outcomes and predictors of mortality for NONAs undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) and (2) the accuracy of ACS-NSQIP mortality risk calculator in this special population.Using the 2007 to 2015 ACS-NSQIP database, we included all patients older than 90 years of age who underwent an emergent operation with a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for "digestive system." Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of 30-day mortality. NONAs' mortality rates for different combinations of risk factors were also studied and compared to the ACS-NSQIP calculator-predicted mortality rates.Out of a total of 4,456,809 patients, 4,724 NONAs were included. The overall 30-day patient mortality and morbidity rates were 21% and 45%, respectively. In multivariable analyses, several independent predictors of 30-day mortality were identified, including recent history of weight loss, history of steroid use, smoking, functional dependence, hypoalbuminemia and sepsis or septic shock. The mortality among NONAs with a history of steroid use and a recent history of weight loss was 100%. Similarly, the mortality of NONAs with recent history of weight loss who presented with preoperative septic shock was 93%. The ACS-NSQIP calculator significantly and consistently underestimated the risk of mortality in all NONAs undergoing EGS.Most NONAs undergoing EGS survive the hospital stay and the first 30 postoperative days, even in the presence of significant preexisting comorbidities. However, the combination of recent weight loss with either steroid use or septic shock nearly ensures mortality and should be used in the discussions with patients and families before a decision to operate is made. The ACS-NSQIP surgical risk calculator should be used with caution in these high-risk patients.Prognostic study, level III.

The Emergency Surgery Score (ESS) was validated recently as an accurate and user-friendly post-operative mortality risk calculator specific for Emergency General Surgery (EGS). ESS is calculated by adding one to three integer points for each of 22 pre-operative variables (demographics, co-morbidities, and pre-operative laboratory values); increasing scores accurately and gradually predict higher mortality rates. We sought to evaluate whether ESS can predict the occurrence of post-operative infectious complications in EGS patients.Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database from 2007-2015, all EGS patients were identified by using the "emergent" ACS-NSQIP variable and a concomitant surgery Current Procedural Terminology code for "digestive system." Patients with any missing ESS variables or those who died within 72 hours from the surgical procedure were excluded. A composite variable, post-operative infection, was created and defined as the post-operative occurrence of one or more of the following: superficial, deep incisional or organ/space surgical site infection, surgical site disruption, pneumonia, sepsis, septic shock, or urinary tract infection. ESS was calculated for all included patients, and the correlation between ESS and post-operative infection was examined using c-statistics.Of a total of 4,456,809 patients, 90,412 patients were included. The mean age of the population was 56 years, 51% were female, and 70% were white; 22% developed one or more post-operative infections, most commonly sepsis/septic shock (12.2%), surgical site infection (9%), and pneumonia (5.7%). The ESS gradually and consistently predicted infectious complications; post-operative infections developed in 7%, 24%, and 49% of patients with an ESS of 1, 5, and 10, respectively. The c-statistics for overall post-operative infection, post-operative sepsis/septic shock, and pneumonia were 0.73, 0.75, and 0.80, respectively.The ESS accurately predicts the occurrence of post-operative infectious complications in EGS patients and could be used for pre-operative clinical decision-making as well as quality benchmarking of infection rates in EGS.

Background The emergency surgery score (ESS) is a preoperative risk calculator recently validated as a mortality predictor in emergency surgery (ES) patients. We sought to evaluate the utility of ESS as an ICU admission triage tool. Methods A four-step methodology was designed. First, the 2007–2015 ACS-NSQIP database was examined to identify all ES patients using the “emergent” variable and CPT codes for “digestive system”. Second, we created a composite variable called ICUneed, defined as death or the development of one or more postoperative complication warranting critical care (e.g. unplanned intubation, ventilator dependent ≥48 h, cardiac arrest, septic shock and coma ≥24 h). Third, for each patient, ESS was calculated. Fourth, the correlation between ESS and ICUneed was assessed by calculating the model c-statistics (AUROC). Results Out of a total of 4,456,809 patients, 65,989 patients were included. The mean population age was 56 years; 51% were female, and 71% were white. The overall 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity were 8.2% and 31.7%, respectively. ESS gradually and accurately predicted ICUneed, with 1%, 40% and 98% of patients with ESS of 2, 9 and 16 requiring critical care, respectively. Only 6.2% of patients with ESS ≤7 had an ICUneed, while 97.2% of patients with ESS ≥15 had an ICUneed. The c-statistic of the predictive model was 0.90. Conclusions ESS accurately predicts the need for postoperative critical care and ICU admission. In resource-limited settings, ESS may prove useful as an ICU triage tool ensuring a prompt rescue of the clinically deteriorating patient without unnecessary and burdensome ICU admissions.

Background Diversion of unused prescription opioids is a major contributor to the current United States opioid epidemic. We aimed to study the variation of opioid prescribing in emergency surgery. Methods Between October 2016 and March 2017, all patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or inguinal hernia repair in the acute care surgery service of 1 academic center were included. For each patient, we systematically reviewed the electronic medical record and the prescribing pharmacy platform to identify: (1) history of opioid abuse, (2) opioid intake 3 months preoperatively, (3) number of opioid pills prescribed, (4) prescription of nonopioid pain medications (eg, acetaminophen, ibuprofen), and (5) the need for opioid prescription refills. The mean and range of opioid pills prescribed, as well as their oral morphine equivalent, were calculated. Results A total of 255 patients were included (43.5% laparoscopic appendectomy, 44.3% laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and 12.1% inguinal hernia repair). The mean age was 47.5 years, 52.1% were female, 11.4% had a history of opioid use, and 92.5% received opioid prescriptions upon hospital discharge. Only 70.9% of patients were instructed to use nonopioid pain medications. The mean and range of opioid pills prescribed were 17.4; 0–56 (laparoscopic appendectomy), 17.1; 0–75 (laparoscopic cholecystectomy), and 20.9; 0–50 (inguinal hernia repair), while the range of prescribed oral morphine equivalent was 0–600 mg for laparoscopic appendectomy/laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 0–375 mg for inguinal hernia repair. No patients required any opioid medication refills. Conclusion Even within the same surgical service, wide variation of opioid prescription was observed. Guidelines that standardize pain management may help prevent opioid overprescribing.

Background We aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) after blunt assault. Methods The ACS National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) 2012 Research Data Set was used to identify victims of blunt assault using the ICD-9 E-codes 960.0, 968.2, 973. ICD-9 codes 805.00, 839.00, 806.00, 952.00 identified cervical vertebral fractures/dislocations and CSCI. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of CSCI. Results 14,835 (2%) out of 833,311 NTDB cases were blunt assault victims and thus included. 217 (1%) had cervical vertebral fracture/dislocation without CSCI; 57 (0.4%) had CSCI. Age ≥55 years was independently predictive of CSCI; assault by striking/thrown object, facial fracture, and intracranial injury predicted the absence of CSCI. 25 (0.02%) patients with CSCI underwent cervical spinal fusion. Conclusions CSCI is rare after blunt assault. While the odds of CSCI increase with age, facial fracture or intracranial injury predicts the absence of CSCI. Summary The incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) after blunt assault was investigated. 14,835 blunt assault victims were identified; 217 had cervical vertebral fracture/dislocation without CSCI; 57 had CSCI. Age ≥55 years was found to independently predict CSCI, while assault by striking/thrown object, facial fracture, and intracranial injury predicted the absence of CSCI.

‘Titi Chal’ with elite characteristics and high fruit yield was developed from a cross between ‘MS-BGT’ and ‘NHMF’ in 2009. The cultivar has multiple disease resistances against Tobacco mosaic virus, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, Tomato spotted wilt virus and Leaf mold disease. The early and medium-maturing variety can be transplanted on July to September. The cherry tomato presents longer shelf-life due to higher fruit firmness and also has high eating quality with 9~10 brix of sugar content. The fruit shape is red plum type with an average fruit weight of 23~25 g. The ‘Titi Chal’ is more reliable to be cultivated because of medium-strong plant-vigor and low occurrence of creased stem.

‘TY Altorang’ was developed from a cross between ‘MS-CDE’ and ‘VFR’ in 2009. The cultivar has multi-disease resistances against Tobacco mosaic virus(TMV), Tomato yellow leaf curl virus(TYLCV), Fusarium crown and root rot and Leaf mold disease. Additionally, this cultivar produces larger fruit set resulting in higher fruit harvest. Fruit shape is fair and uniformed ovate type with an average fruit weight of 225 g as a beef-steak type tomato, and the fruit presents longer shelf-life due to higher fruit firmness. The early and medium-maturing variety can be transplanted in February to March, or July to September. Medium-strong plant-vigor and low occurrence of creased stem allow, relativey easy cultivation.

Pepper accessions that were selected for resistance to bacterial wilt were evaluated for their resistance to two strains (Rs004 and Rs005) in 2010 and three strains (Rs005, Rs006, and Rs010) in 2011 of the bacterial wilt pathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum. KC00121, KC00355, KC00359, KC01051, KC01052, KC01260, KC01261, and KC01263 showed a similar level of resistance as MC4 (KC00350), the worldly known source of resistance. Nuclear genotypes of restorer-of-fertility locus for the cytoplasmic male sterility of the accessions were identified by crossing them to a cytoplasmic male sterile line, Punggok-A (Srfrf) and examining the male fertility of the resultant F1 plants. KC00355, KC00359, KC01051, KC01052, KC01260, KC01261, and KC01263 were found to be maintainers of the Nrfrf genotype, whereas KC00121 was a restorer of fertility with the N(S)RfRf genotype.

KC00256, KC00406, KC00462, KC00463, KC00820, and KC00821, the genetic resources that have previously been reported as moderately resistant to Phytophthora capsici, as well as the line KC01322, a new source of moderate resistance introduced from Laos, were tested against two strains (Pc003 and Pc005) of P. capsici. We also determined the nuclear restorer genotypes of these lines, in regards to their interaction with cytoplasmic male sterility, through crossing the resources with cytoplasmic male sterile Punggok-A (Srfrf) and determining the fertility of the F1 hybrids. The studied lines exhibited a low level of resistance to both the strains of P. capsici compared to highly resistant CM334, but their response was fairly consistent for both P. capsici strains. KC00406, KC00462, KC00463, and KC01322 produced stable, male fertile F1 plants indicating that they are restorers with genotype N(S)RfRf. KC00821 produced male sterile F1 plants and was identified as a maintainer with genotype Nrfrf. The F1 plants of the KC00820 cross, however, set a few male fertile flowers in the greenhouse at seedling stage, then became male sterile after being transplanted to the plastic greenhouse soil in May and remained so to the end of the growing season. Therefore, KC00820 is an unstable maintainer with genotype Nrfrf. The moderate resistance exhibited by these genetic resources may be integrated into breeding programs aimed at promoting higher levels resistance via recurrent selection or hybridization.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the standard therapy for KD, but more than 10% of KD patients do not respond to IVIG and are at high risk for the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs). To identify clinical and genetic risk factors associated with CAL development and IVIG nonresponsiveness, this study analyzed the clinical data for 478 Korean KD patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that incomplete KD, IVIG nonresponse, fever duration of 7 days or longer, and the CC/AC genotypes of the rs7604693 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the PELI1 gene were significantly associated with the development of CALs, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 2.06 to 3.04. The risk of CAL formation was synergistically increased by the addition of individual risk factors, particularly the genetic variant in the PELI1 gene. Multivariate analysis also showed that a serum albumin level of 3.6 g/dl or lower was significantly associated with nonresponsiveness to IVIG [OR, 2.76; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.34-5.68; P = 0.006]. Conclusively, incomplete KD, IVIG nonresponsiveness, long febrile days, and the rs7604693 genetic variant in the PELI1 gene are major risk factors for the development of CALs, whereas low serum albumin concentration is an independent risk factor for IVIG nonresponsiveness.

Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology, with clinical observations suggesting a substantial genetic contribution to disease susceptibility. We conducted a genome-wide association study and replication analysis in 2,173 individuals with Kawasaki disease and 9,383 controls from five independent sample collections. Two loci exceeded the formal threshold for genome-wide significance. The first locus is a functional polymorphism in the IgG receptor gene FCGR2A (encoding an H131R substitution) (rs1801274; P = 7.35 × 10(-11), odds ratio (OR) = 1.32), with the A allele (coding for histadine) conferring elevated disease risk. The second locus is at 19q13, (P = 2.51 × 10(-9), OR = 1.42 for the rs2233152 SNP near MIA and RAB4B; P = 1.68 × 10(-12), OR = 1.52 for rs28493229 in ITPKC), which confirms previous findings(1). The involvement of the FCGR2A locus may have implications for understanding immune activation in Kawasaki disease pathogenesis and the mechanism of response to intravenous immunoglobulin, the only proven therapy for this disease.