212 research outputs found

    Oral Antibiotics Bowel Preparation Without Mechanical Preparation For Minimally Invasive Colorectal Surgeries: Current Practice And Future Prospects.

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    The efficacy of preoperative oral antibiotics alone compared to mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics in minimally invasive surgery is still a matter of ongoing debate. This study aimed to assess the trend of surgical site infection rates in parallel to the utilization of bowel preparation modality over time for minimally invasive surgery colorectal surgeries in the United States. Retrospective analysis. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Adult patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery and reported bowel preparation modality. The trends and compare surgical site infection rates for mutually exclusive groups according to the underlying disease (colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and diverticular disease) who underwent bowel preparation using oral antibiotics or combined mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics. Patients who had rectal surgery were analyzed separately. A total of 30,939 patients were included. Of them, 12,417 (40%) had rectal resections. Over the seven-year study period, mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics utilization has increased from 29.3% in 2012 to 64.0% in 2018; p<0.0001 at the expense of no preparation and mechanical bowel preparation alone. Similarly, oral antibiotics utilization has increased from 2.3% in 2012 to 5.5% in 2018; p<0.0001. For colon cancer patients, patients who had oral antibiotics alone had higher superficial surgical site infection rates compared to patients who had combined mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics (1.9% vs. 1.1%; p=0.043). Superficial, deep and organ space surgical site infection rates were similar for all other comparative colon surgery groups (cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and diverticular disease). Patients with rectal cancer who had oral antibiotics had higher rates of deep surgical site infection (0.9% vs. 0.1%; p=0.004). However, superficial, deep and organ space surgical site infection rates were similar for all other comparative rectal surgery groups. Retrospective nature of the analysis. This study revealed widespread adoption of mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics and increased adoption of oral antibiotics over the study period. Surgical site infection rates appear to be similar from a clinical relevance standpoint among most comparative groups, questioning systematic preoperative addition of mechanical bowel preparation to oral antibiotics alone in all patients for minimally invasive colorectal surgery. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B828

    Readmissions Within 48 Hours of Discharge: Reasons, Risk Factors, and Potential Improvements.

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    Hospital readmission rate is an important quality metric and has been recognized as a key measure of hospital value-based purchasing programs. This study aimed to assess the risk factors for hospital readmission with a focus on potentially preventable early readmissions within 48 hours of discharge. This is a retrospective cohort study. This study was conducted at a tertiary academic facility with a standardized enhanced recovery pathway. Consecutive patients undergoing elective major colorectal resections between 2011 and 2016 were included. Univariable and multivariable risk factors for overall and early (<48 hours) readmissions were identified. Specific surgical and medical reasons for readmission were compared between early and late readmissions. In total, 526 of 4204 patients (12.5%) were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Independent risk factors were ASA score (≥3; OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2), excess perioperative weight gain (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3-2.3), ileostomy (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1-2), and transfusion (OR, 2; 95% CI, 1.4-3), or reoperation (OR, 11.4; 95% CI, 7.4-17.5) during the index stay. No potentially preventable risk factor for early readmission (128 patients, 24.3% of all readmissions, 3% of total cohort) was identified, and index hospital stay of ≤3 days was not associated with increased readmission (OR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.7-1.2). Although ileus and small-bowel obstruction (early: 43.8% vs late: 15.5%, p < 0.001) were leading causes for early readmissions, deep infections (3.9% vs 16.3%, p < 0.001) and acute kidney injury (0% vs 5%, p = 0.006) were mainly observed during readmissions after 48 hours. Risk of underreporting due to loss of follow-up and the potential co-occurrence of complications were limitations of this study. Early hospital readmission was mainly due to ileus or bowel obstruction, whereas late readmissions were related to deep infections and acute kidney injury. A suspicious attitude toward potential ileus-related symptoms before discharge and dedicated education for ostomy patients are important. A short index hospital stay was not associated with increased readmission rates. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B237. REINGRESOS DENTRO DE LAS 48 HORAS POSTERIORES AL ALTA: RAZONES, FACTORES DE RIESGO Y POSIBLES MEJORAS: La tasa de reingreso hospitalario es una métrica de calidad importante y ha sido reconocida como una medida clave de los programas hospitalarios de compras basadas en el valor.Evaluar los factores de riesgo para el reingreso hospitalario con énfasis en reingresos tempranos potencialmente prevenibles dentro de las 48 horas posteriores al alta.Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo.Institución académica terciaria con programa de recuperación mejorada estandarizado.Pacientes consecutivos sometidos a resecciones colorrectales mayores electivas entre 2011 y 2016.Se identificaron factores de riesgo uni y multivariables para reingresos totales y tempranos (<48 horas). Se compararon razones médicas y quirúrgicas específicas para el reingreso entre reingresos tempranos y tardíos.En total, 526/4204 pacientes (12,5%) fueron readmitidos dentro de los 30 días posteriores al alta. Los factores de riesgo independientes fueron puntuación ASA (≥3, OR 1.5; IC 95% 1.1-2), aumento de peso perioperatorio excesivo (OR 1.7; IC 95% 1.3-2.3), ileostomía (OR 1.4, IC 95%: 1-2) y transfusión (OR 2, IC 95% 1.4-3) o reoperación (OR 11.4; IC 95% 7.4-17.5) durante la estadía índice. No se identificó ningún factor de riesgo potencialmente prevenible para el reingreso temprano (128 pacientes, 24.3% de todos los reingresos, 3% de la cohorte total), y la estadía hospitalaria índice de ≤ 3 días no se asoció con un aumento en el reingreso (OR 0.9; IC 95% 0.7-1.2) Mientras que el íleo / obstrucción del intestino delgado (temprano: 43.8% vs. tardío: 15.5%, p < 0.001) fueron las principales causas de reingresos tempranos, infecciones profundas (3.9% vs 16.3%, p < 0.001) y lesión renal aguda (0 vs 5%, p = 0.006) se observaron principalmente durante los reingresos después de 48 horas.Riesgo de subregistro debido a la pérdida en el seguimiento, posible co-ocurrencia de complicaciones.El reingreso hospitalario temprano se debió principalmente a íleo u obstrucción intestinal, mientras que los reingresos tardíos se relacionaron con infecciones profundas y lesión renal aguda. Es importante tener una actitud suspicaz hacia los posibles síntomas relacionados con el íleo antes del alta y una educación específica para los pacientes con ostomía. La estadía hospitalaria índice corta no se asoció con mayores tasas de reingreso. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B237

    The Intentional Use of Service Recovery Strategies to Influence Consumer Emotion, Cognition and Behaviour

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    Service recovery strategies have been identified as a critical factor in the success of. service organizations. This study develops a conceptual frame work to investigate how specific service recovery strategies influence the emotional, cognitive and negative behavioural responses of . consumers., as well as how emotion and cognition influence negative behavior. Understanding the impact of specific service recovery strategies will allow service providers' to more deliberately and intentionally engage in strategies that result in positive organizational outcomes. This study was conducted using a 2 x 2 between-subjects quasi-experimental design. The results suggest that service recovery has a significant impact on emotion, cognition and negative behavior. Similarly, satisfaction, negative emotion and positive emotion all influence negative behavior but distributive justice has no effect

    The <i>Castalia</i> mission to Main Belt Comet 133P/Elst-Pizarro

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    We describe Castalia, a proposed mission to rendezvous with a Main Belt Comet (MBC), 133P/Elst-Pizarro. MBCs are a recently discovered population of apparently icy bodies within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, which may represent the remnants of the population which supplied the early Earth with water. Castalia will perform the first exploration of this population by characterising 133P in detail, solving the puzzle of the MBC’s activity, and making the first in situ measurements of water in the asteroid belt. In many ways a successor to ESA’s highly successful Rosetta mission, Castalia will allow direct comparison between very different classes of comet, including measuring critical isotope ratios, plasma and dust properties. It will also feature the first radar system to visit a minor body, mapping the ice in the interior. Castalia was proposed, in slightly different versions, to the ESA M4 and M5 calls within the Cosmic Vision programme. We describe the science motivation for the mission, the measurements required to achieve the scientific goals, and the proposed instrument payload and spacecraft to achieve these

    A Kinematically Complete Measurement of the Proton Structure Function F2 in the Resonance Region and Evaluation of Its Moments

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    We measured the inclusive electron-proton cross section in the nucleon resonance region (W < 2.5 GeV) at momentum transfers Q**2 below 4.5 (GeV/c)**2 with the CLAS detector. The large acceptance of CLAS allowed for the first time the measurement of the cross section in a large, contiguous two-dimensional range of Q**2 and x, making it possible to perform an integration of the data at fixed Q**2 over the whole significant x-interval. From these data we extracted the structure function F2 and, by including other world data, we studied the Q**2 evolution of its moments, Mn(Q**2), in order to estimate higher twist contributions. The small statistical and systematic uncertainties of the CLAS data allow a precise extraction of the higher twists and demand significant improvements in theoretical predictions for a meaningful comparison with new experimental results.Comment: revtex4 18 pp., 12 figure

    An updated radiocarbon-based ice margin chronology for the last deglaciation of the North American Ice Sheet Complex

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    The North American Ice Sheet Complex (NAISC; consisting of the Laurentide, Cordilleran and Innuitian ice sheets) was the largest ice mass to repeatedly grow and decay in the Northern Hemisphere during the Quaternary. Understanding its pattern of retreat following the Last Glacial Maximum is critical for studying many facets of the Late Quaternary, including ice sheet behaviour, the evolution of Holocene landscapes, sea level, atmospheric circulation, and the peopling of the Americas. Currently, the most up-to-date and authoritative margin chronology for the entire ice sheet complex is featured in two publications (Geological Survey of Canada Open File 1574 [Dyke et al., 2003]; ‘Quaternary Glaciations – Extent and Chronology, Part II’ [Dyke, 2004]). These often-cited datasets track ice margin recession in 36 time slices spanning 18 ka to 1 ka (all ages in uncalibrated radiocarbon years) using a combination of geomorphology, stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating. However, by virtue of being over 15 years old, the ice margin chronology requires updating to reflect new work and important revisions. This paper updates the aforementioned 36 ice margin maps to reflect new data from regional studies. We also update the original radiocarbon dataset from the 2003/2004 papers with 1541 new ages to reflect work up to and including 2018. A major revision is made to the 18 ka ice margin, where Banks and Eglinton islands (once considered to be glacial refugia) are now shown to be fully glaciated. Our updated 18 ka ice sheet increased in areal extent from 17.81 to 18.37 million km2, which is an increase of 3.1% in spatial coverage of the NAISC at that time. Elsewhere, we also summarize, region-by-region, significant changes to the deglaciation sequence. This paper integrates new information provided by regional experts and radiocarbon data into the deglaciation sequence while maintaining consistency with the original ice margin positions of Dyke et al. (2003) and Dyke (2004) where new information is lacking; this is a pragmatic solution to satisfy the needs of a Quaternary research community that requires up-to-date knowledge of the pattern of ice margin recession of what was once the world’s largest ice mass. The 36 updated isochrones are available in PDF and shapefile format, together with a spreadsheet of the expanded radiocarbon dataset (n = 5195 ages) and estimates of uncertainty for each interval

    Customer emotions in service failure and recovery encounters

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    Emotions play a significant role in the workplace, and considerable attention has been given to the study of employee emotions. Customers also play a central function in organizations, but much less is known about customer emotions. This chapter reviews the growing literature on customer emotions in employee–customer interfaces with a focus on service failure and recovery encounters, where emotions are heightened. It highlights emerging themes and key findings, addresses the measurement, modeling, and management of customer emotions, and identifies future research streams. Attention is given to emotional contagion, relationships between affective and cognitive processes, customer anger, customer rage, and individual differences

    Tensor Polarization of the phi meson Photoproduced at High t

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    As part of a measurement of the cross section of ϕ\phi meson photoproduction to high momentum transfer, we measured the polar angular decay distribution of the outgoing K+K^+ in the channel ϕK+K\phi \to K^+K^- in the ϕ\phi center-of-mass frame (the helicity frame). We find that s-channel helicity conservation (SCHC) holds in the kinematical range where tt-channel exchange dominates (up to t2.5-t \sim 2.5 GeV2^2 for EγE_{\gamma}=3.6 GeV). Above this momentum, uu-channel production of a ϕ\phi meson dominates and induces a violation of SCHC. The deduced value of the ϕNN\phi NN coupling constant lies in the upper range of previously reported values.Comment: 6 pages; 5 figure

    Exclusive ρ0\rho^0 meson electroproduction from hydrogen at CLAS

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    The longitudinal and transverse components of the cross section for the epepρ0e p\to e^\prime p \rho^0 reaction were measured in Hall B at Jefferson Laboratory using the CLAS detector. The data were taken with a 4.247 GeV electron beam and were analyzed in a range of xBx_B from 0.2 to 0.6 and of Q2Q^2 from 1.5 to 3.0 GeV2^2. The data are compared to a Regge model based on effective hadronic degrees of freedom and to a calculation based on Generalized Parton Distributions. It is found that the transverse part of the cross section is well described by the former approach while the longitudinal part can be reproduced by the latter.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

    Comprehensive analysis of epigenetic clocks reveals associations between disproportionate biological ageing and hippocampal volume

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    The concept of age acceleration, the difference between biological age and chronological age, is of growing interest, particularly with respect to age-related disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Whilst studies have reported associations with AD risk and related phenotypes, there remains a lack of consensus on these associations. Here we aimed to comprehensively investigate the relationship between five recognised measures of age acceleration, based on DNA methylation patterns (DNAm age), and cross-sectional and longitudinal cognition and AD-related neuroimaging phenotypes (volumetric MRI and Amyloid-β PET) in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Significant associations were observed between age acceleration using the Hannum epigenetic clock and cross-sectional hippocampal volume in AIBL and replicated in ADNI. In AIBL, several other findings were observed cross-sectionally, including a significant association between hippocampal volume and the Hannum and Phenoage epigenetic clocks. Further, significant associations were also observed between hippocampal volume and the Zhang and Phenoage epigenetic clocks within Amyloid-β positive individuals. However, these were not validated within the ADNI cohort. No associations between age acceleration and other Alzheimer’s disease-related phenotypes, including measures of cognition or brain Amyloid-β burden, were observed, and there was no association with longitudinal change in any phenotype. This study presents a link between age acceleration, as determined using DNA methylation, and hippocampal volume that was statistically significant across two highly characterised cohorts. The results presented in this study contribute to a growing literature that supports the role of epigenetic modifications in ageing and AD-related phenotypes
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