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Background: Metabolic and bariatric surgery is a safe and effective treatment strategy for severe childhood obesity, affecting 10% of US adolescents., Objectives: This prospective observational study addresses knowledge gaps related to changes in weight, cardiometabolic risk, and weight-related quality of life (WRQOL) in adolescents 10 years after laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) insertion., Setting: Five Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) US centers., Methods: Anthropometric, micronutrient, cardiometabolic risk, and WRQOL data were collected on 274 adolescents undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery, of which 14 participants underwent LAGB insertion (2008-2011). Descriptive analyses compared outcomes from baseline to 10 years., Results: Participants were mostly female (86%), White (71%), with a median age of 18.5 years and preoperative median BMI of 49. Baseline prevalence of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were 1 of 14 (7%), 8 of 14 (57%), and 8 of 13 (62%), respectively, versus 10-year prevalence of 1 of 8 (13%), 4 of 10 (40%), and 3 of 9 (33%), respectively. Two participants underwent LAGB removal (years 2 and 3), whereas two converted from LAGB to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (years 2 and 6). Following initial BMI reduction (-10%) at year 1, 10-year median BMI in the LAGB retention group was 51, representing a 9.2% increase versus baseline. Micronutrient abnormalities and WRQOL remained similar between baseline and 10 years. One participant (1 of 14) withdrew from the study at year 7., Conclusions: Long-term follow-up of this cohort reveals that LAGB had minimal impact on BMI, cardiometabolic risk factors, and WRQOL among adolescents. These results confirm the limited efficacy of LAGB in the pediatric population., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr. Michalsky has received educational honoraria from Intuitive Surgical, Inc., unrelated to this project. Dr. Courcoulas has a grant from Allurion Technologies, outside the scope of this work. Dr. Inge has received consulting fees from Standard Bariatrics, Teleflex, Medtronic, Mediflix, Independent Medical Expert Consulting Services, and royalties from Wolters Kluwer (UpToDate) all unrelated to this project. Funding for Teen-LABS was provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) U01DK072493, UM1DK072493, and UM1DK095710., (Copyright © 2025 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Disclosure and competing interests statement. The authors declare no competing interests.

The need for climate action is becoming increasingly urgent, and research labs need to be part of the solution. Scientific labs consume large amounts of energy and water and produce significant waste. Globally, scientific research generates over 5.5 million tons of plastic waste annually, which is ~2% of the world's plastic waste. Recognizing the need for sustainability in research, the La Trobe Green Labs program leads this effort in Australia. Since receiving Australia's first "MyGreenLab" certification in 2021, a dedicated steering committee of volunteers has driven successful green initiatives at La Trobe University. The program ensures proper implementation of sustainable practices, enhanced safety and integration with existing operations. More importantly, these small changes will initiate wide-scale and long-term transformations that will improve research into more sustainable options for the future., (© 2024 the Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology, Inc.)

Donepezil (DPZ) is used to treat Alzheimer's disease by increasing acetylcholine in the brain, necessitating precise analytical methods for its evaluation. This study aims to develop and validate a new turn-off fluorescence sensing method for quantifying DPZ, enhancing its evaluation in pharmaceutical formulations, quality control laboratories, and biological fluids. By leveraging the fluorescence-quenching interplay between DPZ and tetrabromofluorescein, the assay parameters were fine-tuned to enhance the development of an ion-associated complex. The developed method demonstrated a measurement range from 40.0 to 800.0 ng/mL, with detection and quantification limits of 12.6 ng/mL and 38.0 ng/mL, respectively. However, the successful application of the method to commercial DPZ tablets and plasma samples confirmed its effectiveness for both quality control labs and clinical research settings. It ensured accurate content uniformity and high precision, making it ideal for routine DPZ monitoring. In contrast to previous methods, this approach emphasizes environmental sustainability, evaluated using advanced tools like the Eco score scale, AGREE, RGB12, and BAGI. These tools facilitated a thorough assessment of the method's ecological impact and sustainability, underscoring its advantage over traditional methods in terms of environmental responsibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

With recent technical advances, many cognitive and sensory tasks have been adapted for smartphone testing. This study aimed to assess the criterion validity of a subset of self-administered, open-source app-based cognitive and sensory tasks by comparing test performance to lab-based alternatives. An in-person baseline was completed by 43 participants (aged 21 to 82) from the larger Labs without Walls project (Brady et al., 2023) to compare the self-administered, app-based tasks with researcher-administered equivalents. 4 preset tasks sourced from Apple's ResearchKit (Spatial Memory, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, and dBHL Tone Audiometry) and 1 custom-built task (Ishihara Color Deficiency Test) were compared. All tasks except the Spatial Memory task demonstrated high comparability to the researcher-administered version. Specifically, the Trail Making Tests were strongly correlated (.77 and .78 for parts A and B, respectively), Stroop correlations ranged from .77 to .89 and the Ishihara tasks were moderately correlated (r = .69). ICCs for the Audiometry task ranged from .56 to .96 (Moderate to Excellent) with 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Bland-Altman plots revealed a mean bias between -5.35 to 9.67 dB for each ear and frequency with an overall bias of 3.02 and 1.98 for the left and right ears, respectively, within the minimum testing interval. Furthermore, all app-based tasks were significantly correlated with age. These results offer preliminary evidence of the validity of four open-source cognitive and sensory tasks with implications for effective remote testing in non-lab settings., Competing Interests: Declarations. Funding: Apple,Investigator Support Program,University of New South Wales,Ageing Futures Institute,Australian Research Council,FL190100011 Ethics approval: The Labs without Walls project was approved by the UNSW Human Research Ethics Committee (Ethics approval number: HC200792). All participants provided informed consent to participate in the study and could freely withdraw at any point. Open practices statement: This study was pre-registered through OSF and can be found under the registrations tab in the main project folder ( https://osf.io/3gk4f/ ). The materials for the app-based Ishihara task are freely available in the public domain (Commons) and the code for the app-based task is available on request to the study PI (Anstey). All other app-based tasks mentioned in the paper are freely available through Apple’s ResearchKit ( http://researchkit.org/ ). The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available as, according to the approved ethics protocol, participants did not consent to their data being shared outside the immediate research team without ethical approval. However, authors can be contacted with any questions related to the data and de-identified data are available on reasonable request with ethical approval. Because of this limitation, analysis code is illustrated with a synthetic dataset, which allows readers to check the correctness of their implementation. The analysis code can be accessed at https://osf.io/2nswx/ . Conflicts of interest: Apple Watch devices were provided by Apple Inc through a successful application to their Investigator Support Program. However, Apple Inc was not involved in conducting the study, cleaning, and analyzing the data., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This is a commentary on 'Virtual diversity: Resolving the tension between the wider culture and the institution of science', by Harry Collins, Robert Evans, Luis Reyes-Galindo.

This review article provides a thorough examination of an interaction between linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) and ecosystems. The review covers various aspects of LABs' impact on ecosystems, focusing on detection and treatment strategies to mitigate ecological consequences. It delves into LABs' role as molecular markers for sewage pollution, their physicochemical properties contributing to persistence, and their effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms, including disruptions to endocrine systems. The diverse sources of LABs, including domestic wastewater and industrial effluents, are explored, along with their ratios in different matrices for assessing contamination origins. Biodegradation pathways of LABs, both aerobic and anaerobic, are scrutinized, considering their interaction with microbes. Distribution patterns in aquatic environments are discussed, encompassing sediment, water, sewage, and soils. An investigation is conducted on the relationship between LABs and total organic carbon (TOC) as a means of evaluating sewage pollution. It is assessed how sewage treatment facilities (STPs) contribute to biodegradation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author declares that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Multiple studies have indicated that isolated abnormal laboratory results necessitate obtaining abdominal computed tomography (CT) for pediatric patients with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT), regardless of the normal abdominal examination. This study aims to identify the predictors of intra-abdominal injury (IAI) and the role of laboratory tests in CT imaging among pediatric BAT patients., Methods: This is a retrospective review at a Level II pediatric trauma center (2018-2022). Children (younger than 18 years) who presented with BAT and received abdominal CT imaging were included. Outcomes were rates of IAI and interventions. Multivariable regression analysis was performed., Results: Over 5 years, 483 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 13 years, 58.2% were male, and the median Glasgow Coma Scale was 15. Overall, 19.3% had abdominal pain; 6.2%, postinjury emesis; 26.1%, abdominal tenderness; and 10.6%, pelvic tenderness. On initial imaging, 7.0% had a positive focused assessment with sonography in trauma examination, and 7.2% had an abnormal plain x-ray. On initial laboratory testing, 7.9% had abnormal serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), 3.1% had abnormal hematocrit, 1.2% had abnormal urine analysis, and 0.8% had abnormal lipase. Seventeen percent had at least one IAI, of which 17% underwent intervention. Multivariable regression analysis identified abdominal tenderness, abnormal plain x-ray, positive focused assessment with sonography in trauma, blood transfusion requirements, and abnormal AST as independent predictors of IAI on abdominal CT imaging. Moreover, among patients with IAI, only 37.3% had abnormal laboratory results, and all had at least one of the predictors of IAI (in addition to or other than abnormal AST). Among patients with abnormal laboratory results (n = 57), nine patients had none of the predictors of IAI, out of which none were found to have IAI on abdominal CT., Conclusion: More than 80% of all abdominal CT imaging had negative results. Our findings highlight the significance of clinical findings in the trauma bay, regardless of laboratory findings, when deciding to order abdominal CT imaging for pediatric BAT patients., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III., (Copyright © 2025 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: As clinical laboratories struggle to maintain their financial footing and as patients face mounting out-of-pocket expenses for diagnostic testing, being able to perform financial analysis of laboratory stewardship efforts has become an increasingly important skill., Content: Understanding the revenue cycle as it relates to diagnostic testing is fundamental to selecting, designing, implementing, and evaluating laboratory stewardship interventions for maximum financial return. Leveraging the data and processes driving the revenue cycle can inform informatics-based interventions (such as clinical decision support) and allow deliberate financial analyses of stewardship-focused projects. For labs striving not only to ensure their own financial health but also to help their patients avoid financial toxicity, the most effective strategies often depend on developing productive partnerships with key players along the revenue cycle., Summary: Financial laboratory analytics is an emerging skill set that can power laboratory stewardship efforts and whose benefits accrue to patients, clinicians, laboratories, and health systems., (© Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine 2025. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Meat analogs or meat alternatives mimic conventional meat by using non-meat ingredients. There are several reasons for the rising interest in meat alternatives, e.g., health-consciousness, environmental concerns, and the growing demand for sustainable diets. Factors like low-calorie foods, low-fat, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and flexitarian lifestyles are also contributing to this change (conventional to meat analogs). Numerous meat substitutes are presently being launched in alternative meat markets. Plant-based meat, restructured meat, cultured meat, hybrid cultured meat, and insect protein-based meat are prevalent among meat alternatives. The scope of meat alternatives, including plant-based meat, cultured meat, restructured meat, and insect-based protein products, is expanding due to advances in food technology. Innovation in food technology plays a crucial role in sustainable food production. Still, there are some challenges to the market of meat alternatives, including consumer acceptance, the appearance of meat alternatives, and the cost of production. Innovative approaches, such as advanced technologies and awareness of meat alternatives to the meat consumer, are required to deal with these challenges. This review briefly examines the technological advances, regulatory requirements, pros and cons, and market trends of meat alternatives. The finding of this review highlights the importance of meat alternatives as a sustainable resource of food. Moreover, meat alternatives can fulfill the increasing demand for meat and also decrease the environmental impact. Additionally, this review also explores ways to improve the overall market scenario of meat alternatives., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (© Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.)

Abstract: This research evaluates the effectiveness of a large specialized cardiac catheterization laboratory shielding device (SCCLSD) placed perpendicular to the patient compared to traditional shielding methods in reducing occupational exposure to scattered x rays, contributing to the ongoing enhancement of radiation safety in the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) setting. An experimental setup involving an anthropomorphic phantom on the catheterization table simulated radiation scatter from a patient. Measurements were taken systematically at various grid points and heights in the CCL using a Fluke 451P ion chamber while mimicking a real interventional scenario. In-air peak exposure rates were analyzed at head, chest, and waist heights in the anteroposterior (AP) position. Results demonstrated that the SCCLSD provided a superior radiation shadow and effective whole-body radiation exposure reduction compared to conventional shielding devices. Considering that conventional shielding requires staff to wear lead aprons, an effective dose equivalent correction factor was applied for exposure measurements without the SCCLSD. Even after the correction factor, the SCCLSD continued outperforming lead aprons and offered whole-body protection, including the head and arms, which is typically neglected with conventional shielding. The SCCLSD also reduces exposure to the eyes, aligning with lower occupational exposure recommendations from ICRP and NCRP. However, proper CCL staff positioning is important in maximizing the effectiveness of the SCCLSD. Future research avenues may explore exposure rates at different C-arm angles to more completely assess the SCCLSD's impact on occupational exposure., (Copyright © 2024 Health Physics Society.)

Background: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is an important marker for ovarian reserve and response to fertility treatments. However, interassay variability exists due to the lack of a standardized method. This study evaluates the performance of the new Siemens Healthineers Atellica IM AMH assay against established assays (Beckman DxI 600 Access, Roche cobas Elecsys® e801, and Ansh Labs AMH ELISA)., Methods: We measured AMH concentrations in 120 residual serum samples from patients presenting for routine AMH testing using all four assays. Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman method were used for data analysis., Results: The Siemens Healthineers Atellica IM assay demonstrated strong correlation with Beckman DxI (slope: 1.07, R 2 : 0.9881) but showed a minimal positive bias. Conversely, the Roche cobas Elecsys® e801 assay exhibited a negative bias compared to Beckman DxI (slope: 0.74, R 2 : 0.9696), while the Ansh Labs assay demonstrated a significant positive bias with increasing variability at higher AMH concentrations., Conclusion: Overall, the Siemens Healthineers Atellica IM assay shows promise as an alternative method for AMH measurement, demonstrating good correlation with established assays. However, differences were observed between all assays, highlighting the importance of assay-specific interpretation for accurate clinical assessment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Morning postoperative labs are often obtained for emergency general surgery (EGS) patients. Studies in other surgical fields indicate that routine postoperative day 1 (POD1) labs are sometimes being performed excessively and do not require intervention. The purpose of this study is to identify predictors indicating the need for POD1 labs in EGS patients based on likelihood of intervention., Methods: This is a retrospective review of non-critically ill EGS patients from 2022 to 2023 who received POD1 morning labs. The odds of having an abnormal result and likelihood of intervention were measured through multivariate logistic regression accounting for patient characteristics and procedure. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was performed to determine significant predictors of an abnormal result and intervention., Results: 502 EGS patients were included. LASSO revealed that procedure duration, fever, lysis of adhesions, preoperative systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg, older age, heart failure, operative blood loss, chronic kidney disease, and anticoagulation use were independent predictors for any abnormal result (area under the receiver operation curve (AUC)=0.785). Independent predictors of intervention were procedure duration, older age, higher estimated blood loss (EBL), anticoagulant use, and lysis of adhesions (AUC=0.704). Procedures >400 min carried an 84.3% chance of an abnormal lab requiring intervention. EBL >200 mL carried a 75.5% chance of an abnormal lab requiring intervention., Conclusion: POD1 labs for non-critically ill EGS patient rarely require intervention and can be safely omitted. Labs should be considered for longer procedures, higher EBLs, older patients, those on anticoagulation, or after lysis of adhesions., Competing Interests: None declared., (Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

The integration of computational models with experimental data is a cornerstone for gaining insight into biomedical applications. However, parameter fitting procedures often require an immense availability and frequency of data that are challenging to obtain from a single source. Here, we present a novel methodology designed to integrate qualitative data from multiple laboratories, overcoming the constraints of single-lab data collection. Our method harmonizes disparate qualitative assessments-ranging from expert annotations to categorical observations-into a unified framework for parameter estimation. These qualitative constraints are represented as dynamic "qualitative windows" that capture significant trends that models must adhere to. For numerical implementation, we developed a GPU-accelerated version of differential evolution to navigate in the residuals that integrated quantitative and qualitative data. We validate our approach across a series of case studies, demonstrating significant improvements in model accuracy and parameter identifiability. This work opens new avenues for collaborative science, enabling a methodology to combine and compare findings between studies to improve our understanding of biological systems.

When lab resources are shared among multiple research projects, issues such as experimental integrity, replicability, and data safety become important. Different research projects often need different software and settings that may well conflict with one another, and data collected for one project may not be safeguarded from exposure to researchers from other projects. In this paper we provide an infrastructure design and an open-source tool, labManager, that render multi-user lab facilities in the behavioral sciences accessible to research projects with widely varying needs. The solutions proposed ensure ease of management while simultaneously offering maximum flexibility by providing research projects with fully separated bare metal environments. This solution also ensures that collected data is kept separate, and compliant with relevant ethical standards and regulations such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation. Furthermore, we discuss preconditions for running shared lab facilities and provide practical advice., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is routinely used in cardiac electrophysiology and catheterization labs. It plays a vital role in understanding cardiac anatomy, procedural planning, and early identification of complications. In this review, we describe the utility of ICE for procedures in the electrophysiology lab, including atrial fibrillation ablation, left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation, and cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) extraction. Intracardiac echocardiography also helps in the identification of complications such as pericardial effusion, pulmonary vein stenosis, and left atrial appendage thrombus. Compared with traditional echocardiographic modalities such as transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), ICE has equivalent image quality, requires less sedation, and possesses no risk of esophageal injury. The disadvantages of ICE include a learning curve and necessity for central vascular access., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Standard postoperative care following laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) typically includes routine blood tests. Recent studies have assessed the safety of omitting routine postoperative labs in minimally invasive surgeries to reduce hospital costs. Our primary objective was to evaluate if routine postoperative day 1 (POD1) labs were necessary following LRN., Methods: We evaluated 650 consecutive LRN performed by a single surgeon. Patients on dialysis or that previously had a renal transplant were excluded from the study. Our final analysis included 478 LRN. We examined POD1 labs of potassium (K), sodium (Na), and hemoglobin (Hgb) and their associations to preoperative and postoperative outcomes. Abnormal K at POD1 was defined as less than 3.5 mEq/L or greater than 5.0 mEq/L. Abnormal Na at POD1 was defined as less than 135 mEq/L or more than 145 mEq/L. Abnormal Hgb at POD1 was defined as POD1 Hgb less than 8 g/dL or POD1 Hgb 3.0 g/dL or more decrease from preoperative Hgb., Results: One or more abnormal POD1 labs were observed in 32.4% (155/478) patients. Sixty-five patients had abnormal Hgb, 57 had abnormal Na, and 53 had abnormal K. Preoperative patient factors associated with abnormal labs included older age [odds ratio (OR) 0.461; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26-0.809], higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) (OR 1.671; 95% CI: 1.036-2.7), and increased intraoperative blood loss (OR 1.213; 95% CI: 1.069-1.39; all P<0.05). Intraoperative variables such as longer operative time and complications were not significantly associated with abnormal labs (P>0.05)., Conclusions: Abnormal labs on POD1 following LRN were found in 32.4% of patients. POD1 lab tests appear to be needed following LRN in older patients with more comorbidities., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://tau.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/tau-24-250/coif). D.D.T. is the Secretary of Southeastern Section of the American Urological Association. D.D.T. was an investigator for Grail, Inc. This included supplying tissue for analysis. D.D.T. was not personally compensated. D.D.T. was in investor in Auris Robotics greater than 36 months ago. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 AME Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

Background: Target identification and hit identification can be transformed through the application of biomedical knowledge analysis, AI-driven virtual screening and robotic cloud lab systems. However there are few prospective studies that evaluate the efficacy of such integrated approaches., Results: We synergistically integrate our in-house-developed target evaluation (SpectraView) and deep-learning-driven virtual screening (HydraScreen) tools with an automated robotic cloud lab designed explicitly for ultra-high-throughput screening, enabling us to validate these platforms experimentally. By employing our target evaluation tool to select IRAK1 as the focal point of our investigation, we prospectively validate our structure-based deep learning model. We can identify 23.8% of all IRAK1 hits within the top 1% of ranked compounds. The model outperforms traditional virtual screening techniques and offers advanced features such as ligand pose confidence scoring. Simultaneously, we identify three potent (nanomolar) scaffolds from our compound library, 2 of which represent novel candidates for IRAK1 and hold promise for future development., Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence for SpectraView and HydraScreen to provide a significant acceleration in the processes of target identification and hit discovery. By leveraging Ro5's HydraScreen and Strateos' automated labs in hit identification for IRAK1, we show how AI-driven virtual screening with HydraScreen could offer high hit discovery rates and reduce experimental costs., Scientific Contribution: We present an innovative platform that leverages Knowledge graph-based biomedical data analytics and AI-driven virtual screening integrated with robotic cloud labs. Through an unbiased, prospective evaluation we show the reliability and robustness of HydraScreen in virtual and high-throughput screening for hit identification in IRAK1. Our platforms and innovative tools can expedite the early stages of drug discovery., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors represent Ro5—the developer of SpecraView and HydraScreen applications, and Strateos—the Robotic Cloud Labs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives/hypothesis: Socioeconomics and demographics have been shown to be determinates of healthcare in specialty clinics, in which thorough research is lacking in the setting of the United States clinical sphere. We set out to determine the impact of socioeconomic and demographic factors on patient preparedness in an otolaryngologic clinic as to highlight the need for awareness in this aspect of disparate and delayed clinical care., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Methods: A chart review was conducted of 482 patients who visited our otolaryngology clinic between June 1, 2020 and June 1, 2023. Demographic data including marital status, gender, age, zip code, and race was collected., Results: Our study found several interesting points of significance. Marital status was a significant determinant of whether patients had missing labs and/or imaging ( p  = .001). Age was a significant determinant of patients having their imaging ( p  < .0001). Patients were more likely to have all their labs and imaging at a follow-up appointment compared to an initial appointment ( p  < .0001). Finally, a patient's zip code was found to be a significant determinant of whether a patient no-showed an appointment or arrived with all their needed imaging and labs ( p  = .004)., Conclusions: Having the needed labs and imaging for a clinical visit is vital to providing timely and well-informed care for all patients. This study highlighted several potential determinates of missing labs and imaging. Elderly patients were less likely to have imaging, which may be attributed to transportation issues and a weaker support system. Individuals who were married were more likely to have their imaging. Married individuals may have a stronger support system, where their spouses can provide transportation and reminders for appointments. Finally, the significance of zip code highlights the role transportation distance and living in an underserved area may have on patients being able to go to their appointments or obtain their needed imaging., Level of Evidence: 4., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Triological Society.)

Quantitative reasoning (QR) is a key skill for undergraduate biology education. Despite this, many students struggle with QR. Here, we use the theoretical framework of student noticing to investigate why some students struggle with QR in introductory biology labs. Under this framework, what students notice when given new information and data influences how they process this information and connect it with other events to form new conceptions. Students must mentally isolate given features, create mental records of those features, and identify features or objects that they connect to existing knowledge. Identifying these features or objects is thus critical since they form the foundation upon which learning takes place. We conducted observations of groups in introductory biology labs involving QR, which informed follow-up interviews to examine what students notice, the level/relevance of their noticing, and factors that shape student noticing. We find that some students are noticing more perceptual features, often focusing on less relevant trends and features, with others noticing deeper, more relevant patterns that facilitate conceptual sensemaking. In addition, we find multiple factors, including students' expectations and their attitude toward QR and biology, that shape student noticing. We conclude with implications for instructors and the biology education research community., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Laboratory automation technologies have revolutionized biomedical research. However, the availability of automation solutions at the single-cell level remains scarce, primarily owing to the inherent challenges of handling cells with such small dimensions in a precise, biocompatible manner. Here, we present a single-cell-level laboratory automation solution that configures various experiments onto standardized, microscale test-tube matrices via our precise ultrasonic liquid sample ejection technology, known as PULSE. PULSE enables the transformation of titer plates into microdroplet arrays by printing nanodrops and single cells acoustically in a programmable, scalable, and biocompatible manner. Unlike pipetting robots, PULSE enables researchers to conduct biological experiments using single cells as anchoring points (e.g., 1 cell vs. 1000 cells per "tube"), achieving higher resolution and potentially more relevant data for modeling and downstream analyses. We demonstrate the ability of PULSE to perform biofabrication, precision gating, and deterministic array barcoding via preallocated droplet-addressable primers. Single cells can be gently printed at a speed range of 5-20 cell⋅s -1 with an accuracy of 90.5-97.7%, which can then adhere to the substrate and grow for up to 72 h while preserving cell integrity. In the deterministic barcoding experiment, 95.6% barcoding accuracy and 2.7% barcode hopping were observed by comparing the phenotypic data with known genotypic data from two types of single cells. Our PULSE platform allows for precise and dynamic analyses by automating experiments at the single-cell level, offering researchers a powerful tool in biomedical research., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors declare competing financial interests: T.J.H. has co-founded a start-up company, Ascent Bio-Nano Technologies Inc., to commercialize technologies involving acoustofluidics and acoustic tweezers. All the other authors declare that they have no competing interests. Details are available in the online version of the paper. Ethical declarations: This study does not involve any direct interaction with human participants or collection of personal information. Model organisms were acquired in fixed format from Duke Z-Core and Meyer’s Lab. All experiments were performed in compliance with the relevant laws and the guidelines of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at Duke University., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Chlorine is a common disinfectant used in water treatment. However, its reaction with organic matter can lead to the formation of harmful byproducts, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), which are potentially carcinogenic. To address this issue, the aim of this work was to enhance a colorimetric method capable of quantifying THMs in drinking water through UV/Vis Spectrophotometry, using cost-effective equipment, and validate this methodology for the first time according to established validation protocols. The method's innovation involved replacing the solvent pentane with the more common hexane, along with adjusting the heating ramp, elucidating the mechanisms involved in the process. This method involves the reaction between THMs, pyridine, and NaOH to produce a colored compound, which is then monitored through molecular absorption spectroscopy in the visible region. The method was thoroughly validated, achieving a limit of detection of 13.41 μg L -1 and a limit of quantification of 40.65 μg L -1 . Recovery assays ranged from 86.1 % to 90.7 %, demonstrating high accuracy. The quality of the linear fit for the analytical curve exceeded R 2  > 0.98. The method was applied to real samples, revealing concentrations ranging from 13.58 to 55.46 μg L -1 , all way below the legal limit in Brazil (Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) = 100 μg L -1 ). This cost-effective and straightforward method is suitable for integration into water treatment plant laboratories., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We describe a novel yet simple training exercise for residents who are being introduced to endoscopic spine surgery., Methods: Prior to residents training on the endoscopic interlaminar approach, the course faculty performed an endoscopic transforaminal approach and inserted a small piece of a surgical glove into the ventral epidural space of a cadaveric torso. The transforaminal approach did not alter the anatomy of the interlaminar approach, so the residents were able to practice as if it were a de novo situation. Placing the small "lesion" provided an exercise to confirm the residents were able to safely access the area and provided practice for them to carefully grasp the "lesion" and remove it. Prior to resident training on the endoscopic transforaminal approach, the course faculty utilized an interlaminar approach to place the "lesion." A questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale of agreement was completed by the residents to assess their experience with the training exercise., Results: Five residents attended the cadaver lab, and 100% strongly agreed that the cadaver lab provided a realistic representation of the procedure demonstrated, the "lesion" removal added to their educational experience, and they were overall satisfied with the educational session., Conclusions: One of the lessons learned with this exercise that we will consider in future courses would be to place a radiodense "lesion" that could be visualized on fluoroscopy and serve as a radiologic target to find. This can help guide the trainee in knowing where to search if the "lesion" is more difficult to find., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Design labs are one of the most exciting multidimensional communication and disruption strategies available to health-care teams today. A design lab can be as simple as a gathering of people who use the framework of design thinking to iterate solutions and innovations to problems in their environment. Design labs support teams in exploring solutions for current health-care challenges, in a safe, creative space. They are a place where nurses can explore their own practice and iterate organizational policies and processes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Our current global Food System is facing extraordinary challenges in both size and severity, including a rise in unsustainable consumption behaviours, continued environmental degradation, growing food insecurity, and widening social inequalities. A Food System transformation is now both critically important and overwhelmingly complex, requiring nothing less than a complete overhaul of the entire value chain. Everyone is needed: Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with technological solutions, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) with social innovations, researchers with novel methodologies, governments with food policy advancements, professionals with varying expertise, and last but not least, empowered and informed citizens with the ability and resources for better decision-making. Living Labs offer a holistic, place-based approach needed to facilitate multi-actor inputs on various levels, specifically Food System Living Labs (FSLLs) like the ones established as part of the FoodSHIFT 2030 Project. Nine front-runner Food System Living Labs were operationalised alongside a novel framework merging high-level interdisciplinary initiatives with a diverse set of innovative approaches towards more Sustainable Food Systems (SFS). The FoodSHIFT Approach concept was praised by external evaluators for its ground-breaking framework, and the nearly completed project has been listed as a best practice. However, positive applications alone will not ensure a cross-sector European-wide Food System transformation, and the following text offers a critical reflection coupled with experience-based solutions to further improve the FoodSHIFT Approach., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Schafer LJ et al.)

Importance: Guidelines recommend avoiding unnecessary laboratory tests to minimise risks of anaemia in hospitalised patients as well as reduce costs, but there are costs to skipping routine labs including missing acute kidney injury., Objective: Quantify the costs and benefits of routine labs in dollar costs as well as mortality., Evidence Review: This is a retrospective analysis of 48 204 admissions at University of Kentucky Hospitals and simulates different strategies for skipping labs., Findings: In a simplified estimate of pure dollar costs, the costs of daily labs appear to outweigh the costs of missing acute kidney injury., Conclusions and Relevance: In both dollar costs and the number of patients with mortality effects, the benefits of randomly skipping labs appear to significantly outweigh the costs, but the costs are not insignificant., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Laboratories in chemistry, biochemistry, and materials science are at the leading edge of technology, discovering molecules and materials to unlock capabilities in energy, catalysis, biotechnology, sustainability, electronics, and more. Yet, most modern laboratories resemble factories from generations past, with a large reliance on humans manually performing synthesis and characterization tasks. Robotics and automation can enable scientific experiments to be conducted faster, more safely, more accurately, and with greater reproducibility, allowing scientists to tackle large societal problems in domains such as health and energy on a shorter timescale. We define five levels of laboratory automation, from laboratory assistance to full automation. We also introduce robotics research challenges that arise when increasing levels of automation and when increasing the generality of tasks within the laboratory. Robots are poised to transform science labs into automated factories of discovery that accelerate scientific progress.

Background: Effective leadership and management practices contribute to responsible, high-quality research and the well-being of team members. We describe the development and initial validation of a measure assessing principal investigators' leadership and management practices and a measure of research team practices., Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, 570 postdoctoral researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health reported on the perceived behaviors of their principal investigator (PI) and the research team. The PI leadership and management items factored into two dimensions: fostering relationships and directing research., Results: Correlations of these new scales with existing, validated measures of ethical leadership and general leader behavior provided evidence of convergent validity. Providing evidence for criterion-related validity, scores on the new measures predicted lab climate for research ethics, self-reported productivity, and job satisfaction. Research team practices provided additional predictive value beyond leadership and management behaviors., Conclusions: This study provides construct validity evidence for the new Leadership and Management in Science (LAMPS) Measure and the Research Team Practices (RTP) Measure. Qualitative responses to an open-ended item reinforced the importance of relationships and directive supervision for a positive environment. These measures can be useful tools for future research or may be useful for PIs seeking feedback about their practices.

Objective: To assess the factors affecting the transition of dental students from pre-clinical to clinical courses in an outcome-based curriculum., Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed dental students in the third and fourth academic years of the Bachelor of Dental and Oral Surgery (BDS) program at the College of Dentistry, Jouf University. Ethically approved and powered by the G Power software, the study employed a modified questionnaire validated through a pilot test to assess five domains. Likert scale responses were analyzed using SPSS v.25, revealing insights into clinical workload, patient interaction, and learning experiences. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the impact of clinical skill application, workload, transition to clinics, and patient interaction on learning experience as well as CGPA. The Mann-Whitney U test compared the ranks of two independent samples, making it less sensitive to outliers and more suitable for data with non-normal distributions., Results: In this study, the response rate of the participants was 70%. A total of 44 dental students in their third and fourth years of the program completed the survey. The multiple regression analysis showed that the predictors collectively explained 36.1% of the variance in the learning experience (Adjusted R 2 = 0.361). "Transition to Clinics" had a significant positive effect on learning experience (β = 0.292, p = 0.012), "Workload" (β = -0.203, p = 0.393) and "Patient Interaction" (β = 0.443, p = 0.168) were not significant predictors. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed no significant gender differences in transition to clinics, workload, patient interaction, application of clinical skills, and learning experience (U = 33.09 to -40.33, p > 0.05), but a significant difference in transition to clinics between third- and fourth-year students (U = 31.56 to -43.24, p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the transition to clinical training can be intricate, and that multiple elements have an impact on this process. It is crucial to have support systems that facilitate the transition into the clinical learning environment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Khattak et al.)

This article details the outcome of a joint reflective approach undertaken by the authors to identify common difficulties experienced by 2nd-year undergraduate Biochemistry students in laboratory classes. Difficulties experienced in laboratories can affect the development of hand skills, an understanding of how to correctly operate laboratory equipment and the linkage between didactic content and their experimental demonstration. These difficulties covered were identified based on their common appearance across multiple cohorts and are grouped into five broad areas. The context of the laboratory exercises is detailed and the common difficulties experienced by students are outlined. The potential causes of these difficulties are then discussed along with the approaches and strategies that were implemented to help resolve future occurrences. The approach and resources developed to address these difficulties may help other Biochemistry educators who are facing similar experiences with their undergraduate students., (© 2024 The Author(s). Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

A compelling body of research suggests that students from racially marginalized and minoritized (RMM) backgrounds are systematically deterred from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields when teachers and scientists create ideologically colorblind STEM learning environments where cultural differences are deemed irrelevant and disregard how race/ethnicity shapes students' experiences. We examine whether and how STEM faculty can serve as important sources of information that signal racial/ethnic diversity inclusion (or exclusion) that influence RMM students' motivation to persist in STEM. Specifically, we focus on RMM students' perceptions of their faculty research mentors' cultural awareness-the extent to which students believe that their faculty research mentor acknowledges and appreciates racial/ethnic differences in STEM research. Results from a longitudinal survey of RMM students ( N = 150) participating in 74 faculty-led STEM research labs demonstrated that RMM students who perceived their faculty research mentor to be more culturally aware experienced more positive social climates in the lab and were more identified as scientists . Increased science identity, in turn, predicted their motivation to pursue STEM careers 3 months later. These findings demonstrate the importance of acknowledging, welcoming, and celebrating racial/ethnic diversity within STEM learning environments to broaden inclusive and equitable participation in STEM.

The healthcare systems are a prime target for cyber-attacks due to the sensitive nature of the information combined with the essential need for continuity of care. Medical laboratories are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks for a number of reasons, including the high level of information technology (IT), computerization and digitization. Based on reliable and widespread evidence that medical laboratories may be inadequately prepared for cyber-terrorism, a panel of experts of the Task Force Preparation of Labs for Emergencies (TF-PLE) of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) has recognized the need to provide some general guidance that could help medical laboratories to be less vulnerable and better prepared for the dramatic circumstance of a disruptive cyber-attack, issuing a number of consensus recommendations, which are summarized and described in this opinion paper., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

The increasing prevalence of dementia demands innovative solutions; however, existing technological products often lack tailored support for individuals living with this condition. The Living Lab approach, as a collaborative innovation method, holds promise in addressing this issue by actively involving end-users in the design and development of solutions adapted to their needs. Despite this potential, the approach still faces challenges due to its lack of recognition as a research methodology and its absence of tailored guidelines, particularly in dementia care, prompting inquiries into its effectiveness. This narrative review aims to fill this gap by identifying and analysing digital health Living Labs focusing on dementia solutions. Additionally, it proposes guidelines for enhancing their operations, ensuring sustainability, scalability, and greater impact on dementia care. Fifteen Living Labs were identified and analyzed. Based on trends, best practices, and literature, the guidelines emphasize user engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, technological infrastructure, regulatory compliance, transparent innovation processes, impact measurement, sustainability, scalability, dissemination, and financial management. Implementing these guidelines can enhance the effectiveness and long-term impact of Living Labs in dementia care, fostering new collaborations globally., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Figueiredo, Midão, Carrilho, Videira Henriques, Alves, Duarte, Bessa, Fidalgo, García, Facal, Felpete, Filgueira, Carlos Bernárdez, Rodríguez and Costa.)

Nicotine is a major alkaloid in tobacco plants and an addictive component of tobacco products. Some bacteria grow on tobacco plants and have evolved the ability to metabolize nicotine. As part of our microbiology teaching lab, we used minimal media with nicotine as the sole carbon source to isolate nicotine-degrading bacteria from tobacco leaves and commercial tobacco products. Students then identified these bacteria using 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical assays and assessed their ability to catabolize nicotine using UV spectroscopy. Students were able to isolate and identify 14 distinct genera that can metabolize nicotine. This modification of the commonly used unknown project gave students firsthand experience using selective media, and students got the opportunity to work with largely uncharacterized microbes with a real-world connection to public health, which increased student engagement. Students had the opportunity to think critically about why nicotine-degrading microorganisms associate with tobacco plants, why there are different bacteria that use the same specialized metabolism, and how these organisms are isolated from other bacteria using selective media., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The need for the public to take an active role in scientific research is becoming increasingly important, particularly in health-related research. However, the coexistence and alignment of scientific and citizen interests, needs, knowledge and timing is not straightforward, especially when involving migrant populations. To conduct impactful research, it becomes also essential to consider the perspectives of policymakers, thereby adding a layer of complexity to the processes.In this article we address the experience of a living lab created in a research institution and supported by the city council and a local foundation, in which we developed three experiences of patient and public involvement (PPI): (1) accessing to comprehensive care for people at risk of Chagas disease; (2) strategies towards improving access and quality of mental healthcare services in migrants; (3) promoting healthy and safe school environments in vulnerable urban settings.These three challenges provided an opportunity to delve into diverse strategies for involving key stakeholders, including migrant populations, expert researchers and political actors in health research. This article offers insights into the successes, challenges, and valuable lessons learnt from these endeavours, providing a vision that can be beneficial for future initiatives. Each living lab experience crafted its unique governance system and agenda tailored to specific challenge scenarios, giving rise to diverse methods and study designs.We have found that the management of the cocreation of the research question and the institutional support are key to building robust PPI processes with migrant groups., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Clinical skills laboratories are educational facilities that have the potential benefit for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and medical staff. They provide a safe and protected environment in which the learner can practice clinical skills before using them in real clinical settings. These skills laboratories help to ensure that all students acquire the necessary techniques and are properly assessed before practicing on real patients. In addition, they support the acquisition, maintenance and enhancement of the clinical skills of students in the healthcare profession. Teaching skills in skill lab require a standardized module for each skill that can be applied to all the students universally. The study was started with the aim to solve a problem that has arisen as National Medical Council (NMC) has announced implementation of Competency based medical education (CBME) a new syllabus for medical education from 2019 MBBS batch that includes skill teaching. Faculty in various Medical colleges is not trained in developing modules and teaching skills to students in skill lab. There are no standardized teaching modules for skills training in skill laboratories. As part of the project we decided to develop modules for the two competencies to be taught in the skill lab for the subject Otorhinolaryngology i.e. Otoscopy and Anterior Nasal packing; NMC guidelines being the benchmark in developing these modules. Later modules were also to be implemented on sample students to get a feedback on the structure of the module for further improvement. These modules developed as part of the project will help as a baseline tool for developing other modules in different subjects by various Institutes., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-024-04568-0., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThere is no conflict of interest between any stakeholders., (© Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Objective: In systemic lupus erythematosus, poor disease outcomes occur in young adults, patients identifying as Black or Hispanic, and socioeconomically disadvantaged patients. These identities and social factors differentially shape care access and quality that contribute to lupus health disparities in the US. Thus, our objective was to measure markers of care access and quality, including rheumatology visits (longitudinal care retention) and lupus-specific serology testing, by race and ethnicity, neighborhood disadvantage, and geographic context., Methods: This cohort study used a geo-linked 20% national sample of young adult Medicare beneficiaries (ages 18-35) with lupus-coded encounters and a 1-year assessment period. Retention in lupus care required a rheumatology visit in each 6-month period, and serology testing required ≥1 complement or dsDNA antibody test within the year. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit for visit-based retention and serology testing to determine associations with race and ethnicity, neighborhood disadvantage, and geography., Results: Among 1,036 young adults with lupus, 39% saw a rheumatologist every 6 months and 28% had serology testing. White beneficiaries from the least disadvantaged quintile of neighborhoods had higher visit-based retention than other beneficiaries (64% vs 30%-60%). Serology testing decreased with increasing neighborhood disadvantage quintile (aOR 0.80; 95% CI 0.71, 0.90) and in the Midwest (aOR 0.46; 0.30, 0.71)., Conclusion: Disparities in care, measured by rheumatology visits and serology testing, exist by neighborhood disadvantage, race and ethnicity, and region among young adults with lupus, despite uniform Medicare coverage. Findings support evaluating lupus care quality measures and their impact on US lupus outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: CMB receives peer-reviewed institutional grant funding from Independent Grants for Learning and Change (Pfizer) for research unrelated to this study. All other authors declare no conflicts.

This review article delves into the growing field of solid-state batteries as a compelling alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries. The article surveys ongoing research efforts at renowned Swiss institutions such as ETH Zurich, Empa, Paul Scherrer Institute, and Berner Fachhochschule covering various aspects, from a fundamental understanding of battery interfaces to practical issues of solid-state battery fabrication, their design, and production. The article then outlines the prospects of solid-state batteries, emphasizing the imperative practical challenges that remain to be overcome and highlighting Swiss research groups' efforts and research directions in this field., (Copyright 2024 Kostiantyn V. Kravchyk, Corsin Battaglia, Valerie Siller, Barthélémy Lelotte, Mario El Kazzi, Jedrzej Morzy, Moritz Futscher, Yaroslav Romanyuk, Michael Stalder, Axel Fuerst, Maksym Kovalenko. License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

Exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is ubiquitous due to their persistence in the environment and in humans. Extreme weight loss has been shown to influence concentrations of circulating persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Using data from the multi-center perspective Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) cohort, we investigated changes in plasma-PFAS in adolescents after bariatric surgery. Adolescents (Mean age = 17.1 years, SD = 1.5 years) undergoing bariatric surgery were enrolled in the Teen-LABS study. Plasma-PFAS were measured at the time of surgery and then 6-, 12-, and 36 months post-surgery. Linear mixed effect models were used to evaluate longitudinal changes in plasma-PFAS after the time of bariatric surgery. This study included 214 adolescents with severe obesity who had available longitudinal measures of plasma-PFAS and underwent bariatric surgery between 2007 and 2012. Underlying effects related to undergoing bariatric surgery were found to be associated with an initial increase or plateau in concentrations of circulating PFAS up to 6 months after surgery followed by a persistent decline in concentrations of 36 months (p < 0.001 for all plasma-PFAS). Bariatric surgery in adolescents was associated with a decline in circulating PFAS concentrations. Initially following bariatric surgery (0-6 months) concentrations were static followed by decline from 6 to 36 months following surgery. This may have large public health implications as PFAS are known to be associated with numerous metabolic related diseases and the significant reduction in circulating PFAS in individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery may be related to the improvement of such metabolic related diseases following bariatric surgery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Thomas Inge reports a relationship with Standard Bariatrics, Teleflex, and Mediflex, and royalties from Wolters Kluwer (UpToDate) that includes: consulting or advisory. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)