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Purpose - Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are among the least empirically examined institutional cohorts in American higher education. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize extant research on the historical, public, and social realities related to HBCU institutional strength and survival. Attention is given to the manifestation of race-neutral ideology in public sector in the aftermath of the election of the nation's first African American president - Barack Obama. Design/methodology/approach - A bricolage of policy case study, meta-analysis, and critical race theory. Findings - Highlight current perceptions on the disparate impact of federal policy on institutional sustainability and the issue of representation in presidential cabinet appointments incident to HBCUs. Originality/value - This paper provides a useful resource for educators, policymakers, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose The natural pattern of bone healing in large bony defects following curettage alone as treatment of benign bone tumors around the knee is not well reported. We analyzed the outcome in 146 patients. Patients and methods 146 patients with over 18 months of follow-up who underwent curettage without bone substitute filling or bone grafting for a benign tumor in the distal femur or upper tibia were included. The mean diameter of the defects following curettage was 5.7 (1.3-11) cm and the estimated average volume was 63 (1-240) cm(3). The plain radiographs before and following curettage were reviewed to establish the size of the initial defect and the rate of reconstitution and infilling of the bone. The time to full weight bearing and any complications were recorded. Results There was a variable rate of infilling; some defects completely reconstituted to a normal appearance while some never filled in. In 88% of the cases, no further intervention after curettage was required and the mean time to full weight bearing was 6 weeks. The risk of subsequent fracture or the late development of osteoarthritis was strongly related to the size of the cyst at diagnosis, with cysts of > 60 cm(3) (about 5 cm in diameter) having a much higher incidence of complications. Interpretation This study demonstrates the natural healing ability of bone without any adjuvant filling. It could be used as a baseline for future studies using any sort of filling with autograft, allograft, or bone substitute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses personalism with special reference to the concepts of philosopher Peter Anthony Bertocci. Various branches of personalism including catholic worker personalism, civil rights personalism, and liberated personalism are provided. The fourteen assumptions of non-violent personalism have been discussed in detail. Reference to the book "The Spirit of the Sixties: The Making of Postwar Radicalism," by James J. Farrell is also presented.

Background: Prosthetic replacement following excision of a bone tumor can be complicated by infection because patients who undergo surgery for a neoplastic condition often are subjected to extensive soft-tissue dissection and long operating times and are immunosuppressed. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of periprosthetic infection, identify possible predisposing factors, and assess treatment efficacy in such patients.Methods: Prosthetic reconstruction was performed in 1264 patients over a thirty-seven-year period in a single hospital by four surgeons. Twenty-four patients were excluded because of incomplete follow-up, leaving 1240 patients who had been followed for a mean of 5.8 years. Infection was identified in 136 patients (11.0%). The management and outcome of the infections in all of these patients were analyzed.Results: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most common organism isolated. Two-stage revision successfully treated the infection in 72% (forty-two) of the fifty-eight patients in whom it was performed. Local surgical debridement with or without antibiotic implants was successful in only 6% (four) of sixty-eight patients. Amputation to treat the infection was performed in fifty (37%) of the 136 patients. The factors that were associated with a significant risk of infection (p Conclusions: Patients treated with an orthopaedic procedure for an oncological condition have high infection rates. The treatment of infection in these patients is arduous and lengthy, with a substantial risk of amputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes an assessment matrix, a series of instruments that, when used collectively, will accurately identify hazards and deficiencies in the workplace. Elements of the assessment matrix for benchmarking; Discussion on the experience modification rate used by insurance carriers to determine workers' compensation premiums; Importance of safety and health programs to the company.

Eyelid problems range from benign, self-resolving processes to malignant, possibly metastatic, tumors. Inflammation, infection, benign and malignant tumors, and structural problems such as ectropion, entropion and blepharoptosis may occur. Fortunately, most eyelid disorders are not vision-threatening or life-threatening; however, many cause irritative symptoms such as burning, foreign-body sensation or pain. Blepharitis, or eyelid inflammation, one of the most common problems, is characterized by erythematous eyelids with accumulation of debris along the eyelid margin. Malignant eyelid tumors may be associated with lash loss and erosion of normal eyelid structures. Recognition and diagnosis of these problems are crucial to their proper management. Warm compresses and antibiotics suffice for many conditions, while excision, cryotherapy or laser treatment are required for some. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The "two-week wait" was established as a potential means of diagnosing malignant tumours earlier. This paper investigated whether these clinics are leading to earlier diagnosis of malignant soft-tissue lumps. Method. We identified all referrals to our centre from a database over a 4-year period. Results. 2225 patients were referred to our unit for investigation of a soft-tissue mass. 576 (26%) were referred under the "two-week wait" criteria. 153 (27%) of which were found to have a malignant or borderline malignant diagnosis. 1649 patients were referred nonurgently. 855 (52%) of which were diagnosed with a malignant or borderline lesion. The average size at diagnosis was 9.4 cm with no difference in size between the different referral routes. Conclusion. There is little evidence that the two-week wait clinic is leading to earlier diagnosis of soft-tissue sarcomas with the majority still being referred nonurgently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desensitization (DS) is widely used to decrease PRA in solid organs transplant candidates (IC). Various numbers of cycles of DS are required to reduce or eliminate donor specific antibodies (DSA). The goal of this study was to investigate if there was a correlation between polymorphism (PM) of some cytokine genes and intensity of DS required to make the recipient/donor cross match compatible. Thirty-one TCs were included in the study. Antibody specificity, percent of reactive antibodies (PRA) and serum concentration of cytokines were analyzed using the LUMINEX platform. PCR-SSP method was used for lL-1α, lL-1β, IL-IR, IL-1Rα, IL-4Rα, lL-12, lFNγ, TGFβ1, TNFα, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 gene PM analysis. Significant relationship between PM of genes encoding IL-4Rα, IFNγ and IL-12 (p70) and susceptibility to DS was demonstrated (p = 0.04, p = 0.01 and p = 0.05 respectively). Correlation between elevated serum level of IL-12 (p70) and A/A or C/A genotype at -1188 position was found in resistant to DS TCs (p = 0.015). These results indicate that analysis PM of genes encoding IL-4Rα, IFNγ and IL-12 enables to define the DS strategy in TCs more accurately regarding the number of plasmapheresis (PP) cycles and dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) on long-term health outcomes among individuals receiving long-term in-home aged care services is unknown., Objectives: To examine associations between HMR provision and hospitalization, long-term care facility (LTCF) entry and mortality among older people receiving long-term in-home aged care services., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included individuals aged 65-105 years from three Australian states who accessed in-home aged care services between 2013 and 2017. Using propensity score matching, HMR recipients (n = 1530) were matched to individuals who did not receive an HMR (n = 1530). Associations between HMR provision and outcomes were estimated using multivariable regression models., Results: Over a median of 414 days (interquartile range 217-650) of follow-up, HMR provision was not associated with hospitalizations for unplanned events (subdistribution hazard ratio (sHR) 1.04, 95%CI 0.96-1.14), falls-related hospitalizations (sHR 0.97, 95%CI 0.83-1.13), LTCF entry (sHR 0.97, 95%CI 0.83-1.13), or all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 0.86, 95%CI 0.72-1.01)., Conclusions: In a cohort of older people receiving long-term in-home aged care services, no differences in unplanned hospitalizations, falls, LTCF entry or mortality were observed those with HMRs compared to those that did not receive an HMR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest JKS, GM, SC, SJ, and AS are registered pharmacists and at the time of study conduct were accredited by the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP; the research funder) to perform home medicines reviews (HMRs). GM was the Chief Executive Officer of AACP, SC and SJ were Non-Executive Directors of AACP, and AS was a member of the AACP National Advisory Group. JKS is a non-executive director of Southern Cross Care SA, NT, VIC (an aged care provider organization)., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) is a validated instrument used to explore participants' perceptions of leadership and the Outcomes of leadership, participants' evaluation of and satisfaction with leadership and willingness to put in extra effort. The factor structure of MLQ varies across studies. The aim was to explore the psychometric properties of the MLQ for early-career pharmacists rating their preceptor's leadership., Methods: The MLQ was administered to provisionally registered pharmacists during the final half of their 1 year of supervised practice. Confirmatory and Exploratory Factor Analysis (CFA & EFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to analyse the data., Results: Responses were obtained from 430 participants (25 % of all Australian pre-registration pharmacists at the time). CFA demonstrated that the original 9-factor model and a range of previously published models were poor fit for the data. EFA revealed that a good fit was a model with 4 factors named: Passive laissez-faire, Strategic visionary, Personalized, and Active management by exception. Passive laissez-faire and Active management by exception were consistent with previously published models. The Strategic visionary and Personalized factors were interpreted as 2 forms of transformational leadership that includes the provision of rewards depending on performance. A SEM of MLQ sub-scales predicting Outcomes of leadership explained 90.3 % of variance. Personalized leadership was highly predictive (β = 0.743, P < 0.001) while the three other factors had negligible effects., Conclusion: The psychometric analyses demonstrated overlap of the original 9-factors. A more parsimonious 4-factor model fit the data well., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest SC PA and AM are employed by an institution that provides one of the accredited training courses that pharmacists undertake while under supervised practice (mentioned in Methods). DR declares that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: While pharmacists' roles in mental healthcare are expanding, research exploring pharmacists' acceptability and willingness to provide mental health services is limited. This study developed and validated theory-driven measures of pharmacists' acceptability and willingness to screen for perinatal depression in community pharmacy settings., Materials/methods: Items were developed using published literature and the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA), then content validated using consensus methods with experts who completed the content validity index (CVI). The revised items were disseminated to pharmacists in Australia. Responses were analysed descriptively. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) were used to explore the factorial structure and generate scales. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted to explore predictors of willingness., Results: A 58-item questionnaire was developed, encompassing the 7 domains of the TFA and an eighth domain (willingness). The average CVI was 0.92, domain range (0.88-0.96). The universal CVI was 56/58. Expert feedback informed item revision, creation and deletion. Pharmacists' responses (n = 157) to the final 42-item questionnaire indicated overall acceptance and willingness to conduct PND screening. However, perceived knowledge was lacking. The EFA resulted a two-factor solution (1 = acceptance; 2 = self-efficacy). The measurement scales created had good internal consistency. In multivariate regression analysis, 'Acceptance' (Beta = 0.949 (0.760-1.103)) and 'Self-Efficacy' (Beta = 0.107 (0.036-0.174)) were significant predictors of 'Willingness' and the model predicted 77 % of the variation in 'Willingness'., Conclusions: Psychometrically-sound measures of pharmacists' acceptability and willingness to screen for PND have been developed with stakeholder input. The questionnaire can be used for standardised measurement of these constructs across studies., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: DNA synthesis companies screen orders to detect controlled sequences with misuse risks. Assessing screening accuracy is challenging owing to the breadth of biological risks and ambiguities in risk definitions. Here, we detail an International Gene Synthesis Consortium working group's rationale and process to develop a prototype DNA synthesis screening test dataset, aiming to establish a baseline of screening system accuracy to compare with various screening approaches., Methodology: Construction of the prototype test dataset involved four tool developers screening nucleic acid sequences from three taxonomic clusters of controlled organisms ( Orbivirus , Francisella tularensis , and Coccidioides ). Results were mapped onto predefined, comparable categories, checking for consensus or conflicts. Conflicts were grouped based on gene annotation and resolved through discussion., Results: The process highlighted several long-standing challenges in DNA synthesis screening, including the qualitative differences in approaches taken by screening tools. Our findings highlight the lack of clarity in assessing pathogen sequences with respect to regulatory control language, compounded by scientific uncertainty. We illustrate the current degree of consensus and existing challenges using classification statistics and specific examples., Conclusions and Next Steps: This prototype underscores the necessity of expert-regulator coordination in assessing gene-associated risks, offering a template for creating test sets across all taxonomic groups on international control lists. Expanding the working group would enrich dataset comprehensiveness, enabling a transition from species-focused to function-focused regulatory controls. This sets the foundation for quality control, certification, and improved risk assessment in DNA synthesis screening., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

Introduction: Symptomatic malrotation requires urgent Ladd procedure. Patients with incidental or indeterminate findings have historically been managed with observation or operatively. Fluoroscopic identification of the duodenojejunal junction (DJJ) and ileocecal junction (ICJ) can guide operative decision-making, but algorithms have not been validated. This study aimed to determine whether fluoroscopic mesenteric base width (MBW) standardized to abdominal wall diameter (AWD) correlates with intraoperative anatomy in infants., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients between 2013 and 2023 who were <1 year with fluoroscopy identifying DJJ and ICJ. Infants with normal rotation evaluated for digestive concerns were included. Congenital conditions with intestinal nonrotation were excluded. Two radiologists independently measured MBW as a diagonal line from DJJ to ICJ and maximal transverse AWD from inferior ribs. A ratio was calculated and compared between groups. Wilcoxon rank-sum and Kruskal-Wallis tests with p < 0.05 were considered significant. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to identify optimal ratio cutoff., Results: Fifty-eight patients, 22 normally rotated and 36 with intestinal rotational abnormality (IRA), met inclusion criteria. Preoperative radiographic concern for malrotation differed between groups (p < 0.0001). Median MBW:AWD was significantly lower in IRA than normal rotation based on imaging (0.31 vs 0.65, p < 0.0001). Optimal MBW:AWD of 0.55 had an AUROC of 0.9578., Conclusions: Radiographic measurement of MBW:AWD accurately predicted IRA from normal rotation with an optimal ratio cutoff of 0.55. Further validation will determine whether this ratio should play a role in management of incidental IRA or indeterminate findings on UGI., Level of Evidence: III., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Nucleic acid synthesis is a powerful tool that has revolutionized the life sciences. However, the misuse of synthetic nucleic acids could pose a serious threat to public health and safety. There is a need for international standards for nucleic acid synthesis screening to help prevent the misuse of this technology., Methods: We outline current barriers to the adoption of screening, which include the cost of developing screening tools and resources, adapting to existing commercial practices, internationalizing screening, and adapting screening to benchtop nucleic acid synthesis devices. To address these challenges, we then introduce the Common Mechanism for DNA Synthesis Screening, which was developed in consultation with a technical consortium of experts in DNA synthesis, synthetic biology, biosecurity, and policy, with the aim of addressing current barriers. The Common Mechanism software uses a variety of methods to identify sequences of concern, identify taxonomic best matches to regulated pathogens, and identify benign genes that can be cleared for synthesis. Finally, we describe outstanding challenges in the development of screening practices., Results: The Common Mechanism is a step toward ensuring the safe and responsible use of synthetic nucleic acids. It provides a baseline capability that overcomes challenges to nucleic acid synthesis screening and provides a solution for broader international adoption of screening practices., Conclusion: The Common Mechanism is a valuable tool for preventing the misuse of synthetic nucleic acids. It is a critical step toward ensuring the safe and responsible use of this powerful technology., (© Nicole E. Wheeler et al., 2024; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the landscape of medicine and is already being utilized in conjunction with medical diagnostics and imaging analysis. We hereby explore AI applications in surgery and examine its relevance to pediatric surgery, covering its evolution, current state, and promising future. The various fields of AI are explored including machine learning and applications to predictive analytics and decision support in surgery, computer vision and image analysis in preoperative planning, image segmentation, surgical navigation, and finally, natural language processing assist in expediting clinical documentation, identification of clinical indications, quality improvement, outcome research, and other types of automated data extraction. The purpose of this review is to familiarize the pediatric surgical community with the rise of AI and highlight the ongoing advancements and challenges in its adoption, including data privacy, regulatory considerations, and the imperative for interdisciplinary collaboration. We hope this review serves as a comprehensive guide to AI's transformative influence on surgery, demonstrating its potential to enhance pediatric surgical patient outcomes, improve precision, and usher in a new era of surgical excellence., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)