Empagliflozin restores chronic kidney disease–induced impairment of endothelial regulation of cardiomyocyte relaxation and contraction

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Improving HIV medical care engagement by attending to status disclosure and social support

ABSTRACT

Expeditious linkage and consistent engagement in medical care is important for people with HIV’s (PWH) health. One theory on fostering linkage and engagement involves HIV status disclosure to mobilize social support. To assess disclosure and social support’s association with linkage and engagement, we conducted a qualitative study sampling black and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM of color) in the U.S. Participants' narratives presented mixed results. For instance, several participants who reported delaying, inconsistent access, or detachment from care also reported disclosing for support purposes, yet sporadic engagement suggests that their disclosure or any subsequent social support have not assisted. The findings contribute to the literature that questions disclosure and social support’s influence on care engagement, especially when decontextualized from circumstances and intentions. Our findings suggest the mechanics of disclosure and social support require planned implementation if intending to affect outcomes, especially among MSM of color. From the findings, we explore steps that may bolster interventions seeking to anchor medical care engagement.     

Are Medicare's Nursing Home Compare Ratings Accurate Predictors of 90-Day Complications,Readmission, and Bundle Cost for Patients Undergoing Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty?

Background

Nursing Home Compare (NHC) ratings, created and maintained by Medicare, are used by both hospitals and consumers to aid in the skilled nursing facility (SNF) selection process. To date, no studies have linked NHC ratings to actual episode-based outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether NHC ratings are valid predictors of 90-day complications, readmission, and bundle costs for patients discharged to an SNF after primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA).

Femoral Head Penetration Rates of Second-Generation Sequentially Annealed Highly Cross-Linked Polyethylene at Minimum Five Years

Background

Highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) liners in total hip arthroplasty (THA) have demonstrated decreased wear rates, resilience to cup orientation, and reduced osteolysis compared to conventional polyethylene. Sequential irradiation and annealing below the melting temperature is unique compared to most HXLPE which is irradiated and remelted. This study purpose is to provide minimum 5-year femoral head penetration rates of sequentially annealed HXLPE in primary THA.

Successful Distal Urethral Stone Removal in the Emergency Department

Nephrolithiasis is a common pathology encountered in the primary care and emergency department (ED) setting. In 2009 alone, there were over one million ED visits related to nephrolithiasis Higa et al. (2017) [1]. Emergent treatment options range from non-invasive pain control and patient education to lithotripsy and other invasive urologic procedures depending on stone location and related pathology. Urethral calculi are estimated to represent 0.3% of all urinary stone diseases Verit et al. (2006) [2]. There are very few case reports documenting distal urethral stone removal in the ED. Here we present a case of distal urethral stone impaction and the removal of this stone by ED providers, leading to expedited care and prevention of consultation and possible admission.     

Associations of metabolically healthy obesity with prevalence and progression of coronary artery calcification: Results from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Cohort Study

Background and aims

There is controversy on the potentially benign nature of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), i.e., obese persons with few or no metabolic abnormalities. So far, associations between MHO and coronary artery calcification (CAC), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, have mainly been studied cross-sectionally in Asian populations. We assessed cross-sectional and longitudinal MHO CAC associations in a Caucasian population.