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July/August 2023 Annals of Family Medicine Tip Sheet
Medicine 2023-07-25

July/August 2023 Annals of Family Medicine Tip Sheet

Canadian Patients Report High Levels of Satisfaction From an Integrated Model of Virtual and In-Person Care In an effort to increase access to care in underserved communities, researchers from the University of Ottawa evaluated the implementation of an integrated virtual care (IVC) model. Their study evaluated the overall experience and satisfaction of patients receiving care through a combination of virtual and in-person visits. A secondary aim was to compare the experiences of patients who had been previously seen in person by a family physician before transitioning to the IVC clinics with those who met their family physician virtually for the first ...
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Medicine 2023-07-25

Navigating telemedicine implementation: exploring experiences of primary care clinicians early in the COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and Case Western Reserve University conducted weekly and monthly surveys of primary care clinicians to examine the use of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The e-surveys were conducted between March 2020 and March 2022 and used convenience sampling. A total of 36 surveys were completed, with an average of 937 respondents per survey, representing clinicians from all 50 states and from multiple specialties. Initially, respondents reported difficulties in implementing telemedicine, citing challenges with infrastructure and reimbursement mechanisms. However, as time progressed, attitudes toward telemedicine became ...
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Canadian patients report high levels of satisfaction from an integrated model of virtual and in-person care
Medicine 2023-07-25

Canadian patients report high levels of satisfaction from an integrated model of virtual and in-person care

In an effort to increase access to care in underserved communities, researchers from the University of Ottawa evaluated the implementation of an integrated virtual care (IVC) model. Their study evaluated the overall experience and satisfaction of patients receiving care through a combination of virtual and in-person visits. A secondary aim was to compare the experiences of patients who had been previously seen in person by a family physician before transitioning to the IVC clinics with those who met their family physician virtually for the ...
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Researchers unveil the role of primary cilia in facilitating cartilage regeneration after growth plate fractures
Science 2023-07-25

Researchers unveil the role of primary cilia in facilitating cartilage regeneration after growth plate fractures

Growth plates (GP), situated at the ends of long bones in children, supply chondrocytes necessary for bone growth. Damage to the growth plate due to fractures often results in arrested bone growth, making it a significant cause of skeletal disorders in children. However, a small percentage of these injuries astonishingly manage to heal themselves, a phenomenon that had remained a mystery until now. In a new study published in International Journal of Oral Science, Yao Sun from Tongji University and other researchers identified that primary cilia, cellular ...
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HPV vaccine cost reimbursement could hinder vaccine access, study suggests
Medicine 2023-07-25

HPV vaccine cost reimbursement could hinder vaccine access, study suggests

Bare minimum reimbursement rates could be a factor in why some clinics may be struggling to offer HPV vaccination in the U.S. MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researcher Kalyani Sonawane, Ph.D., and a team of researchers from South Carolina and Texas decided to quantify private insurance reimbursement rates for the HPV vaccine after several qualitative studies noted that health care providers were dissatisfied with HPV vaccine reimbursement by private insurance companies. The results of their investigation were published July 24 in the Annals of Family Medicine. They found that ...
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Study: An inverse model for food webs and ecosystem stability
Environment 2023-07-25

Study: An inverse model for food webs and ecosystem stability

In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, authors Gabriel Gellner and Kevin McCann from the University of Guelph and SFI External Professor Alan Hastings (UC Davis) invert a classical approach to modeling food webs. Instead of trying to replicate stable, complex ecosystems using simplistic representations of species interactions, the authors’ novel inverse method assumes the ecosystems exist and works backward to characterize food webs that support that assumption. Their work represents a significant step toward addressing a fundamental ecological question of how biodiversity ...
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New algorithm maps safest routes for city drivers
Technology 2023-07-25

New algorithm maps safest routes for city drivers

Most navigation apps can show you the fastest possible route to your destination and some can even suggest an eco-friendly route calculated to produce the least amount of carbon emissions. But what if they could also map the safest route with the lowest possible risk of a crash? A new algorithm developed by UBC researchers could make this a reality. Led by Dr. Tarek Sayed, professor in the UBC department of civil engineering, and PhD student Tarek Ghoul, the group developed a new approach ...
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Illinois Tech assistant professor receives award for using insights from human immune system to strengthen AI
Medicine 2023-07-25

Illinois Tech assistant professor receives award for using insights from human immune system to strengthen AI

CHICAGO—July 25, 2023—For his groundbreaking research in fortifying artificial intelligence systems with insights gained from the human immune system, Ren Wang of Illinois Institute of Technology has received the prestigious Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). Wang’s research may be used in the future to strengthen AI systems, making them more robust and resilient. As AI has increasingly permeated our daily lives through technologies, such as ChatGPT’s natural language ...
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A novel bone regeneration technique with clinical potential
Medicine 2023-07-25

A novel bone regeneration technique with clinical potential

Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) identify a promising way to improve bone repair with important clinical applications Tokyo, Japan – Although bones have the ability to regenerate and repair themselves, they are generally unable to do so when the injury is larger than a small break or chip. In a study just published in Inflammation and Regeneration, Japanese researchers have developed a technique for improving bone regeneration over large areas in rats—and their findings may translate well to clinical settings. As most of us know from experience, bones can repair themselves after a minor break ...
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Science 2023-07-25

Researchers detail methodological approach to creating joint displays of data collection in mixed methods research

Researchers present a methodology for developing joint displays of integrated mixed data collection. These joint displays provide a framework for supporting integration of a mixed methodology in research. Drawing upon a convergent mixed methods cohort study – the Early Discharge of Febrile Neutropenic Children with Cancer Study – the authors constructed a joint display of integrated mixed data collection from a patient/caregiver mixed methods survey instrument and manual medical chart abstraction. The paper outlines the methodological approach, including iterative ...
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Environment 2023-07-25

Brazilian researchers identify gynecological concerns of caregivers of young girls and women with Down syndrome

Brazilian researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the concerns of caregivers of Brazilian girls with Down syndrome (DS) regarding gynecological aspects of DS including menstruation, contraception and sexual practices. The study included 100 caregivers of females aged 9 years or older with DS who had reached menarche. Participating caregivers completed a questionnaire about their concerns around puberty, menstruation, sexuality and contraceptive methods. Caregivers commonly expressed concerns around menstrual bleeding. Most caregivers ...
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Medicine 2023-07-25

Meta-analysis of research on acne reveals that oral isotretinoin, followed by topical antibiotic, benzoyl peroxide and retinoid, are most effective treatments

In their comprehensive meta-analysis (comprising 221 randomized controlled trials involving 65,601 patients), researchers investigated the effectiveness of various pharmacological therapies for acne vulgaris across diverse age groups and genders. The articles described 37 interventions, with a median patient age of 20 years old and median duration of treatment of 12 weeks. The median total, inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion counts were 71.5, 27 and 44, respectively. The study revealed that oral isotretinoin was the most effective treatment (mean difference 48.41; p-score 1.00), followed in efficacy by a triple therapy containing ...
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Medicine 2023-07-25

Survey suggests geographic inequalities in patient registration versus primary care physician density can exclude patients from comprehensive care access

French researchers conducted a large, simulated study to examine the relationship between the presence of primary care physicians (PCPs) and the ability of patients to register with a PCP. The study aimed to analyze local PCP supply based on various indicators, including PCP presence, patient registration availability for office visits, and patient registration availability for home visits. Out of 5,188 census blocks, 55.4% had at least one PCP, with 38.6% of those blocks allowing registration for office visits and 19.46% allowing registration for home ...
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Greater primary care continuity among older people is associated with fewer inappropriate prescriptions and prescribing omissions
Science 2023-07-25

Greater primary care continuity among older people is associated with fewer inappropriate prescriptions and prescribing omissions

Researchers from the Netherlands conducted an observational study to determine the association between personal continuity and potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) by family physicians in older patients. PIPs can be categorized as potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs). The study utilized anonymized routine care data from 269,478 patients, receiving care in 48 Dutch family practices, from 2013 to 2018. They included all patients 65 and older with five or more contacts with their practice in six years, giving them a sample of 25,854 individuals. ...
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Medicine 2023-07-25

Primary care clinics that improved patient access, identified at-risk patients and expanded services experienced reductions in acute hospitalizations

Researchers from Mathematica studied high-performing Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) sites to identify key strategies that contributed to significant reductions in acute hospitalization rates. Researchers identified CPC+ practice sites with the highest likelihood of achieving substantial reductions in Medicare acute hospitalization rates between 2016 and 2018, and referred to them as "Acute Hospitalization Rate (AHR) high-performers." Afterwards, they conducted telephone interviews and within- and cross-case comparative analyses of 14 of these primary care practice sites, ...
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Science 2023-07-25

Primary care doctors face barriers in treating alcoholism

Researchers explored how primary care physicians who have some familiarity with medications for alcohol use disorder (MAUD) make prescribing decisions and identify reasons for the underuse of MAUD in primary care. They interviewed 19 primary care physicians who had recently prescribed MAUD to patients in an outpatient setting. These physicians were selected from a large online database of medical professionals. Participating physicians reported several challenges in prescribing MAUD: (1) they had somewhat negative personal beliefs about the effectiveness of medications and the likelihood of patient ...
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Medicine 2023-07-25

Family medicine physicians receive lowest HPV vaccine cost reimbursements compared to pediatricians, internal medicine doctors, nurse practitioners and other specialists

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage has improved in the United States, but privately insured adolescents have lower initiation and completion rates compared to those under public insurance programs. One of the contributing factors to this disparity is the higher cost of the HPV vaccine compared to other routinely recommended adolescent vaccines. While private payers typically reimburse the cost of the HPV vaccine at or above the CDC list price (i.e., $210.99 in 2017-2018), it remains below ...
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Science 2023-07-25

SwRI’s Wyrick named GSA Fellow

SAN ANTONIO — July 25, 2023 —The Geological Society of America (GSA) has elected Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Danielle Wyrick as a Fellow, recognizing her exemplary scientific achievements, support of young geoscientists and excellent service to GSA. She has played a significant role in GSA’s Planetary Geology Division leadership and committees.  “During my tenure on the board of GSA’s Planetary Geology Division, we adopted the motto ‘when one planet just isn’t enough,’ ...
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Physics informed supervised learning framework could make computational imaging faster
Technology 2023-07-25

Physics informed supervised learning framework could make computational imaging faster

BOSTON - Computational imaging techniques are growing more popular, but the large number of measurements they require often lead to slow speeds or damage to biological samples. A newly developed physics-informed variational autoencoder (P-VAE) framework could help speed up computational imaging by using supervised learning to jointly reconstruct many light sources, each with sparse measurements. Vidya Ganapati, Assistant Professor of Engineering, Swarthmore College, will present this research at the Optica Imaging Congress. The hybrid meeting will take place 14 – 17 August 2023 in ...
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Bacterial testing in kids with sinusitis could slash antibiotic use
Medicine 2023-07-25

Bacterial testing in kids with sinusitis could slash antibiotic use

In children with suspected sinusitis, a nasal swab to test for three types of bacteria can tell whether antibiotics are likely to be effective or not, according to a new JAMA study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC. “Five million kids in the U.S. get prescribed antibiotics for sinusitis each year,” said lead author Nader Shaikh, M.D., pediatrician at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and professor of pediatrics and clinical and translational science at Pitt. “Our study suggests that only half of these kids see an improvement in symptoms with antibiotic use, so ...
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Improving recyclable waste classification with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Environment 2023-07-25

Improving recyclable waste classification with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2023 – Managing and classifying waste accurately for reuse is a growing challenge in environmental protection. Addressing this issue, researchers at Hefei University of Technology in China have embarked on a quest to innovate in the realm of waste management, seeking effective methods that can simplify and improve the identification and classification of recyclable waste. Delving into the intricacies of waste management, the researchers explored the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technology for the identification ...
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Science 2023-07-25

State restrictions and geographic access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth

About The Study: State restrictions were associated with significantly increased estimated drive times for youths seeking gender-affirming care. With more than 1 in 4 gender clinics located in states with restrictions, it is unknown whether existing clinics may have capacity to meet the increased need of out-of-state patients. Authors: Kevin C. Chung, M.D., M.S., of the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2023.11299) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional ...
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Technology 2023-07-25

New robot boosts solar energy research

Researchers have created a robot capable of conducting experiments more efficiently and sustainably to develop a range of new semiconductor materials with desirable attributes. The researchers have already demonstrated that the new technology, called RoboMapper, can rapidly identify new perovskite materials with improved stability and solar cell efficiency. “RoboMapper allows us to conduct materials testing more quickly, while also reducing both cost and energy overhead – making the entire process more sustainable,” ...
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Medicine 2023-07-25

Only 60% of at-risk women report getting counseled on heart health at their postpartum visit

Heart disease risk factors (being overweight, having diabetes or high blood pressure) increased among birthing adults between 2016 and 2020 Postpartum visits are crucial for checking mom’s heart health after delivery Each year, 90% of women in the U.S. attend at least one postpartum visit ‘We must take advantage of this prime opportunity when we have a captive audience’ CHICAGO --- Despite having risk factors for heart disease, only 60% of women reported receiving counseling on optimizing their heart health, which includes healthy eating, exercise and losing weight gained during pregnancy at their six-week ...
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Medicine 2023-07-25

Vegetarian dietary patterns and cardiometabolic risk in people with or at high risk of cardiovascular disease

About The Study: The results of this study suggest that consuming a vegetarian diet may modestly but significantly improve cardiometabolic outcomes beyond standard pharmacological therapy in individuals at high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), highlighting the potential protective and synergistic effects of vegetarian diets for the primary prevention of CVD. Authors: Tian Wang, A.P.D., R.D., of the University of Sydney in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is the corresponding author.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.25658) Editor’s ...
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