Impacts of a University Research Assistant Program: The First Decade.

Purpose: There is a declining number of physician-scientists. Little is published about the potential for university student experiences to contribute to the pipeline of future researchers. The purpose of this study was to describe a unique university research program and report the outcomes of the first 10 years. Method: The University Research Assistant Program (URAP) was described including course content, research experiences, and student composition. Outcomes of URAP student contributions to the literature and research presentations was reported. URAP students were also surveyed to assess their perspectives on the impact of the URAP program on career choices after graduation. Results: URAP began as an independent study course and grew into for-credit university courses. A total of 212 students have taken at least one semester and 88 responded to the survey. All students who participated in URAP have graduated, and 77% (n = 68) reported the URAP program prepared them to reach their career goals. Most graduates pursued health care careers including medical school (55%), Master's programs in health care (29%), or PhD in health care (5%). URAP students participated in research involving 11 different pediatric subspecialties. Many attained co-authorship of abstracts and publications, 53 first-authored an abstract presentation and 7 manuscripts. Conclusions: URAP significantly influenced university students who overwhelmingly entered health care fields. While difficult to assess if these early experiences will influence participation as future physician -scientists, these students made meaningful research contributions while enrolled in these courses. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-023-01852-6.

Mandibular Regional Odontodysplasia in a Toddler.

Regional odontodysplasia (ROD) is a rare developmental anomaly with distinctive clinical, radiographical and histological findings, affecting both primary and permanent dentitions. The teeth with ROD have an atypical morphology and are usually discolored, with either delayed eruption or complete failure to erupt. Radiographically, the affected teeth have a "ghostly" appearance, with marked radiolucency and decreased radiodensity, showing a thin outline of enamel and dentin, which appear hypomineralized histologically, with poorly structured dentinal tubules and enamel prisms. Calcifications are frequently found in the pulp chambers of the affected teeth. This case report discusses a three-year-old girl who presented with ROD in her mandible as well as the clinical and radiographical features, and treatment of the condition.

Development of Postoperative Diabetes Mellitus in Patients Undergoing Distal Pancreatectomy versus Whipple Procedure.

Because the islets of Langerhans are more prevalent in the body and tail of the pancreas, distal pancreatectomy (DP) is believed to increase the likelihood of developing new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM). To determine whether the development of postoperative diabetes was more prevalent in patients undergoing DP or Whipple procedure, 472 patients undergoing either a DP (n = 122) or Whipple (n = 350), regardless of underlying pathology, were analyzed at one month postoperatively. Insulin or oral hypoglycemic requirements were assessed and patients were stratified into preoperative diabetic status: NODM or preexisting diabetes. A retrospective chart review of the 472 patients between 1996 and 2014 showed that the total rate of NODM after Whipple procedure was 43 per cent, which was not different from patients undergoing DP (45%). The incidence of preoperative diabetes was 12 per cent in patients undergoing the Whipple procedure and 17 per cent in the DP cohort. Thus, the overall incidence of diabetes after Whipple procedure was 54 and 49 per cent in the DP group. The development of diabetes was unrelated to the type of resection performed. Age more than 65 and Caucasian ethnicity were associated with postoperative diabetes regardless of the type of resection performed.

2-Octyl-cyanoacrylate (Dermabond), a new glue for variceal injection therapy: results of a preliminary animal study.

BACKGROUND: Endotherapy of bleeding gastric varices is problematic. The aim of this descriptive study in an animal model was to compare 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate (Dermabond), a Food and Drug Administration-approved agent for superficial wound closure, to N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl), an agent available outside of the United States for the endoscopic treatment of bleeding gastric varices. METHODS: Eight New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to either the study agent Dermabond or the control agent, Histoacryl. Both active agents were equally mixed with ethiodized poppy seed oil (Ethiodol) and injected into the auricular vein. The animals were euthanized at various time intervals after injection. A 2 cm strip of tissue on either side of the injection site along with the adjacent perivascular tissues were resected for histologic evaluation. RESULTS: The use of 0.5 mL of Dermabond effectively induced vascular occlusion compared with 0.2 mL of Histoacryl. The histologic changes acutely and at 1 week were similar with each mixture. CONCLUSION: Dermabond may be useful in the treatment of gastric variceal bleeding, but further studies are necessary to determine dose response rates in animals and humans.