IntroductionCurrent literature demonstrates significant deficiencies in menopause education among Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) residents, with limited formal curricula reported across residency programs. Reported gaps in resident knowledge and comfort with menopause management pose a concern for the growing aging population in the United States. The aim of this project was to assess resident knowledge of menopause, treatment options, and patient care.MethodsThis cross-sectional, survey-based study involved OB-GYN residents affiliated with The University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Wichita, Kansas. The survey included questions assessing knowledge and comfort related to menopause topics. The primary outcome was resident knowledge regarding menopause. This study was conducted at a community-based OB-GYN residency program and was designed to be reproducible across residency programs.ResultsOf 20 residents, 14 responses were received and analyzed (70% response rate). Most respondents reported fewer than 5 hours of exposure to menopause education (56.3%, n = 9). Of five knowledge questions, two had fewer than 25% correct responses. Most residents reported being only somewhat comfortable and needing additional experience explaining the etiology and physiology of menopause symptoms (56.3%, n = 9). When asked whether the program prepares them to confidently treat menopausal patients after graduation, the largest proportion neither agreed nor disagreed (43.8%, n = 7).ConclusionsResidents demonstrated limited knowledge of menopause and low comfort with menopause management. Although this study was limited to a single program, the findings are consistent with current literature. Increased exposure to menopausal patients and topics, along with standardized menopause curricula, may improve resident knowledge and comfort in menopause management.

IntroductionAnesthetic agents traditionally are recognized for reversibly suppressing neuronal excitability through ion channel modulation and membrane interactions. Emerging evidence suggests these agents also may influence cancer cell biology. Malignant cells exhibit increased cholesterol-rich lipid rafts and aberrant expression of voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels, particularly neonatal splice variants, which together promote oncogenic signaling, invasion, metabolic reprogramming, and metastasis. Because anesthetics directly interact with both lipid membranes and NaV channels, they may modulate cancer-specific vulnerabilities.MethodsAuthors conducted a narrative using PubMed to identify experimental and clinical studies evaluating the effects of local, volatile, and intravenous anesthetics on lipid raft organization, NaV function, and cancer biology. Key search terms included “anesthetics,” “lipid rafts,” “voltage-gated sodium channels,” and “cancer.” Relevant mechanistic and preclinical data were synthesized.ResultsPreclinical evidence demonstrates that local anesthetics inhibit NaV activity, reduce persistent sodium influx, impair cytoskeletal remodeling, suppress extracellular acidification, and decrease cancer cell migration and invasion. They also induce mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, autophagy, and immunogenic cell death. In contrast, volatile anesthetics often activate PI3K/Akt/mTOR and hypoxia-inducible factor pathways while suppressing anti-tumor immunity. Intravenous agents such as propofol exhibit context-dependent effects, with studies demonstrating both anti-proliferative and pro-migratory outcomes.ConclusionsAnesthetics exert convergent effects on membrane lipid organization and NaV signaling, two interconnected regulators of malignant behavior. Local anesthetics demonstrate the most consistent anti-tumor profile, whereas volatile agents may promote survival signaling under certain conditions. Although clinical data remain largely neutral, these mechanistic insights provide a biologically grounded framework for interpreting perioperative oncologic outcomes and for designing anesthetic strategies that minimize tumor-promoting effects.

IntroductionReports during the COVID-19 pandemic suggested a surge in domestic violence cases. It is important to examine whether patterns changed following the pandemic. Authors of this study evaluated whether Sedgwick County (SGC) experienced similar trends by comparing intimate partner violence (IPV)-related service utilization before, during, and after the pandemic.MethodsParticipants included IPV victims who accessed services through Wichita Family Crisis Center from January 1, 2018, to May 31, 2025. There were no exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed across three periods: pre-COVID (Period 1: 3/1/18 – 2/28/20), COVID (Period 2: 2/29/20 – 5/31/23), and post-COVID (Period 3: 6/1/23 – 5/30/25). Chi-square testing was used for statistical analysis.ResultsA total of 11,341 clients were included, with a 31% decrease from Period 1 to Period 2 and a 19% increase from Period 2 to Period 3. A total of 100,356 services were analyzed; services decreased during COVID and increased post-COVID to levels exceeding pre-pandemic levels (p <0.001). During COVID, the proportion of hotline calls related to children younger than 17 years doubled, then declined post-COVID (p <0.0001). Upward trends also were observed in safety planning services during and after COVID, along with an increase in sex trafficking-related services post-COVID (p <0.0001).ConclusionsIn SGC, IPV-related calls and services decreased during the pandemic and increased steadily in the post-COVID period. These patterns may reflect reduced access to care or changes in service availability during the pandemic, rather than a true reduction in IPV prevalence or service needs.

IntroductionOpioid poisoning remains a major public health challenge in the United States. Intranasal naloxone has expanded community capacity to respond to opioid poisoning events; however, outcomes from distribution programs remain incompletely understood. Authors of this study examined naloxone’s impact on poisoning events in Kansas, informed by recipients’ perceptions and experiences.MethodsA cross-sectional, electronic survey was conducted in partnership with DCCCA, a nonprofit organization. Eligible participants included individuals and organizational representatives who (1) obtained a free naloxone kit from DCCCA Inc. between November 2021 and April 2025 and provided an email address, or (2) accessed a naloxone vending machine in Wichita, Kansas, between May and June 2025. The survey assessed experiences with opioid poisoning reversals, post-reversal care, confidence, training, barriers to carrying naloxone, and harm reduction perceptions.ResultsOf 767 respondents, 56.8% were individuals, 23.8% were organizational representatives, and 13.4% were both. Overall, 32.1% reported witnessing an opioid poisoning, and 14.8% reported administering naloxone at least once. Nearly all reported administrations resulted in survival. After reversal, 73.3% of recipients sought medical care; perceived lack of necessity (70.0%) was the most common reason for declining care. Emergency preparedness (58.9%) was the most common reason for obtaining naloxone. Forgetfulness (27.0%) was the most frequently reported barrier to carrying naloxone. Among organizational representatives, 63.5% reported offering naloxone training, while 28.5% distributed naloxone kits.ConclusionsNaloxone distribution programs may support opioid overdose harm reduction by equipping laypersons to respond to poisoning events. However, barriers remain, particularly related to post-reversal medical care and consistent naloxone carriage.

Patient portals are designed to improve transparency, engagement, and satisfaction with health care. However, disparities in access and encouragement to use portals persist, and their relationship with perceived care quality is not well understood. Authors of this study examined whether being offered access to a patient portal, and being encouraged to use it, were associated with higher perceived quality of care among United States adults. The authors analyzed data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey 7 (HINT 7), a nationally representative cross-section of United States adults aged ≥18 years. Weighted analyses assessed associations between portal access offers, encouragement, and self-rated care quality in the past 12 months, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Among 7,278 respondents (mean [SD] age, 49.0 [18.0] years), 78.6% rated their care as good, very good, or excellent. Overall, 73% had portal access and 69.0% were encouraged to use a portal. The number of respondents offered access to patient portal was significantly lower among older adults ≥75 years (10.6%; χ2 8=108.2, p <0.0001), women (27.9%; χ2 4=31.7, p <0.0001), those with lower income (8.3%; χ2 10=158.0, p <0.0001) or education (13.6%; χ2 6=107.9, p <0.0001), and rural residents (10.0%; χ2 2=12.1, p = 0.0024). In adjusted analyses, being offered portal access was associated with higher odds of rating care as excellent (aOR 2.47, 95% CI 1.21-5.07). Being offered portal access independently was associated with higher perceived care quality. Addressing disparities in portal access; especially among older, lower-income, and rural populations; may improve equity in patient experience.

Background: This article technology deep frying green plantain was evaluated. Objectives: To optimize the process of deep frying in the production of green banana slices and set the association in terms of the quality parameter: texture; from the point of sensory and instrumental view. Methods: Was used as a raw material banana green maturity, variety (Dominico Harton) and a mixture of refined vegetable oils from soybeans and palm olein with antioxidant (TBHQ). For the evaluation of the process we worked with various pressure ranges, driving force (∆T) and time; selecting maximum and minimum for these process variables (10-79kPa) values (13-113°C) and (57-663s) respectively. For the analysis of the response variables (moisture content, fat content and texture “hardness”) officially sanctioned AOAC methods and protocols in the case of the texture were used. Looking for the best frying conditions, an analysis of response surface optimization process was performed. Results: saddle points were obtained on optimization analysis of the three response variables. A higher time of 550s and between 40 and 80°C, and times 200 to 500s and ∆T 80 to 100°C, zones of influence of moisture content with a value of 0.25% occurred. For the fat content was observed that values below about 20°C and 200s of time and pressures greater than 55kPa, begin to generate relatively low values. Regarding the hardness, treatments 7 and 11 were the most accepted sensorially. Conclusions: The moisture content did not depend on the pressure variable in the process, only the driving force and time altered the outcome of this variable. Considering the sensory evaluation, it was concluded that the desired value for the moisture content was 0.25%, to the fat content values were between 31 and 36%, and hardness between 6.4 and 9.2N.

Type of Investigation: Cross-sectional, population-based

IntroductionIn the United States, limited English proficiency (LEP) and provider-patient language discordance are associated with poorer medical outcomes compared with English-proficient, language-concordant patients. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) populations have higher-than-average rates of LEP and may be more vulnerable to adverse outcomes. The authors of this study examined differences in risk factors, medical care, and delivery outcomes between AAPI individuals who gave birth and spoke English at home versus those who spoke an AAPI language at home.MethodsDe-identified birth and death certificate data from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2018, were obtained from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (N = 17,067). Risk factors, medical care, and delivery outcomes were compared between AAPI language speakers and English speakers using likelihood chi-square and Fisher exact tests.ResultsNon-English speakers initiated prenatal care later (p <0.0001) and received less adequate prenatal care (p <0.0001). They also had higher rates of forceps- and vacuum-assisted deliveries (p <0.0001), and third- or fourth-degree perineal lacerations (p <0.0001) compared with English speakers. Neonatal outcomes largely were similar between groups.ConclusionsWithin the AAPI community in Kansas, speakers of AAPI languages experienced poorer maternal delivery outcomes, specifically higher rates of assisted deliveries and severe perineal lacerations, compared with English speakers. These disparities may reflect patient-provider language discordance, which can limit patient autonomy and influence decision-making in urgent or emergent situations, as well as broader structural determinants of health.