DR. JORGE MIGUEL OLIVER, M.D.

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This study tested whether drenching and injecting root balls of large field-grown nursery plants with bifenthrin or lambda-cyhalothrin could meet the strict requirements of the U.S. imported fire ant quarantine. Bifenthrin eliminated all fire ant colonies within two weeks and killed virtually all surrogate queen ants in soil samples, outperforming the current chlorpyrifos standard. The results identify bifenthrin drench-and-inject as a promising new quarantine treatment for large nursery plants.

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Researchers tested whether non-repellent insecticides — which ants contact without avoiding — could disinfest red imported fire ants from the root balls of large field-grown nursery plants subject to federal quarantine restrictions. Spray applications of dinotefuran or indoxacarb eliminated fire ant infestations from 75% of root balls, with dinotefuran residues preventing new infestations for six months. These results support further development of non-repellent insecticides as quarantine treatments for large nursery plants that are difficult to treat with conventional methods.

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This study analyzed 15 years of VA urology case data to determine whether resident operative autonomy has declined in urologic surgery as it has in other specialties. The proportion of cases performed primarily by residents dropped from 44% in 2004 to 25% in 2019, a consistent decline across all five major urologic procedure types studied. Operative times and postoperative complications were not significantly different based on resident involvement, suggesting the decline in autonomy is not justified by patient safety data.

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This geographically comprehensive survey mapped the distribution and seasonal prevalence of fire ant pathogens — including three viruses and a fungal parasite — across 62 counties in Tennessee, where ant populations are predominantly hybrid between red and black fire ant species. Pathogen prevalence was low overall (under 10%), hybrid colonies had higher infection rates than pure-species colonies, and the most widespread pathogen was Solenopsis invicta virus 1. The findings suggest these natural pathogens currently have limited impact on Tennessee fire ant populations but provide baseline data for evaluating augmentative biocontrol.

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Multiple formulations of semiochemical repellents — chemical signals that deter insects — were tested across field and semi-field trials to determine their effectiveness against ambrosia beetles, a destructive nursery pest. A formulation called Beetle Guard #3 (combining verbenone and methyl salicylate) consistently and significantly reduced beetle captures and attacks across different ethanol emission levels in trees. Beetle Guard #3 shows strong promise as an alternative or complement to insecticide-based management, though optimal application rates and spacing still need to be established.

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This study tested whether low-cost ethanol detectors — the same strips and meters used to detect alcohol on breath — could identify flood-stressed nursery trees at high risk of ambrosia beetle attack before visible damage occurs. Both the alcohol test strips and Dräger gas detectors correlated well with laboratory gas chromatography measurements of tree ethanol, confirming that simple, inexpensive tools can detect at-risk trees. However, false positives from plant aromatic compounds remain a challenge that must be resolved before these tools can be reliably deployed by growers.

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A three-year statewide survey of bumble bees in Rhode Island found that five historically documented species could no longer be detected, while Bombus impatiens dominated current populations and a new species, Bombus auricomus, was recorded for the first time in the state. The survey also found that blue vane traps from different production years caught significantly different numbers of bees despite being seemingly identical, introducing a methodological caution for population monitoring studies. The results provide a needed baseline for conservation planning for declining bumble bee species in the region.

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Fourteen trials across five southeastern states evaluated 24 insecticides against ambrosia beetles in tree fruits, pecans, and ornamental nurseries. Only five pyrethroid insecticides — permethrin, bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, and cypermethrin — reduced beetle attacks, while all biological and non-pyrethroid products failed to provide control. Pyrethroids remain the only reliably effective insecticide class against ambrosia beetles across production systems, reinforcing their central role in integrated pest management.

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A trauma center tracked every patient seen by its emergency general surgery service over a year and found that 60% never had an operation — a group almost entirely absent from existing research and databases. Insurance status and race differed between the surgical and non-surgical groups, pointing to potential inequities. The findings show that registries must capture non-operative patients to accurately measure the true workload and needs of emergency surgery services.

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Using 15 years of VA surgical data, this study characterized which patients and cases are associated with residents being allowed to operate independently versus with an attending scrubbed. Resident-primary cases were concentrated in core general surgery procedures (hernias, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, amputations) on younger, healthier patients, while the cases residents performed with an attending were significantly more complex and involved sicker patients. The patterns suggest attendings are making appropriate judgments about when to grant autonomy, but the selection toward lower-acuity patients limits residents' exposure to complex operative scenarios.

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This study used VA surgical quality data from before and during peak COVID-19 (2019-2021) to examine whether the pandemic changed resident operative autonomy at teaching hospitals. Total case volume dropped by half during peak COVID, but the rate of resident-primary cases actually increased slightly during that period before trending back down, likely because urgent cases — where residents typically get more autonomy — made up a larger fraction of the reduced volume. The pandemic-era uptick in resident autonomy was temporary and has since regressed toward pre-pandemic trends.

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This cost-effectiveness analysis compared upfront surgery versus perioperative chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer using a decision tree model based on Medicare reimbursement rates. Perioperative chemotherapy was the dominant strategy at $40,792 for 3.11 quality-adjusted life years, while upfront surgery cost nearly $15,000 more while yielding only a marginal gain in quality-adjusted life years — far exceeding standard cost-effectiveness thresholds. Perioperative chemotherapy is the more cost-effective choice for locally advanced gastric cancer in the U.S. healthcare context.

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This optics study tested whether multilayer coatings made from alternating nanometer-scale striations of silica and hafnia could improve laser damage resistance while maintaining high refractive index properties needed for short-pulse laser applications. Hafnia/silica composite layers achieved laser-induced damage thresholds similar to pure silica when their refractive index was kept at or below 1.65. These composite layers could be used in the most damage-vulnerable zones of high-power laser optics to improve component lifetime.

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Researchers stressed red maple trees three different ways — herbicide application, leaf removal, or bark removal — and measured which stress most attracted flatheaded borer beetles. Herbicide-stressed trees received significantly more beetle eggs and larvae, and had elevated nitrogen and polyphenol levels and increased emissions of specific volatile compounds compared to the other stress treatments. The results suggest that herbicide-induced changes in tree chemistry and volatile emissions guide female beetles toward suitable egg-laying sites.

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This study compared a Freeman maple hybrid ('Autumn Blaze') to three susceptible red maple cultivars to identify traits associated with resistance to flatheaded borer beetles, both under normal conditions and after herbicide stress. The hybrid grew faster, had higher sulfur content, and had lower zinc and flavonoid levels in leaves compared to red maples, and field trials confirmed beetles strongly preferred red maples. These baseline differences provide starting points for understanding the biological basis of borer resistance in hybrid maples.

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This study found that while laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair nearly tripled its share of hernia cases at VA hospitals over 15 years (from 9% to 28% of all inguinal hernia repairs), resident operative autonomy for laparoscopic repairs collapsed — dropping from 9% to just 1% resident-primary. In contrast, open repair autonomy, while also declining, fell less dramatically. The inverse relationship between technique adoption and resident training exposure highlights an urgent need to build minimally invasive surgery training more formally into residency curricula.

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This analysis of VA surgical data from 2004-2019 examined whether female patients were less likely to have surgery performed by residents operating independently. Female patients had a lower rate of resident-primary operations than males (5.3% vs 6.3%), extending a known pattern of differential autonomy by race to sex. The reasons require further investigation, but the finding raises questions about implicit bias or case-mix factors that result in female veterans receiving different levels of trainee involvement in their care.

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This study compared resident operative autonomy and patient outcomes specifically in emergency acute care surgery versus elective cases at VA hospitals from 2004-2019. Residents performed more acute care surgery independently than elective cases (7.2% vs 5.7% resident-primary), yet both categories saw steep declines over time. Critically, resident-primary cases had no worse mortality than attending-primary or resident-with-attending cases, even in emergencies, undermining patient safety as a justification for restricting emergency surgery autonomy.

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Using 15 years of VA surgical data across three successive five-year eras, this study confirmed that resident operative autonomy declined steadily while surgical outcomes simultaneously improved — but showed these trends were running in parallel rather than being causally linked. Resident-primary cases were performed on progressively older and sicker patients over time, yet mortality and morbidity still fell in each era. The improving outcomes despite declining autonomy reflect broader improvements in surgical care, not a benefit of restricting resident independence.

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This study demonstrated that standard etching processes used during the manufacturing of multilayer dielectric pulse compression gratings introduce a layer of carbon contamination 50-80 nanometers deep beneath the grating surface, consistent across both laboratory and commercial production. This contamination directly degrades the laser damage threshold of the gratings. Addressing the etching-induced contamination is a necessary step to improve the reliability and performance of these optical components used in high-power laser systems.

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This case report describes a 70-year-old man who developed extensive abdominal varicose veins stemming from an iliac vein injury he sustained in a mortar explosion in 1974, with the varicosities appearing decades later as collateral vessels compensated for chronic vein occlusion. The case represents the first reported instance of traumatic venous injury evolving into abdominopelvic varicosities over a lifetime. The report discusses the diagnostic approach and management principles for this unusual chronic presentation.

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Analyzing 15 years of VA surgical training data by postgraduate year level, this study found that resident-primary case rates declined at every training level between 2014 and 2018, with the steepest decline at the PGY-3 level (75% relative decrease). Case complexity appropriately increased with training year, and declining autonomy rates were not tied to changes in complexity over time. The disproportionate loss of autonomy at the mid-level training stage, when independent decision-making skills should be consolidating, represents a significant educational gap.

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This long-term study evaluated whether growing winter cover crops at the base of red maple trees could protect them from flatheaded borer damage without sacrificing tree growth, and tested a strategy of killing the cover crop early to reduce competition. Cover crops grown for two years provided borer protection but left trees one year behind in growth at the four-year mark, and early killing of the cover crop actually increased borer attacks while not improving growth. More research is needed to balance the borer-suppression benefits of cover crops against the growth trade-offs they impose.

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This study tested whether acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a compound that activates plant defense pathways, could protect flood-stressed flowering dogwood trees against ambrosia beetle attack. Both drench and foliar ASM applications significantly reduced beetle tunneling, gallery formation, and reproduction compared to flooded untreated controls, with drench applications outperforming foliar sprays. ASM offers a promising plant-based defense strategy against ambrosia beetles, providing an option beyond conventional insecticides for nursery growers managing flood-stressed trees.

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An analysis of over 666,000 surgeries at Veterans Affairs teaching hospitals found that surgical residents actually perform more cases independently during off-hours, but the pattern differs by case type — emergency surgery cases give residents more independence on weekdays, while elective cases give more independence on nights. The findings challenge assumptions about off-hours training and have implications for how acute care surgery rotations and night float systems should be structured.

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Using national inpatient data, this study compared outcomes for patients with chronic opioid use undergoing emergency appendectomy or cholecystectomy against those without opioid use. Chronic opioid users had hospital stays roughly 14-24% longer and hospital charges about $5,300-5,500 higher, but mortality was not significantly different for either procedure. Chronic opioid use is a driver of increased resource utilization in emergency surgery without increasing death rates, with implications for hospital cost planning and perioperative care protocols.

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This cross-sectional study used VA Surgical Quality Improvement data to analyze how resident operative autonomy changed across all surgical specialties over 15 years, finding a consistent and significant decline throughout the period studied. The brief abstract summarizes the overarching finding without providing specific numbers by specialty. The study contributes to a large body of work documenting the systematic erosion of resident training opportunities in surgery over the past decade and a half.

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This cost-effectiveness analysis compared three management strategies for infected necrotizing pancreatitis — open surgery, endoscopic step-up, and minimally invasive surgical step-up — using a decision tree model with Medicare costs. Endoscopic step-up was the dominant strategy, delivering the most quality-adjusted life years at the lowest cost, with 65.5% of simulations favoring it. The analysis supports endoscopic step-up as the standard approach for infected necrotizing pancreatitis at centers with the necessary expertise.

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This large propensity-matched cohort study used 15 years of VA surgical data — over 1.3 million operations — to directly compare patient outcomes when surgery was performed by residents alone versus by attendings alone or residents with attendings. Mortality and morbidity were statistically identical across all three groups after matching on patient characteristics and procedure type, though resident-primary cases took slightly longer. These data from the largest study of its kind establish that allowing residents to operate independently is safe, providing an evidence base for programs to restore eroding autonomy.

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This field trial was the first to test Solenopsis invicta virus 3 (SINV-3) as a biocontrol agent against red imported fire ants under real-world outdoor conditions, releasing the virus into 12 fire ant nests in Florida. SINV-3 successfully established in treated colonies and spread to untreated ones nearby, reducing nest numbers seven-fold and decreasing nest sizes by 57% over 77 days. The virus persisted in the environment for nearly two years and remained host-specific, supporting its potential as an environmentally safe, self-spreading biocontrol tool against this invasive pest.

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This case series describes a minimally invasive surgical technique for sigmoid volvulus — a life-threatening bowel twist predominantly affecting elderly or institutionalized patients — using a single small transverse incision instead of a full laparotomy or laparoscopy. All patients tolerated the procedure well and returned quickly to their baseline function. This approach exploits the characteristic redundancy of the sigmoid colon in volvulus to enable complete resection through a port-sized incision, potentially reducing the physiologic stress on frail patients.

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This study determined which visual properties of sticky traps attract Chrysobothris flatheaded borer beetles, testing multiple colors and then narrowing in on red-range colors specifically. Beetles were most attracted to violet-to-red wavelengths, with hue and blue-to-yellow color axis correlating with trap captures, though males and females of some species responded differently. These findings enable development of optimized monitoring traps for Chrysobothris, a group of beetles that currently lacks reliable population assessment tools.

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This study combined a fungicide (mefenoxam), an insecticide (permethrin), and a physical barrier (charcoal and kaolin clay) in different combinations to protect flood-stressed flowering dogwood trees against both ambrosia beetles and Phytophthora root rot simultaneously. The combination of mefenoxam and permethrin most consistently reduced both disease severity and beetle attacks across two trials. Integrated management strategies targeting both the fungal and insect pests of flood-stressed nursery trees outperform single-product approaches.

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This study characterized Solenopsis invicta virus 4 (SINV-4), a newly discovered virus infecting red imported fire ants, examining its host range, tissue distribution, prevalence, and effects on colony growth. SINV-4 was detected in workers and larvae but not queens, was transmissible through feeding, and was found in multiple ant species though it only actively replicated in fire ants. Despite relatively high infection rates in some colonies (up to 46%), the virus did not significantly affect brood production or queen egg-laying, limiting its near-term biocontrol potential.

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This study tested whether the number of surgical residents at a VA hospital is associated with how often individual residents get to operate independently. Hospitals with larger resident programs had significantly higher rates of resident-primary cases (9.9% at large programs vs 2.1% at small ones), and the decline in autonomy over 15 years was less steep at larger programs. Increasing the resident complement at training sites may be one structural lever to improve operative autonomy and better prepare residents for independent practice.

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This study measured the color of imported fire ant body surfaces by spectrophotometry and correlated those measurements with the chemical profiles used to distinguish red, black, and hybrid fire ant species. Red and black fire ants differed significantly in most color attributes, and plotting two color-space axes could distinguish hybrid fire ants from both parent species. While color could theoretically enable rapid, low-cost species identification, hybrid classification remained complex due to variability across hybrid phenotypes.

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This study analyzed the venom protein gene Solenopsis venom protein 2 in fire ant hybrid colonies across Tennessee and identified three unique protein sequences not found in either pure red or pure black fire ant parent species. These hybrid-specific proteins suggest the two species' venom genes are not simply blending — they are producing novel variants through introgression. The lateral flow immunoassay tests used for fire ant species identification partially agreed with chemical taxonomy, with the most complex hybrid categories producing the most ambiguous results.

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This study evaluated whether incorporating DEA waiver training — allowing physicians to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder — into a fourth-year medical student curriculum was feasible and effective. All 120 graduating students completed the training, knowledge improved significantly, 90% recommended the program, and 60% had already used the training during their first three months as interns. The curriculum successfully produced waiver-certified graduates who felt more prepared than peers to manage opioid use disorder.

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This 15-year analysis of VA surgical data found that resident-primary case rates in general and vascular surgery fell by two-thirds — from 15% to 5% — without any corresponding improvement in outcomes when residents operated independently. Resident-primary cases were actually faster on average than resident-plus-attending cases, and morbidity and mortality were no different or slightly better with resident independence. The erosion of autonomy cannot be justified on patient safety or efficiency grounds, and interventions to reverse it are needed.

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This optics study addressed the problem of surface deformation caused by internal stresses in multilayer optical coatings by pre-shaping the substrate with a precisely calculated non-uniform silica layer before applying the main reflective coating. The compensation layer reduced surface deformation by 90% and was designed to be applied in the same vacuum cycle as the main coating. This co-deposition approach enables large, high-performance optical components to maintain the flat surface shape required for accurate beam focusing in high-power lasers.

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This optics study fabricated birefringent silica films using glancing-angle deposition — depositing material at a steep angle to create a porous, anisotropic structure — to make optical wave plates that work at 351 nm ultraviolet wavelength. The multilayer design achieved low optical losses combined with a high laser-induced damage threshold. These components could enable polarization control in ultraviolet laser systems without the damage limitations of conventional crystalline wave plates.

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This study measured how long permethrin applied to tree bark retains its effectiveness against ambrosia beetle attacks under outdoor aging conditions and simulated rain weathering. Permethrin residues up to 17 days old effectively prevented beetle attacks, while 24-day-old residues provided no better protection than untreated controls, and simulated rainfall did not significantly degrade residual activity. A reapplication interval of 17 days or less is recommended to maintain protection during peak ambrosia beetle flight periods.

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This optics study investigated the mechanisms by which picosecond laser pulses at 0.6 and 10 ps damage multilayer dielectric diffraction gratings by creating large-area macroscopic grating analogs that preserved damage morphology for examination. Different damage signatures were identified for the two pulse durations, with the grating pillar sidewalls, tops, and bases each showing distinct damage patterns. Understanding the specific damage initiation sites and mechanisms is essential for designing more damage-resistant grating architectures for high-power laser systems.

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This nursery field study evaluated systemic imidacloprid plus the herbicide cyfluthrin at multiple dose rates for protecting field-grown red maples from flatheaded borer attacks, and separately tested whether weed control affected insecticide effectiveness. Higher insecticide rates were more protective, with rates above 3.94 ml/cm trunk diameter performing equivalently. Surprisingly, trees with weeds at their base had significantly fewer borer attacks than weed-free trees despite lower insecticide concentrations in weedy plots, pointing to a possible indirect protective effect of ground cover on beetle oviposition.

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This single-institution retrospective study examined whether insurance status affected survival after cytoreductive surgery plus heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) for peritoneal cancers in a safety-net hospital context. In 31 patients, statistical analysis found no significant survival difference between insured and underinsured patients, but all six long-term survivors were in the insured group while none were in the underinsured group. The small sample limits conclusions, but the trend suggests insurance disparities may affect long-term outcomes after this aggressive cancer treatment.