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Clinician Perspectives On Fistula Mental Health, Victoria K. Leonard

Doctoral Dissertations

Background – Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged labor that leads to stillbirth and incontinence, spurring social exclusion and isolation. These layers of trauma put women with fistula at great risk for psychological suffering, which has profound negative socioeconomic impacts on them, their families, and communities. This study captured treatment as usual at Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), the country’s largest provider of fistula care.

Method – Improving holistic fistula treatment requires engaging the clinicians who care for women with fistula. This study aimed to investigate the training, beliefs, and treatment approaches of nurses and …

Implementation Of Guidelines For Preprocedural Ultrasound In Neuraxial Placement For Obstetric Patients With Scoliosis, Luther Nyirenda

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Neuraxial anesthesia including epidural, spinal, and combined spinal-epidural, is used with 65% of parturients in the United States for the management of pain and discomfort. Conventional landmark palpation has been the mainstay technique for neuraxial anesthesia, but unfamiliar spinal anatomy can lead to incomplete blockade or an increased incidence of complications. Scoliosis causes lateral curvature and rotation of the spine leading to arthritis and soft tissue changes that can present obscure anatomical landmarks, cause difficulty in needle passage, and result in inadequacy of local anesthetic efficacy. The literature illustrates that preprocedural ultrasound is recommended for needle placement in parturients with …

Non-Alcoholic Pancreatic Lipomatosis Among The Egyptian Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Abdel-Rahman Mahrous, Mohammed Noshy Al-Alfy, Mohammed Abdel-Hassib, Mohammed A. Amin

Al-Azhar International Medical Journal

Background: Obesity has become a serious public health problem globally. Non-alcoholic pancreatic lipomatosis is characterized by pancreatic fat infiltration or pancreatic islet steatosis resulting in abnormal adipokine secretion, insulin resistance, impaired βcell function, and decreased insulin secretion.

Aim: To assess the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty pancreatic disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus among Egyptian patients.

Methods: We enrolled 80 type 2 diabetic patients along with 80 healthy control individuals, all were assessed by abdominal ultrasound and CT scan to determine the degree of pancreatic steatosis based on echogenicity of pancreatic tissue, and four-scale grading system as the visual assessment criteria …

Implementing The Brief Confusion Assessment Method (Bcam) Delirium Screening Tool In An Emergency Department, Carolina Van Dalen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Persons with delirium have an elevated risk of falls. Thus, falls and delirium are inextricably linked. Both should be routinely screened for older adults.

Context: A 40-bed Emergency Department (ED) in the East San Francisco Bay area of Northern California and the first site among all acute care hospitals in the organization to implement the Brief Confusion Assessment Method (bCAM) delirium scoring tool within the Electronic Health Record (EHR).

Interventions: An EHR toolkit for delirium screening using bCAM was developed, tested, and implemented in the ED.

Measures: The outcome measure was the percentage of patients with a reported fall …

Reducing Healthcare-Acquired Pneumonia In A Geriatric Long-Term Care Facility, Jacob R. Magsalin

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Healthcare-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is a nosocomial infection that poses a serious threat in geriatric long-term care facilities due to its high morbidity and mortality.

Context: This evidence-based quality improvement project seeks to reduce the incidence of HAP in a geriatric long-term care facility in the San Francisco Bay Area by utilizing findings

from existing literature.

Interventions: Key interventions include improving and standardizing oral care techniques and promoting education on HAP prevention to allow patients and their families to be more proactive in preventing this complication.

Measures: Outcome measures include HAP diagnosis rates after implementation, any costs saved for the …

Targeting The Glutamine-Arginine-Proline Metabolism Axis In Cancer, Di Wang, Jiang-Jie Duan, Yu-Feng Guo, Jun-Jie Chen, Tian-Qing Chen, Jun Wang, Shi-Cang Yu

Student and Faculty Publications

Metabolic abnormalities are an important feature of tumours. The glutamine-arginine-proline axis is an important node of cancer metabolism and plays a major role in amino acid metabolism. This axis also acts as a scaffold for the synthesis of other nonessential amino acids and essential metabolites. In this paper, we briefly review (1) the glutamine addiction exhibited by tumour cells with accelerated glutamine transport and metabolism; (2) the methods regulating extracellular glutamine entry, intracellular glutamine synthesis and the fate of intracellular glutamine; (3) the glutamine, proline and arginine metabolic pathways and their interaction; and (4) the research progress in tumour therapy …

Patient Experiences: A Qualitative Systematic Review Of Chemotherapy Adherence, Amineh Rashidi, Susma Thapa, Wasana Sandamali Kahawaththa Palliya Guruge, Shubhpreet Kaur

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Adherence to chemotherapy treatment is recognized as a crucial health concern, especially in managing cancer patients. Chemotherapy presents challenges for patients, as it can lead to potential side effects that may adversely affect their mobility and overall function. Patients may sometimes neglect to communicate these side effects to health professionals, which can impact treatment management and leave their unresolved needs unaddressed. However, there is limited understanding of how patients’ experiences contribute to improving adherence to chemotherapy treatment and the provision of appropriate support. Therefore, gaining insights into patients’ experiences is crucial for enhancing the accompaniment and support provided during chemotherapy. …

Glial Progenitor Heterogeneity And Plasticity In The Adult Spinal Cord, Haichao Wei, Jia Qian Wu

Student and Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Joint Association Of Tyg Index And High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein With Cardiovascular Disease: A National Cohort Study, Cancan Cui, Lin Liu, Yitian Qi, Ning Han, Haikun Xu, Zhijia Wang, Xinyun Shang, Tianjiao Han, Yining Zha, Xin Wei, Zhiyuan Wu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Both the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, as a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation are predictors of cardiovascular diseases; however, little is known about the coexposures and relative contributions of TyG index and inflammation to cardiovascular diseases. Using the nationally representative data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we conducted longitudinal analyses to evaluate the joint and mutual associations of the TyG index and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) with cardiovascular events in middle-aged and older Chinese population. Methods: This study comprised 8 658 participants aged at least 45 years from the CHARLS 2011 who are …

Measurement Of Cumulative High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein And Monocyte To High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio In The Risk Prediction Of Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study, Dan Wu, Genyuan Chen, Yulong Lan, Shuohua Chen, Xiong Ding, Chiju Wei, Lois Balmer, Wei Wang, Shouling Wu, Wencan Xu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Converging data have suggested that monocytic inflammation and C-reactive protein (CRP) are biologically intertwined processes and are involved in diabetogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the association between systemic inflammation assessed by joint cumulative high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CumCRP) and monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio (CumMHR) and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) and their predictive value for T2D in a general population. Methods: A total of 40,813 nondiabetic participants from a prospective real-life cohort (Kailuan Study, China) were followed biennially from 2010/2011 until December 31, 2020. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of …

Exploring Treatment Burden In People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Thematic Analysis In China's Primary Care Settings, Kai Lin, Mi Yao, Lesley Andrew, Rouyan Li, Yilin Chen, Jacques Oosthuizen, Moira Sim, Yongsong Chen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Understanding treatment burden is a critical element to the effective management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The current study aims to address the knowledge gap surrounding treatment burden of T2DM from the patient’s perspective in China’s primary care settings. Methods: A narrative review informed the creation of an a priori coding structure to identify aspects of T2DM treatment burden. Focus groups were conducted, employing a maximum variation sampling strategy to select participants from diverse sociodemographic backgrounds across urban, suburban, rural, and remote areas in China. Participants included adults with T2DM care in primary care settings for over a …

Enhancing Circulatory Myokines And Extracellular Vesicle Uptake With Targeted Exercise In Patients With Prostate Cancer (The Myex Trial): A Single-Group Crossover Study, Jin Soo Kim, Dennis R. Taaffe, Daniel A. Galvão, Timothy D. Clay, Andrew D. Redfern, Elin S. Gray, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Physical activity is associated with improved disease progression and cancer-specific survival in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). However, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear, while the relative impact of exercise modes is unknown. This study aims to examine the differential impact of exercise mode on tumour-suppressive skeletal muscle-associated systemic molecules as well as their delivery mechanism. This study will compare the effects of the two main exercise modes, aerobic and resistance, on (1) circulatory myokine levels, (2) skeletal muscle-induced extracellular vesicle abundance and cargo contents, and (3) uptake of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in PCa cells in patients with …

It’S About Time: Mitigating Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairments Through Findings From Computational Models Of The Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, Darren Haywood, Frank D. Baughman, Evan Dauer, Jennifer Haywood, Susan Rossell, Nicolas H. Hart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Many cancer survivors experience cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), often with significant negative consequences across various life domains. Emerging evidence suggests that allowing additional time to process information before acting may be a useful strategy for those with CRCI to mitigate some of its impacts. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST), a measure of general cognition, has shown that for some cancer survivors, longer task completion time facilitates similar task performance outcomes to control populations concerning perseveration errors; a key performance metric of the WCST. However, assessing if this strategy may be useful, as well as determining for whom it …

Physical Exercise-Related Manifestations Of Long Covid: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Chen Zheng, Jun-Jie Chen, Zi-Han Dai, Ke-Wen Wan, Feng-Hua Sun, Jun-Hao Huang, Xiang-Ke Chen

Student and Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to systematically assess physical exercise-related symptoms of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC or long COVID) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors.

METHODS: Eight databases were systematically searched on March 03, 2024. Original studies that compared physical exercise-related parameters measured by exercise testing between COVID-19 survivors who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection over 3 months and non-COVID-19 controls were included. A random-effects model was utilized to determine the mean differences (MDs) or standardized MDs in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 40 studies with 6241 COVID-19 survivors were included. The 6-min walk test, maximal oxygen consumption (VO …

Influenza C Virus In U.S. Children With Acute Respiratory Infection 2016-2019., Bethany K. Sederdahl, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, Angela P. Campbell, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer E. Schuster, Joana Y. Lively, Samantha M. Olson, Julie A. Boom, Pedro A. Piedra, Natasha B. Halasa, Laura Stewart, Peter G. Szilagyi, G K Balasubramani, Theresa Sax, Judith M. Martin, Robert W. Hickey, Marian G. Michaels, John V. Williams, New Vaccine Surveillance Network

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Influenza C virus (ICV) is an orthomyxovirus related to influenza A and B, yet due to few commercial assays, epidemiologic studies may underestimate incidence of ICV infection and disease. We describe the epidemiology and characteristics of ICV within the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led network that conducts population-based surveillance for pediatric acute respiratory illness (ARI). Nasal or/combined throat swabs were collected from emergency department (ED) or inpatient ARI cases, or healthy controls, between 12/05/2016-10/31/2019 and tested by molecular assays for ICV and other respiratory viruses. Parent surveys and chart review were used …

An Unusual Presentation Of Erythrodermic Psoriasis, Eden L. Parks, Kojo-Frimpong B. Awuah Md, Caitlin D. Couper Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction

Erythrodermic psoriasis is a rare form of psoriasis, occurring in less than 3% of patients with psoriasis. Limited information is known regarding diagnosis and treatment for this form of psoriasis, with most studies involving small groups or single patients. This unusual case of erythrodermic psoriasis outlines the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment that occurred in a 53-year-old patient who initially presented with dyspnea and a fever.

Case Presentation

The 53-year-old patient was originally admitted for dyspnea and a fever. A maculopapular rash developed diffusely on the upper extremities, lower extremities, trunk, and face. The rash then desquamated over several days, …

Management Strategies Of Cesarean Section Ectopic Pregnancy: A Case Report, Hannah E. Daley, Ava R. Hansen, Priyanka Raju Md, Jonathan Buerger Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction:

Cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy is a rare form of pregnancy with potential life-threatening complications such as severe hemorrhage, uterine rupture, and emergency hysterectomy Currently, there is no consensus regarding a standardized treatment algorithm for this specific variant of ectopic pregnancies.

Case Description:

This case describes a 28-year-old female with history of two prior cesarean sections who was diagnosed with cesarean section scar ectopic pregnancy. Initial management with intramuscular methotrexate was unsuccessful in the setting of inadequate decrease in β-hCG level. The patient ultimately underwent surgical management with dilation and suction evacuation under ultrasound guidance for removal of the ectopic …

Catastrophic Spontaneous Uterine And Bladder Rupture In An Unscarred Uterus, Nathanael N. Hoskins Do, Kathryn Brandt Do, Tory Peterson Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction:

Uterine rupture during pregnancy is a rare event which can be life-threatening for both the patient and the fetus. This case report describes a rare complication of uterine rupture which ultimately required a hysterectomy and extensive urologic reconstruction.

Case Description:

A 36-year-old patient presented to the hospital after term pre-labor rupture of membranes. The patient underwent induction of labor which ultimately resulted in a uterine rupture in an unscarred uterus. The rupture extended into the posterior bladder wall, right ureter, urethra, and anterior vaginal wall, resulting in a vesicovaginal fistula. The patient required a cesarean hysterectomy due to the …

Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma Presenting As A Stroke Alert: A Case Report, Christian Flores Do, Monisha Bindra Md, Mph, Adam Sigal Md, Michael Romeo Do

Transformative Medicine

Introduction

Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a rare pathologic entity that accounts for less than 1% of all space-occupying spinal canal lesions [2,8]. Even more rare are spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas (SSEH), defined as a SEH without a known traumatic or inciting cause, with a reported incidence of 0.1 cases per 100,000 annually [1,2]. Currently, there is a paucity of literature regarding this topic [2,3]. SSEH can easily be missed or misdiagnosed if clinicians do not hold a high level of clinical suspicion.

Case Description

A 69-year-old female with no history of anticoagulation use or preceding trauma presented to the …

Same Or Different? Resolution Of Diagnostic Difficulty Of Two Mixed Cell-Type Tumors In Ovarian Pathology., Sarah Ingram, Priyanka Raju Md, Wei Shaw Do, Steve Sowers Pa, Kelly Brenan-Rothschild Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction: When confronted by two disease processes, physicians in all disciplines are faced with the question: Are they manifestations of a common etiology, or distinct entities co-occurring? Inherent in this dilemma is whether an aberration from normal is even a disease process at all. Tissue pathology plays a key role in resolving this conundrum. Although diagnoses can be challenging, there are various methodologies used in the field of pathology to ascertain whether two tumors are of the same or different origins.

Case Description: This case report reviews two patients with large ovarian neoplasms and surgical pathology revealing histopathological features of …

Guardians Of The Genitals: The Dermatogynecologic Duo, Alexis Arza, Erin Stitzlein

Transformative Medicine

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Haptic System For Robot-Assisted Femur Fracture Surgery, Fayez H. Alruwaili

Theses and Dissertations

Robot-assisted surgery has emerged within the field of surgical technology, driven by the need for greater accuracy and speed in the ongoing evolution of healthcare. This advancement has influenced numerous areas requiring enhancements to achieve optimal surgical results. However, surgical robotics tends to lack the surgeon’s connection to the operation, creating a gap in the intuitive skill set required for successful operations. The gap is seen through the lack of sense of touch, which may result in tissue damage and additional injury when the robot interacts with the patient. Furthermore, challenges faced during femur fracture surgery have positioned robot-assisted surgery …

Advances In Hodgkin Lymphoma: Diagnosis Characteristics And Molecular Approaches, Xiaomin Peng, Ms

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is a B-cell lymphoma with two distinct entities: classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) and Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma (NLPHL). Based on different tumor microenvironments, cHL is divided into four subtypes: Nodular Sclerosis CHL (NSCHL), Mixed Cellularity CHL (MCCHL), Lymphocyte-Depleted CHL (LDCHL), and Lymphocyte-Rich CHL (LRCHL). cHL and NLPHL have similar histology features, low concentration of malignant cells within abundant inflammation, the most significant difference is the molecular profiles of Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells and Lymphocyte Predominant (LP) cells. HL has a high cure rate with frontline treatment, but a small percentage of patients do not achieve treatment success, …

Nmosd Mitochondrial Fluorescence Correlates With Ganglion Cell Layer Loss Consistent With Retinal Vasculitis, Francesco Cappellani, Md, Daniel M. Markowitz, Bs, Elizabeth Affel, Ms, Jose S. Pulido, Md, Brian Fernandez, Md, Robert C. Sergott, Md

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Staff Papers and Presentations

Introduction

• Fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO, Heidelberg Engineering, Figures 1 and 2), a novel in vivo retinal imaging biomarker, generates fluorescence decay lifetimes in 2 spectral channels corresponding to mitochondrial metabolic processes
• Short Spectral Channel (SSC): 498 – 560 nm Ø Corresponds to flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and oxidative phosphorylation.
• Long Spectral Channel (LSC): 560 – 720nm Ø Corresponds to predominantly lipofuscin and lysosomal function
• Based upon animal experimental models and clinical data, mitochondrial dysfunction has a role in the pathophysiology of NMOSD

Providing End-Of-Life Counseling: A Narrative Inquiry, Carol Hecht, Sibyl West

Adultspan Journal

This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in the research related to end-of-life counseling by exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients at end of life. While counseling literature and education are lacking regarding end of life, many counselors will work alongside clients approaching death. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to better understand the nuanced experiences of counselors providing end-of-life counseling and (b) to explore the supports and preparations helpful for counselors to provide end-of-life counseling. A narrative approach, using the Listening Guide (Gilligan, 2015), was employed to analyze and present the stories of three …

Considerations Of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults, Sonah Kho, Amanda Dediego

Adultspan Journal

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and …

A Holistic Approach To Music For Stress Management During Pregnancy, Danielle Emily Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pregnancy is a transformative journey for women, but amidst the excitement and anticipation that most women experience, pregnancy often raises stress levels to profound heights for various reasons, which may include hormonal fluctuations, physical discomforts, concerns about the baby’s health, financial pressures, relationship changes, fear of labor and birth, life adjustments, and societal expectations. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine how music interventions impacted stress levels during pregnancy. This two-week study employed an in-person group experiment involving pregnant women. The study sample was selected via voluntary response sampling, where pregnant women volunteered to participate in …

Removal Of Common Antimicrobial Agents By Sustained Low- Efficiency Dialysis, Joanna Q. Hudson Pharmd, Bcps, Fasn, Fccp, Madelyn N. Hilgers Bs, Pharmd Candidate, Elvira O. Gosmanova Md

Faculty Publications

Adequate dosing of antimicrobials is paramount for treating infections in critically ill patients undergoing kidney replacement therapy; however, little is known about antimicrobial removal by sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED). The objective was to quantify the removal of cefepime, daptomycin, meropenem, piperacillin–tazobactam, and vancomycin in patients undergoing SLED. Adult patients ≥18 years with acute kidney injury (AKI) or end-stage kidney disease receiving one of the select antimicrobials and requiring SLED were included. Blood and dialysate flow rates were maintained at 250 and 100 mL/min, respectively. Simultaneous arterial and venous blood samples for the analysis of antibiotic concentrations were collected hourly for …

14-Month-Old Female With Anti-Mda5 Juvenile Dermatomyositis Complicated By Liver Disease: A Case Report., Mitch Kinkor, Sameena Hameed, Alexander Kats, Voytek Slowik, Emily Fox, Maria Ibarra

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare disorder with subtypes associated with different myositis-specific antibodies (MSAs) including anti-MDA5. Hepatic involvement in JDM is rare and has not previously been documented in anti-MDA5 JDM. There is a lack of formal research on treatment protocols for anti-MDA5 JDM, though tofacitinib is a highly regarded emerging therapy.

CASE PRESENTATION: A previously healthy 14-month-old Hispanic female presented to a pediatric rheumatology clinic with eight months of worsening rash, weakness, periorbital edema, intermittent fevers, and weight loss. Her physical exam was notable for fever, thinning of hair, heliotrope rash, periorbital edema, violaceous macules on her …

Heat-Related Emergencies In The Older Adult, Michelle I. Suh

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

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