Digital Commons Network^™

Utilizing The 4ms Framework To Create A Structure And Process To Support Voluntary Health Assessments In Affordable Housing, Elyse Perweiler, Jennifer Degennaro, Sherry Pomerantz, Marilyn Mock, Margaret Avallone, Aaron Truchil, Stephen Singer

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: A growing number of older adults live in senior affordable housing, many with limited support systems and representing underserved or disadvantaged populations. Staff in these buildings are in a unique position to identify and address the healthcare and biopsychosocial needs of their residents and link them to services and supports.

METHODS: Staff in four affordable housing sites received training on the 4Ms approach to caring for older adults and conducting resident health assessments. They learned to collect comprehensive health information using a 4Ms Resident Health Risk Assessment (4Ms-RHRA) and results are entered into a customized electronic database. Embedded flags …

Renal Mass Imaging Modalities: Does Body Mass Index (Bmi) Matter?, Young Son, Mark E Quiring, Raeann M Dalton, Brian Thomas, Noah Davidson, Dayna Devincentz, Collin Payne, Sahil H Parikh, Benjamin A Fink, Thomas Mueller, Gordon Brown

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

PURPOSE: Accurate measurement of renal mass size is crucial in the management of renal cancer. With the burdensome cost of imaging yet its need for management, a better understanding of the variability among patients when determining mass size remains of urgent importance. Current guidelines on optimal imaging are limited, especially with respect to body mass index (BMI). The aim of this study is to discern which modalities accurately measure renal mass size and whether BMI influences such accuracy.

METHODS: A multi-institutional chart review was performed for adult patients undergoing partial or radical nephrectomy between 2018 and 2021, with 236 patients …

Developing A Fair And Interpretable Representation Of The Clock Drawing Test For Mitigating Low Education And Racial Bias., Jiaqing Zhang, Sabyasachi Bandyopadhyay, Faith Kimmet, Jack Wittmayer, Kia Khezeli, David J. Libon, Catherine C Price, Parisa Rashidi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

The clock drawing test (CDT) is a neuropsychological assessment tool to screen an individual's cognitive ability. In this study, we developed a Fair and Interpretable Representation of Clock drawing test (FaIRClocks) to evaluate and mitigate classification bias against people with less than 8 years of education, while screening their cognitive function using an array of neuropsychological measures. In this study, we represented clock drawings by a priorly published 10-dimensional deep learning feature set trained on publicly available data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). These embeddings were further fine-tuned with clocks from a preoperative cognitive screening program …

Perturbations In Risk/Reward Decision Making And Frontal Cortical Catecholamine Regulation Induced By Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Christopher P Knapp, Eleni Papadopoulos, Jessica A Loweth, Ramesh Raghupathi, Stan B Floresco, Barry D Waterhouse, Rachel L Navarra

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) disrupts cognitive processes that influence risk taking behavior. Little is known regarding the effects of repetitive mild injury (rmTBI) or whether these outcomes are sex specific. Risk/reward decision making is mediated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is densely innervated by catecholaminergic fibers. Aberrant PFC catecholamine activity has been documented following TBI and may underlie TBI-induced risky behavior. The present study characterized the effects of rmTBI on risk/reward decision making behavior and catecholamine transmitter regulatory proteins within the PFC. Rats were exposed to sham, single (smTBI), or three closed-head controlled cortical impact (CH-CCI) injuries and …

Rewiring The Sex-Determination Pathway During The Evolution Of Self-Fertility., Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Jonathan Harbin, Richa Amin, Allison Vassalotti, Joseph Romanowski, Emily Schmidt, Alexis Tierney, Ronald E Ellis

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Although evolution is driven by changes in how regulatory pathways control development, we know little about the molecular details underlying these transitions. The TRA-2 domain that mediates contact with TRA-1 is conserved in Caenorhabditis. By comparing the interaction of these proteins in two species, we identified a striking change in how sexual development is controlled. Identical mutations in this domain promote oogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans but promote spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis briggsae. Furthermore, the effects of these mutations involve the male-promoting gene fem-3 in C. elegans but are independent of fem-3 in C. briggsae. Finally, reciprocal mutations in these genes show …

Interactions Between Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury And Methylphenidate Administration On Catecholamine Transporter Protein Levels Within The Rodent Prefrontal Cortex, Anna Abrimian, Eleni Papadopoulos, Christopher P. Knapp, J. Loweth, Barry Waterhouse, Rachel Navarra

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

It is theorized that low concentrations of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) within in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to increased risky behavior. Our lab has shown that repeated mild TBI (rmTBI) sex-differentially increases risky behavior in a rodent model. Methylphenidate (MPH) is a psychostimulant drug used to treat symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), also driven by a hypo-catecholaminergic PFC. MPH elevates catecholamine levels by blocking DA and NE transporters, DAT and NET. While the potential of psychostimulants to treat post-TBI symptoms have been explored, the effects of sub-chronic MPH on transporter levels following …

A Stroke Or Not A Stroke? A Case Of Chronic Hemiplegic Migraines, Bum J. Kim, Matthew Orap, Bret Farrow-Cypel, Naseer Ahmed

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Hemiplegic migraine (HM) is a rare subtype of migraine with both familial and sporadic patterns. These migraines present episodically with reversible attacks of unilateral motor weakness. Patients may experience visual changes, sensory loss, impaired level of consciousness, ataxia, and speech changes. Symptoms can last from hours to days and can mimic acute stroke.

The patient is a 45-year-old male with a past medical history of hypertension and possible cerebral vascular accident use who presents to the emergency department complaining of left extremity numbness and weakness. Neuroimaging showed no acute findings and CT angiogram showed no large vessel occlusion. Tenecteplase was …

Cut The Pressure: Blood Pressure Screening In A Community Based Setting, Harold Kareem Knight Jr., Katharine Milani

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study addresses the pressing issue of cardiovascular health disparities in African American males through community-based interventions, specifically blood pressure screenings and surveys conducted in a local barbershop setting. Despite a preference among participants for clinical settings, an overwhelming 97.7% expressed high comfort levels in the community-based environment, highlighting the importance of culturally sensitive approaches in healthcare delivery. With 92.5% indicating willingness to return for future screenings, the study underscores the efficacy of non-traditional settings in fostering healthcare engagement. Findings suggest the potential for broader impact through scalable, community-centric initiatives, offering promising avenues for improving health outcomes in underserved populations.

A Survey Of Barriers And Facilitators To The Adoption Of Buprenorphine Prescribing After Implementation Of A New Jersey-Wide Incentivized Data-2000 Waiver Training Program., Amesika N Nyaku, Erin A Zerbo, Clement Chen, Nicole Milano, Barbara Johnston, Randall Chadwick, Stephanie Marcello, Kaitlan Baston, Rachel Haroz, Stephen Crystal

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Opioid-involved overdose deaths continue to rise in the US, despite availability of highly effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD), in part due to the insufficient number of treatment providers. Barriers include the need for providers to gain expertise and confidence in providing MOUD to their patients who need these treatments. To mitigate this barrier, New Jersey sponsored a buprenorphine training program with financial incentives for participation, which met the then existing requirement for the DATA-2000 waiver. In a 2019 follow-up survey, participants reported on barriers and facilitators to subsequent buprenorphine prescribing.

METHODS: Participants in the training program completed …

Comparing Cognitive Tests And Smartphone-Based Assessment In 2 Us Community-Based Cohorts., Ileana De Anda-Duran, Preeti Sunderaraman, Edward Searls, Shirine Moukaled, Xuanyi Jin, Zachary Popp, Cody Karjadi, Phillip H Hwang, Huitong Ding, Sherral Devine, Ludy C Shih, Spencer Low, Honghuang Lin, Vijaya B Kolachalama, Lydia Bazzano, David J Libon, Rhoda Au

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Smartphone-based cognitive assessments have emerged as promising tools, bridging gaps in accessibility and reducing bias in Alzheimer disease and related dementia research. However, their congruence with traditional neuropsychological tests and usefulness in diverse cohorts remain underexplored.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 406 FHS (Framingham Heart Study) and 59 BHS (Bogalusa Heart Study) participants with traditional neuropsychological tests and digital assessments using the Defense Automated Neurocognitive Assessment (DANA) smartphone protocol were included. Regression models investigated associations between DANA task digital measures and a neuropsychological global cognitive

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that smartphone-based cognitive assessments exhibit concurrent validity with a …

Digital Clock Drawing As An Alzheimer's Disease Susceptibility Biomarker: Associations With Genetic Risk Score And Apoe In Older Adults, L I Thompson, M Cummings, S Emrani, David J. Libon, A Ang, C Karjadi, R Au, C Liu

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in older adults, but most people are not diagnosed until significant neuronal loss has likely occurred along with a decline in cognition. Non-invasive and cost-effective digital biomarkers for AD have the potential to improve early detection.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the validity of DCTclockTM (a digitized clock drawing task) as an AD susceptibility biomarker.

DESIGN: We used two primary independent variables, Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele carrier status and polygenic risk score (PRS). We examined APOE and PRS associations with DCTclockTM composite scores as dependent measures.

SETTING: We used existing data …

Mental Health Differences In Medical Students Based On Curriculum And Gender, Maxim Jestin, Shelly Sharma, Deval Jhaveri, Brittany Mitchell, Dean Micciche, Venkat Venkataraman, Kathryn Lambert

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of mental health struggles among students in medical school is widely reported; however, little is known about how it is impacted by the medical school curriculum. This study aimed to evaluate differences in anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion in medical students based on gender, class year, and curriculum.

METHODS: An anonymous online survey consisting of questions from established, validated questionnaires about demographics, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, and personal health behaviors was sent to 817 medical students who attended Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine during the Spring of 2021. When applying to this school, each of these students …

Nucleus Accumbens Core Single Cell Ensembles Bidirectionally Respond To Experienced Versus Observed Aversive Events, Oyku Dinckol, Noah Harris Wenger, Jennifer E Zachry, Munir Gunes Kutlu

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Fear learning is a critical feature of survival skills among mammals. In rodents, fear learning manifests itself through direct experience of the aversive event or social transmission of aversive stimuli such as observing and acting on conspecifics' distress. The neuronal network underlying the social transmission of information largely overlaps with the brain regions that mediate behavioral responses to aversive and rewarding stimuli. In this study, we recorded single cell activity patterns of nucleus accumbens (NAc) core neurons using in vivo optical imaging of calcium transients via miniature scopes. This cutting-edge imaging methodology not only allows us to record activity patterns …

Sctiger: A Deep-Learning Method For Inferring Gene Regulatory Networks From Case Versus Control Scrna-Seq Datasets., Madison Dautle, Shaoqiang Zhang, Yong Chen

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Inferring gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data is an important computational question to find regulatory mechanisms involved in fundamental cellular processes. Although many computational methods have been designed to predict GRNs from scRNA-seq data, they usually have high false positive rates and none infer GRNs by directly using the paired datasets of case-versus-control experiments. Here we present a novel deep-learning-based method, named scTIGER, for GRN detection by using the co-differential relationships of gene expression profiles in paired scRNA-seq datasets. scTIGER employs cell-type-based pseudotiming, an attention-based convolutional neural network method and permutation-based significance testing for inferring GRNs among …

Invited Review: Adrenocortical Function In Avian And Non-Avian Reptiles: Insights From Dispersed Adrenocortical Cells., Rocco V. Carsia, Patrick J. Mcilroy, Henry B John-Alder

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Herein we review our work involving dispersed adrenocortical cells from several lizard species: the Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus), Yarrow's Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus jarrovii), Striped Plateau Lizard (Sceloporus virgatus) and the Yucatán Banded Gecko (Coleonyx elegans). Early work demonstrated changes in steroidogenic function of adrenocortical cells derived from adult S. undulatus associated with seasonal interactions with sex. However, new information suggests that both sexes operate within the same steroidogenic budget over season. The observed sex effect was further explored in orchiectomized and ovariectomized lizards, some supported with exogenous testosterone. Overall, a suppressive effect of testosterone was evident, especially in cells …

Timing Of Invasive Mechanical Ventilation And Death In Critically Ill Adults With Covid-19: A Multicenter Cohort Study., Adam Green, Jean-Sebastien Rachoin, Christa Schorr, Phil Dellinger, Jonathan D Casey, Isabel Park, Shruti Gupta, Rebecca M Baron, Shahzad Shaefi, Krystal Hunter, David E Leaf

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Departmental Research

PURPOSE: To investigate if the timing of initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) for critically ill patients with COVID-19 is associated with mortality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data for this study were derived from a multicenter cohort study of critically ill adults with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs at 68 hospitals across the US from March 1 to July 1, 2020. We examined the association between early (ICU days 1-2) versus late (ICU days 3-7) initiation of IMV and time-to-death. Patients were followed until the first of hospital discharge, death, or 90 days. We adjusted for confounding using a multivariable Cox …

Spherocytosis In Newborn Secondary To Novel Heterozygous Mutation In, Daphna Varadi, Benjamin Caplan, Maria Scarano, Rafat Ahmed

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Departmental Research

This case report describes a novel mutation of the SPTB gene as a potential pathogenic cause of spherocytosis. A 3-week-old male presented with clinical and laboratory signs consistent with hemolytic spherocytosis, including jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, anemia, reticulocytosis, negative Coombs test, no ABO or Rh incompatibility, and a peripheral blood smear notable for numerous spherocytes. His laboratory work demonstrated persistent anemia despite daily folate prompting next-generation sequencing which revealed a novel mutation in the SPTB gene resulting in a nonfunctioning protein product. Correlation of the genetic finding with clinical presentation may help guide management for this and future patients.

Role Of Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroinflammation In Rodent Locus Coeruleus Physiology And Anxiety-Like Behaviors, Arthur Anthony Alfonso Reyes

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The locus coeruleus (LC), the primary site of brain norepinephrine (NE), is a key anatomical brain region implicated in the stress response. Stress is a neuroendocrine physiologic response to a stressor that promotes organism survival through adaptive change and restoration of homeostasis. The central stress response, which drives behavioral and physiological change, is primarily mediated by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. While advantageous in the short term, chronic stress exposure can lead to HPA axis and LC dysregulation, which are thought to contribute to the etiology of anxiety disorders. Previous studies demonstrate the effects of acute stress in increasing LC …

Voluntary Wheel Running Promotes Resilience To The Behavioral Effects Of Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress In Male And Female Mice., Elias Elias, Ariel Y Zhang, Abigail G White, Matthew J Pyle, Melissa T Manners

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Besides significant benefits to physical health, exercise promotes mental health, reduces symptoms of mental illness, and enhances psychological development. Exercise can offset the impact of chronic stress, which is a major precursor to the development of mental disorders. The effects of exercise on chronic stress-induced behaviors are contradictory in preclinical studies, primarily due to the lack of data and sex-specific investigations. We sought to evaluate the effects of exercise on chronic stress-induced behavioral changes in both male and female mice. Mice were subjected to an Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress (UCMS) paradigm with accessibility to running wheels for 2 h daily. …

The Correlation Between Traumatic Brain Injury And Incarceration Among Adult Males In The United States, Shadi Shams

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The United States has one of the largest growing prison populations in the world. A large amount of social and economic resources go towards the cost and maintenance of correctional facilities each year. Additionally, the current correctional programs are insufficient in assisting inmates with getting back to society; especially those with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who often remain undiagnosed and are usually treated unfairly in the prison system instead of receiving the appropriate help. Prior scholarly work has shown that patients in the post-TBI stage are more likely to enter the judicial system. In the recent population-based cohort study, the …

Spontaneous Extraperitoneal Hematoma: An Unexpected Case Of Dysuria And Urinary Retention In A 77-Year-Old Male, Monica Diep, James Lee, James Espinosa, Joseph Pagano, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Urinary problems are common complaints in the Emergency Department and can present with any combination of lower urinary tract symptoms such as dysuria, hematuria, urgency, frequency, incontinence, or retention. We describe the case of a 77-year-old male who presented to the Emergency Department for five days of worsening dysuria. Two days prior, the patient was seen and evaluated for the same chief complaint, where he received intravenous antibiotics and was admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. The following day, the patient’s urinalysis and cultures were not consistent with a urinary tract infection (UTI) and was subsequently discharged without antibiotics. …

Extragonadal Perirectal Mature Cystic Teratoma In The Adult Male, Pranamaya Mahankali, Liam Trimble, Diana Panciera, Hui Li, Thaer Obaid

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

A teratoma is a mass that originates from the germ cells of the three primitive embryonic layers and commonly arises from the ovaries or testicles, thereby characterized as gonadal in origin. These masses comprise different types of tissues such as fat, hair, muscle, and bone. Extragonadal teratomas are uncommon and arise from anatomical locations other than the gonads, such as the pineal gland, anterior mediastinum, retroperitoneum, and sacrococcygeal regions. The most common is the presacral region, as it contains tissue derived from all germ layers. Tumors in this specific location are far more common in neonates, infants, and children rather …

The Impact Of Racial Disparities And Outcomes On Urinary Anastomotic Leak In Radical Prostatectomy, Young Son, Benjamin A. Fink, Lance Earnshaw, Brian Thomas, Fred Okoye, Ryan Moriarty, Kathryn Goettle, Thomas Mueller

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy and third most common cause of cancer death among men. In the United States, racial disparities exist in prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates. According to the National Cancer Institute, African American (AA) men have a significantly increased incidence of prostate cancer compared to Caucasians or Asians. Urinary leak at the urethrovesical anastomosis has been cited as a complication of radical prostatectomy (RP), with incidence rates as high as 23%. Urinary anastomotic leak is associated with increased rates of ileus, prolonged hospitalization rates, and longer time to achieve continence. The etiology of risk factors …

Barriers To Lung Cancer Screening Among African American Males Aged 50-70 In The United States, Edward Marines

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Objectives:

• Identify the different barriers to lung cancer screening among African American males
• Examine potential methods of increasing access and participation within this population

Long-Term Impacts Of Acute Stressor Exposure On Locus Coeruleus Function And Anxiety-Like Behavior In Rats, Olga Borodovitsyna

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Stress is a physiological state characterized by behavioral arousal that occurs during exposure to harmful or threatening stimuli, and usually facilitates an adaptive behavioral response. The persistence of stress sometimes causes it to become maladaptive, potentially contributing to disease development, including physiological complications with altered neuroendocrine signaling and impaired function of organ systems, and psychological conditions including depression and anxiety. Anxiety disorders in particular are associated with a history of stress and are the most common class of mental disorders, with a lifetime prevalence of 33.7% in the general population. The locus coeruleus (LC) is a major node in the …

The Landscape Of Rna Polymerase Ii-Associated Chromatin Interactions In Prostate Cancer, Susmita G Ramanand, Yong Chen, Jiapei Yuan, Kelly Daescu, Maryou Bk Lambros, Kathleen E Houlahan, Suzanne Carreira, Wei Yuan, Guemhee Baek, Adam Sharp, Alec Paschalis, Mohammed Kanchwala, Yunpeng Gao, Adam Aslam, Nida Safdar, Xiaowei Zhan, Ganesh V Raj, Chao Xing, Paul C Boutros, Johann De Bono, Michael Q Zhang, Ram S Mani

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Transcriptional dysregulation is a hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa). We mapped the RNA polymerase II-associated (RNA Pol II-associated) chromatin interactions in normal prostate cells and PCa cells. We discovered thousands of enhancer-promoter, enhancer-enhancer, as well as promoter-promoter chromatin interactions. These transcriptional hubs operate within the framework set by structural proteins - CTCF and cohesins - and are regulated by the cooperative action of master transcription factors, such as the androgen receptor (AR) and FOXA1. By combining analyses from metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) specimens, we show that AR locus amplification contributes to the transcriptional upregulation of the AR gene by increasing …

Assessment Of Physical Fitness After Bariatric Surgery And Its Association With Protein Intake And Type Of Cholecalciferol Supplementation, Hendrika J M Smelt, Sjaak Pouwels, Alper Celik, Adarsh Gupta, Johannes F Smulders

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Background: Several studies showed that there is a relationship between vitamin and mineral status and muscle strength. In particular this is the case for handgrip strength (HS) and vitamin D deficiency. In bariatric surgery there is a risk of decrease in muscle strength after surgery and also vitamin and mineral deficiencies are not uncommon. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of low vitamin 25 (OH) cholecalciferol levels, high dose cholecalciferol supplementation regime and protein intake on physical fitness, measured using handgrip strength (HS) and the shuttle walk run test (SWRT). Methods: For this retrospective …

Prefrontal Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (Crf) Neurons Act Locally To Modulate Frontostriatal Cognition And Circuit Function., Sofiya Hupalo, Andrea J Martin, Rebecca K Green, David M Devilbiss, Craig W Berridge

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

The PFC and extended frontostriatal circuitry support higher cognitive processes that guide goal-directed behavior. PFC-dependent cognitive dysfunction is a core feature of multiple psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, a major limiting factor in the development of treatments for PFC cognitive dysfunction is our limited understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying PFC-dependent cognition. We recently demonstrated that activation of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors in the caudal dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC) impairs higher cognitive function, as measured in a working memory task. Currently, there remains much unknown about CRF-dependent regulation of cognition, including the source of CRF for cognition-modulating receptors and the output pathways modulated …

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Of Motor Cortex Enhances Running Performance., Seung-Bo Park, Dong Jun Sung, Bokyung Kim, Sojung Kim, Joung-Kyue Han

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a technique used to modulate neuronal excitability through non-invasive brain stimulation that can enhance exercise performance. We hypothesize that tDCS would improve submaximal running time to exhaustion (TTE) and delay the increase in the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) over time. We also hypothesize that tDCS would not lead to difference in cardiorespiratory responses. We employed a randomized, single-blinded, and counterbalanced design in which 10 trained men participated. After receiving either 20 min of 1.98 mA anodal tDCS applied over the primary motor cortex (M1) or sham-operated control on separate days, participants completed a …

Older Adults' Health Care Utilization A Year After Experiencing Fear Or Distress From Hurricane Sandy, Laura P Sands, Yimeng Xie, Rachel Pruchno, Allison Heid, Yili Hong

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether self-reports of disaster-related psychological distress predict older adults' health care utilization during the year after Hurricane Sandy, which hit New Jersey on October 29, 2012.

METHODS: Respondents were from the ORANJ BOWL Study, a random-digit dialed sample from New Jersey recruited from 2006 to 2008. Medicare hospital, emergency department (ED) and outpatient claims data from 2012 and 2013 were matched to 1607 people age 65 and older in 2012 who responded to follow-up surveys conducted from July 2013 to July 2015 to determine their hurricane-related experiences.

RESULTS: In total, 7% (107) of respondents reported they experienced …