Digital Commons Network^™

Associations Of Physical Activity And Exercise With Health-Related Outcomes In Patients With Melanoma During And After Treatment: A Systematic Review, Brendan J. Crosby, Pedro Lopez, Daniel A. Galvao, Robert U. Newton, Dennis Taaffe, Tarek M. Meniawy, Lydia Warburton, Muhammad A. Khattak, Elin S. Gray, Favil Singh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose:

Although exercise medicine is recommended to counter treatment-related side-effects and improve health-related outcomes of patients affected by different cancers, no specific recommendations exist for patients with melanoma. As a result, we systematically examined the current evidence regarding the effects of physical activity and exercise on objectively-measured and patient-reported outcomes among patients with melanoma.

Methods:

Searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases. This review included published data involving physical activity or exercise and objectively-measured or patient-reported outcomes of patients with cutaneous melanoma. The quality of included studies was assessed using …

Identifying Critical Features Of Type Two Diabetes Prevention Interventions: A Delphi Study With Key Stakeholders, Jillian C. Ryan, Bonnie Wiggins, Sarah Edney, Grant D. Brinkworth, Natalie D. Luscombe-March, Kristin V. Carson-Chahhoud, Pennie J. Taylor, Annemien A. Haveman-Nies, David N. Cox

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aims This study aims to identify critically important features of digital type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevention interventions. Methods A stakeholder mapping exercise was undertaken to identify key end-user and professional stakeholders, followed by a three-round Delphi procedure to generate and evaluate evidence statements related to the critical elements of digital T2DM prevention interventions in terms of product (intervention), price (funding models/financial cost), place (distribution/delivery channels), and promotion (target audiences). Results End-user (n = 38) and professional (n = 38) stakeholders including patients, dietitians, credentialed diabetes educators, nurses, medical doctors, research scientists, and exercise physiologists participated in the Delphi study. …

Risk Factors For Covid-19 Infection, Disease Severity And Related Deaths In Africa: A Systematic Review, Hailay Abrha Gesesew, Digsu Negese Koye, Dagnachew Muluye Fetene, Mulu Woldegiorgis, Yohannes Kinfu, Ayele Bali Geleto, Yohannes Adama Melaku, Hassen Mohammed, Kefyalew Addis Alene, Mamaru Ayenew Awoke, Mulugeta Molla Birhanu, Amanuel Tesfay Gebremedhin, Yalemzewod Assefa Gelaw, Desalegn Markos Shifti, Muluken Dessalegn Muluneh, Teketo Kassaw Tegegne, Solomon Abrha, Atsede Fantahun Aregay, Mohammed Biset Ayalew, Abadi Kahsu Gebre, Kidane Tadesse Gebremariam, Tesfaye Gebremedhin, Lemlem Gebremichael, Cheru Tesema Leshargie, Getiye Dejenu Kibret, Maereg Wagnew Meazaw, Alemayehu Berhane Mekonnen, Dejen Y. Tekle, Azeb G. Tesema, Fisaha H. Tesfay, Wubshet Tesfaye, Befikadu L. Wubishet, Berihun A. Dachew, Akilew A. Adane

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. Objective The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive evidence on risk factors for transmission, disease severity and COVID-19 related deaths in Africa. Design A systematic review has been conducted to synthesise existing evidence on risk factors affecting COVID-19 outcomes across Africa. Data sources Data were systematically searched from MEDLINE, Scopus, MedRxiv and BioRxiv. Eligibility criteria Studies for review were included if they were published in English and reported at least one risk factor and/or one health outcome. We included all relevant literature published up until 11 August 2020. Data extraction and …

Safety And Efficacy Of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation To Treat And Prevent Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile In Cancer Patients, Hiba Ali, Shruti Khurana, Weijie Ma, Yuanzun Peng, Zhi-Dong Jiang, Herbert Dupont, Hao Chi Zhang, Anusha S Thomas, Pablo Okhuysen, Yinghong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Cancer patients are at increased risk of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) due to malignancy itself, cancer therapy, and frequent antibiotic use and have a lower response rate to standard oral antibiotics. There are limited data on the safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for treating rCDI in cancer patients. We aim to describe our experience of using FMT to treat rCDI at a tertiary cancer center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of cancer patients who underwent FMT for rCDI at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from June 2017 through January 2020. Baseline …

Adipocyte-Specific Ablation Of Pu1 Promotes Energy Expenditure And Ameliorates Metabolic Syndrome In Aging Mice, Ke Yun Chen, Alejandra De Angulo, Xin Guo, Aditya More, Scott A Ochsner, Eduardo Lopez, David Saul, Weijun Pang, Yuxiang Sun, Neil J Mckenna, Qiang Tong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Although PU.1/Spi1 is known as a master regulator for macrophage development and function, we have reported previously that it is also expressed in adipocytes and is transcriptionally induced in obesity. Here, we investigated the role of adipocyte PU.1 in the development of the age-associated metabolic syndrome.

Methods: We generated mice with adipocyte-specific PU.1 knockout, assessed metabolic changes in young and older adult PU.1^fl/fl (control) and AdipoqCre PU.1^fl/fl (aPU.1KO) mice, including body weight, body composition, energy expenditure, and glucose homeostasis. We also performed transcriptional analyses using RNA-Sequencing of adipocytes from these mice.

Results: aPU.1KO mice have elevated energy …

Mucins, Gut Microbiota, And Postbiotics Role In Colorectal Cancer, Ramesh Pothuraju, Sanjib Chaudhary, Satyanarayana Rachagani, Sukhwinder Kaur, Hemant K Roy, Michael Bouvet, Surinder K Batra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

An imbalance in the crosstalk between the host and gut microbiota affects the intestinal barrier function, which results in inflammatory diseases and colorectal cancer. The colon epithelium protects itself from a harsh environment and various pathogenic organisms by forming a double mucus layer, primarily comprising mucins. Recent studies are focusing on how dietary patterns alter the gut microbiota composition, which in turn regulates mucin expression and maintains the intestinal layers. In addition, modulation of gut microbiota by microbiotic therapy (involving fecal microbiota transplantation) has emerged as a significant factor in the pathologies associated with dysbiosis. Therefore, proper communication between host …

The E3 Ligase Traf4 Promotes Igf Signaling By Mediating Atypical Ubiquitination Of Irs-1, Wenjuan Yu, Ramesh Singh, Zhao Wang, Bert W O'Malley, Ping Yi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) is a potent mitogen that activates the IGF receptor (IGFR)/insulin receptor substrate (IRS) axis, thus stimulating growth in normal cells and uncontrolled cell proliferation in cancer. Posttranslational modifications of IRS such as ubiquitination tightly control IGF signaling, and we previously identified IRS-1 as a potential substrate for the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF4 using an unbiased screen. Here we provide evidence that TRAF4-mediated ubiquitination of IRS-1 is physiologically relevant and crucial for IGF signal transduction. Through site-directed mutagenesis we found that TRAF4 promotes an atypical K29-linked ubiquitination at the C-terminal end of IRS-1. Its depletion abolishes AKT …

Trace Element Concentrations In Blood And Scute Tissues From Wild And Captive Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia Mydas), Katherine R Shaw, Jennifer M Lynch, George H Balazs, T Todd Jones, Jeff Pawloski, Marc R Rice, Amanda D French, Jing Liu, George P Cobb, David M Klein

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Sea turtles are exposed to trace elements through water, sediment, and food. Exposure to these elements has been shown to decrease immune function, impair growth, and decrease reproductive output in wildlife. This study compares trace element concentrations in green turtles in captivity at Sea Life Park Hawaii (n = 6) to wild green turtles in Kapoho Bay, HI (n = 5 to 7). Blood and scute samples were collected and analyzed for eleven elements via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Selenium was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the blood of captive turtles compared to wild turtles, while V, Ni, and Pb were significantly greater in the blood of wild turtles. In scute, V, Cu, Se, and Cr were significantly greater in captive turtles, while As was significantly greater in wild turtles. Pelleted food fed to the captive turtles and representative samples of the wild turtle diet were analyzed via ICP-MS to calculate trophic transfer factors and daily intake values. Wild turtles had greater estimated daily intake than captive turtles for all elements except Cu and Se. Because captive turtles are fed a diet very different from their wild counterparts, captive turtles do not represent control or reference samples for chemical exposure studies in wild turtles. No toxic thresholds are known for sea turtles, but rehabilitation and managed care facilities should monitor sea turtle elemental concentrations to ensure the animals’ health.

Patient-Perceived Versus Actual Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease And Associated Willingness To Consider And Use Prevention Therapy, Ann Marie Navar, Tracy Y Wang, Shuang Li, Xiaojuan Mi, Zhuokai Li, Jennifer G Robinson, Salim S Virani, Eric D Peterson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular prevention guidelines use estimated 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk based on the pooled cohort equations to guide treatment decisions and engage patients in shared decision-making. We sought to determine patient perceived versus actual risk of atherosclerotic CVD and associations with willingness for preventive therapy.

METHODS: We evaluated calculated and perceived CVD risk among 4187 patients across 124 sites in the Patient and Provider Assessment of Lipid Management Registry. Ten-year risk was assessed using the pooled cohort equations; risk relative-to-peers was determined based on age-, sex-, and race-based percentiles; and patient estimates of risk were assessed using patient …

Mitochondrial Regulation Of Diabetic Kidney Disease, Daniel L Galvan, Koki Mise, Farhad R Danesh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The role and nature of mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has been extensively studied. Yet, the molecular drivers of mitochondrial remodeling in DKD are poorly understood. Diabetic kidney cells exhibit a cascade of mitochondrial dysfunction ranging from changes in mitochondrial morphology to significant alterations in mitochondrial biogenesis, biosynthetic, bioenergetics and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). How these changes individually or in aggregate contribute to progression of DKD remain to be fully elucidated. Nevertheless, because of the remarkable progress in our basic understanding of the role of mitochondrial biology and its dysfunction in DKD, there is great excitement …

Prevalence And Factors Associated With Nafld Detected By Vibration Controlled Transient Elastography Among Us Adults: Results From Nhanes 2017–2018, Xiaotao Zhang, Natalia I Heredia, Maya Balakrishnan, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly common in the adult population. In the United States, the overall burden of NAFLD is unknown due to challenges with population-level NAFLD detection. The purpose of this study was to estimate prevalence of NAFLD and significant NAFLD fibrosis and identify factors associated with them in the U.S.

METHODS: Data came from the 2017-2018 cycle of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We defined NAFLD by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) scores of ≥248 dB/m in absence of excessive alcohol use and viral hepatitis. We defined significant fibrosis as Vibration controlled transient elastography (VCTE) …

An International Study Of Interobserver Variability Of “String Sign” Of Pancreatic Cysts Among Experienced Endosonographers, Seifeldin Hakim, Emmanuel Coronel, Graciela M Nogueras González, Philip S Ge, Suresh T Chari, Nirav Thosani, Srinivas Ramireddy, Ricardo Badillo, Tomas Davee, Marc F Catalano, Robert J Sealock, Sreeram Parupudi, Lyndon V Hernandez, Virendra Joshi, Atsushi Irisawa, Surinder Rana, Sundeep Lakhtakia, Peter Vilmann, Adrian Saftoiu, Siyu Sun, Marc Giovannini, Matthew H Katz, Michael P Kim, Manoop S Bhutani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: No single optimal test reliably determines the pancreatic cyst subtype. Following EUS-FNA, the "string sign" test can differentiate mucinous from nonmucinous cysts. However, the interobserver variability of string sign results has not been studied.

METHODS: An experienced endosonographer performed EUS-FNA of pancreatic cysts on different patients and was recorded on video performing the string sign test for each. The videos were shared internationally with 14 experienced endosonographers, with a survey for each video: "Is the string sign positive?" and "If the string sign is positive, what is the length of the formed string?" Also asked "What is …

Effects Of Intensive Blood Pressure Treatment On Orthostatic Hypotension : A Systematic Review And Individual Participant-Based Meta-Analysis, Stephen P Juraschek, Jiun-Ruey Hu, Jennifer L Cluett, Anthony Ishak, Carol Mita, Lewis A Lipsitz, Lawrence J Appel, Nigel S Beckett, Ruth L Coleman, William C Cushman, Barry R Davis, Greg Grandits, Rury R Holman, Edgar R Miller, Ruth Peters, Jan A Staessen, Addison A Taylor, Lutgarde Thijs, Jackson T Wright, Kenneth J Mukamal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Although intensive blood pressure (BP)-lowering treatment reduces risk for cardiovascular disease, there are concerns that it might cause orthostatic hypotension (OH).

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of intensive BP-lowering treatment on OH in hypertensive adults.

DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL from inception through 7 October 2019, without language restrictions.

STUDY SELECTION: Randomized trials of BP pharmacologic treatment (more intensive BP goal or active agent) that involved more than 500 adults with hypertension or elevated BP and that were 6 months or longer in duration. Trial comparisons were groups assigned to either less intensive BP goals or placebo, …

The Bile Acid Induced Hepatokine Orosomucoid Suppresses Adipocyte Differentiation, Sung Ho Lee, Jong Min Choi, Sung Yun Jung, Aaron R Cox, Sean M Hartig, David D Moore, Kang Ho Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Bile acids have recently emerged as key metabolic hormones with beneficial impacts in multiple metabolic diseases. We previously discovered that hepatic bile acid overload distally modulates glucose and fatty acid metabolism in adipose tissues to exert anti-obesity effects. However, the detailed mechanisms that explain the salutary effects of serum bile acid elevation remain unclear. Here, proteomic profiling identified a new hepatokine, Orosomucoid (ORM) that governs liver-adipose tissue crosstalk. Hepatic ORMs were highly induced by both genetic and dietary bile acid overload. To address the direct metabolic effects of ORM, purified ORM proteins were administered during adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells …

The Effect Of Quality Of Life On Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Postmenopausal Women, Chavela Lynn Riotutar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Background: The emergence of cardiometabolic (CMD) indicators for Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) coincides with the decline in estrogen production during menopause and substantially increases development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women. Quality of life (QOL) encompasses physical, material, and social well-being. Research reveals a correlation between low QOL scores and CMD disease. Menopause significantly increases CMD risk, and may also lower QOL scores. Objective: To investigate the relationship between QOL and CMD risk in postmenopausal women. Method: Cisgender, postmenopausal women (age > 45 years) were recruited through emails to complete the online survey. Data collection included demographics, physical characteristics and activity level, …

Preconceptional Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation In 2 Low-Resource Countries Results In Distinctly Different Igf-1/Mtor Placental Responses, Marisol Castillo-Castrejon, Ivana V. Yang, Elizabeth J. Davidson, Sarah J. Borengasser, Purevsuren Jambal, Jamie Westcott, Jennifer F. Kemp, Ana Garces, Sumera Aziz Ali, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Preconceptional maternal small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplementation (SQLNS) improved intrauterine linear growth in low-resource countries as demonstrated by the Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial (WF). Fetal growth is dependent on nutrient availability and regulated by insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) through changes in placental transfer capacity, mediated by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway.
Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the role of placental mTOR and IGF-1 signaling on fetal growth in women from 2 low-resource countries with high rates of stunting after they received preconceptional SQLNS.
Methods: We studied 48 women from preconception through delivery who were …

Prevalence Of Nail Changes In Patients Infected With Hiv - A Cross Sectional Study, Seethalakshmi Ganga Vellaisamy, Priya Jeyaraman, Kannan Gopalan

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Introduction: The spectrum of nail changes is wider and their frequency is higher among HIV patients. These changes magnify the range and multiplicity of AIDS manifestations. Their systematic examination is a non-invasive method of possible diagnostic value.

Objective: The present study was conducted to study the frequency and types of nail changes in  HIV infected individuals and to correlate the severity of nail changes  with CD4 count.

Material and Method: This was a cross sectional study, conducted in Skin & STD Out-Patient department in a tertiary care hospital between March 2018 and April 2019. A total of …

Integument: Guidelines For The Care Of People With Spina Bifida, Patricia Beierwaltes, Sharon Munoz, Jennifer Wilhelmy

School of Nursing Publications

PURPOSE:

Skin-related issues have a significant impact on health, activities of daily living, and quality of life among people with spina bifida. Data presented by select clinics that participate in the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry reported that 26% of individuals had a history of pressure injuries with 19% having had one in the past year. The spina bifida community lack direct guidelines on prevention of these and other skin related issues. The Integument (skin) Guidelines focus on prevention, not treatment, of existing problems.

METHODS:

Using a consensus building methodology, the guidelines were written by experts in spina bifida and …

Care Coordination Guidelines For The Care Of People With Spina Bifida, Alexander Van Speybroeck, Patricia Beierwaltes, Betsy Hopson, Suzanne Mckee, Lisa Raman, Ravindra Rao, Rebecca Sherlock

School of Nursing Publications

Care coordination is the deliberate organization of patient care activities between two or more participants (including the patient) involved in a person’s care to facilitate the appropriate delivery of health care services. Organizing care involves the marshalling of personnel and other resources needed to carry out all required patient care activities. It is often managed by the exchange of information among participants responsible for different aspects of care. With an estimated 85% of individuals with Spina Bifida (SB) surviving to adulthood, SB specific care coordination guidelines are warranted. Care coordination (also described as case management services) is a process that …

Glycemic Variability In Patients With Stage Ii-Iii Colon Cancer, Natalie Mandolfo

Theses & Dissertations

Patients with cancer experience metabolic changes such as hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and glycemic variability; collectively termed malglycemia. Glycemic variability, defined as fluctuations in glucose, is a marker of metabolic instability. Higher glycemic variability is associated with adverse health outcomes in the general population and in those with diabetes. Little is known about glycemic variability in patients with cancer, especially those with solid tumor malignancies. Glycemic variability is associated with increased infection, shorter periods of remission, and higher mortality in patients with hematological cancer. This body of work describes the concept and measurement of glycemic variability to assess glycemic control in patients …

The Crossroads Of Wellness And Second Victim Syndrome: Identifying Factors That Alter The Pathway Of Caregiver Recovery Following An Unanticipated Adverse Patient Outcome, Kimia Zarabian, A. Katharine Hindle, Ivy Benjenk, Anita Vincent, Jamil M. Kazma, Benjamin Shambon, Raymond Pla, Eric Heinz

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Second Victim Syndrome (SVS) describes the phenomenon in which a caregiver experiences a traumatic psychological and emotional response to an adverse patient event or medical error. Using quantitative survey analysis, we aim to better understand the personal factors that affect SVS development and recovery.

Methods: Caregivers at a small urban academic medical center who had experienced an adverse patient event in the past six months were invited to take part in this institution-wide, voluntary, quantitative, cross-sectional study. Three surveys were administered; the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory (HRLSI) was used as a surrogate to measure stressful life events. The …

Association Of Parity With Birthweight And Neonatal Death In Five Sites: The Global Network's Maternal Newborn Health Registry Study, Ana Garces, Wilton Perez, Margo S. Harrison, Kay S. Hwang, Tracy L. Nolen, Robert L. Goldenberg, Archana B. Patel, Patricia L. Hibberd, Adrien Lokangaka, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Nulliparity has been associated with lower birth weight (BW) and other adverse pregnancy outcomes, with most of the data coming from high-income countries. In this study, we examined birth weight for gestational age z-scores and neonatal (28-day) mortality in a large prospective cohort of women dated by first trimester ultrasound from multiple sites in low and middle-income countries.
Methods: Pregnant women were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy and followed through 6 weeks postpartum from Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guatemala, Belagavi and Nagpur, India, and Pakistan from 2017 and …

Why Are The Pakistani Maternal, Fetal And Newborn Outcomes So Poor Compared To Other Low And Middle-Income Countries?, Aleha Aziz, Sarah Saleem, Tracy L. Nolen, Nousheen Akber Pradhan, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Saleem Jessani, Ana L. Garces, Patricia L. Hibberd, Janet L. Moore, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Background: Pakistan has among the poorest pregnancy outcomes worldwide, significantly worse than many other low-resource countries. The reasons for these differences are not clear. In this study, we compared pregnancy outcomes in Pakistan to other low-resource countries and explored factors that might help explain these differences.
Methods: The Global Network (GN) Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) is a prospective, population-based observational study that includes all pregnant women and their pregnancy outcomes in defined geographic communities in six low-middle income countries (India, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Kenya, Zambia). Study staff enroll women in early pregnancy and follow-up soon after …

Determinants Of Infant And Young Complementary Feeding Practices Among Children 6-23 Months Of Age In Urban Pakistan: A Multicenter Longitudinal Study, Shabina Ariff, Kamran Sadiq, Javairia Khalid, Laila Sikanderali, Batha Tariq, Fariha Shaheen, Gul Nawaz Khan, Atif Habib, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Suboptimal feeding practices have a negative impact on children's health and growth in the first 2 years of life and increase their risk of undernutrition, morbidity, and mortality. The aim of the study was to assess the factors that influence infant and young child feeding practices among urban mothers in a hospital setting at Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: A longitudinal multi-center cohort study was conducted in four countries, MULTICENTER BODY COMPOSITION REFERENCE STUDY (MBCRS) to produce normal body composition reference data in healthy infants from 3 months to 24 months of age. Repeated anthropometric (weight, length and head circumference) and …

Dysphagia And Masticatory Performance As A Mediator Of The Xerostomia To Quality Of Life Relation In The Older Population., Ting-Yu Lu, Jen-Hao Chen, Je-Kang Du, Ying-Chun Lin, Pei-Shan Ho, Chien-Hung Lee, Chih-Yang Hu, Hsiao-Ling Huang

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: The impact of poor oral health on older adults' quality of life is a public health problem. In this study, the mediating effects of dental status, occlusal condition, dysphagia, and masticatory performance on the association between xerostomia and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) were assessed in the older adult population.Methods: Stratified cluster sampling was used to recruit 1076 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older from Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Community care centers were randomly selected according to their geographic classifications (urban, rural, or mountainous areas). Assessments of dental status and occlusal condition were performed by dentists. Information on demographics, …

Using Preliminary Data And Prospective Power Analyses For Mid-Stream Revision Of Projected Group And Subgroup Sizes In Pragmatic Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Elizabeth A. Tolley Md, Satya Surbhi Md, James E. Bailey Md

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pragmatic clinical trials are commonly used in patient-centered outcomes research to assess heterogeneity of treatment effects. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) methodology standards for assessing heterogeneity of treatment effects are extremely rigorous, but their implementation in real-world settings can be difficult. Predicting recruitment effectiveness and subgroup characteristics is often challenging and may require mid-stream revision of projected group and subgroup sizes. Yet, little real-world data are available to demonstrate methodologically valid approaches to address situations where such revisions are necessary. These data were used for mid-stream revision of group and subgroup sizes in the Management of Diabetes in Everyday Life …

Prevention Of Pediatric Mortality Associated With Malaria: An Exhaustive Literature Review, Taylor Mosley

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Malaria, a disease that is preventable yet frequently fatal, disproportionately affects pediatric African populations at a rate that results in a child under the age of 5 dying every two minutes. Since 1955, the World Health Organization has contributed to a significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality of malaria; however, progress has stalled in recent years. In some countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, cases have increased since 2015. This literature review seeks to identify factors associated with this incline, as well as what interventions can have the greatest impact to prevent pediatric mortality in areas with the largest …

The Link Between Heart Disease In Low Socioeconomic Communities In America, Khristopher Chea

Nursing | Senior Theses

As a future medical professional in the healthcare field, we continue to see patients admitted for cardiovascular issues. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality among adults living in the U.S. despite advances in treatment throughout the past century. A number of risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity contribute to the significant rise of cardiovascular disease. Research data suggests that there is correlation between cardiovascular disease, low socioeconomic status, and diet. According to the American Phycological Association socioeconomic status is measured by income, educational status, and occupation, and has been shown to be closely …

The Effects Of Moderate-Severe Plaque Psoriasis On Patient Well-Being And Prevention Of Flares, Glenn Devera

Nursing | Senior Theses

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that is indicated by red, patchy and scaly skin that can be painful when irritated. Patients with psoriasis have an increased risk for a number of chronic diseases. Despite the expansion of treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis over the last decade, patients may still find that treatment strategies are not as successful, leaving them dissatisfied with their treatments. A relationship built upon trust between the nurse and the patient diagnosed with psoriasis may serve to help ensure optimal care. A comprehensive literature review was performed and found that best practices for patient management need to …

Characterization Of Adiposity And Inflammation Genetic Pleiotropy Underlying Cardiovascular Risk Factors In Hispanics., Mohammad Yaser (Anwar)

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The observed overlap between genetic variants associated with both adiposity and inflammatory markers suggests that changes in both adiposity and inflammation could be partially mediated by common pathways. The pervasive but sparsely characterized “pleiotropic” genetic variants associated with both adiposity and inflammation have been hypothesized to provide insight into the shared biology. This study explored and characterized the genetic pleiotropy underpinning adiposity and inflammation using genetic and phenotypic observations from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC). A total of 3,313 samples and >9 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were examined in this study. Mixed model genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were …