Digital Commons Network^™

Standardizing Pressure Injury Prevention Documentation Through A Clinical Procedure Flowsheet, Aixa Quijano Palés

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Staff Education To Improve Knowledge On Delirium Assessment, Prevention, And Treatment, Michelle Lee Coll

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Staff Education To Improve Nurses’ Knowledge Of Standardized Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble (Crafft) Screening In Outpatient Psychiatric Care, Linda Edeity

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Apolipoprotein B100 Predicts Cardiovascular And Limb Events In Type 2 Diabetes Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia, Federico Biscetti, Maria Margherita Rando, Maria Anna Nicolazzi, Flavia Angelini, Roberto Iezzi, Luis H. Eraso, Paul J. Dimuzio, Dario Pitocco, Massimo Massetti, Antonio Gasbarrini, Andrea Flex

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) undergoing lower extremity revascularization (LER) face high risks of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major adverse limb events (MALE), despite guideline-directed lipid-lowering therapy. Apolipoprotein B100 (ApoB100), reflecting total atherogenic particle number, may identify residual risk beyond LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C). Therefore, we investigated whether baseline ApoB100 levels independently predict MACE and MALE beyond conventional risk factors in this high-risk population.

METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 167 T2DM patients with CLTI undergoing LER were followed for 12 months with visits at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-procedure. …

Staff Education On Triage For Resource Nurses In The Emergency Department, Michelle Donahue Smeltzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence In Biomedical Scientific Publishing, Tomasz J Guzik, Victor Aboyans, Stefan Agewall, Steven Bailey, Adrian Baranchuk, Magnus Bäck, Michael Böhm, Robert O Bonow, George W Booz, Giuseppe Boriani, Biykem Bozkurt, Nico Bruining, Davide Capodanno, Çetin Erol, Péter Ferdinandy, Alessia Gimelli, Gerd Heusch, Thomas Kahan, Chim Choy Lang, Gerald Maurer, Robert J Mentz, Marco Metra, Philip Moons, Daniel Piskorz, Massimo Piepoli, Piotr Ponikowski, Alexandra Popma, Bianca Rocca, Juan Sanchis Fores, Philipp Sommer, Rhian M Touyz, Zoltan Ungvari, Pascal Vranckx, Joseph A Hill, Thomas F Lüscher, Filippo Crea

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Artificial intelligence is now embedded across the scientific research and publishing ecosystem, influencing discovery, analysis, knowledge translation, authorship, peer review, and editorial workflows. In cardiovascular and biomedical sciences, these developments offer substantial opportunities to accelerate knowledge generation, integrate complex datasets, and improve efficiency and consistency. At the same time, they introduce new risks related to bias, transparency, data integrity, and authorship responsibility, potentially endangering trust in the scientific record. This commentary examines the evolving role of AI in biomedical publishing, with particular attention to generative models and machine learning tools. We review both benefits and limitations, highlight risks such as …

Granular Phenotyping Of Neuromuscular And Cortical Adaptation In Elite Judo Athletes: A Three-Group Experimental Analysis Using Eeg And Emg Markers, Magdalena Prończuk, Dariusz Tadeusz Skalski, Wirginia Likus, Łukasz Jaworski, Adam Maszczyk, Kinga Łosińska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Inter-individual variability in neuromuscular and cortical adaptation presents a significant challenge for the personalization of neurofeedback protocols in elite sports, particularly in judo. Objective: This study aimed to identify distinct adaptation phenotypes in elite Polish judo athletes by integrating electrophysiological and performance-based measures following an EEG biofeedback intervention. Materials and methods: Twenty-four male athletes from the Polish national judo team completed a 15-session EEG biofeedback protocol targeting frontal alpha asymmetry. Post-intervention assessments included surface EMG amplitude (RMS), median frequency (MF), percentage EMG change, composite EEG indices (EEG_SUM), and normalized lower-limb strength. A composite Global Adaptation Index (GAI) was used …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Implementation In Eswatini Identifies Rifampicin And Bedaquiline Resistance Undetected By Routine Diagnostic Testing, Debrah Vambe, Alexander Kay, Mangaliso Ziyane, Mdigo Thunzini, Sein Sein Thi, Leonardo De Araujo, Viola Dreyer, Tanja Niemann, Busizwe Sibandze, Sijabu Masina, Andrea Maurizio Cabibbe, Jennifer Furin, Tafadzwa Mazuruse, Lindokuhle Dlamini, Thulani Jele, Bheki Mamba, Gugu Maphalala, Makhosazana Dlamini, Mbongeni Dube, Nomthandazo Lukhele, Daniela Maria Cirillo, Anna Mandalakas, Christoph Lange, Sphiwe Ngwenya, Christian Utpatel, Sindisiwe Dlamini, Stefan Niemann

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In Eswatini, multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains harbouring the rifampicin-resistance (RR) rpoB I491F mutation are missed by routine diagnostics, including GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra), line probe assays (LPA), and mycobacterium growth indicator tube (MGIT) phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (pDST). To address this diagnostic gap, Eswatini introduced targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) in 2019. We analysed 234 patient samples enrolled from June 2021 to December 2024 with isoniazid and/or rifampicin resistance detected by routine diagnostics, or suspected treatment failure, and obtained detailed clinical and outcome data from 59 patients. tNGS detected RR in 159 strains, of which 101 (64%) carried …

Mapping The Neuroexposome: Integrative Analysis Of Dementia Risk Factors Through Multi-Omics And Environmental Profiling In The Egyptian Population., Mai Ahmed Saadzaghloul Othman

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Dementia represents one of the most pressing public health challenges of the twenty-first century, with the global burden projected to reach 153 million cases by 2050. Egypt, as the most populous Arab nation, faces a corresponding rise in age-related diseases, yet comprehensive data from low- and middle-income countries remain severely limited. The neuroexposome framework, integrating genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and metabolic alterations, offers a powerful strategy to characterize the complex interplay between internal and external risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease Related Dementias (ADRD).

Objectives: This thesis aimed to: (1) examine the distribution of APOE alleles …

Basic Bronchoscopy Competence Achieved During A One-Day Workshop For A Multidisciplinary Critical Care Team: A Simulation-Based Study, Jayakrishnan B, Saif Musabah Al-Mubaihsi, Hasan Al-Sayegh, Ahmed Zaher Al-Abri, Issa Saif Alqarshoubi, Jehan Al-Abri, Sami M Bennji

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Fibreoptic bronchoscopy has become a key procedure in critical care, transitioning from pulmonologists to intensivists. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a one-day simulation-based training programme in acquiring basic bronchoscopy skills.

Methods: A one-day workshop was conducted at Sultan Qaboos Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Centre, University Medical City, Muscat, Oman, in October 2024 with didactic lectures, small group skill stations, virtual bronchoscopy simulations and hands-on training using manikins and a novel, cost-effective, 3D-printed airway model. The pre-course knowledge of the attendees and their gain in skill were assessed with a 50-question survey tool.

Results …

Patterns Of Brain-Wide Associations Reflect Socioeconomics, Scott Marek, Meghan Rose Donohue, Nicole R Karcher, Caroline P Hoyniak, Roselyne J Chauvin, Ashley C Meyer, John Miller, Andrew N Van, Anxu Wang, Noah J Baden, Vahdeta Suljic, Kristen M Scheidter, Julia Monk, Forrest I Whiting, Nadeshka J Ramirez-Perez, Samuel R Krimmel, Athanasia Metoki, Rebecca F Schwarzlose, Steven E Petersen, Joan Luby, Benjamin P Kay, Evan M Gordon, Timothy O Laumann, Deanna M Barch, Nico U F Dosenbach, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Previous brain-wide association studies (BWAS) have linked specific environmental and behavioral variables to brain variability. In this work, we mapped 649 variables to children's brains and compared the resultant BWAS maps with each other and with neurobiological reference patterns. Socioeconomic status (SES) showed the strongest brain-wide associations. The SES associations were strongest in motor and sensory but not cognitive regions, a pattern shared across many BWAS maps, including intelligence quotient (IQ). A single, common BWAS brain pattern existed across variables that was most reflective of a child's socioeconomics. Adjusting for SES weakened brain-IQ associations, eliminating the BWAS motor and sensory …

Statewide Multi-Year Wastewater Sequencing Reveals Dual Origins Of Hiv-1 Signal, Justin R Clark, Dylan Chirman, Harihara Prakash, Austen Terwilliger, Marlene Mcneese, Matt Ross, Mike Tisza, Sara J Javornik Cregeen, Loren Hopkins, Jennifer Deegan, Catherine L Troisi, Eric Boerwinkle, Kristina Mena, Fuqing Wu, Jason T Kimata, Marc Johnson, Devon Gregory, Faith E Fletcher, Thomas P Giordano, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is a retrovirus which has infected 90 million people and resulted in over 40 million deaths. Despite advances in diagnostics, treatment, and prophylaxis, HIV-1 continues to spread due to undiagnosed and untreated infections. Traditional monitoring methods are ineffective when access to testing is limited or people do not seek care, particularly given the long period between infection and symptom onset, allowing undetected transmission to continue. Here, we use a hybrid-capture sequencing approach to track HIV-1 signal in municipal wastewater in 15 different cities over nearly 3 years. We obtain near-complete genomic coverage of HIV-1, enabling …

Impact Of Maternal Covid-19 Infection Versus Vaccination On Mucosal Immunity In Breastmilk, Mymy Nguyen, Rupsa C. Boelig, Julie Jones, Wathsala Wijayalath, Gregory D. Gromowski, Zubair H. Aghai, Elke S. Bergmann-Leitner

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Background/Objectives: In the first months of their life, infants rely on maternal antibodies for immune protection. Breastmilk is a major source of these defenses, supplying secretory IgA, IgG, and IgM that help guard mucosal surfaces against pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. Most studies on breastmilk immunity in the context of COVID-19 have emphasized circulating monomeric IgA, rather than the multimeric secretory IgA (sIgA) that is active at mucosal barriers. This study assessed in-depth the contribution of breastmilk antibody subtypes to SARS-CoV-2 neutralization capacity and how these profiles differ following maternal COVID-19 infection versus vaccination during pregnancy or postpartum.

Methods: …

Whole-Genome Variant Detection In Long-Read Sequencing Data From Ultra-Low Input Patient Samples, Katherine Wang, Cera J Aex, Hayan Lee, Lucas Finot, Kevin Zhu, Julianna R Chang, Aaron M Horning, William J Rowell, Philip Li, Sarah B Kingan, Michael P Snyder, Graham Scott Erwin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Long-read sequencing provides a more complete view of the genome than short-read sequencing, with improved detection of structural variants, tandem repeats, and small variants (single nucleotide variants and insertions and deletions) in difficult-to-map regions. One limitation of long-read sequencing has been high input DNA requirements, with several micrograms required per sample. Here, we evaluate two methods of amplification-based long-read, whole-genome sequencing: ultra-low input HiFi (ULI-HiFi) sequencing and droplet multiple displacement amplification (dMDA) sequencing. When benchmarked against the Genome in a Bottle reference set (NA24385), we observe high precision and recall of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) with ULI-HiFi compared to the …

Appropriate Use Of Medical Billing And Coding Procedures After Classroom Instruction: Knowledge And Confidence In Doctor Of Physical Therapy Student Across Two Universities, Jamie S. Way, Breanna Reynolds, Teresa Elliott-Burke, Kristina M. Latva

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Accurate billing practices are essential for clinicians, insurance payers, patients and employers. Proper documentation ensures high-quality care, justifies medical necessity, and protects stakeholders. Existing literature covers ethical dilemmas and inadequacies in healthcare educational programs. The purpose of this study was to assess Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student knowledge and confidence in the application of medical billing and coding. Methods: Prospective analysis of written exams and self-reported confidence before and after classroom instruction in two DPT programs. Instruction covered documentation, common physical therapy CPT code selection and application of units billed based on payor guidelines (Medicare, private insurance). Results: …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In A Hybrid Dpt Program: Student Opinions On Use, Cheating, And Plagiarism, Jennifaye V. Brown, Keiba Shaw, Otis L. Owens

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To prepare students with digital competencies needed for modern clinical practice, AI should be responsibly integrated into healthcare education programs. However, concerns exist about students misusing AI for admissions statements and academic assignments. This study examined Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students' perceptions of ChatGPT use and whether they consider its use cheating or plagiarism. Method: This retrospective multi-methods analysis compared two DPT student cohorts' online essay responses to the following questions: 1) Is using AI or specifically, ChatGPT considered cheating and/or plagiarism? and 2) What are students' opinions on ChatGPT use in the DPT curriculum? One hundred forty-seven …

Prevalence Of Hyperprolactinemia And Its Association With Menstrual Abnormalities And Hypothyroidism Among Infertile Women: A Cross-Sectional Study From Saudi Arabia, Aseel Y. Alwahhabi, Rahaf H. Labban, Maryam Y. Alshaikh, Amal M. Alanazi, Samaher S. Alfaraj, Fahad M. Alsalman, Hayat A. Alrabiea

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hyperprolactinemia among infertile women and assess its association with menstrual irregularities and hypothyroidism in a tertiary-care setting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2022 and August 2023 at the Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Unit, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh. Electronic medical records of 480 infertile women who met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Data on demographic characteristics, infertility type, thyroid status, and serum prolactin levels were collected and analyzed using SAS version 9.4. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: Hyperprolactinemia was identified in 27.7% of infertile women, …

Immunoinformatic Based Development Of A Multi-Epitope Precision Vaccine Targeting Glycoprotein And Rdrp Of Oropouche Virus: An Innovative Approach To Counter Emerging Public Health Threats, Mohammed Alissa, Muhammad Suleman

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To design high immunogenic vaccine against the Oropouche virus (OROV). The OROV is a neglected arbovirus endemic to Central and South America, causes oropouche fever, which can progress to severe complications such as meningitis and hemorrhagic symptoms.

Methods: We utilized immunoinformatic and molecular dynamic simulation approaches to design highly immunogenic vaccines against OROV. This observational study, carried out between January and August 2024 in Saudi Arabia. As it involves an in-silico method, ethical consent was not required.

Results: Docking analysis confirmed the stable interaction of the designed vaccines with human toll-like receptors (TLR)-3, producing binding scores of –300.78, –306.19, …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Incubator And Radiant Environments On Physiological Criteria And Pain-Stress Levels During Heel Lance In Neonates In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sezin Gürsu, Birsen Karaca Saydam, Oğuzhan Kalkanl\I

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To compare the effects of incubator and radiant heat on physiological criteria and pain-stress levels during heel prick procedures in newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Methods: This randomized controlled quasi-experimental study was conducted between June and December 2023 with newborns diagnosed with IHB hospitalized at a NICU in Turkey. Prior to the heel prick procedure, 72 newborns (gestational age: 37–41 weeks) were randomly and equally assigned to either a radiant heater or an incubator setting. Physiological parameters (temperature, SpO₂, heart rate [HR]) and pain-stress scores of the newborns were measured and compared in both …

Etiology, Management, And Outcomes Of Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients: A Single-Center Study, Adil I. Jumani, Ghada A. Rashwan, Hadiza O. Ibrahim, Safaa M. Almohdar, Khaled M. Alfakih

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics, etiologies, management patterns, and outcomes of hospitalized heart failure patients in a tertiary care military hospital in United Arab Emirates (UAE), and to benchmark guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) uptake and care models against regional and international registries.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of heart failure between January and December 2024, at Zayed Military Hospital, UAE. Clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records. The GDMT adherence was assessed according to the 2022 American Heart Association (AHA)/ American College of Cardiology (ACC) and 2023 European Society of …

Evaluation Of Raqeem Health Information System In Primary Healthcare Centers In Makkah, Saudi Arabia, Using The Delone And Mclean Information System Success Model, Ali M. Alzahrani, Holly C. Felix

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluate the implementation of Raqeem, a new Electronic Health Information Systems (EHIS) implemented at primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Makkah. Implementing EHIS requires huge investments, making evaluation of systems success important.

Methods: In this cross-sectional survey design study, a developed questionnaire guided by DeLone and McLean Information System success model (D&M model) was used to collect data from PHCs' providers. Descriptive and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were performed to describe and examine the association between the model's constructs and assess Raqeem success.

Results: A total of 490 providers submitted completed records and were included in this study. …

Flourishing, Social Participation And Reintegration Difficulties: A 2-Year Cohort Study Of Us Military Veterans With Invisible Injuries, Nicholas A. Rattray, Mindy Flanagan, Richard M. Frankel, Marina Kukla

Health Services and Informatics Research

Introduction:

Longitudinal research examining community reintegration among military veterans with invisible injuries remains limited, despite widespread recognition that post-separation adjustment encompasses multiple interconnected domains including mental health, physical health, social functioning, and overall well-being. This study investigated associations between changes in reintegration outcomes and changes in health-related quality of life, social support, and flourishing over a two-year period among U.S. military veterans with invisible injuries who separated from service within the previous five years.

Methods:

Seventy-five veterans diagnosed with invisible injuries (post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, traumatic brain injury, or adjustment disorder) completed assessments at baseline, 6, 12, 18, and …

When School Culture Excludes: Deficit Discourse, Microaggressions, And The Mental Health Of Marginalized Students – A Conceptual Framework With Implications For School Psychology Practice And Equity Policy, Modupe Mercy Oyewunmi

Publications

Deficit-laden language like ‘behavior problem,’ ‘not college material,’ ‘won’t fit in’, ‘not a cultural fit’, operates as a systemic form of implicit bias and microaggression in school settings. Despite decades of research on school belonging and well-being, school psychology has yet to integrate these exclusionary discursive practices into a coherent health-determinant model that also accounts for the current anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy environment. This conceptual paper proposes a testable framework linking deficit discourse and school-based microaggressions to student identity suppression, academic impostor phenomenon, and educator moral injury, with downstream effects on school mental health outcomes. We situate these …

Decorin Promotes Nascent Proteoglycan Retention In Cartilage Matrix By Strengthening Collagen Ii-Aggrecan Integration, Thomas Li, Gabriela Canziani, Yuchen Liu, Neil Patel, Biao Han, Mingyue Fan, Annie Porter, Bryan Kwok, Chao Wang, Qing Li, David E. Birk, Renato V. Iozzo, Irwin M. Chaiken, X. Lucas Lu, Robert L. Mauck, Lin Han

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), a hydrated collagen II-aggrecan composite, undergoes dynamic turnover during both normal homeostasis and disease-associated remodeling. This study elucidates a crucial role for decorin in promoting the retention and stability of nascent aggrecan within this matrix. By applying bio-orthogonal click-labeling, we demonstrate that loss of decorin accelerates the release of nascent aggrecan under both physiological and inflammatory conditions, without affecting its preferential localization to the pericellular matrix. Conversely, supplementation with exogenous decorin mitigates inflammation-induced loss of nascent aggrecan, supporting its potential as a therapeutic target. At the molecular level, decorin exhibits strong binding affinity for aggrecan, and …

Publisher Correction: Whole Genome Sequence Analysis Of Pulmonary Function And Copd In 44,287 Multi-Ancestry Participants, Wonji Kim, Xiaowei Hu, Kangjin Kim, Sung Chun, Peter Orchard, Dandi Qiao, Ingo Ruczinski, Aabida Saferali, Francois Aguet, Lucinda Antonacci-Fulton, Pallavi P Balte, Traci M Bartz, Wardatul Jannat Anamika, Xiaobo Zhou, Junyi Duan, Jennifer A Brody, Brian E Cade, Martha L Daviglus, Harshavadran Doddapaneni, Shannon Dugan-Perez, Susan K Dutcher, Christian D Frazar, Stacey B Gabriel, Sina A Gharib, Namrata Gupta, Brian D Hobbs, Silva Kasela, Laura R Loehr, Ginger A Metcalf, Donna M Muzny, Elizabeth C Oelsner, Laura J Rasmussen-Torvik, Colleen M Sitlani, Joshua Smith, Tamar Sofer, Hanfei Xu, Bing Yu, David Zhang, John Ziniti, R Graham Barr, April P Carson, Myriam Fornage, Lifang Hou, Ravi Kalhan, Robert Kaplan, Tuuli Lappalainen, Stephanie J London, Alanna C Morrison, George T O'Connor, Bruce M Psaty, Laura M Raffield, Susan Redline, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, Edwin K Silverman, Ani Manichaikul, Michael H Cho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This corrects the article "Whole genome sequence analysis of pulmonary function and COPD in 44,287 multi-ancestry participants", 28.

In Vivo Orf Overexpression Screening Identifies Ccn4 As A Regulator Of Glioblastoma Growth Validated Across Multiple Models, Pushan Dasgupta

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite current multimodal therapies for glioblastoma (GBM), its prognosis remains grim. Thus, a tremendous need exists to identify new genetic drivers that may serve as potential therapeutic targets in glioblastoma (GBM). We describe an in vivo overexpression screening strategy to identify drivers of glioblastoma where we have leveraged TCGA datasets to conduct a functional genomics screen of prioritized open reading frames (ORFs) that are overexpressed and/or amplified in GBM. To interrogate these potential drivers within a more relevant physiological context, the screening was accomplished in vivo in an orthotopic patient-derived glioma stem-like cell (GSC) model. Among 5 positive "hits" from …

Right Ventricular–Pulmonary Artery Coupling Predicts Early Myocardial Strain Improvement In Sglt2 Inhibitor-Treated Hfref, Mohammad Ali Hammad, Ramy Magdy Elgamal, Arwa Mohsen Abouelkhir, Osama Abouelfetouh Elshaer, Mohamed Shokry Fahmy, Reda Nabil Dawoud, Reda Biomy, Mohamed Kamal Salama

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Background: While sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors clearly benefit left ventricular recovery in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), their rapid effects on right ventricular (RV) function remain poorly characterized. This prospective observational study investigated the timeline and markers of biventricular changes shortly after SGLT2 inhibitor initiation.

Methods:In this prospective observational study, 50 adults with HFrEF (LVEF

Results:After 3 months, NT-proBNP levels decreased significantly (1116.5 vs 913.5 pg/mL, P

Conclusions: In this prospective observational study without a control group, SGLT2 inhibitor initiation was associated with coordinated biventricular improvements within three months in HFrEF patients. The baseline TAPSE/PASP ratio …

Living Through Misinformation: An Autoethnography Of Autism In Chinese Communities, Joy Lu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This critical autoethnographic essay examines how misconception, misinformation, and disinformation shape understandings of autism within Chinese communities and produce tangible harm for autistic individuals and their families. Drawing on lived experience, advocacy work, digital observation, and cross-cultural analysis, it explores how language, medical practices, social media, and professional authority sustain persistent misrepresentation.

The essay argues that this misinformation is not merely the result of ignorance, but a socially reinforced and institutionally supported system of knowledge. By situating personal encounters within broader cultural and structural contexts, it highlights the interconnected roles of language, power, and exclusion in shaping autistic lives. It …

Auricular Point Acupressure Self-Management (Apa-Sm) Program For Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Among Rural Populations: A Protocol For A Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Trial, Jennifer Kawi, Jane Bolin, Hulin Wu, Jungkyung Min, Rupsikha Bora, Sarah Pace, Idara N Akpan, Alee Lockman, Tonychris Nnaka

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) is a leading cause of incurred personal healthcare costs and disability in the USA. It disproportionately affects rural populations, who are more likely to be uninsured, lack access to a regular healthcare provider and experience a higher prevalence of CMP. As a result of reduced access to non-pharmacological care, there is greater reliance on opioids. The Auricular Point Acupressure - Self-Management (APA-SM) program is a simple, needleless, evidence-based therapy that empowers individuals to self-manage their pain. Preliminary studies, including a recent UG3 pilot testing, demonstrated feasibility, safety and significant improvements in pain and function. Guided …