Digital Commons Network^™

Pseudo-Bartter Syndrome In A Pancreatic Insufficient Infant With Cftr, Dnah9, Lyst And G6pd Variants, Diana Marangu‐Boore, Doris Kinuthia, Janet Maranga, Peter Ngwatu, Joel Lessan, Rita Boateng

Pathology, East Africa

No abstract provided.

World Health Organization Classification Of Tumours Of The Breast 6th Edition 2026, Cecily Quinn, Puay Tan, Kimberly Allison, Edi Brogi, Sunil Lakhani, Stuart Schnitt, Stephen Fox, Shabnam Jaffer, Aysegul Sahin, Shahin Sayed

Pathology, East Africa

The 6th edition of the WHO Classification of Breast Tumours introduces both major and minor changes based on recent advances in our understanding of breast biology, developments in diagnostic modalities, identification of specific molecular targets and new treatment regimens necessitating modifications to pathology reporting and tumour biomarker categorisation. This review summarises the main changes that strive towards a classification of global relevance. In invasive carcinoma, predictive factors increasingly inform modern breast cancer treatment. The 6th edition provides an update on HER2 reporting categories following the DESTINY-Breast 04 and 06 trials. Terminologies used to classify invasive tumours are clarified, with the …

Scoliosis, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.

Implementation And Costs Of A Food Insecurity Resource Navigation Program For Primary Care Patients With Diabetes And Hypertension In South Carolina, Deeksha Gupta, Darin Thomas, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Alain H. Litwin, Joseph A. Ewing, Lynnette Ramos-Gonzalez, Lynnette Ramos-Gonzalez

Faculty Publications

Objective

To examine food insecurity resource navigation program costs and how navigation intensity relates to clinical outcomes, healthcare costs, and quality of life (QOL) for diabetes and/or hypertension patients.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients receiving resource navigation (July 12, 2021-December 31, 2022 with twelve-month follow-up) across three primary care practices in South Carolina's largest health system. Participants were 18+ years old (from electronic medical records/Epic), had food insecurity (from Hunger Vital Sign™), and diabetes and/or hypertension (from Epic registries). Matched controls came from food insecurity screening-only practices. Patients in each group (n= 219) had diabetes (9.13%), hypertension …

Improving Documentation Efficiency Through Implementation Of Emr Note Templates In A Multidisciplinary Stroke Clinic, Mirriam Hijazi

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to increase documentation efficiency in a multidisciplinary stroke clinic through implementation of standardized neurological note templates within the electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Background: EMR documentation is essential for safe and coordinated patient care, but can be time-consuming for healthcare providers. Neurological documentation requires detailed clinical information, contributing to increased documentation burden. At the multidisciplinary stroke clinic, providers reported spending significant time on documentation, with some notes finalized up to 48 hours after patient encounters.

Methodology: Standardized neurological note templates were developed with provider input. Documentation efficiency metrics included note completion time, proportion of …

Improving Bedside Nurse Central Line Policy Compliance And Combating Clabsis, Keyshawna N. Chambers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a problem, both globally and locally at this 20-bed pediatric cardiovascular ICU in Houston, TX. Bedside nursing staff had gaps in knowledge of central line policies and were often unaware of when dressings needed to be changed. This posed a significant concern, as this nosocomial infection is among the most life-threatening and costly complications in healthcare. Leadership attempted to correct this issue with weekly multidisciplinary rounds, but with high turnover, this was not a long-term fix. This quality improvement project aimed to increase central line policy compliance among bedside nursing staff to 93%, from …

The Use Of A Safety Screening Tool To Improve Sedation Holiday Compliance And Nurse Confidence, Shelby Marchisio

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

This project sought to evaluate the impact of a safety screening tool on sedation holiday compliance and nurse confidence.

Background

This project was conducted within a 42-bed intensive care unit at a large academic hospital in Houston, Texas. Despite having a nurse-led sedation holiday protocol, compliance averages varied from 50-85%. In alignment with evidence-based practice, it was determined that integrating a safety screening tool into the sedation holiday process may improve compliance.

Methodology

The FADE Model for Quality Improvement guided project development. An anonymous survey was conducted using Likert-scale ratings to assess nursing perceptions and confidence related to sedation …

Reduction Of Waste And Cost In A Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Jincy C. Skaria

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose:
To reduce medical supply waste and associated costs in a Cardiac ICU using a standardized supply cart system.
Background:
Pre-packed post-operative recovery kits were routinely opened for all admissions in the Cardiac ICU, resulting in disposal of unused supplies due to infection control and single-use policies. This practice contributed to avoidable waste, increased costs, and poor resource stewardship.
Methodology:
This quality improvement project was conducted in a 20-bed Cardiac ICU from September 28 to December 6, 2025. The intervention replaced routine opening of full recovery kits with selective retrieval of supplies by nurses from a standardized cart located outside …

Restoration Of Dental Implants With Screw-Retained Crowns: Optimizing Contact Area Geometry To Prevent Food Impaction, John S. Mamoun D.M.D.

The New York State Dental Journal

A single-unit, screw-retained fixed partial denture or crown, made for a dental implant, may show food impaction between the screw-retained crown and an inter-proximal tooth surface. This restorative error may be due to an open contact or a large interproximal embrasure space volume between the screw-retained prosthesis and an interproximal tooth surface. Food impaction may also occur due to the contact plane of the restoration being parallel with the contact plane of the neighboring tooth instead of a more correct contact plane geometry where both interproximal contact planes converge slightly towards each other to form a “triangular” embrasure space. These …

Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure: A Review, Divya Khanna B.D.S., M.D.S.

The New York State Dental Journal

Periodontal treatment modalities have evolved substantially to evidence-based minimally invasive treatment options. Lasers have proved to be an effective tool by providing a myriad of benefits and advantages while eliminating many of the negative sequelae that have been historically associated with conventional pocket elimination surgery. Laser-assisted new attachment procedure (LANAP) is a well-defined treatment protocol that has been validated with human histology and has demonstrated both short- and long-term success. LANAP has proven to be an effective, safe and predictable treatment option for achieving regeneration and new attachment formation, leading to favorable clinical outcomes, improved patient compliance and acceptability.

Resolution Of Severe Lateral Open Bite With Surgically Enhanced Orthodontic And Myofunctional Therapies, Daniel Kuncio D.D.S., Maria Karpov D.M.D.

The New York State Dental Journal

Patients often present to our practices with dental relapse of previous orthodontic treatment. Many times, the underlying skeletal and/or functional problems leading to the malocclusion were not addressed, causing the teeth to revert to their initial positions, even with good retainer wear. This patient presented with a severe lateral open bite and complained of problems chewing on his right side.

Previous orthodontic treatment with fixed orthodontics appliances and vertical elastics proved to be unstable. We recommended a treatment plan with surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) to correct the skeletal maxillary constriction and provide more tongue space, followed by surgically …

Dental Offices Subject To New Legal Mandates, Lance Plunkett Jd, Llm

The New York State Dental Journal

Several new workplace laws, applicable to dental practices, have been enacted, as New York continues its aggressive push in the employment law arena.

The Role Of Magnesium Supplements In The Management And Prevention Of Headache Disorders, Tatum Schroeder

Libraries Undergraduate Research Award (LURA) Winners

Much of the global population suffers from headache disorders like migraine. Because there are so many triggers and unknown explanations for migraine, it can be hard to find effective treatments for it. There are some studies that point to inflammation as either a cause or result of headache disorders; therefore, it is natural that we should explore the possibility of inflammation reducing factors when considering treatment options. The factor being explored in this review is magnesium supplementation, which has been shown to reduce inflammation by decreasing the amount of calcitonin-gene-related-peptide (CGRP) in circulation. There is a clear link between migraine …

Heroes Of Medicine In The Rio Grande Valley: Documentary Interview With Dr. Nelson Mata, Nelson Mata, Aidan Mata

Heroes of Medicine in the Rio Grande Valley

Dr. Nelson Mata is a physician who has conducted his practice of internal medicine for 32 years. He has always been fascinated by biology, and when he was only 10 years old, he asked for a microscope for Christmas. Raised in a family of three physicians, he got to see firsthand what it means to help others. Originally living in Dominican Republic where he studied medicine, he went to fulfill his residency program in New York. Later, he began his practice here in the Rio Grande Valley where doctors who could speak Spanish were needed. He saw it as an …

Heroes Of Medicine In The Rio Grande Valley: Documentary Interview With Dr. Cynthia Cavazos Gonzalez, Cynthia Cavazos Gonzalez, Raquel Elena Orellana

Heroes of Medicine in the Rio Grande Valley

Cynthia Cavazos Gonzalez PhD is an Associate Professor of Clinical Practice at UTRGV in Edinburg, Texas and she is the clinic director of the UTRGV Psychology training clinic. She completed a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology in Fresno, California. Her doctoral degree is in Clinical Psychology with a major specialization in Neuropsychology and minor specialization in Health Psychology. She completed an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at UTMB in Galveston with a major emphasis in hospital consultation, outpatient psychotherapy, and psychological and neuropsychological evaluations with diverse populations. She completed an informal neuropsychology post-doctoral residency in Texas …

All-Cause And Cause-Specific Mortality In Patients With Bipolar Ii Disorder, Chih-Wei Hsu, Yang-Chieh Brian Chen, Edward Chia-Cheng Lai, Andrew A Nierenberg, Michael Berk, Sheng-Yu Lee, Liang-Jen Wang, Mu-Hong Chen, Yao-Hsu Yang, Chih-Sung Liang, Andre F Carvalho

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Importance: Whether bipolar II disorder (BD-II) is associated with increased long-term mortality remains uncertain because most studies have not distinguished BD-II from bipolar I disorder (BD-I).

Objective: To examine whether BD-II is associated with elevated all-cause and cause-specific mortality compared with population controls, unaffected siblings, and those with BD-I.

Design, setting, and participants: This population-based, retrospective cohort study used data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2022. Individuals 12 years or older with 2 or more psychiatrist-assigned BD-II diagnoses were individually matched to 4 controls without BD-II by sex and birthdate. Additional comparisons …

Diagnosing Dementia In The Dental Office, Stuart Segelnick Dds, Ms

The New York State Dental Journal

What to do when you no longer recognize the patient you’ve treated for years.

N Y State Dent J April 2026

The New York State Dental Journal

In the April 2026 issue, the reader will find the following feature articles:

• Resolution of Severe Lateral Open Bite with Surgically Enhanced Orthodontic and Myofunctional Therapies
• Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure: A Review
• Restoration of Dental Implants with Screw-Retained Crowns

This issue includes regular columns with regional news impacting the New York membership including editorial and perspectives columns, legal, association activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

Cryoablation As A Treatment Option For Early-Stage Primary Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer And Lung Metastases: A Narrative Review Of Recent Literature, Eshwar Karupakula, Clara Nemr, Justin Chen, Ashwin Hampole

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Cryoablation has emerged as a promising treatment option for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and lung metastases. This narrative review examines recent literature on cryoablation's efficacy, safety, and outcomes in treating lung tumors. The review analyzes data from multiple clinical trials and observational studies, focusing on local tumor control rates, overall survival, and complications. Results indicate that cryoablation achieves high local tumor control rates, ranging from 85% to 97% at one year, for both primary NSCLC and pulmonary metastases. Overall survival rates are comparable to surgical resection, with one-year rates up to 97.7% reported in some studies. Cryoablation offers …

Thank You To Our 2025 Peer Reviewers, Advocate Aurora Research Institute

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

We are deeply grateful for our diverse pool of academic and clinical reviewers at the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews (JPCRR). When called upon, the experts listed below stepped up and generously volunteered their time to review and rigorously gatekeep our original manuscript submissions. These devoted reviewers are an invaluable part of JPCRR and greatly help us maintain the high quality of our articles and achieve our goal of advancing patient-centered practices, health outcomes, and patient experiences.

Global Trends In Bioterrorism And Biosecurity Research Publications (1997–2025): A Scopus Bibliometric Analysis, Festus Mulakoli, Samuel Gesaka, John Mbataru

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: Bioterrorism and biosecurity preparedness are critical pillars of global public health protection and resilience of health systems worldwide. Although this field has grown over the past few decades, there remains limited clarity on how research efforts have evolved and where critical gaps persist, particularly regarding global collaboration and emerging biological threats. To address this, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to map publication trends, influential contributors, and collaboration networks in bioterrorism and biosecurity from 1997 to 2025. This study analyzed global research output, collaboration, and thematic evolution in bioterrorism and biosecurity and identified gaps relevant to preparedness and policy. …

Developing A Pediatric Pain Curriculum For Pediatric Anesthesia Fellows In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Delphi Study, Anisa Bhettay, Rebecca Gray, Romy Parker, Nikki Allorto, Abigail Amponsah, Brian Anderson, Lillian Baranzila, Charles Carapinha, Susan Carolus, O' Brien Kyololo

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background Comprehensive pain management in children requires a specialized skillset, with a limited number of clinicians possessing the level of expertise required to successfully navigate the complexities of holistic care. The emergence of pediatric anesthesia fellowship programs in sub-Saharan Africa presents an opportunity to embed a pediatric pain curriculum for trainees, improving the availability of specialist skill and knowledge in the field. Existing pain curricula fall short in addressing the sociocultural aspects of pediatric pain identified through research as being unique to the African context, and do not include elements of leadership and advocacy training required to navigate the complexities …

A Qualitative Socioecological Exploration Of Community Health Promoters’ Barriers And Facilitators In Cardiovascular Disease Prevention In Kenya, Emily Muchina, Maureen Akolo, Rose Maina

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a growing public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries, where there is an upsurge of risk factors. Community health promoters (CHPs) have the potential to play a crucial role in CVD prevention and care to underserved communities in Kenya. However, there are limited studies on their experiences, which are likely shaped by multilevel barriers and facilitators across the individual CHP, the community, relationships with primary health systems, and societal-level policies and structures. This study explored the barriers and facilitators shaping CHPs’ experiences in mitigating CVD in Kenya.

Methods:

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted …

Implementing And Evaluating A Mental Health Education And Mindfulness Program For Police Officers, Patricia Lynn Young

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background: Police officers are routinely exposed to occupational stress and trauma, contributing to an increased risk of anxiety, depression, substance misuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Targeted mental health interventions are needed to proactively address their mental health. Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project implemented and evaluated a mental health education and mindfulness program designed to reduce operational stress and increase knowledge and use of departmental mental health resources and mindfulness techniques among police officers. Methods: A pre–post intervention design was used over a 10-week period. Participants (n = 14) completed the Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-Op) and …

Evaluation Of The Prevention And Management Of Assaultive Behaviors (Pmab) Training For Outpatient Ambulatory Care Staff, Michaela Bowles

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) disproportionately affects healthcare workers and harms both staff well-being and the healthcare organization. Despite growing attention to WPV prevention, effective solutions remain limited. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the Prevention and Management of Assaultive Behaviors (PMAB) training in an outpatient ambulatory care setting and to assess staff’s confidence and ability to respond to escalating situations. Methods: A pre/post observational survey using Likert-scale, multiple choice, yes/no questions and narrative responses measured confidence before, immediately after, and 3 to 12 months following PMAB training. A retrospective review of WPV incident reports three months before and …

Mindbodystrong: A Pilot To Address Nursing Burnout & To Promote Wellness, Leilah Hunt

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background: Nursing burnout rates have increased significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic, not only within the United States but throughout the world. As burnout is multifaceted in nature, identifying and addressing the root cause of burnout has been challenging. One approach to remedy burnout effects is by enhancing wellness through daily practice of healthy habits. Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to pilot and evaluate the effects of the MINDBODYSTRONG Cognitive Behavioral Skills Building Program on self-rated anxiety, stress, depressive symptoms, and burnout symptoms in a sample population of nurses at a large psychiatric hospital. This program has …

Measuring Provider Confidence In Using Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics In Hospitalized Adults With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Rachel Mccluskey

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background: Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are severely disabling conditions requiring ongoing pharmacological management. Rates of medication nonadherence among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorder are high and strong evidence exists for the benefits of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAI) over oral antipsychotics. Despite this, only 10% of patients in Washington State with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are administered longacting injectable antipsychotics. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to measure change in provider’s confidence in prescribing LAI for hospitalized patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders following one-on-one motivational information (MI) style informational/discussion sessions coupled with a prescribing reference. Methods: This quality improvement project surveyed provider’s …

Blink & Beat: Pupillometry Response In Autonomic Nervous System Monitoring, Ximena Castillo

2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects

In the neuroscience intensive care unit (NSICU), nurses rely on advanced monitoring tools to detect neurological deterioration. Two noninvasive measures, heart rate variability (HRV) and pupillary light reflex (PLR), are used to assess autonomic nervous system function; however, it remains unclear whether these indicators provide overlapping or distinct information. The purpose of this observational prospective study is to evaluate the relationship between HRV and quantitative pupillometry measurements to determine whether these noninvasive indicators provide congruent information. Data already collected as routine care from NSICU patients is extracted from the medical record for analysis. Understanding the correlation between HRV and PLR …

Assessing The Association Between Musculoskeletal Injury And Mental Health In Rugby Players-A Cross-Sectional Study, Mordicai Atinga, Jasmit Shah, Sarah Karanja, Mark Lumbasi, Miriam Ndungu, Sarah Kiburi, James Ondiege, Njalalle Baraza

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries are common among athletes and can negatively affect both physical and psychological wellbeing. Beyond physical disability, injuries have been linked to poor mental health, loss of athletic identity, and increased substance use. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where awareness and management of mental health remain limited, the psychological burden of sports injuries may be underrecognized. Rugby, a physically demanding contact sport, has one of the highest rates of injury, but little is known about how such injuries influence mental health and related outcomes in African contexts. This study explored the relationship between musculoskeletal injuries and health …