Digital Commons Network^™

Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment Of Pain In Older Adults Undergoing Auricular Point Acupressure For Chronic Low Back Pain: Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Nada Lukkahatai, Chitchanok Benjasirisan, Xinran Huang, Hulin Wu, Jennifer Kawi, Jingyu Zhang, Claudia M Campbell, Constance M Johnson, Paul J Christo, Johannes Thrul

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a prevalent and disabling condition in older adults. Auricular point acupressure (APA), a nonpharmacologic intervention, has shown promise in managing cLBP. However, its impact on daily symptom fluctuations remains unclear. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), which collects real-time data, offers a method to capture these fluctuations.

Objective: This secondary analysis evaluated the effects of APA on EMA-reported pain intensity and pain interference among older adults with cLBP and examined associations among APA practice patterns, recall-based assessments, and EMA engagement.

Methods: Data were drawn from a published 3-arm randomized controlled trial of 272 adults aged …

Educational Implications Of Vestibular And Oculomotor Impairments In School Aged Children, Ellie Davenport

Graduate Teacher Education

This paper examined how vestibular and oculomotor dysfunction contributed to learning difficulties in children in grades K-12. This topic was selected due to both the association between physiological function and better academic performance and the researcher's personal interest in sport-based vestibular training as a possible intervention for children. Research sought to identify patterns among students with poor physiological function and to examine the outcomes of interventions targeting the vestibular and oculomotor systems. Understanding the implications of impaired physiological function is critical, as every day at school, children are expected to read, write, track information, and stay attentive, all skills that …

Characteristics Of Young Children Hospitalized With Acute Respiratory Failure From Infection With Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Sars-Cov-2, Or Both, November 2023-March 2024., Regina M. Simeone, Margaret M. Newhams, Laura D. Zambrano, Jemima M. Calixte, Katherine Lindsey, Amber Orzel-Lockwood, Amanda B. Payne, Natasha B. Halasa, Satoshi Kamidani, Aline B. Maddux, Kathleen Chiotos, Hillary Crandall, Jennifer E. Schuster, Danielle M. Zerr, Lora M. Martin, Melissa A. Cameron, Katherine Irby, Shira J. Gertz, Steven L. Shein, Ryan A. Nofziger, Samina S. Bhumbra, Janet R. Hume, Michele Kong, Mia Maamari, Bria M. Coates, Judith A. Guzman-Cottrill, Mary Allen Staat, Thomas J. Connors, Matt S. Zinter, Jigar C. Chauhan, Tamara T. Bradford, Kari Wellnitz, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2 can cause acute respiratory failure in children. We compared characteristics and outcomes of children aged < 2 years with respiratory failure from infection with RSV, SARS-CoV-2, or both viruses.

METHODS: We used data from a US pediatric respiratory virus hospitalization surveillance network including children with ICU admission for acute respiratory failure (receiving high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation) with RSV and/or SARS-CoV-2 during November 2023-March 2024. Demographic, clinical characteristics, and hospitalization outcomes were stratified by a positive test for RSV, SARS-CoV-2, or both viruses, and compared using chi-squared or Kruskal-Wallis tests. Multivariable analyses assessed independent associations between outcomes and infection.

RESULTS: Overall, 1406 children were included: 1253 (89.1%) …

Epigenetic Activation Of Ebv Bglf4 Determines Antiviral-Based Regimen Response In Ebv+Cns Lymphoproliferative Disease, Christoph Weigel, Haley Klimaszewski, Fode Tounkara, Selamawit Addissie, Sarah Schlotter, Betsy Pray, James Dugan, Bradley Haverkos, Lynda Villagomez, Mark Lustberg, Pierluigi Porcu, Timothy Voorhees, Richard Ambinder, Shannon Kenney, Joyce Fingeroth, Henri-Jacques Delecluse, Michael Caligiuri, Lapo Alinari, Ginny Bumgardner, Christopher Oakes, Robert Baiocchi

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–associated primary central nervous system lymphoproliferative diseases (EBV+PCNSL) are aggressive conditions with poor prognoses. We previously reported durable responses in patients with PCNSL who were treated with the antivirals ganciclovir and azidothymidine, plus rituximab and dexamethasone (GARD). Responses were associated with the detection of the lytic viral protein kinases, BGLF4 and BXLF1. These antiviral activating kinases are associated with lytic EBV, however, the mechanism for expression in latently infected EBV+CNSL is unknown. Expanding on previous work, we provide long-term clinical outcome data (N = 24) and show that RNA expression analysis in CNSL tissue biopsies (n = 12) …

There’S No “I” In Team: Sustaining Interprofessional Education, Molly Scarlato Dnp, Rn, Kristina J. Rosario Bsn, Rn, Kortney Welles Msn, Rn, Cmsrn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Sickle Cell Visualization In Vivo In Humans: Microvascular Occlusion Formation And Hemorheological Indices, Marisa M Morakis, Luojie Huang, Gregory N. Mckay, Sophie Lanzkron, Lydia H. Pecker, Nicholas J. Durr

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Vaso-occlusion is a signature pathology of sickle cell disease (SCD). However, the lack of in vivo methods to observe individual blood cell dynamics in humans limits our understanding of occlusion formation mechanisms. We present a novel in vivo, noninvasive, label-free, and high-resolution imaging technique to study blood flow and sickled cell behavior in affected individuals. We used oblique back-illumination microscopy (OBM) to capture videos of 91.0 ± 42.3 sublingual capillaries in each of 10 participants with SCD before and after red cell transfusions and compared the measurements to 10 unaffected controls. With direct observation of blood cell activity, we identified …

Process Perspectives On Lung Cancer Screening In Primary Care: A Qualitative Study Of Providers And Staff In An Urban U.S. Healthcare System, Tina Duong Nguyen, Elochukwu Ezenwankwo, Lem Phan, Melissa Dicarlo, Amanda Indictor, Ronald Myers, Jan M Eberth

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The limited integration of important aspects of lung cancer screening (LCS) into routine primary care practice has contributed to suboptimal LCS rates nationwide. We aimed to shed light on the pathways that facilitate LCS referral/order and completion in primary care patients, focusing on the screening workflows and processes.

METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 providers and staff members at Jefferson Health, an urban U.S. health system that employs a hybrid approach to LCS. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS: We identified eight themes related to care coordination and systemic challenges in LCS processes in primary care. While …

Medial Pulvinar Nucleus As A Causal Hub For Heteromodal Naming, Oscar Woolnough, Tessy Thomas, Kathryn M Snyder, Ellery Wheeler, Jay Gavvala, Nitin Tandon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Our ability to retrieve the names of objects in our environment is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. This process requires a complex, dynamic network of cortical and subcortical interactions. While the cortical constituents of this network have been extensively studied with intracranial recordings, the subcortical nodes of the naming network are unclear. We probed the role of the left medial pulvinar nucleus in naming with direct intracranial recordings and stimulation in eight humans (three male, five female) as they named objects using pictures and auditory and written descriptions. We found a spectrotemporal signature of naming in the left medial …

Childhood Maltreatment And Deviations From Normative Brain Structure: A Mega-Analysis Of 3,711 Individuals From The Enigma Mdd And Enigma Ptsd Working Groups, Haley R Wang, Zhen-Qi Liu, Elena Pozzi, Ahmed Hussain, Priyanka Sigar, Chadi Abdallah, Nina Alexander, Justin Baker, Jochen Bauer, Jennifer Urbano Blackford, Josh Cisler, Colm G Connolly, Andrew Cotton, Judith Daniels, Udo Dannlowski, Maria Densmore, Terri Deroon-Cassini, Danai Dima, Stefan Du Plessis, Amit Etkin, Negar Fani, Lukas Fisch, Jacklynn Fitzgerald, Thomas Frodl, Cynthia H Y Fu, Ali Saffet Gonul, Evan M Gordon, Ian Gotlib, Roberto Goya-Maldonado, Nynke A Groenewold, Dominik Grotegerd, Tim Hahn, J Paul Hamilton, Laura Han, Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, Courtney C Haswell, Ryan Herringa, Julia Herzog, Jonathan Ipser, Neda Jahanshad, Tanja Jovanovic, Milissa Kaufman, Tilo Kircher, Maximilian Konowski, Sheri-Michelle Koopowitz, Axel Krug, John Krystal, Ruth Lanius, Christine Larson, Amit Lazarov, Lauren Lebois, Elisabeth Leehr, Ifat Levy, Meng Li, Antje Manthey, Adi Maron-Katz, Andrew Mcintosh, Katie Mclaughlin, Susanne Meinert, Benson Mwangi, Steven M Nelson, Igor Nenadić, Yuval Neria, Richard Neufeld, Amar Ojha, Bunmi Olatunji, Elizabeth A Olson, Nils Opel, Matthew Peverill, Kerry Ressler, Marisa Ross, Isabelle Rosso, Matthew Sacchet, Kelly Sambrook, Christian Schmahl, Soraya Seedat, Martha E Shenton, Maurizio Sicorello, Anika Sierk, Jair C Soares, Dan J Stein, Frederike Stein, Murray B Stein, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Jean Théberge, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Carissa Tomas, Paula Usemann, Leigh L Van Den Heuvel, Sanne Van Rooij, Henrik Walter, Martin Walter, Xin Wang, Heather Whalley, Nils R Winter, Mon-Ju Wu, Hong Xie, Tony Yang, Xi Zhu, Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Giovana B Zunta-Soares, Sophia Frangou, Paul M Thompson, Lauren Salminen, Delin Sun, Rajendra Morey, Jennifer S Stevens, Lianne Schmaal, Tiffany C Ho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Childhood maltreatment (CM), encompassing abuse and neglect, is highly prevalent and associated with elevated risk for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other related conditions. The extent to which neuroanatomical alterations in MDD and PTSD are attributable to CM, however, is uncertain.

Methods: Here, we analyzed CM and whole-brain MRI data from 3,711 participants in the ENIGMA MDD and PTSD Working Groups (25 sites; 33.3±13.0 years; 59.9% female). Normative modeling estimated deviation z-scores for 14 subcortical volumes (SV), 68 cortical thickness (CT), and 68 surface area (SA) measures. To identify transdiagnostic effects, associations between CM and …

Prevalence, Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Tungiasis In The Kilifi Health And Demographic Surveillance System (Khdss) In Kenya, Nelson Ouma, Samuel K. Muchiri, Christopher Nyundo, David Walumbe, Amek Nyaguara, Marta Maia, Ifedayo Adetifa, Benedict Orindi, Phillip Bejon, Ulrike Fillinger, Lynne Elson

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

INTRODUCTION: Tungiasis is a highly neglected tropical disease of the skin caused by an embedded female sand flea affecting the most resource-poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and South America. The global disease burden is unknown and systematic, fine-resolution spatial data on prevalence and environmental and ecological risk factors are rare. METHODS: We leveraged the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System of 90 257 households and asked whether they had a case of tungiasis in the household at interview during three survey rounds of routine surveys, undertaken between May 2021 and May 2022. Precise geospatial data to locate households …

A Pocket Manual For Human Papillomavirus Vaccines, Natalie A Voss, J Brooks Jackson, Mary B Rysavy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and is responsible for the majority of cervical, anal, and vaginal cancers. The first prophylactic HPV vaccine was introduced in the United States in 2006. Extensive evidence demonstrates the HPV vaccine is highly efficacious and effective, particularly when administered prior to HPV exposure. Despite strong safety data and proven cost-effectiveness, HPV vaccine uptake in the United States and globally remains suboptimal. Barriers to vaccination include limited knowledge, safety concerns, and logistical challenges. Current advancements focus on single-dose vaccine regimens, development of therapeutic vaccines, and higher-valent formulations. Expanding HPV vaccine …

Beat-Bk: An Adaptive, Randomized Controlled Trial To Treat Polyomavirus Infections (Bkpyv) In Kidney And Kidney-Pancreas Transplantation Recipients (Beat-Bk) Study Protocol, Ryan Gately, Michael Dymock, Dharshana Sabanayagam, Scott B. Campbell, Jonathan C. Craig, Vikas Dharnidharka, Anna Francis, Jonathan M. Gleadle, Martin Hajek, Sana Hamilton, Martin Howell, Nicole Isbel, Allison Jaure, David W. Johnson, John Kanellis, Karen Keung, Siah Kim, Jen Kok, Dirk R. Kuypers, Nicholas Larkins, Wai H. Lim, Rahul Mainra, Julie A. Marsh, Gabor Mihala, Brian Nankivell, Samantha Ng

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background. – BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a common opportunistic infection in kidney transplant recipients, typically reactivating in the context of immunosuppression. Although asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, reactivation in transplant recipients can cause BKPyV-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN), a leading cause of graft dysfunction and loss. BKPyV viremia affects approximately 10%–15% of transplant recipients, and once BKPyVAN is established, the risk of graft failure can exceed 50%. The current standard of care involves immunosuppression reduction to restore virus-specific immunity, but this approach increases the risk of acute and chronic rejection. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), which contains antiviral and immunomodulatory antibodies, has been proposed as …

Characteristics And Incidence Of Gastric Cancer Among Patients With Autoimmune And Non-Autoimmune Atrophic Gastritis In A U.S. Population, Mimi C Tan, Kadon N Caskey, Irene Jeong-Ah Lee, Yan Liu, Juan Gomez Cifuentes, Shilpa Jain, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a risk factor for gastric neuroendocrine tumor (NET). We compared risk factors between AIG cases, non-autoimmune atrophic gastritis (NAIG) cases, and normal controls and determined the incidence of gastric malignancy, including adenocarcinoma and NET.

Methods: We included patients who underwent endoscopy with gastric biopsy between 3/2006 and 9/2021 in Harris Health (Houston, Texas). We identified AIG cases, NAIG cases (gastric atrophy or intestinal metaplasia [GIM] without autoimmune features), and normal controls (without AIG, NIAG, and GIM). A GI pathologist confirmed AIG diagnosis on histopathology report or slide. We determined risk factors of AIG compared to …

Modulating Alternative Splicing Of Mecp2 Is A Potential Therapeutic Strategy For Rett Syndrome, Harini P Tirumala, Li Wang, Yan Li, Sameer S Bajikar, Ashley G Anderson, Wei Wang, Alexander J Trostle, Mahla Zahabiyon, Aleksandar Bajic, Jean J Kim, Hu Chen, Zhandong Liu, Huda Y Zoghbi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurological disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2), a transcriptional regulator essential for maintenance of normal neuronal function. The current FDA-approved treatment for RTT, Trofinetide, mildly alleviates some symptoms. In contrast, re-introducing MeCP2 or increasing its amount through transgenesis in mouse RTT models improves most neurological phenotypes and enhances survival. Here, we devised a therapeutic strategy to moderately increase MeCP2 protein by modulating the alternative splicing of MECP2 to switch the less efficiently translated e2 to the more efficiently translated e1 isoform. We deleted Mecp2 exon 2 (unique …

Longitudinal Profiling Of Tumor And Immune Compartments Uncovers Patterns Of Dysregulation And Associations With Response In Multiple Myeloma, Denis J Ohlstrom, Reyka G Jayasinghe, Yizhe Song, Ravi Vij, Li Ding, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: Multiple myeloma is a malignancy of clonally expanded plasma cells shaped by complex interactions with the immune microenvironment (IME). To investigate immune correlates of treatment response and disease progression, we conducted multi-omics profiling including CD138neg single-cell RNA sequencing of 243 bone marrow samples from 102 patients (631,226 cells) and CD138pos bulk RNA and whole-genome sequencing from 209 samples. In longitudinal analyses, interferon-γ signaling associated with markers of impaired T-cell memory after autologous stem cell transplant, whereas naïve B-cell abundance and immunoglobulin diversity correlated with improved progression-free survival (HR = 0.48; P = 2.3e-4). At disease progression, multiple myeloma cells …

An Acetylation-Dependent Switch Underlies Host Disease Tolerance During Streptococcal Infection, Sumit Kumar Paudel, Sowmya Gannavaram, Michael G Caparon, Wei Xu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Building on our finding that Streptococcus pyogenes pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) suppresses host disease tolerance (DT) via short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-mediated modulation of host acetyl-CoA and IL-10 levels, we characterize the global transcriptomic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying this immunometabolic manipulation. Combining new histological and ultrastructural analyses with an in-depth re-analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-seq datasets to more comprehensively characterize the DT response, we show that PDH deficiency is associated with broad immunologic rewiring, characterized by intracellular bacterial containment within phagocytes, expansion of pro-resolving myeloid cells, and altered cell-cell communication. Metabolic analysis of ΔPdh-infected tissues revealed a shift away from acetyl-CoA …

Decreased Metallothionein-3 Expression In The Human Spinal Cord Is A Common Feature Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis And Multiple Sclerosis, Adam P Gunn, James B W Hilton, Soumya Mukherjee, Jeffrey R Liddell, Stephen W Mercer, Catriona A Mclean, Colin L Masters, Peter J Crouch, Blaine R Roberts

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are devastating adult-onset neurological diseases with distinct pathological manifestations. Although growing evidence implicates copper dysregulation in both diseases, our understanding of this connection remains incomplete. In this study, we investigated metallothionein-3 (MT3), which is a key regulator of copper metabolism in the central nervous system (CNS), and its relationship to copper in the ALS and MS spinal cord. Using combined quantitative mass spectrometry approaches and immunohistochemical observations, we found a significant decrease in ALS and MS spinal cord MT3 levels compared to controls. This was correlated with levels of copper and MT3-copper …

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists And Risk Of Substance Use Disorders Among Us Veterans With Type 2 Diabetes: Cohort Study, Miao Cai, Taeyoung Choi, Yan Xie, Ziyad Al-Aly

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether initiation of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists is associated with both reduced risks of incident alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, opioid, and other substance use disorders (SUDs) in people with no history of SUDs (protocol 1) and with reduced risk of SUD related adverse clinical outcomes among people with a pre-existing SUD (protocol 2).

DESIGN: Emulation of eight parallel, new user, active comparator target trials using electronic health records: seven trials for each incident SUD outcome (protocol 1) and one trial for adverse outcomes in people with pre-existing SUD (protocol 2).

SETTING: US Department of Veterans Affairs. …

Sodium Content Of Packaged Foods And Beverages In Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study With Who Global Sodium Benchmarks, Kenya, And South Africa, Adedayo E Ojo, Alexandra Jones, Kylie Howes, Vanessa Alfa, Anthony Orji, Oluwafemi A Stephen, Carla Pool, Alex Kibet, Fraser Taylor, Diederick E Grobbee, Bruce Neal, Mark D Huffman, Dike B Ojji, Sanne A E Peters

2020-Current year OA Pubs

High intake of processed foods, especially those with high sodium content, is a contributor to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to compare the sodium content of packaged foods and beverages in Nigeria to WHO Global Sodium Benchmarks and similar products in Kenya and South Africa. The study examined packaged foods from major retail stores in the capital cities of the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, and Ogun states in Nigeria from November 2020 to March 2021. Benchmark values were based on the 2021 WHO Global Sodium Benchmarks. We used secondary data from packaged food surveys conducted in South Africa …

A Neural Circuit Framework For Economic Choice: From Building Blocks Of Valuation To Compositionality In Multitasking, Aldo Battista, Camillo Padoa-Schioppa, Xiao-Jing Wang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Value-guided decisions are a cornerstone of cognition, yet the underlying circuit-level mechanisms remain elusive. We used reinforcement learning to train recurrent neural network models endowed with Dale's law on a battery of economic choice tasks, which revealed a two-stage computational framework. First, value estimation occurs at the input level, where learned weights store subjective preferences and approximate the non-linear multiplication of reward magnitude and probability to yield expected values. This feedforward mechanism enables generalization to novel choice options. Second, option values are compared within the recurrent network, where specific connectivity patterns mediate robust winner-take-all decisions, with both excitatory and inhibitory …

Shared Steps To Independence: Qualitative Exploration Of A 4:1 Collaborative Pediatric Clinical Education Model, Kathryn E. Sawyer, Megan B. Flores, Elizabeth M. Ardolino

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: As demand for pediatric clinical placements increases, innovative supervision models are needed to expand capacity while supporting student learning. Grounded in situated learning and Communities of Practice theory, a 4:1 collaborative clinical education model was designed with four students to one clinical instructor (CI). This study explored how participation in this 4:1 collaborative pediatric clinical education model influenced physical therapy students’ learning, professional identity development, and clinical practice. Method: A qualitative study using a social constructivist paradigm was conducted. Nine Doctor of Physical Therapy students who completed a 4:1 collaborative pediatric clinical placement participated in semi-structured interviews immediately following …

Impressions Of An Electrolyte Beverage Among Individuals Participating In Collegiate Sports, S. Andrew Cage, Alexander P. Jacobsen, Jessie Gibson, Eric Bobel, Rebecca Peebles, Derek Lege, M.Ed., Cscs

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to describe the appeal of an electrolyte hydration beverage for individuals participating in collegiate athletics. A secondary purpose of this project was to describe the acute impact of the examined beverage on the gastrointestinal tract. Methods: A total 100 individuals participating in collegiate athletics were enrolled in this study (age = 21 ± 2 years, Male = 51, Female = 49). Each participant was provided a packet of electrolyte drink mix (EverLyte^® sticks, Kent Precision Foods Group, Inc., Muscatine, IA). Participants were instructed to combine the drink mix with a bottle of …

Cultural Competence In Patient Care Coordination: Access To Care, Ryan Persaud

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This paper examines cultural competence in pharmacy patient care coordination, specifically focusing on access barriers faced by diverse patient populations and evidence-based interventions to address these challenges. Methods: A comprehensive literature review examined access barriers for Native American, African American, Asian American, and Hispanic American patient populations in pharmacy settings, identifying culturally competent interventions for their effectiveness in improving medication access. Results: Each population faces distinct barriers including geographic isolation for Native Americans, economic and transportation challenges for African Americans, language and cultural navigation issues for Asian Americans, and immigration-related concerns for Hispanic Americans. Effective interventions include telepharmacy services, …

Impact Of Physiotherapy Interventions On Pain, 6-Minute Walk Test, Civiq-20 Scores, And Edema In Patients With Varicose Veins: A Literature Review, Ganesh B.R, Aditi Avinash Samudre

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: As a result of chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins develop in almost 30% of the adult population across the globe. It causes myriad symptoms like fatigue in legs, pain, swelling, and alteration in skin texture. Conservative physiotherapy interventions—Buerger’s exercise and Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)—aim to improve venous and lymphatic return. Objective: To compare the effects of Buerger’s exercise versus MLD on limb volume, venous hemodynamics, symptom relief, and quality of life in varicose vein patients. Approach: A systematic search was carried out from February 2020 until the date this study was completed in June 2020 on PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, …

Effects Of Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Stress And Anxiety In Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students: A Prospective Cohort Design, Kelli J. Brizzolara, Kathy Shirley

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The demanding nature of physical therapist (PT) education often leads students to experience very high stress levels, which can negatively impact both their academic performance and overall wellbeing. Mindfulness-based intervention programs have been used to decrease stress and anxiety in the general population. However, there is limited evidence of their use with Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a brief mindfulness-based intervention on stress and anxiety in DPT students. Methods: Thirty-seven DPT students completed an 8-week mindfulness program, including daily individual mindfulness sessions (10 minutes) and …

Assessing The Feasibility Of A Virtual Objective Structured Clinical Examination For Medical Education: A Mixed-Methods Study Involving Students And Educators, Jacqueline Segovia, Alejandra Quiroz, Francisco J. Villalon Lopez, Valentina Marican, Marcia Maldonado, Ivonne Moreno, Robinson Torres, Camila Peralta, Ingrid Puchi

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted clinical training and accelerated the adaptation of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination to virtual formats (vOSCEs). Evidence on the feasibility of vOSCEs in undergraduate education remains limited in Latin America. Methods: A quasi-experimental mixed-methods study was conducted with fifth-year medical students at a Chilean university in 2021. Feasibility was assessed using Bowen’s framework—acceptability, implementation, integration, limited-efficacy testing, and adaptation—through online questionnaires and role-segmented focus groups. Two vOSCE iterations combined dynamic stations with simulated patients and static “mailbox” tasks delivered via Zoom and CANVAS. After the first iteration, modifications included a single Zoom session with breakout …

Prevalence And Determinants Of Perceived Stress Among Undergraduate Respiratory Therapy Students In Saudi Arabia, Abdulmajeed A. Baogbah, Ralph D. Zimmerman, Laryssa D. Frederick, Corinne M. Hathaway

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Stress is a common phenomenon among health sciences students, severely impacting students in different ways. Similar to other students, undergraduate Respiratory Therapy (RT) students are at a high risk of stress exposure that may harm their well-being. To enhance students’ well-being, it is essential to examine the prevalence and determinants of perceived stress among undergraduate RT students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the academic year (2023-2024) to explore the prevalence and determinants of perceived stress. Data was collected through an anonymous self-administered survey consisting of 46 questions, including demographics, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), and sources of …

Telerehabilitation Program In Rural South India: A Mixed-Method Analysis Of The Shared-Decision Making Process, Sylvia Langlois, Caroline Eagles, Dinesh Krishna, Navamani Venkatachalapathy, Tim Bressmann, Franzina Coutinho

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Shared decision making (SDM) in health care teams involves partnering with the patient and family to consider treatment options, prioritizing their values and preferences while collaboratively determining the best care plan. Previous research on SDM in rural South India has only focused on adult populations receiving in-person care. This study aimed to understand parent perception of the SDM approach implemented in telerehabilitation services offered by Amar Seva Sangam Ayikudy to children with disabilities in a rural Southern Indian setting. Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was utilized. Quantitative data was collected from 187 participants using a SDM measure …

Performance Characteristics Of National Club Baseball Association Athletes Completing In-Season Elastic Resistance Training, Scott K. Harnden, Dawson M. Maxlow, Gena D. Guerin, Merrick A. Lincoln

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess in-season physical performance metrics of National Club Baseball Association Athletes (NCBA) baseball players before and after a 6-week field-based elastic tubing resistance training intervention. Performance metrics included throwing velocity, isometric shoulder rotation strength, dynamic stability, muscular endurance, and range of motion (ROM). Method: A cohort of adult male NCBA athletes (n=13; 20.1±1.1years; 171.4±24.1cm; 77.0±10.5kg; all right hand dominant) enrolled in the 6-week biweekly intervention of seven upper extremity exercises. All exercises were completed with wrist-affixed elastic tubing prior to sport practices. Pre- and post-intervention testing included throwing velocity measured via pocket …

The Effectiveness Of Virtual Reality And Augmented Reality-Based Simulation On Healthcare Students' Learning-A Review Of The Literature, Matthew Mills

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Simulation is increasingly used to supplement authentic clinical experiences in preparation for future healthcare students. However, the most realistic simulation experiences are frequently costly, time-intensive, and difficult to scale, especially for programs with budgetary restrictions. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have been proposed as easily scalable tools to provide students with a realistic simulated environment. However, as technology is rapidly evolving, there is a need to understand the evidence surrounding VR and AR's impact on healthcare student learning to optimize the deployment of these technologies and justify the costs associated with implementation. Methods: A review of the …