Digital Commons Network^™

Gut Microbiota, Blood Metabolites, And Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction In Us Hispanics/Latinos, Kai Luo, Alkis Taryn, Eun-Hye Moon, Brandilyn A Peters, Scott D Solomon, Martha L Daviglus, Mayank M Kansal, Bharat Thyagarajan, Marc D Gellman, Jianwen Cai, Robert D Burk, Rob Knight, Robert C Kaplan, Susan Cheng, Carlos J Rodriguez, Qibin Qi, Bing Yu

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an important precursor of heart failure (HF), but little is known about its relationship with gut dysbiosis and microbial-related metabolites. By leveraging the multi-omics data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a study with population at high burden of LVDD, we aimed to characterize gut microbiota associated with LVDD and identify metabolite signatures of gut dysbiosis and incident LVDD.

RESULTS: We included up to 1996 Hispanic/Latino adults (mean age: 59.4 years; 67.1% female) with comprehensive echocardiography assessments, gut microbiome, and blood metabolome data. LVDD was defined through a composite criterion …

Travel-Time Disparities In Access To Proton Beam Therapy For Cancer Treatment, Todd Burus, Alexander Vanhelene, Michael Rooney, Krystle Lang Kuhs, W. Jay Christian, Christopher Mcnair, Sanjay Mishra, Arnold Paulino, Grace Smith, Steven Frank, Jeremy Warner

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Proton beam therapy is an emerging radiotherapy treatment for patients with cancer that may produce similar outcomes as traditional photon-based therapy for many cancers while delivering lower amounts of toxic radiation to surrounding tissue. Geographic proximity to a proton facility is a critical component of ensuring equitable access both for indicated diagnoses and ongoing clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the distribution of proton facilities in the US, quantify drive-time access for the population, and investigate the likelihood of long commutes for certain population subgroups.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cross-sectional study analyzed travel times to proton facilities in …

Expanding The Access To Kidney Transplantation: Strategies For Kidney Transplant Programs, Angie Nishio Lucar, Ankita Patel, Shikha Mehta, Anju Yadav, Mona Doshi, Megan Urbanski, Beatrice Concepcion, Neeraj Singh, M. Lee Sanders, Arpita Basu, Jessica Harding, Ana Rossi, Oluwafisayo Adebiyi, Milagros Samaniego-Picota, Kenneth Woodside, Ronald Parsons

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Kidney transplantation is the most successful kidney replacement therapy available, resulting in improved recipient survival and societal cost savings. Yet, nearly 70 years after the first successful kidney transplant, there are still numerous barriers and untapped opportunities that constrain the access to transplant. The literature describing these barriers is extensive, but the practices and processes to solve them are less clear. Solutions must be multidisciplinary and be the product of strong partnerships among patients, their networks, health care providers, and transplant programs. Transparency in the referral, evaluation, and listing process as well as organ selection are paramount to build such …

Use Of Medication Management Strategies To Increase Medication Compliance In Person’S Who Have Suffered A Stroke, Mason Pace, Rebecca King

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The provided research provides education to increased independence in person with stroke for the occupation of medication adherence. Various exercises and education provided in the research to increase independence in persons with stroke.

A Building Block Of Empathy: Establishing A Graphic Medicine Collection In An Academic Health Sciences Library., Jess King, Alison Bobal

Journal Articles: Leon S. McGoogan Health Sciences Library

To help address the well-being of the campus and contribute to empathy building amongst students pursuing careers as healthcare providers, an academic health sciences library built a graphic novel collection focused on comics that discuss medical conditions and health-related topics. The collection contains the experiences of patients, providers, and caregivers. The reader-friendly format of graphic novels provides an easy entry point for discussing empathy with health professions faculty and students. The collection has been used in the classroom during library instruction sessions, with the idea of integrating it within the curriculum.

Experiences Of Using The Mindset Self-Management Mobile Health App Among Hispanic Patients: Results Of A Qualitative Study, Refugio Sepulveda, Jenny Chong, Ross Shegog, Kimberly Martin, Charles Begley, Robert Addy, Omar Rosales, Tomas Nuño, Shiela Soto, Cecilia Rosales, David Labiner

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Interventions focusing on epilepsy self-management (ESM) are vital for promoting the health of people living with epilepsy. E-technology and mobile health (mHealth) tools are becoming increasingly integrated into practice to promote self-management strategies for chronic diseases, enhance care delivery, and reduce health disparities. Management Information and Decision Support Epilepsy Tool (MINDSET), a bilingual decision support tool (available in English and Spanish), was found to be both feasible and effective in facilitating goal-based ESM in the clinic.

PURPOSE: To assess the experience of using MINDSET as an ESM intervention among Hispanic patients with epilepsy to inform future interventional studies.

METHODS: …

Reaching The Unheard: Overcoming Challenges In Health Research With Hard-To-Reach Populations, Venera Bekteshi, Munjireen Sifat, Darla Kendzor

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Addressing obstacles such as logistical complexities, social stigma, and the impact of historical traumas is essential for the successful inclusion of underrepresented groups in health research.

METHODS: This article reviews engagement and interview techniques used to ethically engage recently settled Afghan refugees in Oklahoma and rural Mexican-born women in Illinois in research. The paper concludes with a reflective discussion on the challenges and lessons learned.

RESULTS: Creative strategies to engage hard-to-reach populations in research included considering the participants' socioeconomic and cultural contexts in their interactions and developing community partnerships to establish trust and obtain reliable data. Other engagement strategies …

Exploration Of Latina/Hispanic Women's Experiences Living With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Qualitative Study With Patients In Houston, Natalia I Heredia, Erika Mendoza Duque, Sylvia Ayieko, Amelia Averyt, Lorna H Mcneill, Jessica P Hwang, Maria E Fernandez

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVES: A deeper understanding of the lived experiences of Hispanic patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can help guide the development of behavioral programs that facilitate NAFLD management. This paper explores Hispanic women's experiences living with NAFLD.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: We collected brief sociodemographic questionnaires and conducted in-depth interviews with 12 low-income (all had household income ≤USD$55 000 per year) Hispanic women with NAFLD from the Houston area. Transcripts were audio-recorded and transcribed. We developed a coding scheme and used thematic analysis to identify emergent themes, supported by Atlas.ti.

RESULTS: Participants identified physicians as their main information source on …

Health Care Costs Among Patients With Hematologic Malignancies Receiving Allogeneic Transplants: A Us Payer Perspective, Richard Maziarz, Usama Gergis, Marie Louise Edwards, Yan Song, Qing Liu, Annika Anderson, James Signorovitch, Rocio Manghani, Ronit Simantov, Heayoung Shin, Smitha Sivaraman

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) require extensive care. Using the Merative MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database (2016 Q1-2020 Q2), we quantified the costs of care and assessed real-world complication rates among commercially insured US patients diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy and aged between 12 and 64 years undergoing inpatient allo-HCT. Health care resource use and costs were assessed from 100 days before HCT to 100 days after HCT. Primary hospitalization was defined as the time from HCT until first discharge date. Incidence of complications was assessed using medical billing codes from HCT date to …

Urban-Rural Differences In School Districts' Local Wellness Policies And Policy Implementation Environments, Swati Iyer, Timothy J Walker, Alexandra L Macmillan Uribe, Chad D Rethorst, Rebecca A Seguin-Fowler, Jacob Szeszulski

Journal Articles

Higher rates of obesity in rural compared to urban districts suggest environmental differences that affect student health. This study examined urban-rural differences in districts' local wellness policies (LWPs) and LWP implementation environments. Cross-sectional data from two assessments in Texas were analyzed. In assessment one, each district's LWP was reviewed to see if 16 goals were included. In assessment two, an audit was conducted to identify the presence of a wellness plan (a document with recommendations for implementing LWPs), triennial LWP assessment, and school health advisory councils (SHACs) on the district website. Rural districts' LWPs had a smaller number of total …

Close Contacts Of Xenograft Recipients: Ethical Considerations Due To Risk Of Xenozoonosis, Daniel J Hurst, Luz Padilla, Daniel Rodger, Tamar Schiff, David K C Cooper

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

With decades of pre-clinical studies culminating in the recent clinical application of xenotransplantation, it would appear timely to provide recommendations for operationalizing oversight of xenotransplantation clinical trials. Ethical issues with clinical xenotransplantation have been described for decades, largely centering on animal welfare, the risks posed to the recipient, and public health risks posed by potential spread of xenozoonosis. Much less attention has been given to considerations relating to potentially elevated risks faced by those who may care for or otherwise have close contact with xenograft recipients. This paper examines the ethical and logistical issues raised by the potential exposure to …

Can Artificial Intelligence Be Used As A Stepping Stone Towards Face-To-Face Therapy?, Zachary Salcido

University Honors Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in various fields, including mental health care and therapy. This study provides a comprehensive review of literature, gathered through Portland State University’s Online Library, on the potential of AI as a stepping stone towards face-to-face therapy. The study examines the historical development of AI in mental health, highlighting its development and advancements that have influenced its current implementations.

In addition to its direct applications in therapy, AI is also examined in the context of its role as a facilitator or “stepping stone” in the delivery of mental health care. AI-driven platforms …

Causal Influence Of Linguistic Learning On Perceptual And Conceptual Processing: A Brain-Constrained Deep Neural Network Study Of Proper Names And Category Terms., Phuc T U Nguyen, Malte R Henningsen-Schomers, Friedemann Pulvermüller

Journal Articles

Language influences cognitive and conceptual processing, but the mechanisms through which such causal effects are realized in the human brain remain unknown. Here, we use a brain-constrained deep neural network model of category formation and symbol learning and analyze the emergent model's internal mechanisms at the neural circuit level. In one set of simulations, the network was presented with similar patterns of neural activity indexing instances of objects and actions belonging to the same categories. Biologically realistic Hebbian learning led to the formation of instance-specific neurons distributed across multiple areas of the network, and, in addition, to cell assembly circuits …

An Increase In Food Insecurity Correlated With An Increase In Plasma Triglycerides Among Latinx Children., Keally Haushalter, Marissa Burgermaster, Erin Hudson, Matthew J Landry, Shreela V Sharma, Jaimie N Davis

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity and metabolic diseases both disproportionately affect Hispanic children. Cross-sectional studies have linked food insecurity with adverse cardiometabolic markers, including elevated plasma triglycerides and glucose concentrations. However, the association between changes in food insecurity and changes in cardiometabolic markers in children remains to be explored. Furthermore, few studies have assessed the impact of school-based nutrition interventions on household food insecurity.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study are to assess the effect of the TX Sprouts intervention on household food insecurity and to examine the association between changes in household food insecurity and changes in cardiometabolic markers over 1 …

Pilot Implementation Of A Nutrition-Focused Community-Health-Worker Intervention Among Formerly Chronically Homeless Adults In Permanent Supportive Housing, Jane E Hamilton, Diana C Guevara, Sara F Steinfeld, Raina Jose, Farrah Hmaidan, Sarah Simmons, Calvin W Wong, Clara Smith, Eva Thibaudeau-Graczyk, Shreela V Sharma

Journal Articles

Food insecurity is a known health equity threat for formerly chronically homeless populations even after they transition into permanent housing. This project utilized a human-centered design methodology to plan and implement a nutrition-focused community-health-worker (CHW) intervention in permanent supportive housing (PSH). The project aimed to increase access to healthy foods, improve nutritional literacy, healthy cooking/eating practices, and build community/social connectedness among 140 PSH residents. Validated food-security screening conducted by CHWs identified low or very low food security among 64% of 83 residents who completed the baseline survey, which is similar to rates found in a previous study among formerly homeless …

Patient Satisfaction Among Saudi Academic Hospitals: A Systematic Review, Ahmed Ali Alasiri, Saad A. Alotaibi, Eric Schussler

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Purpose: To systematically review the patient's satisfaction (PS) levels within academic hospitals in Saudi Arabia from January 2012 to the end of October 2022.

Data Sources: Articles were gathered from PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar and Web of Science.

Study selection/data extraction: This review identified studies that assessed PS in Saudi Arabian university hospitals. Articles published before January 2012, as well as commentary letters, conference papers, theses and dissertations, were excluded. The study employed the five domains of PS as outlined by Boquiren et al. Two independent reviewers independently identified qualifying studies, used the Joanna Briggs Institute tools …

Economic Review Of Point-Of-Care Eeg., Adam Green, M Elizabeth Wegman, John P Ney

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Faculty Scholarship

Aims: Point-of-care electroencephalogram (POC-EEG) is an acute care bedside screening tool for the identification of nonconvulsive seizures (NCS) and nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). The objective of this narrative review is to describe the economic themes related to POC-EEG in the United States (US).

Materials and methods: We examined peer-reviewed, published manuscripts on the economic findings of POC-EEG for bedside use in US hospitals, which included those found through targeted searches on PubMed and Google Scholar. Conference abstracts, gray literature offerings, frank advertisements, white papers, and studies conducted outside the US were excluded.

Results: Twelve manuscripts were identified and reviewed; results …

The Association Of Skin Cancer Prevention Knowledge, Sun-Protective Attitudes, And Sun-Protective Behaviors In A Navy Population, Rachel Newnam, Uyen Le-Jenkins, Carolyn Rutledge, Craig Cunningham

Nursing Faculty Publications

Introduction: U.S. Navy service members are primarily between the ages of 18 and 30 years and often required to be outside for extended periods of time in geographical locations with increased and often unfamiliar ultraviolet indexes that collectively increase their risk for skin cancer. Skin cancer is the country's most common form of cancer, yet there is a paucity of skin cancer prevention literature, especially within the U.S. Navy. The purpose of this study was to describe skin cancer risk and skin cancer prevention "cues-to-action" and to determine if skin cancer prevention knowledge was associated with sun-protective attitudes (e.g., prevention …

Models Of Video Feedback For Youth Athletes Performing An American Football Tackle, Eric Schussler, Richard J. Jagacinski, Ajit Chaudhari, John A. Buford, James A. Onate

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: Video feedback is an expeditious method for improving athlete safety when performing activities with an inherent risk of injury. Providing appropriate and validated feedback during tackling training in American football may be a mechanism for athletes to learn safe tackling performance.

Objective: To determine the effect of video feedback in the instruction of tackling form.

Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Setting: Laboratory.

Patients or Other Participants: A total of 32 youth football athletes (28 boys, 4 girls; age ¼ 11.8 6 0.8 years) participated in 1 day of training. Of those, 14 participants completed 2 additional days of training and …

Perceptions Of Acute Care Telemedicine Among Caregivers For Persons Living With Dementia: A Qualitative Study, Anita Chary, Norvin Hernandez, Ana Paulina Rivera, Vivian Ramont, Tracey Obi, Ilianna Santangelo, Christine Ritchie, Hardeep Singh, Emily Hayden, Aanand D Naik, Shan Liu, Maura Kennedy

Journal Articles

Persons living with dementia (PLWD) have high emergency department (ED) utilization. Little is known about using telemedicine with PLWD and caregivers as an alternative to ED visits for minor acute health problems. This qualitative interview-based study elicited caregivers' perspectives about the acceptability of telemedicine for acute complaints. We performed telephone interviews with 28 caregivers of PLWD from two academic EDs, one in the Northeast and another in the South. Using a combined deductive-inductive approach, we coded interview transcripts and elucidated common themes by consensus. All caregivers reported they would need to participate in the telemedicine visit to help overcome communication …

Self-Perception Of Mental Health, Covid-19 And Associated Sociodemographic-Contextual Factors In Latin America, Pablo Roa, Guillermo Rosas, Gloria Isabel Niño-Cruz, Sergio Mauricio Moreno-López, Juliana Mejía-Grueso, Haney Aguirre-Loaiza, Javiera Alarcón-Aguilar, Rodrigo Reis, Adriano Akira Ferreira Hino, Fernando López, Deborah Salvo, Andrea Ramírez-Varela

Journal Articles

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alterations in self-perceived mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and their associated factors in four Latin American countries. This is a cross-sectional study based on data collected from adults in 2021 through the Collaborative Response COVID-19 Survey by the MacDonnell Academy at Washington University in St. Louis (United States). The sample was composed of 8,125 individuals from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Chile. A generalized linear model for a binary outcome variable with a logistic link and fixed country effects was used. There were 2,336 (28.75%) individuals who considered having suffered alterations in …

Colonial Drivers And Cultural Protectors Of Brain Health Among Indigenous Peoples Internationally, Rita Henderson, Joyla A Furlano, Shayla Scott Claringbold, Ashley Cornect-Benoit, Anh Ly, Jennifer Walker, Lisa Zaretsky, Pamela Roach

Journal Articles

Despite relatively higher rates of dementia among Indigenous populations internationally, research into drivers of disparities in brain health and cognitive function has tended to focus on modifiable risk factors over cultural understandings and contextual determinants. By seeking to characterize social and cultural factors that shape brain health and cognition in Indigenous populations, this mini scoping review expands prevailing schools of thought to include Indigenous knowledge systems. This reveals important gaps in culturally aligned care. It also reclaims horizons for research important to Indigenous Peoples that have garnered diminished attention in biomedical approaches. Twenty-three sources were included for data extraction. This …

Social Determinants Of Health Predict Readmission Following Covid-19 Hospitalization: A Health Information Exchange-Based Retrospective Cohort Study, Micaela N Sandoval, Jennifer L Mikhail, Melyssa K Fink, Guillermo A Tortolero, Tru Cao, Ryan Ramphul, Junaid Husain, Eric Boerwinkle

Journal Articles

INTRODUCTION: Since February 2020, over 104 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, or COVID-19, with over 8.5 million reported in the state of Texas. This study analyzed social determinants of health as predictors for readmission among COVID-19 patients in Southeast Texas, United States.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted investigating demographic and clinical risk factors for 30, 60, and 90-day readmission outcomes among adult patients with a COVID-19-associated inpatient hospitalization encounter within a regional health information exchange between February 1, 2020, to December 1, 2022.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In this cohort of 91,007 …

An Ewas Of Dementia Biomarkers And Their Associations With Age, African Ancestry, And Ptsd, Mark W. Miller, Erika J. Wolf, Xiang Zhao, Mark W. Logue, Sage E. Hawn

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Large-scale cohort and epidemiological studies suggest that PTSD confers risk for dementia in later life but the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain unknown. This study examined this question by assessing the influences of PTSD, APOE ε4 genotypes, DNA methylation, and other variables on the age- and dementia-associated biomarkers Aβ40, Aβ42, GFAP, NfL, and pTau-181 measured in plasma. Our primary hypothesis was that PTSD would be associated with elevated levels of these markers.

Methods

Analyses were based on data from a PTSD-enriched cohort of 849 individuals. We began by performing factor analyses of the biomarkers, the results of which …