Digital Commons Network^™

Disability In Cluster Headache Is More Than Attack Frequency – Results From And Validation Of The English Version Of The Cluster Headache Impact Questionnaire (Chiq), Katharina Kamm, Andreas Straube, Mark Burish, Ruth Ruscheweyh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cluster headache (CH) is associated with high disability. The Cluster Headache Impact Questionnaire (CHIQ) is a short, disease-specific disability questionnaire first developed and validated in German. Here, we validated the English version of this questionnaire.

METHODS: The CHIQ was assessed together with nonspecific headache-related disability questionnaires in CH patients from a tertiary headache center and an American self-help group.

RESULTS: 155 active episodic and chronic CH patients were included. The CHIQ showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.93, n = 44). Factor analysis identified a single factor. Convergent validity was shown by …

Benefits And Challenges Of Geographic Information Systems (Gis) For Data-Driven Outreach In Black Communities Experiencing Overdose Disparities: Results Of A Stakeholder Focus Group, Devin E Banks, Maria Paschke, Rashmi Ghonasgi, Vetta L Sanders Thompson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Black individuals in the U.S. face increasing racial disparities in drug overdose related to social determinants of health, including place-based features. Mobile outreach efforts work to mitigate social determinants by servicing geographic areas with low drug treatment and overdose prevention access but are often limited by convenience-based targets. Geographic information systems (GIS) are often used to characterize and visualize the overdose crisis and could be translated to community to guide mobile outreach services. The current study examines the initial acceptability and appropriateness of GIS to facilitate data-driven outreach for reducing overdose inequities facing Black individuals.

METHODS: We convened a …

Phase Ii Study Of Vemurafenib In Children And Young Adults With Tumors Harboring Braf V600 Mutations: Nci-Cog Pediatric Match Trial (Apec1621) Arm G, Marie V Nelson, Aerang Kim, P Mickey Williams, Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri, David R Patton, Brent D Coffey, Joel M Reid, Jin Piao, Lauren Saguilig, Todd A Alonzo, Stacey L Berg, Nilsa C Ramirez, Alok Jaju, Elizabeth Fox, Brenda J Weigel, Douglas S Hawkins, Margaret M Mooney, Naoko Takebe, James V Tricoli, Katherine A Janeway, Nita L Seibel, D Williams Parsons

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: This is a phase II subprotocol of the NCI-COG Pediatric MATCH study evaluating vemurafenib, a selective oral inhibitor of BRAF V600 mutated kinase, in patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors harboring BRAF V600 mutations.

Methods: Patients received vemurafenib at 550 mg/m2 (maximum 960 mg/dose) orally twice daily for 28-day cycles until progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary aim was to determine the objective response rate and secondary objectives included estimating progression-free survival and assessing the tolerability of vemurafenib.

Results: Twenty-two patients matched to the subprotocol and 4 patients (18%) enrolled. Primary reasons for non-enrollment were ineligibility due to …

Adjuvant External Beam Radiotherapy Combined With Brachytherapy For Intermediate-Risk Cervical Cancer, Nuria Agusti, David Viveros-Carreño, Alexander Melamed, Rene Pareja, Alexa Kanbergs, Chi-Fang Wu, Roni Nitecki, Lauren Colbert, Jose Alejandro Rauh-Hain

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Patients with intermediate-risk cervical cancer receive external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) as adjuvant treatment. It is commonly administered with brachytherapy without proven benefits. Therefore, we evaluated the frequency of brachytherapy use, the doses for EBRT administered alone or with brachytherapy, and the overall survival impact of brachytherapy in patients with intermediate-risk, early-stage cervical cancer.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed using data collected from the National Cancer Database. Patients diagnosed with cervical cancer from 2004 to 2019 who underwent a radical hysterectomy and lymph node staging and had disease limited to the cervix but with tumors larger than 4 …

Maturation Of Germinal Center B Cells After Influenza Virus Vaccination In Humans, Katherine M Mcintire, Wooseob Kim, Sameer Kumar Malladi, Bassem M Mohammed, Julian Q Zhou, Aaron J Schmitz, Teresa Suessen, William D Middleton, Sharlene A Teefey, Rachel M Presti, Jackson S Turner, Ali H. Ellebedy, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Germinal centers (GC) are microanatomical lymphoid structures where affinity-matured memory B cells and long-lived bone marrow plasma cells are primarily generated. It is unclear how the maturation of B cells within the GC impacts the breadth and durability of B cell responses to influenza vaccination in humans. We used fine needle aspiration of draining lymph nodes to longitudinally track antigen-specific GC B cell responses to seasonal influenza vaccination. Antigen-specific GC B cells persisted for at least 13 wk after vaccination in two out of seven individuals. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) derived from persisting GC B cell clones exhibit enhanced binding affinity …

Gastrocnemius Electrical Stimulation Increases Ankle Dorsiflexion Strength In Patients With Post-Acute Sequelae Of Sars-Cov-2 (Pasc): A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial, Myeounggon Lee, Alejandro Zulbaran-Rojas, Miguel Bargas-Ochoa, Bernardo Martinez-Leal, Rasha Bara, Areli Flores-Camargo, M G Finco, Ram Kinker Mishra, Jaewon Beom, Dipaben Modi, Fidaa Shaib, Bijan Najafi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Post-Acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) is a multisystem disorder causing persistent musculoskeletal deconditioning and reduced lower extremity strength. Electrical stimulation (E-Stim) to the gastrocnemius muscle can enhance strength outcomes by increasing the frequency of muscle fiber activation. We investigated its effect on individuals with PASC. Participants were randomized into intervention (IG) or control (CG) groups. The IG self-administered daily one-hour E-Stim to both their gastrocnemius muscles using a functional device over 4-week, while the CG used a sham device. Primary outcomes were ankle dorsiflexion strength assessed via dynamometry during maximum voluntary contractions, and gastrocnemius voluntary activation (GVA) via surface electromyography. …

Renal Mass Imaging Modalities: Does Body Mass Index (Bmi) Matter?, Young Son, Mark E. Quiring, Raeann M. Dalton, Brian Thomas, Noah Davidson, Dayna Devincentz, Collin Payne, Sahil H. Parikh, Benjamin A. Fink, Thomas Mueller, Gordon Brown

Jefferson Health - New Jersey Papers

PURPOSE: Accurate measurement of renal mass size is crucial in the management of renal cancer. With the burdensome cost of imaging yet its need for management, a better understanding of the variability among patients when determining mass size remains of urgent importance. Current guidelines on optimal imaging are limited, especially with respect to body mass index (BMI). The aim of this study is to discern which modalities accurately measure renal mass size and whether BMI influences such accuracy.

METHODS: A multi-institutional chart review was performed for adult patients undergoing partial or radical nephrectomy between 2018 and 2021, with 236 patients …

Renal Mass Imaging Modalities: Does Body Mass Index (Bmi) Matter?, Young Son, Mark E Quiring, Raeann M Dalton, Brian Thomas, Noah Davidson, Dayna Devincentz, Collin Payne, Sahil H Parikh, Benjamin A Fink, Thomas Mueller, Gordon Brown

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

PURPOSE: Accurate measurement of renal mass size is crucial in the management of renal cancer. With the burdensome cost of imaging yet its need for management, a better understanding of the variability among patients when determining mass size remains of urgent importance. Current guidelines on optimal imaging are limited, especially with respect to body mass index (BMI). The aim of this study is to discern which modalities accurately measure renal mass size and whether BMI influences such accuracy.

METHODS: A multi-institutional chart review was performed for adult patients undergoing partial or radical nephrectomy between 2018 and 2021, with 236 patients …

Best Quality Vs. Sex Selection - An Analysis Of Embryo Selection Preferences For Patients Undergoing Preimplantation Genetic Testing For Aneuploidy Over A 10-Year Period, Pavan Gill, Christine Whitehead, Marie Werner, Emre Seli

Jefferson Health - New Jersey Papers

PURPOSE: Investigate patient preferences in embryo selection for transfer regarding quality versus sex in IVF/ICSI cycles with PGT-A and assess associated clinical implications.

METHODS: Retrospective cohort study at a university fertility practice from January 2012 to December 2021. Included were patients undergoing single frozen euploid transfers with at least one embryo of each sex available. Primary outcomes were preference for embryo selection (quality vs. sex) and sex preference (male vs. female). Trends over 10 years were evaluated and clinical outcomes, including clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), sustained implantation rate (SIR), and live birth rate (LBR), were compared.

RESULTS: A total of …

High-Grade Liver Injuries With Contrast Extravasation Managed Initially With Interventional Radiology Versus Observation: A Secondary Analysis Of A Wta Multicenter Study, Negaar Aryan, Areg Grigorian, Erika Tay-Lasso, Michael Cripps, Heather Carmichael, Robert Mcintyre, Shane Urban, Catherine Velopulos, Clay Cothren Burlew, Shana Ballow, Rachel C. Dirks, Aimee Lariccia, Michael S. Farrell, Deborah M. Stein, Michael S. Truitt, Heather M. Grossman Verner, Caleb J. Mentzer, T. J. Mack, Chad G. Ball, Kaushik Mukherjee, Georgi Mladenov, Daniel J. Haase, Hossam Abdou, Thomas J. Schroeppel, Jennifer Rodriquez, Miklosh Bala, Natasha Keric, Morgan Crigger, Navpreet K. Dhillon, Eric J. Ley, Tanya Egodage, John Williamson, Tatiana Cp Cardenas, Vadine Eugene, Kumash Patel, Kristen Costello, Stephanie Bonne, Fatima S. Elgammal, Warren Dorlac, Claire Pederson, Nicole L. Werner, James M. Haan, Kelly Lightwine, Gregory Semon, Kristen Spoor, Laura A. Harmon, Jason M. Samuels, M. C. Spalding, Jeffry Nahmias

Department of Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: High-grade liver injuries with extravasation (HGLI + Extrav) are associated with morbidity/mortality. For low-grade injuries, an observation (OBS) first-strategy is beneficial over initial angiography (IR), however, it is unclear if OBS is safe for HGLI + Extrav. Therefore, we evaluated the management of HGLI + Extrav patients, hypothesizing IR patients will have decreased rates of operation and mortality. Methods: HGLI + Extrav patients managed with initial OBS or IR were included. The primary outcome was need for operation. Secondary outcomes included liver-related complications (LRCs) and mortality. Results: From 59 patients, 23 (39.0%) were managed with OBS and 36 (61.0%) …

Safety And Feasibility Of Third-Party Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes For High-Risk Patients With Covid-19, Dolores Grosso, John L. Wagner, Allyson O'Connor, Kaitlyn Keck, Yanping Huang, Zi-Xuan Wang, Hilary Mehler, Benjamin Leiby, Phyllis Flomenberg, Usama Gergis, Neda Nikbakht, Michael Morris, Julie Karp, Alexis R. Peedin, Neal Flomenberg

COVID-19 Papers, Posters, and Presentations

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) destroy virally infected cells and are critical for the elimination of viral infections such as those caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Delayed and dysfunctional adaptive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 are associated with poor outcomes. Treatment with allogeneic SARS-CoV-2-specific CTLs may enhance cellular immunity in high-risk patients providing a safe, direct mechanism of treatment. Thirty high-risk ambulatory patients with COVID-19 were enrolled in a phase 1 trial assessing the safety of third party, SARS-CoV-2-specific CTLs. Twelve interventional patients, 6 of whom were immunocompromised, matched the HLA-A∗02:01 restriction of the CTLs and received …

Health Care Utilization And Behavior Changes After Workplace Genetic Testing At A Large Us Health Care System., Elizabeth Charnysh, Subhamoy Pal, Jonathan M Reader, Wendy R Uhlmann, Sarah Mccain, Kunal Sanghavi, Drew Blasco, Rachael Brandt, William Gregory Feero, Rebecca Ferber, Veda N Giri, Katherine Hendy, Anya E R Prince, Charles Lee, J Scott Roberts, Insight @ Work Consortium

Faculty Research 2024

PURPOSE: This study explored employee health behavior changes and health care utilization after workplace genetic testing (wGT). Wellness-program-associated wGT seeks to improve employee health, but the related health implications are unknown.

METHODS: Employees of a large US health care system offering wGT (cancer, heart disease, and pharmacogenomics [PGx]) were sent electronic surveys. Self-reported data from those who received test results were analyzed. Descriptive statistics characterized responses, whereas logistic regression analyses explored correlates of responses to wGT.

RESULTS: 53.9% (n = 418/776) of respondents (88.3% female, mean age = 44 years) reported receiving wGT results. 12.0% (n = 48/399) received results …

In-Hospital Risk Factors For Reintervention And Amputation In Brachial Arterial Trauma, Aast Proovit Study Group, Justin M. Robbins, Corinna Crayton, Isaac Koloditch, Casey Walk, Limayre Gramajo, Samantha Shugar, Peter Ekeh, Joseph Dubose, Yee Wong, Cathline Layba

Department of Surgery Faculty Publications

Introduction: Brachial artery trauma is a rare but potentially devastating injury. There is little data regarding risk factors for reintervention and amputation prevention in this population, as well as anticoagulant (AC) and antiplatelet (AP) regimens and outcomes after discharge in trauma patients with vascular injuries requiring repair. This study aims to identify in-hospital risk factors for reintervention and amputation and stratify outcomes of follow-up by discharge AC or AP regimen. Methods: The AAST Prospective Observational Vascular Injury Trial database was queried for all patients who underwent traumatic brachial arterial repair from 2013 to 2022. Patients were evaluated by need for …

Risk Factors For Malalignment After Intramedullary Nail Treatment Of Distal Tibia Fractures With Associated Fibula Fractures., Yash P Chaudhry, Jose M Gutierrez-Naranjo, Micheal Raad, Diane Ghanem, Luis M Salazar, Jason T Goodrum, Kitchai Luksameearunothai, Boris A Zelle, Erik A Hasenboehler

Orthopedic Surgery Resident Research

PURPOSE: Malalignment of distal tibia fractures can lead to malunion/nonunion or alter the limb mechanical axis which may cause arthritis. Proposed methods to decrease malalignment include fibular fixation or multiplanar interlocking screws, however these remain controversial. This study aimed to identify factors associated with malalignment in distal tibial fractures with associated fibular shaft fractures.

METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of distal tibia fractures with associated fibular shaft fractures treated with intramedullary nailing at two level one trauma centers between 2015 and 2019. Cases involving malalignment (> 5° of deviation from anatomic axis on either coronal/sagittal axis) on final follow-up …

Drink…Then Drive Away: The Effects Of Lowering The Blood Alcohol Concentration In Utah, Javier E. Portillo, Wisnu Sugiarto, Kevin Willardsen

Economics Faculty Publications

In March of 2017 Utah announced its intent to lower the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) for driving from 0.08 to 0.05 g/dL. However, this change did not take effect until 2019. We employ a difference‐in‐ differences strategy on Utah counties using neighboring states as controls to test whether this policy change significantly affected the number of traffic accidents or the severity of those accidents. Results show the policy appears to temporarily decrease the total number of accidents, limited primarily to property damage‐ only accidents. We believe these results may be partially explained by drivers who, after the policy is …

Buprenorphine Prescribing Characteristics Following Relaxation Of X-Waiver Training Requirements., Paul J. Christine, Rouba A. Chahine, Simeon D. Kimmel, Nicole Mack, Christian Douglas, Thomas J. Stopka, Katherine Calver, Laura C. Fanucchi, Svetla Slavova, Michelle R. Lofwall, Daniel J. Feaster, Michael Lyons, Jerel M. Ezell, Marc R. Larochelle

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE: Local-level data are needed to understand whether the relaxation of X-waiver training requirements for prescribing buprenorphine in April 2021 translated to increased buprenorphine treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether relaxation of X-waiver training requirements was associated with changes in the number of clinicians waivered to and who prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder and the number of patients receiving treatment.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This serial cross-sectional study uses an interrupted time series analysis of 2020-2022 data from the HEALing Communities Study (HCS), a cluster-randomized, wait-list-controlled trial. Urban and rural communities in 4 states (Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio) …

Loneliness Among Black/African American Adults Living With Hiv: Sociodemographic And Psychosocial Correlates And Implications For Adherence., Nipher Malika, Laura M. Bogart, Matt G. Mutchler, Kathy Goggin, David J. Klein, Sean J. Lawrence, Glenn J. Wagner

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Loneliness, an emerging public health problem, is higher among people living with HIV and is associated with negative health outcomes. Black/African Americans have a high burden of HIV, and little is known about the characteristics of loneliness among Black adults living with HIV; therefore, this study sought to understand the sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of Black adults living with HIV who are lonely and the implications of loneliness for their health outcomes. A sample of 304 Black adults living with HIV (73.8% sexual minority men) in Los Angeles County, CA, USA, completed the survey items assessing sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics, …

Transformer-Based Deep Learning Prediction Of 10-Degree Humphrey Visual Field Tests From 24-Degree Data, Min Shi, Anagha Lokhande, Yu Tian, Yan Luo, Mohammad Eslami, Saber Kazeminasab, Tobias Elze, Lucy Shen, Louis Pasquale, Sarah Wellik, Carlos Gustavo De Moraes, Jonathan Myers, Nazlee Zebardast, David Friedman, Michael Boland, Mengyu Wang

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To predict 10-2 Humphrey visual fields (VFs) from 24-2 VFs and associated non-total deviation features using deep learning.

METHODS: We included 5189 reliable 24-2 and 10-2 VF pairs from 2236 patients, and 28,409 reliable pairs of macular OCT scans and 24-2 VF from 19,527 eyes of 11,560 patients. We developed a transformer-based deep learning model using 52 total deviation values and nine VF test features to predict 68 10-2 total deviation values. The mean absolute error, root mean square error, and the R2 were evaluation metrics. We further evaluated whether the predicted 10-2 VFs can improve the structure-function relationship …

Fetal Malrotation With Midgut Volvulus: Prenatal Diagnosis And Planning, Jai Sidpra, Sniya Sudhakar, Asthik Biswas, Flavia Massey, Valentina Turchetti, Tracy Lau, Edward Cook, Javeria Raza Alvi, Hasnaa M Elbendary, Jerry L Jewell, Antonella Riva, Alessandro Orsini, Aglaia Vignoli, Zara Federico, Jessica Rosenblum, An-Sofie Schoonjans, Matthias De Wachter, Ignacio Delgado Alvarez, Ana Felipe-Rucián, Nourelhoda A Haridy, Shahzad Haider, Mashaya Zaman, Selina Banu, Najwa Anwaar, Fatima Rahman, Shazia Maqbool, Rashmi Yadav, Vincenzo Salpietro, Reza Maroofian, Rajan Patel, Rupa Radhakrishnan, Sanjay P Prabhu, Klaske Lichtenbelt, Helen Stewart, Yoshiko Murakami, Ulrike Löbel, Felice D'Arco, Emma Wakeling, Wendy Jones, Eleanor Hay, Sanjay Bhate, Thomas S Jacques, David M Mirsky, Matthew T Whitehead, Maha S Zaki, Tipu Sultan, Pasquale Striano, Anna C Jansen, Maarten Lequin, Linda S De Vries, Mariasavina Severino, Andrew C Edmondson, Lara Menzies, Philippe M Campeau, Henry Houlden, Amy Mctague, Stephanie Efthymiou, Kshitij Mankad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Inherited glycosylphosphatidylinositol deficiency disorders (IGDs) are a group of rare multisystem disorders arising from pathogenic variants in glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor pathway (GPI-AP) genes. Despite associating 24 of at least 31 GPI-AP genes with human neurogenetic disease, prior reports are limited to single genes without consideration of the GPI-AP as a whole and with limited natural history data. In this multinational retrospective observational study, we systematically analyse the molecular spectrum, phenotypic characteristics and natural history of 83 individuals from 75 unique families with IGDs, including 70 newly reported individuals; the largest single cohort to date. Core clinical features were developmental delay or …

Parkinson’S Disease Variant Detection And Disclosure: Pd Generation, A North American Study, Lola Cook, Jennifer Verbrugge, Tae-Hwi Schwantes-An, Jeanine Schulze, Tatiana Foroud, Anne Hall, Karen S Marder, Ignacio F Mata, Niccolò E Mencacci, Martha A Nance, Michael A Schwarzschild, Tanya Simuni, Susan Bressman, Anne-Marie Wills, Hubert H Fernandez, Irene Litvan, Kelly E Lyons, Holly A Shill, Carlos Singer, Thomas F Tropea, Nora Vanegas Arroyave, Janfreisy Carbonell, Rossy Cruz Vicioso, Linn Katus, Joseph F Quinn, Priscila D Hodges, Yan Meng, Samuel P Strom, Cornelis Blauwendraat, Katja Lohmann, Cynthia Casaceli, Shilpa C Rao, Kamalini Ghosh Galvelis, Anna Naito, James C Beck, Roy N Alcalay

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Variants in seven genes (LRRK2, GBA1, PRKN, SNCA, PINK1, PARK7 and VPS35) have been formally adjudicated as causal contributors to Parkinson's disease; however, individuals with Parkinson's disease are often unaware of their genetic status since clinical testing is infrequently offered. As a result, genetic information is not incorporated into clinical care, and variant-targeted precision medicine trials struggle to enrol people with Parkinson's disease. Understanding the yield of genetic testing using an established gene panel in a large, geographically diverse North American population would help patients, clinicians, clinical researchers, laboratories and insurers better understand the importance of genetics in approaching Parkinson's …

A Rare Variant In Mrc2 Associated With Familial Supraventricular Tachycardia And Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, Adam S Potter, Christina Y Miyake, Claudia Gonzaga-Jauregui, Yuriana Aguilar-Sanchez, Mohit M Hulsurkar, Satadru K Lahiri, Lucia M Moreira, Neelam Mehta, Mahshid S Azamian, James R Lupski, Svetlana Reilly, Seema R Lalani, Xander H T Wehrens

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Accessory pathways are a common cause of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and can lead to sudden cardiac death in otherwise healthy children and adults when associated with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The goal of this study was to identify genetic variants within a large family with structurally normal hearts affected by SVT and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and determine causality of the gene deficit in a corresponding mouse model.

Methods: Whole exome sequencing performed on 2 distant members of a 3-generation family in which multiple members were affected by SVT or Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern (preexcitation) on ECG identified MRC2 as a candidate gene. Serial electrocardiograms, …

Increased Risk Of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Development After Dupilumab Use For Atopic Dermatitis, Jenna Mandel, Jaanvi Mehta, Ramsay Hafer, Mahaa Ayub, Faria Nusrat, Henry Yang, Pierluigi Porcu, Neda Nikbakht

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

There have been several reports of dupilumab use and the development of CTCL; however, the risk of CTCL development has not been adequately evaluated at the population level. The objective of this study is to determine whether dupilumab administration for AD is associated with an increased risk of developing CTCL and to identify at-risk populations within this group. This retrospective cohort study used TriNetX, a deidentified medical record database including over 107 million patients, to identify eligible patients. Treatment and control groups were evaluated for the development of CTCL. Patients of any age with a documented diagnosis of AD were …

High Prevalence Of Artifacts In Optical Coherence Tomography With Adequate Signal Strength, Wei-Chun Lin, Aaron Coyner, Charles Amankwa, Abigail Lucero, Gadi Wollstein, Joel Schuman, Hiroshi Ishikawa

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of artifacts in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images with acceptable signal strength and evaluate the performance of supervised deep learning models in improving OCT image quality assessment.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on 4555 OCT images from 546 patients, with each image having an acceptable signal strength (≥6). A comprehensive analysis of prevalent OCT artifacts was performed, and five pretrained convolutional neural network models were trained and tested to infer images based on quality.

RESULTS: Our results showed a high prevalence of artifacts in OCT images with acceptable signal strength. Approximately …

Asynchronous Online Training Increased Knowledge, Confidence, And Intent To Screen And Treat Substance Use Disorders Among Primary Care Clinicians Practicing In Texas, Roger Zoorob, Sung In Kim-Vences, Jacqueline M Hirth, Kylie Schaper, Larissa Grigoryan, Sandra Gonzalez, Alicia Kowalchuk

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Despite increasing prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD), few patients are diagnosed and treated in primary care settings. This study evaluated changes in knowledge, confidence, and intention to implement screening and brief intervention (SBI) and SUD treatment after clinicians participated in an asynchronous online education course.

Methods: A self-selected sample of primary care clinicians in Texas participated in online SBI and SUD education March 2021-July 2023. Baseline and post-training surveys evaluated changes in knowledge, confidence, and intent to implement SBI and SUD treatment. Changes were compared using paired t-tests. Multivariable linear regression examined factors potentially associated with confidence and …

Molecular Responses In Decitabine- And Decitabine/ Venetoclax-Treated Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia And Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Agata Gruszczynska, Abhishek Maiti, Christopher A Miller, Sai Mukund Ramakrishnan, Daniel C Link, Geoffrey L Uy, Allegra A Petti, Kala Hayes, Courtney D Dinardo, Farhad Ravandi, Timothy J Ley, David H Spencer, Feng Gao, Marina Y Konopleva, John S Welch

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Using Gps-Defined Venue-Based Affiliation Networks Among Black Sexually Minoritized Men And Transgender Women To Identify Locations For Hiv Prevention Interventions, Yen-Tyng Chen, Cho-Hee Shrader, Dustin T Duncan, Abby E Rudolph, Seann D Regan, Byoungjun Kim, Jade Pagkas-Bather, Justin Knox, Kayo Fujimoto, John A Schneider

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: HIV biomedical intervention uptake is suboptimal among Black sexually minoritized men (SMM) and transgender women (TW). Venues where people meet and interact shape HIV-related risk and prevention behaviors. We aimed to construct GPS-defined venue-based affiliation networks and identify the unique set of venues that could maximize reach of HIV biomedical interventions among Black SMM and TW.

Methods: We used baseline survey and GPS data from 272 Black SMM and TW in the Neighborhoods and Networks (N2) Cohort Study in Chicago, Illinois (2018-2019). We mapped participants' GPS data to the nearest pre-identified SMM- and TW-friendly venue (n = 222) to …

Trends In Central Nervous System-Active Polypharmacy Among People With Multiple Sclerosis, Hayden Naizer, Joseph Wozny, Trudy Millard Krause, Ethan Huson, Leorah Freeman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are at risk of concurrently using multiple central nervous system (CNS)-active drugs, yet the prevalence of CNS-active polypharmacy remains unmeasured in pwMS.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to measure the prevalence of CNS-active polypharmacy in pwMS.

METHODS: This serial, cross-sectional study measured CNS-active polypharmacy in people with MS in the United States from 2008 to 2021 using insurance claims data. CNS-active polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent prescription of ⩾3 CNS-active drugs for >30 continuous days. CNS-active drugs included antidepressants, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, opioids, and skeletal muscle relaxants.

RESULTS: The …

"The Hotel Of 10,000 Stars": The Impact Of Social-Structural Determinants Of Health Among Im/Migrant Shrimpers In The Gulf Of Mexico, Shannon Guillot-Wright, Lacy Davis, Linh Truong, Heide Castañeda, Anabel Rodriguez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives. To identify appropriate interventions to prevent injury, we conducted a qualitative study among commercial shrimp fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico.

Methods. Using qualitative and participatory research methods, including interviews, photovoice, and workplace observations in southeast Texas and the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, we examined the social‒structural dimensions that contribute to physical and psychological injury.

Results. We found that multiple layers of vulnerability and danger exist among shrimpers with interacting themes: (1) recognizing risk, (2) precarious employment, and (3) psychological distress.

Conclusions. Our results add to the growing body of knowledge that emphasizes the negative health impacts of …

Past-Year Hiv Testing, Current Antiretroviral Therapy Use, And Participation In Services For People Who Inject Drugs, Itunu Sokale, Johnny Wilkerson, Paige Wermuth, Folefac Atem, Janet Burnett, Cyprian Wejnert, Salma Khuwaja, Catherine Troisi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Evaluating routine HIV testing and treatment and use of services for people who inject drugs (PWID) is critical to curb the ongoing HIV epidemic. We analyzed data from the 2018 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance of PWID aged 18 years or older, recruited using respondent-driven sampling and offered anonymous HIV testing after survey. We performed bivariate and multivariable analyses with log-linked Poisson regression of the generalized linear models to examine the associations between demographics and PWID service use, past-year HIV testing, and current antiretroviral therapy (ART) use. Among 10,311 HIV-negative PWID, 56% reported past-year HIV testing, and of the 553 HIV-positive …

E-Cigarette Use Reasons And Associated E-Cigarette Use Dependence Among College Students: A Longitudinal Examination, Tzung-Shiang Ou, Anne Buu, James J Yang, Hsien-Chang Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Previous studies have established an understanding of reasons for e-cigarette use and associated e-cigarette use patterns such as use frequency, yet the critical extension to associated e-cigarette dependence outcome remains under-researched. This study used longitudinal data to examine whether the reasons for e-cigarette use predict a higher/lower level of e-cigarette dependence.

Methods: This study recruited college students who were current e-cigarette users from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020 (four semesters) at three public universities in the Midwest and South of the U.S. Those who participated for at least two semesters were included (N = 366). Data were collected using …