Digital Commons Network^™

Mollusc And Crustacean Consumption In The First 1000 Days: A Scoping Review, Brietta M Oaks, Emmanuel A Gyimah, Eliza Kleban, Kathleen Ragsdale, Lora L Iannotti

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Mollusc and crustacean consumption in the first 1000 d may improve maternal and child health by providing essential nutrients. However, in some contexts, molluscs and crustaceans have been associated with allergies and environmental contamination, potentially leading to adverse health and development outcomes. It is unclear whether the health benefits of consuming molluscs and crustaceans, collectively classified as shellfish in nutrition, are outweighed by the potential risks to pregnant women and children. We conducted a scoping review (PROSPERO: CRD42022320454) in PubMed, Scopus and EBSCO Global Health of articles published between January 2000 and March 2022 that assessed shellfish consumption during pregnancy, …

Barriers To And Facilitators Of Sustaining A Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle) Patient Decision Aid In Regular Rheumatology Outpatient Care In The Usa, Parvaneh Yaghoubi Jami, Aizhan Karabukayeva, Larry R Hearld, Shelby Gontarz, Jasvinder A Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: This study investigates the barriers to and facilitators of sustaining a decision aid (DA) tool for patients with SLE in routine rheumatology outpatient care across the USA. The DA was initially developed for assisting patients with SLE in making informed medication choices by providing personalized information on their treatment process.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with clinicians, administrators, and information technology (IT) professionals from 15 geographically diverse rheumatology clinics that participated in a large-scale DA implementation trial. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo, with thematic coding to identify key factors influencing DA sustainability.

Results: The analysis identified several …

Understanding And Addressing Mental Health Challenges Of Families Admitted To The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit., Ashley D. Osborne, Daphna Yasova Barbeau, Tiffany Gladdis, Kara Hansen, Tonia Branche, Emily R. Miller, Christine C. Pazandak, Margaret K. Hoge, Michelle Spencer, Diana Montoya-Williams, Ryan Barbeau, Heather Padratzik, Stephen Lassen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

This article reviews the psychological distress experienced by NICU families, including anxiety, postpartum depression (PPD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in addition to providing recommendations for clinicians at the individual, institutional, and national level. Currently, mental health screenings, specialized evaluations, and treatment options are not routinely offered to NICU families and are frequently under-utilized when offered. Here we provide expert opinion recommendations to address challenges in supporting universal screening, offering bedside interventions, including trained mental health professionals in care plans, updating neonatology training competencies, and advocating for policies that support the mental health of NICU families. We advocate that mental …

Reliability Of Physician Estimation Of Pelvic Free Fluid Volume On The Pediatric Focused Assessment With Sonography For Trauma., Ashkon Shaahinfar, Jennifer Rosin Wiebelhaus, Newton Addo, Ronald A. Cohen, Pinar Karakas-Rothey, Aaron E. Kornblith

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the reliability of physician gestalt estimation of pelvic free fluid volume on pediatric Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST). To determine a reliable cut-off volume and characteristics associated with small pelvic free fluid.

METHODS: Our study assessed the ability of 2 ultrasound-trained pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians and 2 pediatric radiologists to characterize pelvic free fluid in a retrospective convenience sample of archived FAST from a Level 1 pediatric trauma center, April 2018-June 2020. Inter- and intra-rater reliability were measured to determine the most reliable volume cut-off. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests determined characteristics associated with …

Linking Symptom Inventories Using Semantic Textual Similarity, Kelly S Peterson, Kristen Dams O'Connor, Ronak Agarwal, Houshang H Amiri, Raeda K Andersen, Talin Babikian, David A Baron, Erin D Bigler, Karen Caeyenberghs, Lisa Delano-Wood, Seth G Disner, Ekaterina Dobryakova, Blessen C Eapen, Rachel M Edelstein, Carrie Esopenko, Helen M Genova, Elbert Geuze, Naomi J Goodrich-Hunsaker, Jordan Grafman, Asta K Håberg, Cooper B Hodges, Kristen R Hoskinson, Elizabeth S Hovenden, Andrei Irimia, Neda Jahanshad, Ruchira M Jha, Finian Keleher, Kimbra Kenney, Inga K Koerte, Spencer W Liebel, Abigail Livny, Marianne Løvstad, Sarah L Martindale, Jeffrey E Max, Andrew R Mayer, Timothy B Meier, Deleene S Menefee, Abdalla Z Mohamed, Stefania Mondello, Martin M Monti, Rajendra A Morey, Virginia Newcombe, Mary R Newsome, Alexander Olsen, Nicholas J Pastorek, Mary Jo Pugh, Adeel Razi, Jacob E Resch, Jared A Rowland, Kelly Russell, Nicholas P Ryan, Randall S Scheibel, Adam T Schmidt, Gershon Spitz, Jaclyn A Stephens, Assaf Tal, Leah D Talbert, Maria Carmela Tartaglia, Brian A Taylor, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Maya Troyanskaya, Eve M Valera, Harm Jan Van Der Horn, John D Van Horn, Ragini Verma, Benjamin S C Wade, Willian C Walker, Ashley L Ware, J Kent Werner, Keith Owen Yeates, Ross D Zafonte, Michael M Zeineh, Brandon Zielinski, Paul M Thompson, Frank G Hillary, David F Tate, Elisabeth A Wilde, Emily L Dennis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

An extensive library of symptom inventories has been developed over time to measure clinical symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but this variety has led to several long-standing issues. Most notably, results drawn from different settings and studies are not comparable. This creates a fundamental problem in TBI diagnostics and outcome prediction, namely that it is not possible to equate results drawn from distinct tools and symptom inventories. Here, we present an approach using semantic textual similarity (STS) to link symptoms and scores across previously incongruous symptom inventories by ranking item text similarities according to their conceptual likeness. We tested …

Managing Hypercholesterolemia In Adults Older Than 75 Years Without A History Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: An Expert Clinical Consensus From The National Lipid Association And The American Geriatrics Society, Daniel E Forman, Ariel R Green, Terry A Jacobson, Ariela R Orkaby, Joseph J Saseen, Salim S Virani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease increases with advancing age. Elevated LDL-cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol levels remain predictive of incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular events among individuals older than 75 years. Risk prediction among older individuals is less certain because most current risk calculators lack specificity in those older than 75 years and do not adjust for co-morbidities, functional status, frailty, and cognition which significantly impact prognosis in this age group. Data on the benefits and risks of lowering LDL-cholesterol with statins in older patients without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease are also limited since most primary prevention trials have included mostly younger patients. Available …

Dietary Interventions To Support And Improve Sleep Disturbances And Insomnia Disorder In Menopause: From Bench To Bedside, Emily J Arentson-Lantz, Greg J Elder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Sleep is essential for maintaining physical and psychological health, and also cognitive health (referred to as 'brain health'). However, the transition to menopause has a direct impact upon sleep. Sleep disturbances are reported by approximately 40%-60% of menopausal women, and insomnia disorder is also prevalent. Diet-based interventions could potentially be used to improve subjective sleep quality in this population, and although there are several promising interventions which have been used in other groups that could be trialled, the evidence base is currently lacking. One particularly promising area for future research is that these interventions might be used alongside, or instead …

Baseline Characteristics Of The Us Study To Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention To Reduce Risk (Us Pointer): Successful Enrollment Of A Diverse Clinical Trial Cohort At Risk For Cognitive Decline, Heather M Snyder, Maryjo L Cleveland, Darren R Gitelman, Miia Kivipelto, Xiaoyan I Leng, Laura Lovato, Kathryn V Papp, Valory N Pavlik, Stephen P Salloway, Christy C Tangney, Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Jeff D Williamson, Sharon Wilmoth, Nancy Woolard, Melissa Yu, Mark Andrew Espeland, U.S. Pointer Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: The U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) is a 2-year randomized controlled trial of two lifestyle interventions in 2111 older adults at increased risk for cognitive decline.

Methods: Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and rates of ancillary study participation were described with means and frequencies.

Results: U.S. POINTER successfully enrolled a cohort, ages 60-79 years, which was ethno-racially inclusive (>30% individuals from groups often under-represented in clinical trials with cognitive outcomes) and 18% residing in neighborhoods with moderate or high levels of socioeconomic deprivation. Enrollees were cognitively intact but at increased …

Functional Mobility And Pain Are Improved For 6 Years After Adolescent Bariatric Surgery, Changchun Xie, Anita P Courcoulas, Carroll M Harmon, Michael A Helmrath, Stephanie Sisley, Marc P Michalsky, Justin R Ryder, Teen‐Longitudinal Assessment Of Bariatric Surgery (Teen‐Labs) Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: The long-term durability of improvements in functional mobility and musculoskeletal pain for adolescents after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is unknown.

Methods: We used the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) study to determine the change in mobility and pain among adolescents who underwent MBS. From standardized 400-m walk tests, we analyzed walk time, heart rate (HR) parameters, and musculoskeletal pain.

Results: The mean walk time improved from 383 s (95% CI: 368-399) prior to surgery to 351 s (95% CI: 330-372) by 6 years. The mean resting HR was 90 beats per minute (bpm; 95% CI: 87-93) preoperatively …

The Association Of Vision And Hearing Impairment On Cognitive Function And Loneliness: Evidence From The Mexican Health And Aging Study, Jessica S West

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: We investigated whether self-reported vision and hearing were associated with cognitive function and loneliness among Mexican adults aged 50 and older.

Methods: Mexican Health and Aging Study data. Vision/hearing status was self-reported (excellent-very good, good, fair-poor). Cognition was measured using nine tasks. Loneliness was measured using the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Analyses controlled for demographic and health characteristics.

Results: Among 12,353 participants (mean age = 67, 58% female), poor vision, but not hearing, was associated with lower global cognition (β = -0.03, p < .05). Poor vision (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.30-1.91) and hearing (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.14-1.61) were associated with higher odds of being lonely after adjusting for demographics and comorbidities, but not when adjusting for limitations in daily activities and depressive symptoms.

Discussion: Poor vision is a potentially modifiable risk factor for lower cognition and loneliness among Mexican adults. …

Large-Scale Plasma Proteomic Profiling Unveils Diagnostic Biomarkers And Pathways For Alzheimer’S Disease, Hamilton Se-Hwee Oh, Armand González Escalante, Raquel Puerta, Soomin Song, Jigyasha Timsina, Menghan Liu, Daniel Western, Katherine Gong, Yike Chen, Pat Kohlfeld, Allison Flynn, Alvin G Thomas, Joseph Lowery, John C Morris, David M Holtzman, Joel S Perlmutter, Suzanne E Schindler, Natalia Vilor-Tejedor, Pablo García-González, Marta Marquié, Maria Victoria Fernández, Mercè Boada, Amanda Cano, Agustín Ruiz, Bin Zhang, David A Bennett, Tammie Benzinger, Tony Wyss-Coray, Laura Ibanez, Yun Ju Sung, Carlos Cruchaga

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Proteomic studies have been instrumental in identifying brain, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we comprehensively examined 6,905 aptamers corresponding to 6,106 unique proteins in plasma in more than 3,300 well-characterized individuals to identify new proteins, pathways and predictive models for AD. We identified 416 proteins (294 new) associated with clinical AD status and validated the findings in two external datasets representing more than 7,000 samples. AD-related proteins reflected blood-brain barrier disruption and other processes implicated in AD, such as lipid dysregulation or immune responses. A machine learning model was used to identify a set …

Factors Associated With Perceived Medication Safety During Transitions Of Care In Patients With Cancer: A Secondary Data Analysis Of A Cross-Sectional Survey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate perceived medication safety in patients with cancer during transitions of care and identify factors associated with their safety perceptions.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed on a cross-sectional survey data of from patients with four types of cancer (i.e., colorectal, lung, prostate, and breast). Perceived medication safety was measured by the sum score of four survey items that assessed patients' feelings about medication safety during transitions of care. Potential associated factors included sociodemographic and clinical factors (i.e., cancer types, taking oral anticancer agents), self-rated health, perceived safety in communicating with clinicians, beliefs about …

Validity And Reliability Of The Tampa Scale For Kinesiophobia For Adolescents With Heart Disease., David A. White, William R. Black, Emily Cramer, Lindsey Malloy-Walton, Mollie Walton, Laura Martis, Brandy Enneking, Kelli M. Teson, Jessica S. Watson, Jami Gross-Toalson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: To assess the validity and reliability of a newly adapted Tampa Scale for KP for adolescents with HD (TSK-Heart-A).

METHODS: The TSK-Heart-A survey consists of 17 Likert scale items, producing a summary score (SS) ranging from 17 (low KP) to 68 (high KP). Following content and face validity, adolescents (age 12-18 yr) with arrhythmia disorders or Fontan palliation were recruited. The PROMIS pediatric anxiety and depression short forms, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) generic core and cardiac module, and a PA questionnaire for adolescents (PAQ-A) were used for criterion validity. The TSK-Heart-A was completed twice (20.4 ± 6.3 …

Outcomes After Palliative Radiation Therapy In Patients With Symptomatic Locoregionally Advanced Breast Cancer, Luisa E Jacomina, David M Swanson, Melissa P Mitchell, Wendy A Woodward, Benjamin D Smith, Chelain R Goodman, Susie X Sun, Timothy A Yap, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Isidora Y Arzu, Elizabeth S Bloom, Pamela J Schlembach, Eric A Strom, Michael C Stauder, Simona F Shaitelman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Symptomatic locoregionally advanced breast cancer (SLABC) can cause troublesome pain or wound complications that negatively impact quality of life. Although palliative radiation therapy (RT) can minimize tumor-related symptoms, how best to tailor RT to achieve the most meaningful and durable response is not well defined.

Methods and materials: This is a single institution, multi-site retrospective review of patients with SLABC treated between 2016 and 2023 with palliative RT to symptomatic disease in the breast, chest wall, and/or regional lymph node basins. Overall survival (OS), locoregional control (LC), clinical and radiographic treatment response, overall pain scores, and treatment-related toxicities were …

Association Of Sirt6 Expression With Risk Of Pneumonitis Induced By Radiotherapy In Cancer Patients, Fengyuan Yu, Zheng Gong, Yuan Li, Danial F Naseem, Chen Li, Bingying Zhao, Shanshan Zhang, Rukun Zang, Ailu Wu, Qingxin Han, Shuhui Wu, Hongwei Li, Yipeng Song

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Thoracic tumours represent a significant proportion of malignant cancers. While radiotherapy (RT) improves prognosis, it can also lead to side effects such as radiation-induced pneumonitis (RP). Since SIRT6 is involved in DNA repair, energy metabolism and inflammation, this study aims to investigate the expression of SIRT6 in lymphocytes as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for RP. This study included 170 patients diagnosed with thoracic tumours, all of whom underwent thoracic RT. RP was evaluated and classified as severe RP (SRP) and lower as non-severe RP (NSRP). Analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0 and the R. Among 170 patients …

The Burden Of Burnout: Understanding Its Prevalence And Organizational Drivers In Medical Physics, Deborah Schofield, C Lynn Chevalier, Laurence Court, William Harmsen, Akiva Turner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Burnout is a work-related syndrome characterized by increased levels of emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP) along with decreased levels of personal achievement. In the healthcare setting, higher burnout levels have been associated with negative impacts on personnel, an increased risk of errors, and a decrease in the quality of delivered care.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of burnout among medical physicists working in the United States. Additionally, the impact of personal and organizational features on burnout risk was examined.

Methods: The anonymous survey was distributed to 1962 full members of the American …

Functional Vs Structural Cortical Deficit Pattern Biomarkers For Major Depressive Disorder, Peter Kochunov, Bhim M Adhikari, David Keator, Daniel Amen, Si Gao, Demetrio Labate, Yewen Huang, Hussain Syed, Hongjie Ke, Paul M Thompson, Danny J J Wang, Braxton D Mitchell, Jessica A Turner, Theo G M Van Erp, Neda Jahanshad, Yizhou Ma, Xiaoming Du, William Burroughs, Shuo Chen, Tianzhou Ma, Jair C Soares, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mental illness characterized more by functional rather than structural brain abnormalities. The pattern of regional homogeneity (ReHo) deficits in MDD may relate to underlying regional hypoperfusion. Capturing this functional deficit pattern provides a brain pattern-based biomarker for MDD that is linked to the underlying pathophysiology.

Objective: To examine whether cortical ReHo patterns provide a replicable biomarker for MDD that is more sensitive than reduced cortical thickness and evaluate whether the ReHo MDD deficit pattern reflects regional cerebral blood flow (RCBF) deficit patterns in MDD and whether a regional vulnerability index (RVI) thus …

Comparing Stroke Risk Factors Among Sexual Minority Groups In Texas, Brittany Krenek, Samuel Tundealao, Jennifer E S Beauchamp, Sean I Savitz, Irene Tamí-Maury

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Knowledge gaps remain on stroke risk and disparities between sexual minority (SM) subgroups. In this study, stroke risk between SM subgroups, specifically gay/bisexual men and lesbian/bisexual women (G/BM and L/BW), was assessed.

Method: Data were collected in June 2022 using a bilingual (English and Spanish) cross-sectional paper-and-pen survey distributed among 183 SM individuals attending the 2022 Houston Pride Parade and Festival, as well as across Texas via phone call or online format. Relevant sociodemographic and stroke risk factors were compared between G/BM and L/BW using chi-square (or Fisher's exact, when appropriate) and two-sample t-tests. Sexual orientation was used to …

Implementation Of An Opt-Out And Rapid Point-Of-Care Syphilis Testing Program For Pregnant Patients Presenting To The Emergency Department, Jeffrey D Klausner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Adult and congenital syphilis rates are rising in the United States. The aim of this pre- and post-implementation study was to determine whether implementation of an opt-out laboratory-based and rapid syphilis point-of-care testing program in the emergency department (ED) improves the detection and treatment of syphilis during pregnancy in a high-prevalence region.

Methods: This pre- and post-implementation study was conducted at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX. During the pre-implementation phase (November 1, 2023-February 29, 2024), pregnant patients presenting to the ED underwent laboratory-based syphilis testing using the reverse algorithm only when clinically indicated. In the …

Alterations In Gut Microbiome Composition And Increased Inflammatory Markers In Post-Covid-19 Individuals, Tatiana Barichello, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Laura A Borba, Lucas C Pedro, Flávia S Niero, Laísa N Dos Santos, Letícia M Leonardo, Zuleide M Ignácio, Rodrigo Morales, Luciane B Ceretta, Gislaine Z Reus

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dysfunctions in the immune system and alterations in the microbiome composition following SARS-CoV-2 infection contribute to persistent neurological issues observed in long COVID-19 survivors. We hypothesize that alterations in the gut microbiome composition and peripheral inflammatory profile following COVID-19 may play pivotal roles in behavior changes among individuals experiencing long-term illness. This cross-sectional study included a sample of post-COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 subjects. We assessed the presence of psychiatric conditions utilizing standardized diagnostic criteria, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Biological Rhythms in Neuropsychiatry Assessment Interview (BRIAN), and Functional Assessment Short Test (FAST). Plasma samples …

Assessment Of Contextualized Reinforcement Pathology In A Community Sample Of Young Adult Substance Users, Sara Weidberg

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis are the most commonly used substances among young populations, often leading to polysubstance use, which correlates with problematic consumption and adverse health outcomes. The contextualized reinforcer pathology (CRP) model explains addictive behaviors through several constructs, including the following: drug demand, delay discounting (DD), and substance-free and substance-related reinforcement. Most previous studies have focused on a single CRP construct and the couse of only two substances. This study aimed to characterize three subgroups of young adults reporting past month use of alcohol only, alcohol + tobacco or cannabis, and alcohol + tobacco + cannabis, in terms …

Perceptions Of The Intensity Of Heart Failure Medications Among Hospitalized Older Adults: A Pilot Qualitative Study, Min Ji Kwak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Guidelines for heart failure (HF) management recommend high target doses for medications. These targets are based on standardized dosing regimens that rarely consider the complex challenges faced by older patients. However, little is known about such challenges perceived by older adults. We assessed older adults' perceived challenges with HF medication utilization, which may guide a more patient-centered definition of the target intensity for HF medications.

Methods: We conducted a pilot qualitative study using one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with older adults. We included patients over the age of 65 years admitted to the acute cardiac care units (cardiac intensive care unit …

Interactions Between Adgrf1 (Gpr110) And Extracellular Matrix Proteins Govern Its Effects On Tumorigenesis In Her2-Positive Breast Cancer, Sung Yun Jung, Suhas Vasaikar, Sarmistha Nanda, Alexis Ruiz, Martin Shea, Wangjia Cao, Jamunarani Veeraraghavan, Hee-Yong Kim, Tasneem Bawa-Khalfe, Tahir Hussain, Xinli Liu, Preethi Gunaratne, Rachel Schiff, Meghana V Trivedi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: We and others have previously shown that ADGRF1, an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor, is overexpressed and associated with poor survival in many cancers, including human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) breast cancer (BC). Also, we have reported the tumour-promoting function of ADGRF1 using preclinical models of HER2+ BC. In this study, we investigated the effect of ADGRF1 overexpression in an orthotopic in vivo model as well as downstream signalling of ADGRF1 in HER2+ BC.

Experimental approach: We utilized a doxycycline (Dox)-induced ADGRF1 overexpression system in HER2+ BC cell lines and performed various in vitro and in vivo …

Clinical Trial Readiness In Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R1 (Lgmdr1): A Grasp Consortium Study, Stephanie M Hunn, Amanda Clause, Conrad C Weihl, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Identifying functional measures that are both valid and reliable in the limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) population is critical for quantifying the level of functional impairment related to disease progression in order to establish clinical trial readiness in the context of anticipated therapeutic trials.

METHODS: Through the Genetic Resolution and Assessments Solving Phenotypes in LGMD (GRASP-LGMD) Consortium, 42 subjects with LGMDR1 were enrolled in a 12-month natural history study across 11 international sites. Each subject completed a battery of clinical outcome assessments (COA), including the North Star Assessment for Limb Girdle-Type Dystrophies (NSAD), 10-m walk/run, and Performance of the …

Radiation Nephropathy Complicated By Tubulointerstitial Nephritis With Predominantly Lymphocyte And Plasma Cell Infiltration, Tatsuaki Kosaka, Koji Takaori, Azusa Izumiya, Daisuke Hirai, Mitsuteru Koizumi, Shinya Yamamoto, Akiko Mii, Akira Shimizu, Kiyonao Nakamura, Norio Araki, Koichi Seta

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A 64-year-old Japanese woman presented with gross hematuria and was diagnosed with stage IVB cervical cancer. Renal dysfunction was observed following chemoradiation therapy, and a renal biopsy revealed renal thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) and tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), which are atypical features of radiation nephropathy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed wedge-shaped areas of high contrast, consistent with areas of high radiation dose in the kidneys, thus leading to the diagnosis of radiation nephropathy. This case underscores the importance of integrating clinical, pathological, and radiological findings for the diagnosis of radiation nephropathy, atypical renal biopsy findings, and a combination of TIN and renal TMA.

Ophthalmology Examinations In Children With Skull Fractures And Underlying Focal Hemorrhage, Gil Binenbaum, Daniel M Lindberg, Angela Bachim, Colleen J Bressler, Lori Frasier, Terra Frazier, Nicole R Johnson, Natalie Laub, Megan M Letson, Tagrid Ruiz-Maldonado, Matthew Valente, Jenna Kiely, Jan Leonard, M Katherine Henry

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: To assess the frequency and yield of retinal examination in children below 2 years old undergoing abuse evaluations in the setting of skull fracture(s) and small underlying intracranial hemorrhage.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used CAPNET, a multicenter child physical abuse network, to identify children below 2 years with a skull fracture(s) and intracranial injury limited to an underlying small focal intracranial hemorrhage undergoing subspeciality child abuse evaluations. Our outcomes of interest were (1) the performance of a retinal examination, (2) the identification of retinal hemorrhages, and (3) associations of clinical factors and CAPNET site with the performance of retinal …

Assessment Of Frailty In Patients With Heart Failure: A New Heart Failure Frailty Score Developed By Delphi Consensus, Hill Loreena, Nancy M Albert, Michal Tkaczyszyn, Stamatis Adamopoulos, Lisa Anderson, Markus S Anker, Stefan D Anker, Derek Bell, Tuvia Ben-Gal, Vasiliki Bistola, Biykem Bozkurt, Poppy Brooks, Miguel Camafort, Juan Jesus Carrero, Ovidiu Chioncel, Dong-Ju Choi, Wook-Jin Chung, Wolfram Doehner, Daniel Fernández-Bergés, Roberto Ferrari, Mona Fiuzat, Juan Esteban Gomez-Mesa, Finn Gustafsson, Ewa Jankowska, Seok-Min Kang, Koichiro Kinugawa, Kamlesh Khunti, F D Richard Hobbs, Christopher Lee, Yuri Lopatin, Matthew Maddocks, Giuseppe Maltese, Elena Marques-Sule, Yuya Matsue, Òscar Miró, Brenda Moura, Massimo Piepoli, Piotr Ponikowski, Giovanni Pulignano, Amina Rakisheva, Robin Ray, Angela Sciacqua, Petar Seferovic, Trinidad Sentandreu-Mañó, Shirley Sze, Alan Sinclair, Anna Strömberg, Olga Theou, Hiroyuki Tsutsui, Izabella Uchmanowicz, Maria Teresa Vidan, Maurizio Volterrani, Stephan Von Haehling, Byungsu Yoo, Jian Zhang, Yuhui Zhang, Marco Metra, Giuseppe Massimo Claudio Rosano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aims: The Heart Failure Frailty Score (HFFS) is a novel, multidimensional tool to assess frailty in patients with heart failure (HF). It has been developed to overcome limitations of existing frailty assessment tools while being practical for clinical use. The HFFS reflects the concept of frailty as a multidimensional, dynamic and potentially reversible state, which increases vulnerability to stressors and risk of poor outcomes in patients with HF.

Methods and results: The HFFS was developed through a Delphi consensus process involving 54 international experts. This approach involved iterative rounds of questionnaires and interviews, where a panel of experts provided their …

Recreational Outdoor Injury And Mortality In Texas State Parks Between 2012 And 2021, Tania Allison, May Kamleh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction

Methods

Biomarkers Of Cellular Senescence And Major Health Outcomes In Older Adults, Theresa Mau, Roger A Fielding, Elizabeth J Atkinson, Sheena Patel, Nathan Lebrasseur

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The geroscience hypothesis proposes that underlying biological processes, such as the accumulation of senescent cells, have deleterious effects on multiple tissues and increase the risk of many chronic conditions with aging. Senescent cells produce heterogenous biomarkers, also called senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Circulating concentrations of senescence biomarkers may reflect an underlying burden of senescent cells in various tissues. Plasma levels of these proteins have been associated with increased mortality and poorer physical function. The associations of them with the incidence of major age-related conditions including heart failure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia, have not been studied. We measured 35 senescence …

Stress, Employment Changes, And Psychological Distress Among Caregivers Of Patients With Head And Neck Cancer, Erich M Sturgis, Pavan Jhaveri, Hoda Badr

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Patients undergoing external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) often experience adverse effects that require substantial caregiving. The burdens of caregiving can impact caregiver employment and mental health over time, yet this topic remains underexplored.

Objective: To examine the associations between caregiving for patients with HNC who undergo EBRT and caregiver stress, employment status, and psychological distress.

Design, setting, and participants: This was a secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal survey study that surveyed caregivers at baseline (ie, at initiation of EBRT) and at 4-month and 12-month follow-ups. The study was conducted at 2 …