Digital Commons Network^™

Outcomes Of Suprapatellar Intramedullary Nail Fixation Of Tibial Shaft Fractures In Skeletally Immature Patients, David D Spence, Jonathan K Rowland, Derek M Kelly, Benjamin W Sheffer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Tibial shaft fractures in children require individualized treatment approaches, including elastic nails, plates and screws, intramedullary rigid nails (IMN), and external fixators, with selection based on fracture characteristics and patient factors. IMN risks damaging the physis, but can provide enhanced stability and immediate weight bearing. While both infrapatellar and suprapatellar approaches exist for IMN placement, studies in adults have demonstrated that the suprapatellar approach offers higher patient satisfaction, less anterior knee pain, and lower radiation exposure. However, there is a lack of data on IMN for pediatric tibial fractures.

Methods: This single-center, retrospective cohort study analyzed patients aged 11-16 …

Data-Driven Approach To Dynamic Resting State Functional Connectivity In Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Enigma-Pgc Ptsd Study, Courtney C Haswell, Chadi G Abdallah, Michael Angstadt, Justin T Baker, Hannah Berg, Jennifer U Blackford, Josh Cisler, Andrew S Cotton, Judith K Daniels, Nicholas D Davenport, Richard J Davidson, Terri A Deroon-Cassini, Seth G Disner, Wissam El Hage, Negar Fani, Jessie L Frijling, Evan M Gordon, Daniel W Grupe, Xiaofu He, Ryan Herringa, David Hofmann, Ashley A Huggins, Ahmed Hussain, Jonathan Ipser, Neda Jahanshad, Tanja Jovanovic, Milissa L Kaufman, Yoojean Kim, Anthony King, Saskia B J Koch, Sheri Koopowitz, Amit Lazarov, Lauren A M Lebois, Isreal Liberzon, Shmuel Lissek, Antje Manthey, Geoffrey May, Katie A Mclaughlin, Laura Nawijn, Steven M Nelson, Yuval Neria, Jack B Nitschke, Bunmi O Olatunji, Miranda Olff, Matthew Peverill, Yann Quidé, Orren Ravid, Kerry Ressler, Marisa Ross, Lauren E Salminen, Kelly Sambrook, Chiahao Shih, Anika Sierk, Scott R Sponheim, Dan J Stein, Jennifer Stevens, Thomas Straube, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Paul M Thompson, Nic J A Van Der Wee, Steven J A Van Der Werff, Sanne J H Van Rooij, Mirjam Van Zuiden, Dick J Veltman, Robert R J M Vermeiren, Henrik Walter, Xin Wang, Hong Xie, Xi Zhu, Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Christine L Larson, Rajendra Morey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with aberrations in brain networks in the absence of a given cognitive demand or task, called resting-state networks. Prior work has focused on disruption in the static functional connectivity (FC) among specific regions constrained by a priori hypotheses. However, dynamic FC, an approach that examines brain network characteristics over time, may provide a more sensitive measure to understand the network properties underlying dysfunction in PTSD. Further, using a data-driven analytic approach may reveal the contribution of other larger network disturbances beyond those revealed by hypothesis-driven …

Low-Dose Metformin Requires Brain Rap1 For Its Antidiabetic Action, Yukiko Fu, Kentaro Kaneko, Peimeng Huang, Ana B De La Puente-Gomez, Chunmei Wang, Yongjie Yang, Feng Li, Yong Xu, Makoto Fukuda

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metformin is the most commonly prescribed antidiabetes drug, yet its precise mechanism of action remains controversial. Previous studies have suggested that metformin acts peripherally by reducing hepatic glucose output and altering gut functions. Here, we report a neural mechanism via the small guanosine triphosphatase Ras-related protein 1 (Rap1). Mice with forebrain-specific Rap1 knockout exhibited resistance to the antidiabetic effects of low-dose metformin while remaining sensitive to other antidiabetic agents. Centrally administered metformin inhibited brain Rap1 and reduced hyperglycemia. Conversely, forced activation of brain Rap1 increased glycemia and abolished the glycemic effect of metformin. Metformin activated a specific subset of neurons …

How Do Ceos Communicate Their Activism For Social Change?: A Content Analysis Of Fortune 500 Ceos’ Activism Statements, Katharine E. Miller, Young Kim

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study is to explore the social actions taken by organizational leaders in the pursuit of activism. In recent years, corporate leaders, namely CEOs, have garnered substantial public notice due to their activism and personal rhetoric around social issues, therefore attracting attention within organizational scholarship and practice. By applying the theoretical frameworks of framing, this study conducted a content analysis of activism statements (N = 199) from CEOs of Fortune 500 companies using a mixed-methods approach involving manual coding and computational methods (NVivo). By doing so, this study advances CEO activism communication research by identifying dominant …

Parabolic Flight As A Research Platform To Investigate Ophthalmic Changes In Microgravity, Alex Weaver, Ana Garcia, Amy Song, Fatma Shakarchi, Ethan Waisberg, Andrew G Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Parabolic flight serves as an important terrestrial analog to study acute physiological changes in microgravity without the need for space travel. During a parabolic flight, alternating hypergravity and microgravity phases, lasting up to 40 seconds, enable research into ophthalmic changes. In this review, we discuss the application of parabolic flight as a platform to study microgravity-related changes that might impact ophthalmology including intraocular pressure, intracranial pressure, choroidal blood flow, and modified eye movement patterns. We further highlight how these insights could aid our understanding of vestibulo-ocular reflexes and conditions such as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). While the brief duration …

Glycerol Kinase Gene Variant As A Cause Of Pseudohypertriglyceridemia And Apparent Poor Response To Plozasiran, Diane Brisson, Bruce Given, Daniel Gaudet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is characterized by plasma triglyceride (TG) levels >500 mg/dL (SI: 5.7 mmol/L) (reference range, < 150 mg/dL [SI: < 1.7 mmol/L]) and is linked to cardiovascular disease and pancreatitis risk. Treatment typically involves dietary restrictions and lipid-lowering medications. Glycerol kinase deficiency (GKD) is a rare genetic disorder that causes pseudo-HTG.

In SHASTA-2, a study of patients with severe HTG, most subjects (>90%) treated with plozasiran, an apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) small interfering RNA (siRNA), achieved TG levels < 500 mg/dL (SI: 5.7 mmol/L), below the risk threshold for acute pancreatitis. We report herein a case study of a 65-year-old male apparently not responding to plozasiran. The patient was shown to carry a loss-of-function variant in the GK gene resulting in GKD, with high free glycerol (40.24 mg/dL or 4.37 mmol/L) (reference range, 0.03-0.13 mmol/L) that contributed to an overestimation of TG concentration. After correcting for free glycerol, the patient was noted to have had mild HTG, with plozasiran treatment decreasing real TG values by up to 71%.

This case report suggests that …

Nephrostomy (Pcn) Versus Nephroureteral Stent (Double Jj); An Ongoing Battle, Mohadese Ahmadzade, Muhammad Hamza Shamim, Omar Guerrero, Ashley Bancroft, Shreya Ranganath, David Leon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the realm of medical procedures for urinary obstructions, a distinct division of roles is evident: the vast majority of percutaneous nephrostomies (PCNs) are the domain of Interventional Radiology (IR), while the placement of double J stents (JJ stents) falls squarely under Urology. This division, however, is not without its complexities. When confronted with a patient suffering from a urinary obstruction, the decision-making process can become intricate. The underlying cause often fuels the debate: should IR intervene with a PCN, or should Urology place a JJ stent? Such decisions have profound implications for the individual patient.In this comprehensive review, we …

Novel Parent Survey Measures Sensory Behaviors Incorporating Sensory Modality And Stimulus Intensity, Joon Lee, Stephanie Marton, Jill Roth, Frederick L Oswald, Kenneth J Nobleza, Ankona Banerjee, Holly Harris, Ariel M Lyons-Warren

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Sensory behaviors are common, clinically relevant features of many neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. However, existing assessments lack granularity in evaluating hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity, particularly in relation to stimulus intensity. We address this gap with our Sensory Response Questionnaire Phenotyper (SRQP), a parent-questionnaire that comprehensively assesses sensory behaviors across five sensory modalities. The purpose of this study was to validate the SRQP against established tools and assess its efficacy in identifying nuanced sensory processing patterns in children with autism.

Methods: A convenience sample of 317 participants (57 with autism, 260 typically developing) aged 3-17 years were enrolled in a cross-sectional …

Outcomes And Resource Utilization In Hyperkalemic Emergency Department Patients Treated With Patiromer Or Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate, James Neuenschwander, Harold Brown, Jennifer Kammerer, Jeffrey Budden, Ning Rosenthal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVES: Hyperkalemia (HK) is a life-threatening condition commonly treated in emergency department (ED). Real-world outcomes associated with ED administration of potassium binders are limited. This study assessed ED discharge disposition and resource utilization in hyperkalemic ED patients treated with patiromer or sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC).

METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using discharge data from 230 hospitals in the Premier PINC AI Healthcare Database. ED patients were included if they were ≥18 years old, had potassium ≥5 mEq/L, and received patiromer/SZC during January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to …

Changes In Post-Transplant Serum Testosterone Levels In Men Undergoing Lung Transplantation: A Pilot Study Using The Trinetx Research Network, Erin Jesse, Mohit Khera, Kenneth Chavin, Nannan Thirumavalavan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hypogonadism is understudied in men requiring solid organ transplants, particularly among lung transplant recipients. Improvement in serum testosterone levels has been reported in kidney and liver transplantation. Using the TriNetX Research Network, we performed a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the incidence of peri-transplant hypogonadism and the natural course of serum testosterone following successful lung transplantation. Men aged ≥ 18 with a lung transplant and total testosterone drawn within one year pre- and post-transplant were included. Men with receipt of testosterone therapy were excluded. A low testosterone (< 300 ng/dL) and normal testosterone (≥300 ng/dL) cohort was created before employing descriptive and analytic statistics to investigate the incidence of peri-transplant hypogonadism and the change in serum testosterone levels following lung transplantation. In our entire cohort, lung transplantation was not associated with a significant increase in post-transplant serum testosterone (329.86 ± 162.56 ng/dL pre-transplant and 355.13 ± 216.11 ng/dL post-transplant, p = 0.483). The number of men with low testosterone decreased by 9.8% following lung transplantation but was not significant, p = 0.404. In this pilot study, no significant change in the number of hypogonadal men nor serum testosterone levels was observed among men undergoing lung transplantation.

The Scintillator Surface Detector Of The Pierre Auger Observatory, A. Abdul Halim, P. Abreu, M. Aglietta, I. Allekotte, K. Almeida Cheminant, A. Almela, B. Fick, K. Nguyen, D. Nitz, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Data collected so far by the Pierre Auger Observatory have enabled major advances in ultrahigh energy cosmic ray physics and demonstrated that improved determination of masses of primary cosmic-ray particles, preferably on an event-by-event basis, is necessary for understanding their origin and nature. Improvement in primary mass measurements was the main motivation for the upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory, called AugerPrime. As part of this upgrade, scintillator detectors are added to the existing water-Cherenkov surface detector stations. By making use of the differences in detector response to the electromagnetic particles and muons between scintillator and water-Cherenkov detectors, the electromagnetic …

Addressing Anxiety And Depression In The Allergy Clinic Through Motivational Interviewing, Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, And Curious Questions, Jonathan A Bernstein, Don Bukstein, Aikaterini Anagnostou, Matthew Greenhawt, S Shahzad Mustafa, Julie Wang, Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, Elissa M Abrams, John Oppenheimer, Alexandra E Conway, Andrew A White, Taylor A Doherty, Richard P Morse, Marcus Shaker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Allergic diseases, particularly food allergy, can be associated with significant psychosocial impairment. Allergist-immunologists can provide evidence-based information to correct misperceptions and misunderstandings regarding food allergy that may perpetuate cycles of fear and anxiety. Whereas motivational interviewing can be an empathetic approach to empower patients to actualize health goals, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to provide disease-state insight to facilitate an understanding of risk that can transform health beliefs and behaviors. Brief CBT is a clinical approach that can help address ineffective management paradigms through conversations that begin with curious questions. In this review, we discuss evidence supporting implementation of an …

Privacy In Perspective: Research Participants’ Priorities And Concerns Related To Sharing Data Generated In Human Neuroscience Studies, Mary A Majumder, Kathryn Maxson Jones, Whitney Bash Brooks, Sameer A Sheth, Amy L Mcguire

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The societal benefits from sharing and reusing data collected in human neuroscience studies are widely appreciated. However, there are persistent barriers to data sharing as well as privacy concerns related to unauthorized access, misuse, and reidentification of deidentified data. Thus far, few studies have been conducted with neuroscience research participants to understand their data sharing priorities and concerns. We conducted a survey utilizing an experimental design with N=52 participants in neuroscience studies funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health representing diverse neurotechnologies and health conditions. Respondents prioritized sharing practices that maximize reuse of data to benefit patients and reduce …

Gastrointestinal Infection Before Immune Checkpoint Inhibition Hinders Treatment Efficacy And Increases The Risk Of Colitis, Kei Takigawa, Irene Jeong-Ah Lee, Andrew Sullivan, Tanvi Gupta, Linfeng Lu, Raakhi Menon, Ayesha Khan, Hamza Salim, Elliot Baerman, Carolina Colli Cruz, Cristina Natha, Varun Vemulapalli, Garrett Coleman, Krishnavathana Varatharajalu, Christopher Fan, Pablo Okhuysen, Anthony J Olszanski, Yan Zhou, Hao Chi Zhang, Mehnaz Shafi, Yinghong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) infections, which often result in or stem from intestinal dysbiosis, can affect the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and increase the risk of adverse effects, such as colitis. In this study, we explored the impact of GI infections before initiation of ICI therapy on the incidence and severity of immune-mediated colitis (IMC) and survival.

Methods: A single-center, retrospective review including all patients who received ICIs from January 2010 to February 2024 and subsequently developed IMC. Patients were screened for IMC and prior GI infections based on symptoms and stool tests. Patients' demographic, IMC, and GI infection-related …

Biomarkers Of Cellular Senescence In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Thomas A White, Elizabeth J Atkinson, Amanda Tweed, Allyson K Palmer, Nathan K Lebrasseur, Jad G Sfeir, Sundeep Khosla

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Although animal studies have linked cellular senescence to the pathogenesis and complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), there is a paucity of corroborating data in humans. Thus, we measured a previously validated marker for senescent cell burden in humans, T‐cell expression of p16 mRNA, along with additional biomarkers, to compare the senescence phenotypes of postmenopausal control (lean, N = 37) and T2DM (N = 27) participants. To control for effects of obesity alone, we included a third group of obese but non‐diabetic women (N = 29) who were matched for body mass index to the T2DM participants. …

Ambient Documentation Technology In Clinician Experience Of Documentation Burden And Burnout, David Y Ting, Sayon Dutta, Julie C Wang, Amanda J Centi, Molly Macfarlane, Eran Bechor, Jonathan Letourneau, Gabrielle Choo-Kang, Esther H Kim, Cordula Magee, Brian J Lang, Laura Angelo, Jackson Olin, Michelle Frits, Christine Iannaccone, Angela Rui, Ivana Salmikova, Christopher Holland, Bryan Blanchette, Rachel Silverman, David W Bates, Lisa Rotenstein, Rebecca G Mishuris

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Documentation burden is associated with clinician burnout. To address documentation burden, Mass General Brigham (MGB) in Somerville, Massachusetts, and Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia, have piloted ambient documentation technology (ADT), which develops artificial intelligence-drafted clinical notes from clinician-patient conversations.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of ADT use and its association with clinicians' experience of documentation burden and burnout before and after use.

Design, setting, and participants: This survey study included clinicians who used ADT for at least 42 days and responded to both the pre- and postsurveys (onboarded February 27 to July 31, 2024, at MGB and July 19, …

Anaphylaxis Definition, Overview, And Clinical Support Tool: 2024 Consensus Report-A Ga2len Project, Paul J Turner, Julie Wang, Graham Roberts, Aikaterini Anagnostou, Susanne Halken, Jay Liebermann, Margitta Worm, Torsten Zuberbier, Hugh A Sampson, Ga(2)Len Anaphylaxis Study Team

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The 2006 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease/Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network anaphylaxis criteria are widely used in clinical care and research. In 2020, the World Allergy Organization published modified criteria that have not been uniformly adopted. Different criteria contribute to inconsistent care and research outcomes.

Objective: We sought to develop a consensus anaphylaxis definition, overview, and clinical support tool.

Methods: A 12-member writing group developed draft outputs modified with input from a 46-member international expert panel, 31 medical stakeholder organizations, and 15 patient advocacy organizations. The expert panel participated in a modified Delphi process to seek consensus …

Differing Impacts Of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Leads On Tricuspid Regurgitation, Sophie A. Leon, Melissa Austin, Nayeem Nasher, Daler Rahimov, Faizaan Siddique, Chitra Parikh, Danial Ahmad, Vakhtang Tchantchaleishvili, Behzad B. Pavri

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Placement of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) with leads that traverse the tricuspid valve is thought to contribute to tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, there are relatively limited data comparing the impact of different CIED lead types on the incidence and progression of TR. This study sought to quantify the change in TR severity following implantation of CIEDs with different lead types.

METHODS: Patient data were collected on individuals with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), right ventricular-paced pacemakers (RV-PM), and His bundle-paced pacemakers (His-PM) placed by a single provider at a single institution between 2016 and 2019. Patients with extravascular CIED …

Smokejumper Biographies For 1964 Rookie Class, National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Biographies by Rookie Year

This document contains short biographies of smokejumpers who rookied in 1964.

Smokejumper Biographies For 1962 Rookie Class, National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Biographies by Rookie Year

This document contains short biographies of smokejumpers who rookied in 1962.

The Role Of Expansion Joints In Long Concrete Buildings, Salah Salem, Mohamed E. El Madawy, Basem S. Abdelwahed, Mohamed E. El-Zoughiby

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The use of expansion joints in lengthy concrete buildings aims to mitigate forces induced by temperature changes and is often derived through empirical methods. These methods lack the depth needed for universal application in any building. On the other hand, adopting a no-joint strategy necessitates a thorough thermal analysis of temperature changes, a subject that has not been extensively explored in existing literature. There are no methodologies available, and the current guidelines rely on approximate calculations; thus, there is a need for clear directives on these two matters. This paper produces a procedure for performing thermal analyses of long concrete …

Interlace: A Journal Of Mathematics And Fiber Arts, Carolyn Yackel, Sarah-Marie Belcastro

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Interlace: A journal of mathematics and fiber arts is a peer-reviewed, open-access completely free journal devoted to publishing high-quality original research at the intersection of mathematics and fiber arts. The journal is now accepting submissions.

Sudoku Grids, David Sheskin

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Ten images depicting numerical grids of the mathematical logic puzzle Sudoku are presented. The digit values in each puzzle are represented on either domino tiles, postage stamps, mah-jong tiles, or playing cards.

The Unending Constant, Christopher Banyas

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Totality Fractal, Heather L. Cook

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This fractal was inspired by the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024. Here, the sun and the moon are represented when in totality.

Euclidean Vision (A Poem), Joseph Chaney

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

"Euclidean Vision" is a short poem that evaluates geometry from a humanistic perspective, focusing partly on its pleasures. Geometry gives us the pleasing assurance of certainty. It does this through the radical abstraction of space and form, which makes possible a completeness of mathematical vision based on axioms. It's this purity that guarantees a knowledge that "can go on forever." In the end, the poem points to the wonderful freedom that geometry and other mathematical disciplines give us in the midst of difficult and confusing lives. In its beauty and universality, geometry stands as an eternal aspect of the human …

Dream Series, Jim Wolper

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Dream Series converge to numbers we cannot analyze. They exist, like dreams, but resist attempts to put them into order.

Solving For..., Jan B. Shafer

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This poem is about an appreciation of mathematics and its relationships to people and nature.

When I Was One-In-Twenty, Daniel Kowalczyk

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

A poem by A.E. Housman inspired the engineer John R. Pierce to feel awe in the technological progress of telecommunications. Tangentially, Housman also evoked a strong emotion in me when making use of statistical p-values.

Found Poem By Abraham De Moivre, Richard Delaware

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.