Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Costs, Demographics, And Causative Agents In Patients Hospitalized For Drug Induced Liver Injury: Trends In A Large Academic Healthcare System, Megan Kozar, Yunisse Gonzalez, Dina Halegoua-De Marzio

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening condition. To date, the burden of DILI on a single, large healthcare system has not been investigated, preventing adequate resource allocation. This study aims to quantify DILI-related healthcare utilization within the Jefferson Health System (JHS) and identify case-related factors associated with high resource requirements; such information is crucial to focus efforts toward resource reduction.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study characterizes trends of 48 DILI cases within JHS, including demographics, payer status, causative agent, and DILI pattern. These variables were correlated with length of stay (LOS) and cost relating to …

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate And Xenograft Versus Autograft And Xenograft In The 3d Reconstruction Of Atrophic Maxillary Ridges: A Split-Mouth Randomized Controlled Trial, Moataz Bahaa, Ahmed Abdelmaksoud Dr., Mohamed Mounir Prof, Yasmin Nassar Prof, Mohamed Shawky Dr., Sara Elmoshy Dr.

Dentistry

To evaluate bone quality and quantity after 3D augmentation of vertically and horizontally atrophied maxillary ridges and compare the use of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) and xenograft versus autograft and xenograft, both using prebent titanium (Ti) mesh over a virtually augmented model. Materials and Methods: Ten fully edentulous patients with severe maxillary vertical and horizontal bone loss were recruited. Virtual horizontal and vertical bone augmentation was performed for the deficient ridge to produce virtually augmented models for prebent Ti meshes preoperatively. Each patient was rehabilitated with BMAC and xenograft on one side of their mouth (test side) and with …

Cognitive And Mental Health Challenges: Addressing The Impact Of Traumatic Brain Injuries In Adults, Hannah E. Smith, Lesley Khan-Farooqi, Phd, Otd, Otr, Anne Mcdonnell, Mpa, Otr/L, Cbist

Student Capstone Papers

This capstone examined the challenges adults face following traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and explored interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive functioning and mental health. This capstone also aimed to reduce caregiver stress and burnout by expanding knowledge and resources focused on cognitive and mental health within the population. TBIs can result from a variety of causes, affecting cognitive abilities, mental health, and functional outcomes. This capstone shows evidence-based interventions designed to improve cognitive functioning, facilitate engagement in meaningful activities to improve mental health, and enhance overall quality of life for adults recovering from TBI. This also will demonstrate potential for occupational …

Nursing Migration And The Global Workforce: How The U.S. Nurse Shortage Impacts Developing Countries, Mololuwa Faithful Lasekan

Honors Thesis

As United States (U.S.) healthcare organizations face persistent staffing gaps driven by an aging population, burnout, and limited educational capacity, many institutions increasingly rely on internationally educated nurses (IENs) to stabilize their workforce. This reliance intersects with longstanding structural challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where inadequate compensation and limited professional opportunities contribute to high migration intentions among nurses. Using a systematic literature review guided by PRISMA principles, this study synthesized evidence and five major themes emerged: (1) push factors driving nurse emigration from LMICs, (2) pull factors attracting nurses to the U.S., (3) digital globalization and post-COVID recruitment …

The Necessity Of Adaptive Sports: Addressing Financial Barriers To Participation In Children With Spinal Cord Injuries, Megan G. Wells, Lesley Khan-Farooqi

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with spinal cord injuries (SCI) face significant financial barriers that limit access to adaptive sports, despite the physical and psychosocial benefits of participation. This capstone project aimed to address this gap by developing a comprehensive financial resource guide for families. Guided by the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) model, a needs assessment was conducted through semi-structured interviews, clinical observations, and stakeholder input, revealing a lack of accessible and centralized funding information. In response, a guidebook was created that includes educational content, local and national funding opportunities, and practical tools for navigating financial aid and grant applications. The guide was piloted and refined …

Beyond Pico: Building Your Ppco Question For Pediatric Falls, Mayra Garcia

PPCO Resources & Education

No abstract provided.

Mastering The Ppco Framework: A Guide For Nursing Evidence, Mayra Garcia

PPCO Resources & Education

No abstract provided.

A Nurse's Guide To The Ppco Framework: Asking The Right Questions For Better Practice, Mayra Garcia

PPCO Resources & Education

No abstract provided.

Mastering The Ppco Framework: A Pediatric Hospital Falls Case Study, Mayra Garcia

PPCO Resources & Education

No abstract provided.

Perioperative Pressure Injury Prevention Education Program, Stephanie M. Reed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pressure injuries (PIs) are localized injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue, usually over a bony prominence, resulting from sustained pressure including pressure associated from shear. Surgical patients are estimated to represent 42% of hospital acquired PIs. PIs result in poor patient outcomes, increase length of stay, add billions to heath care costs are no longer reimbursed by Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services. Prevention of PI is different in the perioperative setting due to the complexities of surgery. This project focused on developing, delivering, and evaluating a robust education program for perioperative staff on PI prevention in the perioperative setting. The …

Association Between Childhood Exposure To Family Substance Abuse, Mental Health Issues, And Cervical Screening Among Women Ages 18-65 In South Carolina, Ashley Laine Hamm

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with adverse health outcomes in adulthood; however, less is known about their relationship with preventive health behaviors such as cervical cancer screening. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine associations between selected ACEs and cervical cancer screening among women aged 18–65 in South Carolina. Data were drawn from the 2020 South Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and included 1,323 women. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to examine unadjusted and adjusted associations between ACE exposures and being up to date with Pap testing, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, income, …

Sociodemographic Factors And Dating Violence Among Adolescents Living In Rural Southern U.S. Communities, Kiara Patricia Sims-Thrasher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a significant public health issue that disproportionately affects youths in southern rural communities, yet these populations remain underrepresented in research. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the association between ADV and sociodemographic factors (gender, race, age, and education level), alcohol consumption, and bullying among adolescents in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi using data from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Guided by the social-ecological model, binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess relationships between ADV victimization and the selected predictors. Results indicated that females had significantly higher odds of reporting …

Diabetes Mellitus And Its Association With Tuberculosis Clinical Presentation And Treatment Outcomes: Results From A Prospective Cohort Study In Ghana, Monica Baaba Jones, Kwadwo Ansah Koram, Francis Anto, Michael Lauzardo, Blanca I. Restrepo, Margaret Lartey, Hafisatu Gbadamosi, Awewura Kwara

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Tuberculosis (TB)-diabetes is a growing public health threat in TB-endemic settings. We aimed to determine diabetes prevalence among TB patients in Greater Accra and its association with TB clinical presentation and treatment outcomes.

Methods: We enrolled 204 adults (≥20 years) with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB across 14 health facilities. At treatment initiation, participants were screened for diabetes using self-report, fasting plasma glucose, and glycated hemoglobin, following standard diagnostic criteria. Baseline characteristics were recorded, and participants were followed to determine TB treatment outcomes. Associations between diabetes, baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes were assessed using bivariate and multivariate analysis in STATA. …

From Competition To Complementarity: Narrative Review Of Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy, Focused Ultrasound, And Radiofrequency Ablation In Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, Tirath Patel, Hamza Yousuf Ibrahim, Tanzeela Khan, Tehreem Tabrez, Sara Hussain, Alishba Fatima, Aaliya Junaid Siddiqui, Nikhilesh Anand

School of Medicine Publications

Minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques have emerged as a transformative paradigm, offering alternatives to conventional open approaches. The demand for safer, less invasive procedures accelerated the development of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), focused ultrasound (FUS), and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), each employing a distinct mechanism with unique clinical implications. The objective was to critically evaluate and contextualize LITT, FUS, and RFA with emphasis on their comparative efficacy, safety, and roles as competing or complementary technologies in minimally invasive neurosurgery. Literature published between 2005 and 2025 was identified through PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, using keywords “LITT,” “FUS,” “RFA,” “minimally invasive …

Multi-Trait Polygenic Scores For Copd And Copd Exacerbations Implicate Druggable Proteins, Chengyue Zhang, Iain R Konigsberg, Yixuan He, Jingzhou Zhang, Tinashe Chikowore, William B Feldman, Xiaowei Hu, Yi Ding, Bogdan Pasaniuc, Diana Chang, Qingwen Chen, Jessica A Lasky-Su, Julian Hecker, Martin D Tobin, Jing Chen, Sean Kalra, Katherine A Pratte, Hae Kyung Im, Emily S Wan, Ani Manichaikul, Edwin K Silverman, Russell P Bowler, Leslie A Lange, Victor E Ortega, Alicia R Martin, Michael H Cho, Matthew R Moll

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND

We constructed multi-trait polygenic risk scores (PRSs) predicting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and exacerbations, validated their performance in diverse cohorts, and identified PRS-related proteins for potential therapeutic targeting.

METHODS

PRSmix+, a multi-trait PRS framework, is used to train a composite PRS (PRSmulti) in COPDGene non-Hispanic White participants (n = 6,647). Associations of PRSmulti with COPD status (GOLD 2–4 vs. GOLD 0 or ICD) and exacerbation frequency were tested in COPDGene African American (n = 2,466), ECLIPSE (n = 1,858), Mass General Brigham Biobank (n = 15,152), and All of Us (n = 118,566). …

Relationship Between Hepatitis B Virus Screening, Vaccination, And Spread In Sierra Leone, Muhammed Sarmodu Mansaray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) presents a significant public health burden in Sierra Leone. Although the estimated prevalence was 8.7% in 2021, comprehensive statistical data has been limited in general. Programmatic interventions for HBV control such as systematic screening and vaccination have remained limited as well. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between screening and vaccination practices and HBV prevalence in Sierra Leone while controlling for age, sex, education and health care access. The theoretical framework incorporated the Integrated Screening Action model, which highlights screening as a critical disease prevention strategy, and the Social Ecological …

The Association Between Advanced Technology Use And Quality Of Life Among Those With A Disability, Sarah Antus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Advanced medical technology use among individuals with physical disabilities remains understudied, creating a significant gap in understanding its impact on quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes across demographic and age groups. Guided by the social ecological model, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine associations between advanced medical technology use, disability status, demographic factors (age, gender, and race/ethnicity), and QoL outcomes using 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. The sample included 9,254 individuals age 6 years and older with physical functional limitations and complete technology-use and QoL data. Advanced medical technology use was significantly associated with improved QoL (p < .001). Disability status demonstrated a statistically significant but modest association with technology use, OR = 0.84, 95% CI [0.83, 0.85], p < .001. Age-stratified analyses indicated that advanced technology use significantly predicted improved QoL among adults aged 20 years and older, OR = 6.90, 95% CI [6.89, 6.91], p < .001, but not among youths aged 6–19 years (p = .929). Gender was a significant predictor of technology use, with females having higher odds than males, OR = 1.07, 95% CI [1.06, 1.08], p < .001. Race/ethnicity was also significantly associated with technology use; compared with non-Hispanic White adults, Mexican American (OR = 0.43, 95% CI [0.42, 0.44], p < .001), other Hispanic (OR = 0.58, 95% CI [0.57, 0.59], p < .001), and non-Hispanic Black adults (OR = 0.79, 95% CI [0.78, 0.80], p < .001) had lower odds of advanced medical technology use. The study may inform health care stakeholders about strategies to promote equitable access to advanced medical assistive technologies for social change

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Novel Mt5-Mmp Inhibitors For Treatment Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Nicholas Borges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and presence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in the brain. Aβ oligomers are directly toxic to CNS synapses and can induce tau protein hyperphosphorylation, that causes NFT buildup. For these reasons, Aβ has been investigated as a therapeutic target, yet very few clinical trials have yielded effective drugs for AD treatment until now. Recently, the MT5-MMPmediated η-secretase pathway, which generates synaptotoxic Aη from amyloid precursor protein, has been reported (Wang et al 2024, Wilem et al 2015). Thus, pharmacologic inhibition of MT5-MMP …

Correction: Exploiting Prmt5 As A Target For Combination Therapy In Mantle Cell Lymphoma Characterized By Frequent Atm And Tp53 Mutations, Yuxuan Che, Yang Liu, Yixin Yao, Holly A Hill, Yijing Li, Qingsong Cai, Fangfang Yan, Preetesh Jain, Wei Wang, Lixin Rui, Michael Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

An Artificial Intelligence Optimized Hepatic Differentiation Unveils Nr5a2 And Ap-1 Transcriptional Regulation In Hepatic Maturation, Zijun Huo, Jian Tu, Wei-Lei Yang, Mo-Fan Huang, Ruoyu Wang, Chih-Wei Chu, An Xu, Yao Yu, Tara N Tavakol, Mikal Kizilbash, Megan E Fisher, Yu-Wen Huang, Dandan Zhu, Trinh T T Phan, Rachel Shoemaker, Ya-Wen Chen, Yang Zhang, Chad D Huff, Shih-Yu Chen, Tien-Jen Liu, Haipeng Xiao, Dung-Fang Lee, Ruiying Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The generation of hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) holds great promise for drug discovery and cell-based therapy for liver disease. However, current differentiation protocols are complicated and unstable, and the underlying gene regulatory mechanisms of hepatic differentiation remain incompletely defined. Here, we developed a machine learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) tool using phase-contrast images of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs), which are essential for generating HLCs. The AI tool significantly improves the success rate of hepatic differentiation without the need for immunostaining or lineage tracing. By optimizing the methodology, we achieved an impressive purity of 90-95% for HLCs …

The Effects Of Orexin Receptor Antagonism During Early Withdrawal In Stimulant Use Disorder: Protocol For A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Heather Webber, Nikky Tran, Rita Blake, Sarah Goldman, Trevor George, Bill Bailey, Robert Suchting, Jin Yoon, Jessica Vincent, Michael Weaver, Joy Schmitz, Scott Lane

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Stimulant use disorders (StimUDs), including cocaine and methamphetamine use disorders, remain a major public health concern in the United States with no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmacological treatments. The early recovery period following stimulant use is marked by sleep disturbances, heightened stress reactivity, and dysregulated reward processing, contributing to high rates of resumption of use. Evidence from animal and human studies supports the orexin neuropeptide system as a promising therapeutic target for minimizing these disruptive mechanisms. Suvorexant, an FDA-approved dual orexin receptor antagonist for insomnia, has previously been shown to improve sleep, reduce stress, and attenuate craving …

Contraception In The Ed: Understanding Education And Opportunities For Clinicians To Advise Patients, Hannah B. Lewis, Teagan R. Mccarthy, Dara Kass, Jennifer L. Kahoud

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Introduction: The United States faces a high rate of unwanted pregnancies. Despite this, many people continue to face barriers to accessing contraception. The emergency department (ED) can help bridge these gaps, but emergency clinicians must first feel comfortable offering contraceptive services. In this study, we sought to determine emergency clinician comfort in prescribing contraceptives and educating patients on their use. We also gauged clinician interest in receiving education specifically geared toward contraceptive care.

Methods: We conducted an online survey of ED residents, attendings, and advanced practice clinicians at Thomas Jefferson Univerity Hospital and affiliates in both the urban and suburban …

What Are The Top 10 Global Research Priorities For Perianal Crohn's Disease? The Global Perianal Crohn's Disease Priority Setting Partnership, Theo Pelly, Parakkal Deepak, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Perianal Crohn's disease (pCD) is a debilitating condition with a prevalence of approximately 20% in patients within 10 years of diagnosis of CD. The condition significantly impacts patient quality of life, and there remain a number of unmet needs relating to its optimal management. A global Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) was established to identify the top 10 research priorities for pCD.

METHODS: The PSP followed standard James Lind Alliance (JLA) methodology. An initial survey was circulated to gather unanswered research questions from key stakeholders. From these responses, a longlist of summary questions was formed. These questions were …

Clingen Api Platform For Classification Of Human Genetic Variants, Neethu Shah, Tierra Farris, Arturo Alejandro Zuniga, Andrew R Jackson, Jessie Arce, Kevin Riehle, Christine G Preston, Mark E Mandell, Bryan Wulf, Gloria Cheung, Keyang Yu, Deborah I Ritter, Dubravka Jevtic, Miroslav Milinkov, Novak Martinovic, Nevena Vucinic, Aleksandar Mihajlovic, Alan F Rubin, Melissa S Cline, Marina Distefano, Malachi Griffith, Obi L Griffith, Matt W Wright, Teri E Klein, Sharon E Plon, Aleksandar Milosavljevic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In this commentary, we describe how the Clinical Genome Resource's (ClinGen's) application programming interface-based microservices accelerate growth and dissemination of knowledge about human genetic variation. By exposing findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable, and AI-ready variant data, ClinGen lays a foundation for next-generation software applications, AI systems, and variant classification workflows.

Overlapping Mhc Class I/Ii Epitopes Program Cdc1-Like Differentiation Of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells Via Mtorc1 Signaling Inhibition, S B Amanya, A Murthy, N Bisht, Z N Bullock, K J Ernste, J Vasquez-Perez, W Liu, A Trivedi, D Oyewole-Said, A Paul, L Umokoro, V Akhanov, M Samuel, Z Shi, M H Nguyen, S Huang, M Jeong, P Iakova, K A Jain, K Pham, D C Kraushaar, V Konduri, W K Decker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Viral infection polarizes monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDC) to initiate type 1 immunity. The availability of overlapping (homologous) MHC class I and II epitopes, an occurrence frequently and primarily associated with intracellular infection, significantly enhances this process; however, the underlying mechanism(s) are unclear. We demonstrate that moDC loaded with homologous MHC epitopes acquire a cDC1-like phenotype in a process governed by mTORC1. mTORC1 pathway inhibition leads to NF-κB-mediated expression of IL-12 and other type I immune polarizing genes. The observed cDC1-like gene signature was also significantly enhanced in clinical moDC vaccine products made through methodologies that enforced class I and II …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Magnetic Field, Heat Transfer, And Thermal Radiation On Blood Flow Through Bifurcated Artery To Enhance Tumor Treatments, Abdullahi Isah, Dauda Gulibur Yakubu, Ali Musa

Tanzania Journal of Science

The work presents the effects of some pertinent parameters on blood flow through bifurcated artery to enhance tumor treatments. Combining appropriately the basic equations, together with the fractionalized Maxwell fluid model allow us to determine the velocity, temperature and concentration of blood flow through bifurcated artery. The study adopted the Atangana-Baleanu fractional time derivative on fluid model to describe the non-Newtonian behavior of blood flow. The numerical simulations were performed using the combined Laplace transform and the method of undetermined coefficients and the results obtained with the aid of Mathcad software were simulated and presented graphically. From the graphical results, …

Bridging The Gap: At For Those With Physical Or Intellectual Disability, Rebekah Nesbitt

The 2026 Assistive Technology for Persons with Intellectual and Physical Disabilities Conference

No abstract provided.

Challenges And Opportunities To Access Assistive Technology In The Americas Region, Yasmin Garcia Mendez

The 2026 Assistive Technology for Persons with Intellectual and Physical Disabilities Conference

No abstract provided.

2026 Abstract Book (Pdf), School Of Public Health

School of Public Health Delta Omega Honors Day Poster Sessions

The collection of abstracts for the 2026 Delta Omega Honors Day Poster Session.

Protocol For Inducing Focal Striatal Stroke In Mice Using Photothrombosis, Bridget R. Boyle, Eileen Collyer, Andrea P. Berghella, Elena Blanco-Suarez

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Here, we present a protocol for inducing focal striatal stroke in mice using photothrombosis. We describe steps for photothrombotic striatal surgery, magnetic resonance imaging, open field behavioral assessment of stroke-induced motor deficits, and post-stroke monitoring. We then detail procedures for tissue collection and immunofluorescence. This protocol provides a standardized approach for consistently modeling striatal stroke in mice, enabling mechanistic studies and preclinical therapeutic testing.