Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Artificial Intelligence In Cancer-Related Malnutrition And Cachexia: A Transformative Tool In Clinical Nutrition, Salvatore Carbone

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Malnutrition and cachexia are common complications in cancer patients, and they negatively influence prognosis, treatment efficacy, and tolerability as well as quality of life [[1], [2], [3]]. Accurately identifying and effectively managing malnutrition and cachexia in this population remains a clinical challenge. Conventional validated screening tools may lack the sensitivity and specificity required for early detection and personalized intervention in diverse cancer types and treatment settings [4,5]. Over the last decade, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) strategies, has shown promising results in clinical nutrition, with the potential to revolutionize nutritional …

Influence Of Faculty-Derived Concept Maps On Student Study Strategies, Kaitlin P. Hardy, Amanda K. Burbage, Julie A. Kerry

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Background

Concept mapping is a well-established tool for students to actively organize information into a visual and spatial framework. However, some students are resistant to adopting concept mapping as a study strategy due to the time and effort involved in generating the maps. In this study, we explored student perceptions of faculty-derived concept maps (FD-maps) developed to accompany content within a Foundational Science module in a medical school curriculum. We subsequently investigated whether student use of FD-maps helped overcome resistance to adoption of concept mapping.

Methods

Student evaluation data was analyzed using a mixed methods approach to explore student perceptions …

The Effects Of The Image Attributes Of Golf Star Athletes Supported By Adult Amateur Golfers On Sports Participation Desire And Continuation Intention, Ji-Hye Yang, Ga Young Kim, Hye Jin Yang, Chulhwan Choi, Chul-Ho Bum

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The image attributes of sports star athletes demonstrate positive effects on sports fans' psychological factors. In the context of golf, fans are also influenced by the players they support, experiencing a range of emotions. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of the image attributes of golf star athletes—supported by adult amateur golfers—on the desire for sports participation and the intention to continue. This study involved 356 adult amateur golfers in Korea (253 male, 103 female). Questionnaires were used to measure participants' perceptions of image attributes, their desire for sports participation, and their intention to continue participating in the …

A Study Of Differences In Enjoyment, Exercise Commitment, And Intention To Continue Participation Among Age Groups Of Adult Amateur Golfers, Hye Jin Yang, Ji-Hye Yang, Chulhwan Choi, Chul-Ho Bum

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Golf is one of the leisure sports that offers various benefits and has become a popular public sport with participation from people of various age groups. A total of 262 questionnaires were distributed online, with 240 valid responses collected after excluding 22 with non-responses or partial answers. The results showed statistically significant differences in enjoyment by age group, except for recognition from others. Regarding physical health, those in their 60s and above had higher mean scores than other age groups, and those in their 50s scored higher than those in their 30s. Stress relief was greater among those in their …

A Comparative Analysis Of Stress Relief, Life Satisfaction, And Quality Of Life Based On Marriage Status And Gender Among Members Of Society Participating In Exercise, Ji-Hye Yang, Sicheol Jung, Hyejin Yang, Chulhwan Choi, Chul-Ho Bum

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Modern members of society tend to feel stressed in their workplace and at home, but exercising has been shown to effectively reduce stress and increase quality of life and satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate and compare stress relief, life satisfaction, and quality of life based on marriage status and gender among members of society who participate in exercise. We used a questionnaire survey with 311 participants, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, validity and reliability, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and a post hoc analysis. The study results showed that the single groups demonstrated higher mean …

Drone Medical Package Delivery For Improved Transportation And Better Patient Outcomes Final Implementation Report, Amro El-Adle, Madeline Alden, Yin-Hsuen Chen, Melissa Davidson

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

The Drone Medical Package Delivery for Improved Transportation and Better Patient Outcomes planning and prototyping grant involves five partners, including Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC), Riverside Health System, Old Dominion University (ODU), Virginia Institute for Spaceflight & Autonomy (VISA), Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), and DroneUp. The partners worked together to address access, safety, reliability and sustainability for medical and emergency response package delivery via drone, specifically, where the use of aerial drones could lead to better patient outcomes and improved safety and emergency response.

The goal of the project was to develop an operational prototype that woul evolve into …

Baseline Disease Characteristics By Surgery History Among Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps (Crswnp) In The Global Aroma Registry, Shigeharu Fujieda, Jayant M. Pinto, David W. Jang, Joseph K. Han, James Mims, Eugenio De Corso, Martin Wagenmann, Changming Xia, Thomas Plucinak, Mark Corbett, Scott Nash, Amr Radwan

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Purpose

The global Assessing long-teRm Outcomes in dupiluMAb (AROMA) registry study aims to characterize the long-term, real-world use of dupilumab in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). This paper reports interim analysis of the baseline characteristics for the first 303 patients enrolled in AROMA.

Methods and materials

AROMA is currently ongoing in adult patients with CRSwNP who initiated dupilumab for up to 36 months. This interim analysis describes baseline demographics; systemic/oral corticosteroid (SCS/OCS) and antibiotic use; disease burden; healthcare resource utilization; and medical history. All outcomes are summarized descriptively.

Results

As of February 2023, AROMA had enrolled 303 …

An Account Of Roman Surgical Treatments For Ozena: Historical Review, Perry Hammond, Rebecca R. Benefiel, Kent Lam

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Objective: To analyze a first-century Roman account of surgery for ozena-a tetrad of nasal crusting, ulceration, bony involvement, and foul odor-with a focus on historical context, etymology, and surgical management.

Data Sources: This historical review draws from the authors' translation of De Medicina. Primary sources detailing Roman surgical instruments from the House of the Surgeon in Pompeii, as well as secondary sources of surgical techniques, were utilized.

Review methods: An in-depth review of Celsus' descriptions of surgical techniques for ozena was conducted using independent translation and exegetical analysis of primary sources. Archaeological findings were investigated to correlate surgical tools with …

Characterization Of Litigation After Tympanoplasty And Mastoidectomy In The United States, Alyssa D. Reese, Lauren A. Dinardo, Soumya Gupta, Kristina F. Powers, Samuel Colca, Michele M. Carr

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Introduction

Tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy are common procedures performed by otolaryngologists that can result in complications for which patients may seek compensation. Medical malpractice case analyses may offer insight into how clinicians can avoid risk and improve patient satisfaction. We aimed to comprehensively characterize litigation after mastoidectomies and tympanoplasties in the United States.

Methods

The Westlaw Campus Research legal database was searched for all available court decisions associated with claims of medical malpractice after tympanoplasty and/or mastoidectomy in the United States between 1975 and 2022. Information on the plaintiffs' relationships to the patients, patient characteristics, states where the procedures took place, …

Size Of Pediatric Tracheostomy Tube And Predictors Of Postoperative Complications, Soukaina Eljamri, Jordyn Lucas, Amber Shaffer, Basil Hashimi, Marina Rushchak, Reema Padia

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Objective

(1) To investigate weight as an alternative guide for trach tube choice. (2) Evaluate complications 3-month posttracheostomy and associations with patient and trach tube factors.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Single academic medical center.

Methods

Patients < 2 years old who underwent tracheostomy placement from 2017 to 2022 were identified. Associations between trach characteristics, trach size/length, chest x-ray (CXR) and intraoperative endoscopy measurements, and complications within 3 months posttracheostomy placement were evaluated.

Results

In total, 68 patients were included in the study, with a median age of 4 months (range: 1 day to 1.74 years) and weight of 4.1 kg (range: 1.8-11.6 kg) at the time of the procedure. The length of the trachea measured on CXR was more closely associated with weight (ρ = 0.403, P = .0007) than with age (ρ = …

Otolaryngology Applicants' Preferences For Virtual Vs. In-Person Interviews During The 2023-2024 Application Cycle, Taylor S. Erickson, Robert Frederick, Steven D. Pletcher, Aileen Dowden, Dana Dunleavy, Eric J. Dobratz

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Background Since the shift to virtual residency interviews, applicants and programs have reported difficulty distinguishing themselves in a virtual format, reduced exposure to medical campuses, and limited opportunity to establish personal connections. The 2023-2024 application cycle was the first time virtual and in-person interview formats were available in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (OHNS). Programs offered one or both formats, and in some cases, applicants were given the choice between the 2.

Objective To assess the perceptions of OHNS applicants regarding virtual versus in-person interviews during the 2023-2024 application cycle.

Methods A 20-question survey was distributed via email through the Association …

A Comparison Of Allergen Sensitization Profiles In Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With And Without Nasal Polyposis, Lauren Trzcinski, Suhas Bharadwaj, Randall A. Bloch, Joseph K. Han, Kent K. Lam

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and allergic rhinitis (AR) are common comorbid sinonasal conditions. CRS is classically divided into two distinct phenotypes: CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) and CRS without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP). The purpose of this retrospective observational study is to determine whether aeroallergen sensitization profiles in patients with comorbid CRS and AR can distinguish between CRSwNP and CRSsNP. A total of 241 patients diagnosed with comorbid CRS and AR who underwent skin prick testing or in vitro allergy testing in a single tertiary rhinology practice were included for evaluation. The rates of allergen-specific sensitizations in CRSwNP patients were compared with …

Wrongful Migration: A Hidden Culprit Behind Flank Pain, Ryan Miller, Anjeza Cipi, Emma Pierce

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

[Introduction] A 32-year-old woman with no significant past medical history presented to the emergency department with 11 days of fever, fatigue, chills, and new-onset fullness in her left flank. She denied dysuria, abdominal pain, or vaginal bleeding. Vital signs showed fever and mild hypotension, and the physical examination revealed left-sided abdominal distension. Laboratory results demonstrated leukocytosis and a lactate of 3.2 mmol/L. She appeared nontoxic but was persistently febrile despite initial fluids and antibiotics. Computed tomography—shown in Figure 1, and ultrasound—shown in Figure 2, were obtained and revealed the diagnosis.

Diffuse Unilateral Leg Swelling, Bruce M. Lo, Kylie Butler, Navjot Kaur, Kirsten Pennell

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

[Patient Presentation] A 46-year-old woman with a history of hypertension presented with 14 days of right leg pain. The pain began after straining her leg while lifting heavy boxes at work, with diffuse leg swelling noted 3 days later. She reported subjective fever but no other complaints. Patient denies any illicit drug use. Initial vital signs included a temperature of 100.1 °F, heart rate of 122 beats per minute, and blood pressure of 158/91 mm Hg. Physical examination revealed a diffusely swollen and tender right leg (Fig 1). Computed tomography (CT) of the right leg identified a 19 X 7 …

Multisociety Guidance For Infection Prevention And Control In Nursing Homes, Lona Mody, Sonali D. Advani, Muhammad Salman Ashraf, Allison H. Bartlett, Suzanne F. Bradley, Deborah P. Burdsall, Jennifer A. Hanrahan, Susan S. Huang, Robert L.P. Jump, Lindsay Nicolle, Mary-Claire Roghmann, Patricia Stone, Rekha K. Murthy

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

This multisociety guidance was endorsed by SHEA, APIC, IDSA, PALTmed, and AGS. It provides recommendations for infection prevention and control (IPC) in the context of the complexity of nursing home care in the United States: increased medical acuity of residents, the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms, and the threat of emerging pathogens. Recommendations and implementation suggestions address IPC leadership, staffing, and resources, healthcare personnel and residents‘ adherence to precautions and effective hand hygiene, outbreak preparedness, training, occupational health, cleaning and disinfection in the care environment, and the involvement of IPC in the facility. The guidance also addresses the challenges of maintaining …

Combination Of Hsp90 Inhibitors And Hsp70 Inducers Prevent Hydrochloric Acid-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis In Rabbits, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli, Pavel A. Solopov, Tierney Day, Dan E. Austin Jr., Len E. Murray, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Combined therapies with Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitors and Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70) inducers are gaining significant interest in cancer and cardiovascular research. Here, we tested the hypothesis that HSP90 inhibitors and HSP70 inducers, together, can block the development of pulmonary fibrosis. We exposed New Zealand White Rabbits to hydrochloric acid (HCl, 0.1 N, 1.5 mL/kg), one of the top five chemicals most commonly involved in accidental exposures and inhalation injuries worldwide, and treated animals with either the orally available HSP90 inhibitor TAS-116 (1.7 mg/kg 5x/week) or TAS-116 combined with the HSP70 inducer, geranylgeranyl acetone (GGA, 50 mg/kg, …

Potentiation Of Gelonin Cytotoxicity By Pulsed Electric Fields, Olga N. Pakhomova, Eleni Zivla, Giedre Silkuniene, Mantas Silkunas, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Gelonin is a ribosome-inactivating protein with extreme intracellular toxicity but poor permeation into cells. Targeted disruption of cell membranes to facilitate gelonin entry is explored for cancer and tissue ablation. We demonstrate a hundreds- to thousands-fold enhancement of gelonin cytotoxicity by pulsed electric fields in the T24, U-87, and CT26 cell lines. The effective gelonin concentration to kill 50% of cells (EC₅₀) after electroporation ranged from <1 nM to about 100 nM. For intact cells, the EC₅₀ was unattainable even at the highest gelonin concentration of 1000 nM, which reduced cell survival by only 5–15%. For isoeffective electroporation treatments using 300 ns, 9 µs, and 100 µs pulses, longer pulses were more efficient at lowering gelonin EC₅₀. Increasing the electric field strength of 8, 100 µs pulses from 0.65 to 1.25 kV/cm reduced gelonin EC₅₀ from 128 nM to 0.72 nM. Conversely, the presence of 100 nM gelonin enabled a more than 20-fold reduction in the number of pulses required for equivalent cell killing. Pulsed electric field-mediated delivery of gelonin shows promise for hyperplasia ablation at concentrations sufficiently low to minimize or avoid systemic toxicity.

The Effect Of Liquid Conductivity On A Helium Plasma Jet And The Hydrogen Peroxide Production, Edwin A. Oshin, M. Ziaur Rahman, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Understanding plasma-liquid interactions and the impact of the electrical conductivity (σ) of liquid on plasma is important for plasma applications in water treatment and medicine. Ultrapure water, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution, biological media, and sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions at various concentrations were used in this study to provide a broad range of conductivity values ranging from 0.055 μS cm⁻¹ to 222 mS cm⁻¹. A helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) impinging on liquid was generated in ambient air using a hollow-needle electrode that was powered by 200 ns, 7 kV pulses at a pulse repetition frequency of …

Physical Ablative Methods And Cancer Cell Death: Implications For Immunity And Therapies, Alessandra Rossi, Claudia Muratori

Bioelectrics Publications

Surgery has traditionally been a cornerstone in cancer treatment, yet its feasibility can be limited by factors such as tumor location and patient health conditions. When surgery is not viable, thermal and pulsed electric field (PEF)-based ablation technologies offer valuable alternatives. Emerging evidence suggests that these approaches not only target tumors effectively but also stimulate antitumor immune responses. In this review, we begin by examining the distinctive features of hyperthermic treatments (radiofrequency and microwave ablation), cryoablation, and PEF-technologies. Subsequently, we discuss the mechanisms of cell death, stress responses, and release of danger signals triggered by these diverse ablation technologies. Finally, …

The Ptp4a3 Inhibitor Kvx-053 Reduces Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (Sars-Cov-2) Virulence, Inflammation, And Development Of Acute Lung Injury In K18-Hace2 Mice, Ruben M. L. Colunga-Biancatelli, Pavel A. Solopov, Caitlin M. Woodson, Irving Coy Allen, Ivan Akhrymuk, Maryna Akhrymuk, Brittany N. Heath, Hannah M. Ivester, Tierney Day, Dan E. Austin, Kylene Kehn-Hall, John S. Lazo, Elizabeth R. Sharlow, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global health crisis, marked by high transmissibility and virulence. Despite widespread vaccination efforts, effective treatments for COVID-19, particularly for severe cases leading to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), remain limited. This study investigates the efficacy of KVX-053, a protein tyrosine phosphatase type IVA (PTP4A3) small molecule inhibitor, in modulating SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammation and lung injury using in vitro cell models and in vivo K18-hACE2 transgenic mice. KVX-053 reduced in vitro pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, including TNFα, CXCL10, and CXCL11, without impacting viral replication or cell viability. K18-hACE2 mice treated with KVX-053 demonstrated …

The Effect Of Temperature And Salinity On Margalefidinium Polykrikoides Group Iii Va, Usa Strain Growth, Eduardo Pérez-Vega, Margaret R. Mulholland, Katherine E. Crider, Kimberly E. Powell, P. Dreux Chappell, Alexander Bochdansky

OES Faculty Publications

Margalefidinium polykrikoides is a cosmopolitan dinoflagellate that blooms in coastal waters. Despite genomic evidence that it belongs to Group III and so closely related to isolates from Puerto Rico, Malaysia, North America, and Central America, M. polykrikoides blooms in the Chesapeake Bay at warmer temperatures and lower salinities than in coastal ecosystems occupied by its closest relatives. In this study, the effect of temperature and salinity on the growth rate and total cell yield of an M. polykrikoides VA culture isolate were examined and compared with environmental observations made during M. polykrikoides blooms in the Chesapeake Bay. M. polykrikoides group …

Revealing Spatiotemporal Neural Activation Patterns In Electrocorticography Recordings Of Human Speech Production By Mutual Information, Julio Kovacs, Dean Krusienski, Minu Maninder, Willy Wriggers

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Background

Spatiotemporal mapping of neural activity during continuous speech production has been traditionally approached using correlation coefficient (CC) analysis between cortical signals and speech recordings. A prior study employed this approach using electrocorticography (ECoG) data from participants who underwent invasive intracranial monitoring for epilepsy. However, CC cannot detect nonlinear relationships and is dominated by the correspondence between periods of silence and of non-silence.

New Method

We introduce the mutual information (MI) measure, which can capture both linear and nonlinear dependencies. We validated CC and MI on the sub-second spatiotemporal brain activity recorded during continuous speech tasks. To refine the results, …

Traction Force Microscopy Using An Epifluorescence Microscope: Experimental Considerations And Caveats, Zaria Booth, Mazen Mezher, Rudra Patel, Venkat Maruthamuthu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Forces exerted by cells due to their internal contractility play fundamental roles in a host of processes, including adhesion, migration, survival and differentiation. Traction force microscopy (TFM) enables the determination of forces exerted by cells or cell collectives on their environment, which is typically taken to be an extra-cellular matrix (ECM)-coated substrate. Sample preparation for TFM involves the plating of cells onto an environment embedded with fiducial markers. The imaging of these fiducial markers in the presence and absence of the cells then enables calculation of the displacement of localized regions of the environment, and, consequently, the spatial distribution of …

An Analytical Model Of Motion Artifacts In A Measured Arterial Pulse Signal—Part Ii: Tactile Sensors, Md Mahfuzur Rahman, Subodh Toraskar, Mamun Hasan, Zhili Hao

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper, the second of two parts, presents an analytical model of motion artifacts (MA) in measured pulse signals by a tactile sensor, which contains a deformable microstructure sitting on a substrate. While the tissue-contact-sensor (TCS) stack and the sensor are both treated as a 1DOF (degree-of-freedom) system, tissue–sensor contact joins their mass together to form a 1DOF system with springs and dampers on both sides. MA on the sensor substrate causes baseline drift and time-varying system parameters (TVSP) of the TCS stack simultaneously. An analytical model is developed to mathematically relate baseline drift and TVSP to a measured pulse …

Scaffolds With Spatiotemporally Controlled Growth Factor Delivery And Cyclodextrin-Enabled Antagonism Of Growth Factor Receptor Sequestration Promote Cutaneous Wound Healing, Jelena Marjanovic, Veronica Jurczuk, Lilian Valadares Tose, Yarixa Cintron Diaz, Francisco Fernandez Lima, Beatriz Abdo Abujamra, Sara Danker, Sinan Jabori, Devinder Singh, Jamie L. Burgess, Joshua Tam, Mohamadmahdi Samandari, Rivka C. Stone, Stephen C. Davis, Robert S. Kirsner, Marjana Tomic-Canic, Fotis M. Andreopoulos, Ivan Jozic

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Chronic wounds present a major burden to patients, health care professionals, and health care systems worldwide, yet treatment options remain limited and often ineffective. Although initially promising, growth factor-based therapies displayed limited and underwhelming effectiveness largely due to poor bioavailabilbioity and impaired receptor function within the chronic wound microenvironment. Here we demonstrate that chronic wounds exhibit elevated cholesterol synthesis, which disrupts growth factor signaling by sequestering receptors within lipid rafts. To address this, we developed a novel therapy combining growth factors with cyclodextrin in an ECM-mimetic scaffold, enabling localized cholesterol modulation and improved receptor accessibility. We demonstrate that this approach …

Body Composition In Patients With Obesity-Related Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Comparison Study, Hannah Salmons, Syed Imran Ahmed, Hayley E. Billingsley, Alex Reavey-Cantwell, Roshanak Markley, Michele Golino, Marco Giuseppe Del Buono, Juan Ignacio Damonte, Sebastian Pinel, R. Lee Franco, Antonio Abbate, Carrie P. Earthman, Salvatore Carbone

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Background

Appendicular lean mass index is a major determinant of cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Moreover, appendicular lean mass index can be used to diagnose sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in this population. We aimed to validate the ability of segmental single-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (SF-BIA) to assess body composition compared with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in patients with HFpEF and obesity, with a focus on appendicular lean mass index for its critical role in diagnosing sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity.

Methods

We analyzed 62 euvolemic patients from a heart failure outpatient clinic with …

Why Ai Monitoring Faces Resistance And What Healthcare Organizations Can Do About It: An Emotion-Based Perspective, Karl Werder, Lan Cao, Eun Hee Park, Balasubramaniam Ramesh

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Continuous monitoring of patients' health facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) has enhanced the quality of health care, that is, the ability to access effective care. However, AI monitoring often encounters resistance to adoption by decision makers. Healthcare organizations frequently assume that the resistance stems from patients' rational evaluation of the technology's costs and benefits. Recent research challenges this assumption and suggests that the resistance to AI monitoring is influenced by the emotional experiences of patients and their surrogate decision makers. We develop a framework from an emotional perspective, provide important implications for healthcare organizations, and offer recommendations to help reduce …

Readiness To The Privatization Of The Health System In Saudi Arabia: Translation And Factor Analysis Of Readiness To Organizational Change (Roc) Scale, Ahmed Ali Alasiri, Qi Zhang

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) began a major transformation as a part of version 2030 for its health system. These reform initiatives aim to privatize health services and improve efficiency. Despite this meaningful change, there is a knowledge gap in how healthcare providers prepare for or perceive this shift. Specifically, there has been a lack of validation of Arabic instruments that gauge the individual readiness to this change. This study bridges the gap by localizing and validating the Readiness to Organizational Change scale (ROC) to provide empirical evidence and to understand adaptability for the KSA context.

Method

The …

Formulation Development Of Dual-Compartment Topical Inserts Combining Tenofovir Alafenamide And Elvitegravir For Flexible On-Demand Hiv Prevention, Vivek Agrahari, M. Melissa Peet, Neelima Chandra, Prakash Ramalingam, Pardeep K. Gupta, Sriramakamal Jonnalagadda, Onkar N. Singh, Timothy J. Mccormick, Gustavo F. Doncel, Meredith R. Clark

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has emerged as a prominent approach for the prevention of HIV infections. While the latest advances have resulted in effective oral and injectable product options, there are still gaps in on-demand, event-driven, topical products for HIV prevention that are safe and effective. Here we describe the formulation development of a dual-compartment topical insert containing tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) and elvitegravir (EVG) that may be administered when needed, vaginally or rectally, pre- or post-coitus, for flexible HIV prophylaxis. Specifically, we describe the lab-scale formulation development, preclinical mucosal safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) testing in rabbits, long-term stability, and scale-up …

Microbial Remodeling Of Gut Tryptophan Metabolism And Indole-3-Lactate Production Regulate Epithelial Barrier Repair And Viral Suppression In Human And Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infections, Clarissa Santos Rocha, Katie L. Alexander, Carolina Herrera, Mariana G. Weber, Irina Grishina, Lauren A. Hirao, Dylan J. Kramer, Juan Arredondo, Abigail Mende, Katti R. Crakes, Anne N. Fenton, Maria L. Marco, David A. Mills, John C. Kappes, Lesley E. Smythies, Paul Ziprin, Sumathi Sankaran-Walters, Phillip D. Smith, Satya Dandekar

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Gut inflammatory diseases cause microbial dysbiosis. Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) infection disrupts intestinal integrity, subverts repair/renewal pathways, impairs mucosal immunity and propels microbial dysbiosis. However, microbial metabolic mechanisms driving repair mechanisms in virally inflamed gut are not well understood. We investigated the capability and mechanisms of gut microbes to restore epithelial barriers and mucosal immunity in virally inflamed gut by using a multipronged approach: an in vivo simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected nonhuman primate model of HIV/AIDS, ex vivo HIV-exposed human colorectal explants and primary human intestinal epithelial cells. SIV infection reprogrammed tryptophan (TRP) metabolism, increasing kynurenine catabolite levels that are …