Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Egocentric Network Contact Tracing Experiment: Testing Different Procedures To Elicit Contacts And Places, Andrew Pilny, C. Joseph Huber

Communication Faculty Publications

Contact tracing is one of the oldest social network health interventions used to reduce the diffusion of various infectious diseases. However, some infectious diseases like COVID-19 amass at such a great scope that traditional methods of conducting contact tracing (e.g., face-to-face interviews) remain difficult to implement, pointing to the need to develop reliable and valid survey approaches. The purpose of this research is to test the effectiveness of three different egocentric survey methods for extracting contact tracing data: (1) a baseline approach, (2) a retrieval cue approach, and (3) a context-based approach. A sample of 397 college students were randomized …

Novel Influences Of Sex And Apoe Genotype On Spinal Plasticity And Recovery Of Function After Spinal Cord Injury, Lydia E. Strattan, Daimen R. Britsch, Chris M. Calulot, Rachel S. J. Maggard, Erin L. Abner, Lance A. Johnson, Warren J. Alilain

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Spinal cord injuries can abolish both motor and sensory function throughout the body. Spontaneous recovery after injury is limited and can vary substantially between individuals. Despite an abundance of therapeutic approaches that have shown promise in preclinical models, there is currently a lack of effective treatment strategies that have been translated to restore function after SCI in the human population. We hypothesized that sex and genetic background of injured individuals could impact how they respond to treatment strategies, presenting a barrier to translating therapies that are not tailored to the individual. One gene of particular interest is APOE, which has …

Hemothorax Following Traumatic Dobhoff Tube Insertion, Lindsey M. Shain, Leslie Mchale, Taha Ahmed

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Dobhoff tube is a specialized small-bore and flexible nasogastric tube that makes it more comfortable for placement than a usual nasogastric tube. Dobhoff tube insertion is commonly considered a relatively safe bedside procedure, but it is not without its associated risks. Inadvertent tracheobronchial placement of Dobhoff tube has been associated with severe complications, most notably pneumothorax. We present a rare cause of right-sided hemothorax following tracheobronchial insertion of a Dobhoff tube with a prolonged and arduous clinical course.

Persistent Disparities In Smoking Among Rural Appalachians: Evidence From The Mountain Air Project, Kathryn Cardarelli, Susan C. Westneat, Madeline Dunfee, Beverly May, Nancy Schoenberg, Steven R. Browning

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Adult smoking prevalence in Central Appalachia is the highest in the United States, yet few epidemiologic studies describe the smoking behaviors of this population. Using a community-based approach, the Mountain Air Project (MAP) recruited the largest adult cohort from Central Appalachia, allowing us to examine prevalence and patterns of smoking behavior.

METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiologic study of 972 participants aged 21 years and older was undertaken 2015-2017, with a response rate of 82%. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for current smoking (compared to nonsmokers) were computed for the entire cohort then stratified by multiple characteristics, including respiratory health. …

Computer Automation For Physics Chart Check Should Be Adopted In Clinic To Replace Manual Chart Checking For Radiotherapy, Edward L. Clouser, Quan Chen, Yi Rong

Radiation Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Piglet Immunization With A Spike Subunit Vaccine Enhances Disease By Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, Jieshi Yu, Chithra Sreenivasan, Tirth Uprety, Rongyuan Gao, Chen Huang, Ella J. Lee, Steven Lawson, Julie Nelson, Jane Christopher-Hennings, Radhey S. Kaushik, Eric Nelson, Diego G. Diel, Ben M. Hause, Feng Li, Dan Wang

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Immunization with an insect cell lysate/baculovirus mixture containing recombinant porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) spike protein induced high levels of neutralizing antibodies in both mice and piglets. However, immunization of piglets with this vaccine resulted in enhancement of disease symptoms and virus replication in vaccine recipients exposed to PEDV challenge. Thus, these observations demonstrate a previously unrecognized challenge of PEDV vaccine research, which has important implications for coronavirus vaccine development.

Physical Therapists' Assessment Of Patient Self-Efficacy For Home Exercise Programs, Kelsey J. Picha, Alison Snyder Valier, Nicholas R. Heebner, John P. Abt, Ellen L. Usher, Gilson J. Capilouto, Timothy L. Uhl

Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Patient adherence to home exercise programs (HEPs) is low, and poor patient self-efficacy is a barrier clinicians can influence. However, little evidence suggests that clinicians assess level of patient self-efficacy before prescribing HEPs.

Purpose: To determine the importance of patient self-efficacy to physical therapists (PTs) when addressing patient barriers, determine how PTs assess and use patient self-efficacy for HEPs, and describe the barriers facing PTs when assessing patient self-efficacy for HEPs.

Study Design: Survey.

Methods: Practicing PTs were recruited from the American Physical Therapy Association's Orthopedic Section and emailed the electronic survey.

Results: Email invitations were sent to 17730 …

Investigation Of Equine In Vivo And In Vitro Derived Metabolites Of The Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (Sarm) Acp-105 For Improved Doping Control, Malin Nilsson Broberg, Heather Knych, Ulf Bondesson, Curt Pettersson, Scott Stanley, Mario Thevis, Mikael Hedeland

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) have anabolic properties but less adverse effects than anabolic androgenic steroids. They are prohibited in both equine and human sports and there have been several cases of SARMs findings reported over the last few years. The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolite profile of the SARM ACP-105 (2-chloro-4-[(3-endo)-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-8-yl]-3-methylbenzonitrile) in order to find analytical targets for doping control. Oral administration of ACP-105 was performed in horses, where blood and urine samples were collected over a time period of 96 h. The in vivo samples were compared with five in vitro incubation models encompassing …

Macrophage-Derived Thrombospondin 1 Promotes Obesity-Associated Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Taesik Gwag, Raja Gopal Reddy Mooli, Dong Li, Sangderk Lee, Eun Young Lee, Shuxia Wang

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) is a multifunctional matricellular protein. We previously showed that TSP1 has an important role in obesity-associated metabolic complications, including inflammation, insulin resistance, cardiovascular, and renal disease. However, its contribution to obesity-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD or NASH) remains largely unknown; thus, we aimed to determine its role.

Methods

High-fat diet or AMLN (amylin liver NASH) diet-induced obese and insulin-resistant NAFLD/NASH mouse models were utilised, in addition to tissue-specific Tsp1-knockout mice, to determine the contribution of different cellular sources of obesity-induced TSP1 to NAFLD/NASH development.

Results

Liver TSP1 levels were increased in experimental obese …

Transoral Approach To Excision Of Massive Dermoid Cysts In Pediatric Patients: A Case Series, Bryce R. Noblitt, Harper L. Wilson, Kenneth C. Iverson

Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery Faculty Publications

Floor of mouth (FOM) dermoid cysts are a rare but clinically significant lesion of the head and neck. Classically, large cysts have been excised via a transcervical approach, although the limits of the transoral approach are expanding. The majority of FOM dermoid cysts present in the midline, but true lateral cysts have been reported. In this case series, we describe 3 pediatric patients who all underwent successful transoral excision of massive dermoid cysts, along with a literature review. Massive cystic lesions were identified on preoperative imaging. The dermoid cysts averaged 6 × 4.3 × 5 cm and were successfully removed …

Regional N-Glycan And Lipid Analysis From Tissues Using Maldi-Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Alexandra E. Stanback, Lindsey R. Conroy, Lyndsay E. A. Young, Tara R. Hawkinson, Kia H. Markussen, Harrison A. Clarke, Derek B. Allison, Ramon C. Sun

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

N-glycans and lipids are structural metabolites that play important roles in cellular processes. Both show unique regional distribution in tissues; therefore, spatial analyses of these metabolites are crucial to our understanding of cellular physiology. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is an innovative technique that enables in situ detection of analytes with spatial distribution. This workflow details a MALDI-MSI protocol for the spatial profiling of N-glycans and lipids from tissues following application of enzyme and MALDI matrix.

For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Drake et al. (2018) and Andres et al. (2020).

Data-Driven Tools Guided By First-Principles For Scale Modeling, Sadegh Poozesh

Progress in Scale Modeling, an International Journal

For decades, traditional scale-modeling techniques have been relying on first-principles models (FPMs). FPMs have been used to find non-dimensional numbers (PIs) and identify normalized underlying forces and energies behind the phenomenon in focus. The two main challenges with FPM-based PIs extraction are finding the relevant PIs and proper correlations between PIs. The emergence and surge of data-driven modeling (DDM) provide a new opportunity to leverage experimental data in model development across scales/plants. In this paper, first, the two mentioned issues in PIs development will be elaborated to reveal the gap, and second, a new insight into scale modeling and similarity …

Sex, Diabetes Status And Cognition: Findings From The Study Of Longevity In Diabetes, Chris Moran, Paola Gilsanz, Michal S. Beeri, Rachel A. Whitmer, Mary E. Lacy

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Women comprise two-thirds of people with dementia, making female sex a significant dementia risk factor. Both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are known dementia risk factors with an increasing global incidence. Understanding whether subtle sex differences persist in cognitive function prior to dementia in the context of diabetes may help elucidate the magnitude of sex effects on dementia risk.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined cross-sectional data from the Study of Longevity in Diabetes (SOLID), a prospective cohort study of members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California aged 60 years and older with T1D (n=758), T2D …

Survey Of Current Practices Of Outpatient Hemodialysis For Aki Patients, Victor M. Ortiz-Soriano, Catherine R. Butler, Marla Levy, Sarah C. Huen, Jorge L. Castaneda, Ankit Sakhuja, Rajit K. Basu, Kathleen D. Liu, Jorge Cerda, Javier A. Neyra

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Mind Body Program For Obese Knee Osteoarthritis Patients With Comorbid Depression, Cale A. Jacobs, Ryan A. Mace, Jonathan Greenberg, Paula J. Popok, Mira Reichman, Christian Lattermann, Jessica L. Burris, Eric A. Macklin, Ana-Maria Vranceanu

Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Faculty Publications

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder in the U.S. and a leading cause of disability. Depression and obesity are highly comorbid among knee OA patients, and the combination of obesity and depression is associated with decreased physical activity, higher pain and disability, and more rapid cartilage degradation. Depression, obesity and OA exacerbate one another and share a common pathophysiology involving systemic inflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokines, reflecting a complex mind-body interaction. Current treatments for knee OA offer little to no benefit over placebo, and do not emphasize mind-body practices or physical activity to target the underlying pathophysiology. Mind-body …

Cardiac Cell Therapy: Insights Into The Mechanisms Of Tissue Repair, Hsuan Peng, Kazuhiro Shindo, Renée R. Donahue, Ahmed K. Abdel-Latif

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

Stem cell-based cardiac therapies have been extensively studied in recent years. However, the efficacy of cell delivery, engraftment, and differentiation post-transplant remain continuous challenges and represent opportunities to further refine our current strategies. Despite limited long-term cardiac retention, stem cell treatment leads to sustained cardiac benefit following myocardial infarction (MI). This review summarizes the current knowledge on stem cell based cardiac immunomodulation by highlighting the cellular and molecular mechanisms of different immune responses to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their secretory factors. This review also addresses the clinical evidence in the field.

Radiation‐Induced Oral Mucositis Hamster Model Using A Linear Accelerator Enhances Clinical Relevance Of Preclinical Studies For Treatment Strategy Investigation, Carolyn T. Jordan, Emily M. Bradford, Dennis C. Cheek, Mahesh R. Kudrimoti, Craig S. Miller, Molly H. Smith, J. Zach Hilt, Thomas D. Dziubla

Radiation Medicine Faculty Publications

Translational animal models for oral mucositis (OM) are necessary to simulate and assess the bioclinical effects and response in humans. These models should simulate high levels of radiation exposure that leads to oxidative stress and inflammatory‐initiated tissue changes. Hamster models have been extensively studied to observe pathological effects of radiation exposure and help in the development of effective treatments. To successfully evaluate the potential for treatment regimens with consistency and relevance, a radiation‐induced OM hamster model was developed using a clinical linear accelerator utilized by cancer patients daily. The dose exposure to the isolated, everted cheek pouch of a hamster, …

Broad Kinase Inhibition Mitigates Early Neuronal Dysfunction In Tauopathy, Shon A. Koren, Matthew J. Hamm, Ryan Cloyd, Sarah N. Fontaine, Emad Chishti, Chiara Lanzillotta, Jennifer Rodriguez-Rivera, Alexandria Ingram, Michelle Bell, Sara M. Galvis-Escobar, Nicholas Zulia, Fabio Di Domenico, Duc Duong, Nicholas T. Seyfried, David K. Powell, Moriel Vandsburger, Tal Frolinger, Anika M. S. Hartz, John Koren Iii, Jeffrey M. Axten, Nicholas J. Laping, Jose F. Abisambra

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Tauopathies are a group of more than twenty known disorders that involve progressive neurodegeneration, cognitive decline and pathological tau accumulation. Current therapeutic strategies provide only limited, late-stage symptomatic treatment. This is partly due to lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking tau and cellular dysfunction, especially during the early stages of disease progression. In this study, we treated early stage tau transgenic mice with a multi-target kinase inhibitor to identify novel substrates that contribute to cognitive impairment and exhibit therapeutic potential. Drug treatment significantly ameliorated brain atrophy and cognitive function as determined by behavioral testing and a sensitive imaging …

Macrophage-Engineered Vesicles For Therapeutic Delivery And Bidirectional Reprogramming Of Immune Cell Polarization, Khaga R. Neupane, J. Robert Mccorkle, Timothy J. Kopper, Jourdan E. Lakes, Surya P. Aryal, Masud Abdullah, Aaron A. Snell, John C. Gensel, Jill M. Kolesar, Christopher I. Richards

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Macrophages, one of the most important phagocytic cells of the immune system, are highly plastic and are known to exhibit diverse roles under different pathological conditions. The ability to repolarize macrophages from pro-inflammatory (M1) to anti-inflammatory (M2) or vice versa offers a promising therapeutic approach for treating various diseases such as traumatic injury and cancer. Herein, it is demonstrated that macrophage-engineered vesicles (MEVs) generated by disruption of macrophage cellular membranes can be used as nanocarriers capable of reprogramming macrophages and microglia toward either pro- or anti-inflammatory phenotypes. MEVs can be produced at high yields and easily loaded with diagnostic molecules …

An Analytical Expression For R50% Dependent On Ptv Surface Area And Volume: A Cranial Srs Comparison, Dharmin D. Desai, Ellis Lee Johnson, Ivan L. Cordrey

Radiation Medicine Faculty Publications

The intermediate dose spill for a stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) plan can be quantified with the metric R50%, defined as the 50% isodose cloud volume (V_IDC50%) divided by the volume of the planning target volume (PTV). By coupling sound physical principles with the basic definition of R50%, we derive an analytical expression for R50% for a spherical PTV. Our analytical expression depends on three quantities: the surface area of PTV (SA_PTV), the volume of PTV (V_PTV), and the distance of dose drop-off to 50% (Δr). The value of ∆r was obtained from a simple set …

Adrenal Vein Cortisol To Metanephrine Ratio For Localizing Acth-Independent Cortisol-Producing Adenoma: A Case Report, Rishi Raj, Philip A. Kern, Neelima Ghanta, Edilfavia M. Uy, Kamyar Asadipooya

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Context: Finding the source of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent cortisol-producing adenoma in the patients with subclinical Cushing syndrome (SCS) and bilateral adrenal nodules is sometimes challenging. Computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography are helpful, but adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is the gold standard approach. However, interpretation of AVS is important to improve the accuracy of decision-making for surgery. We report a case and review of the literature to assess the benefit of using adrenal vein cortisol to metanephrine ratio to determine the source of cortisol production in SCS and bilateral nodules.

Evidence Acquisition: Three authors searched PubMed for data on …

Visit-To-Visit Blood Pressure Variability And Sleep Architecture, Xiaoyue Liu, Jeongok Logan, Younghoon Kwon, Jennifer M. Lobo, Hyojung Kang, Min-Woong Sohn

Health Management and Policy Faculty Publications

Visit‐to‐visit blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Sleep architecture characterizes the distribution of different stages of sleep and may be important in CVD development. We examined the association between visit‐to‐visit BPV and sleep architecture using in‐lab polysomnographic data from 3,565 patients referred to an academic sleep center. BPV was calculated using the intra‐individual coefficient of variation of BP measures collected 12 months before the sleep study. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses to assess the association of systolic and diastolic BPV with sleep architecture—rapid eye movement (REM) and non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) …

Poll Finds Rural Residents More Hesitant To Get Vaccinated, Tim Marema

Journal of Appalachian Health

Rural residents are more hesitant than their metropolitan counterparts to get a Covid-19 vaccination, even though rural areas have higher rates of infections and deaths from the coronavirus.

Review Of: Ailing In Place: Environmental Inequities And Health Disparities In Appalachia, Jerome A. Paulson Md, Faap, Jennifer A. Mallow Phd

Journal of Appalachian Health

The Journal of Appalachian Health is committed to reviewing published media that relate to contemporary concepts affecting the health of Appalachia. The Appalachian environmental inequities and the health disparities we face have a direct effect on our experience of illness. Dr. Jerome Paulson reviews the book Ailing in Place: Environmental Inequities and Health Disparities in Appalachia.

Cancer Curriculum For Appalachian Kentucky Middle And High Schools, Lauren Hudson, Katherine Sharp, Chris Prichard, Melinda J. Ickes, Sahar Alameh, Nathan L. Vanderford

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: Appalachian Kentucky faces the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the country due to poor health behaviors and lifestyle choices. These poor health behaviors are facilitated by a lack of cancer education. Youth represent a vulnerable population that could be greatly impacted by increased cancer education. Teachers have the power to facilitate this learning.

Purpose: This study examined the need for cancer education curriculum in Appalachian Kentucky middle and high schools from the perspective of educators.

Methods: An online survey was conducted with science and health teachers (n=21) in Appalachian Kentucky, consisting of questions that investigated existing cancer …

Appalachian Caregiver Perspectives On Childhood Gun Safety In The Home, Dannell Boatman

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: Childhood gun injuries pose a critical public health challenge. For children, unintentional gun injury deaths primarily occur in the home where parents or other adult guardians, referred to as caregivers hereafter, are responsible for safety. While the American Academic of Pediatrics recommends not having guns in areas where children live and play, firearms are often viewed as normative and fill an important role in many homes. This is particularly true in more rural areas, such as Appalachia, where there is a high density of gun ownership. Additional research is needed to understand rural caregivers’ current gun safety practices in …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Shutdown On Mental Health In Appalachia By Working Status, Erin N. Haynes, Timothy J. Hilbert, Susan C. Westneat, Kate Leger, Katie Keynton, Heather M. Bush

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: To slow the spread of COVID-19 in the United States, businesses shutdown in Spring 2020. Research has indicated the impact on frontline workers, yet little is known about the impact on those who were not working outside the home or switched to working remotely.

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to identify the financial and healthcare issues and mental health impact of the COVID-19 shutdown on Appalachians by worker categories.

Methods: An online survey was administered from May 8 – June 6, 2020 to a convenience sample of previous research participants and shared through social …

A Description Of Covid-19 Lifestyle Restrictions Among A Sample Of Rural Appalachian Women, Michele Staton, Martha Tillson, J. Matthew Webster

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: COVID-19 has led to swift federal and state response to control virus transmission, which has resulted in unprecedented lifestyle changes for U.S. citizens including social distancing and isolation. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 lifestyle restrictions and related behavioral risks is important, particularly among individuals who may be more vulnerable (such as rural women with a history of substance use living in Appalachia).

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to better understand the perceptions of lifestyle changes due to COVID-19 restrictions among this vulnerable group.

Methods: The study included a mixed methods survey with a convenience sample of …

Students, Research, And The Health Of Appalachia, F. Douglas Scutchfield Md

Journal of Appalachian Health

The notion of publication in the peer-reviewed literature out of your doctoral or master’s thesis/dissertation or capstone is a characteristic of those who choose a career in the academy. This paper illustrates my pleasure by reflecting a student taking the additional step in research achievement by publishing results that contribute new knowledge to evidence-driven research and practice.

Therapeutic Development Of Group B Streptococcus Meningitis By Targeting A Host Cell Signaling Network Involving Egfr, Ningyu Zhu, Chengxian Zhang, Atish Prakash, Zheng Hou, Wei Liu, Weifeng She, Andrew J. Morris, Kwang Sik Kim

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) remains the most common Gram‐positive bacterium causing neonatal meningitis and GBS meningitis continues to be an important cause of mortality and morbidity. In this study, we showed that GBS penetration into the brain occurred initially in the meningeal and cortex capillaries, and exploits a defined host cell signaling network comprised of S1P₂, EGFR, and CysLT1. GBS exploitation of such network in penetration of the blood–brain barrier was demonstrated by targeting S1P₂, EGFR, and CysLT1 using pharmacological inhibition, gene knockout and knockdown cells, and gene knockout animals, as well as interrogation of the …