Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Killingly Mascot Case Study, Jordan Lumpkins

School of Professional Studies

In the summer of 2019, in Killingly, Connecticut the local Board of Education voted to retire the "Redmen" mascot name it had used for nearly a century. This legislation was widely opposed and received extensive media coverage. Within a few months, the town experienced a massive political referendum where several local Board of Education members and Councilmen were replaced by single issue politicians promising to reinstate the "Redmen" name. Now holding a majority on the Board of Education, these Board members made Killingly the first school in U.S. history to reinstate a mascot after being deemed "derogatory."

It is the …

Higher Education Responses To Crisis: A Case Study Of Clark University And The Pandemic Of 2020, Lisa Gillingham

School of Professional Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered an existential challenge to universities and other academic institutions at a time when they are already grappling with other weighty issues that may alter the fabric of higher education. COVID-19 has forced these institutions to consider and employ new ways of conducting its work with a sense urgency that is unprecedented in the recent history of the academy. The rate of learning around these models is rapid, and Higher Education is ripe for change.

Clark University has addressed the pandemic with a plan to protect and pivot using strategies that support the continuation of its …

Nutrinews: December, 2020, Department Of Nutrition And Dietetics, University Of North Florida

NutriNews

This issue features Caramelization and cooking, Research around the World, How to stay healthy during the pandemic as a college student, The Importance of proper hand-hygiene practices in disease prevention

Identifying Signs Of Human Trafficking In Healthcare Settings: A Literature Review, Mary Elizabeth Baldwin

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Human trafficking is the commercial trade of human beings for profit, and it is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. There are an estimated 40 million people that are trapped in this modern day slavery (National Human Trafficking Hotline, 2020). In the United States, over 86% of trafficking survivors reported accessing healthcare at some point during their trafficking situation (Lederer & Wetzel, 2014). Healthcare workers are on the front lines of battling this crime, as they have a vital role in identifying signs of trafficking in their patients. This review evaluates ways in which healthcare workers can screen …

Coronavirus Update 12-01-2020, The Coronavirus Planning Team

University Briefings & Virtual Events

We want you to enjoy the holiday season, but we also want you to be safe and healthy, so we ask that you keep traveling to a minimum and that you continue to follow the Pioneer Promise while away from campus.

Automated Office Blood Pressure Measurement For The Diagnosis Of Hypertension, Guido Filler, Maria E Díaz-González De Ferris

Paediatrics Publications

Editorial

Parental Psychosocial Aspects And Stressors Involved In The Management Of Inborn Errors Of Metabolism., Prashanth Rajasekar, Srinitya Gannavarapu, Melanie Napier, Asuri N Prasad, Akshya Vasudev, Andrew Mantulak, Beth K Potter, Chitra Prasad

Paediatrics Publications

Parents of children with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) face numerous psychosocial challenges. An increased understanding and awareness of these stressors can ensure better overall outcomes for the entire family. We conducted semi-structured, in-person interviews with ten parents to identify psychosocial stressors, strategies, and supports they utilized to overcome their challenges. Our interview guide was designed to elicit familial experiences during the pre- and post-diagnosis periods. The themes and sub-themes were identified through qualitative descriptive textual analysis of audio-recorded transcripts. Major themes identified include ambiguity of illness, changing family and spousal dynamics, and navigating the healthcare system. Sub-themes revolved around …

Survival Benefit For Individuals With Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency Syndrome And Brain Tumors Who Undergo Surveillance Protocol. A Report From The International Replication Repair Consortium, Ayse Bahar Ercan, Carol Durno, Vanessa J. Bianchi, Melissa Edwards, Melyssa Aronson, Eric Bouffet, Abeer Al-Battashi, Musa Alharbi, Donald Basel, Elizabeth Cairney

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND

Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome (CMMRD) is a severe cancer predisposition syndrome resulting in early onset central nervous system (CNS) and other cancers. International guidelines for surveillance exist but no study has systematically evaluated the efficacy of this protocol. METHODS

We surveyed all confirmed CMMRD patients in the International Replication Repair Deficiency Consortium. A surveillance protocol consisting of frequent biochemical, endoscopic and imaging (CNS and total body MRI) studies were employed. Survival analyses and efficacy of each method were assessed. RESULTS

Surveillance data were collected from 105 CMMRD individuals from 41 countries. Of the 193 malignant tumors, CNS malignancies …

Frameshift Mutations At The C-Terminus Of Hist1h1e Result In A Specific Dna Hypomethylation Signature, A. Ciolfi, E. Aref-Eshghi, S. Pizzi, L. Pedace, E. Miele, J. Kerkhof, E. Flex, S. Martinelli, F.C. Radio, C.A.L Ruivenkamp, G.W.E. Santen, E.K. Bijlsma, D.Q.C.M. Barge-Schaapveld, K. Ounap, V. Mok Siu, F. F. Kooy, B. Dallapiccola, B. Sadikovic, M. Tartaglia

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Isolated Sulfite Oxidase Deficiency: A Founder Mutation., Aizeddin A Mhanni, Cheryl R Greenberg, Elizabeth L Spriggs, Ronald Agatep, Reena Ray Sisk, Chitra Prasad

Paediatrics Publications

Isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of sulfur metabolism. Clinical features generally include devastating neurologic dysfunction, ectopia lentis, and increased urinary excretion of sulfite, thiosulfate, and

Five-Month-Old Male With Chronic Diarrhea., Hailey C Barootes, Erin R Peebles, Dhandapani Ashok, Suzanne Ratko, Andrea C Yu

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Lactate Preconditioning Promotes A Hif-1Α-Mediated Metabolic Shift From Oxphos To Glycolysis In Normal Human Diploid Fibroblasts, Alexandra M. Kozlov, Asad Lone, Dean H. Betts, Robert C. Cumming

Paediatrics Publications

Recent evidence has emerged that cancer cells can use various metabolites as fuel sources. Restricting cultured cancer cells to sole metabolite fuel sources can promote metabolic changes leading to enhanced glycolysis or mitochondrial OXPHOS. However, the efect of metabolite-restriction on non-transformed cells remains largely unexplored. Here we examined the efect of restricting media fuel sources, including glucose, pyruvate or lactate, on the metabolic state of cultured human dermal fbroblasts. Fibroblasts cultured in lactate-only medium exhibited reduced PDH phosphorylation, indicative of OXPHOS, and a concurrent elevation of ROS. Lactate exposure primed fbroblasts to switch to glycolysis by increasing transcript abundance of …

Machine Learning Identifies Clinical And Genetic Factors Associated With Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity In Pediatric Cancer Survivors, Marie-A Chaix, Neha Parmar, Caroline Kinnear, Myriam Lafreniere-Roula,, Oyediran Akinrinade, Roderick Yao, Anastasia Miron, Emily Lam, Guoliang Meng, Anne Christie, Ashok Kumar Manickaraj, Stacey Marjerrison, Rejane Dillenburg, Mylène Bassal, Jane Lougheed, Shayna Zelcer, Herschel Rosenberg, David Hodgson, Leonard Sender, Paul Kantor, Cedric Manlhiot, James Ellis, Luc Mertens, Paul C. Nathan, Seema Mital

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND Despite known clinical risk factors, predicting anthracycline cardiotoxicity remains challenging. OBJECTIVES This study sought to develop a clinical and genetic risk prediction model for anthracycline cardiotoxicity in childhood cancer survivors. METHODS We performed exome sequencing in 289 childhood cancer survivors at least 3 years from anthracycline exposure. In a nested case-control design, 183 case patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction despite low-dose doxorubicin (<= 250 mg/m(2)), and 106 control patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction despite doxorubicin >250 mg/m(2) were selected as extreme phenotypes. Rare/low-frequency variants were collapsed to identify genes differentially enriched for variants between case patients and control patients. The expression levels of 5 top-ranked genes were evaluated in …

Uganda As A Role Model For Pandemic Containment In Africa, Ahmed M. Sarki, Alex Ezeh, Saverio Stranges

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Diabetes Management Incentive On Diabetes-Related Services: Evidence From Ontario, Canada., Thaksha Thavam, Rose Anne Devlin, Amardeep Thind, Gregory S Zaric, Sisira Sarma

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

Financial incentives have been introduced in several countries to improve diabetes management. In Ontario, the most populous province in Canada, a Diabetes Management Incentive (DMI) was introduced to family physicians practicing in patient enrollment models in 2006. This paper examines the impact of the DMI on diabetes-related services provided to individuals with diabetes in Ontario. Longitudinal health administrative data were obtained for adults diagnosed with diabetes and their family physicians. The study population consisted of two groups: DMI group (patients enrolled with a family physician exposed to DMI for 3 years), and comparison group (patients affiliated with a family physician …

Participatory Video As A Novel Recovery-Oriented Intervention In Early Psychosis: A Pilot Study., Arlene G Macdougall, Sahana Kukan, Elizabeth Price, Sarah Glen, Richelle Bird, Laura Powe, Joshua C. Wiener, Paul H Lysaker, Kelly K Anderson, Ross Mg Norman

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

BACKGROUND: Personal narrative plays an important role in the process of recovery from psychotic illnesses. Participatory video is a novel, active intervention that can be used as a tool for fostering narrative development among people with psychosis.

AIM: To assess the feasibility, acceptability and potential clinical utility of participatory video as an innovative tool for promoting recovery in early psychosis.

METHODS: Ten outpatients of an early psychosis intervention programme were recruited to participate in 13 biweekly workshops to plan, film and produce documentary-style videos of their experiences. Feasibility was measured through recruitment and retention. Acceptability was measured through workshop attendance …

Addressing Obstacles To The Inclusion Of Palliative Care In Humanitarian Health Projects: A Qualitative Study Of Humanitarian Health Professionals’ And Policy Makers’ Perceptions, Matthew Hunt, Elysée Nouvet, Ani Chénier, Gautham Krishnaraj, Carrie Bernard, Kevin Bezanson, Sonya De Laat, Lisa Schwartz

Health Studies Publications

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: Humanitarian non-governmental organizations provide assistance to communities affected by war, disaster and epidemic. A primary focus of healthcare provision by these organizations is saving lives; however, curative care will not be sufficient, appropriate, or available for some patients. In these instances, palliative care approaches to ease suffering and promote dignity are needed. Though several recent initiatives have increased the probability of palliative care being included in humanitarian healthcare response, palliative care remains minimally integrated in humanitarian health projects. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using interpretive description methodology to investigate humanitarian policy-makers’ and health care …

Diffusion Of Elbulli’S Innovation: Rate Of Adoption In Allrecipes And Epicurious, Antonio Jimenez-Mavillard, Juan Luis Suárez

CulturePlex Lab Publications

Eating habits provide valuable input to the high-cuisine industry seeking to develop effective strategies to attract new clientele to its restaurants. It is noticeable that many professional chefs working in high-end restaurants have adopted elBulli’s innovation (ideas, practices, cooking style); however, this innovation trend is not so clear among amateur cooks, whose recipes could give us a more accurate idea of people’s food preferences. In this paper, we aim to check whether or not amateur cooks in online recipe communities are also adopting elBulli’s innovation, and if so, at what rate. In particular, we focused on the use of ingredients …

Histologic Tissue Components Provide Major Cues For Machine Learning-Based Prostate Cancer Detection And Grading On Prostatectomy Specimens, Wenchao Han, Carol Johnson, Mena Gaed, José A. Gómez, Madeleine Moussa, Joseph L. Chin, Stephen Pautler, Glenn S. Bauman, Aaron D. Ward

Medical Biophysics Publications

Automatically detecting and grading cancerous regions on radical prostatectomy (RP) sections facilitates graphical and quantitative pathology reporting, potentially benefitting post-surgery prognosis, recurrence prediction, and treatment planning after RP. Promising results for detecting and grading prostate cancer on digital histopathology images have been reported using machine learning techniques. However, the importance and applicability of those methods have not been fully investigated. We computed three-class tissue component maps (TCMs) from the images, where each pixel was labeled as nuclei, lumina, or other. We applied seven different machine learning approaches: three non-deep learning classifiers with features extracted from TCMs, and four deep learning, …

A Telescope Gwas Analysis Strategy, Based On Snps-Genes-Pathways Ensamble And On Multivariate Algorithms, To Characterize Late Onset Alzheimer’S Disease, Margherita Squillario, Giulia Abate, Federico Tomasi, Veronica Tozzo, Annalisa Barla, Daniela Uberti, Michael W. Weiner, Paul Aisen, Ronald Petersen, Jack R. Clifford, William Jagust, John Q. Trojanowki, Arthur W. Toga, Laurel Beckett, Robert C. Green, Andrew J. Saykin, John Morris, Leslie M. Shaw, Zaven Khachaturian, Greg Sorensen, Maria Carrillo, Lew Kuller, Marc Raichle, Steven Paul, Peter Davies, Howard Fillit, Franz Hefti, Davie Holtzman, M. Marcel Mesulam, William Potter, Peter Snyder, Tom Montine

Medical Biophysics Publications

Genome–wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed a plethora of putative susceptibility genes for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with the sole exception of APOE gene unequivocally validated in independent study. Considering that the etiology of complex diseases like AD could depend on functional multiple genes interaction network, here we proposed an alternative GWAS analysis strategy based on (i) multivariate methods and on a (ii) telescope approach, in order to guarantee the identification of correlated variables, and reveal their connections at three biological connected levels. Specifically as multivariate methods, we employed two machine learning algorithms and a genetic association test and we considered …

Challenges And Opportunities With Causal Discovery Algorithms: Application To Alzheimer’S Pathophysiology, Xinpeng Shen, Sisi Ma, Prashanthi Vemuri, Gyorgy Simon, Michael W. Weiner, Paul Aisen, Ronald Petersen, Clifford R. Jack, Andrew J. Saykin, William Jagust, John Q. Trojanowki, Arthur W. Toga, Laurel Beckett, Robert C. Green, John Morris, Leslie M. Shaw, Zaven Khachaturian, Greg Sorensen, Maria Carrillo, Lew Kuller, Marc Raichle, Steven Paul, Peter Davies, Howard Fillit, Franz Hefti, David Holtzman, M. Marcel Mesulam, William Potter, Peter Snyder, Adam Schwartz, Tom Montine, Ronald G. Thomas

Medical Biophysics Publications

Causal Structure Discovery (CSD) is the problem of identifying causal relationships from large quantities of data through computational methods. With the limited ability of traditional association-based computational methods to discover causal relationships, CSD methodologies are gaining popularity. The goal of the study was to systematically examine whether (i) CSD methods can discover the known causal relationships from observational clinical data and (ii) to offer guidance to accurately discover known causal relationships. We used Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a complex progressive disease, as a model because the well-established evidence provides a “gold-standard” causal graph for evaluation. We evaluated two CSD methods, Fast …

Fam222a Encodes A Protein Which Accumulates In Plaques In Alzheimer’S Disease, Tingxiang Yan, Jingjing Liang, Ju Gao, Luwen Wang, Hisashi Fujioka, Michael W. Weiner, Norbert Schuff, Howard J. Rosen, Bruce L. Miller, David Perry, Paul Aisen, Paul Aisen, Arthur W. Toga, Gustavo Jimenez, Michael Donohue, Devon Gessert, Kelly Harless, Jennifer Salazar, Yuliana Cabrera, Sarah Walter, Lindsey Hergesheimer, Arthur W. Toga, Karen Crawford, Scott Neu, Lon S. Schneider, Sonia Pawluczyk, Mauricio Becerra, Liberty Teodoro, Bryan M. Spann, Ronald Petersen, Clifford R. Jack, Matthew Bernstein

Medical Biophysics Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid plaques and progressive cerebral atrophy. Here, we report FAM222A as a putative brain atrophy susceptibility gene. Our cross-phenotype association analysis of imaging genetics indicates a potential link between FAM222A and AD-related regional brain atrophy. The protein encoded by FAM222A is predominantly expressed in the CNS and is increased in brains of patients with AD and in an AD mouse model. It accumulates within amyloid deposits, physically interacts with amyloid-β (Aβ) via its N-terminal Aβ binding domain, and facilitates Aβ aggregation. Intracerebroventricular infusion or forced expression of this protein exacerbates neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction …

Social Cognition Impairment In Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia Within The Genfi Cohort, Lucy L. Russell, Caroline V. Greaves, Martina Bocchetta, Jennifer Nicholas, Rhian S. Convery, Katrina Moore, David M. Cash, John Van Swieten, Lize Jiskoot, Fermin Moreno, Raquel Sanchez-Valle, Barbara Borroni, Robert Laforce, Mario Masellis, Maria Carmela Tartaglia, Caroline Graff, Emanuela Rotondo, Daniela Galimberti, James B. Rowe, Elizabeth Finger, Matthis Synofzik, Rik Vandenberghe, Alexandre De Mendonça, Fabrizio Tagliavini, Isabel Santana, Simon Ducharme, Chris Butler, Alex Gerhard, Johannes Levin, Adrian Danek, Markus Otto, Jason D. Warren

Medical Biophysics Publications

A key symptom of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is difficulty interacting socially with others. Social cognition problems in FTD include impaired emotion processing and theory of mind difficulties, and whilst these have been studied extensively in sporadic FTD, few studies have investigated them in familial FTD. Facial Emotion Recognition (FER) and Faux Pas (FP) recognition tests were used to study social cognition within the Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia Initiative (GENFI), a large familial FTD cohort of C9orf72, GRN, and MAPT mutation carriers. 627 participants undertook at least one of the tasks, and were separated into mutation-negative healthy controls, presymptomatic mutation carriers (split …

Dystrophic Calcification And Heterotopic Ossification In Fibrocartilaginous Tissues Of The Spine In Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (Dish), Dale E. Fournier, Patti K. Kiser, Ryan J. Beach, S. Jeffrey Dixon, Cheryle A. Séguin

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2020, The Author(s). Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a prevalent noninflammatory spondyloarthropathy characterized by ectopic mineral formation along the anterolateral aspect of the vertebral column, yet little is known about its underlying pathogenesis. Our objective was to evaluate the histopathological features and composition of ectopic mineral within spinal tissues affected by DISH in humans. Thoracic spine segments from six embalmed cadaveric donors (one female and five males; median age 82 years) meeting the radiographic diagnostic criteria for DISH were evaluated using radiological, histological, and physical analyses. Overall, the histological features of ectopic mineralization at individual motion segments were …

Content Validation Of The Kamath And Stothard Questionnaire For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Diagnosis: A Cognitive Interviewing Study, Armaghan Dabbagh, Joy C. Macdermid, Tara L. Packham, Luciana G. Macedo

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: Accurate diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is essential for directing appropriate treatment; and for making decisions about work injury claims. The Kamath and Stothard Questionnaire (KSQ) is a self-reported tool used for the diagnosis of CTS. Comprehensibility and comprehensiveness of this questionnaire are critical to diagnostic performance and need to be established. The purpose of the study was to describe how potential respondents, clinicians, and measurement researchers interpret KSQ questions in order to identify and resolve potential sources of misclassification. Methods: Hand therapists, measurement researchers, participants with CTS, and a control group were interviewed …

Reproducibility: Reliability And Agreement Parameters Of The Revised Short Mcgill Pain Questionnaire Version-2 For Use In Patients With Musculoskeletal Shoulder Pain, Samuel U. Jumbo, Joy C. Macdermid, Tara L. Packham, George S. Athwal, Kenneth J. Faber

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: The Revised Short McGill Pain Questionnaire Version-2 (SF-MPQ-2) is a multidimensional outcome measure designed to capture, evaluate and discriminate pain from neuropathic and non-neuropathic sources. A recent systematic review found insufficient psychometric data with respect to musculoskeletal (MSK) health conditions. This study aimed to describe the reproducibility (test–retest reliability and agreement) and internal consistency of the SF-MPQ-2 for use among patients with musculoskeletal shoulder pain. Methods: Eligible patients with shoulder pain from MSK sources completed the SF-MPQ-2: at baseline (n = 195), and a subset did so again after 3–7 days (n = 48), if …

Coexistence Of Perseveration And Apathy In The Tdp-43Q331k Knock-In Mouse Model Of Als–Ftd, Eosu Kim, Matthew A. White, Benjamin U. Phillips, Laura Lopez-Cruz, Hyunjeong Kim, Christopher J. Heath, Jong Eun Lee, Lisa M. Saksida, Jemeen Sreedharan, Timothy J. Bussey

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2020, The Author(s). Perseveration and apathy are two of the most common behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSDs) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis–frontotemporal dementia (ALS–FTD). Availability of a validated and behaviourally characterised animal model is crucial for translational research into BPSD in the FTD context. We behaviourally evaluated the male TDP-43Q331K mouse, an ALS–FTD model with a human-equivalent mutation (TDP-43Q331K) knocked into the endogenous Tardbp gene. We utilised a panel of behavioural tasks delivered using the rodent touchscreen apparatus, including progressive ratio (PR), extinction and visual discrimination/reversal learning (VDR) assays to examine motivation, response inhibition and cognitive flexibility, respectively. …

Face Selective Patches In Marmoset Frontal Cortex, David J. Schaeffer, Janahan Selvanayagam, Kevin D. Johnston, Ravi S. Menon, Winrich A. Freiwald, Stefan Everling

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2020, The Author(s). In humans and macaque monkeys, socially relevant face processing is accomplished via a distributed functional network that includes specialized patches in frontal cortex. It is unclear whether a similar network exists in New World primates, who diverged ~35 million years from Old World primates. The common marmoset is a New World primate species ideally placed to address this question given their complex social repertoire. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a putative high-level face processing network in marmosets. Like Old World primates, marmosets show differential activation in anterior cingulate and lateral prefrontal cortices while they view …

Shared Functional Connectivity Between The Dorso-Medial And Dorso-Ventral Streams In Macaques, R. Stefan Greulich, Ramina Adam, Stefan Everling, Hansjörg Scherberger

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2020, The Author(s). Manipulation of an object requires us to transport our hand towards the object (reach) and close our digits around that object (grasp). In current models, reach-related information is propagated in the dorso-medial stream from posterior parietal area V6A to medial intraparietal area, dorsal premotor cortex, and primary motor cortex. Grasp-related information is processed in the dorso-ventral stream from the anterior intraparietal area to ventral premotor cortex and the hand area of primary motor cortex. However, recent studies have cast doubt on the validity of this separation in separate processing streams. We investigated in 10 male rhesus …

Neural Responses And Perceptual Sensitivity To Sound Depend On Sound-Level Statistics, Björn Herrmann, Thomas Augereau, Ingrid S. Johnsrude

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2020, The Author(s). Sensitivity to sound-level statistics is crucial for optimal perception, but research has focused mostly on neurophysiological recordings, whereas behavioral evidence is sparse. We use electroencephalography (EEG) and behavioral methods to investigate how sound-level statistics affect neural activity and the detection of near-threshold changes in sound amplitude. We presented noise bursts with sound levels drawn from distributions with either a low or a high modal sound level. One participant group listened to the stimulation while EEG was recorded (Experiment I). A second group performed a behavioral amplitude-modulation detection task (Experiment II). Neural activity depended on sound-level statistical …