Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

How Can Financial Planning Software Help You Plan For Retirement?, Jeremy Pickett

Virginia Dental Journal

Financial planning software helps retirees navigate the complexities of retirement by considering various factors like assets, liabilities, income sources, and expenses. Unlike the simplistic four percent rule, modern software uses Monte Carlo Simulation to account for uncertainties such as sequence of return risk. This allows retirees to model different scenarios, make informed decisions, and adjust their plans over time to ensure financial stability throughout retirement.

Do You Know How To Prevent Financial Fraud In Your Dental Practice?, Phil Nieto

Virginia Dental Journal

Financial fraud is a significant concern for dental practices, with an estimated 20%-60% of dentists affected over their careers. To prevent embezzlement, dentists should utilize the security functions of their practice management software, including setting high-level user permissions and audit logs. Daily checks on patient returns and weekly audits of financial consistency are crucial. Monitoring these areas can help detect and deter fraudulent activities, ensuring the financial health of the practice.

Reduce Costs And Boost Profits, Robert Mcdermott

Virginia Dental Journal

Dental practices face significant challenges with time-consuming tasks like insurance verification, which can be streamlined through automation. Automated dental insurance verification can save nearly 30 hours a week, effectively adding a full-time employee without the overhead. This not only reduces costs but also improves patient care by identifying revenue and treatment opportunities. Additionally, revenue analytics tools help practices stay on top of patient eligibility and uncollected accounts, boosting overall profits. Solutions like iCoreConnect's cloud-based products offer comprehensive tools to enhance productivity and financial growth for both solo practices and DSOs.

Vda Member Perks Announces Expanded Endorsement With Icoreconnect, Elise Rupinski

Virginia Dental Journal

The VDA Member Perks Program has expanded its endorsement of iCoreConnect, adding five new services to its portfolio. Building on previous endorsements of HIPAA-compliant email, ePrescription software, and automated insurance verification, the new services include iCoreCloud for data backup, iCoreCodeGenius for medical coding, iCoreHuddle for analytics, iCoreHuddle+ for detailed practice metrics, and iCoreIT for managed IT services. These tools aim to enhance productivity and profitability for VDA members, who also receive exclusive savings on these services.

Social Media Trends And Tips For 2023, Michaela Mishoe

Virginia Dental Journal

In 2023, social media trends emphasize the importance of short-form videos, such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, to engage audiences. Educational content that adds value and is easy to understand can help break through the clutter. Collaborating with micro-influencers and other healthcare providers can expand reach and credibility. Regularly analyzing social media performance can guide content strategy adjustments. Lastly, maintaining authenticity in content is crucial for building trust and effectively communicating your practice's values.

Virginia Board Of Dentistry Notes December 2, 2022, Ursula Klostermyer Dds, Phd

Virginia Dental Journal

The Virginia Board of Dentistry meeting on December 2, 2022, addressed several key issues. New Director of the Department of Health Professions, Mr. Arne W. Owens, acknowledged workforce shortages and proposed new ideas to tackle them. The Board discussed regulatory updates, including simplifying language and reducing reactivation costs for inactive licenses. They clarified procedures for taking vital signs during sedation and increased continuing education hours for dentists and dental hygienists providing free services to low-income individuals. The disciplinary report revealed that most closed cases were patient care-related, with some resulting in license suspensions.

Update: Smiles For Children Program (Medicaid), Roger Palmer

Virginia Dental Journal

The Smiles for Children program, part of Virginia's Medicaid, has expanded to provide comprehensive dental care to adults as of July 2021. This includes treatments like endodontics, crowns, and dentures. Despite a 30% fee increase in 2022, there is a shortage of participating dentists to meet the high demand. Dr. Roger Palmer encourages more dentists to join the program to help underserved populations, highlighting the satisfaction of restoring dental health and the streamlined payment process. For more information, dentists can contact Dr. Palmer directly.

Our Success Is Your Success, Laura Givens

Virginia Dental Journal

The Virginia Dental Association (VDA) successfully advocated for a 30% increase in dental Medicaid reimbursement rates, securing $116 million in new funding. The VDA is actively seeking contributions to its Political Action Committee (PAC) and encouraging participation in advocacy events like Dental Days at the Capitol. The 2022 contributions report shows varying levels of success across different regions, with a total of $298,492 raised, falling short of the $375,000 goal.

Reflections On Dentistry In The Year 2022, Gary Oyster Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

In 2022, the dental profession faced ongoing challenges from COVID-19, including workforce shortages. The ADA is working to address staffing issues and improve member engagement through initiatives like the SmileCon meeting and a new mobile app. Efforts are also underway to introduce legislation for a Medical Loss Ratio in dental plans across multiple states. Membership remains a priority, with a focus on engaging young dentists and those working for Dental Service Organizations (DSOs). The ADA aims to make all dentists feel welcome and involved.

School Days, Richard F. Roadcap Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

In the 1980s, Garrison Keillor's radio show humorously suggested that all children are above average, reflecting a modern culture where failure is often avoided. The document discusses the challenges faced by students in Organic Chemistry, particularly at New York University (NYU), where students petitioned for the dismissal of Dr. Maitland Jones Jr. due to his strict grading. This incident raises questions about whether academic standards should be relaxed for aspiring healthcare professionals and the implications of such actions on the quality of future providers. The author reflects on personal academic struggles and emphasizes the importance of overcoming failures to achieve …

Let’S Start The Year Off Right, Cynthia Southern Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

Dr. Cynthia Southern, in her New Year message, highlights a significant victory in Massachusetts where voters approved a dental loss ratio of 83% for insurance companies, similar to medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act. She urges other states, including Virginia, to adopt similar legislation to improve dental care coverage and reimbursement rates. Dr. Southern also addresses the 30% increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates and the ongoing workforce shortage in dental offices. She encourages contributions to the VDA Tooth PAC, recruitment of new members, and participation in Dental Days at the Capitol to advocate for these changes.

Toward Personalized Digital Experiences To Promote Diabetes Self-Management: Mixed Methods Social Computing Approach, Tavleen Singh, Kirk Roberts, Kayo Fujimoto, Jing Wang, Constance Johnson, Sahiti Myneni

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes affects nearly 34.2 million adults and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Digital health communities have emerged as avenues to provide social support to individuals engaging in diabetes self-management (DSM). The analysis of digital peer interactions and social connections can improve our understanding of the factors underlying behavior change, which can inform the development of personalized DSM interventions.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to apply our methodology using a mixed methods approach to (1) characterize the role of context-specific social influence patterns in DSM and (2) derive interventional targets that enhance individual …

Two-Year Follow-Up Of Gait And Postural Control Following Initiation Of Recombinant Human Tripeptidyl Intracerebroventricular Enzyme Replacement Therapy In Two Atypical Cln2 Patients, Rahul Soangra, Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Harriet Chang, Raymond Y. Wang

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder leading to premature mortality. Ambulatory CLN2 patients typically receive standard of care treatment through biweekly intracerebroventricular (ICV) enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) involving recombinant human tripeptidyl peptidase 1, known as cerliponase alfa (Brineura^®, Biomarin Pharmaceuticals). This study longitudinally assessed the impact of ICV cerliponase alfa ERT on gait, and postural control across a two-year span in two siblings diagnosed with atypical CLN2 disease. Both participants, ID01 (18 years and 8 months old at enrollment) and ID02 (13 years and 3 months old at enrollment), exhibited symptomatic characteristics …

Achilles Tendon Morphology Adaptations In Chronic Post-Stroke Hemiparesis: A Comparative Analysis With Neurologically Intact Controls, Jing Nong Liang, Greg Bashford, Kornelia Kulig, Kai-Yu Ho

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Introduction: In individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis, slow walking speed is a significant concern related to inadequate propulsion of the paretic limb. However, an overlooked factor is this population's altered morphology of the Achilles tendon, which may compromise the propulsive forces by the paretic limb. This study aimed to explore changes in Achilles tendon morphology, including gross thickness and intra-tendinous collagen fiber bundle organization, following stroke-induced brain lesions.

Methods: Fifteen individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis (at least 6 months post-stroke) and 19 neurologically intact controls participated. Ultrasound imaging was used to evaluate Achilles tendon thickness and collagen organization in the …

Evaluating The Effects Of High-Throughput Structural Neuroimaging Predictors On Whole-Brain Functional Connectome Outcomes Via Network-Based Matrix-On-Vector Regression, Tong Lu, Yuan Zhang, Vince Lyzinski, Chuan Bi, Peter Kochunov, Elliot Hong, Shuo Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The joint analysis of multimodal neuroimaging data is vital in brain research, revealing complex interactions between brain structures and functions. Our study is motivated by the analysis of a vast dataset of brain functional connectivity (FC) and multimodal structural imaging (SI) features from the UK Biobank. Specifically, we aim to investigate the effects of SI features, such as white matter microstructure integrity (WMMI) and cortical thickness, on the whole-brain functional connectome network. This analysis is inherently challenging due to the extensive structural-functional associations and the intricate network patterns present in multimodal high-dimensional neuroimaging data. To bridge methodological gaps, we developed …

Quantifying Capacity Of Otolaryngology-Head And Neck Surgery In Zimbabwe, Katerina J. Green, Daniel G. Eyassu, Amiti Jain, Priya Arya, Estephania Candelo, Dontre' M. Douse, Naboth N. Matinhira, Clemence Chidziva, Joshua P. Wiedermann

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the otolaryngology surgical capacity in Harare, Zimbabwe by analyzing procedural volumes across four hospitals, one private and three public, from 2019 to 2022.

METHODS: A retrospective review of hand-written surgical case logs was conducted at Harare Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Institute (HEENT), Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (PGH), Sally Mugabe Children's Hospital (SMCH), and Sally Mugabe Adult's Hospital (SMAH). Patient age and surgical intervention for all otolaryngology surgeries performed in the operating room from 2019 to 2022 were recorded. Procedures were categorized into six groups: head and neck malignancy, laryngeal surgery, oropharyngeal surgery, otologic surgery, rhinology/sinus surgery, …

Climate Change Will Impact Childhood Cancer Risks, Care And Outcomes., Hannah M. Thompson, Perry Sheffield, Omar Shakeel, Nicole Wood, Mark D. Miller

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Nutritional, Phytochemical, And Antimicrobial Properties Of Carica Papaya Leaves: Implications For Health Benefits And Food Applications, Rajni Choudhary, Ravinder Kaushik, Ansab Akhtar, Suvendu Manna, Jyoti Sharma, Aarti Bains

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Papaya leaves (PLs) are known for their therapeutic benefits and traditional use in treating inflammation, infections, and various health conditions. Rich in bioactive compounds, PLs are studied for their potential applications in functional foods. This study analyzed their nutritional, phytochemical, structural, thermal, and antimicrobial properties to evaluate their role as a health-promoting ingredient. METHODS: Phytochemicals were quantified spectrophotometrically and identified via GC-MS. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and FRAP assays. Mineral content was determined using ICP-OES. Structural and thermal properties were evaluated using FTIR, XRD, and calorimetry, and antimicrobial activity was tested via the agar well diffusion method. …

More Police Spending Is Linked To Higher Opioid Overdose Mortality Rates, Michah W. Rothbart, Zoe Lindenfeld, Amanda I. Mauri, Diana Silver

Population Health Research Brief Series

In the United States, over 100,000 people die from drug overdoses every year. County fiscal policies, particularly police spending and revenue generated from fines and forfeitures, not only shape the resources available for health interventions but may also influence how those resources are used to prevent overdoses. This brief highlights findings from a study that used data from the U.S. Census of Governments to examine how counties use of extractive policing practices (fines and forfeitures) as well as spending on health and policing were related to opioid overdose deaths from 2017 to 2020. Findings show that higher county-level police spending …

The C-Terminal Phdvc5hch Tandem Domain Of Nsd2 Is A Combinatorial Reader Of Modified H3k4 And Tri-Methylated H3k27 That Regulates Transcription Of Cell Adhesion Genes In Multiple Myeloma, Andrea Berardi, Charlotte Leonie Kaestner, Michela Ghitti, Giacomo Quilici, Paolo Cocomazzi, Jianping Li, Federico Ballabio, Chiara Zucchelli, Stefan Knapp, Jonathan Licht, Giovanna Musco

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Histone methyltransferase NSD2 (MMSET) overexpression in multiple myeloma (MM) patients plays an important role in the development of this disease subtype. Through the expansion of transcriptional activating H3K36me2 and the suppression of repressive H3K27me3 marks, NSD2 activates an aberrant set of genes that contribute to myeloma growth, adhesive and invasive activities. NSD2 transcriptional activity also depends on its non-catalytic domains, which facilitate its recruitment to chromatin through histone binding. In this study, using NMR, ITC and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the tandem PHD domain of NSD2 (PHDVC5HCHNSD2) is a combinatorial reader of unmodified histone H3K4 and tri-methylated H3K27 …

Rpa And Rad27 Limit Templated And Inverted Insertions At Dna Breaks, Yang Yu, Xin Wang, Jordan Fox, Qian Li, Yang Yu, P J Hastings, Kaifu Chen, Grzegorz Ira

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Formation of templated insertions at DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is very common in cancer cells. The mechanisms and enzymes regulating these events are largely unknown. Here, we investigated templated insertions in yeast at DSBs using amplicon sequencing across a repaired locus. We document very short (most ∼5-34 bp), templated inverted duplications at DSBs. They are generated through a foldback mechanism that utilizes microhomologies adjacent to the DSB. Enzymatic requirements suggest a hybrid mechanism wherein one end requires Polδ-mediated synthesis while the other end is captured by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) or by alternative end joining (Alt-EJ). This process is exacerbated …

Retreatability Of Endosequence® Bcs™ Hiflow Utilizing Both Chloroform And An Aqueous Solution, Dijana Elmejdoubi, Thomas E. Lallier, Masyn Cameron, Albert F. Mcmullen Iii

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Purpose: When RCT fails, retreatment of the case usually requires removal of the previous root canal fill (RCF). The aim of our research was to evaluate the retreatability of a root canal initially filled with gutta percha and EndoSequence® BCS™ HiFlow utilizing chloroform followed by 18% HCl, 18% HCl alone, chloroform alone or saline solution. Methods: 40 extracted single canal teeth were decoronated and obturated utilizing a single cone gutta percha technique and Endosequence BCS, stored one week in an incubator, and then we attempted to remove the previous RCF. Teeth were divided in 4 different groups (n=10). Canals were …

Organizational Readiness For Implementation: A Qualitative Assessment To Explain Survey Responses, Maria Mcclam, Lauren Workman, Timothy J. Walker, Emanuelle M. Dias, Derek W. Craig, Joe R. Padila, Andrea E. Lamont, Abraham Wandersman, Maria E. Fernandez

Faculty Publications

Background

One factor considered essential to successful implementation is organizational readiness. The purpose of this study was to explore ways to improve the measurement of organizational readiness, and in particular to refine a preliminary measure based on the Readiness = Motivation x innovation Specific Capacity x General Capacity (R = MC2) heuristic. We assessed the experiences of staff in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) implementing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) designed to increase colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) who previously completed the survey and aimed to understand their perspectives on why our data were positively skewed.

Methods

We conducted a series of qualitative …

Insights Into Rett Syndrome: Social Behavior, Bdnf-Trkb Signaling, And Dendritic Spines, Destynie Medeiros

All ETDs from UAB

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder primarily affecting females, caused by pathogenic variants in the X-linked MECP2 gene, which encodes the transcriptional modulator Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). RTT is characterized by motor deficits, loss of speech, autistic features, and intellectual disability. A key gene regulated by MeCP2 is BDNF, encoding the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF levels are lower in multiple brain regions of Mecp2-deficient mice, and experimentally increasing BDNF levels improves several RTT phenotypes in mouse models. Due to BDNF's low blood-brain barrier permeability, we tested LM22A-4, a brain-penetrant small molecule ligand of TrkB receptors, on …

Molecular Mechanism Of Congenital Cataract Caused By G91 Deletion In Cryβa1, Akosua Konadu Boateng

All ETDs from UAB

The Deletion of Glycine 91 is a mutational hotspot in the CRYβA1 gene (mutant named βA3ΔG91), which causes autosomal dominant congenital nuclear cataracts in several ethnically diverse populations worldwide. Previous in-vitro studies of recombinant βA3ΔG91 protein revealed that this mutation results in defective protein folding, reduced solubility, and oligomerization with other crystallins. While βA3/A1-crystallin is primarily known as a structural protein in the lens, it also plays a role in autophagy regulation in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) by controlling endolysosomal acidification through the V-ATPase proton pump. This study employs a novel βA3ΔG91 knock-in mouse model to investigate the pathogenic …

A Case Report Of Moderate Factor X Deficiency, Harpreet Kaur, Tanmoy Das, Poonam Wade, Murtuja Shaikh

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Factor X deficiency is a rare coagulation disorder with a varied clinical spectrum. It can present at any age, but most severe cases present in childhood. There are no evidence-based management guidelines for the management of factor X deficiency due to limited literature. Detailed history, clinical examination and specialized tests (coagulation profile, mixing studies, factor assay) are required for the diagnosis of factor X deficiency. In this case report, we are discussing the case of a 1-month-old, 12-day-old female child who presented with the complaint of spontaneous bleeding from the nose since 1 day with no other bleeding manifestations from …

Organizational Readiness For Implementation: A Qualitative Assessment To Explain Survey Responses, Maria Mcclam, Lauren Workman, Timothy J Walker, Emanuelle M Dias, Derek W Craig, Joe R Padilla, Andrea E Lamont, Abraham Wandersman, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: One factor considered essential to successful implementation is organizational readiness. The purpose of this study was to explore ways to improve the measurement of organizational readiness, and in particular to refine a preliminary measure based on the Readiness = Motivation x innovation Specific Capacity x General Capacity (R = MC2) heuristic. We assessed the experiences of staff in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) implementing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) designed to increase colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) who previously completed the survey and aimed to understand their perspectives on why our data were positively skewed.

METHODS: We conducted a series of qualitative …

Disrupted Relatedness And Shifting Perceptions Of Others: Changing Moods Over Time For People Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder, Joanna Farr, Jonathan A. Smith, John E. Rhodes

The Qualitative Report

For people diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the relationship between mood episodes and interpersonal life is critical. Yet little is known about how their experience of other people changes during and between episodes of depression and mania. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the experience of interpersonal change during depression, mania and euthymia (stability). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three women at two time points and were analysed using longitudinal interpretative phenomenological analysis. One longitudinal theme, “Changing sense of others impacts relatedness,” demonstrates profound changes in participants’ experiences of other people within and between episodes. During depression, participants experienced other people …

Neural Mechanisms Of Proactive And Reactive Cognitive Control In Humans, Anas Khan

All ETDs from UAB

Cognitive control enables flexible, goal-directed behavior by dynamically adjusting our actions in response to changing task demands. This dissertation investigates the neural mechanisms underlying proactive and reactive cognitive control, particularly focusing on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) during tasks that require response inhibition and conflict processing. Using intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) recordings from human participants, this research examines the distinct roles of oscillatory activity in these regions in both short-term reactive adjustments and long-term proactive control strategies. Chapter 2 explores the role of low-frequency oscillations in the mid-rostral dlPFC during motor inhibition, revealing that …

The Dopaminergic Cell-Intrinsic Clock And Bidirectional Relationships Of Circadian Disruption And Synucleinopathy, Ananya Swaroop

All ETDs from UAB

Circadian rhythms are crucial endogenous cycles with period of ~24 hours that evolved to adapt to light – dark driven changes in environmental conditions. At a molecular level, circadian rhythms are generated by the actions of clock genes that form a transcriptional- translational feedback loop and regulate the rhythmic expression of downstream clock-controlled genes. Cumulatively, the actions of these molecular clocks regulate rhythmicity of physiological and behavioral processes and are extensively characterized within the central circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Like SCN neurons, dopaminergic neurons of the SN are intrinsically pacemaking, though it is unknown if this intrinsic firing …