Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Attitudes Toward Pursuing Genetic Testing Among Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Taiwan: A Qualitative Investigation, Zihan Zhang, Justin Kramer, Haocen Wang, Wei-Ju Chen, Tse-Yang Huang, Yann-Jang Chen, Tung-Sung Tseng, Lei-Shih Chen

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases is increasing in Taiwan. Genetic testing for children with ASD offers several potential benefits and is available with out-of-pocket expenses. Parents play a pivotal role in having their children with ASD tested; therefore, understanding their perceptions of, and perceived barriers to genetic testing is vital. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 parents of children with ASD in Taiwan. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. NVivo 12 software (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia) was used to facilitate an inductive coding methodology. Results: The majority of participants (74.4%) supported ASD genetic testing for …

A Next Generation Sequencing-Based Protocol For Screening Of Variants Of Concern In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jie Huang, Jun Liu, Ruiyi Tian, Kevin Liu, Patrick Zhuang, Hannah Tayla Sherman, Christoph Budjan, Michelle Fong, Min-Seo Jeong, Xue-Jun Kong

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic influences. There is an increasing demand for ASD genetic testing beyond the traditionally recommended microarray and syndromic autism testing; however, the current whole genome sequencing (WGS) and whole exome sequencing (WES) methods are lacking an academic standard for WGS variant annotation, reporting, and interpretation, tailored towards patients with ASD and offer very limited interpretation for clinical significance. Using WGS data from six family trios, we demonstrate the clinical feasibility and technical implementation of an evidence-based, fully transparent bioinformatics pipeline and report framework for an ASD-focused WGS genetic report. We …

Emerging Themes In The Molecular Pathogenesis Of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli, James M Fleckenstein, Alaullah Sheikh

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are ubiquitous diarrheal pathogens that thrive in areas lacking basic human needs of clean water and sanitation. These genetically plastic organisms cause tremendous morbidity among disadvantaged young children, in the form of both acute diarrheal illness and sequelae of malnutrition and growth impairment. The recent discovery of additional plasmid-encoded virulence factors and elucidation of their critical role in the molecular pathogenesis of ETEC may inform new approaches to the development of broadly protective vaccines. Although the pathogens have been closely linked epidemiologically with nondiarrheal sequelae, these conditions remain very poorly understood. Similarly, while canonical effects of …

Minimally Invasive Postmortem Intestinal Tissue Sampling In Malnourished And Acutely Ill Children Is Feasible And Informative, Erika Feutz, Wieger Voskuijl, Peter J Finch, Ta-Chiang Liu, Robert H J Bandsma, Phillip I Tarr, Christopher Alan Moxon, Kelley Vanbuskirk, Sarah Lawrence, Grace Umutesi, Kirkby D Tickell, James A Berkley, Judd L Walson, Steve Kamiza, Donna M Denno

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Intestinal disorders such as environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) are prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and important contributors to childhood undernutrition and mortality. Autopsies are rarely performed in LMICs but minimally invasive tissue sampling is increasingly deployed as a more feasible and acceptable procedure, although protocols have been devoid of intestinal sampling to date. We sought to determine (1) the feasibility of postmortem intestinal sampling, (2) whether autolysis precludes enteric biopsies' utility, and (3) histopathologic features among children who died during hospitalization with acute illness or undernutrition.

METHODS: Transabdominal needle and endoscopic forceps upper and lower intestinal sampling …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Rheumatology Telehealth Satisfaction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lindsay N Waqar-Cowles, John Chuo, Pamela F Weiss, Sabrina Gmuca, Marianna Lanoue, Jon M Burnham

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Background: During the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, ambulatory pediatric rheumatology healthcare rapidly transformed to a mainly telehealth model. However, pediatric patient and caregiver satisfaction with broadly deployed telehealth programs remains largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate patient/caregiver satisfaction with telehealth and identify the factors associated with satisfaction in a generalizable sample of pediatric rheumatology patients.

Methods: Patients with an initial telehealth video visit with a rheumatology provider between April and June 2020 were eligible. All patients/caregivers were sent a post-visit survey to assess a modified version of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) and demographic and clinical characteristics. TUQ total …

Parents’ Report Of Canadian Elementary School Children’S Physical Activity And Screen Time During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study, Emma Ostermeier, Patricia Tucker, Andrew Clark, Jamie A. Seabrook, Jason Gilliland

Paediatrics Publications

COVID-19 public health protocols have altered children’s daily routines, limiting their physical activity opportunities. The purpose of this study was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s (ages 10–12 years) physical activity and screen time, and to explore the impact of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and public health constraints (i.e., facility use and social interaction) on the changes in children’s health behaviors. Online surveys were disseminated to parents at two time points: before COVID-19 (May 2019 to February 2020) and during COVID-19 (November to December 2020). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess changes in physical activity and screen …

Mission-Based Filters In The Electronic Residency Application Service: Saving Time And Promoting Diversity, Jennifer L Swails, Sasha Adams, Mark Hormann, Emma Omoruyi, Omowunmi Aibana

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Holistic review promotes diversity, but widespread implementation remains limited.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop a practical approach to incorporate holistic review principles in screening applicants in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and to assess the impact on diversity.

METHODS: Three residency programs (internal medicine [IM], pediatrics, and surgery) at McGovern Medical School developed filters to identify applicants with experiences/attributes aligned with the institutional mission. These filters were retroactively applied to each program's 2019-2020 applicant pool using built-in ERAS capabilities to group applicants by user-defined features. We compared the demographics of applicants reviewed during the cycle with those identified …

Mission-Based Filters In The Electronic Residency Application Service: Saving Time And Promoting Diversity, Jennifer L Swails, Sasha Adams, Mark Hormann, Emma Omoruyi, Omowunmi Aibana

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Holistic review promotes diversity, but widespread implementation remains limited.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop a practical approach to incorporate holistic review principles in screening applicants in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and to assess the impact on diversity.

METHODS: Three residency programs (internal medicine [IM], pediatrics, and surgery) at McGovern Medical School developed filters to identify applicants with experiences/attributes aligned with the institutional mission. These filters were retroactively applied to each program's 2019-2020 applicant pool using built-in ERAS capabilities to group applicants by user-defined features. We compared the demographics of applicants reviewed during the cycle with those identified …

How Physical Activity Implementation Strategies Changed During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Schools Enrolled In The Let’S Go! Program, Alexandra Peary

Honors College

Childhood obesity is a serious public health issue in the United States. Many children fail to meet the recommended daily physical activity of 60 minutes. Poor metabolic health at a young age puts children and adolescents at a significantly higher risk of developing chronic health issues in adulthood. With the potential to further exacerbate the obesity epidemic, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic challenged students’ abilities to participate in structured physical activity, such as recess and physical education, due to school closures, strict social distancing guidelines, and hybrid or remote models of learning. This lack of structure and opportunities for …

Pharmacogenomics Insights Into Precision Pediatric Oncology, Kristie N. Ramos, David Gregornik, Kenneth S. Ramos

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pharmacogenomic insights provide an opportunity to optimize medication dosing regimens and patient outcomes. However, the potential for interindividual genomic variability to guide medication dosing and toxicity monitoring is not yet standard of care. In this review, we present advances for the thiopurines, anthracyclines and vincristine and provide perspectives on the actionability of pharmacogenomic guidance in the future.

RECENT FINDINGS: The current guideline on thiopurines recommends that those with normal predicted thiopurine methyltransferase and NUDT15 expression receive standard-of-care dosing, while 'poor metabolizer' haplotypes receive a decreased 6-mercaptopurine starting dose to avoid bone marrow toxicity. Emerging evidence established significant …

Enterovirus D68-Associated Acute Respiratory Illness ─ New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, July-November 2018-2020., Melisa M. Shah, Ariana Perez, Joana Y. Lively, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Julie A. Boom, James Chappell, Janet A. Englund, Wende Fregoe, Natasha B. Halasa, Christopher J. Harrison, Robert W. Hickey, Eileen J. Klein, Monica M. Mcneal, Marian G. Michaels, Mary Moffatt, Catherine Otten, Leila C. Sahni, Elizabeth Schlaudecker, Jennifer E. Schuster, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Mary A. Staat, Laura S. Stewart, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, John V. Williams, Terry Fan Fei Ng, Janell A. Routh, Susan I. Gerber, Meredith L. Mcmorrow, Brian Rha, Claire M. Midgley

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is associated with a broad spectrum of illnesses, including mild to severe acute respiratory illness (ARI) and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). Enteroviruses, including EV-D68, are typically detected in the United States during late summer through fall, with year-to-year fluctuations. Before 2014, EV-D68 was infrequently reported to CDC (1). However, numbers of EV-D68 detection have increased in recent years, with a biennial pattern observed during 2014-2018 in the United States, after the expansion of surveillance and wider availability of molecular testing. In 2014, a national outbreak of EV-D68 was detected (2). EV-D68 was also reported in 2016 via …

Sedation And Acute Encephalopathy In A Pediatric Patient Following Ingestion Of Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Gummies, Peter Akpunonu, Regan A. Baum, Andrew Reckers, Blake Davidson, Ross Ellison, Matthew Riley, Jordan Trecki, Roy Gerona

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC) is an isomer of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9 THC), the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in the marijuana plant. Typically found at lower concentrations in marijuana, delta-8 THC exhibits psychoactive properties similar to delta-9 THC. Products containing delta-8 THC are readily available across the US and currently there is a lack of available confirmatory testing specific to delta-8 THC as there is cross-reactivity to other naturally occurring cannabinoids in standard immunoassays. Pediatric exposures to this substance are on the rise.

CASE REPORT We present a case with laboratory confirmation of a previously healthy 2-year-old girl ingesting approximately 15 mg/kg …

Physical Activity And Fat-Free Mass During Growth And In Later Life, Klaas R Westerterp, Susan B Racette, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Physical activity may be a way to increase and maintain fat-free mass (FFM) in later life, similar to the prevention of fractures by increasing peak bone mass.

OBJECTIVES: A study is presented of the association between FFM and physical activity in relation to age.

METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, FFM was analyzed in relation to physical activity in a large participant group as compiled in the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water database. The database included 2000 participants, age 3-96 y, with measurements of total energy expenditure (TEE) and resting energy expenditure (REE) to allow calculation of physical …

Influential Periods In Longitudinal Clinical Cardiovascular Health Scores, Amy E Krefman, Vito M R Muggeo, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) among adults in the United States is low and decreases with age. Our objective was to identify specific age windows when the loss of CVH accelerates, to ascertain preventive opportunities for intervention. Data were pooled from 5 longitudinal cohorts (Project Heartbeat!, Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, The Bogalusa Heart Study, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults, Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project) from the United States and Finland from 1973 to 2012. Individuals with clinical CVH factors (i.e., body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose) measured from ages 8 …

Choosing Performance-Based Outcome Measures Of Daily Living Skills And Socialization For Clinical Trials In Autistic Children, Roseann C Schaaf, Amy Carroll, Elizabeth Conte Waskie, Rachel L Dumont, Elizabeth Ridgway

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Robust and psychometrically sound performance-based outcome measures are needed for clinical trials of occupational therapy interventions for children with autism.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate a systematic approach for choosing psychometrically sound performance-based outcome measures of daily living skills and socialization for use in clinical trials of occupational therapy interventions for children with autism.

DESIGN: Rapid literature review to identify appropriate measures for studies with this population followed by quality indicator ratings and a nominal group process.

SETTING: University.

PARTICIPANTS: Four experts in autism and pediatric outcome measurement. Outcomes and Measures: Twenty-one outcome measures of daily living skills and socialization were …

2021 Paces Expert Consensus Statement On The Indications And Management Of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices In Pediatric Patients: Executive Summary, Michael J Silka, Jennifer N Avari Silva, Aarti S Dalal, Et Al

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of Pfizer-Biontech Mrna Vaccination Against Covid-19 Hospitalization Among Persons Aged 12-18 Years - United States, June-September 2021., Samantha M. Olson, Margaret M. Newhams, Natasha B. Halasa, Ashley M. Price, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Katherine Irby, Tracie C. Walker, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Pia S. Pannaraj, Aline B. Maddux, Tamara T. Bradford, Ryan A. Nofziger, Benjamin J. Boutselis, Melissa L. Cullimore, Elizabeth H. Mack, Jennifer E. Schuster, Shira J. Gertz, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Michele Kong, Melissa A. Cameron, Mary A. Staat, Emily R. Levy, Brandon M. Chatani, Kathleen Chiotos, Laura D. Zambrano, Angela P. Campbell, Manish M. Patel, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for use in children and adolescents aged 12-15 years and is licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for persons aged ≥16 (1). A randomized placebo-controlled trial demonstrated an efficacy of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 75.3%-100%) in preventing outpatient COVID-19 in persons aged 12-15 years (2); however, data among adolescents on vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 in real-world settings are limited, especially among hospitalized patients. In early September 2021, U.S. pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations reached the highest level during the pandemic (3,4). In a test-negative, case-control study at 19 pediatric hospitals in 16 …

Barriers To Symptom Management Care Pathway Implementation In Pediatric Cancer, L Lee Dupuis, Allison Grimes, Emily Vettese, Lisa M Klesges, Lillian Sung

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Objectives were to describe barriers to pediatric cancer symptom management care pathway implementation and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical research evaluating their implementation.

METHODS: We included 25 pediatric oncology hospitals in the United States that supported a grant submission to perform a cluster randomized trial in which the intervention encompassed care pathways for symptom management. A survey was distributed to site principal investigators prior to randomization to measure contextual elements related to care pathway implementation. Questions included the inner setting measures of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), study-specific potential barriers and the impact of …

Global Pediatric Pulmonology Alliance (Gppa) Proposal For Covid-19 Vaccination In Children., Lance E Rodewald, Kun-Ling Shen, Yong-Hong Yang, Gary Wing-Kin Wong, Leyla Namazova-Baranova, Lanny J Rosenwasser, Adel S Alharbi, Anne B Chang, Jim Buttery, Basil Elnazir, Ruth A. Etzel, Anne Goh, Hilary Hoey, Rosemary Horne, Eitan Kerem, Antonella Muraro, Chris O'Callaghan, Kazunobu Ouchi, Varinder Singh, Jiu-Yao Wang, Spencer Li, Yu Guan, Yue-Jie Zheng, Zhengde Xie, Gen Lu, Yi Jiang, Xing-Wang Li, Rong-Meng Jiang, Xiao-Chuan Wang, Ji-Kui Deng, Xiao-Xia Lu, Bao-Ping Xu, Zhuang Wei, Lu-Zhao Feng, Zheng-Yan Zhao

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Organophosphate Pesticides And Progression Of Chronic Kidney Disease Among Children: A Prospective Cohort Study., Melanie H. Jacobson, Yinxiang Wu, Mengling Liu, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Adela Jing Li, Morgan Robinson, Bradley A. Warady, Susan Furth, Howard Trachtman, Leonardo Trasande

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Growing evidence suggests that exposure to environmental chemicals, such as pesticides, impacts renal function and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, it is not clear if pesticides may affect CKD progression and no studies exist in children.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine associations between serially measured urinary OP pesticide metabolites and clinical and laboratory measures of kidney function over time among children with CKD.

Methods: This study used data on 618 participants enrolled in the CKD in Children study (CKiD), a cohort study of pediatric CKD patients from the US and Canada. Children were followed over …

Looking For Consistency In An Uncertain World: Test-Retest Reliability Of Neurophysiological And Behavioral Readouts In Autism., Shlomit Beker, John J Foxe, John Venticinque, Juliana Bates, Elizabeth M Ridgeway, Roseann C Schaaf, Sophie Molholm

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with altered sensory processing and perception. Scalp recordings of electrical brain activity time-locked to sensory events (event-related potentials; ERPs) provide precise information on the time-course of related altered neural activity, and can be used to model the cortical loci of the underlying neural networks. Establishing the test-retest reliability of these sensory brain responses in ASD is critical to their use as biomarkers of neural dysfunction in this population.

METHODS: EEG and behavioral data were acquired from 33 children diagnosed with ASD aged 6-9.4 years old, while they performed a child-friendly task at two …

Rapidiron: Reducing Anaemia In Pregnancy In India-A 3-Arm, Randomized-Controlled Trial Comparing The Effectiveness Of Oral Iron With Single-Dose Intravenous Iron In The Treatment Of Iron Deficiency Anaemia In Pregnant Women And Reducing Low Birth Weight Deliveries., Richard J. Derman, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Simal Thind, Sudhir Bhandari, Zubair H. Aghai, Michael Auerbach, Rupsa Boelig, Umesh S. Charantimath, Rosemary Frasso, M. S. Ganachari, Kusum Lata Gaur, Michael K. Georgieff, Frances Jaeger, S. Yogeshkumar, Parth Lalakia, Benjamin Leiby, Mita Majumdar, Amarjeet Mehta, Seema Mehta, Sudhir Mehta, Stephen T. Mennemeyer, Amit P. Revankar, Dharmesh Kumar Sharma, Vanessa Short, Manjunath S Somannavar, Dennis Wallace, Hemang Shah, Manjula Singh, Sufia Askari, Mrutyunjaya B. Bellad, Rapidiron Trial Group

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Anaemia is a worldwide problem and iron deficiency is the most common cause. In pregnancy, anaemia increases the risk of adverse maternal, foetal and neonatal outcomes. India's anaemia rate is among the highest in the world with India's National Family Health Survey indicating over 50% of pregnant women were affected by anaemia. India's Anaemia Mukt Bharat-Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative aims to reduce the prevalence of anaemia among reproductive-age women, adolescents and children by 3% per year and facilitate the achievement of a Global World Health Assembly 2025 objective to achieve a 50% reduction of anaemia among women of …

Maternal Resources For Care Are Associated With Child Growth And Early Childhood Development In Bangladesh And Vietnam, Sulochana Basnet, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Phuong Hong Nguyen, Spencer Moore, Mandana Arabi

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Suboptimal child growth and development are significant problems in low- and middle-income countries. Maternal resources for care may help to improve growth and development. This study examined the association of maternal resources for care on child length, motor development and language development of children 12-23.9 months old.

METHODS:

We used baseline data from the Alive & Thrive household surveys collected in Bangladesh (n = 803) and Vietnam (n = 635). Resources for care were represented by maternal education, knowledge, height, well-nourishment, mental well-being, decision-making, employment, support in chores and perceived support. The regression analyses were adjusted for household wealth …

Associations Between Parent Characteristics And Acceptability Of Exposure-Based Treatments For Child And Adolescent Anxiety, Allison Rumelt

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), particularly exposure therapy, is the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents (Kendall et al., 2005). Little research has been done to explore parent acceptability of treatment for anxiety in children and adolescents, and no research has explored the acceptability of exposure for this population. The purpose of the present study was to examine parent acceptability of exposure for child and adolescent anxiety as well as variables associated with acceptability. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire, the Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale (Zimmerman et al., 2010), and the Family Accommodation Scale – Anxiety (Lebowitz et …

Mortality In Children Treated With Maintenance Peritoneal Dialysis: Findings From The International Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Network Registry., Sophie Ploos Van Amstel, Marlies Noordzij, Dagmara Borzych-Duzalka, Nicholas C. Chesnaye, Hong Xu, Lesley Rees, Il-Soo Ha, Zenaida L. Antonio, Nakysa Hooman, William Wong, Karel Vondrak, Yok Chin Yap, Hiren Patel, Maria Szczepanska, Sara Testa, Monica Galanti, Jameela A. Kari, Charlotte Samaille, Sevcan A. Bakkaloglu, Wai-Ming Lai, Luisa Fernanda Rojas, Mabel Sandoval Diaz, Biswanath Basu, Alicia Neu, Bradley A. Warady, Kitty J. Jager, Franz Schaefer

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Research on pediatric kidney replacement therapy (KRT) has primarily focused on Europe and North America. In this study, we describe the mortality risk of children treated with maintenance peritoneal dialysis (MPD) in different parts of the world and characterize the associated demographic and macroeconomic factors.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Patients younger than 19 years at inclusion into the International Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Network registry, who initiated MPD between 1996 and 2017.

EXPOSURE: Region as primary exposure (Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, North America, and Oceania). Other demographic, clinical, and macroeconomic (4 …

Interdisciplinary Development Initiative (Idi) Entitled “Emerging Team Initiative To Reduce Inequities In Maternal And Child Lifestyle Health, Rozhan Momen

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Interdisciplinary Development Initiative (IDI) entitled “Emerging team initiative to reduce inequities in maternal and child lifestyle health"; an environmental scan of the faculty of health sciences and other western faculties, Brescia university college and research institutes as well as community agencies with similar interests.

Favorable Outcomes With Reduced Steroid Use In Juvenile Dermatomyositis, Amir B Orandi, Lampros Fotis, Jamie Lai, Hallie Morris, Andrew J White, Anthony R French, Kevin W Baszis

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: High-intensity glucocorticoid regimens are commonly used to induce and maintain remission in Juvenile Dermatomyositis but are associated with several adverse side-effects. Evidence-based treatment guidelines from North American and European pediatric rheumatology research societies both advocate induction with intravenous pulse steroids followed by high dose oral steroids (2 mg/kg/day), which are then tapered. This study reports the time to disease control with reduced glucocorticoid dosing.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records at a single tertiary-care children's hospital of patients diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis between 2000 and 2014 who had a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. The primary outcome measure …

Standardizing Definitions Of Hematopoietic Recovery, Graft Rejection, Graft Failure, Poor Graft Function, And Donor Chimerism In Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Report On Behalf Of The American Society For Transplantation And Cellular Therapy, Mohamed A Kharfan-Dabaja, Iskra Pusic, Shalini Shenoy, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is potentially curative for certain hematologic malignancies and nonmalignant diseases. The field of allo-HCT has witnessed significant advances, including broadening indications for transplantation, availability of alternative donor sources, less toxic preparative regimens, new cell manipulation techniques, and novel GVHD prevention methods, all of which have expanded the applicability of the procedure. These advances have led to clinical practice conundrums when applying traditional definitions of hematopoietic recovery, graft rejection, graft failure, poor graft function, and donor chimerism, because these may vary based on donor type, cell source, cell dose, primary disease, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, and …

Association Of Low Center Performance Evaluations And Pediatric Heart Transplant Center Behavior In The United States, Shahnawaz Amdani, Gerard Boyle, Joseph Rossano, Janet Scheel, Marc Richmond, Susana Arrigain, Jesse D Schold

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: To date, no study has evaluated the effects of low center performance evaluations (CPE) on pediatric heart transplant center behavior. We sought to assess the impact of low CPE flags on pediatric heart transplant center listing and transplant volumes and center recipient and donor characteristics.

METHODS: We included centers performing at least 10 pediatric (age <18 years) transplants during the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients reporting period January 2009-June 2011 and evaluated consecutive biannual program specific reports until the last reporting period January 2016-June 2018. We evaluated changes in center behavior at following time points: a year before flagging, a year and two years after the flag; and at last reporting period.

RESULTS: During our study period, 24 pediatric centers were non-flagged and 6 were flagged. Compared to non-flagged centers, there was a decline in candidate listings in flagged centers at the last reporting period (mean increase of 5.5 ± 12.4 listings vs"?> mean decrease of …

De-Identification Procedures For Magnetic Resonance Images And The Impact On Structural Brain Measures At Different Ages, Elizabeth E L Buimer, Hugo G Schnack, Yaron Caspi, Neeltje E M Van Haren, Mikhail Milchenko, Pascal Pas, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Hilleke E Hulshoff Pol, Rachel M Brouwer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Surface rendering of MRI brain scans may lead to identification of the participant through facial characteristics. In this study, we evaluate three methods that overwrite voxels containing privacy-sensitive information: Face Masking, FreeSurfer defacing, and FSL defacing. We included structural T1-weighted MRI scans of children, young adults and older adults. For the young adults, test-retest data were included with a 1-week interval. The effects of the de-identification methods were quantified using different statistics to capture random variation and systematic noise in measures obtained through the FreeSurfer processing pipeline. Face Masking and FSL defacing impacted brain voxels in some scans especially in …