Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Sodium Butyrate As An Anti-Fibrotic Agent In Experimental Schistosomiasis Mansoni Infection, Rania Eladl Hassan, Manar Ezzelarab Ramadan, Nora Ibrahim Aboulfotouh, Ramy Ahmed Abdelsalam Sallam, Basma Hamed Othman, Soha Ibrahim Awad

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Schistosomiasis is a prominent neglected tropical disease that is caused by Schistosoma mansoni, and it is characterized by granuloma formation, which advances to hepatic fibrosis and serious liver damage. The standard medication is praziquantel (PZQ), but it has minimal effect on larvae and no effect on fibrosis which is a main pathological feature in schistosomiaiss. So, new alternatives were suggested, such as sodium butyrate (SB), which is a fatty acid salt with medicinal qualities.

Objective: This study investigated the anti-fibrotic effect of sodium butyrate (SB) in a mouse model of S. mansoni-induced liver immunopathology using …

Evaluation Of Clinical Efficacy And Safety Of Topical Trifarotene Versus Topical Dapsone In Inflammatory Acne Valgaris: Split Face Interventional Study., Shaymaa E. Elmongy, Aya Mohammed Elsebaie, Azza Osama Alqurei, Noura A. Elseessy

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Topical Trifarotene and Dapsone both treat inflammatory acne, but they work differently and have distinct side effects.

Objective: to compare efficacy and safety between topical trifarotine 0.005% versus dapsone 5% gel for treatment of mild to moderate inflammatory facial acne vulgaris.

Methods: This split face interventional study included twenty (20) patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris. All the patients were treated with topical trifarotine cream 0.005 once daily at night thin layer on RT side of the face and treated with topical dapsone gel 5% once daily at any time of the day thin …

Comparative Study Between Microbotox (Mesobotox) Versus Microneedling With Platelets Rich Plasma In The Treatment Of Atrophic Post-Acne Scars, Eman Ibrahim Abd Elmabood Maghraby, Abeer Mohamed Abdelaziz Elkholy, Noura Abdel Moneim Mohamed Elseessy

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the pilosebaceous units and ranks as the eighth most prevalent disease worldwide. Acne scarring is a common consequence of acne vulgaris that occurs in some patients. Different treatment modalities have been tried for treating them such as chemical peels, laser-assisted resurfacing, dermabrasion and microneedling (MN). Both Microbotox and Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) are effective, minimally invasive treatments for improving atrophic post-acne scars, often used with microneedling.

Aim: to Compare the efficacy and safety of microbotox injection versus microneedling combined with platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of atrophic post-acne scars.

Subjects and …

Performance Of Renal Artery Doppler Compared With Umbilical Artery Doppler In Growth Restricted Fetuses, Alya Kamal Ibrahim Anwar, Abdel-Aziz Abdel-Ghani Elrefae, Khaled Samir Othman, Alhussein Ahmed Mohamed

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background:

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a major contributor to perinatal morbidity and mortality and is frequently associated with placental insufficiency. Doppler ultrasonography of blood flow is widely utilized in the assessment and follow up of pregnancy considered to be at high obstetric risk.

Objective:

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of umbilical and fetal renal artery Doppler indices in prediction and monitoring of fetal growth restriction.

Methods:

    This prospective observational study included pregnant women with fetuses whose EFW <10^th percentile for gestational age. A total of 90 women with suspected FGR were recruited. All participants underwent detailed …

Symptom Burden And Its Relationship With Functional Status And Quality Of Life Among Hemodialysis Patients, Samar A. Alalfy, Hoda Mahmoud Mohammad Abdulaziz, Rasha Mahmoud

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis face significant symptom burdens that impact clinical outcomes. This study aimed to determine the frequency of individual symptoms and assess how cumulative symptom burden influences both functional capacity and health-related quality of life among this patient group.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 168 adult hemodialysis patients from two centers in Egypt. Assessments were conducted using three validated instruments: the Chronic Kidney Disease Symptom Burden Index (CKD-SBI) for symptom evaluation, the Short Form-12 (SF-12) for health-related quality of life, and the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (KPSS) for functional performance.

Results:Participants had a mean age of …

Behavioural Problems In Children With Congenital Heart Diseases, Mohamed E. Hassan, Eman A. Abdulhai, Mona M. Hafez

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is associated with neurodevelopmental and behavioral challenges. The purpose of this study was to evaluate behavioral problems in children with CHD. Methods: 103 children with confirmed CHD, aged 6 to 11 years, participated in this observational cross-sectional study. Children with genetic syndromes, neurological or developmental disorders, or any associated chronic medical conditions that may independently affect behavioral functioning were excluded. Behavioral assessment was performed using the parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), which generates internalizing, externalizing, and total problem scores. Data on demographics, CHD type (acyanotic vs. cyanotic), and a history of previous cardiac interventions including …

In Hospital Outcome Of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention In Patients With Symptomatic Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: Limited Mansoura University Experience In 2021., Mohamed Gamal Abd Elkader, Gamal Fahim El Sayed, Adel Mohamed Osthman

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality worldwide. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an established revascularization strategy for chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), with outcomes influenced by patient and procedural factors. However, real-world data on in-hospital PCI outcomes from developing countries remain limited.

Aim: To evaluate in-hospital outcomes of PCI in patients with CCS and assess the relationship between baseline clinical risk factors and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Patients and Methods: This prospective observational cohort study included 150 patients with CCS (mean age 58.9±8.5 years; 106 males and 44 females) who underwent coronary angiography …

Developing Provider Digital Twins For Personalized Provider-Patient Communication Via A Rag-Based Conversational Framework, Pengze Li, Yutong Hu, Jianfu Li, Garit Gemeinhardt, Fang Li, Muhammad Amith, Licong Cui, Antonio J Forte, Cui Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Digital twins have emerged as a paradigm in precision and personalized medicine, enabling data-driven modeling of individuals to support tailored interventions. While most existing work focuses on patient-oriented twins, little attention has been given to modeling the provider’s role, particularly in clinical communication. In this study, we present GRACE (Generalized RAG-Enhanced Conversation Framework), a framework for constructing a provider digital twin (ProDT) that emulates key aspects of clinicians’ communicative and cognitive behavior. GRACE integrates three modules: a physician-informed dialog script generation and optimization module for provider-patterned conversation, a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline for factual grounding and timely knowledge updating, and …

Intra-Coronary Imaging And Transcriptomics Of Calcified Nodules Before And After Intensive Lipid-Lowering Therapy: A Yellow Iii Substudy, Pruthvi C Revaiah, Yuliya Vengrenyuk, Jiajia Liu, Keisuke Yasumura, Vemuri Krishna Santosh, Monika Karki, Ishani Bansal, Amit Hooda, Joseph K Sweeny, Sahil Khera, Vishal Kapur, Prakash Krishnan, Pedro R Moreno, Roxana Mehran, Xiaobo Zhou, Jagat Narula, Samin K Sharma, Annapoorna S Kini

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aims: Calcified nodules (CNs) contribute to 3-5% of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Identifying peri-calcific lipid-rich areas is challenging with conventional imaging but feasible using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This YELLOW III substudy investigated the impact of maximal lipid-lowering on CN morphology and lipid content over 26 weeks.

Methods and results: Patients with stable CAD and lipid-rich, non-obstructive plaques (lipid arc >90°, FCT < 120 µm on OCT) received Evolocumab (140 mg biweekly) plus maximally tolerated statins. Lesions were evaluated at baseline and 26 weeks using combined NIRS-IVUS and OCT. Exploratory endpoints were the maximum 4 mm lipid core burden index (LCBI) in segments containing CNs (maxLCBI4mm-CN) and morphological changes in CN. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate temporal changes and group interactions. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptomics were analysed. Among 110 patients, 43 (39.1%) had CNs. A total of 73 paired CNs were analysed for morphology, of which 65 CNs were ≥4 mm. CNs with lipid signal (CNLS) demonstrated a significant reduction in maxLCBI4mm-CN from 176.8 to 113.3 (β = -63.51 ± 17.63; P < 0.001), whereas no change was observed in dense CNs (P = 0.317). Morphological parameters remained largely unchanged in both groups. A modest increase in the surrounding calcium arc was observed in CNLS (P = 0.018), while depth showed a differential change …

A Structured Review Of Emerging Prompt Instability Indices (Piis) To Evaluate The Reproducibility Of Prompt-Driven Image Segmentation Models., Adib Shafipour, Deevakar Rogith, Zulfiia Ditto, Hien V Tran, Katie Stinson, Toufeeq Ahmed Syed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Prompt-aware image segmentation has introduced new flexibility by allowing models to incorporate user-provided cues, such as points, boxes, or text prompts, to guide object delineation across diverse imaging domains. This flexibility introduces a fundamental challenge: ensuring segmentation results remain reproducible when prompts are altered. Minor variations in prompts produce substantially different outputs, raising concerns about the reliability and scientific validity of research and clinical applications. This paper conducts a structured review of emerging Prompt Instability Indices (PIIs), quantitative measures developed to assess the reproducibility of prompt-driven segmentation models. A systematic search of PubMed and arXiv (2020-2025) identified relevant studies, analyzed …

A Hybrid Vit-L/32-Maxvit-L Architecture With Adaptive Gated Fusion For Multiclass Gastrointestinal Disease Detection And Multi-Method Post-Hoc Explainability, Shahid Mohammad Ganie, Pijush Kanti Dutta Pramanik, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Accurate detection of gastrointestinal diseases from endoscopic images remains challenging due to substantial inter-class similarity, intra-class variability, and heterogeneous lesion presentation. While convolutional neural networks (CNNs) effectively capture fine mucosal textures, their limited receptive field restricts global contextual reasoning. Conversely, transformer architectures model long-range dependencies but may underrepresent localized structural detail.

Methods: This study proposes a dual-branch hybrid transformer framework that integrates global token-level reasoning from ViT-L/32 with hierarchical spatial modeling from MaxViT-L. An adaptive gated fusion mechanism is introduced to dynamically regulate the relative contribution of local and global representations on a per-sample basis, enabling content-aware cross-scale integration. …

Global-Local Feature Fusion: A Robust Hybrid Deep Learning Model For Multiclass Brain Tumor Classification With Grad-Cam++ Interpretation, Kirti Pant, Pijush Kanti Dutta Pramanik, Shahid Mohammad Ganie, Anindita Saha, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Accurate classification of brain tumors in MRI scans is critical for effective clinical decision making, yet manual assessment is labor-intensive and subject to variability. Although deep learning models, particularly CNNs and Transformers, have shown potential, each architecture alone has limitations: CNNs excel at local feature extraction but lack global context awareness, while Transformers capture global relationships but may overlook fine-grained details.

Objectives: To develop a hybrid Transfer Learning-Transformer model that integrates CNN-driven local feature modeling with Transformer-based global reasoning to enhance multi-class brain tumor classification.

Methods: The proposed workflow comprises three stages: (1) benchmarking standalone CNN (ResNet50, VGG19, ConvNeXtBase, …

Examining Motivators And Barriers To Meditation Practice Among Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury: Insights From A Survey Study, Radha Korupolu, Chelsea G Ratcliff, Ariana Andampour, Susan Robinson-Whelen, Shrasti Lohiya, Audrey S Cohen, Christine Bakos-Block, Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Context: Meditation and mindfulness practices offer promising non-pharmacological alternatives for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) to improve their health and well-being, but integrating such practices into daily routines can be challenging.

Objectives: This survey study aims to identify motivators and barriers to engagement with meditation and mindfulness interventions among individuals with SCI.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults with SCI (N = 94) from a single large acute rehabilitation center in the United States.

Results: Results from the survey showed a strong interest in meditation among individuals with SCI, with nearly half reporting current engagement in meditation …

Ai Privacy And Security In Healthcare: A Systematic Literature Review, Diane Dolezel, Karima Lalani, Valerie Watzlaf, Kerryn Butler-Henderson, Elise V Z Lambert, Mary Morton, Jamie Sand, David Gibbs, Susan Fenton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Artificial intelligence is expanding into telemedicine and telerehabilitation, yet significant privacy and security concerns persist.

Scope: To synthesize empirical evidence on privacy and security approaches in health care, particularly those relevant to distributed home care.

Methodology: A systematic review identified 80 studies (2019 to 2025), and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling characterized the privacy and security themes.

Results: Sixty-six studies addressed privacy, only seventeen addressed security, and three studies addressed both. LDA identified four themes: patient data privacy, federated learning for medical imaging, encrypted training and secure computation, and healthcare data governance. Most studies emphasized privacy-preserving approaches, like …

Accelerating Ai Innovation In Healthcare: Real-World Clinical Research Applications On The Mayo Clinic Platform, Yue Yu, Xinyue Hu, Sivaraman Rajaganapathy, Jingna Feng, Ahmed Abdelhameed, Xiaodi Li, Jianfu Li, Xiaoke Liu, Liu Yang, Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner, Phil Fiero, Soulmaz Boroumand, Richard Larsen, Maneesh Goyal, Clark C Otley, Nansu Zong, Vijay H Shah, John D Halamka, Cui Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise for healthcare, but real-world implementation remains difficult. The Mayo clinic platform (MCP) addresses this by providing scalable, multi-institutional, de-identified data and analytical tools. Through four research projects, we demonstrate MCP's ability to support efficient cohort identification, AI model development, and real-world evidence generation. MCP enables broader accessibility and standardization compared to institutional EHRs, positioning it as a powerful platform for advancing translational research and precision medicine.

Effect Of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation On Serum Sclerostin Levels In Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Mohamed A. Hassany, Mariam A. Fawy

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background Vitamin D deficiency and altered bone metabolism are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Sclerostin, a key inhibitor of bone formation, has been implicated in CKD–mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD), but the impact of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on circulating sclerostin is unclear. This work examined the effect of intramuscular cholecalciferol on serum sclerostin and bone-related markers in CKD patients. Methods This randomized controlled trial involved 128 adult CKD patients (stages 3–5), 18–70 years, both sexes, with vitamin D deficiency. Adults were equally randomized into two groups: the intervention group received intramuscular cholecalciferol (300,000 IU at baseline …

Chronic Stress And Toxoplasma Gondii Infection: Investigating The Two-Hit Hypothesis On Behavior And Cognition In Chronic Toxoplasmosis Mice Model, Nora Labeeb El-Tantawy

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Toxoplasmagondii infects about one third of people around the world and is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. But not everyone who has it ends up with behavioral symptoms, which is kind of interesting. The study aimed to investigate the two-hit hypothesis, basically testing if chronic stress makes the effects of the infection worse in mice, on behavior and cognition. Methods: Sixty Swiss Webster mice were included in the study divided into four groups (15 for each). Group 1 control, group 2 stressed animals exposed to the chronic unpredictable stress protocol, Group 3 infected with T. gondii, and group 4 received …

Fractional Ablative Co2 Laser Versus Screw Threads In Post-Traumatic Atrophic Linear Scars, Eman Emad Elfeel, Marwa Zohdy Ali, Shereen Ezzalregal Alashry, Sherihan Hassan Allam

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background Scar is the result of the natural healing and reparative process, which are frequently accompanied by a few aesthetic, functional, and social impairments and may negatively affect quality of life. Fractional CO2 laser improves both the pigmentary and textural changes by removing thin layers of skin with minimal thermal damage. Thread lifting technology is a non-surgical facial rejuvenation technology that can minimize postoperative recovery period and scar from the incision Aim To compare the efficacy of fractional ablative CO2 laser therapy versus screw threads in post-traumatic atrophic linear scars. Methods This prospective randomized clinical study included 2 groups; group …

Adnexal Magnetic Resonance (Adnex –Mr) Scoring System; A New Standardized Method For Characterization Of Adnexal Masses Inside Mansoura University Hospitals, Nora Diaa Ali Okab, Basma Elged, Sherif Abdel Fatah Moustafa, Sieza Samir, Yasser.M. Mesbah

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background Gynecologic masses are the most common subject of gynecologic imaging. The usefulness of MRI is high in the characterization of adnexal masses. The ADNEX MR classification framework was launched to stratify sonographically identified adnexal masses in to five groups based on their probability of malignancy: grade 1 (no lesion), grade 2 (benign), grade 3 (probably benign), grade 4 (indeterminate), and grade 5 (probably malignant). Aim to determine the accuracy of the ADNEX MR scoring system in classification of adnexal masses at Mansoura University Hospitals (MUH). Methods A total of 48 female patients with 52 adnexal masses on ultrasound were …

Prevalence And Spectrum Of Genitourinary Anomalies In Children With Anorectal Malformations, Adnan El-Ghazaly, Tamer A. Wafa, Ahmed M. Negm, Adham W. El-Saied

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Anorectal malformations (ARMs) encompass a broad range of congenital defects and are frequently associated with genitourinary (GU) anomalies, which may contribute to long-term morbidity if undetected. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and spectrum of GU anomalies in children with ARMs, describe the urological and genital findings, and assess associations with sex and ARM type.

Patients and Methods: A prospective survey enrolled children diagnosed with ARMs at a tertiary pediatric surgery center. All patients underwent standardized clinical assessment, including focused genital examination and structured imaging. Abdominal ultrasonography (US) served as baseline screening for urinary tract anomalies. Voiding cystourethrogram …

Whole Tumor Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram In Assessment Of Treatment Response In Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer, Wahdan. N, Wahba. H, Samir. S, Dina. G. Abdelzaher

Mansoura Medical Journal

Purpose:

We aimed to determine the prognostic value of whole-tumor ADC histogram analysis in predicting therapeutic outcomes for patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).

Methods:

This prospective, single-institution study enrolled 40 women (mean age 53.8 ± 11.4 years) with pathologically confirmed LACC (FIGO stages IIB–IVA). Pelvic MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed at baseline and after CCRT. Whole-tumor regions of interest (ROIs) were manually delineated on ADC maps to extract histogram parameters (mean, minimum, maximum ADC, skewness, and kurtosis). Using RECIST 1.1 criteria, patients were classified as responders (complete or partial response) or …

Survivin And C-Reactive Protein Serum Levels In Acne Vulgaris Patients In Relation To Its Severity, Asmaa Ayman Gouda, Sara Hamdy Fouad, Hyam Sameh Nada, Hanan Ahmed Salem

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit with variable clinical severity. Increasing evidence suggests that acne may represent a localized inflammatory condition with potential systemic inflammatory involvement. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein has been implicated in abnormal keratinocyte and sebocyte survival, while C-reactive protein (CRP) is a biomarker of systemic inflammation.

Aim of the study: To evaluate serum survivin and CRP levels in cases with AV compared to healthy controls and to assess their relationship with disease severity.

Subjects and methods: This case-control study included 45 patients with clinically diagnosed AV and 45 …

Clinical Outcomes Of Bloodstop Ix Application In Crico-Tracheal Resection And Anastomosis For Laryngotracheal Stenosis, Mohamed Yasser Elnaggar, Hisham Atef Ebada, Hossam Elsisi, Ali Tawfik

Mansoura Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess the surgical outcomes among laryngotracheal stenosis patients who underwent tracheal/crico-tracheal resection anastomosis for with application of BloodSTOP iX on the anastomotic line as well as the operative field.

Methods: Fourteen patients participated in this prospective study. The stenotic airway segment was resected circumferentially using primary end-to-end anastomosis. The authors of this article used the same standardized surgical techniques described in the literature and used by them previously. All patients had suprahyoid release, and trachea-hyoid de-tensioning stitches were inserted to reduce the anastomotic tension. To promote healing, BloodSTOP iX was administered across the anastomosis line and surgical outcomes …

Fetal Foot Length As A Predictor Of Gestational Age, Ruman Bashir Abdi Kadie, Hossam El-Dyn El-Sayed Gouda, Mohamad Ahmad El-Sayed Mohamad Emam, Alhussein Ahmed Mohamed

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Accurate estimation of gestational age (GA) is essential for obstetric care. Conventional ultrasound (US) biometric parameters may be limited in certain clinical situations. Fetal foot length (FFL) has been proposed as an alternative measurement, but its role requires further evaluation.

Aim of study: To examine the association between fetal foot length and ultrasound-based gestational age, and to explore its relationship with other fetal biometric parameters in uncomplicated singleton pregnancies.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 200 pregnant women who underwent two-dimensional transabdominal ultrasound. Standard fetal biometric parameters—including biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length …

Quality-Of-Life Outcomes Of Tympanoplasty/Mastoidectomy Operations, Peter Shokr Meglaa, Ahmed Hemdan Eldeeb, Hisham Atef Abada, Yousef Kamel Shabana

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) impairs quality of life (QoL) via otorrhea, hearing loss, and psychosocial effects, with surgery (tympanoplasty/mastoidectomy) as mainstay treatment despite limited patient-centered outcome data. This study aimed to evaluate QoL changes post-tympanoplasty/mastoidectomy in CSOM using validated tools.

Methods: This prospective study included 50 adults with CSOM at Mansoura University Hospitals. Pre/postoperative assessments included Chronic Otitis Media Outcome Test-15 (COMOT-15), Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening (HHIE-S), Tinnitus Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ), Situational Vertigo Questionnaire (SVQ), pure tone audiometry (PTA), and air-bone gap (ABG).

Results: PTA improved from 48.5±10.2 to 28.3±8.4 dB …

Frame: Fast Reference-Based Ancestry Makeup Estimation Tool, Pramesh Shakya, Ardalan Naseri, Degui Zhi, Shaojie Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Motivation: The availability of large-scale genetic data presents a unique opportunity to study the genetic ancestries of individuals, which requires an efficient and scalable method. The existing global ancestry methods are accurate, but they cannot scale to large genetic datasets. Identity-by-descent (IBD) segments are DNA segments shared by individuals such that they are inherited from a common recent ancestor without recombination. These IBD segments, which reflect co-ancestry, provide an efficient alternative for inferring genetic ancestry.

Results: We introduced a reference-based global ancestry inference method called FRAME (Fast Reference-based Ancestry Makeup Estimation). FRAME utilizes partial local ancestry information estimated through IBD …

Spontaneous Vertebral Osteomyelitis Mimicking Spinal Tumor: A Rare Cause Of Complete Paraplegia And Rehabilitation Challenges, Yu-Ting Su, Hung-Hsi Lin, Ying-Chun Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Spontaneous vertebral osteomyelitis (SVO) is a rare but severe spinal infection that often presents with non-specific back pain, leading to misdiagnosis as a neoplastic disease. A 53-year-old female presented with progressive lower back pain, rapidly developing sudden complete paraplegia and neurogenic bowel/bladder. Initial MRI revealed T4–T6 vertebral lesions mimicking a spinal tumor. Emergent surgery and cultures confirmed Escherichia coli vertebral osteomyelitis.

Following decompression and targeted antibiotic therapy, a cautious, phase-specific rehabilitation program was initiated. Given the persistent infection and spinal instability, all weight-bearing activities were deferred until infection control and structural stability were confirmed following a spinal fixation surgery. The …

Music Interventions For Critically Ill Patients: Evaluating Effects Of Music On Psychoemotional Symptoms In Critically Ill Patients Receiving Respiratory Support, Allyson Crighton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Critically ill adults receiving respiratory support in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently experience psychoemotional disturbances such as agitation, anxiety, and delirium, which contribute to prolonged ventilation, increased sedative use, and adverse patient outcomes. While pharmacologic management remains standard practice, associated risks including oversedation and delirium highlight the need for safe, complementary interventions. Emerging evidence suggests that music-based interventions may offer a non-invasive, cost-effective strategy to reduce psychological or emotional distress in this vulnerable population. This integrative literature review examined the effects of music interventions, including passive music listening and structured music therapy, on agitation and related psychoemotional outcomes in critically …

Parenting Stress And Its Association With Parental Technoference: An Integrative Literature Review, Emily S. Machuca

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Today, digital devices are a part of daily life, but can serve as a distraction that interrupts important relationships, a process referred to as technoference. In the context of parenting, device use during child interactions may reduce parental attentiveness and engagement, with potential implications for child development and behavior. Parenting stress may influence how and why parents engage with digital devices in the presence of their children. However, the association between parenting stress and parental technoference remains unclear in the current literature. This integrative literature review aimed to synthesize existing evidence examining the relationship between parenting stress and parental …

Anti-Sars-Cov-2 Nucleoprotein Iga Is Associated With Worse Disease Severity In Critically Ill Covid-19 Pneumonia Patients, David Brett-Major, Dylan S. George, Eric D. Morrell, Carmen Mikacenic, Julie Carstens, Laura E. Evans, Mark M. Wurfel, Pavan K. Bhatraju, M. Jana Broadhurst

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

While humoral responses to vaccination and infection have largely focused on IgG, there is an evolving literature on ways in which IgA may drive neutrophil activity in lung injury secondary to viral infections, including COVID-19. We evaluated 238 immune-naïve, critically ill patients in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a laboratory-developed, multiplexed antibody testing, clinical history, medical record, and machine learning, we pursued relationships between systemic IgA and disease severity. Individuals with elevated anti-N IgA had 4-fold odds of more severe disease. This work emphasizes the importance of continued work to understand how different elements of the immune …