Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Atrial Fibrillation Symptom Reduction And Improved Quality Of Life Following The Hybrid Convergent Procedure: A Converge Trial Subanalysis., Jaswinder Gill, Karl J Crossen, Christopher Blauth, Faraz Kerendi, Saumil R Oza, Anthony R Magnano, Mark A Mostovych, Michael E Halkos, David Tschopp, Jose Osorio, Paul Tabereaux, William Boedefeld, Kenneth Civello, Syed Ahsan, John Yap, Sreedhar Billakanty, Steve Duff, Otto Costantini, Eric Espinal, Andy Kiser, Christian Shults, David Pederson, James Garrison, David M Gilligan, Michael G Link, Marcin Kowalski, Christopher Stees, Jason S Sperling, Israel Jacobowitz, Felix Yang, Yisachar J Greenberg, David B De Lurgio

Heart and Vascular Articles

BACKGROUND: CONVERGE was a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that evaluated the safety of Hybrid Atrial Fibrillation Convergent (HC) and compared its effectiveness to endocardial catheter ablation (CA) for the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation (PersAF) and longstanding PersAF (LSPAF). In 2020, we reported that CONVERGE met its primary safety and effectiveness endpoints. The primary objective of the present study is to report CONVERGE trial results for quality of life (QOL) and Class I/III anti-arrhythmic drug (AAD) utilization following HC.

METHODS: Eligible patients had drug-refractory symptomatic PersAF or LSPAF and a left atrium diameter ≤6.0 cm. Enrolled patients were randomized …

How Does Rest Interval Duration Affect Performance? An Experiment On High-Intensity Sprint Exercises, İbrahim Orkun Akcan, Cengiz Ölmez

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of interval and high-intensity sprint training (RST) with different rest intervals on the respiratory function, aerobic and anaerobic power. (2) Materials and Methods: The study involved the voluntary participation of 20 male participants. The participants were divided into two groups: 2IRG (2-minute rest between repeated sprints) and 4IRG (4-minute rest between repeated sprints). The changes in the respiratory function, aerobic, and anaerobic power parameters were examined in the 2IRG and 4IRG athletes who performed two training sessions per week for 4 weeks. (3) Results: The findings indicated that there …

The Effects Of Complex Elastic Band Training On Physical Fitness Components In Junior Female Handball Players, Mehrez Hammami, Ryland Morgans, Piotr Zmijewski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 10-week complex elastic band training (CEBT) program on athletic performance in junior female handball players. Methods: Participants (16.2 ± 0.5 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG; n = 16) or control group (CG; n = 14). The IG group performed CEBT twice a week during the 10-week intervention, which included eight 35-minute sessions, progressing in number of sets and band resistance for each specific exercise. The CG maintained regular in-season training. The modified T-test (T-half), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), standing long jump …

The Significance Of Using Digital Story-Telling For Enhancing English Oral Communication Skills Among Media Students At Al- Quds Open University, Murad A. Ahmed Tamimi

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

Due to issues including uninspired teaching techniques and language anxiety, students at Al-Quds Open University, particularly those enrolled in the media major, experience difficulties in establishing strong oral communication skills in a multicultural context. A potential remedy is digital story-telling, which uses multimedia to craft captivating stories that appeal to students who are accustomed to using digital devices. This study evaluated how digital story-telling improved media students' spoken English communication abilities in the second semester of the 2023–2024 academic year. Incorporating motifs from the current Tufan al-Aqsa conflict, the study sought to offer stimulating and culturally appropriate educational opportunities. Twenty-seven …

Interest In An Instagram-Delivered Gestational Weight Gain Intervention Among Pregnant Women With Pre-Pregnancy Overweight Or Obesity, Molly E. Waring, Danielle Arigo, Lauren R. Rudin, Sherry L. Pogoto, Tiffany A. Moore Simas, Alexa B. Horkachuck

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Background: Barriers to attending in-person lifestyle interventions are common during pregnancy. The majority of young adults use Instagram, and pregnancy-related content abounds on this social media platform. The aims of this study were to assess interest in an Instagram-delivered gestational weight gain (GWG) intervention, examine characteristics associated with program interest, describe interest in specific program components, and to explore perceived advantages of and concerns about the proposed intervention. Methods: English-speaking pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity in the US who use Instagram completed a cross-sectional online survey (N=229). Participants reported interest in a proposed Instagram-delivered GWG intervention (very/quite a …

Sans-Cnn: An Automated Machine Learning Technique For Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome With Astronaut Imaging Data, Sharif Amit Kamran, Khondker Fariha Hossain, Joshua Ong, Nasif Zaman, Ethan Waisberg, Phani Paladugu, Andrew Lee, Alireza Tavakkoli

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) is one of the largest physiologic barriers to spaceflight and requires evaluation and mitigation for future planetary missions. As the spaceflight environment is a clinically limited environment, the purpose of this research is to provide automated, early detection and prognosis of SANS with a machine learning model trained and validated on astronaut SANS optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. In this study, we present a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) incorporating an EfficientNet encoder for detecting SANS from OCT images titled "SANS-CNN." We used 6303 OCT B-scan images for training/validation (80%/20% split) and 945 for testing …

A Gateway To Next-Generation Patient Monitoring System, Kishore Kumar Kadari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare patient monitoring is undergoing a significant digital transformation, and the integration of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly crucial in reshaping patient care. In an era where digital technology is revolutionizing medical practices, this research aims to take a leading role in advancing a fundamental aspect of predictive and sustainable healthcare practices, enhancing patient outcomes and uplifting the practice of medicine.

This research focuses on the study of Digital Twins for precision health, which are designed to monitor and provide intricate, personalized feedback dynamically during a patient's healthcare experience. The architecture of the system is …

Trauma-Informed Educational Practices: Perceptions Of Undergraduate Communication Sciences And Disorders Students, Lindsey J. Knussmann

Honors College Theses

Trauma is a prevalent issue among college students, with lasting negative effects on mental health, physical well-being, and academic performance. Despite this, literature exploring the application of trauma-informed education practices (TIEPs), specifically within the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD), is limited. The purpose of this study was to address this literature gap by exploring which TIEPs CSD students find most beneficial.

Undergraduate students majoring in CSD participated in this research, rating the helpfulness of 12 TIEPs. Most participants reported perceiving all TIEPs as at least “very helpful”. These data represent a step toward improved understanding of the effects …

Shower Dehumidification To Reduce Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Aerosolization, Michael X. Kostecki, Yvonne L. Chan, Jennifer R. Honda

School of Medicine Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmentally acquired opportunistic pathogens that can cause recalcitrant lung disease. Prior reports have demonstrated links between shower use and infections, yet the aerosolization of NTM from showerheads, as well as the humidity levels that may modulate NTM aerosolization from showerheads is less studied. The objective of the current study was to investigate the role of humidity in NTM aerosolization among showers in homes located in a geographic area with high lung disease incidence, Hawai’i, and test whether deployment of a dehumidifier in well-ventilated bathrooms reduce NTM exposure. Results: Across two sampling events and five showers, …

Comparative Lipidome Study Of Maternal Plasma, Milk, And Lamb Plasma In Sheep, Soundara Viveka Thangaraj, Adel Ghnenis, Brooke Pallas, Arpita Kalla Vyas, Brigid Gregg, Vasantha Padmanabhan

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Lipids play a critical role in neonate development and breastmilk is the newborn's major source of lipids. Milk lipids directly influence the neonate plasma lipid profile. The milk lipidome is dynamic, influenced by maternal factors and related to the maternal plasma lipidome. The close inter-relationship between the maternal plasma, milk and neonate plasma lipidomes is critical to understanding maternal-child health and nutrition. In this exploratory study, lipidomes of blood and breast milk from Suffolk sheep and matched lamb blood (n = 13), were profiled on day 34 post birth by untargeted mass spectrometry. Comparative multivariate analysis of the three matrices …

269 Years Of Homoeopathy: The Healing Continues, Subhash Kaushik

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

As we gear up to celebrate 269 years of homoeopathy, it is a matter of pride for the homoeopathic fraternity that homoeopathy continues to evolve globally. Homoeopathy is now a widely used medical system with over 200 million users in 100+ countries. If factors such as strong evidence, wide, global usage, and economic viability can be considered as the pillars that make a healthcare model legitimate for a nation, Homoeopathy, indeed, makes the cut. Given its well-acclaimed abilities of permanent, effective, and safe treatment, homoeopathy went on to be a fundamental part of Indian healthcare. However, despite the relevance and …

Safety Of Potentised Dilutions Of Rhus Toxicodendron In Wistar Albino Rats, Abanti Goswami, Narasimha Kumar Gv, Vara Prasad Saka, Pankaj Gupta, Bibaswan Biswas, Digvijay Verma

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Background: Rhus toxicodendron (Rhus tox.) is a well-known homoeopathic medicine used to treat inflammatory disorders supported by historical and modern scientific evidence. Objective: The safety testing of 6C, 30C and 200C potencies of Rhus tox. through acute and sub-acute oral toxicity tests as per the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development test guidelines. Methods: For the acute oral toxicity study, Rhus tox. (2000 μL/kg) was administered to rats and observed for 14 days. For the subacute oral toxicity study, Rhus tox. (200 μL/kg) was administered for 28 days and additional recovery groups were included to monitor reversibility, persistence, or delayed …

Usage Of Arsenicum Album 30c As A Prophylactic Medicine In Healthcare Workers Of A Covid Health Centre – A Report, Rekha Thomas, Thankaraj Balakrishnan, Anu Rajesh, George Mathew, Saurabh Kumar Jain, Radhika Agarwal, Anu Kapoor

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

The homoeopathic medicine Arsenicum album 30C was recommended as prophylaxis by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, along with general precautions during COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Delhi, India, during May–August 2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of Arsenicum album 30C as prophylaxis for COVID-19 in a high-risk group of healthcare workers (HCWs). HCWs (n = 100) were categorised into two groups based on the number of days Arsenicum album 30C was administered during their duty: 7 days (N1 = 38) or 14 days (N2 = 62). Participants underwent COVID-19 testing (rapid antigen test/reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain …

Paediatric Cholelithiasis Treated With Homoeopathy: A Case Report, Girish Gupta

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Gallstones are formed due to the precipitation of components of bile in the lumen of the gallbladder. The incidence of gallstones is extremely rare in children and patients are mostly asymptomatic. However, biliary colic may occur due to reflexive smooth muscle spasm by the stone obstructing the bile duct and may be the presenting symptom in 50% of cases of paediatric cholelithiasis whereas 25% may have non-specific symptoms, 20% may be asymptomatic and 5–10% may have complicated symptoms. The conventional treatment of gallstones is surgery even in children, whereas homoeopathy can provide non-surgical treatment in such cases. Case …

Homoeopathic Treatment Of A Child With Internet Gaming Disorder And Atopic Dermatitis: A Case Report, Ashish Mahajan, Nidhi Mahajan, Anuradha Singh, Mohan Lal Chopra

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an emerging disorder, recently added to DSM-5, which has a capacity to reach pandemic proportions in the near future. The Indian mobile gaming market has grown significantly over the past few years with many users spending a significant amount of time on mobile games. A patient initially presenting with atopic dermatitis (AD) was subsequently diagnosed with IGD based on the analysis of his mental symptoms and was managed holistically with homoeopathy. Case Summary: A 3-year-old boy primarily presented with AD. During the interrogation of his mental state, he was found to have …

Cancer Biomarkers: Emerging Trends And Clinical Implications For Personalized Treatment, Antonio Passaro, Maise Al Bakir, Emily G Hamilton, Maximilian Diehn, Fabrice André, Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri, Giannis Mountzios, Ignacio I Wistuba, Charles Swanton, Solange Peters

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The integration of cancer biomarkers into oncology has revolutionized cancer treatment, yielding remarkable advancements in cancer therapeutics and the prognosis of cancer patients. The development of personalized medicine represents a turning point and a new paradigm in cancer management, as biomarkers enable oncologists to tailor treatments based on the unique molecular profile of each patient's tumor. In this review, we discuss the scientific milestones of cancer biomarkers and explore future possibilities to improve the management of patients with solid tumors. This progress is primarily attributed to the biological characterization of cancers, advancements in testing methodologies, elucidation of the immune microenvironment, …

Obstinate Chronic Venous Ulcer Treated With The Homoeopathic Medicine Silicea: A Case Report, Sumit Paliwal, Laijun Nahar

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Vascular leg ulcers are highly prevalent conditions that have difficult management, a high sanitary cost and an impact on the patient’s quality of life. Individualised homoeopathic treatment could be a safe and affordable therapeutic option for venous ulcers. Case Summary: A 35-year-old male was treated with homoeopathic medication for an intractable case of chronic venous ulcer. Individualised homoeopathic medicine, Silicea, was prescribed after thorough case-taking, which led to improvement in subjective and objective symptoms. The Modified Naranjo Criteria score was 8 following the homoeopathic treatment, which shows positive causal attribution of the individualised homoeopathic medicine Silicea in …

Tinea Cruris Managed With A Single Dose Of Individualised Homoeopathic Medicine: A Case Report, K Sivakumar

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: Tinea cruris is an infection of the skin over groins by a species of dermatophyte. It is a common ringworm infestation that affects the groin and is caused by Trichophyton rubrum, characterised by red, itchy erythematous plaques extending from the Groin and flexures onto the thighs, buttocks and perianal region of the skin. More than eight million people visit primary care physicians annually to treat tinea-related symptoms. Topical agents are the mainstay in conventional medicine. However, a holistic approach with Homoeopathy for treating tinea cruris can make a difference in terms of both cure and preventing relapse. Case …

Research Highlights, Bhavna Makhija, Khan Sheeba Saleem

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Research Highlights

Colorectal Cancer Survival Disparities In The Five Regions Of Georgia, Meng-Han Tsai, Daramola N. Cabral, Caitlyn Grunert, Justin X. Moore

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background/objective

The objective of this study was to examine 5-year colorectal cancer survival rates. We also determined whether demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment modality were associated with 5-year CRC survival in the Clayton, West Central, East Central, Southeast, and Northeast Georgia regions because the significant higher CRC mortality rates in these regions in comparison to the overall rates in the State of Georgia.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using data from the 1975–2016 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program aggregated CRC patients to these five regions. Five-year CRC survival was calculated and stratified by the five regions of …

The Hagfish Genome And The Evolution Of Vertebrates, Ferdinand Marlétaz, Nataliya Timoshevskaya, Vladimir A. Timoshevskiy, Elise Parey, Oleg Simakov, Daria Gavriouchkina, Masakazu Suzuki, Kaoru Kubokawa, Sydney Brenner, Jeramiah James Smith, Daniel S. Rokhsar

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

As the only surviving lineages of jawless fishes, hagfishes and lampreys provide a crucial window into early vertebrate evolution1–3 . Here we investigate the complex history, timing and functional role of genome-wide duplications4–7 and programmed DNA elimination8,9 in vertebrates in the light of a chromosome-scale genome sequence for the brown hagfish Eptatretus atami. Combining evidence from syntenic and phylogenetic analyses, we establish a comprehensive picture of vertebrate genome evolution, including an auto-tetraploidization (1RV) that predates the early Cambrian cyclostome–gnathostome split, followed by a mid–late Cambrian allo-tetraploidization (2RJV) in gnathostomes and a prolonged Cambrian–Ordovician hexaploidization (2RCY) in cyclostomes. Subsequently, hagfishes underwent …

Association Of Nightly Fasting, Meal Frequency, And Skipping Meals With Metabolic Syndrome Among Kuwaiti Adults, Fatema Alkhulaifi, Suad Al-Hooti, Sameer Al-Zenki, Husam Alomirah, Qian Xiao, Wenyaw Chan, Fuqing Wu, Charles Darkoh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mounting evidence suggests that meal timing and frequency are associated with cardiometabolic health by influencing circadian rhythms. However, the evidence is inconsistent and limited, especially in non-Western cultures. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the association between temporal habits of dietary intake, such as nightly fasting duration and meal frequency, and metabolic syndrome among Kuwaiti adults. A 24-hour recall was used to assess temporal habits of dietary intake. Meal frequency was defined as the number of daily eating episodes. The study included a total of 757 adults aged 20 years and older. The participants' mean age was 37.8 ± 12.3 …

The Impact Of A Living With Diabetes Experience On Students' Attitudes And Perceptions, Kristen Cook, Jessica Downes

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.

Optimizing Learning Experiences: The Integration Of Individualized Learning Agreements For Emergency Medicine Residents, Conor Dass, T.J. Welniak, Jason Langenfeld, Chad Branecki

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.

An Inquiry Into The Relationship Between Practice Exam Integration, Study Habits, And Perceived Exam Confidence Among First-Year Medical Students At United States Medical School, Currey M. Zalman, G. Talmon, Kari Nelson

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.

Structured Laparoscopic Training And Its Impact On Enhancing Ambidexterity In Novice Medical Students, Lina Adwer, Kelsey Tieken, Irene Suh, Ka-Chun Siu

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.

Implementing A High-Fidelity Transgender Patient Simulation In Undergraduate Nursing, Kacee Child, Jenniepearl Spencer, Beth Culross

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.

Building Interprofessional Cultural Competency: Using Simulation And Improvisation To Address Intergenerational Issues In Asian American Pacific Islander (Aapi) Families, Priscila Rodrigues Armijo

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.

A Novel Study To Assess Diagnostic Medical Sonography Students Belongingness In The Clinical Learning Environment, Kim Michael

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.

Impact Of Observed Structured Teaching Exercises (Oste) On Teaching Skills And Behavioral Change In A Clinician Educator Track Program, Priscila Rodrigues Armijo, Joe Pachunka, Sarah Kriss, Cory Rohlfsen

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is a published abstract from the UNMC Spotlight on Scholarship 2024.