Public Health Commons^™

Validation Of Established Thyroid Ultrasound Volume Norms In A Chernobyl Cohort, Lydia B. Zablotska, Robert J. Mcconnell, Aleksandr V. Rozhko, Patrick O'Kane, Vasilina Yauseyenka, Mark P. Little, Victor Minenko, Vladimir Drozdovitch, Tamara Moskvicheva, Maureen Hatch, Tamara Yeudachkova, Kiyohiko Mabuchi, Elizabeth K. Cahoon

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To establish thyroid ultrasound volume norms appropriate for studies of diffuse goiter in a cohort of children and adolescents from an iodine-deficient population exposed to 131I by the Chernobyl fallout.

METHODS: A cohort of 11,970 Belarusians aged ≤18 years at the time of the 1986 Chernobyl accident with individual thyroid radiation dose estimates was screened 10-18 years later. From these, a low-dose subset of 2,392 with no thyroid diseases was selected to construct age- and sex-specific normative values for thyroid ultrasound volume, compared to Belarusian Ministry of Health (MOH) norms and existing WHO and European standards.

RESULTS: Cohort-specific values …

Diet, Gut Microbiota, And Histidine Metabolism Toward Imidazole Propionate Production In Relation To Type 2 Diabetes, Hongbo Yang, Kai Luo, Brandilyn A Peters, Yi Wang, Yanbo Zhang, Martha Daviglus, Amber Pirzada, Christina Cordero, Bing Yu, Robert D Burk, Robert Kaplan, Qibin Qi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To examine associations of serum imidazole propionate (ImP), histidine, and their ratio with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related dietary and gut microbial factors in U.S. Hispanic/Latino people.

Research design and methods: In the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, we evaluated serum ImP, histidine, and ImP-to-histidine ratio at baseline (2008-2011) and their cross-sectional associations with dietary intake and prospective associations with incident T2D over ∼12 years (n = 4,632). In a subsample with gut microbiota data during a follow-up visit (2016-2018), we examined gut microbial species associated with serum ImP and their potential interactions with dietary intake. …

Hyalinization-Based Pathologic Response And Immune Infiltration Following Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy With Or Without Immune-Checkpoint Blockade In Localized Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma, R S Traweek, M Zoghbi, R Lazcano, B M Cope, A J Bishop, A Farooqi, D Mitra, A K Yoder, B A Guadagnolo, D R Ingram, K Wani, D Shamsutdinova, A J Lazar, W-L Wang, C P Scally, E Z Keung, K E Torres, K K Hunt, R Ratan, J A Livingston, M S Nakazawa, D M Araujo, S Patel, V Ravi, A P Conley, M A Zarzour, N Somaiah, C L Roland, E F Nassif Haddad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Standard-of-care treatment of localized undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) involves preoperative radiotherapy (RT) and surgery. Combination of RT with immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) represents a promising new strategy.

METHODS: Our primary objective was to assess survival outcomes and pathologically documented response in patients receiving RT with or without ICB or chemotherapy.

RESULTS: In a retrospective cohort of 68 patients with primary or locally recurrent UPS who received neoadjuvant RT with or without ICB, the ICB group had greater tumor hyalinization than the non-ICB group (89% compared with 30%, P = 0.018). In the non-ICB group, 19/37 patients (51%) achieved hyalinization-based pathologic …

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Patient Education Resources For Women With Chronic Kidney Disease, Aiden Tang, Carolyn Nagengast, Faith Scott, Isaiah Delaney, Jonathan Hakim, Kandis Fox, Katie Webster, Mahmoud Saad

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Resources To Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder, Amanda Teschner, Ayonitemi Odukoya, Brooke Waldon, Joshua Spence, Katelynn Paluch, Marilyn Li, Mercylia Untono, Nina Agemy

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Holistic Approach To Hiv Treatment And Management, Aniela Crayton, Harvey Sharma, Jacob Saenz, Justin Iqal, Marie Clancy, Olivia Carlisle, Raphaela Varella, Tarun Bomma

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Promoting Lifestyle Changes To Manage Hypertension In Underserved Adult Populations, Gabriel Doree, Jenna Uhles, Kathryn Benninghoff, Magd Boutany, Omar Abdalla, Rhea Sehgal, Udodirim Nwosu, Yiannos Demetriou

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Resources For Addressing Copd In The Veteran Population, Daniel Molnar, Tochi Mbagwu, Kiana Sechler, Lillian Centlivre, Noah Kos, Tomilola Oyasiji, Safia Haniya Yusuf

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Persistent Obesity In A College Student: A Case For Investigating Endocrine Disruptors In Diet, Jake Mcgue, Jolyna Chiangong, Katarina Woldt, Mary-Ann Essak, Muiz Muqri, Nikhil Patel, Redi Gishto

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Improving Outcomes Of Hiv In Marginalized Populations, Aidan Bailey, Alexis Bowles, Ammar Chauhdri, Biola Makinde-Odusola, Dea Kanani, Keshav Sharma, Vasanth Palanisamy, Waffa Bakheet

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Resources To Improve Incidence Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Anthony Kavanagh, Arianna Mcclellan, Asa Smith-Villegas, Djelika Kabore, Lina Shalaby, Tara Rahmani, Vyom Grover, Zackariah Farah

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Resources To Improve Kidney Disease In Adults, Alan Berkovitz, Alejandro Damian, Anthony Tundo, Haziq Latif-Jangda, Jared Poliskey, Kristen Bartow, Petra Johnson, Sophie Turner

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Lupus And Cardiovascular Disease Risk, Ahmad Almaat, Dina Bayachou, Halle Escher, Isabella Imirowicz, Myles Perry, Sherley Pagan Figueroa, Usman Siddiqui

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Resources To Improve Diabetes Mellitus In Adult Males, Abdul Naser Zamzami, David Echeverri, Isabella Costa, Musaed Al Rashidi, Pooja Menon, Xiaohan Zhan, Zain Abdun-Noor

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Lifestyle Modification Resources For Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction, Ali Mustapha, Cheyenne Gonzales, Clara Devota, Emily Yao, Mahmood Alsughayer, Marcel Addis Jackson, Namrata Vedagarbha, Shane Tinsley

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Barriers To Effective Diabetes Management In A Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Setting, Amaris Bradley, Karen Nakhla, Kyle Tsutsui, Mohamad Fardous, Saihaj Deol, William Frazier, Yeganeh Tabatabaei Alavi, Zackary Taylor

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Hypertension Prevention Strategies Catered Towards Pre-Menopausal Women, Jack Summers, Juan Rios, Karli Monahan, Lara Thomas, Leah Abdallah, Noah Ramirez, Noor Ghanam, William Merchun

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: A Highly Misunderstood, Multifactorial Disease, Alexa Maruszewski, Ali Eidy, Chelsea Kumi, Hailey Hartmann, Jacob Pawlowski, Kinan Suliman, Laura Garcia, William Davie

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Preventative Measures To Mitigate The Development Of Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease, Alexander Orr, Celina Wu, Elijah Marquez, Fateh Ahmad, Kendyll Gartrelle, Logan Harrison, Mia Sooch, Zahra Chehab, Emilio Espinal

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Local Action, Lower Pressure- Resources To Advocate For Improvement In Hypertension Within The Community, Carinne Jarvis, Elinor Harrison, George Yalamanchili, Kamakashi Sharma, Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Neel Lachhwani, Nimr Assaf, Richard Tuttle

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Resources To Improve Risk Of Hypertension, Bruna Storch Dos Santos, Bryce Brophy, Chonling Liu, Emily Webber, Izzy Havis, Janet Brenya, Noma Imudia, Eli Jarjous

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Navigating Depression And Anxiety Amid Socioeconomic Strain, Afrah Ansari, Candice Miller, Elizabeth Heinz, Joshua Teso, Muhammad Idrees, Omolola Suleiman, Sospeter Machani, Celia Somers

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Depressive Symptoms And Treatment Hesitancy In A Middle-Aged Male Living Alone, Abdulrahman Altatan, Abigail Biddix, Joseph Kunnappilly, Katherine Zhang, Kehinde Bolaji, Kyrillos Ayoub, Maya Fajardo, Michael Niculcea

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Do Female Patients Experience Worse Outcomes Than Male Patients After Inguinal Hernia Repair? An Analysis Of The Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative Database, Amrita Iyer, Sunjay Kumar, Martina Rama, Sourav Podder, Li-Ching Huang, Sami Tannouri, Talar Tatarian, Francesco Palazzo

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common general surgery operations. Some evidence suggests that female patients are at greater risk of chronic postoperative pain and hernia recurrence. We investigated rates of chronic inguinal pain and recurrence after inguinal hernia repair in both male and female patients using the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative database.

METHODS: The Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative database was queried for patients undergoing elective, unilateral inguinal hernia repair who completed 30-day clinical follow-up and baseline and 1-year European Registry for Abdominal Wall Hernias Survey surveys. Both open and minimally invasive cases were included. …

When Access Is Not Enough: The Role Of Utilization Barriers In Nutrition Security And Cardiometabolic Risk, Maha Almohamad, Ruosha Li, Natalia I Heredia, Jayna M Dave, Eric E Calloway, Anjail Z Sharrief, Shreela V Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Food and nutrition security are key social determinants of cardiometabolic health. While food security reflects access to sufficient food, nutrition security incorporates the quality, consistency, and usability of food that supports long-term health. However, few studies have examined how household-level barriers to food utilization shape these relationships. Objective: This study assessed whether tangible (e.g., equipment, storage) and intangible (e.g., time, knowledge) food utilization barriers modify the associations between food and nutrition security and cardiometabolic outcomes in low-income adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 486 low-income adults across five U.S. states. Participants reported household food security (USDA …

“Are You Worried About Going Into Withdrawal Today?” Retrospective Analysis Of Single-Question, Patient-Centered Screen For Substance Use And Care Linkage, Kory S. London, Beth Hurwitz, Jennifer Davis, Tareva Warrick-Stone, Alan Cherney, Frederick Randolph, Bernice Bradley-O'Toole, Kate Deis, Karen Alexander

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Emergency Department (ED) screening for substance use disorder (SUD) is limited by a lack of standardization and challenging clinical environments. Existing tools may be focused on informing clinicians rather than supporting patients. This study assessed a novel single-question screening tool to identify patients at risk of withdrawal and link those with opioid use disorder (OUD) to standardized treatment.

METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted at two urban EDs in Philadelphia, PA, using electronic health record data between November 8, 2022, and February 28, 2025. Patients were included in the study if they arrived ambulatory to the emergency department, …

Fluorescence-Guided Ureteral Identification In Robotic Surgery For Advanced Endometriosis: A Comparison Of Junior Versus Senior Surgeons, Linda A Alpuing Radilla, Qiannan Yang, Daniel Y Lovell, Tamisa Koythong, Brooke Thigpen, Luis E Delgadillo Chabolla, Qianqing Wang, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Identifying the ureters in patients with advanced endometriosis and severe pelvic adhesive disease can be challenging. Adhesiolysis along the deformed pelvic sidewall may increase the risk of prolonged operative time and incidental ureteral injury. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and surgical outcomes of using Indocyanine Green (ICG) under near-infrared fluorescence for intraoperative ureteral localization and preservation during robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) for advanced endometriosis, comparing procedures performed by two junior surgeons to those performed by one senior surgeon. This was a retrospective observational case series conducted by three minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons (X.G., T.K., B.T.) at a single …

The Effect Of Birthweight And Gestational Age On Cognitive Function In Midlife: The Bogalusa Heart Study, Eunsun Gill, David J Libon, Soo Jung Kang, Ileana De Anda-Duran, Lydia A Bazzano, Wei Chen, Camilo Fernandez-Alonso, Emily W Harville

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Although the relationships between birthweight, gestational age (GA), and cognitive function (CF) before midlife have been demonstrated, the relationships after midlife and potential racial disparities remain inconclusive. This study examined the association between birthweight, GA, and midlife CF stratified by race.

METHOD: 1,032 subjects from the Bogalusa Heart Study (67% Whites, 33% Blacks, mean age 48.1 ± 5.3 years) were studied. Cognition was assessed with tests measuring verbal episodic memory, working memory, attention, graphomotor information processing speed, and global CF. Each test was standardized by sex and age, then averaged. The global CF was computed by averaging all cognitive …

Career Impact Of The National Interprofessional Fellowship In Patient Safety: An Alumni Evaluation, Bradley V Watts, Kathleen Carluzzo, Blake F Webb, Kelley Arredondo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: There has been a proliferation of health professions training programmes focused on quality and patient safety, but little information regarding the outcomes of these programmes. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an interprofessional quality and patient safety curriculum on career outcomes of interprofessional healthcare learners for the Veterans Affairs Patient Safety Fellowship.

Method: We conducted a survey-based assessment of 117 alumni of the Interprofessional Fellowship in Patient Safety assessing their satisfaction with the training program and career impacts.

Results: 84 of 117 alumni were located and participated in the assessment. Fellows entered the training …

Protein Biomarkers Of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities In Relatives Of Patients With Pulmonary Fibrosis, Jonathan A Rose, Mark P Steele, Esteban J Kosak Lopez, Gisli Thor Axelsson, Andrea G Galecio Chao, Alan Waich, Katie Regan, Swati Gulati, Anthony H Maeda, Sharmin Sultana, Claire Cutting, Ann-Marcia C Tukpah, Andrew J Synn, Mary B Rice, Hilary J Goldberg, Joyce S Lee, David A Lynch, Rachel K Putman, Hiroto Hatabu, Benjamin A Raby, David A Schwartz, Ivan O Rosas, Gary M Hunninghake

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale: First-degree relatives of patients with pulmonary fibrosis (referred to here as relatives) are at high risk for interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA), highlighting the need for biomarkers for risk prediction. We aimed to identify blood proteins associated with and predictive of ILA among relatives of patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods: Relatives enrolled in two independent cohorts had protein levels measured using an aptamer-based proteomic platform. ILA were assessed with computed tomography scans as per Fleischner Society recommendations. Protein associations with ILA were assessed using regression. Significant proteins were used with clinical variables to detect ILA.

Results: Of 237 relatives from …