Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Review Of Kelly Pender's Being At Genetic Risk: Toward A Rhetoric Of Care, Jillian K. Zwilling

Rhetoric of Health & Medicine

Being at Genetic Risk: Toward a Rhetoric of Care. Kelly Pender. University Park, PA, The Pennsylvania State Press, 2018. 174 pages, $69.95 hardcover. Publisher webpage: https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-08212-7.html

DOI: 10.5744/rhm.2020.1019

Machine Learning Approaches For Fracture Risk Assessment: A Comparative Analysis Of Genomic And Phenotypic Data In 5130 Older Men, Qing Wu, Fatma Nasoz, Jongyun Jung, Bibek Bhattarai, Mira V. Han

School of Public Health Faculty Research

The study aims were to develop fracture prediction models by using machine learning approaches and genomic data, as well as to identify the best modeling approach for fracture prediction. The genomic data of Osteoporotic Fractures in Men, cohort Study (n = 5130), were analyzed. After a comprehensive genotype imputation, genetic risk score (GRS) was calculated from 1103 associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for each participant. Data were normalized and split into a training set (80%) and a validation set (20%) for analysis. Random forest, gradient boosting, neural network, and logistic regression were used to develop prediction models for major osteoporotic fractures …

Feasibility And Validity Of Asking Patients To Define Individual Levels Of Meaningful Change On Patient-Reported Outcomes, Salene M.W. Jones, Yuxian Du, Ari Bell-Brown, Kaylin Bolt, Joseph M. Unger

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are frequently used in clinical care to monitor treatment response. However, most guidelines on PRO use treat all patients the same. This study tested the feasibility and validity of a method for determining individually meaningful change in PRO measures.

Methods: Participants (n = 398) completed 12 pain and distress questions to define individually meaningful change. This mixed-methods study used both quantitative and qualitative analyses, including descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and content analysis.

Results: Two-thirds (67%) of the sample reported at least one medical condition, including depression and back pain. Most participants (70%–90%) were able to answer …

Characterizing Recurrence Following Hybrid Ablation In Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation, David C. Kress, Lynn Erickson, Tadele W. Mengesha, David Krum, Jasbir Sra

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: It is It is widely accepted that atrial fibrillation (AF) accounts for half of arrhythmia recurrences following endocardial catheter ablation of AF. An epicardial-endocardial approach (hybrid) has emerged as an alternative to endocardial ablation alone for the treatment of AF, yet recurrence after a hybrid procedure has not been well characterized. This retrospective study is aimed at characterizing recurrence following hybrid ablation for patients with persistent AF.

Methods: Patients with persistent AF (N = 108) received both endocardial and epicardial ablation of the posterior left atrial wall using catheter ablation and a small midline surgical approach (hybrid). Presence of …

Face Mask Effects Of Co2, Heart Rate, Respiration Rate, And Oxygen Saturation On Instructor Pilots, Andrew R. Dattel, Nicola M. O'Toole, Guillermina Lopez, Kenneth P. Byrnes

Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has required people to take new measures to mitigate the spread of the communicable virus. Guidelines from health organizations, government offices, and universities have been disseminated. Adherence to these guidelines cannot be more critical for flight training. This study explored the effects face masks had on CO2, heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation while wearing a face mask at an oxygen level simulated to 5,000 feet. Thirty-two instructor pilots (IP) volunteered to participate in the study. IPs spent 90 minutes in a normobaric chamber while wearing a cloth face mask or a paper face mask. Participants …

Covid-19 Detection From Chest X-Ray Images Using Cnns Models: Further Evidence From Deep Transfer Learning, Mohamed Samir Boudrioua

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: The early automatic diagnosis of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease could be very helpful to reduce its spread around the world. In this study, we revisit the identification of COVID-19 from chest X-ray images using deep learning.

Methods: We collected a relatively large COVID-19 dataset—compared with previous studies—containing 309 real COVID-19 chest X-ray images. We also prepared 2,000 chest X-ray images of pneumonia cases and 1,000 images of healthy controls. Deep transfer learning was used to detect abnormalities in our image dataset. We fine-tuned three, pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) models on a training dataset: DenseNet 121, NASNetLarge, and …

A Single-Center Comparison Using Exoskeleton Rehabilitation For Cerebrovascular Accidents And Traumatic Brain Injury In A Cohort Of Hispanic Patients, Lisa R. Trevino, Kristina Vatcheva, Michael E. Auer, Angela Morales, Lama M. Abdurrahman, Sarajova Viswamitra, Annelyn Torres-Reveron

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. The EKSO GT Bionics® (EKSO®) is a robotic exoskeleton approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for rehabilitation following a cerebrovascular accident (CVA or stroke) and recently received approval for use in patients with TBI. The aim of the study was to examine if the use of exoskeleton rehabilitation in patients with TBI will produce beneficial outcomes.

Methods This retrospective chart-review reports the use of the (EKSO®) robotic device in the rehabilitation of patients with TBI compared to patients with CVA. We utilized …

Assessment And Treatment Of Down Syndrome-Associated Arthritis: A Survey Of Pediatric Rheumatologists., Anna Nicek, Nasreen Talib, Daniel Lovell, Chelsey Smith, Mara L. Becker, Jordan T. Jones

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Inflammatory arthritis in children with Down syndrome (DS) was first described in 1984 and is now termed Down syndrome-associated arthritis (DA). Studies have shown that DA is under-recognized with a 19-month average delay in diagnosis. Additionally, most patients present with polyarticular, rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) negative disease. Current therapies for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have been used, but appear to be poorly tolerated, more toxic and less effective in patients with DA. There is currently no standardized approach to the assessment or management of DA. The objective of this study was to describe provider perspectives toward …

Enhancement Of Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Detection Of Dopamine With Tryptophanmodified Electrodes, Sarah E. Davis, Andrew L. Korich, Eric S. Ramsson

Peer Reviewed Articles

Fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) allows for real -time analysis of phasic neurotransmitter levels. Tryptophan (TRP) is an aromatic amino acid responsible for facilitating electron transfer kinetics in oxidoreductase enzymes. Previous work with TRP-modified electrodes showed increased sensitivity for cyclic voltammetry detection of dopamine (DA) when used with slower scan rates (0.05 V/s). Here, we outline an in vitro proof of concept for TRP-modified electrodes in FSCV detection of DA, and decreased sensitivity for ascorbic acid (AA). TRP-modified electrodes had a limit of detection (LOD) for DA of 2.480 ± 0.343 nM compared to 8.348 ± 0.405 nM for an …

Mapping Gadolinium Contrast In A Complex Ionic And Photosynthesis Environment Of Pineapple By Near-Infrared And X-Ray Imaging, Subhendra Sarkar, Zoya Vinokur, Chen Xu, Tetiana Soloviova, Amina Shahbaz, Aldona Gjoni

Publications and Research

This work explores the diffusivity of a lanthanide complex, Eovist (Gadolinium-Ethoxy Benzyl Diethylenetriamine pentaacetate) that is stable in neutral media but is not in acidic environment. In the current work an acidic fruit model like pineapple that is rich in transition metals was used and a possible transmetallation reaction among Eovist and transition metal complexes was tested using X-ray imaging. Another goal of this work was to perturb the usual and the unusual photosynthesis systems that pineapple has maintained for millions of years during the evolution of circadian genes for efficient water conservation by dark photosynthesis. To detect such photosynthesis …

Pre-Stretching Of The Hamstrings Before Squatting Acutely Increases Biceps Femoris Thickness Without Impairing Exercise Performance, Thiago Barbosa Trindade, Leônidas Oliveira Neto, José Claudino Neto Pita, Vagner Deuel De Oliveira Tavares, Paulo Moreira Silva Dantas, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Jonato Prestes

Publications and Research

Background: Bilateral squat exercise is widely used in resistance training (RT) programs to increase lower limb strength and muscle mass, but this exercise does not result in significant hypertrophy of the hamstrings. It has been speculated that stretching between sets with a certain degree of tension results in muscle hypertrophy, while acute stretching could decrease performance during maximal contractions.

Objective: This study investigated the acute effects of hamstring stretching before bilateral squatting on muscle thickness (MT), electromyography (EMG), and total training volume (TTV) on exercise performance.

Methods: Fourteen resistance-trained young men, with ∼7.5 years of RT experience, performed the 10 …

An Epistatic Interaction Between Pre-Natal Smoke Exposure And Socioeconomic Status Has A Significant Impact On Bronchodilator Drug Response In African American Youth With Asthma., J Magaña, M G Contreras, K L Keys, O Risse-Adams, P C Goddard, A M Zeiger, A C Y Mak, J R Elhawary, L A Samedy-Bates, E Lee, N Thakur, D Hu, C Eng, S Salazar, S Huntsman, T Hu, E G Burchard, M J White

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Asthma is one of the leading chronic illnesses among children in the United States. Asthma prevalence is higher among African Americans (11.2%) compared to European Americans (7.7%). Bronchodilator medications are part of the first-line therapy, and the rescue medication, for acute asthma symptoms. Bronchodilator drug response (BDR) varies substantially among different racial/ethnic groups. Asthma prevalence in African Americans is only 3.5% higher than that of European Americans, however, asthma mortality among African Americans is four times that of European Americans; variation in BDR may play an important role in explaining this health disparity. To improve our understanding of disparate …

Does A Diagnostic Algorithm Reduce The Overuse Of Chest Ct Angiography In Suspected Pulmonary Embolism? : A Pre- And Post-Intervention Retrospective Study In A Critical Access Hospital, Rattanaporn Mahatanan, Brianna Philbrick, William J. Hirschfeld, Gina Gomez

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and potentially fatal disease. Although CTA is a gold standard for diagnosis, it carries risks for patients. We sought to minimize the overutilization of chest CTA by implementing a diagnostic algorithm in the hospital to evaluate the likelihood of PE and determine the need for imaging with CTA.

Methods: A retrospective medical chart review was performed for all patients suspicious of PE at Redington-Fairview General Hospital 3 months before and after diagnostic algorithm implementation. Patients who underwent either D-dimer testing or chest CTA were included. Patients were excluded if d-dimer testing was …

Lessons Amidst A Pandemic, Mary I. Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Between Rectal Dose In Prostate Radiotherapy Patients Treated With Spaceoar Hydrogel Present Versus Patients Treated Without Spaceoar Hydrogel., David Desano

Masters Projects

Introduction: External beam radiation therapy is a common treatment option for prostate cancer patients with localized disease. Radiation-induced side effects associated with the rectum can impact a patient’s ability to complete treatment or affect the quality of life years after radiation treatment. Spaceoar hydrogel has been developed to reduce radiation dose to nearby pelvis structures, and therefore decreasing potential side effects.

Methods: A total of 20 patients who received definitive radiation therapy to the prostate and seminal vesicles were selected and placed into 2 groups (10 spaceoar, 10 non-spaceoar). The individuals’ age ranged from 60 to 79 years old with …

Dosimetric Comparison Of Hypofractionated Prostate Radiation With Simultaneous Integrated Boost And Conventional Fractionation With Sequential Boost, Kristina Sammon

Masters Projects

Introduction: Hypofractionated treatment delivery regimens are associated with better overall long-term disease control for prostate cancer. For patients with high-risk disease, there may be an indication for treatment of the surrounding pelvic lymph nodes for better over-all disease control. In order to achieve a hypofractionated regimen with treatment to the surrounding pelvic lymph nodes a simultaneous integrated boost technique is employed. There are concerns regarding achievability of target dose coverage and limitation of dose to the surrounding organs at risk with this fractionation.

Methods: This study is a retrospective dosimetric analysis of 7 randomly selected patients with high-risk prostate cancer. …

Dosimetric Effect When Treating Multiple Lesion Srs Using Vmat With And Without Jaw Tracking, Mindy Bui

Masters Projects

The main purpose of this study was to determine if jaw tracking or non-jaw tracking is the superior technique for patients with multiple brain metastasis that are treated with Volumetric Modulated Radiation Therapy (VMAT) Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). Doses to the organs at risk (OAR) and the target volumes were analyzed using the dose volume histogram (DVH) and dose statistics for each plan. The goal of this study included analyzing the dosimetric effect on the organs at risk and the normal tissue when using jaw tracking versus non jaw tracking. The pros and cons for each technique were identified as well …

The Air Gap Effect Between A Bolus And The Skin Surface For Chest Wall Irradiation, Marisa Clark

Masters Projects

Planning technique and bolus choice are important aspects in planning chest wall irradiation (CWI). Many previous studies have tested various combinations of photon energies, electron energies, bolus types and sizes, air gaps sizes, and treatment methods. This study aims to assess the effect of smaller, clinically relevant air gap sizes on specific chest wall treatments using a variety of common bolus types. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no data was able to be collected and was instead fabricated by the researcher. Four different treatment plans were created on a phantom patient using various energies of photons (6MV and 10MV) and …

Resolving Tensions Between Disability Rights Law And Covid-19 Mask Policies, Elizabeth Pendo, Robert Gatter, Seema Mohapatra

All Faculty Scholarship

As states reopen, an increasing number of state and local officials are requiring people to wear face masks while out of the home. Grocery stores, retail outlets, restaurants and other businesses are also announcing their own mask policies, which may differ from public policies. Public health measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus such as wearing masks have the potential to greatly benefit millions of Americans with disabilities, who are particularly vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19. But certain disabilities may make it difficult or inadvisable to wear a mask.
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Frequency Of Monocyte Subsets Is Linked To The Severity Of Atherosclerosis In Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease: A Case-Control Study, Irina V. Kologrivova, Tatiana Suslova, Olga Koshelskaya, Oksana Trubacheva, Olga Haritonova, Irina Vinnitskaya

BioMedicine

Background: Monocytes are recognized as central cells in the progression of atherosclerosis, and are subcategorized into classical (CD14++CD16^lo), intermediate (CD14++CD16^hi) and non-classical (CD14+CD16^hi) subsets.

Purpose: The present study aimed to assess the relationships between different subsets of monocytes, metabolic and inflammatory factors in patients with stable coronary heart disease.

Methods: A total of 26 patients (both men and women) with stable ischemic heart disease (IHD). Among all the recruited patients, 17 patients had significant coronary artery disease defined as diameter stenosis more than 70%. Severity of CHD was assessed by the Gensini score (GS). …