Publications by authors named "Blum E"

Introduction: Despite progress in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in medical education, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and more (LGBTQIA+) individuals remain underrepresented and often face barriers to equitable advancement. Emergency medicine (EM) residency programs are instrumental in creating inclusive environments that attract diverse applicants and support LGBTQIA+ trainees. Since the COVID-19 pandemic's shift to virtual recruitment, residency websites have become vital tools for communicating DEI initiatives.

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Background: While early generations of cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) had inferior outcomes compared to cemented TKA, modern cementless designs have offered excellent clinical results. The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and early aseptic revision rates of a specific cementless TKA design featuring a two-pegged tibia to that of its cemented counterpart.

Methods: A retrospective case series of all cementless and cemented TKAs utilizing a single design performed at a single, high-volume academic center was performed.

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IL-17, a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced mainly by Th17 cells, is involved in the immune response to fungal and bacterial infections, whereas its aberrant production is associated with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IL-17 blocking antibodies like secukinumab (Cosentyx) have been developed and are used to treat conditions like psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Recently, the low molecular weight IL-17 inhibitor LY3509754 entered the clinic but was discontinued in Phase 1 due to adverse effects.

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Introduction: Emergency department (ED)-based peer recovery coach (PRC) programs can improve access to substance use disorder treatment (SUD) for ED patients. As literature on early stages of PRC implementation is limited, we conducted a qualitative assessment of ED PRC program implementation from several US-based PRC programs focusing on barriers and facilitators for implementation and providing recommendations based on the findings.

Methods: We collected qualitative data from 39 key informants (peer recovery coaches, PRC program managers, ED physicians and staff, representatives of community-based organizations) via 6 focus groups and 21 interviews in February-December 2023.

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The Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program aims to improve the cardiovascular health of women aged 40-64 years with low incomes, and who are uninsured or underinsured. The objective is to examine WISEWOMAN participants with hypertension who had high blood pressure (BP) improvement from January 2014 to June 2018, by race and ethnicity. Also examined was participation in WISEWOMAN Healthy Behavior Support Services (HBSS) and adherence to antihypertensive medication.

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Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Certain demographic characteristics are associated with disparities in CVD and its risk factors, which may interact with specific social determinants of health (SDOH). We examined the association of a single SDOH (ie, poverty level) with diagnosed CVD morbidity and the joint influence of poverty and hypertension on the prevalence of CVD morbidity among non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic people aged 30 years or older.

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Combined molecular, physicochemical and chemical properties of electrophilic warheads can be applied to create covalent drugs with diverse facets. Here we study these properties in fluorinated diketones (FDKs) and their multicomponent equilibrium systems in the presence of protic nucleophiles, revealing the potential of the CF(CO) group to act as a multifaceted warhead for reversible covalent drugs. The equilibria compositions of various FDKs in water/octanol contain up to nine species.

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Introduction: Since May 2022, there have been nearly 87,000 documented cases of mpox worldwide, with 119 deaths. Pharmacological interventions for mpox include the MVA-BN smallpox vaccine, tecovirimat, cidofovir, its pro-drug brincidofovir, and vaccinia immune globulin intravenous (VIGIV).

Areas Covered: The literature search and information gathering for this review included the PubMed database focusing on mpox and monkeypox, in combination with tecovirimat, brincidofovir, cidofovir, VIGIV, and smallpox vaccine.

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Background: Nerve transection is the most common form of peripheral nerve injury. Treatment of peripheral nerve injury has primarily focused on stabilization and mechanical cues to guide extension of the regenerating growth cone across the site of transection. The authors investigated the effects of a peripheral nerve matrix (PNM) hydrogel on recovery after nerve transection.

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Hemocompatibility tuning was adopted to explore and refine an innovative, GA-free preparation strategy combining decellularization, riboflavin/UV crosslinking, and low-energy electron irradiation (SULEEI) procedure. A SULEEI-protocol was established to avoid GA-dependent deterioration that results in insufficient long-term aortic valve bioprosthesis durability. Final SULEEI-pericardium, intermediate steps and GA-fixed reference pericardium were exposed in vitro to fresh human whole blood to elucidate effects of preparation parameters on coagulation and inflammation activation and tissue histology.

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Telehealth is a promising intervention for hypertension management and control and was rapidly adopted by health systems to ensure continuity of care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rapid evaluations of telehealth strategies at 2 US health systems explored how telehealth affected health care access and blood pressure outcomes among populations disproportionately affected by hypertension. Both health systems implemented telehealth strategies to maintain continuity of health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Smoking is a preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), indicating the importance of smoking cessation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for WOMen Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) Program funded 21 recipients to provide preventative health services, including healthy behavior support services, to low-income, uninsured, or underinsured women, between 40 to 64 years of age, aimed at lowering CVD risk for women from January 2014 to June 2018. This article explores WISEWOMAN's smoking prevalence and smoking cessation efforts.

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Introduction: Posterior urethral valves (PUV) is a leading cause of chronic renal failure in childhood. Bladder and posterior urethral deformity in infants with PUV are highly variable on initial voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG). Some types of deformity may be more important than others in determining the severity of the condition.

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Antegrade wire crossing of a mid calcified left anterior descending (LAD) artery was achieved. However, the wire was seen deflecting in a different pathway than the angiographically anticipated course of the vessel. Therefore, the computed tomography images were reanalyzed and the wire was seen to be within the tented site of the left internal mammary artery to the LAD anastomosis and correctly positioned according to the vessel course.

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Hypertension is a preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Immediate reduction in blood pressure (BP) is necessary for a person with dangerously high BP to prevent injuries related to heart disease and stroke. Differences in the prevalence of hypertension and dangerously high BP (BP alerts) and the distribution of medical follow-ups were examined by race and ethnicity among participants in the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for WOMen Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Previous studies indicated that inflammation in mice led to an increase in satellite glial cell (SGC) activation and altered sensitivity in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection.
  • * The current study found that exercise, such as free wheel running, not only prevented increased sensitivity to touch but also reversed harmful changes in the DRG caused by inflammation, which may contribute to the pain-relieving effects of exercise.
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Background: Posterior urethral valve (PUV) is a leading cause of chronic kidney failure in children. Studies have shown that a creatinine nadir above historical cutoff values of 0.8 or 1.

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We recently developed a molecule (GT-73) that blocked leukocyte transendothelial migration from blood to the peripheral tissues, supposedly by affecting the platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) function. GT-73 was tested in an LPS-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) mouse model. The rationale for this is based on the finding that the mortality of COVID-19 patients is partly caused by ARDS induced by a massive migration of leukocytes to the lungs.

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Recycling of all--retinal to 11--retinal through the visual cycle is a fundamental metabolic pathway in the eye. A potent retinoid isomerase (RPE65) inhibitor, ()-emixustat, has been developed and tested in several clinical trials; however, it has not received regulatory approval for use in any specific retinopathy. Rapid clearance of this drug presents challenges to maintaining concentrations in eyes within a therapeutic window.

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Open surgical approaches are still often employed in neurosurgery, despite the availability of neuroendoscopic approaches that reduce invasiveness. The challenge of maneuvering instruments at the tip of the endoscope makes neuroendoscopy demanding for the physician. The only way to aim tools passed through endoscope ports is to tilt the entire endoscope; but, tilting compresses brain tissue through which the endoscope passes and can damage it.

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Article Synopsis
  • Primary valve ablation is favored over vesicostomy for treating posterior urethral valves in neonates; this study explores a preoperative catheter regimen to improve ablation potential.
  • A review of 126 cases showed a 97% success rate for ablation, highlighting that a larger catheter size at the time of surgery is more crucial than the baby's weight or urethral dilation levels.
  • The study indicates that while progressive urethral dilation can increase the risk of infections, it remains necessary to ensure successful ablation, suggesting catheter sizing is vital for operative planning.
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Objectives: To determine if boys with acute testicular torsion, a surgical emergency requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment to optimize salvage of the testicle, delayed presentation to a medical facility and experienced an extended duration of symptoms (DoS), and secondarily, a higher rate of orchiectomy, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: Single-center, descriptive retrospective chart review of boys presenting with acute testicular torsion from March 15, to May 4, 2020 ("during COVID-19" or group 2), as well as for the same time window in the 5-year period from 2015 to 2019 ("pre-COVID-19" or group 1).

Results: A total of 78 boys met inclusion criteria, group 1 (n = 57) and group 2 (n = 21).

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered countermeasures like #StayAtHome initiatives, which have changed the whole world. Despite the success of such initiatives in limiting the spread of COVID-19 to #FlattenTheCurve, physicians are now confronted with the adverse effects of the current restrictive pandemic management strategies and social distancing measures.

Objective: We aim to draw attention to the particular importance and magnitude of what may be the adverse effects of COVID-19-related policies.

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