Publications by authors named "Conrad S"

Article Synopsis
  • RORA is a gene linked to the development and function of the cerebellum, and this study explores the largest group of individuals with RORA-related neurodevelopmental disorders (RORA-NDD).
  • The study involved 40 participants with various pathogenic variants of RORA, revealing a range of clinical features including developmental and intellectual disabilities, as well as cerebellar symptoms that can vary in onset and severity.
  • Findings indicate that certain missense variants are associated with more severe cerebellar issues, and common elements of RORA-NDD include developmental disabilities, cerebellar symptoms, and different types of myoclonic epilepsy.
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Objectives: This investigation aimed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on treatment delays and the severity of initial disease presentation in cholesteatoma patients treated in the prepandemic and pandemic periods.

Methods:  This retrospective cohort study was of patients who underwent primary surgical management of cholesteatoma between October 2018 and December 2021, split between the prepandemic (October 2018 to February 2020) and pandemic (April 2020 to December 2021) time periods. Data collected included time from referral to otology clinic visit, time of diagnosis, and time of surgical interventions.

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and cardiac function as measured by ejection fraction (EF) is an important determinant of outcomes, making accurate measurement a critical parameter in PT evaluation. Echocardiograms are commonly used for measuring EF, but human interpretation has limitations in terms of intra- and inter-observer (or reader) variance. Deep learning (DL) has driven a resurgence in machine learning, leading to advancements in medical applications.

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  • The text discusses the occurrence of dual circulation during venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), where blood from the body and an artificial heart/lung system mix, resulting in differing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in two separate circulations.
  • This phenomenon arises when native blood flow from the heart meets retrograde blood flow from the artificial system, creating distinct physiological environments on either side of the mixing point.
  • The authors aim to clarify the terminology surrounding this issue to improve communication and clinical management for patients undergoing VA-ECMO treatment.
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  • Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe lung condition increasingly linked to methamphetamine use, and this study investigates trends and demographics of PAH patients with and without the drug.
  • Data from national healthcare databases covering 2008-2020 revealed a notable 9.2-fold rise in hospitalization rates for PAH patients who also used methamphetamine, with a majority being middle-aged male, White, low-income individuals primarily from Western and Southern US regions.
  • The findings indicate a significant correlation between methamphetamine use and increased PAH hospitalizations, with the prevalence among users being 32 times higher than non-users, particularly among males and those aged 41-64.
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Decision-makers consult systematic reviews and clinical guidelines to make informed coverage decisions based on the current state of evidence. Outdated recommendations in rapidly evolving areas such as lung cancer treatment, are challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for good decision-making under uncertainty.

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Manual ventilation, most commonly with a bag-valve mask, is a form of short-term ventilation used during resuscitative efforts in emergent and out-of-hospital scenarios. However, compared to mechanical ventilation, manual ventilation is an operator-dependent skill that is less well controlled and is highly subject to providing inappropriate ventilation to the patient. This article first reviews recent manual ventilation guidelines set forth by the American Heart Association and European Resuscitation Council for providing appropriate manual ventilation parameters (e.

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Having a family member hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) can be a stressful experience for family members, encompassing both psychological and spiritual distress. With over 5 million ICU admissions annually in the United States, it is imperative to enhance the experiences and coping mechanisms of ICU family members. In particularly challenging situations, some family members even face psychological effects known as post-intensive care syndrome-family, which includes anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress.

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Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are recommended to measure the impact of a health condition or intervention effectiveness as they aim to capture what is most meaningful to patients. Several PROMs are used to evaluate pelvic organ prolapse (POP)-related domains, yet the measurement properties of these instruments have not been fully explored with a rigorous analysis of the methodological quality and quality of evidence.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review reporting on the measurement properties of PROMs used for the assessment of POP-related domains in accordance with the COSMIN guidelines.

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  • PTEN hamartoma tumour syndrome (PHTS) includes syndromes like Cowden syndrome, with missense variants making up 30% of PHTS cases, yet their classification is complex.
  • A study from the Bergonie Institute identified 76 non-truncating variants in 166 patients, developing a new classification method using criteria like functional analysis, phenotypic features, and familial patterns.
  • The new approach successfully reclassifies 25 variants, revealing the need to update current classification standards based on multiple factors, and it requires further validation in future research.
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  • Avian orthoreoviruses (ARV) are bad news for turkeys and the poultry industry, causing problems like arthritis and costing the US around $33 million a year.
  • There isn't a vaccine for this virus yet, and researchers are studying how it spreads, especially between Europe and the US.
  • A study in Germany found that many sick turkeys had both turkey and chicken ARVs at the same time, showing a mix of viruses and hinting that migrating birds and trade might spread these viruses around.
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  • In emergency situations, manual ventilation using self-inflating bags can be risky, with potential life-threatening complications if done incorrectly.
  • A study tested a device called BENGI, which provides audiovisual feedback to guide manual ventilation, showing significant improvements in ventilation accuracy and safety among participants, both immediately and two weeks later.
  • The findings suggest BENGI enhances the consistency of manual ventilation performance, making it a valuable tool for training and real-life emergencies.
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Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is a globally prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can result in pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women. Currently, there is no prophylactic vaccine.

Methods: This study examined T cell immunity in a cohort of women recently infected with CT.

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  • Glutathione synthetase deficiency is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the GSS gene, leading to varying severity levels, from mild hemolytic anemia to severe neurological issues and even neonatal death.
  • A study on two fetal siblings revealed multiple congenital anomalies, such as limb malformations, cleft palate, and heart defects, linked to specific genetic variants in the GSS gene.
  • Genome sequencing and analysis indicated that these genetic variants likely caused disruptions in protein expression and metabolic processes, suggesting a broader range of phenotypic effects associated with glutathione synthetase deficiency.
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Herein, a novel sulfur-doped carbon material has been synthesized via a facile and sustainable single-step pyrolysis method using lignin-sulfonate (LS), a by-product of the sulfite pulping process, as a novel carbon precursor and zinc chloride as a chemical activator. The sulfur doping process had a remarkable impact on the LS-sulfur carbon structure. Moreover, it was found that sulfur doping also had an important impact on sodium diclofenac removal from aqueous solutions due to the introduction of S-functionalities on the carbon material's surface.

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Background: Methamphetamine is an emerging drug threat. The disparity in cardiomyopathy-associated hospital admissions among methamphetamine users (CAHMA) over the decade remains unknown.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the trends and prevalence of CAHMA by age, sex, race, and geographical region.

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Background: In the United States in 2017, there were an estimated 903,745 hospitalizations involving mechanical ventilation (MV). Complications from ventilation can result in longer hospital stays, increased risk of disability, and increased healthcare costs. It has been hypothesized that electrically pacing the diaphragm by phrenic nerve stimulation during mechanical ventilation may minimize or reverse diaphragm dysfunction, resulting in faster weaning.

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Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is on the rise worldwide, ranking as the third leading cause of atherosclerosis-related morbidity; much less is known about its trends in hospitalizations among methamphetamine and cocaine users.

Objectives: We aim to evaluate the overall trend in the prevalence of hospital admission for PAD with or without the use of stimulant abuse (methamphetamine and cocaine) across the United States. Additionally, we evaluated the PAD-related hospitalizations trend stratified by age, race, sex, and geographic location.

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Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) devices are increasingly used in treating acute-on-chronic respiratory failure caused by chronic lung diseases. There are no large studies that investigated safety, efficacy, and the independent association of prognostic variables to survival that could define the role of ECCO2R devices in such patients. This multicenter, multinational, retrospective study investigated the efficacy, safety of a single ECCO2R device (Hemolung) in patients with acute on chronic respiratory failure and identified variables independently associated with intensive care unit (ICU) survival.

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and cardiac function as measured by ejection fraction (EF) is an important determinant of outcomes, making accurate measurement a critical parameter in PT evaluation. Echocardiograms are commonly used for measuring EF, but human interpretation has limitations in terms of intra- and inter-observer (or reader) variance. Deep learning (DL) has driven a resurgence in machine learning, leading to advancements in medical applications.

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Sense of touch is essential for our interactions with external objects and fine control of hand actions. Despite extensive research on human somatosensory processing, it is still elusive how involved brain regions interact as a dynamic network in processing tactile information. Few studies probed temporal dynamics of somatosensory information flow and reported inconsistent results.

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This review highlights advancements in extracorporeal life support (ECLS), emphasizing the critical role of standardized terminology, particularly for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in treating right ventricular and respiratory failure. Advocating for the adoption of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Maastricht Treaty for ECLS Nomenclature guidelines, it aims to resolve communication barriers in the ECMO field. Focusing on venopulmonary (VP) ECMO utilizing central pulmonary artery (PA) access, this review details surgical approaches and introduces a terminology guide to support effective knowledge exchange and advancements in patient care.

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Objectives: To examine trends in utilization and outcomes among patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring prolonged venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) support.

Design: Retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting: Adult patients in the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry.

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