Publications by authors named "Huffman J"

Article Synopsis
  • * A large study involving nearly 10,000 DCM cases and close to a million controls identified 70 significant genetic locations linked to the disease, revealing the importance of heart muscle cells in its development.
  • * The research also indicates that factors like higher body weight and blood pressure may contribute to DCM, and genetic risk scores can help predict the condition across different populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A new study is testing a five-session phone-based peer support program called STEPP, aimed at helping patients with blood cancers undergoing stem cell transplantation improve their quality of life and reduce psychological distress.
  • The pilot trial will involve 90 patients, comparing those who receive the STEPP intervention to those who receive standard care, with goals for high enrollment and session completion rates.
  • The study will assess how well the intervention is received and its initial impact on patient-reported outcomes like anxiety and quality of life, paving the way for a larger clinical trial in the future.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Following acute coronary syndrome (ACS), up to 40% of patients report elevated depressive symptoms which is associated with a two-fold increase in mortality risk due to behavioral and biological mechanisms. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) delivered via synchronous group videoconferencing could help reduce depressive symptoms.

Objective: To guide MBCT adaptation for ACS patients for a future clinical trial, this qualitative study aimed to explore ACS patients' (1) symptoms after ACS, (2) needs for behavioral health treatment, (3) perspectives on mindfulness intervention and group videoconference delivery, and (4) willingness to self-collect dried blood spots in a research study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates how positive psychological well-being (PPWB) relates to mood and quality of life in people who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), using data from 158 recipients.
  • - Results indicate that older age, greater social support, and certain health conditions correspond with higher PPWB levels, which are linked to improved quality of life and reduced symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
  • - The researchers suggest that future studies should explore these associations over time to better understand how PPWB affects HSCT recovery and to develop targeted interventions for improving patient outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This study identifies and characterizes rare coding alleles linked to genetic dyslipidemia, a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, using data from over 1.1 million individuals across various ancestries.
  • It discovered 800 significant variants across 209 genes, with a notable focus on non-European populations, and included a diverse cohort of participants to enhance genetic understanding.
  • The findings highlight potential therapeutic targets, particularly new genes that may help lower LDL cholesterol levels, providing valuable insights for future genetic disease research and drug development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although peer support interventions are associated with improved patient-reported outcomes in diverse cancer populations, structured peer support programs tailored to the needs of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are lacking. This single-arm, proof-of-concept trial aimed to refine the Supporting Transplant Experiences with Peer Program (STEPP), a structured, five-session, manualized, phone-delivered peer support intervention for patients undergoing HSCT, informed by qualitative feedback from patients. Adult patients with hematologic malignancies scheduled to undergo allogeneic or autologous HSCT were eligible to participate in the study approximately two weeks prior to their HSCT hospitalization.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Polygenic scores (PGSs) are a promising tool for estimating individual-level genetic risk of disease based on the results of genome-wide association studies (GWASs). However, their promise has yet to be fully realized because most currently available PGSs were built with genetic data from predominantly European-ancestry populations, and PGS performance declines when scores are applied to target populations different from the populations from which they were derived. Thus, there is a great need to improve PGS performance in currently under-studied populations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Genetic studies have highlighted the need for more diverse research on plasma fibrinogen levels, as previous studies largely focused on Europeans, leading to gaps in understanding and missing heritability.
  • By analyzing data from whole-genome sequencing and genotype data from large cohorts, researchers identified 18 genetic loci related to fibrinogen levels, some of which are more common in African populations and include variants that may impact protein function.
  • The study's findings indicate a connection between fibrinogen levels and various health conditions, emphasizing the importance of whole-genome sequencing in discovering genetic factors in diverse populations and enhancing knowledge about fibrinogen regulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Excessive noise in operating rooms can hinder communication and increase stress for both patients and providers, especially in pediatric settings.
  • This study aimed to see if reducing noise during anesthesia induction and emergence improves behavior in young children and affects anesthesia providers' response times.
  • Results showed that children in a quieter environment were less fussy and had fewer tantrums post-surgery, although provider response times remained unchanged and did not exceed safety noise levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The present study is one of the largest quasi-experimental studies to date on the effects of home visiting on documented child maltreatment during a child's first two years of life. In this matched comparison group study, we compare 8796 families that participated in a home visiting program (HV families) to 8796 similar non-participating families (non-HV families) selected from birth records using Coarsened Exact Matching. Using sequential logistic regression, we identify that HV families have significantly higher odds of experiencing a child maltreatment investigation by their child's second birthday compared to non-HV families; however, among those that were investigated, HV families have significantly lower odds of having their first investigation substantiated for maltreatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Optimism is typically conceptualized as a relatively static tendency regarding positive expectations about one's future. However, recent studies suggest that optimism may meaningfully fluctuate within individuals over time. To date, little is known about the characteristics of such state optimism and potential cultural difference in state optimism.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Human genetic studies often lack diversity, which limits understanding of disease causes and health disparities.
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program analyzed data from a diverse group of 635,969 veterans, revealing 13,672 genomic risk loci, with significant findings particularly from non-European populations.
  • The research identified causal variants across 613 traits, showing that genetic similarities exist across populations and emphasizing the importance of including underrepresented groups in genetic research.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) survivors experience significant psychological distress and low levels of positive psychological well-being, which can undermine patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as quality of life (QoL). Hence, we conducted a pilot randomized clinical trial to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a telephone-delivered positive psychology intervention (Positive Affect for the Transplantation of Hematopoietic stem cells intervention [PATH]) for improving well-being in HSCT survivors.

Methods: HSCT survivors who were 100 days post-HSCT for hematologic malignancy at an academic institution were randomly assigned to either PATH or usual care.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The expansion of biobanks has significantly propelled genomic discoveries yet the sheer scale of data within these repositories poses formidable computational hurdles, particularly in handling extensive matrix operations required by prevailing statistical frameworks. In this work, we introduce computational optimizations to the SAIGE (Scalable and Accurate Implementation of Generalized Mixed Model) algorithm, notably employing a GPU-based distributed computing approach to tackle these challenges. We applied these optimizations to conduct a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) across 2,068 phenotypes derived from electronic health records of 635,969 diverse participants from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Million Veteran Program (MVP).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Assessment of platelet function is key in diagnosing bleeding disorders and evaluating antiplatelet drug efficacy. However, there is a prevailing "one-size-fits-all" approach in the interpretation of measures of platelet reactivity, with arbitrary cutoffs often derived from healthy volunteer responses.

Objectives: Our aim was to compare well-used platelet reactivity assays.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Physical activity promotes health and longevity after metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS), but most patients do not meet recommended levels. The Gaining Optimism After weight Loss Surgery (GOALS) Project was a positive psychological intervention designed to address common emotional barriers to physical activity in patients who have recently undergone MBS (e.g.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Previous studies found lipid levels, especially triglycerides (TG), are associated with acute pancreatitis, but their causalities and bi-directions were not fully examined. We determined whether abnormal levels of TG, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are precursors and/or consequences of acute pancreatitis using bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) with two non-overlapping genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for lipid levels and acute pancreatitis. We found phenotypic associations that both higher TG levels and lower HDL-C levels contributed to increased risk of acute pancreatitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Estradiol and progesterone, two sex hormones, were studied to understand their relationship with PTSD and CVD symptoms in 66 trauma-exposed women.
  • * The study found that while estradiol didn't significantly affect CVD symptoms, higher levels of progesterone were linked to worse CVD symptoms, especially in those with lower PTSD severity, indicating that PTSD may influence how progesterone affects CVD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Changes in the anterior segment of the eye due to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are not well-characterized, in part due to the lack of a reliable animal model. This study evaluated changes in the anterior segment, including crystalline lens health, corneal endothelial cell density, aqueous humor metabolites, and ciliary body vasculature, in a rat model of T2DM compared with human eyes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet (45% fat) or normal diet, and rats fed the high-fat diet were injected with streptozotocin intraperitoneally to generate a model of T2DM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Left subclavian artery revascularization at the time of thoracic endovascular aortic repair has been the subject of discussion for over a decade. Contemporary viewpoints suggest that revascularization should be performed where possible to decrease the risk of perioperative stroke, spinal cord ischemia, and, to a lesser degree, loss of upper extremity function. In this article, we present traditional methods as well as descriptions of newer options and technology for preservation of left subclavian artery flow during thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Associations between positive psychological well-being (PPWB) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs, e.g., quality of life [QOL]) have yet to be studied extensively in patients with hematologic malignancies who are allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors, despite substantial evidence that PPWB impacts PROs of other medical populations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: fopen(/var/lib/php/sessions/ci_sessiont92kjfdq97d4tlspccjf7g5g592omhcr): Failed to open stream: No space left on device

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 177

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_start(): Failed to read session data: user (path: /var/lib/php/sessions)

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 137

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once