Publications by authors named "Javonna O'Brien"

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of perioperative testosterone supplementation on orthopedic surgical outcomes.

Methods: Three online databases were searched from database inception until September 2024. Three reviewers independently screened all titles, abstracts, and full-texts of articles investigating perioperative testosterone use in orthopedic surgery.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Topological semimetals have recently garnered widespread interest in the quantum materials research community due to their symmetry-protected surface states with dissipationless transport which have potential applications in next-generation low-power electronic devices. One such material, [Formula: see text], exhibits Dirac nodal arcs and although the topological properties of single crystals have been investigated, there have been no reports in crystalline thin film geometry. We examined the growth of [Formula: see text] heterostructures on a range of single crystals by optimizing the electron beam evaporation of Pt and Sn and studied the effect of vacuum thermal annealing on phase and crystallinity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is predominantly caused by degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD) and central nucleus pulposus (NP) region. Conservative treatments fail to restore disc function, motivating the exploration of nucleic acid therapies, such as the use of microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs have the potential to modulate expression of discogenic factors, while silencing the catabolic cascade associated with degeneration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: We investigated the feasibility and validity of the remotely-administered neuropsychological battery from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set (UDS T-Cog).

Methods: Two hundred twenty Penn Alzheimer's Disease Research Center participants with unimpaired cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia completed the T-Cog during their annual UDS evaluation. We assessed administration feasibility and diagnostic group differences cross-sectionally across telephone versus videoconference modalities, and compared T-Cog to prior in-person UDS scores longitudinally.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to establish national Irish diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for a clinically representative and comprehensive list of clinical indications, anatomical regions, and common procedures for fluoroscopy and fluoroscopically guided interventions and compare these, where possible, to other DRLs established at a national level.

Method: A list of clinical indications, anatomical regions and common procedures was established. A national database of service providers was used to identify all medical radiological facilities providing fluoroscopy and fluoroscopically guided intervention services.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Engaging in muscle strengthening activities (e.g., resistance training) at least twice/week is promoted by (Inter)national movement guidelines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nutrient losses via subsurface tile cause environmental degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Various management practices are primarily aimed at reduction of nitrate leaching in tile discharge; however, studies on leaching of other nutrients are limited. A replicated plot experiment was initiated in 2016 as part of the Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network Croplands Common Experiment to quantify the effectiveness of management practices on leaching of NO-N, total P, K, and S from drained soils.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Children spend almost one-third of their waking hours at school. Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) is a common childhood bacterial infection that can progress to causing serious disease. We aimed to detect Strep A in classrooms by using environmental settle plates and swabbing of high-touch surfaces in two remote schools in the Kimberley, Western Australia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been frequently used to examine age-related deterioration of white matter microstructure and its relationship to cognitive decline. However, typical tensor-based analytical approaches are often difficult to interpret due to the challenge of decomposing and (mis)interpreting the impact of crossing fibers within a voxel. We hypothesized that a novel analytical approach capable of resolving fiber-specific changes within each voxel (i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Platypuses are a unique freshwater mammal native to eastern Australia. They are semi-aquatic, predominantly nocturnal, and nest in burrows dug into the banks of waterbodies. Quantifying nesting burrow characteristics is challenging due to the species' cryptic nature.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study investigated the speciation and aqueous dissolution of macronutrients in fire ash from diverse ecosystems and speciation of ash and smoke from laboratory burning, exploring the variations and their causes. The speciation of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) in fire ash from five globally distributed ecosystems was characterized by using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and sequential fractionation. Aqueous dissolution of the macronutrients was measured by batch experiments at acidic and alkaline pHs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Understanding the habitat use of individuals can facilitate methods to measure the degree to which populations will be affected by potential stressors. Such insights can be hard to garner for marine species that are inaccessible during phases of their annual cycles. Here, we quantify the link between foraging habitat and behaviour in an aquatic bird of high conservation concern, the red-throated diver () across three breeding populations (Finland, Iceland and Scotland) during their understudied moult period.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: While just-in-time (JIT) training is associated with time and cost savings, limited evidence directly compares layperson CPR performance using JIT videos to in-person CPR courses. We measured layperson CPR performance using a JIT video compared to an in-person course or no training.

Methods: Adult employees at a professional sports stadium were randomized to perform CPR in a simulated scenario a) after completing an AHA HeartSaver® course, b) using a JIT training video, or c) neither (control).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Contaminant monitoring programs use wild bird eggs, but determining whether measured concentrations elicit adverse effects relies on extrapolation from toxicity studies with avian model species. Here, we directly evaluated the relationships between whole embryo contaminant concentrations and mRNA expression in liver tissue of the double-crested cormorant (). Eggs collected from three North American sites (one from Lake Erie and two from the Salish Sea) were artificially incubated until pipping.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The peripheral nervous system has been widely implicated in pathological conditions that exhibit distinct clinical presentations in men and women, most notably in chronic pain disorders. Here, we explored this sexual dimorphism at a molecular level. We expanded the available omics landscape in the PNS to include quantitative proteomics of the human dorsal root ganglia (hDRG) and nerve.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a patient-perceived measure of physical, social, and emotional health. Acquired brain injury (ABI) occurs due to damage to the brain after birth. Individuals with an ABI typically present with reduced HRQoL and require additional support to maintain their HRQoL.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary malignancy of the hepatobiliary system and presents as a heterogeneous disease with three distinct morphological subtypes: mass-forming, periductal-infiltrating, and intraductal-growing, each characterized by distinguishing imaging features. Accurate diagnosis of CCA is challenging due to the overlap of imaging findings with a broad range of benign and malignant conditions. Therefore, it is essential for radiologists to recognize these mimickers and offer a reasonable differential diagnosis, as this has a significant impact on patient management.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To identify a consensus among pharmacy educators regarding relevant social/administrative science (SAS) topic areas and their priorities within pharmacy curricula.

Methods: A modified Delphi process was conducted with members of selected American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) affinity groups as the expert panel. Eighty-three potential topic areas across 12 domains were gathered via an informal literature review.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Clinical gait analysis plays a pivotal role in diagnosing and treating walking impairments. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) offer a low-cost, portable, and practical alternative to traditional gait analysis equipment, making these techniques more accessible beyond specialized clinics. Previous work and algorithms developed for specific clinical populations, like in individuals with Parkinson's disease, often do not translate effectively to other groups, such as stroke survivors, who exhibit significant variability in their gait patterns.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Colonisation and infection with Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) in healthcare settings poses significant risks, especially for vulnerable patients. Genomic analysis can be used to trace transmission routes, supporting antimicrobial stewardship and informing infection control strategies. Here we used genomic analysis to track the movement and transmission of CREs within clinical and environmental samples.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To compare effectiveness of tofacitinib versus tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), and across tofacitinib lines of therapy, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), using US CorEvitas RA Registry data.

Methods: Analysis included patients with RA initiating tofacitinib or TNFi with a 12-month follow-up visit between November 2012-February 2021. Primary (Clinical Disease Activity Index-defined low disease activity [CDAI-LDA: CDAI ≤ 10]) and secondary (clinical/disease activity/patient-reported) effectiveness outcomes were assessed at month 12.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The text discusses the impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), specifically PCV10 and PCV13, on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) globally, highlighting how these vaccines have reduced the prevalence of disease caused by vaccine-type serotypes after extensive use.
  • It describes the methodology of data collection from various surveillance sites, which aimed to evaluate IPD cases that occurred five years after the vaccines were implemented, focusing on different age groups for analysis.
  • Findings indicate significant differences in serotype distribution between PCV10 and PCV13 sites; notably, certain serotypes, such as 19A and serotype 3, were prevalent in specific age groups, signaling ongoing challenges in controlling
View Article and Find Full Text PDF