Publications by authors named "SINGER L"

Background: Donor acquired allergy (DAA) occurs when donors transfer their allergies to recipients through solid organ transplant (SOT). However, the risk of DAA in recipients of organs from allergic donors has not been systematically characterized.

Objective: We sought to synthesize the available evidence on the risk of DAA in SOT recipients.

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Introduction: Learning health networks (LHNs) improve clinical outcomes by applying core tenets of continuous quality improvements (QI) to reach community-defined outcomes, data-sharing, and empowered interdisciplinary teams including patients and caregivers. LHNs provide an ideal environment for the rapid adoption of evidence-based guidelines and translation of research and best practices at scale. When an LHN is established, it is critical to understand the needs of all stakeholders.

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Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of polydopamine (PDA) functionalization on orthodontic brackets in inhibiting biofilm formation and promoting surface bioactivity to buffer the acidity of caries-causing bacteria around orthodontic brackets and prevent demineralization. The stability of the coating in artificial saliva (AS) and distilled water was evaluated, along with its effect on pH changes in simulated body fluid (SBF) and distilled water.

Methods: Maxillary incisor orthodontic brackets underwent PDA functionalization using a dopamine hydrochloride solution following a specific protocol.

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Background: Impression materials can harbour microorganisms from saliva and blood, posing cross-contamination risks. However, post-setting disinfection might compromise the dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties of alginates. Hence, it was the aim of this research to assess the detail reproduction, tear strength, elastic recovery, and surface quality of the gypsum model of newly developed dental alginates with inherent antimicrobial properties.

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Background: Basiliximab induction immunosuppression is increasingly employed in lung transplant recipients despite limited prospective evidence to support its use in this population. We sought to determine the relationship between basiliximab induction and development of acute rejection, chronic lung allograft dysfunction, and other clinically relevant outcomes in a multicenter lung transplant cohort with variable induction practice patterns.

Methods: We applied propensity-based statistical methods to rigorous, prospectively collected longitudinal data from 768 newly transplanted adult lung recipients at 5 North American centers (368 who received basiliximab induction immunosuppression and 400 who received no induction immunosuppression).

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Background: Surveillance bronchoscopies with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and transbronchial biopsies (TBB) are primarily used to detect acute cellular rejection (ACR) or infection in lung transplant (LTx) recipients. We previously identified a BAL protein signature associated with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) or death/retransplant in patients with stable minimal (grade A1) ACR. This present study aimed to determine whether similar BAL biomarkers predict outcomes in stable patients when ACR grade is undetermined.

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Rationale: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) hinders lung transplant success. A 2019 consensus refined CLAD diagnosis, introducing probable or definite CLAD based on persistence of lung function decline. Outcomes and risks for probable CLAD remain uncertain.

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Background: Few tools exist for the early identification of patients at risk for chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). We previously showed hyaluronan (HA), a matrix molecule that regulates lung inflammation and fibrosis, accumulates in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and blood in CLAD. We aimed to determine if early posttransplant HA elevations inform CLAD risk.

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Objectives: The study addresses the challenge of cross-infection in dentistry, focusing on improving disinfection protocols for dental hydrocolloid gel materials. This research aimed to incorporate chlorhexidine, natural plant extracts, and green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into dental alginate to enhance safety and hygiene standards in dental practices.

Methods: Conventional dental alginate served as the control, with experimental groups including alginate modified with 0.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Parental psychological distress (PD) in NICU environments significantly impacts both parents' health and their children's long-term development, with research primarily focusing on mothers while neglecting fathers and family members.
  • - A systematic review identified 54 studies showing variable rates of PD among parents, with maternal PD incidence ranging from 13-93% and paternal PD from 0.08-46%, but lacking clarity about other family members and underrepresented populations.
  • - The review suggests implementing routine PD screenings and family-centered intervention programs, highlighting the need for further research on the experiences of siblings, sexual and gender minorities, and parents in low-income countries.
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Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) guidelines support the efficacy and safety of supervised exercise training in mild-moderate pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, the exercise training response and safety of PR in PAH lung transplant (LTx) candidates has not been described.

Objectives: (1) characterize the clinical characteristics and illness trajectory of adult patients with severe PAH listed for LTx and participating in PR; (2) evaluate the change in exercise capacity, aerobic and resistance training volumes; (3) assess PR safety.

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Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is administered for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) hematologic cancers, prophylaxis of CNS dissemination of certain hematological cancers, and in solid tumor leptomeningeal disease. MTX treatment can be limited by CNS toxicity. Dextromethorphan is used to treat MTX neurotoxicity, with most data derived from pediatric case series.

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Background: Exposure to air pollution post-lung transplant has been shown to decrease graft and patient survival. This study examines the impact of air pollution exposure in the first 3 months post-transplant on baseline (i.e.

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Lithium-rich antiperovskites promise to be a compelling class of high-capacity cathode materials due to the existence of both cationic and anionic redox activity. Little is however known about the effect of separating the electrochemical cationic process from the anionic process and the associated implications on the electrochemical performance. In this context, we report the electrochemical properties of the illustrative example of three different (LiFe)SO materials with a focus on separating cationic from anionic effects.

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Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a complication of lung transplantation that continues to cause significant morbidity. The Th2 immune response has been shown to counteract tissue-damaging inflammation. We hypothesized that Th2 cytokines/chemokines in blood would be associated with protection from PGD.

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Due to its haptic and interactive nature, virtual anatomy provides an opportunity for small-group learning, enabling students to develop their group work skills before they graduate. However, there is currently little practical guidance supported by pedagogic principles detailing how to incorporate it into curricula. Anatomy educators at the University of Plymouth conducted action research aiming to capture students' overall perceptions of the virtual anatomy platform Anatomage.

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This research aims to investigate the influence of model height employed in the deep drawing of orthodontic aligner sheets on force transmission and aligner thickness. Forty aligner sheets (Zendura FLX) were thermoformed over four models of varying heights (15, 20, 25, and 30 mm). Normal contact force generated on the facial surface of the upper right central incisor (Tooth 11) was measured using pressure-sensitive films.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explored the use of bevacizumab as a salvage therapy for patients with solid tumor brain metastases who showed progression after whole-brain radiation, focusing on its effectiveness and safety.
  • In the trial, 27 patients received bevacizumab, with 18 showing some level of radiologic response, while the median progression-free survival and overall survival were reported as 5.3 months and 9.5 months, respectively.
  • The treatment was found to be generally safe, with some patients experiencing minor adverse effects, and it did not negatively impact their quality of life.
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Many patients experience acute pain, which has been associated with numerous negative consequences. Pain education has been proposed as a strategy to improve acute pain management. However, studies report limited effects with educational interventions for acute pain in adults, which can be explained by the underuse of the person-centered approach.

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Purpose: CT Hounsfield Units (HUs) are converted to electron density using a calibration curve obtained from physical measurements of an electron density phantom. HU values assigned to an MRI-derived synthetic computed tomography (sCT) may present a different relationship with electron density compared to CT HU. Correct assignment of sCT HU values is critical for accurate dose calculation and delivery.

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Article Synopsis
  • Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) of the central nervous system are uncommon and lack clear treatment guidelines, making them challenging to manage.
  • A case study highlights the successful use of radiation and immunotherapy on a recurrent SFT, driven by mutations in DNA repair genes identified through next-generation sequencing.
  • The findings suggest that detecting specific genetic mutations could help tailor treatment strategies for SFT patients, potentially improving outcomes.
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Importance: Linking prenatal drug exposures to both infant behavior and adult cognitive outcomes may improve early interventions.

Objective: To assess whether neonatal physical, neurobehavioral, and infant cognitive measures mediate the association between prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) and adult perceptual reasoning IQ.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This study used data from a longitudinal, prospective birth cohort study with follow-up from 1994 to 2018 until offspring were 21 years post partum.

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Background And Purpose: This study aimed to assess second year student pharmacists' (P2) confidence in communicating with patients with limited English proficiency before and after a required community-based health screening experience.

Educational Activity And Setting: All P2s were required to complete a 0.5 credit hour Ambulatory Care Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE).

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Trends in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) after lung transplant (LT) and its clinical value are not well stablished. This study aimed to determine kinetics of hs-cTnI after LT, factors impacting hs-cTnI and clinical outcomes. LT recipients from 2015 to 2017 at Toronto General Hospital were included.

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Article Synopsis
  • Current multimessenger searches for binary neutron star (BNS) and neutron star-black hole (NSBH) mergers are advancing with the gravitational wave observatories ALIGO, AdVirgo, and KAGRA during their fourth observing run (O4).
  • To enhance the search, the study utilized simulated binary populations and conducted a mock data challenge (MDC), optimizing the software used for real-time data analysis and alert generation.
  • The paper reports on the low-latency infrastructure performance, with a median alert time of approximately 29.5 seconds for full searches, and emphasizes the importance of early warnings for neutron star mergers with a new trigger system, aiming for responses about 3.1 seconds before mergers occur.
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