Publications by authors named "Townsend J"

Sjögren disease (SjD) is a systemic autoimmune disorder affecting both children and adults, with a wide range of clinical phenotypes. It remains a challenging condition to recognise and diagnose early and manage effectively. The heterogeneous nature of the presentation, variable disease course and overlapping symptoms with other autoimmune conditions often result in delayed diagnosis.

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Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have emerged as a promising gene delivery vehicle for the treatment of diseases. As AAVs are a complex therapeutic modality, new analytical techniques are needed to thoroughly characterize the critical quality attributes (CQAs) to support drug development. Empty and full ratio is one of the CQAs of AAVs that may impact drug safety and efficacy.

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Scaffolds made from cartilage extracellular matrix are promising materials for articular cartilage repair, attributed to their intrinsic bioactivity that may promote chondrogenesis. While several cartilage matrix-based scaffolds have supported chondrogenesis and/or , it remains a challenge to balance the biological response (e.g.

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Position Statement: The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) bases the following position stand on an analysis of the literature regarding the effects of β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate (HMB). The following 12 points have been approved by the Research Committee of the Society: 1. HMB is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine that is naturally produced in both humans and other animals.

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Background: Health care emissions account for approximately 8.5% of total US domestic greenhouse gas emissions. Staff member and patient travel is the largest contributor to dental office-related emissions, and this number has been increasing.

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The goal of this study was to assess patients' prior exposure and current level of knowledge of polygenic risk scores (PRSs). We also explored reactions to receiving a high-risk or low-risk score, and gauged the overall attitudes and demand patients have with regards to PRSs. We developed an online investigator-designed survey based on existing validated tools in genetic testing.

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Background: In recent years, the Master Adaptive Learner (MAL) model has received widespread attention as a self-regulated learning (SRL) model in medical education. Yet, little research has been done on exploring the benefits of explicitly teaching this model to undergraduate medical students.

Methods: We taught this model in a required social science course to first-year medical students at the California University of Science and Medicine.

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Background: COVID-19 booster vaccinations mitigate transmission and reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with infection. However, the optimal date for booster administration remains uncertain. Geographic variation in infection rates throughout the year makes it challenging to intuit the best yearly booster administration date to effectively prevent infection, and also challenging to provide best guidance on how to alter booster administration in response to a breakthrough infection.

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Transcription factors (TFs) involved in sexual reproduction in filamentous fungi have been characterized. However, we have little understanding of how these TFs synergize within regulatory networks resulting in sexual development. We investigated 13 TFs in , whose knockouts exhibited abortive or arrested phenotypes during sexual development to elucidate the transcriptional regulatory cascade underlying the development of the sexual fruiting bodies.

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Aedes-borne diseases represent a major public health threat and mosquito control operations represent a key line of defense. Improving the real-time awareness of mosquito control authorities by providing reliable forecasts of the relative abundance of mosquito vectors could greatly enhance control efforts. To this aim, we developed an analytical tool that forecasts Aedes aegypti relative abundance 1 to 4 weeks ahead.

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Background: The 2023 "International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot/Infectious Disease Society of America Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes-Related Foot Infections" (DFIs) provides recommendations for coverage based on the climate region.

Methods: This was a retrospective national study of veterans between 1/1/2010 and 3/23/2024 with diabetes mellitus and a culture below the malleolus wound. Prevalence of was categorized based on climate zones according to the International Energy Conservation Code.

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Introduction: Early exposure to medical school offices can help to facilitate interest in academic medicine and senior leadership positions. This workshop provides an overview of the roles, responsibilities, and activities within the Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA) and highlights opportunities for trainee engagement and leadership.

Methods: The Kern model was applied in the design of a 60-minute interactive module for medical students.

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Research examining the changes in muscle oxygen saturation across multiple sets of resistance exercise is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe the physiological response of muscle oxygenation parameters during upper-body resistance exercise and examine the differential effects of relevant participant characteristics on resistance training performance and muscle oxygen saturation dynamics. Sixty-one recreationally trained men (n = 44; 21.

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There is a clinical need for osteochondral scaffolds with complex geometries for restoring articulating joint surfaces. To address that need, 3D-printing has enabled scaffolds to be created with anatomically shaped geometries and interconnected internal architectures, going beyond simple plug-shaped scaffolds that are limited to small, cylindrical, focal defects. A key challenge for restoring articulating joint surfaces with 3D-printed constructs is the mechanical loading environment, particularly to withstand delamination or mechanical failure.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assessed the effects of AG1, a commercial multi-ingredient powder, on the gut microbiome and gastrointestinal (GI) tolerability in a group of healthy men and women over 4 weeks.
  • A double-blind, randomized trial was conducted, comparing AG1 with a placebo, measuring various parameters including stool samples, digestive quality of life, and blood work.
  • Results indicated that AG1 enriched beneficial probiotic taxa and functional pathways without negatively impacting digestive quality or bowel frequency, while the placebo showed mixed results.
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The Arizona State University (ASU) Tempe campus is inhabited by some 55,000 enrolled students as well as several mosquito species that can transmit West Nile virus, dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. The time of host-seeking of these vectors has not been quantified on the ASU Tempe campus, but this information is important to inform ground and/or truck-mount fogging operations targeting mosquitoes to prevent or control disease outbreaks. We quantified the time of host-seeking of the predominant mosquito vector species at the ASU Tempe campus during the post-monsoon season in 2021, using collection bottle rotators with encephalitis vector survey traps that were baited with CO2, at 3 h intervals during a full day.

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West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading mosquito-borne disease causing-pathogen in the United States. Concerningly, there are no prophylactics or drug treatments for WNV and public health programs rely heavily on vector control efforts to lessen disease incidence. Insecticides can be effective in reducing vector numbers if implemented strategically, but can diminish in efficacy and promote insecticide resistance otherwise.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare different surveillance strategies for patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, focusing on clinical outcomes, costs, and patient quality of life over 10 years.
  • Using a model of 100,000 hypothetical patients aged 70, the research evaluated guideline-recommended regimens and new intensified or reduced surveillance strategies.
  • Results showed minimal differences in cancer progression, survival rates, and significant costs associated with higher intensity regimens, suggesting these may not be cost-effective compared to standard approaches.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study looked at 20 eyes from 14 patients who had surgery due to problems caused by two eye diseases: sickle cell retinopathy and diabetic retinopathy.
  • Most of the surgeries were done because of serious issues like retinal detachments or bleeding inside the eye.
  • The results showed that the surgery didn't really improve vision for most patients, and only some had successful fixes to their retinal problems.
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Empathetic engagement is considered a vital component in forming respect-based relationships between patients and clinicians, leading to more optimal patient care. The purpose of this study was to explore whether there was a relationship between dental hygiene students' levels of empathy and student demographics including age, gender, year in school, and the degree type of dental hygiene program attending. This was a cross-sectional observation study conducted among dental hygiene undergraduate students attending three dental hygiene programs in the Midwestern United States.

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To investigate opioid prescription fills following pediatric/adolescent dental procedures in central/southeastern Ohio. This population-based, retrospective cohort study utilized health insurance claims from a pediatric public accountable care organization (???Medicaid???) in central/southeastern Ohio. Patients aged 18 years and younger who had a dental procedure between January 2012 and February 2019 were identified, and claims were searched for opioid prescription fills within 14 days post-procedure.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the environmental impact of travel and anesthetic gas emissions associated with treating early childhood caries at a single institution. Outpatient preventive, treatment, and modeled general anesthesia (GA) cases in children 71 months old and younger were included in this retrospective chart review. The main outcomes were kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (kgCO₂e) for travel- and anesthetic gas-related emissions.

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The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived value of clinical photographs for traumatic dental injuries (TDIs). A survey was sent to members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). The survey collected respondents' responses to case-based questions with and without photographs, and opinions about the value of photography for TDI.

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