Publications by authors named "V I Pak"

Background: There is a dearth of research inclusive of African American adults living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) despite differences in symptom presentations compared to non-Hispanic White patient populations. Less is known regarding the potential effect of comorbidities, including hypertension, on commonly reported symptoms, such as fatigue, and their association with inflammatory biomarkers.

Objective: This longitudinal pilot study aimed to characterize fatigue symptom presentations among African American adults newly diagnosed with OSA and discern peripheral blood analytes linked to symptoms while accounting for co-occurring hypertension.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Three-dimensional printed models are widely used in the medical field for surgical and interventional planning. In the context of complex cardiovascular defects such as pediatric congenital heart diseases (CHDs), the adoption of 3D printed models could be an effective tool to improve decision-making. In this paper, an investigation was conducted into the characteristics of 3D printed models and their added value in understanding and managing complex pediatric congenital heart disease, also considering the associated cost.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: forms Gram-positive cocci, is part of normal oropharyngeal and gastrointestinal flora, and is rarely involved in endocarditis in children population. Its special nutritional requirements and subacute clinical course may delay diagnosis and proper treatment, leading to life-threatening consequences.

Case Summary: We report a rare case of huge and destructive infective endocarditis (IE) of the aortic valve and the aortic wall in a 3-year-old child, in follow-up after surgical valvuloplasty for congenital aortic stenosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The immune system plays a pivotal role in combating diseases, including cancer, with monocytes emerging as key regulators of immune response dynamics. This article describes a novel strategy for cancer treatment centered on depleting myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), to enhance the overall immune response while simultaneously targeting cancer cells directly. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is an oncofetal protein that plays an important role in delivering nutrients to immature monocytes, embryonic, and cancer cells in a targeted manner.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and periodic limb movements of sleep (PLMS) have been variably implicated in risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but there is lack of consensus on these relationships. We sought to assess subclinical CVD measures and RLS/PLMS in a large cohort to further evaluate these associations. The Emory Center for Health Discovery and Well Being cohort is composed of employed adults, with subclinical CVD measures including endothelial function (flow-mediated vasodilation), microvascular function (reactive hyperemia index, RHI), arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity and augmentation index), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF