172 results match your criteria: "UConn School of Medicine[Affiliation]"

Access to allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) remains inadequate despite its curative potential across hematologic malignancies. In 2015, Hartford HealthCare (HHC) and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) established the Shared Care Model (SCM) with a primary aim of enhancing SCT access for HHC patients. The SCM comprises several components: an SCT-dedicated nurse-navigator, a health-information exchange for record sharing, telemedicine, and ongoing training of HHC clinicians in transplant patient selection and management.

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Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are complex, multifactorial conditions that require personalized assessment and treatment. Advancements in multi-omics technologies, namely RNA sequencing and whole-genome sequencing, have provided translational researchers with a comprehensive view of the human genome. The efficient synthesis and analysis of this data through integrated approach that characterizes genetic variants alongside expression patterns linked to emerging phenotypes, can reveal novel biomarkers and enable the segmentation of patient populations based on personalized risk factors.

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Long bone injuries heal through either endochondral or intramembranous bone formation pathways. Unlike the endochondral pathway that requires a cartilage template, the process of intramembranous ossification involves the direct conversion of skeletal stem and progenitor cells (SSPCs) into bone-forming osteoblasts. There are limited surgical methods to model this process in experimental mice.

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On-time receipt of pneumococcal vaccines is essential in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as immunosuppressive medications increase their risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). However, data regarding the impact of timely administration of these vaccines on the risk of developing IPD are lacking for RA patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the impact of on-time vaccination for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) 13 and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) 23 in patients treated for RA on the development of IPD using national Veterans Affairs data from 2010 to 2018.

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Introduction: End-of-rotation assessments (ERAs) completed by clinical faculty supervising medical students are an important component of medical student performance during clinical rotations. The quality and quantity of the formative and/or summative comments provided by faculty to students on ERAs vary. The goal of this study was to better understand the experiences, limitations, and barriers that may affect faculty at a single institution and its affiliated sites when completing this assessment.

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The end of treatment (EOT) is a significant time point along the childhood cancer treatment-survivorship continuum, and is recognized as a time when childhood cancer survivors (CCS) and their families experience significant vulnerability and stress. There is a call by families and healthcare professionals alike for standardized, comprehensive EOT services to successfully navigate through this transition period and better cope with posttreatment medical, physical, and social-emotional issues. A multidisciplinary team of pediatric oncology health care professionals developed and implemented a two-session psychoeducational program to address these EOT needs.

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Objective: The pediatric neurosurgical community has increasingly recognized the importance of healthcare transition, the process of moving a patient from a pediatric to an adult model of care. However, surveys of pediatric neurosurgeons have revealed that few institutions have formal transition programs. Here, the authors share their preliminary experience with the development of a formal transition pilot program for patients with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus.

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The publication of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute's guideline H62 has provided the flow cytometry community with much-needed guidance on development and validation of flow cytometric assays (CLSI, 2021). It has also paved the way for additional exploration of certain topics requiring additional guidance. Flow cytometric analysis of rare matrices, or unique and/or less frequently encountered specimen types, is one such topic and is the focus of this manuscript.

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Exosome-associated mitochondrial DNA in late-life depression: Implications for cognitive decline in older adults.

J Affect Disord

October 2024

Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Background: Disrupted cellular communication, inflammatory responses and mitochondrial dysfunction are consistently observed in late-life depression (LLD). Exosomes (EXs) mediate cellular communication by transporting molecules, including mitochondrial DNA (EX-mtDNA), playing critical role in immunoregulation alongside tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Changes in EX-mtDNA are indicators of impaired mitochondrial function and might increase vulnerability to adverse health outcomes.

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Background: The global resurgence of syphilis necessitates vaccine development.

Methods: We collected ulcer exudates and blood from 17 participants with primary syphilis (PS) and skin biopsies and blood from 51 patients with secondary syphilis (SS) in Guangzhou, China, for Treponema pallidum subsp pallidum (TPA) quantitative polymerase chain reaction, whole genome sequencing (WGS), and isolation of TPA in rabbits.

Results: TPA DNA was detected in 15 of 17 ulcer exudates and 3 of 17 blood PS specimens.

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Peril and Promise: Teens, Tech, and America's Mental Health Crisis.

Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am

July 2024

Natchaug Hospital, Hartford Healthcare, Mansfield Center, 89 Storrs Road, Mansfield, CT 06250-0260, USA; Department of Psychiatry, UConn School of Medicine, Farmington, USA.

Advances in Internet technologies have implications for the health and development of children and adolescents with potential for both beneficial and harmful outcomes. Similar technological advances also impact how psychiatrists deliver mental health care in clinical settings. Internet tech adds complexities to psychiatric practice in the form of electronic health records, patient portals, and virtual patient contact, which clinicians must understand and successfully incorporate into practice.

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Elevated senescence-associated secretory phenotype index in late-life bipolar disorder.

J Affect Disord

September 2024

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Background: The senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is a biomarker index based on the profile of 22 blood proteins associated with cellular senescence. The SASP index has not been assessed in older patients with bipolar disorder (BD). We hypothesized that older adults with BD will have elevated cellular senescence burden as measured by the SASP index.

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Comorbidities, healthcare use, and contact with healthcare transition services in older veterans after incarceration.

J Am Geriatr Soc

June 2024

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.

Background: The Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV) program was established to support community reintegration for veterans after incarceration. Yet, it is unclear how those with and without HCRV contact differ. We sought to evaluate differences in medical and psychiatric conditions and healthcare utilization among mid-to late-life reentry veterans who did and did not receive HCRV outreach.

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The rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has led to increased efforts to support individuals with ASD across numerous aspects of life, including driving. While obtaining a driver's license substantially impacts quality of life and independence, it also creates distinct challenges for those with ASD. Challenges surrounding social communication, executive functioning, and sensory sensitivities are particularly evident when considering interactions between drivers with ASD and law enforcement personnel.

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Plasma proteins and persistent postsurgical pelvic pain among adolescents and young adults with endometriosis.

Am J Obstet Gynecol

August 2024

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Boston Center for Endometriosis, Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.

Background: Noninvasive biomarkers that predict surgical treatment response would inform personalized treatments and provide insight into potential biologic pathways underlying endometriosis-associated pain and symptom progression.

Objective: To use plasma proteins in relation to the persistence of pelvic pain following laparoscopic surgery in predominantly adolescents and young adults with endometriosis using a multiplex aptamer-based proteomics biomarker discovery platform.

Study Design: We conducted a prospective analysis including 142 participants with laparoscopically-confirmed endometriosis from the Women's Health Study: From Adolescence to Adulthood observational longitudinal cohort with study enrollment from 2012-2018.

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Recent evidence indicates that alcohol and other substance co-use, compared to alcohol-only use, might be more closely associated with negative reinforcement processes, and thus more likely during periods of increased stress. The present study examined this possibility by using data from an intensive longitudinal (daily) study of college student drinkers ( = 1461, 54% women). We also examined individual differences in coping and enhancement drinking motives as predictors of alcohol and other substance co-use.

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The Association Between Personal Air Pollution Exposures and Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO): A Systematic Review.

Curr Environ Health Rep

June 2024

Department of Public Health Sciences, UConn School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT, 06030-6325, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Airway inflammation is a common biological response to many types of environmental exposures and can lead to increased nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in exhaled breath. In recent years, several studies have evaluated airway inflammation using fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) as a biomarker of exposures to a range of air pollutants. This systematic review aims to summarize the studies that collected personal-level air pollution data to assess the air pollution-induced FeNO responses and to determine if utilizing personal-level data resulted in an improved characterization of the relationship between air pollution exposures and FeNO compared to using only ambient air pollution exposure data.

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Implementation of type 1 diabetes genetic risk screening in children in diverse communities: the Virginia PrIMeD project.

Genome Med

February 2024

Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, 1300 Jefferson Park Avenue, 3182 West Complex, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA.

Background: Population screening for risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) has been proposed to identify those with islet autoimmunity (presence of islet autoantibodies). As islet autoantibodies can be transient, screening with a genetic risk score has been proposed as an entry into autoantibody testing.

Methods: Children were recruited from eight general pediatric and specialty clinics across Virginia with diverse community settings.

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Sex differences in plasma proteomic markers in late-life depression.

Psychiatry Res

April 2024

UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT USA; Department of Psychiatry, UConn School of Medicine, Farmington, CT USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Previous studies indicated notable sex-specific differences in major depressive disorder (MDD), but limited research has been done on older adults, particularly regarding late-life depression (LLD).
  • This study analyzed biological differences in a substantial group of older adults (ages 60-85) by measuring 344 plasma proteins in 430 individuals with LLD and 140 healthy comparisons, revealing unique protein expressions for each sex.
  • Results showed that while females had proteins mostly linked to immune control, males demonstrated dysregulation across various biological pathways, highlighting the need for sex-specific treatment approaches for LLD.
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Environmental Injustice and Electronic Waste in Ghana: Challenges and Recommendations.

Int J Environ Res Public Health

December 2023

Department of International Development, Presbyterian University, Akropong-Akuapem P.O. Box 393, Ghana.

Electronic waste (e-waste) or discarded electronic devices that are unwanted, not working, or have reached their end of life pose significant threats to human and environmental health. This is a major concern in Africa, where the majority of e-waste is discarded. In the year 2021, an estimated 57.

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Increased childhood cancer survival rates have spurred a new body of research pertaining to the cancer-survivorship continuum. Literature suggests a lack of research and guidelines for care at the end of treatment (EOT). To improve the transition to survivorship and determine any posttreatment challenges, this study explored the experiences of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs), parents/caregivers, and pediatric oncology health care professionals (HCPs) at EOT.

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Introduction: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is a leading cause of death. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are at risk of IPD due to immunosuppressant medications. Up until 2022, two pneumococcal vaccines, the 13-valent Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), were recommended.

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