1,217 results match your criteria: "UMass-Memorial Medical Center[Affiliation]"

The SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic presented unprecedented challenges as communities attempted to respond to the administration of a novel vaccine that faced cold chain logistical requirements and vaccine hesitancy among many, as well as complicated phased rollout plans that changed frequently as availability of the vaccine waxed and waned. The COVID-19 pandemic also disproportionately affected communities of color and communities with barriers to accessing healthcare. In the setting of these difficulties, a program was created specifically to address inequity in vaccine administration with a focus on communities of color and linguistic diversity as well as those who had technological barriers to online sign-up processes common at mass vaccination sites.

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Physical activity is a modifiable lifestyle factor that is associated with a decreased risk for the development of breast cancer. While the exact mechanisms for the reduction in cancer risk due to physical activity are largely unknown, it is postulated that the biological reduction in cancer risk is driven by improvements in inflammation and immune function with exercise. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the progenitor for all of the cells of the immune system and are involved in cancer immunosurveillance through differentiation into cytotoxic cell population.

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Background: Expert consensus recommends prescription opioid safety counseling be provided when prescribing an opioid. This may be especially important for youth with preexistent alcohol and other drug (AOD) use who are at higher risk of developing opioid use disorder. This study examined the frequency that adolescent trauma patients prescribed opioids at hospital discharge received counseling and if this differed by adolescents' AOD use.

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Leveraging Differences in AI and Human "Vision" to Improve Breast Cancer Detection.

Radiology

October 2023

From the Department of Radiology, UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Ave N, Worcester, MA 01655.

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Evaluation of pentamidine tolerability and efficacy between phenotypes.

Pharmacogenomics

October 2023

Specialty Pharmacy Services, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC 28204, USA.

Intravenous pentamidine is used for prophylaxis against pneumonia, an infection seen in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Pentamidine is partially metabolized by , which is vulnerable to pharmacogenetic variation. This retrospective study evaluated allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients who received intravenous pentamidine as pneumonia prophylaxis.

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Automated analysis of the total choline resonance peak in breast proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

NMR Biomed

February 2024

Division of General and Pediatric Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

The aim of the current study was to compare the performance of fully automated software with human expert interpretation of single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) spectra in the assessment of breast lesions. Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (including contrast-enhanced T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and diffusion-weighted imaging) and 1H-MRS images of 74 consecutive patients were acquired on a 3-T positron emission tomography-MRI scanner then automatically imported into and analyzed by SpecTec-ULR 1.1 software (LifeTec Solutions GmbH).

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Clinico-Radio-Pathologic Correlation of Leukostasis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia with FLT3 Mutation.

Acta Haematol

May 2024

Deptartment of Medicine - Hematology/Oncology, UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.

Article Synopsis
  • Acute hematologic emergencies, particularly leukostasis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), significantly increase mortality rates due to complications like pulmonary and neurological issues.
  • High levels of myeloid blasts in the blood can lead to rapid clinical decline before a proper diagnosis is established.
  • This report reviews the relationship between clinical, radiological, and pathological findings in a specific AML patient, while discussing current treatment options, including FLT3 inhibitors like quizartinib.
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"We Don't Want to Screen for the Sake of Screening": A Qualitative Evaluation of a Social Needs Screening and Referral Intervention in the NICU.

J Perinat Neonatal Nurs

July 2024

Author Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Cordova-Ramos and Ms Burke); Department of Medicine, Evans Center for Implementation and Improvement Sciences (Drs Cordova-Ramos and Drainoni), Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (Mss Sileo, McGean, and Mantri); Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, New York (Dr Torrice); Department of Pediatrics, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts (Dr Parker); Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Drainoni); and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Drainoni).

Background: Low uptake of social determinants of health (SDH) screening and referral interventions within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is partly due to limited understanding of the best procedures to integrate this practice into routine clinical workflows.

Purpose: To examine the feasibility and acceptability of an SDH screening and referral intervention in the NICU from the perspective of neonatal nurses; and to identify factors affecting implementation outcomes.

Methods: We conducted 25 semistructured interviews with NICU nurses.

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Introduction: Resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) is a high-acuity low occurrence (HALO) procedure with which general surgical resident (GSR) experience and confidence are unknown. We sought to identify and describe this educational gap by conducting a targeted needs assessment for an RT curriculum for GSRs.

Methods: An online regional needs assessment survey was conducted for an RT curriculum for GSRs.

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Background: Anticoagulants including direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are among the highest-risk medications in the United States. We postulated that routine consultation and follow-up from a clinical pharmacist would reduce clinically important medication errors (CIMEs) among patients beginning or resuming a DOAC in the ambulatory care setting.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention for reducing CIMEs.

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Harnessing autologous immune effector mechanisms in acute myeloid leukemia: 2023 update of trials and tribulations.

Leuk Res

November 2023

Dept. of Medicine - Division of Hematology/Oncology, UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA; Center for Clinical and Translational Science, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address:

Numerous recent advances have been made in therapeutic approaches toward acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Since 2017, we have seen eleven novel Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for AML, all of which extend beyond the classical cytarabine-based cytostatic chemotherapy. In the recent two decades, the role of immune surveillance in AML has been intensively investigated.

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Vascular leiomyoma of the thigh: Classic presentation of a rare tumor with imaging and pathology correlation.

Radiol Case Rep

November 2023

Department of Radiology, Umass Chan Medical School, Umass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake Ave North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.

We report a case of a vascular leiomyoma arising from the superficial femoral artery presenting as a non-painful thigh mass in a 55-year-old woman. Leiomyomas typically arise from the uterus and gastrointestinal tract, and rarely arise from vessels. We present this case to emphasize that although extremity leiomyomas are rare, they should be considered if there is a soft tissue mass abutting a vessel.

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Multicenter phase II trial of transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: preliminary results.

Surg Endosc

December 2023

Department of Colorectal Surgery, Ellen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL, USA.

Background: Transanal TME (taTME) combines abdominal and transanal dissection to facilitate sphincter preservation in patients with low rectal tumors. Few phase II/III trials report long-term oncologic and functional results. We report early results from a North American prospective multicenter phase II trial of taTME (NCT03144765).

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Many women with bipolar disorder experience episodes of illness or relapses over the perinatal period, especially in the immediate postpartum period. Risks associated with treated/untreated psychopathologies and fetal exposure to bipolar medications make the management of bipolar disorder during these periods challenging for clinicians and patients. In light of the available effectiveness and reproductive safety data, the current clinical update based on the opinions of a group of international perinatal psychiatry authors recommends general considerations and specific management strategies for each possible clinical scenario, including mixed features, predominant polarity, diagnosis of subtypes of bipolar disorder, severity of previous episodes, and risk of recurrence of mood episodes.

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The shifting therapeutic paradigm for relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma.

Leuk Res

November 2023

Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA; Dept. of Medicine - Division of Hematology/Oncology, UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • * There is no clear consensus on how to manage relapsed/refractory (R/R) MCL due to a lack of direct comparisons between new treatments, making it hard to draw conclusions based on existing studies.
  • * The review highlights recent advancements, such as the approval of the BTK inhibitor pirtobrutinib and the potential for CAR-T therapy, while also discussing recommendations for treatment based on the latest clinical evidence.
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Article Synopsis
  • Physical activity (PA) is essential for the long-term health and weight management of patients after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), but the exact roles of exercise professionals in these settings are unclear.
  • A study identified that exercise physiologists are primarily involved in PA programming in the U.S., while physiotherapists and other professionals participate internationally, focusing on tasks like exercise supervision and fitness testing.
  • Seven key areas of responsibility for exercise professionals were defined, emphasizing the need for clear PA guidelines and the integration of exercise into MBS programs as part of multidisciplinary care.
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Experimental drugs for the prevention or treatment of sensorineural hearing loss.

Expert Opin Investig Drugs

November 2023

Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.

Introduction: Sensorineural hearing loss results in irreversible loss of inner ear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons. Reduced sound detection and speech discrimination can span all ages, and sensorineural hearing rehabilitation is limited to amplification with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Recent insights into experimental drug treatments for inner ear regeneration and otoprotection have paved the way for clinical trials in order to restore a more physiological hearing experience.

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Recurrent Giant Cell Tumor of Bone with New Pulmonary Metastases 9 Years After En Bloc Distal Radius Resection: A Case Report.

JBJS Case Connect

July 2023

Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Case: A 31-year-old man with a history of giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) in the distal radius presents to clinic 9 years after en bloc distal radius resection. He was found to have a new soft tissue mass consistent with GCTB and new pulmonary metastases. Ultimately, he underwent excision of his soft tissue recurrence and partial lobectomy for his lung metastases.

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In children and adults, chronic cough is a common symptom presenting to health professionals worldwide. It is internationally accepted that children with chronic cough should be managed with pediatric specific management guidelines. The newly proposed clinical entity of 'cough hypersensitivity syndrome' has gained significant attention in adult literature.

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Background: Malignant small bowel obstruction has a poor prognosis and is associated with multiple related symptoms. The optimal treatment approach is often unclear. We aimed to compare surgical versus non-surgical management with the aim to determine the optimal approach for managing malignant bowel obstruction.

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Background: Extended infusion cefepime (1 gram every 6 hours administered over 3 hours) achieves pharmacodynamic efficacy against bacteria with a MIC of ≤8 mg/L in Monte Carlo simulations. This regimen has not been evaluated in clinical practice.

Objective: Compare clinical and economic outcomes for cefepime by intermittent infusion and by extended infusion in the acute-care setting.

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Challenges and solutions to superior chimeric antigen receptor-T design and deployment for B-cell lymphomas.

Br J Haematol

October 2023

Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.

Article Synopsis
  • CAR-T therapies are a groundbreaking cancer treatment that uses a patient's own immune cells, showing significant effectiveness against relapsed B-cell lymphomas.
  • Despite their success, there is ongoing debate about their role in treatment plans due to limited guidelines and competition from other therapies like targeted agents and stem cell transplants.
  • The review discusses challenges like antigen escape and CAR-T exhaustion, while suggesting solutions like improved manufacturing processes and early treatment deployment, especially with new bispecific antibodies recently approved by the FDA.
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Factors Affecting Psychosocial Adjustment in Persons With a Recent Ostomy.

J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs

November 2023

Jeffrey E. Doucette, PhD, RN, CWOCN, Senior WOC Nurse, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of personal and clinical factors on psychosocial adjustment in persons living with an ostomy for less than 1 year.

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Subjects And Setting: The study sample comprised 183 adult individuals who had a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy for less than 1 year, residing in the Northeastern United States.

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Objectives: To report the results of a rigorous quality control (QC) process in the grading of total mesorectal excision (TME) specimens during a multicenter prospective phase 2 trial of transanal TME.

Background: Grading of TME specimens is based on the macroscopic assessment of the mesorectum and standardized through synoptic pathology reporting. TME grade is a strong predictor of outcomes with incomplete (IC) TME associated with increased rates of local recurrence relative to complete or near complete (NC) TME.

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