Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Ophthalmol Glaucoma 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Electronic address:

Purpose: This study describes characteristics of intraocular pressure (IOP) as measured during home tonometry in comparison to in-clinic tonometry in patients with glaucoma.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study of glaucoma patients who completed one-week of self-tonometry at a single academic center.

Methods: Patients with glaucoma who completed home tonometry trials with the iCare HOME tonometer for any reason were included. Read More

J Nurs Scholarsh 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Lambda Beta-at-large, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.

Purpose: Secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, self-management behavior, and blood pressure control are important to cardiovascular event prevention and promotion of quality of life (QOL), but they are underutilized. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a self-efficacy theory-based health information technology intervention implemented through blood control and patient self-management.

Design: A clinical randomized waitlist-controlled trial. Read More

J Addict Med 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (KGL, JP, MM, MT, PF, KMK); Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (KS).

Objectives: Varenicline is a partial agonist at the α2β4 and α6β2 nAChR receptors and a full agonist at α7 receptors. Both α7 and α6β2 receptors are implicated in the neural reward circuitry activated by cocaine use. A preliminary clinical trial suggested that varenicline treatment reduced cocaine use. Read More

J Infect Dev Ctries 2021 Mar 31;15(3):428-435. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Unidad de Conocimiento y Evidencia (CONEVID), School of Medicine "Alberto Hurtado", Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.

Introduction: We explore the limitations to adherence of hand-washing and evaluate the impact of a mHealth intervention for hand hygiene in residents.

Methodology: We explore resident's perspectives about Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and hand washing. In baseline, participants completed socio-demographic characteristics and hand-washing habits survey. Read More

EBioMedicine 2021 Mar 30:103306. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy. Electronic address:

Background: Low-level HIV viremia originating from virus reactivation in HIV reservoirs is often present in cART treated individuals and represents a persisting source of immune stimulation associated with sub-optimal recovery of CD4 T cells. The HIV-1 Tat protein is released in the extracellular milieu and activates immune cells and latent HIV, leading to virus production and release. However, the relation of anti-Tat immunity with residual viremia, persistent immune activation and CD4 T-cell dynamics has not yet been defined. Read More

Prev Med 2021 Apr 7:106546. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Wayne State University, Institute of Gerontology, USA; Wayne State University, Department of Economics, USA; University of New Mexico, Department of Sociology, USA; University of California San Diego, Department of Neurosciences and Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, USA; Wayne State University, Department of Healthcare Sciences, USA. Electronic address:

Immigrants have lower and disproportionate use of preventive care. We use longitudinal panel data to examine how the 2014 full implementation of the ACA mandates affected change in preventive services (PS) use among immigrants that gained insurance. We used data on Foreign-Born (FB) and US-Born (USB) adults, ages 26-64 years, from the 2013/16 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey longitudinal files to examine within-person change in yearly utilization of age/sex specific United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended services. Read More

J Health Popul Nutr 2021 Apr 9;40(1):17. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Public Health, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.

Background: Application of advanced body composition measurement methods is not practical in developing countries context due to cost and unavailability of facilities. This study generated ethnic specific body fat percent prediction equation for Ethiopian adults using appropriate data.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried ifrom February to April 2015 among 704 randomly selected adult employees of Jimma University. Read More

BMC Public Health 2021 Apr 9;21(1):696. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.

Background: According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, smoking is one of the leading four risk factors contributing to deaths in China. We aimed to evaluate the associations of smoking with all-cause mortality in a Chinese rural population.

Methods: Male participants over age 45 (n = 5367) from a large familial aggregation study in rural China, were included in the current analyses. Read More

J Neurosurg 2021 Apr 9:1-10. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

1Neurological Intensive Care Unit, Department of Neurology, and.

Objective: Recent guidelines recommend targeting a systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 140 mm Hg in the early management of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The optimal SBP targets for ICH patients after hematoma evacuation (HE) remain unclear. Here, the authors aimed to define the optimal SBP range based on multimodal neuromonitoring data. Read More

Atherosclerosis 2021 Mar 25;324:76-83. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Division of Cardiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan City, Taiwan; Center for Big Data Analytics and Statistics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan City, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Background And Aims: The coprescription of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) with clopidogrel reportedly increases bleeding risk. However, studies have not described such an increase in cases of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We analyzed electronic medical records of patients with discharge records of having undergone DAPT after PCI from a national health insurance claims database for January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2014. Read More

Anesth Analg 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.

Background: Early reports associating SARS-CoV-2 infection with adverse pregnancy outcomes were biased by including only women with severe disease without controls. The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) COVID Registry was created to compare peripartum outcomes and anesthetic utilization in women with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection delivering at institutions with widespread testing.

Methods: Deliveries from 14 U. Read More

Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2021 Mar;52(2):267-273

Department of Health Policy and Management, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Objective: To investigate the potential association between multimorbidity and the handgrip strength of middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: The baseline (2011) and second-round follow-up (2015) data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used. Adults≥40 were selected as the subjects of the study. Read More

J Inherit Metab Dis 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

Introduction: For the last three decades, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Gaucher disease (GD) has been available. We aimed to evaluate the effect of ERT on the pregnancy and obstetric outcome in a unique group of multiparous women with type 1 GD (GD1) who had pregnancies with and without ERT.

Study Design: The Gaucher Unit database (1987-2019) was searched for multiparous women who had pregnancies before and after the institution of ERT. Read More

Front Genet 2021 22;12:637626. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding, School of Agriculture, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Reduced models are equivalent models to the full model that enable reduction in the computational demand for solving the problem, here, mixed model equations for estimating breeding values of selection candidates. Since phenotyped animals provide data to the model, the aim of this study was to reduce animal models to those equations corresponding to phenotyped animals. Non-phenotyped ancestral animals have normally been included in analyses as they facilitate formation of the inverse numerator relationship matrix. Read More

Front Physiol 2021 22;12:641455. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany.

Resting energy expenditure (REE) is determined mainly by fat-free mass (FFM). FFM depends also on daily physical activity. REE normally decreases with increased age due to decreases in FFM and physical activity. Read More

BMC Public Health 2021 Apr 7;21(1):669. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Primary Teacher Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Pula, Pula, Croatia.

Background: Although evidence suggests that functional endurance capacity is the most important component associated with future health, little is known of how it is associated with multiple other physical fitness components. Since various physical fitness aspects do not change the same as functional endurance capacity during childhood, it is necessary to establish possible associations between functional endurance capacity and other physical fitness components in children. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to test the associations between functional endurance capacity with other physical fitness components in 7-14-year-old children, stratified by gender. Read More

Stat Methods Med Res 2021 Apr 7:962280221995986. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Clinical and Public Health Sciences, Social and Scientific Systems, Durham, NC, USA.

The quantile regression model has increasingly become a useful approach for analyzing survival data due to its easy interpretation and flexibility in exploring the dynamic relationship between a time-to-event outcome and the covariates. In this paper, we consider the quantile regression model for survival data with missing censoring indicators. Based on the augmented inverse probability weighting technique, two weighted estimating equations are developed and corresponding easily implemented algorithms are suggested to solve the estimating equations. Read More

Int J Epidemiol 2021 Apr 5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is an endocrine-disrupting pharmaceutical prescribed to pregnant women to prevent pregnancy complications between the 1940s and 1970s. Although DES has been shown in animal studies to have multigenerational effects, only two studies have investigated potential multigenerational effects in humans on preterm birth (PTB), and none on low birthweight (LBW)-major determinants of later life health.

Methods: Nurses' Health Study (NHS) II participants (G1; born 1946-64) reported their mothers' (G0) use of DES while pregnant with them. Read More

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2021 Apr 5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brasil.

Emerging evidence suggests that vicarious racial experiences of discrimination may negatively influence child health. Few studies have focus on childhood asthma symptoms and potential moderators of such relationship.

Methods: We used two population-based cross-sectional studies from the Social Change Allergy and Asthma in Latin America project in Salvador, Brazil. Read More

J Assist Reprod Genet 2021 Apr 5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA.

Purpose: Oocyte donor in vitro fertilization (IVF) represents an ideal model to study the effects of embryo stage on reproductive success, as embryos come from young women with high-quality oocytes. Our study aimed to determine if embryo transfer stage affected outcomes in oocyte donor IVF, including the common scenario where only a limited number of quality embryos are available after culture.

Methods: This retrospective cohort analyzed anonymous vitrified donor oocyte cycles at a single clinic between 2008 and 2015. Read More

Prev Med Rep 2021 Jun 9;22:101348. Epub 2021 Mar 9.

Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

The objective was to examine bidirectional associations of accelerometer estimated sedentary time and physical activity with reported knee symptoms. Participants were 2,034 adults (mean age 45.3 ± 3. Read More

Vaccine 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi, China; Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence Based Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi, China. Electronic address:

Background: Although the efficacy of hepatitis B vaccines among hemodialysis patients has been documented, the long-term persistence of immunogenicity in this population remains largely unknown. We explored the long-term persistence of immunogenicity induced by different hepatitis B vaccine regimens in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: In initial study, we conducted a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-controlled trial among hemodialysis patients in 13 hospitals in Shanxi Province, China. Read More

J Pediatr 2021 Apr 1. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Nephrology. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess prevalence of and factors associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in youth with obesity and elevated blood pressure (BP).

Study Design: Cross-sectional analyses of baseline and follow up visits of 83 youth, 5-21 years, evaluated for overweight/obesity and elevated BP in a multidisciplinary clinic. LVDD was defined according to established adult criteria (LVDD; E/A<1, E/e'>14, or e'/a'<0. Read More

Appetite 2021 Mar 31;163:105238. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are rapidly depleted after distribution. This phenomenon, known as the benefit cycle, is associated with poor nutrition and health outcomes. Proposed interventions targeting the benefit cycle often focus on impulsive decision-making. Read More

Clin Pharmacol Ther 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Center for Translational Medicine, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Negative clinical outcomes after switching from brand to generic antidepressants have raised concerns regarding therapeutic equivalency. This research aims to estimate the prevalence of switching and to identify predictors for generic to brand switching for various antidepressants. This retrospective cohort study utilized data from a 10% random sample of enrollees in the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus claims database from 2007-2015. Read More

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021 Apr;30(4):676-681

Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.

Background: Skin cancer screening is routinely performed for members of melanoma-prone families, but longitudinal studies evaluating the efficacy of surveillance in this high-risk population are lacking.

Methods: We evaluated thickness for first primary melanomas diagnosed in melanoma-prone families (≥2 individuals with melanoma) enrolled in NCT00040352 (NCI familial melanoma study) from 1976 through 2014; enrolled patients received routine skin cancer screening and education about skin self-exams. We used linear and ordinal logistic regression models adjusted for gender and age with a generalized estimating equations approach to report changes in thickness and tumor (T) stage over time, comparing outcomes for NCI cases diagnosed before (pre-study) versus after study participation (prospective) and for NCI cases versus nonfamilial cases [Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 9 registries]. Read More

Sports (Basel) 2021 Mar 16;9(3). Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Department of Physical Therapy-Program in Exercise Science, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA.

The purpose of the current study was to compare the ability of five different methods to estimate eccentric-concentric and concentric-only bench-press 1RM from load-velocity profile data. Smith machine bench-press tests were performed in an eccentric-concentric ( = 192) and a concentric-only manner ( = 176) while mean concentric velocity was registered using a linear position transducer. Load-velocity profiles were derived from incremental submaximal load (40-80% 1RM) tests. Read More

Polymers (Basel) 2021 Mar 12;13(6). Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Key Laboratory of Deep Underground Science and Engineering (Ministry of Education), Department of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.

There have been a few attempts to develop prediction models of splitting tensile strength and reinforcement-concrete bond strength of FAGC (low-calcium fly ash geopolymer concrete), however, no model can be used as a design equation. Therefore, this paper aimed to provide practical prediction models. Using 115 test results for splitting tensile strength and 147 test results for bond strength from experiments and previous literature, considering the effect of size and shape on strength and structural factors on bond strength, this paper developed and verified updated prediction models and the 90% prediction intervals by regression analysis. Read More

J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2021 Mar 12;6(1). Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Laboratory of Neuromechanics, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at Serres, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 62100 Serres, Greece.

Muscle morphology is an important contributor to hamstring muscle injury and malfunction. The aim of this study was to examine if hamstring muscle-tendon lengths differ between various measurement methods as well as if passive length changes differ between individual hamstrings. The lengths of biceps femoris long head (BFlh), semimembranosus (SM), and semitendinosus (ST) of 12 healthy males were determined using three methods: Firstly, by identifying the muscle attachments using ultrasound (US) and then measuring the distance on the skin using a flexible ultrasound tape (TAPE-US). Read More