University of Alabama at Birmingham

3D assessment of the marginal and internal gap and fracture load of ceramic surveyed inlays designed for removable partial denture support: An in vitro comparative study

PURPOSE: To assess the internal and marginal gaps and the fracture load of different machinable ceramics for an inlay acting as a support for a removable partial denture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty extracted human teeth (first maxillary premolar) were collected (n = 10 for each...

Time-dependent divergence in infection risks among patients with multiple sclerosis treated with fumarates versus anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies have an elevated infection risk, yet long-term comparative data with oral fumarates are limited. Objective: To compare infection incidence, healthcare resource utilization, and relapse...

Gender disparities among general surgery residents’ ACGME case logs develop over the course of training

Abstract Background Gender disparities in operative autonomy and case volume persist in general surgery residency training. Compared to their male counterparts, female trainees graduate with lower ACGME case log totals and perceive lower intraoperative autonomy. While prior studi...

Visual Field Progression Rate and Laminar Depth and Curvature in the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES)

Abstract P urpose To determine if lamina cribrosa (LC) depth and curvature predict visual field (VF) progression rate in the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES) cohort in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). S ubjects Participants, and/or Controls....

Encapsulation of AAVs into Protein Vault Nanoparticles as a Novel Solution to Gene Therapy’s Neutralizing Antibody Problem

Abstract Although adeno-associated virus (AAV) has enjoyed enormous success as a delivery modality for gene therapy, it suffers from high prevalence of preexisting neutralizing antibodies in human populations, limiting who can receive potentially life-saving treatments. As a nove...

Discontinuous Peripheral Punctate Echogenic Foci in Thyroid Nodules: A New Sonographic Pattern Suggestive of Papillary Carcinoma

Background: Ultrasound risk stratification systems for thyroid nodules worldwide describe different types of echogenic foci, including punctate echogenic foci (microcalcifications), coarse internal calcifications, and peripheral (rim) calcifications (complete or incomplete), with...

Screening for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Mothers of Premature Infants

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to outline a quality-improvement initiative designed to improve screening for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among parents with preterm infants born less than 30 weeks of gestation into the neonatal ICU (NICU). BACKGROUND: Parents of...

Factors Associated with Trust and Likelihood of Participation in Pandemic-Related Clinical Trials Among Blacks in the U.S. Deep South

Recruitment for clinical trials among Black populations in the U.S. Deep South is challenging due to general distrust of medical research. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this phenomenon at a time when distrust of the medical community was high. This study evaluated the likelih...

Osteoporotic fracture, diagnostic activity, and treatment in patients with gout

BACKGROUND: Patients with gout may be at high risk for developing osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, but osteoporosis may be under-recognized and inadequately managed for patients with gout. We aimed to describe osteoporotic fractures and diagnosis, DXA utilization, and bon...

Natural Killer Cell Phenotypic Changes and Activating Receptor Loss Posttrauma

BACKGROUND: Trauma induces significant physiological changes that can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. Many of these changes alter immune homeostasis, which underlies seemingly disparate syndromes of systemic inflammation and global immune suppression, the causes of w...

Residential Context and Survival Disparities in Black and White Women With Ovarian Cancer

Importance: Black women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) have significantly worse survival than White women. How residential context contributes to these disparities is unclear. Objective: To examine whether there is an association of residential context with racial dispariti...

Navigating intraoperative hypotension: rethinking traditional management for improved patient outcomes

Intraoperative hemodynamic instability and hypotension commonly occur in anesthetized patients and are associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. A growing body of evidence establishes a strong correlation between intraoperative hypotension (IOH) and adverse events su...

Early calcium replacement after minimal blood transfusion is associated with adverse outcomes

PURPOSE: Calcium disturbances are common in patients with traumatic injuries, exacerbated by shock and blood product resuscitation. Recently, empiric calcium supplementation has been recommended with the first unit of blood transfusion, despite a lack of data supporting this prac...

Beyond Digital Access: Domains and Breadths of Everyday Digital Technology Engagement and Associations with Cognition Among Older Adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study identified latent domains and usage-breadth patterns of everyday digital technology (EDT) engagement among older adults and examined their concurrent and prospective associations with cognition. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The analytic sampl...

Surgical Management of Young Women with High-Risk Breast Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy on the I-SPY2 Trial

BACKGROUND: Mastectomy rates in women with breast cancer are higher in younger women than in older women. The impact of this more extensive surgery on overall survival (OS) and locoregional recurrence in younger women is unknown, especially after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST...

Primary ACL Repair and Reconstruction in Isolated ACL Ruptures: Forgotten Joint Scores and the Association Between Residual Laxity and Joint Awareness

Background: Primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair has recently reemerged as a treatment option for carefully selected proximal ACL tears. However, evidence regarding patient-reported joint awareness and the relationship between postoperative laxity and joint awareness r...

Metabolic Blockade of Glycolysis Diminishes Autoreactive CD4 T-Cell Effector Responses in Type 1 Diabetes

Proinflammatory T helper 1 (Th1) CD4 T cells orchestrate β-cell destruction in type 1 diabetes (T1D) by using glycolysis for effector responses. By targeting T-cell metabolism, we may identify novel mechanisms and therapies to effectively delay T cell–mediated autoimmune diseases...

Reflection Activity After Patient Death to Reduce Anxiety in Intensive Care Nurses

BACKGROUND: Many nurses, particularly those working in intensive care units, experience anxiety and burnout as a result of caring for patients with complex conditions and high mortality rates. This situation often leads to employee dissatisfaction and high turnover. LOCAL PROBLEM...

The current state of Spanish language resources for patients in Alabama with rare genetic disease: qualitative expert stakeholder interviews

BACKGROUND: Patients with a rare genetic disease face unmet needs deepened by the traditional American healthcare system. Social, educational, and financial support resources help address some of these challenges; however, for patients who are Spanish speaking, the language barri...