TUScholarShareThe TUScholarShare digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material.http://scholarshare.temple.edu:802024-03-28T14:58:39Z2024-03-28T14:58:39ZInsertion Mechanics of Curved and Bent Needles with Conical Tip in Soft Tissuehttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/99942024-03-27T12:28:33Z2024-02-21T00:00:00ZInsertion Mechanics of Curved and Bent Needles with Conical Tip in Soft Tissue
Poster presented at Temple University's 2024 Engineers Week Graduate Research Poster Competition in the College of Engineering in Philadelphia, PA.
2024-02-21T00:00:00ZNerve transfer for restoration of lower motor neuron-lesioned bladder, urethral and anal sphincter function. Part 4: Effectiveness of the motor reinnervationhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/99932024-03-26T12:26:27Z2024-03-01T00:00:00ZNerve transfer for restoration of lower motor neuron-lesioned bladder, urethral and anal sphincter function. Part 4: Effectiveness of the motor reinnervation
The original design and necessary modifications of the project plan are as described in part 1 of this series (26). The current study is part 4 of a series reports and results from 30 animals with three main groups (Fig. 1A). The ObNT-ScNT Reinn group consisted of 8 dogs that were in the study a total of 22 months (22 ± 0.4 mo, mean ± SEM, Fig. 1B). At study onset, these ObNT-ScNT Reinn animals functionally decentralized by bilaterally transecting the dorsal roots of L7, all spinal roots caudal to L7, and the hypogastric nerves, followed by a 9-13 mo recovery period (10.4 ± 0.7 mo, Fig. 1C), then reinnervation by transfer of the obturator nerve to the vesical branch of the pelvic nerve, as well as a branch of the sciatic nerve to the pudendal nerve, that was then followed by an additional 8-12 mo recovery (11.9 ± 0.4 mo, Fig. 1C). The Decentralized group consisted of 4 animals that underwent similar decentralization followed by an 11-21 mo recovery (18 ± 2.5 mo, Fig. 1B), but no reinnervation surgeries. Controls consists of 7 sham-operated and 11 unoperated animals (18 total; Fig. 1A).
The original design and necessary modifications of the project plan are as described in part 1 of this series (26). The current study is part 4 of a series reports and results from 30 animals with three main groups (Fig. 1A). The ObNT-ScNT Reinn group consisted of 8 dogs that were in the study a total of 22 months (22 ± 0.4 mo, mean ± SEM, Fig. 1B). At study onset, these ObNT-ScNT Reinn animals functionally decentralized by bilaterally transecting the dorsal roots of L7, all spinal roots caudal to L7, and the hypogastric nerves, followed by a 9-13 mo recovery period (10.4 ± 0.7 mo, Fig. 1C), then reinnervation by transfer of the obturator nerve to the vesical branch of the pelvic nerve, as well as a branch of the sciatic nerve to the pudendal nerve, that was then followed by an additional 8-12 mo recovery (11.9 ± 0.4 mo, Fig. 1C). The Decentralized group consisted of 4 animals that underwent similar decentralization followed by an 11-21 mo recovery (18 ± 2.5 mo, Fig. 1B), but no reinnervation surgeries. Controls consists of 7 sham-operated and 11 unoperated animals (18 total; Fig. 1A).
There is some overlap with the pilot study (22) and part 2 (25) of this series. Specifically, we included squat-and-void posture data from 3 ObNT-ScNT Reinn animals, 1 Decentralized animal, and 8 Control animals (5 sham-operated and 3 sham-unoperated) from the small pilot study, and in vivo electrophysiology data for peripheral nerve-evoked bladder, urethra and anal sphincter contractility from 3 ObNT-ScNT Reinn animals from the pilot study (22). We also included the in vivo peripheral nerve-evoked bladder contractility graph from Part 2 of this series (25) for comparison purposes to new additional data.
Unique to this manuscript are: 1) data from 18 additional animals, 2) report of defecation postures; 3) segmental spinal root/cord-evoked bladder, urethra and anal sphincter contractility data from all animals from L2-S3 to more closely match reports that spinal cord input to the obturator nerve is nearer to L3-L6 (20, 27-29); 4) peripheral nerve-evoked urethra and anal sphincter contractility data from the Decentralized and Control animals, and 5 additional ObNT-ScNT Reinn animals; 5) retrograde dye labeling data in the spinal cord ventral horn segments from L2-S3 after dye injections into the bladder and urethra sphincter; 6) Rexed laminar location of these labeled neurons in the spinal cord; and 7) correlations between these various outcomes. Because of the inclusion of the urethral and anal sphincter data, we renamed the reinnervated group to ObNT-ScNT Reinn (different from prior studies in which we focused on the obturator nerve transfer to the pelvic nerve results, and thus named the reinnervated group as “ObNT-Reinn”).
2024-03-01T00:00:00ZIn vivo spectroscopic evaluation of human tissue optical properties and hemodynamics during HPPH-mediated photodynamic therapy of pleural malignancieshttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/99922024-03-19T14:17:41Z2022-10-31T00:00:00ZIn vivo spectroscopic evaluation of human tissue optical properties and hemodynamics during HPPH-mediated photodynamic therapy of pleural malignancies
Significance: Dosimetry for photodynamic therapy is dependent on multiple parameters. Critically, in vivo tissue optical properties and hemodynamics must be determined carefully to calculate the total delivered light dose. Aim: Spectroscopic analysis of diffuse reflectance measurements of tissues taken during a clinical trial of 2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a-mediated photodynamic therapy for pleural malignancies. Approach: Diffuse reflectance measurements were taken immediately before and after photodynamic therapy. Measurements were analyzed with a nonlinearly constrained multiwavelength, multi-distance algorithm to extract tissue optical properties, tissue oxygen saturation, StO2, and total hemoglobin concentration (THC). Results: A total of 25 patients were measured, 23 of which produced reliable fits for optical property extraction. For all tissue types, StO2 ranged through [24, 100]% and [22, 97]% for pre-photodynamic therapy (PDT) and post-PDT conditions, respectively. Mean THC ranged through [ 69,152 ] μM and [ 48,111 ] μM, for pre-PDT and post-PDT, respectively. Absorption coefficients, μa, ranged through [ 0.024 , 3.5 ] cm − 1 and [ 0.039 , 3 ] cm − 1 for pre-PDT and post-PDT conditions, respectively. Reduced scattering coefficients, μ′s, ranged through [ 1.4 , 73.4 ] cm − 1 and [ 1.2 , 64 ] cm − 1 for pre-PDT and post-PDT conditions, respectively. Conclusions: There were similar pre- and post-PDT tissue optical properties and hemodynamics. The high variability in each parameter for all tissue types emphasizes the importance of these measurements for accurate PDT dosimetry.
2022-10-31T00:00:00ZThe unseen epidemic: trauma and loneliness in urban midlife womenhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/99882024-03-19T14:17:13Z2022-10-27T00:00:00ZThe unseen epidemic: trauma and loneliness in urban midlife women
Background: Connectedness and attachment are vital parts of humanity. Loneliness, a state of distress in reaction to perceived detachment and isolation, is reported by over one-third of U.S. adults and is associated with numerous physical and mental health consequences. What contributes to loneliness, especially in women and minority populations, is poorly understood, but this population is also at greater risk for abuse and trauma. Our study aimed to further understand loneliness in urban midlife women and to explore the relationship that may exist with trauma(s). Methods: To identify primacies for mental health care, female midlife participants (N=50) of a long-standing urban community-based cohort focused on health improvement completed a one-time audiotaped interview with both quantitative assessments and a qualitative interview. Loneliness was assessed by the UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale. Using semi-structured interviews, open-ended questions facilitated a discussion regarding mental health needs and experiences. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed following a grounded theory methodology. Themes around loneliness and trauma emerged. The transcripts were coded using the same methodology and coders as the individual interviews. Twenty women participated in two optional focus groups. Results: Participants had a mean age of 50, with the majority identifying as Black/African American (N=37) and unemployed (N=33). Three themes emerged regarding perceived causes of loneliness: trauma, the burden of responsibilities for others, and secondary to unhealthy relationships. Loneliness associated with trauma will be explored here; other themes are beyond the scope of this paper and will be discussed in subsequent analyses. Quantitative results suggest that physical abuse (loneliness scores 5.4 vs. 4.0, p=0.003), as well as emotional abuse and neglect (loneliness scores 5.6 vs. 4.4, p=0.01), were associated with greater loneliness. Conclusion: In urban midlife low-income women, lifetime physical abuse and emotional abuse/neglect are associated with increased feelings of loneliness. Qualitative data provide insight into how participants viewed their traumatic histories, ways in which the trauma has ongoing influence, and how they experience loneliness. Though further investigation is needed, trauma-informed approaches should be considered in both primary care and mental health settings with a focus on mitigating loneliness and providing appropriate support and trauma treatment.
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