Recent UMass Chan Publications

Eviction is a significant yet understudied social determinants of health (SDoH), linked to housing instability, unemployment, and mental health. While eviction appears in unstructured electronic health records (EHRs), it is rarely coded in structured fields, limiting downstream applications. We introduce SynthEHR-Eviction, a scalable pipeline that adapts and integrates human-in-the-loop annotation...

HYPOTHESIS/BACKGROUND: Distal humerus fractures (DHFs) in older adults can have significant clinical consequences. Prior mortality estimates are broad and confounded by concomitant injuries. The purpose of this study was to characterize 1- and 2-year mortality after isolated DHFs in older adults and identify predictors of survival, including comorbidity burden, operative status, and preinjury ambu...

CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings indicate that bitter taste receptors act as widely distributed immune-sensing molecules that link environmental stimuli to innate immune responses, providing a broader framework for understanding multisystem immune defense mechanisms.

CONCLUSIONS: We identified salient characteristics that contributed to high trust and treatment adherence among a marginalized population of rural PWIDs. Tailored, flexible approaches and specialized skills are required to engage and retain PWID in rural areas.

CONCLUSIONS: In the FIBRONEER-IPF trial, nerandomilast had no effect on the composite endpoint of time to first acute exacerbation, hospitalization for respiratory cause, or death, but nerandomilast 18 mg bid was associated with a numerically lower risk of death. Nerandomilast had a favorable safety profile, with a low rate of discontinuation due to adverse events.

Lung biopsy has traditionally played a fundamental role in addressing diagnostic uncertainty and guiding management of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (fILD). Multiple lung biopsy procedures are available for evaluation of fILD, including bronchoscopic techniques such as transbronchial biopsy and transbronchial lung cryobiopsy, as well as surgical lung biopsy, which is now almost exclusively co...

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CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted the association between family history, solar insolation, and gender in international patients with bipolar I disorder. Given the profound effects of sunlight on human health, the family of patients with bipolar disorder who live in the same location with the same solar insolation, and especially females, may be at increased risk for a mood disorder.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) from closed-head injuries (CHI) can lead to prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders, including mood disorders and an increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. Inflammasomes are molecular complexes crucial for neuroinflammation and secondary damage after trauma, however their role in mild CHI is poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the c...

The global rise in obesity has become a major health concern, in part due to the easy availability and consumption of high-calorie foods together with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. More than a mere consequence of excess fat accumulation, obesity is now considered a complex health issue involving disrupted balance in how the body manages energy, primarily due to miscommunication between brai...

BACKGROUND: Neuro-related proteins are promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease (PD), yet their specific roles remain uncertain.

Angiography remains the standard imaging modality for evaluating vascular disease and guiding endovascular interventions; however, its limited spatial resolution restricts visualization of vessel wall pathology and therapeutic devices. Over the past decade, intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emerged as a transformative tool in coronary artery disease. OCT provides three-dimension...

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CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide insights into FGM/C-related experiences and attitudes among 1,132 US women from FGM/C-practicing countries, among whom just over half reported having experienced FGM/C. Social and health care services that provide care to potentially affected US women can use this knowledge about women's FGM/C experiences and attitudes to heighten awareness, improve clinical care, ...

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CONCLUSIONS: CR participation among U.S. Veterans remains low, far below that of the Medicare population (10.4% vs 28%), with no significant differences in initiation by sex. However, low socioeconomic status is associated with decreased uptake. Further research is needed to explore innovative, Veteran-specific CR delivery models.

Ureteral injury is an uncommon but clinically significant complication of major vascular surgery, including aortobifemoral bypass, due to the close anatomic relationship between the ureters and the aortoiliac vessels. Delayed diagnosis may lead to urinoma formation, urinary obstruction, infection, and contamination of prosthetic vascular grafts; however, clinical presentation is often nonspecific ...

CONCLUSIONS: Digital finger tapping features, particularly those reflecting ITI variability, are significantly associated with cognitive performance. These findings suggest that finger tapping tasks may serve as noninvasive, scalable tools for assessing cognitive performance. Further research is warranted to validate their use for monitoring cognitive health in aging populations.

CONCLUSION: Pipeline, SVB, and FRED Jr. FDs show similar safety and efficacy for unruptured DACA aneurysms. Complete occlusion is influenced by clinical and procedural factors, supporting individualized device selection.

We aimed to expand understanding of provider/Veteran attitudes about resources and services that would mitigate Veteran homelessness. We analyzed qualitative data from the 2024 Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education, and Networking Groups for Veterans survey. In all, 4,990 respondents completed the survey: 2,928 (59%) homeless program service providers, clinicians, and staff and 2,062 ...

CONCLUSIONS: Family caregiver involvement in perinatal care of women with intellectual disabilities has benefits but can also present challenges for obstetric care clinicians. Clinicians need guidance on how to appropriately manage perinatal care of women with intellectual disabilities.

CONCLUSION: Cross-cultural differences in values about sex and sexuality also appear to be contributing to the higher rates of FSD found among women in MENA/Asia, low-income and middle-income regions found in the present study. Health providers located in these regions need to ensure they are screening for FSD and potentially comorbid issues across all health care settings to ensure they are provi...

CONCLUSION: Revisions of the Serious Illness Conversation Guide emphasizing hope and supporting partnership and alignment were perceived to be inclusive, emotionally safe, and acceptable for a diverse group of patient and caregiver advisors.

CONCLUSIONS: The Avanti PEEK system demonstrates favorable functional outcomes and low complication rates, supporting its safety and efficacy as an alternative to traditional all metallic fixation systems for distal radius fractures. Patients exhibited solid recovery of wrist motion and function with minimal postoperative complications. Additionally, the implant's simplified instrumentation facili...

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides a comprehensive understanding of cellular complexity; however, its requirement for fresh or frozen samples limits its flexibility. To overcome this limitation to effectively leverage clinical samples, Chromium Fixed RNA Profiling on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks (scFFPE-seq) was developed to perform single-nucleus RNA sequenci...

Objectives: Postpartum depression is a major global mental health concern, yet epidemiological evidence from the Baltic region remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms among postpartum women attending postpartum outpatient care in Latvia and identify associated sociodemographic and clinical factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the ou...

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections can lead to neuropsychiatric sequelae in children, yet the mechanisms driving post-infectious brain pathology remain poorly defined. In a mouse disease model, Th17 lymphocytes induce microglial activation, blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, and neural circuit impairment; however, the transcriptional programs underlying these effects, and the specific Th17...

CONCLUSIONS: An in-home mobile integrated health (MIH) transitional care program for frail older adults after hospital discharge was associated with lower 30-day readmission rates. These findings highlight MIH as a promising model to support aging in place and suggest its potential value for adoption within age-friendly health systems.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease known for its heterogeneity in both manifestation and presentation. Recent evidence has increasingly implicated the gut microbiome within immunomodulation and autoimmunity. This study aims to characterize the intestinal inflammation and microbial profile associated with autoimmune diseases, particularly SLE, and to identify unique ...

CONCLUSIONS: OAs, particularly those from racial and ethnic minority groups, remain underrepresented in EA trials across all cancer types, with restrictive eligibility criteria contributing to their underenrollment. Continued efforts are needed to reduce barriers to the enrollment of older adults in clinical trials to ensure representation that reflects the age-related diversity of the cancer popu...