Assessing the Knowledge of the Osteopathic Profession in New York City's Eastern European Communities.

Background According to the decennial Osteopathic Survey of Healthcare in America, the osteopathic profession has been steadily gaining recognition in the United States, particularly among the White/Caucasian demographic. This, however, does not take into account immigrant European communities that, while racially classified as White/Caucasian, may be unexposed to osteopathic physicians (DOs) in their home country and may be reticent to osteopathic manipulative medicine. Data on non-English-speaking communities are limited and can mask the need for further outreach. This study aimed to identify literature in osteopathic outreach to minority communities and assess osteopathic awareness in New York City's Eastern European communities. Secondary objectives include characterization of potential barriers in hindering access to osteopathic medicine, and, by extension, other minority groups. Methodology An anonymous survey prepared in Russian and English was used to gather demographics, education level, healthcare habits, and knowledge of the osteopathic profession. To provide a clinical scenario, a health habit question regarding low back pain (LBP) was provided to participants. Participants over the age of 18 were randomly selected from high density Eastern European areas at two separate time points. Statistical analysis was performed using R to evaluate independence between questions using chi-square tests. Results A total of 150 surveys met the inclusion criteria, with 71 males and 79 females, an age range of 18-92, and a median age of 62. On comparing demographics, education level, and healthcare habits, only English proficiency showed statistical significance (p = 0.039) in determining recognition of the osteopathic profession. Overall, 60% (n = 94) stated that they have heard of osteopathic medicine and knew what a DO physician does. However, only 35% (n = 53) would see a DO for LBP, with 50% (n = 77) seeing a physical therapist. Conclusions Compared to research examining osteopathic awareness in ethnic minority communities, the Russian community in New York appears to have greater recognition of the osteopathic profession. This, however, does not translate into a clinical scenario as more participants were more likely to see a physical therapist. While this difference can be attributed to numerous factors, it stands without doubt that greater osteopathic outreach and data collection needs to be performed in minority communities.

Kussmaul's sign for the diagnosis of right ventricular myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies.

INTRODUCTION: Kussmaul's sign, the absence of a drop in jugular venous pressure or a paradoxical increase in jugular venous pressure on inspiration, can be evaluated as an indicator of right ventricular myocardial infarction. Right ventricular myocardial infarction complicates 30-50% of inferior myocardial infarctions and is associated with increased mortality when compared to inferior myocardial infarction without right ventricular involvement. Early recognition allows maintenance of preload. We reviewed the diagnostic test accuracy studies for Kussmaul's sign for diagnosis of right ventricular myocardial infarction. METHODS: We conducted a librarian-assisted search using PubMed, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane database from 1965 to October 2019. Only English language restriction was imposed. We identified studies that assessed patients presenting to a hospital with a suspected myocardial infarction who underwent an assessment for Kussmaul's sign and a diagnostic test for right ventricular myocardial infarction. Four independent reviewers extracted data from relevant studies. Study quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. A bivariate random effects meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: We identified 122 studies; ten were selected for full review. Eight studies had comparable populations with a total of 469 consecutive patients admitted with acute inferior myocardial infarction and were included in the analysis. Prevalence of right ventricular myocardial infarction was 36% (confidence interval [CI] 95% 31.8-40.5). All reference standards were combined. Kussmaul's sign had a sensitivity of 62.5% (44.6, 77.5), specificity 90% (73.0, 96.8), negative likelihood ratio (LR) 0.2 (0.1-0.8) and positive LR 5.8 (2.5, 13.3). CONCLUSION: In the presence of acute myocardial infarction, Kussmaul's sign is specific for acute right ventricular myocardial infarction and may serve as an important clinical sign of right ventricular dysfunction requiring preload preserving management.

RéSUMé: INTRODUCTION: Le signe de Kussmaul, l'absence de baisse de la pression veineuse jugulaire ou une augmentation paradoxale de la pression veineuse jugulaire à l'inspiration, peut être évalué comme un indicateur d'infarctus du myocarde ventriculaire droit. Elle complique 30 à 50% des infarctus du myocarde inférieur et est associée à une mortalité accrue par rapport à l'infarctus du myocarde inférieur sans atteinte ventriculaire droite. Une détection précoce permet de maintenir la précharge. Nous avons examiné les études sur la précision des tests de diagnostic du signe de Kussmaul pour le diagnostic de l'infarctus du myocarde ventriculaire droit. MéTHODES: Nous avons mené une recherche assistée par un bibliothécaire à l'aide de PubMed, Medline, Embase et la base de données Cochrane de 1965 à octobre 2019. Seule la restriction de la langue anglaise a été imposée. Nous avons identifié des études qui ont évalué des patients se présentant à un hôpital avec un infarctus suspecté de myocarde et qui ont subi une évaluation du signe de Kussmaul et un test de diagnostic pour un infarctus du myocarde ventriculaire droit. Quatre examinateurs indépendants ont extrait les données d'études pertinentes. La qualité de l'étude a été évaluée à l'aide de l'outil QUADAS-2. Une méta-analyse bivariée des effets aléatoires a été réalisée. RéSULTATS: Nous avons recensé 122 études ; dix ont été sélectionnées pour un examen complet. Huit études avaient des populations comparables avec un total de 469 patients consécutifs admis avec un infarctus aigu du myocarde inférieur et ont été inclus dans l'analyse. La prévalence de l'infarctus du myocarde ventriculaire droit était de 36 % (intervalle de confiance [IC] 95 % 31,8-40,5). Toutes les normes de référence ont été combinées. Le signe de Kussmaul avait une sensibilité de 62,5 % (44,6, 77,5), de spécificité 90 % (73,0, 96,8), un rapport de vraisemblance négatif (LR) 0,2 (0,1-0,8) et de LR positif 5,8 (2,5, 13,3). CONCLUSION: En présence d'un infarctus aigu du myocarde, le signe de Kussmaul est spécifique à l'infarctus aigu du myocarde ventriculaire droit et peut constituer un signe clinique important de dysfonctionnement du ventricule droit nécessitant une gestion de la préservation de la précharge.

Perceptions of the osteopathic profession in New York City's Chinese Communities.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge of and barriers to osteopathic medicine in Chinese immigrant communities in New York City (NYC). Design: A cross-sectional study was designed in which a culturally appropriate survey in Chinese and English versions was administered anonymously to measure immigrant perceptions and knowledge of osteopathic medicine. Setting: Data collection occurred in the municipal delineations for the Chinatown neighbourhood within the New York, New York borough of Manhattan. Participants: Community members were selected using convenience sampling from high-density areas to participate. Information gathered from the survey included demographics, education level, healthcare habits and knowledge of the osteopathic profession. Results: 120 surveys were conducted with 68 males and 52 females, with an average age=40. Respondents in the age range of 18-29 years, those with fluent English-language proficiency, and participants with graduate-level education status demonstrated a higher proportion of knowledge of osteopathic manipulative medicine and osteopathic physicians (doctors of osteopathic medicine) among the study variables. Conclusion: Compared with research on the general US population, a general lack of knowledge of osteopathic medicine exists within NYC's Chinese immigrant community. Although this difference may be ascribed to linguistics and ethnosociological factors, greater outreach and education is needed in urban minority communities to make immigrants aware of all healthcare resources available during the current shortage of US primary care physicians.

Prediction of prostate cancer recurrence using quantitative phase imaging: Validation on a general population.

Prediction of biochemical recurrence risk of prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy is critical for determining whether the patient would benefit from adjuvant treatments. Various nomograms exist today for identifying individuals at higher risk for recurrence; however, an optimistic under-estimation of recurrence risk is a common problem associated with these methods. We previously showed that anisotropy of light scattering measured using quantitative phase imaging, in the stromal layer adjacent to cancerous glands, is predictive of recurrence. That nested-case controlled study consisted of specimens specifically chosen such that the current prognostic methods fail. Here we report on validating the utility of optical anisotropy for prediction of prostate cancer recurrence in a general population of 192 patients, with 17% probability of recurrence. Our results show that our method can identify recurrent cases with 73% sensitivity and 72% specificity, which is comparable to that of CAPRA-S, a current state of the art method, in the same population. However, our results show that optical anisotropy outperforms CAPRA-S for patients with Gleason grades 7-10. In essence, we demonstrate that anisotropy is a better biomarker for identifying high-risk cases, while Gleason grade is better suited for selecting non-recurrence. Therefore, we propose that anisotropy and current techniques be used together to maximize prediction accuracy.

Cigarette smoking may modify the association between cannabis use and adiposity in males.

INTRODUCTION: The few population-based studies that investigate the association between cannabis use and adiposity are inconclusive possibly because nicotine moderates the effect of cannabis on adiposity. The objective was to test the hypotheses that the association between cannabis use and adiposity in young men and women is modified by cigarette smoking. METHODS: Data were drawn from the Nicotine Dependence in Teens (NDIT) study, a 13-year prospective cohort investigation of the natural course of nicotine dependence. A total of 271 males and 319 females aged 12-13years at cohort inception provided data on past-year cannabis use and number of cigarettes smoked per day in the past three months, at age 20years. Outcomes included change in body mass index (BMI) and in waist circumference (WC) from ages 17 to 24years. The hypothesis was tested in multiple linear regression models that included interaction terms for cannabis use and cigarette smoking and controlled for physical activity, sedentary behavior, alcohol use, and level of the outcome at baseline. RESULTS: The association between cannabis use and change in adiposity was U-shaped in male non-smokers and in females, and an inverted U-shape in male smokers. In males, the interaction between cannabis use and cigarette smoking was significant in both the models for change in BMI (p=0.004; n=271) and change in WC (p=0.04; n=250). In females, the interaction between cannabis use and cigarette smoking was not significant. CONCLUSION: Smoking cigarettes appears to modify the association between cannabis use and adiposity in young men.