Focus: Hidden - Kentucky

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Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is now the most common hospital-acquired infection, with significant effects on healthcare costs. Surgeons from George Washington University Hospital sought to identify rates of C. difficile infection in patients undergoing common types of colon operations. The authors utilized the American College of Surgeons NSQIP database for 2015 to retrospectively review all cases of elective ileostomy and colostomy reversals.

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Colon cancer is a common cancer with a relatively high survival for nonmetastatic disease if appropriate treatment is given. A lower survival rate for patients with no or inadequate insurance has previously been documented, but the differences have not been explored in detail on a population level.

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Several groups have championed standardization of this approach in order to optimize outcomes.

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A University of Kentucky faculty member is looking into explanations for why prices for consumers don't always come back down the way we may think they should.

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For many UK students from Eastern Kentucky, cancer is a problem that hits far too close to home. The Career Training in Oncology Program at the UK Markey Cancer Center provides these students with an opportunity to give back and learn how they can help those who need it most.

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Data presented from a Late-Breaking Clinical Trial has the potential to change the standard of care for HER2-positive breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

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In a study published in the April issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, researchers present results of a study designed to identify factors associated with disparities in colorectal cancer care. They studied a group of 30 primary minority, lower income patients who had been diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. Participants were interviewed regarding their perceptions and experiences of colorectal cancer and barriers they faced in seeking diagnosis and treatment. al cancer.”

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March Madness is upon us, and basketball fans are preparing to root on their favorite teams, while remembering treasured championship moments. In “Forty Minutes to Glory,” Doug Brunk gives fans an inside account of UK’s 1977-78 squad from summer pick-up games to Kentucky’s 94–88 victory over Duke.

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Dr. Michelle Lofwall was among the experts tapped to assist in the development of guidelines regarding the use of medication in the treatment of opioid use disorder.

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Data from a new study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers shows that repurposing drugs used to treat leukemia has promise for preventing melanoma metastasis.

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When Frank X Walker coined the culturally encompassing term “Affrilachian” 25 years ago, he had no idea the group of colleagues who got their start inside a University of Kentucky elevator would transform into a radically influential social movement now celebrating with its first anthology of work.

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Scientists, chefs and food scientists will explore the role of flavor perception in behavior at The International Society of Neurogastronomy Symposium

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In this video, Dr. Vincent Sorrell of the Gill Heart & Vascular Institute at the University of Kentucky describes how an athlete's heart evolves to accommodate increased demand.

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From opening and closing ceremonies to the events, music is used in competition on the ice, fills the slopes, and often brings a tear to the eye of the most hardened champion on the medal podium. UK musicology alumnus John Michael McCluskey shares how he hears music play its part in the Winter Olympics.

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Jakub Famulski, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Kentucky, has received an R01 grant for over $1.8 million from the National Institutes of Health to study the early formation of the anterior segment of the eye, which includes the cornea, iris, ciliary muscle, drainage canals and pupil.

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In the March issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, surgeons from Birmingham, England, studied 5 years of National Health Service data of patients admitted for acute diverticulitis in an effort to identify factors associated with the need for elective or emergency surgery. The authors quote 2004 statistics citing that diverticular disease is responsible for over 300,000 annual hospital admissions and 1.5 million days of inpatient care at a cost of $ 2.6 billion!

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In the March issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, surgeons from Australia discuss postoperative pain control pain control following one of the most extensive operations performed for pelvic cancer. In an era where many studies have shown that patients do better after surgery with use of lesser amounts of opioid pain medication, this can be particularly challenging in those patients who have taken a significant amount of pain medication before surgery. This is exactly what was shown in this study.

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In the March issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, Philip Gordon MD, a past president of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and author of one of the field’s major textbooks, describes his personal experiences on the “receiving” end of chemotherapy. This is in contrast to dispensing advice to colorectal cancer patients on whether or not to pursue chemotherapy, something he had done for most of his career as a colon and rectal surgeon.

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According to 2015 National Health Interview Survey data published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that about 85% of children under the age of 18 are in excellent or very good health. What happens to the rest? Many are considered “Children with Special Healthcare Needs” (CSHCN) and have special health care requirements, perhaps due to common chronic conditions of childhood such as asthma, autism spectrum disorders, or uncommon ones as described in the March issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. Dr. Sarah Cairo and her colleagues from the Delivery of Surgical Care Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Surgery, discuss the unique situation facing pediatric patients with congenital anal rectal malformations as they grow older and face the transition from pediatric to adult health care. This article and topic have wide-reaching implications for countless other medical problems that affect the pediatric age group.

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The International Society of Neurogastronomy Symposium will feature experts in basic science, food science, clinical science and culinary arts discussing brain and behavior in the context of food.

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At the International Society of Neurogastronomy symposium, neuroscientists, food scientists, and chefs will discuss food-brain phenomena and their role in health and medicine.

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A new website will provide a vital link for Kentucky health care providers, court officials, families and individuals seeking options for substance abuse treatment and recovery. “Find Help Now KY” (www.findhelpnowky.org) will deliver real-time information about available space in substance use disorder treatment program, and guide users to the right type of treatment for their needs.

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The International Society of Neurogastronomy symposium will focus on what we eat and why we eat it, with applications in nutrition science, agriculture and medicine.

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The International Society of Neurogastronomy Symposium features leaders in the worlds of nutrition, neuroscience and culinary arts to explore the connection between brain and behavior in the context of food.

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This year's International Society of Neurogastronomy symposium will explore brain and behavior in the context of food.

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In the February 2018 issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, researchers from Denmark discuss their findings involving women with endometriosis who are not responding to hormonal treatment. If hormonal treatments are unsuccessful, surgery is often recommended. However, there has been controversy as to which type of surgery is best. Endometriosis experts from Denmark share the results of a large study of women who underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection for endometriosis not responding to hormonal treatment.

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Scientists from four different institutions are working together to identify a biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease using mice that travel an 850-mile circuit to test the efficacy of special technology called Quest MRI.

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A new study published in Nature Communications and led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researcher Qing-Bai She identifies biomarker targets that may make existing drugs more effective in fighting certain cancers.

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The combination of a new clinical trial and tissue bank is innovating stroke care and research at the University of Kentucky. Led by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and scientists, the studies aim to develop new treatments using existing therapies that protect brain tissue after a stroke, and to learn more about the physiology of the event.

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A new collaboration using resources from the UK Markey Cancer Center, FCC, NCI, and more will evaluate how to use telecommunications to improve access to cancer care for patients in Eastern Kentucky.

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Being over ideal body weight has known risks with respect to heart and blood pressure problems, but the list is growing! In the January issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, researchers from Seoul, Korea, studied nearly 3000 patients undergoing routine physicals over a 6-year period. The authors refer to a fatty liver index. fatty liver index > or equal to 30 was associated with an increased risk of having colon polyps (odds ratio 1.26; 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.49). Thirty-six percent of patients with a fatty liver index > or equality to 30 has colon polyps as compared to 27% of patients with a fatty liver index < 30. This high fatty liver index group also had more polyps, and they were more frequently in the upper colon. One more reason to work on losing those extra pounds!

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So you’ve been diagnosed with cancer. Perhaps you've undergone chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a combination of these. Your doctors tell you that you are doing well or perhaps not. Now, the bad news. The bills start piling up: medical bills, pharmacy bills. You haven’t been able to return to work. How often does this scenario happen? In the January issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, researchers from Newcastle, United Kingdom, and from Cork and Dublin, Ireland, surveyed nearly 500 survivors of colorectal cancer in Ireland on both financial strain and stresses.

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You have no insurance, and you are diagnosed with a colon and rectal cancer. You may be one of the thousands of patients in the United States who find themselves being taken care of at a “safety net hospital.” These are hospitals that are required to treat all patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. They make up about 15% of hospitals in the United States and are traditionally the “public general” hospitals. How good is your care going to be? In the January issues of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine try to answer this question.

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After interviewing women who identify as bisexual, lesbian and heterosexual, a study from UK researchers is contributing to the understanding of how desire is influenced by issues such as sexism, religion, sexual orientation discrimination and more.

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University of Kentucky researchers have produced nearly pure rare earth concentrates from Kentucky coal using an environmentally-conscious and cost-effective process, a groundbreaking accomplishment in the energy industry.

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Nearly 15 percent of Kentucky children are currently diagnosed with ADHD, the highest rate in the nation. While medicine alone doesn't necessarily lead to improved academic performance in the long run, a new intervention developed by UK professors is aiming to do just that.

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This Canadian study provides further evidence that even surgical treatment delays of several weeks do not adversely influence survival. Patients who require further consultations or investigations preoperatively may safely have their surgery moderately delayed in order to minimize their perioperative risk without any evidence that this will compromise treatment outcomes.

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New findings from University of Kentucky faculty published in Scientific Reports reveals a novel cell signaling interaction that may prevent a key step in lung cancer progression.

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Testing and targeting treatment on a patient's virtual heart could lead to longer and healthier lives, especially for the 5.7 million adults with heart failure. Two University of Kentucky researchers are working to make this a reality.

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In the November 2017 issue of Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, Dr. Charlène Brochard and her colleagues from a spina bifida referral center in Rennes, France, report on the frequency of intestinal problems in 26- to 45-year-old patients with spina bifida. The multidisciplinary study included clinical data obtained over a 9-year period on nearly 400 spina bifida patients, emphasizing the association of obesity with fecal incontinence and bowel dysfunction.

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University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Researcher Jessica Blackburn has earned a prestigious National Institutes of Health's New Innovator Award, a grant totaling $1.5 million over five years to fund pediatric cancer research.

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A researcher at the University of Kentucky is exploring whether low doses of Rapamycin, a drug commonly used as an immunosuppressant for organ transplant recipients, can restore brain function before the disease changes in the brain affect a person's memory.

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The University of Louisville has received one of its largest grants for medical research in the school’s 219-year history, a $13.8 million award from the National Institutes of Health to study a promising new type of adult cardiac stem cell that has the potential to treat heart failure.

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Many cancer survivors experience devastating cognitive impairment following chemotherapy. Researchers at UK are trying to identify strategies to relieve these symptoms.

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Every year around this time, nature puts her greens to bed and awakens her autumn colors. That palette of reds, yellows and oranges painting the landscape is part of a very important ecological process.

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Utilizing messages focused on images created by local artists and written information communicated through local dialects proved essential to counter misperceptions during the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, according to a study conducted in part by Muriel J. Harris, Ph.D., associate professor, University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, Department of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences.

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UofL gastroenterologist Matthew Cave, M.D., believes that chemicals we breathe, consume or come in contact with in the environment may be contributing to liver disease. He has been awarded $4 million by the NIEHS to explore the effects of environmental chemicals on the liver.

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A “look back” analysis of more than 600 major colorectal surgeries using a “checklist” tool has added further evidence that racial and socioeconomic disparities may occur during many specific stages of surgical care, particularly in pain management. A report of the study’s findings by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, published Sept. 11 in Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, documents the specific ways in which historically disadvantaged populations receive less optimal pain management and are placed on “enhanced recovery” protocols later than their wealthier and white counterparts.