Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Innovator - Spring 2023

Innovator

03 - The President’s Column

06 - Time Machine: Fabric of the Heart

10 - The Nexus: News at Jefferson

20 - Student to #Philebrity: Influenced by Jefferson

24 - The Light Fantastic

30 - We Are One Jefferson

34 - Question & Innovate

36 - Reimagine

40 - Ram Roundup

44 - Class Notes

56 - In Memory

58 - Trivia

Innovator - Summer 2022

Innovator

05 - The Provost’s Column

08 - Time Machine: John K. Mitchell’s Automaton Chess Player

12 - The Nexus: News at Jefferson

22 - Empowering Amputees to Conquer the Seas

26 - The Legend: Coach Herb Magee ’63, HOF ’11

34 - Common Threads

38 - Pitch Please

44 - Question & Innovate: Natasha A. Trice ’14

48 - The Future is Now Farewell to Dr. Stephen K. Klasko

52 - A Father’s Life Inspires a Son’s Giving

54 - Reimagine

60 - Ram Roundup

64 - Class Notes

72 - In Memory

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures-Challenges And Opportunities For China., Donald E Casey

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Enpp1 Variants In Patients With Gaci And Pxe Expand The Clinical And Genetic Heterogeneity Of Heritable Disorders Of Ectopic Calcification., Douglas Ralph, Yvonne Nitschke, Michael A Levine, Matthew Caffet, Tamara Wurst, Amir Hossein Saeidian, Leila Youssefian, Hassan Vahidnezhad, Sharon F Terry, Frank Rutsch, Jouni Uitto, Qiaoli Li

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) and generalized arterial calcification of infancy (GACI) are clinically distinct genetic entities of ectopic calcification associated with differentially reduced circulating levels of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), a potent endogenous inhibitor of calcification. Variants in ENPP1, the gene mutated in GACI, have not been associated with classic PXE. Here we report the clinical, laboratory, and molecular evaluations of ten GACI and two PXE patients from five and two unrelated families registered in GACI Global and PXE International databases, respectively. All patients were found to carry biallelic variants in ENPP1. Among ten ENPP1 variants, one homozygous variant demonstrated uniparental disomy …

Cyclophosphamide Induces Durable Molecular And Clinical Responses In Patients With Relapsed T-Lgl Leukemia., Zachary Braunstein, Eric Mclaughlin, Anjali Mishra, Jonathan E Brammer

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Ocular Adnexal Lymphoma: A Single-Institution Retrospective Study, César A. Fernández, Roger K. Henry, Carol L. Shields, Jurij R. Bilyk, Sara E. Lally, Ralph C. Eagle, Tatyana Milman

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To characterize demographic, clinical, and histopathologic features of ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) at a single institution. METHODS: Retrospective review of all patients with pathologic diagnosis of OAL between 2015 and 2020. RESULTS: There were 133 patients with OAL, with a median age of 65 years (range 23-97) and a slight female predominance (male: female = 1:1.46), (n = 79, 59%). The majority of tumors were non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas (n = 131, 99%), most frequently Extranodal Marginal Zone B-Cell Lymphoma (EMZL, n = 93, 70%), followed by follicular lymphoma (n = 21, 16%), chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (n = …

Making Waves: How Ultrasound-Targeted Drug Delivery Is Changing Pharmaceutical Approaches., Lauren J Delaney, Selin Isguven, John R Eisenbrey, Noreen J Hickok, Flemming Forsberg

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Administration of drugs through oral and intravenous routes is a mainstay of modern medicine, but this approach suffers from limitations associated with off-target side effects and narrow therapeutic windows. It is often apparent that a controlled delivery of drugs, either localized to a specific site or during a specific time, can increase efficacy and bypass problems with systemic toxicity and insufficient local availability. To overcome some of these issues, local delivery systems have been devised, but most are still restricted in terms of elution kinetics, duration, and temporal control. Ultrasound-targeted drug delivery offers a powerful approach to increase delivery, therapeutic …

Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Features Of Netarsudil-Associated Reticular Corneal Edema, Ashley Kahlilil, Reza Razeghinejad, Zeba Syed

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

No abstract provided.

Evanescent - Volume 3, Issue 1

Evanescent

Evanescent: A Journal of Literary Medicine is the journal of the Eakins Writers’ Workshop, which also sponsors the Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize. The Eakins Writers’ Workshop is supported by the Jefferson Center for Injury Research and Prevention.

Contents:

• Letters From The Editors
• Struggle/Growth
• The Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize: First Place
• Stasis/Change
• The Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize: Second Place
• Vulnerability/Strength
• The Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize: Third Place
• Wonder/Wisdom
• Gratitude/Insight
• Afterword
• List of Contributors

Postoperative Outcomes In Oesophagectomy With Trainee Involvement., Oesophago-Gastric Anastomosis Study Group (Ogaa) On Behalf Of The West Midlands Research Collaborative

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The complexity of oesophageal surgery and the significant risk of morbidity necessitates that oesophagectomy is predominantly performed by a consultant surgeon, or a senior trainee under their supervision. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of trainee involvement in oesophagectomy on postoperative outcomes in an international multicentre setting.

METHODS: Data from the multicentre Oesophago-Gastric Anastomosis Study Group (OGAA) cohort study were analysed, which comprised prospectively collected data from patients undergoing oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer between April 2018 and December 2018. Procedures were grouped by the level of trainee involvement, and univariable and multivariable analyses were performed …

A Prospective Examination Of Sex Differences In Posttraumatic Autonomic Functioning., Antonia V Seligowski, Elizabeth R Steuber, Rebecca Hinrichs, Mariam H Reda, Charis N Wiltshire, Cassandra P Wanna, Sterling J Winters, Karlye A Phillips, Stacey L House, Francesca L Beaudoin, Xinming An, Jennifer S Stevens, Donglin Zeng, Thomas C Neylan, Gari D Clifford, Sarah D Linnstaedt, Laura T Germine, Kenneth A Bollen, Guia Guffanti, Scott L Rauch, John P Haran, Alan B Storrow, Christopher Lewandowski, Paul I Musey, Phyllis L Hendry, Sophia Sheikh, Christopher W Jones, Brittany E Punches, Michael C Kurz, Vishnu P Murty, Meghan E Mcgrath, Lauren A Hudak, Jose L Pascual, Mark J Seamon, Elizabeth M Datner, Anna Marie Chang, Claire Pearson, David A Peak, Roland C Merchant, Robert M Domeier, Niels K Rathlev, Brian J O'Neil, Leon D Sanchez, Steven E Bruce, Mark W Miller, Robert H Pietrzak, Jutta Joormann, Deanna M Barch, Diego A Pizzagalli, John F Sheridan, Beatriz Luna, Steven E Harte, James M Elliott, Karestan C Koenen, Ronald C Kessler, Samuel A Mclean, Kerry J Ressler, Tanja Jovanovic

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Cross-sectional studies have found that individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit deficits in autonomic functioning. While PTSD rates are twice as high in women compared to men, sex differences in autonomic functioning are relatively unknown among trauma-exposed populations. The current study used a prospective design to examine sex differences in posttraumatic autonomic functioning.

Methods: 192 participants were recruited from emergency departments following trauma exposure (

Results: 2-week systolic BP was significantly higher in men, while 2-week HR was significantly higher in women, and a sex by PTSD interaction suggested that women who developed PTSD demonstrated the highest HR …

Therapeutic Resistance In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Current Challenges And Future Opportunities, Aditi Jain, Phd, Vikas Bhardwaj

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancerrelated deaths in the United States. Although chemotherapeutic regimens such as gemcitabine+ nab-paclitaxel and FOLFIRINOX (FOLinic acid, 5-Fluroruracil, IRINotecan, and Oxaliplatin) significantly improve patient survival, the prevalence of therapy resistance remains a major roadblock in the success of these agents. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms that play a crucial role in PDAC therapy resistance and how a better understanding of these mechanisms has shaped clinical trials for pancreatic cancer chemotherapy. Specifically, we have discussed the metabolic alterations and DNA repair mechanisms observed in PDAC and current approaches in targeting …

Bone Mineral Density Changes Associated With Pregnancy, Lactation, And Medical Treatments In Premenopausal Women And Effects Later In Life., Nelson B Watts, Neil Binkley, Charlotte D Owens, Ayman Al-Hendy, Elizabeth E Puscheck, Mohamad Shebley, William Schlaff, Md, James A Simon

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Bone mineral density (BMD) changes during the life span, increasing rapidly during adolescence, plateauing in the third decade of life, and subsequently entering a phase of age-related decline. In women, menopause leads to accelerated bone loss and an increase in fracture risk. Between peak bone mass attainment and menopause, BMD is generally stable and the risk of fracture is typically low. This time period is marked by life events such as pregnancy and lactation, which transiently decrease BMD, yet their long-term effects on fracture risk are less certain. BMD may also be altered by exposure to medications that affect bone …

Engaging Patients With Late-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer In Shared Decision Making About Treatment., Ronald E. Myers, Phd, Dsw, Shailesh M Advani, Pamela Myers, Preethi Selvan Mph Student, Gregory Garber, Msw, Lcsw, Brooke Worster, Md, Neal Flomenberg, Md, Andrew Chapman, Do, Ralph Zinner

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Few treatment decision support interventions (DSIs) are available to engage patients diagnosed with late-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in treatment shared decision making (SDM). We designed a novel DSI that includes care plan cards and a companion patient preference clarification tool to assist in shared decision making. The cards answer common patient questions about treatment options (chemotherapy, chemotherapy plus immunotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, clinical trial participation, and supportive care). The form elicits patient treatment preference. We then conducted interviews with clinicians and patients to obtain feedback on the DSI. We also trained oncology nurse educators to implement the prototype. …

Innovator - Fall 2021

Innovator

05 - Message from the President

09 - The Provost's Column

10 - Time Machine: A Glorious Stride

14 - The Nexus: News at Jefferson

22 - Fabric Wins

28 - Mind Over Matter

36 - A Designing Woman

42 - Celebration of Innovation

48 - Question & Innovate: Tracy Durkin, Esq. '83

52 - New Curriculum Nurtures Students' Creative Side

56 - Answering the Call (of Duty)

58 - Reimagine

60 - An Extraordinary Everywoman

62 - Ram Roundup

64 - Class Notes

72 - In Memory

74 - Trivia

Innovator - Fall 2020

Innovator

05 - Message from the President

09 - An Inflection Point for Higher Education

10 - Time Machine: Heart and Lung

16 - The Nexus: News at Jefferson

24 - Newest American Girl Doll

28 - Establishing a Global Classroom

30 - Textile Professionals Answer a Looming Need

34 - Getting Physics-al

38 - The Global Studio

44 - Houston, We Have a Solution

50 - Question & Innovate

54 - The Weave of Possibility

60 - Reimagine

64 - Ram Roundup

68 - Class Notes

72 - In Memory

74 - Trivia

A Review Of Fixed Drug Eruption With A Special Focus On Generalized Bullous Fixed Drug Eruption., Hannah J. Anderson, Jason B. Lee, Md

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Fixed drug eruption (FDE) is a cutaneous adverse drug reaction characterized by the onset of rash at a fixed location on the body each time a specific medication is ingested. With each recurrence, the eruption can involve additional sites. Lesions can have overlying vesicles and/or bullae, and when they cover a significant percentage of body surface area, the eruption is referred to as generalized bullous fixed drug eruption (GBFDE). Due to the widespread skin denudation that can be seen in this condition, GBFDE may be confused clinically with Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN). While treatments described for GBFDE include supportive …

Gestational Weight Gain In 4 Low- And Middle-Income Countries And Associations With Birth Outcomes: A Secondary Analysis Of The Women First Trial., Melissa S Bauserman, Carla M Bann, K Michael Hambidge, Ana L Garces, Lester Figueroa, Jamie L Westcott, Jackie K Patterson, Elizabeth M Mcclure, Vanessa R Thorsten, Sumera Ali Aziz, Sarah Saleem, Robert L Goldenberg, Richard Derman, Veena Herekar, Manjunath Somannavar, Marion W Koso-Thomas, Adrien L Lokangaka, Antoinette K Tshefu, Nancy F Krebs, Carl L Bose, Shivaprasad Goudar, Sangappa Dhaded, Bhalchandra Kodkany, Omrana Pasha, Abhik Das, Menachem Miodovnik, N K Raju Tonse

Global Health Articles

BACKGROUND: Adequate gestational weight gain (GWG) is essential for healthy fetal growth. However, in low- and middle-income countries, where malnutrition is prevalent, little information is available about GWG and how it might be modified by nutritional status and interventions.

OBJECTIVE: We describe GWG and its associations with fetal growth and birth outcomes. We also examined the extent to which prepregnancy BMI, and preconception and early weight gain modify GWG, and its effects on fetal growth.

METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of the Women First Trial, including 2331 women within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guatemala, India, and Pakistan, …

Targeting Human Langerin Promotes Hiv-1 Specific Humoral Immune Responses., Jérôme Kervevan, Aurélie Bouteau, Juliane S Lanza, Adele Hammoudi, Sandra Zurawski, Mathieu Surenaud, Lydie Dieudonné, Marion Bonnet, Cécile Lefebvre, Hakim Hocini, Romain Marlin, Aurélie Guguin, Barbara Hersant, Oana Hermeziu, Elisabeth Menu, Christine Lacabaratz, Jean-Daniel Lelièvre, Gerard Zurawski, Véronique Godot, Sandrine Henri, Botond Z. Igyártó, Yves Levy, Sylvain Cardinaud

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The main avenue for the development of an HIV-1 vaccine remains the induction of protective antibodies. A rationale approach is to target antigen to specific receptors on dendritic cells (DC) via fused monoclonal antibodies (mAb). In mouse and non-human primate models, targeting of skin Langerhans cells (LC) with anti-Langerin mAbs fused with HIV-1 Gag antigen drives antigen-specific humoral responses. The development of these immunization strategies in humans requires a better understanding of early immune events driven by human LC. We therefore produced anti-Langerin mAbs fused with the HIV-1 gp140z Envelope (αLC.Env). First, we show that primary skin human LC and …

Preoperative Immunotherapy In The Multidisciplinary Management Of Oral Cavity Cancer., Ramez Philips, Md, Chihun Han, Brian Swendseid, Md, Joseph Curry, Athanassios Argiris, Adam Luginbuhl, Jennifer Johnson, Md

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

Despite advances in multimodal treatment for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, recurrence rates remain high, providing an opportunity for new therapeutic modalities that may improve oncologic outcomes. Much recent attention has been paid to the molecular interactions between the tumor cells with the adjacent peritumoral microenvironment, in which immunosuppressive molecular changes create a landscape that promotes tumor progression. The rationale for the introduction of immunotherapy is to reverse the balance of these immune interactions in a way that utilizes the host immune system to attack tumor cells. In the preoperative setting, immunotherapy has the advantage of priming the unresected tumor …

Isomirmap-Fast, Deterministic, And Exhaustive Mining Of Isomirs From Short Rna-Seq Datasets., Phillipe Loher, Nestoras Karathanasis, Eric R Londin, Paul Bray, Venetia Pliatsika, Aristeidis G. Telonis, Isidore Rigoutsos

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

MOTIVATION: MicroRNA (miRNA) precursor arms give rise to multiple isoforms simultaneously called "isomiRs." IsomiRs from the same arm typically differ by a few nucleotides at either their 5´ or 3´ termini, or both. In humans, the identities and abundances of isomiRs depend on a person's sex, population of origin, race/ethnicity, and on tissue type, tissue state, and disease type/subtype. Moreover, nearly half of the time the most abundant isomiR differs from the miRNA sequence found in public databases. Accurate mining of isomiRs from deep sequencing data is thus important.

RESULTS: We developed isoMiRmap, a fast, standalone, user-friendly mining tool that …

Inside Out, 2021

Inside Out

Contents:

Philadelphia 2020, Zoe Wong - Cover

Sun Dance, Matt Sears - Inside Cover

Five Islands Sunset, Zachary Davis - Back Cover

Arret to Art, Simran Rahi - This Page

Sunday, John Curran - Contents p. 2

Self-Portrait, John Curran - Contents p. 3

Light Bulbs, Michael O’Connor - 1

The Steamboat, Matthew Wallingford - 2

Untitled, Emily Bucher - 3

Green, Erica Westlake - 4

Animal Within, John Vaile - 5

Birch Trees, Matthew Wallingford - 6

A Hurry to Work, Matthew Wallingford - 7

A …

Inside Out, 2020

Inside Out

Contents:

Well Earned, Matt Sears - Cover, 16

Everglades, Benjamin Chipkin - Inside Cover

Wild Bill, Chen Zhou - Contents

Lying in Wait, Sarah Roselli - Contents

Begin Again, Daisy Zhang - 1

Grieving, Sonali Koduri - 2

Cascades, Kevin Tang - 3

Insomnia, Brittany File - 4

Blue, Chen Zhou - 5

Undone, Hana Chamoun - 6

Egg, Zoe Wong - 6

Two Weeks, Hana Chamoun - 7

Expansion, Zaynab Sajjadi - 8

Connections Across the Deep, Beverly Anaele - 9

Lifelight, Bryce Eng …

Common Concerns, Barriers To Care, And The Lived Experience Of Individuals With Hepatitis B: A Qualitative Study., Catherine Freeland, Sean Farrell, Priyanka Kumar, Maureen Kamischke, Michaela Jackson, Sierra Bodor, Timothy M Block, Rosemary Frasso Phd, Msc, Cph, Chari Cohen

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: An estimated between 257 and 292 million people live with chronic HBV globally. While much is known about the causes, and epidemiology of HBV, little is understood about the quality of life and impact of HBV on those living with the infection.

METHODS: A random sample of HBV-related email queries sent to the Hepatitis B Foundation, a U.S.-based non-profit organization, over a 12-month period in 2018-2019 were retrieved, tabulated, and analyzed qualitatively to highlight information needs and explore the experiences of people living with HBV and their families and loved ones. Codebook development was informed by the literature and …

An Insulator Blocks Access To Enhancers By An Illegitimate Promoter, Preventing Repression By Transcriptional Interference., Miki Fujioka, Anastasiya Nezdyur, James B. Jaynes

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Several distinct activities and functions have been described for chromatin insulators, which separate genes along chromosomes into functional units. Here, we describe a novel mechanism of functional separation whereby an insulator prevents gene repression. When the homie insulator is deleted from the end of a Drosophila even skipped (eve) locus, a flanking P-element promoter is activated in a partial eve pattern, causing expression driven by enhancers in the 3' region to be repressed. The mechanism involves transcriptional read-through from the flanking promoter. This conclusion is based on the following. Read-through driven by a heterologous enhancer is sufficient to repress, even …

The Influence Of Axial Myopia On Optic Disc Characteristics Of Glaucoma Eyes., Jasmin Rezapour, Christopher Bowd, Jade Dohleman, Akram Belghith, James A Proudfoot, Mark Christopher, Leslie Hyman, Jost B Jonas, Massimo A Fazio, Robert N Weinreb, Linda M Zangwill

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

This study characterizes differences in glaucomatous eyes with and without high axial myopia using custom automated analysis of OCT images. 452 eyes of 277 glaucoma patients were stratified into non (n = 145 eyes), mild (n = 214 eyes), and high axial myopia (axial length (AL) > 26 mm, n = 93 eyes). Optic disc ovality index, tilt and rotation angle of Bruch´s membrane opening (BMO) and peripapillary choroidal thickness (PCT) were calculated using automated and deep learning strategies. High myopic optic discs were more oval and had larger BMO tilt than mild and non-myopic discs (both p < 0.001). Mean PCT was thinnest in high myopic eyes followed by mild and non-myopic eyes (p < 0.001). BMO rotation angle, global retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and BMO-minimum rim width (MRW) were similar among groups. Temporal RNFL was thicker and supranasal BMO-MRW was thinner in high myopic eyes. BMO tilt and PCT showed moderate and temporal RNFL and nasal BMO-MRW showed weak but significant associations with AL in multivariable analyses (all p < 0.05). Large BMO tilt angle and thin PCT are characteristics of highly myopic discs and were not associated with severity of glaucoma. Caution should be exercised when using sectoral BMO-MRW and RNFL thickness for glaucoma management decisions in myopic eyes.

A Shocking Case Of Far-Field Atrial Oversensing In Giant-Cell Myocarditis, Tanuka Datta, Md, S. Melnick, Do, Bharaniabirami Rajaram, Md, Behzad B. Pavri

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

We report a unique case of delivery of inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies related to a “perfect storm”: presence of an integrated lead, insufficient lead slack related to right heart dilation resulting in shock coil misplacement, myocarditis with loss of R waves, and the concomitant occurrence of an incessant atrial tachycardia. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)

The Human In The Middle: Artificial Intelligence In Health Care Summary Proceedings Symposium Presentation And Reactor Panel Of Experts Thomas Jefferson University December 10, 2019., Janice L. Clarke, Alexandria Skoufalos, Steven Klasko, Md, Mba

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Reduction In Unplanned Hospitalizations Associated With A Physician Focused Intervention To Reduce Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use Among Older Adults: A Population-Based Cohort Study., M Alcusky, R B Thomas, N Jafari, Scott W Keith, A Kee, S Del Canale, M Lombardi, Vittorio Maio

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: A multimodal general practitioner-focused intervention in the Local Health Authority (LHA) of Parma, Italy, substantially reduced the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use among older adults. Our objective was to estimate changes in hospitalization rates associated with the Parma LHA quality improvement initiative that reduced PIM use.

METHODS: This population-based longitudinal cohort study was conducted among older residents (> 65 years) using the Parma LHA administrative healthcare database. Crude and adjusted unplanned hospitalization rates were estimated in 3 periods (pre-intervention: 2005-2008, intervention: 2009-2010, post-intervention: 2011-2014). Multivariable negative binomial models estimated trends in quarterly hospitalization rates among individuals at …

Input-Output Signal Processing Plasticity Of Vagal Motor Neurons In Response To Cardiac Ischemic Injury., Jonathan Gorky, Alison Moss, Marina Balycheva, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, James S. Schwaber

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

Vagal stimulation is emerging as the next frontier in bioelectronic medicine to modulate peripheral organ health and treat disease. The neuronal molecular phenotypes in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) remain largely unexplored, limiting the potential for harnessing the DMV plasticity for therapeutic interventions. We developed a mesoscale single-cell transcriptomics data from hundreds of DMV neurons under homeostasis and following physiological perturbations. Our results revealed that homeostatic DMV neuronal states can be organized into distinguishable input-output signal processing units. Remote ischemic preconditioning induced a distinctive shift in the neuronal states toward diminishing the role of inhibitory inputs, with …