Digital Commons Network^™

Integrative Approaches To Gut Microbiota: Biomarkers, Dysbiosis, And Therapeutic Potential, Zeyad M. Alharbi

Saudi Medical Journal

The human gut contains bacteria, viruses, and archaea that influence health depending on age, diet, and location. An individual harbours about 150 bacterial species. An imbalance of these microorganisms, known as dysbiosis, can negatively impact health. Commensal bacteria maintain microbial homeostasis by building short chain fatty acids. The 2-way communication channel that connects the gut and the brain is referred to as the gut-brain axis. Dysbiosis of the gut leads to some autoimmune diseases. A decline of beneficial bacteria causes the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Gut dysbiosis increases intestinal permeability, allowing toxins and cytokines to enter the bloodstream and damage …

Emerging Nanotherapy Applications In Cancer Treatment: A Comprehensive Review, Waleed H. Mahallawi

Saudi Medical Journal

This comprehensive review synthesizes recent advances in cancer nanotherapy, focusing on 6 emerging categories: immunomodulation, gene/RNA delivery, theranostics, radiosensitization, biomimetic carriers, and artificial intelligence (AI)-guided formulations. These innovative platforms demonstrate transformative potential by overcoming key limitations of conventional cancer treatments. Immunomodulatory nanoparticles reprogram tumor microenvironments and convert immunologically ``cold'' tumors to ``hot'' responsive states. Gene delivery systems enable precise editing with >50% efficiency, while theranostic platforms integrate real-time imaging with targeted therapy. Radiosensitizers amplify local radiation dose by twofold, and biomimetic carriers achieve prolonged circulation through immune evasion. An AI-driven approaches optimize personalized formulations based on patient-specific biomarkers. Clinical evidence …

Eeg Studies Of Pre-Stimulus Activity During Turn-Taking In Naturalistic Conversation, Seyedmohamadreza Manzourolajdad

Student Works (2020-2029)

This study integrates conversational analysis principles and neural activity to investigate natural cognition and examine event-related brain changes. A wireless electroencephalography (EEG) device was used in an ecological validity setting to analyse pre-stimulus brain activity preceding conversational turns. This study aims to identify aspects of the conversation that reflect its naturalness in the aspect of listening and the corresponding brain activity by analysing the signals before and after a turn in a conversation. This research contributes to an ecologically valid understanding of natural conversation as a social action that enables seamless communication. Seven Malaysian participants (aged 19–22, M=20.46) engaged in …

Knowledge Of Parents And Guardians Of Computed Tomography Examinations And Radiation Risks In Children In Malaysia, Nur Maisarah Ali Wahab, Nur Hamizah Mohd Zainudin

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Early exposure to computed tomography (CT) imaging during childhood increases cancer risk, emphasizing the critical need to minimize unnecessary imaging in pediatric patients. This study aimed to assess parents and guardians’ knowledge about CT examinations and their associated risk following pediatric CT.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among parents and guardians who accompanied their children to a private hospital radiology department for CT examinations. The survey enquired about their socio-demographic, knowledge of CT examinations, and their radiation risks. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results: A total of 144 responses were …

Breathing-Controlled Electrical Stimulation (Breestim) Selectively Modulates Affective And Cognitive Components Of Pain-An Eeg Study, Ahmad Z Rao, Michael Houston, Hao Meng, Shengai Li, Yingchun Zhang, Sheng Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Breathing-controlled electrical stimulation (BreEStim) is an innovative neuromodulation intervention that synchronizes deep voluntary breathing with peripheral electrical stimulation. Prior studies have shown its analgesic effects in healthy adults and spinal cord injury patients with neuropathic pain. The present study used EEG to examine BreEStim's neural effects on sensory, affective, and cognitive components of pain. Fourteen healthy participants (7 M, 7 F) completed 30 min of BreEStim and conventional electrical stimulation (EStim) interventions in a randomized, crossover within-subject design. Electrical pain thresholds (EPT) and EEG were recorded pre- and post-intervention. Event-related potentials (ERPs) at pre-EPT-level stimuli before and immediately after each …

Prodromal Lewy Body Disorder Features In Rem Sleep Behavior Disorder With Biomarker-Defined Synucleinopathy, Daniel Weintraub, Michele K York, Roseanne Dobkin, Anuprita R Nair, Ryan Kurth, David-Erick Lafontant, Chelsea Caspell-Garcia, Roy N Alcalay, Ethan G Brown, Lana M Chahine, Christopher Coffey, Tatiana Foroud, Douglas Galasko, Karl Kieburtz, Kenneth Marek, Kalpana Merchant, Brit Mollenhauer, Kathleen L Poston, Andrew Siderowf, Cristina Simonet, Tanya Simuni, Caroline M Tanner, Thomas F Tropea, Aleksandar Videnovic, Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is a prodromal state for Lewy body disorders and exhibits biological heterogeneity that may influence clinical expression and progression. We examined clinical features in individuals with iRBD and biomarker-defined synucleinopathy.

Methods: Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is a longitudinal, multi-center observational study. Participants included polysomnogram (PSG)-confirmed iRBD individuals who were cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) α-synuclein seed amplification assay positive with no clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies, along with robust healthy controls (HCs). Clinical and biological features of prodromal PD and DLB, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI), subthreshold …

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Modifies The Effectiveness Of Catheter Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation: Post Hoc Analysis Of The Cabana Trial, Matthew W Segar, Kaleb D Lambeth, Brett Doliner, Joshua R Hirsch, Abdi Rasekh, Mehdi Razavi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Rhesus Macaques With An Opa1 Mutation Demonstrate Features Of Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy, Tracy N Jaggers, Ana Ripolles-Garcia, Ala Moshiri, Brett D Story, Jun Wang, Rui Chen, Lucy G Moore, Leandro B C Teixeira, Jaeho Shim, Ana C Raposo, Maria Isabel Casanova, Sophie M Le, Sangwan Park, Laura J Young, Soohyun Kim, Karolina P Roszak, Vanessa Ureno, Paige M Karpinen, Nayeli Echeverria, Monica Ardon, Brian C Leonard, Marguerite Knipe, Eliza Bliss-Moreau, Brad Fortune, J Timothy Stout, Jeffrey Rogers, Nicholas Marsh-Armstrong, Sara M Thomasy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) is an inherited optic neuropathy primarily caused by mutations in OPA1. We identified and defined a spontaneous nonhuman primate (NHP) model of ADOA using rhesus macaques heterozygous for a missense mutation (OPA1A8S). With ocular examinations, ophthalmic imaging, electroretinography, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we documented retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss and dysfunction, OPA1 mislocalization, and reduced axonal mitochondrial density in affected macaques. Our investigation revealed substantial phenotypic variability among affected macaques, shedding light on the pathogenesis of ADOA. The retinas were evaluated using techniques …

Pharmacological Treatment Options For Vasoplegia Syndrome During And After Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Scoping Review, Bradley Darby

Student Works

ABSTRACT

2: Structured summary

Background

Vasoplegia Syndrome (VS) is a form of distributive shock that is characterized by profound hypotension, low systemic vascular resistance, and high to normal cardiac output during/after cardiopulmonary bypass. VS is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and length of stay in the intensive care unit.

Objective

The main objectives of this scoping review are to note the available treatment options, characterize potential risk factors, and identify gaps in knowledge for vasoplegia syndrome during and after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Method

This scoping review utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and MetaAnalyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) …

Genome-Wide Association Study Of Copy Number Variations In Parkinson’S Disease, Zied Landoulsi, Ashwin Ashok Kumar Sreelatha, Nicole Kuznetsov, Claudia Schulte, Dheeraj Reddy Bobbili, Ludovica Montanucci, Costin Leu, Lisa-Marie Niestroj, Emadeldin Hassanin, Cloé Domenighetti, Pierre-Emmanuel Sugier, Milena Radivojkov-Blagojevic, Peter Lichtner, Berta Portugal, Connor Edsall, Jens Krüger, Dena G Hernandez, Cornelis Blauwendraat, George D Mellick, Alexander Zimprich, Walter Pirker, Manuela Tan, Ekaterina Rogaeva, Anthony Lang, Sulev Koks, Pille Taba, Suzanne Lesage, Alexis Brice, Jean-Christophe Corvol, Marie-Christine Chartier-Harlin, Eugenie Mutez, Kathrin Brockmann, Angela B Deutschländer, Georges M Hadjigeorgiou, Efthimos Dardiotis, Leonidas Stefanis, Athina Maria Simitsi, Enza Maria Valente, Simona Petrucci, Letizia Straniero, Anna Zecchinelli, Gianni Pezzoli, Laura Brighina, Carlo Ferrarese, Grazia Annesi, Andrea Quattrone, Monica Gagliardi, Lena F Burbulla, Hirotaka Matsuo, Akiyoshi Nakayama, Nobutaka Hattori, Kenya Nishioka, Sun Ju Chung, Yun Joong Kim, Lukas Pavelka, Pierre Kolber, Bart Pc Van De Warrenburg, Bastiaan R Bloem, Andrew B Singleton, Dan Vitale, Mathias Toft, Lasse Pihlstrom, Leonor Correia Guedes, Joaquim J Ferreira, Soraya Bardien, Jonathan Carr, Eduardo Tolosa, Mario Ezquerra, Pau Pastor, Karin Wirdefeldt, Nancy L Pedersen, Caroline Ran, Andrea C Belin, Andreas Puschmann, Carl E Clarke, Karen E Morrison, Dimitri Krainc, Matt J Farrer, Dennis Lal, Alexis Elbaz, Thomas Gasser, Rejko Krüger, Manu Sharma, Patrick May

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We investigated the role of copy number variations (CNVs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) using genotyping data from 10,815 patients (2731 early-onset PD, EOPD) and 8901 controls from the COURAGE-PD consortium. CNVs were analyzed using a sliding window genome-wide association and burden approach. No genome-wide significant CNVs were detected in the overall cohort, but a robust deletion spanning exons 2-6 of PRKN was identified in EOPD cases, validated by MLPA, and replicated in the GP2 dataset (23,089 cases, 18,824 controls). CNV burden was significantly enriched in PD-related genes, primarily driven by PRKN, with the strongest effect observed in EOPD. PRKN CNV …

Analyzer-Less X-Ray Interferometry With Super-Resolution Methods, Murtuza S. Taqi

LSU Master's Theses

X-ray interferometry provides valuable information on attenuation, small-angle scattering, and differential phase contrast. This multi-modal contrast can aid in many clinical applications, such as lung diseases and breast cancer. However, standard inter- ferometry has an analyzer grating that can increase the dose requirement to maintain the same image quality as a standard X-ray. We propose the use of super-resolution methods for X-ray grating interferometry without an analyzer, with detectors that fail to meet the Nyquist sampling rate needed for traditional image recovery algorithms. Detector phase- steps are used to nominally recover the sampling and iteratively recover the visibility and the …

From Tradition To Transition: Evaluating Culinary Medicine As A Tool For Metabolic Health Among Nigerian Immigrants In The United States And The United Kingdom, Simi Oduwole M.S.

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

This scoping review examines existing publications to evaluate whether Culinary Medicine can be used as a tool for metabolic health among Nigerian immigrants in the United States and the United Kingdom. Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing populations globally, with increasing migration to high-income countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Evidence suggests that Nigerian immigrants experience a rise in diet-related chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as duration of residence increases. This phenomenon is often attributed to dietary acculturation and shifts toward Westernized eating patterns. This scoping review evaluates whether culinary medicine can mitigate …

Exploration Of A Relationship Between The Activities Of Trail And 4’-Trifluoromethoxychalcone., Abigail C. Ernst

Undergraduate Theses

Cancer is the overgrowth of dysregulated or mutated cells that affects 1 in 3 Americans. Chalcones are natural products with many possible derivatives, such as 4’-trifluromethoxychalcone (4TF), developed in Dr. Krzysiak’s lab, which exhibit anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) is a tumor surveillance cytokine that acts on two receptor types: death receptors and decoy receptors. One way cancer cells can become resistant to TRAIL is by upregulating decoy receptors and/or downregulating death receptors. In this study, MTS assays evaluated the potential relationship between TRAIL and 4TF that sensitizes A549 cells to TRAIL. The …

Predicting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer With Or Without Digital Rectal Exam And Mri Data Using Claritydx Prostate Models, Robert J Paproski, Adam Kinnaird, M Eric Hyndman, Adrian Fairey, Leonard Marks, Christian P Pavlovich, Sean A Fletcher, Roman Zachoval, Vanda Adamcova, Jiri Stejskal, Armen Aprikian, Christopher J D Wallis, Desmond Pink, Catalina Vasquez, Perrin H Beatty, John D Lewis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This prognostic study created optimized ensembles of calibrated random forest models to predict clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa, grade group ≥2 PCa) using total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA, negative biopsy status, and age, with or without DRE and MRI data. Observational data were aggregated from cohorts in six organizations in Canada, the USA, and Czechia. Prostate biopsies were performed between 2009 and 2024. Risk models (ClarityDX Prostate + DRE, ClarityDX Prostate + MRI, and ClarityDX Prostate + MRI + DRE) were derived (training cohorts n = 1626 to 2191) and validated (validation cohorts n = 378 to 1318) from …

Convergent Rna Pathophysiology In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Hunter Lee Patterson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the connection between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis and RNA biology via two mechanisms: microRNA regulation of gene expression in the spinal cord and modulation of TDP-43 pathology through synthetic oligonucleotides. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that leads to progressive weakness. However, despite this shared clinical pattern the known causes of ALS are extremely varied. Only about 10% of ALS cases are familial while the other 90% occur sporadically. Even among that small fraction of familial cases, researchers have identified dozens …

Single-Nucleus Brain Transcriptomics Reveals Microglia Dysfunction In Multiple System Atrophy, Rasmus Rydbirk, Frederik Nørby Friis Sørensen, Jonas Folke, Henriette Haukedal, Andrea Asenjo Martinez, Irene Lisa Vargas, Simone Mcgarry, Oline Chantell Hollmann, Camila Gherardelli, Sofia Sepulveda, Adam T Szafran, Michael A Mancini, Sanne Simone Kaalund, Tomasz Brudek, Lisette Salvesen, Sara Bech, Justyna Okarmus, Peter Kharchenko, Morten Meyer, Claudio Soto, Kristine Freude, Abhisek Mukherjee, Susana Aznar, Konstantin Khodosevich

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare, age-related neurodegenerative disease that shares clinical and pathological features with Parkinson's disease (PD) but presents a more devastating disease course. To elucidate the distinct cellular pathophysiology, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing on postmortem striatal brain tissue from 7 MSA and 12 PD patients, and 10 non-neurological cases. Here, we show significant compositional differences in astroglia and microglia subtypes, while oligodendroglia and neurons are comparable. PD brains show abundant microglia expressing MHC class II HLA haplotypes, indicative of a proinflammatory state, alongside more homeostatic astrocytes. In contrast, MSA lack activated microglia but has more …

Tremor Modulation: A Systematic Review Of Resetting By Single-Pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ​, Handan Uzunçakmak Uyanik, Çağri Mesut Temuçi̇n

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Tremor arises from mechanical, reflex, or central oscillatory mechanisms. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can transiently perturb ongoing tremor and enables the quantitative assessment of phase resetting, offering circuit-level insight into tremor types. Although numerous studies have applied TMS-induced resetting, the findings have not been systematically reviewed. This study systematically reviews human studies evaluating TMS-induced tremor resetting across tremor types.

Materials and methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Google Scholar identified human studies using TMS to perturb tremor or rhythmic movement. Search terms included “tremor resetting,” “resetting of tremor,” “tremor phase shift,” “tremor phase reset,” “transcranial magnetic stimulation,” and …

Comparative Efficacy Of Repetitive Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation And Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation In Upper Trapezius Myofascial Pain Syndrome ​, Shahri̇yar Kalbi̇yev, Şehi̇m Kutlay, Ati̇lla Hali̇l Elhan, Yeşi̇m Kurtai̇ş Aytür, Aysun Genç

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: In this prospective, randomized, single-blind study, the effects of repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on pain intensity, functional status, and tissue elasticity were evaluated in patients with upper trapezius myofascial pain syndrome (MPS).

Materials and methods: A total of 75 female patients were randomly allocated to three groups: rPMS, TENS, and sham rPMS. All participants were provided with an exercise program consisting of cervical range-of-motion (ROM), stretching, and strengthening exercises. Outcome measures included pain intensity assessed using the visual analog scale, pressure pain threshold (PPT), the Neck Disability Index, cervical ROM, SF-36 subscale …

Biomechanical Analysis Of Skeletal Open Bite Treatment Methods: A Comparative Finite Element Study ​, Ömer Faruk Sari, Muhammed Hi̇lmi̇ Buyukcavus

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The biomechanical effects of zygomatic anchorage plates, vertical chin-caps, and occipital headgear on dentofacial structures in patients with skeletal anterior open bite malocclusion were compared using three-dimensional finite element analysis.

Materials and methods: Three-dimensional finite element models were constructed based on computed tomography data obtained from a patient with skeletal anterior open bite. Simulation models representing zygomatic anchorage-supported intrusion, vertical chin-cap, and occipital headgear were generated under fixed orthodontic conditions. In each scenario, a unilateral force of 200 g (1.96 N) was applied along clinically relevant force vectors. Stress distributions in craniofacial bones, sutural structures, teeth, roots, and temporomandibular …

Retinal Microvascular And Neuroretinal Structural Changes In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Assessed By Octa: A Comparative Study ​, Murat Erdağ, Tunahan Çalişkan, Hakan Yildirim, Tarik Kivrak, Mehmet Canleblebi̇ci̇, Ali̇ Dal, Mehmet Balbaba

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disorder with systemic vasculopathy, and noninvasive assessment remains challenging. The retina, sharing anatomical similarities with the cerebral microcirculation, is an accessible site for visualizing systemic vascular compromise. This study quantitatively evaluated retinal microvascular and neuroretinal structural changes in PAH patients compared to healthy controls using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Materials and methods: In this single-center, cross-sectional case-control study, 40 patients with group 1 PAH and 38 healthy controls were enrolled. For statistical independence, only the right eye of each participant was analyzed (total: 78 eyes). All participants underwent high-resolution OCTA imaging. …

Association Between Superstition Levels On Sports-Specific Success Motivation In Active Athletes: A Study In Ankara Province ​, Canan Sayin Temur

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: When athletes perceive themselves as strong, they may seek to maintain their motivation through the control of random external factors. The present study examines the effect of superstitions on sports-specific success motivation among active athletes.

Materials and methods: The research population consisted of licensed athletes in the athletics branch, while the sample comprised licensed and active athletes based in Ankara. A total of 408 athletes participated in the research, including 201 women, and 207 men. The participants completed a three-part questionnaire consisting of a Personal Information Form, the Motivation in Sports Scale, and the Superstitious Beliefs and Behaviors in …

Sun-Macerated Hypericum Perforatum Oleates In Fixed Oils: Analytical Characterization And Comparative Wound-Healing Activity, Ci̇han Çapar, Esra Akkol, Ayli̇n Yaba, Ayhan Parmaksiz, Engi̇n Sümer, Erdem Yeşi̇lada

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Hypericum perforatum L. oleates prepared in fixed oils have long been used for wound management due to their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and tissue-regenerative properties. The bioactivity of these oleates is mainly attributed to hypericin, hyperforin, and pseudohypericin. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the wound-healing potential of H. perforatum oleates prepared in different fixed oils, including Olea europaea L. (olive), Sesamum indicum L. (sesame), Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower), and Nigella sativa L. (black seed).Materials and methodsFixed oils were characterized by GC–MS, while oleuropein in olive oil and thymoquinone in black seed oil were quantified by HPLC, and sesamin and sesamol …

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis For Hiv Among Healthcare Workers In Türkiye: A Descriptive, Multicenter Retrospective Study, Veysel Akca, İlkay Akbulut, Gül Ruhsar Yilmaz, Alper Tahmaz, Nefi̇se Öztoprak Çuvalci, İlknur Esen Yildiz, Mehmet Çabalak, Şeyma Topal, Özgür Günal, Bi̇rcan Kayaaslan, Fatma Eser, Tuba Damar Çakirca, Deni̇z Ölmez, Ali̇ye Baştuğ, Fi̇rdevs Aksoy, Hani̇fe Nur Karakoç Parlayan, Beyza Süllü, Damla Verendağ, Hatun Öztürk Çeri̇k, Mehmet Ali̇ Aşan, Ayhan Akbulut, Gülden Eser Karlidağ, Behi̇ce Kurtaran, Hüsnü Pullukçu, Turhan Togan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) plays a vital role in preventing transmission among healthcare workers following occupational exposure. Despite its clinical importance, epidemiological data regarding PEP implementation in Türkiye remain scarce. This study aimed to assess PEP practices, prophylactic treatment regimens, and follow-up outcomes among healthcare workers at risk of occupational HIV exposure.

Materials and methods: This retrospective, multicenter study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2024 across 16 healthcare facilities participating in the National HIV/AIDS Working Group. Healthcare workers aged 18 years and older who presented for evaluation following occupational exposure to HIV were …

Impact Of Two Sedation Protocols On Cardiac Electrophysiology During Spinal Anesthesia ​, Selvi̇naz Durantaş, Burak Nalbant, Fatma Kavak Akelma, Gökhan Erdem, Abdulkadi̇r But

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Perioperative factors such as anesthetic drugs, central blocks, surgical stress, pain, and anxiety can affect cardiac electrophysiology and increase the risk of arrhythmias. Arrhythmia susceptibility can be assessed using ventricular markers such as the QT interval (QT), heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc), QT dispersion (QTd), time between peak and end of T wave (Tp–e), cardiac electrophysiologic balance index (iCEB), and heart rate-corrected index of cardiac electrophysiologic balance (iCEBc), obtained from noninvasive electrocardiography (ECG) data. This study compared the effects of propofol and dexmedetomidine sedation on these parameters in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty performed under spinal anesthesia.

Materials and …

Comprehensive Profiling Of Gut Microbiota In Postmenopausal Osteoporosis ​, Gülsemi̇n Ertürk Çeli̇k, Sedat Yildiz, Münevver Aksoy Bektaş, Yaprak Engi̇n-Üstün

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Osteoporosis is a multifactorial skeletal disease that predominantly affects postmenopausal women and is characterized by reduced bone mass and an increased risk of fractures. Growing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in bone metabolism through immunological, endocrine, and metabolic pathways, forming the basis of the so-called gut– bone axis. This study aimed to characterize gut microbiota composition in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis compared with healthy controls.

Materials and methods: Forty postmenopausal women aged 55–65 years were classified into osteoporosis (n = 20) and healthy control (n = 20) groups based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry T-scores. …

Dapk2 Regulates Pkm2 Phosphorylation At Threonine 45 To Facilitate Disturbed Flow-Induced Atherosclerosis, Shuai Guo, Long Xu, Yixin Chen, Yuan Zhao, Yuting Zhang, Runfa Yu, Kaixiang Cao, Litao Wang, Wenjia Ai, Jiang-Yun Luo, Lu Lu, Jun He, Yuan Zhou, Li Wang, Andrew H Baker, Yuqing Huo, Yiming Xu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Oscillatory shear stress (OSS), resulting from disturbed blood flow, is implicated in atherosclerotic plaque formation by incompletely understood mechanisms. This study aims to elucidate the involvement of death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) 2 in OSS-induced endothelial cell (EC) activation and atherosclerosis.

Methods: Publicly available resources, including genome-wide microarray, RNA sequencing, and single-cell RNA sequencing, were utilized to identify key OSS-sensitive regulatory factors. Techniques such as mass spectrometry, immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assay, and RNA sequencing were employed to identify pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) as the binding protein of DAPK2 and determine the specific site of PKM2 phosphorylation by DAPK2. To assess …

Acute Traumatic Aortic Injury: What The Radiologist Needs To Know, Kristina Ramirez-Garcia, Catalina Jaramillo, Emma Ferguson, Jason Au, Erika Odisio, Gustavo S Oderich, Daniel Ocazionez, Cihan Duran, Thanila Macedo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Acute traumatic aortic injury (ATAI) is a rare but life-threatening consequence of blunt trauma that requires prompt diagnosis and accurate imaging assessment. This review presents an imaging-based approach to ATAI, with emphasis on computed tomography angiography (CTA) as the first-line modality for diagnosis, grading, treatment planning, and follow-up. CTA enables the detection of both direct and indirect signs while also allowing for the assessment of lesion severity, extent, and associated findings that may influence management. Familiarity with common mimics and anatomic variants improves diagnostic confidence and helps avoid false positive interpretations. Careful protocol optimization, including multiphasic acquisition, bolus timing, and …

"I Wasn't Broken": Addressing Stigma Associated With Dementia While Walking The Talk For Dementia, Kate Irving, Fernando Aguzzoli Peres, Walter D. Dawson, Jonathan Adrián Zegarra-Valdivia, Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza, Sherril B. Gelmon

Institute on Aging Publications

INTRODUCTION:Walking the Talk for Dementia (WTD) convenes people from every continent and multiple perspectives, including people with lived experience, in a 40- km walk followed by a 2-day symposium. The aim is collective reflective dialogue about dementia stigma without the burden of professional hierarchies.

METHODS: Qualitative reflections during and immediately following the walk were analyzed using content analysis to identify common themes.

RESULTS: Three themes demonstrate an evolution of perspectives about dementia and stigma: “meeting the person not the label”, “a community in solidarity”, and “I wasn’t treated like I was broken, and I wasn’t broken.”

DISCUSSION: WTD created an …

The Role Of The "Indulgent Mindset" As A Modulator For Neuropsychiatric Biomarkers And Self-Reported Mental Wellbeing, Riva Ranier, Anika Anika, Sarah Simon, Ethan Chau, Emma Monte, Madison Retzloff, Johann Luna, Susan Helm

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

The Role of the "Indulgent Mindset" as a Modulator for Neuropsychiatric Biomarkers and Self-Reported Mental Wellbeing

Objective: Limited understanding persists regarding how an "indulgent mindset" about food shapes neuropsychiatric outcomes. Building on the "milkshake study" demonstrating that mindset modulates ghrelin response independent of nutritional content, this pilot study examines whether an indulgent mindset intervention affects neuropsychiatric biomarkers and mental wellbeing.

Methods: Women ages 19-65 (n=35; intervention n=17, control n=18) completed a 6-month randomized trial with baseline and post-intervention assessments including 3-day food diaries, mental wellbeing questionnaires, and comprehensive metabolomics (Iollo panel across mental health, metabolic health, gut microbiome, brain health, …

A Rare Case Of Cutaneous Extramedullary Hematopoiesis In Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Bennett Christie-Nguyen, Hanadi El Achi, Levani Iashvili, Amer Wahed, Brenda Mai, Jacob Armstrong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cutaneous extramedullary hematopoiesis (CEH) is a rare manifestation of extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH), a process typically associated with fetal development or myeloproliferative neoplasms. EMH most commonly involves the spleen, liver, and lymph nodes, with CEH being exceedingly rare in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Here, we present a 34-year-old Hispanic male with multiple bilateral lower extremity lesions, right buttock and leg pain, fatigue, and splenomegaly, who was found to have chronic-phase CML. Punch biopsy of one of the skin lesions demonstrated dermal infiltration by maturing hematopoietic elements, including granulocytes, megakaryocytes, and erythroid precursors, with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing confirming a …