Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Music On Patient Comfort During Mr Scans: A Literature Review, He Yan

Radiologic Sciences

Purpose To investigate the influence of auditory stimuli on patient comfort levels during magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, with particular emphasis on indicators of distress, duration of patient positioning, and utilization of emergency signaling devices.

Method An integrative literature review was undertaken utilizing peer-reviewed research articles sourced from journals within the fields of radiology, music therapy, and clinical practice. A comprehensive search was conducted across databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Oxford Academic employing keywords including MR anxiety, music therapy, and patient comfort.

Results The body of literature consistently indicated that auditory stimuli significantly mitigate patient anxiety and distress in …

Assault Vs. Assistance: Radiologic Technologist Decision-Making When Fall-Risk Patients Decline Assistance, Pamela O'Dowd

Radiologic Sciences

Purpose To explore how radiologic technologists experience and respond to situations involving fall-risk patients who decline assistance during imaging procedures.

Method A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from practicing radiologic technologists recruited through the American Society of Radiologic Technologists. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were analyzed using SPSS to summarize participant responses, and a thematic analysis was conducted on open-ended responses.

Results A total of 87 respondents completed the survey. Results indicated that encounters with fall-risk patients who refuse assistance are common in clinical imaging practice. Sixty-three (72.4%) technologists reported having experienced situations in which a …

Development Of A Structurally Distinct Topbp1 Inhibitor That Enhances Parp Blockade And Reverses Osimertinib Resistance, Fang-Tsyr Lin, Shwu-Jiuan Lin, Kang Liu, Yang Xiao, Lidija A Wilhelms Garan, Helena Folly-Kossi, Weei-Chin Lin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Therapeutic resistance remains a major challenge in cancer treatment, driven by compensatory signaling and stress response pathways that sustain tumor survival. Topoisomerase IIβ-binding protein 1 (TopBP1), a multifunctional scaffold protein with nine BRCT domains, integrates replication stress signaling with oncogenic networks and is frequently overexpressed in aggressive cancers. Its BRCT7/8 domains mediate critical interactions with E2F1, mutant p53, MIZ1, PLK1, and CIP2A, making TopBP1-BRCT7/8 an attractive therapeutic target. Using docking-guided screening and structure-activity relationship–driven optimization, we developed CS18 as a potent and selective BRCT7/8 inhibitor that disrupts oncogenic TopBP1 complexes without interfering with DNA replication. CS18 suppresses MYC transcriptional programs, …

Comparative Analysis Of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Implications For Active Learning And Assessment At Various Curricular Levels Of Stem And Health Sciences In Developed Versus Underprivileged Countries, Vinay Munlapudi, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

Today’s all-pervasive emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of its role in education, especially for occupational disciplines in health sciences and STEM. AI has reshaped student learning and instructors’ navigation of the evolving, post coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) global academic landscape. This study aimed at encapsulating evidence-based AI implications for student-centered, active learning and assessment at various curricular levels of science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and health sciences education in developed versus underprivileged or less developed countries. An extensive, scoping review of 65 recent, scholarly publications was conducted over six months through diverse search engines (PubMed, Google …

Terahertz Electromagnetic Effects And Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity In Dna, F. Matthew Mihelic Md

Faculty Publications

The effects of terahertz electromagnetic stimulation of the DNA molecule can be understood through modeling of the quantum logical mechanics of the DNA molecule.  Coherent conduction of electron spin states along the aromatic nucleotide base pairs and chirality-induced spin selectivity are two characteristics of the DNA molecule that are involved in the precise separation of the double-stranded DNA molecule at a specific location.  Such modeling can inform predictions of DNA strand separation and has significant implications for understanding DNA transcription bubble formation.

Automated Flim-Fret Segmentation Within Rnp Condensates, Noah D Powell, Joshua M Marcus, Leyla E Fahim, Jason E Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates are membraneless organelles that exist alongside many RNA-driven processes, such as transcription and splicing. Despite their ubiquity, the biological necessity of forming a condensed phase remains unclear, particularly because the same RNP components exist both within these organelles and in the surrounding dilute phase. Most current methods for studying biochemical interaction dynamics within condensates rely on in vitro reconstitution of minimal factors or low-throughput single-molecule studies. However, RNP condensates are complex organelles containing tens to hundreds of proteins and hundreds to thousands of different RNAs. Here, we describe a scalable, high-throughput fluorescence microscopy–based approach to analyze protein–protein …

Childhood Cancer Predisposition Study: A Prospective Registry And Biorepository Protocol, Melissa R Perrino, Suzanne P Macfarland, Luke Maese, Jennie Vagher, Junne Kamihara, Surya Rednam, Philip J Lupo, Garrett M Brodeur, Joshua Schiffman, Lisa Diller, Lauren Desrosiers-Battu, Sharon E Plon, Kim E Nichols, Samuel L Volchenboum, David Malkin, Anita Villani, Christopher C Porter

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Cancer is the most common cause of disease-related mortality in children, highlighting the urgent need for improved care in this population. It is estimated that >15% of children diagnosed with cancer harbour a germline pathogenic variant in a cancer predisposition gene which confers an increased risk to develop cancer. There are over 100 genes associated with cancer predisposition syndromes (CPSs) and greater availability and acceptability of genetic testing in the last decade has facilitated their recognition in childhood. However, individually, each of these CPSs is rare, impeding robust research and advancement of clinical care. Once a specific CPS is …

Protocadherin 9 Promotes Cell Survival Of Different Bipolar Cell Types In The Developing Mouse Retina, Marlon F Mattos, Daniela Becerril, Jingyao Guo, Collin Todora, Cesiah C Gomez, Elizabeth Zuniga-Sanchez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neural circuit assembly relies on different neuronal types coming together to form a functional circuit. The question of how the appropriate number of each type is integrated into an emerging circuit remains relatively unknown. To answer this question, we used the mouse retina to uncover the molecular mechanisms responsible for neuron-type integration in a developing circuit. In the mammalian retina, bipolar cells (BCs) are a class of interneurons that relay visual information from photoreceptors to ganglion cells. Extensive studies have shown there are 15 distinct BC types: 6 types of OFF cone bipolars, 8 types of ON cone bipolars, and …

Addendum: Raf/Mek/Extracellular Signal-Related Kinase Pathway Suppresses Dendritic Cell Migration And Traps Dendritic Cells In Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Lesions, Brandon Hogstad, Marie-Luise Berres, Rikhia Chakraborty, Jun Tang, Camille Bigenwald, Madhavika Serasinghe, Karen Phaik Har Lim, Howard Lin, Tsz-Kwong Man, Romain Remark, Samantha Baxter, Veronika Kana, Stefan Jordan, Zoi Karoulia, Wing-Hong Kwan, Marylene Leboeuf, Elisa Brandt, Helene Salmon, Kenneth Mcclain, Poulikos Poulikakos, Jerry Chipuk, Willem J M Mulder, Carl E Allen, Miriam Merad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Colocalization Of Eqtls With Type 2 Diabetes And Glycemic Traits Using Whole-Genome Sequences In Diverse Populations From The Nhlbi Trans-Omics In Precision Medicine (Topmed) Program, Ningyuan Wang, Daniel A Dicorpo, Yixin Zhang, Erica Kleinbrink, Donna K Arnett, John Barnard, John Blangero, Donald W Bowden, April P Carson, Yii-Der Ida Chen, Mina K Chung, Joanne E Curran, Dawood Darbar, Ravindranath Duggirala, Patrick T Ellinor, Diane Fatkin, Myriam Fornage, Nancy Heard-Costa, Jiang He, Lifang Hou, Sharon L R Kardia, Charles Kooperberg, Ruth J F Loos, David D Mcmanus, Braxton D Mitchell, Ryan L Minster, Kari E North, Bruce M Psaty, Laura M Raffield, Susan Redline, Stephen S Rich, Dan Roden, Jerome I Rotter, Moore B Shoemaker, Jonathan D Smith, David R Van Wagoner, Francois Aguet, Kristin Ardlie, Joshua C Bis, Jennifer A Brody, Brian E Cade, Clary B Clish, Paul S De Vries, James S Floyd, Barry I Freedman, Stacey Gabriel, Robert E Gerzsten, Mark O Goodarzi, Charles Gu, Xiuqing Guo, Namrata Gupta, Susan R Heckbert, Sarah Hsu, Yi-Jen Hung, Rita R Kalyani, Tanika N Kelly, Gregory L Kinney, Changwei Li, Simin Liu, Yongmei Liu, Donald M Lloyd-Jones, Joann E Manson, Rasika A Mathias, Josep M Mercader, Alanna C Morrison, Take Naseri, Suna Onengut, Nicholette D Palmer, Patricia A Peyser, Qibin Qi, Sridharan Raghavan, Alex P Reiner, Mary R Rooney, Magdalena Sevilla-Gonzalez, Chloe Sarnowski, Joshua D Smith, Jennifer A Smith, Nicole L Spartano, Usman Tahir, Kent D Taylor, Deirdre K Tobias, Russel P Tracy, Satupa'itea Viali, Heming Wang, Alexis C Wood, Lisa R Yanek, Wei Zhao, Yinan Zheng, Josée Dupuis, Ching-Ti Liu, Robert Sladek, Jennifer Wessel, James B Meigs, Alisa K Manning, Nhlbi Trans-Omics For Precision Medicine (Topmed) Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Large-scale multiancestry genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of loci associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and glycemic traits, yet imputed genotyping arrays limit the detection of low-frequency and rare variants. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) offers a more complete view of genetic variation, especially across diverse populations. We analyzed high-coverage (38×) WGS data from 21,913 T2D case subjects, 61,036 control subjects, and up to 50,011 individuals with no diabetes with fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and HbA1c from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine Program. We performed single-variant association testing, conditional analysis, fine-mapping, and Bayesian colocalization to …

Rates Of, Reasons For, And Reactions To Discontinuation Of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists: A Narrative Review, Henry D Heisey, L Parker Gregg, Christopher D Verrico, Dennis T Villareal, Terri L Fletcher

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

GLP-1RAs are increasingly used for their glucose-lowering and weight-management effects, but many patients discontinue them. In this narrative review we aim to review real-world, quantitative and qualitative GLP-1RA discontinuation, adherence, and persistence evidence as it aligns with an established conceptual framework for understanding medication adherence in noncommunicable chronic disease. Many inconsistencies exist in how discontinuation, adherence, and persistence are studied in this literature. Few qualitative studies have focused on discontinuation of GLP-1RAs. Quantitative approaches often focus on medication-related factors and more superficial aspects of socioeconomic and condition-related factors. Very few studies encompass all 5 dimensions of the medication adherence conceptual …

Musical Training Increases Anticipatory Responding And Predictive Control In Sequence Learning, Li Ann Leow, Jarrad Lum, Sara Johnson, Emily Corti, Welber Marinovic

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Musicians demonstrate advantages in acquiring motor sequences, showing faster learning and better explicit sequence knowledge than non-musicians. However, it is unclear whether this advantage extends beyond acquisition to the consolidation phase, which is when newly learned skills stabilize and become resistant to interference. Additionally, while interference from executing competing motor tasks is well-established, less is known about whether purely sensory information presented after learning can disrupt consolidation of a bimodal motor sequence. We investigated how post-acquisition sensory interference affects performance of a learned audio-visual sequence, and whether musical training moderates this vulnerability. Participants first learned an explicit sequence in a …

Gut Microbiome Changes In Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease, D. M. Sithara Dissanayaka, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Thilini N. Jayasinghe, Vincent Ho, Vijay Jayasena, Kevin Taddei, Colin L. Masters, Ralph N. Martins, W. M.A.D.Binosha Fernando

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that develops many years before clinical symptoms appear. The biological changes involved in the earliest stages remain poorly understood, particularly during the preclinical stage. Our previous work has identified gradual gut microbial and metabolic changes during this stage, suggesting these may represent early biological shifts that precede disease progression. Recent studies suggest that the gut microbiome may contribute to early AD processes through its effects on immune regulation, metabolism, and gut–brain communication. Changes in gut microbial composition, including reduced levels of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, and Eubacterium, …

Exploring Traditional Breast Cancer Risk Genes Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Women, Katie Meehan, Leanne Pilkington, Azim Khan, Nicholas Pachter, Lisa Spalding, Ayeisha Milligan Armstrong, Cameron Redfern, Andrew Redfern

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Germline pathogenic variants in BRCA1/2 increase breast and ovarian cancer risk, but their prevalence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (herein referred to as Aboriginal) families has never been studied. Consequently, their contribution to breast cancer in this population is unknown.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 259 Aboriginal women and 789 age- and remoteness-matched non-Aboriginal women diagnosed with breast cancer (2001–2016). We assessed family history, genetic service referral and testing rates, and pathogenic variant rates in the context of testing access.

Results: Family history data were available for more Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal cases (46% vs. 34%, p < 0.001), with no difference in reported first-degree relatives with breast (22.5% vs. 22.4%, p = 0.98) or ovarian cancer (4.2% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.29). Similar proportions were referred to genetic services for testing eligibility (5.4% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.392). Of those referred, similar proportions were offered testing (86% vs. 81%, p = 0.66). Across the full cohort, BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants were detected in 0.77% of Aboriginal versus 2.4% of non-Aboriginal women (p = 0.127); any pathogenic gene variant was detected in 0.77% versus 3.0% (p = 0.039).

Conclusions: …

Characterising Manual Dexterity, Motor Cortex Neuroplasticity, And Intracortical Inhibition Long After Burn Injury, Grant S. Rowe, Alecia Wood, Mark Fear, Dale W. Edgar, Aleksandra Miljevic, Tyler Osborne, Natalie Morellini, Merrilee Needham, Ann Maree Vallence, Fiona Wood

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Persistent motor dysfunction after burn injury may be due to altered motor cortex and corticospinal tract function. This study examined manual dexterity, motor cortex neuroplasticity, and intracortical inhibition in former burn patients 1–3 years after minor injury (<10% TBSA). Method: Thirty former burn patients (TBSA: 0.78 ± 1.08%) and 30 non-injured controls participated. Manual dexterity was assessed using the Purdue Pegboard. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to measure motor cortex excitability (motor evoked potential [MEP] amplitude) and short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI, LICI) before and after paired-associative stimulation (PAS) to induce neuroplasticity. Results: Former burn patients performed worse than controls on the bimanual assembly subtest of the Purdue Pegboard. PAS did not induce changes in MEP amplitude but increased LICI in both burn patients and control participants. In burn patients, baseline LICI was related to bimanual performance differently than controls. Conclusions: These findings suggest poorer bimanual motor function persists after minor burns, and differences in the association between inhibition and bimanual dexterity between burn and control groups. Further research should explore whether targeting motor cortex inhibitory circuits can improve motor performance following burn injury

Decision-Making Criteria In Polygenic Embryo Screening: A Survey Of Reproductive Medicine Physicians, Rémy A Furrer, Aayushi Gandhi, Dorit Barlevy, Shai Carmi, Todd Lencz, Stacey Pereira, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Purpose: Polygenic embryo screening (PES) examines embryos for their genetic likelihood of developing complex conditions and traits. The commercialization of PES places reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialists (REIs) as the primary decision-makers in its use, despite professional guidelines cautioning that PES is not ready for clinical use.

Methods: This survey examines how 152 US REIs perceive and approach potential clinical decision-making scenarios regarding the use of PES.

Results: REIs were more likely to offer PES for medical conditions (up to 62% for cancer) than for traits (eg, 0% for skin color, 10% for body mass index). When evaluating 11 potential …

Concerns With The Statistical Analysis In “Effect Of Combined Glp-1 Analogue And Bupropion/Naltrexone On Weight Loss: A Retrospective Cohort Study”, Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Henry T Robertson, Sherri Pals, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

All-Cause And Cause-Specific Mortality In Gambling Disorder: Evidence From A Nation-Wide Matched And Sibling Cohort Study In Taiwan, Yang-Chieh Brian Chen, Chih-Wei Hsu, Liang-Jen Wang, Mu-Hong Chen, Yao-Hsu Yang, Chih-Sung Liang, Edward Chia-Cheng Lai

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background and aims: Gambling disorder (GD) has been linked to suicidal ideation and suicide deaths; however, evidence on all-cause and cause-specific mortality-particularly in Asian populations-remains limited. Using a retrospective cohort study based on nationwide matched and sibling cohort, we investigated all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk in patients with GD.

Design, setting and participants: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using 2000-2022 data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A cohort of 961 individuals diagnosed with GD was identified. An age- and sex-matched control cohort (n = 3,844) and an unaffected sibling cohort (n = 675) were constructed. Cumulative survival …

Hyperadhesive Von Willebrand Factor Contributes To Pathogenesis Of Preeclampsia, Yajuan Wang, Chenyu Wang, Katie L Houck, Xiaoli Gao, Yuanyuan Chen, Xin Xu, Xue Zhao, Miguel A Cruz, Shu Zhang, Chester Q Li, Fengxia Xue, Min Li, Swati Shree, Jing-Fei Dong, Cha Han

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Preeclampsia is the most common complication of pregnancy, significantly affecting maternal and fetal health, and is characterized by placental and systemic endotheliopathy. Patients with preeclampsia have elevated levels of VWF (von Willebrand Factor), which is associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, whether VWF serves as a marker for endotheliopathy or contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia remains poorly understood.

Methods: We investigated the role of hyperadhesive VWF in the development of preeclampsia by studying patients, evaluating mouse models, and performing in vitro experiments.

Results: We show that patients develop VWF- and fibrin-rich thrombosis in the placenta and have significantly …

Quality Improvement Initiative To Improve Adherence To Ob Hemorrhage Policy And Standardize Pitocin Administration During Cesarean Sections To Reduce Postpartum Hemorrhage Risk, Lauren R. Litz, Monica Blauser

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) Manuscripts

Postpartum hemorrhage remains a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, and Pitocin administration is an important component of hemorrhage prevention and management during cesarean delivery. Variation in Pitocin timing, dosing, method of administration, and adherence to evidence-based recommendations may compromise patient safety and create barriers to standardized obstetric anesthesia care. The purpose of this Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice quality improvement project was to evaluate current anesthesia provider practices for Pitocin administration during cesarean delivery, compare observed practices with the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative hemorrhage toolkit and Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology Enhanced Recovery After Cesarean recommendations, …

Increased Risk Of Sarcomas In Children With Congenital Anomalies: Findings From The Genetic Overlap Between Anomalies And Cancer In Kids (Goback) Registry Linkage Study, Russ Wolters, Ji Yun Tark, Tiffany M Chambers, Tania A Desrosiers, Michael E Scheurer, Charles Shumate, Wendy N Nembhard, Mahsa M Yazdy, Eirini Nestoridi, Amanda E Janitz, Jean Paul Tanner, Russell S Kirby, Jason L Salemi, Yao Yu, Chad D Huff, Sharon E Plon, Philip J Lupo, Jeremy M Schraw

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Pediatric sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors that contribute disproportionately to cancer mortality in children. Although congenital anomalies are among the strongest known risk factors for childhood cancer, the risk of specific sarcoma subtypes among affected individuals has not yet been thoroughly evaluated.

Procedure: We obtained data on maternal and perinatal characteristics, congenital anomalies, and pediatric sarcoma diagnoses for all live births in nine states. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of sarcoma (overall and by subtype) among children with non-syndromic congenital anomalies. We considered all non-syndromic …

De Novo Complex Genomic Rearrangement Spanning 2q31.1 In A Proband With Congenital Malformations: Genotype-Phenotype Correlation And Development Of A Cgr Detection Pipeline, Katherine Helle, Jesse D Bengtsson, Mira Gandhi, Christopher M Grochowski, Ming Yin Lun, Neha Sudhir, Shalini N Jhangiani, Fritz J Sedlazeck, Seema R Lalani, Neil A Hanchard, Claudia M B Carvalho

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The 2q31 region is commonly associated with pathogenic alleles of the HOXD cluster leading to various clinical phenotypes related to skeletal development. We present a proband with tetralogy of Fallot and multiple congenital anomalies. Genomic variant screening including an in-house CGR detection pipeline pairing genome sequencing (GS) structural variant calls with read-depth data revealed a de novo complex genomic rearrangement (CGR) spanning 2.7 Mb across 2q31 characterized by a series of duplications and triplications including the HOXD gene cluster. The genomic structure was assembled by applying combined methodologies including short-read and long-read GS, and optical genome mapping (OGM). This in-house …

Future Prospects Of Pediatric Lung Transplantation, Ernestina Melicoff, David Moreno Mcneill, Christian Benden

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This special issue of the Journal of Heart Transplantation Open is dedicated to Pediatric Thoracic Transplantation. The authors will discuss subjects related to pediatric lung transplantation such as access to donor organs, allograft dysfunction and role of functional status in outcomes.

Quantitative Imaging Of Pyruvate Metabolism In A Patient With Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer, James A Bankson, Joshua S Niedzielski, Collin J Harlan, Yunyun Chen, Christopher M Walker, Philip L Lorenzi, Lin Tan, Vikas Kundra, Matthew E Merritt, Mukundan Ragavan, Dawid Schellingerhout, Renjie He, Yao Ding, Sahana Datar, Qing Wang, Christine B Peterson, Clifton D Fuller, Vlad C Sandulache, Stephen Y Lai

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging using hyperpolarized (HP) [1-13C]-pyruvate enables assessment of pyruvate metabolism in vivo and offers new insight into metabolic changes in response to cancer therapy. Widely used semi-quantitative metrics of pyruvate metabolism can be affected by physiological factors that are extrinsic to intracellular metabolism. A validated pharmacokinetic (PK) model for analysis of intracellular pyruvate metabolism is needed to enhance the accuracy of quantitative metrics and clinical translation of metabolic MRI using HP pyruvate.

Methods: A PK model with two physical compartments and two chemical pools was developed to analyze the conversion of labeled pyruvate into lactate in vitro. …

Ai-Driven Segmentation And Volumetric Response Modeling Of Liver Regions To Radiotherapy, Aashish Chandra Gupta

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In liver-directed radiotherapy (RT), liver regions receiving higher doses typically undergo atrophy while contralateral/adjacent lower-dose regions may exhibit compensatory hypertrophy through regeneration of healthy tissue. Optimizing the RT plan to promote regional hypertrophy while minimizing the risk of developing atrophy has the potential to enhance post-RT liver function and long-term survivorship. However, current clinical practice largely relies on global liver dose-volume metrics during RT-planning, which may obscure favorable dose-response correlation and limit actionable guidance for clinicians. Therefore, we hypothesized that post-RT regional liver response is governed by a combination of region-specific dose-volume and patient clinical features, and that these responses …

The Association Between Apoe Genotype, Race, And Dementia: An Analysis Of 7 Population-Based Cohort Studies, Natalia Lakomski, Katherine Giorgio, John Stephen, Maxwell Mansolf, Aïcha Soumaré, Alden L Gross, Allison E Aiello, Archana Singh-Manoux, M Arfan Ikram, Catherine Helmer, Claudia L Satizabal, Deborah A Levine, Donald M Lloyd-Jones, Emily M Briceño, Farzaneh A Sorond, Frank J Wolters, Jayandra J Himali, Lenore J Launer, Djass Mbangdadji, David Li, Lihui Zhao, Oscar L Lopez, Stéphanie Debette, Sudha Seshadri, Suzanne E Judd, Timothy M Hughes, Vilmundur Guðnason, Michael Griswold, Paul S De Vries, Alison Fohner, Pamela L Lutsey, Rachel Zmora, Elizabeth A Peterson, Denise Scholtens, Norrina B Allen, Sanaz Sedaghat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) haplotypes are known to be associated with dementia, with the ε4 haplotype associated with higher risk. It has been suggested that the APOE ε2 allele serves as a protective factor for dementia. However, data on the effects of the homozygous APOE ε2/ε2 genotype are limited, likely due to the rarity of the APOE ε2/ε2 genotype. Furthermore, the association between APOE genotypes and dementia may differ across self-reported race. We aim to investigate the association between APOE genotypes and dementia overall and across self-reported race, with a focus on the potential protective …

Sarcopenic Obesity And Dementia Risk: Primary Associations And Landmark Analyses Of Muscle Strength And Body Composition Trajectories, Zhongyang Guan, Blossom C.M. Stephan, Lorenzo M. Donini, Justyna Godos, Giuseppe Grosso, Leticia Radin Pereira, Carla M. Prado, Carlos J. Toro-Huamanchumo, Jonathan C.K. Wells, Marc Sim, Mario Siervo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and aims: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) has been proposed as a risk factor for cognitive impairment. Yet evidence is inconsistent and often limited by heterogeneous definitions and lack of longitudinal assessments. This study aimed to examine associations of SO with all-cause and subtype-specific dementia, and to assess dose–response patterns and how longitudinal changes in body composition and muscle strength relate to dementia risk. Methods: We included 489,972 adults (mean age 56.5 ± 8.1 years) followed for a median of 13.6 years. SO was defined using the Sarcopenic Obesity Global Leadership Initiative (SOGLI) criteria. Cox models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for …

Adrenal Crises And Quality Of Life After Bilateral Adrenalectomy Vs Primary Autoimmune Adrenal Insufficiency, Alexandra N Bancos, Raul Gregg-Garcia, Natalia Genere, Sanan Mahrokhian, Sara J Achenbach, Elizabeth J Atkinson, Anand Vaidya, Irina Bancos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Context: Bilateral adrenalectomy (BLA) and autoimmune adrenal insufficiency (AAI) are 2 major causes of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI). Comparative data between etiologies are limited.

Objective: To compare management, quality of life (QoL), and frequency of adrenal crises between participants post-BLA vs AAI.

Methods: We conducted a dual-center, cross-sectional study of adults with AAI or BLA between 2018 and 2025. All participants completed questionnaires on management, adrenal crises, and the Addison Disease-specific QoL Questionnaire (AddiQoL).

Results: Of 343 participants, 203 had AAI (median age 54 years, 72% women) and 139 had BLA (median age 57 years, 76% women). AddiQoL scores were …

Diabetter Together: Outcomes Of A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating A Peer Mentor Behavioral Intervention For Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes During The Transfer From Pediatric To Adult Care, Marisa E Hilliard, Charles G Minard, Samantha A Carreon, Wendy L Levy, Sarah K Lyons, Randi Streisand, Tricia S Tang, Siripoom V Mckay, Sridevi Devaraj, Barbara J Anderson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Transition between pediatric and adult health care is complex, with high risk for loss to follow-up and suboptimal health outcomes for young adults with type 1 diabetes. This trial evaluated the efficacy of DiaBetter Together, a 12-month strengths-based behavioral intervention delivered by trained peer mentors. The intervention aimed to help young adults navigate the transfer process to promote optimal glycemic outcomes, shorten time to adult care follow-up, and improve psychosocial outcomes.

Research design and methods: Using a single-site randomized clinical trial design, we compared the 12-month intervention to usual care among n = 100 young adults aged 17-25 years …

Naturalistic Classroom And Home Practices To Support Executive Function And Self-Regulation Of Typically Developing Preschool Children Between The Ages Of 3-5 Years Old: A Mixed Method Study, Michelle Ann Burek

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Executive function (EF) and self-regulation (SR) are foundational developmental processes supporting young children’s participation in play, learning, social relationships, and everyday occupations. Although important to school readiness, social competence, health, and well-being, these skills are often examined in structured settings rather than the natural environments in which children develop. Guided by ecological, developmental, and occupational therapy perspectives, this dissertation examined EF and SR within children’s everyday participation and explored caregiver and teacher roles in supporting these processes.

This dissertation consists of three interconnected studies. The first was a systematic review of peer-based interventions to improve social participation among children and …