Digital Commons Network^™

From Nociception In Aneural Animals To Human Suffering: Toward A Comparative Biology Of Pain, Edgar T Walters

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pain is a core feature of human life, but systematic comparisons of this biological trait across taxa have been rare. A broadly accepted definition based on human experience emphasizes dual features of pain: a sensory (discriminative) component for sensing and monitoring tissue injury, and an affective (emotional) component to motivate avoidance of tissue distress. Conscious pain is coupled to unconscious nociception (detection of incipient or existing injury). This Review considers nociception and pain across phyla within a comparative framework, addressing basic questions about evolutionary origins, mechanisms and functions of pain. The occurrence of adaptive cellular responses to injury in virtually …

Multi-Institution Analysis Of Tarlatamab For The Treatment Of Egfr-Mutant Transformed Small Cell Lung Cancer, Alissa J Cooper, Benjamin Herzberg, Mitchell Parma, Kaiwen Wang, Laura Alder, Urs M Weber, Tejas Patil, Utsav Joshi, Sonam Puri, Anjali Saqi, Phoebe Clark, Carl M Gay, Tina Cascone, Eric K Singhi, George Blumenschein, Ferdinandos Skoulidis, Janet Tu, Thomas E Stinchcombe, Charles M Rudin, Catherine A Shu, Lauren A Byers, Helena Yu, Bingnan Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Alterations In Region-Specific Gray Matter Volume Underlying Callous Unemotional Traits In Adolescents, Johannah Bashford-Largo, Ru Zhang, R James R Blair, Karina S Blair, Jaimie Elowsky, Matthew Dobbertin, Ahria J Dominguez, Melissa Hatch, Tyler Patrick, Sahil Bajaj

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Callous-unemotional (CU) traits during adolescence, for example, shallow affect or lack of remorse, have been shown to be a risk marker for antisocial behavior. Only a few studies have investigated structural brain alterations underlying CU traits, and findings are inconclusive. The study examines CU symptomatology and gray matter volume (GMV) associations.

Methods: Structural brain MRI data were collected from a sample of 578 adolescents (60% male) with a mean age of 14.85 years (SD = 2.30; range = 10-19 years). CU traits were indexed via the Inventory for Callous Unemotional Traits (ICU). Region-wise volumetric parameters were obtained following parcellation …

Perioperative Antibiotic Administration Review: An Analysis Of Outpatient Surgeries At Ohiohealth Doctors Hospital., Rayyan Bhutta, Thomas Shneker, Samantha Currier, Alexander Caskey, Vincent Relli-Dempsey, Matthias Franzen, Samir Patel

Surgery Articles

INTRODUCTION: A vital part of preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) is perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. Antibiotics must be administered within a certain window of time, usually 15 to 60 minutes prior to the surgical incision, for them to be effective. The most frequently utilized medication, cefazolin, can be administered quickly by intravenous push (IVP), but other medications, such as vancomycin and clindamycin, need longer infusion times. Antibiotic efficacy declines, and the risk of SSIs is increased when scheduling requirements are not followed. With special focus on time, dosage, and variation by surgery type, this study evaluates adherence to perioperative antibiotic administration …

Accelerating Precision Exercise Medicine In Cancer Patients Using Pooled Individual Patient Data: Polaris Experience, Laurien M. Buffart, Marlou Floor Kenkhuis, Robert U. Newton, Anne M. May, Daniel A. Galvão, Kerry S. Courneya

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Numerous exercise oncology trials have been completed, greatly informing exercise recommendations for patients with cancer. Exercise medicine can be administered in various types, doses, and schedules at various time points. Advancing precision exercise medicine requires understanding of how the effects of different exercise interventions vary by characteristics of individual patients. The Predicting OptimaL cAncer RehabIlitation and Supportive care (POLARIS) study provides an international infrastructure and shared database to perform pooled analyses of individual patient data (IPD) from multiple randomized controlled trials. This commentary aims to highlight the value of pooled IPD analyses, summarize key findings from published pooled IPD analyses …

Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Microrna-7-5p Expression And Biological Significance In Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Rikki A.M. Brown, Michael Phillips, Andrew J. Woo, Omar Kujan, Stephanie Flukes, Louise N. Winteringham, Larissa C. Dymond, Fiona Wheeler, Brianna Pollock, Dianne J. Beveridge, Elena Denisenko, Peter J. Leedman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a prevalent malignancy with poor clinical outcomes. microRNA-7-5p (miR-7-5p) has been described as both a tumour suppressor and an oncomiR depending on the tissue context, but its role in HNSCC remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the clinical significance and biological function of miR-7-5p in HNSCC by integrating data from multiple sources. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify studies analysing miRNA expression in human head and neck tissues. A meta-analysis of individual patient data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), ArrayExpress, and The Cancer Genome Atlas …

An Online Treatment Decision Aid For Men With Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Eligible For Active Surveillance And Their Partners Increases The Uptake Of Active Surveillance: The Navigate Randomised Controlled Trial, Penelope Schofield, Stephen Quinn, Natalie Richards, Alan White, Fiona White, Mark Frydenberg, Suzanne Chambers, Louisa G. Gordon, Robert Alexander Frank Gardiner, Declan G. Murphy, Matthew J. Roberts, John Yaxley, Nathan Lawrentschuk, Kevin Chu, Jeremy Millar, Jeremy Grummet, Ilona Juraskova

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and objective: Evidence suggests that curative treatment for low-risk prostate cancer (LRPC) has no survival benefits over active surveillance (AS); thus, treatment choice becomes a value-sensitive decision. Decision aids (DAs) have the potential to facilitate this process, yet no DA has been tailored to the Australian health care system or population. This study aims to evaluate the impact of an online DA (Navigate) on the uptake of AS, quality of life, and decision-making in Australia. Methods: This parallel-group, prospective, randomised controlled trial recruited men (from May 2017 to May 2021) from participating cancer centres, via self-referral, or via clinician …

Engaging And Empowering Future Female Surgeons: Development Of The Medical Student Section Of The Society Of Women In Urology, Allison G. Booher, Sasha Vereecken, Erin Kim, Neharika Penmetcha, Alexandra Aponte, Eman N. Chaudhri, Meghana Noonavath, Ibukunoluwa Omole, Joanna Orzel, Leigh Martin

School of Medicine Publications

Objective: To describe a replicable model for a large-scale, cross-institutional, and student-driven initiative to promote gender equity within surgical fields.

Methods: To address the lack of a national infrastructure to support female medical students pursuing careers in Urology, a historically male-dominated specialty, the society of women in urology (SWIU) established its medical student section, called SWIUdents, as a student-led initiative to offer mentorship, education, and networking resources for future female urologists. In 2022, SWIUdents convened its first medical student leadership board, comprised of two co-chairs and four subcommittees focused on membership, program implementation, mentorship, and community relations. SWIUdents membership was …

Molecular And Genetic Landscapes Of Retina And Brain Microglia In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Khang Ma, Rinki Ratnapriya

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Microglia-driven dysregulation has emerged as a significant underlying mechanism in many neurodegenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although both brain and retinal microglia originate from the yolk sac, it is uncertain whether they share molecular similarities or genetic and molecular foundations related to neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we examine the transcriptomic and epigenetic profiles of retina and brain microglia through integrative analyses of single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and single-nucleus ATAC sequencing (snATAC-seq) from 97 independent human samples across 11 different studies. Our findings reveal that retina and brain microglia share similar expression and …

Transdiagnostic Correlates Of Family Accommodation In Anxious Youth, Whitney S Shepherd, Erika S Trent, Orri Smarason, Hannah N Sansone, Daphne M Ayton, Amanda Palo, Abigail E Candelari, Wayne K Goodman, Andrew G Guzick, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Anxiety disorders are common in children and cause significant impairment. Family accommodation, which refers to behavioral changes that family members make to temporarily alleviate a child’s anxiety, has been linked to child anxiety symptom severity. Although emotional vulnerabilities for anxiety such as emotion dysregulation, anxiety sensitivity, and distress intolerance have been associated with family accommodation, research concerning the relationship between these constructs among anxious youth is limited. We hypothesized that these variables would be uniquely and positively associated with family accommodation and would moderate the relationship between anxiety symptom severity and family accommodation. Treatment-seeking child–parent dyads (N = 90; …

Sustained Response To Pan-Braf Inhibitor Plixorafenib (Fore8394, Plx8394) In A Young Adult With Neurodegenerative Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis, Joanna S Yi, Kathleen S Mccarthy, Kate Mazur, Rebecca Kudlaty, Terry Armstrong, Nilesh Desai, Stacie Peacock Shepherd, Daniel Zinn, Jessica Velazquez, Brooks Scull, Carl Allen, Kenneth Mcclain

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Plasma Proteome Correlations With Liver Stiffness In Pediatric Cholestasis Implicate Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Benjamin L Shneider, Rupa S Kanchi, Sandra L Grimm, Sridevi Devaraj, Juliet Emamaullee, Jeremy Schraw, Philip J Lupo, Jorge A Bezerra, Kathleen M Loomes, John C Magee, Ronald J Sokol, Kasper S Wang, Alyssa Kriegmeier, Evelyn Hsu, Jean P Molleston, Philip Rosenthal, Rohit Kohli, Saul J Karpen, Simon P Horslen, M Kyle Jensen, Arianna Barbetta, Cristian Coarfa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Pediatric cholestatic liver diseases can be characterized by rapidly progressive fibrosis. A multicenter cross-sectional analysis of vibration-controlled elastography in biliary atresia (BA), alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AT), and Alagille syndrome (ALGS) was leveraged to interrogate the plasma proteome relative to liver stiffness measurements (LSM).

Methods: Slow off-rate modified aptamer scanning profiling of >7000 proteins in plasma from 187 children with BA (n=93), A1AT (n=31), ALGS (n=46), and healthy pediatric controls (n=17) was performed, and correlations with LSM were undertaken.

Results: There was an abundance of LSM correlated proteins (BA n=2720, A1AT n=694, ALGS n=5968). Interestingly, a distinct plasma proteome was …

Repeated Withdrawal Of A Glpr Agonist Induces Hyperleptinemia And Deteriorates Metabolic Health In Obese Aging Um-Het3 Mice, Nisi Jiang, Jiyuan Yin, Noah Lawrence, Jieyi Meng, Laurence T Maeyens, Ziying Xu, Xin Li, Mbolle Ekane, Ariana Chaudhary, Pengju Cao, Guannan Li, Carolina Solis-Herrera, Yi Zhu, Shangang Zhao

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

GLP-1-based therapy is highly effective in combating aging-associated metabolic diseases. However, the metabolic effects of frequent withdrawal from this therapy in aged, obese mice have not been previously studied. In this study, aged obese UM-HET3 mice were assigned to three groups: Group 1 received no liraglutide treatment (Lira OFF); Group 2 underwent 3 cycles of treatment followed by withdrawal (Lira ON/OFF); and Group 3 remained on continuous treatment (Lira ON). As expected, mice in Group 3 showed reduced body weight and food intake, along with improved metabolic health. In contrast, mice in Group 2 developed hyperleptinemia and visceral fat expansion, …

Diabetes-Related Foot Complications And Socioeconomic Influences Among Hispanic Males In South Texas: A Scoping Review, Mariana J. Rodriguez, Demian Rodriguez, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. and 6th in Texas. South Texas counties have higher diabetes rates than state and national averages. This complex, progressive disease affects multiple body systems and can lead to serious complications, especially in the lower extremities. Uncontrolled diabetes is often associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), foot infections, and lower extremity amputations (LEA). South Texas, predominantly Hispanic American, is disproportionately affected. This demographic faces clinical barriers due to a lack of cultural understanding, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive healthcare workers such as promotoras. This study aimed to …

Prevalence Of Diabetes Related To Acculturation, Dietary Quality, And Sedentary Lifestyle In Mexican Americans: National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 2011 To 2018, Kivima Acevedo

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): David Gee, PhD; Kathaleen Briggs Early, PhD, RDN, CDCES; Katy Williams, MS, RDN

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of diabetes in Mexican American adults (MA-adults) and how risk factors like acculturation, dietary quality, and sedentary lifestyle contribute to the rising rates of diabetes, using the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) 2011 to 2018 data. Methods: We analyzed the NHANES data of MA-adults and Non-Hispanic White adults (NHW-adults) (n= 10670) for the association of diabetes and its risk factors (dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle) by acculturation levels. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). …

Perspectives On Communicating Information And Shared Decision-Making In Patients Undergoing Transtibial Amputation, Lina Walther Sjödin, Lasse J. Lapidus, Eva Torbjörnsson

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Patients undergoing lower extremity amputation often desire to take an active part in decision-making. The primary aim of this study was to explore patients’ experiences of the care trajectory and information provided after a new care program was introduced. The secondary aim was to explore patients' perspectives of their involvement and participation in shared decision-making throughout the care process. The care program features new educational material, recommendations for the sagittal surgical technique, and information about a rigid removable dressing, early liner treatment, and a multidisciplinary team follow up three weeks after amputation.

Methods: Fifteen participants who underwent transtibial amputation …

Social Disparities, Delirium Occurrence, And Related Outcomes Among Hospitalized Older Adults, Alan P Pan, Kathryn Agarwal, Thomas Potter, Karim Borei, Sara Nowakowski, Courtenay R Bruce, George E Taffet, Farhaan S Vahidy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Underlying socio-economic and health burden may variably impact delirium presentation among older adults. We characterized differences in patient factors related to social marginalization and studied their effects on delirium occurrence and hospital outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a 7-year retrospective analysis of older adults (aged ≥ 70 years) who systematically underwent screening for delirium at an 8-hospital healthcare system. Our primary exposure included patient characteristics related to demographics and social marginalization. Multivariable logistic regression models were built to identify factors associated with increased odds of delirium occurrence, either (1) present-on-admission (D-POA) or (2) hospital-acquired (HAD). Secondary outcomes included hospital length …

Strongyloides Seropositivity Among Children Utilizing A Mobile Clinic, Lynda Aririguzo, Aditi Gupta, Norma Castillo, Cassandra Duran, Eva H Clark, Ankona Banerjee, Sanghamitra Misra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Experts recommend screening for or presumptively treating strongyloidiasis in foreign-born immigrant children, though prevalence is unknown. Health care providers encounter barriers to following this recommendation. We aimed to describe Strongyloides seropositivity and risk factors among pediatric patients on a mobile clinic. Participants completed a written survey and provided blood for absolute eosinophil count (AEC) and Strongyloides IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). From October 2022 to June 2023, 206 patients participated; 201 (97.6%) were born outside the United States; 97.1% (n = 200) were Hispanic. Most (68.9%) arrived less than 1 year before study enrollment. Four (1.9%) and 3 (1.5%) had …

Cookie-Pro: Covalent Inhibitor Binding Kinetics Profiling On The Proteome Scale, Hanfeng Lin, Bin Yang, Lang Ding, Yen-Yu Yang, Matthew V Holt, Sung Yun Jung, Bing Zhang, Meng C Wang, Jin Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Covalent inhibitors are an emerging class of therapeutics, but methods to comprehensively profile their binding kinetics and selectivity across the proteome have been limited. Here we introduce COOKIE-Pro (COvalent Occupancy KInetic Enrichment via Proteomics), an unbiased method for quantifying irreversible covalent inhibitor binding kinetics on a proteome-wide scale. COOKIE-Pro uses a two-step incubation process with mass spectrometry-based proteomics to determine kinact and KI values for covalent inhibitors against both on-target and off-target proteins. We validated COOKIE-Pro using BTK inhibitors spebrutinib and ibrutinib, accurately reproducing known kinetic parameters and identifying both expected and unreported off-targets. The method revealed that …

Cyp1b1 Mediates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Lipid Accumulation In Alveolar Type 2 Cells, Yin Zhu, Siddhika Gamare, Francesca Polverino, Caroline A Owen, Payaningal R Somanath, Xiaoyun Wang, Duo Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Alterations in lipid profiles have been shown in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of cytochrome P450 family-1 subfamily B member 1 (CYP1B1) in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced lipid accumulation in alveolar type II epithelial (AT2) cells. We observed a steady increase in CYP1B1 protein levels in AT2 cells from COPD patients. Additionally, CS exposure induced CYP1B1 expression in AT2 cells of murine lungs. In vitro, treatment with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) not only upregulated CYP1B1 expression but also triggered lipid accumulation in AT2-like …

Decorin Evokes A Pro-Lysosomal Pathway In Lymphatic Endothelial Cells, Gabriel J. Pascal, Dipon K. Mondal, Sadie Kim, Christopher Xie, Devanarayanan Siva Sankar, Jörn Dengjel, Renato V. Iozzo

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

The lymphatic system is critical to the body's immune and circulatory system, and lymphangiogenesis, the development of new lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones, is a significant process capitalized upon by cancer during tumorigenesis. Decorin is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan which we have previously shown to be anti-tumorigenic and a suppressor of lymphangiogenesis. We have also shown that decorin exercises its anticancer properties through its ability to evoke autophagy. Through a comprehensive and unbiased proteomic analysis, we explored the implications of decorin exposure on protein expression within mouse lymphatic endothelial cells. We discovered that decorin enriches several protein pathways, notably proteasomal …

Engineered Exosomes With Krasg12d Specific Sirna In Pancreatic Cancer: A Phase I Study With Immunological Correlates, Valerie S Kalluri, Brandon G Smaglo, Krishnan K Mahadevan, Michelle L Kirtley, Kathleen M Mcandrews, Mayela Mendt, Sujuan Yang, Ana S Maldonado, Hikaru Sugimoto, Maria E Salvatierra, Luisa M Solis Soto, Cara Haymaker, Rick Finch, Mihai Gagea, Adam C Fluty, Steven J Ludtke, J Jack Lee, Abhinav K Jain, Gauri Varadhachary, Rachna T Shroff, Anirban Maitra, Elizabeth Shpall, Shubham Pant, Raghu Kalluri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Oncogenic KRAS is amongst the key genetic drivers for initiation and maintenance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we show that engineered exosomes with KrasG12D specific siRNA (iExoKrasG12D) reveal a biodistribution in pancreas with negligible toxicity in preclinical studies in mice and Rhesus macaques. Clinical testing of iExoKrasG12D in the iEXPLORE (iExoKrasG12D in Pancreatic Cancer) Phase I study employed a non-randomized single-arm classical 3 + 3 dose escalation design (Phase Ia), followed by an accelerated titration design (Phase Ib) (NCT03608631). The primary outcomes included safety, tolerability and target engagement, and the secondary outcomes aimed to assess disease control. …

Urology Resident Associate: A Promising Alternative For The Unmatched Urology Applicant, Jayson Kemble, Grace Handleman, Chad A. Lagrange, Christopher M. Deibert

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Demand for urology residency spots frequently outstrips supply, with unmatched urology applicants having limited options while waiting for reapplication. We aim to demonstrate our experience with a year-long Urology Resident Associate (URA) position, which merges the role of junior resident and APP with the mission to reduce resident workload and further the training of an unmatched urology applicant.

Methods. A year-long, non-Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited URA position was created at our institution in 2023 and filled by an unmatched applicant to our program. The URA was given all the roles and responsibilities of a …

Current States In Understanding Oligodendroglia-Mediated Neurological Issues In Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (Nf1), Benjamin E Aghoghovwia, Cheng-En Shen, Sabiha Bano, Nandini Shyamala, Alesandra Echeandia Marrero, Khushboo Irshad, Samer Sharafaldin, Nicole M Brossier, Yuan Pan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is among the most common neurogenetic disorders and is associated with an increased risk of developing tumors in the nervous system. Additionally, up to 80% of patients with NF1 experience neurological complications, including deficits in attention, memory, and executive function. Significant effort has been dedicated to studying how NF1 mutations autonomously dysregulate neuronal function. Increasing evidence indicates that NF1 mutations also dysregulate the oligodendroglial lineage that contributes to neurological issues in NF1. Here, we summarize our current understanding of how NF1 mutations impact the oligodendroglial lineage homeostasis and plasticity. We also discuss gaps in knowledge, potential …

Buprenorphine/Naloxone Therapy For Opioid Withdrawal, Medication-Assisted Treatment, And Pain Management In An Adolescent Patient, Sindhu H. Manjunath, Michael Spickler, Annas Aljassem

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Introduction: Opioid addiction is a chronic disorder centered around craving and compulsive use of prescription or non-medical opioids. The last three decades have seen a dramatic increase in opioid use order (OUD) in the United States, with about 87,000 adolescents in the 12–17 age group estimated to have OUD in 2019. Less than 10% receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT). We present a case of a 17-year-old male who received treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone) for withdrawal management, MAT and acute pain.

Case Description: A 17-year-old-male with a history of anxiety, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) presented to the emergency department (ED) …

Acute Care Of Patients With Moderate Respiratory Distress: Recommendations From An American College Of Emergency Physicians Expert Panel., Christopher W Baugh, Jim F Neuenschwander, Jesslyn Lenox, Jennifer Hoh, Kara Ward, Sara Muramoto, John Casey, Antonio Anzueto, Hajirah Ishaq, Jared Mount, Peter M Deblieux

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

INTRODUCTION: Patients with respiratory distress are frequently encountered in the emergency department (ED). Efforts to assess, initiate treatments, and stabilize these patients require a systematic and rapid response. Emergency physicians need a comprehensive and efficient approach for evaluating, treating, and managing patients presenting to the ED with moderate respiratory distress.

METHODS: The American College of Emergency Physicians convened an expert panel of academic and community emergency physicians, critical care specialists, respiratory therapists, hospitalists, and pharmacists to develop and subsequently disseminate consensus recommendations regarding the diagnosis and treatment of patients with moderate respiratory distress presenting to the ED.

RESULTS: A digital …

Opportunities And Barriers To Engaging Caregivers In Firearm Suicide Prevention: Findings From Focus Groups With Caregivers Of Veterans., Katherine Macwilliams, John Marmion, Dee Blascyk, Sharon Urbina, Rachel Moyers, Gala True

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Firearms are involved in more than 70% of U.S. Veteran suicides. Caregivers, defined as family members or concerned significant others, can play an important role in firearm suicide prevention through initiating conversations about secure firearm storage with Veterans. Our objective was to explore caregivers' experiences with lethal means safety (LMS) conversations and identify perceived barriers to caregivers discussing LMS with healthcare providers and with Veterans. Methods: We conducted focus groups with 32 caregivers with experience caring for a Veteran at risk for suicide. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: We identified three primary themes: 1) caregivers recognize …

Association Between Therapeutic Alliance And Clinical Outcomes In Virtual Telepsychiatry: A Retrospective Analysis Of Data From Talkiatry, Cheryl Person, Nathaniel David Phillips, Kartik Venkatachalam, Georgia Gaveras

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Given the increasing demand for accessible mental health services, fully virtual telepsychiatry has become a vital component of modern health care delivery. Therapeutic alliance, the collaborative and affective bond between patients and therapists, is a well-established predictor of clinical outcomes in traditional face-to-face and teletherapy. However, the relationship between therapeutic alliance and clinical outcomes in an outpatient telepsychiatry setting remains less understood.

Objective: Our primary objective was to evaluate the relationship between therapeutic alliance and clinical outcomes for depression and anxiety in an outpatient telepsychiatry practice.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from treatment-seeking adults receiving services from Talkiatry, …

Aging In Mice Alters Regionally Enriched Striatal Astrocytes, Kay E Linker, Violeta Duran-Laforet, Matthias Ollivier, Xinzhu Yu, Dorothy P Schafer, Baljit S Khakh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aging affects multiple organs and within the brain drives distinct molecular changes across different cell types. The striatum encodes motor behaviors that decline with age, but our understanding of how cells within the striatum change remains incomplete. Using single-cell RNA sequencing from young and aged mice we identify molecularly distinct astrocyte subtypes. We show that astrocytes change significantly with age, exhibiting downregulation of genes, reduced diversity, and a shift to more homogenous inflammatory transcriptomic profiles. By exploring where striatal astrocyte subtypes are located with single-cell resolution, we map astrocytes enriched in dorsal, medial, and ventral striatum. Age increases inflammatory marker …

Comparison Of Imaging Based Single-Cell Resolution Spatial Transcriptomics Profiling Platforms Using Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tumor Samples, Nejla Ozirmak Lermi, Max Molina Ayala, Sharia Hernandez, Wei Lu, Khaja Khan, Alejandra Serrano, Idania Lubo, Leticia Hamana, Katarzyna Tomczak, Sean Barnes, Jinzhuang Dou, Qingnan Liang, Rti Team, Maria Gabriela Raso, Ximing Tang, Mei Jiang, Beatriz Sanchez-Espiridion, Annikka Weissferdt, John Heymach, Jianjun Zhang, Boris Sepesi, Tina Cascone, Anne Tsao, Mehmet Altan, Reza Mehran, Don Gibbons, Ignacio Wistuba, Cara Haymaker, Ken Chen, Luisa M Solis Soto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Imaging-based spatial transcriptomics (ST) is evolving as a pivotal technology in studying tumor biology and associated microenvironments. However, the strengths of the commercially available ST platforms in studying spatial biology have not been systematically evaluated using rigorously controlled experiments. We use serial 5 μm sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma and pleural mesothelioma samples in tissue microarrays to compare the performance of the ST platforms (CosMx, MERFISH, and Xenium (uni/multi-modal)) in reference to bulk RNA sequencing, multiplex immunofluorescence, GeoMx, and hematoxylin and eosin staining data. In addition to an objective assessment of automatic cell segmentation and phenotyping, we …