Digital Commons Network^™

'I Did Not Know We Could Exercise This Small Premature Baby': Challenges Experienced By Parents While Implementing Early Intervention For Their Preterm Infants-A Qualitative Perspective, Manasa Kolibylu Raghupathy, Selim Jahangir, Sonia Khurana, Leslie Edward S. Lewis, Bhamini Krishna Rao

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Preterm birth is a highly stressful experience for both parents and infants. Parental participation in care enhances developmental outcomes, fosters parent-infant interactions and builds parental confidence. However, low parental adherence has always been a challenge in the successful implementation of intervention programs both in the NICU and at home. It is imperative to understand parents' perspectives and view the challenges that they experience through their lens while providing early intervention to their infants born preterm. This study is aimed at identifying new parents' challenges when implementing early intervention programs for their infants during the transition from hospital to home. …

Protocol For Development And Validation Of An Early Intervention Device And Its Influence Using Structured Early Physiotherapy (Preemiestep) Intervention On Neuromotor Development In Preterm Infants, Indira D. B. Naidu Boddapati, Sivakumar Gopalakrishnan, Sonia Khurana, Jayashree Purkayastha, Bhaskar Bhatt, Bhamini Krishna Rao

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Early physiotherapy interventions for Moderate to Late Preterm (MLP) infants often lack continuity of care from hospital to home settings. This research aims to develop an Early Intervention (EI) device for home program and determine its influence using STructured Early Physiotherapy (Preemie STEP) intervention in MLP infants. For phase I, qualitative interviews will be conducted with healthcare professionals and parents, to understand user needs on developed prototype. Based on identified needs, an EI device will be developed using a human-centered design approach and iterative design process. In phase II, usability and validity of EI device will be …

Emergency Action Plan Adoption Across Athletic Training Practice Settings, Samantha E. Scarneo-Miller, Rebecca L. Stearns, Christianne M. Eason, Alicia M. Pike Lacy, Rebecca M. Lopez, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Rebecca M. Hirschhorn, Susan W. Yeargin

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context:

The 2024 NATA Position Statement provides updated recommendations for EAP adoption. Past research on the 2002 statement showed limited adoption by ATs. Assessing current adoption across practice settings offers a clearer picture of the EAP implementation landscape.

Objectives:

To examine ATs' adoption of new EAP best-practice recommendations across practice settings.

Design:

Cross-Sectional study.

Setting:

Online questionnaire.

Patients or Other Participants:

Clinically active ATs (n=614) working in any practice setting (Youth, Secondary School, Division 1 Power 4, Collegiate athletics – Not Power 4, Non-Major Professional Sports, Professional Sports, Non-Sideline).

Main Outcome Measures:

Prevalence of an EAP, adoption of recommendations, and …

The Role Of Speech And Language Therapists (Slts) In International Stroke Teams: A Systematic Review, Marina Charalambous, John E Pierce, Georgia Pastou, Erasmia Kola, Sean I Savitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Current published guidelines suggest that speech and language therapists (SLTs) should be part of stroke teams, but their involvement and roles according to country income are unknown.

Aims: This review aims to (1) investigate the level of involvement of SLTs in acute stroke management, rehabilitation, and long-term care, and (2) examine whether the roles and contributions of SLTs in stroke care vary according to a country's income level.

Methods: A systematic review methodology was conducted by an expert librarian and three independent researchers based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This systematic review …

The Human Spinothalamic Tract: Lessons From Cordotomy, Anthony K Allam, Michael Benjamin Larkin, Ishan A Patel, Mohammed Hasen, David Mears, Ashwin Viswanathan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The spinothalamic tract has long been known as a primary conductor of nociceptive information, with its anatomical and physiological understanding evolving over centuries of research. This comprehensive review traces the history of the spinothalamic tract beginning with Brown-Sequard’s 1860 report of contralateral analgesia following a hemisection of the spinal cord. As clinical and surgical interventions, such as cordotomies have advanced, so did our understanding of the spinothalamic tract’s function and anatomy. The spinothalamic tract’s role as a crossed pathway conducting pain and temperature sensations was solidified by the mid-20th century. However, intricate details of its somatotopic arrangement, anatomical distributions and …

Consensus Guidelines For Delineation Of Clinical Target Volumes For Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy For Intact Cervical Cancer: An Update, Emma C Fields, Walter R Bosch, Kevin V Albuquerque, Rohini Bhatia, Junzo Chino, Beth Erickson, David Gaffney, Scott Glaser, Kathy Han, Lara Hathout, I-Chow Hsu, Naresh Jegadeesh, Jenna Kahn, Elizabeth Kidd, Ann Klopp, Eric Leung, Lilie Lin, Michelle Ludwig, Tianjun Ma, Loren Mell, Jyoti Mayadev, Ivy Petersen, Lorraine Portelance, Dominique Rash, Neil Taunk, Akila Viswanathan, Aaron Wolfson, Catheryn Yashar, Anamaria Yeung, Emi Yoshida, Christine M Fisher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Accurate target delineation is essential when using intensity modulated radiation therapy for intact cervical cancer. In 2011, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group published a consensus guideline using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The current project expands on the previous atlas by including computed tomography (CT)-based contours, contours with MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) registrations, the addition of common and complex scenarios, and incorporating information on simulation and treatment planning techniques.

Methods and materials: Twenty-eight experts in gynecologic radiation oncology contoured 3 cases, first on a noncontrast CT simulation scan and then with registered diagnostic scans. The cases included (1) …

Histopathologic Progression And Metastatic Relapse Outcomes In Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinomas Of The Urinary Tract, Mohammad Jad Moussa, Georges C Tabet, Arlene O Siefker-Radtke, Lianchun Xiao, Nathaniel R Wilson, Christopher J Logothetis, Byron Lee, Amishi Y Shah, Pavlos Msaouel, Roger Li, Leticia Campos Clemente, Jianping Zhao, Nizar M Tannir, Ashish M Kamat, Donna E Hansel, Charles C Guo, Matthew T Campbell, Omar Alhalabi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the urinary tract (SCNEC-URO) has an inferior prognosis compared to conventional urothelial carcinoma (UC). Here, we evaluate the predictors and patterns of relapse after surgery.

Materials and methods: We identified a definitive-surgery cohort (n = 224) from an institutional database of patients with cT1-T4NxM0 SCNEC-URO treated in 1985-2021. Histopathologic review was conducted by independent pathologists. Relapse event was the time-to-event outcome, and relapse probabilities were estimated using a competing risk method with cumulative incidence functions (CIFs). Fine-Gray distribution models assessed covariate associations.

Results: Most patients (161, 71.9%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (neoCTX). Ninety two (41%) …

Plasma Dna Methylation-Based Biomarkers For Mpnst Detection In Patients With Neurofibromatosis Type 1, Katarzyna Tomczak, Manishkumar S Patel, Angela D Bhalla, Christine B Peterson, Sharon M Landers, Di Zhang, Jace P Landry, Alexander J Lazar, J Andrew Livingston, B Ashleigh Guadagnolo, Heather G Lyu, Heather Lillemoe, Christina L Roland, Emily Z Keung, Christopher P Scally, Kelly K Hunt, Ian E Mccutcheon, John M Slopis, Jian Gu, Paul Scheet, Liang Wang, Kunal Rai, Keila E Torres

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) development is characterized by an altered DNA methylation landscape, which presents a promising area for developing MPNST-specific biomarkers for screening patients with NF1. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of a cohort of 13 patients with MPNST (29 samples of tumor and adjacent neurofibroma tissues) and of NF1-MPNST cell lines was performed to identify and validate candidate MPNST-specific CpG sites (CpGs). A logistic regression prediction model was constructed to select MPNST-specific CpGs distinct from adjacent neurofibromas and normal tissues. To test if hypermethylation at selected CpGs can also be detected in plasma from patients with MPNST, …

Organ Of Corti Macrophages: A Distinct Group Of Cochlear Macrophages With Potential Roles In Supporting Cell Degeneration And Survival, Mengxiao Ye, Celia Zhang, Dalian Ding, Guang-Di Chen, Henry J Adler, Bo Hua Hu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Macrophages are the primary immune cells in the cochlea, essential for maintaining cochlear homeostasis and orchestrating inflammatory responses to pathological events. Although these cells have been found in various parts of the cochlea, their presence in the organ of Corti, a critical structure for acoustic sensing, remains poorly understood. The present study was designed to examine macrophage responses to ototoxic drug-induced cochlear damage and age-related cochlear degeneration, with a particular focus on the pathological conditions that trigger macrophage recruitment into the organ of Corti. We used a model of ototoxicity induced by cyclodextrin, a cyclic oligosaccharide known for its ability …

Empathy Unmasked: Patient Perception Of Physician Empathy In An Oncologic Emergency Setting A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Personal Protective Equipment Wear Versus Unmasked Video Communication, Kathryn J Burk, John J Stroh, Kelly Larkin, Patrick Chaftari, Denise M Langabeer, Jeanie F Woodruff, Hongxu Zhu, James P Long, Sai-Ching J Yeung, Kumar Alagappan, Aiham Qdaisat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine emerged as an important option that supports and facilitates clinical practice, however, its usefulness in emergency settings that treat patients with cancer is unclear.

Objective: To evaluate patient perception of physician empathy in an emergency oncology setting, comparing video interaction to an in-person with personal protective equipment (PPE) approach.

Methods: In this single-center, prospective, cross-sectional, survey-based randomized controlled trial, patients were randomized 1:1 for the concluding conversation done in-person which included either interacting with physicians wearing PPE or video interaction with physicians without PPE (virtual). Patients' perceptions of the physicians' relational empathy were assessed …

Optimization Of Proximity Labeling In Endothelial Cells: Overcoming Endogenous Biotin Interference And Cost Barriers, Ying Jiang, Kuizhi Qu, Mengjun Dai, Yan-Ning Rui, Zhen Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Proximity labeling has become a powerful technique for mapping protein-protein interactions under physiologically relevant conditions, with TurboID offering high enzymatic activity and rapid labeling. However, its application in endothelial systems has been limited, partly due to the presence of endogenous biotin in specialized media, which reduces labeling specificity. Here, we optimized TurboID-mediated proximity labeling in brain microvascular endothelial cells by addressing two key challenges: endogenous biotin interference and cost-effective depletion. We discovered that endothelial cell medium contains substantial biotin levels, which saturate TurboID labeling and obscure the effects of exogenous biotin. Using High Capacity NeutrAvidin

Mechanisms Of How Sarcopenia Affects Functional Outcomes In Acute Ischaemic Stroke, Dong-Seok Gwak, Jinyong Chung, Dawid Schellingerhout, Hyerin Oh, Sang-Wuk Jeong, Dong-Eog Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Sarcopenia, a common geriatric condition characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, can negatively affect functional outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that sarcopenia affects post-stroke outcomes, mediated through its impact on dysphagia, early neurological deterioration, or post-stroke recovery, particularly in patients with motor deficits. To explore this hypothesis, we included 600 consecutive elderly (≥65 years) patients with acute (< 1 week) ischaemic stroke and assessed: (i) the relationships sarcopenia has with dysphagia, early neurological deterioration and various phases of recovery after stroke (in-hospital, post-discharge [up to 3 months], and chronic [3 months to 1 year]) and (ii) whether either presenting symptoms or lesion locations modify the impact of sarcopenia on stroke outcomes. Temporal muscle thickness, a marker of sarcopenia, was measured by brain magnetic resonance imaging and dichotomized into low versus high temporal muscle thickness at the 25th percentile cut-off point. Logistic regression analysis, mediation analysis and statistical brain mapping were conducted. Mean age was 75.3 ± 6.1 years and 303 (50.5%) were male. Low temporal muscle thickness (< 5.1 mm) was independently associated with dysphagia (adjusted odds ratio 1.89 [95% confidence interval 1.06–3.37], P = 0.03), early neurological deterioration (adjusted odds ratio 2.75 [95% confidence interval 1.61–4.71], P < 0.001) and post-discharge recovery (adjusted odds ratio 0.56 [95% confidence interval 0.34–0.94], P = 0.03) but not with in-hospital or chronic recovery. In addition, dysphagia, early neurological …

The Primary Cilia: Orchestrating Cranial Neural Crest Cell Development, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Matthew D Meyer, William B Barrell, Maryam Faisal, Rebecca Berdeaux, Yoshihiro Komatsu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Primary cilia (hereafter "cilia") are microtubule-based antenna-like organelles projecting from the surface of vertebrate cells. Cilia can serve as cellular antennae controlling cell growth and differentiation. Absent or dysfunctional cilia frequently lead to craniofacial anomalies known as craniofacial ciliopathies. However, the detailed pathological mechanisms of craniofacial ciliopathies remain unclear. This perspective discusses our current understanding of the role of cilia in cranial neural crest cells. We also describe potential mechanisms of ciliogenesis in cranial neural crest cells, which may contribute to unraveling the complex pathogenesis of craniofacial ciliopathies.

18 Kda Translocator Protein (Tspo) Is Upregulated In Rat Brain After Peripheral Nerve Injury And Downregulated By Diroximel Fumarate, Rafael A Cazuza, Sever M Zagrai, Anamaria R Grieco, Thomas D Avery, Andrew D Abell, Marco L Loggia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neuroimmune signaling is a key process underlying neuropathic pain. Clinical studies have demonstrated that 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), a putative marker of neuroinflammation, is upregulated in discrete brain regions of patients with chronic pain. However, no preclinical studies have investigated TSPO dynamics in the brain in the context of neuropathic pain and in response to analgesic treatments. We used positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and [18F]-PBR06 radioligand to measure TSPO levels in the brain across time after chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in both male and female rats. Up to 10 weeks post-CCI, TSPO expression was …

Changes In Functional Connectivity Are Associated With Functional Independence In The Early Postoperative Period Following Awake Surgical Resection Of Language-Eloquent Glioma, Kyle R Noll, Evan D Bander, Henry S Chen, Mariana Bradshaw, Jeffrey S Wefel, Sujit S Prabhu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Neurocognitive decline in patients with primary brain tumors is associated with alterations in the functional connectome and reduced independence in daily living. This study explores postoperative connectomic changes associated with functional independence outcomes in patients with eloquent glioma, and how these associations differ from neurocognitive-connetcomic relationships.

Methods: Fifteen patients with left perisylvian glioma underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and neuropsychological evaluation within 2 weeks before and on average 1 month after resection. Functional independence was measured with the Physical Self-Maintenance Scale (PSMS) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale (IADL). Graph theoretical analysis quantified functional brain …

The Tripod-Llm Reporting Guideline For Studies Using Large Language Models, Jack Gallifant, Majid Afshar, Saleem Ameen, Yindalon Aphinyanaphongs, Shan Chen, Dina Demner-Fushman, Roxana Daneshjou, Chrystinne Fernandes, Lasse Hyldig Hansen, Adam Landman, Lisa Lehmann, Liam G Mccoy, Timothy Miller, Amy Moreno, Nikolaj Munch, David Restrepo, Guergana Savova, Renato Umeton, Judy Wawira Gichoya, Gary S Collins, Karel G M Moons, Leo A Celi, Danielle S Bitterman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Large language models (LLMs) are rapidly being adopted in healthcare, necessitating standardized reporting guidelines. We present transparent reporting of a multivariable model for individual prognosis or diagnosis (TRIPOD)-LLM, an extension of the TRIPOD + artificial intelligence statement, addressing the unique challenges of LLMs in biomedical applications. TRIPOD-LLM provides a comprehensive checklist of 19 main items and 50 subitems, covering key aspects from title to discussion. The guidelines introduce a modular format accommodating various LLM research designs and tasks, with 14 main items and 32 subitems applicable across all categories. Developed through an expedited Delphi process and expert consensus, TRIPOD-LLM emphasizes …

Examining The Presence And Effects Of Coherence And Fragmentation In The Gulf Of Maine Fishery Management Network, Derek Katznelson, Antonia Sohns, Dongkyu Kim, Evelyn Roozee, William R Donner, Jasper R De Vries, Gordon M Hickey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Natural resource management networks cohere due to mutual dependencies and fragment, in part, due to the perceived risks of interaction. However, research on these networks has tended to accept coherence a priori rather than problematizing dependence, and few studies exist on interorganizational risk perception. This article presents the results of a study operationalizing these concepts and measuring the distribution of three types of dependence (capital, legitimacy, and regulatory) and two types of perceived risk (performance and sanction) among nearly fifty stakeholder groups and organizations participating in the management of fisheries in the binational Gulf of Maine. The analysis reveals an …

Refining Breast Cancer Genetic Risk And Biology Through Multi-Ancestry Fine-Mapping Analyses Of 192 Risk Regions, Guochong Jia, Zhishan Chen, Jie Ping, Qiuyin Cai, Ran Tao, Joshua A Bauer, Stefan Ambs, Mollie E Barnard, Yu Chen, Ji-Yeob Choi, Yu-Tang Gao, Montserrat Garcia-Closas, Jian Gu, Jennifer J Hu, Motoki Iwasaki, Esther M John, Sun-Seog Kweon, Christopher I Li, Koichi Matsuda, Keitaro Matsuo, Katherine L Nathanson, Barbara Nemesure, Olufunmilayo I Olopade, Tuya Pal, Sue K Park, Boyoung Park, Michael F Press, Maureen Sanderson, Dale P Sandler, Chen-Yang Shen, Melissa A Troester, Song Yao, Ying Zheng, Thomas Ahearn, Abenaa M Brewster, Adeyinka Falusi, Anselm J M Hennis, Hidemi Ito, Michiaki Kubo, Eun-Sook Lee, Timothy Makumbi, Paul Ndom, Dong-Young Noh, Katie M O'Brien, Oladosu Ojengbede, Andrew F Olshan, Min-Ho Park, Sonya Reid, Taiki Yamaji, Gary Zirpoli, Ebonee N Butler, Maosheng Huang, Siew-Kee Low, John Obafunwa, Clarice R Weinberg, Haoyu Zhang, Hongyu Zhao, Michelle L Cote, Christine B Ambrosone, Dezheng Huo, Bingshan Li, Daehee Kang, Julie R Palmer, Xiao-Ou Shu, Christopher A Haiman, Xingyi Guo, Jirong Long, Wei Zheng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genome-wide association studies have identified approximately 200 genetic risk loci for breast cancer, but the causal variants and target genes are mostly unknown. We sought to fine-map all known breast cancer risk loci using genome-wide association study data from 172,737 female breast cancer cases and 242,009 controls of African, Asian and European ancestry. We identified 332 independent association signals for breast cancer risk, including 131 signals not reported previously, and for 50 of them, we narrowed the credible causal variants down to a single variant. Analyses integrating functional genomics data identified 195 putative susceptibility genes, enriched in PI3K/AKT, TNF/NF-κB, p53 …

Evaluation Of Quantum Contouring Algorithms For Treatment Planning On Mr Abdominal Images, Rachel Glenn, Tucker Netherton, Adrian Celaya, Mohamed Eltaher, Beatrice Riviere, David Fuentes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Quantum computing is increasingly being investigated for integration into medical radiology and healthcare applications worldwide. Given its potential to enhance clinical care and medical research, there is growing interest in evaluating its practical applications in clinical workflows.

Methods: We developed an evaluation of quantum computing-based auto-contouring methods to introduce medical physicists to this emerging technology. We implemented existing quantum algorithms as prototypes tailored for specific quantum hardware, focusing on their application to auto-contouring in medical imaging. The evaluation was performed using a medical resonance imaging (MRI) abdominal dataset, comprising 102 patient scans.

Results: The quantum algorithms were applied to …

Role Of Mir-204 In Controlling Metabolic Functions Of The Subretinal Microglia, Yan Chen, Sarah E Bounds, Neloy Kundu, James Regun Karmoker, Yin Liu, Jiyang Cai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rationale: MicroRNA-204 (miR-204) is one of the most abundant miRNA species in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and RPE-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Knockout (KO) of miR-204 leads to dysfunction and degeneration of both the RPE and the retina. In addition to previously reported retinal pathologies, we observed the accumulation of lipid-laden subretinal microglia in miR-204 KO mice. This study aimed to identify potential molecular targets of miR-204 involved in microglia lipid processing and to determine whether RPE-derived EVs can improve the function of miR-204-deficient retinal microglia.

Methods: Lipid accumulation in microglia was detected by staining with LipidTox, a fluorescent dye …

Meeting Highlights The 4th Marie Skłodowska-Curie Symposium On Cancer Research And Care: Mechanisms Of Support For Regional & International Collaborations, Pawel Kalinski, Kathleen M Kokolus, Indu Ahluwalia, Mihaela Balu, Łukasz Balwicki, Loretta Beine, Ioana Berindan-Neagoe, Andriy Beznosenko, Blanka Borowiec, Szabolcs Bozsányi, Jonathan Bramson, Brian Czerniecki, Rūta Everatt, Wojciech Fendler, Peter Forsyth, Jeffrey E Gershenwald, Maciej Goniewicz, Khurshid Guru, Andrew Hyland, Smitha James, Iva Kirac, Pawel Koczkodaj, Leszek Kotula, Maciej Łuba, Iwona Ługowska, Elizabeth Luke, Cristian Lungulescu, Sandro Matosevic, Kaushal Nanavati, Michael Nemeth, Karolina Nowak, Katia Noyes, Mark Parascandola, Waldemar Priebe, Piotr Rutkowski, Mukund Seshadri, Christine E Sheffer, Ioana-Miruna Stanciu, Joanna Stanson, Telisa Stewart, Edita Sužiedėlienė, Kęstutis Sužiedėlis, Iryna Tanasiichuk, Anda M Vlad, Wei-Zen Wei, Dylan Williams, Malgorzata Wojtowicz, Tomasz Zdrojewski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Symposia on Cancer Research and Care (MSCS-CRC) promote collaborations between cancer researchers and care providers in the United States, Canada and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) to accelerate the development of new cancer therapies, new strategies for early detection and prevention, and improve cancer care and the quality of life for patients and their families. The 4th MSCS-CRC (September 25-27, 2024, Buffalo, New York) brought together 147 participants from the US, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine, and involved representatives of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Cancer Institute (NCI) …

Digital Twins In Healthcare: A Comprehensive Review And Future Directions, Hamid Khoshfekr Rudsari, Becky Tseng, Hongxu Zhu, Lulu Song, Chunhui Gu, Ehsan Irajizad, James Long, Kim-Anh Do

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Digital Twin (DT) technology has emerged as a transformative force in healthcare, offering unprecedented opportunities for personalized medicine, treatment optimization, and disease prevention. This comprehensive review examines the current state of DTs in healthcare, analyzing their implementation across different physiological levels-from cellular to whole-body systems. We systematically review the latest developments, methodologies, and applications while identifying challenges and opportunities. Our analysis encompasses technical frameworks for cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory, metabolic, hepatic, oncological, and cellular DTs, highlighting significant achievements such as population-scale cardiac modeling (3,461 patient cohort), reduced atrial fibrillation recurrence rates through patient-specific cardiac models, improved brain tumor radiotherapy planning, advanced …

Upregulation Of Delta Opioid Receptor By Meningeal Interleukin-10 Prevents Relapsing Pain, Kufreobong E Inyang, Jaewon Sim, Kimberly B Clark, Matan Geron, Karli Monahan, Patrick O'Connell, Bo Peng, Jiacheng Ma, Cobi J Heijnen, Robert Dantzer, Grégory Scherrer, Annemieke Kavelaars, Matthew Bernard, Yasser A Aldhamen, Joseph K Folger, Alexis Bavencoffe, Geoffroy Laumet

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic pain often includes periods of transient amelioration and even remission that alternate with severe relapsing pain. While most research on chronic pain has focused on pain development and maintenance, there is a critical unmet need to better understand the mechanisms that underlie pain remission and relapse. We found that interleukin (IL)-10, a pain resolving cytokine, is produced by resident macrophages in the spinal meninges during remission from pain and signaled to IL-10 receptor-expressing sensory neurons. Using unbiased RNA-sequencing, we identified that IL-10 upregulated expression and antinociceptive activity of δ-opioid receptor (δOR) in the dorsal root ganglion. Genetic or pharmacological …

Effect Of Digital Health Coaching On Self-Efficacy And Patient-Reported Outcomes In Individuals With Acute Myeloid And Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Jennifer Marvin-Peek, Valerie Shelton, Kelly Brassil, Bryan Fellman, Austin Barr, Danielle Hammond, Nitin Jain, William Wierda, Alessandra Ferrajoli, Courtney Dinardo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Promotion of self-efficacy can enhance engagement with health care and treatment adherence in patients with cancer. We report the outcomes of a pilot trial of a digital health coach intervention in patients with leukemia with the aim of improving self-efficacy.

Methods: Adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were randomized 1:1 to a digital health coach intervention or standard of care. The primary outcome of self-efficacy was measured by the Cancer Behavior Inventory (CBI) score.

Results: A total of 147 patients (37 AML, 110 CLL) were enrolled from July 2020 to December …

Ganglioside Gd2 Contributes To A Stem-Like Phenotype In Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, Antonella Mannini, Mirella Pastore, Alessia Giachi, Margherita Correnti, Elena Spínola Lasso, Benedetta Piombanti, Elisabetta Rovida, Cédric Coulouarn, Jesper B Andersen, Monika Lewinska, Claudia Campani, V Lokesh Battula, Bin Yuan, Massimo Aureli, Emma V Carsana, Caterina Peraldo Neia, Paola Ostano, Alessia Tani, Daniele Nosi, Anna Vanni, Laura Maggi, Luca Di Tommaso, Giuseppina Comito, Stefania Madiai, Annarosa Arcangeli, Fabio Marra, Chiara Raggi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: GD2, a member of the ganglioside (GS) family (sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids), is a potential biomarker of cancer stem cells (CSC) in several tumours. However, the possible role of GD2 and its biosynthetic enzyme, GD3 synthase (GD3S), in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has not been explored.

METHODS: The stem-like subset of two iCCA cell lines was enriched by sphere culture (SPH) and compared to monolayer parental cells (MON). GS profiles were evaluated by chromatography, after feeding with radioactive sphingosine. Membrane GD2 expression was evaluated by FACS, and the expression of enzymes of GS biosynthesis was analysed by RT-qPCR. The …

Neutrophils Unveiled In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Sheighlah Mcmanus, Priyanka Khare, Maria Teresa S Bertilaccio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This review explores neutrophils' roles in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), highlighting their functions within the immune system. While neutrophils are known for fighting infections, their altered behavior in CLL significantly impacts disease progression. This review notes the reduced phagocytic abilities of neutrophils and the increased formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in patients with CLL. It also examines the effects of CLL treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies, on neutrophils' count and function, stressing the need for improved strategies to manage therapy-induced immune dysfunction. This review also provides detailed information about the interactions between neutrophils and other immune elements …

Stim1 And Lipid Interactions At Er-Pm Contact Sites, Yuepeng Ke, Ritchel Gannaban, Junchen Liu, Yubin Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Store-operated calcium (Ca2+) entry (SOCE) represents a major route of Ca2+ permeation across the plasma membrane (PM) in non-excitable cells, which plays an indispensable role in maintaining intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. This process is orchestrated through the dynamic coupling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized Ca2+ sensor stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and the PM-resident ORAI1 channel. Upon depletion of ER Ca2+ stores, STIM1 undergoes conformational rearrangements and oligomerization, leading to translocation of STIM1-containing ER membrane towards the PM. This movement is facilitated by the physical interaction between positively charged cytosolic domains within STIM1 and negatively charged phospholipids embedded in the PM, …

Exercise And Nutrition To Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (Enicto), Kathryn H Schmitz, Justin C Brown, Melinda L Irwin, Kim Robien, Jessica M Scott, Bette Caan, Tracy E Crane, Scott R Evans, Jennifer A Ligibel, Jeffrey A Meyerhardt, Tanya Agurs-Collins, Karen Basen-Engquist, Jennifer W Bea, Sheng F Cai, Brenda Cartmel, Vernon M Chinchilli, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Christina M Dieli-Conwright, Loretta Dipietro, Shawna E Doerksen, Sharon L Edelstein, Joanne Elena, William Evans, Leah M Ferrucci, Julia Foldi, Sarah Freylersythe, Helena Furberg, Lee W Jones, Ross Levine, Chaya S Moskowitz, Cynthia Owusu, Frank Penedo, Borsika A Rabin, Elena Ratner, Margaret Rosenzweig, Talya Salz, Tara Sanft, Matthew Schlumbrecht, Guillaume Spielmann, Cynthia A Thomson, Ashley H Tjaden, Martin R Weiser, Shengping Yang, Anthony F Yu, Frank M Perna, Enicto Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chemotherapy treatment-related side effects are common and increase the risk of suboptimal outcomes. Exercise interventions during cancer treatment improve self-reported physical functioning, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, but it is unclear whether these interventions improve important clinical outcomes, such as chemotherapy relative dose intensity. The National Cancer Institute funded the Exercise and Nutrition to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (ENICTO) Consortium to address this knowledge gap. This article describes the mechanisms hypothesized to underpin intervention effects on clinically relevant treatment outcomes, briefly outlines each project's distinct research aims, summarizes the scope and organizational structure of ENICTO, and provides an overview of the …

Analyzing Pain Patterns In Stroke Survivors In Outpatient Clinics: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional, Observational Study, Deniz Dishman, Catherine Gonzalez, Tia S Thomas, Hari Kishan Indupuru, Seokhun Kim, Anjail Sharrief

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Pain is one of the most common sequelae after a stroke. Yet it is under-recognized, under-treated, and under-investigated, with no standard care guidelines for management during post-stroke recovery.

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to capture the prevalence of pain and different pain types in stroke survivors.

Patients and methods: The study included stroke survivors who completed a pre-visit telehealth review of systems instrument between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2022. 442 out-patient subjects were identified and matched to their respective electronic health record from the incident stroke. Subjects were divided into pain and no-pain groups …

Building Boundary-Crossers In Clinical-Translational Research: An Exploratory Study Of A Novel Communication Intervention, Carrie Cameron, Irene Rull-Garcia, Laura G Meyer, Jose-Armando Fernandez-Guerrero, Erin K Dahlstrom, Christine Pribbenow

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Integrating scientific research across multiple disciplines to advance breakthroughs is at the heart of clinical-translational science (CTS); among competencies that have been identified as essential for progress, skillful communication is critical. Few tools are available to address the social dynamics of the multidimensional diversity characteristics of CTS. We created the "Building a Diverse Biomedical Workforce Through Communication Across Difference (CAD)" workshop intervention. Based on principles of intercultural communication, CAD taught novel situationally-based communication skills to dyads of near-peer mentors and their undergraduate mentees. This study reports on the effectiveness of the operative mechanisms employed in CAD workshops for helping …