Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Bungee-Based Training On Physical Performance And Arch Jump Kinematics In Female College Rhythmic Gymnasts, Nasser Abouzeid, Mariola Gepfert, Abdulrahman I. Alaqil, Abdulmalek K. Bursais, Hussein Hashoos, Mohammed S. Alibrahim, Labeeb Z. Moseekh, Amr S. Hamza

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an eight-week bungee-based training program on selected physical performance variables and arch jump kinematics in female college rhythmic gymnasts. Material and methods: Eighteen female college students (age: 18.1 ± 0.9 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG; n = 9) or a control group (CG; n = 9). The EG completed a bungee workout training program three times per week for eight weeks, while the CG followed a traditional rhythmic gymnastics training program. Physical performance variables included vertical jump, leg strength, back strength, standing long jump, …

The Heart’S Hidden Influencer: Epicardial Adipose Tissue In The Pathogenesis Of Heart Failure, Aobo Li, Avilash Mondal, Jianli Zhao, John Zhang, Xin-Liang Ma

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Abstract – Heart failure (HF) is a complex, multifactorial clinical syndrome with diverse etiologies and phenotypic manifestations, affecting millions of people globally. HF is broadly classified into 3 subtypes: HF with reduced ejection fraction, HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction, and HF with preserved ejection fraction. Each subtype exhibits distinct pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical trajectories, and therapeutic responses, posing significant challenges in terms of diagnosis and management. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), a metabolically active visceral fat depot situated in close proximity to the myocardium, plays a dual role in physiological and pathological states, offering potential utility as a biomarker and therapeutic …

Ubiquitination Of Oncogenic Mutant P53 Via Attenuation Of Ribosome Biogenesis Machinery Effectively Inhibits Pancreatic Tumor Growth, Mudassier Ahmad, Sahir Sultan Alvi, Haider Ahsan, Carlos Perez, Andrew Massey, Vivek K Kashyap, Neeraj Chauhan, Emmanuel Anning, Manish K Tripathi, Dae J Kim, Nirakar Sahoo, Tamer Oraby, Murali M Yallapu, Mohammad Moshahid Khan, Manu M Sebastian, Subhash C Chauhan, Bilal B Hafeez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dysregulated ribosome biogenesis and p53 mutations are known to play oncogenic roles in various cancers, including pancreatic cancer. In this study, we demonstrated the therapeutic potential of BMH-21, a pharmacologic inhibitor of RNA polymerase I, against pancreatic cancer by uncovering a novel molecular mechanism involving RPA194-mediated ubiquitination of mutant p53 without affecting the ubiquitination of wild-type p53. Our key findings are that (i) BMH-21 selectively induces apoptosis and cell growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells with no effect on normal human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells; (ii) BMH-21 degrades RPA194; (iii) BMH-21 inhibits recruitment of both RPA194 and RPA135 on rDNA …

The Next Layer: Augmenting Foundation Models With Structure-Preserving And Attention-Guided Learning For Local Patches To Global Context Awareness In Computational Pathology, Muhammad Waqas, Rukhmini Bandyopadhyay, Eman Showkatian, Amgad Muneer, Anas Zafar, Frank R Alvarez, Maricel Corredor Marin, Wentao Li, David Jaffray, Cara Haymaker, John V Heymach, Natalie Vokes, Luisa M Solis Soto, Jianjun Zhang, Jia Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Foundation models have emerged as powerful feature extractors in computational pathology. However, they typically omit mechanisms for leveraging the global spatial structure of tissues and the local contextual relationships among diagnostically relevant regions-key elements for understanding the tumor microenvironment. Multiple instance learning (MIL) remains an essential next step following the foundation model, designing a framework to aggregate patch-level features into slide-level predictions. We present EAGLE-Net, a structure-preserving, attention-guided MIL architecture designed to augment prediction and interpretability. EAGLE-Net integrates multi-scale absolute spatial encoding to capture global tissue architecture, a top-K neighborhood-aware loss to focus attention on local microenvironments, and background suppression …

Tumor Radiosensitization With Gold Nanoparticles: Evolving Strategies To Improve Tumoral Gold Uptake And Catalyze Future Clinical Translation, Prapannajeet Biswal, Geraldine V Vijay, Gabrielle Krouse, Phuoc Minh Quan Mai, Bhoomika Muruvekere Lakshmisha, Sanaz Keshavarz Shahbaz, Mahdieh Yousefi Taba, Aria Sabbagh, Lydia Wt Cheung, Yuri Mackeyev, Khadijeh Koushki, Sunil Krishnan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Radiation therapy is integral to the treatment regimens of over 50% of cancer patients. However, it is not biologically targeted to just the tumor, leading to adverse effects in peritumoral normal tissue. Selective uptake of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by tumors realizes tumor-specific radiosensitization via increased secondary electron release from high atomic number gold atoms. Here, we review AuNP-mediated radiosensitization and outline strategies to optimize tumor-targeted AuNP delivery. Modifying the physicochemical characteristics of AuNPs, including size, shape, charge, and surface chemistry, can increase their ability to evade the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and penetrate the dense tumor stromal architecture, thereby promoting tumor …

Repurposing Of The Macrolide Antibiotic Clarithromycin For The Prevention Of Lung Cancer, Shanshan Deng, Tabish Hussain, Thais F Bartelli, Manu M Sebastian, Melody Zarghooni, Walter V Velasco, Brandon Somerville, Linda Phan, Michelle I Savage, Yurong Song, John L Clifford, Humam Kadara, Florencia Mcallister, Powel H Brown, Seyed Javad Moghaddam, C Marcelo Aldaz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Drug repurposing is the process of reusing existing pharmaceuticals for novel clinical purposes, which offers advantages such as streamlined clinical trial access and reduced drug development costs. Clarithromycin (CAM), a member of the macrolide antibiotics family, is a promising candidate for repurposing in cancer therapy due to its known preclinical and clinical immunomodulatory and anticancer properties. In the current study, we investigated whether CAM could be repurposed as a preventive treatment for KRAS-mutant lung cancer, a subtype of lung adenocarcinoma that is strongly associated with heavy smoking. CCSPCre; LSL-KrasG12D mice at an early stage of tumor development were treated with …

Assessing Social Determinants Of Health Training In Graduate Medical Education: A Narrative Review Using Kirkpatrick’S Model, Surya Namboodiri, Bharathi Gadad, Juan Lopez-Alvarenga, Chelsea Chang

School of Medicine Publications

Social determinants of health (SDOH) training is a critical component of medical education, equipping physicians to address factors such as economic stability, education, and health care access. Despite its importance, the evaluation of SDOH training often focuses on lower-level outcomes, such as learner satisfaction and knowledge assessment, with limited emphasis on behavioral change and patient outcomes. Kirkpatrick’s model offers a validated framework for addressing this gap by categorizing training outcomes into four levels: Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results.

By applying Kirkpatrick’s model in combination with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) quality assessment and bibliometric network analysis, this …

Two Faces Of Mitral Stenosis: Uncovering Structural And Hemodynamic Signatures Of Rheumatic And Mitral Annular Calcification-Induced Disease, Mohammad S. Hashemi, Peter Abdelmaseeh, Atif Nehvi, Gregg S. Pressman, Arash Kheradvar

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is common and associated with increased cardiovascular risk and, when severe, mitral stenosis (MS). MAC-related MS differs anatomically and hemodynamically from rheumatic MS (RMS), challenging standard diagnostic methods. This study compares structural and flow characteristics, including  kinetic energy losses, across MAC-related MS, RMS, and normal mitral valves, and evaluates the applicability of conventional diagnostic metrics in MAC.

METHODS: Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic data sets from 70 patients (22 normal mitral valves, 26 RMS valves, 22 MAC valves) were used to obtain linear, area, and volumetric measurements for valve comparison. Representative valves from each group were converted …

An Autopsy Case Of Extensive Aortic Thrombosis With Acute Kidney Injury As The Sole Clinical Manifestation, Risa Suenaga, Makoto Fukuda, Atsuhiko Suenaga, Yuki Ikeda, Maki Yoshihara, Megumi Nishiyama, Seiichi Kato, Motoaki Miyazono

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Aortic thrombosis is a rare but life-threatening condition. It typically presents with abdominal or lower-limb ischemia. Although acute kidney injury (AKI) can accompany aortic thrombosis, AKI as the sole clinical manifestation has not been previously reported. A 69-year-old man with extensive atherosclerotic disease and chronic kidney disease presented with severe oliguria. Initial evaluation, including non-contrast computed tomography (CT), did not reveal any aortic abnormalities. Renal Doppler ultrasonography findings and markedly elevated D-dimer levels prompted contrast-enhanced CT, which demonstrated extensive thrombus formation extending from the descending thoracic aorta to the bilateral iliac arteries, with complete occlusion of both renal arteries and …

Proceedings From The Inaugural Conference On The Science Of Cancer Health Equity For Sexual And Gender Minority (Sgm) Communities, Charles S Kamen, Milena E Insalaco, Richard Brown, Chasity Burrows Walters, Shine Chang, Viktor Clark, Jason Domogauer, Lauren V Ghazal, Kelly Haviland, Forrest Hosea, Nelson Sanchez, Matthew B Schabath, Zul Surani, Gwendolyn P Quinn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority people (SGM) experience multiple cancer-related disparities, including higher rates of cancer risk factors, lower rates of cancer screening, higher lifetime risk of cancer, and unmet needs throughout cancer survivorship. Although many national organizations, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society (ACS), have emphasized the need for more cancer research among SGM communities, currently no consensus exists about the highest research priorities, promising research models, or mechanisms to support collaboration between geographically dispersed scientific teams.

Methods: To address this gap, we convened a three-day conference to focus on the "Science of Cancer …

Nci-Designated Cancer Centers' Policies And Practices With Regard To Alcohol And Cancer: A Call To Lead, Ernest T Hawk, Stephanie L Martch, Meghan Si, Sanjay Shete

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Alcohol, a known carcinogen since 1988, increases risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectum. More than one half of US adults consume alcohol whereas about two thirds are unsure whether or unaware that alcohol intake is linked to cancer risk.

Methods: Our objective was to survey awareness, beliefs, intentions, policies, practices, and goals/perceived responsibilities related to establishing/promoting actions to reduce alcohol-related cancer risks from leaders of 72 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers.

Results: Sixty-one percent responded. Forty-three percent either believed in or were uncertain about alcohol's purported health benefits. Nevertheless, 86% considered it part of …

Suvorexant For Alcohol Use Disorder And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Study Protocol For A Phase Ii Randomized Clinical Trial, Lara A Ray, Steven J Nieto, Karen Miotto, Larissa Mooney, Richard Lebeau, Jin H Yoon, Joy M Schmitz, Ron Acierno, Nathaniel W Bailey, Jessica Jenkins, Jessica Vincent, Tracy Nolen, Shawn Hirsch, Alexis Williams, Scott D Lane

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) represents a highly prevalent, costly, and often untreated condition in the United States. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) represents a common comorbidity with AUD which worsens outcomes and decreases functional outcomes. Suvorexant (SUV) shows clear promise as a novel therapeutic candidate to treat AUD and PTSD.

Methods: This study features a promising compound (i.e., suvorexant), the application of a well-established human laboratory paradigm (i.e., alcohol cue reactivity), and a novel early efficacy laboratory model (i.e., practice quit attempt) to provide a cost/time-efficient evaluation of safety and initial efficacy of suvorexant for AUD with comorbid PTSD. Additionally, …

Exploring Sex Differences In Stroke Outcomes: A Comprehensive Analysis From The Span 1 Trial, Anjali Chauhan, Eunyoung Angela Lee, Rakesh B Patel, Mariia Kumskova, Enrique C Leira, Anil Chauhan, Yanrong Shi, Suyi Cao, Raymond C Koehler, Krishnan M Dhandapani, Mohammad Badruzzaman Khan, Pradip K Kamat, Ali Arbab, David C Hess, Alison L Herman, Ligia Boisserand, Lauren H Sansing, Andreia Morais, Xuyan Jin, Sanem Aykan, Takahiko Imai, Cenk Ayata, Karisma A Nagarkatti, Jessica Lamb, Márcio A Diniz, Patrick D Lyden, Jaroslaw Aronowski, Louise D Mccullough

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Stroke is a sexually dimorphic disease, with different risk factors, incidence, outcomes, and treatment responses in men and women. While sex differences have been documented in preclinical studies, these findings often come from single-site studies with small sample sizes and require validation across diverse research settings.

Methods: We used data from the SPAN (Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network), a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded, multilaboratory trial, to determine if sex differences in neurological outcomes are present in preclinical stroke models. We analyzed data from 665 stroke animals treated with saline, including young mice, diet-induced obese mice, aging mice, young rats, and spontaneously …

Patient Geographical Area As A Risk Factor For Postoperative Outcomes Following Lumbar Fusion Surgery, Brady Stillman, Bs

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium

Introduction: Rural communities have limited spine surgery care, which disproportionately affects older adults. Research has evaluated how hospital location affects patient outcomes; however, minimal work has investigated the impact of home location. This work’s purpose was evaluating the impact of patient geographical classification (rural/suburban/urban) on lumbar fusion outcomes.

Methods: Adult patients who underwent elective lumbar fusion (2017-2022) at a single tertiary center were identified via Structured Query Language search. Patient demographic/surgical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected. Rural/urban/suburban was assigned by zip code.

Results: 461 patients were included (11.9% urban [U], 78.3% suburban [S], 9.8% rural …

Designing A Multilingual Instructional Language Tool For Patient Communication In Interventional Radiology, Samuel Almodóvar, Ahlam Houssein, Gregg Khodorov, Md, Mba, Sahib Sohal, Md, Robert Pugliese, Pharmd, David Dwyer, Md

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Introduction: Current efforts to provide language-inclusive radiological care fall short, resulting in suboptimal imaging, increased procedural time, and greater radiation exposure. Inadequate language accessibility results in poor communication, suboptimal care, and increased patient dissatisfaction. A digital language tool was developed to provide patient instructions during interventional radiology (IR) procedures, addressing this gap and enhancing patient care.

Methods: Observations were carried out to better understand workflow during IR procedures and identify how to incorporate the tool. We conducted interviews with IR physicians, nurses, and technologists to gather common procedural phrases and patient instructions. Spanish and Mandarin were selected because they are …

Exploring Physician Views On Birth Method And Route Of Delivery, Vivian Nguyen, Vincenzo Berghella, Md

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: In the United States, rates of cesarean deliveries (CD) have been increasing. Despite recommendations from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology to prevent increasing rates of CDs, planned CD has been associated with lower rates of perinatal deaths and better maternal outcomes when compared to planned vaginal delivery (VD). However, the data is limited, so it is important that we conduct randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing maternal and perinatal outcomes in planned CD vs planned vaginal delivery (VD) for nulliparous, term, single, vertex pregnancies. The purpose of study is to survey obstetricians and gynecologists (ob/gyns) on their …

Exercise Performance In Ordinary Children And Adolescents: Baseline, Pandemic, And Post-Pandemic, Abby Skiena, Gina D'Aloisio, Ms, Takeshi Tsuda, Md

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic might have created considerable negative impacts on the physical fitness of ordinary adolescents, which may pose a major threat to long-term cardiovascular health.

Methods: Healthy adolescents (ages 11 to 18) who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were grouped into baseline (~ 3/2020), pandemic (4/2020 ~12/2022), and post-pandemic (1/2023~ 5/2024) periods. Data are shown as mean ± standard deviation.

Results: Peak oxygen consumption (VO2/kg) and peak work rate (WR/kg) were significantly reduced during pandemic in both sexes and did not improve during post-pandemic in males (Table 1). The decline of peak oxygen pulse (OP/kg) …

Characterizing The Effects Of Antimuscarinics On Rhoa Signaling, Zuhra Tukhtamisheva, Elizabeth L. Mcduffie, Jordan Lee, Steven S. An, Reynold A. Panettieri Jr., Charles Scott

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: Airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma is driven by acetylcholine-mediated activation of the muscarinic acetylcholine 3 receptor (M3R), promoting bronchoconstriction, mucus hypersecretion, and airway remodeling. Despite directly targeting this pathway, antimuscarinics remain adjunctive rather than first-line therapy, suggesting a disconnect between biological rationale and clinical efficacy. Recent work from the Scott Lab at Thomas Jefferson University demonstrates that M3R in human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells drives muscle shortening through G_12/13–driven RhoA signaling rather than through G_q/11-dependent calcium flux. We therefore investigated whether clinically prescribed antimuscarinics effectively inhibit G_12/13-dependent RhoA signaling in HASM cells.

Methods: …

Interrelationship Between Body Mass Index, Venous Sinus Pressures, Craniospinal Elastance, And Intracranial Pressure In Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, Rachel Wang, Ba, Bs, Scott W. Keith, Phd, Pascal M. Jabbour, Md, Stavropoula I. Tjoumakaris, Md, Michael J. Marmura, Md, Michael R. Gooch, Md, Hsiangkuo Yuan, Md, Phd

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: To investigate the interrelationship between body mass index (BMI), venous sinus pressure (VSP), and craniospinal elastance in determining lumbar puncture opening pressure (LP OP) in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).

Methods: A single-center retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients who received venous manometry (8/2021-11/2025) followed by LP within 7 days before stenting. VSPs were measured at standardized locations, including the torcula (TP) and sigmoid/jugular (SIJ) sinuses. Elastance was calculated as (OP – closing pressure)/volume of CSF removed. Statistical analysis (JASP 0.19.3) was performed using generalized linear model (Gaussian identity; scaled center) to assess relationships between LP OP, BMI, …

Comparative Analysis Of Fsrt And Srs For Vestibular Schwannoma Using A Large Multi-Institutional Dataset, Ian Argento, Bs, Daniel Uralov, Md, Jacob Beiriger, Md, Anika Walia, Bs, Kalena Liu, Bs, Wenyin Shi, Md, Jacob B. Hunter, Md

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) both achieve high control rates of vestibular schwannomas (VS), but their comparative effects on functional outcomes remain uncertain. Prior studies are limited by small sample sizes and heterogeneous methods.

Methods: Deidentified data were analyzed from 100 healthcare organizations through TriNetX. Adults with VS (ICD-10: D33.3) and sensorineural hearing loss (H90.A/H90.1–H90.8) were included. Patients with neurofibromatosis or prior surgical resection were excluded. Treatment cohorts consisted of single-session SRS or ≥2-sessions of FSRT. Propensity score matching (1:1) yielded 909 patients per cohort. Outcomes—including hearing loss, cerebral edema, hydrocephalus, and cranial nerve …

Neck Circumference As A Novel Predictor Of Cardiovascular Risk Assessed Using Framingham And Prevent Equations, Stephen Garrova, Roshaan Gilani, Steven Muller, Jean Pierre Charpentier, Brian Fedgchin, Glenn Cooper, Cindy Cheng

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: While body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are standard clinical tools for anthropometric cardiovascular risk assessment, they are limited by measurement variability and patient discomfort. Neck circumference (NC) may offer a novel, convenient, and accurate alternative anthropometric measure for assessment of cardiovascular risk.

Methods: Standardized anthropometric measurements (NC, WC, BMI) were obtained by trained medical students from eligible patients (n = 110, 68% female, 75% African American) from primary care and cardiology offices in an IRB-approved cohort study with retrospective chart review. Electronic medical record data extraction via double data entry was used to calculate cardiovascular …

Jefferson Heart Health (Jhh): A Successful Student-Delivered Motivational Interviewing Pilot Program To Lower Cardiovascular Disease (Cvd) Risk, Nicholas Tomasko, Bs, Cindy Cheng, Md, Phd, Rafael Hernandez, Bs, Alessandra Sapon, Bs

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: The Jefferson Heart Health (JHH) program utilizes student health coaching by trained undergraduate and medical students supporting patients to sustain lifestyle changes and subsequently determine: how can we effectively educate patients by improving adherence to lifestyle recommendations? Also, what is the effectiveness of student-delivered health coaching for reducing patient cardiovascular risk? With our unique student-delivered program, we promote cost-effective lifestyle interventions for lowering overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden.

Methods: We successfully completed a four-week pilot with consistent patient attendance. Certified student JHH coaches, supervised by the certified obesity-management specialist and principal investigator, met weekly with 23 patients: 82.6% female/17.4% …

Systematic Evaluation Of Batch Effects In The Cancer Genome Atlas Program Underscores The Need For Batch-Controlled Analysis, Zhongxuan Chen, Stepan Nersisyan, Isidore Rigoutsos, Eric Londin

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: To systematically assess the impact of batch effects on differential expression of isomiR, mRNA, and non-coding RNA (sncRNA) across 13 The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer types and develop a standardized, batch-controlled analysis protocol for TCGA datasets.

Methods: Data analysis and visualization were performed using Python v3.12. Plots were generated using matplotlib and seaborn. isomiR, mRNA, and sncRNA sequences across 13 TCGA cancer types were used. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed using scikit-learn for dimensionality reduction. Differential expression was conducted using DESeq2 under the following protocols: 1) primary tumor samples vs matched normal samples processed in the same …

Elucidating The Binding Site Of The Arrestin-Biased Agonist Icl1-20, Kesara Wein, Roger Armen, Jeffrey L. Benovic, Charles P. Scott

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Background and Purpose: 6.7 million Americans live with congestive heart failure (CHF). In CHF, catecholamines are released into cardiac tissue, bind β-adrenergic receptors (βARs), and activate G-protein signaling cascades, causing ischemia and apoptosis. Accordingly, β-blockers are used to antagonize catecholamine binding to βARs and suppress apoptotic downstream effects. However, β-blockers have dose-limiting hypotension, bradycardia and fail to stimulate the cardioprotective β-arrestin signaling pathway. These limits create opportunities for the development of drugs that selectively stimulate β-arrestin signaling while suppressing cardiotoxic G protein signaling. We have previously reported a biased agonist of the β-arrestin pathway (ICL1-20) that selectively stimulates β-arrestin recruitment …

Survival Impact Of Intraoperative Co2 Dysregulation In Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy For Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Ashley Wetzel, Andrea Feci, Joseph Gorman, Isabel Lavine, Edoardo Manca, Richard Zheng, Md, Nader Hanna, Md, Harish Lavu, Md, Charles J. Yeo, Md, Avinoam Nevler, Md

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) are aggressive malignancies with poor prognoses. Emerging evidence suggests tissue hypercapnia (elevated CO₂) promotes aggressive, treatment resistant tumor biology. End-tidal CO₂ (ETCO₂) offers a composite measure of ventilation, systemic perfusion, and tissue CO₂ production. During curative-intent pancreaticoduodenectomy, we hypothesized that intraoperative ETCO₂ could serve as a marker of tissue CO₂ dyscapnia; both low levels indicating decreased circulatory reserves and high levels indicating tissue hypercapnia may result in worse outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review (2017-2023) of 343 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for PDAC. Intraoperative ETCO₂ data …

Evaluating The Impact Of Bard1 Isoform Targeting On Pdac Growth And Response To Olaparib, Lily Zekavat, Samuel Zion, Boxuan Wei, Avinoam Nevler, Aditi Jain

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Background

• BRCA-Associated Ring Domain 1 (BARD1), a heterodimeric binding partner of the tumor suppressor BRCA1, plays an essential role in homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair. Mutations in BARD1 increase cancer susceptibility and result in a molecular phenotype that predicts sensitivity to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition (PARPi), including Olaparib.
• Several alternatively spliced isoforms of BARD1, including BARD1δ and BARD1φ, have also been implicated in tumor progression. These isoforms, characterized by deletion of exons 2-6 and 3-6, respectively, lack the RING domain required for BRCA1 interaction (Figure 1). 
• Upregulation of BARD1 isoforms is associated with poor prognosis in several tumor types. However, the …

National Landscape Of Pediatric And Adult Inpatient Sickle Cell Disease Care, Ashley M. Jenkins, Spoorthy Vangala, Matthew Mcintosh, Robert Legros, Sophie Lanzkron, Kevin Fiscella

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Primary Care Use And Clinical Outcomes In A Prevalent Cohort Of Patients Receiving Hemodialysis, Dustin Le, Hatem Najar, Zoheb Backer, Rohanit Singh, Byoungjun Kim, Morgan E. Grams, Laura Plantinga, Bernard G. Jaar

Division of Nephrology Faculty Papers

Rationale & Objective - Primary care is associated with improved health outcomes, but whether this is true for patients receiving dialysis is unclear. We evaluated the association of primary care use in the previous year and clinical outcomes using a prevalent cohort of patients receiving hemodialysis.

Study Design - Retrospective cohort study.

Setting & Participants - United States Renal Data System registry of prevalent patients requiring maintenance in-center on January 1, 2019, linked with Medicare claims data.

Exposure - Primary care use was defined as ≥ 1 outpatient visit to a provider with the specialty of Family, General, Geriatric, or …

Jackson-Pratt Drain-Related Challenges And A Potential Explanation For Associated Surgical Site Pain Variability Following Breast Mastectomy And Reconstruction, Spencer Haber, Bs, Krishna Koka, Bs, Elizabeth Simon, Bs, Devin Williams, Bs, Andrew Newman, Md

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

Background: The Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain is a closed suction drain used in surgeries throughout the body. This prevents seroma formation through continual negative pressure drainage while resisting collapse and obstruction. JP drains are mainstays in breast reconstruction and mastectomy.

Methods: Through a literature review using keywords such as “Surgical Site Infection” (SSI), “Quality of Life” (QOL), and “Surgical Site Pain” (SSP), we summarized JP drain-related complications in breast reconstruction and mastectomy. Although the drain effectively reduces seroma formation, there has been a lack of innovation in addressing these issues. There is no standardized approach to JP drain post-operative care or …

Clinician Perceptions Of Barriers And Strategies To Improve Pediatric Hypertension Detection, Abbas H. Zaidi, Erica D. Sood, Sarah De Ferranti, Fabliha Khurshan, Samuel Gidding, Varsha Zadokar, Jonathan M Miller, Anne E Kazak

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Pediatric hypertension remains underrecognized despite its high prevalence (approximately 5%) and long-term cardiovascular implications. Although guidelines for screening and diagnosis exist, less than 25% of affected children are diagnosed, and more than half do not receive timely follow-up care. Clinician-specific implementation barriers and directly informed strategies, which may alleviate this gap, are insufficiently described.

OBJECTIVE: To identify clinician-reported barriers and actionable recommendations to improve pediatric hypertension detection and follow-up in primary care using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted between November 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, with health care …