Digital Commons Network^™

The Microrna Mir-30a Blocks Adipose Tissue Fibrosis Accumulation In Obesity, Pradip K Saha, Robert Sharp, Aaron R Cox, Rabie Habib, Michael J Bolt, Jessica B Felix, Claudia E Ramirez Bustamante, Xin Li, Sung Yun Jung, Kang Ho Kim, Kai Sun, Huaizhu Wu, Samuel Klein, Sean M Hartig

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

White adipose tissue (WAT) fibrosis occurring in obesity contributes to the inflammatory and metabolic comorbidities of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, yet the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Here, we report a role for the broadly conserved miRNA miR-30a as a regulator of WAT fibrosis and systemic glucose metabolism. Mice modified to express miR-30a at elevated levels in adipose tissues maintain insulin sensitivity coupled with reduced fatty liver disease when fed a high-fat diet. These effects were attributable to cell-autonomous functions of miR-30a that potently increase expression of adipocyte-specific genes. Proteomic screening revealed miR-30a limits profibrotic programs in subcutaneous …

Acquired Resistance In Cancer: Towards Targeted Therapeutic Strategies, Alice Soragni, Erik S Knudsen, Thomas N O'Connor, Cristina E Tognon, Jeffrey W Tyner, Beatrice Gini, Donghwa Kim, Trever G Bivona, Xingxing Zang, Agnieszka K Witkiewicz, David W Goodrich, Dadi Jiang, Seth T Gammon, Christopher D Willey, Paul C Boutros, Vlad C Sandulache, Abdullah A Osman, Jeffrey N Myers, Kamiya Mehla, Pankaj K Singh, Keith S Chan, Hongbo Gao, Himangi Marathe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Development of acquired therapeutic resistance limits the efficacy of cancer treatments and accounts for therapeutic failure in most patients. How resistance arises, varies across cancer types and differs depending on therapeutic modalities is incompletely understood. Novel strategies that address and overcome the various and complex resistance mechanisms necessitate a deep understanding of the underlying dynamics. We are at a crucial time when innovative technologies applied to patient-relevant tumour models have the potential to bridge the gap between fundamental research into mechanisms and timing of acquired resistance and clinical applications that translate these findings into actionable strategies to extend therapy efficacy. …

The Influence Of Ultra-Wide Field Fluorescein Angiography On The Diagnosis And Management Of Diabetic Retinopathy, Nicole K Scripsema, Tala Al-Khaled, Amy Song, Joelle A Hallak, Rawan Allozi, Aziz A Khanifar, Thanos D Papakostas, Christina Y Weng, Ronald C Gentile, J Peter Campbell, Jessica G Lee, Gennady Landa, Felix Y Chau, William F Mieler, Meenakashi Gupta, Amani A Fawzi, Judy E Kim, Jennifer I Lim, Robison Vernon Paul Chan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To study the influence of ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (FA) on the diagnosis and management of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: Ten experts in DR completed an online survey in which they were asked to diagnose and manage DR cases using different imaging modalities. Experts independently reviewed 20 cases of DR and provided a diagnosis and management plan for each case, first based on ultra-widefield color-free and red-free images alone and again with the corresponding ultra-widefield FA images. Experts were polled on their diagnostic confidence, use of FA in clinical practice, and opinions on the value of ultra-widefield FA. Based on …

Measuring The Impact Of A Delay In Care On Pediatric Otolaryngologic Surgery Completion, Geethanjeli N Mahendran, Ching Siong Tey, Mary Frances Musso, Grace Shebha Anand, Jeffrey Larson, Mitesh Mehta, Lara Reichert, Kara Prickett, Nikhila Pinnapureddy Raol

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To determine if postponement of elective pediatric otorhinolaryngology surgeries results in a change in overall healthcare utilization and if there is any commensurate impact on disease progression.

Methods: We identified patients ≤18 years of age whose surgeries were postponed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdown. We then tracked patients' rate of and patterns of rescheduling surgery. Surveys were also sent to caregivers to better characterize his/her decision regarding moving forward with his/her child's surgery during COVID-19.

Results: A total of 1915 pediatric patients had elective surgeries canceled, of which 992 (51.8%) were rescheduled within 4 months. No …

Addressing Anxiety And Depression In The Allergy Clinic Through Motivational Interviewing, Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, And Curious Questions, Marylee Verdi, Dominic Candido, Juliette Madan, Jonathan A Bernstein, Don Bukstein, Aikaterini Anagnostou, Matthew Greenhawt, S Shahzad Mustafa, Julie Wang, Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, Elissa M Abrams, John Oppenheimer, Alexandra E Conway, Andrew A White, Taylor A Doherty, Richard P Morse, Marcus Shaker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Allergic diseases, particularly food allergy, can be associated with significant psychosocial impairment. Allergist-immunologists can provide evidence-based information to correct misperceptions and misunderstandings regarding food allergy that may perpetuate cycles of fear and anxiety. Whereas motivational interviewing can be an empathetic approach to empower patients to actualize health goals, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to provide disease-state insight to facilitate an understanding of risk that can transform health beliefs and behaviors. Brief CBT is a clinical approach that can help address ineffective management paradigms through conversations that begin with curious questions. In this review, we discuss evidence supporting implementation of an …

Privacy In Perspective: Research Participants’ Priorities And Concerns Related To Sharing Data Generated In Human Neuroscience Studies, Christi J Guerrini, Jill O Robinson, Norah L Crossnohere, Mary A Majumder, Kathryn Maxson Jones, Whitney Bash Brooks, Sameer A Sheth, Amy L Mcguire

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The societal benefits from sharing and reusing data collected in human neuroscience studies are widely appreciated. However, there are persistent barriers to data sharing as well as privacy concerns related to unauthorized access, misuse, and reidentification of deidentified data. Thus far, few studies have been conducted with neuroscience research participants to understand their data sharing priorities and concerns. We conducted a survey utilizing an experimental design with N=52 participants in neuroscience studies funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health representing diverse neurotechnologies and health conditions. Respondents prioritized sharing practices that maximize reuse of data to benefit patients and reduce …

Sugar Functionalized Collagen Material For Local Modulation Of Innate Immunity, Francesca Taraballi, Claudia Corbo, Julia Enterria-Rosales, John Otto Martinez, Silvia Minardi, Laura Pandolfi, Xing Wang, Ennio Tasciotti, Kavindra V Singh, Cesar A Arias, Bruna Corradetti

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Small alterations during the early stages of the innate immune response to an implant can drive large changes in adaptive immunity. Biomaterials for regenerative purposes can be engineered to modulate this immune response in beneficial ways. This study presents an innovative patch designed and functionalized to target the innate immunity at the implant site. Mannose moieties are incorporated into collagen patches, resulting in a technology called Local Immunotuning Patch (LIP), designed to directly interact with antigen presenting cells through their mannose receptor. In vitro, LIP shows anti-inflammatory effects on bone marrow-derived macrophages and inhibitory properties even on methicillin-resistant bacterial strains. …

Psychometric Evaluation Of The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale In Pregnant Women, Catherine E Rast, Rashelle Musci, Jonathan S Abramowitz, Gerald Nestadt, Paul Nestadt, Mary C Kimmel, Tracey Dibbs, Lauren M Osborne, Jack Samuels, Janice Krasnow, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Although many women experience obsessive-compulsive symptoms during the perinatal period, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) has not yet been psychometrically evaluated in this population. This study examined the internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and factor structure of the YBOCS among pregnant women.

Methods: 256 Women who were 20 to 24 weeks pregnant completed the clinician-administered YBOCS and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) along with a series of self-report questionnaires including the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) and Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R).

Results: Internal consistency of the YBOCS was excellent, and there were strong …

Global Cardiac Anesthesia Workforce Assessment: A Cross-Sectional Observational Survey Study, Alexander J C Mittnacht, Carolina S Romero Garcia, Joshua B Cadwell, Jiapeng Huang, Iwan Sofjan, Mohamed R Eltahan, Hong Liu, Chirojit Mukherjee, Fabio Guarracino, Andrew Shaw, Pablo Motta, International Academy Of Cardiac Anaesthesiologists (Iaca) Global Survey Team

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: The primary aim of this survey was to assess the demographics, training background, practice setting, and work environment of cardiac anesthesiologists globally.

Design: Cross-sectional study of the global cardiac anesthesia workforce. A multilingual web-based survey was conducted between June 1 and December 31, 2023.

Setting: The survey was distributed via cardiac anesthesia societies, special interest groups, and social media using a non-probabilistic sample and with snowballing techniques.

Participants: Anesthesiologists actively practicing cardiac anesthesia.

Interventions: None.

Measurements and main results: In total, 3,430 participants from 99 countries responded. Results were summarized as descriptive data comparing geographical regions, and noticeable differences …

Implementation Outcomes Of A Patient Decision-Aid In A Diverse Population With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus In 15 Us Rheumatology Clinics, Jasvinder A Singh, Larry R Hearld, Seth Eisen, W Winn Chatham, Sonali Narain, Narender Annapureddy, Diane L Kamen, Kimberly Trotter, Vikas Majithia, Cathy Lee Ching, Zineb Aouhab, Swamy Venuturupalli, Daniel J Wallace, Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, Alfred Kim, Maureen Mcmahon, S Sam Lim, Kalpana Bhairavarasu, Alexa Meara, Kenneth Kalunian, T Mark Beasley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the clinical outcomes during the implementation of a self-administered patient decision-aid (PtDA) for lupus.

Methods: We provided an effective computerized lupus PtDA in 15 rheumatology outpatient clinics 2019-2024 (including the COVID pandemic). We undertook Organizational Readiness to Implement Change Surveys (ORICs) and Team Learning and Psychological Safety Surveys (TLPSSs) at baseline. The primary study outcome objective measure, percent penetration/reach, was defined as the number of patients who viewed the lupus PtDA at the end of the study, divided by the total number of eligible patients (times 100). We used validated clinical …

A Single Bout Of Resistance Or High-Intensity Interval Training Increases Anti-Cancer Myokines And Suppresses Cancer Cell Growth In Vitro In Survivors Of Breast Cancer, Francesco Bettariga, Dennis R. Taaffe, Cristina Crespo-Garcia, Timothy D. Clay, Mauro De Santi, Giulia Baldelli, Sanjeev Adhikari, Elin S. Gray, Daniel A. Galvão, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women, highlighting the need for strategies to mitigate recurrence and mortality. We examined the effects of a single bout of resistance training (RT) versus high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on anti-cancer myokines and in vitro cancer cell suppression. Methods: Thirty-two survivors of breast cancer were randomly allocated to a single bout of RT (n = 16) or HIIT (n = 16). Blood was collected before, immediately post (0P) and 30 min post (30P) exercise. We measured serum levels of decorin, interleukin 6 (IL-6), secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine …

Exploring Behavioural Motivations Of Treatment Refusal In Cancer: A Q-Methodological Approach, Ruby Koyllor A. Gleeson, Nicolas H. Hart, Darren Haywood, Frank D. Baughman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Cancer treatment refusal is known to lower survival rates and increase cancer symptoms in individuals with cancer. Behavioural motivations of treatment refusal need to be elucidated for better cancer care. Using Q-methodology, a mixed methods research approach, we explored behavioural motivations of treatment refusal in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Method: Thirty-nine individuals (n = 39; age = 49.2 ± 12.2 years) were recruited from Australia, the UK, and the USA, who had refused cancer treatment within the past decade. Participants completed an online demographic questionnaire and a Q-sort activity which required the organisation and ranking of 44 statements on …

High-Gamma And Beta Bursts In The Left Supramarginal Gyrus Can Differentiate Verbal Memory States And Performance, Shennan Aibel Weiss, Nicolás Sawczuk, Daniel Y. Rubinstein, Michael R Sperling, Katrina Wendel-Mitoraj, Päivi Österman, René Dumay-Roscher, Charles B. Mikell, Sima Mofakham, Kelly Coulehan, Petar M. Djuric, Diego Fernandez Slezak, Juan Esteban Kamienkowski

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: The left supramarginal gyrus (LSMG) contributes to attentional allocation for memory encoding and may also reflect memory state and performance. Given the roles of high-gamma and beta bursts in cognition and memory, this proof-of-concept study investigated whether these signals within the LSMG could classify memory state and performance.

METHODS: Using secondary data from 103 epilepsy patients undergoing presurgical iEEG evaluation, we analyzed 141 delayed verbal free recall experiments. Intracranial EEG (iEEG) data, recorded solely from LSMG electrode contacts, were processed to create two-dimensional (2D) tensors of convolved high-gamma (HG), and beta (15-40 Hz) burst activity. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) …

A Phase I Trial Of Evorpacept, Lenalidomide And Rituximab For Patients With B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Paolo Strati, Lei Feng, Andrey Tyshevich, Darya Shavronskaya, Julia Alesse, Noel English, Elizabeth Sheehan, Nikita Syzrantsev, Alexander Nesmelov, Tony Z Zhuang, Dai Chihara, Jason R Westin, Sairah Ahmed, Luis E Fayad, Jared Henderson, Kylie Dent, Elizabeth Mcchesney, Sattva S Neelapu, Christopher R Flowers

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: SIRPα+ macrophages can mediate resistance to lenalidomide and rituximab (R2) in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Evorpacept (ALX148) is a novel CD47 blocker that abrogates interactions between lymphoma cells and SIRPα+ macrophages.

Methods: Adult patients with B-NHL who had received at least 2 prior lines of systemic therapy were included in this single arm phase I study (NCT05025800). Evorpacept was administered intravenously (IV), in a 28-day cycle, until progression, at two dose levels (DL): 30 mg/Kg on day (D) 1 and D15 (DL1), or 60 mg/Kg on day 1 (DL2); rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV was given …

Cell Type-Specific Purifying Selection Of Synonymous Mitochondrial Dna Variation, Caleb A Lareau, Patrick Maschmeyer, Yajie Yin, Jacob C Gutierrez, Ryan S Dhindsa, Anne-Sophie Gribling-Burrer, Sebastian Zielinski, Yu-Hsin Hsieh, Lena Nitsch, Veronika Dimitrova, Benan Nalbant, Frank A Buquicchio, Tsion Abay, Robert R Stickels, Jacob C Ulirsch, Patrick Yan, Fangyi Wang, Zhuang Miao, Katalin Sandor, Bence Daniel, Vincent Liu, Paul L Mendez, Petra Knaus, Manpreet Meyer, William J Greenleaf, Anshul Kundaje, Redmond P Smyth, Mathias Munschauer, Leif S Ludwig, Ansuman T Satpathy

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

While somatic variants are well-characterized drivers of tumor evolution, their influence on cellular fitness in nonmalignant contexts remains understudied. We identified a mosaic synonymous variant (m.7076A > G) in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-encoded cytochrome c-oxidase subunit 1 (MT-CO1, p.Gly391=), present at homoplasmy in 47% of immune cells from a healthy donor. Single-cell multiomics revealed strong, lineage-specific selection against the m.7076G allele in CD8+ effector memory T cells, but not other T cell subsets, mirroring patterns of purifying selection of pathogenic mtDNA alleles. The limited anticodon diversity of mitochondrial tRNAs forces m.7076G translation to rely on wobble pairing, unlike the Watson-Crick-Franklin pairing …

Sleep Drive, Not Total Sleep Amount, Increases Seizure Risk, Vishnu Anand Cuddapah, Cynthia T Hsu, Fernanda Valle Sirias, Yongjun Li, Hrishit M Shah, Christopher Saul, Samantha Killiany, Camilo Guevara, Joy Shon, Zhifeng Yue, Gabrielle L Gionet, Mary E Putt, Amita Sehgal

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Sleep loss has been associated with increased seizure risk since antiquity. Using automated video detection of spontaneous seizures in Drosophila epilepsy models, we show that seizures worsen only when sleep restriction raises homeostatic "sleep drive," not simply when total sleep amount falls. This is supported by the paradoxical finding that acute activation of sleep-promoting circuits worsens seizures, because it increases sleep drive without changing sleep amount. Sleep-promoting circuits become hyperactive after sleep loss and are associated with increased whole-brain activity. During sleep restriction, optogenetic inhibition of sleep-promoting circuits to reduce sleep drive protects against seizures. Downregulation of the 5HT1A serotonin …

Xpert Mtb/Rif Ultra Assay For Pulmonary Tuberculosis And Rifampicin Resistance In Adults And Adolescents, David J Horne, Jerry S Zifodya, Adrienne E Shapiro, Elizabeth Chandler Church, Jonah S Kreniske, Alexander W Kay, Katie Scandrett, Karen R Steingart, Yemisi Takwoingi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra) is a molecular World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended rapid diagnostic test that simultaneously detects tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance. This review updates a comparative accuracy Cochrane review of Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra as Xpert Ultra has replaced Xpert MTB/RIF.

Objectives: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra) for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance in adults and adolescents with presumptive tuberculosis based on signs or symptoms or with an abnormal chest x-ray suggestive of tuberculosis.

Search methods: We searched seven databases including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase, plus two trial registers (ClinicalTrials.gov …

Phosphoglycerate Mutase Regulates Treg Differentiation Through Control Of Serine Synthesis And One-Carbon Metabolism, Wesley H Godfrey, Judy J Lee, Shruthi Shanmukha, Kaho Cho, Xiaojing Deng, Chandra Shekar R Ambati, Vasanta Putluri, Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, Paul M Kim, Nagireddy Putluri, Michael D Kornberg

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The differentiation and suppressive functions of regulatory CD4 T cells (Tregs) are supported by a broad array of metabolic changes, providing potential therapeutic targets for immune modulation. In this study, we focused on the regulatory role of glycolytic enzymes in Tregs and identified phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM) as being differentially overexpressed in Tregs and associated with a highly suppressive phenotype. Pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of PGAM reduced Treg differentiation and suppressive function while reciprocally inducing markers of a pro-inflammatory, T helper 17 (Th17)-like state. The regulatory role of PGAM was dependent on the contribution of 3-phosphoglycerate (3 PG), the PGAM substrate, …

Human Ipsc-Based Breast Cancer Model Identifies S100p-Dependent Cancer Stemness Induced By Brca1 Mutation, Jingxin Liu, Cai Zhao, Jiahao Chen, Pengguihang Zeng, Qingjian Li, Ranran Dai, Xingqiang Lai, Wenqian Song, Jianing Chen, Xixi Zhu, Xinyi Liu, Jun Sun, Jia Wang, Peihang Fang, Tengfei Wang, Wenjie Chen, Diana Guallar, Nan Cao, Jianli Zhao, Shicheng Su, Andy Peng Xiang, Yi Arial Zeng, Jie Li, Junchao Cai, Dung-Fang Lee, Jinxin Bei, Yongliang Huo, Hai Hu, Shengbao Suo, Dong-Feng Huang, Jin Bai, Junjun Ding

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in females and remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for women worldwide. The cellular and molecular basis of breast tumorigenesis is not completely understood partly due to the lack of human research models which simulate the development of breast cancer. Here, we developed a method for generating functional mammary-like cells (MCs) from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The iPSC-MCs closely resemble human primary MCs at cellular, transcriptional, and functional levels. Using this method, a breast cancer model was generated using patient-derived iPSCs harboring germline

Assessment Of Dnase Activity By Ratiometric Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, Candace L Minchew, Vladimir V Didenko

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The present protocol describes a simple and sensitive ratiometric Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay for the detection and quantitative assessment of DNase activity. Ratiometric FRET measurements make use of the ratio of donor and acceptor emission signals. The assay detects single-stranded DNA breaks using a staple-shaped, dual-tagged 38-mer FRET oligoprobe, employed as a real-time DNA cleavage sensor. The main application of the described approach is the quantitative assessment of the effects of reaction conditions, such as pH, temperature, and buffer composition, on DNase activity. Due to its ability to detect even minor and slow DNA cleavage, the assay is …

Inhibition Of The Caveolin-1 Pathway Promotes Apoptosis And Overcomes Pan-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Resistance In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Tasnuva D. Kabir, Samuel Beck, Lisa M. Stuart, Ji Li, Rui Hou, Peiwen Liu, Shelby Margolius, Claire Kim, Yu Suk Choi, Edward R. Bastow, Dianne J. Beveridge, Lisa Spalding, Ziyi Li, Florent Ginhoux, Pierce Chow, Michael Phillips, Andrew D. Redfern, George C. Yeoh, Alistair Forrest, Andrew J. Woo, Ankur Sharma, Jacob George, Geoffrey Mccaughan, Peter Leedman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Resistance to multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) is a major clinical concern in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we aimed to uncover the mechanisms underlying pan-TKI resistance and to identify potential therapeutic targets. We used multiple TKI-resistant HCC cell lines to identify caveolin-1 (CAV1) as a key driver of therapeutic resistance. CAV1 downregulation induced apoptosis, inhibited metastasis and restored TKI sensitivity in both inherent and acquired TKI-resistant HCC cells. Mechanistically, in acquired TKI-resistant cells aberrant CAV1/STAT3/P70S6K signalling is required for their survival, motility, and invasiveness. CAV1 inhibition reduced expression of dormancy regulators E-cadherin, RAC1 and p21, enhanced cancer stemness markers, and …

Food Literacy Program Among Adults In A Primary Care Setting, Marie K. Williams

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice problem: The increase in preventable chronic diseases is associated with food illiteracy, which arises from a lack of understanding of nutritional value and dietary guidelines (Silva et al., 2023).

PICOT: (P) In adult primary care patients aged 30-75 years, (I) does the implementation of evidence-based food literacy program (C) compared to standard practice (O) improve food literacy (T) in eight weeks?

Evidence: Using a validated food literacy questionnaire effectively measures improvements in food literacy. Customized programs that fill knowledge gaps are essential for enhancing overall food literacy. Intervention: Customized educational tools were provided to participants based on their knowledge …

Minimal Ablative Margin Quantification Using Hepatic Arterial Versus Portal Venous Phase Ct For Colorectal Metastases Segmentation: A Dual-Center, Retrospective Analysis, Noreen S Siddiqi, Yuan-Mao Lin, Jessica Albuquerque Marques Silva, Gregor Laimer, Peter Schullian, Yannick Scharll, Alexandra M Dunker, Caleb S O'Connor, Kyle A Jones, Kristy K Brock, Reto Bale, Bruno C Odisio, Iwan Paolucci

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To compare the predictive value of minimal ablative margin (MAM) quantification using tumor segmentation on intraprocedural contrast-enhanced hepatic arterial (HAP) versus portal venous phase (PVP) CT on local outcomes following percutaneous thermal ablation of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

Methods: This dual-center retrospective study included patients undergoing thermal ablation of CRLM with intraprocedural preablation and postablation contrast-enhanced CT imaging between 2009 and 2021. Tumors were segmented in both HAP and PVP CT phases using an artificial intelligence-based auto-segmentation model and reviewed by a trained radiologist. The MAM was quantified using a biomechanical deformable image registration process. The area under the …

Feasibility Of Manufacturing And Antitumor Activity Of Til For Advanced Endometrial Cancers, Yongliang Zhang, Kathleen N Moore, Amir A Jazaeri, Judy Fang, Ilabahen Patel, Andrew Yuhas, Patrick Innamarato, Nathan Gilbert, Joseph W Dean, Behzad Damirchi, Joe Yglesias, Rongsu Qi, Michelle R Simpson-Abelson, Erwin Cammaart, Sean R R Hall, Hequn Yin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lifileucel, a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy approved for advanced melanoma, demonstrates promise for treating other solid tumors, including endometrial cancer (EC). The current study evaluates the feasibility of manufacturing TILs from EC tumors using Iovance’s proprietary 22-day Gen2 manufacturing process. Key parameters, including TIL yield, viability, immune phenotype, T-cell receptor clonality, and cytotoxic activity, were assessed. Of the 11 EC tumor samples processed at research scale, 10 (91%) successfully generated >1 × 109 viable TIL cells, with a median yield of 1.1 × 1010 cells and a median viability of 82.8%. Of the four EC tumor samples processed at …

Kids Exploring The World With Chatbots, Maggie Mckay, Mark Connelly

Parent-ish Podcast

Are your kids chatting away with AI? In this episode, we provide parents with the tools they need to understand the implications of children's interactions with chatbots. Find out what signs to look for and how to set healthy boundaries to protect your child from potential pitfalls of digital companionship.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

Adolescents' Use Of Music For Pain Management., Rebecca J. Lepping, Lora L. Black, Kymberly A. Kline, Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, Andrea L. Chadwick, Dustin Wallace, William R. Black

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

To investigate the experiences of adolescents with chronic pain who participated in an intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment program, this secondary study analyzes the themes that emerged regarding the spontaneous utilization of music in coping strategies for chronic pain. During research interviews focused on coping skills and treatment engagement, participants spontaneously reported using music as an effective coping strategy for managing pain. A deductive thematic analysis revealed key themes related to their usage, including using music as a distractor, motivator and in other ways as coping strategies. Since participants indicated that music is essential to their experiences of coping with pain, …

Infectious Scleritis: A Comprehensive Narrative Review Of Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics, And Management Strategies, Hamidreza Ghanbari, Masoud Rahimi, Ali Momeni, Kiana Hassanpour, Nikoo Bayan, Karen E. Lee, Alex Hansen, Ali R. Djalilian, Christopher J. Rapuano, Mohammad Soleimani

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

This study aims to provide an update on infectious scleritis (IS). A comprehensive search was conducted using Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed. IS is a rare but critical condition that presents significant diagnostic challenges and often leads to poor visual outcomes. It accounts for approximately 5%-10% of scleritis cases and warrants significant attention due to its delayed diagnosis. Ocular surgery is the primary contributor to IS, accounting for a substantial proportion of cases ranging from 58% to 83%, followed by trauma contributing to approximately 10% of cases. IS can be caused by various microorganisms, including bacteria (86%-87%), fungi (11%-13%), viruses, …

Effects Of Oxygen Manipulation On Myofibroblast Phenotypic Transformation In Patients With Radiation-Induced Fibrosis, Eric Mastrolonardo, Sarah Sussman, Bo Yun, Victor Jegede, Dev Amin, Joel Rosenbloom, Andrew P. South, Voichita Bar-Ad, Peter J Wermuth, Adam J. Luginbuhl

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

We tested if hyperoxic conditions can reduce the proportion of active myofibroblasts, which are assumed to be a major driver of head and neck radiation-induced fibrosis, as measured by expression levels of pro-fibrotic genes. Radiated, non-cancerous soft tissue from the head and neck and skin/soft tissue from non-radiated flap donor site were collected from each patient. Myofibroblast density was quantified using immunofluorescence staining with α-SMA and DAPI and visualisation under confocal microscopy and compared between baseline non-radiated and radiated tissue from the same patient. From each tissue specimen, fibroblast cell lines were cultured and exposed to either normoxic, hypoxic, or …

Constitutive Il-7 Signaling Promotes Car-Nk Cell Survival In The Solid Tumor Microenvironment But Impairs Tumor Control, Matthew Dysthe, Ishwar Navin, Dayenne Van Leeuwen, Josue Pineda, Corrine Baumgartner, Cliona M Rooney, Robin Parihar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing natural killer (NK) cells has demonstrated success against hematological malignancies. Efficacy against solid tumors has been limited by poor NK cell survival and function in the suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). To enhance efficacy against solid tumors, stimulatory cytokines have been incorporated into CAR-NK cell therapeutic approaches. However, current cytokine strategies have limitations, including systemic toxicities, exogenous dependencies, and unwanted TME bystander effects. Here, we aimed to overcome these limitations by modifying CAR-NK cells to express a constitutively active interleukin (IL)-7 receptor, termed C7R, capable of providing intrinsic CAR-NK cell activation that does …

No Evidence Of Pitavastatin Effect On Muscle Area Or Density Among People With Hiv, Kristine M Erlandson, Triin Umbleja, Heather J Ribaudo, Michael T Lu, Jana Taron, Marissa R Diggs, Pamela S Douglas, Kathleen V Fitch, Carl J Fichtenbaum, Markella V Zanni, Judith A Aberg, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Katharine Breaux, Rosalba Gomez Morones, Craig A Sponseller, Judith S Currier, Gerald S Bloomfield, Sarah M Chu, Alex B Lu, Carlos D Malvestutto, Steven K Grinspoon, Todd T Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (Rapid ART) is a key strategy for the Ending the HIV Epidemic inititative. In Harris County, Texas, a priority Ending the HIV Epidemic jurisdiction, 57% of persons with HIV receive care at 1 of 5 public agencies that receive funding from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, and HIV/AIDS Bureau. This program administers grants to clinics and local/state programs to deliver medical and support services (Part A) for low-income persons with HIV. In 2019, …