Digital Commons Network^™

Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associatedfactors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background

People living with HIV (PLWH) face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with significant sex differences in outcomes. However, it is unclear whether these differences are driven by distinct risk factor profiles or by a differential impact of shared risk factors. This study aimed to identify factors associated with CVD among PLWH and to specifically assess for effect modification by sex using a large, diverse nationwide database.

Methods

We utilized data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU). The primary outcome was a composite of coronary artery disease or stroke. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify …

State Of Ohio Adversity And Resilience (Soar) Study Protocol: A Comprehensive, Multimodal, Family-Based, Longitudinal Observational Investigation Of Risk And Resilience In Mental Health And Substance Use Disorders, Chris Flask, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction Deaths related to drug overdose and suicide in the USA have increased 500% and 35%, respectively, over the last two decades. The human and economic costs to society associated with these - €- deaths of despair' are immense. Great efforts and substantial investments have been made in treatment and prevention, yet these efforts have not abated these increasing trajectories of deaths over time. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and highlighted these problems. Notably, some geographical areas (eg, Appalachia, farmland) and some communities (eg, low-income persons, - €- essential workers', minoritised populations) have been disproportionately affected. Risk factors have been …

Agitation In Alzheimer’S Disease: From Assessment To Therapeutics, Antonio L Teixeira, Youngran Kim, Thiago M Cordeiro, Gabriel A De Erausquin, Natalia P Rocha

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Agitation is a neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by excessive motor and/or verbal behaviors, with or without aggressive behaviors. The prevalence of agitation in Alzheimer’s disease varies from 5% to over 50%. Multiple factors have been implicated in its pathophysiology, including disease stage, comorbidity with other symptoms (e.g., psychosis, anxiety/depression), and psychosocial factors. Ruling out delirium and identifying environmental triggers are fundamental steps in the management of agitation in Alzheimer’s disease. For establishing an effective therapeutic plan, it is important to define duration, severity, and potential for harm. While non-pharmacological approaches are considered the first line of intervention, pharmacological agents …

Conjunctival Melanoma Genomic Analysis Reveals Intermediate Tumor Mutation Burden And Genomic Overlap With Cutaneous Melanoma, Florentia Dimitriou, Xiaogang Wu, Priyadharsini Nagarajan, Isabella C Glitza, Li Zhao, Jing Ning, Sapna P Patel, Jennifer A Wargo, Andrew Futreal, Scott Woodman, Jennifer L Mcquade, Bita Esmaeli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Conjunctival melanoma (CJM) is a rare and aggressive malignancy. Mainly attributed to its rarity, the genomic features of CJM have not been well characterized. In the present study, we sequenced the exomes of primary and metastatic CJM tumors with the aim to unravel their genomic landscape. The results of the study suggest that CJM is a molecularly distinct melanoma subtype with mixed genotype and targetable mutations. Notably, there were features overlapping with both mucosal, and mainly cutaneous melanoma. Of note, some genetic alterations were found in association with specific subsets of CJM, such as bulbar anatomical localization. CJM tumors had …

Advancing Herbal Medicine: The Role Of Nanosomal Technology In Treating Skin Diseases, Pedro Anugerah Aswan, Baitha Palanggatan Maggadani, Wilzar Fachri, Raditya Iswandana

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Herbal medicine has become popular worldwide, especially in developing countries, with around 80% of the population opting for herbal treatments. The perceived benefits of natural remedies, such as affordability and fewer side effects, drive this trend. Herbal therapies effectively manage skin diseases, infections, and common ailments. However, the absorption of bioactive compounds in herbal extracts is often limited. Recent developments in nano-based herbal delivery systems, like nanosomal, show promise in enhancing the efficacy of herbal remedies for topical applications, providing improved solubility, stability, and skin penetration. This review describes various nanosomal studies developed and successfully used to enhance the topical …

Implementation And Assessment Of The Openbci Platform As An Accessible Brain- Computer Interface, Jewell Norris

Honors Theses

OpenBCI is a low-cost, open-source platform for alternative brain-computer interface (BCI) software and hardware. This thesis evaluates OpenBCI’s electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) capabilities by constructing and testing a 16-channel EEG system using the Ultracortex Mark IV headset and Cyton + Daisy biosensing board. The viability of the system was assessed through real-time BCI control and comparison to a clinical-grade EEG system. Real-time BCI control of an online falling-block game was tested via the use of eye blinks EMG (channels Fp1/Fp2) and head-tilt accelerometer inputs. The BCI game demonstrated reliable control despite minor latency and artifact sensitivity. For clinical comparison, …

Two Unrelated Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phages Require The Exopolysaccharide Psl For Infection, Kristen Amyx-Sherer, Leila C Awasthi, Amanda Zheng, Anna Johannesman, Michele Leroux, Courtney Reichhardt

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Bacteria commonly protect themselves from a variety of threats by forming biofilms, which are communities of bacteria that are tightly packed together within an extracellular matrix. Biofilm formation has generally been thought to protect bacteria from phage infection. The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces biofilm matrices that can contain three distinct exopolysaccharides that contribute to the difficulty in treating infected patients. Here, we demonstrate that two diverse P. aeruginosa phages have evolved to exploit this biofilm matrix to access the bacterial cells by both binding to and degrading a major biofilm exopolysaccharide, Psl. We examined the effect of these phages …

Depth-Variant Deconvolution Applied To Widefield Microscopy For Rapid Large-Volume Tissue Imaging, Daniel D Lee, Kevin A Telfer, Mark A J Koenis, Yim K Lee, Kevin W Namink, Brian T Saunders, Heyun Lee, Hailey Kelley, Heather S Ruiz, Joseph P Gaut, Gwendalyn J Randolph, Bernd H Zinselmeyer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Innovations in 3D tissue imaging have revolutionized research, but limitations stemming from lengthy protocols and equipment accessibility persist. Widefield microscopy is fast and accessible but often excluded from 3D imaging workflows due to its lack of optical sectioning. Here we combine tissue clearing with a commercial depth-variant deconvolution approach that we optimized for large-volume widefield imaging. By implementing prefiltering with z-brick splitting, we achieve subnuclear axial resolution in tissues to a depth of 500 µm in multi-tile scan images. We illustrate the utility of this method in a model of ileitis and to gain a 3D perspective in thick brain …

Aqueous Humor Biomarkers In Ocular Oncology: Insights And Advances, Lara Cheslow, Signe Caksa, Rachel E. Cain, Scott A. Waldman, Andrew A. Aplin

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Ocular malignancies, though relatively rare, pose significant risks to patients' vision, quality of life, and potential for developing metastatic disease. Due to the eye's complicated and delicate anatomy, diagnosing ocular malignancy and monitoring its progression can be technically challenging. Current approaches include direct tumor biopsy, vitreous humor sampling, and imaging. However, these techniques are associated with rare, yet potentially severe, side effects and can be invasive or limited in detecting microscopic disease. Recent studies have introduced aqueous humor sampling as a promising, minimally invasive alternative to diagnose ocular malignancy, guide therapeutic management, monitor response to treatment, and track early recurrence. …

Colorectal Cancer: Differential Gene Expression And In Vitro Response To 5-Fluorouracil, Novel Fluoropyrimidine F10, And Potential Synergy With Lupeol, Shrey D. Thaker, Jenny Paredes, Jone Garai, Laura A. Martello, William H. Gmeiner, Jovanny Zabaleta, Jennie Williams

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies in the United States, with African American (AA) patients experiencing disproportionately higher incidence and mortality compared to Caucasian Americans (CAs). These disparities have been linked to tumor-intrinsic genomic differences, including microsatellite instability (MSI) and p53 mutation status, which may influence chemotherapeutic response, particularly to the standard-of-care agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). However, mechanistic insights have been limited by the lack of racially diverse preclinical models. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of F10 (a novel fluoropyrimidine polymer) vs. 5-FU using AA- and CA-derived CRC cell lines with distinct MSI and p53 profiles. MTT …

Estimated Impact Of 2022–2023 Influenza Vaccines On Annual Hospital Burden In The United States, Kaiming Bi, Shraddha Ramdas Bandekar, Anass Bouchnita, Annalise Cramer, Spencer J Fox, Rebecca K Borchering, Matthew Biggerstaff, Lauren Ancel Meyers

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic early years, infection prevention measures suppressed transmission of seasonal influenza and other respiratory viruses. The early onset and moderate severity of the US 2022-2023 influenza season may have resulted from reduced use of nonpharmaceutical interventions or lower population immunity after 2 y of limited influenza virus circulation. We used a mathematical model of influenza virus transmission that incorporates vaccine-derived protection against both infection and severe disease to estimate the impact of influenza vaccines on healthcare burden. Assuming reported levels of past vaccine effectiveness (VE) against infection and hospitalization, we estimate that influenza vaccines prevented 69,886 (95% …

Sex Differences In Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease Patterns, Kazumasa Ikeda, Daniel Munhoz, Sofie Brouwers, Jeroen Sonck, Hitoshi Matsuo, Toshiro Shinke, Hirohiko Ando, Brian Ko, Simone Biscaglia, Fernando Rivero, Thomas Engstrøm, Ketina Arslani, Antonio Maria Leone, Domenico Galante, Lokien X Van Nunen, William F Fearon, Evald Høj Christiansen, Stephane Fournier, Liyew Desta, Andy Yong, Julien Adjedj, Javier Escaned, Masafumi Nakayama, Ashkan Eftekhari, Frederik M Zimmermann, Koshiro Sakai, Tatyana Storozhenko, Bruno R Da Costa, Gianluca Campo, Colin Berry, Damien Collison, Thomas Johnson, Tetsuya Amano, Divaka Perera, Allen Jeremias, Ziad Ali, Bernard De Bruyne, Frederic Bouisset, Takashi Kubo, Nobuhiro Tanaka, Kazuhiro Satomi, Nils P Johnson, Carlos Collet, Takuya Mizukami

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Sex differences in coronary artery disease (CAD) have been increasingly recognized, as women present with distinct clinical characteristics and outcomes compared with men. This study investigated the impact of sex on pathophysiological CAD patterns (focal versus diffuse) in stable patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

Methods: We conducted a subanalysis of the PPG Global (Pullback Pressure Gradient Global Registry) study, a multicenter, prospective trial including 993 patients (236 [23.8%] women and 757 [76.2%] men) with hemodynamically significant CAD, defined as fractional flow reserve ≤0.80. The pullback pressure gradient metric categorized CAD patterns as focal or diffuse. Patient-reported outcomes were …

Role Of Endoscopy In The Diagnosis And Management Of Esophageal Cancer, Jennifer Ma, Sharon Pan, Rachel Mortan, Faisal Shaukat Ali, Nirav Thosani, Vaibhav Wadhwa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Esophageal cancer cases are predicted to reach 957,000 by 2040. Prior mortality rates average 6.5% in men and 2.2% in women, with a poor 5-year prognosis of 20%. A deficiency in screening guidelines, an incomplete understanding of pathophysiology, and limited treatment options contributed to this poor prognosis. Now, as technology and knowledge evolve, endoscopy serves a primary role in improving morbidity and mortality around esophageal cancer, in which early detection and treatment play a profound role. Advances in diagnostic modalities, including higher frequency ultrasound, acquisition of larger specimens, and nodal characterization, all improve esophageal cancer diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning. …

Prognosis And Treatment Response Stratification According To Loss Of Proofreading (Lop), Giulia Maddalena, Fadl A Zeineddine, Saikat Chowdhury, Mohammad A Zeineddine, Abdelrahman M Yousef, Francesca Bergamo, Sara Lonardi, Timothy A Yap, Michael Geoffrey White, Michael J Overman, Scott Kopetz, John Paul Shen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Only a subset of polymerase epsilon (POLE) mutations is associated with hypermutant phenotype; we hypothesized that only loss-of-proofreading (LOP) POLE mutations are associated with favorable immunotherapy response.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included a pan-cancer cohort of 69,223 patients from cBioPortal and a cohort of patients with 41 POLE mutant metastatic colorectal (CRC) treated with immunotherapy at the MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2017 and May 2023. We evaluated prognosis according to POLE mutation functionality.

Results: In the pan-cancer cBioPortal cohort (n=69,223) POLE was mutated in 2.8% (1,965) of tumors; of these, only 7.5% (n=148) had …

Association Of Obesity Severity With Cardiometabolic And Renal Disease Burden In The United States, Florina Corpodean, Michael Kachmar, Shengping Yang, Steven B. Heymsfield, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Philip R. Schauer, Michael W. Cook, Vance L. Albaugh

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Objective This study examined the association between obesity severity and cardiometabolic and renal disease, using BMI as a surrogate for obesity severity. Methods This is a cross-sectional study using data from the United States Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2011–2023. Survey-weighted logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) for the diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, kidney disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary artery disease among increasing BMI categories. Results Higher BMI was associated with increased odds of all conditions. For BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2, odds were notably elevated for diabetes (OR 8.32; 95% CI: 7.78–8.91), hypertension (OR 6.07; 95% CI: …

Elastic Cytomatrix Dynamics Influences Metabolic Rate And Tumor Microenvironment Formation, Tattym E Shaiken, Tulendy T Nurkenov, Meruyert S Kurmanbayeva, David Y Graham

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In healthy cells, the cytomatrix mechanics utilize mitochondrial respiration to control cytosolic motion and fine-tune the chemical processes. In cancer, the cytosolic motion is energized by glycolytic fermentation (the Warburg effect), which provides additional energy to supply the needs of the cytomatrix. Here, we describe the physical and chemical processes of the integrated and cooperative cytomatrix cytoarchitecture, in which structure and function are inseparable. The extracellular matrix is interconnected with the intracellular cytomatrix and functions as two integrated elastic solid phases. This finding led us to propose mechanisms of tumor microenvironment formation resulting from the mutational burden, in which altered …

Retinol Tracing Within Murine Neural Retina Reveals Cell Type-Specific Retinol Transport And Distribution, Zachary J Engfer, Grazyna Palczewska, Samuel W Du, Jianye Zhang, Zhiqian Dong, Carolline Rodrigues Menezes, Jun Wang, Jianming Shao, Budd A Tucker, Robert F Mullins, Rui Chen, Philip D Kiser, Krzysztof Palczewski

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

11-cis-Retinal is essential for light perception in mammalian photoreceptors (PRs), and aberrations in retinoid transformations cause severe retinal diseases. Understanding these processes is crucial for combating blinding diseases. The visual cycle, operating within PRs and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), regenerates 11-cis-retinal to sustain light sensitivity. Retinoids are also present in Müller glia (MG), hypothesized to supply 11-cis-retinol to cone PRs and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). To trace retinoid movement through retinal cell types, we used cell-specific knock-in of lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT), which converts retinols into stable retinyl esters (REs). Ectopic LRAT expression in murine PRs, MG, and RGCs resulted …

Belonging Without Borders: A Missionary Kid Reflects On Nursing School, Julia Beth Stamp

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

This reflective essay examines the experience of pursuing a nursing degree while living far from home as a Missionary Kid. It explores how the absence of close family ties during nursing school intensified feelings of loneliness, challenged motivation, and strained emotional well-being. Interwoven with personal narrative and supported by recent literature, the reflection highlights the way that community— through peers, mentors, and faculty— emerged as a vital source of resilience. The essay argues that resilience in nursing education is not the product of individual grit alone but grows from interdependence and the willingness to seek and receive support. Through recounting …

Vitamin D Deficiency And Cardiovascular Health Disparities In High-Melanin Populations: A Scoping Review, Jalen K. Luter, Silver R. Kaylor, Michael S. Boyer

Doctoral Projects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality and disproportionately affect individuals with darker skin tones, partly due to vitamin D deficiency (Sabzmakan et al., 2014). This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project uses a scoping review methodology to examine the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular outcomes, with an emphasis on high-melanin populations. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Framework, the review synthesizes existing evidence, identifies gaps in representation and biomarker use, and highlights social and biological contributors to disparity. Databases including PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched, and studies were screened using standardized inclusion criteria: …

Cv: Eleftheria Karapas (Nursing), Eleftheria Karapas

Nursing Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

From Urban Models To Rural Realities: Adapting Hepatitis C (Hcv) Care For Underserved Communities, Caitlin A. Mccain

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

This literature review examines how Hepatitis C (HCV) screening and care programs can better serve underserved populations, particularly Spanish-speaking rural communities in border states. The research supports the Hep C- Colonias Advancing & Restoring Esperanza (C.A.R.E) program’s mission by incorporating recent findings from 32 studies gathered through PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar. Hep C C.A.R.E expanded from the HepVISTA expansion project provides HCV screening, education, vaccination and linkage to care for uninsured patients at partner sites in Laredo and Maverick County. Results indicate that while HCV elimination is feasible, significant gaps persist among rural uninsured and minority populations. Effective strategies …

Intouch Week Of November 17, 2025, New York Medical College

InTouch

• NYMC Celebrated Among 2025 Doctors of Distinction Honorees
• NYMC Receives Vibrant Mural Collection from Biagio “Gino” Civale
• Siqi You Selected as NYS Representative in the State of the States and AUCD Data Ambassador Program
• Graduate Student Association Welcomes a New Executive Board
• NYMC Public Health Students and Alumni Shine at APHA Conference
• EHS Hosts Multi-Agency Biosafety and WMD Tabletop Exercise
• NYMC and TU Set to Host Webinar Series: “Ninety Minutes: The Medical Magazine of the Web”
• Touro Dental Health’s 8th Annual Smiles for Veterans Day Sees More Veterans This Year Than Ever Before
• Student Spotlight: Rahim Hirani is the Recipient …

Citronellol Reduces Sepsis-Induced Renal Inflammation Via Ap-1/Nf-Κb/Tnf-Α Pathway, Huda Rashid Atiyah, Sarmed H. Kathem, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Sepsis is characterized by the over-production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) is a well-accepted model for recreating sepsis-induced renal injury in mice. The current study investigates how citronellol, a naturally occurring substance with a variety of biological characteristics, can prevent acute kidney inflammation brought on by CLP. In the CLP mouse model, citronellol was administered orally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. Serum levels of creatinine and urea were used as markers of renal function, and the Murine Sepsis Score (MSS) was used to assess the severity of sepsis. According to our findings, CLP caused a …

Introducing Neuro Sscial Work: A Brief Reflection On Neuroscience And The Profession, Priscila Llamosa

Social Work Faculty Publications

This reflection introduces and contextualizes the term Neuro Social Work, which I coin to name a specialized practice area at the intersection of social work, neuroscience, and neurodiversity. Drawing on my experience as a social work educator and practitioner, I discuss social work’s uneasy relationship with neuroscience, marked both by the opportunity to deepen our understanding of trauma, development, and healing, and by the risks of using brain‑based evidence to individualize structural harms or justify surveillance of marginalized communities. I outline, in broad strokes, what distinguishes Neuro Social Work from general neuroscience‑informed practice. The note is intended as a concept …

Use Of Calcium Modification In Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Comprehensive Review, Noyan Ramazani, Ala W. Abdallah, Michael V. Dicaro, Divyansh Sharma, Aditi Singh, Kachon Lei

Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Research

Calcified coronary lesions remain a challenge in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in both situations of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and stable coronary syndrome. It significantly increases the risk of procedural complications due to difficulty in equipment delivery, balloon expansion, and stent delivery. Furthermore, stent thrombosis, dissection, perforation, and future in-stent restenosis occur more frequently in calcified coronary lesions, impacting repeat target vessel revascularization and increasing the risk of future MI. With intracoronary imaging (intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography), peri-procedural success for treating calcified lesions has increased significantly. Different modalities of calcium modification techniques have since been introduced. This review …

Policy Project: Creating An Animal Assisted Therapy Policy For A College Of Nursing, Brooke Peyton

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nursing students experience high levels of academic stress, anxiety, and burnout, which can negatively impact learning, professional development, and overall health. Evidence indicates that Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) has the potential to impact stress levels, improve community connection, and enhance overall well-being among nursing students. Many academic institutions lack structured policies to guide AAT programs into educational settings. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to develop a formal AAT policy for the College of Nursing with standardized procedures to implement an AAT program. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations theoretical framework was used to guide the development of the …

Quality Improvement Project Step Into Serenity: How Walking Can Ease Stress For Nursing Faculty, Stefanie Martinez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This quality improvement project explored whether incorporating scheduled walk breaks could help reduce perceived stress among accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) faculty. High levels of stress and burnout continue to affect nursing educators and contribute to faculty turnover and workforce shortages. The goal of this project was to promote physical activity as a simple and accessible approach to supporting well-being and fostering a healthier work environment. Grounded in George Engel’s Biopsychosocial Model of Health, this project introduced an educational session on faculty stress, burnout, and the benefits of walking. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) before and …

Estrogen And Obesity Synergistically Suppress Protein S Via Hif1Α, Enhancing Thrombosis Potential, Mohammad A. Mohammad, Narender Kumar, Sonali Ghosh, Ashley L. Paysse, Claudia Leonardi, Vijaya Pilli, Ma Lorena Duhaylungsod, Eric Lazartigues, Diana Polania-Villanueva, Sadaf Nouman, Logan A. Barrios, Rima Chattopadhyay, Rafika Yasmin, Alaina Guilbeau, Manoj Kumar, Tina H. Nguyen, Jovanny Zabaleta, Li Li, Luis Del Valle M.D., Mallory T. Barbier, Samarpan Majumder, Laurent O. Mosnier, Samarpan Majumder

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with risk heightened in premenopausal women with obesity or use estrogen-based oral contraceptives. When both risk factors are present, the thrombosis risk increases substantially. Protein S (PS), an essential anticoagulant cofactor, is downregulated by both estrogen and obesity, but the molecular basis for this suppression remains poorly defined. We investigated the effect of estrogen and obesity on PS expression using plasma samples from 157 women stratified by BMI and contraceptive use, alongside 40 mice categorized as lean or obese with or without estrogen pellet treatment. The levels of PS …

Does Preoperative Arthritis Affect The Outcomes Of Superior Capsular Reconstruction? A Systematic Review, Tae-Hoon Park, Hyungsuk Kim, Sukil Kim, Jongin Lee, Gerald R. Williams, Hyun Seok Song

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: The optimal indications for superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) in cases of massive irreparable rotator cuff tears (RCTs) accompanied by degenerative arthritis remain controversial.

METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, searching PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), and Google Scholar. Studies were included if they documented Hamada grade and reported clinical and radiographic outcomes after SCR for irreparable RCTs. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, visual analog scale for pain (pVAS), active range of motion, and acromiohumeral distance (AHD) were analyzed.

RESULTS: In all 7 studies, there was no consistent …

Promising Effects Of Car T-Cell Therapy In Refractory Stiff Person Syndrome And A Hopeful Future For All Neuroautoimmunities, Marinos Dalakas

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are genetically modified T cells expressing CARs, initially developed to recognize tumor antigens and kill cancer cells that evade T-cell recognition. Because of their impressive success in hemato-oncologic malignancies, CAR T cells are being repurposed with redesigned constructs for safety and sustained efficacy to target refractory systemic autoimmune or neurologic diseases. The CD19 CAR T cells-targeting those CD19-positive, antibody-secreting, long-lived plasma cells, and plasmablasts-are now extensively explored in refractory neuroautoimmunities with promising benefits based on case series in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), stiff person syndrome (SPS), neuromyelitis, myositis, and multiple sclerosis; some patients …