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Supradiaphragmatic Origin Of The Celiac Trunk Leading To Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome With Superior Mesenteric Artery Involvement, Martina Rama, Wissam Nasser, Prashanth Palvannan, Sara Belko, Paul Dimuzio, Francesco Palazzo

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Median arcuate ligament (MAL) syndrome (MALS) is a rare condition caused by compression of the celiac artery by the MAL. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, and weight loss. Rarely, the MAL can compress both the celiac artery and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). We describe the case of a young man with MALS involving the celiac artery and SMA. Laparoscopic release of the MAL was performed, and the patient had resolution of his symptoms at 6 months of follow-up. A review of the literature identified only six cases of MALS involving the SMA and celiac artery, making this a rare …

Pericardial Effusions And Cardiac Tamponade In Hospitalized Systemic Sclerosis Patients: Analysis Of The National Inpatient Sample, Bikash Basyal, Waqas Ullah, Chris T. Derk

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Introduction

Clinically significant pericardial effusions and cardiac tamponade in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients is uncommon and the factors that contribute to progression of pericardial involvement in SSc patients have not been well established.

Methods

A review of the national inpatient sample database was performed looking SSc related hospitalizations between 2002 and 2019. Data was collected on patients with pericardial effusions and cardiac tamponade and analyzed to identify and describe patient characteristics and comorbidities.

Results

Out of a total of 523,410 SSc hospitalizations, with an overall inpatient mortality rate of 4.7% (24,764 patients), pericardial effusion was identified in 3.1% of all …

Advances In Diagnosis And Management Of Atypical Spinal Infections: A Comprehensive Review, Glenn A. Gonzalez, Guilherme Porto, Eric Tecce, Yazan Shamli Oghli, J. Miao, Matthew O'Leary, Daniela Perez Chadid, Michael Vo, James Harrop

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Atypical spinal infections (ASIs) of the spine are a challenging pathology to management with potentially devastating morbidity and mortality. To identify patients with atypical spinal infections, it is important to recognize the often insidious clinical and radiographic presentations, in the setting of indolent and smoldering organism growth. Trending of inflammatory markers, and culturing of organisms, is essential. Once identified, the spinal infection should be treated with antibiotics and possibly various surgical interventions including decompression and possible fusion depending on spine structural integrity and stability. Early diagnosis of ASIs and immediate treatment of debilitating conditions, such as epidural abscess, correlate with …

Circulating Endocannabinoids And N-Acylethanolamines In Individuals With Cannabis Use Disorder-Preliminary Findings, Nadia Boachie, Erin Gaudette, Richard P. Bazinet, Lin Lin, Rachel F. Tyndale, Esmaeil Mansouri, Marilyn A. Huestis, Junchao Tong, Bernard Le Foll, Stephen J. Kish, Tony P. George, Isabelle Boileau

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Endocannabinoids and related N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are bioactive lipids with important physiological functions and putative roles in mental health and addictions. Although chronic cannabis use is associated with endocannabinoid system changes, the status of circulating endocannabinoids and related NAEs in people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) is uncertain.

METHODS: Eleven individuals with CUD and 54 healthy non-cannabis using control participants (HC) provided plasma for measurement by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of endocannabinoids (2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA)) and related NAE fatty acids (N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine (DHEA) and N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA)). Participants were genotyped for the functional gene variant of FAAH (rs324420, C385A) which …

Synlight: A Bicistronic Strategy For Simultaneous Active Zone And Cell Labeling In The Drosophila Nervous System, Michael A. Aimino, Jesse Humenik, Michael J. Parisi, Juan Carlos Duhart, Timothy J. Mosca

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

At synapses, chemical neurotransmission mediates the exchange of information between neurons, leading to complex movement, behaviors, and stimulus processing. The immense number and variety of neurons within the nervous system make discerning individual neuron populations difficult, necessitating the development of advanced neuronal labeling techniques. In Drosophila, Bruchpilot-Short and mCD8-GFP, which label presynaptic active zones and neuronal membranes, respectively, have been widely used to study synapse development and organization. This labeling is often achieved via the expression of 2 independent constructs by a single binary expression system, but expression can weaken when multiple transgenes are expressed by a single driver. Recent …

Repurposing Normal Chromosomal Microarray Data To Harbor Genetic Insights Into Congenital Heart Disease, Nephi Walton, Hoang Nguyen, Sara Procknow, Darren Johnson, Alexander Anzelmi, Patrick Jay

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

About 15% of congenital heart disease (CHD) patients have a known pathogenic copy number variant. The majority of their chromosomal microarray (CMA) tests are deemed normal. Diagnostic interpretation typically ignores microdeletions smaller than 100 kb. We hypothesized that unreported microdeletions are enriched for CHD genes. We analyzed "normal" CMAs of 1762 patients who were evaluated at a pediatric referral center, of which 319 (18%) had CHD. Using CMAs from monozygotic twins or replicates from the same individual, we established a size threshold based on probe count for the reproducible detection of small microdeletions. Genes in the microdeletions were sequentially filtered …

Absence Of Chordin-Like 1 Aids Motor Recovery In A Mouse Model Of Stroke, Eileen Collyer, Bridget R Boyle, Yolanda Gomez-Galvez, Lorraine Iacovitti, Elena Blanco-Suarez

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Chordin-like 1 (Chrdl1) is an astrocyte-secreted protein that regulates synaptic maturation, and limits plasticity via GluA2-containing AMPA receptors (AMPARs). It was demonstrated that Chrdl1 expression is very heterogeneous throughout the brain, and it is enriched in astrocytes in cortical layers 2/3, with peak expression in the visual cortex at postnatal day 14. In response to ischemic stroke, Chrdl1 is upregulated during the acute and sub-acute phases in the peri-infarct region, potentially hindering recovery after stroke. Here, we used photothrombosis to model ischemic stroke in the motor cortex of adult male and female mice. In this study, we demonstrate that elimination …

Pet Imaging Of Microglia Using Pbr28suv Determines Therapeutic Efficacy Of Autologous Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells Therapy In Traumatic Brain Injury, Supinder S Bedi, Michael C Scott, Max A Skibber, Akshita Kumar, Henry W Caplan, Hasen Xue, David Sequeira, Alison L Speer, Fanni Cardenas, Franciska Gudenkauf, Karen Uray, Amit K. Srivastava, Alan R Prossin, Charles S Cox

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in activated microglia. Activated microglia can be measured in vivo by using positron emission topography (PET) ligand peripheral benzodiazepine receptor standardized uptake values (PBR28suv). Cell based therapies have utilized autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) to attenuate activated microglia after TBI. This study aims to utilize in vivo PBR28suv to assess the efficacy of BMMNCs therapy after TBI. Seventy-two hours after CCI injury, BMMNCs were harvested from the tibia and injected via tail-vein at 74 h after injury at a concentration of 2 million cells per kilogram of body weight. There were three groups of …

Prevalence Of Post-Liver Transplant Complications And Nash-Related Cirrhosis In Postmenopausal Women, Natalia Salinas Parra, Michelle Schafer, Heather M. Ross, John Bruckbauer, Brian Yan, Sarah L. Chen, Adnan Khan Do, Danielle M. Tholey, Dina Halegoua-De Marzio

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Compared to premenopausal women, postmenopausal women are at greater risk of developing NAFLD and NASH, two common indications for liver transplantation (LT). We aim to determine the prevalence of NASH-related cirrhosis in postmenopausal women from a cohort of LT patients and investigate their post-LT complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chart review of 1200 LT patients from 2002-2020 was performed. Postmenopausal women were defined as women over 51 and compared to a control group of men over 51. Prevalence of LT indications was determined. Subgroup analysis assessed cardiovascular disease risk. BMI and ASCVD risk scores were calculated at the …

Global Outcomes For Microsurgical Clipping Of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Benchmark Analysis Of 2245 Cases, Richard Drexler, Thomas Sauvigny, Tobias F. Pantel, Franz L. Ricklefs, Joshua S. Catapano, John E. Wanebo, Michael T. Lawton, Aminaa Sanchin, Nils Hecht, Peter Vajkoczy, Kunal Raygor, Daniel Tonetti, Adib Abla, Kareem El Naamani, Stavropoula I. Tjoumakaris, Pascal Jabbour, Brian T. Jankowitz, Mohamed M. Salem, Jan-Karl Burkhardt, Arthur Wagner, Maria Wostrack, Jens Gempt, Bernhard Meyer, Michael Gaub, Justin R. Mascitelli, Philippe Dodier, Gerhard Bavinzski, Karl Roessler, Nico Stroh, Matthias Gmeiner, Andreas Gruber, Eberval G. Figueiredo, Antonio Carlos Samaia Da Silva Coelho, Anatoliy V. Bervitskiy, Egor D. Anisimov, Jamil A. Rzaev, Harald Krenzlin, Naureen Keric, Florian Ringel, Dougho Park, Mun-Chul Kim, Eleonora Marcati, Marco Cenzato, Manfred Westphal, Lasse Dührsen

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Benchmarks represent the best possible outcome and help to improve outcomes for surgical procedures. However, global thresholds mirroring an optimal and reachable outcome for microsurgical clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) are not available. This study aimed to define standardized outcome benchmarks in patients who underwent clipping of UIA.

METHODS: A total of 2245 microsurgically treated UIA from 15 centers were analyzed. Patients were categorized into low- ("benchmark") and high-risk ("nonbenchmark") patients based on known factors affecting outcome. The benchmark was defined as the 75th percentile of all centers' median scores for a given outcome. Benchmark outcomes …

Can The Date Of Last Menstrual Period Be Trusted In The First Trimester? Comparisons Of Gestational Age Measures From A Prospective Cohort Study In Six Low-Income To Middle-Income Countries, Archana Patel, Carla M. Bann, Vanessa R. Thorsten, Sowmya R. Rao, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu Kitoto, Melissa Bauserman, Lester Figueroa, Nancy F. Krebs, Fabian Esamai, Sherri Bucher, Sarah Saleem, Robert L. Goldenberg, Elwyn Chomba, Waldemar A. Carlo, Shivaprasad Goudar, Richard Derman, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth Mcclure, Patricia L. Hibberd

Global Health Articles

OBJECTIVES: We examined gestational age (GA) estimates for live and still births, and prematurity rates based on last menstrual period (LMP) compared with ultrasonography (USG) among pregnant women at seven sites in six low-resource countries.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This study included data from the Global Network's population-based Maternal and Newborn Health Registry which follows pregnant women in six low-income and middle-income countries (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan and Zambia). Participants in this analysis were 42 803 women, including their 43 230 babies, who registered for the study in their first trimester based …

Epicutaneous Sensitization To The Phytocannabinoid Β-Caryophyllene Induces Pruritic Inflammation, Saadet Inan, Sara J Ward, Citlalli T Baltazar, Gabrielle A. Peruggia, Elham Javed, Ajay P. Nayak

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

In recent years, there has been increased accessibility to cannabis for recreational and medicinal use. Incidentally, there has been an increase in reports describing allergic reactions to cannabis including exacerbation of underlying asthma. Recently, multiple protein allergens were discovered in cannabis, yet these fail to explain allergic sensitization in many patients, particularly urticaria and angioedema. Cannabis has a rich chemical profile including cannabinoids and terpenes that possess immunomodulatory potential. We examined whether major cannabinoids of cannabis such as cannabidiol (CBD) and the bicyclic sesquiterpene beta-caryophyllene (β-CP) act as contact sensitizers. The repeated topical application of mice skin with β-CP at …

The Use Of Iodophor-Impregnated Drapes In Patients With Iodine-Related Allergies: A Case Series And Review Of The Literature, Andrew Fraval, Nicolina Zappley, William J. Hozack

Rothman Institute Papers

Background

Methods

Does Physical Therapy Impact Clinical Outcomes After Lumbar Decompression Surgery?, Jeremy C. Heard, Nicholas D. D'Antonio, Mark J. Lambrechts, Payton Boere, Tariq Z. Issa, Yunsoo A. Lee, Jose A. Canseco, Ian David Kaye, Barrett R. Woods, Alan S. Hilibrand, Alexander R. Vaccaro, Christopher K. Kepler, Gregory D. Schroeder

Rothman Institute Papers

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of our study were to (1) determine if physical therapy (PT) impacts patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) after lumbar decompression surgery and (2) determine if PT impacts postsurgical readmissions or reoperations after lumbar decompression surgery.

METHODS: Patients >18 years of age who underwent primary one‑ or two‑level lumbar decompression at our institution were identified. Patient demographics, surgical characteristics, surgical outcomes (all‑cause 90 days readmissions and 90 days surgical readmissions), and patient‑reported outcomes (PROMs) were compared between the groups. Multivariate linear regression was utilized to determine the individual predictors of 90 days readmissions and PROMs at the 1‑year postoperative point. …

Lateral Approach To The Lumbar Spine: The Utility Of An Access Surgeon, Matthew Meade, Yunsoo Lee, Parker Brush, Mark Lambrechts, Eleanor Jenkins, Cristian Desimone, Michael Mccurdy, John Mangan, Jose Canseco, Mark Kurd, Alan Hilibrand, Alexander Vaccaro, Christopher Kepler, Gregory Schroeder

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Lateral lumbar interbody fusions (LLIFs) utilize a retroperitoneal approach that avoids the intraperitoneal organs and manipulation of the anterior vasculature encountered in anterior approaches to the lumbar spine. The approach was championed by spinal surgeons; however, general/vasculature surgeons may be more comfortable with the approach.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare short-term outcomes following LLIF procedures based on whether a spine surgeon or access surgeon performed the approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified all one- to two-level LLIFs at a tertiary care center from 2011 to 2021 for degenerative spine disease. Patients were divided into …

Neighborhood Disadvantage And Neural Correlates Of Threat And Reward Processing In Survivors Of Recent Trauma, E. Kate Webb, Timothy D. Ely, Grace E. Rowland, Lauren A.M. Lebois, Sanne J.H. Van Rooij, Steven E. Bruce, Tanja Jovanovic, Stacey L. House, Francesca L. Beaudoin, Xinming An, Thomas C. Neylan, Gari D. Clifford, Sarah D. Linnstaedt, Laura T. Germine, Kenneth A. Bollen, Scott L. Rauch, John P. Haran, Alan B. Storrow, Christopher Lewandowski, Paul I. Musey, Phyllis L. Hendry, Sophia Sheikh, Christopher W. Jones, Brittany E. Punches, Robert A. Swor, Jose L. Pascual, Mark J. Seamon, Elizabeth M. Datner, Claire Pearson, David A. Peak, Roland C. Merchant, Robert M. Domeier, Niels K. Rathlev, Paulina Sergot, Leon D. Sanchez, Ronald C. Kessler, Karestan C. Koenen, Samuel A. Mclean, Jennifer S. Stevens, Kerry J. Ressler, Nathaniel G. Harnett

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Differences in neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics are important considerations in understanding differences in risk vs resilience in mental health. Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with alterations in the function and structure of threat neurocircuitry.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations of neighborhood disadvantage with white and gray matter and neural reactivity to positive and negative stimuli in the context of trauma exposure.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cross-sectional study, survivors of trauma who completed sociodemographic and posttraumatic symptom assessments and neuroimaging were recruited as part of the Advancing Understanding of Recovery After Trauma (AURORA) study between September 2017 and June 2021. Data …

Multilevel Ossification Of The Posterior Longitudinal Ligament Causing Cervical Myelopathy: An Observational Series Of North American Patients, Jonathan A. Ledesma, Tariq Z. Issa, Mark J. Lambrechts, Cannon Greco Hiranaka, Khoa Tran, Patrick O'Connor, Jose A. Canseco, Alan S. Hilibrand, Christopher K. Kepler, Todd J. Albert, Alex R. Vaccaro, Gregory D. Schroeder, David Greg Anderson

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Few studies regarding ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) outside of Asia currently exist in the literature. A set of patients with multilevel cervical OPLL causing symptomatic myelopathy or radiculopathy from a North American sample is analyzed.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the demographics, radiographic findings, and surgical outcomes of a cohort of North American patients with degenerative spondylosis presenting for operative management of multilevel (>3 segments) cervical OPLL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three patients diagnosed with multilevel cervical OPLL and degenerative spondylosis presenting with symptomatic cervical myelopathy or radiculopathy were surgically treated over …

Bilateral Severe Iatrogenic Pigmentary Glaucoma Following Laser Treatment For Cosmetic Iris Color Change, Jiaru Liu, Salim Korban, Marlene R. Moster, Marc-André Rhéaume, Qianqian Wang

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: We report a case of bilateral severe pigmentary glaucoma and paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) following laser treatment for iris color change.

OBSERVATIONS: A 32-year-old female presented to our emergency clinic after having undergone 4 sessions of bilateral cosmetic iris laser treatment in Turkey to lighten the color of her dark brown irides. Visual acuity was 20/150 in the right eye (OD) and counting fingers in the left eye (OS) at presentation. Intraocular pressures (IOP) were 50 mmHg in the right eye and 42 mmHg in the left eye, with 4+ free-floating pigmented cells in the anterior chamber. The …

Association Between Number Of Vasopressors And Mortality In Covid-19 Patients, Michael Sunnaa, Mina Kerolos, Max Ruge, Ahmad Gill, Jeanne M. Du-Fay-De-Lavallaz, Perry Robin, Joanne Michelle Dumlao Gomez, Kim Williams, Anupama Rao, Annabelle Santos Volgman, Karolina Marinescu, Tisha Marie Suboc

COVID-19 Papers, Posters, and Presentations

Study objective

Study the clinical outcomes associated with the number of concomitant vasopressors used in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Design

A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients admitted with COVID-19 to the intensive care unit (ICU) between March and October 2020.

Setting

Rush University Medical Center, United States.

Participants

Adult patients at least 18 years old with COVID-19 with continuous infusion of any vasopressors were included.

Main outcome measures

60-day mortality in COVID-19 patients by the number of concurrent vasopressors received.

Results

A total of 637 patients met our inclusion criteria, of whom 338 (53.1 %) required the …

The Philadelphia Lung Cancer Learning Community: A Multi-Health-System, Citywide Approach To Lung Cancer Screening, Julie A. Barta, Cherie P. Erkmen, Christine S. Shusted, Ronald E. Myers, Chelsea Saia, Sarah Cohen, Jocelyn Wainwright, Charnita Zeigler-Johnson, Farouk Dako, Richard Wender, Gregory C. Kane, Anil Vachani, Katharine A. Rendle

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Faculty Papers

Background

Lung cancer screening uptake for individuals at high risk is generally low across the United States, and reporting of lung cancer screening practices and outcomes is often limited to single hospitals or institutions. We describe a citywide, multicenter analysis of individuals receiving lung cancer screening integrated with geospatial analyses of neighborhood-level lung cancer risk factors. Methods

The Philadelphia Lung Cancer Learning Community consists of lung cancer screening clinicians and researchers at the 3 largest health systems in the city. This multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team identified a Philadelphia Lung Cancer Learning Community study cohort that included 11 222 Philadelphia residents who …

Molecular Characterization Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Causing Disease Among Children In Nigeria During The Introduction Of Pcv10 (Gsk), Stephanie W. Lo, Paulina A. Hawkins, Binta Jibir, Fatimah Hassan-Hanga, Mahmoud Gambo, Rasaq Olaosebikan, Grace Olanipekun, Huda Munir, Nicholas Kocmich, Amy Rezac-Elgohary, Safiya Gambo, Danstan Bagenda, Paul Fey, Robert F. Breiman, Lesley Mcgee, Stephen D. Bentley, Stephen K. Obaro, Community Acquired Pneumonia And Invasive Bacterial Disease Capibd Consortium

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a leading vaccine-preventable cause of childhood invasive disease. Nigeria has the second highest pneumococcal disease burden globally, with an estimated ~49 000 child deaths caused by pneumococcal infections each year. Ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (GSK; PCV10) was introduced in December 2014 in a phased approach. However, few studies have characterized the disease-causing pneumococci from Nigeria. This study assessed the prevalence of serotypes, antibiotic susceptibility and genomic lineages using whole genome sequencing and identified lineages that could potentially escape PCV10 (GSK). We also investigated the potential differences in pneumococcal lineage features between children with and without sickle …

Ciliochoroidal Melanoma Masquerading As A Conjunctival Nevus, Samantha Pastore, Konica Singla, Carol L. Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Sensitive Microplate Assay For Characterizing Rna Methyltransferase Activity: Implications For Epitranscriptomics And Drug Development, Isaiah K. Mensah, Allison B. Norvil, Ming He, Emma Lendy, Nicole Hjortland, Hern Tan, Richard T. Pomerantz, Andrew Mesecar, Humaira Gowher

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

RNA methylation is a ubiquitous post-transcriptional modification found in diverse RNA classes and is a critical regulator of gene expression. In this study, we used Zika virus RNA methyltransferase (MTase) to develop a highly sensitive microplate assay that uses a biotinylated RNA substrate and radiolabeled AdoMet coenzyme. The assay is fast, highly reproducible, exhibits linear progress-curve kinetics under multiple turnover conditions, has high sensitivity in competitive inhibition assays, and significantly lower background levels compared with the currently used method. Using our newly developed microplate assay, we observed no significant difference in the catalytic constants of the full-length nonstructural protein 5 …

Epidural Hematoma Risks Associated With Ceasing Vs. Maintaining Anticoagulant And/Or Antiplatelet Medications For Cervical And Thoracic Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injections, Michael Furman, Jesse Bernstein, Lelia Gilhool, Christopher Bednarek, Holden Caplan, Ajay Kurup, Byron Schneider

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Background: There is a lack of substantiated evidence to support or refute the risks of ceasing vs maintaining anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet medications (ACAP) prior to cervical and thoracic interlaminar epidural steroid injections. The ACAP medication is frequently stopped pre-procedure due to concerns for potential bleeding complications, particularly epidural hematomas (EH). This article provides evidence regarding EH incidence in this population. Methods: Data for this study was collected retrospectively on all patients from September 19, 2009–Jun 16, 2017 who were scheduled for an Interlaminar Cervical and/or Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injections (IL-CTESI) and were on an ACAP medication at the time a …

Radio-Pathomic Approaches In Pediatric Neurooncology: Opportunities And Challenges, Ariana M. Familiar, Aria Mahtabfar, Anahita Fathi Kazerooni, Mahsa Kiani, Arastoo Vossough, Angela Viaene, Philip B. Storm, Adam C. Resnick, Ali Nabavizadeh

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

With medical software platforms moving to cloud environments with scalable storage and computing, the translation of predictive artificial intelligence (AI) models to aid in clinical decision-making and facilitate personalized medicine for cancer patients is becoming a reality. Medical imaging, namely radiologic and histologic images, has immense analytical potential in neuro-oncology, and models utilizing integrated radiomic and pathomic data may yield a synergistic effect and provide a new modality for precision medicine. At the same time, the ability to harness multi-modal data is met with challenges in aggregating data across medical departments and institutions, as well as significant complexity in modeling …

Examining Pi3k-Signaling-Dependent Regulation Of Lens Organelle Free Zone Formation Via Immunolocalization And Immunoblotting In Chick Embryos, Rifah Gheyas, A. Sue Menko

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

The elimination of lens organelles during development, required for mature lens function, is an autophagy-dependent mechanism induced through suppression of PI3K signaling. Here, we present a protocol for investigating the signaling pathways responsible for induction of the formation of this lens organelle free zone. We describe steps for preparation of lens organ culture and use of signaling pathway inhibitors. We then detail procedures for analyzing their impact using both confocal microscopy imaging of immunolabeled lens cryosections and immunoblot approaches. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Gheyas et al. (2022).

Identification Of Sentinel Lymph Nodes In Esophageal Cancer Patients Using Contrast-Enhanced Eus With Peritumoral Injections, Ji-Bin Liu, Priscilla Machado, John R. Eisenbrey, Sriharsha Gummadi, Flemming Forsberg, Corinne E. Wessner, Anand Raman Kumar, Austin Chiang, Anthony Infantolino, Alexander Schlachterman, Thomas Kowalski, Robert Coben, David Loren

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this pilot study was to compare the performance of contrast-enhanced EUS (CE-EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) with EUS-FNA for lymph node (LN) staging in esophageal cancer.

METHODS: Thirty-seven subjects with esophageal cancer undergoing EUS staging were enrolled, and 30 completed this institutional review board-approved study. A Prosound F75 US system (Hitachi Medical Systems, Tokyo, Japan) with harmonic contrast imaging software and GF-UCT180 curvilinear endoscope (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) was utilized. All LNs identified by standard EUS were first noted. Sonazoid (dose: 1 mL; GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway) was administered peritumorally, and all enhanced LNs were recorded. Fine-needle aspiration …

"I Believe More In The Ability Of The Small Person To Make Big Changes": Innovation And Social Entrepreneurship To Promote Public Health In Israel., Keren Dopelt, Nila Mordehay, Shir Goren, Aviya Cohen, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Social entrepreneurship has grown worldwide in recent decades as it attempts to create and implement innovative solutions to social and environmental issues through business strategies. The aim of this study was to explore what motivates public health social entrepreneurs to act, the challenges and barriers they face, achievements, and competencies required for success. As such, we interviewed 15 social entrepreneurs in Israel. Budget issues, regulatory barriers, and struggles against powerful companies were the frequent barriers to success. The interviewees indicated several achievements at the health policy level by positioning and becoming an authority in the field, positively influencing other people's …

Doctoral Dissertation Progress, Larry Starr, Phd

School of Business Faculty Papers

Writing a doctoral dissertation in the Thomas Jefferson University School of Business is conceived to be a complicated but linear and sequential endeavor within a well-structured and orderly context. The implication of this is that progress is made by completing a list of measurable goals based on the structure of a dissertation such as a literature review or description of research methodology. These goals are listed by doctoral candidates at the start of each semester in which writing takes place, then assessed by the faculty advisor at the end. According to the Graduate Student Handbook, failure to meet the goals …

Randomized Controlled Trial Of Mechanical Thrombectomy Vs Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis For Acute Hemodynamically Stable Pulmonary Embolism: Rationale And Design Of The Peerless Study, Carin F. Gonsalves, C Michael Gibson, Stefan Stortecky, Roger A Alvarez, Daren M Beam, James M Horowitz, Mitchell J Silver, Catalin Toma, John H Rundback, Stuart P Rosenberg, Craig D Markovitz, Thomas Tu, Wissam A Jaber

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The identification of hemodynamically stable pulmonary embolism (PE) patients who may benefit from advanced treatment beyond anticoagulation is unclear. However, when intervention is deemed necessary by the PE patient's care team, data to select the most advantageous interventional treatment option are lacking. Limiting factors include major bleeding risks with systemic and locally delivered thrombolytics and the overall lack of randomized controlled trial (RCT) data for interventional treatment strategies. Considering the expansion of the pulmonary embolism response team (PERT) model, corresponding rise in interventional treatment, and number of thrombolytic and nonthrombolytic catheter-directed devices coming to market, robust evidence is needed …