Digital Commons Network^™

Using Randomization To Compare Ai And Expert-Generated Formative Assessment Questions In Medical Education, Akshat Kumar, Katie Stinson, Litao Wang, Elizabeth Nugent, Yongsu Lee, Mark Hormann, Latanya Jones Love, Toufeeq Ahmed Syed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: AI-generated content is being used across the education spectrum and is beneficial for creating complex multiple-choice questions, such as those used in medical education. However, evaluating AI-generated content is challenging, and existing testing and evaluation methods are falling short. This study uses randomization to compare medical students' performance on and subjective evaluation of AI versus expert-generated questions. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in student performance or subjective evaluation of AI vs expert-generated questions.

Methods: We designed a single-center, randomized study where medical student participants received either one AI- or expert-generated question per day over four weeks. …

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Variability In Prediction Of Target Organ Injury: The Ship Ahoy Study, Coral D Hanevold, Jang Dong Seo, Stephen R Daniels, Bonita E Falkner, Michael A Ferguson, Joseph T Flynn, Julie R Ingelfinger, Philip R Khoury, Marc B Lande, Kevin E Meyers, Mark Mitsnefes, Joshua Samuels, Elaine M Urbina

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Ambulatory hypertension is associated with elevated left ventricular mass index (LVMI), cardiac dysfunction, and increased arterial stiffness in adolescents. Whether the addition of measures of BP variability improves the prediction of subclinical cardiovascular target organ damage (TOD) over mean BP measures is not known.

Methods: We assessed clinic and ambulatory BP (ABP), anthropometrics, and TOD in 397 adolescents. ABP means standard deviation (SD), BP, and heart rate (HR) dipping were calculated; coefficients of variability (CV) were calculated (SD/mean) to assess ABP variabilities. Measures of TOD included LVMI, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), LV systolic shortening, LV diastolic function (e'/a'), and …

In-Hospital Mortality Patterns And Readmissions In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Analysis Of The Role Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Saad Afzal Khan, Trishna Parikh, Adishwar Rao, Akriti Agrawal, Aarohi Parikh, Farah Kazzaz, Sarah Shin, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Maulin Patel, Kha Dinh, Bela Patel, Bindu Akkanti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH). We aimed to understand the impact of PH on in-hospital mortality and quantify the 30-day readmission rate among patients with COPD. For this cross-sectional study, we used the Nationwide Readmissions Database from 2017-2020 to identify adults ≥18 years with COPD. Patients were stratified according to PH diagnosis. Baseline characteristics between groups were compared using the Pearson chi-square test and two-sample t-test. Predictors of in-hospital mortality were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for demographics and confounders. The 30-day readmission rate and prevalence of PH subgroups by baseline …

Lidocaine Combined With Low-Dose Esketamine For Movement-Evoked Pain After Hepatectomy: A Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial, Yan Xu, Li Zhou, Qianqian Tang, Feng Yu, Jingwen Wu, Siyu Yan, Min Cai, Jialu Wan, Yi Kang, Lajing Luowu, Mengmeng Zhou, Lulong Bo, Daniel I Sessler, Chunling Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Pain following hepatectomy may delay recovery and increase opioid use. We tested the primary hypothesis that combining lidocaine and low-dose esketamine would reduce movement-evoked pain 24 h after hepatic resection. We also evaluated whether this approach reduced opioid consumption and improved quality of recovery.

Methods: Patients having elective hepatic resections were allocated randomly to receive lidocaine-esketamine or placebo from induction of anaesthesia until the end of surgery. After surgery, patients allocated to lidocaine-esketamine were given a continuous infusion of lidocaine with esketamine for 72 h. All patients received transversus abdominis plane blocks with ropivacaine 2 mg.kg-1 after induction of …

Hydroxyethyl Starch And Perioperative Complications: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Daniel I Sessler, Lorenzo Pradelli, Massimiliano Povero, Daniel Chappell, E Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Based on renal injury reported in critically ill and septic patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a black box warning regarding hydroxyethyl starch (HES 130/0.4) use in 2013 and expanded the warning to surgical and trauma patients in 2021. Similarly, the European Medicines Agency initiated withdrawal of hydroxyethyl starch in 2022. This study was a new meta-analysis focused on renal injury designed to complement a 2021 meta-analysis of perioperative hydroxyethyl starch use, adding 45 trials and 6,895 patients. The focus was acute kidney injury and preoperative-to-postoperative change in creatinine concentration in surgical patients.

Methods: This study searched …

An Online Epilepsy Self-Management Tool For Patients With Epilepsy: A Formative Usability Study, Katarzyna Czerniak, Ross Shegog, Refugio Sepulveda, Robert Addy, Youngran Kim, Sahiti Myneni, Alejandra Garcia-Quintana, Kimberly Martin, David M Labiner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Epilepsy is a serious chronic neurological condition with no permanent cure. Continual self-management is important to mitigate seizure frequency and optimize quality of life in people with epilepsy who have greater disparities in accessing epilepsy care. The Management Information & Decision Support Epilepsy Tool (MINDSET [UTHealth, University of Arizona, and Radiant Digital]) was developed to enhance accessibility to epilepsy self-management (ESM) assessment and treatment. The purpose of this formative usability pilot study was to assess the user experience and functionality of MINDSET 2.0, an enhanced cross-platform online version of MINDSET, among a sample of patients with epilepsy prior to …

Conceptual Framework And Key Considerations For Field-Based Infrastructure In Food Is Medicine Research, Shreela V Sharma, Colleen Tewksbury, Christopher R Long, Colleen Spees, Ronit A Ridberg, Reshma Gupta, Erin P Ferranti, Naomi Tice, Eric Peterson, Brian Levine

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In 2023, the American Heart Association launched the Healthcare by Food (HCXF) initiative to establish a rigorous evidence base for Food Is Medicine (FIM) programs, so that patients with acute or chronic disease could access FIM programs as a covered benefit under their health insurance. The HCXF initiative is engaging in research, advocacy, and education to support the development and testing of interventions that improve health outcomes. The HCXF initiative launched 9 task forces aligned with research progress, including the Field-Based Infrastructure task force designed to examine broader questions to help support either earlier or later stages of the HCXF …

Adamts13 And Von Willebrand Factor In Relation To Vascular Cognitive Impairment And Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: The Heart-Brain Connection Study, Amos C Pomp, Mathijs T Rosbergen, Moniek P M De Maat, Paul S De Vries, M Arfan Ikram, Mat J A P Daemen, Imo E Hoefer, Wiro J Niessen, Jeroen De Bresser, Esther E Bron, Charlotte E Teunissen, Geert Jan Biessels, Robert J Van Oostenbrugge, Frank J Wolters

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Reduced activity of a disintegrin-like and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats 13 (ADAMTS13) is associated with an increased risk of dementia, independent of Von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels. Pathways underlying this association remain poorly understood.

Objectives: Investigate the associations of VWF levels and ADAMTS13 activity with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included 147 participants with VCI and 120 reference subjects (mean age: 67.5 years, 41% women). Using multivariable logistic regression, we determined the cross-sectional association of ADAMTS13 activity and VWF levels in plasma with VCI. Additionally, across …

Fuimos Olvidados Y Descuidados [Forgotten And Neglected]: Lessons Learned And Findings From On-Farm Covid-19 Education And Vaccine Clinics For Agricultural Workers And Their Multigenerational Families In Texas, Anabel Rodriguez, David I Douphrate, Ana L Pineda Reyes, Susana Zavala, Lus Chavez, Sofia Nicole Lopez, Andrea V Cabrera Cruz, Annie J Keeney, Nora Hernandez, Brenda Berumen-Flucker, Eva M Shipp, Matthew W Nonnenmann, Shannon P Guillot-Wright, Bethany Boggess Alcauter, G Lopez Ixta, Paula M Cuccaro, Higinio Fernandez-Sanchez, David Gimeno Ruiz De Porras

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Despite being deemed essential non-healthcare workers, agricultural workers were excluded from COVID-19 vaccine prioritization in Texas. This professional practice report describes the multifaceted worker health and safety approaches to protecting agricultural workers and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Between March 2020 and January 2025, several outreach, education, and training grants from various funding agencies were leveraged to deliver training, personal protective equipment, vaccines, and economic relief to agricultural workers in partnership with community-based organizations, industry, local public health departments, and academic institutions.

Findings: Timely funding efforts led to the distribution of 1,000 PPE kits, with more than …

The Association Between Apoe Genotype, Race, And Dementia: An Analysis Of 7 Population-Based Cohort Studies, Natalia Lakomski, Katherine Giorgio, John Stephen, Maxwell Mansolf, Aïcha Soumaré, Alden L Gross, Allison E Aiello, Archana Singh-Manoux, M Arfan Ikram, Catherine Helmer, Claudia L Satizabal, Deborah A Levine, Donald M Lloyd-Jones, Emily M Briceño, Farzaneh A Sorond, Frank J Wolters, Jayandra J Himali, Lenore J Launer, Djass Mbangdadji, David Li, Lihui Zhao, Oscar L Lopez, Stéphanie Debette, Sudha Seshadri, Suzanne E Judd, Timothy M Hughes, Vilmundur Guðnason, Michael Griswold, Paul S De Vries, Alison Fohner, Pamela L Lutsey, Rachel Zmora, Elizabeth A Peterson, Denise Scholtens, Norrina B Allen, Sanaz Sedaghat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) haplotypes are known to be associated with dementia, with the ε4 haplotype associated with higher risk. It has been suggested that the APOE ε2 allele serves as a protective factor for dementia. However, data on the effects of the homozygous APOE ε2/ε2 genotype are limited, likely due to the rarity of the APOE ε2/ε2 genotype. Furthermore, the association between APOE genotypes and dementia may differ across self-reported race. We aim to investigate the association between APOE genotypes and dementia overall and across self-reported race, with a focus on the potential protective …

Effects Of Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy On Dental Plaque Microbiome, Qingguo Wang, Bing-Yan Wang, Derek Wilus, Hua Xie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 40% of U.S. adults aged 30 years and older, is characterized by dysbiosis of the dental plaque microbiome. However, although scaling and root planing (SRP) is the cornerstone of periodontal treatment, its effects on the taxonomic composition and functional potential of the dental plaque microbiome remain incompletely understood. In this study, we used whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing to characterize taxonomic composition and functional potential in dental plaque microbiomes collected from 39 patients with Stage II or III generalized periodontitis before and 3–4 months after SRP. Consistent with clinical improvement, periodontal therapy significantly reduced probing …

Loss Of Atp-Dependent Citrate Lyase Drives Left Ventricular Dysfunction By Metabolic Remodeling, Shijie Liu, Seth T Gammon, Lin Tan, Yaqi Gao, Kyoungmin Kim, Mahmoud H Elbatreek, Adrian Arrieta, Ian K Williamson, Rebecca L Salazar, Janet Pham, Angela Davidian, Radhika Khanna Neicheril, Benjamin D Gould, Heidi Vitrac, Alia Sadiq, An Q Dinh, Evan C Lien, Francisca N De Luna Vitorino, Joanna M Gongora, Sara A Martinez, Melanie T Odenkirk, Anna K Boatman, Jessie R Chappel, Lawrence S C Czer, Evan P Kransdorf, David J Lefer, Blake M Hanson, Benjamin A Garcia, Erin M Baker, Matthew G Vander Heiden, Philip L Lorenzi, Heinrich Taegtmeyer, David Piwnica-Worms, James F Martin, Anja Karlstaedt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Metabolic adaptation and maladaptation are hallmarks of the failing heart and may be a target for therapeutic interventions. For example, sustained glucose oxidation during cardiac stress is associated with increased activity and abundance of ACL (ATP-dependent citrate lyase, Acly), which produces acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) from citrate and CoA and supports de novo lipid synthesis. However, our understanding of how ACL supports cardiac metabolic adaptation and its potential to modulate disease pathophysiology has not yet been investigated.

Methods: We used human heart tissue samples from healthy donors and patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Next, we used CRISPR (clustered, regularly interspaced …

Molecular Mechanism Leading To Human Coronary Atherosclerosis Assessed By Proteomic Analysis And Rna Sequences, Sarah J Parker, Chunhong Mao, David L Caudell, Austin Lyle Seals, Yizhi Wang, Thomas D Green, Joseph M Mcclung, Joshua T Maxwell, Jacolby T Roddey, Kiarash Shakeriastani, Chiung-Ting Wu, Yingzhou Lu, Do-Kyun Kim, Justyna Fert-Bober, Dongping Du, Archana Bhat, Niveda Sundararaman, Matthew Ayres, Rakhi Pandey, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Genesio M Karere, Dana Troxclair, Fannie Jackson, Gordon L Love, Richard Vander Heide, James Hixson, Jennifer E Van Eyk, Yue Wang, David Herrington

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and aims: Atherosclerosis results from cellular and extracellular changes in the arterial wall, preceded by molecular shifts that initiate disease and drive tissue conversion, yet these changes are not yet fully described. More data are needed concerning these early changes in the coronary artery molecular landscape that signify the initiation of atherosclerosis and the subsequent tissue pheno-conversion to atherosclerotic plaque. This report summarizes results from a large biorepository of human coronary artery tissue, applying state-of-the-art omics technology, advanced data analytic methods, and an arterial organoid model system to predict molecular dynamics and identify potential regulatory mechanisms that could interrupt …

Tau Seeds Induce Neurofibrillary Tangle Formation Across Brain Regions Via Individual-Specific Connectivity, Audrey J Weber, Bernard Ng, Kelsey M Greathouse, David A Bennett, Shinya Tasaki, Chris Gaiteri, Jeremy H Herskowitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The spread of tau pathology across the cerebral cortex is closely tied to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To investigate mechanisms underlying tau spread, we measured bioactivity of tau seeds from inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG) synaptosomes in 128 individuals and demonstrated that tau seed bioactivity associates with tau phosphorylation, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and cognitive impairment. Incorporating genotype data from the same individuals within a Mendelian randomization framework showed that tau seeds in ITG induce NFTs locally as well as drive tau seeds and NFTs in SFG. Integrating antemortem functional magnetic resonance imaging data from …

Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated With Increased Mortality In Patients With Breast Or Prostate Cancer, Jessica P Hwang, Ning Zhang, Mercy W Misoi, Sabhi Gull, Zayd A Razouki, Justin R Gregg, Natalia I Heredia, Sharon H Giordano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We investigated the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with mortality in patients with breast and prostate cancer. Breast and prostate cancer cohorts were created retrospectively using the SEER-Medicare database. Patients with first primary breast or prostate cancer diagnosed in 2008-2019 were identified using ICD-O-3 site and histology codes. Among those, patients with MetS were identified using ICD-9/10-CM codes, CPT/HCPCS codes, and prescription drug use from Medicare claims files. We defined continuous enrollment from 12 months before through 12 months after diagnosis, exposure during the first 12 months after diagnosis, and survival follow-up starting 12 months after diagnosis. We used multivariable …

Promoting Equity For Children And Adolescents Through Implementation Processes In Health And Social Care: A Scoping Review, Michelle Gooey, Heather Morris, Rebecca Madill, Callie Walsh-Bailey, Ahlia Griffiths, Melissa Savaglio, Claire Blewitt, Amanda O'Connor, Sara Holton, Helia Khalesi, Sofia Grage-Moore, Maria Fernandez, Echezona E Ezeanolue, Allison Metz, Ana Baumann, Helen Skouteris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Despite the many existing implementation methods, theories, and frameworks, implementation science is insufficiently closing the research-to-practice gap. Bridging this gap is critical to achieving healthy and thriving communities globally, and requires implementation processes that promote equity and reach diverse populations, especially those most in need. The aim of this scoping review was to identify, thematically analyse, categorise, and provide examples of implementation processes described in equity-focused literature, with a focus on health and social care interventions for children and adolescents from birth to 18 years of age.

Methods: A comprehensive search of literature was undertaken across six electronic databases …

Aberrant Ciliogenesis Induced By Enhanced Bmp Signaling Causes Heterotopic Ossification, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Jianbo Wang, Fangfang Yan, Jiarui Bi, Radbod Darabi, William R. Lagor, Zhongming Zhao, Aris N. Economides, Yuji Mishina, Yoshihiro Komatsu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is a principal driver of heterotopic ossification (HO), yet how aberrant BMP activity structurally reprograms cellular signaling machinery to develop HO remains unclear. Here, we identify BMP signaling as a direct upstream regulator of ciliogenesis that coordinates a multi-stage, pro-osteochondrogenic signaling relay during HO. Using a conditional gain-of-function BMP mouse model (Acvr1Q207D/+), we demonstrate that enhanced BMP signaling promotes primary cilium biogenesis and axonemal elongation through canonical Smad1/5/9-dependent transcriptional activation of intraflagellar transport (IFT) Ift20, a core component of the IFT machinery. Rather than operating via a singular downstream cascade, these elongated …

Clinical Document Metadata Extraction: A Scoping Review, Kurt Miller, Qiuhao Lu, William Hersh, Kirk Roberts, Steven Bedrick, Andrew Wen, Hongfang Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Clinical document metadata, such as document type, structure, author role, medical specialty, and encounter setting, is essential for accurate interpretation of information captured in clinical documents. However, vast documentation heterogeneity and drift over time challenge harmonization of document metadata. Automated extraction methods have emerged to coalesce metadata from disparate practices into target schema. This scoping review aims to catalog research on clinical document metadata extraction, identify methodological trends and applications, and highlight gaps warranting further investigation.

Methods: We followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines to identify articles from Ovid …

Sex Differences In The Protective Effect Of Brain Volume: Age Attenuates Protection In Women, Javier Gomez-Farias, Ngoc Mai Le, Joseph N Samaha, Bruna Kfoury, Hussain M Azeem, Ritesh Bajaj, Mahnoor Khalid, Freya Kanakhara, Shikha Tripathi, Shayan Shams, Luca Giancardo, Eunyoung A Lee, Robert W Regenhardt, Louise D Mccullough, Sunil A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Sex differences in outcomes after acute ischemic stroke are well recognized, but mechanisms remain unclear. This study evaluates whether parenchymal brain volume (PBV), age, and final infarct volume explain sex-specific differences in poststroke disability.

Methods: We analyzed a prospectively collected multicenter registry of acute ischemic stroke patients treated between 2015 and 2024. Automated pipelines quantified PBV from noncontrast computed tomography and diffusion-weighted imaging-derived final infarct volume from 24- to 48-hour magnetic resonance imaging. With the primary outcome being 90-day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score 0-2), sex-stratified logistic regression models evaluated its association with PBV. Stratified logistic and linear …

Medadl: High-Throughput Information Extraction Of Functional Status From Electronic Health Records To Advance Frailty Assessment In Older Adults, Sunyang Fu, Zhiyi Yue, Jennyly T Nguyen, Huipeng Liu, Jaerong Ahn, Vanessa Ramirez, Jude Des Bordes, Hongfang Liu, Min Ji Kwak, Nahid J Rianon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Functional status is essential for assessing frailty and planning care in older adults but is often under-documented in the structured fields of electronic health records. Manual chart review can capture functional status information but is labor-intensive and time-consuming. In this study, we developed and validated a scalable natural language processing (NLP) model to extract functional status information from unstructured electronic health record (EHR) notes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 110 older adults seen at a geriatric osteoporosis clinic. A large language model-augmented symbolic NLP pipeline (MedADL) was developed to extract activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities …

Implementation And Evaluation Of The Owll Intervention To Improve The Quality And Safety Of Pediatric Dental Sedation: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Kawtar Zouaidi, Jan Yeager, Sayali Tungare, Suhasini Bangar, Janelle Urata, Alfa-Ibrahim Yansane, Jungsoo Kim, Emily Sedlock, Krishna K Kookal, Yan Xiao, Oluwabunmi Tokede, Heiko Spallek, Amy Franklin, Gregory Olson, Joel White, Elsbeth Kalenderian, Muhammad F Walji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The OWLL (Open-Wide Learning Lab) intervention was developed using Human-Centered Design to improve the quality and safety of pediatric dental sedation. The intervention includes a patient-facing informational sedation brochure and video, and an enhanced set of clinical sedation records. Here, we report on the process evaluation 6 months after implementation in daily clinical practice.

Methods: This study was conducted at the outpatient pediatric dental clinics of 2 large US academic dental institutions. We used a mixed-methods design to assess the fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the OWLL intervention. Quantitative data were gathered through chart reviews, while qualitative data …

Neighbourhood Social Vulnerability And Preterm Birth Risk Among Infants With Trisomy 21: A Statewide Analysis, Fatima R Sheriff, Renata H Benjamin, Qian Xiao, Jenil Patel, Charles Shumate, Alejandra Fernandez, A J Agopian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Residing in socioeconomically vulnerable areas is known to be associated with increased preterm birth (PTB) risk in the general population. However, the relationship between social vulnerability and PTB remains unexplored among infants with trisomy 21, who experience more than twice the PTB rate of the general population.

Objectives: The primary objective was to examine the association between maternal socioeconomic vulnerability, as measured by the SVI, and PTB among infants with trisomy 21.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among infants with trisomy 21 born in Texas (1999-2018). We examined the association between neighbourhood vulnerability, measured by Social Vulnerability …

Mosaic Loss Of Y Chromosome Associates With Lung Function, Emphysema, And Epigenetic Aging, Woei-Yuh Saw, Kangjin Kim, Yichen Huang, Jeong H Yun, Xiaolong Ma, Jason Bacon, Yash Pershad, Daniel Levy, George T O'Connor, Eric Boerwinkle, R Graham Barr, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, April P Carson, Laura M Raffield, Sina A Gharib, Traci M Bartz, Bruce M Psaty, Tamar Sofer, Kari E North, Robert C Kaplan, Elizabeth C Oelsner, Ani Manichaikul, Alexander G Bick, Paul Scheet, Alexander P Reiner, Nhlbi Trans-Omics For Precision Medicine Consortium, Yasminka A Jakubek, Paul L Auer, Michael H Cho, Dawn L Demeo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rationale: As the global population ages, identifying risk factors for age-related diseases, such as COPD, is crucial for public health. Mosaic loss of Y chromosome (mLOY) in blood cells is an age-related somatic mosaicism event, but its relationship with pulmonary health remains undercharacterized.

Objectives: To examine the association between mLOY and pulmonary outcomes in men.

Methods: Leveraging mLOY assessment (cell fraction ≥ 5%) in over 12 000 men, including 5097 from the COPDGene Study and 7235 from six additional cohorts in the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine program, we investigated mLOY associations with respiratory outcomes and epigenetic aging using multivariable cross-sectional, …

Current Adoption Of The Prosthodontic Diagnostic Index For Clinical Care-A Cross-Sectional Survey Study, Esther O Kuyinu, Joseph B Breitman, Arthur Nimmo, Jay S Patel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To assess current utilization of the Prosthodontic Diagnostic Index (PDI), identify perceived benefits and limitations, and evaluate support for future updates.

Materials and methods: A survey regarding the use of the PDI was made available through email invitations to 68 US dental school prosthodontic/restorative department chairs (PD), 48 graduate prosthodontic program directors (GP), and 1834 private practice prosthodontists (PP) from the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) member database. The results of this initial survey were inconclusive due to low response rates. The survey was also administered during the 2024 ACP Annual Session with an improved response rate for educators. …

Kras G12c And Kras G12d Respond To Lipid Metabolism In An Allele-Specific Manner, Neha Arora, Hong Liang, Walaa Kattan, Wantong Yao, Haoqiang Ying, Junchen Liu, Yong Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

KRAS mutated at hotspots G12, G13, and Q61 possess profound allele-specific oncogenesis. Signaling of KRAS mutants is mostly compartmentalized to the proteolipid nanoclusters on the plasma membrane (PM), illustrating critical roles of spatiotemporal organization in KRAS cancer signaling. The activated GTP-bound KRAS molecules, including the wild type and mutants, have been traditionally thought to favor similar lipids. We recently reported distinct lipid sensing capabilities of different KRAS mutants, especially with KRASG12D favoring unsaturated lipids and KRASG12C gaining additional enrichment of saturated lipids. As such, KRAS mutants may respond to lipid acyl chain remodeling in an allele-specific manner. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 …

Quantitative Analysis Of Peri-Implant Collagen Fiber Orientation Around External Hexagon And Morse Taper Implant Connections: A Dog Model Study, Daniel Sartorelli Marques De Castro, Jefferson David Melo De Matos, Jozely Francisca Mello Lima, Maria Angelica Rehder De Araujo, Mário Alexandre Coelho Sinhoreti, Daher Antonio Queiroz, Adriano Piattelli, Carlos Dos Reis Pereira De Araújo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Peri-implant soft tissue stability depends on the implant-abutment interface and collagen fiber organization. Unlike natural teeth, peri-implant fibers exhibit a less favorable orientation, potentially weakening the biological seal. Implant connection design may influence this collagen arrangement and tissue integrity.

Materials and methods: Eighteen immediately loaded implants (n = 9 per group) were placed in nine mongrel dogs. Group I received external hexagon implants, while Group II received Morse taper implants. After a 4-month healing period, animals were euthanized and specimens were processed for histological evaluation. Collagen fiber orientation was analyzed using polarized light microscopy and quantified with ImageJ software. …

The Effects Of Abstinence Status And Sleep Quality On Resting State Alpha Power In Cocaine Use Disorder, Heather E Webber, Danielle A Kessler, Joy M Schmitz, Scott D Lane, Robert Suchting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rationale

Substance use disorders are associated with notable sleep disturbances. Electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha power occurs during wakeful rest, is associated with sleepiness, and indicates neural deactivation.

Objectives

The goal of the current study was to assess the effects of abstinence on the relationship between alpha power and subjective sleep quality in participants with cocaine use disorder (CUD).

Methods

Participants with CUD (n = 32) who were recently or non-abstinent completed a resting-state EEG paradigm (90 s eyes open/closed). Absolute alpha power was calculated using the fast Fourier transform and by averaging within the power spectra of the alpha band (8–13 …

Relationship Of Early Rapid Weight Loss To Efficacy And Safety Of Tirzepatide And Semaglutide For Obesity: Surmount-5 Post Hoc Analysis, Louis J Aronne, Deborah B Horn, Alexander D Kokkinos, Beverly L Falcon, Hui Wang, Hunter T Hoffmann, Clare J Lee, Julia P Dunn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: A knowledge gap remains in how the rate of body weight reduction impacts efficacy and safety of obesity management medications. This SURMOUNT-5 post hoc analysis aimed to define rapid responders and evaluated efficacy and safety of tirzepatide versus. semaglutide in rapid responders versus non-rapid responders.

Methods: Rapid responders and non-rapid responders were defined as participants that obtained ≥ 15% and < 15% body weight reduction by Week 24, respectively. Baseline characteristics, and proportion of participants achieving body weight reduction thresholds by Week 72 were assessed. End-of-study safety and gastrointestinal adverse events measures were summarized.

Results: Overall, 32.3% were rapid responders (tirzepatide: 44%, semaglutide: 21%). The proportions of participants achieving body weight reduction thresholds by Week 72 were higher for rapid responders versus non-rapid responders. Safety trends for tirzepatide and semaglutide were similar between …

Qeith: Quantifies Tumor Ecosystem Heterogeneity To Predict Cancer Progression And Treatment Benefit, Qiqi Liu, Jiangti Luo, Jiawei Wang, Bangqi Zhao, Xiaosheng Wang, Linjun You

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) is a fundamental driver of therapeutic failure and disease progression. However, the complexity of the tumor ecosystem is a critical yet underexplored aspect, making its precise quantification essential for fully deciphering ITH and its clinical implications. To address this, we developed Quantifying Ecosystem Intratumor Heterogeneity (QeITH), a computational framework that applies Shannon entropy to quantify ecosystem heterogeneity by measuring the diversity and distributional entropy of cellular compositions and functional states across single-cell, bulk, and spatial transcriptomics. At the single-cell resolution, QeITH identifies elevated ITH as intrinsic markers of malignant transformation, yet enhanced sensitivity to therapy. Pan-cancer bulk …

Oral Cancer Numerical Index (Ocni): Development And Validation Of A Cytology-Based Risk Assessment For Oral Lesions, Michael P Mcrae, Nadarajah Vigneswaran, Alexander Ross Kerr, Spencer W Redding, Martin H Thornhill, Craig Murdoch, Paul M Speight, Rachelle Wolk, Kritika S Rajsri, Pooja Gaikwad, Nancy Ruel, Nicolaos J Christodoulides, John T Mcdevitt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) require accurate risk stratification to identify patients at the highest risk for severe oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) or oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We developed and internally validated the oral cancer numerical index (OCNI), a quantitative risk score derived from clinical features and deep learning-based brush cytology measurements.

Methods: This retrospective model development and internal validation study was conducted using data from the multicenter Grand Opportunity study. Prospectively recruited subjects with OPMD with complete data were divided at the subject level into a training set (n = 384) and a holdout test set …