Digital Commons Network^™

Deterioration And Manifestation Of Cerebral Fat Embolism Triggered By Bone Reaming During Femur Fracture Surgery: A Case Report, Daisuke Nakada, Hideki Hino, Naomi Okuma, Yohei Fujimoto, Masahiro Miyashita, Tadashi Matsuura, Takashi Mori

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The role of intramedullary reaming in triggering fat embolism syndrome (FES) remains debated. This case, where FES developed during reaming, provides further evidence supporting reaming as a potential risk factor for FES.

The Splicing Factor Kinase Srpk1 Is A Therapeutic Target For Peripheral Vascular Disease, Sohni Ria Bhalla, Mussarat Wahid, Jason O Amartey, Amira Zawia, Federica Riu, Yizhuo Gao, Jyoti Agrawal, Amy P Lynch, Maria J C Machado, Tom Hawtrey, Ryosuke Kikuchi, Kathryn R Green, Lydia Teboul, Claire Allen, Zoe Blackley, Keerthana Rajaji, Jennifer Batson, Steven J Harper, Sebastian Oltean, Winfried Amoaku, Andrew V Benest, Jonathan C Morris, Bruce Braithwaite, David O Bates

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In peripheral arterial disease (PAD), antiangiogenic VEGF-A165b isoform overexpression in monocytes contributes to impaired collateralization. Serine-arginine protein-kinase-1 (SRPK1) regulates VEGF splicing. To determine whether SRPK1 controlled monocytic VEGF, impairing collateralization, we investigated SRPK1 inhibition and monocyte-specific knockout in mouse models of and in human monocytes from PAD. VEGF-A165b activity was measured by coculture of monocytes from patients with PAD with endothelial cells with SRPK1 inhibition. Mice with impaired revascularization due to soluble-frizzled-related-protein-5 knockout (Sfrp5-/-), monocyte-specific Wnt5a gain-of-function (LysM-Wnt5aGOF), or obese mice on a high-fat high-sucrose (HF/HS) diet were subjected to femoral artery ligation and treated with …

Molecular Maestro In The Lung: The Sphingolipid Rheostat, Joselyn Rojas-Quintero, Francesca Polverino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

The 2024 Think Tank On Prevention Of Sudden Cardiac Death In The Young: Pathway To Survival A Report From The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium, Jordan E Ezekian, Charles C Anderson, Peter F Aziz, Samia Baluch, Stuart Berger, Martha Lopez-Anderson, Vincent Miller, Yoshihide Mitani, Silvana Molossi, Valarie Morrow, Victoria L Vetter, Elizabeth Vickers Saarel, Bhavya Trivedi, Salim F Idriss, 2024 Think Tank Participants

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Sudden cardiac arrest and death in the young is a critical public health issue. It occurs in children of any age, sex, racial or ethnic demographic, or socioeconomic status. Importantly, it can affect any individual-athlete and nonathlete alike. Prevention of sudden death in the young is of high importance not only because of the loss of a young life but also because of the substantial impact to families and to society at large. This White Paper summarizes the proceedings of a third national Think Tank on prevention of sudden cardiac death in the young. The Think Tank, which convened on …

Potential Intermediate-Term Survival Differences Among Heart Transplant Recipients From Circulatory Death Vs Brain Death Donors, Anh Nguyen, Abbas Rana, Alexis Shafii, Gabriel Loor, Andrew Civitello, Jose Euberto Mendez Reyes, O Howard Frazier, Todd Rosengart, Kenneth Liao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: This study builds upon previous analyses by examining heart transplant survival from donation after circulatory death (DCD) vs donation after brain death (DBD) using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, with follow-up extended to 3 years post-transplant.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1,453 DCD and 16,561 DBD adult heart transplants from January 2019 to June 2024 using the UNOS database. Propensity scores were generated based on clinically relevant covariates, and 1-to-1 propensity-score matching was performed. Survival analysis was conducted using Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier curves, with the log-rank test comparing overall survival …

Standard Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Scores Underestimate Risk In Immune-Mediated Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Survivors, Binish Javed, Jenna Brown, Jay Meade, Vijay Nambi, Ang Li, Shruti Chaturvedi, Senthil Sukumar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a rare hematologic disorder with improved survival due to advancements in treatment. However, long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality remain significant. Established cardiovascular risk calculators, such as the 2008 Framingham Heart Study (FHS) global cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk estimators, may not adequately account for the elevated and unique cardiovascular risks in iTTP survivors.

Objectives: To evaluate the discrimination and calibration of the ACC/AHA ASCVD and FHS global CVD models in predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) among iTTP survivors.

Methods: This retrospective …

Low-Dose Metformin Requires Brain Rap1 For Its Antidiabetic Action, Hsiao-Yun Lin, Weisheng Lu, Yanlin He, Yukiko Fu, Kentaro Kaneko, Peimeng Huang, Ana B De La Puente-Gomez, Chunmei Wang, Yongjie Yang, Feng Li, Yong Xu, Makoto Fukuda

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metformin is the most commonly prescribed antidiabetes drug, yet its precise mechanism of action remains controversial. Previous studies have suggested that metformin acts peripherally by reducing hepatic glucose output and altering gut functions. Here, we report a neural mechanism via the small guanosine triphosphatase Ras-related protein 1 (Rap1). Mice with forebrain-specific Rap1 knockout exhibited resistance to the antidiabetic effects of low-dose metformin while remaining sensitive to other antidiabetic agents. Centrally administered metformin inhibited brain Rap1 and reduced hyperglycemia. Conversely, forced activation of brain Rap1 increased glycemia and abolished the glycemic effect of metformin. Metformin activated a specific subset of neurons …

Outcomes And Resource Utilization In Hyperkalemic Emergency Department Patients Treated With Patiromer Or Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate, William Frank Peacock, Zubaid Rafique, Julie Gayle, James Neuenschwander, Harold Brown, Jennifer Kammerer, Jeffrey Budden, Ning Rosenthal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVES: Hyperkalemia (HK) is a life-threatening condition commonly treated in emergency department (ED). Real-world outcomes associated with ED administration of potassium binders are limited. This study assessed ED discharge disposition and resource utilization in hyperkalemic ED patients treated with patiromer or sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC).

METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using discharge data from 230 hospitals in the Premier PINC AI Healthcare Database. ED patients were included if they were ≥18 years old, had potassium ≥5 mEq/L, and received patiromer/SZC during January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to …

Rest-Activity Rhythm Phenotypes In Adults With Epilepsy And Intellectual Disability, Nandani Adhyapak, Grace E Cardenas, Mark A Abboud, Vaishnav Krishnan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Rest-activity rhythms (RARs) are perturbed in many forms of neuropsychiatric illness. In this study, we applied wrist actigraphy to describe RAR perturbations in intellectually disabled adults with epilepsy ("E + ID"), using a cross-sectional case-control design. We examined whether RAR phenotypes correlated with epilepsy severity, deficits in adaptive function, and/or comorbid psychopathology.

Methods: Caregivers of E + ID subjects provided informed consent during routine ambulatory clinic visits and were asked to complete standardized surveys of overall epilepsy severity (GASE, Global Assessment of Severity of Epilepsy), adaptive function (ABAS-3, Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-3) and psychopathology (ABCL, Adult Behavior Checklist). Caregivers …

Genetic Diversity And Expanded Phenotypes In Dystonia: Insights From Large-Scale Exome Sequencing, Mirja Thomsen, Fabian Ott, Sebastian Loens, Gamze Kilic-Berkmen, Ai Huey Tan, Shen-Yang Lim, Ebba Lohmann, Kaja M Schröder, Lea Ipsen, Lena A Nothacker, Linn Welzel, Alexandra S Rudnik, Frauke Hinrichs, Thorsten Odorfer, Kirsten E Zeuner, Friederike Schumann, Andrea A Kühn, Simone Zittel, Marius Moeller, Robert Pfister, Christoph Kamm, Anthony E Lang, Yi Wen Tay, Ana Luísa De Almeida Marcelino, Marie Vidailhet, Emmanuel Roze, Joel S Perlmutter, Jeanne S Feuerstein, Victor S C Fung, Florence Chang, Richard L Barbano, Steven Bellows, Aparna A Wagle Shukla, Alberto J Espay, Mark S Ledoux, Brian D Berman, Stephen Reich, Andres Deik, Andre Franke, Michael Wittig, Sören Franzenburg, Jens Volkmann, Norbert Brüggemann, H A Jinnah, Tobias Bäumer, Christine Klein, Hauke Busch, Katja Lohmann

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Dystonia is one of the most prevalent movement disorders, characterized by significant clinical and etiological heterogeneity. Despite considerable heritability (~25%), the etiology in most patients remains elusive. Moreover, understanding correlations between clinical manifestations and genetic variants has become increasingly complex.

Methods: Exome sequencing was conducted on 1924 genetically unsolved, mainly late-onset isolated dystonia patients, recruited primarily from two dystonia registries (DysTract and the Dystonia Coalition). Rare variants in genes previously linked to dystonia (n = 406) were examined, confirmed via Sanger sequencing, and analyzed for segregation when possible.

Results: We identified 137 distinct likely pathogenic/pathogenic variants (according to ACMG …

Diagnostic Value Of Cell-Free Dna Fetal Fraction In Patients With Prenatally Suspected Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorder, Danielle Chirumbole, Christian M Parobek, Alex Tai, Haleh Sangi-Haghpeykar, Yamely H Mendez, Spoorthi Kamepalli, Christina C Reed, Arthur Ladron De Guevara, Keneshia Lane, Claire Hoppenot, Amir A Shamshirsaz, Michael A Belfort, Jessian L Munoz, Hendrik A Lombaard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fetal fraction (FF) and placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) pathology in patients with prenatally suspected PAS.

Methods: This was a case-control study utilizing a database of pregnancies with suspected or proven PAS delivered between 6/2012 and 7/2024 at a single institution. Pregnancies were excluded if FF was not reported. The primary outcome was mean FF in pregnancies with a final clinical diagnosis of low FIGO grade (no PAS or FIGO1-2) versus high FIGO grade (FIGO3) placenta accreta. Results were reported as mean FF ± standard error of the mean. …

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

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

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

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

Generation Of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines From An Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patient With Hyperreflective Foci Overlying Drusen (Rfsci002-A) And An Unaffected Sibling (Rfsci001-A), Adnin Ashrafi, Wendy Runyon, Sam Hu, Ritu Kumar, Timothy Catchpole, Ajeet Singh, Rinki Ratnapriya, Karl G Csaky, Srinivasa R Sripathi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss, driven by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor degeneration. A key feature is drusen accumulation between the RPE and Bruch's membrane. In intermediate AMD, hyperreflective foci (HRF)-bright intraretinal lesions visible on optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging-serve as biomarkers of disease progression. To study HRF mechanisms, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from an AMD patient with HRF overlying drusen (RFSC4) and their unaffected sibling (RFSC3). These iPSC models offer a platform to explore disease mechanisms and develop therapies for AMD.

Contribution Of Pannexin Channels To Afterimage Signals In The Amphibian Retina, Yufei Liu, Nick Libian, Zheng Jiang, Wen Shen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pannexin 1 (Panx1) forms large-pore, single-membrane channels that connect the intracellular and extracellular environments, permitting the passage of ions and small molecules such as ATP. Panx1 channels are involved in diverse signaling pathways that contribute to various physiological processes, including sensory processing, although their precise mechanisms of action remain incompletely understood. This study reveals a Panx1-mediated mechanism regulating visual signal processing in the amphibian retina. Using immunolabeling and confocal imaging, we localized Panx1 channels in the cone-dominated On-bipolar cells, specifically at both somas and axon terminals. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings showed that these channels have high permeability to Cl⁻ ions, which …

Common Cast Complications, Jessica A Mcgraw-Heinrich, Jon C Wall, Scott B Rosenfeld

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Complications can arise from the application, wear, and removal of casts and splints. This text reviews common complications, risk factors, and prevention strategies while exploring the medical-legal implications of these complications. Being aware of common pitfalls can help reduce risk and promote optimal patient outcomes.

Key concepts: (1)Proper and judicious casting and splinting techniques are critical to prevent complications.(2)Thermal injuries can occur due to excessive curing heat and cast saw burns.(3)Poor cast molding can lead to skin sores and loss of fracture reduction.(4)Patients should be comfortable in their cast, and uncontrolled pain warrants investigation.

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

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

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

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

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

Insights Into The Molecular Mechanism Of Pulmonary Vein Stenosis In Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Disease, Alyssa B Kalustian, Pengfei Ji, Lalita Wadhwa, Christopher A Caldarone, Manish Bansal, Athar M Qureshi, Jeffrey S Heinle, Ravi K Birla

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Pediatric pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality for the subset of patients with recurrent or progressive disease. The molecular mechanisms underlying the development and trajectory of PVS remain unclear. This study characterizes the transcriptome of clinical and phenotypic subtypes of PVS.

Methods: Bulk RNA sequencing analysis was performed on human pulmonary vein tissue samples obtained from surgical interventions for pediatric patients with PVS. Transcriptomic profiles were compared for primary versus postrepair PVS as well as aggressive versus nonaggressive clinical phenotypes. Principal component analysis was performed, the differential gene expression quantified, and pathway analysis conducted …

Mood And Sleep In Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes, Samantha A Carreon, Marissa N Baudino, Charles G Minard, Sarah K Lyons, Randi Streisand, Barbara J Anderson, Siripoom V Mckay, Tricia S Tang, Sara Nowakowski, Ashley M Butler, Sridevi Devaraj, Marisa E Hilliard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Depression is associated with sleep problems, and both are associated with higher HbA1c in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, little is known about depressed mood and sleep in young adults with T1D. The aims of this secondary analysis were to provide descriptive statistics of multiple aspects of mood and sleep in young adults with T1D and evaluate associations of depressed mood, diabetes distress, and sleep quality and duration.

Methods: At baseline of a behavioral intervention trial, young adults with T1D completed self-report measures of sleep, diabetes distress, and depressive symptoms. We described sleep metrics across racial/ethnic groups …

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

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

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

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

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

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

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

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

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

Total Aortic Arch Replacement Using The Thoraflex Hybrid Device: Evolution From Investigational To Federally Approved Use In The United States, Vicente Orozco-Sevilla, Joseph S Coselli, Susan Y Green, Veronica A Glover, Ricardo De Jesus Avendaño Garnica, Anna H Xue, Lauren K Barron, Marc R Moon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: After the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Thoraflex Hybrid device in April 2022, hybrid devices to facilitate total arch replacement (TAR) became commercially available in the United States. However, little is known about how the Thoraflex device has been used since then. We present our experience (2016-2025) with this device.

Methods: At our practice, 62 patients [median age, 65 (54-73) years] underwent frozen elephant trunk (FET) TAR with the Thoraflex device: 14 under an investigational device exemption (IDE) (2016-2018) and 48 after FDA approval (2022-2025). Both Ante-Flo (straight) and Plexus (branched) models were used.

Results: Patients …

Role And Use Of Race In Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning Models Related To Health, Martin C Were, Ang Li, Bradley A Malin, Zhijun Yin, Joseph R Coco, Benjamin X Collins, Ellen Wright Clayton, Laurie L Novak, Rachele Hendricks-Sturrup, Abiodun O Oluyomi, Shilo Anders, Chao Yan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The role and use of race within health-related artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models have sparked increasing attention and controversy. Despite the complexity and breadth of related issues, a robust and holistic framework to guide stakeholders in their examination and resolution remains lacking. This perspective provides a broad-based, systematic, and crosscutting landscape analysis of race-related challenges, structured around the AI and ML life cycle and framed through "points to consider" to support inquiry and decision-making.

The Eleventh Annual Meeting Of The Southeastern Association Of Shared Resources (Seasr) Nashville, Tn, Usa June 12-14, 2024, Jenny C Schafer, Lyra M Griffiths, Tania E Mesa, Deidre Daria, Daniel Kraushaar, Kristen V Massey, Edith M Sampson, Laura Fox-Goharioon, Laxminarayanan Krishnan, Stacie Woolard, Aaron Pitre

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Comprehensive Transcriptomic And Epigenomic Insights Into Environmental Toxicant Exposures: The Target Ii Resource, Bo A Zhang, Benpeng Miao, Shuhua Fu, Cristian Coarfa, Ravindra Kumar, Prashant Kumar Kuntala, Bongsoo Park, Sandra L Grimm, Rahul Jangid, Justin A Colacino, Laurie K Svoboda, Wanqing Shao, Xiaoyun Xing, Daofeng Li, Shaopeng Liu, Robert B Hamanaka, Claudia Lalancette, Maureen A Sartor, Christopher Krapp, Gregory E Crawford, Heather B Patisaul, Tim Wiltshire, David Aylor, Shyam Biswal, Gökhan M Mutlu, Sanjay Rajagopalan, Wan-Yee Tang, Ting Wang, Dana C Dolinoy, Marisa S Bartolomei, Cheryl Walker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Environmental exposures to toxic chemicals can profoundly alter the transcriptome and epigenome in both humans and animals, contributing to disease development across the lifespan. To elucidate how early-life exposure to toxicants exerts such persistent effects, the Toxicant Exposures and Responses by Genomic and Epigenomic Regulators of Transcription II (TaRGET II) Consortium generated a landmark resource comprising 2,564 epigenomes and 1,043 transcriptomes from longitudinal studies in mice. All data are publicly available through the TaRGET II data portal and the WashU Epigenome Browser. This resource from target (liver, brain, lung, heart) and surrogate (blood) tissues at weaning (3 weeks) and two …

Biotechnology Research Incubator For Teachers (Brite) Pilot Program: Advancing Technology Research Education For Secondary School Teachers, Zhongcheng Shi, Katherine A Harris, Alana D Newell, Michael Nguyen, Yuan Yao, Joel Sederstrom, Cynthia C Hallmark, Sherita Love, Fred A Pereira, Shixia Huang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Advanced technologies have transformed diagnostics and therapeutics, improving disease management. Secondary school educators play a vital role in fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and inspiring students in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) innovations. Comprehensive teacher training enhances education delivery and ensures long-term advancements in science education, empowering future generations.

Materials and methods: We launched the Biotechnology Research Incubator for Teachers (BRITE) pilot program to train secondary school teachers. This 3-week program immerses teachers in Advanced Technology Core facilities, providing hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies, such as protein array technology, next-generation sequencing, and flow cytometry. It also offers collaborative …

Using Vizient Database For Benchmarking Pulmonary Resection Outcomes, Anuj Shah, Duc T Nguyen, Swetha Mulpur, Sayali Kelkar, Ray K Chihara, Warren Naselsky, Edward A Graviss, Min P Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Benchmarking pulmonary resection outcomes is critical for the evaluation of hospital performance and enhancing the quality of patient care. Both the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgical Database (GTSD) provide outcomes after lung resection, but each database had its own limitations. We aimed to determine whether the Vizient database can be used to benchmark lung resection outcomes.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of pulmonary resection cases at a single institution using the Vizient dashboard and GTSD. We examined whether all pulmonary resections were captured and …

Modulation Of Biomolecular Aggregate Morphology And Condensate Infectivity.Modulation Of Biomolecular Aggregate Morphology And Condensate Infectivity, Josephine C Ferreon, Kyoung-Jae Choi, My Diem Quan, Phoebe S Tsoi, Cristopher C Ferreon, Ulas Coskun, Shih-Chu Jeff Liao, Allan Chris M Ferreon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by pathological aggregates exhibiting distinct morphologies, such as neurofibrillary tangles and dense circular Lewy body-like structures in Alzheimer's disease, and round hyaline gel-like inclusions and skein-like filaments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the mechanisms driving the formation of these diverse morphological structures remain poorly understood. Employing advanced microscopy, including fluorescence lifetime imaging, we investigated condensate aging and aggregation mechanisms of the prion-like domain of hnRNPA1 (A1PrD), a ribonucleoprotein implicated in both disorders. Using a simplified system across various salt and RNA conditions, we demonstrate that homotypic and heterotypic interactions between A1PrD and RNA significantly influence aggregate …

Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveals Biomarker Heterogeneity Linked To Cdk4/6 Inhibitor Resistance In Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Ilenia Migliaccio, Martina Bonechi, Dario Romagnoli, Giulia Boccalini, Francesca Galardi, Cristina Guarducci, Agostina Nardone, Rachel Schiff, Laura Biganzoli, Luca Malorni, Matteo Benelli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cyclin dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors have brought great improvements in the treatment of luminal breast cancer, but resistance is a major clinical hurdle. Multiple biomarkers of resistance have been proposed, but none is currently utilized in clinical practice. By performing single-cell RNA sequencing of seven palbociclib-naïve luminal breast cancer cell lines and palbociclib-resistant derivatives, we show that established biomarkers and pathways related to CDK4/6i resistance present marked intra- and inter- cell-line heterogeneity. Transcriptional features of resistance could be already observed in naïve cells correlating with levels of sensitivity (IC50) to palbociclib. Resistant derivatives showed transcriptional clusters that significantly …

Respiratory Failure In Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage And Intraventricular Hemorrhage Extension: A Retrospective Study, Min Cheol Chang, Michael Y Lee, Sang Gyu Kwak, Ah Young Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify the risk factors for respiratory failure in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accompanied by intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) extension.

Methods: We retrospectively included 208 patients with ICH accompanied by IVH extension. Respiratory failure was defined as carbon dioxide levels > 45 mmHg with a pH < 7.35 in arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA) or the application of a ventilator due to respiratory dysfunction. We measured the severity of IVH extension using the Graeb scale, and ICH volume was assessed for each patient.

Results: Of the 208 included patients, 83 had respiratory failure. There were no significant differences in age, sex ratio, or Graeb scale score between patients with and without respiratory failure (p > 0.05). However, ICH volume was significantly larger in patients with respiratory failure (42.0 ± 42.5 mL) than …

The Impact Of Environmental Exposures On The Epigenomic And Transcriptomic Landscape Of Transposable Elements, Benpeng Miao, Yu Zhang, Wanqing Shao, Shuhua Fu, Marisa S Bartolomei, Cheryl Walker, Cristian Coarfa, Bo A Zhang, Ting Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA sequences that constitute a significant portion of mammalian genomes. While typically silenced by epigenetic mechanisms, mounting evidence indicates TEs can regulate gene expression and chromatin architecture. However, their regulatory roles under various environmental exposures remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigate the regulatory functions of TEs in mouse liver tissue following early-life exposure to environmental toxicants, including arsenic (As), lead (Pb), bisphenol A (BPA), tributyltin (TBT), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), and particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). These toxicants are linked to various health issues, including neurodevelopmental deficits, metabolic and immune …