Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic Variation Between Small Bowel And Colon-Predominant Crohn's Disease, Halee Patel, R Alan Harris, Justin H Qian, Numan Oezguen, Ashleigh Watson, Reka G Szigeti, Stanley Cho, Wenly Ruan, Savini Britto, Antone Opekun, Geoffrey Preidis, Richard Kellermayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Twenty Years Of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: A State Of The Field From Temtia X, Pierre Savagner, Thomas Brabletz, Chonghui Cheng, Christine Gilles, Tian Hong, Myriam Polette, Guojun Sheng, Marc P Stemmler, Erik W Thompson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This report summarizes the 10th biennial meeting of The Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition International Association (TEMTIA), that took place in Paris on November 7-10, 2022. It provides a short but comprehensive introduction to the presentations and discussions that took place during the 3-day meeting. Similarly to previous TEMTIA meetings, TEMTIA X reviewed the most recent aspects of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a cellular process involved during distinct stages of development but also during wound healing and fibrosis to some degree. EMT has also been associated at various levels during tumor cell progression and metastasis. The meeting emphasized the intermediate stages of …

Pretreatment Characteristics Associated With Symptom Reduction During Group Cognitive Processing Therapy Versus Exposure Therapy For Ptsd: An Exploratory Study Of Veterans, Christopher Hunt, Brooks Casas, Pearl H Chiu, Lia J Smith, Laura Priorello, Kelly Lee, Matthew Estey, Mary R Newsome, M Wright Williams

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Exposure and cognitive-based therapies are both effective for PTSD, but knowledge of which intervention is best for which patient is lacking. This lack of knowledge is particularly noticeable for group treatments, as no study has examined whether responses to different group therapies are associated with different pretreatment characteristics. Here, we explored whether pretreatment levels of three types of psychological characteristics-PTSD symptom clusters, posttraumatic cognitions, and emotion regulation difficulties-were associated with symptom reduction during group-delivered cognitive versus exposure-based PTSD treatment. Participants were Veterans with PTSD drawn from two previous clinical trials: one of group CPT (GCPT;

Continuing Education And Professional Development: Unifying Opportunities For Genetic Counselors Globally, Kathleen D Valverde, Tiffiney R Hartman, Sara L Reichert, Robin L Bennett, Martha Dudek, Debra Duquette, Daniel Riconda, Nancy J Cox, Gail P Jarvik, Sarah H Elsea, Elizabeth M Mcnally, Kim C Worley, Daniel J Rader

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Cutting Edge Of Genetically Modified Pigs Targeting Complement Activation For Xenotransplantation, Qin Sun, Si-Yuan Song, Jiabao Ma, Danni Li, Yiping Wang, Zhengteng Yang, Yi Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the quest to address the critical shortage of donor organs for transplantation, xenotransplantation stands out as a promising solution, offering a more abundant supply of donor organs. Yet, its widespread clinical adoption remains hindered by significant challenges, chief among them being immunological rejection. Central to this issue is the role of the complement system, an essential component of innate immunity that frequently triggers acute and chronic rejection through hyperacute immune responses. Such responses can rapidly lead to transplant embolism, compromising the function of the transplanted organ and ultimately causing graft failure. This review delves into three key areas of …

Fam20a: A Potential Diagnostic Biomarker For Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Yalin Zhang, Qin Sun, Yangbo Liang, Xian Yang, Hailian Wang, Siyuan Song, Yi Wang, Yong Feng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) ranks among the carcinomas with the highest incidence and dismal survival rates, suffering from a lack of effective therapeutic strategies. Consequently, biomarkers facilitating early diagnosis of LUSC could significantly enhance patient survival. This study aims to identify novel biomarkers for LUSC.

Methods: Utilizing the TCGA, GTEx, and CGGA databases, we focused on the gene encoding Family with Sequence Similarity 20, Member A (FAM20A) across various cancers. We then corroborated these bioinformatic predictions with clinical samples. A range of analytical tools, including Kaplan-Meier, MethSurv database, Wilcoxon rank-sum, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, …

Research Considerations For Prospective Studies Of Patients With Coma And Disorders Of Consciousness, Lorenzo Tinti, Thomas Lawson, Erika Molteni, Daniel Kondziella, Verena Rass, Tarek Sharshar, Yelena G Bodien, Joseph T Giacino, Stephan A Mayer, Moshgan Amiri, Susanne Muehlschlegel, Chethan P Venkatasubba Rao, Paul M Vespa, David K Menon, Giuseppe Citerio, Raimund Helbok, Molly Mcnett

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Disorders of consciousness are neurological conditions characterized by impaired arousal and awareness of self and environment. Behavioural responses are absent or are present but fluctuate. Disorders of consciousness are commonly encountered as a consequence of both acute and chronic brain injuries, yet reliable epidemiological estimates would require inclusive, operational definitions of the concept, as well as wider knowledge dissemination among involved professionals. Whereas several manifestations have been described, including coma, vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and minimally conscious state, a comprehensive neurobiological definition for disorders of consciousness is still lacking. The scientific literature is primarily observational, and studies-specific aetiologies lead to …

Activation Of Mechanoreceptor Piezo1 Inhibits Enteric Neuronal Growth And Migration, Chioma Moneme, Oluyinka O Olutoye, Michał F Sobstel, Yuwen Zhang, Xinyu Zhou, Jacob L Kaminer, Britney A Hsu, Chengli Shen, Arabinda Mandal, Hui Li, Ling Yu, Swathi Balaji, Sundeep G Keswani, Lily S Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Dysfunction of the enteric nervous system (ENS) is linked to a myriad of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive ion channel found throughout the GI tract, but its role in the ENS is largely unknown. We hypothesize that Piezo1 plays an important role in the growth and development of the ENS.

METHODS: Enteric neural crest-derived progenitor cells (ENPC) were isolated from adult mouse intestine and propagated in culture as neurospheres. ENPC-derived neurons were then subject to

RESULTS: Though stretch did not cause upregulation of Piezo1 expression in enteric neurons, both stretch and Piezo1 activation produced similar alterations in …

Green Synthesis Of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles From Althaea Officinalis Flower Extract Coated With Chitosan For Potential Healing Effects On Diabetic Wounds By Inhibiting Tnf-Α And Il-6/Il-1Β Signaling Pathways, Sammar Fathy Elhabal, Nashwa Abdelaal, Saeed Abdul Kareem Saeed Al-Zuhairy, Mohamed Fathi Mohamed Elrefai, Ahmed Mohsen Elsaid Hamdan, Mohamed Mansour Khalifa, Sandra Hababeh, Mohammad Ahmad Khasawneh, Gehad M Khamis, Jakline Nelson, Passant M Mohie, Rania A Gad, Amira Rizk, Soad L Kabil, Mohamed Kandeel El-Ashery, Bhaskara R Jasti, Nahla A Elzohairy, Tayseer Elnawawy, Fatma E Hassan, Mohamed A El-Nabarawi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus is a multisystem chronic pandemic, wound inflammation, and healing are still major issues for diabetic patients who may suffer from ulcers, gangrene, and other wounds from uncontrolled chronic hyperglycemia.

METHOD AND RESULTS: First, develop eco-friendly green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and incorporate them into a 2% chitosan (CS) gel. In-vitro study performed by UV-visible spectrum analysis showed a sharp peak at 390 nm, and Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry showed a peak of zinc and oxygen. Besides, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) was used to qualitatively validate biosynthesized ZnO-NPs, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed spherical nanoparticles with mean …

Revolutionizing Psoriasis Topical Treatment: Enhanced Efficacy Through Ceramide/Phospholipid Composite Cerosomes Co-Delivery Of Cyclosporine And Dithranol: In-Vitro, Ex-Vivo, And In-Vivo Studies, Sammar Fathy Elhabal, Nashwa Abdelaal, Saeed A S Al-Zuhairy, Mohamed Fathi Mohamed Elrefai, Mohamed Mansour Khalifa, Mohammad Ahmad Khasawneh, Ahmed Mohsen Elsaid Hamdan, Passant M Mohie, Rania A Gad, Soad L Kabil, Mohamed Kandeel El-Ashery, Bhaskara R Jasti, Nahla A Elzohairy, Nehal Elfar, Tayseer Elnawawy, Fatma E Hassan, Mohamed Ahmed El-Nabarawi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Improving the treatment of psoriasis is a serious challenge today. Psoriasis is an immune-mediated skin condition affecting 125 million people worldwide. It is commonly treated with cyclosporine-A (CsA) and dithranol (DTH). CsA suppresses the activation of T-cells, immune cells involved in forming psoriatic lesions. Meanwhile, DTH is a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative drug that effectively reduces the severity of psoriasis symptoms such as redness, scaling, and skin thickness. CsA and DTH belong to BCS class II with limited oral bioavailability. We aim to develop a drug delivery system for topical co-delivery of CsA and DTH, exploring its therapeutic potential. …

Myasthenia Gravis And Numb Chin Syndrome With Lung Carcinoma, Rajesh Kumar Gupta, Ashutosh Gupta, Daniel S Um, Zarrin Khameh Neda

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic And Vaccine Availability On Utilization Of Breast Imaging In A Multistate Radiology Practice, Andrew K Hillman, Phil Ramis, Patrick Nielsen, Eric M Rohren

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

METHOD: Data were obtained from medical health records across 77 Radiology Partners practices in the US. The data provided us with the total monthly mammography, breast ultrasound, and breast MRI procedures from January 2019 to September 2022. An interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccination. We chose March 2020 and December 2020 as critical time points in the pandemic and analyzed trends before and after these dates.

RESULTS: The starting level (at baseline in January 2019) of the total breast imaging procedure volume was estimated at 114,901.5, and this …

Navigating The Challenges Of Initiating Pediatric Device Trials – A Case Study, R Brandon Hunter, Richard C Willson, Balakrishna Haridas, Christine Luk, Kara Toman, Michael J Heffernan, Gwenyth Fischer, Matthew Wettergreen, Chester J Koh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric medical devices lag behind adult devices due to economic barriers, smaller patient populations, changing anatomy and physiology of patients, regulatory hurdles, and especially difficulties in executing clinical trials. We investigated the requirements, challenges, associated timeline, and costs of conducting a multi-site pivotal clinical trial for a Class II pediatric physiologic monitoring device.

METHODS: This case study focused on the negotiation of clinical trial agreements (CTAs), budgets, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) processing times for a pediatric device trial. We identified key factors contributing to delays in clinical trial execution and potential best practices to expedite the process while …

Ketogenic Diet In Treating Sepsis-Related Acquired Weakness: Is It Friend Or Foe?, Yanmei Miao, Leiyu Xie, Shaolin Chen, Xiaoming Zhang, Wenjie Liu, Peng Xie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Sepsis is the body's extreme response to an infection leading to organ dysfunction. Sepsis-related acquired weakness (SAW), a critical illness closely related to metabolic disorders, is characterized by generalized sepsis-induced skeletal muscle weakness, mainly manifesting as symmetrical atrophy of respiratory and limb muscles. Muscle accounts for 40% of the body's total mass and is one of the major sites of glucose and energy absorption. Diet affects skeletal muscle metabolism, which further impacts physiology and signaling pathways. The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has shown benefits in patients with a variety of neuromuscular disorders. Patients with …

Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Flare In The Setting Of Covid Pneumonia, Kevin M Chen, Yuli Lim, Jamal Hasoon, Sandeep Markan, Anvinh Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Erector Spinae Plane Block For Chronic Lumbosacral Pain: A Case Report, Jamal Hasoon, Syed Mahmood, Anvinh Nguyen, Vwaire Orhurhu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic low back pain is a prevalent and debilitating condition that often resists traditional management strategies such as physical therapy, pharmacotherapy, and interventional procedures. The erector spinae plane (ESP) block, a relatively new regional anesthesia technique, has shown promise in managing various types of pain, including chronic conditions. This case report details the use of the ESP block in a male patient in his late 60's with chronic low back pain unresponsive to conventional treatments, including acetaminophen, muscle relaxants, gabapentin, epidural steroid injections, diagnostic medial branch blocks, and sacroiliac joint injections. Given the refractory nature of his pain, a right-sided …

Revisiting Therapeutic Facet Joint Injections For Chronic Spinal Pain: A Case Series, Jamal Hasoon, Syed Mahmood, Anvinh Nguyen, Ranganathan Govindaraj, Christopher L Robinson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Facet joint injections with steroids are a common therapeutic intervention for chronic pain management, particularly in patients with lumbar spondylosis and facet arthropathy. However, many insurance companies do not provide coverage for this helpful intervention. This case series presents four patients who experienced significant and sustained pain relief following therapeutic facet joint injections. The aim of this case series is to highlight the efficacy of facet joint injections with steroids in managing chronic spinal pain and to discuss the potential benefits of this treatment modality in patients who may not be interested in pursuing lumbar radiofrequency neurotomy.

Targeting Sars-Cov-2 Nonstructural Protein 3: Function, Structure, Inhibition, And Perspective In Drug Discovery, Xin Li, Yongcheng Song

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

As a highly contagious human pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected billions of people worldwide with more than 6 million deaths. With several effective vaccines and antiviral drugs now available, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic been brought under control. However, a new pathogenic coronavirus could emerge in the future, given the zoonotic nature of this virus. Natural evolution and drug-induced mutations of SARS-CoV-2 also require continued efforts for new anti-coronavirus drugs. Nonstructural protein (nsp) 3 of CoVs is a large, multifunctional protein, containing a papain-like protease (PLpro) and a macrodomain (Mac1), which are essential for viral replication. Here, we …

Agem Topic Supplement: Strategies For Inclusion Of Diverse Older Adults In Emergency Medicine Research, Michelle I Suh, Annika R Bhananker, Debra F Tomasino, Kayla Carpenter, Ula Hwang, Christopher R Carpenter, Dowin Boatright, Cassandra Bradby, Jeffrey Caterino, Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Elizabeth M Goldberg, Maura Kennedy, Shan W Liu, Edgardo Ordonez, Tony Rosen, Margaret E Samuels-Kalow, Manish Shah, Sumin Yoon, Anita N Chary

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Designing A Best Possible Caregiver History To Facilitate Disposition Planning For Older Adults In Emergency Departments, Karen De Sola-Smith, Matthew Growdon, Anita N Chary, Jennifer D Portz, Kenneth Lam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Detailed information about caregivers is crucial for planning disposition from emergency departments (EDs), but it is unclear what specific information is useful for ED clinicians and how that information should be presented.

Methods: We used a Design Thinking approach to develop a standardized format-which we call a "Best Possible Caregiver History" (BPCH)-for displaying useful caregiver information to ED clinicians. The key steps of this approach are needfinding, followed by iterative cycles of ideation, rapid prototyping, and testing. For needfinding, we used semi-structured interviews of four ED clinicians on current practices for discovering and documenting caregiver information. For ideation and …

A Good Death, Cedric Dark

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Efficacy Of Etripamil Nasal Spray For Acute Conversion Of Supraventricular Tachycardia: A Network Meta-Analysis, Adam Macech, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, Francesco Chirico, Basar Cander, Michal Pruc, Zubaid Rafique, William Frank Peacock, Arash Ziapour, Lukasz Szarpak, Anna Salak, Milosz J Jaguszewski

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Diagnostic And Prognostic Performance Of The Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio In Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Meta-Analysis Of 90 Studies Including 45 990 Patients, Michał Pruc, Jacek Kubica, Maciej Banach, Damian Swieczkowski, Zubaid Rafique, William Frank Peacock, Zbigniew Siudak, Krzysztof Kurek, Prabath Nanayakkara, Łukasz Szarpak

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality worldwide and is likely to rise. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is consequent on inflammation. As a common and cost-effective inflammatory biomarker, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be beneficial in cardiovascular medicine.

Aims: This meta-analysis examines the diagnostic and prognostic performance of the NLR in ACS.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed Central, Medline, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Clinicaltrial.gov databases. The search spanned from databases inception to January 10, 2024. The findings were aggregated into normalized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals.

Results: Ninety articles, with 45 990 …

Empowering Low-Income Patients With Home Blood Pressure Monitors To Improve Hypertension Control, Arindam Sarkar, Chinwe Nwokocha, Susan G Nash, Larissa Grigoryan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Effective management of hypertension (HTN) is a priority in primary care. With telehealth now considered a staple care delivery method, uninsured and low-income patients without home blood pressure (BP) monitors may need additional attention and resources to achieve successful HTN control.

Methods: This prospective study at an underserved community clinic assessed the impact of distributing free BP monitors on patients' HTN control and therapy adherence. Enrollees were randomized into 2 groups, both completing 4 primary care physician (PCP) visits over a 6-month study period. Intervention participants collected home BP readings to report to their PCP and comparison participants completed …

Could Workplace-Based Assessments Improve Faculty Teaching Confidence And Competence?, Arindam Sarkar, Kelly L Smith, Brian D Keisler, Kenneth Barning

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Family Medicine Clerkship Directors' Remediation Of Faculty With Mistreatment Concerns: Results From A Cera Clerkship Directors Survey, William Y Huang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Jonnae Atkinson, Kenneth Barning, Misbah Keen, Joel Purkiss

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Little is known about how frequently family medicine (FM) clerkship directors remediate faculty with student mistreatment concerns and their comfort level in performing the remediations. In this exploratory study, we investigated factors associated with the number of faculty remediated for student mistreatment concerns by FM clerkship directors and the comfort level of FM clerkship directors in remediating these faculty.

Methods: Data were collected as part of the 2022 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey of FM clerkship directors. FM clerkship directors provided responses on how frequently they remediated faculty with mistreatment concerns and their comfort …

Outcomes From An Interprofessional, Dementia-Focused, Telementoring Program: A Brief Report, Julianna Fernandez, Kathryn S Agarwal, Amber B Amspoker, Kyler M Godwin, Erial Green, Sabrina Pickens, Jasmin Lindo, Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite a burgeoning older-adult population, the number of healthcare professionals with geriatric expertise continues to lag behind. In 2014, the American Geriatrics Society’s position statement encouraged interprofessional training for healthcare professionals. Telementoring remotely connects clinicians with specialists for education and group mentoring. This dementia-focused, 11-month, 1-hour each, telementoring program was modeled on the Alzheimer’s Association ECHO. Our interprofessional expert panel consisted of a geriatrician, a geriatric psychiatrist, an adult nurse practitioner (with geriatrics expertise), 2 geriatric pharmacists, a licensed social worker (coordinating a dementia day program), and a project coordinator. Learners were residents in family medicine and general psychiatry, physician …

Project Echo Tele-Mentoring Primary Care For Individuals With Idd, K Jordan Kemere, Nital Appelbaum, Ellen Fremion

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: As the prevalence of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has increased over time, more youth with IDD will be transitioning into adult care. Individuals with IDD have a spectrum of behavioral, medical, adaptive, and home/community support needs depending on their cognitive ability, behavior concerns, mobility impairment, and/or medical complexity. Unfortunately, data suggests that adult primary care providers often lack knowledge about the condition-specific medical and adaptive needs of the IDD population leading to decreased access to adequate primary care.

Methods: To ultimately improve access to high quality healthcare for individuals with IDD, we created a 6-session virtual Project ECHO(R) …

Effects Of Blood Flow Restriction Resistance Training On Autonomic And Endothelial Function In Persons With Parkinson's Disease, Annie Bane, Lorraine Wilson, Jill Jumper, Lindsay Spindler, Pricilla Wyatt, Darryn Willoughby

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Autonomic dysfunction precedes endothelial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) and causes blood pressure and circulation abnormalities that are highly disruptive to one's quality of life. While exercise interventions have proven helpful for motor symptoms of PD, improving associated non-motor symptoms is limited. Low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction (LIRT-BFR) improves autonomic dysfunction in non-PD patients and high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) is recommended for motor symptom improvements for people with PD (PwPD).

Objective: To determine the effects of LIRT-BFR and HIRT on homocysteine and autonomic and endothelial function in PwPD and to determine the hemodynamic loads during LIRT-BFR and …

Liver Directed Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors To Treat Metabolic Disease, Marcel A Chuecos, William R Lagor

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The liver is the metabolic center of the body and an ideal target for gene therapy of inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs). Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors can deliver transgenes to the liver with high efficiency and specificity and a favorable safety profile. Recombinant AAV vectors contain only the transgene cassette, and their payload is converted to non-integrating circular double-stranded DNA episomes, which can provide stable expression from months to years. Insights from cellular studies and preclinical animal models have provided valuable information about AAV capsid serotypes with a high liver tropism. These vectors have been applied successfully in the clinic, particularly …