Digital Commons Network^™

Non-Invasive Measurement Of Elasticity In Glioblastoma Multiforme Validates Decreased Tmz Sensitivity In Astrocyte Co-Culture, Megan Mendieta, Maryam Hatami, Manmohan Singh, Sajedeh Saeidi Fard, Mohammad Dehshiri, Alexander Schill, Dmitry Nevozhay, Salavat Aglyamov, Bulent Ozpolat, Konstantin V Sokolov, Yasemin M Akay, Kirill V Larin, Metin Akay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Goal: In this research, we investigated the changes in elasticity of in vitro glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) spheroids when treated with the gold standard chemotherapy for GBM, Temozolomide (TMZ). Additionally, we aimed to use this alternative biomarker to assess how modifying the tumor microenvironment (TME) with the addition of human astrocytes (HA) would influence treatment efficacy. Methods: Spheroid stiffness was investigated using advanced non-invasive optical techniques, nanobomb optical coherence elastography (nb-OCE) and Brillouin microscopy to obtain new biomechanical insights by assessing local tumor progression or response to therapy using GBM cells (LN229). Results: The treated monocultured GBM groups showed a significant …

Examining The Presence And Effects Of Coherence And Fragmentation In The Gulf Of Maine Fishery Management Network, Derek Katznelson, Antonia Sohns, Dongkyu Kim, Evelyn Roozee, William R Donner, Andrew M Song, Jasper R De Vries, Owen Temby, Gordon M Hickey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Natural resource management networks cohere due to mutual dependencies and fragment, in part, due to the perceived risks of interaction. However, research on these networks has tended to accept coherence a priori rather than problematizing dependence, and few studies exist on interorganizational risk perception. This article presents the results of a study operationalizing these concepts and measuring the distribution of three types of dependence (capital, legitimacy, and regulatory) and two types of perceived risk (performance and sanction) among nearly fifty stakeholder groups and organizations participating in the management of fisheries in the binational Gulf of Maine. The analysis reveals an …

Comparative Efficacy Of Fluoroscopically Guided Vs Landmark-Based Injections In The Management Of Ischial Bursitis: A Pilot Study, Jamal Hasoon, Giustino Varrassi, Omar Viswanath

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Ischial bursitis is a challenging chronic pain condition often resistant to conservative treatments. Ischial bursa injections, including fluoroscopically guided and landmark-based approaches, are commonly used when first-line interventions fail. This study aims to compare the efficacy of these two techniques in providing pain relief and improving function in patients with refractory ischial bursitis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using electronic medical records of nine patients with refractory ischial bursitis treated between April 1, 2023, and November 30, 2024. Patients were categorized based on the injection technique: fluoroscopically guided (n=4) or landmark-based (n=5). Pain relief was assessed at follow-up …

Nrg Oncology White Paper On The Relative Biological Effectiveness In Proton Therapy, Harald Paganetti, Charles B Simone, Walter R Bosch, Daphne Haas-Kogan, David G Kirsch, Heng Li, Xiaoying Liang, Wei Liu, Anita Mahajan, Michael D Story, Paige A Taylor, Henning Willers, Ying Xiao, Jeffrey C Buchsbaum

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This position paper, led by the NRG Oncology Particle Therapy Work Group, focuses on the concept of relative biologic effect (RBE) in clinical proton therapy (PT), with the goal of providing recommendations for the next-generation clinical trials with PT on the best practice of investigating and using RBE, which could deviate from the current standard proton RBE value of 1.1 relative to photons. In part 1, current clinical utilization and practice are reviewed, giving the context and history of RBE. Evidence for variation in RBE is presented along with the concept of linear energy transfer (LET). The intertwined nature of …

Advanced Method For The In Vivo Measurements Of Lysophospholipid Translocation Across The Inner (Cytoplasmic) Membrane Of Escherichia Coli, Yibin Lin, Lei Zheng, Mikhail Bogdanov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Phospholipid translocation occurs ubiquitously in biological membranes and primarily is protein catalyzed. Lipid flippases mediate the net translocation of specific phospholipids from one leaflet of a membrane to the other. In the inner (cytoplasmic) membrane (IM) of Gram-negative bacteria, lysophospholipid translocase (LplT) and cytosolic bifunctional acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthetase/2-acylglycerolphosphoethanolamine acyltransferase (Aas) form a glycerophospholipid regeneration system, which is capable of facilitating rapid retrograde translocation of lyso forms of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and cardiolipin (CL) but not exogenous (host-derived) phosphatidylcholine (PC) across the IM of Gram-negative diderm (two-membraned) bacteria in consequential order lyso-PE = lyso-PG > > lysophosphatidic acid (lyso-PA) >> lyso-PC. …

Efficacy And Safety Of Once-Daily Roflumilast Cream 005% In Pediatric Patients Aged 2-5 Years With Mild-To-Moderate Atopic Dermatitis (Integument-Ped): A Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial, Lawrence F Eichenfield, Rocco Serrao, Vimal H Prajapati, John C Browning, Lisa Swanson, Tracy Funk, Mercedes E Gonzalez, Adelaide A Hebert, Mark Lee, Mark Boguniewicz, Eric L Simpson, Melissa S Seal, David Krupa, Diane Hanna, Scott Snyder, Patrick Burnett, David H Chu, Erin Almaraz, Robert C Higham, David R Berk

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/objectives: Efficacy and safety of roflumilast cream 0.15% were demonstrated in patients aged ≥ 6 years with atopic dermatitis (AD) in two Phase 3 trials. This Phase 3 parallel-group, double-blind trial (INTEGUMENT-PED; NCT04845620) compared the efficacy and safety of roflumilast cream 0.05% and a vehicle in patients aged 2-5 years with AD.

Methods: Patients aged 2-5 years with mild-to-moderate AD were treated with once-daily roflumilast cream 0.05% or vehicle for 4 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was Validated Investigator Global Assessment for AD (vIGA-AD) Success (0 [Clear] or 1 [Almost Clear] plus ≥ 2-grade improvement from baseline) at Week …

Administration Of Anti-Gfap Antibodies Increases Cgrp Expression And Increases Pain Hypersensitivity In Spinal Cord Injured Animals, Georgene W Hergenroeder, Samuel T Molina, Juan J Herrera

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a multitude of cellular and pathological changes including neuronal loss, axonal damage, gliosis, and loss of motor and sensory function. In 40%-70% of patients, SCI can also trigger the development of neuropathic pain. Our previous study demonstrated that SCI patients who developed autoantibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were at increased risk for the subsequent development of neuropathic pain. However, whether GFAP autoantibodies (GFAPab) contribute to the development of neuropathic pain after SCI had yet to be examined.

Objective: Using a mid-thoracic contusion model of SCI in male Sprague-Dawley rats, we examined …

Editorial: Ovarian Cancer Targeted Medication: Parp Inhibitors, Anti-Angiogenic Drugs, Immunotherapy, And More, Volume Ii, Zhi-Bin Wang, De-Hua Liao, Guang Lei, Zhao-Qian Liu, Nayiyuan Wu, Jing Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Individualized Frequency And Montage Tacs To Engage Theta-Gamma Coupling And Enhance Working Memory In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Mina Mirjalili, Iryna S Palamarchuk, Heather Brooks, Reza Zomorrodi, Ashley Melichercik, Wei Wang, Sean M Nestor, Daniel M Blumberger, Abhishek Datta, Christopher Bowie, Bernadette Mdawar, Kullervo Hynynen, Sanjeev Kumar, Tarek K Rajji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a clinical prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease. Enhancing executive functions in patients with MCI could optimize cognitive compensatory mechanisms and slow cognitive decline. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its connections to the hippocampus support executive functions, including working memory. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can modulate these connections by engaging theta-gamma coupling (TGC) and may thereby strengthen working memory. This study, "tACS to engage theta-gamma coupling and enhance working memory in MCI" (tACS-MCI), will assess the feasibility and cognitive effects of EEG and MRI-guided individualized tACS. The stimulation will target the prefrontal and temporal cortices …

Comprehensive Genomic Analysis Reveals Molecular Heterogeneity In Pediatric Alk-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, Timothy I Shaw, Stanley Pounds, Xueyuan Cao, Jing Ma, Gustavo Palacios, John Mason, Sherrie Perkins, Gang Wu, Yiping Fan, Jian Wang, Xin Zhou, Alyssa Obermayer, Marsha C Kinney, Jacqueline Kraveka, Thomas Gross, John Sandlund, Jinghui Zhang, Charles Mullighan, Megan S Lim, Vasiliki Leventaki

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a mature T-cell lymphoma that accounts for 10-15% of childhood lymphomas. Despite the observation that more than 90% of pediatric cases harbor the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement resulting in aberrant ALK kinase expression, there is significant clinical, morphologic, and biological heterogeneity. To gain insights into the genomic aberrations and molecular heterogeneity within ALK-positive ALCL (ALK+ ALCL), we analyzed 46 pediatric ALK+ ALCLs by whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and DNA methylation profiling. Whole-exome sequencing found on average 25 SNV/Indel events per sample with recurring genetic events in regulators of DNA damage (TP53, MDM4), transcription …

Predictors For Spontaneous Pleurodesis In Patients With Indwelling Pleural Catheters For Malignant Pleural Effusion: A Safety Net Hospital Experience, Saad Farooq, Sabiha Armin, Jordan E Killingsworth, Akriti Agrawal, Adishwar Rao, Rosa M Estrada-Y-Martin, Sujith V Cherian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) affects approximately 150,000 patients in the United States each year and usually signifies advanced-stage cancer. The optimal treatment remains a challenge but indwelling pleural catheters (IPC) offer several advantages and may help achieve spontaneous pleurodesis (SP) in some patients.

Objectives: We aim to investigate the predictors of SP among patients with MPE, particularly in a resource-limited community-based safety net hospital.

Design: This is a retrospective cohort study done at a community-based safety net hospital.

Methods: Adults diagnosed with or suspected of having MPE between January 2015 and December 2023 who underwent IPC placement were included. …

Global Research Trends And Focus On Immunotherapy For Endometrial Cancer: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Insight And Visualization Analysis (2012–2024), Yachen Xu, Tao Wang, Xiaojing Liang, Jie Yang, Yuxiang Zhang, Shan Bao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: This study conducted a novel systematic bibliometric and visualization analysis of global literature on immunotherapy for endometrial cancer (EC) to explore dynamic trends, research hotspots, and emerging topics, providing valuable references for future research.

Methods: Articles and reviews on EC immunotherapy published between 2012 and August 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Bibliometric tools, CiteSpace and VOSviewer, were used to analyze clustering patterns and research dynamics.

Results: A total of 861 articles were contributed by 5,331 authors from 1,392 institutions across 58 countries or regions, involving 1,823 keywords. China demonstrated outstanding performance in this …

Measurement Of Oxygen Consumption Rate In Mouse Aortic Tissue, Zhen Zhou, Ripon Sarkar, Jose Emiliano Esparza Pinelo, Alexis Richard, Jay Dunn, Zhao Ren, Callie S Kwartler, Dianna M Milewicz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAD) is a life-threatening vascular disorder, and smooth muscle cell mitochondrial dysfunction leads to cell death, contributing to TAD. Accurate measurements of metabolic processes are essential for understanding cellular homeostasis in both healthy and diseased states. While assays for evaluating mitochondrial respiration have been well established for cultured cells and isolated mitochondria, no optimized application has been developed for aortic tissue. In this study, we generate an optimized protocol using the Agilent Seahorse XFe24 analyzer to measure mitochondrial respiration in mouse aortic tissue. This method allows for precise measurement of mitochondrial oxygen consumption in mouse …

Long-Term Symptom Burden In A Young, Ambulatory Cohort After The Omicron Outbreak In China, Simeng Ren, Yumeng Tan, Hongkun Xu, Mian Wang, Rumei Xiang, Jiayue Jin, Baojin Han, Jiaheng Shi, Jingyu Zhang, Jinliang Yang, Xin Tian, Ying Li, Jiaojiao Chen, Wenzheng Zhang, Jingqi Yang, Xin Shelley Wang, Qiuling Shi, Jie Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: At the end of 2022, an outbreak of the Omicron BF.7 and BA.5.2 subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 occurred in China. In this prospective cohort study, we investigated the pattern of development of major symptom burden and influencing factors in infected Chinese patients.

Methods: First-time infected outpatients were enrolled from December 7, 2022, to January 11, 2023 (N = 355). The prevalence of symptoms was monitored by a repeated patient-reported quantitative symptom survey over nine months.

Results: At the onset of the infection, the most prevalent symptoms (score ≥1 on a 0-10 numeric rating scale) were fatigue (91.8%), cough (91.8%), …

Characterization Of Additive Gene-Environment Interactions For Colorectal Cancer Risk, Claire E Thomas, Yi Lin, Michelle Kim, Eric S Kawaguchi, Conghui Qu, Caroline Y Um, Brigid M Lynch, Bethany Van Guelpen, Kostas Tsilidis, Robert Carreras-Torres, Franzel J B Van Duijnhoven, Lori C Sakoda, Peter T Campbell, Yu Tian, Jenny Chang-Claude, Stéphane Bézieau, Arif Budiarto, Julie R Palmer, Polly A Newcomb, Graham Casey, Loic Le Marchandz, Marios Giannakis, Christopher I Li, Andrea Gsur, Christina Newton, Mireia Obón-Santacana, Victor Moreno, Pavel Vodicka, Hermann Brenner, Michael Hoffmeister, Andrew J Pellatt, Robert E Schoen, Niki Dimou, Neil Murphy, Marc J Gunter, Sergi Castellví-Bel, Jane C Figueiredo, Andrew T Chan, Mingyang Song, Li Li, D Timothy Bishop, Stephen B Gruber, James W Baurley, Stephanie A Bien, David V Conti, Jeroen R Huyghe, Anshul Kundaje, Yu-Ru Su, Jun Wang, Temitope O Keku, Michael O Woods, Sonja I Berndt, Stephen J Chanock, Catherine M Tangen, Alicja Wolk, Andrea Burnett-Hartman, Anna H Wu, Emily White, Matthew A Devall, Virginia Díez-Obrero, David A Drew, Edward Giovannucci, Akihisa Hidaka, Andre E Kim, Juan Pablo Lewinger, John Morrison, Jennifer Ose, Nikos Papadimitriou, Bens Pardamean, Anita R Peoples, Edward A Ruiz-Narvaez, Anna Shcherbina, Mariana C Stern, Xuechen Chen, Duncan C Thomas, Elizabeth A Platz, W James Gauderman, Ulrike Peters, Li Hsu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common, fatal cancer. Identifying subgroups who may benefit more from intervention is of critical public health importance. Previous studies have assessed multiplicative interaction between genetic risk scores and environmental factors, but few have assessed additive interaction, the relevant public health measure.

Methods: Using resources from CRC consortia, including 45,247 CRC cases and 52,671 controls, we assessed multiplicative and additive interaction (relative excess risk due to interaction, RERI) using logistic regression between 13 harmonized environmental factors and genetic risk score, including 141 variants associated with CRC risk.

Results: There was no evidence of multiplicative interaction …

Haemodynamic Response Of Normal Aortic Valves To Stress Using Invasive, Non-Invasive, And Computational Techniques, Rob Eerdekens, Vijay Govindarajan, Nils P Johnson, Jesse P A Demandt, Mohamed El Farissi, Fabienne E Vervaat, Daniel T Johnson, Richard L Kirkeeide, Pim A L Tonino

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

AIMS: The haemodynamic physiology of the aortic valve has attracted renewed attention after the introduction of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Understanding normal valve function, especially under stress conditions, permits identification of early pathology and quantification of the extent to which TAVI restores normalcy. We aimed to describe the haemodynamic behaviour of a normal aortic valve during stress via invasive, non-invasive, and computational techniques.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Our cohort included subjects already undergoing invasive coronary angiography for clinical indications. Haemodynamic measurements were made invasively and non-invasively along with dobutamine infusion. Additionally, patient-specific anatomy from computed tomographic imaging served as input …

Rates Of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections In Hospitalized Non-Immunocompromised Pediatric Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Study At A Lebanese Tertiary Medical Center, Ramia Zakhour, Sarah Khafaja, Rawan Korman, Celina F Boutros, Zeinab El Zein, Ahmad Chmaisse, Magda Haj, Amani Haddara, Zeina El-Houry, Malak Jbahi, Sarah Chamseddine, Samer Bou Karroum, Dana Al Oweini, Yolla Salama Youssef, Nour Youssef, Mayse Nasser, Danielle Fayad, Farida Abi Farraj, Clara El Nakib, Imad Isaac, Mireille Lteif, George F Araj, Ghassan S Dbaibo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections are considered a major public health threat. The objectives of this study were to describe the epidemiology, potential contributing factors, and antimicrobial resistance patterns associated with infections caused by MDR Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in non-immunocompromised children and adolescents.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) from 2009 to 2017. The study included non-immunocompromised patients 18 years of age or younger with infections caused by GNB isolated from a sterile site or nonsterile site in the setting of clinical infection.

Results: A total of …

Targeting Ferroptosis For Neuroprotection: Potential Therapeutic Avenues In Neurodegenerative And Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Muhammad S Khan, Qichan Hu, Kendrix Okeibunor, Liang Ma, Jean C Bopassa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent programmed cell death that plays an important role in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. In the present study, we have highlighted how different risk factors are involved in the induction of ferroptosis in brain cells. In addition, we also demonstrated how ferroptosis plays an important role in different brain diseases. In our study why we focused and elaborated on the mechanisms of ferroptosis only in brain cells (Neurons, oligodendrocytes, and microglia) because they are particularly vulnerable to such kind of cell death. Additionally, brain cells are more dependent on mitochondrial function, iron regulation, and high levels of …

Mic60/Mitofilin Inhibitor, Miclxin, Induces Rat H9c2 Cardiomyoblast Death By Inhibiting The Removal Of Damaged Mitochondria, Muhammad S Khan, Somayyeh Nasiripour, Michele Oyarzabal, Swati Banerjee, Kumar Sharma, Manzoor A Bhat, Jean C Bopassa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of various pathologic conditions, including ischemia/reperfusion injury, stroke, myocardial infarction, neurodegeneration and metabolic syndrome. As with all biological organelles, the function of mitochondria is tightly linked to their structure. The inner mitochondrial membrane is a highly regulated membrane with a large surface area that hosts the electron transport chain machinery, generates the membrane potential necessary for ATP generation, and forms the signature cristae folds of mitochondria. The mitochondrial inner membrane protein (Mitofilin/Mic60) is part of a large complex that constitutes the mitochondrial inner membrane organizing system, which is critical in maintaining mitochondrial architecture and function. …

Decline In Attrition Rates In United States Pediatric Residency And Fellowship Programs, 2007–2020: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study, Emma Omoruyi, Greg Russell, Kimberly Montez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Declining fill rates in US pediatric residency and subspecialty programs requires trainee retention. Attrition, defined as transfers, withdrawals, dismissals, unsuccessful completions, or deaths, disrupts program function and impacts the pediatric workforce pipeline. It aims to evaluate attrition trends among pediatric residents and fellows in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited programs from 2007 to 2020.

Methods: This repeated cross-sectional study analyzed publicly available ACGME Data Resource Book records. Attrition rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated overall and by subspecialty. Logistic regression assessed temporal changes; odds ratios (ORs) compared 2020 to 2007.

Results: From 2007-2020, pediatric residents …

National Landscape Of Underrepresented In Medicine Visiting Medical Student Programs In Pediatrics, Tyler K Smith, Rebecca Blankenburg, Ann E Burke, Emma A Omoruyi, Wendla Sensing, Tiffany Ruan, David D Williams, Onyi Oligbo, Lahia Yemane

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Underrepresented in medicine visiting medical student programs (UIM-VMSPs) have gained popularity across specialties as an intervention to diversify residency programs; however, no study has explored the national landscape of these programs in pediatrics. This study aimed to characterize program components, residency rank and match outcomes, benefits, challenges, and lessons learned about UIM-VMSPs in pediatrics nationally.

Methods: From September to December 2023, the authors conducted a national, cross-sectional, mixed methods study surveying program leaders of UIM-VMSPs identified on the Association of Pediatric Program Directors website. The authors used descriptive statistics to analyze the data and conventional content analysis for free-text …

Implantable Loop Recorder Identifies Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia In A Pediatric Patient Despite Negative Ep Study: A Case Report, Jia Yue Liu, Mohammed T Numan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Experience of loop recorders in pediatric patients is limited. We report using a loop recorder to detect ventricular arrhythmias in a 16-year-old female who had years of palpitations despite inconclusive noninvasive and invasive electrophysiological testing.

Case Report: Coronary Vasospasm Precipitating Stemi And Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia-A Case Of Cardiotoxicity From 5-Fu Based Chemotherapy In A 41-Year-Old Woman, Ammar Hasnie, Zachary Neace, Kristin Ellison, Aaron Hesselson, Karam Ayoub, Mohammed Al-Yafi, Amit Arbune

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Intravenous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), in combination with oxaliplatin and folinic acid, makes up a chemotherapy regimen commonly referred to as FOLFOX. It is well-established for its efficacy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer; however, the benefits are accompanied by potential side effects that warrant careful consideration. Common toxicities can range from nausea and vomiting to neuropathy. Cardiotoxicities related to FOLFOX and fluoropyrimidines in general are extremely rare but can easily be fatal.

Case presentation: A 41-year-old woman who was recently diagnosed with stage IIIc colorectal cancer after she underwent a subtotal colectomy was admitted to the Oncology clinic for further …

Rho/Rock Pathway As A Therapeutic Target In Multiple Diseases, Zixiu Cheng, Shannon Erhardt, Jun Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Rho/ROCK (Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating diverse cellular processes, including cytoskeletal organization, cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. Dysregulation of this pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases, such as cardiovascular disorders, cancer, neurological conditions, and fibrotic diseases. Accumulating evidence supports the therapeutic potential of targeting Rho/ROCK, with several inhibitors currently under investigation or in clinical use. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying Rho/ROCK signaling, explores its involvement in disease progression, and discusses recent advances in the development of and the clinical application of ROCK inhibitors as promising therapeutic …

Revisiting Cytomegalovirus In Pediatric Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: Current Strategies For Prevention And Management In The Letermovir Era, Lisa Hiskey, Diego R Hijano, Ramia Zakhour

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

CMV infection remains the most common clinically significant infection in pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HCT) recipients, with seropositive recipients of transplants from seronegative donors at the highest risk for complications. In recent years, letermovir, a novel antiviral with a favorable toxicity profile, was approved first for adults and more recently for pediatric patients for the primary prophylaxis of CMV infection and disease in high-risk HCT recipients. Growing evidence from real-life data regarding the safety and efficacy of letermovir has transformed the landscape of CMV disease in HCT transplant recipients and led to a paradigm shift from a preemptive approach …

Editorial: Surface Emg And Other Measurement Techniques In Rehabilitation Research And Practice: Are New Educational Programs Needed?, Marco Tramontano, Sheng Li, Roberto Merletti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Outcomes Of Latino Emerging Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Community-Based, Transition To Adulthood Program, Antonio F Pagán, Ana C Ramirez, Katherine A Loveland, Cecilia Montiel-Nava, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Latino individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face unique challenges during their transition to adulthood. This study evaluates ¡Iniciando! la Adultez, a culturally adapted behavioral health program aimed at addressing the co-occurring mental health needs of Latino young adults with ASD and their families. The program integrates culturally relevant elements to enhance engagement and effectiveness. Results indicated that the behavioral health intervention was associated with significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms, highlighting the urgent need for tailored behavioral health services in this population. Additionally, the involvement of parents in group therapy demonstrated a positive impact on both parental and …

Peer Support During In Vivo Exposure Homework Increases Likelihood Of Prolonged Exposure Therapy Completion, Melba A Hernandez-Tejada, Madeline J Bruce, Wendy Muzzy, Anna Birks, Giovanni Macedo E Cordeiro, Stephanie M Hart, Stephanie Hamski, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Exposure-based treatments such as prolonged exposure therapy (PE) are effective for veterans with PTSD. However, dropout rates as high as 50% are common. The Department of Veterans Affairs employs peers to increase mental health treatment engagement, however peers are not routinely used to help patients complete PE homework assignments. The present study included 109 veterans who decided to drop out from exposure-based treatment after completing seven or fewer sessions and used a randomized controlled design to compare PE treatment completion rates in response to 2 forms of peer support: (1) standard weekly telephone-based peer support vs. (2) peer-assisted in vivo …

Therapeutic Alliance In A Culturally Tailored Transition Program For Latino Young Adults With Autism And Their Families, Antonio F Pagán, Katherine A Loveland, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Latino young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face barriers to accessing culturally appropriate interventions that support adaptive functioning and family dynamics. Therapeutic alliance, the collaborative and trusting relationship between participants and providers, is a critical component of intervention success, yet its role in culturally tailored programs for Latino families remains underexplored. The present study examined therapeutic alliance in ¡Iniciando! la Adultez, a 12-week, culturally adapted intervention for Latino young adults with ASD and their Spanish-speaking parents. The program integrates Latino cultural values and language and consists of parent group therapy, young adult group therapy, and individual therapy sessions. …

Examining The Relationship Between Cardiometabolic Risk Factors And Telomere Length In Women: A Systematic Review, Jeni Page, Catherine Stephens, Melissa A Richard, Elizabeth Lyons, Elizabeth Baumler, M Terese Verklan, Elizabeth Lorenzo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: Cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) poses a significant public health challenge due to its rising prevalence in aging and significant healthcare costs. Recent studies have suggested telomere length (TL), a marker of cellular aging, may be impacted by CMS among women, but comprehensive evidence remains limited. This study aimed to examine the association between CMS risk factors (increased waist circumference [WC], elevated blood pressure, impaired fasting blood glucose, elevated triglycerides, decreased high-density lipoproteins) and TL in women, with consideration of age and race or ethnicity.

Research design and methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, with searches …