Digital Commons Network^™

Findings And Recommendations From The State Of The Art (Sota) Conference On Nursing Research To Improve Veteran Outcomes, Amelia E Schlak, Sarah Krein, Laura A Petersen, David Atkins, Catherine Battaglia, Elizabeth Burkhart, Renee Colsch, Marguerite Daus, Heather Gilmartin, Nipa Kamdar, Melissa Knox, Ann Kutney-Lee, Christine M Olney, Kathryn Rugen, Tracy Weistreich, Sheila Cox Sullivan, On Behalf The Nursing Sota Planning Committee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the largest employer of nurses in the United States, has more than 120,000 nursing personnel providing care to over 9 million Veterans across diverse settings. Despite nursing's central role in delivering and sustaining care, research on strengthening the nursing workforce and optimizing nursing practice has remained underdeveloped in VHA. To address this gap, VHA's Office of Research and Development, in partnership with the Office of Nursing Services, convened a State of the Art (SOTA) conference in November 2023 focused on nursing. The Nursing SOTA brought together nurses, researchers, operational leaders, and other stakeholders to review …

Relationship Between Number Of Assigned Patients And Rn Time To Administer Medications During The Peak-Time Medication Pass, Chase S Eck, Melissa K Knox, Paras D Mehta, Christine Yang, Laura A Petersen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Inpatient nurse staffing affects patient outcomes. Less is known about the mechanism of this relationship and how lower overall staffing in a unit affects individual RN activities at the bedside.

Objectives: Estimate the relationship between the number of patients assigned to an RN and time spent on medication administration at the peak-time medication pass (PTM), a common nursing task.

Research design: Estimate the association using multivariable linear regression to adjust for patient severity and staff and unit fixed effects.

Subjects: All 9272 RNs administering medications during the PTM on 243 inpatient units in 113 VHA hospitals in 2019.

Measures: …

Using Medication Pass Analysis To Examine Longitudinal Changes In Va Inpatient Nurse Staffing And Workload Before And Through The Covid-19 Pandemic: 2019-2022, Melissa K Knox, Chase S Eck, Lynette Dorsey, Paras D Mehta, Christine Yang, Laura A Petersen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extended disruption to the health care system. National-level data-driven comparisons of inpatient nurse staffing and workload before and during the pandemic have been limited.

Objectives: Assess the extent to which registered nurse (RN) staffing and workload changed from prepandemic levels in a national integrated health care system.

Research design: Longitudinal descriptive analysis. Medication pass analysis using bar code medication administration data for the peak-time medication pass (PTM) assessing year-over-year changes from 2019 to 2022. To assess significance of year-over-year changes in means we used the Welch 2-sample t test.

Subjects: Staff (N=42,999) administering PTM …

Hypothyroidism Is Associated With Higher Healthcare Utilisation And Higher Need For Blood Transfusion After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty (Tka) In Patients With Osteoarthritis: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis, Sumanth R Chandrupatla, Kranti C Rumalla, Jasvinder A Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To examine the association of hypothyroidism with primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes in adults with primary underlying diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: We identified a prospective cohort of patients in the 2016-2020 national inpatient sample (NIS) that received primary TKA with an underlying diagnosis of OA, identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Common Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) codes in the primary procedure and diagnosis positions, respectively. We performed multivariable-adjusted regression analyses for healthcare utilisation (length of hospital stay, hospital charges and discharge destination) and clinical outcomes (blood transfusion; prosthetic fracture, dislocation or infection; …

Healthcare Transition In Spina Bifida: A National Mixed Method Study, Betsy Hopson, Kathy H Huen, Molly B Richardson, Rhonda G Cady, Jennifer T Queally, Judy Thibadeau, Ellen Fremion

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with spina bifida (SB) face substantial challenges during the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare, including fragmented systems, limited adult provider availability, and gaps in self-management readiness. Despite national guidelines, little is known about how transition practices are implemented across the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) Clinical Care Partner (CCP) network. This study examined clinician perspectives on current practices, barriers, facilitators, and definitions of successful healthcare transition (HCT).

Methods: Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, we first conducted a 47-item survey with clinicians from SBA CCP clinics (n = 20/32; 62.5 % response rate). …

Safety And Efficacy Of Vadadustat Versus Darbepoetin Alfa For Chronic Kidney Disease-Related Anemia In Patients Receiving Dialysis By Baseline Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Dose, Alan Jardine, Steven K Burke, Wenli Luo, Todd Minga, Mark J Sarnak, Wolfgang C Winkelmayer, Rajiv Agarwal, Glenn M Chertow, Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Mark J Koury

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and iron supplementation are standard treatments for chronic kidney disease (CKD)-related anemia. Targeting higher hemoglobin values in CKD increases cardiovascular risk. Whether the increased risk is from higher ESA doses or higher hemoglobin levels is uncertain, but alternative therapies are sought for patients requiring high ESA doses. Phase 3 INNO2VATE trials in patients with dialysis-dependent CKD (DD-CKD) demonstrated vadadustat's noninferiority compared with darbepoetin alfa. To determine vadadustat's potential to treat anemia, including in patients requiring high ESA doses, its safety and efficacy were compared with those of darbepoetin alfa across prespecified baseline ESA dose subgroups in …

Ptpn1 Regulation Via Ybx1-Ptbp1 Interaction Promotes Fibroblast Activation And Fibrotic Remodeling In The Lung, Huibing Liu, Cong Xia, Yingying Zhang, Yulong Gan, Lianhui Cheng, Xuqian Wang, Airu Chang, Wenyu Zhao, Bin Li, Yaxuan Wang, Yajun Li, Ivan Rosas, Juntang Yang, Guoying Yu, Lan Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial pneumonia of unknown etiology. Its pathogenesis involves complex multicellular interactions and signaling pathways, with fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT) being critical for fibrogenesis. Although the transcription factor Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) regulates processes such as cell proliferation, transcription, translation, and DNA repair, its role in IPF remains undefined. Here, we demonstrate that YBX1 overexpression significantly promotes transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced pulmonary FMT, leading to substantially increased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in primary human (PHLFs) and mouse (PMLFs) lung fibroblasts. Conversely, YBX1 inhibition markedly suppresses TGF-β1-driven aberrant fibroblast migration and activation. Mechanistically, YBX1 …

Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices: A Contemporary Review Of Techniques, Tips And Tricks, Kamran Namjouyan, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Affan Rizwan, Muzamil Khawaja, Mahboob Alam, Markus Strauss, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects approximately 3%-5% of adults and is projected to double in prevalence by 2060, significantly increasing the burden of thromboembolic stroke. This risk is largely attributed to thrombus formation within the left atrial appendage (LAA), particularly in nonvalvular AF, where the LAA's trabeculated anatomy, diverse morphologies (e.g., chicken wing, windsock, cactus, cauliflower), and impaired contractility allows for blood stasis and thrombogenesis. As a result, the LAA has become a focus for stroke prevention strategies. This review demonstrates current evidence on LAA closure by discussing patient selection, anatomical feasibility, procedural workflow, imaging guidance (transesophageal echocardiography vs. intracardiac echocardiography), …

The ‘Obesity Paradox’ In Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation. A Specialized Narrative Review, Johao Escobar, Iqra Riaz, Muzamil Khawaja, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Joshua Hahn, Fu''Ad Al-Azzam, Zhen Wang, Mahboob Alam, Markus Strauss, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Obesity has long been identified as a noteworthy risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including aortic stenosis. Nevertheless, an unexplained phenomenon known as the obesity paradox has arisen in the context of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), inquiring conventional beliefs. The obesity paradox refers to better clinical outcomes observed in obese individuals undergoing TAVI. These include reduced all-cause mortality, lower rates of procedural complications, and improved long-term survival rates compared to their lean counterparts. Several theories have been proposed to explain the obesity paradox in TAVI. One of the most popular is the adipose tissue-mediated cardioprotective effect hypothesis. It is known …

Duration Of Antimicrobial Therapy In Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Associated Systemic Infections: A Retrospective Analysis, Emily Y Xiao, Patrick T Lynch, Sarwat Khalil, Derrick A Draeger, Alexandra M Lewis, Faiz M Baqai, Mihail G Chelu, M Rizwan Sohail

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: While the need for complete device removal is well-established for cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections, there is insufficient evidence on the optimal duration of antimicrobial therapy.

Objectives: To examine how antimicrobial duration affects clinical outcomes of patients presenting with CIED-associated bacteremia and lead endocarditis.

Design: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at a quaternary care hospital in Houston, TX, USA.

Methods: Patients who underwent device removal for a primary indication of bacteremia or lead endocarditis over a 10-year period were stratified by prescribed duration of antibiotics as ⩽2 weeks or >2 weeks post-extraction. Measured outcomes included all-cause …

Midterm Outcomes Of The Self-Expanding Navitor Transcatheter Heart Valve: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis., Sahar Samimi, Chloe Kharsa, Mangesh Kritya, Joe Aoun, Syed Zaid, Nadeen N Faza, Stephen H Little, Neal S Kleiman, Michael J Reardon, Sachin S Goel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

• A 19-study meta-analysis (7743 patients) found high Navitor technical/device success.
• ≥Moderate PVL was low: 1.3% at 30 days and 0.6% at 1 year.
• Pacemaker implantation was 16.7% at 30 days and 20.4% at 1 year.
• Thirty-day outcomes were favorable: all-cause mortality 1.5% and stroke 1.7%.

Editorial: New Insights On Vascular And Metabolic Diabetic Complications, Hua Mao, John D Imig, Ricardo Espinosa-Tanguma

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Comparing Rotational Thromboelastometry And Standard Coagulation Assays For Predicting Intraoperative Bleeding In Pediatric Liver Transplantation, Kirby Deshotels, Trung Nguyen, Jun Teruya, Muhammed Umair M Mian, Kelby Fuller, Sanjiv Harpavat, Anna Banc-Husu, Amir Navaei, John Goss, Moreshwar Desai, Arun Saini

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Utility of preoperative rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) over standard coagulation assays (SCAs) in predicting intraoperative bleeding during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in children with liver failure (LF) remains unclear.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort of pediatric OLT recipients, we compared the predictive values of preoperative ROTEM parameters (intrinsic pathway (INTEM) maximum clot firmness (MCF), extrinsic pathway (EXTEM) clotting time (CT), INTEM CT, and fibrinogen-based (FIBTEM) MCF) and the corresponding SCAs (platelet count, international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and fibrinogen level, respectively) for significant intraoperative bleeding (blood loss of > 22 mL/kg; i.e., ≥ 85th percentile for …

Definitions Of Arginine Availability: A Critical Metabolic Marker Of Physiological Processes, Mustafa Tosur, Farook Jahoor, Ashok Balasubramanyam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Modulation Of Corneal Sensory Processing And Pain Responses By Dry Eye And Corneal Wounding, Ebru Yaman, Yangluowa Qu, Kaylin C Arpaia, Fairouz Elsaeidi, Uma Lakshmi Balakrishnan, Lance He, Henry Skrehot, Jehan Alam, Rui Chen, Mary Ann Stepp, Cintia S De Paiva, Stephen C Pflugfelder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disorder of the ocular surface in which tear film instability, epithelial barrier disruption, and neurosensory dysfunction contribute to symptom generation. Although several contributing factors have been identified, how different forms of ocular surface stress affect sensory pathways and behavioral responses remains unclear.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate corneal barrier function, sensory responses, and pain-related behaviors across acute and chronic dry eye and corneal injury models, and to assess stimulus-specific responses associated with TRPV1 and TRPM8 mediated pathways.

Methods: Female C57BL/6 J wild type and Mmp9KO mice were evaluated in acute desiccating …

Strategies And Challenges For The Recruitment Of Young Healthy Participants In The Dietary Approaches To Longevity And Health (Dial Health) Pilot Trial, Hannah E Cabre, Courtney M Peterson, Gareth R Dutton, Kimberly L Drews, Stephanie T Broyles, Robert Dubin, Laura Q Rogers, Catherine Champagne, Dennis T Villareal, Daniel S Hsia, Leanne M Redman, Corby K Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Understanding the impact of nutrition on human aging requires long-term trials in young, healthy, unmedicated adults. As part of the Dietary Approaches for Longevity and Health (DiAL Health) pilot project, we evaluated strategies for recruiting this population for aging-related dietary intervention studies.

Methods: We analyzed recruitment costs to enroll 70 participants (ages 25-49, BMI 22.0-29.9 kg/m2) across two DiAL Health sites and used NHANES data (2017-March 2020) to estimate the proportion of U.S. adults meeting partial trial eligibility. Additionally, a formative study surveyed 492 U.S. adults (≥18 years) to assess interest in aging-focused dietary trials.

Results: Of 2049 applicants …

Differences In Gene Expression May Contribute To The Racial Differences In The Risk Of Masld, Ivan P Gorlov, Olga Y Gorlova, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), exhibits marked racial disparities in incidence, progression, and clinical outcomes. While diet, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors have been shown to influence these disparities, biological mechanisms underlying racial differences in MASLD risk remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that race-associated variation in hepatic gene expression may contribute to differential susceptibility and progression of MASLD. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed publicly available gene expression data from liver biopsies obtained from over 300 Black and White individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. Gene expression profiles were compared across four histological stages: …

Interdisciplinary Swiss Consensus Recommendations For Follow-Up After Radical Cystectomy And Trimodal Treatment For Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer, Ernest Kaufmann, Stefanie Aeppli, Andres Affentranger, Nicolas Arnold, Winfried Arnold, Fabian Aschwanden, Panagiotis Balermpas, Jörg Beyer, Uwe Bieri, Joost Boormanns, Richard Cathomas, Berardino De Bari, Marco Dressler, Daniel S Engeler, Andreas Erdmann, Andrea Gallina, Silvia Gomez, Matthias Guckenberger, Thomas Herrmann, Thomas Hermanns, Ilaria Lucca, Hubert John, Thomas Matthias Kessler, Jan Klein, Mohamed Laouiti, David Lauffer, Seth Paul Lerner, Agostino Mattei, Michael Müntener, Daniel Nguyen, Philipp Niederberger, Alexandros Papachristofilou, Lukas Prause, Paul Martin Putora, Karsten Reinhardt, Emanuela Salati, Philippe Sèbe, Mohamed Shelan, Silvan Sigg, Räto Thomas Strebel, Arnoud Jan Templeton, Ursula Vogl, Marian Severin Wettstein, Stephen Wyler, Deborah Zihler, Thomas Zilli, Daniel Zwahlen, Beat Roth, Christian Daniel Fankhauser

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Radical cystectomy or trimodal therapy are treatment options for non-metastatic bladder cancer. However, there is limited evidence guiding post-treatment follow-up regimens, resulting in variations in care.

Objective: A Swiss consensus meeting aimed to identify gaps in follow-up strategies and subsequently tailoring follow-up protocols after curative treatment for bladder cancer.

Methods: A consensus meeting including participants from urology, oncology, radiation oncology, neuro-urology, international advisors, and patient representatives was held. 19 pre-formulated questions addressing follow-up duration, frequency, and modalities after radical cystectomy or trimodal therapy for bladder cancer were discussed and voted by participants.

Results: 42 experts from 22 institutions participated …

The All Of Us Evenings With Genetics Research Program, Stacy M Lloyd, Jasmine Baker, Carolina Jorgez, Julie Coleman, Laterrica Williams, April Adams, Ashley Butler, Elizabeth Atkinson, Shamika Ketkar, Steven Scherer, Kim Worley, Susan Fernbach, Keasia Daniels, Latanya Hammonds-Odie, Laura Rosales, Brendan Lee, Debra Murray

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The All of Us Evenings with Genetics (All of Us EwG) Research Program, funded in part by the National Institute of Health’s All of Us Research Program, engages researchers to utilize the All of Us Researcher Workbench to advance precision medicine. The All of Us EwG program has two core aims: (1) address barriers to research productivity for minorities, disadvantaged, and persons with disabilities aspiring to enter STEM fields; and (2) promote the use of the All of Us Researcher Workbench to develop research focused on health equity. To achieve these goals, the program implements three key activities: (1) …

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies And Validates Genetic Variation In The Rig-I/Mavs Signaling Pathway Associated With Hiv-Related Kaposi Sarcoma In Children And Adults, Casey L Mcatee, Erin Peckham-Gregory, Pagna Sok, Melissa Richard, Luis Olivares, Deborah Marquez-Do, Grace Kisitu, Jeffrey Martin, Nader Kim El-Mallawany, Carl E Allen, Joseph Lubega, Michael E Scheurer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Immune deficiency and infection with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) are established component causes of Kaposi sarcoma (KS), but they are insufficient to cause disease in most people at risk. Therefore, we hypothesized that genetic variation may contribute to KS risk in children and adults, as well as contribute to its unique epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: To test this hypothesis, we conducted a two-phase genome-wide association study (GWAS): a discovery study in perinatally HIV-infected children (45 KS cases, 91 controls), followed by validation of significant results in a sample of adults living with HIV (215 cases, 262 controls). After standard …

Epigenetic Crosstalk In Neuroblastoma Development And Progression, Nathan Drolet, Amber Wolf, Joanna Yi, Eveline Barbieri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neuroblastoma (NB), a pediatric malignancy of the peripheral nervous system, accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths and remains a major challenge for cancer therapy. NB originates from sympathoadrenal (SA) progenitors of the neural crest (NC) cell lineage, whose formation and differentiation are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms. Although signaling pathways and epigenetic factors implicated in NB tumorigenesis have been well-described, a holistic understanding of how development and epigenetics overlap to drive NB is lacking. By exploring vital interplays and co-dependencies between key pathways and their epigenetic control in NC development, we have gained novel insights into the mechanisms governing NB …

Case Report: Primed Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy For Multiple Solid Tumors, Jeffrey Jones, Aly Alrabaa, William Decker, Luis Ferbeyre, Gregorio Viramontes, Rafael Gonzalez, Elideth Angulo, Antonio Zamudio, Raul Hernandez, Stephen Noga, Susana Hernandez-Reyes, Paul Zhang, Darryl Smith, Ara Karamanian, Luis Tamara, Dalton Greenwood, Matthew Halpert

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Many patients with advanced solid tumors ultimately develop resistance to conventional therapies, with especially limited options for those experiencing rapid progression or poor performance status, highlighting the need for personalized immunotherapies capable of inducing durable responses. In this retrospective case series, we describe the clinical course and outcomes of five adults (4 male, 1 female; median age 51 years [range, 39-62]) with metastatic solid tumors who achieved complete and durable remission following doubly loaded autologous dendritic cell therapy after failure of standard treatments, such as immune checkpoint inhibition, radiation, surgery, or endocrine therapy. Five patients, including prostate adenocarcinoma (n=1), malignant …

Metabolites Produced By Agat+ Cells Support Regeneration In The Planarian Schmidtea Mediterranea, Aubrey M Kent, Carlos Guerrero-Hernández, Carolyn Brewster, Sean Mckinney, Jason A Morrison, Mary C Mckinney, Eric J Ross, Frederick G Mann, Blair W Benham-Pyle, Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Planarians exhibit extraordinary regenerative abilities driven by pluripotent neoblasts, yet the roles of post-mitotic progenitor and differentiated cells in this process remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigate the function of agat+ cells, epidermal progenitors expressing members of the arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (agat) gene family, in the regeneration of Schmidtea mediterranea. Comprehensive analysis of all five planarian agat paralogs revealed that agat-1, -2, -3, and -4 are co-expressed in subepidermal populations enriched at wound sites, while agat-5 is minimally expressed. RNAi-mediated knockdown of agat-1 and agat-2 resulted in severe defects: agat-1 primarily disrupted tissue homeostasis, …

Inheriting Chromosome Conformation, Kyle P Eagen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Esr1 Fusions In Breast Cancer: Functions, Mechanisms And Therapeutic Opportunities, Xuxu Gou, Zoya Farooqui, Charles E Foulds

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Approximately 70% of all breast cancers are driven by estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) that binds the predominant circulating female estrogen, 17ꞵ-estradiol (E2). Because of this, drugs collectively termed “endocrine therapy (ET)” that either suppress E2 level or inhibit the activity of ERα have been used as first-line therapy. While initially effective, resistance to ET drugs occurs with subsequent lethal metastasis. The most common genetic alterations are point mutations in the ESR1 gene within the last exon encoding the ligand-binding domain (LBD), resulting in constitutively active ERα proteins. Recently, new oral selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) that effectively target these point mutants …

Tau In Alzheimer’S Disease: Shaping The Future Patient Journey, Catherine J Mummery, Christopher Chen Li-Hsian, Cristian A Lasagna-Reeves, Rik Ossenkoppele, Christopher C Rowe, Douglas W Scharre, Huali Wang, Simon Kyaga, Jeffrey L Cummings

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Alzheimer's disease is a complex and multifactorial disease characterized by two key pathological hallmarks: amyloid-beta plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles. Recent progress has led to the development and approval of disease-targeted therapies for Alzheimer's disease in the form of anti-amyloid-beta monoclonal antibodies. However, findings suggest that amelioration of multiple pathological drivers may be required to maximize clinical effect. An increasing body of evidence suggests that tau is a critical player in Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology, contributing significantly to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. There are now several tau-targeting drugs in clinical development. In this review, we build on research and advancements in …

Cerebellar Deep Brain Stimulation Rescues Purkinje Cell Mitochondrial Density In A Genetic Mouse Model Of Cerebellar Ataxia, Lauren N Miterko-Myers, Lauren E Peacoe, Lita Duraine, Zhongyuan Zuo, Roy V Sillitoe

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) improves motor function in a growing list of movement diseases including Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and tremor. There is evidence that DBS may also be effective in ataxia. It is not known why DBS is effective, but modulating cell activity and conferring neuroprotection are hypothesized to underlie its benefits. Understanding the effects of DBS on neurons is paramount to extending its clinical use in the treatment of various motor and non-motor diseases. Here, we stimulated the cerebellum of Car8 waddles (Car8wdl) mice, given the cerebellum's important role in ataxia pathophysiology. Using transmission electron microscopy, we tested the …

Multi-Omics To Study Chronic Respiratory Diseases And Viral Infections, Sobia Idrees, Hao Chen, Tayyaba Sadaf, Saima Firdous Rehman, Matt D Johansen, Keshav Raj Paudel, Gang Liu, Yuting Wang, Malte D Luecken, Elinor Hortle, Ashleigh S Philp, Kurtis F Budden, Matthew O'Rourke, Gerard E Kaiko, Sionne E M Lucas, Joanne L Dickinson, Peter C Allen, Joseph E Powell, Lai-Ying Zhang, Daniel C Chambers, Tamera Corte, Gaetano Caramori, Maor Sauler, Peter A Wark, Janine Gote-Schniering, Mareike Lehmann, Thomas M Conlon, Theodore S Kapellos, Ali Önder Yildirim, Rosa Faner, Shyamali C Dharmage, Craig E Wheelock, Maarten Van Den Berge, Martijn C Nawijn, Francesca Polverino, Gabrielle T Belz, Sanjay H Chotirmall, Leopoldo N Segal, Alen Faiz, Philip M Hansbro

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Integrating omics layers reveals complex biological systems, unveiling vital insights into chronic respiratory diseases and COVID-19. This holistic approach is crucial for developing more effective treatments and understanding intricate relationships. https://bit.ly/3VKFzJH

Surface Marker Identification To Capture Live Circulating Tumor Cells In Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Bree M Lege, Khushali J Patel, Brendan Panici, Ping Gong, Michael T Lewis, Matthew J Ellis, Chonghui Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly aggressive and lacks targeted therapies. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are invaluable for monitoring metastatic tumor progression and treatment response but are difficult to capture because of their rarity and heterogeneity. Surface-based staining for live CTCs is essential to preserve RNA quality in single cells, but current markers tend to perform poorly on more mesenchymal tumor cells such as TNBCs. To enhance live TNBC CTC detection, we developed a workflow for live CTC capture and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Using a mouse model of metastatic TNBC, we identified four new CTC surface markers, AHNAK2, …

Investigating Food-Related Behaviors In Smith-Magenis Syndrome: Tailoring A Questionnaire For A Rare Disease, Citrine Elatrash, Theresa A Wilson, Alexis C Wood, Sarah H Elsea, Stephanie Sisley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Accurate measurement is essential for tracking changes in clinical outcomes. Individuals with Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) exhibit challenging and unique food-related behaviors. We sought to determine the best tool to capture their unique food-related behaviors.

Methods: We conducted focus groups with caregivers of individuals with SMS to evaluate two commonly used questionnaires for food-related behaviors- the Food Related Problems Questionnaire (FRPQ) and the Hyperphagia Questionnaire for Clinical Trials (HQ-CT). Based on caregiver input and clinical expertise, we adapted these existing measures into a new tool: the SMS-FRPQ. We then validated this instrument for internal consistency and concurrent validity using online …