Digital Commons Network^™

Nf2 Loss-Of-Function And Hypoxia Drive Radiation Resistance In Grade 2 Meningiomas, Bhuvic Patel, Sangami Pugazenthi, Shree S Pari, Tatenda Mahlokozera, William A Leidig, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Alicia Yang, Kaleigh Roberts, Patrick Desouza, Kyle P Mcgeehan, Diane D Mao, Namita Sinha, Joseph E Ippolito, Sonika Dahiya, Hiroko Yano, Albert H Kim, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: World Health Organization Grade 2 meningiomas (G2Ms) often recur and resist therapies. Grade 2 meningiomas with histopathological necrosis have been associated with worse local control (LC) after radiation therapy, but the drivers and biomarkers of radiation resistance in G2Ms remain unknown.

METHODS: We performed genetic sequencing and histopathological analysis of 113 G2Ms and investigated the role of genetic and microenvironmental factors on clonogenic survival after ionizing radiation. We performed transcriptional profiling of our in vitro model and 18 human G2M tumors by bulk RNA sequencing as well as 8 G2Ms by single nuclei RNA sequencing.

RESULTS: NF2 loss-of-function (LOF) …

Age-Related Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Senescence Is Associated With Progression From Mgus To Multiple Myeloma, Natalya Plakhova, Sheila A Stewart, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The risk of progression of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to multiple myeloma (MM) increases with advancing age, suggesting that progression may be influenced by age-related changes within the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. We hypothesise that senescent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which accumulate in the BM with age, may contribute to MGUS progression to MM. Here, we show that, like BM MSCs from aged non-cancer controls, BM MSCs from both MM and MGUS patients exhibit a senescent phenotype characterised by enlarged, flattened morphology, increased β-galactosidase activity and CDKN2A expression, and decreased proliferation rate compared with BM MSCs from healthy …

Assessing Neurocognitive Maturation In Early Adolescence Based On Baby And Adult Functional Brain Landscapes, Omid Kardan, Muriah D Wheelock, Jiaxin Cindy Tu, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Adolescence is a period of growth in cognitive performance and functioning. Recently, data-driven measures of brain-age gap, which can index cognitive decline in older populations, have been utilized in adolescent data with mixed findings. Instead of using a data-driven approach, here we assess the maturation status of the brain functional landscape in early adolescence by directly comparing an individual's resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) to the canonical early-life and adulthood communities. Specifically, we hypothesized that the degree to which a youth's connectome is better captured by adult networks compared to infant/toddler networks is predictive of their cognitive development. To test this …

A Subset Of Cortical Areas Exhibit Adult-Like Functional Network Patterns In Early Childhood, Jiaxin Cindy Tu, Xintian Wang, Donna Dierker, Chloe M. Sobolewski, Evan M Gordon, Timothy O Laumann, Adam T Eggebrecht, Muriah D. Wheelock, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The human cerebral cortex contains groups of areas that support sensory, motor, cognitive, and affective functions, often categorized into functional networks. These networks show stronger internal and weaker external functional connectivity (FC), with FC profiles more similar within the same network. Previous studies have shown these networks develop from nascent forms before birth to their mature, adult-like structures in childhood. However, these analyses often rely on adult functional network definitions. This study assesses the potential misidentification of infant functional networks when using adult models and explores the consequences and possible solutions to this problem. Our findings suggest that although adult …

The Medial Antebrachial Cutaneous Nerve Is A Low-Morbidity Alternative To The Standard Sural Nerve Autograft, Stahs Pripotnev, Sai L Pinni, Suzanne Zhou, Gary Skolnick, Susan E Mackinnon

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Nerve interposition grafting is an important technique in nerve reconstructive surgery that is used when a primary repair is not feasible without significant tension. This study sought to evaluate the long-term morbidity of the medial antebrachial cutaneous (MABC) nerve as an alternative donor nerve in comparison with sural nerve harvest.

METHODS: A single surgeon and institution retrospective chart review was performed to identify all patients who underwent nerve autografting using the sural and MABC as donor nerves between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2019. Surveys assessed overall patient satisfaction with surgery, as well as donor and recipient site …

Large-Scale Network Analysis Of The Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteome Identifies Molecular Signatures Of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration, Rowan Saloner, Nupur Ghoshal, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The pathophysiological mechanisms driving disease progression of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and corresponding biomarkers are not fully understood. Here we leveraged aptamer-based proteomics (>4,000 proteins) to identify dysregulated communities of co-expressed cerebrospinal fluid proteins in 116 adults carrying autosomal dominant FTLD mutations (C9orf72, GRN and MAPT) compared with 39 non-carrier controls. Network analysis identified 31 protein co-expression modules. Proteomic signatures of genetic FTLD clinical severity included increased abundance of RNA splicing (particularly in C9orf72 and GRN) and extracellular matrix (particularly in MAPT) modules, as well as decreased abundance of synaptic/neuronal and autophagy modules. The generalizability of genetic FTLD proteomic …

Protein Biomarkers Of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities In Relatives Of Patients With Pulmonary Fibrosis, Jonathan A Rose, Mark P Steele, Esteban J Kosak Lopez, Gisli Thor Axelsson, Andrea G Galecio Chao, Alan Waich, Katie Regan, Swati Gulati, Anthony H Maeda, Sharmin Sultana, Claire Cutting, Ann-Marcia C Tukpah, Andrew J Synn, Mary B Rice, Hilary J Goldberg, Joyce S Lee, David A Lynch, Rachel K Putman, Hiroto Hatabu, Benjamin A Raby, David A Schwartz, Ivan O Rosas, Gary M Hunninghake

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale: First-degree relatives of patients with pulmonary fibrosis (referred to here as relatives) are at high risk for interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA), highlighting the need for biomarkers for risk prediction. We aimed to identify blood proteins associated with and predictive of ILA among relatives of patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods: Relatives enrolled in two independent cohorts had protein levels measured using an aptamer-based proteomic platform. ILA were assessed with computed tomography scans as per Fleischner Society recommendations. Protein associations with ILA were assessed using regression. Significant proteins were used with clinical variables to detect ILA.

Results: Of 237 relatives from …

Stress, Employment Changes, And Psychological Distress Among Caregivers Of Patients With Head And Neck Cancer, Lama Abdurrahman, Vlad C Sandulache, Cielito Reyes-Gibby, Erich M Sturgis, Pavan Jhaveri, Hoda Badr

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Patients undergoing external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) often experience adverse effects that require substantial caregiving. The burdens of caregiving can impact caregiver employment and mental health over time, yet this topic remains underexplored.

Objective: To examine the associations between caregiving for patients with HNC who undergo EBRT and caregiver stress, employment status, and psychological distress.

Design, setting, and participants: This was a secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal survey study that surveyed caregivers at baseline (ie, at initiation of EBRT) and at 4-month and 12-month follow-ups. The study was conducted at 2 …

Clinical Trial Readiness In Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R1 (Lgmdr1): A Grasp Consortium Study, Stephanie M Hunn, Amanda Clause, Conrad C Weihl, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Identifying functional measures that are both valid and reliable in the limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) population is critical for quantifying the level of functional impairment related to disease progression in order to establish clinical trial readiness in the context of anticipated therapeutic trials.

METHODS: Through the Genetic Resolution and Assessments Solving Phenotypes in LGMD (GRASP-LGMD) Consortium, 42 subjects with LGMDR1 were enrolled in a 12-month natural history study across 11 international sites. Each subject completed a battery of clinical outcome assessments (COA), including the North Star Assessment for Limb Girdle-Type Dystrophies (NSAD), 10-m walk/run, and Performance of the …

Icam-1 Autoantibodies Detected In Healthy Individuals And Cross-React With Functional Epitopes., Marc L. Herman, Eric S. Geanes, Rebecca Mclennan, Gage Greening, Heather Mwitanti, Todd Bradley

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is a cell surface glycoprotein that regulates cell-cell interactions, signaling, and immune processes. ICAM-1 expression has been shown to be elevated in many types of infections and inflammatory diseases. Strategies to block ICAM-1 function, including monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibodies, have been successful in treating the effects of chronic respiratory, autoimmune, and cardiovascular diseases. Naturally occurring autoantibodies targeting cytokines, endothelial cells, and other host receptors have been identified, and have been found to play a role in immunoregulation in health and disease. In this study, we determined the presence and levels of ICAM-1 autoantibodies across different age …

Colorectal Cancer And The Risk Of Mortality Among Individuals With Suicidal Ideation, Srikanta Banerjee, Jagdish Khubchandani, Stanley Nkemjika

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

Suicide is a major public health problem that has grown at alarming rates in the last two decades. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths in the United States in both males and females. However, the influence of suicidal ideation (SI) on the association between CRC and risk of mortality has not been well examined.

METHODS: For this study, the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative survey of United States adults aged 20 years or older, was utilized. CRC survivorship was determined from self-reported data on CRC, and mortality …

Methylation Risk Score Of C-Reactive Protein Associates Sleep Health With Related Health Outcomes, Ziqing Wang, Danielle A Wallace, Brian W Spitzer, Tianyi Huang, Kent D Taylor, Jerome I Rotter, Stephen S Rich, Peter Y Liu, Martha L Daviglus, Lifang Hou, Alberto R Ramos, Sonya Kaur, J Peter Durda, Hector M González, Myriam Fornage, Susan Redline, Carmen R Isasi, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

C-reactive protein (CRP) reflects inflammation status and is linked to poor sleep, metabolic and cardiovascular health. Methylation (MRS) and polygenic risk scores (PRS) reflect long-term systemic inflammation, and genetically-determined CRP, respectively. To refine understanding of inflammation-linked sleep and health outcomes, we construct PRS-CRPs using GWAS summary statistics and a previously-developed MRS-CRP in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Via survey-weighted linear regression, we estimate associations between blood-, PRS-, and MRS-CRP, with multiple sleep and health outcomes (n = 2217). MRS-CRP and PRS-CRPs are associated with increasing blood-CRP level by 43% and 23% per standard deviation. MRS-CRP is associated with …

Steps Toward Clinical Validation Of Exhaled Volatile Organic Compound Biomarkers For Hypoglycemia In Persons With Type 1 Diabetes., Mark Woollam, Paula Angarita-Rivera, Sanskar Thakur, Ali Daneshkhah, Amanda P Siegel, Dana S Hardin, Mangilal Agarwal

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Persons with type 1 diabetes (T1D) must track/control their blood glucose (BG) levels to avoid hypoglycemic events (BG <  70 mg/dL), which in the most severe cases can lead to seizures or even death. Canines may lead the way toward innovative testing solutions, as they can be trained to identify hypoglycemia simply and noninvasively by smelling exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To identify breath-based biomarkers of hypoglycemia, samples were collected during two consecutive summers at a diabetes camp (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2), and VOCs were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Conserved VOCs between the two cohorts were identified, but individual VOCs alone had low accuracies for detection. Therefore, supervised multivariate statistical analysis was undertaken to identify a biosignature in the training data set (Cohort 1) that could detect hypoglycemia with higher accuracy (sensitivity = 94.8%/specificity = 95.0%). When this model was blindly tested on Cohort 2, hypoglycemia was classified with sensitivity = 90.0%/specificity = 89.9%. Ultimately, this study makes strides toward clinical validation through verifying biomarkers of hypoglycemia in hundreds of breath samples. These results may be translated to design a sensor array that could be integrated into a portable breathalyzer to increase glycemic control in persons with T1D.

A Smart Pill Bottle And Text Messaging Intervention For Promoting Medication Adherence In Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: A Pilot Study Of Txt4 Tki, Kuang-Yi Wen, Neil Palmisiano, Rita Smith, Rachel Slamon, Gina Keiffer, Christian Fidler, Margaret Kasner, Lindsay Wilde, Md

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) often face challenges with adherence, despite the efficacy of the treatment. Theory-guided and evidence-informed interventions addressing psychosocial and adherence barriers are critical for promoting adherence. Using a mixed-method approach, the pilot study developed and evaluated the feasibility and potential impact of an intervention "txt4TKI," to support medication and symptom management among CML patients undergoing TKI therapy.

METHODS: Guided by the Necessity and Concerns framework, the study comprised two phases: Phase 1 involved qualitative patient needs assessment interviews informing intervention design. Phase 2 was a single-arm pilot study …

Prevalence, Experience, And Awareness Of Substandard And Falsified Medicines Among The Public And Healthcare Professionals In Jordan., Maysa Falah, Eman Daar, Daniel Zahra, Michael Dillon

Peninsula Medical School

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the awareness, experiences and perspectives on substandard and falsified (SF) medicines among the general public and healthcare professionals in Jordan. SF medicines pose a global public health concern, yet data on their prevalence and associated risks in Jordan remain limited.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2023 using a convergent mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected through structured surveys administered to 209 members of the public and 136 healthcare professionals (pharmacists and clinicians) recruited via convenience sampling across Jordan's 12 governorates. Surveys were conducted in English and Arabic. Qualitative data …

Development And Pilot Testing Of An Addiction Clinic-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake And Adherence Intervention For Women With Substance Use Disorders: Protocol For A Pilot Randomized Trial, Angela M Heads, Diane Santa Maria, Mandy J Hill, Robert Suchting, Kimberly N Evans, Zaneta Gaul, Luba Yammine, Constanza De Dios, Joy M Schmitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Black and Hispanic women in the United States continue to bear disproportionate incidence of HIV related to sexual transmission and injection drug use. Specifically, women with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more likely to engage in vaginal or anal condomless sex associated with HIV transmission. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective HIV prevention tool but is not widely used by racial or ethnic minority women. Effective interventions for engaging women with SUDs in HIV prevention interventions that are culturally appropriate and, therefore, more appealing to racial or ethnic minority women with SUDs are critically needed.

Objective: This 3-phased …

Subcortical Correlates Of Consciousness With Human Single Neuron Recordings, Michael Pereira, Nathan Faivre, Fosco Bernasconi, Nicholas Brandmeir, Jacob E Suffridge, Kaylee Tran, Shuo Wang, Victor Finomore, Peter Konrad, Ali Rezai, Olaf Blanke

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Subcortical brain structures such as the subthalamic nucleus or the thalamus are involved in regulating motor and cognitive behavior. However, their contribution to perceptual consciousness remains unclear, due to the inherent difficulties of recording subcortical neuronal activity in humans. Here, we asked neurological patients undergoing surgery for deep brain stimulation to detect weak vibrotactile stimuli applied on their hand while recording single neuron activity from the tip of a microelectrode. We isolated putative single neurons in the subthalamic nucleus and thalamus. A significant proportion of neurons modulated their activity while participants were expecting a stimulus. We found that the firing …

A Cross-Sectional Study Of The Role Of Epithelial Cell Injury In Kidney Transplant Outcomes, Philip F. Halloran, Tarek Alhamad, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Expression of acute kidney injury-associated (AKI-associated) transcripts in kidney transplants may reflect recent injury and accumulation of epithelial cells in "failed repair" states. We hypothesized that the phenomenon of failed repair could be associated with deterioration and failure in kidney transplants.

METHODS: We defined injury-induced transcriptome states in 4,502 kidney transplant biopsies injury-induced gene sets and classifiers previously developed in transplants.

RESULTS: In principal component analysis (PCA), PC1 correlated with both acute and chronic kidney injury and related inflammation and PC2 with time posttransplant. Positive PC3 was a dimension that correlated with epithelial remodeling pathways and anticorrelated with inflammation. …

Identification Of Surrogate Biomarkers For Mucopolysaccharidosis Type Iva, Yasuhiko Ago, Shaukat Khan, Kimberly Klipner, Allison Bradford, Shunji Tomatsu

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (MPS IVA, Morquio A syndrome) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by skeletal dysplasia due to deficient N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase activity, resulting in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) accumulation. Identifying accurate biomarkers reflecting clinical severity and therapeutic response remains challenging. This study evaluated potential surrogate biomarkers, including N-terminal pro-C-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proCNP), collagen types I and II, mono-sulfated keratan sulfate (KS), di-sulfated KS, and chondroitin-6-sulfate (C6S), in blood and urine samples from 60 patients ranging from 1 to 62 years of age. NT-proCNP levels were significantly elevated in patients of all ages and negatively correlated with growth impairment, especially after 8 …

Conveying The Need For Mental Healthcare – A Qualitative Study Of How Patients Communicate Mental Health Challenges’, Marit Nymoen, Marit Lomeland, Eva Biringer, Mirjam Extedt, Øystein Hetlevik, Rod Sheaff, Olav Thorsen, Miriam Hartveit

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Access to timely mental healthcare relies on patients’ descriptions of their mental health problems. We therefore sought to better understand, from the patients’ perspective, how they communicate their need for specialised mental healthcare to their GPs or mental health specialists and what factors affect communication when patients are referred from their GPs to specialised mental healthcare. Methods: This was an exploratory interview study. Ten adults who started treatment in specialised mental healthcare facilities were interviewed individually. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. A method based on thematic analysis was used to develop patterns and themes within the dataset …

Treatment Of Overactive Katp Channels With Glibenclamide In A Zebrafish Model And A Clinical Trial In Humans With Cantú Syndrome, Lotte Kleinendorst, Sarah E Siegelaar, Helen I Roessler, Lema Meiwand, Malou Van Den Boogaard, Rianne H A C M De Bruin-Bon, Kirsten F Van Duinen, R Nils Planken, Elisabeth H Jaspars, Patrick M J H Kemperman, Berto J Bouma, Colin G Nichols, Marcel W Bekkenk, Gijs W Van Haaften, Mieke M Van Haelst

2020-Current year OA Pubs

This study explores the efficacy of glibenclamide, a K

Evaluation Of Knowledge, Attitudes And Vaccine Hesitancy Towards Mmr Vaccine Among Parents In The United Arab Emirates, Kamel A. Samara, Hiba Jawdat Barqawi, Deema M. Alhayali, Samah Mohamed Kannas, Rim M. Elmorsy, Eman Abu-Gharbieh

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

BACKGROUND: The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly effective, but vaccine hesitancy (VH) is a key barrier to achieving herd immunity. This study aims to assess the general attitudes and knowledge of UAE parents regarding measles and the MMR vaccine while identifying determinants of VH.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was done from 15th April 2024 and 5th June 2024. This study recruited 462 parents residing in the UAE using convenience sampling. Recruitment occurred through various social media platforms including WhatsApp, X, and Instagram, as well as in public by approaching parents in parks and malls. Information collected included …

Effect Of Targeting Apoc-Iii With Plozasiran On Lipoprotein Particle Size And Number In Hypertriglyceridemia, Christie M Ballantyne, Daniel Gaudet, Robert S Rosenson, Robert A Hegele, Rong Zhou, Stacey Melquist, Jennifer Hellawell, Nicholas J Leeper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Plozasiran, an investigational siRNA targeting hepatic apoC-III, reduces triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs). The impact of plozasiran on lipoprotein particle numbers and sizes is unknown. However, reductions in the number of TRL particles (TRL-P) and a shift to possibly less atherogenic large low-density lipoprotein particles (LDL-P) are expected.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the impact of plozasiran on lipoprotein particle concentration and subclass distribution using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in 2 phase 2 studies.

Methods: Patients (N = 403) from SHASTA-2 (severe hypertriglyceridemia) and MUIR (mixed hyperlipidemia) were administered 2 total subcutaneous doses of plozasiran (10, 25, or 50 mg) …

Neoadjuvant With Low-Dose Radiotherapy, Tislelizumab, Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel, And Cisplatin For Resectable Locally Advanced Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Phase Ii Single-Arm Trial, Zhigang Liu, Dong Wang, Guanjun Li, Muhua Yi, Zhaoyuan Zhang, Guihua Zhong, Liangfu Xu, Rong Jiang, Yannan Zheng, Linxuan Huang, Yingpeng Peng, Lizhong Liang, Jianpeng Li, Ye Liu, Jun Lai, Xianjuan Lv, Yongqiang Xu, Qiaodan Liu, Zhiqiang Wang, Zhutian Liu, Qinan Yang, Li Nie, Jiao Lei, Xiaotao Huang, Zhijie Liu, Wen Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although pathological complete response (pCR) and major pathological response (MPR) rates of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) trials remain suboptimal, emerging evidence highlights the synergistic potential of combining low-dose radiotherapy with immunotherapy to promote the efficacy of immunotherapy. This phase II, open-label, single-arm, multicenter trial (NCT05343325) enrolled 28 patients with untreated stage III-IVB HNSCC (NeoRTPC02). Patients received neoadjuvant low-dose radiotherapy, the programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor tislelizumab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and cisplatin for two cycles, followed by radical resection ~4 weeks after treatment completion. The primary endpoint, pCR rate, was achieved in 14 of …

Tacrolimus Dosing In Liver Transplant Recipients Using Phenotypic Personalized Medicine: A Phase 2 Randomized Clinical Trial, Jeffrey Khong, Megan Lee, Curtis Warren, Un Kim, Sergio Duarte, Kenneth Andreoni, Sunaina Shrestha, Mark Johnson, Narendra Battula, Danielle Mckimmy, Thiago Beduschi, Ji-Hyun Lee, Derek Li, Chih-Ming Ho, Ali Zarrinpar

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Tacrolimus is the most commonly used immunosuppression drug after solid organ transplantation; however, its dosing is challenging due to substantial inter-individual variability, often resulting in blood levels that deviate from the target therapeutic range. We explored whether a dynamically customized, phenotypic-outcome-guided drug dosing method could improve maintenance of drug trough levels within pre-determined target ranges, focusing on tacrolimus immediately after liver transplantation. This single-center, partially blinded, completed clinical trial involved 62 adults undergoing liver transplantation, block randomized into parallel groups: standard-of-care (SOC) clinician-determined or Phenotypic Personalized Medicine (PPM)-guided tacrolimus dosing. The primary outcome was percentage of post-transplant days with large …

Identifying Distinct Subgroups With Severe Pain In Sickle Cell Disease: A Cluster Analysis Of The Grndad Multi-Center Registry, Martha O. Kenney, Samuel Wilson, Morgan Rosser, Sophie Lanzkron, Julie Kanter, Susan Padrino, Payal Desai, Deepa Manwani, Alice Cohen, Stephanie Guarino, Ward Hagar, Joshua Field, Jane Little

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects millions of individuals worldwide, and is characterized by both acute, episodic pain and chronic, persistent pain. Despite the significant burden of the disease, clinicians continue to face significant challenges in treating SCD pain due to variability in pain experiences. The objectives of this study were (1) to identify distinct pain subgroups based on demographic and biopsychosocial characteristics and (2) to evaluate the relationship between the subgroups and pain impact - a SCD-disease specific measure of pain interference. To achieve these objectives, we performed a hierarchical cluster analysis on a cross-sectional sample of adults with SCD …

Emerging Adult Gamers: Nutritional Insights On Dietary Intake, Physical Well-Being, And Occupational Performance, Justine Dualan Tuason

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study aimed to gather insights from Emerging Adult (EA) gamers (between 18 and 24) regarding their nutritional literacy, dietary patterns, and its potential impacts on their occupational performance and physical well-being. There is a need to gather gamers' perspectives to identify the specific facilitators and barriers regarding their ability to discern appropriate dietary choices, as it provides more information regarding preventative and client-centered measures for future healthcare professionals. Occupational Therapists (OTs) are uniquely equipped to address this population's needs, as the profession's holistic principles allow for a well-rounded and sustainable approach. Additionally, growing emphasis is placed on preventative rather …

Development And Validation Of A Clinical Risk Model For Postoperative Outcome In Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma: A Report Of The Rano Resect Group, Philipp Karschnia, Jacob S Young, Gilbert C Youssef, Antonio Dono, Levin Häni, Tommaso Sciortino, Francesco Bruno, Stephanie T Juenger, Nico Teske, Jorg Dietrich, Michael Weller, Michael A Vogelbaum, Martin Van Den Bent, Juergen Beck, Niklas Thon, Jasper K W Gerritsen, Shawn Hervey-Jumper, Daniel P Cahill, Susan M Chang, Roberta Rudà, Lorenzo Bello, Oliver Schnell, Yoshua Esquenazi, Maximilian I Ruge, Stefan J Grau, Raymond Y Huang, Patrick Y Wen, Mitchel S Berger, Annette M Molinaro, Joerg-Christian Tonn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Following surgery, patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma frequently enter clinical trials. Nuanced risk assessment is warranted to reduce imbalances between study arms. Here, we aimed (I) to analyze the interactive effects of residual tumor with clinical and molecular factors on outcome and (II) to define a postoperative risk assessment tool.

Methods: The response assessment in neuro-oncology (RANO) resect group retrospectively compiled an international, seven-center training cohort of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The combined associations of residual tumor with molecular or clinical factors and survival were analyzed, and recursive partitioning analysis was performed for risk modeling. The resulting model …

Long-Term Efficacy Of Pembrolizumab And The Clinical Utility Of Ctdna In Locally Advanced Dmmr/Msi-H Solid Tumors, Michael Lapelusa, Wei Qiao, Bryan Iorgulescu, Francis San Lucas, Keyur Patel, Deepak Bhamidipati, Jane Varkey Thomas, Nancy You, Wai Chin Foo, Dipen Maru, Selvi Thirumurthi, Van Morris, Scott Kopetz, Michael Overman, Kaysia Ludford

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy can induce pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients with localized deficient mismatch repair (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors. The long-term outcomes of these patients are unknown, as is the clinical utility of measuring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Follow-up was evaluated in patients enrolled in a phase II trial (NCT04082572) that evaluated the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in patients with localized dMMR/MSI-H tumors. The primary outcomes of this trial have previously been reported. 3-year EFS and OS rates were 80% (95% CI: 66% - 93%) and 94% (95% CI: 86% - 100%). Patients without detectable ctDNA after pembrolizumab had …

Functional Brain Connectivity Of The Salience Network In Alcohol Use And Anxiety Disorders, Dhruv M Patel, Guillermo F Poblete, Alexandra Castellanos, Ramiro Salas

Staff and Researcher Publications

The interplay between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and anxiety disorders (ANX) is well-documented, yet the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain elusive. This study aims to elucidate these mechanisms by examining the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) within the salience network and to the amygdala, both implicated in alcohol and anxiety disorders. We analyzed data from 264 inpatient participants culled from a wider group of 518 inpatients at The Menninger Clinic in Houston, TX, categorized into four groups (n = 66 each) based on DSM-IV diagnoses: AUD without ANX (AUD), ANX without AUD (ANX), concurrent AUD and ANX (BOTH), and neither (NEITHER). Our …