Digital Commons Network^™

Structure-Function Coupling In The First Month Of Life: Associations With Age And Attention, Ursula A Tooley, Jeanette K Kenley, M Catalina Camacho, Aidan Latham, Dimitrios Alexopoulos, Ashley N Nielsen, Tara A Smyser, Barbara B Warner, Joshua S Shimony, Jeffrey J Neil, Joan L Luby, Deanna M Barch, Cynthia E Rogers, Christopher D Smyser

2020-Current year OA Pubs

How brain structure relates to function is a critical and open question in neuroscience. Here, we characterize regional variation in structure-function coupling, capturing the degree to which a cortical region's structural connections relate to patterns of coordinated neural activity in healthy, term-born neonates (

Swi/Snf Atpase Silenced Hlf Potentiates Lung Metastasis In Solid Cancers, Jin Zhou, Austin Hepperla, Jeremy M Simon, Kangsan Kim, Qing Hu, Chuanhai Zhang, Lei Dong, Lianxin Hu, Cheng Zhang, Chengheng Liao, Alice Fang, Yayoi Adachi, Haoyong Fu, Tao Wang, Qian Liang, Fangzhou Zhao, Hongyi Liu, Masashi Takeda, Jun Fang, Hua Zhong, Peter Ly, Lu Wang, Payal Kapur, Lin Xu, Liwei Jia, Srinivas Malladi, James Brugarolas, M Celeste Simon, Bo Li, Qing Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Metastasis is the main cause of cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, using clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), a tumor type with frequent lung metastases, we conduct an in vivo genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen and identify HLF as a potent suppressor of lung metastasis. HLF depletion enhances ccRCC cell migration and lung metastasis, whereas HLF overexpression abrogates these effects. In ccRCC patients, HLF expression is reduced at metastatic sites and associates with epigenetic silencing mediated by the SWI/SNF ATPase subunit BRG1. HLF levels negatively correlate with migration potential in collagen. Mechanistically, HLF regulates LPXN expression, modulating the …

Psilocybin's Acute And Persistent Brain Effects: A Precision Imaging Drug Trial, Subha Subramanian, Travis Rick Reneau, Demetrius Perry, Ravi Chacko, Timothy O Laumann, Karin Flavin, Christine Horan, Julie Schweiger, Nicholas Metcalf, Eric J Lenze, Abraham Z Snyder, Nico U F Dosenbach, Ginger Nicol, Joshua S Siegel

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Psilocybin (PSIL) is a psychedelic drug and a promising experimental therapeutic for many psychiatric conditions. Precision functional mapping (PFM) combines densely repeated resting state fMRI sampling and individual-specific network mapping to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and effect size in brain imaging research. We present a randomized cross-over study in which PFM was used to characterize acute and persistent effects of psilocybin or methylphenidate (MTP) on brain networks. Seven healthy volunteers (mean age 34.1 years, SD = 9.8; n = 3 females, n = 6 Caucasians) underwent (1) extensive baseline imaging, (2) imaging beginning 60-90 minutes after drug exposure, and (3) …

Mesenchymal Stem Cells And Fibroblasts Contribute To Microvascular Proliferation In Glioblastoma And Are Correlated With Immunosuppression And Poor Outcome, Candice C Poon, Shelley M Herbrich, Yulong Chen, Anwar Hossain, Gregory N Fuller, Sonali Jindal, Sreyashi Basu, Daniel Ledbetter, Marc Macaluso, Lynnette M Phillips, Joy Gumin, Zhong He, Brittany C Parker Kerrigan, Sanjay K Singh, Pratishtha Singh, Mohammed Fayyad Zaman, Derek Ng Tang, Sangeeta Goswami, Frederick F Lang, Padmanee Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Microvascular proliferation (MVP) is a disease-defining hallmark of glioblastoma and other World Health Organization grade 4 gliomas. MVP also serves as a poor prognostic marker in various solid tumors. Despite its clinical significance, the mechanisms and biological consequences of MVP are controversial and remain unclear. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on paired CD45-CD105+ vascular/perivascular stromal cells (PVSC) and CD45+CD105± immune cells from 16 primary glioma patient samples, both with and without MVP. This analysis revealed the presence of developmentally related mesenchymal stem cells alongside cancer-associated fibroblasts, pericytes, fibromyocytes, and smooth muscle cells within the CD45-CD105+ compartment. RNA …

Linking Dna Methylation In Brain Regions To Alzheimer’S Disease Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Study, Hua Zhong, Jingjing Zhu, Shuai Liu, Dan Zhou, Quan Long, Chong Wu, Bingxin Zhao, Chao Cheng, Yaohua Yang, Qing Wu, Yong Wu, Changwei Li, Zhaoming Wang, Jianyong Wu, Xingyi Guo, Degui Zhi, Youping Deng, Lang Wu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aim: DNA methylation in brain regions represents a potential mechanism linking genetic variation to Alzheimer's disease (ad) risk, yet most studies have focused on blood-derived methylation markers. In this study, we conducted a systematic Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate associations between predicted brain region-specific DNA methylation levels and ad risk, using methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) as genetic instruments.

Methods: We analyzed mQTLs from five human brain regions: cerebellum (CRBLM), frontal cortex (FCTX), causal pons (PONS), and temporal cortex (TCTX) from 600 individuals in Gibbs et al's study, as well as mQTLs from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of 543 …

Prediction Of Methotrexate Neurotoxicity Using Clinical, Sociodemographic, And Area-Based Information In Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Rachel D Harris, Olga A Taylor, Maria Monica Gramatges, Amy E Hughes, Mark Zobeck, Sandi Pruitt, M Brooke Bernhardt, Ashley Chavana, Van Huynh, Kathleen Ludwig, Laura Klesse, Kenneth Heym, Timothy Griffin, Rodrigo Erana, Juan Carlos Bernini, Ashley Choi, Yuu Ohno, Melissa A Richard, Alanna C Morrison, Han Chen, Bing Yu, Philip J Lupo, Karen R Rabin, Michael E Scheurer, Austin L Brown

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Methotrexate is a critical component of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy that can result in neurotoxicity which has been associated with an increased risk of relapse. We leveraged machine learning to develop a neurotoxicity risk prediction model in a diverse cohort of children with ALL.

Methods: We included children (age 2-20 years) diagnosed with ALL (2005-2019) and treated in Texas without pre-existing neurologic disease. Clinical information was obtained by medical record review. Neurotoxicity occurring post-induction and prior to maintenance therapy was defined as neurologic episodes occurring within 21 days of methotrexate. Suspected cases were independently confirmed by 2 …

A Novel Cardiomyopathy Phenotype Linked To A Chd7 Missense Variant, In Young Park, Chih-Wei Hsu, Karim Bouazoune, Christina E Espindola, Madeline Hannah Mclaughlin Armond, Cristian Coarfa, Sandra L Grimm, James F Martin, Donna M Martin, Cheryl Lyn Walker

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Loss of function in the chromatin remodeler CHD7 causes CHARGE syndrome, characterized by variable penetrance and diverse abnormalities. However, establishing genotype-phenotype correlations has been challenging, as most CHD7 inactivating mutations are null alleles. Through CHD7 missense variant analysis at potential phosphorylation sites, we identified T730 (T720 in mice) as a critical residue associated with pathogenesis. Using a CHD7 T730 missense variant (Chd7T720A) and a frameshift null allele (Chd7fs) in a mouse model, we found that Chd7fs/fs mice were non-viable, while Chd7fs/+ mice exhibited haploinsufficiency-related circling behavior. Notably, Chd7fs/T720A mice died before postnatal …

Correlations Within And Between Highly Multiplexed Proteomic Assays Of Human Plasma, Mary R Rooney, Jingsha Chen, Christie M Ballantyne, Ron C Hoogeveen, Eric Boerwinkle, Bing Yu, Keenan A Walker, Pascal Schlosser, Elizabeth Selvin, Nilanjan Chatterjee, David Couper, Morgan E Grams, Josef Coresh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: The number of assays on proteomic platforms has grown rapidly. The leading platforms, SomaScan and Olink, have strengths and limitations. Comparisons of precision on the latest platforms-SomaScan 11k and Olink Explore HT-have not yet been established.

Methods: Among 102 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (mean age 74 years, 53% women, 47% Black), we used split plasma samples to measure platform precision. CV and Spearman correlations were calculated for each assay. Cross-platform agreement was assessed for overlapping proteins.

Results: SomaScan 11k demonstrated a median correlation of 0.85 for the 10 778 assays and a median CV of …

Iron Deficiency Without Anemia And Reduced Basal Ganglia Iron Content In Youths, Dimitri Fiani, Joo-Won Kim, Mianzhi Hu, Ramiro Salas, Sarah Heilbronner, Jacquelyn Powers, Muhammad Haque, Stephanie Dinh, Xiaofan Huang, Darrell Worthy, Sridevi Devaraj, Junqian Xu, Chadi Calarge

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Although brain iron is necessary for neurogenesis, myelination, and neurotransmitter synthesis, iron deficiency (ID) is defined solely based on hematological outcomes.

Objective: To examine the association of ID without anemia with basal ganglia (BG) iron content and its structural and functional sequelae in adolescents.

Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants using the electronic medical record system from a large network of pediatrics clinics between December 2020 and April 2024. Otherwise healthy, unmedicated participants aged 10 to 17 years with a depressive or anxiety disorder or with no psychopathology were consecutively enrolled. Anemia and acute inflammation led …

Longitudinal Outcomes Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Youth Physical Fitness, Andjelka Pavlovic, David Leonard, Timothy J Walker, Derek W Craig, Jizyah Injil, Laura F Defina

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a decline in physical activity levels among youths, which could have a negative impact on their fitness.

Objective: To examine longitudinal changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and musculoskeletal fitness (MSF) among students at schools participating in a school-based physical activity program during fall 2019 through spring 2023.

Design, setting, and participants: This longitudinal cohort study included US schools reporting CRF and MSF data at least once during the pandemic (fall 2020 to fall 2021) and at least 1 additional time before or after. In a subset of schools for which learning modality data was …

A Comprehensive, Multi-Center, Immunogenomic Analysis Of Melanoma Brain Metastases, Lucy Boyce Kennedy, Amanda E D Van Swearingen, Marissa R Lee, Layne W Rogers, Alexander B Sibley, Jeff Sheng, Dadong Zhang, Xiaodi Qin, Eric S Lipp, Swaminathan Kumar, Aron Joon, Pixu Shi, Michael A Davies, Kouros Owzar, Carey K Anders, April K S Salama

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Melanoma brain metastases (MBM) have a unique molecular profile compared to extracranial metastases (ECM). Description of the biological features and clinical outcomes of MBM will facilitate the design of rational therapies.

Methods: We examined the mutational landscape and gene expression profiles of MBM (74 patients) and ECM (34 patients) in paired patient samples from a previously published dataset with whole-exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data from MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). We also present findings from MBM from a new cohort of 14 patients from Duke University to strengthen investigation of somatic mutations and gene expression profiles. …

Estimated Burden Of Coccidioidomycosis, Samantha L Williams, Andrej Spec, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Coccidioidomycosis is an underrecognized fungal infection that can cause serious illness and constitutes a considerable public health burden. The number of cases is likely substantially higher than the nationally reported total, as surveillance does not capture patients who do not seek medical care or who are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Coccidioidomycosis is not reportable in all states, and cases not reported to public health entities are likewise missed. A systematic estimate of coccidioidomycosis burden is needed to raise awareness and inform public health interventions and policy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the annual burden of symptomatic coccidioidomycosis in the US.

DESIGN, SETTING, …

Workplace Perk Or Pitfall? A Qualitative Study Of Genetic Counselors' Perspectives And Experiences With Workplace Genetic Testing., Elizabeth Charnysh, Katherine Hendy, Kerry Ryan, Anya E R Prince, W Gregory Feero, Alyx Vogle, Sarah Mccain, Alexandra Truhlar, J Scott Roberts, Charles Lee, Kunal Sanghavi, Wendy R Uhlmann, The Insight @ Work Consortium

Faculty Research 2025

Some employers offer genetic testing for increased cancer and cardiovascular disease risk, as well as pharmacogenetic variants, as a wellness benefit, which presents unique considerations for genetic counseling. Our ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomics study, positioned in a post-positivist paradigm, aimed to qualitatively assess the perspectives and experiences of genetic counselors (GCs) who had counseled on workplace genetic testing (wGT). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 US GCs who either worked in the wGT industry (i.e., role-directed wGT experience) or provided post-test counseling in a clinical setting (i.e., patient-directed wGT experience). Interviews were analyzed following the principles …

Placental And Cord Blood Dna Methylation Changes Associated With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus In A Marginalized Population: The Untold Role Of Saturated Fats., Fatima Ahmad, Sidra Aftab Uzair, Arun P Lakshmanan, Shaikha Alabduljabbar, Salma H Ahmed, Basirudeen Syed Ahamed Kabeer, Alexandra Katharina Marr, Tomoshige Kino, Tobias Brummaier, Rose Mcgready, François Nosten, Damien Chaussabel, Souhaila Al Khodor, Annalisa Terranegra

Faculty Research 2025

The role of DNA methylation (DNAm) and its modulation by dietary factors in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains underexplored, particularly in marginalized populations. This study investigates DNAm alterations in GDM-exposed cord blood and placenta and their association with maternal dietary quality and single nutrient intake in a low-income population from the Myanmar-Thailand border. A matched case-control design (GDM: n = 38, controls: n = 34) was selected from a Myanmar-Thailand pregnancy cohort. Dietary intake was assessed via 24-h recalls and analyzed using Nutritionist Pro, with dietary quality evaluated by the healthy eating index (HEI). DNAm was profiled in 72 cord …

Understanding And Addressing Mental Health Challenges Of Families Admitted To The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit., Ashley D. Osborne, Daphna Yasova Barbeau, Tiffany Gladdis, Kara Hansen, Tonia Branche, Emily R. Miller, Christine C. Pazandak, Margaret K. Hoge, Michelle Spencer, Diana Montoya-Williams, Ryan Barbeau, Heather Padratzik, Stephen Lassen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

This article reviews the psychological distress experienced by NICU families, including anxiety, postpartum depression (PPD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in addition to providing recommendations for clinicians at the individual, institutional, and national level. Currently, mental health screenings, specialized evaluations, and treatment options are not routinely offered to NICU families and are frequently under-utilized when offered. Here we provide expert opinion recommendations to address challenges in supporting universal screening, offering bedside interventions, including trained mental health professionals in care plans, updating neonatology training competencies, and advocating for policies that support the mental health of NICU families. We advocate that mental …

Validity And Reliability Of The Tampa Scale For Kinesiophobia For Adolescents With Heart Disease., David A. White, William R. Black, Emily Cramer, Lindsey Malloy-Walton, Mollie Walton, Laura Martis, Brandy Enneking, Kelli M. Teson, Jessica S. Watson, Jami Gross-Toalson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: To assess the validity and reliability of a newly adapted Tampa Scale for KP for adolescents with HD (TSK-Heart-A).

METHODS: The TSK-Heart-A survey consists of 17 Likert scale items, producing a summary score (SS) ranging from 17 (low KP) to 68 (high KP). Following content and face validity, adolescents (age 12-18 yr) with arrhythmia disorders or Fontan palliation were recruited. The PROMIS pediatric anxiety and depression short forms, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) generic core and cardiac module, and a PA questionnaire for adolescents (PAQ-A) were used for criterion validity. The TSK-Heart-A was completed twice (20.4 ± 6.3 …

Postoperative Caregiver Decision Regret Following Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Surgery., Rohit Nallani, Nathan Farrokhian, Meghan Tracy, Kevin J. Sykes, Jill M. Arganbright

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Decision regret (DR) is a powerful factor in medical decision-making, particularly for surgical decisions which carry multiple risks, impact quality of life (QOL), and have uncertain outcomes. While prior studies have investigated caregiver DR after tonsillectomy and otologic surgery, there is a paucity of data assessing DR following pediatric otolaryngology procedures. The aim of this study is to measure DR following velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) surgery.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study with chart review was performed of caregivers of children who had VPD surgery performed by a single surgeon at a tertiary children's hospital. Demographic, medical, and surgical history were …

Nf2 Loss-Of-Function And Hypoxia Drive Radiation Resistance In Grade 2 Meningiomas, Bhuvic Patel, Sangami Pugazenthi, Collin W English, Vijay Nitturi, 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, Allegra Petti, Hiroko Yano, Tiemo J Klisch, Akdes S Harmanci, Akash J Patel, Albert H Kim

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

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) …

Linking Symptom Inventories Using Semantic Textual Similarity, Eamonn Kennedy, Shashank Vadlamani, Hannah M Lindsey, Kelly S Peterson, Kristen Dams O'Connor, Ronak Agarwal, Houshang H Amiri, Raeda K Andersen, Talin Babikian, David A Baron, Erin D Bigler, Karen Caeyenberghs, Lisa Delano-Wood, Seth G Disner, Ekaterina Dobryakova, Blessen C Eapen, Rachel M Edelstein, Carrie Esopenko, Helen M Genova, Elbert Geuze, Naomi J Goodrich-Hunsaker, Jordan Grafman, Asta K Håberg, Cooper B Hodges, Kristen R Hoskinson, Elizabeth S Hovenden, Andrei Irimia, Neda Jahanshad, Ruchira M Jha, Finian Keleher, Kimbra Kenney, Inga K Koerte, Spencer W Liebel, Abigail Livny, Marianne Løvstad, Sarah L Martindale, Jeffrey E Max, Andrew R Mayer, Timothy B Meier, Deleene S Menefee, Abdalla Z Mohamed, Stefania Mondello, Martin M Monti, Rajendra A Morey, Virginia Newcombe, Mary R Newsome, Alexander Olsen, Nicholas J Pastorek, Mary Jo Pugh, Adeel Razi, Jacob E Resch, Jared A Rowland, Kelly Russell, Nicholas P Ryan, Randall S Scheibel, Adam T Schmidt, Gershon Spitz, Jaclyn A Stephens, Assaf Tal, Leah D Talbert, Maria Carmela Tartaglia, Brian A Taylor, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Maya Troyanskaya, Eve M Valera, Harm Jan Van Der Horn, John D Van Horn, Ragini Verma, Benjamin S C Wade, Willian C Walker, Ashley L Ware, J Kent Werner, Keith Owen Yeates, Ross D Zafonte, Michael M Zeineh, Brandon Zielinski, Paul M Thompson, Frank G Hillary, David F Tate, Elisabeth A Wilde, Emily L Dennis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

An extensive library of symptom inventories has been developed over time to measure clinical symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but this variety has led to several long-standing issues. Most notably, results drawn from different settings and studies are not comparable. This creates a fundamental problem in TBI diagnostics and outcome prediction, namely that it is not possible to equate results drawn from distinct tools and symptom inventories. Here, we present an approach using semantic textual similarity (STS) to link symptoms and scores across previously incongruous symptom inventories by ranking item text similarities according to their conceptual likeness. We tested …

Neuroanatomical Features Of Naa10 And Naa15-Related Neurodevelopmental Syndromes, Rahi Patel, Rikhil Makwana, Carolina Christ, Elaine Marchi, Christina Y Miyake, Fabricio Guimaraes Goncalves, Gholson J Lyon, Matthew T Whitehead

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: NAA10-related and NAA15-related neurodevelopmental (ND) syndromes present with intellectual disability, hypotonia, cardiac abnormalities, and delayed development. While data exists on the clinical manifestations of these conditions, there are few reports describing the neuroanatomical abnormalities present on imaging.

Objective: We aim to provide neuroimaging analyses for a subset of probands with NAA10- and NAA15-related neurodevelopmental symptoms and assess the severity and number of neuroanatomical anomalies and their associated functional impairments to better understand the pathophysiology of these disease processes.

Materials and methods: Neuroimaging studies were obtained from 26 probands (18 with pathogenic variants in NAA10, 8 with pathogenic variants in …

Large-Scale Plasma Proteomic Profiling Unveils Diagnostic Biomarkers And Pathways For Alzheimer’S Disease, Gyujin Heo, Ying Xu, Erming Wang, Muhammad Ali, Hamilton Se-Hwee Oh, Patricia Moran-Losada, Federica Anastasi, Armand González Escalante, Raquel Puerta, Soomin Song, Jigyasha Timsina, Menghan Liu, Daniel Western, Katherine Gong, Yike Chen, Pat Kohlfeld, Allison Flynn, Alvin G Thomas, Joseph Lowery, John C Morris, David M Holtzman, Joel S Perlmutter, Suzanne E Schindler, Natalia Vilor-Tejedor, Marc Suárez-Calvet, Pablo García-González, Marta Marquié, Maria Victoria Fernández, Mercè Boada, Amanda Cano, Agustín Ruiz, Bin Zhang, David A Bennett, Tammie Benzinger, Tony Wyss-Coray, Laura Ibanez, Yun Ju Sung, Carlos Cruchaga

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Proteomic studies have been instrumental in identifying brain, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we comprehensively examined 6,905 aptamers corresponding to 6,106 unique proteins in plasma in more than 3,300 well-characterized individuals to identify new proteins, pathways and predictive models for AD. We identified 416 proteins (294 new) associated with clinical AD status and validated the findings in two external datasets representing more than 7,000 samples. AD-related proteins reflected blood-brain barrier disruption and other processes implicated in AD, such as lipid dysregulation or immune responses. A machine learning model was used to identify a set …

Understanding Utilization And Prevention Measures Associated With A Caries Risk Assessment In Oral Health Transformation, Melody Mcgee, Ryan Brandon, Muhammad Walji, Joel White, Kristen Moses, Eric P Tranby, Lisa J Heaton, Kristen Simmons

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Dental decay is endemic in the United States, underscoring the need to measure the utilization of caries risk management tools to elucidate the effect of prevention interventions in reducing the dental decay rates of individuals. An academic institution partnered with a third-party institute to call attention to the utilization and prevention measures associated with caries risk assessment (CRA) used with children 0-18 years. This environmental scan examined claims across the United States to evaluate the proportion of dental examinations, CRAs, and caries prevention procedures within a calendar year.

Methods: A 12-month deidentified participant list categorized by age, race, sex, …

Factors Associated With Perceived Medication Safety During Transitions Of Care In Patients With Cancer: A Secondary Data Analysis Of A Cross-Sectional Survey, Youmin Cho, Misun Hwang, Yang Gong, Yun Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate perceived medication safety in patients with cancer during transitions of care and identify factors associated with their safety perceptions.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed on a cross-sectional survey data of from patients with four types of cancer (i.e., colorectal, lung, prostate, and breast). Perceived medication safety was measured by the sum score of four survey items that assessed patients' feelings about medication safety during transitions of care. Potential associated factors included sociodemographic and clinical factors (i.e., cancer types, taking oral anticancer agents), self-rated health, perceived safety in communicating with clinicians, beliefs about …

Comparing Stroke Risk Factors Among Sexual Minority Groups In Texas, Brittany Krenek, Samuel Tundealao, Jennifer E S Beauchamp, Sean I Savitz, Irene Tamí-Maury

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Knowledge gaps remain on stroke risk and disparities between sexual minority (SM) subgroups. In this study, stroke risk between SM subgroups, specifically gay/bisexual men and lesbian/bisexual women (G/BM and L/BW), was assessed.

Method: Data were collected in June 2022 using a bilingual (English and Spanish) cross-sectional paper-and-pen survey distributed among 183 SM individuals attending the 2022 Houston Pride Parade and Festival, as well as across Texas via phone call or online format. Relevant sociodemographic and stroke risk factors were compared between G/BM and L/BW using chi-square (or Fisher's exact, when appropriate) and two-sample t-tests. Sexual orientation was used to …

Functional Vs Structural Cortical Deficit Pattern Biomarkers For Major Depressive Disorder, Peter Kochunov, Bhim M Adhikari, David Keator, Daniel Amen, Si Gao, Nicole R Karcher, Demetrio Labate, Robert Azencott, Yewen Huang, Hussain Syed, Hongjie Ke, Paul M Thompson, Danny J J Wang, Braxton D Mitchell, Jessica A Turner, Theo G M Van Erp, Neda Jahanshad, Yizhou Ma, Xiaoming Du, William Burroughs, Shuo Chen, Tianzhou Ma, Jair C Soares, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mental illness characterized more by functional rather than structural brain abnormalities. The pattern of regional homogeneity (ReHo) deficits in MDD may relate to underlying regional hypoperfusion. Capturing this functional deficit pattern provides a brain pattern-based biomarker for MDD that is linked to the underlying pathophysiology.

Objective: To examine whether cortical ReHo patterns provide a replicable biomarker for MDD that is more sensitive than reduced cortical thickness and evaluate whether the ReHo MDD deficit pattern reflects regional cerebral blood flow (RCBF) deficit patterns in MDD and whether a regional vulnerability index (RVI) thus …

Targeted Sting Activation Using Modified Ultrasound-Responsive Microbubbles Enhances Immune Checkpoint Blockade Against Melanoma, Sina Khorsandi, Kristin Huntoon, Yifan Wang, Adam Woodward, Abin Antony, Connor Endsley, Nazia Hafeez, Jared L Edwards, Nicole Mccuen, Prasanna G Alluri, Betty Y S Kim, Wen Jiang, Jacques Lux

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite the recent successes of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in treating advanced melanoma, durable clinical responses still remain limited. To boost immune responses, agents that target immune regulators, such as the Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) agonist cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), are being investigated. However, their clinical translation is impeded by poor serum stability, rapid tissue clearance, and T-cell death due to off-target activation. Recently, a novel strategy termed Microbubble-assisted UltraSound-guided Immunotherapy of Cancer (MUSIC) has been reported to selectively deliver cGAMP directly into the cytosol of antigen-presenting cells with spatiotemporal control. The resulting activation of STING and downstream proinflammatory pathways …

Time To Weight Plateau With Tirzepatide Treatment In The Surmount-1 And Surmount-4 Clinical Trials, Deborah B Horn, Scott Kahan, Rachel L Batterham, Dachuang Cao, Clare J Lee, Madhumita Murphy, Sylvia Gonsahn-Bollie, Farai Chigutsa, Adam Stefanski, Julia P Dunn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The rate of weight reduction during obesity treatment declines over time and eventually reaches a weight plateau. We investigated factors associated with time to weight plateau (TTWP) in tirzepatide-treated participants with obesity or overweight in a post-hoc analysis of SURMOUNT-1 and SURMOUNT-4 trials. Participants adherent to tirzepatide treatment and achieving ≥5% weight loss by primary endpoint (week 72 SURMOUNT-1; week 88 SURMOUNT-4) were included. Weight plateau was defined as a weight change < 5% over a 12-week interval and all subsequent 12-week intervals. TTWP was time from randomization to the start of the first 12-week interval. Association between baseline characteristics and TTWP was assessed. Overall, 1438 participants in SURMOUNT-1 and 259 in SURMOUNT-4 were included. Across BMI categories (overweight, class I, II, and III), median TTWP in SURMOUNT-1 was 24.3, 26.0, 36.1, and 36.1 weeks, respectively (p < .05, class II and III vs. overweight). By week 72, 90.2%, 88.9%, 87.6%, and 87.8% of participants in SURMOUNT-1 had reached a weight plateau across respective BMI categories [Correction added on 22 January 2025, after first online publication: The "72%" has been changed to "72" in this version.]. Higher doses of tirzepatide (10/15 mg), younger age, and female sex were more likely to reach a weight plateau later. Results in SURMOUNT-4 were similar. In this post-hoc analysis, most participants reached a weight plateau by week 72. Higher doses of tirzepatide, younger age, and female sex were associated with a longer TTWP. Further research into modifiers of weight reduction phases with tirzepatide may inform treatment decisions for its use in chronic weight management. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifiers NCT04184622 (SURMOUNT-1) and NCT04660643 (SURMOUNT-4), available at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.

Assessment Of Contextualized Reinforcement Pathology In A Community Sample Of Young Adult Substance Users, Ángel García-Pérez, Alba González-Roz, Roberto Secades-Villa, Gema Aonso-Diego, Sara Weidberg, Jin H Yoon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis are the most commonly used substances among young populations, often leading to polysubstance use, which correlates with problematic consumption and adverse health outcomes. The contextualized reinforcer pathology (CRP) model explains addictive behaviors through several constructs, including the following: drug demand, delay discounting (DD), and substance-free and substance-related reinforcement. Most previous studies have focused on a single CRP construct and the couse of only two substances. This study aimed to characterize three subgroups of young adults reporting past month use of alcohol only, alcohol + tobacco or cannabis, and alcohol + tobacco + cannabis, in terms …

Pharmacogenetics Of Plasma Dolutegravir Exposure During 1-Month Rifapentine/Isoniazid Treatment Of Latent Tuberculosis, Nia Covington, Anne F Luetkemeyer, Marjorie Z Imperial, Rodney Dawson, Yoninah Cramer, Sue Rosenkranz, Susan Swindells, Irina Gelmanova, Anchalee Avihingsanon, Roberto C Arduino, Wadzanai Samaneka, Kelly E Dooley, Rada Savic, Anthony T Podany, David W Haas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally protocol A5372, a pharmacokinetic study of dolutegravir with 1-month of daily rifapentine/isoniazid, twice-daily dolutegravir offset the induction effects of rifapentine on plasma dolutegravir trough concentrations (C trough ). Here, we characterize the impact on dolutegravir C trough of UGT1A1 , AADAC , and NAT2 polymorphisms that affect dolutegravir, rifapentine, and isoniazid, respectively. People with HIV receiving dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy with an indication to treat latent tuberculosis underwent pharmacokinetic sampling during dolutegravir 50 mg once daily alone, and on day 28 of dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily with rifapentine/isoniazid. Multivariable linear regression models characterized genetic associations …

Three-Dimensional Printed Models To Accelerate Resident Surgical Learning Curve For Standard Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Techniques, Jumah G Ahmad, Alexander J Citardi, Amber U Luong, William C Yao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Endoscopic sinus surgery presents significant visuospatial challenges to surgical trainees. We tested the utility of novel 3D printed models to simulate sinus surgery tasks to improve endoscopic skillsets in resident trainees.

Methods: This was a prospective quality improvement study of 10 ENT residents (PGY1-5). Participants rotated through 4 stations with different 3D simulation training modules designed to enhance endoscopic skillsets in the axial, sagittal and coronal planes (e.g., straight forceps to grasp a bead from a ledge, angled instruments to cannulate openings). Participants completed a self-assessment survey on the subjective sinus surgical skills using a visual analog …