Digital Commons Network^™

Graded Variation In T1w/T2w Ratio During Adolescence: Measurement, Caveats, And Implications For Development Of Cortical Myelin, Graham L Baum, John C Flournoy, Matthew F Glasser, Michael P Harms, Patrick Mair, Ashley F P Sanders, Deanna M Barch, Randy L Buckner, Susan Bookheimer, Mirella Dapretto, Stephen Smith, Kathleen M Thomas, Essa Yacoub, David C Van Essen, Leah H Somerville

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Adolescence is characterized by the maturation of cortical microstructure and connectivity supporting complex cognition and behavior. Axonal myelination influences brain connectivity during development by enhancing neural signaling speed and inhibiting plasticity. However, the maturational timing of cortical myelination during human adolescence remains poorly understood. Here, we take advantage of recent advances in high-resolution cortical T1w/T2w mapping methods, including principled correction of B1+ transmit field effects, using data from the Human Connectome Project in Development (HCP-D;

Changes In Health Care Access During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Estimates Of National Japanese Data, June 2020-October 2021, Yuta Tanoue, Cyrus Ghaznavi, Takayuki Kawashima, Akifumi Eguchi, Daisuke Yoneoka, Shuhei Nomura

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health care access around the world, both for inpatients and outpatients. We applied a quasi-Poisson regression to national, monthly data on the number of outpatients, number of inpatients, length of average hospital stay, and the number of new hospitalizations from March 2015 to October 2021 to assess how these outcomes changed between June 2020 to October 2021. The number of outpatient visits were lower-than-predicted during the early phases of the pandemic but normalized by the fall of 2021. The number of inpatients and new hospitalizations were lower-than-predicted throughout the pandemic, and deficits in reporting continued …

A Method For Bridging Population-Specific Genotypes To Detect Gene Modules Associated With Alzheimer's Disease, Yulin Dai, Peilin Jia, Zhongming Zhao, Assaf Gottlieb

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies have successfully identified variants associated with multiple conditions. However, generalizing discoveries across diverse populations remains challenging due to large variations in genetic composition. Methods that perform gene expression imputation have attempted to address the transferability of gene discoveries across populations, but with limited success.

METHODS: Here, we introduce a pipeline that combines gene expression imputation with gene module discovery, including a dense gene module search and a gene set variation analysis, to address the transferability issue. Our method feeds association probabilities of imputed gene expression with a selected phenotype into tissue-specific gene-module discovery over protein interaction …

Association Of Cardiovascular Health Through Young Adulthood With Genome-Wide Dna Methylation Patterns In Midlife: The Cardia Study, Yinan Zheng, Brian T Joyce, Shih-Jen Hwang, Jiantao Ma, Lei Liu, Norrina B Allen, Amy E Krefman, Jun Wang, Tao Gao, Drew R Nannini, Haixiang Zhang, David R Jacobs, Myron D Gross, Myriam Fornage, Cora E Lewis, Pamela J Schreiner, Stephen Sidney, Dongquan Chen, Philip Greenland, Daniel Levy, Lifang Hou, Donald M Lloyd-Jones

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cardiovascular health (CVH) from young adulthood is strongly associated with an individual's future risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total mortality. Defining epigenomic biomarkers of lifelong CVH exposure and understanding their roles in CVD development may help develop preventive and therapeutic strategies for CVD.

Methods: In 1085 CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) participants, we defined a clinical cumulative CVH score that combines body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting glucose measured longitudinally from young adulthood through middle age over 20 years (mean age, 25-45). Blood DNA methylation at >840 000 methylation markers was …

Renin-Angiotensin System In Huntington's Disease: Evidence From Animal Models And Human Patients, Lucas M Kangussu, Natalia P Rocha, Priscila A C Valadão, Thatiane C G Machado, Kívia B Soares, Julliane V Joviano-Santos, Leigh B Latham, Gabriela D Colpo, Ana Flávia Almeida-Santos, Erin Furr Stimming, Ana Cristina Simões E Silva, Antônio L Teixeira, Aline Silva Miranda, Cristina Guatimosim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) is expressed in the central nervous system and has important functions that go beyond blood pressure regulation. Clinical and experimental studies have suggested that alterations in the brain RAS contribute to the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. However, there is limited information regarding the involvement of RAS components in Huntington's disease (HD). Herein, we used the HD murine model, (BACHD), as well as samples from patients with HD to investigate the role of both the classical and alternative axes of RAS in HD pathophysiology. BACHD mice displayed worse motor performance in different behavioral tests alongside …

Urinary Metabolites Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Firefighters: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jooyeon Hwang, Chao Xu, Paul Grunsted, Robert J Agnew, Tara R Malone, Shari Clifton, Krista Thompson, Xin Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Firefighters are intermittently exposed to complex, mixed pollutants in random settings. Of those pollutants, PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are the most commonly studied and best understood. PAH exposure can occur via multiple routes; therefore, the levels of hydroxylated metabolites of PAHs in urine have been used as a biomonitoring tool for risk assessment. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to estimate the levels of urinary hydroxylated PAH (OHPAH) among firefighters, determine risk attributions, and, finally, evaluate the scope of preventive efforts and their utility as diagnostic tools. The meta-regression confirmed increases in OHPAH concentrations after fire …

Tp53 Copy Number And Protein Expression Inform Mutation Status Across Risk Categories In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Mehrnoosh Tashakori, Tapan Kadia, Sanam Loghavi, Naval Daver, Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna, Sherry Pierce, Dawen Sui, Peng Wei, Farnoosh Khodakarami, Zhenya Tang, Mark Routbort, Carol A Bivins, Elias J Jabbour, L Jeffrey Medeiros, Kapil Bhalla, Hagop M Kantarjian, Farhad Ravandi, Joseph D Khoury

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mutant TP53 is an adverse risk factor in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but large-scale integrated genomic-proteomic analyses of TP53 alterations in patients with AML remain limited. We analyzed TP53 mutational status, copy number (CN), and protein expression data in AML (N = 528) and provide a compilation of mutation sites and types across disease subgroups among treated and untreated patients. Our analysis shows differential hotspots in subsets of AML and uncovers novel pathogenic variants involving TP53 splice sites. In addition, we identified TP53 CN loss in 70.2% of TP53-mutated AML cases, which have more deleterious TP53 mutations, as well as …

Changing Global Epidemiology Of Liver Cancer From 2010 To 2019: Nash Is The Fastest Growing Cause Of Liver Cancer, Daniel Q Huang, Amit G Singal, Yuko Kono, Darren J H Tan, Hashem B El-Serag, Rohit Loomba

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Liver cancer epidemiology is changing due to increasing alcohol consumption, rising prevalence of obesity, and advances in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. However, the impact of these changes on global liver cancer burden remains unclear. We estimated global and regional temporal trends in the burden of liver cancer and the contributions of various liver disease etiologies using the methodology framework of the Global Burden of Disease study. Between 2010 and 2019, there was a 25% increase in liver cancer deaths. Age-standardized death rates (ASDRs) increased only in the Americas and remained stable or fell in …

The Prevalence And Impact Of Adolescent Hospitalization To Adult Psychiatric Units., Samantha Mcrae, Jordan Edwards, Kathy N Speechley, Javeed Sukhera, Guangyong Zou, Kelly K. Anderson

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

BACKGROUND: With increasing psychiatric hospitalizations among adolescents and constrained hospital resources, there are times when youth are hospitalized in adult inpatient psychiatry units. Evidence on the prevalence of this practice and associated impacts is lacking.

AIMS: We sought to explore the prevalence, determinants, and outcomes related to the hospitalization of adolescents aged 12-17 years on adult inpatient psychiatry units in Ontario.

METHODS: Using health administrative data, we constructed a cohort of adolescents with an inpatient psychiatric admission in Ontario (2007-2011). We classified adolescents as having an admission to an adult psychiatry unit or to other inpatient units. Multivariable regression models …

In Vivo Evaluation Of (-)-Zampanolide Demonstrates Potent And Persistent Antitumor Efficacy When Targeted To The Tumor Site., Leila Takahashi-Ruiz, Joseph D Morris, Phillip Crews, Tyler A Johnson, April L Risinger

Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Faculty Scholarship

Microtubule-stabilizing agents (MSAs) are a class of compounds used in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer where chemotherapy remains the standard-of-care for patients. Taxanes like paclitaxel and docetaxel have demonstrated efficacy against TNBC in the clinic, however new classes of MSAs need to be identified due to the rise of taxane resistance in patients. (-)-Zampanolide is a covalent microtubule stabilizer that can circumvent taxane resistance in vitro but has not been evaluated for in vivo antitumor efficacy. Here, we determine that (-)-zampanolide has similar potency and efficacy to paclitaxel in TNBC cell lines, but …

In Vivo Evaluation Of (-)-Zampanolide Demonstrates Potent And Persistent Antitumor Efficacy When Targeted To The Tumor Site., Leila Takahashi-Ruiz, Joseph D Morris, Phillip Crews, Tyler A. Johnson, April L Risinger

Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Faculty Scholarship

Microtubule-stabilizing agents (MSAs) are a class of compounds used in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer where chemotherapy remains the standard-of-care for patients. Taxanes like paclitaxel and docetaxel have demonstrated efficacy against TNBC in the clinic, however new classes of MSAs need to be identified due to the rise of taxane resistance in patients. (-)-Zampanolide is a covalent microtubule stabilizer that can circumvent taxane resistance in vitro but has not been evaluated for in vivo antitumor efficacy. Here, we determine that (-)-zampanolide has similar potency and efficacy to paclitaxel in TNBC cell lines, but …

Assessment Of Electronic Health Record For Cancer Research And Patient Care Through A Scoping Review Of Cancer Natural Language Processing, Liwei Wang, Sunyang Fu, Andrew Wen, Xiaoyang Ruan, Huan He, Sijia Liu, Sungrim Moon, Michelle Mai, Irbaz B Riaz, Nan Wang, Ping Yang, Hua Xu, Jeremy L Warner, Hongfang Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: The advancement of natural language processing (NLP) has promoted the use of detailed textual data in electronic health records (EHRs) to support cancer research and to facilitate patient care. In this review, we aim to assess EHR for cancer research and patient care by using the Minimal Common Oncology Data Elements (mCODE), which is a community-driven effort to define a minimal set of data elements for cancer research and practice. Specifically, we aim to assess the alignment of NLP-extracted data elements with mCODE and review existing NLP methodologies for extracting said data elements.

Methods: Published literature studies were searched …

Decongestion Models And Metrics In Acute Heart Failure: Escape Data In The Age Of The Implantable Cardiac Pressure Monitor, David Paniagua, Glenn N Levine, Lorraine D Cornwell, Ernesto Jimenez, Biswajit Kar, Hani Jneid, Ali E Denktas, Tony S Ma

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

The United States Food and Drug Administration restricts the use of implantable cardiac pressure monitors to patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III heart failure (HF). We investigated whether single-pressure monitoring could predict survival in HF patients as part of a model constructed using data from the ESCAPE (Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness) trial.

We validated survival models in 204 patients, using all-cause 180-day mortality. Two levels of model complexity were tested: 1) a simplified 1-pressure model based on pulmonary artery mean pressure ([PAM]1P) (information obtainable from an implanted intracardiac monitor alone), …

An Epidemic Model With Time-Distributed Recovery And Death Rates, Samiran Ghosh, Vitaly Volpert, Malay Banerjee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A compartmental epidemiological model with distributed recovery and death rates is proposed. In some particular cases, the model can be reduced to the conventional SIR model. However, in general, the dynamics of epidemic progression in this model is different. Distributed recovery and death rates are evaluated from COVID-19 data. The model is validated by the epidemiological data for different countries, and it shows better agreement with the data than the SIR model. The time-dependent disease transmission rate is estimated.

Symptomatic, Clinical And Biomarker Associations For Mortality In Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients Enriched For African Americans, Hassan Ashktorab, Antonio Pizuorno, Folake Adeleye, Adeyinka Laiyemo, Maryam Mehdipour Dalivand, Farshad Aduli, Zaki A Sherif, Gholamreza Oskrochi, Kibreab Angesom, Philip Oppong-Twene, Suryanarayana Reddy Challa, Nnaemeka Okorie, Esther S Moon, Edward Romos, Boubini Jones-Wonni, Abdoul Madjid Kone, Sheldon Rankine, Camelita Thrift, Derek Scholes, Chiamaka Ekwunazu, Abigail Banson, Brianna Mitchell, Guttu Maskalo, Jillian Ross, Julencia Curtis, Rachel Kim, Chandler Gilliard, Geetha Ahuja, Joseph Mathew, Warren Gavin, Areeba Kara, Manuel Hache-Marliere, Leonidas Palaiodimos, Vishnu R. Mani, Aleksandr Kalabin, Vijay Reddy Gayam, Pavani Reddy Garlapati, Joseph B. Miller Md, Lakshmi Gayathri Chirumamilla, Fatimah Jackson, John M. Carethers, Farin Kamangar, Hassan Brim

Emergency Medicine Articles

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Initial reports on US COVID-19 showed different outcomes in different races. In this study we use a diverse large cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients to determine predictors of mortality.

METHODS: We analyzed data from hospitalized COVID-19 patients (n = 5852) between March 2020- August 2020 from 8 hospitals across the US. Demographics, comorbidities, symptoms and laboratory data were collected.

RESULTS: The cohort contained 3,662 (61.7%) African Americans (AA), 286 (5%) American Latinx (LAT), 1,407 (23.9%), European Americans (EA), and 93 (1.5%) American Asians (AS). Survivors and non-survivors mean ages in years were 58 and 68 for AA, …

Estimating Circadian Phase In Elementary School Children: Leveraging Advances In Physiologically Informed Models Of Circadian Entrainment And Wearable Devices, Jennette P Moreno, Kevin M Hannay, Olivia Walch, Hafza Dadabhoy, Jessica Christian, Maurice Puyau, Abeer El-Mubasher, Fida Bacha, Sarah R Grant, Rebekah Julie Park, Philip Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Examine the ability of a physiologically based mathematical model of human circadian rhythms to predict circadian phase, as measured by salivary dim light melatonin onset (DLMO), in children compared to other proxy measurements of circadian phase (bedtime, sleep midpoint, and wake time).

METHODS: As part of an ongoing clinical trial, a sample of 29 elementary school children (mean age: 7.4 ± .97 years) completed 7 days of wrist actigraphy before a lab visit to assess DLMO. Hourly salivary melatonin samples were collected under dim light conditions (<5 >lx). Data from actigraphy were used to generate predictions of circadian …

Mobile Health Applications For Postpartum Depression Management: A Theory-Informed Analysis Of Change-Use-Engagement (Cue) Criteria In The Digital Environment, Alexandra Zingg, Laura Carter, Deevakar Rogith, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Amy Franklin, Sahiti Myneni

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is the most common childbirth complication, with approximately 15% of postpartum women experiencing depression symptoms. Mobile applications have potential to expand delivery of mental health interventions. However, our understanding of how these tools engage women with PPD and facilitate positive behavioral changes is limited. In our paper, we analyze 15 commercial PPD applications to understand their role as facilitators of change, engagement, and sustained use. Applications reviewed contained an average of four theory-based behavioral change techniques, and highest patient engagement level reached was to empower patients through patient-generated data. Heuristic violations were identified in areas including user …

External Validation Of A Laboratory Prediction Algorithm For The Reduction Of Unnecessary Labs In The Critical Care Setting, Linda T Li, Tongtong Huang, Elmer V Bernstam, Xiaoqian Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Unnecessary laboratory tests contribute to iatrogenic harm and are a major source of waste in the health care system. We previously developed a machine learning algorithm to help clinicians identify unnecessary laboratory tests, but it has not been externally validated. In this study, we externally validate our machine learning algorithm.

METHODS: To externally validate the machine learning algorithm that was originally trained on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) III database, we tested the algorithm in a separate institution. We identified and abstracted data for all patients older than 18 years admitted to the intensive care unit …

A Multi-Task Gaussian Process Self-Attention Neural Network For Real-Time Prediction Of The Need For Mechanical Ventilators In Covid-19 Patients, Kai Zhang, Siddharth Karanth, Bela Patel, Robert Murphy, Xiaoqian Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has overwhelmed the capacity of healthcare resources and posed a challenge for worldwide hospitals. The ability to distinguish potentially deteriorating patients from the rest helps facilitate reasonable allocation of medical resources, such as ventilators, hospital beds, and human resources. The real-time accurate prediction of a patient's risk scores could also help physicians to provide earlier respiratory support for the patient and reduce the risk of mortality.

METHODS: We propose a robust real-time prediction model for the in-hospital COVID-19 patients' probability of requiring mechanical ventilation (MV). The end-to-end neural network model incorporates the Multi-task …

External Validation Of A Model Determining Risk Of Neoplastic Progression Of Barrett’S Esophagus In A Cohort Of Us Veterans, Theresa H Nguyen, Aaron P Thrift, Gyanprakash A Ketwaroo, Xianglin L Du, Luis Leon Novelo, Rollin George, Daniel G Rosen, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in those with Barrett's esophagus (BE) is 11-fold greater than the general population. It remains unclear which BE patients are at highest risk of progression to EAC. We aimed to validate a predictive model risk-stratifying BE patients.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at the Houston Veteran Affairs Medical Center of consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of BE from November 1990 to January 2019. Study follow-up was through February 2020. Patients were excluded if they had no follow-up EGD with esophageal biopsy sampling after the initial BE-diagnosing EGD or evidence …

External Validation Of A Model Determining Risk Of Neoplastic Progression Of Barrett's Esophagus In A Cohort Of Us Veterans, Theresa H Nguyen, Aaron P Thrift, Gyanprakash A Ketwaroo, Xianglin L Du, Luis Leon Novelo, Rollin George, Daniel G Rosen, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in those with Barrett's esophagus (BE) is 11-fold greater than the general population. It remains unclear which BE patients are at highest risk of progression to EAC. We aimed to validate a predictive model risk-stratifying BE patients.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at the Houston Veteran Affairs Medical Center of consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of BE from November 1990 to January 2019. Study follow-up was through February 2020. Patients were excluded if they had no follow-up EGD with esophageal biopsy sampling after the initial BE-diagnosing EGD or evidence …

Hiv Response Interventions That Integrate Hiv Molecular Cluster And Social Network Analysis: A Systematic Review, Daniel J Gore, Kellie Schueler, Santhoshini Ramani, Arno Uvin, Gregory Phillips, Moira Mcnulty, Kayo Fujimoto, John Schneider

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Due to improved efficiency and reduced cost of viral sequencing, molecular cluster analysis can be feasibly utilized alongside existing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention strategies. The goal of this paper is to elucidate how HIV molecular cluster and social network analyses are being integrated to implement HIV response interventions. We searched PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library databases for studies incorporating both HIV molecular cluster and social network data. We identified 32 articles that combined analyses of HIV molecular sequences and social or sexual networks. All studies were descriptive. Six studies described network interventions informed by molecular and social data …

Understanding Implementation Strategies To Support Classroom-Based Physical Activity Approaches In Elementary Schools: A Qualitative Study, Timothy J Walker, Jacob Szeszulski, Michael C Robertson, Paula M Cuccaro, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Classroom-based physical activity approaches can improve children's physical activity levels during school. However, the implementation of these approaches remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to examine implementation strategies to support the delivery of classroom-based physical activity approaches from the perspectives of elementary school staff.

METHODS: We conducted individual interviews with elementary school staff from a mid-sized school district in Texas. Interviews lasted approximately 60 min and were audio recorded and transcribed for analyses. We used directed content analysis and an iterative categorization approach to identify emerging themes related to implementation strategies.

RESULTS: We interviewed 15 participants …

Host And Gut Microbial Tryptophan Metabolism And Type 2 Diabetes: An Integrative Analysis Of Host Genetics, Diet, Gut Microbiome And Circulating Metabolites In Cohort Studies, Qibin Qi, Jun Li, Bing Yu, Jee-Young Moon, Jin C Chai, Jordi Merino, Jie Hu, Miguel Ruiz-Canela, Casey Rebholz, Zheng Wang, Mykhaylo Usyk, Guo-Chong Chen, Bianca C Porneala, Wenshuang Wang, Ngoc Quynh Nguyen, Elena V Feofanova, Megan L Grove, Thomas J Wang, Robert E Gerszten, Josée Dupuis, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Wei Bao, David L Perkins, Martha L Daviglus, Bharat Thyagarajan, Jianwen Cai, Tao Wang, Joann E Manson, Miguel A Martínez-González, Elizabeth Selvin, Kathryn M Rexrode, Clary B Clish, Frank B Hu, James B Meigs, Rob Knight, Robert D Burk, Eric Boerwinkle, Robert C Kaplan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Tryptophan can be catabolised to various metabolites through host kynurenine and microbial indole pathways. We aimed to examine relationships of host and microbial tryptophan metabolites with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), host genetics, diet and gut microbiota.

METHOD: We analysed associations between circulating levels of 11 tryptophan metabolites and incident T2D in 9180 participants of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds from five cohorts. We examined host genome-wide variants, dietary intake and gut microbiome associated with these metabolites.

RESULTS: Tryptophan, four kynurenine-pathway metabolites (kynurenine, kynurenate, xanthurenate and quinolinate) and indolelactate were positively associated with T2D risk, while indolepropionate was inversely associated with …

Non-Coding Rnas And Ferroptosis: Potential Implications For Cancer Therapy, Amar Balihodzic, Felix Prinz, Michael A Dengler, George A Calin, Philipp J Jost, Martin Pichler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Ferroptosis is a recently defined form of regulated cell death, which is biochemically and morphologically distinct from traditional forms of programmed cell death such as apoptosis or necrosis. It is driven by iron, reactive oxygen species, and phospholipids that are oxidatively damaged, ultimately resulting in mitochondrial damage and breakdown of membrane integrity. Numerous cellular signaling pathways and molecules are involved in the regulation of ferroptosis, including enzymes that control the cellular redox status. Alterations in the ferroptosis-regulating network can contribute to the development of various diseases, including cancer. Evidence suggests that ferroptosis is commonly suppressed in cancer cells, allowing them …

Comprehensive Quantitative Evaluation Of Variability In Magnetic Resonance-Guided Delineation Of Oropharyngeal Gross Tumor Volumes And High-Risk Clinical Target Volumes: An R-Ideal Stage 0 Prospective Study, Carlos E Cardenas, Sanne E Blinde, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Sweet Ping Ng, Cornelis Raaijmakers, Marielle Philippens, Alexis Kotte, Abrahim A Al-Mamgani, Irene Karam, David J Thomson, Jared Robbins, Kate Newbold, Clifton D Fuller, Chris Terhaard

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Tumor and target volume manual delineation remains a challenging task in head and neck cancer radiation therapy. The purpose of this study was to conduct a multi-institutional evaluation of manual delineations of gross tumor volume (GTV), high-risk clinical target volume (CTV), parotids, and submandibular glands on treatment simulation magnetic resonance scans of patients with oropharyngeal cancer.

Methods and materials: We retrospectively collected pretreatment T1-weighted, T1-weighted with gadolinium contrast, and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans for 4 patients with oropharyngeal cancer under an institution review board-approved protocol. We provided the scans to 26 radiation oncologists from 7 international cancer centers …

Clonal Dynamics Of Haematopoiesis Across The Human Lifespan, Emily Mitchell, David H Spencer, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Age-related change in human haematopoiesis causes reduced regenerative capacity

Determination Of The Electronic Portal Imaging Device Pixel-Sensitivity-Map For Quality Assurance Applications. Part 2: Photon Beam Dependence, Michael Paul Barnes, Baozhou Sun, Brad Michael Oborn, Bishnu Lamichhane, Stuart Szwec, Matthew Schmidt, Bin Cai, Frederick Menk, Peter Greer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: The EPID PSM is a useful EPID calibration method for QA applications. The dependence of the EPID PSM on the photon beam used to acquire it has been investigated in this study for the four available PSM methods. The aim is to inform upon the viability of applying a single PSM for all available photon beams to simplify PSM implementation and maintenance.

METHODS: Four methods of PSM determination were each measured once in a single session on a single TrueBeam ® STx linac using 6 MV, 10 MV, 6 MV Flattening-Filter-Free (FFF), and 10 MV FFF photon beams. The …

Determination Of The Electronic Portal Imaging Device Pixel-Sensitivity-Map For Quality Assurance Applications. Part 1: Comparison Of Methods, Michael Paul Barnes, Baozhou Sun, Brad Michael Oborn, Bishnu Lamichhane, Stuart Szwec, Matthew Schmidt, Bin Cai, Frederick Menk, Peter Greer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Calibration of a radiotherapy electronic portal imaging device (EPID) using the pixel-sensitivity-map (PSM) in place of the flood field correction improves the utility of the EPID for quality assurance applications. Multiple methods are available for determining the PSM and this study provides an evaluation to inform on which is superior.

METHODS: Three different empirical methods ("Calvary Mater Newcastle" [CMN], "Varian," and "WashU") and a Monte Carlo-based method of PSM determination were investigated on a single Varian TrueBeam STx linear accelerator (linac) with an aS1200 EPID panel. PSM measurements were performed for each empirical method three successive times using the …

External Validation Of A Model Determining Risk Of Neoplastic Progression Of Barrett’S Esophagus In A Cohort Of Us Veterans, Theresa H Nguyen, Aaron P Thrift, Gyanprakash A Ketwaroo, Xianglin L Du, Luis Leon Novelo, Rollin George, Daniel G Rosen, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in those with Barrett's esophagus (BE) is 11-fold greater than the general population. It remains unclear which BE patients are at highest risk of progression to EAC. We aimed to validate a predictive model risk-stratifying BE patients.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at the Houston Veteran Affairs Medical Center of consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of BE from November 1990 to January 2019. Study follow-up was through February 2020. Patients were excluded if they had no follow-up EGD with esophageal biopsy sampling after the initial BE-diagnosing EGD or evidence …