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Behavioral And Psychological Financial Hardship Among Caregivers Of Pediatric Cancer Patients, Josiane Kabayundo, Cheng Zheng, Edward S. Peters, Don W. Coulter, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Financial hardship encompasses material, behavioral, and psychological domains; however, most research among caregivers of pediatric cancer patients has focused on material hardship. This study examined factors associated with behavioral and psychological financial hardship among caregivers of pediatric cancer patients in Nebraska.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children diagnosed within the past 5 years and treated at two pediatric oncology specialty clinics. Behavioral hardship was defined as delaying medical or mental healthcare due to cost, while psychological hardship was measured by worry about ability to pay medical bills. Descriptive statistics and poisson regression with robust variance …

“Shaking The Ladder” Reveals How Analytic Choices Can Influence Associations In Nutrition Epidemiology: Beef Intake And Coronary Heart Disease As A Case Study, Colby J Vorland, Lauren E O'Connor, Beate Henschel, Cuiqiong Huo, James M Shikany, Carlos A Serrano, Robert Henschel, Stephanie L Dickinson, Keisuke Ejima, Aurelian Bidulescu, David B Allison, Andrew W Brown

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Nutrition epidemiological models involve many analytic decisions, such as defining exposures, selecting which covariates to include, or configuring variables in different ways. We explored the impact of analytical decisions on conclusions in nutrition epidemiology using self-reported beef intake and incident coronary heart disease as a case study. We used REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) data, and selected covariates and their configurations from published literature to recapitulate common models used to assess associations between meat intake and health outcomes. Three model sets were designed: sets one and two used continuous and quintile-defined beef intakes, respectively, each with …

Mucin 5ac Modulates Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Heterogeneity Through Epigenetic Reprogramming Of Precursor Cells, Rachel J. Kehrberg, Namita Bhyravbhatla, Zahraa Wajih Alsafwani, Xiaoqi Li, Gopalakrishnan Natarajan, Imran Khan, Randall E. Brand, Maneesh Jain, Surinder K. Batra, Sushil Kumar

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is characterized by extensive desmoplasia, with heterogeneous cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) as a major component. However, the contribution of distinct precursor cells to CAF heterogeneity remains poorly defined. This study investigated the role of Muc5ac in modulating CAF heterogeneity by maturing precursor cells, including adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs), and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), into different CAF subsets. RNA sequencing of precursor cells treated with conditioned media from Muc5ac-proficient or -deficient cancer cells revealed distinct transcriptional profiles. Muc5ac significantly modulated the expression of Dnmts and Tets in AD-MSCs, promoting the acquisition of extracellular matrix …

Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium Biomarker Bakeoff: A Phase Ii Blinded Biomarker Validation And Panel Discovery Study, Ann L. Oberg, William R. Bamlet, Grant Izmirlian, Seetharaman Balasenthil, Surinder K. Batra, Masataka Hayashi, Daniel S. Herman, Michael A. Hollingsworth, Maneesh Jain, Ann M. Killary, Brianna M. Krusen, Suyu Liu, Shounak Majumder, Gopalakrishnan Natarajan, Subrata Sen, Lynette M. Smith, Sudhir Srivastava, Brian M. Wolpin, Kenneth S. Zaret, Michael G. Goggins

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

PURPOSE: The Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium (PCDC) performed a blinded Early Detection Research Network-defined phase II biomarker bakeoff study of blood-based biomarker panels. The aims were to evaluate panel performance, to compare the panels' performance with that of cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) alone, and to evaluate the performance of new combinations of the individual biomarkers.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Ten biomarkers representing eight biomarker panels and CA19-9 were evaluated using plasma, serum, and germline DNA from 140 stage I to IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cases and 140 controls from three tertiary care institutions, with controls frequency matched to cases on age …

35 Individuals With Huwe1-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder And Suggested Clinical Evaluations, Mindy H. Li, Deziree L. Coleman, Kelsey Hogan, Danielle Luz, Lindsay Bhandari, Newell Belnap, Tiffany Busa, Charles Coutton, Klaus Dieterich, Svetlana Gorokhova, Clara Hildebrandt, Rachel Logan, Milena Mariani, Manuela Morleo, Vincenzo Nigro, John Pappas, Rachel Rabin, Kelly Schoch, Angelo Selicorni, Vandana Shashi, Rebecca Spillman, Jennifer Sullivan, Charlotte Tardy, Samantha A. Schrier Vergano, Brock Grill, Kristin Baranano

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Publications

HUWE1 (HECT, UBA, and WWE Domain Containing E3 Ubiquitin Protein Ligase1, OMIM 300697), located at Xp11.22, encodes a ubiquitin ligase that is highly conserved across species. Genetic variants in HUWE1 described in multiple independent studies cause X-linked intellectual disability, including in the patients identified by Juberg, Marsidi, and Brooks. This report describes 35 additional cases of individuals with variants in HUWE1 and suggested guidelines for clinical management. Our study includes several female cases, which have not been widely reported previously. Our findings confirm earlier reported clinical features including developmental delay, autism, hypotonia, short stature, and dysmorphic facial features as well …

The Mediating Effect Of Socioeconomic Status And Persistent Poverty On Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Pediatric Cancer Mortality In The United States, Josiane Kabayundo, Apu Das, Cheng Zheng, Emma Hymel, Krishtee Napit, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic (SE) factors have been shown to mediate racial and ethnic disparities in adult cancer mortality. However, evidence in pediatric cancer is limited, especially at finer geographic levels.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the mediating effect of socioeconomic status (SES) and persistent poverty in racial and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer mortality using census tract-level data.

METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2006-2020 SEER Incidence Data with Census Tract Attributes Database and included children 0-19 years. Neighborhood-level SES was measured using a composite variable with five categories. Census tracts were classified as persistently poor if 20% or more of the population lived …

Comparison Of Mental Illness Comorbidity Pre-Pandemic Vs. Pandemic-Era And Associations With Clinical And Demographic Characteristics For Virginia Public Hospital Inpatient Discharges With A Substance Use Disorder, Marilyn Bartholmae, Tharidu Gunawardena

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

The rise in mental illnesses after the COVID-19 pandemic is well documented. However, it is not known whether the rates of mental illness comorbidity increased. The objectives of this study were to compare mental illness comorbidity rates before and after the pandemic among inpatients with SUD and to test associations between mental illness comorbidity, physical illness, and demographics. We used a retrospective cross-sectional design in a sample of inpatient discharges (N = 233,017) at Virginia public hospitals from January 2018 to December 2022. We used Z tests to compare rates of mental illness comorbidity pre- and post-pandemic and Chi-square tests …

Trends In Hypertension Prevalance And Control In The United States Over 25 Years, Omar Saleh, Neda Rehan, Saleh Mostafa, Rehan Qayyum

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Despite sustained public health efforts, hypertension remains highly prevalent in the United States, with persistent disparities across demographic and socioeconomic groups. We examined 25-year trends in hypertension prevalence, undiagnosed hypertension, and on-treatment uncontrolled hypertension in the United States using nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from adults aged ≥18 years. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP ≥130 mmHg, diastolic BP ≥80 mmHg, or current antihypertensive use. Undiagnosed hypertension was defined as elevated BP without prior diagnosis or treatment, while on-treatment uncontrolled hypertension was defined as diagnosed hypertension with BP ≥130/80 mmHg despite treatment. Survey-weighted generalized linear …

Glucagon-Like Peptide Receptor Agonists (Glp-1ras) As Cardiovascular Risk Modifiers In Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Obesity: A Real-World Study, Jaeun Ahn, Junmin Song, Kyle Admire, Yu Chang, Kuan-Yu Chi, Nathaniel T. Gordon, Joshua M. Sill

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have demonstrated potential in reducing cardiovascular risk and improving OSA severity. However, a significant knowledge gap remains regarding the impact of GLP-1RAs on cardiovascular events in OSA patients.

Methods

We examined patients with a BMI over 30 diagnosed with OSA between January 2010 and November 2021 without a previous diagnosis of heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, or myocardial infarction. Two cohorts were created: those prescribed GLP-1RAs within 1 year of their OSA diagnosis and patients who were never prescribed GLP-1RAs. Propensity score matching …

The 2025 American Society Of Pediatric Otolaryngology Workforce And Compensation Survey: Current State And Future Directions, Lyndy J. Wilcox, Cristina M. Baldassari, Amy C. Brenski, Emily Boss, John Carter, David H. Chi, William O. Collins, Charles A. Elmaraghy, Andrew J. Tompkins, Craig S. Derkay, The Aspo 2025 Workforce And Compensation Committee

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Objective

To provide an updated comprehensive assessment of the Pediatric Otolaryngology workforce in the United States inclusive of compensation, productivity, practice patterns, and on-call burden.

Study Design

Cross-sectional electronic survey.

Methods

A structured electronic survey was developed by members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) Workforce and Compensation Committee. The survey evaluated six domains: demographics, compensation, workforce dynamics, productivity, on-call burden, and future priorities, and was distributed to all 480 presumedly actively-practicing, domestic ASPO members.

Results

The survey response rate was 68% (327/480). Ninety-one percent of respondents held an academic appointment with relatively equal percentages of each rank …

Associations Between Contralesional Neuroplasticity And Motor Impairment Through Deep Learning-Derived Mri Regional Brain Age In Chronic Stroke (Enigma): A Multicohort, Retrospective, Observational Study, Gilsoon Park, Mahir Khan, Justin Andrushko, Nerisa Banaj, Michael Borich, Lara Boyd, Amy Brodtmann, Truman Brown, Cathrin Buetefisch, Adriana Conforto, Steven Cramer, Michael Dimyan, Martin Domin, Miranda Donnelly, Natalia Egorova-Brumley, Elsa Ermer, Wuwei Feng, Fatemeh Geranmayeh, Colleen Hanlon, Brenton Hordacre, Neda Jahanshad, Steven Kautz, Mohamed Salah Khlif, Jingchun Liu, Martin Lotze, Bradley Macintosh, Feroze Mohamed, Jan Nordvik, Fabrizio Piras, Kate Revill, Andrew Robertson, Christian Schranz, Nicolas Schweighofer, Na Jin Seo, Surjo Soekadar, Shraddha Srivastava, Bethany Tavenner, Gregory Thielman, Sophia Thomopoulos, Daniela Vecchio, Emilio Werden, Lars Westlye, Carolee Winstein, George Wittenberg, Jennifer Ferris, Chunshui Yu, Paul Thompson, Sook-Lei Liew, Hosung Kim

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Stroke leads to complex chronic structural and functional brain changes that specifically affect motor outcomes. The brain predicted age difference (PAD) has emerged as a sensitive biomarker of both sensorimotor and cognitive function after stroke. Our previous study showed a higher global brain PAD associated with poorer motor function after stroke. However, the association between local stroke lesion load, regional brain age, and motor impairment is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between focal lesion damage, regional brain PAD in both hemispheres, and motor outcomes in chronic stroke, and to identify key predictors of motor impairment.

METHODS: …

Prognostic Factors For Patients Under 45 Undergoing Surgery For Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Seer Population-Based Study, Gabrielle Grob, Fang Fang, Matvey Karpov, Eric Feliberti, Marybeth Hughes, Rachel Burke, Winifred Lo

Department Surgery Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been on the rise in adults younger than 50. Surgical resection is a potentially curative treatment option for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). The aim of this study was to describe patient and tumor characteristics associated with disease-specific survival in young patients (<  45 years) versus older patients (≥ 45 years) with isolated CRLM.

Methods: The SEER database was queried for patients with CRLM who underwent colon and liver resection from 2010 to 2021. Patients under age 20, with metastases beyond the liver, or who had not had surgery for liver metastases were excluded. Cox regression was used to analyze demographic factors, tumor …

Advancing Models Of Ptsd-Aud Comorbidity: Protocol For A Multimethod Framework Using Genetics And Ecological Momentary Assessment, Elizabeth A. Stinson, Samhita Lellapalli, Sage E. Hawn, Natalie Merrill, Lance M. Rappaport, Christina M. Sheerin, Vasiliki Michopoulos, Silviu-Alin Bacanu, Roseann E. Peterson, Abigail Powers, Ananda B. Amstadter

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), which are moderately heritable, frequently co-occur and contribute to significant public health burdens, particularly among economically disadvantaged urban communities. There are noted sex differences in PTSD and AUD outcomes, with evidence suggesting women have heightened susceptibility to stress-related alcohol use. Preliminary PTSD-AUD ecological momentary assessment (EMA) findings support bidirectional associations across clinical outcomes. However, no studies to date have used PTSD-AUD comorbidity models as organizing frameworks to examine the temporal ordering and stability of within-person symptom dynamics underlying the maintenance or exacerbation of PTSD and AUD symptoms, including bidirectional and …

Intratracheal Interleukin-10 Administration Reduces Acute Lung Injury Induced By Sulfur Dioxide Exposure In Mice, Amy J. Nelson, Todd A. Wyatt, Bradley W. Richmond, Belinda Diaz, Angela Gleason, Michael J. Duryee, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Ted R. Mikuls, Jill A. Poole

Journal Articles: Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health

Therapies capable of reducing acute high-consequence airborne chemical exposure-induced lung disease are lacking. This study seeks to determine the therapeutic potential of interleukin (IL)-10 administered following acute sulfur dioxide (SO₂) exposure in mice. C57BL/6 male and female mice were exposed to SO₂ gas at 125 ppm for 4 h and subsequently treated 2-3 h later with IL-10 (1 μg) or vehicle control by intratracheal instillation for a total of 3 doses over 2 days with comparisons to sham-treated mice (N = 20 mice/group). IL-10 treatment reduced SO₂-induced weight loss with corresponding reductions in SO_{2 …}

Seeing Anxiety: Ecological Video Ethnography And Simulation To Understand Anxiety And Decision-Making In Dental Care, Mona Nasser, Hannah Drayson, Sally Hanks, Nicholas Peres, Michael Punt

Peninsula Dental School

BACKGROUND: Dental anxiety is a widespread barrier to care, often contributing to appointment avoidance, treatment disruption, and emotional strain for both patients and clinicians. While extensively studied as a psychological trait, less attention has been paid to how anxiety manifests situationally and relationally, through non-verbal, affective, and spatial cues within clinical encounters. Moreover, in certain contexts, such affective signals can intersect with decision-making processes, shaping how patients interpret, engage with, or withdraw from clinical choices.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how anxiety manifests within the micro-choreography of dental encounters, develop a taxonomy of 'anxious tells', and assess the utility of ecological video …

An Insidious Interstice: Understanding Cognition And Language Behaviour Through The Eyes Of Juvenile Justice Professionals, Anne M. Perrotti, Allison T. Chappell, Tancy Vandecar-Burdin

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Introduction

Despite evidence suggesting language and cognition deficits are prevalent for justice involved youth, little research explores how juvenile justice personnel experience language and cognition behaviours in the youth they serve.

Aims

This qualitative study explored how juvenile justice personnel understand language and cognition skills and deficits in justice involved youth.

Methods

Twenty-two U.S. juvenile justice professionals participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. Questions focused on individual understanding of receptive language, expressive language, social communication, and cognition (i.e., problem-solving, predicting consequences and impulsiveness) in juveniles served. Using a phenomenological lens, transcripts were coded identifying themes and sub-themes of participant responses.

Results …

Mepolizumab Improves Outcomes In Patients With Crswnp With One Or More Prior Nasal Polyp Surgeries, Joseph K. Han, Joaquim Mullol, Martin Wagenmann, Laura Walrave, Lingjiao Zhang, Ana R. Sousa, Peter Howarth, Claire Hopkins

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) often undergo multiple nasal surgeries. The Phase III SYNAPSE study (GSK ID:205687; NCT0308579) demonstrated that mepolizumab reduces the need for repeat surgery. We explored whether outcomes differed based on the number of prior surgeries. METHODOLOGY: This post hoc analysis of SYNAPSE stratified patients by history of 1 or more than 1 prior surgery. Patients were randomised to receive mepolizumab or placebo every 4 weeks, alongside standard of care, for 52 weeks. Outcomes included change from baseline in endoscopic nasal polyp (NP) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for nasal obstruction, loss …

The Influence Of Parental Attitudes On Perceptions Of Gender Socialization In Their Children, Tareva Cortes

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Gender socialization begins early in childhood and plays a significant role in shaping children's beliefs, behaviors, and perceptions of themselves and others. Parents serve as primary agents of gender socialization and contribute to children's understanding of gender roles through attitudes, expectations, and reinforcement of gender-related behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine parental attitudes regarding traditional gender roles, modern sexism, and children's gender-related behaviors. Participants included 163 parents and legal guardians residing in the United States who had at least one child under the age of 18. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Child Gender Socialization Scale, …

Chronobiology Of Meal Timing In Early-Stage Hypertension: A Controlled Feeding Pilot Study Investigating The Effects On Renal And Vascular Function, Natalie J. Bohmke, Brittany Barton, Patrice Wiecek, Paula Rodriguez-Miguelez, Dave L. Dixon, Youngdeok Kim, Salvatore Carbone, Danielle L. Kirkman

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Lifestyle intervention is critical for young adults with early-stage hypertension. A Western diet has negative effects on kidney function and blood pressure; however, time-of-day effects are understudied. We hypothesized that consumption of a Western-style meal that is misaligned with the endogenous circadian rhythm would have adverse effects on blood pressure, kidney function, and vascular function. Ten young adults with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension (means ± SD: 26 ± 8 yr, 50% female) underwent a randomized crossover, isocaloric controlled feeding intervention. Participants were allocated to receive a Western-style meal high in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat in the …

Evaluating Differences In Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts By Infant Sex: National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011, Timothy Ihongbe, Marilyn L Browne, Adrian M Michalski, Lindsay A Williams, Wendy Nembhard, Eirini Nestoridi, Gary M Shaw, Andrew F Olshan, A J Agopian, National Birth Defects Prevention Study

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To investigate nongenetic factors that may contribute to observed differences in nonsyndromic orofacial clefts by infant sex.

Study design: Using data for 1997-2011 deliveries from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a case-control study, we separately examined associations between 23 maternal factors and cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) and cleft palate alone (CP) using multivariable logistic regression stratified by infant sex.

Results: We compared 2986 infants with CL/P and 1557 with CP to 11 271 control infants without birth defects. After adjusting for maternal age at conception and education, lower odds of nonsyndromic orofacial clefts were …

A Qualitative Examination Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Access, Beliefs, And Behaviors Among Adult Males Aged 18–35: Applying The Health Stigma And Discrimination Framework, Serena A Rodríguez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Males, who disproportionately account for 83% of oropharyngeal cancer cases, are underrepresented in health promotion research, including human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination studies. The initial exclusion of males in HPV vaccine research, policies, and interventions has negatively affected male vaccine uptake. Furthermore, stigma, a well-documented barrier to healthcare engagement, has been overlooked in HPV vaccination behaviors. This study aimed to provide a more contextualized understanding of HPV vaccine disparities among adult males by applying the Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework (HSDF) to examine how stigma is produced, enacted, and sustained across social systems, which may impact male vaccine uptake.

Methods: …

Psychometric Properties Of A Novel Affective Bias Task And Its Application In Clinical And Nonclinical Populations, Xiaoxu Fan, Brian Cui, Bailey Pascuzzi, John Magnotti, Madaline Mocchi, Raissa Mathura, Kelly R Bijanki

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

To mitigate limitations in self-reported mood assessments, we introduce a novel affective bias task (ABT). The task quantifies instantaneous emotional state by leveraging the phenomenon of affective bias, in which people interpret external emotional stimuli in a manner consistent with their current emotional state. This study establishes task stability in measuring and tracking depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical populations. Initial assessment in a large non-clinical sample established normative ratings. Depressive symptoms were tracked relative to task performance in a non-clinical sample, as well as in a clinical cohort undergoing surgical evaluation for severe epilepsy. In both cohorts, a stronger …

Predictors Of Inpatient Rn Turnover In Rural And Urban Vha Hospitals, Paras Mehta, Laura A Petersen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The rising demand for health care delivery and an aging workforce is of particular concern in rural areas, where health care access depends upon an adequate nursing workforce. To address this shortage and optimize care, it is essential to measure when registered nurses (RN) leave inpatient direct care positions (ie, inpatient RN turnover) and identify modifiable factors correlated with RN turnover.

Objectives: Apply a novel method for characterizing inpatient RN turnover to understand factors associated with variation in RNs leaving inpatient positions at rural and urban Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals.

Project design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects: Direct care …

Dynamic Progression Of Ectopic Lymphoid Structure Formation In Lacrimal Glands Of A Sjögren’S Disease Murine Model, Elizaveta A Demianova, Cintia S De Paiva, Maria C Edman, J Andrew Mackay, Sarah F Hamm-Alvarez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Sjögren's Disease (SjD) is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of lacrimal glands (LG) and salivary glands (SG). In SG, these immune structures have properties of ectopic lymphoid structures (ELS) and appear to play a critical role in disease pathology. While the presence of ELS in patients' SG biopsies is linked to disease severity, their presence and composition in LG has not been well characterized.

Methods: The properties and time course of apparent ELS development in LG from the male non-obese diabetes free (NOR) sub-strain of the Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mice was investigated at stages encompassing early …

Hemispherotomy For Drug-Resistant Epilepsy In A Low-Resource Setting: Surgical Outcomes And Quality Of Life In 23 Children Treated In A Hybrid Program In Panama, Hannah K Weiss, Yosef Dastagirzada, Guzman Aranda, Laurent Bruggeman, Ameeta Grover, Shaun D Rodgers, Ruben Kuzniecky, Yvonne Zelenka-Kuzniecky, Howard L Weiner, Eveline Teresa Hidalgo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Hemispherotomy is an effective treatment for children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). While hemispherotomy techniques and indications have evolved, access remains predominantly constrained to high-resource settings.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of children who underwent hemispherotomy from 2011 to 2023 by a hybrid team, including local Panamanian and US neurologists, neurosurgeons, and EEG technicians and analyzed surgical, epilepsy, and quality of life (QoL) parameters. Follow-up data were collected according to the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) guidelines for children with epilepsy.

Results: Twenty-three children underwent hemispherotomy. The median age at surgery was 10 years (range 2-20). The …

Suicidal Ideation In Spinocerebellar Ataxia, Puneet Opal, Jeremy D Schmahmann, Christopher M Gomez, Henry Paulson, Theresa A Zesiewicz, Susan Perlman, George Wilmot, Sarah H Ying, Chiadi U Onyike, Khalaf O Bushara, Michael D Geschwind, Karla P Figueroa, Stefan M Pulst, Sub H Subramony, Antoine Duquette, Tetsuo Ashizawa, Ali G Hamedani, Marie Y Davis, Sharan R Srinivasan, Matthew R Burns, Nadia Amokrane, Lauren R Moore, Vikram G Shakkottai, Liana S Rosenthal, Sheng-Han Kuo, Chi-Ying R Lin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Suicidal ideation has not been extensively studied in spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). The authors examined whether individuals with SCAs have increased suicidal ideation and related factors.

Methods: The authors studied patients with genetically confirmed SCAs enrolled in the Clinical Research Consortium for the Study of Cerebellar Ataxia cohort, examining the percentages of patients with SCA subtypes 1, 2, 3, and 6 who reported suicidal ideation and comparing findings with nationally representative data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Clinical characteristics that may contribute to suicidal ideation in SCAs, including age, disease duration, sex, ataxia severity, depression, …

Prevalence Of Substance Use In Northwest Syria: A Cross-Sectional Study, Huda Taktak, Nidhal Saadoun, Mohammad Alhusein, Elharit Alissa, Anas Barbour, Zaher Sahloul, Nidal Moukaddam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Syria has undergone significant socio-political turmoil since 2011 as internal conflict displaced portions of the population, destroyed infrastructure, and destabilized the economy. In the context of multilevel healthcare system disruptions, there have been increasing reports of substance use. This study seeks to evaluate patterns of substance use in Northwestern Syria.

Methods: Trained staff administered questionnaires to community members in Azaz, Syria. Questions focused on the substance use prevalence, societal and public health impacts, and perspectives on treatment availability.

Results: 480 individuals were surveyed (80·88% male, 19·12 % female; 43·39% were 18-25 yrs, 11·5% reported personal substance use). H-booz (amphetamines), …

Phase 1 Trial Of Withania Somnifera Leaf Extract (Rh324) In Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Including [18f]Fdg Pet/Ct As A Short-Term Metabolic Biomarker To Assess Efficacy: A Novel Model For Assessment Of Complimentary Therapies In Early Phase Human Clinical Trials, Afshin Dowlati, Raymond F Muzic, Arash Kardan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Withania somnifera (WS), commonly known as ashwagandha, has been used in the traditional medical system of India. It has shown significant activity against numerous solid tumor varieties in pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo studies. This study focuses on RH324 (ReHeva Biosciences, Columbus, OH), a pharmaceutical-grade formulation derived from WS, which has received FDA allowance for clinical development as a botanical drug in the treatment of cancer.

Methods: A phase 1 open label dose ranging study of oral RH324 in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was conducted. The primary endpoint of the study was assessment of short-term safety …

Evolving Burden Of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease And Its Complications In A Us Nationwide Healthcare System, Liang Li, Xian Yu, Yumei Cao, Roxanne Desiderio, George Cholankeril, Steven M Asch, Hashem B El-Serag, Fasiha Kanwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing public health problem. Measuring the burden of cirrhosis and its complications in people with MASLD is important to inform health care delivery.

Methods: We aimed to quantify the changes in the burden of MASLD-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a nationwide U.S. healthcare system. We used data from the Veterans Health Administration to examine temporal trends between 2010 and 2021 in the annual incidence and prevalence of cirrhosis and HCC in a large cohort of patients with MASLD, and to compare them to those in patients with hepatitis C …

Highly Variable Expressivity Of A Cnv Deletion Involving Tbx4 In Three Deceased Siblings With Lung Developmental Disorder And Their Mildly Affected Mother And Grandfather, Michał Denkiewicz, Dariusz Plewczynski, Hyun Jeong Kim, Gail Deutsch, Nahir Cortes-Santiago, Salmo Raskin, Paweł Stankiewicz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and copy-number variant (CNV) deletions involving TBX4 have been associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension, ischiocoxopodopatellar syndrome, and lethal lung developmental disorders (LLDDs). Thus far, all large CNV deletions encompassing entire TBX4 have been found to have arisen de novo. Here, we present a three-generation family with three neonate siblings who died within 35-66 days due to histopathologically diagnosed LLDD. Whole-genome sequencing identified an ~108-kb CNV deletion encompassing TBX4 in all three infants. The deletion was also found in their mother with a history of pneumonia and persistent thick upper airway secretions and in the maternal grandfather …