Digital Commons Network^™

The Functional Connectome Mediates Associations Between Fitness And Cognition Across The Adult Lifespan, Juniad Merchant, Jeremy J. Purcell, Daniel D. Callow, Junyeon Won, Yash Kommula, Samuel Rosenberg, Yi Wei, John L. Woodard, Kristy A. Nielson, Stephen M. Rao, Sally Durgerian, Shuo Chen, J. Carson Smith

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is increasingly recognized as essential for improving neural and cognitive function, especially in older age. Here, we examined a cross-sectional sample of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) Aging dataset (ages 36–100; N = 378) to test the hypothesis that functional connectivity profiles that are related to CRF are also associated with episodic memory and executive function across middle age and older adults. To test these hypotheses, we first used connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) to identify functional connections (FCs) that were separately predictive of CRF (2 Minute Walk Test), episodic memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test), and executive …

Reunion After Deployment: Describing Findings From A Study Of Military Couples Funded By The U.S. Department Of Defense, Leanne K. Knobloch, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, Jeremy B. Yorgason

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction

The transition from deployment to reintegration can present unique stressors for returning service members and at-home partners. To better understand the relationship dynamics of military couples upon homecoming, we conducted a project funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) Military Operational Medicine Research Program (MOMRP) to track returning service members and at-home partners across the transition. Our goal in this article is to describe findings from the project and lessons learned about collecting data from military couples upon reunion.

Materials and Methods

The research design was a dyadic, longitudinal, self-report study. We gathered online survey …

Commentary On “Having Two Children Might Be Best For Women’S Mental Health: Evidence From Uk Biobank”, K. Brosch, E. Christensen, L. Wiersch, D. Hagen, E. R. Orchard, Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, D. S. Stolzenberg, E. Dhamala

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Liu et al. (2025) investigated the cross-sectional association between the number of live births and lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder and major depression (BDMD) in over 55,000 women (age M = 57.45, SD = 7.96) using UK Biobank data. The study separated individuals into two groups: those with at least one live birth (n = 53,140), and those without a live birth (n = 2569). The authors imputed missing data using random-forest imputation, and used inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) to account for differences in group sizes. They ran four models with an increasing number of covariates to …

Variation In Cycling Exercise Mechanical Efficiency In The Heritage Family Study, Angelo Tremblay, Claude Bouchard, Mark A. Sarzynski Facsm, James S. Skinner, Élisa Marin-Couture, Patrick Schrauwen, Guy Thibault, Marie-Eve Mathieu, Louis Pérusse

Faculty Publications

The objectives of the study were to assess the effects of cycling endurance exercise training and sex on cycling exercise mechanical efficiency (ME) and to explore its associations with body composition, glycemic profile, and skeletal muscle characteristics. Subjects were males (n = 371) and females (n = 465) of European (ED) and African descent (AD) of the HERITAGE Family Study. The measurements were repeated after a 20-week controlled endurance exercise program. A substudy involving 78 participants from 19 ED families was used to evaluate associations between skeletal muscle traits and variations in ME. An increase in ME of …

High Risk Of Persistence And Risk Of Dysplasia After Diagnosis Of Ultrashort Barrett's Esophagus, Wasseem Skef, Jasmine Haydel, Ashwin Rao, Ronan Allencherril, Rollin George, Gyanprakash A Ketwaroo, Aaron P Thrift, Hashem B El-Serag, Theresa Nguyen Wenker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: The management of ultrashort (< 1 cm) Barrett's esophagus (BE) remains unclear. We aimed to determine the prevalence of ultrashort BE (USBE) at index diagnosis, identify factors associated with persistent BE after USBE diagnosis, and identify risk of dysplasia after initial USBE in a population of US veterans.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Houston, TX, of consecutive patients with new BE diagnosis from November 1990 to June 2022 with follow-up through April 2023. Using a pathology database, we identified patients with a new USBE diagnosis and any subsequent follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). We examined the association of sociodemographic and clinical risk factors of persistent USBE cohort compared with longer-length segment BE and those with a negative follow-up EGD after index USBE with χ 2 tests and logistic regression models. Last, we calculated the prevalence and …

Pharmacological Treatment For Patients With Obesity And Heart Failure: Focus On Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists. European Journal Of Heart Failure Expert Consensus Document, Luca Monzo, Gianluigi Savarese, Wilfried Mullens, Amr Abdin, Biykem Bozkurt, Ovidiu Chioncel, Seif El Hadidi, Thomas M Gorter, Riccardo M Inciardi, Mark C Petrie, Gabriele G Schiattarella, Davide Stolfo, Marco Metra, Nicolas Girerd

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

There is growing clinical interest in strategies for improving clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) and obesity. The development of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and of the dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 RA has expanded therapeutic options for this population. This expert consensus provides a comprehensive and pragmatic framework for the use of GLP-1 RAs and GIP/GLP-1 RA in patients with HF, focusing on clinical integration, patient selection, safety, and tolerability. We review the evidence supporting their use in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), where clinical trials have demonstrated meaningful reductions in body …

Urinary Markers In Heart Failure – Types, Timing And Thresholds. European Journal Of Heart Failure Expert Consensus Document, Masatake Kobayashi, Biykem Bozkurt, Peder Langeland Myhre, Juan Carlos Lopez Azor, Mateusz Guzik, Gracjan Iwanek, Guillaume Baudry, Marta Cobo-Marcos, Òscar Miró, Jeroen Dauw, Piotr Ponikowski, Wilfried Mullens, Alberto Palazzuoli, Marco Metra, Jan Biegus

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Several urinary markers reflect disease severity and have the potential to support the management of heart failure (HF). Collecting urine samples is easy and inexpensive, and urine sample composition can be altered not only by underlying kidney impairments (i.e. filtration barrier damage and tubular injury) but also via neurohormonal and inflammatory activation, ageing, comorbidities, other medical conditions and pharmacological interventions. For instance, urinary sodium may help to predict the response to loop diuretic therapy in acute HF, while albuminuria is used as a risk marker and therapeutic target for the progression of cardiovascular and kidney diseases in chronic HF, especially …

Management Of Patients With Heart Failure At High Risk Of Hyperkalaemia: The Care-Hk In Hf Registry, Stephen J Greene, Andrew J Sauer, Michael Böhm, Biykem Bozkurt, Javed Butler, John G F Cleland, Andrew J S Coats, Nihar R Desai, Diederick E Grobbee, Ellie Kelepouris, Fausto Pinto, Giuseppe Rosano, Victoria Donachie, Solenn Fabien, Sandra Waechter, Maria G Crespo-Leiro, Martin Hülsmann, Tibor Kempf, Otmar Pfister, Anne-Catherine Pouleur, Manish Saxena, Martin Schulz, Maurizio Volterrani, Stefan D Anker, Mikhail N Kosiborod

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aims: Patients with heart failure (HF) at high risk for hyperkalaemia are underrepresented in prospective HF registries. The CARE-HK in HF registry sought to characterize prospectively the clinical profile, management, and outcomes for patients with HF at high risk of hyperkalaemia.

Methods and results: CARE-HK in HF was a multinational prospective registry of outpatients with HF (regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]) treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ACEI/ARB/ARNI) and either receiving or potential candidate for a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA). All patients were at increased risk of hyperkalaemia, defined as hyperkalaemia at baseline, …

Rising Burden Of Heart Failure: An Urgent Global Public Health Concern, Biykem Bozkurt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Albuminuria As A Diagnostic Criterion And A Therapeutic Target In Heart Failure And Other Cardiovascular Disease, Biykem Bozkurt, Patrick Rossignol, Joseph A Vassalotti

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The high disease burden and bidirectional relationship of chronic kidney disease (CKD), heart failure (HF) and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) necessitate the need for early diagnosis of these diseases. While current screening and detection methods are recommended by CKD and CVD guidelines, their adoption in practice is low. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) is recognized as a diagnostic marker for CKD and a prognostic marker for CKD progression, HF and CVD outcomes, therefore albuminuria changes have been accepted as a surrogate outcome for kidney and cardiovascular endpoints. Furthermore, clinical trials investigating guideline-directed medical therapies have shown that uACR reductions are accompanied …

Intravascular Hemolysis As A Converging Mechanism In Hemolytic Disorders, Justin A Courson, Arun Saini

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Selective Agonism Of Liver And Gut Fxr Prevents Cholestasis And Intestinal Atrophy In Parenterally Fed Neonatal Pigs, Yanjun Jiang, Zhengfeng Fang, Gregory Guthrie, Barbara Stoll, Shaji Chacko, Sen Lin, Bolette Hartmann, Jens J Holst, Harry Dawson, Jose J Pastor, Ignacio R Ipharraguerre, Douglas G Burrin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We aimed to investigate the relative efficacy of feeding different bile acids in preventing PNALD in neonatal pigs. Newborn pigs given total parenteral nutrition (TPN) combined with minimal enteral feeding of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) or increasing doses of obeticholic acid (OCA) for 19 days. Enteral OCA (5 and 15 mg/kg), but not CDCA (30 mg/kg) reduced blood cholestasis markers compared to TPN controls and increased bile acids in the gallbladder and intestine. Major bile acids in the liver and distal intestine were CDCA, HCA, HDCA, and OCA, and their relative proportions were increased by the type of bile acid (CDCA …

From Pachymeningitis Hemorrhagica To Abusive Head Trauma: A Journey Through The Centuries, Oliver Berthold, Flora Blangis, Christopher Spencer Greeley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The development of medical knowledge follows specific principles. These also apply to abusive head trauma. The seminal literature from the early 20th century is based on earlier research from Europe, which is fundamental to understand the evolution of understanding and nomenclature of abusive head trauma. A review of original medical literature on intracranial injuries in children, published in German, English, and French, was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar for articles before 1950. The primary search focused on subdural hemorrhages and pachymeningitis in children, followed by a snowball search of references. Full texts of available manuscripts were reviewed. Primary literature …

Differences In Patient And Parent Preferences For Prognostic Communication Across Disease Milestones In Advanced Childhood Cancer, Rachel A Kentor, Shoshana Mehler, Caroline Christianson, Harmony Farner, Tara M Brinkman, Justin N Baker, Pamela S Hinds, Jennifer W Mack, Erica C Kaye

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Navigating prognostic communication is challenging for clinicians caring for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with poor-prognosis cancer. Presently, little is known about how AYA and parent preferences for prognostic disclosure evolve over time. This study explored communication preferences at key illness milestones of disease progression to inform individualized, person-centered approaches to optimize prognostic disclosure.

Procedure: Sixty-five participants, including 25 AYAs aged 12-25 years and 40 parents, were recruited at distinct illness timepoints-diagnosis, relapse/progression, Phase I/II trial enrollment, and bereavement-to participate in semi-structured interviews about their preferences for timing, style, and content of prognostic communication. Rapid analysis was conducted to …

Beyond Seizures As An Outcome Measure: A Global Severity Scoring System For Cdkl5 Deficiency Disorder, Peter Jacoby, Eric D Marsh, Scott Demarest, Jacinta M Saldaris, Helen Leonard, Heather E Olson, Joni N Saby, Elia Pestana-Knight, Rajsekar Rajaraman, Dana Price, Judith Weisenberg, Bernhard Suter, Jenny Downs, Tim A Benke

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) is a rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) associated with multiple impairments and comorbidities. Outcome measures for disease-modifying clinical trials for DEEs should measurably capture a spectrum of caregiver priorities and be externally validated.

Methods: The International CDKL5 Clinical Research Network was the data source for this observational study. A Structural Equation Model was constructed with latent, exogenous variables related to observed clinical features to calculate a global severity score from the following assessments: the CDKL5 Clinical Severity Assessment-Clinician and -Caregiver, Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile Infant Toddler Checklist and the Sleep Disturbance …

A Rare Molecular Diagnosis In A Patient With Hepatocerebral Syndrome Contributes To The Expansion Of The Phenotypic Spectrum Of Polg2 -Related Mitochondrial Disorder, Vittoria Rossi, Dan Brooks, Hongzheng Dai, Elizabeth Mizerik, Karla Salazar, Daniel Davila-Williams, Yishay Ben-Moshe, Seema R Lalani, Sarah H Elsea, Charul Gijavanekar, Daryl A Scott, Keren Machol, Mir Reza Bekheirnia, Fernando Scaglia

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

POLG2 encodes an accessory subunit in DNA polymerase gamma that is required for mitochondrial DNA synthesis. Monoallelic pathogenic variants in POLG2 are associated primarily with progressive external ophthalmoplegia with mitochondrial DNA deletions, autosomal dominant type 4 (PEOA4, MIM #610131). We report a rare case of severe infantile hepatocerebral syndrome associated with biallelic variants in POLG2. The proband, a 5-week-old female infant, presented with seizures and acute liver failure. Extensive metabolic workup, including untargeted metabolomics analysis and elevated plasma growth differentiation factor 15, was suggestive of mitochondrial dysfunction. Rapid trio genome sequencing identified compound heterozygous variants, a likely pathogenic variant and …

Can Interpersonal Trust Predict And Account For Symptom Change During Group Cognitive Processing Therapy For Ptsd? An Investigation Of The Iterated Trust Game, M Wright Williams, Christopher Hunt, David P Graham, Matt Estey, Lia Smith, Katherine Mccurry, Brooks King-Casas, Pearl Chiu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Group cognitive processing therapy (GCPT) is frequently utilized to treat PTSD within the VA healthcare system, but its mechanisms are not well understood. Interpersonal trust could be an important change process in GCPT given its relevance to group-based therapy and its role in CPT, but self-report measures are inadequate for capturing the dynamic interplay that defines interpersonal trust. Here, we examined the degree to which interpersonal could predict and account for PTSD symptom change in GCPT using the iterated trust game (ITG)-a behavioral task used to approximate real-world trust behavior.

Methods: Participants were Veterans with PTSD who participated in …

Clonal Hematopoiesis And Subsequent Venous Thromboembolism Among Survivors Of Autologous Transplantation For Lymphoma, Radhika Gangaraju, Yanjun Chen, Lindsey Hageman, Alysia Bosworth, Elizabeth Ross, Liton Francisco, Purnima Singh, Melissa A Richard, Chengcheng Yan, Rashi Kalra, Changde Cheng, Saro H Armenian, Stephen J Forman, Ravi Bhatia, Smita Bhatia

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Clonal hematopoiesis is associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The risk of VTE is high in patients with lymphoma and after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, and clonal hematopoiesis is present in many patients with lymphoma at autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. We examined whether clonal hematopoiesis increases posttransplant VTE risk in patients with lymphoma. Our study included 557 patients with lymphoma who had survived 2 or more years after receiving autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation between 1999 and 2014. Clonal hematopoiesis was measured by targeted sequencing of cryopreserved peripheral blood stem cell product. Median …

Early Outcomes Of Endovascular Repair Of Aortic Arch Lesions In Zone 0/1 With A Thoracic Branched Endoprosthesis, Matthew P Sweet, Ali Azizzadeh, Gustavo S Oderich, William Brinkman, Jon S Matsumura, Takao Ohki, Sara Zettervall, Shinji Miyamoto, Himanshu J Patel, Michael D Dake

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: The pivotal trial 30-day outcomes of the GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis in patients with endovascular repair of the aortic arch or descending thoracic aorta using a zone 0 or 1 landing zone were evaluated.

Methods: In this nonrandomized, multicenter, prospective study, the primary, clinically driven outcome was a composite of the following through 1 month: technical success (successful device deployment with maintenance of side-branch patency and the absence of aortic rupture), lesion-related mortality, disabling stroke, permanent paraplegia or paraparesis, new onset renal failure requiring permanent dialysis, and protocol-defined unanticipated reintervention.

Results: The 77 study patients enrolled had aneurysm …

Frailty And Nutritional Status Predict Postoperative Complications In Radical Cystectomy Patients, David E Hinojosa-Gonzalez, Gal Saffati, Gustavo Salgado-Garza, Cecilio Armengol-García, Bailey Slawin, Sienna Blackwell, Jennifer M Taylor, Jeremy R Slawin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Radical cystectomy (RC) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. While frailty and nutritional status have emerged as important predictors of surgical outcomes, their impact on RC complications remains incompletely characterized. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between frailty (using the Modified Frailty Index-5 [mFI-5], nutritional status (using the Nutritional Risk Index [NRI]), and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing RC.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Frailty was defined as mFI-5 score ≥2 and malnutrition as NRI ≤97.5. Hypoalbuminemia was defined as preoperative albumin ≤3.5. Outcomes included …

Optic Nerve Injury Impairs Intrinsic Mechanisms Underlying Electrical Activity In A Resilient Retinal Ganglion Cell, Thomas E Zapadka, Nicholas M Tran, Jonathan B Demb

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the sole output neurons of the retina and convey visual information to the brain via their axons in the optic nerve. Following injury to the optic nerve, RGCs axons degenerate and many cells die. For example, a model of axon injury, the optic nerve crush (ONC), kills ~80% of RGCs after two weeks. Surviving cells are biased towards ‘resilient’ types, including several with sustained firing to light stimulation. RGC survival may depend on activity, and there is limited understanding of how or why activity changes following optic nerve injury. Here we quantified the electrophysiological properties …

A Computer Vision And Machine Learning Approach To Classify Views In Distal Radius Radiographs, Rohan Vemu, Dion Birhiray, Bassem Darwish, Raven Hollis, Sai Unnam, Srikhar Chilukuri, Lorenzo Deveza

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Advances in computer vision and machine learning have augmented the ability to analyze orthopedic radiographs. A critical but underexplored component of this process is the accurate classification of radiographic views and localization of relevant anatomical regions, both of which can impact the performance of downstream diagnostic models. This study presents a deep learning object detection model and mobile application designed to classify distal radius radiographs into standard views-anterior-posterior (AP), lateral (LAT), and oblique (OB)- while localizing the anatomical region most relevant to distal radius fractures. A total of 1593 deidentified radiographs were collected from a single institution between 2021 and …

Association Of Preoperative Nocturnal Hypoxaemia Nadir And Fentanyl Ventilatory Sensitivity In Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Undergoing General Anaesthesia: A Multicentre Clinical Cohort Study, Adam C Adler, Elaina E Lin, Anna H Messner, Tara L Rosenberg, Shelly Pecorella, Aidan Keleghan, Spencer Faircloth, T Wesley Templeton, Lynnette Harris, Sabina A Khan, Greesha S Pednekar, Duc T Nguyen, Arvind Chandrakantan, Britta S Von Ungern-Sternberg

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has been thought to increase the risk of respiratory depression from opioids. The primary aim of this study was to assess whether preoperative hypoxaemia by sleep study pulse oximetry imparts greater opioid sensitivity.

Methods: A multicentre observational cohort study with in-cohort dose randomisation was performed in children 2-8 yr of age with OSA undergoing adenotonsillectomy. Ninety patients were assigned to one of two Spo2 cohorts by preoperative sleep study Spo2 nadir of < or ≥85% to receive fentanyl 1.0 or 1.5 μg kg-1 (maximum 25 μg) after sevoflurane induction. The primary outcome was the extent of opioid-induced central ventilatory depression over time by Spo2 status as defined by the differences in tidal volume, respiratory rate, end-tidal CO2, and minute ventilation for 10 min after fentanyl administration when compared with pre-fentanyl baseline values. Secondary outcomes included assessment of body mass index, fentanyl dose, sex, age, and race on opioid-induced central ventilatory depression. Intention-to-treat and per protocol analysis were performed.

Results: Ninety patients underwent in-cohort randomisation (Spo2 < 85%; n=47 and Spo2 ≥85%; n=43). Final per protocol analysis included 73 subjects, fentanyl 1.0 μg kg-1 (Spo2 < 85%; n=36 and Spo2 ≥85%; n=37) and 15 subjects, fentanyl 1.5 μg kg-1 (Spo2 < 85%; n=9 and Spo2 ≥85%; n=6). Multivariable mixed effect model for the primary outcomes (tidal volume, respiratory rate, end-tidal CO2, and minute ventilation) from baseline to 10 min (as % change per minute) were not different between groups by Spo2 nadir (< or ≥85%) and fentanyl dose for the intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses.

Conclusions: Single-dose fentanyl ventilatory effects in paediatric OSA patients during sevoflurane anaesthesia were not associated with …

Predictors Of Response To Emergent Therapies In Paediatric Immune Thrombocytopenia, Candelaria O'Farrell, Taylor M Luckie, Matthew J Willis, Susan E Kirk, Brandon R Lucari, Michael E Scheurer, Xiaotian Gao, Amanda B Grimes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Emergent therapies (ET), which include intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), corticosteroids and intravenous anti‐Rho(D) immunoglobulin, are used to treat acute episodes of bleeding in children with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). There are currently no known biomarkers or clinical features predictive of treatment response to any specific ET. Thus, the treatment of ITP remains largely trial and error, exposing patients to potentially ineffective medications, which are often expensive and associated with adverse effects. We therefore sought to identify the predictors of treatment response through comparison of clinical characteristics in paediatric patients with ITP responsive to ET versus those non‐responsive to ET. We identified high …

Perfluoroalkyl Substance Pollutants Disrupt Microglia Function And Trigger Transcriptional And Epigenomic Changes, Yating Cheng, Jian-Rong Li, Hangjin Yu, Shuang Li, Boranai Tychhon, Chao Cheng, Yi-Lan Weng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as "forever chemicals", are widely utilized in various industries and consumer products worldwide. Their exposure has been associated with numerous diseases and malignancies, including neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PFAS-induced adverse effects on the central nervous system (CNS) remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the transcriptomic and epigenetic changes in microglia exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a prevalent PFAS compound. Our findings demonstrate that 24-hour PFOS exposure (25 and 50 µM) disrupts the microglial transcriptome and compromises their homeostatic state, marked by increased inflammation and impaired …

Predicting Craving-Related Emotions Among Opioid Use Disorder Patients: Preliminary Results, Zachary King, Zoe Setiadi, Liana Hamdan, Hajar Ahmed, Bishal Lamichhane, Ashutosh Sabharwal, Ramiro Salas, Nidal Moukaddam, Akane Sano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) often struggle to maintain sobriety, with many experiencing relapse within the first year. While medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is among the most effective approaches, access to intensive care is often limited by financial barriers. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer a promising, cost-effective alternative by enabling continuous monitoring and timely intervention through tools such as ecological momentary assessments (EMAs), wearable sensors, and smartphone data. In this study, we explore the feasibility of using mHealth data to predict emotions that align with cravings in OUD patients undergoing MAT. Using data collected from EMAs, wearables, smartphone tracking, and …

Low Socioeconomic Status Adversely Influences Outcomes After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Paige E Brlecic, Christopher B Sylvester, Katie J Hogan, Qianzi Zhang, Joseph S Coselli, Marc R Moon, Todd K Rosengart, Subhasis Chatterjee, Ravi K Ghanta

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Although socioeconomic status (SES) is believed to affect patient outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), readmission data are sparse. In a national cohort, we analyzed the influence of SES on readmission, resource utilization, and mortality after CABG.

Methods: We queried the Nationwide Readmissions Database to identify patients who underwent isolated CABG from January 2016 through December 2018. We derived low, middle, and high SES from International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes, patient demographics, and neighborhood-level factors. The effect of SES on risk-adjusted outcomes was assessed with multivariable analysis.

Results: Of 523,042 patients who underwent CABG, …

Evaluating Molecular And Immune Biomarkers In Predicting Bladder Cancer Recurrence And Survival: A Systematic Review, Saad Masood, Abdullah Shaikh, Yasin Brar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This systematic review comprehensively evaluates current evidence on molecular and biochemical biomarkers for predicting recurrence and prognosis in bladder cancer. A literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to September 2025, identifying 347 records. After rigorous screening and eligibility assessment, five studies met the inclusion criteria. The included research encompassed a range of biomarker types, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), immune infiltration markers, methylation signatures, systemic inflammatory indices, and gene expression-based predictive models such as COXEN. Despite heterogeneity in study designs, methodologies, and endpoints, consistent findings indicated that integrated molecular profiling substantially improves the …

Point/Counterpoint: Upfront Braf Inhibition For Adult Braf-Mutant High-Grade Gliomas, Sebastien Perreault, Marjolein Geurts, Jasia Mahdi, Karisa C Schreck, Matthias Preusser, Patrick Y Wen, Mary Jane Lim-Fat, Jan-Michael Werner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Centrally Inserted Central Catheter Placement Using A Novel, Handheld, Image-Guided, Robotic Device: Results Of Initial Feasibility Trial In Patients, James P Herlihy, William E Cohn, Adrian Ebner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Central venous access devices (CVADs) are an essential and widely used tool for the treatment of the critically ill, patients undergoing major surgery, and for many patients requiring hemodialysis. Automation of centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs) could potentially make CVAD placement safer, more effective, and more accessible. A new device that uses ultrasound image-guided, robotic needle placement, in addition to traditional Seldinger technique, to place a CICC is described.

Objective: The device was used in a small, first-in-human, trial for placing non-tunneled hemodialysis catheters (NTHDCs), in order to determine feasibility of clinical use.

Methods: Consecutive patients requiring a NTHDC, …