Digital Commons Network^™

Mutations In Retinal Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels Identified In Familial Cases Of Inherited Retinal Dystrophies From Pakistan, Zainab Akhtar, Kiran Afshan, Yumei Li, Sumaira Altaf, Aleesha Asghar, Ume Sughra, Wajid Ali Khan, Haiba Kaul, Rui Chen, Sabika Firasat

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are ligand-gated ion channels that transduce light signals into electrical signals in the retinal photoreceptors. Pathogenic variants in CNG channel genes are reported to cause inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs). The current study used targeted panel sequencing to describe the mutational spectrum of CNG channel genes in familial cases of IRDs from eight consanguineous Pakistani families.

Methods: The current study included consanguineous Pakistani families with at least two affected members. DNA was extracted from whole blood samples by the phenol-chloroform method. Two affected members from each family were initially analyzed using targeted panel sequencing of 344 …

Nanoparticle Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Of Sporadic Aortic Aneurysm And Dissection: Effect Of Nanoparticle Size And Contrast Agent Dose, Laxman Devkota, Chen Zhang, Deborah Vela, Poonam Sarkar, Prajwal Bhandari, Zbigniew Starosolski, Renuka Menon, Dianna M Milewicz, Ying H Shen, Scott A Lemaire, Ketan B Ghaghada

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Aortopathies, such as aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD), are associated with enhanced aortic wall permeability and endothelial dysfunction. We previously demonstrated that nanoparticle contrast-enhanced computed tomography (nCECT), which detects enhanced aortic wall permeability, could enable non-invasive detection of early AAD before its progresses to fatal aortic rupture. This study investigated the effect of nanoparticle contrast agent (NPCA) size and dose on detection of aortopathy by nCECT.

Methods: In vivo studies were performed in a mouse model of sporadic AAD induced by challenging animals with high fat diet (5 weeks) and angiotensin II infusion (last one week). The effects …

Assessing The Cardioprotective Effects Of Exercise In Apoe Mouse Models Using Deep Learning And Photon-Counting Micro-Ct, Alex J Allphin, Rohan Nadkarni, Zay Y Han, Darin P Clark, Ketan B Ghaghada, Alexandra Badea, Cristian T Badea

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The allelic variations of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene play a critical role in regulating lipid metabolism and significantly impact cardiovascular disease risk (CVD). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of exercise on cardiac structure and function in mouse models expressing different APOE genotypes using photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) and deep learning-based segmentation.

Methods: A total of 140 mice were grouped based on APOE genotype (APOE2, APOE3, APOE4), sex, and exercise regimen. All mice were maintained on a controlled diet to isolate the effects of exercise. Low dose cardiac photon counting micro-CT imaging with intrinsic gating was performed …

Exercise Mitigates High-Fat Diet-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction Via Apoe Genotype- And Immune-Dependent Mechanisms: A Photon-Counting Ct Study In Adult Mice, Rohan Nadkarni, Alex J Allphin, Darin P Clark, Yi Qi, Zay Yar Han, Ketan B Ghaghada, Alexandra Badea, Cristian T Badea

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Cardiovascular dysfunction frequently accompanies aging and is often worsened by adverse lifestyle factors and genetic susceptibility. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene modulates susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, but how exercise and diet interact with APOE genotype remains insufficiently understood. We investigate the cardioprotective potential of exercise in humanized APOE-targeted replacement mice on control and high-fat diet, using photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) and deep learning-based image segmentation.

Methods: This study included 251 male and female mice in mid-to-late life of APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4 genotypes with variation in humanized NOS2 (HN) mediated innate immune response, exercise status (exercised vs. sedentary) and …

Structural Dynamics And Binding Of Caenorhabditis Elegans Lifespan-Extending Lipid Binding Protein-3 To Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, André R Cuevas, Matthew C Tillman, Meng C Wang, Eric A Ortlund

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Intracellular lipid binding proteins (iLBPs) play crucial roles in lipid transport and cellular metabolism across the animal kingdom. Recently, a fat‐to‐neuron axis was described in Caenorhabditis elegans, in which lysosomal activity in the fat liberates polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that signal to neurons and extend lifespan with durable fecundity. In this study, we investigate the structure and binding mechanisms of a lifespan‐extending lipid chaperone, lipid binding protein‐3 (LBP‐3), which shuttles dihomo‐γ‐linolenic (DGLA) acid from intestinal fat to neurons. We present the first high‐resolution crystal structure of LBP‐3, which reveals a classic iLBP fold with an unexpected and unique homodimeric …

Towards A Map Of The Immune System Manipulation Network By Trypanosoma Cruzi, Juan Cruz Gamba, Ana Rosa Pérez, Carolina Verónica Poncini, Cristina Poveda, Iván Marcipar, Gabriel Cabrera

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Microbiota Dynamics During Ascaris Suum Larval Migration: Implications For Host Microbial Communities In A Murine Model, Sergio Castañeda, Cristina Poveda, Charlie Suarez-Reyes, Yifan Wu, Noah Haugen, Luz H Patiño, Jill E Weatherhead, Juan David Ramírez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The complex interactions between parasites, their hosts, and associated microbiota hold significant implications for host health and disease outcomes. Helminths like Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum can significantly alter the host's intestinal microbiota, affecting both parasite biology and host pathology. Despite extensive research on host-microbiota changes due to helminth infections, the study of helminth-associated microbiota remains limited. This study aims to characterize the microbiota associated with Ascaris larvae and surrounding host tissues at distinct developmental stages (day 4, day 8, day 14), during larval migration through the liver, lungs, and intestine, and its impact on the host's microbiota in a …

Primary Cardiac Osteosarcoma: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, And Management - A Narrative Review, Tommy Li, Eric Nguyen, Jamal Hasoon, Ali Khalifa, Anvinh Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Primary cardiac sarcomas are exceedingly rare, with a very low incidence in the general population. A variety of sarcoma subtypes can originate in the heart, including angiosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, and osteosarcoma. These tumors are typically classified based on histological characteristics, most often determined following surgical excision or biopsy. Among them, primary cardiac osteosarcoma is one of the rarest forms, with fewer than 60 cases reported in the literature to date. This narrative review aims to provide an overview of primary cardiac osteosarcoma, including its epidemiology, clinical presentation, and current management strategies. Additionally, we highlight several remarkable case reports to …

Impact Of An Electronic Medical Record Quality Improvement Intervention On Helicobacter Pylori Treatment And Eradication Rates In A U.S. Hospital System, Shivani Kastuar, Samanthika Devalaraju, Juan Gomez Cifuentes, Hashem B El-Serag, Mimi C Tan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: In this pre- and post-intervention quality improvement (QI) study, the impact of an electronic medical record (EMR) order set for Helicobacter pylori treatment was assessed. We evaluated changes in optimal treatment regimen usage, eradication testing, and successful eradication rates based on the intervention.

Materials and methods: Data were collected from patients within the Harris Health System (Houston, TX) with H. pylori infection. The pre-intervention cohort included patients with a positive H. pylori test from January to February 2022. An EMR order set for H. pylori treatment implemented in May 2022 included optimal treatment recommendations using local antibiotic resistance patterns …

Ai-Based Detection Of Coronary Artery Occlusion Using Acoustic Biomarkers Before And After Stent Placement, David Anderson Lloyd, Andrei Dragomir, Bulent Ozpolat, Biykem Bozkurt, Yasemin Akay, Metin Akay

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Revisiting Icd Therapy For Primary Prevention In Patients With Heart Failure And Reduced Ejection Fraction., Amin Yehya, Jose L Batista, Andrew J Sauer, Jonathan D Davis, Nasrien E Ibrahim, Roderick Tung, Biykem Bozkurt, Gregg C Fonarow, Sana M Al-Khatib

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are recommended to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The landmark studies leading to the current guideline recommendations preceded the 4 pillars of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs). Therefore, some have questioned the role of ICDs for primary prevention in current clinical practice. In this paper, the authors provide an overview of the current ICD recommendations, including the instrumental clinical trials, the risk of SCD as observed in clinical trials vs real-world scenarios, disparities in ICD use among different patient populations, the impact of contemporary GDMT …

Recognition And Management Of Persistent Chylomicronemia: A Joint Expert Clinical Consensus By The National Lipid Association And The American Society For Preventive Cardiology, Seyedmohammad Saadatagah, Miriam Larouche, Mohammadreza Naderian, Vijay Nambi, Diane Brisson, Iftikhar J Kullo, P Barton Duell, Erin D Michos, Michael D Shapiro, Gerald F Watts, Daniel Gaudet, Christie M Ballantyne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Extreme hypertriglyceridemia, defined as triglyceride (TG) levels ≥1000 mg/dL, is almost always indicative of chylomicronemia. The current diagnostic approach categorizes individuals with chylomicronemia into familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS; prevalence 1-10 per million), caused by the biallelic combination of pathogenic variants that impair the lipolytic action of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), or multifactorial chylomicronemia syndrome (MCS, 1 in 500). A pragmatic framework should emphasize the severity of the phenotype and the risk of complications. Therefore, we endorse the term "persistent chylomicronemia (PC)" defined as TG ≥1000 mg/dL in more than half of the measurements to encompass patients with the highest risk for …

Epidemiology And Longitudinal Course Of Chylomicronemia: Insights From Nhanes And A Large Health Care System, Seyedmohammad Saadatagah, Mohammadreza Naderian, Miriam Larouche, Daniel Gaudet, Iftikhar J Kullo, Christie M Ballantyne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Chylomicronemia is characterized by fasting triglyceride (TG) ≥1000 mg/dL; its longitudinal course is not well studied.

Methods: Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data (1999-2018; n = 21,998), we determined chylomicronemia prevalence and temporal trend. Using Mayo Clinic data (4,524,506 TG measurements for 1,294,044 individuals), we studied the longitudinal course and ascertained persistent chylomicronemia (PC), defined as TG ≥1000 mg/dL in more than half the measurements for individuals with ≥3 measurements. We used logistic regression to assess factors associated with PC.

Results: In NHANES, the prevalence of chylomicronemia was 0.20% overall, with higher prevalence in men (0.32%) …

Lipoprotein(A) Levels In A Population With Clinical Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease In The United States: A Subanalysis From The Lp(A)Heritage Study, Michael D Shapiro, Tariq M Haddad, Howard S Weintraub, Seth J Baum, Khaled Abdul-Nour, Samiha Sarwat, Vadim Paluy, Wess Boatwright, Auris Browne, Imran Ayaz, Cheryl A Abbas, Christie M Ballantyne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is the most common inherited dyslipidemia that is independently and causally associated with increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. However, data from diverse populations with ASCVD are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate Lp(a) levels in a diverse, contemporary United States (US) population with ASCVD, stratified by race, ethnicity, and sex.

Methods: Lp(a)HERITAGE (NCT03887520) was a multicenter study that estimated the prevalence of elevated Lp(a) in adults (18-80 years) with ASCVD. US participants with Lp(a) measured in nmol/L pre- or post-enrollment were included in this subanalysis. This study was descriptive; therefore, no statistical comparisons were made. …

Simulation Model To Estimate Pretreatment (Baseline) Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels In People Living With Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Jing Gu, Robert J Sanchez, Alexandra Koumas, Sandeep Tripathi, Harshit Dixit, Adam Amer, Laurence Sperling, Christie M Ballantyne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Pretreatment levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are a primary consideration for the clinical diagnosis of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). However, determination of pretreatment LDL-C can be challenging in this population because many individuals begin lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) early in life before diagnosis of HoFH.

Methods: A previously developed simulation model was adapted to estimate pretreatment LDL-C in people living with HoFH, based on their treated LDL-C value and current LLT (statin, ezetimibe, alirocumab, evolocumab, and/or lipoprotein apheresis).

Results: The tool includes an interface for users to provide relevant details for estimating non-clinical pretreatment LDL-C, specifically for patients suspected …

Minimum Standards For Training In Colorectal Endoscopic Mucosal Resection Among Advanced Endoscopy Trainees, Dennis Yang, Ernesto Robalino Gonzaga, Muhammad Khalid Hasan, Arvind Julius Trindade, Mark Radlinski, Rebecca A Burbridge, Jeffrey Mosko, Pushpak Taunk, Salmaan Jawaid, Mohamed O Othman, David L Diehl, Harshit S Khara, Quin Liu, Srinivas Gaddam, Harry Aslanian, Shailendra S Chauhan, Amrita Sethi, John Poneros, Jason Samarasena, Ali M Ahmed, Uzma D Siddiqui, Dennis Chen, Moamen Gabr, Andrew Y Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims: Data on colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection (C-EMR) training during advanced endoscopy fellowship remain limited. We aimed to determine the number of procedures required by an "average" advanced endoscopy trainee (AET) to achieve competence in cognitive and technical C-EMR skills.

Methods: AETs from advanced endoscopy training programs (AETPs) were graded on every C-EMR using a standardized assessment tool. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was used to generate individual and aggregate learning curves to estimate the minimum number of cases required to achieve competence for overall, technical, and cognitive components of C-EMR. AETs completed a self-assessment questionnaire on C-EMR …

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor And Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Discontinuation In Patients With Ckd, L Parker Gregg, Peter A Richardson, Vijay Nambi, Laura A Petersen, Michael E Matheny, Salim S Virani, Sankar D Navaneethan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Key Points:

1. Treatment discontinuation is common among patients with CKD prescribed sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (discontinued in 37%) or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA; discontinued in 47%).

2. Discontinuation of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RA was associated with recent hospitalizations, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and vascular disease.

3. Discontinuation of both agents was associated with death and cardiovascular events.

Background: Little is known about the association of discontinuation of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) with outcomes in patients with CKD.

Methods: We identified adults with CKD stages 3–4 from 2005 to 2022 in the Veterans …

Long-Term Mortality Following Sars-Cov-2 Infection In Rural Versus Urban Dwellers With Autoimmune Or Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis From The National Covid Cohort Collaborative, A Jerrod Anzalone, Lesley E Jackson, Namrata Singh, Maria I Danila, Elizabeth Reisher, Rena C Patel, Jasvinder A Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Autoimmune or inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) increase the risk for poor COVID-19 outcomes. Although rurality is associated with higher post-COVID-19 mortality in the general population, whether rurality elevates this risk among people with AIRD is unknown. We assessed associations between rurality and post-COVID-19 all-cause mortality, up to two years post infection, among people with AIRD using a large nationally sampled US cohort.

Methods: This retrospective study used the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, a medical records repository containing COVID-19 patient data. We included adults with two or more AIRD diagnostic codes and a COVID-19 diagnosis documented between April 2020 and …

Association Between Parathyroid Hormone Concentration And Incident Atrial Fibrillation In Older Persons With Kidney Failure Initiating Dialysis, Pascale Khairallah, Sai Liu, Maria E Montez-Rath, Kevin F Erickson, Tara I Chang, Wolfgang C Winkelmayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in persons with kidney failure on hemodialysis. In the general population, higher intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels were found to be associated with presence of AF. Whether iPTH associates with AF in patients on hemodialysis is unknown.

Methods: Using merged USRDS-DaVita data (2006-2011), we selected persons aged 67+ years who initiated hemodialysis and survived 120 days. Eligible persons had continuous Medicare A + B coverage from 2 years prior to kidney failure and no diagnosis of AF. Sociodemographic, comorbidity, and clinical information were abstracted from Medicare forms, billing claims, and electronic health records. iPTH …

Clues To Transcription/Replication Collision-Induced Dna Damage: It Was Rnap, In The Chromosome, With The Fork, Matthew B Cooke, Christophe Herman, Priya Sivaramakrishnan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

DNA replication and RNA transcription processes compete for the same DNA template and, thus, frequently collide. These transcription-replication collisions are thought to lead to genomic instability, which places a selective pressure on organisms to avoid them. Here, we review the predisposing causes, molecular mechanisms, and downstream consequences of transcription-replication collisions (TRCs) with a strong emphasis on prokaryotic model systems, before contrasting prokaryotic findings with cases in eukaryotic systems. Current research points to genomic structure as the primary determinant of steady-state TRC levels and RNA polymerase regulation as the primary inducer of excess TRCs. We review the proposed mechanisms of TRC-induced …

Folate Receptor Β Performs An Immune Checkpoint Function In Activated Macrophages, Fenghua Zhang, Md Yusuf Al-Amin, Sagar Utturkar, Rina Jiang, Gregory Cresswell, Rami Alfar, Ian Ophaug-Johansen, Gabriel Bachman, Madduri Srinivasarao, Richard Finnell, Amaya Puig-Kröger, Timothy Ratliff, Philip S Low

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Monocytes and macrophages are sentinels of the immune system that distinguish themselves from other cells by expressing the beta isoform of the folate receptor (FRβ). Because FRβ does not bind folate until the monocyte/macrophage is exposed to immunosuppressive cytokines, the question naturally arose whether FRβ might also perform an immune-related function. To examine this matter, we compared the properties of wild type (WT) and FRβ knockout mice. We observe that FRβ knockout (KO) mice display autoimmune symptoms that can include alopecia, enlarged spleens, and dermatitis, despite having normal cellular folate levels. We further demonstrate that syngeneic tumors (TRAMP C2, MC38) …

Med12 Loss-Of-Function Variants As A Cause Of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia In Females With Hardikar Syndrome And Nonspecific Intellectual Disability, Eric C Kao, Elizabeth A Mizerik, Carlos A Bacino, Hongzheng Dai, Liesbeth Vossaert, Daryl A Scott

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) is required for the assembly of the kinase module of Mediator, a regulatory complex that controls the formation of the RNA polymerase II-mediated preinitiation complex. MED12-related disorders display unique gender-specific genotype-phenotype associations and include X-linked recessive Opitz-Kaveggia syndrome, Lujan-Fryns syndrome, Ohdo syndrome, and nonspecific intellectual disability in males predominantly carrying missense variants, and X-linked dominant Hardikar syndrome and nonspecific intellectual disability in females known to predominantly carry de novo nonsense/frameshift and nonsense/missense variants, respectively. MED12 was previously identified as a low-penetrance candidate gene for non-isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH+). At the time, however, there was …

Id-Gba: Subgraph Extension With Information Distance Guilt By Association In Complex Networks, Predrag Obradovic, Vladimir Kovacevic, Aleksandar Milosavljevic, Varduhi Petrosyan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Here, we introduce the ID-GBA (Information Distance Guilt By Association) method to expand highly connected sets of nodes by deploying a novel algorithm for subgraph extension based on the guilt-by-association principle and information distance. In this study, ID-GBA was utilized to expand disease clusters, and identify novel disease genes. We first validate its ability to expand related disease sets from disease/disease graphs built using Open Targets' gene association scores. We then analyze disease/control gene expression networks and show that ID-GBA recaptures known disease genes in nine disease/control graphs. Compared to existing methods such as Random Walk with Restarts and Personalized …

Bayesian Covariate-Dependent Circadian Modeling Of Rest-Activity Rhythms, Beniamino Hadj-Amar, Vaishnav Krishnan, Marina Vannucci

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We propose a Bayesian covariate-dependent anti-logistic circadian model for analyzing activity data collected via wrist-worn wearable devices. The proposed approach integrates covariates into the modeling of the amplitude and phase parameters, facilitating cohort-level analysis with enhanced flexibility and interpretability. To promote model sparsity, we employ an l1-ball projection prior, enabling precise control over complexity while identifying significant predictors. We assess performances on simulated data and then apply the method to real-world actigraphy data from people with epilepsy. Our results demonstrate the model’s effectiveness in uncovering complex relationships among demographic, psychological, and medical factors influencing rest-activity rhythms, offering insights for …

Defining Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex: Using Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder As A Framework For Proposing Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria, Megan Howard, Teni Davoudian, Nicole H Cirino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) is a distinct neurobiological condition characterized by negative alterations in mental state in response to milk letdown during lactation. Symptoms vary by patient and can include feelings of sadness, anxiety or agitation. Importantly, the symptoms are brief, typically lasting no more than 5 minutes. Prevalence has been found between 6 and 27% of lactating women, but studies show heterogeneity, due in part to inconsistent definition. D-MER is not currently classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which presents a challenge for researchers of the …

A Murine Model Of Gestational Diabetes Reveals Masld Risk And Alterations In Markers Of Hepatic Mitochondrial Metabolism, Grace E Shryack, Alexa A Krause, Simone Hernandez Ruano, Laura C Schulz, Kathleen A Pennington, R Scott Rector

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) impacts roughly 1 in 7 pregnancies and results in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in 30% of these women. Nonetheless, there exists a dearth of investigation into the relationship between GDM and MASLD. Here, we sought to investigate the potential role of hepatic mitochondrial function in GDM and MASLD.

Methods: One week prior to conception and throughout pregnancy, mice were fed either a low-fat control diet (CD) or a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet to induce an established model of GDM. Maternal livers were collected at day 0, 6.5, 13.5 and 17.5 of pregnancy. Hepatic …

Follow-Up Adherence After Teleretinal Screening For Diabetic Retinopathy, Paul D Chamberlain, Rishabh C Date, Kevin L Shen, Giovanni A Campagna, Linda B Piller, Yvonne I Chu, Christina Y Weng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aim: Determine the follow-up rate for patients referred following an abnormal teleretinal imaging (TRI) screening and examine patient characteristics predictive of follow-up nonadherence.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of patients screened between August 2014 and July 2016 in the Harris Health System (HHS) in Houston, TX. All diabetic patients referred for in-person examination, who had data for all study variables, and who did not have established ophthalmic care in the HHS within the previous 2 years were included. Data collected included TRI findings, clinic location, age, race, gender, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), and insulin use. The primary outcome was whether …

Finite Element Modeling In Obstetrics And Gynecology: Advances, Applications, And Challenges, Taylor Moseley, Ashley J Hicks, Elizabeth M Cosgriff-Hernandez, Manuel Karl Rausch, Julie Hakim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Finite element modeling (FEM) is a critical tool in biomechanics and biomedical engineering, offering valuable insights where in vivo or ex vivo investigations are not possible. This review specifically highlights the diverse applications of FEM within obstetrics and gynecology through a comprehensive analysis of the literature. We explore the past use of FEM in analyzing complications affecting pelvic floor structures, urinary continence, and reproduction. The potential contributions of FEM in addressing these challenges are summarized and future directions for its application in obstetrics and gynecology are highlighted.

Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (Ace) V.5.3 Winds: Validation And Model Comparisons, Matthew Wyatt, Peter F. Bernath, Chris Boone, Leo Lavy, Ryan Johnson

Physics Faculty Publications

The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) uses limb geometry to measure transmittance spectra of Earth's atmosphere by solar occultation. Line-of-sight wind speeds can be derived via Doppler shifts of molecular lines in infrared spectra. The wind look direction angles relative to geodetic north are derived from geometry. We validate the new ACE version 5.3 (v.5.3) line-of-sight winds with MIGHTI and meteor radar vector wind observations and find a -15 m s^-¹ (+15 m s^-¹) sunrise (sunset) shift above 80 km. We also compare line-of-sight winds from ACE-FTS v.5.2 and v.5.3 with vector winds from …

Spin Versus Position Conjugation In Quantum Simulations With Atoms: Application To Quantum Chemistry, N. A. Moroz, K. S. Tikhonov, L. V. Gerasimov, A. D. Manukhova, I. B. Bobrov, S. S. Straupe, D. V. Kupriyanov

Physics Faculty Publications

The permutation symmetry is a fundamental attribute of the collective wave function of indistinguishable particles. It makes a difference for the behavior of collective systems having different quantum statistics but existing in the same environment. Here we show that for some specific quantum conjugation between the spin and spatial degrees of freedom the indistinguishable particles can behave similarly for either quantum statistics. In particular, a mesoscopically scaled collection of atomic qubits, mediated by optical tweezers, can model the behavior of a valent electronic shell compounded with nuclear centers in molecules. This makes possible quantum simulations of mono- and divalent bonds …