Digital Commons Network^™

Diverse Origins Of Near-Identical Antifreeze Proteins In Unrelated Fish Lineages Provide Insights Into Evolutionary Mechanisms Of New Gene Birth And Protein Sequence Convergence, Nathan Rives, Vinita Lamba, C.H. Christina Cheng, Xuan Zhuang

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Determining the origins of novel genes and the mechanisms driving the emergence of new functions is challenging yet crucial for understanding evolutionary innovations. Recently evolved fish antifreeze proteins (AFPs) offer a unique opportunity to explore these processes, particularly the near-identical type I AFP (AFPI) found in four phylogenetically divergent fish taxa. This study tested the hypothesis of protein sequence convergence beyond functional convergence in three unrelated AFPI-bearing fish lineages. Through comprehensive comparative analyses of newly sequenced genomes of winter flounder and grubby sculpin, along with available high-quality genomes of cunner and 14 other related species, the study revealed that near-identical …

The Influence Of The Race Of Defendant And The Race Of Victim On Capital Charging And Sentencing In California, Catherine M. Grosso, Jeffrey A. Fagan, Michael Laurence

Faculty Scholarship

The California Racial Justice Act of 2020 recognized racial and ethnic discrimination as a basis for relief in capital cases, expressly permitting several types of statistical evidence to be introduced. This statewide study of the influence of race and ethnicity on the application of capital punishment contributes to this evidence. We draw on data from over 27,000 murder and manslaughter convictions in California state courts between 1978 and 2002. Using multiple methods, we found significant racial and ethnic disparities in charging and sentencing decisions. Controlling for defendant culpability and specific statutory aggravators, we show that Black and Latinx defendants and …

From The Bench, Pierre Leval, M. Margaret Mckeown, Jane C. Ginsburg

Faculty Scholarship

Lightly edited transcript of panel comments at the 2023 Symposium, “Rearrange, Transform, or Adapt: The Derivative Works Right After Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith.”

Psychosocial Outcomes Of Pain And Pain Management In Adults With Osteogenesis Imperfecta: A Qualitative Study, Whitney S Shepherd, Andrew D Wiese, Hannah E Cho, W Conor Rork, M Usman Baig, Kristin M Kostick, Dianne Nguyen, Erin M Carter, Members Of The Bbdc, Chaya N Murali, Marie-Eve Robinson, Sophie C Schneider, Brendan Lee, V Reid Sutton, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by bone fragility and fractures, short stature, dental abnormalities, hearing loss, scoliosis, and chronic pain. Despite a growing literature on the functional outcomes of OI, limited research has explicitly examined the psychosocial outcomes of pain within OI.

Methods

Adults with OI (N=15) were interviewed to understand pain-related experiences through a thematic analysis of semi-structured interview data. Research team members, genetic research experts, and OI clinicians developed an interview guide focused on topics related to pain and mental health challenges. Participants’ transcripts were coded by two independent coders; codes were then merged …

First-Principles Simulation Of The Interaction Between Dna Nucleotides And One-Dimensional Carbon Chain In Electrical Based Sequencing, Zeina Salman, Jin-Woo Kim, Steve Tung

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Electrical DNA sequencing has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its simplified sequencing protocol, compact sequencing system, and relatively low sequencing cost. In the design and fabrication of the sequencing device, carbon-based nanomaterials such as graphene have been explored as a promising sensing material that provides an excellent combination of spatial resolution and base specificity. Using first-principles simulation, we determined the effect on the electrical conductivity of a one-dimensional carbon chain due to the presence of four DNA bases. The simulation results indicate that the interaction between the carbon chain and different DNA bases leads to different levels …

A Curious Case Of Medium-Vessel Vasculitis, Nisa N Ilsin, Haleigh D Stafford, Anna Catinis, Theodore Rosen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Vasculitis, or the inflammation of vessels due to primary or secondary causes, may arise from numerous etiologies, often leading to diagnostic uncertainty. Delayed treatment due to diagnostic or etiologic uncertainty presents a significant clinical risk, with consequences including organ failure and mortality. We describe a case of a 58-year-old male with a history including ankylosing spondylitis who presented with painful ulcers involving the bilateral lower extremities following a trip to the southern Texas border. Histopathology revealed medium-vessel vasculitis; however, the search for a likely etiology in the setting of a unique combination of potential vasculitis precipitants, including glochid inoculation, a …

Communities Disproportionately Affected By Carbon Monoxide Exposure After Winter Storm Uri, Elyse N Portillo, Casandra Quiñones, Zachary C Foughty, Ryan Ramphul, Asha T Morrow, Kathryn Fisher, Stephen A Harding, Elizabeth A Camp, Shubhada Hooli, Eric A Russell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Extreme cold in February 2021 precipitated prolonged power failure in Texas. In Houston, many patients presented for carbon monoxide exposure from neighborhoods with lower per capita income, higher rates of limited English proficiency, and greater median Social Vulnerability Indices than Greater Houston. Weather-related disasters disproportionately affect socially vulnerable communities.

Technoculture And Language Models In Archaeology: Reconstructing And Preserving Cultural Narratives Through Digital Humanities, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Technoculture, which examines the intersection of culture and technology, has increasingly permeated archaeological practice, transforming both scholarly research and public engagement [1-3]. The introduction of digital tools such as virtual reality (VR), geographic information systems (GIS), and large language models (LLMs) has democratized access to archaeological knowledge, enabling communities to engage more actively with their cultural heritage [4-6]. This short article explores the mutual influence of technocultural studies and AI technologies on archaeology, with a focus on the preservation and reconstruction of cultural narratives through digital means.

The first aspect of this intersection lies in how technocultural tools are creating …

Imprecise Clinical Assessments And Inaccurate Grades: Family Medicine Clerkship Director Perspectives, Arindam Sarkar, Joel J Heidelbaugh, Gage Hallbauer, Nital Appelbaum

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: As application to residency programs becomes increasingly competitive, educational leaders face growing student concern about imprecise clinical assessments and clerkship grades.

METHODS: As part of a large annual survey of family medicine clerkship directors (FMCDs), 10 questions were disseminated in May 2023 about perceived levels of imprecise assessments by faculty. We aimed to determine to what extent respondents felt their institution's evaluation system propagated inaccurate grading.

RESULTS: A total of 52% of 169 FMCDs responded to the survey. Of these, 7% of respondents were completely confident that their preceptors would give two students of identical competence the …

Neuroimaging Of The Effects Of Drug Exposure Or Self-Administration In Rodents: A Systematic Review, Gunner Drossel, Sarah R Heilbronner, Jan Zimmermann, Anna Zilverstand

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies on drug (self-) administration in rodents is lacking. Here, we summarized effects of acute or chronic drug administration of various classes of drugs on brain function and determined consistency with human literature. We performed a systematic literature search and identified 125 studies on in vivo rodent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (n = 84) or positron emission tomography (n = 41) spanning depressants (n = 27), opioids (n = 23), stimulants (n = 72), and cannabis (n = 3). Results primarily showed alterations in the striatum, consistent with the human literature. The anterior …

Tennessee Archivist 43, No. 2, Society Of Tennessee Archivists

Tennessee Archivist newsletters

Fall 2024 issue of the Tennessee Archivist, a newsletter produced by the Society of Tennessee Archivists.

The Impact Of Margins And Re-Resection In Pediatric Synovial Sarcoma, Andres F Espinoza, Priya B Shetty, Jillian C Jacobson, Hannah Todd, Kelley Harrell, Alfred F Trappey, John Doski, Eumenia C Castro, Nicole I Montgomery, M Fatih Okcu, Rajkumar Venkatramani, Dai H Chung, Sanjeev A Vasudevan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Synovial sarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas in children. Guidelines regarding the adequate extent of resection margins and the role of re-resection are lacking. We sought to evaluate the adequate resection margin and the role of re-resection in predicting outcomes in children with synovial sarcomas.

METHODS: A cohort of 36 patients less than 18 years of age at diagnosis who were treated for localized synovial sarcoma at three tertiary pediatric hospitals between January 2004 and December 2020 were included in this study. Patient and tumor demographics, treatment information, and margin status after surgical resection were …

Optimal Humanized Scg3-Neutralizing Antibodies For Anti-Angiogenic Therapy Of Diabetic Retinopathy, Chengchi Huang, Prabuddha Waduge, Avinash Kaur, Hong Tian, Christina Y Weng, John Timothy Stout, Iok-Hou Pang, Keith A Webster, Wei Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Secretogranin III (Scg3) is a diabetic retinopathy (DR)-restricted angiogenic factor identified in preclinical studies as a target for DR therapy. Previously, our group generated and characterized ML49.3, an anti-Scg3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) which we then converted into an EBP2 humanized antibody Fab fragment (hFab) with potential for clinical application. We also generated anti-Scg3 mT4 mAb and related EBP3 hFab. In this study, to identify the preferred hFab for DR therapy, we compared all four antibodies for binding, neutralizing and therapeutic activities in vitro and in vivo. Octet binding kinetics analyses revealed that ML49.3 mAb, EBP2 hFab, mT4 mAb and EBP3 …

Recommendations For Clinical Trial Design In Acute Kidney Injury From The 31st Acute Disease Quality Initiative Consensus Conference A Consensus Statement, Alexander Zarbock, Lui G Forni, Jay L Koyner, Samira Bell, Thiago Reis, Melanie Meersch, Sean M Bagshaw, Dana Y Fuhmann, Kathleen D Liu, Neesh Pannu, Ayse Akcan Arikan, Derek C Angus, D'Arcy Duquette, Stuart L Goldstein, Eric Hoste, Michael Joannidis, Niels Jongs, Matthieu Legrand, Ravindra L Mehta, Patrick T Murray, Mitra K Nadim, Marlies Ostermann, John Prowle, Emily J See, Nicholas M Selby, Andrew D Shaw, Nattachai Srisawat, Claudio Ronco, John A Kellum

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Novel interventions for the prevention or treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) are currently lacking. To facilitate the evaluation and adoption of new treatments, the use of the most appropriate design and endpoints for clinical trials in AKI is critical and yet there is little consensus regarding these issues. We aimed to develop recommendations on endpoints and trial design for studies of AKI prevention and treatment interventions based on existing data and expert consensus.

METHODS: At the 31st Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) meeting, international experts in critical care, nephrology, involving adults and pediatrics, biostatistics and people with lived …

A Case Of Persistent Intra-Abdominal Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Infection Despite Bacteriophage Therapy, Grace D Cullen, Keiko Christine Salazar, Austen Lee Terwilliger, Saima Aslam, Justin R Clark, Anthony W Maresso, Paul L Bollyky, Jenny R Aronson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Multidrug resistant infections are a challenge in the health care setting and a cause of patient morbidity and mortality. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that target and kill bacteria and have been used in patients to treat bacterial infections. We present a case of disseminated Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection, with pulmonary, intra-abdominal and bloodstream involvement. The patient was treated with a combination of antibiotics and personalized phage therapy, administered daily for 12 days both intravenously as well as via intra-abdominal drains. Phage therapy was well-tolerated, the patient cleared S. maltophilia from their bloodstream and their intra-abdominal abscesses were stable or decreased in …

Enterococcus Faecalis-Derived Adenine Enhances Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli Type 3 Secretion System-Dependent Virulence, Fernando H Martins, Thibaut Rosay, Anubama Rajan, Hannah E Carter, Tayah Turocy, Andres Mejia, Jason M Crawford, Anthony W Maresso, Vanessa Sperandio

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Interactions between microbiota and enteric pathogens can promote colonization resistance or enhance pathogenesis. The pathobiont Enterococcus faecalis increases enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) virulence by upregulating Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS) expression, effector translocation, and attaching and effacing (AE) lesion formation on enterocytes, but the mechanisms underlying this remain unknown. Using co-infection of organoids, metabolomics, supplementation experiments and bacterial genetics, here we show that co-culture of EHEC with E. faecalis increases the xanthine-hypoxanthine pathway activity and adenine biosynthesis. Adenine or E. faecalis promoted T3SS gene expression, while transcriptomics showed upregulation of adeP expression, which encodes an adenine importer. Mechanistically, adenine relieved …

Altered Extracellular Matrix-Related Pathways Accelerate The Transition From Normal To Prefibroid Myometrium In Black Women, Maria Victoria Bariani, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Digna R Velez Edwards, Qiwei Yang, Cheryl L Walker, Mohamed Ali, Ayman Al-Hendy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Black women experience a disproportionate impact of uterine fibroids compared to White women, including earlier diagnosis, higher frequency, and more severe symptoms. The etiology underlying this racial disparity remains elusive.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the molecular differences in normal myometrium (fibroid-free uteri) and at-risk myometrium (fibroid-containing uteri) tissues in Black and White women.

Study design: We conducted whole-genome RNA-seq on normal and at-risk myometrium tissues obtained from both self-identified Black and White women (not Hispanic or Latino) to determine global gene expression profiles and to conduct enriched pathway analyses (n=3 per group). We initially …

Directional Deep Brain Stimulation Lead Rotation In The Early Postoperative Period, Huy Q Dang, Gabriel Reyes, Ethan Devara, Nisha Giridharan, Anthony K Allam, Garrett P Banks, Ashwin Viswanathan, Ben Shofty, Sameer A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: Directional deep brain stimulation (DBS) enables treatment optimization by current steering using segmented leads. Identification of the lead's rotational orientation is critical to guide programming decisions. Orientation is often assessed during or immediately after implant, but the degree of lead rotation in the following weeks is not well appreciated. Our objective was to measure the degree of DBS lead rotational orientation changes within the first few weeks after surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients who were implanted with segmented DBS leads at our institution. All included patients had at least 1 immediate postoperative …

Stereo-Electroencephalography-Guided Network Neuromodulation For Psychiatric Disorders: The Neurophysiology Monitoring Unit, Anusha B Allawala, Kelly R Bijanki, Joshua Adkinson, Denise Oswalt, Evangelia Tsolaki, Sanjay Mathew, Raissa K Mathura, Eleonora Bartoli, Nicole Provenza, Andrew J Watrous, Jiayang Xiao, Victoria Pirtle, Madaline M Mocchi, Sameer Rajesh, Nabeel Diab, Jeffrey F Cohn, David A Borton, Wayne K Goodman, Nader Pouratian, Sameer A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: Recent advances in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery have brought forth the stereo-electroencephalography approach which allows deeper interrogation and characterization of the contributions of deep structures to neural and affective functioning. We argue that this approach can and should be brought to bear on the notoriously intractable issue of defining the pathophysiology of refractory psychiatric disorders and developing patient-specific optimized stimulation therapies.

Methods: We have developed a suite of methods for maximally leveraging the stereo-electroencephalography approach for an innovative application to understand affective disorders, with high translatability across the broader range of refractory neuropsychiatric conditions.

Results: This article …

Optimal Timing Of Delivery For Pregnant Individuals With Mild Chronic Hypertension, Torri D Metz, Hui-Chien Kuo, Lorie Harper, Baha Sibai, Sherri Longo, George R Saade, Lorraine Dugoff, Kjersti Aagaard, Kim Boggess, Kirsten Lawrence, Brenna L Hughes, Joseph Bell, Rodney K Edwards, Kelly S Gibson, David M Haas, Lauren Plante, Brian Casey, Sean Esplin, Matthew K Hoffman, Kara K Hoppe, Janelle Foroutan, Methodius Tuuli, Michelle Y Owens, Hyagriv N Simhan, Heather Frey, Todd Rosen, Anna Palatnik, Susan Baker, Phyllis August, Uma M Reddy, Wendy Kinzler, Emily J Su, Iris Krishna, Nguyet A Nguyen, Mary E Norton, Daniel Skupski, Yasser Y El-Sayed, Dotun Ogunyemi, Ronald Librizzi, Leonardo Pereira, Everett F Magann, Mounira Habli, Shauna Williams, Giancarlo Mari, Gabriella Pridjian, David S Mckenna, Marc Parrish, Eugene Chang, Joanne Quiñones, Zorina S Galis, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Rachel G Sinkey, Jeff M Szychowski, Alan T N Tita

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To investigate the optimal gestational age to deliver pregnant people with chronic hypertension to improve perinatal outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a planned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of chronic hypertension treatment to different blood pressure goals. Participants with term, singleton gestations were included. Those with fetal anomalies and those with a diagnosis of preeclampsia before 37 weeks of gestation were excluded. The primary maternal composite outcome included death, serious morbidity (heart failure, stroke, encephalopathy, myocardial infarction, pulmonary edema, intensive care unit admission, intubation, renal failure), preeclampsia with severe features, hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion, or abruption. The primary …

The Implementation Of A Fall Education Program To Enhance Functional Outcomes In An Acute Orthopedic Hospital Setting, Stacy Wentz Ms, Otr/L, Jared Schnell Pt, Dpt, Haily Roth Pt, Dpt

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Practice Patterns And Predictive Modeling In High-Performing Physical Therapy Clinics For The Treatment Of Patients With Neck Pain, Christopher Johns Pt, Dpt, Ocs, Faaompt, Jonathan Lentz Pt, Dpt, Ocs, Faaompt, Wade Groff Pt, Dpt, Ocs, Mtc

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Episodes Of Acute Methotrexate-Related Neurotoxicity Linked To Compromised Long-Term Neurocognitive Function, Rachel D Harris, Olga A Taylor, Kimberly P Raghubar, Mariana Matheus Gonzalez, Mark Zobeck, M Monica Gramatges, Karen R Rabin, Michael E Scheurer, Austin L Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Methotrexate is a critical component of curative chemotherapy for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but is associated with neurotoxicity. Information on long-term outcomes following an acute neurotoxic event is limited. Therefore, this report compares neurocognitive performance more than 12 months post diagnosis (mean = 4 years) between ALL patients with (n = 25) and without (n = 146) a history of acute neurotoxicity. Compared to children with no documented on-treatment neurotoxic event, children who experienced a neurotoxic event during treatment exhibited poorer performance on measures of fine motor function (p = .02) and attention (p = .02). Children with ALL …

Correction: Predicting Wait Time For Pediatric Kidney Transplant: A Novel Index, Alexandra Alvarez, Ashley Montgomery, Nhu Thao Nguyen Galván, Eileen D Brewer, Abbas Rana

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This corrects the article "Predicting wait time for pediatric kidney transplant: a novel index" on page 2483.

Older And Better: A Narrative Review Of Successful Aging And Adaptation To Pain In Late Life, Emanuel Narcis Husu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

"Invariably, the self-assessed QoL was far better than I, as a physician, would have anticipated from the diseases and disabilities that you reported." -Ben Eiseman, MD, based on a survey of his octogenarian Yale University classmates.

Background: Chronic pain control is a high priority for the elderly; it is one of the most frequently encountered medical problems in this group. Chronic pain affects 60%-75% of people aged 65 years and older. Chronic pain's prevalence is even higher in those living in assisted living or nursing homes. Based on epidemiological data, the prevalence of chronic pain is directly proportional to age …

How We Do It: Biatrial Maze, Marc R Moon, Puja Kachroo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Physician Infertility: A Structured Literature Review, Jordan G Kassab, Angelica Garcia Keeme-Sayre, Larry I Lipshultz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Physician infertility has become a growing concern because of the increasingly high rates of infertility physicians experience associated with their strenuous work schedules, environmental exposures, and delayed family planning due to their necessitated years of training. Fortunately, there has been an increase in awareness, advocacy, and urgency for institutional support alongside this suboptimal association. This awareness is reflected in the vast existing literature regarding physician infertility; in this scoping review, we aggregated and assessed the current data as well as identified gaps in the available research. Including 56 articles regarding various aspects of the current state of physician infertility, we …

Initiation Of Metformin In Early Pregnancy Results In Fetal Bioaccumulation, Growth Restriction, And Renal Dysmorphology In A Primate Model, Erin Bolte, Tyler Dean, Brandon Garcia, Maxim D Seferovic, Kristin Sauter, Gwendolynn Hummel, Matthew Bucher, Feng Li, John Hicks, Xuan Qin, Melissa A Suter, Enrico R Barrozo, Michael Jochum, Cynthia Shope, Jacob E Friedman, Maureen Gannon, Stephanie R Wesolowski, Carrie E Mccurdy, Paul Kievit, Kjersti M Aagaard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: In recent years, pragmatic metformin use in pregnancy has stretched to include prediabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, and (most recently) preeclampsia. However, with its expanded use, concerns of unintended harm have been raised.

Objective: This study developed an experimental primate model and applied ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry for direct quantitation of maternal and fetal tissue metformin levels with detailed fetal biometry and histopathology.

Study design: Within 30 days of confirmed conception (defined as early pregnancy), 13 time-bred (timed-mated breeding) Rhesus dams with pregnancies designated for fetal necropsy were initiated on …

Determining Predictors Of Actual Living Kidney Donation Based On Potential Donor Characteristics, Andrea M Meinders, Edward A Graviss, Duc T Nguyen, Jonathan Daw, Krista L Lentine, John Devin Peipert, Ahmed Osama Gaber, David A Axelrod, Francis L Weng, Amy D Waterman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Living donor kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage kidney disease; however, few living donor candidates (LDCs) who begin evaluation actually donate. While some LDCs are deemed medically ineligible, others discontinue for potentially modifiable reasons.

Methods: At five transplant centers, we conducted a prospective cohort study measuring LDCs' clinical and psychosocial characteristics, educational preparation, readiness to donate, and social determinants of health. We followed LDCs for 12 months after evaluation to determine whether they donated a kidney, opted to discontinue, had modifiable reasons for discontinuing, were medically ineligible, or had other recipient-related reasons for discontinuing.

Results: Among 2184 …

A Novel Deep Learning Model Based On Transformer And Cross Modality Attention For Classification Of Sleep Stages, Sahar Hassanzadeh Mostafaei, Jafar Tanha, Amir Sharafkhaneh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The classification of sleep stages is crucial for gaining insights into an individual's sleep patterns and identifying potential health issues. Employing several important physiological channels in different views, each providing a distinct perspective on sleep patterns, can have a great impact on the efficiency of the classification models. In the context of neural networks and deep learning models, transformers are very effective, especially when dealing with time series data, and have shown remarkable compatibility with sequential data analysis as physiological channels. On the other hand, cross-modality attention by integrating information from multiple views of the data enables to capture relationships …