Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Caveat Regarding The Unfolding Argument: Implications Of Plasticity, Viknas N. O'Reilly-Shah, Alessandro Maria Selvitella, Aaron Schurger

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The unfolding argument in the neuroscience of consciousness posits that causal structure cannot account for consciousness because any recurrent neural network (RNN) can be “unfolded” into a functionally equivalent feedforward neural network (FNN) with identical input–output behavior. Subsequent debate has focused on dynamical properties and philosophy of science critiques. We examine a boundary condition on the unfolding argument for RNN systems with rapid plasticity in their connection weights. We demonstrate through rigorous mathematical proofs that rapid plasticity negates the functional equivalence between the RNN and the FNN. Our proofs address history-dependent plasticity, dynamical systems analysis, information-theoretic considerations, perturbational stability, complexity …

Using In-Home Air Quality Monitoring To Reduce Cannabis Secondhand Smoke Exposure In Children: Quantitative Pilot Feasibility Study, Vincent Berardi, Bradley N. Collins, Laura M. Glynn, Eusabeia Silfanus, Darby G. Lyons, Stephen J. Lepore

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background: An estimated 5 to 8 million US children live with a parent who uses cannabis, and most cannabis users report smoking cannabis inside their homes, placing children at risk for cannabis secondhand smoke (cSHS) exposure. Indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring provides real-time feedback on airborne pollutants and has shown promise in reducing in-home tobacco secondhand smoke exposure, suggesting its potential as an effective harm reduction strategy for cSHS.

Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of using low-cost, off-the-shelf IAQ monitors to increase caregivers’ awareness of children’s cSHS exposure risk and to change …

Electronic Health Record Alerts To Improve Lipid Lowering After A Recent Myocardial Infarction, Dean G. Karalis, Benjamin Richter, Scott Hessen, Patrick Moeller, Laney K. Jones

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: This observational, quality initiative evaluated the impact of changing from a passive (dismissible) to an active (nondismissible without action) electronic health record alert on guideline-recommended lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) prescriptions in patients with recent myocardial infarction at risk for secondary events.

METHODS: We sequentially recruited a retrospective passive-alert (February 2018-July 2019; n=733) and a prospective active-alert (August 2020-January 2022; n=587) cohort of patients who triggered an alert to intensify LLT or order a low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) test if they had a recent myocardial infarction (within 12 months) and elevated (≥70 mg/dL) or missing LDL-C. Prescribed LLTs and cumulative percentages of …

Hp1bp3 Loss Links Chromatin Reorganization To Metabolic Vulnerability In Glioma, Brittney Lozzi, Taylor A Gatesman, Pushan Dasgupta, Debosmita Sardar, Yeunjung Ko, Chenyu Mao, Hsiao-Chi Chen, Rachel N Curry, Dongjoo Choi, Carrie A Mohila, Melissa L Bondy, Ganesh Rao, Marco Gallo, Sameer Agnihotri, Benjamin Deneen

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive brain tumors with poor prognosis, driven in part by metabolic and epigenetic adaptations. Methionine metabolism supports HGG growth by supplying S-adenosylmethionine for methylation reactions, yet how nutrient availability influences chromatin organization in HGG remains incompletely understood. Using an immunocompetent mouse model of HGG, we found that dietary methionine restriction reduced tumor proliferation, extended survival, and induced partial nuclear inversion. We identified Hp1bp3 as a key regulator of tumor growth that functions by interacting with nuclear tethering proteins to mediate chromatin reorganization. Loss of Hp1bp3 results in the upregulation of histone demethylases leading to selective depletion …

Automated Alerts To Improve Timely Evaluation And Treatment Of Valvular Heart Disease: The Alert Trial., Wayne B Batchelor, Brian R Lindman, Megan Coylewright, Antoine Keller, Brody Wehman, Adnan Chhatriwalla, Sandeep M Patel, Kevin Stiver, Firas Zahr, Miguel Sotelo, Dongho Shin, Chris Rogers, Graeme L Hickey, Jamie Williams, Myra Fan, Sreekanth Vemulapalli

Medical Education Articles

BACKGROUND: Severe aortic stenosis (AS) and mitral regurgitation (MR) are frequently undertreated and characterized by persistent sex, racial and ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities despite effective valve therapies. Whether automated electronic clinician notification (ECN) alerts improve the evaluation and treatment of AS and MR across health systems is unknown.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether ECN alerts improve guideline-directed evaluation and treatment of significant AS and MR across multiple health systems.

METHODS: ALERT is a multisystem, cluster-randomized clinical trial including clinicians ordering echocardiograms across 5 U.S. health systems encompassing 35 hospitals between August 2024 and September …

Broadly Reactive Human Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Influenza A Nucleoprotein Lack Protective Activity In Vivo, Walter N Harrington, David C Brice, Aaron J Schmitz, Jackson S Turner, Rafael Brent, Philip A Mudd, Ali H Ellebedy, Richard J Webby

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The antibody response to influenza virus infection targets numerous viral proteins, with those specific for the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) surface glycoproteins being the most extensively studied. Antibodies to HA and NA function as independent immune correlates of protection and form the basis of most vaccine approaches. In contrast, the contribution of antibodies to other viral proteins such as the nucleoprotein (NP) remains unclear, and existing studies have reached conflicting conclusions. In this work, we examined three human monoclonal NP antibodies isolated from plasmablasts of two individuals naturally infected with influenza A virus (IAV) during the 2018-2019 influenza season. …

An International Multidisciplinary Consensus Statement On Laparoscopic Liver Biopsy, Si Yi Lei, Yu Han, Don C. Rockey, Khalid Alswat, Vincent Wai Sun Wong, Nozim Jumaev, Carlos Jesus Toro-Huamanchumo, Safwan Taha, Mohamed El-Kassas, Jacob George, Mark Muthiah, Omar Ghanem, Masato Yoneda, Dao Viet Hang, Giada Sebastiani, George Papatheodoridis, Adam Abu-Abeid, Andrew G. Robertson, Sang Hyun Kim, Rudolf Weiner, Kamal Mahawar, Asim Shabbir, Mohammad Kermansaravi, Reynu Rajan, Yosuke Seki, Halit Eren Taskin, Scott Shikora, Edward Oliveros, Chetan Parmar, Qiuye Cheng, Omar Thaher, Elena Ruiz-Úcar, Rodolfo Oviedo, Rui Ribeiro, Mario Musella, Almino C. Ramos, Seung-Wan Ryu, Tamer Abdelbaki, Wei Jei Lee, Man Pan Chan, Jose Eduardo Garcia Flores, James Skinovsky, Ahmad Madkhali, Sylvia Weiner, Frank Tacke, Wah Yang, James Neuberger, Ming-Hua Zheng

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Laparoscopic liver biopsy (LLB) provides a way to obtain liver tissue samples under direct visual inspection of the liver surface. It complements percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) for complex or high-risk cases where PLB cannot be performed. Clinical practices for LLB vary across centers due to the lack of international standards. To improve the procedural quality and diagnostic efficiency of LLB, a multidisciplinary panel of 45 international experts from 6 continents, including hepatology, hepatobiliary surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, and metabolic and bariatric surgery, developed this consensus statement through three rounds of a modified Delphi process. This consensus covers clinical application scenarios, high-risk …

Pancreatitis Risk Genes Play A Major Role In Pediatric Pancreatitis: Insights From The International Study Group Of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In Search For A Cure, Maisam Abu-El-Haija, Wenying Zhang, Fuchenchu Wang, Gretchen Cress, Brian Dawson, Xiaoping Su, Tyler Thompson, Nicole Kotha, Ankur Chugh, Reuven Zev Cohen, Elissa M Downs, Douglas S Fishman, A Jay Freeman, Cheryl E Gariepy, Matthew J Giefer, Tanja Y Gonska, Phil Greer, Amit S Grover, Andrew Y J Liman, Douglas Lindblad, Quin Y Liu, Asim Maqbool, Jacob A Mark, Brian A Mcferron, Megha S Mehta, Veronique D Morinville, Kenneth Ng, Robert A Noel, Chee Y Ooi, Emily R Perito, Michael Wilschanski, Yuhua Zheng, Ying Yuan, David C Whitcomb, Aliye Uc, Mark Lowe, Consortium For The Study Of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes, And Pancreatic Cancer (Cpdpc)

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background & aims: Clinical data show that genetic variants are significant risk factors for acute recurrent pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis. To expand the understanding of the role of genetics in acute recurrent pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis, high-throughput next-generation sequencing of 14 genes was completed in a multicenter pediatric cohort.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 944 pediatric patients with acute recurrent pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis was conducted. CASR, CEL, CFTR, CLDN2, CPA1, CTRC, GGT1, PRSS1, PRSS2, PRSS3, SBDS, SLC26A9, SPINK1, and UBR1 were sequenced. The frequencies of identified variants were compared with frequencies in the genome aggregation database. Group differences were …

Development And Validation Of A Harmonized Memory Score For Multicenter Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementia Research, Mark Sanderson-Cimino, Alden L Gross, Leslie S Gaynor, Emily W Paolillo, Rowan Saloner, Marilyn S Albert, Liana G Apostolova, Brooke Boersema, Adam L Boxer, Bradley F Boeve, Kaitlin B Casaletto, Hilary W Heuer, Leah K Forsberg, Savannah R Hallgarth, Valentina E Diaz, Lindsay R Clark, Ani Eloyan, Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Pauline Maillard, Mitzi M Gonzales, Dustin B Hammers, Renaud La Joie, Yann Cobigo, Amy Wolf, Benjamin M Hampstead, Dawn Mechanic-Hamilton, Bruce L Miller, Gil D Rabinovici, John M Ringman, Lina M D'Orazio, Howie J Rosen, Sephira G Ryman, Jillian L Prestopnik, David P Salmon, Glenn E Smith, Charles Decarli, Kumar B Rajan, Lee-Way Jin, Jason D Hinman, David K Johnson, Danielle J Harvey, Myriam Fornage, Maria C Carrillo, Bradford C Dickerson, Joel H Kramer, Adam M Staffaroni, , Leads Consortium, And Diverse Vascular Contributions To Cognitive Impairment And Dementia (Diverse Vcid) Study Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: List-learning tasks (LLTs) are important for characterizing memory in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. However, as the Uniform Data Set Neuropsychological Battery (UDS-NB) historically did not require a specific LLT, centers have administered different LLTs. The newest UDS version (v4.0) requires one of two LLTs. To support harmonized UDS memory research, we developed a memory composite incorporating UDS memory tests and multiple LLTs.

Methods: Item-banking confirmatory factor analysis was applied to develop a memory composite in a diagnostically heterogeneous sample (n = 8716) that completed the UDS-NB and one of five LLTs. Construct validity was evaluated through associations with …

Beyond Coiling: A Comparative Analysis Of Survey-Reported Preferences For Endovascular Cerebral Aneurysm Occlusion, Sanjana R Salwi, Thilan Tudor, Oleg Shekhtman, Georgios S. Sioutas, Pious D. Patel, Irina-Mihaela Matache, Mohamed Salem, Sonia Ajmera, Sandeep Kandregula, Jan-Karl Burkhardt, Visish M. Srinivasan

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Aneurysm treatment options are rapidly evolving, as evidenced by the recent introduction and widespread adoption of flow diversion and intrasaccular devices. However, there is a need to understand how these newer technologies are used for difficult-to-treat aneurysms. The main aims of this study were to investigate the variation in aneurysm treatment recommendations among neurosurgeons, interventional radiologists, and interventional neurologists and to generally describe trends in endovascular treatment.

METHODS: In this survey-based study conducted from June to September 2024, participants were presented with clinical vignettes and asked to choose preferred treatment options, with responses analyzed based on demographic variables including …

Macropinocytosis Inhibition Attenuates Profibrotic Responses In Lung Fibroblasts And Pulmonary Fibrosis Models, Ivan O Rosas, Aaron K Mcdowell-Sanchez, Santiago Sanchez, Juan D Cala-Garcia, Alan R Waich Cohen, Elisa Ruiz-Echartea, Scott A Ochsner, Daniel C Kraushaar, Lindsay J Celada, Dandan Sun, Francesca Polverino, Cristian Coarfa, Neil J Mckenna, Konstantin Tsoyi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating chronic lung disorder with limited treatment options. Macropinocytosis is one of the key cellular processes involved in nutrient consumption from the extracellular environment under stress conditions. Here, we studied the role of macropinocytosis in experimental pulmonary fibrosis models. We found that macropinocytosis is increased in human lung fibroblasts (HLFs) derived from patients with IPF. The inhibition of macropinocytosis with 5-(n-ethyl-n-isopropyl)-amiloride (EIPA) inhibited profibrotic responses in IPF-derived and TGF-β1-stimulated HLFs and reduced pulmonary fibrosis in bleomycin-injured (Bleo-injured) mice. EIPA exerted its antifibrotic effects by regulating amino acid uptake, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 …

Autophagic Flux Blockade Under Hypocapnia Reveals Co2-Sensitive Regulation Of Autophagy-Lysosome Homeostasis, Naghmana Ashraf, Zhen Sun, Jeanine L Van Nostrand

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hypocapnia, a reduction in partial pressure of carbon dioxide (CO2), commonly occurs in clinical contexts such as mechanical ventilation, panic disorder, and brain injury, yet its impact on cellular homeostasis remains poorly understood. Given the central role of autophagy in stress adaptation, we investigated how low CO2 influences autophagic flux and lysosomal function. We found that hypocapnia induces autophagosome accumulation while impairing cargo degradation, indicating a blockade in autophagic flux. This response was accompanied by increased lysosome biogenesis but, paradoxically, reduced autophagosome-lysosome fusion and lysosomal proteolytic activity. Mechanistically, hypocapnia promoted TFE3 dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation, driving transcriptional activation of lysosomal …

Guideline On Stress Echocardiography - 2026, Ana Cristina Camarozano, Salvador Vicente Spina, José Roberto Matos Souza, Marcelo Dantas Tavares De Melo, Daniela Do Carmo Rassi Frota, Silvio Henrique Barberato, Fabio Villaça Guimarães Filho, Harry Acquatella, Vera Márcia Lopes Gimenes, Jorge Alfredo Lowenstein, Ricardo H Pignatelli, José Maria Del Castillo, Joselina Luiza Menezes Oliveira, José Sebastião De Abreu, José Luis De Castro E Silva Pretto, Issam Shehadeh, Alex Dos Santos Felix, Mercedes Maldonado Andrade, Antônio Carlos Sobral Sousa, Maria Estefânia Bosco Otto, Andrea De Andrade Vilela, Pedro Gutierrez Fajardo, Liz Andréa Villela Baroncini, Cristiano Vieira Machado, Fábio Cañellas Moreira, José María Hernández Hernández, Marco Stephan Lofrano Alves, Samira Saady Morhy, Márcio Silva Miguel Lima, Miguel Osman Dias Aguiar, Wilson Mathias Junior, Letícia Dos Santos De Oliveira Rocha, João César Nunes Sbano, Barbara Athayde Linhares Martins Vrandecic, Fabio Roston, Arnaldo Rabischoffsky, Juliana Paixão Etto Rolim, Raphael Aparecido Barreto Da Silva, Guilherme De Rossi, Kamila Fernanda Staszko, Jolie Britt, Marcelo Luiz Campos Vieira

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Ultrasound-Enabled Refreshable Electrochemical Sensors For Cardiac Biomarker Monitoring, Mayank Garg, Heng Guo, Myeong Namkoong, Elizabeth Zhanov, Connor Malone, Md Saifur Rahman, Ayse Akcan-Arikan, Limei Tian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is the gold-standard biomarker for acute myocardial infarction, yet current laboratory-based high-sensitivity assays require centralized infrastructure, trained personnel, and serial testing, limiting their suitability for real-time or continuous monitoring in resource-limited settings. Point-of-care electrochemical sensors have shown promise for rapid cTnI detection, but their reliance on antibodies as biorecognition elements and redox mediator solutions, and single-use operation restricts practical translation. Here, we report an ultrasound-enabled refreshable electrochemical biosensor for sensitive, stable, and repeatable cTnI monitoring. The device employs a cTnI-specific peptide as the biorecognition element, providing enhanced stability during storage, transport, and operation. Label-free electrochemical impedance …

Using Social Return On Investment To Evaluate Services That Support The Health Of People Experiencing Homelessness In Australia: A Scoping Review, Cate Mckenna, Christopher Rouen, Mary O'Loughlin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The increasing demand for homelessness services in Australia highlights the need for robust evaluation methodologies to assess their social impact. Traditional economic evaluation methods often struggle to capture the intangible social and health outcomes associated with homelessness. Social return on investment (SROI), an outcomes-based framework driven by stakeholders, offers a flexible and comprehensive approach to measuring social, economic and environmental impacts. This scoping review examines the application of SROI in evaluating services that support the health of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Australia. A total of 25 reports from grey literature (2010-2023) were reviewed. The findings reveal …

Baseline Lymphopenia Predicts Survival In Ici-Naïve Solid Tumor Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Propensity-Matched Real-World Pan-Cancer Analysis., Ahmed Ismail, Nina Balanchivadze, George R Simon, Yanis Boumber

Oncology Articles

Background: Baseline lymphopenia is common among advanced solid tumors and may influence the efficacy/safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but large real-world evidence is limited. We evaluated the association between baseline absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and clinical outcomes in adults with solid tumors treated with ICIs in routine practice. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using TriNetX. Adults with solid tumors who received pembrolizumab, nivolumab, or atezolizumab (ICI-Naïve) between January 2015 and June 2026 were included. Baseline ALC was measured within 30 days before first treatment and was classified as lymphopenic (ALC < 1.5 × 109/L) or non-lymphopenic (ALC ≥ 1.5 × 109/L). Propensity score matching (1:1) yielded 5249 patients per group. The index date was the first immunotherapy date, and outcomes were assessed at 6, 12, 24, 36 months, and 5 years. The primary outcome was 24-month overall survival (OS); secondary outcomes were OS at 6 and 12 months and 6-month risks of healthcare utilization, immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and serious infections; and exploratory outcomes included OS at 36 months and 5 years. All outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards models, and risk ratios. Subgroup analysis included OS stratified by solid tumor subtypes and prior lines of therapy. Results: After matching, patients with baseline lymphopenia …

Antimicrobial Susceptibility And Targeted Molecular Detection Of Methicillin Resistance Determinants In Staphylococcus Spp. Isolated From Broiler Bco Lesions, Woro Wulandari Kalanjati, Chrystalee Ailani Alvarez, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Adnan Ali Khalaf Alrubaye

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Staphylococcus spp. associated with poultry production is an emerging concern with implications for animal and public health. This study aimed to characterize antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and detect targeted methicillin resistance determinants in Staphylococcus isolates recovered from broiler chickens affected by bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO). Methods: A total of 200 bacterial isolates were evaluated, of which 167 were confirmed as Staphylococcus spp. Species identification was performed using presumptive phenotypic characterization followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using disk diffusion, while presumptive methicillin-resistant phenotypes were evaluated using oxacillin screening and CHROMagar MRSA. …

Healthcare Experiences And Needs Of Patients With Pregnancy Of Unknown Location: A Qualitative Study, Kavita Vinekar, Zahava Shimshi, Amanda Doty, Samantha Kolowrat, Rebecca Mercier, Agatha Berger, Kristin L. Rising

Jefferson Center for Connected Care Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients presenting with bleeding or pelvic pain in early pregnancy are commonly found to have pregnancies of unknown location (PUL), with no sonographic findings of intrauterine nor ectopic pregnancy. We aimed to explore healthcare experiences and needs of patients presenting with PUL.

METHODS: This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to explore healthcare experiences among patients with PUL. Patients were eligible if they presented with bleeding or abdominopelvic pain to the OB/GYN office or emergency department and were found to have a PUL followed in an electronic health record tracking list; had an initial human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) …

Deciphering Small Sequence Differences In T Cell Receptor-Antigen Pairing, Yi Han, Yuqiu Yang, James Zhu, Farjana J Fattah, Mitchell S Von Itzstein, Minying Zhang, Casey Bermack, Peixin Jiang, Shailbala Singh, Yanhua Tian, Yifei Hu, Yafang Deng, Xiongbin Kang, Donghan M Yang, Jialiang Liu, Yaming Xue, Chaoying Liang, Indu Raman, Chengsong Zhu, Olivia Xiao, Jonathan E Dowell, Jade Homsi, Sawsan Rashdan, Ke Pan, Shengjie Yang, Mary E Gwin, David Hsiehchen, Yvonne Gloria-Mccutchen, Fangjiang Wu, John V Heymach, Don Gibbons, Junzhou Huang, Chao Cheng, Jianjun Zhang, Cassian Yee, Alexandre Reuben, David E Gerber, Tao Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

T cells have important functions in development and disease processes through T cell receptor (TCR)-dependent activities. Many tools were developed to predict the binding between TCRs and antigens. However, one of the uncertainties is whether such tools can decipher how small changes in the TCRs or antigenic peptides contribute to binding. We develop a deep learning model, pMTnet-omni, which not only predicts the binding vs. non-binding of TCRs towards pMHCs, but also distinguishes the stronger vs. weaker binding of TCRs similar in sequence. We leverage this capability to interpret the biological rules that govern TCR-antigen pairing. This also enables pMTnet-omni …

Integrating Structural Analysis In The Pre-Appe Curriculum: Experiences From Three Institutions, Jennifer Ko, Sharon E. Connor, Emily K. Frederick, Katherine Foley, Emiline Snook, Ava Romah, Katie F. Leslie

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Educational activity

Evaluation findings

Prevalence And Practice Patterns Of Facial Plastic And Reconstructive Procedures Among Otolaryngologists: A National Medicare Claims Analysis, Justin Z. Heckman, Shizue Mito

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Facial plastic and reconstructive procedures represent a small but relatively well-reimbursed component of ENT Medicare billing. Of 860 otolaryngologists identified in the 2023 CMS Physician and Other Practitioners Public Use File, 104 (12.1%) billed at least one facial plastic CPT code, with a mean of 16.9 services per participating provider. A total of 1,756 facial plastic services were rendered, representing 0.16% of total ENT Medicare volume, with a cumulative reimbursement of $584,834. Mean reimbursement per facial plastic provider-CPT combination was $435, compared to $104 across all ENT services, a 4.2-fold difference. Facial plastic billing was concentrated in non-rural settings (95.5%) …

Nurses’ Knowledge Regarding Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Prevention Bundle In Adult Cardiac Care Units, Marwa Abdo

Nursing

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is among the most common ICU infections for ventilated patients, associated with increased mortality (20-50%), morbidity, and health care costs. Nurses' knowledge of VAP prevention bundles is vital to reducing its incidence in critical care areas. Aim: To assess Nurses’ knowledge regarding the ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle in Adult Cardiac Care Units. Study design: A cross-sectional study design was used. Setting: This study was conducted in both the adult cardiac intensive care unit and the cardiac care unit at Aswan Heart Centre–Magdy Yacoub Foundation, Egypt. Subject: A convenience sample of 67 nurses was selected. Data collection tool: …

Glycosphingolipids Regulate Phosphatidylserine Transport Machinery That Operates At Er-Pm Contact Sites, Ritchel Gannaban, Sher Ali, Wei Chen, Melanie Nguyen, Li Lai, Travis I Moore, Yubin Zhou, John F Hancock, Junchen Liu

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Plasma membrane (PM) localization of KRAS requires specific glycosphingolipids in the outer leaflet and phosphatidylserine (PS) in the inner leaflet. PM PS content is controlled by lipid transport proteins ORP5 and ORP8, which operate at ER-PM membrane contact sites (MCSs). Using high-resolution imaging, we now show that GSLs, including GM3 and SM4, are required to maintain ORP5 and ORP8 localization to MCSs. Genetic deletion or pharmacologic inhibition of enzymes required for the biosynthesis of GM3 or SM4 displaces PI4-kinase Type IIIα (PI4KIIIα) and its adaptor EFR3A from the PM, thereby reducing PM phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) content. PM interactions of ORP5 …

Apolipoprotein B100 Predicts Cardiovascular And Limb Events In Type 2 Diabetes Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia, Federico Biscetti, Maria Margherita Rando, Maria Anna Nicolazzi, Flavia Angelini, Roberto Iezzi, Luis H. Eraso, Paul J. Dimuzio, Dario Pitocco, Massimo Massetti, Antonio Gasbarrini, Andrea Flex

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) undergoing lower extremity revascularization (LER) face high risks of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major adverse limb events (MALE), despite guideline-directed lipid-lowering therapy. Apolipoprotein B100 (ApoB100), reflecting total atherogenic particle number, may identify residual risk beyond LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C). Therefore, we investigated whether baseline ApoB100 levels independently predict MACE and MALE beyond conventional risk factors in this high-risk population.

METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 167 T2DM patients with CLTI undergoing LER were followed for 12 months with visits at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-procedure. …

Artificial Intelligence In Biomedical Scientific Publishing, Tomasz J Guzik, Victor Aboyans, Stefan Agewall, Steven Bailey, Adrian Baranchuk, Magnus Bäck, Michael Böhm, Robert O Bonow, George W Booz, Giuseppe Boriani, Biykem Bozkurt, Nico Bruining, Davide Capodanno, Çetin Erol, Péter Ferdinandy, Alessia Gimelli, Gerd Heusch, Thomas Kahan, Chim Choy Lang, Gerald Maurer, Robert J Mentz, Marco Metra, Philip Moons, Daniel Piskorz, Massimo Piepoli, Piotr Ponikowski, Alexandra Popma, Bianca Rocca, Juan Sanchis Fores, Philipp Sommer, Rhian M Touyz, Zoltan Ungvari, Pascal Vranckx, Joseph A Hill, Thomas F Lüscher, Filippo Crea

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Artificial intelligence is now embedded across the scientific research and publishing ecosystem, influencing discovery, analysis, knowledge translation, authorship, peer review, and editorial workflows. In cardiovascular and biomedical sciences, these developments offer substantial opportunities to accelerate knowledge generation, integrate complex datasets, and improve efficiency and consistency. At the same time, they introduce new risks related to bias, transparency, data integrity, and authorship responsibility, potentially endangering trust in the scientific record. This commentary examines the evolving role of AI in biomedical publishing, with particular attention to generative models and machine learning tools. We review both benefits and limitations, highlight risks such as …

Single-Nucleus Profiling Reveals A Core Disease Signature And Cell Type-Specific Vulnerabilities In Early Rett Syndrome, Yan Li, Ashley G Anderson, Guantong Qi, Sih-Rong Wu, Jean-Pierre Revelli, Hu Chen, Zhandong Liu, Huda Y Zoghbi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurological disorder caused by MECP2 mutations, creating distinct cellular environments in females (mosaic) versus males (nonmosaic). Despite female patients representing most cases, how mosaicism contributes molecularly to RTT pathogenesis, particularly in presymptomatic stages, remains poorly understood. To address this question, we profiled hippocampal transcriptomes of young female and male RTT mice using bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing. We identified a core disease signature of consistently dysregulated genes only in MeCP2− cells across RTT models. Moreover, we uncovered non–cell autonomous effects exclusively in female MeCP2+ excitatory neurons, suggesting that these circuits are more vulnerable early …

Financial Implications Of Vascular Surgery Conference Fees, Alexandra Kats, Gerard M. Martin, Sanath Patil, Joshua R. Chen, Paul J. Dimuzio, Dawn Salvatore, Michael Nooromid, Babak Abai

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Conferences are an important venue for trainees and students to engage in scholarly activities and networking. However, cost presents a significant consideration for students looking to attend conferences as institutional funding varies. In this study, we analyze the attendance costs of vascular conferences.

METHODS: Thirty-one vascular surgery conferences were identified with 12 regional and 6 national, and 13 international. Invitation-only conferences were excluded from the analysis. Cost of attendance was stratified by early and regular registration timing and attending, trainee, and student status. Additionally, conference websites were queried individually for scholarship opportunities. Data was presented descriptively and compared using …

From Combustion Emissions To Neurotoxicity: Brain Health Risks Of Military Burn Pits Exposure, Katherine M. Eggers, Zoe A. Keller, Paul Barach, Julie M. Tomáška, Joshua P. Nixon, Janeen H. Trembley, Tammy A. Butterick

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Military burn pits used during post-9/11 U.S. military deployments functioned as uncontrolled combustion systems and were widely utilized to dispose of large volumes of outdoor waste by burning. Burn pits involved heterogeneous waste materials burned under variable temperature and oxygen conditions. These combustion environments generated complex, toxic, multipollutant airborne emission mixtures that included particulate matter (PM2.5), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This narrative review synthesizes epidemiologic, experimental, and mechanistic evidence linking burn pit emissions to disruption of the lung–brain axis and adverse neurological outcomes. We specifically aim to address a critical gap in understanding how combustion-derived …

Persistent Retinal Tenting In Myopic Traction Maculopathy, Taku Wakabayashi, Bita Momenaei, Allen Chiang

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

No abstract provided.

Identifying Social Determinants Of Health Subgroups And Their Associations With Health Outcomes In A Prospective Us Adult Covid-19 Cohort: An Analysis Of The Inspire Registry, Yohali Burrola-Mendez, Eugene Lin, Canada Parrish, Chialing Hsu, Mandy J. Hill, Michael Gottlieb, Kristin L. Rising, Lauren E. Wisk, Nicole L. Gentile, Rachel E. Geyer, Robert A. Weinstein, Michelle Santangelo, Kristyn Gatling, Jonathan W. Dyal, Joann G. Elmore, Robert M. Rodriguez, Phillip Watts, Ji Chen, Zihan Diao, Erica S. Spatz, Kwun Cg Chan, K A. Stephens, Kelli N. O'Laughlin, Inspire Group

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To identify subgroups with similar social determinants of health (SDOH) characteristics using latent class analysis (LCA) and examine their associations with physical and mental health, cognitive function and missed workdays at 3 and 6 months post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. We hypothesised that intersecting SDOH factors would differentially influence COVID-19-related health outcomes across subgroups.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study from the Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry (INSPIRE), with longitudinal data collection and cross-sectional analyses at baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow-ups.

SETTING: Multicentre registry across eight US academic medical centres (Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New Haven, Philadelphia, San Francisco and …