Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Correction: Prospective Trial Of Cerebrospinal Fluid Filtration After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Via Lumbar Catheter Extension (Pillar-Xt), Spiros L Blackburn, Marc A Babi, Andrew W Grande, Omar A Choudhri, Erik F Hauck, Christopher P Kellner, Michael C Giordano, Shivanand P Lad, Aaron R Mccabe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This corrects the article "Prospective Trial of Cerebrospinal Fluid Filtration After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage via Lumbar Catheter Extension (PILLAR-XT)" in volume 43 on page 934.

Axillary Management After Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy (Net), Laura Leonard, Min Yi, Emma Wingate, Puneet Singh, Abigail Caudle, Rosa F Hwang, Isabelle Bedrosian, Vicente Valero, Jennifer Litton, Nuhad Ibrahim, Kelly K Hunt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: In patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients with clinical stage I-III, HR

RESULTS: A total of 230 patients were included; 120 (52.2%) were clinically node-negative (cN0), while 110 (47.8%) were clinically node-positive (cN+). In the cN+ group, 7.3% (8/110) had a nodal pathologic complete response (pCR). In total, 76.4% (84/110) in the cN+ group underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) as the initial axillary procedure, and 90.9% (100/110) underwent ALND overall. In total, 98.3% (118/120) with cN0 disease underwent sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND), and 28 (23.7%) had positive nodes. …

Polyhydroxybutyrate (Phb) From Biofloc Systems Enhances The Growth And Immune Performance Of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia, Menaga Meenakshisundaram, Jimmy B. Mboya, Felix Sugantham

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study characterised polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-producing bacteria from the culture water of genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT) in biofloc ponds and investigated the influence of PHB on the growth and immune performance of GIFT. Out of 40 bacterial isolates, Bacillus infantis, Exiguobacterium profundum, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus hirae showed positive results for PHB against fluorescent stains. The PHB yield in the range of 5%–95.45% (w/w) was recorded, with the highest from K. pneumoniae (95.45% w/w). The experimental treatments included a basal diet as a control (C), a basal diet with PHB (5 g kg⁻¹) from …

The Woah Global Wildlife Health Collaborating Centre Network (Woah-Wildnet): A Coordinated And Transformative Approach To Global Wildlife Health Challenges, David T.S. Hayman, Steve Unwin, Kelly Bateman, Casey Barton Behravesh, Charlotte Berg, Jemma Bergfeld, Cristina Casalone, Claire Cayol, Erin Davis, Sunday Ekesi, Johan Esterhuizen, Merid Getahun, Federica Giorda, Keith Hamilton, Damien O. Joly, Christa Kühn, Jean Claude Manuguerra, Daniel Masiga, Anita Michel, Paolo Mulatti, Misheck Mulumba, Annah Njui, Richard Paley, Antonio Fernández, Sascha Knauf, David P. Tchouassi, Youming Wang, Nathalie Vachiery, Jandouwe Villinger

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Introduction Wildlife health is integral to functioning, complex ecosystems [1], directly and indirectly influencing the health of people, animals, plants, and the environment [2–4]. Healthy wildlife populations are essential for ecosystem services and are at the heart of the One Health approach [3,4], which aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems through multisectoral and transdisciplinary collaboration [5]. Despite its importance, wildlife health initiatives often operate in silos, limiting capacity to address transboundary threats such as emerging diseases, pollution, and environmental changes. Anthropogenic changes, including habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, and unsustainable harvesting, exacerbate wildlife health …

Staphylococcus Aureus Prostatic Abscess In A Young Diabetic Patient: A Case Report And Literature Review, Hellen Mram, Musa Machibya, Samina Somji, Arafa Mahmoud, Hussam Uddin

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: Prostatic abscess is a rare complication of acute bacterial prostatitis, accounting for approximately 0.5% of urologic conditions. It is mostly caused by gram-negative organisms such as Escherichia coli, although Staphylococcus aureus is an increasingly recognized but uncommon pathogen. Clinical presentation is often non-specific with lower urinary tract symptoms, frequently leading to delayed diagnosis. Imaging plays a crucial role in confirming the diagnosis and guiding management.

Case presentation: A 41-year-old diabetic man who initially presented with lower urinary tract symptoms for 1 week that progressed to urinary retention and fever. Was initially diagnosed with acute prostatitis and initiated …

Self-Management Challenges And Psychosocial Support Needs In Clean Intermittent Catheterization: A Qualitative Study Of Individuals With Neurogenic Bladder And Caregivers, Lianyu Zou, Xiaomei Wu, Shun Chen, Shuluan Feng, Xiaohua Huang, Weiting Liu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background – Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is widely regarded as the preferred approach to bladder management for individuals with neurogenic bladder (NB). Nevertheless, a considerable gap persists between evidence and clinical practice: patients and caregivers frequently encounter self-management barriers that compromise clinical outcomes during CIC. This qualitative study explores these barriers to provide an empirical foundation for developing tailored strategies that improve quality of care. Design – A descriptive qualitative study. Methods – From August to October 2025, a convenience sampling method was employed to recruit 16 participants individuals with NB or their long-term caregivers from the Department of Rehabilitation …

Transition To Parenthood, Angel D. Kietzer

Honors Projects

The transition to parenthood is an exciting and life changing moment for any family, especially first-time parents. This moment may be full of excitement, joy, and overwhelming emotions but may also include significant challenges. Parents may struggle with emotions as they learn how to adapt to this shift in family roles, and can be overwhelmed with the amount of new information they need to know in order to take care of their newborn. This paper will examine how the transition to parenthood is physically and emotionally challenging, as well as the educational needs regarding newborn growth and development, infant safety, …

A Critical Narrative Review Appraisal Of The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines: Scientific Strengths, Conceptual Gaps, And Overlooked Dimensions Of Sustainability And Health Equity, Dimitrios Papandreou, Azza Alsuwaidi, Zainab Taha, Constantinos Giaginis, Georgios K. Vasios, Eleni P. Andreou

All Works

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines introduce an important shift in public health nutrition, emphasizing minimally processed foods, higher protein intake, greater inclusion of full-fat dairy, and a food-based advice centered on “real food” consumption. While several of these recommendations align with accumulating evidence, particularly the discouragement of ultra-processed foods and added sugars, substantial concerns remain regarding their internal coherence, population-level applicability, risk of misinterpretation, as well as environmental footprint. This critical narrative review evaluates whether the scope, emphasis, and framing of the new guideline components are proportionate to the strength, consistency, and context of the underlying evidence. Using a novel framework …

Endocrine Roles Of Vitamin D In Female Reproduction: Mechanisms And Clinical Implications, Azza Alsuwaidi, Fatme Alanouti, Dimitrios Papandreou

All Works

Vitamin D a fat-soluble steroid hormone signals through Vitamin D Receptors (VDRs) located throughout the ovaries, uterus, placenta, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland, influencing immune regulation and female reproductive physiology. This review of studies from 2013-2025 found consistent associations between low vitamin D status and various disorders in women of childbearing age. In Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), deficiency correlates with higher symptom severity, and evidence shows that supplementation significantly reduces total PMS scores, particularly improving mood-related domains. For uterine pathologies such as fibroids, endometriosis, and adenomyosis, low vitamin D status is linked to increased risk and severity. Repletion trials suggest antifibrotic and …

Enhancing Patient Care: The Power Of Librarian-Mediated Literature Reviews, Heather J. Martin, Carrie Grinstead, Danielle Linden

Publications 2026-present

Background: Our health system library fields thousands of requests for literature searches each year in support of research, policy, evidence-based practice projects, and care for individual patients. With fewer library staff than comparable institutions and an engaged, multidisciplinary clinical workforce, we face ongoing pressures to do more with less and to demonstrate our value.

Case Presentation: A 2021 article in the Journal of Hospital Librarianship offered an existing survey and basic project design that we used to assess our impacts. We adapted, with permission, the survey and methods of “Analysis of a Hospital Librarian Mediated Literature Search Service at a …

Rapid Isometric Hamstring Strength Scores From Professional Soccer Players At Pre-Season: Positional Differences And Relationship To Peak Force, Nicholas Joel Ripley, Ross, Jack Fahey, Christopher Bramah, Paul Jones, Paul Comfort

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The assessment of rapid force within a single joint assessment is becoming common practice within elite sport environments. Recent observations have highlighted that rapid force maybe more sensitive to fatigue than peak force within the hamstrings. Yet limited information exists on rapid force production in elite male soccer players. Eighty-nine senior professional men’s soccer players (age; 24.2±5.1 years, height; 1.83±0.05 m, mass; 78.95±7.53 kg) participated within the present study they performed two isometric assessments at joint angles of 30° and 90° of hip flexion and knee. They performed three trials with mean and standard deviation determined differences between soccer positions …

Novel Variants Identified In Families With Snx27 -Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder, Aiding In Characterizing Its Genotypic And Phenotypic Spectrum, Tayyaba Shan, Abrar Hussain, Anushree Acharya, Mulazim Hussain, Yumei Li, Hafiz Muhammad Jafar Hussain, Kiran Afshan, Suzanne M Leal, Rui Chen, Asif Mir, Isabelle Schrauwen, Sabika Firasat

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background:

Sorting Nexin 27 (SNX27), a key regulator of synaptic receptor trafficking and endosomal recycling, has been implicated in maintaining synaptic homeostasis and cognitive function. To date, variants in SNX27 have been reported in a small number of patients across three publications with severe neurodevelopmental phenotypes. However, the genetic and functional landscape of SNX27-related disorders remains poorly understood, and further evidence is needed to confirm its association with disease and to better delineate the associated phenotype.

Methods and Results:

Two unrelated Pakistani families with a total of five affected individuals segregating a neurodevelopmental disorder were investigated via exome …

Influence Of Gut Microbiota On Response To Immune Check Point Inhibitors In Masld Patients With Hcc: Unraveling The Connection, Mazen Elsheikh, Mohamad Ali Ibrahim, Sherry Fares, Megha Bhongade, Karim Adhem, Ximena I Ramirez-Morales, Ahmed O Kaseb, Joseph Petrosino, Manal M Hassan, Prasun K Jalal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a promising treatment for various cancers, including advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, a significant proportion of patients with HCC, particularly those with metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MASLD), exhibit resistance to ICI therapy. Studies have revealed that the presence of specific gut bacteria, such as Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, and Lachnoclostridium, is associated with improved outcomes with ICI-treated HCC patients. Conversely, the overgrowth of bacteria like Enterobacteriaceae is linked to resistance to therapy. This review investigates the role of gut microbiota in shaping immune checkpoint inhibitor responses in MASLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma, focusing on how dysbiosis may …

Investigating Conjunctival Immune Pathways In Sjögren And Non-Sjögren Disease Associated Dry Eye, Kaitlin K Scholand, Laura Schaefer, Jianming Shao, Zhiyuan Yu, Stephen C Pflugfelder, Robert A Britton, Cintia S De Paiva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Dry eye disease (DED) is classified based on its predominant etiology into aqueous tear-deficient (ATD), evaporative, or mixed. Sjӧgren disease keratoconjunctivitis sicca (SjD-KCS) is a very severe autoimmune form of ATD DED. The purpose of this work was to compare transcriptomic changes in the conjunctiva sampled from patients with ATD, SjD-KCS, and healthy controls (HC) to evaluate distinctions in the immune response on the ocular surface based on diagnosis.

Methods: Impression cytology of the temporal bulbar conjunctiva was collected using the EyePrim device. RNA was extracted and submitted with the Nanostring nCounter Human Immunology V2 panel for gene expression …

Leveraging Untargeted Metabolomics In Combination With Machine Learning To Uncover Novel Insights Into Bladder Cancer, Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, Vasanta Putluri, Tanmay Gandhi, Chandra Shekar R Ambati, Chandra Sekhar Amara, Karthik Reddy Kami Reddy, Meredith Lauren Spradlin, Amrit Koirala, Sachin B Jorvekar, Sandra L Grimm, Dexue Fu, Krishna Parsawar, Felice De Jong, Chris Beecher, Subrata Sen, Seth P Lerner, M Minhaj Siddiqui, Yair Lotan, Livia S Eberlin, Arun Sreekumar, Cristian Coarfa, Nagireddy Putluri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background

Untargeted metabolomics has emerged as a powerful approach to uncover metabolic dysregulation associated with cancer progression. When integrated with a machine learning strategy it facilitates the discovery of key metabolic pathways and predictive biomarkers with high diagnostic and prognostic value.

Methods

In this study, we employed liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution Tribrid Orbitrap mass spectrometry to perform comprehensive metabolic profiling of bladder cancer (BLCA) as well as predict invasiveness of the disease.

Results

By leveraging both in-house retention time-based MS/MS spectral libraries and commercial databases, we robustly identify over 2000 metabolites. In addition, this platform allows identification of novel …

Serological Evidence Of Borrelia Turicatae In Raccoons (Procyon Lotor) From An Endemic Focus Of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever In Mexico, Jose A Hernández Martínez, Valeria Leal-Sepúlveda, Alan A Zavala-Norzagaray, Emilio Rendón-Franco, César P Ley-Quiñonez, Patricio Pellegrini-Hernández, Job E Lopez, J Antonio Ibarra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Tick-borne relapsing fever is a neglected and overlooked disease. In Mexico, numerous historical reports document the distribution of Ornithodoros turicata, the vector of Borrelia turicatae, as well as human cases of infection. However, the enzootic cycle and reservoir hosts in Mexico remain unknown. Here, to detect previous infections with relapsing fever Borreliae in wild fauna a retrospective serological analysis was conducted with serum samples collected from raccoons trapped from 2022 to 2025 in the Navachiste region of Sinaloa, Mexico. Using a species-specific antigen, BipA from B. turicatae, and bacterial lysates of this spirochete, we found high exposure among this cohort …

Effect Of Different Management Strategies On Outcomes In Subarachnoid Neurocysticercosis: A Descriptive, Multicentre, Retrospective Cohort Study In The Usa, Janitzio J Guzmán, Megan M Duffey, Jill Weatherhead, Eva H Clark, Jesica Herrick, Senate Amusu, Felicia C Chow, Paul R Allyn, Noah Wald-Dickler, J Martin Rodriguez, Natalie M Bowman, Timothy J Hatlen, Dannae Martin, Travis Larsen, Anna M Cervantes-Arslanian, Christina Coyle, A Clinton White, Elliott Welford, Annie N Cowell, Jeffrey D Jenks, Andrés F Henao-Martinez, Carlos Franco-Paredes, Glenn Mathisen, Paola Lichtenberger, Jose A Serpa, Rory Bouzigard, Laila M Castellino, Elise M O'Connell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Subarachnoid neurocysticercosis (SANCC) is an uncommon but severe form of Taenia solium infection. There is limited evidence to guide clinical management. We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory features of a cohort of patients with SANCC, and assess the impact of different management strategies on their clinical course.

Methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective cohort study with patients from 15 medical centres across nine states in the USA. SANCC was defined based on histopathology; the presence of cysts in the basilar subarachnoid spaces/sylvian fissures/spine with antibody positivity to T. solium/meeting Del Brutto criteria; or inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid …

Non-Invasive Intracranial Pressure Estimation In The Intensive Care Unit: Narrative Review Of Methods And Clinical Applications, Edoardo Picetti, Daniele Guerino Biasucci, Elisa Gouvea Bogossian, Sérgio Brasil, Danilo Cardim, Marek Czosnyka, Daniel A Godoy, Gregory W J Hawryluk, Mohammad I Hirzallah, Frank A Rasulo, Carla Bittencourt Rynkowski, Andres M Rubiano, Fabio Silvio Taccone, Chiara Robba

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite invasive methods are the gold standard for intracranial pressure (ICP) measurement, several non-invasive techniques (nICP) have been proposed as surrogate, although their use remains insufficiently recognized in clinical practice. These include transcranial Doppler blood flow velocity  assessment (arterial or venous), optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), automated pupillometry, measurement of skull expansion and compliance, brain imaging, double-depth ophthalmic artery blood flow velocity, and ultrasound time-of-flight. The main limitations of all indirect methods are calibration and zeroing, which constrain the absolute accuracy of non-invasive ICP monitoring. For transcranial Doppler-based methods, the 95% limits of agreement are approximately ± 7-15 mmHg, while …

Author Correction: Foundation Model Of Neural Activity Predicts Response To New Stimulus Types, Eric Y Wang, Paul G Fahey, Zhuokun Ding, Stelios Papadopoulos, Kayla Ponder, Marissa A Weis, Andersen Chang, Taliah Muhammad, Saumil Patel, Zhiwei Ding, Dat Tran, Jiakun Fu, Casey M Schneider-Mizell, R Clay Reid, Forrest Collman, Nuno Maçarico Da Costa, Katrin Franke, Alexander S Ecker, Jacob Reimer, Xaq Pitkow, Fabian H Sinz, Andreas S Tolias

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This corrects the article "Foundation model of neural activity predicts response to new stimulus types" in volume 640 on page 470.

Androgen Activity In The Male Embryonic Hindbrain Drives Lethal Pfa Ependymoma, Jiao Zhang, Winnie Ong, Alexandra Rasnitsyn, Ricardo Daniel Gonzalez, Rodrigo Lopez Gutierrez, Polina Balin, Amr Saadeldin, Xiaochong Wu, Maria C Vladoiu, Vicente Santa-Maria Lopez, Fernando Gonzalez-Salinas, Navneesh Yadav, Dinesh Mohanakrishnan, Kannan Boosi Narayana Rao, Raja Gopal Reddy Mooli, Hinda Najem, Sebastian Pacheco, Kaitlin Kharas, Cory Richman, David Przelicki, Evan Y Wang, Haipeng Su, Rachel Naomi Curry, Runze Yang, Michelle Masayo Kameda-Smith, Bryn Livingston, David Scott, Zaili Luo, Mingyang Xia, Namal Abeysundara, Anders W Erickson, Ncedile Mankahla, Lucas Zhongming Hu, Chu Pan, Raul Suarez, Ning Huang, Yihao Wu, Hao Wang, Tajana Douglas, Jonelle Pallota, Steven Hébert, Karen Ng, Krystin Mantione, Heather Whetstone, Hassaan Maan, Hussein Lakkis, Juyeun Lee, Sadeesh K Ramakrishnan, Yanxin Pei, Yujie Tang, Frank Y Lin, Guillermo Aldave, Marco Gallo, Robert M Friedlander, Faiyaz Notta, Laura K Donovan, Murali Chintagumpala, Bo Wang, Yun Li, Daniel D De Carvalho, Zhaolei Zhang, Ying Mao, Wei Hua, Charles Eberhart, Calixto-Hope G Lucas, Sriram Venneti, Poul H Sorensen, Alberto Delaidelli, Hao Li, Wenhao Zhou, Jason Kirk, Dean G Tang, Tao Jiang, Hailong Liu, Justin D Lathia, Hiromichi Suzuki, Jeremy N Rich, Lincoln D Stein, Nada Jabado, Vijay Ramaswamy, Q Richard Lu, Amy B Heimberger, Craig Daniels, Kulandaimanuvel Antony Michealraj, Claudia L Kleinman, Michael D Taylor

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Posterior fossa type A (PFA) ependymoma is an unusual infantile brain tumour with few known somatic mutations, thought to be driven by epigenetic mechanisms1. PFA ependymoma has a markedly higher incidence and worse prognosis in male children than in female children2. The mechanisms that underlie these sex differences are at present unknown. Here we show that the cellular hierarchy of PFA ependymoma is less differentiated in male individuals than it is in female individuals. In the normal developing mouse hindbrain, male gliogenic progenitors are less differentiated than matched female sibling controls. To further parse the effects …

Da Vinci Single-Port Transvaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (Vnotes) Sacrocolpopexy: A Case Report And Literature Review, Xiaoming Guan, Chunhua Zhang, Qiannan Yang, Shunjia Hong, Wai Ieng Fong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pelvic organ prolapse remains a common condition requiring durable surgical correction, with sacrocolpopexy considered the gold standard. Transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) has emerged as a scarless minimally invasive approach, while the integration of robotic single-port technology may further enhance surgical precision and ergonomics. However, data on robotic-assisted single-port vNOTES (RSP-vNOTES) sacrocolpopexy remains limited. We report a case of a 58-year-old Asian woman with symptomatic apical pelvic organ prolapse. The pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) assessment demonstrated stage II uterine prolapse. She underwent robotic-assisted single-port vNOTES (RSP-vNOTES) sacrocolpopexy using the da Vinci single-port (SP) platform. The procedure was …

Robotic Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery For The Management Of Endometriosis: First Experience Via The Da Vinci Sp Platform, Qiannan Yang, Daniel Y Lovell, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility and mid-term outcomes of Robotic single-port single-incision laparoscopic surgery (RSP-SILS) for endometriosis management.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 50 adult women with endometriosis who underwent RSP-SILS via the da Vinci SP platform between November 2023 and July 2025.

Results: Median total operative time was 142 min, robot dock time was 3 min, and robot console time was 99 min. Median estimated blood loss was 25 mL. No conversion occurred. Reported mid-term outcomes included 1 case each of pelvic haematoma, Clostridioides difficile colitis, and umbilical surgical site infection, as well as 3 cases of …

A Comprehensive Review Of Tear Fluid Proteome Alterations In Dry Eye Disease: Insights Into Pathophysiology And Biomarker Potential, Saleh Ahmed, Steven Safille, Victoria Clifton, Shruti Sharma, Cintia S De Paiva, Ashok Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Tear fluid is a highly specialized and dynamic biofluid composed of proteins, lipids, mucins, and electrolytes that is essential for maintaining ocular surface integrity, immune defense, and tear film stability. Growing evidence from tear proteomic studieshas revealed extensive alterations in protein composition in dry eye disease (DED), reflecting a complex interplay between local ocular surface pathology and systemic inflammatory influences. This review summarizes proteomic findings from 50 published studies to identify tear proteins that are consistently upregulated or downregulated in DED and to interpret their biological relevance in the context of ocular surface homeostasis. Across studies, proteins upregulated in DED …

Comprehensive Profiling Of The Human Tear Fluid Mirnome Using Small Rna Sequencing, Garrett Jones, Drew Mayernik, Saleh Ahmed, Eliza Williams, Jeremy Altman, Tae Jin Lee, Amy Estes, Cintia S De Paiva, Pamela Martin, Shruti Sharma, Ashok Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To generate a comprehensive profile of microRNAs (miRNAs) present in human tear fluid using next-generation sequencing (NGS), establish a reference miRNome for healthy human tear fluid, and investigate whether miRNA expression varies by sex, race, or age.

Methods: Tear samples were collected from 32 adults using Schirmer strips. RNA was isolated using the miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Kit, and cDNA libraries were prepared using the QIAseq miRNA Library Kit. Barcoded libraries were sequenced on the NovaSeq 6000 platform. Bioinformatic analyses included adapter trimming, alignment to miRBase, normalization with DESeq2, and functional annotation using multiMiR and clusterProfiler. Differential expression analysis was performed …

Rexinoid Net-3ib Promotes Resident Macrophage Gene Expression And Mitigates Desiccation-Induced Ocular Surface Disease, Jehan Alam, Yangluowa Qu, Jianming Shao, Ebru Yaman, Karen Zheng, Hiroki Kakuta, Stephen C Pflugfelder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of rexinoid NEt-3IB on desiccating stress-induced dry eye, as well as monocyte/macrophage gene expression and cellular trajectory.

Methods: Eyes were topically treated with rexinoid NEt-3IB (5 µM) or vehicle three times a day for 5 days of desiccating stress-induced dry eye. Single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) profiled gene expression in conjunctival immune cells. RNA-seq was also used to evaluate gene expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated, dexamethasone-treated (Dex, 1 µM), or NEt-3IB-treated (1-1000 nM) cultured monocytes. Cellular state trajectory and latent time were inferred with scVelo, and latent-time-associated genes were identified using Monocle 3. Permeability to Oregon Green-labeled …

Results Of A Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Phase 1/2 Study Of A Trpv1 Antagonist Sjp-0132 In Participants With Dry Eye Disease, Tomoyuki Wada, Kazunori Omatsu, Stephen C Pflugfelder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic profile, and efficacy of SJP-0132 in participants with dry eye disease (DED).

Design: Phase 1/2, randomized, double-masked, single-center, placebo-controlled single and multiple ascending dose study.

Participants: Generally healthy adults aged ≥18 years with a patient-reported history of DED for ≥6 months, eye dryness visual analog scale (VAS: 0-100) ≥40 mm, 5-item dry eye questionnaire (DEQ-5) ≥6, and central corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) of 2 to 4 (Baylor scale: 0-5 for each of five zones).

Methods: This study consisted of Part A and Part B, containing four single- and two multiple-ascending dose cohorts, respectively. …

Avacincaptad Pegol For Geographic Atrophy Secondary To Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Two-Year Efficacy And Safety Results From The Gather2 Phase 3 Trial, Arshad M Khanani, Carl J Danzig, Jeffrey S Heier, Glenn J Jaffe, Peter K Kaiser, David R Lally, Sunil S Patel, Lejla Vajzovic, Christina Y Weng, Hersh Patel, Julie Clark, Dhaval Desai, Don Luo, Erin Henry, Frank G Holz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Avacincaptad pegol (ACP) is a pegylated RNA aptamer that inhibits complement C5. The efficacy and safety of ACP 2 mg was investigated in GATHER2, with positive year 1 results published. Herein, 2-year results are reported.

Design: Phase 3, randomized, sham-controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT04435366).

Participants: Patients with non-center point-involving geographic atrophy (GA).

Methods: Eligible patients were randomized 1:1 to receive monthly ACP 2 mg (n = 225) or sham (n = 222) for 1 year. At month 12, patients who received ACP 2 mg were randomized again 1:1 to dosing every month (EM; n = 96) or every …

Utility Of Diagnostic Arthroscopy Before Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction In Pediatric And Adolescent Patients Without Articular Findings On Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Holden Archer, Kaleb Patterson, Jonathan D Schwartzman, Scott D Mckay, Indranil Kushare

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction is frequently used to manage recurrent patellar instability. Diagnostic arthroscopy is commonly performed before MPFL reconstruction to identify, confirm, and address intra-articular pathology. However, when preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not demonstrate intra-articular lesions, it is unclear how often diagnostic arthroscopy in pediatric patients alters surgical management.

PURPOSE: To determine the utility of diagnostic arthroscopy in young patients undergoing MPFL reconstruction who had no intra-articular chondral or osteochondral pathology, meniscal tears, or loose bodies identified on preoperative MRI, and to characterize intra-articular pathology detected on arthroscopy but not identified on MRI.

STUDY DESIGN: …

Empiric Azithromycin Alters The Upper Respiratory Microbiome And Resistome Without Anti-Inflammatory Benefit In Covid-19, Abigail Glascock, Cole Maguire, Hoang Van Phan, Emily C Lydon, Joanna Schaenman, Carolyn S Calfee, Esther Melamed, John Greenland, David B Corry, Farrah Kheradmand, Lindsey R Baden, Rafick Sekaly, Grace A Mccomsey, Elias K Haddad, Charles B Cairns, Linda N Geng, Bali Pulendran, Ana Fernandez-Sesma, Viviana Simon, Jordan P Metcalf, Nelson I Agudelo Higuita, William B Messer, Mark M Davis, Kari C Nadeau, Monica Kraft, Christian Bime, David J Erle, Mark A Atkinson, Scott C Brakenridge, Lauren I R Ehrlich, Ruth R Montgomery, Albert C Shaw, Catherine L Hough, David A Hafler, Alison D Augustine, Patrice M Becker, Bjoern Peters, Al Ozonoff, Annmarie Hoch, Seunghee Kim-Schulze, Florian Krammer, Steven Bosinger, Walter Eckalbar, Matthew C Altman, Michael Wilson, Leying Guan, Holden Maecker, Hanno Steen, Impacc Network, Joann Diray-Arce, Nadine Rouphael, Steven H Kleinstein, Naresh Doni Jayavelu, Elaine F Reed, Ofer Levy, Victoria T Chu, Charles R Langelier

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Azithromycin is a widely used antibiotic and was frequently used to treat hospitalized patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of empiric azithromycin use on the respiratory microbiome in patients with viral respiratory infections is unclear. Here we used longitudinal metatranscriptomics on nasal swabs from a prospective multicentre cohort of 1,164 patients hospitalized for COVID-19. We compared the upper respiratory microbiome, resistome and systemic immune response in patients treated with azithromycin (n = 366) with those who received no antibiotics (n = 474) or other antibiotics (n = 324). We found that azithromycin altered microbiome composition and increased the expression …

Body Mass Index And Survival In Children Receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Pilar Anton-Martin, Keith Baxelbaum, Shilpa Vellore, Erika O'Neil, Vinai Modem, Sameer Thadani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Underweight and obesity represent opposite ends of the nutritional risk spectrum that negatively affect children's health worldwide. Both conditions have been associated with increased mortality in pediatric patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.

Objective: To investigate the association of underweight and obesity status with pediatric ECMO outcomes using body mass index (BMI) z scores.

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective cohort analysis used data from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) database from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2023. Participants included all pediatric patients from international ECMO centers aged 29 days to 18 years who received ECMO …