Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Changes In Energy Homeostasis, Gut Peptides, And Gut Microbiota In Emiratis With Obesity After Bariatric Surgery, Manal Ali Ahmad, Koen Venema, Carole Ayoub Moubareck, Gabi Wazz, Tarek Mahdy, Mirey Karavetian

All Works

Background Obesity is a growing health concern worldwide, including United Arab Emirates. Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment option, with to date unclear weight loss mechanisms. In this prospective study, we explored post-bariatric surgery changes in energy homeostasis, gut peptides, hormones, and gut microbiota. Method We recruited 19 Emirati adults who were planning to undergo sleeve gastrectomy (SG). We assessed the energy requirements using 24-hour diet recalls, indirect calorimetry for resting energy expenditure (REE), and a questionnaire for appetite. Anthropometrics included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, fat mass, fat-free mass, and percentage of body fat. Gut peptides, …

Patient-Reported Outcomes: Comparing Functional Avoidance And Standard Thoracic Radiation Therapy In Lung Cancer, Spencer Poiset, Joseph Lombardo, Edward Castillo, Richard Castillo, Bernard Jones, Moyed Miften, Brian Kavanagh, Adam Dicker, Cullen Boyle, Nicole Simone, Benjamin Movsas, Inga Grills, Chad Rusthoven, Yevgeniy Vinogradskiy, Lydia Wilson

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Novel methods generate functional images using image processing techniques combined with four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) data (4DCT-ventilation). 4DCT-ventilation was implemented in a phase II, multicenter functional avoidance clinical trial. The work compares functional avoidance patient-reported outcomes (PROs) against historical standards.

METHODS: Patients with locally advanced lung cancer undergoing curative-intent chemoradiation were accrued. 4DCT-ventilation imaging was generated and functional avoidance treatment plans created reduced dose to functional lung. PRO instruments included Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Lung questionnaire and accompanying subscales (including the Trial Outcome Index [TOI]), EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D), and EQ-Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS). The average change from baseline …

Expanding Library Services At Pen Bay Medical Center, Christina Kratzman Ma, Mi

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

No abstract provided.

Beyond Traditional Body Composition Metrics: Load-Capacity Indices Emerge As Predictors Of Cardiometabolic Outcomes—A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Zhongyang Guan, Marianna Minnetti, Steven B. Heymsfield, Eleonora Poggiogalle, Carla M. Prado, Marc Sim, Blossom C.M. Stephan, Jonathan C.K. Wells, Lorenzo M. Donini, Mario Siervo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The adaptive and independent interrelationships between different body composition components have been identified as crucial determinants of disease risk. On the basis of this concept, the load-capacity model of body composition, which utilizes measurements obtained through nonanthropometric techniques such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, was proposed. This model is typically operationalized as the ratio of metabolic load (adipose mass) to metabolic capacity (lean mass). In recent years, a series of load-capacity indices (LCIs) have been utilized to identify abnormal body composition phenotypes such as sarcopenic obesity (SO) and to predict the risk of metabolic, cardiovascular, and cognitive disorders. In this review, …

Differential Risk Of Cardiovascular Complications In Patients With Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus In Ghana: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study, Christian Obirikorang, Evans Asamoah Adu, Anthony Afum Adjei Awuah, Samuel Nkansah Darko, Frank Naku Ghartey, Samuel Ametepe, Eric N.Y. Nyarko, Enoch Odame Anto, William Kwame Boakye Ansah Owiredu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim To characterize clinically relevant subgroups of patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on adiposity, insulin secretion, and resistance indices. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at Eastern Regional Hospital in Ghana from July to October 2021 to investigate long-term patients with T2DM. To select participants, a systematic random sampling method was employed. Demographic data was collected using a structured questionnaire and fasting blood samples were taken to measure glycemic and lipid levels. Blood pressure and adiposity indices were measured during recruitment. The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) was defined using Framingham scores and standard low-density lipoprotein thresholds. To …

Differential Effects Of Stimulation Waveform And Intensity On The Neural Structures Activated By Lumbar Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation, Harrison T. Finn, Marel Parono, Elizabeth A. Bye, Janet L. Taylor, Simon C. Gandevia, Martin E. Héroux, Jane E. Butler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Lumbar transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (TSS) evokes synchronized muscle responses, termed spinally evoked motor response (sEMR). Whether the structures TSS activates to evoke sEMRs differ when TSS intensity and waveform are varied is unknown. In 15 participants (9 F, 6 M), sEMRs were evoked by TSS over L1–L3 (at sEMR threshold and suprathreshold intensities) with conventional (one 400-ls biphasic pulse) or high-frequency burst (ten 40-ls biphasic pulses at 10 kHz) stimulus waveforms in vastus medialis (VM), tibialis anterior (TA), and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles. TSS was paired with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the contralateral motor cortex at relative interstimulus …

Investigating The Impact Of Sorghum On Tau Protein Phosphorylation And Mitochondrial Dysfunction Modulation In Alzheimer’S Disease: An In Vitro Study, Nasim Rezaee, Eugene Hone, Hamid Sohrabi, Rasheed Abdulraheem, Stuart K. Johnson, Stuart Gunzburg, Ralph N. Martins, W. M.A.D.Binosha Fernando

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with poorly understood pathology. Elevated tau, phospho-tau and mitochondrial dysfunction are significantly correlated with an increased risk of AD and are therefore targets for disease-modifying therapy. In this study, we examined the effects of polyphenolic extracts from six different varieties of sorghum: Shawaya short black-1 (Black), IS1311C (Brown), QL33/QL36 (Red), B923296 (Red), QL12 (White), and QL33 (Red) on the attenuation of beta amyloid-induced phospho-tau levels, total tau levels, and mitochondrial dysfunction in neuronal cells. Method: Tau proteins (231 (pT231), Serine- 199 (pS199), and total tau proteins (T-tau)) were detected and quantified …

Patients' Perception Of Missed Nursing Care In A Tertiary Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study, Afia Achiaa Sarpong, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Lucy Gent, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Diana Arabiat

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

AIMS: To identify types of patient-reported missed nursing care and adverse events and identify the factor associated with missed care in a Western Australian tertiary hospital. BACKGROUND: Research in the domain of missed nursing care has established the association between missed nursing care and unsafe patient outcomes. However, there is a paucity of evidence on patient perception of missed nursing care and associated factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHOD: A study of inpatients in a tertiary teaching hospital in Western Australia was carried out. Ninety-eight patients admitted in 16 medical and surgical wards were sampled. The patient MISSCARE survey was used …

The Mascc Cog-Impact: An Unmet Needs Assessment For Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment Impact Developed By The Multinational Association Of Supportive Care In Cancer, Darren Haywood, Alexandre Chan, Raymond J. Chan, Frank D. Baughman, Evan Dauer, Haryana M. Dhillon, Ashley M. Henneghan, Blake J. Lawrence, Maryam B. Lustberg, Moira O’Connor, Janette L. Vardy, Susan L. Rossell, Nicolas H. Hart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) can have a profound impact on the lives of cancer survivors. A multitude of subjective and objective assessment tools exist to assess the presence and severity of CRCI. However, no purpose-built tool exists to assess the unmet needs of cancer survivors directly relating to CRCI. This paper details the development and initial validation of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer - Unmet Needs Assessment of Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment Impact (the MASCC COG-IMPACT).

Methods: A multistep mixed-methods measurement development and validation approach was taken with a strong emphasis on co-design. Qualitative interviews were conducted …

Consolidating The Evidence On The Effectiveness Of Strategies To Promote Vegetable Intake In Priority Settings: An Overview Of Systematic Reviews, Paige G. Brooker, Astrid A.M. Poelman, Katherine M. Livingstone, Clare E. Collins, Seema Mihrshahi, Ros Sambell, Jason H.Y. Wu, Gilly A. Hendrie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Effective interventions to increase vegetable intake are urgently needed. This systematic rapid review aimed to summarise the effectiveness of interventions targeting increased vegetable intakes across diverse settings. Methodology: The review was guided by the conduct of rapid reviews from the Cochrane Handbook. The literature was searched in February 2024 across PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Central for systematic review articles published since 2014. The Risk of Bias In Systematic Reviews tool was used and characteristics of reviews synthesised narratively with intervention effectiveness results were summarised. Results: A total of 20 systematic reviews met the eligibility criteria. Most targeted …

Mirnaome-Metabolome Wide Association Study Reveals Effects Of Mirna Regulation In Eosinophilia And Airflow Obstruction In Childhood Asthma, Rinku Sharma, Kevin Mendez, Sofina Begum, Su Chu, Nicole Prince, Julian Hecker, Rachel S. Kelly, Qingwen Chen, Craig E. Wheelock, Juan C. Celedón, Clary Clish, Robert Gertszen, Kelan G. Tantisira, Scott T. Weiss, Jessica Lasky-Su, Michael Mcgeachie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: There are important inter-relationships between miRNAs and metabolites: alterations in miRNA expression can be induced by various metabolic stimuli, and miRNAs play a regulatory role in numerous cellular processes, impacting metabolism. While both specific miRNAs and metabolites have been identified for their role in childhood asthma, there has been no global assessment of the combined effect of miRNAs and the metabolome in childhood asthma. Methods: We performed miRNAome-metabolome-wide association studies (‘miR-metabo-WAS’) in two childhood cohorts of asthma to evaluate the contemporaneous and persistent miRNA-metabolite associations: 1) Genetic Epidemiology of Asthma in Costa Rica Study (GACRS) (N = 1121); 2) …

Development Of The Navigation Guide Evidence-To-Decision Framework For Environmental Health: Version 1.0, Nicholas Chartres, Max T. Aung, Sustan L. Norris, Courtney Cooper, Lia A. Bero, Roger Chou, Devon C. Payne-Sturges, Wendy E. Wagner, Jessica W. Reyes, Lisa M. Askie, Daniel A. Axelrad, Deysi Flores Vigo, Jill E. Johnston, Juleen Lam, Keeve E. Nachman, Eva Rehfuess, Rachel Rothschild, Patrice Sutton, Lauren Zeise, Tracey J. Woodruff

Articles

Environmental exposures, including widespread industrial pollution, impact human health and are amplified in more highly exposed communities. Policy and regulatory frameworks for making decisions and recommendations on interventions to mitigate or prevent exposures tend to narrowly focus on exposure and some health-related data related to risks. Typically, such frameworks do not consider other factors, including essentiality, health equity, and distribution of benefits and costs. Further, decisions and recommendations lack transparency regarding how they were developed. We developed the Navigation Guide Evidence-to-Decision Framework for Environmental Health (E2DFEH) to provide a structured and transparent framework incorporating a range of scientific information and …

Speech And Language Assessment Practices For Bilingual Children In The School Setting: Where Do We Go From Here?, Seijra Toogood, Raul Prezas

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Abstract

The field of speech-language pathology has demonstrated growth in bilingual assessment and evaluations. However, many questions remain regarding formal and informal assessment practices, intervention recommendations, and cultural competency or responsiveness. Sixty-one SLPs in Virginia completed a survey on demographics, bilingual assessment practices, cultural competence, and language development of ELL students. Seven SLPs who work with bilingual and/or ELL students were also interviewed to ascertain bilingual assessment practices, cultural competence, and language development knowledge. Areas of concern included assessment of bilingual students, lack of developmental norms and standardized assessment tools in languages other than English, and lack of knowledge of …

Introducing Immersion Techniques To Shift Augmentative And Alternative Communication Uses: A Brief Report, Lisa Taylor Cook, Deann O'Lenick

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Caregivers and interventionists all need the same information about how to support language development when language is being developed through augmentative communication systems. Through learning about the importance of immersion practices, caregivers and interventionalists were empowered to support and advocate for various types of verbal expressions and speech that occurred through speech generating devices.

Kras Mutations In Cancer: Understanding Signaling Pathways To Immune Regulation And The Potential Of Immunotherapy, Priyanka Uniyal, Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Tapan Behl, Deepak Parashar, Ravi Rawat

School of Medicine Publications

The Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue (KRAS) mutation is one of the most prevailing mutations in various tumors and is difficult to cure. Long-term proliferation in carcinogenesis is primarily initiated by oncogenic KRAS-downstream signaling. Recent research suggests that it also activates the autocrine effect and interplays the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we discuss the emerging research, including KRAS mutations to immune evasion in TME, which induce immunological modulation that promotes tumor development. This review gives an overview of the existing knowledge of the underlying connection between KRAS mutations and tumor immune modulation. It also addresses the mechanisms to reduce …

Task-Rest Reconfiguration Efficiency Of The Reward Network Across Adolescence And Its Association With Early Life Stress And Depressive Symptoms, Yoonji Lee, Justin P. Yuan, Anderson M. Winkler, Katharina Kircanski, Daniel Samuel Pine, Ian H. Gotlib

School of Medicine Publications

Objective

Adolescents face significant changes in many domains of their daily lives that require them to flexibly adapt to changing environmental demands. To shift efficiently among various goals, adolescents must reconfigure their brains, disengaging from previous tasks and engaging in new activities.

Method

To examine this reconfiguration, we obtained resting-state and task-based fMRI scans in a community sample of 164 adolescents. We assessed the similarity of functional connectivity (FC) of the reward network between resting state and a reward processing state, indexing the degree of reward network reconfiguration required to meet task demands. Given research documenting relations among reward network …

Synaptic Alterations In Pyramidal Cells Following Genetic Manipulation Of Neuronal Excitability In Monkey Prefrontal Cortex, Guillermo Gonzalez-Burgos, Takeaki Miyamae, Yosuke Nishihata, Olga L Krimer, Kirsten Wade, Kenneth N Fish, Dominique Arion, Zhao-Lin Cai, Mingshan Xue, William R Stauffer, David A Lewis

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

The primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) displays unique in vivo activity patterns, but how in vivo activity regulates DLPFC pyramidal neuron (PN) properties remains unclear. We assessed the effects of in vivo Kir2.1 overexpression, a genetic silencing tool, on synapses in monkey DLPFC PNs. We show for the first time that recombinant ion channel expression successfully modifies the excitability of primate cortex neurons, producing effects on synaptic properties apparently different from those in the rodent cortex.

A Personalized Periodontitis Risk Based On Nonimage Electronic Dental Records By Machine Learning, Laura Swinckels, Ander De Keijzer, Bruno G. Loos, Reuben Joseph Applegate, Krishna Kumar Kookal, Elsbeth Kalenderian, Harmen Bijwaard, Josef Bruers

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study aimed to develop a machine-learning (ML) model to predict the risk for Periodontal Disease (PD) based on nonimage electronic dental records (EDRs).

Methods: By using EDRs collected in the BigMouth repository, dental patients from the US were included. Patients were labeled as cases or controls, based on PD diagnosis, treatment and pocketing. By learning from their data, a model was trained. The ability of the developed model to predict PD was evaluated by the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUROC) and the most important features were determined. The best-performing model was applied …

Efficacy Of 3d-Printed Chitosan-Cerium Oxide Dressings Coated With Vancomycin-Loaded Alginate For Chronic Wounds Management, Sharareh Shahroudi, Amir Parvinnasab, Erfan Salahinejad, Shaghayegh Abdi, Sarah Rajabi, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Multifunctional wound dressings with antibacterial and antioxidant properties hold significant promise for treating chronic wounds; however, achieving a balance of these characteristics while maintaining biocompatibility is challenging. To enhance this balance, this study focuses on the design and development of 3D-printed chitosan-matrix composite scaffolds, which are incorporated with varying amounts of cerium oxide nanoparticles (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt%) and subsequently coated with a vancomycin-loaded alginate layer. The structure, antibiotic drug delivery kinetics, biodegradation, swelling, biocompatibility, antibacterial, antioxidant, and cell migration behaviors of the fabricated dressings were evaluated in-vitro. The findings reveal that all of the formulations …

Stealth Navigation With Ifuse-Torq Implant For Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Technique Guide., Jia Bao Lin, Bryan L Demyan, Logan M Bushnell, Morgan T Turnow, Benjamin C Taylor

Surgery Articles

INTRODUCTION: Dysfunction of the sacroiliac (SI) joint exists in nearly one-third of patients with lower back pain. There are nuances in diagnosing SI joint dysfunction with a combination of physical exam maneuvers and intra-articular injections. The management of patients with SI joint pain can include posterior pelvic fixation, which traditionally has been described using fluoroscopy to obtain safe placement of implants.

CASE REPORT: In this technique guide, we would like to introduce a novel technique of using Stealth navigation to facilitate SI fusion with the iFuse-TORQ implant.

CONCLUSION: SI dysfunction is a common cause of low back pain that can …

Human Hypofunctional Ncf1 Variants Promote Pulmonary Fibrosis In The Bleomycin-Induced Mouse Model And Patients With Systemic Sclerosis Via Expansion Of Spphuman Hypofunctional Ncf1 Variants Promote Pulmonary Fibrosis In The Bleomycin-Induced Mouse Model And Systemic Sclerosis Patients Via Expansion Of Spp1+ Monocytes-Derived Macrophages, Xinran Yuan, Xiaodong Qin, Kenji Takemoto, Jian Zhao, Matthew Sanderson, Xue Xu, Yu Zhang, Kristi L Helke, Bethany Jacobs Wolf, Joel M Guthridge, Judith A James, Xiaodong Zhou, Shervin Assassi, Carol Feghali-Bostwick, Dandan Wang, Lingyun Sun, Betty P Tsao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: We assessed the role of a systemic lupus erythematosus causal hypofunctional variant, neutrophil cytosolic factor 1 (NCF1)-p.Arg90His (p.R90H) substitution, in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Association of NCF1-H90 with SSc was performed in case-control cohorts, bleomycin (BLM)-treated Ncf1-R90 C57BL/6 wildtype and Ncf1-H90 knock-in (KI) littermates. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subsets were analysed by cytometry by time-of-flight.

Results: The NCF1-H90 allele is associated with risk for diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) in Chinese and European Americans, and lung fibrosis in Chinese patients with SSc (OR=2.09, p=7.96E-10). Low copy number of NCF1 associated with lung fibrosis in European Americans (OR=4.33, p=2.60E-2). BLM-treated …

Association Of Systemic Inflammation And Long-Term Dysfunction In Covid-19 Patients: A Prospective Cohort, Felipe Dal-Pizzol, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Henrique Ritter Dal-Pizzol, Gabriele Da Silveira Prestes, Diogo Dominguini, Carolina Saibro Girardi, Lucas Santos, José Cláudio Fonseca Moreira, Daniel Pens Gelain, Roger Walz, Tatiana Barichello, Cristiane Ritter

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

COVID-19 has significant long-term impacts, including a chronic syndrome known as long-COVID, characterized by persistent symptoms post-recovery. The inflammatory response during acute infection is hypothesized to influence long-term outcomes. This study aimed to identify inflammatory biomarkers predictive of functional outcomes one year after hospital discharge. A prospective cohort study was conducted with 213 COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs in Southern Brazil between June and November 2020. After exclusions and follow-ups, 109 patients were evaluated for one-year post-discharge. Plasma levels of Th1 (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-12), Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13), and Th17 (IL-17, IL-22) cytokines were measured. Functional outcomes in …

Forearm Versus Upper Arm Location Of Arteriovenous Access Used At Hemodialysis Initiation: Temporal Trends And Racial Disparities, Melandrea L Worsley, Jingbo Niu, Kevin F Erickson, Neal R Barshes, Wolfgang C Winkelmayer, L Parker Gregg

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale & objective: Race and ethnicity differences exist in the type of arteriovenous access (AVA, including fistulas and grafts) used at hemodialysis (HD) initiation. The preferred anatomic location for the creation of an initial HD AVA is typically in the forearm We evaluated race and ethnicity differences in the use of an AVA in the forearm location at HD initiation.

Study design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting & participants: Using records from DaVita Kidney Care linked to the US Renal Data System (USRDS), we evaluated patients aged≥16 years who initiated in-center HD with an AVA between 2006 and 2019.

Predictor: Race …

Qm107, A Novel Cd148 (Rtp Type J) Activating Peptide Therapy For Treating Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Samantha Arokiasamy, Michaela J M Balderstone, Faheem Shaik, Enrico Cristante, Thomas C Moseley, Akshay Madoo, Matteo Rizzi, James W Bainbridge, Konstantin Tsoyi, Ivan O Rosas, James R Whiteford, Giulia De Rossi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: Angiogenesis is a pathological component of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Current therapies, although successful, are prone to high levels of patient non-response and a loss of efficacy over time, indicating the need to explore other therapeutic avenues. We have shown that an interaction between syndecan-2 and the tyrosine phosphatase receptor CD148 (RTP Type J) results in the ablation of angiogenesis. Here we exploit this pathway to develop a peptide activator of CD148 as a therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Experimental approach: We tested a peptide (QM107) derived from syndecan-2 in a variety of angiogenesis models and …

Corticobasal Syndrome: Are There Central Or Peripheral Triggers?, Abhishek Lenka, Joseph Jankovic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is a complex of symptoms and signs comprising limb rigidity, bradykinesia, dystonia, myoclonus, apraxia, cortical sensory loss, and a variety of cognitive and language impairments. CBS is commonly seen in tauopathies. Striking asymmetry in clinical and imaging findings in CBS raises questions about potential triggers initiating neurodegeneration. The objective of this study was to investigate potential central or peripheral triggers preceding CBS symptoms.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed medical records of patients with CBS at our Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, focusing on evidence of possible central or peripheral …

Wonoep Appraisal: Targeted Therapy Development For Early Onset Epilepsies, Pablo M Casillas-Espinosa, Jennifer C Wong, Wanda Grabon, Ana Gonzalez-Ramos, Massimo Mantegazza, Nihan Carcak Yilmaz, Manisha Patel, Kevin Staley, Raman Sankar, Terence J O'Brien, Özlem Akman, Ganna Balagura, Adam L Numis, Jeffrey L Noebels, Stéphanie Baulac, Stéphane Auvin, David C Henshall, Aristea S Galanopoulou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The early onset epilepsies encompass a heterogeneous group of disorders, some of which result in drug-resistant seizures, developmental delay, psychiatric comorbidities, and sudden death. Advancement in the widespread use of targeted gene panels as well as genome and exome sequencing has facilitated the identification of different causative genes in a subset of these patients. The ability to recognize the genetic basis of early onset epilepsies continues to improve, with de novo coding variants accounting for most of the genetic etiologies identified. Although current disease-specific and disease-modifying therapies remain limited, novel precision medicine approaches, such as small molecules, cell therapy, and …

Exploring Individual Differences In Amygdala-Mediated Memory Modulation, Martina K Hollearn, Joseph R Manns, Lou T Blanpain, Stephan B Hamann, Kelly Bijanki, Robert E Gross, Daniel L Drane, Justin M Campbell, Krista L Wahlstrom, Griffin F Light, Aydin Tasevac, Phillip Demarest, Peter Brunner, Jon T Willie, Cory S Inman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Amygdala activation by emotional arousal during memory formation can prioritize events for long-term memory. Building upon our prior demonstration that brief electrical stimulation to the human amygdala reliably improved long-term recognition memory for images of neutral objects without eliciting an emotional response, our study aims to explore and describe individual differences and stimulation-related factors in amygdala-mediated memory modulation. Thirty-one patients undergoing intracranial monitoring for intractable epilepsy were shown neutral object images paired with direct amygdala stimulation during encoding with recognition memory tested immediately and one day later. Adding to our prior sample, we found an overall memory enhancement effect without …

Implementation Of Electronic Triggers To Identify Diagnostic Errors In Emergency Departments, Viralkumar Vaghani, Ashish Gupta, Usman Mir, Li Wei, Daniel R Murphy, Umair Mushtaq, Dean F Sittig, Andrew J Zimolzak, Hardeep Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Missed diagnosis can lead to preventable patient harm.

Objective: To develop and implement a portfolio of electronic triggers (e-triggers) and examine their performance for identifying missed opportunities in diagnosis (MODs) in emergency departments (EDs).

Design, setting, and participants: In this retrospective medical record review study of ED visits at 1321 Veterans Affairs health care sites, rules-based e-triggers were developed and implemented using a national electronic health record repository. These e-triggers targeted 6 high-risk presentations for MODs in treat-and-release ED visits. A high-risk stroke e-trigger was applied to treat-and-release ED visits from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. A …

A Statistical Framework Of Watermarks For Large Language Models: Pivot, Detection Efficiency And Optimal Rules, Xiang Li, Feng Ruan, Huiyuan Wang, Qi Long, Weijie J Su

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Since ChatGPT was introduced in November 2022, embedding (nearly) unnoticeable statistical signals into text generated by large language models (LLMs), also known as watermarking, has been used as a principled approach to provable detection of LLM-generated text from its human-written counterpart. In this paper, we introduce a general and flexible framework for reasoning about the statistical efficiency of watermarks and designing powerful detection rules. Inspired by the hypothesis testing formulation of watermark detection, our framework starts by selecting a pivotal statistic of the text and a secret key-provided by the LLM to the verifier-to control the false positive rate (the …

Transcriptome Size Matters For Single-Cell Rna-Seq Normalization And Bulk Deconvolution, Songjian Lu, Jiyuan Yang, Lei Yan, Jingjing Liu, Judy Jiaru Wang, Rhea Jain, Jiyang Yu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The variation of transcriptome size across cell types significantly impacts single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data normalization and bulk RNA-seq cellular deconvolution, yet this intrinsic feature is often overlooked. Here we introduce ReDeconv, a computational algorithm that incorporates transcriptome size into scRNA-seq normalization and bulk deconvolution. ReDeconv introduces a scRNA-seq normalization approach, Count based on Linearized Transcriptome Size (CLTS), which corrects differential expressed genes typically misidentified by standard count per 10 K normalization, as confirmed by orthogonal validations. By maintaining transcriptome size variation, CLTS-normalized scRNA-seq enhances the accuracy of bulk deconvolution. Additionally, ReDeconv mitigates gene length effects and models expression variances, …