Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Novel Model Of Autologous Tooth Transplantation For The Study Of Nerve Recruitment, Teresa E. Fowler, Doan T. Bloomquist, Caroline Glessner, Poonam Patel, Jeffrey N. James, Kathryn Bollinger, Lynnette P. Mccluskey, Ryan F. Bloomquist

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Background: Limited treatment options exist for damaged nerves and despite impressive advances in tissue engineering, scientists and clinicians have yet to fully replicate nerve development and recruitment. Innervation is a critical feature for normal organ function. While most organs are innervated prior to birth, a rare example of postnatal nerve recruitment occurs in the natural development of secondary teeth during adolescence. Many animals undergo postnatal shedding of deciduous teeth with development and eruption of secondary teeth, a process requiring recruitment of nerve and vasculature to each tooth pulp for viability. Here, the investigators created a novel model for the study …

The Association Of The Oral Microbiota With Cognitive Functioning In Adolescence, Oxana Y Naumova, Pavel V Dobrynin, Galina V Khafizova, Elena L Grigorenko

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: A growing body of research supports the role of the microbial communities residing in the digestive system in the host's cognitive functioning. Most of these studies have been focused on the gut microbiome and its association with clinical phenotypes in middle-aged and older adults. There is an insufficiency of population-based research exploring the association of normative cognitive functioning with the microbiome particularly with the oral microbiota.

Methods: In this study, using metagenomics and metabolomics, we characterized the salivary microbiome diversity in a sample of 51 males of Hispanic and African American origin aged 12-18 years and explored …

Prevalence Of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Women: Insights From The Houston Heartreach Study, Arjun R Raghuram, Matthew W Segar, Stephanie Coulter, Joseph G Rogers

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States. Past research has highlighted the importance of the relationship between female-specific demographics and traditional risk factors. The present analysis aimed to identify the prevalence of modifiable risk factors in women attending a community cardiovascular health screening.

METHODS: Data collected between 2011 and 2019 were obtained from the Houston HeartReach Registry. Participants were classified as having or not having each of 4 traditional cardiometabolic risk factors: hypertension, diabetes, body mass index indicating overweight or obesity, and dyslipidemia. Differences in prevalence were compared using the Pearson χ2 …

Noninvasive Multi-Cancer Detection Using Blood-Based Cell-Free Micrornas, Jason Zhang, Hallgeir Rui, Hai Hu

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Patients diagnosed with early-stage cancers have a substantially higher chance of survival than those with late-stage diseases. However, the option for early cancer screening is limited, with most cancer types lacking an effective screening tool. Here we report a miRNA-based blood test for multi-cancer early detection based on examination of serum microRNA microarray data from cancer patients and controls. First, a large multi-cancer training set that included 1,408 patients across 7 cancer types and 1,408 age- and gender-matched non-cancer controls was used to develop a 4-microRNA diagnostic model using 10-fold cross-validation. In three independent validation sets comprising a total of …

Multimodal Functional Imaging And Clinical Correlates Of Pain Regions In Chronic Low-Back Pain Patients Treated With Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Pilot Study, Yazan Shamli Oghli, Arjun Ashok, Steven Glener, Isaiah Ailes, Mashaal Syed, Kichang Kang, Sara Naghizadeh Kashani, Islam Fayed, Feroze Mohamed, Kiran Talekar, Laura Krisa, Chengyuan Wu, Caio Matias, Mahdi Alizadeh

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an invasive treatment option for patients suffering from chronic low-back pain (cLBP). It is an effective treatment that has been shown to reduce pain and increase the quality of life in patients. However, the activation of pain processing regions of cLBP patients receiving SCS has not been assessed using objective, quantitative functional imaging techniques. The purpose of the present study was to compare quantitative resting-state (rs)-fMRI and arterial spin labeling (ASL) measures between SCS patients and healthy controls and to correlate clinical measures with quantitative multimodal imaging indices in pain regions.

METHODS: Multi-delay 3D …

Inorganic Pyrophosphate Plasma Levels In Patients With Ggcx-Associated Pxe-Like Phenotypes, Qiaoli Li, Catherine Troutman, Mary Peckiconis, Tamara Wurst, Sharon Terry

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

ntroduction: Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive ectopic calcification disorder clinically affecting the skin, eyes, and vascular system. Most cases of PXE are caused by inactivating pathogenic variants in the ABCC6 gene encoding a hepatic transmembrane efflux transporter, which facilitates the extracellular release of ATP, the precursor of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), a potent endogenous inhibitor of calcification. Pathogenic variants in GGCX, encoding γ-glutamyl carboxylase required for activation of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors as well as matrix Gla protein (MGP) and Gla-rich protein (GRP), two inhibitors of ectopic calcification, have also been reported to cause cutaneous changes like those seen …

Usf2 And Tfeb Compete In Regulating Lysosomal And Autophagy Genes, Jaebeom Kim, Young Suk Yu, Yehwa Choi, Do Hui Lee, Soobin Han, Junhee Kwon, Taichi Noda, Masahito Ikawa, Dongha Kim, Hyunkyung Kim, Andrea Ballabio, Keun Il Kim, Sung Hee Baek

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Autophagy, a highly conserved self-digestion process crucial for cellular homeostasis, is triggered by various environmental signals, including nutrient scarcity. The regulation of lysosomal and autophagy-related processes is pivotal to maintaining cellular homeostasis and basal metabolism. The consequences of disrupting or diminishing lysosomal and autophagy systems have been investigated; however, information on the implications of hyperactivating lysosomal and autophagy genes on homeostasis is limited. Here, we present a mechanism of transcriptional repression involving upstream stimulatory factor 2 (USF2), which inhibits lysosomal and autophagy genes under nutrient-rich conditions. We find that USF2, together with HDAC1, binds to the CLEAR motif within lysosomal …

A Dosimetric Comparison Of Treatment Techniques For Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy For Pancreatic Patients, Kameron Lemley

Masters Projects

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is utilized in radiation therapy to deliver ablative radiation doses to tumor volumes while achieving high conformity and minimal dose to surrounding critical structures. This treatment technique allows for faster dose fall-off which allows tighter treatment margins. SBRT for pancreatic cancer has been investigated for its efficacy and has proven to be an effective treatment choice for neoadjuvant radiation therapy. Since pancreatic cancer is extremely aggressive with a high mortality rate, it is important to have a treatment option that can reduce cost and increase convenience for the patient while simultaneously providing a conformal treatment plan. …

Neuronal Alpha-Synuclein Disease Integrated Staging System Performance In Ppmi, Pasadena, And Spark Baseline Cohorts, Tien Dam, Gennaro Pagano, Michael C Brumm, Caroline Gochanour, Kathleen L Poston, Daniel Weintraub, Lana M Chahine, Christopher Coffey, Caroline M Tanner, Catherine M Kopil, Yuge Xiao, Sohini Chowdhury, Luis Concha-Marambio, Peter Dibiaso, Tatiana Foroud, Mark Frasier, Danna Jennings, Karl Kieburtz, Kalpana Merchant, Brit Mollenhauer, Thomas J Montine, Kelly Nudelman, John Seibyl, Todd Sherer, Andrew Singleton, Diane Stephenson, Matthew Stern, Claudio Soto, Eduardo Tolosa, Andrew Siderowf, Billy Dunn, Tanya Simuni, Kenneth Marek, Parkinson’S Progression Markers Initiative Collaborators

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Neuronal alpha-Synuclein Disease (NSD) biological definition and Integrated Staging System (NSD-ISS) provide a research framework to identify individuals with Lewy body pathology and stage them based on underlying biology and increasing degree of functional impairment. Utilizing data from the PPMI, PASADENA, and SPARK studies, we developed and applied biologic and clinical data-informed definitions for the NSD-ISS across the disease continuum. Individuals enrolled as Parkinson's disease, Prodromal, or Healthy Controls were defined and staged based on biological, clinical, and functional anchors at baseline. Across the three studies 1741 participants had SAA data and of these 1030 (59%) were S+ consistent …

Spatial Organization Of Adenylyl Cyclase And Its Impact On Dopamine Signaling In Neurons, Léa Ripoll, Yong Li, Carmen W Dessauer, Mark Von Zastrow

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The cAMP cascade is increasingly recognized to transduce physiological effects locally through spatially limited cAMP gradients. However, little is known about how adenylyl cyclase enzymes that initiate cAMP gradients are localized. Here we address this question in physiologically relevant striatal neurons and investigate how AC localization impacts downstream signaling function. We show that the major striatal AC isoforms are differentially sorted between ciliary and extraciliary domains of the plasma membrane, and that one isoform, AC9, is uniquely concentrated in endosomes. We identify key sorting determinants in the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain responsible for isoform-specific localization. We further show that AC9-containing endosomes …

Understanding Necrotizing Enterocolitis Endotypes And Acquired Intestinal Injury Phenotypes From A Historical And Artificial Intelligence Perspective., Alain Cuna, Navin Kumar, Venkatesh Sampath

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains a devastating disease in preterm and term neonates. Despite significant progress made in understanding NEC pathogenesis over the last 50 years, the inability of current definitions to discriminate the various pathophysiological processes underlying NEC has led to an umbrella term that limits clinical and research progress. In this mini review, we provide a historical perspective on how NEC definitions and pathogenesis have evolved to our current understanding of NEC endotypes. We also discuss how artificial intelligence-based approaches are influencing our knowledge of risk-factors, classification and prognosis of NEC and other neonatal intestinal injury phenotypes.

Mtap And P16 Ihc As Markers For Cdkn2a/B Loss In Meningiomas, Hanim I Ozkizilkaya, Anjali Vinocha, Antonio Dono, Oluwaseun Basit Ogunbona, Gokce A Toruner, Phyu P Aung, Carlos Kamiya Matsuoka, Yoshua Esquenazi, Franco Demonte, Leomar Y Ballester

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Homozygous cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A/B (CDKN2A/B) loss is one of the parameters that support the designation of meningiomas as Central Nervous System (CNS) WHO grade 3 tumors. Evaluation of CDKN2A/B by sequencing or Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is costly and not always readily accessible. An immunohistochemistry (IHC)-based marker for the evaluation of CDKN2A/B loss would provide faster results at a lower cost.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with meningioma at our institution between 2016 and 2019. Archival tumor tissue was used for analysis. MTAP immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed at various dilutions (1:1200, 1:400, 1:200, 1:100) using …

Use Of Web-Based Decision Support To Improve Informed Choice For Chemoprevention: A Qualitative Analysis Of Pre-Implementation Interviews (Swog S1904), Alissa M Michel, Haeseung Yi, Jacquelyn Amenta, Nicole Collins, Anna Vaynrub, Subiksha Umakanth, Garnet Anderson, Katie Arnold, Cynthia Law, Sandhya Pruthi, Ana Sandoval-Leon, Rachel Shirley, Maria Grosse Perdekamp, Sarah Colonna, Stacy Krisher, Tari King, Lisa D Yee, Tarah J Ballinger, Christa Braun-Inglis, Debra A Mangino, Kari Wisinski, Claudia A Deyoung, Masey Ross, Justin Floyd, Andrea Kaster, Lindi Vanderwalde, Thomas J Saphner, Corrine Zarwan, Shelly Lo, Cathy Graham, Alison Conlin, Kathleen Yost, Doreen Agnese, Cheryl Jernigan, Dawn L Hershman, Marian L Neuhouser, Banu Arun, Katherine D Crew, Rita Kukafka

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Women with high-risk breast lesions, such as atypical hyperplasia (AH) or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), have a 4- to tenfold increased risk of breast cancer compared to women with non-proliferative breast disease. Despite high-quality data supporting chemoprevention, uptake remains low. Interventions are needed to break down barriers.

Methods: The parent trial, MiCHOICE, is a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and implementation of patient and provider decision support tools to improve informed choice about chemoprevention among women with AH or LCIS. For this pre-implementation analysis, 25 providers participated in semi-structured interviews prior to accessing decision support tools. …

A Basally Active Cgas-Sting Pathway Limits Sars-Cov-2 Replication In A Subset Of Ace2 Positive Airway Cell Models, Maritza Puray-Chavez, Jenna E Eschbach, Ming Xia, Kyle M Lapak, Qianzi Zhou, Ria Jasuja, Jiehong Pan, Jian Xu, Zixiang Zhou, Shawn Mohammed, Qibo Wang, Dana Q Lawson, Sanja Djokic, Gaopeng Hou, Siyuan Ding, Steven L Brody, Michael B Major, Dennis Goldfarb, Sebla B Kutluay

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Host factors that define the cellular tropism of SARS-CoV-2 beyond the cognate ACE2 receptor are poorly defined. Here we report that SARS-CoV-2 replication is restricted at a post-entry step in a number of ACE2-positive airway-derived cell lines due to tonic activation of the cGAS-STING pathway mediated by mitochondrial DNA leakage and naturally occurring cGAS and STING variants. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the cGAS-STING and type I/III IFN pathways as well as ACE2 overexpression overcome these blocks. SARS-CoV-2 replication in STING knockout cell lines and primary airway cultures induces ISG expression but only in uninfected bystander cells, demonstrating efficient antagonism …

Awareness Of, Willingness To Use, And Experiences With Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Youth In Nigeria, Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, Juliet Iwelunmor, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Youth (ages 14-24) in Nigeria have disproportionately high rates of new HIV infection. Pre-exposure prophylaxis could substantially reduce new infections among youth but has not been scaled up. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, willingness to use, and prior use of Pre-exposure prophylaxis among youth in Nigeria.

METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from a quasi-experimental pilot study (clinical trial NCT04070287). The analysis focused on Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, willingness to use, and prior use among 324 youth recruited between September 2019 to March 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated as frequencies and percentages for …

Length-Scale Study In Deep Learning Prediction For Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Brain Metastasis, Haowen Zhou, Siyu Lin, Mark Watson, Cory T Bernadt, Oumeng Zhang, Ling Liao, Ramaswamy Govindan, Richard J Cote, Changhuei Yang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Deep learning-assisted digital pathology has demonstrated the potential to profoundly impact clinical practice, even surpassing human pathologists in performance. However, as deep neural network (DNN) architectures grow in size and complexity, their explainability decreases, posing challenges in interpreting pathology features for broader clinical insights into physiological diseases. To better assess the interpretability of digital microscopic images and guide future microscopic system design, we developed a novel method to study the predictive feature length-scale that underpins a DNN's predictive power. We applied this method to analyze a DNN's capability in predicting brain metastasis from early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer biopsy slides. This …

Massively Parallel Characterization Of Insulator Activity Across The Genome, Clarice K Y Hong, Yawei Wu, Alyssa A Erickson, Jie Li, Arnold J Federico, Barak A Cohen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

A key question in regulatory genomics is whether cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are modular elements that can function anywhere in the genome, or whether they are adapted to certain genomic locations. To distinguish between these possibilities we develop MPIRE (Massively Parallel Integrated Regulatory Elements), a technology for recurrently assaying CREs at thousands of defined locations across the genome in parallel. MPIRE allows us to separate the intrinsic activity of CREs from the effects of their genomic environments. We apply MPIRE to assay three insulator sequences at thousands of genomic locations and find that each insulator functions in locations with distinguishable properties. …

The "Pros" Of Probiotics: A Review Of Probiotics Place In Therapy, Kelley Maberry, Hanh Nguyen, Connor Quinter, Justine Magalona

Transformative Medicine

As different probiotic supplements become increasingly seen in the market, questions regarding their use for gut health from patients rises as well. Because these supplements do not require FDA approval, their safety and efficacy is often unknown and limited research available poses an even greater challenge for healthcare providers when prompted with questions regarding their use. This article summarizes evidence-based recommendations provided by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO). Of the conditions discussed, supportive evidence on the use of probiotics is mostly seen in the prevention of C. diff associated diarrhea, prevention of antibiotic associated …

Which Endocrine Disorder Does This Ecg Suggest?, Muhammad Mohsin Zafar, Muhammad Asad Hanif

Transformative Medicine

No abstract provided.

An Unusual Presentation Of Erythrodermic Psoriasis, Eden L. Parks, Kojo-Frimpong B. Awuah Md, Caitlin D. Couper Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction

Erythrodermic psoriasis is a rare form of psoriasis, occurring in less than 3% of patients with psoriasis. Limited information is known regarding diagnosis and treatment for this form of psoriasis, with most studies involving small groups or single patients. This unusual case of erythrodermic psoriasis outlines the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment that occurred in a 53-year-old patient who initially presented with dyspnea and a fever.

Case Presentation

The 53-year-old patient was originally admitted for dyspnea and a fever. A maculopapular rash developed diffusely on the upper extremities, lower extremities, trunk, and face. The rash then desquamated over several days, …

Management Strategies Of Cesarean Section Ectopic Pregnancy: A Case Report, Hannah E. Daley, Ava R. Hansen, Priyanka Raju Md, Jonathan Buerger Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction:

Cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy is a rare form of pregnancy with potential life-threatening complications such as severe hemorrhage, uterine rupture, and emergency hysterectomy Currently, there is no consensus regarding a standardized treatment algorithm for this specific variant of ectopic pregnancies.

Case Description:

This case describes a 28-year-old female with history of two prior cesarean sections who was diagnosed with cesarean section scar ectopic pregnancy. Initial management with intramuscular methotrexate was unsuccessful in the setting of inadequate decrease in β-hCG level. The patient ultimately underwent surgical management with dilation and suction evacuation under ultrasound guidance for removal of the ectopic …

The Kent-Collins Protocol For Symptom Management In Post-Radiotherapy Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: A Case Report, Matthew E. Kent, Patrick J. Collins, Ayal A. Aizer

Transformative Medicine

Introduction: Eustachian tube dysfunction is a common side effect of radiotherapy for head and neck cancers or brain tumors, although few effective treatments exist. The Kent-Collins Protocol represents a novel therapeutic option for post-radiotherapy Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Case Description: The Kent-Collins Protocol was employed in one patient with Eustachian tube dysfunction following fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for cerebral metastases from HER-2 positive breast cancer. The Kent-Collins Protocol provided relief of symptoms (conductive hearing loss, aural fullness, and otalgia) for a range of 5 to 45 minutes. The protocol could be repeated when symptoms returned to provide additional relief. The patient also …

Catastrophic Spontaneous Uterine And Bladder Rupture In An Unscarred Uterus, Nathanael N. Hoskins Do, Kathryn Brandt Do, Tory Peterson Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction:

Uterine rupture during pregnancy is a rare event which can be life-threatening for both the patient and the fetus. This case report describes a rare complication of uterine rupture which ultimately required a hysterectomy and extensive urologic reconstruction.

Case Description:

A 36-year-old patient presented to the hospital after term pre-labor rupture of membranes. The patient underwent induction of labor which ultimately resulted in a uterine rupture in an unscarred uterus. The rupture extended into the posterior bladder wall, right ureter, urethra, and anterior vaginal wall, resulting in a vesicovaginal fistula. The patient required a cesarean hysterectomy due to the …

Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma Presenting As A Stroke Alert: A Case Report, Christian Flores Do, Monisha Bindra Do, Mph, Adam Sigal Md, Michael Romeo Do

Transformative Medicine

Introduction

Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a rare pathologic entity that accounts for less than 1% of all space-occupying spinal canal lesions [2,8]. Even more rare are spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas (SSEH), defined as a SEH without a known traumatic or inciting cause, with a reported incidence of 0.1 cases per 100,000 annually [1,2]. Currently, there is a paucity of literature regarding this topic [2,3]. SSEH can easily be missed or misdiagnosed if clinicians do not hold a high level of clinical suspicion.

Case Description

A 69-year-old female with no history of anticoagulation use or preceding trauma presented to the …

Same Or Different? Resolution Of Diagnostic Difficulty Of Two Mixed Cell-Type Tumors In Ovarian Pathology., Sarah Ingram, Priyanka Raju Md, Wei Shaw Do, Steve Sowers Pa, Kelly Brenan-Rothschild Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction: When confronted by two disease processes, physicians in all disciplines are faced with the question: Are they manifestations of a common etiology, or distinct entities co-occurring? Inherent in this dilemma is whether an aberration from normal is even a disease process at all. Tissue pathology plays a key role in resolving this conundrum. Although diagnoses can be challenging, there are various methodologies used in the field of pathology to ascertain whether two tumors are of the same or different origins.

Case Description: This case report reviews two patients with large ovarian neoplasms and surgical pathology revealing histopathological features of …

Guardians Of The Genitals: The Dermatogynecologic Duo, Alexis Arza, Erin Stitzlein

Transformative Medicine

No abstract provided.

Research Integrity In The Academic Transformation Of A Community Hospital, Andrew Adorboe, Paul Hryvaniak, Carol Kriebel, Erica Klopp, Wei Du

Transformative Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Brief Review Of Zuranolone, Aubrey A. Jackson

Transformative Medicine

Zuranolone, a novel analog of allopregnanolone, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first oral medication approved for the treatment of postpartum depression in adults. Developed by Sage Therapeutics under the brand name Zurzuvae, zuranolone was approved by the FDA on August 4^th, 2023.¹ Zuranolone is a modified version of brexanolone (sold under the brand name Zulpresso), an intravenously administered allopregnanolone formulation that was previously the only FDA-approved medication for postpartum depression. Zuranolone offers a more accessible treatment option for patients with efficacy established in clinical trials. Its approval expands the …

Belonging Through Meaningful Activity In The Transition From Unhoused To Housed, Patricia Y. Plett, Rebecca Gewurtz, Abe Oudshoorn, Cheryl Forchuk, Carrie Marshall

Occupational Therapy Publications

Background

Belonging is closely associated with well-being, yet individuals with experiences of being unhoused are likely to experience social exclusion and challenges with developing a sense of belonging. Engagement in meaningful activity has been linked to belonging; however, there are no focused studies exploring experiences of how engaging in meaningful activities influences belonging. Meaningful activities are things we do that bring value to our lives.

Purpose

To explore how engaging in meaningful activities may influence experiences of belonging following homelessness through a secondary analysis of qualitative interviews.

Method

Using interviews conducted in a community-based participatory action study exploring the transition …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - September 26, 2024, Lindsay Hughes

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the Thursday, September 26, 2024 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter -- Watercooler.

• Infectious diseases physician-researcher joins internal medicine faculty
• Augustine to present case report at American Academy of Pediatrics National Convention
• Blueprint for Success aims to empower new academic physicians and scientists
• Lunch & Learn to focus on promotion and tenure
• Whiddon COM welcomes alumna Carly McRae to emergency medicine