Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Vascular Disease Patient Information Page: Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (Hht), Rohan R Kasthuri, Harish Eswaran, Karen Smith, Raj S Kasthuri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Reply To Ozkok Et Al., Vikas Kannojiya, Akshita Sahni, Emily Eickhoff, Neha Zacharia, Nicole St Clair, Noah Schulz, Peter E Hammer, Pedro J Del Nido, Rahul H Rathod, David M Hoganson, Vijay Govindarajan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Early Antifungal Activity Of Rezafungin As A Stepping-Stone For Shorter Treatment Duration For Candidemia: Pooled Analysis Of 2 Randomized Trials, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Jalal A Aram, Mark Redell, George R Thompson, Oliver A Cornely, James A Mckinnell, Andrej Spec, Peter G Pappas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Guidelines recommend ≥2 weeks of antifungal therapy after candidemia clearance and for invasive candidiasis (IC). This post-hoc analysis evaluates Day 7 pooled data from the phase 2 STRIVE and phase 3 ReSTORE trials to explore early antifungal activity.

Methods: Adults with candidemia and/or IC received weekly rezafungin 400/200 mg or daily caspofungin 70/50 mg for ≤4 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated in the modified intent-to-treat population via all-cause mortality (ACM; primary endpoint; 20% noninferiority margin), mycological eradication, and time to negative blood culture (TTNBC) at days 7, 14, and 30 (TTNBC assessed only in patients with candidemia). Day 7 safety …

Intestinal Fungi Shape The Biology Of The Mammalian Gut, Elena Lindemann-Pérez, J Christian Pérez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Identifying Sorafenib Benefit Among Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Transcriptomic And Genomic Approach, Sun Young Yim, Hayeon Kim, Tae Hyung Kim, Sang-Hee Kang, Youngwoo Lee, Eunho Choi, Yang Jae Yoo, Seong Hee Kang, Young-Sun Lee, Young Kul Jung, Yeon Seok Seo, Hyung Joon Yim, Jong Eun Yeon, Kyung Suk Yang, Yitao Tang, Bowha Sohn, Yun Seong Jeong, Hyewon Park, Han Liang, Ju-Seog Lee, Ji Hoon Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background & aims: Sorafenib has been a cornerstone of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy; however, its efficacy is limited, and identifying patients who will benefit from sorafenib is challenging. We aimed to identify predictive biomarkers of sorafenib benefit in patients with HCC.

Methods: Gene expression data from 33 HCC tumors treated with sorafenib were analyzed to construct a prediction model aimed at identifying patients with greater benefit from sorafenib treatment. The robustness of the predictor was validated using gene expression data from two phase III clinical trials, IMbrave150 and STORM.

Results: The analysis of transcriptome data revealed a 50-gene signature, the …

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. …

Multiparametric Mri To Predict Response To Irreversible Electroporation Plus Anti-Pd-1 Immunotherapy In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Qizhen Cao, Mark D Pagel, Charles V Kingsley, Jingfei Ma, James P Long, Xiaoxia Wen, Seth T Gammon, Jorge Delacerda, Sanaz Javadi, Chun Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To investigate contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) for early prediction of tumor response to combined irreversible electroporation (IRE) and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

Methods: Murine pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells KRAS* were inoculated into the pancreas of C57BL/6 mice. IRE was performed when tumors became palpable. After IRE, mice received six intraperitoneal injections of anti-PD-1 over 2 weeks. T2-weighted MRI, T1-weighted MRI with macromolecular contrast agent poly(L-glutamic acid)-conjugated gadolinium (PG-Gd), and DWI were performed before and after IRE. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Mice surviving at least 100 days without recurrence after IRE were considered complete …

Unraveling The Nexus: Tumor Mutational Burden, Pd-L1 Expression, And Oncogenic Alterations In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cytology Specimens, Min Dai, Francis Anthony San Lucas, Hector Alvarez, Leomar Ballester, Hui Chen, Keyur P Patel, Asif Rashid, Shun Rao, Mark J Routbort, Gloria Sura, Keith Sweeney, Gokce Toruner, Peng Wei, Richard Yang, Hyvan Dang, Rajyalakshmi Luthra, Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: PD-L1 expression and tumor mutational burden (TMB) are biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, patients harboring oncogenic alterations have limited benefit from ICIs. The impact of oncogenic alterations on TMB and PD-L1 tumor proportion score in lung cytology specimens is poorly understood. Herein, the association between oncogenic alterations, TMB, and PD-L1 in NSCLC cytology specimens is explored.

Methods: Next-generation sequencing results from 312 NSCLC cytology specimens were retrospectively reviewed that interrogate 610 genes and select immuno-oncology signatures. TMB and PD-L1 immunohistochemical expression across oncogenic alterations were analyzed to explore associations.

Results: …

Baseline Parp-1 Pet Imaging In Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors With Dna Damage Response Mutations, Tarek Daoud, Jiansong Chen, Peng Wei, Franklin Wong, Timothy A Yap, Lilie L Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), an enzyme with numerous roles in DNA damage response signaling, represent a class of anti-cancer drugs approved for treating solid tumors with defects in the DNA damage response. However, additional methods for identifying patients who would benefit from the use of PARP inhibitors are urgently needed. We evaluated a novel radiotracer, 18F-FluorThanatrace ([18F]-FTT), to noninvasively assess PARP activity with PET/CT before treatment and determine associations between uptake, tumor mutation status, and prior receipt of therapy including PARP inhibitors.

Methods: Fifty-two patients with solid tumors underwent whole-body (skull base to thigh) [18F]-FTT PET/CT scans before …

Neutrophil-Microglia Interaction Drives Motor Dysfunction In A Neuromyelitis Optica Model Induced By Subarachnoid Aqp4-Igg, Fangfang Qi, Vanda A Lennon, Shunyi Zhao, Yong Guo, Husheng Ding, Caiyun Liu, Whitney M Bartley, Tingjun Chen, Claudia F Lucchinetti, Long-Jun Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute to early neuromyelitis optica (NMO) histopathology initiated by IgG targeting astrocytic aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels. Yet, the mechanisms underlying neutrophil recruitment and their pathogenic roles in disease progression remain unclear. To investigate molecular-cellular events preceding classical complement cascade activation in a mouse NMO model, we continuously infused, via spinal subarachnoid route, a non-complement-activating mouse monoclonal AQP4-IgG. Parenchymal infiltration of netting neutrophils containing C5a ensued with microglial activation and motor impairment but no blood-brain barrier leakage. Motor impairment and neuronal dysfunction both reversed when AQP4-IgG infusion stopped. Two-photon microscopy and electron microscopy-based reconstructions revealed …

Gompertz Growth With A Shared Carrying Capacity Optimally Simulates Primary And Metastatic Tumor Growth Dynamics, Pirmin Schlicke, Preethi Korangath, Xiaoxi Pan, Caner Ercan, Kathleen Gabrielson, Lyndsey Werhane, Yinyin Yuan, Sébastien Benzekry, Robert Ivkov, Heiko Enderling

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cancer is a systemic disease with most deaths attributed to metastatic burden. Primary and metastatic tumors, albeit at different anatomic locations, are interconnected through multiple biological processes. Pre-clinical and clinical observations of growth acceleration of metastases after surgery, or abscopal effects outside the radiation field are widely reported, yet reliably triggering favorable and avoiding unfavorable systemic responses remains an unmet clinical need. Understanding local and systemic tumor interaction dynamics will help guide future treatments.

Methods: We analyze the data of multiple in vivo tumor models. We formalize the systemic interplay of tumors as mathematical differential equation and calibrate parameters …

Dyadic Associations Between Stress And Sleep Quality And Moderating Effects Of Emotional Intimacy And In Survivors Of Young Adult Cancer And Their Spouses: An Observational Study, Haejeong An, Seokhun Kim, Michael Roth, Kathrin Milbury, Dalnim Cho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Survivors of young adult (YA) cancer often experience substantial stress during the transition to survivorship, which may impair sleep. Although the stress-sleep link is well established, its role within survivor-spouse dyads remains unclear. Emotional intimacy may influence how couples regulate stress and affect sleep. This study examined dyadic associations between stress and sleep among survivors of YA cancer and their spouses and significant others (hereafter spouses) and tested emotional intimacy as a moderator.

Methods: A total of 103 survivor of YA cancer-spouse dyads completed self-reported measures of stress, emotional intimacy, and sleep quality. An actor-partner interdependence moderation model was …

Diagnostic Criteria And Management Of Melas And Stroke-Like Episodes: Consensus-Based Statements, Michelangelo Mancuso, Marcello Bellusci, Valerio Carelli, Irenaeus De Coo, Daria Diodato, Felix Distelmaier, Omar Hikmat, Michio Hirano, Rita Horvath, Amel Karaa, Thomas Klopstock, Mary Kay Koenig, Cornelia Kornblum, Chiara La Morgia, Piervito Lopriore, Mika Henrik Martikainen, Robert Mcfarland, Olimpia Musumeci, Robert D S Pitceathly, Guido Primiano, Shamima Rahman, Fernando Scaglia, Andrew Schaefer, Manuel Schiff, Luisa Semmler, Costanza Lamperti, Serenella Servidei

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and purpose: Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic acidosis and Stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is a rare multisystem mitochondrial disorder with clinical heterogeneity. Diagnostic criteria and management strategies for MELAS and mitochondrial stroke-like episodes (SLE) remain inconsistent. This work provides international consensus recommendations on the definition, diagnosis, and management of MELAS and SLE in pediatric and adult populations.

Methods: An international Delphi consensus process was conducted within the European Reference Network for Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD), in collaboration with the US Mitochondrial Medicine Society, the ERN for Hereditary Metabolic Disorders (MetabERN), and patient representatives. Following a systematic literature review, 54 statements addressing diagnostic …

Outcomes After Pulmonary Artery Flow Reducer Implantation In High-Risk Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease And Pulmonary Overcirculation, Cihangir Buyukgoz, Shyam Sathanandam, Neil Tailor, Ashley Molloy, Thomas Spentzas, Karthik Ramakrishnan, Christopher Knott-Craig, Umar Boston

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Surgical outcomes in neonates with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) and pulmonary overcirculation (POC) initially palliated with pulmonary flow reducers (PFRs) were evaluated.

Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2023. Eleven neonates underwent PFR palliation. Fenestrated Medtronic microvascular plugs (PFRs) were delivered into the branch pulmonary artery (PA). The target surgical procedure involved the removal of PFRs and biventricular repair (n = 9) or single-ventricle palliation (n = 2).

Results: Patients were deemed high risk on the basis of prematurity (n = 5), early gestational age (n = 5), heterotaxy (n …

Carotid Endarterectomy Remains A Feasible Bailout For Progressive Disease After Transcarotid Artery Revascularization: A Case Report, Aidin Baghbani, Blaz Podgorsek, Jason B Storch, Gordon H Martin, Naveed U Saqib, Daniel G Miles

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) remains the gold standard for carotid revascularization, though transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) has emerged as a less invasive alternative. We present a 67-year-old man with prior bilateral TCAR who developed severe right internal carotid artery restenosis 14 months after the procedure. Imaging confirmed >80% stenosis due to progressive plaque burden compressing the stent. The patient underwent successful CEA with en bloc stent explant using a standard technique. Recovery was uneventful. This case demonstrates the technical feasibility and safety of surgical stent explant after TCAR and reinforces CEA as a reliable salvage strategy when stent failure or disease …

Beyond Parallel Programmes: A Roadmap For Operational Integration Of Family Planning And Nutrition In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Marleen Temmerman, Samuel Ojong

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Daily Outdoor Pm2.5 Exposure Characterization And Road Edge Effect During A 2022 - 2023 Monitoring Campaign In Gambia, Kenya And Mozambique, Terence Mushore, Handsome Nyoni, Laura Munthali, Sibusisiwe Makhanya, Laurine Chikoko, Anotida Chapunza, Stanley Luchters, Matthew Chersich, Marleen Temmerman, Angela Koech

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Air pollution is a major contributor to mortality and adverse health outcomes, particularly in pregnant women and children, with vehicular emissions as a key source. This study aimed to characterize long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), evaluate potential health risks, and quantify the contribution of road transport and proximity to roads in The Gambia, Kenya, and Mozambique. Multi-temporal personal exposure data were interpolated into continuous spatial surfaces and aggregated into daily averages, which were then compared with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to assess potential health impacts. Multi-distance buffers at 10 m intervals up to 1000m from major roads …

When Birth Control Turns Biliary: A Rare Case Of Profound Hyperbilirubinemia From Oral Contraceptives, Taiwo Ajani, Aura Calderon, Jose J. Loayza Pintado, Nayiri Derian, Catherine Matos, Ivan Mogollon, Andres Suarez Parraga

School of Medicine Publications

Oral contraceptives (OCs) are extensively utilized and generally considered safe (reference); nonetheless, infrequent hepatobiliary complications such as cholestasis and hyperbilirubinemia have been documented, particularly among individuals with a genetic predisposition. We present a case involving a 19-year-old female who exhibited significant conjugated hyperbilirubinemia shortly after the commencement of OC therapy. Comprehensive investigations ruled out alternative causes, and the findings from liver biopsy, in conjunction with the clinical context, indicated an estrogen-induced cholestatic injury, likely revealing an underlying Dubin–Johnson syndrome. This case underscores the critical necessity of acknowledging hepatic adverse effects associated with estrogen as well as the influence of genetic …

Tumor Flare Reaction With Brentuximab-Vedotin In Mycosis Fungoides, Rishabh Lohray, Seda Purnak, Samruddhi Arkatkar, Madeleine Duvic, Victor Prieto, Carlos Torres-Cabala, Auris Huen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

A Market Of Care Skills: Profiting From Professional Education And Practice, Yasmin Y. Ortiga

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Who profits from the commodification of care and how does such accumulation occur? Focusing on the case of the nursing care market, this paper shows how professional schools and local hospitals within source nations like the Philippines profit from nurses seeking the credentials to qualify for jobs overseas. While existing studies show how nursing skills are exploited and undervalued, this paper argues that it is the process of skilling itself that allows for the accumulation of profit, regardless of whether nurses leave their origin countries to work abroad. This study reveals how global care economies are tightly linked to local …

Modeling Early Indicators For Success In An Associate Degree In Nursing Program, Joseph D. Moss

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Persistent nursing workforce shortages across the United States have increased the importance of Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs as primary entry points into the profession. Community colleges prepare a substantial portion of the nursing workforce; however, attrition within ADN programs limits the number of graduates entering practice. Understanding factors associated with academic performance and program completion is essential for strengthening nursing education pathways and supporting workforce development. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine early academic and sociodemographic factors associated with successful completion of an ADN program at a suburban community college.

Guided by Becker’s Human Capital …

"On The Same Rope": An Exploratory Study Of Staff Experiences At The Mountain Seed Foundation's Healing Base Camp Program, Jill C. Kivikoski

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Since the escalation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainians have faced significant social and public health challenges, particularly among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF), including disability, traumatic stress, and barriers to mental health care (Kostenko et al., 2024; Krasnodemska et al., 2023; O’Grady & Galouchka, 2023). Retreat based programs grounded in shared military identity may offer an accessible form of support (Barrett & Currin, 2024). Mountain Seed Foundation’s (MSF) Healing Base Camp (HBC) was developed to promote healing and resilience among Ukrainian SMVF (Mountain Seed Foundation, n.d.).

This qualitative dissertation used a single-case study design (Yin, …

Perceptions Of Virginia Dentists And Dental Hygienists Towards Emerging Alternative Dental Hygiene Workforce Provider Models, Lauren B. Mangum

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Background: A perceived shortage of dental hygienists in the United States has been linked to delays in preventive care and concerns about declining oral health outcomes. In response, some states have proposed alternative pathways permitting internationally trained dentists, dental students, and oral preventive assistants (OPAs) with limited or inconsistent education requirements to provide dental hygiene services. Limited evidence exists regarding whether these strategies would effectively address access to care and workforce challenges. Concerns have also been raised about the potential effects of expanding scope of practice for providers with limited education or training on patient safety and quality of care. …

Electromyography, Prosthetic Properties, And Running Biomechanics In Recreationally Active Persons With Lower Extremity Amputation, Paige M. Agnew

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Lower extremity loss affects nearly 150,000 individuals in the United States yearly yielding extreme health care costs annually. Typically, prosthetic devices are prescribed for 5-8 years despite known changes to an individual’s gait as time progresses. Patients can expect to undergo approximately 8-12 weeks of gait retraining to improve their comfort and efficiency. Biomechanical changes occur when running with a specific running prosthetic including considerable biomechanical and neuromuscular interlimb asymmetries and alterations in loading patterns. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the biomechanical demands for lower extremity prosthesis users during running. The first study synthesized peer reviewed evidence …

Learning In Motion: How Small Groups Can Promote Self-Regulated Learning In Physical Therapy Students, Sara Mclaren

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a critical skill for success in rigorous graduate health professions programs, where students must independently manage complex academic demands. Despite its importance, limited research has examined SRL processes among Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students in the didactic phase of training. Guided by Zimmerman’s cyclical model of self-regulated learning, this study examined SRL behaviors among second-year DPT students and explored how small group learning contexts may influence engagement in SRL processes and academic performance.

This mixed-methods study included 39 DPT students enrolled in a physical therapy program at a public university in the southeastern United States. …

Education And Training In Water Operator Certification And Its Role In Water Utility System Performance, Heath A. Edelman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Access to safe and reliable drinking water is a foundational component of public health and environmental protection. The United States drinking water sector is highly regulated and increasingly challenged by workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and variability in operator training requirements across states. Despite the federal mandate for operator certification under the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of certification policies in improving regulatory compliance outcomes remains limited.

This study examined the relationship between operator certification policies and drinking water compliance outcomes under the Safe Drinking Water Act, with particular attention to differences across violation …

Mechanisms Of Synergy Between Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (Nspef) And Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Discharge (Cap) In Pancreatic Cancer: The Role Of Ros-Mediated Oxidative Stress And Apoptosis, Zobia Minhas

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a highly lethal malignancy characterized by poor prognosis and resistance to conventional therapies. Novel treatment strategies are needed to overcome this resistance. Non-thermal physical modalities, including nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) and cold atmospheric pressure plasma discharge (CAP), have emerged as potential anticancer approaches; however, the mechanisms underlying their combined effects remain unclear.

This study evaluated whether nsPEF enhances CAP-induced cytotoxicity and investigated the associated molecular mechanisms using the murine Pan02 pancreatic cancer cell line. Cell viability was assessed by WST-1 metabolic activity assays and electric cell–substrate impedance sensing (ECIS). Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were …

“Recollecting The Told Story”: Storytelling, Activism, And The Black Maternal Health Emergency, Lamaya C. Williams

English Theses & Dissertations

Storytelling is a foundational component of Black knowledge creation and transmission. This dissertation centers Black women’s stories of birth and mothering—drawing on both primary source birth stories and fictional narratives—to examine the United States’ Black Maternal Health Emergency (BMHE). The BMHE is a complex and urgent issue wherein structural racism, medical bias, and intersecting social determinants disproportionately endanger the health of Black mothers. As such, Black mothers in the United States are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related condition compared to their white counterparts.

This study examines the birth stories of women who survived the BMHE and …

The Role Of Magnesium Supplements In The Management And Prevention Of Headache Disorders, Tatum Schroeder

Libraries Undergraduate Research Award Winners

Much of the global population suffers from headache disorders like migraine. Because there are so many triggers and unknown explanations for migraine, it can be hard to find effective treatments for it. There are some studies that point to inflammation as either a cause or result of headache disorders; therefore, it is natural that we should explore the possibility of inflammation reducing factors when considering treatment options. The factor being explored in this review is magnesium supplementation, which has been shown to reduce inflammation by decreasing the amount of calcitonin-gene-related-peptide (CGRP) in circulation. There is a clear link between migraine …

The Role Of Loneliness On College Freshmen Retention, Amy Berg

Libraries Undergraduate Research Award Winners

What factors contribute to student retention, dropout, and success within the first semester? We hypothesized that persistent feelings of loneliness across the semester play a major role in a student’s intentions to continue enrollment, and a lack of social connection to the university mediates this relationship. We assessed this in a sample of n = 30 first semester freshman enrolled in a university success seminar across the Fall 2025 semester, of whom n = 8 completed Wave 1 and Wave 4 surveys of a four-wave study spanning the whole semester. We used the 20- item UCLA Loneliness Scale, the 24-item …