Diseases Commons^™

Escalated-Dose Radiotherapy For Unresected Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: Patterns Of Care And Survival In The United States, Christopher Shi, Brian De, Hop S Tran Cao, Suyu Liu, Marcus A Florez, Ramez Kouzy, Adam J Grippin, Matthew H G Katz, Ching-Wei D Tzeng, Naruhiko Ikoma, Michael P Kim, Sunyoung Lee, Jason Willis, Sonal S Noticewala, Bruce D Minsky, Grace L Smith, Emma B Holliday, Cullen M Taniguchi, Albert C Koong, Prajnan Das, Ethan B Ludmir, Eugene J Koay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: With locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), uncontrolled local tumor growth frequently leads to mortality. Advancements in radiotherapy (RT) techniques have enabled conformal delivery of escalated-dose RT (EDR), which may have potential local control and overall survival (OS) benefits based on retrospective and early prospective studies. With evidence for EDR emerging, we characterized the adoption of EDR across the United States and its associated outcomes.

METHODS: We searched the National Cancer Database for nonsurgically managed LAPC patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2019. Pancreas-directed RT with biologically effective doses (BED10) ≥39 and ≤70 Gy was labeled conventional-dose RT (CDR), and BED10 …

Deciphering The Contribution Of Microglia To Neurodegeneration In Friedreich's Ataxia, Sydney N. Gillette

Master's Theses

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most prevalent inherited ataxia, affecting one in every 50,000 individuals in the United States. This hereditary condition is caused by an abnormal GAA trinucleotide repeat expansion within the first intron of the frataxin gene resulting in decreased levels of the frataxin protein (FXN). Insufficient cellular frataxin levels results in iron accumulation, increased reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial dysfunction. Tissues most heavily impacted are those most dependent on oxidative phosphorylation as an energy source and include the nervous system and muscle tissue. This is evident in the clinical phenotype which includes muscle weakness, ataxia, neurodegeneration …

Eosinophilic Jejunitis Presenting As Intractable Vomiting, Persistent Leukocytosis, And Ascites In A Young Adult Patient, Dawood Tahir, Shravya Ginnaram, Erkanda Ikonomi

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Eosinophilic enteritis (EoN) poses a distinctive challenge, affecting individuals with various clinical presentations depending on the layer and extent of the bowel wall. We present a case of a 19-year-old female with abdominal pain, vomiting, and loose stools for 1 month. Labs were significant for persistent leukocytosis with peripheral eosinophilia. A computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis demonstrated moderate abdominal ascites and moderately diffuse mucosal thickening of jejunal loops. A diagnostic paracentesis unveiled low serum ascites albumin gradient and 92% eosinophils. Push enteroscopy resulted in no significant biopsy findings, though a laparoscopic full-thickness jejunal biopsy exhibited increased eosinophils in the bowel …

Inter-Institutional Analysis Of Skin Of Color Representation In Dermatological Lecture Content At Md And Do Medical Schools, Oluwafunke Oluwatosin Ogunremi

Sanford School of Medicine Posters and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the lecture materials provided in medical schools through a diversity lens. Skin pathologies manifest distinctively on various shades of skin and physicians must be equipped with the proper knowledge to identify and diagnose these conditions accurately and promptly. For most medical students, images in prominent textbooks and lecture slides are their first encounter with disease presentations. Therefore, it is important to analyze the diversity of skin tones in the content that is being delivered. Specifically, the use of images featuring darker skin tones compared to those depicting lighter skin tones. This study …

Sdsma 2024: Inter-Institutional Analysis Of Skin Of Color Representation In Dermatological Lecture Content At Md And Do Medical Schools, Oluwafunke Oluwatosin Ogunremi

Sanford School of Medicine Posters and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the lecture materials provided in medical schools through a diversity lens. Skin pathologies manifest distinctively on various shades of skin and physicians must be equipped with the proper knowledge to identify and diagnose these conditions accurately and promptly. For most medical students, images in prominent textbooks and lecture slides are their first encounter with disease presentations. Therefore, it is important to analyze the diversity of skin tones in the content that is being delivered. Specifically, the use of images featuring darker skin tones compared to those depicting lighter skin tones. This study …

Systematic Review And Dosage Analysis: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Efficacy In The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Susan R. Andrews, Paul G. Harch

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Studies of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) treatment of mild traumatic brain injury persistent postconcussion syndrome in military and civilian subjects have shown simultaneous improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or PTSD symptoms, suggesting that HBOT may be an effective treatment for PTSD. This is a systematic review and dosage analysis of HBOT treatment of patients with PTSD symptoms. Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Systematic Review Database were searched from September 18 to November 23, 2023, for all adult clinical studies published in English on HBOT and PTSD. Randomized trials and studies with symptomatic outcomes were selected for final …

Design And Evaluation Of Scancap: A Low-Cost, Reusable Tethered Capsule Endoscope With Blue-Green Illumination Imaging For Unsedated Screening And Early Detection Of Barrett's Esophagus, Cheima Hicheri, Ahad M Azimuddin, Alex Kortum, Joseph Bailey, Yubo Tang, Richard A Schwarz, Daniel Rosen, Shilpa Jain, Nabil M Mansour, Shawn Groth, Shaleen Vasavada, Ashwin Rao, Adrianna Maliga, Leslie Gallego, Jennifer Carns, Sharmila Anandasabapathy, Rebecca Richards-Kortum

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Esophageal carcinoma is the sixth-leading cause of cancer death worldwide. A precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is Barrett's Esophagus (BE). Early-stage diagnosis and treatment of esophageal neoplasia (Barrett's with high-grade dysplasia/intramucosal cancer) increase the five-year survival rate from 10% to 98%. BE is a global challenge; however, current endoscopes for early BE detection are costly and require extensive infrastructure for patient examination and sedation. We describe the design and evaluation of the first prototype of ScanCap, a high-resolution optical endoscopy system with a reusable, low-cost tethered capsule, designed to provide high-definition, blue-green illumination imaging for the early detection of BE …

Effect Of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (Cftr) Loss In Lung Adenocarcinoma (Luad), Marilyn G. Vallejo Alvarez

Theses and Dissertations

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common form of non-small cell lung cancer in the United States and is a major cause of cancer-related mortality. Patients with LUAD experience severe pulmonary symptoms and often progress to metastatic disease. Our previous work has shown that LUAD cells downregulate lung cell identity programs across cancer progression such as genes involved in the maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity. For example, CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator), a water and bicarbonate channel, is expressed in normal alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells and is downregulated in cells that give rise to LUAD. Although the loss …

Using Rapid Protein Degradation To Determine The Effect Of Runx1 Loss-Of- Function On Dna Damage Accumulation And Repair., Jackriel Pina Morales

Theses and Dissertations

Germline mutations in RUNX1 are associated with familial platelet disorder with a predisposition to myeloid malignancy (RUNX1-FPDMM), in which patients present with low platelet counts,excessive bleeding and bruising, and an increased risk of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)/Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) development throughout their lifetime. To understand how these loss-of-function mutations in RUNX1 drive predispose to malignancy, it is important to develop a detailed understanding of the molecular basis of RUNX1 function. While RUNX1 is a transcription factor, preliminary data from our group and work from others suggests that RUNX1 also interacts with proteins that are critical for DNA damage …

Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury (Bcvi): Universal Cta Neck Screening At Level 2 Trauma Center, Tamine Gogel

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury (BCVI) refers to injuries to the vessels supplying blood to the brain, primarily carotid and vertebral arteries, and can result from trauma, resulting in stroke by vessel dissection, thrombus formation, embolization, and hemorrhage. Timely identification is crucial for effective intervention and improved outcomes. This doctoral project proposes the implementation of universal screening using Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) of the neck during initial workup for blunt force trauma at a Level II ACS-verified trauma center. The primary objective is to mitigate potential delays in diagnosing and treating BCVI, thereby reducing the likelihood of complications. Patients ≥ 15 years …

Infection-Related Readmissions Are Rising Among Patients With Hepatorenal Syndrome: A Nationwide Analysis, Umer Farooq, Zahid I. Tarar, Ammad J. Chaudhary, Abdallah E. Alayli, Faisal Kamal, Chengdu Niu, Kamran Qureshi

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a unique form of renal dysfunction that results from circulatory hemodynamic dysfunction in advanced liver disease. We aimed to determine longitu- dinal trends in both all-cause and cause-specific readmissions for HRS in the United States. Using the National Readmission Database (2010–2018), we identified adult HRS patients during index admission via ICD codes. Fisher’s exact test and Cox regression analysis were used to compare pro- portions and compute adjusted p-values, respectively. Regression models were adjusted for gender, age, the Charlson comorbidity index, median household income, and hospital factors. A total of 169,522 HRS patients were included in …

Early Outcomes Of Mr-Guided Sbrt For Patients With Recurrent Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma, Spencer Poiset, Sophia Shah, Louis Cappelli, Rani Anné, Karen Mooney, Maria Werner-Wasik, Talya Laufer, James Posey, Daniel Lin, Atrayee Mallick, Harish Lavu, Babar Bashir, Charles Yeo, Adam Mueller

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Local treatment options for locally recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LR-PAC) are limited, with median survival time (MST) of 9-13 months (mos) following recurrence. MRI-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy (MRgSBRT) provides the ability to dose escalate while sparing normal tissue. Here we report on the early outcomes of MRgSBRT for LR-PAC.

METHODS: Patients with prior resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma with local recurrence treated with MRgSBRT at a single tertiary referral center from 5-2021 to 2-2023 were identified from our prospective database. MRgSBRT was delivered to 40-50 Gy in 4-5 fractions with target and OAR delineation per institutional standards. Endpoints included local …

Novel Role And Mechanisms Of Brd4 In Mediating Mesothelial To Mesenchymal Transition And Pleural Fibrosis, Felix Kankam

Biotechnology Theses

Pleural fibrosis is characterized by myofibroblast accumulation and increased expression of collagen and other extracellular matrices due to injury to the pleura and remodeling. Mesothelial to mesenchymal transition (MesoMT) is an important pathological event that contributes to the pool of myofibroblasts although its regulation remains incompletely understood. Recent research has reported the role of BRD4, a member of the bromodomain extra terminal domain (BET) family, in developing fibrosis in the heart and the lungs. One recent study showed that MEOX1 is a downstream target of BRD4 and mediated cardiac fibroblast activation. Our joint work also demonstrated that NOX4 is implicated …

Catheter-Based Fetal Cardiac Interventions, Betul Yilmaz Furtun, Shaine Alaine Morris

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Fetal cardiac intervention (FCI) is an emerging and rapidly advancing group of interventions designed to improve outcomes for fetuses with cardiovascular disease. Currently, FCI is comprised of pharmacologic therapies (e.g., trans-placental antiarrhythmics for fetal arrhythmia), open surgical procedures (e.g., surgical resection of pericardial teratoma), and catheter-based procedures (e.g., fetal aortic valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis). This review focuses on the rationale, criteria for inclusion, technical details, and current outcomes of the three most frequently performed catheter-based FCI procedures: (1) aortic valvuloplasty for critical aortic stenosis (AS) associated with evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), (2) atrial septal intervention for HLHS with …

Hyperoxia-Induced Mir-195 Causes Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia In Neonatal Mice, Patrick Philpot, Fred Graumuller, Nicole Melchiorre, Varsha Prahaladan, Xander Takada, Srinarmadha Chandran, Melissa Guillermo, David Dickler, Zubair H Aghai, Pragnya Das, Vineet Bhandari

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Background: Exposure to hyperoxia is an important factor in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm newborns. MicroRNAs (miRs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of BPD and provide a potential therapeutic target. Methods: This study was conducted utilizing a postnatal animal model of experimental hyperoxia-induced murine BPD to investigate the expression and function of miR-195 as well as its molecular signaling targets within developing mouse lung tissue. Results: miR-195 expression levels increased in response to hyperoxia in male and female lungs, with the most significant elevation occurring in 40% O₂ (mild) and 60% O₂ (moderate) BPD. …

Metabolic Alterations And Cellular Responses To Β-Hydroxybutyrate Treatment In Breast Cancer Cells, Hadas Fulman-Levy, Raichel Cohen-Harazi, Bar Levi, Lital Argaev-Frenkel, Ifat Abramovich, Eyal Gottlieb, Sarah Hofmann, Igor Koman, Elimelech Nesher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The ketogenic diet (KD), based on high fat (over 70% of daily calories), low carbohydrate, and adequate protein intake, has become popular due to its potential therapeutic benefits for several diseases including cancer. Under KD and starvation conditions, the lack of carbohydrates promotes the production of ketone bodies (KB) from fats by the liver as an alternative source of metabolic energy. KD and starvation may affect the metabolism in cancer cells, as well as tumor characteristics. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of KD conditions on a wide variety of aspects of breast cancer cells …

Vascular Risk Profile And Changes Of Arterial Hypertension After Surgical Revascularization In Adult Moyamoya Patients, Patrick Haas, Lucas Moritz Wiggenhauser, Jonas Tellermann, Helene Hurth, Daniel Feucht, Marcos Tatagiba, Nadia Khan, Constantin Roder

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare stenoocclusive cerebral vasculopathy often treated by neurosurgical revascularization using extracranial-intracranial bypasses to prevent ischemic or hemorrhagic events. Little is known about the vascular risk profile of adult MMD patients compared to the general population. We therefore analyzed 133 adult MMD patients and compared them with data from more than 22,000 patients from the German Health Update database. Patients with MMD showed an age- and sex-adjusted increased prevalence of arterial hypertension, especially in women between 30 and 44 years and in patients of both sexes between 45 and 64 years. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed significantly …

Management Of Variceal Hemorrhage From Extensive Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus In Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Untreated Pheochromocytoma: A Case Report, Patrick Twohig, Kishan Patel, Tomoki Sempokuya, Chijoke Enweluzo, Lyudmila Muinov, Ishfaq Bhat

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background: Over 600,000 people in the United States (U.S.) have liver cirrhosis. It is estimated that 30% of patients with compensated cirrhosis and 60% of patients with decompensated cirrhosis will develop varices in their lifetime, with an incidence rate of new varices at 9% per year. Fifty percent of patients with esophageal varices will experience bleeding at some time. Pheochromocytoma is a rare catecholamine secreting adrenal gland tumor that occurs in 2-8 people per every 1 million people in the general population. Standard treatment for variceal bleeding includes endoscopic band ligation and/or radiologic embolization along with non-selective beta blockers. However, …

Maackia Amurensis Seed Lectin (Masl) And Soluble Human Podoplanin (Shpdpn) Sequence Analysis And Effects On Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Oscc) Cell Migration And Viability, Ariel C Yin, Cayla J Holdcraft, Eamonn J Brace, Tyler J Hellmig, Sayan Basu, Saumil Parikh, Katarzyna Jachimowska, Evelyne Kalyoussef, Dylan Roden, Soly Baredes, Eugenio M Capitle, David I Suster, Alan J Shienbaum, Caifeng Zhao, Haiyan Zheng, Kevin Balcaen, Simon Devos, Jurgen Haustraete, Mahnaz Fatahzadeh, Gary S Goldberg

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Maackia amurensis lectins serve as research and botanical agents that bind to sialic residues on proteins. For example, M. amurensis seed lectin (MASL) targets the sialic acid modified podoplanin (PDPN) receptor to suppress arthritic chondrocyte inflammation, and inhibit tumor cell growth and motility. However, M. amurensis lectin nomenclature and composition are not clearly defined. Here, we sought to definitively characterize MASL and its effects on tumor cell behavior. We utilized SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS to find that M. amurensis lectins can be divided into two groups. MASL is a member of one group which is composed of subunits that form dimers, …

Dissecting The Potential Mechanisms Of Histone Deacetylase 1 Dependent Macrophage Phagocytosis Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Owusu A. Christian

Biotechnology Theses

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) mediate the removal of acetyl groups from the histones of chromatin and regulate the expression of the genes involved in cancer development and immune cell functions. Our previous study showed that HDAC2 enhances IL-1β production by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infected macrophages by promoting inflammasome activation. HDAC1, on the other hand, regulates macrophage phagocytosis of Mtb. However, the mechanisms by which HDAC1 controls macrophage phagocytosis remain unclear.

Using human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) and Mtb strains, we explore the mechanism of HDAC1 in macrophage phagocytosis of Mtb. Our results showed that blocking HDAC1, either chemically or genetically, …

The Janus Kinase 1 Is Critical For Pancreatic Cancer Initiation And Progression, Hridaya Shrestha, Patrick Rädler, Rayane Dennaoui, Madison Wicker, Nirakar Rajbhandari, Yunguang Sun, Amy Peck, Kerry Vistisen, Aleata Triplett, Rafic Beydoun, Esta Sterneck, Dieter Saur, Hallgeir Rui, Kay-Uwe Wagner

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Interleukin-6 (IL-6)-class inflammatory cytokines signal through the Janus tyrosine kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway and promote the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC); however, the functions of specific intracellular signaling mediators in this process are less well defined. Using a ligand-controlled and pancreas-specific knockout in adult mice, we demonstrate in this study that JAK1 deficiency prevents the formation of KRAS^G12D-induced pancreatic tumors, and we establish that JAK1 is essential for the constitutive activation of STAT3, whose activation is a prominent characteristic of PDAC. We identify CCAAT/enhancer binding protein δ (C/EBPδ) as a biologically relevant …

A Multicenter Study Of Venetoclax-Based Treatment For Patients With Richter Transformation Of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Paul J Hampel, Mahesh Swaminathan, Kerry A Rogers, Erin M Parry, Jan A Burger, Matthew S Davids, Wei Ding, Alessandra Ferrajoli, Jonathan M Hyak, Nitin Jain, Saad S Kenderian, Yucai Wang, William G Wierda, Jennifer A Woyach, Sameer A Parikh, Philip A Thompson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who develop Richter transformation (RT) have a poor prognosis when treated with chemoimmunotherapy regimens used for de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Venetoclax, a BCL2 inhibitor, has single-agent efficacy in patients with RT and is potentially synergistic with chemoimmunotherapy. In this multicenter, retrospective study, we evaluated 62 patients with RT who received venetoclax-based treatment outside of a clinical trial, in combination with a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi; n=28), rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (R-CHOP) (n=13), or intensive chemoimmunotherapy other than R-CHOP (n=21). The best overall and complete response rates were 36%/25%, 54%/46%, and …

Loss Of Lpar6 And Cab39l Dysregulates The Basal-To-Luminal Urothelial Differentiation Program, Contributing To Bladder Carcinogenesis, Sangkyou Lee, Jolanta Bondaruk, Yishan Wang, Huiqin Chen, June Goo Lee, Tadeusz Majewski, Rachel D Mullen, David Cogdell, Jiansong Chen, Ziqiao Wang, Hui Yao, Pawel Kus, Joon Jeong, Ilkyun Lee, Woonyoung Choi, Neema Navai, Charles Guo, Colin Dinney, Keith Baggerly, Cathy Mendelsohn, David Mcconkey, Richard R Behringer, Marek Kimmel, Peng Wei, Bogdan Czerniak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We describe a strategy that combines histologic and molecular mapping that permits interrogation of the chronology of changes associated with cancer development on a whole-organ scale. Using this approach, we present the sequence of alterations around RB1 in the development of bladder cancer. We show that RB1 is not involved in initial expansion of the preneoplastic clone. Instead, we found a set of contiguous genes that we term "forerunner" genes whose silencing is associated with the development of plaque-like field effects initiating carcinogenesis. Specifically, we identified five candidate forerunner genes (ITM2B, LPAR6, MLNR, CAB39L, and ARL11) mapping near RB1. Two …

Pulmonary Hypertension And Hyperglycemia-Not A Sweet Combination, Or Bruck, L M Pandit

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hyperglycemia and pulmonary hypertension (PH) share common pathological pathways that lead to vascular dysfunction and resultant cardiovascular complications. These shared pathologic pathways involve endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalances. Individuals with hyperglycemia or pulmonary hypertension also possess shared clinical factors that contribute to increased morbidity from both diseases. This review aims to explore the relationship between PH and hyperglycemia, highlighting the mechanisms underlying their association and discussing the clinical implications. Understanding these common pathologic and clinical factors will enable early detection for those at-risk for complications from both diseases, paving the way for improved research and targeted therapeutics.

Astrocytic Slc4a4 Regulates Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity In Healthy And Stroke Brains Via A Ccl2-Ccr2 Pathway And No Dysregulation, Qi Ye, Juyeon Jo, Chih-Yen Wang, Heavin Oh, Jiangshan Zhan, Tiffany J Choy, Kyoung In Kim, Angelo D'Alessandro, Yana K Reshetnyak, Sung Yun Jung, Zheng Chen, Sean P Marrelli, Hyun Kyoung Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Astrocytes play vital roles in blood-brain barrier (BBB) maintenance, yet how they support BBB integrity under normal or pathological conditions remains poorly defined. Recent evidence suggests that ion homeostasis is a cellular mechanism important for BBB integrity. In the current study, we investigated the function of an astrocyte-specific pH regulator, Slc4a4, in BBB maintenance and repair. We show that astrocytic Slc4a4 is required for normal astrocyte morphological complexity and BBB function. Multi-omics analyses identified increased astrocytic secretion of CCL2 coupled with dysregulated arginine-NO metabolism after Slc4a4 deletion. Using a model of ischemic stroke, we found that loss of Slc4a4 exacerbates …

T-Cell Redirecting Bispecific Antibodies: A Review Of A Novel Class Of Immuno-Oncology For Advanced Prostate Cancer, Julia Palecki, Amman Bhasin, Andrew Bernstein, Patrick Mille, William Tester, William Kelly, Kevin Zarrabi

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Novel T-cell immunotherapies such as bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) are emerging as promising therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer. BiTEs are engineered bispecific antibodies containing two distinct binding domains that allow for concurrent binding to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) as well as immune effector cells, thus promoting an immune response against cancer cells. Prostate cancer is rich in tumor associated antigens such as, but not limited to, PSMA, PSCA, hK2, and STEAP1 and there is strong biologic rationale for employment of T-cell redirecting BiTEs within the prostate cancer disease space. Early generation BiTE constructs employed in clinical study have demonstrated meaningful antitumor …

Outcomes Of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection In Cirrhotic Patients: First American Cohort, Robert Luke Pecha, Fares Ayoub, Ankur Patel, Abdullah Muftah, Michael W Wright, Mai A Khalaf, Mohamed O Othman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Among patients with cirrhosis and pre-malignant or early malignant mucosal lesions, surgical intervention carries a much higher bleeding risk. When such lesions are discovered, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) may offer curative therapy with lower risks than surgery and improved outcomes compared to traditional endoscopic resection.

AIM: To evaluate the outcomes of ESD in patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS: Patients with cirrhosis undergoing ESD between July 2015 and August 2022 were retrospectively matched in 1:2 fashion to controls based on lesion location, size, and anticoagulation use. Procedural outcomes were compared between groups.

RESULTS: A total of 64 Lesions from 59 patients …

Glioblastoma Disrupts Cortical Network Activity At Multiple Spatial And Temporal Scales, Jochen Meyer, Kwanha Yu, Estefania Luna-Figueroa, Benjamin Deneen, Jeffrey Noebels

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The emergence of glioblastoma in cortical tissue initiates early and persistent neural hyperexcitability with signs ranging from mild cognitive impairment to convulsive seizures. The influence of peritumoral synaptic density, expansion dynamics, and spatial contours of excess glutamate upon higher order neuronal network modularity is unknown. We combined cellular and widefield imaging of calcium and glutamate fluorescent reporters in two glioblastoma mouse models with distinct synaptic microenvironments and infiltration profiles. Functional metrics of neural ensembles are dysregulated during tumor invasion depending on the stage of malignant progression and tumor cell proximity. Neural activity is differentially modulated during periods of accelerated and …

Perceptions Of Metabolic Syndrome Management Utilization In Relation To Patient Experience And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Olajide Adekunle, Jon C. Schommer, Yun Wang, Ismaeel Yunusa, Marc L. Fleming, Enrique Seoane-Vazquez, Lawrence M. Brown

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

One factor for the poor health outcomes among adult people with metabolic syndrome (MetS) is poor utilization of disease management resources, which may be attributable to prior experience with pharmacists (PEwP) and perceptions of disease management resource utilization (PMU). Therefore, understanding patients' experience could be critical to improving their perceptions and promoting health outcomes.

Objectives

The study explored the influence of PEwP and PMU on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with MetS.

Methods

Data on perceptions of healthcare, medication, and pharmacy services utilization, PEwP, and HRQoL were collected using validated tools via an electronic survey. Chi-square …

Improving Obesity And Related Chronic Disease Outcomes: Developing Nurse Practitioner Competence In Motivational Interviewing, Jodi Wilson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: Despite America’s persistent focus on health, over 40% of the US population is obese. A significant obstacle to mitigating disease in those with obesity is inspiring lasting behavioral change. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is highly effective yet under-utilized for catalyzing personal change inertia. Recent meta-analyses demonstrated statistically significant improvement in BMI, A1C, and blood pressure. Objectives: This evidenced-based project (EBP) aimed to develop nurse practitioner (NP) skills in deploying fidelity-based MI, resulting in increased adherence to lifestyle interventions. Implementation: This EBP project implemented MI into routine primary care through a self-paced healthcare provider MI certification and a 45-minute skill …