Diseases Commons^™

Clonal Gene Signatures Predict Prognosis In Mesothelioma And Lung Adenocarcinoma, Yupei Lin, Bryan M Burt, Hyun-Sung Lee, Thinh T Nguyen, Hee-Jin Jang, Claire Lee, Wei Hong, Robert Taylor Ripley, Christopher I Amos, Chao Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare but lethal pleural cancer with high intratumor heterogeneity (ITH). A recent study in lung adenocarcinoma has developed a clonal gene signature (ORACLE) from multiregional transcriptomic data and demonstrated high prognostic values and reproducibility. However, such a strategy has not been tested in other types of cancer with high ITH. We aimed to identify biomarkers from multi-regional data to prognostically stratify MPM patients. We generated a multiregional RNA-seq dataset for 78 tumor samples obtained from 26 MPM patients, each with one sample collected from a superior, lateral, and inferior region of the tumor. By …

Multiple Daily Injection Insulin Regimen Is An Effective, And More Economical, Alternative To Continuous Insulin Infusion For Type 1 Diabetics, Julia Yee

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Heller S, White D, Lee E, et al. A cluster randomised trial, cost-effectiveness analysis and psychosocial evaluation of insulin pump therapy compared with multiple injections during flexible intensive insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes: the REPOSE Trial. Health Technol Assess. 2017 Apr;21(20):1-278. https://doi.org/10.3310/hta21200

for a patient with type 1 diabetes.

Immunotherapy Resistance In Solid Tumors: Mechanisms And Potential Solutions, Daniel Lefler, Steven Manobianco, Babar Bashir

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

While the emergence of immunotherapies has fundamentally altered the management of solid tumors, cancers exploit many complex biological mechanisms that result in resistance to these agents. These encompass a broad range of cellular activities - from modification of traditional paradigms of immunity via antigen presentation and immunoregulation to metabolic modifications and manipulation of the tumor microenvironment. Intervening on these intricate processes may provide clinical benefit in patients with solid tumors by overcoming resistance to immunotherapies, which is why it has become an area of tremendous research interest with practice-changing implications. This review details the major ways cancers avoid both natural …

Immunogenicity Phase Ii Study Evaluating Booster Capacity Of Nonadjuvanted Aks-452 Sars-Cov-2 Rbd Fc Vaccine, David G Alleva, Eline A Feitsma, Yester F Janssen, Hendrikus H Boersma, Thomas M Lancaster, Thillainaygam Sathiyaseelan, Sylaja Murikipudi, Andrea R Delpero, Melanie M Scully, Ramya Ragupathy, Sravya Kotha, Jeffrey R Haworth, Nishit J Shah, Vidhya Rao, Shashikant Nagre, Shannon E Ronca, Freedom M Green, Stephen A Shaw, Ari Aminetzah, Schelto Kruijff, Maarten Brom, Gooitzen M Van Dam, Todd C Zion

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

AKS-452, a subunit vaccine comprising an Fc fusion of the ancestral wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein receptor binding domain (SP/RBD), was evaluated without adjuvant in a single cohort, non-randomized, open-labelled phase II study (NCT05124483) at a single site in The Netherlands for safety and immunogenicity. A single 90 µg subcutaneous booster dose of AKS-452 was administered to 71 adults previously primed with a registered mRNA- or adenovirus-based vaccine and evaluated for 273 days. All AEs were mild and no SAEs were attributable to AKS-452. While all subjects showed pre-existing SP/RBD binding and ACE2-inhibitory IgG titers, 60-68% responded to AKS-452 …

Revascularization Strategies For Acute And Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia: A Narrative Review, Jacob J Gries, Takashi Sakamoto, Bing Chen, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Mahboob Alam, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mesenteric ischemia is a challenging condition characterized by insufficient blood perfusion to the mesentery and, consequently, intestinal tissues that continues to perplex clinicians. Despite its low prevalence, the condition’s variable clinical presentation and elusive radiographic diagnosis can delay life-saving interventions in the acute setting and deteriorate the quality of life of patients when left undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Purpose: Review and summarize recent diagnostic updates and emergent intervention strategies for acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia. Methods: A narrative review of all relevant studies from January 2022 through September 2023. Results: A total of 11 studies from MEDLINE, supplemented with 44 studies …

A Stool Based Qpcr For The Diagnosis Of Tb In Children And People Living With Hiv In Uganda, Eswatini And Mozambique (Stool4tb): A Protocol For A Multicenter Diagnostic Evaluation, Lucia Carratala-Castro, Willy Ssengooba, Alex Kay, Sozinho Acácio, Joanna Ehrlich, Andrew R Dinardo, Nosisa Shiba, Joachim K Nsubuga, Shilzia Munguambe, Belén Saavedra-Cervera, Patricia Manjate, Durbbin Mulengwa, Busizwe Sibandze, Mangaliso Ziyane, George Kasule, Edson Mambuque, Moorine Penninah Sekadde, Eric Wobudeya, Moses L Joloba, Jan Heyckendorf, Christoph Lange, Sabine Hermans, Anna Mandalakas, Alberto L García-Basteiro, Elisa Lopez-Varela, Stool4tb Global Partnership

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Children and people living with HIV (PLHIV) have an increased risk of mortality, particularly in the absence of rapid diagnosis. The main challenges of diagnosing TB in these populations are due to the unspecific and paucibacillary disease presentation and the difficulty of obtaining respiratory samples. Thus, novel diagnostic strategies, based on non-respiratory specimens could improve clinical decision making and TB outcomes in high burden TB settings. We propose a multi-country, prospective diagnostic evaluation study with a nested longitudinal cohort evaluation to assess the performance of a new stool-based qPCR, developed …

Deep Phenotyping Of Post-Infectious Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Brian Walitt, Komudi Singh, Samuel R. Lamunion, Mark Hallett, Steve Jacobson, Kong Chen, Yoshimi Enose-Akahata, Richard Apps, Jennifer J. Barb, Patrick Bedard, Robert J. Brychta, Ashura Williams Buckley, Peter D. Burbelo, Brice Calco, Brianna Cathay, Li Chen, Snigdha Chigurupati, Jinguo Chen, Foo Cheung, Lisa M.K. Chin, Benjamin W. Coleman, Amber B. Courville, Madeleine S. Deming, Bart Drinkard, Li Rebekah Feng, Luigi Ferrucci, Scott A. Gabel, Angelique Gavin, David S. Goldstein, Shahin Hassanzadeh, Sean C. Horan, Silvina G. Horovitz, Kory R. Johnson, Anita Jones Govan, Kristine M. Knutson, Joy D. Kreskow, Mark Levin, Jonathan J. Lyons, Nicholas Madian, Nasir Malik, Andrew L. Mammen, John A. Mcculloch, Patrick M. Mcgurrin, Joshua D. Milner, Ruin Moaddel, Geoffrey A. Mueller, Amrita Mukherjee, Sandra Muñoz-Braceras, Gina Norato, Katherine Pak, Iago Pinal-Fernandez, Traian Popa, Lauren B. Reoma, Michael N. Sack, Farinaz Safavi, Leorey N. Saligan, Brian A. Sellers, Stephen Sinclair, Bryan Smith, Joseph Snow, Stacey Solin, Barbara J. Stussman, Giorgio Trinchieri, Sara A. Turner, C. Stephenie Vetter, Felipe Vial, Carlotta Vizioli, Ashley Williams, Shanna B. Yang, Avindra Nath

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (PI-ME/CFS) is a disabling disorder, yet the clinical phenotype is poorly defined, the pathophysiology is unknown, and no disease-modifying treatments are available. We used rigorous criteria to recruit PI-ME/CFS participants with matched controls to conduct deep phenotyping. Among the many physical and cognitive complaints, one defining feature of PI-ME/CFS was an alteration of effort preference, rather than physical or central fatigue, due to dysfunction of integrative brain regions potentially associated with central catechol pathway dysregulation, with consequences on autonomic functioning and physical conditioning. Immune profiling suggested chronic antigenic stimulation with increase in naïve and decrease …

Collagen Type Xii Is Undetectable In Keratoconus Bowman’S Layer, Mohammed Rigi, Hyeck-Soo Son, Loren Moon, Mario Matthaei, Divya Srikumaran, Albert S Jun, Charles G Eberhart, Uri S Soiberman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Corneal biomechanical failure is the hallmark of keratoconus (KC); however, the cause of this failure remains elusive. Collagen type XII (

METHODS: TaqMan quantitative PCR was performed on 31 corneal epithelium samples of progressive KC and myopic control eyes. Tissue microarrays were constructed using full-thickness corneas from 61 KC cases during keratoplasty and 18 non-KC autopsy eyes and stained with an antibody specific to COL12A1. Additionally,

RESULTS: COL12A1 expression was reduced at transcript levels in KC epithelium compared to controls (ratio: 0.58, p<0.03). Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that COL12A1 protein expression in BL was undetectable, with reduced expression in KC epithelium, basement membrane, and stroma.

CONCLUSIONS: The apparent absence of COL12A1 in KC BL, together with the functional importance that

Uncommon Presentation Of Kaposi Sarcoma In An Hiv-Negative Patient: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Hope Daskalakis, Nina M. Ventura, Joy Anne Lowry, Mara Weinstein Velez

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal systemic disease first identified in 1872. It most commonly involves the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal tract. There are four clinically distinct subtypes of KS that have been identified: Chronic or classic KS, African endemic KS, KS due to iatrogenic immunosuppression, and AIDS-related epidemic KS. The human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) has been implicated in all subtypes of KS. We present a unique case of KS in a 79-year-old male with a widespread distribution of skin lesions on his palms, soles, chest, and back. This case report highlights a novel presentation of classical …

Primary Adrenal Insufficiency In Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1 - A Case Report And Literature Review, Hafiza A. Qadeer Md, Reshma Samkutty, Caitlyn Moss

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome (APS) type 1 is a rare autosomal recessive disorder secondary to AIRE gene mutation, that is classically characterized by autoimmune hypoparathyroidism, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and Addison’s disease. A review of the literature shows that these disease manifestations may present in any order in different age groups. Patients with APS type 1 are also at risk for other endocrinopathies. We present the case of a female patient with a history of APS type 1 and type 1 diabetes who presented with new onset hypoglycemia and decreased insulin requirement and was diagnosed with new onset adrenal insufficiency due to …

Radio-Histopathological Presentation And Multidisciplinary Treatment Of Adolescent Paratesticular Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Case Report, Troy Nguyen, Joseph Hatem, Abhijit Datir, Joel Thompson

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma (PRMS) is a rare condition predominantly affecting the pediatric and adolescent population. In this case report, we discuss a 17-year-old male with a slow-growing, painless scrotal mass, ultimately diagnosed as embryonal PRMS — the most common and favorable rhabdomyosarcoma subtype. The report underscores the typical clinico-radiological presentation of PRMS and the pivotal part of histopathological evaluation in establishing a definitive diagnosis. Multidisciplinary intervention including surgery and chemoradiotherapy resulted in total remission. Therefore, this report underlines the significance of prompt diagnosis and comprehensive management in ensuring a favorable prognosis of PRMS.

Multivalent Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein B Nucleoside Modified Mrna Vaccines Did Not Demonstrate A Greater Antibody Breadth, Hsuan-Yuan Wang, Leike Li, Cody S Nelson, Richard Barfield, Sarah Valencia, Cliburn Chan, Hiromi Muramatsu, Paulo J C Lin, Norbert Pardi, Zhiqiang An, Drew Weissman, Sallie R Permar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) remains the most common congenital infection and infectious complication in immunocompromised patients. The most successful HCMV vaccine to date, an HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) subunit vaccine adjuvanted with MF59, achieved 50% efficacy against primary HCMV infection. A previous study demonstrated that gB/MF59 vaccinees were less frequently infected with HCMV gB genotype strains most similar to the vaccine strain than strains encoding genetically distinct gB genotypes, suggesting strain-specific immunity accounted for the limited efficacy. To determine whether vaccination with multiple HCMV gB genotypes could increase the breadth of anti-HCMV gB humoral and cellular responses, we immunized 18 female …

Recombinant Rod Domain Of Vimentin Reduces Sars-Cov-2 Viral Replication By Blocking Spike Protein-Ace2 Interactions, Fong Wilson Lam, Cameron August Brown, Shannon Elizabeth Ronca

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Although the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is the primary preventive intervention, there are still few antiviral therapies available, with current drugs decreasing viral replication once the virus is intracellular. Adding novel drugs to target additional points in the viral life cycle is paramount in preventing future pandemics. The purpose of this study was to create and test a novel protein to decrease SARS-CoV-2 replication. We created the recombinant rod domain of vimentin (rhRod) in E. coli and used biolayer interferometry to measure its affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 S1S2 spike protein and the ability to block the SARS-CoV-2–ACE2 interaction. We performed plaque assays …

Piriformis Syndrome With A Variant Presentation, Roberto Chuapoco, Ryan E. Linford

Annual Research Symposium

Piriformis syndrome has long been a diagnostic quandary due to its tendency to present as other nerve-related conditions. Piriformis syndrome is commonly caused by entrapment of the sciatic nerve as it travels through the greater sciatic foramen due to hypertrophy of the piriformis muscle. However, its constellation of symptoms, including radiating pain down the thigh, can easily be mistaken for lumbosacral radiculopathy. This case report aims to address the misdiagnosis of piriformis syndrome which has prolonged pain for many patients and increased the cost of medical care. It demonstrates a 76-year-old female with a confounding presentation of piriformis syndrome: buttock …

Diagnosing Acute Compartment Syndrome: A Surgical Emergency, Kallin J. Austin, Lara Laughrey, Marco Trevino, Eric Liou, Matthew Hazel, Brody Harn

Annual Research Symposium

Determine best practices for diagnosing acute compartment syndrome in the lower limb by comparing the sensitivity and specificity of commonly use techniques.

P90rsk Pathway Inhibition Synergizes With Cisplatin In Tmem16a Overexpressing Head And Neck Cancer, Abdulkader Yassin-Kassab, Suman Chatterjee, Nayel Khan, Nathaniel Wang, Vlad C Sandulache, Eric H-B Huang, Timothy F Burns, Umamaheswar Duvvuri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) constitutes one of the most common types of human cancers and often metastasizes to lymph nodes. Platinum-based chemotherapeutic drugs are commonly used for treatment of a wide range of cancers, including HNSCC. Its mode of action relies on its ability to impede DNA repair mechanisms, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. However, due to acquired resistance and toxic side-effects, researchers have been focusing on developing novel combinational therapeutic strategies to overcome cisplatin resistance. In the current study, we identified p90RSK, an ERK1/2 downstream target, as a key mediator and a targetable signaling node against …

Adaptation Of Chagas Disease Screening Recommendations For A Community Of At-Risk Hiv In The United States, Jesica Hayon, Sofia Lupo, Cristina Poveda, Kathryn M Jones, Qian Qian, Hulin Wu, Thomas P Giordano, Charles J Fleischmann, Caryn Bern, Jeffrey D Whitman, Eva H Clark

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is underdiagnosed in the United States. Improved screening strategies are needed, particularly for people at risk for life-threatening sequelae of CD, including people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PWH). Here we report results of a CD screening strategy applied at a large HIV clinic serving an at-risk population.

Description Of Cryptococcosis Following Sars-Cov-2 Infection: A Disease Survey Through The Mycosis Study Group Education And Research Consortium (Msg-19), Jeremey Walker, Todd Mccarty, Gerald Mcgwin, Eloy E Ordaya, Paschalis Vergidis, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Mehriban Mammadova, Andrej Spec, Adriana M Rauseo, John Perfect, Julia Messina, Gabriel Vilchez, Rachel Mcmullen, Carolynn T Jones, Peter G Pappas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Invasive fungal infections have been described throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Cryptococcal disease after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been reported in several isolated case reports and 1 larger case series. We sought to describe cryptococcal infections following SARS-CoV-2 through establishing a database to investigate underlying risk factors, disease manifestations, and outcomes.

METHODS: We created a crowdsourced call for cases solicited through the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emerging Infectious Diseases Network, and infectious diseases Twitter groups. Data were collected in a web-based and secure REDCap …

Tobacco And Covid-19, Palak Srivastava, Palak Srivastava

Annual Research Symposium

The relationship between tobacco use and COVID-19 has been a subject of ongoing research. Evidence suggests that tobacco may contribute to an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, potentially exacerbating the severity of COVID-19 symptoms.

Long Trimer-Immunization Interval And Appropriate Adjuvant Reduce Immune Responses To The Soluble Hiv-1-Envelope Trimer Base, Hongying Duan, Angela R Corrigan, Cheng Cheng, Andrea Biju, Christopher A Gonelli, Adam S Olia, I-Ting Teng, Kai Xu, Sijy O'Dell, Sandeep Narpala, Mike Castro, Leonid Serebryannyy, Jennifer Wang, Danealle K Parchment, Edward K Sarfo, Jelle Van Schooten, John-Paul Todd, Shuishu Wang, Darcy R Harris, Hui Geng, Alexander J Jafari, Vrc Production Program, Ruth A Woodward, Nicole A Doria-Rose, Kathryn E Foulds, Adrian B Mcdermott, Marit J Van Gils, Richard A Koup, Theodore C Pierson, Peter D Kwong, John R Mascola

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Soluble 'SOSIP'-stabilized HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimers elicit dominant antibody responses targeting their glycan-free base regions, potentially diminishing neutralizing responses. Previously, using a nonhuman primate model, we demonstrated that priming with fusion peptide (FP)-carrier conjugate immunogens followed by boosting with Env trimers reduced the anti-base response. Further, we demonstrated that longer immunization intervals further reduced anti-base responses and increased neutralization breadth. Here, we demonstrate that long trimer-boosting intervals, but not long FP immunization intervals, reduce the anti-base response. Additionally, we identify that FP priming before trimer immunization enhances antibody avidity to the Env trimer. We also establish that adjuvants Matrix …

Cpsf3 Inhibition Blocks Pancreatic Cancer Cell Proliferation Through Disruption Of Core Histone Mrna Processing, Abdulrahman A Alahmari, Aditi H Chaubey, Venkata S Jonnakuti, Arwen A Tisdale, Carla D Schwarz, Abigail C Cornwell, Kathryn E Maraszek, Emily J Paterson, Minsuh Kim, Swati Venkat, Eduardo Cortes Gomez, Jianmin Wang, Katerina V Gurova, Hari Krishna Yalamanchili, Michael E Feigin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease with limited effective treatment options, potentiating the importance of uncovering novel drug targets. Here, we target cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 3 (CPSF3), the 3′ endonuclease that catalyzes mRNA cleavage during polyadenylation and histone mRNA processing. We find that CPSF3 is highly expressed in PDAC and is associated with poor prognosis. CPSF3 knockdown blocks PDAC cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Chemical inhibition of CPSF3 by the small molecule JTE-607 also attenuates PDAC cell proliferation and colony formation, while it has no effect on cell proliferation …

Targeting Cyp51 In The Treatment Of Acanthamoeba Keratitis, Ashkan Hassani, Vineet Sadarangani, Brad Haubrich

Annual Research Symposium

Acanthamoeba castellanii causes a rare but serious ocular infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis. Risk factors for infection include contact with contaminated water and poor hygiene of contact lenses. The first-line treatment is comprised of a months-long schedule of antibiotics. However, in cases where pharmacological interventions fail to address the infection, surgery may be necessary, with the continued risk of potential vision loss. Consequently, new treatments are needed, whether new pharmacological agents or new combination therapies with current agents. As an aerobic parasite, Acanthamoeba synthesizes ergosterol as a cell membrane insert, and ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors (EBIs), common in antifungal pharmaceuticals, could potentially …

Acute Neutrophilic Vasculitis (Leukocytoclasia) In 36 Covid-19 Autopsy Brains, Roy H. Rhodes, Gordon L. Love, Fernanda Da Silva Lameira, Maryam Sadough Shahmirzadi, Sharon E. Fox, Richard S. Vander Heide

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Hypercytokinemia, the renin-angiotensin system, hypoxia, immune dysregulation, and vasculopathy with evidence of immune-related damage are implicated in brain morbidity in COVID-19 along with a wide variety of genomic and environmental influences. There is relatively little evidence of direct SARS-CoV-2 brain infection in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Brain histopathology of 36 consecutive autopsies of patients who were RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 was studied along with findings from contemporary and pre-pandemic historical control groups. Immunostaining for serum and blood cell proteins and for complement components was employed. Microcirculatory wall complement deposition in the COVID-19 cohort was compared to historical control cases. Comparisons …

Pulmonary Fibrosis Stakeholder Summit: A Joint Nhlbi, Three Lakes Foundation, And Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Workshop Report, Sydney B Montesi, Christian R Gomez, Michael Beers, Robert Brown, Ishanu Chattopadhyay, Kevin R Flaherty, Christine Kim Garcia, Brigitte Gomperts, Lida P Hariri, Cory M Hogaboam, R Gisli Jenkins, Naftali Kaminski, Grace Hyun J Kim, Melanie Königshoff, Martin Kolb, Darrell N Kotton, Jonathan A Kropski, Joseph Lasky, Chelsea M Magin, Toby M Maher, Mark Mccormick, Bethany B Moore, Cheryl Nickerson-Nutter, Justin Oldham, Anna J Podolanczuk, Ganesh Raghu, Ivan Rosas, Steven M Rowe, William T Schmidt, David Schwartz, Jessica E Shore, Cathie Spino, J Matthew Craig, Fernando J Martinez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite progress in elucidation of disease mechanisms, identification of risk factors, biomarker discovery, and the approval of two medications to slow lung function decline in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and one medication to slow lung function decline in progressive pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis remains a disease with a high morbidity and mortality. In recognition of the need to catalyze ongoing advances and collaboration in the field of pulmonary fibrosis, the NHLBI, the Three Lakes Foundation, and the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation hosted the Pulmonary Fibrosis Stakeholder Summit on November 8–9, 2022. This workshop was held virtually and was organized into three topic …

Can Mirna Be The Missing Link Between Parkinson’S Disease And Pesticides?, Fatma Gobba

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative condition that leads to significant morbidity and a decline in the quality of life. It develops as a consequence of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Nevertheless, the development of PD is influenced by environmental factors, and the intricate nature of these relationships is further complicated by a multitude of factors, including the genetic backgrounds that are specific to populations and variations in environmental exposures, such as pesticides. Pesticides, consisting of a diverse family of chemicals commonly used in both agricultural and household settings to protect crops against …

Convolutional Neural Network Based Analysis - An Aid To Diagnose Bacterial And Fungal Osteomyelitis, Saiprasad Alva, Dominic Augustine, Sowmya Sv, Mukul Saini, Sanjana Shetty

Annual Research Symposium

Osteomyelitis may be classified as Bacterial (Actinomycotic), Fungal (Mucormycotic), or combined based on the etiological agent. During histopathological examination, there is a high chance that bacterial colonies or fungal hyphae may be missed by the human eye, especially when there is a paucity of organisms. This may lead to a faulty diagnosis of the type of osteomyelitis which along with an improper treatment plan would cause further progression of the disease and various other complications. Therefore, the diagnosis of the exact etiological variant of osteomyelitis is of prime importance to design an appropriate treatment plan. In the present study, bone …

Evaluation Of Novel Therapeutic Agents For The Treatment Of Chronic Dry Eyes, Lilian Huynh, Evonie Villarete, Surajit Dey

Annual Research Symposium

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular condition, where disrupted tear film stability and ocular surface inflammation affected between 5% to 34% of the worldwide population in 2015 and posed a challenge to conventional ophthalmic treatments. Recent advances have led to potential novel therapeutics aiming to alleviate symptoms and improve patient outcomes.

Proposal For Standardized Ultrasound Analysis Of The Salivary Glands: Part 1 Submandibular Gland, Henry T. Hoffman, Michael Koch, Robert Lee Witt, William R. Ryan, Johannes Zenk, Philippe Katz, Rahmatullah Rahmati, Christopher Rassekh, Francisco Donato, Timothy M. Mcculloch, Arjun S. Joshi, Jolie Lien Chang, M. Boyd Gillespie, Priscilla F.A. Pichardo, Lisa Ann Orloff, Antoino Marcelino, Piper Wenzel, David Cohen, Christopher E. Fundakowski, David M. Cognetti, Rohan R. Walvekar, Antonio Bertelli, Harry Quon, Carryn Anderson, Bruno Policeni, Gordy Siegel

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Objectives: The Salivary Gland Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery seeks to standardize terminology and technique for ultrasonograpy used in the evaluation and treatment of salivary gland disorders. Methods: Development of expert opinion obtained through interaction with international practitioners representing multiple specialties. This committee work includes a comprehensive literature review with presentation of case examples to propose a standardized protocol for the language used in ultrasound salivary gland assessment. Results: A multiple segment proposal is initiated with this focus on the submandibular gland. We provide a concise rationale for recommended descriptive language highlighted by a more …

Microsporidiosis: Reviewing Clinical Presentation And Treatment Strategies, Julienne Zhou, Belinda Liu, Megan Dearmond, David Banach, Brad Haubrich

Annual Research Symposium

Microsporidiosis is an opportunistic infection caused by obligate intracellular pathogens within the taxon Microsporidia. Infection is zoonotic and has been associated with patients experiencing immunodeficiency, though incidence is increasing among other populations. Most commonly, the disease is gastrointestinal, typically by Enterocytozoon bieneusi and less commonly by Encephalitozoon intestinalis. Symptoms present with diarrhea and vomiting, and severe cases can lead to wasting and mortality. While the incorporation of anti-retroviral therapy for HIV patients has significantly decreased mortality in a subset of the vulnerable populations, treatment for microsporidiosis is still not standardized or well explored. Resistance to first-line treatment albendazole is increasing, …

Challenges In Diagnosing Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma: A Case Series, Aratara Nutcharoen, Elliott Beard, Anupa Thirmiya, Omar Taher, Jacob Adams, Mark Mortensen, John Pelham

Annual Research Symposium

Challenges in Diagnosing Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma