Neurosciences Commons^™

Defining The Full Spectrum Of Pediatric Firearm Injury And Death In The United States: It Is Even Worse Than We Think, Bindi J Naik-Mathuria, Cary M Cain, Elizabeth A Alore, Liang Chen, Lisa A Pompeii

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the full spectrum of pediatric firearm injury in the United States by describing fatal and nonfatal injury data epidemiology, vulnerable populations, and temporal trends.

BACKGROUND: Firearm injury is the leading cause of death in children and adolescents in the United States. Nonfatal injury is critical to fully define the problem, yet accurate data at the national level are lacking.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study combining national firearm injury data from the Centers for Disease Control (fatal) and the National Trauma Data Bank (nonfatal) between 2008 and 2019 for ages 0 to 17 years. Data were analyzed using descriptive …

Targeting Aav Vectors To The Central Nervous System By Engineering Capsid-Receptor Interactions That Enable Crossing Of The Blood-Brain Barrier, Qin Huang, Albert T Chen, Ken Y Chan, Hikari Sorensen, Andrew J Barry, Bahar Azari, Qingxia Zheng, Thomas Beddow, Binhui Zhao, Isabelle G Tobey, Cynthia Moncada-Reid, Fatma-Elzahraa Eid, Christopher J Walkey, M Cecilia Ljungberg, William R Lagor, Jason D Heaney, Yujia A Chan, Benjamin E Deverman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Viruses have evolved the ability to bind and enter cells through interactions with a wide variety of cell macromolecules. We engineered peptide-modified adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids that transduce the brain through the introduction of de novo interactions with 2 proteins expressed on the mouse blood-brain barrier (BBB), LY6A or LY6C1. The in vivo tropisms of these capsids are predictable as they are dependent on the cell- and strain-specific expression of their target protein. This approach generated hundreds of capsids with dramatically enhanced central nervous system (CNS) tropisms within a single round of screening in vitro and secondary validation in vivo …

Outersphere Approach To Increasing The Persistance Of Oxygen-Sensitive Europium(Ii)-Containing Contrast Agents For Magnetic Resonance Imaging With Perfluorocarbon Nanoemulsions Toward Imaging Of Hypoxia, Jacob C Lutter, Andrea L Batchev, Caitlyn J Ortiz, Alexander G Sertage, Jonathan Romero, S A Amali S Subasinghe, Steen E Pedersen, Md Abul Hassan Samee, Robia G Pautler, Matthew J Allen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Radiographic mapping of hypoxia is needed to study a wide range of diseases. Complexes of EuII are a promising class of molecules to fit this need, but they are generally limited by their rapid oxidation rates in vivo. Here, a perfluorocarbon-nanoemulsion perfused with N2, forms an interface with aqueous layers to hinder oxidation of a new perfluorocarbon-soluble complex of EuII. Conversion of the perfluorocarbon solution of EuII into nanoemulsions results in observable differences between reduced and oxidized forms by MRI both in vitro and in vivo. Oxidation in vivo occurrs over a period of ~30 min compared to <5 min for a comparable EuII-containing complex without nanoparticle interfaces. These results represent a critical step toward delivery of EuII-containing complexes in vivo for the study of hypoxia.

Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome Associated With Oxybutynin Use; A Brief Review Of Pathophysiology, Wahab J Khan, Muhammad Asif, Sadia Aslam, Ifrah Nadeem, William Rossing

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is characterized by reversible vasospasm of the central nervous system vasculature. It usually presents as a classic thunderclap headache, but complications like a stroke, seizure, or intracranial hemorrhage may occur at the onset. Most cases are linked temporally to secondary agents. The most common suggested mechanism underlying the RCVS is vascular tone dysregulation. Our report describes the RCVS incidence associated with oxybutynin use in a young female. We aim to describe the potential pathophysiology linking oxybutynin use and RCVS.

Cortex-Wide Neural Dynamics Predict Behavioral States And Provide A Neural Basis For Resting-State Dynamic Functional Connectivity, Somayeh Shahsavarani, David N Thibodeaux, Weihao Xu, Sharon H Kim, Fatema Lodgher, Chinwendu Nwokeabia, Morgan Cambareri, Alexis J Yagielski, Hanzhi T Zhao, Daniel A Handwerker, Javier Gonzalez-Castillo, Peter A Bandettini, Elizabeth M C Hillman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have observed dynamically changing brain-wide networks of correlated activity, fMRI's dependence on hemodynamic signals makes results challenging to interpret. Meanwhile, emerging techniques for real-time recording of large populations of neurons have revealed compelling fluctuations in neuronal activity across the brain that are obscured by traditional trial averaging. To reconcile these observations, we use wide-field optical mapping to simultaneously record pan-cortical neuronal and hemodynamic activity in awake, spontaneously behaving mice. Some components of observed neuronal activity clearly represent sensory and motor function. However, particularly during quiet rest, strongly fluctuating patterns of activity across …

Lateral Septum As A Melanocortin Downstream Site In Obesity Development, Yuanzhong Xu, Zhiying Jiang, Hongli Li, Jing Cai, Yanyan Jiang, Joshua Ortiz-Guzman, Yong Xu, Benjamin R Arenkiel, Qingchun Tong

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Sox7 Deficiency Causes Ventricular Septal Defects Through Its Effects On Endocardial-To-Mesenchymal Transition And The Expression Of Wnt4 And Bmp2, Andrés Hernández-García, Katherine E Pendleton, Sangbae Kim, Yumei Li, Bum J Kim, Hitisha P Zaveri, Valerie K Jordan, Aliska M Berry, M Cecilia Ljungberg, Rui Chen, Rainer B Lanz, Daryl A Scott

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

SOX7 is a transcription factor-encoding gene located in a region on chromosome 8p23.1 that is recurrently deleted in individuals with ventricular septal defects (VSDs). We have previously shown that Sox7-/- embryos die of heart failure around E11.5. Here, we demonstrate that these embryos have hypocellular endocardial cushions with severely reduced numbers of mesenchymal cells. Ablation of Sox7 in the endocardium also resulted in hypocellular endocardial cushions, and we observed VSDs in rare E15.5 Sox7flox/-;Tie2-Cre and Sox7flox/flox;Tie2-Cre embryos that survived to E15.5. In atrioventricular explant studies, we showed that SOX7 deficiency leads to a severe reduction in endocardial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). RNA-seq …

Induction Of Astrocytic Slc22a3 Regulates Sensory Processing Through Histone Serotonylation, Debosmita Sardar, Yi-Ting Cheng, Junsung Woo, Dong-Joo Choi, Zhung-Fu Lee, Wookbong Kwon, Hsiao-Chi Chen, Brittney Lozzi, Alexis Cervantes, Kavitha Rajendran, Teng-Wei Huang, Antrix Jain, Benjamin R Arenkiel, Ian Maze, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neuronal activity drives alterations in gene expression within neurons, yet how it directs transcriptional and epigenomic changes in neighboring astrocytes in functioning circuits is unknown. We found that neuronal activity induces widespread transcriptional upregulation and downregulation in astrocytes, highlighted by the identification of a neuromodulator transporter Slc22a3 as an activity-inducible astrocyte gene regulating sensory processing in the olfactory bulb. Loss of astrocytic Slc22a3 reduced serotonin (5HT) levels in astrocytes, leading to alterations in histone serotonylation. Inhibition of histone serotonylation in astrocytes reduced expression of GABA biosynthetic genes and GABA release, culminating in olfactory deficits. Our study revealed that neuronal activity …

Aging Fly Cell Atlas Identifies Exhaustive Aging Features At Cellular Resolution, Tzu-Chiao Lu, Maria Brbić, Ye-Jin Park, Tyler Jackson, Jiaye Chen, Sai Saroja Kolluru, Yanyan Qi, Nadja Sandra Katheder, Xiaoyu Tracy Cai, Seungjae Lee, Yen-Chung Chen, Niccole Auld, Chung-Yi Liang, Sophia H Ding, Doug Welsch, Samuel D'Souza, Angela Oliveira Pisco, Robert C Jones, Jure Leskovec, Eric C Lai, Hugo J Bellen, Liqun Luo, Heinrich Jasper, Stephen R Quake, Hongjie Li

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Aging is characterized by a decline in tissue function, but the underlying changes at cellular resolution across the organism remain unclear. Here, we present the Aging Fly Cell Atlas, a single-nucleus transcriptomic map of the whole aging Drosophila. We characterize 163 distinct cell types and perform an in-depth analysis of changes in tissue cell composition, gene expression, and cell identities. We further develop aging clock models to predict the fly age and show that ribosomal gene expression is a conserved predictive factor for age. Combining all aging features, we find unique cell type-specific aging patterns. This atlas provides a …

Dietary Sources Of Linoleic Acid (La) Differ By Race/Ethnicity In Adults Participating In The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes) Between 2017-2018, Shabnam R Momin, Mackenzie K Senn, Ani Manichaikul, Chaojie Yang, Rasika Mathias, Mimi Phan, Stephen S Rich, Susan Sergeant, Michael Seeds, Lindsay Reynolds, Floyd H Chilton, Alexis C Wood

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Linoleic acid (LA) is a primary n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), which is of interest to nutritional professionals as it has been associated with health outcomes. However, as some LA-rich foods offer protection against chronic diseases such as CVD (e.g., fatty fish), while others increase risk (e.g., red meat), the individual foods contributing to LA intake may be an important factor to consider. Therefore, this analysis sought to examine whether there are racial/ethnic differences in the proportion of overall LA intake accounted for by individual food groups, via a cross-sectional analysis of 3815 adults participating in the National Health …

Complement C3ar Depletion Reverses Hif-1Α-Induced Metabolic Impairment And Enhances Microglial Response To Aβ Pathology, Manasee Gedam, Michele M Comerota, Nicholas E Propson, Tao Chen, Feng Jin, Meng C Wang, Hui Zheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Microglia are the major cell type expressing complement C3a receptor (C3aR) in the brain. Using a knockin mouse line in which a Td-tomato reporter is incorporated into the endogenous C3ar1 locus, we identified 2 major subpopulations of microglia with differential C3aR expression. Expressing the Td-tomato reporter on the APPNL-G-F-knockin (APP-KI) background revealed a significant shift of microglia to a high-C3aR-expressing subpopulation and they were enriched around amyloid β (Aβ) plaques. Transcriptomic analysis of C3aR-positive microglia documented dysfunctional metabolic signatures, including upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling and abnormal lipid metabolism in APP-KI mice compared with wild-type controls. Using primary …

Poly(A)-Binding Protein Is An Ataxin-2 Chaperone That Regulates Biomolecular Condensates, Steven Boeynaems, Yanniv Dorone, Yanrong Zhuang, Victoria Shabardina, Guozhong Huang, Anca Marian, Garam Kim, Anushka Sanyal, Nesli-Ece Şen, Daniel Griffith, Roberto Docampo, Keren Lasker, Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo, Georg Auburger, Alex S Holehouse, Edor Kabashi, Yi Lin, Aaron D Gitler

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Biomolecular condensation underlies the biogenesis of an expanding array of membraneless assemblies, including stress granules (SGs) which form under a variety of cellular stresses. Advances have been made in understanding the molecular grammar of a few scaffold proteins that make up these phases, but how the partitioning of hundreds of SG proteins is regulated remains largely unresolved. While investigating the rules that govern the condensation of ataxin-2, a SG protein implicated in neurodegenerative disease, we unexpectedly identified a short 14aa sequence that acts as a condensation switch and is conserved across the eukaryote lineage. We identify poly(A)-binding proteins as unconventional …

Diet Quality Among Pre-Adolescent African American Girls In A Randomized Controlled Obesity Prevention Intervention Trial, Debbe Thompson, Yiming Mirabile, Noemi Islam, Chishinga Callender, Salma M A Musaad, Julie Miranda, Jennette P Moreno, Jayna M Dave, Tom Baranowski

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Consuming an unhealthy diet increases health risks. This study assessed the impact of a culturally adapted behaviorally innovative obesity prevention intervention (The Butterfly Girls and the Quest for Founder’s Rock) on diet quality in pre-adolescent non-Hispanic Black/African American girls. The RCT consisted of three groups (experimental, comparison, and waitlist control); block randomization allocated participants to each group. The two treatment groups varied in terms of whether or not they set goals. Data were collected at baseline (prior to receiving the intervention), post 1 (3 months post-baseline), and post 2 (6 months post-baseline). Two dietitian-assisted 24 h dietary recalls …

Effects Of Spaceflight On The Eeg Alpha Power And Functional Connectivity, Sandra Pusil, Jonathan Zegarra-Valdivia, Pablo Cuesta, Christopher Laohathai, Ana Maria Cebolla, Jens Haueisen, Patrique Fiedler, Michael Funke, Fernando Maestú, Guy Cheron

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Electroencephalography (EEG) can detect changes in cerebral activity during spaceflight. This study evaluates the effect of spaceflight on brain networks through analysis of the Default Mode Network (DMN)'s alpha frequency band power and functional connectivity (FC), and the persistence of these changes. Five astronauts' resting state EEGs under three conditions were analyzed (pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight). DMN's alpha band power and FC were computed using eLORETA and phase-locking value. Eyes-opened (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) conditions were differentiated. We found a DMN alpha band power reduction during in-flight (EC: p < 0.001; EO: p < 0.05) and post-flight (EC: p < 0.001; EO: p < 0.01) when compared to pre-flight condition. FC strength decreased during in-flight (EC: p < 0.01; EO: p < 0.01) and post-flight (EC: ns; EO: p < 0.01) compared to pre-flight condition. The DMN alpha band power and FC strength reduction persisted until 20 days after landing. Spaceflight caused electrocerebral alterations that persisted after return to earth. Periodic assessment by EEG-derived DMN analysis has the potential to become a neurophysiologic marker of cerebral functional integrity during exploration missions to space.

Chronic Basal Forebrain Activation Improves Spatial Memory, Boosts Neurotrophin Receptor Expression, And Lowers Bace1 And Aβ42 Levels In The Cerebral Cortex In Mice, Jacob Kumro, Ashutosh Tripathi, Yun Lei, Jeremy Sword, Patrick Callahan, Alvin Terry, Xin-Yun Lu, Sergei A Kirov, Anilkumar Pillai, David T Blake

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The etiology of Alzheimer’s dementia has been hypothesized in terms of basal forebrain cholinergic decline, and in terms of reflecting beta-amyloid neuropathology. To study these different biological elements, we activated the basal forebrain in 5xFAD Alzheimer’s model mice and littermates. Mice received 5 months of 1 h per day intermittent stimulation of the basal forebrain, which includes cholinergic projections to the cortical mantle. Then, mice were behaviorally tested followed by tissue analysis. The 5xFAD mice performed worse in water-maze testing than littermates. Stimulated groups learned the water maze better than unstimulated groups. Stimulated groups had 2–3-fold increases in frontal cortex …

Thirty-Day Outcomes Of Resolute Onyx Stent For Symptomatic Intracranial Stenosis: A Multicenter Propensity Score-Matched Comparison With Stenting Versus Aggressive Medical Management For Preventing Recurrent Stroke In Intracranial Stenosis Trial, Farhan Siddiq, Ravi S Nunna, Jonathan M Beall, Inamullah Khan, Musharaf Khan, Wondwossen G Tekle, Mohamad Ezzeldin, Omar Tanweer, Jan-Karl Burkhardt, Pascal M Jabbour, Stavropoula I Tjoumakaris, Nabeel A Herial, Adnan H Siddiqui, Ramesh Grandhi, Renee L Martin, Adnan I Qureshi, Ameer E Hassan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease (sICAD) is estimated to cause 10% of strokes annually in the United States. However, treatment remains a challenge with several different stenting options studied in the past with unfavorable results.

OBJECTIVE: To report the 30-day stroke and/or death rate associated with intracranial stent placement for sICAD using Resolute Onyx Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent (RO-ZES) and provide a comparison with the results of Stenting Versus Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial.

METHODS: Prospectively maintained databases across 8 stroke centers were used to identify adult patients treated with RO-ZES for sICAD between January …

Examination Of Parent-Reported Differences In Children’S Daily Screen Use, Sleep, And Sleep Hygiene Behaviors During The School Year And Summer And Their Association With Bmi, Jennette P Moreno, Alexis C Wood, Brooke Reichek, Hafza Dadabhoy, Tom Baranowski, Debbe Thompson, Teresia M O'Connor

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: The current study examined school-summer differences in children's sleep patterns and sleep hygiene. Cross-sectional relationships with children's sleep, sleep hygiene, and weight status were explored during the school year and summer.

METHODS: Children (5-8 years) and their parents (n = 197 dyads) were recruited from 4 schools in southeastern Texas and via Facebook. Parents reported children's school year and summer sleep, sleep hygiene, and screen media use. Children's body mass index (BMI) was objectively assessed at the beginning and end of the summer. Associations between children's sleep hygiene and screen media use, sleep duration, and weight status were explored. …

Sex And Gender Differences In Acute Stroke Care: Metrics, Access To Treatment And Outcome A Territorial Analysis Of The Stroke Code System Of Catalonia, Yolanda Silva, Laura Sánchez-Cirera, Mikel Terceño, Laura Dorado, Adrián Valls, Marina Martínez, Sònia Abilleira, Marta Rubiera, Helena Quesada, Laura Llull, Ana Rodríguez-Campello, Joan Martí-Fàbregas, Laia Seró, Francisco Purroy, Iago Payo, Sònia García, David Cánovas, Jurek Krupinski, Natalia Mas, Ernest Palomeras, Dolores Cocho, Maria Àngels Font, Esther Catena, Elsa Puiggròs, Claudia Pedroza, Gemma Marín, Dolors Carrión, Xavier Costa, Mari Cruz Almendros, Ivan Torres, Carla Colom, John Alejandro Velasquez, Gloria Diaz, Xavier Jiménez, Teresa Subirats, Anna Deulofeu, Verónica Hidalgo, Mercè Salvat-Plana, Natalia Pérez De La Ossa, Catalan Stroke Code And Reperfusion Consortium (Cat-Scr)

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have reported differences in the management and outcome of women stroke patients in comparison with men. We aim to analyze sex and gender differences in the medical assistance, access to treatment and outcome of acute stroke patients in Catalonia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from a prospective population-based registry of stroke code activations in Catalonia (CICAT) from January/2016 to December/2019. The registry includes demographic data, stroke severity, stroke subtype, reperfusion therapy, and time workflow. Centralized clinical outcome at 90 days was assessed in patients receiving reperfusion therapy.

RESULTS: A total of 23,371 stroke code activations were …

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired With Rehabilitation For Upper Limb Motor Impairment And Function After Chronic Ischemic Stroke: Subgroup Analysis Of The Randomized, Blinded, Pivotal, Vns-Rehab Device Trial, Jesse Dawson, Navzer D Engineer, Steven C Cramer, Steven L Wolf, Rushna Ali, Michael W O'Dell, David Pierce, Cecília N Prudente, Jessica Redgrave, Wuwei Feng, Charles Y Liu, Gerard E Francisco, Benjamin L Brown, Anand Dixit, Jen Alexander, Louis Demark, Vibor Krishna, Steven A Kautz, Arshad Majid, Brent Tarver, Duncan L Turner, Teresa J Kimberley

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitation improved upper extremity impairment and function in a recent pivotal, randomized, triple-blind, sham-controlled trial in people with chronic arm weakness after stroke.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine whether treatment effects varied across candidate subgroups, such as younger age or less injury.

METHODS: Participants were randomized to receive rehabilitation paired with active VNS or rehabilitation paired with sham stimulation (Control). The primary outcome was the change in impairment measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) score on the first day after completion of 6-weeks in-clinic therapy. We explored the effect of VNS …

Towards Neuromarkers For Tailored Smoking Cessation Treatments, Francesco Versace, Jason D Robinson, Paul M Cinciripini

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Vulnerability to compulsive drug use stems from dysregulated activity within the neural networks that underlie reward and executive functions. Empirical evidence suggests that a) attributing high motivational salience to drug-related stimuli leads to compulsive drug seeking and b) cognitive control deficits lead to compulsive drug taking. Noninvasive neuroimaging techniques enable brain activity monitoring during affective and cognitive processing and are paving the way to precision medicine for substance use disorders. Identifying robust neuromarkers of affective and cognitive dysregulation would allow clinicians to personalize treatments by targeting individual psychophysiological vulnerabilities. However, methodological choices have biased the field toward experimental paradigms that …

De Novo Variants In Mrtfb Have Gain-Of-Function Activity In Drosophila And Are Associated With A Novel Neurodevelopmental Phenotype With Dysmorphic Features, Jonathan C Andrews, Jung-Wan Mok, Oguz Kanca, Sharayu Jangam, Cynthia Tifft, Ellen F Macnamara, Bianca E Russell, Lee-Kai Wang, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Stanley F Nelson, Hugo J Bellen, Shinya Yamamoto, May Christine V Malicdan, Michael F Wangler

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Purpose: Myocardin-related transcription factor B (MRTFB) is an important transcriptional regulator, which promotes the activity of an estimated 300 genes but is not known to underlie a Mendelian disorder.

Methods: Probands were identified through the efforts of the Undiagnosed Disease Network. Because the MRTFB protein is highly conserved between vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms, we generated a humanized Drosophila model expressing the human MRTFB protein in the same spatial and temporal pattern as the fly gene. Actin binding assays were used to validate the effect of the variants on MRTFB.

Results: Here, we report 2 pediatric probands with de novo …

Implication Of Chromosomal Microarray Analysis Prior To In-Utero Repair Of Fetal Open Neural Tube Defect, R Zemet, E Krispin, R M Johnson, N R Kumar, L E Westerfield, S Stover, D G Mann, J Castillo, H A Castillo, A A Nassr, M Sanz Cortes, R Donepudi, J Espinoza, W E Whitehead, M A Belfort, A A Shamshirsaz, I B Van Den Veyver

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Objective: In-utero repair of open neural tube defects (ONTD) is an accepted treatment option with demonstrated superior outcome for eligible patients. While current guidelines recommend genetic testing by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) when a major congenital anomaly is detected prenatally, the requirement for an in-utero repair, based on the Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) criteria, is a normal karyotype. In this study, we aimed to evaluate if CMA should be recommended as a prerequisite for in-utero ONTD repair.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of pregnancies complicated by ONTD that underwent laparotomy-assisted fetoscopic repair or open-hysterotomy fetal surgery at …

Imaging Of Pediatric Cardiac Tumors: A Cog Diagnostic Imaging Committee/Spr Oncology Committee White Paper, Cara E Morin, Lindsay M Griffin, Rebecca S Beroukhim, Pablo Caro-Domínguez, Sherwin Chan, Jason N Johnson, Juan C Infante, Christopher Z Lam, Ladonna J Malone, Elizabeth R Tang, Michael D Taylor, James C Wilkinson, Prakash M Masand

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cardiac tumors in children are rare and the majority are benign. The most common cardiac tumor in children is rhabdomyoma, usually associated with tuberous sclerosis complex. Other benign cardiac masses include fibromas, myxomas, hemangiomas, and teratomas. Primary malignant cardiac tumors are exceedingly rare, with the most common pathology being soft tissue sarcomas. This paper provides consensus-based imaging recommendations for the evaluation of patients with cardiac tumors at diagnosis and follow-up, including during and after therapy.

Preterm Birth Alters The Feeding-Induced Activation Of Akt Signaling In The Muscle Of Neonatal Piglets, Agus Suryawan, Marko Rudar, Jane K Naberhuis, Marta L Fiorotto, Teresa A Davis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Postnatal lean mass accretion is commonly reduced in preterm infants. This study investigated mechanisms involved in the blunted feeding-induced activation of Akt in the skeletal muscle of preterm pigs that contributes to lower protein synthesis rates.

METHODS: On day 3 following cesarean section, preterm and term piglets were fasted or fed an enteral meal. Activation of Akt signaling pathways in skeletal muscle was determined.

RESULTS: Akt1 and Akt2, but not Akt3, phosphorylation were lower in the skeletal muscle of preterm than in term pigs (P < 0.05). Activation of Akt-positive regulators, PDK1 and mTORC2, but not FAK, were lower in preterm than in term (P < 0.05). The formation of Akt complexes with GAPDH and Hsp90 and the abundance of Ubl4A were lower in preterm than in term (P < 0.05). The abundance of Akt inhibitors, PHLPP and SHIP2, but not PTEN and IP6K1, were higher in preterm than in term pigs (P < 0.05). PP2A activation was inhibited by feeding in term but not in preterm pigs (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that preterm birth impairs regulatory components involved in Akt activation, …

Commentary On "Mini-Open Intercostal Retroperitoneal Approach For Upper Lumbar Spine Lateral Interbody Fusion", Alexander E Ropper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Dual-Target Deep Brain Stimulation For Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Tourette Syndrome, Ricardo A Najera, Nicole Provenza, Huy Dang, Kalman A Katlowitz, Alyssa Hertz, Sandesh Reddy, Ben Shofty, Steven T Bellows, Eric A Storch, Wayne K Goodman, Sameer A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Imaging Of Pediatric Calvarial And Skull Base Tumors: A Cog Diagnostic Imaging Committee/Spr Oncology Committee/Asnpr White Paper, Jarunee Intrapiromkul, Pattana Wangaryattawanich, Zoltan Patay, Thierry A G M Huisman, Jason N Wright, Jeremy Y Jones, Raghu Ramakrishnaiah, Rajan Patel, Adam E Goldman-Yassen, Stephen Kralik, Mark Mamlouk, Nilesh K Desai

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A standardized imaging protocol for pediatric oncology patients is essential for accurate and efficient imaging, while simultaneously promoting collaborative understanding of pathologies and radiologic assessment of treatment response. The objective of this article is to provide standardized pediatric imaging guidelines and parameters for evaluation of tumors of the pediatric orbit, calvarium, skull base, and temporal bone. This article was drafted based on current scientific literature as well as consensus opinions of imaging experts in collaboration with the Children's Oncology Group Diagnostic Imaging Committee, Society of Pediatric Radiology Oncology Committee, and American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology.

Fetal Malrotation With Midgut Volvulus: Prenatal Diagnosis And Planning, Oluyinka O Olutoye, J D Hammond, Jamie Gilley, Ross M Beckman, Marie Bulathsinghala, Sonya S Keswani, Jonathan Davies, Mark V Mazziotti, Roopali Donepudi, Michael A Belfort, Alice King, Pamela M Ketwaroo, Timothy C Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Malrotation of the intestinal tract is a congenital malformation commonly found either incidentally or after affected individuals develop signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction. Malrotation is prone to midgut volvulus that can cause intestinal obstruction and lead to ischemia and necrosis requiring emergent surgical intervention. Rare instances of in utero midgut volvulus have been reported in the literature and carry a high mortality given the difficulty in establishing a diagnosis prior to development of signs of intestinal ischemia and necrosis. Advancements in imaging have made it possible to diagnose in utero malrotation earlier, raising the question of optimal timing …

Lateral Septum As A Melanocortin Downstream Site In Obesity Development, Yuanzhong Xu, Zhiying Jiang, Hongli Li, Jing Cai, Yanyan Jiang, Joshua Otiz-Guzman, Yong Xu, Benjamin R Arenkiel, Qingchun Tong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The melanocortin pathway is well established to be critical for body-weight regulation in both rodents and humans. Despite extensive studies focusing on this pathway, the downstream brain sites that mediate its action are not clear. Here, we found that, among the known paraventricular hypothalamic (PVH) neuron groups, those expressing melanocortin receptors 4 (PVHMc4R) preferably project to the ventral part of the lateral septum (LSv), a brain region known to be involved in emotional behaviors. Photostimulation of PVHMc4R neuron terminals in the LSv reduces feeding and causes aversion, whereas deletion of Mc4Rs or disruption of glutamate release from LSv-projecting PVH neurons …

The Metreleptin Effectiveness And Safety Registry (Measure): Concept, Design And Challenges, Morey W Haymond, David Araújo-Vilar, John Balser, James H Lewis, Ruth Louzado, Carla Musso, Julia Von Schnurbein, Martin Wabitsch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Metreleptin, a recombinant analog of human leptin, is an approved therapy, adjunct to diet, to treat the metabolic complications of leptin deficiency in patients with lipodystrophy - a group of rare diseases characterized by a paucity of adipose tissue. MEASuRE (Metreleptin Effectiveness And Safety Registry) is a post-authorization, voluntary registry that gathers long-term safety and effectiveness data on metreleptin. Here, we present the aims and evolution of MEASuRE.

METHODS: MEASuRE was established to collect data from patients receiving commercially supplied metreleptin in the United States (US) and European Union (EU). MEASuRE aims to determine the incidence and severity of …