Neurosciences Commons^™

Normative Neuroimaging Library: Designing A Comprehensive And Demographically Diverse Dataset Of Healthy Controls To Support Traumatic Brain Injury Diagnostic And Therapeutic Development, Allyson T Gage, James R Stone, Elisabeth A Wilde, Stephen R Mccauley, Robert C Welsh, John P Mugler, Nick Tustison, Brian Avants, Christopher T Whitlow, Lee Lancashire, Seema D Bhatt, Magali Haas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The past decade has seen impressive advances in neuroimaging, moving from qualitative to quantitative outputs. Available techniques now allow for the inference of microscopic changes occurring in white and gray matter, along with alterations in physiology and function. These existing and emerging techniques hold the potential of providing unprecedented capabilities in achieving a diagnosis and predicting outcomes for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a variety of other neurological diseases. To see this promise move from the research lab into clinical care, an understanding is needed of what normal data look like for all age ranges, sex, and other demographic and …

Retinal Ganglion Cell Circuits And Glial Interactions In Humans And Mice, Kang-Chieh Huang, Mohamed Tawfik, Melanie A Samuel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the brain's gateway for vision, and their degeneration underlies several blinding diseases. RGCs interact with other neuronal cell types, microglia, and astrocytes in the retina and in the brain. Much knowledge has been gained about RGCs and glia from mice and other model organisms, often with the assumption that certain aspects of their biology may be conserved in humans. However, RGCs vary considerably between species, which could affect how they interact with their neuronal and glial partners. This review details which RGC and glial features are conserved between mice, humans, and primates, and which differ. …

Analysis Of Dna Methylation In Gliomas: Assessment Of Preanalytical Variables, Karol Bomsztyk, Daniel Mar, Oleg Denisenko, Suzanne Powell, Monika Vishnoi, Zheng Yin, Jennifer Delegard, Caroline Hadley, Nitin Tandon, Akash J Patel, Anoop P Patel, Richard G Ellenbogen, Rohan Ramakrishna, Robert C Rostomily

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Precision oncology is driven by biomarkers. For glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common malignant adult primary brain tumor, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter methylation is an important prognostic and treatment clinical biomarker. Time consuming pre-analytical steps such as biospecimen storage, fixation, sampling, and processing are sources of data irreproducibility, and all these pre-analytical variables are confounded by intratumor heterogeneity of MGMT promoter methylation. To assess the effect of pre-analytical variables on GBM DNA methylation, tissue storage/sampling (CryoGrid), sample preparation multi-sonicator (PIXUL), and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) DNA immunoprecipitation (Matrix MeDIP-qPCR/seq) platforms were used. MGMT promoter methylation status assayed by MeDIP-qPCR was …

Tyk2 Regulates Tau Levels, Phosphorylation And Aggregation In A Tauopathy Mouse Model, Jiyoen Kim, Bakhos Tadros, Yan Hong Liang, Youngdoo Kim, Cristian Lasagna-Reeves, Jun Young Sonn, Dah-Eun Chloe Chung, Bradley Hyman, David M Holtzman, Huda Yahya Zoghbi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Alzheimer's disease is one of at least 26 diseases characterized by tau-positive accumulation in neurons, glia or both. However, it is still unclear what modifications cause soluble tau to transform into insoluble aggregates. We previously performed genetic screens that identified tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) as a candidate regulator of tau levels. Here we verified this finding and found that TYK2 phosphorylates tau at tyrosine 29 (Tyr29) leading to its stabilization and promoting its aggregation in human cells. We discovered that TYK2-mediated Tyr29 phosphorylation interferes with autophagic clearance of tau. We also show that TYK2-mediated phosphorylation of Tyr29 facilitates pathological tau …

Chronic Β3-Ar Stimulation Activates Distinct Thermogenic Mechanisms In Brown And White Adipose Tissue And Improves Systemic Metabolism In Aged Mice, Duraipandy Natarajan, Bhuvana Plakkot, Kritika Tiwari, Shoba Ekambaram, Weidong Wang, Michael Rudolph, Mahmoud A Mohammad, Shaji K Chacko, Madhan Subramanian, Stefano Tarantini, Andriy Yabluchanskiy, Zoltan Ungvari, Anna Csiszar, Priya Balasubramanian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Adipose thermogenesis has been actively investigated as a therapeutic target for improving metabolic dysfunction in obesity. However, its applicability to middle-aged and older populations, which bear the highest obesity prevalence in the United States (approximately 40%), remains uncertain due to age-related decline in thermogenic responses. In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic thermogenic stimulation using the β3-adrenergic (AR) agonist CL316,243 (CL) on systemic metabolism and adipose function in aged (18-month-old) C57BL/6JN mice. Sustained β3-AR treatment resulted in reduced fat mass, increased energy expenditure, increased fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial activity in adipose depots, improved glucose homeostasis, and a …

Impact Of Prenatal Genomics On Clinical Genetics Practice, Roni Zemet, Ignatia B Van Den Veyver

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Genetic testing for prenatal diagnosis in the pre-genomic era primarily focused on detecting common fetal aneuploidies, using methods that combine maternal factors and imaging findings. The genomic era, ushered in by the emergence of new technologies like chromosomal microarray analysis and next-generation sequencing, has transformed prenatal diagnosis. These new tools enable screening and testing for a broad spectrum of genetic conditions, from chromosomal to monogenic disorders, and significantly enhance diagnostic precision and efficacy. This chapter reviews the transition from traditional karyotyping to comprehensive sequencing-based genomic analyses. We discuss both the clinical utility and the challenges of integrating prenatal exome and …

Genetics Of Cerebral Palsy: Diagnosis, Differential Diagnosis, And Beyond, Dae-Hyun Jang, Jaewon Kim, Aloysia Leisanne Schwabe, Timothy Edward Lotze

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in children, characterized by diverse clinical manifestations and often uncertain etiology, which has spurred increasing interest in genetic diagnostics. This review synthesizes findings from various studies to enhance understanding of CP's genetic underpinnings. The discussion is structured around five key areas: monogenic causes and copy number variants directly linked to CP, differential genetic disorders including atypical CP and mimics, ambiguous genetic influences, co-occurrence with other neurodevelopmental disorders, and polygenic risk factors. Case studies illustrate the clinical application of these genetic insights, underscoring the complexity of diagnosing CP due to the phenotypic …

A Reproducible Pipeline For Parcellation Of The Anterior Limb Of The Internal Capsule, Karianne Sretavan, Henry Braun, Zoe Liu, Daniel Bullock, Tara Palnitkar, Remi Patriat, Jayashree Chandrasekaran, Samuel Brenny, Matthew D Johnson, Alik S Widge, Noam Harel, Sarah R Heilbronner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) is a white matter structure that connects the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to the brainstem, thalamus, and subthalamic nucleus. It is a target for deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder. There is strong interest in improving deep brain stimulation targeting by using diffusion tractography to reconstruct and target specific ALIC fiber pathways, but this methodology is susceptible to errors and lacks validation. To address these limitations, we developed a novel diffusion tractography pipeline that generates reliable and biologically validated ALIC white matter reconstructions.

Methods: Following algorithm development and refinement, we analyzed 43 …

Pain Prevalence, Intensity, And Association With Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Of Dementia In Immigrant And Non-Immigrant Aged Care Residents In Australia, Pelden Chejor, Mustafa Atee, Patricia Cain, Daniel Whiting, Thomas Morris, Davina Porock

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Pain recognition for culturally diverse people is complex as pain experience is subjective and influenced by cultural background. We compared the prevalence, intensity, and association of pain with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) between immigrants and non-immigrants living with dementia in residential aged care homes (RACHs) who were referred to two Dementia Support Australia programs. Immigrant status was defined by the documented country of birth. Pain and NPS were assessed using PainChek® and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, respectively. Subgroup analyses were also completed for English-speaking and non-English-speaking immigrants. A total of 17,637 referrals [immigrants, n = 6340; non-immigrants, n = 11,297] from 2792 …

Clearance And Transport Of Amyloid Β By Peripheral Monocytes Correlate With Alzheimer’S Disease Progression, Xin Huang, Chris Fowler, Yihan Li, Qiao Xin Li, Jiaqi Sun, Yijun Pan, Liang Jin, Keyla A. Perez, Céline Dubois, Yen Y. Lim, Candace Drysdale, Rebecca L. Rumble, Holly R. Chinnery, Christopher C. Rowe, Ralph N. Martins, Paul Maruff, James D. Doecke, Yong Lin, Abdel A. Belaidi, Kevin J. Barnham, Colin L. Masters, Ben J. Gu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Impaired clearance of amyloid β (Aβ) in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects disease progression. The role of peripheral monocytes in Aβ clearance from the central nervous system (CNS) is unclear. We use a flow cytometry assay to identify Aβ-binding monocytes in blood, validated by confocal microscopy, Western blotting, and mass spectrometry. Flow cytometry immunophenotyping and correlation with AD biomarkers are studied in 150 participants from the AIBL study. We also examine monocytes in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and their migration in an APP/PS1 mouse model. The assay reveals macrophage-like Aβ-binding monocytes with high phagocytic potential in both the periphery and …

Accumbal Plasticity And Associated Behavioral Adaptations In The Spared Nerve Injury Model Of Chronic Neuropathic Pain, Yu-Hsuan Chang

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic pain is a debilitating neurological disorder that affects hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. It is associated with cognitive symptoms such as cognitive inflexibility, which is defined as the inability to adaptively update behavior in response to changing environmental conditions. To date, there are no effective treatments for these symptoms, even though they substantially contribute to the decreased quality of life of chronic pain patients and are associated with reduced efficacy of pain management strategies. Therefore, understanding the neural circuit adaptations that drive cognitive symptoms of chronic pain, like cognitive inflexibility, is essential for improving existing treatments for this …

Mechanisms Of Memory-Supporting Neuronal Dynamics In Hippocampal Area Ca3, Yiding Li, John J Briguglio, Sandro Romani, Jeffrey C Magee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hippocampal CA3 is central to memory formation and retrieval. Although various network mechanisms have been proposed, direct evidence is lacking. Using intracellular Vm recordings and optogenetic manipulations in behaving mice, we found that CA3 place-field activity is produced by a symmetric form of behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP) at recurrent synapses among CA3 pyramidal neurons but not at synapses from the dentate gyrus (DG). Additional manipulations revealed that excitatory input from the entorhinal cortex (EC) but not the DG was required to update place cell activity based on the animal’s movement. These data were captured by a computational model that …

The Brain Initiative Data-Sharing Ecosystem: Characteristics, Challenges, Benefits, And Opportunities, Sudhanvan Iyer, Kathryn Maxson Jones, Jill O Robinson, Nicole R Provenza, Dominique Duncan, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Amy L Mcguire, Sameer A Sheth, Mary A Majumder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In this paper, we provide an overview and analysis of the BRAIN Initiative data-sharing ecosystem. First, we compare and contrast the characteristics of the seven BRAIN Initiative data archives germane to data sharing and reuse, namely data submission and access procedures and aspects of interoperability. Second, we discuss challenges, benefits, and future opportunities, focusing on issues largely specific to sharing human data and drawing on N = 34 interviews with diverse stakeholders. The BRAIN Initiative-funded archive ecosystem faces interoperability and data stewardship challenges, such as achieving and maintaining interoperability of data and archives and harmonizing research participants’ informed consents for …

Roles Of The Gut Microbiota In Human Neurodevelopment And Adult Brain Disorders, Rahul Mallick, Sanjay Basak, Ranjit Kumar Das, Antara Banerjee, Sujay Paul, Surajit Pathak, Asim K. Duttaroy

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Growing evidence demonstrates the connection between gut microbiota, neurodevelopment, and adult brain function. Microbial colonization occurs before the maturation of neural systems and its association with brain development. The early microbiome interactions with the gut-brain axis evolved to stimulate cognitive activities. Gut dysbiosis can lead to impaired brain development, growth, and function. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is critically required for brain structure and function, modulates gut microbiota, and impacts brain activity. This review explores how gut microbiota influences early brain development and adult functions, encompassing the modulation of neurotransmitter activity, neuroinflammation, and blood-brain barrier integrity. In addition, it highlights processes of …

Narratives Of Resilience: The Power Of Creative Expression And Community Support During Familial Incarceration, Alana Alexander

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Existing literature stresses that the far-reaching effects of mass incarceration extend beyond prison walls, profoundly shaping familial experiences. Despite this, families remain consistently overlooked in criminal justice discourse, leading to heightened stress and diminished resilience. This thesis is a program review of a community-based program, referred to here as the Storytelling, Creativity, and Care (SCC) program, to protect the confidentiality of its participants and activities. The SCC program integrates neuroscience and narrative theory to explore how storytelling influences cultural perceptions, shapes lived experiences, and supports psychological and physiological healing. Additionally, this work investigates the socio-political narratives that perpetuate stigma and …

Cellular Senescence In Peripheral Tissues After Spinal Cord Injury, Tanisha A. Valdez, Benjamin R. Rood, Lukasz P. Slomnicki, Yonglin Gao, Mason Miller, Kariena Andres, Scott R. Whittemore, Michal Hetman

The Cardinal Edge

Cellular senescence is the phenomenon in which cells undergo permanent cell cycle arrest and is caused by natural aging or pathological mechanisms. Depending on the physiological context, pathological senescence can potentially be implicated in chronic inflammation but may also have a role in promoting tissue repair. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a whole-body injury, in which patients with SCI often experience complications in organ systems outside of the CNS. Our recent data has shown that senescence can develop in the spinal cord after SCI but the extent that senescence contributes to dysfunctions of peripheral tissues remains unclear. This study sought …

Neuroprotective Effect Of L-Dopa-Induced Interleukin-13 On Striatonigral Degeneration In Cerebral Ischemia, Eunhae Jeon, Myeong-Seong Seo, Enkhmaa Lkhagva-Yondon, Yu-Ree Lim, Seung-Woo Kim, Yu Jeong Kang, Jun Seok Lee, Byoung Dae Lee, Rayul Wi, So-Yoon Won, Young Cheul Chung, Eun S Park, Eunhee Kim, Byung Kwan Jin, Myung-Shin Jeon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Levodopa (L-DOPA) treatment is a clinically effective strategy for improving motor function in patients with ischemic stroke. However, the mechanisms by which modulating the dopamine system relieves the pathology of the ischemic brain remain unclear. Emerging evidence from an experimental mouse model of ischemic stroke, established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), suggested that L-DOPA has the potential to modulate the inflammatory and immune response that occurs during a stroke. Here, we aimed to demonstrate the therapeutic effect of L-DOPA in regulating the systemic immune response and improving functional deficits in mice with ischemia. Transient MCAO led to progressive degeneration …

Smartphone Haptics Can Uncover Differences In Touch Interactions Between Asd And Neurotypicals, Ivonne Monarca, Franceli L. Cibrian, Isabel López Hurtado, Monica Tentori

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Utilizing touch interactions from smartphones for gathering data and identifying digital markers for screening and monitoring neurological disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is an emerging area of research. Smartphones provide multiple benefits for this kind of study, including unobtrusive data collection via built-in sensors, integrated haptic feedback systems, and the capability to create specialized applications. Acknowledging the significant yet understudied presence of tactile processing differences in individuals with ASD, we designed and developed Feel and Touch, a mobile game that leverages the haptic capabilities of smartphones. This game provides vibrotactile feedback in response to touch interactions and collects …

Firearm Access, Carriage And Use In An Ethnically Diverse Sample Of Young Adults In Texas, Usa, Yu Lu, Elizabeth Baumler, Annalyn Saludares Demello, Leila Wood, Hillary Mcguire, Jeff R Temple

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background Despite the high rates of firearm ownership and firearm-related injuries and mortalities in Southern US states, understandings on the factors contributing to these are lacking.

Methods Using wave 10 (2021) data from a longitudinal study, we examined firearm-related experiences among 636 ethnically diverse young adults (mean age=26 years; 62% female) in Texas, USA.

Results Just over half of participants had ready access to firearms, with 22.3% having carried a firearm outside of their home, 4.9% having been threatened with a firearm by a romantic partner and 4.4% by a non-romantic partner. More firearm access and carriage were reported in …

Plasmodium Berghei Liver Stage Parasites Exploit Host Gabarap Proteins For Tfeb Activation, Jacqueline Schmuckli-Maurer, Annina F Bindschedler, Rahel Wacker, Oliver M Würgler, Ruth Rehmann, Timothy Lehmberg, Leon O Murphy, Thanh N Nguyen, Michael Lazarou, Jlenia Monfregola, Andrea Ballabio, Volker T Heussler

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, infects hepatocytes prior to establishing a symptomatic blood stage infection. During this liver stage development, parasites reside in a parasitophorous vacuole (PV), whose membrane acts as the critical interface between the parasite and the host cell. It is well-established that host cell autophagy-related processes significantly impact the development of Plasmodium liver stages. Expression of genes related to autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis is orchestrated by transcription factor EB (TFEB). In this study, we explored the activation of host cell TFEB in Plasmodium berghei-infected cells during the liver stage of the parasite. Our results …

The Pipeline Embolization Device For The Treatment Of Intracranial Aneurysms In Pediatric Patients With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Illustrative Cases, Eveline Teresa Hidalgo, Eric A Grin, Omar Tanweer, Cordelia Orillac, Jason K Chu, Peter Kan, Howard L Weiner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurocutaneous disorder characterized by the multisystem development of benign tumors. Patients with TSC are also at an increased risk of developing intracranial aneurysms early in life. While aneurysms have historically been treated with open surgical clipping, endovascular approaches are increasingly being used in both pediatric and adult populations.

OBSERVATIONS: In this case series, the authors report the endovascular treatment of three young patients with TSC and fusiform intracranial aneurysms using the Pipeline embolization device (PED) for flow diversion of the affected artery. In all cases, complete aneurysm occlusion was observed, with good parent …

Sample Multiplexing For Retinal Single-Cell Rna Sequencing, Justin Ma, Ting-Kuan Chu, Maria Polo-Prieto, Yong H Park, Yumei Li, Rui Chen, Graeme Mardon, Benjamin J Frankfort, Nicholas M Tran

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rare cell populations can be challenging to characterize using microfluidic single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) platforms. Typically, the population of interest must be enriched and pooled from multiple biological specimens for efficient collection. However, these practices preclude the resolution of sample origin together with phenotypic data and are problematic in experiments in which biological or technical variation is expected to be high (e.g., disease models, genetic perturbation screens, or human samples). One solution is sample multiplexing whereby each sample is tagged with a unique sequence barcode that is resolved bioinformatically. We have established a scRNA-seq sample multiplexing pipeline for mouse retinal …

The Relationship Between Spectral Signals And Retinal Sensitivity In Dendrobatid Frogs, Whitney G. Walkowski, Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki, William C. Gordon, Nicolas G. Bazan, Hamilton E. Farris

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Research on visually driven behavior in anurans has often focused on Dendrobatoidea, a clade with extensive variation in skin reflectance, which is perceived to range from cryptic to conspicuous coloration. Because these skin patterns are important in intraspecific and interspecific communication, we hypothesized that the visual spectral sensitivity of dendrobatids should vary with conspecific skin spectrum. We predicted that the physiological response of frog retinas would be tuned to portions of the visible light spectrum that match their body reflectance. Using wavelength-specific electroretinograms (ERGs; from 350-650 nm), spectrometer measurements, and color-calibrated photography of the skin, we compared retinal sensitivity and …

Observing The Impacts Of Different Diets On Clinical Outcomes In Patients With Alzheimer's Disease: A Scoping Review, Erjola Toska, Alessandra Ottley, Quinn Jackson, Rachel Fricker, Alexa Carleo, Gabriella Cutrali, Olivia D’Alessio, Raquel Rossman, Samuel Kruchakov, Abraham Edelstein, Lubov Nathanson

HCA-NSU MD Research Day

Observing the Impacts of Different Diets on Clinical Outcomes in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A Scoping Review Authors: Quinn Jackson, OMS-III; Rachel Fricker,OMS-III; Erjola Toska, OMS-III; Alessandra Ottley,OMS-III; Alexa Carleo,OMS-III; Gabriella Cutrali, OMS-III; Olivia D’Alessio, OMS-III; Raquel Rossman, OMS-III; Samuel Kruchakov, OMS-III; Abraham Edelstein,OMS-III; Lubov Nathanson, Ph.D. Program: Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Florida Objectives: This study aimed to assess the literature published from 2013 to 2023 on the impact of diet on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Background: AD is primarily marked by β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which impair neuronal synapses, leading to memory …

Use Of Electrical Bone Growth Stimulators In High-Risk Patients Following Spinal Fusion, Soumya Malhotra, Khavir Sharieff

HCA-NSU MD Research Day

Title: Use of Electrical Bone Growth Stimulators in High-Risk Patients Following Spinal Fusion Authors: Soumya Malhotra, BA., MS1 & Khavir Sharieff, DO, MBA2 1Class of 2027, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL 2Assistant Professor of Surgery, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tampa Bay, FLNova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the advantages of EBGSs following high-risk spinal fusions. Background: Pseudarthrosis is a condition where bones fail to fuse after an injury or surgery. It causes significant …

Modeling Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy In Mecp2 Duplication Syndrome Human Ipsc-Derived Neurons Reveals Gene Expression Programs Responsive To Mecp2 Levels, Sameer S Bajikar, Yehezkel Sztainberg, Alexander J Trostle, Harini P Tirumala, Ying-Wooi Wan, Caroline L Harrop, Jesse D Bengtsson, Claudia M B Carvalho, Davut Pehlivan, Bernhard Suter, Jeffrey L Neul, Zhandong Liu, Paymaan Jafar-Nejad, Frank Rigo, Huda Y Zoghbi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genomic copy-number variations (CNVs) that can cause neurodevelopmental disorders often encompass many genes, which complicates our understanding of how individual genes within a CNV contribute to pathology. MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS or MRXSL in OMIM; OMIM#300260) is one such CNV disorder caused by duplications spanning methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) and other genes on Xq28. Using an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) to normalize MECP2 dosage is sufficient to rescue abnormal neurological phenotypes in mouse models overexpressing MECP2 alone, implicating the importance of increased MECP2 dosage within CNVs of Xq28. However, because MDS CNVs span MECP2 and additional genes, we generated human …

The Emerging Field Of Viroimmunotherapy For Pediatric Brain Tumors, Marc Garcia-Moure, Virginia Laspidea, Sumit Gupta, Andrew G Gillard, Soumen Khatua, Akhila Parthasarathy, Jiasen He, Frederick F Lang, Juan Fueyo, Marta M Alonso, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pediatric brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in children. Even to date, with the advances in multimodality therapeutic management, survival outcomes remain dismal in some types of tumors, such as pediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas or central nervous system embryonal tumors. Failure to understand the complex molecular heterogeneity and the elusive tumor and microenvironment interplay continues to undermine therapeutic efficacy. Developing a strategy that would improve survival for these fatal tumors remains unmet in pediatric neuro-oncology. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are emerging as a feasible, safe, and promising therapy for brain tumors. The new paradigm in virotherapy implies that the …

Nerve Injury Inhibits Oprd1 And Cnr1 Transcription Through Rest In Primary Sensory Neurons, Ashok Subedi, Asieh Etemad, Aadhya Tiwari, Yuying Huang, Biji Chatterjee, Samantha M Mcleod, Yungang Lu, Diangelo Gonzalez, Krishna Ghosh, Mario Sirito, Sanjay K Singh, Elisa Ruiz, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Hui-Lin Pan, Sadhan Majumder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The transcription repressor REST in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is upregulated by peripheral nerve injury and promotes the development of chronic pain. However, the genes targeted by REST in neuropathic pain development remain unclear. The expression levels of four opioid receptor genes (Oprm1, Oprd1, Oprl1 and Oprk1) and the cannabinoid CB1 receptor (Cnr1) gene in the DRG regulate nociception. In this study, we determined the role of REST in controlling their expression in the DRG induced by spared nerve injury (SNI). SNI induced chronic pain hypersensitivity in wild-type mice and was accompanied by increased levels of Rest transcript and …

On The Role Of Prediction In Streaming Hierarchical Learning, Ramy Mounir

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In today's world, AI systems need to make sense of large amounts of data as it unfolds in real-time, whether it's a video from surveillance and monitoring cameras, streams of egocentric footage, or sequences in other domains such as text or audio. The ability to break these continuous data streams into meaningful events, discover nested structures, and predict what might happen next at different levels of abstraction is crucial for applications ranging from passive surveillance systems to sensory-motor autonomous learning. However, most existing models rely heavily on large, annotated datasets with fixed data distributions and offline epoch-based training, which makes …

Protein Consumption And Risk Of Cvd Among Us Adults: The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis (Mesa), Ji Yun Tark, Ruosha Li, Bing Yu, Alexis C Wood, Nikhil S Padhye, Marcia C De Oliveira Otto

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Although some randomized trials have reported beneficial effects of protein intake on cardiometabolic risk factors, evidence from prospective studies have not supported a strong link between protein intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. It is also unclear whether diversity in protein intake plays a role in CVD risk.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated prospective associations of (1) protein intake, overall and by food source and (2) diversity of protein sources with risk of CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke.

METHODS: In a multi-ethnic cohort of 5879 U.S. adults (45-84 years), who were free of CVD at baseline, protein intake was …