Neurosciences Commons^™

Investigating Potential Therapeutic Vulnerabilities And Elucidating Molecular Mechanisms For The Tumor Suppressors Nfkbia And Anxa7 In Diffuse Gliomas, Aran Merati

All ETDs from UAB

Gliomas, and especially diffuse gliomas, can be a devastating disease when attempting treatment in the clinic. Diffuse gliomas are typically malignant and pose definitive problems with respect to patient care predominantly due to their ability to exist outside of the bulk tumor by invading into the surrounding brain parenchyma. Consequently, not every cancerous cell can be fully removed by surgical resection and therapeutic resistance, so the stem-like population left behind can repopulate a recurrent tumor from a single cell. There is a desperate need for pinpointing novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in diffuse gliomas, which could potentially involve the targeting of key …

Maternal Immune Activation Causes Oligodendrocyte Deficits In The Hypothalamus, Kate Miller

All ETDs from UAB

Maternal immune activation (MIA) refers to the occurrence of an inflammatory immune response during any stage of pregnancy. This manifests as the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and can be caused by air pollution, obesity, or viral infection. When this occurs during the first trimester in humans, it increases the offspring’s susceptibility to developing neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism (ASD) and schizophrenia (SZ), in males more commonly than females. In addition to behavioral manifestations of neuropsychiatric disorders, metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common comorbidity, defined as the co-occurrence of three or more symptoms including but not limited to hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and …

Parsing Clinical And Neurobiological Heterogeneity In First-Episode Psychosis Patients With And Without Features Of The Deficit Syndrome Of Schizophrenia, Matheus Teles Gomes De Araujo

All ETDs from UAB

Schizophrenia is highly heterogeneous in its neurobiological and clinical presentations, which hinders attempts to understand its pathophysiology, limits efforts to identify biomarkers, and deters optimal patient care. A way to parse clinical heterogeneity is to subtype patients based on clinical presentations. The deficit syndrome (DS) is a possible subtype, characterized by primary and enduring negative symptoms. Evidence for neurobiological abnormalities dissociating DS from other forms of schizophrenia is inconsistent as most studies do not account for heterogeneity within patient groups due to limitations of group-level comparisons. The question remains whether DS presents a unique and less heterogeneous neurobiological phenotype. The …

Weighted Family History Density Of Substance Use: Influence On Participant Substance Use Onset, Escalation, And Duration, Carleigh A. Litteral

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Substance use disorders impose a staggering toll on the United States (U.S.), straining healthcare systems, destabilizing communities, and profoundly impacting both individuals and families. Approximately one in six Americans aged 12 and older had a past-year substance use disorder in 2022 (Key Substance Use, 2022), and nearly one-third of adults experience a substance use disorder in their lifetime (Wu, 2010), contributing to an economic burden exceeding $400 billion annually (National Drug Threat Assessment, 2011). Family history of substance use disorders is a key predictor of vulnerability, with individuals who have affected relatives being 2–8 times more …

The Bacterial Sensing Nuclear-Oligomerization Domain 2 Receptor In The Brain: Location And Potential Function, Julia Smyth

Dissertations

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-2 (NOD2) is a cytosolic receptor, activated by bacterial peptides that initiates innate immune responses through nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Caspase-1 pathways. While the role of NOD2 in inflammation outside the central nervous system (CNS) is well-established, especially in the gastrointestinal system, its expression and function in the brain remain poorly defined. Previous genetic studies suggest a link between NOD2 and neurological and psychiatric conditions, including stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia. However, information regarding NOD2 expression, localization, and function in the CNS is limited. In this work, we investigated NOD2 expression, localization, and regulation …

Re-Stenting Following Recurrence After Successful Venous Sinus Stenosis Stenting For Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, Salvatore A D'Amato, Juan Carlos Martinez Gutierrez, Hussein A Zeineddine, Eric Claude Mohan, Tien Nguyen, Cybele Woon, Rosa Tang, Peng Roc Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: In medically refractory idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), venous sinus stenosis (VSS) stenting has been an effective treatment modality. Among patients who experience recurrent symptoms and develop new stenosis, the optimal treatment strategy is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of rescue re-stenting in patients with recurrence after prior successful stenting.

Methods: This was a single center, retrospective review from a prospectively maintained IIH registry. Between 2012 and 2023, patients who underwent interventions for confirmed IIH and angiographically demonstrable VSS were included. The cohort was divided into those who underwent a single stenting procedure (single …

Synthesis And Design Of Clpp Activators As Novel Antibiotics, Schyler Odum

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Purpose. Design and synthesize novel compounds to treat Staphylococcus aureus infections by targeting the dysregulation of the Casein Protease P, ClpP. Methods. Utilize established chemical methods to synthesize ureadepsipeptides, small-molecule ClpP activators, and ureadepsipeptide hybrids. Assess their effectiveness by using minimum inhibitory concentration assays and in vitro biochemical assays for ClpP activation. Explore their potential as antibiotics through mitochondrial toxicity tests, glucose/galactose assays, and biophysical measurements related to metabolism and clearance, including thermal shift and surface plasmon resonance assays. Results. Synthesized and tested 33 novel compounds, comprising a total of 80 synthetic steps. Conclusion. The three-part conclusion from the dissertation …

Effects Of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation On Impulse Control Disorders In Patients With Parkinson’S Disease On Dopamine Replacement Therapy, Katherine Muksuris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that causes motor deficits, cognitive impairment, and depression. The mainstay treatment for motor symptoms is dopamine replacement therapy (DRT). DRT takes the form of levodopa or dopamine receptor agonists (DAs) and can be associated with impulse control disorders (ICDs). Currently, the approach to mitigating these side effects is to decrease or stop DRT, which may cause motor symptoms to return, making the management of the disorder more difficult. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation treatment for multiple disorders, including its approved use for smoking cessation. It has also shown …

Sex Differences In Inter-Temporal Decision Making And Cortical Thickness Of The Orbitofrontal And Insula In Young Adult Cannabis Users: Evidence From 1111 Subjects, Alan N. Francis, Joan A. Camprodon, Francesca Filbey

School of Medicine Publications

To test for sex differences in the impact of cannabis use on decision-making and brain correlates, we employed cortical thickness (CT) analysis of brain regions involved in intertemporal decision-making namely bilateral orbitofrontal cortex(OFC) and insula in young adult nondependent cannabis-users(CU) and non-users(NU) and their scores on delay discounting task. Neuroimaging analyzes of previously collected data were performed on 608CU and 503NU. CT analysis was performed on MRI images. OFC and insula thickness, scores on the delay discounting test were compared between groups and correlated. Controlling alcohol-use and intra-cranial-volume, CU exhibited sex differences in CT. The bilateral insula was significantly thinner …

Blood Biomarker Profiles In Young-Onset Neurocognitive Disorders: A Cohort Study, Oneil G. Bhalala, Jessica Beamish, Dhamidhu Eratne, Patrick Summerell, Tenielle Porter, Simon M. Laws, Matthew J.Y. Kang, Aamira J. Huq, Wei Hsuan Chiu, Claire Cadwallader, Mark Walterfang, Sarah Farrand, Andrew H. Evans, Wendy Kelso, Leonid Churilov, Rosie Watson, Nawaf Yassi, Dennis Velakoulis, Samantha M. Loi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Young-onset neurocognitive symptoms result from a heterogeneous group of neurological and psychiatric disorders which present a diagnostic challenge. To identify such factors, we analysed the Biomarkers in Younger-Onset Neurocognitive Disorders cohort, a study of individuals < 65 years old presenting with neurocognitive symptoms for a diagnosis and who have undergone cognitive and biomarker analyses. Methods: Sixty-five participants (median age at assessment of 56 years, 45% female) were recruited during their index presentation to the Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuropsychiatry Centre, a tertiary specialist service in Melbourne, Australia, and categorized as either early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (n = 18), non-Alzheimer’s disease neurodegeneration (n = 23) or primary psychiatric disorders (n = 24). Levels of neurofilament light chain, glial fibrillary acidic protein …

Effects Of Perinatal Exposure To Lipopolysaccharide And Acetaminophen On Learning In Adult Long-Evans Rats, Lucy A. Sivils

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigated the individual and combined effects of elevated perinatal inflammation, oxidative stress caused by acetaminophen (APAP) exposure, or elevated inflammation and oxidative stress on adult learning behaviors in Long-Evans rats. While prior studies have examined these factors independently, the combined effects of inflammation and oxidative stress via APAP exposure during early development on learning-related behaviors remain unexplored. The present research aimed to address this gap by the analysis of potential long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and APAP-induced oxidative stress. LPS, APAP, or LPS + APAP was administered during the perinatal period: postnatal days (PD) 9, …

Circulating Medium- And Long-Chain Acylcarnitines Are Associated With Plasma P-Tau181 In Cognitively Normal Older Adults, Tahmida Sharmin, Pratishtha Chatterjee, James D. Doecke, Nicholas J. Ashton, Kevin Huynh, Steve Pedrini, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Benjamin Heng, Shaun Eslick, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Manohar Garg, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis involves dysregulation in diverse biochemical processes. Nevertheless, plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau181), a recognised AD biomarker, has been described to reflect early-stage cortical amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in cognitively normal (CN) adults. Therefore, identifying changes in plasma metabolites associated with plasma P-tau181 at the pre-clinical stage may provide insights into underlying biochemical mechanisms to better understand initial AD pathogenesis. In the current study, plasma P-tau181, quantified via single molecule array (Simoa) technology, and plasma metabolites, quantified via targeted-mass spectrometry, were investigated for associations in CN older adults and upon stratification by positron emission tomography (PET)-Aβ …

Comparative Analysis Of Aav Serotypes For Transduction Of Olfactory Sensory Neurons, Benjamin D W Belfort, Johnathan D Jia, Alexandra R Garza, Anthony M Insalaco, J P Mcginnis, Brandon T Pekarek, Joshua Ortiz-Guzman, Burak Tepe, Hu Chen, Ascent-Pd Investigators, Zhandong Liu, Benjamin R Arenkiel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Olfactory sensory neurons within the nasal epithelium detect volatile odorants and relay odor information to the central nervous system. Unlike other sensory inputs, olfactory sensory neurons interface with the external environment and project their axons directly into the central nervous system. The use of adeno-associated viruses to target these neurons has garnered interest for applications in gene therapy, probing olfactory sensory neuron biology, and modeling disease. To date, there is no consensus on the optimal AAV serotype for efficient and selective transduction of olfactory sensory neurons

Dual Inhibitor Of Mdm2 And Nfat1 For Experimental Therapy Of Breast Cancer: In Vitro And In Vivo Anticancer Activities And Newly Discovered Effects On Cancer Metabolic Pathways, Wei Wang, Marlene Aguilar, Sayantap Datta, Abigail Alley, Meheret Tadesse, Xinshi Wang, Xia Gao, Ruiwen Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: The oncogene MDM2 has garnered attention not only for its role in cancer as a negative regulator of the tumor suppressor p53 but also for its p53-independent oncogenic activities. MDM2 also involves metabolic reprogramming, such as serine metabolism, respiration, mitochondrial functions, the folate cycle, and redox balance. Traditional MDM2 inhibitors blocking the protein-protein binding between MDM2 and p53 have shown limited clinical success in various stages of clinical trials, most likely due to low efficacy, drug toxicity, and drug resistance, highlighting the need for a novel, p53-independent strategy to inhibit MDM2. The present study investigated the antitumor effects of …

Real-World Experiences With Vmat2 Inhibitors In Pediatric Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders, Sujal Manohar, Jennifer Jacobe, Rebecca Berger, Joseph Jankovic, Mariam Hull

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors are often prescribed for the treatment of hyperkinetic movement disorders such as tics, stereotypy, tardive dyskinesia and chorea. These dopamine depleters have been FDA approved in adults for the treatment of chorea in Huntington's disease and tardive dyskinesia. Use of VMAT2 inhibitors in pediatric hyperkinetic movement disorders, however, is limited due to lack of pediatric FDA approval. We review the real-world prescribing practices and patient experiences with VMAT2 inhibitors in children.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients treated with VMAT2 inhibitors at a pediatric movement disorders clinic from 2011 to …

Improving Interprofessional Neurology Training Using Tele-Education, Fariha Jamal, Amtul Farheen, Christine Rizk

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Neurological disorders are a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Their burden on the health care system has substantially increased in the past 25 years, due to more effective treatments and longer life expectancies. The Veterans Health Administration has seen increases in neurology referrals and patients with neurologic disorders.

Observations: Collaborative efforts among primary care, geriatrics, neurology, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, social work, and other disciplines are needed to properly care for veterans with neurologic disorders. Neurology education is an important tool for clinicians to better care for veterans with neurologic disorders. The use of technology and …

Predictive Equation Derived From 6,497 Doubly Labelled Water Measurements Enables The Detection Of Erroneous Self-Reported Energy Intake, Rania Bajunaid, Chaoqun Niu, Catherine Hambly, Zongfang Liu, Yosuke Yamada, Heliodoro Aleman-Mateo, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issad Baddou, Linda Bandini, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Carlijn V C Bouten, Soren Brage, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G J A Camps, Regina Casper, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Peter S W Davies, Prasangi Dabare, Lara R Dugas, Simon Eaton, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Melanie Gillingham, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Hinke H Haisma, Daniel Hoffman, Marije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Rebecca Kuriyan, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, Pulani Lanerolle, Christel L Larsson, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Marie Löf, Corby K Martin, Eric Matsiko, Anine C Medin, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Aviva Must, Marian L Neuhouser, Theresa A Nicklas, Christine D Nyström, Robert M Ojiambo, Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L Prentice, Susan B Racette, David A Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, Leanne M Redman, John J Reilly, Rebecca Reynolds, Susan B Roberts, Dulani Samaranayakem, Luis B Sardinha, Analiza M Silva, Anders M Sjödin, Marina Stamatiou, Eric Stice, Samuel S Urlacher, Ludo M Van Etten, Edgar G A H Van Mil, George Wilson, Jack A Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J Murphy-Alford, Srishti Sinha, Cornelia U Loechl, Amy H Luke, Herman Pontzer, Jennifer Rood, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Dale A Schoeller, Klaas R Westerterp, William W Wong, John R Speakman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Nutritional epidemiology aims to link dietary exposures to chronic disease, but the instruments for evaluating dietary intake are inaccurate. One way to identify unreliable data and the sources of errors is to compare estimated intakes with the total energy expenditure (TEE). In this study, we used the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water Database to derive a predictive equation for TEE using 6,497 measures of TEE in individuals aged 4 to 96 years. The resultant regression equation predicts expected TEE from easily acquired variables, such as body weight, age and sex, with 95% predictive limits that can be used …

Technical Considerations In The Tcd Evaluation Of Cerebral Circulatory Arrest In Death By Neurological Criteria, Alexandra S Reynolds, Jimmy Suh, Ahmedyar Hasan, Parth Upadhyaya, Venkatakrishna Rajajee, Mohammad I Hirzallah, David M Greer, Aarti Sarwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: Ancillary testing is essential for diagnosing brain death/death by neurologic criteria (BD/DNC) when clinical determination (neurologic exam and apnea testing) cannot be fully or safely performed. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) has been recommended as an ancillary test; however, the technical descriptions have been heterogeneous. We aimed to consolidate the technical considerations related to the use of TCD as an ancillary test in the evaluation of BD/DNC.

Methods: We performed a scoping review of the available literature from inception to December 2024. Articles describing TCD as an ancillary test for BD/DNC were included using appropriate Medical Subject Headings …

Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter: Which Axis Should Be Measured?, Jakob Pansell, Tina Thomsson, Emelie Eng, Andreas Wallin, Mohammad Hirzallah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measured by point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a commonly used non-invasive estimate of intracranial pressure (ICP). However, methodological variations limit standardization of this promising technique. Different imaging axes are identified as one such source of ONSD POCUS methodological variation. This study aimed to evaluate the agreement and diagnostic accuracy for elevated ICP between transverse and sagittal ONSD measurements.

Methods: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of 213 intensive care patients from three prior studies. ONSD was measured in both transverse and sagittal planes, externally (ONSDext) and internally (ONSDint) of the dura mater. Agreement was …

Purely Cystic Intraosseous Meningioma Of The Skull: A Radiologic Conundrum And Histologic Challenge, Diego Rojas, Arman Kavoussi, Ashley Rose Ricciardelli, Alex Flores, Sricharan Gopakumar, Luis Carrete, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Alex W Brenner, Akash J Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Intraosseous meningiomas and cystic meningiomas are two rare subtypes of meningiomas. Meningiomas can develop with characteristics encompassing both cystic and intraosseous, termed intraosseous cystic meningiomas, that pose a diagnostic challenge.

Case description: We report the case of a 41-year-old woman with a history of hearing loss presented with a left frontal mass that had been present for 12 years. Her history of hearing loss was in the setting of ear infections bilaterally since she was a teenager and was being evaluated by ear, nose, and throat specialists at the time. Initial cranial computed tomography (CT) identified a skull lesion …

Fractalkine Inhibition Improves Survival And Reduces Tumor Immune Cell Infiltration In Orthotopic Murine Glioma Models, Eric A Goethe, Malcolm Mcdonald, Ashley Puentes, Karina Moreno, Yuhui Yang, Khatri Latha, Ganesh Rao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Opsoclonus In Alternating Hemiplegia Of Childhood Secondary To Atp1a3 Pgly803arg, Alyssa D Runco, Jesse M Levine, Cristina Trandafir, Rod Foroozan, Mered Parnes, Daniel G Calame

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Isolated Calvarial Lesion As The Initial Presentation Of Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Jeffrey Wu Chen, Nisha Giridharan, Arman A Kavoussi, Dawn Van Arsdale, Shervin Hosseingholi Nouri, Vijay Nitturi, Trevor Trudeau, Jacob J Mandel, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Akash J Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) contributes significantly to global cancer-related mortality, often because patients present at advanced stages of the disease. HCC commonly metastasizes to the lung, abdominal lymph nodes, and bone. However, even among bony metastases, calvarial lesions are exceptionally rare, especially in the initial presentation.

Case description: We describe a unique case of a 65-year-old African American woman who presented with a rapidly growing skull lesion as her first clinical sign of metastatic HCC. Imaging revealed an extensive soft-tissue mass involving the left calvaria and partially obstructing the superior sagittal sinus. We suspected that the lesion was a meningioma …

A Model To Address Healthcare Gaps And Poor Research Participation In Hispanic Patients With Parkinson’S Disease, M Felice Ghilardi, Alessandro Di Rocco, Jennifer Fearday, Donna Sperlakis, Maria Lima, Nora Vanegas-Arroyave, Elisa Tatti, Marcelo Arroyave, Evelyn Stevens, Denise Hernandez, Paulina Latapi-Gonzalez, Meri-Margaret Deoudes, Christiana Evers

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Parkinson's disease (PD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, manifests with motor and non-motor symptoms. Despite similar incidence, in the US, disease management of Hispanic patients with PD is poorer than that of White non-Hispanics, and their participation in clinical trials does not reflect expected values (well below 5% vs. expected values around 20%). Together with other evidence, these observations are expressions of poor healthcare in Hispanic patients with PD, suggesting underutilization of proper healthcare, social and economic disadvantage, and other factors. The scant participation of Hispanic patients in clinical trials further exacerbates care inadequacy. In this paper, after reviewing evidence of …

Validation Of The Polish Version Of The Movement Disorder Society Non-Motor Rating Scale (Mds-Nms), Joanna Siuda, Mateusz Toś, Tomasz Chmiela, Andrzej Bogucki, Barbara Borodziuk, Sławomir Budrewicz, Marek Dąbrowski, Marceli Gacan, Agata Gajos, Justyna Gawryluk, Piotr Janik, Justyna Kaczyńska, Ewa Koziorowska-Gawron, Jakub Malkiewicz, Ewa Papuć, Paulina Kaczmarska, Monika Rudzińska-Bar, Jarosław Sławek, Magdalena Wójcik-Pędziwiatr, Luowen Yu, Sheng Luo, Christopher Goetz, Glenn Stebbins, Pablo Martinez-Martin, Tiago Mestre, Alvaro Sanchez-Ferro, Monika Kurtis, Michelle Hyczy De Siqueira Tosin, Roberta Balestrino, Chi-Ying Roy Lin, Carmen Gasca-Salas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aim of the study: We aimed to translate and validate the Polish version of the MDS-NMS and compare it with the original English version.

Clinical rationale for the study: Non-motor symptoms (NMS) affect a significant portion of the Parkinson's disease (PD) patient population and may negatively impact their quality of life. Non-motor symptoms may contribute to an increased sense of illness among patients and to a greater burden upon their caregivers. It is therefore advisable to develop a Polish validation of a reference scale for diagnosing and assessing the severity of NMS.

Material and methods: The MDS-NMS was translated into …

Pregnancy In Dystonia Or Tourette's Patients With Dbs Fourteen News Cases And A Review Of The Literature, Raja Mehanna, Arjun Tarakad, Lisa Yutong Taneff, Erin Furr Stimming

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has been demonstrated to improve quality of life in patients with refractory dystonia and Tourette's syndrome (TS). Because of the young age at onset of these disorders, and the marked benefit from DBS, pregnancy in patients who have received DBS is becoming a more frequent clinical occurrence, although clear management guidelines are lacking.

Cases: We report 14 new pregnancies in patients with dystonia or TS and DBS.

Literature review: Upon review of the literature, 23 pregnancies in patients with dystonia or TS were previously reported in seven articles.

Conclusion: Based on the available data from …

Early Cerebrospinal Fluid Elevations Of Ptau-217 In Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Subjects, Hamad Yadikar, Firas H Kobeissy, Claudia Robertson, Spyridoula Tsetsou, John B Williamson, Damon G Lamb, Amy K Wagner, Todd Kibaugh, Shih-Han Kao, Zhifeng Kou, Robert D Welch, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Luis Leon-Novelo, Richard Rubenstein, Kevin K W Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), feature abnormal accumulations of hyperphosphorylated Tau protein; however, their biomarker potential in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not well-defined. This study investigated whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) phosphorylated Tau at threonine-217 (pTau-217) could serve as an early biomarker for severe TBI (sTBI).

Methods: CSF samples from 26 sTBI patients, collected between 6 and 240 h post-injury, and 19 healthy controls were analyzed using an optimized direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; sensitivity < 4.7 pg/mL) for pTau-217 detection, complemented by Western blot validation. Temporal analysis, ROC curves, and trajectory clustering were used for interpretation.

Results: CSF pTau-217 levels were significantly elevated in sTBI patients at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 h post-injury compared to controls (p …

Inferred Developmental Origins Of Brain Tumors From Single-Cell Rna-Sequencing Data, Su Wang, Rachel Naomi Curry, Malcolm F Mcdonald, Hyun Yong Koh, Anders W Erickson, Claudia L Kleinman, Michael D Taylor, Ganesh Rao, Benjamin Deneen, Arif O Harmanci, Akdes Serin Harmanci

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The reactivation of neurodevelopmental programs in cancer highlights parallel biological processes that occur in both normal development and brain tumors. Achieving a deeper understanding of how dysregulated developmental factors play a role in the progression of brain tumors is therefore crucial for identifying potential targets for therapeutic interventions. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq) provides an opportunity to understand how developmental programs are dysregulated and reinitiated in brain tumors at single-cell resolution. The aim of this study is to identify the developmental origins of brain tumors using scRNA-Seq data.

Methods: Here, we introduce COORS (Cell Of ORigin like CellS), a computational tool …

Vascularized Iliac Crest Bone Graft For The Reconstruction Of Anterior Vertebral Corpus Defects: A Literature Review And Cadaveric Feasibility Study, Jonathan L Jeger, Casey J Martinez, Maria Shvedova, Alec Simoni, Alanna Rebecca, Sebastian Winocour, Alexander E Ropper, Michael Bohl, William J Casey, Maziyar Kalani, Edward M Reece

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Vertebral body defects pose a significant challenge in spinal reconstructive surgery. Compression fractures of the vertebral corpus are typically treated with vertebral augmentation procedures. There are significant risks associated with the introduction of foreign material in the spine, including infection and pseudarthrosis. Vascularized bone grafts (VBGs) have become a popular alternative for spinal reconstruction in the last decade thanks to their robust blood supply and autologous nature. VBGs have been described predominantly for the reconstruction of posterior vertebral defects. The objective of this study is to describe a novel procedure for the reconstruction of vertebral corpus defects in the …

Aerodigestive Sequelae And Triple Endoscopy After Congenital Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair In Children, Whitney Jin, Eric H Chiou, Shailendra Das, Kathleen E Hosek, Elton M Lambert

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Children post-tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) repair may present with chronic respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms that can affect quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with positive findings on triple endoscopy following neonatal TEF repair.

STUDY DESIGN: Case series with retrospective review of patients.

SETTING: Tertiary care center aerodigestive program.

METHODS: Children with neonatally repaired congenital TEF who had a triple endoscopy between 2011 and 2022 were reviewed. The presence of chronic cough, recurrent pulmonary infections, lipid-laden macrophages (LLM), and airway and esophageal anomalies were among the variables analyzed. Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis univariate analysis was performed.

RESULTS: The mean age was …