Medical Specialties Commons^™

Small Molecule Screening Identifies Hsp90 As A Modifier Of Rna Foci In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, Sara J Johnson, Hannah L Johnson, Reid T Powell, Clifford Stephan, Fabio Stossi, Thomas A Cooper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic disorder caused by a CTG triplet repeat expansion within the 3' untranslated region of the DMPK gene. Expression of the expanded allele generates RNA containing long tracts of CUG repeats (CUGexp RNA) that form hairpin structures and accumulate in nuclear RNA foci; however, the factors that control DMPK expression and the formation of CUGexp RNA foci remain largely unknown. We performed an unbiased small molecule screen in an immortalized human DM1 skeletal muscle myoblast cell line and identified HSP90 as a modifier of endogenous RNA foci. Small molecule inhibition of HSP90 leads …

Design And Rationale Of Myoflame-19 Randomised Controlled Trial: Myocardial Protection To Reduce Post-Covid Inflammatory Heart Disease Using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Endpoints, Valentina O Puntmann, Dietrich Beitzke, Andreas Kammerlander, Inga Voges, Dominik D Gabbert, Marcus Doerr, Bishwas Chamling, Biykem Bozkurt, Juan Carlos Kaski, Erica Spatz, Eva Herrmann, Gernot Rohde, Philipp Deleuw, Lenka Taylor, Christine Windemuth-Kieselbach, Cornelia Harz, Marta Santiuste, Laura Schoeckel, Juliana Hirayama, Peter C Taylor, Colin Berry, Eike Nagel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Cardiac symptoms due to postacute inflammatory cardiac involvement affect a broad segment of previously well people with only mild acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness and without overt structural heart disease. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can identify the underlying subclinical disease process, which is associated with chronic cardiac symptoms. Specific therapy directed at reducing postacute cardiac inflammatory involvement before development of myocardial injury and impairment is missing.

Methods: Prospective multicenter randomized placebo-controlled study of myocardial protection therapy (combined immunosuppressive/antiremodeling) of low-dose prednisolone and losartan. Consecutive symptomatic individuals with a prior COVID-19 infection, no pre-existing significant comorbidities or structural …

Prevalence Of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency In Patients With Chronic Diarrhea, Tara Keihanian, Suneal Agarwal, Nabil Mansour, Michael Mercado, Hashem B El-Serag, Mohamed O Othman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is an underdiagnosed entity among patients with new-onset chronic diarrhea (CD). The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of EPI in patients with CD.

Materials and methods: Patients with new-onset CD (≥4 weeks) from 2018 to 2021 were enrolled in this single-center prospective study. If stool fecal elastase (FE) was < 200 μg/g, patients were offered a confirmatory 72-hour fecal fat test.

Results: FE testing was completed by 97 patients, of which 9 had low FE (9.3%). Average weight was significantly higher in patients with low FE (98.5 ± 29.3 kg vs 82.2 ± 22.2 kg; P = 0.045). There was no significant difference …

Emerging Pharmacological Strategies In Lipoprotein(A) Reduction, Taha Mansoor, Mahmoud Ismayl, Sachin Parikh, Vijay Nambi, Salim S Virani, Anurag Mehta, Xiaoming Jia, Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is an low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-like particle whose elevation is considered a causal risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and calcific aortic valve stenosis. Currently, there are no published clinical trials showing whether Lp(a) lowering in conjunction with optimal LDL cholesterol control reduces ASCVD risk.

Methods: Clinicaltrials.gov, an online database for clinical research studies, was used to identify ongoing clinical trials studying targeted Lp(a) lowering pharmacotherapy as of May 2025. Twelve clinical studies met the criteria and were included in this summary.

Results: The three large, multicenter phase 3 outcome trials evaluating clinical cardiovascular disease endpoints of …

Antithymocyte Globulin Therapy In Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction, Akhilesh Ajay Padhye, Danielle Guffey, Andres Leon-Pena, Justin Segraves, Ramiro Fernandez, Gabriel Loor, Puneet Garcha, Tianshi David Wu, Gloria Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Lung transplantation has seen strides in survival over the past few decades, though long-term survival remains poor. Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is a leading cause of graft failure and mortality beyond the first year. Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) is commonly used for treating refractory CLAD, though its efficacy remains uncertain.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the impact of ATG on lung function decline and mortality among lung transplant recipients diagnosed with CLAD, defined as a persistent >20% decline in forced expiratory volume (FEV1) from baseline. Patients treated with ATG were compared to those who did not receive ATG, using …

Telemedicine For Under-Resourced Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Views And Experiences Of Patients And Their Healthcare Team, Savannah Bowman, Sandeep K Agarwal, Keshia C Ferguson, Maryjo J Maliekel, Maria A Lopez-Olivo, Maria E Suarez-Almazor, Maria I Danila, Jinoos Yazdany, Sebastian Bruera

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: There is scarce knowledge on the benefits, limitations, and acceptance of telemedicine in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly in those from under-resourced groups. We aimed to assess the experiences and views on telemedicine of people with SLE, clinicians, and nursing staff from a safety net healthcare system in Harris County, Texas, defined as a hospital network that primarily serves low-income, uninsured, and vulnerable populations.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured 1:1 in-person interviews of patients with SLE and their clinical team members, in Harris County, Texas. Using Levesque's conceptual framework for healthcare access, semi-structured interviews and content analysis were …

Baroreflex Function In Cardiovascular Disease, Husam M Salah, Richa Gupta, Albert J Hicks, Kiran Mahmood, Nicholas A Haglund, Amarinder S Bindra, Steve M Antoine, Rachel Garcia, Amin Yehya, Dmitry M Yaranov, Pujan P Patel, Jason P Feliberti, Allman T Rollins, Vishal N Rao, Laurie Letarte, Vikram Raje, Amit H Alam, Patrick Mccann, Nirav Y Raval, Brian Howard, Marat Fudim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The baroreflex system is involved in modulating several physiological functions of the cardiovascular system and can modulate cardiac output, blood pressure, and cardiac electrophysiology directly and indirectly. In addition, it is involved in regulating neurohormonal pathways involved in the cardiovascular function, such as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and vasopressin release. Baroreflex dysfunction is characterized by sympathetic overactivation and parasympathetic withdrawal and is associated with several cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Targeting the baroreflex system via invasive (eg, baroreflex activation therapy and endovascular baroreceptor amplification) and noninvasive approaches (eg, slow breathing exercises and exercise training) has …

Outcomes Of Coronary Revascularization In Patients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: A Systematic Review, Jacob J Gries, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Zhen Wang, Mahboob Alam, Samin Sharma, Markus Strauss, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: A growing amount of evidence suggests that metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) may independently increase the risk of coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome, thus necessitating revascularization interventions such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) [2,3]. However, a limited number of studies have evaluated the impact of MASLD on the outcomes of these interventions.

Methods: A comprehensive search of the PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases was conducted to identify relevant studies from August 2015 to August 2025 using a combination of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and text words related to MASLD and …

Healthcare Utilization Unchanged In The Control Arm Of A Randomized Clinical Trial, Pratik Gongloor, Saad Nadeem, Xiaoying Yu, Mukaila Raji, Kristina D Mena, Elizabeth M Vaughan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

including among control groups. Increased access to care and heightened health awareness during trial enrollment could lead to altered behaviors, a phenomenon known as the Hawthorne effect, which may obscure true intervention impacts; however, this effect remains poorly studied in low-income environments.

Aim: To conduct a secondary exploratory analysis of healthcare utilization among control participants of a randomized clinical trial (RCT).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed electronic medical records from the control arm (n = 26) of an RCT involving low-income Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes receiving care at a community clinic. Before randomization to a 12-month diabetes education intervention …

Strategies For The Secondary Prevention Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Madelyn Hurwitz, Olayinka J Agboola, Abhishek Gami, Marlene S Williams, Salim S Virani, Garima V Sharma, Jaideep Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), such as those with a history of MI or stroke, are at high risk for morbidity and mortality associated with future cardiovascular events. Ideal management of these patients requires a multifactorial strategy for risk factor mitigation and prevention of additional cardiovascular events. Traditional management of secondary prevention patients involves lipid-lowering with statins, blood pressure control, and anti-platelet treatment. Several additional targets have been identified to optimize the secondary prevention of ASCVD, such as further lipid control, inflammation management, lifestyle and weight optimization, strict diabetes control, use of β-blockers, use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors, vaccinations, …

Causes Of Death Across Different Locations In The United States, 2015 To 2022, Taha Mansoor, Daniyal Shahid, Kartik Gupta, Dmitry Abramov, Salim S Virani, Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the leading underlying causes of death across different locations in the USA from 2015 to 2022.

Methods: Data on the leading underlying causes of death in each location of death-including medical outpatient facility or emergency room, medical inpatient facility, medical facility/dead on arrival, decedent's home, hospice facility, and nursing home/long-term care-within the USA in individuals ≥18 years were extracted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database.

Results: There were 22,236,700 deaths in our studied locations during the study period. Most deaths …

Global Consensus On Optimal Exercise Recommendations For Enhancing Healthy Longevity In Older Adults (Icsfr), Mikel Izquierdo, Philipe De Souto Barreto, Hidenori Arai, Heike A Bischoff-Ferrari, Eduardo L Cadore, Matteo Cesari, Liang-Kung Chen, Paul M Coen, Kerry S Courneya, Gustavo Duque, Luigi Ferrucci, Roger A Fielding, Antonio García-Hermoso, Luis Miguel Gutiérrez-Robledo, Stephen D R Harridge, Ben Kirk, Stephen Kritchevsky, Francesco Landi, Norman Lazarus, Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Emanuele Marzetti, Reshma A Merchant, John E Morley, Kaisu H Pitkälä, Robinson Ramírez-Vélez, Leocadio Rodriguez-Mañas, Yves Rolland, Jorge G Ruiz, Mikel L Sáez De Asteasu, Dennis T Villareal, Debra L Waters, Chang Won Won, Bruno Vellas, Maria A Fiatarone Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aging, a universal and inevitable process, is characterized by a progressive accumulation of physiological alterations and functional decline over time, leading to increased vulnerability to diseases and ultimately mortality as age advances. Lifestyle factors, notably physical activity (PA) and exercise, significantly modulate aging phenotypes. Physical activity and exercise can prevent or ameliorate lifestyle-related diseases, extend health span, enhance physical function, and reduce the burden of non-communicable chronic diseases including cardiometabolic disease, cancer, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, and chronic respiratory diseases as well as premature mortality. Physical activity influences the cellular and molecular drivers of biological aging, slowing aging rates-a foundational …

Circulating Tumor Hpv Dna, Antibodies To Hpv16 Early Proteins, And Oral Hpv16 Dna As Biomarkers For Hpv-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer Screening, Kristina R Dahlstrom, Andrew T Day, Victor M Alvarez, Samantha R Chirinos, Giselle Santillana, Ming Guo, Karen S Anderson, Erich M Sturgis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Oropharyngeal cancer rates continue to rise with no effective screening method. Persistent oral oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV), antibodies to HPV16 early (E) oncoproteins, and circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) are biomarkers that show promise for use in HPV-related cancer screening.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of biomarkers for HPV-related cancer and their agreement in middle-aged men.

Methods: Men aged 50–64 years from the general population provided oral rinse and blood samples as well as information about demographics, tobacco/alcohol exposure, sexual behavior, and HPV-related disease history. Oral rinse was tested for HPV16 DNA and plasma was tested for HPV16 E …

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.

The Scent Of Stimulation: Anterior Commissure Mediates Olfactory Phenomena Induced By Dbs Of The Ventral Capsule/Ventral Striatum, Zain U Naqvi, Jonathan H Bentley, Sarah R Heilbronner, Kalman A Katlowitz, Danika L Paulo, Sofia E Sehgal, Nisha Giridharan, Raja Jani, Katherine E Kabotyanski, Tommy Liu, Kasra Mansourian, Ajay Gandhi, Corey St Romain, Shragvi Balaji, Mohammed Hasen, Garrett P Banks, Wayne K Goodman, Nicole R Provenza, Sameer A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Affective Bias Predicts Changes In Depression During Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy, Brian Cui, Madaline M Mocchi, Brian A Metzger, Prathik Kalva, John F Magnotti, Jess G Fiedorowicz, Allison Waters, Christopher K Kovach, Yvonne Y Reed, Raissa K Mathura, Camille Steger, Bailey Pascuzzi, Kourtney Kanja, Ashan Veerakumar, Vineet Tiruvadi, Andrea Crowell, Lydia Denison, Christopher J Rozell, Nader Pouratian, Wayne Goodman, Patricio Riva Posse, Helen S Mayberg, Kelly Rowe Bijanki

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment for refractory depression, utilizing surgically implanted electrodes to stimulate specific anatomical targets within the brain. However, limitations of patient-reported and clinician-administered mood assessments pose obstacles in evaluating DBS treatment efficacy. In this study, we investigated whether an affective bias task, which leverages the inherent negative interpretation bias seen in individuals with depression, could serve as a reliable measure of mood changes during DBS therapy in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Methods: Two cohorts of patients (n = 8, n = 2) undergoing DBS for treatment-resistant depression at different academic medical centers …

A Comparative Analysis Of Hysterectomy Outcomes: Robotic Single-Port Vs Traditional Transvaginal Notes Approaches, Qiannan Yang, Daniel Y Lovell, Juliana Wu, Chunhua Zhang, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the feasibility and safety of robotic single port vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (RSP-vNOTES) hysterectomy when compared with traditional vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (T-vNOTES) hysterectomy.

Methods: In this study, the clinical data of 135 patients who underwent RSP-vNOTES or T-vNOTES hysterectomy performed by a single minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon from January 2017 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, perioperative complications, and postoperative pain scores were collected and analyzed.

Results: A total of 79 patients underwent T-vNOTES hysterectomy and 56 patients underwent RSP-vNOTES hysterectomy. Compared to the T-vNOTES …

The Demodex Expert Panel On Treatment And Eyelid Health (Depth) Consensus Regarding The Preferred Treatment For Demodex Blepharitis, Eric Donnenfeld, Kelly K Nichols, Brandon D Ayres, Marjan Farid, Preeya K Gupta, Richard Lyndon Lindstrom, Stephen Pflugfelder, Christopher E Starr, Nandini Venkateswaran, Ian Benjamin Gaddie, Paul M Karpecki, Cecelia Koetting, Selina Mcgee, Laura M Periman, Elizabeth Yeu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To reach consensus on Demodex blepharitis (DB) treatment approaches using a modified Delphi process involving 15 ocular surface disease experts.

Methods: The Demodex Expert Panel on Treatment and Eyelid Health (DEPTH) consisted of 15 well-published ocular surface disease experts. Panelists completed two online surveys, a live consensus meeting, and a follow-up survey. The surveys consisted of scaled and multiple-choice questions related to the clinical and patient-reported outcomes of DB and its treatment. For the scaled questions using a 1 to 9 Likert scale, consensus was defined as weighted mean scores of 1-3 and 7-9, whereas for multiple-choice questions, consensus …

Htr1b Is Necessary For Normal Retinal Function In Mice, Solomon E Gibson, Xiaofeng Tao, Guofu Shen, Justin Ma, Yong H Park, Maria Polo-Prieto, Benjamin J Frankfort

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Serotonin (5-HT) is a neurotransmitter that is involved in retinal development, physiology, and vision, yet the specific contribution of individual 5-HT receptors to retinal function is poorly characterized. We identified 5-HT receptor 1B (Htr1b) as a potential key regulator of serotonergic signaling in the retina.

Methods: Htr1b localization was examined using RNAseq and in situ labeling. Retinal structure was assessed using histology and SD-OCT. Visual function was evaluated using optomotor behavioral experiments. Retinal function was characterized in vivo using electroretinography (ERG) and ex vivo using multielectrode array (MEA) recordings.

Results: Htr1b transcript and HTR1B protein localized primarily …

Intraocular Lens Power Calculation In Challenging Cases, Jack X Ma, Li Wang, Douglas D Koch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In this article, we reviewed recently published papers of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation in special eyes. In short eyes, accurate estimation of effective lens position is critical, and the ZEISS artificial intelligence IOL calculator produces the best outcomes. In long eyes, accuracy has been improved with axial length (AL) adjusted formulas such as the Wang-Koch AL adjustment and newer IOL formulas. In keratoconic eyes, hyperopic refractive outcomes increase with steeper keratometric values, and accuracy is poor in eyes with keratometric values ≥50.0 D. Two keratoconus-specific formulas (Barrett True K for keratoconus and Kane keratoconus) have been introduced. In eyes …

Genetic Newborn Screening For Retinoblastoma: A Belgian Initiative Baby Detect, Daniel A Rodriguez, Alex Song, Anshul Bhatnagar, Christina Y Weng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Baby Detect Project, started in September 2022, aimed to create a newborn screening test using targeted next-generation sequencing for all early-onset, treatable, and serious conditions. The elaborated gene panel covers 405 genes, associated with 165 genetic conditions, and includes RB1, linked to retinoblastoma, the only oncological disease tested for. Germline RB1 mutations concern around 50% of all retinoblastoma cases and 100% of the most severe, bilateral cases. Ninety percent of them occur de novo, which delays the diagnosis by about a year with subsequent loss of vision and sometimes the eye itself. Detecting children with germline RB1 mutation at …

Tools And Methods For Cataract Recognition In Low-Resource Settings: A Narrative Review, Paulina N Truong, Elizabeth A Merlinsky, Nicholas C Maamari, Christina Y Weng, Andrew G Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cataracts are a leading cause of global blindness, with many low-resource populations having poor access to eye care. While much is known regarding surgical access and outcomes, less is understood about the initial detection of operable cataracts in low-resource settings. We performed a comprehensive literature review on existing and emerging cataract screening methods in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The search keywords were "cataract detection, diagnosis, assessment, and evaluation in low- and middle- income countries". 1,825 articles were identified and 62 were selected for final inclusion comprising reviews, meta-analyses, and original research studies. Only 12 studies proposed new cataract screening …

Extrusion Rates And Postoperative Emergency Visits In Tied And Untied Bicanalicular Silicone Stents In Pediatric Lacrimal Surgery, Taimur Siddiqui, Sarah M Kamal, Katherine J Williams, Jiwei Sheng, Richard C Allen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: The purpose is to compare rates of stent extrusion and emergency visits in tied and untied Crawford stents for pediatric lacrimal surgery.

Methods: This retrospective chart review included 166 eyes of 129 patients from 2018 to 2022. Data collected included tied/untied status, premature prolapse, retention, and time of removal, number of postoperative visits, emergent visits before scheduled follow-up, final follow-up, and surgical success.

Results: Of 166 eyes, 97 received tied stents and 69 received untied stents. Success rates, defined by need for additional surgery and symptoms, were similar between groups. However, untied stents prolapsed more often (P < 0.05) but led to fewer total follow-up visits (P …