Medical Specialties Commons^™

Clostridium Septicum Aortitis With Synchronous Ascending Colon And Rectal Adenocarcinoma., Deepanshu Jain, Andrew C. Kistler, Patricia L. Kozuch

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Clostridium septicum (C. septicum) aortitis is a rare condition frequently associated with colon adenocarcinoma and carries a poor prognosis. We report the case of a 66-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain, blood in the stool, fever and chills. Laboratory tests were significant for leukocytosis and microcytic anemia. Abdominal imaging revealed a right colon mass and aortitis. Colonoscopy confirmed the right colon mass and also discovered a rectal mass, both adenocarcinomas. Treatment consisted of antibiotics, aortic repair, right hemi-colectomy and later trans-anal excision of the rectal mass. Blood cultures and the aortic specimen grew C. septicum. The patient improved and …

Effect Of A Poloxamer 407-Based Thermosensitive Gel On Minimization Of Thermal Injury To Diaphragm During Microwave Ablation Of The Liver., Li-Li Zhang, Gui-Min Xia, Yu-Jiang Liu, Rui Dou, John R. Eisenbrey, Ji-Bin Liu, Xiao-Wei Wang, Lin-Xue Qian

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

AIM: To assess the insulating effect of a poloxamer 407 (P407)-based gel during microwave ablation of liver adjacent to the diaphragm.

METHODS: We prepared serial dilutions of P407, and 22.5% (w/w) concentration was identified as suitable for ablation procedures. Subsequently, microwave ablations were performed on the livers of 24 rabbits (gel, saline, control groups, n = 8 in each). The P407 solution and 0.9% normal saline were injected into the potential space between the diaphragm and liver in experimental groups. No barriers were applied to the controls. After microwave ablations, the frequency, size and degree of thermal injury were compared …

Functional Studies Of Ccaat/Enhancer Binding Protein Site Located Downstream Of The Transcriptional Start Site., Yujie Liu, Michael R. Nonnemacher, Aikaterini Alexaki, Vanessa Pirrone, Anupam Banerjee, Luna Li, Evelyn Kilareski, Brian Wigdahl

Kimmel Cancer Center Papers, Presentations, and Grand Rounds

Previous studies have identified a CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) site located downstream of the transcriptional start site (DS3). The role of the DS3 element with respect to HIV-1 transactivation by Tat and viral replication has not been characterized. We have demonstrated that DS3 was a functional C/EBPβ binding site and mutation of this site to the C/EBP knockout DS3-9C variant showed lower HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) transactivation by C/EBPβ. However, it was able to exhibit similar or even higher transcription levels by Tat compared to the parental LTR. C/EBPβ and Tat together further enhanced the transcription level of the …

Total Parenteral Nutrition In Patients Following Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Lessons From 1184 Patients, Cullen Worsh, Talar Tatarian, Md, Pgy-4, Awinder Singh, Michael J. Pucci, Md, Jordan M Winter, Md, Charles J. Yeo, Md, Harish Lavu, Md

Department of Surgery Posters

Poster presented at Sigma XI Student Research Day at Thomas Jefferson University.

Background:

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) has historically been used conservatively in the management of patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

In this study, we evaluate the indications for and outcomes associated with TPN use in a high-volume pancreatic surgery center.

Advocacy Efforts In Trauma And Acute Care Surgery: Learning To Walk, Lewis J. Kaplan, Erik Barquist, Donald Jenkins, Orlando C. Kirton

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

No abstract provided.

Discordance In Investigator-Reported And Adjudicated Sudden Death In Tiospir., Robert A. Wise, Peter R. Kowey, George Austen, Achim Mueller, Norbert Metzdorf, Andy Fowler, Lorcan P Mcgarvey

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Accurate and consistent determination of cause of death is challenging in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. TIOSPIR (N=17 135) compared the safety and efficacy of tiotropium Respimat 5/2.5 µg with HandiHaler 18 µg in COPD patients. All-cause mortality was a primary end-point. A mortality adjudication committee (MAC) assessed all deaths. We aimed to investigate causes of discordance in investigator-reported and MAC-adjudicated causes of death and their impact on results, especially cardiac and sudden death. The MAC provided independent, blinded assessment of investigator-reported deaths (n=1302) and assigned underlying cause of death. Discordance between causes of death was assessed descriptively (shift …

Characterizing And Prognosticating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia In The Elderly: Prospective Evaluation On 455 Patients Treated In The United States., Chadi Nabhan, Anthony Mato, Christopher R. Flowers, David L. Grinblatt, Nicole Lamanna, Mark A. Weiss, Matthew S. Davids, Arlene S. Swern, Shriya Bhushan, Kristen Sullivan, E. Dawn Flick, Pavel Kiselev, Jeff P. Sharman

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Median age at diagnosis of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is > 70 years. However, the majority of clinical trials do not reflect the demographics of CLL patients treated in the community. We examined treatment patterns, outcomes, and disease-related mortality in patients ≥ 75 years with CLL (E-CLL) in a real-world setting.

METHODS: The Connect® CLL registry is a multicenter, prospective observational cohort study, which enrolled 1494 adult patients between 2010-2014, at 199 US sites. Patients with CLL were enrolled within 2 months of initiating first line of therapy (LOT1) or a subsequent LOT (LOT ≥ 2). Kaplan-Meier methods …

The Role Of Adenosine Signaling In Headache: A Review., Nathan T. Fried, Melanie B. Elliott, Michael L. Oshinsky

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Migraine is the third most prevalent disease on the planet, yet our understanding of its mechanisms and pathophysiology is surprisingly incomplete. Recent studies have built upon decades of evidence that adenosine, a purine nucleoside that can act as a neuromodulator, is involved in pain transmission and sensitization. Clinical evidence and rodent studies have suggested that adenosine signaling also plays a critical role in migraine headache. This is further supported by the widespread use of caffeine, an adenosine receptor antagonist, in several headache treatments. In this review, we highlight evidence that supports the involvement of adenosine signaling in different forms of …

Camp Signaling Enhances Hiv-1 Long Terminal Repeat (Ltr)-Directed Transcription And Viral Replication In Bone Marrow Progenitor Cells., Anupam Banerjee, Luna Li, Vanessa Pirrone, Fred C. Krebs, Brian Wigdahl, Michael R. Nonnemacher

Kimmel Cancer Center Papers, Presentations, and Grand Rounds

CD34⁺ hematopoietic progenitor cells have been shown to be susceptible to HIV-1 infection, possibly due to a low-level expression of CXCR4, a coreceptor for HIV-1 entry. Given these observations, we have explored the impact of forskolin on cell surface expression of CXCR4 in a cell line model (TF-1). The elevation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) by forskolin through adenylyl cyclase (AC) resulted in transcriptional upregulation of CXCR4 with a concomitant increase in replication of the CXCR4-utilizing HIV-1 strain IIIB. Transient expression analyses also demonstrated an increase in CXCR4-, CCR5-, and CXCR4-/CCR5-utilizing HIV-1 (LAI, YU2, and 89.6, respectively) promoter …

Zoledronic Acid Alters Hematopoiesis And Generates Breast Tumor-Suppressive Bone Marrow Cells., Jessalyn M. Ubellacker, Marie-Therese Haider, Molly J. Decristo, Gloria Allocca, Nicola J. Brown, Daniel P. Silver, Ingunn Holen, Sandra S. Mcallister

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The bone-targeting agent zoledronic acid (ZOL) increases breast cancer survival in subsets of patients, but the underlying reasons for this protective effect are unknown. ZOL modulates the activity of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, which form hematopoietic stem cell niches, and therefore may affect hematopoietic cells that play a role in breast cancer progression.

METHOD: Immunocompetent and immunocompromised strains of mice commonly used for breast cancer research were injected with a single, clinically relevant dose of ZOL (100 μg/kg) or vehicle control. The effects of ZOL on the bone marrow microenvironment (bone volume, bone cell number/activity, extracellular matrix composition) were established …

Co-Targeting Hgf/Cmet Signaling With Mek Inhibitors In Metastatic Uveal Melanoma., Hanyin Cheng, Vivian Chua, Connie Liao, Timothy J. Purwin, Mizue Terai, Ken Kageyama, Michael A. Davies, Takami Sato, Andrew E. Aplin

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Patients with metastatic uveal melanoma usually die within 1 year of diagnosis, emphasizing an urgent need to develop new treatment strategies. The liver is the most common site of metastasis. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors improve survival in V600 BRAF-mutated cutaneous melanoma patients but have limited efficacy in patients with uveal melanoma. Our previous work showed that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling elicits resistance to MEK inhibitors in metastatic uveal melanoma. In this study, we demonstrate that expression of two BH3-only family proteins, Bim-EL and Bmf, contributes to HGF-mediated resistance to MEK inhibitors. Targeting HGF/cMET signaling with LY2875358, a …

Feasibility, Safety, And Outcomes Of A Single-Step Endoscopic Ultrasonography-Guided Drainage Of Pancreatic Fluid Collections Without Fluoroscopy Using A Novel Electrocautery-Enhanced Lumen-Apposing, Self-Expanding Metal Stent., Joseph Yoo, Linda Yan, Raza Hasan, Sanaa Somalya, Jose Nieto, Ali A. Siddiqui

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There are currently limited data available regarding the safety of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs) using the lumen-apposing metal stent without fluoroscopic guidance. This study aims to evaluate clinical outcomes and safety of EUS-guided drainage of PFC using the electrocautery-enhanced lumen-apposing metal stents (EC-LAMSs) without fluoroscopic guidance.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on patients with symptomatic PFC who underwent EUS-guided drainage using EC-LAMS without fluoroscopy. All patients were followed clinically until resolution of their PFC. Technical success (successful placement of EC-LAMS), number of patients who achieved complete resolution of PFC without additional …

Surgical Site Infection And Transfusion Rates Are Higher In Underweight Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients., Jorge Manrique, Antonia F. Chen, Md, Mba, Miguel M. Gomez, Mitchell Maltenfort, Phd, William J. Hozack Md

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Underweight (UW) patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty have exhibited higher complication rates, including infection and transfusion. No study to our knowledge has evaluated UW total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. We, therefore, conducted a study to investigate if these patients are at increased risk for complications, including infection and transfusion.

METHODS: A case-control study was conducted using a prospectively collected institutional database. Twenty-seven TKA patients were identified as UW (body mass index [BMI] < 18.5 kg/m

RESULTS: The average BMI was 17.1 kg/m

CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that UW TKA patients have a higher likelihood of developing SSI and requiring blood transfusions. The …

Epidemiology And Impact Of Abdominal Oblique Injuries In Major And Minor League Baseball., Christopher L Camp, Stan Conte, Steven B. Cohen, Matthew Thompson, John D' Angelo, Joseph T Nguyen, Joshua S Dines

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Oblique injuries are known to be a common cause of time out of play for professional baseball players, and prior work has suggested that injury rates may be on the rise in Major League Baseball (MLB).

PURPOSE: To better understand the current incidence of oblique injuries, determine their impact based on time out of play, and to identify common injury patterns that may guide future injury prevention programs.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological study.

METHODS: Using the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System, all oblique injuries that resulted in time out of play in MLB and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) …

Hypovolemic Shock And Hemoperitoneum From Spontaneous Avulsion Of A Large Pedunculated Uterine Leiomyoma, Daniel J. Mizrahi, Chhavi Kaushik, Robert Adamo

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Hemoperitoneum with hypovolemic shock from avulsion of a pedunculated leiomyoma is a rare but highly fatal condition that can occur spontaneously or as a result of trauma. We report a case of hemoperitoneum and hypovolemic shock secondary to a bleeding leiomyoma detected via computed tomography (CT) scan in a 39 year old premenopausal, gravida 0 female that presented with abdominal pain and became hemodynamically unstable in the emergency department. A preoperative bimanual exam revealed a mass consistent with a 20 week gestational uterus. Following fluid resuscitation, the patient underwent emergent myomectomy and ligation of the right uterine artery and was …

Phosphorylation Of Prb: Mechanism For Rb Pathway Inactivation In Mycn-Amplified Retinoblastoma., Kathryn G. Ewens, Tricia R. Bhatti, Kimberly A. Moran, Jennifer Richards-Yutz, Carol L. Shields, Ralph C. Eagle Jr., Arupa Ganguly

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

A small, but unique subgroup of retinoblastoma has been identified with no detectable mutation in the retinoblastoma gene (RB1) and with high levels of MYCN gene amplification. This manuscript investigated alternate pathways of inactivating pRb, the encoded protein in these tumors. We analyzed the mutation status of the RB1 gene and MYCN copy number in a series of 245 unilateral retinoblastomas, and the phosphorylation status of pRb in a subset of five tumors using immunohistochemistry. There were 203 tumors with two mutations in RB1 (RB1(-/-) , 83%), 29 with one (RB1(+/-) , 12%) and 13 with no detectable mutations (RB1(+/+) …

Rehabilitation Therapy In Older Acute Heart Failure Patients (Rehab-Hf) Trial: Design And Rationale., Gordon R. Reeves, David J. Whellan, Pamela Duncan, Christopher M. O'Connor, Amy M. Pastva, Joel D. Eggebeen, Leigh Ann Hewston, Timothy M. Morgan, Shelby D. Reed, W. Jack Rejeski, Robert J. Mentz, Paul B. Rosenberg, Dalane W. Kitzman

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is a leading cause of hospitalization in older persons in the United States. Reduced physical function and frailty are major determinants of adverse outcomes in older patients with hospitalized ADHF. However, these are not addressed by current heart failure (HF) management strategies and there has been little study of exercise training in older, frail HF patients with recent ADHF.

HYPOTHESIS: Targeting physical frailty with a multi-domain structured physical rehabilitation intervention will improve physical function and reduce adverse outcomes among older patients experiencing a HF hospitalization.

STUDY DESIGN: REHAB-HF is a multi-center clinical trial in …

Functional Outcomes Of The Low Vision Depression Prevention Trial In Age-Related Macular Degeneration., Ashley D. Deemer, Robert W. Massof, Barry W. Rovner, Robin J. Casten, Catherine V. Piersol

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of behavioral activation (BA) plus low vision rehabilitation with an occupational therapist (OT-LVR) with supportive therapy (ST) on visual function in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Single-masked, attention-controlled, randomized clinical trial with AMD patients with subsyndromal depressive symptoms (n = 188). All subjects had two outpatient low vision rehabilitation optometry visits, then were randomized to in-home BA + OT-LVR or ST. Behavioral activation is a structured behavioral treatment aiming to increase adaptive behaviors and achieve valued goals. Supportive therapy is a nondirective, psychological treatment that provides emotional support and controls for attention. Functional …

Efficacy And Tolerability Of Adjunctive Brivaracetam In Patients With Prior Antiepileptic Drug Exposure: A Post-Hoc Study., Ali A. Asadi-Pooya, Michael R. Sperling, Steve Chung, Pavel Klein, Anyzeila Diaz, Sami Elmoufti, Jimmy Schiemann, John Whitesides

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Brivaracetam (BRV), a selective, high-affinity ligand for synaptic vesicle protein 2A, is a new antiepileptic drug (AED) for adjunctive treatment of focal (partial-onset) seizures in adults with epilepsy. This post-hoc analysis was conducted to explore the efficacy of adjunctive BRV in patients with prior levetiracetam (LEV) exposure and whether changes in efficacy were related to the similar mechanism of action of these two drugs. Data were pooled from three Phase III studies (NCT00490035; NCT00464269; NCT01261325) of adults with focal seizures taking 1-2 AEDs who received placebo or BRV 50-200mg/day without titration over a 12-week treatment period. Patients taking concomitant LEV …

Professional Practices, Training, And Funding Mechanisms: A Survey Of Pediatric Primary Care Psychologists, Kathryn W. Hoffses, Andrew R. Riley, Kathryn M. Menousek, Kriston B. Schellinger, Allison O. Grennan, Chrissy Cammarata, Jason L. Steadman

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

The integration of mental health services in primary care settings has expanded rapidly in recent years with psychologists being at the forefront of efforts to promote healthy behaviors, reduce disease, and care for behavioral, emotional, and developmental needs to promote overall health and well-being for children and families (Asarnow, Kolko, Miranda,&Kazak, 2017; Stancin& Perrin, 2014). While there are many psychologists working in pediatric primary care (PPC), little is known about the specific activities that these psychologists engage in, the training they receive, or funding mechanisms that support their work. This study sought to address this gap in the literature through …

Spotlight On The Integrated Primary Care Special Interest Group, Kathryn W. Hoffses, Andrew R. Riley, Kathryn M. Menousek, Kriston B. Schellinger, Allison O. Grennan, Chrissy Cammarata, Jason L. Steadman

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Management Of Giant Retinal Tear Detachments, Maria H. Berrocal, Megan Chenworth, Luis A. Acaba

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Giant retinal tears (GRTs) are full-thickness circumferential tears of more than 90 degrees of the retina that are associated with vitreous detachment. They are related to ocular trauma, high myopia, aphakia, pseudophakia, genetic mutations involving collagen and young age. GRTs comprise 1.5% of all rhegmatogenous retinal detachments and the average age of incidence is 42 years. GRTs are more common in males, as 72% of all cases occur in males. The incidence of GRTs in the general population is estimated to be 0.05 per 100,000 individuals. Common techniques used in the management of GRTs include fluid-air exchange, pneumatic retinopexy, scleral …

Influence Of Sex/Gender And Race On Responses To Raltegravir Combined With Tenofovir-Emtricitabine In Treatment-Naive Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infected Patients: Pooled Analyses Of The Startmrk And Qdmrk Studies., Kathleen E. Squires, Linda-Gail Bekker, Christine Katlama, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Yan Zhou, Anthony J Rodgers, Mark J Dinubile, Peter A Sklar, Randi Y Leavitt, Hedy Teppler

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women and blacks merits particular scrutiny because these groups have been underrepresented in clinical trials.

METHODS: To document the effects of raltegravir across sex and racial lines, we conducted a pooled subgroup analysis of the efficacy and safety of raltegravir 400 mg BID plus tenofovir-emtricitabine by sex (women vs men) and self-identified race (black vs non-black) using phase 3 studies in treatment-naive patients.

RESULTS: Study participants included 42 black women, 102 non-black women, 48 black men, and 477 non-black men. Clade B infections were less common in women (43.8%) than men (84.6%) …

Using A Conformal Water Bolus To Adjust Heating Patterns Of Microwave Waveguide Applicators, Paul R. Stauffer, Dario B. Rodrigues, Randolph Sinahon, Lyndsey Sbarro, Valeria Beckhoff, Mark Hurwitz

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

Background: Hyperthermia, i.e., raising tissue temperature to 40-45°C for 60 min, has been demonstrated to increase the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy for cancer. Although multi-element conformal heat applicators are under development to provide more adjustable heating of contoured anatomy, to date the most often used applicator to heat superficial disease is the simple microwave waveguide. With only a single power input, the operator must be resourceful to adjust heat treatment to accommodate variable size and shape tumors spreading across contoured anatomy. Methods: We used multiphysics simulation software that couples electromagnetic, thermal and fluid dynamics physics to simulate heating patterns …

Stones, Bones, Groans, Thrones, And Psychiatric Overtones: Systemic Associations Of Sclerochoroidal Calcification., Jordan A Sugarman, Alexzandra M Douglass, Emil Anthony T. Say, Carol L. Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Sclerochoroidal calcification (SCC) is a frequent masquerader of choroidal melanoma with important systemic associations such as hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid adenoma. Herein, we describe a case of a 67-year-old male who presented with an amelanotic choroidal lesion in the right eye (OD) and a history of kidney stones. Ultrasonography showed the lesion to be flat and calcified OD. Incidentally, a subclinical calcified plaque was also found in the fellow eye. Optical coherence tomography showed an elevated suprachoroidal mass in a table mountain configuration OD and flat configuration left eye, consistent with type 4 and type 1 SCC. The patient was referred …

A Comparison Of Colorimetric Assessment Of Vaginal Ph With Nugent Score For The Detection Of Bacterial Vaginosis., Matthew K. Hoffman, Mrutyunjaya B. Bellad, Umesh S. Charantimath, Avinash Kavi, Jyoti M. Nagmoti, Mahantesh B. Nagmoti, Ashalata A. Mallapur, Geetanjali M. Katageri, Umesh Y. Ramadurg, Sheshidhar G. Bannale, Amit P. Revankar, M. S. Ganachari, Richard J. Derman, Shivaprasad S. Goudar

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Background. A Nugent score > 7 has been defined as the gold standard for the diagnosis for bacterial vaginosis (BV), though it is resource intensive and impractical as point of care testing. We sought to determine if colorimetric assessment of vaginal pH can accurately predict the occurrence of BV. Methods. We performed a planned subanalysis of 1,216 pregnant women between 13 0/7 and 19 6/7 weeks who underwent vaginal examination as part of a randomized controlled trial. Using a standardized technique, specimens were obtained for colorimetric assessment and two separate slides for Gram staining. These slides were subsequently evaluated by two …

Serum Hypercoagulability States In Coats' Disease., Fariba Ghassemi, Carol L. Shields, Masoumeh Mohebbi, Mehdi Nili Ahmadabadi, Fatemeh Morsali, Siamak Sabour

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the serum hypercoagulability state and common viral and protozoan infections in Coats' disease versus a normal control group.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this comparative case series, 22 consecutive patients with Coats' disease and 19 non-Coats' patients undergoing lensectomy for congenital, traumatic, or senile cataract between January 2011 and June 2014 were included. Laboratory data for hypercoagulability states and common viral and protozoan infections were investigated.

RESULTS: The mean age for the Coats' group was 14.5 years (median 8 years, range: 2 months to 59 years), and for the control group it …

Frequent Mild Head Injury Promotes Trigeminal Sensitivity Concomitant With Microglial Proliferation, Astrocytosis, And Increased Neuropeptide Levels In The Trigeminal Pain System., Ashley L. Tyburski, Lan Cheng, Soroush Assari, Kurosh Darvish, Melanie B Elliott

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Frequent mild head injuries or concussion along with the presence of headache may contribute to the persistence of concussion symptoms.

METHODS: In this study, the acute effects of recovery between mild head injuries and the frequency of injuries on a headache behavior, trigeminal allodynia, was assessed using von Frey testing up to one week after injury, while histopathological changes in the trigeminal pain pathway were evaluated using western blot, ELISA and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A decreased recovery time combined with an increased mild closed head injury (CHI) frequency results in reduced trigeminal allodynia thresholds compared to controls. The repetitive CHI …

Targeting Cancer Stem Cell Propagation With Palbociclib, A Cdk4/6 Inhibitor: Telomerase Drives Tumor Cell Heterogeneity., Gloria Bonuccelli, Maria Peiris-Pages, Bela Ozsvari, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P Lisanti

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

In this report, we systematically examined the role of telomerase activity in lung and ovarian cancer stem cell (CSC) propagation. For this purpose, we indirectly gauged telomerase activity, by linking the hTERT-promoter to eGFP. Using lung (A549) and ovarian (SKOV3) cancer cells, transduced with the hTERT-GFP reporter, we then employed GFP-expression levels to fractionate these cell lines into GFP-high and GFP-low populations. We functionally compared the phenotype of these GFP-high and GFP-low populations. More specifically, we now show that the cancer cells with higher telomerase activity (GFP-high) are more energetically activated, with increased mitochondrial mass and function, as well as …

Telemedicine Coverage For Post-Operative Icu Patients., Tara Ann Collins, Matthew P. Robertson, Corinna P. Sicoutris, Michael A. Pisa, Daniel N. Holena, Patrick M. Reilly, Benjamin A. Kohl

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

Introduction There is an increased demand for intensive care unit (ICU) beds. We sought to determine if we could create a safe surge capacity model to increase ICU capacity by treating ICU patients in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) utilizing a collaborative model between an ICU service and a telemedicine service during peak ICU bed demand. Methods We evaluated patients managed by the surgical critical care service in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) compared to patients managed in the virtual intensive care unit (VICU) located within the PACU. A retrospective review of all patients seen by the surgical critical …