Medical Specialties Commons^™

A Transgenic Mouse Model Of Down Syndrome Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Identifies Targetable Vulnerabilities, Jacob J Junco, Max Rochette, Michelle Alozie, Raushan Rashid, Maci Terrell, Barry Zorman, Pavel Sumazin, Lauren Rowland, Gino Dettorre, Reid T Powell, Clifford C Stephan, Peter J Davies, Margarita Martinez-Moczygemba, Jun J Yang, Karen R Rabin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Infant-Derived Human Nasal Organoids Exhibit Relatively Increased Susceptibility, Epithelial Responses, And Cytotoxicity During Rsv Infection, Gina M Aloisio, Divya Nagaraj, Ashley M Murray, Emily M Schultz, Trevor Mcbride, Letisha Aideyan, Erin G Nicholson, David Henke, Laura Ferlic-Stark, Anubama Rajan, Amal Kambal, Hannah L Johnson, Elina Mosa, Fabio Stossi, Sarah E Blutt, Pedro A Piedra, Vasanthi Avadhanula

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant morbidity and mortality, especially in young children. Why RSV infection in children is more severe compared to healthy adults is not fully understood.

Methods: We used ex-vivo human nasal organoid platforms from infants and adults to investigate the underlying mechanism of this disease disparity at the initial site of RSV replication, the nasal epithelium.

Results: Infant-derived human nasal organoid-air liquid interface (HNO-ALIs) lines were more susceptible to early RSV replication. Moreover, infant-derived HNO-ALIs elicited a statistically significant greater overall cytokine response, enhanced mucous production, and greater cellular damage compared to their adult counterparts. …

Temporal Trends In Mortality Related To Stroke And Atrial Fibrillation In The United States: A 21-Year Retrospective Analysis Of Cdc-Wonder Database, Owais Ahmad, Hanzala Ahmed Farooqi, Isra Ahmed, Adeena Jamil, Rayyan Nabi, Irfan Ullah, Abdul Wali Khan, Raheel Ahmed, Mahboob Alam, Bernardo Cortese, Mamas A Mamas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aims: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is one of the most strongly associated risk factors for stroke. Our study aims to analyze changes in mortality from 1999 to 2020 in patients with AF and stroke.

Methods: Using the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC-WONDER), we retrospectively analyzed annual age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per million from 1999 to 2020 in stroke patients with AF. Temporal trends were analyzed, and Annual Percentage Change (APC) was calculated using the JoinPoint regression model across variations in demographics (sex, race) and regional subgroups.

Results: Around 490 000 deaths were reported …

Meta-Analysis Of Longitudinal Comparison Of Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement In Patients At Low To Intermediate Surgical Risk, Mushood Ahmed, Areeba Ahsan, Aimen Shafiq, Zain A Nadeem, Fariha Arif, Eeshal Zulfiqar, Muhammad H Kazmi, Rukesh Yadav, Hritvik Jain, Raheel Ahmed, Mahboob Alam, Farhan Shahid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is the commonly used approach for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with aortic stenosis at low or intermediate surgical risk. However, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as an alternative to SAVR for AVR. This meta-analysis aims to assess the comparative efficacy and safety of TAVR versus SAVR in low-to-intermediate surgical risk patients by analyzing temporal trends in the outcomes of TAVR and SAVR at various follow-up intervals, providing a more detailed understanding.

Methods: A thorough literature search was performed across PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from their inception up to …

Acute Decompensated Valvular Disease In The Intensive Care Unit, P Elliott Miller, Balimkiz C Senman, Ann Gage, Anthony P Carnicelli, Mark Jacobs, Aniket S Rali, Mourad H Senussi, Ankeet S Bhatt, Steven M Hollenberg, Annapoorna Kini, Venu Menon, Kendra J Grubb, David A Morrow, American College Of Cardiology Critical Care Cardiology Section

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Acute decompensated valvular disease encompasses a group of complex and challenging conditions, which are often the primary reason for admission to the cardiac intensive care unit and can also complicate the management of other primary cardiac disorders. Critically ill patients with valvular disease also present unique diagnostic and management challenges. Historically, medical and percutaneous interventional therapies have been limited and surgery was the only definitive treatment; however, surgical risk can at times be prohibitive. High-quality evidence to direct management of acute valvular disorders in this population is lacking and societal guidelines largely do not address treatment options for critically ill …

A Comprehensive Perspective On Intracranial Pressure Monitoring And Individualized Management In Neurocritical Care: Results Of A Survey With Global Experts, Sérgio Brasil, Daniel Agustín Godoy, Walter Videtta, Andrés Mariano Rubiano, Davi Solla, Fabio Silvio Taccone, Chiara Robba, Frank Rasulo, Marcel Aries, Peter Smielewski, Geert Meyfroidt, Denise Battaglini, Mohammad I Hirzallah, Robson Amorim, Gisele Sampaio, Fabiano Moulin, Cristian Deana, Edoardo Picetti, Angelos Kolias, Peter Hutchinson, Gregory W Hawryluk, Marek Czosnyka, Ronney B Panerai, Lori A Shutter, Soojin Park, Carla Rynkowski, Jorge Paranhos, Thiago H S Silva, Luiz M S Malbouisson, Wellingson S Paiva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Numerous trials have addressed intracranial pressure (ICP) management in neurocritical care. However, identifying its harmful thresholds and controlling ICP remain challenging in terms of improving outcomes. Evidence suggests that an individualized approach is necessary for establishing tolerance limits for ICP, incorporating factors such as ICP waveform (ICPW) or pulse morphology along with additional data provided by other invasive (e.g., brain oximetry) and noninvasive monitoring (NIM) methods (e.g., transcranial Doppler, optic nerve sheath diameter ultrasound, and pupillometry). This study aims to assess current ICP monitoring practices among experienced clinicians and explore whether guidelines should incorporate ancillary parameters from NIM and …

Machine Learning-Based Prediction Model For Icu Mortality After Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Initiation In Children, Sameer Thadani, Tzu-Chun Wu, Danny T Y Wu, Aadil Kakajiwala, Danielle E Soranno, Gerard Cortina, Rachana Srivastava, Katja M Gist, Shina Menon, Worldwide Exploration Of Renal Replacement Outcomes Collaborative In Kidney Diseases (We-Rock) Collaborators

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is the favored renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients. Predicting clinical outcomes for CRRT patients is difficult due to population heterogeneity, varying clinical practices, and limited sample sizes.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to predict survival to ICUs and hospital discharge in children and young adults receiving CRRT using machine learning (ML) techniques.

DERIVATION COHORT: Patients less than 25 years of age receiving CRRT for acute kidney injury and/or volume overload from 2015 to 2021 (80%).

VALIDATION COHORT: Internal validation occurred in a testing group of patients from the dataset (20%).

PREDICTION MODEL: Retrospective international …

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 …

Google Trends And Syphilis, Theodore Rosen, Maci Terrell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: This study aims to assess the correlation between Centers for Disease Control-reported syphilis incidence rates and case burden and public interest in syphilis as indicated by Google search trends.

Methods: This study utilized Google Trends data to analyze popular syphilis-related search terms from 2013 to 2023. The latest Centers for Disease Control-reported syphilis incidence rates for 2022 were compared to Google Trends data to identify patterns or correlations.

Results: Google Trends data showed a 37.65-percent increase in average annual searches for syphilis-related terms in the United States from 2013 to 2023. The largest increase in search volume was observed …

Immunopeptidomic Mhc-I Profiling And Immunogenicity Testing Identifies Tcj2 As A New Chagas Disease Mrna Vaccine Candidate, Leroy Versteeg, Rakesh Adhikari, Gonteria Robinson, Jungsoon Lee, Junfei Wei, Nelufa Islam, Brian Keegan, William K Russell, Cristina Poveda, Maria Jose Villar, Kathryn Jones, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Peter Hotez, Edwin Tijhaar, Jeroen Pollet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease. Globally 6 to 7 million people are infected by this parasite of which 20-30% will progress to develop Chronic Chagasic Cardiomyopathy (CCC). Despite its high disease burden, no clinically approved vaccine exists for the prevention or treatment of CCC. Developing vaccines that can stimulate T. cruzi-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and eliminate infected cells requires targeting parasitic antigens presented on major histocompatibility complex-I (MHC-I) molecules. We utilized mass spectrometry-based immunopeptidomics to investigate which parasitic peptides are displayed on MHC-I of T. cruzi infected cells. Through duplicate experiments, we identified an …

Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index And Charlson Comorbidity Index Predict Mortality, Intensive Care Unit Admission, And Length Of Hospital Stay In Patients With Fournier's Gangrene: An Analysis Of 264 Consecutive Patients, Nicholas Hauser, Chenlin Huang, Girija Vaidya, Timothy Chrusciel, Krithika Narayana Kumarasan, John Culhane, Sameer Siddiqui

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction

Fournier’s gangrene (FG) is a rapidly progressing necrotizing fasciitis. The Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index (FGSI), in conjunction with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), has been used as a mortality predictor during hospitalization. Patients with diabetes have also been shown to be at an increased risk for the development of FG. This study explores the potential of using FGSI, CCI, and patient diabetes status in predicting more extensive patient outcomes, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission and length of hospital stay.

Methods

From 2013 to 2023, inpatient admissions with the diagnosis of FG were selected from the EPIC Clarity database …

Substance Use And Outcomes Of Left-Sided Valve Replacement In Patients With Infective Endocarditis, Katie J Hogan, Christopher B Sylvester, Travis J Miles, Matthew Wall, Todd K Rosengart, Marc R Moon, Joseph S Coselli, Subhasis Chatterjee, Ravi K Ghanta

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Rising rates of substance use (SU) have resulted in an increasing need for left-sided valve surgery for SU-associated infective endocarditis (SU-IE). We compared outcomes, readmissions, and costs between IE patients with and without SU-IE in a national cohort.

METHODS: Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database (2016-2018), we identified 10,098 patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who underwent isolated aortic or mitral valve replacement. Outcomes within the same calendar year as the index operation were compared between patients with and without SU-IE. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality and 30-day and 90-day readmissions. Kaplan-Meier analysis and …

Predicting Operative Mortality In Patients Who Undergo Elective Open Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Kyle W Blackburn, Susan Y Green, Allen Kuncheria, Meng Li, Adel M Hassan, Brittany Rhoades, Scott A Weldon, Subhasis Chatterjee, Marc R Moon, Scott A Lemaire, Joseph S Coselli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background

We have developed a model aimed at identifying preoperative predictors of operative mortality in patients who undergo elective, open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. We converted this model into an intuitive nomogram to aid preoperative counseling.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from 2884 elective, open TAAA repairs performed between 1986 and 2023 in a single practice. Using clinical and selected operative variables, we built 4 predictive models: multivariable logistic regression (MLR), random forest, support vector machine, and gradient boosting machine. Each model’s predictive effectiveness was evaluated with the C-statistic. Test C-statistics were computed using an 80:20 cross-validation scheme with …

Evaluation Of Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis In Pediatric General Medicine Patients After Transfer From The Intensive Care Unit And At Discharge, Lamees Loubani, Jenna W Bartlett, Brent Mothner, Rathi Asaithambi, Surin Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to determine continuation rates of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) upon transfer from a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to a general medicine unit and upon hospital discharge. The secondary aim was to identify patient characteristics or concomitant medications that were associated with continuation of SUP at transfer from the PICU.

METHODS: This retrospective chart review included patients who were initiated on acid suppression for SUP in the PICU between June 2021 and May 2022 and subsequently transferred to a general medicine unit prior to discharge. Patients were excluded if they were receiving …

Understanding Patients’ Experiences During Transitions From One Electronic Health Record To Another: A Scoping Review, Alison M Cogan, Trenton M Haltom, Stephanie L Shimada, Jessica A Davila, Bryan P Mcginn, Gemmae M Fix

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Identify existing research on impacts of transitions between electronic health record (EHR) systems on patients' healthcare experiences.

Methods: Scoping review. We searched MedLine, OVID, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycInfo databases for articles on patient experiences with EHR-to-EHR transitions.

Results: Three studies met inclusion criteria. All three used validated surveys to compare patient satisfaction with care pre- and post-transition. The surveys did not include specific questions about the EHR transition; one study focused on patient perceptions of provider computer use. Satisfaction levels initially decreased following EHR implementation, then returned to baseline between six and 15 months later in two of three …

Veterans' Experiences Of And Preferences For Patient-Centered, Measurement-Based Ptsd Care, Marcela C Weber, Ashlyn M Jendro, Ellen P Fischer, Karen L Drummond, Trenton M Haltom, Natalie E Hundt, Michael A Cucciare, Jeffrey M Pyne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Up to 50% of veterans drop out of trauma-focused evidence-based psychotherapies (TF-EBP) without completing treatment or recovering; evidence suggests this is in part because their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) care is insufficiently patient-centered. There is also evidence that measurement-based care (MBC) for mental health should be personalized to the patient, yet this is not common practice in VA PTSD care.

Objectives: To explore veterans' experiences and preferences for aligning measurement-based PTSD care with their own treatment goals.

Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with veterans (n=15) with PTSD who had received at least 2 sessions of a TF-EBP.

Measures: Survey …

Exploring Fibroblast Interactions On Nanocrystalline Surfaces In Physiological Environments Through A Phenomenological Lens, R D K Misra, Aladin M Boriek

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The cytological behaviour and functional dynamics (adhesion, spreading, synthesis of proteins) of fibroblasts when interacting with biomedical surfaces are intricately influenced by the inherent nature of surface (nanocrystalline or microcrystalline), where the nanocrystalline (NC) surface is preferred in relation to the microcrystalline (MC) surface. This preference is a direct consequence of the distinct differences in physical and chemical characteristics between NC and MC surfaces, which include crystal boundary bio-physical attributes, electron work function, surface energy, and charge carrier density. The observed variances in cytological behaviour at the interfaces of NC and MC bio-surfaces can be attributed to these fundamental differences, …

Veno-Arterial Partial Pressure Of Carbon Dioxide Difference As A Metric Of Systemic Oxygen Delivery: Insights From A Correlative Meta-Analysis, Rohit S Loomba, Juan S Farias, Fabio Savorgnan, Sebastian Acosta, Saul Flores, Enrique G Villarreal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The assessment of cardiac output and adequacy of systemic oxygen delivery in children after cardiac surgery require the use of an aggregate of hemodynamic monitors and blood tests. There are previously published data regarding the utility of the veno-arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide difference (AVDco2) to help with this. This study pooled data on the correlation of AVDco2 with other metrics of cardiac output and systemic oxygen delivery such as arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference, venous saturation, and serum lactate. A systematic review of the literature was done to identify studies analyzing the correlation of AVDco2 with other hemodynamic and …

Bst2 Facilitates Activation Of Hematopoietic Stem Cells Through Erk Signaling, Marcus A Florez, Apoorva Thatavarty, Duy T Le, Holly A Hill, Youngjae Jeong, Brian M Ho, Pawel Kus, Trisha K Wathan, Bailee N Kain, Shixia Huang, Dongsu Park, Katherine Y King

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The proinflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma (IFNγ) is upregulated in a variety of infections and contributes to bone marrow failure through hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) activation and subsequent exhaustion. The cell surface protein, bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST2), is a key mediator of this process, as it is induced upon interferon stimulation and required for interferon-dependent HSC activation. To identify the mechanism by which BST2 promotes interferon-dependent HSC activation, we evaluated its role in niche localization, immune cell function, lipid raft formation, and intracellular signaling. Our studies indicated that knock out (KO) of BST2 in a murine model does not disrupt …

Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Skeletal And Non-Skeletal Challenges In Adulthood, Jannie Dahl Hald, Bente Langdahl, Lars Folkestad, Lena Lande Wekre, Riley Johnson, Sandesh C S Nagamani, Cathleen Raggio, Stuart H Ralston, Oliver Semler, Laura Tosi, Eric Orwoll

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a Mendelian connective tissue disorder associated with increased bone fragility and other clinical manifestations most commonly due to abnormalities in production, structure, or post-translational modification of type I collagen. Until recently, most research in OI has focused on the pediatric population and much less attention has been directed at the effects of OI in the adult population. This is a narrative review of the literature focusing on the skeletal as well as non-skeletal manifestations in adults with OI that may affect the aging individual. We found evidence to suggest that OI is a systemic disease which …

Persistent Growth-Promoting Effects Of Vosoritide In Children With Achondroplasia Are Accompanied By Improvements In Physical And Social Aspects Of Health-Related Quality Of Life, Ravi Savarirayan, Melita Irving, William R Wilcox, Carlos A Bacino, Julie E Hoover-Fong, Paul Harmatz, Lynda E Polgreen, Klaus Mohnike, Carlos E Prada, Takuo Kubota, Paul Arundel, Antonio Leiva-Gea, Richard Rowell, Andrea Low, Ian Sabir, Alice Huntsman-Labed, Jonathan Day

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Evaluate the impact of vosoritide on health-related quality of life in children with achondroplasia.

Methods: Participants received vosoritide (15 μg/kg/day) in an extension trial (NCT03424018) after having participated in a placebo-controlled trial (NCT03197766).

Results: The population comprised 119 participants (mean [SD] age 9.7 [2.6] years). Mean treatment duration was 4 (0.78) years. At year 3, the largest mean (SD) changes were observed in the Quality of Life of Short Stature Youth physical score (5.99 [19.41], caregiver reported; 6.32 [20.15], self-reported) and social score (2.85 [8.29] and 6.76 [22.64], respectively). Changes were greatest in participants with …

Families’ Experiences Accessing Care After Genomic Sequencing In The Pediatric Cancer Context: “It’S Just Been A Big Juggle”, Blake Vuocolo, Amanda M Gutierrez, Jill O Robinson, Alva M Recinos, Lauren R Desrosiers, Mary A Majumder, Juan Carlos Bernini, Jonathan Gill, Timothy Griffin, Gail E Tomlinson, Kelly Vallance, Amy L Mcguire, D Williams Parsons, Sharon E Plon, Sarah Scollon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Access to genomic sequencing (GS) and resulting recommendations have not been well described in pediatric oncology. GS results may provide a cancer predisposition syndrome (CPS) diagnosis that warrants screening and specialist visits beyond cancer treatment, including testing or surveillance for family members. The Texas KidsCanSeq (KCS) Study evaluated implementation of GS in a diverse pediatric oncology population. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 20) to explore experiences of KCS patients' families around learning about a CPS diagnosis and following up on recommended care. We used qualitative content analysis to develop themes and subthemes across families' descriptions of their experiences accessing …

The Clinical Efficacy And Safety Of Bempedoic Acid In Patients At Elevated Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Clinical Trials, Ahmed Sayed, Omar Shazly, Leandro Slipczuk, Chayakrit Krittanawong, Farhala Baloch, Salim S Virani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Statins are first-line agents to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and cardiovascular risk, however, they are insufficient and/or intolerable in many patients. To that end, we conducted a meta-analysis of Bempedoic Acid (BA), a novel LDL-C lowering agent.

Methods: We retrieved randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of BA by searching Pubmed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Clinicaltrials.gov. We used the Mantel-Haenszel method to pool estimates. The I2 measure was used to quantify heterogeneity. Treatment effects are provided as relative risks (RR), absolute risk differences (ARD), and number needed to treat/harm (NNTB/H). Analyses were conducted using R, version …

Cardiovascular Disease Risk In South Asians In The Baylor Scott And White Health Dilwale Registry, Anandita Agarwala, Priyanka Satish, Tsung-Wei Ma, Preethi Ravindranathan, Aashna Vajramani, Noah Balarbar, Charles Brumley, Abhishek Gami, Khurram Nasir, Vijay Nambi, Javed Butler, Jaideep Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Despite implementation of preventive interventions targeting cardiovascular disease (CVD), atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) remains a major public health concern in the South Asian (SA) population.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factor prevalence and ASCVD outcomes in SA population in the United States.

Methods: The DIL Wellness and Arterial health Longitudinal Evaluation registry collected data retrospectively on SA adult patients receiving care in the Baylor Scott & White Healthcare system. Overall and sex stratified analyses were performed to assess the prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors and adverse ASCVD events.

Results: A total of 31,781 …

Health Implications Of Racial Differences In Serum Growth Differentiation Factor Levels Among Men With Obesity, Siresha Bathina, Virginia Fuenmayor Lopez, Mia Prado, Elliot Ballato, Georgia Colleluori, Maryam Tetlay, Dennis Tan Villareal, Sanjay Mediwala, Rui Chen, Clifford Qualls, Reina Armamento-Villareal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Growth differentiation factor (GDF15) has been considered a biomarker and recently a hormonal driver for diseases in different populations. However, the role of GDF15 as a biomarker of health outcomes in obese men from different racial/ethnic background has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to investigate the racial/ethnic differences on the relationship between GDF15 and markers of glucometabolic status, hormonal profile, body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in obese men. One hundred ninety-three obese men from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds were enrolled. BMD and body composition were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum GDF15, osteocalcin, C-terminal …

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 …

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 …

Hemodynamic And Clinical Outcomes With Balloon-Expandable Valves Versus Self-Expanding Valves In Patients With Small Aortic Annulus Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials And Propensity Score Matched Studies, Mushood Ahmed, Areeba Ahsan, Shehroze Tabassum, Irra Tariq, Eeshal Zulfiqar, Mahnoor Farooq Raja, Asma Mahmood, Raheel Ahmed, Farhan Shahid, Syed Khurram M Gardezi, Mahboob Alam, Rodrigo Bagur, Mamas A Mamas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is considered more effective than surgical aortic valve implantation for patients with a small aortic annulus (SAA), however, the comparative efficacy of different transcatheter heart valves (THVs) remains uncertain. A literature search was performed across databases from their inception until June 2024 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and propensity-score matched (PSM) studies. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using a random-effects model to pool risk ratios (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The analysis included 10 studies with 2,960 patients. BEVs were associated with a significantly smaller indexed effective orifice area (MD: -0.18, 95 …

Prevalence Of Psychiatric Comorbidities And Treatment Initiation In African American Pediatric Patients With Vitiligo: A Retrospective, Single-Center, Case-Control Study, Emily Strouphauer, Sana Suhail, Carly Mulinda, Promise Ufomadu, Nicole Nyamongo, Grace Lee, Soo Jung Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo may impact psychosocial development, especially among African American pediatric patients, given heightened visibility and increasing rates of anxiety and depression in this subpopulation.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate psychiatric comorbidities and treatment initiation in African American pediatric patients.

METHODS: A total of 327 African American pediatric patients with vitiligo were each matched to 3 patients without vitiligo by age, race, and sex in this case-control study. Prevalence of psychiatric conditions and subsequent initiation of pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy were analyzed.

RESULTS: Compared to controls, pediatric African American patients with vitiligo were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with depression (

LIMITATIONS: This …