Medical Specialties Commons^™

Precision Needle-Punch Tumor Enrichment From Paraffin Blocks Improves The Detection Of Clinically Actionable Genomic Alterations And Biomarkers, Douglas I Lin, Richard S P Huang, Ioannis Ladas, Rachel B Keller, Nimesh R Patel, Sotirios Lakis, Brennan Decker, Tyler Janovitz, Douglas A Mata, Jeffrey S Ross, Jo-Anne Vergilio, Julia A Elvin, Roy S Herbst, Philip C Mack, Jonathan K Killian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: While many molecular assays can detect mutations at low tumor purity and variant allele frequencies, complex biomarkers such as tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and genomic loss of heterozygosity (gLOH) require higher tumor purity for accurate measurement. Scalable, quality-controlled, tissue-conserving methods to increase tumor nuclei percentage (TN%) from tumor specimens are needed for complex biomarkers and hence necessary to maximize patient matching to approved therapies or clinical trial enrollment. We evaluated the clinical utility and performance of precision needle-punch enrichment (NPE) compared with traditional razor blade macroenrichment of tumor specimens on molecular testing success.

METHODS: Pathologist-directed NPE …

Association Between Serum Vitamin D Status And Uterine Leiomyomas: A Case-Control Study, Chukwuemeka Chukwubuikem Okoro, Okechukwu Christian Ikpeze, George Uchenna Eleje, Gerald Okanandu Udigwe, Chukwuemeka Okwudili Ezeama, Joseph Odirichukwu Ugboaja, Chukwunonso Isaiah Enechukwu, Osita Samuel Umeononihu, Chukwudi Anthony Ogabido, Charlotte Blanche Oguejiofor, Tobechi Kingsley Njoku, Richard Obinwanne Egeonu, Chigozie Geoffrey Okafor, Hillary Ikechukwu Obiagwu, Chukwudubem Chinagorom Onyejiaka, Afam Ben Obidike, Christian Ejike Onah, Ifeanyi Uzukwu, Amarachukwu Doris Okoro, Evaristus Chino Ezema, Adaobi Maryann Ibekwe, Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Uterine leiomyoma is a common gynecological condition that negatively affects women's quality of life. Vitamin D plays an important role in tumor development and progression. However, clinical studies comparing serum vitamin D levels between women with and without uterine leiomyomas are limited and inconclusive. This study aimed to compare serum vitamin D levels in women with and without uterine leiomyomas.

METHODS: This hospital-based case-control study included 150 women who visited a gynecological clinic. The cases included 75 women with uterine leiomyoma, whereas the controls included 75 age-and parity-matched participants without uterine leiomyoma. Serum vitamin D levels were measured in …

Mohs Surgery For Squamoid Eccrine Ductal Carcinoma, Maryam Eghtedari, Matthew James Lin, Leo Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Squamous eccrine ductal carcinoma is a rare cutaneous malignancy. It has the potential to locally recur and may occasionally metastasize. It presents a diagnostic challenge given its rare nature and overlapping histopathological features with other cutaneous carcinomas.

Key Messages: An 82-year-old woman presented with a right cheek squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma and was treated with Mohs surgery. Squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma is a rare malignancy with potential for metastasis. It is a diagnostic challenge as it has overlapping histopathological features with squamous cell carcinoma and other eccrine malignancies.

Metformin In Conjunction With Stereotactic Radiotherapy For Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Long-Term Results Of A Prospective Phase Ii Clinical Trial, Molly K Tate, Mike Hernandez, Joe Y Chang, Steven H Lin, Zhongxing Liao, Suja M Koshy, Heath D Skinner, Stephen G Chun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/aim: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is increasingly detected in early stages and there is interest in improving outcomes with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). As metformin affects NSCLC signaling pathways, it might alter the metabolism of NSCLC treated with SBRT. This study investigated the long-term outcomes of a phase II clinical trial evaluating metformin in conjunction with SBRT for early-stage NSCLC.

Patients and methods: The trial evaluated patients with American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition Stage I-II, cT1-T2N0M0 NSCLC who were randomized 6:1 to receive metformin versus placebo in conjunction with SBRT. The outcomes analyzed included local failure …

Assessing Laryngectomy Patient Education On Youtube: Investigating Quality And Reliability, Matthew E Lin, Oluwatobiloba Ayo-Ajibola, Carlos X Castellanos, Jonathan West, Neil Luu, Ian Kim, Niels C Kokot

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize the quality of laryngectomy-related patient education on YouTube and understand factors impacting video content quality.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort analysis.

SETTING: Laryngectomy-related videos on YouTube.

METHODS: YouTube was anonymously queried for various laryngectomy procedure search terms. Video quality was evaluated using the validated DISCERN instrument which assesses treatment-related information quality. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize our cohort. Univariate and multivariable linear regression were used to assess factors associated with increased DISCERN score. Significance was set at

RESULTS: Our 78-video cohort exhibited moderate levels of engagement, averaging 13,028.40 views (SD = 24,246.93), 69.79 likes …

Ergonomics Of Various Modalities For Ear Surgery, Matthew E Lin, Sheng Zhou, Seiji Kakeheta, Tsukasa Ito, Seiji B Shibata

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate ergonomic differences of various modalities for performing middle ear surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational study.

SETTING: Two academic tertiary care centers.

METHODS: Attending physicians and residents performing middle ear surgery were photographed intraoperatively. Intraoperative photographs were analyzed using the validated Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) tool to measure musculoskeletal disease (MSD) risk. Descriptive statistics and significance testing were used to characterize and compare ergonomic differences between surgical modalities. Multivariable ordinal regression was performed to assess factors associated with increased MSD risk, as determined by the final RULA score.

RESULTS: Most of our 110 intraoperative photos featured attendings (82.7%) performing …

A Comparison Of Otolaryngology Residency Applicants Over Time And To Other Surgical Applicants, Matthew E Lin, Khush Kharidia, Deborah Choe, Neelesh Bagrodia, Neil N Luu, Tamara Chambers

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Understand how otolaryngology residency applicant characteristics have changed over time and compare them to those of other surgical subspecialties.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of academic, extracurricular, and application data in the Texas Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency databases.

SETTING: Applicants to otolaryngology, neurological surgery, ophthalmology, plastic surgery, urology, and orthopedic surgery applicants from 2019 to 2023.

METHODS: Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon rank sum, Fischer's exact, and Mann-Whitney

RESULTS: Across 4 match cycles and 541 otolaryngology applicants, significant differences were found in the average number of honored clerkships per applicant (

CONCLUSION: Matching into otolaryngology has become increasingly competitive and is …

High Doses Of Caffeine-Induced Cerebral Infarction Leading To Partial Locked-In Syndrome In A Young Adult: A Novel Association?, Vijay Sinha, Loc Lam, Michael V Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: This is a case of a 30-year-old male with no prior medical conditions presented to the emergency department for presumed seizures after ingesting 900 mg of caffeine via pre-workout drinks and pills.

CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was described as having nearly 15 min of generalized seizure activity observed by emergency medical service, requiring midazolam. A head computerized tomography (CT) demonstrated a possible thrombus, and further, CT angiography and CT perfusion confirmed a basilar artery occlusion. He was treated with tissue plasminogen activator and underwent thrombectomy achieving TICI grade 3 in the left posterior cerebral artery and TICI grade 2b …

Predicting Suicidality In Late-Life Depression By 3d Convolutional Neural Network And Cross-Sample Entropy Analysis Of Resting-State Fmri, Chemin Lin, Chih-Mao Huang, Wei Chang, You-Xun Chang, Ho-Ling Liu, Shu-Hang Ng, Huang-Li Lin, Tatia Mei-Chun Lee, Shwu-Hua Lee, Shun-Chi Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Predicting suicide is a pressing issue among older adults; however, predicting its risk is difficult. Capitalizing on the recent development of machine learning, considerable progress has been made in predicting complex behavior such as suicide. As depression remained the strongest risk for suicide, we aimed to apply deep learning algorithms to identify suicidality in a group with late-life depression (LLD).

Methods: We enrolled 83 patients with LLD, 35 of which were non-suicidal and 48 were suicidal, including 26 with only suicidal ideation and 22 with past suicide attempts, for resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cross-sample entropy (CSE) analysis …

Corrigendum: High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation For Upper Extremity Rehabilitation In Moderate-To-Severe Ischemic Stroke: A Pilot Study, Jordan N Williamson, Shirley A James, Dorothy He, Sheng Li, Evgeny V Sidorov, Yuan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

The Kidney In Heart Failure: The Role Of Venous Congestion, Oluwaseun Adebayo Bamodu, Chen-Chih Chung, Thomas R Pisanic, Alexander T H Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have emerged as pivotal players in tumorigenesis, disease progression, and resistance to therapies.

OBJECTIVE: This comprehensive review delves into the intricate relationship between CSCs and the cell-of-origin in diverse cancer types.

DESIGN: Comprehensive review of thematically-relevant literature.

METHODS: We explore the underlying molecular mechanisms that drive the conversion of normal cells into CSCs and the impact of the cell-of-origin on CSC properties, tumor initiation, and therapeutic responses. Moreover, we discuss potential therapeutic interventions targeting CSCs based on their distinct cell-of-origin characteristics.

RESULTS: Accruing evidence suggest that the cell-of-origin, the cell type from which the tumor …

A Milestone In Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, Yutong Sun, Li Ma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

A Reinforcement Learning (Rl)-Motivated Simulation Framework For Evaluating Vancomycin Dosing Strategies, Bingyu Mao, Ziqian Xie, Laila Rasmy, Masayuki Nigo, Degui Zhi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Achieving and maintaining the therapeutic range in vancomycin treatment is important for optimal outcomes. While guidelines and best practices based on empirical studies exist, the theoretical best dosing strategies under various conditions remain illusive. We developed an RL-based simulation framework using a deep learning two-compartment pharmacokinetic model (PK-RNN-2CM) and introduced the area under the time-concentration curve (AUC) reward score, which translates clinical guidelines into an RL reward. Ground truth time-concentration curves were generated from patient-specific data, and simulated curves were produced under different dosing strategies with optional noise perturbations to mimic real-world settings. Evaluation metrics included 24-hour AUC assessments and …

Differential Regulation Of Tissue-Resident And Blood-Derived Macrophages In Models Of Autoimmune And Traumatic Peripheral Nerve Injury, Alina Sprenger-Svačina, Martin K R Svačina, Tong Gao, Rodney M Ritzel, Louise D Mccullough, Kazim A Sheikh, Gang Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: The current study focuses on understanding the functional role of different subsets of endoneurial macrophages in autoimmune polyneuropathies (AP) and traumatic peripheral nerve injury (TPNI), which holds potential for clinical application. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of the diverse origins of macrophages within peripheral nerves. However, there remains a gap in our knowledge regarding how endoneurial macrophages from different origins affect disease progression in AP versus TPNI.

Methods: Flow cytometry was utilized to analyze macrophage phenotypes, including polarization states, cytokine production, and myelin phagocytosis in animal models of AP and TPNI. This study focuses on two distinct origins …

High Wall Shear Stress-Dependent Podosome Formation In A Novel Murine Model Of Intracranial Aneurysm, Jiayi Lu, Mengjun Dai, Yuanqing Yan, Louise D Mccullough, Yan-Ning Rui, Zhen Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

High wall shear stress (HWSS) contributes to intracranial aneurysm (IA) development. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear, in part due to the lack of robust animal models that develop IAs in a HWSS-dependent manner. The current study established a new experimental IA model in mice that was utilized to determine HWSS-triggered downstream mechanisms. By a strategic combination of HWSS and low dose elastase, IAs were induced with a high penetrance in hypertensive mice. In contrast, no IAs were observed in control groups where HWSS was absent, suggesting that our new IA model is HWSS-dependent. IA outcomes were assessed by …

Optimizing Medication Querying Using Ontology-Driven Approach With Omop: With An Application To A Large-Scale Covid-19 Ehr Dataset, Xiaojin Li, Yan Huang, Licong Cui, Shiqiang Tao, Guo-Qiang Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Efficient querying for medication information in Electronic Health Record (EHR) datasets is crucial for effective patient care and clinical research. To address the complexity and data volume challenges involved in efficient medication information retrieval, we propose an ontology-driven medication query (ODMQ) optimization approach, leveraging the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM). Integrating semantic ontology structures from the OMOP CDM can help enhance query accuracy and efficiency by broadening the scope of relevant medication terms like drug names, National Drug Codes, and generics, resulting in more comprehensive query outcomes than traditional methods. ODMQ significantly reduces manual search time …

Prognostic Value Of The 5-Sense Score To Predict Focality Of The Seizure-Onset Zone As Assessed By Stereoelectroencephalography: A Prospective International Multicentre Validation Study, Alexandra Astner-Rohracher, Alyssa Ho, John Archer, Fabrice Bartolomei, Milan Brazdil, Melita Cacic Hribljan, James Castellano, Irena Dolezalova, Martin Ejler Fabricius, Mercedes Garcés-Sanchez, Kahina Hammam, Akio Ikeda, Kristin Ikeda, Philippe Kahane, Giridhar Kalamangalam, Gudrun Kalss, Mays Khweileh, Katsuya Kobayashi, Patrick Kwan, Joshua Andrew Laing, Markus Leitinger, Samden Lhatoo, Julia Makhalova, Aileen Mcgonigal, Iona Mindruta, Mary Margaret Mizera, Andrew Neal, Irina Oane, Prachi Parikh, Piero Perucca, Francesca Pizzo, Rodrigo Rocamora, Philippe Ryvlin, Victoria San Antonio Arce, Stephan Schuele, Andreas Schulze-Bonhage, Ana Suller Marti, Alexandra Urban, Vincente Villanueva, Laura Vilella Bertran, Benjamin Whatley, Sandor Beniczky, Eugen Trinka, Georg Zimmermann, Birgit Frauscher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Epilepsy surgery is the only curative treatment for patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) is the gold standard to delineate the seizure-onset zone (SOZ). However, up to 40% of patients are subsequently not operated as no focal non-eloquent SOZ can be identified. The 5-SENSE Score is a 5-point score to predict whether a focal SOZ is likely to be identified by SEEG. This study aims to validate the 5-SENSE Score, improve score performance by incorporating auxiliary diagnostic methods and evaluate its concordance with expert decisions.

Methods and analysis: Non-interventional, observational, multicentre, prospective study including 200 patients with drug-resistant …

A Web-Based Interface For Visualizing And Documenting Seeg Strategic Planning (Wisp): Development And Qualitative Evaluation, Wei-Chun Chou, Johnson P Hampson, Antarr T Byrd, Samden D Lhatoo, Guo-Qiang Zhang, Shiqiang Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

WISP stands as an efficacious solution to the challenges associated with Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) strategic planning, offering lightweight and interactive web interfaces for rendering multiple brain views. These interfaces facilitate collaborative engagement among care team members across various disciplines during patient case conferences and SEEG strategic planning sessions. Moreover, WISP incorporates a collaborative electrode and electrode group library, serving as a standardized repository of knowledge. The application enables seamless conversion of case conference outcomes and SEEG plans into images and PDF files, with transmission to Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems through a customized HL7 engine. The initial assessment findings demonstrate WISP …

Characterizing Treatment Non-Responders And Responders In Completed Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials, Dulin Wang, Yaobin Ling, Kristofer Harris, Paul E Schulz, Xiaoqian Jiang, Yejin Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Characterizing differential responses to Alzheimer's disease (AD) drugs will provide better insights into personalized treatment strategies. Our study aims to identify heterogeneous treatment effects and pre-treatment features that moderate the treatment effect of Galantamine, Bapineuzumab, and Semagacestat from completed trial data. The causal forest method can capture heterogeneity in treatment responses. We applied causal forest modeling to estimate the treatment effect and identify efficacy moderators in each trial. We found several patient's pretreatment conditions that determined treatment efficacy. For example, in Galantamine trials, whole brain volume (1092.54 vs. 1060.67 ml, P < .001) and right hippocampal volume (2.43e-3 vs. 2.79e-3, P < .001) are significantly different between responsive and non-responsive subgroups. Overall, our implementation of causal forests in AD clinical trials reveals the heterogeneous treatment effects and different moderators for AD drug responses, highlighting promising personalized treatment based on patient-specific characteristics in AD research and drug development.

Role Of Alpha-Synuclein Seed Amplification Assay In Parkinson’S Disease Clinical Trials: A Case Of Misdiagnosis, Emily Tharp, Juan D Martinez-Lemus, Mya C Schiess, Timothy M Ellmore, Jessika Suescun, Mohammad Shahnawaz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

•Early differentiation between PD and atypical parkinsonism is challenging.•Variability in diagnosis can weaken statistical power in trials.•Precise diagnostic tools are needed for trial population homogeneity.•This patient initially diagnosed with PD, was diagnosed with MSA via CSF αSyn-SAA.•Adding αSyn-SAA to inclusion criteria could enhance subject selection in trials.

Saint Paul, The Apostle, And The Gastaut-Geschwind Syndrome, Leonardo Cruz De Souza, Guilherme Nogueira Mendes De Oliveira, Leandro Boson Gambogi, Ana Paula Gonçalves, Antônio Lúcio Teixeira

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The interface between epilepsy and religiosity has been a long-standing matter of debate. Epilepsy has affected several religious leaders throughout history. Hyperreligiosity may be observed in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy as a component of the so-called Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome which involves other behavioral and personality traits such as hyposexuality, viscosity, philosophical concerns, sense of personal destiny, hypergraphy, emotionality, and irritability. Saint Paul, the Apostle, probably had temporal lobe epilepsy. He was a genius man of intellectual excellence and refined culture, whose life and writings exerted a decisive influence on Western history. The current paper investigates the elements of Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome …

Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Severe Abdominal Trauma: A Secondary Analysis Of The Damage Control Laparotomy Trial, Shah-Jahan M Dodwad, Kayla D Isbell, Krislynn M Mueck, James M Klugh, David E Meyer, Charles E Wade, Lillian S Kao, John A Harvin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Little is known about patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following abdominal trauma. We hypothesized that patients undergoing definitive laparotomy (DEF) would have better PROs compared to those treated with damage control laparotomy (DCL).

Methods: The DCL Trial randomized DEF versus DCL in abdominal trauma. PROs were measured using the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions-5 Levels (EQ-5D) questionnaire at discharge and six months postdischarge (1 = perfect health, 0 = death, and < 0 = worse than death) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian. Unadjusted Bayesian analysis with a neutral prior was used to assess the posterior probability of achieving minimal clinically important difference.

Results: Of 39 randomized patients (21 DEF versus 18 DCL), 8 patients died (7 DEF versus 1 DCL). Of those who survived, 28 completed the EQ-5D at discharge (12 DEF …

Taking Action To Achieve Health Equity And Eliminate Healthcare Disparities Within Acute Care Surgery, Marta L Mccrum, Tanya L Zakrison, Lisa Marie Knowlton, Brandon Bruns, Lillian S Kao, Kathie-Ann Joseph, Cherisse Berry

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Addressing disparities is crucial for enhancing population health, ensuring health security, and fostering resilient health systems. Disparities in acute care surgery (trauma, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care) have been well documented and the magnitude of inequities demand an intentional, organized, and effective response. As part of its commitment to achieve high-quality, equitable care in all aspects of acute care surgery, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma convened an expert panel at its eigty-second annual meeting in September 2023 to discuss how to take action to work towards health equity in acute care surgery practice. The panel …

Development And Validation Of A Scale To Measure Person-Centered Care In Fetal Care Centers, Abigail Wilpers, Marney White, Mary T Austin, Mert Ozan Bahtiyar, Katie Francis, Stephen P Emery, Diane Wall, Lonnie Somers, Charlotte Wool

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Fetal care centers (FCCs) in the USA lack a standardized instrument to measure person-centered care. This study aimed to develop and validate the Person-Centered Care in Fetal Care Centers (PCC-FCC) Scale.

Methods: Initial items were developed based on literature and input from clinicians and former patients. A Delphi study involving 16 experts was conducted to validate the content and construct. Through three rounds of online questionnaires using open-ended questions and Likert scales, consensus on item clarity and relevancy was established. The resulting items were then piloted with former fetal care center patients via a web-based survey. The instrument's reliability …

Multimodal Therapy And Use Of Adjunctive Therapies To Bont-A In Spasticity Management: Defining Terminology To Help Enhance Spasticity Treatment, Rajiv Reebye, Luis Jorge Jacinto, Alexander Balbert, Bo Biering-Sørensen, Stefano Carda, Nathalie Draulans, Franco Molteni, Michael W O'Dell, Alessandro Picelli, Andrea Santamato, Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, Heather Walker, Joerg Wissel, Gerard E Francisco

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spasticity management should be provided within the context of a comprehensive person-centered rehabilitation program. Furthermore, active goal setting for specific spasticity interventions is also important, with a well-established "more is better" approach. It is critical to consider adjunctive therapy and multimodal approaches if patients are not attaining their treatment goals. Often used interchangeably, there may be confusion between the terms adjunctive and multimodal therapy. Yet it is imperative to understand the differences between these approaches to achieve treatment goals in spasticity management. Addition of a secondary pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic treatment to optimize the efficacy of the initial modality, such as …

Safety And Feasibility Of Paired Vagus Nerve Stimulation With Rehabilitation For Improving Upper Extremity Function In People With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Study Protocol For A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Nuray Yozbatiran, Gerard E Francisco, Radha Korupolu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Pairing vagus nerve stimulation with traditional rehabilitation therapies results in improved motor recovery in people with stroke. However, this approach has not yet been studied in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Motor recovery continues to be challenging after SCI, and there is a need for innovative research strategies to enhance motor recovery after SCI. Hence, this pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and potential efficacy of pairing vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with rehabilitation therapy to restore the motor function of the paretic upper limbs in people with cervical SCI.

Methods and analysis: In this …

Nlrp3 Activation Contributes To Memory Impairment In An Experimental Model Of Pneumococcal Meningitis, Jaqueline S Generoso, Cristiano Julio Faller, Allan Collodel, Carlos Henrique Rocha Catalão, Diogo Dominguini, Fabricia Petronilho, Tatiana Barichello, Vijayasree V Giridharan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bacterial meningitis is considered a life-threatening condition with high mortality rates. In response to the infection, signaling cascades, producing pro-inflammatory mediators trigger an exacerbated host immune response. Another inflammatory pathway occurs through the activation of inflammasomes. Studies highlight the role of the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) in central nervous system disorders commonly involved in neuroinflammation. We aimed to investigate the role of NLRP3 and its inhibitor MCC950 on neurochemical, immunological, and behavioral parameters in the early and late stages of experimental pneumococcal meningitis. For this, adult male Wistar rats received an intracisternal injection of Streptococcus pneumoniae or …

Grief On Pain And Quality Of Life In Combat Veterans With Ptsd, Melba A Hernandez-Tejada, Madeleine Desrochers, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD) comprises a set of grief symptoms that are often linked to other psychological conditions such as PTSD and depression, may be prevalent in Veterans with combat experience, and may also impact general health.

Objective: This study investigated the association between grief and sleep, pain, PTSD, and depression, among Veterans participating in a clinical trial for PCBD treatment.

Method: Data from 155 Veterans receiving treatments for PCBD were analysed to explore the association between PCBD and symptoms of sleep pain, PTSD, and depression. Veterans experiencing grief reported symptoms related to physical health, emotional problems, energy, …

Acute Exposure To Diisopropylfluorophosphate In Mice Results In Persistent Cognitive Deficits And Alterations In Senescence Markers In The Brain, Alvin V Terry, Wayne D Beck, Victoria Zona, Yutaka Itokazu, Ashutosh Tripathi, Amit Kumar Madeshiya, Anilkumar Pillai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Organophosphates (OPs) are found in hundreds of important products used worldwide; however, they have been associated with adverse long-term health consequences ranging from neurodevelopmental deficits to age-related neurological diseases. OP exposure has also been implicated in Gulf War Illness; a cluster of medically unexplained chronic symptoms estimated to affect 25-32% of veterans of the Persian Gulf war in 1991. The development of multiple types of chronic illnesses in these veterans at an early age compared to the general population has led to the suggestion that they are experiencing signs of premature or accelerated aging. The process of cellular senescence and …

Stop The Falls! A Framework For Injury Prevention Outreach For Older Adults Presented By The American Association For The Surgery Of Trauma Geriatric Trauma And Injury Prevention Committees, Tanya Egodage, Thomas K Duncan, Vanessa P Ho, D'Andrea Joseph, Adin Tyler Putnam, Sigrid Burruss, Tasce Bongiovanni, Jennifer Knight-Davis, Sasha D Adams, Elizabeth Gorman, Molly P Jarman, Nasim Ahmed, Asanthi Ratnasekera, Kartik Prabhakaran, Caitlin Cohan, Melissa Hornor, Kristin P Colling, Bellal Joseph

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

With the increasing age of the population in the USA, fall prevention events to target older patients are imperative. The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma hosted a fall prevention event at the host city of the 2023 Annual Meeting. We review the planning and implementation of this "Stop the Falls" event, in hopes that other institutions may benefit and sustainably effectuate fall prevention events for an increasingly geriatric population.