Medical Specialties Commons^™

Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis: A Novel Surgical Model For Moyamoya Syndrome, Jill M. Roberts, Michael E. Maniskas, Justin F. Fraser, Gregory J. Bix

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Moyamoya is a cerebrovascular disorder characterized by progressive stenosis of the intracranial internal carotid arteries. There are two forms: Disease and Syndrome, with each characterized by the sub-population it affects. Moyamoya syndrome (MMS) is more prominent in adults in their 20’s-40’s, and is often associated with autoimmune diseases. Currently, there are no surgical models for inducing moyamoya syndrome, so our aim was to develop a new animal model to study this relatively unknown cerebrovascular disease. Here, we demonstrate a new surgical technique termed internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS), to mimic MMS using micro-coils on the proximal ICA. We tested for …

Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography Detects Differences At The Radius In Prepubertal Children With Cystic Fibrosis Compared To Healthy Controls, Catherine E. O'Brien, Gulnur Com, John L. Fowlkes, Xinyu Tang, Laura P. James

Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center Faculty Publications

Introduction

In 2015, 11.9% of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) in the United States had osteopenia, 5.1% osteoporosis, and 0.3% experienced a fracture. Screening for CF-related bone disease starts in childhood, and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the recommended method. It is unknown whether peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) can detect deficits earlier than DXA. This study compared pQCT and DXA scans in a group of pre-pubertal children with CF and healthy controls.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of children at Tanner stage 1. A pQCT scan of the radius at proximal and distal sites was performed plus …

Mental Disorder In Children With Physical Conditions: A Pilot Study, Alexandra Butler, Ryan J Van Lieshout, Ellen Louise Lipman, Harriet L Macmillan, Andrea Gonzalez, Jan Willem Gorter, Kathy Georgiades, Kathy N Speechley, Michael H Boyle, Mark A Ferro

Paediatrics Publications

Objectives

Methodologically, to assess the feasibility of participant recruitment and retention, as well as missing data in studying mental disorder among children newly diagnosed with chronic physical conditions (ie, multimorbidity). Substantively, to examine the prevalence of multimorbidity, identify sociodemographic correlates and model the influence of multimorbidity on changes in child quality of life and parental psychosocial outcomes over a 6-month follow-up.

Design

Prospective pilot study.

Setting

Two children's tertiary-care hospitals.

Participants

Children aged 6-16 years diagnosed in the past 6 months with one of the following: asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, food allergy or juvenile arthritis, and their parents.

Outcome Measures

Response, …

A Novel Approach To Addressing An Unintended Consequence Of Direct To Room: The Delay Of Initial Vital Signs., J. Basile, E. Youssef, B. Cambria, J. Chacko, K. Treval, B. Hahn, B. Ardolic

Journal Articles

Introduction: The concept of "direct to room" (DTR) and "immediate bedding" has been described in the literature as a mechanism to improve front-end, emergency department (ED) processing. The process allows for an expedited clinician-patient encounter. An unintended consequence of DTR was a time delay in obtaining the initial set of vital signs upon patient arrival.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single, academic, tertiary-care facility with an annual census of 94,000 patient visits. Inclusion criteria were all patients who entered the ED from 11/1/15 to 5/1/16 and between the hours of 7 am to 11 pm. During …

Lack Of Diagnostic Pluripotentiality In Patients At Clinical High Risk For Psychosis: Specificity Of Comorbidity Persistence And Search For Pluripotential Subgroups., S. W. Woods, A. R. Powers, J. H. Taylor, C. A. Davidson, J. K. Johannesen, J. Addington, D. O. Perkins, C. E. Bearden, B. A. Cornblatt, T. H. Mcglashan, +5 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

More than 20 years after the clinical high risk syndrome for psychosis (CHR) was first articulated, it remains controversial whether the CHR syndrome predicts onset of psychosis with diagnostic specificity or predicts pluripotential diagnostic outcomes. Recently, analyses of observational studies, however, have suggested that the CHR syndrome is not pluripotential for emergent diagnostic outcomes. The present report conducted additional analyses in previously reported samples to determine (1) whether comorbid disorders were more likely to persist in CHR patients compared to a comparison group of patients who responded to CHR recruitment efforts but did not meet criteria, termed help-seeking comparison subjects …

Imaging-Based Clusters In Current Smokers Of The Copd Cohort Associate With Clinical Characteristics: The Subpopulations And Intermediate Outcome Measures In Copd Study (Spiromics), Babak Haghighi, Sanghun Choi, Jiwoong Choi, Eric A. Hoffman, Alejandro P. Comellas, John D. Newell, R. Graham Barr, Eugene Bleecker, Christopher B. Cooper, David Couper, Mei Lan Han, Nadia N. Hansel, Richard E. Kanner, Ella A. Kazerooni, Eric A.C. Kleerup, Fernando J. Martinez, Wanda O'Neal, Stephen I. Rennard, Prescott G. Woodruff, Ching-Long Lin

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Classification of COPD is usually based on the severity of airflow, which may not sensitively differentiate subpopulations. Using a multiscale imaging-based cluster analysis (MICA), we aim to identify subpopulations for current smokers with COPD.

METHODS: Among the SPIROMICS subjects, we analyzed computed tomography images at total lung capacity (TLC) and residual volume (RV) of 284 current smokers. Functional variables were derived from registration of TLC and RV images, e.g. functional small airways disease (fSAD%). Structural variables were assessed at TLC images, e.g. emphysema and airway wall thickness and diameter. We employed an unsupervised method for clustering.

RESULTS: Four clusters …

Use Of A 4-Week Up-Titration Regimen Of Roflumilast In Patients With Severe Copd, Henrik Watz, Nitin Bagul, Klaus F. Rabe, Stephen I. Rennard, Vijay Kt Alagappan, Jonas Román, Axel Facius, Peter Ma Calverley

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: The oral selective phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor roflumilast (ROF) reduces exacerbations in patients with severe COPD. Adverse events (AEs) can cause early ROF discontinuation. Alternative dosing strategies may help patients continue their therapy.

METHODS: In this multicenter, double-blind trial, 1,321 patients with severe COPD were randomized 1:1:1 to 4 weeks' treatment with ROF 250 µg once daily (OD), 500 µg every other day (EOD), or 500 µg OD, each followed by ROF 500 µg OD for 8 weeks, plus standard therapy. The primary end point was the percentage of patients prematurely discontinuing study treatment.

RESULTS: Patients in the 250 µg OD/500 …

Suicidal Ideation Assessment In Individuals With Premanifest And Manifest Huntington Disease., Melissa Wesson, Nicholas R Boileau, Joel S Perlmutter, Jane S Paulsen, Stacey K Barton, Michael K Mccormack, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Huntington disease (HD) is associated with increased risk of suicide.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares suicide ideation in HD to the general population, assesses factors associated with increased prevalence of suicidal thoughts, and compares clinician-rated to self-reported assessments of suicidal ideation.

METHODS: We examined 496 participants with premanifest or manifest HD. Clinician-rated suicidal ideation was measured using the Problem Behaviors Assessment - short form. Self-reported ideation was measured using two items from the HDQLIFE Concern with Death and Dying item bank. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare the prevalence of suicidal thoughts between our HD sample and the U.S. …

A New Measure For End Of Life Planning, Preparation, And Preferences In Huntington Disease: Hdqlife End Of Life Planning, Noelle E Carlozzi, E A Hahn, S A Frank, J S Perlmutter, N D Downing, M K Mccormack, S Barton, M A Nance, S G Schilling, Hdqlife Site Investigators And Coordinators

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Huntington disease is a fatal inherited neurodegenerative disease. Because the end result of Huntington disease is death due to Huntington disease-related causes, there is a need for better understanding and caring for individuals at their end of life.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to develop a new measure to evaluate end of life planning.

DESIGN: We conducted qualitative focus groups, solicited expert input, and completed a literature review to develop a 16-item measure to evaluate important aspects of end of life planning for Huntington disease. Item response theory and differential item functioning analyses were utilized to examine …

Baseline White Matter Hyperintensities And Hippocampal Volume Are Associated With Conversion From Normal Cognition To Mild Cognitive Impairment In The Framingham Offspring Study., Katherine J Bangen, Sarah R Preis, Lisa Delano-Wood, Philip A Wolf, David J Libon, Mark W Bondi, Rhoda Au, Charles Decarli, Adam M Brickman

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: We examined associations between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of cerebrovascular disease and neurodegeneration with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis at baseline and conversion from normal cognition to MCI at follow-up.

METHODS: Framingham Offspring participants underwent brain MRI and neuropsychological assessment at baseline (n=1049) and follow-up (n=561). Participants were classified at baseline and at follow-up as cognitively normal or MCI using sensitive neuropsychological criteria. White matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume, covert brain infarcts, hippocampal volume, and total cerebral brain volume were quantified.

RESULTS: Baseline measures of WMH and hippocampal volume were associated with MCI status cross-sectionally and also with conversion …

Assessing Working Memory In Mild Cognitive Impairment With Serial Order Recall., Sheina Emrani, David J Libon, Melissa Lamar, Catherine C Price, Angela L Jefferson, Katherine A Gifford, Timothy J Hohman, Daniel A Nation, Lisa Delano-Wood, Amy Jak, Katherine J Bangen, Mark W Bondi, Adam M Brickman, Jennifer Manly, Rodney Swenson, Rhoda Au, Consortium For Clinical And Epidemiological Neuropsychological Data Analysis (Cenda)

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Working memory (WM) is often assessed with serial order tests such as repeating digits backward. In prior dementia research using the Backward Digit Span Test (BDT), only aggregate test performance was examined.

OBJECTIVE: The current research tallied primacy/recency effects, out-of-sequence transposition errors, perseverations, and omissions to assess WM deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

METHODS: Memory clinic patients (n = 66) were classified into three groups: single domain amnestic MCI (aMCI), combined mixed domain/dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dys MCI), and non-MCI where patients did not meet criteria for MCI. Serial order/WM ability was assessed by asking participants to repeat …

Centrilobular Emphysema And Coronary Artery Calcification: Mediation Analysis In The Spiromics Cohort, Surya P. Bhatt, Hrudaya P. Nath, Young-Il Kim, Rekha Ramachandran, Jubal R. Watts, Nina L.J. Terry, Sushil Sonavane, Swati P. Deshmane, Prescott G. Woodruff, Elizabeth C. Oelsner, Sandeep Bodduluri, Meilan K. Han, Wassim W. Labaki, J. Michael Wells, Fernando J. Martinez, R. Graham Barr, Mark T. Dransfield, Spiromics Investigators

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a two-to-five fold increase in the risk of coronary artery disease independent of shared risk factors. This association is hypothesized to be mediated by systemic inflammation but this link has not been established.

METHODS: We included 300 participants enrolled in the SPIROMICS cohort, 75 each of lifetime non-smokers, smokers without airflow obstruction, mild-moderate COPD, and severe-very severe COPD. We quantified emphysema and airway disease on computed tomography, characterized visual emphysema subtypes (centrilobular and paraseptal) and airway disease, and used the Weston visual score to quantify coronary artery calcification (CAC). We used …

Can Capture Be Used To Identify Undiagnosed Patients With Mild-To-Moderate Copd Likely To Benefit From Treatment?, Nancy K. Leidy, Fernando J. Martinez, Karen G. Malley, David M. Mannino, Meilan K. Han, Elizabeth D. Bacci, Randall W. Brown, Julia F. Houfek, Wassim W. Labaki, Barry J. Make, Catherine A. Meldrum, Wilson Quezada, Stephen I. Rennard, Byron Thomashow, Barbara P. Yawn

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: COPD Assessment in Primary Care To Identify Undiagnosed Respiratory Disease and Exacerbation Risk (CAPTURE™) uses five questions and peak expiratory flow (PEF) thresholds (males ≤350 L/min; females ≤250 L/min) to identify patients with a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV

METHODS: Data from the CAPTURE development study were used to test its sensitivity (SN) and specificity (SP) differentiating mild-to-moderate COPD (n=73) from no COPD (n=87). SN and SP for differentiating all COPD cases (mild to severe; n=259) from those without COPD (n=87) were also estimated. The modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale and COPD Assessment Test (CAT™) …

Disruption To Functional Networks In Neonates With Perinatal Brain Injury Predicts Motor Skills At 8 Months, Annika C Linke, Conor Wild, Leire Zubiaurre-Elorza, Charlotte Herzmann, Hester Duffy, Victor K Han, David S C Lee, Rhodri Cusack

Paediatrics Publications

Objective

Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) of neonates with perinatal brain injury could improve prediction of motor impairment before symptoms manifest, and establish how early brain organization relates to subsequent development. This cohort study is the first to describe and quantitatively assess functional brain networks and their relation to later motor skills in neonates with a diverse range of perinatal brain injuries.

Methods

Infants (n = 65, included in final analyses: n = 53) were recruited from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and were stratified based on their age at birth (prematurevs. term), and on whether neuropathology …

Homelessness Predicts Attrition But Not Alcohol Abstinence In Outpatients Experiencing Co-Occurring Alcohol Dependence And Serious Mental Illness., Emily Leickly, Jordan Skalisky, Oladunni Oluwoye, Sterling M Mcpherson, Debra Srebnik, John M Roll, Richard K Ries, Michael G Mcdonell

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Adults experiencing homelessness and serious mental illnesses (SMI) are at an increased risk of poor mental health and treatment outcomes compared with stably housed adults with SMI. The additional issue of alcohol misuse further complicates the difficulties of those living with homelessness and SMI. In this secondary data analysis, the authors investigated the impact of homelessness on attrition and alcohol use in a contingency management (CM) intervention that rewarded alcohol abstinence in outpatients with SMI.

METHODS: The associations between housing status and attrition and alcohol abstinence during treatment, as assessed by ethyl glucuronide (EtG) urine tests, were evaluated in …

Standard Ablation Versus Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Ablation In The Treatment Of Ventricular Tachycardia., Tarek Zghaib, Esra G Ipek, Rozann Hansford, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Ronald D Berger, Joseph E Marine, David D Spragg, Harikrishna Tandri, Stefan L Zimmerman, Henry Halperin, Scott Brancato, Hugh Calkins, Charles Henrikson, Saman Nazarian

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Lower Serum Iga Is Associated With Copd Exacerbation Risk In Spiromics., Nirupama Putcha, Gabriel G Paul, Antoine Azar, Robert A Wise, Wanda K O'Neal, Mark T Dransfield, Prescott G Woodruff, Jeffrey L Curtis, Alejandro P Comellas, M Bradley Drummond, Allison A. Lambert, Laura M Paulin, Ashraf Fawzy, Richard E Kanner, Robert Paine, Meilan K Han, Fernando J Martinez, Russell P Bowler, R Graham Barr, Nadia N Hansel

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Decreased but measurable serum IgA levels (≤70 mg/dL) have been associated with risk for infections in some populations, but are unstudied in COPD. This study tested the hypothesis that subnormal serum IgA levels would be associated with exacerbation risk in COPD.

METHODS: Data were analyzed from 1,049 COPD participants from the observational cohort study SPIROMICS (535 (51%) women; mean age 66.1 (SD 7.8), 338 (32%) current smokers) who had baseline serum IgA measured using the Myriad RBM biomarker discovery platform. Exacerbation data was collected prospectively (mean 944.3 (SD 281.3) days), and adjusted linear, logistic and zero-inflated negative binomial regressions …

The Development Of Azd7624 For Prevention Of Exacerbations In Copd: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Naimish R. Patel, Danen M. Cunoosamy, Malin Fagerås, Ziad Taib, Sara Asimus, Tove Hegelund-Myrbäck, Sofia Lundin, Katerina Pardali, Nisha Kurian, Eva Ersdal, Cecilia Kristensson, Katarina Korsback, Robert Palmér, Mary N. Brown, Steven Greenaway, Leonard Siew, Graham W. Clarke, Stephen I. Rennard, Barry J. Make, Robert A. Wise, Paul Jansson

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays a central role in the regulation and activation of pro-inflammatory mediators. COPD patients have increased levels of activated p38 MAPK, which correlate with increased lung function impairment, alveolar wall inflammation, and COPD exacerbations.

OBJECTIVES: These studies aimed to assess the effect of p38 inhibition with AZD7624 in healthy volunteers and patients with COPD. The principal hypothesis was that decreasing lung inflammation via inhibition of p38α would reduce exacerbations and improve quality of life for COPD patients at high risk for acute exacerbations.

METHODS: The p38 isoform most relevant to lung inflammation was assessed …

Analytical High-Resolution Electron Microscopy Reveals Organ-Specific Nanoceria Bioprocessing, Uschi M. Graham, Robert A. Yokel, Alan K. Dozier, Lawrence Drummy, Krishnamurthy Mahalingam, Michael T. Tseng, Eileen Birch, Joseph Fernback

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

This is the first utilization of advanced analytical electron microscopy methods, including high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping to characterize the organ-specific bioprocessing of a relatively inert nanomaterial (nanoceria). Liver and spleen samples from rats given a single intravenous infusion of nanoceria were obtained after prolonged (90 days) in vivo exposure. These advanced analytical electron microscopy methods were applied to elucidate the organ-specific cellular and subcellular fate of nanoceria after its uptake. Nanoceria is bioprocessed differently in the spleen than in the liver.

Microrna Expression Patterns In Human Anterior Cingulate And Motor Cortex: A Study Of Dementia With Lewy Bodies Cases And Controls, Peter T. Nelson, Wang-Xia Wang, Sarah A. Janse, Katherine L. Thompson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Overview

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we evaluated the expression of miRNAs in anterior cingulate (AC; Brodmann area [BA] 24) and primary motor (MO; BA 4) cortical tissue from aged human brains in the University of Kentucky AD Center autopsy cohort, with a focus on dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

Methods

RNA was isolated from gray matter of brain samples with pathology-defined DLB, AD, AD+DLB, and low-pathology controls, with n=52 cases initially included (n=23 with DLB), all with low (<4hrs) postmortem intervals. RNA was profiled using Exiqon miRNA microarrays. Quantitative PCR for post-hoc replication was performed on separate cases (n=6 controls) and included RNA isolated from gray matter of MO, AC, primary somatosensory (BA 3), and dorsolateral prefrontal (BA 9) cortical regions.

Results

The miRNA expression patterns differed substantially according to …

Intra-Arterial Nitroglycerin As Directed Acute Treatment In Experimental Ischemic Stroke, Michael E. Maniskas, Jill M. Roberts, Rebecca Trueman, Annastazia E. Learoyd, Amanda A. Gorman, Justin F. Fraser, Gregory J. Bix

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Nitroglycerin (also known as glyceryl trinitrate (GTN)), a vasodilator best known for treatment of ischemic heart disease, has also been investigated for its potential therapeutic benefit in ischemic stroke. The completed Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke trial suggested that GTN has therapeutic benefit with acute (within 6 hours) transdermal systemic sustained release therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine an alternative use of GTN as an acute therapy for ischemic stroke following successful recanalization.

METHODS: We administered GTN IA following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice. Because no standard dose of GTN is available following emergent large vessel occlusion, we …

Genotype-Phenotype Study In Patients With Valosin-Containing Protein Mutations Associated With Multisystem Proteinopathy, Ebaa Al-Obeidi, Sejad Al-Tahan, Abhilasha Surampalli, Namita Goyal, Annabel K. Wang, Andreas Hermann, Molly Omizo, Charles D. Smith, Tahseen Mozaffar, Virginia Kimonis

Neurology Faculty Publications

Mutations in valosin‐containing protein (VCP), an ATPase involved in protein degradation and autophagy, cause VCP disease, a progressive autosomal dominant adult onset multisystem proteinopathy. The goal of this study is to examine if phenotypic differences in this disorder could be explained by the specific gene mutations. We therefore studied 231 individuals (118 males and 113 females) from 36 families carrying 15 different VCP mutations. We analyzed the correlation between the different mutations and prevalence, age of onset and severity of myopathy, Paget's disease of bone (PDB), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and other comorbidities. Myopathy, PDB and FTD was present in …

Effect Of Hemiepiphysiodesis On The Growth Plate: The Histopathological Changes And Mechanism Exploration Of Recurrence In Mini Pig Model., Jing Ding, Jin He, Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Zhen-Kai Wu, Fang-Chun Jin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Purpose: Hemiepiphysiodesis has been widely used to correct angular deformity of long bone in immature patients. However, there is a limited knowledge about the biomechanical effect of this technique on the histopathological changes of the growth plate and the mechanism of recurrence of malformation after implant removal. We aimed to evaluate the biomechanical effect of hemiepiphysiodesis on the histopathological changes of the growth plate and the mechanism of recurrence of malformation after implant removal in Bama miniature pigs, and to explore the role of asymmetric stress during this procedure.

Methods: Eight 3-month-old male Bama miniature pigs sustained surgeries on the …

Cetuximab Plus Carboplatin And Paclitaxel With Or Without Bevacizumab Versus Carboplatin And Paclitaxel With Or Without Bevacizumab In Advanced Nsclc (Swog S0819): A Randomised, Phase 3 Study, Roy S. Herbst, Mary W. Redman, Edward S. Kim, Thomas J. Semrad, Lyudmila Bazhenova, Gregory Masters, Kurt Oettel, Perry Guaglianone, Christopher Reynolds, Anand Karnad, Susanne M. Arnold, Marileila Varella-Garcia, James Moon, Philip C. Mack, Charles D. Blanke, Fred R. Hirsch, Karen Kelly, David R. Gandara

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background

EGFR antibodies have shown promise in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly with squamous cell histology. We hypothesised that EGFR copy number by fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH) can identify patients most likely to benefit from these drugs combined with chemotherapy and we aimed to explore the activity of cetuximab with chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC who are EGFR FISH-positive.

Methods

We did this open-label, phase 3 study (SWOG S0819) at 277 sites in the USA and Mexico. We randomly assigned (1:1) eligible patients with treatment-naive stage IV NSCLC to receive paclitaxel (200 mg/m ²; every …

Nanoparticle Orientation To Control Rna Loading And Ligand Display On Extracellular Vesicles For Cancer Regression, Fengmei Pi, Daniel W. Binzel, Tae Jin Lee, Zhefeng Li, Meiyan Sun, Piotr G. Rychahou, Hui Li, Farzin Haque, Shaoying Wang, Carlo M. Croce, Bin Guo, B. Mark Evers, Peixuan Guo

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Nanotechnology offers many benefits, and here we report an advantage of applying RNA nanotechnology for directional control. The orientation of arrow-shaped RNA was altered to control ligand display on extracellular vesicle membranes for specific cell targeting, or to regulate intracellular trafficking of small interfering RNA (siRNA) or microRNA (miRNA). Placing membrane-anchoring cholesterol at the tail of the arrow results in display of RNA aptamer or folate on the outer surface of the extracellular vesicle. In contrast, placing the cholesterol at the arrowhead results in partial loading of RNA nanoparticles into the extracellular vesicles. Taking advantage of the RNA ligand for …

Global Mapping Of Transcription Factor Motifs In Human Aging., David Alfego, Ulrich Rodeck, Andres Kriete

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Biological aging is a complex process dependent on the interplay of cell autonomous and tissue contextual changes which occur in response to cumulative molecular stress and manifest through adaptive transcriptional reprogramming. Here we describe a transcription factor (TF) meta-analysis of gene expression datasets accrued from 18 tissue sites collected at different biological ages and from 7 different in-vitro aging models. In-vitro aging platforms included replicative senescence and an energy restriction model in quiescence (ERiQ), in which ATP was transiently reduced. TF motifs in promoter regions of trimmed sets of target genes were scanned using JASPAR and TRANSFAC. TF signatures established …

Determination Of An Optimal Response Cut-Off Able To Predict Progression-Free Survival In Patients With Well-Differentiated Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours Treated With Sunitinib: An Alternative To The Current Recist-Defined Response., Angela Lamarca, Jorge Barriuso, Matthew Kulke, Ivan Borbath, Heinz-Josef Lenz, Jean Luc Raoul, Neal J. Meropol, Catherine Lombard-Bohas, James Posey, Sandrine Faivre, Eric Raymond, Juan W. Valle

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Sunitinib prolongs progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNET). Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)-defined partial responses (PR; classically defined as ⩾30% size decrease from baseline) are infrequent.

METHODS: Individual data of pNET patients from the phase II [NCT00056693] and pivotal phase III [NCT00428597] trials of sunitinib were analysed in this investigator-initiated, post hoc study. The primary objective was to determine the optimal RECIST (v.1.0) response cut-off value to identify patients who were progression-free at 11 months (median PFS in phase III trial); and the most informative time-point (highest area under the curve (AUC) …

Use Of Caudal Epidural Catheter In A Child With Cerebral Palsy With Prior Posterior Spine (T1-Sacrum) Fusion., Divya Dixit, Mary C. Theroux, Kirk W. Dabney, Freeman Miller

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Vitamin E Status Is Inversely Associated With Risk Of Incident Tuberculosis Disease Among Household Contacts, Omowunmi Aibana, Molly F Franke, Chuan-Chin Huang, Jerome T Galea, Roger Calderon, Zibiao Zhang, Mercedes C Becerra, Emily R Smith, Carmen Contreras, Rosa Yataco, Leonid Lecca, Megan B Murray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Few studies have previously assessed how pre-existing vitamin E status is associated with risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease progression.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the association between baseline plasma concentrations of 3 vitamin E isomers (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and δ-tocopherol) and TB disease risk.

METHODS: We conducted a case-control study nested within a longitudinal cohort of household contacts (HHCs) of pulmonary TB cases in Lima, Peru. We defined cases as HHCs who developed active TB disease ≥15 d after the diagnosis of the index patient, and we matched each case to 4 control cases who did not develop active TB based on …

A Standardized Comparison Of Peri-Operative Complications After Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy: Ivor Lewis Versus Mckeown., Andrew M. Brown, Michael J. Pucci, Adam C. Berger, Talar Tatarian, Nathaniel R. Evans Iii, Ernest L. Rosato, Francesco Palazzo

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: While our institutional approach to esophageal resection for cancer has traditionally favored a minimally invasive (MI) 3-hole, McKeown esophagectomy (MIE 3-hole) during the last five years several factors has determined a shift in our practice with an increasing number of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis (MIE IL) resections being performed. We compared peri-operative outcomes of the two procedures, hypothesizing that MIE IL would be less morbid in the peri-operative setting compared to MIE 3-hole.

METHODS: Our institution's IRB-approved esophageal database was queried to identify all patients who underwent totally MI esophagectomy (MIE IL vs. MIE 3-hole) from June 2011 to …