Medical Specialties Commons^™

Transcriptomic Data And Biomedical Literature Synergize In Finding Pharmacologic Gene Regulators, Athanasios Papastathopoulos-Katsaros, Yi Zhong, Yidan Li, Tianyun Wang, Kelsey Hennick, Druha Karunakaran, Hanna Berk-Rauch, Zhandong Liu, Aravinda Chakravarti, Tomasz Nowakowski, Evan E Eichler, Huda Zoghbi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Autism affects male individuals four times more often than female individuals, yet the basis of this sex bias remains unclear. One hypothesis is that this sex bias is due to genetic variants in X chromosome genes where haploinsufficiency causes neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). In heterozygous XX female probands, a complete loss-of-function variant in one of these genes often causes syndromic NDD, but the same variant is too deleterious for survival in hemizygous XY males. A mild hypomorphic variant, however, may be tolerated in a female carrier but may produce milder neurological phenotypes in a male proband. We tested this by investigating …

Expanding The Clinical And Molecular Spectrum Of Tubb2b Through Distinct Variants Identified Across Multiple Families, Haowei Du, Lauren E Westerfield, Chloe Munderloh, Divya Kalra, Yifan Wu, Yi Chen, Marie-Claude Gingras, Shalini N Jhangiani, Sarenur Yilmaz, Maha S Zaki, Daniel G Calame, Davut Pehlivan, Richard A Gibbs, Richard A Lewis, James R Lupski, Jennifer E Posey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

TUBB2B encodes a β-tubulin isotype essential for neuronal proliferation, migration, and organization during brain development. Pathogenic heterozygous variants in TUBB2B are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including polymicrogyria and corpus callosum abnormalities. However, the phenotypic spectrum remains heterogeneous, most likely reflecting variant-specific effects on microtubule formation and stability. Homozygous TUBB2B variants are exceedingly rare, with one family reported to date. We describe five individuals in four families with rare TUBB2B variants. Four variants are described, including a previously reported de novo missense variant, c.292G>A (GenBank: NM_178012.5) (p.Gly98Arg), with potential phenotypic expansion including panhypopituitarism; a previously reported de novo missense variant, …

A Phase 2, Open-Label, Multicenter Study Of The Safety And Efficacy Of Tak-007 In Adult Patients With Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Justin Darrah, Indumathy Varadarajan, Amitkumar Mehta, Jennifer Saultz, Matthew Mckinney, Monalisa Ghosh, Usama Gergis, Andrew Krueger, Kevin Galinsky, Girish Bende, Ajeetha Ramachandran, Varsha Sundaresan, Siddha Kasar, Bradley Hupf, Sharon Chen, Leopold Sellner, Reem Karmali

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

In relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-natural killer (NK) cell therapies offer potential advantages over CAR-T-cell therapies, including off-the-shelf availability and scalable manufacturing. We performed a phase 2 study of single-dose TAK-007, a cryopreserved, cord blood-derived, off-the-shelf CD19 CAR-NK cell therapy, in 26 heavily pre-treated patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Adverse events were manageable, with limited grade 1-2 cytokine release syndrome (11.5%). Overall response rate with TAK-007 800 x106 CD19 CAR+ viable NK cells (n=14) was 60.9% (95% CI: 38.5-80.3). Median progression-free survival was 2.0 months (95% CI: 0.99-3.58) in LBCL (n=10) and 5.6 months …

Expanding The Clinical And Molecular Spectrum Of Tubb2b Through Distinct Variants Identified Across Multiple Families, Haowei Du, Lauren E Westerfield, Chloe Munderloh, Divya Kalra, Yifan Wu, Yi Chen, Marie-Claude Gingras, Shalini N Jhangiani, Sarenur Yilmaz, Maha S Zaki, Daniel G Calame, Davut Pehlivan, Richard A Gibbs, Richard A Lewis, James R Lupski, Jennifer E Posey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

TUBB2B encodes a β-tubulin isotype essential for neuronal proliferation, migration, and organization during brain development. Pathogenic heterozygous variants in TUBB2B are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including polymicrogyria and corpus callosum abnormalities. However, the phenotypic spectrum remains heterogeneous, most likely reflecting variant-specific effects on microtubule formation and stability. Homozygous TUBB2B variants are exceedingly rare, with one family reported to date. We describe five individuals in four families with rare TUBB2B variants. Four variants are described, including a previously reported de novo missense variant, c.292G>A (GenBank: NM_178012.5) (p.Gly98Arg), with potential phenotypic expansion including panhypopituitarism; a previously reported de novo missense variant, …

Autoimmune Cd4+T Cells Cause Meibomian Gland Dysfunction In An Adoptive Transfer Model, Kaitlin K Scholand, Paola A Guevara Montoya, Emre Aksan, Yangluowa Qu, Sean Paiboonfungfuang, Laura Schaefer, Elizaveta A Demianova, Elaine Vo, Sudhir Verma, Elle Joy J San Juan, Zhiyuan Yu, Tarsis F Gesteira, Vivien J Coulson-Thomas, Cintia S De Paiva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Sjögren disease (SjD) is an autoimmune disease driven by autoimmune CD4+T cells that leads to an immune-mediated loss of lacrimal glands (LG). Meibomian glands are lipid-producing glands in the eyelids that help prevent tear evaporation. While the role of T cells in LG-mediated destruction is well established, it is unknown whether pathogenic T cells can cause MG dysfunction (MGD). Herein, we investigated whether autoimmune CD4+T cells induce MGD and characterized the pathophysiologic mechanisms using an adoptive transfer model. T cells were isolated from CD25KO (KOCD4) or wild-type (WTCD4) mice and transferred into Rag1KO mice. In comparison, KO cells were co-adoptively …

Mapping Long-Read Sequences To A Complete Reference Genome Reveals Uncaptured Variants Across The Β-Globin Cluster In Africans With Sickle Cell Disease, Pamela Lurie, Medhat Mahmoud, Aparna Haldipur, Yixing Han, Qing Li, Edmond Wonkam Tingang, Natalie Asmus, Emilyn Banfield, Nancy J Hall, Bamidele Tayo, Richard Cooper, Titilola Akingbola, George Ayodo, Stephen Obaro, Guillaume Lettre, Qing Meng, Shalini Jhangiani, R Alan Harris, Kim C Worley, Juyhun Kim, Arang Rhie, Adam M Phillippy, Fritz Sedlazeck, Ambroise Wonkam, Neil A Hanchard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

African genomes are marked by extensive complexity in the number and distribution of variants yet remain under-represented in genetic databases and the human reference genome. This gap in representation limits the broad application of genomic medicine. Sickle cell disease (SCD)-one of the most common monogenic diseases-has its highest prevalence in Africa, and variation in disease severity has consistently been linked to the β-globin locus, including levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF). Modulation of HbF is central to current SCD gene therapies; however, the inherent complexity and variation at the locus in African genomes present a challenge to translating these advances to …

Diopt: The Drsc Integrative Ortholog Prediction Tool, 2026 Update, Austin Veal, Shinya Yamamoto, Stephanie E Mohr, Norbert Perrimon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mapping orthologous proteins is a critical step for cross-species literature mining, data integration, experimental design, and more, making the ability to quickly predict orthologs across species a key tool for functional genomic studies. The DRSC Integrative Ortholog Prediction Tool (DIOPT) was initially developed in 2011 to provide a centralized portal for identifying inferred orthologs among major model organisms. By integrating results from multiple ortholog prediction algorithms, DIOPT allows users to compare predictions across methods and prioritize high-confidence ortholog relationships. Over the years, we regularly updated the underlying genome annotations and refreshed predictions from each integrated algorithm. In addition, both the …

Recommendations For Preparticipation Cardiovascular Screening For Athletes In Saudi Arabia: A Consensus Statement From The National Heart Center, Saudi Heart Rhythm Society, And National Center For Sudden Death, Alwaleed Aljohar, Bandar S. Al-Ghamdi, Abdulrahman Y. Sabbagh, Fahad Almehmadi, Fayez Bokhari, Naeem Alshoaibi, Yahya Alhebaishi, Wael Alqarawi

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Vigorous sports participation provides substantial physical and psychological benefits but may be accompanied by a small risk of sudden cardiac arrest and death in individuals with previously unrecognized cardiovascular disease. Preparticipation cardiovascular screening aims to identify athletes at increased risk, facilitate appropriate evaluation and management, and promote safe participation in sport. Despite growing international experience, no national recommendations have previously existed for Saudi Arabia. Recognizing the rapid expansion of organized sports participation driven by Saudi Vision 2030, an expert panel convened to develop consensus recommendations for the implementation of a nationwide preparticipation cardiovascular screening program. A comprehensive review of contemporary …

Beyond Screening In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Domain-Standardized, Measure-Flexible Framework For Comprehensive Neuropsychological Assessment, Etiane Navarro

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multisystem neurodegenerative disorder in which cognitive, behavioral, language, and social-cognitive changes may occur across clinical phenotypes, including the ALS-frontotemporal spectrum. Neuropsychological assessment is important for characterizing nonmotor manifestations and identifying changes relevant to autonomy, everyday functioning, and clinical management. This systematic review examined literature identified through APA PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar, and supplementary searching to characterize neuropsychological domains, measures, phenotype-related findings, and disease-specific limitations relevant to comprehensive assessment. Two hundred records underwent title and abstract screening, 150 reports were reviewed in full text, and 61 resources were retained for synthesis. ALS-specific screening instruments, including …

Translation And Comprehensive Validation Of The Neurological Outcome Scale For Traumatic Brain Injury (Nos-Tbi) Into Brazilian Portuguese, Karina T. Weber, Luciana B. M. Alves, Monica C. Braga, Suleimy C. Mazin, Brunna R. Pileggi, Millene R. Camilo, Viviane A. Guimaraes, Clara M. A. Barreira, Frederico Alessio-Alves, Aline S. Carvalho, Aline C. Pacheco-Castilho, João P. Leite, Dylan J. Edwards, Octavio M. Pontes-Neto, Taiza G. S. Edwards

Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Papers

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability in Brazil and worldwide. National and multinational clinical trials in TBI require global standardization of outcome measures. The original English version of the Neurological Outcome Scale for TBI (NOS-TBI) is a valid and valuable neurological assessment tool. However, NOS-TBI has not yet been validated in Brazilian Portuguese.

Objective: To perform the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the NOS-TBI in a Brazilian cohort of individuals with TBI.

Methods: We conducted the translation and cultural adaptation of the NOS-TBI scale to Brazilian Portuguese, followed by an analysis of psychometric properties: …

From Model To Mastery: High-Fidelity Cricothyrotomy Simulation With A 3d-Printed And Biological Tissue Model, Lauren E. Schlegel, Sruti Tekumalla, Sara Belko, Aarti Agarwal, Eva Varotsis, Julianna Rodin, Robert Pugliese, Morgan Hutchinson, Richard Goldman

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

Objective

Emergency cricothyroidotomy is a rare procedure utilized in the setting of patients who cannot be oxygenated or intubated. To enhance training in this critical skill, we developed and validated an immersive, high‐fidelity task trainer that integrates a 3D‐printed airway model with a porcine soft‐tissue layer, and we assessed its impact during simulation‐based training sessions.

Study Design

Observational.

Setting

Single institution (16 otolaryngology and 30 emergency medicine trainees).

Methods

Our trainer consisted of an accurate 3D‐printed airway model and neck incorporating anatomical structures and a biological soft‐tissue layer. A survey was administered before and after the simulation. The simulations were …

Factors Contributing To Low Birth Outcomes In Rural Versus Urban Tennessee, Adiva Haq, Hena Shah, Judy King Phd

DO Research Day

Background: Tennessee has been associated with having poorer birth outcomes compared to other states in America. Current data suggest that rural communities face greater barriers in accessing maternity care than urban areas, which can lead to adverse outcomes for these populations. Identifying factors that may contribute to low birth outcomes between rural and urban counties of Tennessee is essential to improve infant health outcomes. Objective: To examine the factors associated with adverse birth outcomes, comparing rural versus urban Tennessee counties. Method: The population size of all 95 Tennessee counties was obtained from the Data Commons. Birth outcomes and socioeconomic data …

Initiating The Development Of An In Vitro Model To Elucidate The Therapeutic Potential Of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, Mahmoud Ajjaoui, Christopher Root, Alex Wiser, Michael Operti, Christian Greer, Debasis Mondal

DO Research Day

• OMT is a technique used by DOs to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal dysfunctions. • An OMT technique commonly utilized in patients with musculoskeletal pain is Myofascial Release (MFR), which involves the stretching, holding and releasing of myofascial tissue to provide localized pain relief. • Despite patient attestation of the therapeutic benefits of MFR, in vitro studies to understand the molecular mechanism(s) is currently lacking. • In vitro algorithm that mimics high intensity exercise (HIE): Previously published studies using myofascial stem cells (MSCs) have documented that multiple cycles of rapid stretch and release can alter the proliferation and …

Racial And Socioeconomic Disparities In Time To Treatment Initiation In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Michael Amankwaah, Bryan Ortiz, Katherine Zhou, Thuy Ho, Patrick Willard, Jinlei Zhao, Faith Reed, Keri R. Maher

DO Research Day

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematopoietic malignancy with poor prognosis in adults despite therapeutic advances. Although cytomolecular risk, functional status, and comorbidities are established prognostic factors, social determinants of health (SDOH), including socioeconomic factors, geographic location, literacy, social support, and structural racism, may also influence AML care and outcomes. This study examined whether SDOH burden was associated with time to treatment initiation and early mortality.

Do Research Day Program 2026, Lincoln Memorial University, Debusk College Of Osteopathic Medicine

DO Research Day

DO Research Day was hosted by the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University. This program features abstracts from the LMU-DCOM community.

Beyond Burnout: A Systematic Review Of The Mental Health Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Physicians In The U.S., Tiffany Iheanacho, Fred Wenger, Etianna E. Cadet, Yahya Korteh, Muhammed Gaye

DO Research Day

Background: Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, its long-term psychological impact on physicians remains important to assess. Physicians experienced PTSD, burnout, anxiety, insomnia, distress, and depression, yet few studies reported outcomes disaggregated by race, limiting understanding of disparities among marginalized physicians.

Objectives: To quantify the prevalence of mental health outcomes among U.S. physicians during COVID-19 and identify interventions and systemic strategies to mitigate physician mental health burdens during future public health emergencies.

Method: Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Lincoln Memorial University Library were searched for studies published from 2020–2025. Of 48 studies identified, 21 met inclusion criteria. …

Impacts Of Semaglutide On Monocyte–Endothelial Crosstalk In Atherosclerosis Pathophysiology, Yukta Bichala, Seeba Gupta, Kathryn Pofok, Abrar Hussain, Andrea Linares, Mir S. Adil Phd

DO Research Day

Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease in which monocyte-endothelial interactions contribute to early plaque development through inflammatory activation of endothelial adhesion molecules, including ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Although the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide reduces cardiovascular events clinically, its direct effects on inflammatory monocyte-endothelial interactions remain unclear. Objective: To establish an in vitro model of monocyte-endothelial interactions under inflammatory conditions and investigate whether semaglutide reduces TNF-α-induced monocyte adhesion and migration across activated endothelial cells. Methods: EA.hy926 endothelial cells and THP-1 monocytes were cultured under optimized conditions. TNF-αwas used to induce endothelial inflammation, with PBS as a negative control and atorvastatin as …

Development Of A Standardized Pathway For Management Of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Jordyn White, Joseph Tannuzzo, Joanelle A. Bailey

Research Projects

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability for pediatric patients. Approximately 5.4 million children globally sustain a TBI, with 45,500 deaths annually. Severe TBls (8 on the Glasgow Coma Scale) account for the majority of these fatalities. Patients also experience significant disability and have lifelong effects on health and development.

Method: We performed a structured review of contemporary pediatric severe TBl guidance, including the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines1, institutional clinical pathways2, and relevant peer-reviewed literature3-8_ Recommendations were compared across key domains including initial stabilization and imaging, neuromonitoring, intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure …

Graphite Foreign-Body Granuloma Decades After Pencil Trauma: A Melanoma Mimic, Caddie Nguyen, Thomas Brown, Do, Bruce Green, Md, Wang Cheung,

DO Research Day

Pigmented lesions arising at sites of remote trauma can create diagnostic uncertainty when their clinical appearance overlaps with melanocytic neoplasms. A 64-year-old man presented with an asymptomatic 6-mm blue dermal nodule on the left fifth digit at the site of a penetrating pencil injury sustained during childhood. After remaining unchanged for decades, the lesion gradually enlarged over three years and produced mild nail plate deformity without periungual or subungual pigmentation. Cellular blue nevus, nodular melanoma, and graphite foreign-body granuloma were considered. Shave biopsy revealed a well-demarcated intradermal lesion containing abundant dark amorphous pigment and sclerosis. Higher-power examination demonstrated coarse granular …

Differences In Genetic Testing Perspectives Between Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease And Parents, Danielle Johnson, Liza-Marie Johnson, Yunusa Olufadi, Guolian Kang, Ambria A. Williams, Rakhshanda Ramzan, Ozan Gurcan, Meaghann S. Weaver

DO Research Day

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common inherited genetic disorders worldwide and disproportionately affects individuals of African ancestry. Despite advances in genomic medicine, these populations remain underrepresented in genomic research, potentially limiting the equitable application of genetic discoveries. As genetic testing becomes increasingly integrated into clinical care, understanding patient and family perspectives is important for effective communication, informed decision-making, and implementation.

Objectives: To examine attitudes and preferences regarding genetic testing among adolescents with SCD and parents of children with SCD in order to inform communication strategies, informed consent, and patient- and family-centered care.

Methods: We analyzed …

A Retrospective Analysis Using The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes) To Investigate Food Insecurity On Phq9 Score, Dornu Biragbara, Amanda Mccoy, Jaimini Chauhaun-James

DO Research Day

Food insecurity is an important social determinant of health that has been consistently associated with poorer mental health outcomes. Prior U.S. NHANES research found that food insecurity is significantly associated with depression among adults, with the worst being among individuals experiencing very low food security. The relationship between food insecurity and mental health may also vary according to sociodemographic factors, including sex/gender, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, and socioeconomic characteristics. Food insecurity may affect mental health through mechanisms including financial stress, uncertainty surrounding basic needs, and sleep disturbance. This study used NHANES 2021-2023 to examine the association between household insecurity and …

Barriers To Healthcare Utilization Among First- And Second-Year Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study, Yusuf Ahmed, Lindsey Miller Phd

DO Research Day

Background: Medical students face compounding stressors that may deter them from seeking their own healthcare. This study examined the prevalence of healthcare avoidance and its associated barriers among first- and second-year medical students.

Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was administered to 1181 first or second-year medical students. Of 106 responses, 97 met inclusion criteria. Spearman rank-order bivariate correlation assessed relationships between financial stress, academic stress, self-reported healthcare utilization change since starting medical school, and rated barriers to care (financial concerns, lack of time, academic stress, fear of diagnosis, and transportation). Holm-Bonferroni correction was applied to control for multiple comparisons. Healthcare …

Development And Research Of A 3d-Printed Cricothyroidotomy Model, Sydney Dills, Matia Fagen, Ojash Patel, Joshua Krech, Cory Kim

DO Research Day

Background: Cricothyrotomy is a last-resort emergency procedure that is performed due to airway obstructions. The importance of this procedure isn’t well represented by traditional training models as they lack anatomical accuracy, complexity, and structures.

Objectives: The objective of this project is to develop a highly realistic, anatomically detailed neck model for practicing cricothyrotomy using modern 3D techniques.

Method: De-identified CT imaging data was segmented into layers of neck structures using 3D Slicer and imported into Blender as STL files, where the surfaces were cleaned, enhanced, superimposed, and solidified to create digital tissue layers and casting molds. The molds were exported …

Development Of A Standardized Pathway For Management Of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Jordyn White, Joseph Tannuzzo, Joanelle A. Bailey

DO Research Day

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability for pediatric patients. Approximately 5.4 million children globally sustain a TBI, with 45,500 deaths annually. Severe TBls (8 on the Glasgow Coma Scale) account for the majority of these fatalities. Patients also experience significant disability and have lifelong effects on health and development.

Method: We performed a structured review of contemporary pediatric severe TBl guidance, including the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines1, institutional clinical pathways2, and relevant peer-reviewed literature3-8_ Recommendations were compared across key domains including initial stabilization and imaging, neuromonitoring, intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure …

Effects Of Creatine Monohydrate On Il-6 And Nfκb Expression In Tnf-𝑎 Treated Lymphatic Endothelial Cells, Nima Patel, Christian Pearson, Anastasia Kovalshyin, Helen Sowder, Lindsey Miller

DO Research Day

Background: Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) are important for fluid homeostasis and inflammatory regulation, but excessive inflammation can disrupt lymphatic function. Creatine monohydrate (CrM) has potential anti-inflammatory properties, though its effects on inflammatory responses in LECs are not well understood. Objective: To determine whether CrM attenuates Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF- α) induced inflammation in LECs by assessing Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) expression. Methods: LECs were divided into four groups: control, CrM, TNF-α, and CrM + TNF-α. Treatment groups were exposed for 48 hours, with TNF-α and CrM administered simultaneously in the co-treatment group. IL-6 and NFκB protein …

Association Between Melanoma Tumor Thickness And Risk Of Metastasis: A Seer Database Retrospective Analysis, Raya Marashdeh, Hunter Brady, Natalie Freeman, Amanda Mccoy

DO Research Day

Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer and remains responsible for most skin cancer–related deaths because of its ability to metastasize to regional lymph nodes and distant organs.1 Breslow thickness has consistently been identified as the most important prognostic factor in melanoma. It measures the vertical depth of invasion from the upper portion of the epidermis to the deepest invasive melanoma cell and is incorporated into the AJCC staging system.2 Although conventional staging relies on categorical thickness thresholds, tumor thickness represents a continuous biological variable. Categorizing patients into discrete thickness groups may obscure important differences …

Carceral Geographies Of Disinvestment: Mapping Police Surveillance And Food Insecurity In Tennessee, Lina Habba, Ridha Nazir, Natalie E. Freeman Phd

DO Research Day

Research Aims: •Examine the association between county-level jail incarceration (a proxy for police surveillance) and food insecurity, limited access to healthy foods, and overall food environment quality across Tennessee counties.   •Determine whether this association persists after adjustment for median household income, high school completion, and racial composition.

Association Between Nutrition Access And Birth Outcomes In Rural Vs Urban Tennessee: A County-Level Analysis, Adiva Haq, Nathalie Mendoza-Salas, Mary Carrasco, Natalie E. Freeman Phd

DO Research Day

Food insecurity and limited access to nutritious foods are linked to gestational diabetes, low birth weight, and maternal stress.1,3 Rural residents often have fewer full-service grocery stores and rely on convenience stores with little fresh food.4 Rural communities may also face broader gaps in health resources and care,2 which may widen maternal and infant health disparities. This matters in Tennessee, where rural counties make up a substantial proportion of the state’s area and population. Few studies have examined food insecurity and birth outcomes across Tennessee, especially by rurality. We evaluated these associations across all 95 counties, emphasizing rural–urban differences, to …

Gene Therapy Access, Financing, And Equity For Medicaid Populations: A Scoping Review To Inform Tenncare Coverage Policy, Trey Henderson, Brandy Fuesting

DO Research Day

High-cost gene therapies lists at $0.85M–$3.5M per treatment, and Medicaid coverage requirements obligate state programs like TennCare to confront reimbursement they were not designed to absorb. Objective: To map what existing literature reports on gene therapy access models, financing, equity, and coverage barriers to inform TennCare policy. Methods: JBI/PRISMA-ScR scoping review; 245 sources charted across four themes (access barrier, financing model, equity focus, payer relevance, study design). Results: Pricing/affordability is the dominant barrier for patients (67%). Outcomes-based contracts are the leading proposed financing mechanism and cluster in Medicaid-relevant work. Conclusions: Evidence points to outcomes-based, multi-state Medicaid financing, anchored by the …

Dietary Magnesium, Potassium And Sodium Intake Patterns In Night-Shift Nurses And Implications For Cardiovascular Risk, Thao Nguyen, Lindsey Miller Phd, Teresa Rangel Phd

DO Research Day

Background: Night-shift nurses are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to circadian disruption, poor sleep quality, and unhealthy dietary patterns. Inadequate intake of potassium and magnesium, combined with excessive sodium consumption, may contribute to elevated cardiovascular risk in this population.

Objective: To compare dietary intake of magnesium, potassium, and sodium between day-shift and night-shift nurses during workdays and days off and evaluate nutrient intake relative to current dietary recommendations and cardiovascular risk.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using dietary records from 21 nurses working rotating schedules (3 workdays and 3 days off). Daily magnesium, potassium, and …