Hematology Commons^™

Nascent Adam17 Synthesis Potentiates Gpibα Cleavage In Resting And Stimulated Stored Platelets, Shayan Askari, Harriet Ghansah, Christopher D. Mansi, Timothy J. Stalker, Lawrence E. Goldfinger

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Platelet concentrates stored at room temperature have a shelf life of 5 to 7 days. During storage, platelets undergo glycoprotein cleavage by metalloproteases, notably cleavage of glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα) by a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17), which leads to decreased posttransfusion reactivity and recovery. To investigate the putative roles of nascent synthesis of ADAM17 in GPIbα shedding and platelet function during room temperature platelet storage. Human platelets maintained in autologous plasma were treated with naked endonuclease-resistant ADAM17 or control short inhibitory RNA (siRNA) and monitored for molecular and cellular effects during storage. Platelet-specific Adam17-deleted mice were generated, and the dynamics …

Lessons Learned From The Validation Of A Machine Learning-Based Colorectal Carcinoma Screening Pipeline In Sub-Saharan Africa, Alfred Githuka, Ulysses Balis, Ye Chan Kim, Eileen Weinheimer-Haus, Christopher Williams, Jerome Cheng, Kelou Yao, John Blau, Shahin Sayed, Mansoor Saleh

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Background Artificial intelligence for digital pathology may improve cancer detection and workflow efficiency in low- and middle-income countries, but most models are trained and validated in high-income settings, creating uncertainty about generalizability and real-world deployability under differing pre-analytic and infrastructure conditions.

Objective To validate a locally optimized colorectal carcinoma screening pipeline, retrained on data from a local Kenyan cohort, and to assess its feasibility as a sensitivity-forward assistive pre-screening workflow.

Methods Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides from 136 biopsy-proven colonic adenocarcinoma cases and 20 normal controls from 2 Kenyan institutions were digitized at 40× using a Grundium Ocus scanner. …

Comment On: Managing Sickle Cell Disease And Related Complications In Pregnancy: Results Of An International Delphi Panel, Deva Sharma, Ilknur Pamuk, Kenneth I. Ataga, Alexandra Benachi, Selim Büyükkurt, Sophie Lanzkron, Hakan Ozdogu, Shivan Pancham, Lydia H. Pecker, Susan E. Robinson, Safak Yilmaz Baran

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Consensus-based recommendations on managing sickle cell disease in pregnancy were recently published in a hematology journal. As this topic is also of great interest to obstetricians and gynecologists, we summarize some of these recommendations, while highlighting the challenges of providing evidence-based medical care to pregnant individuals with sickle cell disease.

Assessing Current Non-Pharmacologic Pain Management Practices For Sickle Cell Disease In Adults, Shreya Kolipaka, Michelle Axe, Charmaine Wright, Stephanie Guarino

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

OBJECTIVES: Both acute and chronic pain caused by sickle cell disease (SCD) is often managed with opioid therapy despite limited evidence for long-term efficacy. Adequately managing SCD pain requires a comprehensive approach, incorporating both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. In other conditions, peer-mentored group programs are effective in managing chronic pain; however, their role in SCD is not yet described. Our objective is to understand patients' current pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic SCD management practices as well as further exploring perspectives of pain related to SCD.

METHODS: Participants were interviewed using semi-structured format. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed. Descriptive statistics and pain management modality …

Factors Associated With Pre-Donation Health-Related Quality-Of-Life Among Pediatric Sibling Hematopoietic Cell Donors: A Donorkids Ql Study., Galen E. Switzer, Jessica G. Bruce, Bronwen E. Shaw, Vidya Kuniyil, James W. Varni, Brandan J. Butler, Connor Erickson, Alisha Mussetter, Allison Neutzling, Hisham Abdel-Azim, Paibel Aguayo-Hiraldo, Eric J. Anderson, Victor M. Aquino, Karlie Boone, Farid Boulad, Joseph H. Chewning, Jessica Cooper, Ann Dahlberg, Christopher C. Dvorak, Jorge Galvez-Silva, Ann E. Haight, Jennifer A. Hoag, Michelle Hudspeth, David Jacobsohn, Kimberly A. Kasow, Carrie L. Kitko, Lakshmanan Krishnamurti, Lisa Madden, Holly K. Miller, Erin Morales, Timothy S. Olson, Anna B. Pawlowska, Vinod K. Prasad, Troy C. Quigg, Andromachi Scaradavou, Niketa C. Shah, Shalini Shenoy, Nancy Terwilliger, Lori Wiener, Gregory A. Yanik, Lolie C. Yu, Michael A. Pulsipher

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Due to limited published data assessing pediatric hematopoietic cell donor experiences, we previously conducted one of the largest quantitative investigations of pediatric donor experiences and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) at the time (RDSafe). Findings from RDSafe demonstrated that a subset of pediatric HC donors experienced very poor HRQoL; unfortunately, that dataset addressed only a limited number of factors, and key associations explaining this poor HRQoL were not found. In this study, our goal was to address that deficit by describing pre-donation donor HRQoL in detail and identifying factors across five key domains that were associated with donor HRQoL. We conducted a …

Two Years Of Ocrelizumab Treatment In Black And Hispanic People With Multiple Sclerosis In Chimes: A Single-Arm Clinical Trial, Lilyana Amezcua, Anthony Reder, Evanthia Bernitsas, Nancy Monson, Timothy Vartanian, Gregory Wu, Mansoor Saleh, Annette Okai, Ahmed Obeidat, Dilraj Sokhi

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ocrelizumab in self-identified black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Methods The Characterization of Ocrelizumab in Minorities with Multiple Sclerosis (CHIMES) trial, a prospective, open-label, single-arm, phase 4 study, intentionally recruited underrepresented populations in the US, Puerto Rico, and Kenya. Black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis aged 18–65 years with Expanded Disability Status Scale score 0–5.5 received ocrelizumab for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with no evidence of disease activity in 3 components at week 48: protocol-defined relapse, 24-week confirmed disability progression, and disease …

Unlocking The Potential Of Sub-Saharan Africa In Globalized Cancer Clinical Trials: A Perspective From The 2024 Aortic-Asco Stakeholder Meeting, Abiola Ibraheem, Adedayo Joseph, Miriam Mutebi, Mansoor Saleh, Sitna Mwanzi, Olusegun Alatise

General Surgery, East Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains significantly underrepresented in global cancer clinical trials, despite having the largest population of individuals of African descent, an essential demographic for ensuring diversity in clinical research. This study, developed from the 2024 African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC)-ASCO stakeholder meeting, addresses the critical need to involve SSA in cancer trials to improve global trial diversity and patient outcomes. Although globalization of trials has shifted research sites to regions like Eastern Europe and Asia, < 1% occur in Africa. This report highlights emerging solutions such as regional alliances, decentralized trial models, capacity-building initiatives, and public-private partnerships. The role of AORTIC and its Clinical Trial Special Interest Group in advancing training, infrastructure development, and international collaboration is discussed, with notable clinical trial networks, such as HypoAfrica, ARETTA, African Research Group for Oncology, and regional consortia, illustrating growing momentum and capability. This study advocates for a coordinated strategy to integrate SSA into global trials, ensuring more inclusive, effective, and equitable cancer treatment outcomes.

Cure Sickle Cell Initiative Recommendations On Common Data Elements For Sickle Cell Disease Gene Therapy Trials, Sophie Lanzkron, Victoria H. Coleman-Cowger, Alexis A. Thompson, C. Patrick Carroll, Traci Clemons, Michael Debaun, Julie Kanter, Punam Malik, Deepa Manwani, Francis John Pierciey, Mark C. Walters, Sherita Alai

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

The Cure Sickle Cell Initiative (CureSCi), created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, has developed data standards to increase interoperability and meta-analysis of studies specifically investigating gene therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD). The aims of the CureSCi Common Data Elements (CDE) initiative are to facilitate the development of safe, effective, and accessible gene therapies. Five working groups (WGs) comprising people living with SCD, stakeholders, clinicians, and researchers reviewed current definitions used for SCD clinical studies, including those from the American Society of Hematology, US Food and Drug Administration, PhenX catalog of consensus measures for phenotypes and exposures, …

Comparable Endogenous Immune Reconstitution, Car-T Expansion, And Cytokine Profiles With Bendamustine Versus Fludarabine/Cyclophosphamide Lymphodepletion, Matthew Schwede

All Podium Presentations

No abstract provided.

Assessing Aflatoxin Knowledge, Perceptions, And Related Practices, In A Rural Coastal Community: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey, Rosebella Iseme, Joseph Abuodha, Anthony Ngugi, Innocent Abayo, Mansoor Saleh

Population Health, East Africa

Background

Aflatoxin contamination is a significant yet under-addressed food safety challenge in low-resource settings, driven by a complex interplay of environmental, agricultural, and socio-economic factors. Limited access to agricultural inputs, inadequate post-harvest handling and storage, and weak regulatory enforcement alongside food scarcity and climate change heighten the risk of contamination and exposure. Human exposure is associated with serious health consequences, including hepatocellular carcinoma, immune suppression, and childhood stunting. Although aflatoxin is increasingly recognized as a global food safety concern, little is known about community-level knowledge, risk perceptions, and preventive practices. This study examined household heads’ awareness, perceptions, and behaviours related …

Variation In Chronic Automated Red Cell Exchange Practices For Sickle Cell Disease: Insights Into Isovolemic Hemodilution Use, Jennifer M. Jones, Fatima Aldarweesh, Nicole Aqui, Aleh Bobr, Patricia Brunker, Mischa L. Covington, Juliana Guarente, Robert Hagar, Matthew Karafin, Divjot Singh Lamba, Grace Lee, Wen Lu, Ethan A. Mack, Gagan Muthur, Saadiya Nazli, Halima Olaniyan, Chinelo P. Onyenekwu, Jay S. Raval, Divya Setya, Yvette C. Tanhehco, Mamie Thant, Angelica Vivero, Yanyun Wu, Edward C. C. Wong, Nalan Yurtsever, Yan Zheng, Patricia A. Shi, Jennifer Webb

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Prior surveys of chronic automated red blood cell exchange (RCE) for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) have identified considerable procedural variability, especially with the use of isovolemic hemodilution red blood cell exchange (IHD-RCE). We conducted a survey of chronic RCE practices among American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) members to identify opportunities for practice harmonization and future studies. The ASFA SCD Research Subcommittee developed a 72-item survey of chronic RCE practices, with a focus on IHD-RCE. The survey was validated internally and distributed by email to all ASFA members from September 2024 to February 2025. One survey response from each …

Volume Electron Microscopy Reveals Heterogeneity Of The Hemostatic Response In Veins And Arteries, Maurizio Tomaiuolo, Meghan E. Roberts, Jenna R. Severa, Christopher D. Mansi, Brenna B. Y. Mathers, Anna Mannix, Trace A Christensen, Lawrence F Brass, Talid Sinno, Timothy J. Stalker

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Intravital imaging studies have provided insights into the spatial and temporal variations of platelet activation and thrombin generation that occur during hemostasis; however, these studies are generally limited to small vessels due to the practical limitations of imaging in thicker tissues. Recent advances in cleared tissue fluorescence imaging as well as volume electron microscopy (vEM) coupled with machine learning-based image segmentation provide an opportunity for analysis of the 3-dimensional structure of complex tissues. We utilized these technologies to examine hemostatic plugs from murine jugular veins and carotid arteries to investigate the spatial distribution of platelet activation and biochemical responses in …

Comparative Effectiveness Of Immunotherapy Alone Or With Chemotherapy As First-Line Treatment For Marginal Zone Lymphoma, Adam Olszewski, Thomas Ollila, Dai Chihara, Geoffrey Shouse, Natalie Grover, Reem Karmali, Pallawi Torka, Colin Thomas, Praveen Ramakrishnan Geethakumari, Stefan Barta, Nancy Bartlett, Narendranath Epperla

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

No abstract provided.

High Concordance Of Physician-Attestation With Manual Data Abstraction For Sickle Cell Type: An Ash Rc Data Hub Study, Alexis Thompson, Ashima Singh, Donna Neuberg, Amanda Brandow, Allison King, Sophie Lanzkron, Emily Semmel, Sam Walters, Susan Rogers, Kathleen Torres, William Wood

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. The American Society of Hematology Research Collaborative (ASH RC) has built an SCD Data Hub (DH) to facilitate research and quality improvement using real-world data. To our knowledge, we report here the first analyses from the DH, focusing on cohort demographics and accurate identification of SCD diagnosis type. DH sites have data use agreements with ASH RC to extract and transfer electronic health record (EHR) data at least quarterly. Principal investigators (PI) provided additional attestation of SCD diagnosis based on existing local data sources deemed …

Renal Adverse Effects Of Antiangiogenic Agents In A Tertiary Hospital In Kenya, Joan Wambugu, Joyce Bwombengi, Jasmit Shah, Manel Haj Mansour

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction Anti-angiogenic therapies, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), have transformed cancer management by targeting tumor vasculature and suppressing metastasis. However, these agents can induce renal toxicities such as hypertension, proteinuria, and acute kidney injury (AKI), which may affect treatment continuity and outcomes. Data from sub-Saharan Africa on these adverse effects remains scarce.

Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, oncology clinic. Medical records of adult patients receiving anti-angiogenic therapy between January 2020 and December 2024 were reviewed. Demographic data, comorbidities, treatment regimens, renal parameters, and …

Donor Sex And Platelet Storage Change The Therapeutic Effects Of Platelet-Derived Extracellular Vesicles On Endothelium, Mandeep Kaur, Malvika Gupta, Sowmya Shree Gopal, Charles E. Wade, Jessica C. Cardenas, Amit K. Srivastava

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (PEVs) play an active role in vascular protection and repair and are being explored as a viable alternative to platelet therapy. Because platelet function and stability are shaped by donor sex and storage conditions, these same factors are likely to influence the PEVs they release. Understanding these influences is key to developing PEVs into a safe and dependable therapeutic option. In this study, we investigated how donor sex and platelet storage affect the therapeutic properties of PEVs. To address this, PEVs were isolated from platelets of healthy male and female donors. Platelets were either processed immediately after …

Cystic Fibrosis And Sickle Cell Disease Associated With Nonadministration Of Vte Prophylaxis In Hospitalized Adults, Kiera Caparon, Matthew J. Lankiewicz, Jessica Crow, Jennifer C. Yui, John Lindsley, Brandyn D. Lau, Michael B. Streiff, Rakhi P. Naik, Sophie Lanzkron, Lydia H. Pecker, Peggy Kraus, Elliott R. Haut, Jiangxia Wang, Kathryn E. Dane

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Cystic fibrosis (CF) and sickle cell disease (SCD) are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and this risk is exacerbated by hospitalization. VTE prophylaxis nonadministration is a VTE risk factor. The objective of this study was to characterize VTE prophylaxis nonadministration among patients with either CF or SCD compared with medically ill patients without CF or SCD. We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients who were prescribed at least 2 doses of pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis. The primary outcome was the proportion of nonadministered VTE prophylaxis doses by cohort. Multivariable logistic regression was used to …

Sickle Cell Visualization In Vivo In Humans: Microvascular Occlusion Formation And Hemorheological Indices, Marisa M Morakis, Luojie Huang, Gregory N. Mckay, Sophie Lanzkron, Lydia H. Pecker, Nicholas J. Durr

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Vaso-occlusion is a signature pathology of sickle cell disease (SCD). However, the lack of in vivo methods to observe individual blood cell dynamics in humans limits our understanding of occlusion formation mechanisms. We present a novel in vivo, noninvasive, label-free, and high-resolution imaging technique to study blood flow and sickled cell behavior in affected individuals. We used oblique back-illumination microscopy (OBM) to capture videos of 91.0 ± 42.3 sublingual capillaries in each of 10 participants with SCD before and after red cell transfusions and compared the measurements to 10 unaffected controls. With direct observation of blood cell activity, we identified …

Vlx-1005, But Not Argatroban, Prevents Itam-Mediated Platelet Activation And Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia, Adriana Yamaguchi, Victoria Putzbach, Reheman Adili, Sophia Lazar, Livia Stanger, Devin Gilmore, David J. Maloney, Steven E. Mckenzie, James V. Michael, Michael Holinstat

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an immune prothrombotic disorder characterized by the binding of platelet-activating immunoglobulin G antibodies to platelet factor 4/heparin. In platelets, this leads to cross-linking of the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-bearing receptor FcγRIIa, platelet activation, and thrombocytopenia, which in combination with extensive thrombin generation significantly increases the risk of thrombosis. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX), an oxygenase primarily expressed in platelets, plays a critical role in platelet activation through FcγRIIa. In this study, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of VLX-1005, a potent and selective inhibitor of 12-LOX, alone or in combination with argatroban, …

Low-Dose Aspirin For Preventing Intrauterine Growth Restriction And Pre-Eclampsia In Sickle Cell Pregnancy, Lydia Pecker, Sophie Lanzkron

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

No abstract provided.

In Vitro Studies Of The Effects Of Antithrombotic Zn-Dipicolylamine-Harboring Liposomes (Dpals) On Serum Albumin And Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells, Michelle Tanujaya, Gianna Cai, Jia Patel, Zana Moldavsky, Yumna Ejaz, Malia Mahazabin Ahmed, Sangsang Duong, Lawrence E. Goldfinger, Koon Y. Pak, Brian D. Gray, Parkson Lee-Gau Chong

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Thrombosis remains a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. During thrombosis, activated platelets and endothelial cells expose phosphatidylserine (PS) on their outer membranes, creating a surface that accelerates clot formation. Current antithrombotic therapies, such as heparin and warfarin, carry significant bleeding risks, highlighting the need for safer alternatives. In response, we developed a PS-targeting liposomal formulation composed of Zn-dipicolylamine (DPA)-cyanine-3[22,22] and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (molar ratio 3:97). This DPA-harboring liposome (DPAL) binds selectively to PS-rich surfaces such as activated platelets and has demonstrated efficacy in reducing thrombosis in mouse models, with minimal bleeding. In the present study, we examined the interaction …

Outcomes Of Radiation Integrated With T-Cell-Engaging Bispecific Antibodies In Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma, Heta Patel, Harper Hubbeling, Kyle Yu, Maribel Carpenter, Michael Lariviere, John Plastaras, Adam Cohen, Shivani Kapur, Dan Vogl, Adam Waxman, Edward Stadtmauer, Alfred Garfall, Sandra Susanibar-Adaniya

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The American Society Of Hematology Quality Measure On Timeliness Of Analgesics For Sickle Cell Disease Pain Crisis, Ibrahim Gwarzo, Harish Chandra Dega, Paula Tanabe, Robin Miller, David C. Brousseau

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) proposed the median time to first emergency department (ED) administration of pain medication for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) vaso-occlusive pain episodes (VOE) as a site-level quality measure. Generalizable studies assessing current guideline adherence recommending pain medications within 60 minutes are lacking. We leveraged multisite electronic health record data from Epic's Cosmos research platform to analyze ED encounters for SCD VOE from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2024, with administration of at least 1 pain medication. We calculated the quality measure (median time to first pain medication) and ranked sites based on …

National Landscape Of Pediatric And Adult Inpatient Sickle Cell Disease Care, Ashley M. Jenkins, Spoorthy Vangala, Matthew Mcintosh, Robert Legros, Sophie Lanzkron, Kevin Fiscella

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Microfluidic Capillary Transit Velocity As A Functional Measure For Sickle Cell Disease And In Vitro-Derived Red Blood Cells, Solomon Oshabaheebwa, Yuxuan Du, Christopher L. Wirth, Zoe Sekyonda, Zoe Sekyonda, Bryan L. Benson, Payam Fadaei, Yusang B. Ley, Michael A. Suster, Pedram Mohseni, Umut A. Gurkan

Faculty Scholarship

Emerging therapies in sickle cell disease (SCD) aim to restore healthy red blood cell (RBC) function, but they often yield heterogeneous cellular responses. There are no proven techniques to evaluate restored rheological functionality and heterogeneity in these RBCs. We present a biomimetic microcapillary network, high-speed imaging, and computational algorithms to analyze RBC capillary velocity profiles of the entire sample population at single-cell resolution. Using peripheral RBCs from SCD patients and healthy donors, we showed that RBC capillary transit velocity correlated with cell shape, hydrodynamic adaptability, and elongation index. Healthy RBCs exhibited a velocity distribution skewed toward higher values, whereas RBCs …

The Role Of Micrornas As Potential Biomarkers In Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, Eirini Panteli, Epameinondas Koumpis, Vasileios Georgoulis, Georgios Petros Barakos, Evangelos Kolettas, Panagiotis Kanavaros, Alexandra Papoudou-Bai, Eleftheria Hatzimichael

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common and clinically aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). While novel therapies such as rituximab and polatuzumab vedotin have led to improved outcomes, approximately 35% of patients eventually develop relapsed or refractory disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of endogenous single-stranded RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides in length, play a pivotal role in the regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level through interactions with complementary target RNAs and contribute significantly to the development, progression, and treatment response of DLBCL. Oncogenic miRNAs, such as miR-155, miR-21, and the miR-17-92 cluster, promote proliferation, survival, immune …

Hydroxyurea Pharmacokinetics In Children With Sickle Cell Anemia Across Different Global Populations, Alexandra Power-Hays, Kathryn Mcelhinney, Thomas Williams, George Mochamah, Peter Olupot-Olupot, George Paasi, Marvin Reid, Angela Rankine-Mullings, Robert Opoka, John Chandy

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Hydroxyurea provides effective disease-modifying treatment for people with sickle cell anemia (SCA), especially when escalated to maximum tolerated dose (MTD), but has wide interpatient dosing variability due to pharmacokinetic (PK) differences. Whether hydroxyurea PK parameters differ among children with SCA in different global regions is unknown. We compared hydroxyurea PK parameters among children with SCA from five clinical trials: HUSTLE (USA, NCT00305175), TREAT (USA, NCT02286154), NOHARM (Uganda, NCT01976416), REACH (Uganda and Kenya, NCT01966731), and EXTEND (Jamaica, NCT02556099). Key hydroxyurea PK parameters were determined using HdxSim™, a validated hydroxyurea PK-software program. The results were compared across regions by one way analysis …

Innovative Endovascular Stapling Technique Using The Aortoseal Device In Challenging Infrarenal Aortic Neck, Emidio Germano, Animesh Rathore, David J. Dexter

Department Surgery Faculty Publications

We report the use of the Aortoseal Endostapling system by Endoron in a 63-year-old man with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with high-risk neck features. Endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair was performed using a Medtronic Endurant IIs endograft with an adjunctive Aortoseal system as part of an international feasibility trial. The procedure was technically successful, with no endoleaks on completion angiography. Follow-up computed tomography angiography at 1 month confirmed a well-deployed AortoSeal system and complete aneurysm exclusion. This case highlights this innovative device and the technical considerations to enhance endograft proximal fixation with the potential to improve long-term outcomes in endovascular aneurysm …

Severity And Duration-Dependent Aortic Stiffening In A Rabbit Coarctation Model Identifies Constitutive Material Parameters As Promising Regional Biomarkers For Hypertension Progression, Arash Ghorbannia, Jamasp Azarnoosh, John F. Ladisa Jr.

VMASC Publications

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) alters hemodynamics and drives regional remodeling, yet the influence of severity and duration on constitutive properties is undefined. We quantified mechanical responses from CoA to identify constitutive parameters capturing stiffening across clinical severities and durations. Mild (≤ 12 mmHg), intermediate (13–20 mmHg), and severe (> 20 mmHg) CoA was created in rabbits for short, long, and prolonged durations (~ 1, 3, or 22 weeks, respectively). Stress–stretch curves from proximal and distal regions were fit with multiple constitutive models (Linear Elastic, Neo-Hookean, Yeoh, Ogden, Mooney–Rivlin, Holzapfel). Model performance was evaluated by normalized RMSE and R², with …

Persistence Of Pet Scan Positivity After Chemoimmunotherapy For Dlbcl, James O. Armitage, Matthew A. Lunning, Julie M. Vose, Dan L. Longo

Journal Articles: Oncology and Hematology

Approximately 80% of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma achieve a complete response after chemoimmunotherapy as defined by positron emission tomography (PET) scan. However, not all patients who fail to achieve a metabolic complete response are destined to relapse. In a number of these patients, the PET scan is falsely positive (ie, 20%-40% in several large series), particularly when the PET scan has a Deauville score of 4. Reflexively intervening with salvage systemic therapy or radiotherapy in these patients is potentially harmful. It seems that very sensitive measurements of circulating tumor DNA might be able to differentiate between patients who …