Baylor College of Medicine

The global cardiovascular-kidney-liver-metabolic burden from 1990 to 2023

Background The cardiovascular-kidney-liver-metabolic (CKLM) framework represents the multi-organ interplay of systemic metabolic disorders that drive the global burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Methods This study is a descriptive epidemiological analysis of the Global Bur...

Intra-abdominal Bowel Dilation in Experimental Gastroschisis Is Associated With a Modifiable Transcriptomic Program of Intestinal Dysfunction

OBJECTIVE: To characterize intestinal transcriptional profiles in gastroschisis, their temporal evolution, and response to fetal intervention. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Gastroschisis causes significant intestinal dysfunction, with intra-abdominal bowel dilation clinically shown to...

Restoration of oscillatory shear stress in humans activates an endothelial protective genetic program and prevents DVT

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. DVT clots typically form in the sinus of the deep venous valves and are strongly associated with immobility and reduced venous flow. Physical activity alters venous blood flow, gene...

A Practical Guide to Mixed-Effects Models for Clustered Data in Pediatric Research

Clustered data, in which observations are grouped within higher-level units, arise frequently in pediatric research. Common examples include repeated measures within patients and patients nested within hospitals. Observations within the same cluster tend to be correlated, and sta...

Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Brain Tumors: A Prospective Multicenter Analysis of Patients From the LAANTERN Study

Background: Laser interstitial thermal therapy is a surgical tool used to ablate brain tumors, radiation necrosis, and epileptic foci. Data from the completed LAANTERN prospective multicenter registry (NCT02392078), containing tumor patients enrolled in the study across 25 US cen...

MERTK inhibition cooperates with immunomodulatory cyclophosphamide to induce CXCL9⁺ monocyte-macrophage programming and durable antitumor immunity in triple negative breast cancer

ABSTRACT Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has high rates of recurrence despite chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) can either suppress or support anti-tumor immunity, but the mechanisms governing these states and therapeutic...

Study protocol for first national vasa previa perinatal registry

Vasa previa is a rare but potentially catastrophic obstetric condition characterized by unprotected fetal blood vessels over or adjacent to the internal cervical os. Although advances in prenatal ultrasound have dramatically improved neonatal survival through planned cesarean del...

Artificial intelligence-enabled analysis of electron micrographs to assess mitochondrial morphology in triple-negative breast cancer

Advancements in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have enabled in-depth studies of biological specimens, offering new avenues to large-scale imaging experiments with subcellular resolution. Mitochondrial morphology is of growing interest in cancer biology due to its crucial...

Spring Cranioplasty for the Fused Lambdoid and Coronal Sutures: Expanding Indications

Abstract Spring cranioplasty, originally developed for sagittal synostosis, has expanded to address selected lambdoid and coronal deformities by applying continuous mechanical distraction to gradually expand the cranium while avoiding the extensive dissection required for open va...

Continuing Trend of Increased Operative Treatment of Clavicle Fractures in Pediatric Patients in the United States Despite a Lack of Supporting Evidence in the Literature

Introduction: Pediatric clavicle fractures are among the most common fractures in this age group. Current research supports the efficacy of nonoperative treatment for these injuries in pediatric patients. Our study seeks to examine the current trends in the management of these fr...

What’s Old Is New Again: Varicella

The availability of a varicella vaccine has led to significant decreases in incidence of this once-common childhood disease. In the setting of rising vaccine hesitancy, health care clinicians are now more frequently facing questions about infections caused by varicella zoster vir...

The hematology workforce in the United States: past, present, and strategies for the future

From 2017-2021, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) completed the largest study ever conducted of the hematology workforce in the United States (US). The study highlighted a deficit in the classical hematology (CH) workforce: despite very high CH clinical volumes encountered...

Decreased cerebrospinal fluid NDRG2 is associated with non-Alzheimer's disease derived mild cognitive impairment

Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) lacks clear clinical biomarkers. N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is predominantly localized in astrocytes and is implicated in cognitive function. Objective This study aims to explore whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NDRG2 cou...

Encapsulation of AAVs into Protein Vault Nanoparticles as a Novel Solution to Gene Therapy’s Neutralizing Antibody Problem

Abstract Although adeno-associated virus (AAV) has enjoyed enormous success as a delivery modality for gene therapy, it suffers from high prevalence of preexisting neutralizing antibodies in human populations, limiting who can receive potentially life-saving treatments. As a nove...

Contraceptive counseling among individuals with genetic conditions: a retrospective cohort study

Individuals with genetic conditions are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes; therefore, effective postpartum contraception is essential. Limited data exists regarding postpartum LARC counseling and uptake in this population. A retrospective chart review was used to e...

Best-Practice Perioperative Optimization for Craniosynostosis Surgery

Abstract Perioperative optimization in craniosynostosis surgery demands coordinated attention across the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods, yet considerable practice variation persists across craniofacial centers. Surgical approaches range from minimally inv...

Impact of Immunosuppression Type on 30-Day Postoperative Outcomes Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Retrospective National Cohort Study of 66,162 Patients

Study DesignRetrospective Cohort Study.ObjectivesPerioperative immunosuppression management in spine surgery lacks robust evidence. Most NSQIP-based ACDF models utilize a binary steroid variable, failing to distinguish corticosteroids from biologics or synthetic DMARDs. This stud...

Discovery andDevelopment of First-in-Class Cereblon-RecruitingRIPK1 Degraders

Abstract Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) is a critical regulator of programmed cell death and is implicated in various pathological conditions, particularly in mediating tumor resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). In this study, we have pioneered the de...

A Rare BCR::SPECC1L::ABL1 Fusion in a Pediatric Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patient

BACKGROUND: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm typically defined by BCR::ABL1 p210 fusions isoforms. OBSERVATIONS: An 8-year-old female CML patient harbored a typical t(9;22)(q34;11) Philadelphia chromosome and BCR::ABL1 fusion by conventional karyoty...

Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV Who Engage in Chemsex in Barcelona, Spain: Epidemiological Patterns and Implications for Infection Control

Background: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are increasingly reported among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) engaging in chemsex, yet data remain limited. This ambispective cohort study conducted at H...