Faculty Bibliography

Asian and Latina survivors of international criminal sex trafficking often face profound mental health challenges, yet research on this group remains limited. This study examines mental health outcomes and correlates among 94 survivors in New York City using a Community-Based Participatory Research approach. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and comorbid symptoms. Survivors reported high rates of depression (41.9%), PTSD (41.3%), and co-occurring symptoms (26.6%). Pain and forced abortion were significantly associated with PTSD and comorbidity. Findings highlight the need for trauma-informed, culturally appropriate mental health interventions addressing pain and reproductive coercion to support survivor recovery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW/OBJECTIVE:This article reviews the existing literature on non-LDL biomarkers in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACSVD), atherogenesis, and ischemic stroke risk, including a discussion of potential future applications for secondary prevention of stroke. RECENT FINDINGS/RESULTS:Although foundational studies established the strong link between elevated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) with the development of atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk, a growing number of recent studies have shown that more precise cerebrovascular disease (CVD) risk stratification can be achieved by using other components of the traditional lipid panel along with additional lipoprotein assays. The specific relationship between these non-traditional markers of atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke risk remains incompletely defined. Lipid measures beyond LDL-C including updated interpretations of the standard lipid panel, such as the triglyceride-to-high density lipoprotein ratio (TG:HDL) as well as testing for lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB), play a important respective roles in estimating metabolic health as well as atherogenic particle burden. These measures should therefore be considered in the context of stroke risk assessment, monitoring, and secondary prevention.

The liver-secreted protein fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1) is a ligand of the coinhibitory receptor LAG3 on T cells; however, Fgl1^-/- mice exhibit autoimmune features distinct from those of Lag3^-/- mice. Here, we examined whether FGL1 acts via receptors beyond LAG3 to regulate autoimmunity. Recombinant FGL1 administration reduced autoimmune symptoms in B6/lpr lupus-like mice. This was associated with diminished antigen-specific IgM responses and B cell numbers. Genome-wide surface proteome screening identified the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family member transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI), a receptor for B cell-activating receptors BAFF and APRIL, as a receptor for FGL1. TACI bound FGL1 via an N-terminal site not required for BAFF and APRIL interaction. The impact of FGL1 administration on B cell numbers and autoimmune phenotypes was lost in Taci^-/- mice. Mechanistically, FGL1 promotes TACI internalization, thereby regulating receptor availability for activating ligands. Thus, FGL1 regulates an innate-like subset of B cells via modulating TACI availability, with implications for autoimmunity and inflammation.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the feasibility of same-day (postoperative day 0; POD0) physical therapy (PT) following lumbar fusion and to identify factors associated with failure to participate. METHODS:This retrospective study analyzed prospectively collected data from patients undergoing single-level posterior spinal fusion (PSF), with or without anterior (ALIF) or lateral (LLIF) interbody fusion, between January and December 2024 at a single institution. A standardized POD0 PT protocol was implemented for eligible patients. Patients were categorized into two groups: successful POD0 PT (ambulatory on POD0) and unable to participate. Demographic and surgical variables were compared between groups. Reasons for inability to participate were recorded and categorized. RESULTS:Among 129 patients in whom POD0 PT was attempted, 84 (65%) successfully participated, while 45 (35%) were unable. There were no significant differences in age, sex, BMI, ASA class, operative time, estimated blood loss, or surgical approach between groups. Patients who successfully completed POD0 PT had a significantly shorter hospital length of stay compared to those who did not (3.4 ± 1.6 vs 5.8 ± 2.9 days, P < 0.001), with no differences in complication rates, discharge disposition, emergency department visits, or reoperation rates. The most common barriers to POD0 PT were postoperative pain, medical issues (e.g., orthostatic hypotension, nausea, dizziness), and anesthesia-related somnolence. Less common factors included postoperative restrictions and logistical issues such as brace availability. CONCLUSIONS:POD0 PT following lumbar fusion is feasible in the majority of patients and is associated with a shorter hospital stay without increased complications. Failure to participate was not associated with the baseline patient or surgical characteristics evaluated in this study. Instead, the most common barriers were postoperative pain, transient medical issues, and anesthesia-related somnolence, suggesting that optimization of modifiable perioperative factors may improve the implementation of POD0 PT.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Athletes are at risk of developing dermatologic conditions, particularly traumatic and inflammatory dermatoses, owing to the physical and environmental stresses associated with sports participation. As sports participation continues to increase worldwide, recognition of these conditions has become increasingly important for dermatologists and sports medicine professionals. OBJECTIVE/UNASSIGNED:To review the epidemiology, clinical presentations, prevention strategies, and treatment approaches for common traumatic and inflammatory dermatoses encountered in athletes. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A comprehensive literature search was completed using a combination of keywords: "sports," "traumatic," "inflammatory," "skin," and "dermatoses." The authors reviewed all studies and included those that addressed the topic of the review. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Traumatic dermatoses represented the most frequently reported conditions. Inflammatory dermatoses primarily included contact dermatitis and lichen simplex chronicus. Many conditions demonstrate sport-specific patterns related to repetitive friction, pressure, direct trauma, moisture, or exposure to athletic equipment. Preventive measures include proper equipment fit, reduction of friction and moisture, and use of protective barriers, while treatment strategies ranged from wound care and topical therapies to procedural interventions. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:Sports participation is associated with a broad spectrum of traumatic and inflammatory skin disorders that may affect athlete comfort, performance, and participation.

Alston's singing mouse has emerged as an intriguing model for the comparative study of vocal control. New work on the species sets the stage to understand the proximate mechanisms and evolutionary roots of novel acoustic communication traits.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. While for Stage IA LUAD surgery is often curative, recurrence rates remain significant. Liquid biopsy enables monitoring residual disease and predicts recurrence, however utility in Stage IA LUAD is not well-established. Tumor-informed whole genome sequencing (WGS) represents a highly sensitive liquid biopsy method for the analysis of circulating-tumor cell-free DNA (ctDNA) without designing and maintaining patient-specific probes. We aimed to determine the prognostic value of genome-wide tumor-informed minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring in Stage IA NSCLC using WGS of ctDNA. WGS was performed on 42 patients with Stage IA NSCLC. Tumor was sequenced at 40x and germline DNA and plasma derived ctDNA at 20x and patient specific mutational signatures were developed from the tumor-normal comparison and applied to ctDNA WGS at each time point using AI-supported pattern recognition algorithm. ctDNA results were compared with clinical recurrence. WGS ctDNA was able to predict recurrence with 0.75 sensitivity and 0.83 specificity, with median 16.7 months lead time compared to clinical or imaging recurrence. ctDNA WGS was able to distinguish between a second primary and recurrence in histologically or clinically challenging cases. Whole genome sequencing of ctDNA can predict recurrence in the earliest clinical stage of NSCLC, identifying patients who will recur, and providing information to help guide radiological follow-up and adjuvant therapy.

OBJECTIVE:The objectives of this study were to determine 1) the prevalence of perceived mistreatment, 2) the source of mistreatment, and 3) the location where mistreatment occurred among obstetrics and gynecology residents. METHODS:We conducted a national survey of obstetrics and gynecology residents using an adapted validated questionnaire. RESULTS:Over half of participating obstetrics and gynecology residents reported mistreatment. The most common type of mistreatment reported was verbal or emotional abuse (57%). Patients/patients' families, attendings, nurses, and other residents were all common sources of mistreatment. The most frequent location was labor and delivery. Female, gender-diverse, Black, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer+ (LGBQ+) residents experienced mistreatment at higher rates. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Obstetrics and gynecology residents report a high prevalence of mistreatment. Interventions to reduce mistreatment, especially on labor and delivery, will prove important to promote the respectful work environment necessary for optimal learning and patient care.

Growing research confirms the efficacy of transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, that is treatments applicable across multiple diagnoses within a disorder class or spectrum, by examining group-level changes from pre- to posttreatment. However, less is known about interindividual differences and dynamic changes during therapy. Understanding different symptom trajectories and their associations with treatment outcome would allow early detection of nonresponders and treatment adjustments. Using data from the treatment group of a randomized controlled trial, we aimed to investigate trajectories in transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with the Unified Protocol (UP) in patients with anxiety disorders. Patients reported on demographics, clinical history, coping strategies, treatment motivation, and expectations before starting transdiagnostic CBT. Participants provided symptom ratings across 16 sessions of the UP as well as at posttreatment, 6-, and 12-month follow-up (N = 64, 71.9% female, age: M = 32.67, SD = 11.91). Using latent class growth analysis (LCGA), we identified symptom trajectory classes and tested whether these could be predicted from baseline data. We also examined associations between classes and treatment outcome, using multilevel modeling and reliable change indices (RCIs). LCGA revealed four distinct trajectory classes: low severity-improved (n = 21, 32.81%), high severity-improved (n = 19, 29.69%), high severity-stagnant (n = 12, 18.75%), and low severity-worsened (n = 12, 18.75%). Only the number of comorbidities emerged as a significant predictor of class, with patients in the high severity-stagnant group having more comorbidities. They also showed higher symptom severity at baseline, posttreatment, and follow-ups compared to other classes, despite clear improvement. Latent classes of symptom changes during transdiagnostic CBT can be distinguished and important pretreatment factors identified, informing treatment selection and personalization. Particularly patients with high initial burden and a higher number of comorbidities may require monitoring and adaptive treatment strategies, which should be explored in future studies. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03945617.

BACKGROUND:Health care workers (HCWs) face sustained psychological demands that place them at heightened risk for burnout and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, assessing psychological distress in this population remains challenging because of stigma, underreporting, and the limitations of self-report tools. Although nonverbal behaviors such as facial expressions and gaze hold diagnostic promise, most approaches overlook the fine-grained, temporal fluctuations in these signals. In this study, we focused on microbehavior intervals-brief, involuntary changes in multimodal nonverbal signals-that emerge during emotion-eliciting interviews. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to determine whether microbehavior intervals improve the discrimination of psychological distress profiles among HCWs with symptoms of burnout and PTSD. METHODS:HCWs participated in a semistructured interview that included 5 work-related, emotionally charged questions and that was recorded via Webex (online video platform). Participants also completed validated questionnaires for burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey 9-item) and PTSD (PTSD checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition). Recordings were analyzed with computer vision models to generate time-series data of facial expressions, head movement, gaze, body posture, and hand gestures. An unsupervised anomaly detection model (MOMENT [a Family of Open Time-Series Foundation Models]) isolated microbehavior intervals without requiring manual labels. Features derived from these intervals were used to train a deep learning classifier that predicted 4 symptom classes of psychological distress: "moderate-severe burnout," "subthreshold-provisional PTSD," "burnout+PTSD," and "resilient." We conducted an ablation study by systematically removing one behavioral data stream at a time. Finally, we conducted an explainability analysis to characterize the features driving model predictions. RESULTS:-score. The explainability analysis revealed distinct temporal patterns across symptom classes, with irregularity and variability in microbehaviors emerging as key predictors. CONCLUSIONS:Focusing on microbehavior intervals yields a scalable, interpretable, and annotation-free framework for detecting psychological distress from nonverbal signals. By moving from whole-video features to fine-grained multimodal temporal modeling, we successfully captured subtle, involuntary fluctuations in nonverbal responses to emotion-eliciting questions. This multimodal approach enables an objective, robust, and explainable assessment of psychological distress and offers a promising complement to conventional psychometric assessments.