Compiled by Dayle Wang (G2)
Okonkwo DD, Moore-Lotridge SN, Schoenecker JG, Jain A, Hariharan AR, Vorhies JS, Yaszay B, Louer CR Jr; Harms Study Group.
J Pediatr Soc North Am. 2025 Nov 12;14:100290. doi: 10.1016/j.jposna.2025.100290. eCollection 2026 Feb.
PMID: 41552646 Free PMC article.
Abstract
Background: Bone graft use for pediatric posterior spinal fusion (PSF) is highly variable and can lead to additional cost and risk. Biological failures of fusion are rare in children, suggesting that higher-risk grafts used for their perceived efficacy in adults may be unnecessary. This study aims to assess current expert perspectives on graft choice for pediatric PSF to provide guidance in this unique population, thus aiding risk and cost minimization.
Methods: We conducted an institutional review board-approved Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) survey of surgeon members from an international spine deformity study group. Participants were asked about their graft choices for a routine adolescent idiopathic scoliosis case.
Results: Of the 49 invited surgeons, 35 (71%) completed the survey. Most respondents (57%) had over 20 years of experience and performed more than 75 pediatric spine deformity surgeries annually (63%). The majority (83%) used local autograft and cancellous allograft, with 51% using this combination without additional graft products. Surgeons cited side-effect profile, clinical evidence, cost, and training as primary factors influencing graft choice. Notably, 42% of participants acknowledged that iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) and bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-2 may promote better bone formation but were not routinely used due to costs and potential side effects.
Conclusions: This expert survey suggests that local autograft combined with allograft represents the prevailing graft strategy among experienced surgeons. However, there is considerable variability in the adjunct use of other graft types/additives indicating a need for further research to establish the value of these adjuncts in pediatric PSF relative to risks and costs.
Key concepts: (1)Bone graft choices vary widely among pediatric spine surgeons, with some using higher-risk grafts that lack evidence in children, even though fusion success rates are similar regardless of graft type.(2)An international survey of experienced pediatric spine deformity surgeons identified local autograft combined with cancellous allograft as the prevailing baseline strategy, with most surgeons avoiding additional graft products.(3)This choice is primarily influenced by side-effect profile, available clinical evidence, cost considerations, and training.(4)Among surgeons who do use adjunct grafts, the specific products selected vary considerably, reflecting heterogeneous practice patterns.(5)Given the low rate of biologic fusion failure in children, further research is needed to clarify when additional graft products provide value beyond the baseline strategy.
Level of evidence: V, Expert opinion.
Keywords: Allograft; Autograft; Bone graft; Pediatric; Posterior spine fusion; Scoliosis.
Loberg MA, Xu GJ, Chen SC, Chen HC, Wahoski CC, Caroland KP, Tigue ML, Hartmann HA, Gallant JN, Phifer CJ, Ocampo AA, Wang DK, Fankhauser RG, Karunakaran KA, Wu CC, Tarabichi M, Shaddy SM, Netterville JL, Rohde SL, Solórzano CC, Bischoff LA, Baregamian N, Murphy BA, Choe JH, Wang JR, Huang EC, Sheng Q, Kagohara LT, Jaffee EM, Belcher RH, Lau KS, Ye F, Lee E, Weiss VL.
JCI Insight. 2026 Jan 9;11(1):e191990. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.191990. eCollection 2026 Jan 9.
PMID: 41480746 Free article.
Abstract
Although well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) is characterized by a robust treatment response, aggressive subtypes, such as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), remain highly lethal. To understand thyroid cancer evolution in both children and adults, we analyzed single-cell transcriptomes of 423,733 cells from 81 samples and spatially resolved key tumor and microenvironment populations across 28 tumors with spatial transcriptomics, including rare and unique composite WDTC/ATC tumors and pediatric diffuse sclerosing thyroid carcinomas. Additionally, we identified gene signatures of stromal cell populations in 5 large thyroid cancer bulk RNA-sequencing cohorts. Through this multi-institutional effort, we defined a population of POSTN+ myofibroblast cancer-associated fibroblasts (myCAFs) that are intimately associated with invasive tumor cells and correlate with poor prognosis, lymph node metastasis, and disease progression in thyroid carcinoma. We also revealed a population of inflammatory CAFs that are distant to tumor cells and are found in the inflammatory stromal microenvironment of autoimmune thyroiditis. Together, our study provides spatial profiling of thyroid cancer evolution in samples with mixed WDTC/ATC histopathology and identifies a prognostic myCAF subtype with potential clinical utility in predicting aggressive disease in both children and adults.
Pershad Y, Breeyear JH, Corty RW, Mosley JD; VA Million Veteran Program; Phillips LS, Giri A, Roden DM, Edwards TL, Bick AG.
Genet Med Open. 2025 Oct 24;3:103468. doi: 10.1016/j.gimo.2025.103468. eCollection 2025.
PMID: 41362833 Free PMC article.
Abstract
Purpose: To develop an algorithm using routine clinical laboratory measurements to identify people at risk for systematic underestimation of glycated hemoglobin because of p.Val68Met glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
Methods: We analyzed 122,307 participants of self-identified Black race across 4 large cohorts with blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and red cell distribution width measurements from a single blood draw. In UK Biobank, we used recursive partitioning to train 2 models to predict possible and likely G6PD deficiency. We validated the algorithm in NIH AllofUs, Vanderbilt BioVU, and the Million Veterans Program. In the Vanderbilt Synthetic Derivative with clinical but no genetic data, we created a cohort of 48,031 participants with type 2 diabetes and no genetic data to test whether predicted risk for G6PD deficiency was associated with incident diabetic retinopathy.
Results: G6PD deficiency predictions in hemizygous males showed precision/recall of 31%/81% for possible and 81%/10% for likely deficiency. In homozygous females, precision/recall was 6%/76% for possible and 34%/13% for likely deficiency. Patients with diabetes having predicted possible deficiency demonstrated 1.4-fold higher 20-year retinopathy rates (14.3% vs 11.2%, P = .003).
Conclusion: We report a simple clinical algorithm that enables health care systems to identify people who may benefit from G6PD genotyping and glucose-based diabetes monitoring.
Keywords: Clinical algorithm; Genomic learning health system; Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency; Hemoglobin-A1c; Personalized medicine.
Rusznak M, Toki S, Hao Y, Todd MJC, Malone L, Goodhead JF, DuPuy C, Zhou W, Babin D, Warren CM, Abney M, Stier MT, Thomas CM, Li J, Jacobse J, Pahnke AP, Petrovic MI, Cephus JY, Kuehnle SN, Calcutt MW, Norlander AE, Yan F, Goettel JA, Miller DR, Lynch RM, Cook DP, Newcomb DC, Zou F, Peebles RS Jr.
Nat Commun. 2026 Jan 3. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-67813-2. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41484153 Free article.
Abstract
Pulmonary group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are key drivers of Type 2 inflammation in diseases like asthma, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating their function are incompletely understood. Using the genetically diverse Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse panel, we mapped a quantitative trait locus (QTL) that governs ILC2 prevalence in the lung after aeroallergen exposure. This QTL induces a large population of ILC2s in the lung that are resistant to activation and have diminished Type 2 effector function. We identified free-fatty acid receptor 3 (Ffar3) as a gene responsible for this effect and demonstrated that FFAR3 signaling reprograms ILC2s to an anti-inflammatory state by promoting their survival, reducing Type 2 cytokine production, and enhancing IL-10 expression. This anti-inflammatory state is dependent on IL-2 signaling, is characterized by decreased ST2 expression, and is distinct from previously described IL-10-producing ILC2 phenotypes. FFAR3-dependent reprogramming is mediated by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) upregulation, and FFAR3’s anti-inflammatory effect is partially conserved in human ILC2s.
Sex Differences in Asthma Pathogenesis.
McKernan KE, Pilier EH, Newcomb DC.
Immunol Rev. 2026 Jan;337(1):e70100. doi: 10.1111/imr.70100.
PMID: 41508394 Free PMC article. Review.
Abstract
There is a sex difference in asthma prevalence and asthma-related morbidity that changes from childhood into different reproductive stages of life. The impact of sex hormone signaling on asthma pathogenesis has been partially elucidated using large cohort human studies, human cells, and animal models. Androgens decreased airway inflammation by reducing type 2 inflammation and eosinophil infiltration as well as reducing neutrophil-induced airway inflammation in animal models. Estrogen signaling through ER-α increased IL-33 production, an alarmin produced by airway epithelial cells that increases type 2 inflammation and increased Th17 cell-mediated neutrophilic inflammation. Additional studies are needed to determine what happens to asthma control and asthma-induced inflammation in women during pregnancy and menopause as well as how sex differences in immune cell development and airway inflammation affect asthma incidence and onset during childhood. Collectively, understanding that sex differences in asthma risk and control exist throughout life is important to personalize therapies for males and females with asthma.
Keywords: asthma; inflammation; sex differences; sex hormones.
Data-driven abdominal phenotypes of type 2 diabetes in lean, overweight, and obese cohorts from computed tomography.
Remedios LW, Cho C, Schwartz TM, Su D, Rudravaram G, Gao C, Krishnan AR, Saunders AM, Kim ME, Bao S, Powers AC, Landman BA, Virostko J.
J Med Imaging (Bellingham). 2025 Nov;12(6):064006. doi: 10.1117/1.JMI.12.6.064006. Epub 2025 Dec 18.
PMID: 41427059 Free PMC article.
Lifespan Pancreas Morphology for Control Versus Type 2 Diabetes Using AI on Largescale Clinical Imaging.
Remedios LW, Cho C, Schwartz TM, Su D, Rudravaram G, Gao C, Krishnan AR, Saunders AM, Kim ME, Bao S, Lasko TA, Powers AC, Landman BA, Virostko J.
Clin Anat. 2026 Jan 20. doi: 10.1002/ca.70077. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41556492
Tractography enhancement in clinically-feasible diffusion MRI using T1-weighted MRI and anatomical context.
Yoon J, McMaster EM, Cho C, Schilling KG, Landman BA, Moyer D.
Proc SPIE Int Soc Opt Eng. 2025 Feb;13406:1340609. doi: 10.1117/12.3047112. Epub 2025 Apr 11.
PMID: 41451395
Functionally diversified Caenorhabditis elegans BiP orthologs control body growth, reproduction, stress resistance, aging, and autophagy.
Urban ND, Lacy SM, Van Pelt KM, Abdon B, Mattiola Z, Klaiss A, Tabler S, Donahue EKF, Burkewitz K, Truttmann MC.
Nat Commun. 2025 Dec 12;16(1):11094. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-65998-0.
PMID: 41387410 Free PMC article.
Centralization of Surgical Care for Vestibular Schwannomas: A Scoping Review.
Gauhar F, Grisham CJ, Dambrino RJ 4th, Marinelli JP, Carlson ML, Kelly PD.
Otol Neurotol. 2025 Dec 17. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004710. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41403020
Social networks and symptomatology in recently hospitalized individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: A six-month longitudinal study.
Schock GV, Kittleson AR, Halverson AS, Liu J, Sheffield JM.
Psychiatry Res. 2026 Jan 19;358:116960. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2026.116960. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41576489 Free article.
Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth in Psychiatric Settings: The Importance of Advocacy Across All Levels of Intervention
Versel JL, Mastrangelo S, Hilal J, Marr MC, Kittleson AR
JAACAP Connect 2025 Dec 09. doi: 10.62414/001c.147383.
Biomarkers.
Peterson AJ, Kresge HA, Zhang P, Moore EE, Romano RR 3rd, Eaton J, Pechman KR, Liu D, Jefferson AL.
Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Dec;21 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):e106066. doi: 10.1002/alz70856_106066.
PMID: 41517805 Free PMC article.
Early Cochlear Implant Outcomes Predict Long-Term Speech Recognition.
Chau IJ, Kunnath AJ, Gothard A, Dixon PR, Gifford RH, Harvey EA, Haynes DS, Holder JT, Patro A, Perkins EL, Tamati TN, Hand BN, McRackan TR, Moberly AC.
Ear Hear. 2025 Dec 17. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001774. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41403015
Calibrating CT Slice Location and Body Part in Body Part Regression.
Su D, Li T, Zuo L, Tang Y, Dawant BM, Landman BA.
Proc SPIE Int Soc Opt Eng. 2025 Feb;13406:134062C. doi: 10.1117/12.3047265. Epub 2025 Apr 11.
PMID: 41459000
Beyond the lungs: extending the field-of-view in chest CT with latent diffusion models.
Zuo L, Xu K, Su D, Yu X, Krishnan AR, Liu Y, Bao S, Li T, Sandler KL, Maldonado F, Landman BA.
Proc SPIE Int Soc Opt Eng. 2025 Feb;13406:134060J. doi: 10.1117/12.3047271. Epub 2025 Apr 11.
PMID: 41451393 Free PMC article.
Wnt signaling is modulated by the buffer-like properties of cadherins.
Schnitkey L, Anthony C, Cardó-Vila M, Loberg MA, Orton G, McCabe A, Trapani J, Rockouski M, Luo J, Chen SC, Ye F, Robbins DJ, Ahmed Y, Doubrovinski K, Weiss VL, Thorne CA, Lee E.
Mol Biol Cell. 2026 Jan 15:mbcE25040191. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E25-04-0191. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41537764
Metabolic adaptations rewire CD4+ T cells in a subset-specific manner in human critical illness with and without sepsis.
Stier MT, Sewell AE, Mwizerwa EL, Sim CY, Tanner SM, Nichols CM, Durai HH, Jennings EQ, Lindau P, Wilfong EM, Obeidalla SN, Kerchberger VE, Newcomb DC, Bastarache JA, Ware LB, Rathmell JC.
Nat Immunol. 2026 Jan 15. doi: 10.1038/s41590-025-02390-6. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41540263
Read about the above publication in VUMC News here.
Inherited resilience to clonal hematopoiesis by modifying stem cell RNA regulation.
Agarwal G, Antoszewski M, Xie X, Pershad Y, Arora UP, Poon CL, Lyu P, Lee AJ, Guo CJ, Ye T, Norford LB, Neehus AL, Della Volpe L, Wahlster L, Ranasinghe D, Ho TC, Barlowe TS, Chow A, Schurer A, Taggart J, Durham BH, Abdel-Wahab O, McGraw KL, Allan JM, Soldatov R, Bick AG, Kharas MG, Sankaran VG.
Science. 2026 Jan;391(6780):52-58. doi: 10.1126/science.adx4174. Epub 2026 Jan 1.
PMID: 41477881
Read about the above publication in VUMC News here.
Detection of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential via genome or exome sequencing underestimates disease associations.
Corty R, Pershad Y, Heimlich JB, Vlasschaert C, Luo L, Mack T, Amancherla K, Robinson-Cohen C, Savona M, Bick AG.
J Clin Invest. 2026 Jan 13:e198861. doi: 10.1172/JCI198861. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41528807 Free article. No abstract available.
Clonal Hematopoiesis and Cardiovascular Disease Risk After Cancer Therapy in Patients With Solid Tumors.
Shyr D, Pershad Y, Zhao K, Kishtagari A, Corty RW, Shinohara E, Park BH, Heimlich JB, Luo L, Bick AG.
JAMA Oncol. 2026 Jan 8:e255785. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.5785. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41505144 Free PMC article.
Read about the above publication my VUMC News here.
Increased Prevalence of Clonal Hematopoiesis in Children with Sickle Cell Disease.
Ulloa J, Wuichet K, Rashkin SR, Pershad Y, Shore C, Vlasschaert C, Rodeghier MJ, Yao Y, Gordeuk VR, Shah BN, Takemoto CM, Saraf SL, DeBaun MR, Weiss MJ, Bick AG.
Blood. 2025 Dec 8:blood.2025030898. doi: 10.1182/blood.2025030898. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41359799
Evaluating Transition From University of Wisconsin to Del Nido Cardioplegia for Cardiac Allograft Preservation: The Vanderbilt Experience.
Ahmad A, Trahanas J, Lima B, Bommareddi S, Wang CC, Petrovic M, McGann K, DeVries S, Bacchetta M, Shah AS, Williams AM.
ASAIO J. 2025 Dec 25. doi: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000002637. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41444920
10°C Static Cold Storage Mitigates the Impact of Advanced Donor Age on Heart Transplant Recipient Outcomes.
Williams AM, Ahmad A, Bommareddi S, Lima B, McGann K, Absi T, Quintana E, Wang CC, Petrovic M, Devries S, Lowman J, Siddiqi H, Brinkley M, Menachem JN, Pedrotty D, Tsai S, Rali AS, Sacks S, Zalawadiya S, Bacchetta M, Schlendorf K, Shah AS, Trahanas JM.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2026 Jan 2:S0022-5223(25)01068-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2025.12.013. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41485581
Intraoperative Oxygen Debt is Associated with Early Clinical Outcomes After Prolonged Asystolic Warm Ischemia Time in Donation After Circulatory Death Heart Transplantation.
Williams AM, Ahmad A, Trahanas J, Bommareddi S, McGann KC, Wang CC, Petrovic M, Absi T, Quintana E, DeVries S, Lowman J, Siddiqi H, Amancherla K, Brinkley M, Tsai S, Menachem JN, Punnoose L, Pedrotty D, Rali AS, Sacks S, Zalawadiya S, Lindenfeld J, Schlendorf K, Tapia-Ruano S, Lombard FW, Bacchetta M, Shah AS, Lima B.
J Heart Lung Transplant. 2026 Jan 22:S1053-2498(26)00004-5. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2026.01.005. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41580104
The Gut Microbiome and Butyrate Differentiate Clostridioides difficile Colonization and Infection in Children.
Nicholson MR, Ma S, Strickland BA, Cecala M, Zhang L, Reasoner S, Guiberson ER, Munneke MJ, Shilts MH, Skaar EP, Das SR.
J Infect Dis. 2025 Dec 11:jiaf631. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf631. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41379981
Modeling Postoperative Nerve Regeneration Using Diffusion MRI: A Preclinical Study of a Novel Mathematical Approach.
Esteve IM, Yan L, Karagoz H, Torres-Guzman R, Chaker S, Gutama B, Cornely RM, Savitz B, James A, Alter N, Hoang A, Reddy A, Abott E, Wang P, Christopher KS, Dortch R, Thayer W.
Muscle Nerve. 2025 Dec 22. doi: 10.1002/mus.70110. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41424212
Genetic Risk, Healthy Lifestyle, and Risk Stratification for Diverticulitis.
Ueland TE, Shelley JP, Mosley JD, Robinson J, Gamazon ER, Maguire LL, Peek R, Sharp K, Hawkins AT.
J Am Coll Surg. 2026 Jan 22. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001778. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41568825
Risk factors for dysphagia following total laryngectomy.
Swain B, Si CD, Habib DRS, Jin W, Duvall P, Sinard RJ, Mannion K, Rohde SL, Langerman AJ, Rosenthal EL, Hicks MD, Topf MC.
Am J Otolaryngol. 2025 Dec 4;47(2):104780. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2025.104780. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41564620 Free article
Measurement Invariance of the PROMIS Family Relationships Scale Among Autistic and General Population Adolescents.
Benecke RM, Williams ZJ, Holmes LG, Miller JS, Kaplan-Kahn EA.
Autism Res. 2026 Jan 8. doi: 10.1002/aur.70161. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41508413
From ask to action: how sponsorship circles strengthen career pathways for women in radiology.
Averill S, Witt AA, Frederick-Dyer K, Sheppard A, Zamora K, Reddy S, Silver JK, Englander MJ.
Clin Imaging. 2026 Jan 22;131:110732. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2026.110732. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 41579471 Free article.
Mazabraud Syndrome.
Miao KH, Ramasamy SK, Witt A, Brahmbhatt P, Miao JH.
Radiographics. 2026 Jan;46(1):e250220. doi: 10.1148/rg.250220.
PMID: 41411167 No abstract available.
Evaluating the effects of aging on biodistribution and gene silencing activity of lipid-siRNA conjugates delivered into cerebrospinal fluid.
Ligocki AP, Sorets AG, Abdulrahman AM, Francini N, Park JC, Lee JH, Ford WT, Lyons SM, Fritsch EL, Lamantia ZE, Christov PP, Duvall CL, Lippmann ES.
bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Dec 19:2025.12.17.693452. doi: 10.64898/2025.12.17.693452.
PMID: 41446212 Free PMC article. Preprint.