Gadolinium-based contrast agents or GBCAs have been used since 1988 in medical settings for internal imaging specifically in magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs). In recent years studies have focused on gadolinium retention in the body and trace amounts of the metal has been found in the brain, tissue, bones, and children’s fecal matter. Cadmium is another toxic metal similar to gadolinium, and both have been associated with various detrimental health outcomes, however, recent evidence suggests that when these metals are present together, their toxic effects may be enhanced through synergistic interactions. Previous research has also assessed the effects of the toxic metals in adults but few have analyzed the ramifications in children and none have investigated the possible effects on the gut microbiome. The human gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health, influencing various physiological processes, immune responses, and metabolic functions. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests that gadolinium retention may contribute to health disparities among different populations. Certain demographic factors, such as race, ethnicity, and maternal college education, have been identified as determinants of gadolinium accumulation in the body. In this project scientific data collected will investigate a sample of children with gadolinium retention and compare it against another group of children. The fecal material samples will be compared for associations with microbiota communities, obesity, demographics, and other covariates. The implications and long-term effects of gadolinium retention are not yet fully understood but regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, are reexamining the possible implications of GBCAs and creating guidelines and recommendations accordingly. Despite the effects not being completely comprehended it is a harmful chemical and should not be retained in the body. The purpose of this research is to bring awareness of this corrupting chemical and encourage future research with larger study groups.

The medical imaging world is currently in the process of exploring the striking predictive abilities of radiomics to revolutionize disease-specific personalized treatment management. Radiomics extracts quantitative data from images that can be analyzed and correlated to tumor biology and thus disease status. Radiomics can be especially powerful for cancer detection, prognosis, and treatment evaluation. In this retrospective study, we examined the radiomic changes within 5 patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) at three stages (visits) pre-, during, and post-treatment. By extracting radiomic features, this project aims to quantify the changes before, during, and after the NAC visits. The data used in this study were obtained from public domain Quantitative Imaging Network (QIN) Breast Collection. Radiomic features from the breast cancer region were then semi-automatically extracted using the open source software, 3D Slicer. 107 radiomic features were extracted and then analyzed statistically using a t-test. The results show that radiomic features can differentiate tumor biology between each visit due to the neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This shows that quantifying radiomic features is clinically relevant to tumor biology, and can potentially aid as an adjunct during NAC.

Epilepsy is a disorder of abnormal electrical activity, or seizures, that affects the brain. Underrecognized symptoms of epilepsy include impacts on social interactions, decision-making capacity, or mood. Epilepsy surgical treatment planning includes identifying where seizures start relative to where neurological functions are located. Current clinical methods evaluate dominant-hemisphere functions, such as language, memory, or sensorimotor function. There are not quantitative tests for nondominant hemisphere neuropsychological outcomes that significantly impact quality of life (QOL), such as decision-making or emotional tone perception. This research assesses how well, if at all, nondominant-hemisphere functions are considered in pre-surgical planning to determine what percentage of patients who undergo surgery for epilepsy were counseled about functional losses other than language, sensorimotor symptoms, or memory. This research will reveal whether nondominant-hemisphere surgical costs were adequately predicted during treatment planning by assessing pre and postoperative QOL, emotional awareness, and decision-making. Completion of this research contributes to the goal of comprehensively identifying likely functional losses from epilepsy surgery, including those that are not well-assessed by current methods, to help counsel patients about risks and benefits of surgical treatment for epilepsy. The next step of this research is developing quantitative algorithms to gauge nondominant hemisphere costs of epilepsy surgery.

The blood-testis barrier (BTB) is a tight blood-tissue barrier that divides seminiferous epithelium in the testicles. Leukemia is a cancer of bone marrow cells that causes errors in DNA replication. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a common childhood cancer that rapidly progresses. There are chances of relapse when cancer is once again present in the body after it was determined to be cancer-free. Males are 40% more likely to experience a relapse due to the BTB. Leukemic cells will become trapped in the testicles when the BTB contracts, and released when it relaxes. These released leukemic cells will then once again spread in the body. Transporter dynamics may affect results depending on the models used. Experiments conducted in vitro determined that human models provided more accurate transporter dynamics in comparison to mouse models. These xenobiotic transporters and further research will aid drug discovery in regard to drugs that are able to pass through the BTB and target leukemic cells. In this continuation of a study from the summer of 2022, an in-depth analysis of mouse histology provides insight into the destruction of tissue in the liver and kidneys. Using Sprague-Dawley rats, the same experiment is replicated to an animal which is more similar to the human physiological function in comparison to the aforementioned mouse models.