More than 25 percent of individuals with HIV experience a set of complications known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Symptoms are often subtle and dynamic, which renders diagnosis of the condition challenging. A new study published in Computers in Biology and Medicine explores automated approaches to detect biomarkers of HAND. In the study, led by Udaysankar Chockanathan, third-year Medical Science Training Program (MSTP) student, researchers trained a machine learning model using brain network properties derived from functional MRI (fMRI) data. They then applied the learned model to predict HIV-status and cognitive performance at the level of individual subjects.

“To perform this study, we integrated expertise from many different disciplines,” says Chockanathan. “For instance, one of the study’s authors is Giovanni Schifitto, a neurologist with experience in the management of patients with HAND. The senior author, Axel Wismüller, is a radiologist who runs a research lab on computational methods for medical image analysis.”

Researchers took raw fMRI data and built brain connectivity maps using two different analysis methods: Pearson correlation, a widely used technique for comparing the similarity between two variables, and large-scale Granger causality (lsGC), a novel method developed from an algorithm initially deployed in economics.  The brain connectivity maps generated from each method were analyzed with a machine learning model to predict (1) HIV-status and (2) cognitive performance. Prediction of both variables was better with lsGC than with Pearson correlation.

“The fact that a technique originally developed for economics might help predict brain scores better was surprising to me,” says Chockanathan. “No one has taken these brain networks and thrown them at a machine learning algorithm to use them to predict HIV status, so this is new.”

Down the line, Chockanathan would like to understand how biological and socioeconomic variables, such as age, sex, education level, drug use, and antiretroviral medications, affect the brain networks of individuals with HAND, and, ultimately, to find biomarkers that can be used to identify HIV-positive individuals at risk for HAND, before neurocognitive decline begins.

Additional co-authors Adora DSouza (PhD ’19) and Anas Abidin (PhD ’19) provided substantial insight on the design and implementation of the models used in the study.

Between 1990 and 1995, 21 states adopted legislative term limits, and 15 still have them on the books today.

But did they really produce the intended change?

Term limits were expected to replace career politicians with so-called “citizen legislators,” who intended to serve a short while and then return to their previous occupation, according to Lynda Powell, a professor of political science, who testified this week on Capitol Hill before the Subcommittee on the Constitution, chaired by Republican Senator Ted Cruz from Texas.

Powell, who has studied the matter since 1995, told the subcommittee that term limits had not led to a significant increase in citizen-legislators, nor to a decrease in career-oriented politicians.

Instead, she found that in states with term limits politicians often ran for another office. Powell discovered no differences in demographic composition between term limit newcomers and other newcomers when it came to politicians’ level of education, income, age, race, gender, occupation, ideology, and ideological extremism.

Term limits did, however, have an immediate effect on legislator behavior.

“We found that members in term limit chambers spent less time on keeping in touch with their constituents, on casework, and on pork,” said Powell. Yet, there was no difference between term limit and non-term limit chambers when it came to time spent on campaigning and fundraising.

The strongest findings involved institutional effects. “When term limits are implemented in legislatures, governors, as well as bureaucrats and civil servants, gain considerable influence at the expense of legislatures,” Powell said.

• Watch Powell’s five-minute opening statement here.
• See her Q&A with Senators Mazie Hirano and Cruz here, which starts with Powell’s answer to Senator Hirano’s question about other ways to achieve the goal of less corrupt, more transparent, and more responsive government.
• Read a written copy of her prepared testimony or watch the entire subcommittee hearing on C-Span.

The Embark initiative to streamline clinical research management at the Medical Center is underway. The SCORE (Study Coordinators Organization for Research and Education) meeting on Wednesday, July 17 will focus on this topic.

The meeting, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in SRB Room 1416, will delve deeper into what the software can achieve along with software demonstrations.

This meeting is designed for study and research coordinators. The meeting will be videotaped, and Zoom will be available. If you require special accommodations or wish to get the Zoom link, please email SCORE.

Last year, Medical Center urologist Ahmed Ghazi won the prestigious 2018 Falling Walls Young Innovator of the Year title — along with prize money, a year-long mentorship on scientific publishing, and an invitation to serve as a judge for the 2019 International Final.

Students, junior faculty, early career researchers, and entrepreneurs who would like to follow in Ghazi’s footsteps can apply now through September 11 to enter this year’s competition.

Pitch your innovative idea — highlighting a breakthrough that creates a positive impact on science and society — in just three minutes on October 8 at Feldman Ballroom. The winner will represent the University at the International Falling Walls Finale in Berlin.

Complete the online application by Wednesday, September 11. Email a three-panel slide presentation by Friday, September 27. Contact Adele Coelho for questions.

Students  at  the  University  of  Rochester  and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center are  invited  to  participate  in  a new annual competition.  It aims to promote student awareness and interest in Tobacco Regulatory Science (TRS) and the aligned FDA Research Priorities to better understand toxicity, addiction, and appeal of current and emerging tobacco products, and to provide an evidence base for FDA regulatory considerations.

Each team (either an individual or up to four students) develops and presents a proposed solution — a well-developed and researched thought experiment  — to address one or more identified Tobacco Regulatory Research Priorities.  Presentations may also propose novel methodologies for addressing these priorities.  For a list of Tobacco Regulatory Science priorities, students should consult the collaborative NIH and FDA Tobacco Regulatory Science Program (TRSP).

The presentation must be five minutes or less.  It may use various AV resources. Creativity is strongly encouraged.   Presentations should also aim to have high regulatory impact. Each presentation will be followed by two minutes of Q&A with our judges. The competition will be held at the annual CRoFT Conference on September 20, 2019.

The winning team will travel to the DC/MD region to meet with the FDA and NIH and present their proposal sometime in November or December of 2019. Completed entry forms are due to CRoFT by August 30, 2019.

Questions and completed Entry Forms should be submitted to: https://redcap.urmc.rochester.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=LH4LPFPEM8

National Institutes of Health (NIH) leadership recently encouraged the research community to notify them about sexual harassment concerns.

After receiving dozens of responses, NIH has created a new form for anyone in the biomedical research community to share information related to a potential case of sexual harassment directly and, if desired, anonymously, to NIH. The NIH is dedicated to ensuring that all NIH-funded activities are conducted in a safe and harassment-free work environment.

For additional information and resources, see NIH’s Anti-Sexual Harassment website.

Aimee Morris, neuroscience, “Functional Brain Network Structure in Focal Embouchure Dystonia and Related Disorders.” 2 p.m. July 1, 2019. Lower Adolph Auditorium 1-7619 (Medical Center). Advisor: Jonathan Mink.

Emma Grygotis Norris, pharmacology, “Development of acoustically-modified collagen-based biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications.” 9 a.m. July 8, 2019. 1-7619, Adolph Auditorium (Medical Center). Advisor: Denise Hocking.

Dev Ashish Khaitan, physics, “Pulse Shape Discrimination in the LUX Dark Matter Detector.” 11 a.m. July 8, 2019. Bausch and Lomb 372. Advisor: Frank Wolfs.

Scott Friedland, genetics, “Arid1a, a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, is a barrier to KrasG12D-driven tumorigenesis.” 9:45 a.m. July 9, 2019. 1-9576 Ryan Case Method Room (Medical Center). Advisor: Aram Hezel.

Alissa Trzeciak, microbiology and immunology, “Early Detection and Chronic Management of Sepsis.” 10 a.m., July 11, 2019. Lower Auditorium 1-7619 (Medical Center). Advisor: Minsoo Kim.

Kenneth Sims, Jr, translational biomedical science, “Enhancing pH-Responsive Nanoparticle Drug Delivery to Inhibit Oral Biofilm Formation.” 1 p.m. July 12, 2019. Adolph (Lower) Auditorium 1-7619 (Medical Center). Advisor: Danielle Benoit.

Due to the holidays, Research Connections returns on July 12.

July 10:  “Software and Hardware for Mobile Visual Computing” by Yuhao Zhu, assistant professor of computer science. 2019 Summer Colloquium Series, Goergen Institute for Data Science. 12 noon to 1 p.m.,1400 Wegmans Hall. Free to all faculty, staff, students and community members. Lunch sponsored by the Goergen Institute for Data Science. Pre-register here.

July 17: Demonstration of Embark initiative software for study coordinators. SCORE (Study Coordinators Organization for Research and Education) meeting, 3-4:30 p.m., SRB Room 1416.

July 17:  “Aging & Engaging: Development of a Web-based Communication Coach for Older Adults” with Kimberly Van Orden, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine. 2019 Summer Colloquium Series, Goergen Institute for Data Science. 12 noon to 1 p.m.,1400 Wegmans Hall. Free to all faculty, staff, students and community members. Lunch sponsored by the Goergen Institute for Data Science. Pre-register here.

Aug. 8-9: “Navigating Deaf and Hearing Collaborations in Science.” Second biennial Deaf-Engaged Academic Forum (DEAF-ROC Conference). Keynote speakers, short talks, breakout sessions, panel discussion and a poster session highlighting the research carried out by undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff attending the conference. Register for the conference (for free) and submit a poster abstract by July 1.

Aug. 30: Entry forms due for new annual student competition promoting awareness of Tobacco Regulatory Science. Each team (either an individual or up to four students) develops and presents a proposed solution — a well-developed and researched thought experiment  — to address one or more identified Tobacco Regulatory Research Priorities. Winning team will travel to DC/MD to present their solution to the FDA and NIH. Read more here.

Sept. 11: Deadline for students, junior faculty, early career researchers, and entrepreneurs to apply for this year’s Falling Walls competition. Complete the online application here. By Friday, September 27 email a three-panel slide presentation. Then pitch your innovative idea — highlighting a breakthrough that creates a positive impact on science and society — in just three minutes on October 8 at Feldman Ballroom. The winner will represent the University at the International Falling Walls Finale in Berlin. Contact Adele Coelho for questions.