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Understanding How Multi-Level Factors Influence Cancer Clinical Trial Enrollment Decisions By Patients Living In Higher Disadvantaged Areas, Nicole Caston Jan 2023

Understanding How Multi-Level Factors Influence Cancer Clinical Trial Enrollment Decisions By Patients Living In Higher Disadvantaged Areas, Nicole Caston

All ETDs from UAB

Cancer clinical trials offer current patients with cancer new treatment and novel interventions to treat their cancer, while advancing the care of future patients. Clinical trials test new drugs against the standard of care to determine drug efficacy and safety. There are many groups of patients who are either unrepresented or underrepresented in cancer clinical trials and there is a plethora of reasons they are not represented. One underrepresented population of interest is patients with cancer who live in highly disadvantaged neighborhoods. Previous research found that when compared to patients who live in areas of lower disadvantage, patients living in …


Application Of Machine Learning And Network Approaches To Prioritize Safe And Efficacious Drug Repurposing Candidates, Jennifer L. Fisher Jan 2023

Application Of Machine Learning And Network Approaches To Prioritize Safe And Efficacious Drug Repurposing Candidates, Jennifer L. Fisher

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Only ten percent of drugs in clinical trials are ultimately approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With many diseases and disorders needing therapeutic options, computational drug repurposing methodologies are great alternatives to some drug discovery methods due to quicker FDA approval and lower cost. We sought to gain insights to improve the identification of drug repurposing candidates that will be safe and effective to increase the success of computational drug repurposing approaches. In regards to identifying safe drug candidates, pharmacovigilance studies of adverse event case reports identified that women are more likely to experience an adverse event, and …


Towards Minimally Invasive Genetically Targeted Control Of Neural Activity Using X-Rays, Kelli Cannon Jan 2023

Towards Minimally Invasive Genetically Targeted Control Of Neural Activity Using X-Rays, Kelli Cannon

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X-genetics aims to replace visible light stimulation in optogenetics with X-radiation, offering improved bone penetration, minimal scattering, and enhanced targeting capabilities. This eliminates the need for surgical optic fiber implantation, reducing invasiveness and minimizing off-target effects. Discovering a receptor protein sensitive to X-rays or their byproducts is pivotal for advancing X-genetics.Two genetically encoded X-ray receptors (GEXRs) were investigated for X-genetics application: rhodopsin, historically associated with X-ray responses, and LITE-1, an unexpected candidate. Rhodopsin, when expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, demonstrated robust cAMP decreases upon visible light stimulation but remained unresponsive to moderate and high-dose X-rays, suggesting it may …


Unintended Pregnancy, Postpartum Contraception, And Healthcare Utilization Among Young Married Women Affected By Hiv In Kenya, Liza M. Kimbo Jan 2023

Unintended Pregnancy, Postpartum Contraception, And Healthcare Utilization Among Young Married Women Affected By Hiv In Kenya, Liza M. Kimbo

All ETDs from UAB

Women with an unintended pregnancy are at risk of a repeat unintended pregnancy. Although use of postpartum contraception is an effective way to prevent repeat unintended pregnancies, the majority of unintended pregnancies globally occur in women who are not using contraception. Unintended pregnancies can have negative health and social consequences for both women and their children. This study aimed to better understand the use of postpartum contraceptives and healthcare services by married women with unintended versus intended pregnancy in south-western Kenya, with a special focus on young women. The study followed an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. In the first …


Comparison Of Flexural Strength, Fracture Toughness, And Color Stability Of Cad/Cam 3d-Printed Denture Base Materials To Milled And Conventional Heat-Polymerized Materials: An In Vitro Study, Yamen Safadi Jan 2023

Comparison Of Flexural Strength, Fracture Toughness, And Color Stability Of Cad/Cam 3d-Printed Denture Base Materials To Milled And Conventional Heat-Polymerized Materials: An In Vitro Study, Yamen Safadi

All ETDs from UAB

Digitalization of the design and manufacturing of complete dentures streamlines the clinical and laboratory processes and provides increased efficiency and enhanced denture quality.[1, 2] The two most common CAD/CAM techniques for denture base manufacturing are additive (3D-printing) and subtractive (milling) manufacturing. Milled denture bases have been proven to be comparable in their physical and mechanical properties to conventional heat-polymerized denture bases,[3-6] and in many studies found to be superior to 3D-printed denture bases.[7-13] However, 3D-printing offers many advantages over milling that appeal to both clinicians and dental technicians related to investment and operational costs, maintenance, speed of manufacturing, diversity of …


The Influence Of Proximity On Patient Outcomes For Differently Structured Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Wendy Michelle Smith Jan 2023

The Influence Of Proximity On Patient Outcomes For Differently Structured Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Wendy Michelle Smith

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THE INFLUENCE OF PROXIMITY ON PATIENT OUTCOMES FOR DIFFERENTLY STRUCTURED AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERSWENDY SMITH HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACT This study examines the complication rates and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for total hip and knee replacement surgeries conducted in one of two differently structured ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) with varying interprofessional surgical teams. There is an ongoing shift from in-hospital total joint replacement surgeries to ASCs. Additionally, there is specialization occurring within ASCs. In this study, we compare single specialty ASCs designed to perform solely TJR surgeries with one orthopedic group and interprofessional team, with multi-specialty ASCs that perform an array …


Effectiveness Of The Invisalign System For Deep Bite Correction, Jerry D. Spillers Iii Jan 2023

Effectiveness Of The Invisalign System For Deep Bite Correction, Jerry D. Spillers Iii

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: To assess the dental and skeletal changes resulting from correction of a deep bite using Invisalign (Align Technology, Santa Clara, CA, USA).Methods: This is a retrospective case series study which analyzed pre and post treatment cephalograms for 37 adult deep bite patients. Each patient was treated by one, experi-enced clinician using the same treatment protocols. Nineteen variables, ten linear and nine angular. The Wilcoxon analysis was used to determine if there was a significant dif-ference in pre and post treatment variables. Results: Statistically significant differences (P<0.05) occurred for 14 of 19 variables. These include a decrease in Overjet (-0.97 mm), decrease in overbite (-4.07 mm), extru-sion of the upper first molar (0.47 mm), intrusion of the upper incisor (-0.67mm), extru-sion of the lower second molar (1.01 mm), lower first molar (1.20 mm), lower second premolar (1.70 mm), and lower first premolar (1.74 mm), intrusion of the lower incisor (-1.88 mm), proclination of lower incisor, (4.09 ̊), and increase in SN-MP (0.54 mm). A decrease in anterior occlusal plane (AOP) was also statistically significant. Conclusions: Invisalign is an effective treatment modality for correcting dental deep bites through posterior extrusion and anterior intrusion. Minimal skeletal changes are seen when correcting deep bites with Invisalign.


Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White Jan 2023

Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White

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We reported that Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2β (iPLA2) contributes to type 1 diabetes (T1D) development; however, the impact of lipid signaling from T-cells is unknown. To address this, we first administered splenocytes from NOD, NOD.iPLA2+/- (NOD.HET), or NOD.iPLA2-/- (NOD.KO) mice to 4-week-old NOD.scid recipients. As expected, T1D onset was rapid in NOD cell recipients and 100% by 12 weeks. However, onset was delayed by 1-3 weeks in NOD.HET or NOD.KO cell recipients and only 60% became diabetic, suggesting a role for T-cell iPLA2. Next, to establish importance of iPLA2 in CD4 or CD8 cells, purified cells were administered to NOD.scid mice. …


Neighborhood Disadvantage, Sleep Quality, And Shift Work: The Reasons For Geographic And Racial Differences In Stroke (Regards) Study, Rebecca Williams Jan 2023

Neighborhood Disadvantage, Sleep Quality, And Shift Work: The Reasons For Geographic And Racial Differences In Stroke (Regards) Study, Rebecca Williams

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The first study used data (n=14,609) from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) to test the associations among Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and self-reported total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE), and number of restless nights within the last week. The second study (n=12,496) tested the associations among ADI, shift work status, and restlessness.Regression models were fit to examine associations between ADI and SE or TST or restlessness, as well as assess the relation between ADI and SE in clinically meaningful categories. Moderation analyses indicated whether sex or race impact the association between ADI and sleep. …


Increasing Patient Safety By Reducing Falls Among In-Hospital Community-Dwelling Patients 65 Years Old Or Older By Using A Shift Change Fall Safety Checklist, Janice Isaac Brooks Jan 2023

Increasing Patient Safety By Reducing Falls Among In-Hospital Community-Dwelling Patients 65 Years Old Or Older By Using A Shift Change Fall Safety Checklist, Janice Isaac Brooks

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This manuscript is designed to promote and improve healthcare safety, quality, efficiency, and lower medical costs for hospitals and patients. Falls, fall injuries, and their devastating consequences are rising, yet falls are preventable even among senior patients. Search Engines and Key Terms SciWheel was used to save the literature and eliminate duplications. Key terms were used in the Boolean strings: elderly fall prevention, senior fall safety, in-hospital fall prevention, falls in the aging, and fall prevention tools. The CINAHL Plus yielded 58. PubMed search yielded 121. And Google Scholar yielded 32. The total of all three searches was 211. Thirteen …


A Study To Examine The Relationship Between Ceo Characteristics And Organizational Performance In The Us Pharmaceutical And Biopharmaceutical Industries, Wafick K. Mohamed Jan 2023

A Study To Examine The Relationship Between Ceo Characteristics And Organizational Performance In The Us Pharmaceutical And Biopharmaceutical Industries, Wafick K. Mohamed

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This study examined the relationship between CEO tenure, sex, level of education, and organizational performance across 229 U.S. publicly traded pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. The Upper Echelons Theory was used to guide this research on how CEO characteristics could impact organizational performance. Fifteen hypotheses were developed and tested to evaluate the statistically significant relationship between CEO tenure, sex, level of education, and the organizational performance demonstrated in the abnormal stock return valuation and the number of FDA-approved drug products in clinical trial phases (phases 1, 2, and 3) for each company. This quantitative, non-experimental, and cross-sectional study was completed by …


Evaluation Of A Hospital Pdmp Ehr-Integration Implementation: A Mixed, Heather D. Martin Jan 2023

Evaluation Of A Hospital Pdmp Ehr-Integration Implementation: A Mixed, Heather D. Martin

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Background: Many providers continue to over prescribe opioids for pain, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) can be used as a tool to assist with appropriate opioid prescribing decisions. Despite mandates requiring opioid prescribers to review patients’ prescribing history in their state’s PDMP, barriers to PDMP success still exist such as a difficult PDMP logon process and having to log on to a separate PDMP system, which can cause access, workflow, time commitment, and ease of use issues and deter providers from using the PDMP. Some health care organizations have implemented PDMP electronic health record (EHR) integration (PDMP EHR-integration) to …


Navigating Missed Visits In Hiv Primary Care: Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Missed Visits, Jiaying Hao Jan 2023

Navigating Missed Visits In Hiv Primary Care: Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Missed Visits, Jiaying Hao

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The HIV care continuum is a public health model that outlines the steps or stages people with HIV go through from diagnosis to achieving and maintaining viral suppression. Retention in care, a key component of the HIV care continuum, is critical in achieving good health outcomes for people with HIV (PWH) and preventing HIV transmission. Consistent HIV care is essential for the health of PWH as a part of retention in care. De-spite no standard measure for retention in care to PWH, the missed (no-show) vis-its/appointments is one of the most commonly used methods for evaluating retention in HIV care. …


Assessing Visual Function In Young And Medically Complex Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment, Kathleen Mary Weden Jan 2023

Assessing Visual Function In Young And Medically Complex Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment, Kathleen Mary Weden

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Cerebral Visual impairment (CVI) has become the leading cause of vision impairment in children worldwide. Early identification of CVI has been shown to improve visual function outcomes and improve developmental outcomes and quality of life. However, children with CVI are difficult to identify and assess because the medical conditions that cause CVI can also cause impairment across domains of function. A scoping review was first conducted on interventions and outcome measures used for children with CVI. The sources identified (n=20) were grouped into five types of interventions. The review confirmed the need for quantitative, standardized methods for measuring visual function …


The Effects Of Cannabidiol On Brain Temperature In Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy, Ayushe A. Sharma Jan 2023

The Effects Of Cannabidiol On Brain Temperature In Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy, Ayushe A. Sharma

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Epilepsy affects over 70 million people worldwide with a global incidence of 2.4 million new cases per year. In many of these patients, neuroinflammation (NI) is a key pathological contributor to focal seizure generation and maintenance. Sustained NI degrades the blood–brain barrier, leads to neuronal death, and ultimately decreases seizure threshold. Finding ways to image and treat NI is especially important for the >30% of patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE) who cannot achieve seizure freedom with standard antiseizure medications. Cannabidiol (CBD) effectively reduces seizure frequency and severity in many TRE patients, although its antiepileptic effects remain poorly understood. Atypically high …


Interactions Between Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And The Oral Commensal Streptococcus Salivarius, Sara Noelle Stoner Jan 2023

Interactions Between Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And The Oral Commensal Streptococcus Salivarius, Sara Noelle Stoner

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The cystic fibrosis airway is a polymicrobial environment often dominated by opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of lung function decline and mortality in persons with CF. Commensal streptococcal colonization has been associated with stable CF lung function in multiple studies. However, few studies have examined interactions between P. aeruginosa and commensals as well as their impact on P. aeruginosa airway infections. In the first half of this work, we studied interactions between P. aeruginosa and the oral commensal Streptococcus salivarius within a biofilm setting. We found that S. salivarius biofilm formation is promoted by the non-mucoid …


Impact Of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test On The Receipt Of Antimalarials Among Children Aged 6-59 Months In Nigeria From 2010 To 2021, Sandra Chibuzor Olisakwe Jan 2023

Impact Of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test On The Receipt Of Antimalarials Among Children Aged 6-59 Months In Nigeria From 2010 To 2021, Sandra Chibuzor Olisakwe

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Background: Nigeria has the highest malaria burden globally, and antimalarials have been commonly used to treat malaria without parasitological confirmation. In 2012, Nigeria implemented RDTs to reduce use of antimalarials for those without malaria and to increase the use of artemisinin-combination therapies (ACTs) for malaria treatment. In this study, we examined trends in antimalarial receipt among children aged 6-59 months during a 12-year period of increasing RDT availability. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using nationally representative Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS) data from 2010 (before RDT implementation), 2015, and 2021. NMIS surveys used histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2)- based RDTs …


Relative Efficacy Of Innovative Endodontic Antimicrobial Agents, Ziqi Sally Liu Jan 2023

Relative Efficacy Of Innovative Endodontic Antimicrobial Agents, Ziqi Sally Liu

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Purpose: Novel endodontic antimicrobial agents would potentially improve outcomes of endodontic treatment, including regenerative endodontic therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a novel experimental compound, analogue #66, compared to tigecycline and other controls in an ex-vivo model. Materials and Methods: MIC determination with tigecycline and analogue #66 was done for Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus intermedius. Forty single rooted extracted teeth were inoculated weekly for three weeks with S. intermedius to create a biofilm. All teeth were instrumented to 40/06 to working length and irrigated with 5% NaOCl. Teeth were randomly divided into 4 groups …


Physical Activity And Related Social Cognitive Theory Constructs By Major Depression Status In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Catherine Danielle Jones Jan 2023

Physical Activity And Related Social Cognitive Theory Constructs By Major Depression Status In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Catherine Danielle Jones

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Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent among the 1 million per-sons living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States. The prevalence of MDD is nearly 1.7 times higher in persons with MS than in the general population. MDD is associated with negative outcomes in MS, including worse neuropsychological functioning, lower quality of life (QOL), and worse disability. Higher levels of physical activity (PA) are associated with lower depressive symptoms in MS and participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has been recommended for managing depression se-verity in the general population. However, the rates, patterns, and behavioral correlates …


Unveiling The Molecular Features Of Cancer Health Differences Through Multi-Omics Data Analysis, Fengyuan Huang Jan 2023

Unveiling The Molecular Features Of Cancer Health Differences Through Multi-Omics Data Analysis, Fengyuan Huang

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Understanding the molecular features underlying cancer health differences is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies. Multi-omics data analysis, integrating various molecular layers such as genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, provides a comprehensive approach to characterize the molecular landscape of cancer differences. By integrating diverse omics data, researchers can identify genetic variations, gene expression patterns, epigenetic modifications, and protein alterations that contribute to differences in cancer progression, and treatment response. These molecular features can serve as potential biomarkers for predicting patient outcomes and guiding personalized treatment strategies. Furthermore, multi-omics data analysis enables the identification of molecular subtypes specific to different …


Modular Regulation And Function Of The Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein 1 (Ptbp1), Christine Carico Jan 2023

Modular Regulation And Function Of The Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein 1 (Ptbp1), Christine Carico

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RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are critical regulators of gene expression as they are responsible for the chaperoning and processing of every nascent RNA transcript. Many studies have investigated mechanisms of specificity of RBP function and have identified factors such as cell-specific expression of RBPs and differential preferences for RNA secondary structure. However, RBPs are often multi-domain proteins that contain repeats of various RNA binding domains (e.g., RNA recognition motif) and little work in the genomic era of transcriptomic interrogation has been done to define the contribution of individual domains to the overall protein function. Polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) …


Advanced Applications Of Existing Technology And Their Influence On Quality Outcomes In Federally Qualified Health Centers, Ali Riza Demirbas Jan 2023

Advanced Applications Of Existing Technology And Their Influence On Quality Outcomes In Federally Qualified Health Centers, Ali Riza Demirbas

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Increasing competition in the healthcare industry is compelling organizations to adopt new strategies to obtain and/or maintain a competitive advantage. To obtain a competitive advantage, healthcare organizations may need either more efficient processes or offer new or improved products and services through the utilization of these strategies. In competitive market environments, technological innovations can be a key competitive advantage to reduce expenses, improve quality, attract more customers, or a combination of all. All healthcare organizations can benefit from technological innovations, especially those with limited resources. One type of healthcare organization that highlights the disparity in resources is the Federally Qualified …


Reduction Of Sphingomyelinases Associated With Progranulin Deficiency And Frontotemporal Dementia, Nicholas R. Boyle Jan 2023

Reduction Of Sphingomyelinases Associated With Progranulin Deficiency And Frontotemporal Dementia, Nicholas R. Boyle

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Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a leading cause of early-onset dementia and has a significant socioeconomic burden due to difficulties in diagnosis and delay to diagnosis. FTD is a clinically, pathologically, and genetically heterogeneous disorder. The pathological changes associated with FTD are termed frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Protein aggregates are always present in FTLD, with >90% of cases presenting with either TDP-43 or tau pathology. Most cases of FTD are sporadic, but familial cases account for up to 25% of FTD. All familial FTD is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion with most cases being caused by mutations in tau (MAPT), …


Sialylation Of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor By The Sialyltransferase St6gal1 Modulates Receptor Activity And Downstream Signaling, Katherine Ankenbauer Jan 2023

Sialylation Of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor By The Sialyltransferase St6gal1 Modulates Receptor Activity And Downstream Signaling, Katherine Ankenbauer

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During the process of malignant transformation, cells have striking changes in their cell surface glycosylation. One of these changes is an enrichment for α2,6 sialic acid which is added by the sialyltransferase, ST6GAL1. ST6GAL1 is upregulated in numerous malignancies and acts by adding an α2,6 sialic acid onto receptors bound for the plasma membrane. This sialic acid, in turn, modulates the activity of the receptor by regulating conformation, clustering, and cell surface retention. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on how ST6GAL1-mediated sialylation of a specific cell surface receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), regulates many of its properties. …


Social Determinants Of Health And Blood Pressure Control In Black And White Us Adults, Oluwasegun Philip Akinyelure Jan 2023

Social Determinants Of Health And Blood Pressure Control In Black And White Us Adults, Oluwasegun Philip Akinyelure

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Black adults in the US have 2 to 3 times higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality compared to White adults. Most of the excess CVD mortality in Black adults has been attributed to their higher prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled blood pressure (BP). In October 2020, the US Surgeon General published a Call-to-Action to improve hypertension control and identified social determinants of health (SDOH) as a major contributor to Black:White disparities in hypertension control. Prior research has showed that SDOH are associated with excess hypertension risk among Black compared with White adults, but data on their association with BP …


Acute Placental Inflammation And Growth Outcomes In Preterm Infants, Emily Gunawan Jan 2023

Acute Placental Inflammation And Growth Outcomes In Preterm Infants, Emily Gunawan

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Background. Acute placental inflammation (API) has been associated with various adverse outcomes in preterm infants. However, little is known about how API affects their body composition and growth outcomes. This study aims to examine the association between API and growth outcomes in preterm infants. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of mother-infant dyads born < 326/7 weeks of gestation with fat mass (FM) accretion measured using air displacement plethysmography at term-equivalent age. API severity including maternal inflammatory response (MIR) and fetal inflammatory response (FIR) was staged according to criteria by Society for Pediatric Pathology based on placental pathology reports. We examined the differences in characteristics of mother-infant dyads by API severity using ANOVA or the Kruskall-Wallis test. The association between API severity and growth outcomes was analyzed using linear regression models and adjusted for statistically significant confounders. Mediation analyses were used to study the direct and indirect association of API and growth outcomes via gestational age. Results. Among 375 mother-infant dyads analyzed, 104 (28%) dyads had MIR. FIR was found in 82% of dyads with MIR. Adjusted models indicated that API severity progression was positively associated with FM accretion. Gestational age partially (49%) iv mediated the association between API severity and FM z score (indirect effect: b=0.12, 95% CI: 0.05-0.19; direct effect: b=0.12, 95% CI: 0.01-0.25). Conclusions. API severity is associated with growth outcomes and helps to accurately predict body composition in preterm infants.


Epigenetic Aberrations In Systemic Sclerosis And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Peter C. Allen Jan 2023

Epigenetic Aberrations In Systemic Sclerosis And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Peter C. Allen

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Autoimmune diseases are a classification of more than eighty diseases where the immune system recognizes a self-antigen and mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissue, inducing inflammation a nd p otentially l eading t o d amage. Autoimmune diseases disproportionately affect women and develop at any age depending on the disease. The prevalence of some autoimmune diseases is increased in minority populations. Despite this, research into higher-risk populations is lacking. This highlights the need to contribute research into understanding autoimmune disease pathogenesis in diverse studies to understand why disease is more severe in these populations. We analyzed transcriptomes and methylomes of …


Aberrant Signal Transduction Of Neuronal Injury: Trauma And Toxicology, Alan Umfress Jan 2023

Aberrant Signal Transduction Of Neuronal Injury: Trauma And Toxicology, Alan Umfress

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Neurological injuries occur in epidemic proportions worldwide. Neuronal injuries are events resulting in damage to the central nervous system (CNS) that impair neurological function. Subsequent impairments in neuronal function can be rapid, existing immediately after injury, or progressive and chronic impairments that persist for the lifetime of the survivor. CNS injury constitutes a broad class of environmental and pathophysiological insults ranging from blunt-force trauma to the brain or spinal cord, to acute ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, and insults resultant from neurotoxic agents. While divergent in initial cause, many of these insults share underlying pathophysiological outcomes including excitotoxic cell signaling, neuroinflammation, …


Strategies For Her2 Targeted Pet Imaging, Maxwell Adams Ducharme Jan 2023

Strategies For Her2 Targeted Pet Imaging, Maxwell Adams Ducharme

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Breast cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancers diagnosed in women each year. The HER2-positive subtype of breast cancer is associated with poor prognosis and lower progression-free survival. Early identification of HER2 expression is extremely important for the effective treatment of the disease. Current methods to diagnose HER2-positive breast cancer involve invasive biopsies to semi-quantitatively determine the amount of HER2 expression. However, many lesions are often unavailable for biopsy due to their location and there may be variable HER2 expression between the primary tumor and metastasis. Positron emission tomography (PET) can give a full-body, non-invasive evaluation of …


Neural-Glial-Vascular Interactions In Human Outer Retina, Deepayan Kar Jan 2023

Neural-Glial-Vascular Interactions In Human Outer Retina, Deepayan Kar

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The outer retinal metabolic ecosystem is a complex interplay among photoreceptors, RPE and blood supply from the retinal and choroidal microcirculation. Breakdown of any component of this ecosystem has detrimental effects and can lead to cellular dysfunction. For example, in age-related macular degeneration a major cause of vision loss in older adults, breakdown of this metabolic unit has severe structural and functional implications. Thus, every feature and component of this ecosystem seems to be optimized to protect non-replicating, terminally differentiated cells from being damaged. Remarkably, much of the cellular and subcellular organization of this system is available for observation in …