Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Delayed Onset Of Neonatal Compartment Syndrome Associated With Compound Fetal Presentation, Nicholas Manini, Hayato Unno

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Neonatal compartment syndrome, although rare, has a classic presentation with sentinel skin findings and development of swelling, erythema, and tenderness of the affected extremity. Neonatal compartment syndrome requires prompt surgical intervention to preserve the affected limb and ensure its normal growth and development. Our patient was born at term via vaginal delivery complicated by a compound presentation involving the left upper extremity. No physical exam abnormalities were noted at birth, but she developed signs of neonatal compartment syndrome by 15 h of life. She was surgically treated at 22 h of life and recovered well. At one year of age, …

Gestational Testosterone Excess Early To Mid-Pregnancy Disrupts Maternal Lipid Homeostasis And Activates Biosynthesis Of Phosphoinositides And Phosphatidylethanolamines In Sheep, Nadia Saadat, Brooke Pallas, Joseph Ciarelli, Arpita Kalla Vyas, Vasantha Padmanabhan

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Gestational hyperandrogenism is a risk factor for adverse maternal and offspring outcomes with effects likely mediated in part via disruptions in maternal lipid homeostasis. Using a translationally relevant sheep model of gestational testosterone (T) excess that manifests maternal hyperinsulinemia, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and adverse offspring cardiometabolic outcomes, we tested if gestational T excess disrupts maternal lipidome. Dimensionality reduction models following shotgun lipidomics of gestational day 127.1 ± 5.3 (term 147 days) plasma revealed clear differences between control and T-treated sheep. Lipid signatures of gestational T-treated sheep included higher phosphoinositides (PI 36:2, 39:4) and lower acylcarnitines (CAR 16:0, 18:0, 18:1), …

Mental Health, Chronic And Infectious Conditions Among Pregnant Persons In Us State Prisons And Local Jails 2016-2017., Caitlin A Hendricks, Karissa M Rajagopal, Carolyn B Sufrin, Camille Kramer, Monik C Jiménez

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Faculty Scholarship

BACKGROUND: Pregnant individuals in incarcerated settings have unique healthcare needs. Rates of mental health, infectious diseases, and chronic disease are higher among nonpregnant incarcerated women compared with those who are not, but the prevalence of these conditions among pregnant people in custody has not been documented.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence of metabolic, infectious, and mental health conditions in pregnant people to identify the medical needs of high-risk pregnancies in US state prisons and local jails.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective epidemiologic surveillance of a convenience sample of state prisons (n = …

Epigenome-Wide Association Study Identifies Neonatal Dna Methylation Associated With Two-Year Attention Problems In Children Born Very Preterm., Marie Camerota, Barry M. Lester, Francisco Xavier Castellanos, Brian S. Carter, Jennifer Check, Jennifer Helderman, Julie A. Hofheimer, Elisabeth C. Mcgowan, Charles R. Neal, Steven L. Pastyrnak, Lynne M. Smith, Thomas Michael O'Shea, Carmen J. Marsit, Todd M. Everson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Prior research has identified epigenetic predictors of attention problems in school-aged children but has not yet investigated these in young children, or children at elevated risk of attention problems due to preterm birth. The current study evaluated epigenome-wide associations between neonatal DNA methylation and attention problems at age 2 years in children born very preterm. Participants included 441 children from the Neonatal Neurobehavior and Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants (NOVI) Study, a multi-site study of infants born < 30 weeks gestational age. DNA methylation was measured from buccal swabs collected at NICU discharge using the Illumina MethylationEPIC Bead Array. Attention problems were assessed at 2 years of adjusted age using the attention problems subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). After adjustment for multiple testing, DNA methylation at 33 CpG sites was associated with child attention problems. Differentially methylated CpG sites were located in genes previously linked to physical and mental health, including several genes associated with ADHD in prior epigenome-wide and genome-wide association studies. Several CpG sites were located in genes previously linked to exposure to prenatal risk factors in the NOVI sample. Neonatal epigenetics measured at NICU discharge could be useful in identifying preterm children at risk for long-term attention problems and related psychiatric disorders, who could benefit from early prevention and intervention efforts.

Hepatitis C Virus Detection And Management After Implementation Of Universal Screening In Pregnancy, Sarah Boudova, Danielle Tholey, Elizabeth Ferries-Rowe

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Accurately identifying cases of hepatitis C virus has important medical and public health consequences. In the setting of rising hepatitis C virus prevalence and highly effective treatment with direct-acting antivirals, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine guidelines recently changed to recommend universal screening for hepatitis C virus during pregnancy. However, there is little data on the influence of this policy change on case identification and management. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the influence of universal hepatitis C virus screening on our patient population. Our primary objective was to determine if there was a difference in the detected hepatitis C virus …

Prenatal Exposure To Maternal Disadvantage-Related Inflammatory Biomarkers: Associations With Neonatal White Matter Microstructure, Ashley F P Sanders, Brian Tirado, Nicole A Seider, Regina L Triplett, Rachel E Lean, Jeffrey J Neil, J Philip Miller, Rebecca Tillman, Tara A Smyser, Deanna M Barch, Joan L Luby, Cynthia E Rogers, Christopher D Smyser, Barbara B Warner, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Prenatal exposure to heightened maternal inflammation has been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, including atypical brain maturation and psychiatric illness. In mothers experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage, immune activation can be a product of the chronic stress inherent to such environmental hardship. While growing preclinical and clinical evidence has shown links between altered neonatal brain development and increased inflammatory states in utero, the potential mechanism by which socioeconomic disadvantage differentially impacts neural-immune crosstalk remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated associations between socioeconomic disadvantage, gestational inflammation, and neonatal white matter microstructure in 320 mother-infant dyads over-sampled for poverty. We analyzed maternal …

Share Cannabidiol Exposure During Gestation Leads To Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Early In Postnatal Life In Male Rat Offspring., Daniel B. Hardy, Steven R. Laviolette, Kendrick Lee, David Rc Natale

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

Introduction: Studies indicate that *7% of pregnant individuals in North America consume cannabis in pregnancy. Pre-clinical studies have established that maternal exposure to D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; major psychoactive component in cannabis) leads to fetal growth restriction and impaired cardiac function in offspring. However, the effects of maternal exposure to cannabidiol (CBD; major non-euphoric constituent) on cardiac outcomes in offspring remain unknown. Therefore, our objective is to investigate the functional and underlying molecular impacts in the hearts of offspring exposed to CBD in pregnancy. Methods: Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to either 3 or 30mg/kg CBD or vehicle control i.p. daily from …

Cannabidiol Exposure During Rat Pregnancy Leads To Labyrinth-Specific Vascular Defects In The Placenta And Reduced Fetal Growth, Daniel B. Hardy, David R C Natale, Kendrick Lee

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

Introduction: Cannabis use is increasing among pregnant people, and cannabidiol (CBD), a constituent of cannabis, is often perceived as ‘‘natural’’ and ‘‘safe’’ as it is non-intoxicating. In utero, cannabis exposure is associated with negative health outcomes, including fetal growth restriction (FGR). The placenta supplies oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, and alterations in placental development can lead to FGR. While there has been some investigation into the effects of D9-THC, there has been limited investigation into the impacts of in utero gestational CBD exposure on the placenta. Methods: This study used histological and transcriptomic analysis of embryonic day (E)19.5 rat …

Attitudes And Barriers To Breastfeeding Among Women At High-Risk For Not Breastfeeding: A Prospective Observational Study, Jessica Cole, Ateshi Bhatt, Andrew G. Chapple, Sarah Buzhardt, Elizabeth F. Sutton

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background Rates of breastfeeding are lower among minority and underserved populations in the United States. Our study objective was to assess pregnant persons attitudes and barriers to breastfeeding among a cohort at high risk for not breastfeeding. Methods We disseminated the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) to 100 pregnant persons at least 18 years of age attending a prenatal visit in a low-resource, academic practice in south-central Louisiana (Woman’s Hospital). The IIFAS, as well as questions collecting information on breastfeeding experience and sociodemographic characteristics, were administered via interview. Medical records were reviewed to investigate associations between attitudes about breastfeeding …

Evaluating The Effect Of Maternal Non-Communicable Disease On Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes And Birthweight In Pakistan, A Facility Based Retrospective Cohort Study, Esther Wainwright, Sheikh Irfan Ahmed, Rahat Qureshi, Sana Yousuf, Raheela Khan, Matthew Elmes

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) claim 74% of global lives, disproportionately affecting lower and middle-income countries like Pakistan. NCDs may increase the risk of preterm birth (PTB), caesarean section (CS), and low birthweight. This study aims to determine whether the high prevalence of NCDs in Pakistan play a role in the high rates of preterm births, and CS. This retrospective cohort study from Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan, investigated effects of pre-existing NCDs on pregnancy outcomes of 817 pregnant women. Medical records were used to generate odds ratios for the risk of PTB, labour outcome and birthweight in women with type 1 …

Bioactive Metabolites Of Omega-6 And Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are Associated With Inflammatory Cytokine Concentrations In Maternal And Infant Plasma At The Time Of Delivery, Rebecca Slotkowski, Matthew Van Ormer, Anum Akbar, Taija Hahka, Maranda Thompson, Rebekah Rapoza, Arzu Ulu, Melissa Thoene, Elizabeth Lyden, Maheswari Mukherjee, Ana G. Yuil-Valdes, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Tara Nordgren, Corrine K. Hanson, Ann Anderson-Berry

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

Background & aims

Inflammation is necessary for a healthy pregnancy. However, unregulated or excessive inflammation during pregnancy is associated with severe maternal and infant morbidities, such as pre-eclampsia, abnormal infant neurodevelopment, or preterm birth. Inflammation is regulated in part by the bioactive metabolites of omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs). N-6 FAs have been shown to promote pro-inflammatory cytokine environments in adults, while n-3 FAs have been shown to contribute to the resolution of inflammation; however, how these metabolites affect maternal and infant inflammation is still uncertain. The objective of this study was to predict the influence of …

Listeria Adhesion Protein Orchestrates Caveolae-Mediated Apical Junctional Remodeling Of Epithelial Barrier For Listeria Monocytogenes Translocation, Rishi Drolia, Donald B. Bryant, Shivendra Tenguria, Zuri A. Jules-Culver, Jessie Thind, Breanna Amelunke, Donqi Liu, Nicholas L. F. Gallina, Krishna K. Mishra, Manalee Samaddar, Manoj R. Sawale, Dharmendra K. Mishra, Abigail D. Cox, Arun K. Bhunia

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The cellular junctional architecture remodeling by Listeria adhesion protein-heat shock protein 60 (LAP-Hsp60) interaction for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) passage through the epithelial barrier is incompletely understood. Here, using the gerbil model, permissive to internalin (Inl) A/B-mediated pathways like in humans, we demonstrate that Lm crosses the intestinal villi at 48 h post-infection. In contrast, the single isogenic (lap− or ΔinlA) or double (lap−ΔinlA) mutant strains show significant defects. LAP promotes Lm translocation via endocytosis of cell-cell junctional complex in enterocytes that do not display luminal E-cadherin. In comparison, InlA facilitates …

Study Protocol For A Stepped-Wedge Cluster (Nested) Randomized Controlled Trial Of Antenatal Colostrum Expression (Ace) Instruction In First-Time Mothers: The Ace Study, Cassandra Cuffe, Roslyn Giglia, Matthew N. Cooper, Julie Hill, Desiree Silva, Anita M. Moorhead, Valerie Verhasselt, Joshua R. Lewis, Deborah Ireson, Jill R. Demirci, Talea Cotte, Kathryn Webb, Frances Patey, Therese A. O’Sullivan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Although many mothers initiate breastfeeding, supplementation with human-milk substitutes (formula) during the birth hospitalization is common and has been associated with early breastfeeding cessation. Colostrum hand expressed in the last few weeks before birth, known as antenatal colostrum expression (ACE), can be used instead of human-milk substitutes. However, evidence is lacking on the efficacy of ACE on breastfeeding outcomes and in non-diabetic mothers. Methods and Planned Analysis: This multicenter stepped-wedge cluster (nested) randomized controlled trial aims to recruit 945 nulliparous pregnant individuals. The trial is conducted in two phases. During Phase 1, control group participants are under standard care. …

Does Intrauterine Exposure To Diabetes Impact Mental And Motor Skills? A Meta-Analysis Of The Bayley Scales Of Infant Development, Diana Arabiat, Mahammad Al Jabery, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Attempts to conduct meta-analyses of the association between child development and diabetes have been limited by the wide range of tools and definitions of developmental outcomes used in the literature. We aim to meta-analyze a widely used measure of child development, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, with respect to exposure to diabetes and developmental scores. Methods: PsycINFO, MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Emcare, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Two independent reviewers screened, extracted, and quality-appraised the studies using JBI SUMARI software. Forest plots were created with the standardized mean difference using the random-effects model, and heterogeneity was assessed using I2. …

Systematic Development Of Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles For Placental Mrna Delivery Using A Design Of Experiments Approach, Rachel E. Young, Katherine Nelson, Samuel I. Hofbauer, Tara Vijayakumar, Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh, Drew Weissman, Charalampos Papachristou, Jason P Gleghorn, Rachel S. Riley

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Faculty Scholarship

Ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have gained attention as mRNA delivery platforms for vaccination against COVID-19 and for protein replacement therapies. LNPs enhance mRNA stability, circulation time, cellular uptake, and preferential delivery to specific tissues compared to mRNA with no carrier platform. However, LNPs are only in the beginning stages of development for safe and effective mRNA delivery to the placenta to treat placental dysfunction. Here, we develop LNPs that enable high levels of mRNA delivery to trophoblasts in vitro and to the placenta in vivo with no toxicity. We conducted a Design of Experiments to explore how LNP composition, including …

Rapidiron Trial Follow-Up Study - The Rapidiron-Kids Study: Protocol Of A Prospective Observational Follow-Up Study, Richard Derman, Roopa Bellad, Mrutyunjaya Bellad, Jesse Bradford-Rogers, Michael Georgieff, Zubair Aghai, Simal Thind, Michael Auerbach, Rupsa Boelig, Benjamin Leiby, Vanessa Short, S. Yogeshkumar, Umesh Charantimath, Manjunath Somannavar, Ashalata Mallapur, Ramesh Pol, Umesh Ramadurg, Radha Sangavi, Basavaraj Peerapur, Nasima Banu, Praveen Patil, Amaresh Patil, Subarna Roy, Phaniraj Vastrad, Dennis Wallace, Hemang Shah, Shivaprasad Goudar

Global Health Articles

BACKGROUND: Anemia is a worldwide problem with iron deficiency being the most common cause. When anemia occurs in pregnancy, it increases the risk of adverse maternal, fetal, and postnatal outcomes. It induces preterm births and low birth weight (LBW) deliveries, long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae, and an increased risk of earlier onset of postnatal iron deficiency. Anemia rates are among the highest in South Asia, and India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) for 2019-2021 indicated that over half of pregnant women, and more than 65% of children, in the country are classified as anemic (Sciences IIfP, National Family Health Survey-5, 2019-21, India …

A Patterned Human Primitive Heart Organoid Model Generated By Pluripotent Stem Cell Self-Organization, Brett Volmert, Chao Zhou, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids can recapitulate significant features of organ development in vitro. We hypothesized that creating human heart organoids by mimicking aspects of in utero gestation (e.g., addition of metabolic and hormonal factors) would lead to higher physiological and anatomical relevance. We find that heart organoids produced using this self-organization-driven developmental induction strategy are remarkably similar transcriptionally and morphologically to age-matched human embryonic hearts. We also show that they recapitulate several aspects of cardiac development, including large atrial and ventricular chambers, proepicardial organ formation, and retinoic acid-mediated anterior-posterior patterning, mimicking the developmental processes found in the post-heart tube stage …

Maternal Diet During Early Gestation Influences Postnatal Taste Activity-Dependent Pruning By Microglia, Chengsan Sun, Shuqiu Zheng, Justin S A Perry, Geoffrey T Norris, Mei Cheng, Fanzhen Kong, Rolf Skyberg, Jianhua Cang, Alev Erisir, Jonathan Kipnis, David L Hill

2020-Current year OA Pubs

A key process in central sensory circuit development involves activity-dependent pruning of exuberant terminals. Here, we studied gustatory terminal field maturation in the postnatal mouse nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) during normal development and in mice where their mothers were fed a low NaCl diet for a limited period soon after conception. Pruning of terminal fields of gustatory nerves in controls involved the complement system and is likely driven by NaCl-elicited taste activity. In contrast, offspring of mothers with an early dietary manipulation failed to prune gustatory terminal fields even though peripheral taste activity developed normally. The ability to …

Hospital Adhering To The Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding Predicts Exclusive Breastfeeding In Latinx Mothers., Ana Linares, Diana Cartagena, Marialda Moreira Christoffel

Nursing Faculty Publications

Introduction: Assessing how well a hospital adheres to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding is the key to outlining necessary modifications in mother breastfeeding support. This study aimed to assess Latinx mothers’ perception of how well a hospital adheres to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and its influence on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates at hospital discharge.

Methods: Secondary analysis of two longitudinal studies. The combined sample (N = 74) of Latinx pregnant women residing in the US. We modified, translated, and evaluated reliability of the Questionnaire for the Breastfeeding Mother (QBFM), which was applied to evaluate mothers’ …

Microbiota Dynamics, Metabolic And Immune Interactions In The Cervicovaginal Environment And Their Role In Spontaneous Preterm Birth, Stanely Onyango, Jia Dai Mi, Anjela Koech, Patricia Okiro, Marleen Temmerman, Peter Von Dadelszen, Rachel Marie Tribe, Geoffrey Omuse

Pathology, East Africa

Differences in the cervicovaginal microbiota are associated with spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Although establishing a direct causal link between cervicovaginal microbiota and sPTB remains challenging, recent advancements in sequencing technologies have facilitated the identification of microbial markers potentially linked to sPTB. Despite variations in findings, a recurring observation suggests that sPTB is associated with a more diverse and less stable vaginal microbiota across pregnancy trimesters. It is hypothesized that sPTB risk is likely to be modified via an intricate host-microbe interactions rather than due to the presence of a single microbial taxon …

Sars-Cov-2 Seroprevalence In Pregnant Women In Kilifi, Kenya From March 2020 To March 2022, Angela Koech, Geoffrey Omuse, Alex Mugo, Isaac Mwaniki, Joseph Mutunga, Moses Mukhanya, Onesmus Wanje, Grace Mwashigadi, Geoffrey Katana, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: Seroprevalence studies are an alternative approach to estimating the extent of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the evolution of the pandemic in different geographical settings. We aimed to determine the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence from March 2020 to March 2022 in a rural and urban setting in Kilifi County, Kenya.

Methods: We obtained representative random samples of stored serum from a pregnancy cohort study for the period March 2020 to March 2022 and tested for antibodies against the spike protein using a qualitative SARS-CoV-2 ELISA kit (Wantai, total antibodies). All positive samples were retested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (Euroimmun, ELISA kits, NCP, …

Characteristics And Outcomes Of Patients With Pregnancy-Related End-Stage Kidney Disease., Lauren Kucirka, Ana Angarita, Tracy Manuck, Kim Boggess, Vimal Derebail, Mollie Wood, Michelle Meyer, Dorry Segev, Monica Reynolds

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: The incidence of pregnancy-related acute kidney injury is increasing and is associated with significant maternal morbidity including progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Little is known about characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients who develop pregnancy-related ESKD.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with pregnancy-related ESKD and to investigate associations between pre-ESKD nephrology care and outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a cohort study of 183 640 reproductive-aged women with incident ESKD between January 1, 2000, and November 20, 2020, from the US Renal Data System and maternal data from births captured in the …

Longitudinal Lipidomic Profiles During Pregnancy And Associations With Neonatal Anthropometry: Findings From A Multiracial Cohort, Yiqing Song, Ruijin Lu, Guoqi Yu, Mohammad L Rahman, Liwei Chen, Yeiyi Zhu, Michael Y Tsai, Oliver Fiehn, Zhen Chen, Cuilin Zhang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Maternal lipidomic profiling offers promise for characterizing lipid metabolites during pregnancy, but longitudinal data are limited. This study aimed to examine associations of longitudinal lipidomic profiles during pregnancy with multiple neonatal anthropometry using data from a multiracial cohort.

METHODS: We measured untargeted plasma lipidome profiles among 321 pregnant women from the NICHD Fetal Growth Study-Singletons using plasma samples collected longitudinally during four study visits at gestational weeks (GW) 10-14, 15-26, 23-31, and 33-39, respectively. We evaluated individual lipidomic metabolites at each study visit in association with neonatal anthropometry. We also evaluated the associations longitudinally by constructing lipid networks using …

Stratification Of Risk For Emergent Intracranial Abnormalities In Children With Headaches: A Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (Pecarn) Study Protocol, Daniel S Tsze, Kimberly S Quayle, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Headache is a common chief complaint of children presenting to emergency departments (EDs). Approximately 0.5%-1% will have emergent intracranial abnormalities (EIAs) such as brain tumours or strokes. However, more than one-third undergo emergent neuroimaging in the ED, resulting in a large number of children unnecessarily exposed to radiation. The overuse of neuroimaging in children with headaches in the ED is driven by clinician concern for life-threatening EIAs and lack of clarity regarding which clinical characteristics accurately identify children with EIAs. The study objective is to derive and internally validate a stratification model that accurately identifies the risk of EIA …

Molecular Diagnostic Yield Of Exome Sequencing In Patients With Congenital Hydrocephalus: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Ana B W Greenberg, Neel H Mehta, Garrett Allington, Sheng Chih Jin, Andrés Moreno-De-Luca, Kristopher T Kahle

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Exome sequencing (ES) has been established as the preferred first line of diagnostic testing for certain neurodevelopmental disorders, such as global developmental delay and autism spectrum disorder; however, current recommendations are not specific to or inclusive of congenital hydrocephalus (CH).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic yield of ES in CH and whether ES should be considered as a first line diagnostic test for CH.

DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were used to identify studies published in English between January 1, 2010, and April 10, 2023. The following search terms were used to identify studies: congenital hydrocephalus, …

A Human Mitofusin 2 Mutation Can Cause Mitophagic Cardiomyopathy, Antonietta Franco, Jiajia Li, Daniel P Kelly, Ray E Hershberger, Ali J Marian, Renate M Lewis, Moshi Song, Xiawei Dang, Alina D Schmidt, Mary E Mathyer, John R Edwards, Cristina De Guzman Strong, Gerald W Dorn

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Cardiac muscle has the highest mitochondrial density of any human tissue, but mitochondrial dysfunction is not a recognized cause of isolated cardiomyopathy. Here, we determined that the rare mitofusin (MFN) 2 R400Q mutation is 15-20× over-represented in clinical cardiomyopathy, whereas this specific mutation is not reported as a cause of MFN2 mutant-induced peripheral neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2A (CMT2A). Accordingly, we interrogated the enzymatic, biophysical, and functional characteristics of MFN2 Q400 versus wild-type and CMT2A-causing MFN2 mutants. All MFN2 mutants had impaired mitochondrial fusion, the canonical MFN2 function. Compared to MFN2 T105M that lacked catalytic GTPase activity and exhibited normal …

Infants Exposed In Utero To Hurricane Maria Have Gut Microbiomes With Reduced Diversity And Altered Metabolic Capacity, Ai Zhang, David De Ángel Solá, Midnela Acevedo Flores, Lijuan Cao, Leran Wang, Josh G Kim, Phillip I Tarr, Barbara B Warner, Nicolás Rosario Matos, Leyao Wang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The gut microbiome is a potentially important mechanism that links prenatal disaster exposures with increased disease risks. However, whether prenatal disaster exposures are associated with alterations in the infant's gut microbiome remains unknown. We established a birth cohort study named Hurricane as the Origin of Later Alterations in Microbiome (HOLA) after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017. We enrolled vaginally born Latino term infants aged 2 to 6 months, including

Multilevel Community Engagement To Inform A Randomized Clinical Trial, Kirby L. Wycoff, Jabina G. Coleman, Christine M. Santoro, Leah L. Zullig, Niesha Darden, Porsche M. Holland, Jane F. Cruice, Shukriyyah Mitchell, Michelle Smith, Saleemah J. Mcneil, Sharon J. Herring

Counseling and Behavioral Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To explore how patients, community-based perinatal support professionals, and health system clinicians and staff perceived facilitators and barriers to implementation of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) designed to optimize Black maternal heart health.

METHODS: This article describes the formative work that we believed needed to occur before the start of the Change of H.E.A.R.T (Here for Equity, Advocacy, Reflection and Transformation) RCT. We used a qualitative, descriptive design and community-based, participatory approach, the latter of which allowed our team to intentionally focus on avoiding harm and equalizing power dynamics throughout the research process. Data were collected between November 2021 …

Mothers Get Really Exhausted!” The Lived Experience Of Pregnancy In Extreme Heat: Qualitative Findings From Kilifi, Kenya, Fiona Scorgie, Adelaide Lusambili, S. Luchters, Peter. Khaemba, Veronique Filippi, B. Nakstad, Jeremy Hess, Cathryn Birch, S. Kovats, M.F. Chersich

Institute for Human Development

Background: Palliative care (PC) can reduce symptom distress and improve quality of life for patients and their families experiencing life-threatening illness. While the need for PC in Kenya is high, PC service delivery and research is limited. Qualitative research is needed to explore potential areas for PC research and support needed to enable that research. This insight is critical for informing a national PC research agenda and mobilizing limited resources for conducting rigorous PC research in Kenya.

Objectives: To explore perceptions of priority areas for PC research and support needed to facilitate rigorous research from the perspective of Kenyan PC …

Effectiveness Of Maternal Mrna Covid-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy Against Covid-19-Associated Hospitalizations In Infants Aged <6 Months During Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Predominance - 20 States, March 9, 2022-May 31, 2023., Regina M. Simeone, Laura D. Zambrano, Natasha B. Halasa, Katherine E. Fleming-Dutra, Margaret M. Newhams, Michael J. Wu, Amber O. Orzel-Lockwood, Satoshi Kamidani, Pia S. Pannaraj, Katherine Irby, Aline B. Maddux, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Melissa A. Cameron, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Michele Kong, Ryan A. Nofziger, Jennifer E. Schuster, Hillary Crandall, Janet R. Hume, Mary A. Staat, Elizabeth H. Mack, Tamara T. Bradford, Sabrina M. Heidemann, Emily R. Levy, Shira J. Gertz, Samina S. Bhumbra, Tracie C. Walker, Katherine E. Bline, Kelly N. Michelson, Matt S. Zinter, Heidi R. Flori, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Infants aged < 6 months are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination during pregnancy has been associated with protection against infant COVID-19-related hospitalization. The Overcoming COVID-19 Network conducted a case-control study during March 9, 2022-May 31, 2023, to evaluate the effectiveness of maternal receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine dose (vaccine effectiveness [VE]) during pregnancy against COVID-19-related hospitalization in infants aged < 6 months and a subset of infants aged < 3 months. VE was calculated as (1 - adjusted odds ratio) x 100% among all infants aged < 6 months and < 3 months. Case-patients (infants hospitalized for COVID-19 outside of birth hospitalization and who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result) and control patients (infants hospitalized for COVID-19-like illness with a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result) were compared. Odds ratios were determined using multivariable logistic regression, comparing the odds of receipt of a maternal COVID-19 vaccine dose (completion of a 2-dose vaccination series or a third or higher dose) during pregnancy with maternal nonvaccination between case- and control patients. VE of maternal vaccination during pregnancy against COVID-19-related hospitalization was 35% (95% CI = 15%-51%) among infants aged < 6 months and 54% (95% CI = 32%-68%) among infants aged < 3 months. Intensive care unit admissions occurred in 23% of all case-patients, and invasive mechanical ventilation was more common among infants of unvaccinated (9%) compared with vaccinated mothers (1%) (p = 0.02). Maternal vaccination during pregnancy provides some protection against COVID-19-related hospitalizations among infants, particularly those aged < 3 months. Expectant mothers should remain current with COVID-19 vaccination to protect themselves and their infants from hospitalization and severe outcomes associated with COVID-19.