Digital Commons Network^™

Pfkfb3 Activates Cad To Enhance De Novo Pyrimidine Synthesis For Cell Growth, Qingen Da, Yongfeng Cai, Qian Ma, Qiuhua Yang, Yapeng Cao, Yaqi Zhou, Dingwei Zhao, Zhiping Liu, Jiean Xu, Junming Quan, Liang Zhang, Rui Wang, Xuejun Jiang, Xiao Liu, Kunfu Ouyang, Zhen Han, Jikui Liu, Tao Wang, Chunxiang Zhang, Neal L Weintraub, David J R Fulton, Jun Zhao, Mei Hong, Zigang Li, Yuqing Huo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aerobic glycolysis, termed the Warburg effect, is one of the aberrant metabolic pathways in highly proliferating cells. Glycolysis provides glycolytic metabolites to support the generation of biomass, such as nucleotides, amino acids, and lipids. Research on the direct interactions between glycolysis and other metabolic pathways is an emerging field that has garnered significant interest. Phosphofructokinase-2/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) activates glycolysis by synthesizing fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6BP), which allosterically activates the rate-limiting enzyme 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (PFK-1). In this study, we found that PFKFB3 directly interacts with and regulates the phosphorylation of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamylase, and dihydroorotase (CAD), the enzyme catalyzing the first three …

Computer-Aided Reading Of Chest Radiographs For Paediatric Tuberculosis: Current Status And Future Directions, Mackenzie Dupont, Robert Castro, Sandra V Kik, Megan Palmer, James A Seddon, Devan Jaganath

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Computer-aided detection (CAD) systems for automated reading of chest x-rays (CXRs) have been developed and approved for tuberculosis triage in adults but not in children. However, CXR is frequently the only adjunctive tool for clinical assessment in the evaluation of paediatric tuberculosis in primary care settings, and children would benefit from CAD models that can detect their unique clinical and radiographic features. To advance CAD for childhood tuberculosis, large, diverse paediatric CXR datasets linked to standardised tuberculosis classifications are required. These datasets would be used to train and validate paediatric-specific models for tuberculosis screening, diagnosis, and severity stratification. Previous studies …

Mrna Vaccines Encoding Variant Forms Of Sm-Tsp-2 Confer Protective Immunity Against Schistosoma Mansoni, Athos Silva Oliveira, Sevan Alwan, Philip T Loverde, Ramiz Shaheed, Pranav Mandyam, Rakesh Adhikari, Peter Hotez, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Jeroen Pollet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite the global burden of helminth infections, no human vaccines have yet been licensed against these parasites. This study explored the development and evaluation of mRNA vaccine candidates targeting Schistosoma mansoni tetraspanin-2 (Sm-TSP-2), an antigen currently under evaluation as a protein vaccine. We designed constructs encoding either full-length Sm-TSP-2, or its large extracellular loop (EC2) domain in secretory, membrane-anchored, or cytosolic forms. In a murine challenge model, the secreted and membrane-anchored versions of Sm-TSP-2-EC2 induced the highest of antigen-specific antibody titers. These two construct designs, along with full-length Sm-TSP-2 mRNA, also significantly reduced adult worm …

Slc35g3 Is A Udp-N-Acetylglucosamine Transporter For Sperm Glycoprotein Formation And Underpins Male Fertility In Mice, Daisuke Mashiko, Shingo Tonai, Haruhiko Miyata, Martin M Matzuk, Masahito Ikawa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite the recognized importance of glycans in biological phenomena, their complex roles in spermatogenesis and sperm function remain unclear. SLC35G3, a 10-transmembrane protein specifically found in early round spermatids, belongs to the sugar-nucleotide transporter family, indicating its involvement in glycan formation. In this study, we found that Slc35g3 knockout male mice were sterile due to impaired sperm functions in uterotubal junction passage, zona pellucida binding, and oocyte fusion. Mouse SLC35G3 has UDP-GlcNAc transporter activity, and its ablation caused abnormal processing of the sperm plasma membrane and acrosome membrane proteins. Reported human SLC35G3 mutations (F267L and T179HfsTer27) diminished the UDP-GlcNAc transporter …

Cathartocytosis: Jettisoning Of Cellular Material During Reprogramming Of Differentiated Cells, Jeffrey W Brown, Xiaobo Lin, Gabriel Anthony Nicolazzi, Xuemei Liu, Thanh Nguyen, Megan D Radyk, Joseph Burclaff, Jason C Mills

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Injury causes differentiated cells to undergo massive reprogramming to become proliferative and repair tissue via paligenosis. Gastric chief cells use paligenosis to reprogram into progenitor-like spasmolytic-polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM) cells. Stage 1 of paligenosis is the downscaling of mature cell architecture via a process involving lysosomes. Here, we notice that sulfated glycoproteins are not only digested during paligenosis but also excreted into the gland. Various genetic and pharmacological approaches show that endoplasmic reticulum membranes and secretory granule cargo are also excreted and that the process proceeds in parallel with but is mechanistically independent of autophagy. Three-dimensional light and electron microscopy demonstrated …

High-Speed Voltage Imaging Of Action Potentials In Molecular Layer Interneurons Reveals Sensory-Driven Synchrony That Augments Movement, Spencer T Brown, Meghana R Holla, Michelle A Land, Shuyuan Yang, Alex J Mcdonald, François St-Pierre, Indira M Raman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Testing whether the synchrony of action potential firing is a cerebellar coding mechanism requires simultaneous recording, with high temporal fidelity, from populations of identified neurons. Here, we used targeted one-photon voltage imaging at 2–4 kHz to record action potentials from groups of ~10–300 molecular layer interneurons (MLIs) expressing a positively tuned, genetically encoded voltage indicator, FORCE1f or pAce. In awake resting mice, crus I MLIs fired brief (~1-ms) spikes at 20–60 spikes/s. Sensory stimuli of air puffs to the whiskers evoked short-latency (< 10 ms) increases in spiking probability. In most trials, >50% of MLIs fired synchronously with 4-ms temporal precision. The magnitude of puff-evoked whisks correlated tightly with …

Exploring Effective Weight Loss Interventions Among Three Fqhc-Based Clinical Programs In Central And Southern Illinois, Patrick Bruch, Oluwaseun Adeleke, Mia Lambert, Taylor Sutton, Georgia Luckey, Rebecca M. Hoffman Md,Msph

SIU Journal of Medical Science Scholarly Works

Background: Obesity affects 1 in 3 United States adults is associated with several chronic diseases. Disparities in obesity are seen in many vulnerable populations such as low-income groups, racial and ethnic minorities, and rural residents. Although primary care is often presented as a solution to the obesity crisis, management of obesity is complex and numerous challenges in helping patients achieve weight loss are still present. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended in 2018 that primary care providers screen for obesity and offer obese patients to intensive, multicomponent behavioral obesity treatment. However, there is little research involving primary care physicians …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Iron Metabolism And Overload, Aditi Tayal, Jasmeen Kaur, Robert W. Maitta

Faculty Scholarship

Iron represents an essential element required for normal physiologic processes throughout organ systems. A vast network of transporters is involved not only in uptake of this element but in processing, oxidation, and recycling to maintain it in a tight balance to avoid excess storage. This complex network of transporters, including heme and ferroportin, among many others, are responsible for facilitating inter-organ tissue iron exchange and availability, contributing to overall heme homeostasis. However, exposure to high levels of iron can overwhelm compensatory mechanisms that result in its accumulation and toxicity. This is the case of patients with genetic diseases such as …

Progressive Respiratory Failure In A Term Neonate With Abca3 Surfactant Deficiency: Beyond The Common Causes Of Respiratory Distress, Andrew M Beverstock, Hillary C Lee, David S Moreno Mcneill, Morcos Hanna

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background

Case

Are Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons At Risk Of Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?, Vincent W. Lau, Stephanie A. Kwan, Jack Graham, Gregory K. Deirmengian

Rothman Institute Papers

OBJECTIVES: Orthopaedic surgeons are at risk of occupational, noise-induced hearing loss due to exposure to instruments in the operating room. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether orthopaedic trauma procedures exceed recommended decibel (dB) limits. The secondary objective was to demonstrate which actions during a case create the highest sound levels.

METHODS: Intraoperative recordings were taken during orthopaedic trauma surgeries and classified into open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), intramedullary nailing, closed reduction percutaneous pinning, external fixation, soft tissue procedures, or a combination thereof. Recordings were taken of drilling, screw insertion, suctioning, saw use, and mallet striking. Decibel …

Mri-Guided Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy For Neuropathic Pain In An Adolescent With Cranial Metastases: Illustrative Case, Sarah G Van Winkle, Danika L Paulo, Ashwin Viswanathan, Daniel Curry, Nisha Gadgil

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Neuropathic cancer pain (NCP) is a debilitating condition that is often refractory to conventional medical management. MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) central lateral thalamotomy (CLT) is an incisionless neurosurgical option for neuropathic pain palliation, but its use in pediatric patients and those with cranial metastases, a relative contraindication to MRgFUS, remains largely unexamined.

Observations: A 16-year-old male with metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) with numerous cranial metastases experienced severe, diffuse, refractory NCP. The patient underwent bilateral CLT with MRgFUS. After the procedure, the patient experienced complete and durable resolution of his neuropathic pain. He only reported occasional somatic pain at sites of …

Bridging Diagnostic Safety And Mental Health: A Systematic Review Highlighting Inequities In Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis, Abirami Srivarathan, Andrea Bradford, Sara Shearkhani, Layla Heimlich, Sheryl Jefferson, Kristen E Miller, Kelly Smith, Helen Haskell, Traber D Giardina

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: There is increased recognition that diagnostic errors disproportionately affect marginalised and underserved patient populations in the USA. However, evidence on diagnostic inequities in mental disorders is sparse and not well integrated into the overall diagnostic safety literature.

Objective: We systematically reviewed and narratively synthesised evidence on inequities in diagnosis of mental disorders, guided by the Diagnostic Process Framework developed by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and a narrative synthesis. Medline, Embase, PsycInfo and CINAHL were searched for studies published between 2015 and 2024. Studies were eligible if they reported on …

30-Day And 1-Year Outcomes From The Optimize Pro Tavr Evolut Fx Addendum Study., Hemal Gada, Ramzi F Khalil, Stanley J Chetcuti, G Michael Deeb, Kendra J Grubb, Adam B Greenbaum, David Lorenz, Robert D Jumper, Ibrahim Sultan, Dustin Kliner, Paul Mahoney, Deepak R Talreja, Mustafa I Ahmed, Joshua D Rovin, Lang Lin, Paul Sorajja, Douglas G W Fraser, Suneet Mittal, Tamim Nazif, Josep Rodes-Cabau, Amit N Vora, Kathleen Ertelt, Amanda C Tenhoff, Yu Jung Yeh, Steven J Yakubov

Heart and Vascular Articles

BACKGROUND: Primary results from the Optimize PRO study demonstrated that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the cusp overlap technique (COT) resulted in low 30-day permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) rates and no moderate or greater aortic regurgitation (AR).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes after Evolut FX implantation using the COT and postprocedural computed tomography (CT).

METHODS: The Optimize PRO FX Addendum study is a postmarket, prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized study. Patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent TAVR with the Evolut FX using the COT protocol. Postprocedurally, COT adherence was evaluated to identify key steps, and CT-assessed …

An Ehealth Delivery Alternative For Cancer Genetic Testing For Hereditary Predisposition In Patients With Metastatic Cancers: Protocol For A Randomized Trial, Kimberley T. Lee, Briana Mcleod, Brian Egleston, Sarah Brown, Sarah Howe, Dominique Fetzer, Lauren Gutstein, Cara Cacioppo, Dana Clark, Susan M. Domchek, Jessica Ebrahimzadeh, Dana Falcone, Demetrios Ofidis, Hannah Griffin, Rajia Mim, Santina Hernandez, Linda Fleisher, Kelsey Karpink, Enida Selmani, Aysha Tahsin, Lynne Wagner, Michelle Weinberg, Kuang-Yi Wen, Elisabeth Wood, Angela R. Bradbury

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background: Germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing is a standard evidence-based practice, with established risk reduction and cancer screening guidelines for genetic carriers. With Food and Drug Administration approval for poly (adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in patients with metastatic breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancer, there is an additional therapeutic rationale for testing all patients with these cancers for germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. However, many at-risk patients do not have access to genetic services, leaving many genetic carriers unidentified.

Objective: The eREACH (A Randomized Study of an eHealth Delivery Alternative for Cancer Genetic Testing for Hereditary Predisposition in …

Interleukin-22 And Interleukin-22 Binding Protein Signaling Axis Influences Intubation Status In Trauma, Augustus E. Anderson, Jacob Broome, Aaron L. Albuck, Megan Shenk, Valeria Noguera, Wid Covey, Alison Smith, Juan Duchesne, Danielle Tatum, Christine M. Bojanowski, Derek Pociask, Jay K. Kolls, Olan Jackson-Weaver, Sharven Taghavi

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Interleukin-22 is a cytokine involved in mucosal immunity, whereas interleukin-22 binding protein is a soluble receptor that can potently block interleukin-22. The role of interleukin-22 and interleukin-22 binding protein in trauma remains unclear. This study investigates whether IL-22 levels are associated with intubation in patients with trauma. We hypothesized interleukin-22 levels would be lower in intubated patients. Methods: Plasma samples were prospectively obtained in the trauma bay at consecutive Level 1 activations from November 2021 to November 2022. Patients were categorized as having respiratory failure (intubated) or as controls (nonintubated). Two-to-one case-control matching was conducted based on age, sex, …

Dolutegravir Developmental Toxicity Is Mitigated By Magnesium And Folate In Zebrafish Embryos, Robert M Cabrera, Ahmed Mohamed, Ryoko Minowa, Katheryn A Neugebauer, Daniel A Gorelick

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Integrase-strand-transfer inhibitors have transformed HIV therapy, yet the widely prescribed drug dolutegravir (DTG) has been linked to developmental toxicity and its teratogenic mechanism remains uncertain. Here we use zebrafish to dissect DTG toxicity during early vertebrate development. DTG exposure from 2-4 h post-fertilization (hpf) to 24 hpf produced high mortality and abnormal morphology; co-treatment with folic acid or 5-methyltetrahydrofolate partially restored normal morphology, whereas calcium had no effect. Strikingly, supplementation with magnesium (Mg) rescued DTG-exposed embryos almost as effectively as folate, implicating magnesium availability in protection. In competitive binding assays, Mg increased binding of folate to purified folate receptor (FOLR1) …

Astrocytes Expressing Mutant Hnrnpa1 Induce Non-Cell-Autonomous Motor Neuron Death, Qinxue Wu, Xionghao Liu, Tingting Zhang, Shiquan Cui, Bo Huang, Cao Huang, Qilin Cao, Xu-Gang Xia, Hongxia Zhou

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Pathogenic mutation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) is causative to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neuron death resulting from pathogenic hnRNPA1 may not require its presence across all pertinent cells types, including neurons, glia, and muscles. Rather, the exclusive presence of pathogenic hnRNPA1 in a specific cell type, such as astrocytes, may suffice to substantially alter cellular functions. Consequently, this alteration initiates abnormal interaction within intricate neuron-glia networks, culminating in non-cell-autonomous motor neuron death. To investigate the pivotal role of non-cell-autonomous neuron death in hnRNPA1-associated ALS, we developed transgenic rats overexpressing mutant hnRNPA1 in specifically astrocytes. The confined overexpression of …

Conservative Management Of An Iatrogenic Left Ventricular Pseudo Aneurysm After Type A Aortic Dissection Surgery, Wiem Feki, Amal Kchaou, Rania Gargouri, Hichem Denguir

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Left ventricular pseudo aneurysm a rare but potentially fatal complication after surgery for type A aortic dissection, due to the fragile nature of the pseudo aneurysm wall. We present the case of a 69-year-old man who developed a pseudo aneurysm at the apex of the left ventricle following surgical repair of a type A aortic dissection. Initially under diagnosed on trans thoracic echocardiography , the lesion was clearly characterized by CMR . Given the patient’s stable clinical status and morbidities , a conservative approach was adopted. The patient showed favorable evolution over time.

Review Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Programs In United States Schools, Cassandra Duran, Aditi Gupta, Lynda Aririguzo, Norma Castillo, Sanghamitra M Misra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: School vaccination programs (school-based and school-located) that include the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine have been implemented throughout the United States since 2009.

Methods: We conducted a review of school HPV vaccination programs in PUBMED, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Ovid, Medline, and Embase and included peer-reviewed studies originating in the United States that focused on any aspect of HPV school vaccination programs.

Results: Our review yielded 47 articles that fell into several categories: (1) parent and child perceptions, (2) school nurse perceptions, (3) development, (4) implementation, (5) outcomes, and (6) barriers and facilitators of HPV vaccination programs in schools. …

Placental Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (Pah) Levels Are Associated With Spontaneous Preterm Birth, Gwendolynn Hummel, Sohini Banerjee, Vasanta Putluri, Inaara Malick, Grace Johnson, Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, Chandra Shekar R Ambati, Nagireddy Putluri, Lori Showalter, Cynthia D Shope, Joseph Hagan, Kjersti M Aagaard, Bhagavatula Moorthy, Melissa A Suter

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

While the cause of preterm birth (PTB) (i.e., delivery before 37 weeks of gestation) is likely multifactorial, ambient exposure to environmental chemicals has been postulated to play a role in its etiology. Our prior studies of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in pregnancy have shown an increased level of placental PAH-induced bulky DNA adducts with increasing levels of PAH exposures. In this investigation, we hypothesized that higher levels of placental PAHs would be associated with an increased risk of PTB. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), we measured levels of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF) and dibenz(a,h)anthracene (DBA) from …

A Phenomenological Study Of Caregivers For Sexual Minority Hospice Patients, Catherine H. Bianchi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals face disproportionate barriers in healthcare across the lifespan that persist and often intensify at the end of life. Despite hospice’s mission to provide comfort, dignity, and patient-centered support, it remains unclear whether these services equitably meet the needs of sexual minority patients. Seeking hospice care presents a unique conundrum for many LGB individuals: it necessitates inviting representatives of a historically exclusionary healthcare system into the privacy of their homes - spaces that often serve as sanctuaries of identity, safety, and autonomy. The already vulnerable experience of seeking care in one’s final days can be …

Developing Deep Learning Methods For Cognitive Impairment Detection Based On Non-Invasive Data, Muath Alsuhaibani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive impairment detection is on the rise to help reduce the burden of healthcare costs on institutions and individuals. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is an early stage of cognitive decline progressing to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or AD-related Dementia (ADRD). Detecting the early stages of AD/ADRD is crucial for early interventions among older adults to mitigate cognitive decline over time. However, the current diagnostic methods are often costly and/or invasive, such as MRI and PET scans. Thus, the search for non-invasive and cost-effective screening tools for the early detection of cognitive impairment using speech, language, visual, and motor data is growing. …

Surgeon Ergonomics While Performing Total Knee Arthroplasty, Cameron Dahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most prevalent hazards to orthopedic surgeons are musculoskeletal disorders with 97% of arthroplasty surgeons reporting procedural-related musculoskeletal pain and 66% of orthopedic surgeons reporting procedural-related musculoskeletal injury [1], [2], [3]. With the annual number of total knee arthroplasties (TKA) on the rise, orthopedic surgeons are taking on larger annual caseloads and retiring later in life [4], [5]. The goal of this study was to quantify postural demand for 11 discrete surgical steps of TKA to identify ergonomically unfavorable positions surgeons experience while operating. Four orthopedic surgeons performed TKA while their motions were recorded using marker-based motion capture. …

Predicting Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Using Voxel-Wise Resting-State Functional Mri, Hongjie Ke, Bhim M Adhikari, Yezhi Pan, David B Keator, Daniel Amen, Si Gao, Yizhou Ma, Paul M Thompson, Neda Jahanshad, Jessica A Turner, Theo G M Van Erp, Mohammed R Milad, Jair C Soares, Vince D Calhoun, Juergen Dukart, L Elliot Hong, Tianzhou Ma, Peter Kochunov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) is a putative biomarker for neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: Here, we show that rCBF can be predicted from resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) at the voxel level while correcting for partial volume averaging (PVA) artifacts. Cortical patterns of MDD-related CBF differences decoded from rsfMRI using a PVA-corrected approach showed excellent agreement with CBF measured using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and arterial spin labeling (ASL). A support vector machine algorithm was trained to decode cortical voxel-wise CBF from temporal and power-spectral features of voxel-level rsfMRI time series while accounting for PVA. …

Temporary Intravascular Shunting Using A Carotid Shunt For Traumatic Femoral Artery And Vein Injury In A Hemodynamically Unstable Patient, Nicola Habash, Fari Fall, Jin Park, Babak Abai, Michael Nooromid

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Vascular trauma involving the peripheral arteries of the extremities can lead to limb loss and, in severe cases, death. The use of intravascular shunts can help to temporarily perfuse the limb, while allowing for resuscitation of a critically injured patient. Here we present a case of a concomitant complex injury of the common femoral artery and common femoral vein, and the complementary vascular strategies used to achieve limb salvage.

Supporting Healthy Siblings In Pediatric Cancer: Advancing Relational Interventions To Heal Invisible Wounds, Kristen K. Wederski

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Healthy siblings of children diagnosed with cancer occupy a uniquely vulnerable position within the pediatric oncology landscape. Individuals within this population often demonstrate significant emotional distress and can experience long-term psychological challenges. Despite their risk, healthy siblings remain under-researched and under-supported compared to pediatric patients and caregivers. Existing interventions tend to prioritize individual coping skills and psychoeducation and often overlook the critical relational dynamics that shape healthy siblings' psychological adjustment. Grounded in systematic and relational theories, this paper proposes a paradigm shift toward relationally focused interventions that strengthen the caregiver-sibling bond as a core mechanism of change to foster resilience …

Blood And Neuronal Extracellular Vesicle Mitochondrial Disruptions In Schizophrenia, A Ankeeta, Ashutosh Tripathi, Bindu Pillai, Yizhou Ma, Joshua J Chiappelli, Jessica N Jernberg, Keiko Kunitoki, Xiaoming Du, Si Gao, Bhim M Adhikari, Consuelo Walss-Bass, Giselli Scaini, Peter Kochunov, Anilkumar Pillai, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The high energy demand of the human brain obligates robust mitochondrial energy metabolism, while mitochondrial dysfunctions have been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). However, in vivo assessments that can directly inform brain mitochondrial functioning and its etiopathophysiological path to SSD remain difficult to obtain. We hypothesized that system and brain mitochondrial dysfunctions in SSD may be indexed by elevated cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA) levels in the blood and in neuronal extracellular vesicles (nEVs). We also explored if these mtDNA marker elevations were associated with brain metabolites as measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We examined blood …

Targeting Sting To Disrupt Macrophage-Mediated Adhesion In Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis, Juan Sun, Yuxiang Sun, Dandan Guo, Huolin Ye, Qiang Huang, Hu Zhou, Canming Li, Mei Liao, Yujia You, Hongli Shang, Pan Zhou, Dongxuan Wu, Janusz Witowski, Zhaoyong Hu, Hui Peng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a life-threatening fibrotic condition characterized by severe abdominal adhesions, chronic inflammation, and significant morbidity. The lack of effective treatments for EPS stems from a limited understanding of its underlying mechanisms. In this study, we developed a modified mouse model of PD-induced EPS and investigated the role of the STING signaling pathway in disease progression. Our findings reveal that STING activation in peritoneal mesothelial cells significantly increases the secretion of the macrophage chemokine CCL2, leading to enhanced macrophage infiltration and the formation of pathological adhesions. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of STING using the inhibitor H151 effectively reduced …

Food Insecurity, Diet And Health Outcomes In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Pilot Study, Nicole Zeky, Alysse Baudier, Colleen Leblanc, Elizabeth Mcdonough, Sarah A. Dumas, Dedrick Moulton

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Food insecurity (FI) is a well-defined factor in pediatric health outcomes and has been associated with lower diet quality. While poor diet quality has been linked to the rising prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), little is known about the impact of FI on pediatric IBD. This pilot study explores the feasibility and potential impact of FI on dietary intake and clinical outcomes in children with newly diagnosed IBD. Methods: This pilot study included newly diagnosed IBD patients aged 5 to 18. FI screening was completed using the USDA 6-item and AAP 2-item screeners at diagnosis and 6 months. …

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …