Digital Commons Network^™

Diagnostic Challenges Of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery From The Right Pulmonary Artery., Lavina Desai, Sanket Shah, Edo Bedzra, Christopher Mathis

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

• ALCAPA is a rare congenital heart defect seen in about one in 300,000 live births. • ALCARPA is an even rarer subset of ALCAPA with the LCA originating from the RPA. • Few cases report ALCARPA associated with coarctation of the aorta. • Coarctation and VSD may cause PH with antegrade LCA flow. • These defects are hard to diagnose and require coronary imaging before surgery.

“Now That The Baby Is Out, I Can Be Vaccinated”: A Qualitative Study On Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In Pregnant Women In Kilifi, Kenya, Angela Koech, Onesmus Wanje, Grace Mwashigadi, Geoffrey Katana, Richmond Mdindi, Peter Mwangome, Rachel Craik, Marianne Vidler, Mai-Lei Kinshella, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in pregnancy, but vaccine hesitancy limits uptake and effectiveness. This study explored COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in pregnancy in Kilifi, coastal Kenya, to elicit reasons for vaccine hesitancy and acceptance, and to compile misconceptions around vaccination in pregnancy. Twenty-three in-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant women, mothers who had given birth in the previous 2 years and health workers (community health promoters, nurses, and supervisors). Data were analyzed using thematic template analysis based on the Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix. Concern about vaccine safety for the unborn baby was a major driver of hesitancy. Many pregnant …

Qualitative Exploration Of Factors Associated With Covid-19 Vaccination Among Pregnant Women In Kenya, Violet Naanyu, Ferdinand Okwaro, Ingrid Gichere, Mandeep Sura, Prachi Singh, Berhaun Fesshaye, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted societies worldwide, and COVID-19 vaccination has been identified as instrumental in the fight against the pandemic. While studies have examined uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, more research is needed to gain a better understanding of the factors influencing pregnant women’s decisions to get vaccinated. In this study, we used a cross-sectional descriptive qualitative study to explore the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy in Kenya. A total of 50 in-depth interviews were conducted between October 2023 to March 2024 with a purposively drawn sample of 25 pregnant and 25 postpartum women during …

Multi-Trait And Multi-Ancestry Genetic Analysis Of Comorbid Lung Diseases And Traits Improves Genetic Discovery And Polygenic Risk Prediction, Yixuan He, Wenhan Lu, Yon Ho Jee, Mu-Yi Shih, Ying Wang, Kristin Tsuo, David C Qian, James A Diao, Hailiang Huang, Chirag J Patel, Jinyoung Byun, Bogdan Pasaniuc, Elizabeth G Atkinson, Christopher I Amos, Yen-Chen Anne Feng, Matthew Moll, Michael H Cho, Alicia R Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

While respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma share many risk factors, most studies investigate them in isolation and in predominantly European-ancestry populations. Here, we conducted the most powerful multi-trait and multi-ancestry genetic analysis of respiratory diseases and auxiliary traits to date, identifying 25 new loci associated with lung function in individuals of East Asian ancestry. Using these results, we developed PRSxtra (cross-trait and cross-ancestry), a multi-trait and multi-ancestry polygenic risk score (PRS) approach that leverages shared components of heritable risk via pleiotropic effects. PRSxtra significantly improved the prediction of asthma, COPD and lung cancer compared …

Induction Of Yin Yang 1 (Yy1) Overexpression In Mature Adipocytes Promotes Dysfunctional Adipose Tissue And Systemic Insulin Resistance In Mice, Line Pedersen, Christy M Gliniak, Thomas Myhre Dale, Qingzhang Zhu, Chao Li, Jan-Bernd Funcke, Clair Crewe, Jiahui Luo, Lauren Palluth, Yi Zhu, Philipp E Scherer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The ubiquitous transcription factor Ying Yang 1 (YY1) plays a fundamental role in multiple biological processes and is believed to regulate up to 10 % of all human genes. In thermogenic brown adipose tissue, YY1 has been linked to controlling mitochondrial gene expression and regulating cellular oxidative respiration, protecting against diet-induced obesity and alterations in energy balance. The role of YY1 in non-thermogenic, white adipose tissue, on the other hand, remains largely unknown. Here, we show that adipocyte-specific induction of YY1 promotes dysfunctional adipose tissue and systemic insulin resistance in mice. Long-term YY1 induction in mature adipocytes leads to reduced …

Patient Wait Time And Throughput Interventions In The Cardiology Outpatient Setting, Chioma Ohiri Tawose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare collaboration and patient care require effective communication. Poor communication impacts wait time. Inadequate communication in the outpatient cardiology clinic can lead to disruptive patient throughput, or workflow, and extend patient length of visit. The purpose of this project was to implement a means of communication for clinicians and healthcare assistants to improve patient flow and cut down idleness, ultimately reducing patient wait time. The project established the incorporation of a built-in electronic health record communication notification system, the Event Button, for asynchronous communication between staff. A quantitative quality improvement design was used to conduct this project. Inferential and descriptive …

Deep Brain Stimulation Response Circuits In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Andreas Horn, Ningfei Li, Garance M Meyer, Ron Gadot, Nicole R Provenza, Sameer A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the field of deep brain stimulation (DBS), two major themes are currently making significant progress. First, the framework of connectomic DBS, in which circuits that are associated with improvements of specific symptoms are described and targeted to improve and potentially personalize treatment. Second, the concept of brain sensing and adaptive DBS, which aims at identifying neural biomarkers that may guide stimulation in a closed-loop fashion.

In DBS for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), substantial progress has been made on both ends, over the last five years. Together, results begin to draw a picture of exactly which circuit is …

Integrated Transcriptomic Landscape Of Medulloblastoma And Ependymoma Reveals Novel Tumor Subtype-Specific Biology, Sonali Arora, Nicholas Nuechterlein, Matt Jensen, Gregory Glatzer, Philipp Sievers, Srinidhi Varadharajan, Andrey Korshunov, Felix Sahm, Stephen C Mack, Michael D Taylor, Taranjit S Gujral, Eric C Holland

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Medulloblastoma and ependymoma are common pediatric central nervous system tumors with significant molecular and clinical heterogeneity. While molecular subgrouping has enabled classification into molecular subtypes, the extent of heterogeneity within these subgroups remains poorly defined.

Methods: We collected bulk RNA sequencing data from 888 medulloblastoma and 370 ependymoma tumors to establish a comprehensive reference landscape. After rigorous batch effect correction, normalization, and dimensionality reduction, we generated a unified landscape to explore gene expression, signaling pathways, RNA fusions, and copy number variations.

Results: Our transcriptional analysis revealed distinct clustering patterns, including two primary ependymoma compartments, EPN-E1 and EPN-E2, each with …

Trans-Broad-Ligament Abdominal Cerclage Versus Blind Needle-Piercing Abdominal Cerclage During Pregnancy: A Comparison Of Surgical Outcomes, Qiannan Yang, Daniel Y Lovell, Joseph Nassif, Lubna Chohan, Jugnu Biba Nijjar, Nurul Farhanah Binte Abdul Latif, Zhenkun Guan, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Utilization Of Intensive Care Interventions In Critically Ill Patients With Candidemia Versus Bacteremia: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study, Mary North Jones, Masayuki Nigo, Stefano Casarin, James Kurian, Aarjav Sanghvi, Enshuo Hsu, Stephen L Jones, Ashton Connor, David B Corry, Cesar A Arias, Max W Adelman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Candida species are one of the most common causes of ICU-onset bloodstream infection (BSI). Yet, there is no robust guidance on when to initiate empiric antifungals for ICU patients suspected of BSI. We compared patients with ICU-onset candidemia vs. ICU-onset bacteremia to determine which patients may benefit from empiric antifungals.

Design: We compared characteristics between patients with bacteremia vs. candidemia at time of culture. We determined risk factors for death and constructed a multivariable regression to determine if candidemia is an independent risk factor for death.

Setting/patients: We included ICU patients from a hospital system in Houston, Texas (n …

Factors Associated With Rare Pediatric Cancer Trial Enrollment: A Report From The Children's Oncology Group Rare Tumors Committee, Brian R Englum, Jin Piao, Lindsay Younis, Reto M Baertschiger, Kenneth S Chen, Emily Christison-Lagay, Hetal Dholaria, Robyn Gartrell, M John Hicks, Junne Kamihara, Sarah G Mitchell, Manuela Orjuela-Grimm, Farzana Pashankar, Samara L Potter, Jennifer H Aldrink, Jeremy Rosenblum, Michael R Sargen, Kris Ann P Schultz, Brittani K N Seynnaeve, Mary Wedekind, Theodore W Laetsch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Over 90% of US children with cancer are treated at Children's Oncology Group (COG) centers, which seek to maximize enrollment in therapeutic and biobanking studies. Rare cancers have demonstrated lower than expected COG enrollment. We evaluated trends in COG rare cancer enrollment compared to US incidence from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries, examining the impact of COG therapeutic trials and Project:EveryChild, a cancer biobank/registry.

Procedure: COG and SEER data from 2002 to 2020 were queried for US patients younger than 18 years old with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), retinoblastoma (RB), thyroid carcinoma, and melanoma. We …

The Changing Landscape Of Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Applications: An Update On Objective Metrics And Current Evaluation Practices, William B Kyle, Tam T Doan, James C Wilkinson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The application process for medical training fellowships has evolved significantly over the last decade. Important changes in access to quantitative data, the standardized application itself, and an unprecedented shift in the interview process have forced fellowship leaders to alter their evaluation process. This study aimed to assess each of those aspects of the pediatric cardiology fellowship application process. We review the application itself, focusing on the Experiences section of the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) evaluation and the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Evaluation Form, which accompanies each letter of recommendation (LOR). In addition to these novel analyses, we present peer-reviewed literature …

Dolichocolon Is Common In Pediatric Gastroenterology Patients With Constipation And Associated Complaints, David Simon, Donovan Berens, Raul Zambrana Valenzuela, Arvind Mohan, Partha Chakraborty, Timot Kellermayer, Eric H Chiou, Craig L Jensen, Ricardo A Arbizu, Marla B K Sammer, Richard Kellermayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Dolichocolon (DC), classified under International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code Q43.8 ("Other specified congenital malformations of intestine"), refers to an elongated or redundant large intestine. Recent studies in adults indicate a role for dolichocolon in constipation and disorders of gut-brain interaction. Contrast enema (CE) imaging is commonly used to identify DC, typically defined as a sigmoid colon extending above, or a transverse colon descending below, the iliac crest line. Despite its potential relevance, the prevalence and clinical significance of DC in pediatric gastroenterology remain poorly understood.

Methods: This retrospective study assessed the prevalence of DC in pediatric …

Utility And Utilization Of Transabdominal Ultrasound In Pediatric Patients With Acute Recurrent Or Chronic Pancreatitis, Nicholas Norris, David Troendle, Michael Wilschanski, Fuchenchu Wang, Gretchen A Cress, Maisam A Abu-El-Haija, Ankur Chugh, Reuven Zev Cohen, Elissa M Downs, Douglas S Fishman, Cheryl E Gariepy, Matthew J Giefer, Tanja Y Gonska, Amit S Grover, Sohail Z Husain, Douglas Lindblad, Quin Y Liu, Asim Maqbool, Jacob A Mark, Brian A Mcferron, Megha S Mehta, Veronique D Morinville, Kenneth Ng, Robert A Noel, Chee Y Ooi, Emily R Perito, Zachary M Sellers, Andrew T Trout, Yuhua Zheng, Ying Yuan, Mark E Lowe, Aliye Uc, Consortium For The Study Of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes And Pancreatic Cancer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS) is frequently utilized in pediatric acute pancreatitis, but less is known about its use in acute recurrent (ARP) or chronic pancreatitis (CP). Our aim was to describe TAUS utilization and findings from the largest multicenter cohort of pediatric ARP and CP, the International Study Group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In Search for a CuRE-2 (INSPPIRE-2).

Methods: Demographic and imaging data from physician questionnaires were obtained for patients with available TAUS data. Utilization and findings were compared between ARP and CP groups. Kappa statistics were used to compare agreement of TAUS to computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging/cholangiopancreatography …

Internet-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention For Pain In Pediatric Acute Recurrent And Chronic Pancreatitis: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial, Tonya M Palermo, Rui Li, Chuan Zhou, Homer Aalfs, Gretchen Cress, Mark Lowe, Maisam Abu-El-Haija, Ankur Chugh, Elissa M Downs, Douglas S Fishman, Alvin Jay Freeman, Matthew J Giefer, Tanja Y Gonska, Sohail Z Husain, Douglas Lindblad, Quin Y Liu, Asim Maqbool, Jacob A Mark, Brian A Mcferron, Megha S Mehta, Robert Adam Noel, Emily R Perito, Fuchenchu Wang, Ying Yuan, Yuhua Zheng, Aliye Uc, Consortium For The Study Of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes, And Pancreatic Cancer (Cpdpc)

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Abdominal pain is common and associated with high disease burden and health care costs in pediatric acute recurrent (ARP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). Despite the effectiveness of psychological interventions in other abdominal pain populations, studies have not evaluated these interventions for pediatric pancreatitis pain. We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for reducing pancreatitis-related abdominal pain and improving pain interference, anxiety, depression, activity limitations, and health-related quality of life.

Methods: We enrolled 90 adolescents (ages 10-19, 63% female) with ARP or CP and their parents into this randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trial from 15 …

13 C-Spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test Normative Values In Healthy Children: A Multicenter Study With Comparison To Symptomatic Children, Katja Karrento, Bruno P Chumpitazi, Liyun Zhang, Pippa Simpson, Robert J Shulman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Diagnosing pediatric gastroparesis presents a significant challenge due to lack of normative data in children. We aimed to determine normative values for gastric emptying using the nonradioactive 13 C-Spirulina gastric emptying breath test ( 13 C-GEBT) in a large cohort of healthy children (HC) and examine differences compared to children with gastroparesis-like symptoms (GLS).

Methods: A total of 301 HC ages 7-18 years completed the 13 C-GEBT with 10 different breath samples × 4 hours. 13 CO 2 excretion rate (kPCD) was determined by change in 13 CO 2 / 12 CO 2 . Outcome variables included: kPCD at …

Unusual Endoscopic Remission In An Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Refractory Case Of Severe Ulcerative Colitis During Upadacitinib Therapy, Carine A Halaby, Charlotte F Kim, Richard Kellermayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Diagnostic Evaluation And Treatment Of Utis In Children With Neurogenic Bladder, Jacqueline G Holden, Sowdhamini Wallace, Pearl W Chang, Stephanie Davis-Rodriguez, Rana F Hamdy, John M Morrison, Michael J Tchou, Victor Trevisanut, Vijaya Vemulakonda, Catherine S Forster

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Children with neurogenic bladder (NGB) are at increased risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs), but there is a lack of guidelines to assist clinicians in diagnosing and treating these children. Our objective was to describe the presentation and treatment of provider diagnosed UTIs in children with NGB compared to children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and to assess the proportion of children with NGB who met a consortium definition of UTI.

Study design: We included children < 18 years old with either VUR or NGB who were diagnosed in the emergency department with a febrile UTI in our multicenter retrospective cohort study. We extracted and compared UTI symptoms and urinalysis results specific to children with NGB to children with VUR. We measured the proportion of UTI diagnoses concordant with the Urologic Management to Preserve Initial Renal Function (UMPIRE) consensus definition of UTI, defined as ≥ 100,000 CFU/mL of 1 or 2 organisms, pyuria, and ≥ two symptoms of UTI.

Results: The most common symptom among all children in the cohort was vomiting (38.8 %). Of the 215 children with NGB, 41.3 % met …

Artificial Intelligence In Allergy And Immunology: Recent Developments, Implementation Challenges, And The Road Toward Clinical Impact, Merlijn Van Breugel, Matt Greenhawt, Ibon Eguiluz-Gracia, Maria Jose Torres Jaén, Aikaterini Anagnostou, Gerard H Koppelman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly recognized for its capacity to transform medicine. While publications applying AI in allergy and immunology have increased in number, clinical implementation substantially lags behind other specialties. By mid-2024, over 1,000 US Food and Drug Administration-approved AI-enabled medical devices existed, but none specifically addressed allergy and immunology. This gap partly reflects the field's limited reliance on imaging, which facilitated early AI breakthroughs in radiology and pathology. This narrative review examines recent AI developments, including large language models and AI agents, evaluating their applicability to allergy and immunology practice. We analyze current and potential applications, emphasizing those …

The Reversibility Of Urate Tophi With Treat-To-Target In Gout: All Gone. Forever?, Jasvinder A Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Differential Longitudinal Effects Of Glucose-Lowering Medications On Glucagon And C-Peptide Responses In The Glycemia Reduction Approaches In Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (Grade), Steven E Kahn, Mark Tripputi, John M Lachin, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Mary Ann Banerji, Joshua Barzilay, Robert M Cohen, W Timothy Garvey, Michaela R Gramzinski, Neda Rasouli, Mary Rhee, Jesse C Seegmiller, Vatsala Singh, William I Sivitz, Michael W Steffes, Kristina Utzschneider, Ralph A Defronzo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To determine the longitudinal effects on α-cell function of four classes of glucose-lowering agents added to metformin in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods: In a multicenter, randomized study, 5,047 participants ≥30 years of age with type 2 diabetes taking 1,000-2,000 mg metformin daily, HbA1c 6.8%-8.5%, were randomized to receive insulin glargine U100, glimepiride, liraglutide, or sitagliptin. In a subset of 724 participants, baseline and longitudinal measures of α-cell function were assessed as the fasting glucagon concentration and change in glucagon from fasting to 30 min following oral glucose (glucagon index [GGI]). Whether these measures and …

Single-Cell Atlas Of The Transcriptome And Chromatin Accessibility In The Human Retina, Jin Li, Jun Wang, Ignacio L Ibarra, Xuesen Cheng, Malte D Luecken, Jiaxiong Lu, Aboozar Monavarfeshani, Wenjun Yan, Yiqiao Zheng, Zhen Zuo, Samantha Lynn Zayas Colborn, Berenice Sarahi Cortez, Leah A Owen, Brittney Wick, Xuan Bao, Jongsu Choi, Maximilian Haeussler, Nicholas M Tran, Karthik Shekhar, Joshua R Sanes, J Timothy Stout, Shiming Chen, Yumei Li, Margaret M Deangelis, Fabian J Theis, Rui Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Single-cell sequencing has revolutionized the scale and resolution of molecular profiling of tissues and organs. Here we present an integrated dual-modal reference atlas of the most accessible portion of the mammalian central nervous system, the retina. We compiled around 3.9 million cells from 125 donors of diverse ancestral backgrounds, including 8 published studies and 2.7 million unpublished data points, to create a comprehensive human retina cell atlas (HRCA) with more than 130 cell types identified. We annotated each cluster, identified marker genes and characterized cis-regulatory elements and gene regulatory networks. Our analysis uncovered differences in transcriptome, chromatin and gene regulatory …

Hyperglycemia, Receptor For Advanced Glycation End Products, And Small Airways Dysfunction In Asthma, Paula Sierra Salas, Dennis T Villareal, Vickram Tejwani, Amrit Koirala, Cristian Coarfa, Meredith C Mccormack, Nicola A Hanania, Tianshi David Wu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Diabetes and insulin resistance are associated with higher risk of asthma exacerbation and preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm), but the pathophysiology is unclear. These conditions may cause small airways dysfunction (SAD), which is an under-recognized cause of PRISm.

Objective: To determine whether insulin resistance and poor glucose control associate with SAD and to explore whether proteins prognostic of diabetes end-organ complications predict lung function abnormalities.

Methods: We recruited a prospective cohort of adults with physician-diagnosed asthma. Fasting insulin, glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and concentrations of 13 proteins prognostic of diabetes end-organ complications were measured. Static insulin resistance was calculated by …

Nasal Microbiome And Phageome Profiles Are Associated With Prospective Respiratory Viral Infection Risk In School-Age Children, Michael S Kelly, Ching-Ying Huang, Minsik Kim, Dastan Haghnazari, Aribah Baig, Ye Sun, Bryan R Lenneman, Michael J Tisza, Amparito Cunningham, Diane Gold, Wanda Phipatanakul, Peggy S Lai

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Respiratory viral infections are common and can trigger asthma exacerbations in children. The roles of the nasal microbiome and phageome (viruses that infect microbes) are not well understood.

Objective: We sought to characterize the epidemiology of respiratory viral infections and the interplay between the nasal microbiome, phageome, and viral infections in school-age children with asthma.

Methods: We performed metagenomic sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR detection of respiratory viruses on 375 nasal samples from 227 school-age children with asthma collected routinely 3 times over a year. Surveys on parent-reported cold and asthma symptoms were administered routinely every 2 months. We evaluated …

Cressent: A Bioinformatics Toolkit To Explore And Improve Ssdna Virus Annotation, Ricardo R Pavan, Matthew B Sullivan, Michael J Tisza

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

ssDNA viruses are important components of diverse ecosystems; however, it remains challenging to systematically identify and classify them. This is partly due to their broad host range and resulting genomic diversity, structure and rapid evolutionary rates. In addition, distinguishing genuine ssDNA genomes from contaminating sequences in metagenomic datasets (e.g. from commercial kits) has been an unresolved issue for years. Here, we present CRESSENT (CRESS-DNA Extended aNnotation Toolkit), a comprehensive and modular bioinformatic pipeline focused on ssDNA virus 'genome-to-analysis' and annotation. The pipeline integrates multiple functionalities organized into several modules: sequence dereplication, decontamination, phylogenetic analysis, …

Distribution Of Nematophagous Fungi And Soil-Transmitted Helminths In Outdoor Built Environments Across Latin America, Rojelio Mejia, Eva Mereles Aranda, Leticia Ojeda, Sandra Ocampos Benedetti, Janitzio J Guzman, Barton Slatko, Cristina Almazan, Melisa Diaz-Fernandez, Ruben Cimino, Marisa Juarez, Natalia Montellano Duran, Estefania Lorena Mansilla Flores, Paola Andrea Vargas, Amandeep Kaur, Nestor L Uzcategui, Lucia Estela Mejia, Katherine Elizabeth Keegan, Emilio Rey Mejia, Chiara Cássia Oliveira Amorim, Stefan M Geiger, Ricardo T Fujiwara, Luz Marina Llangarí-Arizo, Andrea Lopez, Natalia Romero-Sandoval, Irene Guadalupe, Liliana E Villanueva-Lizama, Julio Vladimir Cruz-Chan, Maritza Dalí Camones Rivera, Eddyson Montalvo Sabino, Carlos Pineda, Eric J Wetzel, Philip J Cooper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are among the most common global parasitic infections, represent a significant worldwide public health burden, and remain a source of considerable morbidity in Latin America. Nematophagous fungi (NF), such as Arthrobotrys oligospora, naturally inhabit many soil types and are known for their ability to trap and kill nematodes using specialized hyphal structures or secreted enzymes and metabolites. As they prey on different developmental stages of helminths in soil, they may represent an ecological factor influencing helminth persistence and transmission dynamics.

Methods: Using an in vitro test, Toxocara cati eggs were exposed to A. oligospora. By using …

Participant Retention In A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Of Participants With Pancreatitis And Factors Associated With Attrition, Radmila Choate, Jun Xu, Jeffrey J Easler, Samuel Han, Anna E Phillips, Melena D Bellin, William E Fisher, Evan L Fogel, Chris Forsmark, Phil A Hart, Stephen J Pandol, Walter G Park, Jose Serrano, Stephen K Van Den Eeden, Santhi Swaroop Vege, Liang Li, Darwin L Conwell, Dhiraj Yadav

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Participant retention is essential in prospective studies to minimize bias and maintain validity. This study aimed to estimate retention rates and identify factors influencing attrition in a multicenter cohort (PROCEED) of US adults with acute/recurrent acute pancreatitis (AP/RAP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP).

Methods: Participants from the PROCEED study with AP/RAP or CP eligible for follow-up within the designated visit window were included. Retention was defined as completing at least one follow-up visit during the observation period. Retention was analyzed by follow-up mode (in-person and/or medical record review) and disease type (AP/RAP and CP). Retention factors were assessed using univariate …

Technical Considerations And Contemporary Literature Review Of The Gore Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis®, Bruno P Schmid, Lucas R Kanamori, Hannah V Oden-Brunson, Dora Babocs, Ying Huang, Jorge Miranda, Steven Maximus, Gustavo S Oderich

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has become the preferred treatment for various thoracic aortic pathologies, including blunt thoracic aortic injury, aneurysms, and dissections. Involvement of Ishimaru Zone 2 occurs in up to 60% of TEVAR cases requiring extension across the distal aortic arch and left subclavian artery (LSA). Coverage of the LSA without revascularization increases the risk of complications such as upper extremity ischemia, stroke, and spinal cord injury. Therefore, the preservation of LSA perfusion during TEVAR is essential. Cervical debranching remains an effective alternative to preserve flow to the LSA, but it poses risks of bleeding, infection, and nerve …

An Examination Of Racial Bias In Scoring The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Ados) Module 3: An Item Response Theory Analysis, Yuen Yvonne Yu, Austin Wyman, Calliana J Faulk, Lizzy J Fulop, Rebecca L Greenberg, Rachel M Benecke, Lauren K Steinbeck, Jessica Foy, Caitlyn Kim, George O Emory, Eric A Storch, Casey J Zampella, Benjamin E Yerys, Robert T Schultz, Julia Parish-Morris, John D Herrington, Caitlin C Clements

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Given the rising prevalence of autism among racial minority children in the United States, but persistent service use disparities, this study examines potential bias in specific items from the autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS), a highly regarded autism evaluation. We leveraged unidimensional item response theory graded response models and a sample of 735 children to analyze the differential item functioning (DIF) of items within ADOS Module 3. Three items showed significant signs of racial bias: A1 (overall language level), A5 (offers information), and D5 (compulsions and rituals). On these items, Black/African American and Asian children were usually more likely to …

"He Just Wants Someone To Hear Him And Listen To Him": Barriers And Facilitators To Autistic Youth With Anxiety Receiving Quality Mental Healthcare, Daylin Delgado, Shannon C Lapoint, Grace Lee Simmons, Julia M Heinly, Whitney S Shepherd De, Bridgett Kiernan, Lauren Brookman-Frazee, Eric A Storch, Brenna B Maddox

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

About half of autistic youth present with clinically interfering anxiety. Psychotherapies with exposure-focused elements are effective in academic clinical settings and controlled trials. However, there is relatively less research examining the implementation of modified interventions for autistic youth with anxiety in community mental health settings. The current study explores community members' perceptions of barriers and facilitators that impact autistic youth with anxiety's receipt of quality mental health services in their community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 autistic youth, 15 caregivers of autistic youth, 11 community mental health clinicians, and 8 community mental health clinic leaders. Interviews were analyzed thematically. …