Digital Commons Network^™

Measurement Of Cumulative High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein And Monocyte To High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio In The Risk Prediction Of Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study, Dan Wu, Genyuan Chen, Yulong Lan, Shuohua Chen, Xiong Ding, Chiju Wei, Lois Balmer, Wei Wang, Shouling Wu, Wencan Xu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Converging data have suggested that monocytic inflammation and C-reactive protein (CRP) are biologically intertwined processes and are involved in diabetogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the association between systemic inflammation assessed by joint cumulative high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CumCRP) and monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio (CumMHR) and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) and their predictive value for T2D in a general population.

Methods: A total of 40,813 nondiabetic participants from a prospective real-life cohort (Kailuan Study, China) were followed biennially from 2010/2011 until December 31, 2020. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of …

Polarimetry Terahertz Imaging Of Human Breast Cancer Surgical Specimens, Nikita Gurjar, Keith Bailey, Magda O. El-Shenawee

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose

We investigate terahertz (THz) polarimetry imaging of seven human breast cancer surgical specimens. The goal is to enhance image contrast between adjacent tissue types of cancer, healthy collagen, and fat in excised breast tumors. Based on the biological perception of random growth of cancer and invasion of surrounding healthy tissues in the breast, we hypothesize that cancerous cells interact with the THz electric field in a different manner compared with healthy cells. This difference can be best captured using multiple polarizations instead of single polarization.

Approach

Time domain pulsed signals are experimentally collected from each pixel of the specimen …

Tocilizumab In The Management Of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review Of Literature And Critical Appraisal, Salman Mansoor, Samar Iltaf Mairajuddin, Saqib Gul

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Background and objective

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum disorder (NMOSD) mostly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. This manuscript aims to explore the treatment potential of tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor and regulates inflammatory cytokines implicated in the pathophysiology of NMOSD. Methods

A thorough search of the pertinent literature was done for this research utilising electronic databases, specifically PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase, which contained studies published from 2016 to 2024.

Results Clinical studies show that tocilizumab improves clinical outcomes and lowers recurrence rates in people with NMOSD, especially those who don't respond to traditional treatments. …

Targeting The Glutamine-Arginine-Proline Metabolism Axis In Cancer, Di Wang, Jiang-Jie Duan, Yu-Feng Guo, Jun-Jie Chen, Tian-Qing Chen, Jun Wang, Shi-Cang Yu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Metabolic abnormalities are an important feature of tumours. The glutamine-arginine-proline axis is an important node of cancer metabolism and plays a major role in amino acid metabolism. This axis also acts as a scaffold for the synthesis of other nonessential amino acids and essential metabolites. In this paper, we briefly review (1) the glutamine addiction exhibited by tumour cells with accelerated glutamine transport and metabolism; (2) the methods regulating extracellular glutamine entry, intracellular glutamine synthesis and the fate of intracellular glutamine; (3) the glutamine, proline and arginine metabolic pathways and their interaction; and (4) the research progress in tumour therapy …

Genetic Ablation Of The Isoform Γ Of Pi3k Decreases Antidepressant Efficacy Of Ketamine In Male Mice, Gabriela N Vaz, Flávia C Turcato, Isabel A V Lima, Franciele F Scarante, Melissa R Araújo, Tamires A V Brigante, Livia C M Rodrigues, Francisco S Guimarães, Jaime E C Hallak, Jose A Crippa, Antonio L Teixeira, Antonio C P De Oliveira, Alline Cristina Campos

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

About one-third of major depressive disorder (MDD) patients demonstrate unresponsiveness to classic antidepressants, and even the clinical efficacy of fast-acting drugs such as ketamine varies significantly among patients with treatment-resistant depression. Nevertheless, the lack of suitable animal models that mimic a possible ketamine-resistant phenotype challenges the understanding of resistance to drug treatment. In this study, we showed that PI3Kγ knock-out (KO) mice do not respond to classical doses of ketamine and classical antidepressants. PI3Kγ KO mice were unresponsive to both the rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects of a single dose of ketamine in the forced swimming test. Additionally, they were …

Biological Validation Of Peak-Width Of Skeletonized Mean Diffusivity As A Vcid Biomarker: The Markvcid Consortium, Alison M Luckey, Saptaparni Ghosh, Chen-Pin Wang, Alexa Beiser, Rebecca Bernal, Zhiguang Li, Djass Mbangdadji, Elyas Fadaee, Haykel Snoussi, Angel Gabriel Velarde Dediós, Hector A Trevino, Monica Goss, Laura J Hillmer, Christopher E Bauer, Adam M Staffaroni, Lara Stables, Marilyn Albert, Jayandra J Himali, Thomas H Mosley, Lars Forsberg, Vilmundur Guðnason, Baljeet Singh, Herpreet Singh, Kristin Schwab, Joel H Kramer, Gary A Rosenberg, Karl G Helmer, Steven M Greenberg, Mohamad Habes, Danny J J Wang, Brian T Gold, Hanzhang Lu, Arvind Caprihan, Myriam Fornage, Lenore J Launer, Konstantinos Arfanakis, Sudha Seshadri, Charles Decarli, Pauline Maillard, Claudia L Satizabal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Peak-width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD), a neuroimaging marker of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), has shown excellent instrumental properties. Here, we extend our work to perform a biological validation of PSMD.

METHODS: We included 396 participants from the Biomarkers for Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (MarkVCID-1) Consortium and three replication samples (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology = 6172, Rush University Medical Center = 287, University of California Davis Alzheimer's Disease Research Center = 567). PSMD was derived from diffusion tensor imaging using an automated algorithm. We related PSMD to a composite measure …

Physicochemical Property Effects On Immune Modulating Polymeric Nanoparticles: Potential Applications In Spinal Cord Injury, Daniel J. Kolpek, Jaechang Kim, Hisham Mohammed, John C. Gensel, Jonghyuck Park

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Nanoparticles (NPs) offer promising potential as therapeutic agents for inflammation-related diseases, owing to their capabilities in drug delivery and immune modulation. In preclinical studies focusing on spinal cord injury (SCI), polymeric NPs have demonstrated the ability to reprogram innate immune cells. This reprogramming results in redirecting immune cells away from the injury site, downregulating pro-inflammatory signaling, and promoting a regenerative environment post-injury. However, to fully understand the mechanisms driving these effects and maximize therapeutic efficacy, it is crucial to assess NP interactions with innate immune cells. This review examines how the physicochemical properties of polymeric NPs influence their modulation of …

Independent Evolution Of Oleate Hydratase Clades In Bacillales Reflects Molecular Convergence, Robert J. Neff, Priscilla C. Lages, Shannon K. Donworth, James D. Brien, Christopher D. Radka

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Oleate hydratase (OhyA), a flavoenzyme that catalyzes the hydration of unsaturated fatty acids, has been identified in various Bacillales organisms, including those in the Listeria, Lysinibacillus, Paenibacillus, and Staphylococcus genera. In this study, we combine structural biology with molecular and phylogenetic analyses to investigate the evolutionary dynamics of the OhyA protein family within the Bacillales order. Our evolutionary analysis reveals two distinct OhyA clades (clade I and clade II) within Bacillales that, while sharing catalytic function, exhibit significant genomic and structural differences. Our findings suggest that these OhyA clades originated from independent evolutionary processes through convergent evolution rather than gene …

Exercise Therapy Rescues Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction And Exercise Intolerance In Cardiometabolic Hfpef, Heather Quiriarte, Robert C. Noland, James E. Stampley, Gregory Davis, Zhen Li, Eunhan Cho, Youyoung Kim, Jake Doiron, Guillaume Spielmann, Sujoy Ghosh, Sanjiv J. Shah, Brian A. Irving, David J. Lefer, Timothy D. Allerton

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Exercise intolerance, a hallmark of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) exacerbated by obesity, involves unclear mechanisms related to skeletal muscle metabolism. In a “2-hit” model of HFpEF, we investigated the ability of exercise therapy (voluntary wheel running) to reverse skeletal muscle dysfunction and exercise intolerance. Using state-of-the-art metabolic cages and a multiomic approach, we demonstrate exercise can rescue dysfunctional skeletal muscle lipid and branched-chain amino acid oxidation and restore exercise capacity in mice with cardiometabolic HFpEF. These results underscore the importance of skeletal muscle metabolism to improve exercise intolerance in HFpEF.

Nuclear Expression Of Dynamin 2 Is Associated With Tumor Aggressiveness In Bladder Cancer Patients: A Bioinformatics And Experimental Approach, Mahdieh Razmi, Leili Saeednejad Zanjani, Mandana Rahimi, Roya Sajed, Sadegh Safaei, Zahra Madjd, Roya Ghods

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Dynamin 2 (DNM2) is aberrantly expressed in different malignancies and exerts a function in tumor progression.

AIMS: This study, for the first time, aimed to evaluate the clinical and prognostic value of DNM2 in the pathophysiology of bladder cancer using bioinformatics analysis and experimental evaluation.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed gene expression of DNM2 in bladder tumor by GEPIA2 and GENT2 platforms. Cluster subnetworks were recognized from the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network using the MCODE plugin to screen the key genes. Subsequently, the pathway enrichment analysis was evaluated. Then, the immunohistochemical examination was conducted on 209 paraffin-embedded bladder cancer …

Are Prediction Models Moving Closer To Clinical Application In The Diagnosis Of Type Of Diabetes In Youth?, Fida Bacha

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Role Of N-Glycosylation In Gastrointestinal Cancers, Ruirui Xu, Lois Balmer, Gengzhen Chen, Manshu Song

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Gastrointestinal cancers pose a significant global health challenge. N-glycosylation modulates various cellular processes, including key cancer-related mechanisms. Elucidating its involvement in the onset and advancement of these cancers can offer critical insights for enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. This review outlines the core process of protein N-glycosylation and highlights its contribution to the progression of gastrointestinal cancers, encompassing cell proliferation, survival, invasion, metastasis, and immune evasion, mainly through its impact on critical signaling pathways. Notably, aberrant N-glycosylation patterns have emerged as crucial biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of various gastrointestinal cancers, providing the foundation for more personalized therapeutic approaches. …

Off-Protocol Radiation Therapy In Phase 3 Metastatic Solid Tumor Trials, Alexander D Sherry, Timothy A Lin, Zachary R Mccaw, Esther J Beck, Ramez Kouzy, Joseph Abi Jaoude, Adina H Passy, Avital M Miller, Gabrielle S Kupferman, Clifton David Fuller, Charles R Thomas, Eugene J Koay, Chad Tang, Pavlos Msaouel, Ethan B Ludmir

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Increasing data suggest that radiation therapy, particularly ablative radiation therapy, alters the natural history of metastatic disease. For patients with metastatic disease enrolled in prospective trials testing systemic therapy, the use of off-protocol radiation therapy to improve clinical symptoms or extend the duration of study systemic therapy may influence study endpoints. We sought to evaluate how often off-protocol radiation therapy was permitted among systemic therapy phase 3 trials, how often off-protocol radiation therapy is used, and whether off-protocol radiation therapy correlated with study outcomes.

Methods and materials: Two-arm, superiority-design, phase 3 randomized trials testing systemic therapy were screened from …

Economic Disadvantage During Childhood, Obesity, And Diabetes Across Three Birth Cohorts Of Older Mexicans, Jesús-Daniel Zazueta-Borboa, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Rebeca Wong, Neil Mehta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes prevalence has increased markedly in Mexico. We examined the individual and joint contributions of economic disadvantage during childhood (EDDC) and elevated body weight on diabetes prevalence in 3 cohorts of Mexican adults.

METHODS: Data on those 60-69 years old from the 1930-1939, 1940-1949, and 1950-1959 birth cohorts in Waves 1 (2001), 3 (2012), and 5 (2018) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study were used. EDDC was defined as the absence of a toilet in the household before age 10. Body mass status was defined using self-reported perceived body image at age 50. Diabetes was based on respondent …

The Life And Discoveries Of Yellapragada Subbarow, Nikhil R, Varuni Pragya, Subramanian Ramaswamy, Shiva Prasad B N, Mahabaleshwar Mamadapur

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Dr. Yellapragada Subbarow was a researcher, teacher, and a wizard of wonder drugs who constantly made efforts in the discoveries/ inventions such as vitamins, anti-vitamins, antibiotics, and many more by disentangling the mysteries of nature for the betterment of the people. He inspired the youngsters to take up the challenges and to stand up above mediocrity. The reward for his achievement was delayed. The article describes a true humanist's journey, discoveries, and his achievements that are largely unknown to date.

Prevalence, Diagnostic Features, And Medical Outcomes Of Females With Turner Syndrome With A Trisomy X Cell Line (45, X/47, Xxx): Results From The Insights Registry, Natalia Klamut, Samantha Bothwell, Alexandra E Carl, Vaneeta Bamba, Jennifer R Law, Wendy J Brickman, Karen O Klein, Roopa Kanakatti Shankar, Catherina T Pinnaro, Patricia Y Fechner, Siddharth K Prakash, Iris Gutmark-Little, Susan Howell, Nicole Tartaglia, Marybel Good, Kelly C Ranallo, Shanlee M Davis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Turner syndrome (TS) is defined by partial or complete absence of a sex chromosome. Little is known about the phenotype of individuals with TS mosaic with trisomy X (45,X/47,XXX or 45,X/46,XX/47,XXX) (~3% of TS). We compared the diagnostic, perinatal, medical, and neurodevelopmental comorbidities of mosaic 45,X/47,XXX (n = 35, 9.4%) with nonmosaic 45,X (n = 142) and mosaic 45,X/46,XX (n = 66). Females with 45,X/47,XXX had fewer neonatal concerns and lower prevalence of several TS-related diagnoses compared with 45,X; however the prevalence of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses were not different. Compared to females with 45,X/46,XX, the 45,X/47,XXX group was significantly …

Association Of Common And Rare Variants With Alzheimer’S Disease In More Than 13,000 Diverse Individuals With Whole-Genome Sequencing From The Alzheimer’S Disease Sequencing Project, Wan-Ping Lee, Seung Hoan Choi, Margaret G Shea, Po-Liang Cheng, Beth A Dombroski, Achilleas N Pitsillides, Nancy L Heard-Costa, Hui Wang, Katia Bulekova, Amanda B Kuzma, Yuk Yee Leung, John J Farrell, Honghuang Lin, Brian W Kunkle, Adam Naj, Elizabeth E Blue, Frederick Nusetor, Dongyu Wang, Eric Boerwinkle, William S Bush, Xiaoling Zhang, Philip L De Jager, Josée Dupuis, Lindsay A Farrer, Myriam Fornage, Eden Martin, Margaret Pericak-Vance, Sudha Seshadri, Ellen M Wijsman, Li-San Wang, Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project;, Gerard D Schellenberg, Anita L Destefano, Jonathan L Haines, Gina M Peloso

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common disorder of the elderly that is both highly heritable and genetically heterogeneous.

METHODS: We investigated the association of AD with both common variants and aggregates of rare coding and non-coding variants in 13,371 individuals of diverse ancestry with whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.

RESULTS: Pooled-population analyses of all individuals identified genetic variants at apolipoprotein E (APOE) and BIN1 associated with AD (p < 5 × 10

DISCUSSION: We observed that complementary pooled-population and subgroup-specific analyses offered unique insights into the genetic architecture of AD.

HIGHLIGHTS: We determine the association of genetic variants with Alzheimer's disease (AD) using …

Low Intensity Mechanical Signals Promote Proliferation In A Cell-Specific Manner: Tailoring A Non-Drug Strategy To Enhance Biomanufacturing Yields, M Ete Chan, Christopher Ashdown, Lia Strait, Sishir Pasumarthy, Abdullah Hassan, Steven Crimarco, Chanpreet Singh, Vihitaben S Patel, Gabriel Pagnotti, Omor Khan, Gunes Uzer, Clinton T Rubin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Biomanufacturing relies on living cells to produce biotechnology-based therapeutics, tissue engineering constructs, vaccines, and a vast range of agricultural and industrial products. With the escalating demand for these bio-based products, any process that could improve yields and shorten outcome timelines by accelerating cell proliferation would have a significant impact across the discipline. While these goals are primarily achieved using biological or chemical strategies, harnessing cell mechanosensitivity represents a promising - albeit less studied - physical pathway to promote bioprocessing endpoints, yet identifying which mechanical parameters influence cell activities has remained elusive. We tested the hypothesis that mechanical signals, delivered non-invasively …

Healthcare Disparities, Screening, And Molecular Testing In The Changing Landscape Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer In The United States: A Review, Razelle Kurzrock, Aadel A Chaudhuri, David Feller-Kopman, Narjust Florez, Jed Gorden, Ignacio I Wistuba

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Inequitable access to care continues to hinder improvements in diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. This review describes healthcare disparities in the changing landscape of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the United States, focusing on racial, ethnic, sex-based, and socioeconomic trends. Furthermore, strategies to address disparities, overcome challenges, and improve patient outcomes are proposed. Barriers exist across lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment regimens, varying by sex, age, race and ethnicity, geography, and socioeconomic status. Incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer are higher among Black men than White men, and incidences in young women are substantially greater than …

Whole Exome-Seq And Rna-Seq Data Reveal Unique Neoantigen Profiles In Kenyan Breast Cancer Patients, Godfrey Wagutu, John Gitau, Kennedy Mwangi, Mary Murithi, Elias Melly, Alexandra R. Harris, Shahin Sayed, Stefan Ambs, Francis Makokha

Pathology, East Africa

Background: The immune response against tumors relies on distinguishing between self and non-self, the basis of cancer immunotherapy. Neoantigens from somatic mutations are central to many immunotherapeutic strategies and understanding their landscape in breast cancer is crucial for targeted interventions. We aimed to profile neoantigens in Kenyan breast cancer patients using genomic DNA and total RNA from paired tumor and adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples of 23 patients.

Methods: We sequenced the genome-wide exome (WES) and RNA, from which somatic mutations were identified and their expression quantified, respectively. Neoantigen prediction focused on human leukocyte antigens (HLA) crucial to cancer, HLA type …

Development Of Novel Ionization Chambers For Reference Dosimetry In Electron Flash Radiotherapy, Kevin Liu, Shannon Holmes, Ahtesham Ullah Khan, Brian Hooten, Larry Dewerd, Emil Schüler, Sam Beddar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Reference dosimetry in ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) beamlines is significantly hindered by limitations in conventional ionization chamber design. In particular, conventional chambers suffer from severe charge collection efficiency (CCE) degradation in high dose per pulse (DPP) beams.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to optimize the design and performance of parallel plate ion chambers for use in UHDR dosimetry applications, and evaluate their potential as reference class chambers for calibration purposes. Three chamber designs were produced to determine the influence of the ion chamber response on electrode separation, field strength, and collection volume on the ion chamber response …

Association Of Late Eating With Colorectal Adenomas: A Cross-Sectional Study, Darbaz Adnan, Edena R Khoshaba, Mostafa Abel-Reheem, Jonathan Q Trinh, Yin Cao, Faraz Bishehsari

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is linked to lifestyle exposures. However, changes in the CRC rates among younger populations remain poorly understood and suggest the existence of yet unidentified factor(s) that may contribute to colon carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated the potential role of time of eating in the risk of pre-cancerous colonic neoplasms (tubular adenoma: TA).

Methods: We enrolled 663 participants undergoing screening colonoscopies. Data on food timing, dietary intake, sleep/wake patterns, and chronotype were collected through structured questionnaires. Late eating was defined as the consumption of food or snack within a 3-hour window of sleep onset for at least four …

Mimicking Large Spot-Scanning Radiation Fields For Proton Flash Preclinical Studies With A Robotic Motion Platform, Fada Guan, Dadi Jiang, Xiaochun Wang, Ming Yang, Kiminori Iga, Yuting Li, Lawrence Bronk, Julianna Bronk, Liang Wang, Youming Guo, Narayan Sahoo, David R Grosshans, Albert C Koong, Xiaorong R Zhu, Radhe Mohan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Previously, a synchrotron-based horizontal proton beamline (87.2 MeV) was successfully commissioned to deliver radiation doses in FLASH and conventional dose rate modes to small fields and volumes. In this study, we developed a strategy to increase the effective radiation field size using a custom robotic motion platform to automatically shift the positions of biological samples. The beam was first broadened with a thin tungsten scatterer and shaped by customized brass collimators for irradiating cell/organoid cultures in 96-well plates (a 7-mm-diameter circle) or for irradiating mice (1-cm

Impact Of The Adenosine Receptor A2br Expressed On Myeloid Cells On Immune Regulation During Pregnancy, Stefanie Dietz, Janine Hebel, Jessica Rühle, Alisha Huff, Holger K Eltzschig, Trim Lajqi, Christian F Poets, Christian Gille, Natascha Köstlin-Gille

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

During pregnancy, the maternal immune system must carefully balance protection against pathogens with tolerance toward the semiallogeneic fetus. Dysfunctions of the immune system can lead to severe complications such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, or pregnancy loss. Adenosine plays a role in physiological processes and plasma‐level increase during pregnancy. The adenosine receptor A2B (A2BR), which is expressed on both, immune and nonimmune cells, is activated by high adenosine concentrations, achieved during pregnancy. We investigated the impact of A2BR expressed on myeloid cells on immune regulation during pregnancy using a mouse model with myeloid deficiency for A2BR. We demonstrate systemic changes …

Defining Breast Cryoablation Treatment Success: A Guide For The Curative And Palliative Treatment Of Breast Cancer, Monica L Huang, Deanna L Lane, Lauren Q Chang Sen, Rosalind P Candelaria, Henry M Kuerer, Kelly K Hunt, Catherine Akay, Bora Lim, Simona Shaitelman, Rosa F Hwang, Hui Chen, Rajani Katta, Lumarie Santiago

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rationale and objectives: Recent ICE3 trial of breast cryoablation for breast cancer demonstrated 98% success rate, similar to breast-conserving surgery. However, ICE3 and other published studies did not differentiate curative from palliative treatment nor define patient-specific treatment objectives. We sought to define treatment success of curative and palliative breast cryoablation for breast cancer in meeting procedure objectives and patient-specific treatment objectives.

Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of breast cancer patients who underwent breast cryoablation during 2021-2024. Breast radiologists performed outpatient cryoablation using local anesthesia and argon gas cryoprobes under ultrasound or MRI guidance. Patient demographics, referral indications, …

Sleep Disturbances Based On Patient Reported Outcomes In Patients With Breast Cancer, Saadia A Faiz, Ashley S Knox, Bryan Fellman, Bibi Aneesah Jaumally, G Nancy Pacheco, Aneesa Das, Reeba Mathew, Rashmi Murthy, Jennifer K Litton, Diwakar D Balachandran, Lara Bashoura

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Sleep disturbances are common in patients with breast cancer, but comprehensive evaluations with patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and sleep evaluation with polysomnography (PSG) are lacking. This study describes sleep disruption using PROs and PSG to identify underlying sleep disorders.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients with breast cancer undergoing formal sleep evaluation from 4/1/2009 to 7/31/2014 was performed. Clinical characteristics, PROs using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and PSG data were reviewed.

Results: 404 patients were identified with 43% early, 30% locally advanced and 17% metastatic disease. PSQI revealed poor sleep in 75%, and ESS …

Surfactant Protein-C Regulates Alveolar Type 2 Epithelial Cell Lineages Via The Cd74 Receptor, Krishan G Jain, Yang Liu, Runzhen Zhao, Preeti J Muire, Nan-Miles Xi, Hong-Long Ji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Deficiency of surfactant protein-C (SPC) increases susceptibility to lung infections and injury, and suppressed expression of SPC has been associated with the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Alveolar type 2 epithelial cells (AT2) are critical for maintenance and repair of the lung. However, the role of the SPC in the regulation of AT2 cell lineage and the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood.

Methods: This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which SPC regulates AT2 lineages. Sftpc-/- mice were used to model the SPC deficiency in ARDS patients. We utilized three-dimensional (3D) organoids to compare AT2 …

Redox Regulation Of Proteostasis, Long Duy Duong, James D West, Kevin A Morano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Oxidants produced through endogenous metabolism or encountered in the environment react directly with reactive sites in biological macromolecules. Many proteins, in particular, are susceptible to oxidative damage, which can lead to their altered structure and function. Such structural and functional changes trigger a cascade of events that influence key components of the proteostasis network. Here, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of how cells respond to the challenges of protein folding and metabolic alterations that occur during oxidative stress. Immediately after an oxidative insult, cells selectively block the translation of most new proteins and shift molecular chaperones from folding …

Evaluating Novel In Silico Tools For Accurate Pathogenicity Classification In Epilepsy-Associated Genetic Missense Variants, Ludovica Montanucci, Tobias Brünger, Christian M Boßelmann, Alina Ivaniuk, Eduardo Pérez-Palma, Samden Lhatoo, Costin Leu, Dennis Lal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Determining the pathogenicity of missense variants in clinical genetic tests for individuals with epilepsy is crucial for guiding personalized treatment. However, achieving a definitive pathogenic classification remains challenging, with most missense variants still classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS) and with the availability of many computational tools which may provide conflicting predictions. Here, we aim to evaluate the performance of state-of-the-art computational tools in pathogenicity prediction of missense variants in epilepsy-associated genes. This will assist in selecting the most appropriate tool and critically assess their use in clinical setting.

Methods: We assessed the performance of nine in silico …

Therapeutic Perspectives For Prion Diseases In Humans And Animals, Rebeca Benavente, Rodrigo Morales

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.