Digital Commons Network^™

The Present And Future Of Ai: Ethical Issues And Research Opportunities, Ankita Srivastava, Marco Marabelli, Danielle Blanch-Hartigan, Jeffrey Moriarty, Evan Carey

Computer Information Systems Faculty Publications

Healthcare is currently a fast-changing industry with AI and generative AI (GenAI) playing a prominent role in the transformation of clinical as well as managerial practices. Clinical practices involve AI to diagnose diseases and develop new drugs and compounds, while managerial practices concern AI-supporting processes such as billing patients and insurance companies, handling electronic medical records, and supporting remote connections with patients, increasingly using virtual and augmented reality. Yet, all these opportunities offered by AI come with challenges involving potential ethical issues, such as discrimination, bias, lack of accessibility, and privacy issues. In March 2024, we organized a panel with …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Intrapartum Azithromycin To Prevent Maternal Infection, Sepsis, Or Death In Low-Income And Middle-Income Countries: A Modelling Analysis Of Data From A Randomised, Multicentre, Placebo-Controlled Trial, Jackie K. Patterson, Simon Neuwahl, Sydney Kirsch, Janet L. Moore, Alan T.N. Tita, Waldemar A. Carlo, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Musaku Mwenechanya, Elwyn Chomba, Avinash Kavi, Mrityunjay C. Metgud, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Richard J. Derman, Poonam Shivkumar, Manju Waikar, Archana Patel, Patricia L. Hibberd, Paul Nyongesa, Fabian Esamai, Osa A. Ekhaguere, Sherri Bucher, Saleem Jessani, Shiyam S. Tikmani, Sarah Saleem, Blair J. Wylie, Robert L. Goldenberg, Sk Masum Billah, Ruth Lennox, Rashidul Haque, William A. Petri, Manolo Mazariegos, Nancy F. Krebs, Jennifer J. Hemingway-Foday, Denise Babineau, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Melissa Bauserman

Global Health Articles

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality globally. In 2023, the Azithromycin Prevention in Labor Use (A-PLUS) trial showed intrapartum azithromycin for women planning a vaginal birth reduced the risk of maternal sepsis or death and infection. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of intrapartum azithromycin for pregnant people planning a vaginal birth in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) using A-PLUS trial data.

METHODS: We compared the benefits and costs of intrapartum azithromycin versus standard care across 100 000 model simulations using data from the A-PLUS trial and a probabilistic decision tree model that included 24 …

Critical Appraisal Of Multidrug Therapy In The Ambulatory Management Of Patients With Covid-19 And Hypoxemia. Part Ii: Causal Inference Using The Bradford Hill Criteria, Eleftherios Gkioulekas, Peter A. Mccullough, Colleen Aldous

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

We continue the critical appraisal of three published case series of 119 COVID-19 patients with hypoxemia, treated in the United States, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria with similar ivermectin-based multidrug treatments, to assess the available evidence supporting a causal relationship between treatment and reduction in hospitalizations and mortality. A narrative review was conducted to assess the Bradford Hill criteria for a causal association. We used a previously proposed refinement of the Bradford Hill criteria that reorganized them into three categories of direct, mechanistic, and parallel evidence. The efficacy of the two most aggressive ivermectin-based multidrug protocols is supported by the Bradford Hill …

Spatial And Seasonal Dynamics Of Mosquito Species In Harris County, Texas, Highlight Risk Of Arbovirus Introduction And Transmission, Morgan Jibowu, Maximea Vigilant, Andre Luis Costa-Da-Silva, Alisa Nelson, Heather T Essigmann, Eric L Brown, Sarah M Gunter

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant public health threat, particularly in densely populated urban areas. Climate change, urbanization, and global connectivity have fueled the expansion of mosquitoes and their associated pathogens, increasing the disease burden. Harris County, Texas, is among the most vulnerable regions in the United States for mosquito-borne disease outbreaks, underscoring the critical need for localized insights into mosquito population dynamics to inform vector surveillance and control strategies. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the population dynamics of mosquito species in Harris County by exploring their species composition, spatial distribution, and seasonal patterns. Our findings reveal the extensive …

Care Guided By Tissue Oxygenation And Haemodynamic Monitoring In Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (Bottomline-Cs): Assessor Blind, Single Centre, Randomised Controlled Trial, Jiange Han, Wenqian Zhai, Zhenhua Wu, Zhao Zhang, Tao Wang, Min Ren, Ziyue Liu, Daniel I Sessler, Zhigang Guo, Lingzhong Meng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To assess whether perioperative management guided by near-infrared spectroscopy to determine tissue oxygen saturation and haemodynamic monitoring reduces postoperative complications after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Design: Assessor blinded, single centre, randomised controlled trial (Bottomline-CS trial).

Setting: A tertiary teaching hospital in China.

Participants: 1960 patients aged 60 years or older who were scheduled for elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Interventions: All patients had multisite monitoring of tissue oxygen saturation (bilateral forehead and unilateral forearm brachioradialis) and haemodynamic monitoring. Both groups received usual care, including arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, electrocardiography, and transoesophageal echocardiography when indicated. Guided …

Value-Based Healthcare Reimagined: A Mixed-Methods Study On Behavioral Health Clinicians' Perspectives, Amanda L. Strickland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores how behavioral health clinicians perceive Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC), a model designed by Porter and Teisberg (2006) to improve outcomes relative to costs. While widely promoted in healthcare reform, VBHC poses unique challenges when applied to behavioral health settings. Using an explanatory mixed-methods design, this study first assessed clinicians’ awareness of VBHC through a survey of 23 licensed clinicians at a Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) in Colorado. Quantitative findings revealed that one-third of participants were aware of VBHC with awareness differing by role prompting further exploration in a qualitative phase. Semi-structured interviews with eight clinicians provided deeper …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The United States Higher Education System, Phoenix Daniel Van Wormer

University Honors Theses

In the spring of 2020, colleges across the United States rapidly transitioned to online/remote learning during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Since then, online and remote learning have evolved into an integral component of higher education. This thesis examines the extent to which COVID-19-mandated remote and online learning impacted students pursuing higher education in the United States. By utilizing research that compares academic structures before and after the pandemic, I demonstrate how the shift to online and remote learning has changed teaching and learning methods. I also evaluate the impact of these changes on student performance and engagement, with particular focus …

The Importance Of Recruitment Of Low-Income Pregnant Persons In Interdisciplinary Research To Understand The Impact Of Social And Environmental Determinants: Lessons Learned About Implementation And Recruitment, Erika R. Marquez, Amanda Haboush-Deloye, Elizabeth M. Lawrence, Selam Ayele, Courtney Coughenour, Nora Doyle, Wynona Dizon, Lizbeth Perez Rodriguez, Chloe Bombara

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: Prior research indicates that enrolling underrepresented populations in clinical research is challenging. Although research has identified some barriers to participation and strategies to overcome them, studies have made little progress in being inclusive and representative. There remains a great need for including racial/ethnic minorities, low-income families, and pregnant women in research. The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation of enrollment strategies used in our study to understand the feasibility of building a maternal cohort and better understand the relationship between environmental and social impacts on maternal exposure and child outcomes.

Methods: Working across multiple academic units, …

Racial And Ethnic Inequalities In Actual Vs Nearest Delivery Hospitals, Nansi S. Boghossian, Lucy T. Greenberg, Jeffrey S. Buzas, Joshua Radack, Molly Passarella, Jeannette Rogowski, George R. Saade, Ciaran S. Phibbs, Scott A. Lorch

Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Minoritized racial and ethnic groups, such as American Indian and Black individuals, often receive lower quality health care compared with White individuals. There is limited understanding of how these disparities extend to obstetric care, particularly when comparing the quality of care at the actual delivery hospital vs the nearest obstetric hospital based on the birthing individual’s residence. OBJECTIVE To examine inequality in care based on the actual delivery hospital and the closest delivery hospital to the birthing individual’s residential zip code centroid. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This population-based retrospective cohort study used data from 5 states (2008 to 2020 …

Rare Damaging Ccr2 Variants Are Associated With Lower Lifetime Cardiovascular Risk, Marios K Georgakis, Rainer Malik, Omar El Bounkari, Natalie R Hasbani, Jiang Li, Jennifer E Huffman, Gabrielle Shakt, Reinier W P Tack, Tamara N Kimball, Yaw Asare, Alanna C Morrison, Noah L Tsao, Renae Judy, Braxton D Mitchell, Huichun Xu, May E Montasser, Ron Do, Eimear E Kenny, Ruth J F Loos, James G Terry, John Jeffrey Carr, Joshua C Bis, Bruce M Psaty, W T Longstreth, Kendra A Young, Sharon M Lutz, Michael H Cho, Jai Broome, Alyna T Khan, Fei Fei Wang, Nancy Heard-Costa, Sudha Seshadri, Ramachandran S Vasan, Nicholette D Palmer, Barry I Freedman, Donald W Bowden, Lisa R Yanek, Brian G Kral, Lewis C Becker, Patricia A Peyser, Lawrence F Bielak, Farah Ammous, April P Carson, Michael E Hall, Laura M Raffield, Stephen S Rich, Wendy S Post, Russel P Tracy, Kent D Taylor, Xiuqing Guo, Michael C Mahaney, Joanne E Curran, John Blangero, Shoa L Clarke, Jeffrey W Haessler, Yao Hu, Themistocles L Assimes, Charles Kooperberg, Jürgen Bernhagen, Christopher D Anderson, Scott M Damrauer, Ramin Zand, Jerome I Rotter, Paul S De Vries, Martin Dichgans

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Previous work has shown a role of CCL2, a key chemokine governing monocyte trafficking, in atherosclerosis. However, it remains unknown whether targeting CCR2, the cognate receptor of CCL2, provides protection against human atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

METHODS: Computationally predicted damaging or loss-of-function (REVEL > 0.5) variants within CCR2 were detected in whole-exome-sequencing data from 454,775 UK Biobank participants and tested for association with cardiovascular endpoints in gene-burden tests. Given the key role of CCR2 in monocyte mobilization, variants associated with lower monocyte count were prioritized for experimental validation. The response to CCL2 of human cells transfected with these variants was tested …

Antimicrobial Performance Of A Novel Drug-Eluting Bioenvelope, Zerelda Esquer Garrigos, Sunil Kapur, Michelle Leroux Williams, M Rizwan Sohail

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Grounded In Touch: The Science Behind Anxiety Relief And Human Connection, Misty Rhoads Ph.D. Czb, Mary Murphy M.A., Lmt, Czb, Mary L. Behrens Pt, Czb, Rhonda Salvo Pt, Czb, Sarah-Elizabeth Anderson Lmt, Czb, Clare Gowen Pt, Czb, Dawn Humbles Lsh, Czb, Veronica Quarry Pt, Czb, Deborah Rosene Ph.D., Czb, Wendy Tribelhorn Lmt, Czb, Jared Urcheck L.Ac, Czb, Deanna Waggy Otr, Czb

Journal of Transformative Touch

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most pervasive mental health challenges worldwide, affecting individuals across all demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds. As a leading contributor to disability and diminished quality of life, anxiety continues to rise in prevalence, exacerbated by global crises and societal stressors. This study explored how Zero Balancing (ZB) supports individuals with anxiety. Researchers hypothesized that ZB would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and reduce perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: A concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design was utilized to honor the holistic nature of bodywork and explore participants' lived experiences. This national study involved 320 ZB sessions …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And The Impact Of Resiliency On Child Behavior: A Quality Improvement Project, Macy Kraft

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences can have a significant impact on a person’s future health and wellness. Therefore, it is necessary for healthcare professionals to increase their understanding of possible mediating factors to lessen the impact of these experiences should they occur.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence-based quality improvement initiative designed to enhance the formal behavioral assessments of pre-school children following the participation of their caregivers in an ACEs and resiliency educational intervention.

Methods: Implementation of a two-armed intervention; a brief educational session aimed at providing an introduction to ACEs and a …

The Relationship Between Sexual Orientation, Anxiety, And Mental Health Access With Suicidal Ideation Among Veterans, Winsome R. Ashley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior studies have examined the connection between minority sexual orientation (MSO) and mental health; however, very little is known about the effect among veterans. The objective of this cross-sectional quantitative study aimed to determine the relationship between veteran status, sexual orientation, anxiety levels, access to mental health services, and suicidal ideation among veterans. More specifically, it addressed if veteran status modifies the association between anxiety and suicidal ideation, if marital status modifies the association between mental health care access and suicidal ideation, and if veteran status modifies the association between sexual orientation and suicidal ideation after controlling for age, gender, …

A Brief Commentary On Human-Ai Attachment And Possible Impacts On Family Dynamics, Brandon T. Mcdaniel Phd, Amanda Coupe, Allison Weston, Jessica A. Pater

Health Services and Informatics Research

Objective: In this brief commentary article, we outline an emerging idea that it may be possible that as Conversational Artificial Intelligence (CAI) becomes a part of an individual’s environment and interacts with them their attachment system may become activated, potentially leading to behaviors—such as seeking out the CAI to feel safe in times of stress—that have typically been reserved for human-to-human attachment relationships. We term this attachmentlike behavior, but future work must determine if these behaviors are driven by a Human-AI attachment or something else entirely. Background: CAI is an emerging technical advancement that is the cornerstone of many everyday …

Gender Differences In Weight Perceptions And Intentions Among Hispanic Youth In The United States, Kristy Gregurek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is a global epidemic and a serious issue for children and adolescents in the United States. Despite recognition of its dangers, obesity remains a public health concern, with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to its prevalence. Of particular concern is the higher obesity rates among Hispanic children, who face disproportionately significant psychological and physical health risks. Using the theory of planned behavior, this study aimed to investigate the lack of knowledge regarding gender differences in weight perceptions and intentions, the relationship between physical activity and weight perception, and the role each may play in obesity among Hispanic …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Perinatal Depression And Anxiety Among Pregnant And Parenting Adolescents In The Tampa Bay Area Of Florida, Olajumoke Adetoun Ojeleye

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal depression (PND) and perinatal anxiety (PNA) are increasing among pregnant and parenting adolescents (PPAs), with PNA often underrecognized. This leads to significant socioeconomic costs and adverse maternal consequences if untreated. Hence, this dissertation explores the experiences of PND and PNA among PPAs, focusing on their knowledge gaps, perception, mental health needs, care preferences, and access to PMH care. The research employs a qualitative design (free-listing and in-depth interviews) to gather participant insights. Key findings reveal that many PPAs possess limited knowledge about PNA when compared to PND. Lack of support from partners, family, and peers emerged as the topmost …

Author Correction: Generation Of A Tree Shrew Breast Cancer Model Using Lentivirus Expressing Pik3ca-H1047r, Li Zeng, Hong-Yan Zhang, Chuan-Yu Yang, Zhuo Cheng, Qiu-Yun Jiang, Yao Luo, Yi Li, Fu-Bing Li, Ce-Shi Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

The Autophagy Protein Atg14 Safeguards Against Unscheduled Pyroptosis Activation To Enable Embryo Transport During Early Pregnancy, Pooja Popli, Arin K Oestreich, Vineet K Maurya, Marina N Rowen, Yong Zhang, Michael J Holtzman, Ramya Masand, John P Lydon, Shizuo Akira, Kelle Moley, Ramakrishna Kommagani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Recurrent pregnancy loss, characterized by two or more failed clinical pregnancies, poses a significant challenge to reproductive health. In addition to embryo quality and endometrial function, proper oviduct function is also essential for successful pregnancy establishment. Therefore, structural abnormalities or inflammation resulting from infection in the oviduct may impede the transport of embryos to the endometrium, thereby increasing the risk of miscarriage. However, our understanding of the biological processes that preserve the oviductal cellular structure and functional integrity is limited. Here, we report that autophagy-related protein ATG14 plays a crucial role in maintaining the cellular integrity of the oviduct by …

Emerging Clostridioides Difficile Ribotypes Have Divergent Metabolic Phenotypes, Firas S Midani, Heather A Danhof, Nathanael Mathew, Colleen K Ardis, Kevin W Garey, Jennifer K Spinler, Robert A Britton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Clostridioides difficile is a gram-positive spore-forming pathogen that commonly causes diarrheal infections in the developed world. Although C. difficile is a genetically diverse species, certain ribotypes are overrepresented in human infections, and it is unclear if metabolic adaptations are essential for the emergence of these epidemic ribotypes. To identify ribotype-specific metabolic differences, we therefore tested carbon substrate utilization by 88 C. difficile isolates and looked for differences in growth between 22 ribotypes. As expected, C. difficile was capable of growing on a variety of carbon substrates. Further, C. difficile strains clustered by phylogenetic relationship and displayed ribotype-specific and clade-specific …

Effects Of Exercise On Inflammation, Circulating Tumor Cells, And Circulating Tumor Dna In Colorectal Cancer, Justin C. Brown, Stephanie L. Compton, Andrew Kang, Anjana Jayaraman, L Anne Gilmore, Brian J. Kirby, Frank L. Greenway, Shengping Yang, Guillaume Spielmann

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The biological mechanisms by which postdiagnosis physical activity improves disease-free survival in colorectal cancer survivors remain incompletely understood. This trial tested the hypothesis that 12 wk of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, when compared with a control group, would change inflammation, CTCs, and ctDNA in a manner consistent with an improved cancer prognosis. METHODS: This trial randomized Stages I-III colorectal cancer survivors to 12 wk of home-based moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or a waitlist control group. The co-primary endpoints were high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), secondary endpoints were soluble tumor necrosis factor-α receptor 2 (sTNFαR2) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs), …

Exploring Profiles Of Fathers Integrating Food And Physical Activity Parenting Practices, John A Jimenez-Garcia, Louise C Mâsse, Robert L Newton, Salma M Musaad, Alicia Beltran, Teresia M O'Connor

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: This study aims to identify fathers' profiles integrating food parenting practices (FPP) and physical activity parenting practices (PAPP).

Design: We analysed cross-sectional data. The fathers completed the reduced FPP and PAPP item banks and socio-demographic and family dynamics (co-parenting and household responsibility) questionnaires. We identified fathers' profiles via latent profile analysis. We explored the influence of social determinants, child characteristics and family dynamics on fathers' profiles using multinomial logistic regression.

Setting: Online survey in the USA.

Participants: Fathers of 5-11-year-old children.

Results: We analysed data from 606 fathers (age = 38 ± 8·0; Hispanic = 37·5 %). Most fathers …

Cracking The Code Of Hbv Persistence: Cutting-Edge Approaches To Targeting Cccdna In Chronic Hepatitis B With Or Without Pyogenic Liver Abscesses, Umar Saeed, Zahra Zahid Piracha, Mahmood Khan, Muhammad Nouman Tariq, Syed Shahan Gilani, Muhammad Raza, Rakshana Munuswamy, Naveen Bose, Dilber Uzun Ozsahin, Ilker Özşahin, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection remains a formidable global health challenge, driving severe liver complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA). At the core of HBV persistence lies covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), a viral reservoir that fuels ongoing infection despite antiviral treatments. This review highlights molecular mechanisms governing cccDNA formation, maintenance, and clearance, spotlighting innovative therapeutic strategies to disrupt this key viral element. We explore cutting-edge approaches, including epigenetic modulation to silence cccDNA, RNA interference (RNAi) for viral RNA degradation, and CRISPR/Cas genome editing to excise cccDNA directly. Additionally, emerging antiviral therapies and immunotherapies, …

Fighting Instinct: The Brain, Emotions And Decision-Making In The Water, Jill Nash, Sam Hills

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This conceptual paper explores the complex interplay among the human brain, emotions, and decision-making processes, particularly in aquatic environments. Integrating insights from neuroscience, psychology, and behavioural economics, we investigate how instinctual responses and emotional states influence our decisions during water-related activities. By analysing both biological and psychological factors, the paper aims to illuminate the intricacies of human behaviour in various aquatic settings and highlights significant gaps in the research on emotional decision-making that warrant further investigation. Additionally, the paper suggests interventions, including plausible communication strategies, to mitigate the impact of instinctual responses and improve safety and decision-making efficiency.

Precision Phenotyping For Curating Research Cohorts Of Patients With Unexplained Post-Acute Sequelae Of Covid-19, Alaleh Azhir, Jonas Hügel, Jiazi Tian, Jingya Cheng, Ingrid V Bassett, Douglas S Bell, Elmer V Bernstam, Maha R Farhat, Darren W Henderson, Emily S Lau, Michele Morris, Yevgeniy R Semenov, Virginia A Triant, Shyam Visweswaran, Zachary H Strasser, Jeffrey G Klann, Shawn N Murphy, Hossein Estiri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Scalable identification of patients with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is challenging due to a lack of reproducible precision phenotyping algorithms, which has led to suboptimal accuracy, demographic biases, and underestimation of the PASC.

METHODS: In a retrospective case-control study, we developed a precision phenotyping algorithm for identifying cohorts of patients with PASC. We used longitudinal electronic health records data from over 295,000 patients from 14 hospitals and 20 community health centers in Massachusetts. The algorithm employs an attention mechanism to simultaneously exclude sequelae that prior conditions can explain and include infection-associated chronic conditions. We performed independent chart reviews …

Understanding Hereditary Breast And Ovarian Cancer Syndrome In Black/African American Women: Implications For Equitable Outcomes And Interventions, Alexandria E. Fletcher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black/African American women face significant health disparities in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) due to systemic barriers to genetic counseling and testing, leading to poorer survival outcomes. Guided by the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) framework and Intersectionality Theory, this quantitative descriptive study examined disparities in access to genetic services, socioeconomic barriers, and healthcare biases. Data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) included 1,357 Black/African American and White women aged 25–65 with a family history of HBOC. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) dataset analyzed 15,684 Black/African American and 105,547 White women with breast cancer, …

Functional Characterization Of Cryopreserved Plasmodium Yoelii Sporozoites In Vitro, Victoria I. Mills

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a major global health burden, contributing to morbidity and mortality across various continents. Due to challenges in malaria research and its advancements, developing novel interventions and further understanding host-parasite interactions is required for future studies. Plasmodium vivax is a human malaria species that is difficult to maintain in laboratory settings, posing obstacles in research. Cryopreservation offers a reliable method to provide a consistent supply of sporozoites for reproducible studies. Plasmodium yoelii is a rodent malaria model commonly used in studies due to its genetic similarity to human malaria species. Utilizing cryopreserved P. yoelii sporozoites potentially extends their usability …

Associations Of Sociodemographic, Clinical Factors And Hla-B Alleles With Enthesitis And Peripheral Arthritis In Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis, Benjamin Sornrung Naovarat, Lianne Gensler, Michael Ward, Mark Hwang, Amirali Tahanan, Mohammad Hossein Rahbar, Mariko Ishimori, Minjae Lee, Matthew A Brown, Michael H Weisman, John D Reveille

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Factors associated with peripheral arthritis and enthesitis, especially Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis, were examined in a longitudinal cohort of 1075 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (also known as radiographic axial spondyloarthritis).

Methods: Patients were derived from the Prospective Study of Outcomes in Ankylosing Spondylitis cohort. Disease activity and functional indices, as well as physical examination and medications used, were measured at every study visit. Univariable and multivariable analyses of the association of peripheral arthritis and enthesitis with clinical, sociodemographic factors were performed. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B alleles were analysed by single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis.

Results: Those with peripheral …

Control Of Clostridioides Difficile Virulence And Physiology By The Flagellin Homeostasis Checkpoint Flic-Fliw-Csra In The Absence Of Motility, Duolong Zhu, Katherine J Wozniak, Firas Midani, Shaohui Wang, Xingmin Sun, Robert A Britton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mutations affecting Clostridioides difficile flagellin (FliC) have been shown to be hypervirulent in animal models and display increased toxin production and alterations in central metabolism. The regulation of flagellin levels in bacteria is governed by a tripartite regulatory network involving fliC, fliW, and csrA, which creates a feedback system to regulate flagella production. Through genomic analysis of C. difficile clade 5 strains (non-motile), we identified they have jettisoned many of the genes required for flagellum biosynthesis yet retain the major flagellin gene fliC and regulatory gene fliW. We therefore investigated the roles of fliC, fliW …

Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Compared With Standard Care In Adolescents And Young Adults With Sickle Cell Disease, Mark C Walters, Mary Eapen, Yiwen Liu, Fuad El Rassi, Edmund K Waller, John E Levine, John J Strouse, Joseph H Antin, Suhag H Parikh, Nitya Bakshi, Carlton Dampier, Jennifer J Jaroscak, Shayla Bergmann, Trisha Wong, Vamsi Kota, Betty Pace, Lazaros J Lekakis, Premal Lulla, Robert S Nickel, Kimberly A Kasow, Uday Popat, Wally Smith, Lolie Yu, Nancy Difronzo, Nancy Geller, Naynesh Kamani, Elizabeth S Klings, Kathryn Hassell, Adam Mendizabal, Keith Sullivan, Donna Neuberg, Lakshmanan Krishnamurti

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Disease-modifying therapies are standard of care (SOC) for sickle cell disease (SCD), but hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has curative potential. We compared outcomes prospectively through 2 years after biologic assignment to a donor or no donor (SOC) arm based on the availability of an HLA-matched sibling or unrelated donor (BMT CTN 1503). A donor search was commenced after eligibility confirmation. The primary end point was a comparison of survival between the treatment arms 2 years after biologic assignment. Power calculations required 60 participants in the donor arm and 140 in the no donor arm to determine if early transplant-related mortality …