Digital Commons Network^™

Circulating Tumor Hpv Dna, Antibodies To Hpv16 Early Proteins, And Oral Hpv16 Dna As Biomarkers For Hpv-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer Screening, Kristina R Dahlstrom, Andrew T Day, Victor M Alvarez, Samantha R Chirinos, Giselle Santillana, Ming Guo, Karen S Anderson, Erich M Sturgis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Oropharyngeal cancer rates continue to rise with no effective screening method. Persistent oral oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV), antibodies to HPV16 early (E) oncoproteins, and circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) are biomarkers that show promise for use in HPV-related cancer screening.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of biomarkers for HPV-related cancer and their agreement in middle-aged men.

Methods: Men aged 50–64 years from the general population provided oral rinse and blood samples as well as information about demographics, tobacco/alcohol exposure, sexual behavior, and HPV-related disease history. Oral rinse was tested for HPV16 DNA and plasma was tested for HPV16 E …

Healthcare Utilization Unchanged In The Control Arm Of A Randomized Clinical Trial, Pratik Gongloor, Saad Nadeem, Xiaoying Yu, Mukaila Raji, Kristina D Mena, Elizabeth M Vaughan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

including among control groups. Increased access to care and heightened health awareness during trial enrollment could lead to altered behaviors, a phenomenon known as the Hawthorne effect, which may obscure true intervention impacts; however, this effect remains poorly studied in low-income environments.

Aim: To conduct a secondary exploratory analysis of healthcare utilization among control participants of a randomized clinical trial (RCT).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed electronic medical records from the control arm (n = 26) of an RCT involving low-income Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes receiving care at a community clinic. Before randomization to a 12-month diabetes education intervention …

Predictive Equation Derived From 6,497 Doubly Labelled Water Measurements Enables The Detection Of Erroneous Self-Reported Energy Intake, Rania Bajunaid, Chaoqun Niu, Catherine Hambly, Zongfang Liu, Yosuke Yamada, Heliodoro Aleman-Mateo, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issad Baddou, Linda Bandini, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Carlijn V C Bouten, Soren Brage, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G J A Camps, Regina Casper, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Peter S W Davies, Prasangi Dabare, Lara R Dugas, Simon Eaton, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Melanie Gillingham, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Hinke H Haisma, Daniel Hoffman, Marije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Rebecca Kuriyan, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, Pulani Lanerolle, Christel L Larsson, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Marie Löf, Corby K Martin, Eric Matsiko, Anine C Medin, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Aviva Must, Marian L Neuhouser, Theresa A Nicklas, Christine D Nyström, Robert M Ojiambo, Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L Prentice, Susan B Racette, David A Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, Leanne M Redman, John J Reilly, Rebecca Reynolds, Susan B Roberts, Dulani Samaranayakem, Luis B Sardinha, Analiza M Silva, Anders M Sjödin, Marina Stamatiou, Eric Stice, Samuel S Urlacher, Ludo M Van Etten, Edgar G A H Van Mil, George Wilson, Jack A Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J Murphy-Alford, Srishti Sinha, Cornelia U Loechl, Amy H Luke, Herman Pontzer, Jennifer Rood, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Dale A Schoeller, Klaas R Westerterp, William W Wong, John R Speakman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Nutritional epidemiology aims to link dietary exposures to chronic disease, but the instruments for evaluating dietary intake are inaccurate. One way to identify unreliable data and the sources of errors is to compare estimated intakes with the total energy expenditure (TEE). In this study, we used the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water Database to derive a predictive equation for TEE using 6,497 measures of TEE in individuals aged 4 to 96 years. The resultant regression equation predicts expected TEE from easily acquired variables, such as body weight, age and sex, with 95% predictive limits that can be used …

Gut Microbial Community Structure Of The Adult Citrus Root Weevil Diaprepes Abbreviatus, Imilce A Rodriguez-Fernandez, Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez, Paola G Figueroa-Pratts, Keislamarí Cintrón-Berríos, Nichole D Rodriguez-Cornier, Gary A Toranzos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Diaprepes abbreviatus is an agricultural pest known to affect around 270 plant species across the Caribbean and the United States, posing significant challenges to pest management. Chemical control dominates management, but environmental and health concerns motivate microbiome-informed alternatives. However, limited information exists on the gut anatomy, physicochemical environment, and microbial composition of D. abbreviatus. In this study, we provide the first comprehensive characterization of the gut morphology, pH, and microbiota of adult D. abbreviatus in both females and males collected in Puerto Rico. Using dye-based gut tracing, we identified foregut, midgut, and hindgut or posterior gut compartments, and confirmed the …

Age-Related Variations In Hba1c Improvemecnts: Insights From A Telehealth-Supported Community-Based Intervention, Laura Porterfield, Xiaoying Yu, Amber B Amspoker, Craig A Johnston, Aanand D Naik, Salim S Virani, Christie M Ballantyne, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Elizabeth M Vaughan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: We previously demonstrated that a telehealth-supported community health worker (CHW) intervention significantly improved clinical outcomes in diabetes care. However, the extent to which these benefits vary across different age groups remains unclear. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a CHW-led multidimensional diabetes intervention in reducing HbA1c across age groups.

Research design and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 10 studies (n = 301) that focused on low-income Hispanic adults with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. The intervention included CHW-participant coaching via mobile Health (mHealth), monthly CHW-led group education, and bidirectional mHealth feedback among …

Percutaneous Stenting As Treatment For Chylothorax From Superior Vena Cava Syndrome: A Case Report, Arta Kasaeian, Taylor Hoffman, Mohammad Ghasemi Rad, David Wynne, David Léon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Superior vena cava syndrome is a condition that results from obstruction of the superior vena cava, the etiology of which can be benign or malignant. The impaired venous return can cause facial and upper extremity swelling, dyspnea, and neurologic symptoms. Chylothorax is a rare complication of superior vena cava syndrome. We report a case of a 69-year-old male with end-stage renal disease, who developed both a chylothorax and a contralateral simple pleural effusion secondary to superior vena cava syndrome. He was successfully treated with percutaneous endovascular stenting.

Increasing Surgical Healthcare Utilization For Infants With Congenital Anomalies In Texas, Bea B Jeon, Sarah Peiffer, Shannon M Larabee, Kathleen Hosek, Dailen Alonso, Timothy C Lee, Sundeep G Keswani, Alice King

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Congenital anomalies (CAs) impact 3% of live births and account for disproportionately high healthcare costs. While many CAs require multidisciplinary care and surgical intervention, the overall financial impact of infants diagnosed with CA with surgical needs is unknown. We aim to evaluate and characterize the charges of care in infants with CA and surgical needs in Texas.

Methods: A database study using the Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File was performed to query infants (< 365 days) statewide from 1/2021 to 12/2021 for admissions with CA and involved organ system by ICD-10 codes. Encounters transferred to an outside hospital were excluded to avoid systematic double-counting. Descriptive statistics were performed.

Results: Of 376,215 total admissions, 81,666 had surgical needs with OR charges. While non-CA represent the majority of surgical admissions (63,895/81,666; 78.24%), CA-surgical admissions …

Toward Precision Longevity: Aging Interventions In The Single-Cell Atlas Era, Jason B Chen, Miranda C Wang, Shangyu Gong, Hongjie Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

With growing global interest in extending not only lifespan but also healthspan, healthy aging has emerged as a central goal in biomedical research. This review provides an overview of current longevity interventions, including genetic manipulations, dietary restriction, exercise, pharmacological treatments, targeting senescence and cellular reprogramming strategies, as studied in key model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and Mus musculus. We examine the limitations and challenges associated with these approaches, particularly their variability across tissues and cell types. Furthermore, we emphasize the critical role of single-cell aging atlas technologies in uncovering cell-type–specific aging patterns and molecular …

Diagnostic Delay In Type I Autoimmune Pancreatitis: Clinical, Imaging, Endoscopic And Histologic Predictors Of Timely Diagnosis, Andres Urias Rivera, Travis Josephs, Shilpa Jain, Wasseem Skef, Tara Keihanian, Salmaan Jawaid, Wasif Abidi, Kalpesh Patel, Mohamed O Othman, Fares Ayoub

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) can be challenging due to nonspecific symptoms, low sensitivity of serologic markers, and some overlap in presentation with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We aimed to quantify delays in the diagnosis of AIP and identify factors associated with diagnostic delay.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study between 2013 and 2023 of adult patients diagnosed with type 1 AIP based on HISORt criteria. Patients were compared to a randomly selected group of controls with PDAC. Data on clinical presentation, lab results, imaging, procedures, and initial treatment regimen were collected. Timing to diagnosis and predictive …

Prospective Multicenter Longitudinal Measurement Of Liver Stiffness In School-Age Children With Cholestatic Liver Disease, Benjamin L Shneider, Nathan P Goodrich, Wen Ye, Jean P Molleston, Daniel H Leung, Ronald J Sokol, Laurel Cavallo, Kasper Wang, Pamela L Valentino, Jeffery H Teckman, James E Squires, Shikha S Sundaram, Philip Rosenthal, Rene Romero, Alexander G Miethke, Kathleen M Loomes, Rohit Kohli, Saul J Karpen, Binita M Kamath, M Kyle Jensen, Jorge A Bezerra, Lee M Bass, John C Magee, Children

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and aims: A multicenter prospective longitudinal study of vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) in school-age children with biliary atresia (BA), alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (a1-AT) and Alagille syndrome (ALGS) was undertaken to test the hypothesis that there would be measurable disease progression over 2 years.

Methods: Vibration-controlled transient elastography was performed annually for 2 years in children with BA, a1-AT and ALGS.

Results: Valid liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was determined at baseline/second follow-up in 254/180 (71%), 104/58 (56%) and 100/61 (61%) participants (mean elapsed time 2.27 years) with BA, a1-AT and ALGS, respectively. Modeling did not reveal a relationship between LSM …

Comment On “Effectiveness And Safety Of Oral Vancomycin For The Treatment Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Associated With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: A Systematic Review And Pooled Analysis”, Richard Kellermayer, Peter Lewindon, Cynthia Buness, James Tabibian, Kevin Johnson, Shamita Shah, Parambir Dulai, Ahmad H Ali, Ayesha Shah, Gerald Holtmann, Harland S Winter

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

The Treatment Naïve Microbiome Of Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis And Microbial Therapeutics: A Humbling Challenge, Richard Kellermayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Eradication Rates Of Empiric Helicobacter Pylori Treatment Regimens By Race/Ethnicity In A Predominantly Immigrant Us Population, Min J Kim, Isiah Gonzalez, Nia M Choi, David Y Graham, Hashem B El-Serag, Mimi C Tan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Helicobacter pylori infections are mostly treated empirically (without antibiotic susceptibility testing). Determining eradication rates of different treatment regimens can inform antibiotic resistance. Our aim was to examine eradication rates of empiric H. pylori treatments based on treatment regimen, race/ethnicity and previous treatment status in a multiethnic U.S.

Materials and methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients with a positive H. pylori test from 7/2021 to 4/2022 at Harris Health (Houston, Texas) who had received treatment and eradication testing within 1 year. We compared eradication rates based on treatment regimen, race/ethnicity, and prior treatment and examined other possible …

Resilience Of The Gut Microbiome To Short Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy With Or Without High-Dosage L Reuteri In H Pylori-Infected Adults, Stefano Bibbò, Gustav Ahlström, Giovanni Mario Pes, David Y Graham, Lars Engstrand, Elettra Merola, Maria Pina Dore

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy typically consists of a combination of antibiotics and an antisecretory drug. Probiotics may be added to reduce side effects and possibly improve outcomes.

Materials and methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized trial of pantoprazole plus either Lactobacillus reuteri (Gastrus) (high dose) or a matching placebo to assess the impact on the gut microbiota of H. pylori-positive adults. Fecal samples were collected at baseline and after one and 2 months for shotgun metagenomic sequencing.

Results: A total of 26 patients were recruited and completed therapy. L. reuteri was only detected in the group that received supplemental …

Prevalence Of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency In Patients With Chronic Diarrhea, Tara Keihanian, Suneal Agarwal, Nabil Mansour, Michael Mercado, Hashem B El-Serag, Mohamed O Othman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is an underdiagnosed entity among patients with new-onset chronic diarrhea (CD). The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of EPI in patients with CD.

Materials and methods: Patients with new-onset CD (≥4 weeks) from 2018 to 2021 were enrolled in this single-center prospective study. If stool fecal elastase (FE) was < 200 μg/g, patients were offered a confirmatory 72-hour fecal fat test.

Results: FE testing was completed by 97 patients, of which 9 had low FE (9.3%). Average weight was significantly higher in patients with low FE (98.5 ± 29.3 kg vs 82.2 ± 22.2 kg; P = 0.045). There was no significant difference …

Impact Of Elevated Serum Triglycerides On Children With Acute Recurrent Or Chronic Pancreatitis From Insppire-2, Zachary M Sellers, Matthew J Giefer, Fuchenchu Wang, Gretchen A Cress, Maisam A Abu-El-Haija, Ankur Chugh, Reuven Z Cohen, Elissa M Downs, Douglas S Fishman, A Jay Freeman, Cheryl E Gariepy, Tanja Y Gonska, Amit S Grover, Doug 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, Madhura Y Phadke, Wenly Ruan, Sarah Jane Schwarzenberg, David M Troendle, Michael Wilschanski, 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

Objective: To determine if mild-moderate hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is associated with increased development of chronic pancreatitis (CP) or pancreatitis-associated complications in children with acute recurrent or CP.

Study design: Longitudinal data from the INternational Study group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In search for a cuRE-2 (INSPPIRE-2) cohort of children with acute recurrent or CP (n = 559) were analyzed. Subjects were divided into normal triglycerides (< 150 mg/dL; 1.7 mmol/L), any HTG (≥150 mg/dL; ≥1.7 mmol/L), mild-moderate HTG (150-499 mg/dL; 1.7-5.6 mmol/L), moderate HTG (500-999 mg/dL; 5.6-11.3 mmol/L), and severe HTG groups (≥1000 mg/dL; ≥11.3 mmol/L), based on highest serum triglyceride value. Laboratory, imaging, pancreatitis and hospital events, complications, and quality of life data were analyzed.

Results: In children with acute recurrent or CP and HTG, there was no increase in the number of pancreatitis attacks per person-years, nor an increase in CP prevalence. However, HTG severity was associated with increased pancreatic …

Towards A Common Approach For Managing Food Allergy And Serious Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis) At School. Ga2len And Efa Consensus Statement, Antoine Deschildre, Montserrat Alvaro-Lozano, Antonella Muraro, Marcia Podesta, Debra De Silva, Mattia Giovannini, Simona Barni, Timothy E Dribin, Mónica Sandoval-Ruballos, Aikaterini Anagnostou, Alessandro Fiocchi, Alice Toniolo, Andrew Bird, Angel Sánchez Sanz, Anna Asarnoj, Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, Berber Vlieg-Boerstra, Brian P Vickery, Carina Venter, Caroline Nilsson, Cecilia Parente, Céline Demoulin, David M Fleischer, Diola Bijlhout, Edward F Knol, Eleanor Garrow, Emma E Cook, Fallon Schultz, Francesca Lazzarotto, Francesca Mori, Gary Wong, Gideon Lack, Graham Roberts, Gustavo Andres Marino, H N G Oude Elberink, Helen A Brough, Hugh A Sampson, Jay Lieberman, Jennifer Gerdts, Jing Zhao, Josefine Gradman, Julia E M Upton, Julie Wang, Kati Palosuo, Kirsi M Järvinen, Kirsten Beyer, Kunling Shen, Laura Polloni, Lianne Mandelbaum, Luciana Kase Tanno, Lucy A Bilaver, Marcus S Shaker, Margitta Worm, Maria Said, Mary Kelly, Mary Jane Marchisotto, Michael Makris, Mikaela Odemyr, Montserrat Fernandez-Rivas, Motohiro Ebisawa, Nandinee Patel, Pablo Rodríguez Del Río, Pakit Vichyanond, Paul Turner, Pete Smith, Pilar Morón Gaspar, R Sharon Chinthrajah, Rima Rachid, Roberta Bonaguro, Ruchi Gupta, Sabine Schnadt, Sakura Sato, Stefania Arasi, Stephanie Leonard, Sung Poblete, Susanne Halken, Thuy-My Le, Guillaume Pouessel, Tracey Dunn, Victoria Cardona, Torsten Zuberbier

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

GA2LEN and EFA propose minimum specifications for all industrialised countries/regions to work towards to support students with food allergies in educational settings. We reviewed research and legislation and gained feedback from over 100 patient and professional groups. We built shared expectations around: 1. training all school staff about what food allergy is, the symptoms of allergic reactions, what to do in an emergency, and when and how to use and store devices that laypeople can use to administer adrenaline (epinephrine). 2. preventing allergic reactions by using clear labelling on school menus and prepacked and non‐prepacked foods and regular cleaning where …

Refinement Of A Published Gene-Physical Activity Interaction Impacting Hdl-Cholesterol: Role Of Sex And Lipoprotein Subfractions, Kenneth E Westerman, Tuomas O Kilpeläinen, Magdalena Sevilla-Gonzalez, Margery A Connelly, Alexis C Wood, Michael Y Tsai, Kent D Taylor, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, James D Otvos, Amy R Bentley, Samia Mora, Hugues Aschard, D C Rao, Charles Gu, Daniel I Chasman, Alisa K Manning

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Large-scale gene-environment interaction (GxE) discovery efforts often involve analytical compromises for the sake of data harmonization and statistical power. Refinement of exposures, covariates, outcomes, and population subsets may be helpful to establish often-elusive replication and evaluate potential clinical utility. Here, we used additional datasets, an expanded set of statistical models, and interrogation of lipoprotein metabolism via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based lipoprotein subfractions to refine a previously discovered GxE modifying the relationship between physical activity (PA) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C). We explored this GxE in the Women’s Genome Health Study (WGHS; N=23,294; the strongest cohort-specific signal in the original meta-analysis), the UK …

Orthogonal And Multiplexable Genetic Perturbations With An Engineered Prime Editor And A Diverse Rna Array, Qichen Yuan, Hongzhi Zeng, Tyler C Daniel, Qingzhuo Liu, Yongjie Yang, Emmanuel C Osikpa, Qiaochu Yang, Advaith Peddi, Liliana M Abramson, Boyang Zhang, Yong Xu, Xue Gao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Programmable and modular systems capable of orthogonal genomic and transcriptomic perturbations are crucial for biological research and treating human genetic diseases. Here, we present the minimal versatile genetic perturbation technology (mvGPT), a flexible toolkit designed for simultaneous and orthogonal gene editing, activation, and repression in human cells. The mvGPT combines an engineered compact prime editor (PE), a fusion activator MS2-p65-HSF1 (MPH), and a drive-and-process multiplex array that produces RNAs tailored to different types of genetic perturbation. mvGPT can precisely edit human genome via PE coupled with a prime editing guide RNA and a nicking guide RNA, activate endogenous gene expression …

Transition To Enteral Triazole Antifungal Therapy For Pediatric Invasive Candidiasis: Secondary Analysis Of A Multicenter Cohort Study Conducted By The Pediatric Fungal Network, Robert F T Bucayu, Craig L K Boge, Inci Yildirim, Martha Avilés-Robles, Surabhi B Vora, David M Berman, Tanvi S Sharma, Lillian Sung, Elio Castagnola, Debra L Palazzi, Lara Danziger-Isakov, Dwight E Yin, Emmanuel Roilides, Gabriela Maron, Alison C Tribble, Pere Soler-Palacin, Eduardo López-Medina, José Romero, Kiran Belani, Antonio C Arrieta, Fabianne Carlesse, Dawn Nolt, Natasha Halasa, Daniel Dulek, Sujatha Rajan, William J Muller, Monica I Ardura, Alice Pong, Blanca E Gonzalez, Christine M Salvatore, Anna R Huppler, Catherine Aftandilian, Mark J Abzug, Arunaloke Chakrabarti, Michael Green, Irja Lutsar, Elizabeth D Knackstedt, Sarah K Johnson, William J Steinbach, Brian T Fisher, Rachel L Wattier

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Of 319 children with invasive candidiasis, 67 (21%) transitioned from intravenous to enteral antifungal therapy. Eight (12%) transitioned back to intravenous antifungal therapy, one due to perceived treatment failure defined by clinical progression or worsening. Global treatment response at study completion was successful in 66 participants who transitioned to enteral therapy.

Impact Of American Thyroid Association's Revised Cancer Management Guidelines On Thyroid Cancer Incidence Trends: A Retrospective Cohort Study, 2000-2020, Pierre Fwelo, Natalia I Heredia, Ruosha Li, Ayrton Bangolo, Vignesh K Nagesh, Simcha Weissman, Xianglin L Du

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The past four decades have seen a steady increase in thyroid cancer in the United States (US). This study investigated the impact of the American Thyroid Association (ATA)'s revised cancer management guidelines on thyroid cancer incidence trends and how the trends varied by socioeconomic, histologic, geographic, and racial and ethnic characteristics from 2000 to 2020.

Methods: We used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify thyroid cancer cases diagnosed among US patients between 2000 and 2020. We employed joinpoint regression software to fit, assess, and compare thyroid cancer incidence trends over time stratified by …

The Role Of The Triglyceride-Glucose Index As A Biomarker Of Cardio-Metabolic Syndromes, Verena Gounden, Sridevi Devaraj, Ishwarlal Jialal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index represents a simple, cost-effective, and valid proxy for insulin resistance. This surrogate marker has also been proposed as a predictor of metabolic and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this descriptive review, we aimed to assess the utility of the TyG index as a predictive biomarker of cardiometabolic diseases.

METHODS: A search was conducted in PubMed, and Web of Science to identify cross-sectional and more importantly prospective studies examining the use of the TyG index as a predictive biomarker. The following terms were utilized in addition to the TyG index: "insulin resistance", "metabolic syndrome", "diabetes"; "cardiovascular diseases". …

Unraveling The Relationship Between Sleep Behaviors And Physical Activity In The United States: Insights From 2015 To 2020 Nhanes Data, Deepali K Ernest, Bipin Singh, Fathimath Shamna, Elizabeth A Onugha, Shreela V Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Physical activity is an important component of metabolic health. However, little is known about the impact of specific types/intensities of physical activity on sleep health, especially among ethnically diverse populations. We examined the association of various sleep behaviors with moderate to vigorous work/recreational activity.

Methods: Self-reported data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2020 were cross-sectionally analyzed for a sample of 11,039 participants in the United States (U.S.). Weighted univariate logistic regressions determined unadjusted associations, while weighted multivariable regression models adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, BMI categories, and socio-economic status assessed the multivariable associations with moderate and …

Structural Variant Allelic Heterogeneity In Mecp2 Duplication Syndrome Provides Insight Into Clinical Severity And Variability Of Disease Expression, Davut Pehlivan, Jesse D Bengtsson, Sameer S Bajikar, Christopher M Grochowski, Ming Yin Lun, Mira Gandhi, Angad Jolly, Alexander J Trostle, Holly K Harris, Bernhard Suter, Sukru Aras, Melissa B Ramocki, Haowei Du, Michele G Mehaffey, Kyunghee Park, Ellen Wilkey, Cemal Karakas, Jesper J Eisfeldt, Maria Pettersson, Lynn Liu, Marwan S Shinawi, Virginia E Kimonis, Wojciech Wiszniewski, Kyle Mckenzie, Timo Roser, Angela M Vianna-Morgante, Alberto S Cornier, Ahmed Abdelmoity, James P Hwang, Shalini N Jhangiani, Donna M Muzny, Tadahiro Mitani, Kazuhiro Muramatsu, Shin Nabatame, Daniel G Glaze, Jawid M Fatih, Richard A Gibbs, Zhandong Liu, Anna Lindstrand, Fritz J Sedlazeck, James R Lupski, Huda Y Zoghbi, Claudia M B Carvalho

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: MECP2 Duplication Syndrome, also known as X-linked intellectual developmental disorder Lubs type (MRXSL; MIM: 300260), is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by copy number gains spanning MECP2. Despite varying genomic rearrangement structures, including duplications and triplications, and a wide range of duplication sizes, no clear correlation exists between DNA rearrangement and clinical features. We had previously demonstrated that up to 38% of MRXSL families are characterized by complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) of intermediate complexity (2 ≤ copy number variant breakpoints < 5), yet the impact of these genomic structures on regulation of gene expression and phenotypic manifestations have not been investigated.

METHODS: To study the role of the genomic rearrangement structures on an individual's clinical phenotypic variability, we employed a comprehensive …

Pathways From Socioeconomic Factors To Major Cardiovascular Events Among Postmenopausal Veteran And Nonveteran Women: Findings From The Women's Health Initiative, Hind A Beydoun, May A Beydoun, Rebecca L Kinney, Simin Liu, Rona Yu, Matthew Allison, Robert B Wallace, Qian Xiao, Longjian Liu, Philippe Gradidge, Su Yon Jung, Hilary A Tindle, Shawna Follis, Robert Brunner, Jack Tsai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death for women in the United States, with veterans being at potentially higher risk than their nonveteran counterparts due to accelerated aging and distinct biopsychosocial mechanisms. We examined pathways between selected indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) such as education, occupation, household income, and neighborhood SES and major CVD events through lifestyle and health characteristics among veteran and nonveteran postmenopausal women.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 121 286 study-eligible WHI (Women's Health Initiative) participants (3091 veterans and 118 195 nonveterans) were prospectively followed for an average of 17 years, during which …

Development, Progression, And Mortality Of Suspected Interstitial Lung Disease In Copdgene, Jonathan A Rose, Ann-Marcia C Tukpah, Claire Cutting, Noriaki Wada, Mizuki Nishino, Matthew Moll, Sean Kalra, Bina Choi, David A Lynch, Benjamin A Raby, Ivan O Rosas, Raúl San José Estépar, George R Washko, Edwin K Silverman, Michael H Cho, Hiroto Hatabu, Rachel K Putman, Gary M Hunninghake

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale: Some with interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) are suspected to have interstitial lung disease (ILD), a subgroup with adverse outcomes. Rates of development and progression of suspected ILD and their effect on mortality are unknown. Objectives: To determine rates of development, progression, and mortality in those with suspected ILD and assess effects of individual ILD and progression criteria.

Methods: Participants from COPDGene (Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) with ILA characterization and FVC at enrollment and 5-year follow-up were included. ILD was defined as ILA and fibrosis and/or FVC < 80% predicted. Prevalent ILD was assessed at enrollment and incident ILD and progression were assessed at 5-year follow-up. Computed tomography (CT) progression was assessed visually and FVC decline as relative change. Multivariable Cox regression tested associations between mortality and prevalent ILD, incident ILD, and progression groups.

Measurements and Main Results: Of 9,588 participants at enrollment, 268 …

Mexican Health And Aging Study Biomarker And Genetic Data Profile, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Jesús Daniel Zazueta-Borboa, Alejandra Michaels-Obregon, Dolly Reyes-Dumeyer, Sandra Barral, Giuseppe Tosto, Rebeca Wong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) is one of the largest ongoing longitudinal studies of aging in Latin America, with six waves over 20 years. MHAS includes sociodemographic, economic, and health data from a nationally representative sample of adults 50 years and older in urban and rural Mexico. MHAS is designed to study the impact of diseases on adults' health, function, and mortality. As Mexico is experiencing rapid population aging, providing adequate information to study this phenomenon is vital for designing and implementing public policies. The availability of biomarker and genetic data and longitudinal survey data elevates opportunities for …

Diversity And Characteristics Of The Oral Microbiome Associated With Self-Reported Ancestral/Ethnic Groups, Qingguo Wang, Bing-Yan Wang, She'neka Williams, Hua Xie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Periodontitis disproportionately affects genetic ancestral/ethnic groups. To characterize the oral microbiome from different genetic ancestral/ethnic groups, we collected 161 dental plaque samples from self-identified African Americans (AAs), Caucasian Americans (CAs), and Hispanic Americans (HAs) with clinical gingival health or biofilm-induced gingivitis on an intact periodontium. DNA was extracted from these samples, and then DNA libraries were prepared and sequenced using an Illumina NovaSeq high-throughput sequencer. We found significant differences in the diversity and abundance of microbial taxa among dental plaque samples of the AA, CA, and HA groups. We also identified unique microbial species in a self-reported ancestral/ethnic group. Moreover, …

Nomenclature For Human And Animal Fungal Pathogens And Diseases: A Proposal For Standardized Terminology, Sybren De Hoog, Thomas J Walsh, Sarah A Ahmed, Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo, Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Andrew Borman, Sharon Chen, Anuradha Chowdhary, Robert C Colgrove, Oliver A Cornely, David W Denning, Philippe J Dufresne, Laura Filkins, Jean-Pierre Gangneux, Josepa Gené, Andreas H Groll, Jaques Guillot, Gerhard Haase, Catriona Halliday, David L Hawksworth, Roderick Hay, Martin Hoenigl, Vit Hubka, Tomasz Jagielski, Hazal Kandemir, Sarah E Kidd, Julianne V Kus, June Kwon-Chung, Shawn R Lockhart, Jacques F Meis, Leonel Mendoza, Wieland Meyer, M Hong Nguyen, Yinggai Song, Tania C Sorrell, J Benjamin Stielow, Rachel Vilela, Roxana G Vitale, Nancy L Wengenack, P Lewis White, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Sean X Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Medically important pathogenic fungi invade vertebrate tissue and are considered primary when part of their nature life cycle is associated with an animal host and are usually able to infect immunocompetent hosts. Opportunistic fungal pathogens complete their life cycle in environmental habitats or occur as commensals within or on the vertebrate body, but under certain conditions can thrive upon infecting humans. The extent of host damage in opportunistic infections largely depends on the portal and modality of entry as well as on the host's immune and metabolic status. Diseases caused by primary pathogens and common opportunists, causing the top approximately …

Does The Mediterranean Diet Play A Beneficial Role In Managing The Health Of Overweight/Obese Breast Cancer Survivors?, Syeda Maria Yaqoob, Layla Haidar, Marlyn A Allicock, Natalia I Heredia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Numerous studies have established a correlation between the Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk of breast cancer, as well as its efficacy in supporting weight management. Notably, obesity is widely recognized as a significant risk factor for the development of breast cancer. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to improve health outcomes among overweight or obese breast cancer survivors. This narrative review aims to consolidate information on the existing research interventions elucidating the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for the overall health of breast cancer survivors.

Methods: Using the search terms "Mediterranean diet" and "breast cancer survivor", a total …