Digital Commons Network^™

Designing Inclusive Newborn Sequencing Research: Insights From Parents In Underrepresented Communities, Maya C Del Rosario, Sheyenne A Walmsley, Barbara W Harrison, Crystal T Stephens, Bethany Zettler, Greysha Rivera-Cruz, Priyal Agrawal, Amy Brower, Stephanie Chigbu, Kurt D Christensen, Casie A Genetti, Richetta Givens, Nina B Gold, Inez V Reeves, Isabella Schichter, Habib Shariat, Sandra Simon, Hadley Stevens Smith, Melissa Uveges, Robert C Green, Ingrid A Holm, Stacey Pereira

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: It is essential that studies of genomic sequencing (GS) in newborns and children include individuals from under-represented racial and ethnic groups (URG) to ensure future applications are equitably implemented. We conducted interviews with parents from URG to better understand their perspectives on GS research, develop strategies to reduce barriers to enrollment, and facilitate research participation.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 50 parents from URG.

Results: Nearly all parents said they would be interested in participating in an infant GS study. Parents were interested in participating in GS research for reasons including clinical utility, personal utility, and/or family health benefits. Deterrents …

Beyond Neurons: Impact Of Cannabidiol On Glial Cells In Ischemic Stroke, Victória Linden De Rezende, Khiany Mathias, Cinara Ludvig Gonçalves, Rafael Mariano De Bitencourt, Tatiana Barichello, Fabricia Petronilho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Ischemic stroke triggers a complex cascade of events involving inflammation, oxidative stress, and glial cell dysfunction, all of which contribute to neuronal damage and impaired recovery. Glial cells (e.g., astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes) play key roles in neuroinflammatory responses, making them attractive targets for therapeutic modulation. Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid from Cannabis sativa, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Preclinical evidence indicates that cannabidiol attenuates glial reactivity, reduces pro-inflammatory signaling, mitigates oxidative stress, and preserves blood-brain and intestinal barrier integrity in stroke models. Moreover, cannabidiol modulates key molecular pathways (e.g., nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor, and calcium-related signaling), contributing to …

Differentiation In The Human Urothelia Is Defined By Distinct Alternative Polyadenylation, Ninh B Le, Surbhi Sona, Briana Santo, Yi Zhang, Rosie Ou, R Allen Schweickart, Veena Kochat, William I Padron, Kunal Rai, Shih-Han Lee, Joo Mi Yi, Oliver Wessely, Byron H Lee, Angela H Ting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Distinct epithelial cell states arise during differentiation, but mechanisms generating transcriptomic diversity among them remain poorly defined. The human ureter urothelium contains basal progenitor, intermediate cells, and terminally differentiated umbrella cells. Prior single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similar global gene expression profiles across these states, raising the question of how distinct identities emerge. Here, we show that alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) introduces a major layer of transcriptomic diversity during urothelial differentiation, largely independent of changes in mRNA levels. Analysis of 13,544 urothelial cells identified hundreds of differentiation-associated APA events. Single-cell imaging revealed spatially specific APA patterns, and reporter assays demonstrated …

Differentiation In The Human Urothelia Is Defined By Distinct Alternative Polyadenylation, Ninh B Le, Surbhi Sona, Briana Santo, Yi Zhang, Rosie Ou, R Allen Schweickart, Veena Kochat, William I Padron, Kunal Rai, Shih-Han Lee, Joo Mi Yi, Oliver Wessely, Byron H Lee, Angela H Ting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Distinct epithelial cell states arise during differentiation, but mechanisms generating transcriptomic diversity among them remain poorly defined. The human ureter urothelium contains basal progenitor, intermediate cells, and terminally differentiated umbrella cells. Prior single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similar global gene expression profiles across these states, raising the question of how distinct identities emerge. Here, we show that alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) introduces a major layer of transcriptomic diversity during urothelial differentiation, largely independent of changes in mRNA levels. Analysis of 13,544 urothelial cells identified hundreds of differentiation-associated APA events. Single-cell imaging revealed spatially specific APA patterns, and reporter assays demonstrated …

Payload Diversification Overcomes Resistance And Guides Sequential Antibody-Drug Conjugate Therapy In Breast Cancer, Dileep Reddy Rampa, Minji Seo, Nanae Ogata, Zhaoxuan Yang, Nithya Sridhar, Fujii Takeo, Chalothorn Wannaphut, Jennifer A Maynard, Kyoji Tsuchikama, George W Sledge, Naoto T Ueno, Jangsoon Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have transformed the treatment of breast cancer. FDA-approved ADCs such as trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), sacituzumab govitecan (SG), and datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) have demonstrated clinical benefit; however, drug resistance will almost inevitably emerge in the metastatic setting, and there is no established strategy for selecting subsequent ADCs after disease progression to the first exposure to the ADC. This study aimed to define mechanisms of acquired resistance and evaluate rational sequencing approaches.

Experimental design: We generated breast cancer cell lines resistant to T-DXd (TDXd-R) and SG (SG-R). We assessed antigen expression, internalization, and resistance pathways, including efflux transporter …

Changing Bodies And The History Of Anthropometrics, Moramay López-Alonso

History of Medicine Seminar

No abstract provided.

Overcoming Barriers To Vaccination Among Us Farmworkers: A Scoping Review Of Targeted Interventions And Strategies, Roldyne Dolce, Rachel Barnes, Lara Ouellette, Paula M Cuccaro

Library Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Multilevel Analysis Of The Food And Physical Activity Environment And Adult Obesity Across U.S. Counties And States, Ann Mary Abraham, Michael D Swartz, Alexandra E Van Den Berg, Stephen H Linder

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Adult obesity rates have risen steadily across the United States over the past decade, with more than 40% of adults affected. Persistent geographic and demographic disparities exist in obesity prevalence across the nation. While prior research has examined individual or environmental associated factors of obesity, limited studies have addressed both physical activity and food environments across the nation using multilevel approaches. This cross-sectional ecological study (2014-2024) used a two-level random intercept model to assess the association between county- and state-level factors and adult obesity prevalence across over 3000 U.S. counties nested within 51 states. County-level associated factors included food insecurity, …

Clinical Workflow Of Spine Stereotactic Radiotherapy And Radiosurgery: Insights From A Single-Institution Physics Perspective, Dennis Mackin, Gizem Cifter, Yana Zlateva, Jihong Wang, Yao Ding, Muhammad Shafiq Ul Hassan, Zhiheng Wang, Parmeswaran Diagaradjane, Fada Guan, Travis C Salzillo, Shane Krafft, Jing Li, Martin C Tom, Amol J Ghia, Tina Marie Briere

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spine stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery (SSRS) techniques, encompassing both fractionated stereotactic treatments and single-fraction radiosurgery, are widely used for the management of spinal metastases due to their ability to deliver highly conformal radiation while limiting dose to adjacent critical structures. Clinical outcomes following SSRS, including durable local control and acceptable toxicity, have been reported previously in multiple institutional series. In this manuscript, we describe the clinical workflow used to deliver SSRS at a high-volume academic center, with emphasis on the medical physics processes that support routine clinical practice. Key elements of the workflow include patient selection, treatment region-specific immobilization, CT …

Intestinal Epithelial Tlr5 Signaling Promotes Barrier-Supportive Macrophages, Ming-Ting Tsai, Ryann Callaghan, Charles Ng, Lisette Peres-Tintin, Dean B Matthews, Nikketa Stanford, Karuna Ganesh, Mary K Estes, Gretchen E Diehl

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Intestinal macrophages are essential for epithelial barrier repair. In homeostasis, macrophages are continuously replenished by recruitment of circulating CCR2+ monocytes into the intestinal lamina propria. This requires the commensal microbiota, however, the specific microbial factors and downstream host pathways that coordinate macrophage replenishment are inadequately understood. Here, we show that colonization with an E. coli isolate increased CCR2+ macrophages in the intestine and ameliorated pathology in a colitis model. Using human colonic organoids, we showed E. coli colonization induced CCL2 secretion by intestinal epithelial stem cells which promoted monocyte migration. In vivo, protection was abolished in the absence of epithelial …

Saga/Atac Complexes Sustain Aberrant Chromatin Regulation And Promote Tumorigenesis In Diffuse Midline Glioma, Rosemary U Richard, Caitlin Bagnetto, Rebecca L Murdaugh, Brittany R Eberl, Alan L Jiao, Adam F Kebede, Barry M Zee, Margaret M Harrington, Mariella G Filbin, Akdes Serin-Harmanci, Yang Shi, Jamie N Anastas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Diffuse midline gliomas (DMG) are aggressive pediatric brain tumors characterized by chromatin and transcriptional dysregulation induced by H3K27M mutations. Strategies for overcoming epigenetic dysfunction to reduce DMG tumorigenesis remain limited. We identified multiple components of the SAGA and ATAC chromatin regulatory complexes as DMG genetic dependencies and found that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of the SAGA/ATAC-associated chromatin reader SGF29 reduces DMG proliferation. Small molecules targeting SAGA/ATAC-associated histone acetylation, ubiquitination, and methylation similarly suppressed DMG growth. Further chromatin profiling and RNAseq analyses reveal that SGF29 controls H3K9ac and H3K4me3 dynamics at both H3K27M-bound and H3K27M-independent target genes linked to proliferation, differentiation, …

Tead-Independent Mechanisms Of Yap Function In Cardiomyocyte Cell Cycle Reentry, Bing Xie, Jeffrey Steimle, Vaibhav Deshmukh, Lin Liu, Chang-Ru Tsai, Todd R Heallen, Wyatt Paltzer, Yuka Morikawa, Fansen Meng, Jun Wang, James F Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Adult mammalian hearts exhibit limited regenerative capacity because of the restricted renewal of cardiomyocytes. Recent studies reveal that mammalian hearts exhibit transient regenerative potential within a short time frame after birth, suggesting a regulatory mechanism that prevents adult hearts from initiating a regenerative response to cardiac injury. Here, we discovered that an active form of YAP, named YAP6SA, which is not inhibited by the Hippo signaling pathway and does not interact with TEADs, induces cardiomyocyte cell cycle reentry. In addition, YAP6SA interacts with scaffold protein MPDZ to regulate Rho GTPases and promote cell cycle progression in cardiomyocytes (CMs). Importantly, YAP6SA …

Fyn-Saracatinib Complex Structure Reveals An Active State-Like Conformation, Hai Minh Ta, Banumathi Sankaran, Eric D Roush, Josephine C Ferreon, Allan Chris M Ferreon, Choel Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Fyn is a Src-family tyrosine kinase implicated in synaptic dysfunction and neuroinflammation across multiple neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Saracatinib (AZD0530) is a potent Src-family inhibitor that has been explored as a repurposed therapeutic; however, its clinical utility is limited by poor kinase selectivity caused by high sequence conservation within Src-family ATP-binding sites. Here, we combine surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and X-ray crystallography to define saracatinib recognition by the Fyn kinase domain (KD). SPR single-cycle kinetics shows that saracatinib binds the isolated Fyn KD and full-length Fyn with low-nanomolar affinity, whereas dasatinib binds with subnanomolar …

Association Between The 2022 Aha/Acc/Hfsa Heart Failure Staging And Cardiovascular And Kidney Outcomes In Patients With Diabetes And Kidney Disease: A Post Hoc Analysis Of The Scored Randomized Controlled Trial, Ayodele Odutayo, Deepak L Bhatt, Vikas S Sridhar, Michael Szarek, Christopher P Cannon, Lawrence A Leiter, Darren K Mcguire, Julia B Lewis, Renato D Lopes, Benjamin M Scirica, Kausik K Ray, Michael J Davies, Phillip Banks, Manon Girard, Subodh Verma, Jacob A Udell, Bertram Pitt, Ph Gabriel Steg, David Z I Cherney

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The 2022 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Failure Society of America heart failure (HF) classification incorporates cardiac biomarkers to identify early risk of HF. The HF stages may also guide the prognosis and management of cardiovascular and kidney-related events.

Methods: SCORED (Effect of Sotagliflozin on Cardiovascular and Renal Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Moderate Renal Impairment Who Are at Cardiovascular Risk) was a randomized trial in diabetes with kidney disease comparing sotagliflozin versus placebo on cardiovascular death, HF hospitalizations, and urgent HF visits. SCORED participants were grouped by HF stage post hoc. Stage A: no …

The Gene Encoding Ornithine Decarboxylase For Putrescine Biosynthesis Is Essential For The Viability Of Fusobacterium Nucleatum, Shiqi Xu, Bibek G C, Alex Phan, Chenggang Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a Gram-negative anaerobe associated with periodontitis and colorectal cancer. It secretes putrescine, a polyamine that promotes biofilm formation by oral co-colonizers and enhances the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the physiological importance of putrescine for F. nucleatum itself remains unexplored. Here, we show that putrescine biosynthesis, mediated by the ornithine decarboxylase gene oda, is essential for F. nucleatum viability. Deletion of oda was only possible when a functional copy was provided in trans, and CRISPR interference of oda expression resulted in complete growth defects. The essentiality of oda was conserved across multiple subspecies. Supplementation with …

Disease-Specific And Overall Survival For Patients With Lacrimal Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma In Recent Decades, Bita Esmaeli, Zhouxuan Li, Tracy J Lu, Hila Goldberg, Jing Ning, James Matthew Debnam, Steven Jay Frank, Renata Ferrarotto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To evaluate the presenting symptoms, and the overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) in patients with lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (LGACC).

Methods: This retrospective single-centre cohort study included all consecutive patients with LGACC treated by the primary author from November 1998 through August 2024. Demographic data, presenting symptoms, the histological subtype of LGACC, type of surgical treatment, adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy, T category at presentation and survival data were reviewed. Correlations between histological subtypes, T-category, type of surgery (eye sparing vs orbital exenteration), and DSS and OS were analysed.

Results: 52 patients had a median age of …

Cross-Ancestry Comparison Of Aptamer And Antibody Protein Measures, Jayna C Nicholas, Daniel H Katz, Usman A Tahir, Catherine L Debban, Francois Aguet, Thomas Blackwell, Russell P Bowler, K Alaine Broadaway, Jingsha Chen, Clary B Clish, Josef Coresh, Elaine Cornell, Daniel E Cruz, Rajat Deo, Margaret F Doyle, Peter Durda, Lynette Ekunwe, James S Floyd, Dipender Gill, Xiuqing Guo, Ron C Hoogeveen, Craig Johnson, Leslie A Lange, Yun Li, Alisa Manning, James B Meigs, Michael Y Mi, Josyf C Mychaleckyj, Nels C Olson, Katherine A Pratte, Brucy M Psaty, Alexander P Reiner, Peifeng Ruan, Magdalena Sevilla-Gonzalez, Amil M Shah, Quan Sun, Russell P Tracy, Jia Wen, Alexis C Wood, James G Wilson, Kristin L Young, Bing Yu, Mary R Rooney, Ani Manichaikul, Ruth Dubin, Karen L Mohlke, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, Peter Ganz, Robert E Gerszten, Kent D Taylor, Laura M Raffield

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Measures from affinity-proteomics platforms often correlate poorly, challenging interpretation of protein associations with genetic variants and phenotypes. Here, we examine 2157 proteins measured on both SomaScan 7k and Olink Explore 3072 across 1930 participants with genetic similarity to European, African, East Asian, and Admixed American ancestry references. Inter-platform correlation coefficients for these 2157 proteins follow a bimodal distribution (median r = 0.30). We evaluate protein measure associations with genetic variants, and find approximately 25-30% of the signals on each platform are likely driven by protein-altering variants. We highlight 80 proteins that correlate differently across ancestry groups likely in part due …

Metabolome Contribution To Sex Differences In The Link Between Alcohol Consumption And Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Analysis In The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos (Hchs/Sol), Brian Wang, Kai Luo, Wenyan Ma, Yanbo Zhang, Christina Cordero, Amber Pirzada, Martha Daviglus, Krista M Perreira, Bing Yu, Eric Boerwinkle, Robert C Kaplan, Qibin Qi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to improved insulin resistance and lower type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk predominantly in females but not males. Potential mechanisms underlying this sex difference remain unclear.

Objective: This study evaluated associations of sex-specific alcohol-associated metabolomic signatures (AMSs) with insulin resistance and T2D risk in US Hispanic/Latino adults.

Methods: We analyzed serum metabolome data in the HCHS/SOL, a prospective, multicenter, community-based study of Hispanics/Latinos, aged 18 to 74 years old, enrolled from four U.S. metropolitan areas between 2008 and 2011. Sex-specific AMSs were developed using Elastic Net to identify serum metabolites uniquely associated with alcohol …

Qsox1: A Mysterious Golgi-Localized Disulfide Bond Catalyst And An Emerging Cancer Regulator, Shike Wang, Guan-Yu Xiao, Xiaochao Tan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase 1 (QSOX1) is a disulfide bond-forming enzyme with both disulfide isomerase and oxidoreductase activities. It plays an important role in protein folding, stability, and secretion. Growing evidence demonstrates that QSOX1 is upregulated in multiple cancer types and influences key behaviors of cancer cells, including proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Elevated QSOX1 expression is also associated with tumor malignancy and disease relapse. However, the molecular mechanisms by which QSOX1 drives cancer progression remain incompletely understood. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of QSOX1 expression and regulation in cancer, discuss its functional roles, and highlight key unanswered questions …

Maturity-Onset Diabetes Of The Young (Mody) In A Racially/Ethnically Diverse Pediatric Population, Shilpi Relan, Guido Alarcon, Danielle Guffey, Charles G Minard, Mary E Fang, Kelly Timmons, Rona Y Sonabend, Mustafa Tosur, Maria J Redondo, Jennifer E Posey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Context: Current practice guidelines recommend considering a diagnosis of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) in patients with diabetes with an affected parent but without typical features of type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To test if these criteria apply to a real-world cohort of racially/ethnically diverse children with diabetes.

Methods: We performed a retrospective case review of electronic medical records of youth diagnosed with MODY in a large academic pediatric hospital in Southwestern United States. Cases were ascertained based on the identification of a molecular diagnosis of MODY.

Results: We studied 50 genetically confirmed cases of MODY: 60% …

Diagnostic Performance Of Non-Hyperemic Pressure Ratios Versus Fractional Flow Reserve Stratified By Coronary Artery: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Individual Patient Data, Tatyana Storozhenko, Damien Collison, Nils P Johnson, Koshiro Sakai, Takuya Mizukami, Toshiro Shinke, Hitoshi Matsuo, Daniel Munhoz, Dimitri Buytaert, Hirohiko Ando, Brian Ko, Abdul Ihdayhid, Simone Biscaglia, Fernando Rivero, Thomas Engstrøm, Ketina Arslani, Antonio Maria Leone, Lokien X Van Nunen, William F Fearon, Evald Høj Christiansen, Bjarne L Nørgaard, Michael Maeng, Liyew Desta, Andy Yong, Hiromasa Otake, Yu Takahashi, Daniele Andreini, Jonathon Leipsic, Bon-Kwon Koo, Paola Monique Barbato, Jozef Bartunek, Emanuele Barbato, Jeroen Sonck, Bernard De Bruyne, Carlos Collet

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: In the assessment of coronary physiology, non-hyperemic pressure ratios (NHPRs) provide an alternative to fractional flow reserve (FFR) without the need for hyperemic agents, reducing procedural time, side effects, and costs. However, it remains unclear whether NHPRs have similar diagnostic performance in the different coronary arteries. This study evaluates the diagnostic performance of NHPRs compared with FFR, stratified by coronary artery, in stable patients with coronary artery disease.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and individual patient-level data meta-analysis from prospective studies involving patients with intermediate to severe coronary stenosis who underwent physiological assessment with NHPRs and FFR. NHPRs …

Long-Term Mpox Sequelae 11 To 18 Months After Acute Illness : A Cohort Study In Two Us Cities, Preetam A Cholli, Jason Zucker, Karen J Vigil, Faisal S Minhaj, Paul J Weidle, Melanie M Taylor, Brett Gray, Dana L Haberling, Agha Ajmal, Agam K Rao, Anyelina Cantos, Sarah Anne J Guagliardo, Max Flanagan, Gilhen H Rodriguez, Irene Tamí-Maury, Siobhán M O'Connor

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Little was known about persistent sequelae of mpox before the 2022 multinational clade II mpox virus outbreak.

Objective: To characterize post-mpox sequelae 11 to 18 months after acute mpox diagnosis and compare outbreak-associated psychosocial and behavioral impact between at-risk persons who had or did not have mpox.

Design: Cohort study.

Setting: New York City, New York, and Houston, Texas.

Participants: Adults attending HIV, pre-exposure prophylaxis, or sexually transmitted infection clinics diagnosed with mpox during May 2022 to January 2023 (post-mpox) or at risk for but never diagnosed with mpox (no-mpox).

Measurements: All participants completed psychosocial and behavioral self-assessments. A …

Genomics Define Malignant Transformation In Myeloma Precursor Conditions, Francesco Maura, P Leif Bergsagel, Bachisio Ziccheddu, Shaji Kumar, Kylee Maclachlan, Andriy Derkach, Juan-Jose Garces, Ross Firestone, Esteban Braggio, Yan Asmann, Michael Durante, Benjamin T Diamond, Marios Papadimitriou, Malin Hultcrantz, Alessio Marella, Giancarlo Castellano, Akihiro Maeda, Marta Lionetti, Antonio Matera, Stefania Pioggia, Matteo Claudio Da Vià, Claudio De Magistris, Daniel Leongamornlert, Danny Deavila, Praneeth Reddy Sudalagunta, Rafael Renatino Canevarolo, Erin M Siegel, Phaedra Agius, Jamie Teer, Andrew Mcpherson, Yusuke Yamashita, Ariosto S Silva, Patrick Blaney, Rachid Baz, Krina K Patel, Peter Campbell, Gareth Morgan, Rafael Fonseca, Ola Landgren, Robert Z Orlowski, Kenneth H Shain, Niccolo Bolli, Saad Usmani, S Vincent Rajkumar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Multiple myeloma (MM) is consistently preceded by monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). While these precursor conditions are asymptomatic, they are not entirely benign and carry a lifelong risk of progression to MM. Unlike other cancers defined by pathology, malignant transformation from MGUS or SMM to MM has so far relied on demonstration of clinical end-organ damage as morphology and cytogenetics cannot reliably distinguish them. In this study, using genomic data from 374 patients with MGUS or SMM (277 training, 97 validation), to our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time the ability to identify …

Pseudoamniotic Band Sequence Risk Factors Following Fetoscopic Laser For Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, Felicia V Lemoine, Sami Backley, Gustavo Vilchez-Lagos, Jimmy Espinoza, Edgar Hernandez-Andrade, Anthony Johnson, Ramesha Papanna, Eric Bergh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Pseudoamniotic band sequence (PABS) is a rare but serious complication following fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP) for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). We aim to explore associations between perioperative factors and PABS in monochorionic, diamniotic twins undergoing FLP for TTTS.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using a prospective cohort of 816 FLP procedures performed between 2011 and 2024 at a single fetal therapy center. All cases had confirmed absence of PABS prior to FLP via ultrasound and fetoscopic evaluation. PABS was diagnosed postnatally or suspected after FLP and confirmed after birth. Clinical and perioperative variables were compared between cases with …

The Evolution Of Public Health Statistical Modeling Approaches And How To Advance Their Incorporation Into Modern Arboviral Surveillance, Maggie Mccarter, Stella C W Self, Alex Ewing, Mufaro Kanyangarara, Sarah M Gunter, Melissa S Nolan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Statistical modeling of infectious disease transmission patterns has been in existence since the mid-1700s, evolving in their utility as the scientific and technological revolutions progressed. Despite the expansion of emerging mathematical and statistical methodologies over the past 250 yr, their usage has largely remained restricted to academic settings. This forum article will discuss the evolution of disease modeling techniques, the most common types of models in use today, and recommendations on how key archetypes can be incorporated into future public health practice. With the recent global impetus to predict and forecast novel pathogens, this article raises the question: Why are …

The Use Of Artificial Intelligence In Decreasing Vaccine Skepticism And Hesitancy, Nathaniel Wolf, Nhan Nguyen, Rojelio Mejia

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose of review: Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) coincide with decreases in confidence in vaccines. This review examines studies that analyze and mitigate vaccine skepticism by implementing artificial intelligence strategies in various ways.

Recent findings: Studies have explored public attitudes towards vaccines using AI to analyze language in social media postings and interactions, scrutinize AI responses to vaccine-related queries, and attempt to use AI to directly influence vaccine hesitancy. Findings show that AI can be effective in addressing vaccine hesitancy in various ways, including, but not limited to, directly interacting with vaccine-hesitant groups, identifying reasons for vaccine hesitancy, and …

B Lymphocytes Impede Tregs To Erode Islet Tolerance In Type 1 Diabetes, Christopher S Wilson, Blair T Stocks, Alexander C Falk, Daniel J Moore

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

B lymphocytes are thought to drive β-cell destruction in type 1 diabetes (T1D) by activating anti-islet T cells. However, the observation that autoreactive T-cell activation and disease progression can occur without B cells challenges this view. Still, preclinical and clinical studies have shown that B-cell depletion alleviates β-cell destruction, suggesting a critical role for B cells in T1D. Our findings propose an alternative function for B cells, impairing regulatory T cells (Tregs) that would otherwise protect islets. In the NOD islet transplant model, we show that B-cell absence enables transplant tolerance, allowing Tregs to become responsive to immune therapy and …

Pesticides Associated With Incident Diabetes Among Licensed Private Pesticide Applicators In The Agricultural Health Study Cohort (1993–2021), Christine G Parks, Qian Xiao, Jesse Wilkerson, Jonathan N Hofmann, Laura E Beane Freeman, Dale P Sandler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Growing evidence suggests pesticides may increase risk of type 2 diabetes, but data are limited on many specific chemicals.

Methods: In 29,527 private pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study cohort (enrolled 1993-1997 in Iowa and North Carolina), 3,847 incident diabetes cases were identified by self-report during follow-up surveys in 1999-2003, 2005-2010, 2013-2015, and 2019-2021. We examined 50 pesticides reported at enrollment, updated in 1999-2003 or 2005-2010, prior to diabetes diagnosis or end of follow-up, using log-binomial regression to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ever-use and intensity-weighted lifetime days (IWLD) use (tertiles, T1-3), adjusting …

Reducing Work-Related Screen-Time In Healthcare Workers During Leisure Time (Reduce Screen) - A Randomized Controlled Trial, Karsten Bartels, Karan Shah, Emelind Sanchez Rodriguez, Julie T Hoffman, Megan L Rolfzen, Juana Mora Valdovinos, Afton L Hassett, Daniel I Sessler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The ubiquitous availability of work-related applications on personal devices makes healthcare workers prone to working during leisure time. We tested the hypothesis that an intervention to reduce work-related screen time during a weekend off reduces stress in healthcare workers in a pragmatic parallel design randomized controlled trial between November 2021 and November 2023. Healthcare workers using a smartphone with a work email application were eligible. Randomization was 1:1 to no treatment or a threefold educational intervention to: 1) activate automated responses to emails received, 2) reduce screen time, and 3) uninstall work applications from personal devices. The primary outcome was …

Foxo1 Inhibition And Fadd Knockdown Have Opposing Effects On Anticancer Drug-Induced Cytotoxicity And P21 Expression In Osteosarcoma Cells, Danielle Walker, Antanay Hall, Alexis Bonwell, Nancy Gordon, Danielle Robinson, Mario G Hollomon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Forkhead box class O1 (FOXO1) and fas-associated death domain (FADD) regulate cell death pathways and homeostatic processes such as cell cycle progression and apoptosis. FADD phosphorylation promotes nuclear localization of FOXO1, and FOXO1 regulates FADD expression. Therefore, it is plausible that FOXO1 and FADD have synergistic or antagonistic effects on cell cycle regulation and the response to anticancer drug treatment in cancer cells. In the present study, we report that AS1842856-mediated inhibition of FOXO1 reverses anticancer drug-induced cytotoxicity, while FADD knockdown increases anticancer drug-induced cytotoxicity in osteosarcoma (OS). Reversed anticancer drug-induced cytotoxicity was accompanied by G2/M cell cycle arrest and …