Digital Commons Network^™

Winter Habitats Of Bats In Texas, Melissa B. Meierhofer, Joseph S. Johnson, Samantha J. Leivers

KIP Articles

Few studies have described winter microclimate selection by bats in the southern United States. This is of particular importance as the cold-adapted fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which causes the fatal bat disease white-nose syndrome (WNS), continues to spread into southern United States. To better understand the suitability of winter bat habitats for the growth of P. destructans in this region, we collected roost temperature and vapor pressure deficit from 97 hibernacula in six ecoregions in Texas during winter 2016–17 and 2017–18. We also measured skin temperature of Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii), Townsend’s big-eared bats (C. townsendii), big-brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), …

Comparison Of Access And Linkage To Care Among People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus When Enrolled In Florida Aids Drug Assistance Program (Adap), Greg Matthew E Teo, Nisha Sunku, Suraj Nagaraj, Sadaf Aslam, Rahul Mhaskar, Liwei Chen, Zhi Zhou, Robert L. Cook, Jamie P. Morano, Charurut Somboonwit

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: The Southeast region of the United States contains nine out of the 10 states with the most severe syndemic of poverty and HIV infection.1 The Florida AIDS Drug Assistance Program (FL-ADAP) and Ryan White network are crucial for linkage to care services. Data from FL-ADAP are available but seldom published; thus this study quantifies this program’s impact on Florida PLWH access and linkage to care.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Florida Cohort, an ongoing cross-sectional survey among health clinics across the State of Florida from 2015 to 2018. Chi-square and binomial multivariate logistic regression analyses correlated anti-retroviral therapy …

Alda-1 Attenuates Hyperoxia-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Lung Vascular Endothelial Cells, Sahebgowda Sidramagowda Patil, Helena Hernández-Cuervo, Jutaro Fukumoto, Venkata Ramireddy Narala, Smita Saji, Monica Borra, Matthew Alleyn, Muling Lin, Ramani Soundararajan, Richard Lockey, Narasaiah Kolliputi, Lakshmi Galam

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in aged populations. Mitochondrial damage is one of the key features of ALI. Hyperoxia-induced lung injury model in mice has been widely used for ALI study because it features many ALI phenotypes including, but not limited to, mitochondrial and vascular endothelial cell damage. Recently, accumulating evidence has shown that mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) has a protective effect against oxidative stress mediated cell damage in epithelial cells. However, it is not known whether ALDH2 protects against oxidative stress in vascular endothelial cells. In this current study, …

A Case Series Of Staphylococcus Lugdunensis Infection In Cancer Patients At An Academic Cancer Institute In The United States, Dae Hyun Lee, Olga Klinkova, Jong-Wook Kim, Sowmya Nanjappa, John N. Greene

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) that is a part of the normal human skin flora. Even though it belongs to CoNS family, it can cause severe and destructive infections in a similar fashion to Staphylococcus aureus. Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), bacteremia and endocarditis are amongst the most common clinical presentations. Diagnosis and clinical presentation of infections caused by S. lugdunensis in cancer patients is limited. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 24 patients who had cultures positive for S. lugdunensis. Out of 24 patients, 14 patients were diagnosed with …

The Epidemiology, Demographics, And Geographical Distribution Of Human Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacteria (Ntm) Disease In The Endemic Central Florida Region, Cristina Vanessa, Greg Matthew E. Teo, Jamie P. Morano, Beata Casanas, Sadaf Aslam, Jose Montero, Kristen Zeitler, Ripal Jariwala, Anthony Cannella

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Of the >100,000 people in the United States infected yearly with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), Florida has the highest yearly incidence and prevalence of NTM disease. However, little has been documented on the epidemiology and distribution of NTM disease within Central Florida. Methods: A retrospective case review study was conducted from January, 2011 to December, 2017 at a large tertiary acute care medical center in Tampa, Florida to identify all NTM infection cases. Demographics (age, sex at birth, ethnicity), comorbidities, HIV testing status, residential zip code, NTM species, and specimen sources were collected. Results: Of the 507 isolates, Mycobacterium abscessus …

A Case Of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (Abpa) In A Patient With A History Of Cocaine Use And Tuberculosis, Noura Ayoubi, Samuel Jalali, Nikesh Kapadia

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Aspergillosis refers to a spectrum of disorders that can occur due to colonization with the Aspergillus fungus. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an airway hypersensitivity reaction to the fungus that is almost exclusively seen in patients with cystic fibrosis or asthma. Here, we present a case of ABPA in a patient with a history of chronic cocaine use and tuberculosis and no history of asthma or cystic fibrosis. The patient had presented with progressively worsening dyspnea for three months as well as a 20-pound weight loss. Diagnosis was made with an elevated IgE against Aspergillus and chest CT findings, which …

Incorporating Electronic Medical Record Hard Stops To Reduce Inappropriate Clostridioides Difficile Testing At An Academic Medical Center: A Quality Improvement Study, Seetha Lakshmi, Kimberly Atrubin, Andrew Myers, Jonathan Teter, Ripal Jariwala, Kristen Zeitler, Laura Haubner, Terri Ashmeade, Maya Balakrishnan

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background:

Clostridioides difficile is the most common pathogen causing healthcare-associated infections. This study highlights the multi-disciplinary efforts to reduce C. difficile infections (CDI) at a large, tertiary care teaching facility. Methods:

A quality improvement study was performed between March 2017 and April 2018, using six Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles that included transmission prevention, diagnostic stewardship, education, and antimicrobial stewardship. Process measures included hand hygiene, isolation precautions, low-level disinfection compliance, number of tests ordered, lab cancelation of tests, and compliance with the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) hard stop for patients with laxative use, and negative C.difficile test in the past 7 days. Results: …

Seasonal Water Quality Trends In Bayboro Harbor, A Humid Subtropical Urban Estuary In Tampa Bay, Florida, Stephanie Asher-Leonard

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The goal of this study was to track water quality in Bayboro Harbor through the transition from dry season to rainy season and to determine if there was a sharp decline in water quality as precipitation increased. Secondary goals were to examine the influence of several points of urban runoff that discharged to the harbor, and analyze those sites along with several open water sites to detect any trends in changing water quality parameters or nutrients and to establish the baseline water quality data for a continuous monitoring program of Bayboro Harbor.

To accomplish these goals, a monitoring program was …

How We Experience Eating Disorders: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, Elise Hummel

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

There is very little existing qualitative research about the lived experience of individuals with eating disorders (ED) from the lens of a researcher who also identifies as a member of that community. To that end, this project asks: “What is the lived experience of having an ED? And how does my perspective as someone who identifies as having an ED inform my research process and findings?” In this thesis, I draw on feminist practices that recognize participants as collaborators and co-researchers, and I conduct open-ended interviews with four women who were diagnosed with, and sought treatment for, an ED. I …

Anthropology, 2019-2020, University Of South Florida St. Petersburg

Academic Learning Compacts

The Academic Learning Compact for the Bachelor's of Arts in Anthropology, 2019-2020.

Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 3, Subunit C Silencing Inhibits Cell Proliferation And Promotes Apoptosis In Human Ovarian Cancer Cells, Fang Wen, Zhang-Ying Wu, Lei Nie, Qi-Zhu Zhang, Yuan-Kun Qin, Zun-Lun Zhou, Jin-Jian Wu, Xing Zhao, Jun Tan, Darrell Sawmiller, Dan Zi

Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences Faculty Publications

Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death among all gynaecological cancers, illustrating the urgent need to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in this disease. Eukaryotic initiation factor 3c (EIF3c) plays an important role in protein translation and cancer cell growth and proliferation, but its role in human ovarian cancer is unclear. Our results showed that EIF3c silencing significantly up-regulated 217 and down-regulated 340 genes. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) indicated that the top differentially expressed genes are involved in ‘Classical Pathways’, ‘Diseases and Functions’ and ‘Networks’, especially those involved in signalling and cellular growth and proliferation. In addition, eIF3c silencing …

Sex, Age, And Bmi Modulate The Association Of Physical Examinations And Blood Biochemistry Parameters And Nafld: A Retrospective Study On 1994 Cases Observed At Shuguang Hospital, China, Zhengli Tang, Minh Pham, Yiming Hao, Fang Wang, Devashru Patel, Lori Jean-Baptiste, Lin Fan, Weijian Wang, Yiqin Wang, Feng Cheng

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Objective. Previous studies have shown that some metabolic risk factors are related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This retrospective study was performed to investigate the associations between physical examinations and blood biochemistry parameters and NAFLD status and to identify possible risk factors of NAFLD. Methods. Study participants underwent general physical examinations, blood biochemistry, and abdominal ultrasound evaluations. In addition, data regarding sex, age, ethnicity, medical history, and alcohol consumption of participants were recorded. Among the study participants (N=1994), 57.8% were male, 41.2% over the age of 50, and 52.6% with BMI≥24. 986 patients had NAFLD and 1008 …

Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: A Forgotten Entity In Older Patients, Vanessa C. Stubbs, Lauren E. Miller, Arjun K. Parasher, Jordan T. Glicksman, Nithin D. Adappa, James Palmer

Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Faculty Publications

Introduction: Nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (NA) characteristically affects adolescent men. Although benign, these tumors can cause local destruction and surgical resection is warranted.

Objective: We present a case of a 62-year-old man with nasal congestion and epistaxis, found to be a right NA on pathology. We also present a review of the available NA staging systems.

Findings: In this case of NA, imaging revealed an aggressive, hypervascular mass in the nasal cavity with involvement of the middle cranial fossa and cavernous sinus. The patient underwent complete endoscopic surgical resection following vascular embolization.

Conclusion: Although it is rare, NA should not be disregarded …

Gutting The Brain Of Inflammation: A Key Role Of Gut Microbiome In Human Umbilical Cord Blood Plasma Therapy In Parkinson's Disease Model, Jea-Young Lee, Julian P. Tuazon, Jared Ehrhart, Paul R. Sanberg, Cesar V. Borlongan

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Current therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD), including L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), and clinical trials investigating dopaminergic cell transplants, have generated mixed results with the eventual induction of dyskinetic side effects. Although human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) stem/progenitor cells present with no or minimal capacity of differentiation into mature dopaminergic neurons, their transplantation significantly attenuates parkinsonian symptoms likely via bystander effects, specifically stem cell graft-mediated secretion of growth factors, anti-inflammatory cytokines, or synaptic function altogether promoting brain repair. Recognizing this non-cell replacement mechanism, we examined here the effects of intravenously transplanted combination of hUCB-derived plasma into the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced rat model of PD. …

Retrospective Case Series Of Traumatic Brain Injury And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treated With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, R. Douglas Shytle, David J. Eve, Soel-Hee Kim, Allan Spiegel, Paul R. Sanberg, Cesar V. Borlongan

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Returning veterans are frequently diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Considering a recent case-controlled study of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) reporting a reduction in suicidal ideation, we investigated retrospectively three veterans with chronic TBI/PTSD symptoms who were treated with multiple rounds of HBOT with neurophysiological testing performed before and after treatment. Improvements were detected on parameters within neurocognitive domains, including reductions in suicide-related symptoms. These findings independently confirm that HBOT may be effective in treating specific symptoms of TBI/PTSD that are not currently addressed with existing therapeutic approaches.

Administration Of Rctrp9 Attenuates Neuronal Apoptosis Through Adipor1/Pi3k/Akt Signaling Pathway After Ich In Mice, Lianhua Zhao, John H. Zhang, Prativa Sherchan, Paul R. Krafft, Wei Zhao, Sa Wang, Shengpan Chen, Zaiyu Guo, Jiping Tang

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Targeting neuronal apoptosis after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) may be an important therapeutic strategy for ICH patients. Emerging evidence indicates that C1q/TNF-Related Protein 9 (CTRP9), a newly discovered adiponectin receptor agonist, exerts neuroprotection in cerebrovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-apoptotic role of CTRP9 after experimental ICH and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. ICH was induced in mice via intrastriatal injection of bacterial collagenase. Recombinant CTRP9 (rCTRP9) was administrated intranasally at 1 h after ICH. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, adiponectin receptor1 small interfering ribonucleic acid (AdipoR1 siRNA) and selective PI3 K inhibitor LY294002 were …

Pathophysiology Of Ganglioside Gm1 In Ischemic Stroke: Ganglioside Gm1: A Critical Review, Wenchao Zhang, Paul R. Krafft, Tianlong Wang, John H. Zhang, Li Li, Jiping Tang

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Ganglioside GM1 is a member of the ganglioside family which has been used in many countries and is thought of as a promising alternative treatment for preventing several neurological diseases, including cerebral ischemic injury. The therapeutic effects of GM1 have been proved both in neonates and in adults following ischemic brain damage; however, its clinical efficacy in patients with ischemic stroke is still uncertain. This review examines the recent knowledge of the neuroprotective properties of GM1 in ischemic stroke, collected in the past two decades. We conclude that GM1 may have potential for stroke treatment, although we need to be …

Safety, Pharmacodynamics, And Potential Benefit Of Omaveloxolone In Friedreich Ataxia, David R. Lynch, Jennifer Farmer, Lauren Hauser, Ian A. Blair, Qing Qing Wang, Clementina Mesaros, Nathaniel Snyder, Sylvia Boesch, Melanie Chin, Martin B. Delatycki, Paola Giunti, Angela Goldsberry, Chad Hoyle, Michael G. Mcbride, Wolfgang Nachbauer, Megan O'Grady, Susan Perlman, S. H. Subramony, George R. Wilmot, Theresa A. Zesiewicz, Colin Meyer

Neurology Faculty Publications

Objective Previous studies have demonstrated that suppression of Nrf2 in Friedreich ataxia tissues contributes to excess oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and reduced ATP production. Omaveloxolone, an Nrf2 activator and NF-kB suppressor, targets dysfunctional inflammatory, metabolic, and bioenergetic pathways. The dose-ranging portion of this Phase 2 study assessed the safety, pharmacodynamics, and potential benefit of omaveloxolone in Friedreich ataxia patients (NCT02255435).

Methods Sixty-nine Friedreich ataxia patients were randomized 3:1 to either omaveloxolone or placebo administered once daily for 12 weeks. Patients were randomized in cohorts of eight patients, at dose levels of 2.5–300 mg/day.

Results Omaveloxolone was well tolerated, and adverse …

Annual Report, Research & Instruction Department, 2018-2019, University Of South Florida St. Petersburg. Nelson Poynter Memorial Library

Library Department and Committee Reports

2018-2019 annual report for the Research and Instruction Department at Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

Down The Rabbit Hole-Considerations For Ingested Foreign Bodies, Jerry Brown, Molly Kidder, Abigail Fabbrini, Jonathan Devries, Jason Robertson, Nicole Chandler, Michael Wilsey

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

We report the case of a seven-year-old boy with an ingested foreign body, which was retained within the appendix for a known duration of ten months, ultimately requiring appendectomy. The ingested foreign body was incidentally discovered by abdominal x-ray at an emergency room visit for constipation. Despite four bowel cleanouts, subsequent x-rays showed persistence of the foreign body in the right lower quadrant. While the patient did not have signs or symptoms of acute appendicitis, laparoscopic appendectomy was performed due to the risk of this foreign body causing appendicitis in the future. A small metallic object was found within the …

The Hiv Seers Project: A Qualitative Analysis Of Program Facilitators’ Experience, Tiffany Chenneville, Kemesha Gabbidon, Hunter Drake

Psychology Faculty Publications

HIV-related stigma creates barriers to HIV testing, medication adherence, and retention in care. Guided by the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and in collaboration with community health workers (CHWs), the Stigma-reduction through Education, Empowerment, and Research (SEERs) project was developed with and for youth living in Nakuru, Kenya to reduce HIV-related stigma. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of the CHWs serving as SEERs facilitators. To evaluate SEERs, 37 facilitators completed open-ended survey questions to gather their experiences and recommendations for future program implementation and sustainability. Participants’ mean age was 30.58 (standard deviation = …

Locoregional Melanoma: Identifying Optimal Care In A Rapidly Changing Landscape, David E. Gyorki, Jonathan S. Zager

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Folic Acid Intake, Fetal Brain Growth, And Maternal Smoking In Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Korede K. Yusuf, Hamisu M. Salihu, Roneé Wilson, Alfred K. Mbah, William Sappenfield, Karen Bruder, Usman J. Wudil, Muktar H. Aliyu

Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Background: Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy plays an important role in fetal growth and development. To our knowledge, no experimental study has examined the effect of folic acid on fetal brain growth in women who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of higher-dose compared with standard-dose folic acid supplementation on prenatal fetal brain growth, measured by head circumference, brain weight, and brain-body weight ratio (BBR). Design: In this randomly assigned, double-blind, controlled clinical trial, we recruited 345 smoking pregnant women attending a community health center in Tampa, FL between 2010 and …

Precision Delivery Of Ras-Inhibiting Sirna To Kras Driven Cancer Via Peptide-Based Nanoparticles, Matthew S. Strand, Bradley A. Krasnick, Hua Pan, Xiuli Zhang, Ye Bi, Candace Brooks, Christopher Wetzel, Narendra Sankpal, Timothy Fleming, S. Peter Goedegebuure, David G. Denardo, William E. Gillanders, William G. Hawkins, Samuel A. Wickline, Ryan C. Fields

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Over 95% of pancreatic adenocarcinomas (PDACs), as well as a large fraction of other tumor types, such as colorectal adenocarcinoma, are driven by KRAS activation. However, no direct RAS inhibitors exist for cancer therapy. Furthermore, the delivery of therapeutic agents of any kind to PDAC in particular has been hindered by the extensive desmoplasia and resultant drug delivery challenges that accompanies these tumors. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising modality for anti-neoplastic therapy due to its precision and wide range of potential therapeutic targets. Unfortunately, siRNA therapy is limited by low serum half-life, vulnerability to intracellular digestion, and transient …

Impact Of Availability Of Telehealth Programs On Documented Hiv Viral Suppression: A Cluster-Randomized Program Evaluation In The Veterans Health Administration, Michael E. Ohl, Kelly Richardson, Maria C. Rodriguez-Barradas, Roger Bedimo, Vincent Marconi, Jamie P. Morano, Michael P. Jones, Mary Vaughan-Sarrazin

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Telehealth may improve care for people with HIV who live far from HIV specialty clinics. We conducted a cluster-randomized evaluation to determine the impact of availability of HIV telehealth programs on documented viral suppression in Veterans Administration clinics. Methods: In 2015–2016, people who previously traveled to HIV specialty clinics were offered telehealth visits in nearby primary care clinics. Patients were cluster-randomized to immediate telehealth availability (n = 925 patients in service areas of 13 primary care clinics offering telehealth) or availability 1 year later (n = 745 patients in 12 clinics). Measures during the evaluation year included telehealth use …

Distinct Effects Of Acute Versus Chronic Corticosterone Exposure On Zebra Finch Responses To West Nile Virus, Lynn B. Martin, Meredith E. Kernbach, Thomas R. Unnasch

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Wild animals are exposed to both short- (acute) and long-term (chronic) stressors. The glucocorticoid hormones, such as corticosterone (CORT), facilitate coping with such stressors, but these hormones can have quite distinct effects contingent on the duration of their elevation. Previously, we found that experimental elevation of CORT for 2 days (via implantation) affected zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) responses to West Nile virus (WNV). CORT-elevated birds had higher viremia for at least 2 days longer than controls, and West Nile virus (WNV)-associated mortality occurred only in CORT-elevated birds. Here, we queried how acute elevations of CORT, via injection an …

A Case Series Of Elizabethkingia Meningosepticum Bacteremia In The Cancer Population, Dae Hyun Lee, Ishita Mehra, Sanjay Chandrasekhar, Abu-Sayeef Mirza, Rahul Shenoy, Annie Topham, Sowmya Nanjappa, John Greene

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background :Elizabethkingia meningosepticum (E. meningosepticum) is a ubiquitous microorganism previously known as Chryseobacterium meningosepticum. It is emerging as a pathogen responsible for bacteremia in immunocompromised patients such as cancer patients especially those with a history of prolonged hospital stay and frequent instrumentations. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all cases over 10 years in Moffitt Cancer Center showed a total of three patients with E. meningosepticum infection. Results: First patient (history of multiple myeloma) underwent endoscopy complicated by aspiration pneumonia and blood culture positive for E. meningosepticum infection. He was treated with ciprofloxacin, cefoxitin, minocycline and metronidazole and was …

Outcomes Of Extended-Spectrum Β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia Coli Bloodstream Infection In Neutropenic Patients With Hematological Malignancies, Sadaf Aslam, James Denham, John Greene

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Infections with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae is an emerging problem leading to poor clinical outcomes and increased mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of ESBL-producing E. coli (EC) in bloodstream infections (BSIs) of neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies and compare the difference with Non-ESBL producing EC.

Methods: Through an IRB approved protocol, a retrospective cohort study was conducted at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center from January, 2007 till October, 2017. Of the 310 records, who had +ive blood cultures for E. Coli, a total of 63 neutropenic patients …

The Impact Of Recent Incarceration On Post-Release Hiv Linkage To Care And Risk-Taking Behaviors In The Setting Of Enhanced Linkage To Care Policies In Florida, Greg Matthew E Teo, Suraj Nagaraj, Nisha Sunku, Sadaf Aslam, Rahul Mhaskar, Liwei Chen, Zhi Zhou, Robert L. Cook, Jamie P. Morano, Charurut Somboonwit

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: The United States has the largest incarcerated population in the world with 6.61 million adults in 2016.1 While incarceration is a known risk factor for difficulties in linkage to care2–3 and adverse health outcomes4–6, little is published on post-release incarcerated persons living with HIV (PLWH) in Florida.

Methods: Data were acquired from the Florida Cohort, an ongoing, longitudinal, cross-sectional study of PLWH recruited across HIV clinics in the state of Florida, from 2014 to 2018. Chi-square and multiple regression analyses correlated recent incarceration (within last 12 months) with demographics, HIV care adherence, perceived barriers to care, and self-reported high-risk …

Epigenetic Reader Complexes Of The Human Malaria Parasite, Plasmodium Falciparum, Wieteke Anna Maria Hoeijmakers, Jun Miao, Sabine Schmidt, Christa Geeke Toenhake, Sony Shrestha, Jeron Venhuizen, Rob Henderson, Jakob Birnbaum, Sonja Ghidelli-Disse, Gerard Drewes, Liwang Cui, Hendrik Gerard Stunnenberg, Tobias Spielmann, Richárd Bártfai

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms are central to the development and survival of all eukaryotic organisms. These mechanisms critically depend on the marking of chromatin domains with distinctive histone tail modifications (PTMs) and their recognition by effector protein complexes. Here we used quantitative proteomic approaches to unveil interactions between PTMs and associated reader protein complexes of Plasmodium falciparum, a unicellular parasite causing malaria. Histone peptide pull-downs with the most prominent and/or parasite-specific PTMs revealed the binding preference for 14 putative and novel reader proteins. Amongst others, they highlighted the acetylation-level-dependent recruitment of the BDP1/BDP2 complex and identified an PhD-finger protein (PHD …