Digital Commons Network^™

Genome-Wide Association Study Meta-Analysis Provides Insights Into The Etiology Of Heart Failure And Its Subtypes, Albert Henry, Xiaodong Mo, Chris Finan, Mark D Chaffin, Doug Speed, Hanane Issa, Spiros Denaxas, James S Ware, Sean L Zheng, Anders Malarstig, Jasmine Gratton, Isabelle Bond, Carolina Roselli, David Miller, Sandesh Chopade, A Floriaan Schmidt, Erik Abner, Lance Adams, Charlotte Andersson, Krishna G Aragam, Johan Ärnlöv, Geraldine Asselin, Anna Axelsson Raja, Joshua D Backman, Traci M Bartz, Kiran J Biddinger, Mary L Biggs, Heather L Bloom, Eric Boersma, Jeffrey Brandimarto, Michael R Brown, Søren Brunak, Mie Topholm Bruun, Leonard Buckbinder, Henning Bundgaard, David J Carey, Daniel I Chasman, Xing Chen, James P Cook, Tomasz Czuba, Simon De Denus, Abbas Dehghan, Graciela E Delgado, Alexander S Doney, Marcus Dörr, Joseph Dowsett, Samuel C Dudley, Gunnar Engström, Christian Erikstrup, Tõnu Esko, Eric H Farber-Eger, Stephan B Felix, Sarah Finer, Ian Ford, Mohsen Ghanbari, Sahar Ghasemi, Jonas Ghouse, Vilmantas Giedraitis, Franco Giulianini, John S Gottdiener, Stefan Gross, Daníel F Guðbjartsson, Hongsheng Gui, Rebecca Gutmann, Sara Hägg, Christopher M Haggerty, Åsa K Hedman, Anna Helgadottir, Harry Hemingway, Hans Hillege, Craig L Hyde, Bitten Aagaard Jensen, J Wouter Jukema, Isabella Kardys, Ravi Karra, Maryam Kavousi, Jorge R Kizer, Marcus E Kleber, Lars Køber, Andrea Koekemoer, Karoline Kuchenbaecker, Yi-Pin Lai, David Lanfear, Claudia Langenberg, Honghuang Lin, Lars Lind, Cecilia M Lindgren, Peter P Liu, Barry London, Brandon D Lowery, Jian'an Luan, Steven A Lubitz, Patrik Magnusson, Kenneth B Margulies, Nicholas A Marston, Hilary Martin, Winfried März, Olle Melander, Ify R Mordi, Michael P Morley, Andrew P Morris, Alanna C Morrison, Lori Morton, Michael W Nagle, Christopher P Nelson, Alexander Niessner, Teemu Niiranen, Raymond Noordam, Christoph Nowak, Michelle L O'Donoghue, Sisse Rye Ostrowski, Anjali T Owens, Colin N A Palmer, Guillaume Paré, Ole Birger Pedersen, Markus Perola, Marie Pigeyre, Bruce M Psaty, Kenneth M Rice, Paul M Ridker, Simon P R Romaine, Jerome I Rotter, Christian T Ruff, Marc S Sabatine, Neneh Sallah, Veikko Salomaa, Naveed Sattar, Alaa A Shalaby, Akshay Shekhar, Diane T Smelser, Nicholas L Smith, Erik Sørensen, Sundararajan Srinivasan, Kari Stefansson, Garðar Sveinbjörnsson, Per Svensson, Mari-Liis Tammesoo, Jean-Claude Tardif, Maris Teder-Laving, Alexander Teumer, Guðmundur Thorgeirsson, Unnur Thorsteinsdottir, Christian Torp-Pedersen, Vinicius Tragante, Stella Trompet, Andre G Uitterlinden, Henrik Ullum, Pim Van Der Harst, David Van Heel, Jessica Van Setten, Marion Van Vugt, Abirami Veluchamy, Monique Verschuuren, Niek Verweij, Christoffer Rasmus Vissing, Uwe Völker, Adriaan A Voors, Lars Wallentin, Yunzhang Wang, Peter E Weeke, Kerri L Wiggins, L Keoki Williams, Yifan Yang, Bing Yu, Faiez Zannad, Chaoqun Zheng, Folkert W Asselbergs, Thomas P Cappola, Marie-Pierre Dubé, Michael E Dunn, Chim C Lang, Nilesh J Samani, Svati Shah, Ramachandran S Vasan, J Gustav Smith, Hilma Holm, Sonia Shah, Patrick T Ellinor, Aroon D Hingorani, Quinn Wells, R Thomas Lumbers

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Heart failure (HF) is a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality. While distinct clinical subtypes, defined by etiology and left ventricular ejection fraction, are well recognized, their genetic determinants remain inadequately understood. In this study, we report a genome-wide association study of HF and its subtypes in a sample of 1.9 million individuals. A total of 153,174 individuals had HF, of whom 44,012 had a nonischemic etiology (ni-HF). A subset of patients with ni-HF were stratified based on left ventricular systolic function, where data were available, identifying 5,406 individuals with reduced ejection fraction and 3,841 with preserved ejection fraction. …

Environmental Health Disparities In Pediatric Cancer: A Report From The Fourth Symposium On Childhood Cancer Health Disparities, Thanh T Hoang, Zdenko Herceg, Don W Coulter, Adam De Smith, Manish Arora, William E Funk, David Haynes, Stephen H Linder, Leticia M Nogueira, Amy E Hughes, Lindsay A Williams, Jeremy M Schraw, Michael E Scheurer, Philip J Lupo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The 4th Symposium on Childhood Cancer Health Disparities was held at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas, on September 26, 2023. The symposium registered 94 attendees from different backgrounds (e.g. clinicians, epidemiologists, exposure assessment scientists, geospatial experts) with an interest in environmental health disparities of pediatric cancer susceptibility and treatment outcomes. The focus of the symposium was to provide an overview of the role of environmental risk factors in studies of pediatric cancer, introduce novel exposure assessment tools that can be applied to the field, and highlight opportunities to study the impact of environmental health disparities in pediatric cancer susceptibility …

An Application Of Minimization For Ensuring Balanced Study Arms In A Group-Randomized Covid-19 Educational Intervention Trial, Xu Zhang, Mohammad H Rahbar, Amirali Tahanan, Cici Bauer, Marcia C De Oliveira Otto, Alanna C Morrison, Belinda Reininger, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Our institution carried out a multi-center, group-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of two community-based interventions on promoting the uptake of COVID-19 testing and vaccination in three regions with high levels of health disparities in Texas. We selected Census Block Groups (CBGs) with high disparity for randomization. In each study region, selected CBGs were randomized into two intervention groups and one control group. An important goal was to ensure balanced distributions of two continuous covariates, the disparity index and population size, across study arms. In this paper, we describe a novel minimization method used to ensure balanced study …

Intraoperative Goal-Directed Haemodynamic Therapy: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Stratified By Trial Size, Dominik X Müller, Daniel I Sessler, Bernd Saugel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Individualized Blood Pressure Regulation And Acute Kidney Injury In Older Patients Having Major Abdominal Surgery: A Pilot Randomized Trial, Zhaohua Pang, Shuang Liang, Nannan Zhou, Xiaoyan Zhu, Qulian Guo, Daniel I Sessler, Wangyuan Zou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common postoperative complication, and hypotension may contribute. We therefore tested the primary hypothesis that individualized intraoperative blood pressure regulation reduces postoperative AKI in older surgical patients.

Methods: We enrolled patients ≥60 years old scheduled for elective major abdominal surgery with invasive arterial pressure monitoring. All had goal-directed fluid management based on stroke volume variation cardiac output, and administration of a starch. Participants were randomly assigned to: (1) individualized blood pressure management targeting a systolic blood pressure (SBP) within -20% and +10% if baseline SBP was ≥130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure was ≥80 …

A Phase I Study Of The Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, And Safety Of Liposomal Bupivacaine For Sciatic Nerve Block In The Popliteal Fossa For Bunionectomy, Daniel I Sessler, Xiaodong Bao, David Leiman, Jia Song, Jason Chittenden, Alexander Voelkner, Alparslan Turan, Jeffrey Gadsden

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This trial assessed the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of liposomal bupivacaine given via ultrasound-guided popliteal sciatic nerve block with or without immediate-release bupivacaine hydrochloride in adults having bunionectomies. Forty-five adults were enrolled into four sequential cohorts: (1) liposomal bupivacaine 266 mg with bupivacaine hydrochloride 50 mg; (2) liposomal bupivacaine 133 mg with bupivacaine hydrochloride 50 mg; (3) liposomal bupivacaine 266 mg; or (4) bupivacaine hydrochloride 100 mg. Outcomes included pharmacokinetics (e.g., bupivacaine maximum plasma concentration [C

Measles Is Just A Harbinger, Catherine Troisi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Apoe And Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias Risk Among 12,221 Hispanics/Latinos, Sandra Barral, Zikun Yang, Nicole Phillips, Robert C Barber, Adam M Brickman, Lawrence S Honig, Basilio Cieza, Dolly Reyes-Dumeyer, Richard Mayeux, Farid Rajabli, Michael L Cuccaro, Jeffery M Vance, Silvia Mejia Arango, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Alejandra Michaels Obregon, Rosa Montesinos, Marcio Soto-Añari, Juan Carlos Duran, Maria Cusicanqui, Ivonne Z Jimenez Velazquez, Victoria Marca, Maryenela Illanes-Manrique, Mario Cornejo-Olivas, Margaret Pericak-Vance, Rebeca Wong, Sid O'Bryant, Nilton Custodio, Giuseppe Tosto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Effect of apolipoprotein E (APOE) on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) risk is heterogeneous across populations, with scarce data on Hispanics/Latinos.

Methods: APOE genotype was studied in 12,221 Hispanics/Latinos (per cohort and via metanalysis): Caribbean-Hispanics, Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and Peruvians/Bolivians. A subsample had longitudinal assessment and plasma p-tau. We tested the modifying effects of global and local ancestries. Results were replicated in an independent Peruvian cohort and brain samples.

Results: APOE ε4 effect was strongest in Peruvians/Bolivians (odds ratio [OR] = 6.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.71-13.83), followed by Mexicans (OR = 4.31, 95% CI = 1.58-11.74), Mexican-Americans …

Development And Evaluation Of An Automated Multimodal Mobile Detection Of Oral Cancer Imaging System To Aid In Risk-Based Management Of Oral Mucosal Lesions, Ruchika Mitbander, David Brenes, Jackson B Coole, Alex Kortum, Imran S Vohra, Jennifer Carns, Richard A Schwarz, Ida Varghese, Safia Durab, Sean Anderson, Nancy E Bass, Ashlee D Clayton, Hawraa Badaoui, Loganayaki Anandasivam, Rachel A Giese, Ann M Gillenwater, Nadarajah Vigneswaran, Rebecca Richards-Kortum

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Oral cancer is a major global health problem. It is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage, although often preceded by clinically visible oral mucosal lesions, termed oral potentially malignant disorders, which are associated with an increased risk of oral cancer development. There is an unmet clinical need for effective screening tools to assist front-line healthcare providers to determine which patients should be referred to an oral cancer specialist for evaluation. This study reports the development and evaluation of the mobile detection of oral cancer (mDOC) imaging system and an automated algorithm that generates a referral recommendation from mDOC images. mDOC …

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression In Merkel Cell Carcinoma Is Associated With Clinical And Histopathologic Parameters, Christopher R Cunningham, Yiannis P Dimopoulos, Ian M García-Quiñones, Denái R Milton, Manuel Delgado-Vélez, Woo Cheal Cho, Victor G Prieto, José A Lasalde-Dominicci, Leomar Y Ballester, Phyu P Aung

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive cutaneous malignancy with neuroendocrine differentiation. Several molecular pathways have been implicated in MCC development and multiple cell-of-origin candidates have been proposed, including neural crest cells, which express acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in MCC has not been explored. In this study, we investigated if MCC expresses nAChRs and if nAChR expression correlates with patient characteristics.

Methods: The study included 71 MCC cases diagnosed with sufficient tissue available to perform immunohistochemical analysis. The median follow-up was 29.8 months (range, 2.7-234.1). We performed immunohistochemistry using antibodies against the …

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression In Merkel Cell Carcinoma Is Associated With Clinical And Histopathologic Parameters, Christopher R Cunningham, Yiannis P Dimopoulos, Ian M García-Quiñones, Denái R Milton, Manuel Delgado-Vélez, Woo Cheal Cho, Victor G Prieto, José A Lasalde-Dominicci, Leomar Y Ballester, Phyu P Aung

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive cutaneous malignancy with neuroendocrine differentiation. Several molecular pathways have been implicated in MCC development and multiple cell-of-origin candidates have been proposed, including neural crest cells, which express acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in MCC has not been explored. In this study, we investigated if MCC expresses nAChRs and if nAChR expression correlates with patient characteristics.

Methods: The study included 71 MCC cases diagnosed with sufficient tissue available to perform immunohistochemical analysis. The median follow-up was 29.8 months (range, 2.7-234.1). We performed immunohistochemistry using antibodies against the …

Characterization Of A Time-Resolved, Real-Time Scintillation Dosimetry System For Ultra-High Dose-Rate Radiation Therapy Applications, Alexander Baikalov, Daline Tho, Kevin Liu, Stefan Bartzsch, Sam Beddar, Emil Schüler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Scintillation dosimetry has promising qualities for ultra-high-dose-rate (UHDR) radiation therapy (RT), but no system has shown compatibility with mean dose rates (DR¯) above 100 Gy/s and doses per pulse (Dp) exceeding 1.5 Gy typical of UHDR (FLASH)-RT. The aim of this study was to characterize a novel scintillation dosimetry system with the potential of accommodating UHDRs.

Methods and materials: We undertook a thorough dosimetric characterization of the system on an UHDR electron beamline. The system's response as a function of dose, DR¯, Dp, and the pulse dose-rate (DRp) was investigated, as was the system's dose sensitivity (signal per unit …

Lesion Classification By Model-Based Feature Extraction: A Differential Affine Invariant Model Of Soft Tissue Elasticity In Ct Images, Weiguo Cao, Marc J Pomeroy, Zhengrong Liang, Yongfeng Gao, Yongyi Shi, Jiaxing Tan, Fangfang Han, Jing Wang, Jianhua Ma, Hongbin Lu, Almas F Abbasi, Perry J Pickhardt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The elasticity of soft tissues has been widely considered a characteristic property for differentiation of healthy and lesions and, therefore, motivated the development of several elasticity imaging modalities, for example, ultrasound elastography, magnetic resonance elastography, and optical coherence elastography to directly measure the tissue elasticity. This paper proposes an alternative approach of modeling the elasticity for prior knowledge-based extraction of tissue elastic characteristic features for machine learning (ML) lesion classification using computed tomography (CT) imaging modality. The model describes a dynamic non-rigid (or elastic) soft tissue deformation in differential manifold to mimic the tissues’ elasticity under wave fluctuation in vivo. …

Comparison Of Six Handheld Ultrasound Devices By Pediatric Point Of Care Ultrasound (Pocus) Experts, Stephanie K Leung, Ria Dancel, Riya N Soni, Ariadna Perez-Sanchez, Michael J Mader, Haitham Al-Wahab, Thomas W Conlon, Maria V Fraga, Javier J Lasa, Andrea Matho, Hannah Smith, Nilam J Soni

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) use is increasing among pediatric clinicians, but lack of access to ultrasound devices is a major barrier. The availability of pocket-sized handheld ultrasound devices ("handhelds") has improved access. However, no head-to-head comparative studies of handhelds in children have been performed to guide purchasing decisions.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study compared six handhelds: Butterfly iQ+™ (Butterfly Network Inc.), Clarius® (Clarius Mobile Health™), Kosmos™(EchoNous), TE Air™ (Mindray®), Vscan Air™ SL (General Electric), and Lumify™ (Philips Healthcare). Eight pediatric POCUS experts acquired views showing the abdominal right upper quadrant (RUQ), cardiac apical 4-chamber, and superficial neck and lung …

Evaluating The Human Abuse Potential Of Concurrent Use Of Electronic Cigarettes And Low Nicotine Cigarettes Among Adults Who Smoke, Jason D Robinson, Yong Cui, George Kypriotakis, Jeffrey M Engelmann, Maher Karam-Hage, Jennifer A Minnix, Charles E Green, Sanjay Shete, Dorothy K Hatsukami, Eric C Donny, Sharon E Murphy, Stephen S Hecht, Thomas Eissenberg, David W Wetter, Paul M Cinciripini

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated its intention to reduce the nicotine content of combustible cigarettes to render them less addictive. This study evaluated the impact of providing adults who smoke with both very low nicotine content cigarettes (VLNCCs) and electronic cigarettes (ECs) of varying nicotine content on measures of human abuse potential. Participants (

Importance Of Postreduction Ct Scans In Posterior And Transverse Posterior Wall Acetabular Fracture-Dislocations, Samantha R Gardner, Douglas R Haase, Nikhil Gattu, Stephen J Warner, Milton L Chip Routt, Patrick Kellam, Jonathan G Eastman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: To report the frequency of patients with pre-reduction and postreduction computed tomography (CT) scans associated with acetabular fracture-dislocations and the change in position of associated intra-articular fragments occurring with joint reduction.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Regional Level 1 trauma center.

Patient selection criteria: Patients who sustained Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopedic Trauma Association 62A1 and 62B1 posterior wall or transverse posterior wall acetabular fracture-dislocations with pre-reduction and postreduction CT imaging from February 2020 to July 2023.

Outcome measures and comparisons: Intra-articular fragments were identified, and change in position (fossa to cranial, intra-articular to extra-articular, etc.) was noted from pre-reduction to …

Uric Acid Stroke Cerebroprotection Transcended Sex, Age, And Comorbidities In A Multicenter Preclinical Trial, Rakesh B Patel, Mariia Kumskova, Hanish Kodali, Ivan Budnik, Vitalii Kuznetsov, Aditi Jain, Abhishek Jha, Daniel Thedens, Nirav Dhanesha, Brijesh Sutariya, Karisma A Nagarkatti, Jessica Lamb, Pradip Kamat, Yanrong Shi, Brooklyn Avery, Takahiko Imai, Xuyan Jin, Anjali Chauhan, Ligia S B Boisserand, Mohammad B Khan, Krishnan Dhandapani, Basavaraju G Sanganahalli, Lauren H Sansing, David C Hess, Raymond C Koehler, Louise D Mccullough, Jaroslaw Aronowski, Cenk Ayata, Márcio A Diniz, Patrick D Lyden, Anna M Planas, Angel Chamorro, Anil K Chauhan, Enrique C Leira, Span Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Past failures in translating stroke cerebroprotection provoked calls for a more rigorous methodological approach, leading to the stroke preclinical assessment network SPAN (Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network), where uric acid (UA) treatment exceeded a prespecified efficacy boundary for the primary functional outcome. Still, successful translation to humans requires confirmation of the effect of UA across key biological variables relevant to patients with stroke.

Methods: We measured the effects of intravenous UA treatment (16 mg/kg) versus intravenous saline in groups of animals enrolled in the SPAN network with diverse comorbidities, sex, and age. The masked study drug or placebo was administered …

Opportunities In Stroke Care At Safety Net Hospitals: A Socioecological Perspective, Anjail Sharrief, Joshua Wollen, Maha Almohamad, M Carter Denny, Erica Jones, Aardhra M Venkatachalam, Digvijaya Navalkele, Shivika Chandra, Mariam Ahmed, Robert Pratt, Bradley D Shy, John Mcmenamy, Chigozirim Izeogu, Lesli E Skolarus, Nneka L Ifejika, Nicole R Gonzales

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Safety net hospitals (SNHs) provide care to patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay, serving populations at the highest risk for poor stroke outcomes. These include historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups, and individuals disproportionately affected by adverse social drivers of health, including lower socioeconomic status, housing instability, and limited access to preventive care. Improving stroke care at SNHs presents a critical opportunity to strengthen care delivery for individuals with the greatest need. However, such efforts require a clear understanding of the barriers across all levels of the healthcare system. In this Perspective, the authors adopt a …

Fungal Infections In People Who Use Drugs, Jose Portugal Gonzales, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Illicit drug use in the United States continues to rise, alongside an increasing number of severe infections associated with drug use. Surveillance studies report that 28%–34% of candidemia cases are linked to intravenous drug use, with Candida albicans being the most commonly isolated species, followed by Candida parapsilosis and Candida glabrata. Marijuana use is associated with lung infections caused by Aspergillus and the Mucorales, showing a 3.5-fold increased risk of mold infections and a 2.2-fold increased risk for other fungal infections. Intravenous drug use also presents a recognized risk factor for Aspergillus and Mucorales infections. Additionally, substances like …

Acute Pain Trajectories In Elderly Patients With Fragility Hip Fractures, Paul Potnuru, Christina Goehl, Katherine S Becker, Alejandro Juul, Madison Aycock, Johanna Blair De Haan, Sudipta Sen, Michelle Ge, Stephen J Warner, Nadia Hernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Pain management for hospitalized elderly patients with fragility hip fractures (FHF) remains challenging. This study aims to distinguish acute pain trajectories in FHF patients that can inform personalized analgesia management.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of patients aged 65 and older with FHF at a Level I trauma center. The primary outcome was daily average pain assessed for five days post-injury using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). We used group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) to distinguish acute pain trajectories. Then, factors and secondary outcomes (opioid use and hospital length of stay [LOS]) associated with more severe pain trajectories …

Thrombotic Complications Associated With Right Atrial Lines In Neonates And Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery. Is Calcium Chloride A Culprit?, Vy A Tran, Evelyn M Griffin, Jehan D Elliott, Rebecca L Scholl, Robert B Hill, Kelbie Kerr, Hala Khan, Jonathan Bates, Xu Zhang, Sepideh Saroukhani, Jorge Salazar, Olga I Pawelek

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: To determine if a change from calcium chloride to calcium gluconate infusion resulted in a decreased incidence of atrial thrombi and thrombotic events in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery.

Design: A single-center, retrospective cohort analysis.

Setting: A single center in Houston, TX.

Participants: 135 neonates undergoing cardiac surgery who had either a central venous catheter or tunneled atrial catheter placed and received infusions of either calcium chloride or calcium gluconate in the perioperative period.

Interventions: Patients either received a calcium chloride or calcium gluconate infusion in the perioperative period.

Measurements and main results: The study cohort consisted of 93 procedures …

The Placenta Regulates Intrauterine Fetal Growth Via Exosomal Pparγ, Xiaofang Luo, Biao Huang, Ping Xu, Hao Wang, Baozhen Zhang, Li Lin, Jiujiang Liao, Mingyu Hu, Xiyao Liu, Jiayu Huang, Yong Fu, Mark D Kilby, Rodney E Kellems, Xiujun Fan, Yang Xia, Philip N Baker, Hongbo Qi, Chao Tong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Abnormal adipogenesis is a major contributor to fetal growth restriction (FGR) and its associated complications. However, the underlying etiology remains unclear. Here, it is reported that the placentas of women with pregnancies complicated with FGR exhibit peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) inactivation. In mice, trophoblast-specific ablation of murine PPARγ reproduces the phenotype of human fetuses with FGR and defective adipogenesis. Coculture of trophoblasts with preadipocytes significantly improves preadipocyte commitment and differentiation and increases the transcription of a series of adipogenic genes via intercellular transfer of exosomal PPARγ proteins. Moreover, nanoparticle-mediated placenta-specific delivery of rosiglitazone (RGZ) significantly rescues adipogenesis defects in …

Calcium-Sensing Receptor As A Novel Target For The Treatment Of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Kasope Wolffs, Renjiao Li, Bethan Mansfield, Daniel A Pass, Richard T Bruce, Ping Huang, Rachel Paes De Araújo, Bahareh Sadat Haddadi, Luis A J Mur, Jordanna Dally, Ryan Moseley, Rupert Ecker, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Keir E Lewis, A John Simpson, Jeremy P T Ward, Christopher J Corrigan, Renata Z Jurkowska, Benjamin D Hope-Gill, Daniela Riccardi, Polina L Yarova

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease with a poor prognosis and no curative therapies. Fibroblast activation by transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) and disrupted metabolic pathways, including the arginine-polyamine pathway, play crucial roles in IPF development. Polyamines are agonists of the calcium/cation-sensing receptor (CaSR), activation of which is detrimental for asthma and pulmonary hypertension, but its role in IPF is unknown. To address this question, we evaluated polyamine abundance using metabolomic analysis of IPF patient saliva. Furthermore, we examined CaSR functional expression in human lung fibroblasts (HLFs), assessed the anti-fibrotic effects of a CaSR antagonist, NPS2143, in TGFβ1-activated normal …

Cell-Free Dna Results Indicating Mosaic Monosomy X Of Likely Maternal Origin: Impact On Genetic Counseling Practices And Patient Experiences, Audrey Mcbride, Ashley Cannon, Siddharth Prakash, Aaron W Roberts, Angela Seasely, Anna C E Hurst, Laura Hendon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To investigate the current genetic counseling practices involving a cfDNA result indicating mosaic monosomy X of likely maternal origin, and to better understand the perspectives of patients who have received this result.

Method: A total of 60 prenatal genetic counselors completed surveys about their experiences with this result, cfDNA consenting practices, and management practices. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted with 5 patients to gain insight into their experiences with result disclosure and follow-up care.

Results: 95% of genetic counselors reported feeling prepared to counsel on these results. However, responses to current practices varied. Of the genetic counselors surveyed, …

Safety Outcomes Of Antiplatelet Therapy During Endovascular Treatment Of Tandem Lesions In Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients, Mudassir Farooqui, Afshin A Divani, Milagros Galecio-Castillo, Ameer E Hassan, Mouhammad A Jumaa, Marc Ribo, Michael Abraham, Nils Petersen, Johanna Fifi, Waldo R Guerrero, Amer M Malik, James E Siegler, Thanh N Nguyen, Sunil A Sheth, Albert J Yoo, Guillermo Linares, Nazli Janjua, Darko Quispe-Orozco, Asad Ikram, Wondewossen G Tekle, Syed F Zaidi, Cynthia B Zevallos, Federica Rizzo, Tiffany Barkley, Reade De Leacy, Jane Khalife, Mohamad Abdalkader, Sergio Salazar-Marioni, Jazba Soomro, Weston Gordon, Aaron Rodriguez-Calienes, Juan Vivanco-Suarez, Charoskhon Turabova, Maxim Mokin, Dileep R Yavagal, Santiago Ortega-Gutierrez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Risk of hemorrhage remains with antiplatelet medications required with carotid stenting during endovascular therapy (EVT) for tandem lesion (TLs). We evaluated the safety of antiplatelet regimens in EVT of TLs. This multicenter study included anterior circulation TL patients from 2015 to 2020, stratified by periprocedural EVT antiplatelet strategy: (1) no antiplatelets, (2) single oral, (3) dual oral, and (4) intravenous IV (in combination with single or dual oral). Primary outcome was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Secondary outcomes were any hemorrhage, favorable functional status (mRS 0-2) at 90 days, successful reperfusion (mTICI score ≥ 2b), in-stent thrombosis, and mortality at 90 …

Prediction Of Hepatitis C Virus Perinatal Transmission In Pregnant Individuals With Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Grecio J Sandoval, George R Saade, Brenna L Hughes, Rebecca G Clifton, Uma M Reddy, Anna Bartholomew, Ashley Salazar, Edward K Chien, Alan T N Tita, John M Thorp, Torri D Metz, Ronald J Wapner, Vishakha Sabharwal, Hyagriv N Simhan, Geeta K Swamy, Kent D Heyborne, Baha M Sibai, William A Grobman, Yasser Y El-Sayed, Brian M Casey, Samuel Parry, George A Macones, Mona Prasad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Our objective was to develop a prediction model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection perinatal transmission to improve triage for neonatal follow-up. This was a secondary analysis of HCV antibody-positive participants who were enrolled in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network multicenter observational study of HCV infection in pregnancy. Among 432 participants, the perinatal transmission rate was 6.0% (95% CI, 4.0-8.7%). The prediction model was developed and included two factors: maternal HCV RNA titer greater than 10 6 international units/mL and having had any antepartum bleeding. Using this model, the …

Pulmonary Disease Caused By Mycobacterium Marseillense In Colombia, Darío Sebastián López-Delgado, Gabriel Alonso Rodríguez-Caicedo, Diego Fernando Taramuel-Gómez, Peter Houck, Martha Isabel Murcia-Aranguren, Roberto C Arduino, Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Whole-Body Hypothermia For Neonatal Encephalopathy In Preterm Infants 33 To 35 Weeks' Gestation: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Roger G Faix, Abbot R Laptook, Seetha Shankaran, Barry Eggleston, Dhuly Chowdhury, Roy J Heyne, Abhik Das, Claudia Pedroza, Jon E Tyson, Courtney Wusthoff, Sonia L Bonifacio, Pablo J Sánchez, Bradley A Yoder, Matthew M Laughon, Diana M Vasil, Krisa P Van Meurs, Margaret M Crawford, Rosemary D Higgins, Brenda B Poindexter, Tarah T Colaizy, Shannon E G Hamrick, Lina F Chalak, Robin K Ohls, Michele E Hartley-Mcandrew, Kevin Dysart, Carl T D'Angio, Ronnie Guillet, Stephen D Kicklighter, Waldemar A Carlo, Gregory M Sokol, Sara B Demauro, Anna Maria Hibbs, C Michael Cotten, Stephanie L Merhar, Roopali V Bapat, Heidi M Harmon, Elizabeth Sewell, Sarah Winter, Girija Natarajan, Ricardo Mosquera, Susan R Hintz, Nathalie L Maitre, Kristen L Benninger, Myriam Peralta-Carcelen, Abbey C Hines, Andrea F Duncan, Deanne E Wilson-Costello, Andrea Trembath, William F Malcolm, Michele C Walsh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Hypothermia begun less than 6 hours after birth reduces death or disability in infants with encephalopathy due to hypoxia-ischemia at 36 or more weeks' gestation. Trials of hypothermia for infants younger than 36 weeks' gestation are lacking.

Objective: To assess the probability that hypothermia at less than 6 hours after birth decreases death or disability in infants 33 to 35 weeks' gestation with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Design, setting, and participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted between July 2015 and December 2022 for infants 33 to 35 weeks' gestation with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy at less …

Changes In Patent Ductus Arteriosus Management And Outcomes In Infants Born At 26-28 Weeks' Gestation, Dinushan C Kaluarachchi, Matthew A Rysavy, Barbara T Do, Valerie Y Chock, Matthew M Laughon, Carl H Backes, Tarah T Colaizy, Edward F Bell, Patrick J Mcnamara

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To investigate the association between the secular decrease in treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and trends in neonatal mortality and morbidity in infants born at 26 0/7-28 6/7 weeks' gestation.

Study design: A retrospective cohort study including infants born between 2012 and 2021 in continually participating hospitals in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. The primary composite outcome was defined as surgical necrotizing enterocolitis, grade 2-3 bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), severe intraventricular hemorrhage, or death. Relationships of temporal trends in PDA treatment with the primary composite outcome and its components were analyzed using …

Nichd Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Score In Term Infants With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Clinical Trial, Seetha Shankaran, Abbot R Laptook, Carolina Guimaraes, Johnathan Murnick, Scott A Mcdonald, Abhik Das, Carolyn M Petrie Huitema, Athina Pappas, Rosemary D Higgins, Susan R Hintz, Kristin M Zaterka-Baxter, Krisa P Van Meurs, Gregory M Sokol, Lina F Chalak, Tarah T Colaizy, Uday Devaskar, Jon E Tyson, Anne Marie Reynolds, Sara B Demauro, Pablo J Sánchez, Matthew M Laughon, Waldemar A Carlo, Kristi Watterberg, Karen M Puopolo, Anna Maria Hibbs, Shannon E G Hamrick, C Michael Cotten, John Barks, Brenda B Poindexter, William E Truog, Carl T D'Angio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: The neonatal brain injury score on magnetic resonance imaging following moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy developed by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network has been revised to separate watershed and basal ganglia or thalamic injury and their associated outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the association of the injury score with outcomes of death or moderate or severe disability among all infants, and with neurodevelopment among survivors in a trial of deeper and longer cooling.

Design, setting, and participants: In this secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized clinical trial, brain imaging was obtained from infants …