Digital Commons Network^™

Cancer-Associated Mdm2 W329g Mutant Attenuates Ribosomal Stress-Mediated P53 Responses To Promote Cell Survival And Glycolysis, Sally Lien, Thomas P Whitbread, Shiva O Shastri, Jamie A Contreras, Ruiying Zhao, Yan Zhu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although amplification/overexpression is the predominant mechanism for the oncogenic properties of MDM2, an increasing number of MDM2 somatic missense mutations were identified in cancer patients with the recent advances in sequencing technology. Here, we characterized an MDM2 cancer-associated mutant variant W329G identified from a patient sample that contains a wild-type p53 gene. Trp329 is one of residues that were reported to be critical to MDM2's binding to ribosomal protein L11 (RPL11). We found that the MDM2 W329G mutant was resistant to the inhibitory effect of RPL11 on MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation, in line with its defect on RPL11 binding. …

Spinal Cord Evaluation In Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical And Radiological Associations, Present And Future, B Mark Keegan, Martina Absinta, Julien Cohen-Adad, Eoin P Flanagan, Roland G Henry, Eric C Klawiter, Shannon Kolind, Stephen Krieger, Cornelia Laule, John A Lincoln, Steven Messina, Jiwon Oh, Nico Papinutto, Seth Aaron Smith, Anthony Traboulsee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spinal cord disease is important in most people with multiple sclerosis, but assessment remains less emphasized in patient care, basic and clinical research and therapeutic trials. The North American Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis Spinal Cord Interest Group was formed to determine and present the contemporary landscape of multiple sclerosis spinal cord evaluation, further existing and advanced spinal cord imaging techniques, and foster collaborative work. Important themes arose: (i) multiple sclerosis spinal cord lesions (differential diagnosis, association with clinical course); (ii) spinal cord radiological-pathological associations; (iii) 'critical' spinal cord lesions; (iv) multiple sclerosis topographical model; (v) spinal cord atrophy; and (vi) …

Understanding Primary Care Physician Perspectives On The Diagnosis And Management Of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Qualitative Study, Natalia I Heredia, Jemima C John, Sonia Singh, Jessica P Hwang, Larkin L Strong, Maya Balakrishnan, Lorna H Mcneill

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Primary care physicians (PCPs) are well suited to manage patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the limited, existing research suggests inadequate knowledge about the natural history, diagnostic methods, and management of NAFLD. The purpose of this qualitative study is to further understand the knowledge and practices for the diagnosis and management of NAFLD among PCPs. We conducted in-depth interviews with PCPs in the Greater Houston area, addressing current clinical practices used for diagnosing and managing NAFLD, as well as the perceptions of the PCPs regarding the burden of NAFLD on patients. We recorded interviews, transcribed them, coded transcripts, …

The Effect Of Calcium Channel Blockers On Digital Ulcers In Systemic Sclerosis: Data From A Prospective Cohort Study, Laura Ross, Dylan Hansen, Nancy Maltez, Kathleen Morrisroe, Kimti Kumar, Jennifer Walker, Wendy Stevens, Joanne Sahhar, Gene-Siew Ngian, Lauren Host, Mandana Nikpour, Susanna Proudman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Digital ulcers (DU) are a common, severe vascular manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with few effective treatment options. Using data from the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study (ASCS), we sought to evaluate the effect of calcium channel blockers (CCB) on the treatment and prevention of DU.Using data from 1953 participants, with a median of 4.34 years of follow-up, we used generalised estimating equations to evaluate the clinical characteristics associated with CCB use and ascertain the risk factors for the presence of DU at subsequent study visits. A time-dependent Cox-proportional hazard model was applied to evaluate the risk of future occurrence of …

Automated Hiv Case Identification From The Mimic-Iv Database, Kai Jiang, Tru Cao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Automatic HIV phenotyping is needed for HIV research based on electronic health records (EHRs). MIMIC-IV, an extension of MIMIC-III, contains more than 520,000 hospital admissions and has become a valuable EHR database for secondary medical research. However, there was no prior phenotyping algorithm to extract HIV cases from MIMIC-IV, which requires a comprehensive knowledge of the database. Moreover, previous HIV phenotyping algorithms did not consider the new HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation immunoassay tests that MIMIC-IV contains. Our work provided insight into the structure and data elements in MIMIC-IV and proposed a new HIV phenotyping algorithm to fill in these gaps. The …

Baseline Characteristics Of Sars-Cov-2 Vaccine Non-Responders In A Large Population-Based Sample, Ashraf Yaseen, Stacia M Desantis, Rachit Sabharwal, Yashar Talebi, Michael D Swartz, Shiming Zhang, Luis Leon Novelo, Cesar L Pinzon-Gomez, Sarah E Messiah, Melissa Valerio-Shewmaker, Harold W Kohl, Jessica Ross, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen J Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Studies indicate that individuals with chronic conditions and specific baseline characteristics may not mount a robust humoral antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. In this paper, we used data from the Texas Coronavirus Antibody REsponse Survey (Texas CARES), a longitudinal state-wide seroprevalence program that has enrolled more than 90,000 participants, to evaluate the role of chronic diseases as the potential risk factors of non-response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in a large epidemiologic cohort.

METHODS: A participant needed to complete an online survey and a blood draw to test for SARS-CoV-2 circulating plasma antibodies at four-time points spaced at least three months …

Exploring The Relationship Between Vaccine Hesitancy And Mothers’ Perspectives On Covid-19 Vaccines For Children Ages 5–11 Years During The Omicron Predominant Period 2021–2022: A Qualitative Study, Tiffany A Suragh, David Adzrago, Marlyn A Allicock, Paul G Yeh, Paula Cuccaro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The United States Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 years in October 2021 during the Omicron predominant period. Parental vaccine hesitancy was prevalent during this time, resulting in low childhood COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Most studies exploring factors influencing parental vaccine hesitancy have focused on racial and ethnic minorities and lower socioeconomic populations; however, there is little knowledge of the drive drivers of vaccine hesitancy among White parents with higher education and socioeconomic statuses.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample of 15 White mothers of children ages 5-11 years in Atlanta, GA, between …

Work As A Social Determinant Of Maternal Health: A Qualitative Exploration Of College-Educated Black Women’S Experiences At Work During Pregnancy And Postpartum, Serwaa S Omowale, Laurenia C Mangum, Andrea Joseph-Mccatty, Cherell Cottrell-Daniels, Kaiya A Farris, Rashon King, Brittany C Slatton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Black women are disproportionately impacted by higher rates of maternal mortality in the United States (US). Limited research has focused on adverse maternal health outcomes among college-educated Black women, although research has found these outcomes persistent among this population.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to fill a critical gap in current research by elucidating the nuanced experiences of college-educated Black women in the workplace during pregnancy and postpartum. By exploring this under-researched area, our study contributes to the academic discourse on Black maternal health disparities within the scope of occupational health. It offers practical insights for enhancing workplace gender equity, …

Identification Of Novel 3d-Genome Altering And Complex Structural Variants Underlying Retinitis Pigmentosa Type 17 Through A Multistep And High-Throughput Approach, Suzanne E De Bruijn, Daan M Panneman, Nicole Weisschuh, Elizabeth L Cadena, Erica G M Boonen, Lara K Holtes, Galuh D N Astuti, Frans P M Cremers, Nico Leijsten, Jordi Corominas, Christian Gilissen, Anna Skowronska, Jessica Woodley, Andrew D Beggs, Vasileios Toulis, Di Chen, Michael E Cheetham, Alison J Hardcastle, Terri L Mclaren, Tina M Lamey, Jennifer A Thompson, Fred K Chen, John N De Roach, Isabella R Urwin, Lori S Sullivan, Susanne Roosing

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa type 17 (adRP, type RP17) is caused by complex structural variants (SVs) affecting a locus on chromosome 17 (chr17q22). The SVs disrupt the 3D regulatory landscape by altering the topologically associating domain (TAD) structure of the locus, creating novel TAD structures (neo-TADs) and ectopic enhancer-gene contacts. Currently, screening for RP17-associated SVs is not included in routine diagnostics given the complexity of the variants and a lack of cost-effective detection methods. The aim of this study was to accurately detect novel RP17-SVs by establishing a systematic and efficient workflow.

METHODS: Genetically unexplained probands diagnosed with adRP …

Randomized Pilot Study Examining An Online Diet Intervention To Increase Intake Of Fruits And Vegetables Among Healthy Adults, Diana E Kolb, Sarah E Deemer, Evaclaire Synkowski, Stephanie L Silveira

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Intake of fruits and vegetables (F&V) is related to health outcomes. The purpose of the study was to test an online diet program promoting F&V intake among healthy adults. Twenty-three participants were randomly assigned to complete an 8-week intervention condition (#800gChallenge®) or wait-list control condition. In weeks 1-4, intervention participants were asked to interact with an application reporting (a) whether they met their daily 800g F&V goal, (b) if their 800g of F&V was from a variety of sources, and (c) reading of daily educational material. Weeks 1-4 included weekly Zoom check-in meetings. Weeks 5-8 were autonomous, wherein participants reported …

Research Progress And Perspectives On The Application Of Tyramide Signal Amplification-Based Multiplex Immunohistochemistry/Immunofluorescence: A Bibliometrics Analysis, Xiaotong Yu, Chen Huang, Yan Song, Chun Zhang, Debo You, Xuran Dong, Defu Wu, Alan Keith Meeker, Hao Feng, Yuqing Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and aims: Multiplex immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence (mIHC/IF), which uses the tyramide signal amplification (TSA) technique, enables sequential staining of multiple targets in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples without worrying about cross-reactivity. This approach has received considerable attention from researchers over the past decades. This article aims to provide a bibliometric analysis of the research progress and perspectives on the application of TSA-based mIHC/IF.

Methods: We collected all the TSA-based mIHC/IF documents published between 2007 and 2023 from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. CiteSpace, VOSviewer and Bibliometrix R Package were used to perform the bibliometrics analysis, including details about annual …

Unraveling The Prognostic Significance Of Frgs Gene Family In Gastric Cancer And The Potential Implication Of Rgs4 In Regulating Tumor-Infiltrating Fibroblast, Yalan Yang, Siyuan Xing, Xi Luo, Lulu Guan, Yao Lu, Yiting Wang, Feng Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are regulators of signal transduction mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Current studies have shown that some molecules in the RGS gene family are related to the occurrence, development and poor prognosis of malignant tumors. However, the RGS gene family has been rarely studied in gastric cancer. In this study, we explored the mutation and expression profile of RGS gene family in gastric cancer, and evaluated the prognostic value of RGS expression. Then we established a prognostic model based on RGS gene family and performed functional analysis. Further studies showed that RGS4, as an …

Circulating Sphingolipids In Relation To Cognitive Decline And Incident Dementia: The Cardiovascular Health Study, Kristine F Moseholm, Héléne T Cronjé, Manja Koch, Annette L Fitzpatrick, Oscar L Lopez, Marcia C De Oliveira Otto, W T Longstreth, Andrew N Hoofnagle, Kenneth J Mukamal, Rozenn N Lemaitre, Majken K Jensen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Whether circulating levels of sphingolipids are prospectively associated with cognitive decline and dementia risk is uncertain.

Methods: We measured 14 sphingolipid species in plasma samples from 4488 participants (mean age 76.2 years; 40% male; and 25% apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele carriers). Cognitive decline was assessed annually across 6 years using modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) and Digital Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Additionally, a subset of 3050 participants were followed for clinically adjudicated dementia.

Results: Higher plasma levels of sphingomyelin-d18:1/16:0 (SM-16) were associated with a faster cognitive decline measured with 3MSE, in contrast, higher levels of sphingomyelin-d18:1/22:0 (SM-22) …

Impact Of Mobile Stroke Units On Patients With Large Vessel Occlusion Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Prespecified Best-Msu Substudy, Alexandra L Czap, Anne W Alexandrov, May Nour, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Mengxi Wang, Asha P Jacob, Stephanie A Parker, Muhammad Bilal Tariq, Suja S Rajan, Andrei V Alexandrov, William J Jones, Babak B Navi, Ilana Spokoyny, Jason Mackey, Mackenzie P Lerario, Michael O Gonzalez, Noopur Singh, Ritvij Bowry, James C Grotta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The impact of mobile stroke units (MSUs) on outcomes in patients with large vessel occlusions eligible for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) has yet to be characterized.

Methods: We completed a prespecified substudy of patients with EVT-eligible stroke with anterior and posterior circulation large vessel occlusions on computed tomography and/or computed tomography angiography who were enrolled in BEST-MSU (Benefits of Stroke Treatment using a Mobile Stroke Unit). Primary outcome was 90-day utility-weighted modified Rankin scale. Groups were compared using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables, and 2-sample t-tests for continuous variables. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess …

Impaired Health-Related Quality Of Life In Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From The Covad-2 E-Survey, Akira Yoshida, Yuan Li, Vahed Maroufy, Masataka Kuwana, Syahrul Sazliyana Shaharir, Ashima Makol, Parikshit Sen, James B Lilleker, Vishwesh Agarwal, Esha Kadam, Phonpen Akawatcharangura Goo, Jessica Day, Marcin Milchert, Yi-Ming Chen, Dzifa Dey, Tsvetelina Velikova, Sreoshy Saha, Abraham Edgar Gracia-Ramos, Ioannis Parodis, Elena Nikiphorou, Ai Lyn Tan, Arvind Nune, Lorenzo Cavagna, Carlos Enrique Toro Gutiérrez, Carlo Vinicio Caballero-Uribe, Miguel A Saavedra, Samuel Katsuyuki Shinjo, Nelly Ziade, Lina El Kibbi, Johannes Knitza, Oliver Distler, Hector Chinoy, Vikas Agarwal, Rohit Aggarwal, Latika Gupta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: to investigate health-related quality of life in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) compared with those with non-IIM autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs), non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs) and without autoimmune diseases (controls) using Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instrument data obtained from the second COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune disease (COVAD-2) e-survey database.

METHODS: Demographics, diagnosis, comorbidities, disease activity, treatments and PROMIS instrument data were analysed. Primary outcomes were PROMIS Global Physical Health (GPH) and Global Mental Health (GMH) scores. Factors affecting GPH and GMH scores in IIMs were identified using multivariable regression analysis.

RESULTS: We analysed responses from 1582 …

A Service-Oriented Approach To Clinical Trial Recruitment For Dementia And Brain Health: Methods And Case Examples Of Myalliance For Brain Health, Eric D Vidoni, Emma Swinford, Kelli Barton, Jaime Perales-Puchalt, C Michelle Niedens, Tina Lewandowski, Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, Jill Peltzer, Joellen Wurth, Jannette Berkley-Patton, Ryan A Townley, W Todd Moore, Ashley R Shaw, Mickeal N Key, Erica Andrade, Melissa Robinson, Susan Sprague, Aiden Bondurant, Debra Brook, Jennifer Freund, Jeffrey M Burns

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Recruitment of sufficient and diverse participants into clinical research for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias remains a formidable challenge. The primary goal of this manuscript is to provide an overview of an approach to diversifying research recruitment and to provide case examples of several methods for achieving greater diversity in clinical research enrollment.

Methods: The University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (KU ADRC) developed MyAlliance for Brain Health (MyAlliance), a service-oriented recruitment model. MyAlliance comprises a Primary Care Provider Network, a Patient and Family Network, and a Community Organization Network, each delivering tailored value to relevant parties while …

Perceptions Of Acute Care Telemedicine Among Caregivers For Persons Living With Dementia: A Qualitative Study, Anita Chary, Norvin Hernandez, Ana Paulina Rivera, Vivian Ramont, Tracey Obi, Ilianna Santangelo, Christine Ritchie, Hardeep Singh, Emily Hayden, Aanand D Naik, Shan Liu, Maura Kennedy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Persons living with dementia (PLWD) have high emergency department (ED) utilization. Little is known about using telemedicine with PLWD and caregivers as an alternative to ED visits for minor acute health problems. This qualitative interview-based study elicited caregivers' perspectives about the acceptability of telemedicine for acute complaints. We performed telephone interviews with 28 caregivers of PLWD from two academic EDs, one in the Northeast and another in the South. Using a combined deductive-inductive approach, we coded interview transcripts and elucidated common themes by consensus. All caregivers reported they would need to participate in the telemedicine visit to help overcome communication …

Streptococcus Pneumoniae Serotype 19a In Hospitalized Children With Invasive Pneumococcal Disease After The Introduction Of Conjugated Vaccines In Lima, Peru, Theresa J Ochoa, Olguita Del Águila, Isabel Reyes, Eduardo Chaparro, María E Castillo, Francisco Campos, Andrés Saenz, Roger Hernandez, Alessandra Luna-Muschi, Franco Castillo-Tokumori, Andrea E Montero, Brayan E Gonzales, Erik H Mercado

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) has decreased cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) worldwide. However, the impact of PCVs introduction may be affected by the serotype distribution in a specific context.

METHODS: Cross-sectional multicenter passive surveillance study of IPD cases in pediatric patients hospitalized in Lima, Peru between 2016 and 2019 (after PCV13 introduction) to determine the serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Serotyping was performed by a sequential multiplex PCR and confirmed by whole genome sequencing.

RESULTS: Eighty-five S. pneumoniae isolates were recovered (4.07/100,000 among childrenage). Serotype 19A was the most common (49.4%). Children infected with …

Causal Association Between Gut Microbiomes And Different Types Of Aneurysms: A Mendelian Randomization Study, Youjia Qiu, Yucheng Hou, Xingzhou Wei, Menghan Wang, Ziqian Yin, Minjia Xie, Aojie Duan, Chao Ma, Ke Si, Zhong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggests that gut microbiomes are associated with the formation and progression of aneurysms. However, the causal association between them remains unclear.

METHODS: A two-sample Mendelian randomization was conducted to investigate whether gut microbiomes have a causal effect on the risk of intracerebral aneurysm (IA), thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and aortic aneurysm (AA). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) smaller than the locus-wide significance level (1 × 10

RESULTS: The phylum

CONCLUSION: Our MR analysis confirmed the causal association of specific gut microbiomes with AAA, and these microbiomes were considered as protective factors. Our result …

State Of The Science Of Scale-Up Of Cancer Prevention And Early Detection Interventions In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review, Tara M Friebel-Klingner, Gloria Guevara Alvarez, Hope Lappen, Lydia E Pace, Keng-Yen Huang, Maria E Fernández, Donna Shelley, Anne F Rositch

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Cancer deaths in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) will nearly double by 2040. Available evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for cancer prevention and early detection can reduce cancer-related mortality, yet there is a lack of evidence on effectively scaling these EBIs in LMIC settings.

METHODS: We conducted a scoping review to identify published literature from six databases between 2012 and 2022 that described efforts for scaling cancer prevention and early detection EBIs in LMICs. Included studies met one of two definitions of scale-up: (1) deliberate efforts to increase the impact of effective intervention to benefit more people or (2) an intervention …

Interventions To Increase Follow-Up Of Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results: A Systematic Literature Review And Meta-Analysis, Melissa Lopez Varon, Yimin Geng, Bryan M Fellman, Catherine Troisi, Maria E Fernandez, Ruosha Li, Belinda Reininger, Kathleen M Schmeler, Emma Allanson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Ensuring timely follow-up of abnormal screening results is essential for eliminating cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to review single and multicomponent interventions designed to improve follow-up of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results. We report on effectiveness across studies, and describe what aspects of these interventions might be more impactful.

METHODS: Publications were searched between January 2000 and December 2022. The search included observational, quasi-experimental (pre-post studies) and randomized controlled studies describing at least one intervention to increase follow-up of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Outcomes of studies included completion of any …

Social Determinants Of Health Predict Readmission Following Covid-19 Hospitalization: A Health Information Exchange-Based Retrospective Cohort Study, Micaela N Sandoval, Jennifer L Mikhail, Melyssa K Fink, Guillermo A Tortolero, Tru Cao, Ryan Ramphul, Junaid Husain, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Since February 2020, over 104 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, or COVID-19, with over 8.5 million reported in the state of Texas. This study analyzed social determinants of health as predictors for readmission among COVID-19 patients in Southeast Texas, United States.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted investigating demographic and clinical risk factors for 30, 60, and 90-day readmission outcomes among adult patients with a COVID-19-associated inpatient hospitalization encounter within a regional health information exchange between February 1, 2020, to December 1, 2022.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In this cohort of 91,007 …

Lysophospholipids Are Associated With Outcomes In Hospitalized Patients With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Aaron M Gusdon, Jude Pj Savarraj, John B Redell, Atzhiry Paz, Sarah Hinds, Angela Burkett, Glenda Torres, Xuefang Ren, Neeraj Badjatia, Georgene W Hergenroeder, Anthony N Moore, H Alex Choi, Pramod K Dash

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) accounts for 70-90% of all TBI cases. Lipid metabolites have important roles in plasma membrane biogenesis, function, and cell signaling. As TBI can compromise plasma membrane integrity and alter brain cell function, we sought to identify circulating phospholipid alterations after mTBI, and determine if these changes were associated with clinical outcomes. Patients with mTBI (Glasgow Coma Score [GCS] ≥13 and loss of consciousness <30 >min) were recruited. A total of 84 mTBI subjects were enrolled after admission to a level I trauma center, with the majority having evidence of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage on brain computed tomography …

Plasma Growth Hormone As A Prognostic Biomarker To Durvalumab And Tremelimumab In Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Shadi Chamseddine, Michael Lapelusa, Lianchun Xiao, Yehia I Mohamed, Sunyoung S Lee, Zishuo Ian Hu, Rikita I Hatia, Manal Hassan, James C Yao, Dan G Duda, Saumil Datar, Hesham M Amin, Ahmed O Kaseb

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we explored the potential of plasma growth hormone (GH) as a prognostic biomarker in patients with advanced HCC treated with durvalumab plus tremelimumab (D+T).

METHODS: In this study, we included 16 patients with advanced HCC who received D+T at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2022 and 2023 and had plasma GH measurements recorded before treatment. Plasma GH levels were measured from prospectively collected blood samples and were correlated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The cutoff for normal GH levels in women and men was defined as ≤3.7 μg/L and ≤0.9 μg/L, respectively. The …

Surgical Periodontal Management Of Peripheral Ossifying Fibroma: A Series Of Three Cases, Karo Parsegian, Roger M Arce, Nikola Angelov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF) is a benign swelling of the gingival connective tissue commonly associated with dental biofilm and biofilm-retentive dental appliances. In the present case report, we described three cases of POF with different clinical presentations and treatment approaches. The treatment consisted of the removal of supra- and subgingival calculus, followed by a flap surgery with excision of the entire lesion ensuring the inclusion of the periosteal bed. The first patient developed POF during her pregnancy that remained clinically noticeable postpartum. The second case represented a rare case of POF appearing on the palatal aspect of the anterior maxilla …

Increased Resolvin E1 Production By Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells In Periodontitis Patients: Pilot Study, Lina J Suárez, Wilmer González-Duarte, Rodrigo Torrez-Velasco, Viviana Salinas, Nelly S Roa-Molina, Sindy M Muñoz, Luz-Stella Rodríguez, Roger M Arce, Jamil A Shibli, Adriana Rodríguez-Ciodaro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study quantified the production of the pro-resolving agent Resolvin E1 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 20 systemically healthy volunteers with and without periodontitis after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg). Ten periodontitis patients and 10 healthy volunteers (30-50 years old), matched by age and sex, were recruited. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and stimulated in culture plates for 24 hours with Pg LPS. Resolvin E1 levels were measured in the supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significantly higher production of Resolvin E1 was observed in both groups when stimulated with LPS compared to baseline levels …

Changes In Unhealthy Food Consumption Among Vulnerable Elementary-Aged Children In The United States During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Serial Cross-Sectional Analysis, Nivedhitha Parthasarathy, Nalini Ranjit, Ru-Jye Chuang, Christine Markham, Mike Pomeroy, Jacqueline Noyola, Deepali K Ernest, Shreela V Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Several studies suggest that during the early pandemic, amidst socioeconomic instability, children from underserved families were more likely to resort to consuming cheaper, lower-quality foods with longer shelf lives. This study investigated the change in unhealthy food consumption across different phases (pre, early, mid) of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether the strength of association between unhealthy food consumption and household socioeconomic disadvantage (HSED) varied across phases of the pandemic.

Methods: This study utilized serial cross-sectional data collected from low-income families enrolled in a school-based food co-op, Brighter Bites. Secondary data analysis included 5,384 surveys from families who had complete …

Comparing The Use And Effectiveness Of In-Person And Remote Physical Education Delivery During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kempson Onadeko, Timothy J Walker, Derek W Craig, Jacob Szeszulski, Andjelka Pavlovic, Laura F Defina, Harold W Kohl

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Physical Education is a key component to improve youth health, but there is limited information on Physical Education delivery in different formats.

PURPOSE: We compared PE formats (in-person versus remote) across evaluation aspects: weekly minutes; perceived effectiveness; and student-to-teacher ratio.

METHODS: We distributed questionnaires (2020-2021 school year) to school contacts who represented NFL Play 60 FitnessGram

RESULTS: Among 165 schools, 10% (n=17) offered in-person instruction, 31% (n=51) offered remote instruction, and 59% offered both (n=97). Results revealed higher in-person PE minutes (77.2±7.3) compared to remote minutes (67.1±14.6), but results were not significantly different (p=0.19). School contacts reported significantly more …

A Virtual Culinary Medicine Intervention For Ethnically Diverse Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: Development Of The Nourishing The Community Through Culinary Medicine, Lorena Macias-Navarro, John Wesley Mcwhorter, Diana C Guevara, Sarah S Bentley, Shreela V Sharma, Jennifer H Torres, David Ai, Natalia I Heredia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Virtual culinary medicine education interventions have the potential to improve dietary behaviors, nutrition knowledge, cooking skills, and health outcomes for ethnically diverse individuals with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study is to describe the adaptation of the Nourishing the Community through Culinary Medicine (NCCM) program for virtual delivery, and the protocol for pilot testing this intervention. The intervention includes five 90-min virtual NCCM sessions streamed live from a Teaching Kitchen. Feasibility outcomes are recruitment, retention, acceptability, and satisfaction. Short-term effectiveness outcomes are measured through self-administered questionnaires, including perceived health, average daily servings of fruits and vegetables, frequency of …

Exploring Sexual Orientation Disparities Regarding The Interplay Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Self-Reported Diabetes Status, And Depression Among Adults In The United States, Sumaita Choudhury, Paul G Yeh, Kaitlyn L Zajack-Garcia, Christine M Markham

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Previous research has revealed a strong link between the experience of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and diabetes in adulthood. Moreover, research has shown that sexual minorities (SM) are exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) (i.e. CSA) and experience depression at higher rates than their heterosexual counterparts. Thus, it is imperative to further investigate the role of depression and the differential associations of exposure to ACEs with diabetes prevalence by sexual orientation. We explored sexual orientation disparities regarding the relationship between CSA and diabetes and examined the moderating role of depression. A total of 29,903 participants from the 2021 Behavioral Risk …