Digital Commons Network^™

In Vitro Activity Of Non-Antibiotic Drugs Against Staphylococcus Aureus Clinical Strains, Natalie K. Boyd, Grace C. Lee, Chengwen Teng Pharm.D., Ph.D., Christopher R. Frei

Faculty Publications

Objectives: We hypothesised that one or more of the non-antibiotic candidates selected for this study would demonstrate antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Methods: We determined minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for non-antibiotic drugs (amlodipine, azelastine, ebselen and sertraline) against five clinical S. aureus isolates and one quality control strain using the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Our research group selected clinical isolates obtained from nasal and wound swab cultures of patients with skin and soft-tissue infections who were seen at primary care clinics in the South Texas Ambulatory Research Network (STARNet).

Results: Three of the non-antibiotic …

Tipping Point: Integrating Social Determinants Of Health Concepts In A College Of Nursing, Victoria H. Davis Dnp, Aprn, Cpnp-Pc, Cne, Crystal L. Murillo Phd, Rn, Chse-A, Anef, Faan, Kate K, Chappell Phd, Aprn, Cpnp-Pc, Coretta Jenerette, Alicia K. Ribar, Karen Worthy Phd, Mph, Rn, Cne, Cnecl, Jeannette O. Andrews Phd, Rn, Faan

Faculty Publications

Background:

State health rankings, national nursing education reform, and increasing awareness of social injustices propelled a college of nursing to transform its strategic plan, infrastructure, and curriculum. The prevalence of social determinants of health (SDOH) in South Carolina indicates a need for the state's health workforce to understand the impact of SDOH and recognize strategies to address and ameliorate SDOH. With the paradigmatic integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion in nursing education, there is a need for programmatic and curricular integration of SDOH to increase awareness, foster understanding, and transform perspectives among nursing faculty, staff, and students.

Method:

Institutional changes …

Challenges For Estimating The Global Prevalence Of Micronutrient Deficiencies And Related Disease Burden: A Case Study Of The Global Burden Of Disease Study, Sonja Y. Hess, Alexander C. Mclain Ph.D., Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Ashkan Afshin, Nicholas J. Kassebaum, Saskia Jm Osendarp, Reed Atkin, Rahul Rawat, Kenneth H. Brown

Faculty Publications

Information on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is needed to determine related disease burden; underpin evidence-based advocacy; and design, deliver, and monitor safe, effective interventions. Assessing the global prevalence of deficiency requires a valid micronutrient status biomarker with an appropriate cutoff to define deficiency and relevant data from representative surveys across multiple locations and years. The Global Burden of Disease Study includes prevalence estimates for iodine, iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies, for which recommended biomarkers and appropriate deficiency cutoffs exist. Because representative survey data are lacking, only retinol concentration is used to model vitamin A deficiency, and proxy indicators …

Filling The Knowledge Gap For Nurse Leaders: Next Steps Following Covid-19, Mikel W. Hand, Catherine Alexander, Bret Lyman, Joy Parchment, M Lindell Joseph, Esther Chipps

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to share gaps in knowledge and research related to pandemic management identified by nurse leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of a larger Delphi study, nurse leaders responded to an open-ended question about gaps in research they saw as important following the pandemic. Responses were analyzed using directed content analysis. Results are presented as 4 supercategories: Organizational leadership preparedness, adaptive leadership in crisis, innovations in care delivery, and health, well-being, and resilience.

The Temptation Of Cosmic Private Law Theory, Nathan B. Oman

Faculty Publications

It’s a heady time to be a theorist of private law. After decades of vague post-Realist functionalism or reductive economic theories, the latest generation of private law theorists have provided a proliferation of new philosophies of tort, contract, and property. The result has been a tremendous burst of intellectual creativity. While Kant and Hegel have been dragooned into debates over torts and contracts and even such supposedly wooly headed thinkers as Coke and Blackstone have been rehabilitated, there have been fewer efforts to generate natural law accounts of private law than one might expect, particularly in light of the revival …

The Charitable Continuum, Eric Kades

Faculty Publications

There are powerful fairness and efficiency arguments for making charitable donations to soup kitchens 100% deductible. These arguments have no purchase for donations to fund opulent church organs, yet these too are 100% deductible under the current tax code. This stark dichotomy is only the tip of the iceberg. Looking at a wider sampling of charitable gifts reveals a charitable continuum. Based on sliding scales for efficiency, multiple theories of fairness, pluralism, institutional competence and social welfare dictate that charitable deductions should in most cases be fractions between zero and one. Moreover, the Central Limit Theorem strongly suggests that combining …

Monitoring Fine-Scale Forest Health Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas) Multispectral Models, Benjamin T. Fraser, Russell G. Congalton

Faculty Publications

Forest disturbances—driven by pests, pathogens, and discrete events—have led to billions of dollars in lost ecosystem services and management costs. To understand the patterns and severity of these stressors across complex landscapes, there must be an increase in reliable data at scales compatible with management actions. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS or UAV) offer a capable platform for collecting local scale (e.g., individual tree) forestry data. In this study, we evaluate the capability of UAS multispectral imagery and freely available National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery for differentiating coniferous healthy, coniferous stressed, deciduous healthy, deciduous stressed, and degraded individual trees throughout …

A Healthy Dietary Pattern With A Low Inflammatory Potential Reduces The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Lotta Pajunen, Liisa Korkalo, Noora Houttu, Outi Pellonperä, Kati Mokkala, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., James Hébert Scd, Tero Vahlberg, Kristina Tertti, Kirsi Laitinen

Faculty Publications

Purpose An optimal diet for lowering the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is still to be defined, but may comprise of nutrient intakes, dietary patterns, diet quality, and eating frequency. This study was designed to investigate the contribution of diet in developing GDM in a comprehensive way. Methods The dietary intake of overweight or obese women, a risk group for GDM (n = 351), was assessed using 3-day food diaries and diet quality questionnaires in early pregnancy. Eating frequency and nutrient intakes were calculated, and dietary patterns identified using principal component analysis. The inflammatory potential of the diet was …

Competence-Based Curriculum (Cbc) In Kenya And The Challenge Of Vision 2030, Dovison Kereri, Roseline Nyaboke, Loice K. Nyabwari

Faculty Publications

The educational system prioritizes the development of skills required in the 21st Century, which focuses on students’ needs such as collaboration, creativity, and competence. However, many countries cannot achieve the necessary skills without quality education, especially for developing countries like Kenya. In the past, Kenya's aim of the 8-4-4 system of education was self-reliance, but the aim of education was lost because it became too academic and exam-oriented. The current educational ministry's target is to implement a competency-based curriculum (CBC), 2-6-6-3, introduced in 2019 to meet the vision 2030 of science and technology and innovation. CBC requires students to be …

Performance Of A Validated Spontaneous Preterm Delivery Predictor In South Asian And Sub-Saharan African Women: A Nested Case Control Study, Rasheda Khanam, Tracy C. Fleischer, Nansi Boghossian, Imran Nisar, Usha Dhingra, Sayedur Rahman, Angela C. Fox, Muhammad Iiyas, Arup Dutta, Nurun Naher, Ashoka D. Polpitiya, Usma Mehmood, Saikat Deb, Aziz Ahmed Choudhury, Md Bahadur Badsha, Karim Muhammad, Said Mohammed Ali, Salahuddin Ahmed, Durlin E. Hickok, Najeeha Iqbal, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Objectives

To address the disproportionate burden of preterm birth (PTB) in low- and middle-income countries, this study aimed to (1) verify the performance of the United States-validated spontaneous PTB (sPTB) predictor, comprised of the IBP4/SHBG protein ratio, in subjects from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Tanzania enrolled in the Alliance for Maternal and Newborn Health Improvement (AMANHI) biorepository study, and (2) discover biomarkers that improve performance of IBP4/SHBG in the AMANHI cohort.

Study design

The performance of the IBP4/SHBG biomarker was first evaluated in a nested case control validation study, then utilized in a follow-on discovery study performed on the same samples. …

Examination Of Athlete Triad Symptoms Among Endurance-Trained Male Athletes: A Field Study, Erin M. Moore, Clemens Drenowatz, David F. Stodden, Kelly Pritchett, Thaddus C. Brodick, Brittany T. Williams, Justin M. Goins, Toni Torres-Mcgehee Phd, Lat, Atc

Faculty Publications

Background: Studies examining the physiological consequences associated with deficits in energy availability (EA) for male athletes are sparse.

Purpose: To examine male athlete triad components; low energy availability (LEA) with or without an eating disorder risk (ED), reproductive hormone [testosterone (T)], and bone mineral density (BMD) in endurance-trained male athletes during different training periods.

Methods: A cross-sectional design with 14 participants (age: 26.4 ± 4.2 years; weight: 70.6 ± 6.4 kg; height: 179.5 ± 4.3 cm; BMI: 21.9 ± 1.8 kg/m2) were recruited from the local community. Two separate training weeks [low (LV) and high (HV) training volumes] were used …

Assessing Population Exposure To Coastal Flooding Due To Sea Level Rise, Matthew E. Hauer, Dean Hardy, Scott A. Kulp, Valerie Mueller, David J. Wrathall, Peter U. Clark

Faculty Publications

The exposure of populations to sea-level rise (SLR) is a leading indicator assessing the impact of future climate change on coastal regions. SLR exposes coastal populations to a spectrum of impacts with broad spatial and temporal heterogeneity, but exposure assessments often narrowly define the spatial zone of flooding. Here we show how choice of zone results in differential exposure estimates across space and time. Further, we apply a spatio-temporal flood-modeling approach that integrates across these spatial zones to assess the annual probability of population exposure. We apply our model to the coastal United States to demonstrate a more robust assessment …

Causal Effects On Low Apgar At 5-Min And Stillbirth In A Malaria Maternal–Fetal Health Outcome Investigation: A Large Perinatal Surveillance Study In The Brazilian Amazon, Julio Abel Seijas-Chávez, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Mary K. Lynn, Maria José Francalino Da Rocha, Muana Da Costa Araújo, Fernando Luiz Affonso Fonseca, Gabriel Zorello Laporta

Faculty Publications

Background

Malaria elimination in Brazil poses several challenges, including the control of Plasmodium falciparum foci and the hidden burden of Plasmodium vivax in pregnancy. Maternal malaria and fetal health outcomes were investigated with a perinatal surveillance study in the municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazilian Amazon. The research questions are: what are the causal effects of low birth weight on low Apgar at 5-min and of perinatal anaemia on stillbirth?

Methods

From November 2018 to October 2019, pregnant women of ≥ 22 weeks or puerperal mothers, who delivered at the referral maternity hospital (Juruá Women and Children’s Hospital), …

Particulate Oxalate-To-Sulfate Ratio As An Aqueous Processing Marker: Similarity Across Field Campaigns And Limitations, Miguel Ricardo A. Hilario, Ewan C. Crosbie, Paola Angela Banaga, Grace Betito, Rachel A. Braun, Maria Obiminda Cambaliza, Andrea F. Corral, Melliza Templonuevo Cruz, Jack E. Dibb, Genevieve Rose Lorenzo, Alexander B. Macdonald, Claire E. Robinson, Michael A. Shook, James Bernard Simpas, Connor Stahl, Edward Winstead, Luke D. Ziemba, Armin Sorooshian

Faculty Publications

Leveraging aerosol data from multiple airborne and surface-based field campaigns encompassing diverse environmental conditions, we calculate statistics of the oxalate-sulfate mass ratio (median: 0.0217; 95% confidence interval: 0.0154–0.0296; R = 0.76; N = 2,948). Ground-based measurements of the oxalate-sulfate ratio fall within our 95% confidence interval, suggesting the range is robust within the mixed layer for the submicrometer particle size range. We demonstrate that dust and biomass burning emissions can separately bias this ratio toward higher values by at least one order of magnitude. In the absence of these confounding factors, the 95% confidence interval of the ratio may be …

Neural Correlates Of Infant Face Processing And Later Emerging Autism Symptoms In Fragile X Syndrome, Maggie W. Guy, John E. Richards, Abigail L. Hogan Ph.D., Jane E. Roberts

Faculty Publications

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the leading known genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with 60–74% of males with FXS meeting diagnostic criteria for ASD. Infants with FXS have demonstrated atypical neural responses during face processing that are unique from both typically developing, low-risk infants and infants at high familial risk for ASD (i.e., infants siblings of children with ASD). In the current study, event-related potential (ERP) responses during face processing measured at 12 months of age were examined in relation to ASD symptoms measured at ~48 months of age in participants with FXS, as well as siblings of …

Social Determinants Of Health Related To Stay-At-Home Order Adherence And Social Distancing Attitudes Among A Diverse Deep South Population, Jennifer L. Lemacks, Tammy Greer, Sermin Aras, Laurie Abbott, Darlene Willis, June Gipson, Mohamed O. Elasri

Faculty Publications

Objective: To describe COVID-19 related symptoms and medical care experienced in the first six months of the pandemic as well as stay-at-home order adherence, and attitudes related to COVID-19 risk and social distancing among a diverse sample of adults in the Deep South.

Methods: Survey data were collected from 411 Louisiana and Mississippi residents for three weeks in June 2020 through social media.

Results: Over half (52.5%) of participants who experienced COVID-19 related symptoms (with 41.5% experiencing at least one symptom) did not feel the severity of symptoms warranted seeking medical care. 91.6% of the Deep South …

Blood Donation Fear, Perceived Rewards, Self-Efficacy, And Intention To Return Among Whole Blood Donors In China: A Social Cognitive Perspective, Zhong Li, Shuge Lei, Xiamoing Li Ph.D., Yilun Zhao, Yudong Dai, Shengxuan Jin, Qiang Fu, Xubing Cai, Zhenping Lin, Xiaoming Tu

Faculty Publications

With the increasing demand from aging population and seasonal blood shortage, recruiting and retaining blood donors has become an urgent issue for the blood collection centers in China. This study aims to understand intention to donate again from a social cognitive perspective among whole blood donors in China through investigating the association between the blood donation fear, perceived rewards, self-efficacy, and intention to return. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in six cities, which are geographically and socioeconomically distinct areas in Jiangsu, China. Respondents completed a self-administrated questionnaire interviewed by two well-trained medical students. A total of 191 blood donors were …

The Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Not Associated With Gut Permeability Or Biomarkers Of Systemic Inflammation In Hiv Immunologic Non-Responders, Fat Malazogu, Rodney K. Rousseau, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Sanja Huibner, Sharon L. Walmsley, Colin M. Kovacs, Erika Benko, Robert J. Reinhard, Ron Rosenes, James R. Hébert, Rupert Kaul

Faculty Publications

Immunologic non-responders (INRs) are a subset of individuals living with HIV who have suboptimal blood CD4+ T cell recovery despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). They are at an increased risk of serious non-AIDS co-morbidities and death, and demonstrate enhanced systemic immune activation. In other populations diet has been correlated with markers of systemic inflammation through the Diet Inflammatory Index (DII), but this association has not been studied in persons living with HIV (PLWH). Blood was collected from 28 INR PLWH with a blood CD4+ T cell count <350/μL despite ≥2 years of effective ART. Participants completed a Canadian Diet History Questionnaire, and their responses were used to calculate the DII. Plasma inflammatory markers (IFNγ, TNF, IL-6, sVCAM, D-dimer, sCD14 and CRP) were assayed by ELISA, cellular immune activation (HLA-DR and CD38 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells) was quantified using flow cytometry, and small bowel permeability assessed by calculation of the urine LacMan ratio after drinking a mix of lactulose and mannitol. Participants were a median age of 57 years, had been on effective ART for 15 years, and the median DII was −1.91 (range of −3.78 to +2.23). No correlation was observed between DII and plasma markers of inflammation, levels of T cell activation, gut permeability, or the biomarker of bacterial translocation sCD14. Self-reported alcohol intake, a potential confounder of the relationship between diet and inflammatory biomarkers, was also not associated with systemic inflammation or gut permeability. Our findings suggest that other mechanisms, rather than diet, are likely to be the major driver of systemic inflammation in INR individuals.

Association Between Diet Quality Indices And Incidence Of Type 2 Diabetes In The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, Allison M. Hodge, Md Nazmul Karim, James Hébert Scd, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Barbora De Courten

Faculty Publications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a common condition whose incidence is increasing worldwide, and for which obesity and diet are important risk factors. The aim of this study was to assess the association of three diet quality scores with diabetes risk and how much of the association was mediated through body size. The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study recruited 41,513 men and women aged 40–69 years during 1990–1994. At baseline, data were collected on lifestyle and diet, anthropometric measures were performed. Incident diabetes was assessed by self-report at follow-up surveys in 1994–1998 and 2003–2007. The associations between the dietary inflammatory index …

Exploring Rural Engineering Students’ College Choice Process At Two Land-Grant Universities, Rachel E. Worsham, Ashley B. Clayton, Joy Gaston Gayles

Faculty Publications

This qualitative case study examines the college choice decisions of rural students enrolled in engineering majors to understand what conditions and experiences led rural students to pursue engineering at their institution. We found four themes that help illuminate rural engineering students’ college choice journeys (1) The Inextricable Nature of College, Major, and Career Choice (2) “The Smart Person Thing to Do:” The Power of Prestige, (3) “Are You Sure You Don’t Want to Change your Major?” Dissonance Between Aspirations and Expectations, and (4) School and Community as Crucial Resources in College and Major Exploration. These findings have implications for those …

Relating Geostationary Satellite Measurements Of Aerosol Optical Depth (Aod) Over East Asia To Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5): Insights From The Korus-Aq Aircraft Campaign And Geos-Chem Model Simulations, Shixian Zhai, Daniel J. Jacob, Jared F. Brewer, Ke Li, Jonathan M. Moch, Jhoon Kim, Seoyoung Lee, Hyunkwang Lim, Hyun Chul Lee, Su Keun Kuk, Rokjin J. Park, Jaein I. Jeong, Xuan Wang, Pengfei Liu, Gan Luo, Fangqun Yu, Jun Meng, Randall V. Martin, Katherine R. Travis, Johnathan W. Hair, Bruce E. Anderson, Jack E. Dibb, Jose L. Jimenez, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Benjamin A. Nault, Jung-Hun Woo, Younha Kim, Qiang Zhang, Hong Liao

Faculty Publications

Geostationary satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) over East Asia from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) and Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) instruments can augment surface monitoring of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air quality, but this requires better understanding of the AOD–PM2.5 relationship. Here we use the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model to analyze the critical variables determining the AOD–PM2.5 relationship over East Asia by simulation of observations from satellite, aircraft, and ground-based datasets. This includes the detailed vertical aerosol profiling over South Korea from the KORUS-AQ aircraft campaign (May–June 2016) with concurrent ground-based PM2.5 composition, PM10, and AERONET AOD …

Deletion Of The Stress Response Gene Ddr48 From Histoplasma Capsulatum Increases Sensitivity To Oxidative Stress, Increases Susceptibility To Antifungals, And Decreases Fitness In Macrophages, Logan T. Blancett, Kauri A. Runge, Gabriella M. Reyes, Lauren A. Kennedy, Sydney C. Jackson, Sarah E. Scheuermann, Mallory B. Harmon, Jamease C. Williams, Glenmore Shearer

Faculty Publications

The stress response gene DDR48 has been characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans to be involved in combating various cellular stressors, from oxidative agents to antifungal compounds. Surprisingly, the biological function of DDR48 has yet to be identified, though it is likely an important part of the stress response. To gain insight into its function, we characterized DDR48 in the dimorphic fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum. Transcriptional analyses showed preferential expression of DDR48 in the mycelial phase. Induction of DDR48 in Histoplasma yeasts developed after treatment with various cellular stress compounds. We generated a ddr48∆ deletion mutant to further …

Challenges For Estimating The Global Prevalence Of Micronutrient Deficiencies And Related Disease Burden: A Case Study Of The Global Burden Of Disease Study, Sonja Y. Hess, Alexander C. Mclain, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Ashkan Afshin, Nicholas J. Kassebaum, Saskia J. Osendarp, Reed Atkin, Rahul Rawat, Kenneth H. Brown

Faculty Publications

Information on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is needed to determine related disease burden; underpin evidence-based advocacy; and design, deliver, and monitor safe, effective interventions. Assessing the global prevalence of deficiency requires a valid micronutrient status biomarker with an appropriate cutoff to define deficiency and relevant data from representative surveys across multiple locations and years. The Global Burden of Disease Study includes prevalence estimates for iodine, iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies, for which recommended biomarkers and appropriate deficiency cutoffs exist. Because representative survey data are lacking, only retinol concentration is used to model vitamin A deficiency, and proxy indicators …

Shaper-Pnd Trial: Clinical Effectiveness Protocol Of A Community Singing Intervention For Postnatal Depression, Carolina Estevao, Rebecca Bind, Daisy Fancourt, Kristi Sawyer, Paola Dazzan, Nick Sevdalis, Anthony Woods, Nikki Crane, Lavinia Rebecchini, Katie Hazelgrove, Manonmani Manoharan, Alexandra Burton, Hannah Dye, Tim Osborn, Rachel E. Davis, Tayana Soukup, Jorge Arias De La Torre, Ioannis Bakolis, Andy Healey, Rosie Perkins, Carmine Pariante

Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Postnatal depression (PND) affects approximately 13% of new mothers. Community-based activities are sought after by many mothers, especially mothers that prefer not to access pharmacological or psychological interventions. Singing has shown positive effects in maternal mood and mother-child bonding. The Scaling-Up Health-Arts Programmes: Implementation and Effectiveness Research-Postnatal Depression study will analyse the clinical and implementation effectiveness of 10-week singing sessions for PND in new mothers. This protocol paper will focus on the clinical effectiveness of this trial. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A total of 400 mothers with PND (with a score of at least 10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression …

Large-Scale Reality Modeling Of A University Campus Using Combined Uav And Terrestrial Photogrammetry For Historical Preservation And Practical Use, Bryce Berrett, Cory Vernon, Haley Beckstrand, Madi Pollei, Kaleb Markert, Kevin Franke, John Hedengren

Faculty Publications

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) enable detailed historical preservation of large-scale infrastructure and contribute to cultural heritage preservation, improved maintenance, public relations, and development planning. Aerial and terrestrial photo data coupled with high accuracy GPS create hyper-realistic mesh and texture models, high resolution point clouds, orthophotos, and digital elevation models (DEMs) that preserve a snapshot of history. A case study is presented of the development of a hyper-realistic 3D model that spans the complex 1.7 km2 area of the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah, USA and includes over 75 significant structures. The model leverages photos obtained during the historic …

Apol1 Renal Risk Variants Are Associated With Obesity And Body Composition In African Ancestry Adults: An Observational Genotype-Phenotype Association Study, Girish N. Nadkarni, Kezhen Fei, Genevieve Galarneau, Yan Gao, James G. Wilson, Richard Cooper, Ebony B. Madden, Joshua C. Denny, Lynne D. Richardson, Martin Pollak, Ruth J.F. Loos, Carol R. Horowitz

Faculty Publications

While increased obesity prevalence among persons of African ancestry (AAs) compared to persons of European ancestry (EAs) is linked to social, environmental and behavioral factors, there are no gene variants that are common and significantly associated with obesity in AA populations. We sought to explore the association between ancestry specific renal risk variants in the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene with obesity related traits in AAs. We conducted a genotype-phenotype association study from 3 electronic medical record linked cohorts (BioMe Biobank, BioVU, nuGENE); randomized controlled trials (genetic testing to understand and address renal disease disparities) and prospective cohort study (Jackson Heart …

A Novel Method For Ecg Signal Classification Via One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network, Xuan Hua, Jungang Han, Chen Zhao, Haipeng Tang, Zhuo He, Qinghui Chen, Shaojie Tang, Jinshan Tang, Weihua Zhou

Faculty Publications

This paper develops an end-to-end ECG signal classification algorithm based on a novel segmentation strategy and 1D Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to aid the classification of ECG signals and alleviate the workload of physicians. The ECG segmentation strategy named R-R-R strategy (i.e., retaining ECG data between the R peaks just before and after the current R peak) is used for segmenting the original ECG data into segments to train and test the 1D CNN models. The novel strategy mimics physicians in scanning ECG to a greater extent, and maximizes the inherent information of ECG segments for diagnosis. The performance of …

Estimated Cost-Effectiveness Of Atezolizumab Plus Cobimetinib And Vemurafenib For Treatment Of Braf V600 Variation Metastatic Melanoma, Chao Cai, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Ahmad Tarhini

Faculty Publications

Importance In the IMspire150 trial, triplet treatment with atezolizumab and vemurafenib plus cobimetinib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with vemurafenib plus cobimetinib alone for treatment of BRAF V600 variation metastatic melanoma. However, considering high cost of this combination, it is unclear if the incremental cost is worth the additional survival benefit.

Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of atezolizumab and vemurafenib plus cobimetinib vs vemurafenib plus cobimetinib alone in patients with newly diagnosed unresectable BRAF V600 variation metastatic melanoma from the US health care perspective.

Design, Setting, and Participants This economic evaluation study used a 3-state partitioned survival model to …

Upper And Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates With Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract And Red Nucleus Structural Integrity In Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, Roi-Based Mri Study, Denise M. Peters, Julius Fridriksson, Jessica D. Richardson, Jill Campbell Stewart Pt,Phd, Chris Rorden, Leonardo Bonihla, Addie Middleton, Stacy L. Fritz

Faculty Publications

Background. Structural integrity of the ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) is important for upper limb motor recovery after stroke. However, additional neuromechanisms associated with motor function poststroke are less well understood, especially regarding the lower limb. Objective. To investigate the neural basis of upper/lower limb motor deficits poststroke by correlating measures of motor function with diffusion tensor imaging-derived indices of white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD)) in primary and secondary motor tracts/structures. Methods. Forty-three individuals with chronic stroke (time poststroke, 64.4 ± 58.8 months) underwent a comprehensive motor assessment and MRI scanning. Correlation and multiple …

Association Between Neighborhood Social Deprivation And Stage At Diagnosis Among Breast Cancer Patients In South Carolina, Oluwole Adeyemi Babatunde, Whitney Zahnd Ph.D., Jan Eberth Ph.D., Andrew B. Lawson, Swann Arp Adams, Eric Adjei Boakye, Melanie S. Jefferson, Caitlin G. Allen, John L. Pearce, Hong Li, Chanita Hughes Halbert

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between neighborhood social deprivation and individual-level characteristics on breast cancer staging in African American and white breast cancer patients. We established a retrospective cohort of patients with breast cancer diagnosed from 1996 to 2015 using the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry. We abstracted sociodemographic and clinical variables from the registry and linked these data to a county-level composite that captured neighborhood social conditions—the social deprivation index (SDI). Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, Student’s t-test, and multivariable ordinal regression analysis to evaluate associations. The study sample included 52,803 female patients …