Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Contributors To Racial And Ethnic Inequities In Covid-19 Incidence And Mortality Rates, Karen E. Joynt Maddox, Mat Reidhead, Joshua Grotzinger, Timothy Mcbride, Aaloke Mody, Elna Nagasako, Will Ross, Joseph T. Steensma, Abigail R. Barker

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Racial inequities in Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported over the course of the pandemic, with Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native American individuals suffering higher case rates and more fatalities than their White counterparts.

METHODS: We used a unique statewide dataset of confirmed COVID-19 cases across Missouri, linked with historical statewide hospital data. We examined differences by race and ethnicity in raw population-based case and mortality rates. We used patient-level regression analyses to calculate the odds of mortality based on race and ethnicity, controlling for comorbidities and other risk factors.

RESULTS: As of September 10, 2020 there were 73,635 confirmed …

High Temporal Resolution Measurements Of Movement Reveal Novel Early-Life Physiological Decline In C. Elegans, Drew Benjamin Sinha, Zachary Scott Pincus

Open Access Publications

Age-related physiological changes are most notable and best-studied late in life, while the nature of aging in early- or middle-aged individuals has not been explored as thoroughly. In C. elegans, many studies of movement vs. age generally focus on three distinct phases: sustained, youthful movement; onset of rapidly progressing impairment; and gross immobility. We investigated whether this first period of early-life adult movement is a sustained "healthy" level of high function followed by a discrete "movement catastrophe"-or whether there are early-life changes in movement that precede future physiological declines. To determine how movement varies during early adult life, we followed …

Estimated Population Access To Acute Stroke And Telestroke Centers In The Us, 2019, Kori S. Zachrison, Rebecca E. Cash, Opeolu Adeoye, Krislyn M. Boggs, Lee H. Schwamm, Ateev Mehrotra, Carlos A. Camargo

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Advances And Gaps In Sars-Cov-2 Infection Models, César Muñoz-Fontela, Michael S. Diamond, Et Al

Open Access Publications

The global response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now facing new challenges such as vaccine inequity and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). Preclinical models of disease, in particular animal models, are essential to investigate VOC pathogenesis, vaccine correlates of protection and postexposure therapies. Here, we provide an update from the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 modeling expert group (WHO-COM) assembled by WHO, regarding advances in preclinical models. In particular, we discuss how animal model research is playing a key role to evaluate VOC virulence, transmission and immune escape, and how animal models are being refined to …

Gastric Organoids: Progress And Remaining Challenges, Min-Jiao Pang, Joseph R Burclaff, Ramon Jin, Mahliyah Adkins-Threats, Luciana H Osaki, Yunan Han, Jason C Mills, Zhi-Feng Miao, Zhen-Ning Wang

Open Access Publications

The stomach is a complex and physiologically necessary organ, yet large differences in physiology between mouse and human stomachs have impeded translation of physiological discoveries and drug screens performed using murine gastric tissues. Gastric cancer (GC) is a global health threat, with a high mortality rate and limited treatment options. The heterogeneous nature of GC makes it poorly suited for current "one size fits all" standard treatments. In this review, we discuss the rapidly evolving field of gastric organoids, with a focus on studies expanding cultures from primary human tissues and describing the benefits of mouse organoid models. We introduce …

Integrating The Ohif Viewer Into Xnat: Achievements, Challenges And Prospects For Quantitative Imaging Studies, Simon J. Doran, Woonchan Cho, Dan Marcus, Et Al

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Sonobiopsy For Minimally Invasive, Spatiotemporally-Controlled, And Sensitive Detection Of Glioblastoma-Derived Circulating Tumor Dna, Christopher Pacia, Jinyun Yuan, Yimei Yue, Lu Xu, Arash Nazeri, Rupen Desai, H. Michael Gach, Xiaowei Wang, Michael Talcott, Aadel Chaudhuri, Gavin Dunn, Eric Leuthardt, Hong Chen

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Clinical And Kidney Structural Characteristics Of Living Kidney Donors With Nephrolithiasis And Their Long-Term Outcomes, Matthew R D'Costa, Massini A Merzkani, Aleksandar Denic, Aidan F Mullan, Joseph J Larson, Walter K Kremers, Walter D Park, Mariam P Alexander, Harini A Chakkera, Sandra J Taler, Stephen J Erickson, Mark D Stegall, Naim Issa, Andrew D Rule

Open Access Publications

Background: Nephrolithiasis in living kidney donors is concerning due to the potential impact on long-term postdonation kidney function.

Methods: We performed a cohort study of living kidney donors from 2 centers with a baseline computed tomography scan and implantation renal biopsy. Donors (>5 y since donation) completed a follow-up survey or underwent chart review to assess eGFR and incident hypertension. Stone formers were classified as symptomatic if they had a past symptomatic episode or asymptomatic if only incidental radiographic kidney stones were identified during donor evaluation. We compared baseline clinical, imaging, and biopsy characteristics by stone former status including …

Sarm1 Activation Produces Cadpr To Increase Intra-Axonal Ca++ And Promote Axon Degeneration In Pipn, Yihang Li, Maria F. Pazyra-Murphy, Daina Avizonis, Mariana De Sá Tavares Russo, Sophia Tang, Chiung-Ya Chen, Yi-Ping Hsueh, Johann S. Bergholz, Tao Jiang, Jean J. Zhao, Jian Zhu, Kwang Woo Ko, Jeffrey Milbrandt, Aaron Diantonio, Rosalind A. Segal

Open Access Publications

Cancer patients frequently develop chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a painful and long-lasting disorder with profound somatosensory deficits. There are no effective therapies to prevent or treat this disorder. Pathologically, CIPN is characterized by a "dying-back" axonopathy that begins at intra-epidermal nerve terminals of sensory neurons and progresses in a retrograde fashion. Calcium dysregulation constitutes a critical event in CIPN, but it is not known how chemotherapies such as paclitaxel alter intra-axonal calcium and cause degeneration. Here, we demonstrate that paclitaxel triggers Sarm1-dependent cADPR production in distal axons, promoting intra-axonal calcium flux from both intracellular and extracellular calcium stores. Genetic or …

The 2021 Faseb Science Research Conference On Nad Metabolism And Signaling, Vera Gorbunova, Shin-Ichiro Imai, Et Al

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Dopamine D4 Receptor Is A Regulator Of Morphine-Induced Plasticity In The Rat Dorsal Striatum, Alicia Rivera, Diana Suarez-Boomgard, Cristina Miguelez, Alejandra Valderrama-Carvajal, Jerome Baufreton, Kirill Shumilov, Anne Taupignon, Belen Gago, M.Angeles Real

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Utility Of Using Electrocardiogram Measures Of Heart Rate Variability As A Measure Of Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy In Type 1 Diabetes Patients, Rodica Pop-Busui, Jye-Yu C Backlund, Ionut Bebu, Barbara H Braffett, Gayle Lorenzi, Neil H White, John M Lachin, Elsayed Z Soliman, Dcct/Edic Research Group

Open Access Publications

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a predictor of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Cardiovascular reflex tests (CARTs) are the gold standard for the diagnosis of CAN, but might not be feasible in large research cohorts or in clinical care. We investigated whether measures of heart rate variability obtained from standard electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings provide a reliable measure of CAN.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standardized CARTs (R-R response to paced breathing, Valsalva, postural changes) and digitized 12-lead resting ECGs were obtained concomitantly in Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications participants (n = 311). Standard deviation of normally conducted …

Differences In Shoulder Internal Rotation Strength Between Baseball Players With Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction And Healthy Controls, Sean Kennedy, Philip Sheedy, Brooks Klein, Mason Gist, Joseph Hannon, John Conway, Kalyssa Creed, J. Craig Garrison

Open Access Publications

Background: Studies have indicated decreased shoulder internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) strength in the throwing limb of baseball players after ulnar collateral ligament injury. There is limited evidence on the recovery of shoulder rotation strength after primary ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR).

Hypothesis: At the time of return to throwing, baseball players who underwent UCLR would demonstrate decreased IR and ER shoulder strength in the throwing arm as compared with healthy baseball players.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: Male competitive high school and collegiate baseball athletes participated in this study. Athletes who underwent UCLR …

Mitigating The Effects Of Covid-19 On Hiv Treatment And Care In Lusaka, Zambia: A Before-After Cohort Study Using Mixed Effects Regression, Jake Pry, Kombatende Sikombe, Aaloke Mody, Shilpa Iyer, Jacob Mutale, Natalie Vlahakis, Theodora Savory, Mwanza Wa Mwanza, Keith Mweebo, Annie Mwila, Consity Mwale, Mpande Mukumbwa-Mwenechanya, Andrew Kerkhoff, Izukanji Sikazwe, Carolyn Bolton Moore, Daniel Mwamba, Elvin Geng, Michael Herce

Open Access Publications

INTRODUCTION: The Zambian Ministry of Health (MoH) issued COVID-19 mitigation guidance for HIV care immediately after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Zambia on 18 March 2020. The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia implemented MoH guidance by: 1) extending antiretroviral therapy (ART) refill duration to 6 multi-month dispensation (6MMD) and 2) task-shifting communication and mobilisation of those in HIV care to collect their next ART refill early. We assessed the impact of COVID-19 mitigation guidance on HIV care 3 months before and after guidance implementation.

METHODS: We reviewed all ART pharmacy visit data in the national HIV …

Severe Ocrelizumab-Induced Enterocolitis Treated Successfully With Ustekinumab, Janaki Shah, Ahmad Al-Taaee, Parakkal Deepak, Anas Gremida

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Transition From Cmyc To L-Myc During Dendritic Cell Development Coordinated By Rising Levels Of Irf8, David A. Anderson, Feiya Ou, Sunkyung Kim, Theresa L. Murphy, Kenneth M. Murphy

Open Access Publications

During dendritic cell (DC) development, Myc expression in progenitors is replaced by Mycl in mature DCs, but when and how this transition occurs is unknown. We evaluated DC development using reporters for MYC, MYCL, and cell cycle proteins Geminin and CDT1 in wild-type and various mutant mice. For classical type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), the transition occurred upon their initial specification from common dendritic cell progenitors (CDPs) or common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs), respectively. This transition required high levels of IRF8 and interaction with PU.1, suggesting the use of EICEs within Mycl enhancers. In pDCs, maximal MYCL …

M6a Modifications Regulate Intestinal Immunity And Rotavirus Infection, Anmin Wang, Gaopeng Hou, Siyuan Ding, Et Al

Open Access Publications

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an abundant mRNA modification and affects many biological processes. However, how m6A levels are regulated during physiological or pathological processes such as virus infections, and the in vivo function of m6A in the intestinal immune defense against virus infections are largely unknown. Here, we uncover a novel antiviral function of m6A modification during rotavirus (RV) infection in small bowel intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). We found that rotavirus infection induced global m6A modifications on mRNA transcripts by down-regulating the m6a eraser ALKBH5. Mice lacking the m6A writer enzymes METTL3 in IECs (

A Test Of The Pioneer Factor Hypothesis Using Ectopic Liver Gene Activation, Jeffrey L. Hansen, Kaiser J. Loell, Barak A. Cohen

Open Access Publications

The pioneer factor hypothesis (PFH) states that pioneer factors (PFs) are a subclass of transcription factors (TFs) that bind to and open inaccessible sites and then recruit non-pioneer factors (non-PFs) that activate batteries of silent genes. The PFH predicts that ectopic gene activation requires the sequential activity of qualitatively different TFs. We tested the PFH by expressing the endodermal PF FOXA1 and non-PF HNF4A in K562 lymphoblast cells. While co-expression of FOXA1 and HNF4A activated a burst of endoderm-specific gene expression, we found no evidence for a functional distinction between these two TFs. When expressed independently, both TFs bound and …

The Mutationathon Highlights The Importance Of Reaching Standardization In Estimates Of Pedigree-Based Germline Mutation Rates, Lucie A. Bergeron, Tychele Turner, Et Al

Open Access Publications

In the past decade, several studies have estimated the human per-generation germline mutation rate using large pedigrees. More recently, estimates for various nonhuman species have been published. However, methodological differences among studies in detecting germline mutations and estimating mutation rates make direct comparisons difficult. Here, we describe the many different steps involved in estimating pedigree-based mutation rates, including sampling, sequencing, mapping, variant calling, filtering, and appropriately accounting for false-positive and false-negative rates. For each step, we review the different methods and parameter choices that have been used in the recent literature. Additionally, we present the results from a 'Mutationathon,' a …

Intrinsic Mechanisms In The Gating Of Resurgent Na+ Currents, Joseph L. Ransdell, Jonathan D. Moreno, Druv Bhagavan, Jonathan R. Silva, Jeanne M. Nerbonne

Open Access Publications

The resurgent component of the voltage-gated sodium current (I

Tumor Lysis Syndrome In A Patient With Metastatic Endometrial Cancer Treated With Lattice Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, Joshua P Schiff, Matthew B Spraker, Sai Duriseti, Sana Shaikh, Haris F Murad, David G Mutch, Clifford G Robinson, James Kavanaugh, Alexander J Lin

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Telemedicine And Costs Incurred By A Visit To A General Infectious Diseases Clinic: A Survey, Emily C. Evers, Stephanie A. Fritz, Graham A. Colditz, Jason P. Burnham

Open Access Publications

Background: The costs of attending in-person general infectious diseases clinics and preferences for visit type (telemedicine vs in-person) are not well known. We aimed to measure the time-related, monetary, social, and societal costs associated with travel to an in-person clinic visit and to assess patients' preferences, questions, and concerns regarding telemedicine.

Methods: Patients (≥18 years, living ≥25 miles from clinic at time of clinic visit) were recruited for this survey study from the general infectious diseases (ID) clinic at Washington University from June 2019 to February 2020. We calculated time and money potentially saved by telemedicine, as well as carbon …

Perceptions Of Risk Of Sars-Cov-2 Transmission In Social And Educational Activities By Infectious Diseases And General Pediatric Healthcare Providers, A Pre-Vaccine Risk Perception Cross-Sectional Survey, Andrew B. Janowski, Philip M. Polgreen, Susan E. Beekmann, Jason G. Newland

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: The perception of the transmission risks of SARS-CoV-2 in social and educational settings by US healthcare providers have not been previously quantified.

METHODS: Respondents completed an online survey between September and October 2020 to estimate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission on a scale of 0-10 for different social and educational activities prior to the availability of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Demographic information and experiences during the pandemic were also collected. The risk assessment was emailed to three listservs of healthcare providers, including national listservs of pediatric (PID) and adult infectious diseases (AID) providers, and a listserv of general pediatric practitioners …

A Rare Case Of Synovial Sarcoma Of The Prostate Causing Urinary Retention, Syed Ehsanullah, Syeda Zarmeena Rashid, Adeel Haq, Saiyed Abdullah A. Ehsanullah

Open Access Publications

Synovial sarcomas of the prostate are exceedingly rare malignant tumors. Only a few cases have been reported so far. We discuss a case of a 52-year-old male who presented with signs and symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma of the prostate. Since this sarcoma is rare, it can easily be misdiagnosed with BPH or adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Ultrasound-Guided Thrombin Injection For The Treatment Of Bleeding Following Kidney And Liver Biopsies, Mark J Hoegger, William D Middleton

Open Access Publications

The purpose of this study was to describe the technique and outcomes of percutaneous thrombin injection into the superficial aspect of actively bleeding liver and kidney biopsy tracks identified with color Doppler ultrasound with the aim of hemorrhage termination. After percutaneous thrombin injection, 15/16 (94%) patients did not require further intervention. Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection into the superficial site of active bleeding is an effective technique for terminating bleeding in the immediate post-procedure period following kidney and liver biopsies and should be considered if active bleeding persists on color Doppler after ≥30 minutes of compression and observation.

One-Carbon Metabolism In Children With Marasmus And Kwashiorkor, Thaddaeus May, Bethany De La Haye, Gabrielle Nord, Kevin Klatt, Kevin Stephenson, Sara Adams, Lucy Bollinger, Neil Hanchard, Erland Arning, Teodoro Bottiglieri, Kenneth Maleta, Mark Manary, Farook Jahoor

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Kwashiorkor is a childhood syndrome of edematous malnutrition. Its precise nutritional precipitants remain uncertain despite nine decades of study. Remarkably, kwashiorkor's disturbances resemble the effects of experimental diets that are deficient in one-carbon nutrients. This similarity suggests that kwashiorkor may represent a nutritionally mediated syndrome of acute one-carbon metabolism dysfunction. Here we report findings from a cross-sectional exploration of serum one-carbon metabolites in Malawian children.

METHODS: Blood was collected from children aged 12-60 months before nutritional rehabilitation: kwashiorkor (N = 94), marasmic-kwashiorkor (N = 43) marasmus (N = 118), moderate acute malnutrition (N = 56) and controls (N = …

Effect Of Early Treatment With Fluvoxamine On Risk Of Emergency Care And Hospitalisation Among Patients With Covid-19: The Together Randomised, Platform Clinical Trial, Gilmar Reis, Eric J Lenze, Angela M Reiersen, Et Al

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates a potential therapeutic role of fluvoxamine for COVID-19. In the TOGETHER trial for acutely symptomatic patients with COVID-19, we aimed to assess the efficacy of fluvoxamine versus placebo in preventing hospitalisation defined as either retention in a COVID-19 emergency setting or transfer to a tertiary hospital due to COVID-19.

METHODS: This placebo-controlled, randomised, adaptive platform trial done among high-risk symptomatic Brazilian adults confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2 included eligible patients from 11 clinical sites in Brazil with a known risk factor for progression to severe disease. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either fluvoxamine (100 mg twice …

Mean Lifetime Survival Estimates Following Solid Organ Transplantation In The Us And Uk, Christopher N Graham, Crystal Watson, Arie Barlev, Matt Stevenson, Vikas R Dharnidharka

Open Access Publications

AIMS: Accurately estimating mean survival after solid organ transplant (SOT) is crucial for efficient healthcare resource allocation decisions. However, registry-based post-transplant recipient survival estimates vary greatly and are incomplete. Often, the methods used in lifetime survival extrapolation may not fit complex transplant data and therefore alternative methods are required. We aimed to explore the flexible cubic spline methodology as a meaningful alternative for estimating lifetime survival following SOT.

METHODS: Survival analyses were conducted in kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplant recipients. Mean survival was estimated using flexible cubic splines on the hazard scale fitted with three knots, based on where …

Single-Cell Genomics For Resolution Of Conserved Bacterial Genes And Mobile Genetic Elements Of The Human Intestinal Microbiota Using Flow Cytometry, Dylan Lawrence, Danielle E Campbell, Lawrence A Schriefer, Rachel Rodgers, Forrest C Walker, Marissa Turkin, Lindsay Droit, Miles Parkes, Scott A Handley, Megan T Baldridge

Open Access Publications

As our understanding of the importance of the human microbiota in health and disease grows, so does our need to carefully resolve and delineate its genomic content. 16S rRNA gene-based analyses yield important insights into taxonomic composition, and metagenomics-based approaches reveal the functional potential of microbial communities. However, these methods generally fail to directly link genetic features, including bacterial genes and mobile genetic elements, to each other and to their source bacterial genomes. Further, they are inadequate to capture the microdiversity present within a genus, species, or strain of bacteria within these complex communities. Here, we present a method utilizing …

Selected Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Reverse The Frataxin Transcriptional Defect In A Novel Friedreich's Ataxia Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neuronal Reporter System, Anna M Schreiber, Yanjie Li, Yi-Hsien Chen, Jill S Napierala, Marek Napierala

Open Access Publications

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of guanine-adenine-adenine repeats within the first intron of the frataxin (