Digital Commons Network^™

Endocannabinoids Mediate Racial/Ethnic Discrimination Prediction Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Moderated By Resting-State Functional Connectivity In Black And African American Individuals, Emily A. Albertina, Lucas Torres, Garrett Sauber, Cecilia J. Hillard, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald, Terri A. Deroon-Cassini, Christine L. Larson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Individuals from marginalized ethnoracial groups face higher risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, exacerbated by experiencing racial/ethnic discrimination. Previous work separately explored the endocannabinoid (eCB) system and functional connectivity response to stress/trauma and suggested that experiences of chronic minority stress, such as racial discrimination, contribute to eCB tone and resting-state functional connectivity. We explored how circulating eCB tone, in conjunction with resting-state connectivity, contributes to increased risk for PTSD symptoms following trauma among individuals experiencing discrimination.

Methods

Black/African Americans (n = 74; mean age = 33.81 years) were recruited from a level 1 trauma center. Correlational and …

The Decline And Transformation Of Smallholders In Chinese Agriculture: National Trends, Qian Forrest Zhang, Meiling Wu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Using data from official statistical sources and a nationally representative survey, we find that since 2001, China’s agricultural labor force has declined by over 50 percent—a loss of over 200 million smallholders, probably the largest in human history. This trend is the most pronounced in livestock sectors: from 2012 to 2021, 62.5 million smallholder units have disappeared. The 150 million remaining smallholders are mostly commodity producers, participating widely in commodity relations to access agrochemicals, machinery, rental land, and wage labor to produce for markets. The ageing smallholder population also face challenges in intergenerational reproduction, which will accelerate its decline.

A Multifaceted Nudge-Based Intervention To Reduce Smartphone Use: Findings From A Randomized Cross-Over Trial, K. T. A. Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Yi Jing Chua, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The widespread use of smartphones has raised concerns about problematic usage behaviors, including excessive screentime and frequent phone checking, which can disrupt daily functioning. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted nudge-based intervention in reducing smartphone use through subtle changes to smartphone settings. The intervention incorporated adjustments such as disabling face/touch ID, setting longer passwords, switching to grayscale mode, and removing social media apps from the home screen. A randomized within-subject cross-over trial with counterbalancing was conducted over a two-week period using a daily diary approach paired with objective smartphone usage data to track the impact of …

Public Support For And Reactive Behavior Toward Technological Risk Interventions: An Extension Of Secondary Risk Theory, Hye Kyung Kim, Rui Gu, Fiona Goh, Sonny Rosenthal, Shirley S. Ho

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Project Wolbachia is a dengue control initiative in Singapore. Guided by Secondary Risk Theory, this study examined how primary (dengue) and secondary (Wolbachia) threat and coping appraisals shape public support and reactive behavior toward the project. A nationally representative survey of 1,000 Singaporeans showed that support was positively linked to the perceived primary risk, the efficacy of the project and the government, while negatively related to the perceived secondary risk. Reactive behavior was positively associated with perceptions of both primary and secondary risk. Media attention and trust in the government indirectly influenced support and behavior moderated by knowledge.

Kegamangan Sistem Perlindungan Dan Pengelolaan Lingkungan: Melihat Uu Ciptaker Dari Perspektif Prinsip Non-Regresi, Andri G. Wibisana

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

This article evaluates the Environmental Protection and Management Law (UUPPLH) as amended by the Omnibus Law on Job Creation (UUPPLH-Ciptaker) and its implementing regulations. The evaluation uses the normative framework of the principle of non-regression to assess whether the provisions of the UUPPLH-Ciptaker and its implementing regulations represent a setback compared to the legal conditions prior to the enactment of the Omnibus Law. This paper argues that the changes introduced by the UUPPLH-Ciptaker indicate several regressions in Indonesia’s environmental law, particularly in the following areas: a) the weakening of provisions on Environmental Impact Assessment (AMDAL) and Environmental Management and Monitoring …

The Blacker The Berry: Food Environments And Intake Associated With Perinatal Depression And Secondary Breastfeeding Outcomes Among Black Americans In The St. Louis Metropolitan Area, Najjuwah S. Walden

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between the food environment, intake, and health is complex. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if food environments in proximity to Black pregnant women in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area were associated with prenatal eating habits and if these eating habits were associated with the risk of developing depressive symptoms in pregnancy and postpartum. The study also aimed to understand if there was a relationship between prenatal eating habits and the decision to breastfeed and if the onset of postpartum depressive symptoms has any effect on this relationship. Due to the importance of nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods …

The Application Of Vetiver Grass In Natural Disaster Mitigation And Environmental Protection In Vietnam: A Bibliometric Analysis And Literature Review, Truc Phan, Tan Nguyen, Thang Pham, Bich T. Luong, Huong Nguyen

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides or Chrysopogon zizanioides) is a versatile tropical plant widely recognized for its applications in environmental protection and natural disaster mitigation. In Vietnam, where natural disasters such as floods and landslides are frequent, particularly along highways, Vetiver grass has proven to be an effective bioengineering solution. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the applications and benefits of Vetiver grass in preventing soil erosion and stabilizing slopes along Vietnam’s transportation systems. A bibliometric analysis of 555 Scopus-indexed publications (2000 – 2024) was conducted using VOSviewer software to identify research trends, key themes, and knowledge gaps. The findings …

Systematic Review And Evidence Gap Mapping Of Alzheimer's Disease Biomarker Studies In Those With Intellectual And Developmental Disability, Lubnaa B. Abdullah, Ney Alex Alliey, Emma Elizondo, Ney Alliey Rodriguez, Gladys Maestre, James Hall

School of Medicine Publications

There are a relatively small number of investigations into brain aging in those with intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD). This project seeks to (1) characterize the internationally available multi-omics Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker studies including those with I/DD, and (2) discuss future research directions. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched under the following criteria: cross-sectional or longitudinal AD-omics studies on adults (18 +) with I/DD. 532 studies were identified, 186 studies were evaluated for full-text, 79 studies were excluded, and 117 studies were extracted. Most biological specimens were analyzed in blood, plasma, or serum. Metabolomics, hormonomics, and transcriptomics …

Society Of Vascular And Interventional Neurology (Svin) Stroke Interventional Laboratory Consensus (Silc) Criteria For Training Standards And Maintenance Of Certification In Neurointervention, Ossama Y. Mansour, Kaiz S. Asif, Roberta Novakovic-White, Boris Pabon, Santiago Ortega-Gutierrez, Atilla Ozcan Ozdemar, Alicia Castonguay, Brijesh Mehta, Dileep R. Yavagal, Ameer E. Hassan

School of Medicine Publications

The global shortage of neurointerventionalists presents a challenge to timely stroke care, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology Stroke Interventional Laboratory Consensus criteria aim to standardize training and certification in neurointervention to address these disparities. This white paper reviews existing training standards in various regions, identifies gaps, and proposes a structured framework encompassing entry requirements, program structure, and certification processes. The Stroke Interventional Laboratory Consensus criteria further outline requirements for training centers and program directors. By establishing global standards, the Stroke Interventional Laboratory Consensus criteria seek to improve patient outcomes and expand access …

Enhancing Hip And Knee Arthroplasty Outcomes With Immunonutrition: A Review Of The Evidence, Kyle Taylor, Winifred Chijoke, Quinci Howard, Sandra Messiha, Jocelyn Hunt, Bernice Diaz, Hamza Khalid, Janae Rasmussen

Student Publications

Total hip and knee arthroplasty are common surgical procedures aimed at improving mobility and quality of life. Despite surgical advances, postoperative complications remain a concern, particularly for patients with comorbidities and poor nutritional status. Immunonutrition, the targeted administration of nutrients that modulate inflammation, such as arginine, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, has been shown to reduce infections, complications in wound healing, and shorten hospital length of stay. This review examines current evidence on the role of immunonutrition in hip and knee arthroplasty, focusing on the mechanisms of key nutrients, clinical application of supplementation, and areas for future investigation. Despite promising …

Challenges And Opportunities In Reducing Risk Of Diabetes-Related Cardiovascular Disease: Making Every Contact Count, Michelle Clapham

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Despite recent Government initiatives to reduce rates, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes isexpected to continue rising to almost 10% of the population by 2035. Complications of type 2diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), contribute to approximately 22 000 deathsannually in England, indicating a need for population health management through preventativehealthcare. The Making Every Contact Count (MECC) initiative recommends the building ofpreventative strategies into routine primary care appointments to reduce modifiable risk factorsassociated with both type 2 diabetes and CVD. This article explores the unique opportunitiesgeneral practice nurses have to promote primary and secondary prevention of CVD.

Patterns Of Ecological Quality In Portuguese Transitional Waters Over The Last Five Decades: A Framework Based On Benthic Foraminifera For The Sado Estuary, J. Moreno, F. Moreno, F. Fatela, E. Leorri, M. Leira, P. Masqué, M. C. Freitas

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aimed to examine the validity of benthic foraminifera-based indices – Foraminiferal Stress Index (FSI), diversity index Exp(H'bc), and Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) – for evaluating estuarine environmental conditions and supporting palaeoecological reconstructions, focusing on the Sado estuary (southwest Portugal). Located near heavily industrialized urban areas and designated as a Nature Reserve, this estuary faces human pressures and high natural values, leading to management conflicts. Foraminiferal assemblages were analysed in surface sediment samples, with known concentrations of several metal(loid)s, and in dated core samples. Correlations were found between metal(loid)s, organic matter, grain size, and salinity (as a proxy for …

Combining Lumipulse P-Tau217 And Aβ42/40 As Confirmatory Tests For Aβ Positivity Prior To Disease-Modifying Therapy, James D. Doecke, Ahmed Chenna, Mintzu Lo, Youssouf Badal, Brandon Yee, Robert Martone, Christos Petropoulos, Christopher J. Fowler, Simon Laws, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Ralph N. Martins, Christopher C. Rowe, Colin L. Masters, John Winslow

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: For a blood-based biomarker to be considered a confirmatory test for the detection of abnormal amyloid beta (Aβ) levels, the sensitivity and specificity must be equivalent to that of current cerebrospinal fluid tests. Methods: In the current study we assessed the ability of phosphorylated tau (p-tau)217 and Aβ42/40 from the Lumipulse G p-tau217 and β-amyloid ratio (1-42/1-40) tests, individually and combined, to predict Aβ positron emission tomography status in two sub-cohorts from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle Study of Ageing. Results: Testing an Alzheimer's disease continuum cohort, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for …

The Immeasurable Value Of Plankton To Humanity, Maria Grigoratou, Susanne Menden-Deuer, Abigail Mcquatters-Gollop, George Arhonditsis, Luis Felipe Artigas, Sakina-Dorothée Ayata, Dalida Bedikoğlu, Beatrix E Beisner, Bingzhang Chen, Claire Davies, Lillian Diarra, Owoyemi W Elegbeleye, Jason D Everett, Tatiane M Garcia, Wendy C Gentleman, Rodrigo Javier Gonçalves, Tamar Guy-Haim, Svenja Halfter, Jana Hinners, Richard R Horaeb, Jenny A Huggett, Catherine L Johnson, Maria T Kavanaugh, Ana Lara-Lopez, Christian Lindemann, Celeste López-Abbate, Monique Messié, Klas Ove Möller, Enrique Montes, Frank E Muller-Karger

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Plankton, a diverse group of aquatic organisms, make Earth livable, regulate aquatic life, and provide benefits to human societies such as access to clean water, food security, and well-being. They also support economies and inspire biotechnological innovations. This article aims to raise awareness of the value of plankton to humanity and serves as an informative guide for aquatic professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in plankton. We present the value of plankton across six themes of human interest: biogeochemistry; ecology; climate; the evolution of science; economy; and culture, recreation, and well-being. Guided by the 2022 Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and …

Coupling Category Alignment For Graph Domain Adaptation, Nan Yin, Xiao Teng, Zhiguang Cao, Mengzhu Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Graph domain adaptation (GDA), which transfers knowledge from a labeled source domain to an unlabeled target graph domain, attracts considerable attention in numerous fields. However, existing methods commonly employ message-passing neural networks (MPNNs) to learn domain-invariant representations by aligning the entire domain distribution, inadvertently neglecting category-level distribution alignment and potentially causing category confusion. To address the problem, we propose an effective framework named Coupling Category Alignment (CoCA) for GDA, which effectively addresses the category alignment issue with theoretical guarantees. CoCA incorporates a graph convolutional network branch and a graph kernel network branch, which explore graph topology in implicit and explicit …

Associations Of Biomarkers Of Systemic Inflammation, Angiogenesis, And Cell-To-Cell Adhesion With Tumor Budding Among Early-Onset And Later-Onset Colorectal Cancer Patients, Oda Hausmann, Adetunji T Toriola, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: High tumor budding and elevated systemic inflammation are adverse prognostic indicators in colorectal cancer. Its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. It is unclear whether systemic inflammation, angiogenesis, and cell-to-cell adhesion influence tumor budding.

METHODS: We investigated n = 132 stage I-III colorectal cancer patients recruited at Huntsman Cancer Institute enrolled in the ColoCare Study. Tumor budding was evaluated using an evidence-based scoring system, and patient sera were analyzed for nine circulating biomarkers using the Meso Scale Discovery platform. We examined associations between biomarkers and tumor budding using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, neoadjuvant treatment, stage, and …

History Informing The Future Of Exercise Oncology, Daniel A. Galvão, Kerry S. Courneya, Alejandro Lucia, Anne M. May, Karen Mustian, Allison B. Warner, Wiskemann Joachim, Karen Wonders, Kathryn H. Schmitz, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Exercise is increasingly recognized by patients, clinicians, and allied health professionals globally as an important component of cancer care. In this paper, we provide a viewpoint on developments in exercise oncology over the past 4 decades leading up to the creation of the International Society of Exercise Oncology (ISEO). We briefly review research in adult and pediatric cancers from early foundation studies to larger randomized controlled trials published in mainstream oncology journals alongside critical work undertaken in exercise and cancer biological mechanisms. We also discuss potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing ISEO in becoming a global forum for exercise …

Cognitive Performance In Early Neuronal Synuclein Disease With Hyposmia But Without Motor Disability: Association With Dopamine Deficiency And Isolated Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder, Daniel Weintraub, Anuprita R Nair, Ryan Kurth, Michael C Brumm, Christine Kohnen, Michele K York, Roseanne D Dobkin, Kenneth Marek, Caroline Tanner, Tanya Simuni, Andrew Siderowf, Douglas Galasko, Lana M Chahine, Christopher Coffey, Kalpana Merchant, Kathleen L Poston, Tatiana Foroud, Brit Mollenhauer, Ethan G Brown, Karl Kieburtz, Mark Frasier, Sohini Chowdhury, Roy N Alcalay, Aleksandar Videnovic, Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To determine the impact of dopamine deficiency and isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) on cognitive performance in early neuronal α-synuclein disease (NSD) with hyposmia but without motor disability.

Methods: Using Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative baseline data, cognitive performance was assessed with a cognitive summary score (CSS) derived from robust healthy control (HC) norms. Performance was examined for participants with hyposmia in early NSD-Integrated Staging System (NSD-ISS), either stage 2A (cerebrospinal fluid α-synuclein seed amplification assay [SAA]+, dopamine transporter scan [DaTscan]-) or 2B (SAA+, DaTscan+).

Results: Participants were stage 2A (n = 101), stage 2B (N …

Optical Coherence Tomography Enables The Depth-Resolved Measurement Of Cilia Beat Frequency In Ex Vivo Human Fallopian Tubes, Dilara J Long, Tian Xia, Photini F Rice, Deirdre M Scully, Makayla Johnson, Ryan Mistifer, Andrea Aguirre, John M Heusinkveld, Irina V Larina, Jennifer K Barton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: The movement of cilia in the fallopian tubes (FTs) facilitates important processes involved in fertility, and abnormalities in cilia function are linked with diseases including endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease. For the first time, we demonstrate the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to create depth-resolved mapping of motile cilia locations and quantify cilia beat frequency (CBF) in human FT samples ex vivo.

Methods: Segments of the FT ampulla were acquired from five patients following salpingectomy under an IRB approved protocol. The samples were longitudinally opened to expose the luminal surface for imaging. A sequence of at least 500 …

Botulinum Neurotoxin Light Chain/A1 Uses Fast Synaptic Vesicle Cycling To Cleave Plasma Membrane Bound Snap-25, Alexander Gardner, Molly Sneller, William H. Tepp, Joseph T. Barbieri, Sabine Pellett

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) are the most potent protein toxins for humans, yet how BoNT-Light Chain/A1 (LC/A1) journeys to cleave intracellular SNAP-25 is understudied. Here we use a cell-based assay to measure cytosolic EGFP-LC/A1 intracellular trafficking and SNAP-25 cleavage in Neuro-2A cells. Intracellular LC/A1 associated on microtubules and co-localized with Rab GTPases involved in fast synaptic vesicles and endosome recycling. Multiple Dominant Negative (DN) Rabs GTPases involved in fast synaptic vesicles or endosome recycling inhibited LC/A1 trafficking to the intracellular plasma membrane and SNAP-25 cleavage. A cytosolic LC/A1 variant that bound the plasma membrane from the cytosol was insensitive to DNRab …

Steroids For Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Pain-A Prospective Multicenter Randomized Trial, Kevin D Pereira, Wiktoria A Gocal, Anna V Borodianski, Mary E Williamson, Hengameh K Behzadpour, Sonal Saraiya, Diego A Preciado, Amal Isaiah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To compare postoperative caregiver-reported pain control of two steroid regimens following pediatric adenotonsillectomy. Secondary objectives assessed differences in analgesic use, return to normal diet, caregiver calls, adverse effects, and emergency room (ER) visits.

Study design: Prospective randomized pragmatic trial.

Setting: Three academic tertiary care children's hospitals.

Methods: Healthy children aged 3 to 10 undergoing adenotonsillectomy were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either 0.6 mg/kg dexamethasone on postoperative day 3 or prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg days 1 to 3. Both groups continued standard weight-based regimens of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. A blinded research team member performed postoperative telephone surveys using the …

De Novo Pathogenic Csf1r Variant Implicates Microglial Dysfunction In Pathogenesis Of Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome, Kristen S Fisher, Jesse M Levine, Alexander Ankar, Ruizhi Duan, Yi Chen Lai, Eyal Muscal, Sarah R Risen, James J Riviello, Pei-Chien Tsai, Daniel G Calame

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a rare presentation of refractory status epilepticus following a febrile illness with resulting refractory epilepsy. Evidence supports the presence of immune dysregulation in patients with FIRES, but a monogenic basis for FIRES has not been identified in most cases. We present a case of a previously healthy 16-year-old male with FIRES who was found to have a de novo predicted damaging missense variant in CSF1R on clinical whole genome sequencing, a gene encoding a critical regulator of microglial homeostasis in which pathogenic variants cause adult onset leukoencephalopathy. Molecular modeling demonstrates that the CSF1R variant …

Characteristics And Outcomes Of Children Initiated On High Flow Nasal Cannula And Continuous Positive Airway Pressure At The Emergency Centre Of A District Hospital In South Africa, Jessica Head, Andrew Redfern, Jana Hoole, Liezl Ulbrich, Refilwe More, Daniël J Van Hoving, Eric D Mccollum, Shubhada Hooli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and continuous positive airway pressure delivered via a nasal interface (nCPAP) are increasingly used for paediatric emergency care in South Africa. In Cape Town, initiation of HFNC/nCPAP at a district hospital, in most instances, necessitates transfer to a paediatric high-care facility. We sought to describe the population of children initiated on HFNC/nCPAP and their short-term hospital outcomes post interfacility transfer.

Methods: The authors conducted a one-year retrospective observational study between August 1st 2021, to July 31st, 2022 of children initiated on HFNC or nCPAP in the emergency centre (EC) of Khayelitsha district Hospital and transferred …

Democratizing Community Discourse Analysis In Computational Social Science, Md Towhidul Absar Chowdhury

Theses

Community resource inequities and undetected infrastructure vulnerabilities cost municipalities billions annually, with disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. Current computational approaches to community needs assessment suffer from two critical limitations: they rely on aggregate-level analysis that obscures granular community expressions, and they implement sophisticated computational tools that remain inaccessible to stakeholders without technical expertise. This creates what we term the Community-Computational Gap—a persistent divide where domain experts with vital contextual knowledge cannot access the analytical tools they need, while computational experts develop models without sufficient community context. This dissertation addresses these challenges through a novel methodological framework for fine-grained utterance-level classification …

Patient-Centered Management Of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding While On Anticoagulation: A Survey Study, Benjamin Barnett, Rushad Patell, Dana Angelini, Leben Tefera, Jordan K Schaefer, Ang Li, Alejandra Gutierrez Bernal, Shruti Chaturvedi, Anjlee Mahajan, Leslie Lake, Jori May, Anna L Parks

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Nearly three-quarters of women experience heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) during anticoagulation treatment for venous thromboembolism (VTE). HMB can lead to medical interventions, impact school or work and diminish quality of life (QOL). While there are several management options for HMB in patients with VTE, we lack information on how patients approach HMB treatment decisions.

Objectives: We examined patients' experience with, perceptions of, and preferences for treatment of HMB while on anticoagulation.

Methods: Clinicians and patient advocates developed a web-based survey that was distributed via patient advocacy organizations and social media between May and June 2024, targeting participants 18 years …

Cysteine Oxidation Of A Redox Hub Within Complex I Can Facilitate Electron Transport Chain Supercomplex Formation, Runtai Chen, Seyed Amirhossein Tabatabaei Dakhili, Rokas Gerulskis, Yuan Yuan Zhao, Steven Lockhart, Lusine Tonoyan, Arno G. Siraki, Guocheng Huang, Adam Kinnaird, Darren H. Freed, Shelley D. Minteer, Evangelos D. Michelakis, John R. Ussher

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is a four complex unit that could be considered the most essential infrastructure within the mitochondria, as it primarily functions to generate the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), which can then be utilized for ATP synthesis or heat production. Another important aspect of ETC function is the generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), which are essential physiologic signaling mediators that can be toxic to the cell if their levels become too high. Currently, it remains unresolved how a highly utilized and functioning ETC can sense excessive mtROS generation and adapt, to enhance ΔΨm. Here, …

A Fascination With Gastrointestinal Viruses, Mary Kolb Estes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

My arrival into this world came quickly, according to my mother, and it feels like my life has mirrored that rapid beginning. I have enjoyed a rich, varied, and stimulating life and career that have gone through several phases. I credit genetics, my family, technological advances, and many environmental factors for shaping my career. Being a virologist allowed me to be curious and creative and to make several unexpected discoveries. This has been a fun and rewarding journey, but it wasn't always easy. I am not accustomed to talking about myself, but I am happy to share some scientific achievements …

Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus 2 Infection In 5 African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana) At Multiple North American Zoological Institutions, Taylor J Willis, Anne Burgdorf-Moisuk, Maren Connolly, Jan Raines, Cameron Ratliff, Zoltan S Gyimesi, Erica Lipanovich, Genevive A Dumonceaux, Kathryn L Perrin, Lauren L Howard, Matthew E Kinney, Kirk Suedmeyer, Erin Latimer, Tiffany L Kim, Jessica R Watts, Jie Tan, Paul Ling

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To acknowledge that elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is a well-recognized major threat to Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and can cause acute and often fatal hemorrhagic disease (HD). Historically, EEHV-HD has been less frequently identified in African elephants (Loxodonta africana). This case series describes 5 recent cases of EEHV2 infection in African elephants within managed care at 5 North American institutions.

Animals: 5 African elephants (L africana).

Clinical presentation: The cases involved 4-, 7-, and 10-year-old males that died despite receiving aggressive medical therapy and 4- and 14-year-old females that survived. Clinical signs included lethargy, decreased appetite, lameness, changes in …

2d Speckle Tracking Strain Echocardiography In Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children: A Multicenter Analysis From The Music Study, Francesca Sperotto, Valiantsina Kazlova, Felicia L Trachtenberg, Dongngan T Truong, Sanjeev Aggarwal, Joseph R Block, Tamara T Bradford, Sujatha Buddhe, Audrey Dionne, Andreea Dragulescu, Kanwal M Farooqi, Daniel E Forsha, Therese M Giglia, Ian F Golding, Keren Hasbani, Pei-Ni Jone, Anita Krishnan, Sean M Lang, Carol A Mcfarland, Elizabeth C Mitchell, Elias Moussi Saad, Todd T Nowlen, Ricardo H Pignatelli, Scott Pletzer, Ryan Serrano, Divya Shakti, Shubhika Srivastava, Thor Thorsson, Jodie K Votava-Smith, Hunter C Wilson, Jane W Newburger, Kevin G Friedman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: 2D-speckle tracking echocardiography may help detect subclinical ventricular dysfunction, but data in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) are scarce. We investigated left ventricular (LV) strain parameters in MIS-C and their association with outcomes.

Methods: We performed an ambi-directional, 32-center cohort study on hospitalized patients with MIS-C (March 2020-November 2021) with at least 1 echocardiogram read by the Core Lab. Generalized estimating equation modeling was used to test associations between LV strain and a composite in-hospital adverse cardiovascular outcome (vasoactive support, arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, extracorporeal support, death, or heart transplant).

Results: Of 349 patients (median age, 8.7 years [interquartile …

Bacterial Vaginosis Toxins Impair Sperm Capacitation And Fertilization, Shweta Bhagwat, Leila Asadi, Ronald Mccarthy, Juan Ferreira, Ping Li, Ethan Li, Sariela Spivak, Ariana Gaydon, Vaka Reddy, Christy Armstrong, Sydney R Morrill, Hillary Zhou, Amanda L Lewis, Warren G Lewis, Celia M Santi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

STUDY QUESTION: What effect do toxins produced by bacterial vaginosis (BV) bacteria have on sperm function?

SUMMARY ANSWER: BV toxins dysregulate sperm capacitation and intracellular calcium homeostasis, and impair the ability of sperm to fertilize oocytes.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: In BV, which is linked to infertility, overgrowth of Prevotella and Gardnerella in the vagina is accompanied by elevated concentrations of the toxins lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and vaginolysin (VLY).

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This was a laboratory study in which human semen samples were collected from consenting healthy donors with normal semen parameters. Mouse sperm samples were obtained from the caudal …