Digital Commons Network^™

Associations Between Microaggressions, Depression, Anxiety, And Alcohol Use Among Black Young Adults: Findings From A Pilot Study, Patricia A Cavazos-Rehg, Xiao Li, Layna Paraboschi, Lucy Meigs, Erin Kasson, Hannah S Szlyk, Janiene E Peoples, Devin E Banks, Alex T Ramsey, Nicholas C Jacobson, Carolyn E Sartor

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: This pilot study, which was designed to inform mobile health intervention development, assessed the frequency of various microaggressions and explored associations among microaggressions, alcohol use, depression, and anxiety in Black young adults.

METHODS: Ninety-two Black adults (mean age = 22.2 [SD = 1.9]) who regularly consume alcohol were recruited through social media to complete a survey on microaggressions, depression, anxiety, and alcohol use. Microaggression frequencies were calculated and a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to model interrelationships among microaggressions, depression, and anxiety with respect to binge drinking.

RESULTS: Past-30-day microaggression experiences were reported by 82.6% of participants. Stratified analyses signaled …

Novel Loci For Triglyceride/Hdl-C Ratio Longitudinal Change Among Subjects Without T2d, Lihua Wang, Siyu Wang, Jason A Anema, Vaha A Moghaddam, Yanli Lu, Shiow Lin, E Warwick Daw, Allison L Kuipers, Iva Miljkovic, Michael Brent, Gary J Patti, Bharat Thygarajan, Joseph M Zmuda, Michael A Province, Ping An

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Triglyceride (TG)/HDL-C ratio (THR) is a surrogate predictor of hyperinsulinemia. To identify novel genetic loci for THR change over time (ΔTHR), we conducted genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genome-wide linkage scan (GWLS) among nondiabetic Europeans from the Long Life Family Study (n = 1,384). Subjects with diabetes or on dyslipidemia medications were excluded. ΔTHR was derived using growth curve modeling and adjusted for age, sex, field centers, and principal components. GWAS used a linear mixed model accounting for familial relatedness. GWLS employed haplotype-based identity-by-descent estimation with 0.5 cM average spacing. Heritability of ΔTHR was moderate (46%). Our GWAS identified a …

The Cross-Sectional Association Between State-Level Public Health Funding Per Capita And Physical Health Among Adults In The United States, Stephen Hunter, Sze Y. Liu, Daniel M. Cook, Kia L. Davis, Brendan T. Smith, Roman Pabayo

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the association between state-level public health funding per capita and the odds of poor physical health.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional.

METHODS: Data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used. Participants' self-reported physical health was reported using the CDC Healthy Days Core Module. State-level public health funding per capita was obtained from the State Health Access Data Assistance Center website. Multilevel logistic regression was used to adjust for self-reported individual-level characteristics and state-level characteristics from the 2018 American Community Survey. We also tested whether household income or education attainment moderated any observed associations.

RESULTS: …

Viral Kinetics Among Persons Living With Hiv (Plwh) On Dolutegravir-Based Antiretroviral Regimen: A Retrospective And Prospective Analysis From Selected Hiv Clinics In Ghana, Samuel Badu Nyarko, Joel Adu Twum, Aikins Sarpong Obeng, Helena Dede Djangba, Oksana Ryabinina, Foster Kyei, George Boateng Kyei, Nicholas Ekow Thomford

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Dolutegravir (DTG)-based antiretroviral therapy has demonstrated superior efficacy, tolerability, and durability when compared to other HIV treatment regimens. However, monitoring viral kinetics is critical for determining treatment efficacy and making sound judgments. The purpose of this study was to assess viral kinetics in people living with HIV (PLWH) on DTG-based ART and identify characteristics related to virologic response in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.

METHODS: Among people living with HIV (PLWH) attending HIV clinics between January 2020 and December 2023, a prospective and retrospective analysis of viral kinetics and clinical data were carried out. Data on viral loads, clinical …

Testing Job Wellbeing Indicators Among Community Behavioral Health Workers: Community-Based Participatory Research, Sadaaki Fukui, Wei Wu, Jennifer Garabrant, Michelle P. Salyers, Nathaniel Dell, Emily Bass, Jaime Greenfield, Gary Morse

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Many community behavioral health organizations (CBHOs) continue to struggle with their employees' reduced job wellbeing and job disengagement (i.e., turnover intentions, actual turnover). Understanding employees' job wellbeing priorities in their organizational contexts is essential to address the challenges, especially for workers in diverse work settings such as CBHOs. We used community-based participatory research (CBPR) strategies to develop and test job wellbeing indicators. The current study implemented 11 indicators with 168 people employed at a CBHO through initial and 6-month follow-up surveys. Positive endorsement of job wellbeing indicators differed based on employees' demographic (e.g., race, education, marital status) and job (e.g., …

The Role Of Telehealth In Sepsis Care In Rural Emergency Departments: A Qualitative Study Of Emergency Department Sepsis Telehealth User Perspectives, Nicholas M. Mohr, Kimberly A. S. Merchant, Brian M. Fuller, Brett Faine, Luke Mack, Amanda Bell, Katie Dejong, Edith A. Parker, Keith Mueller, Elizabeth Chrischilles, Christopher R. Carpenter, Michael P. Jones, Steven Q. Simpson, Marcia M. Ward

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Sepsis is a leading cause of hospitalization and death in the United States, and rural patients are at particularly high risk. Telehealth has been proposed as one strategy to narrow rural-urban disparities. The objective of this study was to understand why rural emergency department (ED) staff use provider-to-provider telehealth (tele-ED) and how tele-ED care changes the care for rural patients with sepsis.

METHODS: We conducted a qualitative interview study between February 15, 2022, and May 22, 2023, with participants from upper Midwest rural EDs and tele-ED hub physicians in a single tele-ED network that delivers provider-to-provider consultation for sepsis …

Poor Sleep Is Common In Treatment-Resistant Late-Life Depression And Associated With Poorer Antidepressant Response: Findings From The Optimum Clinical Trial, Michael S B Mak, Marie Anne Gebara, Eric J Lenze, Daniel M Blumberger, Patrick J Brown, Pilar Cristancho, Alastair J Flint, Jordan F Karp, Helen Lavretsky, J Philip Miller, Charles F Reynolds 3rd, Steven P Roose, Benoit H Mulsant, Sarah T Stahl

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Adults with treatment-resistant late-life depression (TRLLD) have high rates of sleep problems; however, little is known about the occurrence and change in sleep during pharmacotherapy of TRLLD. This analysis examined: (1) the occurrence of insufficient sleep among adults with TRLLD; (2) how sleep changed during pharmacotherapy; and (3) whether treatment outcomes differed among participants with persistent insufficient sleep, worsened sleep, improved sleep, or persistent sufficient sleep.

METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from 634 participants age 60+ years in the OPTIMUM clinical trial for TRLLD. Sleep was assessed using the sleep item from the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale at the …

Reliability Of Wrist Arthroscopy In The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Tears, Elizabeth A Graesser, Lindley B Wall, Sanjeev Kakar, Jeffrey Yao, Marc J Richard, R Glenn Gaston, Charles A Goldfarb

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Wrist arthroscopy is considered the gold standard for diagnosis of intra-articular wrist conditions including triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears; however, the ability to reliably diagnose TFCC pathology during wrist arthroscopy is unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of the diagnosis of TFCC tears on wrist arthroscopy videos.

METHODS: Five hand surgeons reviewed 43 cases on a secure web-based platform at two time points separated by 4-6 weeks. Each case included a deidentified clinical vignette and wrist radiographs with ulnar variance measurements and an arthroscopy video of ulnar wrist pathology, averaging 42 seconds. Surgeons were …

Vibrotactile Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Alters Limbic System Connectivity In Humans: A Pilot Study, Kara M. Donovan, Joshua D. Adams, Ki Yun Park, Phillip Demarest, Gansheng Tan, Jon T. Willie, Peter Brunner, Jenna L. Gorlewicz, Eric C. Leuthardt

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Vibration offers a potential alternative modality for transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS). However, mechanisms of action are not well-defined. The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate the potential of vibrotactile stimulation of the outer ear as a method for activating central brain regions similarly to established vagal nerve stimulation methods. Seven patients with intractable epilepsy undergoing stereotactic electroencephalography (sEEG) monitoring participated in the study. Vibrotactile taVNS was administered across five vibration frequencies (2, 6, 12, 20, and 40 Hz) following a randomized stimulation pattern with 30 trials per frequency. Spectral coherence during stimulation was analyzed across theta …

First Successful Ovarian Cortex Allotransplant To A Turner Syndrome Patient Requiring Immunosuppression: Wide Implications, Sherman J Silber, Sierra Goldsmith, Benjamin Rubinoff, Eduardo Kelly, Rowena Delos Santos, Anibal Melo, Daniel Brennan

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether we can safely and successfully transplant an ovary tissue allograft from a nonidentical donor to her Turner syndrome sister.

DESIGN: Transplantation of cryopreserved ovary tissue, as well as fresh transplantation of ovarian tissue between identical twins, is now well established with numerous reported successful cases. However, there have not yet been any ovary transplants between nonidentical women requiring immunosuppression (ovary allotransplant). This could be a much more common indication for ovary tissue transplantation if safe and reliable immunosuppression were available.

PATIENT(S): A 20-year-old amenorrheic woman with nonmosaic 45-XO Turner syndrome requested ovary tissue transplantation from her …

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome And Occupational Co-Exposure To Biomechanical Factors And Neurotoxic Chemicals Using Job-Exposure Matrices And Self-Reported Exposure: Findings From The Constances Cohort, Julie Bodin, Clémence Rapicault, Alexis Descatha, Marc Fadel, Fabien Gilbert, Bradley Evanoff, Nathalie Bonvallot, Marcel Goldberg, Marie Zins, Yves Roquelaure

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between occupational co-exposure to biomechanical risk factors, potentially neurotoxic chemicals and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a large cohort of French workers, using two methods to estimate chemical exposure: job-exposure matrices (JEM) and self-reported exposure.

METHODS: A randomly selected sample of adults were included between 2012 and 2018 in the French cohort CONSTANCES. Self-reported CTS was assessed using the first self-administered follow-up questionnaire, sent out approximately one year after baseline. Occupational exposure to biomechanical risk factors was assessed using self-administered questionnaire completed at inclusion. Lifetime occupational exposure to chemicals was assessed using two different methods: …

Colorectal Cancer Incidence Trends In Younger Versus Older Adults: An Analysis Of Population-Based Cancer Registry Data, Hyuna Sung, Rebecca L Siegel, Mathieu Laversanne, Chenxi Jiang, Eileen Morgan, Mariam Zahwe, Yin Cao, Freddie Bray, Ahmedin Jemal

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that colorectal cancer incidence is increasing among younger adults (aged < 50 years) in multiple high-income western countries in contrast with stabilising or decreasing trends in incidence in older adults (aged ≥50 years). This study aimed to investigate contemporary colorectal cancer incidence trends in younger adults versus older adults.

METHODS: Colorectal cancer incidence data, including year of diagnosis, sex, and 5-year age group for 50 countries and territories, were extracted from the WHO-International Agency for Research on Cancer Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Plus database. The Human Development Index 2022 was retrieved from the United Nations Development Programme and grouped into very high (>0·80), high (0·70-0·79), medium (0·55-0·69), and low (< 0·55) categories. Age-standardised incidence rates (ASR) per 100 000 person-years of early-onset (diagnosed between ages 25 to 49 years) and late-onset (diagnosed between ages 50 to 74 years) colorectal cancer (ICD 10th revision, C18-20), diagnosed between 1943-2003 and 2015-17, were calculated using the direct method and Segi-Doll world standard population). The primary study objective was to examine contemporary colorectal cancer incidence trends in younger adults versus older adults using data until 2017 from 50 countries and territories. Temporal trends were visualised and quantified with joinpoint regression, stratified by age at diagnosis (25-49 years or 50-74 years). Average annual percentage changes (AAPC) were estimated.

FINDINGS: In the most recent 5 years (2013-17 for all countries analysed, except for Japan [2011-15], Spain [2012-16], and Costa Rica [2012-16]), …

Surgeon Interpretation Of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures In Upper Extremity Osteoarthritis, Rick S. Looman, Koen Oude Nijhuis, Sina Ramtin, David Ring, Daniel A. London, Ryan Calfee, Niels Brinkman, Science Of Variation Group

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Measures that quantify levels of pain intensity, incapability, symptoms of distress, and unhelpful thinking were designed as research tools. We studied how surgeons interpret and act on these scores in the care of individual patients.

METHODS: In an online experiment, 67 upper limb specialists from the Science of Variation Group reviewed 10 fictious patient scenarios of trapeziometacarpal, wrist and elbow osteoarthritis (OA) and randomized elements of radiographic severity, levels of discomfort and incapability, deprivation index score (social health), and levels of distress and unhelpful thinking (mental health). Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression identified patient factors associated with surgeon concern, enthusiasm …

Thalamic And Visual Network Dysfunction Relates To Tremor Response In Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation, Aimee E Morris, Babatunde Adeyemo, Meghan C Campbell, Abraham Z Snyder, Joel S Perlmutter, Jonathan W Mink, Scott A Norris

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder in adults, but its pathogenesis is incompletely understood. Deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus (VIM DBS) provides effective treatment for medically-refractory cases. We aimed to determine how pre-surgical resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in medically-refractory ET relates to VIM DBS clinical response.

METHODS: We analyzed resting-state FC MRI in 21 participants with medically-refractory ET who subsequently underwent VIM DBS and 34 matched controls. We applied rigorous quality assurance to minimize motion artifact. Whole-brain correlation matrices were computed across 300 cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions and compared across groups …

Unearthed And Exposed, Kelly Hagen

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

My work is a continuous dialogue between ancient symbolism and contemporary womanhood, weaving together personal experience, historical reference, and natural form. Through clay and mixed media, I explore the layered identities women inhabit—nurturer, creator, survivor, transformer—often drawing inspiration from early figurative sculpture, myth, and the cyclical patterns found in nature. Unearthed and Exposed speaks to the heart of my practice: revealing what has been buried, silenced, or overlooked, and bringing it to light through form and material. I am particularly drawn to the timelessness of the feminine figure and the stories it holds. From Paleolithic Venus figurines to amphora vessels, …

Facilitated Group Care For Maternal And Child Health Model Fidelity: A Scoping Review, Ashley Gresh, Phoebe Parker, Anne Batchelder, Jalana Lazar, Christina X. Marea, Camilla Bjelland, Rohan D. Jeremiah, Giovanna Cristina Machado-Kayzuka, Hayden Geibel, Dhruvi R. Patel, Esnath Kapito, Kathleen F. Norr, Crystal L. Patil

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Group care is a transformative model of prenatal, postnatal, and well-child care. The Centering-based group care model has three core components: health care, interactive learning, and community building. It has been implemented in 33 countries with associated improved maternal and child health outcomes. Maintaining fidelity to the model is essential for its effectiveness. However, to date no standardised measure of fidelity to the group care model exists. This review aimed to explore how fidelity is measured in group care and identify common themes to understand what is essential to maintain fidelity. We used the scoping review framework by Arksey & …

Altering The Intracellular Trafficking Of Necator Americanus Gst-1 Antigen Yields Novel Hookworm Mrna Vaccine Candidates, Athos Silva De Oliveira, Leroy Versteeg, Neima Briggs, Rakesh Adhikari, Maria Jose Villar, Jeanna R Redd, Peter Hotez, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Jeroen Pollet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The antigen Na-GST-1, expressed by the hookworm Necator americanus, plays crucial biochemical roles in parasite survival. This study explores the development of mRNA vaccine candidates based on Na-GST-1, building on the success of recombinant Na-GST-1 (rNa-GST-1) protein, currently assessed as a subunit vaccine candidate, which has shown promise in preclinical and clinical studies.

METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS: By leveraging the flexible design of RNA vaccines and protein intracellular trafficking signal sequences, we developed three variants of Na-GST-1 as native (cytosolic), secretory, and plasma membrane-anchored (PM) antigens. After one immunization in mice, mRNA vaccines induced an earlier onset of antigen-specific antibodies compared to …

Relationships Of Personality Traits With The Taxonomic Composition Of The Gut Microbiome Among Psychiatric Inpatients, William Orme, Sandra L Grimm, Divya S N Vella, J Christopher Fowler, B Christopher Frueh, Benjamin L Weinstein, Joseph Petrosino, Cristian Coarfa, Alok Madan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Through the brain-gut-microbiome axis, myriad psychological functions that affect behavior share a dynamic, bidirectional relationship with the intestinal microbiome. Little is known about the relationship between personality-a stable construct that influences social- and health-related behaviors-and the bacterial ecosystem. The authors of this exploratory study examined the relationship between general and maladaptive personality traits and the composition of the gut microbiome.

Methods: In total, 105 psychiatric inpatients provided clinical data and fecal samples. Personality traits were measured with the five-factor model of personality, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders, and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5; 16S …

Prognostic Value Of The Monocyte-To-High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol Ratio In Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Michał Pruc, Jacek Kubica, Maciej Banach, Damian Świeczkowski, Zubaid Rafique, William Frank Peacock, Zbigniew Siudak, Stanisław Surma, Prabath Nanayakkara, Krzysztof Kurek, Anne Lepetit, Łukasz Szarpak

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Globally, diseases of the cardiovascular system stand as principal contributors to mortality and are expected to show an upward trajectory. The occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been linked to underlying inflammatory processes. The monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (MHR) has garnered significant attention as a prognostic biomarker, encapsulating the synergistic roles of inflammation and lipid metabolism in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases, including ACS.

Aims: This meta-analysis examines the prognostic MHR ratio in ACS patients.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify the relevant meta-analyses published before February 26, …

The Rise Of Women In Mining - How To Improve Inclusion And Diversity Through Organisational Programs, Ashley Mcgrath

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The inclusion and diversity (I&D) of women has become a priority for organisations due to the positive association with business performance and rising expectations of employees and shareholders for fair outcomes for all genders. Improving the I&D of women is also being driven by the evolving Australian legal framework which has heightened the responsibility of organisations regarding psychological safety and the prevention of sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination. Companies operating in male dominated industries in Western Australia (WA) are under particular pressure due to lagging performance in addressing equity issues at a state level. Existing research correlates the I&D of …

Deep Brain Stimulation For Childhood Treatment-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Mental Health Clinician Views On Candidacy Factors, Ilona Cenolli, Tiffany A Campbell, Natalie Dorfman, Meghan Hurley, Jared N Smith, Kristin Kostick-Quenet, Eric A Storch, Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is approved under a humanitarian device exemption to manage treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (TR-OCD) in adults. It is possible that DBS may be trialed or used clinically off-label in children and adolescents with TR-OCD in the future. DBS is already used to manage treatment-resistant childhood dystonia. Evidence suggests it is a safe and effective intervention for certain types of dystonia. Important questions remain unanswered about the use of DBS in children and adolescents with TR-OCD, including whether mental health clinicians would refer pediatric patients for DBS, and who would be a good candidate for DBS.

Objectives: …

Recurrent Carotid Paragangliomas In A Syndromic Patient With A Heterozygous Missense Variant In Dna Methyltransferase 3 Alpha, Ryan J German, Blake Vuocolo, Liesbeth Vossaert, Lisa Saba, Robin Fletcher, Matthew L Tedder, Bekim Sadikovic, Jennifer Kerkhof, Michael Wangler, Carlos A Bacino

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

We report a 40-year-old African American female with a novel variant in exon 8 of DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A), (NM_022552.4: c.905G>C, p.G302A) who presented with a history of recurrent carotid paragangliomas, mediastinal mass, intellectual disability, dysarthria, cholelithiasis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dysmorphic features. We interpret this novel variant as likely pathogenic and causative for the patient's syndromic features of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome. Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is a condition caused by gain-of-function genetic changes in DNMT3A. Paragangliomas have also been observed in non-syndromic patients with genetic alterations in DNMT3A. We describe a patient with clinical features of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome such as …

Talking About Suffering In The Intensive Care Unit, Brent M Kious, Judith B Vick, Peter A Ubel, Olivia Sutton, Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby, Christopher E Cox, Deepshikha Ashana

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Some have hypothesized that talk about suffering can be used by clinicians to motivate difficult decisions, especially to argue for reducing treatment at the end of life. We examined how talk about suffering is related to decision-making for critically ill patients, by evaluating transcripts of conversations between clinicians and patients' families.

Methods: We conducted a secondary qualitative content analysis of audio-recorded family meetings from a multicenter trial conducted in the adult intensive care units of five hospitals from 2012-2017 to look at how the term "suffering" and its variants were used. A coding guide was developed by consensus-oriented discussion …

Monoallelic Expression Can Govern Penetrance Of Inborn Errors Of Immunity, O'Jay Stewart, Conor Gruber, Haley E Randolph, Roosheel Patel, Meredith Ramba, Enrica Calzoni, Lei Haley Huang, Jay Levy, Sofija Buta, Angelica Lee, Christos Sazeides, Zoe Prue, David P Hoytema Van Konijnenburg, Ivan K Chinn, Luis A Pedroza, James R Lupski, Erica G Schmitt, Megan A Cooper, Anne Puel, Xiao Peng, Stéphanie Boisson-Dupuis, Jacinta Bustamante, Satoshi Okada, Marta Martin-Fernandez, Jordan S Orange, Jean-Laurent Casanova, Joshua D Milner, Dusan Bogunovic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) are genetic disorders that underlie susceptibility to infection, autoimmunity, autoinflammation, allergy and/or malignancy1. Incomplete penetrance is common among IEIs despite their monogenic basis2. Here we investigate the contribution of autosomal random monoallelic expression (aRMAE), a somatic commitment to the expression of one allele3,4, to phenotypic variability observed in families with IEIs. Using a clonal primary T cell system to assess aRMAE status of genes in healthy individuals, we find that 4.30% of IEI genes and 5.20% of all genes undergo aRMAE. Perturbing H3K27me3 and DNA methylation alters …

Mixed-Methods Evaluation And Behavior Change Interventions To Improve Hand Hygiene Resources And Practices Among Healthcare Workers In Polyclinics And Health Centers In Belize, 2023, Anh N Ly, Kelsey Mcdavid, Christina Craig, Rosalva Blanco, Vickie Romero, Melissa Diaz-Musa, Francis Morey, Russell Manzanero, Gerhaldine Morazan, Makenzie Towery, Anna Impellitteri, Matthew Lozier, Kristy O Murray

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is an effective public health measure to prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings. A previous study in Belize showed gaps in HH practices in hospitals and large polyclinics; however, there are limited national data assessing access to and use of HH resources in smaller outpatient primary care facilities, especially in rural areas.

Methods: In February 2023, facility assessments were conducted at 26 health centers and polyclinics in Belize to assess the availability of HH resources. Of these, 12 pilot healthcare facilities (HCF) were selected for additional evaluation, which included observation of HH practices, hand …

Heterologous Prime-Pull Mucosal Vaccination With An Adjuvanted Rbd Vaccine Elicits Robust Iga Production And Protects Against Sars-Cov-2, Allyson H Hirsch, Calder R Ellsworth, William A Lewis, Ryan Craig, Amy E Meyer, Jonatan Maldonado, Frania Ramirez Lopez, Syamala Rani Thimmiraju, James B Mclachlan, Xuebin Qin, Nicholas J Maness, Jeroen Pollet, Ulrich Strych, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Peter J Hotez, Lisa A Morici

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite the efficacy of approved severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in preventing severe disease and death, breakthrough infections continue to occur in vaccinated individuals, contributing to further viral mutation and spread. These limitations may be attributable to the poor induction of mucosal immunity by parenteral vaccination. Mucosal adjuvants, such as T-vant, can enhance vaccine-induced immune responses through the generation of antigen-specific antibodies and T cells in the respiratory tract. In this study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) subunit vaccines administered by homologous and heterologous routes. Immunized mice were challenged with …

Learning-Associated Astrocyte Ensembles Regulate Memory Recall, Michael R Williamson, Wookbong Kwon, Junsung Woo, Yeunjung Ko, Ehson Maleki, Kwanha Yu, Sanjana Murali, Debosmita Sardar, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The physical manifestations of memory formation and recall are fundamental questions that remain unresolved1. At the cellular level, ensembles of neurons called engrams are activated by learning events and control memory recall1-5. Astrocytes are in close proximity to neurons and engage in a range of activities that support neurotransmission and circuit plasticity6-10. Moreover, astrocytes exhibit experience-dependent plasticity11-13; however whether specific ensembles of astrocytes participate in memory recall remains obscure. Here we show that learning events induce c-Fos expression in a subset of hippocampal astrocytes, which subsequently …

Plasma Protein-Based And Polygenic Risk Scores Serve Complementary Roles In Predicting Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Jakob Woerner, Thomas Westbrook, Seokho Jeong, Manu Shivakumar, Allison R Greenplate, Sokratis A Apostolidis, Seunggeun Lee, Yonghyun Nam, Dokyoon Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), has a significant genetic component and is increasingly prevalent due to environmental factors. Current polygenic risk scores (PRS) have limited predictive power and cannot inform time of symptom onset. Circulating proteomics profiling offers a novel, non-invasive approach for understanding the inflammatory state of complex diseases, enabling the creation of proteomic risk scores (ProRS). This study utilizes data from 51,772 individuals in the UK Biobank to evaluate the unique and combined contributions of PRS and ProRS to IBD risk prediction. We developed ProRS models for CD and UC, assessed …

Placentas From Sars-Cov-2 Infection During Pregnancy Exhibit Foci Of Oxidative Stress And Dna Damage, Guilherme M Nobrega, Eliza R Mccoll, Arthur Antolini-Tavares, Renato T Souza, José Guilherme Cecatti, Maria Laura Costa, Indira U Mysorekar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Problem: COVID-19 during pregnancy is linked to increased maternal morbidity and a higher incidence of preterm births (PTBs), yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Cellular senescence, characterized by the irreversible cessation of cell division, is a critical process in placental function, and its dysregulation has been implicated in pregnancy complications like PTB. Senescence can be induced by various stressors, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, and viral infections.

Method of study: In this study, we determined whether COVID-19 had an impact on placental senescence. We examined placentas from women infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (n = 10 …

The Association Of Human Milk Intake And Outcomes In Biliary Atresia, Mary Elizabeth M Tessier, Jeremy M Schraw, Stacey Beer, Sanjiv Harpavat, M Kyle Jensen, John C Magee, Vicky Ng, Michael E Scheurer, Sarah A Taylor, Benjamin L Shneider

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Human milk intake has many benefits which could influence outcomes in biliary atresia (BA). However, the role of human milk in BA has not been examined. We hypothesized that human milk intake would be associated with improved outcomes in BA.

Methods: We assessed the impact of any human milk (AHM) as compared to formula only (FO) intake before Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) on outcomes in 447 infants with BA using the PROBE database (NCT00061828) post hoc. The primary outcome was clearance of jaundice (COJ = total bilirubin (TB) < 2 mg/dL by 3 months post-KP). Secondary outcomes included 2-year survival with native liver (SNL), bilirubin levels, cholangitis, ascites, and growth. We assessed the fecal microbiome (n = 8) comparing AHM versus FO.

Results: At baseline, 211 infants received AHM and 215 received …