Digital Commons Network^™

International Multidisciplinary Consensus Recommendations On Clinical Application Of Three-Dimensional Visualization In Precision Surgery For Pediatric Liver Tumors, Qian Dong, Wenli Xiu, Benjie Tang, Eiso Hiyama, Mary T Austin, Yeming Wu, Xiaojun Yuan, Chengzhan Zhu, Chengli Liu, Hiroki Ishibashi, Karthik K Tappa, Huanmin Wang, Chuandong Sun, Yuntao Ma, Hongwei Xi, Jian Wang, Jianghua Zhan, Kyong Ihn, Mitsuo Shimada, Mingman Zhang, Mary E Brindle, Patrick B Thomas, Shigehisa Fumino, Tao Liu, Thom Lobe, Udo Rolle, Shan Wang, Xiaowen Zhai, Yoshinori Koga, Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Yuzuo Bai, Zhaozhu Li, Zhe Wen, Weikang Pan, Krysta M Sutyak, Pier C Giulianotti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Pediatric liver tumors are predominantly primary malignant tumors, and complete tumor resection with sufficient preservation of liver tissue is crucial for improving prognosis. However, due to the delicate anatomical structure of the pediatric liver and the relatively large size of the tumors, especially in difficult cases, the surgical challenges are substantial. While precision liver surgery are widely applied in clinical practice, pediatric cases require more customized approaches. The application of three-dimensional (3D) visualization technology is crucial for enhancing surgical accuracy, allowing for precise preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance.

Methods: This consensus was collaboratively developed by 36 experts from eight …

Alterations In Gut Microbiome Composition And Increased Inflammatory Markers In Post-Covid-19 Individuals, Tatiana Barichello, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Laura A Borba, Lucas C Pedro, Flávia S Niero, Laísa N Dos Santos, Letícia M Leonardo, Zuleide M Ignácio, Rodrigo Morales, Luciane B Ceretta, Gislaine Z Reus

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dysfunctions in the immune system and alterations in the microbiome composition following SARS-CoV-2 infection contribute to persistent neurological issues observed in long COVID-19 survivors. We hypothesize that alterations in the gut microbiome composition and peripheral inflammatory profile following COVID-19 may play pivotal roles in behavior changes among individuals experiencing long-term illness. This cross-sectional study included a sample of post-COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 subjects. We assessed the presence of psychiatric conditions utilizing standardized diagnostic criteria, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Biological Rhythms in Neuropsychiatry Assessment Interview (BRIAN), and Functional Assessment Short Test (FAST). Plasma samples …

Exploring Potential Ethnic Bias Among Mmpi-3 Scales In Assessing Personality Psychopathology, Nicole Shumaker, Tessa Long, Andy Torres, Alfonso Mercado, Ryan J Marek, Jaime L Anderson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study examined statistical bias in the measurement of personality psychopathology in the Latinx population using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3). Data were extracted from two studies that yielded a composite data set of 103 White individuals and 250 Latinx individuals. All participants were administered the MMPI-2-Restructured Form-Extended Battery (MMPI-2-RF-EX) or MMPI-3 and the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 Short Form (PID-5-SF). First, we conducted correlation analyses between theoretically overlapping scales of the PID-5-SF and the MMPI-3 among White and Latinx individuals. The majority of theoretically associated scales were found to be at least moderately associated in the …

Navigating Early Career As An Oncologist: Thriving In Diverse Paths., Gita Suneja, Marjorie C Green, Janaki Parameswaran, Joseph Mccollom Do

PCI Publications and Projects

Early-career oncologists navigate a complex landscape of professional development, clinical responsibilities, and research endeavors. This manuscript explores key challenges and strategies for success in the early years of an oncology career, focusing on the first job after fellowship, career transitions, and practical tips for intentionality. Effective mentorship is pivotal, providing guidance in clinical decision making, research pursuits, and professional networking. Career development strategies include securing funding, building collaborative networks, and identifying opportunities for leadership. Additionally, balancing clinical duties with research and personal well-being requires time management and institutional support. This article emphasizes the importance of fostering inclusive mentorship, advocating for …

Salicylamide Derivative Jmx0312 Protects Immunosuppressed Syrian Hamsters Against Adenovirus Lethal Challenge, Marta Carretero-Ledesma, Jun Li, Javier Martín-Escolano, Soraya Herrera-Espejo, Jimin Xu, Haiying Chen, Caridad Díaz-Navarro, Jerónimo Pachón, Javier Sánchez-Céspedes, Jia Zhou, María Eugenia Pachón-Ibáñez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite the fact that human adenovirus (HAdV) causes severe infections in immunosuppressed and immunocompetent individuals, especially in children, there is currently no specific treatment for these infections. Previously we reported a new salicylamide analogue, JMX0312, as a potent inhibitor of HAdV infection with low cytotoxicity in vitro. Here we evaluate the in vivo efficacy and safety of this molecule in the immunosuppressed Syrian hamster model of HAdV infection. JMX0312 administration at a dose of 6.25 mg/kg did not affect the body weight of the animals, and reduced the viral load in liver and blood in a similar way than cidofovir. …

Comparing Stroke Risk Factors Among Sexual Minority Groups In Texas, Brittany Krenek, Samuel Tundealao, Jennifer E S Beauchamp, Sean I Savitz, Irene Tamí-Maury

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Knowledge gaps remain on stroke risk and disparities between sexual minority (SM) subgroups. In this study, stroke risk between SM subgroups, specifically gay/bisexual men and lesbian/bisexual women (G/BM and L/BW), was assessed.

Method: Data were collected in June 2022 using a bilingual (English and Spanish) cross-sectional paper-and-pen survey distributed among 183 SM individuals attending the 2022 Houston Pride Parade and Festival, as well as across Texas via phone call or online format. Relevant sociodemographic and stroke risk factors were compared between G/BM and L/BW using chi-square (or Fisher's exact, when appropriate) and two-sample t-tests. Sexual orientation was used to …

Perceptions Of Smoking Stigma Among African Americans: A Qualitative Study, Denine R. Crittendon, Alison C. Brecher, Samantha Okere, Richard Hass, Rosemary Frasso, Rickie Brawer, Mph, Phd, Charnita Zeigler-Johnson

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: African Americans/Blacks (AAB) are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality from smoking-related diseases including lung cancer (LC). Smoking stigma is believed to be a primary barrier to health care-seeking for people who smoke. Previous studies illustrate that perceptions of smoking vary across populations. However, little is known about the prevalence of smoking stigmas among AAB. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the perception of cigarette smoking by AAB.

AIMS AND METHODS: We conducted free-listing interviews in which individuals listed all-thoughts and feelings regarding smoking and health-related questions with a convenience sample of eligible AAB …

Validity And Reliability Of The Tampa Scale For Kinesiophobia For Adolescents With Heart Disease., David A. White, William R. Black, Emily Cramer, Lindsey Malloy-Walton, Mollie Walton, Laura Martis, Brandy Enneking, Kelli M. Teson, Jessica S. Watson, Jami Gross-Toalson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: To assess the validity and reliability of a newly adapted Tampa Scale for KP for adolescents with HD (TSK-Heart-A).

METHODS: The TSK-Heart-A survey consists of 17 Likert scale items, producing a summary score (SS) ranging from 17 (low KP) to 68 (high KP). Following content and face validity, adolescents (age 12-18 yr) with arrhythmia disorders or Fontan palliation were recruited. The PROMIS pediatric anxiety and depression short forms, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) generic core and cardiac module, and a PA questionnaire for adolescents (PAQ-A) were used for criterion validity. The TSK-Heart-A was completed twice (20.4 ± 6.3 …

Norovirus Replication, Host Interactions And Vaccine Advances, B V Venkataram Prasad, Robert L Atmar, Sasirekha Ramani, Timothy Palzkill, Yongcheng Song, Sue E Crawford, Mary K Estes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide in all age groups and cause significant disease and economic burden globally. To date, no approved vaccines or antiviral therapies are available to treat or prevent HuNoV illness. Several candidate vaccines are in clinical trials, although potential barriers to successful development must be overcome. Recently, significant advances have been made in understanding HuNoV biology owing to breakthroughs in virus cultivation using human intestinal tissue-derived organoid (or enteroid) cultures, advances in structural biology technology combined with epitope mapping and increased metagenomic sequencing. New and unexpected strain-specific differences in pandemic versus …

Joint Analysis Of The Npod-Virus Group Data: The Association Of Enterovirus With Type 1 Diabetes Is Supported By Multiple Markers Of Infection In Pancreas Tissue, Sarah J Richardson, Teresa Rodriguez-Calvo, Jutta E Laiho, John S Kaddis, Julius O Nyalwidhe, Irina Kusmartseva, Sofia Morfopoulou, Joseph F Petrosino, Vincent Plagnol, Kathrin Maedler, Margaret A Morris, Jerry L Nadler, Mark A Atkinson, Matthias Von Herrath, Richard E Lloyd, Heikki Hyoty, Noel G Morgan, Alberto Pugliese, Npod-Virus Group

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Aims/hypothesis: Previous pathology studies have associated enterovirus infections with type 1 diabetes by examining the enterovirus capsid protein 1 (VP1) in autopsy pancreases obtained near diabetes diagnosis. The Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (nPOD) has since obtained pancreases from organ donors with type 1 diabetes (with broad age and disease duration) and donors with disease-associated autoantibodies (AAbs), the latter representing preclinical disease. Two accompanying manuscripts from the nPOD-Virus Group report primary data from a coordinated analysis of multiple enterovirus indices. We aimed to comprehensively assess the association of multiple enterovirus markers with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: The nPOD-Virus …

Speech Delay And Hearing Rehabilitation Disparities In Children With Hearing Loss, Lacey C Magee, Malek Bouzaher, Mihika Thapliyal, Yi-Chun Liu, Samantha Anne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: To investigate the influence of race and insurance type on speech delay rates and hearing rehabilitation access in children with bilateral hearing loss (HL).

Study design: Retrospective cross-sectional study of pediatric patients with bilateral HL who received cochlear implants (CIs) or hearing aids (HAs).

Setting: This study used the national Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database to identify patients with HL across 52 tertiary care pediatric hospitals in the United States.

Methods: Data collected included demographics, CI/HA use, speech delay/disorders, and type of insurance coverage.

Results: This study identified 18,422 patients with bilateral HL (40.1% female, 66.3% white, 66.3% …

Factors Associated With Perceived Medication Safety During Transitions Of Care In Patients With Cancer: A Secondary Data Analysis Of A Cross-Sectional Survey, Youmin Cho, Misun Hwang, Yang Gong, Yun Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate perceived medication safety in patients with cancer during transitions of care and identify factors associated with their safety perceptions.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed on a cross-sectional survey data of from patients with four types of cancer (i.e., colorectal, lung, prostate, and breast). Perceived medication safety was measured by the sum score of four survey items that assessed patients' feelings about medication safety during transitions of care. Potential associated factors included sociodemographic and clinical factors (i.e., cancer types, taking oral anticancer agents), self-rated health, perceived safety in communicating with clinicians, beliefs about …

Encoding 3d Information In 2d Feature Maps For Brain Ct-Angiography, Uma M Lal-Trehan Estrada, Sunil Sheth, Arnau Oliver, Xavier Lladó, Luca Giancardo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We propose learnable 3D pooling (L3P), a CNN module designed to compress 3D information into 2D feature maps using anisotropic convolutions and unidirectional max pooling. Specifically, we used L3P followed by a 2D network to generate predictions from 3D brain CT-Angiography (CTA) in the context of large vessel occlusion (LVO). To further demonstrate its versatility, we extended its application to 3D brain MRI analysis for brain age prediction. First, we designed an experiment to classify the LVO-affected hemisphere (left or right), projecting the input CTA into the sagittal plane, which allowed to assess the ability of L3P to encode the …

Genome-Wide Association Studies Of Down Syndrome Associated Congenital Heart Defects Suggests A Genetically Heterogeneous Risk For Chd In Ds, Elizabeth R Feldman, Yunqi Li, David J Cutler, Tracie C Rosser, Stephanie B Wechsler, Lauren Sanclemente, Angela L Rachubinski, Natalina Elliott, Paresh Vyas, Irene Roberts, Karen R Rabin, Michael Wagner, Bruce D Gelb, Joaquin M Espinosa, Philip J Lupo, Adam J De Smith, Stephanie L Sherman, Elizabeth J Leslie-Clarkson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common structural birth defect and are present in 40-50% of children born with Down syndrome (DS). To characterize the genetic architecture of DS-associated CHD, we sequenced genomes of a multiethnic group of children with DS and a CHD (n=886: atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD), n=438; atrial septal defects (ASD), n=122; ventricular septal defects (VSD), n=170; other types of CHD, n=156) and DS with a structurally normal heart (DS+NH, n=572). We performed four GWAS for common variants (MAF>0.05) comparing DS with CHD, stratified by CHD-subtype, to DS+NH controls. Although no SNP achieved genome-wide significance, …

Clinical Manifestations, Disease Penetrance, And Treatment In Individuals With Socs1 Insufficiency: A Registry-Based And Population-Based Study, Jerome Hadjadj, Anna Wolfers, Oleg Borisov, Derek Hazard, Ronan Leahy, Marie Jeanpierre, Alexandre Belot, Shahrzad Bakhtiar, Fabian Hauck, Pui Y Lee, Stefano Volpi, Serena Palmeri, Vincent Barlogis, Nathalie Aladjidi, Georg Ebetsberger-Dachs, Jerome Avouac, Fabienne Charbit-Henrion, Morgane Cheminant, Jean Donadieu, Sujal Ghosh, David P Hoytema Van Konijnenburg, Julia Körholz, Jacinta Bustamante, Jeremie Rosain, Lisa Forbes Satter, Ingrid Selmeryd, Georgios Sogkas, Benedicte Neven, Frederic Rieux-Laucat, Stephan Ehl

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1) insufficiency is an inborn error of immunity affecting the negative regulation of cytokine and growth factor signalling. We aimed to enhance the understanding of clinical manifestations, disease trajectories, disease penetrance, and the effect of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibition in individuals with SOCS1 insufficiency.

Methods: This study used data from two independent cohorts: the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID) registry and the UK Biobank. Participants from the ESID registry were from nine European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, and Ukraine), China, Taiwan, and the USA. Participants from the ESID registry …

Plasma Microbial Cell-Free Dna Sequencing For The Detection Of Kingella Kingae Pediatric Spinal Infections, Asim A Ahmed, Sarah Y Park, Matthew J Smollin, Martin S Lindner, Adriana Sarmiento Clemente, Ana Del Valle Penella, P Marcelo Laufer, Carolina Sanchez-Vegas, Manuel R Cotilla, Marian E Melish, Connie Trieu, Nazia A Kabani, Joshua Cooper, Audrey R Lloyd, David W Kimberlin, John C Arnold, Alejandro Jordan-Villegas, Lori E Patterson, Catherine E Foster, Pablo Yagupsky

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Diagnosis of Kingella kingae skeletal system infections is made challenging by the microbe's fastidious nature. Detection and quantification of circulating microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) in plasma by the Karius Test, a commercial metagenomic sequencing test, may offer promise in diagnosing pediatric spinal infections caused by difficult-to-culture organisms such as K. kingae .

Methods: Plasma mcfDNA sequencing detections of K. kingae from April 2018 to December 2020 were reviewed to identify pediatric (age < 18 years) patients. Medical charts of those with spinal infections were reviewed, and mcfDNA sequencing diagnostic performance was compared with usual care tests (ie, cultures, polymerase chain reaction).

Results: Ten children with K. kingae spinal infections were identified across 7 institutions. The median age was 16.5 months (range 11-23 months). All case-patients had vertebral osteomyelitis …

Fetal Body Composition In Twins And Singletons, Jessica L Gleason, Wesley Lee, Zhen Chen, Kathryn A Wagner, Dian He, William A Grobman, Roger B Newman, Seth Sherman, Robert Gore-Langton, Edward Chien, Luis Goncalves, Katherine L Grantz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: An emerging paradigm attributes third-trimester fetal growth deceleration in uncomplicated twin pregnancies to an evolutionary adaptive process. Evaluating longitudinal fetal soft-tissue development may provide important insights into differential fetal growth trajectories between twins and singletons.

Objective: To compare twin vs singleton lean and fat tissue growth across pregnancy.

Design, setting, and participants: Prospective cohort study of dichorionic twins and singletons with serial ultrasound scans to chart fetal growth (2009-2013) and collect fetal volume data to measure fat and lean tissue (2015-2019) in 12 US clinical centers. Participants were individuals with singleton (n = 2802 enrolled) and twin (n = …

Measles, Mumps, Rubella Immunization And The Resurgence Of Measles In America, Peter J Hotez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Biomarkers Of Cellular Senescence And Major Health Outcomes In Older Adults, Steven R Cummings, Li-Yung Lui, Aversa Zaira, Theresa Mau, Roger A Fielding, Elizabeth J Atkinson, Sheena Patel, Nathan Lebrasseur

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The geroscience hypothesis proposes that underlying biological processes, such as the accumulation of senescent cells, have deleterious effects on multiple tissues and increase the risk of many chronic conditions with aging. Senescent cells produce heterogenous biomarkers, also called senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Circulating concentrations of senescence biomarkers may reflect an underlying burden of senescent cells in various tissues. Plasma levels of these proteins have been associated with increased mortality and poorer physical function. The associations of them with the incidence of major age-related conditions including heart failure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia, have not been studied. We measured 35 senescence …

Real-Time Surveillance System For Patient Deterioration: A Pragmatic Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Sarah C Rossetti, Patricia C Dykes, Chris Knaplund, Sandy Cho, Jennifer Withall, Graham Lowenthal, David Albers, Rachel Y Lee, Haomiao Jia, Suzanne Bakken, Min-Jeoung Kang, Frank Y Chang, Li Zhou, David W Bates, Temiloluwa Daramola, Fang Liu, Jessica Schwartz-Dillard, Mai Tran, Syed Mohtashim Abbas Bokhari, Jennifer Thate, Kenrick D Cato

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The COmmunicating Narrative Concerns Entered by RNs (CONCERN) early warning system (EWS) uses real-time nursing surveillance documentation patterns in its machine learning algorithm to identify deterioration risk. We conducted a 1-year, multisite, pragmatic trial with cluster-randomization of 74 clinical units (37 intervention; 37 usual care) across 2 health systems. Eligible adult hospital encounters were included. We tested if outcomes differed between patients whose care teams were and patients whose care teams were not informed by the CONCERN EWS. Coprimary outcomes were in-hospital mortality (examined as instantaneous risk) and length of stay. Secondary outcomes were cardiopulmonary arrest, sepsis, unanticipated intensive care …

Cardiovascular And Renal Treatment In Heart Failure Patients With Hyperkalemia Or High Risk Of Hyperkalemia: Rationale And Design Of The Care-Hk In Hf Registry, Stephen J Greene, Michael Böhm, Biykem Bozkurt, Javed Butler, John G F Cleland, Andrew J S Coats, Nihar R Desai, Diederick E Grobbee, Ellie Kelepouris, Fausto Pinto, Giuseppe Rosano, Isabelle Morin, Peter Szecsödy, Solenn Fabien, Sandra Waechter, Maria G Crespo-Leiro, Martin Hülsmann, Tibor Kempf, Otmar Pfister, Anne-Catherine Pouleur, Andrew J Sauer, Manish Saxena, Martin Schulz, Maurizio Volterrani, Stefan D Anker, Mikhail N Kosiborod

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Despite guideline recommendations, many patients with heart failure (HF) do not receive target dosages of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASis) in clinical practice due, in part, to concerns about hyperkalemia (HK).

Methods and results: This noninterventional, multinational, multicenter registry (NCT04864795; 111 sites in Europe and the USA) enrolled 2558 eligible adults with chronic HF (mostly with reduced ejection fraction [HFrEF]). Eligibility criteria included use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin-II receptor blocker/angiotensin-receptor-neprilysin inhibitor, being a candidate for or treatment with a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, and increased risk of HK (eg, current serum potassium > 5.0 mmol/L), history of HK in the previous …

Core Domain Set For Studies Of Acute Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystal Arthritis: Omeract Delphi Survey To Establish Consensus, Yiling Zhang, Sara K Tedeschi, Abhishek Abhishek, Owen Hensey, David Grossberg, Ken Cai, Beverley Shea, Jasvinder A Singh, Robin Christensen, Teodora Serban, Edoardo Cipolletta, Konstantinos Parperis, Cesar Diaz-Torne, Geraldine M Mccarthy, Fabio Becce, Tamer A Gheita, Silvia Sirotti, Sara Nysom Christiansen, Luis Coronel, Lisa K Stamp, Yousra H Abdel-Fattah, Tristan Pascart, Georgios Filippou, Lih En Hong, John Fitzgerald, Nicola Dalbeth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To identify potential domains for the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) core domain set for studies of an individual flare of acute calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal arthritis.

Methods: Patient research partners (PRPs) and other participants (mainly clinicians and researchers) completed three rounds of survey using Delphi methodology. Consensus was defined as ≥ 70 % of both PRP and other participants groups rated the domain as a 'critically important domain to include'. In a subsequent ranking exercise, all participants were asked to rank and comment on up to 10 domains to include as core domains.

Results: Fourteen domains reached consensus …

Characteristic Profiling Of Cho-Cell Expressed Mers-Cov Rbd-Fc, Mashal M Almutairi, Yi-Lin Chen, Jungsoon Lee, Zhuyun Liu, Ulrich Strych, Peter J Hotez, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Wen-Hsiang Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The ongoing circulation of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in camels across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, along with its occasional transmission to humans, demonstrates a need for a MERS vaccine. Previously, we have reported a receptor binding domain (RBD) of MERS-CoV fused with human Fc as a promising vaccine antigen (MERS-CoV RBD-Fc). We generated a stable recombinant CHO cell line expressing such a protein and developed a basic production process suitable for future technological transfer to pilot-scale manufacture. In this study, we employed various in-house analytical assays to examine the characteristics of purified RBD-Fc protein and …

Interactions Between Adgrf1 (Gpr110) And Extracellular Matrix Proteins Govern Its Effects On Tumorigenesis In Her2-Positive Breast Cancer, Noor Mazin Abdulkareem, Raksha Bhat, Micah Castillo, Sung Yun Jung, Suhas Vasaikar, Sarmistha Nanda, Alexis Ruiz, Martin Shea, Wangjia Cao, Jamunarani Veeraraghavan, Hee-Yong Kim, Tasneem Bawa-Khalfe, Tahir Hussain, Xinli Liu, Preethi Gunaratne, Rachel Schiff, Meghana V Trivedi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: We and others have previously shown that ADGRF1, an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor, is overexpressed and associated with poor survival in many cancers, including human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) breast cancer (BC). Also, we have reported the tumour-promoting function of ADGRF1 using preclinical models of HER2+ BC. In this study, we investigated the effect of ADGRF1 overexpression in an orthotopic in vivo model as well as downstream signalling of ADGRF1 in HER2+ BC.

Experimental approach: We utilized a doxycycline (Dox)-induced ADGRF1 overexpression system in HER2+ BC cell lines and performed various in vitro and in vivo …

Parp Inhibitor Response Is Enhanced In Prostate Cancer When Xrcc1 Expression Is Reduced, Kaveri Goel, Vani Venkatappa, Kimiko L Krieger, Dongquan Chen, Arun Sreekumar, Natalie R Gassman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer worldwide and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. The emergence of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) exemplifies the complex disease management for PCa. PARP inhibitors (PARPis) are being tested to treat mCRPC in tumors with defective homologous recombination repair (HRR) to address this complexity. However, increasing resistance towards PARPi in HRR-deficient patients and the low percentage of HRR-defective mCRPC patients requires the identification of new genes whose deficiency can be exploited for PARPi treatment. XRCC1 is a DNA repair protein critical in the …

The Aging Ovary Stands On The Shoulders Of Giant Multinucleated Cells, Avery A Ahmed, Stephanie A Pangas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Reproductive aging is associated with declining fertility and increasing inflammation, though these events are not well understood. An exciting new study in PLOS Biology utilizes cutting-edge technologies to characterize the role of multinucleated giant cells in ovarian aging.

Managing Hypercholesterolemia In Adults Older Than 75 Years Without A History Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: An Expert Clinical Consensus From The National Lipid Association And The American Geriatrics Society, Vera Bittner, Sunny A Linnebur, Dave L Dixon, Daniel E Forman, Ariel R Green, Terry A Jacobson, Ariela R Orkaby, Joseph J Saseen, Salim S Virani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease increases with advancing age. Elevated LDL-cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol levels remain predictive of incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular events among individuals older than 75 years. Risk prediction among older individuals is less certain because most current risk calculators lack specificity in those older than 75 years and do not adjust for co-morbidities, functional status, frailty, and cognition which significantly impact prognosis in this age group. Data on the benefits and risks of lowering LDL-cholesterol with statins in older patients without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease are also limited since most primary prevention trials have included mostly younger patients. Available …

Fine-Scale Population Structure Of Japanese Helicobacter Pylori Provides New Anthropological And Epidemiological Insights, Kohei Tomonari, Batsaikhan Saruuljavkhlan, Ricky Indra Alfaray, Kartika Afrida Fauzia, Osamu Matsunari, Daisuke Chinda, Tadashi Shimoyama, Phawinee Subsomwong, Nagisa Kinjo, Tetsu Kinjo, Yasuo Hanamure, Masato Shinzato, Rumiko Suzuki, Fukunori Kinjo, Shigeru Takigami, Toshio Fujioka, Takeshi Matsuhisa, Junko Akada, Takashi Matsumoto, Yoshio Yamaoka

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Helicobacter pylori is considered to contribute to gastric cancer and is also used as a marker to trace human migration due to its co-evolution with humans. To understand the recently proposed tripartite model suggesting three ancestral origins for the Japanese population and address the enigma of the high incidence of gastric cancer in Northeast Hondo (Hondo is mainland Japan), we conducted a fine-scale population structure analysis using a large Japanese H. pylori dataset, including 438 strains from 9 regions based on whole-genome sequences. As a result of fineSTRUCTURE analysis, it was found that H. pylori in Northeast Hondo is genetically …

Eye Catching, Alec B Rezigh, Anand D Jagannath, Austin C Rezigh, Ann Marie Kumfer, Stephanie V Sherman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A 55 year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus presented to the emergency department with subacute nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. He was found to have epididymitis and hyperglycemia that improved with antibiotics and supportive care. However, he was also discovered to have significant acute kidney injury and chronic, relapsing-remitting bouts of eye pain and redness, confirmed to be uveitis on ophthalmologic evaluation. Despite completing an appropriate course of antibiotics, his pyuria and kidney injury persisted. An extensive infectious, autoimmune, and malignancy work-up was negative. As such, renal biopsy was pursued and revealed findings consistent with tubulointerstitial nephritis. With a …

Core Domain Set For Chronic And/Or Recurrent Manifestations Of Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease: Omeract Delphi Survey To Establish Consensus, Yiling Zhang, Sara K Tedeschi, Abhishek Abhishek, Owen Hensey, David Grossberg, Ken Cai, Beverley Shea, Jasvinder A Singh, Robin Christensen, Teodora Serban, Edoardo Cipolletta, Konstantinos Parperis, Cesar Diaz-Torne, Geraldine M Mccarthy, Fabio Becce, Tamer A Gheita, Silvia Sirotti, Sara Nysom Christiansen, Luis Coronel, Lisa K Stamp, Yousra H Abdel-Fattah, Tristan Pascart, Georgios Filippou, Lih En Hong, John Fitzgerald, Nicola Dalbeth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To agree on important domains for the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) core domain set for chronic and/or recurrent manifestations of calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease.

Methods: Patient research partners (PRPs) and other participants (mainly clinicians and researchers) contributed to three rounds of a consensus survey using Delphi methodology. Consensus was defined if ≥70% of both patients and other participants scored the domain as 'critically important domain to include'. In a subsequent ranking exercise, all participants were asked to select and rank up to 10 of the domains reaching consensus.

Results: Fifteen domains reached consensus as critically important. Within …