Digital Commons Network^™

Evolution Of Genetic Networks For Human Creativity, I Zwir, C Del-Val, M Hintsanen, K M Cloninger, R Romero-Zaliz, A Mesa, J Arnedo, R Salas, G F Poblete, E Raitoharju, O Raitakari, L Keltikangas-Järvinen, G A De Erausquin, I Tattersall, T Lehtimäki, C R Cloninger

Staff and Researcher Publications

The genetic basis for the emergence of creativity in modern humans remains a mystery despite sequencing the genomes of chimpanzees and Neanderthals, our closest hominid relatives. Data-driven methods allowed us to uncover networks of genes distinguishing the three major systems of modern human personality and adaptability: emotional reactivity, self-control, and self-awareness. Now we have identified which of these genes are present in chimpanzees and Neanderthals. We replicated our findings in separate analyses of three high-coverage genomes of Neanderthals. We found that Neanderthals had nearly the same genes for emotional reactivity as chimpanzees, and they were intermediate between modern humans and …

Functional Studies Of Genetic Variants Associated With Human Diseases In Notch Signaling-Related Genes Using Drosophila, Sheng-An Yang, Jose L Salazar, David Li-Kroeger, Shinya Yamamoto

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Rare variants in the many genes related to Notch signaling cause diverse Mendelian diseases that affect myriad organ systems. In addition, genome- and exome-wide association studies have linked common and rare variants in Notch-related genes to common diseases and phenotypic traits. Moreover, somatic mutations in these genes have been observed in many types of cancer, some of which are classified as oncogenic and others as tumor suppressive. While functional characterization of some of these variants has been performed through experimental studies, the number of ‘variants of unknown significance’ identified in patients with diverse conditions keeps increasing as high-throughput sequencing technologies …

Emerging Roles Of Alternative Cleavage And Polyadenylation (Apa) In Human Disease, Prakash Dharmalingam, Rajasekaran Mahalingam, Hari Krishna Yalamanchili, Tingting Weng, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Ashrith Guha, Rajarajan A Thandavarayan

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

In the messenger RNA (mRNA) maturation process, the 3'-end of pre-mRNA is cleaved and a poly(A) sequence is added, this is an important determinant of mRNA stability and its cellular functions. More than 60%-70% of human genes have three or more polyadenylation (APA) sites and can be cleaved at different sites, generating mRNA transcripts of varying lengths. This phenomenon is termed as alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) and it plays role in key biological processes like gene regulation, cell proliferation, senescence, and also in various human diseases. Loss of regulatory microRNA binding sites and interactions with RNA-binding proteins leading to …

Creating A Collaborative Trauma-Informed Interdisciplinary Citywide Victim Services Model Focused On Health Care For Survivors Of Human Trafficking, Juhi Jain, Mackenzie Bennett, Mark D Bailey, Daniel Liaou, Sheri-Ann O Kaltiso, Jordan Greenbaum, Kimberly Williams, Mollie R Gordon, Melissa I M Torres, Phuong T Nguyen, John H Coverdale, Victor Williams, Cayla Hari, Samantha Rodriguez, Temilola Salami, Jonell E Potter

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Although human trafficking is recognized as a public health issue, research on the health effects of human trafficking and best intervention practices is limited. We describe 2 citywide collaborative victim services models, the THRIVE (Trafficking, Healthcare, Resources, and Interdisciplinary Victim Services and Education) Clinic at the University of Miami and Jackson Health System in Miami, Florida, and the Greater Houston Area Pathways for Advocacy-based, Trauma-Informed Healthcare (PATH) Collaborative at Baylor College of Medicine, CommonSpirit Health, and San Jose Clinic in Houston, Texas, funded in part by the Office for Victims of Crime, which focus on trauma-informed health care delivery for …

Very Late Aortic Endograft Infection With Listeria Monocytogenes In An Elderly Man, Jorge A Miranda, Ahmed Khouqeer, James J Livesay, Miguel Montero-Baker

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Endograft infection with Listeria monocytogenes is a rare, potentially devastating complication of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. To our knowledge, only 8 cases have been reported. We describe the case of a 72-year-old man who presented with L. monocytogenes endograft infection and a 19-cm degenerative aneurysm 9 years after having undergone endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The infection was successfully treated with open surgical excision of the infected aortoiliac endograft and its replacement with a rifampin-soaked, bifurcated Dacron graft.

Iatrogenic Arteriovenous Fistula After Distal Transradial Coronary Angiography, Wah Wah Htun, Myo Maw, Tak Kwan

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Surgical Intervention For Phlegmasia Cerulea Dolens In A 61-Year-Old Cancer Patient, Christopher Ruben-Castillo, Cesar Cuen-Ojeda, Gabriel Lopez-Peña, Javier E Anaya-Ayala, Carlos A Hinojosa

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Phlegmasia cerulea dolens, a rare and potentially fatal complication of acute deep vein thrombosis, is characterized by substantial edema, intense pain, and cyanosis. Phlegmasia cerulea dolens may compromise limb perfusion and lead to acute ischemia, gangrene, amputation, and death. We present the case of a 61-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer who had signs and symptoms of phlegmasia cerulea dolens in her left leg. She was treated promptly with open surgical thrombectomy and sequential distal compression with use of an Esmarch bandage to ensure complete thrombus extraction. These techniques restored venous flow and saved her leg. Open surgical …

Mapping Replication Timing In Single Mammalian Cells, Daniel A Bartlett, Vishnu Dileep, Timour Baslan, David M Gilbert

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Replication timing (RT) is the temporal order in which genomic DNA is replicated during S phase. Early and late replication correlate with transcriptionally active and inactive chromatin compartments, but mechanistic links between large scale chromosome structure, transcription, and replication are still enigmatic. A proper RT program is necessary to maintain the global epigenome that defines cell identity, suggesting that RT is critical for epigenome integrity by facilitating the assembly of different types of chromatin at different times during S phase. RT is regulated during development and it has been found to be altered in disease. Thus, RT can identify stable …

International Physical Therapists Consensus On Clinical Descriptors For Diagnosing Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain: A Delphi Study., Néstor Requejo-Salinas, Jeremy Lewis, Lori A Michener, Roy La Touche, Rubén Fernández-Matías, Juan Tercero-Lucas, Paula Rezende Camargo, Marcus Bateman, Filip Struyf, Jean-Sébastien Roy, Anju Jaggi, Timothy Uhl, Leanne Bisset, Craig A Wassinger, Robert Donatelli, Melina Nevoeiro Haik, Enrique Lluch-Girbés

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of standardized criteria for diagnosing rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP).

OBJECTIVE: To identify the most relevant clinical descriptors for diagnosing RCRSP.

METHODS: A Delphi study was conducted through use of an international physical therapists expert panel. A 3-round Delphi survey involving an international panel of physical therapists experts with extensive clinical, teaching, and research experience was conducted. A search query was performed in Web of Science, along with a manual search, to find the experts. The first round was composed of items obtained from a previous pilot Delphi study along with new items proposed …

Ret Signaling Pathway And Ret Inhibitors In Human Cancer, Angelina T Regua, Mariana Najjar, Hui-Wen Lo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rearranged during transfection (RET) receptor tyrosine kinase was first identified over thirty years ago as a novel transforming gene. Since its discovery and subsequent pathway characterization, RET alterations have been identified in numerous cancer types and are most prevalent in thyroid carcinomas and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In other tumor types such as breast cancer and salivary gland carcinomas, RET alterations can be found at lower frequencies. Aberrant RET activity is associated with poor prognosis of thyroid and lung carcinoma patients, and is strongly correlated with increased risk of distant metastases. RET aberrations encompass a variety of genomic or …

Does The Novel Coronavirus Use The Ocular Surface As An Entrance Into The Body Or As An Infection Site?, Remzi Karadag, Alp Kayiran, Christopher J Rapuano

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

This study attempts to review whether the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is transmitted through the ocular surface and examine the symptoms and signs of ocular disease. Considering that COVID-19 is transmitted by airborne droplets and close contact with infected individuals, we will also review the conditions to which eye clinics and ophthalmologists should pay attention to prevent the transmission of the disease. Although some researchers have argued that COVID-19 transmission cannot occur through the ocular surface, most of them are of the opinion that the ocular surface is a potential pathway of transmission. Until date, ocular signs and symptoms have been …

Postoperative Breath-Holding Spells Requiring Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation After Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Rebecca Kreis, Jeffrey A. Robinson, Ali N. Ibrahimiye, Laura Ortmann

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

Breath-holding spells are common in childhood and can be associated with bradycardia and pulselessness. This report details severe breath-holding spells complicating postoperative management after atrial septal defect closure. The patient required cardiopulmonary resuscitation despite the use of a temporary pacemaker to prevent bradycardia. After multiple episodes of chest compressions, the decision was made to not intervene immediately to pulselessness and the patient was able to recover without further intervention.

Tissue-Specific Mechanisms Of Bile Acid Homeostasis And Activation Of Fxr-Fgf19 Signaling In Preterm And Term Neonatal Pigs, Caitlin Vonderohe, Greg Guthrie, Barbara Stoll, Shaji Chacko, Harry Dawson, Douglas G Burrin

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The tissue-specific molecular mechanisms involved in perinatal liver and intestinal farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) signaling are poorly defined. Our aim was to establish how gestational age and feeding status affect bile acid synthesis pathway, bile acid pool size, ileal response to bile acid stimulation, genes involved in bile acid-FXR-FGF19 signaling and plasma FGF19 in neonatal pigs. Term (n = 23) and preterm (n = 33) pigs were born via cesarean section at 100% and 90% gestation, respectively. Plasma FGF19, hepatic bile acid and oxysterol profiles, and FXR target gene expression were assessed in pigs …

Maternal Feeding Styles And Child Appetitive Traits: Direction Of Effects In Hispanic Families With Low Incomes, Maria A Papaioannou, Nilda Micheli, Thomas G Power, Teresia M O'Connor, Jennifer Orlet Fisher, Sheryl O Hughes

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Feeding styles of parents have been associated with dietary quality/intake and weight outcomes; however, much of the research to date has been cross sectional and the direction of influence unclear. This prospective longitudinal study evaluated the direction of effects between feeding styles and child appetitive traits over time in a sample of 129 Hispanic parent/child dyads that participated in a larger study. Data analyzed for the current study were collected when the children were 4-5 years old and again at ages 7-9 years. Parents (all mothers) reported on their feeding styles and children's appetitive traits using well-established questionnaires. Cross-lagged panel …

Validation Of The Family Health Behavior Scale For The Brazilian Population, Luiza Tweedie Preto, Camila H Scarpatto, Laura Lessa Gaudie Ley, Carolina Silveira, Margareth Rodrigues Salerno, Jennette Palcic Moreno, Stela Maris De Jezus Castro, Linda Booij, Rita Mattiello

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: To validate the Family Health Behavior Scale (FHBS) for Brazilian families.

Methods: The sample included 272 children aged 5 to 12 years old. Caregivers and their healthy answered the FHBS and questions about physical activity. In addition, anthropometric measurements of the children's weight and height were performed, as well as the bioimpedance exam. The scale was translated and the following validities were assessed: content (qualitative analysis and content validity index), construct (factor analysis) and concurrent validity (difference between domains and the total score with the categories of BMI, fat percentage and physical activity). Reliability (Cronbach's alpha, ceiling-floor effect, two-half …

Associations Of Prenatal Phthalate Exposure With Neurobehavioral Outcomes In 45- And 75-Month-Old Infants, Jenna L N Sprowles, Kelsey L C Dzwilewski, Francheska M Merced-Nieves, Salma M A Musaad, Susan L Schantz, Sarah D Geiger

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Phthalates are ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and research indicates that prenatal exposure to some phthalates may affect neurodevelopment. In a prospective birth cohort study, five first-morning urine samples collected across pregnancy were pooled and the following phthalate biomarkers assessed: sum of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDEHP), sum of diisononyl phthalate metabolites (ΣDINP), sum of dibutyl phthalate metabolites (ΣDBP), sum of anti-androgenic metabolites (ΣAA), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), and sum of all phthalate metabolites (ΣAll). The Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ), a standardized parent-reported, age-adapted screening tool, measured communication, personal-social, problem solving, and motor domains in infants at 4.5 and 7.5 months (n = …

Depletion And Enrichment Of Phytosterols In Soybean Oil Lipid Emulsions Directly Associate With Serum Markers Of Cholestasis In Preterm Parenteral Nutrition-Fed Pigs, Greg Guthrie, Barbara Stoll, Shaji Chacko, Mahmoud Mohammad, Candace Style, Mariatu Verla, Oluyinka Olutoye, Deborah Schady, Charlotte Lauridsen, Nick Tataryn, Douglas Burrin

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Clinical reports show a positive correlation between phytosterol concentrations and severity of cholestatic liver disease markers in infants during long-term administration of parenteral lipid emulsions. Establishing a causal link between phytosterols and cholestasis has been complicated by confounding factors of lipid emulsion load, fatty acid composition, and vitamin E in many of these studies. The goal of this study is to determine whether altering the phytosterol concentration within a common soybean oil-based emulsion will alter the onset and severity of cholestasis in parenterally fed preterm piglets.

Methods: Preterm piglets were administered, for 21 days, either enteral nutrition (ENT) or …

How Do Low-Income Single-Mothers Get By When Unemployment Strikes: Patterns Of Multiple Program Participation After Transition From Employment To Unemployment, Chi-Fang Wu, Yu-Ling Chang, Soohyun Yoon, Salma Musaad

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Little is known about longitudinal patterns of welfare program participation among single mothers after they transition from employment to unemployment. To better understand how utilization patterns of these welfare programs may change during the 12 months after a job loss, we used the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation to examine the patterns of participation in Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and unemployment insurance among 342 single mothers who transitioned from employment to unemployment during the Great Recession. Using sequence analysis and cluster analysis, this paper identified four distinct patterns of program participation: …

Public Policy (Not The Coronavirus) Should Shape What Endemic Means, Ronald U. Mendoza, Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Alex B. Brillantes, Karl Ev Ruiz, Ivyrose S. Baysic, Sheena A. Valenzuela

Ateneo School of Government Publications

Endemicity is not only a biological and health event but has several inter-dependencies cross-cutting with the management of the economy, including governance and policies. Within the context of the discourse on inequity, what does endemicity mean for poor and low-income families, where policies on social inclusion and social welfare need to be re-calibrated?

Color-Blind Racial Attitudes In Practicing Dental Hygienists, Emily A. Ludwig, Susan L. Tolle, Jessica R. Suedbeck

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Individuals who subscribe to a color-blind racial ideology may not be aware of differences or differential treatment based on race which may be related to racial inequality in the delivery of oral health care. The purpose of this study was to determine color-blind racial attitudes in a convenience sample of clinical dental hygienists.

Methods: A convenience sample of practicing dental hygienists recruited through social media via snowball sampling was invited to participate in this cross-sectional survey study. The Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS), a valid and reliable measuring instrument, was used to determine unawareness of racial attitudes and stereotyping. …

Oral Health Literacy Inventories For Caregivers Of Preschool-Aged Children: A Systematic Review, Melissa L. Sullivan, Denise M. Claiborne, Deanne Shuman

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to describe the oral health literacy (OHL) inventories that have been used among caregivers of preschool-aged children.

Methods: Four databases were searched (CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source, PubMed), to identify peer-reviewed, full-text studies published in English on the oral health literacy among caregivers of preschool-aged children from 2010-2021. All studies were assessed for eligibility using PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were experimental, non-experimental, or mixed methods peer-reviewed studies, conducted in the United States. Eligible studies were independently evaluated using the Effective Public Health Practice Project's Quality Assessment …

Coping With Covid-19: Differences In Hope, Resilience, And Mental Well-Being Across U.S. Racial Groups, Carol Graham, Yung Chun, Bartram Hamilton, Stephen Roll, Wilbur Ross, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Open Access Publications

OBJECTIVES: To explore if the COVID-19 pandemic revealed differences across racial groups in coping, resilience, and optimism, all of which have implications for health and mental well-being.

METHODS: We collect data obtained from four rounds of a national sample of 5,000 US survey respondents in each round from April 2020 to February 2021. Using logistic regression and fixed effects models, we estimate the pandemic impacts on COVID-19 related concerns, social distancing behaviors, and mental health/life satisfaction and optimism for racial/income groups.

RESULTS: Despite extreme income and health disparities before and during the COVID-19 outbreak, Blacks and Hispanics remain more resilient …

Leveraging Large Multi-Center Cohorts Of Alzheimer Disease Endophenotypes To Understand The Role Of Klotho Heterozygosity On Disease Risk, Muhammad Ali, Yun Ju Sung, Fengxian Wang, Maria V. Fernández, John C. Morris, Anne M. Fagan, Richard J. Perrin, Carlos Cruchaga, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Two genetic variants in strong linkage disequilibrium (rs9536314 and rs9527025) in the Klotho (KL) gene, encoding a transmembrane protein, implicated in longevity and associated with brain resilience during normal aging, were recently shown to be associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) risk in cognitively normal participants who are APOE ε4 carriers. Specifically, the participants heterozygous for this variant (KL-SVHET+) showed lower risk of developing AD. Furthermore, a neuroprotective effect of KL-VSHET+ has been suggested against amyloid burden for cognitively normal participants, potentially mediated via the regulation of redox pathways. However, inconsistent associations and a smaller sample size of existing studies pose …

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

Open Access Publications

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

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

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

Open Access Publications

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

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

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

Open Access Publications

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

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

Perceived Physical Fatigability Predicts All-Cause Mortality In Older Adults, Nancy W. Glynn, Theresa Gmelin, Sharon W. Renner, Yujia Susanna Qiao, Robert M. Boudreau, Mary F. Feitosa, Mary K. Wojczynski, Stephanie Cosentino, Stacy L. Andersen, Kaare Christensen, Anne B. Newman

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Perceived physical fatigability is highly prevalent in older adults and associated with mobility decline and other health consequences. We examined the prognostic value of perceived physical fatigability as an independent predictor of risk of death among older adults.

METHODS: Participants (N = 2 906), mean age 73.5 [SD, 10.4] years, 54.2% women, 99.7% white enrolled in the Long Life Family Study, were assessed at Visit 2 (2014-2017) with 2.7 [SD, 1.0] years follow-up. The Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (PFS), a 10-item, self-administered validated questionnaire (score range 0-50, higher = greater fatigability) measured perceived physical fatigability at Visit 2. Deaths post-Visit …

Salaries, Degrees, And Babies: Trends In Fertility By Income And Education Among Japanese Men And Women Born 1943-1975-Analysis Of National Surveys, Cyrus Ghaznavi, Haruka Sakamoto, Lisa Yamasaki, Shuhei Nomura, Daisuke Yoneoka, Kenji Shibuya, Peter Ueda

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: While fertility rates have decreased during the second half of the 20th century in Japan, little is known regarding trends in the number of children that men and women have across birth cohorts and whether these differ by education and income.

METHODS: We used data from four rounds of the National Fertility Survey (1992, 2005, 2010 and 2015) and included men and women aged 40-49 years (16728 men and 17628 women). By 5-year birth cohorts, we assessed the distribution of number of children (0, 1, 2 and 3 or more) and total fertility (the mean number of children) at …

Wormbase In 2022-Data, Processes, And Tools For Analyzing Caenorhabditis Elegans, Paul Davis, Tim Schedl, Et Al

Open Access Publications

WormBase (www.wormbase.org) is the central repository for the genetics and genomics of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We provide the research community with data and tools to facilitate the use of C. elegans and related nematodes as model organisms for studying human health, development, and many aspects of fundamental biology. Throughout our 22-year history, we have continued to evolve to reflect progress and innovation in the science and technologies involved in the study of C. elegans. We strive to incorporate new data types and richer data sets, and to provide integrated displays and services that avail the knowledge generated by the …

Treatment Patterns And Outcomes Following Disease Progression On Anti-Pd-1 Therapies For Advanced Melanoma, Beth L. Nordstrom, Melissa Hamilton, Jenna M. Collins, Dennis Earle, Ying Zhang, Shivani Srivastava, Leonel Hernandez-Aya

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.