Digital Commons Network^™

Can The Date Of Last Menstrual Period Be Trusted In The First Trimester? Comparisons Of Gestational Age Measures From A Prospective Cohort Study In Six Low-Income To Middle-Income Countries, Archana Patel, Carla M. Bann, Vanessa R. Thorsten, Sowmya R. Rao, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu Kitoto, Melissa Bauserman, Lester Figueroa, Nancy F. Krebs, Fabian Esamai, Sherri Bucher, Sarah Saleem, Robert L. Goldenberg, Elwyn Chomba, Waldemar A. Carlo, Shivaprasad Goudar, Richard Derman, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth Mcclure, Patricia L. Hibberd

Global Health Articles

OBJECTIVES: We examined gestational age (GA) estimates for live and still births, and prematurity rates based on last menstrual period (LMP) compared with ultrasonography (USG) among pregnant women at seven sites in six low-resource countries.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This study included data from the Global Network's population-based Maternal and Newborn Health Registry which follows pregnant women in six low-income and middle-income countries (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan and Zambia). Participants in this analysis were 42 803 women, including their 43 230 babies, who registered for the study in their first trimester based …

Disentangling Age, Gender, And Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Multiple Myeloma Burden: A Modeling Study, John H Huber, Mengmeng Ji, Yi-Hsuan Shih, Mei Wang, Graham Colditz, Su-Hsin Chang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy that is consistently preceded by an asymptomatic condition, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Disparities by age, gender, and race/ethnicity in both MGUS and MM are well-established. However, it remains unclear whether these disparities can be explained by increased incidence of MGUS and/or accelerated progression from MGUS to MM. Here, we fit a mathematical model to nationally representative data from the United States and showed that the difference in MM incidence can be explained by an increased incidence of MGUS among male and non-Hispanic Black populations. We did not find evidence showing differences …

A Comparative Study Of Postnatal Anthropometric Growth In Very Preterm Infants And Intrauterine Growth., Fu-Sheng Chou, Hung-Wen Yeh, Reese H. Clark

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Most growth references for very preterm infants were developed using measurements taken at birth, and were thought to represent intrauterine growth. However, it remains unclear whether the goal of approximating an intrauterine growth rate as stated by the American Academy of Pediatrics is attainable by very preterm infants. Using real-world measurement data from very preterm infants born between 2010 through 2020, we develop models to characterize the patterns of postnatal growth, and compare them to intrauterine growth. By assessing the weight growth rate, we show three phases of postnatal growth not evident in intrauterine growth. Furthermore, postnatal length and head …

Association Between Alcohol Consumption And Ectopic Fat In The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Richard Kazibwe, Parag A Chevli, Joni K Evans, Matthew Allison, Erin D Michos, Alexis C Wood, Jingzhong Ding, Michael D Shapiro, Morgana Mongraw-Chaffin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background The relationship between alcohol consumption and ectopic fat distribution, both known factors for cardiovascular disease, remains understudied. Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between alcohol consumption and ectopic adiposity in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. Methods and Results In this cross-sectional analysis, we categorized alcohol intake among participants in MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) as follows (drinks/day): <1 >(light drinking), 1 to 2 (moderate drinking), >2 (heavy drinking), former drinking, and lifetime abstention. Binge drinking was defined as consuming ≥5 drinks on 1 occasion in the past month. Visceral, subcutaneous, and intermuscular fat area, pericardial fat volume, and …

The Impact Of Insomnia Symptoms On Obesity Among Mexicans Aged 50 And Older, Kanwal N Momin, Connor Sheehan, Rafael Samper-Ternent, David S López, Rebeca Wong, Sadaf Arefi Milani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between insomnia and obesity in Mexican adults aged 50 and older.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (2015-2018). Self-reported insomnia was measured using the modified insomnia severity index with scores ranging from zero to six. Obesity was categorized using body mass index (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). We used generalized estimating equations to assess the association between insomnia and obesity over three years.

RESULTS: Insomnia was associated with obesity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01,1.11), among those with no obesity at baseline. Among those with obesity, …

Notes From The Field: Online Weight Loss Supplements Labeled As Tejocote (Crataegus Mexicana) Root, Substituted With Yellow Oleander (Cascabela Thevetia) - United States, 2022, Noah Berland, James Kababick, Cynthia Santos, Diane P Calello

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Unfolding The Secrets Of Small Cell Lung Cancer Progression: Novel Approaches And Insights Through Rapid Autopsies, Zsolt Megyesfalvi, Simon Heeke, Benjamin J Drapkin, Anna Solta, Ildiko Kovacs, Kristiina Boettiger, Lilla Horvath, Busra Ernhofer, Janos Fillinger, Ferenc Renyi-Vamos, Clemens Aigner, Karin Schelch, Christian Lang, Gyorgy Marko-Varga, Carl M Gay, Lauren A Byers, Benjamin B Morris, John V Heymach, Peter Van Loo, Fred R Hirsch, Balazs Dome

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The understanding of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) biology has increased dramatically in recent years, but the processes that allow SCLC to progress rapidly remain poorly understood. Here, we advocate the integration of rapid autopsies and preclinical models into SCLC research as a comprehensive strategy with the potential to revolutionize current treatment paradigms.

Preface: Causes Of Obesity, Theories, Conjectures And Evidence, David B Allison, Thorkild I A Sørensen, Kevin D Hall, John R Speakman

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (Shbg) Mitigates Er Stress And Improves Viability And Insulin Sensitivity In Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Asc) Of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (Ems)-Affected Horses, Nabila Bourebaba, Mateusz Sikora, Badr Qasem, Lynda Bourebaba, Krzysztof Marycz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), which encompasses insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation and predisposition to laminitis is a critical endocrine disorder among the most prevalent conditions affecting horses from different breeds. According to the most recent research, low human sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) serum levels correlate with an increased risk of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes, and may contribute to overall metabolic dysregulations. This study aimed to test whether exogenous SHBG could protect EMS affected adipose-derived stromal stem cells (EqASC

METHODS: EqASC

RESULTS: Obtained data demonstrated that exogenous SHBG treatment significantly promoted ASCs cells proliferation, cell cycle and survival with reduced …

State Public Assistance Spending And Survival Among Adults With Cancer, Justin M Barnes, Kenton J Johnston, Kimberly J Johnson, Fumiko Chino, Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Social determinants of health contribute to disparities in cancer outcomes. State public assistance spending, including Medicaid and cash assistance programs for socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, may improve access to care; address barriers, such as food and housing insecurity; and lead to improved cancer outcomes for marginalized populations.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether state-level public assistance spending is associated with overall survival (OS) among individuals with cancer, overall and by race and ethnicity.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study included US adults aged at least 18 years with a new cancer diagnosis from 2007 to 2013, with follow-up through 2019. Data …

Lem2 Is Essential For Cardiac Development By Maintaining Nuclear Integrity, Jacob A Ross, Didier Hodzic, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIMS: Nuclear envelope integrity is essential for the compartmentalization of the nucleus and cytoplasm. Importantly, mutations in genes encoding nuclear envelope (NE) and associated proteins are the second highest cause of familial dilated cardiomyopathy. One such NE protein that causes cardiomyopathy in humans and affects mouse heart development is Lem2. However, its role in the heart remains poorly understood.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We generated mice in which Lem2 was specifically ablated either in embryonic cardiomyocytes (Lem2 cKO) or in adult cardiomyocytes (Lem2 iCKO) and carried out detailed physiological, tissue, and cellular analyses. High-resolution episcopic microscopy was used for three-dimensional reconstructions …

Open-Label Study Of Consecutive Ibogaine And 5-Meo-Dmt Assisted-Therapy For Trauma-Exposed Male Special Operations Forces Veterans: Prospective Data From A Clinical Program In Mexico, Alan Kooi Davis, Yitong Xin, Nathan Sepeda, Lynnette A Averill

Staff and Researcher Publications

Background: Research in psychedelic medicine has focused primarily on civilian populations. Further study is needed to understand whether these treatments are effective for Veteran populations.

Objectives: Here, we examine the effectiveness of psychedelic-assisted therapy among trauma-exposed Special Operations Forces Veterans (SOFV) seeking treatment for cognitive and mental health problems in Mexico.

Methods: Data were collected from an ibogaine and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) clinical treatment program for SOFV with a history of trauma exposure. This clinical program collects prospective clinical program evaluation data, such as background characteristics, symptom severity, functioning (e.g., satisfaction with life, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, …

Development Of A Culturally Adapted Dietary Intervention To Reduce Alzheimer's Disease Risk Among Older Black Adults, Ashley R Shaw, Mickeal N Key, Samantha Fikru, Saria Lofton, Debra K Sullivan, Jannette Berkley-Patton, Crystal M Glover, Jeffrey M Burns, Eric D Vidoni

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The objective of this study is to identify and understand knowledge and attitudes that influence dietary practices among older Black adults using a community-engaged approach. This is a non-interventional mixed methods study designed to inform the development of an adapted brain-healthy soul food diet intervention. A purposive sampling approach was used to conduct seven semi-structured focus group discussions and an online quantitative survey. In total, 39 participants who self-identified as Black, aged 55 years and older, English speaking, and who were cognitively normal with an AD8 < 2; (25.6% men; 74.4% women) participated in the online survey and one of the seven 60 min virtual focus group discussions (5-7 per focus group). Quantitative frequency data from the online surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative focus group data were analyzed using a 6-step thematic analysis process. Five themes emerged: dementia awareness; practices shaping food choices and consumption; barriers to eating healthy; instrumental support; and elements of a culturally adapted brain-healthy dietary intervention. Older Black adults perceived an adapted MIND dietary model as the most acceptable with the incorporation of salient cultural characteristics and strategies within both the design and delivery phases.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Transluminal Gallbladder Drainage In Patients With Acute Cholecystitis: A Prospective Multicenter Trial., Shayan S Irani, Neil R. Sharma Md, Andrew C Storm, Raj J Shah, Prabhleen Chahal, Field F Willingham, Lee Swanstrom, Todd H Baron, Eran Shlomovitz, Richard A Kozarek, Joyce A Peetermans, Edmund Mcmullen, Evelyne Ho, Schalk W Van Der Merwe

Other Specialties

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) using a lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS).

BACKGROUND: For patients with acute cholecystitis who are poor surgical candidates, EUS-GBD using a LAMS is an important treatment alternative to percutaneous gallbladder drainage.

METHODS: We conducted a regulatory-compliant, prospective multicenter trial at 7 tertiary referral centers in the United States of America and Belgium. Thirty consecutive patients with mild or moderate acute cholecystitis who were not candidates for cholecystectomy were enrolled between September 2019 and August 2021. Eligible patients had a LAMS placed transmurally with 30 to 60-day indwell if …

Gross Hematuria And Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Associated With Military Burn Pits Exposures In Us Veterans Deployed To Iraq And Afghanistan, Mosammat M. Perveen, Henry E. Mayo-Malasky, Mary F. Lee-Wong, Julie M. Tomaska, Edward Forsyth, Amy Gravely, Mark A. Klein, Janeen H. Trembley, Tammy A. Butterick, Robert A. Promisloff, Pamela K. Ginex, Paul Barach, Anthony M. Szema

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to describe rates of hematuria and other lower urinary tract symptoms, including self-reported cancer rates, among veterans postburn pits emissions exposure during deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.

METHODS: US post-9/11 veterans with burn pits emissions exposure confirmed via DD214 forms in the Burn Pits360.org Registry were sent a modified survey. Data were deidentified and anonymously coded.

RESULTS: Twenty-nine percent of the 155 respondents exposed to burn pits self-reported seeing blood in their urine. The average index score of our modified American Urological Association Symptom Index Survey was 12.25 (SD, 7.48). High rates of …

A Longitudinal Assessment Of Racial And Ethnic Inequities In Food Environment Exposure And Retail Market Concentration., Qianxia Jiang, Debarchana Ghosh, Sandro Steinbach, Kristen Cooksey Stowers

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: This paper assesses trends in food environment and market concentration and racial and ethnic inequities in food environment exposure and food retail market concentration at the US census tract level from 2000 to 2019.

DESIGN: Establishment-level data from the National Establishment Time Series were used to measure food environment exposure and food retail market concentration. We linked that dataset to race, ethnicity and social vulnerability information from the American Community Survey and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. A geospatial hot-spot analysis was conducted to identify relatively low and high healthy food access clusters based on the …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Family Rules And Routines During Pediatric Cancer Treatment., Carolyn R. Bates, Isabella K. Pallotto, Rachel Moore, Lynne Covitz, Meredith Dreyer

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric nurses work closely with families of children with new cancer diagnoses and can provide essential supports to promote coping and adjustment. This cross-sectional qualitative study aimed to gather caregiver perspectives on barriers and facilitators to adaptive family functioning during the early phases of cancer treatment, with a focus on family rules and routines.

METHODS: Caregivers (N = 44) of a child diagnosed with cancer and receiving active treatment completed a semi-structured interview about their engagement in family rules and routines. Time since diagnosis was abstracted from the medical record. A multi-pass inductive coding strategy was utilized to extract …

Interleukin-10 In Cancer Immunotherapy: From Bench To Bedside, Mohamad Adham Salkeni, Aung Naing

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Interleukin (IL)-10 was one of the first cytokines to be recognized. However, its functionality in promoting antitumor immunity was described more recently. Context- and concentration-dependent biological effects are the hallmarks of the pleiotropic role of IL-10. Despite reducing tumor-promoting inflammation, IL-10 may have a role in rejuvenating exhausted tumor-resident T cells. Contrary to the assumption that IL-10 produces an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), it promotes activation of tumor-resident CD8+ T cells, which aids tumor rejection. Emerging data from published early-Phase trials have shown mixed results in different tumor types. In this review, we summarize the biological effects of IL-10 and …

Early Initiation Of B-Vitamin Supplementation May Reduce Symptoms And Explain Intrafamilial Variability: Insights From Two Sibling Pairs From The Tango2 Natural History Study, Christina Y Miyake, Saad A Ehsan, Lilei Zhang, Samuel J Mackenzie, Mahshid S Azamian, Daryl A Scott, Andres Hernandez-Garcia, Seema R Lalani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

TANGO2-deficiency disorder (TDD) is an autosomal recessive condition arising from pathogenic biallelic variants in the TANGO2 gene. TDD is characterized by symptoms typically beginning in late infancy including delayed developmental milestones, cognitive impairment, dysarthria, expressive language deficits, and gait abnormalities. There is wide phenotypic variability where some are severely affected while others have mild symptoms. This variability has been documented even among sibling pairs who share the same genotype, but reasons for this variability have not been well understood. Emerging data suggest a potential link between B-complex or multivitamin supplementation and decreased metabolic crises in TDD. In this report, we …

Maternal Metabolism Influences Neural Tube Closure, Rachel A Keuls, Richard H Finnell, Ronald J Parchem

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Changes in maternal nutrient availability due to diet or disease significantly increase the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). Because the incidence of metabolic disease continues to rise, it is urgent that we better understand how altered maternal nutrient levels can influence embryonic neural tube development. Furthermore, primary neurulation occurs before placental function during a period of histiotrophic nutrient exchange. In this review we detail how maternal metabolites are transported by the yolk sac to the developing embryo. We discuss recent advances in understanding how altered maternal levels of essential nutrients disrupt development of the neuroepithelium, and identify points of …

Exome Sequencing Implicates Dgkz , Esrra , And Gxylt1 For Modulating Granuloma Formation In Crohn Disease, R Alan Harris, Allyson H Bush, Todd N Eagar, Justin Qian, Michael P Greenwood, Antone R Opekun, Robert Baldassano, Stephen L Guthery, Joshua D Noe, Anthony Otley, Joel R Rosh, Subra Kugathasan, Richard Kellermayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Non-caseating granulomas may indicate a more aggressive phenotype of Crohn disease (CD). Genetic associations of granulomatous CD (GCD) may help elucidate disease pathogenesis. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on peripheral blood-derived DNA from 17 pediatric patients with GCD and 19 with non-GCD (NGCD), and from an independent validation cohort of 44 GCD and 19 NGCD cases. PLINK (a tool set for whole-genome association and population-based linkage analyses) analysis was used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) differentiating between groups, and subgroup allele frequencies were also compared to a public genomic database (gnomAD). The Combined Annotation Dependent Depletion scoring tool was used …

Emotional Distress And Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among Participants Enrolled In The Glycemia Reduction Approaches In Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness (Grade) Study, Gladys Crespo-Ramos, Ionut Bebu, Heidi Krause-Steinrauf, Claire J Hoogendoorn, Ran Fang, Dominic Ehrmann, Caroline Presley, Aanand D Naik, Aimee Katona, Elizabeth A Walker, Andrea Cherrington, Jeffrey S Gonzalez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

AIMS: People with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined depressive symptoms (DS) and diabetes distress (DD) in relation to the estimated 10-year risk of CVD in adults with T2DM enrolled in the GRADE Emotional Distress Substudy.

METHODS: Linear regression models examined the associations of baseline DS and DD with estimated 10-year risk of CVD using the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) risk score, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, diabetes duration, diabetes-related complications, and HbA1c.

RESULTS: A total of 1,605 GRADE participants were included: 54% Non-Latino (NL) White, 18% Latino, 19% NL-Black, …

Prediagnostic Glycoprotein Acetyl Levels And Incident And Recurrent Flare Risk Accounting For Serum Urate Levels: A Population-Based, Prospective Study And Mendelian Randomization Analysis, Amit D Joshi, Natalie Mccormick, Chio Yokose, Bing Yu, Adrienne Tin, Robert Terkeltaub, Tony R Merriman, A Heather Eliassen, Gary C Curhan, Laura M Raffield, Hyon K Choi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate population-based metabolomics for incident gout and reproduce the findings for recurrent flares, accounting for serum urate.

METHODS: We conducted a prediagnostic metabolome-wide analysis among 105,615 UK Biobank participants with nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomic profiling data (168 total metabolites) from baseline blood samples collected 2006-2010 in those without history of gout. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) for incident gout, adjusted for gout risk factors, excluding and including serum urate levels, overall and according to fasting duration before sample collection. Potential causal effects were tested with 2-sample Mendelian randomization. Poisson regression was used to calculate rate ratios (RRs) …

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Suppress Hepatitis C Virus Replication In Infected Patients With Solid Tumors, Marcel Yibirin, Khalis Mustafayev, Jeff Hosry, Pooja Pundhir, Joseph Klingen, Eduardo Yepez Guevara, Bruno P Granwehr, Ahmed Kaseb, Aung Naing, Sapna Patel, Amishi Y Shah, Ferdinandos Skoulidis, Hussein A Tawbi, Lan Wang, Ethan Miller, Hao Chi Zhang, Amado Zurita-Saavedra, Harrys A Torres

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Data are scarce regarding the virologic impact and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We examined the virologic impact of ICI in HCV-infected patients with solid tumors and their safety.

Methods: HCV-infected patients with solid tumor treated with ICI at our institution between April 26, 2016, and January 5, 2022, were enrolled in a prospective observational study. The primary outcomes were ICI-induced changes in HCV viremia (HCV inhibition and HCV reactivation) and safety of ICI.

Results: We enrolled 52 consecutive patients with solid tumors treated with ICI. Most were men …

Alliance For Innovation On Maternal Health: Consensus Bundle On Sepsis In Obstetric Care., Melissa E Bauer, Catherine Albright, Malavika Prabhu, R Phillips Heine, Chelsea Lennox, Christie Allen, Carol Burke, April Chavez, Brenna L Hughes, Susan Kendig, Maile Le Boeuf, Elliott Main, Tiffany Messerall, Luis D Pacheco, Laura Riley, Rachel Solnick, Andrew Youmans, Ronald Gibbs

Women’s Health Articles

Sepsis in obstetric care is one of the leading causes of maternal death in the United States, with Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native obstetric patients experiencing sepsis at disproportionately higher rates. State maternal mortality review committees have determined that deaths are preventable much of the time and are caused by delays in recognition, treatment, and escalation of care. The "Sepsis in Obstetric Care" patient safety bundle provides guidance for health care teams to develop coordinated, multidisciplinary care for pregnant and postpartum people by preventing infection and recognizing and treating infection early to prevent progression to sepsis. This is …

Use Of Compartmental Modeling And Retinol Isotope Dilution To Determine Vitamin A Stores In Young People With Sickle Cell Disease Before And After Vitamin A Supplementation, Jennifer Lynn Ford, Michael H Green, Jefferson N Brownell, Joanne Balmer Green, Anthony Oxley, Georg Lietz, Joan I Schall, Virginia A Stallings

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal plasma retinol concentrations have been documented in US children with sickle cell disease (SCD) hemoglobin SS type (SCD-HbSS), but little is known about vitamin A kinetics and stores in SCD.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to quantify vitamin A total body stores (TBS) and whole-body retinol kinetics in young people with SCD-HbSS and use retinol isotope dilution (RID) to predict TBS in SCD-HbSS and healthy peers as well as after vitamin A supplementation in SCD-HbSS subjects.

METHODS: Composite plasma [

RESULTS: Model-predicted group mean TBS for subjects with SCD-HbSS was 428 μmol, equivalent to ∼11 mo of stored vitamin …

Equity And Inclusion In Pediatric Gastroenterology Telehealth: A Study Of Demographic, Socioeconomic, And Digital Disparities., Edward B. Mougey, Wesley C. Judy, Rajitha D. Venkatesh, Elizabeth Berg, Jennifer A. Lee, John Rosen, B U K Li, Alex Koster, Kristin Maiden, Zhongcui Gao, James P. Franciosi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study is to compare in-person and telehealth pediatric care ambulatory visits for gastroenterology (GI) at the Nemours Children's Health System in the Delaware Valley (NCH-DV) based on geospatial, demographic, socioeconomic, and digital disparities.

METHODS: Characteristics of 26,565 patient encounters from January 2019 to December 2020 were analyzed. U.S. Census Bureau geographic identifiers were assigned to each participant and aligned with the American Community Survey (2015-2019) socioeconomic and digital outcomes. Reported odds ratios (OR) are telehealth encounter/in-person encounter.

RESULTS: GI telehealth usage increased 145-fold in 2020 compared to 2019 for NCH-DV. Comparing telehealth to in-person usage …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In The Melanoma Research Community, Marie E Portuallo, David Y Lu, Gretchen M Alicea, Joel Bolling, Rebecca Lee, Jennifer Mcquade, Allison Betof Warner, Michael Davies, Ashani Weeraratna, Jessie Villanueva, Vito W Rebecca

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The inaugural Diversity and Inclusion in Science Session was held during the 2021 Society for Melanoma Research (SMR) congress. The goal of the session was to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion in the melanoma research community and strategies to promote the advancement of underrepresented melanoma researchers. An international survey was conducted to assess the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) climate among researchers and clinicians within the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR). The findings suggest there are feelings and experiences of inequity, bias, and harassment within the melanoma community that correlate with one's gender, ethnic/racial group, and/or geographic location. Notably, significant …

Obesity And Renal Cell Carcinoma: Biological Mechanisms And Perspectives, Neha Venkatesh, Alberto Martini, Jennifer L Mcquade, Pavlos Msaouel, Andrew W Hahn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Obesity, defined by body mass index (BMI), is an established risk factor for specific renal cell carcinoma (RCC) subtypes such as clear cell RCC, the most common RCC histology. Many studies have identified an association between obesity and improved survival after diagnosis of RCC, a potential "obesity paradox." Clinically, there is uncertainty whether improved outcomes observed after diagnosis are driven by stage, type of treatment received, or artifacts of longitudinal changes in weight and body composition. The biological mechanisms underlying obesity's influence on RCC are not fully established, but multiomic and mechanistic studies suggest an impact on tumor metabolism, particularly …

T Cell Fate Decisions During Memory Cell Generation With Aging, Ines Sturmlechner, Abhinav Jain, Yunmei Mu, Cornelia M Weyand, Jörg J Goronzy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The defense against infectious diseases, either through natural immunity or after vaccinations, relies on the generation and maintenance of protective T cell memory. Naïve T cells are at the center of memory T cell generation during primary responses. Upon activation, they undergo a complex, highly regulated differentiation process towards different functional states. Naïve T cells maintained into older age have undergone epigenetic adaptations that influence their fate decisions during differentiation. We review age-sensitive, molecular pathways and gene regulatory networks that bias naïve T cell differentiation towards effector cell generation at the expense of memory and Tfh cells. As a result, …