Digital Commons Network^™

High-Dose Methotrexate Usage Without Drug-Level Monitoring In Advanced Pediatric Mature B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma In A Resource-Limited Setting In Malawi, Rizine R Mzikamanda, Loviisa Mulanje, Casey L Mcatee, Apatsa Matatiyo, Zoe Mwale, Grace Chirwa, Watipaso Wanda, Atupele Miranda Mpasa, Stella Wachepa, Minke H W Huibers, Steve Martin, Tamiwe Tomoka, Maurice Mulenga, Yuri Fedoriw, Gugulethu Mapurisa, Julie M Gastier Foster, Nader El-Mallawany, Katherine D Westmoreland, Peter Wasswa, Carl E Allen, Nmazuo Ozuah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Excellent survival for advanced (stages II with high lactate dehydrogenase, III, and IV) pediatric mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MB-NHL) has been achieved with intensive regimens, but adoption in sub-Saharan Africa is limited by inadequate supportive care. We provide real-world data on treating advanced MB-NHL with high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX; ≥1,000 mg/m2/cycle) where real-time serum MTX monitoring is unavailable.

Methods: We identified two cohorts-a retrospective (January 2017-December 2020) cohort treated with 1,000 or 3,000 mg/m2/cycle of HD-MTX and a prospective (July 2022-July 2023) cohort-with a modified LMB96 protocol containing 3,000 mg/m2/cycle of HD-MTX. All doses of HD-MTX were given over 3 …

Insulin Clearance At Randomisation And In Response To Treatment In Youth With Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Analysis Of The Today Randomised Clinical Trial, Kristen J Nadeau, Silva A Arslanian, Fida Bacha, Sonia Caprio, Lily C Chao, Ryan Farrell, Kara S Hughan, Maria Rayas, Melinda Tung, Kaitlyn Cross, Laure El Ghormli

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Aims/hypothesis: Insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia are core features leading to beta cell failure in youth-onset type 2 diabetes. Insulin clearance (IC) is also a key regulator of insulin concentrations, but few data exist on IC in youth-onset type 2 diabetes. In a secondary analysis of our Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) randomised clinical trial, we investigated potential sex-, race-, ethnicity- and treatment-related differences in IC in youth-onset type 2 diabetes and aimed to identify metabolic phenotypes associated with IC at baseline and in response to metformin, metformin plus a lifestyle intervention, and metformin …

Quantitative Profiling Ph Heterogeneity Of Acidic Endolysosomal Compartments Using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy, Dinghuan Deng, Youchen Guan, Ayse Sena Mutlu, Baiping Wang, Shihong Max Gao, Hui Zheng, Meng C Wang

Center on Aging Staff Publications

The endolysosomal system plays a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and promoting organism fitness. The pH of its acidic compartments is a crucial parameter for proper function, and it is dynamically influenced by both intracellular and environmental factors. Here, we present a method based on fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for quantitatively analyzing the pH profiles of acidic endolysosomal compartments in diverse types of primary mammalian cells and in live organism Caenorhabditis elegans. This FLIM-based method exhibits high sensitivity in resolving subtle pH differences, thereby revealing heterogeneity within a cell and across cell types. This method enables rapid …

Multiethnic Growth Standards For Fetal Body Composition And Organ Volumes Derived From 3d Ultrasonography, Katherine L Grantz, Wesley Lee, Lauren M Mack, Magdalena Sanz Cortes, Luis F Goncalves, Jimmy Espinoza, Roger B Newman, William A Grobman, Ronald J Wapner, Karin Fuchs, Mary E D'Alton, Daniel W Skupski, John Owen, Anthony Sciscione, Deborah A Wing, Michael P Nageotte, Angela C Ranzini, Edward K Chien, Sabrina Craigo, Seth Sherman, Robert E Gore-Langton, Dian He, Fasil Tekola-Ayele, Cuilin Zhang, Jagteshwar Grewal, Zhen Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: A major goal of contemporary obstetrical practice is to optimize fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy. To date, fetal growth during prenatal care is assessed by performing ultrasonographic measurement of 2-dimensional fetal biometry to calculate an estimated fetal weight. Our group previously established 2-dimensional fetal growth standards using sonographic data from a large cohort with multiple sonograms. A separate objective of that investigation involved the collection of fetal volumes from the same cohort.

Objective: The Fetal 3D Study was designed to establish standards for fetal soft tissue and organ volume measurements by 3-dimensional ultrasonography and compare growth trajectories with …

Rising Mortality Rates Linked To Type-2 Diabetes And Obesity In The United States: An Observational Analysis From 1999 To 2022, Mushood Ahmed, Abdullah Nofal, Aimen Shafiq, Hira Javaid, Areeba Ahsan, Zain Ali Nadeem, Raheel Ahmed, Mahboob Alam, Mamas A Mamas, Marat Fudim, Gregg C Fonarow

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are increasing in the United States. However, population-level data for mortality trends due to T2D and obesity are limited. This study aims to assess these death trends among adults in the United States categorized by sex, race, and geographical location.

Methods: We queried the CDC-WONDER database for multiple cause of death data of adults aged ≥25 years. The crude mortality rates (CMR), age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs), annual percent change (APC), and the average APC (AAPC) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were analyzed.

Results: From 1999 to 2022, a …

Causes Of Mortality In The Congenital Disorders Of Glycosylation, Hana Alharbi, Seishu Horikoshi, Sabrina Malone Jenkins, Fernando Scaglia, Christina Lam, Eva Morava, Austin Larson, Andrew C Edmondson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation (CDG) are a group of some 200 genetic disorders with PMM2-CDG being the most common disease. These disorders individually remain rare with poorly understood natural history (NH) and causes of mortality. We established a NH study for CDG and collected both prospective and retrospective data on CDG outcomes. In the current data set analysis on deceased patients, we describe the clinical phenotype and causes of death for thirty-seven individuals with various genetic causes of CDG. About a third of this cohort were affected with PMM2-CDG. All of the patients presented with multisystem features with involvement of …

Epidemiology Of Diagnostic Errors In Pediatric Emergency Departments Using Electronic Triggers, Prashant Mahajan, Emily White, Kathy Shaw, Sarah J Parker, James Chamberlain, Richard M Ruddy, Elizabeth R Alpern, Jacqueline Corboy, Andrew Krack, Brandon Ku, Daphne Morrison Ponce, Asha S Payne, Elizabeth Freiheit, Gregor Horvath, Giselle Kolenic, Michele Carney, Nicole Klekowski, Karen J O'Connell, Hardeep Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: We applied three electronic triggers to study frequency and contributory factors of missed opportunities for improving diagnosis (MOIDs) in pediatric emergency departments (EDs): return visits within 10 days resulting in admission (Trigger 1), care escalation within 24 h of ED presentation (Trigger 2), and death within 24 h of ED visit (Trigger 3).

Methods: We created an electronic query and reporting template for the triggers and applied them to electronic health record systems of five pediatric EDs for visits from 2019. Clinician reviewers manually screened identified charts and initially categorized them as "unlikely for MOIDs" or "unable to rule …

Exploration Of Cytokines And Microbiome Among Males And Females With Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Li Juen Chen, Anna M Plantinga, Robert Burr, Kevin Cain, Pamela Barney, Tor Savidge, Robert J Shulman, Margaret Heitkemper, Kendra Kamp

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Whether pathophysiological factors differ between males and females with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea (IBS-D) remains to be tested. To better understand potential sex differences, males with IBS-D were compared to naturally cycling females and to females with IBS-D taking hormonal contraception on plasma levels of cytokines and gut microbiome characteristics.

Methods: Males and females with Rome III IBS-D completed questionnaires and kept a daily symptom diary for 28 days. Blood and stool samples were collected between days 3 and 8 of the daily diary (estrogen-dominant days in naturally cycling females). Blood samples were analyzed for lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated and unstimulated cytokine …

Early Life Epigenetics And Childhood Outcomes: A Scoping Review, Srirupa Hari Gopal, Theresa Alenghat, Mohan Pammi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression, without a change in the DNA sequence that are potentially heritable. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) changes have been studied in various childhood disorders. Causal links to maternal health and toxin exposures can introduce epigenetic modifications to the fetal DNA, which can be detected in the cord blood. Cord blood epigenetic modifications provide evidence of in-utero stressors and immediate postnatal changes, which can impact both short and long-term outcomes in children. The mechanisms of these epigenetic changes can be leveraged for prevention, early …

A Review Of Gut Failure As A Cause And Consequence Of Critical Illness, Danielle E. Soranno, Craig M. Coopersmith, Jessica F. Brinkworth, Faith N. F. Factora, Julia H. Muntean, Monty G. Mythen, Jacob Raphael, Andrew D. Shaw, Vidula Vachharajani, Jeannette S. Messer

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

In critical illness, all elements of gut function are perturbed. Dysbiosis develops as the gut microbial community loses taxonomic diversity and new virulence factors appear. Intestinal permeability increases, allowing for translocation of bacteria and/or bacterial products. Epithelial function is altered at a cellular level and homeostasis of the epithelial monolayer is compromised by increased intestinal epithelial cell death and decreased proliferation. Gut immunity is impaired with simultaneous activation of maladaptive pro- and anti-inflammatory signals leading to both tissue damage and susceptibility to infections. Additionally, splanchnic vasoconstriction leads to decreased blood flow with local ischemic changes. Together, these interrelated elements of …

Plant-Based, Fast-Food, Western-Contemporary, And Animal-Based Dietary Patterns And Risk Of Premature Aging In Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study, Tuo Lan, Mei Wang, Annalynn M Williams, Matthew J Ehrhardt, Jennifer Q Lanctot, Shu Jiang, Kevin R Krull, Gregory T Armstrong, Melissa M Hudson, Graham A Colditz, Leslie L Robison, Kirsten K Ness, Yikyung Park

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Although premature aging is a significant concern in adult survivors of childhood cancer, little is known about the role of diet in premature aging in this vulnerable population. Therefore, we examined whether dietary patterns specific to childhood cancer survivors are associated with premature aging.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 2904 adult survivors of childhood cancer (mean age = 31 years, SD = 8 years) in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort. Diet was assessed using a food frequency. Four dietary patterns were identified: (1) plant-based diet pattern high in whole grains, fruit, and vegetables; (2) fast-food diet pattern high in …

Clostridioides Difficile Colonization Is Not Mediated By Bile Salts And Utilizes Stickland Fermentation Of Proline In An In Vitro Model, Xiaoyun Huang, April E Johnson, Joshua N Brehm, Thi Van Thanh Do, Thomas A Auchtung, Hugh C Mccullough, Armando I Lerma, Sigmund J Haidacher, Kathleen M Hoch, Thomas D Horvath, Joseph A Sorg, Anthony M Haag, Jennifer M Auchtung

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Treatment with antibiotics is a major risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infection, likely due to depletion of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Two microbiota-mediated mechanisms thought to limit C. difficile colonization include the conversion of conjugated primary bile salts into secondary bile salts toxic to C. difficile growth and competition between the microbiota and C. difficile for limiting nutrients. Using a continuous flow model that simulates the nutrient conditions of the distal colon, we investigated how treatment with 6 clinically used antibiotics influenced susceptibility to C. difficile infection in 12 different microbial communities cultivated from healthy individuals. Antibiotic treatment reduced microbial richness; …

Pskh1 Kinase Activity Is Differentially Modulated Via Allosteric Binding Of Ca2+ Sensor Proteins, Christopher R Horne, Toby A Dite, Samuel N Young, Lucy J Mather, Laura F Dagley, Jared L Johnson, Tomer M Yaron-Barir, Emily M Huntsman, Leonard A Daly, Dominic P Byrne, Antonia L Cadell, Boaz H Ng, Jumana Yousef, Dylan H Multari, Lianju Shen, Luke M Mcaloon, Gerard Manning, Mark A Febbraio, Anthony R Means, Lewis C Cantley, Maria C Tanzer, David R Croucher, Claire E Eyers, Patrick A Eyers, John W Scott, James M Murphy

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Protein Serine Kinase H1 (PSKH1) was recently identified as a crucial factor in kidney development and is overexpressed in prostate, lung, and kidney cancers. However, little is known about PSKH1 regulatory mechanisms, leading to its classification as a “dark” kinase. Here, we used biochemistry and mass spectrometry to define PSKH1’s consensus substrate motif, protein interactors, and how interactors, including Ca2+ sensor proteins, promote or suppress activity. Intriguingly, despite the absence of a canonical Calmodulin binding motif, Ca2+-Calmodulin activated PSKH1 while, in contrast, the ER-resident Ca2+ sensor of the Cab45, Reticulocalbin, Erc55, Calumenin (CREC) family, Reticulocalbin-3, suppressed PSKH1 catalytic activity. In …

Epidemiology And Genetic Determination Of Measures Of Peripheral Vascular Health In The Long Life Family Study, Deidra R Fricke, Ryan K Cvejkus, Emma Barinas-Mitchell, Mary F Feitosa, Joanne M Murabito, Sandeep Acharya, Michael R Brent, E Warwick Daw, Ryan L Minster, Joseph M Zmuda, Allison L Kuipers

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a major contributor to morbidity in older adults. We aimed to determine genetic and non-genetic determinants of PAD and ankle-brachial index (ABI) in the Long Life Family Study (LLFS). 3006 individuals had ABI assessment, including 1090 probands (mean age 89), 1554 offspring (mean age 60) and 362 spousal controls (mean age 61). Outcomes include minimum of right and left ABIs and PAD (ABI <0.9). Stepwise regression determined independent significant non-genetic correlates of ABI and PAD. Genomewide association and linkage analyses were adjusted for age, sex, study center, significant principal components, and independent predictors. All analyses accounted for familial relatedness. Median ABI was 1.16 and 7.4% had PAD (18.2% probands, 1.0% offspring, 1.9% controls). Correlates of PAD and lower ABI included age, SBP, and creatinine (ABI only); BMI (ABI only), HDL (ABI only) and DBP (PAD only); and antihypertensive use, current smoking, female sex (ABI only), and high school noncompletion (ABI only). Genomewide linkage identified 1 region (15q12-q13) and association identified 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs780213, rs12512857, rs79644420) of interest. In these families, PAD prevalence was low compared to other studies of older adults. We identified four genomic sites that may harbor variants associated with protection from PAD.

2′-Fucosyllactose Inhibits Human Norovirus Replication In Human Intestinal Enteroids, Ketki Patil, B Vijayalakshmi Ayyar, Nicole M Hayes, Frederick H Neill, Lars Bode, Mary K Estes, Robert L Atmar, Sasirekha Ramani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Currently, there are no targeted antivirals for the treatment of HuNoV infection. Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) on the intestinal epithelium are cellular attachment factors for HuNoVs; molecules that block the binding of HuNoVs to HBGAs thus have the potential to be developed as antivirals. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are glycans in human milk with structures analogous to HBGAs. HMOs have been shown to act as decoy receptors to prevent the attachment of multiple enteric pathogens to host cells. Previous X-ray crystallography studies have demonstrated the binding of HMO 2′-fucosyllactose …

Regulating Chemoresistance And Cancer Stemness: The Cdh17-Yap Pathway In Distinct Cellular States Of Lung Cancer Ctc Clusters, Zujun Que, Dan Qi, Yun Yang, Wang Yao, Jiajun Liu, Yan Li, Yuanyuan Yu, Luyao Wang, Fangfei Li, Ge Zhang, Erxi Wu, Jianhui Tian

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Drug resistance in metastatic lung cancer significantly contributes to patient mortality. This study explores the role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), the precursors to metastasis, in driving this resistance. We aim to delineate the unique biological traits of CTC clusters in lung cancer and elucidate the mechanisms underlying their resistance to chemotherapy.

Methods: We used an ultralow adsorption plate to establish a CTC suspension culture system. Comparisons between adherent and suspension cultures of CTC-TJH-01 cells were made via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), western blot, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry assays to evaluate cell proliferation, drug resistance, and cancer stemness. The …

Pitavastatin Is Well-Tolerated With No Detrimental Effects On Physical Function, Kristine M Erlandson, Triin Umbleja, Heather J Ribaudo, Jennifer A Schrack, Edgar T Overton, Carl J Fichtenbaum, Kathleen V Fitch, Jhoanna C Roa, Marissa R Diggs, Kenneth Wood, Markella V Zanni, Gerald S Bloomfield, Carlos Malvestutto, Judith A Aberg, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Rosalba Gomez Morones, Katherine Breaux, Pamela S Douglas, Steven K Grinspoon, Todd T Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Little is known about the potential benefits or harms of statins on physical function among people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH).

Methods: REPRIEVE was a double-blind randomized controlled trial evaluating pitavastatin for primary prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events in PWH. Time to complete 10 chair rises, 4-m gait speed, grip strength, and a modified short physical performance test were assessed annually for up to 5 years in the ancillary study PREPARE and analyzed using linear mixed models.

Findings: Of 602 PWH, 52% were randomized to pitavastatin and 48% to placebo. Median age was 51 years; 18% were female …

Breastfeeding Interventions And Programs Conducted In The Islamic Republic Of Iran: A Scoping Review, Patricia J. Kelly, Amrita Sidhu, Anusha Sajja, Devanshi Majeethia, Elizabeth Dodge, Basil H. Aboul-Enein

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

The purpose of this review was to identify interventions promoting breastfeeding (BF), BF practices and their outcomes in Iran. Using the PRISMA-ScR Guidelines, we searched across 14 databases for publications published between 2010 and February 2024 to identify studies published in English or Farsi language in peer-reviewed journals, using search terms 'breastfeeding', 'lactation', 'education', 'promotion', 'intervention' and 'program'. Inclusion criteria included intervention-based studies with quantitative outcomes of pregnant women/mothers receiving education, training or other intervention that promoted BF or exclusive BF. Excluded studies were protocols, those examining Iranian communities outside of Iran publications in other languages, brief communications, gray literature …

Cardiac Screening Findings And Referral Patterns In Male African-American Basketball Players: Analysis Of The Heartbytes Registry, Douglas Corsi, Avinash Saraiya, Maggie Doyle, Vacha Shah, Blaise O'Malley, Grace Qiu, Renee Lanstaff, Imran Masood, Brian Osler, Alexander G. Hajduczok, Drew Johnson, David Shipon

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading medical cause of death in young athletes. Male African American basketball players (MABP) demonstrate particularly elevated risk for SCD. Despite increasing screening and preventative efforts, the incidence of SCD remains elevated in this population. This retrospective analysis of the HeartBytes National Youth Cardiac Registry (2015-2023) aimed to characterize cardiac screening findings, including symptoms, family history, physical exam, and electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in MABP compared to other youth athletes undergoing cardiac screening. We secondarily examined referral patterns based on screening results between the two groups. Of 8,303 individuals screened, 200 MABP were identified. MABP …

Nanrilkefusp Alfa (Sot101), An Il-15 Receptor Βγ Superagonist, As A Single Agent Or With Anti-Pd-1 In Patients With Advanced Cancers, Stephane Champiat, Elena Garralda, Vladimir Galvao, Philippe A Cassier, Carlos Gomez-Roca, Iphigenie Korakis, Peter Grell, Aung Naing, Patricia Lorusso, Romana Mikyskova, Nada Podzimkova, Milan Reinis, Kaissa Ouali, Andreu Schoenenberger, Joachim Kiemle-Kallee, Sascha Tillmanns, Richard Sachse, Ulrich Moebius, Radek Spisek, David Bechard, Lenka Palova Jelinkova, Irena Adkins, Aurelien Marabelle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Nanrilkefusp alfa (nanril; SOT101) is an interleukin (IL)-15 receptor βγ superagonist that stimulates natural killer (NK) and CD8

Metabolic Effects Of Testosterone Added To Intensive Lifestyle Intervention In Older Men With Obesity And Hypogonadism, Adrian M Gonzalez-Gil, Yoann Barnouin, Alessandra Celli, Viola Viola, Marcos D Villarreal, Maria Liza Duremdes Nava, Adam Sciuk, Clifford Qualls, Reina Armamento-Villareal, Dennis T Villareal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Whether testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) conveys additional cardiometabolic benefit to an intensive lifestyle therapy (LT) in older men with obesity and hypogonadism remains unclear.

Objective: To determine whether TRT augments the effect of LT on metabolic outcomes in older men with obesity and hypogonadism.

Design: Secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Participants: Eighty-three older (age ≥ 65 years) men with obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) and persistently low Am testosterone (< 10.4 nmol/L) associated with frailty.

Interventions: LT (weight management and exercise training) plus either testosterone (LT + TRT) or placebo (LT + Pbo) for …

Navigating Epstein-Barr Virus (Ebv) And Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (Ptld) In Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Current Knowledge And Strategies For Treatment And Surveillance, Erin Y Chen, Natasha Dilwali, Krupa R Mysore, Sara Hassan, Sara Kathryn Smith, Wikrom Karnsakul

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is strongly associated with the development of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in pediatric liver transplant recipients. PTLD is one of the most common malignancies following liver transplantation and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Factors such as EBV-serostatus mismatch and prolonged or high levels of immunosuppression impact a patient's risk of developing PTLD. While pre-transplant EBV serological screening and post-transplant monitoring of EBV-DNA levels are strongly recommended, universal guidelines for its prevention and management are lacking. Due to a lack of robust prospective studies, current clinical practices vary widely. The treatment of PTLD typically involves reducing …

Mhealth App To Promote Healthy Lifestyles For Diverse Families Living In Rural Areas: Usability Study, Alejandra Perez Ramirez, Adrian Ortega, Natalie Stephenson, Angel Muñoz Osorio, Anne E Kazak, Thao-Ly Phan

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Mobile Integrated Care for Childhood Obesity is a multicomponent intervention for caregivers of young children with obesity from rural communities that was developed in collaboration with community, parent, and health care partners. It includes community programming to promote healthy lifestyles and address social needs and health care visits with an interdisciplinary team. A digital mobile health platform-the Healthy Lifestyle (Nemours Children's Health) dashboard-was designed as a self-management tool for caregivers to use as part of Mobile Integrated Care for Childhood Obesity.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to improve the usability of the English and Spanish language versions of the Healthy …

Increasing Covid-19 Testing And Vaccination Uptake In The Take Care Texas Community-Based Randomized Trial: Adaptive Geospatial Analysis, Kehe Zhang, Jocelyn V Hunyadi, Marcia C De Oliveira Otto, Miryoung Lee, Zitong Zhang, Ryan Ramphul, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Ashraf Yaseen, Alanna C Morrison, Shreela Sharma, Mohammad Hossein Rahbar, Xu Zhang, Stephen Linder, Dritana Marko, Rachel White Roy, Deborah Banerjee, Esmeralda Guajardo, Michelle Crum, Belinda Reininger, Maria E Fernandez, Cici Bauer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Geospatial data science can be a powerful tool to aid the design, reach, efficiency, and impact of community-based intervention trials. The project titled Take Care Texas aims to develop and test an adaptive, multilevel, community-based intervention to increase COVID-19 testing and vaccination uptake among vulnerable populations in 3 Texas regions: Harris County, Cameron County, and Northeast Texas.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop a novel procedure for adaptive selections of census block groups (CBGs) to include in the community-based randomized trial for the Take Care Texas project.

METHODS: CBG selection was conducted across 3 Texas regions over a 17-month period …

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Improve Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Outcomes, Brandon Havranek, Rebecca Loh, Beatriz Torre, Rachel Redfield, Dina Halegoua-De Marzio

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease and is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study aims to investigate the association of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists with major cardiovascular events, clinically significant portal hypertension events, and all-cause mortality in patients with MASLD. A large, population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX platform, which provided real-time access to electronic health records of 634,265 adult patients with MASLD/MASH. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to create two cohorts: A GLP-1 agonists group and a control group without GLP-1 agonists usage. Hazard …

Red Meat Consumption And Hypertension: An Updated Review, Tara S Allen, Michael Najem, Alexis C Wood, Danielle J Lee, Lorena S Pacheco, Lori B Daniels, Matthew A Allison

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Hypertension (HTN) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The global prevalence of HTN and related CVD mortality continues to rise. The development of HTN is influenced by genetic predisposition and modifiable risk factors, including diet. One area of ongoing debate is the relationship between red meat consumption and risk of HTN.

RECENT FINDINGS: Processed red meat has become increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis and morbidity of HTN, though randomized control trials comparing HTN-related outcomes associated with red meat subtypes have yielded heterogenous results. This review summarizes the existing relevant literature and highlights the methodological …

Punch Cd3-Ols: A Phase 3 Prospective Observational Cohort Study To Evaluate The Safety And Efficacy Of Fecal Microbiota, Live-Jslm (Rebyota) In Adults With Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection, Paul Feuerstadt, Teena Chopra, Whitfield Knapple, Nicholas W Van Hise, Erik R Dubberke, Brian Baggott, Beth Guthmueller, Lindy Bancke, Michael Gamborg, Theodore S Steiner, Daniel Van Handel, Sahil Khanna

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota, live-jslm (RBL; REBYOTA)-the first single-dose, broad consortia microbiota-based live biotherapeutic approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for preventing recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) in adults following standard-of-care (SOC) antibiotic treatment.

METHODS: PUNCH CD3-OLS was a prospective, phase 3, open-label study, conducted across the US and Canada. Participants were aged ≥18 years with documented rCDI and confirmed use of SOC antibiotics. Participants with comorbidities including inflammatory bowel disease and mild-to-moderate immunocompromising conditions could be enrolled. A single dose of RBL was rectally administered …

Snap Participation As A Moderator Of Food And Nutrition Security And Combined Cardiometabolic Conditions: A Mixed Regression Approach, Maha Almohamad, Ruosha Li, Natalia I Heredia, Jayna M Dave, Eric E Calloway, Anjail Sharrief, Shreela V Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: To examine the relationships between food security, nutrition security, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation, and cardiometabolic outcomes, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes, among low-income U.S. individuals.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 486 participants (April–June 2021) assessed food and nutrition security and cardiometabolic outcomes. Mixed-effects logistic regression models adjusted for covariates and included a random effect for state of residence. Moderation analyses evaluated SNAP participation’s impact.

Results: Very low food security was associated with higher odds of having at least one cardiometabolic condition, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes (AOR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.04–3.69; p = 0.04). SNAP …

The Misalignment Of Incentives In Academic Publishing And Implications For Journal Reform, Jennifer S Trueblood, David B Allison, Sarahanne M Field, Ayelet Fishbach, Stefan D M Gaillard, Gerd Gigerenzer, William R Holmes, Stephan Lewandowsky, Dora Matzke, Mary C Murphy, Sebastian Musslick, Vencislav Popov, Adina L Roskies, Judith Ter Schure, Andrei R Teodorescu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

For most researchers, academic publishing serves two goals that are often misaligned-knowledge dissemination and establishing scientific credentials. While both goals can encourage research with significant depth and scope, the latter can also pressure scholars to maximize publication metrics. Commercial publishing companies have capitalized on the centrality of publishing to the scientific enterprises of knowledge dissemination and academic recognition to extract large profits from academia by leveraging unpaid services from reviewers, creating financial barriers to research dissemination, and imposing substantial fees for open access. We present a set of perspectives exploring alternative models for communicating and disseminating scientific research. Acknowledging that …

Infection-Related Hospitalization And Incident Heart Failure: The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Rebecca L Molinsky, Amil Shah, Melana Yuzefpolskaya, Bing Yu, Jeffrey R Misialek, Bruno Bohn, David Vock, Richard Maclehose, Barry A Borlaug, Paolo C Colombo, Chiadi E Ndumele, Junichi Ishigami, Kunihiro Matsushita, Pamela L Lutsey, Ryan T Demmer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The immune response to infections may become dysregulated and promote myocardial damage contributing to heart failure (HF). We examined the relationship between infection-related hospitalization (IRH) and HF, HF with preserved ejection fraction, and HF with reduced ejection fraction.

Methods and results: We studied 14 468 adults aged 45 to 64 years in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Study who were HF free at visit 1 (1987-1989). IRH was identified using select International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes in hospital discharge records and was treated as a time-varying exposure. HF incidence was defined as the first occurrence …