Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Opioid Administration And Prescribing In Older Adults In U.S. Emergency Departments (2005-2015)., Erin M Marra, Maryann Mazer-Amirshahi, Peter Mullins, Jesse M Pines

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: We assess trends in opioid administration and prescribing from 2005-2015 in older adults in United States (U.S.) emergency departments (ED).

Methods: We analyzed data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) survey from 2005 to 2015. ED visits for painful conditions were selected and stratified by age (18-64, 65-74, 75-84, ≥ 85 years). We analyzed trends in opioid administration in the ED and prescribing at discharge to encounters ≥ 65 and assessed predictors of use using survey-weighted chi-square tests and logistic regression. Trends in the use of five commonly prescribed opioids were also explored.

Results: Opioid administration …

Gw Nursing, Summer 2018, George Washington University, School Of Nursing

GW Nursing Magazine

No abstract provided.

Atypical Presentation Of Obstructed Hemivagina And Ipsilateral Renal Anomaly, Christopher Grant, Christopher E. Bayne, N. Kern, Craig A. Peters

Urology Faculty Publications

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich Syndrome, otherwise known as obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal anomaly (OHVIRA), is a rare Müllerian anomalyconsisting of uterine didelphys, hemivaginal septum, and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Patients often present at the onset of menarche with abdominal pain and a pelvic mass from an obstructed hemivagina. We report a child who presented with a febrile urinary tract infection and upon further workup was found to have OHVIRA.

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - July 2018, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

Exploring Standardized Patients’ Perspectives On Working With Medical Students, Samantha Starr, Margaret M. Plack, Karen Lewis, Benjamin Blatt

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Little is known about how working with emerging medical professionals affects Standardized Patients’ (SPs’) professional identities, yet understanding the SP-medical student interaction could be useful for screening SPs, supporting SP professional identity formation, and bridging the SP and medical student cultures. This project provides the unique perspective of SPs involved in the growth of medical students into physicians.

Qualitative methods were used to understand the SPs’ perspectives. Two researchers, without evaluative relationships with the SPs, conducted 2 one-hour focus group interviews (n=3; n=9) using a semi-structured interview protocol. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Three researchers independently analyzed the transcripts …

Contextualization Of Psychological Treatments For Government Health Systems In Low-Resource Settings: Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy For Caregivers Of Children With Nodding Syndrome In Uganda., Byamah B Mutamba, Brandon A Kohrt, James Okello, Janet Nakigudde, Bernard Opar, Seggane Musisi, William Bazeyo, Joop De Jong

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Evidence for the effectiveness of psychological treatments in low- and middle-income countries is increasing. However, there is a lack of systematic approaches to guide implementation in government health systems. The objective of this study was to address this gap by employing the Replicating Effective Programs (REP) framework to guide contextualization of a psychological treatment in the Uganda public health system for caregivers of children affected by nodding syndrome, a neuropsychiatric disorder endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa associated with high morbidity and disability.

METHODS: To contextualize a psychological treatment, we followed the four components of the REP framework: pre-conditions, pre-implementation, implementation, …

High-Risk Advanced Maternal Age And High Parity Pregnancy: Tackling A Neglected Need Through Formative Research And Action., Khadidiatou Ndiaye, Erin Portillo, Dieneba Ouedraogo, Allison Mobley, Stella Babalola

Global Health Faculty Publications

Pregnancy among women of advanced maternal age (those 35 years or older) or among women of high parity (those having had 5 or more births) is linked to maternal and infant mortality. Yet little is known about the drivers of these pregnancies as they are often neglected in existing family planning and reproductive health programs. To better understand the context in which advanced maternal age and high parity pregnancies occur and the acceptability of discussing associated pregnancy risks, the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3) conducted formative qualitative research between January and March 2015 on the perception and determinants of such …

The Role Of Communities In Mental Health Care In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Meta-Review Of Components And Competencies., Brandon A Kohrt, Laura Asher, Anvita Bhardwaj, Mina Fazel, Mark J D Jordans, Byamah B Mutamba, Abhijit Nadkarni, Gloria A Pedersen, Daisy R Singla, Vikram Patel

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Abstract

Community-based mental health services are emphasized in the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Action Plan, the World Bank’s Disease Control Priorities, and the Action Plan of the World Psychiatric Association. There is increasing evidence for effectiveness of mental health interventions delivered by non-specialists in community platforms in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). However, the role of community components has yet to be summarized. Our objective was to map community interventions in LMIC, identify competencies for community-based providers, and highlight research gaps. Using a review-of-reviews strategy, we identified 23 reviews for the narrative synthesis. Motivations to employ community …

Emerging Cellular And Molecular Strategies For Enhancing Central Nervous System (Cns) Remyelination., Mohammad Abu-Rub, Robert H Miller

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

Myelination is critical for the normal functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) in vertebrates. Conditions in which the development of myelin is perturbed result in severely compromised individuals often with shorter lifespans, while loss of myelin in the adult results in a variety of functional deficits. Although some form of spontaneous remyelination often takes place, the repair process as a whole often fails. Several lines of evidence suggest it is feasible to develop strategies that enhance the capacity of the CNS to undergo remyelination and potentially reverse functional deficits. Such strategies include cellular therapies using either neural or mesenchymal …

Tgf-Β Sustains Tumor Progression Through Biochemical And Mechanical Signal Transduction., Robert L Furler, Douglas F Nixon, Christine A Brantner, Anastas Popratiloff, Christel H Uittenbogaart

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling transduces immunosuppressive biochemical and mechanical signals in the tumor microenvironment. In addition to canonical SMAD transcription factor signaling, TGF-β can promote tumor growth and survival by inhibiting proinflammatory signaling and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. In this article, we review how TGF-β activated kinase 1 (TAK1) activation lies at the intersection of proinflammatory signaling by immune receptors and anti-inflammatory signaling by TGF-β receptors. Additionally, we discuss the role of TGF-β in the mechanobiology of cancer. Understanding how TGF-β dampens proinflammatory responses and induces pro-survival mechanical signals throughout cancer development is critical for designing therapeutics that …

Economic Evaluation Of Patient Navigation Programs In Colorectal Cancer Care, A Systematic Review., Chloé Gervès-Pinquié, Anne Girault, Serena Phillips, Sarah Raskin, Mandi Pratt-Chapman

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Patient navigation has expanded as a promising approach to improve cancer care coordination and patient adherence. This paper addresses the need to identify the evidence on the economic impact of patient navigation in colorectal cancer, following the Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines. Articles indexed in Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Web of Science between January 2000 and March 2017 were analyzed. We conducted a systematic review of the literature using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The quality assessment of the included studies was based on the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist. Inclusion criteria …

Sources And Fates Of Carbamyl Phosphate: A Labile Energy-Rich Molecule With Multiple Facets., Dashuang Shi, Ljubica Caldovic, Mendel Tuchman

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

Carbamyl phosphate (CP) is well-known as an essential intermediate of pyrimidine and arginine/urea biosynthesis. Chemically, CP can be easily synthesized from dihydrogen phosphate and cyanate. Enzymatically, CP can be synthesized using three different classes of enzymes: (1) ATP-grasp fold protein based carbamyl phosphate synthetase (CPS); (2) Amino-acid kinase fold carbamate kinase (CK)-like CPS (anabolic CK or aCK); and (3) Catabolic transcarbamylase. The first class of CPS can be further divided into three different types of CPS as CPS I, CPS II, and CPS III depending on the usage of ammonium or glutamine as its nitrogen source, and whether

A Qualitative Study Examining The Benefits And Challenges Of Incorporating Patient-Reported Outcome Substance Use And Mental Health Questionnaires Into Clinical Practice To Improve Outcomes On The Hiv Care Continuum., Anne K Monroe, Sarah M Jabour, Sebastian Peña, Jeanne C Keruly, Richard D Moore, Geetanjali Chander, Kristin A Riekert

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Inadequate identification and treatment of substance use (SU) and mental health (MH) disorders hinders retention in HIV care. The objective of this study was to elicit stakeholder input on integration of SU/MH screening using computer-assisted patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into clinical practice.

METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with HIV-positive patients who self-reported SU/MH symptoms on a computer-assisted PROs (n = 19) and HIV primary care providers (n = 11) recruited from an urban academic HIV clinic. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. We iteratively developed codes and organized key themes using editing style analysis.

RESULTS: Two themes emerged: (1) Honest Disclosure: …

Lung Cancer Risk And Low (≤50 Μg/L) Drinking Water Arsenic Levels For Us Counties (2009⁻2013)-A Negative Association., Steven H Lamm, Isabella J Boroje, Hamid Ferdosi, Jaeil Ahn

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

While epidemiologic studies clearly demonstrate drinking water with high levels of arsenic as a significant risk factor for lung cancer, the evidence at low levels (≤50 μg/L) is uncertain. Therefore, we have conducted an ecological analysis of recent lung cancer incidence for US counties with a groundwater supply of <50 μg/L, the historical limit for both the EPA and WHO. Data sources used included USGS for arsenic exposure, NCI for lung cancer outcome, and CDC and US Census Bureau forcovariates. Poisson log-linear models were conducted for male, female, and total populations using for exposure median county arsenic level, maximum arsenic level ≤50 μg/L, and ≥80% population groundwater dependency. Statistically significant negative associations were found in each of the six models in which the exposure was limited to those who had major exposure (≥80% dependency) to low-levels of arsenic (≤50 μg/L). This is the first large ecological study of lung cancer risk from drinking water arsenic levels that specifically examined the dose-response slope for populations whose exposure was below the historical limit of ≤50 μg/L. The models for each of the three populations (total; male; female) demonstrated an association that is both negative and statistically significant.

Prevention Paradox: Medical Students Are Less Inclined To Prescribe Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis For Patients In Highest Need., Sarah K Calabrese, Valerie A Earnshaw, Kristen Underhill, Douglas S Krakower, Manya Magnus, Nathan B Hansen, Kenneth H Mayer, Joseph R Betancourt, Trace S Kershaw, John F Dovidio

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Despite healthcare providers' growing awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), prescription rates remain low. PrEP is an efficacious HIV prevention strategy recommended for use with condoms but still protective in their absence. Concern about the impact of PrEP on condom use and other risk behaviour is, nonetheless, among the barriers to prescription commonly reported. To understand the implications of this concern for PrEP access, we examined how medical students' willingness to prescribe PrEP varied by patients' condom use and partnering practices. We also assessed the perceived acceptability of various reasons for condom discontinuation with PrEP.

METHODS: An online survey was …

Successful Embolization Of A Enterocutaneous Fistula Tract With Onyx 34 Following Low Anterior Resection For Rectal Cancer., Hamza Rahimi, Anthony C Venbrux, Vincent Obias

Radiology Faculty Publications

Enterocutaneous fistulas (ECFs) can be one of the complications found after surgical intervention for rectal cancer. Interventional modalities consisting of surgical, endoscopic, and radiological methods are often implemented to treat postoperative symptomatic complications. We present the case of 61-year-old Caucasian man who presented to us with a recent diagnosis of rectal cancer that had invaded the levators as well as anteriorly into the prostate, and who underwent low anterior resection with a diverting loop ileostomy. The patient was found to have a persistent presacral abscess due to an ECF tract. This case highlights the off-label use of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer …

Ultrasound-Guided Introital Drainage Of Pyometrocolpos, I Kim, Ranjith Vellody, Hans G. Pohl, Karun Sharma, Kabir Yadav

Radiology Faculty Publications

Pyometrocolpos can be caused by congenital malformations such as distal vaginal atresia and imperforate hymen. Patients usually present with obstructive urinary tract infections, acute kidney injury, or sepsis. Percutaneous drainage of the infected fluid can help treat the patient; however, recurrence is of concern. In this case report, we present a case of a child with recurrent pyometrocolpos due to distal vaginal atresia despite initial percutaneous drainage. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ultrasound-guided introital drainage of pyometrocolpos with relief of symptoms obviating the need for repeat drainage or immediate surgery. © 2017

First-Pass Cyp3a-Mediated Metabolism Of Midazolam In The Gut Wall And Liver In Preterm Neonates., Janneke M Brussee, Huixin Yu, Elke H J Krekels, Berend De Roos, Margreke J E Brill, Johannes N Van Den Anker, Amin Rostami-Hodjegan, Saskia N De Wildt, Catherijne A J Knibbe

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

To predict first-pass and systemic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A-mediated metabolism of midazolam in preterm neonates, a physiological population pharmacokinetic model was developed describing intestinal and hepatic midazolam clearance in preterm infants. On the basis of midazolam and 1-OH-midazolam concentrations from 37 preterm neonates (gestational age 26-34 weeks) receiving midazolam orally and/or via a 30-minute intravenous infusion, intrinsic clearance in the gut wall and liver were found to be very low, with lower values in the gut wall (0.0196 and 6.7 L/h, respectively). This results in a highly variable and high total oral bioavailability of 92.1% (range, 67-95%) in preterm neonates, …

The Ramazzini Institute 13-Week Study On Glyphosate-Based Herbicides At Human-Equivalent Dose In Sprague Dawley Rats: Study Design And First In-Life Endpoints Evaluation., Simona Panzacchi, Daniele Mandrioli, Fabiana Manservisi, Luciano Bua, Laura Falcioni, Melissa J Perry, +Several Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are the most widely used pesticides worldwide, and glyphosate is the active ingredient of such herbicides, including the formulation known as Roundup. The massive and increasing use of GBHs results in not only the global burden of occupational exposures, but also increased exposure to the general population. The current pilot study represents the first phase of a long-term investigation of GBHs that we are conducting over the next 5 years. In this paper, we present the study design, the first evaluation of in vivo parameters and the determination of glyphosate and its major metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid …

Admission Eeg Findings In Diverse Paediatric Cerebral Malaria Populations Predict Outcomes., Douglas G Postels, Xiaoting Wu, Chenxi Li, Peter W Kaplan, Karl B Seydel, Terrie E Taylor, Youssef A Kousa, Richard Idro, Robert Opoka, Chandy C John, Gretchen L Birbeck

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Electroencephalography at hospital presentation may offer important insights regarding prognosis that can inform understanding of cerebral malaria (CM) pathophysiology and potentially guide patient selection and risk stratification for future clinical trials. Electroencephalogram (EEG) findings in children with CM in Uganda and Malawi were compared and associations between admission EEG findings and outcome across this diverse population were assessed. Demographic, clinical and admission EEG data from Ugandan and Malawian children admitted from 2009 to 2012 with CM were gathered, and survivors assessed for neurological abnormalities at discharge.

RESULTS: 281 children were enrolled (Uganda n = 122, Malawi n = 159). …

Systematic Pan-Cancer Analysis Of Somatic Allele Frequency., Liam Spurr, Muzi Li, Nawaf Alomran, Qianqian Zhang, Paula Restrepo, Mercedeh Movassagh, Chris Trenkov, Nerissa Tunnessen, Tatiyana Apanasovich, Keith A Crandall, Nathan Edwards, Anelia Horvath

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

Imbalanced expression of somatic alleles in cancer can suggest functional and selective features, and can therefore indicate possible driving potential of the underlying genetic variants. To explore the correlation between allele frequency of somatic variants and total gene expression of their harboring gene, we used the unique data set of matched tumor and normal RNA and DNA sequencing data of 5523 distinct single nucleotide variants in 381 individuals across 10 cancer types obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We analyzed the allele frequency in the context of the variant and gene functional features and linked it with changes in …

Samhd1 Phosphorylation Coordinates The Anti-Hiv-1 Response By Diverse Interferons And Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition., Matthew A Szaniawski, Adam M Spivak, James E Cox, Jonathan L Catrow, Timothy Hanley, Elizabeth S C P Williams, Michel J Tremblay, Alberto Bosque, Vicente Planelles

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Macrophages are susceptible to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection despite abundant expression of antiviral proteins. Perhaps the most important antiviral protein is the restriction factor sterile alpha motif domain and histidine/aspartic acid domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1). We investigated the role of SAMHD1 and its phospho-dependent regulation in the context of HIV-1 infection in primary human monocyte-derived macrophages and the ability of various interferons (IFNs) and pharmacologic agents to modulate SAMHD1. Here we show that stimulation by type I, type II, and to a lesser degree, type III interferons share activation of SAMHD1 via dephosphorylation at threonine-592 as a …

Allatostatin C Modulates Nociception And Immunity In Drosophila., Nathaniel D Bachtel, Gary A Hovsepian, Douglas F Nixon, Ioannis Eleftherianos

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Bacterial induced inflammatory responses cause pain through direct activation of nociceptive neurons, and the ablation of these neurons leads to increased immune infiltration. In this study, we investigated nociceptive-immune interactions in Drosophila and the role these interactions play during pathogenic bacterial infection. After bacterial infection, we found robust upregulation of ligand-gated ion channels and allatostatin receptors involved in nociception, which potentially leads to hyperalgesia. We further found that Allatostatin-C Receptor 2 (AstC-R2) plays a crucial role in host survival during infection with the pathogenic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens. Upon examination of immune signaling in AstC-R2 deficient mutants, we demonstrated that Allatostatin-C …

Analysis Of The Immunological Biomarker Profile During Acute Zika Virus Infection Reveals The Overexpression Of Cxcl10, A Chemokine Linked To Neuronal Damage., Felipe Gomes Naveca, Gemilson Soares Pontes, Aileen Yu-Hen Chang, George Allan Villarouco Da Silva, Valdinete Alves Do Nascimento, Dana Cristina Da Silva Monteiro, +Several Additional Authors

Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) manifests in a broad spectrum of disease ranging from mild illness to severe neurological complications and little is known about Zika immunopathogenesis.

OBJECTIVES: To define the immunologic biomarkers that correlate with acute ZIKV infection.

METHODS: We characterized the levels of circulating cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in 54 infected patients of both genders at five different time points after symptom onset using microbeads multiplex immunoassay; comparison to 100 age-matched controls was performed for statistical analysis and data mining.

FINDINGS: ZIKV-infected patients present a striking systemic inflammatory response with high levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. Despite …

Disruption Of Neonatal Cardiomyocyte Physiology Following Exposure To Bisphenol-A., Manelle Ramadan, Meredith Sherman, Rafael Jaimes, Ashika Chaluvadi, Luther Swift, Nikki Gillum Posnack

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

Bisphenol chemicals are commonly used in the manufacturing of polycarbonate plastics, polyvinyl chloride plastics, resins, and thermal printing applications. Humans are inadvertently exposed to bisphenols through contact with consumer products and/or medical devices. Recent reports have shown a link between bisphenol-a (BPA) exposure and adverse cardiovascular outcomes; although these studies have been limited to adult subjects and models. Since cardiac physiology differs significantly between the developing and adult heart, we aimed to assess the impact of BPA exposure on cardiac function, using a neonatal cardiomyocyte model. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes were monitored to assess cell viability, spontaneous beating rate, beat …

Disruption Of Neonatal Cardiomyocyte Physiology Following Exposure To Bisphenol-A., Manelle Ramadan, Meredith Sherman, Rafael Jaimes, Ashika Chaluvadi, Luther Swift, Nikki Gillum Posnack

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Bisphenol chemicals are commonly used in the manufacturing of polycarbonate plastics, polyvinyl chloride plastics, resins, and thermal printing applications. Humans are inadvertently exposed to bisphenols through contact with consumer products and/or medical devices. Recent reports have shown a link between bisphenol-a (BPA) exposure and adverse cardiovascular outcomes; although these studies have been limited to adult subjects and models. Since cardiac physiology differs significantly between the developing and adult heart, we aimed to assess the impact of BPA exposure on cardiac function, using a neonatal cardiomyocyte model. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes were monitored to assess cell viability, spontaneous beating rate, beat …

The Synergistic Effects Of Saxagliptin And Metformin On Cd34+ Endothelial Progenitor Cells In Early Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial., Fiona J Dore, Cleyton C Domingues, Neeki Ahmadi, Nabanita Kundu, Yana Kropotova, Sara Houston, Carol Rouphael, Aytan Mammadova, Linda Witkin, Anamil Khiyami, Richard L Amdur, Sabyasachi Sen

Surgery Faculty Publications

AIMS: Type 2 diabetes is associated with endothelial dysfunction leading to cardiovascular disease. CD34+ endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) are responsible for endothelial repair and neo-angiogenesis and can be used as a cardiovascular disease risk biomarker. This study investigated whether the addition of saxagliptin, a DPP-IV inhibitor, to metformin, may reduce cardiovascular disease risk in addition to improving glycemic control in Type 2 diabetes patients.

METHODS: In 12 week, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial, 42 subjects already taking metformin 1-2 grams/day were randomized to placebo or saxagliptin 5 mg. Subjects aged 40-70 years with diabetes for < 10 years, with no known cardiovascular disease, BMI 25-39.9, HbA1C 6-9% were included. We evaluated EPCs number, function, surface markers and gene expression, in addition to arterial stiffness, blood biochemistries, resting energy expenditure, and body composition parameters. A mixed model regression to examine saxagliptin vs placebo, accounting for within-subject autocorrelation, was done with SAS (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: Although there was no significant …

Design And Development Of A Phantom For Tomosynthesis With Potential For Automated Analysis Via The Cloud., David Goodenough, Josh Levy, Hildur Olafsdottir, Ingvi Olafsson

Radiology Faculty Publications

This paper describes Development of a Phantom for Tomosynthesis with Potential for Automated Analysis via the Cloud. Several studies are underway to investigate the effectiveness of Tomosynthesis Mammographic Image Screening, including the large TMIST project as funded by the National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/nci-supported/tmist. The development of the phantom described in this paper follows initiatives from the FDA, the AAPM TG245 task group, and European Reference Organization (EUREF) for Quality Assured Breast Screening and Diagnostic Services Committee report noting, that no formal endorsement nor recommendation for use has been sought, or granted by any of these groups. This paper reports on …

Precision Medicine For Crc Patients In The Veteran Population: State-Of-The-Art, Challenges And Research Directions., Shyam S Mohapatra, Surinder K Batra, Srinivas Bharadwaj, Michael Bouvet, Bard Cosman, Ajay Goel, Wilma Jogunoori, Michael J Kelley, Lopa Mishra, Bibhuti Mishra, Subhra Mohapatra, Bhaumik Patel, Joseph R Pisegna, Jean-Pierre Raufman, Shuyun Rao, Hemant Roy, Maren Scheuner, Satish Singh, Gitanjali Vidyarthi, Jon White

Surgery Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer (CRC) accounts for ~9% of all cancers in the Veteran population, a fact which has focused a great deal of the attention of the VA's research and development efforts. A field-based meeting of CRC experts was convened to discuss both challenges and opportunities in precision medicine for CRC. This group, designated as the VA Colorectal Cancer Cell-genomics Consortium (VA4C), discussed advances in CRC biology, biomarkers, and imaging for early detection and prevention. There was also a discussion of precision treatment involving fluorescence-guided surgery, targeted chemotherapies and immunotherapies, and personalized cancer treatment approaches. The overarching goal was to identify …

The Small Rna Complement Of Adult Schistosoma Haematobium., Andreas J Stroehlein, Neil D Young, Pasi K Korhonen, Ross S Hall, Aaron R Jex, Bonnie L Webster, David Rollinson, Paul J Brindley, Robin B Gasser

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma cause schistosomiasis-a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects more than 200 million people worldwide. Studies of schistosome genomes have improved our understanding of the molecular biology of flatworms, but most of them have focused largely on protein-coding genes. Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) have been explored in selected schistosome species and are suggested to play essential roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes, and in modulating flatworm-host interactions. However, genome-wide small RNA data are currently lacking for key schistosomes including Schistosoma haematobium-the causative agent of urogenital schistosomiasis of humans.

METHODOLOGY: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and other …