Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mislabeling And Inappropriate Analysis Render Interpretations From “The Effect Of The Participatory Heat Education And Awareness Tools (Heat) Intervention On Agricultural Worker Physiological Heat Strain: Results From A Parallel, Comparison, Group Randomized Study” Unreliable, Chelsi M Webster, Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Colby J Vorland, Zachary J Schlader, Blair D Johnson, David B Allison

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Inherited Tbx4 Frameshifting Variants Predicted To Escape Nonsense Mediated Decay In Two Families With Variable Phenotypes, Including Lethal Lung Developmental Disorders, Shruti A Pande, Hiuling Chan Joiner, Przemyslaw Szafranski, Tomasz Gambin, Michelle Wright, Qian Wang, Maiah Walters, Jan M Friedman, Jessica Saunders, Nicholas Avdimiretz, Cornelius F Boerkoel, Nahir Cortes-Santiago, Gail Deutsch, Pawel Stankiewicz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Pathogenic variants involving the transcription factor TBX4 gene have been associated with various skeletal and pulmonary abnormalities, including lethal lung developmental disorders (LLDD).

Methods: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) with AI-powered platform for variant detection and interpretation followed by Sanger sequencing targeted variant segregation analysis were used. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies were performed to assess gene and protein expression levels, respectively.

Results: We describe two unrelated families with intrafamilial variability in the TBX4 phenotypic expressivity, including LLDDs. WGS analyses revealed two frameshift variants, c.1019del; p.(Arg340GlnfsTer40) in the penultimate exon and c.1167dup; p.(Arg390GlnfsTer30) in the last exon …

Improving Inr Monitoring In Outpatient Cardiology: A Quality Improvement Initiative To Enhance Anticoagulation Safety, Antonette Atori

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce uncaptured INR results by 5% over 12 weeks in an outpatient cardiovascular clinic by implementing a standardized tracking workflow.

Background

Suboptimal anticoagulation management in outpatient settings can lead to uncaptured International Normalized Ratio (INR) results, delayed therapy adjustments, and increased risk of bleeding or thromboembolic events.

Methodology

Guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, a pre–post intervention design was used. Interventions included an electronic medical record (EMR)-based tracking system using a reminders inbox for overdue results and nurse-led follow-up phone calls. Data was collected from the EMR and analyzed using descriptive statistics, …

Culturally Tailored Materials For Smoking Cessation And Hiv Care Adherence Among Hispanic Adults: Protocol For Content Development And Formative Evaluation, Lorra Garey, Jacqueline J Charles, Ashley L Ruiz, Rodrigo Castillo-Avilés, Virmarie Correa-Fernández, Marshall K Cheney, Thomas P Giordano, Michael J Zvolensky

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hispanic people with HIV who smoke cigarettes experience unique stressors (eg, stigma), which contribute to health disparities. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) may worsen mood management problems, which are a leading barrier to smoking cessation. Interventions targeting AS can improve HIV-specific outcomes and smoking cessation. However, no prior research has culturally tailored an AS reduction program to improve quality of life among Hispanic people with HIV who smoke. The research team previously developed a mobile health (mHealth) intervention addressing AS reduction, smoking cessation, and HIV care management for Black people with HIV who smoke. Building on this work, this study represents …

Inhibition Of Epac1 Prevents Neuronal Death Mediated By Diesel Exhaust Particles In Ferroptotic Cell Death Conditions, Hong Yan, Leshan Zhang, Ana L Manzano-Covarrubias, Phoeja S Gadjdjoe, Anja Land, Christina H J T M Van Der Veen, Teresa Mitchell-Garcia, Heba A Fayyaz, Marco Venema, Christoffer Åberg, Marieke Van Der Hart, Frank Lezoualc'h, Xiaodong Cheng, Amalia M Dolga, Martina Schmidt

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Air pollution is a growing hazard to global health. Epidemiological studies have reported a potential role of air pollutant exposure in the development or aggravation of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the underlying mechanisms are ill-defined. Ferroptosis is an iron- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent form of cell death that drives neuronal loss in neurodegenerative diseases. Our previous studies reported the involvement of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and EPAC (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP) in ferroptotic cell death. Here, we investigated the effects of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in mouse hippocampal (HT22) neuronal cells. Our data showed that toxicity induced by …

The Right Time For A Synapse To Change: Windows And Mechanisms Of Multiday Training Trials, Rong-Yu Liu, Yili Zhang, Roberta Calvo, Paul Smolen, John H Byrne

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although learning over multiple days is more effective than a single day of training, the underlying cellular mechanisms of repeated training trials remain poorly understood. With a combination of empirical and computational approaches, we determined a critical time window for a second stimulus block of a multiday training protocol to augment long-term synaptic facilitation (LTF) of the Aplysia sensorimotor synapse and long-term enhancement of neuronal excitability (LTEE), two cellular correlates of learning and memory. A second stimulus block delivered 24 h after the first block significantly enhanced LTF and LTEE, but was without effect at 18 or 32 h. This …

Rosai-Dorfman Disease In A Rare Cardiac Presentation: Left Ventricular Mass Causing Ventricular Tachycardia, Motaz Al Yafi, Swetha Pasala, Valentina Robila, Cory Trankle, Bharadhwaj Kolipakkam, Patricia Nicolato

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare, benign histiocytic disorder that most often presents with nodal involvement. Cardiac involvement is exceedingly uncommon and poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

Case summary: A 51-year-old woman presented with shortness of breath and palpitations and was found to have monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. Imaging revealed a left ventricular mass, and biopsy confirmed RDD. The lesion was surgically excised with cryoablation and CorMatrix reinforcement. The patient recovered uneventfully and remains disease free 25 months postoperatively.

Discussion: RDD with cardiac involvement has been reported in only approximately 25 cases, with very few affecting the left ventricle. …

Expanding The Mutation Spectrum Of Non-Syndromic Retinitis Pigmentosa In Consanguineous Pakistani Families: Unraveling Novel Pathogenic Variants In Rp1, Pde6b, And Prcd Genes For Precision Diagnosis, Tayyaba Shan, Nimra Mukhtar, Sayyed Hammad Ullah, Asad Ullah, Asfandyar Ahmad Khan, Yumei Li, Meng Wang, Raeesa Tehreem, Amtul Aziz, Kiran Afshan, Rui Chen, Sabika Firasat

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Cross-Sectional Associations Of Metabolically Healthy Obesity, Lifestyle Factors, And Steatotic Liver Disease In Adults From The Fels Longitudinal Study, Ariana L Garza, Audrey C Choh, John Blangero, Cici X Bauer, Stefan A Czerwinski, Miryoung Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To examine the associations of metabolic health and obesity phenotypes with liver fat accumulation and hepatic steatosis in adults.

Methods: We analyzed 676 non-Hispanic white adults (18-95 years; 55.8% female) from the Fels Longitudinal Study using a cross-sectional design. Participants were classified into metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW), and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) phenotypes. Metabolically unhealthy status was defined as the presence of ≥1 metabolic dysfunction, consistent with prior epidemiological definitions; secondary analyses using ≥2 were also performed. Obesity was defined using DXA-derived body fat percentage. Liver fat (%) was …

Serum Metabolites Associated With Depression And Anxiety In The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos, Xinye Qiu, Yu Zhang, Yogesh Purushotham, Qibin Qi, Bing Yu, Jan Bressler, Krista M Perreira, Humberto Parada, Martha L Daviglus, Alejandra Cid Vega, Carmen R Isasi, Linda C Gallo, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Omics signatures for psychiatric conditions have been under-investigated. In this study, we used data from a representative observational cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults to identify serum metabolites associated with symptoms of depression or anxiety and to develop and assess metabolite risk scores (MRSs) of these phenotypes. We conducted a metabolome-wide association study of 768 metabolites with depression and anxiety symptoms, using two separate assay batches measured from baseline samples collected between June 2008 and July 2011 for discovery (batch 1: n = 4002 adults) and replication (batch 2: n = 2178 adults). We estimated the associations via survey-based generalized linear …

Vestibular Schwannoma Microsurgery In The Era Of Multimodal Treatment: Advances In Technique And Patient Selection, Ibrahem Albalkhi, Basel Musmar, Nimer Adeeb, Hussam Abou-Al-Shaar, Jacques J Morcos

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The management of vestibular schwannoma (VS) has traditionally prioritized gross total resection to achieve high tumor control, often at the cost of cranial nerve injuries and quality of life impairment. However, advances in surgical approaches and intraoperative technologies, coupled with active surveillance and/or adjuvant treatment, have shifted the management paradigm towards prioritizing patient-centered outcomes, which are as critical as oncological control.

Content: The authors reviewed the technical advances driving this paradigm shift, including endoscopic assistance in the different microsurgical approaches (retrosigmoid, translabyrinthine, and middle cranial fossa approaches) of VS resection and advanced neuromonitoring (facial nerve electromyography and cochlear/auditory evoked …

Risk Of Alzheimer Dementia After High-Dose Vs Standard-Dose Influenza Vaccination, Avram Samuel Bukhbinder, Yaobin Ling, Lauren Jhin, Elizabeth He, Kristofer Harris, Mya Rodriguez, Jenna Thomas, Gabriela Cruz, Kamal Phelps, Yejin Kim, Luyao Chen, Xiaoqian Jiang, Paul E Schulz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: Previous studies, including large cohort analyses comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated adults, suggest that routine immunizations such as inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) may reduce Alzheimer dementia (AD) risk. Whether AD risk differs after high-dose IIV (H-IIV) vs standard-dose IIV (S-IIV) remains unexamined. We hypothesized that AD risk would be lower among adults ≥65 years after H-IIV compared with S-IIV.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data spanning 2014-2019 from IQVIA PharMetrics Plus for Academics, a US health care claims database. Eligible participants were ≥65 years with ≥2 years of continuous medical and pharmaceutical coverage and no previous diagnostic …

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention And Vascular Access Complications: A Contemporary Review, Tanawat Attachaipanich, Muzamil Khawaja, Edwin A Takahashi, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Mahboob Alam, Ian C Gilchrist, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Transradial approach (TRA) is preferred over transfemoral approach (TFA) for percutaneous coronary interventions due to lower bleeding, vascular complications, and mortality, particularly in acute coronary syndrome. Radial access complications included intraprocedural events (spasm, dissection, and perforation) and postprocedural events (radial artery occlusion, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, nerve injury, and infection). TFA remains necessary in certain settings but carries higher complication risk. Optimizing patient selection and procedural planning is essential to minimize vascular complications.

Feasibility Of Nationwide Remote Chronic Neural Data Collection From Recording-Enabled Deep Brain Stimulation Systems, Kasra A Mansourian, Ajay D Gandhi, Jonathan H Bentley, Kalman A Katlowitz, Danika L Paulo, Nisha Giridharan, Mohammed A Hasen, Tommy B Liu, Zain U Naqvi, Sarah S Soubra, Thomas A Hamre, Rick R Hanish, Eric A Storch, Wayne K Goodman, Sameer A Sheth, Nicole R Provenza

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Bidirectional deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices can continuously record neural activity while delivering stimulation. Due to memory limitations on the implanted device on which data are stored, frequent data downloads are required to prevent data loss. In this study, we present a novel collaborative data collection method utilizing a nationwide network of device representatives to allow frequent data transfer that reduces data loss without imposing travel burden on patients.

Methods: We collected chronic neural data from nine patients with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder who received ventral capsule/ventral striatum DBS treatment between May 2023 and August 2024. We included patients implanted …

Age-Associated Hematopoietic Variants In The Rhesus Macaque, Josephine De La Fuente, Chiraag D Kapadia, R Alan Harris, Muthuswamy Raveendran, Giovanne B Diniz, John H Morrison, Jeffrey Rogers, Margaret A Goodell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Yap Induces A Prorenewal Metabolic State In Cardiomyocytes, Lin Liu, Jeffrey D Steimle, Chang-Ru Tsai, Fansen Meng, Yuka Morikawa, Yi Zhao, Sandra Carmichael, Xiao Li, James F Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Cardiomyocytes, as highly specialized and differentiated somatic cells, possess a limited capacity for renewal. Neonatal rodents possess the ability to regenerate cardiomyocytes after injury; however, this regenerative capacity declines rapidly with cardiomyocyte maturation, suggesting an inhibitory network between cellular maturation and cardiomyocyte proliferation. Maturing cardiomyocytes undergo a metabolic shift from predominantly glycolysis in the neonatal state to increased fatty acid oxidation in the mature state, which poses a barrier to cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac regenerative repair. YAP, a transcriptional cofactor regulated by the Hippo signaling pathway, promotes cardiac regenerative repair. We investigated the role of YAP in mediating metabolic …

Breathing-Controlled Electrical Stimulation (Breestim) Selectively Modulates Affective And Cognitive Components Of Pain-An Eeg Study, Ahmad Z Rao, Michael Houston, Hao Meng, Shengai Li, Yingchun Zhang, Sheng Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Breathing-controlled electrical stimulation (BreEStim) is an innovative neuromodulation intervention that synchronizes deep voluntary breathing with peripheral electrical stimulation. Prior studies have shown its analgesic effects in healthy adults and spinal cord injury patients with neuropathic pain. The present study used EEG to examine BreEStim's neural effects on sensory, affective, and cognitive components of pain. Fourteen healthy participants (7 M, 7 F) completed 30 min of BreEStim and conventional electrical stimulation (EStim) interventions in a randomized, crossover within-subject design. Electrical pain thresholds (EPT) and EEG were recorded pre- and post-intervention. Event-related potentials (ERPs) at pre-EPT-level stimuli before and immediately after each …

An Atlas Of Human Siglecs Integrates Expression, Affinity, And Cis/Trans Sialoglycan Recognition Profiles, Shani Leviatan Ben-Arye, Edward N Schmidt, Zeinab Jame-Chenarboo, Claire Guetta-Oz, Fahima Mozaneh, Jaesoo Jung, Kelli A Mccord, Ronit Rosenfeld, Kan Zhong, Hongzhi Cao, Hai Yu, Xi Chen, Lori J West, Matthew S Macauley, Vered Padler-Karavani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

All living cells have a sugar-coat that facilitates communication. Sialic acids cap mammalian glycans and are recognized by immune cells through sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs) that regulate signaling by their cytoplasmic motifs. Inconsistent reports of Siglecs expression and sialoglycan recognition limit their therapeutic potential. Here we investigate 14 functional human Siglecs for their expression, glycan interactions and affinities. SIGLEC mRNA is broad in blood-derived monocytes and dendritic cells, restricted in natural-killer/B cells and absent in T cells, with similar Siglec-proteins expression in splenocytes. Binding to 114 glycans across 274 glycan microarrays, 220 splenocytes-assays and 132 cell-based arrays, reveal Siglecs …

Optimizing Costs & Efficiency With Heartcode Complete: A Quality Improvement Project, Jessica Bryant

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

PURPOSE

This quality improvement project aimed to implement HeartCode Complete (HCC), a simulation-based BLS training platform, at a 154-bed community hospital. The goal was to replace instructor-led BLS training, improve training efficiency, reduce costs, increase certification compliance, and enhance staff satisfaction.

BACKGROUND

Maintaining competency in CPR is a regulatory requirement for healthcare providers. Traditional instructor-led BLS training requires scheduled classes, instructor availability, and staff time away from clinical duties, contributing to certification delays and operational inefficiencies. Simulation-based training platforms offer self-directed learning with real-time feedback.

METHODOLOGY

This quality improvement project used Lean Six Sigma principles and Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to guide …

An Evidence-Based Approach To Boosting Recovery In Endurance Runners, Sayla F. Rios

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement evidence-based recovery strategies among endurance runners. The project aims to decrease injury prevalence, improve recovery behaviors, and reduce perceived muscle soreness.

Background

Running-related injuries are common among endurance runners and are often associated with inadequate recovery. Evidence suggests that the use of recovery strategies may support muscle repair and reduce injury risk.

Methodology

This project used the Plan–Do–Study–Act framework to guide the implementation of strategies. 24 endurance runners participated in the project. Interventions included education and the implementation of recovery strategies, such as adequate protein intake, sleep optimization, self-myofascial …

Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury Prevention Using A Care Bundle In A Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, Sarah Dolick

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement DNP project was to implement a preventative care bundle to reduce the number of hospital-acquired pressure injuries.Compliance with bundle elements was monitored through weekly bedside audits. HAPI data were collected for 12 weeks pre-intervention and 12 weeks post-intervention to evaluate outcomes. The project utilized Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to refine implementation and address barriers in real time.

Background: The project was implemented in a 32-bed neuroscience intensive care unit in an academic center in the Texas Medical Center.

Results: After implementation of the care bundle, average HAPIs decreased from 4.6 per survey (pre-intervention) to …

Engineering Function In Lung Biology: Integrating Imaging, Regenerative Constructs, And Functional Biodesign, Rene A Girard, Jamie Tran, Yuqing Cai, Mary C Farach-Carson, Hadi T Nia, Allison M Greaney, Laura E Niklason, Killian Hurley, Elvin Blanco, Sinem Koc-Günel, Harry Karmouty-Quintana

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The lung is a uniquely demanding target for regeneration because function depends on the coordinated integration of cellular diversity, three-dimensional architecture, cyclic mechanical forces, vascular perfusion, immune surveillance, and extracellular matrix remodeling. While single-cell and spatial profiling, lineage tracing, and iPSC-derived models have transformed our understanding of lung cell states and developmental potential, these descriptive approaches have also highlighted a central bottleneck: the field still lacks broadly adopted platforms to test whether engineered tissues and regenerative interventions restore function under physiologic load. In this review, we focus on emerging technologies that enable functional biodesign in lung biology by coupling engineered …

A Risk-Based Model For Unplanned Cesarean Delivery Following Induction Of Labor In Term Hypertensive Nulliparas., Avihu Krieger, Michal Axelrod, Baha Sibai, Shalom Mazaki-Tovi, Michal Fishel Bartal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To develop a practical risk-stratification framework for unplanned cesarean delivery (CD) among term nulliparous individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) undergoing induction of labor (IOL).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study at a single tertiary care center (January 2010-March 2025) of nulliparous individuals with singleton gestations diagnosed with HDP undergoing IOL at ≥ 37 + 0 weeks. We excluded multiple gestations, major fetal anomalies, planned CD, or intrauterine fetal death. We included demographic and pregnancy characteristics available prior to induction and evaluated association with unplanned CD. Stepwise backward logistic regression was used to build a model for …

Modeling Early Human Heart Development Using An Ipsc-Based 3d Bioprinted Model Of Embryonic Heart Tube, Linqi Jin, Christian Park, Sunder Neelakantan, Shweta Karnik, Arnab Dey, Sarah Fineman, Roshni Nandwani, Carmen J Gil, Boeun Hwang, Melissa A Cadena, Vani Sridhar, Jing Wang, Yuxiao Wu, Connor J Evans, Lan Li, Sarah Rezapourdamanab, Mehdi Salar Amoli, Martin L Tomov, Ryan K Roeder, Reza Avazmohammadi, Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, Hanjoong Jo, Eric Weeks, Holly D Bauser-Heaton, Sean M Wu, Vahid Serpooshan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human heart development depends on tightly coordinated genetic programs and biomechanical cues, yet the underlying cell-microenvironment interactions remain poorly understood because the developing heart is difficult to study in utero and accurate experimental models are lacking. Recent advances in stem cell biology and three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting now allow the construction of human tissue analogues with defined structure and function. Here we show a perfusable 3D bioprinted model of the human embryonic heart tube composed of layered myocardium, cardiac jelly, and endocardium. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells are cultured under controlled flow conditions, producing constructs with high …

Latent Class Patterns Of Medication Attitudes And Their Correlates Among Older Adults In The United States, Jiaming Liang, Min Ji Kwak, Mona Shirvani, Alexander Testa, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Zhigang Xie, Jack Tsai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Decreasing Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Through Reinforcement Of Hand Hygiene Compliance In A Rehabilitation Unit, Gloria Ihenwe

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to decrease the CAUTI rate among adult rehabilitation patients with indwelling catheters from 40% to 1% through improved staff hand hygiene (HH) compliance and to increase hand hygiene compliance from 45.24% to 60.47% within 3 months. The secondary aim is that staff will report self-improvement in hand hygiene knowledge and technique.

Background

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are common preventable healthcare-associated infections. Inconsistent HH compliance among direct care staff remains a common challenge and can contribute to infection risks and transmission of microorganisms

Methodology

The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement model guided the implementation …

Burden Of Cardiovascular Disease In Pakistan – Insight From Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Ali Bin Abdul Jabbar, Taha Mansoor, Sana Sheikh, Tazeen H Jafar, Sawera Hanif, Christian Razo, Mahboob Alam, Jamal S Rana, Khurram Nasir, Bashir Hanif, Salim S Virani, Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Pakistan, currently the fifth-largest country by population globally, has experienced a population increase of over 100% since 1990. It is facing an escalating challenge from cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study provides an in-depth evaluation of Pakistan's health situation since 1990, offering essential insights into the nation's overall health conditions.

Methods: The data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, which provides records for global, regional, and national burden of diseases. Specifically, data regarding CVD and its subtypes, morbidity, and mortality in Pakistan and globally from 1990 to 2019 were used …

Development Of A Multiplex Assay For Early Detection Of Pancreatic Cancer In High-Risk Groups, Sheng Pan, Ramesh Karki, Lisa A Lai, Chad J Creighton, Teresa A Brentnall, Randall E Brand, Ru Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Perceived Inadequate Neighborhood Food Shopping And Cardiovascular Disease Risk: The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Amier Haidar, Ghadi Ghanem, Rishi Rikhi, Karol E Watson, Shreela V Sharma, Michael D Shapiro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Individuals with access to healthy food have healthier diets, improved cardiometabolic risk profiles, and decreased cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, previous studies have focused on the neighborhood food environment as distance to and density of food retailers. Our study examines the association between an individual's perceived adequacy of neighborhood food shopping and incident CVD.

Methods: We analyzed data from 6814 participants in the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), a prospective cohort study of individuals aged 45 to 84 who were enrolled in the study between 2000 and 2002 and followed longitudinally. Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for …

Functional Requirement For Dicer Helicase Arginine Methylation In 26 G Sirna Biogenesis And Oocyte Meiotic Program, Nick Newkirk, Shin-Yu Chen, Tokiko Furuta, Kenneth A Trimmer, Leilei Shi, Sabrina Stratton, Hongyuan Li, Xiaodong Cheng, Mark T Bedford, Swathi Arur

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Spatiotemporal regulation of Dicer is essential for small RNA biogenesis and fertility, yet how its helicase domain is controlled remains unclear. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, we identify a regulatory role for the arginine-rich GRARR motif within helicase domain motif VI of DCR-1. Mutating conserved arginines in this sequence disrupts maternal 26 G endo-siRNA production, impairs oocyte meiosis I and II, and reduces fertility. Biochemically, an asymmetrically dimethylated DCR-1 GRA[R495*]R peptide enhances interaction with ERI-5, a tandem-Tudor protein in the ERIC complex, while loss of DCR-1(R495) diminishes this interaction in vivo. Genetically, eri-5 deletion phenocopies the dcr-1 R495K mutant, supporting a functional …