Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Genetic Associations With Lipoprotein Subfraction Measures Differ By Ethnicity In The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis (Mesa), Zhe Wang, Ani Manichukal, David C. Goff, Samia Mora, Jose M. Ordovas, Nicholas M. Pajewski, Wendy S. Post, Jerome I. Rotter, Michele M. Sale, Stephanie A. Santorico, David Siscovick, Michael Y. Tsai, Donna K. Arnett, Stephen Rich, Alexis C. Frazier-Wood

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

A recent genome-wide association study associated 62 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 43 genomic loci, with fasting lipoprotein subfractions in European–Americans (EAs) at genome-wide levels of significance across three independent samples. Whether these associations are consistent across ethnicities with a non-European ancestry is unknown. We analyzed 15 lipoprotein subfraction measures, on 1677 African–Americans (AAs), 1450 Hispanic–Americans (HAs), and 775 Chinese–Americans (CHN) participating in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). Genome-wide data were obtained using the Affymetrix 6.0 and Illumina HumanOmni chips. Linear regression models between genetic variables and lipoprotein subfractions were adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, study …

Exploring Overlaps Between The Genomic And Environmental Determinants Of Lvh And Stroke: A Multicenter Study In West Africa, Abiodun M. Adeoye, Bruce Ovbiagele, Philip Kolo, Lambert Appiah, Akinyemi Aje, Oladimeji Adebayo, Fred Sarfo, Joshua Akinyemi, Gregory Adekunle, Francis Agyekum, Vincent Shidali, Okechukwu Ogah, Dan Lackland, Mulugeta Gebregziabher, Donna K. Arnett, Hemant K. Tiwari, Rufus Akinyemi, Ojo Olakanmi Olagoke, Ayodipupo Sikiru Oguntade, Taiwo Olunuga, Kelechi Uwanruochi, Carolyn Jenkins, Patrick Adadey, Henry Iheonye, Lukman Owolabi, Reginald Obiako, Samuel Akinjopo, Kevin Armstrong, Albert Akpalu, Adekunle Fakunle

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Whether left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is determined by similar genomic and environmental risk factors with stroke, or is simply an intermediate stroke marker, is unknown.

Objectives

We present a research plan and preliminary findings to explore the overlap in the genomic and environmental determinants of LVH and stroke among Africans participating in the SIREN (Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network) study.

Methods

SIREN is a transnational, multicenter study involving acute stroke patients and age-, ethnicity-, and sex-matched control subjects recruited from 9 sites in Ghana and Nigeria. Genomic and environmental risk factors and other relevant phenotypes for stroke and …

The Impact Of Youth Alert! Intervention In Reducing Violence In Schools, Douglas Wain, Hatim A. Omar, Said Shahtahmasebi

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Youth violence has long-term adverse effects on both victims and their communities. Most interventional strategies have little or no impact on reducing violence because they target supporting the victims whilst ignoring a social environment that continually facilitates exposure to violence through social and entertainment media. This paper provides some supporting evidence that interventional strategies that target changing attitudes and behaviour at a very young age through education are likely to positively change behaviour.

Genome- And Cd4+ T-Cell Methylome-Wide Association Study Of Circulating Trimethylamine-N-Oxide In The Genetics Of Lipid Lowering Drugs And Diet Network (Goldn), Stella Aslibekyan, Marguerite R. Irvin, Bertha A. Hidalgo, Rodney T. Perry, Elias J. Jeyarajah, Erwin Garcia, Irina Shalaurova, Paul N. Hopkins, Michael A. Province, Hemant K. Tiwari, Jose M. Ordovas, Devin M. Absher, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), an atherogenic metabolite species, has emerged as a possible new risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Animal studies have shown that circulating TMAO levels are regulated by genetic and environmental factors. However, large-scale human studies have failed to replicate the observed genetic associations, and epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation have never been examined in relation to TMAO levels.

Methods and results: We used data from the family-based Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) to investigate the heritable determinants of plasma TMAO in humans. TMAO was not associated with other plasma markers of cardiovascular disease, …

Cross-Talk Between Clinical And Host-Response Parameters Of Periodontitis In Smokers, Radha Nagarajan, Craig S. Miller, Dolph R. Dawson Iii, Mohanad Al-Sabbagh, Jeffrey L. Ebersole

Institute for Biomedical Informatics Faculty Publications

Background and Objective

Periodontal diseases are a major public health concern leading to tooth loss and have also been shown to be associated with several chronic systemic diseases. Smoking is a major risk factor for the development of numerous systemic diseases, as well as periodontitis. While it is clear that smokers have a significantly enhanced risk for developing periodontitis leading to tooth loss, the population varies regarding susceptibility to disease associated with smoking. This investigation focused on identifying differences in four broad sets of variables, consisting of: (i) host‐response molecules; (ii) periodontal clinical parameters; (iii) antibody responses to periodontal pathogens …

Stimulus-Selectivity Of Drug Purchase Tasks: A Preliminary Study Evaluating Alcohol And Cigarette Demand, Justin Charles Strickland, William W. Stoops

Psychology Faculty Publications

The use of drug purchase tasks to measure drug demand in human behavioral pharmacology and addiction research has proliferated in recent years. Few studies have systematically evaluated the stimulus selectivity of drug purchase tasks to demonstrate that demand metrics are specific to valuation of or demand for the commodity under study. Stimulus selectivity is broadly defined for this purpose as a condition under which a specific stimulus input or target (e.g., alcohol, cigarettes) is the primary determinant of behavior (e.g., demand). The overall goal of the present study was to evaluate the stimulus selectivity of drug purchase tasks. Participants were …

Swainsonine Biosynthesis Genes In Diverse Symbiotic And Pathogenic Fungi, Daniel Cook, Bruno G. G. Donzelli, Rebecca Creamer, Deana L. Baucom, Dale R. Gardner, Juan Pan, Neil Moore, Stuart B. Krasnoff, Jerzy W. Jaromczyk, Christopher L. Schardl

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Swainsonine—a cytotoxic fungal alkaloid and a potential cancer therapy drug—is produced by the insect pathogen and plant symbiont Metarhizium robertsii, the clover pathogen Slafractonia leguminicola, locoweed symbionts belonging to Alternaria sect. Undifilum, and a recently discovered morning glory symbiont belonging to order Chaetothyriales. Genome sequence analyses revealed that these fungi share orthologous gene clusters, designated “SWN,” which included a multifunctional swnKgene comprising predicted adenylylation and acyltransferase domains with their associated thiolation domains, a β-ketoacyl synthase domain, and two reductase domains. The role of swnK was demonstrated by inactivating it in M. robertsii through homologous …

Salivary And Serum Adiponectin And C-Reactive Protein Levels In Acute Myocardial Infarction Related To Body Mass Index And Oral Health, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Richard J. Kryscio, C. Campbell, D. F. Kinane, J. Mcdevitt, N. Christodoulides, P. N. Floriano, Craig S. Miller

Oral Health Practice Faculty Publications

Background and Objective

Adiponectin is produced by adipose cells and is considered an anti‐inflammatory molecule. In contrast, C‐reactive protein (CRP) has been identified as a hallmark of systemic inflammation and used as a risk marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Of interest was the relationship of these two biomarkers to oral health and CVD risk.

Material and Methods

This investigation examined these two molecules in serum and unstimulated whole saliva of patients within 48 h of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to control subjects. We hypothesized a differential response in these biomolecules resulting from the heart attack that would be …

Immune Checkpoint Inhibition And The Prevalence Of Autoimmune Disorders Among Patients With Lung And Renal Cancer, Sherif M. El-Refai

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: Immune checkpoint inhibition reactivates the immune response against cancer cells in multiple tissue types and has been shown to induce durable responses. However, for patients with autoimmune disorders, their conditions can worsen with this reactivation. We sought to identify, among patients with lung and renal cancer, how many harbor a comorbid autoimmune condition and may be at risk of worsening their condition while on immune checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab.

METHODS: An administrative health care claims database, Truven MarketScan, was used to identify patients diagnosed with lung and renal cancer from 2010 to 2013. We assessed patients …

Zinc Transporters Ybtx And Znuabc Are Required For The Virulence Of Yersinia Pestis In Bubonic And Pneumonic Plague In Mice, Alexander G. Bobrov, Olga Kirillina, Marina Y. Fosso, Jacqueline D. Fetherston, M. Clarke Miller, Tiva T. Vancleave, Joseph A. Burlison, William K. Arnold, Matthew B. Lawrenz, Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova, Robert D. Perry

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

A number of bacterial pathogens require the ZnuABC Zinc (Zn²⁺) transporter and/or a second Zn²⁺ transport system to overcome Zn²⁺ sequestration by mammalian hosts. Previously we have shown that in addition to ZnuABC, Yersinia pestis possesses a second Zn²⁺ transporter that involves components of the yersiniabactin (Ybt), siderophore-dependent iron transport system. Synthesis of the Ybt siderophore and YbtX, a member of the major facilitator superfamily, are both critical components of the second Zn²⁺ transport system. Here we demonstrate that a ybtX znu double mutant is essentially avirulent in mouse models of bubonic and pneumonic …

Laboratory Analysis Of Risky Driving At 0.05% And 0.08% Blood Alcohol Concentration, Nicholas A. Van Dyke, Mark T. Fillmore

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background—The public health costs associated with alcohol-related traffic crashes are a continuing problem for society. One harm reduction strategy has been to employ per se limits for blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at which drivers can legally operate motor vehicles. This limit is currently 0.08% in all 50 US states. Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board proposed lowering the legal limit to 0.05 % (NTSB, 2013). While research has well-validated the ability of alcohol to impair driving performance and heighten crash-risk at these BACs, relatively little is known about the degree to which alcohol might increase drivers’ risk-taking.

Methods—Risk-taking …

Compulsive Buying And Quality Of Life: An Estimate Of The Monetary Cost Of Compulsive Buying Among Adults In Early Midlife, Chenshu Zhang, Judith S. Brook, Carl G. Leukefeld, Mario De La Rosa, David W. Brook

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

The aims of this study were to examine the associations between compulsive buying and quality of life and to estimate the monetary cost of compulsive buying for a cohort of men and women at mean age 43. Participants came from a community-based random sample of residents in two New York counties (N=548). The participants were followed from adolescence to early midlife. The mean age of participants at the most recent interview was 43.0 (SD=2.8). Fifty five percent of the participants were females. Over 90% of the participants were white. Linear regression analyses showed that compulsive buying was significantly associated with …

Care Of The Terminally Ill Patient In India: Comments On The Proposed Legislation, Aju Mathew, M. R. Rajagopal

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Risk Of Incident Clinical Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease-Type Dementia Attributable To Pathology-Confirmed Vascular Disease, Hiroko H. Dodge, Jian Zhu, Randy Woltjer, Peter T. Nelson, David A. Bennett, Nigel J. Cairns, David W. Fardo, Jeffrey A. Kaye, Deniz-Erten Lyons, Nora Mattek, Julie A. Schneider, Lisa C. Silbert, Chengjie Xiong, Lei Yu, Frederick A. Schmitt, Richard J. Kryscio, Erin L. Abner, Smart Data Consortium

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: The presence of cerebrovascular pathology may increase the risk of clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS: We examined excess risk of incident clinical diagnosis of AD (probable and possible AD) posed by the presence of lacunes and large infarcts beyond AD pathology using data from the Statistical Modeling of Aging and Risk of Transition study, a consortium of longitudinal cohort studies with more than 2000 autopsies. We created six mutually exclusive pathology patterns combining three levels of AD pathology (low, moderate, or high AD pathology) and two levels of vascular pathology (without lacunes and large infarcts or with …

Reliability And Validity Of A Biomechanically Based Analysis Method For The Tennis Serve, Natalie L. Myers, W. Ben Kibler, Leah Lamborn, Belinda J. Smith, Tony English, Cale A. Jacobs, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: An observational tennis serve analysis (OTSA) tool was developed using previously established body positions from three-dimensional kinematic motion analysis studies. These positions, defined as nodes, have been associated with efficient force production and minimal joint loading. However, the tool has yet to be examined scientifically.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine the inter-observer reliability for each node between two health care professionals (HCPs) that developed the OTSA, and secondarily to investigate the validity of the OTSA.

Methods: Two separate studies were performed to meet these objectives. An inter-observer reliability study preceded the …

Care Coordination For Community Transitions For Individuals Post-Stroke Returning To Low-Resource Rural Communities, Patrick H. Kitzman, Keisha Hudson, Violet Sylvia, Frances Feltner, Johnnie Lovins

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

High rates of hospital readmissions have been shown within 12 months post-discharge from inpatient rehabilitation following stroke. Multiple studies coupled with our previous work indicate a need for care support for stroke survivors’ transitions to the community. The Kentucky Care Coordination for Community Transitions (KC³T) program was developed to provide access to medical, social, and environmental services to support community transitions for individuals with neurological conditions and their caregivers living in Kentucky. This program assessment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of using a specially trained community health worker to support community transitions. Thirty acute stroke survivors were …

Lisinopril Or Coreg Cr In Reducing Cardiotoxicity In Women With Breast Cancer Receiving Trastuzumab: A Rationale And Design Of A Randomized Clinical Trial, Maya Guglin, Pamela Munster, Angelina Fink, Jeffrey Krischer

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background—Trastuzumab (TZB) is an established therapy for HER2 positive breast cancer. The use of TZB is commonly associated with cardiotoxicity manifesting as asymptomatic decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or overt heart failure. Several studies demonstrated favorable effects of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta blockers (BB) in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. We hypothesize that patients, randomized to receive an ACE inhibitor or a beta-blocker during trastuzumab therapy for breast cancer, will maintain a higher LVEF than patients randomized to placebo.

Methods and Results—We designed a prospective, multicenter, randomized, phase II placebo-controlled clinical trial to …

Effects Of Kdt501 On Metabolic Parameters In Insulin-Resistant Prediabetic Humans, Philip A. Kern, Brian S. Finlin, Dorothy Ross, Tania Boyechko, Beibei Zhu, Neile Grayson, Robert Sims, Jeffrey S. Bland

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Context: KDT501 is an isohumulone drug that has demonstrated beneficial effects on metabolic parameters in mice.

Objective: This study was intended to examine potential improvements in metabolism in humans.

Design and Setting: Changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, along with inflammatory markers, were evaluated in prediabetic humans in a clinical research center.

Participants: Nine obese patients participated. All had prediabetes or normal glucose tolerance plus three features of metabolic syndrome.

Intervention: All participants were treated with escalating doses of KDT501 to a maximum dose of 1000 mg every 12 hours for a total of 28 days.

Outcome Measures: Changes in …

Estimated Probability Of Becoming A Case Of Drug Dependence In Relation To Duration Of Drug-Taking Experience: A Functional Analysis Approach, Olga A. Vsevolozhskaya, James C. Anthony

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Measured as elapsed time from first use to dependence syndrome onset, the estimated "induction interval" for cocaine is thought to be short relative to the cannabis interval, but little is known about risk of becoming dependent during first months after onset of use. Virtually all published estimates for this facet of drug dependence epidemiology are from life histories elicited years after first use. To improve estimation, we turn to new month-wise data from nationally representative samples of newly incident drug users identified via probability sampling and confidential computer-assisted self-interviews for the United States National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, …

Neurophysiological Capacity In A Working Memory Task Differentiates Dependent From Nondependent Heavy Drinkers And Controls, Michael J. Wesley, Joshua A. Lile, Mark T. Fillmore, Linda J. Porrino

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Determining the brain-behavior profiles that differentiate heavy drinkers who are and are not alcohol dependent will inform treatment efforts. Working memory is linked to substance use disorders and can serve as a representation of the demand placed on the neurophysiology associated with cognitive control.

Methods—Behavior and brain activity (via fMRI) were recorded during an N-Back working memory task in controls (CTRL), nondependent heavy drinkers (A-ND) and dependent heavy drinkers (A-D). Typical and novel step-wise analyses examined profiles of working memory load and increasing task demand, respectively.

Results—Performance was significantly decreased in A-D during high working memory load …

Outcomes Of Spatially Fractionated Radiotherapy (Grid) For Bulky Soft Tissue Sarcomas In A Large Animal Model, Michael W. Nolan, Tracy L. Gieger, Alexander A. Karakashian, Mariana N. Nikolova‑Karakashian, Lysa P. Posner, Donald M. Roback, Judith N. Rivera, Sha Chang

Physiology Faculty Publications

GRID directs alternating regions of high- and low-dose radiation at tumors. A large animal model mimicking the geometries of human treatments is needed to complement existing rodent systems (eg, microbeam) and clarify the physical and biological attributes of GRID. A pilot study was undertaken in pet dogs with spontaneous soft tissue sarcomas to characterize responses to GRID. Subjects were treated with either 20 Gy (3 dogs) or 25 Gy (3 dogs), delivered using 6 MV X-rays and a commercial GRID collimator. Acute toxicity and tumor responses were assessed 2, 4, and 6 weeks later. Acute Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade …

Diverse Expression Patterns And Tumorigenic Role Of Neurotensin Signaling Components In Colorectal Cancer Cells, Ji Tae Kim, Heidi L. Weiss, B. Mark Evers

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer (CRC), which is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, results from an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation. Neurotensin (NTS), a hormone localized to the gut and central nervous system, mediates its physiological and pathological effects, including growth stimulation for a variety of cancers, through three distinct NTS receptors (NTSRs). Most NTS functions are mediated through the high-affinity receptor NTSR1, and expression of NTSR1 is increased in many cancers including CRC. In this study, we investigated the expression profiles and cellular functions of the NTSRs, especially NTSR1, in CRC cells. We showed that expression …

Primary Lung Carcinoid Metastatic To The Breast, Marianna Zagurovskaya, Karen Tran-Harding, Richard Gibbs

Radiology Faculty Publications

Lung carcinoid tumors account for approximately 2% of lung cancers, with 10% of the tumors represented by the atypical type. While atypical carcinoids are metastatic to intrathoracic lymph nodes in approximately half of the cases on the initial presentation, distant metastases are seen in only 20% of the patients and are found most frequently in bones, liver, adrenal glands, and brain. We present a case of an unusual metastatic disease to the breast in 51-year-old female who developed a new breast mass 2 years after left lower lobectomy due to atypical carcinoid tumor. Atypical pulmonary carcinoid metastases to the breast …

Potent Anti-Cancer Effects Of Less Polar Curcumin Analogues On Gastric Adenocarcinoma And Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells, Fatemeh Alibeiki, Naser Jafari, Maryam Karimi, Hadi Peeri Dogaheh

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Curcumin and its chalcone derivatives inhibit the growth of human cancer cells. It is reported that replacement of two OH groups in curcumin with less polar groups like methoxy increases its anti-proliferative activity. In this study, we explored benzylidine cyclohexanone derivatives with non-polar groups, to see if they possess increased anti-cancer activity. Novel 2,6-bis benzylidine cyclohexanone analogues of curcumin were synthesized, and their inhibitory effects on gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (KYSE30) cancer cells were studied using an MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by EB/AO staining, and cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Real-time PCR …

Hypothesis Of K+-Recycling Defect Is Not A Primary Deafness Mechanism For Cx26 (Gjb2) Deficiency, Hong-Bo Zhao

Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery Faculty Publications

K⁺-recycling defect is a long-standing hypothesis for deafness mechanism of Connexin26 (Cx26, GJB2) mutations, which cause the most common hereditary deafness and are responsible for >50% of nonsyndromic hearing loss. The hypothesis states that Cx26 deficiency may disrupt inner ear gap junctions and compromise sinking and recycling of expelled K⁺ ions after hair cell excitation, causing accumulation of K⁺-ions in the extracellular space around hair cells producing K⁺-toxicity, which eventually induces hair cell degeneration and hearing loss. However, this hypothesis has never been directly evidenced, even though it has been widely referred …

Frameless Image-Guided Radiosurgery For Trigeminal Neuralgia, Lisa B. E. Shields, Todd S. Shanks, Andrew J. Shearer, Lauren A. Shelton, Brent J. Shelton, Jonathan Howe, James M. Coons, Brian Plato, Aaron C. Spalding

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background: Frameless image-guided radiosurgery (IGRS) is a safe and effective noninvasive treatment for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). This study evaluates the use of frameless IGRS to treat patients with refractory TN.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 20 patients diagnosed with TN who underwent frameless IGRS treatments between March 2012 and December 2013. Facial pain was graded using the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) scoring system. The initial setup uncertainty from simulation to treatment and the patient intrafraction uncertainty were measured. The median follow-up was 32 months.

Results: All patients' pain was BNI Grade IV or V before the frameless IGRS treatment. …

Disulfide High Mobility Group Box-1 Causes Bladder Pain Through Bladder Toll-Like Receptor 4, Fei Ma, Dimitrios E. Kouzoukas, Katherine L. Meyer-Siegler, Karin N. Westlund, David E. Hunt, Pedro L. Vera

Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: Bladder pain is a prominent symptom in several urological conditions (e.g. infection, painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis, cancer). Understanding the mechanism of bladder pain is important, particularly when the pain is not accompanied by bladder pathology. Stimulation of protease activated receptor 4 (PAR4) in the urothelium results in bladder pain through release of urothelial high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1). HGMB1 has two functionally active redox states (disulfide and all-thiol) and it is not known which form elicits bladder pain. Therefore, we investigated whether intravesical administration of specific HMGB1 redox forms caused abdominal mechanical hypersensitivity, micturition changes, and bladder inflammation in …

Paranormal Activity: Para-Esophageal/Gastric Hemorrhage In A Patient With A Heartmate Ii Lvad, Anna Stone, Ashwin Ravichandran

The VAD Journal

In this report we present an unusual case of non-traumatic, spontaneous para-esophageal/para-gastric hemorrhage requiring multiple units of red blood cells in a female patient with a continuous flow left ventricular assist device. She presented with dysphagia and atypical chest pain 18 months post implantation, on the recommended anticoagulation regimen for HeartMate II support of ASA 81mg and international normalized ratio goal (INR) of 2-3 and was successfully managed with conservation support, volume resuscitation and multiple transfusions. Non-traumatic causes of acute bleeding, including acquired platelet dysfunction are considered.

Optimizing Medication Appropriateness In Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Interventional Trial To Decrease Anticholinergic Burden, Daniela C. Moga, Erin L. Abner, Dorinda N. Rigsby, Lynne Eckmann, Mark Huffmyer, Richard R. Murphy, Beth B. Coy, Gregory A. Jicha

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Background

The complexity of medication therapy in older adults with multiple comorbidities often leads to inappropriate prescribing. Drugs with anticholinergic properties are of particular interest because many are not recognized for this property; their use may lead to increased anticholinergic burden resulting in significant health risks, as well as negatively impacting cognition. Medication therapy management (MTM) interventions showed promise in addressing inappropriate medication use, but the effectiveness of targeted multidisciplinary team interventions addressing anticholinergic medications in older populations is yet to be determined.

Methods

We conducted an 8-week, parallel-arm, randomized trial to evaluate whether a targeted patient-centered pharmacist–physician team MTM …

Simulating Within-Vector Generation Of The Malaria Parasite Diversity, Lauren M. Childs, Olivia F. Prosper

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent human malaria parasite, undergoes asexual reproduction within the human host, but reproduces sexually within its vector host, the Anopheles mosquito. Consequently, the mosquito stage of the parasite life cycle provides an opportunity to create genetically novel parasites in multiply-infected mosquitoes, potentially increasing parasite population diversity. Despite the important implications for disease transmission and malaria control, a quantitative mapping of how parasite diversity entering a mosquito relates to diversity of the parasite exiting, has not been undertaken. To examine the role that vector biology plays in modulating parasite diversity, we develop a two-part model framework …