Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

In Vitro Activity Of Cefepime/Taniborbactam And Comparator Agents Against Gram-Negative Bacterial Bloodstream Pathogens Recovered From Patients With Cancer, Bahgat Gerges, Joel Rosenblatt, Y-Lan Truong, Ying Jiang, Samuel A Shelburne, Anne-Marie Chaftari, Ray Hachem, Issam Raad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Taniborbactam is a β-lactamase inhibitor that, when combined with cefepime, may offer a potential treatment option for patients with serious and resistant Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) pathogens.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated

METHODS: A total of 270 GNB pathogens (2019-23) isolated from patients with cancer were tested against cefepime/taniborbactam and comparator agents commonly used for these patients. CLSI-approved broth microdilution methods were used. MIC

RESULTS: Cefepime/taniborbactam showed highly potent activity against tested Enterobacterales, including isolates producing ESBLs and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales. At a provisional breakpoint of ≤16/4 mg/L, cefepime/taniborbactam inhibited most tested species of GNB pathogens, with overall 98.9% susceptibility, which was …

Cancer Statistics In Korea: Incidence, Mortality, Survival, And Prevalence In 2021, Eun Hye Park, Kyu-Won Jung, Nam Ju Park, Mee Joo Kang, E Hwa Yun, Hye-Jin Kim, Jeong-Eun Kim, Hyun-Joo Kong, Jeong-Soo Im, Hong Gwan Seo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2021.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Incidence, survival, and prevalence rates of cancer were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, from 1999 to 2021, with survival follow-up until December 31, 2022. Deaths from cancer were assessed using causes-of-death data obtained from Statistics Korea.

RESULTS: The number of new cancer diagnoses in 2021 increased by 27,002 cases (10.8%) compared to 2020. In 2021, newly diagnosed cancer cases and deaths from cancer were reported as 277,523 (age-standardized rate [ASR], 289.3 per …

Prediction Of Cancer Incidence And Mortality In Korea, 2024, Kyu-Won Jung, Mee Joo Kang, Eun Hye Park, E Hwa Yun, Hye-Jin Kim, Jeong-Eun Kim, Hyun-Joo Kong, Jeong-Soo Im, Hong Gwan Seo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: This study aimed to report the projected cancer incidence and mortality for the year 2024 to estimate Korea's current cancer burden.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cancer incidence data from 1999 to 2021 were obtained from the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, and cancer mortality data from 1993 to 2022 were acquired from Statistics Korea. Cancer incidence and mortality were projected by fitting a linear regression model to observed age-specific cancer rates against their respective years and multiplying the projected age-specific rates by the anticipated age-specific population for 2024. A joinpoint regression model was used to determine the year in which …

E-Cadherin Loss Drives Diffuse-Type Gastric Tumorigenesis Via Ezh2-Mediated Reprogramming, Gengyi Zou, Yuanjian Huang, Shengzhe Zhang, Kyung-Pil Ko, Bongjun Kim, Jie Zhang, Vishwa Venkatesan, Melissa P Pizzi, Yibo Fan, Sohee Jun, Na Niu, Huamin Wang, Shumei Song, Jaffer A Ajani, Jae-Il Park

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Diffuse-type gastric adenocarcinoma (DGAC) is a deadly cancer often diagnosed late and resistant to treatment. While hereditary DGAC is linked to CDH1 mutations, the role of CDH1/E-cadherin inactivation in sporadic DGAC tumorigenesis remains elusive. We discovered CDH1 inactivation in a subset of DGAC patient tumors. Analyzing single-cell transcriptomes in malignant ascites, we identified two DGAC subtypes: DGAC1 (CDH1 loss) and DGAC2 (lacking immune response). DGAC1 displayed distinct molecular signatures, activated DGAC-related pathways, and an abundance of exhausted T cells in ascites. Genetically engineered murine gastric organoids showed that Cdh1 knock-out (KO), KrasG12D, Trp53 KO (EKP) accelerates tumorigenesis with immune evasion …

Protective Effects Of The Postbiotic Lactobacillus Plantarum Md35 On Bone Loss In An Ovariectomized Mice Model, Ju-Yeong Myeong, Hye-Yeon Jung, Hyo-Seok Chae, Hyang Hyun Cho, Don-Kyu Kim, You-Jee Jang, Jae-Il Park

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is caused by estrogen deficiency, which impairs bone homeostasis, resulting in increased osteoclastic resorption without a corresponding increase in osteoblastic activity. Postbiotics have several therapeutic properties, including anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-osteoporotic effects. However, the beneficial effects of the postbiotic MD35 of Lactobacillus plantarum on bone have not been studied. In this study, we demonstrated that the postbiotic L. plantarum MD35, isolated from young radish water kimchi, influences osteoclast differentiation in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMM) culture. In addition, it was effective protecting against estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) mice, an animal model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. …

Clinical Efficacy Of Blood Derivatives On Wound Healing: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis, Yanhong Wu, Guang Peng, Yuzhi Wang, Jianwu Chen, Bin Zhang, Jianbing Tang, Biao Cheng

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This study aims to evaluate the clinical effects of different blood derivatives on wound healing using network meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, OVID, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Cochrane Central were searched to obtain studies about blood derivatives on wound healing until October 2023. R 4.2.0 and Stata 15.0 softwares were used for data analysis. Forty-four studies comprising 5164 patients were included. The results of network meta-analysis showed that the healing area from high to low was GF + ORCCB, ORCCB, GF, PRF, Unnas paste dressing, APG, PRP injection, PRP, PRP + thrombin gel, PPP, HPL, CT. The healing time from low …

Systemic Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Alterations In Chronic Pancreatitis: A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional Study, Kristyn Gumpper-Fedus, Kaylin Chasser, Valentina Pita-Grisanti, Molly Torok, Timothy Pfau, Thomas A Mace, Rachel M Cole, Martha A Belury, Stacey Culp, Phil A Hart, Somashekar G Krishna, Luis F Lara, Mitchell L Ramsey, William Fisher, Evan L Fogel, Chris E Forsmark, Liang Li, Stephen Pandol, Walter G Park, Jose Serrano, Stephen K Van Den Eeden, Santhi Swaroop Vege, Dhiraj Yadav, Darwin L Conwell, Zobeida Cruz-Monserrate, Consortium For The Study Of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes, And Pancreatic Cancer (Cpdpc)

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive fibroinflammatory disorder lacking therapies and biomarkers. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a proinflammatory cytokine elevated during inflammation that binds fatty acids (FAs) such as linoleic acid. We hypothesized that systemic NGAL could serve as a biomarker for CP and, with FAs, provide insights into inflammatory and metabolic alterations.

Methods: NGAL was measured by immunoassay, and FA composition was measured by gas chromatography in plasma (n = 171) from a multicenter study, including controls (n = 50), acute and recurrent acute pancreatitis (AP/RAP) (n = 71), and CP (n = 50). Peripheral blood mononuclear …

Innominate Artery Pseudoaneurysm From A Salter-Harris Fracture Of The Sternoclavicular Joint, Emily Y Fan, Santiago Abrill Zegarra, Jennifer Walker, Errol Mortimer, Jessica P Simons

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fractures and dislocations of the sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) are uncommon, accounting for <5% of all shoulder girdle injuries. They are relatively more common in the pediatric population than in the adult population and can often present concurrently as a posteriorly displaced medial clavicular dislocation with a fracture through the unfused physis. It is especially important to recognize this injury, because its management and potential sequelae are very different from those for fractures of the clavicle shaft. This type of injury frequently requires closed or open operative management because fracture-dislocation of the SCJ can be associated with potentially serious complications such as pneumothorax, brachial plexus injury, vagus nerve injury, tracheal injury, and vascular compromise. Few case reports describe fracture-dislocation of the SCJ resulting in vascular injuries. We describe the case of a 17-year-old boy who sustained a blunt hockey injury resulting in a right physeal fracture-dislocation of the SCJ causing an innominate artery pseudoaneurysm. This was treated with excision of the pseudoaneurysm, bovine pericardial patch angioplasty repair of the innominate artery, and open reduction and internal fixation of the medial clavicular physeal fracture.

Influenza Incidence, Lineages, And Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates In Lima, Peru, 2023, Juan Gonzalo Acevedo-Rodriguez, Carlos Zamudio, Noah Kojima, Fiorella Krapp, Pablo Tsukayama, Victor Giancarlo Sal Y Rosas Celi, Dante Baldeon, Carmen Stefany Neciosup-Vera, Carlos Medina, Elsa Gonzalez-Lagos, Laura Castro, Ashley Fowlkes, Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner, Eduardo Gotuzzo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Experiences Of Using The Mindset Self-Management Mobile Health App Among Hispanic Patients: Results Of A Qualitative Study, Refugio Sepulveda, Jenny Chong, Ross Shegog, Kimberly Martin, Charles Begley, Robert Addy, Omar Rosales, Tomas Nuño, Shiela Soto, Cecilia Rosales, David Labiner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Interventions focusing on epilepsy self-management (ESM) are vital for promoting the health of people living with epilepsy. E-technology and mobile health (mHealth) tools are becoming increasingly integrated into practice to promote self-management strategies for chronic diseases, enhance care delivery, and reduce health disparities. Management Information and Decision Support Epilepsy Tool (MINDSET), a bilingual decision support tool (available in English and Spanish), was found to be both feasible and effective in facilitating goal-based ESM in the clinic.

PURPOSE: To assess the experience of using MINDSET as an ESM intervention among Hispanic patients with epilepsy to inform future interventional studies.

METHODS: …

Does A Reduction In Receiving Assistance With Daily Activities Among Older Adults In Mexico Indicate An Increase In Unmet Needs Or A Decrease In Needs For Care?, Brian Downer, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Philip Cantu, Matthew Miller, Rebeca Wong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: The percentage of older adults in Mexico with difficulty completing activities of daily living (ADL) who receive assistance from family appears to be decreasing. We compared 2 birth cohorts of older adults in Mexico to investigate whether this trend reflects an increase in unmet caregiving needs or a decrease in the need for care.

METHODS: We selected Mexican Health and Aging Study participants aged 60-76 in 2001 (n = 4,805) and 2018 (n = 6,494). ADL tasks were dressing, walking, bathing, getting in and out of bed, and toileting. Participants who reported difficulty with an ADL were asked if …

The Dementia Care Study (D-Care): Recruitment Strategies And Demographic Characteristics Of Participants In A Pragmatic Randomized Trial Of Dementia Care, Mia Yang, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Elena Volpi, Aval-Na'ree Green, Maya Lichtenstein, Katy Araujo, Pamela Borek, Peter Charpentier, James Dziura, Thomas M Gill, Rebecca Galloway, Erich J Greene, Kristin Lenoir, Peter Peduzzi, Can Meng, Jordan Reese, Amy Shelton, Eleni A Skokos, Jenny Summapund, Erin Unger, David B Reuben, Jeff D Williamson, Alan B Stevens

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Pragmatic research studies that include diverse dyads of persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their family caregivers are rare.

METHODS: Community-dwelling dyads were recruited for a pragmatic clinical trial evaluating three approaches to dementia care. Four clinical trial sites used shared and site-specific recruitment strategies to enroll health system patients.

RESULTS: Electronic health record (EHR) queries of patients with a diagnosis of dementia and engagement of their clinicians were the main recruitment strategies. A total of 2176 dyads were enrolled, with 80% recruited after the onset of the pandemic. PLWD had a mean age of 80.6 years (SD 8.5), …

Potential Impact Of Annual Vaccination With Reformulated Covid-19 Vaccines: Lessons From The Us Covid-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, Sung-Mok Jung, Sara L Loo, Emily Howerton, Lucie Contamin, Claire P Smith, Erica C Carcelén, Katie Yan, Samantha J Bents, John Levander, Jessi Espino, Joseph C Lemaitre, Koji Sato, Clifton D Mckee, Alison L Hill, Matteo Chinazzi, Jessica T Davis, Kunpeng Mu, Alessandro Vespignani, Erik T Rosenstrom, Sebastian A Rodriguez-Cartes, Julie S Ivy, Maria E Mayorga, Julie L Swann, Guido España, Sean Cavany, Sean M Moore, T Alex Perkins, Shi Chen, Rajib Paul, Daniel Janies, Jean-Claude Thill, Ajitesh Srivastava, Majd Al Aawar, Kaiming Bi, Shraddha Ramdas Bandekar, Anass Bouchnita, Spencer J Fox, Lauren Ancel Meyers, Przemyslaw Porebski, Srini Venkatramanan, Aniruddha Adiga, Benjamin Hurt, Brian Klahn, Joseph Outten, Jiangzhuo Chen, Henning Mortveit, Amanda Wilson, Stefan Hoops, Parantapa Bhattacharya, Dustin Machi, Anil Vullikanti, Bryan Lewis, Madhav Marathe, Harry Hochheiser, Michael C Runge, Katriona Shea, Shaun Truelove, Cécile Viboud, Justin Lessler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to cause significant hospitalizations and deaths in the United States. Its continued burden and the impact of annually reformulated vaccines remain unclear. Here, we present projections of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in the United States for the next 2 years under 2 plausible assumptions about immune escape (20% per year and 50% per year) and 3 possible CDC recommendations for the use of annually reformulated vaccines (no recommendation, vaccination for those aged 65 years and over, vaccination for all eligible age groups based on FDA approval).

METHODS AND FINDINGS: The COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub …

The Influence Of Home Versus Clinic Anal Human Papillomavirus Sampling On High-Resolution Anoscopy Uptake In The Prevent Anal Cancer Self-Swab Study, Jenna Nitkowski, Timothy J Ridolfi, Sarah J Lundeen, Anna R Giuliano, Elizabeth Y Chiao, Maria E Fernandez, Vanessa Schick, Jennifer S Smith, Bridgett Brzezinski, Alan G Nyitray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background Anal cancer disproportionately affects sexual and gender minority individuals living with HIV. High-resolution anoscopy (HRA) is an in-clinic procedure to detect precancerous anal lesions and cancer, yet prospective data on factors associated with HRA attendance are lacking. We examined whether anal HPV sampling at home versus in a clinic impacts HRA uptake and assessed HRA acceptability. Methods Sexual and gender minority individuals were randomised to home-based self-sampling or clinical sampling. All were asked to attend in-clinic HRA 1year later. We regressed HRA attendance on study arm using multivariable Poisson regression and assessed HRA acceptability using χ 2 tests. Results …

Differential Effects Of Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Regimens On Diabetes Distress And Depressive Symptoms In The Glycemia Reduction Approaches In Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (Grade), Jeffrey S Gonzalez, Ionut Bebu, Heidi Krause-Steinrauf, Claire J Hoogendoorn, Gladys Crespo-Ramos, Caroline Presley, Aanand D Naik, Shihchen Kuo, Mary L Johnson, Deborah Wexler, Jill P Crandall, Anne E Bantle, Valerie Arends, Andrea L Cherrington

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: We evaluated whether adding basal insulin to metformin in adults with early type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) would increase emotional distress relative to other treatments.

Research design and methods: The Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (GRADE) of adults with T2DM of < 10 years' duration, HbA1c 6.8-8.5%, and taking metformin monotherapy randomly assigned participants to add insulin glargine U-100, sulfonylurea glimepiride, the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist liraglutide, or the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor sitagliptin. The Emotional Distress Substudy enrolled 1,739 GRADE participants (mean [SD] age 58.0 [10.2] years, 32% female, 56% non-Hispanic White, 18% non-Hispanic Black, 17% Hispanic) and assessed diabetes distress and depressive symptoms every 6 months. Analyses examined differences at 1 year and over the 3-year follow-up.

Results: Across treatments, diabetes distress (-0.24, P < 0.0001) and depressive symptoms (-0.67, P < 0.0001) decreased over 1 year. Diabetes distress was lower at 1 year for the glargine group than for the other groups combined (-0.10, P = 0.002). Diabetes distress was also lower for liraglutide than for glimepiride or sitagliptin (-0.10, P = 0.008). Over the 3-year follow-up, there were no significant group differences in total diabetes distress; interpersonal diabetes distress remained lower for those assigned to liraglutide. No significant differences were observed for depressive symptoms.

Conclusions: Contrary to expectations, this randomized trial found no evidence for a deleterious effect of basal insulin on emotional distress. Glargine lowered diabetes distress modestly at 1 year rather than increasing it. Liraglutide also reduced diabetes distress at 1 year. Results can inform treatment decisions for adults …

Does Emotional Distress Predict Worse Glycemic Control Over Time? Results From The Glycemia Reduction Approaches In Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (Grade), Andrea L Cherrington, Ionut Bebu, Heidi Krause-Steinrauf, Claire J Hoogendoorn, Gladys Crespo-Ramos, Caroline Presley, Aanand D Naik, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Michaela R Gramzinski, Tina Killean, Valerie L Arends, Jeffrey S Gonzalez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To evaluate whether baseline levels of depressive symptoms and diabetes-specific distress are associated with glycemic control in Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (GRADE), a large randomized controlled trial comparing the metabolic effects of four common glucose-lowering medications when combined with metformin in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Research design and methods: The primary and secondary outcomes were defined as an HbA1c value ≥7%, subsequently confirmed, and an HbA1c value >7.5%, subsequently confirmed, respectively. Separate Cox proportional hazards models assessed the association between baseline levels of each exposure of interest (depressive symptoms measured with …

Emotional Distress Predicts Reduced Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Adherence In The Glycemia Reduction Approaches In Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (Grade), Claire J Hoogendoorn, Heidi Krause-Steinrauf, Diane Uschner, Hui Wen, Caroline A Presley, Elizabeth A Legowski, Aanand D Naik, Sherita Hill Golden, Valerie L Arends, Janet Brown-Friday, Jonathan A Krakoff, Colleen E Suratt, Andrea H Waltje, Andrea L Cherrington, Jeffrey S Gonzalez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: We examined longitudinal associations between emotional distress (specifically, depressive symptoms and diabetes distress) and medication adherence in Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (GRADE), a large randomized controlled trial comparing four glucose-lowering medications added to metformin in adults with relatively recent-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Research design and methods: The Emotional Distress Substudy assessed medication adherence, depressive symptoms, and diabetes distress in 1,739 GRADE participants via self-completed questionnaires administered biannually up to 3 years. We examined baseline depressive symptoms and diabetes distress as predictors of medication adherence over 36 months. Bidirectional visit-to-visit relationships were also …

Concordance Of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes In Mailed Home-Based Self-Collected Versus Clinician-Collected Anal Swabs Among Sexual And Gender Minority Individuals, Jenna Nitkowski, Anna R Giuliano, Tim Ridolfi, Elizabeth Chiao, Maria E Fernandez, Vanessa Schick, Michael D Swartz, Jennifer S Smith, Alan G Nyitray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Home-based self-sampling may be a viable option for anal cancer screening among sexual minority men (SMM). Yet limited research has compared home-based self-collected with clinician-collected anal swabs for human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping.

Methods: The Prevent Anal Cancer Self-Swab Study recruited SMM and transgender persons 25 years and over in Milwaukee, WI to participate in an anal cancer screening study. Participants were randomized to a home or clinic arm. Home-based participants were mailed an anal self-sampling kit to complete and return via postal mail. They were also asked to attend a clinic appointment where a clinician collected an anal swab. …

Transitioning From An In-Person Intervention To Augmented Text Messaging During Covid-19 In Mexican Americans With Prediabetes: The Starr County Diabetes Prevention Randomized Clinical Trial, Sharon A Brown, Mary A Winter, Heather A Becker, Alexandra A García, Mary M Velasquez, Hirofumi Tanaka, William B Perkison, Eric L Brown, David Aguilar, Craig L Hanis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore the feasibility of using commonly available technology, such as text messaging, for diabetes prevention in rural Mexican American communities during COVID-19.

METHODS: Participants were selected from a diabetes prevention study funded by the National Institutes of Health that, prior to COVID-19, involved in-person group intervention sessions. Participants were predominantly female adults born in Mexico and Spanish-speaking. A subsample (n = 140) was divided into 3 cohorts: (1) 50 who completed the initial in-person intervention prior to the COVID-19 research pause, (2) 60 who needed additional support sessions to complete the intervention …

Samhd1 Compound Heterozygous Rare Variants Associated With Moyamoya And Mitral Valve Disease In The Absence Of Other Features Of Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome, Aamuktha R Karla, Amélie Pinard, Maura L Boerio, Dimitri Hemelsoet, Simon J Tavernier, Michel De Pauw, Elke Vereecke, Stuart Fraser, Michael J Bamshad, Dongchuan Guo, Bert Callewaert, Dianna M Milewicz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) is an autosomal recessive inflammatory syndrome that manifests as an early-onset encephalopathy with both neurologic and extraneurologic clinical findings. AGS has been associated with pathogenic variants in nine genes: TREX1, RNASEH2B, RNASEH2C, RNASEH2A, SAMHD1, ADAR, IFIH1, LSM11, and RNU7-1. Diagnosis is established by clinical findings (encephalopathy and acquired microcephaly, intellectual and physical impairments, dystonia, hepatosplenomegaly, sterile pyrexia, and/or chilblains), characteristic abnormalities on cranial CT (calcification of the basal ganglia and white matter) and MRI (leukodystrophic changes), or the identification of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in the known genes. One of the genes associated with AGS, SAMHD1, has also …

Maintaining Program Fidelity In A Changing World: National Implementation Of A School-Based Hiv Prevention Program, Elizabeth Schieber, Lynette Deveaux, Lesley Cotrell, Xiaoming Li, Stephenie C Lemon, Arlene S Ash, Karen Macdonell, Samiran Ghosh, Maxwell Poitier, Glenda Rolle, Sylvie Naar, Bo Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Large-scale, evidence-based interventions face challenges to program fidelity of implementation. We developed implementation strategies to support teachers implementing an evidence-based HIV prevention program in schools, Focus on Youth in The Caribbean (FOYC) and Caribbean Informed Parents and Children Together (CImPACT) in The Bahamas. We examined the effects of these implementation strategies on teachers' implementation in the subsequent year after the initial implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 79 Grade 6 teachers in 24 government elementary schools. Teachers completed training workshops and a pre-implementation questionnaire to record their characteristics and perceptions that might affect their program fidelity. School …

A Multitrait Genetic Study Of Hemostatic Factors And Hemorrhagic Transformation After Stroke Treatment, Cristina Gallego-Fabrega, Gerard Temprano-Sagrera, Jara Cárcel-Márquez, Elena Muiño, Natalia Cullell, Miquel Lledós, Laia Llucià-Carol, Jesús M Martin-Campos, Tomás Sobrino, José Castillo, Mònica Millán, Lucía Muñoz-Narbona, Elena López-Cancio, Marc Ribó, Jose Alvarez-Sabin, Jordi Jiménez-Conde, Jaume Roquer, Silvia Tur, Victor Obach, Juan F Arenillas, Tomas Segura, Gemma Serrano-Heras, Joan Marti-Fabregas, Marimar Freijo-Guerrero, Francisco Moniche, Maria Del Mar Castellanos, Alanna C Morrison, Nicholas L Smith, Paul S De Vries, Israel Fernández-Cadenas, Maria Sabater-Lleal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Thrombolytic recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA) treatment is the only pharmacologic intervention available in the ischemic stroke acute phase. This treatment is associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhages, known as hemorrhagic transformations (HTs), which worsen the patient's prognosis.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the association between genetically determined natural hemostatic factors' levels and increased risk of HT after r-tPA treatment.

METHODS: Using data from genome-wide association studies on the risk of HT after r-tPA treatment and data on 7 hemostatic factors (factor [F]VII, FVIII, von Willebrand factor [VWF], FXI, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and tissue plasminogen activator), we performed …

The Peer To Career Pipeline: An Observational Study Of Peer Worker Trainee Characteristics And Training Completion Likelihood, Sierra Castedo De Martell, J Michael Wilkerson, Jason Howell, H Shelton Brown, Nalini Ranjit, Lori Holleran Steiker, Sheryl A Mccurdy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Peer recovery support services (PRSS) for substance use disorder (SUD) are a flexible and evidence-based intervention employed across multiple settings and for a variety of populations. These services have expanded over the past two decades, but there is little research on recruitment and training of prospective peer workers - the peer to career pipeline. This study observed training outcomes for applicants to a peer worker scholarship program in Texas.

Methods: A total of 448 participants provided baseline personal history information, and a subset of participants (n = 239) completed optional psychosocial surveys. Logistic regression analysis tested associations of personal …

Adsorbents From Rice Husk And Shrimp Shell For Effective Removal Of Heavy Metals And Reactive Dyes In Water, Md Ibrahim H Mondal, Shovra Chandra Chakraborty, Md Saifur Rahman, Shaik Merkatur Hakim Marjuban, Firoz Ahmed, John L Zhou, Mohammad Boshir Ahmed, Masoumeh Zargar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Widespread contamination by heavy metals (HMs) and dyes poses a major health risk to people and ecosystems requiring effective treatment. In this work, rice husk (RH) and shrimp shells were extracted to obtain amorphous silica and chitosan, respectively, which were utilized to produce nano-chitosan-coated silica (NCCS). To ensure the stability of the nanoparticles, silica was freeze-dried after being coated with nano-chitosan. Functional groups (-NH

Design, Protocol And Baseline Data Of Nurturing Healthy Teachers, A Cluster Non-Randomized Controlled Trial To Improve The Health, Well-Being, And Food Security Of Preschool And Elementary School Teachers In Houston, Texas, Shreela V Sharma, Mackenzie Senn, Angela Zieba, Miao Tang, Ru-Jye Chuang, Courtney Byrd-Williams, Mike Pomeroy, Azar Gaminian, Jill Cox, Katherine French, Nalini Ranjit

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: We present the conceptual framework, design, and study measures of Nurturing Healthy Teachers, a quasi-experimental study to examine the short- and long-term effectiveness of the Nurturing Healthy Teachers (NHT) nutrition intervention on food insecurity, dietary behaviors, mental health and cardiometabolic health among preschool and elementary school teachers.

METHODS: A convenience sample of 28 elementary schools with pre-kindergarten and elementary classrooms were recruited in Houston, Texas. Nurturing Healthy Teacher intervention includes Brighter Bites, an evidence-based coordinated school health program that combines access to fresh produce and nutrition education, and Create Healthy Futures, a web-based nutrition education program that targets nutrition …

Serum Metabolomic Markers Of Protein-Rich Foods And Incident Ckd: Results From The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Lauren Bernard, Jingsha Chen, Hyunju Kim, Kari E Wong, Lyn M Steffen, Bing Yu, Eric Boerwinkle, Andrew S Levey, Morgan E Grams, Eugene P Rhee, Casey M Rebholz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: While urine excretion of nitrogen estimates the total protein intake, biomarkers of specific dietary protein sources have been sparsely studied. Using untargeted metabolomics, this study aimed to identify serum metabolomic markers of 6 protein-rich foods and to examine whether dietary protein-related metabolites are associated with incident chronic kidney disease (CKD).

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3,726 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study without CKD at baseline.

EXPOSURES: Dietary intake of 6 protein-rich foods (fish, nuts, legumes, red and processed meat, eggs, and poultry), serum metabolites.

OUTCOMES: Incident CKD (estimated …

Final Report Of The Phase Ii Next/Cns-Gct-4 Trial: Gempox Followed By Marrow-Ablative Chemotherapy For Recurrent Intracranial Germ Cell Tumors, Margaret Shatara, Megan Blue, Joseph Stanek, Yin A Liu, Daniel M Prevedello, Pierre Giglio, Vinay K Puduvalli, Sharon L Gardner, Jeffrey C Allen, Kenneth K Wong, Marvin D Nelson, Floyd H Gilles, Roberta H Adams, Jasmine Pauly, Katrina O'Halloran, Ashley S Margol, Girish Dhall, Jonathan L Finlay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Patients with relapsed intracranial germinoma can achieve durable remission with standard chemotherapy regimens and/or reirradiation; however, innovative therapies are required for patients with relapsed and/or refractory intracranial nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs) due to their poor prognosis. Improved outcomes have been reported using reinduction chemotherapy to achieve minimal residual disease, followed by marrow-ablative chemotherapy (HDCx) with autologous hematopoietic progenitor cell rescue (AuHPCR). We conducted a phase II trial evaluating the response and toxicity of a 3-drug combination developed for recurrent intracranial germ cell tumors consisting of gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and oxaliplatin (GemPOx).

Methods: A total of 9 patients with confirmed …

The Tudor-Knot Domain Of Kat5 Regulates Nucleosomal Substrate Acetylation, Fan Xuan, Hongwen Xuan, Mengying Huang, Wei He, Han Xu, Xiaobing Shi, Hong Wen

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The lysine acetyltransferase KAT5 is a pivotal enzyme responsible for catalyzing histone H4 acetylation in cells. In addition to its indispensable HAT domain, KAT5 also encompasses a conserved Tudor-knot domain at its N-terminus. However, the function of this domain remains elusive, with conflicting findings regarding its role as a histone reader. In our study, we have employed a CRISPR tiling array approach and unveiled the Tudor-knot motif as an essential domain for cell survival. The Tudor-knot domain does not bind to histone tails and is not required for KAT5's chromatin occupancy. However, its absence leads to a global reduction in …

Identifying Cancer Subtypes Based On Embryonic And Hematopoietic Stem Cell Signatures In Pan-Cancer, Jiali Lei, Jiangti Luo, Qian Liu, Xiaosheng Wang

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Purpose: Cancer cells with stem cell-like properties may contribute to cancer development and therapy resistance. The advancement of multi-omics technology has sparked interest in exploring cancer stemness from a multi-omics perspective. However, there is a limited number of studies that have attempted to subtype cancer by combining different types of stem cell signatures.

Methods: In this study, 10,323 cancer specimens from 33 TCGA cancer types were clustered based on the enrichment scores of six stemness gene sets, representing two types of stem cell backgrounds: embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).

Results: We identified four subtypes of pan-cancer, …

Flexible Bayesian Product Mixture Models For Vector Autoregressions, Suprateek Kundu, Joshua Lukemire

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bayesian non-parametric methods based on Dirichlet process mixtures have seen tremendous success in various domains and are appealing in being able to borrow information by clustering samples that share identical parameters. However, such methods can face hurdles in heterogeneous settings where objects are expected to cluster only along a subset of axes or where clusters of samples share only a subset of identical parameters. We overcome such limitations by developing a novel class of product of Dirichlet process location-scale mixtures that enables independent clustering at multiple scales, which results in varying levels of information sharing across samples. First, we develop …