Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Changes In Conjunctival Mononuclear Phagocytes And Suppressive Activity Of Regulatory Macrophages In Desiccation Induced Dry Eye, Jehan Alam, Ebru Yaman, Cintia S De Paiva, De-Quan Li, Gerda Cristal Villalba Silva, Zhen Zuo, Stephen C Pflugfelder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of dry eye on conjunctival immune cell number and transcriptional profiles with attention to mononuclear phagocytes.

Methods: Expression profiling was performed by single-cell RNA sequencing on sorted conjunctival immune cells from non-stressed and C57BL/6 mice subjected to desiccating stress (DS). Monocle 3 modeled cell trajectory, scATAC-seq assessed chromatin accessibility and IPA identified canonical pathways. Inflammation and goblet cells were measured after depletion of MRC1+ MΦs with mannosylated clodronate liposomes.

Results: Mononuclear phagocytes (monocytes, MΦs, DCs) comprised 72 % of immune cells and showed the greatest changes with DS. Distinct DS induced gene expression patterns were …

Novel Genes Of The Male Reproductive System: Potential Roles In Male Reproduction And As Non-Hormonal Male Contraceptive Targets, Thomas X Garcia, Martin M Matzuk

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The development of novel non-hormonal male contraceptives represents a pivotal frontier in reproductive health, driven by the need for safe, effective, and reversible contraceptive methods. This comprehensive review explores the genetic underpinnings of male fertility, emphasizing the crucial roles of specific genes and structural variants (SVs) identified through advanced sequencing technologies such as long-read sequencing (LRS). LRS has revolutionized the detection of structural variants and complex genomic regions, offering unprecedented precision and resolution over traditional next-generation sequencing (NGS). Key genetic targets, including those implicated in spermatogenesis and sperm motility, are highlighted, showcasing their potential as non-hormonal contraceptive targets. The review …

Addressing Platelet Insecurity – A National Call To Action, Eric A Gehrie, Pampee P Young, Sridhar V Basavaraju, Arthur W Bracey, Andrew P Cap, Liz Culler, Nancy M Dunbar, Mary Homer, Iris Isufi, Rob Macedo, Tanya Petraszko, Glenn Ramsey, Christopher A Tormey, Richard M Kaufman, Edward L Snyder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Are Veterans At Increased Risk Of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms?, Christin B Destefano, Nicholas Burwick, Drew A Helmer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Progress And Accountability For Achieving Cop26 Health Programme International Ambitions For Sustainable, Low-Carbon, Resilient Health-Care Systems, Iris Martine Blom, Fawzia N Rasheed, Hardeep Singh, Matthew J Eckelman, Meghnath Dhimal, Martin Hensher, Renzo R Guinto, Alice Mcgushin, Xuejuan Ning, Poornima Prabhakaran, Marina Romanello, Dana Van Alphen, Nick Watts, Jessica C Yu, Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo, Andrea J Macneill, Jodi D Sherman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A global initiative to develop low-carbon, resilient health systems-the COP26 Health Programme-launched at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) in 2021. As of May, 2024, 83 nations have committed to participate in this initiative. This analysis evaluates the effectiveness of existing and proposed indicators towards public monitoring and accountability to these commitments. Our findings reveal substantial gaps in data availability and indicator relevance, with many countries reporting process indicators that do not reflect actual progress towards achieving sustainable health-care systems. We found a dearth of suitable indicators and an urgent need to develop …

Integrated Safety And Efficacy Analyses Of Phase 3 Trials Of A Microbiome Therapeutic For Recurrent Cdi, Colleen S Kraft, Matthew Sims, Michael Silverman, Thomas J Louie, Paul Feuerstadt, Edward S Huang, Sahil Khanna, Charles S Berenson, Elaine E L Wang, Stuart H Cohen, Louis Korman, Christine Lee, Colleen R Kelly, Alberto Odio, Paul P Cook, Bret Lashner, Mayur Ramesh, Princy Kumar, Ananya De, Asli Memisoglu, David A Lombardi, Brooke R Hasson, Barbara H Mcgovern, Lisa Von Moltke, Darrell S Pardi, Ecospor Iii And Ecospor Iv Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) often occurs after standard-of-care antibiotics. VOWST oral spores (VOS, previously SER-109), an FDA-approved orally administered microbiome therapeutic, is indicated to prevent rCDI following antibiotics for rCDI.

OBJECTIVE, DESIGN, AND PATIENTS: To evaluate safety and efficacy of VOS from two phase 3 trials, (randomized, placebo-controlled [ECOSPOR III: NCT03183128] and open-label, single arm [ECOSPOR IV: NCT03183141]) of 349 adults with rCDI and prevalent comorbidities.

METHODS: VOS or placebo [ECOSPOR III only] (4 capsules once daily for 3 days). Integrated analysis of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) collected through week 8; serious TEAEs and TEAEs of special interest …

Perineuronal Nets’ Role In Metabolism, Nan Zhang, Beite Song, Peng Bai, Li Du, Lulu Chen, Yong Xu, Tianshu Zeng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Perineuronal nets (PNNs), specialized extracellular matrix (ECM) structures that envelop neurons, have recently been recognized as key players in the regulation of metabolism. This review explores the growing body of knowledge concerning PNNs and their role in metabolic control, drawing insights from recent research and relevant studies. The pivotal role of PNNs in the context of energy balance and whole body blood glucose is examined. This review also highlights novel findings, including the effects of astroglia, microglia, sex and gonadal hormones, nutritional regulation, circadian rhythms, and age on PNNs dynamics. These findings illuminate the complex and multifaceted role of PNNs …

Characterization And Visualization Of Tandem Repeats At Genome Scale, Egor Dolzhenko, Adam English, Harriet Dashnow, Guilherme De Sena Brandine, Tom Mokveld, William J Rowell, Caitlin Karniski, Zev Kronenberg, Matt C Danzi, Warren A Cheung, Chengpeng Bi, Emily Farrow, Aaron Wenger, Khi Pin Chua, Verónica Martínez-Cerdeño, Trevor D Bartley, Peng Jin, David L Nelson, Stephan Zuchner, Tomi Pastinen, Aaron R Quinlan, Fritz J Sedlazeck, Michael A Eberle

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Tandem repeat (TR) variation is associated with gene expression changes and numerous rare monogenic diseases. Although long-read sequencing provides accurate full-length sequences and methylation of TRs, there is still a need for computational methods to profile TRs across the genome. Here we introduce the Tandem Repeat Genotyping Tool (TRGT) and an accompanying TR database. TRGT determines the consensus sequences and methylation levels of specified TRs from PacBio HiFi sequencing data. It also reports reads that support each repeat allele. These reads can be subsequently visualized with a companion TR visualization tool. Assessing 937,122 TRs, TRGT showed a Mendelian concordance of …

Metabolic Dependencies Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells, Xiangguo Shi, Mengdie Feng, Daisuke Nakada

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy primarily driven by an immature population of AML cells termed leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that are implicated in AML development, chemoresistance, and relapse. An emerging area of research in AML focuses on identifying and targeting the aberrant metabolism in LSCs. Dysregulated metabolism is involved in sustaining functional properties of LSCs, impeding myeloid differentiation, and evading programmed cell death, both in the process of leukemogenesis and in response to chemotherapy. This review discusses recent discoveries regarding the aberrant metabolic processes of AML LSCs that have begun to change the therapeutic landscape of …

Cancer Drug-Tolerant Persister Cells: From Biological Questions To Clinical Opportunities, Mariangela Russo, Mengnuo Chen, Elisa Mariella, Haoning Peng, Sumaiyah K Rehman, Elena Sancho, Alberto Sogari, Tzen S Toh, Nathalie Q Balaban, Eduard Batlle, Rene Bernards, Mathew J Garnett, Matthew Hangauer, Eleonora Leucci, Jean-Christophe Marine, Catherine A O'Brien, Yaara Oren, E Elizabeth Patton, Caroline Robert, Susan M Rosenberg, Shensi Shen, Alberto Bardelli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The emergence of drug resistance is the most substantial challenge to the effectiveness of anticancer therapies. Orthogonal approaches have revealed that a subset of cells, known as drug-tolerant 'persister' (DTP) cells, have a prominent role in drug resistance. Although long recognized in bacterial populations which have acquired resistance to antibiotics, the presence of DTPs in various cancer types has come to light only in the past two decades, yet several aspects of their biology remain enigmatic. Here, we delve into the biological characteristics of DTPs and explore potential strategies for tracking and targeting them. Recent findings suggest that DTPs exhibit …

Perspectives On Hand Hygiene In Belizean Healthcare Facilities During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Evaluation With Healthcare Workers, Kelsey Mcdavid, Christina Craig, Anh N Ly, Nicholas Bivens, Francis Morey, Russell Manzanero, Gerhaldine Morazan, Ella Hawes, Alexandra Medley, Kristy Murray, Matthew Lozier

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The World Health Organization recommends healthcare workers (HCWs) practice hand hygiene (HH) while providing care. Making alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) available at points of care is recommended during times of high patient volume, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In low- and middle-income countries, such as Belize, there may be limited access to HH materials within healthcare facilities (HCF). This paper examines the motivators and barriers to HH among HCWs in the 11 largest public healthcare facilities in Belize and HCWs' experiences with an intervention. In 2021, focus group discussions (FGDs) gathered HCWs' HH perceptions and preferences. An intervention was then …

Does Delaying Levodopa Prevent Motor Complications In Parkinson's Disease? A Meta-Analysis, Luis Guilherme Ramanzini, Julia M Frare, Luís F M Camargo, Juliana O F Silveira, Joseph Jankovic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: There has been a long debate whether delaying treatment with levodopa prevents motor complications in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Objectives: We performed a meta-analysis on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared early- versus delayed-start treatment with levodopa in PD.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from inception to July 1, 2023. Only RCTs that compared early and delayed levodopa treatment in PD were included. Non-randomized comparisons from follow-up studies were included as well. Our primary outcomes were occurrence of overall motor complications, motor fluctuations, and dyskinesias.

Results: Seven studies with a total …

Relative Effectiveness And Immunogenicity Of Quadrivalent Recombinant Influenza Vaccine Versus Egg-Based Inactivated Influenza Vaccine Among Adults Aged 18-64 Years: Results And Experience From A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial, Lauren Grant, Jennifer A Whitaker, Sarang K Yoon, Karen Lutrick, Shivam Bhargava, C Perry Brown, Emily Zaragoza, Rebecca V Fink, Jennifer Meece, Kristina Wielgosz, Hana El Sahly, Kurt T Hegmann, Ashley A Lowe, Alia Southworth, Tanya Tatum, Sarah W Ball, Min Z Levine, Matthew S Thiese, Steph Battan-Wraith, John Barnes, Andrew L Phillips, Alicia M Fry, Fatimah S Dawood, Randomized Assessment Of Influenza Vaccine Efficacy Network (Raiven)

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Immunogenicity studies suggest that recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) may provide better protection against influenza than standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccines (SD IIV). This randomized trial evaluated the relative vaccine effectiveness (VE) and immunogenicity of RIV versus SD IIV in frontline workers and students aged 18-64 years.

METHODS: Participants were randomized to receive RIV or SD IIV and followed for reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed influenza during the 2022-2023 influenza season. Sera were collected from a subset of participants before and at 1 and 6 months postvaccination and tested by hemagglutination inhibition for A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Yamagata, and B/Victoria and against cell-grown …

Long-Term Efficacy And Safety Of Cannabidiol In Patients With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: 3-Year Results From The Cannabidiol Expanded Access Program, Arie Weinstock, E Martina Bebin, Daniel Checketts, Gary D Clark, Jerzy P Szaflarski, Laurie E Seltzer, Elizabeth A Thiele, Farhad Sahebkar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: The cannabidiol (CBD) Expanded Access Program provided compassionate access to CBD for patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy, including tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), at 35 US epilepsy centers. Here, we present the long-term efficacy and safety outcomes for add-on CBD treatment in patients with TSC.

METHODS: Patients received plant-derived, highly purified CBD (Epidiolex® 100 mg/mL, oral solution), increasing from 2 to 10 mg/kg/d to tolerance or maximum of 25-50 mg/kg/d. Efficacy endpoints were percentage change from baseline in median monthly convulsive, focal, and total seizure frequency and ≥ 50%, ≥75%, and 100% responder rates across 12-week visit windows through 144 weeks. …

Targeting Snai1-Mediated Colorectal Cancer Chemoresistance And Stemness By Sphingosine Kinase 2 Inhibition, Harinarayanan Janakiraman, Zachary Gao, Yun Zhu, Jiangling Dong, Scott A Becker, Alhaji Janneh, Besim Ogretmen, E Ramsay Camp

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells (CSCs), and colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy resistance are closely associated. Prior reports have demonstrated that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) supports stem cells and maintains the CSC phenotype. We hypothesized that the EMT inducer SNAI1 drives S1P signaling to amplify CSC self-renewal capacity and chemoresistance.

METHODS: CRC cell lines with or without ectopic expression of SNAI1 were used to study the role of S1P signaling as mediators of cancer stemness and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) chemoresistance. The therapeutic ability of sphingosine kinase 2 (SPHK2) was assessed using siRNA and ABC294640, a SPHK2 inhibitor. CSCs were isolated from patient-derived …

Circulating Tumor Cell Count And Overall Survival In Patients With Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer, Amir Goldkorn, Catherine Tangen, Melissa Plets, Daniel Bsteh, Tong Xu, Jacek K Pinski, Sue Ingles, Timothy Junius Triche, Gary R Macvicar, Daniel A Vaena, Anthony W Crispino, David James Mcconkey, Primo N Lara, Maha H A Hussain, David I Quinn, Tanya B Dorff, Seth Paul Lerner, Ian Thompson, Neeraj Agarwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IMPORTANCE: In metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), new first-line combination therapies have enhanced overall survival (OS), but clinical outcomes for individual patients vary greatly and are difficult to predict. Peripheral blood circulating tumor cell (CTC) count is the most extensively validated prognostic liquid biomarker in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), and recent studies have suggested that it may also be informative in mHSPC.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prognostic value of CTC count in men with mHSPC.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this prognostic study, peripheral blood was drawn at registration (baseline) and at progression to mCRPC in the S1216 study …

Intimate Partner Violence-Related Brain Injury: Unmasking And Addressing The Gaps, Carrie Esopenko, Divya Jain, Shambhu Prasad Adhikari, Kristen Dams-O'Connor, Michael Ellis, Halina Lin Haag, Elizabeth S Hovenden, Finian Keleher, Inga K Koerte, Hannah M Lindsey, Amy D Marshall, Karen Mason, J Scott Mcnally, Deleene S Menefee, Tricia L Merkley, Emma N Read, Philine Rojcyk, Sandy R Shultz, Mujun Sun, Danielle Toccalino, Eve M Valera, Paul Van Donkelaar, Cheryl Wellington, Elisabeth A Wilde

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant, global public health concern. Women, individuals with historically underrepresented identities, and disabilities are at high risk for IPV and tend to experience severe injuries. There has been growing concern about the risk of exposure to IPV-related head trauma, resulting in IPV-related brain injury (IPV-BI), and its health consequences. Past work suggests that a significant proportion of women exposed to IPV experience IPV-BI, likely representing a distinct phenotype compared with BI of other etiologies. An IPV-BI often co-occurs with psychological trauma and mental health complaints, leading to unique issues related to identifying, prognosticating, and …

Circulating Blood Plasma Profiling Reveals Proteomic Signature And A Causal Role For Svep1 In Sudden Cardiac Death, Thuyvy Duong, Thomas R Austin, Jennifer A Brody, Ali Shojaie, Alexis Battle, Joel S Bader, Yun Soo Hong, Christie M Ballantyne, Josef Coresh, Robert E Gerszten, Russell P Tracy, Bruce M Psaty, Nona Sotoodehnia, Dan E Arking

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing For Lbbb: Will Left Ventricular Septal Pacing Do?, Daniel J Friedman, Mihail G Chelu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Multivalent Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions Probed By Composition-Gradient Multiangle Light Scattering, Josephine C Ferreon, Natee Kongchan, Phoebe S Tsoi, Kyoung-Jae Choi, Sophia Kenrick, Joel Neilson, Allan Chris M Ferreon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Many RNA-binding proteins, such as TDP-43 or CELF1, interact multivalently with nucleic acid repetitive elements. The molecular stoichiometry of protein to nucleic acid is often difficult to assess, particularly by standard electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). Here, we investigate the use of composition-gradient multiangle light scattering (CG-MALS) for quantifying binding affinity and stoichiometry for two RNA-binding proteins with their nucleic acid partners of varied sequence and length: TDP43's N-terminal RNA recognition motifs with both TG/GU-repeat ssDNA and ssRNA, respectively, and CELF1's two N-terminal RNA recognition motifs with (TG/UGUU/GU) repeats and an experimentally defined cognate GU-rich element (GRE). Our CG-MALS data …

Polycaprolactone-Based Shape Memory Foams As Self-Fitting Vaginal Stents, Ashley J Hicks, Courteney Roberts, Andrew Robinson, Kailey Wilson, Varsha Kotamreddy, Trace Larue, Arian Veyssi, Felipe Beltran, Julie Hakim, Manuel K Rausch, Melissa Grunlan, Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

There is an urgent critical need for a patient-forward vaginal stent that can prevent debilitating vaginal stenosis that occurs after pelvic radiation treatments and vaginal reconstruction. To this end, we developed a self-fitting vaginal stent based on a shape-memory polymer (SMP) foam that can assume a secondary, compressed shape for ease of deployment. Upon insertion, the change in temperature and hydration initiates foam expansion to shape fit to the individual patient and restore the lumen of the stent to allow egress of vaginal secretions. To achieve rapid actuation at physiological temperature, we investigated the effect of architecture of two photocurable, …

Dna Vaccines Against Gprc5d Synergize With Pd-1 Blockade To Treat Multiple Myeloma, Praveen Neeli, Perry Ayn Mayson A Maza, Dafei Chai, Dan Zhao, Xen Ping Hoi, Keith Syson Chan, Ken H Young, Yong Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Multiple myeloma (MM), a hematological malignancy of the bone marrow, remains largely incurable. The orphan G protein-coupled receptor, GPRC5D, which is uniquely expressed in plasma cells and highly expressed in MM, is a compelling candidate for immunotherapy. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a combination of DNA vaccine encoding mouse GPRC5D and PD-1 blockade in preventing and treating MM using the 5TGM1 murine model of MM. The mouse vaccine alone was effective in preventing myeloma growth but required PD-1 antibodies to inhibit established MM tumors. We next evaluated the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of a nanoplasmid vector encoding …

Dysarthria And Weakness In A Patient With Cirrhosis, Jodie Mogensen, Kim N Du, Kimberly Hein, Lee Bach Lu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Burden Of Mortality From Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Biliary Tract Cancers By Race And Ethnicity And Sex In Us, 2018–2023, Donghee Kim, Richie Manikat, Karn Wijarnpreecha, George Cholankeril, Aijaz Ahmed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The trends in mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and biliary tract cancers stratified by sex and race/ethnicity in the US continue to evolve. We estimated the sex- and race/ethnicity-based trends in HCC and biliary tract cancers-related mortality in US adults with a focus on disease burden.

METHODS: We performed a population-based analysis using the US national mortality records from 2018 to 2023. We identified HCC and biliary tract cancer using appropriate ICD-10 codes. Temporal trends in mortality were calculated by joinpoint analysis with annual percentage change (APC).

RESULTS: Annual age-standardized mortality from HCC decreased steadily with an APC of …

Effect Of A Behavioral Nudge On Adoption Of An Electronic Health Record-Agnostic Pulmonary Embolism Risk Prediction Tool: A Pilot Cluster Nonrandomized Controlled Trial, Safiya Richardson, Katherine L Dauber-Decker, Jeffrey Solomon, Pradeep Seelamneni, Sundas Khan, Douglas P Barnaby, John Chelico, Michael Qiu, Yan Liu, Shreya Sanghani, Stephanie M Izard, Codruta Chiuzan, Devin Mann, Renee Pekmezaris, Thomas Mcginn, Michael A Diefenbach

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a behavioral nudge on adoption of a clinical decision support (CDS) tool.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a pilot cluster nonrandomized controlled trial in 2 Emergency Departments (EDs) at a large academic healthcare system in the New York metropolitan area. We tested 2 versions of a CDS tool for pulmonary embolism (PE) risk assessment developed on a web-based electronic health record-agnostic platform. One version included behavioral nudges incorporated into the user interface.

RESULTS: A total of 1527 patient encounters were included in the trial. The CDS tool adoption …

Epidural Interlay Graft For Pituitary Surgery: A 4-Year Institutional Experience, Rita Snyder, Sungho Lee, Prazwal Athukuri, Emmeline Monique Tan Ngo, Meha Goyal Fox, Samer Fakhri, Masayoshi Takashima, Bahar Kapoor Force, Susan Leanne Samson, Kathleen Kelly Gallagher, Daniel Yoshor, Ali Jalali

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective  Sellar repair techniques with varying complexity and effectiveness have been employed to reduce the incidence of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks following endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. This study describes our institutional experience with a minimalistic, highly effective approach to sellar repair.

Methods  The authors performed a retrospective review of consecutive cases of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery performed at our institution. All included subjects underwent sellar repair with an epidural interlay graft. Relationships between patient and tumor characteristics, incidence of CSF leak, adjunct repair techniques, and endocrine outcomes were examined.

Results  Three hundred and thirty-four (334) cases were included. Intraoperative CSF …

Rotavirus Vaccine Effectiveness Against Severe Acute Gastroenteritis: 2009-2022, Alpha Oumar Diallo, Mary E Wikswo, Iddrisu Sulemana, Leila C Sahni, Julie A Boom, Sasirekha Ramani, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Mary E Moffatt, Christopher J Harrison, Natasha Halasa, James Chappell, Laura Stewart, Mary Allen Staat, Elizabeth Schlaudecker, Christina Quigley, Eileen J Klein, Janet A Englund, Danielle M Zerr, Geoffrey A Weinberg, Peter G Szilagyi, Christina Albertin, Samantha H Johnston, John V Williams, Marian G Michaels, Robert W Hickey, Aaron T Curns, Michelle Honeywood, Slavica Mijatovic-Rustempasic, Mathew D Esona, Michael D Bowen, Umesh D Parashar, Rashi Gautam, Sara A Mirza, Jacqueline E Tate

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Rotavirus was the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among US children until vaccine introduction in 2006, after which, substantial declines in severe rotavirus disease occurred. We evaluated rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (VE) over 13 years (2009-2022).

Methods: We analyzed data from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network using a test-negative case-control design to estimate rotavirus VE against laboratory-confirmed rotavirus infections among children seeking care for acute gastroenteritis (≥3 diarrhea or ≥1 vomiting episodes within 24 hours) in the emergency department (ED) or hospital. Case-patients and control-patients were children whose stool specimens tested rotavirus positive or negative, respectively, by enzyme immunoassay or …

Behavioral Screening Reveals A Conserved Residue In Y-Box Rna-Binding Protein Required For Associative Learning And Memory In C Elegans, Ashley N Hayden, Katie L Brandel, Edward W Pietryk, Paul R Merlau, Priyadharshini Vijayakumar, Emily J Leptich, Elizabeth S Gaytan, Meredith I Williams, Connie W Ni, Hsiao-Tuan Chao, Jill A Rosenfeld, Rachel N Arey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) regulate translation and plasticity which are required for memory. RBP dysfunction has been linked to a range of neurological disorders where cognitive impairments are a key symptom. However, of the 2,000 RBPs in the human genome, many are uncharacterized with regards to neurological phenotypes. To address this, we used the model organism C. elegans to assess the role of 20 conserved RBPs in memory. We identified eight previously uncharacterized memory regulators, three of which are in the C. elegans Y-Box (CEY) RBP family. Of these, we determined that cey-1 is the closest ortholog to the mammalian Y-Box …

Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy And Survival In Children And Young Adults: Findings From The Multinational We-Rock Collaborative, Michelle C Starr, Katja M Gist, Huaiyu Zang, Nicholas J Ollberding, Shanthi Balani, Andrea Cappoli, Eileen Ciccia, Catherine Joseph, Aadil Kakajiwala, Aaron Kessel, Melissa Muff-Luett, María J Santiago Lozano, Matthew Pinto, Stephanie Reynaud, Sonia Solomon, Cara Slagle, Rachana Srivastava, Weiwen V Shih, Tennille Webb, Shina Menon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: There are limited studies describing the epidemiology and outcomes in children and young adults receiving continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT). We aimed to describe associations between patient characteristics, CKRT prescription, and survival.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 980 patients aged from birth to 25 years who received CKRT between 2015 and 2021 at 1 of 32 centers in 7 countries participating in WE-ROCK (Worldwide Exploration of Renal Replacement Outcomes Collaborative in Kidney Diseases).

EXPOSURE: CKRT for acute kidney injury or volume overload.

OUTCOMES: Death before intensive care unit (ICU) discharge.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Descriptive …

A Virtual Breakthrough Series Collaborative For Missed Test Results: A Stepped-Wedge Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial, Lisa Zubkoff, Andrew J Zimolzak, Ashley N D Meyer, Jennifer Sloane, Umber Shahid, Traber Giardina, Sahar A Memon, Taylor M Scott, Daniel R Murphy, Hardeep Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IMPORTANCE: Missed test results, defined as test results not followed up within an appropriate time frame, are common and lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a quality improvement collaborative, the Virtual Breakthrough Series (VBTS), on the follow-up rate of 2 types of test results prone to being missed: chest imaging suspicious for lung cancer and laboratory findings suggestive of colorectal cancer.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This stepped-wedge cluster-randomized clinical trial was conducted between February 2020 and March 2022 at 12 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, with a predefined 3-cohort roll-out. Each …