Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

From The Goodness Of Our Hearts: A Scoping Review Of Qualitative Literature On Altruism As A Reward Mechanism For Nursing, Jacqueline Christianson, Madaline Mccarthy, Bonnie Sommers-Olson, Emily Horner, Norah L. Johnson

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction

Altruism, the desire to help others, is a common motivation for choosing a career in nursing. Improved understanding of the role of altruism as a reward or motivation for currently-practicing nurses may inform future interventions to improve effort-reward balance among practicing nurses. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to collect, examine, and present literature on how altruism has been described as a reward mechanism or motivation for engaging in professional nursing.

Methods

This scoping review of literature used the Arksey & O’Malley method, PRISMA-ScR reporting checklist, and Rayyan review management platform. PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL were …

Beyond Numbers: Bridging Statistical Significance And Clinical Relevance In Healthcare Research, Maharaj Singh, Waheeda Khan, Mehreen Fatima

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study aims to bridge the gap between statistical significance and clinical relevance using rigorous statistical methodologies applied to simulated healthcare data, thereby enhancing the translational value of research outcomes for patient‑centered care. Methods: A synthetic dataset representing 10,000 patients was generated, and descriptive statistics were applied to compare two treatment groups. Binary outcomes were predicted using both a logistic regression model and a neural network. Two‑tailed tests with a significant level of 0.05 were employed, utilizing SAS version 9.4 and IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 29.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States of America). Results: The simulated dataset …

Tick Lipocalin Triggers Mammalian Igfbp-3-Mediated Apoptosis In Macrophages And Keratinocytes, Krittika Nandy, P. P. Mahesh, Lichao Liu, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Hameeda Sultana, Girish Neelakanta

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ticks secrete several molecules, including lipocalins, in their saliva during blood feeding on a vertebrate host. In this study, we provide novel evidence on the role of Ornithodoros turicata americanus tick lipocalin (Otlip) in modulating cytokine expression and in triggering apoptosis in mammalian macrophages and keratinocytes. The cytokine array analysis revealed significantly increased secretion of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) from murine macrophage cell line upon treatment with recombinant Otlip protein (rGST-Otlip) when compared to the secretion noted from cells treated with a control protein (rGST). Similar observation with cytokine protein array analysis was noted when murine macrophages were …

Microarray Analysis Of Human Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm With Emphasis On Cardiovascular Genes Revealed Differentially Expressed Genes, Song Lu, Li Ping Li, John V. White, Xiaoying Zhang, Ifeyinwa Nwaneshiudu, Adaobi Nwaneshiudu, Nectaria Ntaoula, John Gaughan, Dimitri S. Monos, Wan-Lu Lin, Charalambos C. Solomides, Emilia L. Oleszak, Chris D. Platsoucas

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background/Aim: We examined gene expression profiles in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) lesions vs. normal aortas by cDNA microarray and real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Materials and Methods: Phosphorus (32P)-labeled cDNA from AAA specimens (mean AAA size 6.65 cm) and normal aortas were hybridized with a 588-gene microarray primarily of the cardiovascular system. The results were validated by qRT-PCR.

Results: A total of 35 out of the 588 genes were differentially expressed, with either log2 ratio of AAAs/controls ≥1 (upregulated; 20 genes) or ≤−1 (downregulated; 15 genes) in AAA lesions vs. normal aorta, and 25 of these were significantly …

Herbivore Identity And Species Richness Shape Fruit Chemical And Quality Responses To Foliar Herbivory, Xavier Ozowara, Taylor M. Sloey, Susan R. Whitehead

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The cascading consequences of foliar herbivory on fruit chemistry and quality remain relatively underexplored, with most existing studies focusing on the effects of only one or two attackers. In this study, we examine how increasing herbivore species richness during foliar herbivory alters strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) fruit quality and phenolic chemistry. We conducted a greenhouse experiment with single species feeding and different combinations of feeding by three generalist lepidopteran species: Spodoptera frugiperda, Heliothis virescens, Helicoverpa zea. Species fed on leaves for 72 h as fruits ripened, and fully ripe fruits were harvested 72 h after …

Intermittent Phrenic Afferent Activation Induces Phrenic Motor Plasticity, Nicole M. Popp, Taylor C. Holmes, Elizabeth A. Rozycki, Kristi A. Streeter

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Approaches such as electrical stimulation of the phrenic neuromuscular system are currently used in humans to manage breathing impairments. We recently showed that electrical stimulation of the diaphragm muscle induces phrenic afferent-dependent plasticity. These findings highlight the need to better understand the mechanisms of afferent-mediated plasticity to guide and improve the development of novel therapies using electrical stimulation. Here, we tested the hypothesis that intermittent activation of large-diameter phrenic afferents induces phrenic motor plasticity, which, like other forms of plasticity, is pattern sensitive. We delivered inspiratory-triggered electrical stimulation using a narrow pulse width (0.1 ms) to preferentially activate large-diameter afferents, …

Psychometric Properties Of A Novel Affective Bias Task And Its Application In Clinical And Nonclinical Populations, Prathik Kalva, Kourtney Kanja, Brian A Metzger, Xiaoxu Fan, Brian Cui, Bailey Pascuzzi, John Magnotti, Madaline Mocchi, Raissa Mathura, Kelly R Bijanki

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

To mitigate limitations in self-reported mood assessments, we introduce a novel affective bias task (ABT). The task quantifies instantaneous emotional state by leveraging the phenomenon of affective bias, in which people interpret external emotional stimuli in a manner consistent with their current emotional state. This study establishes task stability in measuring and tracking depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical populations. Initial assessment in a large non-clinical sample established normative ratings. Depressive symptoms were tracked relative to task performance in a non-clinical sample, as well as in a clinical cohort undergoing surgical evaluation for severe epilepsy. In both cohorts, a stronger …

Wnt4 Deficiency Impacts Heart, Diaphragm, And Palate Development: Insights From Human Genetics, Machine Learning, And Mouse Models, Andrés Hernández-García, Bum Jun Kim, David Chitayat, Patrick Shannon, Stephanie Hedges, Maria Al Bandari, Maria J Guillen Sacoto, Emily Anne Bates, Yunus H Ozekin, Victor Faundes, Pamela N Luna, Chad A Shaw, Tara L Rasmussen, Chih-Wei Hsu, Daryl A Scott

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

WNT4 is a secreted protein that plays a critical role in the regulation of cell fate and embryogenesis. Biallelic variants in WNT4 have been linked to SERKAL syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by 46,XX sex reversal and dysgenesis of the kidneys, adrenals, and lungs. SERKAL syndrome has only been described in a single consanguineous kindred with four affected fetuses. Additional features seen in a subset of affected fetuses included ventricular septal defect (VSD), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), and orofacial clefting (OFC). To determine if these additional features were likely to be caused by WNT4 deficiency, we used machine learning …

Mir-302 Regulates Pancreatic Progenitor Pool And Pancreatic Size, Ziyue Z Yang, Caroline G Snider, Ronald J Parchem

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Disruptions in pancreatic development can lead to health issues such as pancreatic agenesis and congenital diabetes mellitus. Understanding pancreatic organogenesis is critical for elucidating disease mechanisms and developing regenerative therapies. The pancreas consists of endocrine and exocrine cells, both of which are derived from multipotent progenitor cells (MPCs). MPC proliferation and differentiation are tightly controlled by multiple mechanisms, including post-transcriptional regulation by miRNAs. However, these regulatory factors are not fully understood. Here, we profiled miRNA expression in MPCs and identified that mir-302 was highly enriched during the earliest stages of pancreatic development. Loss of mir-302 resulted in reduced pancreatic size …

Cerebellar Deep Brain Stimulation Rescues Purkinje Cell Mitochondrial Density In A Genetic Mouse Model Of Cerebellar Ataxia, Lauren N Miterko-Myers, Lauren E Peacoe, Lita Duraine, Zhongyuan Zuo, Roy V Sillitoe

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) improves motor function in a growing list of movement diseases including Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and tremor. There is evidence that DBS may also be effective in ataxia. It is not known why DBS is effective, but modulating cell activity and conferring neuroprotection are hypothesized to underlie its benefits. Understanding the effects of DBS on neurons is paramount to extending its clinical use in the treatment of various motor and non-motor diseases. Here, we stimulated the cerebellum of Car8 waddles (Car8wdl) mice, given the cerebellum's important role in ataxia pathophysiology. Using transmission electron microscopy, we tested the …

Surface Marker Identification To Capture Live Circulating Tumor Cells In Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Bree M Lege, Khushali J Patel, Brendan Panici, Ping Gong, Michael T Lewis, Matthew J Ellis, Chonghui Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly aggressive and lacks targeted therapies. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are invaluable for monitoring metastatic tumor progression and treatment response but are difficult to capture because of their rarity and heterogeneity. Surface-based staining for live CTCs is essential to preserve RNA quality in single cells, but current markers tend to perform poorly on more mesenchymal tumor cells such as TNBCs. To enhance live TNBC CTC detection, we developed a workflow for live CTC capture and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Using a mouse model of metastatic TNBC, we identified four new CTC surface markers, AHNAK2, …

Empowering Through Structured Boundaries: An Integral Model For Fostering Balanced Eating And Nutritional Well-Being, Citrine Elatrash, Colleen Macke, Jenna Shi, Theresa Wilson, Sarah H Elsea, Stephanie Sisley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Treating obesity in complex disorders requires individualized health management plans. Effective obesity management in the Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) population has multiple inherent barriers related to their cognitive impairments, anxiety, behavioral disturbances, and sleep disorders. However, to date, no research exists related to strategies caregivers successfully employ to help individuals with SMS manage their food intake and mitigate associated behaviors.

Methods: We performed a qualitative thematic analysis of group interviews from 23 caregivers representing 21 individuals with SMS. Hybrid thematic analysis revealed that successful strategies employed by caregivers in this unique population revolved around a global theme of Empowering Through …

Lysine Demethylase 4a Is A Centrosome-Associated Protein Required For Centrosome Integrity And Genomic Stability, Pratim Chowdhury, Xiaoli Wang, Richard I Han, Manga Motrapu, Ashley G Boice, Yuya Nakatani, Sofia Vargas-Hernandez, Julia F Love, Claude Chew, Sandra L Grimm, Dereck Mezquita, Frank M Mason, Elisabeth D Martinez, Cristian Coarfa, Cheryl L Walker, Anna-Karin Gustavsson, Ruhee Dere

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Centrosomes play a fundamental role in nucleating and organizing microtubules in the cell and are vital for faithful chromosome segregation and maintenance of genomic stability. Loss of structural or functional integrity of centrosomes causes genomic instability and is a driver of oncogenesis. Here we identify lysine demethylase 4A (KDM4A), an epigenetic 'eraser' of chromatin methyl marks, as a centrosome-localized protein, visualized at the nanometer-scale resolution. We additionally uncovered that KDM4A demethylase enzymatic activity is required to maintain centrosome homeostasis and integrity; a previously unknown functionality unlinked to altered expression of genes regulating centrosome number. We find that KDM4A interacts with …

Amino Acids And Lean Mass Accretion In Preterm Neonates, Antonio C Ramos Dos Santos, Marta L Fiorotto, Teresa A Davis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose of review: This review evaluates recent evidence on how total protein and energy intake, amino acid composition, and nutrient delivery modality influence protein synthesis in preterm neonates, with the goal of informing nutritional strategies to support optimal lean mass accretion and growth.

Recent findings: Preterm neonates exhibit anabolic resistance to feeding due to impaired insulin and amino acid signaling in skeletal muscle. Enteral nutrition, especially fortified human milk, supports better lean mass accretion and neurodevelopment than parenteral nutrition. Intermittent bolus feeding and pulsatile leucine supplementation during continuous feeding further enhance mTORC1-dependent translation initiation signaling and protein synthesis efficiency in …

Clinical Factors And Diagnoses Associated With Inappropriate Urine Culture Ordering In Primary Care, Marissa Valentine-King, Barbara W Trautner, Michael A Hansen, Roger Zoorob, Lisa C K Danek, Kenneth Muldrew, Forrest Hudson, Robert L Atmar, Larissa Grigoryan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for inappropriately ordered urine cultures in primary care.

Design: Cross-sectional study using chart reviews.

Setting: Two primary care, safety-net clinics in Houston, Texas.

Patients: Non-pregnant adults without a urinary catheter who had a urine culture and a primary care visit between 11/2018 and 3/2020.

Methods: We classified patients lacking physician documentation of the following symptoms as having an inappropriately ordered urine culture: dysuria, frequency, urgency, hematuria, fever, chills, costovertebral angle tenderness, nephrolithiasis, and pain (suprapubic, pelvic, or flank). We extracted patient demographics, visit-related diagnostic codes, past medical history, and urine culture results. Diagnostic …

Evolving Burden Of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease And Its Complications In A Us Nationwide Healthcare System, Basim Ali, Ronald Samuel, Jennifer R Kramer, Liang Li, Xian Yu, Yumei Cao, Roxanne Desiderio, George Cholankeril, Steven M Asch, Hashem B El-Serag, Fasiha Kanwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing public health problem. Measuring the burden of cirrhosis and its complications in people with MASLD is important to inform health care delivery.

Methods: We aimed to quantify the changes in the burden of MASLD-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a nationwide U.S. healthcare system. We used data from the Veterans Health Administration to examine temporal trends between 2010 and 2021 in the annual incidence and prevalence of cirrhosis and HCC in a large cohort of patients with MASLD, and to compare them to those in patients with hepatitis C …

Platelet Extravasation In The Microvasculature: An Under-Appreciated Role For Platelets, Justin A Courson, Vahid Afshar-Kharghan, Alan R Burns, Rolando E Rumbaut

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In recent years, evidence has accumulated highlighting the presence and role of platelet extravasation - wherein platelets accumulate in tissue parenchyma - at a variety of sites throughout the body. While platelets are traditionally known for their roles in hemostasis and thrombosis, it is evident that platelets are potent mediators of inflammation across an array of physiological and pathological contexts. While anucleate and small in size, platelets contain a rich diversity of molecules in their granules capable of modulating cell proliferation, tissue repair, and a host of immune responses. There is growing evidence that platelet extravasation out of the vascular …

Executive Summary Of The Kdigo 2026 Clinical Practice Guideline For The Management Of Anemia In Chronic Kidney Disease (Ckd), Jodie L Babitt, Jeffrey S Berns, Biykem Bozkurt, Rebecca S Cheung Khedairy, Yarieli Cuevas, Emmanuel E Effa, Michele F Eisenga, Steven Fishbane, Yelena Z Ginzburg, Volker H Haase, S Susan Hedayati, Siah Kim, José A Moura-Neto, Evi V Nagler, Patrick Rossignol, Manisha Sahay, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Angela Yee-Moon Wang, David C Wheeler, Karen A Robinson, Lisa M Wilson, Renee F Wilson, Amy Earley, Elie A Akl, Marcello Tonelli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2026 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) represents an update to the guideline published in 2012. Its scope includes diagnosis and evaluation of anemia; use of iron to treat iron deficiency and anemia in CKD; use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors to treat anemia in CKD; and red blood cell transfusions to treat anemia in CKD. The guideline has been developed with patient partners, healthcare providers, and researchers around the world, with the goal to generate a useful resource for healthcare providers and …

Survodutide For Treatment Of Obesity: Baseline Characteristics Of Participants In A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 3 Trial (Synchronize™-1), Carel W Le Roux, Sean Wharton, Biykem Bozkurt, Elke Platz, Gabriele Bleckert, Samina Ajaz Hussain, Martina Brueckmann, Elena Startseva, Isabel M Kloer, Lee M Kaplan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aims: Survodutide, a novel glucagon receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor dual agonist, elicited significant weight loss in a phase 2 trial in individuals with obesity without type 2 diabetes (T2D). Two multinational phase 3 trials are investigating survodutide for obesity management in individuals with or without T2D. We report the baseline characteristics of participants in the SYNCHRONIZE-1 trial in adults with obesity without T2D (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06066515).

Materials and methods: Participants aged ≥18 years with BMI ≥30 or ≥27 kg/m2 with ≥1 obesity complication without T2D were randomized 1:1:1 to double-blind, once-weekly, subcutaneous injections of survodutide (up-titrated to 3.6 …

Gould Edu: Cluster-Randomized Trial Of An Educational Intervention To Improve Lipid-Lowering Guideline Adherence, Christopher P Cannon, Christie M Ballantyne, Deepak L Bhatt, James A De Lemos, Qi Gao, Naishu Kui, Robert S Rosenson, Katherine E Mues, Jason Exter, Shushama Alam, Mikhail N Kosiborod

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Adherence to lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) guidelines is suboptimal, leading to poor achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals and elevated risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an educational intervention targeting physicians improves optimization of LLT over 1 year for patients with ASCVD.

Methods: GOULD (Getting to an Improved Understanding of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Dyslipidemia Management) EDU (Education) was a 1-year extension in a subset of sites in the GOULD prospective, observational registry of United States patients with ASCVD. In a cluster-randomized, stepped-wedge design, sites were randomized to …

Esophageal Myotomy And Risk Of Esophageal Cancer And Mortality In Achalasia: Real-World Cohort Study, Fouad Jaber, Mohamad Ali Ibrahim, Mohammed Jaber, Youssef Soliman, Mai A Khalaf, Tara Keihanian, Fares Ayoub, Mohamed O Othman, Salmaan Jawaid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims: Achalasia is associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. Although esophageal myotomy improves dysphagia, its impact on cancer risk and mortality remains unclear.

Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX research network, including adults (≥ 18 years) with achalasia confirmed by esophageal manometry. Patients were categorized based on treatment of those undergoing esophageal myotomy (peroral endoscopic myotomy [POEM] or laparoscopic Heller myotomy [LHM]) and those managed without myotomy. Patients with prior esophagectomy or malignancies associated with increased esophageal cancer risk were excluded. The primary outcome was incident …

Predictors Of Inpatient Rn Turnover In Rural And Urban Vha Hospitals, Katherine G Bay, Chase S Eck, Melissa K Knox, Paras Mehta, Laura A Petersen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The rising demand for health care delivery and an aging workforce is of particular concern in rural areas, where health care access depends upon an adequate nursing workforce. To address this shortage and optimize care, it is essential to measure when registered nurses (RN) leave inpatient direct care positions (ie, inpatient RN turnover) and identify modifiable factors correlated with RN turnover.

Objectives: Apply a novel method for characterizing inpatient RN turnover to understand factors associated with variation in RNs leaving inpatient positions at rural and urban Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals.

Project design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects: Direct care …

Relationship Between Number Of Assigned Patients And Rn Time To Administer Medications During The Peak-Time Medication Pass, Chase S Eck, Melissa K Knox, Paras D Mehta, Christine Yang, Laura A Petersen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Inpatient nurse staffing affects patient outcomes. Less is known about the mechanism of this relationship and how lower overall staffing in a unit affects individual RN activities at the bedside.

Objectives: Estimate the relationship between the number of patients assigned to an RN and time spent on medication administration at the peak-time medication pass (PTM), a common nursing task.

Research design: Estimate the association using multivariable linear regression to adjust for patient severity and staff and unit fixed effects.

Subjects: All 9272 RNs administering medications during the PTM on 243 inpatient units in 113 VHA hospitals in 2019.

Measures: …

Hypothyroidism Is Associated With Higher Healthcare Utilisation And Higher Need For Blood Transfusion After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty (Tka) In Patients With Osteoarthritis: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis, Sumanth R Chandrupatla, Kranti C Rumalla, Jasvinder A Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To examine the association of hypothyroidism with primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes in adults with primary underlying diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: We identified a prospective cohort of patients in the 2016-2020 national inpatient sample (NIS) that received primary TKA with an underlying diagnosis of OA, identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Common Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) codes in the primary procedure and diagnosis positions, respectively. We performed multivariable-adjusted regression analyses for healthcare utilisation (length of hospital stay, hospital charges and discharge destination) and clinical outcomes (blood transfusion; prosthetic fracture, dislocation or infection; …

Healthcare Transition In Spina Bifida: A National Mixed Method Study, Betsy Hopson, Kathy H Huen, Molly B Richardson, Rhonda G Cady, Jennifer T Queally, Judy Thibadeau, Ellen Fremion

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with spina bifida (SB) face substantial challenges during the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare, including fragmented systems, limited adult provider availability, and gaps in self-management readiness. Despite national guidelines, little is known about how transition practices are implemented across the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) Clinical Care Partner (CCP) network. This study examined clinician perspectives on current practices, barriers, facilitators, and definitions of successful healthcare transition (HCT).

Methods: Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, we first conducted a 47-item survey with clinicians from SBA CCP clinics (n = 20/32; 62.5 % response rate). …

Safety And Efficacy Of Vadadustat Versus Darbepoetin Alfa For Chronic Kidney Disease-Related Anemia In Patients Receiving Dialysis By Baseline Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Dose, Alan Jardine, Steven K Burke, Wenli Luo, Todd Minga, Mark J Sarnak, Wolfgang C Winkelmayer, Rajiv Agarwal, Glenn M Chertow, Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Mark J Koury

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and iron supplementation are standard treatments for chronic kidney disease (CKD)-related anemia. Targeting higher hemoglobin values in CKD increases cardiovascular risk. Whether the increased risk is from higher ESA doses or higher hemoglobin levels is uncertain, but alternative therapies are sought for patients requiring high ESA doses. Phase 3 INNO2VATE trials in patients with dialysis-dependent CKD (DD-CKD) demonstrated vadadustat's noninferiority compared with darbepoetin alfa. To determine vadadustat's potential to treat anemia, including in patients requiring high ESA doses, its safety and efficacy were compared with those of darbepoetin alfa across prespecified baseline ESA dose subgroups in …

Ptpn1 Regulation Via Ybx1-Ptbp1 Interaction Promotes Fibroblast Activation And Fibrotic Remodeling In The Lung, Huibing Liu, Cong Xia, Yingying Zhang, Yulong Gan, Lianhui Cheng, Xuqian Wang, Airu Chang, Wenyu Zhao, Bin Li, Yaxuan Wang, Yajun Li, Ivan Rosas, Juntang Yang, Guoying Yu, Lan Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial pneumonia of unknown etiology. Its pathogenesis involves complex multicellular interactions and signaling pathways, with fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT) being critical for fibrogenesis. Although the transcription factor Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) regulates processes such as cell proliferation, transcription, translation, and DNA repair, its role in IPF remains undefined. Here, we demonstrate that YBX1 overexpression significantly promotes transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced pulmonary FMT, leading to substantially increased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in primary human (PHLFs) and mouse (PMLFs) lung fibroblasts. Conversely, YBX1 inhibition markedly suppresses TGF-β1-driven aberrant fibroblast migration and activation. Mechanistically, YBX1 …

Editorial: Advances In Phage Applications: Deciphering Phage Biological And Ecological Mechanisms Through Metagenomics, Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez, Gary A Toranzos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Cand1 As A Dna-Dependent Protein Kinase-Regulated Coactivator Of Androgen Receptor And The Arv7 Splice Variant, Ross A Hamilton, Basil Paul, Ping Yi, Kimal Rajapakshe, Anil K Panigrahi, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Anna Malovannaya, Nancy L Weigel, David M Lonard, Charles E Foulds

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

ARv7, the most prevalent androgen receptor (AR) variant in castration-resistant prostate cancer, lacks the ligand binding domain (LBD), rendering it resistant to LBD-targeted therapies. Identifying new therapeutic targets requires defining the coregulators and associated regulatory enzymes that govern AR and ARv7 transcriptional activity. Here, we have developed a cell-free DNA pulldown assay employing androgen response elements (AREs) to isolate and characterize the AR- and ARv7-associated coregulator complexes formed on DNA. Mass spectrometry analyses of ARE DNA pulldowns revealed previously unrecognized AR and ARv7 associating coregulators, such as cullin-associated NEDD8-dissociated protein 1 (CAND1), in addition to previously known coregulators. ARv7 showed …

Genomic And Structural Analysis Of Major Antigenic Proteins’ Variability In The Human Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia Persica, Dor Shwartz, Yaarit Nachum-Biala, Reinhard K Straubinger, Ofir Segev, Asaf Levy, Job E Lopez, Gad Baneth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Antigenic variation enables immune evasion of pathogens, yet the mechanisms for the rapid change in their antigens without loss of structural and functional features are not fully known. Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) spirochetes of the genus Borrelia can be used as a model because their variable major proteins (Vmps) drive antigenic variation followed by recurrent waves of bacteremia. In this study we generated the genome of Borrelia persica LMU-C01 and evaluated Vmp structure across relapsing fever Borrelia species. Borrelia persica was found to have a genome of 1.7Mb with one linear chromosome, 12 linear and one circular plasmids. Telomeric hairpin …