Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Brief Pulses Of High-Level Fluid Shear Stress Enhance Metastatic Potential And Rapidly Alter The Metabolism Of Cancer Cells, Amanda N. Pope, Devon L. Moose, Guy O. Hudson, Hank R. Weresh, Marion R. Dykstra, Aabha Y. Joshi, Patrick Breheny, Eric B. Taylor, Michael D. Henry

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) face challenges to their survival, including mechanical and oxidative stresses that are different from cancer cells in solid primary and metastatic tumors. The impact of adaptations to the fluid microenvironment of the circulation on the outcome of the metastatic cascade is not well understood. Here, we find that cancer cells exposed to brief pulses of high-level fluid shear stress (FSS) exhibit enhanced invasiveness and anchorage-independent proliferation in vitro and enhanced metastatic colonization/tumor formation in vivo. Cancer cells exposed to FSS rapidly alter their metabolism in a manner that promotes survival by providing energy for cytoskeletal remodeling …

Localization And Functional Exploration Of Leiomodin-2'S C-Terminal Binding Sites, Mason D. Summers, Madison Little, Robert P. Young, Brayan Osegueda, Alan Palma Guillen, Garry E. Smith Jr., John R. Cart, Vitold E. Galkin, Alla S. Kostyukova

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Striated muscle contraction occurs through interactions between overlapping myosin-based thick and actin-based thin filaments within the sarcomere. For effective contraction to occur, the length of the thin filament must be maintained to ensure sufficient overlap with the thick filament. The proteins leiomodin and tropomodulin compete for binding at the pointed ends of thin filaments to regulate their length, using their homologous N-terminal actin and tropomyosin binding sites. Leiomodin also contains a region called the C-terminal extension, absent in tropomodulin. In this region, the cardiac isoform (leiomodin-2) contains additional actin-binding sites that enable it to bind along the sides of thin …

Stat4-Dependent Regulation Of Neuroinflammation In Atherosclerosis, Natalie Stahr, Alina K. Moriarty, Shelby D. Ma, W. Coles Keeter, Woong-Ki Kim, Larry D. Sanford, Elena V. Galkina

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Atherosclerosis is linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline, with chronic inflammation being a common feature of both pathologies. IL-12 activates STAT4 to regulate myeloid cell functions, and blockade of this pathway alleviates cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's models. However, the mechanisms connecting vascular pathology to neuroinflammation remain unclear. Here, we examine whether STAT4 functions as a common mediator of neuroinflammation in atherosclerosis. We demonstrate that LysM^Cre-specific STAT4 deficiency ameliorates deficits in long-term memory in low-density lipoprotein-deficient (Ldlr^-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD-C). STAT4 deficiency moderately reduces Ser199-phosphorylated Tau burden. Atherosclerosis alters brain immune …

Educational Case: Atypical Presentation Of Primary Hyperparathyroidism With Brown Tumor, Ariel Flotte, Jonathan Light, Harrison Klause, Richard M. Conran

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

The following fictional case is intended as a learning tool within the Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME), a set of national standards for teaching pathology. These are divided into three basic competencies: Disease Mechanisms and Processes, Organ System Pathology, and Diagnostic Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology.

Cocaine Upregulates Microglial Lipid Droplet Formation Through Increasing Lipid Synthesis Activity In Vitro And In Vivo, Yan Cheng, Brooke Russell, Liam Liyang Guo, Aryan Patel, Yan Y. Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

A novel subtype of microglia, lipid droplet accumulation microglia (LDAMs), has been identified in the aged brain, which is characterized by sustained inflammation and senescent-like phenotypes. LDAMs are deeply involved in promoting brain aging as well as the pathogenesis of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Cocaine can alter brain lipidomic profiles, induce microglial activation, and accelerate brain aging. This suggests that cocaine might affect microglial lipid metabolism, which ultimately aggravates aging-related neurological disorders in people with addictions. In this study, we explored the effects of cocaine on microglial lipid metabolism. Our results showed that chronic cocaine administration altered brain lipid profiles and …

Comparative Mass Spectrometry Analysis Of High And Low Centrifugation Extracellular Vesicle (Ev) Pellets From Healthy Urine Following Tamm-Horsfall Protein Removal, Dana Bielopolski, Luca Musante, Henrik Molina, Douglas Barrows, Samantha Upson, Lifang Yang, Thomas Carrol, Jonathan N. Tobin, Rhonda G. Kost, U. Erdbrügger

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Objectives

Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) are potential biomarkers for renal physiology and disease. Their isolation is challenged by Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) contamination, particularly in high-speed ultracentrifugation (P100) fractions. Low-speed (P20) fractions contain biologically relevant uEVs, yet their proteomic composition is underexplored. This study evaluates strategies for THP removal to optimize mass spectrometry analysis and characterizes P20 and P100 uEV proteomes and its combination in healthy urine.

Methods

Urine from a healthy volunteer was processed via sequential centrifugation at 21,200 g (P20) and 164,244 g (P100). THP removal was performed using low ionic strength buffer (P20) and size-exclusion chromatography (P100). Western …

Yk-4-250 Mitigates Gastrointestinal Radiation Syndrome And Promotes Overall Survival Following Partial Body Radiation Injury, Vidya P. Kumar, Yali Kong, Kan Wang, Asa R. Britton-Jenkins, Stanton Dulan, Landon L. Moore, Debra Saunders, Randal May, Rheal Towner, Sanchita P. Ghosh, Courtney W. Houchen, Milton L. Brown

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Acute gastrointestinal radiation syndrome (GI-ARS) is a significant health threat following high-dose ionizing radiation (IR) exposure, leading to severe morbidity and mortality. The syndrome is characterized by gastrointestinal tissue damage caused by angiotensin II (Ang II) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in impaired GI function, systemic bacteremia, multi-organ failure, and eventual death. Dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) via Ang II exacerbates ROS production through activation of the Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R). This underscores the need for agents capable of both scavenging ROS and inhibiting AT1R activity. To address this, we developed YK-4-250, a Tempol-conjugated angiotensin receptor …

Inhibition Of Histone Demethylase Lsd1 Suppresses Cd47 Expression And Enhances Efficacy Of Cd47 Blockade In Breast Cancer, Fengjie Jiang, Yu Shen, Bing Li, Michael Henry, Nancy Davidson, Yi Huang

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Background CD47 functions as a “don’t eat me” checkpoint, inhibiting macrophage-mediated phagocytosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). While anti-CD47 therapies can restore immune surveillance, their efficacy in TNBC is often limited by immune evasion and drug development challenges.

Methods We investigated the crosstalk between the histone demethylase lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) and CD47 signaling in TNBC using in silico datasets, isogenic cell lines, conditional BRCA1 knockout models, and syngeneic mouse models. Techniques such as immunohistochemistry, multiplex immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, protein ubiquitination, chromatin immunoprecipitation, chemotaxis, flow cytometry, and phagocytosis assays were employed to examine the epigenetic regulation of CD47 by LSD1 and …

The Interplay Between Loneliness, Cortisol, And Nk Cell Function: The Role Of Cortisol In Nk Cell Dysfunction, Abhinav Saurabh, Yvonne Baumer, Laurel G. Mendelsohn, Elizabeth M. Aquino Peterson, Dana Sadler, Shirley J. Lopez De Leon, Ayushi Dave, Andrew S. Baez, Lola R. Ortiz-Whittingham, Mario A. Pita, Manuel A. Cintron, Hannatu A. Tarfa, Sandy T. Reynolds, Shelby R. Hicks, Sonal Sharda, J. Eleanor Seo, Maria Lopez-Ocasio, Pradeep K. Dagur, Skyler A. Kuhn, Neelam R. Redekar, James F. Troendle, Ayanna L. Wells, Marie Marah, Katherine J. Tolentino, Michael J. Corley, Alika K. Maunakea, Lynnette K. Nieman, Marcus R. Andrews, Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Chronic psychosocial stressors contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related risk factors, particularly in under-resourced communities. Psychosocial stressors activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to sustained cortisol action on immune cells. Natural killer (NK) cells are altered in distribution and function in cardio-metabolic diseases; however, pathways linking cortisol as a marker of chronic stress to NK cell dysfunction remain understudied. We recruited 186 African American women from the Step It Up Community-Engaged, Digital Health Physical Activity Intervention study and collected cortisol, NK cell measures, and psychosocial stress measures using validated questionnaires, including chronic stress and loneliness. Plasma cortisol levels were …

The Effects Of Abused Drugs On Ferroptosis Pathways: Potential Therapeutic Targets For Substance Use Disorders, Tamara Bouchard, Brooke Russell, Liam Liyang Guo, Tina Nguyen, Yan Cheng, Yan Y. Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain major public health concerns worldwide, particularly in developed countries. SUDs are characterized by persistent neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction in the brain. Despite decades of extensive investigation, the detailed mechanisms underlying SUDs remain elusive. Ferroptosis is a highly regulated cell death process deeply affected by iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and antioxidant systems. It has been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and ischemic stroke. Recently, emerging evidence has highlighted the role of ferroptosis in drug-induced pathological changes. Various types of abused …

Lipid And Foam Cell Accumulation As Novel Pathological Features Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, Dita Julianingsih, Samara V. Silver, Thaissa Horne, Kasun Gunawardena, Savannah Ward, Alicia Malewska, Douglas Strand, Julius Nyalwidhe, Ilya Sobol, Petra Popovics

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) encompasses a heterogeneous set of pathological processes that instigate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Using a mouse model of steroid hormone imbalance-induced lower urinary tract dysfunction, we identified luminal lipid-laden foamy macrophages, although their presence and contribution to human pathology have not yet been established. The objective of this study was to determine whether luminal macrophages are associated with human BPH and to assess how lipid accumulation relates to underlying pathological features and clinical parameters.

Methods

Whole-mount tissue sections from simple prostatectomy specimens and prostates from healthy donors were used to evaluate the association of …

The Effects Of Abused Drugs On Ferroptosis Pathways: Potential Therapeutic Targets For Substance Use Disorders, Tamara Bouchard, Brooke Russell, Liam Liyang Guo, Tina Nguyen, Yan Cheng, Yan Y. Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain major public health concerns worldwide, particularly in developed countries. SUDs are characterized by persistent neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction in the brain. Despite decades of extensive investigation, the detailed mechanisms underlying SUDs remain elusive. Ferroptosis is a highly regulated cell death process deeply affected by iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and antioxidant systems. It has been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and ischemic stroke. Recently, emerging evidence has highlighted the role of ferroptosis in drug-induced pathological changes. Various types of abused substances including alcohol, cocaine, …

The Structure Of The Native Cardiac Crossbridge In The Rigor State, Cristina M. Risi, Tyler Nguyen, Betty Belknap, Howard D. White, Jose R. Pinto, Prescott B. Chase, Vitold E. Galkin

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Cardiac contraction is driven by double-headed myosin cycling on cardiac thin filaments, where troponin-tropomyosin regulates myosin access to actin. Prior high-resolution structural studies used a single-headed myosin bound to bare actin, thereby limiting insight into coordination between myosin heads and the influence of troponin-tropomyosin on actomyosin interactions. Here, we report a high-resolution structure of the native cardiac rigor cross-bridge formed by heavy meromyosin bound to the thin filament. We show that direct communication between the two bound heads, uneven interactions between the heads and tropomyosin, and spatial constraints imposed by troponin govern myosin placement along the thin filament. Additionally, the …

Expert Consensus On Osteoporosis Risk Management In Patients With Sleep Disorders, Siqi Leng, Jinming Yang, Yuming Jin, Jie Shi, Ye Zhang, Junying Zhou, Lusi Tan, Taomei Li, Peiyan Ni, Kejia Hu, Yuan Shi, Jiamin Liao, Yun Li, Pei Xue, Christian Benedict, Alexandros N. Vgontzas, Michael Furian, Talant Sooronbaev, Naima Covassin, Virend K. Somers, Zhoulong Yu, Hongqiang Sun, Xiao Tan, Jihui Zhang, Yun Kwok Wing, Yue Leng, Larry D. Sanford, Michael V. Vitiello, Katie L. Stone, Rong Ren, Lin Lu, Xiangdong Tang

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

A rate-limiting step in the prevention and early intervention of osteoporosis is identifying its asymptomatic onset. Accumulating evidence shows that sleep disorders are associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. Given their early detectable and modifiable nature, integrating sleep disorder management into osteoporosis prevention and care pathways offers a novel approach for enhancing skeletal health. This expert consensus represents a collaborative effort by specialists in sleep medicine and orthopedics from across the world, integrating epidemiological, mechanistic, and interventional evidence to provide general guidance for prevention and clinical practice, and to foster multidisciplinary collaboration in the management of sleep disorders and …

Revised Microbiology Core Knowledge Objectives For Modern Undergraduate Medical Education, Timothy J. Bauler, Cindy G. Arvidson, Samina Akbar, Dennis N. Arvidson, Margaret E. Bauer, Dwayne M. Baxa, Rebecca J. Greenblatt, Kerstin Honer Zu Bentrup, Yingguang Liu, Inaia Phoenix, Julie A. Kerry

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Defining the core content for each scientific discipline in a modern preclinical medical education curriculum is critical to ensure optimal student learning and application of foundational knowledge for clinical practice. Attendees of the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs (AMSMIC) Educational Strategies Workshop recently highlighted the need for updated medical microbiology learning objectives, given the shift in medical education toward less time for preclinical coursework and more integrated learning. Herein, we describe the process of developing a comprehensive, educator-driven set of knowledge objectives for medical microbiology. These objectives emphasize common pathogens, as well as pathogens associated with severe …

Npd Winner's Circle: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome In New Clinical Specialties, Leanna Ross

Publications 2026-present

No abstract provided.

Preoperative Patient Sentiment Is Associated With Postoperative Outcomes In Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery, Ross J. Gore, David Mazur-Hart, Mohan K. Sunkara, Aaqib Ali, Qizar Ali, Christopher J. Lynch, Christopher Ames

Center for Secure and Intelligent Critical Systems (CSICS) Publications

Study Design: Prospective observational pilot study of adult spinal deformity surgery patients.

Objective: To determine whether preoperative patient sentiment, quantified using a 21-class valence scale extending the CARP paradigm implemented through an offline Large Language Model, predicts postoperative outcomes.

Summary of Background Data: Predicting adult spinal deformity surgery outcomes remains challenging with traditional clinical and radiographic parameters alone. Although patient psychological factors and expectations significantly influence postoperative satisfaction and quality of life, systematic approaches to capture these factors are underdeveloped. Offline Large Language Models offer scalable, privacy-preserving psychological risk stratification.

Materials and Methods: We prospectively enrolled 18 patients undergoing adult …

Kidney Dysfunction, Biochemical Changes, Dna Alteration, And Mapks Regulation Following Chronic Exposure To Regular And Occasional Hookah Smoke In Mice, Naserddine Hamadi, Anas Nemmar, Sumaya Beegam, Nur Elena Zaaba, Ozaz Elzaki, Abderrahim Nemmar

All Works

Regular hookah smoking (Reg-HS) has become a major global public health issue, linked to significant health risks, including kidney damage. A less frequent pattern of use, known as occasional hookah smoking (Occ-HS), is also common; however, there has been little progress in understanding the direct impact of Occ-HS on kidneys. To investigate how varying frequencies of HS inhalation affect the kidney, we exposed mice to nose-only HS under two regimens, occasional (30 min once weekly) and regular (30 min five times per week) for a duration of 6 months. This study explored the impact on renal damage, inflammatory responses, oxidative …

Integrative Machine Learning Of Genetic And Lifestyle Factors For Personalized Skin Health, Yassine Benachour, Lina Maloukh, Barbara Geusens

All Works

Objective: To develop an AI framework that combines genetic, phenotypic, and lifestyle data for profiling skin-health patterns and generating hypothesis-supporting summaries for potential decision support. Methods and procedures: A dataset of 5,254 individuals integrates six genes (FLG, AQP3, MMP-1, MMP-3, SOD2, GPX), six phenotype severities, and 20+ lifestyle factors. Mutation burden and interactions are tested by ANOVA. K-modes clustering identifies four interpretable dermatological profiles within the cohort and is embedded in leakage-free nested cross-validation (train-only selection; test labels from training centroids). Subtypes are predicted from genetics plus lifestyle using an XGBoost (XGB) classifier; explainability uses gain, permutation importance, and SHAP …

Machine Learning For Wearable Sensor-Based Human Movement Rehabilitation: A Five-Year Systematic Review, Yassine Benachour, Farid Flitti, Lina Maloukh, Aicha Beya Far, Elhocine Boutellaa, Mohamed Bentoumi, Marwa Chendeb El Rai, Nour Aburaed, Khaled Ali, Moez Rehman, Sultan Mosleh, Rania Dghaim, Sadok Bouamama

All Works

Wearable-sensor-based human movement analysis is an increasingly important component of digital health and rehabilitation, enabling objective monitoring and data-driven personalization of therapy. In parallel, machine learning (ML) methods have rapidly expanded for interpreting multimodal movement signals, yet the evidence base remains heterogeneous and difficult to benchmark. This PRISMA-guided systematic review synthesizes recent ML approaches for wearable human motion analysis in rehabilitation-oriented health applications. We searched IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and Scopus for English-language studies published from 2021 to 2025 and extracted information on sensor modalities, ML task formulations and model families, dataset characteristics, validation protocols, and reported performance metrics, together with …

Oxytocin Dosing During Trial Of Labor After Cesarean To Minimize The Risk Of Uterine Rupture: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Pierpaolo Nicolì, Moti Gulersen, Jordan Beacham, Hila Hochler, Alessandra Familiari, Anna Locatelli, Cynthia Abraham, Ettore Cicinelli, Amerigo Vitagliano, Vincenzo Berghella

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Oxytocin remains the mainstay for induction and for the management of labor arrest during trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC). Therefore, the clinical question should be not whether to use oxytocin, but how to optimize its administration. This meta-analysis aimed to assess which oxytocin protocol, in terms of initial dose, amount of increase, timing to next increase, and maximum dose, may minimize the risk of uterine rupture (UR) during TOLAC.

DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase and Clinicaltrials.gov were searched up to September 21, 2024.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomized and nonrandomized studies evaluating the association between induction and/or augmentation with oxytocin …

Impact Of Prophylactic Oral Azithromycin During Labor On Azithromycin Resistance (Amr) In Nasal Staphylococcus Aureus And Streptococcus Pneumoniae In Women And Infants In The Multi-Country Azithromycin Prevention In Labor Use Study (A-Plus)., Patricia L. Hibberd, Jean H. Kim, Marissa Trotta, Sixto M. Leal, Anna Aceituno, Doyle V. Ward, Archana Patel, Akila Subramaniam, Waldemar A. Carlo, Imran Ahmed, Sarah Saleem, Sk Masum Billah, Rashidun Haque, Manolo Mazariegos, Fabian Esamai, Manjunath S. Somannavar, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Elwyn Chomba, Muska Mwenchanya, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Robert L. Goldenberg, Melissa Bauserman, Nancy F. Krebs, Sherri Bucher, Richard J. Derman, William A. Petri, Marion Koso-Thomas, Denise C. Babineau, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Alan T. N. Tita

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Prophylactic oral azithromycin vs. placebo reduced maternal, but not neonatal, mortality/sepsis in the A-PLUS Randomized Trial. While prophylactic intrapartum azithromycin reduces maternal mortality/sepsis, it may promote antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in commensal bacteria,.

METHODS: Randomly selected women and their infants participating in A-PLUS were enrolled in a longitudinal cross-sectional sub-study to assess the presence of azithromycin resistance in selected bacteria in nasal cultures. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae were cultured on selective agar, then azithromycin-containing agar to select for azithromycin resistant bacteria, identified biochemically. Azithromycin susceptibility was assessed by E-test. Nasal cultures were collected from women and infants between August …

Intermittent Androgen Deprivation Therapy For Biochemical Recurrence Or Prostate-Specific Antigen (Psa) Persistence After Radical Prostatectomy: Efficacy And Prognostic Factors, Jian Chen, Qiming Chen, Xuzhi Yan, Ziqian Wang, Yapeng Wang, Yao Zhang, Jun Zhang, Jing Xu, Junying Zhang, Dianzheng Zhang, Qiuli Liu, Wuihua Lan, Jun Jiang

PCOM Scholarly Works

Background: The optimal protocol for intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (IAD) in managing biochemical recurrence (BCR) and persistent prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after radical prostatectomy (RP) remains undefined. This study aimed to introduce a novel IAD protocol, conduct an initial assessment of the protocol’s effectiveness in real-world settings, and develop a risk-based model to identify patients most likely to benefit from this approach. Methods: This study included 175 post-RP patients receiving IAD, with a median follow-up of 44.77 months [interquartile range (IQR), 31.87–69.50 months] post-androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The IAD protocol used a PSA threshold of 0.2 ng/mL to define progression …

Therapeutic Landscape Of Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease Translated Into Everyday Practice For Geriatric Providers., Melissa J Bailey-Taylor, Paula Morrow, James Hendrix, Katherine E. Galluzzi, Golnosh Sharafsaleh

PCOM Scholarly Works

Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for 60-80% of all dementia cases. Recent advances in diagnostic biomarkers of early symptomatic AD (ie, mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia due to AD) and amyloid-targeting therapies (ATTs) have the potential to improve outcomes for patients with AD. Two ATTs (donanemab and lecanemab) are currently approved and available for use in the US. Both ATTs can slow disease progression as well as cognitive and functional decline in patients with early symptomatic AD. Treatment with ATTs is associated with specific safety concerns such as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities. Therefore, the benefit versus risk profile needs to be …

Exposition Professionnelle Aux Agents D'Infections Nosocomiales En Milieux De Soins : Mieux Comprendre Et Contrôler La Voie De Propagation Par Aérosols, Caroline Duchaine, Yves Longtin, Marc Veillette, Adriana Larotta, Bianka Paquet Bolduc

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Ce projet, mené dans le contexte de la pandémie de COVID-19, visait à mieux comprendre les risques liés à la présence de virus et de bactéries dans l’air des milieux de soins et à identifier les meilleures façons de protéger le personnel de la santé. Ce projet s’est articulé autour de trois grands volets de recherche complémentaires, menés en milieux réels et en laboratoire. Le premier volet visait à documenter la présence de virus comme le SARS-CoV-2 (responsable de la COVID-19), l’influenza ou le norovirus dans l’air d’hôpitaux et de centres de soins de longue durée. Des prélèvements dans les …

Effets Respiratoires De L'Exposition Journalière Aux Particules Respirables, Fines Et Ultrafines Dans Divers Milieux De Travail, Audrey Smargiassi, Maximilien Debia, Eva Suarthana

Rapports de recherche scientifique

De très nombreux travailleurs sont exposés quotidiennement à des niveaux de particules dans l’air ambiant qui dépassent largement les concentrations auxquelles la population générale est exposée. Néanmoins, très peu d’études ont porté sur l’influence de l’exposition quotidienne des travailleurs aux particules respirables sur la santé respiratoire. La majorité des études se sont intéressées aux effets des expositions prolongées sur le développement de maladies respiratoires. Pourtant, les associations entre l’exposition journalière aux particules respirables et l’inflammation pulmonaire et la fonction respiratoire sont bien documentées pour la population générale. Les effets des particules respirables pourraient différer pour les travailleurs parce que les …

Distinct Glycosyltransferase Expression Governs Organ-Specific Survival In Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis, Venkatesh Varadharaj, Frank Leon, Nivedeta Krishna Kumar, Palanisamy Nallasamy, Pratima Raut, Annant Bir Kaur, Kirtana Arikath, Wyatt Petersen, Sanchita Rauth, Neelanjana Gayen, Zahraa Wajih Alsafwani, Poompozhil Mathivanan, Saravanakumar Marimuthu, Kavita Mallya, Madhu Bommideni, Jesse L. Cox, G. Talmon, Paul M. Grandgenett, Michael A. Hollingsworth, Dominick J. Dimaio, Jean L. Grem, Surinder K. Batra, Moorthy P. Ponnusamy

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most lethal cancers, with over 83% of patients presenting metastases to vital organs such as the liver, lungs, and peritoneum. Although glycosylation has been established as a critical factor in PDAC development, little is known about the molecular underpinnings of organ-specific metastasis. In this study, we investigated the role of glycosyltransferases (GTs) in mediating PDAC metastatic organotropism. Through an unbiased transcriptomic screen, we identified distinct GT expression patterns in liver- and lung-tropic PDAC cells. Notably, GCNT3 and B3GNT3 were selectively upregulated in liver and lung-tropic cells, respectively. These mutually exclusive expression patterns were …

Prolonged Qt Interval In Hiv-1 Infected Humanized Mice Treated Chronically With Dolutegravir/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Emtricitabine, Ali Namvaran, Julian V. Garcia, Mahendran Ramasamy, Kayla Nguyen, Farzaneh Tavakkoli Ghazani, Bryan T. Hackfort, Prasanta Dash, Reagan E. Fisher, Benson J. Edagwa, Santhi Gorantla, Keshoer R. Bidasee

Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology

The REPRIEVE Trial recently reported high rates of sudden cardiac death (SCD) middle-aged people living with HIV-1 infection (PWH) using the WHO/NIH-recommended two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)/one integrase strand inhibitor (INSTI) regimen to manage HIV-1 viremia. To date, clinically relevant animal models to delineate underlying causes for this remain limited. Here, we assessed if HIV-1-infected NOD.Cg-Prkdc^scidIl2rg^tm1Wjl/SzJ humanized mice (Hu-mice) treated with the WHO/NIH-recommended antiretroviral regimen, dolutegravir (DTG, INSTI)/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF, NRTIs)/emtricitabine (FTC, NRTIs), can recapitulate abnormalities in the ECG and subclinical structural heart disease that serve as harbingers of SCD in middle-aged PWH. …

Simulation Scenario Builder, Jami Monico

Instructional Materials: Graduate Medical Education

Simulation Scenario Builder is a structured Excel‑based tool designed to guide educators through the complete development of clinical simulation experiences. Organized according to the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice™, this builder ensures consistency, quality, and standardization when creating simulation activities for learners in health professions education. The file includes linked resources, fillable planning sections, and templates for scenario design, prebriefing, debriefing, learner preparation, assessment, fidelity planning, and evaluation.

Donor-Derived Cell-Free Dna In Antibody-Mediated Rejection: An Analysis Of The Surveillance Heartcare Outcomes Registry, Paul J. Kim, Amit H. Alam, Jeffrey J. Teuteberg, Kiran K. Khush, Sean P. Pinney, Richard K. Cheng, Amin Yehya, Jeremy Kobulnik, Kevin M. Pinney, Kris A. Oreschak, Christopher R. Ensor Pharmd, Steven Fan, Marcus A. Urey, Palak Shah, Shelley A. Hall

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) has emerged as a biomarker for antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), but its performance characteristics have not been evaluated in a large contemporary heart transplant population.

Objectives

The study aimed to characterize the incidence and timing of biopsy-proven AMR and evaluate the performance characteristics of dd-cfDNA for AMR.

Methods

The authors included 2,240 subjects from the SHORE (Surveillance HeartCare Outcomes Registry) registry transplanted between 2017 and 2022 with verified biopsy, dd-cfDNA, echocardiographic, and donor-specific antibody (DSA) data. They evaluated the performance characteristics of dd-cfDNA for AMR and the incidence of AMR in different clinical contexts.

Results

AMR …