Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Correction: Type Of Cycle, Temperament And Childhood Trauma Are Associated With Lithium Response In Patients With Bipolar Disorders, Delfina Janiri, Alessio Simonetti, Mario Luciano, Silvia Montanari, Evelina Bernardi, Giuseppe Carrà, Andrea Fiorillo, Gabriele Sani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This corrects the article "Type of cycle, temperament and childhood trauma are associated with lithium response in patients with bipolar disorders", 10.

Parg Is Essential For Polθ-Mediated Dna End-Joining By Removing Repressive Poly-Adp-Ribose Marks, Umeshkumar Vekariya, Leonid Minakhin, Gurushankar Chandramouly, Mrityunjay Tyagi, Tatiana Kent, Katherine Sullivan-Reed, Jessica Atkins, Douglas Ralph, Margaret Nieborowska-Skorska, Anna-Mariya Kukuyan, Hsin-Yao Tang, Richard T. Pomerantz, Tomasz Skorski

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

DNA polymerase theta (Polθ)-mediated end-joining (TMEJ) repairs DNA double-strand breaks and confers resistance to genotoxic agents. How Polθ is regulated at the molecular level to exert TMEJ remains poorly characterized. We find that Polθ interacts with and is PARylated by PARP1 in a HPF1- independent manner. PARP1 recruits Polθ to the vicinity of DNA damage via PARylation dependent liquid demixing, however, PARylated Polθ cannot perform TMEJ due to its inability to bind DNA. PARG-mediated de-PARylation of Polθ reactivates its DNA binding and end-joining activities. Consistent with this, PARG is essential for TMEJ and the temporal recruitment of PARG to DNA …

Disappearing Dysphagia And The Spontaneous Intraesophageal Hematoma, A Wayne Wheeler, Stephen Landreneau

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Full-Length Αiibβ3 Cryo-Em Structure Reveals Intact Integrin Initiate-Activation Intrinsic Architecture, Tong Huo, Hongjiang Wu, Zeinab Moussa, Mehmet Sen, Valerie Dalton, Zhao Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Integrin αIIbβ3 is the key receptor regulating platelet retraction and accumulation and a proven drug-target for antithrombotic therapies. Here we resolve the cryoEM structures of the full-length αIIbβ3, which covers three distinct states along the activation pathway. Firstly, we obtain the αIIbβ3 structure at 3Å resolution in the inactive state, revealing the overall topology of the heterodimer with the transmembrane (TM) helices and the ligand-binding domain tucked in a specific angle proximity to the TM region. After the addition of a Mn2+ agonist, we resolve two coexisting structures representing two new states between inactive and active state. Our structures show …

Msl2 Variants Lead To A Neurodevelopmental Syndrome With Lack Of Coordination, Epilepsy, Specific Dysmorphisms, And A Distinct Episignature, Remzi Karayol, Maria Carla Borroto, Sadegheh Haghshenas, Anoja Namasivayam, Jack Reilly, Michael A Levy, Raissa Relator, Jennifer Kerkhof, Haley Mcconkey, Maria Shvedunova, Andrea K Petersen, Kari Magnussen, Christiane Zweier, Georgia Vasileiou, André Reis, Juliann M Savatt, Meghan R Mulligan, Louise S Bicknell, Gemma Poke, Aya Abu-El-Haija, Jessica Duis, Vickie Hannig, Siddharth Srivastava, Elizabeth Barkoudah, Natalie S Hauser, Myrthe Van Den Born, Uri Hamiel, Noa Henig, Hagit Baris Feldman, Shane Mckee, Ingrid P C Krapels, Yunping Lei, Albena Todorova, Ralitsa Yordanova, Slavena Atemin, Mihael Rogac, Vivienne Mcconnell, Anna Chassevent, Kristin W Barañano, Vandana Shashi, Jennifer A Sullivan, Angela Peron, Maria Iascone, Maria P Canevini, Jennifer Friedman, Iris A Reyes, Janell Kierstein, Joseph J Shen, Faria N Ahmed, Xiao Mao, Berta Almoguera, Fiona Blanco-Kelly, Konrad Platzer, Ariana-Berenike Treu, Juliette Quilichini, Alexia Bourgois, Nicolas Chatron, Louis Januel, Christelle Rougeot, Deanna Alexis Carere, Kristin G Monaghan, Justine Rousseau, Kenneth A Myers, Bekim Sadikovic, Asifa Akhtar, Philippe M Campeau

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Epigenetic dysregulation has emerged as an important etiological mechanism of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Pathogenic variation in epigenetic regulators can impair deposition of histone post-translational modifications leading to aberrant spatiotemporal gene expression during neurodevelopment. The male-specific lethal (MSL) complex is a prominent multi-subunit epigenetic regulator of gene expression and is responsible for histone 4 lysine 16 acetylation (H4K16ac). Using exome sequencing, here we identify a cohort of 25 individuals with heterozygous de novo variants in MSL complex member MSL2. MSL2 variants were associated with NDD phenotypes including global developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, and motor issues such as coordination problems, feeding …

Challenges Of Spatially Resolved Metabolism In Cancer Research, Andrew N. Lane, Richard M. Higashi, Teresa W-M Fan

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Stable isotope-resolved metabolomics comprises a critical set of technologies that can be applied to a wide variety of systems, from isolated cells to whole organisms, to define metabolic pathway usage and responses to perturbations such as drugs or mutations, as well as providing the basis for flux analysis. As the diversity of stable isotope-enriched compounds is very high, and with newer approaches to multiplexing, the coverage of metabolism is now very extensive. However, as the complexity of the model increases, including more kinds of interacting cell types and interorgan communication, the analytical complexity also increases. Further, as studies move further …

Childhood Sexual Abuse And Compulsive Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Newly Diagnosed With Hiv, Monique J. Brown, Medinat Omobola Osinubi, Daniel Amoatika, Mohammad Rifat Haider, Sally Kirklewski, Patrick Wilson, Nathan B. Hansen

Faculty Publications

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) continues to be a public health challenge. The prevalence of experiencing CSA is higher among men who have sex with men (MSM) than the general population. CSA has been linked to compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) among varying populations but has not been examined among MSM who were newly diagnosed with HIV. Therefore, the aims of this study were to assess the direct association between CSA and CSB among newly diagnosed MSM living with HIV, and to identify the potential mediating roles of depressive symptoms and emotion regulation in the association between CSA and CSB. The study …

A Crisis In Clinical Research, David S Hong, Patricia Lorusso, Mario Sznol

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The clinical research pipeline is critical to ensuring continued development of novel treatments that can offer patients with cancer safe and effective options. Unfortunately, progress has slowed since the COVID-19 pandemic due to uncovered, systemic inefficiencies across critical processes. Towards initiating discussion on how to reinvigorate clinical research, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) hosted a virtual summit that characterized issues and formed potential solutions. This commentary serves to highlight the crisis facing clinical research as well as stimulate field-wide discussion on how to better serve patients into the future.

Emerging Biomedical And Clinical Applications Of 3d-Printed Poly(Lactic Acid)-Based Devices And Delivery Systems, Allan John R Barcena, Prashanth Ravi, Suprateek Kundu, Karthik Tappa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is widely used in the field of medicine due to its biocompatibility, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. Three-dimensional (3D) printing or the systematic deposition of PLA in layers has enabled the fabrication of customized scaffolds for various biomedical and clinical applications. In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, 3D-printed PLA has been mostly used to generate bone tissue scaffolds, typically in combination with different polymers and ceramics. PLA's versatility has also allowed the development of drug-eluting constructs for the controlled release of various agents, such as antibiotics, antivirals, anti-hypertensives, chemotherapeutics, hormones, and vitamins. Additionally, 3D-printed PLA has recently been used …

Implementation Of A Standardized Nursing Handoff In A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Tori Keeven

Dissertations

Handoff communication is critical in healthcare and is associated with patient safety outcomes. Various tools and interventions are available to improve handoff communication as inadequate communication contributes to medical errors, patient adverse events, and increased mortality. The implementation of a standardized handoff tool has been shown to be effective. Findings revealed a significant 60% reduction in reported patient harm events, despite the study's limited sample size and lack of statistical significance (p = .614). Challenges such as low utilization (18.62%) were attributed to concerns about tool organization, spatial constraints, and staff resistance to change. Recommendations include refining the tool to …

Emergent Emm4 Group A Streptococcus Evidences A Survival Strategy During Interaction With Immune Effector Cells, Chioma M Odo, Luis A Vega, Piyali Mukherjee, Sruti Debroy, Anthony R Flores, Samuel A Shelburne

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The major gram-positive pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a model organism for studying microbial epidemics as it causes waves of infections. Since 1980, several GAS epidemics have been ascribed to the emergence of clones producing increased amounts of key virulence factors such as streptolysin O (SLO). Herein, we sought to identify mechanisms underlying our recently identified temporal clonal emergence among emm4 GAS, given that emergent strains did not produce augmented levels of virulence factors relative to historic isolates. By creating and analyzing isoallelic strains, we determined that a conserved mutation in a previously undescribed gene encoding a putative carbonic …

A Staff Education Project For Administration Of Phq-9 To Adult Patients In The Emergency Department, Jessica Leigh Ionno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a global healthcare crisis impacting millions worldwide. In the United States, over 8% of adults experience depression, leading to significant disability and increased healthcare costs. Many individuals with depression seek initial treatment in emergency departments (EDs). This project aims to reduce the burden of depression by training ED nurses to identify at-risk patients early and provide timely interventions and referrals. Benefits include improved patient outcomes, decreased healthcare costs, and social change to address the mental health crisis. Utilizing Malcolm Knowles’ adult learning theory, the project emphasizes collaborative learning relevant to the clinical setting. The partner site is a …

Histopathology Imaging And Clinical Data Including Remission Status In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Chloe Martin-King, Ali Nael, Louis Ehwerhemuepha, Blake Calvo, Quinn Gates, Jamie Janchoi, Elisa Ornelas, Melissa Perez, Andrea Venderby, John Miklavcic, Peter Chang, Aaron Sassoon, Kenneth Grant

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing annually. Children with IBD often suffer significant morbidity due to physical and emotional effects of the disease and treatment. Corticosteroids, often a component of therapy, carry undesirable side effects with long term use. Steroid-free remission has become a standard for care-quality improvement. Anticipating therapeutic outcomes is difficult, with treatments often leveraged in a trial-and-error fashion. Artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated success in medical imaging classification tasks. Predicting patients who will attain remission will help inform treatment decisions. The provided dataset comprises 951 tissue section scans (167 whole-slides) obtained from 18 pediatric …

Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia With A Novel Jak1 Mutation Responds Well To The Jak1/2 Inhibitor Ruxolitinib, Qing Wei, Jie Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Find Your Perfect Match For Surgical Residency: Six Steps To Building Your Brandd From The Collaboration Of Surgical Education Fellows, John M. Woodward, Sarah Lund, Riley Brian, Ananya Anand, Rebecca Moreci, Sergio M. Navarro, Jorge Zarate Rodriguez, Ariana Naaseh, Katrina Tate, Joshua Roshal, Caitlin Silvestri, Connie Y. Gan, Tejas Sathe, Steven W. Thornton, Madeline Cloonan, Lauren Weaver, Mary H. Oh, Frederick Godley, Joseph C. L'Huillier

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Microplastic Accumulation In The Marsh Periwinkle (Littoraria Irrorata), Sarah Keaton, Hannah Lukhard, Eli Windy, Manar Hasan

DePaul Discoveries

Contamination of oceans by microplastics (mm) currently poses a major threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Recent attention towards this issue has raised questions about the extent to which microplastics have accumulated in the environment, and has led to an increase in studies on the effects of microplastics in various organisms. However, levels of contamination in protected natural areas are still largely unexplored, yet can offer an important empirical perspective on the issue. In addition, little is known about the potential effects of microplastics on behavior in the field. This research was conducted within the protected ACE Basin National …

Detection And Quantification Of Acetaminophen In Aquatic Samples From Cádiz, Spain, Hannah R. Desmarais, Michelle N. Mikos

DePaul Discoveries

Pharmaceutical contaminants in water are becoming increasingly prevalent. This could have potentially harmful effects on human health and aquatic environments, even at low concentrations. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient of Tylenol ®, was the target compound for this study, and the aim was to determine is presence and concentration in various aquatic samples in and around the city of Cádiz, Spain. It was predicted that acetaminophen would be detected in low concentrations in river water, drain outflow, University of Cádiz saltwater flow, and lagoon water, but undetectable in the University of Cádiz sink water and fountain water. The presence and concentration …

Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Pm 2.5 Concentrations In Chicago Along The Lakefront Trail Using Wearable Air Quality Sensors, Jacob A. Johnson

DePaul Discoveries

Mass urbanization and transportation practices have resulted in high amounts of air pollution. Air pollution can have detrimental effects on human health causing respiratory issues as well as other health complications. Certain areas of cities experience more exposure to air pollution which can also cause them to have more health issues and lower life expectancy. These areas are often associated with disinvestment and minoritized communities of color. This research explores patterns of air quality related to environmental justice areas using low-cost wearable air quality monitoring sensors attached to a bicycle. Data was collected along the Lakefront Trail stretching from Irving …

Postweaning Skull Growth In Living Didelphid Marsupials: The Case Of Gracilinanus Agilis And Cryptonanus Chacoensis, Iveth A. Villalobos Guerrero, Noé U. De La Sancha

DePaul Discoveries

Ontogeny is described as the history of an organism through its lifetime including development, growth, and allometry. The ontogenetic approach in cranial dimensions has proved useful in interpreting evolutionary patterns. Among the largest Didelphidae family of Neotropical marsupials, the species of Gracilinanus agilis and Cryptonanus chacoensis are poorly known. In this study, we address three questions; Is there sexual dimorphism in these species? What is the pattern of allometry? Which allometric patterns best describe the patterns in the skull and mandible? We applied geometric morphometrics to describe and test these differences using MorphoJ. A discriminant function analysis was performed to …

Disentangling Drivers Of Metacommunity Structure For Small Mammals Throughout Paraguay, William T. Szromba

DePaul Discoveries

Paraguay is home to a unique precipitation gradient, receiving progressively more precipitation from east to west. It has previously been suggested that metacommunity structures for order Chiroptera assemble along precipitation gradients such as this one. Metacommunities have also been shown to assemble along other bioclimatic gradients such as temperature. This study seeks to expand upon other findings by using a larger dataset, partitioned bioclimatic variables, and more mammalian orders. It also seeks to determine how metacommunities assemble along this gradient in Paraguay, investigate the differences between different ecological metacommunity assemblages, and to further understand which bioclimatic variables have the greatest …

Framing The Path To Fitness: Age Differences In Response To Framed Exercise Messages, Iliya Sherif, David B. Taullahu, Alyssa R. Minton, Joseph A. Mikels

DePaul Discoveries

Physical activity is one of the most protective health behaviors one can engage in, yet 75% of active adults in the US, meaning those who exercise regularly, fall short of the recommended levels of physical activity, with an even greater percentage of older adults living inactive lives, meaning they exercise minimally and engage in prolonged sedentary behavior (CDC, 2019). The goal of the current study was to explore different types of message framing targeted at encouraging older and younger adults to exercise. We recruited older adults (n = 184; Mage = 69.45 years, age range: 65- 80 years) and younger …

Reply To Author, Mohammed Abdullah ​ Alosaimi

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

No abstract provided.

Concerns Regarding Sampling Methodology In "Acceptance, Awareness, Attitude, And Practices Toward Heart Transplantation: A Saudi Based Survey", Fatemeh Omidi

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

No abstract provided.

Improving Identification Of Complicated Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Using The Prediction Of Alcohol Withdrawal Severity Scale, Kristin Hagopian

Dissertations

Problem: Individuals who drink alcohol excessively are at great risk for alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) when hospitalized. Symptoms and their severity differ for everyone, and research shows that the identification and treatment of AWS is challenging and often inadequate. Mild AWS is often overtreated, while moderate to severe AWS is often underdiagnosed and undertreated, placing individuals at risk for longer hospital stays, more time needed in critical care units, and a variety of unintended consequences.

Methods: This evidence-based practice project had a pre-post intervention design in which the Prediction of Alcohol Withdrawal Severity Scale (PAWSS) was implemented to promptly identify …

Implementation Of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, Sarah Gutzke

Dissertations

Approximately 48.1% of adults in the United States have high blood pressure. Providers may encourage patients to monitor and log their blood pressure at home. Still, patients often fail to bring this information to appointments, leading to reliance on less comprehensive in-office measurements. This quality improvement project aimed to increase adherence to home blood pressure logs using a Blood Pressure Toolkit. A descriptive, observational design was utilized to record patient adherence of taking home blood pressure measurements and increase the number of patients who brought their blood pressure logs to their healthcare provider visits over two months. A convenience sample …

Bridging The Gap: Psychopharmacologic Education And Side Effect Screening For Non-Prescribing Mental Health Professionals, Elaine Fitzgerald

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The United States is experiencing a growing demand for pediatric mental health support. Surges in mental health diagnoses and psychotropic medication prescriptions have occurred, compounded by a shortage of psychiatric providers. Non-prescribing mental health professionals are well-positioned to recognize psychotropic medication side effects. However, psychologists and counselors lack formal pharmacology education.

Methods: The quality improvement (QI) initiative was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model. The evidence-based psychopharmacologic education for non-prescribers utilized a quasi-experimental pre- and post- test design. Data collected from clinicians included knowledge, confidence, and skill concerning psychotropic medications. The Psychotropic Medication Monitoring Checklist (PMMC) screen clients …

Improving Mental Health Outcomes For Amputees, Zachary Elmore

Dissertations

Problem: depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders are more commonly diagnosed in the amputee population related to changes in mobility, activities of daily living, and quality of life (Turner et al., 2020.) As the amputation population is projected to reach over 3 million Americans in the next 25 years, additional screening is imperative to identify patients at high-risk for mental health deterioration (Ziegler-Graham et al., 2018).

Methods: this was a project that included screening all patients with the Personal Health Questionnaire for Depression (PHQ-8) meeting the inclusion criteria of being admitted to 7500 Vascular Surgery at Barnes-Jewish …

Restraint Reduction Using The Brøset Violence Checklist, Deanna Kappelmann

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Patient aggression, restraint usage and assaults against healthcare workers have numerous negative health outcomes. Patient aggression and restraint usage on inpatient psychiatric units can be identified early with imminent violence predicative tools such as the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC), where patient de-escalation interventions can subsequently occur.

Methods: This quality improvement project was conducted using a cohort design with a retrospective and prospective chart review. The IHI PDSA model was used for this project. The BVC was administered to male and female patients ages 18 to 64 years old on the adult inpatient psychiatric unit during the implementation period. …

Depression Screening And Education For Immigrants To Increase Access To Care, Viktoriya Ivantsova

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Immigrants are at risk for developing mental health disorders due to multiple factors including social, cultural, or economic factors. This can result in a lower quality of life and an increased chance of further disabilities. Although immigrants are at increased risk for the development of mental health disorders, studies show that utilization of available services and resources are low. Additionally, organizations that provide services to immigrants may not be implementing screening and psychoeducation.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) project followed a descriptive, observational design along with an educational intervention. Using convenience sampling for recruitment, Russian and/or Ukrainian adults …

Addressing Daily Compliance Of Central Line Discussions In A Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Caitlin Sherwood

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine the impact of targeted education on the consistency of central line discussions during daily, multidisciplinary rounds in a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit.

Method: The Kellogg Logic Model was utilized to guide this project. Education was created and presented to bedside nurses working within the unit regarding the importance of daily central line discussion and the impacts of central line associated blood stream infection on patients. The rate of central line discussion was collected pre- and post-intervention to assess effectiveness of the education.

Findings: This project failed to …