Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Computational Design And In Vitro And In Vivo Characterization Of An Apoe-Based Synthetic High-Density Lipoprotein For Sepsis Therapy, Ling Guo, Yaxia Yuan, Fang Zhang, Chang-Guo Zhan, Xiangan Li

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Introduction: Septic patients have low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), which is a risk factor. Replenishing HDLs with synthetic HDLs (sHDLs) has shown promise as a therapy for sepsis. This study aimed to develop a computational approach to design and test new types of sHDLs for sepsis treatment. Methods: We used a three-step computational approach to design sHDL nanoparticles based on the structure of HDLs and their binding to endotoxins. We tested the efficacy of these sHDLs in two sepsis mouse models—cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced and P. aeruginosa-induced sepsis models—and assessed their impact on inflammatory signaling in cells. Results: …

Artesunate Enhances The Efficacy Of Enzalutamide In Advanced Prostate Cancer, Xinyi Wang, Jinghui Liu, Fengyi Mao, Yifan Kong, Qiongsi Zhang, Chaohao Li, Daheng He, Chi Wang, Yanquan Zhang, Ruixin Wang, Sally R. Ellingson, Qiou Wei, Zhiguo Li, Xiaoqi Liu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of death among men worldwide. Treatments targeting the androgen receptor pathway remain the standard therapy for PCa patients. Enzalutamide (ENZ), a second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor, was developed to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, while patients initially respond to ENZ, drug resistance typically develops within a few months. Artesunate (ART), a semisynthetic derivative of the Artemisinin plant, is approved for antimalaria treatment. In this study, we conducted an FDA-approved drug screening and identified ART as a potential candidate for overcoming ENZ resistance in PCa. Mechanistically, ART induces the degradation of c-Myc, enhancing …

Care Utilization For Acute Respiratory Infections In Children Requiring Invasive Long-Term Mechanical Ventilation, Carolyn C Foster, Todd A Florin, Derek J Williams, Katherine L Freundlich, Rebecca L Steuart, Julia A Heneghan, Cara Cecil, Nathan M Pajor, Robert J Graham, Sriram Ramgopal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Children who use invasive long-term mechanical ventilation (LTMV) are a rare, clinically heterogenous population with relatively high hospitalization rates, most commonly for acute respiratory infection (ARI). We sought to describe patterns of ARI-related utilization and mortality in pediatric patients with LTMV, evaluating the association of a pre-existing neurologic diagnoses with outcomes.

Methods: We studied a longitudinal retrospective cohort across 40 U.S. children's hospital emergency department (ED) and hospital encounters for patients (< 21 years) with LTMV and an ARI diagnosis code (10/1/2016-6/30/2023). We examined mortality and ED/hospital utilization outcomes, defining short-stay hospitalizations as ≤ 2 calendar days. We stratified analyses by high intensity neurologic impairment (HINI) using a validated coding algorithm.

Results: We included 4866 patients (median age 4.5 years; 58.6% male) with LTMV and ≥ 1 ARI encounter. Most (95.1%) were hospitalized on their index encounter, and …

Development Of Mobility Scales For Infants And Children On Ecmo, Johanna I. Orrick, Debra E. Newton, Caroline Holton

Posters

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving intervention commonly used in pediatric and neonatal intensive care; however, it presents unique challenges for maintaining patient mobility. Early mobility contributes to better long-term outcomes. Existing mobility scales by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) are limited to patients aged 8 years and older, leaving a gap for younger populations. This study aimed to develop and validate mobility scales specifically for infants (< 2 years) and children aged 2-8 years undergoing ECMO therapy. Through a collaborative effort involving pediatric ECMO specialists, physicians, and critical care nurses, we adapted ELSO’s mobility criteria to be developmentally appropriate for these younger age groups. For infants, mobility benchmarks include passive and active limb movements, head control, and supported sitting. The criteria for children aged 2-8 is expanded to include sitting, supported standing, and age-appropriate gross motor activities. This scale provides graded levels of mobility that accommodate ECMO-specific safety considerations, allowing practitioners to chart interventions according to each child’s developmental and physiological capacity. The resulting scales are being pilot-tested at our large ECMO center, with data showing preliminary effectiveness at capturing the degree of mobility achieved during ECMO runs. This mobility scale fills a critical need by providing structured charting guidelines for mobilizing infants and young children on ECMO, promoting functional recovery and potential improvements in long-term developmental outcomes. Further studies are recommended to establish consistency across institutions and confirm the scale's impact on mobility outcomes in pediatric ECMO patients.

Overexpression And Biophysical And Functional Characterization Of A Recombinant Fgf21, Phuc Phan, Jason Hoang, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine FGF that plays a vital role in regulating essential metabolic pathways. FGF21 increases glucose uptake by cells, promotes fatty acid oxidation, reduces blood glucose levels, and alleviates metabolic diseases. However, detailed studies on its stability and biophysical characteristics have not been reported. Herein, we present the overexpression, biophysical characterization, and metabolic activity of a soluble recombinant FGF21 (rFGF21). The far-UV circular dichroism spectra of rFGF21 show a negative trough at 215 nm, indicating that the protein’s backbone predominantly adopts a β sheet conformation. rFGF21 shows intrinsic tyrosine fluorescence at 305 nm. Thermal …

Bpen: Brain Posterior Evidential Network For Trustworthy Brain Imaging Analysis, Kai Ye, Haoteng Tang, Siyuan Dai, Igor Fortel, Paul M. Thompson, R. Scott Mackin, Alex Leow, Heng Huang, Liang Zhan

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The application of deep learning techniques to analyze brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data has led to significant advancements in identifying prospective biomarkers associated with various clinical phenotypes and neurological conditions. Despite these achievements, the aspect of prediction uncertainty has been relatively underexplored in brain fMRI data analysis. Accurate uncertainty estimation is essential for trustworthy learning, given the challenges associated with brain fMRI data acquisition and the potential diagnostic implications for patients. To address this gap, we introduce a novel posterior evidential network, named the Brain Posterior Evidential Network (BPEN), designed to capture both aleatoric and epistemic uncertainty in …

Status Epilepticus: Refractory Management, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.

Modifiable And Non-Modifiable Risk Factors For Dementia Among Non-Hispanic White And Black Populations Aged 50-64 In The United States, 2006-2016, Jingkai Wei, Matthew C. Lohman Ph.D., Monique J. Brown, James W. Hardin, Chih-Hsiang Yang, Anwar T. Nerchant, Daniela B. Friedman

Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives

Research Design and Methods

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Syringe Services Program Attendance Among Persons Who Inject Drugs In Northeast Georgia, Usa: A Mediation Analysis, Mohammad Rifat Haider, Samantha Clinton, Monique J. Brown, Nathan B. Hansen

Faculty Publications

Background: Syringe services programs (SSP) are evidence-based venues offering harm reduction services to persons who inject drugs (PWID), such as sterile syringes, STI/HIV testing, and linkage to care to decrease drug use-related morbidities and mortalities. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked with reduced resilience, while increased resilience can help PWID attend SSPs. This study examined the potential mediating role of resilience between ACEs and SSP attendance among PWID.

Methods: Data were collected from adult HIV-negative PWID in northeast Georgia, between February-December 2023 (N = 173). Data were collected on SSP attendance (Yes vs. No), resilience, and ACEs. Covariates included …

Geographic Disparities In Unpaid Caregiving, Emma Kathryn Boswell, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Nicholas Yell, Taryn Farrell, Peiyin Hung Ph.D., Elizabeth Crouch Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Purpose: An updated, nationally representative examination of rural–urban differences in the experiences, health, and well-being of caregivers is needed; previous research on this topic uses older data or has limited generalizability. This study examines rural–urban differences in the characteristics, experiences, and health of caregivers. Methods: The 2021–2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n = 44,274 unpaid caregivers) was used, with rurality defined according to the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme. Chi-square tests compared rural–urban differences in these caregivers’ characteristics, including demographic factors, caregiving intensity (e.g., weekly hours spent caregiving, reason for caregiving, past-month ADL/IADL assistance), …

Case Series On Prosthetic Valve Thromboses Treated With Intravenous Thrombolysis At A Tertiary Teaching Hospital In Nairobi – Kenya, John Odhiambo, Salim Abdallah, Mzee Ngunga

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Valvular heart disease is a significant global health issue, particularly in developing countries where Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is the leading cause. Valve replacement surgeries have increased, with mechanical prostheses favored for their durability. However, thromboembolism remains a critical complication post-surgery, with prosthetic valve thrombosis rates of 0.03% for bioprosthetic valves and between 0.5% to 8% for mechanical valves in the aortic and mitral position. This report details two cases of heart failure following valve replacement due to rheumatic heart disease. The first case involves a 42-year-old female who developed prosthetic valve thrombosis after discontinuing warfarin for menorrhagia postmechanical mitral …

Pharmacodynamics Of Aspirin Through Gestation: Predictors Of Aspirin Response And Association With Pregnancy Outcome, A Prospective Cohort Study, Rupsa C. Boelig, Emily Foecke Munden, Tingting Zhan, Steven E. Mckenzie, Walter K. Kraft

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Low-dose aspirin is recommended for prevention of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and preterm birth (PTB) in high-risk pregnancies. There is limited data on factors impacting aspirin response in pregnancy. We aimed to evaluate predictors of aspirin response and association with pregnancy outcome with a prospective study of high-risk pregnancies taking 81 mg aspirin daily. Aspirin response was evaluated with Platelet Function Assay-100 (PFA-100) epinephrine closure time at baseline (< 16 weeks' gestation), follow-up 1 (2-4 weeks after aspirin initiation), and follow-up 2 (28-32 weeks gestation). Multivariable regression was used to identify factors associated with PFA-100 at each visit, and results presented with beta coefficient (B) and confidence interval. The median difference (MD) in PFA-100 in those with and without HDP or PTB was compared. Results included 108 who completed follow-up 1 and 96 who completed both visits with > 75% adherence. PFA-100 was increased from baseline at follow-ups 1 and 2 (MD 37 (27-49); MD 26 (15.5-38.5) respectively). At follow-up 1, obesity (B = -30 (-53 to -7) seconds), …

Icu Admission Prediction For Patients With Kawasaki Disease Or Mis-C Using Machine Learning., Jiwon Woo, Rebecca Mosier, Rishima Mukherjee, Ashraf S. Harahsheh, Supriya S. Jain, Geetha Raghuveer, Balasubramanian Sundaram, Simon Lee, Michael A. Portman, Nagib Dahdah, Marianna Fabi, Todd T. Nowlen, Audrey Dionne, Mona El Ganzoury, Tyler H. Harris, Benjamin T. Barnes, Frederic Dallaire, Paul Dancey, Kambiz Norozi, Mahmoud Alsalehi, Elif Seda Selamet Tierney, Jacqueline R. Szmuszkovicz, Pei-Ni Jone, Deepa Prasad, Anji T. Yetman, Nilanjana Misra, Mark D. Hicar, Deepika Thacker, Nadine F. Choueiter, Elisa Fernandez Cooke, Daniel Mauriello, Tapas Mondal, Matthew D. Elias, Kimberly E. Mchugh, Shae A. Merves, Luis Martin Garrido-Garcia, Michael Khoury, Guillermo Larios, Bhargava Chinni, Kaashvi Pruthi, Wenyu Yang, Joseph Greenstein, Casey Taylor, Pedrom Farid, Brian W. Mccrindle, Cedric Manlhiot, International Kawasaki Disease Registry

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD) show a broad spectrum of clinical severity, from a relatively benign clinical course to requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). With either, clinical deterioration may be rapid and unexpected.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to develop a machine learning (ML) model to predict future ICU admission for patients with KD or MIS-C to augment clinical decision-making.

METHODS: We developed a prediction model for ICU admission using 2,539 patientsfeatures, we developed predictive snapshot and window ML models with logistic regression, XGBoost, and random forest. Performance was …

Arteriovenous Malformation Presenting As A Disfigured And Throbbing Face: Case Report, Abrar Shamim Dds, Steven Halepas Dmd, Md, Alfonso Salcines Dmd, Md, Sidney B. Eisig Dds, Facs

The New York State Dental Journal

Maxillofacial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a rare condition in which arteries and veins are in continuity without a capillary bed in between, which poses a significant risk of severe bleeding. Intraosseous AVMs can lead to cortical bone expansion and facial deformity. Dental procedures may result in life-threatening bleeding risk if this condition is not recognized. This report describes a patient experiencing pain in the lower right side of the mouth, along with a taste of blood in the mornings and a tingling sensation in the chin and lower lip. The patient had a history of uncontrolled bleeding following a dental …

N Y State Dent J March 2025

The New York State Dental Journal

In the March 2025 issue, the reader will find the following feature articles:

• Manifestations of Trigeminal Neuralgia Secondary to Multiple Sclerosis in Dentoalveolar Region: Case Report and Literature Review
• Arteriovenous Malformation Presenting as a Disfigured and Throbbing Face: Case Report
• Stress of Dental Students

This issue includes regular columns with regional news impacting the New York membership including: editorial and perspectives columns, legal, association activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

In this month's update from the New York State Dental Foundation, readers will find a call to action in the article "Volunteers Needed to Join Effort to Alleviate …

Going Green In Dermatology, Rahib K. Islam, Victoria T. Tong, Shari R. Lipner

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Current Management Of Skin Conditions In Kenya: Exploring Teledermatology Preferences And Perspectives Among Providers, Jennifer Fernandez, Hashim Kaderbhai, Jennifer Adams, Mary B. Adam, Rodney Adam

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Teledermatology programs may help expand access to care for skin conditions in areas that are underserved by dermatologists such as sub-Saharan Africa, but their success requires input from participating providers.

Objective: This study assesses teledermatology preferences among healthcare providers in Kenya.

Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional survey of nondermatology providers was conducted in Kenya from January to March 2024 at Aga Khan University Hospital-Nairobi and Kijabe Hospital.

Results: Among the 38 providers, 81.6% were physicians. Patient population was primarily Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI. Almost all (97.4%) regularly encountered patients with skin disorders, yet only …

Global Burden Of Major Chronic Liver Diseases In 2021, Gong Feng, Yusuf Yilmaz, Luca Valenti, Wai Kay Seto, Calvin Q. Pan, Nahum Méndez Sánchez, Feng Ye, Silvia Sookoian, Giovanni Targher, Christopher Opio

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: This study utilised the Global Burden of Disease data (2010–2021) to analyse the rates and trends in point preva-lence, annual incidence and years lived with disability (YLDs) for major chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C,metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease, cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases.

Methods: Age-standardised rates per 100,000 population for prevalence, annual incidence and YLDs were compared acrossregions and countries, as well as the socio-demographic index (SDI). Trends were expressed as percentage changes (PC) andestimates were reported with uncertainty intervals (UI).

Results: Globally, in 2021, the age-standardised rates per 100,000 population for the …

Management Of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Current Strategies And Future Prospects, Munish Sharma, Vivek Paudyal, Saifullah Khalid Syed, Rubi Thapa, Nadeem Kassam, Salim Surani

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), now known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), has induced significant treatment breakthroughs in the past decade. Treatment has focused on improving patient survival and quality of life, and delaying disease progression. Current therapies are categorized based on targeting different pathways known to contribute to PAH, including endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs), phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5 inhibitors), prostacyclin analogs, soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators, and activin signaling inhibitors such as Sotatercept. The latest addition to treatment options is soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators, such as Riociguat, which directly stimulates the nitric oxide pathway, facilitating vasodilation. Looking to the future, advancements in …

Experiences Among Parents Caring For Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis At A Tertiary Referral Hospital In Kenya, Hassan Silim, Susan Wamithi, Roselyter Riang’A, Angela Migowa

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatic disease in childhood. Despite the availability of effective treatment strategies such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), JIA is reported to have a negative impact on the quality of life of the patients and their caregivers. Ascertaining the perceptions of the parents will help facilitate more effective management strategies and improve outcomes for these patients. This study aimed to ascertain parental experiences and perceptions of caring for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: This was a single-center facility-based qualitative study. An in-depth interview guide was used to collect …

The Cross-Sectional Association Between Lifestyle Behaviors And Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening Among Hispanic Women Along The Texas-Mexico Border, Paul Gerardo Yeh, Audrey C Choh, Susan P Fisher-Hoch, Joseph B Mccormick, David R Lairson, Belinda M Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Lifestyle behaviors may influence timely cancer screening, but their relationship is unknown among Hispanic women who have low cancer screening rates.

Methods: We used Cameron County Hispanic Cohort data from 2014 to 2022 to evaluate the relationship between lifestyle and compliance with mammography and Papanicolaou (Pap) screening guidelines ("up-to-date") among Hispanic women along the Texas-Mexico border. The 2018 World Cancer Research Fund scoring system characterized cancer-preventive lifestyle adherence. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the association between lifestyle behaviors and mammography and, separately, Pap screening.

Results: Among 385 age-eligible women for mammography and 412 age-eligible women for Pap test screening, up-to-date …

Training Protocol And Calibration Of The International Caries Detection And Assessment System In A School-Based Clinical Trial Of Elementary School-Age Children, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Dania Mofleh, Ru-Jye Chuang, Mengxi Wang, Kila Johnson, Alejandra Garcia-Quintana, Tolulope Titiloye, Suchitra Nelson, Shreela V Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: This paper demonstrates International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) training procedures and inter/intra-examiner reliability for lesion severity, activity, and filling criteria in an elementary school setting.

Methods: ICDAS training was conducted in December 2021 prior to a school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial. A total of 59 children (6-8 years old) in grades 1-2 from one school in Houston, Texas were recruited. Two licensed dentists received a 5-day training from an ICDAS trainer at the participating school. Thirty-eight children were evaluated at least once by each dental trainee, and 18 had repeat examinations. The ICDAS criteria were used to classify …

Predicting Fatal Opioid-Involved Overdoses: A Social-Ecological Framework Matched To A Linked-Data Warehouse, Ric Bayly, Jack Cordes, Dana Bernson, Leland K Ackerson, Marc R Larochelle, Ghada H Hassan, Cici X Bauer, Thomas J Stopka

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: An estimated 60 million people used opioids non-medically worldwide in 2021. In 2019, opioid use disorder caused the loss of over 12.5 million healthy years of life due to disability and premature deaths, including those resulting from opioid-involved overdoses. Factors associated with opioid-involved overdoses are numerous, multi-layered, and interrelated. Using the social-ecological model as a foundation, we sought to comprehensively identify risk and preventive factors of fatal opioid-involved overdoses and operationalize them with quantifiable measures.

Methods: With our Community Advisory Board, investigators' expertise, and an examination of the literature, we created an expansive, opioid-overdose specific social-ecological model structured as …

Sequencing In Over 50,000 Cases Identifies Coding And Structural Variation Underlying Atrial Fibrillation Risk, Seung Hoan Choi, Sean J Jurgens, Ling Xiao, Matthew C Hill, Christopher M Haggerty, Garðar Sveinbjörnsson, Valerie N Morrill, Nicholas A Marston, Lu-Chen Weng, James P Pirruccello, David O Arnar, Daniel Fannar Gudbjartsson, Helene Mantineo, Aenne S Von Falkenhausen, Andrea Natale, Arnljot Tveit, Bastiaan Geelhoed, Carolina Roselli, David R Van Wagoner, Dawood Darbar, Doreen Haase, Elsayed Z Soliman, Giovanni E Davogustto, Goo Jun, Hugh Calkins, Jeffrey L Anderson, Jennifer A Brody, Jennifer L Halford, John Barnard, John E Hokanson, Jonathan D Smith, Joshua C Bis, Kendra Young, Linda S B Johnson, Lorenz Risch, Lorne J Gula, Lydia Coulter Kwee, Mark D Chaffin, Michael Kühne, Michael Preuss, Namrata Gupta, Navid A Nafissi, Nicholas L Smith, Peter M Nilsson, Pim Van Der Harst, Quinn S Wells, Renae L Judy, Renate B Schnabel, Renee Johnson, Roelof A J Smit, Stacey Gabriel, Stacey Knight, Tetsushi Furukawa, Thomas W Blackwell, Victor Nauffal, Xin Wang, Yuan-I Min, Zachary T Yoneda, Zachary W M Laksman, Connie R Bezzina, Alvaro Alonso, Bruce M Psaty, Christine M Albert, Dan E Arking, Dan M Roden, Daniel I Chasman, Daniel J Rader, David Conen, David D Mcmanus, Diane Fatkin, Emelia J Benjamin, Eric Boerwinkle, Gregory M Marcus, Ingrid E Christophersen, J Gustav Smith, Jason D Roberts, Laura M Raffield, M Benjamin Shoemaker, Michael H Cho, Michael J Cutler, Michiel Rienstra, Mina K Chung, Morten S Olesen, Moritz F Sinner, Nona Sotoodehnia, Paulus Kirchhof, Ruth J F Loos, Saman Nazarian, Sanghamitra Mohanty, Scott M Damrauer, Stefan Kaab, Susan R Heckbert, Susan Redline, Svati H Shah, Toshihiro Tanaka, Yusuke Ebana, Hilma Holm, Kari Stefansson, Christian T Ruff, Marc S Sabatine, Kathryn L Lunetta, Steven A Lubitz, Patrick T Ellinor

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent and morbid abnormality of the heart rhythm with a strong genetic component. Here, we meta-analyzed genome and exome sequencing data from 36 studies that included 52,416 AF cases and 277,762 controls. In burden tests of rare coding variation, we identified novel associations between AF and the genes MYBPC3, LMNA, PKP2, FAM189A2 and KDM5B. We further identified associations between AF and rare structural variants owing to deletions in CTNNA3 and duplications of GATA4. We broadly replicated our findings in independent samples from MyCode, deCODE and UK Biobank. Finally, we found that CRISPR knockout of KDM5B …

Risk Of Traumatic Brain Injury In Deployment And Nondeployment Settings Among Members Of The Millennium Cohort Study, Kalyn C Jannace, Lisa Pompeii, David Gimeno Ruiz De Porras, William Brett Perkison, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Daniel W Trone, Rudolph P Rull

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To describe and quantify the prevalence and risk of deployment and nondeployment service-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) among participants of the Millennium Cohort Study.

Setting: Survey data.

Participants: 28 759 Millennium Cohort Study participants who were active duty, Reserves, or National Guard at the time of the survey.

Design: Cross-sectional secondary data analysis.

Main measures: Estimates of prevalence and rates of TBI were calculated. Multivariable Poisson regression estimated rate ratios of TBI overall and stratified by deployment and nondeployment settings.

Results: The rate of TBI over the 362 535 person-years (PY) was 2.95 p/100 PY. the nondeployment rate was …

Functional Investigation Of A Putative Calcium-Binding Site Involved In The Inhibition Of Inositol 1,4, 5-Trisphosphate Receptor Activity, Vikas Arige, Larry E Wagner, Sundeep Malik, Mariah R Baker, Guizhen Fan, Irina I Serysheva, David I Yule

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The regulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor (IP3R) activity is thought to define the spatiotemporal patterns of Ca2+ signals necessary for the appropriate activation of downstream effectors. The binding of both IP3 and Ca2+ is obligatory for IP3R channel opening. Ca2+ however regulates IP3R activity in a biphasic manner. Ca2+ binding to a high-affinity pocket formed by the third armadillo repeat domain and linker domain promotes IP3R channel opening without altering the Ca2+ dependency for channel inactivation. These data suggest that a distinct low-affinity Ca2+-binding site is responsible for the reduction in IP3R activity at higher [Ca2+]. We mutated a …

An Adaptive Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Intervention For Youth With Hiv Through Text Message And Cell Phone Support With And Without Incentives: A Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (Smart), Marvin E Belzer, Karen Macdonell, Demetria Cain, Samiran Ghosh, Richard Zhao, Julie Mcavoy-Banerjea, Sitaji Gurung, Sylvie Naar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Youth living with HIV have low rates of medication adherence. Youth ages 15-24 years with adherence ≤ 80% or with HIV RNA PCRs (VL) ≥ 200 recruited through social media and clinical sites were randomized to brief weekday cell phone support (CPS) calls or daily, two-way, personalized text message (SMS) reminders for 3 months. Those with VL ≥ 200 or adherence ≤ 80% were rerandomized to receive SMS or CPS with monthly incentives for those utilizing the intervention at least 75% of days for 3 months. Those with VL < 200 or adherence > 80% after the initial 3 months were rerandomized to usual care …

Community Engagement Approaches And Lessons Learned: A Case Study Of The Precise Pregnancy Cohort Study In Kenya, Onesmus Wanje, Angela Koech, Maggie Woo Kinshella, Grace Mwashigadi, Alice Kombo, Grace Maitha, Nathan Barreh, Hiten D. Mistry, Marianne Vidler, Rachel Craik

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Community engagement (CE) has been recommended as an important ethical consideration for health research to enhance informed consent and exchange knowledge between researchers and community members. The purpose of this paper is to describe how CE was developed and delivered for the PRECISE prospective pregnancy cohort study in Kenya. PRECISE enrolled pregnant women in antenatal care, followed them up to the postpartum period, and collected data and biological samples to enable the study of placental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. Initially CE was aimed at informing the community about the study, establishing communitywide acceptance of the research and addressing concerns about …

Decolonizing Global Health Research: Experiences From The Women In Health And Their Economic, Equity And Livelihood Statuses During Emergency Preparedness And Response (Wheeler) Study, Ahmed Adam, Lisa Lazarus, Bernadette Kina, Robert Lorway, Bilali Mazoya, Michaela Mantel, Marleen Temmerman, Lisa Avery, Evaline Chepchirchir Langat

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Decolonizing global health research involves rethinking power structures and research collaboration to prioritize the voices and experiences of communities that have been historically marginalized. Cross-sectoral and cross-regional partnerships based on reciprocity, trust, and transparency can be facilitated by decolonized research frameworks. To address global health issues in a way that is inclusive, context-specific, and genuinely advantageous to all parties involved, especially communities most impacted by health disparities, the ethics behind this change is imperative. We applied a decolonizing health research approach to the Women in Health and their Economic, Equity, and Livelihood Statuses During Emergency Preparedness and Response (WHEELER) study …

Awareness On Environmental Air Pollution Among Adults In Rural Mysuru, Rakesh M, Jesymol Joy, Sunil Kumar D

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Introduction

Air pollution is a major environmental threat and one of the main cases of death among all risk factors known so far. Health effects also include preterm and low-birthweight, asthma as well as cognitive and neurological impairment basically having the potential to impact our whole body, way beyond our lungs. The proposed study focusses on to assess the awareness on air pollution and factors associated with it among adults in South Mysuru which can put a light on the preventive measures and policies to be taken by the individuals as well as the authorities.

Methodology

A Community-based cross-sectional study …