Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Study Of Dietary Patterns Derived By Cluster Analysis And Their Association With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Severity Among Hispanic Patients, Xiaotao Zhang, Carrie R Daniel, Valeria Soltero, Ximena Vargas, Shilpa Jain, Fasiha Kanwal, Aaron P Thrift, Maya Balakrishnan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Diet is a modifiable metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) risk factor, but few studies have been conducted among Hispanic patients, despite the fact that MASLD prevalence and severity are highest among this ethnic subgroup. We aimed to identify prevalent dietary patterns among Hispanic patients using cluster analysis and to investigate associations with MASLD severity.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 421 Harris County MASLD Cohort participants who self-reported Hispanic ethnicity and completed baseline food frequency questionnaires. All included patients had MASLD, diagnosed per standard clinical criteria. K-means analysis was used to identify clusters of patients sharing similar dietary habits. …

A Phase 1 Trial Utilizing A Pharmacokinetic Endpoint To Determine The Optimal Dose Of Ramucirumab In Children And Adolescents With Relapsed Or Refractory Solid Tumors, Including Central Nervous System Tumors, Kristy L Pilbeam, Kamnesh Pradhan, James Croop, Charles G Minard, Xiaowei Liu, Stephan D Voss, Emasenyie Isikwei, Stacey L Berg, Joel M Reid, Elizabeth Fox, Brenda J Weigel

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Ramucirumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds the extracellular domain of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR-2) and prevents binding of VEGF ligands. Based on population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis and correlation with efficacy in adults, a target steady state trough concentration (Css,min ) ≥ 50 µg/mL was established.

Procedures: This phase 1 trial (ADVL1416) used a rolling six design and a PK primary endpoint to define the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of ramucirumab in children with recurrent/refractory solid tumors. Two dose levels (DL) were planned (DL1: 8 mg/kg, DL2: 12 mg/kg administered intravenously [IV] every 2 weeks). Toxicity …

Risk Of 30-Day All-Cause Readmission In Interstitial Lung Disease Patients After Covid-19: National-Level Data, Ali Vaeli Zadeh, Roshan Dinparastisaleh, Atefeh Vaezi, Debabrata Bandyopadhyay, Israel Rubinstein, Hassan Z Baig, Rafael Calderon-Candelario, Abdolrazagh Hashemi Shahraki, Takeshi Kawasaki, Jesper M Magnusson, Lars-Olof Larsson, Amir Sharafkhaneh, Jose D Herazo-Maya, Augustine S Lee, Mehdi Mirsaeidi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale

Hospital readmission within 30 days poses challenges for healthcare providers, policymakers, and patients because of its impact on care quality, costs, and outcomes. Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) are particularly affected by readmission, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and reduced quality of life. Because small sample sizes have hindered previous studies, this study seeks to address this gap in knowledge by examining a large-scale dataset.

Objective: To determine the rate and probability of 30-day all-cause readmission and secondary outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or ILD admitted to the hospital.

Methods

This study is …

Diabetes Study Of Children Of Diverse Ethnicity And Race: Study Design, Maria J Redondo, Kylie K Harrall, Deborah H Glueck, Mustafa Tosur, Serife Uysal, Andrew Muir, Elizabeth G Atkinson, Melanie R Shapiro, Liping Yu, William E Winter, Michael Weedon, Todd M Brusko, Richard Oram, Kendra Vehik, William Hagopian, Mark A Atkinson, Dana Dabelea, Discover Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

AIMS: Determining diabetes type in children has become increasingly difficult due to an overlap in typical characteristics between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Diabetes Study in Children of Diverse Ethnicity and Race (DISCOVER) programme is a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported multicenter, prospective, observational study that enrols children and adolescents with non-secondary diabetes. The primary aim of the study was to develop improved models to differentiate between T1D and T2D in diverse youth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The proposed models will evaluate the utility of three existing T1D genetic risk scores in combination with data on …

Complex Adhd Challenging Case: When Simple Becomes Complex: Managing Clinician Bias And Navigating Challenging Family Dynamics In A 6-Year-Old Girl With Adhd And Developmental Delays, Jennifer Cervantes, Jenna Wallace, Annie Kennelly Helms, Elizabeth A Diekroger, Jason Fogler

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Layla is a 6.7-year-old girl diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type-delayed adaptive skills, enuresis, unspecified malnutrition, and feeding difficulties. She presented to developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP) in January 2022 due to caregiver concerns for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Layla lives in a polyamorous family with her biological mother and father, mother's partner whom Layla refers to as her uncle, and her 2 half-siblings. There is a maternal history of special education services, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, and ADHD. Layla's father is a veteran diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Layla's siblings, aged 5 and 9 years, have established …

Smaller Total And Subregional Cerebellar Volumes In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Mega-Analysis By The Enigma-Pgc Ptsd Workgroup, Ashley A Huggins, C Lexi Baird, Melvin Briggs, Sarah Laskowitz, Ahmed Hussain, Samar Fouda, Courtney Haswell, Delin Sun, Lauren E Salminen, Neda Jahanshad, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Dick J Veltman, Jessie L Frijling, Miranda Olff, Mirjam Van Zuiden, Saskia B J Koch, Laura Nawjin, Li Wang, Ye Zhu, Gen Li, Dan J Stein, Jonathan Ipser, Soraya Seedat, Stefan Du Plessis, Leigh L Van Den Heuvel, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Xi Zhu, Yoojean Kim, Xiaofu He, Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Amit Lazarov, Yuval Neria, Jennifer S Stevens, Kerry J Ressler, Tanja Jovanovic, Sanne J H Van Rooij, Negar Fani, Anna R Hudson, Sven C Mueller, Anika Sierk, Antje Manthey, Henrik Walter, Judith K Daniels, Christian Schmahl, Julia I Herzog, Pavel Říha, Ivan Rektor, Lauren A M Lebois, Milissa L Kaufman, Elizabeth A Olson, Justin T Baker, Isabelle M Rosso, Anthony P King, Isreal Liberzon, Mike Angstadt, Nicholas D Davenport, Scott R Sponheim, Seth G Disner, Thomas Straube, David Hofmann, Rongfeng Qi, Guang Ming Lu, Lee A Baugh, Gina L Forster, Raluca M Simons, Jeffrey S Simons, Vincent A Magnotta, Kelene A Fercho, Adi Maron-Katz, Amit Etkin, Andrew S Cotton, Erin N O'Leary, Hong Xie, Xin Wang, Yann Quidé, Wissam El-Hage, Shmuel Lissek, Hannah Berg, Steven Bruce, Josh Cisler, Marisa Ross, Ryan J Herringa, Daniel W Grupe, Jack B Nitschke, Richard J Davidson, Christine L Larson, Terri A Deroon-Cassini, Carissa W Tomas, Jacklynn M Fitzgerald, Jennifer Urbano Blackford, Bunmi O Olatunji, William S Kremen, Michael J Lyons, Carol E Franz, Evan M Gordon, Geoffrey May, Steven M Nelson, Chadi G Abdallah, Ifat Levy, Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, John H Krystal, Emily L Dennis, David F Tate, David X Cifu, William C Walker, Elizabeth A Wilde, Ian H Harding, Rebecca Kerestes, Paul M Thompson, Rajendra Morey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Although the cerebellum contributes to higher-order cognitive and emotional functions relevant to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), prior research on cerebellar volume in PTSD is scant, particularly when considering subregions that differentially map on to motor, cognitive, and affective functions. In a sample of 4215 adults (PTSD n = 1642; Control n = 2573) across 40 sites from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD working group, we employed a new state-of-the-art deep-learning based approach for automatic cerebellar parcellation to obtain volumetric estimates for the total cerebellum and 28 subregions. Linear mixed effects models controlling for age, gender, intracranial volume, and site were used to …

Highlights Of How Single-Cell Analyses Are Illuminating Differentiation And Disease In The Gastric Corpus, Mahliyah Adkins-Threats, Yang-Zhe Huang, Jason C Mills

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has emerged as a powerful technique to identify novel cell markers, developmental trajectories, and transcriptional changes during cell differentiation and disease onset and progression. In this review, we highlight recent scRNA-seq studies of the gastric corpus in both human and murine systems that have provided insight into gastric organogenesis, identified novel markers for the various gastric lineages during development and in adults, and revealed transcriptional changes during regeneration and tumorigenesis. Overall, by elucidating transcriptional states and fluctuations at the cellular level in healthy and disease contexts, scRNA-seq may lead to better, more personalized clinical treatments for disease …

Advances In Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury Pharmacology And Nutrition: A Report From The 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative (Adqi) Consensus Conference, Molly Wong Vega, Michelle C Starr, Patrick D Brophy, Prasad Devarajan, Danielle E Soranno, Ayse Akcan-Arikan, Rajit Basu, Stuart L Goldstein, Jennifer R Charlton, Erin Barreto

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: In the past decade, there have been substantial advances in our understanding of pediatric AKI. Despite this progress, large gaps remain in our understanding of pharmacology and nutritional therapy in pediatric AKI.

METHODS: During the 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) Consensus Conference, a multidisciplinary group of experts reviewed the evidence and used a modified Delphi process to achieve consensus on recommendations for gaps and advances in care for pharmacologic and nutritional management of pediatric AKI. The current evidence as well as gaps and opportunities were discussed, and recommendations were summarized.

RESULTS: Two consensus statements were developed. (1) High-value, …

Decreased Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Phospholipids In Human Skeletal Muscle Are Associated With Metabolic Syndrome, Samantha E Adamson, Sangeeta Adak, Max C Petersen, Dustin Higgins, Larry D Spears, Rong Mei Zhang, Andrea Cedeno, Alexis Mckee, Aswathi Kumar, Sudhir Singh, Fong-Fu Hsu, Janet B Mcgill, Clay F Semenkovich

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Metabolic syndrome affects more than one in three adults and is associated with increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. Muscle insulin resistance is a major contributor to the development of the metabolic syndrome. Studies in mice have linked skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) phospholipid composition to sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca

Efficacy And Safety Of Rezafungin And Caspofungin In Candidaemia And Invasive Candidiasis: Pooled Data From Two Prospective Randomised Controlled Trials, George R Thompson 3rd, Marin Kollef, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Rezafungin, a new US Food and Drug Administration-approved, long-acting echinocandin to treat candidaemia and invasive candidiasis, was efficacious with a similar safety profile to caspofungin in clinical trials. We conducted pooled analyses of the phase 2 STRIVE and phase 3 ReSTORE rezafungin trials.

METHODS: ReSTORE was a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised phase 3 trial conducted at 66 tertiary care centres in 15 countries. STRIVE was a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised phase 2 trial conducted at 44 centres in 10 countries. Adults (≥18 years) with candidaemia or invasive candidiasis were treated with once-a-week intravenous rezafungin (400 mg and 200 mg) …

Increased Experiences Of Loneliness During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emotional Distress And Changes In Perceived Physical And Mental Health: A Structural Equation Model, Joann Jabbari, Stephen Roll, Amy Mcqueen, Nancy Ridenour

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIM: To explore how experiences of increased loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic affected emotional distress and changes in perceptions of physical and mental health.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

METHODS: Data from the Socio-Economic Impacts of Covid-19 Survey, a national survey administered to 5033 adults in August and September 2020 in the United States, was utilized in this study. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the associations between increased experiences of loneliness during the pandemic, emotional distress and changes in perceptions of physical and mental health.

RESULTS: Among the 47% of participants who reported increased experiences of loneliness during the pandemic, …

Gene-Based Association Study Of Rare Variants In Children Of Diverse Ancestries Implicates Tnfrsf21 In The Development Of Allergic Asthma, Selene Clay, Katherine Rivera-Spoljaric, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Most genetic studies of asthma and allergy have focused on common variation in individuals primarily of European ancestry. Studying the role of rare variation in quantitative phenotypes and in asthma phenotypes in populations of diverse ancestries can provide additional, important insights into the development of these traits.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the contribution of rare variants to different asthma- or allergy-associated quantitative traits in children with diverse ancestries and explore their role in asthma phenotypes.

METHODS: We examined whole-genome sequencing data from children participants in longitudinal studies of asthma (n = 1035; parent-identified as 67% Black and 25% …

Clinical Characteristics And Treatment Exposure Of Patients With Marked Treatment-Resistant Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder: A Recover Trial Report, Charles R Conway, Christopher L Kriedt, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: RECOVER is a randomized sham-controlled trial of vagus nerve stimulation and the largest such trial conducted with a psychiatric neuromodulation intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To describe pre-implantation baseline clinical characteristics and treatment history of patients with unipolar, major depressive disorder (MDD), overall and as a function of exposure to interventional psychiatric treatments (INTs), including electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and esketamine.

METHODS: Medical, psychiatric, and treatment records were reviewed by study investigators and an independent Study Eligibility Committee prior to study qualification. Clinical characteristics and treatment history (using Antidepressant Treatment History [Short] Form) were compared in those qualified (N = 493) …

Does Vibrotactile Stimulation Of The Auricular Vagus Nerve Enhance Working Memory? A Behavioral And Physiological Investigation, Gansheng Tan, Josh Adams, Kara Donovan, Phillip Demarest, Jon T Willie, Peter Brunner, Jenna L Gorlewicz, Eric C Leuthardt

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Working memory is essential to a wide range of cognitive functions and activities. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising method to improve working memory performance. However, the feasibility and scalability of electrical stimulation are constrained by several limitations, such as auricular discomfort and inconsistent electrical contact.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop a novel and practical method, vibrotactile taVNS, to improve working memory. Further, we investigated its effects on arousal, measured by skin conductance and pupil diameter.

METHOD: This study included 20 healthy participants. Behavioral response, skin conductance, and eye tracking data were concurrently recorded while the …

Mechanisms Of Sleep Disturbances In Long-Term Cancer Survivors: A Childhood Cancer Survivor Study Report, Lauren C Daniel, Huiqi Wang, Tara M Brinkman, Kathy Ruble, Eric S Zhou, Oxana Palesh, Robyn Stremler, Rebecca Howell, Daniel A Mulrooney, Valerie M Crabtree, Sogol Mostoufi-Moab, Kevin Oeffinger, Joseph Neglia, Yutaka Yasui, Gregory T Armstrong, Kevin Krull

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Sleep problems following childhood cancer treatment may persist into adulthood, exacerbating cancer-related late effects and putting survivors at risk for poor physical and psychosocial functioning. This study examines sleep in long-term survivors and their siblings to identify risk factors and disease correlates.

Methods: Childhood cancer survivors (≥5 years from diagnosis; n = 12 340; 51.5% female; mean [SD] age = 39.4 [9.6] years) and siblings (n = 2395; 57.1% female; age = 44.6 [10.5] years) participating in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Multivariable Poisson-error generalized estimating equation compared prevalence of binary sleep …

The Combined Immunohistochemical Expression Of Ambra1 And Sqstm1 Identifies Patients With Poorly Differentiated Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma At Risk Of Metastasis: A Proof Of Concept Study, Michael H. Alexander, William J. Cousins, Tom Ewen, Andrew P. South, Penny Lovat, Niki Stefanos

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) incidence continues to increase globally with, as of yet, an unmet need for reliable prognostic biomarkers to identify patients at increased risk of metastasis. The aim of the present study was to test the prognostic potential of the combined immunohistochemical expression of the autophagy regulatory biomarkers, AMBRA1 and SQSTM1, to identify high-risk patient subsets.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 68 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary cSCCs with known 5-year metastatic outcomes were subjected to automated immunohistochemical staining for AMBRA1 and SQSTM1. Digital images of stained slides were annotated to define four regions of interest: the normal …

Interim Estimates Of 2023-24 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness - United States, Aaron M Frutos, Ashley M Price, Elizabeth Harker, Emily L Reeves, Haris M Ahmad, Vel Murugan, Emily T Martin, Stacey House, Elie A Saade, Richard K Zimmerman, Manjusha Gaglani, Karen J Wernli, Emmanuel B Walter, Marian G Michaels, Mary A Staat, Geoffrey A Weinberg, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Julie A Boom, Eileen J Klein, Natasha B Halasa, Adit A Ginde, Kevin W Gibbs, Yuwei Zhu, Wesley H Self, Sara Y Tartof, Nicola P Klein, Kristin Dascomb, Malini B Desilva, Zachary A Weber, Duck-Hye Yang, Sarah W Ball, Diya Surie, Jennifer Decuir, Fatimah S Dawood, Heidi L Moline, Ariana P Toepfer, Benjamin R Clopper, Ruth Link-Gelles, Amanda B Payne, Jessie R Chung, Brendan Flannery, Nathaniel M Lewis, Samantha M Olson, Katherine Adams, Mark W Tenforde, Shikha Garg, Lisa A Grohskopf, Carrie Reed, Sascha Ellington, Cdc Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Collaborators

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the United States, annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months. Using data from four vaccine effectiveness (VE) networks during the 2023-24 influenza season, interim influenza VE was estimated among patients aged ≥6 months with acute respiratory illness-associated medical encounters using a test-negative case-control study design. Among children and adolescents aged 6 months-17 years, VE against influenza-associated outpatient visits ranged from 59% to 67% and against influenza-associated hospitalization ranged from 52% to 61%. Among adults aged ≥18 years, VE against influenza-associated outpatient visits ranged from 33% to 49% and against hospitalization from 41% to 44%. VE …

Contemporary Report Of Surgical Outcomes After Single-Stage Total Pancreatectomy: A 10-Year Experience, Nitzan Zohar, Luke Kowal, David Moskal, Francesca Ponzini, George Sun, Ryan J. Lamm, John Williamson, Avinoam Nevler, Harish Lavu, Warren R. Maley, Charles J. Yeo, Wilbur B. Bowne

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Surgeons rarely perform elective total pancreatectomy (TP). Our study seeks to report surgical outcomes in a contemporary series of single-stage (SS) TP patients.

METHODS: Between the years 2013 to 2023 we conducted a retrospective review of 60 consecutive patients who underwent SSTP. Demographics, pathology, treatment-related variables, and survival were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS: SSTP consisted of 3% (60/1859) of elective pancreas resections conducted. Patient median age was 68 years. Ninety percent of these patients (n = 54) underwent SSTP for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Conversion from a planned partial pancreatectomy to TP occurred intraoperatively in 31 (52%) patients. Fifty-nine …

Current And Emerging Antiviral Agents In The Prevention And Treatment Of Cytomegalovirus In Pediatric Transplant Recipients, Kristen G Valencia Deray, Lara A Danziger-Isakov, Kevin J Downes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite current prophylaxis regimens, cytomegalovirus (CMV) is common in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and solid organ transplantation (SOT) and remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Newer antiviral medications are reshaping the landscape for prevention and treatment of CMV DNAemia, infection, and disease. Letermovir is approved for CMV prevention in adult HCT patients and is attractive due to the absence of marrow suppression seen with ganciclovir/valganciclovir. Letermovir should not be routinely used for CMV treatment due to its low threshold for resistance. Maribavir is approved for the treatment of refractory or resistant CMV disease in HCT and SOT recipients …

A Phase 1/2 Study Of Mini-Hyper-Cvd Plus Venetoclax In Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Nicholas J Short, Elias Jabbour, Nitin Jain, Jayastu Senapati, Lewis Nasr, Fadi G Haddad, Zhenhua Li, Yu-Chih Hsiao, Jun J Yang, Naveen Pemmaraju, Maro Ohanian, William G Wierda, Guillermo Montalban-Bravo, Gautam Borthakur, Lina Han, Lianchun Xiao, Xuelin Huang, Regina Abramova, Min Zhao, Rebecca Garris, Marina Konopleva, Farhad Ravandi, Hagop Kantarjian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Preclinical studies suggest that Bcl-2 inhibition with venetoclax has antileukemic activity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and may synergize with conventional chemotherapy. We designed a phase 1/2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of low-intensity chemotherapy in combination with venetoclax in adults with relapsed or refractory ALL. Patients received the mini-hyper-CVD regimen (dose-attenuated hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dexamethasone alternating with methotrexate and cytarabine) in combination with venetoclax (200 mg or 400 mg daily) on days 1 to 14 in cycle 1 and on days 1 to 7 in consolidation cycles. Twenty-two patients were treated. The median number of …

Efficacy And Safety Of Daxibotulinumtoxina For Injection In Cervical Dystonia: Aspen-1 Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial, Cynthia L Comella, Joseph Jankovic, Robert A Hauser, Atul T Patel, Marta D Banach, Edvard Ehler, Domenico Vitarella, Roman G Rubio, Todd M Gross, Aspen-1 Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: ASPEN-1 was a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy, duration of response, and safety of 2 doses of DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection (DAXI), a novel botulinum toxin type A formulation in participants with cervical dystonia (CD).

METHODS: Adults (aged 18-80 years) with moderate-to-severe CD (Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale [TWSTRS] total score ≥20) were enrolled at 60 sites across 9 countries in Europe and North America. Participants were randomized (3:3:1) to single-dose intramuscular DAXI 125U, 250U, or placebo and followed for up to 36 weeks after injection. The primary end point was change …

Racial Discrimination, Knowledge, And Health Outcomes: The Mediating Role Of Hepatitis B-Related Stigma Among Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B, Julia G. Katcher, Ann C. Klassen, Hie-Won Hann, Mimi Chang, Hee-Soon Juon

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

It is well described in current literature that Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects Asian Americans more than any other racial group in the United States and that there is a stigma attached to this condition. The effects of stigma can be lasting, penetrating physiologically and psychologically, yet few studies have focused on the consequences of this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of stigma in the effect of racial discrimination and knowledge (of HBV sequelae) on health status of Korean Americans with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Three hundred sixty-five CHB patients were recruited and …

Juvenile Eosinophilic Fasciitis: A Single Center Case Series, Leigh A Stubbs, Oluwaseun Ogunbona, Emily Beil, Vibha Szafron, Adekunle Adesina, Sara Anvari, Jamie Lai, Andrea Ramirez, Matthew G Ditzler, Marietta Deguzman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare disease characterized by skin induration and musculoskeletal abnormalities. Diagnostic criteria for EF are based on adult populations. There is a need to expand the literature on EF in children due to limited reported cases and potential differences compared to adults.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records for six pediatric patients diagnosed with EF at our institution between November 2011 and April 2023. Inclusion criteria required patients to be under 18 years of age at the time of diagnosis and to have confirmed diagnosis through clinical history, imaging, and histology.

RESULTS: …

Pleomorphic Adenoma With A Novel Gene Rearrangement-Linc01606::Plag1, Udit Naik, Sara E Amin, Mahmoud Elsayad, Karan Saluja

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Pleomorphic adenoma is a well-known benign salivary gland neoplasm characterized by the presence of varying proportions of three different components, including bi-layered ducts, myoepithelial cells, and admixed within a chondromyxoid/fibrous stroma.

Method: We report an interesting case of an adult male who presented with bleeding from an extensively degenerated parotid gland mass, concerning for a vascular neoplasm versus primary malignant tumor. Microscopically, majority of the viable tumor exhibited diffuse proliferation of spindle to epithelioid cells, with focal areas depicting cribriform glands, ducts, and scant chondromyxoid stroma.

Result: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) RNA-based fusion panel analysis identified a gene rearrangement involving …

A Stool Based Qpcr For The Diagnosis Of Tb In Children And People Living With Hiv In Uganda, Eswatini And Mozambique (Stool4tb): A Protocol For A Multicenter Diagnostic Evaluation, Lucia Carratala-Castro, Willy Ssengooba, Alex Kay, Sozinho Acácio, Joanna Ehrlich, Andrew R Dinardo, Nosisa Shiba, Joachim K Nsubuga, Shilzia Munguambe, Belén Saavedra-Cervera, Patricia Manjate, Durbbin Mulengwa, Busizwe Sibandze, Mangaliso Ziyane, George Kasule, Edson Mambuque, Moorine Penninah Sekadde, Eric Wobudeya, Moses L Joloba, Jan Heyckendorf, Christoph Lange, Sabine Hermans, Anna Mandalakas, Alberto L García-Basteiro, Elisa Lopez-Varela, Stool4tb Global Partnership

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Children and people living with HIV (PLHIV) have an increased risk of mortality, particularly in the absence of rapid diagnosis. The main challenges of diagnosing TB in these populations are due to the unspecific and paucibacillary disease presentation and the difficulty of obtaining respiratory samples. Thus, novel diagnostic strategies, based on non-respiratory specimens could improve clinical decision making and TB outcomes in high burden TB settings. We propose a multi-country, prospective diagnostic evaluation study with a nested longitudinal cohort evaluation to assess the performance of a new stool-based qPCR, developed …

Circulating Microrna Biomarkers Of Thiazide Response In Hypertension, Lakshmi Manasa S Chekka, Marwa Tantawy, Taimour Langaee, Danxin Wang, Rolf Renne, Arlene B Chapman, John G Gums, Eric Boerwinkle, Rhonda M Cooper-Dehoff, Julie A Johnson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Thiazide diuretics are the second most frequently prescribed class of antihypertensives, but up to 50% of patients with hypertension have minimal antihypertensive response to thiazides. We explored circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in search of predictive biomarkers of thiazide response.

Methods and results: We profiled 754 miRNAs in baseline plasma samples of 36 hypertensive European American adults treated with hydrochlorothiazide, categorized into responders (n=18) and nonresponders (n=18) on the basis of diastolic blood pressure response to hydrochlorothiazide. miRNAs with ≥2.5-fold differential expression between responders and nonresponders were considered for validation in 3 cohorts (n=50 each): hydrochlorothiazide-treated European Americans, chlorthalidone-treated European Americans, …

Multivalent Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein B Nucleoside Modified Mrna Vaccines Did Not Demonstrate A Greater Antibody Breadth, Hsuan-Yuan Wang, Leike Li, Cody S Nelson, Richard Barfield, Sarah Valencia, Cliburn Chan, Hiromi Muramatsu, Paulo J C Lin, Norbert Pardi, Zhiqiang An, Drew Weissman, Sallie R Permar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) remains the most common congenital infection and infectious complication in immunocompromised patients. The most successful HCMV vaccine to date, an HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) subunit vaccine adjuvanted with MF59, achieved 50% efficacy against primary HCMV infection. A previous study demonstrated that gB/MF59 vaccinees were less frequently infected with HCMV gB genotype strains most similar to the vaccine strain than strains encoding genetically distinct gB genotypes, suggesting strain-specific immunity accounted for the limited efficacy. To determine whether vaccination with multiple HCMV gB genotypes could increase the breadth of anti-HCMV gB humoral and cellular responses, we immunized 18 female …

Association Of Risk Factors And Comorbidities With Chronic Pain In The Elderly Population., Neil Mookerjee, Nicole Schmalbach, Gianna Antinori, Subhadra Thampi, Dylan Windle-Puente, Amy Gilligan, Ha Huy, Megha Andrews, Angela Sun, Roshni Gandhi, William Benedict, Austin Chang, Ben Sanders, Justin Nguyen, Maanika Reddy Keesara, Janet Aliev, Aneri Patel, Isaiah Hughes, Ian Millstein, Krystal Hunter, Satyajeet Roy

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Chronic pain disorders affect about 20% of adults in the United States, and it disproportionately affects individuals living in the neighborhoods of extreme socioeconomic disadvantage. In many instances, chronic pain has been noted to arise from an aggregation of multiple risk factors and events. Therefore, it is of importance to recognize the modifiable risk factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the comorbid medical conditions and risk factors associated with chronic pain disorders in patients aged 65 years and older.

METHODS: Our team retrospectively reviewed medical records of elderly patients (65 years and older) who were evaluated …

Psychosocial Needs And Outcomes Of Adults With Spina Bifida: A Scoping Review, 1974-2023, Jennifer Emilie Mannino Ph.D., R.N., Cne, Heather Reens, Smith Kathryn, Lynn Kysh, Serge R. Nelson, Yuding Wang, Manu Raam, Michele Roland, Alexander Van Speybroeck, Cecily L. Betz

Nursing: Faculty Publications

Limited evidence exists that serves to guide the field of practice and research pertaining to the long-term issues and needs of adults with spina bifida. Understanding the lived experience of adults with spina bifida has lagged behind considerably resulting in limited evidence-based guidance for individuals with spina bifida and their families and the health care professionals who provide services to this population. Given the paucity of knowledge of the lived experience as it pertains to adulthood, this scoping review was undertaken. More than 10,000 records from 1974 through 2023 were screened based upon the search criteria whose purpose was to …

Pediatric Spinal Ependymoma With Chromothripsis Of Chromosome 6: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature., Keela R. Scott, Melissa Gener, Elena Repnikova

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Ependymomas are the third most common central nervous system tumor in the pediatric population; however, spinal ependymomas in children are rare. Ependymomas affecting the spinal cord most frequently occur in adults of 20-40 years of age. The current World Health Organization classification system for ependymomas is now composed of ten different entities based on histopathology, location, and molecular studies, with evidence that the new classification system more accurately predicts clinical outcomes.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 16-year-old Caucasian female patient with a history of type 2 neurofibromatosis with multiple schwannomas, meningioma, and spinal ependymoma. Chromosome analysis …