Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Early Life Epigenetics And Childhood Outcomes: A Scoping Review, Srirupa Hari Gopal, Theresa Alenghat, Mohan Pammi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression, without a change in the DNA sequence that are potentially heritable. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) changes have been studied in various childhood disorders. Causal links to maternal health and toxin exposures can introduce epigenetic modifications to the fetal DNA, which can be detected in the cord blood. Cord blood epigenetic modifications provide evidence of in-utero stressors and immediate postnatal changes, which can impact both short and long-term outcomes in children. The mechanisms of these epigenetic changes can be leveraged for prevention, early …

Family Genetic Risk Communication And Reverse Cascade Testing In The Babyseq Project, Melissa K Uveges, Hadley Stevens Smith, Stacey Pereira, Casie Genetti, Amy L Mcguire, Alan H Beggs, Robert C Green, Ingrid A Holm

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Purpose: Genomic sequencing of newborns can initiate disease surveillance and therapy for children and may identify at-risk relatives through reverse cascade testing. We explored genetic risk communication and reverse cascade testing among families of newborns who underwent exome sequencing and were identified as having a risk for an autosomal dominant disease.

Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with parents of newborns enrolled in the BabySeq Project who had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant associated with an autosomal dominant childhood- and/or adult-onset disease returned. We used directed content analysis to derive themes.

Results: From 11 families, all first-degree relatives (n = …

Cagi6 Id Panel Challenge: Assessment Of Phenotype And Variant Predictions In 415 Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Ndds), Maria Cristina Aspromonte, Alessio Del Conte, Shaowen Zhu, Wuwei Tan, Yang Shen, Yexian Zhang, Qi Li, Maggie Haitian Wang, Giulia Babbi, Samuele Bovo, Pier Luigi Martelli, Rita Casadio, Azza Althagafi, Sumyyah Toonsi, Maxat Kulmanov, Robert Hoehndorf, Panagiotis Katsonis, Amanda Williams, Olivier Lichtarge, Su Xian, Wesley Surento, Vikas Pejaver, Sean D Mooney, Uma Sunderam, Rajgopal Srinivasan, Alessandra Murgia, Damiano Piovesan, Silvio C E Tosatto, Emanuela Leonardi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Lab in Padua provided a new intellectual disability (ID) Panel challenge for computational methods to predict patient phenotypes and their causal variants in the context of the Critical Assessment of the Genome Interpretation, 6th edition (CAGI6). Eight research teams submitted a total of 30 models to predict phenotypes based on the sequences of 74 genes (VCF format) in 415 pediatric patients affected by Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). NDDs are clinically and genetically heterogeneous conditions, with onset in infant age. Here, we assess the ability and accuracy of computational methods to predict comorbid phenotypes based on clinical …

Use Of Robust Norming To Create A Sensitive Cognitive Summary Score In De Novo Parkinson's Disease: An Illustrative Example, Daniel Weintraub, Michael C Brumm, Ryan Kurth, Michele K York

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Cognitive impairment is common at all stages of Parkinson's disease (PD), but there is no consensus on which neuropsychological tests to use or how to interpret cognitive battery results. A cognitive summary score (CSS) combines the richness of a neuropsychological battery with the simplicity of a single score.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether a CSS created using robust norming can detect early cognitive deficits in de novo, untreated PD.

Methods: Baseline cognitive data from PD participants and healthy control participants (HCs) in the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative were used to (1) create a robust …

Self-Collection For Primary Hpv Testing: Acceptability In A Large Urban Emergency Department, Itunu O Sokale, Dick C Kuo, Claire M Hoppenot, Lorraine R Reitzel, Luis H Juarez, Katherine J Hernandez, Susan L Parker, Chris Amos, Maria Daheri, Kelly R Keene, Jane R Montealegre, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Study objective: Overdue cervical cancer screening increases the risk of invasive cervical cancer. It is important to identify settings where self-collection for primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing can be implemented to have high effect on cervical cancer screening among hard-to-reach women with overdue screening. Herein, we examined the acceptability of HPV self-collection, including completion rates, attitudes, and experiences among women seeking noncritical care at a high-volume urban safety-net hospital emergency department (ED) in Houston, Texas, United States.

Methods: In this single-arm intervention pilot study, we recruited women overdue for cervical cancer screening in the waiting areas of a safety-net hospital …

High-Dose Methotrexate Usage Without Drug-Level Monitoring In Advanced Pediatric Mature B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma In A Resource-Limited Setting In Malawi, Rizine R Mzikamanda, Loviisa Mulanje, Casey L Mcatee, Apatsa Matatiyo, Zoe Mwale, Grace Chirwa, Watipaso Wanda, Atupele Miranda Mpasa, Stella Wachepa, Minke H W Huibers, Steve Martin, Tamiwe Tomoka, Maurice Mulenga, Yuri Fedoriw, Gugulethu Mapurisa, Julie M Gastier Foster, Nader El-Mallawany, Katherine D Westmoreland, Peter Wasswa, Carl E Allen, Nmazuo Ozuah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Excellent survival for advanced (stages II with high lactate dehydrogenase, III, and IV) pediatric mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MB-NHL) has been achieved with intensive regimens, but adoption in sub-Saharan Africa is limited by inadequate supportive care. We provide real-world data on treating advanced MB-NHL with high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX; ≥1,000 mg/m2/cycle) where real-time serum MTX monitoring is unavailable.

Methods: We identified two cohorts-a retrospective (January 2017-December 2020) cohort treated with 1,000 or 3,000 mg/m2/cycle of HD-MTX and a prospective (July 2022-July 2023) cohort-with a modified LMB96 protocol containing 3,000 mg/m2/cycle of HD-MTX. All doses of HD-MTX were given over 3 …

Two-Phase Individual Assessments: A Second-Chance Assessment Strategy With Individualized Feedback To Promote Assessment For Learning., Munder Zagaar, Sandra B Haudek, Peter Boedeker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Problem: High-stakes multiple-choice question (MCQ) exams in medical education typically focus on assessment of learning at a single point without providing feedback for improvement. Educators can achieve a more balanced approach to MCQ exams by combining efficient assessment of learning with the feedback and improvement opportunities of assessment for learning.

Approach: As part of a curriculum renewal at Baylor College of Medicine's MD program, the Two-Phase Individual Assessment (TPIA) model was launched within a 4-week preclinical Foundations of Medicine course in August 2023. The TPIA model featured weekly assessments, each consisting of 2 MCQ exams given on the same day …

Effects Of Amoxicillin Dosage On Cure Rate, Gut Microbiota, And Antibiotic Resistome In Vonoprazan And Amoxicillin Dual Therapy For Helicobacter Pylori: A Multicentre, Open-Label, Non-Inferiority Randomised Controlled Trial, Yi Hu, Zhen-Yu Zhang, Fen Wang, Kun Zhuang, Xin Xu, Dong-Sheng Liu, Hui-Zhen Fan, Li Yang, Kui Jiang, De-Kui Zhang, Long Xu, Jian-Hua Tang, Xue-Mei Liu, Cong He, Xu Shu, Yong Xie, James Y W Lau, Yin Zhu, Yi-Qi Du, David Y Graham, Nong-Hua Lu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Vonoprazan and amoxicillin (VA) dual therapy as a mainstream Helicobacter pylori regimen has gained momentum worldwide, but the optimum dosages remain unclear. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of VA dual therapy with 2 g amoxicillin or 3 g amoxicillin, and to assess the short-term effects of therapy on the gut microbiota and antibiotic resistome.

Methods: We conducted an open-label, non-inferiority randomised controlled trial at 12 centres in China. Individuals infected with H pylori, aged 18-70 years, and without previous eradication therapy were recruited. Participants were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio (block size of six) to …

Long Covid Illness: Disparities In Understanding And Receipt Of Care In Emergency Department Populations, Robert M Rodriguez, Karen Reyes, Vijaya Arun Kumar, Brian Chinnock, Stephanie A Eucker, Kristin L Rising, Zubaid Rafique, Michael Gottlieb, Graham Nichol, Dana Morse, Melanie Molina, Mireya I Arreguin, Lindsey Shughart, Christopher Conn, Svea Eckstrand, Heba Mesbah, Lauren Chakraborty, Robert D Welch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Study objective: Most long coronavirus disease (long COVID) studies rely on traditional surveillance methods that miss underserved populations who use emergency departments (EDs) as their primary health care source. In medically underserved ED populations, we sought to determine (1) whether there are gaps in awareness and self-declared understanding about long COVID illness, and (2) the prevalence, impact on school/work attendance, and receipt of care for long COVID symptoms.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, convenience sample survey study of adult patients at 11 geographically representative US EDs from December 2022 to October 2023. Awareness and self-declared understanding about long COVID …

Trends In Kidney Allograft Failure Among First-Time Transplant Recipients In The United States, Pascale Khairallah, Elizabeth C Lorenz, Amy Waterman, Nidhi Aggarwal, Akshta Pai, Wolfgang C Winkelmayer, Jingbo Niu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale & objective: The management and outcomes of kidney transplant recipients have evolved over the past 3 decades. This study of US patients whose first kidney allograft failed examined long-term trends in subsequent waitlisting, retransplantation, and all-cause mortality.

Study design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting & participants: Patients recorded in the US Renal Data System (USRDS) whose first kidney allograft failed between 1990 and 2019.

Exposure: The 5-year period in which the allograft failure occurred: 1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004, 2005-2009, 2010-2014, or 2015-2019.

Outcome: (1) Waitlisting for retransplantation, (2) retransplantation, and (3) all-cause mortality following first allograft failure.

Analytical approach: Competing risk …

Rising Mortality Rates Linked To Type-2 Diabetes And Obesity In The United States: An Observational Analysis From 1999 To 2022, Mushood Ahmed, Abdullah Nofal, Aimen Shafiq, Hira Javaid, Areeba Ahsan, Zain Ali Nadeem, Raheel Ahmed, Mahboob Alam, Mamas A Mamas, Marat Fudim, Gregg C Fonarow

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are increasing in the United States. However, population-level data for mortality trends due to T2D and obesity are limited. This study aims to assess these death trends among adults in the United States categorized by sex, race, and geographical location.

Methods: We queried the CDC-WONDER database for multiple cause of death data of adults aged ≥25 years. The crude mortality rates (CMR), age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs), annual percent change (APC), and the average APC (AAPC) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were analyzed.

Results: From 1999 to 2022, a …

Phase 3 Validation Of Paam For Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Stratification In Cirrhosis, Naoto Fujiwara, Camden Lopez, Tracey L Marsh, Indu Raman, Cesia A Marquez, Subhojit Paul, Sumit K Mishra, Naoto Kubota, Courtney Katz, Hiroaki Kanzaki, Michael Gonzalez, Lisa Quirk, Sneha Deodhar, Pratibha Selvakumar, Prithvi Raj, Neehar D Parikh, Lewis R Roberts, Myron E Schwartz, Mindie H Nguyen, Alex S Befeler, Stephanie Page-Lester, Sudhir Srivastava, Ziding Feng, K Rajender Reddy, Saira Khaderi, Sumeet K Asrani, Fasiha Kanwal, Hashem B El-Serag, Jorge A Marrero, Amit G Singal, Yujin Hoshida

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background & aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk stratification is an urgent unmet need for cost-effective HCC screening and early detection in patients with cirrhosis to improve poor HCC prognosis.

Methods: Molecular (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein) and clinical (aMAP [age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets] score) variable-based scores were integrated into PAaM (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein plus age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets), which was subsequently validated in 2 phase 3 biomarker validation studies: the statewide Texas HCC Consortium and nationwide HCC Early Detection Strategy prospective cohorts, following the prospective specimen collection, retrospective blinded evaluation design. The …

The Association Between Gulf War Illness And Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors Among Gulf War Era Veterans, Rachele K Lipsky, Drew A Helmer, Jean C Beckham, Patrick S Calhoun, Mary Jo Pugh, Nathan A Kimbrel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The rate of death by suicide is elevated among Veterans of all eras. Chronic symptoms of pain, depression, and sleep disturbances are also common among Veterans, and these symptoms are associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. About 25% of the 697,000 Gulf War Era Veterans deployed to the Persian Gulf theater in 1990-1991 remain afflicted with chronic, unexplained symptoms known as Gulf War Illness (GWI). This study used data from a national sample of Gulf War Veterans (N = 1142) who completed a survey of demographic, military, and health information. Multivariable logistic regression models, controlling for confounding variables, tested for …

Epidemiology Of Diagnostic Errors In Pediatric Emergency Departments Using Electronic Triggers, Prashant Mahajan, Emily White, Kathy Shaw, Sarah J Parker, James Chamberlain, Richard M Ruddy, Elizabeth R Alpern, Jacqueline Corboy, Andrew Krack, Brandon Ku, Daphne Morrison Ponce, Asha S Payne, Elizabeth Freiheit, Gregor Horvath, Giselle Kolenic, Michele Carney, Nicole Klekowski, Karen J O'Connell, Hardeep Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: We applied three electronic triggers to study frequency and contributory factors of missed opportunities for improving diagnosis (MOIDs) in pediatric emergency departments (EDs): return visits within 10 days resulting in admission (Trigger 1), care escalation within 24 h of ED presentation (Trigger 2), and death within 24 h of ED visit (Trigger 3).

Methods: We created an electronic query and reporting template for the triggers and applied them to electronic health record systems of five pediatric EDs for visits from 2019. Clinician reviewers manually screened identified charts and initially categorized them as "unlikely for MOIDs" or "unable to rule …

Distinct Single-Cell Transcriptional Profile In Cd4+ T-Lymphocytes Among Obese Children With Asthma, Vickram Tejwani, Rulin Wang, Andres Villabona-Rueda, Karthik Suresh, Tianshi David Wu, Ian M Adcock, Nazanin Z Kermani, Joe Zein, Nadia N Hansel, Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian, Meredith C Mccormack, Franco R D'Alessio

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Obesity is a risk factor for asthma morbidity, associated with less responsiveness to inhaled corticosteroids. CD4+ T cells are central to the immunology of asthma and may contribute to the unique obese asthma phenotype. We sought to characterize the single-cell CD4+ transcriptional profile differences in obese children with asthma compared with normal-weight children with asthma. Eight normal-weight and obese participants with asthma were clinically phenotyped and matched based on asthma control. Peripheral blood (PB) CD4+ T cells were sorted, and single-cell RNA sequencing was conducted. Cell clusters were identified by canonical gene expression and differential gene expression and reactome pathway …

Genomic Balancing Act: Deciphering Dna Rearrangements In The Complex Chromosomal Aberration Involving 5p152, 2q311, And 18q2132, Zain Dardas, Dana Marafi, Ruizhi Duan, Jawid M Fatih, Omnia F El-Rashidy, Christopher M Grochowski, Claudia M B Carvalho, Shalini N Jhangiani, Weimin Bi, Haowei Du, Richard A Gibbs, Jennifer E Posey, Daniel G Calame, Maha S Zaki, James R Lupski

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite extensive research into the genetic underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), many clinical cases remain unresolved. We studied a female proband with a NDD, mildly dysmorphic facial features, and brain stem hypoplasia on neuroimaging. Comprehensive genomic analyses revealed a terminal 5p loss and a terminal 18q gain in the proband while a diploid copy number for chromosomes 5 and 18 in both parents. Genomic investigations in the proband identified an unbalanced translocation t(5;18) with additional genetic material from chromosome 2 (2q31.3) inserted at the breakpoint, pointing to a complex chromosomal rearrangement (CCR) involving 5p15.2, 2q31.3, and 18q21.32. Breakpoint junction analyses …

A Multicenter Training And Interrater Reliability Study Of The Based Score For Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome, John R Mytinger, Dara V F Albert, Shawn C Aylward, Christopher W Beatty, Sonam Bhalla, Sonal Bhatia, Guy N Brock, Micheal A Ciliberto, Purva R Choudhari, Daniel J Clark, Jennifer Madan Cohen, Theresa M Czech, Megan M Fredwall, Ernesto Gonzalez-Giraldo, Chellamani Harini, Senyene E Hunter, Amanda G Sandoval Karamian, Akshat Katyayan, Isaac Kistler, Neil Kulkarni, Virginia B Liu, Corinne Mccabe, Thomas Murray, Kerri Neville, Shital H Patel, Spriha Pavuluri, Donald J Phillips, Debopam Samanta, Deepa Sirsi, Emily M Spelbrink, Carl E Stafstrom, Maija Steenari, Danielle S Takacs, Tyler Terrill, Linh Tran, Jorge Vidaurre, Daniel W Shrey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: The best possible outcomes in infantile epileptic spasms syndrome require electroclinical remission; however, determining electrographic remission is not straightforward. Although the determination of hypsarrhythmia has inadequate interrater reliability (IRR), the Burden of AmplitudeS and Epileptiform Discharges (BASED) score has shown promise for the reliable interictal assessment of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome. Our aim was to develop a BASED training program and assess the IRR among learners. We hypothesized moderate or better IRR for the final BASED score and the presence or absence of epileptic encephalopathy (+/-EE).

METHODS: Using a web-based application, 31 learners assessed 12 unmarked EEGs (length 1-6 …

Altered Thermal Preference By Preoptic Estrogen Receptor Alpha Neurons In Postpartum Females, Nan Zhang, Meng Yu, Qianru Zhao, Bing Feng, Yue Deng, Jonathan C Bean, Qingzhuo Liu, Benjamin P Eappen, Yang He, Kristine M Conde, Hailan Liu, Yongjie Yang, Longlong Tu, Mengjie Wang, Yongxiang Li, Na Yin, Hesong Liu, Junying Han, Darah Ave Threat, Nathan Xu, Taylor Smiley, Pingwen Xu, Lulu Chen, Tianshu Zeng, Yanlin He, Chunmei Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate how reproductive experience (RE) alters thermal preference and thermoregulation in female mice, with a focus on estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-expressing neurons in the preoptic area (POA).

METHODS: Thermal preference and body temperature were measured in female mice with and without RE, and virgin female mice with selective deletion of ERα from the POA (ERα

RESULTS: We showed that female mice prefer a cooler environment starting from late pregnancy and persisting long term postpartum. Female mice with RE (>4 weeks post-weaning) displayed lower body temperature and a lower thermal preferred temperature, and lost preference …

Reply: A Positive Step Toward Cost-Effective And Accessible Hcc Detection Awaits Further Validation, Hashem B El-Serag, Qingchun Jin, Tayob Nabihah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Trends And Disparities In Antiretroviral Therapy Prescription Rates Among Us Medicare Beneficiaries With Hiv, Xiaoying Yu, Yong-Fang Kuo, Ashley A Dike, Tsola Efejuku, Mukaila A Raji, Abbey B Berenson, Thomas P Giordano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription rates over time among US Medicare enrolees with HIV and to describe disparities in ART prescription and associated factors.

Method: We constructed successive cross-sectional cohorts including adult enrollees with HIV and fee-for-service coverage and Part D enrolment in US Medicare between 2007 and 2019. We calculated the percentage of receipt of any ART prescription (ART%) in a calendar year by sex, age, and original Medicare entitlement and calculated age-sex standardized ART% over time. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between ART prescription and sociodemographic factors and chronic …

Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis Occurs At High Frequency In Ashkenazi Jews, Jennifer Hanson, Penelope E Bonnen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX) is a treatable, inborn error of bile acids metabolism caused by pathogenic variants in CYP27A1. CTX is a multi-organ system disorder that progresses over decades. Clinical features include cerebellar dysfunction, pyramidal tract dysfunction, cognitive deficits and decline, peripheral neuropathy, chronic diarrhea, bilateral cataracts, and tendon xanthomas. Treatment is effective when started early, but diagnostic delays often result in individuals not being diagnosed until after the window of highest treatment efficacy. CTX is documented to occur in most global populations, however, no CTX-causing genetic variants have been reported in Ashkenazi Jews. We conducted a systematic review of every …

Insulin Clearance At Randomisation And In Response To Treatment In Youth With Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Analysis Of The Today Randomised Clinical Trial, Kristen J Nadeau, Silva A Arslanian, Fida Bacha, Sonia Caprio, Lily C Chao, Ryan Farrell, Kara S Hughan, Maria Rayas, Melinda Tung, Kaitlyn Cross, Laure El Ghormli

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Aims/hypothesis: Insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia are core features leading to beta cell failure in youth-onset type 2 diabetes. Insulin clearance (IC) is also a key regulator of insulin concentrations, but few data exist on IC in youth-onset type 2 diabetes. In a secondary analysis of our Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) randomised clinical trial, we investigated potential sex-, race-, ethnicity- and treatment-related differences in IC in youth-onset type 2 diabetes and aimed to identify metabolic phenotypes associated with IC at baseline and in response to metformin, metformin plus a lifestyle intervention, and metformin …

Multiethnic Growth Standards For Fetal Body Composition And Organ Volumes Derived From 3d Ultrasonography, Katherine L Grantz, Wesley Lee, Lauren M Mack, Magdalena Sanz Cortes, Luis F Goncalves, Jimmy Espinoza, Roger B Newman, William A Grobman, Ronald J Wapner, Karin Fuchs, Mary E D'Alton, Daniel W Skupski, John Owen, Anthony Sciscione, Deborah A Wing, Michael P Nageotte, Angela C Ranzini, Edward K Chien, Sabrina Craigo, Seth Sherman, Robert E Gore-Langton, Dian He, Fasil Tekola-Ayele, Cuilin Zhang, Jagteshwar Grewal, Zhen Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: A major goal of contemporary obstetrical practice is to optimize fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy. To date, fetal growth during prenatal care is assessed by performing ultrasonographic measurement of 2-dimensional fetal biometry to calculate an estimated fetal weight. Our group previously established 2-dimensional fetal growth standards using sonographic data from a large cohort with multiple sonograms. A separate objective of that investigation involved the collection of fetal volumes from the same cohort.

Objective: The Fetal 3D Study was designed to establish standards for fetal soft tissue and organ volume measurements by 3-dimensional ultrasonography and compare growth trajectories with …

Ethnoracial Disparities In Gray Matter Atrophy Are Mediated By Structural Disconnectivity In Multiple Sclerosis, Ahmed Bayoumi, Joseph A Thomas, Breanna R Alonzo, Juan Jimenez, Christopher M Orlando, Carlos A Pérez, Khader M Hasan, Jerry S Wolinsky, John A Lincoln

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To investigate ethnoracial disparities in gray matter (GM) atrophy, the contribution of white matter lesions and consequent structural disconnectivity among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: This retrospective study included 297 patients with MS (pwMS), 98 Hispanic/Latinx (H-MS), 82 non-Hispanic Black (B-MS), and 117 non-Hispanic White (W-MS). GM atrophy was assessed using univariate, voxel-based morphometry, and multivariate techniques, source-based morphometry. Structural disconnectivity secondary to white matter lesions was evaluated using the network modification tool. Mediation analyses explored relationships between ethnoracial groups, white matter lesions, structural disconnectivity, and gray matter atrophy.

Results: B-MS and H-MS generally exhibited greater gray matter …

Spatial Proteomics Of Onchocerca Volvulus With Pleomorphic Neoplasms Shows Local And Systemic Dysregulation Of Protein Expression, Lucia S. Di Maggio, Kerstin Fischer, Bruce A. Rosa, Devyn Yates, Byoung-Kyu Cho, Jessica Lukowski, Antonia Zamacona Calderon, Minsoo Son, Young Ah Goo, Nicholas O. Opoku, Gary J. Weil, Makedonka Mitreva, Peter U. Fischer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Onchocerca volvulus is the agent of onchocerciasis (river blindness) and targeted by WHO for elimination though mass drug administration with ivermectin. A small percentage of adult female worms develop pleomorphic neoplasms (PN) which occur more frequently after ivermectin treatment. Worms with PN have a lower life expectancy and improved understanding of proteins expressed in PN and their impact on different tissues could help elucidate the mechanisms of macrofilaricidal activity of ivermectin. Within paraffin embedded nodules removed after ivermectin treatment, we detected 24 (5.6%) O. volvulus females with PN. To assess the protein inventory of the PN and identify proteins potentially …

Transcranial Vibration Stimulation At 40 Hz Induced Neural Activity And Promoted The Coupling Of Global Brain Activity And Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow, Linghan Kong, Wei Jin, Yue Jiang, Fuhua Yan, Jun Liu, Eric C Leuthardt, Guang-Zhong Yang, Yuan Feng

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Neuroscience advances have highlighted the potential of non-invasive brain stimulation in influencing cognitive and emotional processes. Conventional stimulation methods such as electrical, magnetic, and ultrasound have been studied intensively, but little is known about the mechanical stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of 40 Hz transcranial vibration stimulation (TVS) on human brain activity, specifically focusing on changes in the Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF) and Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) as measures of spontaneous brain activity. Additionally, this study investigates alterations in the global blood-oxygen-level-dependent (gBOLD) signal and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) inflow coupling, which serve as indicators of …

Effect Of Midwife-Led Pelvic Floor Muscle Training On Prolapse Symptoms And Quality Of Life In Women With Pelvic Organ Prolapse In Ethiopia: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Melese Siyoum, Rahel Nardos, Biniyam Sirak, Theresa Spitznagle, Wondwosen Teklesilasie, Ayalew Astatkie

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common condition that can significantly impact a woman's quality of life. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is recommended as a first-line conservative treatment for prolapse, but evidence on its effectiveness from low-resource settings is limited. This study aimed to assess the effect of midwife-led PFMT on prolapse symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among women with mild-to-moderate POP in Ethiopia.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: A community-based, parallel-groups, two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Dale and Wonsho districts of Sidama Region, Ethiopia. Women with symptomatic POP stages I-III were randomized by cluster to …

Sleep Disorders Five Years After Acute Provoked Neonatal Seizures, Renée A Shellhaas, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether abnormal sleep is associated with adverse outcomes for children who survived acute provoked neonatal seizures, and their parents.

STUDY DESIGN: This 9-center study prospectively followed newborns with acute provoked seizures. When children reached age 5 years, parents completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire-Sleep Related Breathing Disorders (PSQ-SRBD) subscale, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-3, and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. Children were also assessed with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-IV (WPPSI-IV). Spearman correlations and multivariable analyses were used to evaluate risk factors for sleep problems.

RESULTS: The mean CSHQ …

Exploring The Differences Between Brca Mutated And Hrwild-Type High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer: A Multiomic Analysis, Ayesha B Alvero, Sharon Wu, Alex Farrell, Seongho Kim, John J Wallbillich, Ira Winer, Robert Morris, David Spetzler, Matthew L Anderson, Alberto Puccini, Nathaniel L Jones, Thomas J Herzog, Premal H Thaker, Gil Mor, Radhika P Gogoi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the transcriptomic profile of BRCA1 mutant (BRCA1mut) and BRCA2 mutant (BRCA2mut) HGSOC compared to homologous recombination wild-type (HRwt) tumors utilizing the CARIS database.

METHODS: Next-generation and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing (WTS; Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ) was performed on a total of 2745 HGSOC tumor samples. BRCA mutations were defined as variants resulting in loss-of-function of the protein and HRwt was defined as samples wildtype for aberrations in both BRCA1 and BRCA2, as well as for 28 other HR genes. HRwt group was further classified into HRwt/LOH-low (< 16 %) and HRwt/LOH-high (≥16 %). Genomic analysis consists of mutation analysis and measurements of TMB and MSI. Transcriptomic analysis included identification of Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), GSEA and immune deconvolution.

RESULTS: We identified 519 …

Detection Of Alternative Lengthening Of Telomeres Via Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization For The Prognostication Of Pannets And Other Neoplasms, Christopher M Heaphy, Ta-Chiang Liu, Dengfeng Cao, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Molecular studies have shown alternative lengthening to telomeres (ALT) to be an important prognostic biomarker of shorter relapse-free survival (RFS) for patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) and other neoplasms. However, the preferred method of detecting ALT in tissue is by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), which has several clinical limitations. These issues necessitate the creation of a chromogenic ALT assay that can be easily implemented into routine practice. A chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) assay was developed using genetically modified osteosarcoma cell lines, 20 normal pancreata, 20 ALT-positive PanNETs, and 20 ALT-negative PanNETs. Thereafter, it was validated on a …