Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Higher Il-6 And Il-4 Plasma Levels In Depressed Elderly Women Are Influenced By Diabetes Mellitus, Natália S Dias, Antônio L Teixeira, Breno S Diniz, Erica L Vieira, Bernardo De M Viana, Izabela G Barbosa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at investigating a set of peripheral cytokines in elderly female patients with MDD, comparing them to controls, and assessing the potential influence of clinical comorbidities on inflammatory markers.

METHODS: Twenty-five elderly female patients diagnosed with MDD and 19 age-matched female controls were enrolled on this study. Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were evaluated with commercially-available assays.

RESULTS: Elderly female patients with MDD exhibited higher plasma IL-6 and IL-4 levels when compared to controls. In a logistic regression model taking cytokine levels, comorbidities, and age into account, only …

Rare Genomic Copy Number Variants Implicate New Candidate Genes For Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Steven G Carlisle, Hasan Albasha, Hector I Michelena, Anna Sabate-Rotes, Lisa Bianco, Julie De Backer, Laura Muiño Mosquera, Anji T Yetman, Malenka M Bissell, Maria Grazia Andreassi, Ilenia Foffa, Dawn S Hui, Anthony Caffarelli, Yuli Y Kim, Dongchuan Guo, Rodolfo Citro, Margot De Marco, Justin T Tretter, Kim L Mcbride, Dianna M Milewicz, Simon C Body, Siddharth K Prakash, Ebav Investigators, Bavcon Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), the most common congenital heart defect, is a major cause of aortic valve disease requiring valve interventions and thoracic aortic aneurysms predisposing to acute aortic dissections. The spectrum of BAV ranges from early onset valve and aortic complications (EBAV) to sporadic late onset disease. Rare genomic copy number variants (CNVs) have previously been implicated in the development of BAV and thoracic aortic aneurysms. We determined the frequency and gene content of rare CNVs in EBAV probands (n = 272) using genome-wide SNP microarray analysis and three complementary CNV detection algorithms (cnvPartition, PennCNV, and QuantiSNP). Unselected control …

The Relationship Between Resistance Training On Depressive Symptoms, Coping Self-Efficacy, And Quality Of Life In Female College Students, Katherine B. Tran

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Current studies have found a higher risk of depression, coping self-efficacy, and quality of life, specifically among female college students and predominantly pharmacotherapy or cognitive therapy intervention have been adopted to improve depression or depressive symptoms, however, current research suggests an alternative strategy, such as exercise, may be an effective approach. Understanding the relationship between exercise, such as resistance training (RT), and other psychosocial outcomes such as depressive symptoms, coping self-efficacy, and quality of life may show the potential of utilizing RT amongst this understudied population and can provide insight on alternative or supplemental treatment options for depression. Methods: …

Assessment Of Sociodemographic And Psychiatric Characteristics Of Transgender Adults Seen At A Midwest Tertiary Medical Center, Samuel Cortez, Dominic Moog, Elizabeth Baranski, Kelley Williams, Jinli Wang, Ginger Nicol, Thomas Baranski, Cynthia J Herrick

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The National Academy of Medicine has formally identified transgender adults as an understudied population in critical need of health research. While national surveys, like the US Transgender survey, have characterized higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidality and socioeconomic need in the transgender community, studies have not examined the impact of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on mental health related outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the sociodemographic and mental health characteristics of transgender adults seen at a large Midwest transgender clinic and to determine factors associated with self-reported mental health conditions.

METHODS: Descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study of new transgender patients 18 years …

Role Of Endogenous T1Ρ And Its Dispersion Imaging In Differential Diagnosis Of Cardiac Amyloidosis, Keyan Wang, Yong Zhang, Wenbo Zhang, Hongrui Jin, Jing An, Jingliang Cheng, Jie Zheng

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has demonstrated excellent performance in the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). However, misdiagnosis occasionally occurs because the morphological and functional features of CA are non-specific. This study was performed to determine the value of non-contrast CMR T1ρ in the diagnosis of CA.

METHODS: This prospective study included 45 patients with CA, 30 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and 10 healthy controls (HCs). All participants underwent cine (whole heart), T1ρ mapping, pre- and post-contrast T1 mapping imaging (three slices), and late gadolinium enhancement using a 3T whole-body magnetic resonance imaging system. All participants underwent T1ρ at …

Leishmania Major Surface Components And Dkk1 Signalling Via Lrp6 Promote Migration And Longevity Of Neutrophils In The Infection Site, Olivia C Ihedioha, Haley Q Marcarian, Anutr Sivakoses, Stephen M Beverley, Diane Mcmahon-Pratt, Alfred L M Bothwell

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Host-related factors highly regulate the increased circulation of neutrophils during

RESULTS: In this study, we further explored the potential role of DKK1-LRP6 signalling in the migration and longevity of activated neutrophils in the infection site using BALB/c mice with PMNs deficient in LRP6 (LRP6

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that DKK1 signalling and

An Innovation Bootcamp Model For Developing Youth-Led Hiv Self-Testing Delivery Strategies In Nigeria: Post-Designathon Capacity Building, Ucheoma Nwaozuru, Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, David Oladele, Olufunto Olusanya, Temitope Ojo, Juliet Iwelunmor, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Many designathons, hackathons, and similar participatory events suffer from minimal training and support after the events. Responding to this need, we organized a health innovation bootcamp: an intensive, team-based apprenticeship training with research and entrepreneurial rigor among young people in Nigeria to develop HIV self-testing (HIVST) delivery strategies for Nigerian youth. The purpose of this paper was to describe an innovation bootcamp that aimed to develop HIVST delivery strategies for Nigerian youth.

METHODS: The four-week, in-person innovation bootcamp, informed by youth participatory action research and comprised a series of workshops, took place in Lagos, Nigeria. The goal was to …

A Global Survey Of Self-Reported Cancer Screening Practices By Health Professionals For Kidney Transplant Candidates And Recipients, Nida Saleem, Naoka Murakami, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant recipients. Health professionals have a critical role in promoting cancer screening participation. From March 2023 to February 2024, an online survey was distributed to kidney transplant health professionals globally to assess their screening practices. We compared their reported screening practices to recommended guidelines and analyzed factors associated with these practices. We received 97 responses, and most were nephrologists (70%), and around 80% recommended breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening for kidney transplant candidates and recipients. About 85% recommended lung cancer screening for higher-risk individuals. Skin cancer screening recommendations …

Family Medicine Resident Scholarly Activity Infrastructure, Output, And Dissemination: A Cera Survey., Bryce A Ringwald, Michelle Taylor, Dean A Seehusen, Jennifer L Middleton

Medical Education Articles

PURPOSE: Meeting scholarly activity requirements continues to be a challenge in many family medicine (FM) residency programs. Studies comprehensively describing FM resident scholarship have been limited. We sought to identify institutional factors associated with increased scholarly output and meeting requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

OBJECTIVES: Our goals were to: (1) describe scholarly activity experiences among FM residents compared with ACGME requirements; (2) classify experiences by Boyer's domains of scholarship; and (3) associate experiences with residency program characteristics and scholarly activity infrastructure.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey. The survey questions were part of an omnibus …

Baseline Characteristics Of Sars-Cov-2 Vaccine Non-Responders In A Large Population-Based Sample, Ashraf Yaseen, Stacia M Desantis, Rachit Sabharwal, Yashar Talebi, Michael D Swartz, Shiming Zhang, Luis Leon Novelo, Cesar L Pinzon-Gomez, Sarah E Messiah, Melissa Valerio-Shewmaker, Harold W Kohl, Jessica Ross, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen J Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Studies indicate that individuals with chronic conditions and specific baseline characteristics may not mount a robust humoral antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. In this paper, we used data from the Texas Coronavirus Antibody REsponse Survey (Texas CARES), a longitudinal state-wide seroprevalence program that has enrolled more than 90,000 participants, to evaluate the role of chronic diseases as the potential risk factors of non-response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in a large epidemiologic cohort.

METHODS: A participant needed to complete an online survey and a blood draw to test for SARS-CoV-2 circulating plasma antibodies at four-time points spaced at least three months …

Exploring The Relationship Between Vaccine Hesitancy And Mothers’ Perspectives On Covid-19 Vaccines For Children Ages 5–11 Years During The Omicron Predominant Period 2021–2022: A Qualitative Study, Tiffany A Suragh, David Adzrago, Marlyn A Allicock, Paul G Yeh, Paula Cuccaro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The United States Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 years in October 2021 during the Omicron predominant period. Parental vaccine hesitancy was prevalent during this time, resulting in low childhood COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Most studies exploring factors influencing parental vaccine hesitancy have focused on racial and ethnic minorities and lower socioeconomic populations; however, there is little knowledge of the drive drivers of vaccine hesitancy among White parents with higher education and socioeconomic statuses.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample of 15 White mothers of children ages 5-11 years in Atlanta, GA, between …

Work As A Social Determinant Of Maternal Health: A Qualitative Exploration Of College-Educated Black Women’S Experiences At Work During Pregnancy And Postpartum, Serwaa S Omowale, Laurenia C Mangum, Andrea Joseph-Mccatty, Cherell Cottrell-Daniels, Kaiya A Farris, Rashon King, Brittany C Slatton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Black women are disproportionately impacted by higher rates of maternal mortality in the United States (US). Limited research has focused on adverse maternal health outcomes among college-educated Black women, although research has found these outcomes persistent among this population.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to fill a critical gap in current research by elucidating the nuanced experiences of college-educated Black women in the workplace during pregnancy and postpartum. By exploring this under-researched area, our study contributes to the academic discourse on Black maternal health disparities within the scope of occupational health. It offers practical insights for enhancing workplace gender equity, …

Interventions To Increase Follow-Up Of Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results: A Systematic Literature Review And Meta-Analysis, Melissa Lopez Varon, Yimin Geng, Bryan M Fellman, Catherine Troisi, Maria E Fernandez, Ruosha Li, Belinda Reininger, Kathleen M Schmeler, Emma Allanson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Ensuring timely follow-up of abnormal screening results is essential for eliminating cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to review single and multicomponent interventions designed to improve follow-up of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results. We report on effectiveness across studies, and describe what aspects of these interventions might be more impactful.

METHODS: Publications were searched between January 2000 and December 2022. The search included observational, quasi-experimental (pre-post studies) and randomized controlled studies describing at least one intervention to increase follow-up of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Outcomes of studies included completion of any …

Increased Resolvin E1 Production By Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells In Periodontitis Patients: Pilot Study, Lina J Suárez, Wilmer González-Duarte, Rodrigo Torrez-Velasco, Viviana Salinas, Nelly S Roa-Molina, Sindy M Muñoz, Luz-Stella Rodríguez, Roger M Arce, Jamil A Shibli, Adriana Rodríguez-Ciodaro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study quantified the production of the pro-resolving agent Resolvin E1 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 20 systemically healthy volunteers with and without periodontitis after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg). Ten periodontitis patients and 10 healthy volunteers (30-50 years old), matched by age and sex, were recruited. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and stimulated in culture plates for 24 hours with Pg LPS. Resolvin E1 levels were measured in the supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significantly higher production of Resolvin E1 was observed in both groups when stimulated with LPS compared to baseline levels …

Exploring Sexual Orientation Disparities Regarding The Interplay Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Self-Reported Diabetes Status, And Depression Among Adults In The United States, Sumaita Choudhury, Paul G Yeh, Kaitlyn L Zajack-Garcia, Christine M Markham

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Previous research has revealed a strong link between the experience of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and diabetes in adulthood. Moreover, research has shown that sexual minorities (SM) are exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) (i.e. CSA) and experience depression at higher rates than their heterosexual counterparts. Thus, it is imperative to further investigate the role of depression and the differential associations of exposure to ACEs with diabetes prevalence by sexual orientation. We explored sexual orientation disparities regarding the relationship between CSA and diabetes and examined the moderating role of depression. A total of 29,903 participants from the 2021 Behavioral Risk …

A Comprehensive Program To Improve Treatment Of Precancerous Cervical Lesions In The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Melissa Varon, Mila Pontremoli Salcedo, Bryan Fellman, Catherine Troisi, Rose Gowen, Maria Daheri, Ana M Rodriguez, Paul Toscano, Laura Guerra, Monica Gasca, Blanca Cavazos, Elena Marin, Susan Fisher-Hoch, Maria E Fernandez, Belinda Reininger, Li Ruosha, Ellen Baker, Kathleen Schmeler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a multicomponent intervention in women with cervical dysplasia who were treated with loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), as well as the time between colposcopy and treatment.

DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study.

INTERVENTION: Clinic participation in a multicomponent cervical cancer prevention program that included community outreach, patient in-reach, and navigation, as well as provider capacity building with in-person training and ongoing telementoring through Project ECHO.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Medical records were reviewed to evaluate women with cervical dysplasia undergoing treatment with LEEP within 90 days of colposcopy, as well as time between colposcopy and treatment. Baseline …

Variant Of The Lactase Lct Gene Explains Association Between Milk Intake And Incident Type 2 Diabetes, Kai Luo, Guo-Chong Chen, Yanbo Zhang, Jee-Young Moon, Jiaqian Xing, Brandilyn A Peters, Mykhaylo Usyk, Zheng Wang, Gang Hu, Jun Li, Elizabeth Selvin, Casey M Rebholz, Tao Wang, Carmen R Isasi, Bing Yu, Rob Knight, Eric Boerwinkle, Robert D Burk, Robert C Kaplan, Qibin Qi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cow's milk is frequently included in the human diet, but the relationship between milk intake and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains controversial. Here, using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, we show that in both sexes, higher milk intake is associated with lower risk of T2D in lactase non-persistent (LNP) individuals (determined by a variant of the lactase LCT gene, single nucleotide polymorphism rs4988235 ) but not in lactase persistent individuals. We validate this finding in the UK Biobank. Further analyses reveal that among LNP individuals, higher milk intake is associated with alterations in gut microbiota (for …

The Impact Of Body Mass Index And Physical Disability On Home-Based Anal Self-Sampling, Jenna Nitkowski, Maria E Fernandez, Tim Ridolfi, Elizabeth Chiao, Anna R Giuliano, Vanessa Schick, Michael D Swartz, Jennifer S Smith, Alan G Nyitray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Self-sampling is increasingly being used in screening programs, yet no studies to date have examined the impact of bodily characteristics on self-sampling experiences. Our objective was to assess whether body mass index (BMI) and physical disability were associated with anal self-sampling difficulty.

METHODS: We recruited sexual minority men (SMM) and trans persons in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to participate in an anal cancer screening study. Between January 2020 and August 2022, 240 participants were randomized to a home (n = 120) or clinic (n = 120) screening arm. Home participants received a mailed at-home anal self-sampling kit and were asked to …

Fetal Abdominal Obesity In Women With One Value Abnormality On Diagnostic Test For Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Wonjin Kim, Soo Kyung Park, Yoo Lee Kim

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Previous studies have shown that fetal abdominal obesity (FAO) was already observed at the time of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosis and persisted until delivery despite management in older and/or obese women. In this study, we investigated whether fetuses of women with milder hyperglycemia than GDM have accelerated abdominal growth, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 7,569 singleton pregnant women who were universally screened using a 50-g glucose challenge test (GCT) and underwent a 3-h 100-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) if GCT result was ≥140mg/dL. GDM, one value abnormality (OVA), and normal glucose …

Evaluation Of Potential Biomarkers For Lenvatinib Plus Pembrolizumab Among Patients With Advanced Endometrial Cancer: Results From Study 111/Keynote-146, Vicky Makker, Matthew H. Taylor, Carol Aghajanian, Allen L. Cohn, Marcia S. Brose, Christopher Di Simone, Zhu Alexander Cao, Leah Suttner, Andrey Loboda, Razvan Cristescu, Petar Jelinic, Robert Orlowski, Lea Dutta, Junji Matsui, Corina E. Dutcus, Yukinori Minoshima, Mark J. Messing

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab demonstrated clinically meaningful benefit in patients with previously treated advanced endometrial carcinoma in Study 111/KEYNOTE-146 (NCT02501096). In these exploratory analyses from this study, we evaluated the associations between clinical outcomes and gene expression signature scores and descriptively summarized response in biomarker subpopulations defined by tumor mutational burden (TMB) and DNA variants for individual genes of interest.

Methods Patients with histologically confirmed metastatic endometrial carcinoma received oral lenvatinib 20 mg once daily plus intravenous pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks for 35 cycles. Archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue was obtained from all patients. T-cell–inflamed gene expression …

Racial And Ethnic Differences In Infant Survival For Hydrocephaly-Texas, 1999–2017, Munir Ahmed, Charles Shumate, Heidi Bojes, Ketki Patel, A J Agopian, Mark Canfield

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Congenital hydrocephaly, an abnormal accumulation of fluid within the ventricular spaces at birth, can cause disability or death if untreated. Limited information is available about survival of infants born with hydrocephaly in Texas. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to calculate survival estimates among infants born with hydrocephaly without spina bifida in Texas.

Methods: A cohort of live-born infants delivered during 1999-2017 with congenital hydrocephaly without spina bifida was identified from the Texas Birth Defects Registry. Deaths within 1 year of delivery were identified using vital and medical records. One-year infant survival estimates were generated for multiple descriptive …

Factors Associated With Infant Sex And Preterm Birth Status For Selected Birth Defects From The National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997–2011, Eva M Williford, Wei Yang, Meredith M Howley, Chen Ma, Ronnie T Collins, Kari A Weber, Dominique Heinke, Julie M Petersen, A J Agopian, Natalie P Archer, Andrew F Olshan, Lindsay A Williams, Marilyn L Browne, Gary M Shaw

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Birth defects and preterm birth co-occur, with some overlapping risk factors. Many birth defects and preterm births tend to have a male preponderance. We explored potential risk factors impacting sex and preterm (< 37 weeks of gestation) birth differences among infants with selected birth defects delivered from 1997 to 2011 using data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS).

Methods: The NBDPS was a large multisite, population-based case-control study. Using random forests, we identified important predictors of male preterm, female preterm, and male term, each compared with female term births for each birth defect. Using logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios for associations between important predictors and sex-preterm birth status by birth defect.

Results: We examined 11,379 infants with nine specific birth defects. The top …

Is Preexisting Inflamed Jaw Marrow A “Hidden” Co-Morbidity Affecting Outcomes Of Covid-19 Infections? – Clinical Comparative Study, Johann Lechner, Robert E Mcmahon, Jerry E Bouquot, Florian Notter, Fabian Schick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Exceedingly high levels of the chemokine CCL5/RANTES have been found in fatty degenerated osteonecrotic alveolar bone cavities (FDOJ) and aseptic ischemic osteolysis of the jaw (AIOJ) from toothless regions. Because CCL5/RANTES seems to have a prominent role in creating the COVID-19 “cytokine storm”, some researchers have used the monoclonal antibody Leronlimab to block the CCR5 on inflammatory cells.

Objective: Is preexisting FDOJ/AIOJ jaw marrow pathology a “hidden” co-morbidity affecting some COVID-19 infections? To what extent does the chronic CCL5/RANTES expression from preexisting FDOJ/AIOJ areas contribute to the progression of the acute cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients?

Methods: Authors report …

Acceptability Of Anal Human Papillomavirus Home Self-Sampling And Clinician Sampling Among Sexual And Gender Minority Individuals In Milwaukee, Wisconsin: The Prevent Anal Cancer Self-Swab Study, Jenna Nitkowski, Anna R Giuliano, Tim Ridolfi, Elizabeth Chiao, Maria E Fernandez, Vanessa Schick, Michael D Swartz, Jennifer S Smith, Alan G Nyitray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Anal cancer has disproportionately high incidence among sexual minority men. We compared acceptability of home versus clinic human papillomavirus (HPV) anal swabbing.

Methods: The Prevent Anal Cancer Self-Swab Study recruited sexual and gender minority individuals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Eligible participants were randomized to a home or clinic arm. Home participants received a mailed anal HPV self-sampling kit. Clinic participants attended a clinic appointment where a clinician collected an anal HPV swab. We examined acceptability (overall thoughts, comfort with method, pain, and future willingness to swab) of home versus clinic swabbing using postswab survey responses.

Results: A total of 191 …

Characteristics And Quality Of Life Of People Living With Comorbid Disorders In Substance Use Recovery Residences, Elizabeth O Obekpa, Sheryl A Mccurdy, Kathryn R Gallardo, Serena A Rodriguez, Cecilia Ganduglia Cazaban, H Shelton Brown, James J Yang, J Michael Wilkerson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality; however, research on physical and mental health comorbidities and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people taking medication for OUD (MOUD) and living in recovery residences is sparse. We investigated the prevalence of comorbidities and examined which EQ-5D-5L HRQoL dimensions are most affected by these comorbidities.

METHODS: Data were collected from 358 residents living in 14 Texas-based recovery residences from April 2021 to June 2023. The EQ-5D-5L descriptive system comprises five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression). Each dimension has five levels of perceived problems, dichotomized into …

A Randomized Controlled Study Of Auricular Point Acupressure To Manage Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy: Study Protocol, Nada Lukkahatai, Michael V Nguyen, Jingyu Zhang, Yu-Min Cho, Chitchanok Benjasirisan, Heijingzi Monica Jia, Claudia M Campbell, Jennifer Kawi, Hulin Wu, Hongyu Wang, Rupsikha Bora, Johannes Thrul, Constance M Johnson, Thomas J Smith

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN) significantly impacts cancer patients, leading to functional disability, diminished quality of life, and increased healthcare costs amid the ongoing opioid crisis. Auricular point acupressure (APA), a non-invasive and non-pharmacological alternative, has shown potential for alleviating the pain, numbness, and tingling associated with CIN. This study aims to assess the efficacy of APA for CIN symptoms and physical function and to examine the mechanisms underlying APA's effects on CIN.

Methods: This is a three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial protocol. Patients aged 18 and older who are experiencing CIN are randomly assigned to one of the three groups: …

A Comparative Study Of Venezuelan Immigrants’ Pre- And Post-Migration Concerns For Their Children In The United States And Colombia, Aigerim Alpysbekova, Pablo Montero-Zamora, Mary H Soares, Carolina Scaramutti, Sumeyra Sahbaz, Maria Duque, Tara Bautista, Maria Fernanda Garcia, Christopher P Salas-Wright, Mildred M Maldonado-Molina, Melissa M Bates, Augusto Pérez-Gómez, Juliana Mejía Trujillo, Eric C Brown, Seth J Schwartz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Research suggests that forced migration may lead to cultural stress and psychological distress. However, little is known about immigrant parents' pre- and post-migration concerns for their children's welfare. The present study examined the concerns of Venezuelan parents who migrated to the United States versus those who migrated to Colombia, and whether post-migration concerns were related to cultural stressors, mental health, and cultural identity. A sample of 609 Venezuelan immigrants completed surveys and responded to an open-ended prompt asking about pre- and post-migration concerns for children's welfare. Lack of safety was the most common pre-migration concern for Venezuelans in the U.S., …

Joint Problem-Solving Orientation, Mutual Value Recognition, And Performance In Fluid Teamwork Environments, Michaela Kerrissey, Zhanna Novikov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Joint problem-solving orientation (JPS) has been identified as a factor that promotes performance in fluid teamwork, but research on this factor remains nascent. This study pushes the frontier of understanding about JPS in fluid teamwork environments by applying the concept to within-organization work and exploring its relationships with performance, mutual value recognition (MVR), and expertise variety (EV).

METHODS: This is a longitudinal, survey-based field study within a large United States healthcare organization

RESULTS: Our results affirm a moderated mediation model wherein JPS enhances performance, both directly and through MVR; EV serves as a moderator in the JPS-MVR relationship. JPS …

Exploratory Pilot Study To Characterize The Immune Landscapes Of Malignant Pleural Effusions And Their Corresponding Primary Tumors From Patients With Breast Carcinoma And Lung Adenocarcinoma, Caddie Laberiano-Fernandez, Qiong Gan, Sophia Mei Wang, Auriole Tamegnon, Ignacio Wistuba, Esther Yoon, Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri, Edwin Roger Parra

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a frequent complication of advanced malignancies. In this pilot study, we characterized the immune landscapes of MPEs, compared them to their primary tumor (PT) samples from breast carcinoma (BC) and lung adenocarcinoma (LADC), and tested the utility of multiplexed image technology in cytological samples.

Materials and methods: We evaluated the immune contexture of 6 BC and 5 LADC MPEs and their PTs using 3 multiplex immunofluorescence panels. We explored the associations between sample characteristics and pleural effusion-free survival.

Results: No MPE samples had positive programmed death-ligand 1 expression in malignant cells, although 3 of …

Association Of Perceived Neighborhood Air Quality Problems With Attempt To Quit Cigarette Smoking: A Cross-Sectional Study In Texas, Monalisa Chandra, Joel Fokom Domgue, Robert Yu, Sanjay Shete

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cigarette smoking is the major preventable cause of premature deaths in the United States. Attempting to quit smoking is an important step toward smoking cessation. Although it has been studied extensively, limited information on the association between attempts to quit smoking and neighborhood air quality problems is available. Therefore, we examined the association between attempts to quit smoking in the past year and perceived neighborhood air quality problems among adult Texans who smoke.

Methods: In 2018, a cross-sectional multistage area probability design-based survey was administered to collect sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related information from a representative sample of 2050 Texas …