Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Phase I Dose Escalation Study Of Topical Bexarotene In Women At High Risk For Breast Cancer, Parijatham S Thomas, Anisha B Patel, J Jack Lee, Diane D Liu, Mike Hernandez, Miguel Muzzio, Alejandro Contreras, Valerie Sepeda, Carrie Mays, Diane Weber, Lana A Vornik, Seema A Khan, Eileen Dimond, Brandy M Heckman-Stoddard, Marjorie Perloff, Powel H Brown

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bexarotene is a rexinoid that has been shown to prevent mammary tumors in mouse models but oral dosing has toxicities. This phase I study evaluates topical bexarotene, as a potential chemoprevention agent, for safety and toxicity in high-risk women for breast cancer.

Effect Of A Muc5ac Antibody (Npc-1c) Administered With Second-Line Gemcitabine And Nab-Paclitaxel On The Survival Of Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Brandon M Huffman, Andrea Wang-Gillam, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Treatment options are limited for patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) beyond first-line 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX), with such individuals commonly being treated with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether NPC-1C, an antibody directed against MUC5AC, might increase the efficacy of second-line gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patients with advanced PDAC.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter, randomized phase II clinical trial enrolled patients with advanced PDAC between April 2014 and March 2017 whose disease had progressed on first-line FOLFIRINOX. Eligible patients had tumors with at least 20 MUC5AC staining by centralized immunohistochemistry review. Statistical analysis …

Association Of State Insurance Mandates For Fertility Treatment With Multiple Embryo Transfer After Preimplantation Genetic Testing For Aneuploidy, Bronwyn S Bedrick, Katelin B Nickel, Joan K Riley, Tarun Jain, Emily S Jungheim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Multiple gestation is one of the biggest risks after in vitro fertilization (IVF), largely due to multiple embryo transfer (MET). Single embryo transfer (SET) uptake has increased over time and has been attributed to various factors, such as mandated insurance coverage for IVF and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether mandates for IVF insurance coverage are associated with decreased use of MET after PGT-A.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study was conducted using data on embryo transfers reported to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology between 2014 and 2016. Data were analyzed from January …

Prevalence And Concordance Of Oral And Genital Hpv By Sexual Orientation Among Us Men, Kalyani Sonawane, Shiang Shiuan Shyu, Haluk Damgacioglu, Ruosha Li, Alan G Nyitray, Ashish A Deshmukh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The objective of our study was to describe oral and genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection prevalence and concordance by sexual orientation among US men using a nationally representative sample. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The survey conducts a physical examination and collects oral rinse and genital swab specimens; demographic and health behaviors are self-reported. We used descriptive statistics and multivariate regression models to estimate HPV infection prevalence and the likelihood of HPV infection, respectively. All analyses were adjusted for National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey design and weights, and statistical …

Effect Of A Muc5ac Antibody (Npc-1c) Administered With Second-Line Gemcitabine And Nab-Paclitaxel On The Survival Of Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Brandon M Huffman, Atrayee Basu Mallick, Nora K Horick, Andrea Wang-Gillam, Peter Joel Hosein, Michael A Morse, Muhammad Shaalan Beg, Janet E Murphy, Sharon Mavroukakis, Anjum Zaki, Benjamin L Schlechter, Hanna Sanoff, Christopher Manz, Brian M Wolpin, Philip Arlen, Jill Lacy, James M Cleary

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Importance: Treatment options are limited for patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) beyond first-line 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX), with such individuals commonly being treated with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

Objective: To determine whether NPC-1C, an antibody directed against MUC5AC, might increase the efficacy of second-line gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patients with advanced PDAC.

Design, setting, and participants: This multicenter, randomized phase II clinical trial enrolled patients with advanced PDAC between April 2014 and March 2017 whose disease had progressed on first-line FOLFIRINOX. Eligible patients had tumors with at least 20 MUC5AC staining by centralized immunohistochemistry review. Statistical analysis …

Evaluation Of Proton Therapy Reirradiation For Patients With Recurrent Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Anna Lee, Robbie Woods, Amgad Mahfouz, Sarin Kitpanit, Olivia Cartano, Nader Mohamed, Irini Youssef, Kathryn Marqueen, Kevin Sine, Dennis Mah, Brian Neal, Kaveh Zakeri, Jung J Kang, Nadeem Riaz, Yao Yu, Sean M Mcbride, Linda D Chen, C Jillian Tsai, Daphna Y Gelblum, Robert H Press, Loren S Michel, Eric J Sherman, David Pfister, Lara A Dunn, Alan L Ho, James Fetten, Richard J Wong, Jay O Boyle, Bhuvanesh Singh, Jennifer R Cracchiolo, Ian Ganly, Marc A Cohen, Nancy Y Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Use of proton therapy reirradiation (PT-ReRT) for head and neck cancer is increasing; however, reports are heterogenous and outcomes can be difficult to interpret.

Objective: To evaluate outcomes and toxic effects following PT-ReRT in a uniform and consecutive cohort of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective cohort study included patients with recurrent primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who were treated with PT-ReRT from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020, at a single institution. Patient, clinical, and treatment characteristics were obtained, and multidisciplinary review was performed to record and …

Provider Beliefs In Effectiveness And Recommendations For Primary Hpv Testing In 3 Health-Care Systems, Gina R Kruse, Jacquelyn M Lykken, Eric J Kim, Jennifer S Haas, Robin T Higashi, Steven J Atlas, Anne Marie Mccarthy, Jasmin A Tiro, Michelle I Silver, Celette S Skinner, Aruna Kamineni

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In 2018, the US Preventive Services Task Force endorsed primary human papillomavirus testing (pHPV) for cervical cancer screening. We aimed to describe providers' beliefs about pHPV testing effectiveness and which screening approach they regularly recommend. We invited providers who performed 10 or more cervical cancer screens in 2019 in 3 healthcare systems that had not adopted pHPV testing: Kaiser Permanente Washington, Mass General Brigham, and Parkland Health; 53.7% (501/933) completed the survey between October and December 2020. Response distributions varied across modalities (P < .001), with cytology alone or cotesting being more often viewed as somewhat or very effective for 30- to 65-year-olds compared with pHPV (cytology alone 94.1%, cotesting 96.1%, pHPV 66.0%). In 21- to 29-year-olds, the pattern was similar (cytology alone 92.2%, 64.7% cotesting, 50.8% pHPV). Most providers were either incorrect or unsure of the guideline-recommended screening interval for pHPV. Educational efforts are needed about the relative effectiveness and recommended use of pHPV to promote guideline-concordant care.

Social And Economic Capital As Effect Modifiers Of The Association Between Psychosocial Stress And Oral Health, Abby L J Hensel, Noha Gomaa

Dentistry Publications

OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent of the association of psychosocial stress with oral health in an Ontario population stratified by age groups, and whether any association is modified by indicators of social and economic capital.

METHODS: We retrieved data of 21,320 Ontario adults, aged 30-74 years old, from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS: 2017-2018), which is a Canada-wide, cross-sectional survey. Using binomial logistic regression models that adjusted for age, sex, education, and country of birth, we examined the association of psychosocial stress (indicated by perceived life stress) with inadequate oral health (indicated as having at least one of the …

Contraception And Healthcare Utilization By Reproductive-Age Women Who Use Drugs In Rural Communities: A Cross-Sectional Survey., Ximena A. Levander, Canyon A. Foot, Sara L. Magnusson, Ryan R. Cook, Jerel M. Ezell, Judith Feinberg, Vivian F. Go, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, Gordon S. Smith, Ryan P. Westergaard, April M. Young, Judith I. Tsui, P. Todd Korthuis

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Women who use drugs (WWUD) have low rates of contraceptive use and high rates of unintended pregnancy. Drug use is common among women in rural U.S. communities, with limited data on how they utilize reproductive, substance use disorder (SUD), and healthcare services.

OBJECTIVE: We determined contraceptive use prevalence among WWUD in rural communities then compared estimates to women from similar rural areas. We investigated characteristics of those using contraceptives, and associations between contraceptive use and SUD treatment, healthcare utilization, and substance use.

DESIGN: Rural Opioids Initiative (ROI) - cross-sectional survey using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) involving eight rural U.S. regions …

Exploring Barriers And Promoters Of Crc Screening Use Among Agricultural Operators: A Pilot Study Of An Application Of Concept Mapping, Cheryl Beseler, Jungyoon Kim, Roma Subramanian, Susan Harris, Karen Funkenbusch, Aaron Yoder, Tamara Robinson, Jason M. Foster, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the study was to identify barriers and facilitators of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening use among agricultural operators in Nebraska, US.

METHODS: The concept mapping approach was used to engage participants and enhance the generation of ideas and opinions regarding CRC screening. Two focus groups (seven women and seven men) were conducted.

RESULTS: Among women, the cost domain was most agreed upon as important, followed by experiencing symptoms, awareness, and family. Among men, the important concepts related to CRC screening were family and friend support, feeling too young to get CRC, family or personal history of CRC, …

Exposure To Pcb126 During The Nursing Period Reversibly Impacts Early-Life Glucose Tolerance, Brittany B. Rice, Keegan W. Sammons, Sara Y. Ngo Tenlep, Madeline T. Weltzer, Leryn J. Reynolds, Cetewayo S. Rashid, Hollie I. Swanson, Kevin J. Pearson

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental organic pollutants known to have detrimental health effects. Using a mouse model, we previously demonstrated that PCB126 exposure before and during pregnancy and throughout the perinatal period adversely affected offspring glucose tolerance and/or body composition profiles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the glucose tolerance and body composition of offspring born to dams exposed to PCB126 during the nursing period only. Female ICR mice were bred, and half of the dams were exposed to either vehicle (safflower oil) or 1 µmole PCB126 per kg of body weight via oral gavage on postnatal …

Protecting Low-Income Consumers In The Era Of Digital Grocery Shopping: Implications For Wic Online Ordering, Qi Zhang, Priyanka Patel, Caitlin M. Lowery

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is now expected to allow participants to redeem their food benefits online, i.e., via online ordering, rather than only in-store. However, it is unclear how this new benefit redemption model may impact participants’ welfare since vendors may have an asymmetric information advantage compared with WIC customers. The WIC online ordering environment may also change the landscape for WIC vendors, which will eventually affect WIC participants. To protect WIC consumers’ rights in the new online ordering model, policymakers need an appropriate legal and regulatory framework. This narrative review provides that …

Virtual Home Visits During Covid-19 Pandemic: Mothers' And Home Visitors' Perspectives, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Michele A. Kekeh, Stephanie Ewers, Amy L. Prusinski, Kimberly J. Alombro, Nancy Welch

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

The experiences of mothers enrolled in Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program with virtual home visiting (VHV) during the pandemic remain mostly unknown. This study aimed to describe in detail the experience of home visitors and mothers with VHV during COVID-19 pandemic. This is a prerequisite for guiding future efforts to optimize MIECHV services that are provided through virtual operation.

Methods

Focus groups discussion were conducted with home visitors (n = 13) and mothers (n = 30) who were enrolled in BabyCare program in Virginia from January 2019 to June 2022. This included mothers who received …

The Experiences Of Women In The Healthcare Profession With Alcohol Use During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber Olsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women have severe health risks associated with drinking alcohol long-term and excessively. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of women in healthcare positions regarding alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was informed by the theory of planned behavior. Semistructured interviews were used to gather information from participants based on their firsthand experiences with alcohol usage. Understanding women’s attitudes toward alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic can improve intervention. Data were analyzed using an inductive, thematic procedure. Participants associated their own use of alcohol with socialization, and all participants reported that they regarded …

Community Socioeconomic And Urban-Rural Differences In Emergency Medical Services Times For Suspected Stroke In North Carolina, Srihari V Chari, Eric R Cui, Haylie E Fehl, Antonio R Fernandez, Jane H Brice, Mehul D Patel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to describe time intervals of EMS encounters for suspected stroke patients in North Carolina (NC) and evaluate differences in EMS time intervals by community socioeconomic status (SES) and rurality.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study used statewide data on EMS encounters of suspected stroke in NC in 2019. Eligible patients were adults requiring EMS transport to a hospital following a 9-1-1 call for stroke-like symptoms. Incident street addresses were geocoded to census tracts and linked to American Community Survey SES data and to rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes. Community SES was defined as high, medium, or low based …

Attitudes, Beliefs, And Perceptions On Cannabis Among Older Adults Aged 65 And Older: A Cross-Sectional Survey., Alex M Kleidon, Andrew M Peterson, Ilene Warner-Maron, Allen Glicksman

PCOM Scholarly Works

OBJECTIVE: With the rise of medical and recreational cannabis use among older adults, concerns about the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use are increasing. This pilot study aimed to determine the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of older adults toward cannabis as a medicinal product, to establish a foundation for future research on how healthcare providers communicate with this population regarding cannabis.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on adults aged 65 and older living in Philadelphia. The survey included questions related to participants' demographics, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of cannabis. Participants were recruited via flyer distributions, publications in …

Researching Covid To Enhance Recovery (Recover) Pregnancy Study: Rationale, Objectives And Design, Torri D Metz, Rebecca G Clifton, Richard Gallagher, Rachel S Gross, Leora I Horwitz, Vanessa L Jacoby, Susanne P Martin-Herz, Myriam Peralta-Carcelen, Harrison T Reeder, Carmen J Beamon, James Chan, A Ann Chang, Maged M Costantine, Megan L Fitzgerald, Andrea S Foulkes, Kelly S Gibson, Nick Güthe, Mounira Habli, David N Hackney, Matthew K Hoffman, M Camille Hoffman, Brenna L Hughes, Stuart D Katz, Victoria Laleau, Gail Mallett, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Vanessa Monzon, Anna Palatnik, Kristy T S Palomares, Samuel Parry, Christian M Pettker, Beth A Plunkett, Athena Poppas, Uma M Reddy, Dwight J Rouse, George R Saade, Grecio J Sandoval, Shannon M Schlater, Frank C Sciurba, Hyagriv N Simhan, Daniel W Skupski, Amber Sowles, Tanayott Thaweethai, Gelise L Thomas, John M Thorp, Alan T Tita, Steven J Weiner, Samantha Weigand, Lynn M Yee, Valerie J Flaherman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: Pregnancy induces unique physiologic changes to the immune response and hormonal changes leading to plausible differences in the risk of developing post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), or Long COVID. Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy may also have long-term ramifications for exposed offspring, and it is critical to evaluate the health outcomes of exposed children. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Multi-site Observational Study of PASC aims to evaluate the long-term sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection in various populations. RECOVER-Pregnancy was designed specifically to address long-term outcomes in maternal-child dyads.

METHODS: RECOVER-Pregnancy cohort is a …

Effect Of Positive Emotion Intervention During Late Pregnancy On Improving Colostrum Secretion: A Randomised Control Trial Protocol, Kechen Xu, Ying Xie, Xiujun Han, Ying Yu, Suqing Liu, Suliu Wu, Qian Yang, Qi Zhang

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Introduction Though evidence has revealed the beneficial effects of cognitive improvement interventions on breastfeeding, the effect of psychological interventions has rarely been studied. This study aims to test whether promoting a positive emotion intervention, 'Three Good Things' intervention, during the last trimester of pregnancy can enhance early colostrum secretion and breastfeeding behaviours by modulating the hormones associated with lactation (prolactin and insulin-like growth factor I). We will attempt to promote exclusive breastfeeding by using physiological behavioural measures.

Methods and analysis This study is designed as a randomised controlled trial conducted in the Women's Hospital School of Medicine at Zhejiang University …

An International Real-World Analysis Of Relapsed/Refractory Lymphoma Occurring During Pregnancy, Faheem Farooq, Justin S. Brandt, Elyce Cardonick, Evgeniya Polushkina, Julie M. Vose, Sairah Ahmed, Praveen Ramakrishnan Geethakumari, Adam J. Olszewski, Hesham Yasin, Umar Farooq, Nada Hamad, Yong Lin, Charlotte Maggen, Robert Fruscio, Mina Mhallem Gziri, Karina Dahl Steffensen, Frédéric Amant, Andrew M. Evens

Journal Articles: Oncology and Hematology

No abstract provided.

Sex-Related Differences In Premature Cardiovascular Disease In Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Anandita Agarwala, Elena Deych, Laney K Jones, Amy C Sturm, Karen Aspry, Zahid Ahmad, Christie M Ballantyne, Anne C Goldberg

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is associated with an increased prevalence of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), however, little is known about sex-specific differences in premature ASCVD and its risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: The present study seeks to assess the burden and risk factors for premature ASCVD among men and women with FH.

METHODS: In this study we retrospectively examined sex-specific differences in ASCVD prevalence, risk factor burdens, and lipid treatment outcomes in 782 individuals with clinically or genetically confirmed FH treated in 5 U.S. lipid and genetics clinics. A generalized linear model using Binomial distribution with random study site effect and …

The Neurotoxin Dsp-4 Dysregulates The Locus Coeruleus-Norepinephrine System And Recapitulates Molecular And Behavioral Aspects Of Prodromal Neurodegenerative Disease, Alexa F. Iannitelli, Michael A. Kelberman, Daniel J. Lustberg, Anu Korukonda, Katharine E. Mccann, Bernard Mulvey, Arielle Segal, L Cameron Liles, Steven A. Sloan, Joseph D. Dougherty, David Weinshenker

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is among the earliest sites of tau and α-synuclein pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), respectively. The onset of these pathologies coincides with loss of noradrenergic fibers in LC target regions and the emergence of prodromal symptoms including sleep disturbances and anxiety. Paradoxically, these prodromal symptoms are indicative of a noradrenergic hyperactivity phenotype, rather than the predicted loss of norepinephrine (NE) transmission following LC damage, suggesting the engagement of complex compensatory mechanisms. Because current therapeutic efforts are targeting early disease, interest in the LC has grown, and it is critical to identify …

Inhibition Of Mirna Associated With A Disease-Specific Signature And Secreted Via Extracellular Vesicles Of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients Suppresses Target Organ Inflammation In A Humanized Mouse Model, Nicholas A Young, Emily Schwarz, Braden M Zeno, Shane Bruckner, Rosana A Mesa, Kyle Jablonski, Lai-Chu Wu, Elisha D O Roberson, Wael N Jarjour

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Distinct, disease-associated intracellular miRNA (miR) expression profiles have been observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients. Additionally, we have identified novel estrogenic responses in PBMCs from SLE patients and demonstrated that estrogen upregulates toll-like receptor (TLR)7 and TLR8 expression. TLR7 and TLR8 bind viral-derived single-stranded RNA to stimulate innate inflammatory responses, but recent studies have shown that miR-21, mir-29a, and miR-29b can also bind and activate these receptors when packaged and secreted in extracellular vesicles (EVs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of EV-encapsulated small RNA species in SLE …

Neuroinflammation And Amyloid Deposition In The Progression Of Mixed Alzheimer And Vascular Dementia, Chunwei Ying, Peter Kang, Michael M Binkley, Andria L Ford, Yasheng Chen, Jason Hassenstab, Qing Wang, Jeremy Strain, John C Morris, Jin-Moo Lee, Tammie L S Benzinger, Hongyu An

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) pathologies coexist in patients with cognitive impairment. Abnormal amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition is the hallmark pathologic biomarker for AD. Neuroinflammation may be a pathophysiological mechanism in both AD and VCID. In this study, we aimed to understand the role of neuroinflammation and Aβ deposition in white matter hyperintensities (WMH) progression and cognitive decline over a decade in patients with mixed AD and VCID pathologies.

METHODS: Twenty-four elderly participants (median [interquartile range] age 78 [64.8, 83] years old, 14 female) were recruited from the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research …

Changes In Distribution Of Severe Neurologic Involvement In Us Pediatric Inpatients With Covid-19 Or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children In 2021 Vs 2020, Kerri L Larovere, Amanda R Kolmar, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, neurologic involvement was common in children and adolescents hospitalized in the United States for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-related complications.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an update on the spectrum of SARS-CoV-2-related neurologic involvement among children and adolescents in 2021.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Case series investigation of patients reported to public health surveillance hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2-related illness between December 15, 2020, and December 31, 2021, in 55 US hospitals in 31 states with follow-up at hospital discharge. A total of 2253 patients were enrolled during the investigation period. Patients suspected of having …

Apolipoprotein E Genetic Variation, Atherogenic Index And Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment In An African Population: An Analysis Of Hiv And Malaria Patients In Ghana, Nicholas Ekow Thomford, Akwasi Anyanful, Richmond Owusu Ateko, Dee Blackhurst, Robert Peter Biney, Dennis Boadi, Samuel Badu Nyarko, Martins Ekor, George Boateng Kyei

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein E is involved in lipid transport and clearance of lipoprotein through low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR). ApoE variation has been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. There are 3 isoforms of ApoE which originate from two non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms denoted as ε2, ε3 and ε4. The ε2 isoform is implicated in higher levels of atherogenic lipoprotein with the ε4 isoform causing LDLR downregulation. This leads to variable effects and differential CVD risk. Malaria and HIV are life-threatening diseases affecting several countries globally especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Parasite and viral activities have been implicated in lipid dysregulation leading to …

Leveraging Health Infrastructure To Optimize Hpv Vaccination For Adolescents In Zambia: Protocol For An Implementation Study, Sam Miti, Thembekile Shato, Comfort Asante, Ana Baumann, Gershom Chongwe, Patricia M. Bobo, Michelle I. Silver, Jean M. Hunleth

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Zambia, where HIV prevalence is also high (11.3%). HIV heightens the risk of developing and dying from cervical cancer. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent 90% of cervical cancers, and in Zambia is recommended for adolescent girls ages 14-15 years, including those with HIV. Currently they mainly deliver HPV vaccination via school-based campaigns, which may exclude the most vulnerable adolescents-those out-of-school or who irregularly attend. Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) are more likely to have these vulnerabilities. Further, school-based campaigns are not tailored to the WHO-recommended HPV vaccination …

Vigorous-Intensity Exercise As A Modulator Of Cardiac Adipose Tissue In Women With Obesity: A Cross-Sectional And Randomized Pilot Study, Sumsen Thapa, Bharath S Selvaraj, Paige N Davis, Bryan Smith, Amy H Givan, Jose A Perez-Rivera, Pamela K Woodard, Jon D Klingensmith, Maria Fernandez-Del-Valle

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Cardiac adipose tissue (CAT) has become an important target for the reduction of disease risk. Supervised exercise programs have shown potential to "significantly" reduce CAT; however, the impact of different exercise modalities is not clear, and the relationships between CAT, physical activity (PA) levels and fitness (PFit) remain unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between CAT, PA and PFit, and to explore the effects of different exercise modalities in a group of women with obesity. A total of 26 women (age: 23.41 ± 5.78 years-old) were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. PA, cardiorespiratory fitness, …

Transferrin Receptor In Primary And Metastatic Breast Cancer: Evaluation Of Expression And Experimental Modulation To Improve Molecular Targeting, Francesca Fontana, Alison K. Esser, Christopher Egbulefu, Partha Karmakar, Xinming Su, John S. Allen, Yalin Xu, Jennifer L. Davis, Ariel Gabay, Jingyu Xiang, Kristin A. Kwakwa, Brad Manion, Suzanne Bakewell, Shunqiang Li, Haeseong Park, Gregory M. Lanza, Samuel Achilefu, Katherine N. Weilbaecher

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Conjugation of transferrin (Tf) to imaging or nanotherapeutic agents is a promising strategy to target breast cancer. Since the efficacy of these biomaterials often depends on the overexpression of the targeted receptor, we set out to survey expression of transferrin receptor (TfR) in primary and metastatic breast cancer samples, including metastases and relapse, and investigate its modulation in experimental models.

METHODS: Gene expression was investigated by datamining in twelve publicly-available datasets. Dedicated Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were generated to evaluate matched primary and bone metastases as well as and pre and post chemotherapy tumors from the same patient. TMA were …

Examining Decisional Needs And Contextual Factors Influencing Fertility Status Assessment Among Young Female Survivors Of Childhood Cancer: A Sequential Mixed Methods Study Protocol, Brooke Cherven, Nataliya V. Ivankova, Jessica B. Spencer, Anne M. Fitzpatrick, Karen C. Burns, Jenna Demedis, Holly R Hoefgen, Ann C. Mertens, James L. Klosky

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Female cancer survivors who received gonadotoxic cancer treatment are at risk for profound diminished ovarian reserve and/or primary ovarian insufficiency with resulting infertility, which can be associated with distress and decreased quality of life.. Despite prioritizing future parenthood, many survivors are unsure of the impact of their treatment on their future fertility, and little is known about the perceived reproductive health needs and factors associated with receipt of a fertility status assessment (FSA). There is a lack of developmentally appropriate reproductive health decisional support interventions available for emerging adult cancer survivors. This study will explore the perceived reproductive health …

Supplementary Feeding And Infection Control In Pregnant Adolescents-A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Trial Among Malnourished Women In Sierra Leone, Aminata S Koroma, Mariama Ellie, Kadiatu Bangura, Per O Iversen, David T Hendrixson, Kevin Stephenson, Mark J Manary

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Undernutrition during pregnancy in adolescence confers a high risk of maternal morbidity and adverse birth outcomes, particularly in low-resource settings. In a secondary analysis, we hypothesized that younger undernourished pregnant adolescents (<18 years) would benefit more than undernourished pregnant adults (>20 years) from the intervention of supplementary food and anti-infective treatments. The original trial in Sierra Leone enrolled 236 younger adolescents (<18 years), 454 older adolescents (aged 18-19 years), and 741 adults (≥20 years), all with a mid-upper arm circumference ≤23 cm. Younger adolescents had lower final fundal height as well as smaller newborns (-0.3 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.3, -0.2; p < 0.001) and shorter newborns (-1.1 cm; 95% CI, -1.5, -0.7; p < 0.001) than adults. The intervention's effect varied significantly between maternal age groups: adults benefited more than younger adolescents with respect to newborn birth weight (difference in difference, 166 g; 95% CI, 26, 306; interaction p = 0.02), birth length (difference in difference, 7.4 mm; 95% CI, 0.1, 14.8; interaction p = 0.047), and risk for low birth weight (<2.5 kg) (interaction p = 0.019). The differences in response persisted despite adjustments for maternal anthropometry, the number of prior pregnancies, and human immunodeficiency virus status. Older adolescents similarly benefited more than younger adolescents, though differences did not reach statistical significance. In conclusion, newborns born to younger adolescent mothers had worse outcomes than those born to adult mothers, and adults and their newborns benefited more from the intervention than younger adolescents.