Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Depletion And Enrichment Of Phytosterols In Soybean Oil Lipid Emulsions Directly Associate With Serum Markers Of Cholestasis In Preterm Parenteral Nutrition-Fed Pigs, Greg Guthrie, Barbara Stoll, Shaji Chacko, Mahmoud Mohammad, Candace Style, Mariatu Verla, Oluyinka Olutoye, Deborah Schady, Charlotte Lauridsen, Nick Tataryn, Douglas Burrin

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Clinical reports show a positive correlation between phytosterol concentrations and severity of cholestatic liver disease markers in infants during long-term administration of parenteral lipid emulsions. Establishing a causal link between phytosterols and cholestasis has been complicated by confounding factors of lipid emulsion load, fatty acid composition, and vitamin E in many of these studies. The goal of this study is to determine whether altering the phytosterol concentration within a common soybean oil-based emulsion will alter the onset and severity of cholestasis in parenterally fed preterm piglets.

Methods: Preterm piglets were administered, for 21 days, either enteral nutrition (ENT) or …

Maternal Feeding Styles And Child Appetitive Traits: Direction Of Effects In Hispanic Families With Low Incomes, Maria A Papaioannou, Nilda Micheli, Thomas G Power, Teresia M O'Connor, Jennifer Orlet Fisher, Sheryl O Hughes

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Feeding styles of parents have been associated with dietary quality/intake and weight outcomes; however, much of the research to date has been cross sectional and the direction of influence unclear. This prospective longitudinal study evaluated the direction of effects between feeding styles and child appetitive traits over time in a sample of 129 Hispanic parent/child dyads that participated in a larger study. Data analyzed for the current study were collected when the children were 4-5 years old and again at ages 7-9 years. Parents (all mothers) reported on their feeding styles and children's appetitive traits using well-established questionnaires. Cross-lagged panel …

Validation Of The Family Health Behavior Scale For The Brazilian Population, Luiza Tweedie Preto, Camila H Scarpatto, Laura Lessa Gaudie Ley, Carolina Silveira, Margareth Rodrigues Salerno, Jennette Palcic Moreno, Stela Maris De Jezus Castro, Linda Booij, Rita Mattiello

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: To validate the Family Health Behavior Scale (FHBS) for Brazilian families.

Methods: The sample included 272 children aged 5 to 12 years old. Caregivers and their healthy answered the FHBS and questions about physical activity. In addition, anthropometric measurements of the children's weight and height were performed, as well as the bioimpedance exam. The scale was translated and the following validities were assessed: content (qualitative analysis and content validity index), construct (factor analysis) and concurrent validity (difference between domains and the total score with the categories of BMI, fat percentage and physical activity). Reliability (Cronbach's alpha, ceiling-floor effect, two-half …

Associations Of Prenatal Phthalate Exposure With Neurobehavioral Outcomes In 45- And 75-Month-Old Infants, Jenna L N Sprowles, Kelsey L C Dzwilewski, Francheska M Merced-Nieves, Salma M A Musaad, Susan L Schantz, Sarah D Geiger

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Phthalates are ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and research indicates that prenatal exposure to some phthalates may affect neurodevelopment. In a prospective birth cohort study, five first-morning urine samples collected across pregnancy were pooled and the following phthalate biomarkers assessed: sum of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDEHP), sum of diisononyl phthalate metabolites (ΣDINP), sum of dibutyl phthalate metabolites (ΣDBP), sum of anti-androgenic metabolites (ΣAA), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), and sum of all phthalate metabolites (ΣAll). The Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ), a standardized parent-reported, age-adapted screening tool, measured communication, personal-social, problem solving, and motor domains in infants at 4.5 and 7.5 months (n = …

Tissue-Specific Mechanisms Of Bile Acid Homeostasis And Activation Of Fxr-Fgf19 Signaling In Preterm And Term Neonatal Pigs, Caitlin Vonderohe, Greg Guthrie, Barbara Stoll, Shaji Chacko, Harry Dawson, Douglas G Burrin

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The tissue-specific molecular mechanisms involved in perinatal liver and intestinal farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) signaling are poorly defined. Our aim was to establish how gestational age and feeding status affect bile acid synthesis pathway, bile acid pool size, ileal response to bile acid stimulation, genes involved in bile acid-FXR-FGF19 signaling and plasma FGF19 in neonatal pigs. Term (n = 23) and preterm (n = 33) pigs were born via cesarean section at 100% and 90% gestation, respectively. Plasma FGF19, hepatic bile acid and oxysterol profiles, and FXR target gene expression were assessed in pigs …

Prevalence Versus Evidence: A Closer Look At The Research Available For Serving Children Exposed To Maltreatment And A Response To Hyter's Call For Trauma-Informed Care, Savanah Gayaldo, Allison Gladfelter

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Purpose:

In an October 2021 post of The ASHA LeaderLive, Dr. Yvette Hyter emphasized the need for trauma-informed services for children exposed to maltreatment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by her call, we discuss how the pandemic created a high-risk context for maltreatment, the speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') role in prevention and intervention, reflect on the gap in evidence for maltreatment within empirical journals aimed at the speech-language pathology audience, and reiterate Hyter's call for trauma-informed care as a guide for clinicians serving children exposed to maltreatment.

Method:

We searched for empirical evidence within journals aimed at …

Review Of Evidence For Environmental Causes Of Uveal Coloboma, Evan B Selzer, Delphine Blain, Robert B Hufnagel, Philip J Lupo, Laura E Mitchell, Brian P Brooks

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Uveal coloboma is a condition defined by missing ocular tissues and is a significant cause of childhood blindness. It occurs from a failure of the optic fissure to close during embryonic development and may lead to missing parts of the iris, ciliary body, retina, choroid, and optic nerve. Because there is no treatment for coloboma, efforts have focused on prevention. While several genetic causes of coloboma have been identified, little definitive research exists regarding the environmental causes of this condition. We review the current literature on environmental factors associated with coloboma in an effort to guide future research and preventative …

The Roles And Contributions Of Certified Transport Registered Nurses In Critical Care Ground Transport Today., Jennifer Esslinger Bsn, Rn, Cfrn, Ctrn, Sue L Parrigin, Amy Grand, Kimberly D Bronow, Jacqueline C Stocking

Nursing Publications, Posters, & Presentations

Registered nurses are core members of critical care ground transport teams because of their education, experience, and scope of practice. Advances in medicine, technology, and equipment, combined with regionalization of specialized care and, most recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, necessitate that transport nurses possess specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. National specialty certification in ground transport nursing via the Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN) offers registered nurses a process to validate their expertise. The most recent transport nursing role delineation study, which was conducted by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursingin 2019, provided the foundation for the revised CTRN …

Covid-19 Mortality May Be Reduced Among Fully Vaccinated Solid Organ Transplant Recipients, Micaela Sandoval, Duc T Nguyen, Howard J Huang, Stephanie G Yi, R Mark Ghobrial, A Osama Gaber, Edward A Graviss

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 due to their immunosuppressed state and reduced immunogenicity from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. This investigation examined the association between COVID-19 mRNA vaccination status and mortality among SOT recipients diagnosed with COVID-19.

METHODS & FINDINGS: A retrospective, registry-based chart review was conducted investigating COVID-19 mortality among immunosuppressed solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients in a large metropolitan healthcare system in Houston, Texas, USA. Electronic health record data was collected from consecutive SOT recipients who received a diagnostic SARS-CoV-2 test between March 1, 2020, and October 1, 2021. …

The Healthy Native Youth Implementation Toolbox: Using Implementation Mapping To Adapt An Online Decision Support System To Promote Culturally-Relevant Sexual Health Education For American Indian And Alaska Native Youth, Christine M Markham, Stephanie Craig Rushing, Jane Manthei, Michelle Singer, Cornelia Jessen, Gwenda Gorman, Melissa F Peskin, Belinda F Hernandez, Lea Sacca, Gabrielle S Evans, Claudia Luna-Meza, Zoe Merritt, Ross Shegog

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth experience serious disparities in sexual and reproductive health, including the highest teen birth rate among racial/ethnic groups, and disproportionate rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV. A growing number of evidence-based programs (EBPs) that integrate the strengths and cultural teachings of Native communities exist. Yet, multiple factors, including lack of trained personnel, limited resources, and geographic isolation, may hinder their adoption and implementation. Innovative implementation strategies that facilitate the adoption and implementation of sexual health EBPs in Native communities may help reduce these disparities.

METHODS: We applied Implementation Mapping, a systematic …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning For Hiv Prevention Interventions, Yang Xiang, Jingcheng Du, Kayo Fujimoto, Fang Li, John Schneider, Cui Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In 2019, the US Government announced its goal to end the HIV epidemic within 10 years, mirroring the initiatives set forth by UNAIDS. Public health prevention interventions are a crucial part of this ambitious goal. However, numerous challenges to this goal exist, including improving HIV awareness, increasing early HIV infection detection, ensuring rapid treatment, optimising resource distribution, and providing efficient prevention services for vulnerable populations. Artificial intelligence has had a pivotal role in revolutionising health care and has shown great potential in developing effective HIV prevention intervention strategies. Although artificial intelligence has been used in a few HIV prevention intervention …

A Qualitative Investigation Of Organizational Challenges And Facilitators To Screening Individuals Experiencing Homelessness For Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) In Houston, Texas, Alane Celeste-Villalvir, J Michael Wilkerson, Christine Markham, Lourdes Rodriguez, Vanessa Schick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Individuals experiencing homelessness may be at a disproportionately high risk for hepatitis C (HCV) because they may be more likely to engage in HCV risk behaviors. Community organizations that provide services to these vulnerable individuals can effectively screen, diagnose, and navigate them into HCV care. However, screening people experiencing homelessness for HCV at such organizations is limited by various challenges that remain understudied, including budgetary considerations and strategies to improve teamwork and communication. Accordingly, this study investigated the organizational challenges and facilitators to HCV screening of individuals experiencing homelessness as reported by homeless services providers.

METHODS: Staff (N = …

The Neighborhood Environment And Hispanic/Latino Health, Natalia I Heredia, Tianlin Xu, Minjae Lee, Lorna H Mcneill, Belinda M Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Hispanic/Latino adults on the Texas-Mexico border have high rates of chronic disease. Neighborhoods can influence health, though there is a limited research on neighborhood environment and health in Hispanics/Latinos. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation of neighborhood environment with health variables in Hispanic/Latino adults, including physical activity [PA], depression, anxiety, and lab-assessed conditions (type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation).

METHODS: Participants were randomly-selected from a Hispanic/Latino cohort on the Texas-Mexico border. Neighborhood environment, self-reported PA, anxiety, and depression were assessed through questionnaires. Laboratory values determined Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and C-reactive protein …

Maternal Occupational Exposures And Fetal Growth In A Spanish Birth Cohort, Jennifer Ish, David Gimeno Ruiz De Porras, Elaine Symanski, Ferran Ballester, Maribel Casas, George L Delclos, Mònica Guxens, Jesús Ibarluzea, Carmen Iñiguez, Loreto Santa-Marina, Michael D Swartz, Kristina W Whitworth

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

While the epidemiologic literature suggests certain maternal occupational exposures may be associated with reduced measures of size at birth, the occupational literature employing fetal biometry data to assess fetal growth is sparse. The present study examines associations between maternal occupational exposures and ultrasound-measured fetal growth. We included 1,739 singleton pregnancies from the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) project (2003-2008). At 32 weeks of pregnancy, interviewers ascertained mothers' employment status and assessed job-related physical loads, work schedules, and job strain during pregnancy. Job titles were linked to a job-exposure matrix to estimate exposure to 10 endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) groups. We …

Associations Between Vascular Diseases And Alzheimer's Disease Or Related Dementias In A Large Cohort Of Men And Women With Colorectal Cancer, Xianglin L Du, Lulu Song, Paul E Schulz, Hua Xu, Wenyaw Chan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Long term risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) associated with vascular diseases in people with colorectal cancer is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the risk of ADRD in association with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), stroke, hypertension, and diabetes in a cohort of patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study consisted of 210,809 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age≥65 years in 1991-2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database with follow-up from 1991-2016, who were free of any ADRD at the baseline (< 30 days after the date of cancer diagnosis).

RESULTS: The crude 26-year cumulative incidence of total ADRD in …

Methodology To Estimate Natural- And Vaccine-Induced Antibodies To Sars-Cov-2 In A Large Geographic Region, Stacia M Desantis, Luis G León-Novelo, Michael D Swartz, Ashraf S Yaseen, Melissa A Valerio-Shewmaker, Yashar Talebi, Frances A Brito, Jessica A Ross, Harold W Kohl, Sarah E Messiah, Steve H Kelder, Leqing Wu, Shiming Zhang, Kimberly A Aguillard, Michael O Gonzalez, Onyinye S Omega-Njemnob, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Accurate estimates of natural and/or vaccine-induced antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are difficult to obtain. Although model-based estimates of seroprevalence have been proposed, they require inputting unknown parameters including viral reproduction number, longevity of immune response, and other dynamic factors. In contrast to a model-based approach, the current study presents a data-driven detailed statistical procedure for estimating total seroprevalence (defined as antibodies from natural infection or from full vaccination) in a region using prospectively collected serological data and state-level vaccination data. Specifically, we conducted a longitudinal statewide serological survey with 88,605 participants 5 years or older with 3 prospective blood draws beginning …

Guideline For Feedback Of Individual Genetic Research Findings For Genomics Research In Africa, Alice Matimba, Stuart Ali, Katherine Littler, Ebony Madden, Patricia Marshall, Sheryl Mccurdy, Victoria Nembaware, Laura Rodriguez, Janet Seeley, Paulina Tindana, Aminu Yakubu, Jantina De Vries, H3africa Ethics And Community Engagement Working Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

As human genomics research in Africa continues to generate large amounts of data, ethical issues arise regarding how actionable genetic information is shared with research participants. The Human Heredity and Health in Africa Consortium (H3Africa) Ethics and Community Engagement Working group acknowledged the need for such guidance, identified key issues and principles relevant to genomics research in Africa and developed a practical guideline for consideration of feeding back individual genetic results of health importance in African research projects. This included a decision flowchart, providing a logical framework to assist in decision-making and planning for human genomics research projects. Although presented …

Characterizing Cancer And Covid-19 Outcomes Using Electronic Health Records, Youngran Kim, Liang Zhu, Huili Zhu, Xiaojin Li, Yan Huang, Chunhui Gu, Heather Bush, Caroline Chung, Guo-Qiang Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Patients with cancer often have compromised immune system which can lead to worse COVID-19 outcomes. The purpose of this study is to assess the association between COVID-19 outcomes and existing cancer-specific characteristics.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients aged 18 or older with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between June 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, were identified (n = 314 004) from the Optum® de-identified COVID-19 Electronic Health Record (EHR) derived from more than 700 hospitals and 7000 clinics in the United States. To allow sufficient observational time, patients with less than one year of medical history in the EHR dataset before their …

Fiber Burden And Asbestos-Related Diseases: An Umbrella Review, José María Ramada Rodilla, Beatriz Calvo Cerrada, Consol Serra Pujadas, George L Delclos, Fernando G Benavides

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: What are the levels of asbestos exposure that cause each type of health effect? The objective of this study was to review the available scientific evidence on exposure levels for asbestos and their relationship to health effects.

METHOD: An umbrella review of English-language reviews and meta-analyses, from 1980 to March 2021 was conducted. We included reviews involving quantified asbestos exposures and health outcomes. The review has been adapted to the indications of the PRISMA declaration. Methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed using the AMSTAR instrument.

RESULTS: We retrieved 196 references. After applying the search strategy and quality …

Additive And Interactive Associations Of Environmental And Sociodemographic Factors With The Genotypes Of Three Glutathione S-Transferase Genes In Relation To The Blood Arsenic Concentrations Of Children In Jamaica, Mohammad H Rahbar, Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Yuansong Zhao, Sepideh Saroukhani, Sheikh F Zaman, Jan Bressler, Manouchehr Hessabi, Megan L Grove, Sydonnie Shakspeare-Pellington, Katherine A Loveland

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid that has been classified as a xenobiotic with toxic effects on human beings, especially on children. Since the soil in Jamaica contains As, dietary intake is considered the main source of As exposure in Jamaicans. In addition, glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes, including

Risk Of Developing Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias In Association With Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, Hypertension, And Diabetes In A Large Cohort Of Women With Breast Cancer And With Up To 26 Years Of Follow-Up, Xianglin L Du, Lulu Song, Paul E Schulz, Hua Xu, Wenyaw Chan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: No study on the long-term incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) has been reported in women with breast cancer by vascular diseases.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the risk of ADRD in association with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), stroke, hypertension, and diabetes in women with breast cancer.

METHODS: Study identified 246,686 women diagnosed with breast cancer at age≥65 years in 1991-2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Women were free of ADRD at the time of cancer diagnosis and followed from 1991 to 2016.

RESULTS: Cumulative incidence of AD over 26 years of follow-up varied …

In Utero Exposure To 17Α-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate And Risk Of Cancer In Offspring, Caitlin C Murphy, Piera M Cirillo, Nickilou Y Krigbaum, Barbara A Cohn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate is a synthetic progestogen initially approved in the 1950s to treat gynecologic and obstetrical conditions. Despite continued concerns about safety and short-term efficacy regarding the use of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate for the prevention of preterm birth in pregnant women, little is known about the long-term effects of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate on the health of the offsprings.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between in utero exposure to 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate and the risk of cancer in the offspring.

STUDY DESIGN: The Child Health and Development Studies was a population-based cohort of >18,000 mother-child dyads receiving prenatal care in the Kaiser Foundation …

Determinants Of Social Distancing Adherence, Philip Gerretsen, Julia Kim, Eric E Brown, Lena C Quilty, Samantha Wells, Fernando Caravaggio, Jianmeng Song, Marcos Sanches, Branka Agic, Bruce G Pollock, Ariel Graff-Guerrero

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Governments and public health authorities across many jurisdictions implemented social (physical) distancing measures to contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Adherence to these measures is variable and likely influenced by various factors. This study aimed to 1) identify the individual sociodemographic, COVID-19 and social distancing related, and psychological determinants of social distancing adherence, and 2) explore regional differences in social distancing adherence in the United States (U.S.) and English-speaking Canada based on each region's discrepant response to social distancing restrictions.

Methods: A web-based repeated cross-sectional survey was conducted in 4,942 English-speaking participants from the four …

Using Implementation Mapping To Develop Implementation Strategies For The Delivery Of A Cancer Prevention And Control Phone Navigation Program: A Collaboration With 2-1-1, Lynn N Ibekwe, Timothy J Walker, Ebun Ebunlomo, Katharine Ball Ricks, Sapna Prasad, Lara S Savas, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer prevention and control (CPC) behaviors, such as cancer screening, human papillomavirus vaccination, and smoking cessation, are critical public health issues. Evidence-based interventions have been identified to improve the uptake of CPC behaviors; however, they are often inconsistently implemented, affecting their reach and effectiveness. Patient navigation is an evidence-based approach to increasing CPC behaviors. Nevertheless, there are few navigation programs that use systematically developed implementation strategies to facilitate adoption, implementation, and maintenance, which affects uptake and outcomes. This article describes the development of a multifaceted implementation strategy designed to facilitate delivery of a CPC phone navigation program to increase breast, …

Acceptance- And Mindfulness-Based Techniques For Physical Activity Promotion In Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study, Michael C Robertson, Emily Cox-Martin, Yue Liao, Sara A Flores, Ross Shegog, Christine M Markham, Kayo Fujimoto, Casey P Durand, Abenaa Brewster, Elizabeth J Lyons, Karen M Basen-Engquist

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and characterize the relevance and potential utility of an electronically delivered acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches to physical activity promotion for insufficiently active breast cancer survivors.

METHODS: The acceptance- and mindfulness-based physical activity intervention was delivered to participants electronically over the course of 4-8 weeks. It consisted of didactic videos, experiential exercises, and workbook-type activities that targeted principles from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with participants after they completed the intervention. Three coders conducted qualitative data analysis on interview transcripts to identify overarching themes and subthemes.

RESULTS: …

Epidemiology Of Antibiotic Use And Drivers Of Cross-Border Procurement In A Mexican American Border Community, Heather T Essigmann, David A Aguilar, William B Perkison, Katherine G Bay, Magdalena R Deaton, Sharon A Brown, Craig L Hanis, Eric L Brown

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The U.S.-Mexico Border is an area of opportunity for improved health care access; however, gaps remain as to how and where U.S. border residents, particularly those who are underinsured, obtain care. Antibiotics are one of the most common reported drivers of cross-border healthcare access and a medication of particular concern since indiscriminate or inappropriate use is associated with antimicrobial resistance. In addition, many studies assessing preferences for Mexican pharmaceuticals and healthcare in U.S. border residents were done prior to 2010 when many prescription medications, including antibiotics, were available over the counter in Mexico.

METHODS: Data used in this study …

Anti-Grp-R Monoclonal Antibody Antitumor Therapy Against Neuroblastoma, Jingbo Qiao, Junquan Liu, Jillian C Jacobson, Rachael A Clark, Sora Lee, Li Liu, Zhiqiang An, Ningyan Zhang, Dai H Chung

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Standard treatment for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma remains multimodal therapy including chemoradiation, surgical resection, and autologous stem cell rescue. Immunotherapy has demonstrated success in treating many types of cancers; however, its use in pediatric solid tumors has been limited by low tumor mutation burdens. Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R) is overexpressed in numerous malignancies, including poorly-differentiated neuroblastoma. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to GRP-R have yet to be developed but could serve as a potential novel immunotherapy. This preclinical study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a novel GRP-R mAb immunotherapy against neuroblastoma. We established four candidate anti-GRP-R mAbs by screening a single-chain …

Predictors Of E-Cigarette Initiation And Use Among Middle School Youth In A Low-Income Predominantly Hispanic Community, M Yvonne Gaddy, Denise Vasquez, Louis D Brown

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: E-cigarette use among middle and high school youth increased from 2. 5 million in 2014 to 9.2 million in 2019, becoming the most common tobacco product used among youth. Hispanic youth, the largest ethnic minority in the United States, have higher rates of tobacco use, including e-cigarettes, than non-Hispanics. Identifying factors that put youth at risk for future e-cigarette use is vital to focusing prevention efforts. Informed by social cognitive theory, this study identifies predictors of e-cigarette uptake among e-cigarette naïve youth in a predominantly low-income Hispanic community.

Methods: 1,249 students (6-8th grades) from two middle schools in El …

A Pilot Study Of Total Personal Exposure To Volatile Organic Compounds Among Hispanic Female Domestic Cleaners, Kelly Oyer-Peterson, David Gimeno Ruiz De Porras, Inkyu Han, George L Delclos, Edward G Brooks, Masoud Afshar, Kristina W Whitworth

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cleaners have an elevated risk for the development or exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory conditions, possibly due to exposure to cleaning products containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) leading to inflammation and oxidative stress. This pilot study aimed to quantify total personal exposure to VOCs and to assess biomarkers of inflammation and pulmonary oxidative stress in 15 predominantly Hispanic women working as domestic cleaners in San Antonio, Texas, between November 2019 and July 2020. In partnership with a community organization, Domésticas Unidas, recruited women were invited to attend a training session where they were provided 3M 3500 passive organic vapor …

Racial Disparities In Treatments And Mortality Among A Large Population-Based Cohort Of Older Men And Women With Colorectal Cancer, Xianglin L Du, Lulu Song

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: There were racial disparities in treatment and mortality among patients with colorectal cancer, but few studies incorporated information on hypertension and diabetes and their treatment status.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study identified 101,250 patients from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database in the United States who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age ≥65 years between 2007 and 2015 with follow-up to December 2016.

RESULTS: There were substantial racial and ethnic disparities in the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in patients with colorectal cancer, in receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and in receiving antihypertensive and antidiabetic treatment. …