Diseases Commons^™

Modeling Recurrence In Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis With Mobile Peak Expiratory Flow, Kyle Kimura, Liping Du, Lynn D Berry, Li-Ching Huang, Sheau-Chiann Chen, David O Francis, Alexander Gelbard

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: We sought to establish normative peak expiratory flow (PEF) data for patients with idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS), evaluate whether immediate changes in PEF after a procedure predict long-term treatment response, and test if a decline in longitudinal PEF is associated with disease recurrence.

STUDY DESIGN: International, prospective, 3-year multicenter cohort study of 810 patients with untreated, newly diagnosed, or previously treated iSGS.

METHODS: iSGS patients consented and enrolled in the North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC) iSGS

RESULTS: Within the NoAAC iSGS1000 cohort, 810 patients participated in a 3-year, prospective study comparing surgical treatment efficacy and 385 had appropriate PEF …

Deciphering The Role Of Hsp110 Chaperones In Diseases Of Protein Misfolding, Unekwu M. Yakubu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Molecular chaperones maintain protein homeostasis (proteostasis) by ensuring the proper folding of polypeptides. Loss of proteostasis has been linked to the onset of numerous neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease. Hsp110 is a member of the Hsp70 class of molecular chaperones and acts as a nucleotide exchange factor (NEF) for Hsp70, the preeminent Hsp70-family protein folding chaperone. Hsp110 promotes rapid cycling of ADP for ATP, allowing Hsp70 to properly fold nascent or unfolded polypeptides in iterative cycles. In addition to its NEF activity, Hsp110 possesses an Hsp70-like substrate binding domain (SBD) whose biological roles are undefined. Previous work …

Transient Ascaris Suum Larval Migration Induces Intractable Chronic Pulmonary Disease And Anemia In Mice, Yifan Wu, Evan Li, Morgan Knight, Grace Adeniyi-Ipadeola, Li-Zhen Song, Alan R Burns, Ana Clara Gazzinelli-Guimaraes, Ricardo Fujiwara, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Jill E Weatherhead

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Ascariasis is one of the most common infections in the world and associated with significant global morbidity. Ascaris larval migration through the host's lungs is essential for larval development but leads to an exaggerated type-2 host immune response manifesting clinically as acute allergic airway disease. However, whether Ascaris larval migration can subsequently lead to chronic lung diseases remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a single episode of Ascaris larval migration through the host lungs induces a chronic pulmonary syndrome of type-2 inflammatory pathology and emphysema accompanied by pulmonary hemorrhage and chronic anemia in a mouse model. Our results reveal that …

The Cross-Sectional Association Of Cognition With Diabetic Peripheral And Autonomic Neuropathy–The Grade Study, Joshua I Barzilay, Alokananda Ghosh, Rodica Pop Busui, Andrew Ahmann, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Mary Ann Banerji, Robert M Cohen, Jennifer Green, Faramarz Ismail-Beigi, Catherine L Martin, Elizabeth Seaquist, José A Luchsinger, Grade Research Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Studies examining whether measures of cognition are related to the presence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and/or cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) are lacking, as are data regarding factors potentially explaining such associations.

METHODS: Participants were from the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes Study (GRADE) that examined 5047 middle-aged people with type 2 diabetes of(memory) were assessed with the Spanish English Verbal Learning Test; frontal executive function and processing speed with the Digit Symbol Substitution Test; and ability to concentrate and organize data with word and animal fluency tests. DPN was assessed with the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument and CAN …

Predicted Vitamin D Status And Colorectal Cancer Incidence In The Black Women's Health Study, Lauren E Barber, Kimberly A Bertrand, Jessica L Petrick, Hanna Gerlovin, Laura F White, Lucile L Adams-Campbell, Lynn Rosenberg, Hemant K Roy, Julie R Palmer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Observational studies, mostly among White populations, suggest that low vitamin D levels increase colorectal cancer risk. African Americans, who are disproportionately burdened by colorectal cancer, often have lower vitamin D levels compared with other populations.

METHODS: We assessed predicted vitamin D score in relation to colorectal cancer among 49,534 participants in the Black Women's Health Study, a cohort of African American women followed from 1995 to 2017 through biennial questionnaires. We derived predicted vitamin D scores at each questionnaire cycle for all participants using a previously validated prediction model based on actual 25-hydroxyvitamin D values from a subset of …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Cost-Related Medication Nonadherence In Individuals With Cardiovascular Disease: Results From The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (Brfss) Survey, Riyad Kherallah, Mahmoud Al Rifai, Ishan Kamat, Chayakrit Krittanawong, Dhruv Mahtta, Michelle T Lee, Jing Liu, Khurram Nasir, Javier Valero-Elizondo, Jaideep Patel, Mouaz H Al-Mallah, Laura A Petersen, Salim S Virani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Medication nonadherence is highly prevalent among patients with chronic cardiovascular disease. Poor adherence has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Medication cost is a major driver for medication nonadherence. Utilizing data from the 2016 to 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, we estimated the prevalence of cost-related medication nonadherence (CRMNA) among the overall population and among individuals who reported a history of diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), or hypertension. We then performed multivariable logistic regression to analyze sociodemographic factors associated with CRMNA. Our study population consisted of 142,577 individuals of whom 24% were older than 65 years, …

Temporal Trends And Outcomes Of Elective Thoracic Aortic Repair And Acute Aortic Syndromes In Bicuspid Aortic Valves: Insights From A National Database, Ayman Elbadawi, Ahmad A Mahmoud, Karim Mahmoud, Islam Y Elgendy, Mohmed A Omer, Ahmed Elsherbeny, Gbolahan O Ogunbayo, Scott J Cameron, Ravi Ghanta, David Paniagua, Ernesto Jimenez, Hani Jneid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: There is paucity of data on the outcomes of hospitalization for bicuspid aortic valve (BAV)-related aortopathies.

METHODS: We queried the NIS database (2012-2016) for hospitalizations for elective thoracic aortic repair or acute aortic syndrome (AAS) among those with BAV versus trileaflet aortic valve (TAV).

RESULTS: Our analysis yielded 38,010 hospitalizations for elective aortic repair, of whom 34.4% had BAV, as well as 81,875 hospitalizations for thoracic AAS, of whom 1.1% had BAV. Hospitalizations for BAV were younger and had fewer comorbidities compared with their TAV counterparts. The number of hospitalizations for BAV during the observational period was unchanged. After …

Classifying Esophageal Motility By Flip Panometry: A Study Of 722 Subjects With Manometry, Dustin A Carlson, C Prakash Gyawali, Abraham Khan, Rena Yadlapati, Joan Chen, Reena V Chokshi, John O Clarke, Jose M Garza, Anand S Jain, Philip Katz, Vani Konda, Kristle Lynch, Felice H Schnoll-Sussman, Stuart J Spechler, Marcelo F Vela, Jacqueline E Prescott, Alexandra J Baumann, Erica N Donnan, Wenjun Kou, Peter J Kahrilas, John E Pandolfino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP) panometry can evaluate esophageal motility in response to sustained esophageal distension at the time of sedated endoscopy. This study aimed to describe a classification of esophageal motility using FLIP panometry and evaluate it against high-resolution manometry (HRM) and Chicago Classification v4.0 (CCv4.0).

METHODS: Five hundred thirty-nine adult patients who completed FLIP and HRM with a conclusive CCv4.0 diagnosis were included in the primary analysis. Thirty-five asymptomatic volunteers ("controls") and 148 patients with an inconclusive CCv4.0 diagnosis or systemic sclerosis were also described. Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) opening and the contractile response (CR) to distension (i.e., …

Interaction Between Alcohol Consumption And Pnpla3 Variant In The Prevalence Of Hepatic Steatosis In The Us Population, Mariana Lazo, Usama Bilal, Mack C Mitchell, James Potter, Ruben Hernaez, Jeanne M Clark

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To our knowledge, the interaction between alcohol consumption and PNPLA3 genotype on hepatic steatosis has not been explored in a representative sample. To examine the interaction between alcohol consumption and PNPLA3 genotype on hepatic steatosis in the US adult population.

METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 4,674 adult participants of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Phase 2 (1991-1994) with data on PNPLA3 genotype, self-reported alcohol consumption, ultrasound-defined hepatic steatosis and socio-demographic characteristics.

RESULTS: In 1991-1994 in the U.S. population, the weighted allele frequency of the G (risk) allele of the rs738409 at PNPLA3 was 25.4%. We …

Large-Scale Dna Demethylation Occurs In Proliferating Ovarian Granulosa Cells During Mouse Follicular Development, Tomoko Kawai, Joanne S Richards, Masayuki Shimada

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

During ovarian follicular development, granulosa cells proliferate and progressively differentiate to support oocyte maturation and ovulation. To determine the underlying links between proliferation and differentiation in granulosa cells, we determined changes in 1) the expression of genes regulating DNA methylation and 2) DNA methylation patterns, histone acetylation levels and genomic DNA structure. In response to equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), granulosa cell proliferation increased, DNA methyltransferase (DNMT1) significantly decreased and Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) significantly increased in S-phase granulosa cells. Comprehensive MeDIP-seq analyses documented that eCG treatment decreased methylation of promoter regions in approximately 40% of the genes in granulosa …

A Community-Based Management Of Covid-19 In A Mobile Container Unit, Elena Petrova, Timothy Farinholt, Tejas P Joshi, Hannah Moreno, Mayar Al Mohajer, Shital M Patel, Joseph Petrosino, Sharmila Anandasabapathy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Vaccine uptake is a multifactor measure of successful immunization outcomes that includes access to healthcare and vaccine hesitancy for both healthcare workers and communities. The present coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the need for novel strategies to expand vaccine coverage in underserved regions. Mobile clinics hold the promise of ameliorating such inequities, although there is a paucity of studies that validate environmental infection in such facilities. Here, we describe community-based management of COVID-19 through a Smart Pod mobile clinic deployed in an underserved community area in the United States (Aldine, Harris County, TX, USA). In particular, we validate infection …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Automated Smoking Treatment For People With Hiv: Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Damon J Vidrine, Thanh C Bui, Michael S Businelle, Ya-Chen Tina Shih, Steven K Sutton, Lokesh Shahani, Diana Stewart Hoover, Kristina Bowles, Jennifer I Vidrine

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Smoking prevalence rates among people with HIV are nearly 3 times higher than those in the general population. Nevertheless, few smoking cessation trials targeting smokers with HIV have been reported in the literature. Efforts to develop and evaluate sustainable, low-cost, and evidence-based cessation interventions for people with HIV are needed. Given the widespread proliferation of mobile phones, the potential of using mobile health apps to improve the reach and efficacy of cessation interventions is promising, but evidence of efficacy is lacking, particularly among people with HIV.

OBJECTIVE: This study will consist of a 2-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate …

Posttranslational Modifications In Pd-L1 Turnover And Function: From Cradle To Grave, Xinfang Yu, Wei Li, Ken H Young, Yong Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is one of the most classic immune checkpoint molecules. Cancer cells express PD-L1 to inhibit the activity of effector T cells' cytotoxicity through programmed death 1 (PD-1) engagement in exposure to inflammatory cytokines. PD-L1 expression levels on cancer cells might affect the clinical response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies. Hence, understanding molecular mechanisms for regulating PD-L1 expression is essential for improving the clinical response rate and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitination, and acetylation, regulate PD-L1 stability, cellular translocation, and interaction with its receptor. A coordinated positive and negative regulation via PTMs is …

Mapk6-Akt Signaling Promotes Tumor Growth And Resistance To Mtor Kinase Blockade, Qinbo Cai, Wolong Zhou, Wei Wang, Bingning Dong, Dong Han, Tao Shen, Chad J Creighton, David D Moore, Feng Yang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 6 (MAPK6) is an atypical MAPK. Its function in regulating cancer growth remains elusive. Here, we reported that MAPK6 directly activated AKT and induced oncogenic outcomes. MAPK6 interacted with AKT through its C34 region and the C-terminal tail and phosphorylated AKT at S473 independent of mTORC2, the major S473 kinase. mTOR kinase inhibitors have not made notable progress in the clinic. Our identified MAPK6-AKT axis may provide a major resistance pathway. Besides repressing growth, inhibiting MAPK6 sensitized cancer cells to mTOR kinase inhibitors. MAPK6 overexpression is associated with decreased overall survival and the survival of patients with …

Candida Albicans Elicits Protective Allergic Responses Via Platelet Mediated T Helper 2 And T Helper 17 Cell Polarization, Yifan Wu, Zhimin Zeng, Yubiao Guo, Lizhen Song, Jill E Weatherhead, Xinyan Huang, Yuying Zeng, Lynn Bimler, Cheng-Yen Chang, John M Knight, Christian Valladolid, Hua Sun, Miguel A Cruz, Bernhard Hube, Julian R Naglik, Amber U Luong, Farrah Kheradmand, David B Corry

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fungal airway infection (airway mycosis) is an important cause of allergic airway diseases such as asthma, but the mechanisms by which fungi trigger asthmatic reactions are poorly understood. Here, we leverage wild-type and mutant Candida albicans to determine how this common fungus elicits characteristic Th2 and Th17 cell-dependent allergic airway disease in mice. We demonstrate that rather than proteinases that are essential virulence factors for molds, C. albicans instead promoted allergic airway disease through the peptide toxin candidalysin. Candidalysin activated platelets through the Von Willebrand factor (VWF) receptor GP1bα to release the Wnt antagonist Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) to drive Th2 and …

Identification Of An Atp/P2x7/Mast Cell Pathway Mediating Ozone-Induced Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness, Xiaomei Kong, William C Bennett, Corey M Jania, Kelly D Chason, Zachary German, Jennifer Adouli, Samuel D Budney, Brandon T Oby, Catharina Van Heusden, Eduardo R Lazarowski, Ilona Jaspers, Scott H Randell, Barry A Hedgespeth, Glenn Cruse, Xiaoyang Hua, Stephen A Schworer, Gregory J Smith, Samir Np Kelada, Stephen L Tilley

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Ozone is a highly reactive environmental pollutant with well-recognized adverse effects on lung health. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is one consequence of ozone exposure, particularly for individuals with underlying lung disease. Our data demonstrated that ozone induced substantial ATP release from human airway epithelia in vitro and into the airways of mice in vivo and that ATP served as a potent inducer of mast cell degranulation and BHR, acting through P2X7 receptors on mast cells. Both mast cell-deficient and P2X7 receptor-deficient (P2X7-/-) mice demonstrated markedly attenuated BHR to ozone. Reconstitution of mast cell-deficient mice with WT mast cells and P2X7-/- mast …

Apathy Is Not Associated With A Panel Of Biomarkers In Older Adults With Hiv Disease, Steven Paul Woods, Jennifer L Thompson, Michelle A Babicz, Lokesh Shahani, Gabriela Delevati Colpo, Natalia P Rocha, Erin E Morgan, Antonio L Teixeira

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Apathy is prevalent in HIV disease and can significantly impact personal well-being; however, little is known about its neurobiological substrates in persons with HIV (PWH) disease.

METHODS: This cross-sectional, correlational study examined the association between apathy and several plasma biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor alpha, kynurenine, tryptophan, quinolinic acid, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilament light chain, and phosphorylated tau at position threonine 181) in 109 PWH and 30 seronegative participants ages 50 and older. Apathy was measured with a composite score derived from subscales of the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale and the Profile of Mood States.

RESULTS: …

Feasibility Of A Sensor-Controlled Digital Game For Heart Failure Self-Management: Randomized Controlled Trial, Kavita Radhakrishnan, Christine Julien, Tom Baranowski, Matthew O'Hair, Grace Lee, Atami Sagna De Main, Catherine Allen, Bindu Viswanathan, Edison Thomaz, Miyong Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Poor self-management of heart failure (HF) contributes to devastating health consequences. Our innovative sensor-controlled digital game (SCDG) integrates data from sensors to trigger game rewards, progress, and feedback based on the real-time behaviors of individuals with HF.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to compare daily weight monitoring and physical activity behavior adherence by older adults using an SCDG intervention versus a sensors-only intervention in a feasibility randomized controlled trial.

METHODS: English-speaking adults with HF aged 55 years or older who owned a smartphone and could walk unassisted were recruited from Texas and Oklahoma from November 2019 to …

Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion For Stroke Prevention In Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation, Fareed Moses S Collado, Claudia M Lama Von Buchwald, Christina K Anderson, Nidhi Madan, Hussam S Suradi, Henry D Huang, Hani Jneid, Clifford J Kavinsky

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The majority of embolic strokes in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation are caused by thrombi in the left atrial appendage. It is projected that strokes related to atrial fibrillation will markedly increase in the future unless effective mitigation strategies are implemented. Systemic anticoagulation has been known to be highly effective in reducing stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, bleeding complications and nonadherence are barriers to effective anticoagulation therapy. Surgical and percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion devices are nonpharmacologic strategies to mitigate the challenges of drug therapy. We present a contemporary review of left atrial appendage occlusion for stroke …

Surgical Treatment Of Valvular Heart Disease In Nigeria: A 6-Year Experience, Ikechukwu A Nwafor, John C Eze, Maureen N Nwafor

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Surgical treatment of valvular heart disease in Nigeria, the most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa, is adversely affected by socioeconomic factors such as poverty and ignorance. To evaluate our experience in this context, we identified all patients who underwent surgery for acquired or congenital valvular heart disease at our Nigerian center from February 2013 through January 2019. We collected data from their medical records, including patient age and sex, pathophysiologic causes and types of valvular disease, surgical treatment, and outcomes. Ninety-three patients (43 males [46.2%]; mean age, 38.9 ± 10.0 yr [range, 11–80 yr]) underwent surgical treatment of a total …

Atypical St-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Presentation In Patients With Covid-19 At A High-Volume Center In New York City, Miguel A Alvarez Villela, Ahmad Alkhalil, Michael A Weinreich, Jonathan Koslowsky, Shunsuke Aoi, M Azeem Latib

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Atypical presentations of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have been reported in patients who have COVID-19. We have seen this occurrence in our center in Bronx, New York, where multitudes of patients sought treatment for the coronavirus. We studied the prevalence of atypical STEMI findings among patients with COVID-19 who presented during the first 2 months of the pandemic.

Consistent with previous reports, 4 of our 10 patients with COVID-19 and STEMI had no identifiable culprit coronary lesion; rather, they often had diffuse ST-segment elevations on surface electrocardiograms along with higher levels of D-dimer and inflammatory markers. In contrast, 32 of …

Novel Pharmacomechanical Thrombolysis For Treating Intermediate-Risk Acute Pulmonary Embolism: The Bashir Endovascular Catheter, Maninder Singh, Austin Quimby, Vladimir Lakhter, Mohamad Al-Otaibi, Parth M Rali, Riyaz Bashir

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Large-Bore Aspiration Thrombectomy: Catalyst For A Revolution In Treating Pulmonary Embolism, Thomas M Tu

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Left Ventricular Ballooning Patterns In Recurrent Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Reported Cases, Ravi Korabathina, Jamie Porcadas, Kevin E Kip, Puja R Korabathina, Andrew D Rosenthal, Peter Wassmer

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Recurrent takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) and the clinical profiles and outcomes of patients have not been fully evaluated, nor has the effect of left ventricular ballooning pattern. After searching the medical literature for reports of patients with recurrent TTC, we identified 84 articles with 101 case descriptions. We divided the cases into those with only apical left ventricular ballooning patterns at recurrence (typical, n=60), and those with at least one midventricular or basal ballooning pattern (atypical, n=41). We then compared their clinical profiles and outcomes.

The groups were similar in terms of baseline demographic characteristics, presence and types of triggers, use …

Endovascular Treatment Of Acquired Atheromatous Postsubclavian Aortic Coarctation, Bhushan S Sonawane, Sreeja Pavithran, Kothandam Sivakumar

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Coral reef aorta is a rare calcifying obstructive disease that involves the thoracoabdominal aorta. Similar presentations in the postsubclavian aorta may result in acquired atheromatous aortic coarctation leading to systemic hypertension and heart failure. The associated calcification makes surgical anatomic or extraanatomic bypass and thromboendarterectomy challenging. Extensive circumferential calcification often precludes endovascular intervention. We present the case of a 25-year-old man with an acquired atheromatous coarctation of the postsubclavian aorta who underwent successful endovascular treatment with use of a balloon-expandable covered stent.

Mitophagy In Depression: Pathophysiology And Treatment Targets, Ashutosh Tripathi, Giselli Scaini, Tatiana Barichello, João Quevedo, Anilkumar Pillai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mitochondria, the 'powerhouse' of eukaryotic cells, play a key role in cellular homeostasis. However, defective mitochondria increase mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production and cell-free mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release, leading to increased inflammation. Mitophagy is a vital pathway, which selectively removes defective mitochondria through the process of autophagy. Thus, an impairment in the mitophagy pathway might trigger the gradual accumulation of defective mitochondria. Accumulating evidence suggest that inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction are linked to the pathogenesis of depression. In this article, we have reviewed the role of impaired mitophagy as a contributing factor in depression pathophysiology. Further, we have discussed the potential …

Revisiting The Controversy: The Role Of Fungi In Chronic Rhinosinusitis, Matthew A Tyler, Kent Lam, Michael J Marino, William C Yao, Isaac Schmale, Martin J Citardi, Amber U Luong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In the last two decades, the development of culture-independent genomic techniques has facilitated an increased appreciation of the microbiota-immunity interactions and their role in a multitude of chronic inflammatory diseases such as chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and dermatitis. While the pathologic role of bacteria in chronic inflammatory diseases is generally accepted, the understanding of the role of fungi remains controversial.

Chronic rhinosinusitis, specifically the phenotype linked to nasal polyps, represents a spectrum of chronic inflammatory diseases typically characterized by a Type 2 immune response. Studies on the microbiota within sinus cavities from healthy and diseased patients have …

Ckb Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition And Prostate Cancer Progression By Sequestering And Inhibiting Akt Activation, Zheng Wang, Mohit Hulsurkar, Lijuan Zhuo, Jinbang Xu, Han Yang, Samira Naderinezhad, Lin Wang, Guoliang Zhang, Nanping Ai, Linna Li, Jeffrey T Chang, Songlin Zhang, Ladan Fazli, Chad J Creighton, Fang Bai, Michael M Ittmann, Martin E Gleave, Wenliang Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to tumor invasion, metastasis and drug resistance. AKT activation is key in a number of cellular processes. While many positive regulators for either EMT or AKT activation have been reported, few negative regulators are established. Through kinase cDNA screen, we identified brain-type creatine kinase (CKB or BCK) as a potent suppressor for both. As a ubiquitously expressed kinase in normal tissues, CKB is significantly downregulated in several solid cancer types. Lower CKB expression is significantly associated with worse prognosis. Phenotypically, CKB overexpression suppresses, while its silencing promotes, EMT and cell migration, xenograft tumor growth and metastasis …

Patient Characteristics And Outcomes Of Type 2 Myocardial Infarction During Heart Failure Hospitalizations In The United States, Salik Nazir, Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas, Ishan S Kamat, Robert W Ariss, George V Moukarbel, Juan Carlos Plana Gomez, Savitri Fedson, Ajith Nair, Biykem Bozkurt, Hani Jneid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is increasingly diagnosed in patients with heart failure (HF). A paucity of data exists pertinent to the contemporary prevalence and impact of type 2 MI in patients with HF. We studied the patient profiles and the prognostic impact of type 2 MI on outcomes of HF hospitalizations.

METHODS: The Nationwide Readmission Database 2018 was queried for patients with HF hospitalizations with and without type 2 MI. Baseline characteristics, inpatient outcomes, and 30-day all-cause readmissions between both cohorts were compared.

RESULTS: Of 1,072,674 primary HF hospitalizations included in the study, 28,813 (2.7%) had type 2 …

Drivers Of Transcriptional Variance In Human Intestinal Epithelial Organoids, Zachary K Criss, Nobel Bhasin, Sara C Di Rienzi, Anubama Rajan, Kali Deans-Fielder, Ganesh Swaminathan, Nabiollah Kamyabi, Xi-Lei Zeng, Harsha Doddapaneni, Vipin K Menon, Deepavali Chakravarti, Clarissa Estrella, Xiaomin Yu, Ketki Patil, Joseph F Petrosino, James C Fleet, Michael P Verzi, Sylvia Christakos, Michael A Helmrath, Sumimasa Arimura, Ronald A Depinho, Robert A Britton, Anthony W Maresso, K Jane Grande-Allen, Sarah E Blutt, Sue E Crawford, Mary K Estes, Sasirekha Ramani, Noah F Shroyer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human intestinal epithelial organoids (enteroids and colonoids) are tissue cultures used for understanding the physiology of the human intestinal epithelium. Here, we explored the effect on the transcriptome of common variations in culture methods, including extracellular matrix substrate, format, tissue segment, differentiation status, and patient heterogeneity. RNA-sequencing datasets from 276 experiments performed on 37 human enteroid and colonoid lines from 29 patients were aggregated from several groups in the Texas Medical Center. DESeq2 and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were used to identify differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways. PERMANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and dendrogram analysis of the data originally indicated …