Diseases Commons^™

The Development Of The Western Australian Haemodialysis Vascular Access Complexity Instrument, Linda L. Coventry, Jon Hosking, Evelyn Coral, Mark Jenkins, Chandra P. Salgado Kent, Doris Chan, Wai Lim, Diane E. Twigg, Claire M. Rickard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background The Western Australian Haemodialysis Vascular Access Classification instrument was developed to classify the cannulation complexity of the arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft as simple, challenging, or complex. Although the instrument was developed by experts in haemodialysis nursing, the instrument had not undergone formal validity or reliability testing. Objectives Evaluate the Western Australian Haemodialysis Vascular Access Classification instrument for content validity, interrater and test–retest reliability. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants Content validity was assessed by haemodialysis nursing experts (n = 8). The reliability testing occurred in one in-centre and one satellite haemodialysis unit in Western Australia from September to November …

Ancestral Sars-Cov-2, But Not Omicron, Replicates Less Efficiently In Primary Pediatric Nasal Epithelial Cells, Yanshan Zhu, Keng Yih Chew, Melanie Wu, Anjana C. Karawita, Georgina Mccallum, Lauren E. Steele, Ayaho Yamamoto, Larisa I. Labzin, Tejasri Yarlagadda, Alexander A. Khromykh, Xiaohui Wang, Julian D. J. Sng, Claudia J. Stocks, Yao Xia, Tobias R. Kollmann, David Martino, Merja Joensuu, Frédéric A. Meunier, Giuseppe Balistreri, Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Asha C. Bowen, Anthony Kicic, Peter D. Sly, Kirsten M. Spann, Kirsty R. Short

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children typically experience more mild symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) when compared to adults. There is a strong body of evidence that children are also less susceptible to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with the ancestral viral isolate. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) has been associated with an increased number of pediatric infections. Whether this is the result of widespread adult vaccination or fundamental changes in the biology of SARS-CoV-2 remain to be determined. Here, we use primary nasal epithelial cells (NECs) from children and adults, differentiated at an air-liquid interface to …

Changes To The Gut Microbiome In Young Children Showing Early Behavioral Signs Of Autism, Jacquelyn Jones, Stacey N. Reinke, Mahsa Mousavi-Derazmahalleh, Debra J. Palmer, Claus T. Christophersen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The human gut microbiome has increasingly been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a neurological developmental disorder, characterized by impairments to social interaction. The ability of the gut microbiota to signal across the gut-brain-microbiota axis with metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids, impacts brain health and has been identified to play a role in the gastrointestinal and developmental symptoms affecting autistic children. The fecal microbiome of older children with ASD has repeatedly shown particular shifts in the bacterial and fungal microbial community, which are significantly different from age-matched neurotypical controls, but it is still unclear whether these characteristic shifts …

Sibling Concordance In Symptom Onset And Atrophy Growth Rates In Stargardt Disease Using Ultra-Widefield Fundus Autofluorescence, Rachael C. Heath Jeffery, Jennifer A. Thompson, Johnny Lo, Tina M. Lamey, Terri L. Mclaren, John N. De Roach, Dimitar N. Azamanov, Ian L. Mcallister, Ian J. Constable, Fred K. Chen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: To investigate concordance in symptom onset, area of dark autofluorescence (DAF), and growth rate (GR) between Stargardt disease siblings at an age-matched time point. Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal study of sibling pairs with identical biallelic ABCA4 variants, age at symptom onset, best-corrected visual acuity, atrophy area, and effective radius of DAF on ultra-widefield fundus autofluorescence were recorded. Absolute intersibling differences for both eyes were compared with absolute interocular differences using the Mann-Whitney test. Results: Overall 39 patients from 19 families were recruited. In 16 families, age-matched best-corrected visual acuity and DAF were compared between siblings. In 8 families, …

Gut Microbiota From Sjögren Syndrome Patients Causes Decreased T Regulatory Cells In The Lymphoid Organs And Desiccation-Induced Corneal Barrier Disruption In Mice, Laura Schaefer, Claudia M Trujillo-Vargas, Firas S Midani, Stephen C Pflugfelder, Robert A Britton, Cintia S De Paiva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Sjögren syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder characterized by secretory dysfunction in the eye and mouth; in the eye, this results in tear film instability, reduced tear production, and corneal barrier disruption. A growing number of studies show that homeostasis of the ocular surface is impacted by the intestinal microbiome, and several 16S sequencing studies have demonstrated dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota in SS patients. In this study, we utilized metagenomic sequencing to perform a deeper analysis of the intestinal microbiome using stools collected from sex- and age-matched healthy (n = 20), dry eye (n = 4) …

Clonal Hematopoiesis Analyses In Clinical, Epidemiologic, And Genetic Aging Studies To Unravel Underlying Mechanisms Of Age-Related Dysfunction In Humans, Kenneth Walsh, Nalini Raghavachari, Candace Kerr, Alexander G Bick, Steven R Cummings, Todd Druley, Cynthia E Dunbar, Giulio Genovese, Margaret A Goodell, Siddhartha Jaiswal, Jaroslaw Maciejewski, Pradeep Natarajan, Anastasia V Shindyapina, Alan R Shuldiner, Erik B Van Den Akker, Jan Vijg

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aging is characterized by increased mortality, functional decline, and exponential increases in the incidence of diseases such as cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, respiratory disease, etc. Though the role of aging in these diseases is widely accepted and considered to be a common denominator, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. A significant age-related feature observed in many population cohorts is somatic mosaicism, the detectable accumulation of somatic mutations in multiple cell types and tissues, particularly those with high rates of cell turnover (e.g., skin, liver, and hematopoietic cells). Somatic mosaicism can lead to the development of cellular clones that …

The Autophagic Protein P62 Is A Target Of Reactive Aldehydes In Human And Murine Cholestatic Liver Disease, Colin T Shearn, Aimee L Anderson, Michael W Devereux, David J Orlicky, Cole Michel, Dennis R Petersen, Colin G Miller, Sanjiv Harpavat, Edward E Schmidt, Ronald J Sokol

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Inflammatory cholestatic liver diseases, including Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), are characterized by periportal inflammation with progression to cirrhosis. The objective of this study was to examine interactions between oxidative stress and autophagy in cholestasis. Using hepatic tissue from male acute cholestatic (bile duct ligated) as well as chronic cholestatic (Mdr2KO) mice, localization of oxidative stress, the antioxidant response and induction of autophagy were analyzed and compared to human PSC liver. Concurrently, the ability of reactive aldehydes to post-translationally modify the autophagosome marker p62 was assessed in PSC liver tissue and in cell culture. Expression of autophagy markers was upregulated in …

Hepatic Pparα Is Destabilized By Sirt1 Deacetylase In Undernourished Male Mice, Ji Ho Suh, Kang Ho Kim, Margaret E Conner, David D Moore, Geoffrey A Preidis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The nutrient sensing nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) regulates the host response to short-term fasting by inducing hepatic transcriptional programming of ketogenesis, fatty acid oxidation and transport, and autophagy. This adaptation is ineffective in chronically undernourished individuals, among whom dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis are common. We recently reported that hepatic PPARα protein is profoundly depleted in male mice undernourished by a low-protein, low-fat diet. Here, we identify PPARα as a deacetylation target of the NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and link this to the decrease in PPARα protein levels in undernourished liver. Livers from undernourished male mice expressed high levels …

De Novo Glycine Synthesis Is Reduced In Adults With Morbid Obesity And Increases Following Bariatric Surgery, Hong Chang Tan, Jean W Hsu, E Shyong Tai, Shaji Chacko, Vieon Wu, Chun Fan Lee, Jean-Paul Kovalik, Farook Jahoor

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Glycine is a dietary non-essential amino acid that is low in obesity and increases following bariatric surgery. However, the exact mechanism responsible remains unclear and it is unknown whether hypoglycinemia is a cause or consequence of insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVE: Using multiple isotopically labeled tracers, we aimed to determine the underlying kinetic changes responsible for hypoglycinemia in obesity by: 1) Comparing glycine kinetics between participants with morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 32.5 kg/m

METHODS: [1,2-

RESULTS: Compared to controls, participants with morbid obesity had significantly lower plasma glycine concentrations at 163 (153-171) vs. 201 (172-227) µmol/L and significantly reduced

CONCLUSION: Hypoglycinemia …

Comprehensive Improvement Of Cardiology Inpatient Transfers: A Bed-Availability Triggered Approach, Judson A Moore, Lindsay F Eilers, Amanda J Willis, Michael D Chance, Julie A La Salle, Ellen H Delgado, Katie M Bien, Jordana R Goldman, Shreya S Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Patient transfers pose a potential risk during hospitalizations. Structured communication practices are necessary to ensure effective handoffs, but occur amidst competing priorities and constraints. We sought to design and implement a multidisciplinary process to enhance communication between pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit and cardiology floor teams with a comprehensive approach evaluating efficiency, safety, and culture.

METHODS: We conducted a prospective quality improvement study to enact a bed-availability triggered bedside handoff process. The primary aim was to reduce the time between handoff and unit transfer. Secondary metrics captured the impact on safety (reported safety events, overnight transfers, bounce backs, and …

Evaluation Of Cervical Spine Pathology In Children With Loeys-Dietz Syndrome, Marc Andrew Prablek, Melissa Lopresti, Brandon Bertot, Shaine Alaine Morris, David Bauer, Sandi Lam, Vijay Ravindra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a genetic connective tissue disorder associated with multiple musculoskeletal anomalies, including cervical spine instability. We sought to examine the nature of imaging for cervical spine instability in children with LDS due to likely pathogenic or pathogenic variants in

METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted, examining relevant data for all children with LDS screened at our institution from 2004 through 2021. Cervical spine X-rays were used to assess cervical instability, cervical lordosis, and basilar impression.

RESULTS: A total of 39 patients were identified; 16 underwent cervical spine screening (56.25% male). Median age at initial screening …

Flow Dynamics In Anomalous Aortic Origin Of A Coronary Artery In Children: Importance Of The Intramural Segment, Hoda Hatoum, Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Jayanthi Parthasarathy, Dorma C Flemister, Carly M Krull, Benjamin A Walter, Carlos M Mery, Silvana Molossi, Lakshmi Prasad Dasi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This study aims to assess the differences in pressure, fractional flow reserve (FFR) and coronary flow (with increasing pressure) of the proximal coronary artery in patients with anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery with a confirmed ischemic event, without ischemic events, and before and after unroofing surgery, and compare to a patient with normal coronary arteries. Patient-specific flow models were 3D printed for 3 subjects with anomalous right coronary arteries with intramural course, 2 of them had documented ischemia, and compared with a patient with normal coronaries. The models were placed in the aortic position of a pulse duplicator …

"It Just Kind Of Feels Like A Different World Now:" Stress And Resilience For Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes In The Era Of Covid-19, Maeve B O'Donnell, Marisa E Hilliard, Viena T Cao, Miranda C Bradford, Krysta S Barton, Samantha Hurtado, Brenda Duran, Samantha Garcia Perez, Kiswa S Rahman, Samantha Scott, Faisal S Malik, Daniel J Desalvo, Catherine Pihoker, Chuan Zhou, Abby R Rosenberg, Joyce P Yi-Frazier

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major stressor for adolescents. Given the unique implications of the pandemic for youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D), who already navigate multiple stressors as a function of their chronic condition, we aimed to describe the impact of the pandemic on adolescents with T1D and describe their coping strategies and resilience resources.

RESEARCH METHOD: In a 2-site (Seattle WA, Houston TX) clinical trial of a psychosocial intervention targeting stress/resilience, adolescents 13-18 years old with T1D ≥ 1 year and elevated diabetes distress were enrolled August 2020 - June 2021. Participants completed a baseline survey …

New, Potent, Small Molecule Agonists Of Tyrosine Kinase Receptors Attenuate Dry Eye Disease, Zhiyuan Yu, Shaon Joy, Tianxiong Mi, Ghasem Yazdanpanah, Kevin Burgess, Cintia S De Paiva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin3 (NT-3) bind to tyrosine kinase (Trk) receptors, TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC, respectively. This study investigated the efficacy of novel molecule agonists of Trk receptors in an in vivo model of dry eye disease (DED). Small molecule TrkC agonist (C1) and a pan-Trk agonist (pan) were synthesized for this. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to desiccating stress (DS) and received bilateral eye drops of C1, pan, or vehicle (2x/day). Dry eye signs, inflammation and expression of corneal barrier function, and conjunctival goblet cell (GC) densities were measured as part of the DED …

Metabolic Targeting, Immunotherapy And Radiation In Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Where Do We Go From Here?, Annika Dhawan, Phillip M Pifer, Vlad C Sandulache, Heath D Skinner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the US, there are ~250,000 new lung cancer diagnoses and ~130,000 deaths per year, and worldwide there are an estimated 1.6 million deaths per year from this deadly disease. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide, and it accounts for roughly a quarter of all cancer deaths in the US. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents 80-85% of these cases. Due to an enormous tobacco cessation effort, NSCLC rates in the US are decreasing, and the implementation of lung cancer screening guidelines and other programs have resulted in a higher percentage of patients presenting with …

Three-Dimensional (3d) Anatomic Location, Extension, And Timing Of Severe Osteoradionecrosis Of The Mandible, Lucas G Sapienza, Justin J Thomas, Weiyuan Mai, Alexander N Hanania, Sandeep Hunjan, Vlad C Sandulache, Albert C Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe the topography, extension (volume), and timing of severe osteoradionecrosis (ORN) that required mandible resection in patients previously treated for head and neck cancer at a high-volume Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records from a reference hyperbaric oxygen clinic were retrospectively analyzed (n = 50, 2018-2021). Inclusion criteria were: I) severe ORN defined as progressive ORN that required resection; II) pathologic confirmation of ORN; and III) availability of pre-operative CT-imaging. Using a radiotherapy (RT) imaging software, we performed a detailed volumetric (3D) analysis of the bone involvement by ORN. …

Integrated Microtia And Aural Atresia Management, Mai Thy Truong, Yi-Chun Carol Liu, Jocelyn Kohn, Sivakumar Chinnadurai, David A Zopf, Melissa Tribble, Paul B Tanner, Kathleen Sie, Kay W Chang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVES: To present recommendations for the coordinated evaluation and management of the hearing and reconstructive needs of patients with microtia and aural atresia.

METHODS: A national working group of 9 experts on microtia and atresia evaluated a working document on the evaluation and treatment of patients. Treatment options for auricular reconstruction and hearing habilitation were reviewed and integrated into a coordinated care timeline.

RESULTS: Recommendations were created for children with microtia and atresia, including diagnostic considerations, surgical and non-surgical options for hearing management and auricular reconstruction, and the treatment timeline for each option. These recommendations are based on the collective …

Extended Effects Of A Wearable Sensory Prosthesis On Gait, Balance Function And Falls After 26 Weeks Of Use In Persons With Peripheral Neuropathy And High Fall Risk–The Walk2wellness Trial, Lars I E Oddsson, Teresa Bisson, Helen S Cohen, Ikechukwu Iloputaife, Laura Jacobs, Doris Kung, Lewis A Lipsitz, Brad Manor, Patricia Mccracken, Yvonne Rumsey, Diane M Wrisley, Sara R Koehler-Mcnicholas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: We recently reported that individuals with impaired plantar sensation and high fall risk due to sensory peripheral neuropathy (PN) improved gait and balance function following 10 weeks of use of Walkasins

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants had clinically diagnosed PN with impaired plantar sensation, high fall risk (Functional Gait Assessment, FGA score < 23) and ability to sense tactile stimuli above the ankle at the location of the device. Additional outcomes included 10 m Gait Speed, Timed Up and Go (TUG), Four-Stage Balance Test, and self-reported outcomes, including Activities-Specific Balance Confidence scale and Vestibular Disorders Activities of Daily Living Scale. Participants tracked falls using a calendar.

RESULTS: We assessed falls and self-reported outcomes from 44 individuals after 26 weeks of device use; 30 of them conducted in-person testing of clinical outcomes. Overall, improvements in clinical outcomes seen at 10 weeks of use remained sustained at 26 weeks with statistically significant increases compared to baseline …

Screening For Balance In Children And Adults In A Community Science Education Setting: Normative Data, Influence Of Age, Sex, And Body Mass Index, And Feasibility, Phyllis Friello, Nathan Silver, Haleh Sangi-Haghpeykar, Helen S Cohen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Screening standing and walking balance is useful for people suspected of having vestibular disorders, a variety of neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders, and for screening astronauts returning after exposure to microgravity. Visitors to a community science education center children and adults, aged 4 to 85, were tested on tandem walking with eyes closed and the modified Romberg test on compliant foam. They were then asked about their experience participating in research, many people for the first time.

METHODS: Subjects performed 10 steps of tandem walking with eyes closed, and three trials of the modified Romberg, or Clinical Test of Sensory …

Subjective Versus Objective Tests Of Dizziness And Vestibular Function In Epidemiologic Screening Research, Helen S Cohen, Haleh Sangi-Haghpeykar, Michael W Plankey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Many epidemiologic studies of vestibular disorders are based on responses to questionnaires which have not been tested against objective tests of the vestibular system.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to determine if the dizziness and balance questions used in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) are valid and predict performance on objective tests of the vestibular system (VNG).

METHODS: Data from 367 participants recruited from the community, aged 21.4 to 87.6 years, were collected in the Otolaryngology department at a tertiary care center. They were asked the eight NHIS questions twice, at least 30 minutes apart and were tested on …

Foxo1 Is Present In Stomach Epithelium And Determines Gastric Cell Distribution, Wendy M Mckimpson, Taiyi Kuo, Takumi Kitamoto, Sei Higuchi, Jason C Mills, Rebecca A Haeusler, Domenico Accili

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Stomach cells can be converted to insulin-producing cells by Neurog3, MafA, and Pdxl over-expression. Enteroendocrine cells can be similarly made to produce insulin by the deletion of FOXO1. Characteristics and functional properties of FOXO1-expressing stomach cells are not known.

METHODS: Using mice bearing a FOXO1-GFP knock-in allele and primary cell cultures, we examined the identity of FOXO1-expressing stomach cells and analyzed their features through loss-of-function studies with red-to-green fluorescent reporters.

RESULTS: FOXO1 localizes to a subset of Neurog3 and parietal cells. FOXO1 deletion ex vivo or in vivo using Neurog3-cre or Atp4b-cre increased numbers of parietal cells, …

Severe Inflammatory Colitis Related To Encorafenib And Binimetinib Following Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy, Aaron G Issac, David Szafron, Dongguang Wei, Jennifer L Mcquade, Yinghong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Encorafenib, a BRAF kinase inhibitor, in combination with binimetinib, a selective MEK inhibitor have known gastrointestinal adverse events; however, adverse colitis events have not been well studied. We report a case series of 4 patients with melanoma who developed inflammatory colitis after BRAF and MEK inhibition with encorafenib and binimetinib, respectively. In the setting of immune checkpoint inhibitor use, BRAF and MEK inhibitors can cause significant inflammatory colitis with endoscopic patterns of predominant right colon ulcerations. It can lead to significant morbidity and frequent interruption of cancer treatment. Early recognition and prompt intervention are critical to improving patient outcomes.

Cytomegalovirus Infection Among Patients With Cancer Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Kavea Panneerselvam, David Szafron, Rajan N Amin, Dongguang Wei, Dongfeng Tan, Mehmet Altan, Pablo C Okhuysen, Malek Shatila, Gottumukkala Subba Raju, Anusha S Thomas, Yinghong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), used for the treatment of solid and hematologic malignancies, come with the risk of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Opportunistic infections (e.g., cytomegalovirus [CMV]) mimic irAE symptoms and are understudied in this population. We aimed to describe the incidence, characteristics, treatment and outcomes of CMV infection in ICI-treated patients.

METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective review of all adult patients who were CMV-positive after ICI therapy between 06/2011 and 05/2020. A CMV-positive non-ICI cohort was matched to the ICI group based on age, sex and cancer type. Variables of interest were collected through electronic medical records. …

Impact Of You Only Live Once: A Resilience-Based Hiv Prevention Intervention To Reduce Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Youth In South Africa, Fungai Mbengo, Esther Adama, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Arvin Bhana, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Maggie Zgambo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Interventions focused on promoting resilience or protective factors of youth have been proposed as a strategy for reducing risky behaviours associated with HIV infection among youth; however few studies have explored their effectiveness. This study assessed the impact of a resilience-based HIV prevention intervention (You Only Live Once) on risky sexual behaviours, resilience and protective factors of youth. Methods: A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. One hundred and ninety-seven youth aged 15 – 24 years were conveniently recruited from a non-profit organisation in Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality, South Africa and participated in a 12-session, resilience-based HIV intervention delivered over a …

Future Perspectives Of Uveal Melanoma Blood Based Biomarkers, Aaron B. Beasley, Fred K. Chen, Timothy W. Isaacs, Elin S. Gray

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy affecting adults. Despite successful local treatment of the primary tumour, metastatic disease develops in up to 50% of patients. Metastatic UM carries a particularly poor prognosis, with no effective therapeutic option available to date. Genetic studies of UM have demonstrated that cytogenetic features, including gene expression, somatic copy number alterations and specific gene mutations can allow more accurate assessment of metastatic risk. Pre-emptive therapies to avert metastasis are being tested in clinical trials in patients with high-risk UM. However, current prognostic methods require an intraocular tumour biopsy, which is a …

Characterisation Of Lung Function Trajectories And Associated Early-Life Predictors In An Australian Birth Cohort Study, Francesca Sanna, Francesca Locatelli, Peter D. Sly, Elisha White, Jane Heyworth, Graham L. Hall, Rachel E. Foong, David Blake

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background There is growing evidence that lung function in early-life predicts later lung function. Adverse events over the lifespan might influence an individual’s lung function trajectory, resulting in poor respiratory health. The aim of this study is to identify early-life risk factors and their impact on lung function trajectories to prevent long-term lung impairments. Methods Our study included participants from the Raine Study, a prospective pregnancy cohort, with at least two spirometry measurements. Lung function trajectories from the 6-to 22-year follow-ups were characterised using finite mixture modelling. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between early-life predictors …

Cannabinoid And Substance Relationships Of European Congenital Anomaly Patterns: A Space-Time Panel Regression And Causal Inferential Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

With reports from Australia, Canada, USA, Hawaii and Colorado documenting a link between cannabis and congenital anomalies (CAs), this relationship was investigated in Europe. Data on 90 CAs were accessed from Eurocat. Tobacco and alcohol consumption and median household income data were from the World Bank. Amphetamine, cocaine and last month and daily use of cannabis from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Cannabis herb and resin Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol concentrations were from published reports. Data were processed in R. Twelve thousand three hundred sixty CA rates were sourced across 16 nations of Europe. Nations with a higher or …

Effect Of Auricular Acupressure On Acute Pain In Nursing Home Residents With Mild Dementia: A Single-Blind, Randomized, Sham-Controlled Study, Jun Jun Zhang, Li Yu, Jun Hui Mei, Hong Xin Wang, Hai Xiang Gao, Ju Fang Fu, Ye Cheng, Lu Lu Gao, Lei Bu, Jian Qiang Yu, Carol Chunfeng Wang, Yu Xiang Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction. Acute pain is a prevalent problem for dementia residents in nursing homes. A variety of intervention strategies have been applied to address this problem. However, there remains an issue of inadequate pain control. This study aims to explore the analgesic efficacy of auricular acupressure (AA) for dementia residents with acute pain in nursing homes. Methods. A multicenter, single-blind, randomized, and sham-controlled clinical trial was performed in three nursing homes in Yinchuan, China. All of the 206 eligible patients with acute pain were randomly divided into two groups for real AA therapy or sham AA (at sham point stimulation) therapy. …

Spatial Transcriptomics Of The Lacrimal Gland Features Macrophage Activity And Epithelium Metabolism As Key Alterations During Chronic Inflammation, Olivier Mauduit, Vanessa Delcroix, Takeshi Umazume, Cintia S De Paiva, Darlene A Dartt, Helen P Makarenkova

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The lacrimal gland (LG) is an exocrine gland that produces the watery part of the tear film that lubricates the ocular surface. Chronic inflammation, such as Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), is one of the leading causes of aqueous-deficiency dry eye (ADDE) disease worldwide. In this study we analyzed the chronic inflammation in the LGs of the NOD.B10Sn-H2b/J (NOD.H-2b) mice, a mouse model of SS, utilizing bulk RNAseq and Visium spatial gene expression. With Seurat we performed unsupervised clustering and analyzed the spatial cell distribution and gene expression changes in all cell clusters within the LG sections. Moreover, for the …

Convalescent Plasma In Hospitalized Pediatric And Obstetric Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Patients, Saki Ikeda, Eduardo Benzi, Lisa A Hensch, Sridevi Devaraj, Shiu-Ki Rocky Hui, Manisha Gandhi, Karin A Fox, Jun Teruya, Flor M Munoz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Published data on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent plasma (CCP) use in children and obstetric patients are limited. We describe a single-center experience of hospitalized patients who received CCP for acute COVID-19.

METHODS: A retrospective review of children 0-18-years-old and pregnant patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed acute COVID-19 who received CCP from March 1, 2020 to March 1, 2021 was performed. Clinical and laboratory data were collected to assess the safety of CCP administration. Antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were measured in the CCP products and in patients before transfusion and at various time points post-transfusion. …