Medical Sciences Commons^™

Chlorthalidone Vs Hydrochlorothiazide And Kidney Outcomes In Patients With Hypertension: A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Clinical Trial, Areef Ishani, Cynthia Hau, Srihari Raju, Jessica K Wise, Peter A Glassman, Addison A Taylor, Ryan E Ferguson, William C Cushman, Sarah M Leatherman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Hypertension is a risk factor for the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is unclear whether different thiazide diuretics have a differential impact on kidney outcomes.

Objective: To compare kidney outcomes in patients with hypertension taking chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide.

Design, setting, and participants: This prespecified secondary analysis of the Diuretic Comparison Project, a randomized clinical trial comparing chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide for the treatment of hypertension, was conducted between June 1, 2016, and June 1, 2022, through Veterans Affairs facilities nationwide. This analysis extended follow-up to December 31, 2023. Veterans 65 years or older with hypertension who …

Urinary Metal Levels, Cognitive Test Performance, And Dementia In The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Arce Domingo-Relloso, Katlyn E Mcgraw, Susan R Heckbert, Jose A Luchsinger, Kathrin Schilling, Ronald A Glabonjat, Irene Martinez-Morata, Melanie Mayer, Yongmei Liu, Alexis C Wood, Jeff Goldsmith, Kathleen M Hayden, Mohamad Habes, Ilya M Nasrallah, R Nick Bryan, Tanweer Rashid, Wendy S Post, Jerome I Rotter, Priya Palta, Linda Valeri, Timothy M Hughes, Ana Navas-Acien

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IMPORTANCE: Metals are established neurotoxicants, but evidence of their association with cognitive performance at low chronic exposure levels is limited.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of urinary metal levels, individually and as a mixture, with cognitive tests and dementia diagnosis, including effect modification by apolipoprotein ε4 allele (APOE4).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The multicenter prospective cohort Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) was started from July 2000 to August 2002, with follow-up through 2018. A total of 6303 MESA participants were included. Data analysis was performed from October 12, 2023, to June 13, 2024.

EXPOSURE: Urine samples were collected at baseline …

Onset And Progression Of Disease In Nonhuman Primates With Pde6c Cone Disorder, Monica Ardon, Lily Nguyen, Rui Chen, Jeffrey Rogers, Tim Stout, Sara Thomasy, Ala Moshiri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: The California National Primate Research Center contains a colony of rhesus macaques with a homozygous missense mutation in PDE6C (R565Q) which causes a cone disorder similar to PDE6C achromatopsia in humans. The purposes of this study are to characterize the phenotype in PDE6C macaques in detail to determine the onset of the cone phenotype, the degree to which the phenotype progresses, if heterozygote animals have an intermediate phenotype, and if rod photoreceptor function declines over time.

METHODS: We analyzed spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and electroretinography (ERG) data from 102 eyes of 51 macaques (aged 0.25 …

Private-Sector Readmissions For Inpatient Surgery In Veterans Health Administration Hospitals, Mary Vaughan Sarrazin, Yubo Gao, Carly A Jacobs, Michael A Jacobs, Susanne Schmidt, Heather Davila, Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Andrea L Strayer, John Cashy, George Wehby, Paula K Shireman, Daniel E Hall

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) reports multiple indicators of hospital surgical performance, including hospital risk-standardized 30-day readmission rates (RSRRs). Currently, most routinely reported measures do not include readmissions that occur outside VHA hospitals. The impact of readmissions outside the VHA on hospital RSRR is not known.

Objective: To measure the impact of including non-VHA readmissions on VHA hospital performance rankings for 30-day readmission.

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective cohort study included patients aged at least 65 years from 2013 to 2019 from the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program linked to patient-level data from the VHA and Medicare. …

Inherited Retinal Degenerations And Non-Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Progress And Unmet Needs, Jacque L Duncan, Angela Bowman, Amy Laster, Claire Gelfman, David G Birch, Shannon E Boye, Stephen P Daiger, Lucian Del Priore, Donald J Zack, James T Handa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are leading causes of irreversible vision loss and blindness. Although significant progress has advanced the field in the past 5 years, significant challenges remain. The current article reviews the accomplishments and research advances that have fueled the development of treatments for patients with IRD and AMD, including the first approved gene-augmentation treatment for RPE65-related retinal degeneration and complement inhibition therapies to slow progression of geographic atrophy (GA) in AMD. The article outlines opportunities to address gaps and unmet needs that should lead to additional progress toward the development of treatments …

Systemic Administration Of A Site-Targeted Complement Inhibitor Attenuates Chronic Stress-Induced Social Behavior Deficits And Neuroinflammation In Mice, Amit Kumar Madeshiya, Brandi Quintanilla, Carl Whitehead, Stephen Tomlinson, Anilkumar Pillai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic stress, a risk factor for many neuropsychiatric conditions, causes dysregulation in the immune system in both humans and animal models. Additionally, inflammation and synapse loss have been associated with deficits in social behavior. The complement system, a key player of innate immunity, has been linked to social behavior impairments caused by chronic stress. However, it is not known whether complement inhibition can help prevent neuroinflammation and behavioral deficits caused by chronic stress. In this study, we investigated the potential of a site-targeted complement inhibitor to ameliorate chronic stress-induced changes in social behavior and inflammatory markers in the prefrontal cortex …

Myeloid Activation Clears Ascites And Reveals Il27-Dependent Regression Of Metastatic Ovarian Cancer, Brennah Murphy, Taito Miyamoto, Bryan S Manning, Gauri Mirji, Alessio Ugolini, Toshitha Kannan, Kohei Hamada, Yanfang P Zhu, Daniel T Claiborne, Lu Huang, Rugang Zhang, Yulia Nefedova, Andrew Kossenkov, Filippo Veglia, Rahul Shinde, Nan Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Patients with metastatic ovarian cancer (OvCa) have a 5-year survival rate of < 30% due to the persisting dissemination of chemoresistant cells in the peritoneal fluid and the immunosuppressive microenvironment in the peritoneal cavity. Here, we report that intraperitoneal administration of β-glucan and IFNγ (BI) induced robust tumor regression in clinically relevant models of metastatic OvCa. BI induced tumor regression by controlling fluid tumor burden and activating localized antitumor immunity. β-glucan alone cleared ascites and eliminated fluid tumor cells by inducing intraperitoneal clotting in the fluid and Dectin-1-Syk-dependent NETosis in the omentum. In omentum tumors, BI expanded a novel subset of immunostimulatory IL27+ macrophages and neutralizing IL27 impaired BI efficacy in vivo. Moreover, BI directly induced IL27 secretion in macrophages where single agent treatment did not. Finally, BI extended mouse survival in a chemoresistant model and significantly improved chemotherapy response in a chemo-sensitive model. In summary, we propose a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of metastatic OvCa.

Rna Shielding Of P65 Is Required To Potentiate Oncogenic Inflammation In Tet2-Mutated Clonal Hematopoiesis, Nana Adjoa Ben-Crentsil, Wazim Mohammed Ismail, Maria E Balasis, Hannah Newman, Ariel Quintana, Moritz Binder, Traci Kruer, Surendra Neupane, Meghan C Ferrall-Fairbanks, Jenna Fernandez, Terra L Lasho, Christy M Finke, Mohammed L Ibrahim, Kathy L Mcgraw, Michael Wysota, Amy L Aldrich, Christopher B Ryder, Christopher T Letson, Joshua Traina, Amy F Mclemore, Nathalie Droin, Aditi Shastri, Seongseok Yun, Eric Solary, David A Sallman, Amer A Beg, Li Ma, Alexandre Gaspar-Maia, Mrinal M Patnaik, Eric Padron

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This work identifies MALAT1 as a requisite downstream effector of oncogenic feedforward inflammatory circuits necessary for the development of TET2-mutated CH and fulminant myeloid malignancy. We elucidate a novel mechanism by which MALAT1 "shields" p65 from dephosphorylation to potentiate this circuit and nominate MALAT1 inhibition as a future therapeutic strategy.

Individualized Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Neuromodulation Enhances Visuospatial Perception: A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Anthony Allam, Vincent Allam, Sandy Reddy, Eric M Rohren, Sameer A Sheth, Emmanouil Froudarakis, T Dorina Papageorgiou

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

This proof-of-concept study uses individualized functional magnetic resonance imaging neuromodulation (iNM) to explore the mechanisms that enhance BOLD signals in visuospatial perception (VP) networks that are crucial for navigation. Healthy participants (n = 8) performed a VP up- and down-direction discrimination task at full and subthreshold coherence through peripheral vision, and superimposed direction through visual imagery (VI) at central space under iNM and control conditions. iNM targets individualized anatomical and functional middle- and medial-superior temporal (MST) networks that control VP. We found that iNM engaged selective exteroceptive and interoceptive attention (SEIA) and motor planning (MP) networks. Specifically, iNM increased …

Neurofeedback: New Territories And Neurocognitive Mechanisms Of Endogenous Neuromodulation, James Sulzer, T Dorina Papageorgiou, Rainer Goebel, Talma Hendler

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neurofeedback (NF) is endogenous neuromodulation of circumscribed brain circuitry. While its use of real-time brain activity in a closed-loop system is similar to brain-computer interfaces, instead of controlling an external device like the latter, the goal of NF is to change a targeted brain function. In this special issue on NF, we present current and future methods for extracting and manipulating neural function, how these methods may reveal new insights about brain function, applications, and rarely discussed ethical considerations of guiding and interpreting the brain activity of others. Together, the articles in this issue outline the possibilities of NF use …

Artificial Intelligence-Driven Prediction And Validation Of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability And Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion Profiles In Natural Product Research Laboratory Compounds, Jai-Sing Yang, Eddie Tc Huang, Ken Yk Liao, Da-Tian Bau, Shih-Chang Tsai, Chao-Jung Chen, Kuan-Wen Chen, Ting-Yuan Liu, Yu-Jen Chiu, Fuu-Jen Tsai

BioMedicine

Introduction: Our previous research demonstrated that a large language model (LLM) based on the transformer architecture, specifically the MegaMolBART encoder with an XGBoost classifier, effectively predicts the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of compounds. However, the permeability coefficients of compounds that can traverse this barrier remain unclear. Additionally, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) characteristics of substances obtained from the Natural Product Research Laboratory (NPRL) at China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) have not yet been determined.

Objectives: The study aims to investigate the pharmacokinetic ADME properties and BBB permeability coefficients of NPRL compounds.

Materials and Methods: A …

Juxtaposition Of Bone Age And Sexual Maturity Rating Of The Taiwanese Population, Wen-Li Lu, Chung-Hsing Wang, Yi-Chun Lin, Fuu-Jen Tsai

BioMedicine

Background Bone age (BA) and sexual maturity rating (SMR) are the imperative measures in assessing adolescent growth and development. However, studies indigenous to the Taiwanese population with regard to the association of SMR and BA in adolescence is scarce. This study attempts to utilize the AI-assessed BA results to establish a relationship between BA and SMR of the Taiwanese population in regard to the initiation of puberty. Materials and methods The electronic medical records with examinations of bone age assessed between January 1st 2019 and December 31st 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Records of the same individuals were retained only the …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai)-Powered Bibliometric Analysis Of Global Trends In Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Mscs)-Derived Exosome Research: 2014-2023, Shih-Chang Tsai, Bing-Han Wan, Fuu-Jen Tsai, Jai-Sing Yang

BioMedicine

Introduction: In recent years, significant progress has been made in regenerative medicine, specifically in using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to their regenerative and differentiating abilities. An exciting development in this area is the utilization of exosomes derived from MSCs, which have shown promise in tissue restoration, immune system modulation, and cancer treatment.

Objectives: This study aims to analyze global research trends and the academic impact of MSCs-derived exosomes from 2014 to 2023, providing a comprehensive overview of this emerging field.

Materials and Methods: The Web of Science database selected 948 relevant publications from 2014 to 2023. Artificial intelligence …

Application Of Machine Learning To Identify Risk Factors For Outpatient Opioid Prescriptions Following Spine Surgery, Alexander Bouterse, Andrew Cabrera, Adam Jameel, David Chung, Olumide Danisa

BioMedicine

Introduction: Spine surgery is a common source of narcotic prescriptions and carries potential for long-term opioid dependence. As prescription opioids play a role in nearly 25% of all opioid overdose deaths in the United States, mitigating risk for prolonged postoperative opioid utilization is crucial for spine surgeons.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to employ six ML algorithms to identify clinical variables predictive of increased opioid utilization across spinal surgeries, including anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), posterior thoracolumbar fusion (PTLF), and lumbar laminectomy.

Methods: A query of the author’s institutional database identified adult patients undergoing …

Advanced Whole Transcriptome Sequencing And Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (Ai/Ml) In Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis-Like Inflammation Of Human Keratinocytes, Lii-Tzu Wu, Shih-Chang Tsai, Tsung‑Jung Ho, Hao-Ping Chen, Yu-Jen Chiu, Yan-Ru Peng, Ting-Yuan Liu, Yu‑Ning Juan, Jai-Sing Yang, Fuu-Jen Tsai

BioMedicine

Introduction: Although the HaCaT keratinocyte model has been used in previous research to study the effects of anti-psoriatic agents, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced proliferation and signal transduction in psoriasis-like keratinocytes.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms and pathways associated with psoriasis-like inflammation caused by IMQ in human keratinocytes.

Materials and Methods: HaCaT cells were exposed to different concentrations of IMQ to induce inflammation similar to that observed in psoriasis. Cell viability was evaluated using the MTT assay and cell morphology was examined using phase-contrast …

Machine Learning-Guided Differential Gene Expression Analysis Identifies A Highly-Connected Seven-Gene Cluster In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Hany Ghazal, El-Sayed A. El-Absawy, Waleed Ead, Mohamed E. Hasan

BioMedicine

Background: One of the most challenging cancers is triple-negative breast cancer, which is subdivided into many molecular subtypes. Due to the high degree of heterogeneity, the role of precision medicine remains challenging. With the use of machine learning (ML)-guided gene selection, the differential gene expression analysis can be optimized, and eventually, the process of precision medicine can see great advancement through biomarker discovery.

Purpose: Enhancing precision medicine in the oncology field by identification of the most representative differentially-expressed genes to be used as biomarkers or as novel drug targets.

Methods: By utilizing data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository …

Integrating Natural Product Research Laboratory With Artificial Intelligence: Advancements And Breakthroughs In Traditional Medicine, Jai-Sing Yang, Shih-Chang Tsai, Yuan-Man Hsu, Da-Tian Bau, Chia-Wen Tsai, Wen-Shin Chang, Sheng-Chu Kuo, Sheng-Chu Kuo, Chien-Chih Yu, Yu-Jen Chiu, Fuu-Jen Tsai

BioMedicine

The Natural Product Research Laboratory (NPRL) of China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) was established in collaboration with CMUH and Professor Kuo-Hsiung Lee from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The laboratory collection features over 6,000 natural products worldwide, including pure compounds and semi-synthetic derivatives. This is the most comprehensive and fully operational natural product database in Taiwan. This review article explores the history and development of the NPRL of CMUH. We then provide an overview of the recent applications and impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in new drug discovery. Finally, we examine advanced powerful AI-tools and related software …

The Role Of Epigenetic Aberrations In The Cold Tumor Phenotype And Inflammatory Signaling In High-Risk Neuroblastoma, Pamela Morgan Watson

Alternative Theses and Dissertations (AETDs)

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a highly aggressive, heterogeneous disease that arises from the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and originates from neural crest cells (NCCs) (1). NB is the most common extracranial cancer in pediatric accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths (2). This high mortality rate is the result of the metastatic, immune evasive, and treatment resistant characteristics of the disease (3). It has been proposed that NB arises from blocks in differentiation during development, resulting in a mixture of two distinct cell types within the tumor: mesenchymal and adrenergic (Figure 1.1) (4,5). The adrenergic cell type is more differentiated, and …

Advocating For Occupational Therapy Intervention With In-House Athletics, Jatia Littles, Cynthia Haynes

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Occupational therapists (OT) have the opportunity to work with athletes by outsourcing through orthopedic centers with professional leagues such as the National Football League (NFL) (Jobs in Sports, 2022) but rarely do you see OTs within the sports complex working in-house. Although many studies go into great detail on the benefits of occupational therapy during the rehabilitation process, there are only a limited number of studies that explore occupational therapy intervention in athletics (Andreas et al., 2021). This project designed and implemented an occupational therapy-focused advocacy project that involves informing interprofessional sports faculty on the benefits of OTs being a …

Evaluation Of Pain Control In Lobectomies: Before And After The Removal Of Liposomal Bupivacaine From Formulary At An Academic Health System, Kelly Cheng Pharmd, Michael Guerra Pharmd, Rebecca Pulk Pharmd, Ms, Bsp, Amber Zaniewski Pharmd, Mba, Bcps, Ryan Brown Pharmd, Bcps

Posters

• Liposomal bupivacaine is an extended-release formulation of the long-acting traditional local anesthetic, bupivacaine.
• Yale New Haven Health system (YNHHS) removed liposomal bupivacaine from formulary in March 2024.
• This decision was based on primary research and meta-analyses showing little to no clinical or statistical benefit of liposomal bupivacaine over traditional bupivacaine in morphine milligram equivalent use (MME) and median pain score in all surgeries including lobectomies.

Identifying Current Barriers And Optimization Opportunities Of Rapid Access Pathway To Outpatient Care For High-Cost Biologics In An Academic Health System, Avani Topiwala Pharmd, Vincent Do Pharmd, Bcps, Bctxp, Joseph Rosano Bs, Pharmd

Posters

• Inpatient administration of specialty biologic agents can have significant financial impacts on a healthcare system.
• The “Never Administer Inpatient List” (NAIL) is an established reference which contains biologic infusions that should be administered in an outpatient setting when clinically appropriate.
• While outpatient administration may be clinically appropriate, there are many barriers to coordinating outpatient infusions that result in unnecessary inpatient administration. This can result in a prolonged length of stay and increased medication cost.

Host Response To Implantation Of A Poly N-Isopropylarylamide Injectable Cell Therapy Vehicle, Cole Matthew Burk

Master's Theses

There is a need to develop novel and effective therapies targeting end-stage peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Inducing collateral arteriogenesis is a possible novel treatment that produces a natural bypass for blood flow, a promising solution to the long-term issues seen with current treatments. Regenerative therapies, and progenitor cells specifically, have demonstrated great promise in repair after injury and disease. While most progenitor or stem cells have poor efficacy in this context, muscle progenitor cells, or myoblasts, have encouraging results. Myoblasts enhance arteriogenesis and secrete cytokines or chemokines that recruit monocytes to injury sites. Implanting these adherent cells in a …

Point Of Care Ultrasound For Gastric Residual: An Objective Structured Clinical Examination, Brandon Quinn, Kaitlyn Gray

Doctoral Projects

Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has become an invaluable tool in modern medical practice offering real-time diagnostic and procedural guidance for anesthesia providers. POCUS is a non-invasive assessment tool that gives anesthesia insight into a quantitative assessment of gastric residuals. Furthermore, POCUS assessments are useful in preventing anesthetic complications that can cause major morbidity and mortality such as aspiration pneumonia. Despite the growing relevance, formalized training on POCUS for assessing gastric residuals remains limited in many nurse anesthesia programs. The University of Southern Mississippi currently lacks a standardized curriculum for teaching student registered nurse anesthetists how to utilize gastric ultrasound …

Elucidating The Mechanism Of Interleukin-17a Signaling In The Pathogenesis Of West Nile Virus, Farzana Nazneen

Dissertations

West Nile Virus (WNV), a neurotropic flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes, is a leading cause of viral encephalitis in the United States and remains a significant public health concern. Unfortunately, no vaccine or therapeutic intervention is available against WNV infection. Previous studies, including ours, demonstrated that interleukin-17A (IL-17A) signaling increases the cytotoxic potential of CD8⁺ T cells to facilitate WNV and parasite clearance; however, the molecular mechanism is not understood. IL-17 receptor C (IL-17RC) is an obligatory co-receptor with IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) for signaling induced by IL-17A, IL-17A/F, and IL-17F. In this study, we found that IL-17RC deficient ( …

Determining Evolutionary Conservation Of Mhc-E And Vista Interaction, Julia Glenn

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Research in the Weidanz laboratory is focused on cellular molecules which inhibit immune activation, known as immune checkpoints. One example is HLA-E, which can modulate immune responses at homeostasis or in the context of cancer. HLA-E typically acts by presenting short canonical peptides (VL9s) and binding to CD94/NKG2A receptors on NK cells and T cells. The Weidanz laboratory’s research has found that in the absence of these VL9 peptides, HLA-E binds to another immune checkpoint, VISTA, instead of CD94/NKG2A. Therefore, the HLA-E/VISTA interaction is peptide-dependent. The current study aims to determine if this peptide-dependent interaction is evolutionarily conserved using the …

Neonatal Outcomes In Term And Preterm Infants Following Adjunctive Azithromycin Antibiotic Prophylaxis For Non-Elective Cesarean Delivery, Jane K Martin, Sherri A Longo, Victoria R Jauk, Erin A S Clark, George R Saade, Kim A Boggess, Sean Esplin, Ronald J Wapner, Michelle Y Owens, Sean C Blackwell, William W Andrews, Jeff M Szychowski, Alan T Tita

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: It is currently unknown whether adjunctive azithromycin prophylaxis at the time of non-elective cesarean has differential effects on neonatal outcomes in the context of prematurity. The objective of this study was to compare whether neonatal outcomes differ in term and preterm infants exposed to adjunctive azithromycin prophylaxis before non-elective cesarean delivery.

Study design: A planned secondary analysis of a multi-center randomized controlled trial that enrolled women with singleton pregnancies ≥24 weeks gestation undergoing non-elective cesarean delivery (during labor or ≥4 h after membrane rupture). Women received standard antibiotic prophylaxis and were randomized to either adjunctive azithromycin (500 mg) or …

Reduction Of Overactive Bladder Medications In Spinal Cord Injury With Self-Administered Neuromodulation: A Randomized Trial, Argyrios Stampas, Radha Korupolu, Kyung Hyun Lee, Betsy Salazar, Rose Khavari

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Our goal was to evaluate if self-administered bladder neuromodulation with transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation could safely replace overactive bladder medications in people with spinal cord injury.

Materials and methods: We performed a 3-month, randomized, investigator-blinded, tibial nerve stimulation vs sham-control trial in adults with spinal cord injury and neurogenic bladder performing intermittent catheterization and taking overactive bladder medications. The primary outcome was a reduction in bladder medications while maintaining stable bladder symptoms and quality of life based on pre/post Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score and the Incontinence Quality of Life questionnaire, respectively. Secondary outcomes included changes in pre/post cystometrogram, 2-day …

Compensation For Metabolic Dietitians Practicing In The United States: 2023 Genetic Metabolic Dietitians International Professional Status Survey, Krista Viau, Sommer Gaughan, Jessica Kopesky, Beth Ogata, Heather Saavedra, Mary Sowa, Erin Macleod

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Genetic Metabolic Dietitians International (GMDI) conducted a professional status survey of metabolic dietitians working in the United States to describe job satisfaction and establish salary and compensation benchmarks specific to metabolic dietitians.

Methods: The survey was anonymously administered in a web-based format via REDCap between October and November 2023. Registered dietitians working with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) were eligible to participate.

Results: A total of 178 surveys were received and 147 were included in the final analysis. Most respondents were female (96 %), worked in a clinical setting (83 %), and held a graduate degree (75 %), while …

Complete Genome Sequences Of Toxigenic Clostridioides Difficile Isolated From Australian Feral Horses, Natasza Hain-Saunders, Daniel R. Knight, Mieghan Bruce, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recent increases in community-associated Clostridioides difficile infections have highlighted the importance of monitoring toxigenic C. difficile from animal and environmental sources. We provide the complete circularized genomes of two toxigenic C. difficile strains isolated from feral horse faeces. Genome N64 (sequence type 964) consists of a single chromosome of 4,078,791 bp, while genome H251 (sequence type 963) comprises one chromosome (4,304,722 bp) and three plasmids (150,942 bp, 11,534 bp, and 9,074 bp).

Precision And Efficacy Of Rna-Guided Dna Integration In High-Expressing Muscle Loci, Made Harumi Padmaswari, Gabrielle Bulliard, Shilpi Agrawal, Mary S. Jia, Sabin Khadgi, Kevin A. Murach, Christopher E. Nelson

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Gene replacement therapies primarily rely on adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for transgene expression. However, episomal expression can decline over time due to vector loss or epigenetic silencing. CRISPR-based integration methods offer promise for long-term transgene insertion. While the development of transgene integration methods has made substantial progress, identifying optimal insertion loci remains challenging. Skeletal muscle is a promising tissue for gene replacement owing to low invasiveness of intramuscular injections, relative proportion of body mass, the multinucleated nature of muscle, and the potential for reduced adverse effects. Leveraging endogenous promoters in skeletal muscle, we evaluated two highly expressing loci using homology-independent …