Medical Specialties Commons^™

Relationship Between Plasma Fluoride Levels, Glutathione Peroxidase Activity, Hemoglobin, And Abortion In Rural And Urban Pregnant Women From Settat (Morocco), Lalla Asmaa Katir Masnaoui, Abdellatif Rahim, Habiba Bouchab, Bouchra El Amiri, Boubker Nasser, Essamadi Abdel Khalid

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma fluoride and hemoglobin levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, and abortion among rural and urban pregnant women from Settat province (Morocco).

Methods: Blood samples were collected from rural pregnant women who had not undergone abortion (N = 224), rural pregnant women who had an abortion (N = 38), urban pregnant women who had not undergone abortion (N = 163), and urban pregnant women who had an abortion (N = 14).

Results: The highest (p < 0.01) plasma fluoride levels and the lowest (p < 0.01) GPx activity were observed in rural pregnant women. In all participants, plasma fluoride levels were significantly higher (p < 0.001), and the GPx activity was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in pregnant women who had an abortion compared with those who did not undergo such process. No significant difference was observed between the hemoglobin levels of all participants. Furthermore, abortion was positively correlated with plasma fluoride levels (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with GPx activity (p < 0.001) in rural participants.

Conclusions: Rural pregnant women had higher plasma …

Educational Case: Endometrial Ectopia In Endometriosis And Adenomyosis, Carolyn G. Chen, Joanna S.Y. Chan

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Bioaccumulation Of Non-Essential Trace Elements Detected In Women's Follicular Fluid, Urine, And Plasma Is Associated With Poor Reproductive Outcomes Following Single Euploid Embryo Transfer: A Pilot Study, Andrea Palomar, Roberto Gonzalez-Martin, Alicia Quiñonero, Nuria Pellicer, Rocio Fernandez-Saavedra, Isabel Rucandio, Rodolfo Fernandez-Martinez, Estefania Conde-Vilda, Alberto J. Quejido, Caroline Zuckerman, Christine Whitehead, Richard T. Scott, Francisco Dominguez

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

This study aims to determine the association of non-essential trace elements present in follicular fluid, plasma, and urine with reproductive outcomes of women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) and single frozen euploid embryo transfer (SET/FET). This single-center, prospective cohort study included sixty women undergoing ICSI with PGT-A and SET/FET between 2018 and 2019. Urine, plasma and follicular fluid samples were collected on the vaginal oocyte retrieval day to simultaneously quantify ten non-essential trace elements (i.e., Ba, Sr, Rb, Sn, Ti, Pb, Cd, Hg, Sb, and As). We found several associations between the levels of …

Effectiveness Of A Postpartum Breastfeeding Protocol For Avoiding Pregnancy Data, Mary Schneider, Richard Fehring, Thomas Paul Bouchard

Randomized Comparison of Two Internet-Supported Methods of Natural Family Planning

The uses of cervical mucus and basal body temperature as indicators of return to fertility postpartum have resulted in high unintended pregnancy rates. In 2013, a study found that when women used urine hormone signs in a postpartum/breastfeeding protocol this resulted in fewer pregnancies. To improve the original protocol's effectiveness, three revisions were made: (1) women were to increase the number of days tested with the Clearblue Fertility Monitor, (2) an optional second luteinizing hormone test could be done in the evening, and (3) instructions were given to manage the beginning of the fertile window for the first six cycles …

Building A Predictive Model Of Low Birth Weight In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Prospective Cohort Study, Jackie K. Patterson, Vanessa R Thorsten, Barry Eggleston, Tracy Nolen, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Richard J. Derman, Elwyn Chomba, Waldemar A. Carlo, Manolo Mazariegos, Nancy F. Krebs, Sarah Saleem, Robert L. Goldenberg, Archana Patel, Patricia L. Hibberd, Fabian Esamai, Edward A. Liechty, Rashidul Haque, Bill Petri, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Carl L. Bose, Melissa Bauserman

Global Health Articles

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight (LBW, < 2500 g) infants are at significant risk for death and disability. Improving outcomes for LBW infants requires access to advanced neonatal care, which is a limited resource in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Predictive modeling might be useful in LMICs to identify mothers at high-risk of delivering a LBW infant to facilitate referral to centers capable of treating these infants.

METHODS: We developed predictive models for LBW using the NICHD Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research Maternal and Newborn Health Registry. This registry enrolled pregnant women from research sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Kenya, Guatemala, India (2 sites: Belagavi, Nagpur), Pakistan, and Bangladesh between January 2017 - December 2020. We tested five predictive models: decision tree, random forest, logistic regression, K-nearest neighbor and support vector machine.

RESULTS: We report a rate of LBW of 13.8% among the eight Global Network sites from 2017-2020, with a range of 3.8% (Kenya) …

Incarcerated Gravid Uterus - A Systematic Review, Sujatha Narayanamoorthy, Allix Hillebrand, Rakshitha Pendam, Rodney Mclaren

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Incarcerated gravid uterus (IGU) is a serious complication of pregnancy that leads to adverse obstetric outcomes. The aim of this review was to describe this entity in detail. We also aimed to understand if pregnancies with predisposing risk factors that increase the risk of developing IGU had a difference in their clinical manifestations, treatment, and obstetric outcomes. The PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus databases and clinicaltrials.gov were searched from inception to July 2023. Case reports and series that provided all the details of the pregnancy and IGU outcome were included. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using a tool …

Occupational Therapy For Perinatal Women: An Online Educational Course, Rachel Killorin, Steven M. Gerardi, Sabina Khan

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

A freely accessible website and online educational course was developed to inform occupational therapy practitioners and maternal healthcare professionals about the role that occupational therapy has on the perinatal healthcare team. Perinatal Occupational Therapy. https://www.perinataloccupationaltherapy.com/

Sars-Cov-2 Infection In Unvaccinated High-Risk Pregnant Women In The Bronx, Ny, Usa Is Associated With Decreased Apgar Scores And Placental Villous Infarcts, Sandra E. Reznik, Patricia M. Vuguin, Alexa Cohen, Rasha Khoury, Olivier Loudig, Ridin Balakrishnan, Susan A. Fineberg, Francine Hughes, Malini Harigopal, Maureen J. Charron

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Babies born to severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected mothers are at greater risk for perinatal morbidity and more likely to receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis in the first year of life. However, the effect of maternal infection on placental function and neonatal outcomes varies depending upon the patient population. We set out to test our hypothesis that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in our underserved, socioeconomically disadvantaged, mostly unvaccinated, predominantly African American and Latina population in the Bronx, NY would have effects evident at birth. Under IRB approval, 56 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients infected during the “first wave” of the pandemic with alpha …

Recognition Of And Response To Obstetric Emergencies: Developing A Virtual Competency-Based Orientation Program, Susan Morrison

Student Scholarly Projects

In order to improve outcomes in the perinatal setting, the development of a Virtual Competency-Based Orientation Program (CBO) toolkit is vital. Two toolkits, namely the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), have been identified as effective in enhancing perinatal outcomes. AIM is a national initiative focused on improving maternal health outcomes, promoting safer birth practices, and saving lives through the implementation of best practices. CMQCC is a multi-stakeholder organization in California committed to eliminating preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities in maternity care. Both AIM and CMQCC CBO toolkits incorporate research, …

Exposure To A Phthalate Mixture Disrupts Ovulatory Progesterone Receptor Signaling In Human Granulosa Cells In Vitro, Patrick R. Hannon, James W. Akin, Thomas E. Curry Jr

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Exposure to phthalates disrupts ovarian function. However, limited studies have investigated the effects of phthalate mixtures on ovulation, especially in women. Human granulosa cells were used to test the hypothesis that exposure to a phthalate mixture (PHTmix) disrupts progesterone (P4)/progesterone receptor (PGR) signaling, which is a crucial pathway for ovulation. In addition, progestin and cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cAMP) supplementation were tested as methods to circumvent phthalate toxicity. Granulosa cells from women undergoing in vitro fertilization were acclimated in culture to regain responsiveness to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; clinical luteinizing hormone analogue). Granulosa cells were treated with or without hCG, …

Association Of Amnioinfusion Volume At The Time Of Surgery For Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome And Latency To Delivery., Braxton Forde, Foong-Yen Lim, David N Mckinney, Mounira Habli, Kara B Markham, Mallory Hoffman, Sammy Tabbah, Marc Oria, Jose L Peiro

Women’s Health Articles

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of amnioinfusion and other peri-operative factors on pregnancy outcomes in the setting of Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) treated via fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP).

METHODS: Retrospective study of TTTS treated via FLP from 2010 to 2019. Pregnancies were grouped by amnioinfusion volume during FLP (< 1 L vs. ≥1 L). The primary outcome was latency from surgery to delivery. An amnioinfusion statistic (AIstat) was created for each surgery based on the volume of fluid infused and removed and the preoperative deepest vertical pocket. Regression analysis was planned to assess the association of AIstat with latency.

RESULTS: Patients with amnioinfusion of ≥1 L at the time of FLP had decreased latency from surgery to delivery (61 ± 29.4 vs. 73 ± 28.8 days with amnioinfusion < 1 L, p < 0.001) and increased preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) < 34 weeks (44.7% vs. 33.5%, p = 0.042). Amnioinfusion ≥1 L was associated with an increased risk of delivery < 32 weeks (aRR 2.6, 95% CI 1.5-4.5), 30 weeks (aRR 2.4, 95% CI 1.5-3.8), and 28 weeks (aRR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-2.3). Cox-proportional regression revealed that AIstat was inversely associated with latency (HR 1.1, 95% CI 1.1-1.2).

CONCLUSION: Amnioinfusion ≥1 L during FLP was associated with decreased latency after surgery and increased PPROM < 34 weeks.

Recent Trends In Term Trial Of Labor After Cesarean By Number Of Prior Cesarean Deliveries, Beth L Pineles, Cara M Buskmiller, Emma J Qureshey, Angela J Stephens, Baha M Sibai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cesarean delivery is a major source of maternal morbidity, and repeat cesarean delivery accounts for 40% of cesarean delivery, but recent data on the trial of labor after cesarean and vaginal birth after cesarean are limited.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to report the national rates of trial of labor after cesarean and vaginal birth after cesarean by number of previous cesarean deliveries and examine the effect of demographic and clinical characteristics on these rates.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a population-based cohort study using the US natality data files. The study sample was restricted to 4,135,247 nonanomalous singleton, cephalic deliveries …

"Evidence That The Woman's Ovarian Cycle Is Driven By An Internal Circamonthly Timing System" Data, Mary Schneider

Randomized Comparison of Two Internet-Supported Methods of Natural Family Planning

No abstract provided.

Incidence And Determinants Of Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy In The Us: Hospitalization Discharge Rate For Preeclampsia, Eclampsia, And Gestational Hypertensions, 2016-2018., Kahir S. Jawad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Hypertension remains one of the most prevalent medical issues in pregnancy. It contributes considerably to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, making it one of the most significant public health problems. Although various epidemiological studies have been conducted over the past decades to assess the disease incidence and key risk factors associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, current incidence rates and trends are lacking. This is a novel and significant study because there are no current population-based incidence estimates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and their subtypes and very few studies with the power to explore a wide range …

Health Facilities Preparedness To Deliver Maternal And Newborn Health Care In Kilifi And Kisii Counties, Kenya, James Orwa, Marleen Temmerman, Lucy Nyaga, Kennedy Mulama, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Introduction: Health facility preparedness is essential for delivering quality maternal and newborn care, minimizing morbidity and mortality by addressing delays in seeking skilled care, reaching appropriate facilities, and receiving emergency care. A rapid assessment of 23 government health facilities in Kilifi and Kisii counties identified poor maternal and newborn indicators in 16 facilities. The Access to Quality Care through Extending and Strengthening Health Systems (AQCESS) project supported these facilities with training, equipment, and referral linkages. This study focuses on facility preparedness of the 16 facilities to deliver maternal and newborn health services, specifically delays two and three at the end …

Outcomes Of Induction Vs Prelabor Cesarean Delivery At <33 Weeks For Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy, Elisa T Bushman, William A Grobman, Jennifer L Bailit, Uma M Reddy, Ronald J Wapner, Michael W Varner, John M Thorp, Steve N Caritis, Mona Prasad, George R Saade, Yoram Sorokin, Dwight J Rouse, Sean C Blackwell, Jorge E Tolosa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are the leading cause of indicated preterm birth; however, the optimal delivery approach for pregnancies complicated by preterm hypertensive disorders of pregnancy remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare maternal and neonatal morbidity in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy who either went induction of labor or prelabor cesarean delivery at <33 >weeks' gestation. In addition, we aimed to quantify the length of induction of labor and rate of vaginal delivery in those who underwent induction of labor.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of an observational study which included 115,502 patients in 25 …

Chromatin Architectural Factor Ctcf Is Essential For Progesterone-Dependent Uterine Maturation, Sylvia C Hewitt, Artiom Gruzdev, Cynthia J Willson, San-Pin Wu, John P Lydon, Niels Galjart, Francesco J Demayo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Receptors for estrogen and progesterone frequently interact, via Cohesin/CTCF loop extrusion, at enhancers distal from regulated genes. Loss-of-function CTCF mutation in >20% of human endometrial tumors indicates its importance in uterine homeostasis. To better understand how CTCF-mediated enhancer-gene interactions impact endometrial development and function, the Ctcf gene was selectively deleted in female reproductive tissues of mice. Prepubertal Ctcf

Spatial Mapping Of The Dna Adducts In Cancer, Kimiko L Krieger, Elise K Mann, Kevin J Lee, Elyse Bolterstein, Deborah Jebakumar, Michael M Ittmann, Valeria L Dal Zotto, Mohamed Shaban, Arun Sreekumar, Natalie R Gassman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

DNA adducts and strand breaks are induced by various exogenous and endogenous agents. Accumulation of DNA damage is implicated in many disease processes, including cancer, aging, and neurodegeneration. The continuous acquisition of DNA damage from exogenous and endogenous stressors coupled with defects in DNA repair pathways contribute to the accumulation of DNA damage within the genome and genomic instability. While mutational burden offers some insight into the level of DNA damage a cell may have experienced and subsequently repaired, it does not quantify DNA adducts and strand breaks. Mutational burden also infers the identity of the DNA damage. With advances …

Cellular And Extracellular Vaginal Changes Following Murine Ovarian Removal, Jennifer M Mccracken, Gisele A Calderon, Quynh N Le, Natasha M Faruqui, Swathi Balaji, Julie C E Hakim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Loss of estrogen as a result of aging, pelvic cancer therapy, genetics, or eating disorders affects numerous body systems including the reproductive tract. Specifically, a chronic hypoestrogenic state fosters debilitating vaginal symptoms like atrophy, dryness, and dyspareunia. Current treatment options, including vaginal estrogen and hyaluronan (HA), anecdotally improve symptoms, but rectifying mechanisms are largely understudied. In order to study the hypoestrogenic vaginal environment, in particular the extracellular matrix (ECM), as well as understand the mechanisms behind current treatments and develop new therapies, we characterized a reliable and reproducible animal model. Bilateral ovariectomies (OVX) were performed on 9‐week‐old CD1 mice. After …

Trim28 Modulates Nuclear Receptor Signaling To Regulate Uterine Function, Rong Li, Tianyuan Wang, Ryan M Marquardt, John P Lydon, San-Pin Wu, Francesco J Demayo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Estrogen and progesterone, acting through their cognate receptors the estrogen receptor α (ERα) and the progesterone receptor (PR) respectively, regulate uterine biology. Using rapid immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry (RIME) and co-immunoprecipitation, we identified TRIM28 (Tripartite motif containing 28) as a protein which complexes with ERα and PR in the regulation of uterine function. Impairment of TRIM28 expression results in the inability of the uterus to support early pregnancy through altered PR and ERα action in the uterine epithelium and stroma by suppressing PR and ERα chromatin binding. Furthermore, TRIM28 ablation in PR-expressing uterine cells results in the enrichment of a …

Polymorphisms In The Nonhomologous End-Joining Dna Repair Pathway Are Associated With Hpv Integration In Cervical Dysplasia, Jennifer M Geris, E Susan Amirian, Deborah A Marquez-Do, Martial Guillaud, Laura M Dillon, Michele Follen, Michael E Scheurer

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Previous evidence indicates that HPV integration status may be associated with cervical cancer development and progression. However, host genetic variation within genes that may play important roles in the viral integration process is understudied. The aim of this study was to examine the association between HPV16 and HPV18 viral integration status and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) DNA repair pathway genes on cervical dysplasia. Women enrolled in two large trials of optical technologies for cervical cancer detection and positive for HPV16 or HPV18 were selected for HPV integration analysis and genotyping. Associations between SNPs and cytology (normal, …

Targeting Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells Potentiates A Therapeutic Response And Overcomes Resistance To Parp Inhibitors In Ovarian Cancer, Xudong Zhang, Jun Yao, Xiaoran Li, Na Niu, Yan Liu, Richard A Hajek, Guang Peng, Shannon Westin, Anil K Sood, Jinsong Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

To understand the mechanism of acquired resistance to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) olaparib, we induced the formation of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) in ovarian and breast cancer cell lines, high-grade serous cancer (HGSC)-derived organoids, and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Time-lapse tracking of ovarian cancer cells revealed that PGCCs primarily developed from endoreplication after exposure to sublethal concentrations of olaparib. PGCCs exhibited features of senescent cells but, after olaparib withdrawal, can escape senescence via restitutional multipolar endomitosis and other noncanonical modes of cell division to generate mitotically competent resistant daughter cells. The contraceptive drug mifepristone blocked PGCC formation and daughter cell …

Calcium Carbonate As A Potential Intervention To Prevent Labor Dystocia: Narrative Review Of The Literature, Sabahat Raees, Marie Forgie, Rita Mitchell, Emily Malloy

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Anecdotally, there are attestations from clinicians of calcium carbonate being used successfully for laboring people experiencing labor dystocia. The goal of this narrative review was to provide a synopsis of pertinent literature on calcium use in obstetrics to explore the potential benefit of calcium carbonate as a simple and low-cost intervention for prevention or treatment of labor dystocia. To answer how calcium and carbonate physiologically contribute to myometrium contractility, we conducted a literature search of English-language peer-reviewed articles, with no year limitation, consisting of the keywords “calcium,” “calcium carbonate,” “calcium gluconate,” “pregnancy,” “hemorrhage,” and variations of “smooth muscle contractility” and …

The Association Between Higher Expression Of Talin-1 And The Reduced Survival Rate In Ovarian Serous Carcinoma Patients, Mina Sharbatoghli, Leili Saeednejad Zanjani, Fahimeh Fattahi, Elham Kalantari, Zohre Habibi Shams, Mahshid Panahi, Medhi Totonchi, Mohsen Asadi-Lari, Zahra Madjd

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Background & Objective: Talin-1 is a constituent of the multiprotein adhesion complexes that play main role in the formation of tumors and migration in different types of malignancies. The present study aimed to assess expression and prognostic significance of the talin-1 protein in ovarian serous carcinoma (OSC) patients.

Methods: The expression of talin-1 in mRNA and its protein levels were investigated for ovarian cancer (OC) by using bioinformatics tools, including Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2), Gene Expression Database of Normal and Tumor Tissue 2 (GENT2), and The University of ALabama at Birmingham CANcer data analysis Portal (UALCAN) databases. …

A Mini-Review Of What Matters In The Management Of Nas, Is Esc The Best Care?, Enrique Gomez Pomar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

As the use of opioids and polysubstance by pregnant women has increased over the years, there has also been a sharp increase in cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Classically, infants affected by NAS have been cared for in neonatal intensive care units resulting in an increase of healthcare expenditure and resource utilization as well as separation from the families. Consequently, the Eat, Sleep, and Console (ESC) tool was developed and promoted as a novel method that focuses on maternal/infant dyad during hospital stay while decreasing the use of pharmacological interventions and therefore decreasing the length of stay and healthcare …

Improving Postpartum Depression Screening Practices In The Postpartum Setting, Courtney Lynn Cole

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Postpartum Depression (PPD) is frequently undetected in women due to barriers that limit effective recognition and diagnosis. Depression screenings and treatment referrals improve outcomes in the immediate postpartum period. Follow-up methods for positive depression screens are often missed by postpartum care teams.

Methods: A descriptive, observational design was used for this quality improvement project. A formalized depression screening protocol was created to help guide nursing staff on a Postpartum Unit when detecting a positive depression screen. Convenience sampling was utilized and the sample included patients aged 18-45. Data collected throughout this quality improvement project included Edinburgh Postnatal Depression …

Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy In Pregnancy, Julie Gomez, Laura Felder, Divya Chalikonda, Alexander Schlachterman, Vincenzo Berghella

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To report the first successful full-term delivery following Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) performed during pregnancy.

METHODS/BACKGROUND: Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder characterized by dysphagia, regurgitation, reflux, recurrent vomiting, and weight loss. Achalasia in pregnancy can affect nutritional status of the mother, and subsequently, the child, increasing morbidity and creating potential pregnancy complications. POEM is a novel endoscopic procedure which involves cutting the lower esophageal sphincter to allow food to pass, and is considered a safe and effective management option for achalasia in non-pregnant individuals.

RESULTS: We discuss the case of a patient with achalasia and a prior …

Unravelling Spatial Gene Associations With Seagal: A Python Package For Spatial Transcriptomics Data Analysis And Visualization, Linhua Wang, Chaozhong Liu, Yang Gao, Xiang H-F Zhang, Zhandong Liu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

SUMMARY: In the era where transcriptome profiling moves toward single-cell and spatial resolutions, the traditional co-expression analysis lacks the power to fully utilize such rich information to unravel spatial gene associations. Here, we present a Python package called Spatial Enrichment Analysis of Gene Associations using L-index (SEAGAL) to detect and visualize spatial gene correlations at both single-gene and gene-set levels. Our package takes spatial transcriptomics datasets with gene expression and the aligned spatial coordinates as input. It allows for analyzing and visualizing genes' spatial correlations and cell types' colocalization within the precise spatial context. The output could be visualized as …

Pregnancy-Related Mortality Up To 1 Year Postpartum In Sub-Saharan Africa: An Analysis Of Verbal Autopsy Data From Six Countries, Ursula Gazeley, Georges Reniers, Julio E. Romero- Prieto, Clara Calvert, Momodou Jasseh, Kobus Herbst, Sammy Khagayi, David Obor, Daniel Kwaro, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objective: To compare the causes of death for women who died during pregnancy and within the first 42 days postpartum with those of women who died between >42 days and within 1 year postpartum.

Design: Open population cohort (Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems).

Setting: Ten Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) in The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Africa.

Population: 2114 deaths which occurred within 1 year of the end of pregnancy where a verbal autopsy interview was conducted from 2000 to 2019.

Methods: InterVA5 and InSilicoVA verbal autopsy algorithms were used to at-tribute the most likely underlying …

Radiomic And Deep Learning Characterization Of Breast Parenchyma On Full Field Digital Mammograms And Specimen Radiographs: A Pilot Study Of A Potential Cancer Field Effect, Natalie Baughan, Hui Li, Li Lan, Matthew Embury, Isaiah Yim, Gary J Whitman, Randa El-Zein, Isabelle Bedrosian, Maryellen L Giger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: In women with biopsy-proven breast cancer, histologically normal areas of the parenchyma have shown molecular similarity to the tumor, supporting a potential cancer field effect. The purpose of this work was to investigate relationships of human-engineered radiomic and deep learning features between regions across the breast in mammographic parenchymal patterns and specimen radiographs.

APPROACH: This study included mammograms from 74 patients with at least 1 identified malignant tumor, of whom 32 also possessed intraoperative radiographs of mastectomy specimens. Mammograms were acquired with a Hologic system and specimen radiographs were acquired with a Fujifilm imaging system. All images were retrospectively …