Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Commons^™

Unravelling The Molecular Mechanisms Causal To Type 2 Diabetes Across Global Populations And Disease-Relevant Tissues, Ozvan Bocher, Ana Luiza Arruda, Satoshi Yoshiji, Chi Zhao, Alicia Huerta-Chagoya, Chen-Yang Su, Xianyong Yin, Davis Cammann, Henry J Taylor, Jingchun Chen, Ken Suzuki, Ravi Mandla, Ta-Yu Yang, Fumihiko Matsuda, Josep M Mercader, Jason Flannick, James B Meigs, Alexis C Wood, Marijana Vujkovic, Benjamin F Voight, Cassandra N Spracklen, Jerome I Rotter, Andrew P Morris, Eleftheria Zeggini

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a prevalent disease arising from complex molecular mechanisms. Here we leverage T2D genetic associations to identify causal molecular mechanisms in an ancestry-aware and tissue-aware manner. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization corroborated by colocalization across four global ancestries, we analyse 20,307 gene and 1,630 protein expression levels using blood-derived cis-quantitative trait loci (QTLs). We detect causal effects of genetically predicted levels of 335 genes and 46 proteins on T2D risk, with 16.4% and 50% replication in independent cohorts, respectively. Using gene expression cis-QTLs derived from seven T2D-relevant tissues, we identify causal links between the expression of 676 …

Uncovering Predictors Of Bipolar Ii Conversion To Bipolar I: A Machine Learning Analysis Of National Health Records In Taiwan, Chih-Wei Hsu, Yang-Chieh Brian Chen, Liang-Jen Wang, Kuo-Chuan Hung, Mu-Hong Chen, Eduard Vieta, Chien-Yuan Chen, Chih-Sung Liang, Andre F Carvalho

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Bipolar II disorder (BD-II) can progress to bipolar I disorder (BD-I), carrying profound psychosocial consequences. However, limited research has investigated the transition from BD-II to BD-I. Our study uses machine learning to predict the conversion using real-world data.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (2000-2013) to identify adults diagnosed with BD-II. A predictive model for BD-I conversion was developed using extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), incorporating demographic factors, healthcare utilization, comorbidities, and psychotropic medication use. The dataset was randomly divided into development (80 %) and test (20 %) sets. Model performance …

Catatonia And Elevated Mortality: A Population-Wide Cohort Study With Healthy, Sibling, And Schizophrenia Spectrum Controls, Chih-Wei Hsu, Yang-Chieh Brian Chen, Marco Solmi, Chih-Sung Liang, Mu-Hong Chen, Yao-Hsu Yang, Liang-Jen Wang, Edward Chia-Cheng Lai

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Aim: To determine whether catatonia is associated with increased long-term all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Methods: Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database (2000-2022), we assembled a population-based cohort of all adults (≥18 years) with catatonia and matched each to four controls without catatonia on sex and birthdate. Mortality was compared between (1) individuals with catatonia and their unaffected siblings and (2) individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with catatonia and those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders without catatonia. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality; secondary outcomes were natural- and unnatural-cause deaths. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with …

Life-Extending Interventions Do Not Necessarily Result In Compression Of Morbidity: A Case Example Offering A Robust Statistical Approach, Deependra K Thapa, Wasiuddin Najam, Erik S Parker, Xi Rita Wang, Daniel L Smith, Ufuk Beyaztas, James F Nelson, Steven N Austad, Gary A Churchill, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Despite extensive research on life-extending interventions, rigorous statistical techniques to determine their impact on compression of morbidity (CoM) are rarely used. We present a case example of an analytical method for examining the effect of life-extending dietary interventions on CoM by comparing the rates of decline in vitality and survival toward the end of life. Using data from previous experimental studies in mice, we calculated the average rate of vitality decline by fitting exponential decay models to individual vitality trajectories and compared this rate with the rate of survival decline estimated from Cox proportional hazards model. The results showed that, …

A Comparison Of Biological Therapies Vs Traditional Immunosuppressant In The Management Of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Narrative Review, Umme Farwah Tahir Dr, Sadaf Noureen, Fnu Partab, Muhammad Waqas Afzal, Maham Afzal, Asad Mehmood, Fatima Afzal, Kaynat Hasan, Fnu Sameeha, Seerat Riaz, Sumyya Tariq, Abida Perveen

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic immune-mediated condition requiring long-term management. Traditional immunosuppressants, such as corticosteroids, thiopurines, and methotrexate, have been widely used but are associated with broad immunosuppressive effects and significant adverse events. The advent of biological therapies, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, integrin inhibitors, and interleukin (IL)-12/23 inhibitors, has revolutionized IBD treatment by offering targeted immune modulation. Biologics have demonstrated superior efficacy in achieving and maintaining remission compared to traditional immunosuppressants, particularly in moderate to severe IBD. They provide targeted immune suppression, reducing systemic side effects, but are associated with …

Rab5c Increases Endothelial Release Of Vwf By Regulating Vesicle Trafficking, Paula Reventun, Pablo Toledano-Sanz, Maria Delgado-Marin, Maria Viskadourou, D Brian Foster, Paul S De Vries, Maria Sabater-Lleal, Nunzio Alcharani, Claudia Gonzalez-Cucharero, William O Osburn, Alanna C Morrison, Alisa S Wolberg, Nicholas L Smith, Marios Arvanitis, Charles J Lowenstein

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Abnormal levels of VWF (von Willebrand Factor) are a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding. Genome-wide association studies for VWF have identified novel candidate genes that may regulate VWF levels in humans, including RAB5C (RAS-associated protein RAB5C). We hypothesized that RAB5C regulates VWF release from endothelial cells.

Methods: We studied the effect of RAB5C on vesicle trafficking in human endothelial cells. We performed CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) interference targeting 2 genetic variants linked to altered VWF levels and evaluated RAB5C expression by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We silenced RAB5C or overexpressed RAB5C wild-type, …

Fda Approval Of The Eversense 365 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System: A New Era In Long-Term Glucose Monitoring, Kiley Devoll, Alexander Defranco, Kennedy Kosikowski, Anna Spalvieri, Macy Davis, Connor Dains, Brenna Hissong, Emily Eddy

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Eversense 365 is an implantable continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system designed to provide accurate glucose measurements for up to 365 days. Current clinical guidelines recommend CGM use for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with evidence demonstrating benefit in patients with T2DM regardless of concurrent insulin use. Healthcare providers play a key role in patient education and are well-positioned to support the adoption of long-term CGM technologies, including Eversense 365. The safety and efficacy of the 365-day CGM have been evaluated across a series of clinical trials, which demonstrate clinically meaningful improvements in …

Alcohol And The Endocrine System: A Critical Review Of Disruptions, Potential Mechanisms, And Health Implications, Patricia E. Molina, Liz Simon

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

The endocrine system coordinates and integrates cellular activity throughout the body by regulating cellular and organ function and maintaining homeostasis. Homeostasis, the dynamic maintenance of internal balance despite changing external or internal conditions, is essential for proper cellular function. The endocrine system achieves this through a complex regulatory network of hormone-mediated signaling among multiple endocrine organs, relying on precisely regulated synthesis and release of hormones and specific hormone-receptor interactions. Endocrine-mediated actions coordinate critical physiological processes, including growth, metabolism, reproduction, stress adaptation, and circadian rhythms throughout the lifespan. Endocrine glands—such as the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid glands, pancreas, adrenal glands, and …

High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I And Frailty: Associations With The Frailty Index And Fried Phenotype In Older Women, Jedd Pratt, Abadi K. Gebre, Carlos J. Toro-Huamanchumo, Elsa Dent, Trent Bozanich, Wai E. Lim, Elizabeth Byrnes, Julee Mcdonagh, Caleb Ferguson, Craig Sale, Kun Zhu, Carl Schultz, Richard L. Prince, Joshua R. Lewis, Marc Sim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite the nexus between cardiovascular health and frailty, the relevance of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), a biomarker of myocardial injury, to frailty is poorly understood. We examined whether hs-cTnI concentrations were associated with frailty in a well-characterized cohort of older women. A total of 1151 community-dwelling women from the Perth Longitudinal Study of Aging Women (mean age ± SD = 75.2 ± 2.7 years) were included. Frailty was operationalized using a validated frailty index (FI) of cumulative deficits and a modified Fried phenotype. Plasma hs-cTnI were categorized into quartiles. Cross-sectional associations between hs-cTnI quartiles and frailty were assessed using …

Weight-Loss Efficacy Of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists Relative To Lifestyle-Based Interventions, Amy Betterton

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

ABSTRACT

This clinical review compares the effectiveness of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) with traditional lifestyle modifications in managing obesity. This article also examines barriers to accessing the medications in both civilian and veteran populations. This clinical review was conducted through a wide-ranging review of the published literature, including clinical trials, observational studies, and review articles on lifestyle modifications, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and barriers to obesity treatment. While lifestyle modifications are generally considered a first-line approach and are cost-effective, they tend to yield only modest weight loss. In contrast, GLP-1 RAs offer significantly greater reductions in body weight as …

Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption And Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Mesa (Multiethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis), Amier Haidar, Rishi Rikhi, Karol E Watson, Alexis C Wood, Michael D Shapiro

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) have been linked to adverse cardiometabolic outcomes and increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) (ASCVD) risk. However, prior research has largely focused on homogenous populations, lacking racial and ethnic diversity.

Objectives: The objectives are to examine the longitudinal relationship between UPF consumption and ASCVD risk and to investigate whether these associations differ by race/ethnicity, sex, or socioeconomic status.

Methods: The MESA (Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) is a prospective cohort study of 6,814 U.S. adults aged 45 to 84 years, without clinically apparent CVD. UPF consumption was classified according to the Nova classification system. Multivariable cox proportional hazards …

N-Palmitoyl Glutamine Is A Candidate Mediator Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Jeremy M Robbins, Mark Benson, Anthony R P Verkerke, Gaurav Tiwari, Shuliang Deng, Prashant Rao, Usman A Tahir, Julian Avila-Pacheco, Xu Shi, Yuntian Guan, Foje-Geh Tendoh, Jacob L Barber, Patricia E Miller, Andrew S Perry, Michael E Hall, Alexis C Wood, Kent D Taylor, Wendy S Post, Stephen S Rich, Matthew Nayor, James G Wilson, Gregory D Lewis, Ravi V Shah, Jerome I Rotter, Scott A Summers, Laura M Raffield, Shingo Kajimura, Claude Bouchard, Clary B Clish, Mark A Sarzynski, Robert E Gerszten

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness is an integrative measure of cardiometabolic health and predictor of survival, yet little is known about its molecular underpinnings. Small molecule metabolites and lipids are increasingly recognized as exercise-stimulated signaling molecules and candidate molecular transducers of cardiorespiratory fitness.

Methods: We performed nontargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-based plasma metabolomics in 654 participants (mean age, 35 years; 55% women) from the HERITAGE Family Study (Health, Risk Factors, Exercise Training, and Genetics) who had cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake [VO2max]) measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing and underwent 20 weeks of supervised endurance training. Metabolite-VO2max relationships were assessed using linear regression …

Conclusions Are Not Supported By The Published Statistical Analysis Comment On López-Toledo Et Al Flaxseed Improves Glucose And Lipid Metabolism In Mexican Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes: A Parallel Randomized Clinical Trial, Robert W Spitz, Deependra K Thapa, Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Wasiuddin Najam, Andrew W Brown, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

López-Toledo et al [...].

Meta-Analysis: Diabetes Mellitus And The Risk Of Endometrial Cancer, Tricia Ho, Marika Ongpauco, Han Ha Ngoc Nguyen

Physician Assistant Studies | Graduate Research Papers

Background: Many studies have looked at the relationship between diabetes mellitus and development of endometrial cancer. This study provides an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the estimated effect of diabetes and the risk of endometrial cancer.

Methods: Some studies were found on databases such as PubMed and Iceberg. The remaining studies were extracted from the initial studies found. Binary data was collected and the raw data was imputed into a Fixed Effects Model.

Results: A total of 25 studies were included in this meta-analysis, generating statistically significant results (p < 0.001, OR 2.05, 95% Cl 1.92-2.19).

Discussion: Diabetes is found to be …

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease And Circadian Rhythm: Current Understanding And Implications For Future Therapeutic Interventions, William K. Slover, Ashley V. Huang, Steve M. D'Souza, Edward C. Oldfield, David A. Johnson

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), defined by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases as hepatic steatosis with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor, affects approximately 30-40% of adults worldwide. This condition may progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The rising prevalence, alongside obesity and type 2 diabetes, underscores the need for early risk stratification and integrated therapeutic strategies. Circadian homeostasis, orchestrated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus and core clock gene feedback loops, synchronizes hepatic metabolic pathways with environmental light-dark cycles. The objective of this review is to evaluate the role of circadian disruption and metabolic dysfunction …

Concurrent Hnf1a (Mody3) And Pdxi (Mody4) Variants In A Young Adult And Critical Therapeutic Implications, Shay-Kay Lambert-Johnson, Matthew Doan, Megan Wesling

North Texas GME Research Forum 2026

BACKGROUND: Monogenic diabetes accounts for approximately 1–5% of diabetes cases and is frequently misclassified. Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) includes 14 subtypes with distinct pathophysiology and therapeutic implications. Digenic MODY, caused by pathogenic variants in more than one MODY gene, occurs in well under 1% of cases and poses unique diagnostic and management challenges. We report the first known case of concurrent HNF1A (MODY3) and PDX1 (MODY4) mutations, highlighting important clinical and therapeutic considerations.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 19-year-old male with digenic MODY due to MODY3 (HNF1A) and MODY4 (PDX1) mutations presented for team-based adult outpatient diabetes management following transition …

Effect Of Lifestyle And Medication Adherence On Type 2 Diabetes Management In Hospital Patients, Mohammed Irfan Lari

Covenant Nurses Week 2026

No abstract provided.

Modern Potentiostat Architectures For Electrochemical Sensing: Design, Integration, And Future Directions, Reagan Aviha, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Potentiostats are essential to electrochemical sensing, enabling precise control of electrode potentials and measurement of current responses. As demand grows for portable, wearable, and point-of-care systems, potentiostat design has evolved from benchtop instruments to compact, low-power, and wirelessly connected platforms. This review provides a comprehensive, system-level perspective on modern potentiostat architectures, covering operational principles, analog front-end design, signal generation and acquisition, communication protocols, and software integration. Unlike prior reviews that treat these aspects independently, this work integrates electrochemical theory with electronic design and data communication frameworks. Key components, including operational amplifiers, transimpedance amplifiers, DAC/ADC subsystems, and microcontroller-based control, are examined …

Factors Influencing Obstetric Ultrasound Examination Duration In A Tertiary Fetal Center, Juliana Gevaerd Martins, Diana Aboukhater, Tetsuya Kawakita, Maya Vishna, Salimah Navaz Gangji, Alfred Abuhamad

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective

To quantify scan duration across commonly performed obstetric ultrasound examinations in a tertiary fetal imaging center and to evaluate whether exam type, maternal body mass index (BMI), and sonographer experience independently influence scan time.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies undergoing diagnostic obstetric ultrasound between January 2023 and May 2024 at a high-volume tertiary care center. Ultrasounds were categorized into five exam types: dating/viability (6-10 weeks), detailed first-trimester (11-14 weeks), detailed second-trimester anatomic survey (18-22 weeks), fetal echocardiography (22-24 weeks), and second/third-trimester growth/Doppler (24-38 weeks) scans. Scan duration was defined using ultrasound image timestamps from …

Improving Glycemic Outcomes In T2dm, Alejandra Everard Ydrogo-Borrego

Covenant Nurses Week 2026

No abstract provided.