June 2024 Member Publications

  1. Sagheer U, Al-Kindi S, Abohashem S, Phillips CT, Rana JS, Bhatnagar A, Gulati M, Rajagopalan S, Kalra DK. Environmental Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease: Part 1 of 2: Air Pollution. JACC Adv. 2023 Dec 28;3(2):100805. doi: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100805. PMID: 38939391; PMCID: PMC11198409.
    Impact Statement: This publication sheds light on the crucial link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease (CVD), emphasizing that despite progress in high-income countries, CVD remains a pressing issue in low- to middle-income countries due to environmental factors. By detailing the pathophysiological mechanisms and offering strategies to mitigate pollution, this review underscores the need for targeted interventions to address the ongoing global burden of CVD.
  2. Sagheer U, Al-Kindi S, Abohashem S, Phillips CT, Rana JS, Bhatnagar A, Gulati M, Rajagopalan S, Kalra DK. Environmental Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease: Part 2 of 2: Soil, Water, and Other Forms of Pollution. JACC Adv. 2024 Jan 4;3(2):100815. doi: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100815. PMID: 38939394; PMCID: PMC11198458.
    Impact Statement: This review highlights the significant link between environmental pollution and cardiovascular disease (CVD), emphasizing the urgent need for improved understanding and action. By detailing major pollutants, their impact on CVD, and strategies for risk reduction, the article aims to raise awareness and drive proactive measures across healthcare, science, and policy. 
  3. Cai L. Invited Perspective: New Insight into Cadmium-Related Osteoporosis Yields Hope for Prevention and Therapy. Environ Health Perspect. 2024 Jun;132(6):61301. doi: 10.1289/EHP15263. Epub 2024 Jun 19. PMID: 38896781; PMCID: PMC11218703.
    Impact Statement: In the Jun issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, a mechanistic mouse study on cadmium (Cd)-induced osteoporosis has proposed a hypothesis that nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and its Cap ‘n’ Collar and basic region Leucine Zipper (CNC-bZIP) family member nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1 (NRF1) coordinate osteoclastogenesis during Cd exposure, for which I had a brief commentary to shed some new insights into cadmium-related osteoporosis, providing hope for its prevention and therapy. 
  4. Wise JTF, Hein DW. N-Acetyltransferase Metabolism and DNA Damage Following Exposure to 4,4'-Oxydianiline in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells. Toxicol Lett. 2024 Jun 19:S0378-4274(24)00129-2. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.06.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38906436.
    Impact Statement: Waterpipe smoking is increasingly popular and understanding how chemicals found in hookah smoke may be harmful to human bronchial epithelial cells is of great importance. The publication shows that 4,4’-oxydianiline, the most prevalent aromatic amine identified in hookah smoke, is N-acetylated and induces DNA damage in human bronchial epithelial cells. 
  5. Walls KM, Joh JY, Hong KU, Hein DW. Heterocyclic Amines Disrupt Lipid Homeostasis in Cryopreserved Human Hepatocytes. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2024 Jun 8. doi: 10.1007/s12012-024-09874-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38851663.
    Impact Statement: Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are mutagens generated when cooking meat at high temperatures or until well-done. Recent epidemiological studies reported that dietary HCA exposure may be linked to insulin resistance and type II diabetes. The publication shows that HCAs dysregulate lipid production, metabolism, and storage. HCA exposure may lead to fat accumulation in hepatocytes, which may contribute to hepatic insulin resistance and MASH. 
  6. El Tahan MM, Cheng DC, Szegedi L, Mellin-Olsen J, Zdravkovic M, Lineburger EB, Filipescu D, Tritapepe L, Guarracino F, Neto CN, Garcia PC, Ángel Rodenas Monteagudo M, Granell MG, Guillén RV, Gaudard P, Abdulmomen A, Eldawlatly AA, Bubenek-Turconi SI, Stoica R, Licker M, Erdoes G, Mauermann E, Kirov M, Lomivorotov V, Saldien V, Momeni M, Huang J. A Multi-Country Survey on the Availability of Intraoperative Use of Echocardiography for Noncardiac Surgery. Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2024 Jun 6:10892532241256020. doi: 10.1177/10892532241256020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38842145.
    Impact Statement: Echocardiography machines and skilled echocardiographers are still unavailable at many centers worldwide. National societies should aim to train a critical mass of certified TEE/TTE anesthesiologists and provide all anesthesiologists access to perioperative TEE/TTE machines in anesthesiology departments. 
  7. Tang F, Han H, Fu S, Liu Q, Zhou S, Huang J, Xiao Y. Nonpharmacological Approaches to Managing Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction. Circ Heart Fail. 2024 Jun 18:e011269. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.123.011269. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38887946.
    Impact Statement: Nonpharmacological interventions hold promise for advancing heartfailure with preserved ejection fraction patient care and fostering a deeper understanding of these treatment approaches, which will facilitate new clinical applications and contribute to the development of more targeted therapies. 
  8. Xie Z, Morris JD, Pan J, Cooke EA, Sutaria SR, Balcom D, Marimuthu S, Parrish LW, Aliesky H, Huang JJ, Rai SN, Arnold FW, Huang J, Nantz MH, Fu XA. Detection of COVID-19 by quantitative analysis of carbonyl compounds in exhaled breath. Sci Rep. 2024 Jun 24;14(1):14568. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-61735-7. PMID: 38914586; PMCID: PMC11196736.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates the efficacy of breath analysis in detecting COVID-19, showcasing high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for identifying infected patients and distinguishing between SARS-CoV-2 variants. Utilizing a microfabricated silicon microreactor and UHPLC-MS, this non-invasive method holds significant promise for rapid screening and early detection of COVID-19 and potentially other infectious respiratory diseases. 
  9. Tomlinson MM, Pugh F, Nail AN, Newton JD, Udoh K, Abraham S, Kavalukas S, Guinn B, Tamimi RM, Laden F, Iyer HS, States JC, Ruther M, Ellis CT, DuPré NC. Heavy-metal associated breast cancer and colorectal cancer hot spots and their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Cancer Causes Control. 2024 Jun 25. doi: 10.1007/s10552-024-01894-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38916703.
    Impact Statement: This study reports an association between ambient carcinogenic metal exposures and the likelihood of residing in breast and colorectal cancer hotspots in Kentucky. It highlights that further epidemiologic research on environmental carcinogens and common cancers is needed that may play a role in observed cancer disparities due to environmental injustices. 
  10. Gobejishvili L, Vatsalya V, Avila DV, Feygin YB, McClain CJ, Mokshagundam S, Barve S. Association of Circulating Markers of Microbial Translocation and Hepatic Inflammation with Liver Injury in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Biomedicines. 2024 May 31;12(6):1227. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12061227. PMID: 38927434; PMCID: PMC11200675.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that increased microbial translocation and systemic inflammation are significant factors contributing to liver injury in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as evidenced by elevated serum markers of inflammation and hepatocyte death. The findings highlight the potential role of gut-liver axis disturbances in the pathogenesis of liver disease associated with T2DM, underscoring the need for further research to validate these observations and explore their clinical implications. 
  11. Sears L, Smith MJ, Cai L, Zierold KM. The association of manganese overexposure and neurobehavioral function is moderated by arsenic: A metal mixture analysis of children living near coal ash storage sites. Neurotoxicology. 2024 Jun 11;103:78-86. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.06.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38871300.
    Impact Statement: This study investigated the effects of multiple heavy metal exposures on children and found that the known neurobehavioral problems associated with manganese overexposure are moderated by arsenic co-exposures. Findings provide a better understanding of the effects of multiple heavy metal exposures on child development. 
  12. Pardo-Palacios FJ, Wang D, Reese F, Diekhans M, Carbonell-Sala S, Williams B, Loveland JE, De María M, Adams MS, Balderrama-Gutierrez G, Behera AK, Gonzalez Martinez JM, Hunt T, Lagarde J, Liang CE, Li H, Meade MJ, Moraga Amador DA, Prjibelski AD, Birol I, Bostan H, Brooks AM, Çelik MH, Chen Y, Du MRM, Felton C, Göke J, Hafezqorani S, Herwig R, Kawaji H, Lee J, Li JL, Lienhard M, Mikheenko A, Mulligan D, Nip KM, Pertea M, Ritchie ME, Sim AD, Tang AD, Wan YK, Wang C, Wong BY, Yang C, Barnes I, Berry AE, Capella-Gutierrez S, Cousineau A, Dhillon N, Fernandez-Gonzalez JM, Ferrández-Peral L, Garcia-Reyero N, Götz S, Hernández-Ferrer C, Kondratova L, Liu T, Martinez-Martin A, Menor C, Mestre-Tomás J, Mudge JM, Panayotova NG, Paniagua A, Repchevsky D, Ren X, Rouchka E, Saint-John B, Sapena E, Sheynkman L, Smith ML, Suner MM, Takahashi H, Youngworth IA, Carninci P, Denslow ND, Guigó R, Hunter ME, Maehr R, Shen Y, Tilgner HU, Wold BJ, Vollmers C, Frankish A, Au KF, Sheynkman GM, Mortazavi A, Conesa A, Brooks AN. Systematic assessment of long-read RNA-seq methods for transcript identification and quantification. Nat Methods. 2024 Jun 7. doi: 10.1038/s41592-024-02298-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38849569.
    Impact Statement: This publication establishes a benchmark for long-read RNA sequencing by demonstrating that longer, more accurate sequences enhance transcript detection and characterization, while greater read depth improves quantification accuracy. It provides valuable guidance for improving transcriptome analysis methods and suggests incorporating additional data for better detection of rare and novel transcripts. 
  13. Engelbrecht E, Rodriguez OL, Shields K, Schultze S, Tieri D, Jana U, Yaari G, Lees WD, Smith ML, Watson CT. Resolving haplotype variation and complex genetic architecture in the human immunoglobulin kappa chain locus in individuals of diverse ancestry. Genes Immun. 2024 Jun 6. doi: 10.1038/s41435-024-00279-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38844673.
    Impact Statement: This study presents the first comprehensive haplotype-resolved assemblies of the IGK locus across a diverse cohort, revealing extensive genetic variation including novel single nucleotide and structural variants. These findings offer a crucial genomic reference, enhancing our understanding of population-specific variations and their functional implications in immunoglobulin genetics. 
  14. Han D, Linares P, Holm RH, Chandran K, Smith T. Wastewater threshold as an indicator of COVID-19 cases in correctional facilities for public health response: A modeling study. Water Res. 2024 Jun 12;260:121934. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121934. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38908309.
    Impact Statement: This study is the first national program to derive a robust facility-specific model for predicting COVID-19 cases in prisons using only wastewater viral concentrations. This is the first research model put into practice in correctional health setting derived from data from that setting. 
  15. , Yeager R,, Keith RJ, Riggs DW, Fleischer D, Browning MHEM, Ossola A, Walker KL, Hart JL, , Srivastava S,, Rai SN, , Smith T, Bhatnagar A,. Intra-neighborhood associations between residential greenness and blood pressure. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jun 18;946:173788. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173788. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38901580.
    Impact Statement: This study found that higher leaf surface area around homes is significantly associated with lower systolic blood pressure, especially within 150-250 meters and 500 meters of residences, but there was little association with grass cover. The effects of greenness on blood pressure varied with participant characteristics, highlighting the need for further research to understand causative links and to inform targeted greening interventions.
  16. Lu H, Wise SS, Speer RM, Croom-Perez TJ, Toyoda JH, Meaza I, Williams A, Pierce Wise J Jr, Kouokam JC, Young Wise J, Hoyle G, Zhu C, Ali AM, Pierce Wise J Sr. Acute particulate hexavalent chromium exposure induces DNA double strand breaks and activates homologous recombination repair in rat lung tissue. Toxicol Sci. 2024 Jun 12:kfae076. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae076. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38867691.
    Impact Statement:This study demonstrates that acute exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) induces DNA double-strand breaks and activates homologous recombination repair in rat lungs, mirroring findings from cell culture studies. The research confirms that chromosome instability, a key feature of lung cancer, is driven by Cr(VI)-induced DNA damage and repair processes, with female rats showing greater susceptibility than males. 
  17. Vielee ST, Isibor J, Buchanan WJ, Roof SH, Patel M, Meaza I, Williams A, Toyoda JH, Lu H, Wise SS, Kouokam JC, Young Wise J, Abouiessa AM, Cai J, Cai L, Wise JP Jr. Employing a Toxic Aging Coin approach to assess hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI])-induced neurotoxic effects on behavior: Heads for age differences. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2024 Jun 18;489:117007. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.117007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38901695.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) at the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels (0.05 and 0.1 mg/L, respectively) significantly impairs behavior in adult rats, particularly affecting memory. These findings highlight the urgent need for age-inclusive toxicology research and suggest revisiting current Cr(VI) drinking water regulations to better protect human health.