May 2023 Member Publications

  1. Erhabor J, Boakye E, Osuji N, Obisesan O, Osei AD, Mirbolouk H, Stokes AC, Dzaye O, El-Shahawy O, Rodriguez CJ, Hirsch GA, Benjamin EJ, DeFilippis AP, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Blaha MJ. Patterns of tobacco product use and substance misuse among adolescents in the United States. Prev Med Rep. 2023 Apr 15;33:102207. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102207. PMID: 37223579; PMCID: PMC10201858.
    Impact Statement: Our study, based on data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, reveals that while the majority of youth report no tobacco product use, a significant proportion engage in e-cigarette use either alone, in combination with one other tobacco product, or with two or more other tobacco products. These patterns of tobacco use are associated with substantially higher rates of substance misuse, including binge drinking, across a range of substances, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted education and counseling interventions to address the issue of substance abuse among youth, especially those who engage in poly-tobacco use.
  2. Posa DK, Miller J, Hoetker D, Ramage MI, Gao H, Zhao J, Doelling B, Bhatnagar A, Wigmore SJ, Skipworth RJE, Baba SP. Skeletal muscle analysis of cancer patients reveals a potential role for carnosine in muscle wasting. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2023 May 18. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.13258. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37199284.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the potential importance of carnosine, a histidyl dipeptide, in preventing muscle wasting in cancer patients. The findings suggest that depletion of carnosine in skeletal muscle may contribute to muscle wasting, and increasing carnosine levels could be a promising therapeutic intervention to combat this condition. These insights offer hope for future interventions that could improve the quality of life for cancer patients by preserving muscle mass and function.
  3. Heindel JJ, Alvarez JA, Atlas E, Cave MC, Chatzi VL, Collier D, Corkey B, Fischer D, Goran MI, Howard S, Kahan S, Kayhoe M, Koliwad S, Kotz CM, La Merrill M, Lobstein T, Lumeng C, Ludwig DS, Lustig RH, Myers P, Nadal A, Trasande L, Redman LM, Rodeheffer MS, Sargis RM, Stephens JM, Ziegler TR, Blumberg B. Obesogens and Obesity: State-of-the-Science and Future Directions Summary from a HEEDS Workshop. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023 May 23:S0002-9165(23)63923-1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37230178.
    Impact Statement: This report summarizes a scientific workshop that examined the role of obesogenic chemicals in contributing to the obesity pandemic. The findings highlight a consensus among relevant stakeholders that environmental obesogens are real and significant contributors to weight gain at both the individual and societal levels, emphasizing the need for further research and potential mitigation strategies to address this pressing public health concern and prevent obesity.
  4. Habil MR, Salazar-González RA, Doll MA, Hein DW. Effect of N-acetyltransferase 2 genetic polymorphism on 4,4'-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline)-induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress. Arch Toxicol. 2023 Jun;97(6):1773-1781. doi: 10.1007/s00204-023-03508-1. Epub 2023 May 4. PMID: 37142755.
    Impact Statement: 4,4'-Methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) or MOCA has been linked to hepatomas in animal studies while limited epidemiologic studies reported the association of exposure to MOCA and urinary bladder and breast cancer. We investigated MOCA-induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in DNA repair-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with human metabolizing enzymes CYP1A2 and N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) variants as well as in rapid, intermediate, and slow NAT2 acetylator cryopreserved human hepatocytes. Our findings show that N-acetylation and genotoxicity of MOCA is NAT2 genotype dependent and suggest that individuals possessing NAT2*7B are at higher risk to MOCA-induced mutagenicity. DNA damage, and oxidative stress.
  5. Song K, Wang S, Han J, Jiang L, Xu J, Akca O, Adkins K, Koenig HM, Slaughter MS, Clifford SP, Huang Y, Huang J. Intraoperative Fraction of Inspired Oxygen and Lung Injury in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Study Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial. Turk J Anaesthesiol Reanim. 2023 Apr;51(2):112-120. doi: 10.5152/TJAR.2023.22974. PMID: 37140576.
    Impact Statement: This is one of the first randomised controlled observer-blinded trials that prospectively evaluates the influence of higher inspired oxygen fractions on early postoperative respiratory and oxygenation outcomes in cardiac surgery patients using cardiopulmonary bypass.
  6. Latif RK, Clifford SP, Baker JA, Lenhardt R, Haq MZ, Huang J, Farah I, Businger JR. Traumatic hemorrhage and chain of survival. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2023 May 24;31(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s13049-023-01088-8. PMID: 37226264; PMCID: PMC10207757.
    Impact Statement: Trauma is the number one cause of death among Americans between the ages of 1 and 46 years, costing more than $670 billion a year. An algorithm is proposed for achieving these goals in a timely fashion as the median time from onset of hemorrhagic shock and death is 2 h.
  7. Grande M, Eldeirawi KM, Huntington-Moskos L, Polivka B, Nyenhuis SM. The Association of Food Insecurity With Asthma Control in Adults During COVID-19. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2023 May 3:S2213-2198(23)00469-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.04.028. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37146886.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between food insecurity and asthma control in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings demonstrate that adults with higher levels of food insecurity are more likely to have uncontrolled asthma, emphasizing the need for healthcare providers to screen and address food insecurity when managing individuals with asthma to improve their overall asthma control and well-being.
  8. Juin SK, Ouseph R, Gondim DD, Jala VR, Sen U. Diabetic Nephropathy and Gaseous Modulators. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 May 12;12(5):1088. doi: 10.3390/antiox12051088. PMID: 37237955; PMCID: PMC10215699.
    Impact Statement: This publication, led by Dr. Utpal Sen, provides an overview of recent research on the role of gaseous signaling molecules, known as gasotransmitters, in diabetic nephropathy (DN), the leading cause of vascular morbidity and mortality in diabetes patients. By summarizing the advances in understanding the physiological relevance of these molecules and their interactions with other factors, such as the extracellular matrix, we shed light on the underlying mechanisms of DN progression and highlight the potential of gasotransmitters as therapeutic interventions to ameliorate this devastating disease.
  9. Hardesty JE, Warner JB, Song YL, Floyd A, McClain CJ, Warner DR, Kirpich IA. Fpr2-/- Mice Developed Exacerbated Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease. Biology (Basel). 2023 Apr 23;12(5):639. doi: 10.3390/biology12050639. PMID: 37237453; PMCID: PMC10215685.
    Impact Statement: Our study investigates the role of formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), the most common chronic liver disease. We found that mice lacking FPR2 experienced more severe liver injury, inflammation, and compromised regeneration compared to normal mice when exposed to chronic-binge ethanol administration, highlighting the crucial role of FPR2 in the pathogenesis of ALD. This research provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying ALD and may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for this debilitating condition, offering hope for improved outcomes and reduced healthcare burden for individuals affected by ALD.
  10. Naughton CC, Holm RH, Lin NJ, James BP, Smith T. Online dashboards for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater data need standard best practices: An environmental health communication agenda. J Water Health. 2023 May;21(5):615-624. doi: 10.2166/wh.2023.312. PMID: 37254909.
    Impact Statement: This study underscores the need to standardize the presentation of SARS-CoV-2 (and other pathogen) wastewater data across online dashboards globally, which we show to vary greatly leading to potential public health miscommunication. Our findings could lead to improved risk communication, enabling better use of this important data on a global scale, informing public health responses to COVID-19 and enhancing the efficacy of future pandemic management efforts.
  11. Keith RJ, Holm RH, Amraotkar AR, Bezold MM, Brick JM, Bushau-Sprinkle AM, Hamorsky KT, Kitterman KT, Palmer KE, Smith T, Yeager R, Bhatnagar A. Stratified Simple Random Sampling Versus Volunteer Community-Wide Sampling for Estimates of COVID-19 Prevalence. Am J Public Health. 2023 May 18:e1-e10. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307303. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37200600.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates the importance of using structured targeted sampling approaches to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community. The findings show that these sampling methods provide more accurate estimates of disease prevalence compared to administratively reported data based on incident cases. The study highlights the significance of using targeted sampling, particularly among marginalized populations, to obtain more reliable and representative data for public health planning and interventions.
  12. Schwartz DJ, Shalon N, Wardenburg K, DeVeaux A, Wallace MA, Hall-Moore C, Ndao IM, Sullivan JE, Radmacher P, Escobedo M, Burnham CD, Warner BB, Tarr PI, Dantas G. Gut pathogen colonization precedes bloodstream infection in the neonatal intensive care unit. Sci Transl Med. 2023 May 3;15(694):eadg5562. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adg5562. Epub 2023 May 3. PMID: 37134153.
    Impact Statement: Bacterial bloodstream infections (BSIs) cause late-onset sepsis that affects up to half of extremely preterm infants and results in substantial morbidity and mortality. Bacterial species associated with these BSIs in these infants are known to commonly colonize the preterm infant gut microbiome. Data was analyzed from 550 fecal metagenomes from 115 hospitalized preterm neonates. Recent exposure to certain antibiotics was associated with an increase in the presence of Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae in these infants. Additional metagenomic sequencing from 19 infants with BSE and 37 non-BSI controls showed that infants with BSI caused by Enterobacteriaceae were more likely than infants BSI caused by other organisms to have received certain antibiotics in the previous 10 days before the BSI. Additional studies are needed to evaluate BSI risk prediction strategies based on gut microbiome abundance in hospitalized preterm infants with the goal of preventing BSI in these infants leading to decreased morbidity and mortality.
  13. Piell KM, Petri BJ, Head KZ, Wahlang B, Xu R, Zhang X, Pan J, Rai SN, de Silva K, Chariker JH, Rouchka EC, Tan M, Li Y, Cave MC, Klinge CM. Disruption of the mouse liver epitranscriptome by long-term aroclor 1260 exposure. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2023 May 1;100:104138. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104138. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37137421.
    Impact Statement: This study compared the effect of low fat diet (LFD) for 34 wks and high fat diet (HFD) for 23 wks with and without co-exposure to the PCB mixture Aroclor1260 on global RNA modifications in male mouse liver. The results demonstrate that diet and Ar1260 exposure alter the liver epitranscriptome in pathways associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  14. Yeager R, Browning MHEM, Breyer E, Ossola A, Larson LR, Riggs DW, Rigolon A, Chandler C, Fleischer D, Keith R, Walker K, Hart JL, Smith T, Bhatnagar A. Greenness and equity: Complex connections between intra-neighborhood contexts and residential tree planting implementation. Environ Int. 2023 May 12;176:107955. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107955. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37196566.
    Impact Statement: This study investigates the complex relationship between neighborhood greenness, socioeconomic status (SES), and barriers to residential tree planting. The findings highlight the need for a deeper understanding of local socioeconomic inequities and barriers to tree planting, particularly among low-SES residents, to ensure effective and equitable implementation of large-scale tree planting initiatives. By shedding light on these dynamics, the research provides valuable insights for future efforts to improve human health, climate adaptation, and environmental equity through community greening initiatives.
  15. Zhang Y, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Yuan J, Zhang Q. MMP-3-mediated cleavage of OPN is involved in copper oxide nanoparticle-induced activation of fibroblasts. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2023 May 22;20(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s12989-023-00532-y. PMID: 37217992; PMCID: PMC10201731.
    Impact Statement: Copper oxide nanoparticles (Nano-CuO) are one of the most produced and used nanomaterials. Previous studies have shown that exposure to Nano-CuO caused acute lung injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. However, the mechanisms underlying Nano-CuO-induced lung fibrosis are still unclear. Our results demonstrated that Nano-CuO exposure caused increased production of MMP-3 from lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells and U937* macrophages, which cleaved osteopontin (OPN), resulting in the activation of lung fibroblasts MRC-5. Our findings suggest that MMP-3-cleaved OPN may play a key role in Nano-CuO-induced activation of lung fibroblasts.