CIEHS Member Publication Finder

Type a word in the input field to filter the list for CIEHS member publications. Click on the link the view the publication in PubMed.

  • Rajagopalan S, McAlister S, Jay J, Pham RD, Brook RD, Nasir K, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Landrigan P, Wiesler A, Sanborn CV, Carron JR, Brooks KH, Bhatnagar A, Al-Kindi S. Environmental sustainability in cardiovascular practice: current challenges and future directions. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2024 Oct 25. doi: 10.1038/s41569-024-01077-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39455886.
    Impact Statement: This publication highlights the critical need for environmental sustainability in cardiovascular care, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution while potentially improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. It outlines frameworks for sustainable practices, discusses carbon emissions and climate impacts of healthcare, and emphasizes prevention as a key strategy for minimizing the environmental footprint of cardiovascular care. 
  • Yao Z, Tasdighi E, Dardari ZA, Erhabor J, Jha KK, Osuji N, Rajan T, Boakye E, Rodriguez CJ, Lima JAC, Judd S, Feldman T, Fialkow JA, Ramachandran VS, El Shahawy O, Benjamin EJ, Bhatnagar A, DeFilippis AP, Nasir K, Blaha MJ. Use of E-Cigarette, Traditional Cigarettes, and C-Reactive Protein: The Cross Cohort Collaboration. Am Heart J. 2024 Oct 24:S0002-8703(24)00275-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2024.10.012. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39461654.
    Impact Statement: This cross-sectional study of 18,797 participants across six longitudinal cohorts found that exclusive electronic cigarette (EC) use was associated with significantly lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) compared to exclusive combustible cigarette use, suggesting a potentially reduced inflammatory response. However, hs-CRP levels in dual users and former smokers currently using ECs were similar to those of exclusive cigarette smokers, underscoring the importance of ongoing monitoring of EC use for tobacco regulation and public health. 
  • He L, Xu R, Ma X, Yin X, Mueller E, Feng W, Menze M, Kim S, McClain CJ, Zhang X. Multiomics Studies on Metabolism Changes in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease. J Proteome Res. 2024 Nov 1;23(11):4962-4972. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00451. Epub 2024 Oct 17. PMID: 39418671.
    Impact Statement: Quantification of polar metabolites and lipids in the liver of mice with experimental ALD shows that alcohol consumption drives metabolism toward lipid synthesis. Results from enzyme expression and activity detection indicated that the decreased activity of mitochondrial glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase contributed to the disordered metabolism. 
  • Zou W, Huang J. In reply: Fibreoptic or flexible bronchoscopy during bronchial blocker placement: time to stop perpetuating a bronchoscopic misnomer? Can J Anaesth. 2024 Oct 7. doi: 10.1007/s12630-024-02846-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39375283.
    Impact Statement: This publication reply addresses the importance of using precise terminology, advocating for "flexible bronchoscope" instead of the misnomer "fibreoptic bronchoscope" in clinical settings. It also highlights the potential benefits of combining the loop-cinching and manual angulation techniques for improved bronchial blocker placement, calling for further study to validate these methods. 
  • Adelmann D, Reddy M, Zhou GP, Fukazawa K, Wang R, Kassel C, Nguyen-Buckley C, Bastidas J, De Marchi L, Wilson EA, Nazemian R, Fernandez-Bustamante A, Anderson A, Chadha RM, Huang J, Moguilevitch M, Townsend E, Rosenfeld DM, Kothari RP. The perioperative care in liver transplantation multicenter database: Building the foundation for research collaboration in liver transplantation. J Clin Anesth. 2024 Oct 21;99:111651. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2024.111651. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39437663.
    Impact Statement: The Society for the Advancement of Transplant Anesthesia (SATA) Perioperative Care in Liver Transplantation Multicenter Database (SATA liver database) is a groundbreaking initiative that enables standardized, multicenter data collection for perioperative liver transplant care, currently engaging 17 U.S. transplant centers. By fostering data collaboration and facilitating comprehensive research, the SATA liver database is positioned to significantly advance patient outcomes and enhance clinical insights in liver transplantation. 
  • Polivka B, Krueger K, Bimbi O, Huntington-Moskos L, Nyenhuis S, Cramer E, Eldeirawi K. Integrating Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring, Ecological Momentary Assessment, and Spirometry to Evaluate Asthma Symptoms: Usability Study. JMIR Form Res. 2024 Oct 10;8:e60147. doi: 10.2196/60147. PMID: 39388233; PMCID: PMC11502973.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that integrating indoor air quality monitoring, ecological momentary assessment, and home spirometry is both acceptable and usable for adults with asthma, offering valuable insights into real-time environmental exposures and asthma outcomes. Participant feedback highlighted technical challenges and usability improvements that can enhance future research in this area. 
  • Alejandro B, Kim EJ, Hwang JY, Park JW, Smith M , Chung D. Genetic and phenotypic changes to Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus following treatment with β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine, an RNA mutagen. Sci Rep. 2024 Oct 25;14(1):25265. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-76788-x. PMID: 39448734; PMCID: PMC11502654.
    Impact Statement: This study provides a detailed understanding on how viruses adapt to new environments and how RNA mutagens can affect the viral population landscape. It's a big step toward developing more effective antiviral treatment. 
  • Lakshmanan J, Jaganathan VL, Zhang B, Werner G, Allen TS, Schultz DJ, Klinge CM , Harbrecht BG. Anticancer Properties Against Select Cancer Cell Lines and Metabolomics Analysis of Tender Coconut Water. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2024 Oct 15. doi: 10.2174/0118715206327789241008162423. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39411967.
    Impact Statement: Tender coconut water (TCW) stimulates the viability of primary rat hepatocytes but inhibits the viability of breast, liver, and colon cancer cells in vitro. Untargeted metabolomics was used to identify the TCW metabolites with anti-cancer activity. TCW contains 271 metabolites, primarily lipids and lipid-like molecules, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, and organic oxygen compounds. We reported that three components from TCW: 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-1-one, iondole-3-carbox aldehyde and caffeic acid that inhibited the growth of cancer cells and altered the transcript and protein abundance of genes involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and pathways in intracellular kinase signaling. 
  • Vielee ST, Buchanan WJ, Roof SH, Kahloon R, Evans E, Isibor J, Patel M, Meaza I, Lu H, Williams AR, Kouokam JC, Wise SS, Guo L, Wise RM, Wise JL, Cai L, Cai J, Wise JP Jr. Chromium Selectively Accumulates in the Rat Hippocampus after 90 Days of Exposure to Cr(VI) in Drinking Water and Induces Age- and Sex-Dependent Metal Dyshomeostasis. Toxics. 2024 Oct 3;12(10):722. doi: 10.3390/toxics12100722. PMID: 39453142; PMCID: PMC11510846.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], a metal commonly polluting drinking water, selectively accumulated in the hippocampus of rats following a 90-day drinking water exposure at levels currently deemed safe. Our study considered both sexes and three age groups; though the most drastic accumulation of chromium was observed in the hippocampus of geriatric females, we further observed Cr(VI) disrupted essential metal homeostasis across all ages and both sexes. These findings highlight age- and sex-specific vulnerabilities to Cr(VI) exposure and underscore the need for further toxicological investigation into its broader impacts on brain health. 
  • Hardesty JE, McClain CJ. Current Pharmacotherapy and Nutrition Therapy of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease. Clin Liver Dis. 2024 Nov;28(4):731-745. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2024.06.018. Epub 2024 Aug 13. PMID: 39362718; PMCID: PMC11529778.
    Impact Statement: Patients with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) consume large amounts of empty calories and are at risk for malnutrition. Malnutrition can present with micro- or macro-nutrient deficiencies. The standard-of-care drug treatment for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is corticosteroids. While still in the standard treatment there are limitations in efficacy and certain patients do not respond to treatment (Lille score ≥.45). This article will focus on important concepts related to nutrition and ALD and on recent findings on predicting corticosteroid response and prognosis for AH patients. 
  • Brown K, Funk K, Figueroa Barrientos A, Bailey A, Shrader S, Feng W, McClain CJ, Song ZH. The Modulatory Effects and Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol in the Gut. Cells. 2024 Sep 26;13(19):1618. doi: 10.3390/cells13191618. PMID: 39404382; PMCID: PMC11475737.
    Impact Statement: This review highlights the therapeutic potential of cannabidiol (CBD) in modulating gastrointestinal health, including its effects on intestinal permeability, the microbiome, and immune responses. Evidence suggests that CBD’s impact on the GI system may also benefit conditions beyond the gut, such as liver disease and multiple sclerosis, pointing to its broader therapeutic value. 
  • Kumar K, Bosch K, Vemuri V, Kratholm N, Rane M, Kakar SS. Withaferin A ameliorates ovarian cancer-induced renal damage through the regulation of expression of inflammatory cytokines. J Ovarian Res. 2024 Oct 11;17(1):199. doi: 10.1186/s13048-024-01519-9. PMID: 39394174; PMCID: PMC11468018.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that peritoneal ovarian cancer in NSG mice induces kidney damage and renal dysfunction, characterized by elevated inflammatory cytokines and plasma creatinine levels. Treatment with withaferin A (WFA) significantly mitigated these effects, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent to counteract ovarian cancer-induced kidney injury. 
  • Tomlinson MM, Kerstiens S, Smith C, Agbonlahor O, Clarke J, Vincent K, Walker KL, McLeish AC, Keith RJ, Smith T, Yeager RA, Wood LA, , Bhatnagar A,Hart JL. The association between perceived neighborhood safety and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Psychol Health Med. 2024 Oct 3:1-12. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2024.2410418. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39360605.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals a significant association between low perceived neighborhood safety and increased cardiovascular disease risk factors, with males particularly vulnerable to this link. The findings highlight the importance of addressing environmental safety to mitigate CVD risk, especially in men. 
  • Holm RH, Smith T. Does Wastewater-Based Surveillance Protect the Health of Incarcerated Individuals? Am J Public Health. 2024 Nov;114(11):1156-1157. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2024.307857. PMID: 39356993; PMCID: PMC11447773.
    Impact Statement: We discuss how wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) in carceral facilities can provide early detection of infectious diseases, guiding efficient resource allocation and reducing the need for widespread clinical testing. This approach not only enhances health protections for incarcerated populations but also supports broader public health by offering a proactive tool for disease monitoring and tactical public health interventions to prevent disease spread. 
  • Ritzenthaler JD, Watson WH, Roman J. α4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Lipopolysaccharide-Related Lung Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Oct 21;25(20):11305. doi: 10.3390/ijms252011305. PMID: 39457087; PMCID: PMC11509036.
    Impact Statement: This study identifies a novel mechanism of acute lung injury in sepsis, demonstrating that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activates α4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α4 nAChRs) in immune cells, driving oxidative stress and proinflammatory gene expression. Targeting α4 nAChRs with specific inhibitors, such as DHβE, mitigates these effects, offering potential therapeutic insights for improving sepsis outcomes. 
  • Saedi S, Tan Y, Watson SE, Wintergerst KA, Cai L. Potential pathogenic roles of ferroptosis and cuproptosis in cadmium-induced or exacerbated cardiovascular complications in individuals with diabetes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Oct 2;15:1461171. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1461171. PMID: 39415790; PMCID: PMC11479913.
    Impact Statement:Diabetes and its complications are major diseases that affect human health, however, whether if the individuals with diabetes are also exposed to environmental metals, there will be high risk for these population lack a clear answer. Therefore, this review has focused on collecting the available evidence to specifically discuss whether two kinds of metal-mediated cell death, ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death, and cuproptosis, a copper-dependent cell death, as main mechanistic pathogenesis play certain roles in the acceleration of diabetes and diabetic complications. In the end, we demonstrated the limited information that suggests the potential links, however, more direct evidence remains needed. This review also provides perspectives on the investigation for potential pathogenic roles of ferroptosis and cuproptosis in cadmium-induced or exacerbated cardiovascular complications in individuals with diabetes. 
  • Meaza I, Williams AR, Wise SS, Lu H, Pierce JW Sr. Carcinogenic Mechanisms of Hexavalent Chromium: From DNA Breaks to Chromosome Instability and Neoplastic Transformation. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2024 Oct 28. doi: 10.1007/s40572-024-00460-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39466546.
    Impact Statement: Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] exposure induces DNA double-strand breaks, repair deficiencies, and chromosome instability, which are central to its carcinogenic mechanism and neoplastic transformation in cells, animals, and humans. This review highlights recent evidence of Cr(VI)'s genotoxic effects, including structural and numerical chromosome instability, emphasizing its role in lung cancer development and broader ecological impacts on wildlife. 
  • Chaudhari M, Zelko I, Lorkiewicz P, Hoetker D, Nong Y, Doelling B, Brittian K, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S, Baba SP. Metabolic pathways for removing reactive aldehydes are diminished in the skeletal muscle during heart failure. Skelet Muscle. 2024 Oct 18;14(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s13395-024-00354-2. PMID: 39425168; PMCID: PMC11488087.
    Impact Statement:This study highlights the role of oxidative stress-induced aldehyde accumulation and reduced detoxifying capacity in heart failure-related muscle wasting. Findings suggest that decreased histidyl dipeptide levels and aldehyde-removing enzymes in skeletal muscle contribute to increased atrophy and inflammation, potentially exacerbating functional decline in heart failure patients.
  • Riggs DW, Bhatnagar A. Invited Perspective: A Natural Prescription for Hypertension? Environ Health Perspect. 2024 Mar;132(3):31301. doi: 10.1289/EHP14482. Epub 2024 Mar 1. PMID: 38427032; PMCID: PMC10906658.
    Impact Statement: The publication will raise awareness about the significant impact of green spaces on public health, highlighting how living in neighborhoods with ample greenery can lower the risk of hypertension and other health issues. By emphasizing the positive health effects of urban greenery, it could influence urban planning policies to prioritize the integration of green spaces into city landscapes, ultimately promoting healthier living environments and mitigating the adverse effects of urbanization on public health. 
  • Poudel R, Li S, Hong H, Zhao J, Srivastava S, Robertson RM, Hall JL, Srivastava S, Hamburg NM, Bhatnagar A, Keith RJ. Catecholamine levels with use of electronic and combustible cigarettes. Tob Induc Dis. 2024 Aug 14;22. doi: 10.18332/tid/190687. PMID: 39144677; PMCID: PMC11320712.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that both e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes significantly increase urinary catecholamine levels, indicating potential cardiovascular risks associated with their use. These findings suggest that catecholamines may serve as valuable biomarkers for assessing the harm caused by tobacco products, with implications for future regulatory research. 
  • Wu J, Trifiro BM, Ranker LR, Origgi JM, Benjamin EJ, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Stokes AC, Xuan Z, Wijaya D, Plummer B, Cornacchione Ross J, Fetterman JL, Hong T. Health Warnings on Instagram Advertisements for Synthetic Nicotine E-Cigarettes and Engagement. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Sep 3;7(9):e2434434. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.34434. PMID: 39269702; PMCID: PMC11400217.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that 87% of synthetic nicotine e-cigarette posts on Instagram did not comply with FDA health warning regulations, suggesting that regulatory oversight is lacking in social media marketing. Strengthened enforcement of FDA-compliant health warnings could reduce youth engagement with tobacco-related content online. 
  • Baba SP, Amraotkar AR, Hoetker D, Gao H, Gomes D, Zhao J, Wempe MF, Rice PJ, DeFilippis AP, Rai SN, Pope CA 3rd, Bhatnagar A, O'Toole TE. Evaluation of supplementary carnosine accumulation and distribution: an initial analysis of participants in the Nucleophilic Defense Against PM Toxicity (NEAT) clinical trial. Amino Acids. 2024 Aug 31;56(1):55. doi: 10.1007/s00726-024-03414-5. PMID: 39215872; PMCID: PMC11365863.
    Impact Statement: This publication details initial results from the NEAT clinical trial and validates our approach for increasing endogenous carnosine levels. This dietary supplementation strategy may be useful in combatting individual levels of oxidative stress and inflammation that arise as a consequence of exposure to PM2.5 or other environmental pollutants.
  • Harris LM, Guerrero EG, Khachikian T, Serrett V, Marsh JC. Expert providers implement integrated and coordinated care in opioid use disorder treatment. Int J Drug Policy. 2024 Oct;132:104567. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104567. Epub 2024 Sep 5. PMID: 39241532.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the persistent challenges and innovative strategies employed by high-performing opioid use disorder treatment programs in Los Angeles County to integrate and coordinate medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Providers demonstrated resilience in overcoming barriers such as stigma and fragmented healthcare systems by adopting a multidisciplinary approach, leveraging community partnerships, and utilizing telehealth, ultimately improving patient outcomes and treatment retention. 
  • Zhong Y, Geng F, Mazik L, Yin X, Becker AP, Mohammed S, Su H, Xing E, Kou Y, Chiang CY, Fan Y, Guo Y, Wang Q, Li PK, Mo X, Lefai E, He L, Cheng X, Zhang X, Chakravarti A, Guo D. Combinatorial targeting of glutamine metabolism and lysosomal-based lipid metabolism effectively suppresses glioblastoma. Cell Rep Med. 2024 Sep 17;5(9):101706. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101706. Epub 2024 Sep 4. PMID: 39236712.
    Impact Statement: This study unveils that pimozide inhibits lysosome hydrolytic function to suppress fatty acid and cholesterol release in glioblastoma (GBM), the most lethal brain tumor. Those findings underscore the promising therapeutic potential of effectively targeting GBM by combining glutamine metabolism inhibition with lysosome suppression. 
  • Monreal G, Koenig SC, Sangwan A, Guida R, Huang J, Demirors E, Melodia T, Jimenez JH, Slaughter MS. Feasibility Testing of the Bionet Sonar Ultrasound Transcutaneous Energy Transmission (UTET) System for Wireless Power and Communication of a LVAD. Cardiovasc Eng Technol. 2024 Sep 4. doi: 10.1007/s13239-024-00748-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39230796.
    Impact Statement: During early-stage development and testing, engineering challenges for Ultrasound #TranscutaneousEnergyTransmission size reduction and stable and safe operation were identified, with solutions and plans to address the limitations in future design iterations also presented. 
  • Jain A, Jung HJ, Aubee J, O'Neil JN, Muhammad LA, Khan S, Thompson K, Fluitt MB, Lee DL, Klinge CM, Khundmiri SJ. Role of NHERF1 in MicroRNA Landscape Changes in Aging Mouse Kidneys. Biomolecules. 2024 Aug 23;14(9):1048. doi: 10.3390/biom14091048. PMID: 39334814; PMCID: PMC11430241.
    Impact Statement: During aging, the expression of sodium hydrogen regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) is decreased in kidney proximal tubules. This research identified differential expression of miRNAs associated with aging in Nherf1-/- mice leading to increased protein levels of transcription factors NFATc2 and NFATC3, altered pathways in Wnt signaling and increases in cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, MCP1, and TNF- in mouse kidney. 
  • Hardesty JE, Warner JB, Wilkey DW, Phinney BS, Salemi MR, Merchant ML, McClain CJ, Warner DR, Kirpich IA. Hepatic Proteomic Changes Associated with Liver Injury Caused by Alcohol Consumption in Fpr2-/- Mice. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Sep 11;25(18):9807. doi: 10.3390/ijms25189807. PMID: 39337294; PMCID: PMC11432144.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that FPR2 may regulate blood coagulation and antioxidant systems in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), with findings from a mouse model showing similarities to those in human patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH). Proteomic analysis identified key pathways and protein alterations, suggesting potential therapeutic targets, though further research is needed for validation. 
  • Kalbfleisch TS, Smith ML, Ciosek JL, Li K, Doris PA. Three decades of rat genomics: approaching the finish(ed) line. Physiol Genomics. 2024 Sep 30. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00110.2024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39348459.
    Impact Statement: We recently generated the new rat reference genome, named GRCr8, which is the most complete genome to date using a combination of long-read, single-molecule sequencing and optical mapping. This genome has resolved megabases of new content, specifically in repetitive, low complexity genomic regions such as the immune receptors and olfactory-associated genes. This paper highlights how this improved reference will support identifying pathogenic genomic variation in multiple models of disease that depend on rat models going forward. 
  • Zhu B, Gupta K, Cui K, Wang B, Malovichko MV, Han X, Li K, Wu H, Arulsamy KS, Singh B, Gao J, Wong S, Cowan DB, Wang D, Biddinger S, Srivastava S, Shi J, Chen K, Chen H. Targeting Liver Epsins Ameliorates Dyslipidemia in Atherosclerosis. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Aug 27:2024.08.26.609742. doi: 10.1101/2024.08.26.609742. PMID: 39253478; PMCID: PMC11383288.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that liver epsins play a pivotal role in promoting atherogenesis by mediating PCSK9-triggered degradation of LDL receptors, leading to elevated circulating LDL-C levels. Targeting liver epsins with siRNA-based therapies offers a promising approach to treating atherosclerosis by enhancing LDL-C clearance and inhibiting dyslipidemia. 
  • Price A, Simmons H, Gehring E, Davis L, Fischer G, Klipsch AR, Richmond E, Sullivan JE, Steiner SJ. Significant delays exist in industry-sponsored pediatric clinical drug trial start-up and enrollment processes. Contemp Clin Trials. 2024 Sep 24;146:107701. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107701. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39326578.
    Impact Statement: Many advances have been made in the last 20 years in pediatric therapeutics due to federal regulations and incentives to expedite pediatric drug development from the pre-term neonate to adolescents. However, significant barriers to advancing pediatric drug development continue despite the federal incentives. Twenty-four sites contributed data on 330 industry-sponsored pediatric drug studies. The average duration to final study budget approval was 121 (range 3-585) days, to final study Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval 51 (range 1-205) days, to Site Initiation Visit 204 (range 23-600) days, and to first patient consented 239 (range 30-534) days. There is an urgent need to improve how clinical trials are designed, implemented, and conducted to increase the number of approved therapeutic interventions for children. The delays and wide variation in all steps of the study process indicate multiple opportunities for improvement from the first contact with the site to the first patient being consented. 
  • Yuan J, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q. HMGB1 derived from lung epithelial cells after cobalt nanoparticle exposure promotes the activation of lung fibroblasts. Nanotoxicology. 2024 Sep 19:1-17. doi: 10.1080/17435390.2024.2404074. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39295432.
    Impact Statement: In this publication, we demonstrated that exposure of human lung epithelial cells to cobalt nanoparticles (Nano-Co), rather than Nano-TiO2, caused a remarkable increase in the transcription, translation, and secretion of HMGB1 in a HIF-1α-dependent manner, which then promoted the activation of lung fibroblasts through RAGE-MAPKs pathway. These findings suggest a crucial role of HMGB1 in epithelial cell-fibroblast crosstalk in Nano-Co-induced pulmonary fibrosis, which may have important implications for understanding the pro-fibrotic potential of Nano-Co. 
  • Xin Y, Wang H, Cai L. Editorial: Cardiovascular diseases related to diabetes and obesity - volume IV. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Jul 18;15:1458742. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1458742. PMID: 39092283; PMCID: PMC11291376.
    Impact Statement: This editorial highlights new predictive indicators for obesity-related cardiovascular disease and diabetes complications, offering insights into early detection and intervention. The findings emphasize the need for continued research to validate these indicators and advance personalized treatment approaches for these chronic conditions. 
  • Cai L, Tan Y, Islam MS, Horowitz M, Wintergerst KA. Diabetic cardiomyopathy: Importance of direct evidence to support the roles of NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome and pyroptosis. World J Diabetes. 2024 Aug 15;15(8):1659-1662. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v15.i8.1659. PMID: 39192865; PMCID: PMC11346090.
    Impact Statement: This publication highlights the need for caution in interpreting the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), as current studies provide limited direct evidence. It calls for more comprehensive research to establish a clear causative link, which is crucial for developing effective treatments targeting these biomarkers. 
  • Haines D, Grell R, Huang J, Abrams B, Kertai MD. The Important Thing Is Not to Stop Questioning. Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2024 Aug 29:10892532241279627. doi: 10.1177/10892532241279627. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39207841.
    Impact Statement: Albert Einstein’s belief in the power of inquiry drives anesthesiologists worldwide to continuously enhance patient care through innovative practices and techniques. In this issue of Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, we delve into critical contemporary issues, showcasing advancements in pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesiology and highlighting the commitment to fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity that ultimately transforms patient outcomes. 
  • Carroll D, Kavalukas S. Management of Complications in Crohn's Disease. Adv Surg. 2024 Sep;58(1):19-34. doi: 10.1016/j.yasu.2024.04.002. Epub 2024 May 16. PMID: 39089776.
    Impact Statement: This publication highlights that complications of Crohn's disease extend beyond traditional issues like surgical leaks and infections, emphasizing the critical roles of malnutrition and intestinal failure in patient management. It also discusses recent advancements in medical and surgical approaches, such as the Kono-S anastomosis and enhanced mesenteric resection techniques, which aim to improve outcomes and reduce the necessity for repeated surgeries. 
  • Thakurdesai A, Jha SK, Erinkitola I, Said A, Joshi T, Schwandt ML, Parajuli D, Singal AK, Kong M, Cave MC, Vatsalya V. The gut-immune-liver axis in patients with alcohol use disorder and clinically low serum zinc levels. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken). 2024 Aug 2. doi: 10.1111/acer.15408. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39095327.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the critical role of zinc deficiency in exacerbating gut-barrier dysfunction, immune response, and hepatocyte injury in alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients, with distinct differences between sexes. Findings suggest that zinc-deficient females may experience a shift from apoptosis to necrosis in liver cell death, signaling a progression of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). 
  • Gobejishvili L, McClain CJ. Back to phosphodiesterase inhibitors for liver disease: Are we ready for clinical trials? Hepatology. 2024 Aug 8. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001053. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39116338.
    Impact Statement: The study highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting PDE4 and PDE5 enzymes in liver diseases such as ALD and MASH, demonstrating benefits in preclinical models through reduced liver injury and metabolic improvements. These findings suggest that dual inhibition of PDE4B and PDE5A may offer an enhanced treatment approach, raising the question of readiness for clinical trials to explore this strategy in patients with liver disease. 
  • Chilton PM, Ghare SS, Charpentier BT, Myers SA, Rao AV, Petrosino JF, Hoffman KL, Greenwell JC, Tyagi N, Behera J, Wang Y, Sloan LJ, Zhang J, Shields CB, Cooper GE, Gobejishvili L, Whittemore SR, McClain CJ , Barve SS. Age-associated temporal decline in butyrate-producing bacteria plays a key pathogenic role in the onset and progression of neuropathology and memory deficits in 3×Tg-AD mice. Gut Microbes. 2024 Jan-Dec;16(1):2389319. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2389319. Epub 2024 Aug 25. PMID: 39182227; PMCID: PMC11346541.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that age-related declines in butyrate-producing gut bacteria play a causal role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression, as shown by their impact on brain pathology and memory deficits in a mouse model. Oral administration of tributyrin, a butyrate prodrug, mitigated these declines, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing or slowing AD. 
  • Shoctor NA, Brady MP, McLeish KR, Lightman RR, Davis-Johnson L, Lynn C, Dubbaka A, Tandon S, Daniels MW, Rane MJ , Barati MT, Caster DJ, Powell DW. Increased Urine Excretion of Neutrophil Granule Cargo in Active Proliferative Lupus Nephritis. Kidney360. 2024 Aug 1;5(8):1154-1166. doi: 10.34067/KID.0000000000000491. Epub 2024 Jul 2. PMID: 39207891; PMCID: PMC11371349.
    Impact Statement: Neutrophil degranulation plays a crucial role in glomerular injury associated with proliferative lupus nephritis, highlighting the inflammatory processes at work. The detection of neutrophil granule proteins in urine presents a promising diagnostic marker for assessing glomerular inflammation in this condition. 
  • Alexander EM, Miller HA, Egger ME, Smith ML , Yaddanapudi K, Linder MW. The Correlation between Plasma Circulating Tumor DNA and Radiographic Tumor Burden. J Mol Diagn. 2024 Aug 22:S1525-1578(24)00179-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2024.07.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39181324.
    Impact Statement: Integrating plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) with conventional blood-based biomarkers and radiographic imaging can enhance precision medicine by addressing their individual limitations and improving the monitoring of malignant diseases. This approach emphasizes understanding tumor growth dynamics to better interpret ctDNA concentrations alongside traditional assessments, ultimately leading to more accurate evaluations of therapy response and tumor burden. 
  • Holm RH, Anderson LB, Ness HD, LaJoie AS, Smith T. Towards the outbreak tail, what is the public opinion about wastewater surveillance in the United States? J Water Health. 2024 Aug;22(8):1409-1418. doi: 10.2166/wh.2024.074. Epub 2024 Jul 5. PMID: 39212278.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that public support for wastewater surveillance remains robust, with over 90% endorsing its use for monitoring toxins and diseases, highlighting its potential as a vital public health tool. Despite varying levels of support for different surveillance applications, the findings indicate a strong public willingness to integrate wastewater-based epidemiology into broader health protection strategies. 
  • Thänert R, Schwartz DJ, Keen EC, Hall-Moore C, Wang B, Shaikh N, Ning J, Rouggly-Nickless LC, Thänert A, Ferreiro A, Fishbein SRS, Sullivan JE, Radmacher P, Escobedo M, Warner BB, Tarr PI, Dantas G. Clinical sequelae of gut microbiome development and disruption in hospitalized preterm infants. Cell Host Microbe. 2024 Aug 18:S1931-3128(24)00286-5. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.07.027. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39197454.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that preterm infants experience abnormal gut microbiota development, which is shaped by both antibiotic and non-antibiotic medications, leading to early-life health issues and long-term complications. Persistent low microbial diversity is linked to the development of necrotizing enterocolitis, highlighting the significant impact of medical interventions on microbiome composition in vulnerable neonates. 
  • Samala N, Kulkarni M, Lele RS, Gripshover TC, Wise JY, Rai SN, Cave MC . Associations between Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposures and metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in adult National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018. Toxicol Sci. 2024 Aug 16:kfae106. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae106. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39150893.
    Impact Statement: This study assessed the relationship between PFAS exposures and biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in adults, using data from the NHANES 2017-2018 cohort. While some PFAS were linked to elevated liver enzyme levels, overall, the associations between PFAS and MASLD biomarkers were inconsistent, suggesting that PFAS may not pose a significant burden for liver disease in this population. More data are required to better understand the relationships between PFAS exposures and liver disease. 
  • Lin X, Chen C, Chen J, Zhu C, Zhang J, Su R, Chen S, Weng S, Chang X, Lin S, Chen Y, Li J, Lin L, Zhou J, Guo Z, Yu G, Shao W, Hu H, Wu S, Zhang Q, Li H, Zheng F. Long Noncoding RNA NR_030777 Alleviates Cobalt Nanoparticles-Induced Neurodegenerative Damage by Promoting Autophagosome-Lysosome Fusion. ACS Nano. 2024 Sep 10;18(36):24872-24897. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.4c05249. Epub 2024 Aug 28. PMID: 39197041; PMCID: PMC11394346.

    Impact Statement: This study reveals that cobalt nanoparticles (CoNPs) cause significant neurodegenerative damage through autophagic dysfunction, leading to cognitive impairment and toxic protein accumulation. Importantly, the long noncoding RNA NR_030777 mitigates these effects by stabilizing the transcription factor EB (TFEB) mRNA, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for addressing CoNPs-induced CNS toxicity.

  • Milanes JE, Yan VC, Pham CD, Muller F, Kwain S, Rees KC, Dominy BN, Whitehead DC, Millward SW, Bolejack M, Shek R, Tillery L, Phan IQ, Staker B, Moseman EA, Zhang X , Ma X, Jebet A, Yin X, Morris JC. Enolase inhibitors as therapeutic leads for Naegleria fowleri infection. PLoS Pathog. 2024 Aug 1;20(8):e1012412. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012412. PMID: 39088549; PMCID: PMC11321563.
    Impact Statement: This study identifies (1-hydroxy-2-oxopiperidin-3-yl) phosphonic acid (HEX) as a potent inhibitor of Naegleria fowleri enolase, demonstrating its toxicity to pathogenic amoebae and potential to increase survival in infected rodent models. These findings highlight the need for further exploration of HEX as a promising therapeutic candidate for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a condition with a historically high mortality rate. 
  • Fruh V, Babalola T, Sears C, Wellenius GA, Webster TF, Mann KK, Harrington J, Tjønneland A, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Claus Henn B, Meliker JR. Dietary Minerals and Incident Cardiovascular Outcomes among Never-Smokers in a Danish Case-Cohort Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Jul 17;21(7):932. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21070932. PMID: 39063508; PMCID: PMC11277515.
  • Ranker LR, Wu J, Hong T, Wijaya D, Benjamin EJ, Bhatnagar A, Robertson RM, Fetterman JL, Xuan Z. Social media use, brand engagement, and tobacco product initiation among youth: Evidence from a prospective cohort study. Addict Behav. 2024 Feb 28;154:108000. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108000. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38461745.
    Impact Statement:     This study adds to a growing evidence-base describing the exposure of youth to tobacco-related social media content. Such content-often generated by tobacco companies-may contribute to youth tobacco initiation. 
  • Jin L, Richardson A, Lynch J, Lorkiewicz P, Srivastava S, Fryar L, Miller A, Theis W, Shirk G, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S, Riggs DW, Conklin DJ. Formaldehyde and the Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin-1 Contribute to Electronic Cigarette Aerosol-induced Endothelial Dysfunction in Mice. Toxicol Sci. 2024 Jul 27:kfae096. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae096. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39067042. 
    Impact Statement: This study concludes that the use of Electronic cigarettes (E-cig) may increase cardiovascular disease risk due, in part, to the presence of formaldehyde – an abundant and reactive irritant in E-cig aerosols. Because the formaldehyde level in E-cig-derived aerosol was sufficient to induce vascular injury in mice, it should be lowered to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in people who use E-cig. 
  • Guo W, Zhong W, He L, Wei X, Hao L, Dong H, Yue R, Sun X, Yin X, Zhao J, Zhang X, Zhou Z. Reversal of hepatic accumulation of nordeoxycholic acid underlines the beneficial effects of cholestyramine on alcohol-associated liver disease in mice. Hepatol Commun. 2024 Jul 31;8(8):e0507. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000507. PMID: 39082957.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrated that sequestrant cholestyramine (CTM) treatment effectively reversed alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The beneficial effects of bile acid sequestrant involve lowering toxic NorDCA levels. NorDCA not only worsens hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress and inhibits autophagy but also mediates gut barrier disruption and systemic translocation of pathogen-associated molecular patterns in mice. 
  • Furmanek S, Salunkhe V, Pahwa S, Samanapally H, Nathala P, Xu Q, Han Y, Huang EC, Ali T, Deepti F, Glynn A, McGuffin T, Huang JJ, Farah I, Jones CM, Ramirez JA, Clifford SP, Arnold FW, Kong M, Roser L, Huang J. Association between echocardiographic features, troponin levels, and survival time in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular events. J Anesth Transl Med. 2024 Jun;3(2):36-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jatmed.2024.05.001. Epub 2024 May 8. PMID: 38993392; PMCID: PMC11238549.
    Impact Statement: Significant associations between various echocardiographic parameters and troponin levels with reduced survival time among COVID-19 patients experiencing cardiovascular events. #Echo These findings highlight the potential utility of echocardiography and troponin assessment in predicting outcomes and guiding management strategies in this patient population. 
  • Moll V, Zhao M, Minear S, Swaminathan M, Kurz A, Huang J, Parr KG, Stanton K, Khanna AK; PREDICT AKI Group. Continuous Urine Output-Based Alert Identifies Cardiac Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury Earlier Than Serum Creatinine: A Prospective and Retrospective Observational Study. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2024 Jun 19:S1053-0770(24)00396-3. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2024.06.021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39019742.
    Impact Statement: Aute Kidney Injury Alert, based on continuous urine output and enabled by active drain line clearance, detected AKI stages 1 and 2 before serum creatine criteria. Early AKI detection allows for early kidney optimization, potentially improving patient outcomes. 
  • Moll V, Khanna AK, Kurz A, Huang J, Smit M, Swaminathan M, Minear S, Parr KG, Prabhakar A, Zhao M, Malbrain MLNG. Optimization of kidney function in cardiac surgery patients with intra-abdominal hypertension: expert opinion. Perioper Med (Lond). 2024 Jul 12;13(1):72. doi: 10.1186/s13741-024-00416-5. Erratum in: Perioper Med (Lond). 2024 Jul 29;13(1):85. doi: 10.1186/s13741-024-00444-1. PMID: 38997752; PMCID: PMC11245849.
    Impact Statement: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (#CSA-AKI) affects up to 42% of cardiac surgery patients. Abdominal perfusion pressure is calculated as mean arterial pressure minus #IntraAbdominalPressure (IAP). Current evidence on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy of IntraAbdominalPressure and abdominal compartment syndrome in the context of AKI.
  • Majumder S, Pushpakumar SB, Almarshood H, Ouseph R, Gondim DD, Jala VR, Sen U. Toll-like receptor 4 mutation mitigates gut microbiota-mediated hypertensive kidney injury. Pharmacol Res. 2024 Aug;206:107303. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107303. Epub 2024 Jul 11. PMID: 39002869; PMCID: PMC11287947.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that TLR4 plays a significant role in hypertension-induced gut dysbiosis, which contributes to renal inflammation and kidney dysfunction. Ablation of TLR4 attenuates these effects, reducing gut hyperpermeability, bacterial translocation, and preserving renal function in hypertensive conditions.
  • Piell KM, Poulton CC, Stanley CG, Schultz DJ, Klinge CM. Integrated Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Analysis of Anacardic Acid Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cell Viability. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jun 27;25(13):7044. doi: 10.3390/ijms25137044. PMID: 39000156; PMCID: PMC11241071.
    Impact Statement: We performed comprehensive, untargeted metabolomics analysis on six human breast cancer (BC) cell lines to identify the impact of the anti-cancer compound anacardic acid on metabolism. We identified key metabolic differences between control and AnAc-treated within each BC cell line and between MCF-7 estrogen receptor positive BC cells and the five triple negative BC (TNBC) cell lines as well as metabolic diversity among the four TNBC cell lines, reflecting TNBC heterogeneity. Integration of the transcriptome and metabolome data for MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 BC cells key pathways involved in anti-cancer activity of anacardic acid. Our data suggest that anacardic acid differentially alters multiple pools of cellular building blocks, nutrients, and transcripts resulting in reduced BC cell viability. 
  • Patidar KR, Tu W, Cotter TG, Simonetto DA, Asgharpour A, Jan MY, Tang Q, Yu Y, Li Y, Taiwo M, Thevkar Nagesh P, Dasarathy S, Kamath PS, McClain CJ, Chalasani N, Szabo G, Bataller R, Mitchell M, Mehal WZ, Nagy LE, Shah VH, Gawrieh S, Sanyal AJ; AlcHepNet Investigators. Acute kidney injury in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis treated with anakinra plus zinc or prednisone. Hepatology. 2024 Jul 19. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001019. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39028887.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that patients with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (sAH) treated with anakinra-plus-zinc (A+Z) experienced higher rates and severity of acute kidney injury (AKI) compared to those treated with prednisone. Elevated uNGAL levels in A+Z-treated patients with AKI suggest potential nephrotoxicity of A+Z in sAH patients. 
  • Xu M, Li M, Benz F, Merchant M, McClain CJ, Song M. Ileum Proteomics Identifies Distinct Pathways Associated with Different Dietary Doses of Copper-Fructose Interactions: Implications for the Gut-Liver Axis and MASLD. Nutrients. 2024 Jun 29;16(13):2083. doi: 10.3390/nu16132083. PMID: 38999831; PMCID: PMC11242941.
    Impact Statement: This study identified specific pathways in the ileum that are altered by different dietary doses of copper and fructose, contributing to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) via the gut-liver axis. The proteomics analysis revealed distinct mechanisms, including oxidative phosphorylation, arachidonic acid metabolism, and tight junction regulation, that play a role in gut barrier dysfunction and MASLD development. 
  • Sayed K, Dolin CE, Wilkey DW, Li J, Sato T, Beier JI, Argemi J, Vatsalya V, McClain CJ, Bataller R, Wahed AS, Merchant ML, Benos PV, Arteel GE. A plasma peptidomic signature reveals extracellular matrix remodeling and predicts prognosis in alcohol-associated hepatitis. Hepatol Commun. 2024 Jul 31;8(8):e0510. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000510. PMID: 39082970.
    Impact Statement: This study identified a plasma peptidome signature enriched with extracellular matrix fragments that serves as a novel, noninvasive predictor of 90-day mortality in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH). The findings offer improved accuracy over traditional models and present potential biomarkers for prognosis and new mechanistic insights into AH. 
  • Xu F, Ren Y, Teng Y, Mu J, Tang J, Sundaram K, Zhang L, Park JW, Hwang JY, Yan J, Dryden G, Zhang HG. Tryptophan As a New Member of RNA-Induced Silencing Complexes Prevents Colon Cancer Liver Metastasis. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Jun 20:e2307937. doi: 10.1002/advs.202307937. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39031551.
    Impact Statement: By uncovering the critical role of tryptophan in regulating microRNA activity, this study offers a new therapeutic approach for targeting and inhibiting cancer metastasis. This could pave the path to improved prognosis for patients with colon cancer and other aggressive malignancies. 
  • Zaman F, Smith ML, Balagopal A, Durand CM, Redd AD, Tobian AAR. Spatial technologies to evaluate the HIV-1 reservoir and its microenvironment in the lymph node. mBio. 2024 Jul 26:e0190924. doi: 10.1128/mbio.01909-24. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39058091.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the role of memory T follicular helper cells within the immune-privileged environment of the B cell follicle in harboring the HIV-1 reservoir, which contributes to viral rebound upon ART discontinuation. A spatiotemporal approach integrating genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to investigate these reservoir cells and their interactions holds promise for advancing HIV-1 cure strategies. 
  • Wise JP Jr, Wise RM, Hoffert A, Wise JTF, Specht AJ. Elevated Metal Levels in U.S. Honeys: Is There a Concern for Human Health? Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024 Jul 12. doi: 10.1007/s12011-024-04295-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38995435.
    Impact Statement: Metal contamination in honey has been reported worldwide but has largely been overlooked in the U.S. - our data addresses this knowledge gap and suggests there is a concern for high levels of lead and mercury, based on regulations set by the European Union. Currently the U.S. does not have any regulations for metal contamination in honey, we hope these data will help inform risk assessors and legislators to finally develop appropriate regulations and regular monitoring of honey. 
  • Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Yuan J, Zhang Q. MMP-3 mediates copper oxide nanoparticle-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. J Nanobiotechnology. 2024 Jul 19;22(1):428. doi: 10.1186/s12951-024-02707-x. PMID: 39030581; PMCID: PMC11264740.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrated that short-term Nano-CuO exposure caused acute lung inflammation and injury, while long-term exposure induced chronic pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. Knocking down MMP-3 significantly ameliorated Nano-CuO-induced pulmonary inflammation, injury, and fibrosis, and also attenuated Nano-CuO-induced cleaved osteopontin (OPN) level. Our study suggests that MMP-3 may play important roles in Nano-CuO-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis via cleavage of OPN, which may provide a further understanding of the mechanisms underlying Nano-CuO-induced pulmonary toxicity. 
  • Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q. The pulmonary effects of nickel-containing nanoparticles: Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and their underlying mechanisms. Environ Sci Nano. 2024 May 1;11(5):1817-1846. doi: 10.1039/d3en00929g. Epub 2024 Mar 21. PMID: 38984270; PMCID: PMC11230653.
    Impact Statement: Nickel-containing nanoparticles (NPs) have been increasingly used in industrial and biomedical fields due to their unique nanostructural and physicochemical properties; thus, the risk of occupational and environmental contamination by Ni-containing NPs is increasing. The respiratory system is a major and common point of contact for Ni-containing NPs; therefore, they may cause adverse health effects on the respiratory tract, especially the lungs. This review provides us with a comprehensive view of the pulmonary effects of Ni-containing NPs and their underlying mechanisms, which will shed light on our future studies including the urgency and necessity to produce engineered Ni-containing NPs with controlled and reduced toxicity, and also will provide a scientific basis for developing nanoparticle exposure limits and policies.
  • Shrader SH, Mellen N, Cai J, Barnes GN, Song ZH. Cannabidiol is a behavioral modulator in BTBR mouse model of idiopathic autism. Front Neurosci. 2024 May 9;18:1359810. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1359810. PMID: 38784096; PMCID: PMC11112039.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that cannabidiol (CBD) treatment effectively reduces repetitive behaviors and hyperactivity, and improves social deficits in an established mouse model of idiopathic autism. These findings highlight CBD's potential as a therapeutic option for addressing core and comorbid symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 
  • Vemuri V, Kratholm N, Nagarajan D, Cathey D, Abdelbaset-Ismail A, Tan Y, Straughn A, Cai L, Huang J, Kakar SS. Withaferin A as a Potential Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Angiotensin II-Induced Cardiac Cachexia. Cells. 2024 May 3;13(9):783. doi: 10.3390/cells13090783. PMID: 38727319; PMCID: PMC11083229.
    Impact Statement: Withaferin A ameliorates the cardiac dysfunction induced by Angiotensin II, suggesting that it could be an anticachectic agent that induces direct effects on cardiac muscles. 
  • Thakurdesai A, Rivera-Matos L, Nagra N, Busch B, Mais DD, Cave MC. Severe Drug-Induced Liver Injury Due to Self-administration of the Veterinary Anthelmintic Medication, Fenbendazole. ACG Case Rep J. 2024 May 2;11(5):e01354. doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000001354. PMID: 38706451; PMCID: PMC11068125.
    Impact Statement: The increasing off-label use of fenbendazole in humans, driven by social media claims of anticancer benefits, presents significant safety concerns, as evidenced by a case of severe drug-induced liver injury in a 67-year-old woman. This case highlights the urgent need for awareness and regulation to prevent potentially harmful self-medication practices. 
  • 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.
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • , 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.
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • Liu H, Su P, Li Y, Hoover A, Hu S, King SA, Zhao J, Guan JL, Chen SY, Zhao Y, Tan M, Wu X. VAMP2 controls murine epidermal differentiation and carcinogenesis by regulation of nucleophagy. Dev Cell. 2024 May 22:S1534-5807(24)00321-6. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.05.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38810653.
    Impact Statement: This paper elucidates key molecular mechanisms involved in epidermal differentiation and identifies critical factors that mediate skin diseases and cancers, providing potential new targets for therapeutic interventions for skin disorders and skin cancer. /
  • Jin A, DuPré N, Holm R, Smith T, Kavalukas S. Environmental Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds, Race, and Socioeconomic Markers Correlate with Areas of High Colorectal Cancer Incidence. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 May 16. doi: 10.1007/s40615-024-02030-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38755478.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights a significant correlation between elevated ambient VOC levels and increased colorectal cancer rates, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. The findings emphasize the need to address environmental and socioeconomic factors in public health strategies to reduce health disparities and colorectal cancer incidence. 
  • Adhihetty PK, Halder S, Abu UO, Fu XA, Nantz MH. Cesium ion-guided detection of trichloroethylene in air. Talanta. 2024 May 1;276:126197. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126197. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38728800.
    Impact Statement: This study introduces a novel approach using cesium-functionalized gold clusters to develop a highly selective sensor for trichloroethylene (TCE) and related volatile organic compounds (VOCs), showcasing unprecedented sensitivity down to 0.1 ppm. The sensor's efficacy hinges on the unique bidentate coordination of 1,2-dichloro groups with cesium cations, underscoring its potential for precise environmental monitoring applications. 
  • Long GA, Xu Q, Sunkara J, Woodbury R, Brown K, Huang JJ, Xie Z, Chen X, Fu XA, Huang J. A comprehensive meta-analysis and systematic review of breath analysis in detection of COVID-19 through Volatile organic compounds. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2024 Jul;109(3):116309. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116309. Epub 2024 Apr 27. PMID: 38692202.
    Impact Statement: Breath analysis is a promising detection tool for COVID-19 infection.
  • Ward J, Hardin-Fanning F, LaJoie AS, Harris L,, Simpson A. Outdoor workers' perceptions of skin cancer prevention: a qualitative study. Ann Work Expo Health. 2024 May 14:wxae039. doi: 10.1093/annweh/wxae039. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38742833.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the crucial role of trusted local healthcare providers and community testimonials in promoting primary and secondary skin cancer prevention among outdoor workers. Emphasizing secondary prevention strategies and fostering self-efficacy in conducting skin self-examinations are essential to effectively reduce skin cancer incidence in this high-risk population. 
  • Fulghum KL, Collins HE, Lorkiewicz PK, Cassel TA, Fan TWM, Hill BG. Exercise-induced changes in myocardial glucose utilization during periods of active cardiac growth. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2024 Jun;191:50-62. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2024.04.014. Epub 2024 May 3. PMID: 38703412; PMCID: PMC11135805.
    Impact Statement: This paper addresses how metabolism contributes to adaptation of the heart to exercise and shows in mice that metabolic remodeling precedes development of “athlete’s heart”. 
  • Antimisiaris D, Folz RJ, Huntington-Moskos L, Polivka BJ. Specific Medication Literacy in Older Adults with Asthma. J Nurse Pract. 2024 May;20(5):104979. doi: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2024.104979. Epub 2024 Mar 27. PMID: 38706630; PMCID: PMC11064973.
    Impact Statement: The study highlights significant gaps in specific medication literacy (SML) among older adults, particularly in understanding side effects and drug interactions, which can impact their ability to self-monitor effectively. Findings suggest that targeted educational interventions are needed, especially for those diagnosed with asthma at a younger age and those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. 
  • Roser LP, Samanapally H, Ali T, Xu Q, Han Y, Salunkhe V, Deepti F, McGuffin T, Huang EC, Furmanek S, Glynn A, Ramirez J, Jones CM, Mariyappa R, Hogue RJ, Williams AM, Huang JJ, Arnold FW, Clifford SP, Pahwa S, Kong M, Huang J. Different clinical characteristics and outcomes of adult hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients complicated by cardiovascular events during the first, delta and omicron waves of COVID-19. Front Epidemiol. 2024 Apr 18;4:1342917. doi: 10.3389/fepid.2024.1342917. PMID: 38699405; PMCID: PMC11064795.
    Impact Statement: Omicron patients with cardiovascular events showed lower heart injuries, lower mortality and longer time to mortality for non-survivors when compared to the first and delta waves. 
  • Ghooray DT, Xu M, Shi H, McClain CJ, Song M. Hepatocyte-Specific Fads1 Overexpression Attenuates Western Diet-Induced Metabolic Phenotypes in a Rat Model. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Apr 29;25(9):4836. doi: 10.3390/ijms25094836. PMID: 38732052; PMCID: PMC11084797.
    Impact Statement: The study demonstrates that adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-mediated hepatocyte-specific overexpression of Fads1 significantly improves glucose tolerance and insulin signaling in rats on a low-fat high-fructose diet, and reduces plasma triglycerides and hepatic cholesterol levels in rats on a high-fat high-fructose diet. These findings highlight FADS1 as a promising therapeutic target for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in a diet-dependent manner. 
  • Navarro-Corcuera A, Zhu Y, Ma F, Gupta N, Asplund H, Yuan F, Friedman S, Sansbury BE, Huang X, Cai B. Therapeutic Activity of Resolvin D1 (RvD1) in Murine MASH. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Apr 26:2024.04.22.590633. doi: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590633. PMID: 38712196; PMCID: PMC11071427.
    Impact Statement: Administering resolvin D1 (RvD1) demonstrates significant therapeutic potential by reducing inflammation, preventing hepatocyte death, and promoting fibrosis regression in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). These effects are mediated through suppression of the Stat1-Cxcl10 signaling pathway, alleviation of ER stress-induced apoptosis, and modulation of MMP expression, underscoring RvD1's multifaceted role in ameliorating MASH progression. 
  • Steichen JM, Phung I, Salcedo E, Ozorowski G, Willis JR, Baboo S, Liguori A, Cottrell CA, Torres JL, Madden PJ, Ma KM, Sutton HJ, Lee JH, Kalyuzhniy O, Allen JD, Rodriguez OL, Adachi Y, Mullen TM, Georgeson E, Kubitz M, Burns A, Barman S, Mopuri R, Metz A, Altheide TK, Diedrich JK, Saha S, Shields K, Schultze SE, Smith ML, Schiffner T, Burton DR, Watson CT, Bosinger SE, Crispin M, Yates JR 3rd, Paulson JC, Ward AB, Sok D, Crotty S, Schief WR. Vaccine priming of rare HIV broadly neutralizing antibody precursors in nonhuman primates. Science. 2024 May 17;384(6697):eadj8321. doi: 10.1126/science.adj8321. Epub 2024 May 17. PMID: 38753769.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates the successful priming of broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) precursor B cells using the germline-targeting immunogen N332-GT5 in rhesus macaques, marking a significant advance in HIV vaccine development. The findings highlight the potential of N332-GT5 to induce bnAb-precursor responses in humans, offering a promising avenue for future immunogen design and vaccine strategies. 
  • Schiffner T, Phung I, Ray R, Irimia A, Tian M, Swanson O, Lee JH, Lee CD, Marina-Zárate E, Cho SY, Huang J, Ozorowski G, Skog PD, Serra AM, Rantalainen K, Allen JD, Baboo S, Rodriguez OL, Himansu S, Zhou J, Hurtado J, Flynn CT, McKenney K, Havenar-Daughton C, Saha S, Shields K, Schulze S, Smith ML, Liang CH, Toy L, Pecetta S, Lin YC, Willis JR, Sesterhenn F, Kulp DW, Hu X, Cottrell CA, Zhou X, Ruiz J, Wang X, Nair U, Kirsch KH, Cheng HL, Davis J, Kalyuzhniy O, Liguori A, Diedrich JK, Ngo JT, Lewis V, Phelps N, Tingle RD, Spencer S, Georgeson E, Adachi Y, Kubitz M, Eskandarzadeh S, Elsliger MA, Amara RR, Landais E, Briney B, Burton DR, Carnathan DG, Silvestri G, Watson CT, Yates JR 3rd, Paulson JC, Crispin M, Grigoryan G, Ward AB, Sok D, Alt FW, Wilson IA, Batista FD, Crotty S, Schief WR. Vaccination induces broadly neutralizing antibody precursors to HIV gp41. Nat Immunol. 2024 Jun;25(6):1073-1082. doi: 10.1038/s41590-024-01833-w. Epub 2024 May 30. PMID: 38816615; PMCID: PMC11147780.
    Impact Statement: The development of germline-targeting epitope scaffold nanoparticles has overcome a significant barrier in vaccine design by successfully inducing rare broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb)-precursor B cells with specific binding motifs in both stringent animal models and ex vivo human screens. This advancement paves the way for creating effective vaccines against HIV and other viruses with high antigenic diversity, targeting the elusive 10E8-class bnAbs. 
  • Amraotkar AR, Hoetker D, Negahdar MJ, Ng CK, Lorkiewicz P, Owolabi US, Baba SP, Bhatnagar A, O'Toole TE. Comparative evaluation of different modalities for measuring in vivo carnosine levels. PLoS One. 2024 Mar 27;19(3):e0299872. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299872. PMID: 38536838; PMCID: PMC10971688.
    Impact Statement:     Carnosine is an endogenous peptide (beta-alanine-L-histidine) and dietary supplement with anti-oxidant and metal chelating properties. Yet common methods to measure levels of carnosine in bodily tissues involve invasive procedures or are cumbersome and costly. This study examines the utility of different approaches and tissues for the assessment of carnosine levels, especially in the context of large-scale clinical studies. 
  • Xie W, Berlowitz JB, Raquib R, Harlow AF, Benjamin EJ, Bhatnagar A, Stokes AC. Association of cigarette and electronic cigarette use patterns with all-cause mortality: A national cohort study of 145,390 US adults. Prev Med. 2024 Mar 28;182:107943. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2024.107943. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38552720.
    Impact Statement:     The addition of e-cigarette use to smoking does not reduce mortality risk compared with exclusive smoking. However, transitioning completely from cigarettes to e-cigarettes may be associated with mortality risk reduction. Further research is needed to verify these findings in larger cohorts and over longer periods of follow-up. 
  • Piell KM, Petri BJ, Xu J, Cai L, Rai SN, Li M, Wilkey DW,Merchant ML, Cave MC, Klinge CM. Chronic Aroclor 1260 exposure alters the mouse liver proteome, selenoproteins, and metals in steatotic liver disease. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2024 Mar 27;107:104430. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104430. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38552755.
    Impact Statement:     This paper reports that a single oral exposure of male C57Bl/6J mice to the PCB mixture Aroclor 1260 while on a normal diet that resulted in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) after 34 wks. altered the abundance of 128 liver proteins including four selenoproteins. Metallomic analysis of the livers revealed that liver selenium, copper, and zinc were increased and iron was reduced. These data demonstrate that Ar1260 exposure alters the (seleno)proteome, Se, and metals in MASLD-associated pathways. 
  • Chandy M, Hill T 3rd, Jimenez-Tellez N, Wu JC, Sarles SE, Hensel E, Wang Q, Rahman I, Conklin DJ. Addressing Cardiovascular Toxicity Risk of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems in the Twenty-First Century: "What Are the Tools Needed for the Job?" and "Do We Have Them?". Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2024 Mar 31. doi: 10.1007/s12012-024-09850-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38555547.
    Impact Statement:     At present we are unsure of the risk that Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) use poses to the human cardiovascular system. There are multiple technologies that are being coupled together as a cardiovascular toxicity testing platform to assess ENDS toxicity and risk. As with any new approach method (NAM), there remains uncertainties as to how robustly these potential NAM platforms will predict population-relevant effects in humans – but this will never be known until the work is attempted. 
  • Keith RJ, Hart JL, Bhatnagar A. Greenspaces And Cardiovascular Health. Circ Res. 2024 Apr 26;134(9):1179-1196. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.323583. Epub 2024 Apr 25. PMID: 38662868.
    Impact Statement: Living in areas with high surrounding greenness is associated with improved cardiovascular health and lower risk of mortality, thanks to the environmental, social, psychological, and physiological benefits of greenspaces. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the positive effects of greenspaces on cardiovascular disease risk factors and highlights the need for further research to fully harness their potential for public health and climate change mitigation.
  • Dunlap NE, Friedland RP, Cai L. Alzheimer's disease and low-dose radiation therapy: A new hope. Radiat Med Prot. 2024 Mar;5(1):1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.radmp.2024.01.002. Epub 2024 Feb 7. PMID: 38585336; PMCID: PMC10997373.
    Impact Statement: Potential therapeutic application of low-dose radiation (LDR) for Alzheimer’s diseases (AD) has been explored since 2017, for which, a new Systematic Review based on available preclinical and clinical studies was published as milestone recently. Therefore, this mini-review provides a concise historical introduction for this research field and narrative discussion of AD radiotherapy as the new hope for the patients with AD.     
  • Horowitz M, Cai L, Islam MS. Glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor agonists and the management of type 2 diabetes-backwards and forwards. World J Diabetes. 2024 Mar 15;15(3):326-330. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v15.i3.326. PMID: 38591090; PMCID: PMC10999054.
    Impact Statement: As Editors-in-Chief of the journal, World Journal of Diabetes (WJD), the authors have highlighted the work by Alqifari et al published in the journal of WJD (2024), focusing on practical advice for the clinical use of glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) in the management of type 2 diabetes by providing complementary information. This includes a brief historical perspective of the development of GLP-1RAs stimulated by recognition of the 'incretin effect', the substantially greater insulin increase to enteral when compared to euglycaemic intravenous glucose, the identification of the incretin hormones, GIP and GLP-1, and a final reminder for more information relating to the effects of GLP-1RAs to induce gastrointestinal symptoms and slow gastric emptying likely to allow their use to become more effective and personalized. 
  • Cai L. Perspective of Dose-Response: New Chapter With New "Exposome" and "-omics". Dose Response. 2024 Apr 25;22(2):15593258241248775. doi: 10.1177/15593258241248775. PMID: 38680850; PMCID: PMC11047227.
    Impact Statement: This is an editorial from me as the new editor-in-chief (EIC) of the journal, Dose-Response, starting in March 2024. This editorial addressed the introduction of the concepts of "Exposome" and associated "Exposomics" into the toxicology research, therefore, the mission of "DR" will incorporate with these new concepts as the next chapter's principle and strategies, even though it remains adhered to the original goals. The EIC wish this journal can open a door for various discipline scientists and researchers to share their state-of-the-art discoveries to shed new insight to understand the impact of environmental and toxicological medicine and develop more specific and effective intervention strategies.     
  • Yang JY, Mondéjar-Parreño G, Jahng JWS, Lu Y, Hamburg N, Nadeau KC, Conklin DJ, Liao R, Chandy M, Wu JC. Elucidating effects of the environmental pollutant benzo[a]pyrene [BaP] on cardiac arrhythmogenicity. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2024 Apr 20;191:23-26. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2024.04.013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38648962.
    Impact Statement: The ability to reprogram adult human somatic cells into human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has transformed cardiovascular research by providing a novel model system with a limitless supply of cardiovascular cell types for toxicity testing. Herein, we used iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) to illuminate the potential mechanism(s) of polyaromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene-induced cardiotoxicity.     
  • Riggs DW, DuPre NC, James P, Rai SN, Yeager R, Sears CG, Laden F, Bhatnagar A. Association of Ecoregion Distribution of Greenness With Cardiovascular Mortality: A Longitudinal Ecological Study in the United States. Circ Res. 2024 Apr 26;134(9):1221-1223. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324427. Epub 2024 Apr 25. PMID: 38662855; PMCID: PMC11047167.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that the health benefits of living in greener areas, particularly reduced cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, vary significantly across different U.S. ecoregions. Understanding these variations is crucial for optimizing the health impacts of greenness, especially in the context of changing climates and diverse ecological characteristics. 
  • Monreal G, Koenig SC, Huang J, Slaughter MS. Anatomical and Hemodynamic Characterization of Totally Artificial Hearts. ASAIO J. 2024 May 1;70(5):338-347. doi: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000002209. Epub 2024 Apr 1. PMID: 38557701.
    Impact Statement: This fun article studied spooky Halloween beating hearts to a cute colorful plush heart. They were imaged, instrumented (mock flow loops) to measure their pressure, volume, and flow, and qualitatively evaluated by 3rd party cardiac surgeons for anatomical accuracy and surgical considerations. #ArtificialHeart #ScienceisFun     
  • Bradley J, Xu Q, Touloumes N, Lusciks E, Ali T, Huang EC, Chen J, Ghafghazi S, Arnold FW, Kong M, Huang J, Cavallazzi R; Center of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases (CERID) Post-COVID-19 Research Clinic Study Group. Association of pulmonary function test abnormalities and quality-of-life measures after COVID-19 infection. Am J Med Sci. 2024 Apr 16:S0002-9629(24)01170-4. doi: 10.1016/j.amjms.2024.04.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38636655.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that post-COVID-19 patients with normal pulmonary function tests (PFTs) experience significant impairments in mobility and anxiety-related health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores, suggesting that the presence of normal PFTs does not preclude long-term impacts on HRQoL. Conversely, no significant temporal association was found between abnormal PFTs and HRQoL scores, indicating that HRQoL impairments following COVID-19 infection may arise independently of PFT abnormalities. 
  • Taiwo MT, Huang E, Pathak V, Bellar A, Welch N, Dasarathy J, Streem D, McClain CJ, Mitchell MC, Barton BA, Szabo G, Dasarathy S, Schaefer EA, Luther J, Day LZ, Ouyang X, Arumugam S, Mehal WZ, Jacobs JM, Goodman RP, Rotroff DM, Nagy LE. Complement protein signatures in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis. JCI Insight. 2024 Apr 4:e174127. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.174127. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38573776.
    Impact Statement: This study identifies distinct complement protein signatures in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (sAH) through a comprehensive proteomic analysis of human liver and serum samples. The findings highlight potential noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, such as serum collectin 11 and C1q binding protein, that can differentiate sAH from other alcohol-related liver conditions and predict patient outcomes.     
  • Asplund H, Dreyer HH, Singhal R, Rouchka EC, O'Toole TE, Haberzettl P, Conklin DJ, Sansbury BE. Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution Disrupts Erythrocyte Turnover. Circ Res. 2024 Apr 26;134(9):1224-1227. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324411. Epub 2024 Apr 25. PMID: 38662858; PMCID: PMC11059477.
    Impact Statement: : Our study demonstrates that exposure to concentrated ambient PM2.5 significantly disrupts erythrocyte homeostasis, resulting in increased oxidative stress and impaired clearance by splenic macrophages. These findings suggest that PM2.5-induced alterations in erythrocyte dynamics may play a critical role in the exacerbation of cardiovascular disease, highlighting the need for further investigation into erythrocytes as key targets in air pollution-related pathology.     
  • Holm RH, Rempala GA, Choi B, Brick JM, Amraotkar AR, Keith RJ, Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Palmer KE, Smith T, Bhatnagar A. Dynamic SARS-CoV-2 surveillance model combining seroprevalence and wastewater concentrations for post-vaccine disease burden estimates. Commun Med (Lond). 2024 Apr 9;4(1):70. doi: 10.1038/s43856-024-00494-y. PMID: 38594350; PMCID: PMC11004132.
    Impact Statement: Despite wide scale assessments, it remains unclear how large-scale severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination affected the wastewater concentration of the virus or the overall disease burden as measured by hospitalization rates. Our study underscores the importance of continuing environmental surveillance post-vaccine and provides a proof-of-concept for environmental epidemiology monitoring of infectious disease for future pandemic preparedness.
  • Gripshover TC, Wahlang B, Head KZ, Luo J, Bolatimi OE, Smith ML, Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Xu J, Cai L, Cummins TD, Merchant ML, Zheng H, Kong M, Cave MC. Multiomics Analysis of PCB126's Effect on a Mouse Chronic-Binge Alcohol Feeding Model. Environ Health Perspect. 2024 Apr;132(4):47007. doi: 10.1289/EHP14132. Epub 2024 Apr 15. PMID: 38619879; PMCID: PMC11018247.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that PCB126 exposure exacerbates alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) by significantly altering the transcriptome and essential metal levels in the liver. These findings suggest that PCB126 not only promotes steatosis and hepatomegaly but also contributes to the malnutrition aspect of ALD, highlighting the complex interplay between environmental pollutants and liver disease pathogenesis.     
  • Zhao J, Gomes D, Yuan F, Feng J, Zhang X, O'Toole TE. Oral Polystyrene Consumption Potentiates Atherosclerotic Lesion Formation in ApoE-/- Mice. Circ Res. 2024 Apr 26;134(9):1228-1230. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324419. Epub 2024 Apr 25. PMID: 38662862; PMCID: PMC11047141
    Impact Statement: Plastic particles of the micro- and nano-sized are ubiquitous contaminants in the environment and have found their way into water supplies, the food chain, and ambient air. While human exposure to these particles through ingestion, inhalation, and absorption is inevitable, the health consequences of these exposures is uncertain. Using a model of oral polystyrene consumption, these studies have determined that such exposures can exacerbate atherosclerotic lesion formation in disease-prone mice. 
  • Schulman-Geltzer EB, Fulghum KL, Singhal RA, Hill BG, Collins HE. Cardiac Mitochondrial Metabolism During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2024 Mar 29. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00127.2024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38551485.
    Impact Statement: This study sheds light on the dynamic changes in maternal cardiac mitochondria during pregnancy and post-birth, indicating an enhanced capacity to utilize specific energy sources after birth. Understanding these metabolic adaptations could lead to targeted interventions to support maternal cardiac health during the peripartum period, potentially reducing the risk of cardiac complications postpartum. 
  • Mathis M, Steffner KR, Subramanian H, Gill GP, Girardi NI, Bansal S, Bartels K, Khanna AK, Huang J. Overview and Clinical Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Cardiac Anesthesiology. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2024 May;38(5):1211-1220. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2024.02.004. Epub 2024 Feb 15. PMID: 38453558; PMCID: PMC10999327.
    Impact Statement: Review of 3 recent applications relevant to cardiac #anesthesiology, including depth of anesthesia monitoring, operating room resource optimization, and transthoracic/transesophageal echocardiography, as conceptual examples to explore strengths and limitations of #artificialintelligence within healthcare, and characterize this evolving landscape.
  • Hwang JY, Kook TL, Paulus SM, Park JW. Translation of Circular RNAs: Functions of Translated Products and Related Bioinformatics Approaches. Curr Bioinform. 2024;19(1):3-13. doi: 10.2174/1574893618666230505101059. Epub 2023 Oct 3. PMID: 38500957; PMCID: PMC10947221.
    Impact Statement:     This paper offers a deeper understanding of circRNA, its functions, translation of circRNA, and tools for circRNA analysis. This deeper understanding of circRNA and the development of analysis tools pave the way for significant advancements in cancer research.
  • Wechman S, Jala VR, Bermudez-Humaran LG, Gomez-Gutierrez JG. Editorial: Recombinant microbes-mediated cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol. 2024 Feb 22;15:1386574. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1386574. PMID: 38455064; PMCID: PMC10917935.
    Impact Statement: This publication presents research in cancer immunotherapy, highlighting the potential of microbial-based treatments to stimulate immune responses against tumors and improve therapeutic outcomes. By elucidating mechanisms of action and demonstrating efficacy in preclinical models, these studies pave the way for the development of innovative cancer therapies that harness the power of the immune system to combat malignancies effectively. 
  • Xu R, Liu H, Yuan F, Kim S, Kirpich I, McClain CJ, Zhang X. Lipid Wizard: Analysis Software for Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Based Lipid Profiling. Anal Chem. 2024 Apr 9;96(14):5375-5383. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04419. Epub 2024 Mar 24. PMID: 38523323.
    Impact Statement: The lipid profiling platform, comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILCxRPC-MS), developed in CREAM can simultaneously quantify over 4000 lipids in one experiment. Lipid Wizard software assigns lipids based on their precursor ion m/z value, the first and the second dimensional retention times, to greatly increase the confidence of lipid assignment for large-scale lipidomics studies. 
  • Kouokam JC, Speer RM, Meaza I, Toyoda JH, Lu H, Wise JP Sr. Transcriptomic analysis reveals particulate hexavalent chromium regulates key inflammatory pathways in human lung fibroblasts as a possible mechanism of carcinogenesis. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2024 Mar 11;485:116889. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116889. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38479592.
    Impact Statement: This study used a transcriptomics approach to demonstrate that hexavalent chromium regulates key inflammatory pathways in human lung fibroblasts. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms by which hexavalent chromium causes lung cancer. 
  • Lindsey ML, Brunt KR, Kleinbongard P, Carter JR, Ripplinger CM, Kassiri Z, Hansell Keehan K, LeBlanc AJ, Kirk JA. The heart of physiological reports. Physiol Rep. 2024 Mar;12(5):e15962. doi: 10.14814/phy2.15962. PMID: 38439748; PMCID: PMC10912920.
    Impact Statement: This editorial celebrates Physiological Reports' 10-year anniversary, highlighting its role in the cardiovascular research community as a platform for sound science in basic, translational, and clinical physiology. With a strong reputation for solid publications, Physiol Reports offers a viable option for cardiovascular researchers, including those whose work may not meet the criteria for publication in other journals like AJP Heart and Circ, providing a valuable outlet for impactful research findings. 
  • Lindsey ML, Kirk JA, LeBlanc AJ, Brunt KR, Carter JR, Hansell Keehan K, Ripplinger CM, Kleinbongard P, Kassiri Z. Looking Backward to Plan for Forward. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2024 Mar 29. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00154.2024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38551484.
    Impact Statement: On January 1, 2024, the executive editorial team of the American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology (AJP-Heart and Circ) began its second 3-year term. The purpose of this editorial is to highlight the successes of the first term and showcase plans for the next term. 
  • Hardesty J, Hawthorne M, Day L, Warner J, Warner D, Gritsenko M, Asghar A, Stolz A, Morgan T, McClain C , Jacobs J, Kirpich IA. Steroid responsiveness in alcohol-associated hepatitis is linked to glucocorticoid metabolism, mitochondrial repair, and heat shock proteins. Hepatol Commun. 2024 Mar 4;8(3):e0393. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000393. PMID: 38437061; PMCID: PMC10914234.
    Impact Statement: This publication identifies hepatic protein expression patterns associated with corticosteroid response and survival in alcohol-associated hepatitis patients, informing personalized treatment approaches and prognostic strategies. These findings have the potential to improve patient management and outcomes, thereby contributing to public health by enhancing the effectiveness of interventions for alcohol-associated hepatitis. 
  • Wise JTF, Lu H, Meaza I, Wise SS, Williams AR, Wise JY, Mason MD, Wise JP Sr. Prolonged Particulate Hexavalent Chromium Exposure Induces DNA Double-Strand Breaks and Inhibits Homologous Recombination Repair in Primary Rodent Lung Cells. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024 Mar 18. doi: 10.1007/s12011-024-04136-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38499919.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals prolonged exposure to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in rodent lung cells leads to DNA double-strand breaks and subsequent inhibition of repair mechanisms, mirroring similar effects observed in human lung cells. The findings suggest that rodent models can be valuable in studying metal-induced lung carcinogenesis and further distinguish these responses from those observed in whales, where repair mechanisms are not inhibited after exposure to Cr(VI). 
  • Lu H, Toyoda JH, Wise SS, Browning CL, Speer RM, Croom-Pérez TJ, Bolt A, Meaza I, Wise JP. A whale of a tale: whale cells evade the driving mechanism for hexavalent Chromium-Induced chromosome instability. Toxicol Sci. 2024 Mar 27:kfae030. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae030. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38539048.
    Impact Statement: The study demonstrates whale lung cells resist hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]-induced chromosome instability, a key mechanism for Cr(VI) carcinogenesis in humans. Cr(VI) causes the same amount of DNA breaks in human and whale cells, but unlike human lung cells, whale cells maintain effective DNA repair and avoid structural changes that lead to cancer, providing insights into the whales' lower cancer rates despite long-term Cr(VI) exposure and suggesting whales may provide insights into have to help prevent human cancer. 
  • Zhang, C. H., Sears, C. G., Guinn, B., & Zierold, K. M. (2024). EXPLORING ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IN EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE LEAD RELEASED FROM INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES IN KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES. Geographical Review, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/00167428.2024.2325976
    Impact Statement: The findings of this study contribute to raising public awareness about the persistent risks associated with exposure to airborne lead from industrial facilities across Kentucky. Insights into racial/economic inequalities in lead exposure highlighted by the study can inform public health policies to tackle environmental injustices and health disparities. 
  • Mo Y, Mo L, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yuan J, Zhang Q. High glucose enhances the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by ambient fine particulate matter in alveolar macrophages. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2023 Nov 2;20(1):41. doi: 10.1186/s12989-023-00552-8. PMID: 37919797; PMCID: PMC10621103.
    Impact Statement: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that individuals with preexisting conditions, including diabetes mellitus (DM), are more susceptible to air pollution. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our study demonstrated that exposure of mouse alveolar macrophages to PM2.5 in a high glucose setting enhanced PM2.5-induced production of IL-1β through activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and nuclear translocation of NF-κB due to PM2.5-induced oxidative stress, leading to MMP-9 upregulation. Our study provides a further understanding of the potential mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of individuals with DM to air pollution and suggests potential therapeutic targets.
  • Banerjee M, Srivastava S, Rai SN, States JC. Chronic arsenic exposure induces malignant transformation of human HaCaT cells through both deterministic and stochastic changes in transcriptome expression. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2024 Feb 17;484:116865. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116865. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38373578.
    Impact Statement: Carcinogenesis occurs both as a result of combined deterministic and stochastic (random) changes in gene expression. However, existing data analysis paradigms for transcriptomic studies preferentially select for deterministic lockstep changes eliminating the importance of stochastic processes in carcinogenesis. In this work, we devised a relatively simple statistical approach that can differentiate between deterministic and stochastic processes operative in carcinogenesis and the pathways and networks they modulate using a cell line model of arsenic-induced skin carcinogenesis. This work will lead to a comprehensive understanding of how cells become cancerous and the role of clonal and tumor heterogeneity in the process. 
  • Cai L, Tan Y, Holland B, Wintergerst K. Diabetic Cardiomyopathy and Cell Death: Focus on Metal-Mediated Cell Death. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2024 Feb;24(2):71-84. doi: 10.1007/s12012-024-09836-7. Epub 2024 Feb 6. PMID: 38321349.
    Impact Statement: After we published first review “Diabetic cardiomyopathy and cell death” in 2003, this review provided an update with the potential role of metal-mediated cell death, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy, to advance the knowledge and continue to drive efforts to develop more advanced therapeutic approaches to prevent cell death, particularly metal-dependent cell death, and, ultimately, to reduce or prevent the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. 
  • Tomlinson MM, Wallis AB, Harris MJ, DuPré NC, Baumgartner RN, Okonofua F. Menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in West Africa: A systematic review. Afr J Reprod Health. 2024 Feb 28;28(1):123-156. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2024/v28i1.12. PMID: 38308560.
    Impact Statement: This literature review addresses some of the unmet menstrual hygiene needs for West African girls, highlighting the need for more research and intervention implementation in these areas. At present, lack of private toilets, education, and products causes girls to miss school days, putting them at risk for lower educational achievement and economic opportunity as compared to their male peers. 
  • Ding T, Weng Y, Huang J, Zou W. Manual angulation of the Arndt endobronchial blocker to improve the ease of lung isolation. Can J Anaesth. 2024 Feb 16. doi: 10.1007/s12630-024-02709-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38366211.
    Impact Statement: Manual angulation of theArndt Endobronchial #Blocker as an innovative, easy, effective, and safe techniquefor #lungisolation using this device.
  • Haines D, Kertai MD, Abrams B, Huang J. Understanding Physiology and Using Technology to Care for Challenging Patients. Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2024 Feb 20:10892532241233106. doi: 10.1177/10892532241233106. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38378200.
    Impact Statement: Innovation and the advancement of medical knowledge is paramount to the goals and objectives of caring for challenging patients. 
  • Condon S, Hu H, Kong M, Cave MC, McClain CJ. ALT Poorly Predicts Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Liver Fibrosis as Determined by Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography in Adult National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018: ALT Poorly Predicts NAFLD and Hepatic Fibrosis. Am J Med Sci. 2024 Jan 31:S0002-9629(24)01055-3. doi: 10.1016/j.amjms.2024.01.022. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38307172.
    Impact Statement: ALT is the most widely used liver chemistry for NAFLD evaluation. Our study revealed that ALT is an inaccurate marker for NAFLD as measured by FibroScan® with CAP greater than or equal to 300 dB/m. Accuracy improved specific risk factors were considered. These data also showed that ALT was a poor marker for liver fibrosis. We conclude that there is no single ALT level that accurately predicts hepatic steatosis or fibrosis. 
  • Xu Q, Antimisiaris D, Kong M. Statistical methods for assessing drug interactions using observational data. J Appl Stat. 2022 Sep 20;51(2):298-323. doi: 10.1080/02664763.2022.2123460. PMID: 38283050; PMCID: PMC10810670.
    Impact Statement: We propose using marginal structural models to assess the average treatment effect and causal interaction of two drugs by controlling confounding variables. The method will facilitate the investigation of the causal effects of multiple treatments or exposures while controlling for confounding variables such as demographics and comorbidity conditions.
  • Sun R, Lei C, Xu Z, Gu X, Huang L, Chen L, Tan Y, Peng M, Yaddanapudi K, Siskind L, Kong M, Mitchell R, Yan J, Deng Z. Neutral ceramidase regulates breast cancer progression by metabolic programming of TREM2-associated macrophages. Nat Commun. 2024 Feb 1;15(1):966. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45084-7. PMID: 38302493; PMCID: PMC10834982.
    Impact Statement: We find that deletion of neutral ceramidase in multiple breast cancer models in female mice accelerates tumor growth, and metabolite ceramide leads to reprogramming of macrophages toward immune suppressive TREM2+ tumor associated macrophages, which promote CD8 T cells exhaustion. 
  • Egger ME, Alexander E, Van Meter T, Kong M, Maung AA, Valdes R Jr, Hall MB, Linder MW. Corresponding ctDNA and tumor burden dynamics in metastatic melanoma patients on systemic treatment. Transl Oncol. 2024 Feb 1;42:101883. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101883. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38306914.
    Impact Statement: We evaluated the relationship between longitudinal radiographic measures of tumor burden and plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) concentrations. We found that measurements of plasma ctDNA during therapy are a better surrogate for responding versus non-responding disease compared to absolute tumor burden. 
  • Gawrieh S, Dasarathy S, Tu W, Kamath PS, Chalasani NP, McClain CJ, Bataller R, Szabo G, Tang Q, Radaeva S, Barton B, Nagy LE, Shah VH, Sanyal AJ, Mitchell MC. Randomized-controlled trial of anakinra plus zinc vs. prednisone for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis. J Hepatol. 2024 Feb 9:S0168-8278(24)00109-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.01.031. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38342441.
    Impact Statement: There is no approved treatment for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (SAH). In this double-blind randomized trial, patients with SAH treated with prednisone using the Lille stopping rule on Day-7 had higher 90-day overall and transplant-free survival and lower rate of acute kidney injury compared to patients treated with a combination of anakinra and zinc. The data support continued use of glucocorticoids for patients with SAH, with treatment discontinuation for those with Lille score > 0.45 on Day-7.
  • Walter MN, Montoya-Durango D, Rodriguez W, Wang Y, Zhang J, Chariker JH, Rouchka EC, Maldonado C, Bennett A, McClain CJ, Barve S, Gobejishvili L. Hepatocyte-specific mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 in sexual dimorphism and susceptibility to alcohol induced liver injury. Front Immunol. 2024 Feb 1;15:1316228. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1316228. PMID: 38370409; PMCID: PMC10871047.
    Impact Statement: Hepatocyte Mkp1 plays a significant role in alcohol induced liver injury. Alcohol downregulates Mkp1 expression in hepatocytes in a sex dependent manner and could play a role in sexual dimorphism in increased female susceptibility to alcohol. 
  • Augenstein II, Nail AN, Ferragut Cardoso AP, States JC, Banerjee M. Chronic arsenic exposure suppresses proteasomal and autophagic protein degradation. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2024 Feb 23;107:104398. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104398. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38403142.
    Impact Statement: Chronic arsenic exposure causes proteome-wide changes across target tissues, but the mechanisms involved are not clearly understood. In this work, we demonstrate that chronic arsenic exposure suppresses both the arms of protein degradation pathway, viz., autophagy and ubiquitin proteasomal system across skin and lung cell line models. This work will help us better understand how environmental exposure impact proteome-wide changes during carcinogenesis and identify possible therapeutic targets. 
  • Xin Y, Wise JY, Rajesh M, Cai L. Editorial: Cardiovascular diseases related to diabetes and obesity, volume III. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Feb 13;15:1381446. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1381446. PMID: 38414820; PMCID: PMC10897048.
    Impact Statement: The escalating global burden of obesity, diabetes mellitus (DM), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) demands urgent attention. Through comprehensive clinical studies and reviews, this Research Topic underscores the critical need for early detection and intervention strategies, highlighting novel markers like metabolic insulin resistance scores and triglyceride-glucose indices, offering a pathway towards individualized therapeutic regimens and enhanced patient outcomes in the face of these intertwined chronic diseases. 
  • Dong J, Browning M, Reuben A, McAnirlin O, Yuan S, Stephens C, Maisonet M, Zhang K, Hart JE, James P, Yeager R. The paradox of high greenness and poor health in rural Central Appalachia. Environ Res. 2024 Feb 1:118400. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118400. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38309568.
    Impact Statement: While extensive evidence reflects that those living in greener areas have better health, rural Central Appalachia is a major exception. In this paper, we describe potential reasons for this, draw attention to public health challenges in Central Appalachia, and provide recommendations for future research and public health action.
  • Bhatnagar A, Keith R, Yeager R, Riggs D, Sears C, Bucknum B, Smith T, Fleischer D, Chandler C, Walker KL, Hart JL, Srivastava S, Turner J, Rai S. The Green Heart Project: Objectives, Design, and Methods. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Dec 5:2023.12.05.23299461. doi: 10.1101/2023.12.05.23299461. PMID: 38105951; PMCID: PMC10723507.
    Impact Statement: The Green Heart Project, initiated in 2018 in a low-to-middle-income mixed-race residential area of Louisville, KY, conducted a comprehensive study assessing the impact of increased urban greenery on environmental and community health. Through meticulous data collection, including sociodemographic factors, pollutant exposure, and cardiovascular function assessments, the project aims to provide valuable insights into the long-term effects of planting over 8,000 trees and shrubs in designated clusters, contributing to ongoing research on the benefits of urban green spaces.
  • Behrooz L, Xie W, Goghari A, Robertson R, Bhatnagar A, Stokes A, Hamburg NM. Electronic cigarette use and chest pain in US adults: Evidence from the PATH study. Tob Induc Dis. 2024 Jan 19;22. doi: 10.18332/tid/175732. PMID: 38250630; PMCID: PMC10798225.
    Impact Statement: This study found exclusive e-cigarette use is associated with a lower rate of chest pain compared to combustible cigarette use and dual use. 
  • Riggs DW, Baumgartner KB, Baumgartner R, Boone S, Judd SE, Bhatnagar A. Long-term exposure to air pollution and risk of stroke by ecoregions: The REGARDS study. Environ Pollut. 2024 Jan 25;345:123367. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123367. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38280465.
    Impact Statement: This study provides crucial insights into the complex relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and stroke risk, highlighting the influence of surrounding ecology on these associations. The findings reveal that the impact of air pollution on stroke risk varies significantly across different ecoregions, emphasizing the importance of considering the type, quality, and quantity of the surrounding environment when assessing the effects of air pollution on public health outcomes. 
  • Abouleisa RRE, Tang XL, Ou Q, Salama AM, Woolard A, Hammouri D, Abdelhafez H, Cayton S, Abdulwali SK, Arai M, Sithu ID, Conklin DJ, Bolli R, Mohamed TMA. Gene therapy encoding cell cycle factors to treat chronic ischemic heart failure in rats. Cardiovasc Res. 2024 Jan 4:cvae002. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvae002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38175760.
    Impact Statement: This study establishes the long-term efficacy of TNNT2-4Fpolycistronic-NIL gene therapy in inducing cardiomyocyte (CM) cell cycle re-entry and improving left ventricular (LV) function in a rat model of chronic ischemic heart failure (IHF), a clinically relevant setting with significant pathophysiological differences from subacute IHF. The findings offer a promising therapeutic avenue for the treatment of chronic IHF, addressing a condition with high clinical prevalence and highlighting the potential of gene therapies in revolutionizing approaches to combat this life-threatening disease. 
  • Zhao J, Adiele N, Gomes D, Malovichko M, Conklin DJ, Ekuban A, Luo J, Gripshover T, Watson WH, Banerjee M, Smith ML, Rouchka EC, Xu R, Zhang X, Gondim DD, Cave MC, O'Toole TE. Obesogenic polystyrene microplastic exposures disrupt the gut-liver-adipose axis. Toxicol Sci. 2024 Jan 30:kfae013. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38291899.
    Impact Statement: Microplastics derived from the physicochemical degradation of larger polymers are ubiquitous contaminants in the environment and have found their way into water supplies and the food chain. Despite evidence that these particles can be found in several human tissues, the health impacts of such exposure are not clear. Using a mouse model of exposure, polystyrene beads in drinking water, we found that consumption of these beads was associated with obesity, adipose inflammation, changes in the gut microbiome, and altered liver metabolism and signal transduction. This study identifies the wide-ranging physiological impact of microplastics consumption. 
  • Taylor MJ, Chitwood CP, Xie Z, Miller HA, van Berkel VH, Fu XA, Frieboes HB, Suliman SA. Disease diagnosis and severity classification in pulmonary fibrosis using carbonyl volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath. Respir Med. 2024 Feb;222:107534. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107534. Epub 2024 Jan 18. PMID: 38244700.
    Impact Statement: This paper investigated analysis of carbonyl compounds including ketones and aldehydes in exhaled breath for detection and evaluation of severity of pulmonary fibrosis. The results indicated that there were higher levels of many aldehydes for pulmonary fibrosis subjects than healthy controls. 
  • Harris LM, Kerr JC, Skidmore BD, Ghare S, Reyes-Vega A, Remenik-Zarauz V, Samanapally H, Anwar RU, Rijal R, Bryant K, Hall MT, Barve S. A conceptual analysis of SBIRT implementation alongside the continuum of PrEP awareness: domains of fit and feasibility. Front Public Health. 2024 Jan 8;11:1310388. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1310388. PMID: 38259734; PMCID: PMC10801388.
    Impact Statement: This conceptual analysis underscores the potential of integrating Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) into the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Care Continuum, offering a strategic approach to enhance HIV prevention initiatives. By applying the Transtheoretical Model of Change and the PrEP Awareness Continuum, the study reveals how SBIRT can effectively bridge identified gaps, providing a client-centered, destigmatized mechanism to boost PrEP awareness, initiation, and overall success in combating Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission. 
  • Kerr J, Combs R, Sterrett-Hong E, Harris L, Northington T, Krigger K, Parker K. Evaluation of a community-informed multimedia intervention to increase PrEP awareness and intention among African American young adults. AIDS Care. 2024 Feb 1:1-7 doi: 10.1080/09540121.2023.2297739. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38301133.
    Impact Statement: This study showcases the impact of a community-informed multimedia campaign in increasing PrEP awareness and use intentions among African American young adults in Louisville, Kentucky. The findings not only reveal a significant improvement in PrEP awareness over time but also demonstrate that participants with higher campaign affinity exhibit greater PrEP intentions, emphasizing the effectiveness of community-engaged health communication strategies in addressing HIV prevention disparities within specific populations.
  • Ander M, Mugve N, Crouch C, Kassel C, Fukazawa K, Isaak R, Deshpande R, McLendon C, Huang J. Regional anesthesia for transplantation surgery - A White Paper Part 2: Abdominal transplantation surgery. Clin Transplant. 2024 Jan;38(1):e15227. doi: 10.1111/ctr.15227. PMID: 38289879.
    Impact Statement: Transplantation surgery continues to evolve and improve through advancements in transplant technique and technology. With the increased availability of ultrasound machines as well as the continued development of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols, regional anesthesia has become an essential component of providing analgesia and minimizing opioid use perioperatively. 
  • Jophlin L, Liu TY, McClain CJ. Nutritional deficiencies in alcohol use disorder/alcohol-associated liver disease. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2024 Mar 1;40(2):112-117. doi: 10.1097/MOG.0000000000000999. Epub 2024 Jan 2. PMID: 38193343.
  • Ghosh S, Erickson D, Chua MJ, Collins J, Jala VR. The microbial metabolite urolithin A reduces Clostridioides difficile toxin expression and toxin-induced epithelial damage. mSystems. 2024 Jan 9:e0125523. doi: 10.1128/msystems.01255-23. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38193707.
    Impact Statement: Therapy for Clostridioides difficile infections includes the use of antibiotics, immunosuppressors, and fecal microbiota transplantation. However, these treatments have several drawbacks, including the loss of colonization resistance, the promotion of autoimmune disorders, and the potential for unknown pathogens in donor samples. To date, the potential benefits of microbial metabolites in CDI-induced colitis have not been fully investigated. Here, we report for the first time that the microbial metabolite urolithin A has the potential to block toxin production from C. difficile and enhance gut barrier function to mitigate CDI-induced colitis. 
  • Sagaram M, Frimodig J, Jayanty D, Hu H, Royer AJ, Bruner R, Kong M, Schwandt ML, Vatsalya V. One-month assessment of Th-cell axis related inflammatory cytokines, IL-17 and IL-22 and their role in alcohol-associated liver disease. Front Immunol. 2023 Dec 14;14:1202267. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1202267. PMID: 38162671; PMCID: PMC10755956.
    Impact Statement: This study examined plasma levels of two key cytokines, Il-17 and Il-22, which construct the proinflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory axes across the spectrum of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). IL-17 was highly elevated in the severe alcohol-associated hepatitis group, and IL-17 showed a strong positive association with MELD. Baseline IL-22 levels differentiated AH patients from the AUD patients, and showed positive association with the stages of ALD.
  • Fromer MW, Xu Q, Shindorf ML, Mouw TJ, Kong M, Myers J, Feygin Y, Ghosh I, Martin RCG 2nd, McMasters KM, Philips P, Scoggins CR, Ellis CT, Egger ME. Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer after Cholecystectomy in the Elderly. Am Surg. 2024 Jan 11:31348241227165. doi: 10.1177/00031348241227165. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38205662.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals a significant association between recent cholecystectomy and the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, with a 4.7-fold higher rate of cholecystectomy in the year preceding cancer diagnosis compared to a non-cancer population. The findings underscore the potential relevance of cholecystectomy as a factor in pancreatic cancer diagnosis among elderly patients and highlight demographic and clinical differences between those with and without cancer, providing valuable insights into the epidemiological aspects of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 
  • Egger ME, Feygin Y, Kong M, Poddar T, Ghosh I, Xu Q, McCabe RM, McMasters KM, Ellis CT. Variation in Lymph Node Assessment for Colon Cancer at the Tumor, Surgeon, and Hospital Level. J Am Coll Surg. 2024 Jan 11. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000963. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38205923.
    Impact Statement: This study challenges the common assumption that surgeon characteristics primarily influence the adherence to the ≥12 lymph nodes examined quality standard for resected colon cancer. The findings demonstrate that a substantial portion (71%) of the variation in achieving the 12 lymph node standard is attributed to non-modifiable tumor-level factors, shedding light on the need for a nuanced understanding of the contributors to quality metrics in colon cancer resection and highlighting potential areas for improvement in achieving standardized outcomes. 
  • Cai J, Song M, Li M, Merchant M, Benz F, McClain C, Klein J. Site-Specific Identification of Protein S-Acylation by IodoTMT0 Labeling and Immobilized Anti-TMT Antibody Resin Enrichment. J Proteome Res. 2023 Dec 29. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00525. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38157263.
    Impact Statement: This study introduces a site-specific method for the identification of protein S-acylation, addressing the limitations of the widely used aminolysis with hydroxylamine method, and discusses efforts to enhance the method's performance and identification confidence. The findings reveal a substantial increase in the number of newly identified S-acylation sites, underscoring the importance of stringent criteria and highlighting significant variations in S-acylation abundance across different samples, with implications for understanding the regulation of protein function through reversible post-translational modification. 
  • Sundaram K, Teng Y, Mu J, Xu Q, Xu F, Sriwastva MK, Zhang L, Park JW, Zhang X, Yan J, Zhang SQ, Merchant ML, Chen SY, McClain CJ, Dryden GW, Zhang HG. Outer Membrane Vesicles Released from Garlic Exosome-like Nanoparticles (GaELNs) Train Gut Bacteria that Reverses Type 2 Diabetes via the Gut-Brain Axis. Small. 2024 Jan 15:e2308680. doi: 10.1002/smll.202308680. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38225709.
    Impact Statement: This study introduces a novel approach wherein gut microbiota can be trained by diet-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) to release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), exemplified by garlic ELN (GaELNs) training on Akkermansia muciniphila, effectively reversing high-fat diet-induced type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in mice and inhibiting brain inflammation. The findings elucidate a molecular mechanism demonstrating how OMVs from plant nanoparticle-trained gut bacteria regulate gene expression in the brain, offering potential implications for the treatment of metabolic syndrome-induced brain dysfunction. 
  • Chigwechokha P, Nyirenda RL, Dalitsani D, Namaumbo RL, Kazembe Y, Smith T, Holm RH. Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella Typhi culture-based wastewater or non-sewered sanitation surveillance in a resource-limited region. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2024 Jan 4. doi: 10.1038/s41370-023-00632-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38177335.
    Impact Statement: This work represents a significant advancement in public health surveillance in resource-limited settings, offering a cost-effective and scalable method to monitor and respond to outbreaks of diseases such as Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella serotype Typhi. By demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of using local diagnostic methods for disease detection in wastewater, this work has the potential to improve disease control and prevention efforts, particularly in regions where traditional clinical surveillance systems may be impractical or unavailable. 
  • Kucera C, Ramalingam A, Srivastava S, Bhatnagar A, Carll AP. Nicotine Formulation Influences the Autonomic and Arrhythmogenic Effects of Electronic Cigarettes. Nicotine Tob Res. 2023 Nov 27:ntad237. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntad237. Epub ahead of print. PMID:38011908.
    Impact Statement: This study provides evidence that the chemical formulation and concentration of nicotine in pod-based e-cigarettes, specifically protonated nicotine salts, significantly promote vaping-induced heart arrhythmias in mice, challenging the perceived harmlessness of e-cigarette nicotine. This underscores the necessity for regulatory frameworks to address and potentially reduce nicotine concentration and acidity in e-liquids to enhance global e-cigarette user safety.
  • Lin X, Wang W, Chang X, Chen C, Guo Z, Yu G, Shao W, Wu S, Zhang Q, Zheng F, Li H. ROS/mtROS promotes TNTs formation via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to protect against mitochondrial damages in glial cells induced by engineered nanomaterials. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2024 Jan 15;21(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12989-024-00562-0. PMID: 38225661; PMCID: PMC10789074.
    Impact Statement: Despite their biophysical properties, various types of nanomaterials promote Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) formation and mitochondrial transfer, preventing cell apoptosis and disrupting ATP production induced by nanomaterials. ROS/mtROS and the activation of the downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway are common mechanisms to regulate TNTs formation and mitochondrial transfer. Our study reveals that engineered nanomaterials share the same molecular mechanism of TNTs formation and intercellular mitochondrial transfer, and the proposed adverse outcome pathway contributes to a better understanding of the intercellular protection mechanism against nanomaterials-induced neurotoxicity. 
  • Chaudhari M, Zelko I, Lorkiewicz P, Hoetker D, Doelling B, Brittian K, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S, Baba SP. Metabolic Pathways for Removing Reactive Aldehydes are Diminished in Atrophic Muscle During Heart Failure. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2023 Nov 21:rs.3.rs-3621159. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3621159/v1. PMID: 38045249; PMCID: PMC10690332.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals a critical link between heart failure-induced muscle wasting and diminished metabolic pathways responsible for removing lipid peroxidation products and synthesizing histidyl dipeptides in skeletal muscle. The findings underscore the potential contribution of oxidative stress, specifically the reduced capacity to remove toxic aldehydes and decreased synthesis of histidyl dipeptides, to the pathogenesis of muscle atrophy in heart failure patients, highlighting novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
  • Conklin DJ, Haberzettl P, MacKinlay KG, Murphy D, Jin L, Yuan F, Srivastava S, Bhatnagar A. Aldose Reductase (AR) Mediates and Perivascular Adipose Tissue (PVAT) Modulates Endothelial Dysfunction of Short-Term High-Fat Diet Feeding in Mice. Metabolites. 2023 Nov 24;13(12):1172. doi: 10.3390/metabo13121172. PMID: 38132854; PMCID: PMC10744918.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights the significant role of aldose reductase (AR) in mediating endothelial dysfunction (ED) associated with short-term high-fat diet (HFD) feeding, particularly in the context of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT). The findings suggest that vascular-localized AR could serve as a potential target for temporally selective intervention to mitigate ED and its associated complications in the context of increased adiposity, providing insights into the complex interplay between PVAT, AR, and vascular health.
  • Xie Z, Sutaria SR, Chen JY, Gao H, Conklin DJ, Keith RJ, Srivastava S, Lorkiewicz P, Bhatnagar A. Evaluation of urinary limonene metabolites as biomarkers of exposure to greenness. Environ Res. 2023 Dec 22;245:117991. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117991. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38141921.
    Impact Statement: This study explores the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships between greenspaces and human health by incorporating quantitative measures of greenness exposure at the individual level. The identification and validation of urinary metabolites of limonene, such as uroterpenol glucuronide and dihydroperillic acid glucuronide, as potential biomarkers, offer a promising avenue for personalized assessment of exposure to green environments, providing valuable insights into the physical and mental health benefits associated with living in areas rich in vegetation.
  • Barnard ME, DuPré NC, Heine JJ, Fowler EE, Murthy DJ, Nelleke RL, Chan A, Warner ET, Tamimi RM. Reproductive risk factors for breast cancer and association with novel breast density measurements among Hispanic, Black, and White women. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023 Dec 14. doi: 10.1007/s10549-023-07174-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38095811.
    Impact Statement: This study elucidates the racial and ethnic variations in breast density, a factor strongly associated with breast cancer risk. The findings highlight the influence of reproductive factors, specifically age at menarche, parity, and oral contraceptive use, on breast density, and provide insights into potential contributors to differences in breast cancer incidence across diverse populations.
  • Kerr J, Smith A, Nzama N, Bullock NAA, Chandler C, Osezua V, Johnson K, Rozema I, Metzger IW, Harris LM, Bond K, LaPreze D, Rice BM. Systematic Review of Neighborhood Factors Impacting HIV Care Continuum Participation in the United States. J Urban Health. 2023 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s11524-023-00801-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38093034.
    Impact Statement: Social determinants, including neighborhood factors, play an important role in undermining HIV prevention. Social and economic disenfranchisement of neighborhoods negatively impacts HIV care continuum participation among persons living with HIV. This systematic review found that five key neighborhood factors (socioeconomic status, segregation, social disorder, stigma, and care access) were associated with challenged HIV care continuum participation. Structural interventions addressing neighborhood social and economic challenges may have favorable downstream effects for improving HIV care continuum participation.
  • Qin X, Chen X, Zhao X, Yao L, Li B, Pan G, Xu J, Jiang R, Zhao Z, Liang Z, Guo X, Huang J, Li X. Evaluation of brain function in adult patent ductus arteriosus surgery: A multimodal monitoring approach. Curr Probl Cardiol. 2023 Dec 23;49(2):102334. doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.102334. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38142948.
    Impact Statement: Moderate hypothermia during cardiopulmonary bypass in adult PDA repair with combined rSO2 and BIS monitoring can reduce neurological complications post-surgery.
  • Bradley J, Huang J, Kalra A, Reicher J. External validation of Fibresolve, a machine-learning algorithm, to non-invasively diagnose idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Am J Med Sci. 2023 Dec 24:S0002-9629(23)01475-1. doi: 10.1016/j.amjms.2023.12.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38147938.
    Impact Statement: In patients with suspected idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with non-definite usual interstitial pneumonia on high resolution CT, Fibresolve can positively identify cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with high sensitivity. machine learning
  • Sun J, Duncan S, Pal S, Kong M. Directed Acyclic Graph Assisted Method For Estimating Average Treatment Effect. J Biopharm Stat. 2023 Dec 27:1-20. doi: 10.1080/10543406.2023.2296047. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38151852.
    Impact Statement: This method establishes a framework for estimating the causal exposure (or treatment) effect by collaboratively constructing a directed acyclic graph and controlling a minimal set of confounding variables. It is particularly valuable for investigating the causal impact of environmental exposure on outcomes.
  • Watson CT, Rodriguez OL, Engelbrecht E, Safonova Y, Marasco WA, Smith ML. Looking to the future of antibody genetics: resolving the roles of immunoglobulin diversity in gene regulation, function, and immunity. Genes Immun. 2023 Dec 14. doi: 10.1038/s41435-023-00238-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38097744.
    Impact Statement: This publication presents a commentary on the study published by Watson, Marasco, and Smith in Nature Communications in July 2023. That study defined complete genotypes and genomic variation within the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (IGH) and demonstrated that IGH genomic variation directly impacts which antibody chains are available for expression, which differs widely person-to-person. This article highlights the paradigm-shifting nature of this discovery, and outlines a research-based plan for implementing this knowledge into enhancing the design and efficacy of vaccines and immunotherapies.
  • Sokoloski KJ, Holm RH, Smith M, Ford EE, Rouchka EC, Smith T. What is the functional reach of wastewater surveillance for respiratory viruses, pathogenic viruses of concern, and bacterial antibiotic resistance genes of interest? Hum Genomics. 2023 Dec 18;17(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s40246-023-00563-8. PMID: 38105239; PMCID: PMC10726489.
    Impact Statement:This publication emphasizes the significance of high-throughput sequencing in wastewater-based epidemiology for the broad and unbiased detection of human pathogens, antibiotic resistance genes, and other health-relevant entities. The call for collaborative networks among public health agencies, researchers, and community stakeholders highlights the need for a more inclusive public health infrastructure, positioning high-throughput sequencing of wastewater samples as a gold standard for comprehensively understanding and addressing community health, especially in the context of potential public health emergencies or pandemics.
  • Holm RH, Nyirenda R, Smith T, Chigwechokha P. Addressing the challenges of establishing quality wastewater or non-sewered sanitation-based surveillance, including laboratory and epidemiological considerations, in Malawi. BMJ Glob Health. 2023 Nov;8(11):e013307. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013307. PMID: 37918872; PMCID: PMC10626866.
    Impact Statement: . This publication emphasizes the significance of high-throughput sequencing in wastewater-based epidemiology for the broad and unbiased detection of human pathogens, antibiotic resistance genes, and other health-relevant entities. The call for collaborative networks among public health agencies, researchers, and community stakeholders highlights the need for a more inclusive public health infrastructure, positioning high-throughput sequencing of wastewater samples as a gold standard for comprehensively understanding and addressing community health, especially in the context of potential public health emergencies or pandemics
  • States JC, Barchowsky A. Invited Perspective: Humanized Mice for Arsenic Metabolism-A Better Model for Investigating Arsenic-Induced Diseases? Environ Health Perspect. 2023 Dec;131(12):121308. doi: 10.1289/EHP13932. Epub 2023 Dec 27. PMID: 38150314; PMCID: PMC10752413.
    Impact Statement: This invited commentary discusses an accompanying research article (https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13932) that reports on use of a new mouse model for arsenic toxicology. The model has great potential for better understanding how arsenic exposure may impact human health. The commentary also discusses potential shortcomings and unanswered questions.
  • Erhabor J, Boakye E, Obisesan O, Osei AD, Tasdighi E, Mirbolouk H, DeFilippis AP, Stokes AC, Hirsch GA, Benjamin EJ, Rodriguez CJ, El Shahawy O, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Blaha MJ. E-Cigarette Use Among US Adults in the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Nov 1;6(11):e2340859. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40859. PMID: 37921768; PMCID: PMC10625038.
    Impact Statement: These findings suggest that e-cigarette use remained common during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among young adults aged 18 to 24 years (18.3% prevalence). Notably, 71.5% of individuals aged 18 to 20 years who reported current e-cigarette use had never used combustible cigarettes. These results underscore the rationale for the implementation and enforcement of public health policies tailored to young adults.
  • Hopkins CD, Wessel C, Chen O, El-Kersh K, Cathey D, Cave MC, Cai L, Huang J. A hypothesis: Potential contributions of metals to the pathogenesis of pulmonary artery hypertension. Life Sci. 2023 Nov 24;336:122289. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122289. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38007143.
    Impact Statement: Metals may initiate or exacerbate the pathogenesis of PAH pulmonary arterial hypertension, by providing potential mechanism by which metals interact with hypoxia-inducible factor and tumor suppressor p53 to modulate their downstream cellular proliferation pathways.
  • Hopkins CD, Wessel C, Chen O, El-Kersh K, Cave MC, Cai L, Huang J. Potential Roles of Metals in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary and Systemic Hypertension. Int J Biol Sci. 2023 Sep 25;19(16):5036-5054. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.85590. PMID: 37928257; PMCID: PMC10620830.
    Impact Statement: This review explores non-essential and essential metals and potential roles of their dyshomeostasis in pulmonaryhypertension and RightVentricle dysfunction.
  • Warner JB, Hardesty JE, Song YL, Floyd AT, Deng Z, Jebet A, He L, Zhang X, McClain CJ, Hammock BD, Warner DR, Kirpich IA. Hepatic Transcriptome and Its Regulation Following Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibition in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease. Am J Pathol. 2023 Nov 3:S0002-9440(23)00410-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2023.09.016. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37925018.
    Impact Statement: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a serious public health problem with limited pharmacologic options. The goal of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of pharmacologic inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), an enzyme involved in lipid metabolism, in experimental ALD, and to examine the underlying mechanisms.
  • Dong Z, Chen X, Ritter J, Bai L, Huang J. American society of anesthesiologists physical status classification significantly affects the performances of machine learning models in intraoperative hypotension inference. J Clin Anesth. 2024 Feb;92:111309. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2023.111309. Epub 2023 Nov 2. PMID: 37922642.
    Impact Statement: Different ASA physical status classes present different data distributions, and thus calls for distinct machine learning models to improve prediction accuracy and reduce predictive uncertainty. Uncertainty quantification enabled by Bayesian inference provides valuable information for clinicians as an additional metric to evaluate performance of machine learning models for medical decision making.
  • Stanifer S, Delidow B, Rademacher K, Huntington-Moskos L, Kennoy K, Thaxton-Wiggins A, Wilmhoff C, Hahn EJ. Evaluation of a Faculty Fellows Program in Science Communication. J Appalach Health. 2023 Aug 1;5(2):85-99. doi: 10.13023/jah.0502.07. PMID: 38022491; PMCID: PMC10629883.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates the significant positive impact of the Faculty Fellows in Science Communication (FFSC) program on enhancing self-efficacy in science communication across diverse audiences among faculty in environmental health science and education in Appalachia Kentucky. The findings underscore the program's effectiveness in empowering participants to engage with peers within and outside their departments, as well as lay audiences, offering valuable insights into tailored communication strategies and innovative methods to bridge the science communication gap.
  • Condon S, Jophlin LL. Past, Present, and Future Therapies for Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis. Clin Ther. 2023 Nov 16:S0149-2918(23)00405-8. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2023.10.013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37980219.
    Impact Statement: This manuscript examines the evolution of therapies for acute alcohol-associated hepatitis from the early 1900’s to present, with consideration of the limitations of historical clinical trials and the caveats of landmark studies. Emerging therapies, only made possible by decades of prior work, are highlighted.
  • Beare JE, Fleissig Y, Kelm NQ, Reed RM, LeBlanc AJ, Hoying JB, Kaufman CL. Mimicking Clinical Rejection Patterns in a Rat Osteomyocutaneous Flap Model of Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation. J Surg Res. 2023 Nov 16;295:28-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.08.057. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37979234.
    Impact Statement: This research presents a novel rat osteomyocutaneous flap model employing varying tacrolimus doses, closely mirroring rejection patterns observed in clinical hand transplant programs. The findings highlight the crucial role of ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) and microvascular changes in chronic rejection (CR) and vasculopathy, offering an adaptable experimental platform to investigate rejection mechanisms and potential interventions in vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA).
  • Tornai D, Mitchell M, McClain CJ, Dasarathy S, McCullough A, Radaeva S, Kroll-Desrosiers A, Lee J, Barton B, Szabo G. A novel score of IL-13 and age predicts 90-day mortality in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis: A multicenter plasma biomarker analysis. Hepatol Commun. 2023 Nov 22;7(12):e0296. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000296. PMID: 37994498; PMCID: PMC10666984.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals crucial predictors of short-term mortality specifically in severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) patients, uncovering eight biomarkers associated with 28- and 90-day mortality. Furthermore, the development of a composite score integrating IL-13 and age demonstrates superior prognostic accuracy for 90-day mortality compared to the widely used MELD score, offering a promising tool for better prognostication in this high-risk patient population irrespective of treatment type.
  • Berrueta L, Muñoz-Vergara D, Martin D, Thompson R, Sansbury BE, Spite M, Badger GJ, Langevin HM. Effect of stretching on inflammation in a subcutaneous carrageenan mouse model analyzed at single-cell resolution. J Cell Physiol. 2023 Nov 1. doi: 10.1002/jcp.31133. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37909412.
    Impact Statement: This study investigates the impact of stretching on inflammation resolution at a cellular level in a mouse model. Findings indicate that 10-minute stretching sessions twice daily reduce inflammation, alter the production of specific lipid mediators, and influence gene expression in macrophages, offering insights into potential mechanisms for managing inflammatory responses.
  • Torre D, Fstkchyan YS, Ho JSY, Cheon Y, Patel RS, Degrace EJ, Mzoughi S, Schwarz M, Mohammed K, Seo JS, Romero-Bueno R, Demircioglu D, Hasson D, Tang W, Mahajani SU, Campisi L, Zheng S, Song WS, Wang YC, Shah H, Francoeur N, Soto J, Salfati Z, Weirauch MT, Warburton P, Beaumont K, Smith ML, Mulder L, Villalta SA, Kessenbrock K, Jang C, Lee D, De Rubeis S, Cobos I, Tam O, Hammell MG, Seldin M, Shi Y, Basu U, Sebastiano V, Byun M, Sebra R, Rosenberg BR, Benner C, Guccione E, Marazzi I. Nuclear RNA catabolism controls endogenous retroviruses, gene expression asymmetry, and dedifferentiation. Mol Cell. 2023 Nov 14:S1097-2765(23)00903-6. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.10.036. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37995687.
    Impact Statement: Our genome includes thousands of fragments of viral genes leftover from prehistoric infections of our ancestors. This paper details how these viral remnants have been co-opted by our cells to help regulate gene expression during embryonic development. Furthering our understanding of this developmental regulation may be important for the development of future stem cell therapies.
  • de Carvalho Ribeiro M, Iracheta-Vellve A, Babuta M, Calenda CD, Copeland C, Zhuang Y, Lowe PP, Hawryluk D, Catalano D, Cho Y, Barton B, Dasarathy S, McClain C, McCullough AJ, Mitchell MC, Nagy LE, Radaeva S, Lien E, Golenbock DT, Szabo G. Alcohol-induced extracellular ASC specks perpetuate liver inflammation and damage in alcohol-associated hepatitis even after alcohol cessation. Hepatology. 2023 Jul 1;78(1):225-242. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000298. Epub 2023 Mar 3. PMID: 36862512.
  • Ali MT, Gebreil A, ElNakieb Y, Elnakib A, Shalaby A, Mahmoud A, Sleman A, Giridharan GA, Barnes G, Elbaz AS. A personalized classification of behavioral severity of autism spectrum disorder using a comprehensive machine learning framework. Sci Rep. 2023 Oct 9;13(1):17048. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-43478-z. PMID: 37813914; PMCID: PMC10562430.
    Impact Statement: In this study, we've developed an advanced artificial intelligence model that dissects Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) into its behavioral components and accurately identifies specific brain regions associated with ASD severity. By leveraging magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and behavioral assessments, our AI-based system achieved an impressive 96% accuracy in classifying ASD severity across various behavioral groups, offering a promising approach to expedite diagnosis and potentially improve outcomes for individuals with ASD by streamlining the diagnostic process and pinpointing brain regions crucial for ASD identification and understanding. 
  • Zhang W, Cheng Y, Zhang L, Wei Y, Xie H, Huang J. Association between emergence delirium and brain status parameters in children undergoing general anesthesia: A prospective observational study. Paediatr Anaesth. 2023 Oct 3. doi: 10.1111/pan.14779. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37788105.
    Impact Statement:     Both anxiety index and comfort index derived from #electroencephalogram wavelet analysis were associated with emergence delirium in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia for dental surgery. Wavelet index and pain threshold index were not associated with emergence #delirium during general anesthesia for dental surgery in #children.     
  • Sutaria SR, Morris J, Xie Z, Cooke E, Silvers S, Long G, Balcom D, Marimuthu S, Parrish L, Aliesky H, Arnold F, Huang J, Fu X, Nantz M. A feasibility study on exhaled breath analysis using UV spectroscopy to detect COVID-19. J Breath Res. 2023 Oct 24. doi: 10.1088/1752-7163/ad0646. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37875100.
    Impact Statement:     UV absorbance measurements on exhaled #breath samples collected from silicon microreactors can be used to detect #COVID-19. There were statistically significant differences in measured UV absorbance values between healthy and symptomatic COVID-19 positive subjects in the wavelength range from 235 nm to 305 nm.     
  • Yan H, Chen J, Luo J, Li G, Li A, Li W, Jiang M, Li J, Huang J, Fang F, Cang J. Prophylatic use of IV nalmefene to prevent epidural opioid-induced pruritus: A multicenter, randomized clinical trial. J Clin Anesth. 2023 Oct 19;92:111301. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2023.111301. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37865021.
    Impact Statement:    A single dose of 0.5 μg/kg #nalmefene intravenously significantly reduced the incidence and severity of epidural-opioid induced #pruritus within 24 h after surgery without affecting the efficacy of epidural analgesia.     
  • Vatsalya V, Verster JC, Sagaram M, Royer AJ, Hu H, Parthasarathy R, Schwandt ML, Kong M, Ramchandani VA, Feng W, Agrawal R, Zhang X, McClain CJ. Novel paradigms for the gut-brain axis during alcohol withdrawal, withdrawal-associated depression, and craving in patients with alcohol use disorder. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Sep 29;14:1203362. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1203362. PMID: 37840804; PMCID: PMC10570744.
    Impact Statement: This study illuminates the intricate link between gut function, immune response, and symptoms associated with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), uncovering how specific markers in the gut-immune system correlate with withdrawal, depression, and craving tendencies in patients. By revealing the role of gut dysfunction and proinflammatory markers, this research paves the way for understanding a novel gut-brain axis, offering potential insights into targeted interventions for managing withdrawal symptoms, depression, and cravings in individuals with AUD.
  • Meaza I, Williams AR, Lu H, Kouokam JC, Toyoda JH, Croom-Perez TJ, Wise SS, Aboueissa AE, Wise JP Sr. Prolonged particulate hexavalent chromium exposure induces RAD51 foci inhibition and cytoplasmic accumulation in immortalized and primary human lung bronchial epithelial cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2023 Oct 5;479:116711. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116711. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37805091.
    Impact Statement: This study translates the mechanism behind hexavalent chromium's (Cr(VI)) carcinogenic impact on human lung cells, involving how acute and prolonged exposure to Cr(VI) induces DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and disrupts the repair process, leading to chromosomal instability from one lung cell type to a second lung cell type, specifically the type in which lung tumors originate. Demonstrating this mechanism occurs in multiple cell types deepens our understanding of this mechanism and strengthens the evidence that this mechanism is the key to understanding and potentially mitigating Cr(VI)-induced lung tumors. 
  • Montoya-Durango D, Walter MN, Rodriguez W, Wang Y, Chariker JH, Rouchka EC, Maldonado C, Barve S, McClain CJ, Gobejishvili L. Dysregulated Cyclic Nucleotide Metabolism in Alcohol-Associated Steatohepatitis: Implications for Novel Targeted Therapies. Biology (Basel). 2023 Oct 10;12(10):1321. doi: 10.3390/biology12101321. PMID: 37887031; PMCID: PMC10604143.
    Impact Statement: This study delineates a significant decrease in specific gut microbiome-derived metabolites, such as serotonin and indole-3-propionic acid, in patients with advanced Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (ALD), shedding light on the intricate interplay between altered gut microbial metabolites, liver pathologies, and host metabolism. By revealing disruptions in metabolite concentrations and hepatic enzyme expression, particularly in severe ALD cases, this research unveils the complex alterations in gut-derived metabolites, offering valuable insights into potential pathways for targeted interventions to alleviate the progression and severity of ALD through modulating gut microbiome-associated metabolites and hepatic metabolism. 
  • Mrdjen M, Huang E, Pathak V, Bellar A, Welch N, Dasarathy J, Streem D, McClain CJ, Mitchell M, Radaeva S, Barton B, Szabo G, Dasarathy S, Wang Z, Hazen SL, Brown JM, Nagy LE. Dysregulated meta-organismal metabolism of aromatic amino acids in alcohol-associated liver disease. Hepatol Commun. 2023 Oct 12;7(11):e0284. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000284. PMID: 37820283; PMCID: PMC10578770.
    Impact Statement: This study highlights significant decreases in specific gut microbiome-derived metabolites in individuals with advanced stages of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (ALD), shedding light on the intricate interplay between altered gut microbiota, host metabolism, and disease progression. By revealing disruptions in metabolite concentrations and hepatic enzyme expression, particularly in severe ALD cases, this research offers insights into the complex relationship between gut microbial metabolites and the progression of liver disease, potentially paving the way for targeted therapeutic interventions to mitigate the effects of ALD.
  • Ghare SS, Charpentier BT, Ghooray DT, Zhang J, Vadhanam MV, Reddy S, Joshi-Barve S, McClain CJ, Barve SS. Tributyrin Mitigates Ethanol-Induced Lysine Acetylation of Histone-H3 and p65-NFκB Downregulating CCL2 Expression and Consequent Liver Inflammation and Injury. Nutrients. 2023 Oct 17;15(20):4397. doi: 10.3390/nu15204397. PMID: 37892472; PMCID: PMC10610222.
    Impact Statement: This research uncovers the pivotal role of protein acetylation in regulating the expression of hepatic CCL2, a key factor contributing to inflammation and injury in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (ALD). By revealing how ethanol-induced acetylation changes impact gene expression and subsequent liver inflammation, and demonstrating the potential therapeutic effect of tributyrin in reversing these alterations, this study provides crucial insights into the mechanisms underlying ALD progression, offering a promising avenue for targeted interventions to mitigate liver injury and inflammation in this condition. 
  • Anderson LB, Ness HD, Holm RH, Smith T. Wastewater-Informed Digital Advertising as a COVID-19 Geotargeted Neighborhood Intervention: Jefferson County, Kentucky, 2021-2022. Am J Public Health. 2023 Oct 19:e1-e4. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307439. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37856730.
    Impact Statement: This publication demonstrates the potential of using localized public health clinical case data and wastewater pathogen data to implement a geotargeted digital messaging intervention. This approach offers a more responsive and targeted solution for environmental health risks. 
  • Klaassen F, Holm RH, Smith T, Cohen T, Bhatnagar A, Menzies NA. Predictive power of wastewater for nowcasting infectious disease transmission: A retrospective case study of five sewershed areas in Louisville, Kentucky. Environ Res. 2023 Oct 12:117395. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117395. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37838198.
    Impact Statement: This research underscores the potential value of wastewater data in enhancing infectious disease nowcasting, particularly when clinical surveillance data are limited or absent, offering a valuable alternative for early pandemic monitoring or in resource-constrained settings. Although the addition of wastewater data only marginally improved predictive performance compared to models using traditional case and death reports, its inclusion significantly enhanced agreement with estimates derived from models utilizing death data, emphasizing its utility in augmenting disease trend predictions. 
  • Jin L, Xie Z, Lorkiewicz P, Srivastava S, Bhatnagar A, Conklin DJ. Endothelial-dependent Relaxation of Alpha-Pinene and Two Metabolites, Myrtenol and Verbenol, in Isolated Murine Blood Vessels. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2023 Oct 27. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00380.2023. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37889254.
    Impact Statement: Because the positive associations between greenness exposure and human cardiovascular health may be a result of exposure to plant-derived compounds, we explored the direct vascular action of alpha-pinene, an abundant plant compound, and two of its metabolites. Surprisingly, both alpha-pinene and its metabolites, myrtenol and verbenol, relax blood vessels by release of nitric oxide from the endothelium – a novel finding that may explain some of the beneficial health effects of greenness. 
  • Lykoudi A, Ferragut Cardoso AP, Wise SS, Banerjee M, States JC. Clonal variability in chromosomal instability as a potential driver in the acquisition of tumorigenic phenotype in chronic arsenic-exposed and hsa-miR-186 overexpressing human keratinocytes. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2023 Oct 20;479:116730. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116730. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37866707.
    Impact Statement: Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water affects millions globally, ranking as the second most prevalent cause of skin cancer, with arsenic-triggered chromosomal instability contributing significantly to this risk. Investigating the role of hsa-miR-186, researchers found its heightened presence in arsenic-induced skin cancer, suggesting its potential involvement in the malignant transformation of cells by disrupting mitotic progression, highlighting a critical link between molecular variability and the development of arsenic-induced skin carcinogenesis. 
  • Browning MHEM, Locke DH, Konijnendijk C, Labib SM, Rigolon A, Yeager R, Bardhan M, Berland A, Dadvand P, Helbich M, Li F, Li H, James P, Klompmaker J, Reuben A, Roman LA, Tsai WL, Patwary M, O'Neil-Dunne J, Ossola A, Wang R, Yang B, Yi L, Zhang J, Nieuwenhuijsen M. Measuring the 3-30-300 rule to help cities meet nature access thresholds. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Oct 11:167739. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167739. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37832672.
    Impact Statement: The 3-30-300 rule serves as benchmark for healthy access to nature, suggesting that urban residents should at least be able to see 3 trees from a window, have 30% canopy cover, and live within 300m of a park. This publication aids society and public health by providing guidance for scientists, practitioners, and policymakers to measure the 3-30-300 benchmarks and focus intervention efforts. 
  • Tyagi A, Chandrasekaran B, Kolluru V, Baby BV, Sripathi CA, Ankem MK, Ramisetti SR, Chirasani VR, Dokholyan NV, Sharma AK, Damodaran C. ASR490, a Small Molecule, Overrides Aberrant Expression of Notch1 in Colorectal Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther. 2020 Dec;19(12):2422-2431. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-19-0949. Epub 2020 Oct 21. PMID: 33087513.
  • Xu G, Song M. Recent advances in the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of bariatric and metabolic surgery. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2021 Jan;17(1):231-238. doi: 10.1016/j.soard.2020.08.028. Epub 2020 Aug 31. PMID: 33036939; PMCID: PMC7769897.
  • Rupprecht B, Wise JP Sr, Reynolds M. A Case Study for Teaching Toxicology: Using Whales as an Indicator for Environmental Health. CourseSource. 2022;9:10.24918/cs.2022.30. doi: 10.24918/cs.2022.30. Epub 2022 Oct 4. PMID: 37711997; PMCID: PMC10501411.
  • Mitchell BD, Utterback L, Hibbeler P, Logsdon AR, Smith PF, Harris LM, Castle B, Kerr J, Crawford TN. Patient-Identified Markers of Quality Care: Improving HIV Service Delivery for Older African Americans. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Feb;10(1):475-486. doi: 10.1007/s40615-022-01237-2. Epub 2022 Jan 21. PMID: 35064521; PMCID: PMC8781691.
  • Little BB, Shakib S, Pena Reyes ME, Karimi S, Vu GT, Dupré N, McKinney WP, Mitra R. COVID-19 infection and mortality among non-pregnant indigenous adults in Mexico 2020-2022: Impact of marginalisation. J Glob Health. 2023 Jul 28;13:06030. doi: 10.7189/jogh.13.06030. PMID: 37506193; PMCID: PMC10386760.
  • Cai L, Tan Y, Watson S, Wintergerst K. Diabetic cardiomyopathy - Zinc preventive and therapeutic potentials by its anti-oxidative stress and sensitizing insulin signaling pathways. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2023 Oct 15;477:116694. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116694. Epub 2023 Sep 20. PMID: 37739320.
    Impact Statement: Oxidative stress and insulin resistance are two key mechanisms for the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. In this review, we discussed how zinc and metallothionein protect the heart from type 1 or type 2 diabetes through its anti-oxidative function and insulin-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling activation. Ultimately, there is pre-clinical and clinical evidence for the preventive and therapeutic potential of zinc supplementation through its anti-oxidative stress and sensitizing insulin signaling actions to reduce risk of heart disease and improve health outcomes of patients living with diabetes. 
  • Islam MS, Cai L, Horowitz M. Recent therapeutic targets for the prevention and management of diabetic complications. World J Diabetes. 2023 Sep 15;14(9):1330-1333. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v14.i9.1330. PMID: 37771330; PMCID: PMC10523234.
    Impact Statement: Diabetes and associated complications remain major global public health issues, for which although a number of novel therapeutic approaches have been reported recently, some of them have not received comparable attention. Therefore, this editorial briefly discussed some recent therapeutic approaches to the prevention and management of diabetes and its associated complications, as well as potential directions for future research and development in this area. 
  • Clark BJ, Klinge CM. Structure-function of DHEA binding proteins. Vitam Horm. 2023;123:587-617. doi: 10.1016/bs.vh.2022.12.002. Epub 2022 Dec 16. PMID: 37717999.
    Impact Statement: The extensive influence of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated metabolite, DHEA-S, on diverse biological systems, including the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and reproductive system, is underscored by their ability to engage multiple receptors and signaling pathways. This comprehensive review provides an updated and comprehensive understanding of the intricate physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms underlying the multifaceted effects of DHEA and DHEA-S, shedding light on their critical role in modulating various physiological processes.
  • Wang L, Zhou M, Kong X, Wu S, Ding C, Hu X, Guo H, Yan J. Specific Targeting of STAT3 in B Cells Suppresses Progression of B Cell Lymphoma. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Sep 4;24(17):13666. doi: 10.3390/ijms241713666. PMID: 37686472; PMCID: PMC10563066.
    Impact Statement: The findings of this publication indicate that specifically targeting STAT3 siRNA to B cell lymphoma cell lines can significantly decrease STAT3 activity and inhibit tumor progression in vitro and in vivo, suggesting its potential utilization for cancer treatment. 
  • Harris LM, Marsh JC, Khachikian T, Serrett V, Kong Y, Guerrero EG. What can we learn from COVID-19 to improve opioid treatment? Expert providers respond. J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2023 Nov;154:209157. doi: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209157. Epub 2023 Aug 29. PMID: 37652210.
    Impact Statement: Using the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent organizational challenges as a backdrop, this study explores providers from Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) outpatient treatment programs perspectives about strategies and policies that, if made permanent, can potentially improve access to and quality of OUD treatment. Providers identified three primary areas for strategic innovation designed to improve access and quality: (1) designing better medication utilization, (2) increasing telemedicine capacity, (3) improving reimbursement policies. These strategies for system transformation enable us to use lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to direct policy and programmatic reform, such as expanding eligibility for take-home medication and enhancing access to telehealth services. 
  • Huang J, Mariyappa R, Byrne KR, Clifford SP. Right Ventricular Dysfunction During Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: Roles of Anesthesiologists. ASAIO J. 2023 Oct 1;69(10):915-917. doi: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000002049. Epub 2023 Sep 27. PMID: 37773148.
    Impact Statement: This publication sheds light on the critical impact of anesthesia induction on right ventricular (RV) dysfunction before left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, highlighting the complex interplay of various factors during surgery. Their findings emphasize the necessity for meticulous perioperative management, ventilation optimization, and tailored anesthetic choices to mitigate RV dysfunction in LVAD patients, underlining the importance of anesthesiologists' vigilance in improving both short-term and long-term clinical outcomes for these complex cases. 
  • Lindsey ML, LeBlanc AJ, Bertrand L, Bradshaw AD, Kleinbongard P. Improving rigor and reproducibility in cardiovascular research. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2023 Oct 1;325(4):H866-H868. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00524.2023. Epub 2023 Sep 1. PMID: 37656129.
    Impact Statement: Reports of failures by laboratories to repeat experiments performed by other laboratories have launched a whole discussion in the biomedical research community centered on the importance of establishing rigor and reproducibility in research and how to implement plans to achieve this goal. In this editorial, we highlight the three themes that arose in the articles published for a recent call for papers on “Innovation in Improving Rigor and Reproducibility in Cardiovascular Research” collection: 1) improving methods and models, 2) incorporating sex as a biological variable, and 3) testing assumptions.
  • Elnagdy M, Wang Y, Rodriguez W, Zhang J, Bauer P, Wilkey DW, Merchant M, Pan J, Farooqui Z, Cannon R, Rai S, Maldonado C, Barve S, McClain CJ, Gobejishvili L. Increased expression of phosphodiesterase 4 in activated hepatic stellate cells promotes cytoskeleton remodeling and cell migration. J Pathol. 2023 Nov;261(3):361-371. doi: 10.1002/path.6194. Epub 2023 Sep 21. PMID: 37735782.
    Impact Statement: This publication reveals, for the first time, that PDE4 enzymes play a pivotal role in promoting cytoskeleton remodeling and hepatic stellate cell migration, shedding light on their significance in the development of liver fibrosis, and offers potential therapeutic insights. Targeted inhibition of PDE4 with rolipram not only hindered fibrogenesis and collagen deposition but also mitigated the expression of key fibrosis-related genes, showcasing the promise of this approach in combating liver disease. 
  • Marin-Ramirez A, Mahoney T, Smith T, Holm RH. Predicting wastewater treatment plant influent in mixed, separate, and combined sewers using nearby surface water discharge for better wastewater-based epidemiology sampling design. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Sep 27;906:167375. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167375. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37774884.
    Impact Statement: This publication presents a methodology to optimize wastewater sampling during high hydrologic activity. By integrating readily available environmental data, it enhances our ability to monitor public health indicators in wastewater, leading to timely and informed public health interventions. 
  • 10. Petri BJ, Piell KM, Wahlang B, Head KZ, Rouchka EC, Park JW, Hwang JY, Banerjee M, Cave MC, Klinge CM. Altered splicing factor and alternative splicing events in a mouse model of diet- and polychlorinated biphenyl-induced liver disease. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2023 Sep 7;103:104260. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104260. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37683712.
    Impact Statement: This paper reports the identification of 101 splice factors showing altered transcript abundance in the livers of high fat diet (HFD)-fed C57Bl/6 J male mice after co-exposure to the PCB mixture Ar1260 and PCB126. We identified four transcripts (Tnrc6c, Dhrs3, Mapsk7, and Wdr59) and of m6A writers, erasers, or readers with altered skipped exon frequencies in the livers from the HFD-fed mice after Aroclor1260 + PCB126 co-exposure. These data suggest that PCB-exposure contributes to dysregulated splicing in the liver transcriptome that may play a role in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) progression.
  •  Luo J, Watson WH, Gripshover TC, Qaissi Z, Wahlang B. Sex-specific effects of acute chlordane exposure in the context of steatotic liver disease, energy metabolism and endocrine disruption. Food Chem Toxicol. 2023 Oct;180:114024. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114024. Epub 2023 Sep 4. PMID: 37666290.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that chlordane, an organochlorine pesticide (OCP) that is environmentally persistant, significantly impacts liver health and metabolism differently in male and female mice, shedding light on potential risks to human liver function and hormone regulation associated with pesticide exposure. These findings emphasize the need for further research to better understand the sex-specific effects of chlordane and other organochlorine pesticides on liver disease and metabolic disruption in humans. 
  • Ali MT, ElNakieb Y, Elnakib A, Shalaby A, Mahmoud A, Ghazal M, Yousaf J, Abu Khalifeh H, Casanova M, Barnes G, El-Baz A. (2021) The Role of Structure MRI in Diagnosing Autism. Diagnostics (Basel). 2022 Jan 11;12(1):165. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics12010165.
  • Reem Haweel; Ahmed M. Shalaby; Ali H. Mahmoud; Mohammed Ghazal; Noha Seada; Said Ghoniemy; Manuel Casanova, Gregory N. Barnes; Ayman El-Baz. (2021) A Novel Grading System for Autism Severity Level Using Task-Based Functional MRI: A Response to Speech Study IEEE Access. Year: 2021 | Volume: 9
  • Chu T, Shields LBE, Zeng W, Zhang YP, Wang Y, Barnes GN, Shields CB, Cai J. (2021) Dynamic glial response and crosstalk in demyelination-remyelination and neurodegeneration processes. Neural Regen Res. 2021 Jul;16(7):1359-1368. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.300975.
  • Dekhil O, Shalaby A, Soliman A, Mahmoud A, Kong M, Barnes G, Elmaghraby A, El-Baz A. (2021). Identifying brain areas correlated with ADOS raw scores by studying altered dynamic functional connectivity patterns. Med Image Anal. 2021 Feb;68:101899. doi: 10.1016/j.media.2020.101899. Epub 2020 Nov 12.PMID: 33260109
  • Miller I, Scheffer IE, Gunning B, Sanchez-Carpintero R, Gil-Nagel A, Perry MS, Saneto RP, Checketts D, Dunayevich E, Knappertz V for GWPCARE2 Study Group (including G.N. Barnes). Dose-Ranging Effect of Adjunctive Oral Cannabidiol vs Placebo on Convulsive Seizure Frequency in Dravet Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurol. 2020 May 1;77(5):613-621. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.0073.
  • F. El-Gamal, M. Elmogy, A. Mohammed Ghazal, J. Yousaf, X. Qiu, H. Soliman, A. Atwan, H. Frieboes, G. Barnes, and A. El-Baz. (2020) Personalized Computer-Aided Diagnosis for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease Based on sMRI and11C PiB-PET Analysis, IEEE Access, Volume 8, DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3038723.
  • Y. Elnakieb, M. Ali, A. Soliman, A. Mahmoud, A. Shalaby, N. Alghamdi, M. Ghazal, A. Khalil, A. Switala, R. Keynton, G. Barnes, and A. El-Baz. (2020) Computer Aided Autism Diagnosis Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging. IEEE ACCESS, Volume 8, Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3032066
  • Ghosh S, Erickson D, Chua MJ, Collins J, Jala VR. The microbial metabolite Urolithin A reduces C. difficile toxin expression and repairs toxin-induced epithelial damage. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Jul 24:2023.07.24.550342. doi: 10.1101/2023.07.24.550342. PMID: 37546803; PMCID: PMC10402075.
  • Ayangeakaa SD, Kerr J, Combs RM, Harris LM, Sears JS, Parker K, Sterrett-Hong E. Sociocultural and structural influences on HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Engagement and Uptake among African American Young adults. BMC Public Health. 2023 Jul 26;23(1):1427. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16273-8. PMID: 37495954; PMCID: PMC10369814.
  • Ayangeakaa SD, Kerr J, Combs R, Harris L, Sears J, Parker K, Sterrett-Hong E. Understanding Influences on Intention to Use Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among African American Young Adults. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Apr;10(2):899-910. doi: 10.1007/s40615-022-01278-7. Epub 2022 Mar 15. PMID: 35290648.
  • Petri BJ, Cave MC, Klinge CM. Changes in m6A in Steatotic Liver Disease. Genes (Basel). 2023 Aug 19;14(8):1653. doi: 10.3390/genes14081653. PMID: 37628704; PMCID: PMC10454815.
    Impact Statement: This is a review paper in which we summarized the readers, writers, and erasers of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the current methods of detecting m6A in specific genes, and the state of knowledge about m6A and other RNA modifications in steatotic liver disease. 
  • Chen N, Cheng D, Sodipo MO, Barnard ME, DuPre NC, Tamimi RM, Warner ET. Impact of age, race, and family history on COVID-19-related changes in breast cancer screening among the Boston mammography cohort study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023 Aug 25. doi: 10.1007/s10549-023-07083-y. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37624552.
    Impact Statement: After the COVID-19 lockdown period, the return to breast cancer screening was lower in women 50 years and older, and it was lower in non-White women for diagnostic imaging. Careful attention must be paid to ensure equitable resumption of breast cancer screening and care that was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Hein DW, Salazar-González RA, Doll MA, Zang Y. The effect of the rs1799931 G857A (G286E) polymorphism on N-acetyltransferase 2-mediated carcinogen metabolism and genotoxicity differs with heterocyclic amine exposure. Arch Toxicol. 2023 Oct;97(10):2697-2705. doi: 10.1007/s00204-023-03577-2. Epub 2023 Aug 18. PMID: 37592049.
    Impact Statement: Cultures of DNA-repair deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with human CYP1A2 and NAT2 genetic variants were incubated with heterocyclic amine (HCA)carcinogens present in the human diet. HCA generation of DNA damage and reactive oxygen species varied with NAT2 genetic variant and HCA. The findings document the role of NAT2 genetic polymorphism in genotoxicity from HCA exposures. 
  • Schulman-Geltzer EB, Collins HE, Hill BG, Fulghum KL. Coordinated Metabolic Responses Facilitate Cardiac Growth in Pregnancy and Exercise. Curr Heart Fail Rep. 2023 Aug 15. doi: 10.1007/s11897-023-00622-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37581772.
    Impact Statement: This publication highlights the importance of metabolic adaptations in promoting physiological cardiac growth during pregnancy and exercise, revealing distinct yet interconnected mechanisms. Understanding the metabolic mechanisms that contribute to cardiac remodeling could identify actionable avenues to optimize cardiovascular health and prevent harmful cardiac remodeling, benefitting pregnant individuals and those engaged in regular exercise. 
  • Petri BJ, Piell KM, Wilt AE, Howser AD, Winkler L, Whitworth MR, Valdes BL, Lehman NL, Clem BF, Klinge CM. microRNA regulation of the serine synthesis pathway in endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2023 Aug 1:ERC-23-0148. doi: 10.1530/ERC-23-0148. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37650685.
    Impact Statement: In this research paper, we identified four miRNAs that were downregulated by HNRNPA2B1 in breast cancer cells that regulate the transcript and protein levels of two key enzymes in the serine synthesis pathway (SSP), phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) and phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH). These miRNAs directly target the PSAT1 3'UTR (miR-145-5p and miR-424-5p) and the PHGDH 3'UTR (miR-34b-5p and miR-876-5p) in dual luciferase assays. Transient transfection of these miRNAs restored endocrine-therapy sensitivity in LCC9 and ZR-75-1-4-OHT tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells. Overall, our data suggest a role for decreased HNRNPA2B1-regulated miRNAs in endocrine-resistance and upregulation of the SSP to promote tumor progression in ER+ breast cancer. 
  • Keck JW, Lindner J, Liversedge M, Mijatovic B, Olsson C, Strike W, Noble A, Adatorwovor R, Lacy P, Smith T, Berry SM. Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 at Long-Term Care Facilities: Mixed Methods Evaluation. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2023 Aug 29;9:e44657. doi: 10.2196/44657. PMID: 37643001; PMCID: PMC10467632.
    Impact Statement: The study demonstrated that wastewater surveillance could potentially serve as an effective early warning system for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). While the surveillance efficiently detected SARS-CoV-2 and additional pathogens of interest, it acknowledged some challenges that need to be addressed for broad adoption in these settings. 
  • Groswald AM, Gripshover TC, Watson WH, Wahlang B, Luo J, Jophlin LL, Cave MC. Investigating the Acute Metabolic Effects of the N-Methyl Carbamate Insecticide, Methomyl, on Mouse Liver. Metabolites. 2023 Aug 1;13(8):901. doi: 10.3390/metabo13080901. PMID: 37623845; PMCID: PMC10456691. 
    Impact Statement:     This publication demonstrates that methomyl, an n-methyl carbamate insecticide, disrupts hepatic metabolism and may act as an endocrine disruptor, highlighting potential health risks. These findings emphasize the need for further research into the impact of n-methyl carbamate insecticides on metabolic health and diseases like toxicant-associated steatotic liver disease (TASLD).
  • Helmy E, Elnakib A, ElNakieb Y, Khudri M, Abdelrahim M, Yousaf J, Ghazal M, Contractor S, Barnes GN, El-Baz A. Role of Artificial Intelligence for Autism Diagnosis Using DTI and fMRI: A Survey. Biomedicines. 2023 Jun 29;11(7):1858. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11071858. PMID: 37509498; PMCID: PMC10376963.
    Impact Statement: This survey underscores how artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, is transforming the landscape of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis and early detection through analysis of brain MRI data, offering a rapid and objective alternative to current subjective methods. By highlighting the current capabilities and potential future applications of AI in healthcare settings, the study signals a promising direction for enhancing ASD diagnostic practices. 
  • Boakye E, Erhabor J, Obisesan O, Tasdighi E, Mirbolouk M, Osuji N, Osei AD, Lee J, DeFilippis AP, Stokes AC, Hirsch GA, Benjamin EJ, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, El Shahawy O, Blaha MJ. Comprehensive review of the national surveys that assess E-cigarette use domains among youth and adults in the United States. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2023 Jun 7;23:100528. doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2023.100528. PMID: 37497394; PMCID: PMC10366460.
    Impact Statement: This review emphasizes the importance of tracking e-cigarette usage in various populations for effective tobacco regulation. Examining 13 prominent surveys, the study identifies essential tools and gaps in monitoring, offering recommendations to enhance surveillance precision and inform policy decisions. 
  • Xie Z, Chen JY, Gao H, Keith RJ, Bhatnagar A, Lorkiewicz P, Srivastava S. Global Profiling of Urinary Mercapturic Acids Using Integrated Library-Guided Analysis. Environ Sci Technol. 2023 Jul 25;57(29):10563-10573. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09554. Epub 2023 Jul 11. PMID: 37432892.
    Impact Statement: Our workflow allowed profiling of known and unreported Urinary mercapturic acids (MAs) from endogenous and environmental sources, and the levels of several MAs were increased in smokers. Our method can also be expanded and applied to other exposure-wide association studies. 
  • Tasdighi E, Jha KK, Dardari ZA, Osuji N, Rajan T, Boakye E, Hall ME, Rodriguez CJ, Stokes AC, El Shahawy O, Benjamin EJ, Bhatnagar A, DeFilippis AP, Blaha MJ. Investigating the association of traditional and non-traditional tobacco product use with subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease: The Cross-Cohort Collaboration-Tobacco working group rationale, design, and methodology. Tob Induc Dis. 2023 Jul 7;21:89. doi: 10.18332/tid/166517. PMID: 37427074; PMCID: PMC10326890.
    Impact Statement: This study presents the Cross-Cohort Collaboration (CCC)-Tobacco dataset, bringing together 23 prospective cohorts comprising over 322,000 participants, to address gaps in understanding cardiovascular disease risks associated with non-traditional tobacco products. Through analysis of diverse demographics and tobacco usage profiles, this dataset offers a distinct opportunity to comprehensively investigate subclinical and clinical CVD risks, including within underrepresented groups.
  • Li Y, Cai T, Liu H, Liu J, Chen SY, Fan H. Exosome-shuttled miR-126 mediates ethanol-induced disruption of neural crest cell-placode cell interaction by targeting SDF1. Toxicol Sci. 2023 Jul 25:kfad068. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad068. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37490477.
    Impact Statement:  We established a well-designed cell co-culture system to investigate the reciprocal interaction between human NCCs (hNCCs) and human PCs (hPCs), and also monitored the migration behavior of NCCs and PCs in zebrafish embryos. We found that ethanol exposure resulted in a disruption of coordinated hNCCs-hPCs interaction, as well as in zebrafish embryos. Treating hNCCs-hPCs with exosomes derived from ethanol-exposed hNCCs (ExoEtOH) mimicked ethanol-induced impairment of hNCCs-hPCs interaction. We also observed that SDF1, a chemoattractant, was downregulated in ethanol-treated hPCs and zebrafish embryos. Meanwhile, miR-126 level in ExoEtOH was significantly higher than that in control exosomes (ExoCon). We further validated that ExoEtOH-encapsulated miR-126 from hNCCs can be transferred to hPCs to suppress SDF1 expression in hPCs. Knockdown of SDF1 replicated ethanol-induced abnormalities either in vitro or in zebrafish embryos. On the contrary, overexpression of SDF1 or inhibiting miR-126 strongly rescued ethanol-induced impairment of hNCCs-hPCs interaction and developmental defects.
  • Chen SY, Kannan M. Neural crest cells and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Mechanisms and potential targets for prevention. Pharmacol Res. 2023 Jul 17;194:106855. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106855. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37460002.
    Impact Statement: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the most prevalent nongenetic birth defect in Western countries and a leading known cause of intellectual disability. This review article provides an overview of the current knowledge on the detrimental effects of ethanol on neural crest cell (NCC) induction, migration, differentiation, and survival. It also explores the intricate molecular mechanisms underpinning these effects. The article also spotlights potential therapeutic strategies for preventing or mitigating the detrimental effects of ethanol on NCCs and reducing the risk of FASD. Overall, this article offers a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the impact of ethanol on NCCs and its role in FASD, and highlights the remarkable contributions of Dr. Shao-yu Chen’s laboratory to FASD research over the past three decades. 
  • Tang XL, Nasr M, Zheng S, Zoubul T, Stephan JK, Uchida S, Singhal R, Khan A, Gumpert A, Bolli R, Wysoczynski M. Bone Marrow and Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal Cells are Ineffective for Myocardial Repair in an Immunodeficient Rat Model of Chronic Ischemic Cardiomyopathy. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2023 Jul 28. doi: 10.1007/s12015-023-10590-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37500831.
    Impact Statement: This study found human Wharton's jelly (WJ) and bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have a small but not significant effect on cardiac structure and function when injected intramyocardially in immunodeficient rats chronically after MI. 
  • Price SL, Thibault D, Garrison TM, Brady A, Guo H, Kehl-Fie TE, Garneau-Tsodikova S, Perry RD, van Opijnen T, Lawrenz MB. Droplet Tn-Seq identifies the primary secretion mechanism for yersiniabactin in Yersinia pestis. EMBO Rep. 2023 Jul 28:e57369. doi: 10.15252/embr.202357369. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37501563.
    Impact Statement: Dr. Guo participated in a research lead by Dr. Lawrenz, which had revealed the yersiniabactin secretion mechanism that has eluded researchers for over 30 years and identified a potential therapeutic target for bacteria that use yersiniabactin for metal acquisition.
  • Walls KM, Hong KU, Hein DW. Induction of glucose production by heterocyclic amines is dependent on N-acetyltransferase 2 genetic polymorphism in cryopreserved human hepatocytes. Toxicol Lett. 2023 Jul 1;383:192-195. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2023.07.002. Epub 2023 Jul 7. PMID: 37423373.
    Impact Statement: Recent epidemiological studies reported significant associations between dietary heterocyclic amine (HCA) exposure and insulin resistance and type II diabetes, and our laboratory recently reported that HCAs induce insulin resistance and glucose production in human hepatocytes. The current study for the first time showed that insulin resistance and glucose production following HCA exposures in human hepatocytes is modified by the N-acetyltransferase 2 genetic polymorphism, reflective of precision environmental health.
  • Head KZ, Bolatimi OE, Gripshover TC, Tan M, Li Y, Audam TN, Jones SP, Klinge CM, Cave MC, Wahlang B. Investigating the effects of long-term Aroclor 1260 exposure on fatty liver disease in a diet-induced obesity mouse model. Front Gastroenterol (Lausanne). 2023;2:1180712. doi: 10.3389/fgstr.2023.1180712. Epub 2023 May 12. PMID: 37426695; PMCID: PMC10327714.
    Impact Statement: The publication focused on understanding the longer-term impact (31 weeks) of PCB exposures on the liver and demonstrated that with longer duration of exposure, PCBs were able to induce more severe liver injury outcomes including liver cancer development. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that PCBs, at doses relevant to current environmental exposure patterns, resulted in progressive liver disease outcomes, and underscores the importance of considering ‘duration of exposure’ when assessing hepatotoxicity indices for these chemicals. 
  • Klinge CM. Opportunities and challenges in microRNA research and clinical application. Endocrinology. 2023 Jul 25:bqad115. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqad115. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37490849.
    Impact Statement: This is an invited commentary on a recent review paper discussing the current state of miRNA research and clinical applications that was published in Endocrinology. 
  • Xu R, Vatsalya V, He L, Ma X, Feng W, McClain CJ, Zhang X. Altered urinary tryptophan metabolites in alcohol-associated liver disease. Alcohol (Hanover). 2023 Jul 11. doi: 10.1111/acer.15148. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37431708.
    Impact Statement: This study found that Tryptophan (Trp) metabolism differs between Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) patients and healthy controls even though the concentration of Trp was not affected. Two Trp metabolites, quinolinic acid and indoxyl sulfate, correlate highly with the severity of ALD. 
  • McClain CJ, Kirpich I, Song M, Vatsalya V. Keratin 18-M65: A biomarker for early-stage alcohol-associated liver disease. Alcohol (Hanover). 2023 Jul;47(7):1257-1260. doi: 10.1111/acer.15117. Epub 2023 Jun 14. PMID: 37526591.
    Impact Statement: This article provides critical insights into the application of the K18 biomarker as a potential tool for identifying early and aggressive alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), particularly relevant for patients entering alcohol treatment programs.
  • Liu L, Li F, Shao T, Zhang L, Lee J, Dryden G, McClain CJ, Zhao C, Feng W. FGF21 Depletion Attenuates Colitis through Intestinal Epithelial IL-22-STAT3 Activation in Mice. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 26;15(9):2086. doi: 10.3390/nu15092086. PMID: 37432218; PMCID: PMC10181108.
    Impact Statement: This study uncovers a novel role for Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its potential impact on disease severity. By utilizing an experimental IBD model and comparing FGF21 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice, the research reveals that FGF21 deficiency mitigates the severity of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). This effect is associated with enhanced activation of the IL-22-STAT3 signaling pathway in intestinal epithelial cells, shedding light on a potential avenue for therapeutic interventions targeting IBD.
  • Anderson LB, Kanneganti D, Houk MB, Holm RH, Smith T. Generative AI as a Tool for Environmental Health Research Translation. Geohealth. 2023 Jul 26;7(7):e2023GH000875. doi: 10.1029/2023GH000875. PMID: 37502196; PMCID: PMC10369501.
    Impact Statement: We demonstrate how generative AI, like ChatGPT, can be used to create Plain Language Summaries (PLS) of published studies and excels at insight synthesis, such as targeting an eighth-grade reading level or emphasizing key findings and real-world applications. In the field of environmental health science, this no-cost technology offers the potential to enhance research translation to a wide range of community and public policy stakeholders. 
  • Blair LK, Howard J, Peiper NC, Little BB, Taylor KC, Baumgartner R, Creel L, DuPre NC. Residence in urban or rural counties in relation to opioid overdose mortality among Kentucky hospitalizations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Drug Policy. 2023 Jul 18;119:104122. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104122. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37473677.
    Impact Statement: his study investigated the impact of residence in urban or rural counties on opioid overdose mortality in Kentucky during the opioid epidemic, and how this relationship was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, patients in urban counties had significantly higher odds of opioid overdose death compared to rural counties, but during the pandemic, the distinction between urban and rural areas diminished, with opioid overdose mortality rates converging. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced challenges that exacerbated opioid mortality trends, affecting both urban and rural populations, reflecting the complex interplay between social, economic, and healthcare factors. 
  • Minooei F, Gilbert NM, Zhang L, Sarah NeCamp M, Mahmoud MY, Kyser AJ, Tyo KM, Watson WH, Patwardhan R, Lewis WG, Frieboes HB, Lewis AL, Steinbach-Rankins JM. Rapid-dissolving electrospun nanofibers for intra-vaginal antibiotic or probiotic delivery. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2023 Jul 19:S0939-6411(23)00181-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.07.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37479065.
    Impact Statement: This study introduces a novel and promising approach to address microbiological imbalances in the female genitourinary system by utilizing rapid-dissolving electrospun polyethylene oxide (PEO) fibers for the delivery of antibiotics and probiotics. The research demonstrates the successful prevention and treatment of Gardnerella infections through this platform, offering an innovative strategy to enhance therapeutic options for genitourinary health while showcasing the feasibility of this approach in both in vitro and in vivo settings.
  • Sarkar OS, Donninger H, Al Rayyan N, Chew LC, Stamp B, Zhang X, Whitt A, Li C, Hall M, Mitchell RA, Zippelius A, Eaton J, Chesney JA, Yaddanapudi K. Monocytic MDSCs exhibit superior immune suppression via adenosine and depletion of adenosine improves efficacy of immunotherapy. Sci Adv. 2023 Jun 30;9(26):eadg3736. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adg3736. Epub 2023 Jun 30. PMID: 37390211; PMCID: PMC10313166.
    Impact Statement: This study found adenosine metabolism shapes the behavior of monocytes in tumors and depletion of adenosine improves efficacy of cancer therapy. 
  • Basner M, Smith MG, Jones CW, Ecker AJ, Howard K, Schneller V, Cordoza M, Kaizi-Lutu M, Park-Chavar S, Stahn AC, Dinges DF, Shou H, Mitchell JA, Bhatnagar A, Smith T, Smith AE, Stopforth CK, Yeager R, Keith RJ. Associations of bedroom PM2.5, CO2, temperature, humidity, and noise with sleep: An observational actigraphy study. Sleep Health. 2023 Apr 10:S2352-7218(23)00043-8. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2023.02.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37076419.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that factors such as air pollution, temperature, carbon dioxide, and noise in the bedroom environment have a significant impact on sleep quality. Higher levels of these factors were found to decrease sleep efficiency, highlighting the importance of creating a healthy and comfortable bedroom environment, beyond the mattress, for optimal sleep.
  • Siddiqi TJ, Rashid AM, Siddiqi AK, Anwer A, Usman MS, Sakhi H, Bhatnagar A, Hamburg NM, Hirsch GA, Rodriguez CJ, Blaha MJ, DeFilippis AP, Benjamin EJ, Hall ME. Association of Electronic Cigarette Exposure on Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Curr Probl Cardiol. 2023 Apr 21:101748. doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.101748. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37088177.
    Impact Statement: Electronic cigarette (EC) usage, despite being perceived as safe, has been associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, including increased heart rate, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and unfavorable changes in platelet biomarkers. These findings emphasize the need for regulation and informed decision-making by policymakers to protect public health.
  • 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. Psychosocial stressors and current e-cigarette use in the youth risk behavior survey. BMC Public Health. 2023 Jun 6;23(1):1080. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16031-w. PMID: 37280552; PMCID: PMC10242777.
    Impact Statement: The study demonstrates a significant association between psychosocial stressors and adolescent e-cigarette use, highlighting the potential importance of interventions, such as targeted school-based programs that address stressors and promote stress management, as possible means of reducing adolescent e-cigarette use. Future research directions include exploring underlying mechanisms linking stressors to e-cigarette use and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions addressing stressors in reducing adolescent e-cigarette use. 
  • April-Sanders AK, Daviglus ML, Lee UJ, Perreira KM, Kaplan RC, Blaha MJ, Pirzada A, Giachello AL, Bhatnagar A, Robertson RM, Thanh-Huyen TV, Rodriguez CJ. Prevalence of electronic cigarette use and its determinants in us persons of Hispanic/Latino background: The Hispanic community health study / study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). Am J Med Open. 2023 Jun;9:100029. doi: 10.1016/j.ajmo.2022.100029. Epub 2022 Nov 24. PMID: 37388413; PMCID: PMC10310062.
    Impact Statement: This study found that Hispanic/Latino individuals who are young adults, male, US-born, and have high acculturation were more likely to report current electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use. These findings could inform preventive and regulatory interventions targeted to Hispanics/Latinos.
  • Boakye E, Uddin SMI, Osuji N, Meinert J, Obisesan OH, Mirbolouk M, Tasdighi E, El-Shahawy O, Erhabor J, Osei AD, Rajan T, Patatanian M, Holbrook JT, Bhatnagar A, Biswal SS, Blaha MJ. Examining the association of habitual e-cigarette use with inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in young adults: The VAPORS-Endothelial function study. Tob Induc Dis. 2023 Jun 10;21:75. doi: 10.18332/tid/162327. PMID: 37305426; PMCID: PMC10257221.
    Impact Statement: The publication suggest that e-cigarette use may not be significantly associated with endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation in relatively young and healthy individuals. Longer term studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings. 
  • Cai L. Impact of Nutrition or FDA-Approved Medicine Repurposing on Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetic Complications. Nutrients. 2023 May 29;15(11):2515. doi: 10.3390/nu15112515. PMID: 37299478; PMCID: PMC10255908.
    Impact Statement: This publication includes research on obesity and diabetes, focusing on their underlying causes and potential interventions using nutrients and natural products. The findings emphasize the importance of studying these conditions to develop effective strategies for managing and preventing their complications. 
  • Nault R, Cave MC, Ludewig G, Moseley HNB, Pennell KG, Zacharewski T. A Case for Accelerating Standards to Achieve the FAIR Principles of Environmental Health Research Experimental Data. Environ Health Perspect. 2023 Jun;131(6):65001. doi: 10.1289/EHP11484. Epub 2023 Jun 23. PMID: 37352010; PMCID: PMC10289218.
    Impact Statement: This manuscript reveals ways to optimize the reuse of environmental health science data using the FAIR principles. The content was developed by several collaborating Superfund Research Centers (also including Michigan State, UK and Iowa) with the support of a data science supplement from NIEHS/Superfund. 
  • Hong KU, Hein DW. N-acetyltransferase 2 haplotype modifies risks for both dyslipidemia and urinary bladder cancer. Pharmacogenet Genomics. 2023 May 29. doi: 10.1097/FPC.0000000000000500. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37306342.
    Impact Statement: A novel haplotype in N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) comprised of seven, non-coding variants (rs1495741, rs4921913, rs4921914, rs4921915, rs146812806, rs35246381, rs35570672) has been linked to both dyslipidemia and urinary bladder cancer by multiple, independent genome wide association studies. We speculate that rs1495741 (and its associated haplotype) belongs to a distal regulatory element of human NAT2 gene (e.g., enhancer or silencer), and the genetic variation at the newly discovered haplotype results in a differential level of NAT2 gene expression. Understanding how this NAT2 haplotype contributes to urinary bladder cancer and dyslipidemia will ultimately help devise strategies to identify and protect susceptible individuals. 
  • Jin L, Liang Y, Yu Y, Miao P, Huang Y, Xu L, Wang H, Wang C, Huang J, Guo K. Evaluation of the Effect of New Multimodal Analgesia Regimen for Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled, Single-Center Clinical Study. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2023 Jun 7;17:1665-1677. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S406929. PMID: 37309414; PMCID: PMC10257907.
    Impact Statement: Multimodal regimen by paracetamol, gabapentin, ketamine, lidocaine, dexmedetomidine and sufentanil among cardiac surgery patients, reduced perioperative opioid consumption along with rescue analgesia rate with similar length of stay and the incidences of postoperative complications. 
  • Ander M, Mugve N, Crouch C, Kassel C, Fukazawa K, Izaak R, Deshpande R, McLendon C, Huang J. Regional anesthesia for transplantation surgery - A white paper part 1: Thoracic transplantation surgery. Clin Transplant. 2023 Jun 12:e15043. doi: 10.1111/ctr.15043. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37306898.
    Impact Statement: Society for the Advancement of Transplant Anesthesia (SATA) identified experts in both transplantation surgery and regional anesthesia to review available literature concerning these topics. The goal of this task force was to provide an overview of these publications to help guide transplantation anesthesiologists in utilizing regional anesthesia. 
  • Hartson KR, Huntington-Moskos L, Sears CG, Genova G, Mathis C, Ford W, Rhodes RE. Use of Electronic Ecological Momentary Assessment Methodologies in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep Research in Young Adults: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res. 2023 Jun 29;25:e46783. doi: 10.2196/46783. PMID: 37384367.
    Impact Statement: This publication showcases how advanced technology allows researchers to study physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in young adults through real-time data collection. The study highlights the growing use of electronic ecological momentary assessment (eEMA) but also identifies the need for standardized reporting and inclusion of diverse populations to improve research in this area.
  • Vatsalya V, Royer AJ, Jha SK, Parthasarathy R, Tiwari H, Feng W, Ramchandani VA, Kirpich IA, McClain CJ. Drinking and laboratory biomarkers, and nutritional status characterize the clinical presentation of early-stage alcohol-associated liver disease. Adv Clin Chem. 2023;114:83-108. doi: 10.1016/bs.acc.2023.02.001. Epub 2023 May 5. PMID: 37268335.
    Impact Statement: This publication thoroughly investigates the early-stage of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) caused by chronic and heavy alcohol consumption, shedding light on the complex interactions between different pathways, including nutritional changes. It provides valuable insights into identifying and understanding this condition through clinical markers and laboratory measures. 
  • Bhayana S, Zhao Y, Merchant M, Cummins T, Dougherty JA, Kamigaki Y, Pathmasiri W, McRitchie S, Mariani LH, Sumner S, Klein JB, Li L, Smoyer WE; Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium. Multiomics Analysis of Plasma Proteomics and Metabolomics of Steroid Resistance in Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome Using a "Patient-Specific" Approach. Kidney Int Rep. 2023 Mar 23;8(6):1239-1254. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2023.03.015. PMID: 37284673; PMCID: PMC10239920.
    Impact Statement: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) occurs commonly in children with glomerular disease, resistance to the mainstay treatment, glucocorticoids (GCs), develops in 15% to 20% of children, increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease compared to steroid sensitive NS (SSNS). We employed a novel "patient-specific" bioinformatic approach to merge paired pre-GC- and post-GC-treatment proteomic and metabolomic data and identify candidate SRNS biomarkers and altered molecular pathways in SRNS versus SSNS. Joint pathway analyses revealed perturbations in nicotinate or nicotinamide and butanoate metabolic pathways in patients with SRNS. Patients with SSNS had perturbations of lysine degradation, mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis, and glycolysis or gluconeogenesis pathways. These studies confirmed that a novel "patient-specific" bioinformatic approach can integrate disparate omics datasets and discover candidate SRNS biomarkers not observed by separate proteomic or metabolomic analysis. 
  • Li J, Sato T, Hernández-Tejero M, Beier JI, Sayed K, Benos PV, Wilkey DW, Humar A, Merchant ML, Duarte-Rojo A, Arteel GE. The plasma degradome reflects later development of NASH fibrosis after liver transplant. Sci Rep. 2023 Jun 20;13(1):9965. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-36867-x. PMID: 37340062; PMCID: PMC10282030.
    Impact Statement: Liver transplantation (LT) is an effective therapy for cirrhosis but the incidence of post-LT NASH reoccurance, accelerated progression to fibrosis/cirrhosis, and decreased survival is alarmingly high. The inflammation induced hepatic ECM remodeling has been demonstrated to alter the circulating ECM and parenchymal peptide fragments (i.e., 'degradome') in plasma, making it a useful diagnostic/prognostic tool in chronic liver disease. Proteomic methods and supervised modeling of the degradome data was used to investigate whether liver injury caused by post-LT NASH would yield a unique degradome profile that is predictive of severe post-LT NASH fibrosis. A retrospective analysis of 22 biobanked samples from the Starzl Transplantation Institute (12 with post-LT NASH after 5 years and 10 without) was conducted on ~ 2700 identifiable peptide features. The ECM degradome was significantly altered in patients that later developed fibrosis and heatmap analysis clustered the 2 patient groups well. A similar degradome profile was observed when the plasma degradome patterns were compared being obesity sensitive (C57Bl6/J) and insensitive (AJ) mouse strains. The plasma degradome profile of post-LT patients yielded stark difference based on later development of post-LT NASH fibrosis. This approach could yield new "fingerprints" that can serve as minimally-invasive biomarkers of negative outcomes post-LT. 
  • Benner SE, Zhu X, Hussain S, Florman S, Eby Y, Fernandez RE, Ostrander D, Rana M, Ottmann S, Hand J, Price JC, Pereira MR, Wojciechowski D, Simkins J, Stosor V, Mehta SA, Aslam S, Malinis M, Haidar G, Massie A, Smith ML, Odim J, Morsheimer M, Quinn TC, Laird GM, Siliciano R, Balagopal A, Segev DL, Durand CM, Redd AD, Tobian AAR. HIV-positive liver transplant does not alter the latent viral reservoir in recipients with ART-suppressed HIV. J Infect Dis. 2023 Jun 28:jiad241. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiad241. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37379584.
    Impact Statement: This study investigated whether receiving a liver transplant from an HIV-positive donor affects the viral reservoir in HIV-positive recipients. The results showed that the viral reservoir remained stable after liver transplantation, regardless of whether the donor was HIV-positive or HIV-negative. 
  • Holm RH, Pocock G, Severson MA, Huber VC, Smith T, McFadden LM. Using wastewater to overcome health disparities among rural residents. Geoforum. 2023 Aug;144:103816. doi: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2023.103816. Epub 2023 Jun 26. PMID: 37396346; PMCID: PMC10292026.
    Impact Statement: This commentary addresses the disparities in rural health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and proposes the use of wastewater surveillance as an innovative tool to address these disparities. By reviewing successful implementations in South Africa, we conclude that wastewater surveillance can help monitor diseases in underserved areas, improve disease detection among rural residents, and potentially identify future global outbreaks.
  • Holm RH, Osborne Jelks N, Schneider R, Smith T. Beyond COVID-19: Designing Inclusive Public Health Surveillance by Including Wastewater Monitoring. Health Equity. 2023 Jun 15;7(1):377-379. doi: 10.1089/heq.2022.0055. PMID: 37351532; PMCID: PMC10282970.
    Impact Statement: This work emphasizes the importance of expanding wastewater testing to include vulnerable and underserved communities, particularly when clinical testing data are insufficient, in order to ensure rapid response to public health threats and equitable protection of health in the United States. 
  • Wu J, Origgi JM, Ranker LR, Bhatnagar A, Robertson RM, Xuan Z, Wijaya D, Hong T, Fetterman JL. Compliance With the US Food and Drug Administration's Guidelines for Health Warning Labels and Engagement in Little Cigar and Cigarillo Content: Computer Vision Analysis of Instagram Posts. JMIR Infodemiology. 2023 Mar 14;3:e41969. doi: 10.2196/41969. PMID: 37113379; PMCID: PMC10132024.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals that health warnings are rarely included in influencer promotions of little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs) on Instagram, and posts with health warnings received less engagement. The findings emphasize the importance of extending health warning regulations to social media tobacco promotions and introduce a computer vision algorithm as a novel tool for monitoring compliance.
  • Gourévitch B, Pitts T, Iceman K, Reed M, Cai J, Chu T, Zeng W, Morgado-Valle C, Mellen N. Synchronization of inspiratory burst onset along the ventral respiratory column in the neonate mouse is mediated by electrotonic coupling. BMC Biol. 2023 Apr 15;21(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s12915-023-01575-5. PMID: 37061721; PMCID: PMC10105963.
    Impact Statement: The findings of this study contribute to our understanding of the complex mechanism underlying respiratory rhythm generation and synchronization in newborns. This knowledge may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies for respiratory disorders (e.g. neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome) that arise due to dysfunctional rhythm generation. Additionally, it may also aid in the development of novel treatments for other conditions that involve neuronal syncytium coupling.
  • Habil MR, Hein DW. Effects of dose and human N-acetyltransferase 1 genetic polymorphism in benzidine metabolism and genotoxicity. Arch Toxicol. 2023 Apr 25. doi: 10.1007/s00204-023-03497-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37097310.
    Impact Statement: Benzidine exposure is associated with urinary bladder cancer but the effect of N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) genetic polymorphism on individual risk remains unclear. We used Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with human CYP1A2 and NAT1*4 allele (reference) or NAT1*14B (variant) to investigate the effects of dose and NAT1 polymorphism on benzidine metabolism and genotoxicity.  Our findings support human studies associating NAT1*14B with increased incidence or severity of urinary bladder cancer in workers exposed to benzidine.
  • Walls KM, Hong KU, Hein DW. Heterocyclic amines reduce insulin-induced AKT phosphorylation and induce gluconeogenic gene expression in human hepatocytes. Arch Toxicol. 2023 Apr 2. doi: 10.1007/s00204-023-03488-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37005939.
    Impact Statement: The effect of three heterocyclic amines (HCAs) commonly found in cooked meat (2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline [MeIQ], 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline [MeIQx], and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine [PhIP]) on insulin signaling and glucose production were assessed in human hepatocytes.  Our findings show that HCAs induce insulin resistance and promote hepatic glucose production in human hepatocytes. This implicates that exposure to HCAs may lead to the development of type II diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
  • Hong KU, Walls KM, Hein DW. Non-coding and intergenic genetic variants of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) gene are associated with differential plasma lipid and cholesterol levels and cardiometabolic disorders. Front Pharmacol. 2023 Apr 3;14:1091976. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1091976. PMID: 37077812; PMCID: PMC10106703.
    Impact Statement: This is the first report of its kind. Our analysis shows that common genetic variations in human N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) gene are linked to dyslipidemia (e.g., high cholesterol) as well as cardiometabolic disorders. This finding implies that individuals carrying certain genetic variants of NAT2 (e.g., rapid acetylator genotypes) are more likely to develop dyslipidemia and cardiometabolic disorders.
  • Xiang F, Huang F, Huang J, Li X, Dong N, Xiao Y, Zhao Q, Xiao L, Zhang H, Zhang C, Cheng Z, Chen L, Chen J, Wang H, Guo Y, Liu N, Luo Z, Hou X, Ji B, Zhao R, Jin Z, Savage R, Zhao Y, Zheng Z, Chen X; Chinese Association of Cardiovascular Surgeons; Chinese Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; Chinese Society of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesiology. Expert Consensus on the Use of Human Serum Albumin in Adult Cardiac Surgery. Chin Med J (Engl). 2023 Apr 22. doi: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000002709. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37083122.
    Impact Statement: This multidisciplinary international expert consensus will serve to guide the decisions regarding the use of human albumin during and after cardiac surgery.
  • Vatsalya V, Feng W, Kong M, Hu H, Szabo G, McCullough A, Dasarathy S, Nagy LE, Radaeva S, Barton B, Mitchell M, McClain CJ. The Beneficial Effects of Lactobacillus GG Therapy on Liver and Drinking Assessments in Patients with Moderate Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2023 Apr 11. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002283. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37040544.
    Impact Statement: Daily oral supplementation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) was found to reduce liver injury and decrease heavy drinking levels in individuals with alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated hepatitis. These findings suggest that LGG could be a beneficial intervention for improving liver health and promoting healthier drinking behaviors in this population.
  • Lindsey ML, Kassiri Z, LeBlanc AJ, Ripplinger CM, Kirk JA, Carter JR, Kleinbongard P, Brunt KR. Spring Cleaning: Freshening up the portfolio. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2023 Apr 28. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00219.2023. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37115630.
    Impact Statement: The American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology has made updates to its article types, including renaming "Rapid Report" to "Short Report" to allow authors to present compelling findings without completing the entire story. They have also renamed "Innovative Methodology" to "Methods and Resources," emphasizing the promotion of standardization and the provision of valuable tools and protocols for cardiovascular research.
  • Hassanein T, McClain CJ, Vatsalya V, Stein LL, Flamm SL, Martin P, Cave MC, Mitchell M Jr, Barton B, Nagy L, Szabo G, McCullough A, Dasarathy S, Shah J, Blevins C, Scott D, Krebs W, Brown JE, Lin W. Safety, Pharmacokinetics, & Efficacy Signals of Larsucosterol (DUR-928) in Alcohol-associated Hepatitis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2023 Mar 31. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002275. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37011138.
    Impact Statement: A study assessing larsucosterol in individuals with alcohol-associated hepatitis demonstrated positive outcomes, including improved biochemical parameters and reduced disease severity. These findings support further investigation of larsucosterol's efficacy in larger clinical trials.
  • Turaga SM, Sardiu ME, Vishwakarma V, Mitra A, Bantis LE, Madan R, Merchant ML, Klein JB, Samuel G, Godwin AK. Identification of small extracellular vesicle protein biomarkers for pediatric Ewing Sarcoma. Front Mol Biosci. 2023 Apr 13;10:1138594. doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1138594. PMID: 37122563; PMCID: PMC10140755.
    Impact Statement: Researchers identified a specific protein biomarker, UGT3A2, that is highly specific to Ewing Sarcoma (EWS) tumor cells and their small extracellular vesicles. This discovery has the potential to improve the early diagnosis and monitoring of EWS.
  • Liu S, He L, Bannister OB, Li J, Schnegelberger RD, Vanderpuye CM, Althouse AD, Schopfer FJ, Wahlang B, Cave MC, Monga SP, Zhang X, Arteel GE, Beier JI. Western diet unmasks transient low-level vinyl chloride-induced tumorigenesis; potential role of the (epi-)transcriptome. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2023 Apr 14;468:116514. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116514. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37061008.
    Impact Statement: Using an experimental model, the study investigated how exposure to the industrial toxicant, vinyl chloride, affects the liver with time. The findings demonstrated that vinyl chloride at low concentrations for 12 weeks can lead to liver cancer after 1 year, particularly when vinyl chloride exposure was combined with western (high caloric) diet intake and calls for the need to reconsider current vinyl chloride safety restrictions.
  • Wahlang B. Sex differences in toxicant-associated fatty liver disease. J Endocrinol. 2023 Apr 1:JOE-22-0247. doi: 10.1530/JOE-22-0247. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37074385.
    Impact Statement: The publication is part of the Journal of Endocrinology “Rising Stars” Collection and features Dr. Wahlang as one of the rising stars in the field of environmental endocrinology and toxicology. The publication reviews what is currently known about sex differences in liver diseases associated with environmental chemical exposures and existing knowledge gaps. The review also discusses the need for integration of sex and gender in environmental health research, and how this will enable better risk assessment in human population studies.
  • Ottinger MA, Harry GJ, Malecki K, Wise JP Sr. Editorial: Healthspan and neural aging: Merging the exposome and one environmental health - From molecular mechanisms to epidemiology. Front Aging Neurosci. 2023 Mar 14;15:1172967. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1172967. PMID: 36998315; PMCID: PMC10043411.
    Impact Statement: Studying the relationship between our environment and aging processes is essential for promoting healthy aging and developing effective interventions. By understanding how environmental factors, such as chemicals and social determinants, impact our susceptibility to age-related diseases, we can inform policies and strategies to support a healthier and longer lifespan for everyone.
  • Yuan J, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q. Nickel nanoparticles induce autophagy and apoptosis via HIF-1α/mTOR signaling in human bronchial epithelial cells. Environ Pollut. 2023 Apr 18;329:121670. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121670. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37080518.
    Impact Statement: Our findings suggest that Nano-Ni exposure causes increased levels of autophagy and apoptosis via the HIF-1α/mTOR signaling axis. Nano-Ni-induced autophagy has a protective role against Nano-Ni-induced apoptosis. Our findings provide us with further insight into Nano-Ni-induced toxicity.
  • Wise JTF, Yin X, Ma X, Zhang X, Hein DW. Stable Isotope Tracing Reveals an Altered Fate of Glucose in N-Acetyltransferase 1 Knockout Breast Cancer Cells. Genes (Basel). 2023 Mar 31;14(4):843. doi: 10.3390/genes14040843. PMID: 37107601; PMCID: PMC10137864.
    Impact Statement: The data generated in this study show that N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) expression is important for the proper functioning of mitochondria and the flux of glucose through the TCA/Krebs cycle in breast cancer cells. Metabolism changes in the fate of glucose in NAT1 knock out breast cancer cells offer more insight into the role of NAT1 in energy metabolism and the growth of breast cancer cells.  The findings provide further evidence that NAT1 may be a useful therapeutic target for breast cancer.
  • Polidoro B, Matson CW, Ottinger MA, Renegar DA, Romero IC, Schlenk D, Wise JP Sr, Beltrán González J, Bruns P, Carpenter K, Cobián Rojas D, Collier TK, Duda TF Jr, González-Díaz P, Di Giulio R, Grubbs RD, Haney JC, Incardona JP, Horta-Puga G, Linardich C, Moore JA, Pech D, Perera Valderrama S, Ralph GM, Strongin K, Ringwood AH, Würsig B. A multi-taxonomic framework for assessing relative petrochemical vulnerability of marine biodiversity in the Gulf of Mexico. Sci Total Environ. 2021 Apr 1;763:142986. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142986. Epub 2020 Oct 16. PMID: 33168243.
  • Mazzocco JC, Jagadapillai R, Gozal E, Kong M, Xu Q, Barnes GN, Freedman JH. Disruption of essential metal homeostasis in the brain by cadmium and high-fat diet. Toxicol Rep. 2020 Aug 23;7:1164-1169. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.08.005. PMID: 32983904; PMCID: PMC7494587.
  • Berlowitz JB, Xie W, Harlow AF, Blaha MJ, Bhatnagar A, Benjamin EJ, Stokes AC. Cigarette‒E-cigarette Transitions and Respiratory Symptom Development. Am J Prev Med. 2022 Dec 2:S0749-3797(22)00509-8. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.10.006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36470837.
    Impact Statement: E-cigarette initiation among nonusers is associated with increased respiratory morbidity. Further research should assess the risks and benefits of E-cigarette‒assisted cigarette cessation given the reduction in symptom development rates among dual use to E-cigarette switchers.
  • Richardson A, Krivokhizhina T, Lorkiewicz P, D'Souza S, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S, Conklin DJ. Effects of electronic cigarette flavorants on human platelet aggregation ex vivo. Toxicol Rep. 2022 Apr 8;9:814-820. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2022.04.003. PMID: 36518374; PMCID: PMC9742839.
    Impact Statement: This study investigated the direct effects of 15 unaltered, common flavorants used in electronic cigarette liquids on human platelet aggregation. Although most flavorants did not alter ADP-induced aggregation, our study did not test other agonists of aggregation or flavorants as modified by heated conditions present in electronic cigarettes, which is recommended in order to protect public health.
  • Ferragut Cardoso AP, Nail AN, Banerjee M, Wise SS, States JC. miR-186 induces tetraploidy in arsenic exposed human keratinocytes. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2023 Mar 27;256:114823. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114823. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36989553.
    Impact Statement: Hsa-miR-186 is overexpressed in skin cancers induced by chronic arsenic exposure as well as other advanced cancers. This study shows that hsa-miR-186 overexpression in human keratinocytes induces a doubling of chromosome number and dysregulated chromosome segregation to daughter cells. These chromosomal abnormalities are characteristic of cancerous cells and support the hypothesis that hsa-miR-186 overexpression contributes to carcinogenesis.
  • Pavuk M, Rosenbaum PF, Lewin MD, Serio TC, Rago P, Cave MC, Birnbaum LS. Polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, pesticides, and diabetes in the Anniston Community Health Survey follow-up (ACHS II): single exposure and mixture analysis approaches. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Mar 17;877:162920. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162920. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36934946.
    Impact Statement: Our follow-up study results add to the body of literature that has researched associations between exposure to PCBs, other POPs, and diabetes. We found elevate odds ratios for, p,p’-DDE, trans-Nonachlor, some PCBs, and PCDDs TEQ for prevalent diabetes, but those were attenuated for incident diabetes in single exposure logistic regression models.
  • Ge Y, Bruno M, Nash MS, Haykal Coates N, Chorley BN, Cave MC, Beier JI. Vinyl Chloride Enhances High Fat Diet-Induced Proteome Alterations in the Mouse Pancreas Related to Metabolic Dysfunction. Toxicol Sci. 2023 Mar 9:kfad024. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36892438.
    Impact Statement: Alterations in physiological processes in pancreas have been associated with various metabolic dysfunctions and can result from environmental exposures, such as chemicals and diet. We found that the protein alterations may indicate diet-mediated susceptibility in mouse pancreas induced by HFD to concurrent exposure of low levels of inhaled VC. These proteome biomarkers may lead to a better understanding of pancreas-mediated adaptive or adverse response and susceptibility to metabolic disease.
  • Ribble A, Hellmann J, Conklin DJ, Bhatnagar A, Haberzettl P. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-induced pulmonary oxidative stress contributes to increases in glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in a mouse model of circadian dyssynchrony. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Mar 18;877:162934. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162934. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36934930.
    Impact Statement:Results of human and animal studies independently suggest that either ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution exposure or a disturbed circadian rhythm (circadian dyssynchrony) are important contributing factors to the rapidly evolving type-2-diabetes (T2D) epidemic. Our results demonstrate that circadian dyssynchrony is a novel susceptibility state for PM2.5 and suggest that PM2.5 by inducing pulmonary oxidative stress increases glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in circadian dyssynchrony.
  • Agbonlahor O, DeJarnett N, Hart JL, Bhatnagar A, McLeish AC, Walker KL. Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Cardiometabolic Diseases: A Systematic Review. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Mar 28:1–25. doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01561-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36976513; PMCID: PMC10044132.
    Impact Statement:Racial/ethnic discrimination is positively associated with increased risk of cardiometabolic disease and higher levels of cardiometabolic biomarkers. Identifying racial/ethnic discrimination as a potential key contributor to the health inequities associated with cardiometabolic diseases is important for addressing the significant burden borne by racial/ethnic minorities.
  • Kurlawala Z, Singh P, Hill BG, Haberzettl P. Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)-Induced Pulmonary Oxidative Stress Contributes to Changes in the Plasma Lipidome and Liver Transcriptome in Mice. Toxicol Sci. 2023 Mar 1:kfad020. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36857595
    Impact Statement:Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)-Induced Pulmonary Oxidative Stress Contributes to Changes in the Plasma Lipidome and Liver Transcriptome in Mice” Our findings indicate that exposure of mice to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) induces unique changes in the plasma lipidome, which are accompanied by alterations in the liver transcriptome. These plasmatic and hepatic changes seem to depend, at least in part, on pulmonary oxidative stress.
  • Huang J, Mazer CD, Boisen ML, Tibi P, Baker RA, Chu D, Moffatt-Bruce S, Shore-Lesserson L. Safety of Andexanet Alfa Use in Cardiac Surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2023 Mar 5:S1053-0770(23)00128-3. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2023.02.039. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36997371.
    Impact Statement:There are currently no prospective clinical trials or retrospective studies describing andexanet alfa use in cardiac surgery. For the patient who has received andexanet alfa and demonstrates heparin resistance, administration of antithrombin III may be an alternative approach.
  • Golebiowska AA, Jala VR, Nukavarapu SP. Decellularized Tissue-Induced Cellular Recruitment for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. Ann Biomed Eng. 2023 Mar 23. doi: 10.1007/s10439-023-03182-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36952144.
    Impact Statement: 

    In this article, in collaboration with Dr. Syam P Nukavarapu, Univ of Connecticut,  we explored decellularized human cartilage as a biomaterial/ graft for tissue repair and regeneration. Our 2D and 3D chemotactic assays show that the tissue-derived biomaterials retain biochemical cues of native tissue and stimulate chemotactic migration of stem/ progenitor cells. Together, this study developed a new paradigm in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

  • Lindsey ML, Kleinbongard P, Kassiri Z, Carter JR, Hansell Keehan K, Ripplinger CM, LeBlanc AJ, Brunt KR, Kirk JA. We Asked and You Answered. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2023 Mar 17. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00084.2023. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36930658.
    Impact Statement:This purpose of this editorial was to give an update on the success that American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology has had incorporating sex as a biological variable in cardiovascular research manuscripts submitted to the journal. Unless scientifically justified, our journal now requires that research manuscripts incorporate both sexes starting in January of 2023. To summarize briefly, the scientific community has successfully embraced this requirement and we have implemented a new Table of Contents category titled, “Sex as a Biological Variable”.
  • Del Rosario O, Suresh K, Kallem M, Singh G, Shah A, Zheng L, Yun X, Philip NM, Putcha N, McClure MB, Jiang H, D'Alessio F, Srivastava M, Bera A, Shimoda LA, Merchant M, Rane MJ, Machamer CE, Mock J, Hagan R, Koch AL, Punjabi NM, Kolb TM, Damarla M. MK2 non-enzymatically promotes nuclear translocation of caspase-3 and resultant apoptosis. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2023 Mar 28. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00340.2022. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36976920.
    Impact Statement:Taken together, our results demonstrate a non-enzymatic role for MK2 in the nuclear translocation of caspase-3. Furthermore, MK2 may function as a molecular switch in regulating the transition between the cytosolic and nuclear functions of caspase-3.
  • Suresh K, Del Rosario O, Kallem M, Singh G, Shah A, Zheng L, Yun X, Philip NM, Putcha N, McClure MB, Jiang H, D'Alessio F, Srivastava M, Bera A, Shimoda LA, Merchant M, Rane MJ, Machamer CE, Mock J, Hagan R, Koch AL, Punjabi NM, Kolb TM, Damarla M. Tumor MK2 transcript levels are associated with improved response to chemotherapy and patient survival in non-small cell lung cancer. Physiol Genomics. 2023 Apr 1;55(4):168-178. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00155.2022. Epub 2023 Mar 6. PMID: 36878491; PMCID: PMC10042611.
    Impact Statement: This study implicates MK2 in apoptosis resistance in NSCLC and suggests prognostic value of MK2 transcript levels in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
  • Anderson LB, Kanneganti D, Houk MB, Holm RH, Smith T. Generative AI as a Tool for Environmental Health Research Translation. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Feb 22:2023.02.14.23285938. doi: 10.1101/2023.02.14.23285938. PMID: 36865187; PMCID: PMC9980240
    Impact Statement:This research has the potential to significantly impact society and public health by making scientific information more accessible to non-academic, and specifically environmental justice audiences, thereby empowering communities and promoting informed policy-making. Additionally, the widespread adoption of AI-generated plain language summaries could lead to better public understanding of health research, ultimately resulting in improved public health policies and practices.
  • Nail AN, Ferragut Cardoso AP, Montero LK, States JC. miRNAs and arsenic-induced carcinogenesis. Adv Pharmacol. 2023;96:203-240. doi: 10.1016/bs.apha.2022.10.002. Epub 2023 Feb 6. PMID: 36858773.
    Impact Statement: Our publication provides a comprehensive resource for researchers to easily determine which miRNAs are dysregulated both in cell models for arsenic-induced cancer and in arsenic-induced human cancers.
  • Vielee ST, Wise JP Jr. Among Gerontogens, Heavy Metals Are a Class of Their Own: A Review of the Evidence for Cellular Senescence. Brain Sci. 2023 Mar 16;13(3):500. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13030500. PMID: 36979310; PMCID: PMC10046019.
    Impact Statement: As we approach a new era of human history with the largest geriatric population in history, we imminently need to better understand the intersection between toxicology and aging. The term 'gerontogen' was coined in 1987 by Dr. George Martin to describe chemicals that accelerate biological aging, since then this term has received little attention. This review serves to broaden the discussion of gerontogens and considers heavy metals as a distinct class of gerontogen.
  • Prathibha P, Yeager R, Bhatnagar A, Turner J. Green Heart Louisville: intra-urban, hyperlocal land-use regression modeling of nitrogen oxides and ozone. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Mar 9:2023.03.03.23286765. doi: 10.1101/2023.03.03.23286765. PMID: 36945554; PMCID: PMC10029020.
    Impact Statement: This work evaluates a low-cost, fixed-site approach to characterizing long-term, hyperlocal exposure to oxides of nitrogen (including NO 2, a common surrogate for TRAP) as part of Green Heart Louisville, a prospective cohort study examining linkages between urban vegetation, local air quality, and cardiovascular health.
  • Oladipupo I, Ali T, Hein DW, Pagidas K, Bohler H, Doll MA, Mann ML, Gentry A, Chiang JL, Pierson RC, Torres S, Reece E, Taylor KC. Association between cigarette smoking and ovarian reserve among women seeking fertility care. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 13;17(12):e0278998. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278998. PMID: 36512605; PMCID: PMC9746951.
    Impact Statement: This cross-sectional epidemiologic study evaluated the effect of smoking on ovarian reserve among women seeking fertility counseling. The study suggests that long-term and/or heavy smoking may increase the risk of diminished ovarian reserve. This study was unique in that It stratified the study population by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) status; this is important because the measure used to determine ovarian reserve (anti-Mullerian hormone levels) is impacted by PCOS.
  • Winrich E, Belur AD, Shine A, Jophlin LL. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy following liver transplantation and COVID-19 infection. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2022 Aug 23;36(1):99-100. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2022.2114069. PMID: 36578602; PMCID: PMC9762796.
    Impact Statement: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy involves transient systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle thought to be caused by a physiologic stress response and associated catecholamine release. We present a previously undocumented cause of this stress response involving a 53-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma and alcohol-associated cirrhosis who initially presented for liver transplantation. Shortly after successful transplantation, the patient developed a COVID-19 infection and takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
  • He L, Vatsalya V, Ma X, Klinge CM, Cave MC, Feng W, McClain CJ, Zhang X. Metabolic Analysis of Nucleosides/Bases in the Urine and Serum of Patients with Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease. Metabolites. 2022 Nov 28;12(12):1187. doi: 10.3390/metabo12121187. PMID: 36557225; PMCID: PMC9783452.
    Impact Statement: This paper identified 12 RNA modifications that were significantly altered in human urine and serum samples from patients with alcohol-associated liver disease.
  • Lindsey ML, Carter JR, Ripplinger CM, Kassiri Z, Hansell Keehan K, Brunt KR, Kirk JA, Kleinbongard P, LeBlanc AJ. Sex still matters in cardiovascular research. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2023 Jan 1;324(1):H79-H81. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00643.2022. Epub 2022 Dec 9. PMID: 36487186.
    Impact Statement: This editorial is a reminder to the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology readership that beginning in January of 2023, authors must include both sexes in original research articles submitted to the journal unless a strong scientific justification can be made as to why one sex is excluded. This decision helps increase our scientific understanding of physiology and disease in both sexes instead of the predominant male only studies in the past.
  • Xu R, He L, Vatsalya V, Ma X, Kim S, Mueller EG, Feng W, McClain CJ, Zhang X. Metabolomics analysis of urine from patients with alcohol-associated liver disease reveals dysregulated caffeine metabolism. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2022 Dec 13. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00228.2022. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36513601.
    Impact Statement: Excess alcohol intake causes millions of deaths annually worldwide. Asymptomatic early-stage alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is easily overlooked, and ALD is usually only diagnosed in more advanced stages. We explored the possibility of using polar urine metabolites as biomarkers of ALD for early-stage diagnosis and functional assessment of disease severity.
  • Hardesty JE, Warner JB, Song YL, Rouchka EC, McClain CJ, Warner DR, Kirpich IA. Resolvin D1 attenuated liver injury caused by chronic ethanol and acute LPS challenge in mice. FASEB J. 2023 Jan;37(1):e22705. doi: 10.1096/fj.202200778R. PMID: 36520060.
    Impact Statement: Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is a subset of severe Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) with a high rate of mortality due to infection, severe inflammation, and ultimately multi-organ failure. There is an urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches to alleviate the human suffering associated with this condition. Our data demonstrated that Resolvin D1 (RvD1) treatment provided beneficial effects against liver injury and inflammation in an experimental animal model recapitulating features of severe AH in humans. Our results suggest that RvD1 may be a novel adjunct strategy to traditional therapeutic options for AH patients.
  • Koo HY, Kim MA, Min H, Hwang JY, Prajapati-DiNubila M, Kim KS, Matzuk MM, Park JW, Doetzlhofer A, Kim UK, Bok J. Follistatin regulates the specification of the apical cochlea responsible for low-frequency hearing in mammals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jan 3;120(1):e2213099120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2213099120. Epub 2022 Dec 28. PMID: 36577057.
    Impact Statement: Using mouse genomics, this study found that follistatin (FST) is required for the maintenance of apical cochlear identity, but dispensable for its initial induction. This study will provide valuable information to study tonotopic map changes related to hearing loss.
  • Rai SN, Das S, Pan J, Mishra DC, Fu XA. Multigroup prediction in lung cancer patients and comparative controls using signature of volatile organic compounds in breath samples. PLoS One. 2022 Nov 30;17(11):e0277431. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277431. PMID: 36449484.
    Impact Statement: Early detection of lung cancer is a crucial factor for increasing its survival rates among the detected patients. The paper reports the quantification of carbonyl VOC profiles from breath samples and identification of crucial VOCs related to lung cancer which paves the way forward for non-invasive detection of lung cancer in early stages.
  • Amraotkar AR, Owolabi US, Malovichko MV, Majid S, Weisbrod RM, Benjamin EJ, Fetterman JL, Hirsch GA, Srivastava S, Poudel R, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Hamburg NM, Keith RJ. Association of electronic cigarette use with circulating angiogenic cell levels in healthy young adults: Evidence for chronic systemic injury. Vasc Med. 2022 Dec 11:1358863X221126205. doi: 10.1177/1358863X221126205. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36503365.
    Impact Statement: Dual use of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes was associated with higher levels of endothelial origin circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), indicative of vascular injury. Sole use of e-cigarettes was associated with higher endothelial and inflammatory CACs, suggesting ongoing systemic injury. Distinct patterns of changes in CAC subpopulations suggest that CACs may be informative biomarkers of changes in vascular health due to tobacco product use.
  • Hart JL, Yeager RA, Riggs DW, Fleischer D, Owolabi U, Walker KL, Bhatnagar A, Keith RJ. The Relationship between Perceptions and Objective Measures of Greenness. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 6;19(23):16317. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192316317. PMID: 36498387; PMCID: PMC9736070.
    Impact Statement: Exposure to greenness has been studied through objective measures of remote visualization of greenspace; however, the link to how individuals interpret spaces as green is missing. This publication highlights the need for research to understand the complexity of green metrics and careful interpretation of data based on the use of subjective or objective measures of greenness.
  • Tian Z, Chu T, Shields LBE, Zhu Q, Zhang YP, Kong M, Barnes GN, Wang Y, Shields CB, Cai J. Platelet-Activating Factor Deteriorates Lysophosphatidylcholine-Induced Demyelination Via Its Receptor-Dependent and -Independent Effects. Mol Neurobiol. 2020 Oct;57(10):4069-4081. doi: 10.1007/s12035-020-02003-3. Epub 2020 Jul 13. PMID: 32661728.
  • Zhang Y, Cao H, Qiu X, Xu D, Chen Y, Barnes GN, Tu Y, Gyabaah AT, Gharbal AHAA, Peng C, Cai J, Cai X. Neuroprotective Effects of Adenosine A1 Receptor Signaling on Cognitive Impairment Induced by Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia in Mice. Front Cell Neurosci. 2020 Jul 9;14:202. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00202. PMID: 32733207; PMCID: PMC7363980.
  • Baba S, Smith T, Hellmann J, Bhatnagar A, Carter K, Vanhoover A, Caruso J. Space Flight Diet-Induced Deficiency and Response to Gravity-Free Resistive Exercise. Nutrients. 2020 Aug 11;12(8):2400. doi: 10.3390/nu12082400. PMID: 32796546; PMCID: PMC7468946.
  • Galbraith NJ, Gardner SA, Walker SP, Trainor P, Carter JV, Bishop C, Sarojini H, O'Brien SJ, Bhatnagar A, Polk HC Jr, Galandiuk S. The role and function of IκKα/β in monocyte impairment. Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 22;10(1):12222. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68018-x. PMID: 32699255; PMCID: PMC7376008.
  • Irfan AB, Arab C, DeFilippis AP, Lorkiewicz P, Keith RJ, Xie Z, Bhatnagar A, Carll AP. Smoking Accelerates Atrioventricular Conduction in Humans Concordant with Increased Dopamine Release. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2020 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s12012-020-09610-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33043409.
  • Rai SN, Qian C, Pan J, Seth A, Srivastava DK, Bhatnagar A. Statistical design of Phase II/III clinical trials for testing therapeutic interventions in COVID-19 patients. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2020 Aug 31;20(1):220. doi: 10.1186/s12874-020-01101-z. PMID: 32867708; PMCID: PMC745675
  • Lin Q, Huang Z, Cai G, Fan X, Yan X, Liu Z, Zhao Z, Li J, Li J, Shi H, Kong M, Zheng MH, Conklin DJ, Epstein PN, Kupper AW, Mohammadi M, Cai L, Li X, Li Y, Tan Y. Activating AMP-activated Protein Kinase Mediates Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 Protection from Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice. Hepatology. 2020 Sep 23. doi: 10.1002/hep.31568. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32965675.
  • Mohamed TMA, Conklin DJ. Emerging technology and platforms for cardiotoxicity testing. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2020 Dec 1;408:115262. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115262. Epub 2020 Oct 2. PMID: 33017593.
  • Lynch J, Jin L, Richardson A, Conklin DJ. Tobacco Smoke and Endothelial Dysfunction: Role of Aldehydes? Curr Hypertens Rep. 2020 Aug 28;22(9):73. doi: 10.1007/s11906-020-01085-7. PMID: 32857217.
  • Miller JM, Meki MH, Ou Q, George SA, Gams A, Abouleisa RRE, Tang XL, Ahern BM, Giridharan GA, El-Baz A, Hill BG, Satin J, Conklin DJ, Moslehi J, Bolli R, Ribeiro AJS, Efimov IR, Mohamed TMA. Heart slice culture system reliably demonstrates clinical drug-related cardiotoxicity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2020 Nov 1;406:115213. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115213. Epub 2020 Aug 30. PMID: 32877659; PMCID: PMC7554180.
  • Hawkins AT, Wise PE, Chan T, Lee JT, Glyn T, Wood V, Eglinton T, Frizelle F, Khan A, Hall J, Ilyas MIM, Michailidou M, Nfonsam VN, Cowan ML, Williams J, Steele SR, Alavi K, Ellis CT, Collins D, Winter DC, Zaghiyan K, Gallo G, Carvello M, Spinelli A, Lightner AL. Diverticulitis: An Update From the Age Old Paradigm. Curr Probl Surg. 2020 Oct;57(10):100862. doi: 10.1016/j.cpsurg.2020.100862. Epub 2020 Jul 18. PMID: 33077029; PMCID: PMC7575828.
  • Shrader SH, Tong YG, Duff MB, Freedman JH, Song ZH. Involvement of dopamine receptor in the actions of non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2020 Oct 21:S0006-291X(20)31930-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.10.021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33097185.
  • Hein DW, Millner LM. Arylamine N-acetyltransferase acetylation polymorphisms: paradigm for pharmacogenomic-guided therapy- a focused review. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 2020 Nov 3:1-13. doi: 10.1080/17425255.2021.1840551. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33094670. PMCID 7790970.
  • Hong KU, Doll MA, Lykoudi A, Salazar-González RA, Habil MR, Walls KM, Bakr AF, Ghare SS, Barve SS, Arteel GE, Hein DW. Acetylator Genotype-Dependent Dyslipidemia in Rats Congenic for N-Acetyltransferase 2. Toxicol Rep. 2020 Sep 28;7:1319-1330. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.09.011. PMID: 33083237; PMCID: PMC7553889.
  • Nardi D, Waite R, Nowak M, Hatcher B, Hines-Martin V, Stacciarini JR. Achieving Health Equity Through Eradicating Structural Racism in the United States: A Call to Action for Nursing Leadership. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2020 Oct 1. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12602. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33002309.
  • Metcalf S, Petri BJ, Kruer T, Green B, Dougherty S, Wittliff JL, Klinge CM, Clem BF. Serine synthesis influences tamoxifen response in ER+ human breast carcinoma. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2020 Oct 1:ERC-19-0510.R2. doi: 10.1530/ERC-19-0510. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33112838.
  • Shi H, Jin J, Hardesty JE, Falkner KC, Prough RA, Balamurugan AN, Mokshagundam SP, Chari ST, Cave MC. Corrigendum to "Polychlorinated biphenyl exposures differentially regulate hepatic metabolism and pancreatic function: Implications for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and diabetes" [Toxicology & Applied Pharmacology, 363 (2018) 22-33]. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2020 Oct 1;404:115149. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115149. Epub 2020 Jul 20. Erratum for: Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2019 Jan 15;363:22-33. PMID: 32702359.
  • Leggett CS, Doll MA, States JC, Hein DW. Acetylation of putative arylamine and alkylaniline carcinogens in immortalized human fibroblasts transfected with rapid and slow acetylator N-acetyltransferase 2 haplotypes. Arch Toxicol. 2020 Nov 2. doi: 10.1007/s00204-020-02901-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33136180.
  • Ferragut Cardoso AP, Udoh KT, States JC. Arsenic-induced changes in miRNA expression in cancer and other diseases. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2020 Oct 28;409:115306. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115306. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33127375.
  • Mandal RK, Denny JE, Waide ML, Li Q, Bhutiani N, Anderson CD, Baby BV, Jala VR, Egilmez NK, Schmidt NW. Temporospatial shifts within commercial laboratory mouse gut microbiota impact experimental reproducibility. BMC Biol. 2020 Jul 3;18(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s12915-020-00810-7. PMID: 32620114; PMCID: PMC7334859.
  • Annett RD, Chervinskiy S, Chun TH, Cowan K, Foster K, Goodrich N, Hirschfeld M, Hsia DS, Jarvis JD, Kulbeth K, Madden C, Nesmith C, Raissy H, Ross J, Saul JP, Shiramizu B, Smith P, Sullivan JE, Tucker L, Atz AM. IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network for Underserved and Rural Communities. Pediatrics. 2020 Oct;146(4):e20200290. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-0290. Epub 2020 Sep 17. PMID: 32943534.
  • Kolonics F, Kajdácsi E, Farkas VJ, Veres DS, Khamari D, Kittel Á, Merchant ML, McLeish KR, Lőrincz ÁM, Ligeti E. Neutrophils produce proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory extracellular vesicles depending on the environmental conditions. J Leukoc Biol. 2020 Sep 18. doi: 10.1002/JLB.3A0320-210R. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32946637.
  • Samuel G, Crow J, Klein JB, Merchant ML, Nissen E, Koestler DC, Laurence K, Liang X, Neville K, Staggs V, Ahmed A, Atay S, Godwin AK. Ewing sarcoma family of tumors-derived small extracellular vesicle proteomics identify potential clinical biomarkers. Oncotarget. 2020 Aug 4;11(31):2995-3012. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.27678. PMID: 32821345; PMCID: PMC7415402.
  • Satoskar AA, Shapiro JP, Jones M, Bott C, Parikh SV, Brodsky SV, Yu L, Nagaraja HN, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Klein JB, Nadasdy T, Rovin BH. Differentiating Staphylococcus infection-associated glomerulonephritis and primary IgA nephropathy: a mass spectrometry-based exploratory study. Sci Rep. 2020 Oct 14;10(1):17179. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-73847-x. PMID: 33057112; PMCID: PMC7560901.
  • Sears L, Sears CG, Myers JV, Brock GN, Zierold KM. Associations of the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS) neurobehavioral outcomes with attention problems in children living near coal ash storage sites. Neurotoxicology. 2020 Aug 15;81:11-17. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.08.002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32810513.
  • Kim C, States JC, Ceresa BP. Chronic and acute arsenic exposure enhance EGFR expression via distinct molecular mechanisms. Toxicol In Vitro. 2020 Sep;67:104925. doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.104925. Epub 2020 Jun 26. PMID: 32599262; PMCID: PMC7375208.
  • Bushau-Sprinkle A, Barati MT, Gagnon KB, Khundmiri SJ, Kitterman K, Hill BG, Sherwood A, Merchant M, Rai SN, Srivastava S, Clark B, Siskind L, Brier M, Hata J, Lederer E. NHERF1 Loss Upregulates Enzymes of the Pentose Phosphate Pathway in Kidney Cortex. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Sep 14;9(9):862. doi: 10.3390/antiox9090862. PMID: 32937931; PMCID: PMC7554817.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Mo Y, Zhang Y, Mo L, Wan R, Jiang M, Zhang Q. The role of miR-21 in nickel nanoparticle-induced MMP-2 and MMP-9 production in mouse primary monocytes: In vitro and in vivo studies. Environ Pollut. 2020 Dec;267:115597. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115597. Epub 2020 Sep 4. PMID: 33254626; PMCID: PMC7708676.
  • Xie W, Kathuria H, Galiatsatos P, Blaha MJ, Hamburg NM, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Benjamin EJ, Stokes AC. Association of Electronic Cigarette Use With Incident Respiratory Conditions Among US Adults From 2013 to 2018. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Nov 2;3(11):e2020816. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.20816. PMID: 33180127; PMCID: PMC7662143.
  • Cave MC. Environmental Pollution and the Developmental Origins of Childhood Liver Disease. Hepatology. 2020 Nov;72(5):1518-1521. doi: 10.1002/hep.31549. PMID: 32910501.
  • Xie C, Sun K, You Y, Ming Y, Yu X, Yu L, Huang J, Yan M. Correction to: Feasibility and efficacy of lung ultrasound to investigate pulmonary complications in patients who developed postoperative Hypoxaemia-a prospective study. BMC Anesthesiol. 2020 Nov 9;20(1):281. doi: 10.1186/s12871-020-01196-3. Erratum for: BMC Anesthesiol. 2020 Sep 1;20(1):220. PMID: 33167910; PMCID: PMC7650153.
  • Bowland, S. & Hines-Martin, V. (2020). Strengthening health in mixed-age housing communities. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 43(2), 218-234.
  • Feehan J, Hariharan R, Buckenham T, Handley C, Bhatnagar A, Baba SP, de Courten B. Carnosine as a potential therapeutic for the management of peripheral vascular disease. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2022 Jul 16:S0939-4753(22)00295-2. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2022.07.006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35973888.
    Impact statement: The aim of this research is to evaluate the potential role of carnosine in the management of peripheral vascular disease. We found that carnosine may have a role as an adjunct treatment for peripheral vascular disease alongside typical exercise and surgical interventions, and may be used in high risk individuals to aid in the prevention of atherogenesis.
  • Benowitz NL, Goniewicz ML, Halpern-Felsher B, Krishnan-Sarin S, Ling PM, O'Connor RJ, Pentz MA, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A. Tobacco product use and the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19: current understanding and recommendations for future research. Lancet Respir Med. 2022 Sep;10(9):900-915. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(22)00182-5. Epub 2022 Aug 16. PMID: 35985357; PMCID: PMC9381032.
    Impact statement: Results from epidemiological studies of the effects of cigarette smoking on SARS-CoV-2 infection are conflicting, and further research is needed to establish whether or not smoking affects susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • Ye F, Sun C, Xie Y, Wang B, Cai L. Editorial: Medical Application and Radiobiology Research of Particle Radiation. Front Public Health. 2022 Jul 22;10:955116. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.955116. PMID: 35942260; PMCID: PMC9356341.
    Impact statement: Applications of particle radiation technology has been extensively applied in the medical and biological fields. Proper protection from radiation has been a top priority ever since the recognition of the harmful effects of radiation on the human. In this Research Topic, we invited scientists studying high-energy charged particles either for cancer treatment or for radiobiology research, with 15 articles including a total of 92 authors, to discuss for the radiotherapy for cancers, radiation protection and radiation biology research advance. This editorial was and also briefly introduced the contents of the fifteen publications, with a hope to set the stage for delving further in deciphering the crucial link between cancer radiotherapy and radiation protection.
  • Dai X, Wang K, Fan J, Liu H, Fan X, Lin Q, Chen Y, Chen H, Li Y, Liu H, Chen O, Chen J, Li X, Ren D, Li J, Conklin DJ, Wintergerst KA, Li Y, Cai L, Deng Z, Yan X, Tan Y. Nrf2 transcriptional upregulation of IDH2 to tune mitochondrial dynamics and rescue angiogenic function of diabetic EPCs. Redox Biol. 2022 Aug 28;56:102449. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102449. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36063728.
    Impact statement: This study reveals novel actions of the transcription factor Nrf2 in protecting proangiogenic endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) functions by regulating mitochondrial dynamics via upregulating IDH2 expression in both human diabetics and murine model of diabetes. This study fills the gaps in knowledge about why and how EPC dysfunction occurs in diabetes, and it provides the scientific groundwork for developing new therapies for diabetic patients with ischemic vascular diseases.
  • Blair LK, Warner ET, James P, Hart JE, VoPham T, Barnard ME, Newton JD, Murthy DJ, Laden F, Tamimi RM, DuPre NC. Exposure to natural vegetation in relation to mammographic density in a Massachusetts-based clinical cohort. Environ Epidemiol. 2022 Jul 19;6(4):e216. doi: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000216. PMID: 35975164; PMCID: PMC9374192.
    Impact Statement: We examined the association between greenness and mammographic density-a strong breast cancer risk factor-to determine whether greenness influences breast tissue composition independent of lifestyle factors. We found greenness exposures were not associated with mammographic density. Prior observations of a protective association between greenness and breast cancer may not be driven by differences in breast tissue composition, as measured by mammographic density, but rather other mechanisms.
  • Habil MR, Salazar-González RA, Doll MA, Hein DW. Differences in β-naphthylamine metabolism and toxicity in Chinese hamster ovary cell lines transfected with human CYP1A2 and NAT2*4, NAT2*5B or NAT2*7B N-acetyltransferase 2 haplotypes. Arch Toxicol. 2022 Aug 30. doi: 10.1007/s00204-022-03367-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36040704.
    Impact statement: β-naphthylamine (BNA) is an important arylamine carcinogen that is classified as a Group 1 human urinary bladder carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate BNA metabolism and toxicity in Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with human CYP1A2 and either human N-acetyltransferase 2 alleles NAT2*4 (rapid acetylator allele), NAT2*5B (common slow acetylator allele in Europe), or NAT2*7B (common slow acetylator allele in Asia). The study showed that NAT2 genetic polymorphisms modulate BNA N-acetylation and its associated mutagenicity and DNA damage and further suggests that heterogeneity within the "slow" NAT2 acetylator phenotype should be incorporated into cancer risk studies among the individuals exposed to BNA.
  • Cheryl L. Woods-Giscombe, Edilma L. Yearwood, Dave Ngugi, Lilian Bravo, Patty R. Wilson, Pamela Minarik, Jada Brooks, Tamar Rodney, Shaquita Starks, Mia Pasini, Mary Louise Tatum, Vicki Hines Martin. Honoring the past and charting the future: The International Society of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses' commitment to advance diversity and equity in mental health care, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 2022, ISSN 0883-9417
    Impact statement: The International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses is committed as an organization and as members to continue addressing health disparities for improvement of mental health outcomes in underserved communities. As a committee, we recognize significant mental health disparities exist within populations, such as racially and ethnically diverse and LGBTQ+ communities. We will continue addressing health disparities in our research and initiatives and work collaboratively to push the profession forward by introducing innovative strategies for promoting mental health workforce diversity.
  • Tracy EP, Nair R, Rowe G, Beare JE, Beyer A, LeBlanc AJ. Adipose Stromal Vascular Fraction Reverses Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Hyperfission in Aging-Induced Coronary Microvascular Disease. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2022 Aug 26. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00311.2022. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36018760.
    Impact Statement: This study details how the mitochondria in small vessels from the heart become dysfunctional as a result of aging alone, and that this dysfunction can lead to mismanaged blood flow. When old rats were treated with an infusion of regenerative cells from adipose tissue, or fat, the mitochondria exhibit positive effects, similar to the youth phenotype, and this results in improved vascular function.
  • Tracy EP, Dukes M, Beare J, Rowe G, Nair R, LeBlanc AJ. Stromal Vascular Fraction Restores Vasodilatory Function by Reducing Oxidative Stress in Aging-Induced Coronary Microvascular Disease. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2022 Aug 11. doi: 10.1089/ars.2021.0249. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35950616.
    Impact Statement: In advancing age, even without comorbidities, there is a shift in reactive oxygen species balance in the circulation and that leads the body more susceptible to the onset of cardiovascular disease. This study demonstrates that a cell therapy derived from adipose tissue can tip the balance back to a more youthful phenotype and also elicit improved vascular reactivity to circulating catecholamines. This renders the aging heart more resistant and impervious to heart disease.
  • Amraotkar AR, Bushau-Sprinkle AM, Keith RJ, Hamorsky KT, Palmer KE, Gao H, Rai SN, Bhatnagar A. Pre-Existing Comorbidities Diminish the Likelihood of Seropositivity after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination. Vaccines (Basel). 2022 Aug 20;10(8):1363. doi: 10.3390/vaccines10081363. PMID: 36016250; PMCID: PMC9416221.
    Impact Statement: The impact of chronic health conditions (CHCs) on serostatus post-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination is unknown. The presence of any CHC, especially chronic kidney disease or autoimmune disease, increased the likelihood of seronegative status among individuals who were fully vaccinated to SAR-CoV-2. These results will help develop appropriate guidelines for booster doses and targeted vaccination programs.
  • Lee S, Zhang Y, Newhams M, Novak T, Thomas PG, Mourani PM, Hall MW, Loftis LL, Cvijanovich NZ, Tarquinio KM, Schwarz AJ, Weiss SL, Thomas NJ, Markovitz B, Cullimore ML, Sanders RC, Zinter MS, Sullivan JE, Halasa NB, Bembea MM, Giuliano JS, Typpo KV, Nofziger RA, Shein SL, Kong M, Coates BM, Weiss ST, Lange C, Su HC, Randolph AG; PALISI Pediatric Intensive Care Influenza (PICFlu) Investigators and the TOPMed Investigators. DDX58 is Associated with Susceptibility to Severe Influenza Virus Infection in Children and Adolescents. J Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 20:jiac350. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac350. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35986912.
    Impact Statement: Seasonal influenza virus infection causes a range of disease severity, including lower respiratory tract infection with respiratory failure. We evaluated the association of common variants in interferon (IFN) regulatory genes with susceptibility to critical influenza infection in children. We focused specifically on interferon regulatory genes, as they are the host’s first defense against influenza invasion. This manuscript shows evidence associating common gene variants in DDX58 (RIG-I gene) with disease susceptibility for severe influenza infection in children. Retinoic acid–inducible gene I (RIG-I) may be essential for preventing life-threatening influenza-associated disease.
  • Smith T, Holm RH, Yeager R, Moore JB 4th, Rouchka EC, Sokoloski KJ, Elliott EM, Talley D, Arora V, Moyer S, Bhatnagar A. Combining Community Wastewater Genomic Surveillance with State Clinical Surveillance: A Framework for SARS-CoV-2 Public Health Practice. Food Environ Virol. 2022 Aug 18:1–7. doi: 10.1007/s12560-022-09531-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35982363; PMCID: PMC9387882.
    Impact Statement: This study aimed to develop a framework for combining community wastewater surveillance with state clinical surveillance for the confirmation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants within the community and to provide recommendations on how to expand on such research and apply the findings in public health responses. This paper presents evidence that complementary wastewater and clinical testing are cost-effectively enhanced when used in combination, as they provide a strong tool for a joint public health framework.
  • Zierold KM, Sears CG, Myers JV, Brock GN, Zhang CH, Sears L. Exposure to coal ash and depression in children aged 6-14 years old. Environ Res. 2022 Aug 6;214(Pt 3):114005. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35944620.
    Impact Statement: Children living near coal power plants and coal ash storage sites may be at increased risk for neurobehavioral problems due to known neurotoxic metals contained in coal ash. Indoor air was sampled in 280 homes of children living within 10 miles of a coal burning power plant and results indicated that 43% of children had coal ash in the home. These children were at increased risk of a depressive disorder compared to children without coal ash in the home. Results indicate an increased risk for depression in children exposed to coal ash in the home.
  • Song K, Xu Q, Koenig HM, Kong M, Slaughter MS, Huang Y, Clifford SP, Huang J. Validation of a Novel NeurOs Cerebral Oximetry Monitor Against the INVOS Monitor During Cardiac Surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2020 Oct 27:S1053-0770(20)31157-5. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2020.10.043. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33218956.
  • Brier ME, Gooding JR, Harrington JM, Burgess JP, McRitchie SL, Zhang X, Rovin BH, Klein JB, Himmelfarb J, Sumner SJ, Merchant ML. Serum trace metal association with response to erythropoiesis stimulating agents in incident and prevalent hemodialysis patients. Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 19;10(1):20202. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-77311-8. PMID: 33214633; PMCID: PMC7677396.
  • O'Toole TE, Li X, Riggs DW, Hoetker DJ, Yeager R, Lorkiewicz P, Baba SP, Cooper NGF, Bhatnagar A. Urinary levels of the acrolein conjugates of carnosine are associated with inhaled toxicants. Inhal Toxicol. 2020 Nov 12:1-9. doi: 10.1080/08958378.2020.1845257. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33179563.
  • Das S, Rai SN. Statistical Approach for Biologically Relevant Gene Selection from High-Throughput Gene Expression Data. Entropy (Basel). 2020 Oct 25;22(11):E1205. doi: 10.3390/e22111205. PMID: 33286973.
  • Zierold KM, Sears CG, Hagemeyer AN, Brock GN, Polivka BJ, Zhang CH, Sears L. Protocol for measuring indoor exposure to coal fly ash and heavy metals, and neurobehavioural symptoms in children aged 6 to 14 years old. BMJ Open. 2020 Nov 23;10(11):e038960. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038960. PMID: 33234632; PMCID: PMC7684807.
  • Mo Y, Zhang Y, Wan R, Jiang M, Xu Y, Zhang Q. miR-21 mediates nickel nanoparticle-induced pulmonary injury and fibrosis. Nanotoxicology. 2020 Nov;14(9):1175-1197. doi: 10.1080/17435390.2020.1808727. Epub 2020 Sep 14. PMID: 32924694.
  • Hines-Martin, V.P. (2020). Community displacement, environmental change and the impact on mental well-being. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, ISSN 0883-9417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2020.10.012.
  • O'Toole TE, Amraotkar AA, DeFilippis AP, Rai SN, Keith RJ, Baba SP, Lorkiewicz P, Crandell CE, Pariser GL, Wingard CJ, Pope Iii CA, Bhatnagar A. Protocol to assess the efficacy of carnosine supplementation in mitigating the adverse cardiovascular responses to particulate matter (PM) exposure: the Nucleophilic Defense Against PM Toxicity (NEAT) trial. BMJ Open. 2020 Dec 28;10(12):e039118. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039118. PMID: 33372072; PMCID: PMC7772308.
  • Metcalf S, Petri BJ, Kruer T, Green B, Dougherty S, Wittliff JL, Klinge CM, Clem BF. Serine synthesis influences tamoxifen response in ER+ human breast carcinoma. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2021 Jan;28(1):27-37. doi: 10.1530/ERC-19-0510. PMID: 33112838; PMCID: PMC7780089.
  • O'Toole TE, Li X, Riggs DW, Hoetker DJ, Baba SP, Bhatnagar A. Urinary Levels of the Acrolein Conjugates of Carnosine Are Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jan 30;22(3):1383. doi: 10.3390/ijms22031383. PMID: 33573153; PMCID: PMC7866516.
  • Bhattacharyya A, Seth A, Srivast N, Imeokparia M, Rai S. Coronavirus (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Evaluate the Significance of Demographics and Comorbidities. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2021 Jan 18:rs.3.rs-144684. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-144684/v1. PMID: 33469575; PMCID: PMC7814834.
  • Farley G, Riggs DW, Bhatnagar A, Hellmann J. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids modify the inverse association between systemic inflammation and cardiovascular fitness. Clin Nutr. 2021 Feb 11:S0261-5614(21)00080-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.02.006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33618966.
  • Wang X, Chen X, Xu H, Zhou S, Zheng Y, Keller BB, Cai L. Emerging roles of microRNA-208a in cardiology and reverse cardio-oncology. Med Res Rev. 2021 Feb 3. doi: 10.1002/med.21790. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33533026.
  • Li Y, Fan H, Yuan F, Lu L, Liu J, Feng W, Zhang HG, Chen SY. Sulforaphane Protects Against Ethanol-Induced Apoptosis in Human Neural Crest Cells Through Diminishing Ethanol-Induced Hypermethylation at the Promoters of the Genes Encoding the Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Feb 9;9:622152. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.622152. PMID: 33634123; PMCID: PMC7900432.
  • Clifford SP, Ramirez J, Akca O, Ghafghazi S, Huang J. Perioperative Cardiac Research Considerations During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 Feb 5:S1053-0770(21)00089-6. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2021.01.052. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33618962; PMCID: PMC7863767.
  • Cardarelli KM, Ickes M, Huntington-Moskos L, Wilmhoff C, Larck A, Pinney SM, Hahn EJ. Authentic Youth Engagement in Environmental Health Research and Advocacy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 23;18(4):2154. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18042154. PMID: 33672107; PMCID: PMC7926324.
  • Ghosh S, Whitley CS, Haribabu B, Jala VR. Regulation of Intestinal Barrier Function by Microbial Metabolites. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;11(5):1463-1482. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2021.02.007. Epub 2021 Feb 18. PMID: 33610769; PMCID: PMC8025057.
  • Landers VD, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Mitchell TC, Sokoloski KJ. The Alphaviral Capsid Protein Inhibits IRAK1-Dependent TLR Signaling. Viruses. 2021 Feb 27;13(3):377. doi: 10.3390/v13030377. PMID: 33673546.
  • Caster DJ, Korte EA, Merchant ML, Klein JB, Barati MT, Joglekar A, Wilkey DW, Coventry S, Hata J, Rovin BH, Harley JB, Namjou-Khales B, McLeish KR, Powell DW. Patients with Proliferative Lupus Nephritis Have Autoantibodies That React to Moesin and Demonstrate Increased Glomerular Moesin Expression. J Clin Med. 2021 Feb 16;10(4):793. doi: 10.3390/jcm10040793. PMID: 33669337; PMCID: PMC7920286.
  • Singh P, O'Toole TE, Conklin DJ, Hill BG, Haberzettl P. Endothelial Progenitor Cells as Critical Mediators of Environmental Air Pollution-Induced Cardiovascular Toxicity. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021 Feb 19. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00804.2020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33606580.
  • Kaplin A, Junker C, Kumar A, Ribeiro MA, Yu E, Wang M, Smith T, Rai SN, Bhatnagar A. Evidence and magnitude of the effects of meteorological changes on SARS-CoV-2 transmission. PLoS One. 2021 Feb 17;16(2):e0246167. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246167. PMID: 33596214; PMCID: PMC7888632.
  • McGraw KE, Riggs DW, Rai S, Navas-Acien A, Xie Z, Lorkiewicz P, Lynch J, Zafar N, Krishnasamy S, Taylor KC, Conklin DJ, DeFilippis AP, Srivastava S, Bhatnagar A. Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds - Acrolein, 1,3-Butadiene, and Crotonaldehyde - is Associated with Vascular Dysfunction. Environ Res. 2021 Feb 23:110903. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110903. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33636185.
  • Jin L, Lynch J, Richardson A, Lorkiewicz P, Srivastava S, Theis W, Shirk G, Hand A, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S, Conklin DJ. Electronic Cigarette Solvents, Pulmonary Irritation and Endothelial Dysfunction:Role of Acetaldehyde and Formaldehyde. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021 Feb 5. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00878.2020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33543686.
  • Poirier MC, Marsili L, Fossi MC, Godard-Codding CAJ, Hernandez-Ramon EE, Si N, Divi KV, Divi RL, Kerr I, Wise JP, Wise CF, Wise SS, Aboueissa AM, Wise JTF, Wise JP. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-DNA Adducts in Gulf of Mexico Sperm Whale Skin Biopsies Collected in 2012. Toxicol Sci. 2021 Feb 10:kfab016. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab016. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33566103
  • Haweel R, Shalaby A, Mahmoud A, Seada N, Ghoniemy S, Ghazal M, Casanova MF, Barnes GN, El-Baz A. A Robust DWT-CNN Based CAD System for Early Diagnosis of Autism Using Task-based fMRI. Med Phys. 2020 Dec 30. doi: 10.1002/mp.14692. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33378589.
  • Fontenele RS, Kraberger S, Hadfield J, Driver EM, Bowes D, Holland LA, Faleye TOC, Adhikari S, Kumar R, Inchausti R, Holmes WK, Deitrick S, Brown P, Duty D, Smith T, Bhatnagar A, Yeager RA, Holm RH, Hoogesteijn von Reitzenstein N, Wheeler E, Dixon K, Constantine T, Wilson MA, Lim ES, Jiang X, Halden RU, Scotch M, Varsani A. High-throughput sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater provides insights into circulating variants. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Jan 25:2021.01.22.21250320. doi: 10.1101/2021.01.22.21250320. PMID: 33501452; PMCID: PMC7836124.
  • Stokes AC, Xie W, Wilson AE, Yang H, Orimoloye OA, Harlow AF, Fetterman JL, DeFilippis AP, Benjamin EJ, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Hamburg NM, Blaha MJ. Association of Cigarette and Electronic Cigarette Use Patterns With Levels of Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Among US Adults: Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Circulation. 2021 Jan 4. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.051551. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33390037.
  • Harlow AF, Fetterman JL, Ross CS, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Benjamin EJ, Stokes AC. Association of device type, flavours and vaping behaviour with tobacco product transitions among adult electronic cigarette users in the USA. Tob Control. 2021 Jan 21:tobaccocontrol-2020-055999. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-055999. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33479031
  • Li J, Liu L, Zhou WQ, Cai L, Xu ZG, Rane MJ. Roles of Krüppel-like factor 5 in kidney disease. J Cell Mol Med. 2021 Feb 1. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.16332. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33523554.
  • Yearwood EL, Hines-Martin VP. Editorial: Impact of social determinants of health on mental health. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2021 Feb;35(1):A1-A2. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2020.12.001. Epub 2021 Jan 8. PMID: 33593523.
  • Wei P, Li J, Huang J, Zhang T, Tang W. Radial artery catheterisation pressure monitoring with a closed intravascular catheter system and ultrasound-guided dynamic needle tip positioning technique. Br J Anaesth. 2021 Jan 26:S0007-0912(20)31055-2. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2020.12.033. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33514485.
  • Eldeirawi K, Huntington-Moskos L, Nyenhuis SM, Polivka B. Increased disinfectant use among adults with asthma in the era of COVID-19. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021 Mar;9(3):1378-1380.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.038. Epub 2020 Dec 29. PMID: 33385592; PMCID: PMC7832809
  • Swovick K, Firsanov D, Welle KA, Hryhorenko JR, Wise JP Sr, George C, Sformo TL, Seluanov A, Gorbunova V, Ghaemmaghami S. Interspecies Differences in Proteome Turnover Kinetics Are Correlated With Life Spans and Energetic Demands. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2021 Jan 7;20:100041. doi: 10.1074/mcp.RA120.002301. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33639418.
  • Riggs DW, Yeager R, Conklin DJ, DeJarnett N, Keith RJ, DeFilippis AP, Rai SN, Bhatnagar A. Residential Proximity to Greenness Mitigates the Hemodynamic Effects of Ambient Air Pollution. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021 Jan 8. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00689.2020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33416460.
  • Oshunbade AA, Kassahun-Yimer W, Valle KA, Hamid A, Kipchumba RK, Kamimura D, Clark D 3rd, White WB, DeFilippis AP, Blaha MJ, Benjamin EJ, O'Brien EC, Mentz RJ, Rodriguez CJ, Fox ER, Butler J, Keith RJ, Bhatnagar A, Marie Robertson R, Correa A, Hall ME. Cigarette Smoking, Incident Coronary Heart Disease, and Coronary Artery Calcification in Black Adults: The Jackson Heart Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Apr 6;10(7):e017320. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.017320. Epub 2021 Mar 23. PMID: 33754833.
    Impact Statement: In Black individuals cigarette smoking can exacerbate heart failure and increase the risk of hospital admissions for heart failure
  • Keith R, Bhatnagar A. Cardiorespiratory and Immunologic Effects of Electronic Cigarettes. Curr Addict Rep. 2021 Mar 5:1-11. doi: 10.1007/s40429-021-00359-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33717828; PMCID: PMC7935224.
    Impact Statement: This review discusses evidence showing that the use of e-cigarettes is associated with a range of cardiovascular and immunological changes that could be detrimental to health
  • Ohanyan V, Raph SM, Dwenger MM, Hu X, Pucci T, Mack G, Moore JB 4th, Chilian WM, Bhatnagar A, Nystoriak MA. Myocardial Blood Flow Control by Oxygen Sensing Vascular Kvβ Proteins. Circ Res. 2021 Mar 19;128(6):738-751. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.317715. Epub 2021 Jan 27. PMID: 33499656.
    Impact Statement: This study shows that the increase in oxygen demand in the heart, due to exercise or exertion, is met by increase blood flow in the heart, which is regulated by potassium channels and their subunits.
  • Men H, Cai H, Cheng Q, Zhou W, Wang X, Huang S, Zheng Y, Cai L. The regulatory roles of p53 in cardiovascular health and disease. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2021 Mar;78(5):2001-2018. doi: 10.1007/s00018-020-03694-6. Epub 2020 Nov 11. PMID: 33179140
    Impact Statement: Except for regulating a myriad of genes to maintain normal cell functions, this study found the important roles of p53 in the cardiovascular physiological and pathological conditions as revealed by this review: primarily, p53 determines the fates of cardiomyocytes by regulating metabolism and programmed cell death and also regulates cell cycle arrest and angiogenesis in non-myocytes, thus participating in the regulation of CVDs.
  • Wahlang B, Alexander NC 2nd, Li X, Rouchka EC, Kirpich IA, Cave MC. Polychlorinated biphenyls altered gut microbiome in CAR and PXR knockout mice exhibiting toxicant-associated steatohepatitis. Toxicol Rep. 2021 Mar 10;8:536-547. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.03.010. PMID: 33777700; PMCID: PMC7985695 
    Impact Statement: This publication elucidated mechanism by which polychlorinated biphenyls and their nuclear receptor targets, PXR and CAR, modulate the gut:liver axis thereby impacting susceptibility to obesity-related diseases.
  • O'Brien SJ, Ellis CT, McDowell J, Galandiuk S, Polk HC Jr. Anal squamous cell carcinoma incidentally found at hemorrhoidectomy. Surgery. 2021 Mar;169(3):610-616. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2020.08.026. Epub 2020 Sep 29. PMID: 33004218.
    Impact Statement: Anal cancer (SSCA) is on the rise and Kentucky now has the second highest incidence rate. Although this cancer is strongly associated with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), it doesn’t completely explain its temporal trend. Three percent of all SCCA cases in KY were found at the time of hemorrhoidectomy.
  • Hill BG, Rood B, Ribble A, Haberzettl P. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) inhalation-induced alterations in the plasma lipidome as promoters of vascular inflammation and insulin resistance. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021 Mar 5. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00881.2020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33666505
    Impact Statement: We found that inhalation of fine particulate matter air pollution induces vascular inflammation and insulin resistance via circulating plasma constituents possibly by promoting a unique form of dyslipidemia that dependents on pulmonary oxidative stress.
  • Kumar A, Ren Y, Sundaram K, Mu J, Sriwastva MK, Dryden GW, Lei C, Zhang L, Yan J, Zhang X, Park JW, Merchant ML, Teng Y, Zhang HG. miR-375 prevents high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance and obesity by targeting the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and bacterial tryptophanase (tnaA) gene. Theranostics. 2021 Feb 19;11(9):4061-4077. doi: 10.7150/thno.52558. PMID: 33754048; PMCID: PMC7977461.
    Impact Statement: The molecular mechanisms that mediate diet-based prevention of insulin resistance are not well understood. In this proof-of-concept study, ginger-derived nanoparticles (GDNP) were used to examine a role for GDNP-supplemented diet in amelioration of high-fat diet (HFD) induced insulin resistance. Using multiple lines of inquiry, this study revealed that oral administration of GDNP to HFD mice improved host glucose tolerance and insulin response via (1) regulating VAMP7 induction, (2) enhanced the exosomal accumulation of microRNA miR-375 culminating in (3) the inhibition of arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) expression and signaling
  • Hardesty JE, Wahlang B, Prough RA, Head KZ, Wilkey D, Merchant M, Shi H, Jin J, Cave MC. Effect of Epidermal Growth Factor Treatment and Polychlorinated Biphenyl Exposure in a Dietary-Exposure Mouse Model of Steatohepatitis. Environ Health Perspect. 2021 Mar;129(3):37010. doi: 10.1289/EHP8222. Epub 2021 Mar 31. PMID: 33788613; PMCID: PMC8011667
    Impact Statement: Our initial research demonstrated that some PCBs bind to the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and terminate its activation of normal gene expression in liver. We sought to establish whether co-treatment with epidermal growth factor, a ligand activator for EGFR, would reverse this inhibition by PCBs. While EGR did reverse the action of PCBs as proposed, there were other downstream effects caused by EGR suggesting the growth factor probably wouldn't serve as a therapeutic agent to prevent PCB toxicity due to its side effects.
  • Das S, Rai SN. SwarnSeq: An improved statistical approach for differential expression analysis of single-cell RNA-seq data. Genomics. 2021 Mar 1;113(3):1308-1324. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.02.014. Epub ahead of print. PMID:33662531.
    Impact Statement    : This publication discusses the development of an efficient method for analysis of Single-cell RNA sequencing data. This new method is compared with 11 methods on 10 data sets.
  • Fuqua JL, Rouchka EC, Waigel S, Sokoloski K, Chung D, Zacharias W, Zhang M, Chariker J, Talley D, Santisteban I, Varsani A, Moyer S, Holm RH, Yeager RA, Smith T, Bhatnagar A. A rapid assessment of wastewater for genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants at sewershed scale in Louisville, KY. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Mar 26:2021.03.18.21253604. doi: 10.1101/2021.03.18.21253604. PMID: 33791725; PMCID: PMC8010757. 
    Impact Statement: This paper describes preliminary observations and methodological refinements for wastewater-based surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. This work will inform future wastewater-based COVID-19 surveillance and targeted response to the spread of variants
  • Yuan J, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Mo Y, Zhang Q. Effects of metal nanoparticles on tight junction-associated proteins via HIF-1α/miR-29b/MMPs pathway in human epidermal keratinocytes. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2021 Mar 19;18(1):13. doi: 10.1186/s12989-021-00405-2. PMID: 33740985; PMCID: PMC7980342.
    Impact Statement: The results of this study have demonstrated whether and how exposure to metal nanoparticles causes skin diseases such as skin inflammation and allergy, which also provided tools for evaluating the health effects of other metal nanomaterials. This study not only leads to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which metal nanoparticles induce skin inflammation and allergy, but also provide scientific evidence to prevent and control them.
  • Tarran R, Barr RG, Benowitz NL, Bhatnagar A, Chu HW, Dalton P, Doerschuk CM, Drummond MB, Gold DR, Goniewicz ML, Gross ER, Hansel NN, Hopke PK, Kloner RA, Mikheev VB, Neczypor EW, Pinkerton KE, Postow L, Rahman I, Samet JM, Salathe M, Stoney CM, Tsao PS, Widome R, Xia T, Xiao D, Wold LE. E-Cigarettes and Cardiopulmonary Health. Function (Oxf). 2021 Feb 8;2(2):zqab004. doi: 10.1093/function/zqab004. PMID: 33748758; PMCID: PMC7948134.
    Impact Statement: This article describes the proceedings and discussions at an NIH workshop on e-cigarette. The paper reviews current evidence relating the use of e-cigarettes to cardiovascular and pulmonary health and how to address major gaps in our knowledge of the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes.
  • Habil MR, Doll MA, Hein DW. Acetyl coenzyme A kinetic studies on N-acetylation of environmental carcinogens by human N-acetyltransferase 1 and its NAT1*14B variant. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Oct 28;13:931323. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.931323. PMID: 36386142; PMCID: PMC9650386.
    Impact Statement: Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with human NAT1*4 (reference allele) or NAT1*14B (variant allele) were utilized to determine AcCoA kinetic parameters for N-acetyltransferase activity towards p-aminobenzoic acid and arylamine carcinogens 4-aminobiphenyl, β-naphthylamine, benzidine and 3,4-dimethylaniline. N-acetylation rates for each substrate were greater when catalyzed by NAT1*4 which also exhibited higher affinity for AcCoA compared to NAT1*14B. The results provide further insights into differences in carcinogen metabolism among individuals possessing the NAT1*14B haplotype.
  • Hong KU, Tagnedji AH, Doll MA, Walls KM, Hein DW. Upregulation of cytidine deaminase in NAT1 knockout breast cancer cells. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2022 Nov 3. doi: 10.1007/s00432-022-04436-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36329350.
    Impact Statement: This study presents a novel, potential therapeutic approach for breast cancer that express N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1). NAT1 deletion in breast cancer results in upregulation of cytidine deaminase which makes the cells sensitive to certain cytidine analogs.
  • Hong KU, Gardner JQ, Doll MA, Stepp MW, Wilkey DW, Benz FW, Cai J, Merchant ML, Hein DW. Dataset for proteomic analysis of arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 knockout MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Data Brief. 2022 Sep 24;45:108634. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2022.108634. PMID: 36426076; PMCID: PMC9679541.
    Impact Statement: This study identifies global changes in proteome in parental vs. NAT1 knockout breast cancer cells and potential mechanisms by which NAT1 contributes to breast cancer cell growth.
  • Ali AS, Sheikh D, Chandler TR, Furmanek S, Huang J, Ramirez JA, Arnold F, Cavallazzi R. Cardiovascular complications are the primary drivers of mortality in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 community-acquired pneumonia. Chest. 2022 Nov 18:S0012-3692(22)04161-7. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2022.11.013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36410493.
    Impact statement: In hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, once patients develop cardiovascular complications, the risk of death is extremely high. Cardiovascular complications are the primary drivers of mortality.
  • Petri BJ, Klinge CM. m6A readers, writers, erasers, and the m6A epitranscriptome in breast cancer. J Mol Endocrinol. 2022 Nov 1:JME-22-0110. doi: 10.1530/JME-22-0110. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36367225.
    Impact Statement: This is a review of the current state of knowledge on the altered levels of the writers, readers, and erasers of the m6A epitranscriptomic modification in RNA in breast cancer.
  • McLeish AC, Smith T, Riggs DW, Hart JL, Walker KL, Keith RJ, Anderson L, Sithu I, Pinilla-Baquero J, Srivastava S, Bhatnagar A. Community-Based Evaluation of the Associations Between Well-Being and Cardiovascular Disease Risk. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Nov 15;11(22):e027095. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.027095. Epub 2022 Nov 12. PMID: 36370026.
    Impact Statement:In a community‐based cohort, individuals reporting higher levels of well‐being have lower odds of hypertension and dyslipidemia as well as lower rates of age‐dependent increase in vascular stiffness.
  • Cui K, Gao X, Wang B, Wu H, Arulsamy K, Dong Y, Xiao Y, Jiang X, Malovichko MV, Li K, Peng Q, Wei Lu Y, Zhu B, Zheng R, Wong S, Cowan DB, Linton M, Srivastava S, Shi J, Chen K, Chen H. Epsin Nanotherapy Regulates Cholesterol Transport to Fortify Atheroma Regression. Circ Res. 2022 Nov 29. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.122.321723. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36444722.
    Impact statement: Our findings suggest that targeting Epsins in lesional macrophages may offer therapeutic benefits for advanced atherosclerosis by reducing CD36-mediated lipid uptake and increasing ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux.
  • Petri BJ, Piell KM, Wahlang B, Head KZ, Andreeva K, Rouchka EC, Cave MC, Klinge CM. Polychlorinated biphenyls alter hepatic m6A mRNA methylation in a mouse model of environmental liver disease. Environ Res. 2023 Jan 1;216(Pt 3):114686. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114686. Epub 2022 Oct 28. PMID: 36341798.
    Impact Statement: This is first report to demonstrate that PCB exposure in vivo alters the m6A landscape in liver genes in a HFD-fed mouse model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes with altered numbers of m6A peaks includes lipoprotein metabolism. m6A peaks were dependent on the type of PCB (PCB 126 vs. Aroclor 1260 or the combined exposure to PCB 126 + Aroclor 1260) and may be involved in the dysregulation of lipoprotein metabolism genes in this mouse model of NAFLD progression.
  • Gripshover TC, Wahlang B, Head KZ, Young JL, Luo J, Mustafa MT, Kirpich IA, Cave MC. The environmental pollutant, polychlorinated biphenyl 126, alters liver function in a rodent model of alcohol-associated liver disease. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2022 Nov 14. doi: 10.1111/acer.14976. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36377258.
    Impact Statement: Various environmental toxicants are known to modify or enhance fatty liver disease (FLD) in high-fat diet models. Findings from the present study suggest that they interact with other lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption to reprogram intermediary metabolism resulting in exacerbated ethanol-associated systemic malnutrition in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).
  • Tan Y, El-Kersh K, Watson SE, Wintergerst KA, Huang J, Cai L. Cardiovascular effects of environmental metal antimony: Redox dyshomeostasis as the key pathogenic driver. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2022 Nov 24. doi: 10.1089/ars.2022.0185. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36424825.
    Impact Statement: Compared to other heavy metals, antimony has been less addressed. Although exposure to antimony has been potentially linked epidemiologically and even experimentally to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), whether antimony alone or combined with other metals can contribute to the pathogenesis of CVDs and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This review addresses this gap in knowledge by presenting the current available evidence that highlights the potential role of antimony in the pathogenesis of CVDs, most likely via antimony-mediated redox dyshomeostasis, and urges more direct evidence from pre-clinical and mechanistic studies.
  • Westcott CE, Sokoloski KJ, Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Holm RH, Yeager RA, Moore JB 4th, Elliott EM, Talley D, Bhatnagar A, Smith T. The Detection of Periodic Reemergence Events of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Strain in Communities Dominated by Omicron. Pathogens. 2022 Oct 28;11(11):1249. doi: 10.3390/pathogens11111249. PMID: 36365000; PMCID: PMC9697103.
    Impact statement: This publication will enhance knowledge on the unexpected reemergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and corresponding infectious disease dynamics. It also contributes additional perspectives on the usefulness of disease surveillance through wastewater.
  • Zierold KM, Myers JV, Brock GN, Sears CG, Zhang CH, Sears L. Indoor coal ash and school and social competency among children aged 6-14 years. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2022 Nov 17. doi: 10.1038/s41370-022-00500-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36396715.
    Impact Statement: Children living near coal burning power plants and coal ash disposal sites may be at increased risk for neurobehavioral problems due to the known neurotoxins in by-products of coal burning. A sample of indoor air and behavior ratings in 280 children living within 10 miles of a coal power plant found that 43% of homes had fly ash, a by product of coal burning, in the home and that the presence of fly ash was associated with increased rates of school learning problems after controlling for possible confounding factors. Results indicated that childhood exposure to pollution may impact school learning possibly through the effects of heavy metals in the coal ash which have been shown to impact learning and behavior.
  • Yuan J, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q. Nickel nanoparticles induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human bronchial epithelial cells via the HIF-1α/HDAC3 pathway. Nanotoxicology. 2022 Nov 7:1-18. doi: 10.1080/17435390.2022.2142169. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36345150.
    Impact statement: Our findings suggest that exposure to nickel nanoparticles (Nano-Ni) promotes the development of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human bronchial epithelial cells by decreasing histone acetylation through HIF-1α-mediated HDAC3 upregulation. Our findings may provide information for further understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Nano-Ni-induced fibrosis and carcinogenesis.
  • Jiang C, Liu G, Cai L, Deshane J, Antony V, Thannickal VJ, Liu RM. Divergent Regulation of Alveolar Type 2 Cell and Fibroblast Apoptosis by Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 in Lung Fibrosis. Am J Pathol. 2021 Apr 20:S0002-9440(21)00154-1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2021.04.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33887217
    Impact Statement: This study revealed that increased PAI-1 expression may contribute to the apoptosis paradox observed in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and aging lungs through dichotomous regulation of p53 expression in these cells, which supports the critical role of PAI-1 in IPF pathophysiology and suggests that small molecule PAI-1 inhibitors may have therapeutic potential for IPF.
  • Duan X, Wei N, Wei J, Zhu Y, Kang Y, He Y, Huang J, Wang S. Effect of High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy on Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Disease in Procedural Sedation: A Prospective, Randomized Trial. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 Mar 27:S1053-0770(21)00273-1. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2021.03.031. Epub ahead of print. PMID:33934982.
    Impact Statement: This study looks at how High flow nasal cannula is effective for pediatric patients with non-cyanotic congenital heart disease who require procedural sedation.
  • Xu Q, Samanapally H, Nathala P, Salunkhe V, Furmanek S, Cahill MN, McGuffin T, Mohammad T, Marsili B, Petrey J, Carrico R, Ramirez J, Akca O, Clifford SP, Pahwa S, Roser L, Kong M, Huang J; Center of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases (CERID) Coronavirus Study Group on behalf of the COVID-19 CardioVascular Research Group (COVID-CVRG). Outcomes and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Events in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 Mar 27:S1053-0770(21)00277-9. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2021.03.035. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33867235; PMCID: PMC7997853.
    Impact Statement: This study found cardiovascular events were prevalent and associated with worse outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Outcomes of cardiovascular events in African American and white COVID-19 patients were similar after propensity score matching analysis. There were common and unique risk factors for cardiovascular events in African American COVID-19 patients when compared with white patients.
  • Latif RK, Clifford SP, Byrne KR, Maggard B, Chowhan Y, Saleem J, Huang J. Hyperoxia After Return of Spontaneous Circulation in Cardiac Arrest Patients. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 Mar 8:S1053-0770(21)00209-3. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2021.03.007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33875350.
    Impact Statement: This article looks at a strategy of precise control of arterial oxygenation where O2 therapy is titrated against a pre-specified PaO2 or SaO2 target range has been provided to healthcare providers. The best PaO2 target may vary based on patientrelated factors, such as age, severe cardiac ischemia, cerebral ischemia, pulmonary edema or untreated anemia.
  • Jala VR, Bodduluri SR, Ghosh S, Chheda Z, Singh R, Smith ME, Chilton PM, Fleming CJ, Mathis SP, Sharma RK, Knight R, Yan J, Haribabu B. Absence of CCR2 reduces spontaneous intestinal tumorigenesis in the ApcMin/+ mouse model. Int J Cancer. 2021 Jan 26. doi: 10.1002/ijc.33477. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33497467
    Impact Statement: In this paper, we showed that deletion of chemokine receptor (CCR2), which is responsible for migration of inflammatory macrophages to the tumor sites, significantly reduced colon tumor burden and progression and increased overall survival of colon cancer mice. In addition, we also identified novel role for CCR2 in migration of Th17 cells (known to promote colonic inflammation and colon tumors) into tumors, where deletion of CCR2 significantly reduced these cells and promoted tumor killing CD8+ T cells. Therefore, targeting CCR2 in colon cancer patients potentially reduce tumor burden and benefit the patients.
  • Abdel-Rahman SM, Paul IM, Hornik C, Sullivan JE, Wade K, Delmore P, Sharma G, Benjamin DK, Zimmerman KO. Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Studies Funded Under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act. Pediatrics. 2021 May;147(5):e2020042903. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-042903. Epub 2021 Apr 12. PMID: 33846237. 
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrated enrollment of diverse racial and ethnic populations in pediatric studies conducted with funding from BPCA, fulfilling the legislation's expectation to ensure adequate representation of all children.
  • Knight L, Pahud BA, Scheffler M, Euteneuer JC, Allen C, Ross J, Ali W, Meyer M, Purohit PJ, Zimmerman KO, Sullivan JE; ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network. Capacity Building in a New Clinical Trials Network Through Inter-Network Collaboration. J Pediatr. 2021 Apr 30:S0022-3476(21)00414-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.04.062. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33940019. 
    Impact Statement: This publication reflects the positive impact of inter-network collaboration and mentoring of an established network with a new network which allowed for substantial growth and resources for the new network.
  • Zhou B, Gentry A, Xu Q, Young JL, Yan X, Pagidas K, Yang Y, Watson WH, Kong M, Cai L, Freedman JH. Effects of cadmium and high-fat diet on essential metal concentration in the mouse testis. Toxicol Rep. 2021 Mar 20;8:718-723. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.03.016. PMID: 33889501; PMCID: PMC8047427.
    Impact Statement: This report addresses the impact of environmental factors on the increasing prevalence male infertility.
  • Speer RM, Toyoda JH, Croom-Perez TJ, Liu KJ, Wise JP. Particulate Hexavalent Chromium Inhibits E2F1 Leading to Reduced RAD51 Nuclear Foci Formation in Human Lung Cells. Toxicol Sci. 2021 Apr 27;181(1):35-46. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab019. PMID: 33677506; PMCID: PMC8081024.
    Impact Statement: Chromium is a known human carcinogen that is common in our environment, but we do not know how it causes cancer. A key toxic action of chromium is to damage DNA strands while simultaneously inhibiting the repair of that damage, but we do not know how chromium inhibits this repair. This study provides an important step forward in understanding how chromium inhibits that repair.
  • Ferragut Cardoso AP, Banerjee M, Nail AN, Lykoudi A, States JC. miRNA Dysregulation is an Emerging Modulator of Genomic Instability. Semin Cancer Biol. 2021 May 9:S1044-579X(21)00132-2. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.05.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33979676
    Impact Statement: Induction of genomic instability and dysregulation of miRNAs, are both key processes involved in carcinogenesis. However, how these two processes interact is only beginning to be understood. This review summarizes the literature evidence supporting a causal role of miRNA dysregulation in generating genomic instability and consequently carcinogenesis. Current knowledge gaps and possible approaches to address them are also discussed.
  • Banerjee M, Ferragut Cardoso A, Al-Eryani L, Pan J, Kalbfleisch TS, Srivastava S, Rai SN, States JC. Dynamic alteration in miRNA and mRNA expression profiles at different stages of chronic arsenic exposure-induced carcinogenesis in a human cell culture model of skin cancer. Arch Toxicol. 2021 May 25. doi: 10.1007/s00204-021-03084-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34032870.
    Impact Statement: Skin cancer is a well-known outcome of chronic environmental arsenic exposure, but the molecular mechanisms are not well understood. This investigation examined the changes in gene expression in a longitudinal study using a well-established cell line model of chronic arsenic exposure-induced squamous cell carcinoma and RNA-seq. The results reveal that the landscape of differentially expressed mRNA and the miRNAs regulating those mRNAs change considerably during cancer development and provide novel insight into the molecular events leading to skin cancer chronic from arsenic exposure.
  • Huang S, Wang J, Men H, Tan Y, Lin Q, Gozal E, Zheng Y, Cai L. Cardiac metallothionein overexpression rescues diabetic cardiomyopathy in Akt2-knockout mice. J Cell Mol Med. 2021 May 30. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.16687. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34053181.
    Impact Statement: Akt2 play important role in the glucose metabolism of the heart, but its function is down-regulated under diabetic condition. The new study shows that although we previously showed that metallothionein (MT) preserved Akt2 activity along with the prevention of diabetic cardiomyopathy, but, in the absence of Akt2 gene MT may stimulate alternative or Akt2 downstream pathways to protect from diabetic cardiomyopathy. This may provide a new strategy to prevent diabetic complications.
  • Morrissey SM, Geller AE, Hu X, Tieri D, Ding C, Klaes CK, Cooke EA, Woeste MR, Martin ZC, Chen O, Bush SE, Zhang HG, Cavallazzi R, Clifford SP, Chen J, Ghare S, Barve SS, Cai L, Kong M, Rouchka EC, McLeish KR, Uriarte SM, Watson CT, Huang J, Yan J. A specific low-density neutrophil population correlates with hypercoagulation and disease severity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. JCI Insight. 2021 May 10;6(9):148435. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.148435. PMID: 33986193.
    Impact Statement: Our data suggest that a subset of low density neutrophil population contributes to COVID-19-associated coagulopathy, systemic inflammation, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The frequency of this neutrophil subset in the circulation could serve as an adjunct clinical marker to monitor disease status and progression.
  • Tevis DS, Flores SR, Kenwood BM, Bhandari D, Jacob P 3rd, Liu J, Lorkiewicz PK, Conklin DJ, Hecht SS, Goniewicz ML, Blount BC, De Jesús VR. Harmonization of acronyms for volatile organic compound metabolites using a standardized naming system. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2021 May 4;235:113749. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113749. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33962120.
    Impact Statement: Increased interest in volatile organic compound (VOC) exposure has led to an increased need for consistent, systematic, and informative naming of VOC metabolites. Harmonizing the naming of VOC metabolites will lead to more uniform dissemination of knowledge regarding VOC exposures and their relationships with public health.
  • DuPre NC, Karimi S, Zhang CH, Blair L, Gupta A, Alharbi LMA, Alluhibi M, Mitra R, McKinney WP, Little B. County-level demographic, social, economic, and lifestyle correlates of COVID-19 infection and death trajectories during the first wave of the pandemic in the United States. Sci Total Environ. 2021 May 3;786:147495. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147495. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33971599; PMCID: PMC8091799.
    Impact Statement: This study identifies and maps counties with similar COVID-19 epidemic curves and highlights that communities with higher proportions of youth, communities of color, smokers, and workers in healthcare, service and goods industries can reduce viral spread by targeting vaccination programs to these populations and increasing access and education on non-pharmaceutical interventions.
  • Xu Q, Liu Y, Cepulis D, Jerde A, Sheppard RA, Tretter K, Oppy L, Stevenson G, Bishop S, Clifford SP, Liu P, Kong M, Huang J. Implementing an Electronic Hand Hygiene System Improved Compliance in the Intensive Care Unit. Am J Infect Control. 2021 May 27:S0196-6553(21)00383-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.05.014. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34052312. 
    Impact Statement: A sensor-based electronic hand hygiene system improved hand hygiene compliance in the ICU. Significant variations among providers in terms of hand hygiene compliance. Hand rubbing duration in partial compliance occurrences did not change significantly over time.
  • Song K, Xu Q, Knott VH, Zhao CB, Clifford SP, Kong M, Slaughter MS, Huang Y, Huang J. Liposomal Bupivacaine-Based Erector Spinae Block for Cardiac Surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 May;35(5):1555-1559. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2020.09.115. Epub 2020 Sep 20. PMID: 33046362. 
    Impact Statement: Liposomal bupivacaine–based single-shot bilateral erector spinae block could reduce total opioid consumption intraoperatively, as well as at 4 and 12 hours after extubation in cardiac surgery.
  • Gu Z, Li F, Liu Y, Jiang M, Zhang L, He L, Wilkey DW, Merchant M, Zhang X, Deng ZB, Chen SY, Barve S, McClain CJ, Feng W. Exosome-Like Nanoparticles From Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG Protect Against Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Through Intestinal Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Mice. Hepatol Commun. 2021 Feb 5;5(5):846-864. doi: 10.1002/hep4.1679. PMID: 34027273; PMCID: PMC8122379.
    Impact Statement: Alcohol use disorders will effect nearly 1 in 7 Americans across their lifespan and contribute to more than 85,000 deaths annually. Wenke Feng, PhD, Professor of Medicine and his collaborators including some in the CIEHS, demonstrated that small exosome-like nanoparticles purified from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) growth cultures can protect the gut and the liver from alcohol-induced, bacterial endotoxin damage. Probiotics, such as LGG, represent an important part of a healthy lifestyle, are freely available for over-the-counter purchase, and may be one approach to mitigate the damaging effects of alcohol abuse.
  • Teng Y, Xu F, Zhang X, Mu J, Sayed M, Hu X, Lei C, Sriwastva M, Kumar A, Sundaram K, Zhang L, Park JW, Chen SY, Zhang S, Yan J, Merchant ML, Zhang X, McClain CJ, Wolfe JK, Adcock RS, Chung D, Palmer KE, Zhang HG. Plant-derived exosomal microRNAs inhibit lung inflammation induced by exosomes SARS-CoV-2 Nsp12. Mol Ther. 2021 May 11:S1525-0016(21)00257-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.05.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33984520; PMCID: PMC8110335.
    Impact Statement: COVID-19 is a disease affecting the pulmonary system with devastating inflammation. Our results show that a tiny nanovesicles called exosomes released from SARS-CoV-2 infected lung epithelia cells are preferentially taken up by lung macrophages that subsequently induce lung inflammation. Ginger exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) miRNA inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 induced lung inflammation and viral replication. Therefore, GELNs are a potential therapeutic agent to treat COVID-19
  • Guardiola JJ, Hardesty JE, Beier JI, Prough RA, McClain CJ, Cave MC. Plasma Metabolomics Analysis of Polyvinyl Chloride Workers Identifies Altered Processes and Candidate Biomarkers for Hepatic Hemangiosarcoma and Its Development. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 11;22(10):5093. doi: 10.3390/ijms22105093. PMID: 34065028; PMCID: PMC8150673.
    Impact Statement: The results of this study help us understand why vinyl chloride causes liver cancer in chemical plant workers. Some of the blood tests we identified could possibly be used to test at-risk workers for cancer.
  • O'Brien SJ, Kalbflesich T, Srivastava S, Pan J, Rai S, Petras RE, Ronquillo N, Polk HC Jr, Galandiuk S. Decreased Tumoral Expression of Colon-Specific Water Channel Aquaporin 8 Is Associated With Reduced Overall Survival in Colon Adenocarcinoma. Dis Colon Rectum. 2021 May 13. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000002071. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33990498.
    Impact Statement: In collaboration with Dr. Galandiuk, we explore gene signatures for overall survival in colon adenocarcinoma on The Cancer Genome Atlas data repository. We find that Low AQP8 expression is a risk factor for worse overall survival in colon cancer patients.
  • Linder MW, Egger ME, Van Meter T, Rai SN, Valdes R Jr, Hall MB, Wu X, Alghamdi N, Chesney JA. Longitudinal Relationship between Idylla Plasma ctBRAF V600 Mutation Detection and Tumor Burden in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma. Mol Diagn Ther. 2021 May 10. doi: 10.1007/s40291-021-00528-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33970440.
    Impact Statement: In collaboration with Dr. Linder, we find statistically significant relationship between changes in plasma ctDNA and radiographic imaging among patients with metastatic melanoma. This can supplement early detection of progression and relapse in this population.
  • Majid S, Keith RJ, Fetterman JL, Weisbrod RM, Nystoriak J, Wilson T, Stokes AC, Blaha MJ, Srivastava S, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Hamburg NM. Lipid profiles in users of combustible and electronic cigarettes. Vasc Med. 2021 May 20:1358863X211009313. doi: 10.1177/1358863X211009313. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34013801.
    Impact Statement: The present study provides insights into the associations of novel tobacco product use with known markers of cardiovascular health. Importantly, when compared to never users, we found use of there earlier generation of electronic cigarettes with and without combustible cigarette use to be associated with lower levels of HDL cholesterol and higher triglycerides.
  • Al-Rabadi LF, Caza T, Trivin-Avillach C, Rodan AR, Andeen N, Hayashi N, Williams B, Revelo MP, Clayton F, Abraham J, Lin E, Liou W, Zou CJ, Ramkumar N, Cummins T, Wilkey DW, Kawalit I, Herzog C, Storey A, Edmondson R, Sjoberg R, Yang T, Chien J, Merchant M, Arthur J, Klein J, Larsen C, Beck LH Jr. Serine Protease HTRA1 as a Novel Target Antigen in Primary Membranous Nephropathy. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021 May 5;32(7):1666–81. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2020101395. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33952630; PMCID: PMC8425645.
  • Reynolds LM, Zamora C, Lee UJ, Stokes AC, Benjamin EJ, Bhatnagar A, Payne TJ, Rodriguez CJ. Tobacco Use Prevalence and Transitions From 2013 to 2018 Among Adults With a History of Cardiovascular Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Jun 9:e021118. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.021118. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34102851.
    Impact Statement: This study shows that even though it is well known that smoking is bad for your heart, even those with heart disease continue to smoke. Less than 10% of those with heart disease enroll in tobacco cessation programs, although some switch to e-cigarette.
  • Wang X, Chen XX, Yu HT, Tan Y, Lin Q, Keller BB, Zheng Y, Cai L. Engineered cardiac tissues: a novel in vitro model to investigate the pathophysiology of mouse diabetic cardiomyopathy. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2021 Jun;42(6):932-941. doi: 10.1038/s41401-020-00538-8. Epub 2020 Oct 9. PMID: 33037406; PMCID: PMC8149662.
    Impact Statement: Rodent diabetic models, used to understand the pathophysiology of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), remain several limitations. Engineered cardiac tissue (ECT) with 3D in vitro heart model was used to investigate the structural and functional effect of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), as the most important pathogenic factor for DCM’s development; This study shows the first time that AGEs-treated murine ECTs recapitulate the key features of DCM's functional, structural, cellular, and molecular pathogenesis as observed in the heart of diabetic mice. This approved that this ex vivo model can be used to investigate cellular structure-function relationships, signaling pathways relevant to DCM and pharmaceutical intervention strategies.
  • Amraotkar AR, Keith RJ, Palmer KE, Bhatnagar A. Using SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Testing in COVID-19 Research. Am J Med. 2023 Feb 11:S0002-9343(23)00080-3. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.02.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36780969; PMCID: PMC9922202.
    Impact Statement: We have investigated the association between physical activity and COVID-19 severity risks by identifying prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection as either self-reported or by presence of antibodies. There is a fundamental vulnerability in utilizing antibodies to determine proof of prior infection, especially in secondary data analysis from large registries. We would like to provide critical yet constructive insight on SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing in COVID-19 research, that could augment characterization of prior COVID-19 infection or future scientific works.
  •  El-Kersh K, Hopkins CD, Wu X, Rai SN, Cave MC, Smith MR, Go YM, Jones DP, Cai L, Huang J. Metallomics in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients. Pulm Circ. 2023 Feb 21;13(1):e12202. doi: 10.1002/pul2.12202. PMID: 36824690; PMCID: PMC9941844.
    Impact Statement: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) prevalence is increasing worldwide, and the prognosis is poor with 5-year survival < 50% in high risk patients. We found significant differences between PAH and control groups in terms of metal concentrations. Silver and chromium levels are correlated with clinical indicators of PAH severities.
  • McGraw KE, Konkle SL, Riggs DW, Rai SN, DeJarnett N, Xie Z, Keith RJ, Oshunbade A, Hall ME, Shimbo D, Bhatnagar A. Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds Is Associated with Hypertension in Black Adults: The Jackson Heart Study. Environ Res. 2023 Apr 15;223:115384. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115384. Epub 2023 Feb 14. PMID: 36796615.
    Impact Statement: The prevalence of hypertension is higher among Black adults than among White and Hispanic adults. Nevertheless, reasons underlying the higher rates of hypertension in the Black population remain unclear but may relate to exposure to environmental chemicals such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We found hypertension in Black individuals may be attributed, in part, to VOC exposure from the environment or tobacco smoke.
  • Xie Z, Morris JD, Mattingly SJ, Sutaria SR, Huang J, Nantz MH, Fu XA. Analysis of a Broad Range of Carbonyl Metabolites in Exhaled Breath by UHPLC-MS. Anal Chem. 2023 Feb 23. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c04604. Epub ahead of print.
    Impact Statement: Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath (EB) has shown great potential for disease detection including lung cancer, infectious respiratory diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This work reports a method of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) for the analysis of a broad range of carbonyl metabolites in exhaled breath. A total of six subgroups consisting of saturated aldehydes and ketones, hydroxy-aldehydes, and hydroxy-ketones, unsaturated 2-alkenals, and 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals were identified in exhaled breath.
  • Yu H, Zuo Y, Xu Z, Zhao D, Yue J, Liu L, Guo Y, Huang J, Deng X, Liang P. Comparison effects of two muscle relaxant strategies on postoperative pulmonary complications in transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a propensity score-matched analysis. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2023 Feb 1;18(1):50. doi: 10.1186/s13019-023-02166-9. PMID: 36721168.
    Impact Statement:The rocuronium/sugammadex muscle relaxant strategy decreases the incidence of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in patients undergoing transapical TAVR when compared to cisatracurium/neostigmine strategy.
  • Redding A, Samanapally H, Udoh MO, Huang J, Slaughter MS, Pahwa S. Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting complicated by post-operative coronavirus infection - two similar presentations with dissimilar outcomes. Arch Clin Cases. 2023 Feb 20;10(1):7-10. doi: 10.22551/2023.38.1001.10230. PMID: 36814673; PMCID: PMC9940284.
    Impact Statement:Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection undergoing surgical procedures have been reported to have increased post-operative complications and mortality. This case series describes the clinical course following a CABG procedure in two patients that went on to develop COVID-19 infection post-operatively.
  • Liu T, Huang J, Wang X, Tu J, Wang Y, Xie C. Effect of recruitment manoeuvres under lung ultrasound-guidance and positive end-expiratory pressure on postoperative atelectasis and hypoxemia in major open upper abdominal surgery: A randomized controlled trial. Heliyon. 2023 Jan 30;9(2):e13348. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13348. PMID: 36755592; PMCID: PMC9900369.
    Impact Statement: In patients undergoing major open upper abdominal surgery, an intraoperative mechanical ventilation strategy without PEEP or with PEEP alone did not reduce postop pulmonary complications. However, PEEP of 5 cmH2O combined with lung #ultrasound-guided recruitment maneuvers proved feasible and beneficial to decrease the occurrence of postoperative atelectasis and hypoxemia in major open upper abdominal surgeries.
  • Pahwa S, Kertai MD, Abrams B, Huang J. Length of Hospital Stay as a Performance Metric-Is That a Fair Assessment? Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2023 Mar;27(1):5-7. doi: 10.1177/10892532231159723. Epub 2023 Feb 14. PMID: 36786418.
    Impact Statement:The quality improvement programs have taken center stage discussions in hospital boardrooms. The potential avenues to predict and hopefully reduce hospital LOS in both liver transplant recipients and multiple subsets of cardiac surgery patients are critical.
  • Sriwastva MK, Teng Y, Mu J, Xu F, Kumar A, Sundaram K, Malhotra RK, Xu Q, Hood JL, Zhang L, Yan J, Merchant ML, Park JW, Dryden GW, Egilmez NK, Zhang HG. An extracellular vesicular mutant KRAS-associated protein complex promotes lung inflammation and tumor growth. J Extracell Vesicles. 2023 Feb;12(2):e12307. doi: 10.1002/jev2.12307. PMID: 36754903; PMCID: PMC9908562.
    Impact Statement:Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain more than 100 proteins. Whether there are EVs proteins that act as an 'organiser' of protein networks to generate a new or different biological effect from that identified in EV-producing cells has never been demonstrated. Here, as a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate that EV-G12D-mutant KRAS serves as a leader that forms a protein complex and promotes lung inflammation and tumour growth via the Fn1/IL-17A/FGF21 axis.
  • Li J, Sato T, Hernández-Tejero M, Beier JI, Sayed K, Benos PV, Wilkey DW, Humar A, Merchant ML, Duarte-Rojo A, Arteel GE. The plasma degradome reflects later development of NASH fibrosis after liver transplant. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Feb 1:2023.01.30.526241. doi: 10.1101/2023.01.30.526241. PMID: 36778394; PMCID: PMC9915514.
    Impact Statement: Although liver transplantation (LT) is an effective therapy for cirrhosis, the risk of post-LT NASH is alarmingly high and is associated with accelerated progression to fibrosis/cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease, and decreased survival. Lack of risk stratification strategies hamper liver undergoes significant remodeling during inflammatory injury. During such remodeling, degraded peptide fragments (i.e., 'degradome') of the ECM and other proteins increase in plasma, making it a useful diagnostic/prognostic tool in chronic liver disease. To investigate whether inflammatory liver injury caused by post-LT NASH would yield a unique degradome profile, predictive of severe post-LT NASH fibrosis, we performed a retrospective analysis of 22 biobanked samples from the Starzl Transplantation Institute (12 with post-LT NASH after 5 years and 10 without).
  • Sayed M, Park JW. miRinGO: Prediction of Biological Processes Indirectly Targeted by Human microRNAs. Noncoding RNA. 2023 Jan 22;9(1):11. doi: 10.3390/ncrna9010011. PMID: 36827544; PMCID: PMC9962180.
    Impact Statement:We introduce a method to predict gene ontology (GO) annotations indirectly targeted by microRNAs. The proposed method can uncover potential biological pathways affected by indirect targets of human miRNAs especially ones related to cell differentiation and development.
  • Rose SR, Wassner AJ, Wintergerst KA, Yayah-Jones NH, Hopkin RJ, Chuang J, Smith JR, Abell K, LaFranchi SH; SECTION ON ENDOCRINOLOGY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE; COUNCIL ON GENETICS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Congenital Hypothyroidism: Screening and Management. Pediatrics. 2023 Jan 1;151(1):e2022060420. doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-060420. PMID: 36827521.
    Impact Statement: Newborn screening alone is not sufficient to prevent adverse outcomes from congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in a pediatric population. In addition to newborn screening (NBS) , the management of CH requires timely confirmation of the diagnosis, accurate interpretation of thyroid function testing, effective treatment, and consistent follow-up. Physicians need to consider hypothyroidism in the face of clinical symptoms, even if NBS thyroid test results are normal. When clinical symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism are present (such as large posterior fontanelle, large tongue, umbilical hernia, prolonged jaundice, constipation, lethargy, and/or hypothermia), measurement of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine is indicated, regardless of NBS results.
  • Gozal E, Jagadapillai R, Cai J, Barnes GN. Potential Crosstalk between Sonic Hedgehog-Wingless-related Integration Site Signaling and Neurovascular Molecules: Implications for Blood Brain Barrier Integrity in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Neurochem. 2021 Jun 25. doi: 10.1111/jnc.15460. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34169527.
    Impact Statement: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease and its pathogenesis may be attributed to gene-environment interactions. There are no definitive mechanisms explaining how environmental triggers can lead to ASD although brain inflammation, immunity, and oxidative stress are involved. The blood brain barrier (BBB) plays a critical role in controlling brain homeostasis and immune response. The permissive BBB opens the ‘gate’ for environmental ‘saboteurs’ and trigger the pathological events in ASD. In this review, the authors examined the current knowledge on Sonic Hedgehog/Wingless-related integration site (Shh/Wnt) pathways and their roles in BBB function in ASD. The interactions between Wnt-b-catenin and Shh pathways are critical to maintain BBB integrity in the mature brain to prevent influx of pathogens and inflammatory cells. Disruption of the Shh/Wnt crosstalk may compromise the BBB development and function. The ASD patients with genetic mutations of key components of these pathways show severe ASD symptoms. Mechanisms involving ASD-related mutations of Shh/Wnt signaling cause BBB leaks and neuroinflammation, suggesting the BBB integrity plays a vital role in gene-environment interactions in ASD pathogenesis.
  • Lei C, Teng Y, He L, Sayed M, Mu J, Xu F, Zhang X, Kumar A, Sundaram K, Sriwastva MK, Zhang L, Chen SY, Feng W, Zhang S, Yan J, Park JW,Merchant ML, Zhang X, Zhang HG. Lemon exosome-like nanoparticles enhance stress survival of gut bacteria by RNase P-mediated specific tRNA decay. iScience. 2021 May 5;24(6):102511. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102511. PMID: 34142028; PMCID: PMC8188359.
    Impact Statement: Since most of the probiotic bacteria currently available in the market belong to the genera Lactobacillus and overcoming bile salt damage to probiotics is a great challenge. In this study, a tiny nanoparticle called exosomes-like nanoparticles (ELNs) isolated from lemon significantly increased the percentage of lactobacillaceae in the presence of bile. This finding is significant because we daily consume a variety of plant-derived products which contain ELNs in our diet. Our findings provide a foundation to further determine whether other types of ELNs also contribute to enhance the survivability of probiotics in gut in general.
  • Lin Q, Huang Z, Cai G, Fan X, Yan X, Liu Z, Zhao Z, Li J, Li J, Shi H, Kong M, Zheng MH, Conklin DJ, Epstein PN, Wintergerst KA, Mohammadi M, Cai L, Li X, Li Y, Tan Y. Activating Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase Mediates Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 Protection From Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice. Hepatology. 2021 Jun;73(6):2206-2222. doi: 10.1002/hep.31568. PMID: 32965675; PMCID: PMC8082952.
    Impact statement: Although fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) protects against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetic and obese mice, but its clinically translational study was limited mainly because its hyperproliferation has potentially tumorigenic risk, to overcome which, we engineered an FGF1 (i.e., FGF1ΔHBS) that dramatically diminished it’s proliferative potential, yet maintains full metabolic activity of wild-type FGF1. This new FGF1ΔHBS is approved effective for preventing and reversing liver steatosis and steatohepatitis by activating AMPK via hepatocyte FGFR4, and also potentially applied towards clinical use.
  • Saha S, Roy P, Corbitt C, Kakar SS. Application of Stem Cell Therapy for Infertility. Cells. 2021 Jun 28;10(7):1613. doi: 10.3390/cells10071613. PMID: 34203240.
    Impact statement: Infertility affects about 15% of couples globally. Conventional therapies and assisted reproductive technologies (e.g., in vitro fertilization) are effective for many but not all cases. This review explains new fertility treatment possibilities using stem cell therapies, many of which are in clinical trials now.
  • Tang W, Liu H, Wei P, Huang J, Lyu W, Zhou H, Zhou J, Li Y, Li J. Decrease in cerebral oxygen saturation and the increase in heart rate is a prewarning window of hypotension after spinal anesthesia for cesarean section: A pilot observational study. J Clin Anesth. 2021 Jun 1;73:110360. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2021.110360. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34087657.
    Impact Statement: We identified that decrease in cerebral oxygen saturation and increase in heart rate can predict hypotension after spinal anesthesia in pregnant patients for C Section.
  • Tibi P, McClure RS, Huang J, Baker RA, Fitzgerald D, Mazer CD, Stone M, Chu D, Stammers AH, Dickinson T, Shore-Lesserson L, Ferraris V, Firestone S, Kissoon K, Moffatt-Bruce S. STS/SCA/AmSECT/SABM Update to the Clinical Practice Guidelines on Patient Blood Management. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021 Jun 8:S0003-4975(21)00556-7. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.03.033. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34217505.
    Impact Statement: A multidisciplinary panel of experts was convened by STS, which includes members of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA), the American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology (AmSECT), and the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management (SABM), to review the latest data on patient blood management and to update the 2011 Update to The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Blood Conservation Clinical Practice Guidelines.
  • Dukka H, Byrd P, Qian C, Baughman G, Butt S, Rai SN. Occupational percutaneous injuries and exposures in a dental teaching environment: A 10-year report. J Dent Educ. 2021 Jun 27. doi: 10.1002/jdd.12731. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34180052.
    Impact statement: Occupational percutaneous injuries (PIs) are an ongoing issue that occurs globally, especially in an academic environment and are woefully underreported. Our results showed that uncovered dental burs and needlesticks continue to be the predominant cause of PIs in a teaching environment. Collection and reporting of such events could be useful in observing any trends and implementation of corrective actions to prevent such injuries, which could lead to potential cross infections.
  • Zierold KM, Myers JV, Brock GN, Sears CG, Sears LL, Zhang CH. Nail Samples of Children Living near Coal Ash Storage Facilities Suggest Fly Ash Exposure and Elevated Concentrations of Metal(loid)s. Environ Sci Technol. 2021 Jul 6;55(13):9074-9086. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c01541. Epub 2021 Jun 16. PMID: 34132542.
    Impact statement: The effect of coal ash exposure on children's health is not known but is a concern due to the potential toxins contained in the coal-power-plant byproduct. The study found an increased heavy metal body burden in children living near coal ash storage sites indicating an increased risk for potential neurotoxic exposure from metals contained in coal ash.
  • Bushau-Sprinkle AM, Barati MT, Zheng Y, Watson WH, Gagnon KB, Khundmiri SJ, Kitterman KT, Clark BJ, Siskind LJ, Doll MA, Brier ME, Coventry S, Lederer ED. Na/H Exchange Regulatory Factor 1 Deficient Mice Show Evidence of Oxidative Stress and Altered Cisplatin Pharmacokinetics. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Jun 28;10(7):1036. doi: 10.3390/antiox10071036. PMID: 34203453.
    Impact statement: Cisplatin is an effective cancer treatment drug, but up to one third of patients must stop taking this drug because of kidney toxicity. This paper identifies NHERF1 as a protein that protects against cisplatin nephrotoxicity by altering the redox environment of the kidney.
  • Jin L, Lorkiewicz P, Xie Z, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S, Conklin DJ. Acrolein but not its metabolite, 3-Hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (3HPMA), activates vascular transient receptor potential Ankyrin-1 (TRPA1): Physiological to toxicological implications. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2021 Jul 13:115647. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115647. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34271065.
    Impact Statement: Exposure to acrolein is linked with cardiopulmonary toxicity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in humans, yet the mechanisms by which acrolein exposure confers CVD risk is unclear. This study showed that acrolein in isolated blood vessels is vasorelaxant at low levels (physiological) yet vasotoxic at high levels (toxicological), while the major metabolite of acrolein, 3-hydroxypropyl mercapturic acid (3HPMA), was weakly vasoactive and non-toxic indicating it likely does not directly account for vascular injury. These findings support the continued use of 3HPMA as a biomarker of acrolein exposure and warrant further research on mechanisms of acrolein-induced vascular injury to develop interventions that can protect human health.
  • Cai L. Prevention or therapy of the diabetic cardiomyopathy by fine O-GlcNAcylation balance: hopes and concerns. Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Jul 12:cvab226. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvab226. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34254135.
    Impact Statement: This is a commentary for a recent study that has brought us many hopes for the potential gene therapy for diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). The authors first noticed the significant increase in O-GlcNAc modified proteins in the heart tissues of patients with diabetes, which was positively and inversely correlated with their HbA1c or blood glucose levels and with cardiac ejection fraction, respectively. Then the authors transferred O-GlcNAcase gene with adeno-associated viral vector to diabetic mice with diastolic dysfunction, a typical early feature of DCM. The gene therapy significantly reduced diabetes-increased expression of O-GlcNAc proteins and expressions of pro-fibrotic genes coding the proteins involved in fibrosis, and interstitial and perivascular type I and type III collagen deposition and improved diastolic dysfunction. Therefore, this is a milestone study to confirm the potential therapeutic reversion of DCM by correcting the balance of O-GlcNacylation in the diabetic heart, even though there remain some unanswered issues.
  • Tian Y, Wang Z, Zheng X, Song W, Cai L, Rane M, Zhao Y. KLF15 negatively regulates cardiac fibrosis by which SDF-1β attenuates cardiac fibrosis in type 2 diabetic mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2021 Jul 23;427:115654. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115654. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34310909. 
    Impact statement: Tian et. al. demonstrated that T2D decreased cardiac function and KLF15 expression, while increasing cardiac fibrosis. SDF-1 increased KLF-15 expression, decreased cardiac fibrosis, and increased cardiac function in T2D mice, providing a novel therapeutic option for treatment of cardiac fibrosis in T2D patients.
  • Karimi SM, Salunkhe SS, White KB, Little BB, McKinney WP, Mitra R, Chen Y, Adkins ER, Barclay JA, Ezekekwu E, He CX, Hurst DM, Popescu MM, Swinney DN, Johnson DA, Hollenbach R, Moyer SS, DuPré NC. Prevalence of unmasked and improperly masked behavior in indoor public areas during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of a stratified random sample from Louisville, Kentucky. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 28;16(7):e0248324. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248324. PMID: 34319978; PMCID: PMC8318281.
    Impact Statement: During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when vaccines were not largely available, we observed mask usage in Louisville's public areas. Differences in mask usage were observed by geographic areas, size and type of public area, and by perceived age and sex, which can aid public health practitioners in their efforts to promote COVID-19 prevention practices.
  • Stover AM, Kurtzman R, Walker Bissram J, Jansen J, Carr P, Atkinson T, Ellis CT, Freeman AT, Turner K, Basch EM. Stakeholder Perceptions of Key Aspects of High-Quality Cancer Care to Assess with Patient Reported Outcome Measures: A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Jul 20;13(14):3628. doi: 10.3390/cancers13143628. PMID: 34298841; PMCID: PMC8306432. 
    Impact Statement: This systematic review showed that patients and other stakeholders perceive high-quality cancer care to be adequate control of physical and psychosocial symptoms. Results were used to inform feasibility testing of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) as performance measures in six U.S. cancer centers.
  • Li X, Haberzettl P, Conklin DJ, Bhatnagar A, Rouchka EC, Zhang M, O'Toole TE. Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution Alters mRNA and miRNA Expression in Bone Marrow-Derived Endothelial Progenitor Cells from Mice. Genes (Basel). 2021 Jul 10;12(7):1058. doi: 10.3390/genes12071058. PMID: 34356074; PMCID: PMC8307414.
    Impact Statement: Exposure to fine air borne particulate matter is associated with cardiovascular, immunological, and cognitive disorders, but the mechanism for this is unclear. This study provides evidence that such exposures alters the expression of protein at the genetic level and that this can occur in a group of bone marrow stem cells. This mechanism may underlie adverse outcomes associated with other inhalation exposures, such as that to cigarette smoke.
  • Muluhngwi P, Klinge CM. Identification and Roles of miR-29b-1-3p and miR29a-3p-Regulated and Non-Regulated lncRNAs in Endocrine-Sensitive and Resistant Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Jul 14;13(14):3530. doi: 10.3390/cancers13143530. PMID: 34298743; PMCID: PMC8307416.
    Impact Statement: Although breast cancer patients whose initial breast tumor expressed estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) are successfully treated with drugs targeting ERα, many patients develop resistance to these endocrine therapies and disease progression to metastasis remains a major clinical problem. This paper summarizes the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) regulated by miR-29 in endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells and clinical samples.
  • Perpich JD, Yakoumatos L, Johns P, Stocke KS, Fitzsimonds ZR, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Miller DP, Lamont RJ. Identification and characterization of a UbK family kinase in Porphyromonas gingivalis that phosphorylates the RprY response regulator. Mol Oral Microbiol. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1111/omi.12347. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34241965.
    Impact Statement: Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major pathogen in periodontal diseases and possesses an array of colonization and virulence factors contributing to retention, survival, and proliferation in the dynamic and diverse ecosystems of the oral cavity. The P. gingivalis genome contains one system, the orphan response regulator (RR) RprY, that controls heterotypic community development. This study employed multiple approaches including in vitro kinase assays and phosphoproteomics to delineate the system by which RprY is activated.
  • Paré G, Vitry J, Merchant ML, Vaillancourt M, Murru A, Shen Y, Elowe S, Lahoud MH, Naccache PH, McLeish KR, Fernandes MJ. The Inhibitory Receptor CLEC12A Regulates PI3K-Akt Signaling to Inhibit Neutrophil Activation and Cytokine Release. Front Immunol. 2021 Jun 21;12:650808. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.650808. PMID: 34234773; PMCID: PMC8256872.
    Impact Statement: The myeloid inhibitory C-type lectin receptor CLEC12A limits neutrophil activation and pro-inflammatory pathways in experimental models of inflammatory arthritis. Phosphoproteomic analysis identified candidate signaling molecules regulated by CLEC12A. Further studies defined early molecular events underpinning CLEC12A signaling in human neutrophils modulating cytokine synthesis. Targeting this pathway could be useful therapeutically to dampen inflammation.
  • Srivastava DK, George EO, Lu Z, Rai SN. Impact of unequal censoring and insufficient follow-up on comparing survival outcomes: Applications to clinical studies. Stat Methods Med Res. 2021 Jul 7:9622802211017592. doi: 10.1177/09622802211017592. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34232837. 
    Impact statement: Clinical trials with survival endpoints are typically designed to enroll patients for a specified number of years, (usually 2-3 years) with another specified duration of follow-up (usually 2-3 years). With random accrual time and follow-up time lead to complex censoring patterns. Conflicting findings were observed for comparing cardiovascular events in patients who took Rofecoxib (Vioxx). Here, using extensive simulation studies, we assess the impact of such censorings on statistical procedures for comparing two treatment groups. Clinical studies with survival outcome should be properly designed to maintain power by considering the censoring patterns.
  • Zhang CH, Sears L, Myers JV, Brock GN, Sears CG, Zierold KM. Proximity to coal-fired power plants and neurobehavioral symptoms in children. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2021 Jul 13:1–11. doi: 10.1038/s41370-021-00369-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34257388; PMCID: PMC8275639.
    Impact statement: This study used geospatial mapping to determine if child behavior problems were associated with proximity to coal-burning power plants with coal ash storage sites containing known neurotoxins. Results indicated that children living closer to these coal-burning plants had increased risk of anxiety, ADHD and social problems suggesting a need for further consideration of environmental exposures in improving child neurobehavioral health.
  • Maharaj AR, Wu H, Zimmerman KO, Muller WJ, Sullivan JE, Sherwin CMT, Autmizguine J, Rathore MH, Hornik CD, Al-Uzri A, Payne EH, Benjamin DK Jr, Hornik CP; Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act-Pediatric Trials Network Steering Committee. Pharmacokinetics of Ceftazidime in Children and Adolescents with Obesity. Paediatr Drugs. 2021 Jul 23. doi: 10.1007/s40272-021-00460-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34302290.
    Impact Statement: The aim of this study was to develop a pharmacokinetic model to evaluate ceftazidime pharmacokinetics in a cohort that included a predominate number of children and adolescents with obesity and assess the efficacy of two different dosing strategies. The results show that dosing 40 mg/kg every six hours intravenously (maximum dose 8 grams/day) met the target minimum inhibitory concentration for efficacy. This research is critical because obese patients tend to have poorer outcomes with infections therefore dosing antibiotics appropriately may improve their outcome.
  • Coleman CJ, Yeager RA, Riggs DW, Coleman NC, Garcia GR, Bhatnagar A, Pope CA. Greenness, air pollution, and mortality risk: A U.S. cohort study of cancer patients and survivors. Environ Int. 2021 Jul 29;157:106797. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106797. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34332301. 
    Impact statement: This paper enables samples sites to be selected to ensure objective and equitable estimates for COVID-19 infection prevalence throughout Louisville, Kentucky. With such sampling, wastewater testing data is utilized to inform public health response and variant tracking.
  • Yeager R, Holm RH, Saurabh K, Fuqua JL, Talley D, Bhatnagar A, Smith T. Wastewater Sample Site Selection to Estimate Geographically Resolved Community Prevalence of COVID-19: A Sampling Protocol Perspective. Geohealth. 2021 Jul 1;5(7):e2021GH000420. doi: 10.1029/2021GH000420. PMID: 34222738; PMCID: PMC8240399. 
     Impact Statement: We found that cancer patients living in areas with high levels of vegetation had a higher likelihood of cancer survival. We also found that this association was not impacted by air pollution, as some have suspected
  • El-Gamal FEA, Elmogy M, Mahmoud A, Shalaby A, Switala AE, Ghazal M, Soliman H, Atwan A, Alghamdi NS, Barnes GN, El-Baz A. A Personalized Computer-Aided Diagnosis System for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Using Structural MRI (sMRI). Sensors (Basel). 2021 Aug 11;21(16):5416. doi: 10.3390/s21165416. PMID: 34450858; PMCID: PMC8400990.
    Impact Statement: Several factors hinder the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease at an early stage, in particular, the divergence of 10-15 years between the onset of the underlying neuropathological changes and patients becoming symptomatic. This study surveyed patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), who were at risk of conversion to AD, with a local/regional-based computer-aided diagnosis system. The experimental results showed an encouraging performance of the proposed system when compared with related work.
  • Pfeiffer JA, Hart JL, Wood LA, Bhatnagar A, Keith RJ, Yeager RA, Smith T, Tomlinson M, Gilkey D, Kerstiens S, Gao H, Srivastava S, Walker KL. The importance of urban planning: Views of greenness and open space is reversely associated with self-reported views and depressive symptoms. Popul Med. 2021 Jul;3:20. doi: 10.18332/popmed/139173. PMID: 34368779; PMCID: PMC8341459.
    Impact Statement: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between views of greenness and Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) score. The findings suggest urban greening interventions that focus on greenness satisfaction may be a strategy to reduce depression.
  • Haberzettl P, Jin L, Riggs DW, Zhao J, O'Toole TE, Conklin DJ. Fine particulate matter air pollution and aortic perivascular adipose tissue: Oxidative stress, leptin, and vascular dysfunction. Physiol Rep. 2021 Aug;9(15):e14980. doi: 10.14814/phy2.14980. PMID: 34327871; PMCID: PMC8322754.
    Impact Statement: Levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution are associated with chronic cardiovascular disease in humans; however, understanding of the early changes that foster chronic vascular disease is incomplete. Because perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) inflammation is implicated in chronic vascular diseases, we investigated early changes in aortic PVAT following short-term air pollution exposure in mice. We found that PM2.5-exposed mice had changes consistent with oxidative stress, vascular dysfunction and insulin resistance in aortic PVAT. The PM2.5-induced changes were absent in mice with overexpression of extracellular superoxide dismutase in the lungs implicating pulmonary oxidative stress as necessary in detrimental vascular changes in PM2.5-exposed mice. As our study connects inhaled PM2.5 and pulmonary oxidative stress with vascular derangement, we expect future research will test potential interventions that may protect public health from the deleterious cardiovascular effects of air pollution exposure.
  • Sritapan Y, Feldmann J, Huang J, Sangroula D. A case of amniotic fluid embolism complicated by undiagnosed patent foramen ovale. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2021 Aug 9:S0301-2115(21)00404-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.08.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34462168.
    Impact Statement: Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare leading cause of unpredictable maternal death in industrialized countries We present the management and sudden hemodynamic collapse of a patient due to a suspected AFE complicated by an undiagnosed patent foramen ovale.
  • Castner J, Huntington-Moskos L, May A. Generating Data Visualizations of Longitudinal Cohort Ambient Air Pollution Exposure: Report-Back Intervention Development in Participatory Action Research. Comput Inform Nurs. 2021 Aug 18. doi: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000000821. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34412083.
    Impact Statement: This work discusses the intentional use of data visualizations in the report back of research findings to community members. Open-source tools can be effectively used to create data visualizations, discuss environmental exposure findings, and promote science literacy.
  • Biyik-Sit R, Kruer T, Dougherty S, Bradley JA, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Trent JO, Clem BF. Nuclear Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2) Contributes to Phosphoserine Aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1)-Mediated Cell Migration in EGFR-Activated Lung Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Aug 4;13(16):3938. doi: 10.3390/cancers13163938. PMID: 34439090; PMCID: PMC8391706.
    Impact Statement: Phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) expression has been observed in multiple tumor types and is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. PSAT1’s role in cancer progression has not been fully characterized. Biochemical studies identified an interaction of PSAT1 with pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2). Further studies demonstrated in response to epidermal growth factor receptor activation, PSAT1 contributed to lung cancer cell migration, in part, by promoting nuclear PKM2 translocation.
  • Das S, Rai SN. Statistical Approach of Gene Set Analysis with Quantitative Trait Loci for Crop Gene Expression Studies. Entropy (Basel). 2021 Jul 23;23(8):945. doi: 10.3390/e23080945. PMID: 34441085; PMCID: PMC8391627.
    Impact Statement: Most of the human diseases and plants traits are complex quantitative in nature and controlled by polygenes. Hence, the developed method, and the software tool will help the researchers to establish the link between the genotypes (e.g., gene sets) with the phenotypes (e.g., complex traits). This may have substantial application in molecular crop breeding and establishing the biological basis of diseases.
  • Sears L, Myers JV, Sears CG, Brock GN, Zhang C, Zierold KM. Manganese body burden in children is associated with reduced visual motor and attention skills. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2021 Aug 21;88:107021. doi: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34428495.
    Impact Statement: Manganese is an essential trace element however overexposure can lead to neurotoxicity. This study looked at children living near coal ash storage sites who may be at risk for manganese overexposure. Neuropsychological testing found that children with the highest Mn levels had poorer eye hand coordination and reduced ability to sustain attention compared to those with low Mn levels. Findings are in agreement with previous studies supporting the need to monitor child environmental exposures due to the potential for increased neurobehavioral problems.
  • Boakye E, Obisesan OH, Uddin SMI, El-Shahawy O, Dzaye O, Osei AD, Benjamin EJ, Stokes AC, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Blaha MJ. Cannabis vaping among adults in the United States: Prevalence, trends, and association with high-risk behaviors and adverse respiratory conditions. Prev Med. 2021 Sep 11;153:106800. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106800. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34520787.
    Impact Statement: The e-cigarette or vaping product-use-associated lung injury outbreak in the United States has raised concerns about the potential health effects of cannabis vaping, a method of cannabis use that is becoming increasingly popular. Although the study found there was no association between cannabis vaping and asthma or other respiratory symptoms, the increasing trends of cannabis vaping, particularly among young adults, raise concern and underscore the need for continued surveillance.
  • Hamorsky KT, Bushau-Sprinkle AM, Kitterman K, Corman JM, DeMarco J, Keith RJ, Bhatnagar A, Fuqua JL, Lasnik A, Joh J, Chung D, Klein J, Flynn J, Gardner M, Barve S, Ghare SS, Palmer KE. Serological assessment of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first wave of the pandemic in Louisville Kentucky. Sci Rep. 2021 Sep 14;11(1):18285. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-97423-z. PMID: 34521900; PMCID: PMC8440627.
    Impact Statement: Serological assays intended for diagnosis, sero-epidemiologic assessment, and measurement of protective antibody titers upon infection or vaccination are essential for managing the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We developed an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) methods for measuring IgG, IgA, and IgM responses to SARS-CoV-2, Spike (S), receptor binding domain (RBD), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. Our analyses demonstrate a broad immune response among individuals and suggest some non-RBD specific S IgG and IgA antibodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2.
  • Dunlap NE, van Berkel V, Cai L. COVID-19 and low-dose radiation therapy. Radiat Med Prot. 2021 Sep 10. doi: 10.1016/j.radmp.2021.09.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34522905; PMCID: PMC8429076.
    Impact Statement: Global health authorities working on the COVID-19 outbreak continue to explore methods to reduce the rate of its transmission to healthy individuals. Low dose radiation (LDR) as an alternative approach has attracted more attention due to its several advantages compared to the current drugs and medicines. To date more than 10 case reports and pilot clinical trial preliminary outcomes are available from different countries, therefore, this summarized the potential rationales and mechanisms of LDR therapy for COVID-19 patients, and its current clinical status and potential use.
  • Roberts AM, Moulana NZ, Jagadapillai R, Cai L, Gozal E. Intravital Assessment of Pre-capillary Pulmonary Arterioles of Type-1 Diabetic Mice Shows Oxidative Damage and Increased Tone in Response to NOS Inhibition. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00395.2021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34590907.
    Impact Statement: Diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia, metabolic dysfunction, inflammation systemic vascular complications and oxidative damage affecting multiple organs but its effect on the lung and its large capillary network, have often been disregarded. This study finds that diabetes-induced changes in the lung involve microvascular dysfunction, platelet activation and altered vasoreactivity potentially impairing alveolar perfusion. Elucidating the mechanisms of diabetes-induced microangiopathy may provide novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse diabetes consequences on multiple organs.
  • Klinge CM, Piell KM, Petri BJ, He L, Zhang X, Pan J, Rai SN, Andreeva K, Rouchka EC, Wahlang B, Beier JI, Cave MC. Combined exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and high-fat diet modifies the global epitranscriptomic landscape in mouse liver. Environ Epigenet. 2021 Sep 17;7(1):dvab008. doi: 10.1093/eep/dvab008. PMID: 34548932; PMCID: PMC8448424.
    Impact Statement: A goal of our research is to understand how exposure to persistent environmental pollutants may contribute to the rise in metabolic diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, seen in human populations. This publication is the first examination of how a high fat diet and PCB exposure affect post-transcriptional chemical modifications of RNA in mice as a model for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
  • Nabeta HW, Kouokam JC, Lasnik AB, Fuqua JL, Palmer KE. Novel Antifungal Activity of Q-Griffithsin, a Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Lectin. Microbiol Spectr. 2021 Sep 8:e0095721. doi: 10.1128/Spectrum.00957-21. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34494857.
    Impact Statement: Although multiple antifungals have been developed against Candida species, the currently increasing candidiasis incidence and resistance acquired by some strains demand new agents. In this study, Q-griffithsin (Q-GRFT), an algal protein with broad-spectrum activity against enveloped viruses, showed growth-inhibitory effects on several Candida strains, suggesting its potential use to tackle such infections.
  • Koo H, Hwang JY, Jung S, Park H, Bok J, Park JW. Position Specific Alternative Splicing and Gene Expression Profiles Along the Tonotopic Axis of Chick Cochlea. Front Mol Biosci. 2021 Sep 8;8:726976. doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.726976. PMID: 34568429; PMCID: PMC8456117.
    Impact Statement: Our study shows another level of genetic regulation to accomplish the task of frequency discrimination in chick cochlea. We found that many genes involved in sound sensing and processing undergo progressively different alternative splicing along the tonotopic axis. This differentiated transcriptome along the tonotopic axis suggests that the cochlea expresses different combinations of proteins depending on cochlear location, although encoded in the same set of genes, to have unique functional properties suitable for sensing different sound frequencies.
  • O'Brien SJ, Scheurlen K, Rochet A, Fiechter C, Paas M, Pan J,Rai SN, Galandiuk S. Increased Expression of Long Non-coding RNA H19 is Associated With Colon Cancer Recurrence. J Surg Res. 2021 Sep 11;269:59-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.08.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34520983.
    Impact Statement: This study focuses on the analysis of an oncogenic long non-coding RNA H19 and its association with worse recurrence-free survival in patients with colon cancer, and in particular stage II colon cancer. These results suggest that H19 may have a specific role in the risk stratification of patients and may help inform decisions regarding the use and/or escalation of adjuvant therapy.
  • Wise JP Jr, Young JL, Cai J, Cai L. Current understanding of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] neurotoxicity and new perspectives. Environ Int. 2021 Sep 20;158:106877. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106877. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34547640.
    Impact Statement: This review paper discusses the neurotoxicity of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], a widely recognized human carcinogen and health hazard, drawing from literature studying humans, animals, and cell cultures over the last 50+ years. Traditionally, Cr(VI) has not been considered a neurotoxicant and Cr(VI) neurotoxicity has been largely left out of discussions pertaining to human health and regulations protecting health. This review conclusively describes Cr(VI) as a neurotoxicant and calls for increased efforts to consider Cr(VI) neurotoxicity research and regulations.
  • Wood LA, Tomlinson MM, Pfeiffer JA, Walker KL, Keith RJ, Smith T, Yeager RA, Bhatnagar A, Kerstiens S, Gilkey D, Gao H, Srivastava S, Hart JL. Time spent outdoors and sleep normality: A preliminary investigation. Popul Med. 2021 Mar;3:7. doi: 10.18332/popmed/132119. Epub 2021 Mar 4. PMID: 34485920; PMCID: PMC8411876.
    Impact Statement: This study found associations between sleep normality and lower odds of bodily pain and depression. These findings will contribute to public health by adding to the overall knowledge base on the role of sleep on health and to provide a base for related investigation.
  • Caster DJ, Merchant ML. Collagen Remodeling Biomarkers in Lupus Nephritis. Kidney360. 2021 Sep 30;2(9):1395-1398. doi: 10.34067/KID.0004732021. PMID: 35373099; PMCID: PMC8786132.
  • Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular Effects of Particulate Air Pollution. Annu Rev Med. 2021 Oct 13. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-042220-011549. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34644154.
    Impact Statement: Reviews current state of knowledge about the effects of air pollution on cardiovascular disease and mortality. It discusses the mechanisms by which exposure to air pollution affects cardiovascular risk factors and the subclinical progression of cardiovascular disease states.
  • Singh M, Kapoor A, Bhatnagar A. Physiological and Pathological Roles of Aldose Reductase. Metabolites. 2021 Sep 27;11(10):655. doi: 10.3390/metabo11100655. PMID: 34677370; PMCID: PMC8541668.
    Impact Statement: Reviews the role of aldose reductase in glucose metabolism and the detoxification of reactive aldehydes generated from the oxidation of membrane lipids and how the enzyme participates in the manifestation of the secondary complications of diabetes.
  • Malovichko MV, Abplanalp WT, McFall SA, Taylor BS, Wickramasinghe NS, Sithu ID, Zelko IN, Uchida S, Hill BG, Sutaria SR, Nantz MH, Bhatnagar A,Conklin DJ, O'Toole TE, Srivastava S. Subclinical markers of cardiovascular toxicity of benzene inhalation in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2021 Nov 15;431:115742. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115742. Epub 2021 Oct 5. PMID: 34624356.
    Impact Statement: Benzene is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant. Recent population-based studies suggest that benzene exposure is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. However, it is unclear whether benzene exposure by itself is sufficient to induce cardiovascular toxicity. We examined the effects of benzene inhalation (50 ppm, 6 h/day, 5 days/week, 6 weeks) or HEPA-filtered air exposure on the biomarkers of cardiovascular toxicity in male C57BL/6J mice. Together, these data suggest that benzene exposure induces endothelial injury, enhances platelet activation and inflammatory processes; and circulatory levels of endothelial cell and platelet-derived microparticles and platelet-leukocyte aggregates are excellent biomarkers of cardiovascular toxicity of benzene.
  • Xiong L, Zhou B, Liu H, Cai L. Comprehensive Review of Cadmium Toxicity Mechanisms in Male Reproduction and Therapeutic Strategies. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 2021 Oct 8. doi: 10.1007/398_2021_75. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34618232.
    Impact Statement: Cadmium (Cd) has been widely studied as an environmental pollutant for many years with several organs, and this review focused on toxic effects of Cd exposure on male reproductive system. Currently preclinical animal studies have confirmed many proteins and intracellular signaling pathways involved in the pathological process of Cd-induced male reproductive damage and potential measures for prophylaxis and treatment, which primarily include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and essential ion supplement. The underlying mechanisms for Cd-induced toxicity on male reproductive function was comprehensively discussed, which may provide guidance for the treatment and prevention of Cd-induced male reproductive toxicity.
  • Li J, Jin S, Barati MT, Rane S, Lin Q, Tan Y, Cai L, Rane MJ. ERK and p38 MAPK inhibition controls NF-E2 degradation and profibrotic signaling in renal proximal tubule cells. Life Sci. 2021 Oct 26:120092. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120092. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34715142.
    Impact Statement: Li et. al. demonstrated p38 and ERK MAPK-dependent proteasomal degradation of the anti-fibrotic protein NF-E2 in TGF-β treated human renal proximal (HK-11) cells. Moreover, activation of the proteasome and loss of NF-E2 expression, induced JNK activation and CTGF expression. In contrast, proteasomal inhibition and NF-E2 over-expression, inhibited TGF-β-induced JNK activation an CTGF expression HK-11 cells and type 1 diabetic kidneys. Thus, NF-E2 could serve as a therapeutic target to generate therapies to prevent progression of renal fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, and renal failure associated with diabetes.
  • Zelko IN, Dassanayaka S, Malovichko MV, Howard CM, Garrett LF, Uchida S, Brittian KR, Conklin DJ, Jones SP, Srivastava S. Chronic Benzene Exposure Aggravates Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction. Toxicol Sci. 2021 Oct 27:kfab125. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab125. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34718823.
    Impact Statement: Benzene is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant abundant in household products, petrochemicals and cigarette smoke. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen in humans and experimental animals; however, little is known about the cardiovascular toxicity of benzene. It is unclear whether benzene exposure is sufficient to induce and/or exacerbate heart failure. We examined the effects of benzene, these data suggest that benzene exacerbates heart failure by promoting endothelial activation and neutrophil recruitment.
  • DeJarnett N. Joining Forces With Environmental Health Professionals. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2021 Nov-Dec 01;27(6):621-622. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001430. PMID: 34554999.
    Impact Statement: This article describes concrete actions leaders in public health practice can take alongside local environmental health practitioners to champion climate sustainability, including evaluating capacity for climate action, fostering strategic partnerships, supporting career pathways, connecting with grassroots groups, and using storytelling as a communications tool.
  • Huang J, Firestone S, Moffatt-Bruce S, Tibi P, Shore-Lesserson L. 2021 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Anesthesiologists on Patient Blood Management in Cardiac Surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 Sep 24:S1053-0770(21)00845-4. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2021.09.032. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34654633.
    Impact Statement: This 2021 STS/SCA/AmSECT/SABM updated patient blood management guideline stresses the importance of an evidence-based, multimodal, and multidisciplinary approach to preserving a patient’s blood and conserving resources so as to optimize outcomes in patients who are at high risk for transfusion.
  • Huntington-Moskos L, Rayens MK, Wiggins AT, Butler KM, Hahn EJ. Use of Theory-Driven Report Back to Promote Lung Cancer Risk Reduction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct 11;18(20):10648. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010648. PMID: 34682394; PMCID: PMC8536114.
    Impact Statement: The goal of this work is to highlight the role of a report back process in prompting health behavior change. Report back is active sharing of research findings with participants to prompt behavior change. In particular, research on a theory-driven report back process for environmental risk reduction is limited. Our research team sought to evaluate the impact of a stage-tailored report back process with participants who had high home radon and/or air nicotine levels. We found that tailored report back of research findings to individual participants reduced radon exposure and changed the health behavior necessary to remediate radon and SHS exposure.
  • Wahlang B, Gripshover TC, Gao H, Krivokhizhina T, Keith RJ, Sithu ID, Rai SN, Bhatnagar A, McClain CJ, Srivastava S, Cave MC. Associations between residential exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and liver injury markers. Toxicol Sci. 2021 Oct 20:kfab119. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab119. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34668566.
    Impact Statement: This publication investigated the effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), often found in air, and their contribution to liver disease, in Louisville community residents. The results from the study demonstrated significant positive associations between these environmental chemicals and liver disease biomarkers, which were more pronounced in smokers. These findings can help in better risk assessment of daily VOC exposures and provide some insight on how lifestyle factors such as smoking can contribute to liver disease risk.
  • Zelko IN, Taylor BS, Das TP, Watson WH, Sithu ID, Wahlang B, Malovichko MV, Cave MC, Srivastava S. Effect of vinyl chloride exposure on cardiometabolic toxicity. Environ Toxicol. 2021 Oct 30. doi: 10.1002/tox.23394. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34717031.
    Impact Statement: Vinyl chloride (VC) is an organochlorine mainly used to manufacture its polymer polyvinyl chloride, which is extensively used in the manufacturing of consumer products. Recent studies suggest that chronic low dose VC exposure affects glucose homeostasis in high fat diet-fed mice. Our data suggest that even in the absence of high fat diet, exposure to VC (0.8 ppm, 6 h/day, 5 day/week, for 12 weeks) induces glucose intolerance (1.0 g/kg, i.p.) in male C57BL/6 mice.
  • Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Saurabh K, Waigel S, Zacharias W, Zhang M, Talley D, Santisteban I, Puccio M, Moyer S, Holm RH, Yeager RA, Sokoloski KJ, Fuqua J, Bhatnagar A, Smith T. The Rapid Assessment of Aggregated Wastewater Samples for Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 on a City-Wide Scale. Pathogens. 2021 Oct 1;10(10):1271. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10101271. PMID: 34684220; PMCID: PMC8541652.
    Impact Statement: This paper describes a collaborative effort between Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness, The Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District, and the University of Louisville to monitor COVID-19 and track variant spread through testing of wastewater samples over a 28 week period. The information gained from this work enabled targeted public health efforts including outreach to at-risk communities and the deployment of mobile and community-focused vaccination campaigns.
  • Banerjee M, Al-Eryani L, Srivastava S, Rai SN, Pan J, Kalbfleisch TS, States JC. Delineating the Effects of Passaging and Exposure in a Longitudinal Study of Arsenic-Induced Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a HaCaT Cell Line Model. Toxicol Sci. 2021 Nov 3:kfab129. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab129. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34730829.
    Impact Statement: This work provides strong evidence of the requirement for passage matched controls in long term (chronic) exposure studies in cultured cells. Using passage matched controls identifies changes in gene expression that are related to the passage of time and not to the exposure, thus reducing artifacts that otherwise would be interpreted as due to the exposure.
  • Petriello MC, Mottaleb MA, Serio TC, Balyan B, Cave MC, Pavuk M, Birnbaum LS, Morris AJ. Serum concentrations of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the Anniston Community Health Surveys (ACHS I and ACHS II). Environ Int. 2021 Nov 8;158:106907. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106907. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34763231.
    Impact Statement: We participate in a longstanding multicenter and interagency collaboration examining the metabolic health effect of PCB and dioxin exposures in residents living near a former PCB production facility in Anniston, Alabama. PFAS exposures have also been associated with metabolic diseases. Here we determined higher concentrations of PFAS in Anniston participants than the general US residential population. This finding will allow us to examine associations between PFAS exposures and previously collected disease biomarkers in this cohort.
  • Jin L, Conklin DJ. A novel evaluation of endothelial dysfunction ex vivo: "Teaching an Old Drug a New Trick". Physiol Rep. 2021 Nov;9(21):e15120. doi: 10.14814/phy2.15120. PMID: 34755498; PMCID: PMC8579072.
    Impact Statement: Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is sine qua non of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases in humans, yet the mechanisms that contribute to ED are still being investigated. Our study demonstrates a novel methodological twist using an old drug (L-NAME) to screen for ED in murine aorta following acute exposure to toxicants including air pollution, aldehydes, and tobacco-derived aerosols. This approach complements currently existing tools providing greater insight into the mechanisms of vascular injury due to environmental toxicants.
  • Leggett CS, Doll MA, Salazar-González RA, Habil MR, Trent JO, Hein DW. Identification and characterization of potent, selective, and efficacious inhibitors of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1. Arch Toxicol. 2021 Nov 16. doi: 10.1007/s00204-021-03194-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34783865.
    Impact Statement: The study identifies potent, selective, and efficacious inhibitors of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) important in the activation of arylamine carcinogens. The ability to inhibit NAT1 could reduce breast cancer metastasis particularly to bone.
  • Wang L, Cai H, Wang Y, Liu J, Chen T, Liu J, Huang J, Guo Q, Zou W. Enhanced recovery after elective craniotomy: A randomized controlled trial. J Clin Anesth. 2022 Feb;76:110575. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2021.110575. Epub 2021 Nov 2. PMID: 34739947.
    Impact Statement: Implementation of an enhanced recovery after elective craniotomy protocol had significant benefits over conventional perioperative management. It was associated with a significant reduction in postoperative length of stay, medical cost, and postoperative complications.
  • Polivka BJ, Eldeirawi K, Huntington-Moskos L, Nyenhuis SM. Mask Use Experiences, COVID-19, and Adults with Asthma: A Mixed-Methods Approach. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021 Nov 14:S2213-2198(21)01262-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.10.071. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34785392; PMCID: PMC8590602.
    Impact Statement: This study reports that most adults with asthma reported wearing a mask in public places. Lower asthma control and longer daily mask wearing were associated with more self-reported problems with wearing masks. To increase wearability, study participants recommended using a comfortable mask that fits, staying calm, breathing slowly and deeply were recommended. Recommendations also included taking safe “mask breaks” when needed.
  • Kotla NG, Isa ILM, Rasala S, Demir S, Singh R, Baby BV, Swamy SK, Dockery P, Jala VR, Rochev Y, Pandit A. Modulation of Gut Barrier Functions in Ulcerative Colitis by Hyaluronic Acid System. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2021 Nov 10:e2103189. doi: 10.1002/advs.202103189. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34761543.
    Impact Statement: This study was accomplished in collaboration (lead the project) with Drs. Yury Rochev, Abhay Pandit, CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, H91 W2TY, Ireland. The goal of this study is to discover the compounds and mechanisms that can enhance gut barrier function in ulcerative colitis conditions. Current study showed that treatment with biphasic hyaluronan (HA) enema suspension, naïve-HA systems protect against gut barrier dysfunction in ulcerative colitis by increasing tight junction proteins. These studies provide novel approaches to target ulcerative colitis.
  • Lindsey ML, LeBlanc AJ, Ripplinger CM, Carter JR, Kirk JA, Hansell Keehan K, Brunt KR, Kleinbongard P, Kassiri Z. Reinforcing rigor and reproducibility expectations for use of sex and gender in cardiovascular research. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021 Nov 1;321(5):H819-H824. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00418.2021. Epub 2021 Sep 15. PMID: 34524922.
    Impact Statement: This is an editorial from the Editor-in-chief and the 7 Associate Editors of the American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology that states our expectation that males and females be incorporated into all studies unless a very strong rationale prevents the authors from doing so, starting in 2023. Some examples of rationale include examining processes that occur only in one sex (i.e. cardiovascular complications of pregnancy), or testing the effects of oral contraceptives on cardiovascular health. By including studies utilizing both sexes/genders, this will result in a more complete, unbiased and reliable data set that more accurately mirrors the population.
  • Schneider G, Kaliappan A, Nguyen TQ, Buscaglia R, Brock GN, Hall MB, DeSpirito C, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Klein JB, Wiese TA, Rivas-Perez HL, Kloecker GH, Garbett NC. The Utility of Differential Scanning Calorimetry Curves of Blood Plasma for Diagnosis, Subtype Differentiation and Predicted Survival in Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Oct 23;13(21):5326. doi: 10.3390/cancers13215326. PMID: 34771491; PMCID: PMC8582427.
    Impact Statement: The recent increase in the number of lung cancer cases unrelated to the well-known risk factors, and the high false-positive rate of low-dose CT scans, indicate a need to develop new, non-invasive methods for lung cancer detection. Our results using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) supported by targeted proteomic studies suggests the DSC curve features could be useful for differentiation of lung cancer patients from controls with some capable of distinction between subtypes and stages of lung cancer.
  • Trace ME, Feygin YB, Williams PG, Winders Davis D, Brothers KB, Sullivan JE, Calhoun AW. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Practice Patterns: A Survey of Kentucky Pediatric Providers. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2021 Nov 17. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001037. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34799539.
    Impact Statement: Kentucky ranks among the highest in the nation for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) prevalence in children aged 4 to 17 years. In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a clinical practice guideline based on the DSM-IV. A guideline revision based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) was released in October 2019. In this study, we assessed and described a sample of Kentucky pediatric providers' ADHD practices using the 2011 guideline and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Although pediatricians in the KY AAP that responded adhere to the DSM-5 criteria for diagnosing ADHD, pediatric providers' practices would benefit from education in improvements in pharmacotherapy titration, surveillance of coexisting conditions associated with ADHD, discussion of psychosocial interventions, and school support strategies.
  • ElNakieb Y, Ali MT, Elnakib A, Shalaby A, Soliman A, Mahmoud A, Ghazal M, Barnes GN, El-Baz A. The Role of Diffusion Tensor MR Imaging (DTI) of the Brain in Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder: Promising Results. Sensors (Basel). 2021 Dec 7;21(24):8171. doi: 10.3390/s21248171. PMID: 34960265; PMCID: PMC8703859.
    Impact Statement: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis is usually subjective, and scores can vary from one specialist to another. Previous literature suggests differences in brain development, environmental, and/or genetic factors play a role in developing autism, yet scientists still do not know exactly the pathology of this disorder. This paper provides a study of implementing feature engineering tools to find discriminant insights from brain imaging of white matter connectivity and using a machine learning framework for an accurate classification of autistic individuals.
  • Men H, Young JL, Zhou W, Zhang H, Wang X, Xu J, Lin Q, Tan Y, Zheng Y, Cai L. Early-Life Exposure to Low-Dose Cadmium Accelerates Diethylnitrosamine and Diet-Induced Liver Cancer. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021 Nov 28;2021:1427787. doi: 10.1155/2021/1427787. PMID: 34876963; PMCID: PMC8645401.
    Impact Statement: Although maternal exposure to cadmium causes obesity and metabolic changes in the offspring, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-like pathology, whether maternal cadmium exposure accelerates liver cancer in the offspring is unknown. This study investigated the impact of early-life exposure to cadmium on the incidence and potential mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in offspring subjected to postweaning HCC induction, and confirmed that early-life exposure to low-dose cadmium accelerates liver cancer development induced by a DEN/HFCD in male mice, probably due to chronic lipotoxicity and inflammation.
  • Bao T, Liu J, Leng J, Cai L. The cGAS-STING pathway: more than fighting against viruses and cancer. Cell Biosci. 2021 Dec 14;11(1):209. doi: 10.1186/s13578-021-00724-z. PMID: 34906241; PMCID: PMC8670263.
    Impact Statement: In the classic cGAS-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, downstream signals can control the production of type I interferon (IFN) and NF-κB to promote the activation of pro-inflammatory molecules, which are mainly induced during antiviral responses. However, this review mainly highlights the functions of the cGAS-STING pathway in chronic inflammatory diseases, with focus on the important role of cGAS-STING pathway in the chronic inflammatory status in diabetes and diabetes-related complications.
  • Zhou W, Young JL, Men H, Zhang H, Yu H, Lin Q, Xu H, Xu J, Tan Y, Zheng Y, Cai L. Sex differences in the effects of whole-life, low-dose cadmium exposure on postweaning high-fat diet-induced cardiac pathogeneses. Sci Total Environ. 2021 Dec 5;809:152176. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152176. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34875320.
    Impact Statement: We previously showed the development of cardiac remodeling (hypertrophy or fibrosis) in mice with either post-weaning high-fat diet (HFD, 60% kcal fat) feeding or exposure to chronic low-dose cadmium. Here, we determined whether whole-life exposure to environmentally relevant, low-dose cadmium affects the susceptibility of offspring to post-weaning HFD-induced cardiac pathologies and function, and confirmed that whole-life 5 ppm cadmium exposure significantly increases the susceptibility of female offspring to HFD-induced cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
  • Li F, Chen J, Liu Y, Gu Z, Jiang M, Zhang L, Chen SY, Deng Z, McClain CJ, Feng W. Deficiency of Cathelicidin Attenuates High-Fat Diet Plus Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury through FGF21/Adiponectin Regulation. Cells. 2021 Nov 27;10(12):3333. doi: 10.3390/cells10123333. PMID: 34943840; PMCID: PMC8699208.
    Impact Statement: Alcohol consumption and obesity are known risk factors of steatohepatitis. In this paper, Dr. Wenke Feng, Professor of Medicine, and his collaborators, including some in the CIEHS, demonstrated that deficiency of CRAMP is against a high-fat diet plus acute alcohol-induced liver injury. These results suggest that targeting CRAMP could be an effective approach for the prevention/treatment of high-fat diet plus alcohol consumption-induced steatohepatitis.
  • Zhao CB, Yu J, Kong M, Han J, Du H, Huang J. Ketamine for Monitored Anesthesia Care during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. J Perianesth Nurs. 2021 Dec 28:S1089-9472(21)00147-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2021.06.007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34972624.
    Impact Statement: Employing Ketamine as an adjunct during monitored anesthesia care for transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a feasible option.
  • Majumder S, Pushpakumar S, Juin SK, Jala VR, Sen U. Toll-like receptor 4 mutation protects the kidney from Ang-II-induced hypertensive injury. Pharmacol Res. 2021 Dec 9;175:106030. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.106030. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34896544.
    Impact Statement: This article describes the mechanism of how TLR4 activation suppresses autophagy, induces apoptosis and kidney injury in Ang-II-induced hypertension, and TLR4 mutation protects the kidney.
  • Das S, Rai A, Merchant ML, Cave MC, Rai SN. A Comprehensive Survey of Statistical Approaches for Differential Expression Analysis in Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Studies. Genes (Basel). 2021 Dec 2;12(12):1947. doi: 10.3390/genes12121947. PMID: 34946896; PMCID: PMC8701051.
    Impact Statement: Differential Expression (DE) analysis in presence of noises from different sources remains a key challenge in Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies. Earlier practices for addressing this involved borrowing methods from bulk RNA-seq, which are based on non-zero differences in average expressions of genes across cell populations. We evaluate the performance of 19 widely used methods in terms of 13 performance metrics on 11 real scRNA-seq datasets. Our findings suggest that some bulk RNA-seq methods are quite competitive with the single-cell methods, but their performance depends on the underlying models. However, the multi-criteria and combined-data analysis indicates that DECENT and EBSeq are the best options for DE analysis. Our evaluation provides proper guidelines for selecting the proper tool which performs best under particular experimental settings in the context of the scRNA-seq.
  • Book Chapter: Alexandra N. Nail, Ana P. Ferragut Cardoso, Lakyn K. Montero, and J. Christopher States. “miRNAs and Arsenic-induced Carcinogenesis.” Advances in Pharmacology 96  
  • Xie W, Tackett AP, Berlowitz JB, Harlow AF, Kathuria H, Galiatsatos P, Fetterman JL, Cho J, Blaha MJ, Hamburg NM, Robertson RM, DeFilippis AP, Hall ME, Bhatnagar A, Benjamin EJ, Stokes AC. Association of Electronic Cigarette Use with Respiratory Symptom Development among U.S. Young Adults. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2022 Jun 1;205(11):1320-1329. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202107-1718OC. PMID: 35089853.
    Impact Statement: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is highly prevalent among young adults. However, longitudinal data assessing the association between e-cigarette use and respiratory symptoms are lacking. In this nationally representative cohort of young adults, we found former and current e-cigarette use was associated with higher odds of developing wheezing-related respiratory symptoms, after accounting for cigarette smoking and other combustible tobacco product use.
  • Boakye E, Dzaye O, Erhabor J, Osuji N, Obisesan O, Osei AD, Bhatnagar A, Robertson RM, Blaha MJ. Impact of the Food and Drug Administration enforcement policy on flavored e-cigarettes on the online popularity of disposable e-cigarettes: analyses of Google search query data. BMC Public Health. 2022 Oct 19;22(1):1937. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14367-3. PMID: 36258175; PMCID: PMC9580152.
    Impact Statement: The impact of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) initial enforcement policy on flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes and subsequent notice for the removal of flavored disposable electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) such as Puff Bar from the market has not been well evaluated. We, therefore, sought to examine the impact of the e-cigarette flavor-related policy changes on the online popularity of Puff Bar, a prototypic disposable e-cigarette. The tracking of online search data demonstrates rapid public recognition of the FDA's announcements of tobacco regulatory actions.
  • Adhikari S, Kumar R, Driver EM, Bowes DA, Ng KT, Sosa-Hernandez JE, Oyervides-Muñoz MA, Melchor-Martínez EM, Martínez-Ruiz M, Coronado-Apodaca KG, Smith T, Bhatnagar A, Piper BJ, McCall KL, Parra-Saldivar R, Barron LP, Halden RU. Occurrence of Z-drugs, benzodiazepines, and ketamine in wastewater in the United States and Mexico during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Oct 12;857(Pt 2):159351. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159351. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36243065; PMCID: PMC9595400.
    Impact Statement: This study measured ketamine concentration in wastewater in the United States, which reflected some of the highest ketamine consumption rates presented in the literature in the United States using Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). The present study highlights the need for monitoring substance use during high-stress events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and illustrates the utility of WBE to provide data that cannot be obtained by other means to determine actual drug use, which is the sum of both licit and illicit drug sourcing and consumption.
  • Carll AP, Arab C, Salatini R, Miles MD, Nystoriak MA, Fulghum KL, Riggs DW, Shirk GA, Theis WS, Talebi N, Bhatnagar A, Conklin DJ. E-cigarettes and their lone constituents induce cardiac arrhythmia and conduction defects in mice. Nat Commun. 2022 Oct 25;13(1):6088. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-33203-1. PMID: 36284091; PMCID: PMC9596490.
    Impact Statement: Our findings in mice indicate e-cigarette aerosols can rapidly disrupt cardiac conduction and cause cardiac arrhythmias. Similar effects in humans could precipitate severe cardiac events, including atrial or ventricular fibrillation, and cardiac arrest. The findings provide new insight to the public, clinicians, and regulatory agencies about the potential health impacts of e-cigarettes and their individual ingredients. The findings of the paper were reported worldwide by over 320 news outlets.
  • Sagaram M, Royer AJ, Hu H, Rajhans A, Parthasarathy R, Krishnasamy SS, Mokshagundam SP, Kong M, Schwandt ML, Parajuli D, Cave MC, Vatsalya V. Illustration of Gut-Thyroid Axis in Alcohol Use Disorder: Interplay of Gut Dysfunction, Pro-Inflammatory Responses, and Thyroid Function. Cells. 2022 Oct 1;11(19):3100. doi: 10.3390/cells11193100. PMID: 36231061; PMCID: PMC9563601.
    Impact Statement: This research investigated mechanisms for the thyroid dysfunction associated with alcohol use. Mechanistic biomarkers were measured in human subjects.
  • Conklin DJ. How Irritating! Electronic Cigarettes Not "95% Safer" Than Combustible Cigarettes: Recent Mechanistic Insights Into Endothelial Dysfunction. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2022 Nov;42(11):1351-1354. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.122.318468. Epub 2022 Oct 26. PMID: 36288291.
    Impact Statement: This invited Editorial highlights findings of human and animal studies that demonstrate the negative vascular consequences of exposure to electronic cigarette aerosols or their constituents, i.e., vaping. Moreover, the animal study demonstrates a novel mechanism whereby irritating constituents in aerosols can harm blood vessels. This Editorial encourages FDA to regulate the level of irritants in tobacco product aerosols to lower levels in order to protect human health.
  • Furmanek S, Salunkhe V, Pahwa S, Samanapally H, Nathala P, Xu Q, Ali T, Deepti F, Glynn A, McGuffin T, Titus D, Farah I, Jones CM, Ramirez JA, Clifford SP, Arnold FW, Kong M, Roser L, Huang J; Center of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases Coronavirus Study Group on behalf of the COVID-19 CardioVascular Research Group. Correlations of Before and After Event Echocardiographic Parameters with Troponin and BNP in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients With Cardiovascular Events. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2022 Sep 2:S1053-0770(22)00593-6. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2022.08.024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36184474; PMCID: PMC9436869.
    Impact Statement: Left heart systolic and diastolic dysfunction before a cardiovascular event were correlated with initial myocardial injury levels and increase in right heart size on after-event echocardiography was correlated with maximal myocardial injury in COVID-19 patients.
  • Mehra S, Srinivasan S, Singh S, Zhou Z, Garrido V, Silva IC, Totiger TM, Dosch AR, Dai X, Dawra RK, Jala VR, Shi C, Datta J, VanSaun M, Merchant N, Nagathihalli N. Urolithin A attenuates severity of chronic pancreatitis associated with continued alcohol intake by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2022 Oct 1;323(4):G375-G386. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00159.2022. Epub 2022 Sep 13. PMID: 36098401.
    Impact Statement: Heavy alcohol consumption is the dominant risk factor for chronic pancreatitis (CP); however, treatment and prevention strategies for alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) remains limited. The present study demonstrates that ACP induction in C57BL/6 mice causes significant acinar cell injury, pancreatic stellate cell (PSC) activation, exocrine function insufficiency, and an increased fibroinflammatory response when compared with alcohol or CP alone. Our novel findings presented here demonstrate the utility of Uro A as an effective therapeutic agent in attenuating alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) severity with alcohol continuation after established disease, through suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
  • Kouokam JC ,Meaza I, Wise JP Sr. Inflammatory effects of hexavalent chromium in the lung: A comprehensive review. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Nov 15;455:116265. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116265. Epub 2022 Oct 5. PMID: 36208701.
    Impact Statement: Besides smoking, lung cancer can be caused by other factors, including heavy metals such as cadmium, nickel, arsenic, beryllium and hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], which is used in multiple settings, resulting in widespread environmental and occupational exposures as well as heavy use. This work provides insights into the mechanisms by which Cr(VI) induces lung inflammation.
  • SenthilKumar G, Gutierrez Huerta CA, Freed JK, Beyer AM, Fancher IS, LeBlanc AJ. New Developments in Translational Microcirculatory Research. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2022 Oct 28. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00566.2022. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36306213.
    Impact Statement:This is a mini-review highlighting the original research papers and review articles that were submitted to the American Journal of Physiology- Heart and Circulatory Physiology Call for Papers collection: New Developments in Translational Microcirculatory Research. In addition to putting disease- and location-dependent original research articles into context of the existing literature, we discuss the state-of-the-art reviews on both coronary endothelial function and assessing microvascular health in different organ systems, as well as how to establish rigor in clinical trial design.
  • Warner JB, Guenthner SC, Hardesty JE, McClain CJ, Warner DR, Kirpich IA. Liver-specific drug delivery platforms: Applications for the treatment of alcohol-associated liver disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2022 Sep 28;28(36):5280-5299. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i36.5280. PMID: 36185629; PMCID: PMC9521517.
    Impact Statement: This review provides basic information on liver-targeting drug delivery platforms, including their benefits and limitations, and summarizes the current research efforts to apply them to the treatment of ALD in rodent models. We also discuss gaps in knowledge in the field, which when addressed, may help to increase the efficacy of novel therapies and better translate them to humans.
  • Cummins TD, Powell DW, Wilkey DW, Brady M, Benz FW, Barati MT, Caster DJ, Klein JB, Merchant ML. Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Normalization in Urine Biomarker Analysis in Nephrotic Syndrome. Glomerular Dis. 2022 Jul;2(3):121-131. doi: 10.1159/000522217. Epub 2022 Jan 27. PMID: 36199623; PMCID: PMC9529004.
    Impact Statement:For this report, we analyzed urine samples from patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) as proof of principle of development of an innovative method for identifying novel diagnostic markers for chronic kidney disease (CKD). We present a mass spectrometry-based method utilizing multiplex tandem mass tag (TMT) quantification and improved protein quantification using reporter ion normalization to urinary creatinine to analyze urinary proteins from patients with a form of nephrotic syndrome (FSGS). Our findings provide support for the utility of this method for identification of novel diagnostic markers of CKD and identify SERPINA1 and ORM1 as promising candidate diagnostic markers for FSGS.
  • Peart NJ, Hwang JY, Quesnel-Vallières M, Sears MJ, Yang Y, Stoilov P, Barash Y, Park JW, Lynch KW, Carstens RP. The global Protein-RNA interaction map of ESRP1 defines a post-transcriptional program that is essential for epithelial cell function. iScience. 2022 Sep 23;25(10):105205. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105205. PMID: 36238894; PMCID: PMC9550651.
    Impact Statement:The genome-wide binding sites of the epithelial splicing regulators, ESRP 1/2, were thoroughly examined with high-throughput sequencing (RNA-seq and eCLIP-seq) in epithelial cells of mouse epidermis. This study provides a transcriptome-wide map of ESRP1 binding and regulation in epithelial cells which is essential to understand disease-related splicing regulation.
  • Shi H, Prough RA, McClain CJ, Song M. Different Types of Dietary Fat and Fructose Interactions Result in Distinct Metabolic Phenotypes in Male Mice. J Nutr Biochem. 2022 Oct 19:109189. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2022.109189. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36272691.
    Impact Statement:Fat and fructose are the two major components over-represented in the Western diet. The aim of this study was to determine the combined effects of different types of dietary fat and fructose on the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a murine model. Our study shed light on the role of different types of dietary fat and fructose interaction on the development of metabolic disorders and provides preclinical evidence that would be helpful for future clinical studies on the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.
  • Shuck B, Hart JL, Walker KL, Rai J, Srivastava S, Srivastava S, Rai S, Bhatnagar A, Keith RJ. Workplace Culture and Biomarkers of Health Risk. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 21;19(19):11920. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191911920. PMID: 36231223; PMCID: PMC9565767.
    Impact Statement:Workplace culture has been studied for impact on health risk; however, connections with robust biologic markers of health remain to be established. We examined associations between the work environment and urinary levels of catecholamines and their metabolites as biomarkers of sympathetic nervous system activity, indicative of stress. Our finding were consistent with an important relationship between workplace environment and sympathetic nervous system activity.
  • Wise JP Jr. The intersection between toxicology and aging research: A toxic aging coin perspective. Front Aging. 2022 Sep 21;3:1014675. doi: 10.3389/fragi.2022.1014675. PMID: 36213344; PMCID: PMC9532842.
    Impact Statement:This perspective paper serves as a call for expanding research at the intersection of toxicology and aging, taking a dual view of this intersection as (1) how age impacts toxic effects, and (2) how chemicals accelerate aging and act as 'gerontogens.' We are entering a new world paradigm where a significant portion (~20%) of our population will reach a geriatric age and continue living as geriatrics for multiple decades, but there is a detrimental lack of data considering how geriatrics may be distinctly affected by chemicals from other age groups. Similarly, the term 'gerontogen' was coined in 1987, but since its introduction there has been little research into how chemicals act as gerontogens. In this paper I introduce the concept of a "toxic aging coin" to emphasize this dual intersection, and discuss the relevance of both sides in the context of the brain (my area of expertise), though it could be applied to any organ system.
  • Wise SS, Lu H, Speer RM, Wise JP, Young J, Toyoda JH, Meaza I, Croom-Perez TJ, Kouokam JC, Specht A, Liu KJ, Hoyle GW, Wise JP. Chromium distribution in an oropharyngeal aspiration model for hexavalent chromium in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Oct 22:116294. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116294. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36283442.
    Impact Statement:Particulate Cr(VI) is a well-known lung carcinogen but the early and initiating carcinogenic mechanisms are still poorly understood. Establishing an accurate and relevant exposure regimen is crucial to further our understanding for environmentally relevant exposures. We evaluated an oropharyngeal aspiration exposure route for zinc chromate particles in Wistar rats and found that oropharyngeal aspiration provides a practicable exposure route for chronic and sub-chronic exposures of Cr(VI) particles.
  • Young JL, Xin Y, Rajesh M, Cai L. Editorial: Cardiovascular diseases related to diabetes and obesity - volume II. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Oct 5;13:1044326. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1044326. PMID: 36277685; PMCID: PMC9583653.
    Impact Statement:Despite our advances at the bench and in the clinic, approximately 17.9 million people die each year from CVDs, accounting for 32% of all deaths globally . Therefore, it is imperative to better understand the underlying mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of obesity- and diabetes-related cardiovascular events to develop more effective, targeted therapies aimed at prevention and attenuation of disease progression. This editorial introduces the second volume of a special issue on Cardiovascular diseases related to diabetes and obesity, compiling recent clinical, pre-clinical and basic research studies as well as review articles aimed at filling the knowledge gaps and expanding our understanding of the complicated and intertwined relationship between obesity, diabetes, and CVDs.
  • Zhang Y, Du L, Yan J, Bai Q, Niu Q, Mo Y, Zhang Q, Nie J. Prenatal benzo[a]pyrene exposure impairs hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive function in SD rat offspring during adolescence and adulthood via HDAC2-mediated histone deacetylation. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2022 Nov;246:114180. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114180. Epub 2022 Oct 17. PMID: 36265406.
    Impact Statement: Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a widespread carcinogenic pollutant in the environment. Although previous studies have demonstrated the neurodevelopmental toxicity of B[a]P, the precise mechanisms underlying the neurotoxic effects induced by prenatal B[a]P exposure remain largely unknown. Our results suggest that prenatal B[a]P exposure impairs cognitive function and hippocampal synaptic plasticity of offspring in adolescence and adulthood, and HDAC2-mediated histone deacetylation plays a crucial role in these deficits.
  • Feng S, Xu Z, Zhang Z, Mo Y, Deng Y, Li L, Fei S, Wu J, Wang K, Zhang Q, Song J, Zhou R. RNA-Seq approach to investigate the effects of melatonin on bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis mice. Toxicology. 2022 Nov;481:153354. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2022.153354. Epub 2022 Oct 17. PMID: 36265525.
    Impact Statement: Melatonin (MLT) was reported to have therapeutic effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) due to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. However, whether the beneficial effects of melatonin on colitis are through altering the immune response of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) has not been well characterized. Our findings may provide some clues for understanding MLT inhibiting inflammatory response in DSS-induced colitis, which may be through alteration of BMDCs function.
  • Xu F, Mu J, Teng Y, Zhang X, Sundaram K, Sriwastva MK, Kumar A, Lei C, Zhang L, Liu QM, Yan J, McClain CJ, Merchant ML, Zhang HG. Restoring Oat Nanoparticles Mediated Brain Memory Function of Mice Fed Alcohol by Sorting Inflammatory Dectin-1 Complex Into Microglial Exosomes. Small. 2021 Dec 13:e2105385. doi: 10.1002/smll.202105385. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34897972.
    Impact Statement: This study focuses on the molecular mechanism(s) underlying how oat nanoparticles (oatN) contributes to the inhibition of microglial cell mediated inflammation. The findings from this study are significant in that it provides a basis for developing mechanism-driven novel approaches for prevention of microglial cell mediated chronic inflammation of the brain via non-invasive oral administration.
  • Wu B, Pal S, Kang J, Guo Y. Distributional independent component analysis for diverse neuroimaging modalities. Biometrics. 2021 Oct 25. doi: 10.1111/biom.13594. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34694629.
    Impact Statement: Analysis of images derived from various neuroimaging modalities involves some common goals such as dimension reduction, denoising, and feature extraction. However, since these modalities have vastly different data characteristics, the current analysis is usually performed using distinct analytical tools that are only suitable for a specific imaging modality. In this paper, we present a Distributional Independent Component Analysis (DICA) that represents a new approach that performs decomposition on the distribution level, providing a unified framework for extracting features across imaging modalities with different scales and representations.
  • Wu B, Pal S, Kang J, Guo Y. Rejoinder to discussions of "distributional independent component analysis for diverse neuroimaging modalities". Biometrics. 2021 Nov 15. doi: 10.1111/biom.13588. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34780668.
    Impact Statement: This paper provides results and comments to address the questions raised in the discussions of our recent publication entitled "Distributional independent component analysis for diverse neuroimaging modalities".
  • Aqil F, Munagala R, Agrawal AK, Jeyabalan J, Tyagi N, Rai SN, Gupta RC. Anthocyanidins Inhibit Growth and Chemosensitize Triple-Negative Breast Cancer via the NF-κB Signaling Pathway. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Dec 13;13(24):6248. doi: 10.3390/cancers13246248. PMID: 34944868; PMCID: PMC8699375.
    Impact Statement: Breast cancer is the most common female cancer diagnosed in the U.S. and the second most common cause of cancer death in women. Chemotherapeutics used to treat breast cancer often have side effects, which are sometimes life-threatening. Moreover, the tumors can develop resistance over time, making breast cancer treatment challenging. In this paper, we show that the oral administration of colored pigments isolated from bilberry/blueberry, called anthocyanidins (Anthos), significantly decrease tumor volume, inhibit the growth and metastasis of breast cancer, sensitize drug-resistant tumor cells, and exhibit a lower rate of lymph node and lung metastasis, compared to control. These mechanistic insights are expected to be valuable for clinical translation of berry Anthos, either alone or as adjuvant to chemotherapy, for the treatment of breast cancer patients.
  • Yusuf M, Pan J, Rai SN, Eldredge-Hindy H. Financial Toxicity in Women With Breast Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy: Final Results of a Prospective Observational Study. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2021 Dec 9:S1879-8500(21)00301-5. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2021.11.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34896597.
    Impact Statement: In this prospective study of women with BC receiving RT, distinct factors including surgery type were significantly associated with FT. FT was strongly correlated with health-related QoL. Increased characterization of the relationship between FT and health-related QoL for women with BC receiving RT and defining clinical predictors of FT may help guide future studies investigating optimal targeted interventions for patients with BC at high risk for FT.
  • Ferragut Cardoso AP, Banerjee M, Al-Eryani L, Sayed M, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Park JW, States JC. Temporal Modulation of Differential Alternative Splicing in HaCaT Human Keratinocyte Cell Line Chronically Exposed to Arsenic for up to 28 Wk. Environ Health Perspect. 2022 Jan;130(1):17011. doi: 10.1289/EHP9676. Epub 2022 Jan 24. PMID: 35072517; PMCID: PMC8785870.
    Impact Statement: The majority of human genes encode multiple protein isoforms. The isoforms are produced from mRNA isoforms edited from the primary transcripts by alternative splicing. This manuscript uses a model cell culture system to show that exposure to an inorganic arsenic compound that naturally contaminates drinking water in many parts of the world markedly disrupts the alternative splicing producing many errant mRNAs, and that the mRNA isoforms produced change over time with chronic exposure. One of the targets of the arsenic appears to be the splicing factor network itself.
  • Ghosh S, Banerjee M, Haribabu B, Jala VR. Urolithin A attenuates arsenic-induced gut barrier dysfunction. Arch Toxicol. 2022 Feb 5. doi: 10.1007/s00204-022-03232-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35122514.
    Impact Statement: Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic leads to an increase in both the onset and progression of several human diseases targeting multiple organs (liver, kidney, bladder, skin, intestines, and central nervous system), which is referred to as ‘arsenicosis’. Gut microbial Urolithin A is derived from ellagic acid and ellagitannins (major poly phenolic components in berries and pomegranate) by gut commensal bacteria. The current study reports the beneficial effects of Urolithin A against adverse effects of trivalent arsenic on human gut epithelia, where treatment with Urolithin A protected against arsenic-induced gut epithelial damage. These studies will pave a pathway for preventive and therapeutic applications to mitigate arsenic-elicited adverse health effects, which are currently unavailable.
  • Lorkiewicz P, Keith R, Lynch J, Jin L, Theis W, Krivokhizhina T, Riggs D, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S, Conklin DJ. Electronic Cigarette Solvents, JUUL E-Liquids, and Biomarkers of Exposure: In Vivo Evidence for Acrolein and Glycidol in E-Cig-Derived Aerosols. Chem Res Toxicol. 2022 Jan 19. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00328. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35044764.
    Impact Statement: In this study, we identify the formation of 2 toxicants, acrolein and glycidol, from the e-cigarette solvent vegetable glycerin. This finding may improve public health via use of a potential biomarker of e-cigarette use such that e-cigarette use can be quantified. Subsequently, the amount of e-cigarette use can be associated with biomarkers of harm including those that reflect cardiorespiratory injury. Overall, this finding may allow us to better predict health risks of chronic use of e-cigarettes.
  • Cave MC, Pinkston CM, Rai SN, Wahlang B, Pavuk M, Head KZ, Carswell GK, Nelson GM, Klinge CM, Bell DA, Birnbaum LS, Chorley BN. Circulating MicroRNAs, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Environmental Liver Disease in the Anniston Community Health Survey. Environ Health Perspect. 2022 Jan;130(1):17003. doi: 10.1289/EHP9467. Epub 2022 Jan 6. PMID: 34989596; PMCID: PMC8734566.
    Impact Statement: This environmental epidemiology study determined associations between PCB pollutant exposures and liver disease in residents living near a chemical plant.
  • Fan H, Li Y, Yuan F, Lu L, Liu J, Feng W, Zhang HG, Chen SY. Up-regulation of microRNA-34a mediates ethanol-induced impairment of neural crest cell migration in vitro and in zebrafish embryos through modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting Snail1. Toxicol Lett. 2022 Jan 14;358:17-26. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.01.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35038560.
    Impact Statement: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is among the most devastating consequences of the widespread use and abuse of alcohol in pregnant women. The prevalence of FASD in the United States and Western European countries is estimated to be as high as 1–5 per 100 children. The findings from this study elucidate a novel mechanism by which alcohol impairs neural crest cell migration through modulating microRNAs and epithelial-mesenchymal transition and suggests that miR- 34a may represent a novel therapeutic target for the development of approaches to ameliorate or prevent FASD.
  • Abouleisa RRE, Salama ABM, Ou Q, Tang XL, Solanki M, Guo Y, Nong Y, McNally L, Lorkiewicz PK, Kassem KM, Ahern BM, Choudhary K, Thomas R, Huang Y, Juhardeen HR, Siddique A, Ifthikar Z, Hammad SK, El-Baz AS, Ivey KN, Conklin DJ, Satin J, Hill BG, Srivastava D, Bolli R, Mohamed TMA. Transient Cell Cycle Induction in Cardiomyocytes to Treat Subacute Ischemic Heart Failure. Circulation. 2022 Jan 21. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057641. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35061545.
    Impact Statement: In this study, we gained mechanistic insights into the process of forced cardiomyocyte proliferation and advanced the clinical feasibility of this approach by minimizing the oncogenic potential of the cell cycle factors via use of a novel transient and cardiomyocyte-specific viral construct. These findings may lead to clinical interventions to repair the heart after acute heart attack and to delay or prevent progression to heart failure.
  • Zhao J, Gomes D, Jin L, Mathis SP, Li X, Rouchka EC, Bodduluri H, Conklin DJ, O'Toole TE. Polystyrene bead ingestion promotes adiposity and cardiometabolic disease in mice. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2022 Jan 27;232:113239. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113239. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35093814.
    Impact Statement: Modern society produces and uses huge amounts of plastics and a large percentage of these ultimately accumulate in water systems and landfills, where they eventually degrade into particles of smaller size. While emerging evidence has documented that these microplastics are abundant in water supplies and the food chain where their human consumption is inevitable, the health consequences of such consumption are not completely known. In this study, we supplied mice with drinking water containing different sizes and doses of polystyrene beads and found that they developed obesity and showed early signs of insulin resistance/diabetes. Thus, the consumption of microplastics may promote early cardiovascular disease.
  • Carlisle SM, Trainor PJ, Doll MA, Hein DW. Human Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) Knockout in MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cell Lines Leads to Transcription of NAT2. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 3;12:803254. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.803254. PMID: 35046826; PMCID: PMC8762260.
    Impact Statement: RNAseq was utilized to interrogate differential gene expression across three biological replicates of previously constructed and characterized MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines expressing parental, increased, decreased, or knockout levels of N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1). 3,889 genes were significantly associated with NAT1 N-acetylation activity; 1,756 were positively associated and 2,133 were negatively associated with enrichment of genes involved in cell adhesion.
  • Rayens MK, McGeeney T, Wiggins A, Bucher A, Ickes M, Huntington-Moskos L, Clark P, Hahn E. Smoke-free Ordinances and Youth Tobacco Use in Kentucky. Am J Health Promot. 2022 Jan 27:8901171211066913. doi: 10.1177/08901171211066913. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35081759.
    Impact Statement: Nearly half of U.S. youth are not protected by smoke-free laws. This study underscores the association between comprehensive laws and decreased likelihood for both cigarette and smokeless tobacco use among high school students in a state with high use rates overall.
  • Kotla NG, Singh R, Baby BV, Rasala S, Rasool J, Hynes SO, Martin D, Egan LJ, Vemula PK, Jala VR, Rochev Y, Pandit A. Inflammation-specific targeted carriers for local drug delivery to inflammatory bowel disease. Biomaterials. 2022 Feb;281:121364. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121364. Epub 2022 Jan 5. PMID: 35066288.
    Impact Statement: Delivering drugs directly to the inflamed intestinal sites to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, is highly challenging. In collaboration with Drs. Kotla, Yury Rochev and Abhay Pandit from CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland, we report the development of a strong anionic charged inflammation targeted nanocarriers (IT-NCs) loaded with an immunosuppressant model drug. The results suggest that IT-NCs have promising therapeutic potential as delivery carriers' in colitis management.
  • Speer RM, Meaza I, Toyoda JH, Lu Y, Xu Q, Walter RB, Kong M, Lu H, Kouokam JC, Wise JP Sr. Particulate hexavalent chromium alters microRNAs in human lung cells that target key carcinogenic pathways. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 28:115890. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.115890. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35101437.
    Impact Statement: microRNAs play a role in virtually all biological processes, and thus, it is essential to understand their role in human disease, in particular cancer. Our recent publication is at the forefront of understanding how hexavalent chromium-altered microRNAs contribute to environmental carcinogenesis and advances the fields of environmental toxicology, human health, and cancer research. This work provides cancer researchers valuable data to better understand pathways to target cancer treatments and risk assessors information to update safety standards to better protect public health.
  • Faulkner CS, White CM, Manatsathit W, Lamb B, Vatsalya V, McClain CJ, Jophlin LL. Positive blood phosphatidylethanol concentration is associated with unfavorable waitlist-related outcomes for patients medically appropriate for liver transplantation. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2022 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/acer.14786. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35102553.
    Impact Statement: Excessive alcohol use is a leading etiology of liver disease and indication for liver transplantation. This study explores the association of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) results with liver transplant waitlist-focused patient outcomes. This study reporting a comprehensive account of PEth utilization at a liver transplant center demonstrates that liver transplant waitlist-related outcomes associate with PEth test results.
  • Oh YJ, Dent MW, Freels AR, Zhou Q, Lebrilla CB, Merchant ML, Matoba N. Antitumor activity of a lectibody targeting cancer-associated high-mannose glycans. Mol Ther. 2022 Jan 22:S1525-0016(22)00030-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.01.030. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35077861.
    Impact Statement: Aberrant protein glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer, but few drugs targeting cancer glycobiomarkers are currently available. CIEHS members assisting the lab of Nobuyuki Matoba, Ph.D. (UL Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Brown Cancer Center) showed that a fusion protein termed a ‘lectibody’ comprised of the high-mannose glycan-binding lectin Avaren and human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) Fc (AvFc) selectively recognizes a range of cell lines derived from lung, breast, colon, and blood cancers at nanomolar concentrations. Proteomics studies identified specific AvFc interaction with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R). AvFc blocked EGFR and IGF1R signaling in cell culture models of cancer and induced potent Fc-mediated cytotoxic effects and significantly restricted A549 and H460 tumor growth in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. These findings provided evidence that increased abundance of high-mannose glycans in the glycocalyx of cancer cells can be a druggable target, and AvFc may provide a new tool to probe and target this tumor-associated glycobiomarker.
  • Sriwastva MK, Deng ZB, Wang B, Teng Y, Kumar A, Sundaram K, Mu J, Lei C, Dryden GW, Xu F, Zhang L, Yan J, Zhang X, Park JW, Merchant ML, Egilmez NK, Zhang HG. Exosome-like nanoparticles from Mulberry bark prevent DSS-induced colitis via the AhR/COPS8 pathway. EMBO Rep. 2022 Jan 7:e53365. doi: 10.15252/embr.202153365. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34994476.
    Impact Statement: Proof of concept research demonstrated that exosome-like nanoparticles (MBELNs) derived from edible mulberry bark conferred protection against colitis in a mouse model through promoting heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 8 (HSPA8)-mediated activation of the AhR signaling pathway and induction of COP9 Constitutive Photomorphogenic Homolog Subunit 8 (COPS8). The results suggest that MBELNs represent an undescribed mode of inter-kingdom communication in the mammalian intestine and edible plant-derived ELNs may hold the potential as new agents for the prevention and treatment of gut-related inflammatory disease.
  • Das S, Rai SN. Statistical methods for analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data. MethodsX.2021 Nov 17;8:101580. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2021.101580. PMID: 35004214; PMCID: PMC8720898.
    Impact Statement: Analyzing the Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data in presence of biological confounding factors including dropout events is a challenging task. In this article, we present a novel statistical approach for various analyses of the scRNA-seq Unique Molecular Identifier (UMI) counts data, including model-based fitting of observed UMI data, cell type detection, estimation of cell capture rates, estimation of gene specific model parameters, estimation of the sample mean, and sample variance of the genes.
  • Bhattacharyya A, Chakraborty T, Rai SN. Stochastic forecasting of COVID-19 daily new cases across countries with a novel hybrid time series model. Nonlinear Dyn. 2022 Jan 13:1-16. doi: 10.1007/s11071-021-07099-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35039713; PMCID: PMC8754528.
    Impact Statement: In this paper, we develop a hybrid forecasting model that can generate real-time out-of-sample forecasts of COVID-19 outbreaks for five profoundly affected countries, namely the USA, Brazil, India, the UK, and Canada. A novel hybrid approach based on the Theta method and autoregressive neural network (ARNN) model, named Theta-ARNN (TARNN) model. Daily new cases of COVID-19 are nonlinear, non-stationary, and volatile; thus, a single specific model cannot be ideal for future prediction of the pandemic. The proposed method outperforms traditional univariate and hybrid forecasting models for the test datasets on an average.
  • Riggs DW, Malovichko MV, Gao H, McGraw KE, Taylor BS, Krivokhizhina T, Rai SN, Keith RJ, Bhatnagar A, Srivastava S. Environmental exposure to volatile organic compounds is associated with endothelial injury. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 16;437:115877. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.115877. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35045333.
    Impact Statement: In this study, we hypothesized that ambient exposure to VOCs amplifies cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by depleting circulating angiogenic cells (CACs). We found that Low-level ambient exposure to VOCs is associated with CAC depletion, which could compromise endothelial repair and angiogenesis, and exacerbate CVD risk. 
  • Jin J, Wahlang B, Thapa M, Head KZ, Hardesty JE, Srivastava S, Merchant ML, Rai SN, Prough RA, Cave MC. Proteomics and metabolic phenotyping define principal roles for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in mouse liver. Acta Pharm Sin B. 2021 Dec;11(12):3806-3819. doi: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.10.014. Epub 2021 Oct 21. PMID: 35024308; PMCID: PMC8727924.
    Impact Statement: PCB pollutant exposures activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and are associated with liver disease. This study used genetic mouse models to determine the role of this receptor and PCBs acting through this receptor in liver disease.
  • Ritzenthaler JD, Torres-Gonzalez E, Zheng Y, Zelko IN, Van Berkel V, Nunley DR, Kidane B, Halayko AJ, Summer R, Watson WH, Roman J. The pro-fibrotic and senescence phenotype of old lung fibroblasts is reversed or ameliorated by genetic and pharmacological manipulation of Slc7a11 expression. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2022 Jan 5. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00593.2020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34984918.
    Impact Statement: Fibroblasts from the lungs of old mice have low expression of the transporter for the amino acid cystine and high expression of markers of senescence and genes associated with fibrosis. Restoration of the cystine transporter made the old cells look more like young cells. These findings point the way toward new therapies designed to counteract the disrepair responses typically seen in the aging lung.
  • Xiong L, Zhou B, Young JL, Xu J, Wintergerst K, Cai L. Effects of whole-life exposure to low-dose cadmium with post-weaning high-fat diet on offspring testes in a male mouse model. Chem Biol Interact. 2022 Feb 1;353:109797. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.109797. Epub 2022 Jan 5. PMID: 34998821.
    Impact Statement: Several studies have reported testicular impairments caused by cadmium (Cd) or obesity alone, therefore, this study examined the combined effect of Cd and obesity on the testes and its underlying mechanism remains unclear. demonstrated that exposure to Cd or HFD alone significantly disrupted testicular structure and increased germ cell apoptosis at both 10 and 24 weeks. However, co-exposure to Cd and HFD did not induce the toxic effects that were induced by either alone, which was associated with the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway. These unexpected results need to be further investigated in the future study.
  • Young JL, Cave MC, Xu Q, Kong M, Xu J, Lin Q, Tan Y, Cai L. Whole life exposure to low dose cadmium alters diet-induced NAFLD. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 1;436:115855. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115855. Epub 2022 Jan 3. PMID: 34990729; PMCID: PMC8796138.
    Impact Statement: This study is one of the first to investigate the impact of whole life cadmium exposure (in utero throughout adulthood) on the development high fat diet-induced Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD, taking into consideration that environmental exposures can be life-long, spanning multiple windows of susceptibility. Results confirm the multi-hit nature of NAFLD and highlight the urgent need to better understand the interaction of diet and environmental exposures, such as heavy metals, in driving disease severity and progression.
  • Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yuan J, Mo L, Zhang Q. Nickel nanoparticle-induced cell transformation: involvement of DNA damage and DNA repair defect through HIF-1α/miR-210/Rad52 pathway. J Nanobiotechnology. 2021 Nov 17;19(1):370. doi: 10.1186/s12951-021-01117-7. PMID: 34789290; PMCID: PMC8600818.
    Impact Statement: Nickel nanoparticles (Nano-Ni) are increasingly used in industry and biomedicine with the development of nanotechnology. However, the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of Nano-Ni and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This study unraveled the mechanisms underlying Nano-Ni-induced cell malignant transformation. The combined effects of Nano-Ni-induced DNA damage and DNA repair defects through HIF-1α/miR-210/Rad52 pathway probably contribute to Nano-Ni-induced genomic instability and ultimately cell transformation. Our findings will provide information to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms of Nano-Ni-induced genotoxicity and carcinogenicity.
  • Kumar A, Sundaram K, Mu J, Dryden GW, Sriwastva MK, Lei C, Zhang L, Qiu X, Xu F, Yan J, Zhang X, Park JW, Merchant ML, Bohler HCL, Wang B, Zhang S, Qin C, Xu Z, Han X, McClain CJ, Teng Y, Zhang HG. High-fat diet-induced upregulation of exosomal phosphatidylcholine contributes to insulin resistance. Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 11;12(1):213. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20500-w. PMID: 33431899; PMCID: PMC7801461.
  • Cohen JE, Krishnan-Sarin S, Eissenberg T, Gould TJ, Berman ML, Bhatnagar A, Barnett TE, Soule E, Popova L, Tan ASL, Blank MD, Ling PM, O'Connor R. Balancing Risks and Benefits of E-Cigarettes in the Real World. Am J Public Health. 2022 Feb;112(2):e1-e2. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2021.306607. PMID: 35080942; PMCID: PMC8802586.
    Impact Statement: This publication is a review of Balfour's article entitled "Balancing Consideration of the Risks and Benefits of E-Cigarettes". We challenge the public health and scientific community to move away from characterizing scientists as “opponents” or “supporters” of e-cigarettes.
  • Zhang H, Wang Y, Men H, Zhou W, Zhou S, Liu Q, Cai L. CARD9 Regulation and its Role in Cardiovascular Diseases. Int J Biol Sci. 2022 Jan 1;18(3):970-982. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.65979. PMID: 35173530; PMCID: PMC8771857.
    Impact Statement: CARD9 is an adaptor protein expressed on myeloid cells and located downstream of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which transduces signals involved in innate immunity, has been extensively investigated in various fungal diseases. However, this review summarized the information for its regulating role in activating p38 MAPK, NF-κB, and NLRP3 inflammasome in various CVDs via promoting the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, leading to cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
  • Sundaram K, Mu J, Kumar A, Behera J, Lei C, Sriwastva MK, Xu F, Dryden GW, Zhang L, Chen S, Yan J, Zhang X, Park JW, Merchant ML, Tyagi N, Teng Y, Zhang HG. Garlic exosome-like nanoparticles reverse high-fat diet induced obesity via the gut/brain axis. Theranostics. 2022 Jan 1;12(3):1220-1246. doi: 10.7150/thno.65427. PMID: 35154484; PMCID: PMC8771565.
    Impact Statement: Obesity is a global epidemic and reversing obesity induced chronic inflammation including brain inflammation is a hallmark of obesity via the gut-brain axis. This study demonstrated that garlic exosome-like nanoparticles (GaELNs) that inhibit systemic as well as brain inflammatory activity and reverse a HFD induced obesity in mice. These results demonstrate how nanoparticles from a healthy diet can inhibit unhealthy high-fat diet induced brain inflammation and reveal a link between brain microglia/diet to brain inflammatory disease outcomes via diet-derived exosome-like nanoparticles.
  • Salazar-González RA, Doll MA, Hein DW. Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 1 Activity is Regulated by the Protein Acetylation Status. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 27;13:797469. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.797469. PMID: 35153780; PMCID: PMC8828969. 
    Impact Statement: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) and Sirtuins (SIRT) may have an important role on the N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) acetylation status, affecting its catalytic capacity and having an impact on the downstream functions of this protein. We investigated the contribution of Lysine deacetylases (KDAC) in the catalytic activity of NAT1 using two different breast cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-231 (ER-, PR-, HER2-) and ZR-75-1 (ER+, PR+, HER2+) and tested the ability of Sirtuin and HDAC inhibitors to impact the transcription, translation and function of NAT1. We transiently knocked down (KD) Sirtuin 1/2 and evaluated the role of these specific proteins in the same experimental outcomes. The results show that the acetylation status of NAT1 is an important factor that might have a relevant role in the progression of cancer.
  • Doll MA, Ray AR, Salazar-González RA, Shah PP, Vega AA, Sears SM, Krueger AM, Hong KU, Beverly LJ, Hein DW. Deletion of arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells reduces primary and secondary tumor growth in vivo with no significant effects on metastasis. Mol Carcinog. 2022 Feb 8. doi: 10.1002/mc.23392. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35133049.
    Impact Statement: Previous studies showed that inhibition or depletion of N-acetyltransferase (NAT1) in human breast cancer cells diminishes anchorage-independent growth in culture, suggesting that NAT1 contributes to breast cancer growth and metastasis. Metastasis of parental and NAT1 knockout (KO) cells was investigated in vivo in a mouse xenograft model. NAT1 KO MDA-MB-231 cells produced primary tumors smaller than those formed by parental cells, which was contributed by an increased rate of apoptosis in KO cells. The frequency of lung metastasis, however, was not altered in NAT1 KO cells suggesting that NAT1 contributes to primary and secondary tumor growth in vivo in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells but does not appear to affect its metastatic potential.
  • Nathala P, Salunkhe V, Samanapally H, Xu Q, Furmanek S, Fahmy OH, Deepti F, Glynn A, McGuffin T, Goldsmith DC, Petrey J, Ali T, Titus D, Carrico R, Ramirez J, Antimisiaris D, Clifford SP, Pahwa S, Roser L, Kong M, Huang J; Center of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases (CERID) Coronavirus Study Group on behalf of the COVID-19 Cardiovascular Research Group (COVID-CVRG). Electrocardiographic Features and Outcome: Correlations in 124 Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Events. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2022 Jan 13:S1053-0770(22)00042-8. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2022.01.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35165040; PMCID: PMC8757653.
    Impact Statement: In hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and cardiovascular events, electrocardiogram at various stages of COVID-19 hospitalization showed significantly different features with dissimilar clinical outcome correlations.
  • Xu Q, Liu Y, Cepulis D, Jerde A, Sheppard RA, Reichle W, Scott L, Oppy L, Stevenson G, Bishop S, Clifford SP, Liu P, Kong M, Huang J. Hand Hygiene Behaviours Monitored by an Electronic System in the Intensive Care Unit - A Prospective Observational Study. J Hosp Infect. 2022 Feb 2:S0195-6701(22)00032-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.01.017. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35122887.
    Impact Statement: Patterns of healthcare workers’ hand hygiene behaviors are complex and variable, which could facilitate targeted and personalized interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance.
  • Zhang G, Kang Y, Cathey D, LeBlanc AJ, Cai J, Cai L, Wang S, Huang J, Keller BB. Sulforaphane Does Not Protect Right Ventricular Systolic and Diastolic Functions in Nrf2 Knockout Pulmonary Artery Hypertension Mice. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2022 Feb 14. doi: 10.1007/s10557-022-07323-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35157168.
    Impact Statement: Nrf2 is essential in sulforaphane-mediated prevention of right ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. Increasing Nrf2 activity in patients by supplements or intakes of vegetables may have therapeutic potential for pulmonary hypertension.
  • Tracy EP, Steilberg V, Rowe G, Benson D, Nunes SS, Hoying J, Murfee WL, LeBlanc AJ. State of the field: cellular and exosomal therapeutic approaches in vascular regeneration. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2022 Feb 18. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00674.2021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35179976.
    Impact Statement: This is a comprehensive review that gives the most recent update on cellular and exosomal therapeutic approaches in treating vascular and microvascular dysfunction. Relevant and recent clinical and animal studies utilizing cellular therapies to restore vascular function are highlighted throughout the text, and the figures and tables provided in the review are particularly helpful visual representations and also an excellent reference guide.
  • Cummins TD, Korte EA, Bhayana S, Merchant ML, Barati MT, Smoyer WE, Klein JB. Advances in proteomic profiling of pediatric kidney diseases. Pediatr Nephrol. 2022 Feb 26. doi: 10.1007/s00467-022-05497-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35220505.
    Impact Statement: Early detection of adult and pediatric CKD and detailed mechanistic understandings of the kidney damage may be helpful in delaying or curtailing disease progression. Clinically, serum creatinine and albumin levels can be indicative of CKD, but often are a lagging indicator only significantly affected once kidney function has severely diminished. The evolution of proteomics and mass spectrometry technologies has begun to provide a powerful research tool in defining these mechanisms and identifying novel biomarkers of CKD. This review addresses the potential for improving the clinical toolkit toward better treatment of pediatric kidney diseases aided by current and future development of proteomic applications.
  • Kumar A, Sundaram K, Teng Y, Mu J, Sriwastva MK, Zhang L, Hood JL, Yan J, Zhang X, Park JW, Merchant ML, Zhang HG. Ginger nanoparticles mediated induction of Foxa2 prevents high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance. Theranostics. 2022 Jan 1;12(3):1388-1403. doi: 10.7150/thno.62514. PMID: 35154496; PMCID: PMC8771553.
    Impact Statement: High-fat diets (HFD) are known to increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. While diet manipulation is a foundation of prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes, the molecular mechanisms mediating diet-based prevention of insulin resistance remain open. Here, we report that treatment with orally administered ginger-derived nanoparticles (GDNP) prevents insulin resistance by restoring homeostasis in gut epithelial Foxa2 mediated signaling in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD).
  • Smith HAB, Besunder JB, Betters KA, Johnson PN, Srinivasan V, Stormorken A, Farrington E, Golianu B, Godshall AJ, Acinelli L, Almgren C, Bailey CH, Boyd JM, Cisco MJ, Damian M, deAlmeida ML, Fehr J, Fenton KE, Gilliland F, Grant MJC, Howell J, Ruggles CA, Simone S, Su F, Sullivan JE, Tegtmeyer K, Traube C, Williams S, Berkenbosch JW. 2022 Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines on Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation, Neuromuscular Blockade, and Delirium in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients With Consideration of the ICU Environment and Early Mobility. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2022 Feb 1;23(2):e74-e110. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000002873. PMID: 35119438.
    Impact Statement: The Society of Critical Care Medicine Practice guidelines for managing pediatric patients who require pain relief, sedation and other medications provides guidance to keep the patients comfortable and safe. These guidelines provide comprehensive clinical practice guidance for those caring for critically ill infants and children with one of the goals being to prevent adverse and long term effects from these medications.
  • Coleman CJ, Yeager RA, Pond ZA, Riggs DW, Bhatnagar A, Arden Pope C 3rd. Mortality risk associated with greenness, air pollution, and physical activity in a representative U.S. cohort. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Feb 14;824:153848. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153848. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35176374.
    Impact Statement: This study found that physical inactivity and exposure to air pollution were highly associated with mortality risk and that risk was especially lower among highly active individuals in areas with higher greenness. This study contributes evidence that greener environments are associated with lower risk of mortality and may help ameliorate the effects of exposure to air pollution, especially among highly active individuals.
  • Wang X, Chen X, Zhou W, Men H, Bao T, Sun Y, Wang Q, Tan Y, Keller BB, Tong Q, Zheng Y, Cai L. Ferroptosis is essential for diabetic cardiomyopathy and is prevented by sulforaphane via AMPK/NRF2 pathways. Acta Pharm Sin B. 2022 Feb;12(2):708-722. doi: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.10.005. Epub 2021 Oct 15. PMID: 35256941; PMCID: PMC8897044.
    Impact Statement: The role of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) was comprehensively examined by examining the expression of key regulators of ferroptosis in type 2 diabetic mice with cardiomyopathy and a new ex vivo DCM model. Diabetes or AGEs was found to induce ferroptosis, reflected through increased levels of Ptgs2 and lipid peroxides and decreased ferritin and SLC7A11 levels and typically morphological changes in cardiomyocytes, and inhibition of ferroptosis with ferrostatin-1 and deferoxamine, as well as Nrf2 activator, sulforaphane, prevented cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. These findings suggest that ferroptosis plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of DCM; sulforaphane prevents ferroptosis and associated pathogenesis via AMPK-mediated NRF2 activation.
  • Wise JTF, Salazar-González RA, Habil MR, Doll MA, Hein DW. Expression of arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 activity in immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Mar 27;442:115993. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.115993. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35353990.
    Impact Statement: A recent meta-analysis reported N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) slow and intermediate phenotypes had a significantly increased risk of lung cancer. NAT2 activity in humans is thought to be restricted to liver and gastrointestinal tract, and no studies to our knowledge have reported the expression of NAT2 activity in immortalized human lung epithelial cells. Given the importance of NAT2 in cancer and inhalation of various carcinogens directly into the lungs, we investigated NAT2 activity and documented that it is expressed and functional in human lung epithelial cells.
  • Hein DW, Doll MA, Habil MR. Human N-Acetyltransferase 1 and 2 Differ in Affinity Towards Acetyl-Coenzyme A Cofactor and N-Hydroxy-Arylamine Carcinogens. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 25;13:821133. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.821133. PMID: 35281898; PMCID: PMC8914035.
    Impact Statement: Following recombinant expression in bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells, we report significant differences in affinity between human N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) and N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) for its required co-factor acetyl coenzyme A, as well as for N-hydroxy-arylamines activated via O-acetylation. The findings provide important information to understand the relative contribution of human NAT1 vs NAT2 towards N-acetylation and O-acetylation reactions in human hepatic and extrahepatic tissues.
  • Doll MA, Hein DW. 560G>A (rs4986782) (R187Q) Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 1 Increases Affinity for the Aromatic Amine Carcinogens 4-Aminobiphenyl and N-Hydroxy-4-Aminobiphenyl: Implications for Cancer Risk Assessment. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 22;13:820082. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.820082. PMID: 35273499; PMCID: PMC8902414.
    Impact Statement: Human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) catalyzes the N-acetylation of arylamine carcinogens such as 4-aminobiphenyl (ABP), and following N-hydroxylation, the O-acetylation of N-hydroxy-arylamine carcinogens such as N-hydroxy-ABP (N-OH-ABP). The effects of individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NAT1 coding exon on Michaelis-Menten kinetic constants was assessed for ABP N-acetyltransferase and N-OH-ABP O-acetyltransferase activity following transfection of human NAT1 into COS-1 cells. 560G>A (rs4986782) (R187Q) significantly reduced the apparent Km for ABP and N-OH-ABP a finding that was not observed with any of the other NAT1 SNPs tested. These findings suggest that the role of the 560G>A (rs4986782) (R187Q) SNP cancer risk assessment may be modified by exposure level to aromatic amine carcinogens such as ABP.
  • Latif RK, Clifford SP, Ghafghazi S, Phipps Z, Chen JJ, Sangroula D, Khan AZ, Saleem J, Farah I, Huang J, Businger JR. Echocardiography and Management for Cardiac Trauma. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2022 Feb 12:S1053-0770(22)00120-3. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2022.02.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35305892.
    Impact Statement: This review article aims to analyze the pathophysiology of cardiac injuries in patients with trauma and the role of echocardiography for the accurate diagnosis of cardiac injury in trauma. This review, additionally, will offer a patient-centered, team-based, early management plan with a treatment algorithm to help improve the quality of care among these patients with cardiac trauma.
  • Lu L, Che J, Cheng W, Dong R, Huang J, Yang Z, Lu J. A Retrospective Study of the Relationship Between Blood Transfusion and 30-Day Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Isolated Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting. Braz J Cardiovasc Surg. 2022 Mar 3. doi: 10.21470/1678-9741-2021-0031. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35244374.
    Impact Statement: Perioperative blood transfusion increases the risks of postoperative pulmonary infection and short-term mortality in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting patients.
  • Fulghum KL, Audam TN, Lorkiewicz PK, Zheng Y, Merchant M, Cummins TD, Dean WL, Cassel TA, Fan TWM, Hill BG. In vivo deep network tracing reveals phosphofructokinase-mediated coordination of biosynthetic pathway activity in the myocardium. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2022 Jan;162:32-42. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2021.08.013. Epub 2021 Sep 3. PMID: 34487754; PMCID: PMC8766935.
    Impact Statement: This study tested how phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK1) activity controls the fate of glucose-derived carbon in murine hearts in vivo. PFK1 activity was regulated by cardiac-specific overexpression of kinase- or phosphatase-deficient 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase transgenes in mice (termed GlycoLo or GlycoHi mice, respectively). Stable isotope (C13) labeled glucose and deep network metabolic tracing revealed that low rates of PFK1 activity, potentially regulated by physical channeling, promoted selective routing of glucose-derived carbon to the purine synthesis pathway to form 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide. Additionally, PFK1 influenced glucose-derived carbon deposition in glycogen, but did not affect hexosamine biosynthetic pathway activity. These studies demonstrate the utility of deep network tracing to identify metabolic channeling and changes in biosynthetic pathway activity in the heart in vivo and present new potential mechanisms by which metabolic branch point reactions modulate biosynthetic pathways.
  • Dongfeng Wu, Shesh N. Rai and Albert Seow. Estimation of preclinical state onset age and sojourn time for heavy smokers in lung cancer. Statistics and Its Interface. 15 (3), 2022. Published Feb 14, 2022.
    Impact Statement: Using the pre-existing large data, we have devolved model to predict onset of early- stage of lung cancer in heavy smokers. The mean age (in years) to make the transition into the preclinical state was 70.94 or 71.15 for male and female heavy smokers respectively. About 90% of heavy smokers who are at risk for lung cancer would enter the preclinical state in age interval (55.7, 85.8) for males and (54.2, 87.7) for females, and the transition peaked around age 69 for both genders. Based on the result, low-dose CT should be started at age 55 and ended before 85 for heavy smokers. This provided important information to policy makers.
  • Jessica Sparks, Xiaoyong Wu, Mika Kessans Knable, Shesh N. Rai, Vivek Sharma. Predictors of thrombosis in patients treated with bevacizumab. Thrombosis Update. 6, 2022 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tru.2021.100095). Published March, 2022.
    Impact Statement: We study the predictors of thrombosis in cancer patients treated with bevacizumab using a single center comprehensive retrospective cohort. The thrombotic events occurred in 24/116 (20.7%) of the hypertension cohort compared to 8/87 (9.2%) of the normotensive patients (p = 0.026) and in 15/52 (28.8%) of hyperlipidemic patients vs 17/151 (11.3%) of those with normal lipids (p = 0.003). The Khorana score was not a significant predictor in this population. In further analyzing our data, we found increasing thrombotic events with each addition of the most telling predictors of thromboses in our population: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and greater than trace proteinuria, such that patients with all three risk factors present vs none had an odds ratio of 6.786 (p = 0.004). Incorporating these three risk factors into a clinical risk score may help stratify patients into lower and higher risk categories which may assist clinicians in making decisions about the use of prophylactic anticoagulation in this population.
  • States JC, Peters JM. 2020-2021 Toxicological Sciences Paper of the Year. Toxicol Sci. 2022 Mar 28;186(2):177-178. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfac020. PMID: 35348797.
    This editorial announced the SOT Paper of the Year.
  • Xiong L, Bin Zhou, Young JL, Wintergerst K, Cai L. Exposure to low-dose cadmium induces testicular ferroptosis. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2022 Mar 7;234:113373. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113373. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35272187.
    Impact Statement: As an environmental pollutant, cadmium (Cd) has been widely reported to induce male infertility due to its gonadotoxicity. This study found for the first time that exposure to 5 ppm Cd significantly decreased the expression of SLC7A11, a marker of ferroptosis in mice, along with the expression of SLC40A1 mRNA and ferritin heavy chain (FTH) protein, whereas there was no obvious change in the mRNA expression of Tfrc, ZIP8, ZIP14, and NCOA4, suggesting that 5 ppm Cd exposure increased testicular ferroptosis, probably due to the reduction of stored iron export potency.
  • Dwenger MM, Raph SM, Reyzer ML, Lisa Manier M, Riggs DW, Wohl ZB, Ohanyan V, Mack G, Pucci T, Moore JB 4th, Hill BG, Chilian WM, Caprioli RM, Bhatnagar A, Nystoriak MA. Pyridine nucleotide redox potential in coronary smooth muscle couples myocardial blood flow to cardiac metabolism. Nat Commun. 2022 Apr 19;13(1):2051. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29745-z. PMID: 35440632; PMCID: PMC9018695.
    Impact Statement: This study shows that coronary dilation to increase myocardial blood flow during increased contractile demand is controlled by voltage-gated potassium channel. This metabolic sensitivity of the potassium channel is due to the ancillary subunits that bind to pyridine nucleotides to alter the gating characteristics of the channel.
  • Wang K, Sun S, Zhang G, Lu Z, Chen H, Fan X, Gu C, Pan X, Lin Q, Chen O, Cai L, Dai X, Wang X, Lu C, Yan X, Tan Y. CXCR7 Agonist TC14012 Improves Angiogenic Function of Endothelial Progenitor Cells via Activating Akt/eNOS Pathway and Promotes Ischemic Angiogenesis in Diabetic Limb Ischemia. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2022 Apr 26. doi: 10.1007/s10557-022-07337-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35471717.
    Impact Statement: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a critical role in repairing damaged vessels and triggering ischemic angiogenesis, but their number is reduced, and function is impaired under diabetic conditions. Improving EPC function has been considered a promising strategy to ameliorate diabetic vascular complications. In the present study, we showed that CXCR7 agonist TC14012 can prevent EPCs from high level of glucose-induced dysfunction and apoptosis, improve eNOS activity and NO production via CXCR7/Akt signal pathway, and promote EPC mobilization and diabetic ischemia angiogenesis.
  • Lustig RH, Collier D, Kassotis C, Roepke TA, Ji Kim M, Blanc E, Barouki R, Bansal A, Cave MC, Chatterjee S, Choudhury M, Gilbertson M, Lagadic-Gossmann D, Howard S, Lind L, Tomlinson CR, Vondracek J, Heindel JJ. Obesity I: Overview and molecular and biochemical mechanisms. Biochem Pharmacol. 2022 May;199:115012. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115012. Epub 2022 Apr 5. PMID: 35393120; PMCID: PMC9050949.
    Impact Statement: The review article examines the molecular mechanisms contributing to obesity that may be impacted by environmental chemicals.
  • Heindel JJ, Howard S, Agay-Shay K, Arrebola JP, Audouze K, Babin PJ, Barouki R, Bansal A, Blanc E, Cave MC, Chatterjee S, Chevalier N, Choudhury M, Collier D, Connolly L, Coumoul X, Garruti G, Gilbertson M, Hoepner LA, Holloway AC, Howell G 3rd, Kassotis CD, Kay MK, Ji Kim M, Lagadic-Gossmann D, Langouet S, Legrand A, Li Z, Le Mentec H, Lind L, Monica Lind P, Lustig RH, Martin-Chouly C, Munic Kos V, Podechard N, Roepke TA, Sargis RM, Starling A, Tomlinson CR, Touma C, Vondracek J, Vom Saal F, Blumberg B. Obesity II: Establishing causal links between chemical exposures and obesity. Biochem Pharmacol. 2022 May;199:115015. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115015. Epub 2022 Apr 5. PMID: 35395240.
    Impact Statement: This review article examines the evidence that environmental chemicals have contributed to obesity.
  • Polivka BJ, Huntington-Moskos L, Folz R, Barnett R. CE: Environments & Health: Chemicals in the Home That Can Exacerbate Asthma. Am J Nurs. 2022 May 1;122(5):34-39. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000829776.73698.e0. PMID: 35394947.
    Impact Statement: The authors describe how the use of cleaning and disinfectant products may affect asthma and asthma-related symptoms and report the findings of a recent study they conducted that identified how these products could reduce asthma control in older adults.
  • Eldeirawi KM, Nyenhuis SM, Huntington-Moskos L, Polivka BJ. COVID-19 Related Anxiety Is Associated with Uncontrolled Asthma in Adults. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2022 Apr 22:S1081-1206(22)00308-8. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2022.04.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35470038; PMCID: PMC9033292.
    Impact statement: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected people with chronic diseases, including asthma; these impacts were both physically and psychologically. Our findings underscore the need for health care providers to assess for the ongoing psychological impact of the pandemic and refer to mental health specialists.
  • Hodges NA, Lampejo AO, Shang H, Rowe G, LeBlanc AJ, Katz AJ, Murfee WL. Viewing Stromal Vascular Fraction de novo Vessel Formation and Association with Host Microvasculature Using the Rat Mesentery Culture Model. Microcirculation. 2022 Apr 25:e12758. doi: 10.1111/micc.12758. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35466504.
    Impact Statement: This study describes the use of the rat mesentery culture model as a novel tool to investigate cell therapy transplantation. Additionally, this model allows us to visualize many different cell types that are involved in microvascular growth over time using time-lapse microscopy.
  • Shiri F, Feng H, Petersen KE, Sant H, Bardi GT, Schroeder LA, Merchant ML, Gale BK, Hood JL. Separation of U87 glioblastoma cell-derived small and medium extracellular vesicles using elasto-inertial flow focusing (a spiral channel). Sci Rep. 2022 Apr 12;12(1):6146. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-10129-8. PMID: 35414673; PMCID: PMC9005724.
    Impact Statement: Developing advanced methods to isolate nanoscale and microscale cell-derived extracellular vesicle (EV) types and subtypes are of significant interest to the EV research community in general given their functional, diagnostic and therapeutic potential. The elasto-inertial focusing system developed in the manuscript is a novel compact microfluidic device that mechanistically works like gold standard differential ultracentrifugation for EV isolation. Because of its compact size, it can potentially be integrated with other microfluidic lab-on-a-chip and similar technologies to enable scalable, continuous separation of small microliter to milliliter volume limited samples upstream or downstream on EV chip-based detection and capture devices.
  • Lin Q, Chen O, Wise JP Jr, Shi H, Wintergerst KA, Cai L, Tan Y. FGF1ΔHBS delays the progression of diabetic nephropathy in late-stage type 2 diabetes mouse model by alleviating renal inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2022 Apr 18;1868(8):166414. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166414. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35447340.
    Impact Statement: Elderly adults are at higher risk for developing diabetic complications including diabetic nephropathy (DN), contributing to excess morbidity and mortality in elderly individuals. A non-mitogenic variant of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1ΔHBS) was found to prevent DN in an early-stage (2-month-old) type 2 diabetes (T2D) mouse model. The present study demonstrated that FGF1ΔHBS was also able to delay the progression of renal dysfunction likely through activating PPARα to prevent renal tubule cell death in late-stage T2D, exhibiting a promising translational potential in treating DN in elderly T2D individuals by ameliorating renal inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis.
  • Faleye TOC, Driver EM, Bowes DA, Holm RH, Talley D, Yeager R, Bhatnagar A, Smith T, Varsani A, Halden RU, Scotch M. Detection of Human, Porcine and Canine Picornaviruses in Municipal Sewage Sludge Using Pan-Enterovirus Amplicon-based Long-read Illumina Sequencing. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2022 Apr 27:1-25. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2071173. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35475464.
    Impact Statement: The findings of this paper show that sludge from different stages wastewater treatment can be used for surveillance of viruses from humans and other animals. These results could be applied to improve population coverage and cost-effectiveness of largescale wastewater surveillance for viral disease outbreaks.
  • Zhang Y, Mo Y, Yuan J, Zhang Y, Mo L, Zhang Q. MMP-3 activation is involved in copper oxide nanoparticle-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human lung epithelial cells. Nanotoxicology. 2021 Dec;15(10):1380-1402. doi: 10.1080/17435390.2022.2030822. Epub 2022 Feb 2. PMID: 35108494.
    Impact Statement: Copper oxide nanoparticles (Nano-CuO) are widely used in medical and industrial fields and our daily necessities. However, the biosafety assessment of Nano-CuO is far behind their rapid development. Our study demonstrated that Nano-CuO exposure caused mitochondrial ROS generation, MAPKs activation, and MMP-3 upregulation. Nano-CuO exposure also caused cells to undergo EMT, which was through Nano-CuO-induced dysregulation of ROS/MAPKs/MMP-3 pathway. Our findings will provide further understanding of the potential mechanisms involved in metal nanoparticle-induced various toxic effects including EMT and pulmonary fibrosis.
  • Nail AN, McCaffrey LM, Banerjee M, Ferragut Cardoso AP, States JC. Chronic arsenic exposure suppresses ATM pathway activation in human keratinocytes. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Jul 1;446:116042. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116042. Epub 2022 May 2. PMID: 35513056.
    Impact Statement: Our research sheds direct light on the most accepted explanation for the mode of action of arsenic carcinogenicity in arsenic’s major target organ, skin. Arsenic is known to induce DNA breaks without directly interacting with DNA. We have discovered that a major signaling protein for DNA break repair, ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM), has reduced activation in human keratinocytes chronically exposed to inorganic arsenic. ATM plays an important role in DNA repair by activating enzymes that can fix DNA strand breaks in cells, preventing the accumulation of mutations in cells and carcinogenesis. Thus, it could be hypothesized that arsenic-induced tumors may be more sensitive to certain cancer treatments that induce DNA damage or inhibit DNA repair, such as radiotherapy or PARP inhibitors, respectively. Based on these findings, additional studies are needed determine whether arsenic-induced tumors are sensitive to specific chemotherapeutic regimens. Results from these future studies could be used to design new strategies to treat arsenic-induced cancers.
  • Berlowitz JB, Xie W, Harlow AF, Hamburg NM, Blaha MJ,  Bhatnagar A, Benjamin EJ, Stokes AC. E-Cigarette Use and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis of the PATH Study (2013-2019). Circulation. 2022 May 17;145(20):1557-1559. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057369. Epub 2022 May 6. PMID: 35514292.
    Impact Statement: Despite increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), the long-term health effects of habitual e-cigarette use remain unclear. Our results suggest that combining smoking with e-cigarette use does not reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and that quitting both products is required to ensure a mitigation of risk.
  • Gibson JM, Chu T, Zeng W, Wethall AC, Kong M, Mellen N, Devlin Phinney LA, Cai J. Perinatal methadone exposure attenuates myelination and induces oligodendrocyte apoptosis in neonatal rat brain. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2022 Apr 27:15353702221090457. doi: 10.1177/15353702221090457. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35475383.
    Impact statement:  Methadone (MTD) is a common medication treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy. In this study, pregnant rats were administrated a dosing approximately equivalent to the OUD treatment and the effects of passive in utero and postnatal MTD exposure on myelin development was investigated in neonatal rat brain. The findings reveal the potential mechanism(s) underlying the association between myelin impairment and antenatal opioid exposure. Our study alongside others concerns for fetal brain development when using MTD to manage the OUD during pregnancy. Improved understanding of the effects of opioid exposure will allow us to design treatments for OUD during pregnancy that minimize effects on the fetal brain or target postnatal treatment to mitigate the effects of antenatal opioid exposure.
  • Halder S, Xie Z, Nantz MH, Fu XA. Integration of a micropreconcentrator with solid-phase microextraction for analysis of trace volatile organic compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A. 2022 Apr 22;1673:463083. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463083. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35508097.
    Impact statement:  This paper reports a simple method of integrating microfabricated preconcentrators with commercial SPME fibers in a two-stage concentration processes to achieve rapid and reliable measurement of trace VOCs in environmental air by GC–MS. This approach has been demonstrated for measurements of toxic VOCs including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (BTEX) and trichloroethene (TCE).
  • Monreal G, Koenig SC, Slaughter MS, Morello GF, Prina SR, Tompkins LH,  Huang J, Gellman BN, Dasse KA. Feasibility testing of the Inspired Therapeutics NeoMate mechanical circulatory support system for neonates and infants. PLoS One. 2022 May 11;17(5):e0266822. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266822. PMID: 35544516; PMCID: PMC9094552.
    Impact statement: In this article, we present the development of the prototype Inspired Therapeutics NeoMate System for pediatric left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support, and feasibility testing in static mock flow loops (H-Q curves), dynamic mock flow loops (hemodynamics), and in an acute healthy ovine model (hemodynamics and clinical applicability).
  • Sagaram M, Parthasarathy R, Condon SL, Closson CF, Kong M, Schwandt ML, Jophlin LL, Feng W, Barve AJ, Vatsalya V. Theragnostic Efficacy of K18 Response in Alcohol Use Disorder with Clinically Significant Fibrosis Using Gut-Liver Axis. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May 23;23(10):5852. doi: 10.3390/ijms23105852. PMID: 35628661; PMCID: PMC9143806.
    Impact Statement: Fibrosis in early-stage alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is commonly under-diagnosed in routine clinical practice. This study characterized the liver-injury and cell death response in alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients with ALD who also exhibited fibrosis and assessed the efficacy of standard of care (SOC) treatment in the improvement in liver injury.
  • Teng Y, Mu J, Xu F, Zhang X, Sriwastva MK, Liu QM, Li X, Lei C, Sundaram K, Hu X, Zhang L, Park JW, Hwang JY, Rouchka EC, Zhang X, Yan J, Merchant ML, Zhang HG. Gut bacterial isoamylamine promotes age-related cognitive dysfunction by promoting microglial cell death. Cell Host Microbe. 2022 May 25:S1931-3128(22)00265-7. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.05.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35654045.
    Impact Statement: The gut microbiome has recently revealed itself to be a major player in human health and disease. Here, Drs. Huang-Ge Zhang and collaborators including CIEHS members Michael Merchant and Jun Won Park, show that a small metabolite, isoamylamine (IAA) produce by the bacteria Ruminococcaceae is enriched in aged mice and elderly people. Interestingly a bacteriophage belonging to the Myoviridae family that infects Ruminococcaceae are reduced in these settings. IAA induced cognitive declines in young mice is reversed by Myoviridae phage administration. IAA promoted apoptosis of microglial cells through a p53 dependent mechanism. Our results linked microbiome metabolites to direct transcriptional co-regulation of genomic DNA. These findings suggest a molecular mechanism connecting gut metabolism to gene expression in the brain with implications for disease development.
  • Bhattacharyya A, Pal S, Mitra R,  Rai S. Applications of Bayesian shrinkage prior models in clinical research with categorical responses. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2022 Apr 28;22(1):126. doi: 10.1186/s12874-022-01560-6. PMID: 35484507; PMCID: PMC9046716.
    Impact Statement: Developing accurate prediction method benefits personalized medicine, involving patient’s demographic, history, and gene signatures. Bayesian shrinkage models have emerged as popular and flexible methods of variable selection in regression settings. This work discusses variable selection and illustrates its application to multiple clinical studies, such as Pima Indians Diabetes, Colon cancer, ADNI, and OASIS Alzheimer’s data sets. Informative priors can be used for robust and efficient prediction with accuracy of 91.6% (95% CI: 88.5, 94.7). The proposed method is robust to conduct both variable selection and prediction.
  • Miller HA, Rai SN, Yin X, Zhang X, Chesney JA, van Berkel VH, Frieboes HB. Lung cancer metabolomic data from tumor core biopsies enables risk-score calculation for progression-free and overall survival. Metabolomics. 2022 May 14;18(5):31. doi: 10.1007/s11306-022-01891-x. PMID: 35567637.
    Impact Statement:  Metabolomics has emerged as a powerful method to provide insight into cancer progression, including separating patients into low- and high-risk groups for overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). This proof-of-concept study evaluates metabolites as biomarkers obtained directly from tumor core biopsies along with covariates age, sex, pathological stage at diagnosis (I/II vs. III/VI), histological subtype, and treatment vs. no treatment. A prediction model is developed to stratify patients into low- and high-risk groups based on log-transformed intensities of key metabolites. Risk scores based on 10 metabolites for OS and 5 metabolites for PFS were significant predictors of survival. Risk scores were validated with SPLS-DA classification model (AUROC 0.868 for OS and AUROC 0.755 for PFS, when combined with covariates. Thus, metabolomic analysis of lung tumor core biopsies has the potential to differentiate patients into low- and high-risk groups based on OS and PFS events and probability.
  • King KM, McKay T, Thrasher BJ, Wintergerst KA. Maximal Oxygen Uptake, VO2 Max, Testing Effect on Blood Glucose Level in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 3;19(9):5543. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19095543. PMID: 35564936; PMCID: PMC9102981.
    Impact Statement: Individuals with type 1 diabetes face many challenges when participating in sporting activities and general exercise. This publication offers some glucose control guidance for athletes participating in maximal aerobic exercise. In addition to benefiting individuals with T1D, this article may also be beneficial to coaches, physical educators, and parents of children participating in sporting activities.
  • Yuan J, Wang T, Wang L, Li P, Shen H, Mo Y,  Zhang Q, Ni C. Transcriptome-wide association study identifies PSMB9 as a susceptibility gene for coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Environ Toxicol. 2022 May 4. doi: 10.1002/tox.23554. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35506645.
    Impact Statement: Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a type of typical occupational lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of coal mine dust. The individuals' different genetic background may underlie their different susceptibility to develop pneumoconiosis, even under the same exposure level. This study aimed to identify susceptibility genes associated with CWP. We have identified PSMB9 as a novel susceptibility gene for CWP and provided important insights into the further exploration of the CWP pathogenesis.
  • Bastick JC, Banerjee M, States JC. Zinc supplementation prevents arsenic-induced dysregulation of ZRANB2 splice function. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 25;94:103921. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2022.103921. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35764259.
    Impact Statement: This publication adds support to the hypothesis that zinc supplementation could mitigate the toxic effects of chronic low level arsenic exposure.
  • Jiang M, Li F, Liu Y, Gu Z, Zhang L, Lee J, He L, Vatsalya V, Zhang HG, Deng Z, Zhang X, Chen SY, Guo GL, Barve S, McClain CJ, Feng W. Probiotic-derived nanoparticles inhibit ALD through intestinal miR194 suppression and subsequent FXR activation. Hepatology. 2022 Jun 11. doi: 10.1002/hep.32608. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35689610.
    Impact Statement: Intestinal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays a critical role in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). We aimed to investigate whether alcohol-induced dysbiosis increased intestinal microRNA194 (miR194) that suppressed Fxr transcription and whether Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (LDNPs) protected against ALD through regulation of intestinal miR194-FXR signaling in mice.
  • Sutaria SR, Gori SS, Morris JD, Xie Z, Fu XA, Nantz MH. Lipid Peroxidation Produces a Diverse Mixture of Saturated and Unsaturated Aldehydes in Exhaled Breath That Can Serve as Biomarkers of Lung Cancer-A Review. Metabolites. 2022 Jun 18;12(6):561. doi: 10.3390/metabo12060561. PMID: 35736492; PMCID: PMC9229171.
    Impact Statement: The paper provides a comprehensive review of saturated and unsaturated aldehydes in exhaled breath and their sources from lipid peroxidation. Some of these aldehydes in exhaled breath have been reported as biomarkers of lung cancer.
  • Wise JTF, Salazar-González RA, Walls KM, Doll MA, Habil MR, Hein DW. Hexavalent chromium increases the metabolism and genotoxicity of aromatic amine carcinogens 4-aminobiphenyl and β-naphthylamine in immortalized human lung epithelial cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 2;449:116095. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116095. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35662664.
    Impact Statement: Human carcinogens to which humans are exposed by inhalation include 4-aminobiphenyl, β-naphthylamine and hexavalent chromium. Whereas the effects of the individual carcinogens have been investigated, this study investigated the effects of co-exposure of these carcinogens in human lung cells. The study documented that hexavalent chromium increased N-acetyltransferase 1 activity contributing to increased genotoxicity from 4-aminobiphenyl or β-naphthylamine.
  • Yan K, Mei Z, Zhao J, Prodhan MAI, Obal D, Katragadda K, Doelling B, Hoetker D, Posa DK, He L, Yin X, Shah J, Pan J, Rai S, Lorkiewicz PK, Zhang X, Liu S, Bhatnagar A, Baba SP. Integrated Multilayer Omics Reveals the Genomic, Proteomic, and Metabolic Influences of Histidyl Dipeptides on the Heart. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Jun 22:e023868. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.023868. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35730646.
    Impact Statement: To identify histidyl dipeptide-mediated responses in the heart, we used an integrated triomics approach, which involved genome-wide RNA sequencing, global proteomics, and unbiased metabolomics to identify the effects of cardiospecific transgenic overexpression of the carnosine synthesizing enzyme, carnosine synthase (Carns), in mice. Our result showed that higher myocardial levels of histidyl dipeptides were associated with extensive changes in the levels of several microRNAs, which target the expression of contractile proteins, β-fatty acid oxidation, and citric acid cycle (TCA) enzymes. Global proteomic analysis showed enrichment in the expression of contractile proteins, enzymes of β-fatty acid oxidation, and the TCA in the Carns transgenic heart. Integration of multiple data sets suggested that β-fatty acid oxidation and TCA pathways exhibit correlative changes in the Carns transgenic hearts at all 3 levels. Conclusions Taken together, these findings reveal a central role of histidyl dipeptides in coordinated regulation of myocardial structure, function, and energetics.
  • Kumar R, Adhikari S, Driver EM, Smith T, Bhatnagar A, Lorkiewicz PK, Xie Z, Hoetker JD, Halden RU. Towards a novel application of wastewater-based epidemiology in population-wide assessment of exposure to volatile organic compounds. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jun 27:157008. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157008. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35772546.
    Impact Statement: This is the first study to utilize wastewater to detect urinary biomarkers of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposure. These preliminary results suggest the wastewater-based epidemiology approach as a potentially powerful tool to assess community health exposures to indoor and outdoor air pollutants.
  • Polivka BJ, Huntington-Moskos L, Antimisiaris DE, Cavallazzi RS, Folz RJ. Phenotyping older adults with asthma by means of cluster analysis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2022 Jun 10:S1081-1206(22)00501-4. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2022.06.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35697194.
    Impact Statement:  Whereas a number of publications have identified asthma phenotypes in adults, few have focused only on older adults. As a component of a randomized controlled trial of older adults (≥50 years old) with persistent asthma, Baptist et al identified 4 phenotypic clusters. The purpose of this study was to compare findings from the Baptist et al study with cluster analysis findings from a cohort of older adults with asthma participating in a longitudinal observational study.
  • McLeish KR, Shrestha R, Vashishta A, Rane MJ, Barati MT, Brier ME, Lau MG, Hu X, Chen O, Wessel CR, Spalding T, Bush SE, Ijemere K, Hopkins CD, Cooke EA, Tandon S, Manning T, Uriarte SM, Huang J, Yan J. Differential Functional Responses of Neutrophil Subsets in Severe COVID-19 Patients. Front Immunol. 2022 May 31;13:879686. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.879686. PMID: 35711435; PMCID: PMC9197482.
    Impact Statement:  Normal Density Neutrophils and Low Density Neutrophils from COVID-19 patients possess complementary functional capabilities that may act cooperatively to determine disease severity. We predict that global neutrophil responses that induce COVID-19 ARDS will vary depending on the proportion of neutrophil subsets.
  • Brady MP, Chava S, Tandon S, Rane MJ, Barati MT, Caster DJ, Powell DW. Serum and Urine Interferon Gamma-Induced Protein 10 (IP-10) Levels in Lupus Nephritis. J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 3;11(11):3199. doi: 10.3390/jcm11113199. PMID: 35683585; PMCID: PMC9181282.
    Impact Statement:  Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe complication of systemic lupus erythematosus and current diagnostics and treatments are inadequate. Our report identifies a potential diagnostic marker for LN and will therefore provide impactful insight for improved LN patient care.
  • Watson WH, Ritzenthaler JD, Torres-Gonzalez E, Arteel GE, Roman J. Mice lacking α4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are protected against alcohol-associated liver injury. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2022 Jun 20. doi: 10.1111/acer.14893. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35723023.
    Impact Statement: Liver disease associated with long-term heavy drinking of alcoholic beverages is a major health problem with no FDA-approved therapies. In this paper, we describe a previously unknown mediator of alcohol’s adverse effects on the liver: the alpha4 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These neurotransmitter receptors are known to be important in the brain, where they are involved in the reward pathways activated by both nicotine and alcohol. The discovery that they are also expressed in the liver and contribute to some of the earliest manifestations of alcohol-associated liver disease points to a new target for potential therapeutic interventions.
  • Rajesh M, Xin Y, Young JL, Cai L. Editorial: Cardiovascular Diseases Related to Diabetes and Obesity. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 May 23;13:916142. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.916142. PMID: 35677720; PMCID: PMC9169566.
    Impact Statement:  Worldwide, the prevalence of obesity continues rising unabated due to the rapid urbanization in the developed and developing countries and poor lifestyle habits. Obesity is also attributed to the development of major cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, arthritis, behavioral changes, depression, cancers, and hepatic diseases. Therefore, a special issue focus on the CVDs related to diabetes and obesity has been released, for which this editorial was and also briefly introduced the contents of the twelve publications, with a hope to set the stage for delving further in deciphering the crucial link between obesity and diabetes.
  • Nie J, Zhang Y, Ning L, Yan Z, Duan L, Xi H, Niu Q, Zhang Q. Phosphorylation of p53 by Cdk5 contributes to benzo[a]pyrene-induced neuronal apoptosis. Environ Toxicol. 2021 Sep 16. doi: 10.1002/tox.23374. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34529316.
  • Karimi SM, Majbouri M, DuPré N, White KB, Little BB, McKinney WP. Weather and COVID-19 Deaths During the Stay-at-Home Order in the United States. J Occup Environ Med. 2021 Jun 1;63(6):462-468. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002160. PMID: 34048380; PMCID: PMC8168671.
  • Boakye E, Osuji N, Erhabor J, Obisesan O, Osei AD, Mirbolouk M, Stokes AC, Dzaye O, El Shahawy O, Hirsch GA, Benjamin EJ, DeFilippis AP, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Blaha MJ. Assessment of Patterns in e-Cigarette Use Among Adults in the US, 2017-2020. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Jul 1;5(7):e2223266. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.23266. PMID: 35867060.
    Impact Statement: In this study, a slight decrease in the prevalence of current e-cigarette use was found between 2018 and 2020; this decrease was mainly observed among young adults aged 18 to 20 years. In contrast, daily e-cigarette use consistently increased, particularly among young adults aged 21 to 24 years. This increase in daily use suggests greater nicotine dependence among those who use e-cigarettes, warranting continued surveillance.
  • Mirbolouk M, Boakye E, Obisesan O, Osei AD, Dzaye O, Osuji N, Erhabor J, Stokes AC, El-Shahawy O, Rodriguez CJ, Hirsch GA, Benjamin EJ, DeFilippis AP, Marie Robertson R, Bhatnagar A, Blaha MJ. E-cigarette use among high school students in the United States prior to the COVID-19 pandemic: Trends, correlates, and sources of acquisition. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Jul 22;29:101925. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101925. PMID: 35911577; PMCID: PMC9326337.
    Impact Statement: Youth e-cigarette use remains a significant public health problem with a concerning emerging pattern of more frequent use. Also, with the increasing proportion of youth tobacco users making quit attempts, age-appropriate cessation programs need to be assessed and made available to aid cessation efforts. Finally, the sources of e-cigarettes among youth are changing; continued surveillance is therefore required to inform effective and timely policies.
  • Poudel R, Daniels LB, DeFilippis AP, Hamburg NM, Khan Y, Keith RJ, Kumar RS, Strokes AC, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A. Smoking is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, disease severity, and mortality among patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infections. PLoS One. 2022 Jul 15;17(7):e0270763. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270763. PMID: 35839264; PMCID: PMC9286231.
    Impact Statement: Among a large population of patients admitted for COVID-19, smoking was associated with a higher risk of severe COVID-19, including death or mechanical ventilation, independent of sociodemographic characteristics and medical history.
  • Kuehl PJ, McDonald JD, Weber DT, Khlystov A, Nystoriak MA, Conklin DJ. Composition of aerosols from thermal degradation of flavors used in ENDS and tobacco products. Inhal Toxicol. 2022 Aug 1:1-10. doi: 10.1080/08958378.2022.2103602. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35913821.
    Impact Statement: Because flavors are important components of electronic cigarettes that enhance the appeal of electronic cigarettes to youth, we investigated the effects of thermal degradation on common flavors used in electronic cigarettes. Unsurprisingly, thermal degradation at low and high temperatures led to a variety of degradation products that included harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs). The toxicity of inhaled flavor-derived degradation products needs greater study to protect public health.
  • Liu W, Luo T, Wang F, Zhang D, Liu T, Huang J, Xu S. Effect of Preoperative Thoracic Paravertebral Blocks on Emergence Agitation During Tracheal Extubation: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Jun 22;9:902908. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.902908. PMID: 35814746; PMCID: PMC9257130.
    Impact Statement: Preoperative thoracic paravertebral block was associated with less Emergence Agitation during tracheal extubation when compared with ICNB in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy.
  • Sangroula D, Maggard B, Abdelhaleem A, Furmanek S, Clemons V, Marsili B, Stikes R, Hill M, Sigdel A, Clifford SP, Huang J, Akca O, Logsdon MC. Hemodynamic changes associated with neuraxial anesthesia in pregnant women with covid 19 disease: a retrospective case-control study. BMC Anesthesiol. 2022 Jun 9;22(1):179. doi: 10.1186/s12871-022-01719-0. PMID: 35681119; PMCID: PMC9178224.
    Impact Statement: : Incidence and severity of hypotension after neuraxial blocks were similar between COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative parturients.
  • Nyenhuis S, Cramer E, Grande M, Huntington-Moskos L, Krueger K, Bimbi O, Polivka B, Eldeirawi K. Utilizing Real-time Technology to Assess the Impact of Home Environmental Exposures on Asthma Symptoms: Protocol for an Observational Pilot Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Aug 2;11(8):e39887. doi: 10.2196/39887. PMID: 35916686.
    Impact Statement: It is estimated that over 60% of adults with asthma have uncontrolled symptoms, representing a substantial health and economic impact. Findings from this feasibility study will support a powered study to address the impact of home environmental exposures on asthma symptoms and develop tailored, home-based asthma interventions that are responsive to the changing home environment and home routines.
  • Ghosh S, Singh R, Vanwinkle ZM, Guo H, Vemula PK, Goel A, Haribabu B, Jala VR. Microbial metabolite restricts 5-fluorouracil-resistant colonic tumor progression by sensitizing drug transporters via regulation of FOXO3-FOXM1 axis. Theranostics. 2022 Jul 18;12(12):5574-5595. doi: 10.7150/thno.70754. PMID: 35910798; PMCID: PMC9330515.
    Impact Statement: This research has shown that a metabolite produced by gut microbes from a component found in pomegranates and berries can help improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy used to treat colorectal cancer.
  • Tracy EP, Rowe G, LeBlanc AJ. Cell therapy-induced recovery of dysfunctional microvasculature. Aging (Albany NY). 2022 Jul 13;14(13):5296-5298. doi: 10.18632/aging.204183. Epub 2022 Jul 13. PMID: 35832022; PMCID: PMC9320541.
    Impact Statement: The objective of this editorial was to address additional points of consideration in understanding the intricate mechanistic underpinnings surrounding the use of cell therapy in treating microvascular dysfunction. Additionally, the authors provide a summary graphic of these potential contributing mechanisms and also suggest new avenues worth investigating.
  • Banerjee M, Yaddanapudi K, States JC. Zinc supplementation prevents mitotic accumulation in human keratinocyte cell lines upon environmentally relevant arsenic exposure. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Sep 24;454:116255. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116255. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36162444.
    Impact Statement: Dysregulated cell cycle is an early event in several chronic arsenic exposure-induced diseases. In this work, we demonstrate that environmentally relevant arsenic exposure leads to accumulation of human skin cell lines exclusively in mitosis as early as 24 hours and this can be prevented by zinc supplementation.
  • Smith T, Holm RH, Keith RJ, Amraotkar AR, Alvarado CR, Banecki K, Choi B, Santisteban IC, Bushau-Sprinkle AM, Kitterman KT, Fuqua J, Hamorsky KT, Palmer KE, Brick JM, Rempala GA, Bhatnagar A. Quantifying the relationship between sub-population wastewater samples and community-wide SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Sep 6;853:158567. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158567. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36084773; PMCID: PMC9444845.
    Impact Statement: Robust epidemiological models relating wastewater to community disease prevalence are lacking. Assessments of SARS-CoV-2 infection rates have relied primarily on convenience sampling, which does not provide reliable estimates of community disease prevalence due to inherent biases. This study conducted serial stratified randomized samplings to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and the analysis indicates that wastewater may provide robust estimates of community spread of infection, in line with the modeled prevalence estimates obtained from stratified randomized sampling, and is therefore superior to publicly available health data.
  • Adhihetty PK, Halder S, Jasinski JB, Fu XA, Nantz MH. Harnessing the cation-π interactions of metalated gold monolayer-protected clusters to detect aromatic volatile organic compounds. Talanta. 2022 Sep 13;253:123915. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.123915. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36155323.
    Impact Statement: The paper investigated chemiresistors made from carboxylate-linked alkali metals bound to the surface of gold monolayer- protected clusters formulated on microfabricated interdigitated electrodes. Sensor responses to aromatic and non-aromatic VOCs are consistent with a model for cation-π interactions arising from association of electron-rich aromaticπ-systems to metal ions. The sensors are promising for detection of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.
  • Salazar-González RA, Doll MA, Hein DW. N-acetyltransferase 2 genetic polymorphism modifies genotoxic and oxidative damage from new psychoactive substances. Arch Toxicol. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s00204-022-03383-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36138126.
    Impact Statement: The use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) as drugs of abuse is common and increasingly popular, particularly among youth. We investigated the gene-environment interaction between N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) genetic polymorphism and toxicity after exposure to these chemicals. We found that exposure to these psychoactive substances results in genotoxic and oxidative damage that is modified by the NAT2 genetic polymorphism.
  • Habil MR, Salazar-González RA, Doll MA, Hein DW. N-acetyltransferase 2 acetylator genotype-dependent N-acetylation and toxicity of the arylamine carcinogen β-naphthylamine in cryopreserved human hepatocytes. Arch Toxicol. 2022 Sep 16. doi: 10.1007/s00204-022-03381-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36112171.
    Impact Statement: We used cryopreserved human hepatocytes that express rapid, intermediate, and slow acetylator N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) genotypes to measure the N-acetylation of β-naphthylamine (BNA) which is one of the aromatic amines found in cigarette smoke including E-cigarettes. We investigated the role of NAT2 genetic polymorphism in genotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by BNA. We found that the N-acetylation of BNA is NAT2 genotype dependent in cryopreserved human hepatocytes and document an important role for NAT2 genetic polymorphism in modifying BNA-induced genotoxicity and oxidative damage.
  • Hong KU, Gardner JQ, Doll MA, Stepp MW, Wilkey DW, Benz FW, Cai J, Merchant ML, Hein DW. Proteomic analysis of arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 knockout breast cancer cells: Implications in immune evasion and mitochondrial biogenesis. Toxicol Rep. 2022 Jul 19;9:1566-1573. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2022.07.010. PMID: 36158865; PMCID: PMC9500399.
    Impact Statement: This paper reveals potential and novel mechanisms by which arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) contributes to breast cancer growth. Delineating these mechanisms will help us not only better-understand breast cancer biology but also identify new therapeutic approaches.
  • Hong KU, Salazar-González RA, Walls KM, Hein DW. Transcriptional Regulation of Human Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 2 Gene by Glucose and Insulin in Liver Cancer Cell Lines. Toxicol Sci. 2022 Sep 26:kfac103. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfac103. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36156098.
    Impact Statement: This paper reports, for the first time, that a xenobiotic metabolic enzyme, arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) is induced by glucose and insulin in liver cancer cells. Our findings implicates NAT2 in lipid and cholesterol homeostasis. NAT2 is a potentially important genetic factor that alters the risk of hyperlipidemia which raises the risk of cardiometabolic disorders.
  • Liang S, Pang Z, Zhou N, Liu Z, Guo Q, Huang J, Zou W. Development and validation of a prediction model for catheter-related bladder discomfort: a prospective observational study. Br J Anaesth. 2022 Sep 23:S0007-0912(22)00461-5. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2022.08.018. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36163078.
    Impact Statement: Urinary catheterisation is a routine practice in the perioperative period. However, patients undergoing surgery with an indwelling urinary catheter frequently complain of an urge to void or discomfort in the supra-pubic region after emerging from general anaesthesia in the PACU, known as catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD), which could cause major distress. The goal of this observational study was to develop a prediction model that can be used to assess risks of developing CRBD in patients undergoing surgery.
  • Huang J, El-Kersh K, Mann KK, James KA, Cai L. Overview of the cardiovascular effects of environmental metals: New preclinical and clinical insights. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Sep 17;454:116247. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116247. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36122736.
    Impact Statement: Environmental causes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are global health issues. In particular, an association between metal exposure and CVDs has become evident but causal evidence still lacks. The symposium at the Society of Toxicology 2022 annual meeting addressed epidemiological, clinical, pre-clinical animal model-derived and mechanism-based evidence by five presentations and the data summarized by the presenters infers a potential causal link between multiple metals and CVDs and defines differences and commonalities. Therefore, summary of these presentations may accelerate the development of efficient preventive and therapeutic strategies by facilitating collaborations among multidisciplinary investigators.
  • Ghosh S, Moorthy B, Haribabu B, Jala VR. Cytochrome P450 1A1 is essential for the microbial metabolite, Urolithin A-mediated protection against colitis. Front Immunol. 2022 Sep 8;13:1004603. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1004603. PMID: 36159798; PMCID: PMC9493474.
    Impact Statement: Previously, we showed that treatment with microbial metabolite Urolithin A mitigated ulcerative colitis in mice (Enhancement of the gut barrier integrity by a microbial metabolite through the Nrf2 pathway | Nature Communications). The current publication described that Urolithin A requires expression of host Cytochrome P450 1A1 to protect against chemical-induced colitis in mouse models and enhancement of gut barrier function.
  • Ait-Aissa K, Norwood-Toro LE, Terwoord J, Young M, Paniagua LA, Hader SN, Hughes WE, Hockenberry JC, Beare JE, Linn J, Kohmoto T, Kim J, Betts DH, LeBlanc AJ, Gutterman DD, Beyer AM. Noncanonical Role of Telomerase in Regulation of Microvascular Redox Environment With Implications for Coronary Artery Disease. Function (Oxf). 2022 Sep 3;3(5):zqac043. doi: 10.1093/function/zqac043. PMID: 36168588; PMCID: PMC9508843.
    Impact Statement: This study is the first evidence that mitochondrial telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), independent of its nuclear functions, plays a critical physiological role in preserving NO-mediated vasodilation in the microcirculation. Additionally, the balance of mitochondrial to nuclear TERT is fundamentally altered in states of human disease, like CVD, that are driven by increased expression of dominant negative splice variants.
  • Rowe G, Heng DS, Beare JE, Hodges NA, Tracy EP, Murfee WL, LeBlanc AJ. Stromal Vascular Fraction Reverses the Age-Related Impairment in Revascularization following Injury. J Vasc Res. 2022 Sep 8:1-15. doi: 10.1159/000526002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36075199.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals the negative effect that advancing age has on stimulating new vessel growth (angiogenesis) in baseline and ischemic injury; however, treatment with stromal vascular fraction therapy from young donors can reverse the impairment.
  • Warner JB, Zirnheld KH, Hu H, Floyd A, Kong M, McClain CJ, Kirpich IA. Analysis of alcohol use, consumption of micronutrient and macronutrients, and liver health in the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2022 Sep 20. doi: 10.1111/acer.14944. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36124871.
    Impact Statement: Alcohol use is a major global healthcare burden that contributes to numerous adverse health outcomes, including liver disease. Many factors influence individual susceptibility to alcohol-associated diseases, including nutritional factors. The objective of the current study was to examine inter-relations among alcohol, dietary micronutrients and macronutrient consumption, and liver health by analyzing data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Our findings suggest that the category of heavy drinkers in the 2017-2018 NHANES consisted of generally healthy individuals with high-energy intake and no evidence of liver steatosis or fibrosis.
  • Lei C, Sun R, Xu G, Tan Y, Feng W, McClain CJ, Deng Z. Enteric VIP-producing neurons maintain gut microbiota homeostasis through regulating epithelium fucosylation. Cell Host Microbe. 2022 Sep 13:S1931-3128(22)00418-8. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.09.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36150396.
    Impact Statement: Interactions between the enteric nervous system (ENS) and intestinal epithelium are thought to play a vital role in intestinal homeostasis. How the ENS monitors the frontier with commensal and pathogenic microbes while maintaining epithelial function remains unclear. We further demonstrate that perturbation of enteric neurons leads to gut dysbiosis through α1,2-fucosylation in the steady state and results in increased susceptibility to alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).
  • Anwar MY, Baldassari AR, Polikowsky HG, Sitlani CM, Highland HM, Chami N, Chen HH, Graff M, Howard AG, Jung SY, Petty LE, Wang Z, Zhu W, Buyske S, Cheng I, Kaplan R, Kooperberg C, Loos RJF, Peters U, McCormick JB, Fisher-Hoch SP, Avery CL, Taylor KC, Below JE, North KE. Genetic pleiotropy underpinning adiposity and inflammation in self-identified Hispanic/Latino populations. BMC Med Genomics. 2022 Sep 10;15(1):192. doi: 10.1186/s12920-022-01352-3. PMID: 36088317; PMCID: PMC9464371.
    Impact Statement: Concurrent variation in adiposity and inflammation suggests potential shared functional pathways and pleiotropic disease underpinning. Yet, exploration of pleiotropy in the context of adiposity-inflammation has been scarce, and none has included self-identified Hispanic/Latino populations. Results from this study demonstrate the importance of considering pleiotropy for improving our understanding of the etiology of the various metabolic pathways that regulate cardiovascular disease development.
  • El-Kersh K, Danielle Hopkins C, Wu X, Rai SN, Cai L, Huang J. Plasma level of antimony correlates with pulmonary arterial hypertension severity. Curr Res Toxicol. 2022 Jun 27;3:100080. doi: 10.1016/j.crtox.2022.100080. PMID: 35800661; PMCID: PMC9254336.
    Impact Statement:  In our pilot study, significantly higher antimony levels in blood and plasma of pulmonary hypertension patients when compared to controls. We also found a Significant correlation between plasma antimony level and all the prognostic hemodynamic parameters of PAH.
  • Jagadapillai R, Qiu X, Ojha K, Li Z, El-Baz A, Zou S, Gozal E, Barnes GN. Potential Cross Talk between Autism Risk Genes and Neurovascular Molecules: A Pilot Study on Impact of Blood Brain Barrier Integrity. Cells. 2022 Jul 15;11(14):2211. doi: 10.3390/cells11142211. PMID: 35883654; PMCID: PMC9315816.
    Impact Statement: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a common pediatric neurobiological disorder with up to 80% of genetic etiologies. Systems biology approaches may make it possible to test novel therapeutic strategies targeting molecular pathways to alleviate ASD symptoms. Although our research is preliminary, our data demonstrate the potential for developing novel therapeutic strategies based on clinically derived data, genomics, cognitive neuroscience, and basic neuroscience methods.
  • Nilima N, Mani K, Kaushik S, Rai SN. Cervical Cancer Screening and Associated Barriers among Women in India: A Generalized Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Jun 23;14(13):3076. doi: 10.3390/cancers14133076. PMID: 35804848; PMCID: PMC9264854.
    Impact Statement: Exploring the barriers and facilitators of cervical cancer screening is essential to reduce the incidence and mortality, particularly in India. There is a paucity of studies presenting the mediation effects of known barriers and facilitators. The study investigates individual-level social barriers, facilitators, and the factors that mediate the relationships between suspected factors and cervical cancer screening. Understanding the mediation analysis and the effect of mediators will help us acquire a profound understanding of the mechanism of action, which will facilitate in devising strategies keeping the most important factor and their mediators in mind.
  • Das S, Rai A, Rai SN. Differential Expression Analysis of Single-Cell RNA-Seq Data: Current Statistical Approaches and Outstanding Challenges. Entropy (Basel). 2022 Jul 18;24(7):995. doi: 10.3390/e24070995. PMID: 35885218; PMCID: PMC9315519.
    Impact Statement: With the advent of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), it is possible to measure the expression dynamics of genes at the single-cell level. We critically discuss the underlying statistical principles of the approaches and distinctly divide them into six major classes, i.e., generalized linear, generalized additive, Hurdle, mixture models, two-class parametric, and non-parametric approaches. This study will serve as a guide to genome researchers and experimental biologists to objectively select options for their analysis.
  • Petri BJ, Piell KM, Wahlang B, Head KZ, Andreeva K, Rouchka EC, Pan J, Rai SN, Cave MC, Klinge CM. Multiomics analysis of the impact of polychlorinated biphenyls on environmental liver disease in a mouse model. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2022 Jul 6;94:103928. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2022.103928. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35803474.
    Impact Statement: Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been implicated in a variety of metabolic diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The combined insult of this toxicant exposure and a high-fat, western diet causes an accumulation of lipids in the liver than can progress to fibrosis and cirrhosis. This study employed a multi-omics approach to address the miRNA-mRNA-protein network dysregulated in NAFLD. Results show that exposure of mice to PCBs and high fat diet drastically altered the mRNA and miRNA transcriptomes in liver and identified unique inverse relationships between altered miRNA and selected mRNA targets that may play a role in reprogramming the liver during NAFLD progression.
  • Yuan J, Mo L, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q. A protective role of autophagy in fine airborne particulate matter-induced apoptosis in LN-229 cells. Toxicology. 2022 Jul 22;477:153271. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2022.153271. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35872226.
    Impact Statement: This study demonstrated that exposure of LN-229 cells to PM2.5 caused autophagy and apoptosis through PM2.5-induced ROS generation, mainly by mitochondria, and JNK activation. Autophagy may have a transient protective role in PM2.5-induced apoptosis. Our findings have important implications for understanding the potential neurotoxicity of PM2.5.
  • Nong Y, Guo Y, Ou Q, Gumpert A, Tomlin A, Zhu X, Bolli R. PU.1 inhibition does not attenuate cardiac function deterioration or fibrosis in a murine model of myocardial infarction. Mol Cell Biochem. 2022 Sep 17. doi: 10.1007/s11010-022-04561-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36114991.
  • Dyess RJ, McKay T, Feygin Y, Wintergerst K, Thrasher BJ. Factory-Calibrated Continuous Glucose Monitoring System Accuracy During Exercise in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2022 Sep 1:19322968221120433. doi: 10.1177/19322968221120433. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36047647.
  • Hardesty J, Day L, Warner J, Warner D, Gritsenko M, Asghar A, Stolz A, Morgan T, McClain C, Jacobs J, Kirpich I. Hepatic Protein and Phosphoprotein Signatures of Alcohol-Associated Cirrhosis and Hepatitis. Am J Pathol. 2022 Jul;192(7):1066-1082. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2022.04.004. Epub 2022 Apr 28. PMID: 35490715; PMCID: PMC9253914.
  • Wang Y, Huang J, Li J, Zhou J, Zheng Q, Chen Z, Wei P, Tang W. Case Report and Preliminary Exploration: Protection of Supraclavicular Nerve Branches during Internal Fixation of Clavicular Fractures through Preoperative Ultrasound Localization. Front Surg. 2022 May 27;9:898664. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.898664. PMID: 36034369; PMCID: PMC9407241.
  • Jophlin L, Singal AK. Liver Biopsy in Patients With Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease With Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure. J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2022 Mar-Apr;12(2):544-550. doi: 10.1016/j.jceh.2021.08.009. Epub 2021 Aug 14. PMID: 35535109; PMCID: PMC9077173.
  • ElNakieb Y, Ali MT, Elnakib A, Shalaby A, Mahmoud A, Soliman A, Barnes GN, El-Baz A. Understanding the Role of Connectivity Dynamics of Resting-State Functional MRI in the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Study. Bioengineering (Basel). 2023 Jan 2;10(1):56. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering10010056. PMID: 36671628; PMCID: PMC9855190.
    Impact Statement: In addition to the standard observational assessment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), recent advancements in neuroimaging and machine learning (ML) suggest a rapid and objective alternative using brain imaging. As a result of this comprehensive study, we achieve state-of-the-art accuracy, confirming the benefits of the proposed feature representation and feature engineering in extracting useful information as well as the potential benefits of utilizing ML and neuroimaging in the diagnosis and understanding of autism.
  • Majid S, Weisbrod RM, Fetterman JL, Keith RJ, Rizvi SHM, Zhou Y, Behrooz L, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Conklin DJ, Hamburg NM. Pod-based e-liquids impair human vascular endothelial cell function. PLoS One. 2023 Jan 26;18(1):e0280674. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280674. PMID: 36701344; PMCID: PMC9879485.
    Impact Statement: Results of the present study provide important insights into the association of electronic cigarettes known as pods with endothelial dysfunction – a biomarker of cardiovascular harm. Our results suggest that endothelial impairment induced by e-cigarettes may be, in part, due to impaired eNOS activation to a degree similar to that seen in users of combustible cigarettes. These findings support regulation of tobacco products containing acidified nicotine, as well as the development of product and device standards to limit the generation of harmful or potentially harmful chemicals in e-cigarette aerosols.
  • Lü L, Yuan F, Fan H, Li Y, Liu J, Feng W, Zhang HG, Chen SY. Ethanol exposure disrupted the formation of radial glial processes and impaired the generation and migration of outer radial glial cells in forebrain organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells. Exp Neurol. 2023 Jan 18;362:114325. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114325. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36669750.
    Impact Statement: Maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy can damage the developing fetus and lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. This study aims to investigate the effects of ethanol exposure on the development of radial glial processes and the generation, migration, and transformation of outer radial glial cells using forebrain organoids generated from human embryonic stem cells. The results from this study provided new insight into the mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced abnormalities in fetal cortical development and FASD in humans.
  • Naegle MA, Kelly LA, Embree JL, Valentine N, Sharp D, Grinspun D, Hines-Martin VP, Crawford CL, Rosa WE. American academy of nursing consensus recommendations to advance system level change for nurse well-being. Nurs Outlook. 2023 Feb 1;71(2):101917. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2023.101917. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36736029; PMCID: PMC9889942.
    Impact Statement: This paper proposes recommendations from the AAN Expert Panels on Building Health Care System Excellence, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use, and Global Health Expert Panels for the American Academy of Nursing to leverage related policy in the arenas of government and professional/healthcare organizations. Transforming health care work environments and advancing nurse well-being and equity can be accomplished through key, innovative policy changes. These will be achieved through collaboration among associations, organizations, nonprofit groups, and with the public and the media.
  • Wei H, Price Z, Evans K, Haberstroh A, Hines-Martin V, Harrington CC. The State of the Science of Nurses' Implicit Bias: A Call to Go Beyond the Face of the Other and Revisit the Ethics of Belonging and Power. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000470. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36728370.
    Impact Statement: This article summarizes the current state of nurses' implicit bias and discusses the phenomenon from Levinas' face of the Other and ethics of belonging, Watson's human caring and unitary caring science, and Chinn's peace and power theory. Nurses' implicit bias is a global issue; the primary sources of nurses' implicit bias include race/ethnicity, sexuality, health conditions, age, mental health status, and substance use disorders. The current research stays at the descriptive level and addresses implicit bias at the individual level. This article invites nurses to go beyond “the face of the Other” and revisit the ethics of belonging and power.
  • Tu W, Gawrieh S, Dasarathy S, Mitchell MC, Simonetto DA, Patidar KR, McClain CJ, Bataller R, Szabo G, Tang Q, Barton BA, Radaeva S, Sanyal AJ, Shah V; Alcoholic Hepatitis Network (AlcHepNet) Investigators. Design of a multicenter randomized clinical trial for treatment of Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2023 Jan 18;32:101074. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101074. PMID: 36698742; PMCID: PMC9869411.
    Impact Statement: Mortality is high for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH). The study provided a direct comparison of the survival benefits and safety profiles of anakinra plus zinc vs. prednisone in patients with severe AH.
  • Sato T, Head KZ, Li J, Dolin CE, Wilkey D, Skirtich N, Smith K, McCreary DD, Liu S, Beier JI, Singhi AD, McEnaney RM, Merchant ML, Arteel GE. Fibrosis resolution in the mouse liver: Role of Mmp12 and potential role of calpain 1/2. Matrix Biol Plus. 2022 Dec 28;17:100127. doi: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2022.100127. PMID: 36632559; PMCID: PMC9826883.
    Impact Statement: These results also indicate that analysis of the plasma degradome may yield new insight into the mechanisms of fibrosis recovery, and by extension, new "theragnostic" targets. Lastly, a novel potential role for calpain activation in the degradation and turnover of proteins was identified.
  • Holm RH, Rempala GA, Choi B, Brick JM, Amraotkar AR, Keith RJ, Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Palmer KE, Smith T, Bhatnagar A. SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration and linked longitudinal seroprevalence: a spatial analysis of strain mutation, post-COVID-19 vaccination effect, and hospitalization burden forecasting. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Jan 7:2023.01.06.23284260. doi: 10.1101/2023.01.06.23284260. PMID: 36656780; PMCID: PMC9844017.
    Impact Statement: Wastewater samples can be used to estimate the effects of vaccination and hospitalization burden. Our study underscores the importance of continued environmental surveillance post-vaccine and provides a proof of concept for environmental epidemiology monitoring.
  • Wahlang B, Gao H, Rai SN, Keith RJ, McClain CJ, Srivastava S, Cave MC, Bhatnagar A. Associations between residential volatile organic compound exposures and liver injury markers: The role of biological sex and race. Environ Res. 2023 Jan 4;221:115228. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115228. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36610539.
    Impact Statement: This study illustrated how our body’s responses to environmental chemicals are different based on biological factors such as sex, lifestyle factors such as smoking, and social constructs such as race. The research findings also highlight the significance of considering biological-social-lifestyle factor(s) interactions when addressing air pollution-related health disparities.
  • Bolatimi OE, Head KZ, Luo J, Gripshover TC, Lin Q, Adiele NV, Watson WH, Wilkerson C, Cai L, Cave MC, Young JL. Can Zinc Supplementation Attenuate High Fat Diet-Induced Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease? Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 16;24(2):1763. doi: 10.3390/ijms24021763. PMID: 36675277; PMCID: PMC9864360.
    Impact Statement: Deficiency in the essential micronutrient zinc, the second most concentrated trace mineral in the body, impacts almost 20% of the global population and is implicated in playing a crucial role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), now the most rapidly growing contributor to liver mortality and morbidity. This study investigated the ability of zinc supplementation to attenuate diet-induce NAFLD demonstrated that a sensitive consideration of initiation and duration of administration for therapeutic intervention of zinc must be considered.
  • Jaggers JR, King KM, McKay T, Dyess RJ, Thrasher BJ, Wintergerst KA. Association between Intensity Levels of Physical Activity and Glucose Variability among Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 16;20(2):1623. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20021623. PMID: 36674378; PMCID: PMC9865470.
    Impact Statement: This publication data demonstrated that the total amount of daily physical activity is important when properly managing type 1 diabetes mellitus, but time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) over two weeks may have an inverse relationship with glucose variability in children and adolescents over a span of two weeks.
  • Saedi S, Watson SE, Young JL, Tan Y, Wintergerst KA, Cai L. Does maternal low-dose cadmium exposure increase the risk of offspring to develop metabolic syndrome and/or type 2 diabetes? Life Sci. 2023 Feb 15;315:121385. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121385. Epub 2023 Jan 9. PMID: 36634865.
    Impact Statement: Cadmium is a hazardous metal with multiple organ toxicity that causes great harm to human health. This review has collected available data to address the current evidence for the potential role of cadmium exposure, leading to insulin resistance and the development of T2D in offspring. Through this comprehensive review, we realize that underlying mechanisms linking prenatal cadmium exposure during pregnancy with T2D in offspring remain to be adequately investigated.