Emory University

Prenatal exposure to wildfire fine particulate matter and fetal growth outcomes in the United States: Findings from the ECHO Cohort

Background: Increasing exposure to wildfire fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) may pose unique risks to fetal development. We assessed associations between prenatal wildfire PM 2.5 exposure and fetal growth outcomes, including birth weight at term, birth weight for gestational age...

Randomised phase III trials of cancer prevention drugs: a systematic review and prediction of trial success

BACKGROUND: Pharmacological cancer risk reduction has received far less investment than therapeutic oncology and only a few agents have entered routine practice. Understanding the predictors of positive outcomes of previous trials and issues faced is critical to future developmen...

Perceptions of Incidental Findings on Lung Cancer Screening Exams: A National Survey of Primary Care Clinicians and Radiologists

RATIONALE: Unlike other common cancer screenings, annual lung cancer screening often identifies a spectrum of incidental findings unrelated to lung cancer. While these findings could be actionable, how to best communicate and manage them can be a challenge, often falling upon pri...

AppHatchery: From Service Team to Research Partner - Six Years of Building Digital Health Tools and Infrastructure That Lasts

Most digital health tools built for clinical research disappear shortly after the paper is published. The graduate student or contractor who built it has moved on; the grant has ended; the PI has moved to the next project. This is a familiar story for RSEs, we are brought in to r...

Primordial cardiomyocytes orchestrate myocardial morphogenesis and vascularization but are dispensable for regeneration

Abstract The vertebrate heart is composed of heterogeneous cardiomyocyte (CM) populations, however, the roles of distinct CM subpopulations in heart development and repair remain poorly defined. Here, using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of adult zebrafish heart, we identifi...

Clusters, fingers, and singles: A mechanical landscape of tumor invasion

Abstract Collective invasion is a key mechanism by which tumors disseminate and metastasize, involving coordinated migration of heterogeneous cell populations. Experimental studies have identified specialized leader and follower cells that work together during this process, but t...

Divergent avian strains drive an off-season influenza A peak in municipal wastewater

Wastewater sequencing is an increasingly valuable tool in tracking the spread of infectious disease agents across space and time in areas of dense human settlement. Among pathogens that can be readily detected by this approach is influenza A, which follows predictable patterns of...

Antagonism of stress granules is key to SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis

ABSTRACT Viruses must subvert host responses to facilitate successful infection. While most antiviral responses are associated with interferons, stress granules (SGs) are another barrier to viral infection by inducing translation arrest. To combat SG activity, viruses have evolve...

The Longitudinal Association between Gendered Racism and Disease Activity among Black Women Living with Lupus

Gendered racism, rooted in the interlocking injustices of racism and sexism, is a contributor to poor mental health; its association with physical health outcomes, however, is not well understood. This study investigates whether gendered racism is associated with disease activity...

Aβ-42 Side Chain Deamidation at Q15 or N27 Modulates Protein Aggregation and Alters Microglial Cytokines and CD68

The progressive aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) monomers into oligomers is a critical factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Although mutated forms of Aβ have been shown to display altered aggregation dynamics, the specific effects of deamidated Aβ on microglial functi...

The YTHDF proteins modulate Alzheimer’s disease-associated brain gene signatures

Abstract Gene signatures of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains reflect the output of a complex interplay of genetic, epigenetic, epi-transcriptomic, and post-transcriptional regulations. To nominate candidate factors modulating these signatures, we developed a machine learning model...

Prenatal Water Fluoride Exposure and Children’s Behavioral Problems

Importance Although fluoride exposure at high levels during the perinatal period has been associated with socioemotional problems among children, there is limited evidence regarding potential associations at lower levels of fluoride exposure, particularly in the US. Objective To...

Impact of the Food4Moms produce prescription program on readiness for healthy eating, fruit and vegetable intake, and food security

Abstract Produce prescription programs (PRx) targeting different populations and conditions have been found to be effective. However, few have focused on pregnant women. The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of the Food4Moms (F4M) PRx on 1) healthy eating stages...

Towards a deep-learning genomic tool for risk stratification and diagnostic support in sporadic ALS

Abstract Background A variety of common and rare genetic factors have been implicated in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and the evidence is that a genetic component is present in most affected individuals. However, our current understanding of ALS genetic...

Human learning dynamics during teleoperation of surgical robots

Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery requires operators to learn precise motor control. In this paper, we examined how task complexity and the human-robot motion scaling ratio affect teleoperation learning in a ring-through-rail task implemented on the da Vinci Research Kit....

Ambient air pollution and subtype-specific breast cancer risk by race and rurality: findings from a population-based study

Abstract Background Air pollution is the leading environmental risk factor in the U.S. for premature morbidity and mortality and disproportionately impacts marginalized populations. Although the causal link between air pollution and lung cancer is well established, its impact on...

Caring for Young Adults with Breast Cancer: Providers’ Perspectives on Burnout in a Complex Care Landscape

PURPOSE: While challenges faced by young adults (YAs) aged 18-39 years with breast cancer are well-documented, health care providers' experiences caring for YAs are underinvestigated. Given high burnout rates among oncologists, this study explores providers' perspectives about ho...

Global Efforts to Reduce Paediatric Cancer Care Disparities in Radiotherapy: A Decade Change

ABSTRACT Background We present an update on the status, needs and challenges faced by paediatric imaging and radiotherapy (RT) programmes globally after a previous survey conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 10 years prior. Methods We developed and distribut...

Combinatorial action of regulatory systems generates colistin heteroresistance

ABSTRACT Heteroresistance is a form of antibiotic resistance in which a minor subpopulation of resistant cells coexists with a majority susceptible population. Colistin heteroresistance is common among Enterobacter cloacae clinical isolates, threatens its utility as a last-line t...

Self‐Assembling Copolymers Encapsulating Single Endothelial Cells Induce Endogenous ECM Deposition and Vascular Regeneration

ABSTRACT Cell therapy combined with biomimetic polymer engineering offers a promising strategy for cardiovascular regeneration. Compartmentalizing single cells in hydrogels creates three‐dimensional (3D) micro‐niches that enhance bio‐responsiveness and the therapeutic efficacy of...