Publications by authors named "Amy Tang"

Background: One-stage direct-to-implant (DTI) breast reconstruction is increasingly popular with the use of prepectoral reconstruction leading to increased demand for structural scaffolds. It is vital to determine if differences in safety profiles exist among scaffolds.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients in our breast cancer center undergoing DTI reconstruction.

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Currently, the only approach for obtaining alveolar epithelial type I (AT1) cells is through the differentiation of cultured AT2 cells, which has several limitations. Here, we present a protocol to prepare AT1 cells directly from mouse lungs. We detail the steps for dissociating epithelial cells from the alveoli, followed by the purification of AT1 cells.

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Integrins play critical roles in connecting the extracellular matrix and actin. While the upregulation of integrins is thought to promote cancer stemness and metastasis, the mechanisms underlying their upregulation in cancer stem cells (CSCs) remain poorly understood. Herein, we show that USP22 is essential in maintaining breast cancer cell stemness by promoting the transcription of integrin β1 ().

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Objective: Imaging for staging ovarian cancer is important to determine the extent of disease. The primary objective of this study was to compare gated 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) and standard CT scan with intravenous contrast to diagnose thoracic involvement in patients with advanced ovarian cancer prior to treatment. The secondary objective was to estimate changes in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and clinical management resulting from gated PET/CT.

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The microenvironment within solid tumors often becomes acidic due to various factors associated with abnormal metabolism and cellular activities, including increased lactate production as a result of dysregulated tumor glycolysis. Recently, we have identified multiple tumor microenvironment (TME) factors that potentiate regulatory T (T) cell function in evading anti-tumor immunosurveillance. Despite the strong correlation between lactate and acidity, the potential roles of acidity in intratumoral T cell adaptation and underlying molecular mechanisms have gone largely unstudied.

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Article Synopsis
  • Chronic marijuana use can lead to significant complications in surgical settings, including higher rates of infections and emergency care needs.
  • A study involving 243 patients undergoing immediate DTI breast reconstruction found that those who used cannabis within 12 weeks before surgery faced increased complications such as cellulitis and the need for additional surgeries.
  • While the findings suggest that cannabis use negatively impacts surgical outcomes, further research with a larger group is required to firmly recommend against its use before surgery.
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  • - Wild waterfowl in Hong Kong's Marshes were found to carry various astroviruses, which were identified through testing fecal samples and employing DNA barcoding for host identification.
  • - Notable results included the nearly complete genome of an Avastrovirus 4 clade sample (MP22-196), indicating a unique subclade within the species and possessing distinct genomic features compared to other avian astroviruses.
  • - The study highlights the discovery of a modified sgRNA sequence and a shorter 3' UTR in MP22-196, contributing to a broader understanding of the Avastrovirus 4 clade and its genetic makeup.
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Over the past decade, immunotherapies have brought about significant changes in how we approach the treatment of various solid tumors and blood-related cancers. However, the effectiveness of checkpoint blockade therapy has been constrained to a rate of under 30 %. A significant challenge in the realm of tumor immunotherapy revolves around comprehending the mechanisms through which regulatory T (Treg) cells induce immunosuppression.

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Study Objective: The real-world effectiveness and safety of a 0/1-hour accelerated protocol using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) to exclude myocardial infarction (MI) compared to routine care in the United States is uncertain. The objective was to compare a 0/1-hour accelerated protocol for evaluation of MI to a 0/3-hour standard care protocol.

Methods: The RACE-IT trial was a stepped-wedge, randomized trial across 9 emergency departments (EDs) that enrolled 32,609 patients evaluated for possible MI from July 2020 through April 2021.

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Introduction: Despite the importance of timely vaccine completion for protection from infectious disease, there is limited knowledge of the immunization adherence rates of children with sickle cell disease (SCD).

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study comparing the immunization rates of children with SCD to those with sickle cell trait between 2008 and 2019 in Georgia. Completion rates for each vaccine and the proportion of children with up-to-date status at 24 and 35 months were calculated and compared between the cohorts.

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  • A study was conducted to compare how different cell seeding techniques affect the effectiveness of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) on a scaffold for bone defect treatment.
  • The researchers used dynamic orbital shaker loading and static loading techniques on collagen/biphasic ceramic scaffolds, finding that the orbital shaker produced more BMP-2, a key protein for bone healing.
  • While there were no significant differences in healing outcomes with lower doses between techniques, the standard dose via static seeding showed superior strength in biomechanical testing.
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  • The study evaluates the economic impact of an accelerated protocol (AP) for diagnosing myocardial infarction (MI) using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) compared to conventional testing methods.
  • Conducted across nine emergency departments, the research analyzed costs and length of stay for nearly 32,450 patients suspected of having MI.
  • Results showed that the AP did not significantly increase treatment costs or length of stay overall, but some lower acuity emergency departments experienced shorter stays and lower health system costs with the AP.
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While immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, its safety has been hampered by immunotherapy-related adverse events. Unexpectedly, we show that Mediator complex subunit 1 (MED1) is required for T regulatory (T) cell function specifically in the tumor microenvironment. T cell-specific MED1 deletion does not predispose mice to autoimmunity or excessive inflammation.

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Voxelotor is an inhibitor of sickle hemoglobin polymerization that is used to treat sickle cell disease. Although voxelotor has been shown to improve anemia, the clinical benefit on the brain remains to be determined. This study quantified the cerebral hemodynamic effects of voxelotor in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) using noninvasive diffuse optical spectroscopies.

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Background: Uptake of lung cancer screening (LCS) has been slow with less than 20% of eligible people who currently or formerly smoked reported to have undergone a screening CT.

Objective: To determine individual-, health system-, and neighborhood-level factors associated with LCS uptake after a provider order for screening.

Design And Subjects: We conducted an observational cohort study of screening-eligible patients within the Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process (PROSPR)-Lung Consortium who received a radiology referral/order for a baseline low-dose screening CT (LDCT) from a healthcare provider between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2019.

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  • The All of Us Research Program aims to understand opioid use by analyzing data from a diverse group of over 214,000 participants, linking survey responses and electronic health records.
  • The study found that lifetime opioid use prevalence was 4% for street opioids and 9% for nonmedical prescription opioids, with men more likely to have used opioids, while foreign-born individuals showed reduced risks.
  • The findings will help track national trends in opioid prescription, usage, and opioid use disorders (OUD) over time, particularly among underrepresented groups, contributing valuable insights to the ongoing opioid crisis.
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Ex-vivo gene therapy has been shown to be an effective method for treating bone defects in pre-clinical models. As gene therapy is explored as a potential treatment option in humans, an assessment of the safety profile becomes an important next step. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biodistribution of viral particles at the defect site and various internal organs in a rat femoral defect model after implantation of human ASCs transduced with lentivirus (LV) with two-step transcriptional activation (TSTA) of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (LV-TSTA-BMP-2).

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Purpose: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are lethal, Ras-driven sarcomas that lack effective therapies. We investigated effects of targeting cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6), MEK, and/or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in preclinical MPNST models.

Experimental Design: Patient-matched MPNSTs and precursor lesions were examined by FISH, RNA sequencing, IHC, and Connectivity-Map analyses.

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Integrins plays critical roles in connecting the extracellular matrix and actin skeleton for cell adhesion, migration, signal transduction, and gene transcription, which upregulation is involved in cancer stemness and metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying how integrins are upregulated in cancer stem cells (CSCs) remain as a biomedical mystery. Herein, we show that the death from cancer signature gene USP22 is essential to maintain the stemness of breast cancer cells through promoting the transcription of a group of integrin family members in particular integrin β1 Both genetic and pharmacological USP22 inhibition largely impaired breast cancer stem cell self-renewal and prevented their metastasis.

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