Publications by authors named "Kennedy V"

Insulin resistance, stem cell dysfunction, and muscle fiber dystrophy are all age-related events in skeletal muscle (SKM). However, age-related changes in insulin isoforms and insulin receptors in myogenic progenitor satellite cells have not been studied. Since SKM is an extra-pancreatic tissue that does not express mature insulin, we investigated the levels of insulin receptors (INSRs) and a novel human insulin upstream open reading frame (INSU) at the mRNA, protein, and anatomical levels in Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) biopsied SKM samples of 27-89-year-old (yrs) participants.

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  • The study aimed to evaluate how otitis media with effusion (OME) progresses in children under 12 who do not have hearing loss.
  • Nineteen observational studies were analyzed, revealing that the resolution rates of OME varied widely over time, from 10% to 99% by 12 months, with significant differences based on the population and the criteria for resolution.
  • Although there was a trend of improved resolution and recurring cases over longer follow-up, the results did not show a consistent pattern, indicating that varied populations and definitions played a role.
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Objective: To systematically assess the modifiable risk factors for developing otitis media with effusion (OME) in children under 12 years.

Methods: We searched Embase, MEDLINE, INAHTA database, CENTRAL, CDSR and Epistemonikos for cohort studies with ≥40 children per arm/prognostic factor, published in English from 2000 to November 2022. We assessed risk of bias using the Quality in Prognosis Studies checklist, and overall evidence quality was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.

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  • The objective of the study was to evaluate the natural history of hearing loss related to otitis media with effusion (OME) in children under 12 years old.
  • A comprehensive search of multiple medical databases identified 13 relevant studies involving different sample sizes that examined the resolution rates of OME-related hearing loss over time.
  • Results showed that while OME-related hearing loss resolution improved significantly over longer follow-up periods, the rates varied considerably based on the duration of OME and the specific population studied, indicating a complex relationship and varying definitions of resolution.
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Despite recent work linking mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) to certain genetic lesions, specific driver mutations remain undefined for a significant proportion of patients and no genetic subtype is predictive of clinical outcomes. Moreover, therapeutic strategy for MPAL remains unclear, and prognosis is overall poor. We performed multiomic single cell profiling of 14 newly diagnosed adult MPAL patients to characterize the inter- and intra-tumoral transcriptional, immunophenotypic, and genetic landscapes of MPAL.

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Background: Certification in infection control (CIC) is a standardized indicator of the knowledge and competencies essential for effective infection prevention practice. Evidence measuring success of training programs for certfication in infection control is limited.

Methods: From 2017 through 2023, 51 novice infection preventionists (IPs) were enrolled in a training program that combined didactic learning, application of knowledge in practice, and mentorship from advanced-practice and near-peer IPs.

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  • Trans/transfeminine women face higher rates of HIV infection, and concerns about interactions between HIV treatment (ART) and gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) might discourage them from starting ART compared to cisgender women.
  • The study aims to analyze how feminizing hormone therapy (FHT) interacts with a specific ART regimen (B/F/TAF) by conducting a six-month study with three groups of participants: trans women with HIV on both therapies, cis women with HIV on ART, and trans women without HIV on FHT.
  • Findings from this research could provide essential insights into the safe use of ART and FHT together, which is crucial for improving health outcomes for trans women living with HIV.
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Objective: This paper describes how the administrative leadership of 1 physical therapy department curated, implemented, and evaluated a culturally responsive administrative support strategy to foster a positive working environment. Participants' perceptions of culturally responsive practices were explored using climate survey data.

Methods: This case occurred in the physical therapy and rehabilitation science department at an academic medical center in the United States.

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Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of B-cell malignancies, many patients relapse and therefore strategies to improve antitumor immunity are needed. We previously designed a novel autologous bispecific CAR targeting CD19 and CD22 (CAR19-22), which was well tolerated and associated with high response rates but relapse was common. Interleukin-15 (IL15) induces proliferation of diverse immune cells and can augment lymphocyte trafficking.

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Heavy metal (HM) pollution threatens human and ecosystem health. Current methods for remediating water contaminated with HMs are expensive and have limited effect. Therefore, bioremediation is being investigated as an environmentally and economically viable alternative.

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  • Research investigates the impact of child protective services (CPS) out-of-home care on HIV outcomes among women in Canada, revealing knowledge gaps in this area.
  • A longitudinal study over 5 years assessed self-reported ART use and viral load (VL) detectability, using statistical methods to track outcome trajectories.
  • Results show that women with a history of CPS care are twice as likely to have a detectable VL, suggesting that their poorer mental health mediates this relationship.
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Glucose, the primary energy substrate for fetal oxidative processes and growth, is transferred from maternal to fetal circulation down a concentration gradient by placental facilitative glucose transporters. In sheep, SLC2A1 and SLC2A3 are the primary transporters available in the placental epithelium, with SLC2A3 located on the maternal-facing apical trophoblast membrane and SLC2A1 located on the fetal-facing basolateral trophoblast membrane. We have previously reported that impaired placental SLC2A3 glucose transport resulted in smaller, hypoglycemic fetuses with reduced umbilical artery insulin and glucagon concentrations, in addition to diminished pancreas weights.

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This perspective reviews the current state of the art and literature on tinnitus in children, prevalence and risk factors, clinical management, and future priorities for healthcare provision and research. Most research in the field to date appears to be prevalence studies, which have reached dramatically different estimates; this reflects the lack of a standard language when asking about the presence of tinnitus, or how bothersome, distressing, or negatively impacting it is for the child. Estimates are also likely affected by a lack of awareness of tinnitus amongst children and parents.

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  • Hypersensitivity reactions (HR) are common in mastocytosis, a condition analyzed using data from the European Competence Network on Mastocytosis (ECNM), involving 2485 adults.
  • About 38.1% of patients reported HR, with Hymenoptera venoms being the primary trigger for cutaneous mastocytosis and indolent systemic mastocytosis, while drug reactions were more common in advanced systemic mastocytosis.
  • Key risk factors for HR include lower tryptase levels, minimal mast cell infiltration in bone marrow, and a diagnosis of indolent systemic mastocytosis, with new reactions occurring in 4.8% of patients over four years.
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Interior Health in British Columbia advocates for and supports advanced practice nurses, inclusive of regional clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). CNSs develop evidence-informed programs, education, policies and practice standards. The article uses an advanced practice nursing framework to anchor two case studies: (1) the operationalization and implementation of a regional CNS role in primary care and (2) the use of a knowledge translation strategy to build clinical capacity in serious illness conversations.

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Transcriptional regulators generate connections between biological signals and genetic outputs. They are used robustly for sensing input signals in building genetic circuits. However, each regulator can only generate a fixed connection, which generates constraints in linking multiple signals for more complex processes.

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  • - The placenta predominantly uses glucose from the mother for fetal growth, but the specific role of the SLC2A8 (GLUT8) transporter in trophoblast cells is still unclear.
  • - Research using RNA interference showed that reducing SLC2A8 levels led to a significant decrease (11%) in glucose uptake in a human trophoblast cell line, along with changes in gene expression.
  • - Findings suggest that SLC2A8 is crucial for maintaining glucose uptake and may primarily support metabolic processes, meaning any dysfunction could potentially lead to complications in placental health and function.
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Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Post-transplant, prophylactic rituximab has successfully decreased cGHVD rates in clinical trials, but the durability of this strategy is uncertain. The long-terms effect of post-HCT B cell depletion on immune reconstitution, B cell function, and infectious complications are also unknown.

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  • The Women-Centred HIV Care (WCHC) Model was created using data from a national study and focus groups to improve healthcare delivery for women living with HIV.* -
  • Two toolkits in English and French were developed for service providers and women with HIV, with extensive outreach through webinars and training sessions, reaching over 300 individuals.* -
  • The initiative showed positive outcomes, with a 29% increase in WCHC knowledge and high confidence in care abilities among participants, along with 7766 downloads of the toolkits by December 2023.*
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We previously demonstrated impaired placental nutrient transfer in chorionic somatomammotropin (CSH) RNA interference (RNAi) pregnancies, with glucose transfer being the most impacted. Thus, we hypothesized that despite experimentally elevating maternal glucose, diminished umbilical glucose uptake would persist in CSH RNAi pregnancies, demonstrating the necessity of CSH for adequate placental glucose transfer. Trophectoderm of sheep blastocysts (9 days of gestational age; dGA) were infected with a lentivirus expressing either nontargeting control (CON RNAi; = 5) or CSH-specific shRNA (CSH RNAi; = 7) before transfer into recipient sheep.

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Mutations in five canonical Ras pathway genes (NF1, NRAS, KRAS, PTPN11 and CBL) are detected in nearly 90% of patients with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), a frequently fatal malignant neoplasm of early childhood. In this report, we describe seven patients diagnosed with SH2B3-mutated JMML, including five patients who were found to have initiating, loss-of-function mutations in the gene. SH2B3 encodes the adaptor protein LNK, a negative regulator of normal hematopoiesis upstream of the Ras pathway.

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Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is the most frequently mutated gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Modern targeting of FLT3 with inhibitors has improved clinical outcomes and FLT3 inhibitors have been incorporated into the treatment of AML in all phases of the disease, including the upfront, relapsed/refractory and maintenance settings. This review will discuss the current understanding of FLT3 biology, the clinical use of FLT3 inhibitors, resistance mechanisms and emerging combination treatment strategies.

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