Publications by authors named "Levine A"

Temporal regulation of gene expression is required for developmental transitions, including differentiation, proliferation, and morphogenesis. In the nematode , heterochronic microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the temporal expression of genes that promote animal development. The heterochronic miRNAs lin-4 and let-7 are required during different stages of larval development and are associated with the miRNA-specific Argonaute ALG-1.

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Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by proliferative remodeling and obliterative narrowing of the pulmonary vasculature. While outcomes have improved with existing treatments targeting 3 main pathways, there remains a critical need for novel therapies that address different and novel mechanisms of PAH. Sotatercept, recently Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, is a groundbreaking fusion protein that binds to activin and growth differentiation factors, rebalancing antiproliferative and pro-proliferative signals to reverse remodeling in both the pulmonary vasculature and the right ventricle.

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Background: Gliomas are a major cause of cancer-related death among children, adolescents, and young adults (age 0-40 years). Primary mismatch repair deficiency (MMRD) is a pan-cancer mechanism with unique biology and therapeutic opportunities. We aimed to determine the extent and impact of primary MMRD in gliomas among children, adolescents, and young adults.

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Background: Several factors contribute to the known disparities in overall survival (OS) between non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients and non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

Patients And Methods: To explore whether socioeconomic status (SES) and healthcare resource (HCR) availability impacts OS, this retrospective study used linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare claims and Area Health Resource Files to identify NHB and NHW patients aged ≥66 years with MM (newly diagnosed 6/1/2013-12/31/2017). Continuous Medicare A and B enrollment until 12/31/2019 or preceding death was required.

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Background: Heavy drinking, smoking, and depression are common among men who have sex with men (MSM). The association of co-occurring longitudinal patterns of these conditions and mortality among MSM were tested, applying a syndemic framework - the interaction of two or more conditions that contribute to poor health outcomes.

Methods: Longitudinal data from 1999 to 2018 from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study of 3046 MSM were analyzed.

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Introduction: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we rapidly implemented a plasma coordination center, within two months, to support transfusion for two outpatient randomized controlled trials. The center design was based on an investigational drug services model and a Food and Drug Administration-compliant database to manage blood product inventory and trial safety.

Methods: A core investigational team adapted a cloud-based platform to randomize patient assignments and track inventory distribution of control plasma and high-titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma of different blood groups from 29 donor collection centers directly to blood banks serving 26 transfusion sites.

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Residential lawn management often includes fertilizer application to encourage healthy plant growth and support the aesthetic preferences of homeowners and communities. These inputs may negatively impact the environment by increasing nutrient export to aquatic ecosystems via surface runoff or leaching through soil into groundwater. Fertilizer management and nutrient export are of particular concern in karst areas like North-Central Florida, where the underlying karst geology leads to rapid, direct connections between surface and groundwater ecosystems.

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  • The study investigated whether smartphone camera data can effectively detect anemia in children aged 6 months to 18 years.
  • Conducted at Haemek Medical Center, it involved 823 patients, with specific exclusions for certain nail conditions and discolorations to ensure accuracy.
  • Results showed varying effectiveness of different smartphone models in identifying anemia, with enhanced performance when supplemented with synthetic data, indicating potential for future non-invasive anemia screening tools for kids.
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Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a heterogeneous predisposition to an individually variable spectrum of cancers caused by pathogenic germline variants. We used a clustering method to assign TP53 missense variants to classes based on their functional activities in experimental assays assessing biological p53 functions. Correlations with LFS phenotypes were analyzed using the public germline mutation database and validated in three LFS clinical cohorts.

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Over the past decade, single-cell genomics technologies have allowed scalable profiling of cell-type-specific features, which has substantially increased our ability to study cellular diversity and transcriptional programs in heterogeneous tissues. Yet our understanding of mechanisms of gene regulation or the rules that govern interactions between cell types is still limited. The advent of new computational pipelines and technologies, such as single-cell epigenomics and spatially resolved transcriptomics, has created opportunities to explore two new axes of biological variation: cell-intrinsic regulation of cell states and expression programs and interactions between cells.

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Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Most patients with metastatic disease respond initially to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), but almost inevitably progress to castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Identification of markers and drivers of mCRPC that (a) represent a progenitor-type cancer cell population (b) persist in castration resistant disease (c) are actionable targets expressed on the cell surface, and (d) are induced by hypoxia, is required to facilitate the development of novel targeted therapies.

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  • Latin America's genetic diversity offers a unique opportunity to study Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), with a focus on identifying related genetic variations.
  • The study involved 2,162 participants from six countries who underwent extensive genomic sequencing and analysis to detect genetic factors linked to these dementias.
  • Results highlighted a mix of American, African, and European ancestries, discovered 17 pathogenic variants, and revealed specific genetic variations tied to AD and FTD inheritance patterns in affected families.
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The impact of food technology and product development on the nutritional quality of foods is discussed in the context of food classification schemes, clinical research, and sociocultural studies. Food processing operations are analyzed in terms of their beneficial and detrimental consequences for the nutritional value of foods and ingredients. Several classification schemes are discussed, including dietary guidelines, nutrition information panels, and nutritional scores.

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Background: The "clean eating" trend suggests that consuming fewer processed foods is important for healthy diets. Yet, a diet of mostly ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can meet recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Whether a diet comprised mostly of simple ingredient foods can provide a low-quality diet remains unexplored.

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  • The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 mandates Medicare to negotiate drug prices, allowing negotiations for small-molecule drugs nine years after FDA approval and for biologics thirteen years postapproval.
  • A comparison of small-molecule drugs and biologics from 1999-2018 showed similar incremental quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gains, but significant differences in costs and cost-effectiveness.
  • Small-molecule drugs had lower additional costs and better cost-effectiveness ratios compared to biologics, suggesting a potential need for equalizing negotiation timelines for both types of drugs.
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  • * A study analyzed 5,304 cases of moderate-to-severe diarrhea and identified 2,284 (43%) as severe dehydration using WHO guidelines, but one-third had no attributable pathogens.
  • * The most common pathogens varied by age group, with rotavirus being prevalent in younger children, and the findings aim to enhance future prevention and treatment strategies for severe dehydration.
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Sepsis is the leading cause of child death globally with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bearing a disproportionate burden of pediatric sepsis deaths. Limited diagnostic and critical care capacity and health worker shortages contribute to delayed recognition of advanced sepsis (severe sepsis, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction) in LMICs. The aims of this study were to 1) assess the feasibility of a wearable device for physiologic monitoring of septic children in a LMIC setting and 2) develop machine learning models that utilize readily available wearable and clinical data to predict advanced sepsis in children.

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  • - Neuropsychiatric complications from SARS-CoV-2, termed NeuroPASC, impact 10%-60% of those infected, leading to cognitive challenges linked to white matter (WM) involvement in the brain.
  • - A study with 72 participants revealed that those with NeuroPASC had larger cerebral WM volumes and exhibited signs of ongoing neuroinflammation, as shown by higher WM mean kurtosis and more self-reported symptoms like headaches.
  • - Participants with NeuroPASC demonstrated poorer performance in cognitive functions such as attention and memory retrieval compared to asymptomatic controls, suggesting significant cognitive and immune system differences between the groups.
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  • Recent research has significantly improved our knowledge of the genetic factors driving pediatric low-grade glioma (PLGG), mainly focusing on the RAS/MAPK pathway.
  • Key genetic alterations, especially in genes like BRAF, FGFR1, and NF1, play crucial roles in these tumors, with additional mutations in tumor suppressor genes potentially leading to more aggressive forms.
  • Comprehensive genetic profiling, including sequencing and copy number analysis, is essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning for PLGG.
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Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) remains a significant therapeutic challenge due to the lack of effective and safe treatment options. This study explores the potential of combining histone deacetylase (HDAC) and carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) inhibitors in treating DIPG. Analysis of RNA sequencing data and tumor tissue from patient samples for the expression of the carbonic anhydrase family and hypoxia signaling pathway activity revealed clinical relevance for targeting CA9 in DIPG.

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