Browsing by Author "Yardi, Isha"
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Item DISRUPTION OF E-CADHERIN PROMOTES INTESTINAL STEM CELL PROLIFERATION IN COLONOIDS(2023) Arpon, Aaliyah; Bell, Michaela; Brown, Katie; Forsberg, Alisa; Krishnan, Ananya; Margolis, Ryan; Marhefka, Laura; Yang, Jerry; Yardi, Isha; Jin, YounggeonReconstitution of the wounded epithelium is integral to achieve the full healing of the gut mucosa in treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The ability of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) to indefinitely self-renew while generating new functional epithelia makes them a potential therapeutic tool for IBD. Transmembrane protein E-cadherin, a calcium dependent cell-to-cell adhesion protein at adherens junctions, also regulates the Wnt signaling pathway. The canonical Wnt (β-catenin dependent) pathway is vital for the ISC homeostasis and regeneration. However, the role of E-cadherin in ISCs is an important yet notably understudied phenomenon. Disruption of E-cadherin increases unbound cytosolic β-catenin levels, which go to the nucleus and increase transcription of Wnt target genes. We hypothesize that disrupted E-cadherin will increase proliferation of ISCs. In our experiments, we disrupt E-cadherin with different concentrations of EGTA, a calcium chelator, and see the effect it has on colonoid growth and development. Our experiments showed that with EGTA there was greater proliferation; 1 mM EGTA experimental groups had larger colonoids than vehicle control colonoids on day 6 after seeding. This indicates that EGTA treatment may induce proliferation of the organoid with E-cadherin disruption. For future study, we will check and confirm the disruption of E-cadherin/β-catenin complex and Wnt target genes by real-time PCR and immunofluorescence studies. Ultimately our study will open novel therapeutic applications for patients living with IBD and other clinic inflammatory gut disorders.Item Leveraging 13 million responses to the U.S. COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey to examine vaccine hesitancy, vaccination, and mask wearing, January 2021-February 2022(Springer Nature, 2022-10-13) Nguyen, Quynh C.; Yardi, Isha; Gutierrez, Francia Ximena Marin; Mane, Heran; Yue, XiaoheThe urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic called upon the joint efforts from the scientific and private sectors to work together to track vaccine acceptance and prevention behaviors. Our study utilized individual responses to the Delphi Group at Carnegie Mellon University U.S. COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey, in partnership with Facebook. We retrieved survey data from January 2021 to February 2022 (n = 13,426,245) to examine contextual and individual-level predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, vaccination, and mask wearing in the United States. Adjusted logistic regression models were developed to examine individual and ZIP code predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccination status. Given the COVID-19 vaccine was rolled out in phases in the U.S. we conducted analyses stratified by time, January 2021-May 2021 (Time 1) and June 2021-February 2022 (Time 2). In January 2021 only 9% of U.S. Facebook respondents reported receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, and 45% were vaccine hesitant. By February 2022, 80% of U.S. Facebook respondents were vaccinated and only 18% were vaccine hesitant. Individuals who were older, held higher educational degrees, worked in white collar jobs, wore a mask most or all the time, and identified as white and Asian had higher COVID-19 vaccination rates and lower vaccine hesitancy across Time 1 and Time 2. Essential workers and blue-collar occupations had lower COVID vaccinations and higher vaccine hesitancy. By Time 2, all adults were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but blacks and multiracial individuals had lower vaccination and higher vaccine hesitancy compared to whites. Those 55 years and older and females had higher odds of wearing masks most or all the time. Protective service, construction, and installation and repair occupations had lower odds of wearing masks. ZIP Code level percentage of the population with a bachelors’ which was associated with mask wearing, higher vaccination, and lower vaccine hesitancy. Associations found in earlier phases of the pandemic were generally found to also be present later in the pandemic, indicating stability in inequities. Additionally, inequities in these important outcomes suggests more work is needed to bridge gaps to ensure that the burden of COVID-19 risk does not disproportionately fall upon subgroups of the population.