Browsing by Author "Wang, Tianxiu"

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    BAILA: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Latin Dancing to Increase Physical Activity in Spanish-Speaking Older Latinos
    (Oxford Academic, 2022-12) Marquez, David X.; Wilbur, JoEllen; Hughes, Susan; Wilson, Robert; Buchner, David M.; Berbaum, Michael L.; McAuley, Edward; Aguiñaga, Susan; Balbim, Guilherme M.; Vásquez, Priscilla M.; Marques, Isabela G.; Wang, Tianxiu; Kaushal, Navin; Health Sciences, School of Health and Human Sciences
    BACKGROUND: Latinos are the fastest growing minority group of the older adult population. Although physical activity (PA) has documented health benefits, older Latinos are less likely to engage in leisure time PA than older non-Latino whites. Dance, popular among Latinos, holds promise as a culturally relevant form of PA. PURPOSE: To describe self-reported and device-assessed changes in PA as a result of a randomized controlled trial of BAILAMOS, a 4-month Latin dance program with a 4-month maintenance program, versus a health education control group. METHODS: Adults, aged 55+, Latino/Hispanic, Spanish speaking, with low PA levels at baseline, and risk for disability were randomized to the dance program (n = 167) or health education condition (n = 166). Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling with full information maximum likelihood. RESULTS: A series of multilevel models revealed significant time × group interaction effects for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), dance PA, leisure PA, and total PA. Exploring the interaction revealed the dance group to significantly increase their MVPA, dance PA, leisure PA, and total PA at months 4 and 8. Household PA and activity counts from accelerometry data did not demonstrate significant interaction effects. CONCLUSIONS: The study supports organized Latin dance programs to be efficacious in promoting self-reported PA among older Latinos. Efforts are needed to make dancing programs available and accessible, and to find ways for older Latinos to add more PA to their daily lives. CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION: NCT01988233.
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    DNA Recognition and Cleavage by Phenyl-Benzimidazole Modified Gly-Gly-His-Derived Metallopeptides
    (2010-04-08T16:20:15Z) Wang, Tianxiu; Long, Eric C. (Eric Charles); Blacklock, Brenda J.; Naumann, Christoph A.
    Metallopeptides of the general form M(II)∙Gly1-Gly2-His induce DNA strand scission via minor groove interactions. This peptide system can serve as a nucleic acid-targeted cleavage agent – either as an appendage to other DNA binding agents, or as a stand alone complex. In an effort to further our knowledge of DNA recognition and cleavage, a novel series of phenyl-benzimidazole modified Gly-Gly-His-derived metallopeptides was synthesized via solid phase methods and investigated. The new systems allow the formation of additional contacts to the DNA minor groove through the incorporation of a DNA binding phenyl-benzimidazole moiety, thus strengthening the overall binding interaction and further stabilizing the metal complex-DNA association. In addition, how Lys side chains and an amidinium group influence the efficiency of DNA cleavage was also studied. DNA cleavage studies suggested that the phenyl-benzimidazole-modified Gly-Gly-His metallopeptides possess enhanced DNA cleavage abilities. In particular, when amidines are placed on the benzimidazole moieties, these moieties appeared to play an important role in increasing the DNA cleavage activity of the metal complex, most likely through an enhanced electrostatic attraction to the DNA.
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    Latin Dance and Working Memory: The Mediating Effects of Physical Activity Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinos
    (Frontiers, 2022-04-15) Aguiñaga, Susan; Kaushal, Navin; Balbim, Guilherme M.; Wilson, Robert S.; Wilbur, JoEllen E.; Hughes, Susan; Buchner, David M.; Berbaum, Michael; McAuley, Edward; Vásquez, Priscilla M.; Marques, Isabela G.; Wang, Tianxiu; Marquez, David X.; Health Sciences, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Background Physical activity (PA) is a promising method to improve cognition among middle-aged and older adults. Latinos are at high risk for cognitive decline and engaging in low levels of PA. Culturally relevant PA interventions for middle-aged and older Latinos are critically needed to reduce risk of cognitive decline. We examined changes in cognitive performance among middle-aged and older Latinos participating in the BAILAMOS™ dance program or a health education group and compared the mediating effects of PA between group assignment and change in cognitive domains. Methods Our 8-month randomized controlled trial tested BAILAMOS™, a 4-month Latin dance program followed by a 4-month maintenance phase. A total of 333 older Latinos aged 55+ were randomized to either BAILAMOS™, or to a health education control group. Neuropsychological tests were administered, scores were converted to z-scores, and specific domains (i.e., executive function, episodic memory, and working memory) were derived. Self-reported PA was assessed, and we reported categories of total PA, total leisure PA, and moderate-to-vigorous PA as minutes/week. A series of ANCOVAs tested changes in cognitive domains at 4 and 8 months. A mediation analysis tested the mediating effects of each PA category between group assignment and a significant change in cognition score. Results The ANCOVAs found significant improvement in working memory scores among participants in the dance group at month 8 [F(1,328) = 5.79, p = 0.017, d = 0.20], but not in executive functioning [F(2,328) = 0.229, p = 0.80, Cohen’s d = 0.07] or episodic memory [F(2,328) = 0.241, p = 0.78, Cohen’s d = 0.05]. Follow-up mediation models found that total PA mediated the relationship between group assignment and working memory, in favor of the dance group (β = 0.027, 95% CI [0.0000, 0.0705]). Similarly, total leisure PA was found to mediate this relationship [β = 0.035, 95% CI (0.0041, 0.0807)]. Conclusion A 4-month Latin dance program followed by a 4-month maintenance phase improved working memory among middle-aged and older Latinos. Improvements in working memory were mediated by participation in leisure PA. Our results support the current literature that leisure time PA influences cognition and highlight the importance of culturally relevant PA modalities for Latinos. Clinical Trial Registration [www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT01988233].
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    Pancreatic quantitative sensory testing to predict treatment response of endoscopic therapy or surgery for painful chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic duct obstruction: study protocol for an observational clinical trial
    (BMJ, 2024-03-21) Phillips, Anna Evans; Afghani, Elham; Akshintala, Venkata Sandeep; Benos, Panayiotis Y.; Das, Rohit; Drewes, Asbjørn Mohr; Easler, Jeffrey; Faghih, Mahya; Gabbert, Charles; Halappa, Vivek; Khashab, Mouen A.; Olesen, Søren Schou; Saloman, Jami L.; Sholosh, Biatta; Slivka, Adam; Wang, Tianxiu; Yadav, Dhiraj; Singh, Vikesh K.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Treatment for abdominal pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) remains challenging in the setting of central nervous system sensitisation, a phenomenon of remodelling and neuronal hyperexcitability resulting from persistent pain stimuli. This is suspected to render affected individuals less likely to respond to conventional therapies. Endotherapy or surgical decompression is offered to patients with pancreatic duct obstruction. However, the response to treatment is unpredictable. Pancreatic quantitative sensory testing (P-QST), an investigative technique of standardised stimulations to test the pain system in CP, has been used for phenotyping patients into three mutually exclusive groups: no central sensitisation, segmental sensitisation (pancreatic viscerotome) and widespread hyperalgesia suggestive of supraspinal central sensitisation. We will test the predictive capability of the pretreatment P-QST phenotype to predict the likelihood of pain improvement following invasive treatment for painful CP. Methods and analysis: This observational clinical trial will enrol 150 patients from the University of Pittsburgh, Johns Hopkins and Indiana University. Participants will undergo pretreatment phenotyping with P-QST. Treatment will be pancreatic endotherapy or surgery for clearance of painful pancreatic duct obstruction. Primary outcome: average pain score over the preceding 7 days measured by Numeric Rating Scale at 6 months postintervention. Secondary outcomes will include changes in opioid use during follow-up, and patient-reported outcomes in pain and quality of life at 3, 6 and 12 months after the intervention. Exploratory outcomes will include creation of a model for individualised prediction of response to invasive treatment. Ethics and dissemination: The trial will evaluate the ability of P-QST to predict response to invasive treatment for painful CP and develop a predictive model for individualised prediction of treatment response for widespread use. This trial was approved by the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board. Data and results will be reported and disseminated in conjunction with National Institutes of Health policies.