Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A New Cecal Slurry Preparation Protocol With Improved Long-Term Reproducibility For Animal Models Of Sepsis, Marlene E. Starr, Allison M. Steele, Mizuki Saito, Bill J. Hacker, B. Mark Evers, Hiroshi Saito

Surgery Faculty Publications

Sepsis, a life-threatening systemic inflammatory response syndrome induced by infection, is widely studied using laboratory animal models. While cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP) is considered the gold standard model for sepsis research, it may not be preferable for experiments comparing animals of different size or under different dietary regimens. By comparing cecum size, shape, and cecal content characteristics in mice under different experimental conditions (aging, diabetes, pancreatitis), we show that cecum variability could be problematic for some CLP experiments. The cecal slurry (CS) injection model, in which the cecal contents of a laboratory animal are injected intraperitoneally to other animals, is …

Cyclooxygenase-2, Prostaglandin E2, And Prostanoid Receptor Ep2 In Fluid Flow Shear Stress-Mediated Injury In The Solitary Kidney., Tarak Srivastava, Uri S. Alon, Patricia A. Cudmore, Belal Tarakji, Alexander Kats, Robert E. Garola, R Scott Duncan, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Ram Sharma, Mark L. Johnson, Lynda F. Bonewald, Ashraf El-Meanawy, Virginia J. Savin, Mukut Sharma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Hyperfiltration subjects podocytes to increased tensile stress and fluid flow shear stress (FFSS). We showed a 1.5- to 2.0-fold increase in FFSS in uninephrectomized animals and altered podocyte actin cytoskeleton and increased synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) following in vitro application of FFSS. We hypothesized that increased FFSS mediates cellular changes through specific receptors of PGE2. Presently, we studied the effect of FFSS on cultured podocytes and decapsulated isolated glomeruli in vitro, and on solitary kidney in uninephrectomized sv129 mice. In cultured podocytes, FFSS resulted in increased gene and protein expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 but not COX-1, prostanoid receptor EP2 …

Sugihara Causality Analysis Of Scalp Eeg For Detection Of Early Alzheimer's Disease, Joseph C. Mcbride, Xiaopeng Zhao, Nancy B. Munro, Greg A. Jicha, Frederick A. Schmitt, Richard J. Kryscio, Charles D. Smith, Yang Jiang

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Recently, Sugihara proposed an innovative causality concept, which, in contrast to statistical predictability in Granger sense, characterizes underlying deterministic causation of the system. This work exploits Sugihara causality analysis to develop novel EEG biomarkers for discriminating normal aging from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer's disease (AD). The hypothesis of this work is that scalp EEG based causality measurements have different distributions for different cognitive groups and hence the causality measurements can be used to distinguish between NC, MCI, and AD participants. The current results are based on 30-channel resting EEG records from 48 age-matched participants (mean age 75.7 …

Pupillometry: A Non-Invasive Technique For Pain Assessment In Paediatric Patients., Mark A. Connelly, Jacob T. Brown, Gregory L. Kearns, Rawni A. Anderson, Shawn D. St Peter, Kathleen A. Neville

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: Pupillometry has been used to assess pain intensity and response to analgesic medications in adults. The aim of this observational study was to explore proof of concept for the use of this technique in paediatric patients. Changes in pupil parameters before and after opioid exposure also were evaluated.

DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a single-centre, prospective study conducted at an academic paediatric medical centre.

PATIENTS: Children 9-17 years of age undergoing elective surgical correction of pectus excavatum were enrolled into a protocol approved by the human ethical committee (institutional review board).

INTERVENTIONS: Pupil size and reactivity were measured using …

Aortic Valve Reconstruction With Use Of Pericardial Leaflets In Adults With Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease: Early And Midterm Outcomes, Meong Gun Song, Hyun Suk Yang, Jong Bum Choi, Je Kyoun Shin, Hyun Keun Chee, Jun Seok Kim

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of adults with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease who underwent aortic valve reconstructive surgery (AVRS), consisting of replacement of the diseased BAV with 2 or 3 pericardial leaflets plus fixation of the sinotubular junction for accurate and constant leaflet coaptation. From December 2007 through April 2013, 135 consecutive patients (mean age, 49.2 ± 13.1 yr; 73.3% men) with symptomatic BAV disease underwent AVRS. Raphe was observed in 84 patients (62.2%), and the remaining 51 patients had pure BAV without raphe. A total of 122 patients (90.4%) underwent 3-leaflet reconstruction, and 13 (9.6%) …

Repeated Transradial Catheterization: Feasibility, Efficacy, And Safety, Marinos A Charalambous, Savvas S Constantinides, Michael A Talias, Elpidoforos S Soteriades, Christos P Christou

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Transradial access is an alternative to the transfemoral approach in coronary interventions. It results in less access-site bleeding, shorter hospital stays, lower costs, and less pain for the patient. However, some authors have suggested that the transradial approach might lead to radial artery occlusion, which precludes repeated same-artery catheterizations. Using data from our center, we evaluated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of repeated transradial catheterization.

We reviewed the 3,006 transradial catheterizations performed at our center from 2006 through 2009. Patients who had undergone at least one repeated transradial catheterization were identified, their cases monitored through 2012, and their baseline characteristics …

Brachiocephalic Artery Cannulation In Proximal Aortic Surgery That Requires Circulatory Arrest, Mehmet Unal, Oguz Yilmaz, Ilker Akar, Ilker Ince, Cemal Aslan, Fatih Koc, Haluk Kafali

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

The brachiocephalic artery is an alternative cannulation site in the repair of ascending aortic lesions that require circulatory arrest. We evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this technique.

Proximal aortic surgery was performed in 32 patients from 2006 through 2012 via brachiocephalic artery cannulation and circulatory arrest. Twenty-four (75%) of the patients were men. The mean age was 48.69 ± 9.43 years (range, 30–68 yr). Twelve had type I dissection, 2 had type II dissection, and 18 had true aneurysms of the ascending aorta. All operations were performed through a median sternotomy. The arterial cannula was inserted through an 8-mm …

Percutaneous Repair Of Post-Myocardial Infarction Ventricular Septal Defect: Current Approaches And Future Perspectives, Maria D Baldasare, Mark Polyakov, Glenn W Laub, Joseph T Costic, Daniel J Mccormick, Sheldon Goldberg

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect is a devastating complication of ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Although surgical intervention is considered the gold standard for treatment, it carries high morbidity and mortality rates. We present 2 cases that illustrate the application of percutaneous closure of a post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect: the first in a patient who had undergone prior surgical closure and then developed a new shunt, and the second as a bridge to definitive surgery in a critically ill patient.

Anticoagulation With Bivalirudin During Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest In A Patient With Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia, Agamemnon Pericleous, Mostafa Sadek, Mary Fitzmaurice, Constance Caldwell, Kris Natividad, Konstadinos A Plestis

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is a well-recognized complication of anticoagulation with heparin. We present the case of a patient with recent heparin-induced thrombocytopenia who subsequently needed surgery on an emergency basis for acute type A aortic dissection. This article reports the successful use of bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor, as an alternative to heparin throughout cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. We contend that bivalirudin is a safe alternative to heparin when performing surgery for aortic dissection and should be considered as an option for use in patients who present with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

The Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Attenuates Organic Dust-Induced Airway Inflammation., Tara M. Nordgren, Taylor D. Friemel, Art J. Heires, Jill A. Poole, Todd A. Wyatt, Debra J. Romberger

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

Workers exposed to organic dusts from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are at risk for developing airway inflammatory diseases. Available preventative and therapeutic measures for alleviating dust-induced lung disease are inadequate. Because omega-3 fatty acids can mitigate inflammatory processes, we aimed to determine whether nutritional supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) could reduce the airway inflammatory consequences of exposures to organic dust. Aqueous extracts of organic dusts from swine CAFOs (ODE) were utilized. In DHA-pretreated human bronchial epithelial cells, lung fibroblasts, monocyte cell cultures, and precision-cut murine lung slices, we found that DHA pretreatment dose-dependently decreased ODE-induced …

Wordless Intervention For Epilepsy In Learning Disabilities (Wield): Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial, Marie-Anne Durand, Bob Gates, Georgina Parkes, Asif Zia

Dartmouth Scholarship

Epilepsy is the most common neurological problem that affects people with learning disabilities. The high seizure frequency, resistance to treatments, associated skills deficit and co-morbidities make the management of epilepsy particularly challenging for people with learning disabilities. The Books Beyond Words booklet for epilepsy uses images to help people with learning disabilities manage their condition and improve quality of life. Our aim is to conduct a randomized controlled feasibility trial exploring key methodological, design and acceptability issues, in order to subsequently undertake a large-scale randomized controlled trial of the Books Beyond Words booklet for epilepsy.

The Long Non-Coding Rna Pcat-1 Promotes Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation Through Cmyc., John R. Prensner, Wei Chen, Sumin Han, Matthew K. Iyer, Qi Cao, Vishal Kothari, Joseph R. Evans, Karen E. Knudsen, Michelle T. Paulsen, Mats Ljungman, Theodore S. Lawrence, Arul M. Chinnaiyan, Felix Y. Feng

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent an emerging layer of cancer biology, contributing to tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Here, we describe a role for the oncogenic lncRNA PCAT-1 in prostate cancer proliferation through cMyc. We find that PCAT-1-mediated proliferation is dependent on cMyc protein stabilization, and using expression profiling, we observed that cMyc is required for a subset of PCAT-1-induced expression changes. The PCAT-1-cMyc relationship is mediated through the post-transcriptional activity of the MYC 3' untranslated region, and we characterize a role for PCAT-1 in the disruption of MYC-targeting microRNAs. To further elucidate a role for post-transcriptional regulation, we demonstrate …

Leukocyte Esterase Strip Test: Matched For Musculoskeletal Infection Society Criteria., Eric H Tischler, Priscilla K Cavanaugh, Javad Parvizi Md

Rothman Institute Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The presence of leukocyte esterase in the synovial fluid has recently been proposed as a marker for periprosthetic joint infection. However, the sensitivity and specificity of leukocyte esterase has not been determined when matched for the current, most inclusive Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria for periprosthetic joint infection.

METHODS: The presence of leukocyte esterase was prospectively evaluated in synovial joint aspirates from hips and knees from May 2009 to May 2013. The cohort consisted of 189 hip and knee aspirations (fifty-two positive and 137 negative for infection). If the aspirate was bloody, a centrifuge was used to precipitate red …

Imp3 Expression Is Associated With Poor Outcome And Epigenetic Deregulation In Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, Yuanyuan Gao, Michelle Yang, Zhong Jiang, Bruce A. Woda, Arthur M. Mercurio, Jianjie Qin, Xinli Huang, Feng Zhang

Arthur M. Mercurio

IMP3 is a fetal protein not expressed in normal adult tissues. IMP3 is an oncoprotein and a useful biomarker for a variety of malignancies and is associated with reduced overall survival of a number of them. IMP3 expression and its prognostic value for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have not been well investigated. The molecular mechanism underlying IMP3 expression in human cancer cells remains to be elucidated. Here we investigated IMP3 expression in ICC and adjacent nonneoplastic liver in 72 unifocal primary ICCs from a single institute by immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. IMP3 was specifically expressed in …

Subspecialty Surveillance Of Long-Term Course Of Small And Moderate Muscular Ventricular Septal Defect: Heterogenous Practices, Low Yield., Erik L. Frandsen, Aswathy V. House, Yunbin Xiao, David A. Danford, Shelby Kutty

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

BACKGROUND: No expert consensus guides practice for intensity of ongoing pediatric cardiology surveillance of hemodynamically insignificant small and moderate muscular ventricular septal defect (mVSD). Therefore, despite the well-established benign natural history of mVSD, there is potential for widely divergent follow up practices. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate (1) variations in follow up of mVSD within an academic children's hospital based pediatric cardiology practice, and (2) the frequency of active medical or surgical management resulting from follow up of mVSD.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of 600 patients with isolated mVSD echocardiographically diagnosed between 2006 and 2012. Large …

Sofas And Infant Mortality., Lauren R. Rechtman, Jeffrey D. Colvin, Peter S. Blair, Rachel Y. Moon

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: Sleeping on sofas increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and other sleep-related deaths. We sought to describe factors associated with infant deaths on sofas.

METHODS: We analyzed data for infant deaths on sofas from 24 states in 2004 to 2012 in the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths Case Reporting System database. Demographic and environmental data for deaths on sofas were compared with data for sleep-related infant deaths in other locations, using bivariate and multivariable, multinomial logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS: A total of 1024 deaths on sofas made up 12.9% of sleep-related infant …

Low Vision Depression Prevention Trial In Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Randomized Clinical Trial., Barry W. Rovner, Robin J Casten, Mark T Hegel, Robert W Massof, Benjamin E Leiby, Allen C Ho, William S Tasman

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of behavior activation (BA) + low vision rehabilitation (LVR) with supportive therapy (ST) + LVR to prevent depressive disorders in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

DESIGN: Single-masked, attention-controlled, randomized, clinical trial with outcome assessment at 4 months.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients with AMD and subsyndromal depressive symptoms attending retina practices (n = 188).

INTERVENTIONS: Before randomization, all subjects had 2 outpatient LVR visits, and were then randomized to in-home BA+LVR or ST+LVR. Behavior activation is a structured behavioral treatment that aims to increase adaptive behaviors and achieve valued goals. Supportive therapy is a nondirective, psychological treatment …

The Significance Of Functional Renal Obstruction In Predicting Pathologic Stage Of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma., Michael J. Amirian, Kushan Radadia, Hadley Narins, Kelly A. Healy, Scott G. Hubosky, Demetrius H. Bagley, Edouard J. Trabulsi, Costas D. Lallas

Department of Urology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Assessing the severity of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) has been difficult because of inadequate biopsy specimens. Additional predictive parameters of disease stage would be useful when deciding a treatment plan; it has been suggested that preoperative hydronephrosis can be a surrogate. We examined the relationship between preoperative ipsilateral renal obstruction identified by imaging with final pathologic stage after nephroureterectomy (NU) for UTUC. We then analyzed those patients with ipsilateral renal obstruction and examined if tumor location is associated with an advanced pathologic stage.

METHODS: Patients who underwent NU for UTUC between the years 2001 to 2013 …

Blood Levels Of S-100 Calcium-Binding Protein B, High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, And Interleukin-6 For Changes In Depressive Symptom Severity After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Prospective Cohort Nested Within A Randomized, Controlled Trial, Daniel M. Pearlman, Jeremiah R. R. Brown, Todd A. Mackenzie, Felix Hernandez, Souhel Najjar

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Cross-sectional and retrospective studies have associated major depressive disorder with glial activation and injury as well as blood–brain barrier disruption, but these associations have not been assessed prospectively. Here, we aimed to determine the relationship between changes in depressive symptom severity and in blood levels of S-100 calcium- binding protein B (S-100B), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 following an inflammatory challenge.

Methods: Fifty unselected participants were recruited from a randomized, controlled trial comparing coronary artery bypass grafting procedures performed with versus without cardiopulmonary bypass for the risk of neurocognitive decline. Depressive symptom severity was measured at baseline, discharge, and …

Role Of A Genetic Variant On The 15q25.1 Lung Cancer Susceptibility Locus In Smoking-Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Xuemei Ji, Weidong Zhang, Jiang Gui, Xia Fan, Weiwei Zhang, Yafang Li, Guangyu An, Dakai Zhu, Qiang Hu

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: The 15q25.1 lung cancer susceptibility locus, containing CHRNA5, could modify lung cancer susceptibility and multiple smoking related phenotypes. However, no studies have investigated the association between CHRNA5 rs3841324, which has been proven to have the highest association with CHRNA5 mRNA expression, and the risk of other smoking-associated cancers, except lung cancer. In the current study we examined the association between rs3841324 and susceptibility to smoking-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: In this case-control study we genotyped the CHRNA5 rs3841324 polymorphism with 400 NPC cases and 491 healthy controls who were Han Chinese and frequency-matched by age (±5 years), gender, and …

Calcium Supplementation Increases Blood Creatinine Concentration In A Randomized Controlled Trial, Elizabeth L. L. Barry, Leila A. A. Mott, Michal L. L. Melamed, Judith R. Rees, Anastasia Ivanova, Robert S. Sandler, Dennis J. Ahnen, Robert S. Bresalier, Robert W. Summers, Roberd M. Bostick, John A. Baron

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Calcium supplements are widely used among older adults for osteoporosis prevention and treatment. However, their effect on creatinine levels and kidney function has not been well studied.

Methods: We investigated the effect of calcium supplementation on blood creatinine concentration in a randomized controlled trial of colorectal adenoma chemoprevention conducted between 2004–2013 at 11 clinical centers in the United States. Healthy participants (N=1,675) aged 45–75 with a history of colorectal adenoma were assigned to daily supplementation with calcium (1200 mg, as carbonate), vitamin D3 (1000 IU), both, or placebo for three or five years. Changes in blood creatinine and total …

Successful Mdr-Tb Treatment Regimens Including Amikacin Are Associated With High Rates Of Hearing Loss, Chawangwa Modongo, Rafal S. Sobota, Boikobo Kesenogile, Ronald Ncube

Dartmouth Scholarship

Aminoglycosides are a critical component of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment but data on their efficacy and adverse effects in Botswana is scarce. We determined the effect of amikacin on treatment outcomes and development of hearing loss in MDR-TB patients. Patients started on MDR-TB treatment between 2006 and 2012 were included. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the effect of amikacin on treatment outcomes and development of hearing loss.

Self-Reported Memory Complaints: Implications From A Longitudinal Cohort With Autopsies, Richard J. Kryscio, Erin L. Abner, Gregory E. Cooper, David W. Fardo, Greg A. Jicha, Peter T. Nelson, Charles D. Smith, Linda J. Van Eldik, Lijie Wan, Frederick A. Schmitt

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: We assessed salience of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) by older individuals as a predictor of subsequent cognitive impairment while accounting for risk factors and eventual neuropathologies.

METHODS: Subjects (n = 531) enrolled while cognitively intact at the University of Kentucky were asked annually if they perceived changes in memory since their last visit. A multistate model estimated when transition to impairment occurred while adjusting for intervening death. Risk factors affecting the timing and probability of an impairment were identified. The association between SMCs and Alzheimer-type neuropathology was assessed from autopsies (n = 243).

RESULTS: SMCs were …

Quantification Of Left Ventricular Torsion And Diastolic Recoil Using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Myocardial Feature Tracking., Johannes T. Kowallick, Pablo Lamata, Shazia T. Hussain, Shelby Kutty, Michael Steinmetz, Jan M Sohns, Martin Fasshauer, Wieland Staab, Christina Unterberg-Buchwald, Boris Bigalke, Joachim Lotz, Gerd Hasenfuß, Andreas Schuster

Journal Articles: Cardiology

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) offers quantification of myocardial deformation from routine cine images. However, data using CMR-FT to quantify left ventricular (LV) torsion and diastolic recoil are not yet available. We therefore sought to evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of CMR-FT to quantify LV torsion and peak recoil rate using an optimal anatomical approach.

METHODS: Short-axis cine stacks were acquired at rest and during dobutamine stimulation (10 and 20 µg · kg(-1) · min(-1)) in 10 healthy volunteers. Rotational displacement was analysed for all slices. A complete 3D-LV rotational model was developed using linear interpolation between adjacent …

Impact Of Pre-Stage Ii Hemodynamics And Pulmonary Artery Anatomy On 12-Month Outcomes In The Pediatric Heart Network Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial., Ranjit Aiyagari, John F. Rhodes, Peter Shrader, Wolfgang A. Radtke, Varsha M. Bandisode, Lisa Bergersen, Matthew J. Gillespie, Robert G. Gray, Lin T. Guey, Kevin D. Hill, Russel Hirsch, Dennis W. Kim, Kyong-Jin Lee, Andrew N. Pelech, Jeremy Ringewald, Cheryl Takao, Julie A. Vincent, Richard G. Ohye, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: To compare the interstage cardiac catheterization hemodynamic and angiographic findings between shunt types for the Pediatric Heart Network Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial. The trial, which randomized subjects to a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (MBTS) or right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS) for the Norwood procedure, demonstrated the RVPAS was associated with a smaller pulmonary artery diameter but superior 12-month transplant-free survival.

METHODS: We analyzed the pre-stage II catheterization data for the trial subjects. The hemodynamic variables and shunt and pulmonary angiographic data were compared between shunt types; their association with 12-month transplant-free survival was also evaluated.

RESULTS: Of 549 randomized subjects, …

Contemporary Use Of Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty In The Era Of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation, Dawn S Hui, David M Shavelle, Mark J Cunningham, Ray V Matthews, Vaughn A Starnes

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

The development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has increased the use of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in treating aortic stenosis. We evaluated our use of BAV in an academic tertiary referral center with a developing TAVI program.

We reviewed 69 consecutive stand-alone BAV procedures that were performed in 62 patients (mean age, 77 ± 10 yr; 62% men; baseline mean New York Heart Association functional class, 3 ± 1) from January 2009 through December 2012. Enrollment for the CoreValve® clinical trial began in January 2011. We divided the study cohort into 2 distinct periods, defined as pre-TAVI (2009–2010) and …

Off-Pump Myocardial Revascularization In A High-Risk Patient With Essential Thrombocythemia, Ahmad K Darwazah, Hamad Madi, Rami Zagha, Yahia Hawash

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Essential thrombocythemia is a rare type of myeloproliferative disorder. Cerebral, myocardial, and peripheral thrombosis are all frequent complications of the disease.

A 71-year-old man presented with severe coronary artery disease, associated with cerebral vascular ischemic changes and erythromelalgia. His platelet count was 1,486 ×103/μL. The patient underwent successful myocardial revascularization by means of an off-pump technique after his platelet count had been reduced by hydroxycarbamide administration.

We conclude that the use of off-pump cardiopulmonary bypass in high-risk patients with essential thrombocythemia is safe. Reducing platelet count via the administration of hydroxycarbamide and the careful balancing of antiplatelets and anticoagulants is …

Effect Of Electrocautery On Endothelial Integrity Of The Internal Thoracic Artery: Ultrastructural Analysis With Transmission Electron Microscopy, Burak Onan, Mehmet Yeniterzi, Ismihan Selen Onan, Burak Ersoy, Suheyla Gonca, Elif Gelenli, Seyhun Solakoglu, Ihsan Bakir

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

The internal thoracic artery (ITA) is typically harvested from the chest wall by means of conventional electrocautery. We investigated the effects of electrocautery on endothelial-cell and vessel-wall morphology at the ultrastructural level during ITA harvesting. Internal thoracic artery specimens from 20 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting were investigated in 2 groups. The ITA grafts were sharply dissected with use of a scalpel and clips in the control group (n=10) and were harvested by means of electrocautery in the study group (n=10). Each sample was evaluated for intimal, elastic-tissue, muscular-layer, and adventitial changes. Free flow was measured intraoperatively. …

Transformation Of Human Cathelicidin Ll-37 Into Selective, Stable, And Potent Antimicrobial Compounds., Guangshun Wang, Mark L. Hanke, Biswajit Mishra, Tamara Lushnikova, Cortney E. Heim, Vinai Chittezham Thomas, Kenneth W. Bayles, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

This Letter reports a family of novel antimicrobial compounds obtained by combining peptide library screening with structure-based design. Library screening led to the identification of a human LL-37 peptide resistant to chymotrypsin. This d-amino-acid-containing peptide template was active against Escherichia coli but not methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It possesses a unique nonclassic amphipathic structure with hydrophobic defects. By repairing the hydrophobic defects, the peptide (17BIPHE2) gained activity against the ESKAPE pathogens, including Enterococcus faecium, S. aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species. In vitro, 17BIPHE2 could disrupt bacterial membranes and bind to DNA. In vivo, the peptide …

Parental Mastery Of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Skills And Glycemic Control In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes, Kathleen Mitchell, Kimberley Johnson, Karen Cullen, Mary M. Lee, Olga T. Hardy

Mary M. Lee

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine whether parental knowledge of the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) device affects glycemic control as measured by hemoglobin A1c (A1C) level. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using CSII completed a 14-item questionnaire. Questions 1-10 were knowledge-based questions that required the parent to extract specific information from their child's CSII device. Questions 11-14 asked parents to provide a self-assessment of their CSII knowledge. RESULTS: Twenty-two parents of youth with T1DM participated in the study. Ten of the youth were in the Low-A1C group (A1C/=8%). Parents …