Digital Commons Network^™

Plasma Proteomic Patterns Show Sex Differences In Early Concentric Left Ventricular Remodeling, Anne-Mar Van Ommen, Ernest Diez Benavente, N. Charlotte Onland-Moret, Gideon B. Valstar, Maarten J. Cramer, Frans H. Rutten, Arco J. Teske, Roxana Menken, Leonard Hofstra, Igor I. Tulevski, Nancy Sweitzer, G. Aernout Somsen, Hester M. Den Ruijter

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Concentric remodeling (cRM) can precede heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a condition prevalent in women.

METHODS: Patients (n=60 593, 54.2% women) visiting outpatient clinics of Cardiology Centers of the Netherlands were analyzed for cRM, HFpEF development, and mortality risk. We studied risk factors for relative wall thickness both sex-stratified and in women and men combined. Biomarker profiling was performed (4534 plasma proteins) in a substudy involving 557 patients (65.4% women) to identify pathways involved in cRM.

RESULTS: cRM was present in 23.5% of women and 27.6% of men and associated with developing HFpEF (HR, 2.15 [95% CI, …

A Motor Association Area In The Depths Of The Central Sulcus, Michael A Jensen, Harvey Huang, Gabriela Ojeda Valencia, Bryan T Klassen, Max A Van Den Boom, Timothy J Kaufmann, Gerwin Schalk, Peter Brunner, Gregory A Worrell, Dora Hermes, Kai J Miller

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Cells in the precentral gyrus directly send signals to the periphery to generate movement and are principally organized as a topological map of the body. We find that movement-induced electrophysiological responses from depth electrodes extend this map three-dimensionally throughout the gyrus. Unexpectedly, this organization is interrupted by a previously undescribed motor association area in the depths of the midlateral aspect of the central sulcus. This 'Rolandic motor association' (RMA) area is active during movements of different body parts from both sides of the body and may be important for coordinating complex behaviors.

Ibd Camp Oasis: A Look At Participants' Social-Emotional Well-Being And Protective Factors During Camp And Beyond, Namita Singh, Steven J Steiner, Rebecca Fauth, Danyel Moosmann, Janis Arnold, Abdul Elkadri, Daniel Marinoni, Laurel Molloy, Becky Johnson Rescola, Jeanne Tung, Elizabeth C Utterson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Camp Oasis is an annual week-long camp serving children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and hosted by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Youth with IBD are at increased risk for mental health challenges, with Camp Oasis potentially mitigating these risks. The aim of this study is to measure change in and predictors of social-emotional well-being and protective factors of self-worth as a result of attending Camp Oasis.

METHODS: Between 2012 and 2019, a voluntary survey was administered to participants and their caregivers to reflect on their perceptions of social/emotional well-being and protective factors related to chronic disease.

RESULTS: A …

Toward Peripheral Nerve Mechanical Characterization Using Brillouin Imaging Spectroscopy, Vsevolod Cheburkanov, Junwei Du, David M. Brogan, Mikhail Y. Berezin, Vladislav V. Yakovlev

2020-Current year OA Pubs

SIGNIFICANCE: Peripheral nerves are viscoelastic tissues with unique elastic characteristics. Imaging of peripheral nerve elasticity is important in medicine, particularly in the context of nerve injury and repair. Elasticity imaging techniques provide information about the mechanical properties of peripheral nerves, which can be useful in identifying areas of nerve damage or compression, as well as assessing the success of nerve repair procedures.

AIM: We aim to assess the feasibility of Brillouin microspectroscopy for peripheral nerve imaging of elasticity, with the ultimate goal of developing a new diagnostic tool for peripheral nerve injury

APPROACH: Viscoelastic properties of the peripheral nerve were …

Future Considerations In The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Compressive Neuropathies Of The Upper Extremity, Elizabeth A Graesser, Christopher J Dy, David M Brogan

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Compressive neuropathies of the upper extremity are among the most common conditions seen by hand surgeons. The diagnoses of carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome have traditionally been made by a combination of history, physical examination, and electrodiagnostic testing. However, findings can be nonspecific and electrodiagnostic testing is invasive for the patient. The diagnosis of compressive neuropathies continues to evolve as technology advances, and newer diagnostic modalities predominantly focus on preoperative diagnostic imaging with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging/neurography. With the advent of cheaper, faster, and less invasive imaging, the future may bring a paradigm shift away from electrophysiology …

Improving The Diagnostic Yield Of High-Resolution Esophageal Manometry For Gerd: The "Straight Leg-Raise" International Study, Stefano Siboni, Benjamin D Rogers, Garrett Greenan, C Prakash Gyawali, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The straight leg raise (SLR) maneuver during high-resolution manometry (HRM) can assess esophagogastric junction (EGJ) barrier function by measuring changes in intraesophageal pressure (IEP) when intra-abdominal pressure is increased. We aimed to determine whether increased esophageal pressure during SLR predicts pathologic esophageal acid exposure time (AET).

METHODS: Adult patients with persistent gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms undergoing HRM and pH-impedance or wireless pH study off proton pump inhibitor were prospectively studied between July 2021 and March 2022. After the HRM Chicago 4.0 protocol, patients were requested to elevate 1 leg at 45º for 5 seconds while supine. …

Apolipoprotein E O-Glycosylation Is Associated With Amyloid Plaques And Apoe Genotype, Paige E Lawler, James G Bollinger, Suzanne E Schindler, Cynthia R Hodge, Nicolas J Iglesias, Vishal Krishnan, John B Coulton, Yan Li, David M Holtzman, Randall J Bateman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Although the APOE ε4 allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), the relationship between apolipoprotein (apoE) and AD pathophysiology is not yet fully understood. Relatively little is known about the apoE protein species, including post-translational modifications, that exist in the human periphery and CNS. To better understand these apoE species, we developed a LC-MS/MS assay that simultaneously quantifies both unmodified and O-glycosylated apoE peptides. The study cohort included 47 older individuals (age 75.6 ± 5.7 years [mean ± standard deviation]), including 23 individuals (49%) with cognitive impairment. Paired plasma and cerebrospinal fluid samples underwent analysis. …

Complete Hydatidiform Mole With A Coexisting Viable Male Fetus Detected By Cell-Free Dna, Mackenzie Lemieux, Lauren Kus, Kali Stewart, Mai He, Jackson Rowe, Matthew Brady, Katherine Bligard, Megan Lawlor, Jeannie Kelly

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Complete hydatidiform mole with coexisting fetus (CHMCF) is rare, and diagnosis is challenging due to limited data. Here, we present the case of a patient with noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) resulting in "likely molar pregnancy" in the second trimester. Subsequent ultrasound confirmed a cystic appearing portion of the placenta. At 22 weeks, the patient delivered a demised fetus and two placentas. Pathology was consistent with CHMCF. This case is the first to show primary detection of a CHMCF with single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based NIPT prior to ultrasound identification. Our case suggests the use of SNP-based NIPT as an alternative noninvasive method …

Aga Clinical Practice Update On Interventional Eus For Vascular Investigation And Therapy: Commentary, Marvin Ryou, John M Dewitt, Koushik K Das, Vanessa M Shami

2020-Current year OA Pubs

DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this AGA Institute Clinical Practice Update is to review the available evidence supporting and examine opportunities for future research in endoscopic ultrasound-guided vascular investigation and therapies.

METHODS: This Clinical Practice Update was commissioned and approved by the AGA Institute Clinical Practice Updates Committee and the AGA Governing Board to provide timely guidance on a topic of high clinical importance to the AGA membership, and underwent internal peer review by the Clinical Practice Updates Committee and external peer review through standard procedures of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. This expert commentary incorporates important as well as recently published …

Blood Neurofilament Light Levels Predict Non-Relapsing Progression Following Anti-Cd20 Therapy In Relapsing And Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Findings From The Ocrelizumab Randomised, Double-Blind Phase 3 Clinical Trials, Amit Bar-Or, Anne H Cross, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Neurofilament light chain (NfL), a neuronal cytoskeletal protein that is released upon neuroaxonal injury, is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) relapsing activity and has demonstrated some prognostic ability for future relapse-related disease progression, yet its value in assessing non-relapsing disease progression remains unclear.

METHODS: We examined baseline and longitudinal blood NfL levels in 1421 persons with relapsing MS (RMS) and 596 persons with primary progressive MS (PPMS) from the pivotal ocrelizumab MS trials. NfL treatment-response and risk for disease worsening (including disability progression into the open-label extension period and slowly expanding lesions [SELs] on brain MRI) at baseline and …

Clinical Outcomes Of Patients With Unresectable Primary Liver Cancer Treated With Mr-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: A Six-Year Experience, Re-I Chin, Joshua P Schiff, Anirudh Bommireddy, Kylie H Kang, Neal Andruska, Alexander T Price, Olga L Green, Yi Huang, Kevin Korenblat, Parag J Parikh, Jefferey Olsen, Pamela P Samson, Lauren E Henke, Hyun Kim, Shahed N Badiyan

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy (MRgSBRT) with optional online adaptation has shown promise in delivering ablative doses to unresectable primary liver cancer. However, there remain limited data on the indications for online adaptation as well as dosimetric and longer-term clinical outcomes following MRgSBRT.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and combined biphenotypic hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) who completed MRgSBRT to 50 Gy in 5 fractions between June of 2015 and December of 2021 were analyzed. The necessity of adaptive techniques was evaluated. The cumulative incidence of local progression was evaluated and survival and competing risk …

Multiparametric Immunoimaging Maps Inflammatory Signatures In Murine Myocardial Infarction Models, Alexander Maier, Gyu Seong Heo, Robert J Gropler, Yongjian Liu, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In the past 2 decades, research on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has uncovered inflammation to be a key driver of the pathophysiological process. A pressing need therefore exists to quantitatively and longitudinally probe inflammation, in preclinical models and in cardiovascular disease patients, ideally using non-invasive methods and at multiple levels. Here, we developed and employed

Recurrent Myocardial Injury Leads To Disease Tolerance In A Murine Model Of Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy, Sajal K Tiwary, Tomohiro Hayashi, Attila Kovacs, Douglas L Mann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Whereas the innate immune response to an initial episode of cardiac injury has been studied extensively, the response of the immune system to recurrent cardiac tissue injury is not well understood. Specifically, it is not known whether the immune system adapts to the initial episode of cardiac injury and whether any adaptations that occur lead to immune cell hypo-responsiveness or, alternatively, immune cell hyper-responsiveness. Here, we studied the role of adrenergic-mediated stress using a simple model of reversible stress-induced cardiomyopathy, and show that isoproterenol-induced tissue injury and inflammation are sufficient to protect the heart from the myopathic effects of a …

Rapid And Sustained Improvements In Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Physician Global Assessment Scores With Spesolimab For Treatment Of Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Flares In The Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Effisayil 1 Study, Boni E Elewski, Mark G Lebwohl, Milan J Anadkat, Jonathan Barker, Kamran Ghoreschi, Shinichi Imafuku, Ulrich Mrowietz, Ling Li, Manuel Quaresma, Christian Thoma, Hervé Bachelez

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Effisayil 1 was a randomized, placebo-controlled study of spesolimab, which is an anti-IL-36 receptor antibody, in patients presenting with a generalized pustular psoriasis flare.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of spesolimab over the 12-week study.

METHODS: The primary endpoint of the study was Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Physician Global Assessment (GPPGA) pustulation subscore of 0 at week 1. Patients (N = 53) were randomized (2:1) to receive a single intravenous dose of 900 mg spesolimab or placebo on day 1. Patients could receive open-label spesolimab for persistent flare symptoms on day 8.

RESULTS: Most patients receiving spesolimab achieved a GPPGA …

Encoding And Storage Of Information In Mechanical Metamaterials, Zhiqiang Meng, Hujie Yan, Mingchao Liu, Wenkai Qin, Guy M Genin, Chang Qing Chen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Information processing using material's own properties has gained increasing interest. Mechanical metamaterials, due to their diversity of deformation modes and wide design space, can be used to realize information processing, such as computing and storage. Here a mechanical metamaterial system is demonstrated for material-based encoding and storage of data through programmed reconfigurations of the metamaterial's structured building blocks. Sequential encoding and decoding are achieved in the three-dimensional (3D) printed pixelated mechanical metamaterial via kirigami-based "pixels" with programmable, temperature-dependent bistability. The mechanical metamaterial is demonstrated via a multistep deformation of encoding messages of texts and surfaces with arrays of binary data, …

Identifying The Neural Correlates Of Anticipatory Postural Control: A Novel Fmri Paradigm, Jo Armour Smith, Rongwen Tain, Kelli G Sharp, Laura M Glynn, Linda R Van Dillen, Korinne Henslee, Jesse V Jacobs, Steven C Cramer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Altered postural control in the trunk/hip musculature is a characteristic of multiple neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. Previously it was not possible to determine if altered cortical and subcortical sensorimotor brain activation underlies impairments in postural control. This study used a novel fMRI-compatible paradigm to identify the brain activation associated with postural control in the trunk and hip musculature. BOLD fMRI imaging was conducted as participants performed two versions of a lower limb task involving lifting the left leg to touch the foot to a target. For the supported leg raise (SLR) the leg is raised from the knee while the …

Economic Impact Of Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection In The Usa: A Systematic Literature Review And Cost Synthesis, Kelly R Reveles, Min Yang, Viviana Garcia-Horton, Marie Louise Edwards, Amy Guo, Thomas Lodise, Markian Bochan, Glenn Tillotson, Erik R Dubberke

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Up to 35% of patients with a first episode of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) develop recurrent CDI (rCDI), and of those, up to 65% experience multiple recurrences. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to review and summarize the economic impact of rCDI in the United States of America.

METHODS: English-language publications reporting real-world healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and/or direct medical costs associated with rCDI in the USA were searched in MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases over the past 10 years (2012-2022), as well as in selected scientific conferences that publish research on rCDI and …

Postmortem Diagnosis Of Very Long Chain Acyl-Coa Dehydrogenase (Vlcad) Deficiency In A Neonate With Sudden Cardiac Death, Prapti Singh, Deirdre Amaro, Olugbemisola Obi, Fnu Kiran, Erin Hediger, Tomi L Toler, Patricia I Dickson, Dorothy K Grange

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency is an autosomal recessive long chain fatty acid β-oxidation disorder with a variable clinical spectrum, ranging from an acute neonatal presentation with cardiac and hepatic failure to childhood or adult onset of symptoms with hepatomegaly or rhabdomyolysis provoked by illness or exertion. Neonatal cardiac arrest or sudden unexpected death can be the presenting phenotype in some patients, emphasizing the importance of early clinical suspicion and intervention. We report a patient who had a cardiac arrest and died at one day of age. Following her death, the newborn screen reported biochemical evidence of VLCAD …

Characteristics Of Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension From An Innovative, Comprehensive Real-World Patient Data Repository, Harrison W Farber, Murali M Chakinala, Michelle Cho, Robert P Frantz, Andrew Frick, Lisa Lancaster, Scott Milligan, Ronald Oudiz, Sumeet Panjabi, Yuen Tsang, Steven D Nathan

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, life-limiting disease. PAH registries provide real-world data that complement clinical trial data and inform treatment decisions. The TRIO comprehensive, integrated patient data repository (TRIO CIPDR), is an innovative US repository capturing data on contemporary patients diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and receiving US Food and Drug Administration-approved PAH therapies. This repository uniquely combines clinical data from electronic medical records with the ability to track drug-prescription and drug-dispensing characteristics, and includes 946 adult patients with PAH (data collected January 2019 to December 2020) enrolled from nine representative US specialist tertiary care centers. Potentially eligible patients …

Neuroinflammation And White Matter Alterations In Occupational Manganese Exposure Assessed By Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging, Susan R Criswell, Susan Searles Nielsen, Irene M Faust, Joshua S Shimony, Robert L White 3rd, Jason Lenox-Krug, Brad A Racette

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in-vivo neuroinflammation and white matter (WM) microstructural integrity in occupational manganese (Mn) exposure.

METHODS: We assessed brain inflammation using Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging (DBSI) in 26 Mn-exposed welders, 17 Mn-exposed workers, and 26 non-exposed participants. Cumulative Mn exposure was estimated from work histories and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor subsection 3 (UPDRS3) scores were completed by a movement specialist. Tract-based Spatial Statistics allowed for whole-brain voxel-wise WM analyses to compare WM DBSI-derived measures between the Mn-exposed and non-exposed groups. Exploratory grey matter region of interest (ROI) analyses examined the presence of similar alterations in the …

Associated Radiation Exposure From Medical Imaging And Excess Lifetime Risk Of Developing Cancer In Pediatric Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension, Malini Mahendra, Philip Chu, Elena K Amin, Hythem Nawaytou, James R Duncan, Jeffrey R Fineman, Rebecca Smith-Bindman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) receive imaging studies that use ionizing radiation (radiation) such as computed tomography (CT) and cardiac catheterization to guide clinical care. Radiation exposure is associated with increased cancer risk. It is unknown how much radiation pediatric PH patients receive. The objective of this study is to quantify radiation received from imaging and compute associated lifetime cancer risks for pediatric patients with PH. Electronic health records between 2012 and 2022 were reviewed and radiation dose data were extracted. Organ doses were estimated using Monte Carlo modeling. Cancer risks for each patient were calculated from accumulated exposures …

Provider Perspectives On Patient-Centredness: Participatory Formative Research And Rapid Analysis Methods To Inform The Design And Implementation Of A Facility-Based Hiv Care Improvement Intervention In Zambia, Chanda Mwamba, Laura K Beres, Njekwa Mukamba, Lazarus Jere, Marksman Foloko, Kasapo Lumbo, Kombatende Sikombe, Sandra Simbeza, Aaloke Mody, Jake M Pry, Charles B Holmes, Izukanji Sikazwe, Carolyn Bolton Moore, Katerina Christopoulos, Anjali Sharma, Elvin H Geng

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Implementation of patient-centred care (PCC) practices in HIV treatment depends on healthcare workers' (HCWs) perceptions of the acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of such practices (e.g. use of intentional, metric-driven activities to improve patient experiences).

METHODS: We applied rapid, rigorous formative research methods to refine a PCC intervention for future trial. In 2018, we conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with 46 HCWs purposefully selected from two pilot sites. We elicited HCW perceptions of HIV service delivery, HCW motivation and perceived value of patient experience measures intended to improve PCC. FGDs utilized participatory methods to understand HCW responses to patient-reported care …

Esthesioneuroblastoma: Management Of The N0 Neck, Stephanie J. Youssef, Nyssa Fox Farrell

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare sinonasal malignancy that arises from the olfactory epithelium. The overall incidence of lymph node metastases is 25%. However, neck disease can present in a delayed fashion. As such, management of the clinically negative neck is controversial, with some advocating for elective neck treatment and others recommending observation with salvage treatment if necessary. At this time, no prospective head-to-head comparisons of elective versus salvage treatment have been performed.

Microrna-145 And Microrna-486 Are Potential Serum Biomarkers For Vascular Calcification, Sara Fernández-Villabrille, Beatriz Martín-Carro, Julia Martín-Vírgala, Cristina Alonso-Montes, Carmen Palomo-Antequera, Raúl García-Castro, Susana López-Ongil, Adriana S Dusso, José Luis Fernández-Martín, Manuel Naves-Díaz, Jorge B Cannata-Andía, Natalia Carrillo-López, Sara Panizo

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: MicroRNAs (miRs) regulate vascular calcification (VC), and their quantification may contribute to suspicion of the presence of VC.

METHODS: The study was performed in four phases. Phase 1: miRs sequencing of rat calcified and non-calcified aortas. Phase 2: miRs with the highest rate of change, plus miR-145 [the most abundant miR in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs)], were validated in aortas and serum from rats with and without VC. Phase 3: the selected miRs were analyzed in epigastric arteries from kidney donors and recipients, and serum samples from general population. Phase 4: VSMCs were exposed to different phosphorus concentrations, …

Exploratory Genome-Wide Analyses Of Cortical Inhibition, Facilitation, And Plasticity In Late-Life Depression, Rafae A Wathra, Xiaoyu Men, Samar S M Elsheikh, Victoria S Marshe, Tarek K Rajji, Jennifer I Lissemore, Benoit H Mulsant, Jordan F Karp, Charles F Reynolds 3rd, Eric J Lenze, Zafiris J Daskalakis, Daniel J Müller, Daniel M Blumberger

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Late-life depression (LLD) is a heterogenous mood disorder influenced by genetic factors. Cortical physiological processes such as cortical inhibition, facilitation, and plasticity may be markers of illness that are more strongly associated with genetic factors than the clinical phenotype. Thus, exploring the relationship between genetic factors and these physiological processes may help to characterize the biological mechanisms underlying LLD and improve diagnosis and treatment selection. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with electromyography was used to measure short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), cortical silent period (CSP), intracortical facilitation (ICF), and paired associative stimulation (PAS) in 79 participants with LLD. We used …

Validation Of A Farsi Version Of The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (F-Ede-Q) In Adolescents And University Students From Iran, Reza N Sahlan, Jessica F Saunders, Patrycja Klimek-Johnson, Alexandra D Convertino, Jason M Lavender, Ellen E Fitzsimmons-Craft, Jason M Nagata

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Although the Farsi version of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (F-EDE-Q) is frequently utilized to assess disordered eating in Iran, its factor structure, reliability, and validity have not been investigated in Iranian samples, which is the aim of the current investigation.

METHOD: Using convenience sampling, this study recruited 1112 adolescents and 637 university students to complete disordered eating and mental health-focused questionnaires, including the F-EDE-Q.

RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses of the 22 attitudinal items in the F-EDE-Q indicated that a brief seven-item, three-factor model (i.e., Dietary Restraint, Shape/Weight Overvaluation, Body Dissatisfaction with Shape and Weight) was the only factor structure …

The Highly Conserved Stem-Loop Ii Motif Is Dispensable For Sars-Cov-2, Hongbing Jiang, Astha Joshi, Tianyu Gan, Andrew B Janowski, Chika Fujii, Traci L Bricker, Tamarand L Darling, Houda H Harastani, Kuljeet Seehra, Stephen Tahan, Ana Jung, Binita Febles, Joshua A Blatter, Scott A Handley, Bijal A Parikh, David Wang, Adrianus C M Boon, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The stem-loop II motif (s2m) is an RNA structural element that is found in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of many RNA viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Though the motif was discovered over 25 years ago, its functional significance is unknown. In order to understand the importance of s2m, we created viruses with deletions or mutations of the s2m by reverse genetics and also evaluated a clinical isolate harboring a unique s2m deletion. Deletion or mutation of the s2m had no effect on growth

Esophageal Secondary Peristalsis Following Acid Infusion And Chemical Clearance Correlate With Mucosal Integrity And Acid Sensitivity In Gerd Patients, Ming-Wun Wong, Jui-Sheng Hung, Wei-Yi Lei, Tso-Tsai Liu, Chih-Hsun Yi, Shu-Wei Liang, Chandra Prakash Gyawali, Jen-Hung Wang, Chien-Lin Chen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Acid sensitivity can be altered in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Secondary peristalsis helps clear gastro-esophageal refluxate and residual ingested food bolus.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations among acid sensitivity, esophageal mucosal integrity, chemical clearance, and secondary peristalsis before and after esophageal acid infusion.

DESIGN: This was an investigator-initiated, prospective, cross-sectional study.

METHODS: Adult reflux patients underwent high resolution manometry and 24 h impedance-pH monitoring off acid suppression to identify GERD phenotypes, including non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), reflux hypersensitivity (RH), and functional heartburn (FH). Secondary peristalsis was assessed using five rapid 20 …

Benefits Of A 12-Week Non-Drug "Brain Fitness Program" For Patients With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder, Post-Concussion Syndrome, Or Memory Loss, Majid Fotuhi, Noah D Khorrami, Cyrus A Raji

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Non-pharmacologic interventions can potentially improve cognitive function, sleep, and/or mood in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), post-concussion syndrome (PCS), or memory loss.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the benefits of a brain rehabilitation program in an outpatient neurology practice that consists of targeted cognitive training, lifestyle coaching, and electroencephalography (EEG)-based neurofeedback, twice weekly (90 minutes each), for 12 weeks.

METHODS: 223 child and adult patients were included: 71 patients with ADHD, 88 with PCS, and 64 with memory loss (mild cognitive impairment or subjective cognitive decline). Patients underwent a complete neurocognitive evaluation, including tests for Verbal Memory, Complex Attention, Processing Speed, …

A Moment Kernel Machine For Clinical Data Mining To Inform Medical Decision Making, Yao-Chi Yu, Wei Zhang, David O'Gara, Jr-Shin Li, Su-Hsin Chang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Machine learning-aided medical decision making presents three major challenges: achieving model parsimony, ensuring credible predictions, and providing real-time recommendations with high computational efficiency. In this paper, we formulate medical decision making as a classification problem and develop a moment kernel machine (MKM) to tackle these challenges. The main idea of our approach is to treat the clinical data of each patient as a probability distribution and leverage moment representations of these distributions to build the MKM, which transforms the high-dimensional clinical data to low-dimensional representations while retaining essential information. We then apply this machine to various pre-surgical clinical datasets to …