Digital Commons Network^™

Chromosome Xq23 Is Associated With Lower Atherogenic Lipid Concentrations And Favorable Cardiometabolic Indices, Pradeep Natarajan, Lucinda Antonacci-Fulton, Susan K. Dutcher, D.C. Rao, C. Charles Gu, Karen Schwander, Yun Ju Sung, Et Al.

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Pushing The Needle Of Entrepreneurship And Innovation: Where Do Plastic And Reconstructive Surgeons Stand?, Sumun Khetpal, Alvaro Reátegui, Joseph Lopez, Justin M. Sacks, Adnan Prsic

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Role Of Sirt1 In Isoflurane Conditioning-Induced Neurovascular Protection Against Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Secondary To Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Meizi Liu, Keshav Jayaraman, Tusar Giri, Gregory J Zipfel, Umeshkumar Athiraman

Open Access Publications

We recently reported that isoflurane conditioning provided multifaceted protection against subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-induced delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and this protection was through the upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). SIRT1, an NAD-dependent deacetylase, was shown to be one of the critical regulators of eNOS. The aim of our current study is to examine the role of SIRT1 in isoflurane conditioning-induced neurovascular protection against SAH-induced DCI. Mice were divided into four groups: sham, SAH, or SAH with isoflurane conditioning (with and without EX-527). Experimental SAH via endovascular perforation was performed. Anesthetic conditioning was performed with isoflurane 2% for 1 h, …

African Americans Have Differences In Csf Soluble Trem2 And Associated Genetic Variants, Suzanne E. Schindler, Carlos Cruchaga, Amulya Jospeh, Lena Mccue, Fabiana H.G. Farias, Consuelo H. Wilkins, Yuetiva Deming, Rachel L. Henson, Robert J. Mikesell, Laura Piccio, Jorge J. Llibre-Guerra, Krista L. Moulder, Anne M. Fagan, Beau M. Ances, Tammie L.S. Benzinger, Chengjie Xiong, David M. Holtzman, John C. Morris

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Cohort Study Protocol To Characterize The Incidence And Severity Of Neuropathic Pain In Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, Chioma U. Odozor, Kristen Roles, Carrie Burk, Thomas Kannampallil, David B. Clifford, Jay F. Piccirillo, Simon Haroutounian

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Kcnk3 Mutation Causes Altered Immune Function In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Patients And Mouse Models, James D West, Eric D Austin, Elise M Rizzi, Ling Yan, Harikrishna Tanjore, Amber L Crabtree, Christy S Moore, Gladson Muthian, Erica J Carrier, David A Jacobson, Rizwan Hamid, Peggy L Kendall, Susan Majka, Anandharajan Rathinasabapathy

Open Access Publications

Loss of function KCNK3 mutation is one of the gene variants driving hereditary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). KCNK3 is expressed in several cell and tissue types on both membrane and endoplasmic reticulum and potentially plays a role in multiple pathological process associated with PAH. However, the role of various stressors driving the susceptibility of KCNK3 mutation to PAH is unknown. Hence, we exposed

Genetics Of Substance Use Disorders: A Review, Joseph D Deak, Emma C Johnson

Open Access Publications

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent and result in an array of negative consequences. They are influenced by genetic factors (h2 = ~50%). Recent years have brought substantial progress in our understanding of the genetic etiology of SUDs and related traits. The present review covers the current state of the field for SUD genetics, including the epidemiology and genetic epidemiology of SUDs, findings from the first-generation of SUD genome-wide association studies (GWAS), cautions about translating GWAS findings to clinical settings, and suggested prioritizations for the next wave of SUD genetics efforts. Recent advances in SUD genetics have been facilitated by …

Association Of Circulating Sex Hormones With Inflammation And Disease Severity In Patients With Covid-19, Sandeep Dhindsa, Nan Zhang, Michael J. Mcphaul, Zengru Wu, Amit K. Ghoshal, Emma C. Erlich, Kartik Mani, Gwendalyn J. Randolph, John R. Edwards, Philip A. Mudd, Abhinav Diwan

Open Access Publications

Importance: Male sex is a risk factor for developing severe COVID-19 illness. It is not known whether sex hormones contribute to this predisposition.

Objective: To investigate the association of concentrations of serum testosterone, estradiol, and insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1, concentrations of which are regulated by sex hormone signaling) with COVID-19 severity.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective cohort study was conducted using serum samples collected from consecutive patients who presented from March through May 2020 to the Barnes Jewish Hospital in St Louis, Missouri, with COVID-19 (diagnosed using nasopharyngeal swabs).

Exposures: Testosterone, estradiol, and IGF-1 concentrations were measured at …

Characteristics And Outcomes Among Us Patients Hospitalized For Ischemic Stroke Before Vs During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Adam De Havenon, John P. Ney, Brian Callaghan, Samuel Hohmann, Ernie Shippey, Shadi Yaghi, Mohammad Anadani, Jennifer J. Majersik

Open Access Publications

Importance: After the emergence of COVID-19, studies reported a decrease in hospitalizations of patients with ischemic stroke (IS), but there are little to no data regarding hospitalizations for the remainder of 2020, including outcome data from a large cohort of patients with IS and comorbid COVID-19.

Objective: To assess hospital discharge rates, demographic factors, and outcomes of hospitalization associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among US patients with IS before vs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Vizient Clinical Data Base on 324 013 patients with IS at 478 nonfederal hospitals …

Long-Term Intake Of Gluten And Cognitive Function Among Us Women, Yiqing Wang, Benjamin Lebwohl, Raaj Mehta, Yin Cao, Peter H.R. Green, Francine Grodstein, Manol Jovani, Paul Lochhead, Olivia I. Okereke, Laura Sampson, Walter C. Willett, Qi Sun, Andrew T. Chan

Open Access Publications

Importance: Gluten avoidance has been suggested as having a benefit to cognitive health among the general population, given the link between gluten and cognitive impairment in patients with celiac disease. However, data are lacking in individuals without celiac disease.

Objective: To examine whether gluten intake is associated with cognitive function in women without celiac disease.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included US women who participated in the longitudinal, population-based Nurses' Health Study II and had not previously or subsequently been diagnosed with celiac disease. Dietary data were collected from 1991 to 2015, and data on cognitive function were …

Analysis Of Delayed Surgical Treatment And Oncologic Outcomes In Clinical Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Brendan T. Heiden, Daniel B. Eaton, Kathryn E. Engelhardt, Su-Hsin Chang, Yan Yan, Mayank R. Patel, Daniel Kreisel, Ruben G. Nava, Bryan F. Meyers, Benjamin D. Kozower, Varun Puri

Open Access Publications

Importance: The association between delayed surgical treatment and oncologic outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is poorly understood given that prior studies have used imprecise definitions for the date of cancer diagnosis.

Objective: To use a uniform method to quantify surgical treatment delay and to examine its association with several oncologic outcomes.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study was conducted using a novel data set from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. Included patients had clinical stage I NSCLC and were undergoing resection from 2006 to 2016 within the VHA system. Time to surgical treatment …

Requirement Of Fc-Fc Gamma Receptor Interaction For Antibody-Based Protection Against Emerging Virus Infections, Shamus P Keeler, Julie M Fox

Open Access Publications

Identification of therapeutics against emerging and re-emerging viruses remains a continued priority that is only reinforced by the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Advances in monoclonal antibody (mAb) isolation, characterization, and production make it a viable option for rapid treatment development. While mAbs are traditionally screened and selected based on potency of neutralization in vitro, it is clear that additional factors contribute to the in vivo efficacy of a mAb beyond viral neutralization. These factors include interactions with Fc receptors (FcRs) and complement that can enhance neutralization, clearance of infected cells, opsonization of virions, and modulation of the innate and adaptive immune …

Braf-Mek Inhibitors As Steroid-Sparing Bridge Prior To Checkpoint Blockade Therapy In Symptomatic Intracranial Melanoma, Karam Khaddour, Tanner M. Johanns, George Ansstas

Open Access Publications

The introduction of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and BRAF-MEK inhibitors has substantially improved outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma. However, several challenging factors may hinder the efficacy of ICB in patients with symptomatic intracranial metastatic melanoma who are immunosuppressed due to the use of steroids prior to the administration of ICB. This has resulted in the exclusion of patients treated with high dose steroid at baseline from the majority of ICB clinical trials. In addition, despite the high efficacy of BRAF-MEK inhibitors in

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Health Care Administrative Diagnosis Codes To Identify Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Disease: A Systematic Review, Carlos Mejia-Chew, Lauren Yaeger, Kevin Montes, Thomas C. Bailey, Margaret A. Olsen

Open Access Publications

Background: Health care administrative database research frequently uses standard medical codes to identify diagnoses or procedures. The aim of this review was to establish the diagnostic accuracy of codes used in administrative data research to identify nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease, including lung disease (NTMLD).

Methods: We searched Ovid Medline, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to April 2019. We included studies assessing the diagnostic accuracy of

Results: We identified 5549 unique citations. Of the 96 full-text articles reviewed, 7 eligible studies of moderate quality (3730 participants) were included in …

Physical Activity, Weight, And Outcomes In Patients Receiving Chemotherapy For Metastatic Breast Cancer (C40502/Alliance), Jennifer A. Ligibel, Luke Huebner, Hope S. Rugo, Harold J. Burstein, Debra L. Toppmeyer, Carey K. Anders, Cynthia Ma, William T. Barry, Vera Suman, Lisa A. Carey, Ann H. Partridge, Clifford A. Hudis, Eric P. Winer

Open Access Publications

Background: Obesity and inactivity are associated with increased risk of cancer-related and overall mortality in breast cancer, but there are few data in metastatic disease.

Methods: Cancer and Leukemia Group B 40502 was a randomized trial of first-line taxane-based chemotherapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer. Height and weight were collected at enrollment. After 299 patients enrolled, the study was amended to assess recreational physical activity (PA) at enrollment using the Nurses' Health Study Exercise Questionnaire. Associations with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using stratified Cox modeling (strata included hormone receptor status, prior taxane, bevacizumab use, …

Surgical Infection Society 2020 Updated Guidelines On The Management Of Complicated Skin And Soft Tissue Infections, Therese M. Duane, Jared M. Huston, Morgan Collom, Adam Beyer, Sara Parli, Sara Buckman, Mark Shapiro, Amy Mcdonald, Jose Diaz, Jeffrey M. Tessier, James Sanders

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Longitudinal Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (Gdf15) And Long-Term Intraocular Pressure Fluctuation In Glaucoma: A Pilot Study, Jonathan B. Lin, Arsham Sheybani, Andrea Santeford, Rajendra S. Apte

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Pre-Clinical Common Data Elements For Traumatic Brain Injury Research: Progress And Use Cases, Michelle C. Laplaca, Stuart H. Friess, Et Al.

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Multitarget Stool Rna Test For Noninvasive Detection Of Colorectal Neoplasia In A Multicenter, Prospective, And Retrospective Cohort, Erica K. Barnell, Yiming Kang, Andrew R. Barnell, Kimberly R. Kruse, Jared Fiske, Zachary R. Pittz, Adnan R. Khan, Thomas A. Huebner, Faith L. Holmes, Malachi Griffith, Obi L. Griffith, Aadel A. Chaudhuri, Elizabeth M. Wurtzler

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Interhemispheric Parietal-Frontal Connectivity Predicts The Ability To Acquire A Nondominant Hand Skill, Benjamin A. Philip, Mark P. Mcavoy, Scott H. Frey

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Intrauterine Fetal Resuscitation With Oxygen On Oxidative Stress In The Developing Rat Brain, Jia Jiang, Tusar Giri, Nandini Raghuraman, Alison G. Cahill, Arvind Palanisamy

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Electronic Health Record-Embedded Individualized Pain Plans For Emergency Department Treatment Of Vaso-Occlusive Episodes In Adults With Sickle Cell Disease: Protocol For A Preimplementation And Postimplementation Study, Lingzi Luo, Allison A King, Christopher R Carpenter, Lisa Klesges, Et Al

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Individuals living with sickle cell disease often require aggressive treatment of pain associated with vaso-occlusive episodes in the emergency department. Frequently, pain relief is poor. The 2014 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute evidence-based guidelines recommended an individualized treatment and monitoring protocol to improve pain management of vaso-occlusive episodes.

OBJECTIVE: This study will implement an electronic health record-embedded individualized pain plan with provider and patient access in the emergency departments of 8 US academic centers to improve pain treatment for adult patients with sickle cell disease. This study will assess the overall effects of electronic health record-embedded individualized pain …

Universal Masking To Control Healthcare-Associated Transmission Of Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus Virus 2 (Sars-Cov-2), Eliza R Thompson, Faith S Williams, Pat A Giacin, Shay Drummond, Eric Brown, Meredith Nalick, Qian Wang, Jay R Mcdonald, Abigail L Carlson

Open Access Publications

OBJECTIVES: To assess extent of a healthcare-associated outbreak of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to evaluate the effectiveness of infection control measures, including universal masking.

DESIGN: Outbreak investigation including 4 large-scale point-prevalence surveys.

SETTING: Integrated VA healthcare system with 2 facilities and 330 beds.

PARTICIPANTS: Index patient and 250 exposed patients and staff.

METHODS: We identified exposed patients and staff and classified them as probable and confirmed cases based on symptoms and testing. We performed a field investigation and an assessment of patient and staff interactions to develop probable transmission routes. Infection prevention interventions included droplet and …

Attitudinal Acceptance Of Intimate Partner Violence And Mental Health Outcomes For Female Survivors In Sub-Saharan Africa, Reine-Marcelle Ibala, Ilana Seff, Lindsay Stark

Open Access Publications

While current literature evidences a strong association between gender-based violence exposure and adverse mental health outcomes, few studies have explored how attitudinal acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV) might impact this relationship. This analysis employed data from 13-24-year-old females as part of the Violence Against Children Surveys in Nigeria, Uganda, and Malawi. Mental health status, defined by the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress, and suicide ideation served as outcome measures. Predictors of interest included lifetime experiences of IPV and attitudinal acceptance of IPV. Country-stratified logistic and ordinary least squares regressions were used to predict outcomes and included interactions between …

Modular Network Between Postrhinal Visual Cortex, Amygdala, And Entorhinal Cortex, Andrew M. Meier, Quanxin Wang, Weiqing Ji, Jehan Ganachaud, Andreas Burkhalter

Open Access Publications

The postrhinal area (POR) is a known center for integrating spatial with nonspatial visual information and a possible hub for influencing landmark navigation by affective input from the amygdala. This may involve specific circuits within muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 2 (M2)-positive (M2

Is The Intestine A Portal Of Entry For The Serious Covid-19 Complications Of Endotoxemia And Thrombosis?, David H. Alpers

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

New Cohort Of Patients With Cednik Syndrome Expands The Phenotypic And Genotypic Spectra, Annelise Y. Mah-Som, Cristina Skrypnyk, Andrea Guerin, Raafat Hammad Seroor Jadah, Vinayak Nivrutti Vardhan, Robert C. Mckinstry, Marwan S. Shinawi

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Aging-Associated Deficit In Ccr7 Is Linked To Worsened Glymphatic Function, Cognition, Neuroinflammation, And Β-Amyloid Pathology, Sandro Da Mesquita, Jasmin Herz, Morgan Wall, Taitea Dykstra, Kalil Alves De Lima, Geoffrey T Norris, Nisha Dabhi, Tatiana Kennedy, Wendy Baker, Jonathan Kipnis

Open Access Publications

Aging leads to a progressive deterioration of meningeal lymphatics and peripheral immunity, which may accelerate cognitive decline. We hypothesized that an age-related reduction in C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7)-dependent egress of immune cells through the lymphatic vasculature mediates some aspects of brain aging and potentially exacerbates cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease-like brain β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology. We report a reduction in CCR7 expression by meningeal T cells in old mice that is linked to increased effector and regulatory T cells. Hematopoietic CCR7 deficiency mimicked the aging-associated changes in meningeal T cells and led to reduced glymphatic influx and cognitive impairment. …

Trem2 Is A Receptor For Non-Glycosylated Mycolic Acids Of Mycobacteria That Limits Antimycobacterial Macrophage Activation, Ei'ichi Iizasa, Yasushi Chuma, Takayuki Uematsu, Mio Kubota, Hiroaki Kawaguchi, Masayuki Umemura, Kenji Toyonaga, Hideyasu Kiyohara, Ikuya Yano, Marco Colonna, Masahiko Sugita, Goro Matsuzaki, Sho Yamasaki, Hiroki Yoshida, Hiromitsu Hara

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Dietary Fatty Acid Composition On Lipid Metabolism And Body Fat Accumulation In Ovariectomized Rats, Jhih-Han Yeh, Yu-Tang Tung, Yu-Sheng Yeh, Yi-Wen Chien

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a state of excess energy storage resulting in body fat accumulation, and postmenopausal obesity is a rising issue. In this study using ovariectomized (OVX) rats, we mimicked low estrogen levels in a postmenopausal state in order to investigate the effects of different amounts and types of dietary fatty acids on body fat accumulation and body lipid metabolism.

METHODS: At 9 weeks of age, rats (

RESULTS: After OVX, compared to the S group, the C group showed significantly higher body weight, and insulin and leptin levels. Compared to the C group, the H group had lower hepatic …