Digital Commons Network^™

Discontinuation Of Contact Precautions In Patients With Hospital-Acquired Mrsa And Vre Infections During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Center Experience, Gillean Kelly, Marisa Hudson, Bridget Apple, Debora Bundage, Bradley Lembcke, Todd Lasco, Mayar Al Mohajer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Variations in the literature support the benefit of contact precautions for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections in the hospital setting. During personal protective equipment shortages throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, contact precautions were discontinued for MRSA and VRE-infected patients. Rates of hospital-acquired MRSA and VRE infections were compared before and after this intervention, along with hand hygiene proportions. Contact precaution discontinuation did not lead to an increase in hospital-acquired MRSA or VRE infections.

Yap Induces A Neonatal-Like Pro-Renewal Niche In The Adult Heart, Rich Gang Li, Xiao Li, Yuka Morikawa, Francisco J Grisanti-Canozo, Fansen Meng, Chang-Ru Tsai, Yi Zhao, Lin Liu, Jong Kim, Bing Xie, Elzbieta Klysik, Shijie Liu, Md Abul Hassan Samee, James F Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

After myocardial infarction (MI), mammalian hearts do not regenerate, and the microenvironment is disrupted. Hippo signaling loss of function with activation of transcriptional co-factor YAP induces heart renewal and rebuilds the post-MI microenvironment. In this study, we investigated adult renewal-competent mouse hearts expressing an active version of YAP, called YAP5SA, in cardiomyocytes (CMs). Spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a conserved, renewal-competent CM cell state called adult (a)CM2 with high YAP activity. aCM2 co-localized with cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) expressing complement pathway component C3 and macrophages (MPs) expressing C3ar1 receptor to form a cellular triad in YAP5SA hearts and renewal-competent …

Effect Of Sex On The Development Of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease During The Progression Of Metabolic Syndrome, Noah C. Wallace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Background: There is an association between sex and the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Objective: Determine the effects of sex and high fat/sucrose diet on the development of MetS and NAFLD. Methods: 30 male and 30 female C57BL/6 mice were place on one of three diets: High Fat (45% Fat), High Sugar (60% Sucrose), and Control. Results: Male mice on a High Fat diet showed the greatest weight gain amongst all the group as well as demonstrating earlier signs of glucose intolerance. Only those placed on a high sugar diet had indications of liver …

An Exploration Of Bereaved Black And African American Youth’S Engagement With The Meaning Making Model Of Coping, Rachel Stobbe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The death of a parent in childhood is a profoundly distressing event, which often overshadows discussions about post-loss growth. Importantly, Black and African American youth have been historically overlooked in the grief literature, despite experiencing high rates of parental loss influenced by discriminatory systems of oppression. The current study employed reflexive thematic analysis to assess engagement with the Meaning Making Model of Coping (Park, 2010; Park & Folkman, 1997) among 15 parentally bereaved Black and African American youth (Mage = 13.07, SD = 2.22; 60% female). Six themes emerged and findings suggest that creating space for bereaved youth to openly …

Impulsivity And Motivational Deficits In Rats Perinatally Exposed To Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Monica S. Carbajal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The perception that cannabis (i.e., marijuana) use produces little to no harm is widespread, with about 70% of both pregnant and nonpregnant women believing there is slight or no risk associated with using cannabis once or twice a week. However, perinatal exposure to cannabis has been linked to externalizing behaviors in offspring, including impulsivity, hyperactivity, and substance use – behaviors associated with externalizing disorders including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In preclinical research, most studies focus on exposure to the psychoactive constituent of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC). ∆9-THC is lipophilic so it can cross the placental barrier and is secreted in maternal …

The Effect Of Mitochondrial Transplant Therapy On Muscle Damage And Exercise Performance, Samantha Lynn Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Objective: To determine if weekly mitochondrial transplants given to animals undergoing a muscle damaging protocol will improve exercise performance and immune responses. Methods: Mitochondrial injections were given to eight-week-old C57/BL6 mice (N=7/group) for 6 weeks under a muscle damaging exercise protocol. A run-to-fatigue test was completed at baseline, 4, and 6 weeks. Blood was collected immediately after the last run; tissues and organs were harvested 24 hours later for transcription measurements and histology. Results: No significant differences were found in exercise performance in any week. Histological analysis did not show any differences between groups. PGC1-α transcripts were significantly decreased in …

Oblique Anterior Column Realignment With A Mini-Open Posterior Column Osteotomy For Minimally Invasive Adult Spinal Deformity Correction: Illustrative Case, Zach Pennington, Nolan J. Brown, Seyedamirhossein Pishva, Hernán F.J. González, Martin H. Pham

Student Publications

BACKGROUND Adult spinal deformity (ASD) occurs from progressive anterior column collapse due to disc space desiccation, compression fractures, and autofusion across disc spaces. Anterior column realignment (ACR) is increasingly recognized as a powerful tool to address ASD by progressively lengthening the anterior column through the release of the anterior longitudinal ligament during lateral interbody approaches. Here, we describe the application of minimally invasive ACR through an oblique antepsoas corridor for deformity correction in a patient with adult degenerative scoliosis and significant sagittal imbalance.

OBSERVATIONS A 65-year-old female with a prior history of L4–5 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and morbid obesity …

Bi-Allelic Variants In Celsr3 Are Implicated In Central Nervous System And Urinary Tract Anomalies, Jil D Stegmann, Jeshurun C Kalanithy, Gabriel C Dworschak, Nina Ishorst, Enrico Mingardo, Filipa M Lopes, Yee Mang Ho, Phillip Grote, Tobias T Lindenberg, Öznur Yilmaz, Khadija Channab, Steve Seltzsam, Shirlee Shril, Friedhelm Hildebrandt, Felix Boschann, André Heinen, Angad Jolly, Katherine Myers, Kim Mcbride, Mir Reza Bekheirnia, Nasim Bekheirnia, Marcello Scala, Manuela Morleo, Vincenzo Nigro, Annalaura Torella, Tudp Consortium, Michele Pinelli, Valeria Capra, Andrea Accogli, Silvia Maitz, Alice Spano, Rory J Olson, Eric W Klee, Brendan C Lanpher, Se Song Jang, Jong-Hee Chae, Philipp Steinbauer, Dietmar Rieder, Andreas R Janecke, Julia Vodopiutz, Ida Vogel, Jenny Blechingberg, Jennifer L Cohen, Kacie Riley, Victoria Klee, Laurence E Walsh, Matthias Begemann, Miriam Elbracht, Thomas Eggermann, Arzu Stoppe, Kyra Stuurman, Marjon Van Slegtenhorst, Tahsin Stefan Barakat, Maureen S Mulhern, Tristan T Sands, Cheryl Cytrynbaum, Rosanna Weksberg, Federica Isidori, Tommaso Pippucci, Giulia Severi, Francesca Montanari, Michael C Kruer, Somayeh Bakhtiari, Hossein Darvish, Heiko Reutter, Gregor Hagelueken, Matthias Geyer, Adrian S Woolf, Jennifer E Posey, James R Lupski, Benjamin Odermatt, Alina C Hilger

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

CELSR3 codes for a planar cell polarity protein. We describe twelve affected individuals from eleven independent families with bi-allelic variants in CELSR3. Affected individuals presented with an overlapping phenotypic spectrum comprising central nervous system (CNS) anomalies (7/12), combined CNS anomalies and congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) (3/12) and CAKUT only (2/12). Computational simulation of the 3D protein structure suggests the position of the identified variants to be implicated in penetrance and phenotype expression. CELSR3 immunolocalization in human embryonic urinary tract and transient suppression and rescue experiments of Celsr3 in fluorescent zebrafish reporter lines further support an …

Validation Of A Whole Blood Machine Learning Strategy For Distinguishing Between Bacterial And Viral Infection In A Pediatric Hospital Setting, Ridwan B Ibrahim, Herda Ona, Anil K Chokkalla, Estella Tam, Sridevi Devaraj

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Similar symptoms between viral and bacterial diseases often make diagnosis difficult. This study assessed the clinical performance of the newly cleared whole-blood Bacterial versus Viral Score assay in our pediatric cohort to the previously validated serum assay and emergency department physician diagnosis. This assay shows excellent agreement (R = 0.997) with the serum assay and has great diagnostic accuracy when compared to physician diagnosis.

Novel Avenues Of Tau Research, Claire E Sexton, Gal Bitan, Kathryn R Bowles, Miroslaw Brys, Luc Buée, Mahmoud Bukar Maina, Claire D Clelland, Ann D Cohen, John F Crary, Jeffrey L Dage, Kristophe Diaz, Bess Frost, Li Gan, Alison M Goate, Lawrence I Golbe, Oskar Hansson, Celeste M Karch, Hartmuth C Kolb, Renaud La Joie, Suzee E Lee, Diana Matallana, Bruce L Miller, Chiadi U Onyike, Yakeel T Quiroz, Jessica E Rexach, Jonathan D Rohrer, Amy Rommel, Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili, Suzanne E Schindler, Julie A Schneider, Reisa A Sperling, Charlotte E Teunissen, Stacie C Weninger, Susan L Worley, Hui Zheng, Maria C Carrillo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: The pace of innovation has accelerated in virtually every area of tau research in just the past few years.

METHODS: In February 2022, leading international tau experts convened to share selected highlights of this work during Tau 2022, the second international tau conference co-organized and co-sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association, CurePSP, and the Rainwater Charitable Foundation.

RESULTS: Representing academia, industry, and the philanthropic sector, presenters joined more than 1700 registered attendees from 59 countries, spanning six continents, to share recent advances and exciting new directions in tau research.

DISCUSSION: The virtual meeting provided an opportunity to foster cross-sector collaboration …

Cub Domains Are Not Required For Ovch2 Function In Sperm Maturation In The Mouse Epididymis, Katarzyna Kent, Kaori Nozawa, Courtney Sutton, Frey Daniel, Masahito Ikawa, Thomas X Garcia, Martin M Matzuk

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Ovochymase 2 (Ovch2) is an epididymis-specific gene that is required for male fertility. While a multitude of reproductive tract-specific genes required for male fertility have been identified, OVCH2 is thus far the first protein required for male fertility that contains Complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, Bmp1 (CUB) domains located in tandem in the C-terminus of the protein. Identifying the functional significance of this unique domain has implications in better understanding fertility and infertility and as a potential contraceptive target.

OBJECTIVE: The goals of these studies were to understand the influence and requirement of OVCH2 CUB domains in the localization and functional …

Diabetes Study Of Children Of Diverse Ethnicity And Race: Study Design, Maria J Redondo, Kylie K Harrall, Deborah H Glueck, Mustafa Tosur, Serife Uysal, Andrew Muir, Elizabeth G Atkinson, Melanie R Shapiro, Liping Yu, William E Winter, Michael Weedon, Todd M Brusko, Richard Oram, Kendra Vehik, William Hagopian, Mark A Atkinson, Dana Dabelea, Discover Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

AIMS: Determining diabetes type in children has become increasingly difficult due to an overlap in typical characteristics between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Diabetes Study in Children of Diverse Ethnicity and Race (DISCOVER) programme is a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported multicenter, prospective, observational study that enrols children and adolescents with non-secondary diabetes. The primary aim of the study was to develop improved models to differentiate between T1D and T2D in diverse youth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The proposed models will evaluate the utility of three existing T1D genetic risk scores in combination with data on …

Programs And Processes For Advancing Pediatric Acute Kidney Support Therapy In Hospitalized And Critically Ill Children: A Report From The 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative (Adqi) Consensus Conference, Tara M Neumayr, Benan Bayrakci, Rahul Chanchlani, Akash Deep, Jolyn Morgan, Ayse Akcan Arikan, Rajit K Basu, Stuart L Goldstein, David J Askenazi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pediatric acute kidney support therapy (paKST) programs aim to reliably provide safe, effective, and timely extracorporeal supportive care for acutely and critically ill pediatric patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), fluid and electrolyte derangements, and/or toxin accumulation with a goal of improving both hospital-based and lifelong outcomes. Little is known about optimal ways to configure paKST teams and programs, pediatric-specific aspects of delivering high-quality paKST, strategies for transitioning from acute continuous modes of paKST to facilitate rehabilitation, or providing effective short- and long-term follow-up. As part of the 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative Conference, the first to focus on a …

Snake Venom Cysteine-Rich Secretory Protein From Mojave Rattlesnake Venom (Css-Crisp) Induces Acute Inflammatory Responses On Different Experimental Models, Emelyn Salazar, Abcde Cirilo, Armando Reyes, Martha Barrientos, Jacob Galan, Elda E. Sánchez, Montamas Suntravat

School of Medicine Publications

Highlights

• A svCRiSP from Mojave rattlesnake triggered the release of key pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in cell lines.

• Early release of pro-inflammatory mediators was observed locally and systemically in mice treated with Css-CRiSP.

• This study provides further evidence of the pro-inflammatory effects of crotalid CRiSP.

• Css-CRiSP may modulate the vascular dysfunction and persistent inflammation seen in envenomings by Mojave rattlesnakes.

Abstract

Snake venoms contain various molecules known for activating innate immunity and causing local effects associated with increased vascular permeability, such as vascular leakage and edema, common symptoms seen in snakebite envenomings. We have demonstrated that snake venom cysteine-rich secretory …

Widespread, Depth-Dependent Cortical Microstructure Alterations In Paediatric Focal Epilepsy, Chiara Casella, Katy Vecchiato, Daniel Cromb, Yourong Guo, Anderson M. Winkler, Emer Hughes, Louise Dillon, Elaine Green, Kathleen Colford, Alexia Egloff

School of Medicine Publications

Objective

Tissue abnormalities in focal epilepsy may extend beyond the presumed focus. The underlying pathophysiology of these broader changes is unclear, and it is not known whether they result from ongoing disease processes, treatment-related side-effects, or whether they emerge earlier. Few studies have focused on the period of onset for most focal epilepsies, childhood. Fewer still have utilised quantitative MRI, which may provide a more sensitive and interpretable measure of tissue microstructural change. Here, we aimed to determine common spatial modes of changes in cortical architecture in children with heterogeneous drug-resistant focal epilepsy and, secondarily, whether changes were related to …

The Internist's Post V.1 N.1, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley. School Of Medicine, Diana Othon Martinez, Roque Mifuji Lira, Jian Garcia Cruz, Edgar Dorsey Trevino, Eunbee Cho

School of Medicine Publications

No abstract provided.

Health-Promoting Benefits Of Lentils: Anti-Inflammatory And Anti-Microbial Effects, Rachel Alexander, Abdullah Khaja, Nicholas Debiec, Alex Fazioli, Mary Torrance, Mohammed S. Razzaque

School of Medicine Publications

This paper describes how lentils (Lens culinaris species) can positively affect health by reducing inflammation, providing antioxidants, and displaying antimicrobial properties. Lentils are rich in proteins, essential amino acids, minerals, and fibers, making them a valuable source of nutrition, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Lentils have many health benefits, including positive effects on diabetes management, support for cardiovascular health, and antioxidative properties. The antioxidative properties of lentils, attributed to their phenolic content, and their ability to inhibit inflammation-related enzymes are also discussed. We discuss the potential of lentils as a dietary tool in promoting immunity, reducing disease burdens, …

Current And Future Approaches To Pediatric Anxiety Disorder Treatment, André Zugman, Anderson M. Winkler, Purnima Qamar, Daniel Samuel Pine

School of Medicine Publications

This overview critically appraises the literature on the treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders. The two established treatments for these conditions comprise cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and antidepressant medications. Many youths receiving these treatments fail to achieve remission, which creates a need for new treatments. After summarizing the literature on CBT and currently available medications, the authors describe research that lays a foundation for improvements in the treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders. This foundation leverages neuroscientific investigations, also described in the overview, which provide insights on mechanisms of successful treatment.

Improving Inpatient Hyperglycaemia In Non-Critically Ill Adults In Resident Wards Through Audit And Feedback, Chelsea H. Chang, Alcibiades Fleires, Alfarooq Alshaikhli, Hector Arredondo, Diana Gavilanes, Francisco J. Cabral-Amador, Jonathon Cantu, Daniela Bazan, Kathryn Oliveira Oliveira, Rene Verduzco, Lina Pedraza Sanchez

School of Medicine Publications

Inpatient hyperglycaemia is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality, number of rehospitalisations and length of hospitalisation. Although the advantages of proper glycaemic control in hospitalised patients with diabetes are well established, a variety of barriers limit accomplishment of blood glucose targets. Our primary aim was to decrease the number of glucose values above 180 mg/dL in non-critical care hospitalised patients using an audit and feedback intervention with pharmacy and internal medicine residents. A resident-led multidisciplinary team implemented the quality improvement (QI) project including conception, literature review, educating residents, iterative development of audit and feedback tools and data analysis. …

Contemplating On The End Of Integrated Care-Part Ii: Living The Questions To Foster Adaptability, Deepu George, Parinda Khatri

School of Medicine Publications

This article extends the use of the ecocycle planning framework to describe challenges ahead for the integrated care and Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA). The authors make the case that to remain agile and adaptable, there are contextual, ecological, and moral challenges that integrated care and CFHA should keep in the forefront as they navigate the future of an inequitable health care system that is morphing at a rapid pace. These influences include but are not limited to challenges of social determinants of health, artificial intelligence, generational differences in technology among older and younger populations, the moral issue of poverty, …

Genetic Regulatory Effects In Response To A High-Cholesterol, High-Fat Diet In Baboons, Wenhe Lin, Jeffrey D. Wall, Ge Li, Deborah Newman, Yunqi Yang, Mark Abney, John L. Vandeberg, Michael Olivier, Yoav Gilad, Laura A. Cox

School of Medicine Publications

Steady-state expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) explain only a fraction of disease-associated loci identified through genome-wide association studies (GWASs), while eQTLs involved in gene-by-environment (GxE) interactions have rarely been characterized in humans due to experimental challenges. Using a baboon model, we found hundreds of eQTLs that emerge in adipose, liver, and muscle after prolonged exposure to high dietary fat and cholesterol. Diet-responsive eQTLs exhibit genomic localization and genic features that are distinct from steady-state eQTLs. Furthermore, the human orthologs associated with diet-responsive eQTLs are enriched for GWAS genes associated with human metabolic traits, suggesting that context responsive eQTLs with more …

Clinical Characteristics Of People With Intellectual Disability Admitted To Hospital With Constipation: Identifying Possible Specific High‐Risk Factors, R Laugharne, M Wilcock, J Rees, D Wainwright, Et Al

Peninsula Medical School

Background People with intellectual disabilities (ID) die on an average 20 years earlier to the general population. They have higher rates of multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Around 25% of people with ID report chronic constipation. The England Learning Disabilities Mortality Review found that nearly 25% of deaths identified constipation as a long-term health problem. However, the likely risk factors for constipation related harm are poorly enumerated. We sought to identify possible specific high-risk factors by examining the clinical characteristics of people with ID admitted to hospital with constipation. Methods Data of people with ID admitted with constipation in two general hospitals …

Psychotropic Medicines’ Prevalence, Patterns And Effects On Cognitive And Physical Function In Older Adults With Intellectual Disability In Ireland: Longitudinal Cohort Study, 2009–2020, M Odalović, A Gorman, A Paul, P Mccallion, Et Al

Peninsula Medical School

Background The frequent prescribing of psychotropics and high prevalence of polypharmacy among older adults with intellectual disabilities require close monitoring. Aims To describe change in prevalence, predictors and health outcomes of psychotropic use during the four waves (2009/2010, 2013/2014, 2016/2017, 2019/2020) of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA). Method Eligible participants were adults (≥40 years) with intellectual disabilities who participated in all four waves of IDS-TILDA and who reported medication use for the entire period. Differences between groups were tested using Cochran's Q test for binary variables and the McNemar–Bowker test for variables with …

Chronic Constipation In People With Intellectual Disabilities In The Community: Cross-Sectional Study, R Laugharne, I Sawhney, B Perera, D Wainwright, Et Al

Peninsula Medical School

Background One-third to half of people with intellectual disabilities suffer from chronic constipation (defined as two or fewer bowel movements weekly or taking regular laxatives three or more times weekly), a cause of significant morbidity and premature mortality. Research on risk factors associated with constipation is limited. Aims To enumerate risk factors associated with constipation in this population. Method A questionnaire was developed on possible risk factors for constipation. The questionnaire was sent to carers of people with intellectual disabilities on the case-loads of four specialist intellectual disability services in England. Data analysis focused on descriptively summarising responses and comparing …

Consensus-Based Recommendations For The Care Of Women With A Breech Presenting Fetus, Sara Morris, Sadie Geraghty, Deborah Sundin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To establish consensus related to aspects of breech presentation and care. Design: A multinational, three round e-Delphi study. Participants: A panel of 15 midwives, four obstetricians and an academic with knowledge and/or experience of caring for women with a breech presenting fetus. Methods: An initial survey of 45 open-ended questions. Answers were coded and amalgamated to form 448 statements in the second round and three additional statements in the third round. Panellists were asked to provide their level of agreement for each statement using a 5-point Likert scale. Consensus was deemed met if 70% of panellists responded with strongly …

County-Level Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome Rates And Real-World Access To Buprenorphine During Pregnancy: An Audit ("Secret Shopper") Study In Missouri, Bronwyn S Bedrick, Caroline Cary, Carly O'Donnell, Christine Marx, Hayley Friedman, Ebony B Carter, Nandini Raghuraman, Molly J Stout, Benson S Ku, Kevin Y Xu, Jeannie C Kelly

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Amid rising rates of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) worldwide and in many regions of the USA, we conducted an audit study ("secret shopper study") to evaluate the influence of county-level buprenorphine capacity and rurality on county-level NOWS rates.

METHODS: In 2019, up to three phone calls were made to buprenorphine prescribers in the state of Missouri (USA). County-level buprenorphine capacity was defined as the number of clinicians (across all specialties) accepting pregnant people divided by the number of births. Multivariable negative binomial regression models estimated associations between buprenorphine capacity, rurality, and county-level NOWS rates, controlling for potential confounders …

Engineered Tissue Geometry And Plakophilin-2 Regulate Electrophysiology Of Human Ipsc-Derived Cardiomyocytes, Daniel W Simmons, Ganesh Malayath, David R Schuftan, Jingxuan Guo, Kasoorelope Oguntuyo, Ghiska Ramahdita, Yuwen Sun, Samuel D Jordan, Mary K Munsell, Brennan Kandalaft, Missy Pear, Stacey L Rentschler, Nathaniel Huebsch

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Engineered heart tissues have been created to study cardiac biology and disease in a setting that more closely mimics

Chronic Constipation In People With Intellectual Disabilities In The Community: Cross-Sectional Study, Richard Laugharne, Indermeet Sawhney, Bhathika Perera, Delia Wainwright, Paul Bassett, Briony Caffrey, Maire O’Dwyer, Kirsten Lamb, Mike Wilcock, Ashok Roy, Katy Oak, Sharon Eustice, Nick Newton, James Sterritt, Ruth Bishop, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

Background One-third to half of people with intellectual disabilities suffer from chronic constipation (defined as two or fewer bowel movements weekly or taking regular laxatives three or more times weekly), a cause of significant morbidity and premature mortality. Research on risk factors associated with constipation is limited. Aims To enumerate risk factors associated with constipation in this population. Method A questionnaire was developed on possible risk factors for constipation. The questionnaire was sent to carers of people with intellectual disabilities on the case-loads of four specialist intellectual disability services in England. Data analysis focused on descriptively summarising responses and comparing …

Il-33 Potentiates Histaminergic Itch, Anna M Trier, Aaron M Ver Heul, Avery Fredman, Victoria Le, Zhen Wang, Kelsey Auyeung, James Meixiong, Paola Lovato, Michael J Holtzman, Fang Wang, Xinzhong Dong, Andrew L Ji, Brian S Kim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Itch is a common symptom that can greatly diminish quality of life. Histamine is a potent endogenous pruritogen, and while antihistamines are often the first-line treatment for itch, in conditions like chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), many patients remain symptomatic while receiving maximal doses. Mechanisms that drive resistance to antihistamines are poorly defined.

OBJECTIVES: Signaling of the alarmin cytokine IL-33 in sensory neurons is postulated to drive chronic itch by inducing neuronal sensitization to pruritogens. Thus, we sought to determine if IL-33 can augment histamine-induced (histaminergic) itch.

METHODS: Itch behavior was assessed in response to histamine after IL-33 or saline …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Cognitive Behavioural Interventions Based On Delivery Features For Elevated Symptoms Of Depression In Adolescents: A Systematic Review, Gretchen Bjornstad, Shreya Sonthalia, Benjamin Rouse, Leanne Freeman, Natasha Hessami, Jo Hickman Dunne, Nick Axford

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Depression is a public health problem and common amongst adolescents. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is widely used to treat adolescent depression but existing research does not provide clear conclusions regarding the relative effectiveness of different delivery modalities. Objectives: The primary aim is to estimate the relative efficacy of different modes of CBT delivery compared with each other and control conditions for reducing depressive symptoms in adolescents. The secondary aim is to compare the different modes of delivery with regard to intervention completion/attrition (a proxy for intervention acceptability). Search Methods: The Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Clinical Trials Register was …