Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Single-Neuron Whole Genome Sequencing Identifies Increased Somatic Mutation Burden In Alzheimer's Disease Related Genes, Zongchang Li, Shishi Min, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez, Gina Giase, Lijun Cheng, David Wesley Craig, Geoffrey J. Faulkner, Huma Asif, Chunyu Liu

School of Medicine Publications

Accumulation of somatic mutations in human neurons is associated with aging and neurodegeneration. To shed light on the somatic mutational burden in Alzheimer's disease (AD) neurons and get more insight into the role of somatic mutations in AD pathogenesis, we performed single-neuron whole genome sequencing to detect genome-wide somatic mutations (single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and Indels) in 96 single prefrontal cortex neurons from 8 AD patients and 8 elderly controls. We found that the mutational burden is ∼3000 somatic mutations per neuron genome in elderly subjects. AD patients have increased somatic mutation burden in AD-related annotation categories, including AD risk …

Phytochemicals Profiling Of Blue-Green Alga Nostoc Sp. Hanl07: Antioxidant, Antibacterial Activity And Gc-Ms Analysis, Ritu Chauhan, Ashutosh Tripathi, Abhishek Chauhan, Anuj Ranjan, Hardeep Singh Tuli, Hadi Sajid Abdulabbas, Subhash C. Chauhan, Tanu Jindal

School of Medicine Publications

In recent years, studies on phytochemicals, antioxidants, and antibiotics using blue green algae from harsh environments has become increasingly prevalent. The search for novel bioactive molecules exhibiting diverse biological activity is one of the most important strategies for addressing the issue of rising concerns regarding bacterial antibiotic resistance. In present study, the phytochemicals, antioxidant potentiality and antibacterial assessment of organic solvent extracts of blue-green alga isolated from Naini lake water were characterized. From the mass culture of alga, extracts were prepared in MeOH, EtOH, acetone, AcOEt, hexane and DCM and antioxidant potential and antibacterial properties were studied against multiple antibiotic-resistant …

First‐Pass Effect With Aspiration Thrombectomy With The Penumbra System In Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Core Laboratory–Adjudicated Subset Analysis Of The Complete Registry, Johanna T. Fifi, Stavros Matsoukas, Ameer E. Hassan, Osama O. Zaidat

School of Medicine Publications

Background

In patients with acute ischemic stroke, minimizing the time to revascularization can minimize neuronal death. First‐pass effect (FPE), defined as successful or complete revascularization of an occluded target vessel with 1 pass of a mechanical thrombectomy device(s), reduces the time to revascularization. The objective of this study was to determine the FPE rate, compare cases in which FPE was versus was not achieved, and determine predictors of good functional outcome at 90 days, in patients with large‐vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke treated with the Penumbra System (Penumbra, Inc).

Methods

This study is a subset analysis of the COMPLETE (International …

Uncovering The Complex Genetic Architecture Of Human Plasma Lipidome Using Machine Learning Methods, Miikael Lehtimäki, Binisha H. Mishra, Coral Del-Val, Leo-Pekka Lyytikäinen, Mika Kähönen, C. Robert Cloninger, Olli T. Raitakari, Reijo Laaksonen, Igor Zwir, Terho Lehtimäki, Pashupati P. Mishra

School of Medicine Publications

Genetic architecture of plasma lipidome provides insights into regulation of lipid metabolism and related diseases. We applied an unsupervised machine learning method, PGMRA, to discover phenotype-genotype many-to-many relations between genotype and plasma lipidome (phenotype) in order to identify the genetic architecture of plasma lipidome profiled from 1,426 Finnish individuals aged 30–45 years. PGMRA involves biclustering genotype and lipidome data independently followed by their inter-domain integration based on hypergeometric tests of the number of shared individuals. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed on the SNP sets to identify their associated biological processes. We identified 93 statistically significant (hypergeometric p-value < 0.01) lipidome-genotype relations. Genotype biclusters in these 93 relations contained 5977 SNPs across 3164 genes. Twenty nine of the 93 relations contained genotype biclusters with more than 50% unique SNPs and participants, thus representing most distinct subgroups. We identified 30 significantly enriched biological processes among the SNPs involved in 21 of these 29 most distinct genotype-lipidome subgroups through which the identified genetic variants can influence and regulate plasma lipid related metabolism and profiles. This study identified 29 distinct genotype-lipidome subgroups in the studied Finnish population that may have distinct disease trajectories and therefore could be useful in precision medicine research.

Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety And Subsequent Use Of Nicotine And Thc In Electronic Cigarettes, Stephanie Clendennen, Jacob Smith, Aslesha Sumbe, Baojiang Chen, Anna Wilkinson

School of Medicine Publications

Background: This study examines whether symptoms of depression, anxiety, or comorbid depression and anxiety are associated with future use of nicotine or THC in e-cigarettes.

Methods: Data were from an online survey of youth and young adults in urban areas of Texas with complete data (n = 2,307) in spring 2019 (baseline) and spring 2020 (12-month follow-up). Multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, or comorbid depression and anxiety at baseline and past 30-day e-cigarette use with nicotine or THC at 12-month follow-up. Analyses adjusted for baseline demographics and baseline past 30-day e-cigarette, combustible tobacco, …

It Is Not Pneumocystis Jiroveci (Pcp), It Is Cyclophosphamide-Induced Pneumonitis, Mery Bartl, Yilen Karen Ng-Wong, Blesset Alexander, Jose Gomez Casanovas, Josenny L. Rodriguez-Paez, Andres Suarez, Christine Loftis

School of Medicine Publications

Cyclophosphamide (CYC) is an immunosuppressive medication used to treat life-threatening complications of various rheumatic diseases like vasculitis and systemic lupus erythematosus. A rare side effect of this medication is pneumonitis, which occurs in less than 1% of patients. We describe a case of an 83-year-old woman with a past medical history of microscopic polyangiitis, who presented with progressive dyspnea at rest, exacerbated on exertion, and associated with orthopnea that was attributed to CYC-induced pneumonitis. Three months before this presentation, the patient was diagnosed with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-positive pauci-immune crescentic and necrotizing glomerulonephritis and started on CYC. On admission, a …

Introducing Second-Year Medical Students To Diagnostic Reasoning Concepts And Skills Via A Virtual Curriculum, Chelsea Chang, Nevin A. Varghese, Michael Machiorlatti

School of Medicine Publications

Objectives

Curriculum for clinical reasoning in the preclinical years is sparse and the COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need for virtual curriculums.

Methods

We developed, implemented and evaluated a virtual curriculum for preclinical students scaffolding key diagnostic reasoning concepts: dual process theory, diagnostic error, problem representation and illness scripts. Fifty-five second-year medical students participated in four 45-min virtual sessions led by one facilitator.

Results

The curriculum led to increased perceived understanding and increased confidence in diagnostic reasoning concepts and skills.

Conclusions

The virtual curriculum was effective in introducing diagnostic reasoning and was well-received by second-year medical students.

Evolutionary Couplings And Molecular Dynamic Simulations Highlight Details Of Gpcrs Heterodimers’ Interfaces, Karim Widad T Nchourupouo, Jules Nde, Yannick Joel Wadop Ngouongo, Serge Sylvain Zekeng, Bernard Fongang

School of Medicine Publications

A growing body of evidence suggests that only a few amino acids (“hot-spots”) at the interface contribute most of the binding energy in transient protein-protein interactions. However, experimental protocols to identify these hot-spots are highly labor-intensive and expensive. Computational methods, including evolutionary couplings, have been proposed to predict the hot-spots, but they generally fail to provide details of the interacting amino acids. Here we showed that unbiased evolutionary methods followed by biased molecular dynamic simulations could achieve this goal and reveal critical elements of protein complexes. We applied the methodology to selected G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), known for their therapeutic …

Blood Transcriptome Responses To Pfoa And Genx Treatment In The Marsupial Biomedical Model Monodelphis Domestica, Wenqi Cao, Katharine Horzmann, Bettina Schemera, Myra Petrofski, Trisha Kendall, Jennifer Spooner, Patricia E. Rynders, John Vandeberg, Xu Wang

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Perfluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely used in industrial and consumer products. Due to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation, PFASs can be found in the blood of humans and wild animals all over the world. Various fluorinated alternatives such as GenX have been developed to replace the long-chain PFASs, but there is limited information about their potential toxicity.

Methods:The current study developed blood culture protocols to assess the response to toxic compounds in the marsupial, Monodelphis domestica. After whole-blood culture conditions were tested and optimized, changes in gene expression in response to PFOA and GenX treatment …

Toxin Induced Parkinsonism And Hospitalization Related Adverse Outcome Mitigation For Parkinson’S Disease: A Comprehensive Review, Kenneth R. Dalton, Charles J. Kidd, Nawaz Hack

School of Medicine Publications

Patients with Parkinson’s disease admitted to the hospital have unique presentations. This unique subset of patients requires a multidisciplinary approach with a knowledge-based care team that can demonstrate awareness of complications specific to Parkinson’s disease to reduce critical care admissions, morbidity, and mortality. Early recognition of toxic exposures, medication withdrawals, or medication-induced symptoms can reduce morbidity and mortality. This review can assist in the critical assessment of new or exacerbating Parkinson’s disease symptoms.

A Case Report Of Subacute Combined Degeneration Due To Nitrous Oxide-Induced Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Jorge Nadal Bosch, Javier Malcolm, Mario Moya, Michael Menowsky, Roberto A. Cruz

School of Medicine Publications

Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is a naturally occurring gas that is colorless, odorless, nonflammable, and nontoxic. It has been used as an inhalant anesthetic in the medical field for more than 150 years for dental and surgical procedures. Due to its wide availability and ability to cause euphoria, its recreational use is on the rise. We present a case of subacute combined degeneration (SCD) due to nitrous oxide-induced vitamin B12 deficiency. The patient presented with bilateral lower extremity paresthesia, weakness, and ataxic gait. The patient was found to have vitamin B12 deficiency. An MRI of the cervical …

Origin And Evolution Of Marsupial-Specific Imprinting Clusters Through Lineage-Specific Gene Duplications And Acquisition Of Promoter Differential Methylation, Wenqi Cao, Kory C. Douglas, Paul B. Samollow, John Vandeberg, Xu Wang, Andrew G. Clark

School of Medicine Publications

Genomic imprinting is a parent-of-origin-specific expression phenomenon that plays fundamental roles in many biological processes. In animals, imprinting is only observed in therian mammals, with ∼200 imprinted genes known in humans and mice. The imprinting pattern in marsupials has been minimally investigated by examining orthologs to known eutherian imprinted genes. To identify marsupial-specific imprinting in an unbiased way, we performed RNA-seq studies on samples of fetal brain and placenta from the reciprocal cross progeny of two laboratory opossum stocks. We inferred allele-specific expression for >3,000 expressed genes and discovered/validated 13 imprinted genes, including three previously known imprinted genes, Igf2r, Peg10, …

Multi-Ancestry Transcriptome-Wide Association Analyses Yield Insights Into Tobacco Use Biology And Drug Repurposing, Fang Cheng, Xingyan Wang, Seon-Kyeong Jang, Bryan C. Quach, J. Dylan Weissenkampen, Chachrit Khunsriraksakul, Lina Yang, John Blangero, Joanne E. Curran, Ravindranath Duggirala, Juan M. Peralta

School of Medicine Publications

Most transcriptome-wide association studies (TWASs) so far focus on European ancestry and lack diversity. To overcome this limitation, we aggregated genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics, whole-genome sequences and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) data from diverse ancestries. We developed a new approach, TESLA (multi-ancestry integrative study using an optimal linear combination of association statistics), to integrate an eQTL dataset with a multi-ancestry GWAS. By exploiting shared phenotypic effects between ancestries and accommodating potential effect heterogeneities, TESLA improves power over other TWAS methods. When applied to tobacco use phenotypes, TESLA identified 273 new genes, up to 55% more compared with …

At The Heart Of The Diagnosis: A Case Of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting As Cardiac Tamponade, Jose Gomez Casanovas, Mery Bartl, Laura Rincon-Rueda, Christine E. Loftis, Emilia Dulgheru

School of Medicine Publications

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogenous, systemic disease characterized by the production of pathogenic autoantibodies against nuclear antigens. Although the most common cardiac manifestation of SLE is pericardial effusions, their progression to cardiac tamponade is rare and has an incidence between 1-3%. We describe a case of a 42-year-old Hispanic woman who presented with severe shortness of breath, vague chest pain, and hemodynamic compromise secondary to cardiac tamponade. The patient's underlying etiology of cardiac tamponade was attributed to a new diagnosis of SLE based on the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology classification (EULAR/ACR) criteria …

Pharmacognostical And Phytochemical Evaluation Of A Unani Polyherbal Formulation: Dawa Ul Kurkum By Hptlc, Meenakshi Gupta, Sajida Sumaiya, Sher Ali, Tanveer Naved, Archana Sharma, Ajaz Ahmad, Mohammed Sikander, Maryam Sarwat

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Dawa ul Kurkum (Duk) is a widely used Unani formulation. It consists of seven plant herbs, including stigmas of Crocus sativus L., rhizomes of Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC., the bark of Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl., shoot of Cymbopogon jwarancusa (Jones ex Roxb.) Schult., the resin of Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari, roots of Saussurea lappa (Decne.) Sch.Bip., and bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume. However, no study has been previously conducted to characterize this formulation. Thus, the present study was designed to carry out the pharmacognostic and phytochemical characterization of Duk. Methods: Duk was prepared following the protocols in Bayaz …

Mirna-205: A Future Therapeutic Molecule For Liver Diseases, Marco A. Cabrera, Meghana Kolli, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

miR-205 is consistently downregulated in liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer, which indicates it may be a potential therapeutic restoration molecule to tackle liver diseases.

The spectrum of liver diseases presents a major public health concern that is widespread across the globe, accounting for 2 million deaths per year [1]. Among all liver diseases, the most common, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has been globally estimated to account for a quarter of all cases, ranging regionally from 14 to 32% [2]. In addition, liver cancer is the 16th most common cause of mortality worldwide [ …

Treatment Of Recurrent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With Fat Grafting As An Adjunct, Raysa Cabrejo, Alison Podsednik, Joseph Rosen

School of Medicine Publications

Aim: The purpose of this study is to compare the surgical outcomes of treating recurrent carpal tunnel with recurrent carpal tunnel release only compared to recurrent carpal tunnel release with fat grafting as an adjunct.

Methods: Retrospective case-control study was performed of the recurrent carpal tunnels treated, excluding explicit nerve injury such as transections, neuromas in continuity, etc. Patients with recurrent carpal tunnel received re-release of carpal tunnel only or fat grafting as an adjunct. The outcomes of both groups were compared utilizing chi-square analysis.

Results: A total number of 81 patients were found to meet the …

The Value Of Multiple Medication Trials Prior To Balloon Sinuplasty In The Management Of Chronic Sinonasal Disease, Anand G. Shah, Macaulay Ojeaga, Josephine Novak, Vincent Honrubia

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction In patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, conservative interventions with extended medical trials are often attempted prior to procedural treatment. Balloon sinuplasty (BSP) is an established procedure for symptomatic relief from chronic rhinosinusitis. However, data suggesting the suboptimal efficacy of prolonged medication management trials, prior to BSP, is lacking.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of prolonged medication management trials, prior to BSP, for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Methods A retrospective review was performed for all adults with chronic rhinosinusitis who received extended medical management prior to their BSP at two outpatient clinics, from November 1, …

Diabetic Retinopathy And The Role Of Vegf, Aishwarya Gatiganti, Laura Valdez, Andrew Tsin Ph.D.

School of Medicine Publications

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in the working-age population. It works by disrupting the neural and vascular components in the retina and leads to loss of neural interaction/function, vascular permeability, and angiogenesis. It can be classified into two general stages: non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). DR can also lead to vascular leakage and cause diabetic macular edema (DME), the most common cause of vision loss in DR (Duh, Sun et al. 2017). There are currently a wide range of therapies, but they are limited in their efficacy and side effects. None of …

Dementia And Cognitive Impairment In French-Speaking Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comprehensive Review On Moving Out Of The Shadows Of Neglect, Cyrille D. Nkouonlack, Wepnyu Y. Njamnshi, Samuel A. Angwafor, Joseph N. Siewe Fodjo, Michel K. Mengnjo, Leonard Ngarka, Maggy Mbede, Leonard N. Nfor, Carlson Abomate, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Dementia is a global public health problem with increasing prevalence and incidence worldwide. The African continent is expected to bear the biggest brunt of the burden of dementia by 2050 because of the rapid demographic changes, including rapid population growth, an increase in life expectancy, and ageing. However, French-speaking Sub-Saharan African (FS-SSA) countries are underrepresented in research on dementia in Africa. While the reasons are diverse and complex, linguistic and cultural barriers to research, disproportionately affect these countries and may be significant factors. Any efforts, therefore, to redress the burden of dementia in Africa must consider the specific demographic, cultural, …

Multiple Sclerosis Followed By Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: From The National Multiple Sclerosis Society Case Conference Proceedings, Carolyn Goldschmidt, Steven L. Galetta, Robert P. Lisak, Laura J. Balcer, Andrew Hellman, Michael K. Racke, Amy E. Lovett-Racke, Roberto A. Cruz

School of Medicine Publications

A woman presented at age 18 years with partial myelitis and diplopia and experienced multiple subsequent relapses. Her MRI demonstrated T2 abnormalities characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS) (white matter ovoid lesions and Dawson fingers), and CSF demonstrated an elevated IgG index and oligoclonal bands restricted to the CSF. Diagnosed with clinically definite relapsing-remitting MS, she was treated with various MS disease-modifying therapies and eventually began experiencing secondary progression. At age 57 years, she developed an acute longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis and was found to have AQP4 antibodies by cell-based assay. Our analysis of the clinical course, radiographic findings, molecular diagnostic …

Intracranial Carotid Arteriosclerosis Mediates The Association Between Blood Pressure And Cerebral Small Vessel Disease, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Meike W. Vernooij, M. Arfan Ikram, Zhen-Yu Zhang, Daniel Bos

School of Medicine Publications

Background:

Intracranial arteriosclerosis could explain the association between blood pressure (BP) and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Therefore, we tested whether intracranial carotid artery calcification (ICAC) mediates the association between BP and CSVD and determined pathophysiological mechanisms based on ICAC subtypes.

Methods:

One thousand four hundred fifty-eight stroke-free participants from the Rotterdam Study (mean age, 68 years; 52% women) underwent nonenhanced computed tomography scans to quantify ICAC volume (mm3) between 2003 and 2015. ICAC was categorized into intimal and internal elastic lamina calcifications. CSVD included white matter hyperintensities volume, the presence of lacunes, and cerebral microbleeds visualized on magnetic resonance …

Aspiration Thrombectomy Versus Stent Retriever Thrombectomy Alone For Acute Ischemic Stroke: Evaluating The Overlapping Meta-Analyses, Ahmed Y. Azzam, Sherief Ghozy, Kevin M. Kallmes, Gautam Adusumilli, Jeremy J. Heit, Ameer E. Hassan, Ramanathan Kadirvel, David F. Kallmes

School of Medicine Publications

Background Previous studies comparing a direct aspiration first pass technique (ADAPT) and stent retrievers have inconsistent methodologies and data reporting, limiting the ability to accurately assimilate data from different studies that would inform treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treatment.

Objective To conduct a systematic review to discuss and compare the findings of all relevant meta-analysis studies comparing the efficacy of the ADAPT and stent retriever techniques.

Methods The study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), where meta-analyses comparing the efficacy of the ADAPT technique and stent retrievers in the treatment of …

Powerful, Scalable And Resource-Efficient Meta-Analysis Of Rare Variant Associations In Large Whole Genome Sequencing Studies, Xihao Li, Corbin Quick, Hufeng Zhou, Sheila M. Gaynor, John Blangero, Joanne E. Curran, Ravindranath Duggirala, Harald H. H. Goring, Michael Mahaney, Juan M. Peralta

School of Medicine Publications

Meta-analysis of whole genome sequencing/whole exome sequencing (WGS/WES) studies provides an attractive solution to the problem of collecting large sample sizes for discovering rare variants associated with complex phenotypes. Existing rare variant meta-analysis approaches are not scalable to biobank-scale WGS data. Here we present MetaSTAAR, a powerful and resource-efficient rare variant meta-analysis framework for large-scale WGS/WES studies. MetaSTAAR accounts for relatedness and population structure, can analyze both quantitative and dichotomous traits and boosts the power of rare variant tests by incorporating multiple variant functional annotations. Through meta-analysis of four lipid traits in 30,138 ancestrally diverse samples from 14 studies of …

Serotonin Regulation Of Behavior Via Large-Scale Neuromodulation Of Serotonin Receptor Networks, Piergiorgio Salvan, Madalena Fonseca, Anderson M. Winkler, Antoine Beauchamp, Jason P. Lerch, Heidi Johansen-Berg

School of Medicine Publications

Although we understand how serotonin receptors function at the single-cell level, what role different serotonin receptors play in regulating brain-wide activity and, in turn, human behavior, remains unknown. Here, we developed transcriptomic–neuroimaging mapping to characterize brain-wide functional signatures associated with specific serotonin receptors: serotonin receptor networks (SRNs). Probing SRNs with optogenetics–functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pharmacology in mice, we show that activation of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons differentially modulates the amplitude and functional connectivity of different SRNs, showing that receptors’ spatial distributions can confer specificity not only at the local, but also at the brain-wide, network level. In humans, …

Synchronous Gastrointestinal Metastatic Large Cell Neuroendocrine Tumor And Metastatic Colon Adenocarcinoma: Case Report, Hari Movva, Giri Movva, Christian Pena, Vijian Dhevan

School of Medicine Publications

This article reports a case involving a synchronous silent metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma and metastatic large cell neuroendocrine tumor of the cecum and ascending colon. The patient presented with left sided abdominal pain and hematochezia with a noncontributory family, social, and medical history. This case presents a rare pathology not only due to the low incidence of synchronous gastrointestinal malignancies, but due to the unusual silent patient presentation.

Sinonasal Outcomes Using Oral Corticosteroids In Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps And Positive Sinonasal Cultures, Jhon F. Martinez Paredes, Angela M. Donaldson, Michael Marino, Garret Choby, Osarenoma Olomu, Razan Alfakir, Janalee K. Stokken, Erin O'Brien, Devyani Lal

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and positive sinonasal bacterial cultures may be recalcitrant to topical therapy alone due to the additional local inflammatory burden associated with bacterial infection/colonization.

Objective: To evaluate sinonasal outcomes in CRSwNP patients with a positive perioperative bacterial culture, who were treated with postoperative intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) alone versus INCS in combination with a short-term course of oral corticosteroids (OCS).

Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of CRSwNP patients. A total of 59 patients met inclusion criteria, including positive perioperative bacterial culture and treatment with INCS with or without concomitant use of …

Integrative Big Transcriptomics Data Analysis Implicates Crucial Role Of Muc13 In Pancreatic Cancer, Anupam Dhasmana, Swati Dhasmana, Shivangi Agarwal, Sheema Khan, Shafiul Haque, Meena Jaggi, Murali M. Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan

School of Medicine Publications

Big data analysis holds a considerable influence on several aspects of biomedical health science. It permits healthcare providers to gain insights from large and complex datasets, leading to improvements in the understanding, diagnosis, medication, and restraint of pathological conditions including cancer. The incidences of pancreatic cancer (PanCa) are sharply rising, and it will become the second leading cause of cancer related deaths by 2030. Various traditional biomarkers are currently in use but are not optimal in sensitivity and specificity. Herein, we determine the role of a new transmembrane glycoprotein, MUC13, as a potential biomarker of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) …

Neuro-Ophthalmology Diseases In Elderly, Aishwarya Gatiganti

School of Medicine Publications

It is well understood that as the body begins to age, its ability to adapt and sustain itself decreases. The eyes are not immune to this effect, and the complex interplay between the eyes and the brain deteriorates insidiously over time. There has been a notable increase in the elderly population, and diseases such as the ones described above need to be at the forefront of an ophthalmologist's mind when treating this population. Neuro-ophthalmology diseases in the elderly are not well known to general practitioners but should be included in the differential due to the potential of rapid deterioration and …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Intensive Vs Standard Blood Pressure Control Among Older Patients With Hypertension, Chia-Te Liao, Han Siong Toh, Li Sun, Chun-Ting Yang, Angie Hu, Dongmei Wei, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Zhen-Yu Zhang

School of Medicine Publications

Key Points

Question Is intensive blood pressure management among older patients with hypertension cost-effective?

Findings This economic evaluation with a Markov model and extensive sensitivity analyses estimated the incremental lifetime medical costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and cost-effectiveness of intensive vs standard blood pressure targets for older patients with hypertension in China, the US, and the UK. Intensive blood pressure control produced fewer cardiovascular events and low costs per QALY gained, well below the typical willingness-to-pay thresholds, and the cost-effective advantages were consistent over various clinical scenarios across different countries.

Meaning These clinical and economic findings suggest intensive blood pressure control …