Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Do Risk Factors For Hcc Impact The Association Of Ct/Mri Lirads Major Features With Hcc? An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis, Robert G Adamo, Daniel R Ludwig, Tyler J Fraum, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

The Microrna Mir-30a Blocks Adipose Tissue Fibrosis Accumulation In Obesity, Pradip K Saha, Robert Sharp, Aaron R. Cox, Rabie Habib, Michael J. Bolt, Jessica B. Felix, Claudia E. Ramirez Bustamante, Xin Li, Sung Yun Jung, Kang Ho Kim, Kai Sun, Huaizhu Wu, Samuel Klein, Sean M. Hartig

2020-Current year OA Pubs

White adipose tissue (WAT) fibrosis occurring in obesity contributes to the inflammatory and metabolic comorbidities of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, yet the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Here, we report a role for the broadly conserved miRNA miR-30a as a regulator of WAT fibrosis and systemic glucose metabolism. Mice modified to express miR-30a at elevated levels in adipose tissues maintain insulin sensitivity coupled with reduced fatty liver disease when fed a high-fat diet. These effects were attributable to cell-autonomous functions of miR-30a that potently increase expression of adipocyte-specific genes. Proteomic screening revealed miR-30a limits profibrotic programs in subcutaneous …

Building Capacity And Equity In Implementation Science: Evaluation Of A National Mentored Training Program, Ross C Brownson, Shelly J Kannuthurai, Rebekah R Jacob, Leopoldo J Cabassa, Lisa M Klesges, Rachel G Tabak, Debra Haire-Joshu, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: As implementation science evolves, it is essential to expand training capacity to build intellectual capital continually. The demand for training in implementation science far outstrips the current supply. This paper presents the methods and findings from the Institute for Implementation Science Scholars (IS-2) national training program (2020-2024).

METHODS: The IS-2 was a US-based, two-year training program that provided mentored training for early- and mid-career researchers interested in applying implementation science principles to reduce the burden of chronic disease disparities. Scholars attended two annual, 2.5-day intensive training sessions, received ongoing remote and in-person mentoring, and were supported by other activities …

Impact Of Hereditary Angioedema Attacks On Health-Related Quality Of Life And Work Productivity, Maeve O'Connor, Paula J Busse, Timothy J Craig, Cristine Radojicic, H James Wedner, Sherry Danese, Julie Ulloa, Vibha Desai, Tomas Andriotti, Paul K Audhya, Sandra Christiansen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) negatively impacts health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Few studies have characterized impairments to HRQoL, work productivity, and well-being during and following HAE attacks.

METHODS: Patients with ≥1 HAE attack in the previous 3 months were recruited by the United States (US) HAE Association (HAEA) to complete an online survey. Respondents were categorized into those who did (Treated Cohort) and did not (Untreated Cohort) manage their last attack with on-demand treatment (OD). Adapted versions of the EuroQol-Five Dimensions-Five Levels (EQ-5D-5L), EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ VAS), and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-General Health assessments were used.

RESULTS: …

Genetic Diversity And Expanded Phenotypes In Dystonia: Insights From Large-Scale Exome Sequencing, Mirja Thomsen, Joel S Perlmutter, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Dystonia is one of the most prevalent movement disorders, characterized by significant clinical and etiological heterogeneity. Despite considerable heritability (~25%), the etiology in most patients remains elusive. Moreover, understanding correlations between clinical manifestations and genetic variants has become increasingly complex.

METHODS: Exome sequencing was conducted on 1924 genetically unsolved, mainly late-onset isolated dystonia patients, recruited primarily from two dystonia registries (DysTract and the Dystonia Coalition). Rare variants in genes previously linked to dystonia (n = 406) were examined, confirmed via Sanger sequencing, and analyzed for segregation when possible.

RESULTS: We identified 137 distinct likely pathogenic/pathogenic variants (according to ACMG …

Muscle Biopsy Findings In Valosin-Containing Protein Multisystem Proteinopathy, Marianela Schiava, Manouela V. Valtcheva, Conrad Weihl, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Valosin Containing Protein-associated multisystem proteinopathy (VCP-MSP) is a progressive, autosomal dominant disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the VCP gene, resulting in a heterogeneous clinical presentation. Muscle biopsy findings are characteristic but not pathognomonic. This study aimed to comprehensively analyse VCP-related myopathology and explore correlations with clinical phenotypes, genetic variants, and disease progression.

METHODS: Muscle biopsy images and data were collected retrospectively from adults (≥18 years) with pathogenic or likely pathogenic VCP variants enrolled in the VCP Multicentre International Study. Biopsy data were standardized using the "Common Data Elements for Muscle Biopsy Reporting." Variations in biopsy findings …

Validation Of The Brugia Test Plus To Detect Igg4 Antibodies In Individuals From Belitung Timur, A Brugia Malayi Endemic Area In Indonesia, Taniawati Supali, Elisa Iskandar, Noviani Sugianto, Yenny Djuardi, Katherine Gass, Jean M. Saunders, Peter U. Fischer, Marco A. Biamonte

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The Brugia Test Plus (BT+) is a new rapid diagnostic test for Brugia species which detects human IgG4 antibodies specific for the immunogenic Brugia protein BmR1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the BT+ assay with several types of sample-matrices: whole blood, plasma, and dried blood spots (DBS) from individuals living in Belitung Timur, a Brugia malayi endemic area in Indonesia. Night blood was collected from residents living in four presumed endemic villages, while DBS were collected from schoolchildren living in those four villages. The sensitivity of BT+ was measured by comparing the BT+ results to microscopic examination …

Autism And Intellectual Disability Due To A Novel Gain-Of-Function Mutation In Ube3a, Anna M Gunelson, Kwang-Soo Kim, Connolly G Steigerwald, Devorah Segal, Nicolas J Abreu, Jason J Yi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The loss of maternal UBE3A causes Angelman syndrome whereas its duplication is associated with a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder. Here, we describe two affected brothers who possess a novel UBE3A

Left Atrial And Ventricular Remodeling In Chronic Mitral Regurgitation, Jack J Yi, Martha Mcgilvray, Tari-Ann Yates, Samantha Procasky, Jakraphan Yu, Caleb Berberet, Nicholas Banull, Jie Zheng, Jonathan K Zoller, Matthew R Schill, Christian Zemlin, Ralph J Damiano Jr

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: This study describes the structural and mechanical changes in the left atrium and left ventricle in a canine model of chronic mitral regurgitation in an attempt to identify markers linked to the onset of atrial tachyarrhythmias or left ventricle dysfunction.

METHODS: Animals underwent baseline and terminal echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Under echocardiographic guidance, chordae tendinae were avulsed until there was severe mitral regurgitation, defined by regurgitant jet area to left atrium area more than 70%. At terminal surgery, rapid atrial pacing was performed to test inducibility of atrial tachyarrhythmias.

RESULTS: Twelve canines underwent mitral valve chordae avulsion …

The Importance Of Imperfect Pre-Clinical Models In Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Diane S Sepich, Ryan S Gray, Nadav Ahituv, Christina A Gurnett, Jonathan J Rios, Lila Solnica-Krezel, Carol A Wise

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a twisting spinal deformity that occurs in otherwise healthy children at the time of rapid pre-pubescent growth. AIS affects ∼3% of children worldwide and is the most common musculoskeletal diagnosis in pediatric populations, posing a significant physiological, psychosocial and financial burden to patients. Genetic predisposition is a clear and major contributor to AIS, and insights from genomic discoveries are inspiring translational studies ultimately aimed at developing novel diagnostics and therapies. Pre-clinical animal models of AIS are now essential to validate human genetic findings, understand gene-by-environment interactions, and speed etiologic and therapeutic discovery. In this Perspective, …

Sex-Related Measurement Bias In Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms In The Baby Siblings Research Consortium, Catherine A Burrows, Natasha Marrus, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Disparities exist in age of diagnosis and prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for female compared with male children. Correcting for sources of bias is critical for improving equitable ASD identification.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sex differences exist in measurement of ASD symptoms using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) among young children at high familial likelihood (HFL) and low familial likelihood (LFL) of ASD.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study collected longitudinal, prospective data from the Baby Siblings Research Consortium between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2021. Participants included 3106 children who had an older sibling …

Implementation Outcomes Of A Patient Decision-Aid In A Diverse Population With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus In 15 Us Rheumatology Clinics, Jasvinder A Singh, Seth Eisen, Alfred Kim, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the clinical outcomes during the implementation of a self-administered patient decision-aid (PtDA) for lupus.

METHODS: We provided an effective computerized lupus PtDA in 15 rheumatology outpatient clinics 2019-2024 (including the COVID pandemic). We undertook Organizational Readiness to Implement Change Surveys (ORICs) and Team Learning and Psychological Safety Surveys (TLPSSs) at baseline. The primary study outcome objective measure, percent penetration/reach, was defined as the number of patients who viewed the lupus PtDA at the end of the study, divided by the total number of eligible patients (times 100). We used validated clinical …

Dissemination And Implementation Of A Telehealth-Enabled Program For Providing Infectious Disease Expertise In Rural Settings, Robin L P Jump, Jason P Burnham, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Telehealth can facilitate improving antibiotic use and related antimicrobial stewardship activities in facilities underserved by infectious diseases (IDs) expertise. We describe implementation of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) videoconference antimicrobial stewardship team (VAST) to connect multidisciplinary teams from rural VA medical centers (VAMCs) with geographically distant ID experts.

METHODS: We implemented VASTs at 10 rural VAMCs from September 2021 to February 2024. VASTs consisted of regular meetings between rural VAMCs and an off-site ID expert who met by videoconference to discuss clinical cases, emphasizing recommendations for antibiotic prescribing. The VA Corporate Data Warehouse was used to collect information …

Echollm: Extracting Echocardiogram Entities With Light-Weight, Open-Source Large Language Models, Jonathan Chi, Yazan Rouphail, Ethan Hillis, Ningning Ma, An Nguyen, Jane Wang, Mackenzie Hofford, Aditi Gupta, Patrick G Lyons, Adam Wilcox, Albert M Lai, Philip R O Payne, Marin H Kollef, Caitlin Dreisbach, Andrew P Michelson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated high levels of performance in clinical information extraction compared to rule-based systems and traditional machine-learning approaches, offering scalability, contextualization, and easier deployment. However, most studies rely on proprietary models with privacy concerns and high costs, limiting accessibility. We aim to evaluate 14 publicly available open-source LLMs for extracting clinically relevant findings from free-text echocardiogram reports and examine the feasibility of their implementation in information extraction workflows.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used 14 open-source LLM models to extract clinically relevant entities from echocardiogram reports (

RESULTS: In aggregate, Gemma2:9b-instruct had the highest precision, recall, …

Combination Effect Of Finerenone And Empagliflozin In Participants With Chronic Kidney Disease And Type 2 Diabetes Using A Uacr Endpoint (Confidence) Trial: Baseline Clinical Characteristics, Rajiv Agarwal, Janet B Mcgill, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Finerenone, a selective nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) both reduce chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and improve kidney/cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. The CONFIDENCE (COmbinatioN effect of FInerenone anD EmpaglifloziN in participants with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes using a UACR Endpoint) study (NCT05254002; EudraCT 2021-003037-11) hypothesis is that early combination of finerenone and empagliflozin, an SGLT2i, is superior to either drug alone in reducing urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) over 6 months.

METHODS: CONFIDENCE is an ongoing, fully enrolled, randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicentre phase 2 clinical trial in adults (≥18 years of age) with …

Tau Pet Positivity In Individuals With And Without Cognitive Impairment Varies With Age, Amyloid-Β Status, Apoe Genotype And Sex, Rik Ossenkoppele, Tammy L S Benzinger, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Tau positron emission tomography (PET) imaging allows in vivo detection of tau proteinopathy in Alzheimer's disease, which is associated with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Understanding how demographic, clinical and genetic factors relate to tau PET positivity will facilitate its use for clinical practice and research. Here we conducted an analysis of 42 cohorts worldwide (N = 12,048), including 7,394 cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants, 2,177 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 2,477 participants with dementia. We found that from age 60 years to 80 years, tau PET positivity in a temporal composite region increased from 1.1% to 4.4% among CU …

Shared And Disease-Specific Pathways In Frontotemporal Dementia And Alzheimer's And Parkinson's Diseases, Muhammad Ali, Yike Chen, Ying Xu, Katherine Gong, Menghan Liu, Jigyasha Timsina, Daniel Western, Chengran Yang, Gyujin Heo, Carlos Cruchaga, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), exhibit distinct yet overlapping pathological mechanisms. Leveraging large-scale plasma proteomics data from the Global Neurodegeneration Proteomics Consortium, we analyzed 10,527 plasma samples (1,936 AD, 525 PD, 163 FTD, 1,638 dementia and 6,265 controls) to identify disease-specific and shared proteins across NDs. We identified 5,187 proteins significantly associated with AD, 3,748 with PD and 2,380 with FTD that revealed both common and divergent proteomic signatures, which were confirmed by multiple analytical approaches and orthogonal validation. PD and FTD showed the highest overlap (r

The Ccjr® Charles A. Engh, Sr, Md. Excellence In Hip Research Award: Pelvic Tilt And Cup Position Change Significantly In Most Young Patients 10 Years After Hip Arthroplasty, Joseph J Kromka, William A Zuke, Caroline J Granger, John C Clohisy, Robert L Barrack

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Acetabular cup position is fundamental to total hip arthroplasty (THA) and surface replacement arthroplasty (SRA). Even if initial cup placement is adequate, changes in spinopelvic relationships alter functional acetabular position over time. This can lead to late complications. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in pelvic tilt and acetabular position in patients with at least 10 years of follow-up after THA or SRA.

METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients from one academic practice who underwent THA or SRA and had at least 10 years of follow-up. Pelvic ratio was measured and converted to pelvic …

High-Density Lipoprotein-Associated Cholesterol Abnormalities In A Clinical Outcomes Study Of Dysferlin-Deficient Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type R2, Zoe White, Alan Pestronk, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (MD) type R2 (LGMDR2, formerly LGMD2B) is an autosomal recessive form of MD caused by variants in the dysferlin gene, DYSF. It leads to slow proximal and distal muscle weakening that generally results in loss of ambulation around early adulthood but without the lethal cardiorespiratory dysfunction observed in the more severe Duchenne MD. How loss of dysferlin causes muscle fibre death is poorly understood, but recent evidence suggests a link between muscle wasting and loss of muscle cholesterol homeostasis with circulating lipoprotein abnormalities in many forms of MD.

METHODS: Cross-sectional circulating total cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein-associated …

Sex-Related Variability In The Perception Of Symptoms Associated With Common Otolaryngologic Complaints, Sabrina K Wagner, Jakob L Fischer, Alvaro Navarro, Lily Trinh, Waleed M Abuzeid, Ian M Humphreys, Nadeem A Akbar, Sharan Shah, Jivianne T Lee, Tara Wu, John S Schneider, Edward D Mccoul, Charles A Riley, Anthony M Tolisano

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To assess the differences in the symptoms associated with common otolaryngology complaints between male and female patients.

METHODS: Between June 2020 and July 2023, a multi-institutional cross-sectional study was performed at six tertiary academic otolaryngology practices using semantics-based questionnaires to assess the symptoms patients associate with the complaints of sinus infection, reflux, congestion, and dizziness. Patients selected symptoms from lists of proposed terms to describe the various conditions. The primary outcome measure was sex-related differences in respondent symptom selection.

RESULTS: Four separate questionnaires were completed by a total of 1495 patients (46.0% male, 54.0% female). Female patients more often …

Barriers And Facilitators To Accessing Healthcare For People With Parkinson's Disease In Latin America: A Qualitative Study, Christine Jeyachandran, Catherine Spooner, Ana Margarita Rodriguez Salgado, Matthew Prina, Joel Rhee, Jorge Jesus Llibre-Guerra, Dani Kim, Juan J Llibre-Rodriguez, Mark F Harris

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIMS: The aim of the study was to identify the barriers and facilitators to healthcare access for people with Parkinson's disease (PWP) in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries (LAC) in Central and South America, to understand their drivers and consider the implications for health systems in LAC.

METHODS: Four online semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 25 PWP who provide education and/or support to PWP. The study was designed and implemented by a person with lived experience of PD. Data were mapped to an existing model of access to healthcare that incorporates provider and consumer abilities.

FINDINGS: There were multiple provider …

Plasminogen Mutation-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy And Role Of Anticoagulation: A Single Institution Case Series, Shreya Agarwal, Nicola Pozzi, Senthil Sukumar, Camila Masias, Anuja Java, Spero Cataland

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Knowledge gaps exist regarding the role of coagulation pathway mutations such as those in the plasminogen (

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe the unique phenotypic features of patients with

METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study of patients with TMA in whom genetic testing was performed between 2011 and 2023. Data were collected regarding demographics, clinical features at their first presentation, renal outcomes, genetic mutations, and recurrence for those who were found to have a

RESULTS: Over the 12-year study period, we identified 6 individuals in our TMA cohort with

CONCLUSION: Patients with

A Measurement Science Framework To Optimize Cds For Opioid Use Disorder Treatment In The Ed, Mark S. Iscoe, Carolina Diniz Hooper, Deborah R. Levy, John Lutz, Hyung Paek, Christian Rose, Thomas Kannampallil, Daniella Meeker, James D. Dziura, Edward R. Melnick

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In the emergency department-initiated buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (EMBED) trial, a clinical decision support (CDS) tool had no effect on rates of buprenorphine initiation in emergency department (ED) patients with opioid use disorder. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recently released a CDS Performance Measure Inventory to guide data-driven CDS development and evaluation. Through partner co-design, we tailored AHRQ inventory measures to evaluate EMBED CDS performance and drive improvements.Relevant AHRQ inventory measures were selected and adapted using a partner co-design approach grounded in consensus methodology, with three iterative, multidisciplinary partner working group sessions involving stakeholders from various …

Impact Of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Use Ratio On Outcomes In Patients With Aortic Valve Disease, Theodore Marghitu, Sophia H Roberts, June He, Nicholas Kouchoukos, Puja Kachroo, Harold Roberts, Ralph Damiano, Alan Zajarias, Marc Sintek, John Lasala, Alexander A Brescia, Tsuyoshi Kaneko

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Use of the Heart Team has been the standard of care for the treatment of aortic valve disease; however, its efficacy has not been evaluated. We sought to analyze its impact using the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) use ratio (number of TAVR/total aortic valve replacement [AVR] volume) on TAVR, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), and overall AVR outcomes.

METHODS: We analyzed all TAVRs and SAVRs sampled by the National Readmissions Database between 2016 and 2020. Hospitals were stratified into quartiles on the basis of their TAVR/AVR ratio. Centers with a ratio below the first quartile were considered "low …

Comparing Machine Learning Techniques For Neonatal Mortality Prediction: Insights From A Modeling Competition, Brynne A Sullivan, Alvaro G Moreira, Ryan M Mcadams, Lindsey A Knake, Ameena Husain, Jiaxing Qiu, Avinash Mudireddy, Abrar Majeedi, Wissam Shalish, Douglas E Lake, Zachary A Vesoulis

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Predicting mortality risk in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is challenging due to complex, variable clinical and physiological data. Machine learning (ML) offers potential for more accurate risk stratification.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of various ML models in predicting NICU mortality using a team-based modeling competition.

METHODS: We conducted a modeling competition with five neonatologist-led teams applying ML techniques-logistic regression, CatBoost, neural networks, random forest, and XGBoost-to a shared dataset from over 6,000 NICU admissions. The dataset included static demographic and clinical variables, alongside daily samples of heart rate and oxygen saturation. Each team developed models to predict …

Characteristics Of Responders To Interventions For Parkinson Disease: A Scoping Systematic Review, Sidney T. Baudendistel, Gammon M Earhart

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIMS: The purpose of this review is to identify the characteristics of responders in interventions targeting motor function for individuals with Parkinson disease.

MATERIALS & METHODS: The primary search included, 'Parkinson' + 'responder.' A second, broader, search further included 'response' + 'responsiveness' + 'responsive.' Records were sorted by intervention: neuromodulation, pharmaceutical, physical, and placebo.

RESULTS: Thirteen studies were identified in the primary and 19 studies in the secondary search, culminating in 120 characteristics. For neuromodulation interventions, responders were younger at onset, more responsive to levodopa, and had more difficulties with activities of daily living. Responders to pharmaceuticals were younger at …

Association Between Nt-Probnp Changes And Clinical Outcomes In Paediatric Patients With Heart Failure: Insights From Panorama-Hf And Paradigm-Hf, Robert Shaddy, Charles Canter, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIMS: The PANORAMA-HF trial demonstrated significant N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) reductions in paediatric patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction with sacubitril/valsartan or enalapril treatment over 52 weeks. This post hoc analysis aims to correlate changes in NT-proBNP levels with clinical outcomes in PANORAMA-HF patients receiving either sacubitril/valsartan or enalapril. Additionally, NT-proBNP reductions in the paediatric population were compared with a subset of adult heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients from the PARADIGM-HF trial.

METHODS AND RESULTS: This post hoc analysis utilized data from Part 2 of the PANORAMA-HF trial. Associations between baseline NT-proBNP levels, changes post-baseline and …

Advanced Quantification Pipeline Reveals New Spatial And Temporal Tumor Characteristics In Preclinical Multiple Myeloma, Zhixin Sun, Jacqueline M Godbe, Alexander Zheleznyak, Brad Manion, Junhao Hu, Julie L Prior, Kathleen Duncan, Ulugbek S Kamilov, Monica Shokeen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Radiological imaging plays an indispensable role in both preclinical and clinical studies of multiple myeloma (MM). However, manual quantification in longitudinal small animal PET/CT is limited by annotator bias, signal artifacts from urinary/fecal excretion, and voxel misalignment due to non-rigid registration. To address these challenges and improve characterization of tumor biology, we developed a semi-automated PET/CT quantification pipeline targeting defined regions of interest (ROIs) within the bone marrow-rich mouse skeleton, achieving sub-organ spatial resolution, including in anatomically complex sites such as the pelvis. We applied this MM-specific preclinical pipeline to analyze tumor distribution in a longitudinal molecular PET study …

Musical Distractions: Music-Based Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation Fails To Improve Gait In Huntington's Disease, Sidney T Baudendistel, Lauren E Tueth, Allison M Haussler, Gammon M Earhart

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder involving the basal ganglia and is characterized by psychiatric, cognitive, and movement dysfunction, including gait and balance impairment. Given the limited efficacy of pharmacological treatments for HD motor symptoms, nonpharmacological approaches like rhythmic auditory stimulation are being explored. This study aims to describe walking performance in people with HD during rhythmic auditory stimulation using external musical cues and internal singing cues.

METHODS: Individuals in the manifest stage of HD performed walking in four conditions: (1) comfortable pace, (2) cognitive dual task, (3) musical cue (music was played aloud), and (4) singing cue …

Efficacy And Safety Of Dapagliflozin In Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19 With And Without Type 2 Diabetes: A Prespecified Analysis Of The Dare-19 Randomized Trial, Mohammad Abdel Jawad, Ali Javaheri, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Although several previous studies tested SGLT2 inhibitors in the setting of an acute, non-cardiovascular illness, detailed information on their efficacy and safety among participants with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) from double-blind randomized trials is lacking. In this secondary prespecified analysis of the Dapagliflozin in Respiratory Failure in Patients with COVID-19 (DARE-19) trial, we sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of initiating dapagliflozin during acute illness with COVID-19 in patients with and without T2D.

METHODS: The DARE-19 trial randomized 1250 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and cardiometabolic risk factors to dapagliflozin or placebo. T2D was present in 636/1250 …