Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Mitochondrial Dna Copy Number Estimation Techniques, Ryan J Longchamps, Christina A Castellani, Stephanie Y Yang, Charles E Newcomb, Jason A Sumpter, John Lane, Megan L Grove, Eliseo Guallar, Nathan Pankratz, Kent D Taylor, Jerome I Rotter, Eric Boerwinkle, Dan E Arking

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN), a measure of the number of mitochondrial genomes per cell, is a minimally invasive proxy measure for mitochondrial function and has been associated with several aging-related diseases. Although quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is the current gold standard method for measuring mtDNA-CN, mtDNA-CN can also be measured from genotyping microarray probe intensities and DNA sequencing read counts. to conduct a comprehensive examination on the performance of these methods, we use known mtDNA-CN correlates (age, sex, white blood cell count, Duffy locus genotype, incident cardiovascular disease) to evaluate mtDNA-CN calculated from qPCR, two microarray platforms, as well …

Longitudinal Sensitivity Of Alzheimer's Disease Severity Staging, Julia S Benoit, Wenyaw Chan, Linda Piller, Rachelle Doody

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Understanding Alzheimer's disease (AD) dynamics is essential in diagnosis and measuring progression for clinical decision-making; however, clinical instruments are imperfect at classifying true disease stages. This research evaluates sensitivity and determinants of AD stage changes longitudinally using current classifications of "mild," "moderate," and "severe" AD, using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), and the Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) thresholds. Age and pre-progression rate were significant determinants of AD progression using MMSE alone to stage AD, and pre-progression was found to impact disease progression with CDR-SB. Sensitivity of these instruments for identifying clinical stages of …

Distinct Profiles Of Specialized Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediators And Corresponding Receptor Gene Expression In Periodontal Inflammation, Brittney Ferguson, Nishantha R Bokka, Krishna Rao Maddipati, Srinivas Ayilavarapu, Robin Weltman, Lisha Zhu, Wanqi Chen, W Jim Zheng, Nikola Angelov, Thomas E Van Dyke, Chun-Teh Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Polyunsaturated fatty acid-derived specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs) play an important role in modulating inflammation. The aim of the study was to compare profiles of SPMs, SPM related lipid mediators and SPM receptor gene expression in gingiva of subjects with periodontitis to healthy controls. A total of 28 subjects were included; 13 periodontally healthy and 15 periodontitis before or after non-surgical periodontal therapy. Gingival tissues were collected from two representative posterior teeth prior to and 8 weeks after scaling and root planning; only once in the healthy group. Lipid mediator-SPM metabololipidomics was performed to identify metabolites in gingiva. qRT-PCR was …

Systemic Th17 Response In The Presence Of Periodontal Inflammation, Lina J Suárez, Daniel E Vargas, Adriana Rodríguez, Roger M Arce, Nelly S Roa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The relationship between periodontitis and the pathogenesis of other inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and obesity has been an important topic of study in recent decades. The Th17 pathway plays a significant role in how local inflammation can influence systemic inflammation in the absence of systemic pathology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine Th17 biased-cells in systemically healthy patients in the presence of generalized chronic periodontitis.

METHODOLOGY: A total of 28 patients were recruited without systemic inflammatory pathology, which was determined by clinical history, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and rheumatoid factor detection. Of these patients, 13 were diagnosed as …

Static Stretch And Dynamic Muscle Activity Induce Acute Similar Increase In Corticospinal Excitability, Jules Opplertid, Christos Paizis, Athina Papitsa, Anthony J. Blazevich, Carole Cometti, Nicolas Babault

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Even though the acute effects of pre-exercise static stretching and dynamic muscle activity on muscular and functional performance have been largely investigated, their effects on the corticospinal pathway are still unclear. For that reason, this study examined the acute effects of 5×20 s of static stretching, dynamic muscle activity and a control condition on spinal excitability, corticospinal excitability and plantar flexor neuromuscular properties. Fifteen volunteers were randomly tested on separate days. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied to investigate corticospinal excitability by recording the amplitude of the motorevoked potential (MEP) and the duration of the cortical silent period (cSP). Peripheral nerve …

The Fms21 (Pila)-Fms20 Locus Encoding One Of Four Distinct Pili Of Enterococcus Faecium Is Harboured On A Large Transferable Plasmid Associated With Gut Colonization And Virulence, Louis Maximilian Buja, Dwayne A Wolf, Bihong Zhao, Bindu Akkanti, Michelle Mcdonald, Laura Lelenwa, Noah Reilly, Giulia Ottaviani, M Tarek Elghetany, Daniel Ocazionez Trujillo, Gabriel M Aisenberg, Mohammad Madjid, Biswajit Kar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This paper collates the pathological findings from initial published autopsy reports on 23 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from 5 centers in the United States of America, including 3 cases from Houston, Texas. Findings confirm that COVID-19 is a systemic disease with major involvement of the lungs and heart. Acute COVID-19 pneumonia has features of a distinctive acute interstitial pneumonia with a diffuse alveolar damage component, coupled with microvascular involvement with intra- and extravascular fibrin deposition and intravascular trapping of neutrophils, and, frequently, with formation of microthombi in arterioles. Major pulmonary thromboemboli with pulmonary infarcts and/or hemorrhage occurred in …

Paclitaxel-Coated Zilver Ptx Drug-Eluting Stent Treatment Does Not Result In Increased Long-Term All-Cause Mortality Compared To Uncoated Devices., Michael D Dake, Gary M Ansel, Marc Bosiers, Andrew Holden, Osamu Iida, Michael R Jaff, Aaron E Lottes, Erin E O'Leary, Alan T Saunders, Marc Schermerhorn, Hiroyoshi Yokoi, Thomas Zeller

Heart and Vascular Articles

PURPOSE: Patient-level data from two large studies of the Zilver PTX drug-eluting stent (DES) with long-term follow-up and concurrent non-drug comparator groups were analyzed to determine whether there was an increased mortality risk due to paclitaxel.

METHODS: Data from the Zilver PTX randomized controlled trial (RCT) and Zilver PTX and bare metal stent (BMS) Japan post-market surveillance studies were analyzed. Five-year follow-up is complete in both DES studies; follow-up for the BMS study was limited to 3 years and is complete. Kaplan-Meier analyses assessed mortality. A Cox proportional hazards model identified significant factors related to mortality.

RESULTS: In the RCT, …

Should The Pbl Tutor Be Present? A Cross-Sectional Study Of Group Effectiveness In Synchronous And Asynchronous Settings, Samuel Edelbring, Siw Alehagen, Evalotte Mörelius, Annakarin Johansson, Patrik Rytterström

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: The tutorial group and its dynamics are a cornerstone of problem-based learning (PBL). The tutor's support varies according to the setting, and it is pertinent to explore group effectiveness in relation to different settings, for example online or campus-based. The PBL groups' effectiveness can partly be assessed in terms of cognitive and motivational aspects, using a self-report tool to measure PBL group effectiveness, the Tutorial Group Effectiveness Instrument (TGEI). This study's aim was to explore tutor participation in variations of online and campus-based tutorial groups in relation to group effectiveness. A secondary aim was to validate a tool for …

The Effect Of Sleep Restriction, With Or Without High-Intensity Interval Exercise, On Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis In Healthy Young Men, Nicholas J. Saner, Matthew J. -C. Lee, Nathan W. Pitchford, Jujiao Kuang, Gregory D. Roach, Andrew Garnham, Tanner Stokes, Stuart M. Phillips, David J. Bishop, Jonathan D. Bartlett

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Key points: Sleep restriction has previously been associated with the loss of muscle mass in both human and animal models. The rate of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) is a key variable in regulating skeletal muscle mass and can be increased by performing high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), although the effect of sleep restriction on MyoPS is unknown. In the present study, we demonstrate that participants undergoing a sleep restriction protocol (five nights, with 4 h in bed each night) had lower rates of skeletal muscle MyoPS; however, rates of MyoPS were maintained at control levels by performing HIIE during this period. …

Definitions, Sources And Self-Reported Consumption Of Regionally Grown Fruits And Vegetables In Two Regions Of Australia, Katherine Kent, Stephanie Godrich, Sandra Murray, Stuart Auckland, Lauren Blekkenhorst, Beth Penrose, Johnny Lo, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Regional food systems are complex networks, with numerous retail sources that underpin a local economy. However, evidence is limited regarding how consumers define, identify, and source regionally grown fresh fruits and vegetables (RGFFV). A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tasmania (TAS) and South Western Australia (SWA) to compare how RGFFV are defined, identified and sourced by consumers, including self-reported consumption of selected RGFFV. Survey data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and t-tests. Results (TAS n = 120, SWA n = 123) identified that consumers had mixed perceptions of how RGFFV are defined, including produce sold at farmers markets, or …

Predictors Of Ceasing Or Reducing Statin Medication Following A Large Increase In The Consumer Copayment For Medications: A Retrospective Observational Study, Karla Seamon, Frank Sanfilippo, Max Bulsara, Libby Roughead, Anna Kemp-Casey, Caroline Bulsara, Gerald F. Watts, David Preen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

OBJECTIVES:

Previous Australian research has shown that following the 21% increase in patient copayments for medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in 2005, the use of lipid-lowering therapy declined by 5%. This study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals who continued, reduced or ceased their use of statin medication in 2005.

STUDY TYPE:

Retrospective observational study using routinely collected administrative data.

METHOD:

We used pharmaceutical claims, hospital separations and mortality records from 2000 to 2005 for the Western Australian population. The cohort comprised stable users of statin medication in 2004. Based on changes in statin …

Elecsys Csf Biomarker Immunoassays Demonstrate Concordance With Amyloid-Pet Imaging, James A. Doecke, Larry Ward, Samantha C. Burnham, Victor L. Villemagne, Qiao-Xin Li, Steven Collins, Christopher J. Fowler, Ekaterina Manuilova, Monika Widmann, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Ralph N. Martins, Colin L. Masters, Aibl Research Group

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: β-amyloid (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is currently the only Food and Drug Administration-approved method to support clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, numerous research studies support the use of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, as a cost-efficient, quick and equally valid method to define AD pathology. Methods: Using automated Elecsys® assays (Roche Diagnostics) for Aβ (1-42) (Aβ42), Aβ (1-40) (Aβ40), total tau (tTau) and phosphorylated tau (181P) (pTau), we examined CSF samples from 202 participants of the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study of ageing cohort, to demonstrate the concordance with pathological AD via PET imaging. …

First Age- And Gender-Matched Case-Control Study In Australia Examining The Possible Association Between Toxoplasma Gondii Infection And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Busselton Health Study, Aus Molan, Kazunori Nosaka, Michael Hunter, Jinxia Zhang, Xiaoni Meng, Manshu Song, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

An emerging field of research is starting to examine the association of infectious pathogens with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An understudied parasite of interest is Toxoplasma gondii. Globally, very few studies have been conducted to investigate this association. Additionally, very little data exists on the prevalence of T. gondii in the general Australian population. Our group sought to determine the prevalence, association, and risk factors between T. gondii infection and T2DM from a representative Australian human population. Through a cross-sectional, age-A nd gender-matched case-control study, 150 subjects with T2DM together with 150 control subjects from the Busselton Health Study …

Ador2a C Allele Carriers Exhibit Ergogenic Responses To Caffeine Supplementation, Jozo Grgic, Craig Pickering, David J. Bishop, Juan Del Coso, Brad Schoenfeld, Grant M. Tinsley, Zeljko Pedisic

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Caffeine’s ergogenic effects on exercise performance are generally explained by its ability to bind to adenosine receptors. ADORA2A is the gene that encodes A2A subtypes of adenosine receptors. It has been suggested that ADORA2A gene polymorphisms may be responsible for the inter-individual variations in the effects of caffeine on exercise performance. In the only study that explored the influence of variation in ADORA2A—in this case, a common polymorphism (rs5751876)—on the ergogenic effects of caffeine on exercise performance, C allele carriers were identified as “non-responders” to caffeine. To explore if C allele carriers are true “non-responders” to the ergogenic effects of …

Sleep Duration Is Associated With Vitamin D Deficiency In Older Women Living In Macao, China: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study, Xiaoying Liu, Liang Ke, Jacky Ho, Myriam Abboud, Elias Mpofu, Tara C. Brennan-Speranza, Rebecca S. Mason, Kaye E. Brock

All Works

© 2020 Liu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Chinese women are known to have both a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) /l). Associations between sleep duration and circulating 25OHD have recently been reported but, to our knowledge, these associations have not been studied in older Chinese populations. We thus investigated whether sleep duration was associated with vitamin D status in …

Prevalence Of Chronic Hepatitis B In Oro Province, Papua New Guinea, Alice Unah Lee, Luke Mair, Bob Kevin, Lily Gandi, Olive Tarumuri, Caroline Lee, Sue Huntley, David Carl Hilmers

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) affects over 250 million people worldwide. In Papua New Guinea, the prevalence of CHB has been estimated to be over 8%, and it is a leading cause of death. To address this problem, an alliance was formed between the government of Oro Province, a large private employer and an Australian nongovernmental organization, which established a CHB test and treatment programme. Between 2014 and 2019, rapid hepatitis B surface antigen testing was performed on 4068 individuals in Oro Province. The crude prevalence rate was 12.98% and was significantly higher in males (15.26%) than females (10.94%) (P < 0.001). The rate was 4.72% among children aged 10 years and under, 12.81% among women of childbearing age (19–35 years) and 18.48% among health-care workers. These results indicate that the rates of vaccination at birth and later among women of childbearing age and health-care workers must be improved to prevent transmission of CHB.

The Longitudinal Parallel Process Analysis Of Biomarkers Of Oxidative Stress, Symptom Clusters, And Cognitive Function In Children With Leukemia, Mary C Hooke, Daniel Hatch, Marilyn J Hockenberry, Susan Whitman, Ida Moore, David Montgomery, Kari Marano, Pauline Mitby, Michael E Scheurer, Olga Taylor, Wei Pan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: During treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), children report co-occurring symptoms of fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, nausea, and depression as a symptom cluster. Central nervous system–directed ALL therapies also put children at risk for cognitive impairments. Cancer therapies can cause an increase in oxidative stress, which may contribute to treatment-related symptoms. This study examined the longitudinal relationships between biomarkers of oxidative stress in the cerebrospinal fluid, the Childhood Cancer Symptom Cluster–Leukemia (CCSC-L), and cognition, in children over the first year of ALL treatment. Methods: Glutathione (GSH) biomarkers of oxidative stress were measured in cerebrospinal fluid collected during treatment lumbar …

The Vimentin Rod Domain Blocks P-Selectin-P-Selectin Glycoprotein Ligand 1 Interactions To Attenuate Leukocyte Adhesion To Inflamed Endothelium, Fong Wilson Lam, Cameron August Brown, Christian Valladolid, Dabel Cynthia Emebo, Timothy Gerald Palzkill, Miguel Angel Cruz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Acute inflammation begins with leukocyte P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) binding to P-selectin on inflamed endothelium and platelets. In pathologic conditions, this process may contribute to secondary organ damage, like sepsis-induced liver injury. Therefore, developing novel therapies to attenuate inflammation may be beneficial. We previously reported that recombinant human vimentin (rhVim) binds P-selectin to block leukocyte adhesion to endothelium and platelets. In this study, we used SPOT-peptide arrays to identify the rod domain as the active region within rhVim that interacts with P-selectin. Indeed, recombinant human rod domain of vimentin (rhRod) binds to P-selectin with high affinity, with in silico modeling …

Aromatase Inhibitors Plus Weight Loss Improves The Hormonal Profile Of Obese Hypogonadal Men Without Causing Major Side Effects, Georgia Colleluori, Rui Chen, Christie G Turin, Francesca Vigevano, Clifford Qualls, Biju Johnson, Sanjay Mediwala, Dennis T Villareal, Reina Armamento-Villareal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: In obese men, the increased expression of the aromatase enzyme in adipose tissue leads to high conversion of androgens to estrogens contributing to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HHG). Our objective is to evaluate efficacy and safety of weight loss (WL) plus aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy in severely obese men with HHG. We hypothesize that AI+WL will be more effective as compared to WL alone in improving the hormonal profile, thus muscle strength and symptoms of HHG (primary outcomes), with no significant adverse effects on lean mass, metabolic profile, and bone mineral density (secondary outcomes).

Design: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial.

Methods: …

Sirt3 Promotes Lipophagy And Chaperon-Mediated Autophagy To Protect Hepatocytes Against Lipotoxicity, Tian Zhang, Jingxin Liu, Shengnan Shen, Qiang Tong, Xiaojun Ma, Ligen Lin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Lipophagy is a lysosomal lipolytic pathway that complements the actions of cytosolic neutral lipases. Chaperon-mediated autophagy (CMA) triggers lipid droplets (LDs) breakdown, to initiate lipolysis via either cytosolic lipases or macroautophagy. SIRT3, a mitochondrial NAD+-dependent deacetylase, regulates the acetylation status and activity of many substrates involving in energy metabolism. However, the role of SIRT3 in regulating lipophagy is controversial. The current study showed that SIRT3 expression was decreased and the macroautophagy flux was blocked in the primary hepatocytes from high-fat diet fed mice and P/O (palmitic acid and oleic acid mixture) treated AML12 mouse hepatocytes, compared with the corresponding controls. …

Large Sinus Of Valsalva Aneurysm Complicated By Thrombus Formation, Milan Ravishankar, Ali Ghergherehchi, Jing Liu, Ernesto Jimenez, Umair Khalid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SOVA) is an unusual cardiac anomaly that is potentially fatal with rupture. It is often asymptomatic but has various presentations. We describe a case of a 67-year-old male who presented with atypical chest pain. Transthoracic echocardiogram and cardiac computed tomography scan confirmed a large SOVA complicated by thrombus formation and compression of the left atrium and left ventricular outflow tract. The patient successfully underwent a Bentall procedure-surgical aortic aneurysm repair with mechanical aortic valve conduit. We discuss several clinical decision-making branch points to highlight the complexity of managing this condition. Even in asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic …

Hypogonadism, Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus, And Bone Health: A Narrative Review, Vittoria Russo, Rui Chen, Reina Armamento-Villareal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

One of the complications from chronic hyperglycemia and insulin resistance due to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in men is the high prevalence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). Both T2DM and hypogonadism are associated with impaired bone health and increased fracture risk but whether the combination results in even worse bone disease than either one alone is not well-studied. It is possible that having both conditions predisposes men to an even greater risk for fracture than either one alone. Given the common occurrence of HH or hypogonadism in general in T2DM, a significant number of men could …

Who Benefits From A Prostate Rectal Spacer? Secondary Analysis Of A Phase Iii Trial, Thomas J. Quinn, Walter Bosch, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Previously a phase III trial of a hydrogel rectal spacer during prostate radiation therapy found decreased toxicity and a clinically significant improvement in bowel quality of life (QOL) at 3 years by the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index. We performed a secondary analysis to identify men less likely to benefit.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Clinical and dosimetric data for the 222 patients enrolled on the SpaceOAR phase III trial were analyzed. The volume of rectum treated to 70 Gy (V70) and the quantitative analysis of normal tissue effects in the clinic (QUANTEC) rectal dose goals were used as surrogates for clinical …

Incidence Of Initial Renal Replacement Therapy Over The Course Of Kidney Disease In Children., Derek K. Ng, Matthew B. Matheson, Bradley A. Warady, Susan R. Mendley, Susan L. Furth, Alvaro Muñoz

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The Chronic Kidney Disease in Children Study, a prospective cohort study with data collected from 2003 to 2018, provided the first opportunity to characterize the incidence of renal replacement therapy (RRT) initiation over the life course of pediatric kidney diseases. In the current analysis, parametric generalized gamma models were fitted and extrapolated for RRT overall and by specific treatment modality (dialysis or preemptive kidney transplant). Children were stratified by type of diagnosis: nonglomerular (mostly congenital; n = 650), glomerular-hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS; n = 49), or glomerular-non-HUS (heterogeneous childhood onset; n = 216). Estimated durations of time to RRT after …

Intervention For Cognitive Reserve Enhancement In Delaying The Onset Of Alzheimer's Symptomatic Expression (Increase), A Randomized Controlled Trial: Rationale, Study Design, And Protocol, Daniela C. Moga, Brooke F. Beech, Erin L. Abner, Frederick A. Schmitt, Riham H. El Khouli, Ashley I. Martinez, Lynne Eckmann, Mark Huffmyer, Rosmy George, Gregory A. Jicha

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) includes a 10-20-year preclinical period with progressive accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the absence of symptomatic cognitive or functional decline. The duration of this preclinical stage in part depends on the rate of pathologic progression, which is offset by compensatory mechanisms, referred to as cognitive reserve (CR). Comorbid medical conditions, psychosocial stressors, and inappropriate medication use may lower CR, hastening the onset of symptomatic AD. Here, we describe a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to test the efficacy of a medication therapy management (MTM) intervention to reduce inappropriate …

Safety Of Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon Angioplasty For Femoropopliteal Peripheral Artery Disease, Kenneth Ouriel, Mark A. Adelman, Kenneth Rosenfield, Dierk Scheinert, Marianne Brodmann, Constantino Peña, Patrick Geraghty, Arthur Lee, Roseann White, Daniel G. Clair

2010-2019 OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess safety outcomes of femoropopliteal drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty using patient-level data from the Lutonix clinical program.

BACKGROUND: A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of heterogenous trials and summary-level data identified increased long-term mortality in patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloons and stents.

METHODS: We evaluated DCB angioplasty (n = 1,093) and uncoated balloon angioplasty (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty [PTA]) (n = 250) outcomes in LEVANT 1 (The Lutonix Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon for the Prevention of Femoropopliteal Restenosis), LEVANT 2 (Moxy Drug Coated Balloon vs. Standard Balloon Angioplasty for the Treatment of Femoropopliteal Arteries), and …

Small Molecules That Inhibit Tnf Signalling By Stabilising An Asymmetric Form Of The Trimer, James O'Connell, John Porter, Boris Kroeplien, Tim Norman, Stephen Rapecki, Rachel E. Davis, David Mcmillan, Tracy Arakaki, Alex Burgin, David Fox Iii, Tom Ceska, Fabien Lecomte, Alison Maloney, Alex Vugler, Bruce Carrington, Benjamin P. Cossins, Tim Bourne, Alastair Lawson

Faculty Publications

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a cytokine belonging to a family of trimeric proteins; it has been shown to be a key mediator in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. While TNF is the target of several successful biologic drugs, attempts to design small molecule therapies directed to this cytokine have not led to approved products. Here we report the discovery of potent small molecule inhibitors of TNF that stabilise an asymmetrical form of the soluble TNF trimer, compromising signalling and inhibiting the functions of TNF in vitro and in vivo. This discovery paves the way for …

Impact Of Motor Therapy With Dynamic Body-Weight Support On Functional Independence Measures In Traumatic Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study, Emily F. Anggelis, Elizabeth Salmon Powell, Philip M. Westgate, Amanda C. Glueck, Lumy Sawaki

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Contemporary goals of rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) aim to improve cognitive and motor function by applying concepts of neuroplasticity. This can be challenging to carry out in TBI patients with motor, balance, and cognitive impairments.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether use of dynamic body-weight support (DBWS) would allow safe administration of intensive motor therapy during inpatient rehabilitation and whether its use would yield greater improvement in functional recovery than standard-of-care (SOC) therapy in adults with TBI.

METHODS: Data in this retrospective cohort study was collected from patients with TBI who receive inpatient rehabilitation incorporating DBWS (n = …

Single-Nuclei Rna-Seq On Human Retinal Tissue Provides Improved Transcriptome Profiling, Qingnan Liang, Rachayata Dharmat, Leah Owen, Akbar Shakoor, Yumei Li, Sangbae Kim, Albert Vitale, Ivana Kim, Denise Morgan, Shaoheng Liang, Nathaniel Wu, Ken Chen, Margaret M Deangelis, Rui Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Single-cell RNA-seq is a powerful tool in decoding the heterogeneity in complex tissues by generating transcriptomic profiles of the individual cell. Here, we report a single-nuclei RNA-seq (snRNA-seq) transcriptomic study on human retinal tissue, which is composed of multiple cell types with distinct functions. Six samples from three healthy donors are profiled and high-quality RNA-seq data is obtained for 5873 single nuclei. All major retinal cell types are observed and marker genes for each cell type are identified. The gene expression of the macular and peripheral retina is compared to each other at cell-type level. Furthermore, our dataset shows an …

Genetic Variations In The Dopamine Reward System Influence Exercise Reinforcement And Tolerance For Exercise Intensity, Kyle D. Flack, Christopher Pankey, Kelsey Elise Ufholz, Luann Johnson, James N. Roemmich

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Exercise is a reinforcing behavior and finding exercise highly reinforcing is characteristic of habitual exercisers. Genotypes related to dopamine metabolism moderate the reinforcing value of behaviors, but genetic moderators of exercise reinforcement have not been established.

Purpose: Determine whether singular nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that moderate central reward pathways and pain neurotransmission are associated with exercise reinforcement, tolerance for exercise intensity, and usual physical activity.

Methods: Adults (n = 178) were measured for the reinforcing value of exercise relative to sedentary activities (RRV_exercise), minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and completed the Preference for and Tolerance …