Medical Specialties Commons^™

Sotatercept (Ace-011) For The Treatment Of Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia In Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer Or Advanced Or Metastatic Solid Tumors Treated With Platinum-Based Chemotherapeutic Regimens: Results From Two Phase 2 Studies, H. Raftopoulos, A. Laadem, P. J. Hesketh, J. Goldschmidt, N. Gabrail, C. Osborne, M. Ali, M. L. Sherman, D. Wang, J. Crawford, +3 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

PURPOSE: Sotatercept may represent a novel approach to the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA). We report the results from two phase 2 randomized studies examining the use of sotatercept for the treatment of CIA in patients with metastatic cancer. METHODS: In study A011-08, patients with metastatic breast cancer were randomized to 2:2:2:1 to receive sotatercept 0.1, 0.3, or 0.5 mg/kg, or placebo, respectively, every 28 days. In study ACE-011-NSCL-001, patients with solid tumors treated with platinum-based chemotherapy received sotatercept 15 or 30 mg every 42 days. The primary endpoint for both studies was hematopoietic response, defined as a hemoglobin (Hb) …

Nephrologists As Educators: Clarifying Roles, Seizing Opportunities, K. D. Jhaveri, M. A. Perazella

Journal Articles

Nephrologists play an important role in providing medical education in a variety of settings, including the medical school classroom, nephrology consult service, outpatient clinic, and dialysis unit. Therefore, nephrologists interact with a variety of learners. In this article the current state of published literature in medical education in nephrology is reviewed. Eight attending roles are identified of the nephrologist as a medical educator in the academic settings: inpatient internal medicine service, nephrology inpatient consult service, inpatient ESRD service, outpatient nephrology clinic, kidney transplantation, dialysis unit, classroom teacher, and research mentor. Defining each of these distinct settings could help to promote …

A Phase Ii Randomized Trial Comparing Standard And Low Dose Rituximab Combined With Alemtuzumab As Initial Treatment Of Progressive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia In Older Patients: A Trial Of The Ecog-Acrin Cancer Research Group (E1908), C. S. Zent, X. V. Wang, R. P. Ketterling, C. A. Hanson, E. N. Libby, J. C. Barrientos, T. G. Call, J. E. Chang, J. J. Liu, M. S. Tallman, +5 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) patients requiring initial therapy are often older and frailer and unsuitable candidates for standard chemoimmunotherapy regimens. Shorter duration combination monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy using alemtuzumab and rituximab has been shown to be effective and tolerable treatment for CLL. Standard dose anti-CD20 mAb therapy causes loss of CD20 expression by surviving CLL cells, which can be minimized by decreasing the mAb dose. We report a randomized phase II clinical trial enrolling older (>/= 65 years) patients (median age 76 years, n=31) with treatment naive progressive CLL. Patients received 8-12 weeks of standard subcutaneous alemtuzumab …

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Current Review Of Pharmacological Management, S. Sahni, M. Ojrzanowski, S. Majewski, A. Talwar

Journal Articles

Pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) is a rare and devastating disease characterized by progressive increases in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, which eventually leads to right ventricular failure and death. At present there is no cure for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however over the past decade targeted pharmaceutical options have become available for the treatment of PAH. Prior to evaluation for therapeutic options a definitive diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension must be made via comprehensive physical exam and definitive diagnostic testing. Screening test of choice remains echocardiography and gold standard for definitive diagnosis is right heart catheterization. Once the establishment …

Dietary Total Isoflavone Intake Is Associated With Lower Systolic Blood Pressure: The Coronary Artery Risk Development In Young Adults (Cardia) Study, S. I. Richardson, L. M. Steffen, K. Swett, C. Smith, L. Burke, X. Zhou, J. M. Shikany, C. J. Rodriguez

Journal Articles

The effect of dietary isoflavone intake on systolic blood pressure (SBP) has not been studied in a large community-based cohort inclusive of African Americans. The authors analyzed data from the year 20 examination of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, including medical history, physical examination, and dietary intake surveys for 3142 participants. Multivariable linear regression models controlled for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and intakes of alcohol and total energy. Effect modification by race was tested. Overall, patients with hypertension had a lower daily intake of total dietary isoflavones (2.2+/-5.2 mg/d vs 4.1+/-11.7 …

Angiotensin Ii Down-Regulates Nephrin-Akt Signaling And Induces Podocyte Injury: Roleof C-Abl, Q. Yang, Y. Ma, Y. Liu, W. Liang, X. Chen, Z. Ren, H. Wang, P. C. Singhal, G. Ding

Journal Articles

Recent studies have shown that nephrin plays a vital role in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced podocyte injury and thus contributes to the onset of proteinuria and the progression of renal diseases, but its specific mechanism remains unclear. c-Abl is an SH2/SH3 domain-containing nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that is involved in cell survival and regulation of the cytoskeleton. Phosphorylated nephrin is able to interact with molecules containing SH2/SH3 domains, suggesting that c-Abl may be a downstream molecule of nephrin signaling. Here we report that Ang II-infused rats developed proteinuria and podocyte damage accompanied by nephrin dephosphorylation and minimal interaction between nephrin and …

Cf Healthcare Workers Feel Unprepared In Providing Suitable End Of Life Care And Desire More Education: Results Of A Nationwide Survey, J. Goggin, R. I. Cohen

Journal Articles

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the depth of knowledge and preparedness of CF caregivers in delivering end of life and palliative care to CF patients and families. METHOD: Nationwide survey questionnaires for CF care providers using the CF Foundation Listserv electronic web-based tool. RESULTS: The majority of non-physician CF care providers (55%) had more than 15years of experience in their discipline and 84% of physician had greater than 15years of experience. The majority reported that they felt "somewhat" or "very" involved in palliative or end of life care in their current role. Yet, when asked whether they felt adequately prepared …

Simulation For Operational Readiness In A New Freestanding Emergency Department: Strategy And Tactics, R L. Kerner, K Gallo, M Cassara Do, J D'Angelo, A Egan, J G. Simmons

Journal Articles

© 2016 by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Statement Simulation in multiple contexts over the course of a 10-week period served as a core learning strategy to orient experienced clinicians before opening a large new urban freestanding emergency department. To ensure technical and procedural skills of all team members, who would provide care without on-site recourse to specialty backup, we designed a comprehensive interprofessional curriculum to verify and regularize a wide range of competencies and best practices for all clinicians. Formulated under the rubric of systems integration, simulation activities aimed to instill a shared culture of patient safety among …

Measuring Cognitive Load: Mixed Results From A Handover Simulation For Medical Students., J. Q. Young, D. M. Irby, M.L. Barilla-Labarca, O. Ten Cate, P. S. O'Sullivan

Journal Articles

The application of cognitive load theory to workplace-based activities such as patient handovers is hindered by the absence of a measure of the different load types. This exploratory study tests a method for measuring cognitive load during handovers.The authors developed the Cognitive Load Inventory for Handoffs (CLI4H) with items for intrinsic, extraneous, and germane load. Medical students completed the measure after participating in a simulated handover. Exploratory factor and correlation analyses were performed to collect evidence for validity.Results yielded a two-factor solution for intrinsic and germane load that explained 50 % of the variance. The extraneous load items performed poorly …

Efficacy Of Sofosbuvir, Velpatasvir, And Gs-9857 In Patients With Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 2, 3, 4, Or 6 Infections In An Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial, E. J. Gane, K. V. Kowdley, D. Pound, C. A.M. Stedman, M. Davis, K. Etzkorn, S. C. Gordon, D. Bernstein, P. Y. Kwo, M. H. Nguyen, +14 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

© 2016 AGA Institute Background & Aims Studies are needed to determine the optimal regimen for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2, 3, 4, or 6 infections whose prior course of antiviral therapy has failed, and the feasibility of shortening treatment duration. We performed a phase 2 study to determine the efficacy and safety of the combination of the nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir, the NS5A inhibitor velpatasvir, and the NS3/4A protease inhibitor GS-9857 in these patients. Methods We performed a multicenter, open-label trial at 32 sites in the United States and 2 sites in New Zealand from …

Impact Of The 2008 Beijing Olympics On The Risk Of Pregnancy Complications, V. Assibey-Mensah, K. Liu, S. W. Thurston, T. P. Stevens, J. Zhang, C. Kane, Y. Pan, B. Weinberger, D. Q. Rich, +2 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

Taking advantage of the natural experiment of the 2008 Beijing Olympics (August 8 to September 24), when air pollution levels decreased by 13% to 60%, the authors assessed whether having >/=1 pregnancy month during the Olympics was associated with decreased risks of hypertensive disorders (HDs) and/or fetal-placental conditions (FPCs). Singleton births to mothers with >/=1 pregnancy month in 2008 or 2009 (N = 56,155) were included. Using generalized additive models, the authors estimated the risk of HDs and FPCs associated with (1) the 2008 Olympics compared with the same dates in 2009, and (2) increased mean ambient PM10 (particulate matter …

Hydroxyurea Therapy For Children With Sickle Cell Anemia In Sub-Saharan Africa: Rationale And Design Of The Reach Trial, P. T. Mcgann, L. Tshilolo, B. Santos, G. A. Tomlinson, S. Stuber, T. Latham, B. Aygun, S. K. Obaro, P. Olupot-Olupot, R. E. Ware, +2 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is an inherited hematological disorder that causes a large but neglected global health burden, particularly in Africa. Hydroxyurea represents the only available disease-modifying therapy for SCA, and has proven safety and efficacy in high-resource countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is minimal use of hydroxyurea, due to lack of data, absence of evidence-based guidelines, and inexperience among healthcare providers. PROCEDURE: A partnership was established between investigators in North America and sub-Saharan Africa, to develop a prospective multicenter research protocol designed to provide data on the safety, feasibility, and benefits of hydroxyurea for children with SCA. RESULTS: …

Hydroxycarbamide Versus Chronic Transfusion For Maintenance Of Transcranial Doppler Flow Velocities In Children With Sickle Cell Anaemia-Tcd With Transfusions Changing To Hydroxyurea (Twitch): A Multicentre, Open-Label, Phase 3, Non-Inferiority Trial, R. E. Ware, B. R. Davis, W. H. Schultz, R. C. Brown, B. Aygun, S. Sarnaik, I. Odame, B. Fuh, R. J. Adams, +36 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: For children with sickle cell anaemia and high transcranial doppler (TCD) flow velocities, regular blood transfusions can effectively prevent primary stroke, but must be continued indefinitely. The efficacy of hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea) in this setting is unknown; we performed the TWiTCH trial to compare hydroxyurea with standard transfusions. METHODS: TWiTCH was a multicentre, phase 3, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial done at 26 paediatric hospitals and health centres in the USA and Canada. We enrolled children with sickle cell anaemia who were aged 4-16 years and had abnormal TCD flow velocities (>/=200 cm/s) but no severe vasculopathy. After screening, eligible …

Non-Invasive Assessment Of Endothelial Function In Children With Obesity And Lipid Disorders, L. C. Hudgins, V. Annavajjhala, A. Kovanlikaya, M. D. Frank, A. Solomon, T. S. Parker, R. S. Cooper

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Digital tonometry is designed to non-invasively screen for endothelial dysfunction by the detection of impaired flow-induced reactive hyperaemia in the fingertip. We determined whether digital reactive hyperaemia correlated with risk factors for atherosclerosis in two groups of children at increased risk for endothelial dysfunction. METHODS: A total of 15 obese children and 23 non-obese, dyslipidaemic children, 8-21 years of age, were enrolled, and their medical histories, anthropometric measurements, carotid wall thickness by means of ultrasonography, and fasting blood samples for cardiovascular risk factors were obtained. The standard endoPAT index of digital reactive hyperaemia was modified to reflect the true …

Organ Iron Accumulation In Chronically Transfused Children With Sickle Cell Anaemia: Baseline Results From The Twitch Trial, J. C. Wood, A. R. Cohen, S. L. Pressel, B. Aygun, H. Imran, L. Luchtman-Jones, A. A. Thompson, B. Fuh, W. H. Schultz, R. E. Ware, +1 Additional Author

Journal Articles

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) With Transfusions Changing to Hydroxyurea (TWiTCH) trial is a randomized, open-label comparison of hydroxycarbamide (also termed hydroxyurea) versus continued chronic transfusion therapy for primary stroke prevention in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and abnormal TCD. Severity and location of iron overload is an important secondary outcome measure. We report the baseline findings of abdominal organ iron burden in 121 participants. At enrollment, patients were young (9.8 +/- 2.9 years), predominantly female (60:40), and previously treated with transfusions (4.1 +/- 2.4 years) and iron chelation (3.1 +/- 2.1 years). Liver iron concentration (LIC; 9.0 +/- 6.6 mg/g …

Validation Of The Lupus Nephritis Clinical Indices In Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, R. Mina, K. Abulaban, M. Klein-Gitelman, A. Eberhard, S. Ardoin, N. Singer, K. Onel, L. Tucker, K. O'Neil, H. I. Brunner, +8 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVE: To validate clinical indices of lupus nephritis (LN) activity and damage when used in children against the criterion standard of kidney biopsy findings. METHODS: In 83 children requiring kidney biopsy the SLE Disease Activity Index Renal Domain (SLEDAI-R); British Isles Lupus Assessment Group index Renal Domain (BILAG-R), Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Renal Activity (SLICC-RAS) and Damage Index Renal Domain (SDI-R) were measured. Fixed effect and logistic models were done to predict International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) class; low/moderate vs. high LN-activity [NIH Activity Index (NIH-AI) score:10; Tubulointerstitial Activity Index (TIAI) score:5) or the absence vs. presence …

Adding Genetic Risk Score To Family History Identifies Twice As Many High-Risk Men For Prostate Cancer: Results From The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, H. Chen, X. Liu, C. B. Brendler, D. P. Ankerst, R. J. Leach, P. J. Goodman, M. S. Lucia, C. M. Tangen, L. Wang, J. Xu, +8 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

High-Dose Hypofractionated Radiotherapy Is Effective And Safe For Tumors In The Head-And-Neck, S. Teckie, B. H. Lok, S. Rao, S. I. Gutiontov, Y. Yamada, S. L. Berry, M. J. Zelefsky, N. Y. Lee

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Quinomycin A Targets Notch Signaling Pathway In Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells, S. Ponnurangam, P. R. Dandawate, A. Dhar, O. W. Tawfik, R. R. Parab, P. D. Mishra, P. Ranadive, R. Sharma, G. Mahajan, D. Subramaniam, +7 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) appear to explain many aspects of the neoplastic evolution of tumors and likely account for enhanced therapeutic resistance following treatment. Dysregulated Notch signaling, which affects CSCs plays an important role in pancreatic cancer progression. We have determined the ability of Quinomycin to inhibit CSCs and the Notch signaling pathway. Quinomycin treatment resulted in significant inhibition of proliferation and colony formation in pancreatic cancer cell lines, but not in normal pancreatic epithelial cells. Moreover, Quinomycin affected pancreatosphere formation. The compound also decreased the expression of CSC marker proteins DCLK1, CD44, CD24 and EPCAM. In addition, flow cytometry …

Erbb2 And P38Γ Mapk Mediate Alcohol-Induced Increase In Breast Cancer Stem Cells And Metastasis, M. Xu, Z. Ren, X. Wang, A. Comer, J. A. Frank, Z. J. Ke, Y. Huang, Z. Zhang, X. Shi, J. Luo, +1 Additional Author

Journal Articles

© 2016 Luo et al. Background: Both epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that excessive alcohol exposure increases the risk for breast cancer and enhances metastasis/recurrence. We have previously demonstrated that alcohol enhanced the migration/invasion of breast cancer cells and cancer cells overexpressing ErbB2/HER2 were more sensitive to alcohol exposure. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study was designed to investigate the mechanisms underlying alcohol-enhanced aggressiveness of breast cancer. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a critical role in cancer metastasis and recurrence. Methods: We evaluated the effect of chronic alcohol exposure on mammary tumor development/metastasis in MMTV-neu transgenic mice and …

Wses Classification And Guidelines For Liver Trauma, Federico Coccolini, Fausto Catena, Ernest E. Moore, Rao Ivatury, Walter Biffl, Andrew Peitzman, Raul Coimbra, Sandro Rizoli, Yoram Kluger, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Marco Ceresoli, Giulia Montori, Massimo Sartelli, Dieter Weber, Gustavo Fraga, Noel Naidoo, Frederick A. Moore, Nicola Zanini, Luca Ansaloni

Surgery Publications

The severity of liver injuries has been universally classified according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grading scale. In determining the optimal treatment strategy, however, the haemodynamic status and associated injuries should be considered. Thus the management of liver trauma is ultimately based on the anatomy of the injury and the physiology of the patient. This paper presents the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) classification of liver trauma and the management Guidelines.

Wses Guidelines For The Management Of Acute Left Sided Colonic Diverticulitis In The Emergency Setting, Massimo Sartelli, Fausto Catena, Luca Ansaloni, Federico Coccolini, Ewen A. Griffiths, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Salomone Di Saverio, Jan Ulrych, Yoram Kluger, Ofir Ben-Ishay, Frederick A. Moore, Rao R. Ivatury, Raul Coimbra, Andrew B. Peitzman, Ari Leppaniemi, Gustavo P. Fraga, Ronald V. Maier, Osvaldo Chiara, Jeffry Kashuk, Boris Sakakushev, Dieter G. Weber, Rifat Latifi, Walter Biffl, Miklosh Bala, Aleksandar Karamarkovic, Kenji Inaba, Carlos A. Ordonez, Andreas Hecker, Goran Augustin, Zaza Demetrashvili, Renato Bessa Melo, Sanjay Marwah, Sanoop K. Zachariah, Vishal G. Shelat, Michael Mcfarlane, Miran Rems, Carlos Augusto Gomes, Mario Paulo Faro, Gerson Alves Pereira Júnior, Ionut Negoi, Yunfeng Cui, Norio Sato, Andras Vereczkei, Giovanni Bellanova, Arianna Birindelli, Isidoro Di Carlo, Kenneth Y. Kok, Mahir Gachabayov, Georgios Gkiokas, Konstantinos Bouliaris, Elif Çolak, Arda Isik, Daniel Rios-Cruz, Rodolfo Soto, Ernest E. Moore

Surgery Publications

Acute left sided colonic diverticulitis is one of the most common clinical conditions encountered by surgeons in acute setting. A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Consensus Conference on acute diverticulitis was held during the 3rd World Congress of the WSES in Jerusalem, Israel, on July 7th, 2015. During this consensus conference the guidelines for the management of acute left sided colonic diverticulitis in the emergency setting were presented and discussed. This document represents the executive summary of the final guidelines approved by the consensus conference.

Wses Jerusalem Guidelines For Diagnosis And Treatment Of Acute Appendicitis, Salomone Di Saverio, Arianna Birindelli, Micheal D. Kelly, Fausto Catena, Dieter G. Weber, Massimo Sartelli, Michael Sugrue, Mark De Moya, Carlos Augusto Gomes, Aneel Bhangu, Ferdinando Agresta, Ernest E. Moore, Kjetil Soreide, Ewen Griffiths, Steve De Castro, Jeffry Kashuk, Yoram Kluger, Ari Leppaniemi, Luca Ansaloni, Manne Andersson, Federico Coccolini, Raul Coimbra, Kurinchi S. Gurusamy, Fabio Cesare Campanile, Walter Biffl, Osvaldo Chiara, Fred Moore, Andrew B. Peitzman, Gustavo P. Fraga, David Costa, Ronald V. Maier, Sandro Rizoli, Zsolt J. Balogh, Cino Bendinelli, Roberto Cirocchi, Valeria Tonini, Alice Piccinini, Gregorio Tugnoli, Elio Jovine, Roberto Persiani, Antonio Biondi, Thomas Scalea, Philip Stahel, Rao Ivatury, George Velmahos, Roland Andersson

Surgery Publications

Acute appendicitis (AA) is among the most common cause of acute abdominal pain. Diagnosis of AA is challenging; a variable combination of clinical signs and symptoms has been used together with laboratory findings in several scoring systems proposed for suggesting the probability of AA and the possible subsequent management pathway. The role of imaging in the diagnosis of AA is still debated, with variable use of US, CT and MRI in different settings worldwide. Up to date, comprehensive clinical guidelines for diagnosis and management of AA have never been issued. In July 2015, during the 3rd World Congress of the …

Burden And Depression Among Caregivers Of Visually Impaired Patients In A Canadian Population, Zainab Khan, Puneet S. Braich, Karim Rahim, Jaspreet S. Rayat, Lin Xing, Munir Iqbal, Karim Mohamed Mohamed, Sanjay Sharma, David Almeida

Ophthalmology Publications

Purpose/Background. This study reports the degree of burden and the proportion at risk for depression among individuals who provide care to visually impaired patients. Study Design. This is clinic-based, cross-sectional survey in a tertiary care hospital. Methods. Caregivers were considered unpaid family members for patients whose sole impairment was visual. Patients were stratified by vision in their better seeing eye into two groups: Group 1 had visual acuity between 6/18 and 6/60 and Group 2 were those who had 6/60 or worse. Burden was evaluated by the Burden Index of Caregivers and the prevalence of being at …

Burden And Depression Among Caregivers Of Visually Impaired Patients In A Canadian Population, Zainab Khan, Puneet S. Braich, Karim Rahim, Jaspreet S. Rayat, Lin Xing, Munir Iqbal, Karim Mohamed, Sanjay Sharma, David Almeida

Ophthalmology Publications

Purpose/Background. This study reports the degree of burden and the proportion at risk for depression among individuals who provide care to visually impaired patients. Study Design. This is clinic-based, cross-sectional survey in a tertiary care hospital. Methods. Caregivers were considered unpaid family members for patients whose sole impairment was visual. Patients were stratified by vision in their better seeing eye into two groups: Group 1 had visual acuity between 6/18 and 6/60 and Group 2 were those who had 6/60 or worse. Burden was evaluated by the Burden Index of Caregivers and the prevalence of being at risk for depression …

Role Of The Calcium Plateau In The Neuronal Injury And Behavioral Morbidities Following Organophosphate Intoxication, Laxmikant S. Deshpande, Robert E. Blair, Kristin F. Phillips, Robert J. Delorenzo

Neurology Publications

Organophosphate (OP) chemicals include nerve agents and pesticides, and there is a growing concern of OP based chemical attacks against civilians. Current antidotes are essential in limiting immediate mortality associated with OP exposure. However, further research is needed to identify molecular mechanisms underlying long-term neurological deficits following survival of OP toxicity in order to develop effective therapeutics. We have developed rat survival models of OP induced status epilepticus (SE) that mimic chronic mortality and morbidity following OP intoxication. We have observed significant elevations in hippocampal calcium levels after OP SE that persisted for weeks following initial survival. Drugs inhibiting intracellular …

Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein Suppresses Agonist-Driven Cb1 Receptor Internalization And Regulates Receptor Replenishment In An Agonist-Biased Manner, Lawrence C. Blumes, Sandra Leone-Kabler, Deborah J. Luessen, Glenn S. Marrs, Erica Lyons, Caroline E. Bass, Rong Chen, Dana E. Selley, Allyn C. Howlett

Neurology Publications

Cannabinoid receptor interacting protein 1a (CRIP1a) is a CB1 receptor (CB1R) distal C-terminus-associated protein that modulates CB1R signaling via G proteins, and CB1R down-regulation but not desensitization (Blume et al. [2015] Cell Signal., 27, 716-726; Smith et al. [2015] Mol. Pharmacol., 87, 747-765). In this study, we determined the involvement of CRIP1a in CB1R plasma membrane trafficking. To follow the effects of agonists and antagonists on cell surface CB(1)Rs, we utilized the genetically homogeneous cloned neuronal cell line N18TG2, which endogenously expresses both CB1R and CRIP1a, and exhibits a well-characterized endocannabinoid signaling system. We developed stable CRIP1a-over-expressing and CRIP1a-siRNA-silenced knockdown …

Projecting Productivity Losses For Cancer-Related Mortality 2011 – 2030, Alison Pearce, Cathy Bradley, Paul Hanly, Ciaran O’Neill, Audrey Alforque Thomas, Michal Molcho, Linda Sharp

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background

When individuals stop working due to cancer this represents a loss to society – the loss of productivity. The aim of this analysis was to estimate productivity losses associated with premature mortality from all adult cancers and from the 20 highest mortality adult cancers in Ireland in 2011, and project these losses until 2030.

Methods

An incidence-based method was used to estimate the cost of cancer deaths between 2011 and 2030 using the Human Capital Approach. National data were used for cancer, population and economic inputs. Both paid work and unpaid household activities were included. Sensitivity analyses estimated the …

Sirt1 Expression Is Associated With Cd31 Expression In Blood Cells From Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ryo Kato, Shiro Mizuno, Maiko Kadowaki, Kohei Shiozaki, Masaya Akai, Ken Nakagawa, Taku Oikawa, Masaharu Iguchi, Kazuhiro Osanai, Takeshi Ishizaki, Norbert F. Voelkel, Hirohisa Toga

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background: Cigarette smoke induced oxidative stress has been shown to reduce silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) levels in lung tissue from smokers and patients with COPD patients. Sirt1 is known to inhibit endothelial senescence and may play a protective role in vascular cells. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are mobilized into circulation under various pathophysiological conditions, and are thought to play an important role in tissue repair in chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Therefore, Sirt1 and EPC-associated mRNAs were measured in blood samples from patients with COPD and from cultured CD34+ progenitor cells to examine whether these genes are associated with …

What Are The Needs Of Older Adults?, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

Mobility, social connections, health declines, lifelong learning, safety, caretakers or caregivers speak to interdependence or assisted autonomy, rather than to independence. Realizing the best of ourselves means that we are engaged or interdependent with others.