Medical Specialties Commons^™

The Verbal Numeric Pain Scale: Ed Patient Understanding And Perspectives, Bracey Bayonnet

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify patient self-reported pain scores and understanding and perspectives of the Verbal Numeric Pain Scale. Methods: In this prospective survey study, eligible participants were interviewed by research assistants. Data collected included ED patients self-reported pain scores, previous painful experiences, and their understanding of the Verbal Numeric Pain Scale,

Results: Among 164 participants (92% response rate), the mean triage pain score was 6.4 (95% CI 6.0-6.9). Many participants had experienced significant painful experiences in the past, including major surgery (N = 113), broken bone (N = 102), childbirth (N = 89) and kidney …

The Relationship Between Burnout And Personality Traits In Secondary School Athletic Trainers, Marissa Abbondanzio

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Research has found that 30% of Athletic Trainers (ATs) experience burnout in their career. Limited literature has found the effects of burnout on ATs in the secondary school setting, though they account for 18% of the population. Objective: The aim of this investigation was to determine the relationship between burnout and personality traits in secondary school ATs. Methods: Participants included 143 ATs working in the secondary school setting and members of National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to measure level of burnout. The Big Five Inventory (BFI) was used to measure …

The Aspet Mentoring Network: Enhancing Diversity And Inclusion Through Career Coaching Groups Within A Scientific Society, Veronica Y. Womack, Bhoomi K. Thakore, Christine V. Wood, David C. Jewett, Remi F. Jones, Susan L. Ingram, Janet A. Clark, Catherine L. Fry, Lynn Wecker, Richard Mcgee

Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences Faculty Publications

Over the past decades, two persisting priorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training have been: 1) increasing the knowledge of and access to careers beyond academic scientist; and 2) increasing the diversity of the STEM workforce. Previous studies show that a uniquely constructed career coaching group provides strong support and progress for both priorities. This report extends this design into a more sustainable model that is positioned within the professional context of rising young scientists. This new model is based in the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET)—the ASPET Mentoring Network. Groups of PhD students and …

Utilizing Social Media To Spread Knowledge: The Association Of Pathology Chairs Experience At The 2018 Annual Meeting, Dana Razzano, Yonah C. Ziemba, Adam L. Booth, Priscilla Markwood, Christina T. Hanos, Nicole Riddle

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Literature-Guided Recommendations For Otolaryngologists During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Contemporary Review, Mausumi Syamal

Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Faculty Publications

Objective: The objective of this study was to review the current literature and guidelines on management of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19 or 2019nCoV) with respect to the field of Otolaryngology.

Design: Contemporary literature review.

Methods: Systematic literature review of global medical literature databases and communications were queried to find all available literature recommendations, research, and guidelines applicable to otolaryngologists in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Guidance on personal protective equipment, office visits, and surgical scheduling, as well as recommendations for safe airway management and tracheotomy performance during the COVID-19 pandemic were compiled and interpreted.

Conclusion: Little guidance exists for otolaryngologists …

Novel Titanium Cages For Minimally Invasive Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: First Assessment Of Subsidence, Paul R. Krafft, Brooks Osburn, Andrew C. Vivas, Gautam Rao, Puya Alikhani

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Introduction: Implant subsidence is a potential complication of spinal interbody fusion and may negatively affect patients subjected to procedures relying on indirect decompression such as minimally invasive transpsoas lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF). The porous architecture of a recently developed titanium intervertebral cage maximizes bone-to-implant contact and minimizes stress shielding in laboratory experiments; however, its subsidence rate in patients has not yet been evaluated. The goal of this current study was to evaluate implant subsidence in patients subjected to LLIF.

Methods: Our institutional review board-approved single-center experience included 29 patients who underwent 30 minimally invasive LLIF from July 2017 to …

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Alleviates The Neuroinflammation Associated With Acquired Brain Injury, Brooke Bonsack, Sydney Corey, Alex Shear, Matt Heyck, Blaise Cozene, Nadia Sadanandan, Henry Zhang, Bella Gonzales-Portillo, Michael Sheyner, Cesar V. Borlongan

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) comprise two particularly prevalent and costly examples of acquired brain injury (ABI). Following stroke or TBI, primary cell death and secondary cell death closely model disease progression and worsen outcomes. Mounting evidence indicates that long-term neuroinflammation extensively exacerbates the secondary deterioration of brain structure and function. Due to their immunomodulatory and regenerative properties, mesenchymal stem cell transplants have emerged as a promising approach to treating this facet of stroke and TBI pathology. In this review, we summarize the classification of cell death in ABI and discuss the prominent role of inflammation. We then …

Advancing Stem Cell Therapy For Repair Of Damaged Lung Microvasculature In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis, Robert Shell, Hilmi Mustafa, Surafuale Hailu, Alison E. Willing, Paul R. Sanberg, Cesar V. Borlongan

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease of motor neuron degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. Progressive paralysis of the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles leading to respiratory dysfunction and failure is the most common cause of death in ALS patients. Respiratory impairment has also been shown in animal models of ALS. Vascular pathology is another recently recognized hallmark of ALS pathogenesis. Central nervous system (CNS) capillary damage is a shared disease element in ALS rodent models and ALS patients. Microvascular impairment outside of the CNS, such as in the lungs, may occur in ALS, triggering lung damage …

Foraminal Ligaments Tether Upper Cervical Nerve Roots: A Potential Cause Of Postoperative C5 Palsy, Andrew S. Jack, Brooks R. Osburn, Zane A. Tymchak, Wyatt L. Ramey, Rod J. Oskouian, Robert A. Hart, Jens R. Chapman, Line G. Jacques, R. Shane Tubbs

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Background: Nerve root tethering upon dorsal spinal cord (SC) migration has been proposed as a potential mechanism for postoperative C5 palsy (C5P). To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate this relationship by anatomically comparing C5–C6 nerve root translation before and after root untethering by cutting the cervical foraminal ligaments (FL).

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine if C5 root untethering through FL cutting results in increased root translation.

Methods: Six cadaveric dissections were performed. Nerve roots were exposed via C4–C6 corpectomies and supraclavicular brachial plexus exposure. Pins were inserted into the C5–C6 roots and …

Cell Therapy For Central Nervous System Disorders: Current Obstacles To Progress, Takao Yasuhara, Satoshi Kawauchi, Kyohei Kin, Jun Morimoto, Masahiro Kameda, Tatsuya Sasaki, Brooke Bonsack, Chase Kingsbury, Naoki Tajiri, Cesar V. Borlongan, Isao Date

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Cell therapy for disorders of the central nervous system has progressed to a new level of clinical application. Various clinical studies are underway for Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and various other neurological diseases. Recent biotechnological developments in cell therapy have taken advantage of the technology of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The advent of iPS cells has provided a robust stem cell donor source for neurorestoration via transplantation. Additionally, iPS cells have served as a platform for the discovery of therapeutics drugs, allowing breakthroughs in our understanding of the pathology and treatment of neurological diseases. Despite these recent …

Translating Intracarotid Artery Transplantation Of Bone Marrow-Derived Ncs-01 Cells For Ischemic Stroke: Behavioral And Histological Readouts And Mechanistic Insights Into Stem Cell Therapy, Yuji Kaneko, Jea-Young Lee, Naoki Tajiri, Julian P. Tuazon, Trenton Lippert, Eleonora Russo, Seong-Jin Yu, Brooke Bonsack, Sydney Corey, Alexandreya B. Coats, Chase Kingsbury, Thomas N. Chase, Minako Koga, Cesar V. Borlongan

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

The present study used in vitro and in vivo stroke models to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of adult human bone marrow-derived NCS-01 cells. Coculture with NCS-01 cells protected primary rat cortical cells or human neural progenitor cells from oxygen glucose deprivation. Adult rats that were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion, transiently or permanently, and subsequently received intracarotid artery or intravenous transplants of NCS-01 cells displayed dose-dependent improvements in motor and neurological behaviors, and reductions in infarct area and peri-infarct cell loss, much better than intravenous administration. The optimal dose was 7.5 × 106 cells/mL when …

Impact Of Excess Weight Gain On Risk Of Postpartum Infection In Class Iii Obesity, Courtney J. Mitchell, Lamani Adkins, Ann Tucker, Haywood Brown, Anne Siegel, Sarah Dotter-Katz

Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective: To assess the impact of gestational weight gain >20 pounds (more than Institute of Medicine [IOM] recommendations) on postpartum infectious morbidity in women with class III obesity.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort of term, nonanomalous singleton pregnancies with body mass index ≥40 at a single institution from 2013 to 2017. Pregnancies with multiple gestation, late entry to care, and missing weight gain data are excluded. Primary outcome is a composite of postpartum infection (endometritis, urinary tract, respiratory, and wound infection). Secondary outcomes include components of composite, wound complication, readmission, and blood transfusion. Bivariate statistics compared demographics, pregnancy complications, …

Observational Study Of Talimogene Laherparepvec Use In The Anti-Pd-1 Era For Melanoma In The Us (Cosmus-2), James Sun, Brian R. Gastman, Lucy Mccahon, Elizabeth I. Buchbinder, Igor Puzanov, Michele Nanni, James M. Lewis, Richard D. Carvajal, Shahnaz Singh-Kandah, Anupam M. Desai, Leon Raskin, Carrie M. Nielson, Rubina Ismail, Jonathan S. Zager

Oncologic Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim: Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is an intralesional therapy for unresectable, metastatic melanoma. T-VEC real-world use in the context of anti-PD1-based therapy requires further characterization.

Materials & methods: A retrospective review of T-VEC use from 1 January 2017 and 31 March 2018 for melanoma patients was conducted at seven US institutions.

Results: Among 83 patients, three categories of T-VEC and anti-PD-1 therapy were identified: T-VEC used without anti-PD-1 (n = 29, 35%), T-VEC after anti-PD-1-based therapy (n = 22, 27%) and concurrent T-VEC and anti-PD-1-based therapy (n = 32, 39%). 25% of patients discontinued T-VEC therapy due to no remaining injectable …

Diffuse Intrasinusoidal Hepatic Metastasis From Breast Cancer Presenting As Liver Failure: Effective And Rapid Treatment With Weekly Low-Dose Adriamycin, Thanh-Phuong N. Afiat, Timothy N. Hembree, Erin A. Dean, Cyrillo Araujo, Luis R. Pena, Marilin Rosa, Hyo S. Han, Kaitlin Hendrix, Asha Ramsakal

Oncologic Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Hepatic metastasis is well known in breast cancer. Approximately 12–20% of breast cancer patients will develop liver metastasis, which usually presents as discrete mass lesions. Rarely, metastatic spread can be so diffuse that it is unidentifiable on imaging but can progress to fulminant hepatic failure. Our case report suggests that clinicians need to have a high index of suspicion when patients present with rapidly decompensating liver failure in the absence of discrete radiologic hepatic lesions, and that weekly Adriamycin should be considered as a first-line therapeutic option.

Case Report: A 28-year-old African American woman with a history of locally …

Predictors Of Acne Vulgaris Among Adolescents In Kuwait, Mona Aikhabbaz, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Marwa Saeed, Reem Al-Sabah, Ahmed N. Albatineh

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: The prevalence of acne vulgaris (AV) among adolescents in Kuwait has remained mostly unknown. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of AV and its predictors among adolescents in Kuwait.

Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 714 participants who were randomly selected from public schools using multistage cluster random sampling. The presence or absence of AV, as well as severity of AV, were assessed using the Global Acne Grading Scale. Data on risk factors and potential confounders were collected from the parents through a self-administered questionnaire, and from the adolescents by face-to-face interview. Weight and height …

Pre-Treatment Hiv-Drug Resistance Associated With Virologic Outcome Of First-Line Nnrti-Antiretroviral Therapy: A Cohort Study In Kenya, Ingrid A. Beck, Molly Levine, Christine J. Mcgrath, Steve Bii, Ross S. Milne, James M. Kingoo, Isaac So, Nina Andersen, Sandra Dross, Michael Chung

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Pre-treatment HIV-drug-resistance (PDR) to WHO-recommended 1st-line non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI)-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) is increasing in low-resource communities. We evaluated the risk of PDR on treatment failure if detected at single or multiple codons, at minority (2–9%) or higher (≥10%) frequencies during efavirenz- vs. nevirapine-ART.

Methods: We conducted a pooled analysis across three cohorts of Kenyans initiating 1st-line NNRTI-ART between 2006 and 2014. Mutations K103N, Y181C, G190A, M184V and K65R were detected by an oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) and confirmed by Sanger and next-generation sequencing (NGS). PDR was defined as detection of any mutation by OLA when confirmed …

Revisiting Caroli Syndrome In A Tanzanian Patient, Casmir Wambura, Munish Sharma, Salim Surani

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Caroli disease and Caroli syndrome are two rare congenital diseases of the intrahepatic bile ducts. Caroli syndrome is characterized by the saccular dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts associated with congenital hepatic fibrosis. It is rarely diagnosed in childhood. We hereby describe a case of Caroli syndrome in a young Tanzanian female who had abdominal pain and distension since childhood. Her history suggested the presence of portal hypertension possibly from congenital hepatic fibrosis. The diagnosis was reached based on ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)

Electrochemical Detection Of Neurotransmitters, Saikat Banerjee, Stephanie Mccracken, Md Faruk Hossain, Gymama Slaughter

Bioelectrics Publications

Neurotransmitters are important chemical messengers in the nervous system that play a crucial role in physiological and physical health. Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters have been correlated with physical, psychotic, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, dementia, addiction, depression, and schizophrenia. Although multiple neurotechnological approaches have been reported in the literature, the detection and monitoring of neurotransmitters in the brain remains a challenge and continues to garner significant attention. Neurotechnology that provides high-throughput, as well as fast and specific quantification of target analytes in the brain, without negatively impacting the implanted region is highly desired for the monitoring of the …

Malignant Insulinoma With Multiple Liver Metastases And Hypercalcitoninemia In A Patient With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Presenting As Recurrent Episodes Of Diaphoresis Due To Severe Hypoglycemia, Marco Ciacciarelli, Gianluca Caruso, Marco Rengo, Piero Maceroni, Carmen Misurale, Eleonora D'Armiento, Cristina Napoli, Alberto Lombardini, Umberto Ceratti, Ruben Manuel Luciano Colunga Biancatelli, Leonardo Calvosa, Romina Milanese, Sonia Ferri, Teresa Massaro, Andrea Larusso, Veronica Sorrentino, Vincenzo Petrozza

Bioelectrics Publications

Insulinoma is an insulin-producing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor that can be malignant in about 10% of cases. Locoregional invasion, lymph node metastases, or remote metastases are the main criteria of malignant insulinoma. Its incidence in patients with pre-existing diabetes mellitus (DM) is exceptionally rare. In this report, we describe a 66-year-old man with long-standing type 2 DM who presented with recurrent episodes of diaphoresis due to severe hypoglycemia despite the withdrawal of insulin therapy, hypercalcitoninemia, and biochemical and radiological findings suggestive of metastatic malignant insulinoma. Unfortunately, after few days of diazoxide treatment, edema, hypotension, oliguria, and water retention were observed, patient’s …

Anaphylaxis Diagnosis And Management In The Emergency Department Of A Tertiary Hospital In The Philippines, Michelle Joy De Vera, Iris Conela Tagaro

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background:
In the Emergency Department (ED), diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis are challenging with at least 50% of anaphylaxis episodes misdiagnosed when the diagnostic criteria of current guidelines are not used.

Objective:
Objective of our study was to assess anaphylaxis diagnosis and management in patients presenting to the ED.

Methods:
Retrospective chart review conducted on patients presenting to The Medical City Hospital ED, the Philippines from 2013–2015 was done. Cases were identified based on International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th revision coding for either anaphylaxis or other allergic related diagnosis. Cases fitting the definition of anaphylaxis as identified by the …

Direct Oral Anticoagulant Failure In Stroke/Transient Ischaemic Attack: Neurologic And Pharmacokinetic Considerations, David Z. Rose, W. Scott Burgin

Neurology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Untreated Stroke As Collateral Damage Of Covid-19: “Time Is Brain” Versus “Stay At Home, David Z. Rose, W. Scott Burgin, Swetha Renati

Neurology Faculty Publications

For decades, neurologists have been advocating that anyone with acute focal deficits report immediately to the closest hospital’s emergency room. Major advancements in the hyperacute diagnosis and treatment of stroke have justified our call-to-action slogan of “Time is Brain”—faster therapy leads to superior outcomes. However, this mantra has been recently usurped by the catchphrase “Stay at Home” during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Fewer patients are presenting to hospitals with acute stroke; our census is down. Presumably the etiology of this phenomenon is either strict “social distancing” that some people may misperceive to exclude even emergent situations, or fears …

Early Acid/Base And Electrolyte Changes In Permanent Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion: Aged Male And Female Rats, Sarah R. Martha, Lisa A. Collier, Stephanie M. Davis, Sarah J. Goodwin, David Powell, Doug Lukins, Justin F. Fraser, Keith R. Pennypacker

Neurosurgery Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Early changes in acid/base and electrolyte concentrations could provide insights into the development of neuropathology at the onset of stroke. We evaluated associations between acid/base and electrolyte concentrations, and outcomes in permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) model.

METHODS: 18-month-old male and female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent pMCAO. Pre-, post- (7 min after occlusion), and at 72 hr of pMCAO venous blood samples provided pH, carbon dioxide, oxygen, glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and electrolyte values of ionized calcium, potassium, and sodium. Multiple linear regression determined predictors of infarct and edema volumes from these values, Kaplan-Meier curve analyzed morality between males and …

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, …

The Role Of Interleukin-18 In Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion, Yogesh Dhakal

Theses and Dissertations

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the western world. While mortality rates for AMI has reduced in the last 20 years due to advancements in clinical interventions, patients who have an AMI are significantly more likely to develop heart failure (HF) in the following years. Reperfusion of the ischemic tissue is a necessary procedure to restore blood delivery to cardiomyocytes, minimize myocardial dysfunction, and reduce infarct size. Still, the step of reperfusion itself induces myocardial damage in a phenomenon known as reperfusion injury. Considering that the degree of myocardial …

Demonstration Of Reciprocal Diurnal Variation In Human Serum T3 And Rt3 Concentration Demonstrated By Mass Spectrometric Analysis And Establishment Of Thyroid Hormone Reference Intervals., Qian Sun, Lívia Avallone, Brian Stolze, Katherine A Araque, Yesim Özarda, Jacqueline Jonklaas, Toral Parikh, Kerry Welsh, Likhona Masika, Steven J Soldin

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Background: There has been a wide range of reference intervals proposed in previous literature for thyroid hormones due to large between-assay variability of immunoassays, as well as lack of correction for collection time. We provided the diurnal reference intervals for five thyroid hormones, namely total thyroxine (TT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and reverse T3 (rT3), measured in serum samples of healthy participants using a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method.

Methods: Couplet serum samples (a.m. and p.m.) were collected from 110 healthy females and 49 healthy males. Healthy volunteers were recruited from four participating centers …

Intravascular Lymphoma With Progressive Cns Hemorrhage And Multiple Dissections., Ricky Chen, Gurjeet Singh, J Scott Mcnally, Cheryl A Palmer, Adam De Havenon

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Introduction: Intravascular lymphoma (IVL) is an uncommon and often fatal disease characterized by intraluminal proliferation of lymphomatous cells within blood vessels. Because of a heterogeneous clinical presentation and lack of sensitive diagnostic protocols, diagnosis of IVL is most often made at autopsy. However, with early diagnosis and appropriate chemotherapy, the prognosis is greatly improved and complete remission is possible. In order to broaden the possible presentations of IVL, we present a patient with an atypical manifestation of biopsy-proven intravascular large B-cell lymphoma who suffered dissections of both intracranial and extracranial arteries in addition to progressive intracranial hemorrhages.

Conclusion: IVL is …

Myd88 Regulates A Prolonged Adaptation Response To Environmental Dust Exposure-Induced Lung Disease, Amber N. Johnson, Jack R. Harkema, Amy J. Nelson, John D. Dickinson, Julianna Kalil, Michael J. Duryee, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Balawant Kumar, Amar B. Singh, Rohit Gaurav, Sarah C. Glover, Ying Tang, Debra J. Romberger, Tammy Kielian, Jill A. Poole

Journal Articles: Internal Medicine

BACKGROUND: Environmental organic dust exposures enriched in Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists can reduce allergic asthma development but are associated with occupational asthma and chronic bronchitis. The TLR adaptor protein myeloid differentiation factor88 (MyD88) is fundamental in regulating acute inflammatory responses to organic dust extract (ODE), yet its role in repetitive exposures is unknown and could inform future strategies.

METHODS: Wild-type (WT) and MyD88 knockout (KO) mice were exposed intranasally to ODE or saline daily for 3 weeks (repetitive exposure). Repetitively exposed animals were also subsequently rested with no treatments for 4 weeks followed by single rechallenge with saline/ODE.

RESULTS: Repetitive …

Heightened Levels Of Antimicrobial Response Factors In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Prathapan Ayyappan, Robert Z. Harms, Jennifer A. Seifert, Elizabeth A. Bemis, Marie L. Feser, Kevin D. Deane, M Kristen Demoruelle, Ted R. Mikuls, V Michael Holers, Nora Sarvetnick

Journal Articles: Surgery

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic progressive autoimmune disease leading to considerable disability over time. The disease can be characterized by the presence of multiple autoantibodies in the serum and synovial fluid. Microbial dysbiosis is proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of RA. Increased systemic bacterial exposure leads to elevated levels of antimicrobial response factors (ARFs) in the circulation. In the present study, we tested whether RA patients have increased levels of ARFs by analyzing the levels of multiple ARFs in serum from RA patients and healthy age and sex-matched controls. The levels of soluble CD14 (sCD14), lysozyme, …

Age-Related Visual Dynamics In Hiv-Infected Adults With Cognitive Impairment., Boman R. Groff, Alex I. Wiesman, Michael T. Rezich, Jennifer O'Neill, Kevin R. Robertson, Howard S. Fox, Susan Swindells, Tony W. Wilson

Journal Articles: Internal Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether aging differentially affects neural activity serving visuospatial processing in a large functional neuroimaging study of HIV-infected participants and to determine whether such aging effects are attributable to differences in the duration of HIV infection.

METHODS: A total of 170 participants, including 93 uninfected controls and 77 HIV-infected participants, underwent neuropsychological assessment followed by neuroimaging with magnetoencephalography (MEG). Time-frequency analysis of the MEG data followed by advanced image reconstruction of neural oscillatory activity and whole-brain statistical analyses were used to examine interactions between age, HIV infection, and cognitive status. Post hoc testing for a mediation effect of …