A recurrent de novo MAX p.Arg60Gln variant causes a syndromic overgrowth disorder through differential expression of c-Myc target genes.

Cyclin D2 (CCND2) stabilization underpins a range of macrocephaly-associated disorders through mutation of CCND2 or activating mutations in upstream genes encoding PI3K-AKT pathway components. Here, we describe three individuals with overlapping macrocephaly-associated phenotypes who carry the same recurrent de novo c.179G>A (p.Arg60Gln) variant in Myc-associated factor X (MAX). The mutation, located in the b-HLH-LZ domain, causes increased intracellular CCND2 through increased transcription but it does not cause stabilization of CCND2. We show that the purified b-HLH-LZ domain of MAXArg60Gln (Max∗Arg60Gln) binds its target E-box sequence with a lower apparent affinity. This leads to a more efficient heterodimerization with c-Myc resulting in an increase in transcriptional activity of c-Myc in individuals carrying this mutation. The recent development of Omomyc-CPP, a cell-penetrating b-HLH-LZ-domain c-Myc inhibitor, provides a possible therapeutic option for MAXArg60Gln individuals, and others carrying similar germline mutations resulting in dysregulated transcriptional c-Myc activity.

Structural inequities contribute to racial/ethnic differences in neurophysiological tone, but not threat reactivity, after trauma exposure.

Considerable racial/ethnic disparities persist in exposure to life stressors and socioeconomic resources that can directly affect threat neurocircuitry, particularly the amygdala, that partially mediates susceptibility to adverse posttraumatic outcomes. Limited work to date, however, has investigated potential racial/ethnic variability in amygdala reactivity or connectivity that may in turn be related to outcomes such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants from the AURORA study (n = 283), a multisite longitudinal study of trauma outcomes, completed functional magnetic resonance imaging and psychophysiology within approximately two-weeks of trauma exposure. Seed-based amygdala connectivity and amygdala reactivity during passive viewing of fearful and neutral faces were assessed during fMRI. Physiological activity was assessed during Pavlovian threat conditioning. Participants also reported the severity of posttraumatic symptoms 3 and 6 months after trauma. Black individuals showed lower baseline skin conductance levels and startle compared to White individuals, but no differences were observed in physiological reactions to threat. Further, Hispanic and Black participants showed greater amygdala connectivity to regions including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and cerebellum compared to White participants. No differences were observed in amygdala reactivity to threat. Amygdala connectivity was associated with 3-month PTSD symptoms, but the associations differed by racial/ethnic group and were partly driven by group differences in structural inequities. The present findings suggest variability in tonic neurophysiological arousal in the early aftermath of trauma between racial/ethnic groups, driven by structural inequality, impacts neural processes that mediate susceptibility to later PTSD symptoms.

The contradictory role of febuxostat in ABCG2 expression and potentiating hypericin-mediated photodynamic therapy in colorectal cancers.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an emerging method to treat colorectal cancers (CRC). Hypericin (HYP) is an effective mediator of PDT and the ABCG2 inhibitor, Febuxostat (FBX) could augment PDT. HT29 and HEK293 cells showed light dependant cytotoxic response to PDT in both 2D and 3D cell models. FBX co-treatment was not found to improve PDT cytotoxicity. Next, ABCG2 protein expression was observed in HT29 but not in HEK293 cells. However, ABCG2 gene expression analysis did not support protein expression results as ABCG2 gene expression results were found to be higher in HEK293 cells. Although HYP treatment was found to significantly reduce ABCG2 gene expression levels in both cell lines, FBX treatment partially restored ABCG2 gene expression. Our findings indicate that FBX co-treatment may not be suitable for augmenting HYP-mediated PDT in CRC but could potentially be useful for other applications.

Derivation and Validation of a Brief Emergency Department-Based Prediction Tool for Posttraumatic Stress After Motor Vehicle Collision.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To derive and initially validate a brief bedside clinical decision support tool that identifies emergency department (ED) patients at high risk of substantial, persistent posttraumatic stress symptoms after a motor vehicle collision. METHODS: Derivation (n=1,282, 19 ED sites) and validation (n=282, 11 separate ED sites) data were obtained from adults prospectively enrolled in the Advancing Understanding of RecOvery afteR traumA study who were discharged from the ED after motor vehicle collision-related trauma. The primary outcome was substantial posttraumatic stress symptoms at 3 months (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 ≥38). Logistic regression derivation models were evaluated for discriminative ability using the area under the curve and the accuracy of predicted risk probabilities (Brier score). Candidate posttraumatic stress predictors assessed in these models (n=265) spanned a range of sociodemographic, baseline health, peritraumatic, and mechanistic domains. The final model selection was based on performance and ease of administration. RESULTS: Significant 3-month posttraumatic stress symptoms were common in the derivation (27%) and validation (26%) cohort. The area under the curve and Brier score of the final 8-question tool were 0.82 and 0.14 in the derivation cohort and 0.76 and 0.17 in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: This simple 8-question tool demonstrates promise to risk-stratify individuals with substantial posttraumatic stress symptoms who are discharged to home after a motor vehicle collision. Both external validation of this instrument, and work to further develop more accurate tools, are needed. Such tools might benefit public health by enabling the conduct of preventive intervention trials and assisting the growing number of EDs that provide services to trauma survivors aimed at promoting psychological recovery.

Improving Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists' Adherence to a Standardized Intraoperative Lung Protective Ventilation Protocol.

PURPOSE: The use of lung protective ventilation (LPV) during general anesthesia is an effective strategy among certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) to reduce and prevent the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. The purpose of this project was to implement a LPV protocol, assess CRNA provider adherence, and investigate differences in ventilation parameters and postoperative oxygen requirements. DESIGN: This quality improvement project was conducted using a pre- and postimplementation design. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing robotic laparoscopic abdominal surgery and 35 CRNAs at a community hospital participated. An evidence-based intraoperative LPV protocol was developed, CRNA education was provided, and the protocol was implemented. Pre- and postimplementation, CRNA knowledge, and confidence were assessed. Ventilation data were collected at 1-minute intervals intraoperatively and oxygen requirements were recorded in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). FINDINGS: Use of intraoperative LPV strategies increased 2.4%. Overall CRNA knowledge (P = .588), confidence (P = .031), and practice (P < .001) improved from pre- to postimplementation. Driving pressures decreased from pre- to postimplementation (P < .001). Supplemental oxygen use on admission to the PACU decreased from 93.3% to 70.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Educational interventions and implementation of a standardized protocol can improve the use of intraoperative LPV strategies and patient outcomes.

Examining Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Young Survivors of Urban Violence.

Our study examines the association between Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among survivors of violence. In this cross-sectional study, an ACE questionnaire and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) were completed by 147 participants ≤ 3 months after presenting to a Philadelphia, PA emergency department between 2014 and 2019 with a violent injury. This study treated ACEs, both separate and cumulative, as exposures and PTSD symptom severity as the outcome. Most participants (63.3%) met criteria for provisional PTSD, 90% reported experiencing ≥ 1 ACE, and 39% reported experiencing ≥ 6 ACEs. Specific ACEs were associated with increasing PCL-5 scores and increased risk for provisional PTSD. Additionally, as participants' cumulative ACE scores increased, their PCL-5 scores worsened (b = 0.16; p < 0.05), and incremental ACE score increases predicted increased odds for a positive provisional PTSD screen. Results provide further evidence that ACEs exacerbate the development of PTSD in young survivors of violence. Future research should explore targeted interventions to treat PTSD among survivors of interpersonal violence.

Italian Version of the Relationship Profile Test (RPT-I): Temporal Stability, Construct Validity, and Cross-Cultural Comparison.

This study presents the adaptation to the Italian context of the Relationship Profile Test (RPT; Bornstein & Languirand), a self-report measure of Destructive Overdependence (DO), Dysfunctional Detachment (DD), and Healthy Dependency (HD). The RPT was administered to a community sample of 661 nonclinical Italian adults together with the Attachment Style Questionnaire, the Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, the Positive Affect-Negative Affect Scale, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. A randomly selected subset of participants (n = 67) completed the RPT again approximately 5 months after the first administration. The factor structure of the RPT obtained in the main sample was compared with that obtained in a sample of 603 adult participants from the US and was found to be similar. Internal consistency for DO, DD, and HD scores in the Italian sample fell between the acceptable to good range, and test-retest reliability coefficients were all above .70. The three scales yielded the expected pattern of correlations with theoretically related constructs, documenting good criterion validity. Findings are discussed in light of the literature on the RPT as a measure of interpersonal dependency and detachment. Suggestions for future research are offered.

Diet-microbiome-disease: Investigating diet's influence on infectious disease resistance through alteration of the gut microbiome.

Abiotic and biotic factors can affect host resistance to parasites. Host diet and host gut microbiomes are two increasingly recognized factors influencing disease resistance. In particular, recent studies demonstrate that (1) particular diets can reduce parasitism; (2) diets can alter the gut microbiome; and (3) the gut microbiome can decrease parasitism. These three separate relationships suggest the existence of indirect links through which diets reduce parasitism through an alteration of the gut microbiome. However, such links are rarely considered and even more rarely experimentally validated. This is surprising because there is increasing discussion of the therapeutic potential of diets and gut microbiomes to control infectious disease. To elucidate these potential indirect links, we review and examine studies on a wide range of animal systems commonly used in diet, microbiome, and disease research. We also examine the relative benefits and disadvantages of particular systems for the study of these indirect links and conclude that mice and insects are currently the best animal systems to test for the effect of diet-altered protective gut microbiomes on infectious disease. Focusing on these systems, we provide experimental guidelines and highlight challenges that must be overcome. Although previous studies have recommended these systems for microbiome research, here we specifically recommend these systems because of their proven relationships between diet and parasitism, between diet and the microbiome, and between the microbiome and parasite resistance. Thus, they provide a sound foundation to explore the three-way interaction between diet, the microbiome, and infectious disease.

Transcriptomics of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) reveals that toxic host plants alter expression of detoxification genes and down-regulate a small number of immune genes.

Herbivorous insects have evolved many mechanisms to overcome plant chemical defences, including detoxification and sequestration. Herbivores may also use toxic plants to reduce parasite infection. Plant toxins could directly interfere with parasites or could enhance endogenous immunity. Alternatively, plant toxins could favour down-regulation of endogenous immunity by providing an alternative (exogenous) defence against parasitism. However, studies on genomewide transcriptomic responses to plant defences and the interplay between plant toxicity and parasite infection remain rare. Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are specialist herbivores of milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), which contain toxic cardenolides. Monarchs have adapted to cardenolides through multiple resistance mechanisms and can sequester cardenolides to defend against bird predators. In addition, high-cardenolide milkweeds confer monarch resistance to a specialist protozoan parasite (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha). We used this system to study the interplay between the effects of plant toxicity and parasite infection on global gene expression. We compared transcriptional profiles between parasite-infected and uninfected monarch larvae reared on two milkweed species. Our results demonstrate that monarch differentially express several hundred genes when feeding on A. curassavica and A. incarnata, two species that differ substantially in cardenolide concentrations. These differentially expressed genes include genes within multiple families of canonical insect detoxification genes, suggesting that they play a role in monarch toxin resistance and sequestration. Interestingly, we found little transcriptional response to infection. However, parasite growth was reduced in monarchs reared on A. curassavica, and in these monarchs, several immune genes were down-regulated, consistent with the hypothesis that medicinal plants can reduce reliance on endogenous immunity.

Trauma-Informed Care for Violently Injured Patients in the Emergency Department.

Violent traumatic injury remains a common condition treated by emergency physicians. The medical management of these patients is well described and remains an area of focus for providers. However, violently injured patients disproportionately carry a history of physical and psychological trauma that frequently affects clinical care in the emergency department. The alteration of our clinical approach, taking into consideration how a patient's previous experiences influence how he or she may perceive and react to medical care, is a concept referred to as trauma-informed care. This approach is based on 4 pillars: knowledge of the effect of trauma, recognition of the signs and symptoms of trauma, avoidance of retraumatization, and the development of appropriate policies and procedures. Using this framework, we provide practical considerations for emergency physicians in the delivery of trauma-informed care for violently injured patients.

Lung-protective ventilation for the surgical patient: international expert panel-based consensus recommendations.

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) occur frequently and are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Evidence suggests that reduction of PPCs can be accomplished by using lung-protective ventilation strategies intraoperatively, but a consensus on perioperative management has not been established. We sought to determine recommendations for lung protection for the surgical patient at an international consensus development conference. Seven experts produced 24 questions concerning preoperative assessment and intraoperative mechanical ventilation for patients at risk of developing PPCs. Six researchers assessed the literature using questions as a framework for their review. The modified Delphi method was utilised by a team of experts to produce recommendations and statements from study questions. An expert consensus was reached for 22 recommendations and four statements. The following are the highlights: (i) a dedicated score should be used for preoperative pulmonary risk evaluation; and (ii) an individualised mechanical ventilation may improve the mechanics of breathing and respiratory function, and prevent PPCs. The ventilator should initially be set to a tidal volume of 6-8 ml kg-1 predicted body weight and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) 5 cm H2O. PEEP should be individualised thereafter. When recruitment manoeuvres are performed, the lowest effective pressure and shortest effective time or fewest number of breaths should be used.

Gender Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Participants of a Violence Intervention Program at a Pediatric Hospital: A Pilot Study.

Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) have emerged as a strategy to address posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms among violently injured patients and their families. HVIP research, however, has focused on males and little guidance exists about how HVIPs could be tailored to meet gender-specific needs. We analyzed pediatric HVIP data to assess gender differences in prevalence and type of PTS symptoms. Girls reported more PTS symptoms than boys (6.96 vs 5.21, P = .027), particularly hyperarousal symptoms (4.00 vs 2.82, P = .002) such as feeling upset by reminders of the event (88.9% vs 48.3%, P = .005). Gender-focused research represents a priority area for HVIPs.

Hydrophobically-modified chitosan foam: description and hemostatic efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Trauma represents a significant public health burden, and hemorrhage alone is responsible for 40% of deaths within the first 24 h after injury. Noncompressible hemorrhage accounts for the majority of hemorrhage-related deaths. Thus, materials which can arrest bleeding rapidly are necessary for improved clinical outcomes. This preliminary study evaluated several self-expanding hydrophobically modified chitosan (HM-CS) foams to determine their efficacy on a noncompressible severe liver injury under resuscitation. METHODS: Six HM-CS foam formulations (HM-CS1, HM-CS2, HM-CS3, HM-CS4, HM-CS5, and HM-CS6) of different graft types and densities were synthesized, characterized, and packaged into spray canisters using dimethyl ether as the propellant. Expansion profiles of the foams were evaluated in bench testing. Foams were then evaluated in vitro, interaction with blood cells was determined via microscopy, and cytotoxicity was assessed via live-dead cell assay on MCF7 breast cancer cells. For in vivo evaluation, rats underwent a 14 ± 3% hepatectomy. The animals were treated with either: (1) an HM-CS foam formulation, (2) CS foam, and (3) no treatment (NT). All animals were resuscitated with lactated Ringer solution. Survival, total blood loss, mean arterial pressures (MAP), and resuscitation volume were recorded for 60 min. RESULTS: Microscopy showed blood cells immobilizing into colonies within tight groups of adjacent foam bubbles. HM-CS foam did not display any toxic effects in vitro on MCF7 cells over a 72 h period studied. Application of HM-CS foam after hepatectomy decreased total blood loss (29.3 ± 7.8 mL/kg in HM-CS5 group versus 90.9 ± 20.3 mL/kg in the control group; P <0.001) and improved survival from 0% in controls to 100% in the HM-CS5 group (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this model of severe liver injury, spraying HM-CS foams directly on the injured liver surface decreased blood loss and increased survival. HM-CS formulations with the highest levels of hydrophobic modification (HM-CS4 and HM-CS5) resulted in the lowest total blood loss and highest survival rates. This pilot study suggests HM-CS foam may be useful as a hemostatic adjunct or solitary hemostatic intervention.

Novelty seeking in patients with right- versus left-onset Parkinson disease.

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND: In patients with Parkinson disease, the personality trait "novelty seeking" has been linked to higher-than-normal risk for impulse control disorders. We measured novelty seeking to test whether side of onset of Parkinson disease predicted patients' risk for impulsivity. METHODS: We evaluated 38 patients with Parkinson disease (19 right onset, 19 left onset) and 44 community-dwelling neurotypical controls. All participants completed demographic and mood measures and the Temperament and Character Inventory personality questionnaire. The right- and left-onset groups were nearly the same in background and clinical variables, including use of dopamine agonists. RESULTS: The patients with right-onset disease exhibited significantly higher levels of novelty seeking than the patients with left-onset disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that patients with right-onset Parkinson disease who are taking dopamine agonists and who exhibit high novelty seeking are at greater risk for developing impulse control disorders than are patients with left onset who are also taking dopamine agonists.

Characterization of acute stress reaction following an IED blast-related mild traumatic brain injury.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To characterize an acute stress reaction (ASR) following an improvised explosive device (IED) blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). RESEARCH DESIGN: Participants were male, US military personnel treated in Afghanistan within 4 days following an IED-related mTBI event (n = 239). METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Demographics, diagnosis of ASR, injury history and self-reported mTBIs, blast exposures and psychological health histories were recorded. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: In total, 12.5% of patients met ASR criteria. Patients with ASR were significantly younger and junior in rank (p < 0.05). Patients with ASR were more likely to experience the IED-blast while dismounted, report a loss of consciousness (LOC) and higher pain levels (p < 0.05). Adjusting for age and rank, multivariate logistic regression showed an association between mTBI history and ASR (AOR = 1.405; 95% CI = 1.105-1.786, p < 0.01). Adjusting for mechanism of injury (dismounted vs. mounted), LOC and pain, multivariate logistic regression showed an association between mTBI history and ASR (AOR = 1.453; 95% CI = 1.132-1.864, p < 0.01). Prior blast exposure and past psychological health issues were not associated with ASR. CONCLUSIONS: A history of multiple mTBIs is associated with increased risk of ASR. Future research is warranted.

Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury in the acute phase: acute stress reactions partially mediate the relationship between loss of consciousness and symptoms.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: The objective was to compare symptoms in service members diagnosed with a blast-related mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) with a loss of consciousness (LOC) to those without LOC. RESEARCH DESIGN: Clinicians saw US military personnel within 72 hours of sustaining a blast-related mTBI and at a follow-up visit 48-72 hours later (n = 210). METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Demographics, post-concussive symptoms, diagnosis of acute stress reaction (ASR) and simple reaction time data from the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric (ANAM) were collected. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: ASRs were significantly more likely in patients reporting LOC versus patients reporting no LOC. At the first post-injury visit, LOC was associated with difficulty sleeping, hearing loss, memory problems and reporting more symptoms. A follow-up analysis explored if symptomatic differences were influenced by ASR. Adjusting for ASR, the statistical relationships between LOC and symptoms were weaker (i.e. reduced Odds Ratios). At the follow-up visit, difficulty sleeping was associated with LOC before and after adjusting for ASR. Patients with both ASR and LOC had the slowest simple reaction times. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest ASR may partially mediate symptom presentation and cognitive dysfunction in the acute phase following blast-related mTBI. Future research is warranted.

Quantitative Neuromuscular Monitoring Permits Early Diagnosis of Abnormal Butyrylcholinestrase: Two Case Studies Demonstrating Prevention of Awareness from Premature Awakening.

Administration of succinylcholine to patients with a variant in the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) gene increases the risk of anesthesia emergence prior to recovery from neuromuscular blockade (NMB). Application of quantitative neuromuscular monitoring (NMM) can identify residual NMB. We present two patients with abnormal BChE gene variants. In the first case, quantitative monitoring was applied too late to prevent awareness, but allowed diagnosis and prevented admission to the intensive care unit. In the second case, monitoring was applied prior to NMB, which enabled early diagnosis and prevented premature awakening from anesthesia. These cases illustrate the importance of quantitative NMM, even in short cases and with short-acting depolarizing agents such as succinylcholine. The clinical implications of this report include a more consistent use of NMM to identify and manage patients with undiagnosed abnormal BChE and to prevent premature anesthesia emergence.

Intensive longitudinal assessment following index trauma to predict development of PTSD using machine learning.

There are significant challenges to identifying which individuals require intervention following exposure to trauma, and a need for strategies to identify and provide individuals at risk for developing PTSD with timely interventions. The present study seeks to identify a minimal set of trauma-related symptoms, assessed during the weeks following traumatic exposure, that can accurately predict PTSD. Participants were 2185 adults (Mean age=36.4 years; 64% women; 50% Black) presenting for emergency care following traumatic exposure. Participants received a 'flash survey' with 6-8 varying symptoms (from a pool of 26 trauma symptoms) several times per week for eight weeks following the trauma exposure (each symptom assessed ∼6 times). Features (mean, sd, last, worst, peak-end scores) from the repeatedly assessed symptoms were included as candidate variables in a CART machine learning analysis to develop a pragmatic predictive algorithm. PTSD (PCL-5 ≥38) was present for 669 (31%) participants at the 8-week follow-up. A classification tree with three splits, based on mean scores of nervousness, rehashing, and fatigue, predicted PTSD with an Area Under the Curve of 0.836. Findings suggest feasibility for a 3-item assessment protocol, delivered once per week, following traumatic exposure to assess and potentially facilitate follow-up care for those at risk.

Probing the neurocardiac circuit in trauma and posttraumatic stress.

The neurocardiac circuit is integral to physiological regulation of threat and trauma-related responses. However, few direct investigations of brain-behavior associations with replicable physiological markers of PTSD have been conducted. The current study probed the neurocardiac circuit by examining associations among its core regions in the brain (e.g., insula, hypothalamus) and the periphery (heart rate [HR], high frequency heart rate variability [HF-HRV], and blood pressure [BP]). We sought to characterize these associations and to determine whether there were differences by PTSD status. Participants were N = 315 (64.1 % female) trauma-exposed adults enrolled from emergency departments as part of the prospective AURORA study. Participants completed a deep phenotyping session (e.g., fear conditioning, magnetic resonance imaging) two weeks after emergency department admission. Voxelwise analyses revealed several significant interactions between PTSD severity 8-weeks posttrauma and psychophysiological recordings on hypothalamic connectivity to the prefrontal cortex (PFC), insula, superior temporal sulcus, and temporoparietaloccipital junction. Among those with PTSD, diastolic BP was directly correlated with right insula-hypothalamic connectivity, whereas the reverse was found for those without PTSD. PTSD status moderated the association between systolic BP, HR, and HF-HRV and hypothalamic connectivity in the same direction. While preliminary, our findings may suggest that individuals with higher PTSD severity exhibit compensatory neural mechanisms to down-regulate autonomic imbalance. Additional study is warranted to determine how underlying mechanisms (e.g., inflammation) may disrupt the neurocardiac circuit and increase cardiometabolic disease risk in PTSD.