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1.
Genes Dev ; 32(2): 140-155, 2018 01 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29440246

ABSTRACT

Daily body temperature rhythm (BTR) is essential for maintaining homeostasis. BTR is regulated separately from locomotor activity rhythms, but its molecular basis is largely unknown. While mammals internally regulate BTR, ectotherms, including Drosophila, exhibit temperature preference rhythm (TPR) behavior to regulate BTR. Here, we demonstrate that the diuretic hormone 31 receptor (DH31R) mediates TPR during the active phase in Drosophila DH31R is expressed in clock cells, and its ligand, DH31, acts on clock cells to regulate TPR during the active phase. Surprisingly, the mouse homolog of DH31R, calcitonin receptor (Calcr), is expressed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and mediates body temperature fluctuations during the active phase in mice. Importantly, DH31R and Calcr are not required for coordinating locomotor activity rhythms. Our results represent the first molecular evidence that BTR is regulated distinctly from locomotor activity rhythms and show that DH31R/Calcr is an ancient specific mediator of BTR during the active phase in organisms ranging from ectotherms to endotherms.


Subject(s)
Body Temperature Regulation , Drosophila Proteins/physiology , Receptors, Calcitonin/physiology , Animals , Brain/metabolism , Drosophila/genetics , Drosophila/metabolism , Drosophila Proteins/genetics , Drosophila Proteins/metabolism , Insect Hormones/physiology , Locomotion , Mice , Mutation , Neuropeptides/physiology , Receptors, Calcitonin/metabolism , Suprachiasmatic Nucleus/metabolism
2.
J Pediatr ; 240: 87-93, 2022 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34508747

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of prenatal cannabis use and adverse infant outcomes in a nationally representative cohort and consider the impact of concurrent cigarette exposure. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 32 583 new mothers from the 2017-2019 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. Cannabis use was evaluated as a binary variable (use or no use) as well as ordinal categories (no, light, moderate, heavy use). We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship between prenatal cannabis exposure and low birthweight (LBW), preterm birth, and small for gestational age. RESULTS: Prenatal cannabis use was associated with significantly greater odds of LBW (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05-1.54) and small for gestational age (aOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.09-1.68) but not preterm birth. Compared with nonusers, heavy users (weekly or more) were twice as likely to deliver a LBW infant (aOR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.46-2.94) or small for gestational age infant (aOR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.38-3.30). When examining combined cannabis and cigarette use, prenatal exposure to both substances increased the likelihood of LBW (aOR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.71-3.01), preterm birth (aOR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.12-2.31), and small for gestational age (aOR, 3.29; 95% CI, 2.39-4.55) compared with no use, and the increased odds were greater than for either substance alone. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that cannabis use during pregnancy may harm fetal development, and recommendations to improve birth outcomes should address co-use of cannabis and tobacco.


Subject(s)
Cannabis , Heart Defects, Congenital , Premature Birth , Cannabis/adverse effects , Dietary Supplements , Female , Folic Acid , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Pregnancy , Premature Birth/epidemiology , Premature Birth/etiology , Retrospective Studies , Risk Assessment
3.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc ; 28(2): 109-122, 2022 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33745491

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Examine pre-existing learning disorders (LD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) as risk factors for prolonged recovery and increased symptomology following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children/adolescents (5-17 years) with mTBI who presented to a Children's Minnesota Concussion Clinic between April 2018 and March 2019. Differences across strata of pre-existing conditions (present vs. absent) in time to recovery measures were estimated via Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses and differences in symptom trajectories were examined via linear mixed-effects regression models. Regression models were adjusted for age, sex and other confounders. RESULTS: In our cohort of 680 mTBI patients, those with LD (n = 70) or ADHD (n = 107) experienced significantly longer median durations of symptoms (58 and 68 days, respectively) than those without (43 days). Accordingly, LD was significantly associated with delayed symptom recovery (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.16-2.29), return to school (1.47, 1.08-2.00), and return to physical activity (1.50, 1.10-2.04). Likewise, ADHD was associated with delayed recovery (1.69, 1.28-2.23), return to school (1.52, 1.17-1.97) and physical activity (1.55, 1.19-2.01). Further, patients with LD or ADHD reported, on average, significantly more concussion symptoms and higher vision symptom scores throughout recovery versus those without. There was no evidence that concussion or vision symptom recovery trajectories varied over time between those with/without LD or ADHD (joint P-interactions > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pre-existing LD and ADHD are risk factors for prolonged and more symptomatic mTBI recovery in youth. These results can inform clinical concussion management and recovery expectations.


Subject(s)
Athletic Injuries , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Brain Concussion , Learning Disabilities , Adolescent , Athletic Injuries/complications , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/complications , Brain Concussion/complications , Brain Concussion/diagnosis , Child , Humans , Learning Disabilities/complications , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors
4.
Curr Oncol Rep ; 24(11): 1513-1520, 2022 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35900715

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to summarize the current research on postoperative cognitive complications, such as delirium and cognitive dysfunction. This includes discussion on preoperative preventive strategies, such as physical and nutritional prehabilitation as well as up-to-date information on neuroprehabilitation. RECENT FINDINGS: Current recommendations for prevention of postoperative delirium have focused on multicomponent interventions. The optimal composition of surgical prehabilitation programs targeting exercise and nutrition has not yet been established. The Neurobics Trial shows that cognitive prehabilitation improves cognitive reserve and may be a useful addition to multimodal surgical prehabilitation. Perioperative management of oncologic patients is often associated with a myriad of challenges, such as the management of tumor-related pathologies, adverse events from neoadjuvant therapy, and chronic metabolic and immunological changes associated with malignancy. In addition, oncologic patients are at increased risk of developing frailty, which adversely affects postoperative recovery and further cancer treatment. As a result, oncologic patients are at considerable risk of developing postoperative cognitive complications, such as delirium and cognitive dysfunction. In this review, we discuss the effect of prehabilitation on postoperative cognitive outcomes.


Subject(s)
Delirium , Postoperative Cognitive Complications , Humans , Preoperative Exercise , Preoperative Care/adverse effects , Postoperative Complications/prevention & control , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Delirium/prevention & control , Delirium/complications , Brain
5.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry ; 91(10): 1060-1066, 2020 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32788258

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine pre-existing anxiety disorders as a risk factor for increased concussion symptomology and prolonged recovery in children and adolescents. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we abstracted medical record data for 637 children/adolescents (5-17 years) presenting to three tertiary concussion clinics between April 2018 and March 2019. Primary outcomes were mean concussion symptom and vision symptom severity scores measured at clinic visits. Linear mixed-effects regression models were employed to investigate differences in average symptom load, vision symptom score and symptom recovery trajectories across anxiety strata, adjusted for random effects (time), age and sex. Secondary outcomes, time to concussion symptom recovery and time to return to academics and sports, respectively, were examined via log-rank tests and multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS: Among 637 eligible concussion patients, 155 (24%) reported pre-existing anxiety. On average, patients with anxiety reported an additional 2.64 (95% CI 1.84 to 3.44) concussion symptoms and 7.45 (95% CI 5.22 to 9.68) higher vision symptom severity scores throughout recovery versus those without, after adjusting for age and sex. There was no evidence that concussion or vision symptom trajectories varied over time between those with/without anxiety after accounting for baseline dissimilarities in symptom scores (all pinteraction >0.05). Anxiety was significantly associated with delayed symptom recovery (adjusted HR 3.34, 95% CI 2.18 to 5.12), return to school (adjusted HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.53) and return to physical activity (adjusted HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.37). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-existing anxiety disorders were associated with more severe symptomology and prolonged recovery after concussion in children and adolescents. These results can be referenced by providers to manage patients' recovery expectations.


Subject(s)
Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Post-Concussion Syndrome/physiopathology , Recovery of Function , Return to School , Return to Sport , Vision Disorders/physiopathology , Adolescent , Anxiety Disorders/complications , Brain Concussion/complications , Brain Concussion/physiopathology , Brain Concussion/psychology , Case-Control Studies , Child , Child, Preschool , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Multivariate Analysis , Post-Concussion Syndrome/complications , Post-Concussion Syndrome/psychology , Proportional Hazards Models , Retrospective Studies , Severity of Illness Index , Time Factors , Vision Disorders/complications
6.
Dermatol Online J ; 25(7)2019 Jul 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31450273

ABSTRACT

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is associated with negative health effects, including sun damage and skin cancer. The purpose of this study is to compare the protective effects of the shade provided by a sun umbrella versus that provided by a tree. Sun sensors that register the level and dose of UV radiation were placed in the shade and in direct sunlight. Measurements were recorded every half hour between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. in Sacramento, California. The results suggest that the level of UV radiation in the shade is not zero. The sensors located in tree shade indicated that over 5% of UV radiation was detected in the shade. The sensors located in sun-umbrella shade showed that greater than 17% of UV radiation reached the shade. The sun sensors used in our study collected UV radiation data relevant to UV index; however, they did not differentiate between UVA, UVB, visible, and infrared light. The amount of UV radiation detected in the shade is not zero, thus regular sunscreen use and other sun protective practices should be followed to reduce the risk of sun damage and skin cancer.


Subject(s)
Protective Devices , Radiation Monitoring , Sunlight , Ultraviolet Rays , California , Sun Protection Factor , Swimming Pools
7.
FASEB J ; 31(6): 2674-2685, 2017 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28280005

ABSTRACT

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a rapidly increasing threat to global public health. T2DM arises largely from obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise, but it also involves genetic predisposition. Here we report that the KCNE2 potassium channel transmembrane regulatory subunit is expressed in human and mouse pancreatic ß cells. Kcne2 deletion in mice impaired glucose tolerance as early as 5 wk of age in pups fed a Western diet, ultimately causing diabetes. In adult mice fed normal chow, skeletal muscle expression of insulin receptor ß and insulin receptor substrate 1 were down-regulated 2-fold by Kcne2 deletion, characteristic of T2DM. Kcne2 deletion also caused extensive pancreatic transcriptome changes consistent with facets of T2DM, including endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, and hyperproliferation. Kcne2 deletion impaired ß-cell insulin secretion in vitro up to 8-fold and diminished ß-cell peak outward K+ current at positive membrane potentials, but also left-shifted its voltage dependence and slowed inactivation. Interestingly, we also observed an aging-dependent reduction in ß-cell outward currents in both Kcne2+/+ and Kcne2-/- mice. Our results demonstrate that KCNE2 is required for normal ß-cell electrical activity and insulin secretion, and that Kcne2 deletion causes T2DM. KCNE2 may regulate multiple K+ channels in ß cells, including the T2DM-linked KCNQ1 potassium channel α subunit.-Lee, S. M., Baik, J., Nguyen, D., Nguyen, V., Liu, S., Hu, Z., Abbott, G. W. Kcne2 deletion impairs insulin secretion and causes type 2 diabetes mellitus.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/genetics , Insulin/metabolism , Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated/metabolism , Animals , Electrophysiological Phenomena , Female , Gene Expression Regulation/physiology , Humans , Islets of Langerhans/metabolism , Membrane Potentials , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Patch-Clamp Techniques , Potassium/metabolism , Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated/genetics , Signal Transduction , Tissue Culture Techniques
8.
Dermatol Online J ; 24(4)2018 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29906015

ABSTRACT

Store-and-forward teledermatology involves transmission of a patient's images to a healthcare provider and subsequent response from the provider about the diagnosis or management. Furthermore, teledermatology in which mobile phones (e.g. smartphones) are utilized for communication between the patient and their provider is referred to as mobile-teledermatology. In this study, we investigate the use of mobile-teledermatology in the management of actinic keratoses. We demonstrate that mobile-teledermatology may enhance communication between the patient and their provider when managing cutaneous disease and that even individuals in older age groups are highly satisfied with this type of follow up.


Subject(s)
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use , Cell Phone Use , Fluorouracil/therapeutic use , Keratosis, Actinic/drug therapy , Telemedicine/methods , Administration, Cutaneous , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/administration & dosage , Female , Fluorouracil/administration & dosage , Humans , Keratosis, Actinic/diagnostic imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Satisfaction , Photography , Pilot Projects , Smartphone
9.
J Allergy Clin Immunol ; 137(4): 1165-1177, 2016 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26478006

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mutations in lysosomal trafficking regulator (LYST) cause Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS), a rare immunodeficiency with impaired cytotoxic lymphocyte function, mainly that of natural killer (NK) cells. Our understanding of NK cell function deficiency in patients with CHS and how LYST regulates lytic granule exocytosis is very limited. OBJECTIVE: We sought to delineate cellular defects associated with LYST mutations responsible for the impaired NK cell function seen in patients with CHS. METHODS: We analyzed NK cells from patients with CHS with missense mutations in the LYST ARM/HEAT (armadillo/huntingtin, elongation factor 3, protein phosphatase 2A, and the yeast kinase TOR1) or BEACH (beige and Chediak-Higashi) domains. RESULTS: NK cells from patients with CHS displayed severely reduced cytotoxicity. Mutations in the ARM/HEAT domain led to a reduced number of perforin-containing granules, which were significantly increased in size but able to polarize to the immunologic synapse; however, they were unable to properly fuse with the plasma membrane. Mutations in the BEACH domain resulted in formation of normal or slightly enlarged granules that had markedly impaired polarization to the IS but could be exocytosed on reaching the immunologic synapse. Perforin-containing granules in NK cells from patients with CHS did not acquire certain lysosomal markers (lysosome-associated membrane protein 1/2) but were positive for markers of transport vesicles (cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor), late endosomes (Ras-associated binding protein 27a), and, to some extent, early endosomes (early endosome antigen 1), indicating a lack of integrity in the endolysosomal compartments. NK cells from patients with CHS had normal cytokine compartments and cytokine secretion. CONCLUSION: LYST is involved in regulation of multiple aspects of NK cell lytic activity, ranging from governance of lytic granule size to control of their polarization and exocytosis, as well as regulation of endolysosomal compartment identity. LYST functions in the regulated exocytosis but not in the constitutive secretion pathway.


Subject(s)
Chediak-Higashi Syndrome/physiopathology , Cytokines/metabolism , Exocytosis/physiology , Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism , Lysosomes/physiology , Vesicular Transport Proteins/genetics , Adult , Chediak-Higashi Syndrome/genetics , Female , Genetic Markers , Humans , Male , Mutation, Missense , Vesicular Transport Proteins/physiology
10.
Blood ; 121(23): 4672-83, 2013 Jun 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23632890

ABSTRACT

Secretory lysosomes of natural killer (NK) cells, containing perforin and granzymes, are indispensable for NK-cell cytotoxicity because their release results in the induction of target-cell apoptosis. Lysosome-associated membrane protein (LAMP) 1/CD107a is used as a marker for NK-cell degranulation, but its role in NK-cell biology is unknown. We show that LAMP1 silencing causes inhibition of NK-cell cytotoxicity, as LAMP1 RNA interference (RNAi) cells fail to deliver granzyme B to target cells. Reduction of LAMP1 expression affects the movement of lytic granules and results in decreased levels of perforin, but not granzyme B, in the granules. In LAMP1 RNAi cells, more perforin is retained outside of lysosomal compartments in trans-Golgi network-derived transport vesicles. Disruption of expression of LAMP1 binding partner, adaptor protein 1 (AP-1) sorting complex, also causes retention of perforin in the transport vesicles and inhibits cytotoxicity, indicating that the interaction between AP-1 sorting complex and LAMP1 on the surface of the transport vesicles is important for perforin trafficking to lytic granules. We conclude that the decreased level of perforin in lytic granules of LAMP1-deficient cells, combined with disturbed motility of the lytic granules, leads to the inability to deliver apoptosis-inducing granzyme B to target cells and to inhibition of NK-cell cytotoxicity.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis , Cytoplasmic Granules/metabolism , Granzymes/metabolism , Killer Cells, Natural/pathology , Lysosomal Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Lysosomes/metabolism , Perforin/metabolism , Blotting, Western , Cell Membrane/metabolism , Cell Proliferation , Cells, Cultured , Flow Cytometry , Humans , Kidney/immunology , Kidney/metabolism , Kidney/pathology , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism , Lymphocyte Activation , Lysosomal Membrane Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Lysosomal Membrane Proteins/genetics , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Small Interfering/genetics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Transcription Factor AP-1/genetics , Transcription Factor AP-1/metabolism
11.
Dev Psychobiol ; 57(1): 131-9, 2015 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25380347

ABSTRACT

The study examined Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and inflammatory signaling in 206 youth with histories of prenatal drug exposure and self-reported histories of maltreatment. Youth with histories of severe neglect showed elevated levels of cortisol, the end product of the HPA axis, in comparison to youth with lower or minimal levels of neglect. Histories of severe neglect also were associated with increased levels of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF), a cytokine known to be intricately involved in HPA axis regulation. Salivary MIF levels also were positively associated with youth age and prenatal drug exposure. These MIF and cortisol alterations may signal pathophysiological disruptions in the neuro-endocrine and immune systems, which may lead to trajectories of increased disease risk among vulnerable youth. Our findings also provide preliminary support for the validity and reliability of a noninvasive salivary assessment of MIF.


Subject(s)
Child Abuse , Hydrocortisone/analysis , Intramolecular Oxidoreductases/analysis , Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors/analysis , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Hydrocortisone/physiology , Intramolecular Oxidoreductases/physiology , Longitudinal Studies , Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors/physiology , Male , Risk Factors , Saliva/chemistry , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
12.
Child Dev ; 85(6): 2419-31, 2014.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25109689

ABSTRACT

Three experiments investigated 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds' (N = 240) understanding that their future or "grown-up" preferences may differ from their current ones (self-future condition). This understanding was compared to children's understanding of the preferences of a grown-up (adult-now condition) or the grown-up preferences of a same-aged peer (peer-future condition). Children's performance across all three conditions improved significantly with age. Moreover, children found it significantly more difficult to reason about their own future preferences than they did to reason either about an adult's preferences or the future preferences of a peer. These results have important implications for theories about future thinking and perspective-taking abilities, more broadly.


Subject(s)
Child Development/physiology , Choice Behavior/physiology , Comprehension/physiology , Thinking/physiology , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Time
13.
Dev Psychol ; 60(8): 1447-1456, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38913758

ABSTRACT

The study of infant gaze has long been a key tool for understanding the developing mind. However, labor-intensive data collection and processing limit the speed at which this understanding can be advanced. Here, we demonstrate an asynchronous workflow for conducting violation-of-expectation (VoE) experiments, which is fully "hands-off" for the experimenter. We first replicate four classic VoE experiments in a synchronous online setting, and show that VoE can generate highly replicable effects through remote testing. We then confirm the accuracy of a state-of-the-art gaze annotation software, iCatcher+ in a new setting. Third, we train parents to control the experiment flow based on the infant's gaze. Combining all three innovations, we then conduct an asynchronous automated infant-contingent VoE experiment. The hands-off workflow successfully replicates a classic VoE effect: infants look longer at inefficient actions than efficient ones. We compare the resulting effect size and statistical power to the same study run in-lab and synchronously via Zoom. The hands-off workflow significantly reduces the marginal cost and time per participant, enabling larger sample sizes. By enhancing the reproducibility and robustness of findings relying on infant looking, this workflow could help support a cumulative science of infant cognition. Tools to implement the workflow are openly available. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).


Subject(s)
Fixation, Ocular , Workflow , Humans , Infant , Female , Male , Fixation, Ocular/physiology , Child Development/physiology , Reproducibility of Results , Eye-Tracking Technology
14.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract ; 11(5): 1528-1535.e2, 2023 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36736954

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic differences exist in the severity of various atopic diseases including allergic rhinitis (AR). Patients of under-represented races and ethnicities may be subjected to disparate subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) prescription practices. OBJECTIVE: To explore the racial and ethnic disparities in the use of SCIT among patients with AR. METHODS: In this retrospective matched cohort study, we used the TriNetX US Collaborative Network, a multicenter electronic health record-based database to identify patients with AR 18 years and older. Patients were grouped according to their racial and ethnic identification. Study groups were matched for baseline demographics, atopic comorbidities, heart diseases and utilization of ß-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The proportion of patients of under-represented racial and ethnic groups started on SCIT was contrasted to the non-Hispanic White cohort. RESULTS: We identified 1,038,000 patients with AR; the mean age (±standard deviation) at the index was 49.7 (±16.1) years, and 64.6% were female. Ethnicity information was available from 87.3% of patients, and the majority (92.3%) were non-Hispanic. Over a 3-year observation period, fewer Black patients (relative risk [RR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33-0.48) and Hispanic patients (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-0.99) were started on SCIT compared with non-Hispanic White patients. The proportions of Asian patients who were initiated on SCIT tended to be lower when compared with non-Hispanic White patients (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.47-1.009). CONCLUSIONS: In the United States, differences in SCIT prescription exist between Black and Hispanic patients relative to White patients. Barriers to treatment should be explored and mitigated.


Subject(s)
Rhinitis, Allergic , Humans , Female , United States/epidemiology , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Male , Retrospective Studies , Cohort Studies , Rhinitis, Allergic/therapy , Ethnicity , Desensitization, Immunologic
15.
Kidney360 ; 3(5): 922-925, 2022 05 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36128498

ABSTRACT

Integrating a pharmacist into a hemodialysis unit significantly reduced medication discrepancies and medication-related problems over time.Medication reconciliation for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program can be optimally performed by a dialysis pharmacist.


Subject(s)
Medication Reconciliation , Pharmacists , Aged , Hemodialysis Units, Hospital , Humans , Medicare , Medication Errors/prevention & control , Renal Dialysis , United States
16.
J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep ; 10: 23247096211073261, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35045738

ABSTRACT

A 79-year-old Caucasian male was referred to cardiology clinic because the electrocardiogram showed premature atrial complexes and pre-excitation (delta waves) thought to be consistent with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. He did not report symptoms of palpitations or syncope. Careful analysis of the electrocardiogram revealed a fascicular-ventricular pathway (FVP) responsible for pre-excitation. Differentiating FVP from WPW syndrome is essential as the risk profile is different with each. Electrocardiographic observations that could help identify the presence of an FVP and its diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications are presented.


Subject(s)
Pre-Excitation Syndromes , Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome , Aged , Electrocardiography , Heart Ventricles , Humans , Male , Pre-Excitation Syndromes/diagnosis , Syncope , Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome/diagnosis
17.
J Investig Med ; 70(6): 1429-1432, 2022 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35768140

ABSTRACT

As no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness, COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases are expected. We here aim to review the most recent literature on COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections. SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections are, in general, rare. Age may still be a factor in SARS-CoV-2 infections in immunized individuals.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Viral Vaccines , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19 Vaccines , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , Vaccination
18.
Mol Cancer Ther ; 21(5): 762-774, 2022 05 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35247914

ABSTRACT

Human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common cancer worldwide with an unmet need for more effective, less toxic treatments. Currently, both the disease and the treatment of HNSCC cause significant mortality and morbidity. Targeted therapies hold new promise for patients with HPV-negative status whose tumors harbor oncogenic HRAS mutations. Recent promising clinical results have renewed interest in the development of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) as a therapeutic strategy for HRAS-mutant cancers. With the advent of clinical evaluation of the FTI tipifarnib for the treatment of HRAS-mutant HNSCC, we investigated the activity of tipifarnib and inhibitors of HRAS effector signaling in HRAS-mutant HNSCC cell lines. First, we validated that HRAS is a cancer driver in HRAS-mutant HNSCC lines. Second, we showed that treatment with the FTI tipifarnib largely phenocopied HRAS silencing, supporting HRAS as a key target of FTI antitumor activity. Third, we performed reverse-phase protein array analyses to profile FTI treatment-induced changes in global signaling, and conducted CRISPR/Cas9 genetic loss-of-function screens to identify previously unreported genes and pathways that modulate sensitivity to tipifarnib. Fourth, we determined that concurrent inhibition of HRAS effector signaling (ERK, PI3K, mTORC1) increased sensitivity to tipifarnib treatment, in part by overcoming tipifarnib-induced compensatory signaling. We also determined that ERK inhibition could block tipifarnib-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, providing a potential basis for the effectiveness of this combination. Our results support future investigations of these and other combination treatments for HRAS mutant HNSCC.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Papillomavirus Infections , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Farnesyltranstransferase/metabolism , Farnesyltranstransferase/therapeutic use , Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy , Head and Neck Neoplasms/genetics , Humans , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/metabolism , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/drug therapy , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/genetics
19.
Am J Health Syst Pharm ; 78(23): 2151-2158, 2021 Nov 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34283219

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to implement a standardized process across health systems to determine the prevalence and clinical relevance of prescribing errors intercepted by pharmacists. METHODS: This prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted across 11 hospitals. Pharmacist-intercepted prescribing errors were collected during inpatient order verification over 6 consecutive weeks utilizing a standardized documentation process. The potential harm of each error was evaluated using a modified National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC-MERP) index with physician validation, and errors were stratified into those with potentially low, serious, or life-threatening harm. Endpoints included the median error rate per 1,000 patient days, error type, and potential harm with correlating cost avoidance. RESULTS: Pharmacists intervened on 7,187 errors, resulting in a mean error rate of 39 errors per 1,000 patient days. Among the errors, 46.6% (n = 3,349) were determined to have potentially serious consequences and 2.4% (n = 175) could have been life-threatening if not intercepted. This equates to $874,000 in avoided cost. The top 3 error types occurring with the highest frequency were "wrong dose/rate/frequency" (n = 2,298, 32.0%), "duplicate therapy" (n = 1,431, 19.9%), and "wrong timing" (n = 960, 13.4%). "Wrong dose/rate/frequency" (n = 49, 28%), "duplicate therapy" (n = 26, 14.9%), and "drug-disease interaction" (n = 24, 13.7%) errors occurred with the highest frequency among errors with potential for life-threatening harm. "Wrong dose/rate/frequency" (n = 1,028, 30.7%), "wrong timing" (n = 573, 17.1%), and "duplicate therapy" (n = 482, 14.4%) errors occurred with the highest frequency among errors with potentially serious harm. CONCLUSION: Documentation of pharmacist intervention on prescribing errors via a standardized process creates a platform for multicenter analysis of prescribing error trends and an opportunity for development of system-wide solutions to reduce potential harm from prescribing errors.


Subject(s)
Medication Errors , Pharmacists , Physicians , Hospitals , Humans , Medication Errors/prevention & control , Prospective Studies
20.
J Parkinsons Dis ; 11(2): 569-584, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33523017

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Coding mutations in the LRRK2 gene, encoding for a large protein kinase, have been shown to cause familial Parkinson's disease (PD). The immediate biological consequence of LRRK2 mutations is to increase kinase activity, suggesting that inhibition of this enzyme might be useful therapeutically to slow disease progression. Genome-wide association studies have identified the chromosomal loci around LRRK2 and one of its proposed substrates, RAB29, as contributors towards the lifetime risk of sporadic PD. OBJECTIVE: Considering the evidence for interactions between LRRK2 and RAB29 on the genetic and protein levels, we set out to determine whether there are any consequences on brain function with aging after deletion of both genes. METHODS: We generated a double knockout mouse model and performed a battery of motor and non-motor behavioral tests. We then investigated postmortem assays to determine the presence of PD-like pathology, including nigral dopamine cell count, astrogliosis, microgliosis, and striatal monoamine content. RESULTS: Behaviorally, we noted only that 18-24-month Rab29-/- and double (Lrrk2-/-/Rab29-/-) knockout mice had diminished locomotor behavior in open field compared to wildtype mice. However, no genotype differences were seen in the outcomes that represented PD-like pathology. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that depletion of both LRRK2 and RAB29 is tolerated, at least in mice, and support that this pathway might be able to be safely targeted for therapeutics in humans.


Subject(s)
Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2/metabolism , Parkinson Disease , Animals , Corpus Striatum/metabolism , Genome-Wide Association Study , Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2/chemistry , Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2/genetics , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Mutation , Parkinson Disease/genetics , Parkinson Disease/metabolism
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