Incidence, Prevalence, and Characteristics of Injuries in Pole Dancers: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Pole dancing is an extreme form of performance physical activity, combining considerable feats of muscular strength, flexibility, dancing and acrobatics on a vertical metal apparatus. Despite rapid growth in the artform, many pole dancers continue to participate without fulfilling physical requirements to withstand the forces and physicality required. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the incidence, prevalence and characteristics of injuries sustained by pole dancing participants reported in published studies. METHODS: Five databases were comprehensively searched in February 2023. Authors independently screened titles and abstracts, with full copies of eligible studies reviewed using specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Studies were included if they referenced pole dancing, were in English language and Level I-III-3 in accordance with the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, with case reports considered if included 10 or more participants. The National Institute of Health quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies was used to review the quality of reporting of selected studies. RESULTS: Eleven articles were retrieved based on searches, with five studies meeting full inclusion/exclusion criteria, published between 2020-2022. In total 787 study participants were identified, with 623 sustaining a total of 1,803 pole dancing injuries. Data from all studies in injury profiles reported 42.4% of injuries sustained to the upper limb, 44.8% lower limb, 10.5% trunk, 0.02% associated with the head and neck, and several injuries affecting multiple regions. Acute injuries comprised 51.6% of reported injuries compared to 48.4% chronic. Injury characteristics were varied due to inconsistencies in reporting across studies. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review highlights a paucity of knowledge regarding injuries in pole dancing, perhaps expected with a relatively young sport. Improvement in reporting is required to aid in identification of injuries and opportunities for development of injury risk reduction strategies. PROSPERO Registration no. CRD42023401012.

The Impacts of the Molecular Education and Research Consortium in Undergraduate Computational Chemistry on the Careers of Women in Computational Chemistry.

The Molecular Education and Research Consortium in Undergraduate Computational Chemistry (MERCURY) has supported a diverse group of faculty and students for over 20 years by providing computational resources as well as networking opportunities and professional support. The consortium comprises 38 faculty (42% women) at 34 different institutions, who have trained nearly 900 undergraduate students, more than two-thirds of whom identify as women and one-quarter identify as students of color. MERCURY provides a model for the support necessary for faculty to achieve professional advancement and career satisfaction. The range of experiences and expertise of the consortium members provides excellent networking opportunities that allow MERCURY faculty to support each other's teaching, research, and service needs, including generating meaningful scientific advancements and outcomes with undergraduate researchers as well as being leaders at the departmental, institutional, and national levels. While all MERCURY faculty benefit from these supports, the disproportionate number of women in the consortium, relative to their representation in computational sciences generally, produces a sizable impact on advancing women in the computational sciences. In this report, the women of MERCURY share how the consortium has benefited their careers and the careers of their students.

Pyrimidinyl Biphenylureas Act as Allosteric Modulators to Activate Cannabinoid Receptor 1 and Initiate ß-Arrestin-Dependent Responses.

Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) is a G-protein-coupled receptor that is abundant in the central nervous system. It binds several compounds in its orthosteric site, including the endocannabinoids, arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide) and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, and the plant-derived Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, one of the main psychoactive components of marijuana. It primarily couples to Gi/o proteins to inhibit adenylate cyclase activity and typically induces downstream signaling that is Gi-dependent. Since this receptor is implicated in several maladies, such as obesity, pain, and neurodegenerative disorders, there is interest in developing therapeutics that selectively target this receptor. Allosteric modulators of CB1 offer one new approach that has tremendous therapeutic potential. Here, we reveal receptor- and cellular-level properties consistent with receptor activation by a series of pyrimidinyl biphenylureas (LDK1285, LDK1288, LDK1305, and PSNCBAM1), including promoting binding of the agonist CP55940 with positive cooperativity and inhibiting binding of the inverse agonist SR141716A with negative cooperativity, demonstrated via radioligand binding studies. Consistent with these findings, the allosteric modulators induced cellular internalization of the receptor and recruitment of ß-arrestin 2 in human embryonic kidney cell line 293 cells monitored with confocal and total internal reflective fluorescence microscopy, respectively. These allosteric modulators, however, caused G-protein-independent but ß-arrestin 1-dependent phosphorylation of the downstream kinases extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Src, shown by immunoblotting studies. These results are consistent with the involvement of ß-arrestin and suggest that these allosteric modulators induce biased signaling.

SuperBiHelix method for predicting the pleiotropic ensemble of G-protein-coupled receptor conformations.

There is overwhelming evidence that G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) exhibit several distinct low-energy conformations, each of which might favor binding to different ligands and/or lead to different downstream functions. Understanding the function of such proteins requires knowledge of the ensemble of low-energy configurations that might play a role in this pleiotropic functionality. We earlier reported the BiHelix method for efficiently sampling the (12)(7) = 35 million conformations resulting from 30° rotations about the axis (η) of all seven transmembrane helices (TMHs), showing that the experimental structure is reliably selected as the best conformation from this ensemble. However, various GPCRs differ sufficiently in the tilts of the TMHs that this method need not predict the optimum conformation starting from any other template. In this paper, we introduce the SuperBiHelix method in which the tilt angles (θ, ϕ) are optimized simultaneously with rotations (η) efficiently enough that it is practical and sufficient to sample (5 × 3 × 5)(7) = 13 trillion configurations. This method can correctly identify the optimum structure of a GPCR starting with the template from a different GPCR. We have validated this method by predicting known crystal structure conformations starting from the template of a different protein structure. We find that the SuperBiHelix conformational ensemble includes the higher energy conformations associated with the active protein in addition to those associated with the more stable inactive protein. This methodology was then applied to design and experimentally confirm structures of three mutants of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor associated with different functions.

Molecular Basis of S100A1 Activation at Saturating and Subsaturating Calcium Concentrations.

The S100A1 protein mediates a wide variety of physiological processes through its binding of calcium (Ca(2+)) and endogenous target proteins. S100A1 presents two Ca(2+)-binding domains: a high-affinity "canonical" EF (cEF) hand and a low-affinity "pseudo" EF (pEF) hand. Accumulating evidence suggests that both Ca(2+)-binding sites must be saturated to stabilize an open state conducive to peptide recognition, yet the pEF hand's low affinity limits Ca(2+) binding at normal physiological concentrations. To understand the molecular basis of Ca(2+) binding and open-state stabilization, we performed 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations of S100A1 in the apo/holo (Ca(2+)-free/bound) states and a half-saturated state, for which only the cEF sites are Ca(2+)-bound. Our simulations indicate that the pattern of oxygen coordination about Ca(2+) in the cEF relative to the pEF site contributes to the former's higher affinity, whereas Ca(2+) binding strongly reshapes the protein's conformational dynamics by disrupting ß-sheet coupling between EF hands. Moreover, modeling of the half-saturated configuration suggests that the open state is unstable and reverts toward a closed state in the absence of the pEF Ca(2+) ion. These findings indicate that Ca(2+) binding at the cEF site alone is insufficient to stabilize opening; thus, posttranslational modification of the protein may be required for target peptide binding at subsaturating intracellular Ca(2+) levels.

Computational Prediction and Biochemical Analyses of New Inverse Agonists for the CB1 Receptor.

Human cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) G-protein coupled receptor is a potential therapeutic target for obesity. The previously predicted and experimentally validated ensemble of ligand-free conformations of CB1 [Scott, C. E. et al. Protein Sci. 2013 , 22 , 101 - 113 ; Ahn, K. H. et al. Proteins 2013 , 81 , 1304 - 1317] are used here to predict the binding sites for known CB1-selective inverse agonists including rimonabant and its seven known derivatives. This binding pocket, which differs significantly from previously published models, is used to identify 16 novel compounds expected to be CB1 inverse agonists by exploiting potential new interactions. We show experimentally that two of these compounds exhibit inverse agonist properties including inhibition of basal and agonist-induced G-protein coupling activity, as well as an enhanced level of CB1 cell surface localization. This demonstrates the utility of using the predicted binding sites for an ensemble of CB1 receptor structures for designing new CB1 inverse agonists.

Prevalence of diabetes among Indigenous women in Guatemala: a retrospective chart review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence of diabetes in a clinical population of primarily Indigenous women in Guatemala. RESULTS: In a retrospective chart review of a clinical program serving 13,643 primarily Indigenous women in Guatemala, crude diabetes prevalence was 8.3% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 7.8 to 8.7) and age-adjusted diabetes prevalence was 7.9% (95% CI: 7.3 to 8.5). Among those with diabetes, 37.9% (95% CI: 35.1 to 40.8) of women were undiagnosed. Diabetes prevalence rose significantly with increasing age and was significantly higher among women with obesity (risk ratio: 1.4 [95% CI: 1.1 to 1.8]) and among women least likely to be in poverty (risk ratio: 2.0 [95% CI: 1.5 to 2.6]). Diabetes prevalence was significantly lower among Indigenous women (risk ratio: 0.7 [95% CI: 0.6 to 0.9]) and among women who spoke Mayan languages rather than Spanish (risk ratio: 0.7 [95% CI: 0.6 to 0.9]). There was no significant difference in diabetes prevalence between women who lived in rural settings and women who lived in urban settings.

Prevalence of diabetes among Indigenous women in Guatemala: A retrospective chart review study of 13 643 patients between 2015-2022.

There are limited data on diabetes among Indigenous populations in Guatemala. In a retrospective chart review of a clinical program serving more than 13 000 primarily Indigenous women in Guatemala, age-adjusted diabetes prevalence was 7.9% (95% CI: 7.3 to 8.5), and 37.9% (95% CI: 35.1 to 40.8%) of women were undiagnosed.

Computationally-predicted CB1 cannabinoid receptor mutants show distinct patterns of salt-bridges that correlate with their level of constitutive activity reflected in G protein coupling levels, thermal stability, and ligand binding.

The cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), a member of the class A G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, possesses an observable level of constitutive activity. Its activation mechanism, however, has yet to be elucidated. Previously we discovered dramatic changes in CB1 activity due to single mutations; T3.46A, which made the receptor inactive, and T3.46I and L3.43A, which made it essentially fully constitutively active. Our subsequent prediction of the structures of these mutant receptors indicated that these changes in activity are explained in terms of the pattern of salt-bridges in the receptor region involving transmembrane domains 2, 3, 5, and 6. Here we identified key salt-bridges, R2.37 + D6.30 and D2.63 + K3.28, critical for CB1 inactive and active states, respectively, and generated new mutant receptors that we predicted would change CB1 activity by either precluding or promoting these interactions. We find that breaking the R2.37 + D6.30 salt-bridge resulted in substantial increase in G-protein coupling activity and reduced thermal stability relative to the wild-type reflecting the changes in constitutive activity from inactive to active. In contrast, breaking the D2.63 + K3.28 salt-bridge produced the opposite profile suggesting this interaction is critical for the receptor activation. Thus, we demonstrate an excellent correlation with the predicted pattern of key salt-bridges and experimental levels of activity and conformational flexibility. These results are also consistent with the extended ternary complex model with respect to shifts in agonist and inverse agonist affinity and provide a powerful framework for understanding the molecular basis for the multiple stages of CB1 activation and that of other GPCRs in general.

Early subjective response and acquired tolerance as predictors of alcohol use and related problems in a clinical sample.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that a low subjective response (SR) to alcohol is a risk factor for alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and a recent study suggests that acquired tolerance can be differentiated from initial SR and is also significantly associated with drinking problems. Because the prior study of SR and tolerance focused on a sample of moderate drinkers, the goal of the current study was to examine relations between early SR, acquired tolerance, alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems in a sample of young adults with clinically significant alcohol problems. METHODS: The current study examined associations between early SR and acquired tolerance and both drinking behavior and alcohol-related problems within a sample of 113 heavy drinking young adults (66.1% male) volunteering for a clinical trial of naltrexone in combination with brief motivational counseling. RESULTS: Consistent with the 1 prior study examining simultaneous effects of early SR and tolerance, both early SR and acquired tolerance were positively associated with typical drinking behavior, although tolerance was a much stronger predictor within this clinical sample. In contrast to the prior study, early SR was inversely associated with risk for alcohol-related problems, and tolerance was not a significant predictor of problems. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that, controlling for weekly drinking, a low early SR protected against acute negative consequences within a sample of heavy drinkers who had acquired significant tolerance to alcohol effects. It is possible that this protective effect may eventually shift to a risk factor by allowing individuals with a low SR to persist in a pattern of hazardous drinking.

The need to screen for anemia in exercising women.

ABSTRACT: Anemia is common, affecting 1 in 3 women in their lifetime. Despite high prevalence rates, awareness is poor. This is relevant for women undertaking sport as anemia can lead to reduced physical performance. There is no current screening program for testing of anemia for exercising women. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess a simple screening tool to predict anemia in exercising women.Cross sectional survey study.National fitness festival.Three hundred exercising women.Screening methodology (Female Health Questionnaire and a haemoglobin concentration measurement).The Female Health Questionnaire inquired about; previous iron status, menstrual blood loss, diet, and motherhood. Participants were asked to self-report any symptoms of iron deficiency, including; brain fog, palpitations, shortness of breath, restless legs, hair loss, and pica. Results were compared to fingerprick haemoglobin levels with anemia defined as [Hb] < 120 g/L.Average age was 31.21years (s.d.7.72), average [Hb] was 131.76 g/L (s.d.11.5) and 36 (12%) had anemia. A history of iron deficiency was reported by 127 (43.49%), 127 (43.49%) reported heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), 75 were vegetarian (18%) or vegan (8%) and 33 were mothers (11%). In total 80 reported taking time off work (total 1612 days). Women with anemia more commonly reported HMB (58.33% vs. 41.57%, P = .04), and those with HMB were more likely to report days off (39.37% vs. 18.18%, P < .001).Anemia was common in exercising women, particularly those with HMB. A simple screening tool for HMB and finger prick haemoglobin testing for anemia is recommended in women undertaking exercise.

Building Sustainable Organizational and Community Capacity for Research Partnerships: A Decade of Experience.

The purpose of this article is to share community partner perspectives of impact and lessons learned from a decade long community-academic partnership between the Collaborative Center for Health Equity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the United Community Center/Centro de la Comunidad Unida, a nonprofit community-based organization providing services across the lifespan for Latino communities of Milwaukee. The partnership was established in 2010 to support bidirectional communication, trust building and mutual benefit though community engaged research and collaborative student teaching. Over the years, we have achieved a variety of outcomes on both sides of the partnership. For our community organization, the partnership has evolved to create substantial benefits through opportunities for new collaborations, service program development and grantsmanship. Several factors contributed to our success including sustained stable funding not tied to an individual research project and academic investment in community capacity.

Characterization of Subtype Selective Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Agonists as Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agents.

Activation of the CB2 receptor has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects without causing psychoactive effects. Previously, we reported that the compound ethyl 2(2-(N-(2,3-dimethylphenyl) phenylsulfonamido)acetamido)benzoate (ABK5) is a CB2 subtype selective agonist with anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. In the present study, we tested four ABK5 derivatives, ABK5-1, ABK5-2, ABK5-5, and ABK5-6, to analyze the structure of ABK5 to obtain CB2-selective agonists with higher affinity and efficacy. Affinity, subtype selectivity, and G-protein coupling were determined by radioligand binding assays. Selected compounds were then subjected to evaluation of anti-inflammatory effects using two different cell lines, Jurkat (ABK5-1 and 5-2) and BV-2 cells (ABK5-1), which are models of T cells and microglia, respectively. ABK5-1, ABK5-2, and ABK5-6 had comparable CB2 binding affinity with ABK5 (and stimulated G-protein coupling), while only ABK5-1 and ABK5-2 maintained CB2-subtype selectivity. ABK5-5 did not bind CB2 in the detectable range. RT-PCR and ELISA analysis showed that the two compounds also inhibit IL-2 and TNF-α production, and they were more efficacious than ABK5 in inhibiting TNF-α production. CXCL-12 mediated chemotaxis was also evaluated by the transwell migration assay, and both ABK5-1 and ABK5-2 inhibited chemotaxis with a stronger effect observed in ABK5-1. In the microglia cell line BV-2, ABK5-1 inhibited IL-1ß and IL-6 production, which suggests this compound has anti-inflammatory effects through targeting multiple immune cells, and may be a candidate for treatment of inflammation.

I drink alone: Mechanisms of risk for alcohol problems in solitary drinkers.

Although solitary drinking is less common than social drinking, it may be uniquely associated with heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems. There is also evidence that drinking contexts impact both expected and experienced alcohol effects. In particular, solitary drinking may be associated with an increased likelihood of drinking for negative reinforcement (e.g. to relieve stress). The current study examined how drinking context influences tension reduction expectancies and drinking motives, and the extent to which expectancies and motives mediate the link between solitary drinking and alcohol-related problems. We hypothesized that solitary drinking would be associated with greater tension reduction expectancies and coping motives which, in turn, would be associated with more alcohol related problems. Data were from 157 young adult moderate to heavy drinkers (21-30 years of age, 57% male) who completed baseline assessments in an alcohol administration study. A path model in Mplus tested the hypothesized mediated effects. Findings largely supported study hypotheses with significant indirect effects of solitary drinking (but not social drinking) on alcohol problems through stronger tension reduction expectancies and coping motives, though an indirect path through coping motives (but not expectancies) was also identified. Multi-group models by gender and race/ethnicity found that models operated similarly for men and women and for Non-Hispanic Caucasian and Racial/Ethnic Minority participants. The results provide important information about potential mechanisms through which solitary drinking may contribute to alcohol problems. These mechanisms represent potential targets of intervention (e.g. tension reduction expectancies, drinking to cope) for solitary drinkers.

Identification and biochemical analyses of selective CB2 agonists.

Cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors are activated by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, a psychoactive component of marijuana. The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is primarily located in the brain and is responsible for the psychoactive side effects, whereas the cannabinoid CB2 receptor is located in immune cells and is an attractive target for immune-related maladies. We identify small molecules that selectively bind to the cannabinoid CB2 receptor and can be further developed into therapeutics. The affinity of three molecules, ABK5, ABK6, and ABK7, to the cannabinoid CB2 receptor was determined with radioligand competition binding. The potency of G-protein coupling was determined with GTPγS binding. The three compounds bound selectively to the cannabinoid CB2 receptor, and no binding to the cannabinoid CB1 receptor was detected up to 10 µM. Immunoblotting studies show that the amount of ERK1/2 and MEK phosphorylation increased in a Gi/o-dependent manner. Furthermore, an immune cell line (Jurkat cells) was treated with ABK5, and as a result, inhibited cell proliferation. These three compounds are novel cannabinoid CB2 receptor agonists and hold promise to be further developed to treat inflammation and the often-associated pain.

Computational modeling of amylin-induced calcium dysregulation in rat ventricular cardiomyocytes.

Hyperamylinemia is a condition that accompanies obesity and precedes type II diabetes, and it is characterized by above-normal blood levels of amylin, the pancreas-derived peptide. Human amylin oligomerizes easily and can deposit in the pancreas [1], brain [2], and heart [3], where they have been associated with calcium dysregulation. In the heart, accumulating evidence suggests that human amylin oligomers form moderately cation-selective [4,5] channels that embed in the cell sarcolemma (SL). The oligomers increase membrane conductance in a concentration-dependent manner [5], which is correlated with elevated cytosolic Ca2+. These findings motivate our core hypothesis that non-selective inward Ca2+ conduction afforded by human amylin oligomers increase cytosolic and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ load, which thereby magnifies intracellular Ca2+ transients. Questions remain however regarding the mechanism of amylin-induced Ca2+ dysregulation, including whether enhanced SL Ca2+ influx is sufficient to elevate cytosolic Ca2+ load [6], and if so, how might amplified Ca2+ transients perturb Ca2+-dependent cardiac pathways. To investigate these questions, we modified a computational model of cardiomyocytes Ca2+ signaling to reflect experimentally-measured changes in SL membrane permeation and decreased sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) function stemming from acute and transgenic human amylin peptide exposure. With this model, we confirmed the hypothesis that increasing SL permeation alone was sufficient to enhance Ca2+ transient amplitudes. Our model indicated that amplified cytosolic transients are driven by increased Ca2+ loading of the SR and that greater fractional release may contribute to the Ca2+-dependent activation of calmodulin, which could prime the activation of myocyte remodeling pathways. Importantly, elevated Ca2+ in the SR and dyadic space collectively drive greater fractional SR Ca2+ release for human amylin expressing rats (HIP) and acute amylin-exposed rats (+Amylin) mice, which contributes to the inotropic rise in cytosolic Ca2+ transients. These findings suggest that increased membrane permeation induced by oligomeratization of amylin peptide in cell sarcolemma contributes to Ca2+ dysregulation in pre-diabetes.

Discovery of Selective Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Agonists by High-Throughput Screening.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a diverse role in human physiology ranging from the regulation of mood and appetite to immune modulation and the response to pain. Drug development that targets the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) has been explored; however, success in the clinic has been limited by the psychoactive side effects associated with modulation of the neuronally expressed CB1 that are enriched in the CNS. CB2, however, are expressed in peripheral tissues, primarily in immune cells, and thus development of CB2-selective drugs holds the potential to modulate pain among other indications without eliciting anxiety and other undesirable side effects associated with CB1 activation. As part of a collaborative effort among industry and academic laboratories, we performed a high-throughput screen designed to discover selective agonists or positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of CB2. Although no CB2 PAMs were identified, 167 CB2 agonists were discovered here, and further characterization of four select compounds revealed two with high selectivity for CB2 versus CB1. These results broaden drug discovery efforts aimed at the ECS and may lead to the development of novel therapies for immune modulation and pain management with improved side effect profiles.

Assessing Allosteric Modulation of CB1 at the Receptor and Cellular Levels.

The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is abundant in the central nervous system and regulates neuronal transmission and other key physiological processes including those leading to pain, inflammation, memory, and feeding behavior. CB1 is activated by the endogenous ligands, arachidonoyl ethanolamine and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, by various synthetic ligands (e.g., CP55940), and by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa. These CB1 ligands are orthosteric and transduce downstream signals by binding CB1 and primarily inducing Gi coupling, but Gs and ß-arrestin coupling are also possible. Recently, allosteric modulators for CB1 were discovered that bind to topographically distinct sites and can noncompetitively impact the potency and efficacy of orthosteric compounds. These offer the exciting potential for mechanistic analyses and for developing therapeutics. Yet, it is critical to elucidate whether a compound is a positive allosteric modulator or a negative allosteric modulator of orthosteric ligand-induced CB1 profiles to understand pathway specificity and ameliorate diseases. In this chapter, we present equilibrium and kinetic binding analysis to reveal the impact of allosteric modulators on CB1. Also described are activities consistent with CB1 activation (or inactivation) and include cellular internalization of CB1 and downstream signaling patterns. Since many CB1 allosteric modulators do not enhance G protein coupling, it is critical to distinguish CB1 activation and biased signaling patterns via ß-arrestin from CB1 inactivation. These strategies can illuminate pathway specificity and are valuable for the fine-tuning of CB1 function.

Assessing and Communicating the Value of Biomedical Research: Results From a Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: Assessing the impact of research requires an approach that is sensitive both to the context of the research and the perspective of the stakeholders trying to understand its benefits. Here, the authors report on a pilot that applied such an approach to research conducted at the Collaborative Center for Health Equity (CCHE) of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. METHOD: The pilot assessed the academic impact of CCHE's work; the networks between CCHE and community partners; and the reach of CCHE's programs, including an attempt to estimate return on investment (ROI). Data included bibliometrics, findings from a stakeholder survey and in-depth interviews, and financial figures. RESULTS: The pilot illustrated how CCHE programs increase the capacity of community partners to advocate for their communities and engage with researchers to ensure that research benefits the community. The results illustrate the reach of CCHE's programs into the community. The authors produced an estimate of the ROI for one CCHE program targeting childhood obesity, and values ranged from negative to positive. CONCLUSIONS: The authors experienced challenges using novel assessment techniques at a small scale including the lack of comparator groups and the scarcity of cost data for estimating ROI. This pilot demonstrated the value of research from a variety of perspectives-from academic to community. It illustrates how metrics beyond grant income and publications can capture the outputs of an academic health center in a way that may better align with the aims of the center and stakeholders.