Stromal cells cultivated from the choroid of human eyes display a mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) phenotype and inhibit the proliferation of choroidal vascular endothelial cells in vitro.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), with progenitor cell and immunological properties, have been cultivated from numerous vascularized tissues including bone marrow, adipose tissue and the corneal-limbus of the eye. After observing mesenchymal cells as contaminants in primary cultures of vascular endothelial cells derived from the choroidal tunic of the human eye, we investigated whether the choroid might also provide a source of cultured MSC. Moreover, we examined the effect of the choroidal stromal cells (Ch-SC) on the proliferation of freshly isolated choroidal vascular endothelial cells (ChVEC) in vitro.

Spatial spillover analysis of a cluster-randomized trial against dengue vectors in Trujillo, Venezuela.

Background: The ability of cluster-randomized trials to capture mass or indirect effects is one reason for their increasing use to test interventions against vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. For the same reason, however, the independence of clusters may be compromised if the distances between clusters is too small to ensure independence. In other words they may be subject to spillover effects.

Prehospital and Posthospital Fall Injuries in Older US Adults.

Importance: To date, measurement and treatment of older adult fall injury has been siloed within specific care settings, such as a hospital or within a nursing home or community. Little is known about changes in fall risk across care settings. Understanding the occurrence of falls across settings has implications for measuring and incentivizing high-value care across care settings.

Immuno-pharmacokinetics of Meglumine Antimoniate in Patients With Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania (Viannia).

Background: Control of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) relies on chemotherapy, yet gaps in our understanding of the determinants of therapeutic outcome impede optimization of antileishmanial drug regimens. Pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters of antimicrobials are based on the relationship between drug concentrations/exposure and microbial kill. However, viable Leishmania persist in a high proportion of individuals despite clinical resolution, indicating that determinants other than parasite clearance are involved in drug efficacy.

Cardiac anomalies in microtia patients at a tertiary pediatric care center.

Objective: Microtia is a congenital condition that is known to be associated with cardiac abnormalities. Current guidelines suggest performing an echocardiogram or other cardiac work-up in the presence of ear anomalies with dysmorphic features but not isolated microtia. We report on the prevalence and characteristics of cardiac anomalies among microtia patients at a tertiary pediatric center.

A case of rare isolated agnathia and literature review.

Agnathia is a rare congenital malformation with unknown etiology characterized by absence of the mandible, microstomia, and tongue aplasia, often found to have other anomalies including holoprosencephaly. The purpose of this paper was to describe the symptoms and imaging of a case of isolated agnathia and to conduct a comprehensive literature review of reported patients with isolated agnathia. Case reports of isolated agnathia are very rare, with most infants as stillborn.

Covid-19-Beyond virology: Potentials for maintaining mental health during lockdown.

Background: The current study aimed to assess prevalence of mental disorders during Covid-19 pandemic- and respective lockdown in Germany, and potential behaviors/states that can have protective functions on preventing severe mental problems. Assessing prevalence of mental disorders, as well as to find potential protective variables is very important in order to determine people's psychological suffering. It provides the basis for teaching possible coping styles in order to prevent a major breakdown on mental health.

Clinical benefit of baseline imaging in Merkel cell carcinoma: Analysis of 584 patients.

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) guidelines derive from melanoma and do not recommend baseline cross-sectional imaging for most patients. However, MCC is more likely to have metastasized at diagnosis than melanoma.

Objective: To determine how often baseline imaging identifies clinically occult MCC in patients with newly diagnosed disease with and without palpable nodal involvement.

Interepidemic Detection of Chikungunya Virus Infection and Transmission in Northeastern Thailand.

Chikungunya fever is a viral mosquito-borne, acute febrile illness associated with rash, joint pain, and occasionally prolonged polyarthritis. Chikungunya outbreaks have been reported worldwide including many provinces of Thailand. Although chikungunya virus (CHIKV) occurs in Thailand, details on its epidemiology are lacking compared with dengue, a common mosquito-borne disease in the country.

How Do Scapulothoracic Kinematics During Shoulder Elevation Differ Between Adults With and Without Rotator Cuff Arthropathy?

Background: Rotator cuff arthropathy with loss of active arm elevation can be successfully treated with nonanatomic reverse total shoulder arthroplasty to restore active elevation. Shoulder kinematics in this context predominantly focus on glenohumeral motion, neglecting scapular motion, although both substantially contribute to global shoulder motion. Because scapular kinematics are difficult to assess clinically and in the laboratory, they are not well understood and therefore are often reduced to glenohumeral models with a static scapula.

The kinematics and strategies of recovery steps during lateral losses of balance in standing at different perturbation magnitudes in older adults with varying history of falls.

Background: Step-recovery responses are critical in preventing falls when balance is lost unexpectedly. We investigated the kinematics and strategies of balance recovery in older adults with a varying history of falls.

Methods: In a laboratory study, 51 non-fallers (NFs), 20 one-time fallers (OFs), and 12 recurrent-fallers (RFs) were exposed to random right/left unannounced underfoot perturbations in standing of increasing magnitude.

A Randomized Trial of a Multifactorial Strategy to Prevent Serious Fall Injuries.

Background: Injuries from falls are major contributors to complications and death in older adults. Despite evidence from efficacy trials that many falls can be prevented, rates of falls resulting in injury have not declined.

Methods: We conducted a pragmatic, cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifactorial intervention that included risk assessment and individualized plans, administered by specially trained nurses, to prevent fall injuries.

Cognitive status as a robust predictor of repeat falls in older Veterans in post-acute care.

Background: While repeat falls are common in post-acute care (PAC), risk factors have not been fully elucidated.

Aims: The objective of thids study is to evaluate the contribution of cognitive function to repeat falls in older PAC Veterans.

Methods: Data were collected from medical records for 91 single and 30 repeat fallers over 5 consecutive years (2011-2016).

PAR4 activation involves extracellular loop 3 and transmembrane residue Thr153.

Protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4) mediates sustained thrombin signaling in platelets and is required for a stable thrombus. PAR4 is activated by proteolysis of the N terminus to expose a tethered ligand. The structural basis for PAR4 activation and the location of its ligand binding site (LBS) are unknown.

Using Unsupervised Learning to Identify Clinical Subtypes of Alzheimer's Disease in Electronic Health Records.

Identifying subtypes of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) can lead towards the creation of personalized interventions and potentially improve outcomes. In this study, we use UK primary care electronic health records (EHR) from the CALIBER resource to identify and characterize clinically-meaningful clusters patients using unsupervised learning approaches of MCA and K-means. We discovered and characterized five clusters with different profiles (mental health, non-typical AD, typical AD, CVD and men with cancer).

A crowdsourced set of curated structural variants for the human genome.

A high quality benchmark for small variants encompassing 88 to 90% of the reference genome has been developed for seven Genome in a Bottle (GIAB) reference samples. However a reliable benchmark for large indels and structural variants (SVs) is more challenging. In this study, we manually curated 1235 SVs, which can ultimately be used to evaluate SV callers or train machine learning models.

Spatial regression and spillover effects in cluster randomized trials with count outcomes.

This paper describes methodology for analyzing data from cluster randomized trials with count outcomes, taking indirect effects as well spatial effects into account. Indirect effects are modeled using a novel application of a measure of depth within the intervention arm. Both direct and indirect effects can be estimated accurately even when the proposed model is misspecified.

A robust benchmark for detection of germline large deletions and insertions.

New technologies and analysis methods are enabling genomic structural variants (SVs) to be detected with ever-increasing accuracy, resolution and comprehensiveness. To help translate these methods to routine research and clinical practice, we developed a sequence-resolved benchmark set for identification of both false-negative and false-positive germline large insertions and deletions. To create this benchmark for a broadly consented son in a Personal Genome Project trio with broadly available cells and DNA, the Genome in a Bottle Consortium integrated 19 sequence-resolved variant calling methods from diverse technologies.

Use of pyriproxyfen in control of Aedes mosquitoes: A systematic review.

Dengue is the most rapidly spreading arboviral disease in the world. The current lack of fully protective vaccines and clinical therapeutics creates an urgent need to identify more effective means of controlling Aedes mosquitos, principally Aedes aegypti, as the main vector of dengue. Pyriproxyfen (PPF) is an increasingly used hormone analogue that prevents juvenile Aedes mosquitoes from becoming adults and being incapable of transmitting dengue.

Feasibility and behavioral effects of prolonged static and dynamic standing as compared to sitting in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Physical inactivity is prevalent in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and may exacerbate their clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of 4-h regular versus more dynamic standing sessions while performing routine desktop activities as a non-exercise physical activity intervention in older adults with T2DM to increase non-exercise activity.

Methods: Twelve older adult patients with T2DM (3 female; age 71 ± 4 years; Body mass index 34 ± 5 kg/m) completed three sessions (baseline sitting followed by "static" or "dynamic" desktop standing sessions).

No association between FKBP5 gene methylation and acute and long-term cortisol output.

Prior studies identified DNA methylation (DNA) changes in a regulatory region within the FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene as a crucial mediator of long-term negative health outcomes following early adversity. A critical mechanism underlying this link, in turn, has been suggested to be epigenetically induced dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The purpose of this study was thus to investigate associations of FKBP5 DNA with both acute and chronic cortisol output.

necrotizing fasciitis following elective surgery.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a potentially fatal soft tissue infection that requires prompt clinical suspicion, pharmacological and surgical interventions. Bacterial pathogens, such as beta-hemolytic streptococcus and , are the main etiology of necrotizing fasciitis, however, rare cases caused by fungal pathogens, such as , have been reported following trauma. Here, we present the first case of necrotizing fasciitis following an elective surgical procedure in an immunocompetent adult.