Neuronal innervation regulates the secretion of neurotrophic myokines and exosomes from skeletal muscle.

Myokines and exosomes, originating from skeletal muscle, are shown to play a significant role in maintaining brain homeostasis. While exercise has been reported to promote muscle secretion, little is known about the effects of neuronal innervation and activity on the yield and molecular composition of biologically active molecules from muscle. As neuromuscular diseases and disabilities associated with denervation impact muscle metabolism, we hypothesize that neuronal innervation and firing may play a pivotal role in regulating secretion activities of skeletal muscles.

Patient and ward related risk factors in a multi-ward nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19: Outbreak investigation and matched case-control study.

Background: Risk factors for nosocomial COVID-19 outbreaks continue to evolve. The aim of this study was to investigate a multi-ward nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19 between 1st September and 15th November 2020, occurring in a setting without vaccination for any healthcare workers or patients.

Methods: Outbreak report and retrospective, matched case-control study using incidence density sampling in three cardiac wards in an 1100-bed tertiary teaching hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Homeostatic regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activity and axonal K7.3 expression by prolonged blockade of hippocampal neuronal activity.

Homeostatic plasticity encompasses the mechanisms by which neurons stabilize their synaptic strength and excitability in response to prolonged and destabilizing changes in their network activity. Prolonged activity blockade leads to homeostatic scaling of action potential (AP) firing rate in hippocampal neurons in part by decreased activity of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptors and subsequent transcriptional down-regulation of potassium channel genes including which encodes K7.3.

Asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in adults is uncommon using rigorous symptom characterization and follow-up in an acute-care adult hospital outbreak.

Asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been reported as a significant driver of COVID-19 outbreaks. Our hospital ward outbreak analysis suggests that comprehensive symptoms and signs assessment, in combination with adequate follow-up, allows a more precise determination of COVID-19 symptoms. Asymptomatic infection was quite uncommon among adults in this setting.

Digital White Racial Socialization: Social Media and the Case of Whiteness.

The Internet has become a ubiquitous central element in the lives of adolescents. In this conceptual paper, we focus on digital white racial socialization (D-WRS), arguing: (1) for an expanded conceptualization of WRS as doings, and (2) that social media may be changing processes of WRS through an extension of traditional settings and through the creation of unique social contexts. We highlight the uniqueness of social media contexts due to the designed normalization of whiteness, weak-tie racism, social media affordances, and racialized pedagogical zones allowing adolescents to practice doing race.

Gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI: Assessment of arterial phase artifacts and hepatobiliary uptake in a large series.

Purpose: To report the quality of gadoxetate disodium MRI in a large series by assessing the prevalence of: 1) arterial phase (AP) artifacts and its predictive factors, 2) decreased hepatic contrast uptake during the hepatobiliary phase (HBP).

Methods: This retrospective single center study included 851 patients (M/F:537/314, mean age: 63y) with gadoxetate disodium MRI. The MRI protocol included unenhanced, dual arterial [early and late arterial phases (AP)], portal venous, transitional and hepatobiliary phases.

4D flow MRI for the assessment of renal transplant dysfunction: initial results.

Objectives: (1) Determine inter-observer reproducibility and test-retest repeatability of 4D flow parameters in renal allograft vessels; (2) determine if 4D flow measurements in the renal artery (RA) and renal vein (RV) can distinguish between functional and dysfunctional allografts; (3) correlate haemodynamic parameters with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), perfusion measured with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and histopathology.

Methods: Twenty-five prospectively recruited renal transplant patients (stable function/chronic renal allograft dysfunction, 12/13) underwent 4D flow MRI at 1.5 T.

The VSV matrix protein inhibits NF-κB and the interferon response independently in mouse L929 cells.

The matrix (M) protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) plays a key role in immune evasion. While VSV has been thought to suppress the interferon (IFN) response primarily by inhibiting host cell transcription and translation, our recent findings indicate that the M protein also targets NF-κB activation. Therefore, the M protein may utilize two distinct mechanisms to limit expression of antiviral genes, inhibiting both host gene expression and NF-κB activation.

Contrast enhanced ultrasound: A review of radiology applications.

Ultrasound contrast agents have been used for decades in Europe and Asia for cardiac and abdominal imaging and are now being more commonly utilized in the United States for radiology applications. Our article reviews the basics of contrast-enhanced ultrasound including how the contrast agent works, advantages and disadvantages, as well as pearls and pitfalls to help the radiologist efficiently integrate this technology into day-to-day clinical practice. We also discuss the diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions as well as off-label applications such as evaluation of renal masses.

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging shows promising results to assess renal transplant dysfunction with fibrosis.

Here we assessed the diagnostic value of a quantitative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) protocol for evaluation of renal allograft dysfunction with fibrosis. Twenty-seven renal transplant patients, including 15 with stable functional allografts (eGFR mean 71.5 ml/min/1.

SELfies and CELLfies: Whole Genome Sequencing and Annotation of Five Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Isolated from the Surfaces of Smartphones, An Inquiry Based Laboratory Exercise in a Genomics Undergraduate Course at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Are touchscreen devices a public health risk for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria, especially those that are resistant to antibiotics? To investigate this, we embarked on a project aimed at isolating and identifying bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics from the screens of smartphones. Touchscreen devices have become ubiquitous in society, and it is important to evaluate the potential risks they pose towards public health, especially as it pertains to the harboring and transmission of pathogenic bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Sixteen bacteria were initially isolated of which five were unique (four species and one species).

An Interesting Observation Regarding Retrograde Vertebral Artery Flow in Patients With Dialysis Access Fistulas.

Objectives: Retrograde vertebral artery flow, the steal phenomenon, is most frequently caused by a flow-limiting stenosis of the proximal subclavian artery. The reversal of flow can be incomplete, resulting in bidirectional flow: retrograde in systole and antegrade in diastole. Less often, retrograde vertebral artery flow is the consequence of increased subclavian flow, as might occur with a well-functioning dialysis access fistula.

Carotid Ultrasound Examinations: Indications Correlated With Abnormal Findings.

Our purpose was to evaluate the clinical indications for carotid duplex ultrasonography and determine for each indication how often carotid artery disease was identified.We retrospectively reviewed the consecutive reports for 3191 carotid ultrasound examinations. We tracked 14 indications to determine how often examinations were requested for each indication and correlated each indication with the finding of carotid artery disease.

Prolonged seizure activity causes caspase dependent cleavage and dysfunction of G-protein activated inwardly rectifying potassium channels.

Recurrent high-frequency epileptic seizures cause progressive hippocampal sclerosis, which is associated with caspase-3 activation and NMDA receptor-dependent excitotoxicity. However, the identity of caspase-3 substrates that contribute to seizure-induced hippocampal atrophy remains largely unknown. Here, we show that prolonged high-frequency epileptiform discharges in cultured hippocampal neurons leads to caspase-dependent cleavage of GIRK1 and GIRK2, the major subunits of neuronal G protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels that mediate membrane hyperpolarization and synaptic inhibition in the brain.

cAMP-dependent recruitment of acidic organelles for Ca2+ signaling in the salivary gland.

Autonomic neural activation of intracellular Ca release in parotid acinar cells induces the secretion of the fluid and protein components of primary saliva critical for maintaining overall oral homeostasis. In the current study, we profiled the role of acidic organelles in shaping the Ca signals of parotid acini using a variety of imaging and pharmacological approaches. Results demonstrate that zymogen granules predominate as an apically polarized population of acidic organelles that contributes to the initial Ca release.

Radiologist, obstetric patient, and emergency department provider survey: radiologist-patient interaction in the emergency department setting.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of a model of direct interaction between radiologist and patients in the emergency department (ED) setting. The study population was comprised of pregnant patients accrued in a non-consecutive prospective manner from June 2014 to September 2015, who had an obstetrical ultrasound performed in the radiology department of an inner-city tertiary care hospital at the request of the ED. The feasibility and approval of direct communication between radiologist and patient were evaluated by means of a questionnaire presented by an independent observer to the ED provider, patient, and radiologist.

Integration of host strain bioengineering and bioprocess development using ultra-scale down studies to select the optimum combination: an antibody fragment primary recovery case study.

An ultra scale-down primary recovery sequence was established for a platform E. coli Fab production process. It was used to evaluate the process robustness of various bioengineered strains.

Association between linear skull fractures and intracranial hemorrhage in children with minor head trauma.

Background: To determine whether skull fractures can be used to associate intracranial hemorrhage with minor head trauma (MHT).

Objective: We conducted a retrospective study evaluating the association between linear skull fractures and intracranial hemorrhage among children with MHT. Furthermore, we evaluated the significance of small intracranial hemorrhages by assessing the need for neurosurgical interventions.

Production of fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase using operator-repressor titration for plasmid maintenance in high cell density Escherichia coli fermentations.

We report a novel application for the operator-repressor titration (ORT) plasmid maintenance system. The ability of ORT to maintain a plasmid during production of DNA has been demonstrated previously. In this study, we have used the ORT system to maintain a plasmid during high cell density cultivation and expression of a recombinant protein.