The role of FREM2 and FRAS1 in the development of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has been reported twice in individuals with a clinical diagnosis of Fraser syndrome, a genetic disorder that can be caused by recessive mutations affecting FREM2 and FRAS1. In the extracellular matrix, FREM2 and FRAS1 form a self-stabilizing complex with FREM1, a protein whose deficiency causes sac CDH in humans and mice. By sequencing FREM2 and FRAS1 in a CDH cohort, and searching online databases, we identified five individuals who carried recessive or double heterozygous, putatively deleterious variants in these genes which may represent susceptibility alleles.

Effect of pre-operative methylprednisolone on orthostatic hypotension during early mobilization after total hip arthroplasty.

Background: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) and intolerance (OI) are common after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and may delay early mobilization. The pathology of OH and OI includes a dysregulated post-operative vasopressor response, by a hitherto unknown mechanism. We hypothesized that OI could be related to the inflammatory stress response which is inhibited by steroid administration.

Impact of oophorectomy and hormone suppression in low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma: A multicenter review.

Objectives: Low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS) is a rare cancer with an indolent course. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of adjuvant hormonal suppression (HT) with or without oophorectomy (BSO) in prolonging progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with LG-ESS.

Methods: We performed a multi-institutional retrospective review of patients treated for low grade LG-ESS from 1985 to 2014.

The safety and feasibility of minimally invasive sentinel lymph node staging using indocyanine green in the management of endometrial cancer.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report on the feasibility of laparoscopic sentinel lymph node (SLN) staging using indocyanine green (ICG) in the management of endometrial cancer.

Study Design: We retrospectively evaluated the charts of presumed, clinical stage I endometrial cancer patients who underwent robotic-assisted surgery that incorporated mapping with ICG and SLN dissection from January 2016 until February 2017. Patient demographics, operative characteristics (e.

Closed-incision negative pressure therapy to reduce groin wound infections in vascular surgery: a randomised controlled trial.

Groin wound infections pose a major problem in vascular surgery. Closed-incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) was especially designed for the management of incisions at risk of surgical site infections. The aim of this study was to investigate whether ciNPT is able to reduce the incidence of wound infections after vascular surgery.

Sex comparisons of non-local muscle fatigue in human elbow flexors and knee extensors.

Objectives: To examine non-local muscle fatigue (NLMF) in both contralateral homologous and non-related heterogonous muscles for both sexes.

Methods: Ten men and nine women participated in this study. After the familiarization visit, subjects completed four separate randomly sequenced experimental visits, during which the fatiguing interventions (six sets of 30-second maximal isometric contractions) were performed on either their right elbow flexors or knee extensors.

Mechanomyographic responses for the biceps brachii are associated with failure times during isometric force tasks.

In order to characterize the physiological adjustments within the neuromuscular system that contribute to task failure, this study examined the surface mechanomyographic (MMG) response during maximal and submaximal isometric force tasks of the elbow flexors sustained to failure. The time and frequency components of the MMG signal have shown to be influenced by motor unit activation patterns as well as tetanus. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the rate of change for the MMG response would associate with failure times and would be reduced to a similar degree between the two tasks.

Foam property tests to evaluate the potential for longwall shield dust control.

Tests were conducted to determine properties of four foam agents for their potential use in longwall mining dust control. Foam has been tried in underground mining in the past for dust control and is currently being reconsidered for use in underground coal longwall operations in order to help those operations comply with the Mine Safety and Health Administration's lower coal mine respirable dust standard of 1.5 mg/m.

Whole blood microRNAs as potential biomarkers in post-operative early breast cancer patients.

Background: microRNAs (miRNAs) are considered promising cancer biomarkers, showing high reliability, sensitivity and stability. Our study aimed to identify associations between whole blood miRNA profiles, presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and clinical outcome in post-operative early breast cancer patients (EBC) to assess the utility of miRNAs as prognostic markers in this setting.

Method: A total of 48 post-operative patients, recruited in frame of the SUCCESS A trial, were included in this retrospective study and tested with a panel of 8 miRNAs (miR-10b, -19a, - 21, - 22, -20a, - 127, - 155, -200b).

First-line ribociclib plus letrozole in postmenopausal women with HR+ , HER2- advanced breast cancer: Tumor response and pain reduction in the phase 3 MONALEESA-2 trial.

Purpose: The phase 3 MONALEESA-2 study demonstrated that addition of ribociclib (RIB) to letrozole (LET) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients (pts) with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC). Here, we evaluated duration of response (DoR), tumor shrinkage, PFS by treatment-free interval (TFI), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: Postmenopausal women (N = 668) with HR+ , HER2- ABC and no prior systemic therapy for ABC were randomized to RIB (600 mg/day; 3 weeks on/1 week off) plus LET (2.

Disrupted brain network topology in chronic insomnia disorder: A resting-state fMRI study.

This study investigated the topological characteristics of brain functional networks in chronic insomnia disorder (CID) patients. The resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and graph theory analysis method were applied to investigate the brain functional connectome patterns among 45 CID patients and 32 healthy controls. The brain functional connectome was constructed by thresholding partial correlation matrices of 90 brain regions from an automated anatomical labeling atlas.

CFD gas distribution analysis for different continuous-miner scrubber redirection configurations.

The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)'s Pittsburgh Mining Research Division (PMRD) recently developed a series of models using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to study gas distribution around a continuous mining machine with various fan-powered flooded bed scrubber discharge configurations in an exhaust curtain working face.

Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC Uptake in Cervical, Celiac, and Sacral Ganglia as an Important Pitfall in Prostate Cancer PET Imaging.

The study aims to investigate the presence of physiologic prostate-specific membrane antigen (Ga-PSMA)-ligand uptake on PET in cervical, celiac, and sacral ganglia of the sympathetic trunk as a pitfall for lymph node metastases in prostate cancer imaging. Four hundred seven patients who underwent Glu-NH-CO-NH-Lys radiolabeled with Ga-gallium -bis[2-hydroxy-5-(carboxyethyl)benzyl]ethylenediamine--diacetic acid (Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC) PET (combined with a diagnostic CT) were retrospectively analyzed. The number of Ga-PSMA PET-positive cervical, celiac, and sacral ganglia was determined, and the configuration and SUV of each ganglion were measured.

Robotic, Laparoscopic, or Open Hysterectomy: Surgical Outcomes by Approach in Endometrial Cancer.

Study Objectives: To compare patient outcomes by surgical approach in the management of endometrial cancer (EC) in Washington State from 2008 to 2013.

Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: Washington State.

Open-air sprays for capturing and controlling airborne float coal dust on longwall faces.

Float dust deposits in coal mine return airways pose a risk in the event of a methane ignition. Controlling airborne dust prior to deposition in the return would make current rock dusting practices more effective and reduce the risk of coal-dust-fueled explosions. The goal of this U.

Adaptations in antagonist co-activation: Role in the repeated-bout effect.

Unlabelled: Eccentric exercise results in an adaptation which attenuates muscle damage from subsequent exercise-termed the "repeated-bout effect (RBE)."

Purpose: Study examined antagonist co-activation and motor-unit recruitment strategy, assessed via dEMG, concomitant to the RBE.

Methods: Nine participants performed 5 sub-maximal isometric trapezoid (ramp-up, hold, ramp-down) contractions at force levels corresponding to 50% and 80% of maximal isometric strength (MVC).

Measuring Self-Soothing Ability in Patients with Childhood Trauma - Psychometric Evaluation of the Self-Soothing Scale in a Clinical Sample.

Objectives: The regulation of strong emotions is an essential skill for traumatized patients. The present instrument was developed for the measurement of the self-soothing ability in traumatized patients.

Methods: The psychometric properties of the SBS were investigated in a clinical sample of patients with childhood trauma (N = 143).

Comparison of the CAS-POL and IOM samplers for determining the knockdown efficiencies of water sprays on float coal dust.

Float coal dust, generated by mining operations, is distributed throughout mine airways by ventilating air designed to purge gases and respirable dust. Float coal dust poses an explosion hazard in the event of a methane ignition. Current regulation requires the application of inert rock dust in areas subjected to float coal dust in order to mitigate the hazard.

Structure and polarization near the Li ion in ethylene and propylene carbonates.

Research on fundamental interactions in Li-ion batteries is accelerating due to the importance of developing batteries with enhanced energy and power densities while maintaining safety. Improving electrode materials and controlling the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase during the first battery charge have been the main focus areas for research. Ion-solvent interactions in the electrolyte are also of great importance in tuning solvation and transport properties, however.

Free-Standing Metal Oxide Nanoparticle Superlattices Constructed with Engineered Protein Containers Show in Crystallo Catalytic Activity.

The construction of defined nanostructured catalysts is challenging. In previous work, we established a strategy to assemble binary nanoparticle superlattices with oppositely charged protein containers as building blocks. Here, we show that these free-standing nanoparticle superlattices are catalytically active.

Surgical and oncologic outcomes after robotic radical hysterectomy as compared to open radical hysterectomy in the treatment of early cervical cancer.

Objective: The use of robotic radical hysterectomy has greatly increased in the treatment of early stage cervical cancer. We sought to compare surgical and oncologic outcomes of women undergoing robotic radical hysterectomy compared to open radical hysterectomy.

Methods: The clinic-pathologic, treatment, and recurrence data were abstracted through an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol at 2 separate large tertiary care centers in Seattle, Swedish Medical Center and the University of Washington.

Characterization of airborne float coal dust emitted during continuous mining, longwall mining and belt transport.

Float coal dust is produced by various mining methods, carried by ventilating air and deposited on the floor, roof and ribs of mine airways. If deposited, float dust is re-entrained during a methane explosion. Without sufficient inert rock dust quantities, this float coal dust can propagate an explosion throughout mining entries.

The conversion of exposures due to radon into the effective dose: the epidemiological approach.

The risks and dose conversion coefficients for residential and occupational exposures due to radon were determined with applying the epidemiological risk models to ICRP representative populations. The dose conversion coefficient for residential radon was estimated with a value of 1.6 mSv year per 100 Bq m (3.

Cognitive Aging in Black and White Americans: Cognition, Cognitive Decline, and Incidence of Alzheimer Disease Dementia.

Background: US-based studies have reported that older blacks perform worse than older whites on cognitive tests and have higher risk of Alzheimer disease dementia (AD). It is unclear whether these findings reflect differences in cognitive decline.

Methods: The Chicago Health and Aging Project followed individuals, 65+ years old (64% black, 36% white), for up to 18 years.