Movement-related increases in subthalamic activity optimize locomotion.

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is traditionally thought to restrict movement. Lesion or prolonged STN inhibition increases movement vigor and propensity, while optogenetic excitation has opposing effects. However, STN neurons often exhibit movement-related increases in firing.

Seeking American Society of Clinical Oncology-Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (ASCO-QOPI) certification in a northern New England rural health system and cancer care network.

In 2006 following several years of preliminary study, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) launched the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI). This cancer-focused quality initiative evolved considerably over the next decade-and-a-half and is expanding globally. QOPI is undoubtedly the leading standard-bearer for quality cancer care and contemporary medical oncology practice.

Implementing the information system for older adult patients post-discharge self-management: a qualitative study.

Background: Discharging older adult patients from the hospital poses risks due to their vulnerable conditions, complex instructions and limited health literacy. Insufficient information about medication side effects adds to patient concerns. To address this, a post-discharge information summary system was developed.

Movement-related increases in subthalamic activity optimize locomotion.

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is traditionally thought to restrict movement. Lesion or prolonged STN inhibition increases movement vigor and propensity, while ontogenetic excitation typically has opposing effects. Subthalamic and motor activity are also inversely correlated in movement disorders.

The role of multiple sclerosis subtype in microvascular decompression outcomes for patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

Objectives: While patients with concomitant trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are understood to experience a more intractable pain phenotype, whether TN pain outcomes differ by the presenting MS subtype is not well characterized. This study's objective is to compare post-operative pain and numbness outcomes following microvascular decompression (MVD) in TN patients with either relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) or progressive MS.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all TN patients who underwent MVDs at our institution from 2007 to 2020.

Prevalence, Severity, and Predictors of Insomnia in Advanced Colorectal Cancer.

Context: Insomnia is an under-recognized and undertreated symptom in palliative care and advanced cancer cohorts. Insomnia in an advanced colorectal cancer cohort is yet to be investigated despite colorectal cancer being the third commonest cancer worldwide and one with a high symptom burden.

Objectives: To examine the prevalence of insomnia and its associations in a large advanced colorectal cancer cohort.

Short-term Western-style diet negatively impacts reproductive outcomes in primates.

A maternal Western-style diet (WSD) is associated with poor reproductive outcomes, but whether this is from the diet itself or underlying metabolic dysfunction is unknown. Here, we performed a longitudinal study using regularly cycling female rhesus macaques (n = 10) that underwent 2 consecutive in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, one while consuming a low-fat diet and another 6-8 months after consuming a high-fat WSD. Metabolic data were collected from the females prior to each IVF cycle.

Severe infections remain common in a real-world rheumatoid arthritis cohort: A simple clinical model to predict infection risk.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of severe infections in patients of a dedicated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinic, identify the associated risk factors, and derive an infection risk screening tool.

Methods: Between January and July 2019, 263 eligible patients with a diagnosis of RA were recruited retrospectively and consecutively from an RA clinic of an Australian tertiary hospital. The primary outcome was severe infection (requiring hospital admission) between January 2018 and July 2019.

Who is afraid of biosimilars? Openness to biosimilars in an Australian cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Biosimilars are increasingly adopted to improve affordability of biologics. An effective introduction of biosimilars requires an understanding of patient acceptance of these agents. We performed a cross-sectional study of 132 patients with rheumatoid arthritis prior to the introduction of biosimilar switching or prescribing in this cohort.

Improving Heart Failure Outcomes in Ambulatory and Community Care: A Scoping Study.

Despite a large body of literature testing interventions to improve heart failure care, care is often suboptimal. This scoping study assesses organizational interventions to improve heart failure outcomes in ambulatory settings. Fifty-two studies and systematic reviews assessing multicomponent, self-management support, and eHealth interventions were included.

Serotonin syndrome following methylene blue administration during cardiothoracic surgery.

Introduction: Despite its favorable safety profile, there have been reports of methylene blue-induced encephalopathy and serotonin syndrome in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy. We report a case of serotonin syndrome following methylene blue administration in a cardiothoracic surgery patient.

Case Report: A 59-year-old woman taking preoperative venlafaxine and trazodone was given a single dose of 2 mg/kg methylene blue (167 mg) during a planned coronary artery bypass and mitral valve repair.

Active video gaming in patients with renal transplant: a pilot study.

Background: Patients with renal transplant are at higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population. Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of CVD mortality in these patients. Unfortunately, barriers such as the harsh Canadian climate prevent patients from engaging in and harvesting the health benefits of physical activity.

Docetaxel-associated palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia: a case report and review of the literature.

Docetaxel-associated palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia is rarely reported in literature, particularly when used in the treatment of sarcomas. Here, we report a case of docetaxel-related palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia in a 28-year-old male with recurrent Ewing sarcoma. Although palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia has been seen in the literature for 30 years, there has still been little progress in understanding and appropriately addressing this adverse effect.

Epithelial healing and visual outcomes of patients using omega-3 oral nutritional supplements before and after photorefractive keratectomy: a pilot study.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of omega-3 oral nutritional supplementation on corneal reepithelialization, visual acuity, and tear stability after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Methods: This is a prospective, randomized, single-blinded controlled therapeutic trial using omega-3 oral nutritional supplements (TheraTears Nutrition for Dry Eyes; Advanced Vision Research-Akorn, Ann Arbor, MI) conducted at our center. Eighteen healthy patients with refractive error between -1 and -8 diopters were recruited and had bilateral PRK.

Fully distributed fiber-optic temperature sensing using acoustically-induced rocking grating.

A highly sensitive fully distributed fiber-optic temperature sensing technique is proposed and demonstrated based on a transient and traveling rocking grating. The rocking grating is generated by pulsed acoustic torsional waves propagating along the fiber. The measured temperature sensitivity is 1000 ppm/°C and is experimentally demonstrated mainly due to the temperature dependence of the fiber birefringence.

Liposome-encapsulated curcumin suppresses growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in xenografts through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappaB by an AKT-independent pathway.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a liposomal formulation of curcumin would suppress the growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines CAL27 and UM-SCC1 in vitro and in vivo.

Experimental Design: HNSCC cell lines were treated with liposomal curcumin at different doses and assayed for in vitro growth suppression using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. A reporter gene assay was done on cell lines to study the effect of liposomal curcumin on nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) activation.

Neurophysiological actions of methylphenidate in the primary somatosensory cortex.

As a catecholamine reuptake blocker, methylphenidate (MPH) enhances noradrenergic transmission and is likely to influence norepinephrine actions in sensory systems. To characterize neurophysiological actions of MPH in the primary somatosensory (SI) cortex, we recorded basal and whisker deflection-evoked discharge of infragranular sensory cortical neurons, before and after intraperitoneal administrations of saline and MPH (5 mg/kg) in halothane-anesthetized rats. MPH had two types of actions on sensory-evoked neuronal responses in the SI cortex, depending on the initial amplitude of the sensory response.