RNAi library screening reveals Gβ1, Casein Kinase 2 and ICAP-1 as novel regulators of LFA-1-mediated T cell polarity and migration.

The αβ integrin LFA-1 plays a key role in T-cell adhesion to the endothelial vasculature and migration into both secondary lymphoid organs and peripheral tissues via interactions with its target protein ICAM-1, but the pathways that regulate LFA-1-mediated T-cell polarity and migration are not fully understood. In this study we screened two RNAi libraries targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR)/GPCR-associated proteins and kinases in a HuT 78 T cell line model of LFA-1-stimulated T-cell migration. Based on staining of the actin cytoskeleton, multiple parameters to measure cell morphology were used to assess the contribution of 1109 genes to LFA-1-mediated T-cell polarity and migration.

Evaluation of the quality and self-management related content of websites promoting physical activity engagement after myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery: A scoping review.

Introduction: Uncertainty about safe engagement in activity during early recovery after cardiac events is common. Websites are a potential source of health information, especially for those unable to access follow-up support from health professionals. The variability in online health information quality is concerning as poor web-based information can negatively impact patient health outcomes and the ability to self-manage.

Understanding barriers and facilitators to long-term participation needs in children and young people following acquired brain injuries: a qualitative multi-stakeholder study.

Background This study focused on exploring the longer-term participation needs of children and young people with acquired brain injury (CYP-ABI) and their families in one region of the UK and identifying the barriers and facilitators of their participation and well-being to inform the development of a behavioural change intervention for clinical implementation. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with CYP-ABI and parents. Focus groups were created with health, education, care and charity stakeholders.

A Directed Evolution Protocol for Engineering Minimal Transcription Factors, Based on CIS Display.

Directed evolution is an efficient strategy for obtaining desired biomolecules. Since the 1990s, the emergence of display techniques has enabled high-throughput screening of functional proteins. However, classical methods require library construction by plasmid cloning and are limited by transformation efficiencies, typically limiting library sizes to ~10-10 variants.

Disentangling detrimental sand fly-mite interactions in a closed laboratory sand fly colony: implications for vector-borne disease studies and guidelines for overcoming severe mite infestations.

Background: Vector sand fly colonies are a critical component of studies aimed at improving the understanding of the neglected tropical disease leishmaniasis and alleviating its global impact. However, among laboratory-colonized arthropod vectors of infectious diseases, the labor-intensive nature of sand fly rearing coupled with the low number of colonies worldwide has generally discouraged the widespread use of sand flies in laboratory settings. Among the different factors associated with the low productivity of sand fly colonies, mite infestations are a significant factor.

Engineering Nitrogenases for Synthetic Nitrogen Fixation: From Pathway Engineering to Directed Evolution.

Globally, agriculture depends on industrial nitrogen fertilizer to improve crop growth. Fertilizer production consumes fossil fuels and contributes to environmental nitrogen pollution. A potential solution would be to harness nitrogenases-enzymes capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen N to NH in ambient conditions.

Developing a Direct Observation Measure of Therapeutic Connection in Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy: A Feasibility Study.

Measuring therapeutic connection during psilocybin-assisted therapy is essential to understand underlying mechanisms, inform training, and guide quality improvement. To evaluate the feasibility of directly observing indicators of therapeutic connection during psilocybin administration encounters. We evaluated audio and video data from a recent clinical trial for observable expressions of therapeutic connection as defined in proposed best-practice competencies (i.

BeatPain Utah: study protocol for a pragmatic randomised trial examining telehealth strategies to provide non-pharmacologic pain care for persons with chronic low back pain receiving care in federally qualified health centers.

Introduction: Although evidence-based guidelines recommend non-pharmacologic treatments as first-line care for chronic low back pain (LBP), uptake has been limited, particularly in rural, low-income and ethnically diverse communities. The BeatPain study will evaluate the implementation and compare the effectiveness of two strategies to provide non-pharmacologic treatment for chronic LBP. The study will use telehealth to overcome access barriers for persons receiving care in federally qualified health centres (FQHCs) in the state of Utah.

Outcomes for children with acquired brain injury (ABI) admitted to acute neurorehabilitation.

Aim: To evaluate an innovative paediatric neurorehabilitation model in relation to improving quality of neurorehabilitation and reducing length of stay (LOS) for children with acquired brain injury.

Method: A process evaluation approach was conducted in line with Medical Research Council evaluation of complex interventions guidance. Analysis was conducted on routinely collected patient data from 2017 to 2018, including LOS and family feedback.

The Effect of Methylmalonic Acid Treatment on Human Neuronal Cell Coenzyme Q Status and Mitochondrial Function.

Methylmalonic acidemia is an inborn metabolic disease of propionate catabolism, biochemically characterized by accumulation of methylmalonic acid (MMA) to millimolar concentrations in tissues and body fluids. However, MMA's role in the pathophysiology of the disorder and its status as a "toxic intermediate" is unclear, despite evidence for its ability to compromise antioxidant defenses and induce mitochondrial dysfunction. Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a prominent electron carrier in the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) and a lipid-soluble antioxidant which has been reported to be deficient in patient-derived fibroblasts and renal tissue from an animal model of the disease.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation discussions with patients admitted to acute oncology wards: A national audit of current practice.

Objectives: To map current practice regarding discussions around resuscitation across England and Scotland in patients with cancer admitted acutely to hospital and to demonstrate the value of medical students in rapidly collecting national audit data.

Methods: Collaborators from the Macmillan medical student network collected data from 251 patient encounters across eight hospitals in England and Scotland. Data were collected to identify whether discussion regarding resuscitation was documented as having taken place during inpatient admission to acute oncology.

Do bipolar disorder soft signs impact outcomes following Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy for depression?

Background: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is not currently FDA approved for depressed patients with bipolar disorder (BD), but many unipolar depressed patients presenting for TMS have soft signs of bipolarity. It is not known whether or not these soft signs portend differential outcomes.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between BD soft signs and TMS treatment outcomes in a naturalistic treatment setting.

Early discharge and rehabilitation in paediatric acquired brain and neurological injury: a transferable model.

Children and young people who require rehabilitation following sustaining an acquired brain injury often experience long lengths of stay (LOS) and potentially poorer recovery outcomes due to limited access to therapy and little proactive discharge planning. After stakeholder enquiry we launched a new team and pathway with a primary aim to reduce LOS. The secondary aims were to pilot an outreach model, reduce cost and improve patient and family satisfaction.

Novel Bilateral Extracavitary Approach for Thoracolumbar Decompression.

Background: Bilateral extracavitary approach (BECA) is an option for decompression cases that require a more extended ventral approach. The clear advantage is increased accessibility to the most ventral aspects of the spine from a bilateral perspective.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of thoracic and thoracolumbar decompression and/or reconstruction from BECA.

Alu Insertion Polymorphisms as Evidence for Population Structure in Baboons.

Male dispersal from the natal group at or near maturity is a feature of most baboon (Papio) species. It potentially has profound effects upon population structure and evolutionary processes, but dispersal, especially for unusually long distances, is not readily documented by direct field observation. In this pilot study, we investigate the possibility of retrieving baboon population structure in yellow (Papio cynocephalus) and kinda (Papio kindae) baboons from the distribution of variation in a genome-wide set of 494 Alu insertion polymorphisms, made available via the recently completed Baboon Genome Analysis Consortium.

Papio Baboon Species Indicative Alu Elements.

The genus of Papio (baboon) has six recognized species separated into Northern and Southern clades, each comprised of three species distributed across the African continent. Geographic origin and phenotypic variants such as coat color and body size have commonly been used to identify different species. The existence of multiple hybrid zones, both ancient and current, have complicated efforts to characterize the phylogeny of Papio baboons.

Evaluation of Prognostic Factors for Early Mortality After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases: a Single Institutional Retrospective Review.

Background: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is used commonly for patients with brain metastases (BM) to improve intracranial disease control. However, survival of these patients is often dictated by their systemic disease course. The value of SRS becomes less clear in patients with anticipated short survival.

Central Sensitization Inventory as a Predictor of Worse Quality of Life Measures and Increased Length of Stay Following Spinal Fusion.

Background: Central sensitization is abnormal and intense enhancement of pain mechanism by the central nervous system. Patients with central sensitization may be at higher risk of poor outcomes after spinal fusion. The Central Sensitivity Inventory (CSI) was developed to identify and quantify key symptoms related to central sensitization.

The Prognostic Role of Tumor Volume in the Outcome of Patients with Single Brain Metastasis After Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Background: Patients with single brain metastasis (SBM) have better outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). We analyzed our SRS database to evaluate possible prognostic factors in patients with SBM.

Methods: A total of 584 patients with SBM were treated with SRS at our institution (2000-2012).

Rapid and complete radiological resolution of an intradural cervical cord lung cancer metastasis treated with spinal stereotactic radiosurgery: case report.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged as a treatment option for patients with spinal metastatic disease. Although SRS has been shown to be successful in a multitude of extradural metastatic tumors causing cord compression, very few cases of intradural treatment have been reported. The authors present a rare case of an intradural extramedullary metastatic small cell lung cancer lesion to the cervical spine resulting in cord compression in an area that had also been extensively pretreated with conventional external-beam radiation therapy.

Cortical herniation through compressive subdural membrane in an infant with a history of a large bihemispheric subdural hematoma and subdural-peritoneal shunt: case report.

Cortical herniation through subdural membrane formation is a rare complication of chronic subdural fluid collections and may occur following subdural shunting. The authors present a unique case of progressive cortical herniation through a compressive subdural membrane that occurred concomitant with a functioning subdural-peritoneal shunt.

Can an early diagnostic procedure of metformin-associated lactic acidosis in an emergency unit reduce mortality?

Objective: Metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) is a rare but serious adverse reaction with a mortality rate of up to 50%. Unfortunately, diagnosis and care management are often delayed. The objective was to assess the impact on the mortality rate and length of hospital stay of a MALA early diagnosis procedure in diabetic patients with metformin at emergency department (ED) admission.

Delayed presentation of an arteriovenous malformation after cerebellar hemangioblastoma resection-Case report.

Introduction: Haemangioblastoma has been uncommonly reported to occur in coexistence either temporally or spatially with the development of an arteriovenous malformations (AVM). We present a case of a delayed AVM following haemangioblastoma resection.

Presentation Of Case: 44 year old female initially presented with a several week history of headaches, vertigo and nausea and emesis and was found to have a cystic lesion with a solid enhancing component on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the superior aspect of the vermis.