The impact of a training intervention on knowledge, confidence and attitudes of professionals in a Community Acquired Brain Injury Service about assistive technology for cognition: a before and after survey.

Assistive Technology for Cognition (ATC) can help people to compensate for cognitive impairments following Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Examples include mainstream devices such as smartphones, watches and environmental controls, and bespoke devices such as medication devices or specific educational software. Evidence suggests that professional support is key to people successfully adopting ATC, yet low confidence amongst clinicians and perceptions about barriers are often cited as reasons for not recommending ATC in practice.

Implementing flowDensity for Automated Analysis of Bone Marrow Lymphocyte Population.

Introduction: Manual gating of flow cytometry (FCM) data for marrow cell analysis is a standard approach in current practice, although it is time- and labor-consuming. Recent advances in cytometry technology have led to significant efforts in developing partially or fully automated analysis methods. Although multiple supervised and unsupervised FCM data analysis algorithms have been developed, they have not been widely adopted by the clinical and research laboratories.

Molecular Architecture of Early Dissemination and Massive Second Wave of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in a Major Metropolitan Area.

We sequenced the genomes of 5,085 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains causing two coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease waves in metropolitan Houston, TX, an ethnically diverse region with 7 million residents. The genomes were from viruses recovered in the earliest recognized phase of the pandemic in Houston and from viruses recovered in an ongoing massive second wave of infections. The virus was originally introduced into Houston many times independently.

Molecular Architecture of Early Dissemination and Massive Second Wave of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in a Major Metropolitan Area.

We sequenced the genomes of 5,085 SARS-CoV-2 strains causing two COVID-19 disease waves in metropolitan Houston, Texas, an ethnically diverse region with seven million residents. The genomes were from viruses recovered in the earliest recognized phase of the pandemic in Houston, and an ongoing massive second wave of infections. The virus was originally introduced into Houston many times independently.

Pathology Trainee Redeployment and Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Institutional Experience.

Pathology training programs throughout the United States have endured unprecedented challenges dealing with the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. At Houston Methodist Hospital, the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine planned and executed a trainee-oriented, stepwise emergency response. The focus was on optimizing workflows among areas of both clinical and anatomic pathology, maintaining an excellent educational experience, and minimizing trainee exposure to coronavirus disease 2019.

IGF-1R/mTOR Targeted Therapy for Ewing Sarcoma: A Meta-Analysis of Five IGF-1R-Related Trials Matched to Proteomic and Radiologic Predictive Biomarkers.

: Ten to fourteen percent of Ewing sarcoma (ES) study participants treated nationwide with IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R)-targeted antibodies achieved tumor regression. Despite this success, low response rates and short response durations (approximately 7-weeks) have slowed the development of this therapy. : We performed a meta-analysis of five phase-1b/2 ES-oriented trials that evaluated the anticancer activity of IGF-1R antibodies +/- mTOR inhibitors (mTORi).

First-in-Man Phase I Trial of the Selective MET Inhibitor Tepotinib in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors.

Purpose: Tepotinib is an oral, potent, highly selective MET inhibitor. This first-in-man phase I trial investigated the MTD of tepotinib to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D).

Patients And Methods: Patients received tepotinib orally according to one of three dose escalation regimens (R) on a 21-day cycle: R1, 30-400 mg once daily for 14 days; R2, 30-315 mg once daily 3 times/week; or R3, 300-1,400 mg once daily.

Dual inhibition of IGF-IR and ALK as an effective strategy to eradicate NPM-ALK T-cell lymphoma.

Background: Nucleophosmin-anaplastic lymphoma kinase-expressing (NPM-ALK) T cell lymphoma is an aggressive neoplasm. NPM-ALK, an oncogenic tyrosine kinase, plays a critical role in this lymphoma. Recently, selective ALK inhibitors have emerged as a first-line therapy for this neoplasm.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Association with Inflammatory Markers, Lipid Profile and Regulatory T-cells in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Patients.

We investigated vitamin D deficiency in pediatric sickle cell disease patients and its association with selected bone, lipid and inflammatory parameters. The study included 64 patients (33 SS and 31 SB) and 21 carriers (AS). Blood was obtained to assess levels of vitamin D, WBC, CRP, Ca, P, ALP, PTH, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, HDL, IL-2, IL-12, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and regulatory T cells.

Determination of NF-κB and RANKL levels in peripheral blood osteoclast precursor cells in chronic kidney disease patients.

Purpose: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition characterized by irreversible loss of functional nephron mass due to variety of causes; an inevitable complication of CKD is metabolic bone disease, and this pathology is called as renal osteodystrophy (ROD). In this study, we aimed to determine the levels of serum sRANKL and intracellular NF-κB levels in peripheral blood osteoclast precursor cells in patients with stage 3 CKD.

Materials And Methods: Forty-one male patients aged 35-60 with CKD identified as stage 3 according to GFR calculated on the basis of creatinine values and 27 healthy male subjects with age ranging from 40 to 60 as control group were included in this study.

Seasonal variation of asthma control, lung function tests and allergic inflammation in relation to vitamin D levels: a prospective annual study.

Introduction: There are scarce data about the role of vitamin D (vitD) in asthma control related to seasons and other confounders.

Aim: To investigate the seasonal relationship between vitD levels and asthma control, lung function tests (LFTs) and cytokines during a 1-year period, among 7-17-year-old asthmatic children.

Material And Methods: Thirty patients with asthma with house dust mite monosensitization were evaluated 3 monthly about the previous month's health and vitD related lifestyle factors and asthma control test (ACT), spirometry and bronchial provocation test for a year.

Validation of a Preclinical Model of Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatic Neoplasia in Yucatan Miniature Pigs.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to reduce the time to tumor onset in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) swine model via partial liver embolization (PLE) and to characterize the model for use in translational research.

Methods: Eight Yucatan miniature pigs were injected intraperitoneally with either saline (n = 2) or DEN (n = 6) solution weekly for 12 weeks. Three of the DEN-treated pigs underwent PLE.

The effects of selective head cooling versus whole-body cooling on some neural and inflammatory biomarkers: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) has become standard care in newborns with moderate to severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and the 2 most commonly used methods are selective head cooling (SHC) and whole body cooling (WBC). This study aimed to determine if the effects of the 2 methods on some neural and inflammatory biomarkers differ.

Materials And Methods: This prospective randomized pilot study included newborns delivered after >36 weeks of gestation.

Comparison of serum vitamin D level in multiple sclerosis patients, their siblings, and healthy controls.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, neuro-inflammatory disease of central nervous system affecting physical, emotional, and cognitive aspects of patients. Association of vitamin D deficiency and MS has been shown in previous studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum vitamin D level in MS cases and their sex-matched healthy siblings (who are genetically near similar) and non-relative sex-matched healthy controls.

Diagnostic evaluation and risk factors for drug allergies in children: from clinical history to skin and challenge tests.

Background: Parent or self-reported drug allergy claims frequently overestimate the real incidence of hypersensitivity reactions. A detailed and algorithmic diagnostic evaluation of drug reactions may allow a proper diagnosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the confirmation rates and risk factors for confirmed allergic drug reactions in children.

The congruence between matrilineal genetic (mtDNA) and geographic diversity of Iranians and the territorial populations.

Objectives: From the ancient era, emergence of Agriculture in the connecting region of Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau at the foothills of the Zagros Mountains, made Iranian gene pool as an important source of populating the region. It has differentiated the population spread and different language groups. In order to trace the maternal genetic affinity between Iranians and other populations of the area and to establish the place of Iranians in a broad framework of ethnically and linguistically diverse groups of Middle Eastern and South Asian populations, a comparative study of territorial groups was designed and used in the population statistical analysis.

Type I insulin-like growth factor as a liver reserve assessment tool in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) encompass a wide range of illnesses, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and viral hepatitis. Deterioration of liver capacity, with subsequent progression into cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ultimately leads to a further decrease in the hepatic reserve. The Child-Turcotte-Pugh scoring system is the standard tool for assessing underlying liver reserve capacity in routine practice and in clinical trials of CLD and HCC.

Does lipoic acid consumption affect the cytokine profile in multiple sclerosis patients: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Background: A limited amount of data exists regarding the effect of lipoic acid (LA), an oral antioxidant supplement, on cytokine profiles among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Objective: We aimed to assess the effect of daily consumption of LA on the cytokine profiles in MS patients.

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, 52 relapsing-remitting MS patients with an age range of 18-50 years were recruited into 2 groups: LA consumption (1,200 mg/day) or placebo.

Production of Recombinant Alpha Neurotoxin of Scorpion Venom Mesobuthus eupeus and Analysis of its Immunogenicity.

Background: Scorpion venom is important and rich source of peptides, most of which have been widely used as pharmacological tools for unraveling structure-function relationship of various ion channels. Naturally occurring toxins can be also considered as lead compounds in the development of novel drugs.

Objectives: In this context, the scorpion-derived peptide neurotoxins specific to sodium channels have shown promise as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of various human diseases.

Safety of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration for postrehabilitated motor complete spinal cord injury patients: an open-label, phase I study.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a major growth factor in the activation and differentiation of granulocytes. This cytokine has been widely and safely employed in different conditions over many years. In this translational study, G-CSF is administered to 19 patients with chronic motor complete spinal cord injury, and outcomes are reported.

Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: relationship with disease duration, physical disability, disease pattern, age and sex.

To evaluate the relationship between disease duration, disability, disease pattern, age and sex with fatigue in MS patients. One hundred and seventy-three clinically definite MS patients and 87 age-matched healthy controls enrolled in this cross sectional study. Demographic data (sex, age), duration of the disease and disease pattern extracted from patient's files and Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were recorded for each patient by an expert neurologist.

Effect of lipoic acid consumption on oxidative stress among multiple sclerosis patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objectives: Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative and demyelinating disease of central nervous system. High levels of oxidative stress are associated with inflammation and play an important role in pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. This double-blind, randomized controlled clinical study was carried out to determine the effect of daily consumption of lipoic acid on oxidative stress among multiple sclerosis patients.