Sharing clinical trial data can provide value to research participants and communities by accelerating the development of new knowledge and therapies as investigators merge data sets to conduct new analyses, reproduce published findings to raise standards for original research, and learn from the work of others to generate new research questions. Nonprofit funders, including disease advocacy and patient-focused organizations, play a pivotal role in the promotion and implementation of data sharing policies. Funders are uniquely positioned to promote and support a culture of data sharing by serving as trusted liaisons between potential research participants and investigators who wish to access these participants' networks for clinical trial recruitment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEpilepsy is the most common neurological disease worldwide and a frequent cause of neurological morbidity. However, with advanced imaging techniques, accurate determination of epilepsy etiology is possible and can help optimize effective management of the disease. Magnetic resonance imaging plays an integral role in epilepsy diagnosis and treatment, including first-onset seizure workup, chronic epilepsy assessment, presurgical evaluation, magnetic resonance-guided laser-induced thermal therapy, and postoperative monitoring.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVertebral osteomyelitis is a rare but serious infectious disease that causes inflammation and destruction of the spinal vertebrae. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to avoid adverse outcomes. This article reviews risk factors for vertebral osteomyelitis, disease mechanisms, signs and symptoms, and diagnostic criteria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Claudin-4, a tight junction (TJ) protein and receptor for the C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (C-CPE), is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Previous research suggests DNA methylation is a mechanism for claudin-4 overexpression in cancer and that C-CPE acts as an absorption-enhancing agent in claudin-4-expressing cells. We sought to correlate claudin-4 overexpression in EOC with clinical outcomes and TJ barrier function, investigate DNA methylation as a mechanism for overexpression, and evaluate the effect of C-CPE on the TJ.
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