The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burn Clinic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to anxiety and fears for the general public. It is unclear how the behavior of people with acute burns and the services available to them has changed during the pandemic. The aim of our observational study was to evaluate our clinic's experience with patients presenting with burns during the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and determine if delays in presentation and healthcare delivery exist within our burn population.

Safety, Feasibility, and Merits of Longitudinal Molecular Testing of Multiple Metastatic Sites to Inform mTNBC Patient Treatment in the Intensive Trial of Omics in Cancer.

Purpose: Patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) have poor outcomes. The Intensive Trial of Omics in Cancer (ITOMIC) sought to determine the feasibility and potential efficacy of informing treatment decisions through multiple biopsies of mTNBC deposits longitudinally over time, accompanied by analysis using a distributed network of experts.

Methods: Thirty-one subjects were enrolled and 432 postenrollment biopsies performed (clinical and study-directed) of which 332 were study-directed.

Antithrombin III infusion improves anticoagulation in congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Purpose: Achieving effective anticoagulation during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) without increasing the risk of hemorrhage remains challenging. The use of antithrombin III (AT-III) for this purpose has been examined, but studies have been limited to intermittent bolus dosing. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an institutionally developed AT-III continuous infusion protocol in neonates receiving ECMO for the treatment of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

What Happens After a Positive Screen for Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Outpatient Burn Clinic?

Multiple reports have demonstrated a wide prevalence of both depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within 1 year of burn injury. The purpose of this study is to determine outcomes of burn patients after a positive outpatient screen for depression or PTSD at an American Burn Association-verified burn center. All patients who screened positive were offered referral for psychologic and/or psychiatric counseling.

How does blood loss relate to the extent of surgical wound excision?

Purpose: We investigated a novel system that uses image-processing algorithms to accurately measure the hemoglobin content of discarded surgical sponges to determine how blood loss relates to the excised area when current methods to minimize bleeding are employed. The system was used during 130 procedures in adult patients having wound excisions  ≥1% BSA (study group). An historic group of 105 similar cases in whom visually estimated blood was determined was also evaluated.

Participant Attitudes Toward an Intensive Trial of Multiple Biopsies, Multidimensional Molecular Analysis, and Reporting of Results in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Multidimensional molecular analysis of tumor tissue intensively over space and time can provide insight into how cancers evolve and escape treatment. Attitudes of participants in such trials have not been assessed. We explored patient views regarding an intensive study incorporating multiple biopsies, multidimensional molecular testing, and drug response predictions that are reported to the oncologist and patient.

Comparison of 2 Commercially Available Next-Generation Sequencing Platforms in Oncology.

This study compares reports from 2 next-generation sequencing tests to determine the level of concordance between platforms.

A Distributed Network for Intensive Longitudinal Monitoring in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Accelerating cancer research is expected to require new types of clinical trials. This report describes the Intensive Trial of OMics in Cancer (ITOMIC) and a participant with triple-negative breast cancer metastatic to bone, who had markedly elevated circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that were monitored 48 times over 9 months. A total of 32 researchers from 14 institutions were engaged in the patient's evaluation; 20 researchers had no prior involvement in patient care and 18 were recruited specifically for this patient.

A randomized comparison study of Aquacel Ag and Glucan II as donor site dressings with regard to healing time, cosmesis, infection rate, and patient's perceived pain: a pilot study.

This study was undertaken to compare pain, healing time, infection rate, and cosmetic outcome between Aquacel Ag (Convatec) and Glucan II (Brennan Medical) as donor site dressings. The authors performed a prospective, randomized, patient-controlled study. Eligible patients had two donor sites harvested.

Impact of simulation-based extracorporeal membrane oxygenation training in the simulation laboratory and clinical environment.

Introduction: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a high-risk, complex therapy. Opportunities to develop teamwork skills and expertise to mitigate risks are few. Our objective was to assess whether simulation would improve technical and nontechnical skills in dealing with ECMO circuit emergencies and allow transfer of skills from the simulated setting to clinical environment.

Loss of the Synaptic Vesicle Protein SV2B results in reduced neurotransmission and altered synaptic vesicle protein expression in the retina.

The Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2 (SV2) family of transporter-like proteins is expressed exclusively in vesicles that undergo calcium-regulated exocytosis. Of the three isoforms expressed in mammals, SV2B is the most divergent. Here we report studies of SV2B location and function in the retina.

If-then contingencies and the differential effects of the availability of an attractive alternative on relationship maintenance for men and women.

In 7 experiments, the causal effects of the availability of an attractive alternative (AA) relationship partner on current relationship thoughts and intentions were tested using confederates, mental simulations, and virtual reality. Men behaved consistent with traditional relationship-commitment theories, showing decreased willingness to tolerate their partner's transgressions after the availability of an AA was made salient. However, consistent with a motivated cognition approach to commitment and work on relational self-construals, women increased their tolerance when presented with the relationship threat of an alternative.

PKA, germ cells, and fertility.

Temporal and spatial regulation of PKA activity are essential for vigorous sperm motility and for the resumption of meiosis in oocytes, two events required for successful fertilization. Genetic mutations in mice that affect PKA signaling in germ cells lead to infertility and illustrate the importance of this pathway in mammalian reproduction.

The differential effects of intrinsic and identified motivation on well-being and performance: prospective, experimental, and implicit approaches to self-determination theory.

Self-determination theory research has demonstrated that intrinsic and identified self-regulations are associated with successful adaptation. However, few distinctions are typically made between these regulations and their outcomes. In the present studies, the associations between intrinsic and identified motivations and outcomes of psychological well-being and academic performance are compared in educational settings.

Reduced sodium current in GABAergic interneurons in a mouse model of severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy.

Voltage-gated sodium channels (Na(V)) are critical for initiation of action potentials. Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in Na(V)1.1 channels cause severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI).

Haploinsufficiency at the protein kinase A RI alpha gene locus leads to fertility defects in male mice and men.

Carney complex (CNC) is a familial multiple neoplasia syndrome characterized by spotty skin pigmentation, cardiac and cutaneous myxomas, and endocrine tumors. CNC is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and is transmitted with greater frequency by women vs. men.

Microarray-based detection and typing of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the most economically important veterinary pathogen because of its highly infectious nature and the devastating effects the virus has on the livestock industry. Rapid diagnostic methods are needed for detection and typing of FMDV serotypes and differentiation from other viruses causing vesicular diseases. We developed a microarray-based test that uses a FMD DNA chip containing 155 oligonucleotide probes, 35-45 base pair (bp) long, virus-common and serotype-specific, designed from the VP3-VP1-2A region of the genome.

The role of protein kinase A anchoring via the RII alpha regulatory subunit in the murine immune system.

Intracellular cAMP may inhibit T cell activation and proliferation via activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, PKA. PKA signaling is maintained through interactions of the regulatory subunit with A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs). We demonstrated that T cells contain AKAPs and now ask whether PKA anchoring to AKAPs via the RIIalpha regulatory subunit is necessary for cAMP-mediated inhibition of T cell activation.

Comparative PRKAR1A genotype-phenotype analyses in humans with Carney complex and prkar1a haploinsufficient mice.

Carney complex (CNC) is a familial multiple neoplasia syndrome characterized by cardiac and extracardiac myxomas in the setting of spotty skin pigmentation and endocrinopathy. We previously identified PRKAR1A (regulatory subunit 1alpha of protein kinase A) mutations in CNC. Mutational analyses of the PRKAR1A gene in 51 unrelated CNC probands now detect mutations in 65%.

Sperm-specific protein kinase A catalytic subunit Calpha2 orchestrates cAMP signaling for male fertility.

An unusual cAMP signaling system mediates many of the events that prepare spermatozoa to meet the egg. Its components include the atypical, bicarbonate-stimulated, sperm adenylyl cyclase and a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) with the unique catalytic subunit termed Calpha(2) or C(s). We generated mice that lack Calpha(2) to determine its importance in the events downstream of cAMP production.

Mutation of the Calpha subunit of PKA leads to growth retardation and sperm dysfunction.

The intracellular second messenger cAMP affects cell physiology by directly interacting with effector molecules that include cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels, cAMP-regulated G protein exchange factors, and cAMP-dependent protein kinases (PKA). Two catalytic subunits, Calpha and Cbeta, are expressed in the mouse and mediate the effects of PKA. We generated a null mutation in the major catalytic subunit of PKA, Calpha, and observed early postnatal lethality in the majority of Calpha knockout mice.