Mitochondrial DNA Instability Supersedes Parkin Mutations in Driving Mitochondrial Proteomic Alterations and Functional Deficits in Polg Mutator Mice.

Mitochondrial quality control is essential in mitochondrial function. To examine the importance of Parkin-dependent mechanisms in mitochondrial quality control, we assessed the impact of modulating Parkin on proteome flux and mitochondrial function in a context of reduced mtDNA fidelity. To accomplish this, we crossed either the Parkin knockout mouse or ParkinW402A knock-in mouse lines to the Polg mitochondrial mutator line to generate homozygous double mutants.

Effects of Parkin on the Mitochondrial Genome in the Heart and Brain of Mitochondrial Mutator Mice.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease (PD). This study investigates the role of Parkin, a protein involved in mitochondrial quality control, and strongly linked to PD, in the context of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations. Mitochondrial mutator mice (Polg ) (Polg) are used and bred with Parkin knockout (PKO) mice or mice with disinhibited Parkin (W402A).

Rapid Versus Gradual Weaning of External Ventricular Drain: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis.

The insertion of an external ventricular drain (EVD) is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures. Whether the weaning method (gradual or rapid) influences the ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) insertion rate has not been conclusively established. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic literature review and conduct a meta-analysis of studies comparing gradual with rapid EVD weaning regarding VPS insertion rate.

Hyperphosphorylated Human Tau Accumulates at the Synapse, Localizing on Synaptic Mitochondrial Outer Membranes and Disrupting Respiration in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy.

Neurogenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), represent a growing public health challenge in aging societies. Tauopathies, a subset of neurodegenerative disorders that includes AD, are characterized by accumulation of fibrillar and hyperphosphorylated forms of microtubule-associated protein tau with coincident mitochondrial abnormalities and neuronal dysfunction. Although, , tau impairs axonal transport altering mitochondrial distribution, clear mechanisms associating tau and mitochondrial dysfunction remain obscure.

In-vitro Immunomodulatory activity of Azadirachta indica A.Juss. Ethanol: water mixture against HIV associated chronic CD4 T-cell activation/ exhaustion.

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, herbal therapy continues to be utilized for HIV-1 disease management. However, the therapeutic benefits of these substances remain ambiguous. To date, little is known about the effects of these plant extracts on chronic CD4 + T-cell activation and exhaustion which is partly driven by HIV-1 associated microbial translocation.

Gold-Decorated Silicon Nanowire Photocatalysts for Intracellular Production of Hydrogen Peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide (HO) plays diverse biological roles, and its effects in part depend on its spatiotemporal presence, in both intra- and extracellular contexts. A full understanding of the physiological effects of HO in both healthy and disease states is hampered by a lack of tools to controllably produce HO. Here, we address this issue by showing visible-light-induced production of exogenous HO by free-standing, gold-decorated silicon nanowires internalized in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Mechanically tuned vascular graft demonstrates rapid endothelialization and integration into the porcine iliac artery wall.

Mechanical properties of vascular grafts likely play important roles in healing and tissue regeneration. Healthy arteries are compliant at low pressures but stiffen rapidly with increasing load, ensuring sufficient volumetric expansion without overstretching the vessel. Commercial synthetic vascular grafts are stiff and unable to expand under physiologic loads, which may result in altered hemodynamics, deleterious cellular responses, and compromised clinical performance.

The Addition of Manganese Porphyrins during Radiation Inhibits Prostate Cancer Growth and Simultaneously Protects Normal Prostate Tissue from Radiation Damage.

Radiation therapy is commonly used for prostate cancer treatment; however, normal tissues can be damaged from the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by radiation. In separate reports, we and others have shown that manganese porphyrins (MnPs), ROS scavengers, protect normal cells from radiation-induced damage but inhibit prostate cancer cell growth. However, there have been no studies demonstrating that MnPs protect normal tissues, while inhibiting tumor growth in the same model.

The Impact of Maternal Obesity and Excessive Gestational Weight Gain on Maternal and Infant Outcomes in Maine: Analysis of Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Results from 2000 to 2010.

The objective of this study is to understand the relationships between prepregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system (PRAMS) data from Maine for 2000-2010 were used to determine associations between demographic, socioeconomic, and health behavioral variables and maternal and infant outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed on the independent variables of age, race, smoking, previous live births, marital status, education, BMI, income, rurality, alcohol use, and GWG.

11-year trends in pregnancy-related health indicators in Maine, 2000-2010.

The objective of this study is to understand health and demographic trends among mothers and infants in Maine relative to the goals of Healthy People 2020. Pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system (PRAMS) data from Maine for 2000-2010 were used to determine yearly values of pregnancy-related variables. Means (for continuous variables) and percentages (for categorical variables) were calculated using the survey procedures in SAS.

New options for child health surveillance by state health departments.

Until recently there were no child health surveillance instruments available to state health departments for children 1-14 years old. In recent years, several states have developed new surveillance instruments. This article includes information about examples of four types of child health surveys: (1) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) follow-back survey [phone-based in Colorado]; (2) Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) re-interviews [PRAMS-based in Rhode Island]; (3) elementary school child health survey combined with dental screening and physical measurements of height and weight [school-based in Maine]; and (4) freestanding elementary school survey [school-based in Oregon].

Abused women disclose partner interference with health care: an unrecognized form of battering.

Background: Some providers observe that partners interfere with health care visits or treatment. There are no systematic investigations of the prevalence of or circumstances surrounding partner interference with health care and intimate partner violence (IPV).

Objective: To determine whether abused women report partner interference with their health care and to describe the co-occurring risk factors and health impact of such interference.

Community preferences for health states associated with intimate partner violence.

Background: One in 4 women is affected by intimate partner violence in her lifetime. This article reports on a cross-sectional survey to estimate community preferences for health states resulting from intimate partner violence.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted of data from a convenience sample of 93 abused and 138 nonabused women (231 total) recruited for in-person interviews from hospital outpatient department waiting rooms in metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts.

Assessing intimate partner violence in health care settings leads to women's receipt of interventions and improved health.

Objective: This study investigated whether disclosure of violence to health care providers and the receipt of interventions relate to women's exit from an abusive relationship and to their improved health.

Methods: A volunteer sample of 132 women outpatients who described intimate partner violence during the preceding year were recruited from multiple hospital departments and community agencies in suburban and urban metropolitan Boston. Through in-person interviews, women provided information on demographics, past year exposure to violence, past year receipt of interventions, and whether they disclosed partner violence to their health care provider.

Intimate partner violence and patient screening across medical specialties.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to compare rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) across different medical specialties and health care sites in one metropolitan area, describe demographic characteristics of women with abusive partners, characterize health care provider assessment of IPV, and describe patient characteristics associated with health care assessment for partner violence.

Methods: Women (N = 2,465) completed written surveys about partner violence and health care screening for violence in the waiting rooms of five types of health care settings (obstetrician/gynecologist office, emergency department, primary care office, pediatrics, and addiction recovery) across eight different hospitals in the greater Boston area.

Results: The overall survey response rate was 62%.

Adverse health behaviors and the detection of partner violence by clinicians.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem in the United States, and victims are commonly encountered in medical settings. Many barriers exist to clinician-initiated screening for IPV. However, smoking and problem drinking are conditions that clinicians commonly screen for and both have been strongly associated with IPV in prior studies.

What distinguishes unintentional injuries from injuries due to intimate partner violence: a study in Greek ambulatory care settings.

Objectives: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important sociocultural and public health problem. This study aims to assess sociodemographic and injury characteristics of IPV victims among adults in a traditional southern European population.

Setting: Accident and emergency departments of three sentinel hospitals in Greece participating in the Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System (EDISS).

Sonographic appearance of uterine scar dehiscence.

We describe the sonographic appearance of two cases of uterine scar separation in patients with prior cesarean deliveries. In the first case, the anteriorly located placenta appeared to be a placenta previa with accreta and in the second case the placenta was also located directly beneath the uterine scar thus masking a separation until the third stage of labor was complete. These two cases demonstrate an unusual sonographic and clinical presentation of uterine scar separation involving anteriorly located placentas.

Value of routine dilation and curettage at the time of interval sterilization.

Four hundred thirty-four patients underwent tubal ligation at the Beth Israel Hospital during a 27-month period. In 272 cases (62.7%), a dilation and curettage was performed as a routine part of the tubal ligation procedure to ensure that luteal phase pregnancy, if present, would be interrupted.

Effect of acupuncture on experimentally induced itch.

We evaluated the effect of acupuncture on histamine-induced itch and flare in healthy volunteers (n = 25) and compared it with the effect of a pseudo-acupuncture procedure and of no-intervention in a single-blind randomized cross-over study. A cumulative itch index is defined and was found to be smaller with acupuncture than with either pseudo-acupuncture (p less than 0.02) or with no-intervention (p less than 0.

The Wholistic Health Center Project: an action-research model for providing preventive, whole-person health care at the primary level.

The Wholistic Health Center action-research project is designed to stimulate new approaches for rectifying a variety of maladies present in the nation's primary health care delivery system. In response to the call for an increase in health education programs, for availability of care in early stages of illness, for care focused on life stress factors, and for better coordination of care-the church-based Wholistic Health Centers utilize a unique multidisciplinary teamwork approach for diagnosis and treatment planning. The patient is involved as an active participant in this process.