Assessing insomnia after stroke: a diagnostic validation of the Sleep Condition Indicator in self-reported stroke survivors.

Background: Insomnia is common after stroke and is associated with poorer recovery and greater risk of subsequent strokes. Yet, no insomnia measures have been validated in English-speaking individuals affected by stroke.

Aims: This prospective diagnostic validation study investigated the discriminatory validity and optimal diagnostic cut-off of the Sleep Condition Indicator when screening for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fifth edition (DSM-5) insomnia disorder post-stroke.

Genetic determinants of increased sodium hypochlorite and ciprofloxacin susceptibility in PA14 biofilms.

Reactive chlorine species (RCS) like sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) are potent oxidizing agents and widely used biocides in surface disinfection, water treatment, and biofilm elimination. Moreover, RCS are also produced by the human immune system to kill invading pathogens. However, bacteria have developed mechanisms to survive the damage caused by RCS.

Oxidative stress responses in biofilms.

Oxidizing agents are low-molecular-weight molecules that oxidize other substances by accepting electrons from them. They include reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anions (O), hydrogen peroxide (HO), and hydroxyl radicals (HO), and reactive chlorine species (RCS) including sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and its active ingredient hypochlorous acid (HOCl), and chloramines. Bacteria encounter oxidizing agents in many different environments and from diverse sources.

Prevalence of insomnia and insomnia symptoms following mild-traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sleep is commonly disrupted following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), however there is a lack of consensus in the existing literature regarding the prevalence of insomnia/insomnia symptoms after injury. The aim of this review was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of insomnia and insomnia symptoms' prevalence following mTBI. Full-text articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals, including adults with a clinical or self-reported mild traumatic brain injury diagnosis, were eligible for inclusion.

The alpha-1A adrenergic receptor agonist A61603 reduces cardiac polyunsaturated fatty acid and endocannabinoid metabolites associated with inflammation in vivo.

Introduction: Alpha-1-adrenergic receptors (α1-ARs) are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with three highly homologous subtypes (α1A, α1B, and α1D). Of these three subtypes, only the α1A and α1B are expressed in the heart. Multiple pre-clinical models of heart injury demonstrate cardioprotective roles for the α1A.

Adrenergic Receptors in Individual Ventricular Myocytes: The Beta-1 and Alpha-1B Are in All Cells, the Alpha-1A Is in a Subpopulation, and the Beta-2 and Beta-3 Are Mostly Absent.

Rationale: It is unknown whether every ventricular myocyte expresses all 5 of the cardiac adrenergic receptors (ARs), β1, β2, β3, α1A, and α1B. The β1 and β2 are thought to be the dominant myocyte ARs.

Objective: Quantify the 5 cardiac ARs in individual ventricular myocytes.

An Alpha-1A Adrenergic Receptor Agonist Prevents Acute Doxorubicin Cardiomyopathy in Male Mice.

Alpha-1 adrenergic receptors mediate adaptive effects in the heart and cardiac myocytes, and a myocyte survival pathway involving the alpha-1A receptor subtype and ERK activation exists in vitro. However, data in vivo are limited. Here we tested A61603 (N-[5-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2-hydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-yl]methanesulfonamide), a selective imidazoline agonist for the alpha-1A.

Single-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial of Exercise in Ambulatory Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Why are the Results Negative?

Background: The benefits of exercise on long-term health and well-being are well established. The possible benefits of exercise in Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) have not been explored in a controlled clinical trial format.

Objective: To assess the effects of exercise on measures of function, strength, and exercise capacity in ambulatory SMA patients.

A Myocardial Slice Culture Model Reveals Alpha-1A-Adrenergic Receptor Signaling in the Human Heart.

Background: Translation of preclinical findings could benefit from a simple, reproducible, high throughput human model to study myocardial signaling. Alpha-1A-adrenergic receptors (ARs) are expressed at very low levels in the human heart, and it is unknown if they function.

Objectives: To develop a high throughput human myocardial slice culture model, and to test the hypothesis that alpha-1A- ARs are functional in the human heart.

Observational study of spinal muscular atrophy type I and implications for clinical trials.

Objectives: Prospective cohort study to characterize the clinical features and course of spinal muscular atrophy type I (SMA-I).

Methods: Patients were enrolled at 3 study sites and followed for up to 36 months with serial clinical, motor function, laboratory, and electrophysiologic outcome assessments. Intervention was determined by published standard of care guidelines.

A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial of Exercise in Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Methods and Baseline Characteristics.

Background: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a recessively-inherited neuromuscular disease characterized by weakness and muscle atrophy. Although anecdotal benefits from exercise have been noted, and despite promising pre-clinical and pilot reports, the effect of exercise has not been addressed in a controlled trial in SMA.

Objective: To assess the effects of exercise on measures of function, strength, and exercise capacity in ambulatory SMA patients.

Prospective cohort study of spinal muscular atrophy types 2 and 3.

Objective: To characterize the natural history of spinal muscular atrophy type 2 and type 3 (SMA 2/3) beyond 1 year and to report data on clinical and biological outcomes for use in trial planning.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 79 children and young adults with SMA 2/3 who participated in evaluations for up to 48 months. Clinically, we evaluated motor and pulmonary function, quality of life, and muscle strength.

Age at disease onset predicts likelihood and rapidity of growth failure among infants and young children with spinal muscular atrophy types 1 and 2.

Growth failure is nearly universal in spinal muscular atrophy type 1 and common in type 2, although acuity is often underappreciated at initial diagnosis. We reviewed 44 consecutive spinal muscular atrophy patients (28 type 1, 16 type 2) under 3 years at initial presentation. Growth failure was conventionally defined: weight below the fifth percentile or dropping 2 major percentiles over 6 months.

Spinal muscular atrophy type III: trying to understand subtle functional change over time--a case report.

Spinal muscular atrophy is a relatively stable chronic disease. Patients may gradually experience declines in muscle strength and motor function over time. However, functional progression is difficult to document, and the mechanism remains poorly understood.

Thigh muscle volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging is stable over a 6-month interval in spinal muscular atrophy.

Changes in thigh muscle volume over 6 months were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging in 11 subjects aged 6 to 47 years with spinal muscular atrophy (4 type 2 and 7 type 3; 4 ambulatory and 3 nonambulatory). Muscle volume with normal and abnormal signal was measured using blinded, semiautomated analysis of reconstructed data. Volumes at baseline and 6 months were correlated with clinical function at each epoch.

Fatigue leads to gait changes in spinal muscular atrophy.

Introduction: Impaired mobility and fatigue are common in ambulatory spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients. The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a reliable measure of fatigue in SMA patients. To further evaluate fatigue, we used quantitative gait analysis during the 6MWT.

Observational study of spinal muscular atrophy type 2 and 3: functional outcomes over 1 year.

Objective: To characterize the short-term course of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in a genetically and clinically well-defined cohort of patients with SMA.

Design: A comprehensive multicenter, longitudinal, observational study.

Setting: The Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinical Research Network for SMA, a consortium of clinical investigators at 3 clinical sites.

Muscle volume estimation by magnetic resonance imaging in spinal muscular atrophy.

Thigh muscle volume was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging in 16 subjects with spinal muscular atrophy. Scans were successful for 14 of 16 subjects (1 type 1, 6 type 2, and 7 type 3) as young as 5.7 years.

Functional alpha-1B adrenergic receptors on human epicardial coronary artery endothelial cells.

Alpha-1-adrenergic receptors (α1-ARs) regulate coronary arterial blood flow by binding catecholamines, norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (EPI), causing vasoconstriction when the endothelium is disrupted. Among the three α1-AR subtypes (α1A, α1B, and α1D), the α1D subtype predominates in human epicardial coronary arteries and is functional in human coronary smooth muscle cells (SMCs). However, the presence or function of α1-ARs on human coronary endothelial cells (ECs) is unknown.

Adiposity is increased among high-functioning, non-ambulatory patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

The relationship between body composition and function in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is poorly understood. 53 subjects with SMA were stratified by type and Hammersmith functional motor scale, expanded score into three cohorts: low-functioning non-ambulatory (type 2 with Hammersmith score < 12, n=19), high-functioning non-ambulatory (type 2 with Hammersmith score > or = 12 or non-ambulatory type 3, n=17), and Ambulatory (n=17). Lean and fat mass was estimated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis can be a useful screen for excess adiposity in spinal muscular atrophy.

Accurate, noninvasive measures of body composition are needed for management of patients with spinal muscular atrophy. Fat mass index (fat mass/height(2) in kg/m(2)) was measured in 16 subjects with spinal muscular atrophy using 5 bioelectrical impedance analysis equations and compared with a reference method, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The machine default equation, validated by Cordain, was the primary analysis.

Reliability of telephone administration of the PedsQL Generic Quality of Life Inventory and Neuromuscular Module in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Clinical research visits are challenging for people with SMA because of limited mobility and intercurrent illnesses. Missing data threaten the validity of research results. Obtaining outcomes remotely would represent a solution.

An integrated motion capture system for evaluation of neuromuscular disease patients.

There currently exist a variety of methods for evaluating movement in patients suffering from neuromuscular diseases (NMD). These tests are primarily performed in the clinical setting and evaluated by highly trained individuals, rather than evaluating patient in their natural environments (i.e.