Tissue Resident CD8+T-cells as mediators of protective immunity in breastmilk transmission of HCMV.

While the role of breastmilk antibodies to protect infants from CMV has been investigated, the role of T-cells, have received little attention. We compared the frequency of memory T-cell populations in breastmilk between mothers of infants who acquired breastmilk HCMV (transmitters) and those with uninfected infants (non-transmitters). Non-transmitter moms had an increased frequency of CD8+ effector memory T-cells (Tem) in their breastmilk.

Patient and public involvement workshop to shape artificial intelligence-supported connected asthma self-management research.

Digital interventions with artificial intelligence (AI) can potentially support people with asthma to reduce the risk of exacerbation. Engaging patients throughout the development process is essential to ensure usability of the intervention for the end-users. Using our Connected for Asthma (C4A) intervention as an exemplar, we explore how patient involvement can shape a digital intervention.

Brief Report: Intracellular Cystatin B Levels Are Altered in HIV-Infected Participants With Respect to Neurocognitive Status and Antiretroviral Therapy.

With advances in HIV treatment, people with HIV (PWH) are living longer but experience aging-related comorbidities, including cognitive deficits, at higher rates than the general population. Previous studies have shown alterations in lysosomal proteins in blood from PWH with severe dementia. However, these markers have not been evaluated in PWH with milder neurocognitive impairment.

Worse Preoperative Pain and Higher Activity Levels Predict Patient Choice of Formal Physical Therapy After Primary Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is (1) to compare the efficacy of supervised formal physical therapy (PT) and self-directed home exercises and (2) to identify independent predictors of transitioning from self-directed home exercises to supervised formal PT following total hip arthroplasty (THA) via an anterior approach.

Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, 147 patients undergoing primary unilateral THA through anterior approach were enrolled and randomized to receive either clinic or home-based PT. Surveys with Hip Disability Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (HOOS) and Short Form-12 Health Survey scores for both groups were obtained before surgery and at 6, 14, and 24 weeks after surgery.

Mandatory Nicotine Cessation for Elective Orthopedic Hip Procedures Results in Reduction in Postoperative Nicotine Use.

Purpose To determine the efficacy of mandatory preoperative nicotine cessation on postoperative nicotine use, and to identify independent predictors of nicotine use relapse in subjects undergoing hip preservation surgery or total hip arthroplasty by a single fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon. Methods Consecutive subjects that underwent hip surgery from November 2014 to December 2017 were reviewed. Subjects who self-reported nicotine use, quit prior to surgery, and completed a minimum one-year follow-up were included.

Extensive proteomic and transcriptomic changes quench the TCR/CD3 activation signal of latently HIV-1 infected T cells.

The biomolecular mechanisms controlling latent HIV-1 infection, despite their importance for the development of a cure for HIV-1 infection, are only partially understood. For example, ex vivo studies have recently shown that T cell activation only triggered HIV-1 reactivation in a fraction of the latently infected CD4+ T cell reservoir, but the molecular biology of this phenomenon is unclear. We demonstrate that HIV-1 infection of primary T cells and T cell lines indeed generates a substantial amount of T cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 activation-inert latently infected T cells.

Incidence and predictors of ophthalmic artery occlusion in intra-arterial chemotherapy for retinoblastoma.

Background: Retinoblastoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in children.

Objective: To determine the incidence of ophthalmic artery (OA) occlusion in patients treated with selective ophthalmic artery catheterization (OAC) for chemotherapy infusion for retinoblastoma. Also, to evaluate technical, anatomical, tumorous, and patient-related factors that are predictors of OA occlusion.

The tetraspanin CD151 marks a unique population of activated human T cells.

Tetraspanins are a family of proteins with an array of functions that are well studied in cancer biology, but their importance in immunology is underappreciated. Here we establish the tetraspanin CD151 as a unique marker of T-cell activation and, in extension, an indicator of elevated, systemic T-cell activity. Baseline CD151 expression found on a subset of T-cells was indicative of increased activation of the MAPK pathway.

Specimen Provenance Testing Identifies Contamination That Affects Molecular Prognostic Assay Results in Prostate Cancer Biopsy Specimens.

Objective: To determine if tissue contamination in histologic specimens can significantly affect the results of prognostic molecular markers that are routinely used as confirmatory tests to safely assign appropriate candidates to prostate cancer active surveillance protocols.

Materials And Methods: This study evaluates 2134 cases from a single, large urology practice that were successfully tested for DNA specimen provenance verification using short tandem repeat analysis for the presence of a significant level of contaminating DNA. After removal of the contamination, 5 of the samples were retested, and the results of the molecular diagnostic test were compared.

Prostatectomy-based validation of combined urine and plasma test for predicting high grade prostate cancer.

Background: Distinguishing between low- and high-grade prostate cancers (PCa) is important, but biopsy may underestimate the actual grade of cancer. We have previously shown that urine/plasma-based prostate-specific biomarkers can predict high grade PCa. Our objective was to determine the accuracy of a test using cell-free RNA levels of biomarkers in predicting prostatectomy results.

Breast Milk Human Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Viral Load and the Establishment of Breast Milk CMV-pp65-Specific CD8 T Cells in Human CMV Infected Mothers.

The role of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific T-cell responses in breast milk of HCMV-seropositive mothers is not well defined. In these studies, we demonstrate that the frequency of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-pp65-specific T-cell responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and breast milk cells (BMCs) is increased for CD8+ T cells in both sample sources when compared with CD4+ T cells. The frequency of pp55-specific CD8 T cells producing interferon γ (IFN-γ) alone or dual IFN-γ/granzyme rB producers is increased in breast milk compared with PBMCs.

A Multi-Center Prospective Study to Validate an Algorithm Using Urine and Plasma Biomarkers for Predicting Gleason ≥3+4 Prostate Cancer on Biopsy.

Unnecessary biopsies and overdiagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) remain a serious healthcare problem. We have previously shown that urine- and plasma-based prostate-specific biomarkers when combined can predict high grade prostate cancer (PCa). To further validate this test, we performed a prospective multicenter study recruiting patients from community-based practices.

Diminished CD103 (αEβ7) Expression on Resident T Cells from the Female Genital Tract of HIV-Positive Women.

Background: Tissue resident memory T cells (TrM) provide an enhanced response against infection at mucosal surfaces, yet their function has not been extensively studied in humans, including the female genital tract (FGT).

Methods: Using polychromatic flow cytometry, we studied TrM cells, defined as CD62L-CCR7-CD103CD69 CD4 and CD8 T cells in mucosa-derived T cells from healthy and HIV-positive women.

Results: We demonstrate that TrM are present in the FGT of healthy and HIV-positive women.

Practice based collaboration to improve the use of immediate intravesical therapy after resection of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer.

Purpose: Perioperative instillation of intravesical chemotherapy after bladder tumor resection is supported by level I evidence showing a 30% decrease in tumor recurrence. However, studies of administrative data sets show poor use in practice.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively evaluated the use of perioperative intravesical chemotherapy in a multipractice quality improvement collaborative.

Understanding the use of immediate intravesical chemotherapy for patients with bladder cancer.

Purpose: Despite its established efficacy in reducing recurrence rates for patients with urothelial carcinoma, immediate intravesical chemotherapy is reportedly used infrequently. Accordingly, the Urological Surgery Quality Collaborative implemented a project aimed at understanding and improving the use of immediate intravesical chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Surgeons in 5 Urological Surgery Quality Collaborative practices prospectively collected clinical and baseline intravesical chemotherapy use data for patients undergoing bladder biopsy or transurethral bladder tumor resection from September 2010 through January 2012.

Impact of a targeted intervention on lipid-lowering therapy in patients with coronary artery disease in the hospital setting.

Background: Although lipid-lowering therapy according to the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines decreases mortality and morbidity in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), significant undertreatment of hyperlipidemia continues to occur. This study was designed to determine the impact of an intervention targeted at improving the use of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with CAD in the hospital setting.

Methods: Cardiac case managers prompted physicians to obtain lipid profiles for patients with CAD who were not receiving lipid-lowering therapy on admission and initiate lipid-lowering therapy for patients with a low-density lipoprotein level of 130 mg/dL (3.

Impact of presentation of research results on likelihood of prescribing medications to patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

This study was conducted to evaluate willingness to prescribe medication based on identical data presented in different outcome terms to health professionals of varied discipline, geographic location, and level of training. Cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was performed in 400 health professionals (physicians, pharmacists, physicians-in-training, and pharmacy students) in the United States and Europe. Data reflecting a clinical trial were presented in 6 outcome terms: 3 terms describing identical mortality (relative risk reduction, absolute risk reduction, and number of patients needed to be treated to prevent 1 death); and 3 distractors (increased life expectancy, decreased hospitalization rate, and decreased cost).

Factors contributing to trends in prescription drug expenditures.

Between 1970 and 1995, national prescription drug expenditures and Medicaid drug expenditures increased proportionately less than did total health care expenditures and total Medicaid expenditures, respectively, although they increased to a greater extent than did expenditures in other sectors of the economy. General inflation, which cannot be controlled by health care policy, has been the major factor contributing to the growth in national prescription drug expenditures. Other contributors were population growth, increases in per capita prescription use, increases in per-prescription intensity (ie, real drug expenditures), and the fact that prescription drug prices exceeded general inflation.

The use of routine duplex scanning in the assessment of varicose veins.

Background: Clinical assessment has been shown to compare poorly with results of hand-held Doppler examination or venography in the evaluation of varicose veins. Although the use of duplex scanning has been well described in the assessment of varicose veins, there are few data comparing clinical and Doppler assessment with results of duplex scans.

Methods: A total of 188 patients were referred with varicose veins to a sole specialist vascular surgeon over a 1-year period.

Non-uniform dose/time fractionated radiation therapy and chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: A Non-uniform Fractionation schedule of large priming doses combined with concurrent chemotherapy and protracted RT was undertaken for the treatment of NSCLC. With several 5-year survivors, this study is reviewed with regard to local control, toxicity, and survival of patients.

Methods And Materials: Forty-two patients with unresectable NSCLC were treated prospectively with initial priming doses followed by large field irradiation to the tumor and regional nodes to 3500 cGy.

Randomized trial of one versus two adjuvant hyperthermia treatments per week in patients with superficial tumours.

One test for thermotolerance development in a clinical situation is to evaluate the effects of altering the hyperthermia fractionation interval on tumour response to thermoradiotherapy. Between 1983 and 1990 44 evaluable advanced superficial tumours of miscellaneous origin in 41 patients were randomized to receive either once-weekly or twice-weekly external microwave hyperthermia treatments combined with radiation therapy. The mean age of patients was 62 years, and 85% had failed previous therapy.

Hyperthermia and radiation in advanced malignant melanoma.

Advanced melanoma (48 lesions in 40 patients) was treated with external microwave hyperthermia combined with radiation therapy between 1980-1988. Thirty-three lesions in 28 patients were evaluable for tumor response (mean age 64 years, 19 male, 9 female). Evaluable lesions received 13 to 66 Gy (mean 37 +/- 2 Gy) over 5 to 16 fractions (mean of 10) in 14 to 56 elapsed days (mean of 25).

Laser angioplasty for superficial femoral and proximal popliteal artery occlusion.

A prospective study of percutaneous laser assisted thermal angioplasty for superficial femoral and proximal popliteal artery occlusions was performed on 93 consecutive patients with a mean length of occluded segment of 7.6 cm. Technical success was achieved in 78 patients (84%).

The development of distant pulmonary infiltrates following thoracic irradiation: the role of computed tomography with dosimetric reconstruction in diagnosis.

High doses of external beam radiotherapy are required to obtain local control of many intrathoracic neoplasms. Because spinal cord tolerance limits the radiation dose that can be given through anterior and posterior fields, it is often necessary to increase the dose to the primary tumor site using oblique or lateral fields. When pulmonary infiltrates develop following treatment in these patients, it is frequently difficult to distinguish between infection, recurrent tumor, and radiation pneumonitis.