Medical emergencies in a dental school clinic - A 12-year review and lessons learned.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to estimate the type and frequency of different medical emergencies that occurred over the study period (twelve years) and discuss the lessons learned and the modifications made in the curriculum to better equip dental students and faculty in their management.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate all medical emergencies that needed activation of the response team at our school from 2008 to 2020.

Results: The emergency response system was activated 250 times during the 12-year period.

Structural basis of antibody inhibition and chemokine activation of the human CC chemokine receptor 8.

The C-C motif chemokine receptor 8 (CCR8) is a class A G-protein coupled receptor that has emerged as a promising therapeutic target in cancer. Targeting CCR8 with an antibody has appeared to be an attractive therapeutic approach, but the molecular basis for chemokine-mediated activation and antibody-mediated inhibition of CCR8 are not fully elucidated. Here, we obtain an antagonist antibody against human CCR8 and determine structures of CCR8 in complex with either the antibody or the endogenous agonist ligand CCL1.

Proprioceptive Modulation of Pallidal Physiology in Cervical Dystonia.

Background: There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that botulinum toxin can alter proprioceptive feedback and modulate the muscle-spindle output for the treatment of dystonia. However, the mechanism for this modulation remains unclear.

Methods: We conducted a study involving 17 patients with cervical dystonia (CD), seven of whom had prominent CD and 10 with generalized dystonia (GD) along with CD.

Deep learning for risk-based stratification of cognitively impaired individuals.

Quantifying the risk of progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD) could help identify persons who could benefit from early interventions. We used data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI, n = 544, discovery cohort) and the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC, n = 508, validation cohort), subdividing individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) into risk groups based on cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β levels and identifying differential gray matter patterns. We then created models that fused neural networks with survival analysis, trained using non-parcellated T1-weighted brain MRIs from ADNI data, to predict the trajectories of MCI to AD conversion within the NACC cohort (integrated Brier score: 0.

Ceiling effects and differential measurement precision across calibrated cognitive scores in the Framingham Study.

Objective: To calibrate cognitive assessment data across multiple waves of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), addressing study design considerations, ceiling effects, and measurement precision.

Method: FHS participants completed several cognitive assessments including screening instruments and more comprehensive batteries at different study visits. We used expert opinion to assign each cognitive test item to a single domain-memory, executive function, language, visuospatial abilities, or none of the above.

Effects of neck proprioceptive modulation on pallidal network connectivity in dystonia.

Cervical dystonia (CD) is the third most common movement disorder affecting 1 million people worldwide. Proprioceptive modulation is the hallmark of contemporary therapies for dystonia, but the mechanism for this intervention is unclear. We studied proprioceptive influence on CD by measuring the spontaneous single-neuron responses and local field potentials (LFP) from the globus pallidus interna (GPi) in 17 CD patients (9 isolated CD and 8 with CD as a feature of generalized dystonia).

Examination of potentially modifiable dementia risk factors across the adult life course: The Framingham Heart Study.

Introduction: We examined for associations between potentially modifiable risk factors across the adult life course and incident dementia.

Methods: Participants from the Framingham Heart Study were included (n = 4015). Potential modifiable risk factors included education, alcohol intake, smoking, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, social network, diabetes, and hypertension.

Multimodal deep learning for Alzheimer's disease dementia assessment.

Worldwide, there are nearly 10 million new cases of dementia annually, of which Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common. New measures are needed to improve the diagnosis of individuals with cognitive impairment due to various etiologies. Here, we report a deep learning framework that accomplishes multiple diagnostic steps in successive fashion to identify persons with normal cognition (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), AD, and non-AD dementias (nADD).

Structural MRI profiles and tau correlates of atrophy in autopsy-confirmed CTE.

Background: Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative tauopathy, cannot currently be diagnosed during life. Atrophy patterns on magnetic resonance imaging could be an effective in vivo biomarker of CTE, but have not been characterized. Mechanisms of neurodegeneration in CTE are unknown.

Mid- to Late-Life Body Mass Index and Dementia Risk: 38 Years of Follow-up of the Framingham Study.

Growing evidence relates body mass index (BMI) to poorer health outcomes; however, results across studies associating BMI and dementia are conflicting. A total of 3,632 Framingham Offspring participants aged 20 to 60 years at their second health examination (1979-1983) were included in this study, with 190 cases of incident dementia identified by 2017. Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted to investigate the association of BMI at each of their 8 exams as a baseline for dementia risk and the associations between obesity and dementia across age groups.

Enhancing magnetic resonance imaging-driven Alzheimer's disease classification performance using generative adversarial learning.

Background: Generative adversarial networks (GAN) can produce images of improved quality but their ability to augment image-based classification is not fully explored. We evaluated if a modified GAN can learn from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of multiple magnetic field strengths to enhance Alzheimer's disease (AD) classification performance.

Methods: T1-weighted brain MRI scans from 151 participants of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), who underwent both 1.

Exploring the Hierarchical Influence of Cognitive Functions for Alzheimer Disease: The Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Although some neuropsychological (NP) tests are considered more central for the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD), there is a lack of understanding about the interaction between different cognitive tests.

Objective: This study aimed to demonstrate a global view of hierarchical probabilistic dependencies between NP tests and the likelihood of cognitive impairment to assist physicians in recognizing AD precursors.

Methods: Our study included 2091 participants from the Framingham Heart Study.

Temporal association of neuropsychological test performance using unsupervised learning reveals a distinct signature of Alzheimer's disease status.

Introduction: Subtle cognitive alterations that precede clinical evidence of cognitive impairment may help predict the progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neuropsychological (NP) testing is an attractive modality for screening early evidence of AD.

Methods: Longitudinal NP and demographic data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS; N = 1696) and the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC; N = 689) were analyzed using an unsupervised machine learning framework.

Identification of digital voice biomarkers for cognitive health.

Aim: Human voice contains rich information. Few longitudinal studies have been conducted to investigate the potential of voice to monitor cognitive health. The objective of this study is to identify voice biomarkers that are predictive of future dementia.

Using data science to diagnose and characterize heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Despite the availability of age- and education-adjusted standardized scores for most neuropsychological tests, there is a lack of objective rules in how to interpret multiple concurrent neuropsychological test scores that characterize the heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: Using neuropsychological test scores of 2091 participants from the Framingham Heart Study, we devised an automated algorithm that follows general diagnostic criteria and explores the heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease.

Results: We developed a series of stepwise diagnosis rules that evaluate information from multiple neuropsychological tests to produce an intuitive and objective Alzheimer's disease dementia diagnosis with more than 80% accuracy.

Preparation and Evaluation of N-Trimethyl Chitosan Nanoparticles of Flurbiprofen for Ocular Delivery.

Purpose: A major challenge in ocular therapeutics is poor bioavailability of drug, 1% or even less of the instilled dose is absorbed and frequent administration of conventional products leads to poor adherence to therapy. Hence, the present study is to synthesize N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC), a water-soluble chitosan derivative and to prepare flurbiprofen (FLU):hydroxyl propyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) complex-loaded nanoparticles for treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis which aims to increase the residence time in ocular tissue, thus enhancing patient compliance and improved efficacy.

Methods: TMC was synthesized and characterized by H NMR and FT-IR.

Small Molecule Derived From Carboxyethylpyrrole Protein Adducts Promotes Angiogenesis in a Mouse Model of Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Background CEP (ω-[2-carboxyethyl]pyrrole) protein adducts are the end products of lipid oxidation associated with inflammation and have been implicated in the induction of angiogenesis in pathological conditions such as tissue ischemia. We synthesized small molecules derived from CEP protein adducts and evaluated the angiogenic effect of the CEP analog CEP 03 in the setting of peripheral arterial disease. Methods and Results The angiogenic effect of CEP 03 was assessed by in vitro analysis of primary human microvascular endothelial cell proliferation and tubelike formation in Matrigel (Corning).

A Novel Method to Generate MNase Ladders Reveal Rapid Chromatin Remodeling upon Gametogenesis and Mating in Chlamydomonas.

To circumvent nuclei isolation for nucleosomal mapping of wild-type (cell walled) algal cells, we developed a quick and versatile methodology, by abrasion of whole cells (Chlamydomonas, Scenedesmus and yeast), allowing Micrococcal Nuclease (MNase) direct access to nuclear chromatin, in situ. Varying parameters such as bead abrasion, vortex and incubation conditions, we optimized capture of an 'early digest' which may probe chromatin differentially, based on nucleosome accessibility. A comparison of such ladders across vegetative cells, gametes and zygotes revealed an increase in the average nucleosomal repeat length (+17-34nt) upon gametogenesis, indicating a trend of chromatin compaction.

Oral Health for Older Adults: An Interprofessional Workshop for Medical Students.

Introduction: Because many older adults lack dental insurance and have limited or no access to dental care, it is essential to train future physicians to conduct brief oral health assessments on them. Likewise, interprofessional educational experiences are crucial in teaching medical students the skills necessary to provide comprehensive, team-based care to complex and vulnerable populations. Thus, this workshop was designed to increase fourth-year medical students' knowledge and confidence in performing oral health examinations on older adult patients using an interprofessional and hands-on approach.

Bilayered vascular graft derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells with biomimetic structure and function.

Background: We developed an aligned bi-layered vascular graft derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that recapitulates the cellular composition, orientation, and anti-inflammatory function of blood vessels.

Materials & Methods: The luminal layer consisted of longitudinal-aligned nanofibrillar collagen containing primary endothelial cells (ECs) or iPSC-derived ECs (iPSC-ECs). The outer layer contained circumferentially oriented nanofibrillar collagen with primary smooth muscle cells (SMCs) or iPSC-derived SMCs(iPSC-SMCs).

Study of menstrual patterns in adolescent girls with disabilities in a residential institution.

Background: The gynecological health needs of girls with disabilities is an issue related to their rights as individuals.

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the menstrual pattern of girls with disabilities.

Materials And Methods: A descriptive study was undertaken on thirty girls with different types of disabilities in a residential institution.

Novel solvent-free gelucire extract of Plumbago zeylanica using non-everted rat intestinal sac method for improved therapeutic efficacy of plumbagin.

Introduction: Various shortcomings of the available methods of extraction of plumbagin from Plumbago zeylanica using non-edible organic solvents coupled with the poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability called for extracting plumbagin in a water soluble form via a single step technique using hydrophilic lipid Gelucire 44/14.

Methods: Gelucire extract of P. zeylanica (GPZ) was prepared and evaluated for extraction efficiency, High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and thermal analysis.

Quantitative estimation of naproxen in tablets using Ibuprofen sodium as hydrotropic agent.

In the present investigation 0.5 M ibuprofen sodium solution has been used as hydrotropic solubilizing agent for naproxen, a poorly water-soluble drug and in it there was more than 350 fold enhancement in the solubility of naproxen as compared to the solubility in distilled water. Therefore, this hydrotropic solution was employed to extract out the drug from its tablet dosage form for quantitative estimation by titrimetry.