Quantifying peripheral modulation of olfaction by trigeminal agonists.

In the mammalian nose, two chemosensory systems, the trigeminal and the olfactory mediate the detection of volatile chemicals. Most odorants in fact are able to activate the trigeminal system, and vice versa, most trigeminal agonists activate the olfactory system as well. Although these two systems constitute two separate sensory modalities, trigeminal activation modulates the neural representation of an odor.

Epigenome-Wide Association Study of Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 2 Levels in the Framingham Heart Study.

Transmembrane tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors are involved in inflammatory, apoptotic, and proliferative processes. In the bloodstream, soluble TNF receptor II (sTNFR2) can modify the inflammatory response of immune cells and is predictive of cardiovascular disease risk. We hypothesize that sTNFR2 is associated with epigenetic modifications of circulating leukocytes, which may relate to the pathophysiology underlying atherogenic risk.

The Effect of a Piperacillin/Tazobactam Shortage on Antimicrobial Prescribing and Clostridium difficile Risk in 88 US Medical Centers.

Background: Anti-infective shortages are a pervasive problem in the United States. The objective of this study was to identify any associations between changes in prescribing of antibiotics that have a high risk for CDI during a piperacillin/tazobactam (PIP/TAZO) shortage and hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection (HO-CDI) risk in 88 US medical centers.

Methods: We analyzed electronically captured microbiology and antibiotic use data from a network of US hospitals from July 2014 through June 2016.

Diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis Incorporating Endosonographic Features, Demographics, and Behavioral Risk.

Objectives: Diagnosing chronic pancreatitis remains challenging. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is utilized to evaluate pancreatic disease. Abnormal pancreas function test is considered the "nonhistologic" criterion standard for chronic pancreatitis.