Visceral lipid accumulation, organ hypertrophy and a reduction in skeletal muscle strength are all signs associated with the severity of obesity-related disease. Intermittent fasting (IF) and high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) are natural strategies that, individually, can prevent and help treat obesity along with metabolic syndrome and its associated diseases. However, the combinatorial effect of IF and HIIE on energetic metabolism is currently not well understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe non-conventional D-xylose metabolism called the Dahms pathway which only requires the expression of at least three enzymes to produce pyruvate and glycolaldehyde has been previously engineered in Escherichia coli. Strains that rely on this pathway exhibit lower growth rates which were initially attributed to the perturbed redox homeostasis as evidenced by the lower intracellular NADPH concentrations during exponential growth phase. NADPH-regenerating systems were then tested to restore the redox homeostasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEssentials Current risk scores for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) are not computer-friendly. We compared a new computerized risk score with the 4Ts score in a large healthcare system. The computerized risk score agrees with the 4Ts score 85% of the time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBraz J Cardiovasc Surg
March 2019
Introduction: Among patients undergoing cardiac surgery, the occurrence of acute renal injury appears to be associated with worse prognosis and increased mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors and the impact this complication on mortality and survival after cardiac surgery among patients without chronic kidney disease.
Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of 142 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting, valve replacement (single or multiple), or both (simultaneously) at a tertiary care hospital.
Background:: Despite increasing emphasis on integration of palliative care with disease-directed care for advanced cancer, the nature of this integration and its effects on patient and caregiver outcomes are not well-understood.
Aim:: We evaluated the effects of integrated outpatient palliative and oncology care for advanced cancer on patient and caregiver outcomes.
Design:: Following a standard protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42017057541), investigators independently screened reports to identify randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies that evaluated the effect of integrated outpatient palliative and oncology care interventions on quality of life, survival, and healthcare utilization among adults with advanced cancer.
Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res
April 2019
Long interspersed nuclear elements-1 (Line-1 or L1) accounts for approximately 17% of the human genome. The majority of L1s are inactive, but ∼100 remain retrotransposon competent (RC-L1) and able to retrotranspose through RNA intermediates to different locations of the genome. L1 is involved in both disease initiation and progression via retrotransposition dependent and independent mechanisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Respir Crit Care Med
April 2019
There is no study assessing the impact of dental caries (DC), dental fluorosis (DF) and traumatic dental injuries (TDI) on oral healthrelated quality of life (OHRQoL) in school children from Colombia. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of DC, DF and TDI on Colombian schoolchildren´s OHRQoL using their parents as proxies. The parents of 338 children aged 6 to 14 years from public and private schools of Cartagena, Colombia answered the ParentalCaregiver Perception Questionnaire (PCPQ) on child's OHRQoL adapted to Colombian Spanish language and a socioeconomic questionnaire.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough epidemiologic studies have suggested a possible association between occupational exposures to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and the risk of development of multiple myeloma, definitive evidence in support of this association is lacking. In the present study, we employed the Vk*Myc mouse model of multiple myeloma to assess the impact of TCDD exposure on multiple myeloma pathogenesis. TCDD induced splenomegaly and multiple peripheral blood abnormalities, including anemia and high serum IgG levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIncreasingly, national governments across the globe are prioritizing investments in neuroscience. Currently, seven active or in-development national-level brain research initiatives exist, spanning four continents. Engaging with the underlying values and ethical concerns that drive brain research across cultural and continental divides is critical to future research.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: This study examined postpartum depression, food insecurity, and underestimation of infant size as potential early life factors for overweight risk at 12 months among infants of Hispanic immigrant mothers.
Method: Weight-for-length (WFL) measurements and face-to-face interviews were completed during well child visits. Regression models estimated the impact of early life factors (0-6 months) on overweight risk at 1 year.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease known to affect a variety of organ systems. Patients with SLE are more prone to developing common infections that can mimic the complications of SLE. As such, it is essential to differentiate complications of SLE from infection to ensure appropriate management and to improve morbidity and mortality of this patient population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPediatric leukemia represents a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by germline and somatic mutations that manifest within the context of disturbances in the epigenetic machinery and genetic regulation. Advances in genomic medicine have allowed finer resolution of genetic and epigenetic strategies that can be effectively used to risk-stratify patients and identify novel targets for therapy. This review discusses the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of leukemogenesis, particularly as it relates to acute lymphocytic leukemias, the mechanisms of epigenetic control of leukemogenesis, namely DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, and LINE-1 retroelements, and highlights opportunities for precision medicine therapeutics in further guiding disease management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe D-xylose oxidative pathway (XOP) has recently been employed in several recombinant microorganisms for growth or for the production of several valuable compounds. The XOP is initiated by D-xylose oxidation to D-xylonolactone, which is then hydrolyzed into D-xylonic acid. D-Xylonic acid is then dehydrated to form 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-xylonic acid, which may be further dehydrated then oxidized into α-ketoglutarate or undergo aldol cleavage to form pyruvate and glycolaldehyde.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Psychosocial interventions for palliative care populations, individuals with life-limiting illness, improve distress; however, less is known about these interventions among military Veterans.
Objectives: This quality improvement project evaluated a palliative psychology group intervention to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress among Veterans with advanced life-limiting illness.
Methods: Veterans receiving palliative care at a mid-Atlantic VA healthcare system were referred by a mental health provider.
The BRAIN Initiative arose from a grand challenge to "accelerate the development and application of new technologies that will enable researchers to produce dynamic pictures of the brain that show how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought." The BRAIN Initiative is a public-private effort focused on the development and use of powerful tools for acquiring fundamental insights about how information processing occurs in the central nervous system (CNS). As the Initiative enters its fifth year, NIH has supported >500 principal investigators, who have answered the Initiative's challenge via hundreds of publications describing novel tools, methods, and discoveries that address the Initiative's seven scientific priorities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLong interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) reactivation is linked to poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), but the molecular bases of this response remain largely unknown. In this report, we show that challenge of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) with the lung carcinogen, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), shifted the L1 promoter from a heterochromatic to euchromatic state through disassembly of the nucleosomal and remodeling deacetylase (NuRD) complex. Carcinogen challenge was also associated with partial displacement of constituent proteins from the nuclear to the cytoplasmic compartment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurposes: Describe implementation of Institute of Medicine (IOM) early infant feeding recommendations for child obesity prevention by immigrant mothers from Central America; examine potential relationships with food insecurity and postpartum depressive symptoms.
Design And Methods: Using a cross-sectional, descriptive design, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 318 mothers of 2month old infants at a large pediatric setting for low income families. Logistic regression models assessed feeding practices, food insecurity and postpartum depressive symptoms.
Attachment theory-guided studies of older adults have generally relied on self-report measures that were validated on young adult samples and that focus on fears of rejection by romantic partners and on experiences of chronic discomfort with romantic intimacy as the key indicators of adult attachment security. These assessment characteristics raise important questions as to whether these measures are appropriate for use with older adults. Unlike their younger adult counterparts, older adults may face distinctive life stage-related threats to their attachment security such as declining health and autonomy, spousal loss, and increased dependence on younger family members for instrumental and emotional support.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtandrenini includes approximately 420 species of short-tongued bees, which are exclusively distributed in the Americas (Michener 2007; Moure et al. 2007; Ascher Pickering 2017). Members of this tribe are mostly found in xeric and temperate areas in South America, and their diversity is still greatly underestimated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Research on the effectiveness of evidence-based practices in the treatment of depression and anxiety with palliative care populations is primarily limited to individuals having specific conditions such as cancer.
Objective: This meta-analysis examined the effect of psychotherapy on depression and anxiety among individuals with any condition appropriate for palliative care.
Methods: We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases until August 2017.