Comparison of Methods for Isolation and Characterization of Total and Astrocyte-Enriched Extracellular Vesicles From Human Serum and Plasma.

Extracellular vesicles (EV) which play critical roles in intercellular communication, have garnered interest as biomarkers with researchers studying brain-related disease processes due to their ability to be isolated from various biofluids. Astrocytes, a type of glial cell, play a critical role in neuronal regulation and function. As such, EV enriched from astrocytes can be used to interrogate cargo and identify mechanisms by which astrocytes communicate with other cells of the central nervous system or shed light on pathophysiological conditions.

Nuclear factor kappa-B cell (NF-κB), interferon regulatory Factor, and glucocorticoid receptor pathway activation in major depressive Disorder: The role of cytomegalovirus infection.

Altered activity of major immunoregulatory pathways has been reported in major depressive disorder (MDD) and is thought to underlie the elevations in circulating inflammatory mediators present in a subgroup of patients. However, the drivers of these changes in gene expression remain unclear. One potential modulator of immune function is viral infection.

Increased expression of ER stress, inflammasome activation, and mitochondrial biogenesis-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in major depressive disorder.

A subset of major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by immune system dysfunction, but the intracellular origin of these immune changes remains unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that abnormalities in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, inflammasome activity and mitochondrial biogenesis contribute to the development of systemic inflammation in MDD. RT-qPCR was used to measure mRNA expression of key organellar genes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from 186 MDD and 67 healthy control (HC) subjects.

Effect of an HPV Vaccination Multi-Level, Multi-Component Program on HPV Vaccination Initiation and Completion in a Pediatric Clinic Network.

Despite clear evidence of the public health benefits of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing HPV-related cancers and genital warts, underutilization of HPV vaccination in the United States persists. Interventions targeting multi-level determinants of vaccination behavior are crucial for improving HPV vaccination rates. The study's purpose was to implement and evaluate the adapted Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP), a clinic-based, multi-level, multi-component intervention aimed at increasing HPV vaccine initiation and completion rates in a five-clinic pediatric network in Bexar County, Texas.

Exploring the role of neuronal-enriched extracellular vesicle miR-93 and interoception in major depressive disorder.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with interoceptive processing dysfunctions, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this dysfunction are poorly understood. This study combined brain neuronal-enriched extracellular vesicle (NEEV) technology and serum markers of inflammation and metabolism with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to identify the contribution of gene regulatory pathways, in particular micro-RNA (miR) 93, to interoceptive dysfunction in MDD. Individuals with MDD (n = 41) and healthy comparisons (HC; n = 35) provided blood samples and completed an interoceptive attention task during fMRI.

Leptin's Inverse Association With Brain Morphology and Depressive Symptoms: A Discovery and Confirmatory Study Across 2 Independent Samples.

Background: Major depressive disorder has a complex, bidirectional relationship with metabolic dysfunction, but the neural correlates of this association are not well understood.

Methods: In this cross-sectional investigation, we used a 2-step discovery and confirmatory strategy utilizing 2 independent samples (sample 1: 288 participants, sample 2: 196 participants) to examine the association between circulating indicators of metabolic health (leptin and adiponectin) and brain structures in individuals with major depressive disorder.

Results: We found a replicable inverse correlation between leptin levels and cortical surface area within essential brain areas responsible for emotion regulation, such as the left posterior cingulate cortex, right pars orbitalis, right superior temporal gyrus, and right insula (standardized beta coefficient range: -0.

A Scoping Review of Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction in Burn Therapists.

Occupational and physical therapists who routinely provide potentially painful and distressing rehabilitation to burn survivors are at risk for developing compassion fatigue. Burn therapists may also experience compassion satisfaction based on the successes their patients accomplish. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the literature related to compassion fatigue and satisfaction in therapists who work with burn survivors, explore previously reported predictors and mediators of (and responses to) these constructs, and identify gaps in the literature.

Comparing novel virtual reality and nursing standard care on burn wound care pain in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: This study compared the effectiveness of age-appropriate, high technology, interactive virtual reality (VR) distraction with standard care (SC) provided by the nurse on adolescents' acute procedural pain intensity perception during burn wound care treatment in the ambulatory clinic setting.

Design: This randomized controlled trial included 43 adolescents ages 10-21 from the ambulatory burn clinic of a large children's hospital.

Methods: Blinded study participants were randomly assigned to either VR or SC (non-significantly different, current mean burn surface area, 1.

Adverse childhood experiences and obesity linked to indicators of gut permeability and inflammation in adult women.

Gut permeability may increase cardiovascular disease risk by allowing bacterial components (e.g., lipopolysaccharide or LPS) to enter the bloodstream, leading to low-grade inflammation.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the United States: time to diagnosis and treatment.

Objective: Create a timeline of diagnosis and treatment for IPF in the US.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A retrospective analysis was performed in collaboration with the OptumLabs Data Warehouse using an administrative claims database of Medicare Fee for Service beneficiaries. Adults 50 and over with IPF were included (2014 to 2019).

Adaptation and Formative Evaluation of Online Decision Support to Implement Evidence-Based Strategies to Increase HPV Vaccination Rates in Pediatric Clinics.

Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination rates remain below national goals in the United States despite the availability of evidence-based strategies to increase rates. The Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP) is a multi-component intervention demonstrated to increase HPV vaccination rates in pediatric clinics through the implementation of six evidence-based strategies. The purpose of this study, conducted in Houston, Texas, from 2019-2021, was to adapt the AVP into an online decision support implementation tool for standalone use and to evaluate its feasibility for use in community clinics.

Elevated serum leptin is associated with attenuated reward anticipation in major depressive disorder independent of peripheral C-reactive protein levels.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with immunologic and metabolic alterations linked to central processing dysfunctions, including attenuated reward processing. This study investigated the associations between inflammation, metabolic hormones (leptin, insulin, adiponectin), and reward-related brain processing in MDD patients with high (MDD-High) and low (MDD-Low) C-reactive protein (CRP) levels compared to healthy comparison subjects (HC). Participants completed a blood draw and a monetary incentive delay task during functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Parents' stigmatizing beliefs about the HPV vaccine and their association with information seeking behavior and vaccination communication behaviors.

Parents' stigmatizing beliefs about the HPV vaccine, such as beliefs that it promotes adolescent sexual activity, constitute a notable barrier to vaccine uptake. The purpose of this study is to describe the associations between parents' stigmatizing beliefs about the HPV vaccine, psychosocial antecedents to vaccination, and parents' intentions to vaccinate their children. Parents of vaccine-eligible children ( = 512) were surveyed in a large urban clinical network.

Progressive exercise training improves cardiovascular psychophysiological outcomes in young adult women with a history of adverse childhood experiences.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are early-life psychosocial stressors that are associated with poorer mental health and increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a dose-dependent manner. We examined the feasibility of an 8-wk combined aerobic and resistance exercise training program to improve systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum endothelin-1 (ET-1), resilience, hope agency, and hope pathways in young women with ACEs. Forty-two healthy women (21 ± 3 yr) with ≥4 (ACE+; = 28) or 0 ACEs (ACE-; = 14) participated in this study.

Association between inflammation, reward processing, and ibuprofen-induced increases of miR-23b in astrocyte-enriched extracellular vesicles: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, exploratory trial in healthy individuals.

Ibuprofen, a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug, modulates inflammation but may also have neuroprotective effects on brain health that are poorly understood. Astrocyte-enriched extracellular vesicles (AEEVs) facilitate cell-to-cell communication and - among other functions - regulate inflammation and metabolism via microribonucleic acids (miRNAs). Dysfunctions in reward-related processing and inflammation have been proposed to be critical pathophysiological pathways in individuals with mood disorders.

Acute administration of ibuprofen increases serum concentration of the neuroprotective kynurenine pathway metabolite, kynurenic acid: a pilot randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Rationale: At least six different types of antidepressant treatments have been shown to either increase the neuroprotective kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolite, kynurenic acid (KynA), or decrease the neurotoxic KP metabolite, quinolinic acid (QA). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen have shown some efficacy in the treatment of depression but their effects on the KP have not been studied in humans.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of ibuprofen on circulating KP metabolites.

Unpacking determinants and consequences of food insecurity for insulin resistance among people living with HIV: Conceptual framework and protocol for the NOURISH-OK study.

Background: Over the past four decades, advances in HIV treatment have contributed to a longer life expectancy for people living with HIV (PLWH). With these gains, the prevention and management of chronic co-morbidities, such as diabetes, are now central medical care goals for this population. In the United States, food insecurity disproportionately impacts PLWH and may play a role in the development of insulin resistance through direct and indirect pathways.

C-Reactive protein and the kynurenic acid to quinolinic acid ratio are independently associated with white matter integrity in major depressive disorder.

Kynurenic acid (KynA) and quinolinic acid (QA) are neuroactive kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolites that have neuroprotective and neurotoxic properties, respectively. At least partly as a result of immune activation, the ratio of KynA to QA in the blood is reduced in major depressive disorder (MDD) and has been reported to be positively correlated with gray matter volume in depression. This study examined whether the inflammatory mediator, C-reactive protein (CRP) and the putative neuroprotective index, KynA/QA, were associated with white matter integrity in MDD, and secondly, whether any such associations were independent of each other or whether the effect of CRP was mediated by KynA/QA.

Psychiatric symptoms are not associated with circulating CRP concentrations after controlling for medical, social, and demographic factors.

Elevated serum concentrations (>3 mg/L) of the acute-phase protein, C-reactive protein (CRP), is used as a clinical marker of inflammation and is reported to be a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In psychiatric populations, CRP concentration is reported to be higher in depressed versus healthy individuals. Positive associations between CRP and depression have been established in both clinical and community samples, but effect sizes are attenuated after controlling for confounding variables.

: Impact of a digital behavior change intervention on parental HPV vaccine -related perceptions and behaviors.

Parent hesitancy contributes to reduced HPV vaccination rates. The HPVcancerfree app (HPVCF) was designed to assist parents in making evidence-based decisions regarding HPV vaccination. This study examined if parents of vaccine-eligible youth (11-12 yrs.

Evaluation for clinical benefit of metformin in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a national claims-based cohort analysis.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive lung disease with high morbidity and limited treatment options. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common comorbid illness among patients with IPF and is often treated with metformin, the first-line agent in the management of T2DM. There is growing evidence demonstrating metformin's anti-fibrotic properties; however, there is little real-world clinical data regarding its potential effectiveness in IPF.

Longitudinal Analysis Evaluating Self-Reported CPAP Use for OSA during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) is a highly effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but CPAP adherence remains suboptimal. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered sleep medicine services and aspects of daily living for sleep medicine patients, which may further compromise CPAP adherence. Sleep medicine patients were distributed an online survey at baseline and six months later (January-May 2021).

Neuronally-enriched exosomal microRNA-27b mediates acute effects of ibuprofen on reward-related brain activity in healthy adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.

This double-blind, randomized, within-subjects design evaluated whether acute administration of an anti-inflammatory drug modulates neuron-specific, inflammation-modulating microRNAs linked to macroscopic changes in reward processing. Twenty healthy subjects (10 females, 10 males) underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan while performing a monetary incentive delay (MID) task and provided blood samples after administration of placebo, 200 mg, or 600 mg of ibuprofen. Neuronally-enriched exosomal microRNAs were extracted from serum and sequenced.