Publications by authors named "Thomas Helton"

Bacterial source characterization and allocation are imperative to watershed planning and identifying best management practices. The Spatially Explicit Load Enrichment Calculation Tool (SELECT) has been extensively utilized in watershed protection plans to evaluate the potential bacteria loads and sources in impaired watersheds. However, collecting data, compiling inputs, and spatially mapping sources can be arduous, time-intensive, expensive, and iterative until potential bacteria loads are appropriately allocated to sources based on stakeholder recommendations.

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Background: Up to 14% of patients in the United States undergoing cardiac catheterization each year experience AKI. Consistent use of risk minimization preventive strategies may improve outcomes. We hypothesized that team-based coaching in a Virtual Learning Collaborative (Collaborative) would reduce postprocedural AKI compared with Technical Assistance (Assistance), both with and without Automated Surveillance Reporting (Surveillance).

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The anomalous origin of coronary arteries has been extensively documented in the literature. Most of the anomalies are incidentally found either during coronary angiography or imaging studies and are usually benign; however, malignant outcomes have been reported in the literature. Here, we present the case of a 76-year-old male with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction who was found to have an asymptomatic anomalous origin left anterior descending artery from the right sinus of Valsalva.

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Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) remains the cornerstone management for the prevention of acute stent thrombosis after percutaneous intervention (PCI). Situations mandating early interruption of DAPT carry a high risk of ischemic complications. Perioperative bridge therapy using Cangrelor, an intravenous P2Y2 inhibitor, may offer a potential solution.

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Background: Previous studies comparing outcomes between culprit vessel only percutaneous coronary intervention (CV-PCI) versus multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (MV-PCI) in patients with cardiogenic shock in the setting of acute myocardial infarction have shown conflicting results. This meta-analysis investigates the optimal approach for management of these patients considering recently published data.

Methods: Electronic databases including MEDLINE, ClinicalTrials.

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Excitatory synaptic inputs from specific brain regions are often targeted to distinct dendritic arbors on hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Recent work has suggested that CA2 pyramidal neurons respond robustly and preferentially to excitatory input into the stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM), with a relatively modest response to Schaffer collateral excitatory input into stratum radiatum (SR) in acute mouse hippocampal slices, but the extent to which this difference may be explained by morphology is unknown. In an effort to replicate these findings and to better understand the role of dendritic morphology in shaping responses from proximal and distal synaptic sites, we measured excitatory postsynaptic currents and action potentials in CA2 pyramidal cells in response to SR and SLM stimulation and subsequently analyzed confocal images of the filled cells.

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The evaluation of prosthetic valves can provide a unique challenge, and a thoughtful approach is required. High output states like anemia should be kept in the differential when evaluating elevated gradients across prosthetic valves. We present the case of a 69-year-old man with a Starr-Edwards prosthetic aortic valve who presented with symptoms of congestive heart failure and high transvalvular pressure gradients.

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Ca(V)2.2 (N-type) calcium channels control the entry of calcium into neurons to regulate essential functions but most notably presynaptic transmitter release. Ca(V)2.

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Following synthesis, integral membrane proteins dwell in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for variable periods that are typically rate limiting for plasma membrane delivery. In neurons, the ER extends for hundreds of microns as an anastomosing network throughout highly branched dendrites. However, little is known about the mobility, spatial scales, or dynamic regulation of cargo in the dendritic ER.

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Objective: This study examined outcomes of patients with sudden cardiac death attributable to primary ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) that underwent cardiac catheterization with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background: The decision to perform cardiac catheterization and PCI in resuscitated patients with sudden cardiac death remains controversial. Prior data suggest a potential benefit from percutaneous revascularization.

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Surgical aortic valve replacement has long been considered the standard of care for patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, however, an aging population with increasing complex comorbidities now represents a growing population of patients that is often considered inoperable for a traditional surgical approach. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is a developing technology that offers an alternative treatment modality for these very high risk patients. This manuscript will review the currently available clinical trial data with transcatheter aortic valve implantation and offer perspective as to the future of this novel technology.

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Mutations in the PARK2 gene cause hereditary Parkinson disease (PD). The PARK2 gene product, termed parkin, is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that mediates the transfer of ubiquitin onto diverse substrate proteins. Despite progress in defining the molecular properties and substrates of parkin, little is known about its physiological function.

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Carotid and cerebrovascular disease have major public health implications given the associated morbidity and mortality. However, the best treatment for this disease is uncertain. Carotid endarterectomy has proven useful in primary and secondary prevention of strokes for patients with significant internal carotid artery stenoses.

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Objective: Implantation of drug-eluting stents has emerged as the predominant percutaneous revascularization strategy in diabetic patients, despite limited outcomes data. Accordingly, our aim was to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the benefit and safety profile of drug-eluting stents in diabetic patients.

Methods: We included randomized trials comparing either the paclitaxel- or sirolimus-eluting stent with a bare-metal stent or with each other in diabetic patients during a follow-up of at least 6 months.

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Endocytosis of AMPA receptors and other postsynaptic cargo occurs at endocytic zones (EZs), stably positioned sites of clathrin adjacent to the postsynaptic density (PSD). The tight localization of postsynaptic endocytosis is thought to control spine composition and regulate synaptic transmission. However, the mechanisms that situate the EZ near the PSD and the role of spine endocytosis in synaptic transmission are unknown.

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Objectives: To quantify the impact of clopidogrel plus aspirin on the individual outcomes of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke in patients with established cardiovascular disease, or in patients with multiple risk factors for vascular disease.

Background: Randomized trials have demonstrated a reduction in composite outcomes when clopidogrel is added to aspirin therapy in patients with coronary artery disease; however, the magnitude of benefit on individual outcomes is unknown.

Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis on randomized, controlled trials that compared aspirin plus clopidogrel with aspirin plus placebo for the treatment of coronary artery disease.

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Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) has been shown to regulate many ion channels, transporters, and other signaling proteins, but it is not known whether it also regulates neurotransmitter-gated channels. The NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are gated by glutamate and serve as a critical control point in synaptic function. Here we demonstrate that PIP2 supports NMDAR activity.

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Dendritic spines are micron-sized membrane protrusions receiving most excitatory synaptic inputs in the mammalian brain. Spines form and grow during long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength. However, the source of membrane for spine formation and enlargement is unknown.

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Purpose: Drug-eluting stents are commonly used for percutaneous coronary intervention. Despite excellent clinical efficacy, the association between drug-eluting stents and the risk for late thrombosis remains imprecisely defined.

Methods: We performed a meta-analysis on 14 contemporary clinical trials that randomized 6675 patients to drug-eluting stents (paclitaxel or sirolimus) compared with bare metal stents.

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Neuronal L-type calcium channels are essential for regulating activity-dependent gene expression, but they are thought to open too slowly to contribute to action potential-dependent calcium entry. A complication of studying native L-type channels is that they represent a minor fraction of the whole-cell calcium current in most neurons. Dihydropyridine antagonists are therefore widely used to establish the contribution of L-type channels to various neuronal processes and to study their underlying biophysical properties.

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We conducted a meta-analysis on 6 studies in 2,963 patients who had coronary artery disease and received a sirolimus-eluting stent or a bare metal stent for revascularization. Compared with bare metal stents, sirolimus-eluting stents did not appear to increase the risk for thrombosis up to 13.5 months after coronary intervention (risk ratio 0.

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Objectives: This study investigated the risk of stent thrombosis associated with the use of paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) compared to bare-metal stents (BMS).

Background: Clinical experience with coronary drug-eluting stents (DES) is relatively limited. There is concern that DES used for percutaneous coronary intervention may result in subsequent thrombosis.

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