Understanding Heterogeneity in Patients' Conceptualisation of Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cluster Analysis.

Objective: Uptake of treat-to-target (TTT) strategies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management is low. Our objective was to understand the heterogeneity in patients' conceptualisation of RA treatment to inform interventions improving TTT uptake.

Design: Eligible participants recruited from an online research registry rated 56 items (on 5-point scales) reflecting concepts raised from patient interviews.

Plasma syndecan-1 concentration as a biomarker for endothelial glycocalyx degradation in septic adult horses.

Background: Limited information is available regarding endothelial glycocalyx degradation during sepsis in horses. Plasma syndecan-1 concentrations are increased in consequence of sepsis in other species and have been useful for prognostication.

Objectives: To determine whether plasma syndecan-1 levels are increased in adult horses affected with sepsis.

Rheumatologist and Patient Mental Models for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Help Explain Low Treat-to-Target Rates.

Objective: Despite proven benefits, less than half of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are treated using a treat-to-target (TTT) strategy. Our objective was to identify critical discrepancies between rheumatologist and patient mental models related to the treatment of RA to inform interventions designed to increase implementation of TTT.

Methods: We developed rheumatologist and patient mental models using the Mental Models Approach to Risk Communication.

OPEX: Development of a novel overall patient experience measure to facilitate interpretation of comparison effectiveness studies.

Objectives: A measure that encompasses both benefits and harms at the individual patient level may facilitate comparisons between treatment options and improve shared decision-making. The objective of this study was to develop a patient reported measure to capture overall experience (including both benefits and harms) of treatment using rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a case example.

Methods: Hierarchies for treatment benefits are known.

Diagnosis, Surveillance and Management of subspecies Infections in Chinchillas (.

During a 6-mo period, two 5-6 mo old female chinchillas () were examined at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus after the discovery of firm, nonmobile masses in the left ventral cervical and left axillary region. Other than these findings and mild weight loss, both chinchillas' physical exams were normal. Bloodwork revealed an inflammatory leukogram characterized by leukocytosis, toxic neutrophils, lymphopenia, and monocytosis with mild, nonregenerative anemia.

Digital Interventions to Build a Patient Registry for Rheumatology Research.

This article aims to describe key issues, processes, and outcomes related to development of a patient registry for rheumatology research using a digital platform where patients track useful data about their condition for their own use while contributing to research. Digital interventions are effective to build a patient research registry for people with rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. ArthritisPower provides evidence of the value of digital interventions to build community support for research and to transform patient engagement and patient-generated data capture.

The combination of a neprilysin inhibitor (sacubitril) and angiotensin-II receptor blocker (valsartan) attenuates glomerular and tubular injury in the Zucker Obese rat.

Objective: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is characterized by glomerular and tubulointerstitial injury, proteinuria and remodeling. Here we examined whether the combination of an inhibitor of neprilysin (sacubitril), a natriuretic peptide-degrading enzyme, and an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (valsartan), suppresses renal injury in a pre-clinical model of early DN more effectively than valsartan monotherapy.

Methods: Sixty-four male Zucker Obese rats (ZO) at 16 weeks of age were distributed into 4 different groups: Group 1: saline control (ZOC); Group 2: sacubitril/valsartan (sac/val) (68 mg kg day; ZOSV); and Group 3: valsartan (val) (31 mg kg day; ZOV).

Opposing effects of S-equol supplementation on metabolic and behavioral parameters in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Phytoestrogens, such as daidzein and genistein, may be used to treat various hormone-dependent disorders. Daidzein can be metabolized by intestinal microbes to S-equol. However, not all individuals possess bacteria producing this metabolite, resulting in categorization of equol vs nonequol producers.

Preference Phenotypes in Support of Shared Decision-Making at Point-of-Care for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Objective: In this proof-of-concept study, we sought to evaluate whether a value clarification tool enabling patients to view a set of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment preference phenotypes could be used to support shared decision-making at the point-of-care.

Methods: We conducted a pretest/post test study. English-speaking patients with RA presenting to their scheduled outpatient visits were asked to participate.

Lesion of the OVLT markedly attenuates chronic DOCA-salt hypertension in rats.

Lesions of the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V region) are known to prevent many forms of experimental hypertension, including mineralocorticoid [deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt] hypertension in the rat. However, AV3V lesions include the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), portions of the median preoptic nucleus, and efferent fibers from the subfornical organ (SFO), thereby limiting the ability to define the individual contribution of these structures to the prevention of experimental hypertension. Having previously reported that the SFO does not play a significant role in the development of DOCA-salt hypertension, the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that the OVLT is necessary for DOCA-salt hypertension in the rat.

Preference phenotypes to facilitate shared decision-making in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Implementing treat-to-target (TTT) strategies requires that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their rheumatologists decide on how best to escalate care when indicated. The objective of this study was to develop preference phenotypes to facilitate shared decision-making at the point of care for patients failing methotrexate monotherapy.

Methods: We developed a conjoint analysis survey to measure the preferences of patient with RA for triple therapy, biologics and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenous lithium chloride and assessment of agreement between two methods of lithium concentration measurement in the horse.

Background: Pharmacokinetics of lithium chloride (LiCl) administered as a bolus, once i.v. have not been determined in horses.

Stress Leukogram Induced by Acute and Chronic Stress in Zebrafish ().

The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an animal model for experimental studies of stress has increased rapidly over the years. Although many physiologic and behavioral characteristics associated with stress have been defined in zebrafish, the effects of stress on hematologic parameters have not been described. The purpose of our study was to induce a rise in endogenous cortisol through various acute and chronic stressors and compare the effects of these stressors on peripheral WBC populations.

Bisphenol A (BPA) in the serum of pet dogs following short-term consumption of canned dog food and potential health consequences of exposure to BPA.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely present endocrine disruptor chemical found in many household items. Moreover, this chemical can bioaccumulate in various terrestrial and aquatic sources; thereby ensuring continual exposure of animals and humans. For most species, including humans, diet is considered the primary route of exposure.

Effects of a maternal high-fat diet on offspring behavioral and metabolic parameters in a rodent model.

Maternal diet-induced obesity can cause detrimental developmental origins of health and disease in offspring. Perinatal exposure to a high-fat diet (HFD) can lead to later behavioral and metabolic disturbances, but it is not clear which behaviors and metabolic parameters are most vulnerable. To address this critical gap, biparental and monogamous oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus), which may better replicate most human societies, were used in the current study.

Structural equation modeling identifies markers of damage and function in the aging male Fischer 344 rat.

The male Fischer 344 rat is an established model to study progressive renal dysfunction that is similar, but not identical, to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in humans. These studies were designed to assess age-dependent alterations in renal structure and function at late-life timepoints, 16-24 months. Elevations in BUN and plasma creatinine were not significant until 24 months, however, elevations in the more sensitive markers of function, plasma cystatin C and proteinuria, were detectable at 16 and 18 months, respectively.

When Patients Write the Guidelines: Patient Panel Recommendations for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: How best to involve patients in the development of clinical practice guideline (CPG) recommendations is not known. We sought to determine the feasibility and value of developing CPG recommendations based on a voting panel composed entirely of patients, with the ultimate goal of comparing the patients' recommendations to ones developed by a physician-dominated voting panel on the same clinical questions.

Methods: Ten patients with rheumatoid arthritis completed 8 hours of training on evidence-based medicine and guideline development.

Western diet-induced hepatic steatosis and alterations in the liver transcriptome in adult Brown-Norway rats.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sub-chronic high fat, high sucrose diet (also termed 'Westernized diet' or WD) feeding on the liver transcriptome during early nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development.

Methods: Brown Norway male rats (9 months of age) were randomly assigned to receive ad libitum access to a control (CTL; 14 % kcal fat, 1.2 % sucrose by weight) diet or WD (42 % kcal from fat, 34 % sucrose by weight) for 6 weeks.

Sex-dependent effects of developmental exposure to bisphenol A and ethinyl estradiol on metabolic parameters and voluntary physical activity.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) have received considerable attention as potential obesogens. Past studies examining obesogenic potential of one widespread EDC, bisphenol A (BPA), have generally focused on metabolic and adipose tissue effects. However, physical inactivity has been proposed to be a leading cause of obesity.

Hematologic and serum biochemical values of 4 species of Peromyscus mice and their hybrids.

Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and congeneric species are used in a wide variety of research applications, particularly studies of developmental, physiologic, and behavioral characteristics associated with habitat adaptation and speciation. Because peromyscine mice readily adapt to colony conditions, animals with traits of interest in the field are moved easily into the laboratory where they can be studied under controlled conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the serum chemistry and hematologic parameters of 4 frequently used species from the Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center species (P.

Herbal adaptogens combined with protein fractions from bovine colostrum and hen egg yolk reduce liver TNF-α expression and protein carbonylation in Western diet feeding in rats.

Background: We examined if a purported anti-inflammatory supplement (AF) abrogated Western-diet (WD)-induced liver pathology in rats. AF contained: 1) protein concentrates from bovine colostrum and avian egg yolk; 2) herbal adaptogens and antioxidants; and 3) acetyl-L-carnitine.

Methods: Nine month-old male Brown Norway rats were allowed ad libitum access to WD for 41-43 days and randomly assigned to WD + AF feeding twice daily for the last 31-33 days (n = 8), or WD and water-placebo feeding twice daily for the last 31-33 days (n = 8).

Measurement of Hba(1C) in patients with chronic renal failure.

Background: Carbamylated hemoglobin (carbHb) is reported to interfere with measurement and interpretation of HbA(1c) in diabetic patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). There is also concern that HbA1c may give low results in these patients due to shortened erythrocyte survival.

Methods: We evaluated the effect of carbHb on HbA(1c) measurements and compared HbA(1c) with glycated albumin (GA) in patients with and without renal disease to test if CRF causes clinically significant bias in HbA(1c) results by using 11 assay methods.

Evaluation of fixation time using Diff-Quik for staining of canine mast cell tumor aspirates.

Background: Mast cell tumors are the most common cutaneous tumor in the dog and are often diagnosed via fine-needle aspiration and cytology. Many veterinary practices use Diff-Quik stain for these cases because it is easy to use and provides rapid results. Anecdotal reports suggest that Diff-Quik does not stain mast cell tumor granules well and that increased duration of fixation time can improve staining quality; however, this has not been prospectively evaluated.