Basic fibroblast growth factor promotes melanocyte migration via activating PI3K/Akt-Rac1-FAK-JNK and ERK signaling pathways.

Vitiligo is a depigmentation disorder characterized by loss of functional melanocytes of the skin epidermis. The pathogenesis of vitiligo remains elusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on melanocyte migration, including its biochemical mechanism using transwell assay in vitro.

Prospective stratification of patients at risk for emergency department revisit: resource utilization and population management strategy implications.

Background: Estimating patient risk of future emergency department (ED) revisits can guide the allocation of resources, e.g. local primary care and/or specialty, to better manage ED high utilization patient populations and thereby improve patient life qualities.

Pilot Application of Magnetic Nanoparticle-Based Biosensor for Necrotizing Enterocolitis.

Background: Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a major source of neonatal morbidity and mortality. There is an ongoing need for a sensitive diagnostic instrument to discriminate NEC from neonatal sepsis. We hypothesized that magnetic nanopartile-based biosensor analysis of gut injury-associated biomarkers would provide such an instrument.

NLP based congestive heart failure case finding: A prospective analysis on statewide electronic medical records.

Background: In order to proactively manage congestive heart failure (CHF) patients, an effective CHF case finding algorithm is required to process both structured and unstructured electronic medical records (EMR) to allow complementary and cost-efficient identification of CHF patients.

Methods And Results: We set to identify CHF cases from both EMR codified and natural language processing (NLP) found cases. Using narrative clinical notes from all Maine Health Information Exchange (HIE) patients, the NLP case finding algorithm was retrospectively (July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013) developed with a random subset of HIE associated facilities, and blind-tested with the remaining facilities.

Risk prediction of emergency department revisit 30 days post discharge: a prospective study.

Background: Among patients who are discharged from the Emergency Department (ED), about 3% return within 30 days. Revisits can be related to the nature of the disease, medical errors, and/or inadequate diagnoses and treatment during their initial ED visit. Identification of high-risk patient population can help device new strategies for improved ED care with reduced ED utilization.

A data-driven algorithm integrating clinical and laboratory features for the diagnosis and prognosis of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major source of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Since there is no specific diagnostic test or risk of progression model available for NEC, the diagnosis and outcome prediction of NEC is made on clinical grounds. The objective in this study was to develop and validate new NEC scoring systems for automated staging and prognostic forecasting.

A novel therapeutic strategy using ultrasound mediated microbubbles destruction to treat colon cancer in a mouse model.

The goal of this study was to determine whether ultrasound mediated microbubbles destruction (UMMD) could inhibit colon cancer growth in a mouse model. Six-week-old balb/c female nude mice were subcutaneously inoculated with HT29-GFP cells (HT29 cells labeled with green fluorescent dye) in axilla to establish a xenograft mouse model of colon carcinoma, which were randomly divided into five groups (n=10 each): group A (blank group): no treatment; group B (saline only); group C (saline+ultrasound exposure); group D (intravenous microbubbles only); and group E (intravenous microbubbles+ultrasound exposure). Treatment of each group was performed on days 20, 21, and 22 after inoculation.