349 results match your criteria: "Calhoun Cardiology Center.[Affiliation]"

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are complex, multifactorial conditions that require personalized assessment and treatment. Advancements in multi-omics technologies, namely RNA sequencing and whole-genome sequencing, have provided translational researchers with a comprehensive view of the human genome. The efficient synthesis and analysis of this data through integrated approach that characterizes genetic variants alongside expression patterns linked to emerging phenotypes, can reveal novel biomarkers and enable the segmentation of patient populations based on personalized risk factors.

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Background: Purinergic receptor P2X4 (P2X4R), highly expressed on microglia and macrophages, is activated by ATP released from damaged cells and linked to poststroke inflammation. Previous studies showed that short-term P2X4R inhibition reduces inflammation and promotes long term recovery, but the mechanism underlying P2X4R and inflammation remains unclear. We hypothesized that P2X4R absence or pharmacological blockade can enhance macrophage phagocytic function by alleviating excessive inflammation after stroke.

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Purpose Of Review: Outline the growing suite of novel genome editing tools powered by CRISPR-Cas9 technology that are rapidly advancing towards the clinic for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders.

Recent Findings: A diversity of new genome editors and modulators are being developed for therapies across myriad human diseases. Recent breakthroughs have improved the efficacy, safety, specificity, and delivery of CRISPR-mediated therapies that could impact heart disease in the next decade, though several challenges remain.

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Article Synopsis
  • Current federal regulations limit contingency management (CM) incentives to $75 per patient per year, which is significantly lower than the amounts used in effective treatment protocols, such as those evaluated in a 2004 study by Petry et al.
  • A re-analysis of this study indicated that the higher incentive of $240 was effective in improving abstinence outcomes, whereas the lower incentive of $80 was not, suggesting that it led to higher rates of non-engagement with treatment.
  • The findings advocate against the federal limit on CM incentives, proposing that evidence-based protocols be utilized instead, alongside necessary regulatory changes to enable their implementation.
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Article Synopsis
  • - This study aimed to compare the risk of developing new hypertension in normotensive narcolepsy patients who started sodium oxybate (SXB) versus those who did not.
  • - Using data from MarketScan claims between 2014 and 2020, researchers matched patients in both groups and monitored them for 180 days or until they experienced the outcomes of interest.
  • - Results indicated a higher occurrence of new hypertension or the start of antihypertensives in the SXB group compared to the control group, suggesting a potential link between sodium oxybate use and increased hypertension risk.
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Rural areas in the United States have been severely impacted by recent rises in substance use related mortality and psychosocial consequences. There is a dearth of treatment resources to address substance use disorder (SUD). Rural recovery houses (RRH) are important services that provide individuals with SUD with an environment where they can engage in recovery-oriented activities, but dropout rates are unacceptably high, and evidence-based interventions such as contingency management (CM) may reduce dropout and improve outcomes for RRH residents.

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Atherosclerotic plaques are defined by the accumulation of lipids and immune cells beneath the endothelium of the arterial intima. CD8 T cells are among the most abundant immune cell types in plaque, and conditions linked to their activation correlate with increased levels of cardiovascular disease. As lethal effectors of the immune response, CD8 T cell activation is suppressed at multiple levels.

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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by chronic anemia and recurrent ischemia-reperfusion episodes, which can lead to high-output heart failure. The impact of SCD on cardiac structure and function remains underinvestigated. We conducted a single-institution retrospective analysis of clinical and echocardiographic data from patients with hemoglobin SS SCD (SCD-SS) between January 2016 and June 2022.

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2-Substituted (N)-Methanocarba A Adenosine Receptor Agonists: In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Characterization.

ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci

July 2024

Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States.

2-Arylethynyl (N)-methanocarba adenosine 5'-methylamides are selective A adenosine receptor (AR) agonists containing a preestablished receptor-preferred pseudoribose conformation. Here, we compare analogues having bulky 2-substitution, either containing or lacking an ethynyl spacer between adenine and a cyclic group. 2-Aryl compounds -, , , , , , , , , and , lacking a spacer, had human (h) AAR values of 2-30 nM, and others displayed lower affinity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Scientists found a new treatment called sodium valerate that helps reduce heavy drinking in mice.
  • This treatment works by changing the gut bacteria and increasing GABA, a chemical that helps calm the brain.
  • Sodium valerate can lower alcohol consumption by 40% and also makes mice less anxious without affecting their eating or drinking of water.
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Anatomical cardiovascular etiologies are less frequently investigated and identified in cases of orthostatic intolerance, which can have a profound impact on a patient's functional status. Here, we present a 26-year-old female with a recent diagnosis of hyperadrenergic postural orthostatic tachycardia and hypertension who was found to have diminished pedal pulses. Workup revealed an underlying midaortic syndrome that was then surgically corrected with resolution of symptoms.

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Several professional organizations and federal agencies recommend contingency management (CM) as an empirically supported treatment for drug use disorder. However, the release of the "Tolin criteria" warrants an updated recommendation. Using this methodology, five meta-analyses (84 studies, 11,000 participants) were reviewed.

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TRP Channels in Excitotoxicity.

Neuroscientist

April 2024

Department of Cell Biology, Calhoun Cardiology Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine (UConn Health), Farmington, CT, USA.

Glutamate excitotoxicity is a central mechanism contributing to cellular dysfunction and death in various neurological disorders and diseases, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, schizophrenia, addiction, mood disorders, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, pathologic pain, and even normal aging-related changes. This detrimental effect emerges from glutamate binding to glutamate receptors, including α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors, -methyl-d-aspartate receptors, kainate receptors, and GluD receptors. Thus, excitotoxicity could be prevented by targeting glutamate receptors and their downstream signaling pathways.

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Cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.

Front Oncol

February 2024

Department of Cardiology, Pat & Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States.

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related death. While survival rates have improved with advancements in cancer therapeutics, additional health challenges have surfaced. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with lung cancer.

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Objective: The prevalence of smoking combustible cigarettes has decreased, but rates of nicotine vaping among adolescents and young adults have increased dramatically. Vaping is associated with acute health problems and exposes users to toxic metals with unknown long-term consequences. Research on factors influencing vaping is needed to inform the development of effective prevention and intervention methods.

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TRPM2 enhances ischemic excitotoxicity by associating with PKCγ.

Cell Rep

February 2024

Department of Cell Biology, Calhoun Cardiology Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine (UConn Health), Farmington, CT 06030, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • The study explores how NMDAR-mediated glutamate excitotoxicity is a major cause of cell death in ischemic stroke, highlighting the failure of past treatments targeting NMDARs in clinical trials.
  • Researchers discovered a specific interaction between TRPM2 and PKCγ that contributes to the excitotoxic process, proposing that breaking this interaction could be a new therapeutic approach.
  • By developing a peptide (TAT-M2PBM) to disrupt the TRPM2-PKCγ coupling, the study shows that this uncoupling reduces calcium influx and excitotoxic effects, ultimately protecting neurons from ischemic damage.
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The survival rates of many cancers have significantly improved due to recent advancements in cancer screening and therapeutics. Although better cancer outcomes are encouraging, additional health challenges have surfaced, the utmost of which is the burden imposed by various cardiovascular and renal toxicities of anticancer therapies. To improve the overall outcome of patients with cancer, it is essential to understand and manage these treatment-related adverse effects.

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TRP Channels in Stroke.

Neurosci Bull

August 2024

Department of Cell Biology, Calhoun Cardiology Center, School of Medicine (UConn Health), University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, 06030, USA.

Ischemic stroke is a devastating disease that affects millions of patients worldwide. Unfortunately, there are no effective medications for mitigating brain injury after ischemic stroke. TRP channels are evolutionally ancient biosensors that detect external stimuli as well as tissue or cellular injury.

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Understanding the Burden of 30-Day Readmission in Patients With Both Primary and Secondary Diagnoses of Heart Failure: Causes, Timing, and Impact of Co-Morbidities.

Am J Cardiol

January 2024

Heart Failure and Population Health, Trinity Health of New England, Hartford, Connecticut; Women's Heart Program, Saint Francis Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut. Electronic address:

Although efforts to reduce 30-day readmission rates have mainly focused on patients with heart failure (HF) as a primary diagnosis at index hospitalization, patients with HF as a secondary diagnosis remain common, costly, and understudied. This study aimed to determine the incidence, etiology, and patterns of 30-day readmissions after discharge for HF as a primary and secondary diagnosis and investigate the impact of co-morbidities on HF readmission. The National Readmission Database from 2014 to 2016 was used to identify HF patients with a linked 30-day readmission.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) involves various heritable conditions, and identifying specific genes can help in early diagnosis and tailored treatments, particularly for heart failure (HF), which has a high mortality rate.
  • The study involved analyzing gene mutations in a cohort of 35 patients by sequencing their whole genomes and focusing on mutation types affecting CVD.
  • Key findings included several significant genes (like HBA1, ACE, and LGALS3) linked to various genetic pathways and the observation that common mutation types were more prevalent in HF-related genes, with missense mutations showing substantial functional impacts.
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Short-term rehospitalizations are common, costly, and detrimental to patients with heart failure (HF). Current research and policy have focused primarily on 30-day readmissions for patients with HF as a primary diagnosis at index hospitalization, whereas a much larger population of patients are admitted with HF as a secondary diagnosis. This study aims to compare patients initially hospitalized for HF as either a primary or a secondary diagnosis, and to identify the most important factors in predicting 30-day readmission.

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The population worldwide is getting older as a result of advances in public health, medicine, and technology. Older individuals are living longer with a higher prevalence of subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). In 2010, the American Heart Association introduced a list of key prevention targets, known as "Life's Simple 7" to increase CVD-free survival, longevity, and quality of life.

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Regulation of Presynaptic Calcium Channels.

Adv Neurobiol

August 2023

Department of Cell Biology, Calhoun Cardiology Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.

Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), especially Ca2.1 and Ca2.2, are the major mediators of Ca influx at the presynaptic membrane in response to neuron excitation, thereby exerting a predominant control on synaptic transmission.

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Aims: Damage of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a hallmark of brain injury during the early stages of ischemic stroke. The subsequent endothelial hyperpermeability drives the initial pathological changes and aggravates neuronal death. Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) is a Ca2+-permeable nonselective cation channel activated by oxidative stress.

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