Characterization of behavioral changes in T-maze alternation from dopamine D agonists with different receptor coupling mechanisms.

Rationale: Dopamine D receptor agonists have been shown to improve working memory, but often have a non-monotonic (inverted-U) dose-response curve. One hypothesis is that this may reflect dose-dependent differential engagement of D signaling pathways, a mechanism termed functional selectivity or signaling bias.

Objectives And Methods: To test this hypothesis, we compared two D ligands with different signaling biases in a rodent T-maze alternation task.

Monorhinal and Birhinal Odor Processing in Humans: an fMRI investigation.

The olfactory nerve, also known as cranial nerve I, is known to have exclusive ipsilateral projections to primary olfactory cortical structures. It is still unclear whether these projections also correspond to functional pathways of odor processing. In an olfactory functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study of twenty young healthy subjects with a normal sense of smell, we tested whether nostril specific stimulation with phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA), a pure olfactory stimulant, asymmetrically activates primary or secondary olfactory-related brain structures such as primary olfactory cortex, entorhinal cortex, and orbitofrontal cortex.

Emergency use of sugammadex after failure of standard reversal drugs and postoperative pulmonary complications: A retrospective cohort study.

Background And Aims: The use of sugammadex instead of neostigmine for the reversal of neuromuscular blockade may decrease postoperative pulmonary complications. It is unclear if this finding is applicable to situations where sugammadex is administered after the administration of neostigmine. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of a composite outcome measure of major postoperative pulmonary complications in patients who received sugammadex as a rescue agent after neostigmine versus those who received sugammadex alone for reversal of neuromuscular blockade.

The Modified Clinical Progression Scale for Pediatric Patients: Evaluation as a Severity Metric and Outcome Measure in Severe Acute Viral Respiratory Illness.

Objectives: To develop, evaluate, and explore the use of a pediatric ordinal score as a potential clinical trial outcome metric in children hospitalized with acute hypoxic respiratory failure caused by viral respiratory infections.

Design: We modified the World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale for pediatric patients (CPS-Ped) and assigned CPS-Ped at admission, days 2-4, 7, and 14. We identified predictors of clinical improvement (day 14 CPS-Ped ≤ 2 or a three-point decrease) using competing risks regression and compared clinical improvement to hospital length of stay (LOS) and ventilator-free days.

Transcriptomic profiles of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome phenotypes in pediatric critical influenza.

Background: Influenza virus is responsible for a large global burden of disease, especially in children. Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) is a life-threatening and fatal complication of severe influenza infection.

Methods: We measured RNA expression of 469 biologically plausible candidate genes in children admitted to North American pediatric intensive care units with severe influenza virus infection with and without MODS.

Plasticity of colonic enteric nervous system following spinal cord injury in male and female rats.

Background: Neurogenic bowel is a dysmotility disorder following spinal cord injury (SCI) that negatively impacts quality of life, social integration, and physical health. Colonic transit is directly modulated by the enteric nervous system. Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC) distributed throughout the small intestine and colon serve as specialized pacemaker cells, generating rhythmic electrical slow waves within intestinal smooth muscle, or serve as an interface between smooth muscle cells and enteric motor neurons of the myenteric plexus.

Novel cross-linked polysaccharide-polyelectrolyte hemostatic foam improves survival compared to CombatGauze in swine femoral artery hemorrhage model.

Background: Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death in combat and civilian trauma. Efficacious hemostatic agents in junctional hemorrhage can quell blood loss and improve survival. We hypothesized that a novel hemostatic foam of starch and chitosan would improve hemostasis, and thereby increase survival in a swine femoral artery hemorrhage model when compared with CombatGauze (CG).

CD26PD-1 CD8 T cells are terminally exhausted and associated with leukemia progression in acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating blood cancer with poor prognosis. Novel effective treatment is an urgent unmet need. Immunotherapy targeting T cell exhaustion by blocking inhibitory pathways, such as PD-1, is promising in cancer treatment.

Macrophage Function Modulated by tPA Signaling in Mouse Experimental Kidney Disease Models.

Macrophage infiltration and accumulation is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a serine protease regulating the homeostasis of blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and matrix degradation, and has been shown to act as a cytokine to trigger various receptor-mediated intracellular signal pathways, modulating macrophage function in response to kidney injury. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of tPA-modulated macrophage function and underlying signaling mechanisms during kidney fibrosis and inflammation.

Analysis by sex of safety and effectiveness of transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation.

Purpose: Little is known about sex differences in the treatment of central sleep apnea (CSA). Our post hoc analysis of the remedē System Pivotal Trial aimed to determine sex-specific differences in the safety and effectiveness of treating moderate to severe CSA in adults with transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation (TPNS).

Methods: Men and women enrolled in the remedē System Pivotal Trial were included in this post hoc analysis of the effect of TPNS on polysomnographic measures, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and patient global assessment for quality of life.

Effects of Work Shift or Shift Length on Radiation Safety Perception.

Purpose: This study investigated several determinants of radiation safety culture among radiologic technologists to determine whether factors related to work shifts or workday length affect the perception of workplace radiation safety.

Methods: The secondary analysis used de-identified data from 425 radiologic technologists collected with the Radiation Actions and Dimensions of Radiation Safety (RADS) questionnaire, a 35-item survey with valid and reliable psychometric properties. Respondents included radiologic technologists working in radiography, computed tomography (CT), mammography, and hospital radiology administration.

Adverse pathologic features impact survival outcomes for small renal masses following nephrectomy.

Purpose: While most small renal masses (SRM) < 4 cm have an excellent prognosis following resection, the impact of adverse T3a pathologic features on oncologic outcomes of SRMs remains unclear. We sought to compare clinical outcomes for surgically resected pT3a versus pT1a SRMs at our institution.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy (RN, PN) for renal tumors <4 cm at our institution between 2010 and 2020.

A Systematic Survey of Emergency Medical Services Fellows in the United States.

Emergency medical services (EMS) fellowship program accreditation in the United States began in 2013, and the number of available programs has rapidly expanded since then with a corresponding increase in the number of fellows. Despite this increase in program number and attendance, there is a paucity of data in the literature reviewing personal and professional characteristics of the fellows, their experiences during fellowship, or understanding of their intended desires from fellowship. This study surveyed 2020-21 and 2021-22 EMS fellows regarding their personal and professional characteristics, motivations for program choice, remaining school debt, and the effects of COVID-19 on their training.

Association of Preoperative Frailty with Inferior Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Lower Extremity Bypass for Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia: A Systematic Review.

Background: Frailty is a risk factor associated with adverse postoperative outcomes following lower extremity bypass (LEB) surgery in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) represents the worst form of PAD, and frailty is common among patients presenting with CLTI. Multiple frailty assessment scores have been developed for the past 2 decades; however, a universal clinical assessment tool for measuring frailty has not yet been established due to the complexity of the concept.

Methoxsalen inhibited the acquisition of nicotine self-administration: attenuation by cotinine replacement in rats.

Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of disease and death. Nicotine is the primary reinforcing ingredient in cigarettes sustaining addiction. Cotinine is the major metabolite of nicotine that produces a myriad of neurobehavioral effects.

Opportunities and Challenges of Kava in Lung Cancer Prevention.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths due to its high incidence, late diagnosis, and limited success in clinical treatment. Prevention therefore is critical to help improve lung cancer management. Although tobacco control and tobacco cessation are effective strategies for lung cancer prevention, the numbers of current and former smokers in the USA and globally are not expected to decrease significantly in the near future.

Placental pathology reports: A qualitative study in a US university hospital setting on perceived clinical utility and areas for improvement.

Objective: To explore how placental pathology is currently used by clinicians and what placental information would be most useful in the immediate hours after delivery.

Study Design: We used a qualitative study design to conduct in-depth, semi-structured interviews with obstetric and neonatal clinicians who provide delivery or postpartum care at an academic medical center in the US (n = 19). Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using descriptive content analysis.

Imaging features of small vessel disease in cerebral amyloid angiopathy among patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Background And Purpose: Cerebral small vessel disease biomarkers including white matter hyperintensities (WMH), lacunes, and enlarged perivascular spaces (ePVS) are under investigation to identify those specific to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). In subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD), we assessed characteristic features and amounts of WMH, lacunes, and ePVS in four CAA categories (no, mild, moderate and severe CAA) and correlated these with Clinical Dementia Rating sum of boxes (CDRsb) score, ApoE genotype, and neuropathological changes at autopsy.

Methods: The study included patients with a clinical diagnosis of dementia due to AD and neuropathological confirmation of AD and CAA in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) database.