177 results match your criteria: "St. Louis VA Medical Center[Affiliation]"

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD), primary age-related tauopathy (PART), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) all feature hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau)-immunoreactive neurofibrillary degeneration, but differ in neuroanatomical distribution and progression of neurofibrillary degeneration and amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition.

Methods: We used Nanostring GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling to compare the expression of 70 proteins in neurofibrillary tangle (NFT)-bearing and non-NFT-bearing neurons in hippocampal CA1, CA2, and CA4 subregions and entorhinal cortex of cases with autopsy-confirmed AD (n = 8), PART (n = 7), and CTE (n = 5).

Results: There were numerous subregion-specific differences related to Aβ processing, autophagy/proteostasis, inflammation, gliosis, oxidative stress, neuronal/synaptic integrity, and p-tau epitopes among these different disorders.

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Genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease drive senescence in female tauopathy mice.

Neuron

December 2024

Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis VA Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) is influenced by specific risk alleles that promote cellular senescence, which is associated with aging.
  • The study explores how these genetic factors interact with biological aging and highlight differences based on sex.
  • These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms linking genetic risk and aging processes in the context of Alzheimer's disease.
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Doravirine (DOR) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) approved for use in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in treatment-naive patients. Doravirine-based regimens are an option for patients with limited alternatives due to drug-drug interactions, toxicities, or resistance. A paucity of data exists for use of two-drug DOR-based regimens in treatment-experienced individuals.

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Background: In patients with diabetes and monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS), the impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists on the natural history of MGUS is unknown. We aimed to assess the association of GLP-1 receptor agonist use in the progression of MGUS to multiple myeloma in patients with diabetes.

Methods: This is a population-based cohort study of veterans diagnosed with MGUS from 2006 to 2021 with a prior diagnosis of diabetes.

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Substantial evidence suggests a role for immunotherapy in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the precise pathophysiology of AD is incompletely understood, clinical trials of antibodies targeting aggregated forms of β amyloid (Aβ) have shown that reducing amyloid plaques can mitigate cognitive decline in patients with early-stage AD. Here, we describe what we believe to be a novel approach to target and degrade amyloid plaques by genetically engineering macrophages to express an Aβ-targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-Ms).

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Cancer treatments often become ineffective due to the development of tumor resistance, leading to metastasis and relapse. Treatments may also fail because of their inability to access cells deep within the tumor tissue. When this occurs, new therapeutic agents are needed.

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Associations Between Adiponectin and the Development of Diabetes in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab

September 2024

Medicine Service, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System and Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.

Purpose: We evaluated associations between adiponectin and the risk of diabetes among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a systemic inflammatory disease associated with metabolic disturbance.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included adults with RA from the Veterans Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry. Adiponectin and inflammatory cytokines/chemokines were measured at enrollment on stored serum samples.

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Mechanosensing in Metabolism.

Compr Physiol

December 2023

Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Electrical mechanosensing is a process mediated by specialized ion channels, gated directly or indirectly by mechanical forces, which allows cells to detect and subsequently respond to mechanical stimuli. The activation of mechanosensitive (MS) ion channels, intrinsically gated by mechanical forces, or mechanoresponsive (MR) ion channels, indirectly gated by mechanical forces, results in electrical signaling across lipid bilayers, such as the plasma membrane. While the functions of mechanically gated channels within a sensory context (e.

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Article Synopsis
  • The CONFIRM trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of annual fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) versus colonoscopies in reducing colorectal cancer mortality, enrolling over 50,000 veterans between May 2012 and December 2017.
  • The study analyzed participant demographics and examined reasons for those who chose not to participate, highlighting a mix of preferences for either colonoscopy or stool tests based on geographic and temporal factors.
  • Among the 50,126 participants recruited, there was a diverse representation, and the study also noted that 11,109 eligible individuals opted out of participation for various reasons, with insights gathered via case report forms.
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Article Synopsis
  • A secondary analysis of the ACTT-2 trial found that baricitinib significantly reduced secondary infections by 50%.
  • This reduction was observed even after considering various patient characteristics before and after randomization.
  • The results highlight a new benefit of baricitinib and reinforce its safety as a treatment option for COVID-19.
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Neuroinflammation and white matter alterations in occupational manganese exposure assessed by diffusion basis spectrum imaging.

Neurotoxicology

July 2023

Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, 2910 N. 3rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA; Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 27 Andrews Rd, Parktown 2193, South Africa.

Objective: To evaluate in-vivo neuroinflammation and white matter (WM) microstructural integrity in occupational manganese (Mn) exposure.

Methods: We assessed brain inflammation using Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging (DBSI) in 26 Mn-exposed welders, 17 Mn-exposed workers, and 26 non-exposed participants. Cumulative Mn exposure was estimated from work histories and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor subsection 3 (UPDRS3) scores were completed by a movement specialist.

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Background: Surgical patients with perioperative coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) infection experience higher rates of adverse events than those without COVID-19, which may lead to imprecision in hospital-level quality assessment. Our objectives were to quantify differences in COVID-19-associated adverse events in a large national sample and examine distortions in surgical quality benchmarking if COVID-19 status is not considered.

Study Design: Data included 793,280 patient records from the American College of Surgeons NSQIP from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021.

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Rates and Correlates of Alcohol and Substance Use Among Women Veterans During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Role of COVID-Specific Anxiety.

Womens Health Issues

May 2023

VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, VA Western NY Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York; Department of Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York.

Introduction: Mental health symptoms and substance use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and women may be disproportionately affected. Women report substantial mental health consequences, and women veterans may experience additional risks associated with military service. However, rates and correlates of substance use and consequences among women veterans are largely unknown.

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Objectives: The aim of this literature review was to summarise the clinical important findings on the endodontic treatment outcome in older patients (≥60 years old) with pulpal/periapical disease considering local and systemic factors from a body of knowledge that is heterogeneous in methods or disciplines.

Background: Due to the increasing number of older patients in the endodontic practice, and the current trend for tooth preservation, the need for clinicians to have a better understanding of age-related implications that may influence the required endodontic treatment in older adults to retain their natural dentition is indispensable.

Methods: PubMed/Medline and Embase was searched by a medical librarian using specific terms based on inclusion/exclusion criteria.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assessed the progression of COVID-19 treatment standards (SOC) and their impact on patient recovery and mortality rates during 2020-2021, using data from the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT).
  • Results indicated that outcomes improved significantly from ACTT-2 to ACTT-3, with notable reductions in mortality and intubation rates, although the improvements from ACTT-1 to ACTT-2 were less pronounced.
  • The analysis also explored various factors that could explain these trends, including changes in SOC, surges in COVID-19 cases, and the emergence of different virus variants, highlighting an increase in the use of dexamethasone in later trials.
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Background: There has been longstanding uncertainty over whether lower healthcare spending in Canada might be associated with inferior outcomes for hospital-based care. We hypothesized that mortality and surgical complication rates would be higher for patients who underwent four common surgical procedures in Canada as compared to the US.

Design, Setting, And Participants: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all adults who underwent hip fracture repair, colectomy, pancreatectomy, or spine surgery in 96 Canadian and 585 US hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS-NSQIP) between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019.

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A human recombinant analogue to plasma-derived vaccinia immunoglobulin prophylactically and therapeutically protects against lethal orthopoxvirus challenge.

Antiviral Res

November 2021

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, and St. Louis VA Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, 63104, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Orthopoxviruses like monkeypox still pose a threat to humans, with outbreaks occurring in various regions, including the U.S., despite the eradication of the variola virus that causes smallpox.
  • Current antiviral options in the U.S. stockpile, such as brincidofovir and tecovirimat, provide emergency treatments for smallpox but have pros and cons in clinical use.
  • A study shows that a recombinant immunoglobulin (rVIG) is effective in protecting mice from orthopoxvirus infections, reducing disease markers, and demonstrating good tolerance without adverse effects, suggesting it could be considered for FDA evaluation.
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infection remains a public health problem in much of the world. Classic models of pathogenesis suggest that microfold epithelial cells in the small intestine are the preferred initial site of invasion. However, recent evidence supports an alternative model in which primarily infects a much wider range of epithelial cells that reside primarily in the colon.

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Natural killer (NK) cells are critical mediators of immune function, responsible for rapid destruction of tumor cells. They kill primarily through the release of granules containing potent cytolytic molecules. NK cells also release these molecules within membrane-bound exosomes and microvesicles - collectively known as extracellular vesicles (EV).

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Unlabelled: We sought to validate prognostic scores in coronavirus disease 2019 including National Early Warning Score, Modified Early Warning Score, and age-based modifications, and define their performance characteristics.

Design: We analyzed prospectively collected data from the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial. National Early Warning Score was collected daily during the trial, Modified Early Warning Score was calculated, and age applied to both scores.

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Purpose: Age-associated cumulative decline across physiologic systems results in a diminished resistance to stressors, including cancer and its treatment, creating a vulnerable state known as frailty. Frailty is associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes in patients with cancer. Identification of frailty in administrative data can allow for assessment of prognosis and facilitate control for confounding variables.

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