Cell competition between wild-type and JAK2V617F mutant cells prevents disease relapse after stem cell transplantation in a murine model of myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Disease relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a major cause of treatment-related morbidity and mortality in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The cellular and molecular mechanisms for MPN relapse are not well understood. Here, we established a murine model of MPN relapse, in which ~ 60% of the MPN recipient mice develop disease relapse after receiving stem cell transplantation with wild-type marrow donor.

Number and timing of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring measurements.

Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (ABPM) may cause sleep disturbances. Some home BP monitoring (HBPM) devices obtain a limited number of BP readings during sleep and may be preferred to ABPM. It is unclear how closely a few BP readings approximate a full night of ABPM.

Incident bone fracture and mortality in a large HIV cohort outpatient study, 2000-2017, USA.

Unlabelled: We evaluated the association of bone fracture with mortality among persons with HIV, controlling for sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical factors. Incident fracture was associated with 48% greater risk of all-cause mortality, underscoring the need for bone mineral density screening and fracture prevention.

Purpose/introduction: Low bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture are more common among persons with HIV (PWH) than those without HIV infection.

Cell competition between wild-type and JAK2V617F mutant cells in a murine model of a myeloproliferative neoplasm.

The myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are characterized by overproduction of mature blood cells and increased risk of transformation to frank leukemia. The acquired kinase mutation plays a central role in a majority of patients with these diseases. As MPNs are clonal stem cell disorders (i.

JAK2V617F mutant endothelial cells promote neoplastic hematopoiesis in a mixed vascular microenvironment.

The chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are clonal stem cell disorders. The hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) compartment in patients with MPNs is heterogeneous with the presence of both wild-type and JAK2V617F mutant cells. Mechanisms responsible for mutant stem cell expansion in MPNs are not fully understood.

Single session per oral endoscopic myotomy and trans oral incisionless fundoplication - can we prevent reflux in patients with achalasia?

The rate of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is concerning. Endoscopic anti-reflux methods, such as Trans Oral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF), are crucial for the long-term success of POEM, especially if they can be performed in the same session. We completed a proof-of-concept canine pilot study (n = 6) to assess safety and feasibility of POEM and TIF in a single session (POEM-TIF).

Towards computer-aided severity assessment via deep neural networks for geographic and opacity extent scoring of SARS-CoV-2 chest X-rays.

A critical step in effective care and treatment planning for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, is the assessment of the severity of disease progression. Chest x-rays (CXRs) are often used to assess SARS-CoV-2 severity, with two important assessment metrics being extent of lung involvement and degree of opacity. In this proof-of-concept study, we assess the feasibility of computer-aided scoring of CXRs of SARS-CoV-2 lung disease severity using a deep learning system.

Intercellular viral spread and intracellular transposition of Drosophila gypsy.

It has become increasingly clear that retrotransposons (RTEs) are more widely expressed in somatic tissues than previously appreciated. RTE expression has been implicated in a myriad of biological processes ranging from normal development and aging, to age related diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Long Terminal Repeat (LTR)-RTEs are evolutionary ancestors to, and share many features with, exogenous retroviruses.

Effect of citalopram on hippocampal volume in first-episode schizophrenia: Structural MRI results from the DECIFER trial.

Hippocampal volume loss is prominent in first episode schizophrenia (FES) and has been associated with poor clinical outcomes and with BDNF genotype; antidepressants are believed to reverse hippocampal volume loss via release of BDNF. In a 12-month, placebo-controlled add-on trial of the antidepressant, citalopram, during the maintenance phase of FES, negative symptoms were improved with citalopram. We now report results of structural brain imaging at baseline and 6 months in 63 FES patients (34 in citalopram group) from the trial to assess whether protection against hippocampal volume loss contributed to improved negative symptoms with citalopram.

Association of Aripiprazole With Reduced Hippocampal Atrophy During Maintenance Treatment of First-Episode Schizophrenia.

Purpose/background: Hippocampal volume loss in early schizophrenia has been linked with markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and with less response of negative symptoms. Aripiprazole has been reported to preserve hippocampal volume and to reduce inflammation.

Methods/procedures: Study 1 was a 12-month multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial of citalopram added to clinician-determined second-generation antipsychotic medication in 95 patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES), 19 of whom received aripiprazole.

The F-Box Protein CG5003 Regulates Axon Pruning and the Integrity of the Mushroom Body.

Protein homeostasis serves as an important step in regulating diverse cellular processes underlying the function and development of the nervous system. In particular, the ubiquitination proteasome system (UPS), a universal pathway mediating protein degradation, contributes to the development of numerous synaptic structures, including the olfactory-associative learning center mushroom body (MB), thereby affecting associated function. Here, we describe the function of a newly characterized F-box protein CG5003, an adaptor for the RING-domain type E3 ligase (SCF complex), in MB development.

Prevalence of IgM and IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in health care workers at a tertiary care New York hospital during the Spring COVID-19 surge.

Background: Health care workers (HCW) such as anesthesiologists, surgeons, and intensivists face high rates of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through direct contact with COVID-19 patients. While there are initial reports of the prevalence of COVID-19 antibodies among the general population, there are few reports comparing the seroprevalence of IgM/IgG COVID-19 antibodies in HCW of different exposure levels as well as different HCW professions.

Methods: A convenience sample of health care workers provided blood for COVID-19 antibody testing and a review of medical history and work exposure for correlative analyses.

Ultrasound for Pleural Disease. Beyond a Pocket of Pleural Fluid.

The evolution of pleural disease imaging modalities through the years has helped the scientific community understand and treat various disease states. Ultrasound (US) has been an image modality that has reigned superior to those used in the past such as chest X-ray and computed tomographic scan in terms of cost effectiveness, portability, and reduction in unwarranted radiation exposure to patients. Here we provide a succinct review of US use in pleural disease including imaging techniques, identifying safe pleural space for access, and predicting pleural fluid volume and etiology along with specificities regarding trapped lung identification and pleural mass biopsy.

A Required Ophthalmology Rotation: Providing Medical Students with a Foundation in Eye-Related Diagnoses and Management.

Introduction: Current ophthalmologic training in medical school is inadequate in preparing medical students to handle basic eye complaints as nonophthalmology residents. Most medical students are uncomfortable performing eye examinations, but increased ophthalmology training improves confidence in this area. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM) teaches students the basics of ophthalmology with a required 1-week rotation during the 1-month specialty care clerkship (SCC), providing students with skills to perform rudimentary eye examinations as nonophthalmology providers.

Risk factors for hypertensive crisis in adult patients: a systematic review.

Objective: The objective of this review was to examine the best available evidence on the risk factors for hypertensive crisis in adult patients with hypertension.

Introduction: Hypertensive crisis is an acute severe elevation in blood pressure, which can present as hypertensive urgency or emergency. In contrast to hypertensive urgency, which is a markedly elevated blood pressure without acute target organ damage, hypertensive emergency is associated with equally high blood pressure in the presence of potentially life-threatening target organ damage, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary edema, or acute kidney injury.

Efficacy of the Application of a Purified Native Collagen With Embedded Antimicrobial Barrier Followed by a Placental Allograft on a Diverse Group of Nonhealing Wounds of Various Etiologies.

Introduction: Invoked by the presence of biofilm, upregulation of tissue-destroying proteases is the hallmark of continuous inflammation in nonhealing wounds. Preventing biofilm re-formation and quenching protease activity in the wound bed, followed by providing regenerative factors to the area may aid in triggering a wound healing trajectory.

Objective: In this case series, the author evaluated a multimodal approach in patients with wounds that did not respond to conventional therapy.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 potentiates inflammatory programs in normal and leukemia stem cells to promote differentiation.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a caricature of normal hematopoiesis, driven from leukemia stem cells (LSC) that share some hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) programs including responsiveness to inflammatory signaling. Although inflammation dysregulates mature myeloid cells and influences stemness programs and lineage determination in HSC by activating stress myelopoiesis, such roles in LSC are poorly understood. Here, we show that S1PR3, a receptor for the bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate, is a central regulator which drives myeloid differentiation and activates inflammatory programs in both HSC and LSC.

Public and Professional Perceptions of the Scope of Practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Purpose: To investigate and compare the general public's, general dentists', and primary care physicians' level of knowledge of the scope of practice of oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs). We hypothesized that there is a generalized lack of knowledge of the scope of practice of oral-maxillofacial surgery, with the general public being the least informed and the general dentists the most educated.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted via a mail-out survey that was delivered to a random sample of the general public, general dentists, and primary care physicians in Ontario, Canada.

Pre-operative patient optimization to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications-Insights and roles for the respiratory therapist: A narrative review.

Background: The preoperative period has gained recognition as a crucial time to identify and manage preoperative medical conditions for preventing perioperative complications. Consequently, preoperative clinics have now become an essential component of perioperative care at many large hospitals. As the prevalence of preoperative clinics continues to grow, and the field of perioperative medicine progresses, respiratory therapists (RTs) will inevitably find a growing role to participate in preoperative patient optimization to mitigate pulmonary complications.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Droplet Microfluidics.

Emulsions, which are collections of immiscible droplets, have elicited scientific and commercial interests for decades [...

The Hematopoietic Microenvironment in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: The Interplay Between Nature (Stem Cells) and Nurture (the Niche).

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) rely on instructive cues from the marrow microenvironment for their maintenance and function. Accumulating evidence indicates that the survival and proliferation of hematopoietic neoplasms are dependent not only on cell-intrinsic, genetic mutations, and other molecular alterations present within neoplastic stem cells, but also on the ability of the surrounding microenvironmental cells to nurture and promote the malignancy. It is anticipated that a better understanding of the molecular and cellular events responsible for these microenvironmental features of neoplastic hematopoiesis will lead to improved treatment for patients.

Endothelial JAK2V617F mutation leads to thrombosis, vasculopathy, and cardiomyopathy in a murine model of myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Objective: Cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The acquired kinase mutation JAK2V617F plays a central role in these disorders. Mechanisms responsible for cardiovascular dysfunction in MPNs are not fully understood, limiting the effectiveness of current treatment.

Cohesion Between Research Literature and Health System Level Efforts to Address Global Neurosurgical Inequity: A Scoping Review.

Background: Research output on global neurosurgery (GNS) has exponentially increased in recent years. As research efforts increase, we must first analyze how the current body of GNS literature fits into the macroscopic schema of systems-based policies. The aim of this study was to identify and categorize GNS research based on health system domains.

Type I collagen matrix plus polyhexamethylene biguanide antimicrobial for the treatment of cutaneous wounds.

Determine the effectiveness of purified native type I collagen matrix plus polyhexamethylene biguanide antimicrobial (PCMP) on cutaneous wounds. A prospective cohort study of 307 patients (67 venous leg ulcers, 62 diabetic foot ulcers, 45 pressure ulcers, 54 post-surgical wounds and 79 other wounds) was conducted. Cox wound closure for PCMP was 73% at week 32.

Characterizing Hand Infections in an Underserved Population: The Role of Diabetic Status in Antibiotic Choice and Infection Location.

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in underserved communities are at greater risk for hand infections. We aimed to describe the features of hand infections presenting to an urban hospital via laboratories, microbiology, and antibiotic choice with respect to diabetic status. Patients presenting with any hand infection were reviewed and stratified by DM status and infection location.