Predictors of treatments acceptable to patients for late-life depression.

Objectives: Describe older patients' perceptions about depression and characteristics associated with acceptance of treatments.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Three primary care clinics in Iowa.

Tracking donor RBC survival in premature infants: agreement of multiple populations of biotin-labeled RBCs with Kidd antigen-mismatched RBCs.

Background: Anemia, a common condition among critically ill premature infants, is affected by red blood cell (RBC) survival (RCS). We hypothesized that transfused allogeneic Kidd antigen-mismatched RBCs would demonstrate the same concurrent RCS tracking as RBCs multilabeled at separate, discrete low densities with biotin (BioRBCs).

Methods: Allogeneic RBCs from adult donors were labeled at four biotin densities, mixed, and transfused into 17 anemic premature infants.

Hereditary hemochromatosis: missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis?

Background: Hereditary hemochromatosis is a disorder that can cause iron overload and organ damage. Hereditary hemochromatosis is characterized by mutations in the HFE gene. HFE C282Y homozygotes and compound heterozygotes (C282Y/H63D) are at risk of developing manifestations of hemochromatosis.

A clinical and radiographic approach for establishing proper tibial tubercle transfer when using quad active femoral nerve stimulation.

Background: The tibial tubercle-trochlear groove measurement (TT-TG), which measures the lateral offset of the tibial tubercle relative to the trochlear groove of the femur, has been utilized as an intraoperative tool to help establish maximum patellofemoral congruency in patients who suffer from patellar instability. We have previously published our approach of establishing how far to transfer the tibial tubercle using intraoperative femoral nerve stimulation in order to achieve congruency from 0-30° of flexion. The technique and clinical outcomes have previously been published in this journal and elsewhere.

SGK196 is a glycosylation-specific O-mannose kinase required for dystroglycan function.

Phosphorylated O-mannosyl trisaccharide [N-acetylgalactosamine-β3-N-acetylglucosamine-β4-(phosphate-6-)mannose] is required for dystroglycan to bind laminin-G domain-containing extracellular proteins with high affinity in muscle and brain. However, the enzymes that produce this structure have not been fully elucidated. We found that glycosyltransferase-like domain-containing 2 (GTDC2) is a protein O-linked mannose β 1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase whose product could be extended by β 1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase2 (B3GALNT2) to form the O-mannosyl trisaccharide.

Congenital disorder of glycosylation due to DPM1 mutations presenting with dystroglycanopathy-type congenital muscular dystrophy.

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are rare genetic defects mainly in the post-translational modification of proteins via attachment of carbohydrate chains. We describe an infant with the phenotype of a congenital muscular dystrophy, with borderline microcephaly, hypotonia, camptodactyly, severe motor delay, and elevated creatine kinase. Muscle biopsy showed muscular dystrophy and reduced α-dystroglycan immunostaining with glycoepitope-specific antibodies in a pattern diagnostic of dystroglycanopathy.

ZO-1 recruitment to α-catenin--a novel mechanism for coupling the assembly of tight junctions to adherens junctions.

The formation of a barrier between epithelial cells is a fundamental determinant of cellular homeostasis, protecting underlying cells against pathogens, dehydration and damage. Assembly of the tight junction barrier is dependent upon neighboring epithelial cells binding to one another and forming adherens junctions, but the mechanism for how these processes are linked is poorly understood. Using a knockdown and substitution system, we studied whether ZO-1 binding to α-catenin is required for coupling tight junction assembly to the formation of adherens junctions.

Research, education, and nonclinical service productivity of new junior anesthesia faculty during a 2-year faculty development program.

Background: As a specialty, anesthesiology has relatively low research productivity. Prior studies indicate that junior faculty development programs favorably affect academic performance. We therefore initiated a junior faculty development program and hypothesized that most (>50%) new junior faculty would take <50 nonclinical days to achieve a primary program goal (e.

A blind re-analysis of the Iowa family study of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

We present results from a re-analysis of the Iowa family study of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that previously concluded the disorder was not familial. These conclusions were based on Diagnostic Interview Schedule results of first-degree relatives (FDRs) and not a best estimate diagnosis (BED). For the re-analysis we reviewed raw data on OCD and control probands and their FDRs.

Intestinal CFTR expression alleviates meconium ileus in cystic fibrosis pigs.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) pigs develop disease with features remarkably similar to those in people with CF, including exocrine pancreatic destruction, focal biliary cirrhosis, micro-gallbladder, vas deferens loss, airway disease, and meconium ileus. Whereas meconium ileus occurs in 15% of babies with CF, the penetrance is 100% in newborn CF pigs. We hypothesized that transgenic expression of porcine CF transmembrane conductance regulator (pCFTR) cDNA under control of the intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (iFABP) promoter would alleviate the meconium ileus.

Subfornical organ mediates sympathetic and hemodynamic responses to blood-borne proinflammatory cytokines.

Proinflammatory cytokines play an important role in regulating autonomic and cardiovascular function in hypertension and heart failure. Peripherally administered proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), act on the brain to increase blood pressure, heart rate, and sympathetic nerve activity. These molecules are too large to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, and so the mechanisms by which they elicit these responses remain unknown.

Importance of a Lys113-Glu195 intermonomer ionic bond in F-actin stabilization and regulation by yeast formins Bni1p and Bnr1p.

Proper actin cytoskeletal function requires actin's ability to generate a stable filament and requires that this reaction be regulated by actin-binding proteins via allosteric effects on the actin. A proposed ionic interaction in the actin filament interior between Lys(113) of one monomer and Glu(195) of a monomer in the apposing strand potentially fosters cross-strand stabilization and allosteric communication between the filament interior and exterior. We interrupted the potential interaction by creating either K113E or E195K actin.

CFTR-deficient pigs display peripheral nervous system defects at birth.

Peripheral nervous system abnormalities, including neuropathy, have been reported in people with cystic fibrosis. These abnormalities have largely been attributed to secondary manifestations of the disease. We tested the hypothesis that disruption of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene directly influences nervous system function by studying newborn CFTR(-/-) pigs.

Multiple diagnostic task performance in CT examination of the chest.

Objectives In three experiments, we studied the detection of multiple abnormality types using the satisfaction of search (SOS) paradigm, the provision of a computer-aided detection (CAD) of pulmonary nodules and a focused nodule detection task. Methods 51 chest CT examinations (24 that demonstrated subtle pulmonary nodules and 27 that demonstrated no pulmonary nodules) were read by 15 radiology residents and fellows under two experimental conditions: (1) when there were no other abnormalities present except test abnormalities in the exams (non-SOS condition), and (2) when other abnormalities were present in the exams (SOS condition). Trials from the two conditions were intermixed.

Ultrasound visual image-guided vs Doppler auditory-assisted radial artery cannulation in infants and small children by non-expert anaesthesiologists: a randomized prospective study.

Background: Cannulation of the radial artery in infants and small children can be challenging, even for the most experienced providers. Utilizing Doppler to aid in radial artery cannulation has been well described. Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ultrasound (US) image-guided vascular access techniques in the paediatric population.

Xylosyl- and glucuronyltransferase functions of LARGE in α-dystroglycan modification are conserved in LARGE2.

LARGE-dependent modification enables α-dystroglycan (α-DG) to bind to its extracellular matrix ligands. Mutations in the LARGE gene and several others involved in O-mannosyl glycan synthesis have been identified in congenital and limb-girdle muscular dystrophies that are characterized by perturbed glycosylation and reduced ligand-binding affinity of α-DG. LARGE is a bifunctional glycosyltransferase that alternately transfers xylose and glucuronic acid, thereby generating the heteropolysaccharides on α-DG that confer its ligand binding.

Satisfaction of search from detection of pulmonary nodules in computed tomography of the chest.

Rationale And Objectives: We tested whether satisfaction of search (SOS) effects that occur in computed tomography (CT) examination of the chest on detection of native abnormalities are produced by the addition of simulated pulmonary nodules.

Materials And Methods: Two experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, 70 CT examinations, half that demonstrated diverse, subtle abnormalities and half that demonstrated no native lesions, were read by 18 radiology residents and fellows under two experimental conditions: presented with and without pulmonary nodules.

Early antipyretic exposure does not increase mortality in patients with gram-negative severe sepsis: a retrospective cohort study.

Existing data suggest that antipyretic medications may have deleterious effects on immune function and may increase mortality in human infection. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of antipyretic therapy on 28-day in-hospital mortality when administered early in the course of gram-negative severe sepsis or septic shock. This study was a single-center retrospective cohort study at a 1,111-bed academic medical center of all febrile patients with gram-negative bacteremia hospitalized with severe sepsis or septic shock (n = 278) between Jan 2002 and Feb 2008.

Neuropsychological performance, impulsivity, ADHD symptoms, and novelty seeking in compulsive buying disorder.

We examined the neuropsychological performance of people with compulsive buying disorder (CBD) and control subjects, along with trait impulsivity, symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and selected personality characteristics. Subjects received a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery, depression and ADHD symptom assessment, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and a version of the Temperament and Character Inventory. Persons with CBD (n=26) and controls (n=32) were comparable in terms of age, sex, and years of education.

ISPD loss-of-function mutations disrupt dystroglycan O-mannosylation and cause Walker-Warburg syndrome.

Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS) is clinically defined as congenital muscular dystrophy that is accompanied by a variety of brain and eye malformations. It represents the most severe clinical phenotype in a spectrum of diseases associated with abnormal post-translational processing of a-dystroglycan that share a defect in laminin-binding glycan synthesis1. Although mutations in six genes have been identified as causes of WWS, only half of all individuals with the disease can currently be diagnosed on this basis2.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass achieves substantial resolution of migraine headache in the severely obese: 9-year experience in 81 patients.

Background: Although migraine headache (MH) is more severe in the obese, the risk of developing MH in the obese population is controversial. The effect of surgical weight loss on morbidly obese patients with MH provides a unique opportunity to evaluate this potential association.

Methods: We analyzed the data from 702 morbidly obese patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) from 2000 to 2009.

Sleep-related problems in neurologic diseases.

There is a strong association between sleep-related problems and neurologic diseases. Neurologic diseases of the CNS can directly cause sleep problems when sleep-wake mechanisms associated with the ascending reticular activating system are involved. The major sleep disorders associated with neurologic problems are outlined in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, 2nd edition, as hypersomnias of central origin, sleep-related breathing disorders, the insomnias, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, sleep-related movement disorders, parasomnias, and sleep-related epilepsy.

Dystroglycan function requires xylosyl- and glucuronyltransferase activities of LARGE.

Posttranslational modification of alpha-dystroglycan (α-DG) by the like-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (LARGE) is required for it to function as an extracellular matrix (ECM) receptor. Mutations in the LARGE gene have been identified in congenital muscular dystrophy patients with brain abnormalities. However, the precise function of LARGE remains unclear.