Association of plasma neurofilament light chain with microstructural white matter changes in Down syndrome.

Introduction: Both micro- and macrostructural white matter (WM) abnormalities, particularly those related to axonal degeneration, are associated with cognitive decline in adults with Down syndrome (DS) prior to a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a support protein within myelinated axons released into blood following axonal damage. In this study we investigated cross-sectional relationships between WM microstructural changes as measured by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and plasma NfL concentration in adults with DS without dementia.

Prodrug nanotherapy demonstrates anticryptosporidial efficacy in a mouse model of chronic infection.

The gastrointestinal disease cryptosporidiosis, caused by the genus , is a common cause of diarrheal diseases in children, particularly in developing countries and frequently fatal in immunocompromised individuals. ()-specific bifunctional dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) has been a molecular target for inhibitor design. (.

What explains differences in average wait time in the emergency department among different racial and ethnic populations: A linear decomposition approach.

Objective: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Hispanic/Latino (Hispanic) patients wait longer in the emergency department (ED) to see practitioners when compared with non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients. We investigate factors contributing to longer wait times for NHB and Hispanic patients using a linear decomposition approach.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included patients presenting to one tertiary hospital ED from 2019 to 2021.

The impact of using time critical intervention-based dispatch thresholds on lowering lights and siren use to EMS 911 incidents.

Objectives: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has historically utilized lights and sirens (L&S) to respond to 911 incidents. L&S are used in 86% of scene responses nationally; however, time critical interventions (TCIs) occur in less than 7% of these incidents. Responses with L&S are associated with increased risk of crashes and injuries.

Cognitive and functional performance and plasma biomarkers of early Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome.

Introduction: People with Down syndrome (DS) have a 75% to 90% lifetime risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD pathology begins a decade or more prior to onset of clinical AD dementia in people with DS. It is not clear if plasma biomarkers of AD pathology are correlated with early cognitive and functional impairments in DS, and if these biomarkers could be used to track the early stages of AD in DS or to inform inclusion criteria for clinical AD treatment trials.

Neurofilament light chain concentration mediates the association between regional medial temporal lobe structure and memory in adults with Down syndrome.

Introduction: Virtually all people with Down syndrome (DS) develop neuropathology associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Atrophy of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex (EC), as well as elevated plasma concentrations of neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein, are markers of neurodegeneration associated with late-onset AD. We hypothesized that hippocampus and EC gray matter loss and increased plasma NfL concentrations are associated with memory in adults with DS.

Five dominant dimensions of brain aging are identified via deep learning: associations with clinical, lifestyle, and genetic measures.

Brain aging is a complex process influenced by various lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors, as well as by age-related and often co-existing pathologies. MRI and, more recently, AI methods have been instrumental in understanding the neuroanatomical changes that occur during aging in large and diverse populations. However, the multiplicity and mutual overlap of both pathologic processes and affected brain regions make it difficult to precisely characterize the underlying neurodegenerative profile of an individual from an MRI scan.

Bilingual neurocognitive resiliency, vulnerability, and Alzheimer's disease biomarker correlates in Latino older adults enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain Study - Health Disparities (HABS-HD).

Introduction: The effects of bilingualism on neuropsychological test performance in bilinguals with and without cognitive impairment are not well-understood and are relatively limited by small sample sizes of Latinos.

Methods: Using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), we explored patterns of cognitive performance and impairment across a large sample of community-dwelling bilingual and monolingual Latino older adults with ( = 180) and without ( = 643) mild cognitive impairment (MCI) enrolled in HABS-HD.

Results: Bilinguals demonstrated cognitive resiliency in the form of significantly better performance on the Trail Making Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test, observed across the cognitively unimpaired and MCI groups.

Synthesis of bitopic ligands based on fallypride and evaluation of their affinity and selectivity towards dopamine D and D receptors.

The difference in the secondary binding site (SBS) between the dopamine 2 receptor (DR) and dopamine 3 receptor (DR) has been used in the design of compounds displaying selectivity for the DR versus DR. In the current study, a series of bitopic ligands based on Fallypride were prepared with various secondary binding fragments (SBFs) as a means of improving the selectivity of this benzamide analog for DR versus DR. We observed that compounds having a small alkyl group with a heteroatom led to an improvement in DR versus DR selectivity.

Blocking PCNA interaction with NKp44 enhances primary natural killer cell-mediated lysis of triple-negative breast cancer cells.

Among the innate immune cells, natural killer cells (NK) serve its role in cytolytic targeting against infected and cancerous cells. NK function is regulated by an intricate balance of signals from interactions between activating and inhibitory NK receptors and ligands expressed on target cells. As an immune evasion strategy, cancer cells, particularly triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBCs), express ligands that interact with NK receptors to inhibit NK cell cytolytic function.

Association of cardiovascular risk factors and blood biomarkers with cognition: The HABS-HD study.

Introduction: To determine if cardiovascular risk factor (CVRF) burden is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers and whether they synergistically associate with cognition.

Methods: We cross-sectionally studied 1521 non-demented Mexican American (52%) and non-Hispanic White individuals aged ≥50 years. A composite score was calculated by averaging the z-scores of five cognitive tests.

Interactive association of chronic illness and food insecurity with emergency department utilization among school-age children in the United States: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Food insecurity combined with chronic disease conditions is a risk factor for Emergency Department (ED) utilization, an indicator of poor quality of care. However, such an association is not certain among school-age children with chronic conditions. Therefore, we aim to determine the association of food insecurity, chronic conditions, and ED utilization among school-age children in the United States.

Bidirectional effects between maternal mental health and adolescent internalizing problems across six years in Northern Ireland.

Background: Emerging evidence indicates the existence of bidirectional relations between mothers' mental health and adolescent adjustment, but few studies have examined these relations in contexts of high environmental adversity, including economic deprivation and political violence. Given other empirical connections between political violence and adolescent adjustment problems, the impact of child adjustment problems on maternal mental health may be exacerbated in contexts of sectarian violence.

Methods: Addressing this gap, latent change score modeling was used to examine interrelations between trajectories of maternal mental health and adolescent internalizing symptoms over time in communities afflicted by political conflict.

Cognitive dysfunction and the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire.

Introduction: Visual function and cognitive impairment are interrelated; however, little is known about the impact of modifying treatable vision impairment on the development of cognitive dysfunction. This study examines the relationship between cognition and self-reported visual function using the National Eye Institute's Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ).

Methods: Participants completed the NEI VFQ 25-Item questionnaire as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Emojis and Emoticons in Health Care and Dermatology Communication: Narrative Review.

Background: Emoticons and emojis have become staple additions to modern-day communication. These graphical icons are now embedded in daily society through the various forms of popular social media and through users' personal electronic conversations. With ever-increasing use and inclusivity, exploration of the possible health care and dermatology applications of these tools is imperative.

Blood biomarkers for cognitive decline and clinical progression in a Mexican American cohort.

: The clinical translation of biofluid markers for dementia requires validation in diverse cohorts. The study goal was to evaluate if blood biomarkers reflecting diverse pathophysiological processes predict disease progression in Mexican American adults. : Mexican American adults (n = 745), 50 years of age and older, completed annual assessments over a mean of 4 years.

Vascular risk profile and white matter hyperintensity volume among Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic Whites: The HABLE study.

Introduction: Among vascular risk factors we hypothesized that an increased prevalence of diabetes in Hispanics would be associated with greater white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume, which may contribute to cognitive decline.

Methods: A total of 1318 participants (60% female; 49% Hispanic, 51% non-Hispanic White; age 66.2 ± 8.

Neurodegeneration from the AT(N) framework is different among Mexican Americans compared to non-Hispanic Whites: A Health & Aging Brain among Latino Elders (HABLE) Study.

Introduction: We sought to examine a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based marker of neurodegeneration from the AT(N) (amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration) framework among a multi-ethnic, community-dwelling cohort.

Methods: Community-dwelling Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic White adults and elders were recruited. All participants underwent comprehensive assessments including an interview, functional exam, clinical labs, informant interview, neuropsychological testing and 3T MRI of the brain.

Association between magnesium intake and cognition in US older adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011 to 2014.

Introduction: Identifying nutrition- and modifiable lifestyle-based risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia may contribute future primary prevention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between magnesium intake and cognition in older adults in the United States.

Methods: Based on the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) between 2011 and 2014, the study included 2508 participants aged 60 years and older.

Reduced Maternal Circulating Cell-Free Mitochondrial DNA Is Associated With the Development of Preeclampsia.

Background Circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) is a damage-associated molecular pattern that reflects cell stress responses and tissue damage, but little is known about ccf-mtDNA in preeclampsia. The main objectives of this study were to determine (1) absolute concentrations of ccf-mtDNA in plasma and mitochondrial DNA content in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and (2) forms of ccf-mtDNA transport in blood from women with preeclampsia and healthy controls. In addition, we sought to establish the association between aberrance in circulating DNA-related metrics, including ccf-mtDNA and DNA clearance mechanisms, and the clinical diagnosis of preeclampsia using bootstrapped penalized logistic regression.

Folic acid-induced animal model of kidney disease.

The kidneys are a vital organ that is vulnerable to both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) which can be caused by numerous risk factors such as ischemia, sepsis, drug toxicity and drug overdose, exposure to heavy metals, and diabetes. In spite of the advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of AKI and CKD as well AKI transition to CKD, there is still no available therapeutics that can be used to combat kidney disease effectively, highlighting an urgent need to further study the pathological mechanisms underlying AKI, CKD, and AKI progression to CKD. In this regard, animal models of kidney disease are indispensable.

MRI biomarkers of small vessel disease and cognition: A cross-sectional study of a cognitively normal Mexican American cohort.

Background: The current project sought to evaluate the impact that white matter hyperintensities (WMH) have on executive function in cognitively normal Mexican Americans, an underserved population with onset and more rapid progression of dementia.

Methods: Data from 515 participants (360 female) enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities project were analyzed. Participants underwent clinical evaluation, cognitive testing, and a brain MRI.

Further validation of the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell infusions for reducing mortality in COVID-19 patients with ARDS.

Recent double-blind, randomized, controlled trials reported that human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) infusions in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) could diminish cytokine storm and lung damage. While these outcomes are significant, additional phase II/III trials are required to validate the efficacy of MSCs to improve the survival of COVID-19 patients with ARDS. Future studies also need to assess the efficacy of MSCs to prevent long COVID.

MyNRMN: A national mentoring and networking platform to enhance connectivity and diversity in the biomedical sciences.

Aims: Increasing the diversity of the biomedical sciences workforce is a national priority. Having a mentor, and more crucially, a , improves the likelihood that an individual will pursue an advanced degree and career in the biomedical sciences. The chief mission of the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) is to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the biosciences workforce through the mentoring of historically underrepresented individuals.