2,714 results match your criteria: "University of the Pacific.[Affiliation]"

Effect of a sensing charge mutation on the deactivation of KV7.2 channels.

J Gen Physiol

March 2024

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA.

Potassium-selective, voltage-gated channels of the KV7 family are critical regulators of electrical excitability in many cell types. Removing the outermost putative sensing charge (R198) of the human KV7.2 shifts its activation voltage dependence toward more negative potentials.

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Frogs are an ecologically diverse and phylogenetically ancient group of anuran amphibians that include important vertebrate cell and developmental model systems, notably the genus Xenopus. Here we report a high-quality reference genome sequence for the western clawed frog, Xenopus tropicalis, along with draft chromosome-scale sequences of three distantly related emerging model frog species, Eleutherodactylus coqui, Engystomops pustulosus, and Hymenochirus boettgeri. Frog chromosomes have remained remarkably stable since the Mesozoic Era, with limited Robertsonian (i.

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Aging effects on dual-route speech processing networks during speech perception in noise.

Hum Brain Mapp

January 2024

Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Article Synopsis
  • Healthy aging affects how our brains process speech, particularly in noisy environments, leading to changes in the networks involved in speech perception.
  • Using fNIRS, researchers found that speech perception scores decline with age, particularly as background noise increases, and that older adults show greater connections between key brain areas (Wernicke's areas) to help compensate.
  • Graph-theoretical analysis indicates that despite age-related challenges, older adults' brains may become more efficient at processing speech, leveraging additional resources to maintain communication ability in difficult listening situations.
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Teratogenic agents have been shown to have drastic and detrimental effects on fetuses if exposed to the agent during uterine life. The most sensitive time for a developing fetus is during the first trimester, and teratogenic exposure during this time can lead to severe deformities in the fetus. The Food and Drug Administration has categorized teratogenic agents based on the severity of their effect on the fetus; these categories include A, B, C, D, and X.

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Even in the genomic era, microbial natural product discovery workflows can be laborious and limited in their ability to target molecules with specific structural features. Here we leverage an understanding of biosynthesis to develop a workflow that targets the discovery of alkyl halide-derived natural products by depleting halide anions, a key biosynthetic substrate for enzymatic halogenation, from microbial growth media. By comparing the metabolomes of bacterial cultures grown in halide-replete and deficient media, we rapidly discovered the nostochlorosides, the products of an orphan halogenase-encoding gene cluster from Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133.

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Enhanced External Counterpulsation Improves Cognitive Function of Persons With Long COVID.

Am J Phys Med Rehabil

August 2024

From the Department of Internal Medicine, Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas (MS); Consultants in Cardiovascular Medicine and Science-Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas (MS); Department of Pharmacy Practice, Thomas J Long School of Pharmacy, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California (RJS, SAS); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas (JC, ML); Flow Therapy, Fort Worth, Texas (JF, SAS); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, San Antonio, Texas (MV-G).

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the impact of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy on cognitive performance in long COVID patients who experienced cognitive impairment.* -
  • A total of 80 patients were analyzed, revealing significant improvements in cognitive scores after EECP treatment, particularly for those who had cognitive impairment at the start.* -
  • Although the study lacks a negative control group, it suggests that EECP therapy is safe and potentially effective for improving cognitive function in long COVID patients.*
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Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an invasive and highly malignant cancer with significant morbidity and mortality. Existing treatments including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation have poor overall survival rates and prognosis. The intended therapeutic effects of chemotherapy are limited by drug resistance, systemic toxicity and adverse effects.

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Providing training on the proper use of technology in the context of a large number of learners and limited faculty availability is a constant challenge to dental schools. We found the implementation of a QR-code-based autonomous program design to be efficient and effective at providing trainees hands-on training with newly installed perioperative equipment.

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Anterior open bite correction via molar intrusion: Diagnosis, advantages, and complications.

J World Fed Orthod

February 2024

Professor and Chair, Postgraduate Orthodontic Program, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona; International Scholar, Graduate School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea. Electronic address:

Anterior open bite can be effectively treated nonsurgically via molar intrusion. This technique, involving the intrusion of posterior teeth using temporary skeletal anchorage devices, prompts counterclockwise rotation of the mandible. This rotation not only corrects anterior open bite but also contributes to a decrease in anterior facial height, improvements in lip incompetency, and forward movement of the chin.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress and food/housing insecurities among U.S. Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students, comparing data from before and during the pandemic.
  • A survey was conducted with 278 participants before COVID-19 and 138 during COVID-19, focusing on demographics, lifestyle changes, and stress levels.
  • Results indicated no significant differences in stress levels or food/housing insecurity between the two time periods, suggesting minimal impact on PharmD students.
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The vertebrate PPP1R15 family consists of the proteins GADD34 (growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 34, the product of the PPP1R15A gene) and CReP (constitutive repressor of eIF2α phosphorylation, the product of the PPP1R15B gene), both of which function as targeting/regulatory subunits for protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) by regulating subcellular localization, modulating substrate specificity and assembling complexes with target proteins. The primary cellular function of these proteins is to facilitate the dephosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2-alpha (eIF2α) by PP1 during cell stress. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the cellular function, biochemistry and pharmacology of GADD34 and CReP, starting with a brief introduction of eIF2α phosphorylation via the integrated protein response (ISR).

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Profile of Orthodontic Use across Demographics.

Dent J (Basel)

December 2023

College of Dental Medicine, Roseman University of Health Sciences, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT 84095, USA.

Objectives: Population-based studies have focused on patients' rendering of orthodontic treatment due to their malocclusion and medical needs. However, there is a scarcity of data from national sources on the prevalence of orthodontic visits and associated patient characteristics, as well as their effect on dental health. This study evaluated the demographic differences of orthodontic patients and examined the association between orthodontics use and risk of periodontal disease and oral surgical intervention.

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Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has markedly affected academic and administrative facets of pharmacy education. However, to date, no study has systematically summarized pandemic-related changes at pharmacy schools across the United States. This study aimed to evaluate US pharmacy school faculty and administrators' perspectives on the pandemic's impact on pharmacy academia.

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Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a prevalent and aggressive neoplasm, poses a significant challenge due to poor prognosis and limited prognostic biomarkers. Leveraging highly multiplexed imaging mass cytometry, we investigated the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in OSCC biopsies, characterizing immune cell distribution and signaling activity at the tumor-invasive front. Our spatial subsetting approach standardized cellular populations by tissue zone, improving feature reproducibility and revealing TIME patterns accompanying loss-of-differentiation.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The 2016 CDC guidelines for opioid prescribing have had adverse effects, leading to increased hospitalizations and mental health issues due to improper prescribing practices and rapid tapering of opioids.
  • * A panel of experts is creating new guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic non-cancer pain, based on a thorough review of clinical and epidemiological evidence to improve patient outcomes.
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Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are trimeric ion channels that open a cation-conducting pore in response to proton binding. Excessive ASIC activation during prolonged acidosis in conditions such as inflammation and ischemia is linked to pain and stroke. A conserved lysine in the extracellular domain (Lys211 in mASIC1a) is suggested to play a key role in ASIC function.

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Objective: This study aims to provide a scoping review and attempts to uncover the possible association between burning mouth disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, Scopus, and a search platform (EBSCOhost) were searched from their inception to August 22, 2023.

Results: After screening 2795 records, 18 articles were included in the final review, comprising cross-sectional studies (n = 9), case-control studies (n = 5), case reports (n = 2), case series (n = 1), and experimental study (n = 1).

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The interdisciplinary treatment provided for a 12-year-old boy with fusion of his left central and lateral incisors and concomitant distal space loss is described. His treatment was initiated with orthodontic therapy followed by endodontic treatment of the fused tooth. A conservative zirconia and porcelain cantilevered bonded fixed dental prosthesis was then completed to replace his left lateral incisor.

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Background: Major Trauma Code 1 (TC1) activations require significant resources to provide immediate treatment to potentially unstable, critically ill, patients. The Cribari Matrix Method (CMM) and Need For Trauma Intervention (NFTI) are two ways to determine over and undertriage in trauma. We studied the overtriage rate at a community level 1 trauma center using these two methods to determine the efficacy of the triage criteria in TC1 activations.

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Current Trends in Regenerative Endodontics: A Web-based Survey.

J Endod

February 2024

Outcome Assessment Liaison, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to ascertain the current trends in regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) among clinicians, including case selection criteria and clinical protocols.

Methods: An online questionnaire consisting of provider demographics, case selection criteria for REPs, and clinical protocols was made available to members of the American Association of Endodontists and members of the Endolit website. Data were analyzed using the Fisher exact test.

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Introduction: Skeletal stability after bimaxillary surgical correction of Class III malocclusion was investigated through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the maxilla and the distal and proximal mandibular segments using a 3-dimensional voxel-based superimposition among virtual surgical predictions performed by the orthodontist in close communication with the maxillofacial surgeon and 12-18 months postoperative outcomes.

Methods: A comprehensive secondary data analysis was conducted on deidentified preoperative (1 month before surgery [T1]) and 12-18 months postoperative (midterm [T2]) cone-beam computed tomography scans, along with virtual surgical planning (VSP) data obtained by Dolphin Imaging software. The sample for the study consisted of 17 patients (mean age, 24.

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Animals may limit the cost of stress responses during key life history stages such as breeding and molting by reducing tissue sensitivity to energy-mobilizing stress hormones (e.g. cortisol).

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Cancer is a leading cause of death in the world today. In addition to the side effects of the chemotherapeutic drugs used to treat cancer, the development of resistance to the drugs renders the existing drugs ineffective. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel anticancer agents.

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Article Synopsis
  • Periodontal disease, which affects over 50% of people globally, can start with gingivitis and may be aggravated by foreign body gingivitis (FBG) due to metal particles from dental products or food.* -
  • The study presents a new, inexpensive, portable imaging system that uses multispectral X-ray and fluorescence microscopy to detect metal oxide particles in dental tissues, improving image quality with a specialized denoising algorithm.* -
  • Testing revealed that the system could effectively detect particles as small as 0.5 micrometers, with notable improvements in contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for different metal sources, allowing for enhanced differentiation of metal oxide particles.*
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