Splenocyte transfer exacerbates salt-sensitive hypertension in rats.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? Recruitment of immune cells to the kidney potentiates hypertensive pathology, but more refined methods are needed to assess these cells functionally. Adoptive transfer studies of immune cells have been limited in rat models and especially in the study of salt-sensitive hypertension. We tested the hypothesis that splenocyte transfer into T-cell-deficient rats is sufficient to exacerbate salt-sensitive hypertension.

Inflammatory macrophages in the kidney contribute to salt-sensitive hypertension.

This review will highlight recent studies that have investigated the relationship between Na, renal macrophage polarization, and renal damage. A hyperosmotic environment drives the macrophage toward a proinflammatory phenotype and away from an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Animal models of salt-sensitive hypertension demonstrate a characteristic infiltration of macrophages into the kidney that is greatly reduced when blood pressure is lowered.

Blood-based protein predictors of dementia severity as measured by δ: Replication across biofluids and cohorts.

Introduction: Dementia severity can be empirically described by the latent dementia phenotype "δ" and its various composite "homologs". We have explored δ's blood-based protein biomarkers in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC) study. However, it would be convenient to replicate those associations in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).

Data on the role of miR-144 in regulating fetal hemoglobin production in retinal pigmented epithelial cells.

The data presented in this article are connected to our related article entitled "Inhibiting microRNA-144 potentiates Nrf2-dependent antioxidant signaling in retinal pigmented epithelial cells (RPE) and protects against oxidative stress-induced outer retinal degeneration" [1] where, we have shown that miR-144 induces oxidative stress in RPE cells by targeting Nrf2 expression. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that like erythroid cells, RPE cells express α, β and γ-globin and produce hemoglobin locally in retina. Further, the ability to therapeutically reactivate fetal hemoglobin production in these cells, a strategy of high potential benefit in the treatment of complications of sickle cell disease, including retinopathy, is impacted by Nrf2-mediated signaling [2,3].

Clinical calculator predictive of chemotherapy benefit in stage 1A uterine papillary serous cancers.

Objective: Determine the utility of a clinical calculator to predict the benefit of chemotherapy in stage IA uterine papillary serous cancer (UPSC).

Patients And Methods: Data were collected from NCDB from years 2010-2014. Based on demographic and surgical characteristics, a clinical score was developed using the random survival forest machine learning algorithm.

Rural-urban differences e-cigarette ever use, the perception of harm, and e-cigarette information seeking behaviors among U.S. adults in a nationally representative study.

Adults living in rural areas, compared to their urban counterparts, are at an increased risk of using tobacco-related products and mortality due to tobacco-related diseases. The harms and benefits of e-cigarette use are mixed, and similarly obscure messaging about these harms and benefits have a critical influence on e-cigarette uptake and perceptions. However, little is known about rural-urban differences in the prevalence of adult e-cigarette daily usage.

Allergic reaction from dental bonding material through nitrile gloves: Clinical case study and glove permeability testing.

Objective: This study examines monomer permeation of commercial dental adhesive through nitrile-based gloves, and correlates findings with clinical case studies of dental students having localized skin eruptions following resin placement on a gloved hand to manipulate composite.

Methods: Three dental students self-reported presenting itchy, red skin lesions underneath the area where they placed uncured adhesive resin on a nitrile-gloved hand. Histories and cursory examinations were performed in the Department of Dermatology at The Medical College of Georgia.

Reconstruction of Large Transmural Nasal Defects With a Nasolabial Turnover Interpolation Flap.

Background: Reconstruction of large nasal surgical defects often warrant the use of mucosal flaps to repair the inner lining. This often presents a challenge for surgical reconstruction.

Objective: To describe a unique reconstructive option for the repair of large surgical wounds that necessitate mucosal nasal lining.

Evaluation of Anesthesiology Residents' Supervision Skills: A Tool to Assess Transition Towards Independent Practice.

Problem Anesthesiologists are often expected to supervise residents, nurse anesthetists, and anesthesiologist assistants in their practice. Development of a supervisory skill set is important during anesthesiology training and has a potential impact on the quality of patient care. During anesthesiology residency training, residents develop different competencies through direct supervision by a staff anesthesiologist.

Association between Blood Viscosity and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Arterial Hypertension in a High Altitude Setting.

Background  Blood viscosity is a determinant of vascular resistance, and it is expected to contribute to blood pressure. Arterial hypertension (HTN), in addition to other cardiovascular risk factors, contribute to cardiac morbidity. Our study aimed to establish the association between cardiovascular risk factors including HTN and whole blood viscosity in Ecuadorian patients.

Meta-Analysis of Genomewide Association Studies Reveals Genetic Variants for Hip Bone Geometry.

Hip geometry is an important predictor of fracture. We performed a meta-analysis of GWAS studies in adults to identify genetic variants that are associated with proximal femur geometry phenotypes. We analyzed four phenotypes: (i) femoral neck length; (ii) neck-shaft angle; (iii) femoral neck width, and (iv) femoral neck section modulus, estimated from DXA scans using algorithms of hip structure analysis.

Student Race and Gender and Patient Encounters in a Family Medicine Clerkship.

Background And Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the association of students' race and gender with the race, gender, age, patient numbers, and problems encountered during a third-year family medicine clerkship across a geographically distributed clinical teaching network.

Methods: Student patient experience logbook data from two separate but adjacent 3-year periods were analyzed. Mixed-effects regression models and generalized linear mixed models were used to determine the relationship between student race and gender on number and demographics of patients encountered and odds of encountering required conditions and gender-specific conditions at least once during the clerkship.

Expansion Of Telestroke Services Improves Quality Of Care Provided In Super Rural Areas.

Telestroke is a telemedicine intervention that facilitates communication between stroke centers and lower-resourced facilities to optimize acute stroke management. Using administrative claims data, we assessed trends in telestroke use among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with acute ischemic stroke and the association between providing telestroke services and intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) and mechanical thrombectomy use, mortality, and medical expenditures, by urban versus rural county of residence in the period 2008-15. The proportion of ischemic stroke cases receiving telestroke increased from 0.

Review article: novel antivirals for hepatitis C-sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir.

Background: In 2017, the hepatitis C treatment regimens sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (SOF/VEL/VOX) and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Clinically Silent Adrenocorticotropic Hormone-Positive Crooke Cell Adenoma: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background: Pituitary adenomas are one of the most common tumors of adulthood; however, subtypes such as Crooke cell adenoma are relatively rare.

Case Description: We present the case of a 55-year-old woman who presented with new-onset intermittent headache and dizziness. Clinical and laboratory investigations were not suggestive of corticotroph tumor.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a highly prevalent disorder, representing the single most common endocrine-metabolic disorder in reproductive-aged women. Currently there are four recognized phenotypes of PCOS: 1) hyperandrogenism+oligo-anovulation+polycystic ovarian morphology; 2) hyperandrogenism+oligo-anovulation; 3) hyperandrogenism+polycystic ovarian morphology; and 4) oligo-anovulation+polycystic ovarian morphology, each with different long-term health and metabolic implications. Clinicians should clearly denote a patient's phenotype when making the diagnosis of PCOS.

Insurance Companies Fighting the Peer Review Empire without any Validity: the Case for Addiction and Pain Modalities in the face of an American Drug Epidemic.

The United States are amid an opioid overdose epidemic; we are challenged to provide non-addicting/non-pharmacological alternatives to assist in pain attenuation. There are proven strategies available to manage chronic pain effectively without opioids. Utilization review providers for insurance companies often ignore medicine based scientific peer-reviewed studies that warn against the chronic use of opioid medications, as well as the lack of evidence to support long-term use of opioids for pain.

Reexamining Metoclopramide's Role in the Prevention of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Secondary Analysis.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) continue to be among the most undesirable and distressing complications following general anesthesia, affecting 20% to 30% of all surgical patients and up to 70% of patients with multiple known risk factors. The purpose of this study was to reexamine the effectiveness of metoclopramide in the prevention of PONV when stratified by PONV risk scores. Secondary data from 2,116 adult ambulatory surgical patients were analyzed.

Patient-Centered Medical Home Status and Preparedness to Assess Resident Milestones: A CERA Study.

Purpose: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model has been proposed as the ideal model for delivering primary care and is focused on improving patient safety and quality, reducing costs, and enhancing patient satisfaction. The mandated Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education educational milestones for evaluation of resident competency represent the skills graduates will utilize after graduation. Many of these skills are reflected in the PCMH model.

Ectopic thyroid: The great mimicker.

Ectopic thyroid tissue is very rare, but its prevalence increases in those with thyroid pathology. It typically occurs due to aberrant development of the thyroid gland during its migration to the pretracheal region. In this report, there are two cases of mediastinal ectopic thyroid tissue discussed, which were initially considered to be malignancies.