Exploration of C9or72C9-500 SK2, SK3 Channel Expression

ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig\u27s Disease) is a neurodegenerative disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function. The C9 Gene is responsible for creating proteins that help neurons send and receive signals across the synapse. Small Conductance calcium activated potassium channels (SK channels) affect the hyperpolarization phase of an action potential. Hypothesis: SK2 and SK3 clusters of C9 positive cells should decrease in size and intensity when exposed to a disease state compared to C9 negative controls

Frontotemporal Dementia and Glucose Metabolism

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), hallmarked by antero-temporal degeneration in the human brain, is the second most common early onset dementia. FTD is a diverse disease with three main clinical presentations, four different identified proteinopathies and many disease-associated genes. The exact pathophysiology of FTD remains to be elucidated. One common characteristic all forms of FTD share is the dysregulation of glucose metabolism in patients’ brains. The brain consumes around 20% of the body’s energy supply and predominantly utilizes glucose as a fuel. Glucose metabolism dysregulation could therefore be extremely detrimental for neuronal health. Research into the association between glucose metabolism and dementias has recently gained interest in Alzheimer’s disease. FTD also presents with glucose metabolism dysregulation, however, this remains largely an unexplored area. A better understanding of the link between FTD and glucose metabolism may yield further insight into FTD pathophysiology and aid the development of novel therapeutics. Here we review our current understanding of FTD and glucose metabolism in the brain and discuss the evidence of impaired glucose metabolism in FTD. Lastly, we review research potentially suggesting a causal relationship between FTD proteinopathies and impaired glucose metabolism in FTD

Man With Bilateral Leg Swelling

A 52-year-old man without known medical history presented with painful, progressive, bilateral lower extremity edema over a two-week period. An abdominal exam noted a firm left upper quadrant mass. Emergency department (ED) point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) revealed a hyperechoic, heterogeneous structure in the inferior vena cava that was determined to represent a tumor thrombus extending from a primary renal cell carcinoma. This case demonstrates how POCUS was valuable in rapidly diagnosing this rare cause of lower extremity edema and its usefulness in directing the initial ED management of this patient

Estudo de validação do questionário de avaliação da sobrecarga para cuidadores informais

O Questionário de Avaliação da Sobrecarga do Cuidador Informal (QASC)I é um instrumento construído para avaliar a sobrecarga física, emocional e social do cuidador informal (CI) de doentes com sequelas de AVC. O presente estudo descreve a construção e a determinação das características psicométricas deste instrumento. Através de uma amostra de conveniência foram estudados 210 CI e respectivos familiares alvo dos cuidados. Na maioria, estes CI eram do sexo feminino (88,1%), filhas ou esposas. Os sujeitos alvo dos cuidados (52,2% do sexo masculino) apresentavam dependência funcional em pelo menos uma actividade básica da vida diária, ou duas actividades instrumentais. Através da Análise de Componentes Principais, foram discriminados 7 factores, que explicam 59% da variância total: implicações na vida pessoal do CI; satisfação com o papel e com o familiar; reacção a exigências; sobrecarga emocional; suporte familiar; sobrecarga financeira e mecanismos de eficácia e de controlo. O QASCI apresenta uma boa consistência interna em 6 dos seus componentes (valores superiores a 0,70). ------ ABSTRACT ------ The Questionário de Avaliação da Sobrecarga do Cuidador Informal (QASCI) is a scale to assess stroke caregiver’s physical, emotional and social strain. The present study describes the construction of the scale and the validation results. Through a convenience sample, 210 caregivers and their stroke relative’s were studied. Most of these caregivers were female (88,1%), daughters or wives. The stroke survivors (52,2% are males) had functional dependence an at least a daily life basic activity, or two instrumental activities. Through the Principal Components Analysis, 7 factors were discriminated, that explain 59% of the total variance: implications in the personal life of caregiver; satisfaction with the paper and with the relative; reactions to demands; emotional overload; support family; financial overload and mechanisms of effectiveness and control. QASCI presented good reliability in 6 of their components (Cronbach’s alpha>0,70)

Dietary Patterns and Risk of Colorectal Cancer Subtypes Classified by Fusobacterium nucleatum in Tumor Tissue

Importance—Fusobacterium nucleatum appears to play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis through suppression of host immune response to tumor. Evidence also suggests that diet influences intestinal F. nucleatum. However, the role of F. nucleatum in mediating the relationship between diet and the risk of colorectal cancer is unknown. Objective—To test the hypothesis that the associations of prudent diets (rich in whole grains and dietary fiber) and Western diets (rich in red and processed meat, refined grains, and desserts) with colorectal cancer risk may differ according to the presence of F. nucleatum in tumor tissue. Design—Prospective cohort study. Setting—The Nurses’ Health Study (1980–2012) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986–2012). Participants—121,700 US female nurses and 51,529 US male health professionals aged 30 to 55 years and 40 to 75 years, respectively, at enrollment. Exposures—Prudent and Western dietary patterns. Main Outcomes and Measures—Incidence of colorectal carcinoma subclassified by F. nucleatum status in tumor tissue, determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results—We documented 1,019 incident colon and rectal cancer cases with available F. nucleatum data among predominantly white 137,217 individuals over 26–32 years of follow-up encompassing 3,643,562 person-years. The association of prudent diet with colorectal cancer significantly differed by tissue F. nucleatum status (Pheterogeneity = .01). Prudent diet score was associated with a lower risk of F. nucleatum-positive cancers [Ptrend = .003; multivariable hazard ratio of 0.43 (95% confidence interval 0.25–0.72) for the highest vs. the lowest prudent score quartile], but not with F. nucleatum-negative cancers (Ptrend = .47). Dietary component analyses suggested possible differential associations for the cancer subgroups according to intakes of dietary fiber (Pheterogeneity = .02). There was no significant heterogeneity between the subgroups according to Western dietary pattern scores (Pheterogeneity = .23). Conclusions and Relevance—Prudent diets rich in whole grains and dietary fiber are associated with a lower risk for F. nucleatum-positive colorectal cancer but not F. nucleatum-negative cancer, supporting a potential role for intestinal microbiota in mediating the association between diet and colorectal neoplasms

Early warnings of the potential for malaria transmission in rural Africa using the hydrology, entomology and malaria transmission simulator (HYDREMATS)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Early warnings of malaria transmission allow health officials to better prepare for future epidemics. Monitoring rainfall is recognized as an important part of malaria early warning systems. The Hydrology, Entomology and Malaria Simulator (HYDREMATS) is a mechanistic model that relates rainfall to malaria transmission, and could be used to provide early warnings of malaria epidemics.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>HYDREMATS is used to make predictions of mosquito populations and vectorial capacity for 2005, 2006, and 2007 in Banizoumbou village in western Niger. HYDREMATS is forced by observed rainfall, followed by a rainfall prediction based on the seasonal mean rainfall for a period two or four weeks into the future.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Predictions made using this method provided reasonable estimates of mosquito populations and vectorial capacity, two to four weeks in advance. The predictions were significantly improved compared to those made when HYDREMATS was forced with seasonal mean rainfall alone.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HYDREMATS can be used to make reasonable predictions of mosquito populations and vectorial capacity, and provide early warnings of the potential for malaria epidemics in Africa.</p