Evaluation of cortisol level in premature neonates: Are there any correlations between prevalence of patent ductus arteriosus and prenatal administration of betamethasone?

Background: The results of previous studies suggested that there is an increased risk of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in the neonates with lower serum cortisol levels. This study aimed to assess the association between serum cortisol values and PDA and investigate if there is an association between PDA and the antenatal administration of betamethasone. Methods: The present study was carried out on the neonates with gestational age between 28 to 35 weeks. The prenatal administration of betamethasone to the mothers was extracted from the records. A pediatric cardiologist performed an echocardiographic assessment on the second day of life (DOL) and fifth DOL and the infants were evaluated for the presence of PDA. The blood samples were obtained on the second and fifth DOL and serum cortisol levels were measured. We evaluated the association between serum cortisol levels and PDA. Also, the correlation between PDA and the antenatal administration of betamethasone was assessed. Results: The mean scores of serum cortisol levels on the second DOL in the neonates with and without PDA were 4.99±2.69 (μg/dl) and 7.23±2.87 (μg/dl), respectively that were significantly lower in the first group, compared to those of the second group. However, the mean levels of serum cortisol in the neonates with and without the prenatal administration of betamethasone were not significant (P=0.522). Conclusion: We have concluded that lower serum cortisol level was associated with the increase in the risk of PDA and the prenatal administration of glucocorticoids may not reduce the occurrence of PDA. © 2019 Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Overexpression of Inosine 5′-Monophosphate Dehydrogenase Type II Mediates Chemoresistance to Human Osteosarcoma Cells

overexpression in osteosarcoma patients with poor response to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to provide evidence for direct involvement of IMPDH2 in the development of chemoresistance..IMPDH2 is directly involved in the development of chemoresistance in osteosarcoma cells, suggesting that targeting of IMPDH2 by RNAi or more effective pharmacological inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy might be a promising means of overcoming chemoresistance in osteosarcomas with high IMPDH2 expression

Leveraging Accelerometry as a Prognostic Indicator for Increase in Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms

Treating opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant healthcare challenge in the United States. Remaining abstinent from opioids is challenging for individuals with OUD due to withdrawal symptoms that include restlessness. However, to our knowledge, studies of acute withdrawal have not quantified restlessness using involuntary movements. We hypothesized that wearable accelerometry placed mid-sternum could be used to detect withdrawal-related restlessness in patients with OUD. To study this, 23 patients with OUD undergoing active withdrawal participated in a protocol involving wearable accelerometry, opioid cues to elicit craving, and non-invasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) to dampen withdrawal symptoms. Using accelerometry signals, we analyzed how movements correlated with changes in acute withdrawal severity, measured by the Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS). Our results revealed that patients demonstrating sinusoidal–i.e., predominantly single-frequency oscillation patterns in their motion almost exclusively demonstrated an increase in the COWS, and a strong relationship between the maximum power spectral density and increased withdrawal over time, measured by the COWS (R = 0.92, p = 0.029). Accelerometry may be used in an ambulatory setting to indicate the increased intensity of a patient’s withdrawal symptoms, providing an objective, readily-measurable marker that may be captured ubiquitously