Beaumont Health

About: Beaumont Health is a nonprofit organization based out in Royal Oak, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Medicine & Population. The organization has 1483 authors who have published 1448 publications receiving 15407 citations. The organization is also known as: William Beaumont Health System & Beaumont Hospitals.

Hypofractionated Conformal Radiotherapy with Concurrent Full-Dose Gemcitabine Versus Standard Fractionation Radiotherapy with Concurrent Fluorouracil for Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: a Multi-Institution Experience.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare oncologic outcomes and toxicity profile of hypofractionated conformal radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent full-dose gemcitabine versus standard fractionation RT with concurrent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the treatment of unresectable non-metastatic pancreatic cancer. Patients with unresectable non-metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treated at three institutions were included. All patients were treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) consisting of either hypofractionated RT to the gross disease concurrent with a full-dose gemcitabine-based regimen versus standard fractionation RT to the tumor and elective nodes concurrent with 5-FU. End points included rates of gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities, overall survival (OS), and distant metastasis free survival (DMFS). From January 1999 to December 2009, 170 patients were identified (118 RT/gemcitabine, 52 RT/5-FU). There were no differences in demographic or clinical factors. Acute GI toxicities (grades <3 versus ≥3) were 82.2 and 17.8 %, respectively, for patients treated with RT/gemcitabine and 78.9 and 21.2 % for those treated with RT/5-FU (p = 0.67). Late GI toxicities (grades <3 versus ≥3) were 88.1 and 11.9 %, respectively, for RT/gemcitabine and 80.8 and 19.2 % for RT/5-FU (p = 0.23). OS for RT/gemcitabine and RT/5-FU were 52 versus 36 % at 1 year and 14 versus 6 % at 2 years favoring the RT/gemcitabine group (p = 0.02). DMFS at 1 and 2 years for RT/gemcitabine were 41 and 11 % versus 24 and 4 % for RT/5-FU (p = 0.02). RT/gemcitabine was equivalent in toxicity to RT/5-FU but was associated with superior OS and DMFS. When RT is used in the treatment of unresectable pancreatic cancer, hypofractionated conformal RT with concurrent full-dose gemcitabine may be the preferred approach.

The Greenland Firn Compaction Verification and Reconnaissance (FirnCover) dataset, 2013–2019

Abstract: Abstract. Assessing changes in the density of snow and firn is vital to convert volume changes into mass changes on glaciers and ice sheets. Firn models simulate this process but typically rely upon steady-state assumptions and geographically and temporally limited sets of field measurements for validation. Given rapid changes recently observed in Greenland's surface mass balance, a contemporary dataset measuring firn compaction in a range of climate zones across the Greenland ice sheet's accumulation zone is needed. To fill this need, the Firn Compaction Verification and Reconnaissance (FirnCover) dataset comprises daily measurements from 48 strainmeters installed in boreholes at eight sites on the Greenland ice sheet between 2013 and 2019. The dataset also includes daily records of 2 m air temperature, snow height, and firn temperature from each station. The majority of the FirnCover stations were installed in close proximity to automated weather stations that measure a wider suite of meteorological measurements, allowing the user access to auxiliary datasets for model validation studies using FirnCover data. The dataset can be found here: https://doi.org/10.18739/A25X25D7M (MacFerrin et al., 2021).

Specific serum antibody binding to phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated tau in non-cognitively impaired, mildly cognitively impaired, and Alzheimer's disease subjects: an exploratory study.

Abstract: Tau vaccination and administration of anti-tau antibodies can prevent pathology and cognitive impairment in transgenic mouse models of tauopathy, suggesting that therapies which increase anti-tau antibodies might slow the development and/or progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The extent to which individuals with no cognitive impairment (NCI) possess serum anti-tau antibodies, and whether their concentrations of these antibodies differ from anti-tau antibody levels in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD, are unclear. Previous studies measuring these antibodies did not account for antibody polyvalent binding, which can be extensive, nor that antibody binding to phosphorylated tau peptides could be due to binding to non-phosphorylated epitopes on those peptides. An ELISA controlling for these factors was used to measure the specific binding of serum IgG and IgM to phosphorylated (“pTau;” phosphorylated at Serine-199 and Serine-202) and non-phosphorylated (“non-pTau”) tau 196-207 in subjects with NCI, MCI, or AD (n = 10/group). Between-group differences in these antibody levels were evaluated for statistical significance, and correlations were examined in pooled data from all subjects between these antibody levels and subject age, global cognitive functioning, and NFT counts. Specific IgG binding to pTau and non-pTau was detected in all subjects except for one NCI control. Specific IgM binding was detected to pTau in all subjects except for two AD patients, and to non-pTau in all subjects. Mean pTau IgG was increased in MCI subjects by 53% and 70% vs. AD and NCI subjects respectively (both p < 0.05), while no significant differences were found between groups for non-pTau IgG (p = 0.052), pTau IgM, or non-pTau IgM. Non-pTau IgG was negatively associated with global cognition (Spearman rho = −0.50). Specific binding of serum IgG and IgM to phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated tau may be present in older persons regardless of their cognitive status. Serum IgG to phosphorylated tau may be increased in individuals with MCI, but this unexpected finding requires confirmation. The approach used in this study to measure specific serum antibodies to phosphorylated tau should be useful for measuring antibodies to other post-translationally-modified proteins that are of relevance to neurodegenerative disorders.

Controversies in vitamin D: deficiency and supplementation after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery

Abstract: Current vitamin D recommendations are insufficient and a higher intake is necessary in the general population. The requirements of bariatric surgery patients can be augmented by longstanding obesity coupled with, gastro–intestinal malabsorption. Vitamin D deficiency promotes metabolic bone disease and may increase risks for a multitude of other medical conditions. This article reviews some controversies surrounding vitamin D and proposes a management strategy for bariatric surgery patients.