Rush University Medical Center

About: Rush University Medical Center is a healthcare organization based out in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 13915 authors who have published 29027 publications receiving 1379216 citations. The organization is also known as: Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center.

Risk factors for nursing home placement in advanced Parkinson's disease.

Abstract: We evaluated the risk factors for nursing home placement of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) by matching 11 PD patients permanently admitted to nursing homes with two control PD patients remaining at home. Risk factors assessed were motor severity, presence of hallucinations/delusions, and presence of memory of problems. The only statistically significant risk factor was the presence of hallucinations/delusions. Motor severity and the presence of memory problems did not have an impact on nursing home placement. There was no risk factor synergy for hallucinations, motor disability, and mental impairment. Since all patients in this series who entered nursing homes remained there permanently, these data suggest that vigorous efforts to control hallucinations may be warranted to prevent nursing home placement.

A Prospective, Randomized Trial of Laparoscopic Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Patch Repair vs Simple Cruroplasty for Large Hiatal Hernia

Abstract: Hypothesis Large hiatal hernias are prone to disruption, resulting in reherniation, when repaired with simple cruroplasty. The use of mesh may decrease the rate of reherniation in the laparoscopic repair of large hiatal hernias. Design Prospective, randomized controlled trial. Setting University-affiliated private hospital. Patients Seventy-two individuals undergoing laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with a hernia defect greater or equal to 8 cm in diameter. Intervention Nissen fundoplication with posterior cruroplasty (n = 36) vs Nissen fundoplication with posterior cruroplasty and onlay of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) mesh (n = 36). Main Outcome Measures Recurrences, complications, hospital stay, operative time, and cost. Results Patients in both groups had similar hospital stays, but the PTFE group had a longer operative time. The cost of the repair was $960 ± $70 more in the group with the prosthesis. Complications were minor and similar in both groups. There were 8 hernia recurrences (22%) in the primary repair group and none in the PTFE group ( P Conclusion The use of prosthetic reinforcement of cruroplasty in large hiatal hernias may prevent hernia recurrences.

Animals lacking link protein have attenuated perineuronal nets and persistent plasticity

Abstract: Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix restrict plasticity in the adult central nervous system and their digestion with chondroitinase reactivates plasticity. However the structures in the extracellular matrix that restrict plasticity are unknown. There are many changes in the extracellular matrix as critical periods for plasticity close, including changes in chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan core protein levels, changes in glycosaminoglycan sulphation and the appearance of dense chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan-containing perineuronal nets around many neurons. We show that formation of perineuronal nets is triggered by neuronal production of cartilage link protein Crtl1 (Hapln1), which is up-regulated in the visual cortex as perineuronal nets form during development and after dark rearing. Mice lacking Crtl1 have attenuated perineuronal nets, but the overall levels of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans and their pattern of glycan sulphation are unchanged. Crtl1 knockout animals retain juvenile levels of ocular dominance plasticity and their visual acuity remains sensitive to visual deprivation. In the sensory pathway, axons in knockout animals but not controls sprout into the party denervated cuneate nucleus. The organization of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan into perineuronal nets is therefore the key event in the control of central nervous system plasticity by the extracellular matrix.