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Institution

Veterans Health Administration

GovernmentWashington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
About: Veterans Health Administration is a government organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Veterans Affairs. The organization has 63820 authors who have published 98417 publications receiving 4835425 citations. The organization is also known as: VHA.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that inhibiting PC-1 function may be a viable therapeutic strategy for hypophosphatasia, and interfere with TNAP activity may correct pathological hyperossification because of PPi insufficiency.
Abstract: Osteoblasts mineralize bone matrix by promoting hydroxyapatite crystal formation and growth in the interior of membrane-limited matrix vesicles (MVs) and by propagating the crystals onto the collagenous extracellular matrix. Two osteoblast proteins, tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1 (PC-1) are involved in this process. Mutations in the TNAP gene result in the inborn error of metabolism known as hypophosphatasia, characterized by poorly mineralized bones, spontaneous fractures, and elevated extracellular concentrations of inorganic pyrophosphate (PP(i)). PP(i) suppresses the formation and growth of hydroxyapatite crystals. PP(i) is produced by the nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase activity of a family of isozymes, with PC-1 being the only member present in MVs. Mice with spontaneous mutations in the PC-1 gene have hypermineralization abnormalities that include osteoarthritis and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine. Here, we show the respective correction of bone mineralization abnormalities in knockout mice null for both the TNAP (Akp2) and PC-1 (Enpp1) genes. Each allele of Akp2 and Enpp1 has a measurable influence on mineralization status in vivo. Ex vivo experiments using cultured double-knockout osteoblasts and their MVs demonstrate normalization of PP(i) content and mineral deposition. Our data provide evidence that TNAP and PC-1 are key regulators of the extracellular PP(i) concentrations required for controlled bone mineralization. Our results suggest that inhibiting PC-1 function may be a viable therapeutic strategy for hypophosphatasia. Conversely, interfering with TNAP activity may correct pathological hyperossification because of PP(i) insufficiency.

812 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Treatment with systemic glucocorticoids results in moderate improvement in clinical outcomes among patients hospitalized for exacerbations of COPD, and the maximal benefit is obtained during the first two weeks of therapy.
Abstract: Background and Methods Although their clinical efficacy is unclear and they may cause serious adverse effects, systemic glucocorticoids are a standard treatment for patients hospitalized with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We conducted a double-blind, randomized trial of systemic glucocorticoids (given for two or eight weeks) or placebo, in addition to other therapies, for exacerbations of COPD. Most other care was standardized over the six-month period of follow-up. The primary end point was treatment failure, defined as death from any cause or the need for intubation and mechanical ventilation, readmission to the hospital for COPD, or intensification of drug therapy. Results Of 1840 potential study participants at 25 Veterans Affairs medical centers, 271 were eligible for participation and were enrolled; 80 received an eight-week course of glucocorticoid therapy, 80 received a two-week course, and 111 received placebo. About half the potential participants were ineligible...

811 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Six previously unknown loci associated with fasting insulin at P < 5 × 10−8 in combined discovery and follow-up analyses of 52 studies comprising up to 96,496 non-diabetic individuals are presented.
Abstract: Recent genome-wide association studies have described many loci implicated in type 2 diabetes (T2D) pathophysiology and β-cell dysfunction but have contributed little to the understanding of the genetic basis of insulin resistance. We hypothesized that genes implicated in insulin resistance pathways might be uncovered by accounting for differences in body mass index (BMI) and potential interactions between BMI and genetic variants. We applied a joint meta-analysis approach to test associations with fasting insulin and glucose on a genome-wide scale. We present six previously unknown loci associated with fasting insulin at P < 5 × 10(-8) in combined discovery and follow-up analyses of 52 studies comprising up to 96,496 non-diabetic individuals. Risk variants were associated with higher triglyceride and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, suggesting a role for these loci in insulin resistance pathways. The discovery of these loci will aid further characterization of the role of insulin resistance in T2D pathophysiology.

811 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For both healthy adults and patients, active and avoidance coping were positively associated with negative life events and individuals who had more personal and environmental resources were more likely to rely on active coping and less likely to use avoidance coping.
Abstract: This study examined personal and contextual predictors of active and avoidance coping strategies in a community sample of over 400 adults and in a sample of over 400 persons entering psychiatric treatment for unipolar depression. Sociodemographic factors of education and income (except for active-cognitive coping), personality dispositions of self-confidence and an easy-going manner, and contextual factors of negative life events and family support each made a significant incremental contribution to predicting active and avoidance coping. Among both healthy adults and patients, active and avoidance coping were positively associated with negative life events. Individuals who had more personal and environmental resources were more likely to rely on active coping and less likely to use avoidance coping. Moreover, for both groups, most of the predictors continued to show significant relations with active and avoidance coping strategies even after the stable component in coping was controlled in a longitudinal design. A comprehensive framework to understand the determinants of coping can be of practical value in suggesting points for therapeutic interventions aimed at fostering more adaptive coping efforts.

810 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A rapid increase in the incidence of infection and colonization with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) has been reported from U.S. hospitals in the last 5 years, and the lack of available antimicrobials for therapy of infections due to VRE poses several problems.

806 citations


Authors

Showing all 63886 results

NameH-indexPapersCitations
Michael Karin236704226485
Paul M. Ridker2331242245097
Eugene Braunwald2301711264576
Ralph B. D'Agostino2261287229636
John Q. Trojanowski2261467213948
Fred H. Gage216967185732
Edward Giovannucci2061671179875
Rob Knight2011061253207
Frank E. Speizer193636135891
Stephen V. Faraone1881427140298
Scott M. Grundy187841231821
Paul G. Richardson1831533155912
Peter W.F. Wilson181680139852
Dennis S. Charney179802122408
Kenneth C. Anderson1781138126072
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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers from the Institution in previous years
YearPapers
202314
2022137
20216,161
20205,712
20195,171
20184,497