Wake Forest University

About: Wake Forest University is a education organization based out in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Diabetes mellitus. The organization has 21499 authors who have published 48731 publications receiving 2246027 citations. The organization is also known as: Wake Forest College.

Hepatic Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 regulates biliary cholesterol concentration and is a target of ezetimibe.

Abstract: Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) is required for cholesterol absorption. Intestinal NPC1L1 appears to be a target of ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor that effectively lowers plasma LDL-cholesterol in humans. However, human liver also expresses NPC1L1. Hepatic function of NPC1L1 was previously unknown, but we recently discovered that NPC1L1 localizes to the canalicular membrane of primate hepatocytes and that NPC1L1 facilitates cholesterol uptake in hepatoma cells. Based upon these findings, we hypothesized that hepatic NPC1L1 allows the retention of biliary cholesterol by hepatocytes and that ezetimibe disrupts hepatic function of NPC1L1. To test this hypothesis, transgenic mice expressing human NPC1L1 in hepatocytes (L1-Tg mice) were created. Hepatic overexpression of NPC1L1 resulted in a 10- to 20-fold decrease in biliary cholesterol concentration, but not phospholipid and bile acid concentrations. This decrease was associated with a 30%-60% increase in plasma cholesterol, mainly because of the accumulation of apoE-rich HDL. Biliary and plasma cholesterol concentrations in these animals were virtually returned to normal with ezetimibe treatment. These findings suggest that in humans, ezetimibe may reduce plasma cholesterol by inhibiting NPC1L1 function in both intestine and liver, and hepatic NPC1L1 may have evolved to protect the body from excessive biliary loss of cholesterol.

Situation‐Based Contingencies Underlying Trait‐Content Manifestation in Behavior

Abstract: Two studies investigated whether situations are associated with the manifestation of Big Five trait contents in behavior. Several times per day for 2 or 5 weeks, participants reported their current Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Emotional Stability states and rated the concurrent situation on several characteristics. Multilevel models tested for the average individual's contingency of each Big Five state on each situation characteristic and for whether individuals differed from each other reliably in those contingencies. Results showed that (1) there are psychologically active characteristics of situations on which trait-manifesting behavior is contingent; (2) contingencies on psychologically active characteristics of varying situations are part of the explanation for the sizeable within-person variability in behavior; (3) individuals differ reliably in their contingencies, and such individual differences may partially explain individual differences in amount of variability; and (4) the situation characteristics that are psychologically active differ by trait. These findings suggest that within-person variability in personality states is meaningful and is related to situations, that personality psychology should characterize situations in terms of their relevance to personality states, and that process and individual-difference structure approaches can be integrated in personality psychology.

Image reporting method and system

Abstract: A method and system are provided to report the findings of an expert's analysis of image data. The method and system are based on a reporting system that forms the basis of an image management system that can efficiently and systematically generate image reports, facilitate data entry into searchable databases for data mining, and expedite billing and collections for the expert's services. The expert identifies a significant finding on an image and attaches a location:description code to the location of that finding in order to create a significant finding and an entry into a database. Further descriptions of that finding, such as dimensional measurements, may be automatically appended to the finding as secondary attributes. After the evaluation, the system sorts the findings in the database and presents the findings by prioritized categories. The expert edits and approves a multimedia report which may be delivered by electronic means to an end-user.

Randomized placebo-controlled trial of a 42-day tapering course of dexamethasone to reduce the duration of ventilator dependency in very low birth weight infants: outcome of study participants at 1-year adjusted age.

Abstract: Objective. Ventilator-dependent preterm infants are often treated with a prolonged tapering course of dexamethasone to decrease the risk and severity of chronic lung disease. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of this therapy on developmental outcome at 1 year of age. Methods. Study participants were 118 very low birth weight infants who, at 15 to 25 days of life, were not weaning from assisted ventilation and were then enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of a 42-day tapering course of dexamethasone. Infants were examined at 1 year of age, adjusted for prematurity, by a pediatrician and a child psychologist. A physical and neurologic examination was performed, and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were administered. All examiners were blind to treatment group. Results. Groups were similar in terms of birth weight, gestational age, gender, and race. A higher percentage of dexamethasone recipients had major intracranial abnormalities diagnosed by ultrasonography (21% vs 11%). Group differences were not found for Bayley Mental Development Index (median [range] for dexamethasone-treated group, 94 [50-123]; for placebo group, 90 [28-117]) or Psychomotor Development Index Index (median [range]) for dexamethasone-treated group, 78 (50-109); for placebo-treated group, 81 [28-117]). More dexamethasone-treated infants had cerebral palsy (25% vs 7%) and abnormal neurologic examination findings (45% vs 16%). In stratified analyses, adjusted for major cranial ultrasound abnormalities, these associations persisted (OR values for cerebral palsy, 5.3; 95% Cl: 1.3-21.4; OR values for neurologic abnormality 3.6; 95% Cl: 1.2-11.0). Conclusions. A 42-day tapering course of dexamethasone was associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy. Possible explanations include an adverse effect of this therapy on brain development and/or improved survival of infants who either already have neurologic injury or who are at increased risk for such injury. Pediatrics 1999;104:15-21; bronchopulmonary dysplasia, dexamethasone, chronic lung disease, very low birth weight, randomized controlled trials, developmental outcome, cerebral palsy.