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Background: Transplant recipients have a 2‐ to 4‐fold increased risk of developing malignancies over the general population. Cancer is the second most common cause of death for recipients. The magnitude of the risk depends on the cancer type and increases in viral‐related malignancies. Skin cancer is the most common. However, data in most cancer registries is limited to cutaneous melanomas, thereby limiting the epidemiologic examination of cancer risk in non‐melanoma skin cancer. Our goal was to evaluate post‐kidney transplant cancer cases and sites in our population to guide screening recommendations. Methods: Between 2009 and 2015, a retrospective study of adult kidney recipients transplanted at East Carolina University was conducted. The first cancer diagnosis after transplant through February 18, 2020, was captured and analyzed. Patient demographics, cancer sites, and histological diagnoses were analyzed and compared. p16 immunohistochemistry was used as a surrogate marker for high‐risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Results: Retrospectively, kidney transplant recipients were analyzed (N = 439), the majority were non‐Hispanic Black (NHB) individuals, 312 (71.1%), and 127 (28.9%) were non‐Hispanic White (NHW) individuals. Of these, 59 (13.4%) developed a posttransplant malignancy, with the majority on sun‐exposed skin found in NHW. NHB had all anogenital/mucosa skin cancers on non‐sun‐exposed skin. Of these detected in NHB, all were squamous cell carcinomas, with five out of six (83.3%) being positive for p16. Conclusions: Posttransplant malignancy differed significantly by race, site, and potential source of etiology. The majority of malignancies are likely explained by acceleration of precursor lesions from prior exposure to ultraviolet rays or HPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of wheelchair users is increasing as the population ages. However, there is still lack of tools to objectively assess posture during wheelchair propulsion.Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a system to measure trunk and pelvis ROM (range of motion) while driving a wheelchair and to assess the reproducibility of the measured posture changes and cyclic fluctuations during propulsion.Methods: Motion recorders were attached to the sternum and pelvis of fifteen healthy adults, and a pressure sensor was attached to the right heel. Subjects drove a standard wheelchair using their right leg and trunk and pelvis ROM was measured in two separate sessions. To detect the trend of postural changes during propulsion, a trend curve was computed from the measured ROM using a low-pass filter and then subtracted from the measured ROM waveforms. The resulting curves were normalized and averaged, and the maximum, minimum, and amplitude of the cyclic variation during propulsion were assessed for reproducibility.Results: Intraclass correlation coefficients of the maximum, minimum, and amplitude ranged from 0.65 to 0.84.Conclusions: The proposed method can estimate the posture change and the periodic fluctuation during wheelchair propulsion with high reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background We developed an electroencephalogram-based brain computer interface system to modulate functional electrical stimulation (FES) to the affected tibialis anterior muscle in a stroke patient. The intensity of FES current increased in a stepwise manner when the event-related desynchronization (ERD) reflecting motor intent was continuously detected from the primary cortical motor area. Methods We tested the feasibility of the ERD-modulated FES system in comparison with FES without ERD modulation. The stroke patient who presented with severe hemiparesis attempted to perform dorsiflexion of the paralyzed ankle during which FES was applied either with or without ERD modulation. Results After 20 minutes of training, the range of movement at the ankle joint and the electromyography amplitude of the affected tibialis anterior muscle were significantly increased following the ERD-modulated FES compared with the FES alone. Conclusions The proposed rehabilitation technique using ERD-modulated FES for stroke patients was feasible. The system holds potentials to improve the limb function and to benefit stroke patients.

Seizures are induced when subjects are exposed to severe hypoxia. It is followed by ventilatory fall‐off and eventual respiratory arrest, which may underlie the pathophysiology of death in patients with epilepsy and severe respiratory disorders. However, the mechanisms of hypoxia‐induced seizures have not been fully understood. Because astrocytes are involved in various neurological disorders, we aimed to investigate whether astrocytes are operational in seizure generation and respiratory arrest in a severe hypoxic condition. We examined the effects of astrocytic activation blockade on responses of EEG and ventilation to severe hypoxia. Adult mice were divided into two groups; in one group (n = 24) only vehicle was injected, and in the other group (n = 24) arundic acid, an inhibitory modulator of astrocytic activation, was administered before initiation of recording. After recording EEG and ventilation by whole body plethysmography in room air, the gas in the recording chamber was switched to 5% oxygen (nitrogen balanced) until a seizure and ventilatory depression occurred, followed by prompt switch back to room air. Severe hypoxia initially increased ventilation, followed by a seizure and ventilatory suppression in all mice examined. Fourteen mice without arundic acid showed respiratory arrest during loading of hypoxia. However, 22 mice pretreated with arundic acid did not suffer from respiratory arrest. Time from the onset of hypoxia to the occurrence of seizures was significantly longer in the group with arundic acid than that in the group without arundic acid. We suggest that blockade of astrocytic activation delays the occurrence of seizures and prevents respiratory arrest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]