Aliquots - Research Briefs

January 19, 2023

Low potassium injures kidney

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that low dietary potassium causes direct kidney injury, suggesting potential new targets for treating chronic kidney disease.

By Leigh MacMillan
January 10, 2023

Anti-nausea drug response in children

Genetic variation in a metabolic enzyme was not associated with response to the anti-nausea drug odansetron in children, Vanderbilt researchers report.

By Leigh MacMillan
January 9, 2023

Novel lung cancer biomarker

Autoantibodies against the p53 tumor suppressor protein may be a novel biomarker for identifying people, especially African Americans, at high risk for lung cancer.

By Leigh MacMillan
January 6, 2023

Early effects of Huntington disease

Impairments in brain executive function happen earlier than motor symptoms in people with the gene mutation that causes Huntington disease, suggesting younger ages and cognitive symptoms be considered for any future clinical trials.

By Kelsey Pinckard
January 6, 2023

MicroRNAs linked to lipid damage

VUMC researchers have linked microRNAs with systemic lipid peroxidation, a discovery that could point to new therapeutic targets for a variety of diseases.

By Sarah E. Glass
TEE tool at Vanderbilt used to monitor patients before and after surgery
November 22, 2022

Risk score for muscular dystrophy

An imaging-based risk score can identify patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who are at greater risk of early mortality, allowing more intensive treatment and potentially prolonging life.

By Kelsey Pinckard
November 21, 2022

Suicide notes

Natural language processing of notes in electronic health records can identify suicidal behavior and could be used to directly improve real-time risk prediction algorithms.
By Paul Govern
November 17, 2022

Surgery for hereditary breast cancer

Similar rates of bilateral mastectomy in women with inherited mutations in high- and moderate-penetrance genes raises concerns about possible overtreatment of some patients, Vanderbilt researchers report.
By Leigh MacMillan
November 17, 2022

A marker for mortality

A urine biomarker of inflammation was associated with increased mortality and multiple lifestyle factors, suggesting that modifications could help reduce premature mortality.
By Sarah E. Glass
November 8, 2022

Alzheimer’s risk factor and cognition

Vanderbilt researchers found that a protein with roles in innate immunity worsens memory at baseline in carriers of APOE-e4, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, further implicating neuroinflammation in cognitive decline.
By Leigh MacMillan
November 7, 2022

Gene mutations impair gut barrier

Mutations in a cell membrane transporter protein impair the integrity of the gut lining, contributing to chronic gastrointestinal distress for people with the mutations, Vanderbilt researchers report.
By Kelsey Pinckard
November 3, 2022

C. diff infections drop in children

The number of pediatric infections caused by Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) decreased from 2013 to 2019, likely due to an increase in antibiotic stewardship programs and improved hospital contact protocols, Vanderbilt researchers found.
By Sarah E. Glass
November 3, 2022

Social behavior brain circuitry

Vanderbilt researchers have identified a novel mechanism regulating social behavior: Neuropeptide Y signaling in the nucleus accumbens brain region.
By Leigh MacMillan