The Robert Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (formerly the University of Vermont College of Medicine) is an American medical school located in Burlington, Vermont on the campus of the University of Vermont (UVM). Established in 1822, it is the nation's seventh oldest medical school. The primary teaching hospital for the Larner College of Medicine is the UVM Medical Center in Burlington. The Larner College of Medicine offers both MD and PhD degrees, as well as a Certificate in Integrative Healthcare through the shared program with the University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences. In 2007, there were 431 medical and 23 MD/PhD students enrolled. The entering class of 2020 contains 120 students.The school's medical curriculum is known as the "Vermont Integrated Curriculum". It has both traditional, subject-based and more contemporary, organ/system-based components. The first 18 months of the curriculum are devoted to basic and clinical science; the remainder of the four-year program largely consists of clinical clerkships.
Central nervous system inflammation is implicated in neurodegeneration across several disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). While marked therapeutic progress has been made in preventing relapses in MS, primary neuroprotection in this disease remains elusive. This, in part, is due to an incomplete understanding of the molecular pathways involved in immune-mediated neuronal death. Here we show that parthanatos, a recently described caspase-independent and DNA damage-induced cell death program, contributes to neuron death in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of autoimmune neuroinflammation. We reveal that DNA damage increases in neurons during EAE, and that neurons are progressively lost over the disease course. Neurons in affected areas display intracellular hallmarks of the parthanatos cascade. Genetic or pharmacologic blockade of the final step in parthanatos, genomic fragmentation by macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) nuclease, reduces neuron loss and disease severity. Transcriptomic characterization of neurons with and without MIF nuclease activity reveals parthanatos-dependent differences in response to EAE. Together, this work establishes parthanatos as a key mechanism of neuron cell death during neuroinflammation.
The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) has proposed a competency-based fellowship model offering a 2-year clinical pathway with 18 training blocks and no scholarly requirement. This position statement, representing neonatal-perinatal medicine (NPM) training program directors, division leaders, and key stakeholders, contends that the model is not viable for NPM training. Compressing 18 clinical blocks into 24 months would require approximately 3500 annual training hours, nearly double a sustainable NICU workload, approaching Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty-hour limits, while reducing didactic education by one-third. Survey data from 110 of 111 NPM programs show 76% opposition. Concerns include trainee wellness, reduction in program complement, workforce and funding implications, and the erosion of scholarly training essential to advancing neonatal care. We propose alternatives, including a 2-year residency + 3-year fellowship (2 + 3) pathway and restructured residency tracks, addressing competency gaps while preserving training quality, duration, and collaborative governance.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and angiogenesis are essential processes underlying endometrial decidualization during embryo implantation. Fibrillar collagens, the major structural components of the ECM, form the architectural framework of the decidua and undergo dynamic reorganization during this process. However, the functional role of type V collagen-a key regulator of collagen fibrillogenesis-remains undefined. Here, we demonstrate that Col5a1 is highly expressed in decidual stromal and endothelial cells of the mouse uterus. Conditional deletion of Col5a1 leads to progressive uterine hemorrhage beginning at gestation day 8, culminating in complete embryo resorption and pregnancy loss by day 12. Col5a1-deficient decidua exhibits severe structural distortion, marked disorganization of fibrillar collagen, shallow and misdirected embryo invasion, and profound disruption of decidual angiogenesis and vascular network formation. Transcriptomic profiling further reveals distinct gene expression signatures and signaling pathways regulated by COL5A1 in the decidua. Collectively, these findings identify type V collagen as a critical ECM regulator required for maintaining decidual integrity, supporting angiogenesis, and ensuring successful pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE:Exposure to a modicum of stress-neither too much nor too little-may confer an adaptive advantage in the face of subsequent stress. This study tests whether there is a "sweet spot" of stress exposure in childhood. METHOD:The analysis uses data from the prospective, longitudinal, representative Great Smoky Mountains Study. Childhood emotional symptoms and exposure to 32 different stressful events were assessed with a structured diagnostic interview in individuals aged 9 to 16 years (6,674 total observations). Three definitions of "moderate stress" were derived based upon the type of the prior event, the number of prior stressful events, and the severity of the stressful events. A series of planned post hoc comparisons tested whether prior exposure to moderate stress was advantageous when dealing with recent stressful life events. RESULTS:The majority of participants reported no/low stress (67.8.5%-77.5%). Moderate stress or exposure to one stressful event was reported at between 14.8% and 26.0% of all childhood observations. In all models, both recent stress and past stress were independently associated with current emotional symptoms. Planned post hoc comparisons, however, suggested no evidence of an advantage of prior exposure to moderate stress in participants' response to recent stressful events. Findings were most consistent with a risk saturation effect. CONCLUSION:In this cohort study, there was no evidence of an adaptive level of prior stress exposure consistent with concepts of steeling or stress inoculation. Rather, both past and current stressful events affect current functioning up to some point beyond which there is little additional vulnerability. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT:We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group.
