5-HTP inhibits eosinophilia via intracellular endothelial 5-HTRs; SNPs in 5-HTRs associate with asthmatic lung function.

Background: Previous research showed that 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP), a metabolic precursor of serotonin, reduces allergic lung inflammation by inhibiting eosinophil migration across endothelial monolayers.

Objective: It is unknown if serotonin receptors are involved in mediating this 5HTP function or if serotonin receptor (HTR) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associate with lung function in humans.

Methods: Serotonin receptor subtypes were assessed by qPCR, western blot, confocal microscopy, pharmacological inhibitors and siRNA knockdown.

Current state and future perspectives in the diagnosis of eyelid margin disease: clinical review.

The eyelid margin is vital to ocular surface integrity. Much peer-reviewed literature has been established in eyelid margin inflammation, better known as blepharitis. The purpose was to review and understand the impact of eyelid margin disease.

Addressing misinformation about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provides science-based advice on dietary intake to promote health, reduce risk of chronic disease, and meet nutrient needs. It is jointly published by the United States Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture (USDA) every 5 y. As chronic diseases continue to rise to pervasive levels, helping the United States population follow the DGA is especially important for improving the health of our nation.

Eyelid margin disease (blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction): clinical review of evidence-based and emerging treatments.

Blepharitis is a common ophthalmic condition with multiple etiologies and no definitive, universal treatment. The treatment modalities for managing lid margin diseases vary depending on the disease's cause, location, and severity. For anterior blepharitis, management options include eyelid hygiene with warm compresses, eyelid scrubs, baby shampoo, and over-the-counter eyelid cleansers.

Novel insights into the whole-blood DNA methylome of asthma in ethnically diverse children and youth.

Background: The epigenetic mechanisms of asthma remain largely understudied in African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos, two populations disproportionately affected by asthma. We aimed to identify markers, regions and processes with differential patterns of DNA methylation (DNAm) in whole blood by asthma status in ethnically diverse children and youth, and to assess their functional consequences.

Methods: DNAm levels were profiled with the Infinium MethylationEPIC or HumanMethylation450 BeadChip arrays among 1226 African Americans or Hispanics/Latinos and assessed for differential methylation per asthma status at the CpG and region (differentially methylated region (DMR)) level.

Epigenomic response to albuterol treatment in asthma-relevant airway epithelial cells.

Background: Albuterol is the first-line asthma medication used in diverse populations. Although DNA methylation (DNAm) is an epigenetic mechanism involved in asthma and bronchodilator drug response (BDR), no study has assessed whether albuterol could induce changes in the airway epithelial methylome. We aimed to characterize albuterol-induced DNAm changes in airway epithelial cells, and assess potential functional consequences and the influence of genetic variation and asthma-related clinical variables.

More than bad luck: Cancer and aging are linked to replication-driven changes to the epigenome.

Aging is a leading risk factor for cancer. While it is proposed that age-related accumulation of somatic mutations drives this relationship, it is likely not the full story. We show that aging and cancer share a common epigenetic replication signature, which we modeled using DNA methylation from extensively passaged immortalized human cells in vitro and tested on clinical tissues.

How does gender and work location impact perceived worker stress during COVID-19? Findings from King County, WA.

Using an online survey, we explored workplace determinants of perceived stress during COVID-19 in n=2910 county government workers, and differences in perceived stress by gender and work arrangement (work from home v. do not work from home). We explored relationships with descriptive statistics and linear regression.

Metformin reduces SARS-CoV-2 in a Phase 3 Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial.

Current antiviral treatment options for SARS-CoV-2 infections are not available globally, cannot be used with many medications, and are limited to virus-specific targets. Biophysical modeling of SARS-CoV-2 replication predicted that protein translation is an especially attractive target for antiviral therapy. Literature review identified metformin, widely known as a treatment for diabetes, as a potential suppressor of protein translation via targeting of the host mTor pathway.

Outpatient treatment of COVID-19 and incidence of post-COVID-19 condition over 10 months (COVID-OUT): a multicentre, randomised, quadruple-blind, parallel-group, phase 3 trial.

Background: Post-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID) is an emerging chronic illness potentially affecting millions of people. We aimed to evaluate whether outpatient COVID-19 treatment with metformin, ivermectin, or fluvoxamine soon after SARS-CoV-2 infection could reduce the risk of long COVID.

Methods: We conducted a decentralised, randomised, quadruple-blind, parallel-group, phase 3 trial (COVID-OUT) at six sites in the USA.

Health inequities in SARS-CoV-2 infection, seroprevalence, and COVID-19 vaccination: Results from the East Bay COVID-19 study.

Comprehensive data on transmission mitigation behaviors and both SARS-CoV-2 infection and serostatus are needed from large, community-based cohorts to identify COVID-19 risk factors and the impact of public health measures. We conducted a longitudinal, population-based study in the East Bay Area of Northern California. From July 2020-March 2021, approximately 5,500 adults were recruited and followed over three data collection rounds to investigate the association between geographic and demographic characteristics and transmission mitigation behavior with SARS-CoV-2 prevalence.

Practical management of ocular surface disease in patients with atopic dermatitis, with a focus on conjunctivitis: A review.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can significantly decrease quality of life. AD is commonly associated with comorbidities including ocular surface disease (OSD). Conjunctivitis is the most common OSD associated with AD and can increase in incidence with use of monoclonal antibody biologics that target the type 2 inflammatory pathway.

Multi-omic approach associates blood methylome with bronchodilator drug response in pediatric asthma.

Background: Albuterol is the drug most widely used as asthma treatment among African Americans despite having a lower bronchodilator drug response (BDR) than other populations. Although BDR is affected by gene and environmental factors, the influence of DNA methylation is unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to identify epigenetic markers in whole blood associated with BDR, study their functional consequences by multi-omic integration, and assess their clinical applicability in admixed populations with a high asthma burden.

Digital competence for emergency remote teaching in higher education: understanding the present and anticipating the future.

Higher education has increasingly adopted online and blended models of teaching. Guided by institutional policy and digital competence frameworks, the integration of digital tools and competences is perceived as essential. The pivot to emergency remote teaching (ERT) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic increased the use of digital technologies and the need to deploy and support digital competences.

Venetoclax and dinaciclib elicit synergistic preclinical efficacy against hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is an aggressive blood cancer with a poor prognosis despite intensive chemotherapy or stem cell transplant. Children and adolescents with positive end-of-induction minimal residual disease have an overall survival lower than 30%. However, data regarding therapeutic alternatives for this disease is nearly nonexistent, emphasizing the critical need for new or adjunctive therapies that can improve outcomes.

Outpatient treatment of Covid-19 with metformin, ivermectin, and fluvoxamine and the development of Long Covid over 10-month follow-up.

Background: Long Covid is an emerging chronic illness potentially affecting millions, sometimes preventing the ability to work or participate in normal daily activities. COVID-OUT was an investigator-initiated, multi-site, phase 3, randomized, quadruple-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial (NCT04510194). The design simultaneously assessed three oral medications (metformin, ivermectin, fluvoxamine) using two by three parallel treatment factorial assignment to efficiently share placebo controls and assessed Long Covid outcomes for 10 months to understand whether early outpatient treatment of SARS-CoV-2 with metformin, ivermectin, or fluvoxamine prevents Long Covid.

Admixture mapping of severe asthma exacerbations in Hispanic/Latino children and youth.

Background: In the USA, genetically admixed populations have the highest asthma prevalence and severe asthma exacerbations rates. This could be explained not only by environmental factors but also by genetic variants that exert ethnic-specific effects. However, no admixture mapping has been performed for severe asthma exacerbations.

Prenatal choline supplementation improves biomarkers of maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status among pregnant participants consuming supplemental DHA: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Dietary methyl donors (e.g., choline) support the activity of the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway, which generates phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecules enriched in DHA that are exported from the liver and made available to extrahepatic tissues.

The impact of military sexual trauma and gender on receipt of evidence-based medication treatment among veterans with opioid use disorder.

Introduction: Opioid use disorder (OUD), a chronic illness associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, is common in veterans. Despite several national Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) initiatives over the last 15 years to increase access to medications to treat OUD (MOUD), MOUD remain underutilized. Women and veterans with mental health comorbidities are less likely to receive MOUD.

Epigenome-wide association study of lung function in Latino children and youth with asthma.

Introduction: DNA methylation studies have associated methylation levels at different CpG sites or genomic regions with lung function. Moreover, genetic ancestry has been associated with lung function in Latinos. However, no epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of lung function has been performed in this population.

The genome of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha: a resource for comparative genomics, invasion genetics, and biocontrol.

The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, continues to spread from its native range in Eurasia to Europe and North America, causing billions of dollars in damage and dramatically altering invaded aquatic ecosystems. Despite these impacts, there are few genomic resources for Dreissena or related bivalves. Although the D.

"If Someone Has It, I'm Gonna Hit It": Lessons Learned From Minnesota Teens About Vaping.

Youth e-cigarette use or "vaping" has increased substantially in the past few years, an escalation attributable to flavored "pod mod" e-cigarette devices that deliver higher levels of nicotine compared with free-base nicotine found in other types of e-cigarettes. Use rates, addiction, and harms are alarming as negative effects from nicotine on adolescent brain development are well documented, and e-cigarette use is predictive of cigarette smoking initiation. This qualitative study examined what drives the appeal of these products through 10 focus groups conducted in 2019 with 67 Minnesota high school students.

Associations Among Military Sexual Trauma, Opioid Use Disorder, and Gender.

Introduction: Opioid use disorder and high-risk opioid prescription increase the risks for overdose and death. In Veterans, military sexual trauma is associated with increased risk for assorted health conditions. This study evaluates the association of military sexual trauma with opioid use disorder and high-risk opioid prescription and potential moderation by gender.