Interhospital Variability in 180-day Infections Following Cardiac Surgery.

Objective: This study sought to: (1) evaluate hospital-level variation in infections following cardiac surgery and (2) develop and evaluate a 180-day infection quality metric.

Methods: This study evaluated Medicare claims that were merged with institutional Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database files among patients undergoing cardiac surgery across 33 Michigan centers. The primary outcome was an infection within 180 days of surgery.

Hypoxia promotes tumor immune evasion by suppressing MHC-I expression and antigen presentation.

Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumors that has previously been linked to resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and more recently to immunotherapy. In particular, hypoxic tumors exclude T cells and inhibit their activity, suggesting that tumor cells acquire a mechanism to evade T-cell recognition and killing. Our analysis of hypoxic tumors indicates that hypoxia downregulates the expression of MHC class I and its bound peptides (i.

Apoptosis signaling is activated as a transient pulse in neurons.

Apoptosis is a fundamental process of all mammalian cells but exactly how it is regulated in different primary cells remains less explored. In most contexts, apoptosis is engaged to eliminate cells. However, postmitotic cells such as neurons must efficiently balance the need for developmental apoptosis versus the physiological needs for their long-term survival.

ZBTB7A forms a heterodimer with ZBTB2 and inhibits ZBTB2 homodimerization required for full activation of HIF-1.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), recognized as a master transcription factor for adaptation to hypoxia, is associated with malignant characteristics and therapy resistance in cancers. It has become clear that cofactors such as ZBTB2 are critical for the full activation of HIF-1; however, the mechanisms downregulating the ZBTB2-HIF-1 axis remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified ZBTB7A as a negative regulator of ZBTB2 by analyzing protein sequences and structures.