Dengue virus transmission risk in blood donation: Evidence from Thailand.

Individuals infected with dengue virus (DENV) often show no symptoms, which raises the risk of DENV transfusion transmission (TT-DENV) in areas where the virus is prevalent. This study aimed to determine the evidence of DENV infection in blood donors from different geographic regions of Thailand. A cross-sectional study was conducted on blood donor samples collected from the Thai Red Cross National Blood Center and four regional blood centers between March and September 2020.

Lower FIB-4 threshold in patients with diabetes improves diagnostic accuracy of the test in a Hispanic population.

Background: Non-invasive tests (NITs) can be used to estimate the severity of fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but their diagnostic accuracy is variable. Hispanic patients are at increased risk of NAFLD and diabetes. We evaluate the diagnostic performance of the fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4) in a population of Hispanic patients who underwent vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE).

Nontraditional Treatment of Hepatic Encephalopathy.

The pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is complex, with hyperammonemia playing a central role in its development. Traditional therapies for HE have targeted ammonia and include medications such as lactulose and rifaximin. Although these agents are considered standard of care, nontraditional treatments seek to affect other factors in the pathogenesis of HE.

The relationship between severe hypertensive diseases of pregnancy and moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective: Determine the association between severe hypertensive disease of pregnancy (HDP) with moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants (< 31 weeks' gestation).

Study Design: Preterm birth cohort study of 693 mother-infant dyads. Severe HDP was defined as severe preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome or eclampsia.

Customer Archetypes in Hearing Health Care.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if there are unique customer archetypes that can describe the motivations behind consumer buying choice (in person or online) for hearing aids in hearing health care.

Method: A consumer survey was developed from themes that arose during 11 semistructured interviews with adults who had no previous hearing aid experience. Using Qualtrics research panels, a 28-item questionnaire was distributed online to U.

The Relationship Between Severe Hypertensive Diseases of Pregnancy and Moderate-Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective: Determine the association between severe hypertensive disease of pregnancy (HDP) with moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants (< 31 weeks' gestation).

Study Design: Preterm birth cohort study of 693 mother-infant dyads. Severe HDPwas defined as severe preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome or eclampsia.

Seroprevalence of leptospirosis among blood donors in an endemic area.

Thailand is known to be endemic for leptospirosis. This bacterium may pose a potential risk to transfusion safety. This study was a cross-sectional study examining the seroprevalence of leptospirosis among Thai blood donors.

Two RNA-binding proteins mediate the sorting of miR223 from mitochondria into exosomes.

Fusion of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with the plasma membrane results in the secretion of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs), or exosomes. The sorting of one exosomal cargo RNA, miR223, is facilitated by the RNA-binding protein, YBX1 (Shurtleff et al., 2016).

Preserving the Role of the Audiologist in a Clinical Technology, Consumer Channel, Clinical Service Model of Hearing Healthcare.

The past decade has been characterized by significant changes in the distribution and sale of hearing aids. Alternatives to the (i.e.

A Third-Year Medical School Ophthalmology Curriculum for a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship Model.

 Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (LICs) are innovative educational models that allow medical student continuity with patients, preceptors, colleagues, and health care systems. Given their benefits, the number of LICs continues to increase. We share a pilot model for an ophthalmology LIC curriculum at the University of Colorado School of Medicine targeted for students to see patients through transitions of care.

Enzymatic reactions of AGO4 in RNA-directed DNA methylation: siRNA duplex loading, passenger strand elimination, target RNA slicing, and sliced target retention.

RNA-directed DNA methylation in plants is guided by 24-nt siRNAs generated in parallel with 23-nt RNAs of unknown function. We show that 23-nt RNAs function as passenger strands during 24-nt siRNA incorporation into AGO4. The 23-nt RNAs are then sliced into 11- and 12-nt fragments, with 12-nt fragments remaining associated with AGO4.

An Evaluation of a Proposed Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Model of Hearing-Health Care.

Background:  The introduction of over-the-counter hearing aids (HA) has resulted in a new hearing-health-care pathway.

Purpose:  The aim of this study was to assess if individuals could navigate four steps in a direct-to-consumer (DTC) HA delivery model, which include self-identification of hearing difficulties and risk for ear disease, self-selection of device, self-fitting and programming of device, and self-management.

Research Design:  Fifty-two participants self-reported their degree of hearing loss and risk for ear disease.

Assessment of Consumer Attitudes Following Recent Changes in the US Hearing Health Care Market.

Importance: The addition of over-the-counter hearing aid (HA) options has transformed the way individuals can access hearing health care (HHC). However, although critical to their adoption and use, consumer attitudes and opinions about direct-to-consumer (DTC) models of health care are often understudied.

Objective: To assess how recent DTC market changes in HHC delivery may be associated with consumer choice and attitudes towards specific HHC models.

Interventions for infantile esotropia.

Background: Infantile esotropia (IE) is the inward deviation of the eye. Various aspects of the clinical management of IE are unclear; mainly, the most effective type of intervention and the age at intervention.

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness and optimal timing of surgical and non-surgical treatment options for IE to improve ocular alignment and achieve or allow the development of binocular single vision.

Healthcare-associated hepatitis B and C transmission to patients in the EU/EEA and UK: a systematic review of reported outbreaks between 2006 and 2021.

Healthcare-associated transmission was the second most common hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) transmission route according to 2006-2012 European surveillance data, but data quality and completeness issues hinder comprehensive characterisation of this important issue. We carried out a systematic review of published literature on healthcare-associated transmission of HBV or HCV in European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries and the United Kingdom to complement surveillance data and identify higher-risk settings. We searched the PubMed and Embase databases and grey literature over the period January 2006 to September 2021, for publications reporting transmission events after 2000 in the EU/EEA and UK related to a healthcare setting or procedure.

Vaccination for coronavirus disease 2019 in liver transplantation candidates should be recommended but not mandated.

Content available: Author Interview and Audio Recording.

Three-phase DNA-origami stepper mechanism based on multi-leg interactions.

Nanoscale stepper motors such as kinesin and dynein play a key role in numerous natural processes such as mitotic spindle formation during cell division or intracellular organelle transport. Their high efficacy in terms of operational speed and processivity has inspired the investigation of biomimetic technologies based on the use of programmable molecules. In particular, several designs of molecular walkers have been explored using DNA nanotechnology.

A DCL3 dicing code within Pol IV-RDR2 transcripts diversifies the siRNA pool guiding RNA-directed DNA methylation.

In plants, selfish genetic elements, including retrotransposons and DNA viruses, are transcriptionally silenced by RNA-directed DNA methylation. Guiding the process are short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) cut by DICER-LIKE 3 (DCL3) from double-stranded precursors of ~30 bp that are synthesized by NUCLEAR RNA POLYMERASE IV (Pol IV) and RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE 2 (RDR2). We show that Pol IV's choice of initiating nucleotide, RDR2's initiation 1-2 nt internal to Pol IV transcript ends and RDR2's terminal transferase activity collectively yield a code that influences which precursor end is diced and whether 24 or 23 nt siRNAs are produced.