Plasma proteomic signature of human longevity.

The identification of protein targets that exhibit anti-aging clinical potential could inform interventions to lengthen the human health span. Most previous proteomics research has been focused on chronological age instead of longevity. We leveraged two large population-based prospective cohorts with long follow-ups to evaluate the proteomic signature of longevity defined by survival to 90 years of age.

Unigems: plasmids and parts to facilitate teaching on assembly, gene expression control and logic in .

Synthetic biology enables the creative combination of engineering and molecular biology for exploration of fundamental aspects of biological phenomena. However, there are limited resources available for such applications in the educational context, where straightforward setup, easily measurable phenotypes and extensibility are of particular importance. We developed unigems, a set of ten plasmids that enable classroom-based investigation of gene-expression control and biological logic gates to facilitate teaching synthetic biology and genetic engineering.

Association of a Blood-Based Aging Biomarker Index With Death and Chronic Disease: Cardiovascular Health Study.

Background: A goal of gerontology is to discover phenotypes that reflect biological aging distinct from disease pathogenesis. Biomarkers that are strongly associated with mortality could be used to define such a phenotype. However, the relation of such an index with multiple chronic conditions warrants further exploration.

Long-Term Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy Following Various Radiotherapy Modalities in Early Stage Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer.

Introduction: We compared the rates of long-term adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) adherence after various radiation therapy (RT) modalities among patients with early stage breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: Medical records from patients with stage 0, I, or IIA (tumors ≤3 cm), hormone receptor (HR) positive breast cancer that received adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) from 2013 to 2015 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received breast conserving surgery (BCS) followed by adjuvant RT via one of the following modalities: whole breast radiotherapy (WBI), partial breast irradiation (PBI) with either external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or fractionated intracavitary high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy, or single fraction HDR-brachytherapy intraoperative-radiation therapy (IORT).

Plasma proteomic signature of decline in gait speed and grip strength.

The biological mechanisms underlying decline in physical function with age remain unclear. We examined the plasma proteomic profile associated with longitudinal changes in physical function measured by gait speed and grip strength in community-dwelling adults. We applied an aptamer-based platform to assay 1154 plasma proteins on 2854 participants (60% women, aged 76 years) in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) in 1992-1993 and 1130 participants (55% women, aged 54 years) in the Framingham Offspring Study (FOS) in 1991-1995.

Plasma-enhanced electrostatic precipitation of diesel exhaust particulates using nanosecond high voltage pulse discharge for mobile source emission control.

This study reports enhancement in the electrostatic precipitation (ESP) of diesel engine exhaust particulates using high voltage nanosecond pulse discharge in conjunction with a negative direct current (DC) bias voltage. The high voltage (20 kV) nanosecond pulses produce ion densities that are several orders of magnitude higher than those in the corona produced by a standard DC-only ESP. This plasma-enhanced electrostatic precipitator (PE-ESP) demonstrated 95 % remediation of PM and consumes less than 1 % of the engine power (i.

The relationship between interstitial lung abnormalities, mortality, and multimorbidity: a cohort study.

Background: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) are associated with increased mortality. It is unclear whether multimorbidity accounts for the mortality association or how strongly ILA is associated with mortality relative to other common age-associated diseases. We determined the association of ILA with all-cause mortality adjusted for multimorbidity, compared mortality associated with ILA and prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer and also determined the association between ILA and these diseases.

Lung function impairment and risk of incident heart failure: the NHLBI Pooled Cohorts Study.

Aims: The aim is to evaluate associations of lung function impairment with risk of incident heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: Data were pooled across eight US population-based cohorts that enrolled participants from 1987 to 2004. Participants with self-reported baseline cardiovascular disease were excluded.

The Proteomic Profile of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities.

Knowledge on biomarkers of interstitial lung disease is incomplete. Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) are radiologic changes that may present in its early stages. To uncover blood proteins associated with ILAs using large-scale proteomics methods.

Pooled Cohort Probability Score for Subclinical Airflow Obstruction.

Early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a public health priority. Airflow obstruction is the single most important risk factor for adverse COPD outcomes, but spirometry is not routinely recommended for screening. To describe the burden of subclinical airflow obstruction (SAO) and to develop a probability score for SAO to inform potential detection and prevention programs.

Interstitial lung abnormalities are associated with decreased mean telomere length.

Background: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) share many features with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; however, it is not known if ILA are associated with decreased mean telomere length (MTL).

Methods: Telomere length was measured with quantitative PCR in the Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPDGene) and Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility Reykjavik (AGES-Reykjavik) cohorts and Southern blot analysis was used in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS). Logistic and linear regression were used to assess the association between ILA and MTL; Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between MTL and mortality.

Association Between Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry and Clinical Outcomes in US Adults.

Importance: Chronic lung diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Unlike chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, clinical outcomes associated with proportional reductions in expiratory lung volumes without obstruction, otherwise known as preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm), are poorly understood.

Objective: To examine the prevalence, correlates, and clinical outcomes associated with PRISm in US adults.

Interstitial Lung Abnormalities, Emphysema, and Spirometry in Smokers.

Background: Most pulmonary conditions reduce FVC, but studies of patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema demonstrate that reductions in FVC are less than expected when these two conditions coexist clinically.

Research Question: Do interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs), chest CT imaging findings that may suggest an early stage of pulmonary fibrosis in individuals with undiagnosed disease, affect the association between emphysema and FVC?

Study Design And Methods: Measures of ILA and emphysema were available for 9,579 and 5,277 participants from phases 1 (2007-2011) and 2 (2012-2016) of the Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Study (COPDGene), respectively. ILA were defined by Fleischner Society guidelines.

Para-Aortic Nodal Radiation in the Definitive Management of Node-Positive Cervical Cancer.

Objectives: To investigate the safety and outcomes of elective para-aortic (PA) nodal irradiation utilizing modern treatment techniques for patients with node positive cervical cancer.

Methods: Patients with pelvic lymph node positive cervical cancer who received radiation were included. All patients received radiation therapy (RT) to either a traditional pelvic field or an extended field to electively cover the PA nodes.

Association Between Myocardial Strain and Frailty in CHS.

Background: Myocardial strain, measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography, is a novel measure of subclinical cardiovascular disease and may reflect myocardial aging. We evaluated the association between myocardial strain and frailty-a clinical syndrome of lack of physiological reserve.

Methods: Frailty was defined in participants of the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study) as having ≥3 of the following clinical criteria: weakness, slowness, weight loss, exhaustion, and inactivity.

8+ Year Performance of the Gamma Knife Perfexion/Icon Patient Positioning System and Possibilities for Preemptive Fault Detection Using Statistical Process Control.

Background: The large fractional doses, steep dose gradients, and small targets found in intracranial radiosurgery require extremely low beam delivery uncertainty. In the case of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS), this includes minimizing patient positioning system (PPS) positioning uncertainty. Existing QA techniques are recipe based, and feature point in time pass/fail tolerances.

Hypofractionated Postprostatectomy Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer to Reduce Toxicity and Improve Patient Convenience: A Phase 1/2 Trial.

Purpose: The phase 1 portion of this multicenter, phase 1/2 study of hypofractionated (HypoFx) prostate bed radiation therapy (RT) as salvage or adjuvant therapy aimed to identify the shortest dose-fractionation schedule with acceptable toxicity. The phase 2 portion aimed to assess the health-related quality of life (QoL) of using this HypoFx regimen.

Methods And Materials: Eligibility included standard adjuvant or salvage prostate bed RT indications.

Right ventricular dysfunction and long-term risk of death.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD), or sudden loss of life-sustaining systemic and cerebral perfusion, is most often due to left ventricular (LV) dysfunction secondary to ischemic or structural cardiac disease or channelopathies. Degeneration of sinus rhythm into ventricular tachycardia and ultimately ventricular fibrillation is the final common pathway for most heart failure patients. Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is recognized as an independent contributor to worsening heart failure.

The Association of Aging Biomarkers, Interstitial Lung Abnormalities, and Mortality.

The association between aging and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis has been established. The associations between aging-related biomarkers and interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) have not been comprehensively evaluated. To evaluate the associations among aging biomarkers, ILA, and all-cause mortality.

Safety practices and opportunities for improvement in brachytherapy: A patient safety practices survey of the American Brachytherapy Society membership.

Purpose: Safe delivery of brachytherapy and establishing a safety culture are critical in high-quality brachytherapy. The American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) Quality and Safety Committee surveyed members regarding brachytherapy services offered, safety practices during treatment, quality assurance procedures, and needs to develop safety and training materials.

Methods And Materials: A 22-item survey was sent to ABS membership in early 2019 to physicians, physicists, therapists, nurses, and administrators.

Clinical Outcomes and Predictors of Lung Toxicity After Multiple Courses of Lung Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: The clinical outcomes of multicourse lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) have yet to be validated in a prospective study, and there are a lack of data on allowable composite dosimetry.

Patients And Methods: Forty-four patients underwent multicourse lung SBRT for recurrent or metachronous NSCLC. The median biologically effective dose (BED) for the first course and subsequent courses were 132 and 100 Gy, respectively.

A Metabolite Composite Score Attenuated a Substantial Portion of the Higher Mortality Risk Associated With Frailty Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Background: Frailty is more prevalent among black versus white older Americans. We previously identified 37 metabolites associated with the vigor to frailty spectrum using the Scale of Aging Vigor in Epidemiology (SAVE) among older black men from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) study. Here, we sought to develop a metabolite composite score based on the 37 SAVE-associated metabolites and determine whether the composite score predicts mortality and whether it attenuates the association between frailty and mortality among older black men.