Zwitterion Interlocked Diarylethene Molecules Order, Unconnected Diarylethene Molecules Disorder.

A diarylethene-based zwitterionic molecule (DZM) is newly synthesized for the development of smart films exhibiting reversible color change and switchable ionic conductivity in response to external light stimuli. This dual molecular building block is constructed through zwitterionic interlocking and strong phase separation between the dendron-shaped aliphatic tails and the diarylethene head. Uniaxial shear coating and molecular self-assembly result in anisotropically oriented nanostructures, which are further solidified through photopolymerization.

Validation of an interferon-gamma enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay to evaluate cell-mediated immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rapid development of methods to measure humoral and cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2. The lack of a global standardized protocol and the high variability of intra- and inter-assay precision of the T-cell response made it difficult to compare T-cell assay results with those of other laboratories. The interferon-gamma enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (IFN-γ ELISpot) assay for immunogenicity evaluation was validated using naturally infected donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells, a commercially available IFN-γ ELISpot kit, and a SARS-CoV-2 specific peptide pool.

Evaluation of flow cytometry-based fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen test to measure the humoral immunity against the varicella-zoster virus.

The fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) test is the gold standard for measuring the immunity induced by varicella vaccines with high sensitivity and specificity. However, certain aspects of the FAMA test, such as time consumption, non-automation, and subjective interpretation by observers using fluorescence microscopy, are obstacles to handling large amounts of samples. To overcome these hurdles, flow cytometry was adopted to analyze and compare the flow FAMA titer with the classic FAMA titer.

Healthy lifestyle and prostate cancer risk in the Million Veteran Program.

Background: This study aims to assess the impact of healthy lifestyle on prostate cancer (PCa) risk in a diverse population.

Methods: Data for 281,923 men from the Million Veteran Program (MVP), a nationwide, health system-based cohort study, were analyzed. Self-reported information at enrollment included smoking status, exercise, diet, family history of PCa, and race/ethnicity.

Agent orange exposure and prostate cancer risk in the million veteran program.

Background: The US government considers veterans to have been exposed to Agent Orange if they served in Vietnam while the carcinogen was in use, and these veterans are often deemed at high risk of prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we assess whether presumed Agent Orange exposure is independently associated with increased risk of any metastatic or fatal PCa in a diverse Veteran cohort still alive in the modern era (at least 2011), when accounting for race/ethnicity, family history, and genetic risk.

Patients And Methods: Participants in the Million Veteran Program (MVP; enrollment began in 2011) who were on active duty during the Vietnam War era (August 1964-April 1975) were included (n = 301,470).

ddRAD Sequencing and DNA Barcoding.

Double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing is a library preparation protocol that enables capturing variable sites across the genome including single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These SNPs can be utilized to gain evolutionary insights into patterns observed in DNA barcodes, to infer population structure and phylogenies, to detect gene flow and introgression, and to perform species delimitation analyses. The protocol includes chemically shearing genomic DNA with restriction enzymes, unique tagging, size selection, and amplification of the resulting DNA fragments.

Predicting clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Omicron wave using machine learning.

The Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant continues to strain healthcare systems. Developing tools that facilitate the identification of patients at highest risk of adverse outcomes is a priority. The study objectives are to develop population-scale predictive models that: 1) identify predictors of adverse outcomes with Omicron surge SARS-CoV-2 infections, and 2) predict the impact of prioritized vaccination of high-risk groups for said outcome.

Adrenal-Permissive Germline HSD3B1 Allele and Prostate Cancer Outcomes.

Importance: The adrenal androgen-metabolizing 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 enzyme, encoded by the HSD3B1 gene, catalyzes the rate-limiting step necessary for synthesizing nontesticular testosterone and dihydrotestosterone production. The common adrenal-permissive HSD3B1(1245C) allele is responsible for encoding the 3β-HSD1 protein with decreased susceptibility to degradation resulting in higher extragonadal androgen synthesis. Retrospective studies have suggested an association of the HSD3B1 adrenal-permissive homozygous genotype with androgen deprivation therapy resistance in prostate cancer.

PRMT5 is an actionable therapeutic target in CDK4/6 inhibitor-resistant ER+/RB-deficient breast cancer.

CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have improved survival of patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. However, patients treated with CDK4/6i eventually develop drug resistance and progress. RB1 loss-of-function alterations confer resistance to CDK4/6i, but the optimal therapy for these patients is unclear.

CYR61 confers chemoresistance by upregulating survivin expression in triple-negative breast cancer.

Cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61) is a protein from the CCN family of matricellular proteins that play diverse regulatory roles in the extracellular matrix. CYR61 is involved in cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and senescence. Here, we show that CYR61 induces chemoresistance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Polarization-Dependent Thin Films with Biaxial Anisotropic Absorption Constructed by a Single Coating and Subsequent Topochemical Polymerization of Chromophores.

For the construction of hierarchical superstructures with biaxial anisotropic absorption, a newly synthesized diacetylene-functionalized bipyridinium is self-assembled to use an electron-accepting host for capturing and arranging guests. The formation of the donor-acceptor complex triggers an intermolecular charge transfer, leading to chromophore activation. Polarization-dependent multichroic thin films are prepared through a sequential process of single-coating, self-assembly, and topochemical polymerization of host-guest chromophores.

Switchable Optical Properties of Dyes and Nanoparticles in Electrowetting Devices.

The optical properties of light-absorbing materials in optical shutter devices are critical to the use of such platforms for optical applications. We demonstrate switchable optical properties of dyes and nanoparticles in liquid-based electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) devices. Our work uses narrow-band-absorbing dyes and nanoparticles, which are appealing for spectral-filtering applications targeting specific wavelengths while maintaining device transparency at other wavelengths.

Systematics and integrative taxonomic revision of the tribe Scopulini Duponchel, 1845 in Iran (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Sterrhinae).

The Iranian taxa of the tribe Scopulini are taxonomically revised. The systematic positions of the genera Cinglis Guene, 1858, Glossotrophia Prout, 1913, Pseudocinglis Hausmann, 1994 and Scopuloides Hausmann, 1994, with uncertain validity and/or position within the tribe Scopulini Duponchel, 1845 (Lepidoptera: Sterrhinae), are further elucidated by use of one mitochondrial and up to nine protein-coding nuclear gene regions. Available type specimens of the described species and more than 2,600 additional specimens were morphologically investigated.

Detection of aflatoxins in ground maize using a compact and automated Raman spectroscopy system with machine learning.

Consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food can cause severe illness when consumed by humans or livestock. Because the mycotoxin frequently occurs in cereal grains and other agricultural crops, it is crucial to develop portable devices that can be used non-destructively and in real-time to identify aflatoxin-contaminated food materials during early stages of harvesting or processing. In this study, an aflatoxin detection method was developed using a compact Raman device that can be used in the field.

Investigation and assessment of natural radioactivity in commercial animal feeds in Texas.

Commercial animal feed in Texas was characterized by determining natural gamma emitters including K,Cs, and Uranium (U and U) and Thorium (Th) series to obtain basic radioactivity values. The measured activity concentration of natural radionuclides in animal feed was low enough for safe consumption by animal and largely depended on the type of animal feed.K was the predominant radionuclide showing the highest activity concentration in animal feed.

Association between prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen and prostate cancer probability in Black and non-Hispanic White men.

Background: Although Black men are more likely than non-Hispanic White men to develop and die from prostate cancer, limited data exist to guide prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening protocols in Black men. This study investigated whether the risk for prostate cancer was higher than expected among self-identified Black than White veterans based on prebiopsy PSA level.

Methods: Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated to predict the likelihood of prostate cancer diagnosis on first biopsy for 75,295 Black and 207,658 White male veterans.

Development and Validation of a Tool to Identify Patients Diagnosed With Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: Several novel therapies for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have been approved with randomized phase III studies with continuing observational research either planned or ongoing. Accurately identifying patients with CRPC in electronic health care data is critical for quality observational research, resource allocation, and quality improvement. Previous work in this area has relied on either structured laboratory results and medication data or natural language processing (NLP) methods.