Predictive Model for Outcomes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients Receiving Maintenance Infliximab Therapy.

Background: No models predict future outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients receiving maintenance infliximab therapy. We created a predictive model for unfavorable outcomes.

Methods: Adult patients with IBD receiving maintenance infliximab therapy at 2 centers with matched serum infliximab concentrations and blinded histologic scores (Robarts Histopathologic Index [RHI]) were included.

Composite Hedges Nanopores codec system for rapid and portable DNA data readout with high INDEL-Correction.

Reading digital information from highly dense but lightweight DNA medium nowadays relies on time-consuming next-generation sequencing. Nanopore sequencing holds the promise to overcome the efficiency problem, but high indel error rates lead to the requirement of large amount of high quality data for accurate readout. Here we introduce Composite Hedges Nanopores, capable of handling indel rates up to 15.

E2F1 Mediates SOX17 Deficiency-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Rare genetic variants and genetic variation at loci in an enhancer in SOX17 (SRY-box transcription factor 17) are identified in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and PAH with congenital heart disease. However, the exact role of genetic variants or mutations in SOX17 in PAH pathogenesis has not been reported.

Methods: SOX17 expression was evaluated in the lungs and pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs) of patients with idiopathic PAH.

Reduced Adenoma Miss Rate With 9-Minute vs 6-Minute Withdrawal Times for Screening Colonoscopy: A Multicenter Randomized Tandem Trial.

Introduction: Although the 9-minute mean withdrawal time (m-WT) is often reported to be associated with the optimal adenoma detection rate (ADR), no randomized trials of screening colonoscopy have confirmed the impact of a 9-minute m-WT on adenoma miss rate (AMR) and ADR.

Methods: A multicenter tandem trial was conducted in 11 centers. Seven hundred thirty-three asymptomatic participants were randomized to receive segmental tandem screening colonoscopy with a 9-minute withdrawal, followed by a 6-minute withdrawal (9-minute-first group, 9MF, n = 366) or vice versa (6-minute-first group, 6MF, n = 367).

Major Vault Protein Prevents Atherosclerotic Plaque Destabilization by Suppressing Macrophage ASK1-JNK Signaling.

Background: Macrophages are implicated in atherosclerotic plaque instability by inflammation and degradation of extracellular matrix. However, the regulatory mechanisms driving these macrophage-associated processes are not well understood. Here, we aimed to identify the plaque destabilization-associated cytokines and signaling pathways in macrophages.

Macrophage ALDH2 (Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2) Stabilizing Rac2 Is Required for Efferocytosis Internalization and Reduction of Atherosclerosis Development.

Background: Clinical studies show that the most common single-point mutation in humans, ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) rs671 mutation, is a risk factor for the development and poor prognosis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Apoptotic cells are phagocytosed and eliminated by macrophage efferocytosis during atherosclerosis, and enhancement of arterial macrophage efferocytosis reduces atherosclerosis development.

Methods: Plaque areas, necrotic core size, apoptosis, and efferocytosis in aortic lesions were investigated in APOE mice with bone marrow transplanted from APOEALDH2 and APOE mice.

Novel Transcriptional and Translational Biomarkers of Tularemia Vaccine Efficacy in a Mouse Inhalation Model: Proof of Concept.

subspecies ( is extremely virulent for humans when inhaled as a small particle aerosol (<5 µm). Inhalation of ≥20 viable bacteria is sufficient to initiate infection with a mortality rate ≥30%. Consequently, in the past, became a primary candidate for biological weapons development.

Charge transfer dynamics in chlorophyll-based biosolar cells.

We fabricated a chlorophyll (Chl)-based biosolar cell with HChl-sensitized TiO as an acceptor and (ZnChl) as a donor. This solar cell gives a relatively high quantum yield from the absorption spectral contribution from both the donor and acceptor species. We employed subpicosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy (TAS) to study the excited state dynamics at the Chl interface.

ALDH2 (Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2) Protects Against Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension.

Objective: Hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) increases lipid peroxidation with generation of toxic aldehydes that are metabolized by detoxifying enzymes, including ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2). However, the role of lipid peroxidation and ALDH2 in HPH pathogenesis remain undefined. Approach and Results: To determine the role of lipid peroxidation and ALDH2 in HPH, C57BL/6 mice, ALDH2 transgenic mice, and ALDH2 knockout (ALDH2) mice were exposed to chronic hypoxia, and recombinant tissue-specific ALDH2 overexpression adeno-associated viruses were introduced into pulmonary arteries via tail vein injection for ALDH2 overexpression.

Determination of Fluorescent Whitening Agents in Cosmetics and Liquid Detergent by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detector in Tandem with Fluorescence Detector.

Five distyryl-type fluorescent whitening agents (FWA85, 210, 220, 351, and 353) were determined in cosmetics and liquid detergent by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector in tandem with fluorescence detector. The samples were extracted with ultrasound in 33% acetonitrile for 10 minutes and the components were determined by ion-pair chromatography on an MG C18 column. The limits of detection were from 0.

Genetic Polymorphisms and Clopidogrel Efficacy for Acute Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The association of genetic polymorphisms and clopidogrel efficacy in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between genetic polymorphisms, especially CYP2C19 genotype, and clopidogrel efficacy for ischemic stroke or TIA.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed and EMBASE from their inceptions to June 24, 2016.

Substantial Progress Yet Significant Opportunity for Improvement in Stroke Care in China.

Background And Purpose: Stroke is a leading cause of death in China. Yet the adherence to guideline-recommended ischemic stroke performance metrics in the past decade has been previously shown to be suboptimal. Since then, several nationwide stroke quality management initiatives have been conducted in China.

Optimizing the US Diagnosis of Biliary Atresia with a Modified Triangular Cord Thickness and Gallbladder Classification.

Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic performance of ultrasonography (US) in the identification and exclusion of biliary atresia with a modified triangular cord thickness metric together with a gallbladder classification scheme, as well as hepatic artery (HA) diameter and liver and spleen size, in a large sample of jaundiced infants. Materials and Methods The ethics committee approved this study, and written informed parental consent was obtained. In 273 infants with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (total bilirubin level ≥ 31.

Long-term efficacy of a hepatitis E vaccine.

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a leading cause of acute hepatitis. The long-term efficacy of a hepatitis E vaccine needs to be determined.

Methods: In an initial efficacy study, we randomly assigned healthy adults 16 to 65 years of age to receive three doses of either a hepatitis E vaccine (vaccine group; 56,302 participants) or a hepatitis B vaccine (control group; 56,302 participants).

Cardiovascular dysfunction in offspring of ovarian-hyperstimulated women and effects of estradiol and progesterone: a retrospective cohort study and proteomics analysis.

Context: The cardiovascular dysfunction in children born with assisted reproductive technologies has been of great concern. However, the association of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a complication of assisted reproductive technologies, with worse cardiovascular functions and underlying mechanism remains unknown.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the cardiovascular functions of children born to mothers with OHSS and investigate the underlying regulator(s).

Bacteriochlorophyll excited-state quenching pathways in bacterial reaction centers with the primary donor oxidized.

One striking feature of bacterial reaction centers is that while they show a high degree of structural symmetry, function is entirely asymmetric: excitation of the primary electron donor, P, a bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) dimer, results almost exclusively in electron transfer along one of the two symmetric electron transfer pathways. Here another functional asymmetry of the reaction center is explored; i.e.