Poly(benzodifurandione) Coated Silk Yarn for Thermoelectric Textiles.

Thermoelectric textile devices represent an intriguing avenue for powering wearable electronics. The lack of air-stable n-type polymers has, until now, prevented the development of n-type multifilament yarns, which are needed for textile manufacturing. Here, the thermomechanical properties of the recently reported n-type polymer poly(benzodifurandione) (PBFDO) are explored and its suitability as a yarn coating material is assessed.

Corneal Endothelial Morphology and Ocular Biometric Indexes in Premature Children With and Without Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) morphology and ocular biometrics in premature (PM) children with or without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods: Retrospective data on patient demographics, HCECs status, and ocular biometrics with at least 2 visits between 2016 and 2021 were reviewed. The main outcomes were endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation (CV), hexagonal cell ratio (HEX), central corneal thickness (CCT), axial length, anterior chamber depth, keratometry, corneal diameter, pupil diameter, and refraction status.

Associations of VEGF Polymorphisms With Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Purpose: This study investigated the associations between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) polymorphisms and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) risk.

Methods: Infants born prematurely at any time from 2009 to 2018 were included. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of VEGF were analyzed using real-time PCR in all infants.

Multi-ancestry genome-wide study in >2.5 million individuals reveals heterogeneity in mechanistic pathways of type 2 diabetes and complications.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a heterogeneous disease that develops through diverse pathophysiological processes. To characterise the genetic contribution to these processes across ancestry groups, we aggregate genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from 2,535,601 individuals (39.7% non-European ancestry), including 428,452 T2D cases.

Clinical Significance of Lateral Pedicle Screw Malposition in Lumbar Spine Fusion.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Our objective was to determine whether lateral pedicle screw breach affects fusion rates and patient-reported outcomes in lumbar fusion surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Although lateral pedicle screw malposition is considered relatively benign, few studies have focused specifically on clinical outcomes or fusion rates associated with lateral screw malposition.

Multifunctional Scatterometer System for Measuring Physical Oceanographic Parameters Using Range-Doppler FMCW Radar.

A multifunctional scatterometer system and optimized radar signal processing for simultaneous observation of various physical oceanographic parameters are described in this paper. Existing observation methods with microwave remote sensing techniques generally use several separate systems such as scatterometer, altimeter, and Doppler radar for sea surface monitoring, which are inefficient in system operation and cross-analysis of each observation data. To improve this point, we integrated separate measurement functions into a single observation system by adding a measurement function of Doppler frequency to the existing system.

PSMA-targeting TGFβ-insensitive armored CAR T cells in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a phase 1 trial.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have demonstrated promising efficacy, particularly in hematologic malignancies. One challenge regarding CAR T cells in solid tumors is the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by high levels of multiple inhibitory factors, including transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. We report results from an in-human phase 1 trial of castration-resistant, prostate cancer-directed CAR T cells armored with a dominant-negative TGF-β receptor (NCT03089203).

Cholesterol-Induced Suppression of Endothelial Kir Channels Is a Driver of Impairment of Arteriolar Flow-Induced Vasodilation in Humans.

Dyslipidemia-induced endothelial dysfunction is an important factor in the progression of cardiovascular disease; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Our recent studies demonstrated that flow-induced vasodilation (FIV) is regulated by inwardly rectifying K channels (Kir2.1) in resistance arteries.

Host immunomodulatory lipids created by symbionts from dietary amino acids.

Small molecules derived from symbiotic microbiota critically contribute to intestinal immune maturation and regulation. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that control immune development in the host-microbiota environment. Here, using a targeted lipidomic analysis and synthetic approach, we carried out a multifaceted investigation of immunomodulatory α-galactosylceramides from the human symbiont Bacteroides fragilis (BfaGCs).

Molecular genetic diversity and population structure analyses of rutabaga accessions from Nordic countries as revealed by single nucleotide polymorphism markers.

Background: Rutabaga or swede (Brassica napus ssp. napobrassica (L.) Hanelt) varies in root and leaf shape and colour, flesh colour, foliage growth habits, maturity date, seed quality parameters, disease resistance and other traits.

Autologous CD4 T Lymphocytes Modified with a Tat-Dependent, Virus-Specific Endoribonuclease Gene in HIV-Infected Individuals.

MazF is an Escherichia coli-derived endoribonuclease that selectively cleaves ACA sequences of mRNA prevalent in HIV. We administered a single infusion of autologous CD4 T lymphocytes modified to express a Tat-dependent MazF transgene to 10 HIV-infected individuals (six remaining on antiretroviral therapy [ART]; four undergoing treatment interruption post-infusion) in order to provide a population of HIV-resistant immune cells. In participants who remained on ART, increases in CD4 and CD8 T cell counts of ~200 cells/mm each occurred within 2 weeks of infusion and persisted for at least 6 months.

Validation and Disease Risk Assessment of Previously Reported Genome-Wide Genetic Variants Associated With Brugada Syndrome: SADS-TW BrS Registry.

Background: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an oligogenic arrhythmic disease with increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Several BrS or ECG traits-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified through previous genome-wide association studies in white patients. We aimed to validate these SNPs in BrS patients in the Taiwanese population, assessing the cumulative effect of risk alleles and the BrS-polygenic risk score in predicting cardiac events.

Efficacy of multidomain interventions to improve physical frailty, depression and cognition: data from cluster-randomized controlled trials.

Background: Frailty is the pre-eminent exigency of aging. Although frailty-related impairments are preventable, and multidomain interventions appear more effective than unimodal ones, the optimal components remain uncertain.

Methods: We devised multidomain interventions against physical and cognitive decline among prefrail/frail community-dwelling ≥65-year-olds and evaluated these in complementary cluster-randomized trials of efficacy and participant empowerment.

Efficacy and Safety of Elbasvir/Grazoprevir in Hepatitis C Virus GT1- and GT4-Infected People Aged 65 Years or Older.

In elderly individuals aged ≥65 years with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, efficacious and safe HCV therapy is complicated by frequent comorbidities and concomitant medications. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of elbasvir/grazoprevir (EBR/GZR) in people aged ≥65 years. This is an integrated retrospective analysis of EBR/GZR administered for 12 weeks in participants with HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection enrolled in 12 Phase 2/3 clinical trials.

Simultaneous analysis and exposure assessment of migrated bisphenol analogues, phenol, and p-tert-butylphenol from food contact materials.

A simple, rapid, and novel liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated to determine levels of eight bisphenol analogues (A, S, F, B, P, AF, AP, and Z), phenol, and p-tert-butylphenol migrated from food contact material (FCM) into food simulants. Method validation showed acceptable values in terms of linearity, precision, and accuracy. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.

Six-Month Outcomes after Restrictive or Liberal Transfusion for Cardiac Surgery.

Background: We reported previously that, in patients undergoing cardiac surgery who were at moderate-to-high risk for death, a restrictive transfusion strategy was noninferior to a liberal strategy with respect to the composite outcome of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, stroke, or new-onset renal failure with dialysis by hospital discharge or 28 days after surgery, whichever came first. We now report the clinical outcomes at 6 months after surgery.

Methods: We randomly assigned 5243 adults undergoing cardiac surgery to a restrictive red-cell transfusion strategy (transfusion if the hemoglobin concentration was <7.

Teledermatology in the US military: a historic foundation for current and future applications.

Historically, the US military has utilized centralized store-and-forward (S&F) telemedicine programs for health care providers in remote locations worldwide. In the civilian community, new methods and platforms for teledermatology have been created based largely on those used by the military to maximize access to and the efficiency of health care, including secure direct-to-consumer (DTC) mobile applications for patients, live interactive methods, and integrated S&F platforms for dermatology services within electronic health record (EHR) systems. By incorporating similar innovative teledermatology methods and platforms, the US military health care system may benefit from increased accessibility and productivity.

Disruption of TET2 promotes the therapeutic efficacy of CD19-targeted T cells.

Cancer immunotherapy based on genetically redirecting T cells has been used successfully to treat B cell malignancies. In this strategy, the T cell genome is modified by integration of viral vectors or transposons encoding chimaeric antigen receptors (CARs) that direct tumour cell killing. However, this approach is often limited by the extent of expansion and persistence of CAR T cells.

Determinants of response and resistance to CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Tolerance to self-antigens prevents the elimination of cancer by the immune system. We used synthetic chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to overcome immunological tolerance and mediate tumor rejection in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Remission was induced in a subset of subjects, but most did not respond.

Identification and Characterization of Novel Receptor-Interacting Serine/Threonine-Protein Kinase 2 Inhibitors Using Structural Similarity Analysis.

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 2 (RIP2 or RICK, herein referred to as RIPK2) is linked to the pathogen pathway that activates nuclear factor -light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFB) and autophagic activation. Using molecular modeling (docking) and chemoinformatics analyses, we used the RIPK2/ponatinib crystal structure and searched in chemical databases for small molecules exerting binding interactions similar to those exerted by ponatinib. The identified RIPK2 inhibitors potently inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells by > 70% and also inhibited NFB activity.

Maintenance of Ideal Cardiovascular Health and Coronary Artery Calcium Progression in Low-Risk Men and Women in the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and freedom from coronary artery calcium (CAC). Prospective data on the association between maintenance of optimal CVH and the progression of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis are limited. We assessed the influence of unfavorable versus favorable CVH on the incidence of CAC progression.

Restrictive or Liberal Red-Cell Transfusion for Cardiac Surgery.

Background: The effect of a restrictive versus liberal red-cell transfusion strategy on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery remains unclear.

Methods: In this multicenter, open-label, noninferiority trial, we randomly assigned 5243 adults undergoing cardiac surgery who had a European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) I of 6 or more (on a scale from 0 to 47, with higher scores indicating a higher risk of death after cardiac surgery) to a restrictive red-cell transfusion threshold (transfuse if hemoglobin level was <7.5 g per deciliter, starting from induction of anesthesia) or a liberal red-cell transfusion threshold (transfuse if hemoglobin level was <9.