Dialysis Modality and Incident Stroke Among Patients With End-Stage Kidney Disease: A Registry-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Patients with end-stage kidney disease undergoing dialysis are at significant risk of stroke. Whether dialysis modality is associated with cerebrovascular disease is unclear. This study compared the risk of incident stroke in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis.

Virtual Multidisciplinary Stroke Care Clinic for Community-Dwelling Stroke Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Stroke survivors constantly feel helpless and unprepared after discharge from hospitals. More flexible and pragmatic support are needed for their optimized recovery. We examined the effects of a virtual multidisciplinary stroke care clinic on survivors' health and self-management outcomes.

LTBP4 Protects Against Renal Fibrosis via Mitochondrial and Vascular Impacts.

Background: As a part of natural disease progression, acute kidney injury (AKI) can develop into chronic kidney disease via renal fibrosis and inflammation. LTBP4 (latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 4) regulates transforming growth factor beta, which plays a role in renal fibrosis pathogenesis. We previously investigated the role of LTBP4 in chronic kidney disease.

Vemurafenib Inhibits Enterovirus A71 Genome Replication and Virus Assembly.

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) infection is a major cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), which may be occasionally associated with severe neurological complications. There is currently a lack of treatment options for EV-A71 infection. The Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway, in addition to its critical importance in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and survival, has been shown to be essential for virus replication.

Insights From a Large-Scale Whole-Genome Sequencing Study of Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Hypertension.

Background: The availability of whole-genome sequencing data in large studies has enabled the assessment of coding and noncoding variants across the allele frequency spectrum for their associations with blood pressure.

Methods: We conducted a multiancestry whole-genome sequencing analysis of blood pressure among 51 456 Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine and Centers for Common Disease Genomics program participants (stage-1). Stage-2 analyses leveraged array data from UK Biobank (N=383 145), Million Veteran Program (N=318 891), and Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (N=10 643) participants, along with whole-exome sequencing data from UK Biobank (N=199 631) participants.

Concomitant Tricuspid Repair in Patients with Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Tricuspid regurgitation is common in patients with severe degenerative mitral regurgitation. However, the evidence base is insufficient to inform a decision about whether to perform tricuspid-valve repair during mitral-valve surgery in patients who have moderate tricuspid regurgitation or less-than-moderate regurgitation with annular dilatation.

Methods: We randomly assigned 401 patients who were undergoing mitral-valve surgery for degenerative mitral regurgitation to receive a procedure with or without tricuspid annuloplasty (TA).

SARS-CoV-2 exploits host DGAT and ADRP for efficient replication.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is predominantly a respiratory tract infection that significantly rewires the host metabolism. Here, we monitored a cohort of COVID-19 patients' plasma lipidome over the disease course and identified triacylglycerol (TG) as the dominant lipid class present in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-induced metabolic dysregulation. In particular, we pinpointed the lipid droplet (LD)-formation enzyme diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) and the LD stabilizer adipocyte differentiation-related protein (ADRP) to be essential host factors for SARS-CoV-2 replication.

Drug Repurposing for the Treatment of COVID-19: A Knowledge Graph Approach.

Identifying effective drug treatments for COVID-19 is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. Although a number of existing drugs have been proposed as potential COVID-19 treatments, effective data platforms and algorithms to prioritize drug candidates for evaluation and application of knowledge graph for drug repurposing have not been adequately explored. A COVID-19 knowledge graph by integrating 14 public bioinformatic databases containing information on drugs, genes, proteins, viruses, diseases, symptoms and their linkages is developed.

Selective Permeabilization of Gram-Negative Bacterial Membranes Using Multivalent Peptide Constructs for Antibiotic Sensitization.

The drug-impermeable bacterial membrane in Gram-negative pathogens limits antibiotic access to intracellular drug targets. To expand our rapidly waning antibiotic arsenal, one approach is to improve the intracellular delivery of drugs with historically poor accumulation in Gram-negative bacteria. To do so, we engineered macromolecular potentiators to permeabilize the Gram-negative membrane to facilitate drug influx.

Somatic Mutations in Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma Are Associated With a Worse Baseline Status and Better Recovery of Left Ventricular Remodeling and Diastolic Function.

Primary aldosteronism is the most common secondary endocrine form of hypertension and causes many cardiovascular injuries. somatic mutations have recently been identified in aldosterone-producing adenoma. However, their impacts on left ventricular remodeling precluding the interference of age, sex, and blood pressure are still uncertain.

Development and Evaluation of Novel and Highly Sensitive Single-Tube Nested Real-Time RT-PCR Assays for SARS-CoV-2 Detection.

Sensitive molecular assays are critical for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis. Here, we designed and evaluated two single-tube nested (STN) real-time RT-PCR assays, targeting SARS-CoV-2 RdRp/Hel and genes. Both STN assays had a low limit of detection and did not cross react with other human coronaviruses and respiratory viruses.

Evaluation of the commercially available LightMix® Modular E-gene kit using clinical and proficiency testing specimens for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Background: Rapid and sensitive diagnostic assays for SARS-CoV-2 detection are required for prompt patient management and infection control. The analytical and clinical performances of LightMix® Modular SARS and Wuhan CoV E-gene kit, a widely used commercial assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection, have not been well studied.

Objective: To evaluate the performance characteristics of the LightMix® E-gene kit in comparison with well-validated in-house developed COVID-19 RT-PCR assays.

Development of a Novel, Genome Subtraction-Derived, SARS-CoV-2-Specific COVID-19-nsp2 Real-Time RT-PCR Assay and Its Evaluation Using Clinical Specimens.

The pandemic novel coronavirus infection, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), has affected at least 190 countries or territories, with 465,915 confirmed cases and 21,031 deaths. In a containment-based strategy, rapid, sensitive and specific testing is important in epidemiological control and clinical management. Using 96 SARS-CoV-2 and 104 non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus genomes and our in-house program, GolayMetaMiner, four specific regions longer than 50 nucleotides in the SARS-CoV-2 genome were identified.

Blood Pressure Control and the Association With Diabetes Mellitus Incidence: Results From SPRINT Randomized Trial.

The SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) demonstrated reduced cardiovascular outcomes. We evaluated diabetes mellitus incidence in this randomized trial that compared intensive blood pressure strategy (systolic blood pressure <120 mm Hg) versus standard strategy (<140 mm Hg). Participants were ≥50 years of age, with systolic 130 to 180 mm Hg and increased cardiovascular risk.

Aldosterone Induces Vascular Damage.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is hemodynamically independently associated with arterial wall stiffness as assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV) compared with essential hypertension. Arterial wave reflection parameters derived from pulse wave analysis, such as forward and backward wave amplitudes (Pf and Pb), are promising vascular markers to predict cardiovascular outcomes in addition to PWV. These vascular parameters have never been studied in patients with PA before.

Measurement of associated production of a boson and a charm quark in proton-proton collisions at .

Measurements are presented of associated production of a boson and a charm quark ( ) in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 . The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.7 collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC.

Increased Pancreatic Echogenicity with US: Relationship to Glycemic Progression and Incident Diabetes.

Purpose To evaluate the association between increased pancreatic echogenicity (IPE) and the risk of glycemic progression and incident diabetes. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board, with waiver of informed consent. Consecutive individuals who had undergone abdominal ultrasonography as part of a health examination at a tertiary hospital between January 2005 and December 2011 were included.

Circulating MicroRNA-125b Predicts the Presence and Progression of Uremic Vascular Calcification.

Objective: Vascular calcification (VC) is a major cause of mortality in patients with end-stage renal diseases. Biomarkers to predict the progression of VC early are in urgent demand.

Approach And Results: We identified circulating, cell-free microRNAs as potential biomarkers using in vitro VC models in which both rat and human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells were treated with high levels of phosphate to mimic uremic hyperphosphatemia.

B Field Correction of T1 Estimation Should Be Considered for Breast Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging Even at 1.5 T.

Purpose To prospectively quantify the effect of T1 estimation in fat by B correction in breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 1.5 T and to examine the subsequent quantitative dynamic contrast material-enhanced parameters in breast cancer with and without B correction. Materials and Methods This study had institutional review board approval, and informed consent was obtained from 72 patients with breast cancer before breast MR imaging studies were performed between January and July 2015.

Disease burden and functional outcomes in congenital myotonic dystrophy: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Herein, we describe the disease burden and age-related changes of congenital-onset myotonic dystrophy (CDM) in childhood.

Methods: Children with CDM and age-matched controls aged 0 to 13 years were enrolled. Participants were divided into cohorts based on the following age groups: 0-2, 3-6, and 7-13 years.

Two-Year Outcomes of Surgical Treatment of Moderate Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: In a trial comparing coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) alone with CABG plus mitral-valve repair in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation, we found no significant difference in the left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI) or survival after 1 year. Concomitant mitral-valve repair was associated with a reduced prevalence of moderate or severe mitral regurgitation, but patients had more adverse events. We now report 2-year outcomes.

Interplay of the physical microenvironment, contact guidance, and intracellular signaling in cell decision making.

The peritumoral physical microenvironment consists of complex topographies that influence cell migration. Cell decision making, upon encountering anisotropic, physiologically relevant physical cues, has yet to be elucidated. By integrating microfabrication with cell and molecular biology techniques, we provide a quantitative and mechanistic analysis of cell decision making in a variety of well-defined physical microenvironments.