Thermodynamics of Highly Interacting Blend PCHMA/dPS by TOF-SANS.

We investigate the thermodynamics of a highly interacting blend of poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate)/deuterated poly(styrene) (PCHMA/dPS) with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). This system is experimentally challenging due to the proximity of the blend phase boundary (>200 °C) and degradation temperatures. To achieve the large wavenumber -range and flux required for kinetic experiments, we employ a SANS diffractometer in time-of-flight (TOF) mode at a reactor source and ancillary microscopy, calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis.

Genomic Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Variants Circulating in the United States, December 2020-May 2021.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is constantly mutating, leading to new variants (1). Variants have the potential to affect transmission, disease severity, diagnostics, therapeutics, and natural and vaccine-induced immunity. In November 2020, CDC established national surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 variants using genomic sequencing.

Age-specific reference ranges are needed to interpret serum methylmalonic acid concentrations in the US population.

Background: Serum vitamin B-12 is measured to evaluate vitamin B-12 status. Serum methylmalonic acid (MMA) is a specific functional indicator of vitamin B-12 status; however, concentrations increase with impaired renal function.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of serum vitamin B-12 and MMA in US adults, and estimate age-specific reference intervals for serum MMA in a healthy subpopulation with replete vitamin B-12 status and normal renal function.

Iodine Status and Consumption of Key Iodine Sources in the U.S. Population with Special Attention to Reproductive Age Women.

We estimated iodine status (median urinary iodine concentration (mUIC (µg/L))) for the US population (6 years and over; = 4613) and women of reproductive age (WRA) (15⁻44 years; = 901). We estimated mean intake of key iodine sources by race and Hispanic origin. We present the first national estimates of mUIC for non-Hispanic Asian persons and examine the intake of soy products, a potential source of goitrogens.

WIC Participation and Blood Lead Levels among Children 1-5 Years: 2007-2014.

Background: The CDC recommends a targeted strategy for childhood blood lead screening based on participation in federal programs, such as Medicaid and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Yet, there is scarcity of data on blood lead levels (BLLs) among WIC participants.

Objective: Our objective was to investigate whether children participating in WIC and not enrolled in Medicaid, who have not been targeted in the historical Medicaid-focused screening strategy, have higher BLLs than children in neither of these programs.

Differences in Obesity Prevalence by Demographic Characteristics and Urbanization Level Among Adults in the United States, 2013-2016.

Importance: Differences in obesity by sex, age group, race and Hispanic origin among US adults have been reported, but differences by urbanization level have been less studied.

Objectives: To provide estimates of obesity by demographic characteristics and urbanization level and to examine trends in obesity prevalence by urbanization level.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Serial cross-sectional analysis of measured height and weight among adults aged 20 years or older in the 2001-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized US population.

Differences in Obesity Prevalence by Demographics and Urbanization in US Children and Adolescents, 2013-2016.

Importance: Differences in childhood obesity by demographics and urbanization have been reported.

Objective: To present data on obesity and severe obesity among US youth by demographics and urbanization and to investigate trends by urbanization.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Measured weight and height among youth aged 2 to 19 years in the 2001-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which are serial, cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population.

Blood cadmium by race/hispanic origin: The role of smoking.

Background: There have been increasing concerns over health effects of low level exposure to cadmium, especially those on bones and kidneys.

Objective: To explore how age-adjusted geometric means of blood cadmium in adults varied by race/Hispanic origin, sex, and smoking status among U.S.

Housing Assistance and Blood Lead Levels: Children in the United States, 2005-2012.

Objectives: To compare blood lead levels (BLLs) among US children aged 1 to 5 years according to receipt of federal housing assistance.

Methods: In our analyses, we used 2005 to 2012 data for National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) respondents that were linked to 1999 to 2014 administrative records from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After we restricted the analysis to children with family income-to-poverty ratios below 200%, we compared geometric mean BLLs and the prevalence of BLLs of 3 micrograms per deciliter or higher among children who were living in assisted housing at the time of their NHANES blood draw (n = 151) with data for children who did not receive housing assistance (n = 1099).

Blood Lead and Other Metal Biomarkers as Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease Mortality.

Analyses of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) in 1988 to 1994 found an association of increasing blood lead levels < 10 μg/dL with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The potential need to correct blood lead for hematocrit/hemoglobin and adjust for biomarkers for other metals, for example, cadmium and iron, had not been addressed in the previous NHANES III-based studies on blood lead-CVD mortality association. We analyzed 1999 to 2010 NHANES data for 18,602 participants who had a blood lead measurement, were ≥ 40 years of age at the baseline examination and were followed for mortality through 2011.

Expression, purification and enzymatic characterization of a recombinant human ubiquitin-specific protease 47.

In this study, the physicochemical and enzymatic properties of recombinant human ubiquitin (Ub)-specific protease (USP) 47, a novel member of the C19 family of de-ubiquitinating enzymes (DUB), were characterized for the first time. Recombinant human USP47 was expressed in a baculovirus expression system and purified to homogeneity. The purified protein was shown to be a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of ∼146 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

More than half of US youth consume seafood and most have blood mercury concentrations below the EPA reference level, 2009-2012.

Background: Consuming seafood has health benefits, but seafood can also contain methylmercury, a neurotoxicant. Exposure to methylmercury affects children at different stages of brain development, including during adolescence.

Objective: The objective was to examine seafood consumption and blood mercury concentrations in US youth.

Seafood consumption and blood mercury concentrations in adults aged ≥20 y, 2007-2010.

Background: Seafood is part of a healthy diet, but seafood can also contain methyl mercury-a neurotoxin.

Objective: The objective was to describe seafood consumption in US adults and to explore the relation between seafood consumption and blood mercury.

Design: Seafood consumption, obtained from a food-frequency questionnaire, and blood mercury data were available for 10,673 adults who participated in the 2007-2010 NHANES-a cross-sectional nationally representative sample of the US population.

Arylesterase phenotype-specific positive association between arylesterase activity and cholinesterase specific activity in human serum.

Context: Cholinesterase (ChE) specific activity is the ratio of ChE activity to ChE mass and, as a biomarker of exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors, has a potential advantage over simple ChE activity.

Objective: To examine the association of several potential correlates (serum arylesterase/paraoxonase activity, serum albumin, sex, age, month of blood collection, and smoking) with plasma ChE specific activity.

Methods: We analyzed data from 195 cancer-free controls from a nested case-control study, accounting for potential confounding.

Hypertension, abnormal cholesterol, and high body mass index among non-Hispanic Asian adults: United States, 2011-2012.

Non-Hispanic Asian adults constituted 4.9% of the U.S.

Selective detection of complementarity-determining regions of monoclonal antibody by limiting protease access to the substrate: nano-surface and molecular-orientation limited proteolysis.

We report a novel method for the selective proteolysis by limiting protease access to the substrate, which we have named nano-surface and molecular-orientation limited (nSMOL) proteolysis. We focus on the identification of the Fab and quantitation of antibodies. This method successfully performed limited proteolysis on the Fab.

Silodosin versus naftopidil for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a multicenter randomized trial.

This was a multicenter randomized trial to investigate the clinical efficacy and the impact on sexual function of alpha-1A selective silodosin and alpha-1D selective naftopidil for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. A total of 97 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia who had an International Prostate Symptom Score of 8 or more were randomly assigned to receive silodosin (8 mg/day, n = 53) or naftopidil (75 mg/day, n = 44). Before and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment, International Prostate Symptom Score and its quality of life score were used to assess lower urinary tract symptoms.

Novel protein extraction approach using micro-sized chamber for evaluation of proteins eluted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections.

We describe a novel antigen-retrieval method using a micro-sized chamber for mass spectrometry (MS) analysis to identify proteins that are preferentially eluted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. This approach revealed that heat-induced antigen retrieval (HIAR) from an FFPE sample fixed on a glass slide not only improves protein identification, but also facilitates preferential elution of protein subsets corresponding to the properties of antigen-retrieval buffers. Our approach may contribute to an understanding of the mechanism of HIAR.

Proteomic characterization of ovarian cancers identifying annexin-A4, phosphoserine aminotransferase, cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 2, and serpin B5 as histology-specific biomarkers.

Numerous studies have suggested that the different histological subtypes of ovarian carcinoma (i.e. clear cell, endometrioid, mucinous, and serous) have distinct clinical histories and characteristics; however, most studies that have aimed to determine biomarker have not performed comprehensive analyses based on subtype specificity.

Direct antigen detection from immunoprecipitated beads using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry; a new method for immunobeads-mass spectrometry (iMS).

One-step detection of biological molecules is one of the principal techniques for clinical diagnosis, and the potential of mass spectrometry for biomarker detection has been a promising new approach in the field of medical sciences. We demonstrate here a new and high-sensitivity method that we termed immunobeads-mass spectrometry (iMS), which combines conventional immunoprecipitation and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The key feature of iMS is the MS-compatible condition of immunoprecipitation using detergents with a monosaccaride-C8 alkyl chain or a disaccharide-C10 alkyl chain, and the minimized number of steps required for high-sensitivity detection of target peptides in serum or biological fluid.

Serum TSH and total T4 in the United States population and their association with participant characteristics: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2002).

Objective: Describe thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) levels in the U.S. population and their association with selected participant characteristics.