Obesity reshapes regulatory T cells in the visceral adipose tissue by disrupting cellular cholesterol homeostasis.

Regulatory T cells (T) accumulate in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) to maintain systemic metabolic homeostasis but decline during obesity. Here, we explored the metabolic pathways controlling the homeostasis, composition, and function of VAT T under normal and high-fat diet feeding conditions. We found that cholesterol metabolism was specifically up-regulated in ST2 VAT T subsets.

Nonabstinence among US Adults in Recovery from an Alcohol or Other Drug Problem.

Objectives: Most US treatment and recovery services are abstinence-based. However, many people in recovery from an alcohol or other drug (AOD) use problem do not abstain completely. This study estimated the prevalence of and characteristics associated with nonabstinence among US adults in recovery.

Satisfaction, user experiences, and initial efficacy of a technology-supported self-management intervention (iSMART) to improve post-stroke functioning: a remoted randomized controlled trial.

Background: Self-management interventions empower individuals to manage their chronic conditions and daily life after stroke. However, traditional in-person self-management interventions often face transportation and geographical barriers. Digital interventions may offer a solution to address this gap.

Feasibility and Usage of a Virtual Assistant Device in Cognitively Impaired Homebound Older Adults.

Social technology in older adults can improve self-rated health; however, there can also be difficulties using it. Our study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of virtual assistant device (VAD) use in cognitively impaired homebound older adults. 52 newly referred Meals on Wheels clients aged 60 and older were recruited for a three-phase study: 6 weeks of meals alone (control), followed by 6 weeks of meals+Alexa Echo Show 8 (AES8) basic usage, and lastly 6 weeks of meals+AES8 advanced usage.

Associations of Central Arterial Stiffness With Brain White Matter Integrity and Gray Matter Volume in MRI Across the Adult Lifespan.

Background: Central arterial stiffening is associated with brain white matter (WM) damage and gray matter (GM) volume loss in older adults, but little is known about this association from an adult lifespan perspective.

Purpose: To investigate the associations of central arterial stiffness with WM microstructural organization, WM lesion load, cortical thickness, and GM volume in healthy adults across the lifespan.

Study Type: This is a cross-sectional study.

ERK activation dynamics in maturing oocyte controls embryonic nuclear divisions in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ERK activity oscillates between sustained activation during oocyte formation and transient inactivation during oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early embryogenesis. Consequences of ectopic ERK activity upon oocyte maturation and in early embryogenesis are unknown. We show, in Caenorhabditis elegans, that ectopic ERK activity upon oocyte maturation (metaphase I oocytes) results in embryos with abnormalities in nuclear divisions leading to embryonic death.

The adiponectin-PPARγ axis in hepatic stellate cells regulates liver fibrosis.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are key drivers of local fibrosis. Adiponectin, conventionally thought of as an adipokine, is also expressed in quiescent HSCs. However, the impact of its local expression on the progression of liver fibrosis remains unclear.

Fungal Osteomyelitis of a Diabetic Foot Infection Caused by Trichosporon asahii: A Case Report.

Diabetic foot bacterial osteomyelitis is a serious infection that can lead to major amputations. However, fungal osteomyelitis in a diabetic foot ulcer is uncommon and has been underrecognized. It typically occurs in patients with underlying immunocompromised status and is associated with poor outcomes.

Phase 1 Trial of TTI-101, a First-in-Class Oral Inhibitor of STAT3 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors.

Purpose: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcription factor that is essential for the survival and immune sequestration of cancer cells. We conducted a phase 1 study of TTI‑101, a first-in-class, selective small-molecule inhibitor of STAT3, in patients with advanced metastatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: Patients were treated with TTI-101 orally twice daily in 28-day cycles at 4 dose levels (DLs): 3.

The Association Between Dietary Supplement Use and COVID-19 Symptoms.

The scientific evidence supporting recommendations for dietary supplement use to prevent or treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) is not well‑established. This cohort study investigates the relationship between dietary supplement usage and COVID‑19 symptoms among 27,181 adults tested for COVID‑19. Using data from surveys following COVID‑19 testing, conducted by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, associations between dietary supplement usage, symptomatology, and COVID‑19 status were explored.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Children with Pulmonary Atresia and Intact Ventricular Septum: Mortality and Associated Outcomes.

Data on outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are limited in patients with pulmonary atresia intact ventricular septum (PAIVS). The objective of this study was to describe the use of ECMO and the associated outcomes in patients with PAIVS. We retrospectively reviewed neonates with PAIVS who received ECMO between 2009 and 2019 in 19 US hospitals affiliated with the Collaborative Research for the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society (CoRe-PCICS).

Temporal Trends of Subsequent CNS Malignancies Among Survivors of Childhood Cancer.

Purpose: It is not known whether temporal changes in childhood cancer therapy have reduced risk of subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs) of the central nervous system (CNS), a frequently fatal late effect of cancer therapy.

Methods: Five-year survivors of primary childhood cancers diagnosed between 1970-1999 in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study with a subsequent CNS SMN were identified. Cumulative incidence rates and standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were compared among survivors diagnosed between 1970-1979 (N = 6223), 1980-1989 (N = 9680), and 1990-1999 (N = 8999).

Application of a quantitative uncertainty assessment to develop ranges of plausible toxicity values when using observational data in risk assessment: a case study examining associations between PFOA and PFOS exposures and vaccine response.

Traditional approaches for quantitatively characterizing uncertainty in risk assessment require adaptation to accommodate increased reliance on observational (vs. experimental) studies in developing toxicity values. Herein, a case study with PFOA and PFOS and vaccine response explores approaches for qualitative and-where possible-quantitative assessments of uncertainty at each step in the toxicity value development process when using observational data, including review and appraisal of individual studies, candidate study selection, dose-response modeling, and application of uncertainty factors.

Constant di/dz scanning tunneling microscopy: Atomic precision imaging and hydrogen depassivation lithography on a Si(100)-2 × 1:H surface.

We introduce a novel control mode for Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) that leverages di/dz feedback. By superimposing a high-frequency sinusoidal modulation on the control signal, we extract the amplitude of the resulting tunneling current to obtain a di/dz measurement as the tip is scanned over the surface. A feedback control loop is then closed to maintain a constant di/dz, enhancing the sensitivity of the tip to subtle surface variations throughout a scan.

An improved endwall-injection technique for examining high-temperature ignition of lubricating oils in shock tubes.

Ignition of the lubricating fluid in a mechanical system is a highly undesirable and unsafe condition that can arise from the elevated temperatures and pressures to which the lubricant is subjected. It is therefore important to understand the fundamental chemistry behind its ignition to predict and prevent this condition. Lubricating oils, particularly those with a mineral oil base, are very complex mixtures of thousands of hydrocarbons.

2'-Fucosyllactose inhibits human norovirus replication in human intestinal enteroids.

Unlabelled: Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Currently, there are no targeted antivirals for the treatment of HuNoV infection. Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) on the intestinal epithelium are cellular attachment factors for HuNoVs; molecules that block the binding of HuNoVs to HBGAs thus have the potential to be developed as antivirals.

Inhibition of Unc-51-like-kinase is mitoprotective during infection in corneal epithelial cells.

(PA) is an opportunistic gram-negative pathogen that can infect the cornea, leading to permanent vision loss. Autophagy is a cannibalistic process that drives cytoplasmic components to the lysosome for degradation and/or recycling. Autophagy has been shown to play a key role in the removal of intracellular pathogens and, as such, is an important component of the innate immune response.

Twelve tips on applying AI tools in HPE scholarship using Boyer's model.

AI has changed the landscape of health professions education. With the hype now behind us, we find ourselves in the phase of reckoning, considering what's next; where do we start and how can educators use these powerful tools for daily teaching and learning. We recognize the great need for training to use AI meaningfully for education.

The Estrogen-Immune Interface in Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a gynecologic condition characterized by the growth of endometrium-like stroma and glandular elements outside of the uterine cavity. The involvement of hormonal dysregulation, specifically estrogen, is well established in the initiation, progression, and maintenance of the condition. Evidence also highlights the association between endometriosis and altered immune states.