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Stroke during pregnancy is rare, occurring in 30 of 100,000 pregnancies and accounting for 7% of maternal deaths in the United States from 2016 to 2018. Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has been shown to reduce symptoms of chronic conditions that are risk factors for stroke, including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes in women. However, little is known about the impact of MBS on stroke risk during pregnancy. To examine stroke and stroke risk factors including preeclampsia, eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and embolism/thrombosis in women of reproductive age who have had MBS. We used the National Inpatient Sample, a publicly available data set from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project that samples 20% of hospital discharges in the United States. This cross-sectional study included women between the ages of 20 and 44 years who had a maternal admission code. Weighted logistic regression was conducted to assess the odds of stroke and stroke risk factors in women with a history of MBS compared with other women of reproductive age. Women with a history of MBS have 12% lower adjusted odds of developing preeclampsia/eclampsia and 10% lower adjusted odds of gestational hypertension than women who did not undergo MBS. When stratified by race, the difference was significant in White women (preeclampsia/eclampsia: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] =.89; 95% confidence interval [CI],.81–.98; gestational hypertension: aOR =.91; 95% CI,.83–1.00). Latinas with MBS had significantly lower odds of preeclampsia/eclampsia (aOR =.75; 95% CI,.64–.90). MBS helps women lose weight and decrease the incidence of some pregnancy-related risk factors for stroke. However, there is a notable racial health disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textured Bi 5 Ti 3 FeO 15 (BTFO) ceramics were prepared by molten salt synthesis at 850 °C followed by plasma activated sintering at 800 °C. The structure and the anisotropic electrical and magnetic properties of the ceramics were investigated. The textured BTFO ceramics exhibited [001] preferred orientation with a high degree of texture fraction (Lotgering factor is 0.82), as confirmed from XRD patterns, FE-SEM and TEM micrographs. The anisotropic dielectric relaxation and conduction characteristics along the parallel and perpendicular directions were investigated using the dielectric and impedance spectroscopies. The grain boundary along the parallel direction had a similar value of capacitance to that of grains, whereas the grain boundary along the perpendicular direction dominated the resistive component. The magnetic performance along the perpendicular direction (H c ∼ 32.5 Oe) was better than that along the parallel direction (H c ∼ 17.6 Oe). These results could be useful for enhancing the electrical and magnetic properties of BTFO by texturization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textured multiferroic Bi 5 Ti 3 FeO 15 -CoFe 2 O 4 (BTFO-CFO) ceramics were prepared via microwave hydrothermal synthesis followed by plasma activated sintering. BTFO-CFO ceramics with CFO nanoparticles distributed between the BTFO layers exhibit a high degree of texture ( f =0.8) along the c-axis crystallographic orientation, which was confirmed by a combination of XRD, SEM and TEM. BTFO-CFO composite ceramics exhibit desirable magnetic and ferroelectric properties due to the ferromagnetic phase (CFO) and textured ferroelectric phase (BTFO). The current work provides a feasible method to fabricate textured multiferroic composite ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) due to therapeutic use of glucocorticoids is called steroid-induced ocular hypertension (SIOH); this can lead to steroid-induced glaucoma (SIG). Glucocorticoids initiate signaling cascades ultimately affecting expression of hundreds of genes; this provides the potential for a highly personalized pharmacological response. Studies attempting to define genetic risk factors were undertaken early in the history of glucocorticoid use, however scientific tools available at that time were limited and progress stalled. In contrast, significant advances were made over the ensuing years in defining disease pathophysiology. As the genomics age emerged, it appeared the time was right to renew investigation into genetics. Pharmacogenomics is an unbiased discovery approach, not requiring an underlying hypothesis, and provides a way to pinpoint clinically significant genes and pathways that could not have been discovered any other way. Results of the first genome-wide association study to identify polymorphisms associated with SIOH, and follow-up on two novel genes linked to the disorder, GPR158 and HCG22, is discussed in the second half of the article. However, knowledge of genetic variants determining response to steroids in the eye also has value in its own right as a predictive and diagnostic tool. This article concludes with a discussion of how the Precision Medicine Initiative®, announced by U.S. President Obama in his 2015 State of the Union address, is beginning to touch the practice of ophthalmology. It is argued that SIOH/SIG may provide one of the next opportunities for effective application of precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites have been synthesized via microwave assisted hydrothermal treatment of tetrabutyl titanate in the presence of SnS 2 nanoplates in the solvent of ethanol at 160 °C for 1 h. The physical and chemical properties of SnS 2 /TiO 2 were studied by XRD, FESEM, EDS, TEM, XPS and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic activity of SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites were evaluated by photoreduction of aqueous Cr(VI) under visible light ( λ >420 nm) irradiation. The experimental results showed that the SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites exhibited excellent reduction efficiency of Cr(VI) (~87%) than that of pure TiO 2 and SnS 2 . The SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites were expected to be a promising candidate as effective photocatalysts in the treatment of Cr(VI) wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mn-modified 0.75BiFeO 3 -0.25BaTiO 3 (75BFBTMn) piezoelectric ceramic possesses a high depolarization temperature of 500 °C and a large piezoelectric coefficient of 110 pC/N, showing the potential for high temperature piezoelectric sensors. However, 75BFBTMn ceramic usually suffers dielectric degradation and abrupt drop of piezoelectric coefficient in the range of 300 °C to 500 °C. Combined the high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis with Backscatter-SEM results, it is demonstrated that the electrical thermal instability is owing to the existence of chemical inhomogeneity. The Air-annealing treatment is able to decrease the volume fraction of pseudo-cubic phase and the lattice distortion, removes the chemical inhomogeneity in the grain and free Bi 2 O 3 at grain boundary, and then eliminates dielectric anomalies and piezoelectric degradation with temperature. These results indicate that air-annealing is a simple but effective method to eliminate the chemical inhomogeneity in 75BFBTMn ceramics, thereby improving the property thermal stability for high temperature piezoelectric sensor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Genome-wide association studies have identified multiple genetic variants associated with vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR). Genetic risk scores (GRS) examine the aggregate genetic effect of individual variants on a trait by combining these separate genetic variants into a single measure. The purpose of this study was to construct GRS for VCDR and to determine whether the GRS are associated with VCDR and whether the GRS increase the discriminatory ability for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in a Latino population. Design Population-based genetic association study. Participants A total of 4018 Latino participants recruited from Los Angeles. Methods Weighted and unweighted GRS were constructed using 68 previously reported VCDR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as well as SNPs from our own genome-wide association data. Linear and logistic regression analyses examined the associations of GRS with VCDR and POAG, respectively. To evaluate the discriminatory ability of the GRS for POAG, we conducted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Main Outcome Measures The relationship between GRS and VCDR in Latinos. Results The GRS were associated significantly with VCDR ( P < 0.0001), after adjusting for age, gender, central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and education. The weighted GRS explained an additional 2.74% of the variation in VCDR. Adding the weighted GRS derived from previously reported SNPs resulted in a moderate improvement in the discriminatory ability for POAG during ROC analyses, yielding an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.735 (95% CI, 0.701–0.768). When our own SNPs were used, the AUC increased significantly to 0.809 (95% CI, 0.781–0.837; P < 0.0001). We obtained similar results for the unweighted GRS. Conclusions To our knowledge, we identified a novel association between GRS and VCDR and its improvement in the discriminatory ability of POAG in a Latino population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor, as well as the only modifiable risk factor, for glaucoma. Racial differences have been observed in IOP measurements with individuals of African descent experiencing the highest IOP when compared with other ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between genetic ancestry and IOP in Latinos. Design Population-based genetic association study. Participants A total of 3541 participants recruited from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Methods Study participants were genotyped using the Illumina OmniExpress BeadChip (∼730K markers). We used STRUCTURE to estimate individual genetic ancestry. Simple and multiple linear regression, as well as quantile regression, analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between genetic ancestry and IOP. Main Outcome Measures The relationship between genetic ancestry and IOP in Latinos. Results African ancestry was significantly associated with higher IOP in Latinos in our simple linear regression analysis ( P = 0.002). After adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, central corneal thickness, and type 2 diabetes, this association remained significant ( P = 0.0005). The main association was modified by a significant interaction between African ancestry and hypertension ( P = 0.037), with hypertensive individuals experiencing a greater increase in IOP with increasing African ancestry. Conclusions To our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time that African ancestry and its interaction with hypertension are associated with higher IOP in Latinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To describe associations of serum lipid levels and lipid pathway genes to the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Meta-analysis. METHODS: SETTING: Three population-based cohorts. POPULATION: A total of 6950 participants from the Beaver Dam Eye Study (BDES), Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES), and Rotterdam Study (RS). OBSERVATION PROCEDURES: Participants were followed over 20 years and examined at 5-year intervals. Hazard ratios associated with lipid levels per standard deviation above the mean or associated with each additional risk allele for each lipid pathway gene were calculated using random-effects inverse-weighted meta-analysis models, adjusting for known AMD risk factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of AMD. RESULTS: The average 5-year incidences of early AMD were 8.1%, 15.1%, and 13.0% in the BDES, BMES, and RS, respectively. Substantial heterogeneity in the effect of cholesterol and lipid pathway genes on the incidence and progression of AMD was evident when the data from the 3 studies were combined in meta-analysis. After correction for multiple comparisons, we did not find a statistically significant association between any of the cholesterol measures, statin use, or serum lipid genes and any of the AMD outcomes in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: In a meta-analysis, there were no associations of cholesterol measures, history of statin use, or lipid pathway genes to the incidence and progression of AMD. These findings add to inconsistencies in earlier reports from our studies and others showing weak associations, no associations, or inverse associations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol with AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric actuators are essential for numerous electromechanical applications, because of their advantages of high resolution, large generated forces, no friction, low heat dissipation and fast response. The design of the next-generation piezoelectric actuators is desired to meet the complex needs of advanced machines and instruments, where the high-performance and stable output under the combined thermal and mechanical loads are expected. However, simultaneously achieving high-performance and good temperature stability of piezoelectric actuators is a challenge, which hinders the use temperature range in practical applications. Here, in the studied Sm-doped Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -PbZrO 3 -PbTiO 3 system, the high piezoelectric strain coefficient d 33 * = 870 pm/V with superior temperature stability (below 7% variation over the temperature of 20°C to 280°C), together with negligible property degradation up to 106 cycles was successfully achieved. The outstanding blocking stress of 37.2 MPa and mechanical work of 6.4 kJ/m3 were obtained under the driving electric field of 15 kV/cm. This work provides a paradigm to achieve high piezoelectric strain properties with good temperature stability, where the studied materials are expected to greatly benefit the development of high temperature piezoelectric actuator applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]