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Purpose This paper aims to report the tribological behavior of Ag nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (Ag/RGO NCs) and Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as a green additive in oil with different concentration and under different friction conditions.Design/methodology/approach The Ag/RGO NCs and Ag NPs were both synthesized in a chemical reduction method. The diameter of silver nanoparticles implanted between RGO sheets was about 25 nm and that of silver sol was 70 nm. The morphology and structure of Ag/RGO NC were characterized by TEM, XRD and FTIR. The tribological properties of Ag/RGO NCs and Ag NPs as lubricant oil additive were evaluated by measuring the friction coefficients and wear of the surface in different condition which were tested on UMT-II.Findings The results indicated that both the additives improved the friction-reduced and anti-wear properties of paraffin oil, and Ag/RGO NCs has better tribological performance than Ag NPs. The excellent tribological properties were attributed to the special structure of Ag/RGO NC and the formation of tribofilm reducing the friction and wear on the shearing surfaces.Research limitations/implications It is relatively difficult to observe the morphology of the lubricant film formed on the friction surface and to analyze the chemical composition at different depths of the lubricant film.Originality/value It is the first time for Ag/RGO NCs to be applied to improve the friction-reduced and anti-wear properties of lubricant oil as additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To use population data to identify patient characteristics associated with a postpartum maternal emergency department visit within 90 days of discharge after birth.Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed linked maternal discharge and emergency department data for all live California births from 2009 to 2011. The primary outcome was at least one emergency department visit within 90 days of hospital discharge after birth. Secondary outcomes included three or more visits within 90 days ("high utilization") and inpatient readmission. Independent variables included demographics (age, race or ethnicity, payer, income) and clinical characteristics (length of stay, antepartum complications, mode of delivery, and severe maternal morbidity at delivery). Multilevel logistic regression identified variables associated study outcomes; we validated the predictive model with a split-sample approach and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.Results: Of 1,071,232 deliveries included, 88,674 women (8.3%) visited the emergency department at least once in the 90 days after delivery discharge. Emergency department use was significantly associated with Medicaid insurance (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.15, 95% CI 2.08-2.21), age younger than 20 years (adjusted OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.98-2.19), severe maternal morbidity at delivery (adjusted OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.49-1.71), antepartum complications (adjusted OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.42-1.50), and cesarean delivery (adjusted OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.37-1.44). Approximately one fifth of visits occurred within 4 days of discharge, and more than half were within 3 weeks. High utilizers comprised 0.5% of the entire sample (5,171 women) and only 1.2% of women presenting for emergency department care were readmitted. Receiver operating curve model analysis using the validation sample supported predictive accuracy for postpartum emergency department use (area under the curve=0.95).Conclusion: One in 12 California women visited the emergency department in the first 90 days after postpartum discharge. Women at increased risk for postpartum emergency department use per our validated model (eg, low income, birth complications) may benefit from earlier scheduled postpartum visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-dimension metal halide perovskites are attractive for bandgap tunable optoelectronic materials. Among them, 1-D CsPbBr 3 quantum wires (QWs) are emerging as promising deep-blue luminescent material. However, the growth dynamics of 1-D perovskite QWs are intricate, making the study and control of 1-D QWs highly challenging. In this study, a strategy for controlling both the length and width of the CsPbBr 3 QWs was realized. The temperature-dependent isotropic growth mechanism was revealed and employed as the main tool for the oriented growth of 1-D CsPbBr 3 QWs for various aspect ratios. Our results pave the way for the controlled synthesis of ultrasmall perovskite nanocrystals.

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) caused an acute and highly contagious infectious disease characterized by severe immunosuppression, causing considerable economic losses to the poultry industry globally. Although this disease was well-controlled under the widely use of commercial vaccines in the past decades, the novel variant IBDV strains emerged recently because of the highly immunized-selection pressure in the field, posting new threats to poultry industry. Here, we reported novel variant IBDV is responsible for a disease outbreak, and assessed the epidemic and pathogenicity of IBDV in this study. Moreover, we constructed a challenge model using Fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) to study on the immunosuppressive effect. Our findings underscore the importance of IBDV surveillance, and provide evidence for understanding the pathogenicity of IBDV., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lipid metabolism plays a central role in prostate cancer. To date, the major focus has centered on de novo lipogenesis and lipid uptake in prostate cancer, but inhibitors of these processes have not benefited patients. A better understanding of how cancer cells access lipids once they are created or taken up and stored could uncover more effective strategies to perturb lipid metabolism and treat patients. Here, we identified that expression of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), an enzyme that controls lipid droplet homeostasis and a previously suspected tumor suppressor, correlates with worse overall survival in men with advanced, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Molecular, genetic, or pharmacologic inhibition of ATGL impaired human and murine prostate cancer growth in vivo and in cell culture or organoids under conditions mimicking the tumor microenvironment. Mass spectrometry imaging demonstrated that ATGL profoundly regulates lipid metabolism in vivo, remodeling membrane composition. ATGL inhibition induced metabolic plasticity, causing a glycolytic shift that could be exploited therapeutically by cotargeting both metabolic pathways. Patient-derived phosphoproteomics identified ATGL serine 404 as a target of CAMKK2-AMPK signaling in CRPC cells. Mutation of serine 404 did not alter the lipolytic activity of ATGL but did decrease CRPC growth, migration, and invasion, indicating that noncanonical ATGL activity also contributes to disease progression. Unbiased immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry suggested that mutation of serine 404 not only disrupts existing ATGL protein interactions but also leads to new protein-protein interactions. Together, these data nominate ATGL as a therapeutic target for CRPC and provide insights for future drug development and combination therapies., Significance: ATGL promotes prostate cancer metabolic plasticity and progression through both lipase-dependent and lipase-independent activity, informing strategies to target ATGL and lipid metabolism for cancer treatment., (©2023 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Avian leukemia virus subgroup J (ALV-J) causes various diseases associated with tumor formation and decreased fertility and induced immunosuppressive disease, resulting in significant economic losses in the poultry industry globally. Virus usually exploits the host cellular machinery for their replication. Although there are increasing evidences for the cellular proteins involving viral replication, the interaction between ALV-J and host proteins leading to the pivotal steps of viral life cycle are still unclear. Here, we reported that ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase subunit M2 (RRM2) plays a critical role during ALV-J infection by interacting with capsid protein P27 and activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We found that the expression of RRM2 is effectively increased during ALV-J infection, and that RRM2 facilitates ALV-J replication by interacting with viral capsid protein P27. Furthermore, ALV-J P27 activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling by promoting β-catenin entry into the nucleus, and RRM2 activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling by enhancing its phosphorylation at Ser18 during ALV-J infection. These data suggest that the upregulation of RRM2 expression by ALV-J infection favors viral replication in host cells via activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. IMPORTANCE Our results revealed a novel mechanism by which RRM2 facilitates ALV-J growth. That is, the upregulation of RRM2 expression by ALV-J infection favors viral replication by interacting with capsid protein P27 and activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway in host cells. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of serine at position 18 of RRM2 was verified to be the important factor regulating the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This study provides insights for further studies of the molecular mechanism of ALV-J infection., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objective: To investigate whether symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and radiographic measures of esophageal dilation are associated with radiographic progression of systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD)., Methods: Participants of the Scleroderma Lung Study II, which compared mycophenolate versus cyclophosphamide for SSc-ILD, completed the reflux domain of the University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract 2.0 at baseline. The diameter and area of the esophagus in the region of maximum dilation was measured by quantitative image analysis. Univariate and multivariable linear regression analyses were created to evaluate the relationship between these measures of esophageal involvement and progression of SSc-ILD over 2 years, based on the radiologic quantitative interstitial lung disease (QILD) and quantitative lung fibrosis (QLF) in the lobe of maximum involvement (LM). All multivariable models controlled for the treatment arm, baseline ILD severity, and proton-pump inhibitor use., Results: The baseline mean patient-reported reflux score was 0.57, indicating moderate reflux (n = 141). Baseline mean maximal esophageal diameter and area were 22 mm and 242 mm 2 , respectively. Baseline reflux scores were significantly associated with the change in QLF-LM and QILD-LM in the univariate and multivariable models. Neither radiographic measure of esophageal dilation was associated with the change in radiographic measures of lung involvement., Conclusion: Severity of reflux symptoms as measured by an SSc-specific questionnaire was independently associated with the change in the radiographic extent of ILD and fibrosis over 2 years in patients with SSc-ILD. Two objective measures of esophageal dilation were not associated with radiographic progression of ILD, highlighting the need for improved objective measures of esophageal dysfunction in SSc., (© 2022 American College of Rheumatology.)

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes an acute and highly contagious infectious disease characterized by severe immunosuppression, causing great economic losses to the poultry industry globally. Over the past 30 years, this disease has been well controlled through vaccination and strict biosafety measures. However, novel variant IBDV strains have emerged in recent years, posing a new threat to the poultry industry. Our previous epidemiological survey showed that few novel variant IBDV strains had been isolated from chickens immunized with the attenuated live vaccine W2512-, suggesting that this vaccine is efficacious against novel variant strains. Here, we report the protective effect of the W2512 vaccine against novel variant strains in SPF chickens and commercial yellow-feathered broilers. We found that W2512 causes severe atrophy of the bursa of Fabricius in SPF chickens and commercial yellow-feathered broilers, induces high levels of antibodies against IBDV, and protects chickens from infection with the novel variant strains via a placeholder effect. This study highlights the protective effect of commercial attenuated live vaccines against the novel IBDV variant and provides guidance for the prevention and control of this disease., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Importance: Myopia is a global concern, but effective prevention measures remain limited. Premyopia is a refractive state in which children are at higher risk of myopia, meriting preventive interventions., Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of a repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) intervention in preventing incident myopia among children with premyopia., Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a 12-month, parallel-group, school-based randomized clinical trial conducted in 10 primary schools in Shanghai, China. A total of 139 children with premyopia (defined as cycloplegic spherical equivalence refraction [SER] of -0.50 to 0.50 diopter [D] in the more myopic eye and having at least 1 parent with SER ≤-3.00 D) in grades 1 to 4 were enrolled between April 1, 2021, and June 30, 2021; the trial was completed August 31, 2022., Interventions: Children were randomly assigned to 2 groups after grade stratification. Children in the intervention group received RLRL therapy twice per day, 5 days per week, with each session lasting 3 minutes. The intervention was conducted at school during semesters and at home during winter and summer vacations. Children in the control group continued usual activities., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the 12-month incidence rate of myopia (defined as SER ≤-0.50 D). Secondary outcomes included the changes in SER, axial length, vision function, and optical coherence tomography scan results over 12 months. Data from the more myopic eyes were analyzed. Outcomes were analyzed by means of an intention-to-treat method and per-protocol method. The intention-to-treat analysis included participants in both groups at baseline, while the per-protocol analysis included participants in the control group and those in the intervention group who were able to continue the intervention without interruption by the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: There were 139 children (mean [SD] age, 8.3 [1.1] years; 71 boys [51.1%]) in the intervention group and 139 children (mean [SD] age, 8.3 [1.1] years; 68 boys [48.9%]) in the control group. The 12-month incidence of myopia was 40.8% (49 of 120) in the intervention group and 61.3% (68 of 111) in the control group, a relative 33.4% reduction in incidence. For children in the intervention group who did not have treatment interruption secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence was 28.1% (9 of 32), a relative 54.1% reduction in incidence. The RLRL intervention significantly reduced the myopic shifts in terms of axial length and SER compared with the control group (mean [SD] axial length, 0.30 [0.27] mm vs 0.47 [0.25] mm; difference, 0.17 mm [95% CI, 0.11-0.23 mm]; mean [SD] SER, -0.35 [0.54] D vs -0.76 [0.60] D; difference, -0.41 D [95% CI, -0.56 to -0.26 D]). No visual acuity or structural damage was noted on optical coherence tomography scans in the intervention group., Conclusions and Relevance: In this randomized clinical trial, RLRL therapy was a novel and effective intervention for myopia prevention, with good user acceptability and up to 54.1% reduction in incident myopia within 12 months among children with premyopia., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04825769.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) involved host-virus interaction, affecting the replication or pathogenesis of several viruses. Frontier evidences suggested that miRNAs play essential roles in infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) replication. However, the biological function of miRNAs and the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we reported that gga-miR-20b-5p acted as a negative factor affecting IBDV infection. We found that gga-miR-20b-5p was significantly up-regulated during IBDV infection in host cells, and that gga-miR-20b-5p effectively inhibited IBDV replication via targeting the expression of host protein netrin 4 (NTN4). In contrast, inhibition of endogenous miR-20b-5p markedly facilitated viral replication associated with enhancing NTN4 expression. Collectively, these findings highlight a crucial role of gga-miR-20b-5p in IBDV replication., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is increasingly offered for aortic stenosis (AS) treatment in patients with a history of cancer. The impact of frailty on outcomes in this specific patient population is not well described., Hypothesis: Frailty is associated with mortality and poorer quality of life (QOL) outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR with a history of cancer., Methods: This retrospective single center cohort study included AS patients who underwent TAVR from August 1, 2012 to May 15, 2020. Frailty was measured using serum albumin, hemoglobin, gait speed, functional dependence, and cognitive impairment. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and QOL at 1 year. A poor primary outcome was defined as either all-cause mortality, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall summary (KCCQ-OS) score <45 or a KCCQ-OS score decline of ≥10 points from baseline. Regression analysis was used to determine the impact of frailty on the primary outcome., Results: The study population was stratified into active/recent cancer (n = 107), remote cancer (n = 85), and non-cancer (n = 448). Univariate analysis of each cohort showed that frailty was associated with the primary outcome only in the non-cancer cohort (p = .004). Multivariate analysis showed that cancer history was not associated with a poor primary outcome, whereas frailty was (1.7 odds ratio, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-2.8; p = .028)., Conclusions: Frailty is associated with mortality and poor QOL in the overall and non-cancer cohorts. Further investigation is warranted to understand frailty's effect on the cancer population. Frailty should be heavily considered during TAVR evaluation., (© 2022 The Authors. Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC.)

Background: Observational studies have shown that men with systemic sclerosis have an increased risk of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and mortality compared with women. However, previous studies have not controlled for treatment effect or evaluated the biological mechanism or mechanisms underlying this sex difference. We aimed to compare ILD progression and long-term morbidity and mortality outcomes in male and female participants of two randomised controlled trials for systemic sclerosis-associated ILD., Methods: For this post-hoc analysis, data from all participants in the Scleroderma Lung Study (SLS) I and SLS II were analysed. The primary objective was to explore the effect of sex on the course of the percentage predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) during and after active treatment over the 24-month study periods. In SLS I, 158 participants (111 women, 47 men) were randomly assigned to receive oral cyclophosphamide (cyclophosphamide; ≤2 mg/kg daily) or placebo; in SLS II, 142 participants (105 women, 37 men) were randomly assigned to receive oral mycophenolate mofetil (1500 mg twice daily) or oral cyclophosphamide (≤2 mg/kg daily). Sex (ie, male or female) was self-reported in both studies by the participants. Changes in radiographic fibrosis and time to death and respiratory failure were secondary outcomes of the present analysis. Baseline levels of biomarkers implicated in the pathobiology of systemic sclerosis-associated ILD were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in SLS I., Findings: In the SLS I placebo group, the rate of decline in percentage predicted FVC from 3 months to 12 months was greater in men than in women, but the difference was not significant (estimated effect -0·29 [95% CI -0·67 to 0·10]; p=0·14). In SLS II, the rate of decline in percentage predicted FVC from 3 months to 12 months was significantly worse in men treated with either cyclophosphamide (estimated effect -0·72; [95% CI -1·14 to -0·31]; p=0·00060) or mycophenolate mofetil (estimated effect -0·34 [-0·58 to -0·10]; p=0·0051) than in women. A greater proportion of men had a decline in percentage predicted FVC of 10% or greater compared with women for the pooled active treatment groups from SLS I and SLS II and the placebo group of SLS I. Men had worse radiographic outcomes at 2 years than women in SLS II, even after adjusting for baseline disease severity and treatment arm assignment. Long-term survival was worse in men in SLS I (log-rank test p=0·080) and SLS II (log-rank test p=0·030). In SLS II, male sex was independently associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio 2·42 [95% CI 1·16 to 5·04]; p=0·018). In bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, men had increased concentrations of pro-fibrotic mediators (eg, matrix metalloproteinase-13 and tissue inhibitor of metallopeptidase 1), whereas women had increased pro-inflammatory mediators (eg, interleukin [IL]-12, IL-7, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor)., Interpretation: In two randomised controlled trials, men with systemic sclerosis-associated ILD had a less favourable course of ILD both with and without active treatment, as well as worse long-term survival. Sex differences in pro-fibrotic or inflammatory mediators of disease might account for these differences and warrant future study., Funding: US National Institutes of Health; US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; US National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; Bristol Myers Squibb; and Hoffmann-LaRoche., Competing Interests: We report no financial or personal relationships related to the submitted work. ERV reports the following financial relationships outside of the submitted work on SLS I and SLS II outcomes: consulting and speaking fees (Boehringer Ingelheim); and institutional support received for performing systemic sclerosis studies for Kadmon, Forbius, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Horizon. DPT reports receiving modest financial support from Genentech for participation in an investigator-initiated trial outside of the submitted work. RS reports institutional support received for performing systemic sclerosis studies for Boehringer Ingelheim outside of the submitted work. SA reports the following financial relationships outside of the submitted work on SLS I and SLS II outcomes: consulting (Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus, Novartis, CSL Behring, AbbVie, and AstraZeneca); payment or honoraria for lectures or presentations (Integrity CE and the North Carolina Rheumatology Association); institutional support received for doing systemic sclerosis studies for Momenta, Boehringer Ingelhim, Janssen, Scleroderma Research Foundation, the US Department of Defense and the NIH; and a leadership role (unpaid volunteer) for the Scleroderma Clinical Trial Consortium and the Scleroderma Foundation Medical Advisory Board. GHK reports being a research consultant for MedQIA and has a patent issued on the radiographic quantification of ILD (UC-2015-0324982-A1). JG is the founder of MedQIA. MDR reports receiving institutional support from Genentech for leading an investigator-initiated clinical trial in systemic sclerosis-associated ILD outside of the SLS I and SLS II studies reported here. All other authors declare no competing interests outside of the submitted work.

Introduction: Results from several clinical trials suggest there is a dose-response effect for beta interferon-1a (INFβ1a) in multiple sclerosis (MS)., Methods: Our objective was to confirm these results through a retrospective analysis of patients with MS who had breakthrough disease (BD) on intramuscular (IM) INFβ1a (Avonex®) once per week (QW), who were switched to twice per week (BIW) IM INFβ1a between 1995 and 2015. The primary outcome measure was no further BD for at least 24 months. A secondary outcome measure was decrease in mean percentage of disease activity over time. BD was defined as continued relapses, new T2 or enhanced lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, or worsening of the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) or the neurological examination., Results: Among 92 patients on QW IM INFβ1a, 53 patients with BD were switched to BIW IM INFβ1a. Of these 53 patients, 44 had adequate follow-up for at least 2 years. Twenty-three of these had no further BD for 24 months or more (range 24-192 months). Beta interferon neutralizing antibody testing was negative in 19 patients. An intent-to-treat analysis of the uncensored data from 52 switched patients also supported a treatment benefit., Conclusion: For patients with MS having breakthrough disease on QW INFβ1a, switching to more frequently administered INFβ may be an option. Advantages to using IM INFβ1a for this include no skin reactions and a lower incidence of neutralizing antibodies. Further pragmatic, observational, larger-group studies comparing treatment with Avonex® and higher dosed IM INFβ1a, such as the recently FDA-approved IM peginterferon beta-1a, may be indicated., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Pregnant women at public medical centers in Porto Alegre, Brazil, were recruited for a study on screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STIs were detected in 79 (23%) of 350 pregnant women and were found to be associated with infant low birth weight (adjusted odds ratio 5.8; 95% confidence interval 1.9-18)., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 2022.)

This cross-sectional study examines upper bound and lower bound annualized Medicare costs for administering aducanumab to beneficiaries with the approved indications of mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Mafi reported grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) during the conduct of the study, as well as nonfinancial support from Milliman MedInsight and grants from Arnold Ventures. Ms Arbanas reported grants from the NIA during the conduct of the study. Dr Sarkisian reported grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during the conduct of the study. No other disclosures were reported., (Copyright 2022 Mafi JN et al. JAMA Health Forum.)

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can adversely affect a woman's pregnancy and the health of the developing fetus. The source of these infections may be the male sexual partner who remains under-diagnosed and un-treated due to a combination of lack of symptoms, decreased access to health care, and poor health-seeking behaviors. From September 2018 to November 2019, we offered a cohort of pregnant women (gestational age range: 4.6-41 weeks) clinic-based STI testing for HIV and syphilis (via lateral flow assay rapid tests) and for Neisseria (N.) gonorrhoeae , Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis , and Trichomonas (T.) vaginalis (via PCR-based testing) at Santa Casa Hospital and 10 affiliated prenatal clinics in Porto Alegre, Brazil. 400 women between the ages of 18 and 46 years (mean age: 27 years) enrolled and 24% were diagnosed with an STI. Each woman enrolled agreed to invite their male partners to clinic for the same panel of STI testing, and 255 men (64%) between the ages of 18 and 64 years (mean age: 29 years) attended clinic and all accepted full intervention. In these male partners, 40 (16%) were diagnosed with an STI including 22 (8.7%) testing positive for C. trachomatis , 15 (6%) for treponemal antibody (syphilis), 7 (2.8%) for T. vaginalis , 3 (1.2%) for N. gonorrhoeae , and 1 (0.4%) for HIV antibody. In our multivariate analysis, having symptoms of an STI (AOR 4.5, 95% CI 1.3-15.2) and arguing about jealousy (AOR 3.1, 95% CI 1.2-8.2) remained significantly associated with male diagnosis of an STI. Sexually transmitted infections are common in sexual partners of pregnant women in Brazil and should be addressed to prevent reinfection of pregnant women.

Background: Age-associated inflammation and immune system dysfunction have been implicated as mechanisms that increase risk for adverse long-term procedural outcomes in older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between baseline inflammatory and innate antiviral gene expression and outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in older adults with severe aortic stenosis., Methods: We performed a retrospective case-control study comparing pre-procedural pro-inflammatory and Type 1 interferon (IFN) gene expression in 48 controls with favorable outcomes (alive 1 year after TAVR with improved quality of life [QoL]) versus 48 individuals with unfavorable outcomes (dead by 1 year or alive at 1 year but with reduced QoL). Gene expression was evaluated in whole blood via (1) pre-defined composite scores of 19 inflammation-associated genes and 34 Type I IFN response genes, and (2) pro-inflammatory and antiviral transcription factor activity inferred from promotor based bioinformatics analyses of genes showing > 25% difference in average expression levels across groups. All analyses were adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, diabetes, immunosuppression, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and frailty., Results: Relative to controls, those with unfavorable outcomes demonstrated higher expression of the pro-inflammatory gene composite prior to TAVR (p < 0.01) and bioinformatic indicators of elevated Nuclear Factor kB (p < 0.001) and Activator Protein 1 (p < 0.001) transcription factor activity, but no significant differences in Type I IFN-related gene expression., Conclusions: These results demonstrate that a pro-inflammatory state prior to TAVR, independent of CVD severity and frailty status, is associated with worse long-term procedural outcomes., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The phase and crystal morphology transitions of two typical types of mold fluxes were investigated fundamentally using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) techniques. For the traditional CaO⁻SiO₂⁻CaF₂-based mold flux, different cooling rates can change the phases and the crystal morphologies. Faceted cuspidine and CaSiO₃ are co-precipitated when the cooling rate is less than 50 °C·min -1 . The phases transform from Ca₄Si₂O₇F₂ and CaSiO₃ to Ca₄Si₂O₇F₂ at the cooling rate of 50 °C·min -1 . Cuspidine shows four different morphologies: faceted shape, fine stripe, fine stripe dendrite, and flocculent dendrite. The crystalline phases of CaAl₂O₄ and Ca₃B₂O₆ are co-precipitated in the CaO⁻Al₂O₃-based mold flux. Neither the phases nor the crystal morphologies change in the low cooling rate range (5 °C·min -1 to 50 °C·min -1 ). With decreasing temperature, the morphology of CaAl₂O₄ firstly becomes dendritic, and then the dendritic quality gradually changes to a large-mesh blocky shape at the cooling rates of 100 °C·min -1 , 200 °C·min -1 , and 500 °C·min -1 . Different cooling rates do not show an obvious impact on the morphology transition of CaAl₂O₄. The strong crystallization ability and large rate of crystallization affect the control of the heat transfer of the CaO⁻Al₂O₃-based mold flux during casting. The big morphology difference between primary crystals of the CaO⁻SiO₂⁻CaF 2- based mold flux and the CaO⁻Al₂O₃-based mold flux is probably one of the biggest factors limiting lubrication between the CaO⁻Al₂O₃-based mold flux and high-Al steel during casting.

A Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) proteogenomic analysis prioritized dihydropyrimidinase-like-3 (DPYSL3) as a multilevel (RNA/protein/phosphoprotein) expression outlier specific to the claudin-low (CLOW) subset of triple-negative breast cancers. A PubMed informatics tool indicated a paucity of data in the context of breast cancer, which further prioritized DPYSL3 for study. DPYSL3 knockdown in DPYSL3-positive ([Formula: see text]) CLOW cell lines demonstrated reduced proliferation, yet enhanced motility and increased expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, suggesting that DPYSL3 is a multifunctional signaling modulator. Slower proliferation in DPYSL3-negative ([Formula: see text]) CLOW cells was associated with accumulation of multinucleated cells, indicating a mitotic defect that was associated with a collapse of the vimentin microfilament network and increased vimentin phosphorylation. DPYSL3 also suppressed the expression of EMT regulators SNAIL and TWIST and opposed p21 activated kinase 2 (PAK2)-dependent migration. However, these EMT regulators in turn induce DPYSL3 expression, suggesting that DPYSL3 participates in negative feedback on EMT. In conclusion, DPYSL3 expression identifies CLOW tumors that will be sensitive to approaches that promote vimentin phosphorylation during mitosis and inhibitors of PAK signaling during migration and EMT., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: M.J.E. received ad hoc consulting fees from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sermonix, Celgene, Nanostring, Puma, and Novartis, as well as patents and royalty income for PAM50-based diagnostics to Nanostring/Prosigna. C.M.P. and M.J.E. are equity stockholders, consultants, and board of director members of BioClassifier LLC, are listed as inventors on patent applications on the Breast PAM50 assay, and receive income from the “Prosigna” breast cancer assay. All other authors have no potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

Aim: To compare the prevalence of chronic liver disease (CLD) risk factors in a representative sample of Mexican-Americans born in the United States (US) or Mexico, to a sample of adults in Mexico., Methods: Data for Mexican-Americans in the US were obtained from the 1999-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which includes persons of Mexican origin living in the US ( n = 4274). The NHANES sample was restricted to Mexican-American participants who were 20 years and older, born in the US or Mexico, not pregnant or breastfeeding, and with medical insurance. The data in Mexico were obtained from the 2004-2013 Health Worker Cohort Study in Cuernavaca, Mexico ( n = 9485). The following known risk factors for liver disease/cancer were evaluated: elevated aminotransferase levels (elevated alanine aminotransferase was defined as > 40 IU/L for males and females; elevated aspartate aminotransferase was defined as > 40 IU/L for males and females), infection with hepatitis B or hepatitis C, metabolic syndrome, high total cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, abdominal obesity, and heavy alcohol use. The main independent variables for this study classified individuals by country of residence ( i.e ., Mexico vs the US) and place of birth ( i.e ., US-born vs Mexico-born). Regression analyses were used to investigate CLD risk factors., Results: After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, Mexican-American males were more likely to be obese, diabetic, heavy/binge drinkers or have abdominal obesity than males in Mexico. The adjusted multivariate results for females also indicate that Mexican-American females were significantly more likely to be obese, diabetic, be heavy/binge drinkers or have abdominal obesity than Mexican females. The prevalence ratios and prevalence differences mirror the multivariate analysis findings for the aforementioned risk factors, showing a greater risk among US-born as compared to Mexico-born Mexican-Americans., Conclusion: In this study, Mexican-Americans in the US had more risk factors for CLD than their counterparts in Mexico. These findings can be used to design and implement more effective health promotion policies and programs to address the specific factors that put Mexicans at higher risk of developing CLD in both countries., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

Background and Objectives: Despite previous studies demonstrating no difference in mortality or morbidity, the various surgical approaches for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants have not been evaluated economically. Our goal was to compare total in-hospital cost and mortality by using propensity score-matched infants treated with peritoneal drainage alone, peritoneal drainage followed by laparotomy, or laparotomy alone for surgical NEC., Methods: Utilizing the California OSHPD Linked Birth File Dataset, 1375 infants with surgical NEC between 1999 and 2007 were retrospectively propensity score matched according to intervention type. Total in-hospital costs were converted from longitudinal patient charges. A multivariate mixed effects model compared adjusted costs and mortality between groups., Results: Successful propensity score matching was performed with 699 infants (peritoneal drainage, n = 101; peritoneal drainage followed by laparotomy, n = 172; and laparotomy, n = 426). Average adjusted cost for peritoneal drainage followed by laparotomy was $398,173 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 287,784-550,907), which was more than for peritoneal drainage ($276,076 [95% CI: 196,238-388,394]; P = .004) and similar to laparotomy ($341,911 [95% CI: 251,304-465,186]; P = .08). Adjusted mortality was highest after peritoneal drainage (56% [95% CI: 34-75]) versus peritoneal drainage followed by laparotomy (35% [95% CI: 19-56]; P = .01) and laparotomy (29% [95% CI: 19-56]; P < .001). Mortality for peritoneal drainage was similar to laparotomy., Conclusions: Propensity score-matched analysis of surgical NEC treatment found that peritoneal drainage followed by laparotomy was associated with decreased mortality compared with peritoneal drainage alone but at significantly increased costs., (Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

BCL2-associated athanogene 6 (BAG6) is a member of the BAG protein family, which is implicated in diverse cellular processes including apoptosis, co-chaperone, and DNA damage response (DDR). Recently, it has been shown that BAG6 forms a stable complex with UBL4A and GET4 and functions in membrane protein targeting and protein quality control. The BAG6 sequence contains a canonical nuclear localization signal and is localized predominantly in the nucleus. However, GET4 and UBL4A are found mainly in cytoplasm. Whether GET4 and UBL4A are also involved in DDR in the context of the BAG6 complex remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that nuclear BAG6-UBL4A-GET4 complex mediates DDR signaling and damage-induced cell death. BAG6 appears to be the central component for the process, as depletion of BAG6 leads to the loss of both UBL4A and GET4 proteins and resistance to cell killing by DNA-damaging agents. In addition, nuclear localization of BAG6 and phosphorylation of BAG6 by ATM/ATR are also required for cell killing. UBL4A and GET4 translocate to the nucleus upon DNA damage and appear to play redundant roles in cell killing, as depletion of either one has no effect but co-depletion leads to resistance. All three components of the BAG6 complex are required for optimal DDR signaling, as BAG6, and to a lesser extent, GET4 and UBL4A, regulate the recruitment of BRCA1 to sites of DNA damage. Together our results suggest that the nuclear BAG6 complex is an effector in DNA damage response pathway and its phosphorylation and nuclear localization are important determinants for its function.

Objective: To assess the value of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for detecting common chromosome aneuploidies in interphase nuclei of amniotic fluid cells., Methods: Eighty two uncultured amniotic fluid samples and supernatants from 2 successfully and 5 unsuccessfully cultured amniotic fluid samples were analyzed with FISH. Results from standard cytogenetic analysis of 79 uncultured amniotic fluid samples and 2 successfully cultured amniotic fluid samples were compared with FISH results., Results: All of the 89 samples were succeeded analyzed with FISH. Positive findings included 3 cases with trisomy 21, 1 case with 47, XYY and 1 case with 69, XXX, which were consistent with results of karyotype analysis., Conclusion: FISH is a rapid and accurate method for prenatal diagnosis, and can also provide a remedy to failed amniotic fluid cells culture.

Background: Assessment and treatment of pain are based largely on patient's self reports. Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) may have difficulties communicating their pain symptoms in the presence of language barriers., Objective: To determine whether interpreter use was associated with quality of acute pain treatment among Latina patients with limited English proficiency., Design: Secondary analysis of two cross-sectional surveys., Participants: One hundred and eighty-five Latino female patients hospitalized for obstetric and gynecological care who required interpreter services. Patients were classified into two groups according to interpreter availability ('Always' and 'Not Always' available)., Main Measures: Quality of pain treatment was measured by patient report of 1) overall level of pain control during hospitalization; 2) timeliness of pain treatment; and 3) perceived provider helpfulness to treat pain., Key Results: Patients who always received interpreters were more likely to report higher levels of pain control (P=0.02), timely pain treatment (P=0.02), and greater perceived provider helpfulness to treat their pain (P=0.005), compared with patients who not always received interpreters., Conclusion: Use of interpreters by LEP patients was associated with better patient reports on quality of pain treatment, and may also improve clinical interactions related to pain.

Background: A higher frequency of nonmonogamy, due in part to lower marriage prevalence, may contribute to elevated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted disease rates among older blacks., Methods: To examine race and gender differences in nonmonogamy, time spent single (i.e., not married or cohabiting), and HIV testing in older adults, we analyzed US population-based data from the 2005-2006 National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project for 2825 heterosexual participants ages 57 to 85 years., Results: Blacks spent greater portions of their adult lives single than did Hispanics or whites and were far more likely to report recent nonmonogamous partnerships (23.4% vs. 10.0% and 8.2%). Among individuals reporting sex in the prior 5 years, nonmonogamous partnerships were strongly associated with time spent single during the period. Control for time spent single and other covariates reduced the association of black race with nonmonogamous partnerships for men, but increased it for women. Less than 20% reported ever testing for HIV; less than 6% had been recommended testing by a provider. Testing rates, highest in black men and white women, differed little by history of nonmonogamous partnerships within gender strata., Conclusions: Singlehood helps to explain higher nonmonogamous partnership rates in older black men but not in older black women. Older adults rarely receive or are recommended HIV testing, a key strategy for reducing heterosexual HIV transmission.

Spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) ensures bipolar attachment of chromosomes to the mitotic spindle and is essential for faithful chromosome segregation, thereby preventing chromosome instability (CIN). Genetic evidence suggests a causal link between compromised SAC, CIN, and cancer. Bloom syndrome (BS) is a genetic disorder that predisposes affected individuals to cancer. BS cells exhibit elevated rates of sister chromatid exchange, chromosome breaks, and CIN. The BS gene product, BLM, is a member of the RecQ helicases that are required for maintenance of genome stability. The BLM helicase interacts with proteins involved in DNA replication, recombination, and repair and is required for the repair of stalled-replication forks and in the DNA damage response. Here we present biochemical evidence to suggest a role of BLM phosphorylation during mitosis in maintaining chromosome stability. BLM is associated with the SAC kinase MPS1 and is phosphorylated at S144 in a MPS1-dependent manner. Phosphorylated BLM interacts with polo-like kinase 1, a mitotic kinase that binds to phosphoserine/threonine through its polo-box domain (PBD). Furthermore, BS cells expressing BLM-S144A show normal levels of sister chromatid exchange but fail to maintain the mitotic arrest when SAC is activated and exhibit a broad distribution of chromosome numbers. We propose that MPS1-dependent BLM phosphorylation is important for ensuring accurate chromosome segregation, and its deregulation may contribute to cancer.