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Abstract While selenium is a cofactor of several antioxidant enzymes against cancer and is essential for human health, its excess intake may also be harmful. Though a safe intake of selenium has recently been recommended, it is not well understood in the Asian population. We aimed to determine the association between dietary intake of selenium and cancer risk in a case–control study of 3758 incident cancer cases (i.e., stomach, colon, rectum, lung cancers, and other sites) and 2929 control subjects in Vietnam. Daily intake of selenium was derived from a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The unconditional logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between selenium intake and cancer risk. We observed a U-shaped association between selenium intake and cancer risk. A safe intake ranged from 110.8 to 124.4 µg/day (mean 117.8 µg/day). Compared to individuals with the safe intake of selenium, individuals with the lowest intake (i.e., 27.8–77.2 µg/day) were associated with an increased risk of cancer (OR = 3.78, 95% CI 2.89–4.95) and those with the highest intake (169.1–331.7 µg/day) also had an increased cancer risk (OR = 1.86, 95% CI 1.45–2.39). A U-shaped pattern of association between selenium intake and cancer risk was stronger among participants with body mass index (BMI)

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000193.].

ObjectivesMethodResultsConclusionsTo assess the longitudinal association between physical activity and global functioning in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), and to identify the subtype of physical activity that is longitudinally related to global functioning.Physical activity was measured using Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Global functioning was assessed using the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS HI). The amount and subtype (work, transport, and recreation) of physical activity, disease activity, and ASAS HI were assessed at baseline, and at 1 and 2 year follow-up. Physical activity levels were categorized as low, moderate, or high. The longitudinal association between physical activity and ASAS HI scores was analysed using a generalized estimating equation.The study evaluated 160 patients. Univariate analysis identified physical activity at moderate level and higher, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), and syndesmophyte number as being longitudinally associated with ASAS HI over 2 years. Multivariate analysis identified physical activity at moderate level and higher as being longitudinally associated with ASAS HI. Physical activity above moderate levels was associated independently with good global functioning. In the analysis stratified by radiographic axSpA and non-radiographic axSpA, a positive association between physical activity and global functioning was observed in both groups. Only recreational activity, but not work- and transport-related activity, showed an independent longitudinal relationship with the ASAS HI score.Physical activity at moderate level and higher was associated independently with global functioning in axSpA. Therefore, patients should maintain physical activity above moderate levels to preserve global function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Many human diseases are associated with oxidative stress, which is caused by reactive oxygen species and free radicals generated in living cells. Some biomass extracts derived from various types of plants can act as efficient drugs against pathological disorders related to oxidative stress. Numerous herbal blends have thus been shown to improve health. Cleistocalyx operculatus (Roxb.) Merr. and L.M.Perry teas have been considered in that way. Problem: Because of amertume, the taste of C. operculatus avoids or limits a large use of such alleged healthy leaf infusions. (2) Methods: The phytochemistry, oxygen, free radical scavenging activity, and antilipid peroxidation of C. operculatus teas were here studied in vitro. Then different mixes of C. operculatus and Mentha arvensis were infused together and tasted in a hedonic test. The chemical and biological properties of the best mix were then analyzed. (3) Results: The herbal blend of C. operculatus revealed significant scavenging effects on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) with IC50 values of 35.6 µg/mL. Induced by hydroxyl radicals, this beverage could significantly inhibit the lipid peroxidation of mouse brain homogenates. Our results demonstrate that the lipid peroxidation inhibition of dried leaves of C. operculatus might be related to its scavenging effects on oxygen free radicals. This C. operculatus bitter blend was then combined with various amounts of M. arvensis Linn. The taste was evaluated, and further biochemical analyses were conducted on the best 7/3 ratio. They showed that the healthy properties were maintained. (4) Conclusion: The optimized 7/3 ratio of the Cleistocalyx/Mentha mix led to the best results in terms of taste (sensory tests). It is demonstrated that the potential health benefits against oxidative stress remained high as compared with pure C. operculatus infusion.

Objectives To objectively determine and compare the physical activity (PA) levels of adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and adults without T2D in Vietnam using an accelerometer. Methods A total of 120 participants with newly diagnosed T2D and 120 adults without T2D were recruited from a large hospital in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. All participants wore an ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer for at least 5 days, including 1 weekend day. Freedson cut-off points were used to estimate different intensities of PA. In addition, comparisons between groups were made with respect to achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) recommended PA guidelines. Results Men with T2D had significantly lower levels of PA than men without T2D. The respective multivariable-adjusted mean values of daily step count, daily light-intensity, moderate-intensity, and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA were approximately 14%, 19%, and 22% lower in the men with T2D than in their non-T2D counterparts. However, women with T2D accumulated a greater number of steps per day than women without T2D. Only 59.2% of the adults with T2D met the minimum recommended level of PA (WHO and IDF), compared to 74.2% of adults without T2D (p

ObjectiveWe investigated the impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and anti-retroviral therapy (ART) on the gut microbiota of children.DesignThis cross-sectional study investigated the gut microbiota of children with and without HIV.MethodsWe collected fecal samples from 59 children with HIV (29 treated with ART [ART(+)] and 30 without ART [HIV(+)]) and 20 children without HIV [HIV(-)] in Vietnam. We performed quantitative RT-PCR to detect 14 representative intestinal bacteria targeting 16S/23S rRNA molecules. We also collected the blood samples for immunological analyses.ResultsIn spearman's correlation analyses, no significant correlation between the number of dominant bacteria and age was found among children in the HIV(-) group. However, the number of sub-dominant bacteria, including Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Enterobacteriaceae, positively correlated with age in the HIV(-) group, but not in the HIV(+) group. In the HIV(+) group, Clostridium coccoides group positively associated with the CD4+ cell count and its subsets. In the ART(+) group, Staphylococcus and C. perfringens positively correlated with CD4+ cells and their subsets and negatively with activated CD8+ cells. C. coccoides group and Bacteroides fragilis group were associated with regulatory T-cell counts. In multiple linear regression analyses, ART duration was independently associated with the number of C. perfringens, and Th17 cell count with the number of Staphylococcus in the ART(+) group.ConclusionsHIV infection and ART may influence sub-dominant gut bacteria, directly or indirectly, in association with immune status in children with HIV.

Background: Since 1979, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have recommended the use of pasteurized human milk from a human milk bank (HMB) to feed low birthweight (LBW) and preterm newborns as the ‘first alternative’ when mothers are unable to provide their own milk. However, they have not issued any guidelines for the safe establishment and operation of an HMB. This gap contributes to the demand for gathering experiences from HMB networks, especially those from lower-middle income countries. To fill this knowledge gap, this study examines the characteristics of donors, donation, pasteurization, and recipients during the first four years of operation in the first HMB in Vietnam. Methods: Data about the donors, donation, pasteurization, and recipients were extracted from the web-based electronic monitoring system of the HMB from 1 February 2017 to 31 January 2021. Results: In the first four years of operation there were 433 donors who donated 7642 L of milk (66% from the community) with an increased trend in the amount of donated milk, donation duration, and average amount of milk donated by a donor. Approximately 98% of the donated milk was pasteurized, and 82% passed both pre- and post-pasteurization tests. Although the pass rate tended to increase with time, a few dips occurred. Of 16,235 newborns who received pasteurized donor milk, two thirds were in the postnatal wards. The main reason for the prescription of pasteurized donor milk was insufficient mothers’ own milk in the first few days after birth. There was a decreased trend in the amount and duration of using pasteurized donor milk in both postnatal wards and the neonatal unit. Conclusions: The HMB has operated efficiently in the previous four years, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, to serve vulnerable newborns. Ongoing evidence-based adjustments helped to improve the operation to recruit suitable donors, to increase the access to and quality of raw donor milk, to improve the pasteurization process, and to meet the need of more newborns.

Streptomyces is a significant source of natural products that are used as therapeutic antibiotics, anticancer and antitumor agents, pesticides, and dyes. Recently, with the advances in metabolite analysis, many new secondary metabolites have been characterized. Moreover, genome mining approaches demonstrate that many silent and cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and many secondary metabolites are produced in very low amounts under laboratory conditions. One strain many compounds (OSMAC), overexpression/deletion of regulatory genes, ribosome engineering, and promoter replacement have been utilized to activate or enhance the production titer of target compounds. Hence, the heterologous expression of BGCs by transferring to a suitable production platform has been successfully employed for the detection, characterization, and yield quantity production of many secondary metabolites. In this review, we introduce the systematic approach for the heterologous production of secondary metabolites from Streptomyces in Streptomyces and other hosts, the genome analysis tools, the host selection, and the development of genetic control elements for heterologous expression and the production of secondary metabolites.

McKittrick–Wheelock syndrome (MWS) is a rare consequence of severe dehydration and electrolyte depletion due to mucinous diarrhoea secondary to a rectosigmoid villous adenoma. Reported cases of MWS commonly describe hypersecretion of mucinous diarrhoea in association with dehydration, hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia, hypochloraemia and pre-renal azotemia. Hyperglycaemia and diabetes are rarely reported manifestations of MWS. Herein we describe the case of a 59-year-old woman who presented with new-onset diabetes and severe electrolyte derangement due to a giant rectal villous adenoma. Subsequent endoscopic resection of the tumour cured her diabetes and normalised electrolytes. This case describes a rare cause of ‘curable diabetes’ and indicates hyperaldosteronism and/or whole-body potassium stores as important regulators of insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis.

Streptomyces spp. are prolific sources of valuable natural products (NPs) that are of great interest in pharmaceutical industries such as antibiotics, anticancer chemotherapeutics, immunosuppressants, etc. Approximately two-thirds of all known antibiotics are produced by actinomycetes, most predominantly by Streptomyces. Nevertheless, in recent years, the chances of the discovery of novel and bioactive compounds from Streptomyces have significantly declined. The major hindrance for obtaining such bioactive compounds from Streptomyces is that most of the compounds are not produced in significant titers, or the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are cryptic. The rapid development of genome sequencing has provided access to a tremendous number of NP-BGCs embedded in the microbial genomes. In addition, the studies of metabolomics provide a portfolio of entire metabolites produced from the strain of interest. Therefore, through the integrated approaches of different-omics techniques, the connection between gene expression and metabolism can be established. Hence, in this review we summarized recent advancements in strategies for activating cryptic BGCs in Streptomyces by utilizing diverse state-of-the-art techniques.

Similar to many Southeast Asian cultures, Vietnam has drawn its cultural identity from agriculture, particularly the rice culture. The rituals of Cầu mùa (Praying for a Fertile Crop) are present in the cultures of most of the peoples residing in Vietnam, from the highlands in the central area to the northern mountains. In Vietnam, the rituals of Cầu mùa are usually held in spring, the season for breaking ground and sowing, when farmers have a common wish for a fertile and bumper crop. However, ritual practice varies due to the diversity of environmental conditions, customs and the experiences of different communities. This article is a study of the similarity in concept and diversity in practice of the Cầu mùa rituals in Vietnam. This paper was presented at the Spiritual Dimensions of Rice Culture in Southeast Asia: Seminar, Rituals and Performances, organized by SEAMEO SPAFA on 11-14 May 2015 at Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand. It is part of an upcoming collected edition of papers presented at the seminar.

We previously reported a significant reduction in the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) from 2007 to 2012 in people who inject drugs (PWID; 35.9% to 18.5%, p < 0.001) and female sex workers (FSW; 23.1% to 9.8%, p < 0.05), but not in blood donors (BD) or pregnant women, in Haiphong, Vietnam. Our aim in the present study was to assess trends in the prevalence of infection with hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV, respectively). We also investigated the coinfection rates of HBV and HCV with HIV in the same groups. Between 2007 and 2012, HBV prevalence was significantly decreased in BD (18.1% vs. 9.0%, p = 0.007) and slightly decreased in FSW (11.0% vs. 3.9%, p = 0.21), but not in PWID (10.7% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.84). HCV prevalence was significantly decreased in PWID (62.1% in 2007 vs. 42.7% in 2008, p < 0.0001), but it had rebounded to 58.4% in 2012 (2008 vs. 2012, p < 0.0001). HCV prevalence also increased in FSW: 28.6% in 2007 and 2009 vs. 35.3% in 2012; however, this difference was not significant (2007 vs. 2012, p = 0.41). Rates of coinfection with HBV and HCV among HIV-infected PWID and FSW did not change significantly during the study period. Our findings suggest that the current harm reduction programs designed to prevent HIV transmission in PWID and FSW may be insufficient to prevent the transmission of hepatitis viruses, particularly HCV, in Haiphong, Vietnam. New approaches, such as the introduction of catch-up HBV vaccination to vulnerable adult populations and the introduction of HCV treatment as prevention, should be considered to reduce morbidity and mortality due to HIV and hepatitis virus coinfection in Vietnam.

Abstract Background Human malaria is still a burden in Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc Provinces in south-central Vietnam that border Cambodia. Several Anopheles species that transmit human malarial Plasmodium may also transmit Wuchereria bancrofti, the nematode that causes Bancroftian lymphatic filariasis. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of Anopheles species in the transmission of these two pathogens in the two highly malaria endemic provinces of Vietnam. Methods Anopheles mosquitoes were collected in Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc Provinces in November and December of 2010 and 2011. Human landing catches, paired collections on human and buffalo, and resting captures were made with mouth aspirators. Collections were also made with light traps. Morphological and PCR-based methods were used to identify the species. Real-time PCR was used to detect Plasmodium species and W. bancrofti in individual mosquitoes. Results Twenty-four Anopheles species were identified among 797 captured mosquitoes. Anopheles dirus was found in both provinces and was the predominant species in Binh Phuoc Province; An. maculatus was the most prevalent species in Dak Nong Province. Anopheles minimus was collected only in Binh Phuoc Province. Some specimens of An. minimus and An. pampanai were misidentified based on morphology. Four specimens of An. scanloni were identified, and this is the first report of this species of the Dirus Complex in Vietnam. Two females, one An. dirus and one An. pampanai, collected in Binh Phuoc Province were infected with P. vivax, for an overall infection rate of 0.41% (2/486): 0.28% for An. dirus (1/361) and 20% for An. pampanai (1/5). No mosquitoes were found to be infected with P. falciparum, P. knowlesi or W. bancrofti in either province. Conclusion A diversity of Anopheles species occurs in Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc Provinces of Vietnam, several of which are considered to be actual and potential vectors of malarial protozoa and microfilariae. It is highly likely that two of the species, An. dirus and An. pampanai, are active in malaria transmission based on the detection of P. vivax in females of these species. This is the first report of An. scanloni in Vietnam.

BackgroundMicrobiota of Anopheles midgut can modulate vector immunity and block Plasmodium development. Investigation on the bacterial biodiversity in Anopheles, and specifically on the identification of bacteria that might be used in malaria transmission blocking approaches, has been mainly conducted on malaria vectors of Africa. Vietnam is an endemic country for both malaria and Bancroftian filariasis whose parasitic agents can be transmitted by the same Anopheles species. No information on the microbiota of Anopheles mosquitoes in Vietnam was available previous to this study.MethodThe culture dependent approach, using different mediums, and culture independent (16S rRNA PCR - TTGE) method were used to investigate the bacterial biodiversity in the abdomen of 5 Anopheles species collected from Dak Nong Province, central-south Vietnam. Molecular methods, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were used to characterize the microbiota.Results and discussionThe microbiota in wild-caught Anopheles was diverse with the presence of 47 bacterial OTUs belonging to 30 genera, including bacterial genera impacting Plasmodium development. The bacteria were affiliated with 4 phyla, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, the latter being the dominant phylum. Four bacterial genera are newly described in Anopheles mosquitoes including Coxiella, Yersinia, Xanthomonas, and Knoellia. The bacterial diversity per specimen was low ranging from 1 to 4. The results show the importance of pairing culture and fingerprint methods to better screen the bacterial community in Anopheles mosquitoes.ConclusionSampled Anopheles species from central-south Vietnam contained a diverse bacterial microbiota that needs to be investigated further in order to develop new malaria control approaches. The combination of both culture and DNA fingerprint methods allowed a thorough and complementary screening of the bacterial community in Anopheles mosquitoes.

Here, we investigated the effects of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) on immune profiles and intestinal microbial translocation among children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This prospective study included 60 HIV-infected children—including 31 without antiretroviral therapy (ART) (HIV(+)) and 29 who received ART for a median of 3.5 years (ART(+)) and 20 children without HIV infection (HIV(−)). Participants were recruited in Vietnam. All children were given fermented milk containing LcS (6.5 × 109 cfu) daily for 8 weeks. Before and after LcS ingestion, blood samples were collected for virological, immunological, and bacteriological analyses. After LcS ingestion, peripheral CD4+ T-cell and Th2 (CXCR3−CCR6−CD4+) counts significantly increased in both HIV-infected groups; Th17 (CXCR3−CCR6+CD4+) counts increased in all three groups; regulatory T-cell (CD25highCD4+) counts decreased in the ART(+) and HIV(−) groups; activated CD8+ cells (CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+) decreased from 27.5% to 13.2% (p < 0.001) in HIV(+) children; and plasma HIV load decreased slightly but significantly among HIV(+) children. No group showed a significantly altered frequency of bacterial 16S/23S rRNA gene detection in the plasma. No serious adverse events occurred. These findings suggest that short-term LcS ingestion is a safe supportive approach with immunological and virological benefits in HIV-infected children.

Có rất ít nghiên cứu về nhận thức của giáo viên về tự chủ trong học tập ngoại ngữ (Borg và Al-Busaidi, 2012). ở Việt Nam, nghiên cứu về vấn đề này cũng mới được quan tâm gần đây. Bài viết này trình bày kết quả của một nghiên cứu thực hiện từ tháng 04 năm 2014 tìm hiểu nhận thức của giảng viên tiếng Anh một số trường đại học trong nước, sử dụng một phiếu khảo sát và phỏng vấn. Đối tượng là 84 giảng viên tiếng Anh công tác tại 6 trường công lập có Khoa chuyên ngữ. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy giảng viên tiếng Anh ủng hộ quan điểm tâm lý học và xã hội về tự chủ hơn là quan điểm chính trị và kỹ thuật. Trong khi mong muốn sinh viên tham gia quyết định việc học của mình, và có kỹ năng tự học, giảng viên lại tin rằng khó có thể thực hiện được một cách hiệu quả.

Có rất ít nghiên cứu về các yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến sự phát triển năng lực tiếng Anh của người học. Nghiên cứu trong bài viết này trình bày các yếu tố có thể ảnh hưởng đến sự phát triển trình độ tiếng Anh của 75 sinh viên ngành Sư phạm tiếng Anh tham gia vào chương trình đào tạo 120 tín chỉ tại Trường Đại học Cần Thơ. Nghiên cứu sử dụng bài kiểm tra IELTS để xác định trình độ của sinh viên sau hai năm học tập và một phiếu điều tra các yếu tố có thể ảnh hưởng đến trình độ tiếng Anh này. Kết quả cho thấy yếu tố quản lý thời gian học tập và đi làm thêm có liên quan nhiều đến kết quả học tập của sinh viên sau hai năm so với các yếu tố khác. Yếu tố quan trọng thứ hai là trình độ đầu vào, được xác định bằng điểm TOEIC đầu vào. Phương pháp tự học, cụ thể là tự điều chỉnh chỉ có tác động rất ít đối với kết quả học tập của sinh viên.

Phần thịt từ đầu tôm sú chiếm khoảng 15% khối lượng đầu tôm nguyên liệu. Tận dụng nguồn protein này trong chế biến thực phẩm đã mở ra hướng mới trong việc nâng cao giá trị thương phẩm của tôm sú ở đồng bằng sông Cửu Long. Nghiên cứu được thực hiện với mục tiêu chính là tận dụng nguồn thịt đầu tôm kết hợp với thịt tôm vụn trong chế biến sản phẩm xúc xích. Trước hết, nghiên cứu phối chế và bảo quản lạnh đông paste tôm từ thịt đầu tôm và tôm vụn được thực hiện, nhằm tạo nguồn nguyên liệu ổn định cho chế biến xúc xích. Kết quả khảo sát cho thấy, với tỉ lệ phối trộn của thịt đầu tôm và tôm vụn là 30%:70% cho khối paste tôm có cấu trúc tốt, chỉ tiêu hóa lý và vi sinh được duy trì ổn định trong 8 tuần trữ đông. Đồng thời, phối trộn paste tôm này và mỡ với tỷ lệ 7:3, kết hợp với 12% nước đá giúp xúc xích có đặc tính cấu trúc tốt, khả năng giữ nước cao. Bên cạnh đó, việc làm chín sản phẩm bằng hơi nước ở 80°C trong thời gian 75 phút, sau đó bảo quản lạnh sản phẩm ở nhiệt độ 2ữ4°C là biện pháp thích hợp để duy trì cấu trúc tốt và đảm bảo an toàn về mặt vi sinh đến 8 tuần.

Năng lực tiếng Anh của giáo viên tiếng Anh là một thành tố kiến thức cốt lõi trong chương trình đào tạo giáo viên tiếng Anh. Tuy nhiên, hầu như chưa có nghiên cứu tìm hiểu sự phát triển năng lực tiếng Anh của các giáo viên tương lai trong một chương trình đào tạo. Bài viết này trình bày kết quả một nghiên cứu được thực hiện tại Trường Đại học Cần Thơ đối với 75 sinh viên ngành Sư phạm tiếng Anh học theo chương trình đào tạo 120 tín chỉ. Nghiên cứu đánh giá và xác định mức trình độ tiếng Anh của sinh viên bằng bài thi tiếng Anh theo chuẩn quốc tế có tên IELTS và Khung tham chiếu năng lực ngôn ngữ của Châu Âu, đồng thời xác định sự tiến bộ của sinh viên sau 2 năm theo học chương trình này bằng cách so sánh điểm thi IELTS với điểm thi TOEIC đầu vào của nhóm sinh viên này. Nghiên cứu cho thấy có sự chênh lệch đáng kể về trình độ tiếng Anh của nhóm sinh viên, với khoảng 60% số sinh viên đạt trình độ B1 trở lên và 40% đạt trình độ A2 trở xuống. Kỹ năng nghe hiểu của sinh viên là kém nhất so với các kỹ năng đọc và viết, nhưng nhìn chung sinh viên có sự tiến bộ rõ rệt về kỹ năng tiếng Anh sau 2 năm học tập.

Objective: Marginalized racial/ethnic populations showed higher rates of asthma prevalence and high-cost healthcare utilization for asthma. However, few studies investigated the disproportionate financial burden of asthma among the underrepresented racial/ethnic groups. This study aims to estimate the direct cost of asthma by severity and race/ethnicity and examine the moderating effects of race/ethnicity on the relationship between asthma severity and the cost., Methods: This study employs a retrospective study design to estimate the direct cost of asthma for hospitalizations, ED visits, and outpatient visits. Nevada claims data were used from Q4 2015 to Q4 2021. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to estimate the direct cost of asthma and test the moderating effects of race/ethnicity., Results: The direct cost increased as asthma severity intensified across the three settings. The direct cost rose from $42148 (Hospitalizations), $4291 (ED visits), and $2177 (Outpatient visits) among those with mild asthma to $60464, $10857, and $7116 among those with severe asthma. The direct cost increased if patients were older, African Americans, or diagnosed with severe asthma. The incremental cost was greater among African American and Asian patients for ED visits, indicating the moderating effect of race/ethnicity., Conclusions: We found an incremental cost for severe asthma and the moderating effect of race/ethnicity on the relationship between asthma severity and the cost of ED and outpatient visits. The higher incremental costs among marginalized racial/ethnic groups imply that the financial burden of asthma increases on a larger scale among those racial/ethnic groups than among White patients.

Currently, global annual CO 2 emissions from fossil fuel consumption are extremely high, surpassing tens of billions of tons, yet our capacity to capture and utilize CO 2 remains below a small fraction of the amount generated. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) systems, an integration of microbial metabolism with electrochemistry, have emerged as a highly efficient and promising bio-based carbon-capture-and-utilization technology over other conventional techniques. MES is a unique technology for lowering the atmospheric CO 2 as well as CO 2 in the biogas, and also simultaneously convert them to renewable bioenergy, such as biomethane. As such, MES techniques could be applied for biogas upgrading to generate high purity biomethane, which has the potential to meet natural gas standards. This article offers a detailed overview and assessment of the latest advancements in MES for biomethane production and biogas upgrading, in terms of selecting optimal methane production pathways and associated electron transfer processes, different electrode materials and types, inoculum sources and microbial communities, ion-exchange membrane, externally applied energy level, operating temperature and pH, mode of operation, CO 2 delivery method, selection of inorganic carbon source and its concentration, start-up time, and system pressure. It also highlights the current MES challenges associated with upscaling, design and configuration, long-term stability, energy demand, techno-economics, achieving net negative carbon emission, and other operational issues. Moreover, we provide a summary of current and future opportunities to integrate MES with other unique biosystems, such as methanotrophic bioreactors, and incorporate quorum sensing, 3D printing, and machine learning to further develop MES as a better biomethane-producer and biogas upgrading technique., 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. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening rates of Hispanic individuals compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) individuals in the United States, whether a responsive surge in catch-up screenings occurred as society adapted to pandemic changes, and to investigate the sociodemographic characteristics between the study populations., Methods: Using cross-sectional data from the All of Us Research Program, which incorporates electronic health record data and survey data from a demographically, geographically, and medically diverse participant group, we assessed the annual cervical cancer screening rates during 2019-2021 by race/ethnicity among eligible individuals ages 21-64., Results: Among 116,052 unique individuals (78,829 NHW and 37,223 Hispanic), Hispanic individuals had lower annual cervical cancer screening rates than NHWI across the three years studied. They experienced a more significant decrease in screening from 2019 to 2020 (39.27 %) compared to NHWIs (21.15 %) and less of a rebound increase in the following year, 2021 (10.33 % vs 13.83 %). Hispanic individuals aged 50-64 experienced the sharpest decline in screening rates (-43.01 % from 2019 to 2020). Hispanic individuals also experienced greater adverse social conditions, including lack of insurance or employment, lower educational attainment, and lower household income., Conclusions: Hispanic individuals experienced a more significant decrease in cervical cancer screening rates with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with NHW individuals and did not experience a robust rebound in cervical cancer screening rates in 2021. As a result, the disparity in cervical cancer screening rates between NHW and Hispanic individuals considerably worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

To people living with Alzheimer's Disease-Related Disorders (ADRD), timely and coordinated communication is essential between their informal caregivers and healthcare providers. In provider shortage areas, for example, the state of Nevada, telehealth can be an effective primary care delivery alternative to in-person visits. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of telehealth visits for people living with ADRD in the state of Nevada, a decision-analytic Markov model was developed from healthcare system perspectives with a 10-year horizon/1-year cycle. To estimate the effects of demographic and geographic parameters on the Markov model, race parameters were divided into non-Hispanic White individuals vs. others and location parameters were divided into urban vs. rural. A 12-item short-version Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-12) was applied to measure the informal caregiver burdens of non-institutionalized people living with ADRD. The values of mortality rate and healthcare utilization were obtained from healthcare systems' publicly available payor administrative data and Nevada State Inpatient/Emergency Department datasets. Among urban-residing non-Hispanic White individuals, the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) per modified ZBI-12 indicated a cost saving of USD 9.44 with telehealth visits; among urban-residing racial minorities, the ICER per modified ZBI-12 indicated a cost saving of USD 29.26 with in-person visits; and among rural residents, the ICER per modified ZBI-12 indicated a cost-saving of USD 320.93 with telehealth visits. Distributional differences in the cost-saving effects of telehealth primary care were noted in line with racial and geographic parameters. Workforce and caregiver training is necessary for reducing distributional differences, especially among urban-residing racial monitories living with ADRD in the provider shortage area of the state of Nevada.

Background: Palliative care aims to improve or maintain quality of life for patients with life-limiting or life-threatening diseases. Limited research shows that palliative care is associated with reduced intensive care unit length of stay and use of high-cost resources., Methods: This was an observational, non-experimental comparison group study on all patients 18 years or older admitted to any intensive care unit (ICU) at Memorial Hermann - Texas Medical Center for 7 to 30 days from August 2013 to December 2015. Length of stay (LOS) and hospital costs were compared between the treatment group of patients with palliative care in the ICU and the control group of patients with usual care in the ICU. To adjust for confounding of the palliative care consultation on LOS and hospital cost, an inverse probability of treatment weighted method was conducted. Generalized linear models using gamma distribution and log link were estimated. All costs were converted to 2015 US dollars., Results: Mean LOS was 13 days and mean total hospital costs were USD 58,378. In adjusted and weighted analysis, LOS for the treatment group was 8% longer compared to the control group. The mean total hospital cost was estimated to decrease by 21% for the treatment group versus the control group. We found a reduction of USD 33,783 in hospital costs per patient who died in the hospital and reduction of USD 9113 per patient discharged alive., Conclusion: Palliative care consultation was associated with a reduction in the total cost of hospital care for patients with life-limiting or life-threatening diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Multiple myeloma is a hematological malignancy arising from immunoglobulin-secreting plasma cells. It remains poorly understood how chromatin rewiring of regulatory elements contributes to tumorigenesis and therapy resistance in myeloma. Here we generate a high-resolution contact map of myeloma-associated super-enhancers by integrating H3K27ac ChIP-seq and HiChIP from myeloma cell lines, patient-derived myeloma cells and normal plasma cells. Our comprehensive transcriptomic and phenomic analyses prioritize candidate genes with biological and clinical implications in myeloma. We show that myeloma cells frequently acquire SE that transcriptionally activate an oncogene PPP1R15B, which encodes a regulatory subunit of the holophosphatase complex that dephosphorylates translation initiation factor eIF2α. Epigenetic silencing or knockdown of PPP1R15B activates pro-apoptotic eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP pathway, while inhibiting protein synthesis and immunoglobulin production. Pharmacological inhibition of PPP1R15B using Raphin1 potentiates the anti-myeloma effect of bortezomib. Our study reveals that myeloma cells are vulnerable to perturbation of PPP1R15B-dependent protein homeostasis, highlighting a promising therapeutic strategy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The burden of asthma remains steady with no decline observed in the past few decades. Obesity prevalence has been steadily increasing with a rate of 41.9% in the United States between 2017-2020. Obesity is an inflammatory chronic condition that may partially contribute to the burden and severity of asthma. This study aimed to examine whether the association between obesity and asthma varies with the categories of obesity (class I, II, and III) and persistent asthma (mild, moderate, and severe asthma). We hypothesized that subjects with elevated body mass index (BMI) are more likely to be diagnosed with persistent asthma than subjects without obesity with asthma., Methods: As a retrospective and cross-sectional study, this study used a total of 1,977 records of subjects with asthma (age ≥ 19 y) hospitalized in Nevada between 2016-2021. BMI and persistent asthma were evaluated as the main exposure and outcome of interest. Logistic regression was used to estimate the magnitude of the association between obesity and persistent asthma., Results: Among the selected subject records, subjects with obesity were more likely to be diagnosed with persistent asthma compared to subjects without obesity (odds ratio 1.50 [CI 1.10-2.05]). Subgroup analyses revealed that subjects with class III obesity (BMI ≥ 40) were more likely than subjects without obesity to be diagnosed with mild persistent asthma (odds ratio 2.21 [CI 1.18-4.16]) and severe persistent asthma (odds ratio 1.74 [CI 1.12-2.70])., Conclusions: Obesity was identified as a risk factor for persistent asthma, particularly class III obesity. This in turn increases the potential for greater health care utilization and economic burden. Public health and clinical interventions are necessary among those with comorbid asthma and obesity., (Copyright © 2024 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Simple repeated sequences (SRSs), defined as tandem iterations of microsatellite- to satellite-sized DNA units, occupy a substantial part of the human genome. Some of these elements are known to be transcribed in the context of repeat expansion disorders. Mounting evidence suggests that the transcription of SRSs may also contribute to normal cellular functions. Here, we used genome-wide bioinformatics approaches to systematically examine SRS transcriptional activity in cells undergoing neuronal differentiation. We identified thousands of long noncoding RNAs containing >200-nucleotide-long SRSs (SRS-lncRNAs), with hundreds of these transcripts significantly upregulated in the neural lineage. We show that SRS-lncRNAs often originate from telomere-proximal regions and that they have a strong potential to form multivalent contacts with a wide range of RNA-binding proteins. Our analyses also uncovered a cluster of neurally upregulated SRS-lncRNAs encoded in a centromere-proximal part of chromosome 9, which underwent an evolutionarily recent segmental duplication. Using a newly established in vitro system for rapid neuronal differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells, we demonstrate that at least some of the bioinformatically predicted SRS-lncRNAs, including those encoded in the segmentally duplicated part of chromosome 9, indeed increase their expression in developing neurons to readily detectable levels. These and other lines of evidence suggest that many SRSs may be expressed in a cell type and developmental stage-specific manner, providing a valuable resource for further studies focused on the functional consequences of SRS-lncRNAs in the normal development of the human brain, as well as in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

A 2-day closed workshop was held in Liverpool, United Kingdom, to discuss the results of research concerning symptom-based disorders (SBDs) caused by autoantibodies, share technical knowledge, and consider future plans. Twenty-two speakers and 14 additional participants attended. This workshop set out to consolidate knowledge about the contribution of autoantibodies to SBDs. Persuasive evidence for a causative role of autoantibodies in disease often derives from experimental " passive transfer " approaches, as first established in neurological research. Here, serum immunoglobulin (IgM or IgG) is purified from donated blood and transferred to rodents, either systemically or intrathecally. Rodents are then assessed for the expression of phenotypes resembling the human condition; successful phenotype transfer is considered supportive of or proof for autoimmune pathology. Workshop participants discussed passive transfer models and wider evidence for autoantibody contribution to a range of SBDs. Clinical trials testing autoantibody reduction were presented. Cornerstones of both experimental approaches and clinical trial parameters in this field were distilled and presented in this article. Mounting evidence suggests that immunoglobulin transfer from patient donors often induces the respective SBD phenotype in rodents. Understanding antibody binding epitopes and downstream mechanisms will require substantial research efforts, but treatments to reduce antibody titres can already now be evaluated., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The International Association for the Study of Pain.)

REIIBP is a lysine methyltransferase aberrantly expressed through alternative promoter usage of NSD2 locus in t(4;14)-translocated multiple myeloma (MM). Clinically, t(4;14) translocation is an adverse prognostic factor found in approximately 15% of MM patients. The contribution of REIIBP relative to other NSD2 isoforms as a dependency gene in t(4;14)-translocated MM remains to be evaluated. Here, we demonstrated that despite homology with NSD2, REIIBP displayed distinct substrate specificity by preferentially catalyzing H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, with little activity on H3K36me2. Furthermore, REIIBP was regulated through microRNA by EZH2 in a Dicer-dependent manner, exemplifying a role of REIIBP in SET-mediated H3K27me3. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing revealed chromatin remodeling characterized by changes in genome-wide and loci-specific occupancy of these opposing histone marks, allowing a bidirectional regulation of its target genes. Transcriptomics indicated that REIIBP induced a pro-inflammatory gene signature through upregulation of TLR7, which in turn led to B-cell receptor-independent activation of BTK and driving NFkB-mediated production of cytokines such as IL-6. Activation of this pathway is targetable using Ibrutinib and partially mitigated bortezomib resistance in a REIIBP xenograft model. Mechanistically, REIIBP upregulated TLR7 through eIF3E, and this relied on eIF3E RNA-binding function instead of its canonical protein synthesis activity, as demonstrated by direct binding to the 3'UTR of TLR7 mRNA. Altogether, we provided a rationale that co-existence of different NSD2 isoforms induced diversified oncogenic programs that should be considered in the strategies for t(4;14)-targeted therapy.

Cannabis-related emergency department visits have increased after legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational use. Accordingly, the incidence of emergency department visits due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome in patients with chronic cannabis use has also increased. The aim of this study was to examine trends of emergency department visit due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome in Nevada and evaluate factors associated with the increased risk for emergency department visit. The State Emergency Department Databases of Nevada between 2013 and 2021 were used for investigating trends of emergency department visits for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. We compared patients visiting the emergency department due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome with those visiting the emergency department due to other causes except cannabinoid hyperemesis and estimated the impact of cannabis commercialization for recreational use. Emergency department visits due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome have continuously increased during the study period. The number of emergency department visits per 100,000 was 1.07 before commercialization for recreational use. It increased to 2.22 per 100,000 (by approximately 1.1 per 100,000) after commercialization in the third quarter of 2017. Those with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome were younger with fewer male patients than those without cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. A substantial increase in emergency department visits due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome occurred in Nevada, especially after the commercialization of recreational cannabis. Further study is needed to explore factors associated with emergency department visits., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Soh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Optical thin films with high-reflectivity (HR) are essential for applications in quantum precision measurements. In this work, we propose a coating technique based on reactive magnetron sputtering with RF-induced substrate bias to fabricate HR-optical thin films. First, atomically flat SiO2 and Ta2O5 layers have been demonstrated due to the assistance of radio-frequency plasma during the coating process. Second, a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirror with an HR of ∼99.999 328% centered at 1397 nm has been realized. The DBR structure is air-H{LH}19-substrate, in which the L and H denote a single layer of SiO2 with a thickness of 237.8 nm and a single layer of Ta2O5 with a thickness of 171.6 nm, respectively. This novel coating method would facilitate the development of HR reflectors and promote their wide applications in precision measurements., (© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)

Background and Aims: The triglyceride-to-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL) ratio is associated with insulin resistance related diseases, including metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, specific TG/HDL values that can predict MetS have not been well identified. In this study, we analyzed both cross-sectional and longitudinal data from two national Korean datasets to obtain TG/HDL cut-off values that can identify MetS and predict its occurrence., Methods and Results: To distinguish the presence and occurrence of MetS, the cut-off values were determined using the maximum F-score calculated through a logistic regression analysis. To predict new-onset MetS within 10 years, Cox proportional hazard models were used to consider the time of occurrence. The TG/HDL cut-off values of 3.97, 3.24, and 3.24 were optimal for identifying current MetS and predicting new-onset MetS within 10 years and five years, respectively, in Korean men. In Korean women, the optimal values for each task were 3.18, 2.38, and 2.26, respectively., Conclusions: We suggest the TG/HDL ratio as a potential candidate predictor for MetS. Therefore, we anticipate that future studies will apply individual lipid levels as well as their combinatory values to establish models that predict the prevalence and occurrence of MetS, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease., 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 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Quantum non-Gaussianity, a more potent and highly useful form of nonclassicality, excludes all convex mixtures of Gaussian states and Gaussian parametric processes generating them. Here, for the first time, we conclusively test quantum non-Gaussian coincidences of entangled photon pairs with the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt-Bell factor S=2.328±0.004 from a single quantum dot with a depth up to 0.94±0.02  dB. Such deterministically generated photon pairs fundamentally overcome parametric processes by reducing crucial multiphoton errors. For the quantum non-Gaussian depth of the unheralded (heralded) single-photon state, we achieve the value of 8.08±0.05  dB (19.06±0.29  dB). Our Letter experimentally certifies the exclusive quantum non-Gaussianity properties highly relevant for optical sensing, communication, and computation.

Introduction: Muscle reinnervation (MR) surgery offers rehabilitative benefits to amputees by taking severely damaged nerves and providing them with new denervated muscle targets (DMTs). However, the influence of physical changes to muscle tissue during MR surgery on long-term functional outcomes remains understudied. Methods: Our rat hindlimb model of MR surgery utilizes vascularized, directly neurotized DMTs made from the lateral gastrocnemius (LG), which we employed to assess the impact of muscle tissue size on reinnervation outcomes, specifically pairing the DMT with the transected peroneal nerve. We conducted MR surgery with both DMTs at full volume and DMTs with partial volume loss of 500 mg at the time of surgery ( n = 6 per group) and measured functional outcomes after 100 days of reinnervation. Compound motor action potentials (CMAPs) and isometric tetanic force production was recorded from reinnervated DMTs and compared to contralateral naïve LG muscles as positive controls. Results: Reinnervated DMTs consistently exhibited lower mass than positive controls, while DMTs with partial volume loss showed no significant mass reduction compared to full volume DMTs ( p = 0.872). CMAP amplitudes were lower on average in reinnervated DMTs, but a broad linear correlation also exists between muscle mass and maximum CMAP amplitude irrespective of surgical group (R 2 = 0.495). Surprisingly, neither MR group, with or without volume loss, demonstrated decreased force compared to positive controls. The average force output of reinnervated DMTs, as a fraction of the contralateral LG's force output, approached 100% for both MR groups, a notable deviation from the 9.6% (±6.3%) force output observed in our negative control group at 7 days post-surgery. Tissue histology analysis revealed few significant differences except for a marked decrease in average muscle fiber area of reinnervated DMTs with volume loss compared to positive controls ( p = 0.001). Discussion: The results from our rat model of MR suggests that tissue electrophysiology (CMAPs) and kinesiology (force production) may recover on different time scales, with volumetric muscle loss at the time of MR surgery not significantly reducing functional outcome measurements for the DMTs after 100 days of reinnervation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Lowe, Rivera Santana, Bopp, Quinn, Johnson, Ward, Chung, Tuffaha and Thakor.)

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the new clinical entity of the post-COVID-19 condition, defined as a multisystemic condition of persistent symptoms following resolution of an acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, has emerged as an important area of clinical focus. While this syndrome spans multiple organ systems, cardiovascular complications are often the most prominent features. These include, but are not limited to, myocardial injury, heart failure, arrhythmias, vascular injury/thrombosis and dysautonomia. As the number of individuals with the post-COVID-19 condition continues to climb and overwhelm medical systems, summarizing existing information and knowledge gaps in the complex cardiovascular effects of the post-COVID-19 condition has become critical for patient care. In this Review, we explore the current state of knowledge of the post-COVID-19 condition and identify areas where additional research is warranted. This will provide a framework for better understanding the cardiovascular manifestations of the post-COVID-19 condition with a focus on pathophysiology, diagnosis and management., (© 2024. Springer Nature Limited.)

Media exposed to atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), nitrite (NO 2 - ), and nitrate (NO 3 - ) being among the most detected species due to their relatively long lifetime. In this study, a standardized microwave-excited (ME) APP jet (APPJ) source was employed to produce gaseous RONS to treat liquid samples. The source was a commercially available plasma jet, which generated argon plasma utilizing a coaxial transmission line resonator at the operating frequency of 2.45 GHz. An ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer was used to measure the concentrations of H 2 O 2 and NO 3 - in plasma-activated media (PAM). Three different types of media (deionized water, Hank's balanced salt solution, and cell culture solution Dulbecco's modified eagles medium [DMEM]) were utilized as liquid samples. Among these media, the plasma-treated DMEM was observed to have the highest levels of H 2 O 2 and NO 3 - . Subsequently, the feasibility of using argon ME-APPJ-activated DMEM (PAM) as an adjuvant to enhance the therapeutic effects of cisplatin on human bladder cancer cells (T-24) was investigated. Various cancer cell lines, including T-24 cells, treated with PAM were observed in vitro for changes in cell viability using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. A viability reduction was detected in the various cancer cells after incubation in PAM. Furthermore, the study's results revealed that PAM was effective against cisplatin-resistant T-24 cells in vitro. In addition, a possible connection between HER expression and cell viability was sketched.