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This article discusses the potential use of engineered oral microbiota as a treatment for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and related risk factors. The oral microbiota has been found to play a role in the development of CVDs, and engineering bacteria in the oral cavity shows promise in treating these diseases. The article explores the association between oral microbiota and CVDs, as well as the application of engineered microbiota in managing CVDs and its potential benefits. However, there are challenges and limitations to using engineered bacteria, and further research is needed to address safety concerns and improve the effectiveness of these treatments. [Extracted from the article]

For an outside innovator with a finite number of buyers of the innovation, this paper compares two licensing schemes: (i) fixed fee, in which a licensee pays a fee to the innovator and (ii) ad valorem profit royalty, in which a licensee leaves a fraction of its profit with the innovator. We show these two schemes are equivalent in that for any number of licenses the innovator puts for sale, these two schemes give the same licensing revenue. We obtain this equivalence result in a general model with minimal structure. It is then applied in a Cournot oligopoly for an outside innovator. Finally, in a Cournot duopoly it is shown that when the innovator is one of the incumbent firms rather than an outsider, the equivalence result does not hold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High out-of-pocket costs (OOPCs) often are found to be inversely associated with adherence to medical treatment. The introduction of generic aromatase inhibitors (GAIs) significantly reduced the OOPCs of patients. The objective of the current study was to explore the impact of the introduction of GAIs on adjuvant hormone therapy (AHT) adherence over the full course of breast cancer treatment.Methods: Women aged ≥65 years who were diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer from 2007 through mid-2009 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare-linked database. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the likelihood of AHT initiation and an interrupted time series model was used to predict the association between the introduction of GAIs and AHT adherence. The model was stratified further using Medicare low-income subsidy (LIS) status.Results: A total of 10,905 women were included, approximately 62.8% of whom initiated AHT within the first year of their breast cancer diagnosis. Adjusted adherence among LIS beneficiaries was 11.4% higher than among non-LIS beneficiaries (P < .001). Non-LIS beneficiaries had an overall decreasing trend of adherence (-0.035; P < .001) prior to the introduction of GAIs. They experienced a 3.4% increase in the slope 6 months after the first GAI, anastrozole, entered the market, and an additional 0.8% increase in the slope 6 months after letrozole and exemestane were introduced (P < .001). Adherence change among LIS patients was small and statistically insignificant.Conclusions: With the introduction of GAIs, the decrease trend of adherence to therapy atteunated over the course of treatment. Although the successful implementation of the Medicare LIS program minimized the OOPCs for financially vulnerable patients, policymakers should be cautious not to introduce disparities for those who may be of low income but ineligible for such a program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pristine diatomite was first purified by acid treatment and then modified with γ‐methacryloxy propyl trimethoxysilane molecule (KH570) to introduce hydrophobic chains on the surface of acid‐treated diatomite. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the silane coupling agent (KH570) was successfully grafted on the diatomite through covalent bonding. The digital photos showed that the silanization process changed the surface property of the diatomite. The poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/pristine diatomite and PVC/modified diatomite composites were prepared via two‐roll mill. The thermal stability and mechanical properties of PVC composites were investigated by TGA, mechanical properties tests, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results showed that the thermal stability of the composites improved and maximum weight loss temperature (Tmax) of the PVC composite with 1 phr modified diatomite was about 20°C higher than that of PVC composite without diatomite. The PVC/modified diatomite composites exhibited better mechanical properties owing to the stronger interfacial interaction between PVC matrix and modified diatomite. But the impact strength reduced sharply when the addition of diatomite was more than 1 phr. The reason of the phenomenon is that the diatomite plays the role of defects in PVC and it works against the absorption of impact strength energy. It was proved by the results of scanning electron microscopy. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:E39–E47, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ring-closing reaction of 5′-adenosine monophosphate (5′-AMP) to generate cyclic 3′, 5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and H2O was theoretically investigated at the B3LYP/6-31G**level. It was found that the ring-closing reaction of 5′-AMP may proceed in a synchronous way or in a stepwise way. For the latter, the reaction is a multichannel elimination reaction including inner H transfer. The potential energy surface of Path 3 is lowest in all the ring-closing reaction paths. In addition, H shuttling reaction with the participation of a water molecule to act as a shuttle were also studied at the same level. The calculations indicate that the participation of a water molecule facilitates hydrogen transfer reaction. Our present calculations rationalized all the possible reaction channels. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stabling function of the NO to the (CH3)3CO · radical has been theoretically investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to optimize the geometries of relevant species. The single‐point energy is evaluated at CCSD(T)/6‐31++G** level. Three reaction channels of (CH3)3CO · + NO in the singlet state are considered. The calculations indicate that NO is a stable reagent of active radical (CH3)3CO. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Joubert syndrome (JS, OMIM: 213300) is a recessive developmental disorder characterized by cerebellar vermis hypoplasia and a distinctive mid‐hindbrain malformation called the "molar tooth sign" on axial magnetic resonance imaging. To date, more than 35 ciliary genes have been identified as the causative genes of JS. Methods: Whole exome sequencing was performed to detect the causative gene mutations in a Chinese patient with JS followed by Sanger sequencing. RT‐PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to confirm the abnormal transcript of centrosomal protein 104 (CEP104, OMIM: 616690). Results: We identified two novel heterozygous mutations of CEP104 in the proband, which were c.2364+1G>A and c.414delC (p.Asn138Lysfs*11) (GenBank: NM_014704.3) and consistent with the autosomal recessive inheritance mode. Conclusion: Our study reported the fourth case of JS patients with CEP104 mutations, which expands the mutation spectrum of CEP104 and elucidates the clinical heterogeneity of JS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Radiomics could be potential imaging biomarkers by capturing and analyzing the features. Children and adolescents with CHD have worse neurodevelopmental and functional outcomes compared with their peers. Early diagnosis and intervention are the necessity to improve neurological outcomes in CHD patients. Methods. School-aged TOF patients and their healthy peers were recruited for MRI and neurodevelopmental assessment. LASSO regression was used for dimension reduction. ROC curve graph showed the performance of the model. Results. Six related features were finally selected for modeling. The final model AUC was 0.750. The radiomics features can be potential significant predictors for neurodevelopmental diagnoses. Conclusion. The radiomics on the conventional MRI can help predict the neurodevelopment of school-aged children and provide parents with rehabilitation advice as early as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The purpose of this meta-analysis is to assess the effects of exercise training on quality of life, specific biomarkers, exercise capacity, and vascular function in congenital heart disease (CHD) subjects after surgery. Methods and Results We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE from the date of the inception of the database through April 2019. Altogether, 1161 records were identified in the literature search. Studies evaluating outcomes before and after exercise training among postoperative patients with congenital heart disease were included. The assessed outcomes were exercise capacity, vascular function, serum NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) levels and quality of life. We analyzed heterogeneity by using the I 2 statistic and evaluated the evidence quality according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines. Nine randomized controlled trials were included. The evidence indicated that exercise interventions increased the one of the quality of life questionnaire score (mean difference=3.19 [95% CI, 0.23, 6.16]; P =0.03; I 2 =39%) from the score before the interventions. However, no alterations in exercise capacity, vascular function, NT-proBNP or quality of life were observed after exercise training. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that NT-proBNP levels were lower in the group with exercise training than in the group without exercise training over the same duration of follow-up. The evidence quality was generally assessed to be low. Conclusions In conclusion, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that physical exercise improves long-term follow-up outcomes of congenital heart disease, although it has some minor effects on quality of life.