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Acute mania has always been one of the most intense acute psychiatric syndromes. While many controlled clinical trials of acute mania treatments have been completed in the last several decades, leading to numerous Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments, most of the questions that arise clinically remain unstudied. Many of the acute mania trials studied monotherapy or a combination of two medications for a syndrome often treated with polypharmacy. Most of the subjects in acute mania trials were only moderately ill, and even efficacious treatments had only modest effects. Mania associated with substances, a common clinical condition, was essentially excluded from most trials. Mixed episode has been studied largely as an afterthought. Traditionally, a treatment became known as a mood stabilizer if it was shown to have efficacy in mania. Evolving research in acute bipolar depression and bipolar maintenance has raised many new questions regarding the effects of mania treatments during other phases of illness. Treatment of bipolar disorder has now become highly complex, and most bipolar patients are treated with more than four medications. A lack of clear acceptance or consensus on the definitions of many crucial terms related to bipolar disorder often leads to further clinical confusion. Examples of these include mood stabilizers, hypomania (versus normal), mixed episode (versus mixed states), and antidepressant-induced mania.In this supplement, three experts present case discussions and attempt to tackle some of these commonly faced clinical problems. In each case, the experts draw from their own clinical experience to try to bridge the gap between evidence-based medicine and clinical practice. Michael H. Allen, MD, presents a case of first-episode mania without psychotic features. Many issues are discussed, including recognition of psychosis, a rationale for selecting medications from the numerous approved treatments, and subsequent implications during maintenance. In the next case, James C.-Y. Chou, MD, discusses mixed episode with psychotic features, one of the most severe among bipolar states. The topics of antipsychotics as mood stabilizers, predictors of treatment resistance, and a rationale for polypharmacy are discussed. Finally, Alan C. Swann, MD, presents three complex cases: pharmacologic mania, mania with comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and antidepressant-induced destabilization during maintenance treatment. He addresses the challenging questions of when to use or avoid antidepressants in bipolar disorder, who is at risk for destabilization, and the destabilizing effects of antidepressant withdrawal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How effective is aripiprazole for preventing relapse in people with bipolar I disorder who have recently been stabilised with aripiprazole after experiencing a manic or mixed episode?METHODSDesign: Randomised controlled trial.Allocation: Unclear.Blinding: Double blind.Follow up period: Twenty six weeks (treatment period).Setting: Seventy six centres, Mexico, US and Argentina; enrolment: March 2000 to June 2003.Patients: 161 adults with a manic or mixed episode of DSM-IV bipolar I disorder whose symptoms stabilised after 6-18 weeks open-label 15 or 30 mg/day aripiprazole (lower dose used if higher dose not tolerated; stabilisation defined as total Young Mania Rating Scale score 10 and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score

ConspectusLipids are essential for life and serve as cell envelope components, signaling molecules, and nutrients. For lipids to achieve their required functions, they need to be correctly localized. This requires the action of transporter proteins and an energy source. The current understanding of bacterial lipid transporters is limited to a few classes. Given the diversity of lipid species and the predicted existence of specific lipid transporters, many more transporters await discovery and characterization. These proteins could be prime targets for modulators that control bacterial cell proliferation and pathogenesis.One overarching goal of our research is to understand the molecular mechanisms of bacterial metabolite trafficking, including lipids, and to leverage that understanding to identify or engineer inhibitory ligands. In recent years, our work has revealed two novel lipid transport systems in bacteria: bacterial sterol transporters (Bst) A, B, and C in Methylococcus capsulatus and the TatT proteins in Enhygromyxa salina and Treponema pallidum . Both systems are composed of transporters bioinformatically identified as being involved in the transport of other metabolites, but substrates were never revealed. However, the genetic colocalization of the genes encoding BstABC with sterol biosynthetic enzymes in M. capsulatus suggested that they might recognize sterols as substrates. Also, homologues of TatTs are present in diverse bacteria but are overrepresented in bacteria deficient in de novo lipid synthesis or residing in nutrient-poor environments; we reasoned that these proteins might facilitate the transport of lipids. Our efforts to reveal the substrate scope of two TatT proteins revealed their engagement with long-chain fatty acids.Enabling the discovery of the BstABC system and the TatT proteins were bioinformatic analyses, quantitative measurements of protein-ligand equilibrium affinities, and high-resolution structural studies that provided remarkable insights into ligand binding cavities and the structural basis for ligand interaction. These approaches, in particular our bioinformatics and structural work, highlighted the diversity of protein sequence and structures amenable to lipid engagement. These observations allowed the hypothesis that lipid handling proteins, in general and especially so in the bacterial domain, can have diverse amino acid compositions and three-dimensional structures. As such, bioinformatics geared at identifying them in poorly characterized genomes is likely to miss many candidates that diverge from well-characterized family members.This realization spurred efforts to understand the unifying features in all of the lipid handling proteins we have characterized to date. To do this, we inspected the ligand binding sites of the proteins: they were remarkably hydrophobic and sometimes displayed a dichotomy of hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids, akin to the ligands that they accommodate in those cavities. Because of this, we reasoned that the physicochemical features of ligand binding cavities could be accurate predictors of a protein's propensity to bind lipids. This finding was leveraged to create structure-based lipid-interacting pocket predictor (SLiPP), a machine-learning algorithm capable of identifying ligand cavities with physico-chemical features consistent with those of known lipid binding sites. SLiPP is especially useful in poorly annotated genomes (such as with bacterial pathogens), where it could reveal candidate proteins to be targeted for the development of antimicrobials.

This research explores the efficiency of Electrical Discharge Coating (EDC) as an advanced surface modification technique using powder suspension, conventional electrodes, and 3D printed electrodes (3DPE), focusing on Ti6Al4V alloys. Conventional Ti electrodes resulted in 100% titanium content with a thickness of 110 µm, while the powder suspension coating was inadequate. The use of 3D printed electrodes showed promising results, with uniform deposition of 61.20 µm thickness and enhanced surface properties under 10 A current. Further analysis of 3D printed Ti6Al4V EDC revealed a higher Ti percentage of 44.20%, TiC formation of 84.17%, and enhanced microhardness with lower surface roughness. Thorough optimization of 3D printed electrode EDC has been undertaken. The study suggests the potential replacement of traditional electrodes such as powder metallurgy with 3D printed counterparts, advancing surface modification techniques and opening new avenues for materials engineering and manufacturing processes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Taurine is a conditionally essential micronutrient and one of the most abundant amino acids in humans 1-3 . In endogenous taurine metabolism, dedicated enzymes are involved in the biosynthesis of taurine from cysteine and in the downstream metabolism of secondary taurine metabolites 4,5 . One taurine metabolite is N-acetyltaurine 6 . Levels of N-acetyltaurine are dynamically regulated by stimuli that alter taurine or acetate flux, including endurance exercise 7 , dietary taurine supplementation 8 and alcohol consumption 6,9 . So far, the identities of the enzymes involved in N-acetyltaurine metabolism, and the potential functions of N-acetyltaurine itself, have remained unknown. Here we show that the body mass index associated orphan enzyme phosphotriesterase-related (PTER) 10 is a physiological N-acetyltaurine hydrolase. In vitro, PTER catalyses the hydrolysis of N-acetyltaurine to taurine and acetate. In mice, PTER is expressed in the kidney, liver and brainstem. Genetic ablation of Pter in mice results in complete loss of tissue N-acetyltaurine hydrolysis activity and a systemic increase in N-acetyltaurine levels. After stimuli that increase taurine levels, Pter knockout mice exhibit reduced food intake, resistance to diet-induced obesity and improved glucose homeostasis. Administration of N-acetyltaurine to obese wild-type mice also reduces food intake and body weight in a GFRAL-dependent manner. These data place PTER into a central enzymatic node of secondary taurine metabolism and uncover a role for PTER and N-acetyltaurine in body weight control and energy balance., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose of Review: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) pose a significant threat to maternal cardiovascular health, with emerging research shedding light on the enduring risks beyond the gestational period. This review highlights updates regarding cardiovascular risks associated with HDP and their implications for long-term health., Recent Findings: Patients with a history of HDP are at an elevated risk of developing chronic hypertension, ischemic heart disease, stroke, valvular heart disease, and heart failure.Not surprisingly, patients with HDP experience higher rates of maternal and fetal adverse events in the antepartum and immediate postpartum periods, with high readmission rates for cardiovascular complications. The high risk of chronic hypertension after a HDP then leads to the development of subclinical disease over 5-10 years with overt cardiovascular disease becoming most prevalent in the decades following pregnancy. Early hypertension management in the antepartum and postpartum periods has lifelong health benefits and highlights the need for seamless postpartum transitions with close blood pressure monitoring and cardiovascular risk mitigation., Summary: HDP significantly increases the risk of short and long-term adverse cardiovascular events. Integrated healthcare models that assess and address postpartum cardiovascular risk are necessary to improve the cardiovascular health and longevity of those effected by HDP., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose/objectives: Research is an integral part of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) residency training. This study aimed to identify the current barriers perceived by OMS residents toward conducting research during training., Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted. The survey was distributed to 670 OMS residents across the United States in 2021 and consisted of questions regarding demographics, residency program requirements and resources, and perceived barriers to research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and post hoc Dunn's test with a statistical significance of P < 0.05., Results: The response rate was 24.2%. Most participants' programs had a minimum research requirement to complete a residency (80%). The top three reported barriers to completing research were lack of time (84%), limited access to research mentors or supervisors (37%), and lack of access to biostatistical support (31%). Factors associated with these barriers included the lack of a research director, supervisor, mentor, assistant, or statistician. There was no significant difference between residents in programs with protected research time versus those without., Conclusions: OMS residents generally viewed research experience during residency as beneficial but reported important barriers, most notably: insufficient time. Although most OMS training programs in the US require research for completion, many do not provide adequate time to facilitate this process. Compared with literature from over a decade ago, it appears little progress has been made to remedy similar barriers to research. Addressing this deficiency may increase the quantity and quality of research, furthering the profession., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Dental Education published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Dental Education Association.)

Flavonoids exhibit health-promoting benefits against multiple chronic diseases, including cancer. Apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyflavone), one flavonoid present in fruits and vegetables, is potentially applicable to chemoprevention. Despite considerable progress in the therapeutic regimen of liver cancer, its prognosis remains poor. MED28, a Mediator subunit for transcriptional activation, is implicated in the development of several types of malignancy; however, its role in liver cancer is unknown at present. In liver cancer, the AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is one major pathway involved in the oncogenic process. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of apigenin and MED28 in AKT/mTOR signaling in liver cancer. We first identified a connectivity score of 92.77 between apigenin treatment and MED28 knockdown in several cancer cell lines using CLUE, a cloud-based software platform to assess connectivity among compounds and genetic perturbagens. Higher expression of MED28 predicted a poorer survival prognosis; MED28 expression in liver cancer tissue was significantly higher than that of normal tissue, and it was positively correlated with tumor stage and grade in The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Cancer (TCGA-LIHC) data set. Knockdown of MED28 induced cell cycle arrest and suppressed the AKT/mTOR signaling in two human liver cancer cell lines, HepG2 and Huh 7, accompanied by less lipid accumulation and lower expression and nuclear localization of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1). Apigenin inhibited the expression of MED28, and the effect of apigenin mimicked that of the MED28 knockdown. On the other hand, the AKT/mTOR signaling was upregulated when MED28 was overexpressed. These data indicated that MED28 was associated with the survival prognosis and the progression of liver cancer by regulating AKT/mTOR signaling and apigenin appeared to inhibit cell growth through MED28-mediated mTOR signaling, which may be applicable as an adjuvant of chemotherapy or chemoprevention in liver cancer.

Sterol lipids are widely present in eukaryotes and play essential roles in signaling and modulating membrane fluidity. Although rare, some bacteria also produce sterols, but their function in bacteria is not known. Moreover, many more species, including pathogens and commensal microbes, acquire or modify sterols from eukaryotic hosts through poorly understood molecular mechanisms. The aerobic methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus was the first bacterium shown to synthesize sterols, producing a mixture of C-4 methylated sterols that are distinct from those observed in eukaryotes. C-4 methylated sterols are synthesized in the cytosol and localized to the outer membrane, suggesting that a bacterial sterol transport machinery exists. Until now, the identity of such machinery remained a mystery. In this study, we identified three novel proteins that may be the first examples of transporters for bacterial sterol lipids. The proteins, which all belong to well-studied families of bacterial metabolite transporters, are predicted to reside in the inner membrane, periplasm, and outer membrane of M. capsulatus, and may work as a conduit to move modified sterols to the outer membrane. Quantitative analysis of ligand binding revealed their remarkable specificity for 4-methylsterols, and crystallographic structures coupled with docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed the structural bases for substrate binding by two of the putative transporters. Their striking structural divergence from eukaryotic sterol transporters signals that they form a distinct sterol transport system within the bacterial domain. Finally, bioinformatics revealed the widespread presence of similar transporters in bacterial genomes, including in some pathogens that use host sterol lipids to construct their cell envelopes. The unique folds of these bacterial sterol binding proteins should now guide the discovery of other proteins that handle this essential metabolite., Competing Interests: LZ, AB, CS, HO, JC, PW No competing interests declared, LD Reviewing editor, eLife, (© 2023, Zhai et al.)

Low physical activity has been associated with poor prognosis in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Interventions to maintain healthy lifestyle in this population are important to reduce mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of digital health interventions (DHIs) for improving the physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in HD patients. The 24-week prospective study enrolled 31 clinically stable HD patients. All participants were assigned home exercises and provided with wearable devices. Dietary and exercise information was uploaded to a health management platform. Suggestions about diet and exercise were provided, and a social media group was created. Physical performance testing was performed at baseline and during weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24. HRQoL and nutritional status were evaluated. A total of 25 participants completed the study. After the interventions, the daily step count increased 1658 steps. The 10-time-repeated sit-to-stand test reduced by 4.4 s, the sit-to-stand transfers in 60 s increased 12 repetitions, the distance of six-minute walk test (6MWT) increased by 55.4 m. The mental health components and burden of kidney disease of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life survey, and subjective global assessment (SGA) scores improved. By Spearman correlation, the monthly step count correlated positively with 6MWT and SGA. DHIs that combined wearable devices, a health management platform, and social media could strengthen physical activity and improve the HRQoL and nutrition of maintenance HD patients. The results outline a new model to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in HD patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Continuous hemodynamic monitoring offers the opportunity to individualize management in severe preeclampsia (PEC). We compared cardiac output (CO) and total peripheral resistance (TPR) measured by bioreactance (NICOM), Clearsite™ Fingercuff [CS), and 3D-echocardiography (3DE)., Study Design: This prospective observational study included 12 pregnant patients with early PEC. CO and TPR were measured simultaneously by NICOM, CS, and 3DE antepartum and 1-2 days postpartum. Using 3DE as the standard, CS and NICOM interchangeability, precision, accuracy, and correlation were assessed., Results: Compared to 3DE-CO, CS-CO was highly correlated (R 2  = 0.70, p = <0.0001) with low percentage error (PE 29%) which met criteria for interchangeablity. CS-TPR had strong correlation (R 2  = 0.81, p = <0.0001) and low PE (29%). While CS tended to slightly overestimate CO (bias + 2.05 ±1.18 L/min, limit of agreement (LOA) -0.20 to 4.31) and underestimate TPR (bias -279 ±156 dyes/sec/cm 5 ; LOA -580 to 18.4) these differences were unlikely to be clinically significant. Thus CS could be interchangeable with 3DE for CO and TPR. NICOM-CO had only moderate correlation with 3DE-CO (R 2  = 0.29, p = 0.01) with high PE (52%) above threshold for interchangeability. NICOM-CO had low mean bias (-1.2 ±1.68 L/min) but wide 95% LOA (-4.41 to 2.14) suggesting adequate accuracy but low precision in relation to 3DE-CO. NICOM-TPR had poor correlation with 3DE-TPR (R 2  = 0.32, p = 0.001) with high PE (67%), relatively low mean bias (238 ±256), and wide 95% LOA (-655 to 1131). NICOM did not meet the criteria for interchangeable with 3DE for CO and TPR., Conclusions: Clearsite Fingercuff, but not NICOM, has potential to be clinically useful for CO and TPR monitoring in severe preeclampsia., 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 International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Perioperative complications, particularly cardiac events, compromised surgical outcomes for geriatric patients. This retrospective study intended to investigate the occurrence and subsequent impact of cardiac events for geriatric patients undergoing hip fracture surgeries. We collected 607 patients undergoing hip fracture surgeries from January 2017 to December 2022 that received transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) pre-operatively to screen for cardiac abnormalities. Except for demographic characteristics, the researchers recorded fracture type, surgical method, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, anesthesia type, perioperative cardiac events, and in-hospital mortality. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 statistics software. Throughout the whole course of the study, 16 postoperative cardiac events occurred. The cardiac events included ten arrhythmias, three acute myocardial infarctions, two heart failures, and one sudden death. Notably, 12 of 16 patients with cardiac events presented with abnormal findings on TTE, except 15 of them had a history of cardiac disease. This study disclosed 93.7% of cardiac events developed in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease. Among patients that experienced cardiac events, 75% of patients had abnormal echocardiographic findings. Pre-operative transthoracic echocardiography deserves a recommendation for geriatric patients with histories of cardiac diseases undergoing hip fracture surgeries to detect the risk of developing cardiac events earlier.

Importance: Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT appear capable of performing a variety of tasks, including answering patient eye care questions, but have not yet been evaluated in direct comparison with ophthalmologists. It remains unclear whether LLM-generated advice is accurate, appropriate, and safe for eye patients., Objective: To evaluate the quality of ophthalmology advice generated by an LLM chatbot in comparison with ophthalmologist-written advice., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used deidentified data from an online medical forum, in which patient questions received responses written by American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)-affiliated ophthalmologists. A masked panel of 8 board-certified ophthalmologists were asked to distinguish between answers generated by the ChatGPT chatbot and human answers. Posts were dated between 2007 and 2016; data were accessed January 2023 and analysis was performed between March and May 2023., Main Outcomes and Measures: Identification of chatbot and human answers on a 4-point scale (likely or definitely artificial intelligence [AI] vs likely or definitely human) and evaluation of responses for presence of incorrect information, alignment with perceived consensus in the medical community, likelihood to cause harm, and extent of harm., Results: A total of 200 pairs of user questions and answers by AAO-affiliated ophthalmologists were evaluated. The mean (SD) accuracy for distinguishing between AI and human responses was 61.3% (9.7%). Of 800 evaluations of chatbot-written answers, 168 answers (21.0%) were marked as human-written, while 517 of 800 human-written answers (64.6%) were marked as AI-written. Compared with human answers, chatbot answers were more frequently rated as probably or definitely written by AI (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.52-1.93). The likelihood of chatbot answers containing incorrect or inappropriate material was comparable with human answers (PR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.77-1.10), and did not differ from human answers in terms of likelihood of harm (PR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.67-1.07) nor extent of harm (PR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.80-1.22)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of human-written and AI-generated responses to 200 eye care questions from an online advice forum, a chatbot appeared capable of responding to long user-written eye health posts and largely generated appropriate responses that did not differ significantly from ophthalmologist-written responses in terms of incorrect information, likelihood of harm, extent of harm, or deviation from ophthalmologist community standards. Additional research is needed to assess patient attitudes toward LLM-augmented ophthalmologists vs fully autonomous AI content generation, to evaluate clarity and acceptability of LLM-generated answers from the patient perspective, to test the performance of LLMs in a greater variety of clinical contexts, and to determine an optimal manner of utilizing LLMs that is ethical and minimizes harm.

Bacterial acquisition of metabolites is largely facilitated by transporters with unique substrate scopes. The tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters comprise a large family of bacterial proteins that facilitate the uptake of a variety of small molecules. It has been reported that some TRAP systems encode a fourth protein, the T component. The T-component, or TatT, is predicted to be a periplasmic-facing lipoprotein that enables the uptake of metabolites from the outer membrane. However, no substrates were revealed for any TatT and their functional role(s) remained enigmatic. We recently identified a homolog in Methylococcus capsulatus that binds to sterols, and herein, we report two additional homologs that demonstrate a preference for long-chain fatty acids. Our bioinformatics, quantitative analyses of protein-ligand interactions, and high-resolution crystal structures suggest that TatTs might facilitate the trafficking of hydrophobic or lipophilic substrates and represent a new class of bacterial lipid and fatty acid transporters., (© 2023 The Authors. ChemBioChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Maize (Zea mays) kernels are the largest cereal grains, and their endosperm is severely oxygen deficient during grain fill. The causes, dynamics, and mechanisms of acclimation to hypoxia are minimally understood. Here, we demonstrate that hypoxia develops in the small, growing endosperm, but not the nucellus, and becomes the standard state, regardless of diverse structural and genetic perturbations in modern maize (B73, popcorn, sweet corn), mutants (sweet4c, glossy6, waxy), and non-domesticated wild relatives (teosintes and Tripsacum species). We also uncovered an interconnected void space at the chalazal pericarp, providing superior oxygen supply to the placental tissues and basal endosperm transfer layer. Modeling indicated a very high diffusion resistance inside the endosperm, which, together with internal oxygen consumption, could generate steep oxygen gradients at the endosperm surface. Manipulation of oxygen supply induced reciprocal shifts in gene expression implicated in controlling mitochondrial functions (23.6 kDa Heat-Shock Protein, Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 2) and multiple signaling pathways (core hypoxia genes, cyclic nucleotide metabolism, ethylene synthesis). Metabolite profiling revealed oxygen-dependent shifts in mitochondrial pathways, ascorbate metabolism, starch synthesis, and auxin degradation. Long-term elevated oxygen supply enhanced the rate of kernel development. Altogether, evidence here supports a mechanistic framework for the establishment of and acclimation to hypoxia in the maize endosperm., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement. None declared., (© American Society of Plant Biologists 2023. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The maize (Zea mays) ear represents one of the most striking domestication phenotypes in any crop species, with the cob conferring an exceptional yield advantage over the ancestral form of teosinte. Remodeling of the grain-bearing surface required profound developmental changes. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear and can only be partly attributed to the known domestication gene Teosinte glume architecture 1 (Tga1). Here we show that a more complete conversion involves strigolactones (SLs), and that these are prominent players not only in the Tga1 phenotype but also other domestication features of the ear and kernel. Genetic combinations of a teosinte tga1 allele with three SL-related mutants progressively enhanced ancestral morphologies. The SL mutants, in addition to modulating the tga1 phenotype, also reshaped kernel-bearing pedicels and cupules in a teosinte-like manner. Genetic and molecular evidence are consistent with SL regulation of TGA1, including direct interaction of TGA1 with components of the SL-signaling system shown here to mediate TGA1 availability by sequestration. Roles of the SL network extend to enhancing maize seed size and, importantly, coordinating increased kernel growth with remodeling of protective maternal tissues. Collectively, our data show that SLs have central roles in releasing kernels from restrictive maternal encasement and coordinating other factors that increase kernel size, physical support, and their exposure on the grain-bearing surface., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement. The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© American Society of Plant Biologists 2022. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Noonan syndrome is a genetic disorder with high prevalence of congenital heart defects, such as pulmonary stenosis, atrial septal defect and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Scarce data exists regarding the safety of pregnancy in patients with Noonan syndrome, particularly in the context of maternal cardiac disease., Study Design: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients at Yale-New Haven Hospital from 2012 to 2020 with diagnoses of Noonan syndrome and pregnancy. We analysed medical records for pregnancy details and cardiac health, including echocardiograms to quantify maternal cardiac dysfunction through measurements of pulmonary valve peak gradient, structural heart defects and interventricular septal thickness., Results: We identified five women with Noonan syndrome (10 pregnancies). Three of five patients had pulmonary valve stenosis at the time of pregnancy, two of which had undergone cardiac procedures. 50% of pregnancies (5/10) resulted in pre-term birth. 80% (8/10) of all deliveries were converted to caesarean section after a trial of labour. One pregnancy resulted in intra-uterine fetal demise while nine pregnancies resulted in the birth of a living infant. 60% (6/10) of livebirths required care in the neonatal intensive care unit. One infant passed away at 5 weeks of age., Conclusions: The majority of mothers had pre-existing, though mild, heart disease. We found high rates of prematurity, conversion to caesarean section, and elevated level of care. No maternal complications resulted in long-term morbidity. Our study suggests that women with Noonan syndrome and low-risk cardiac lesions can become pregnant and deliver a healthy infant with counselling and risk evaluation.

The use of additive manufactured (AM) titanium-based materials has increased substantially for medical implants and aerospace components. However, the inferior surface roughness of additive manufactured products affects the outward appearance and reduces performance. This study determines whether activation treatment prior to electropolishing produces a better surface. Oxalic acid (OA) is used as a pre-activator using different experimental conditions and the surface roughness is reduced by electropolishing with an electrolyte of perchloric acid and glacial acetic acid. The SEM surface morphology, mechanical properties, phase transformation and electrochemical properties are measured to determine the effect of different degrees of roughness on the surface. The results show that the surface roughness of AM titanium-based samples decreases from 8.47 µm to 1.09 µm after activation using OA as a pre-treatment for electropolishing. After electropolishing using optimal parameters, the hardness and resistance to corrosion resistance are increased.

Population-based studies to identify disease-associated risk alleles typically require samples from a large number of individuals. Here, we report a human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-based screening strategy to link human genetics with viral infectivity. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified a cluster of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a cis-regulatory region of the NDUFA4 gene, which was associated with susceptibility to Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. Loss of NDUFA4 led to decreased sensitivity to ZIKV, dengue virus, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Isogenic hiPSC lines carrying non-risk alleles of SNPs or deletion of the cis-regulatory region lower sensitivity to viral infection. Mechanistic studies indicated that loss/reduction of NDUFA4 causes mitochondrial stress, which leads to the leakage of mtDNA and thereby upregulation of type I interferon signaling. This study provides proof-of-principle for the application of iPSC arrays in GWAS and identifies NDUFA4 as a previously unknown susceptibility locus for viral infection., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests R.E.S. is on the scientific advisory board of Miromatrix, Inc and Lime Therapeutics and is a paid consultant and speaker for Alnylam, Inc. S.C. and T.E. are the co-founders of OncoBeat, LLC. S.C. is a consultant of Vesaliustx Therapeutics., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Repetitive exertion in supination/pronation could increase the risk of forearm diseases due to fatigue. Kinesio taping (KT) is a physical therapy technique that decreases muscle tone and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) risk. Many assumptions about taping have been made and several studies have considered the taping applications; however, the effect of KT on strength and fatigue of the forearm supination/pronation remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of KT on forearm performance fatigability., Methods: A screwing test was constructed to measure the forearm force loss and screwing efficiency during repetitive supination/pronation. Data from 18 healthy adults who underwent both KT and no taping (NT) sessions were used to investigate the forearm strength change in terms of grip force (GF), driving torque (DT), and push force (PF). The maximal isometric forces before and after the screwing test and force decreasing rate (efficiency) during screwing were evaluated to assess the performance fatigability in KT and NT conditions., Results: A statistically significant force loss (FL) in maximal isometric GF (p = 0.039) and maximal isometric DT (p = 0.044); however, no significant difference was observed in maximal isometric PF (p = 0.426) between NT and KT. KT provides greater screwing efficiency than NT., Conclusions: KT could not improve FL in the maximal muscle strength of the forearm in healthy subjects. KT on the forearm was associated with a lesser decline in DT efficiency than NT, implying that KT could decrease the loss rate of muscle strength and delay the development of fatigue; however, the KT did not yield improvements in PF while performing screwing tasks., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This paper describes a pilot study of a new model for narrative medicine training, "community-based participatory narrative medicine" (CBPNM), which centers on shared narrative work between healthcare trainees and patients. Nine medical students and eight patients participated in one of two, five-week-long pilot workshop series. A case study of participants' experiences of the workshop series identified three major themes: (1) the reciprocal and collaborative nature of participants' relationships; (2) the interplay between self-reflection and receiving feedback from others; and (3) the clinical and pedagogical implications of the CBPNM model. Principles and proposed outcomes of the CBPNM model are presented., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In 2018-2019, at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (KSOM), we developed and piloted a narrative-based health systems science intervention for patients living with HIV and medical students in which medical students co-wrote patients' life narratives for inclusion in the electronic health record. The pilot study aimed to assess the acceptability of the "life narrative protocol" (LNP) from multiple stakeholder positions and characterize participants' experiences of the clinical and pedagogical implications of the LNP. Students were recruited from KSOM. Patients and staff were recruited from the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent/Adult Center for Infectious Disease and Virology (MCA) at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center. Ten patients, seventeen students, and ten MCA staff participated in the pilot study. Qualitative methods were used to gather data from students', patients', and staff's perspectives. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) patients' life narratives conveyed their unique life experiences and voices; (2) the protocol could result in wide-ranging effects on HIV care; (3) the LNP enabled students to contribute value to patients' healthcare. Across groups, participants considered the LNP an acceptable intervention. The LNP, its limitations, and implications for HIV care, narrative medicine, and health information technology are presented., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Abiotic stresses reduce crop growth and yield in part by disrupting metabolic homeostasis and triggering responses that change the metabolome. Experiments designed to understand the mechanisms underlying these metabolomic responses have usually not used agriculturally relevant stress regimes. We therefore subjected maize plants to drought, salt, or heat stresses that mimic field conditions and analyzed leaf responses at metabolome and transcriptome levels. Shared features of stress metabolomes included synthesis of raffinose, a compatible solute implicated in tolerance to dehydration. In addition, a marked accumulation of amino acids including proline, arginine, and γ-aminobutyrate combined with depletion of key glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates indicated a shift in balance of carbon and nitrogen metabolism in stressed leaves. Involvement of the γ-aminobutyrate shunt in this process is consistent with its previously proposed role as a workaround for stress-induced thiamin-deficiency. Although convergent metabolome shifts were correlated with gene expression changes in affected pathways, patterns of differential gene regulation induced by the three stresses indicated distinct signaling mechanisms highlighting the plasticity of plant metabolic responses to abiotic stress.

Although considered a sporadic type of skin cancer, malignant melanoma has regularly increased internationally and is a major cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. The treatment options for malignant melanoma are very limited. Accumulating data suggest that the natural compound, capsaicin, exhibits preferential anticancer properties to act as a nutraceutical agent. Here, we explored the underlying molecular events involved in the inhibitory effect of capsaicin on melanoma growth. The cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), isothermal dose-response fingerprint curves (ITDRF CETSA ), and CETSA-pulse proteolysis were utilized to confirm the direct binding of capsaicin with the tumor-associated NADH oxidase, tNOX (ENOX2) in melanoma cells. We also assessed the cellular impact of capsaicin-targeting of tNOX on A375 cells by flow cytometry and protein analysis. The essential role of tNOX in tumor- and melanoma-growth limiting abilities of capsaicin was evaluated in C57BL/6 mice. Our data show that capsaicin directly engaged with cellular tNOX to inhibit its enzymatic activity and enhance protein degradation capacity. The inhibition of tNOX by capsaicin was accompanied by the attenuation of SIRT1, a NAD + -dependent deacetylase. The suppression of tNOX and SIRT1 then enhanced ULK1 acetylation and induced ROS-dependent autophagy in melanoma cells. Capsaicin treatment of mice implanted with melanoma cancer cells suppressed tumor growth by down-regulating tNOX and SIRT1, which was also seen in an in vivo xenograft study with tNOX-depleted melanoma cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that tNOX expression is important for the growth of melanoma cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo , and that inhibition of the tNOX-SIRT1 axis contributes to inducting ROS-dependent autophagy in melanoma cells., Competing Interests: None., (AJCR Copyright © 2021.)

Potentiometric biosensors based on flexible arrayed silver paste electrode and copper-doped zinc oxide sensing film modified by iron-platinum nanoparticles (FePt NPs) are designed and manufactured to detect lactate in human. The sensing film is made of copper-doped zinc oxide (CZO) by a radio frequency (RF) sputtering system, and then modified by iron-platinum nanoparticles (FePt NPs). The surface morphology of copper-doped zinc oxide (CZO) is analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). FePt NPs are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The average sensitivity, response time, and interference effect of the lactate biosensors are analyzed by voltage-time (V-T) measurement system. The electrochemical impedance is analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The average sensitivity and linearity over the concentration range 0.2-5 mM are 25.32 mV/mM and 0.977 mV/mM, respectively. The response time of the lactate biosensor is 16 s, with excellent selectivity.

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), featuring a hollow-cage or semi-cage structure is a new type of organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles. POSS combines the advantages of inorganic components and organic components with a great potential for optoelectronic applications such as in emerging perovskite solar cells. When POSS is well dispersed in the polymer matrix, it can effectively improve the thermal, mechanical, magnetic, acoustic, and surface properties of the polymer. In this study, POSS was spin-coated as an ultra-thin passivation layer over the hole transporting layer of nickel-oxide (NO x ) in the structure of a perovskite solar cell. The POSS incorporation led to a more hydrophobic and smoother surface for further perovskite deposition, resulting in the increase in the grain size of perovskite. An appropriate POSS passivation layer could effectively reduce the recombination of the electron and hole at grain boundaries and increase the short-circuit current from 18.0 to 20.5 mA·cm -2 . Moreover, the open-circuit voltage of the cell could slightly increase over 1 V.

Sugar supply is a key component of hypoxia tolerance and acclimation in plants. However, a striking gap remains in our understanding of mechanisms governing sugar impacts on low-oxygen responses. Here, we used a maize (Zea mays) root-tip system for precise control of sugar and oxygen levels. We compared responses to oxygen (21 and 0.2%) in the presence of abundant versus limited glucose supplies (2.0 and 0.2%). Low-oxygen reconfigured the transcriptome with glucose deprivation enhancing the speed and magnitude of gene induction for core anaerobic proteins (ANPs). Sugar supply also altered profiles of hypoxia-responsive genes carrying G4 motifs (sources of regulatory quadruplex structures), revealing a fast, sugar-independent class followed more slowly by feast-or-famine-regulated G4 genes. Metabolite analysis showed that endogenous sugar levels were maintained by exogenous glucose under aerobic conditions and demonstrated a prominent capacity for sucrose re-synthesis that was undetectable under hypoxia. Glucose abundance had distinctive impacts on co-expression networks associated with ANPs, altering network partners and aiding persistence of interacting networks under prolonged hypoxia. Among the ANP networks, two highly interconnected clusters of genes formed around Pyruvate decarboxylase 3 and Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 4. Genes in these clusters shared a small set of cis-regulatory elements, two of which typified glucose induction. Collective results demonstrate specific, previously unrecognized roles of sugars in low-oxygen responses, extending from accelerated onset of initial adaptive phases by starvation stress to maintenance and modulation of co-expression relationships by carbohydrate availability., (© American Society of Plant Biologists 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Styrene increases serum prolactin (PRL) concentration. Hyperprolactinemia is associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer patients, but the mechanism of PRL action is unclear. The aims of this study were to (i) investigate the mechanism of PRL-action receptor in NSCLC cells (ii) measure whether PRL was secreted by NSCLC cells and its stimulatory mechanism in vitro and in vivo. We found that cell proliferation was increased after treatment of a pharmacological dose of PRL in A549 cells, which through up regulation of growth hormone receptor (GHR) and downstream of JAK2/STAT3/VEGF pathway. All NSCLC cells in the present study secreted PRL and expressed GHR, but not PRLR. Inhibition of GHR protein level led to decrease the PRL-induced cell proliferation. PRL was detected in NSCLC cells culture medium. Knockdown of intracellular PRL downregulated JAK2/STAT3 protein activities and GHR and VEGF protein levels. Furthermore, knockdown of intracellular PRL reduced the cell proliferation and the ability of colony-forming. In lung cancer tissues, PRL, GHR and VEGF levels were higher in the tumor tissues than in normal tissues and the protein expressions of these three proteins are positively correlated, respectively. High expression levels of both PRL and GHR cause a poor survival rate in lung cancer patients. Taken together, our results suggested that extracellular and intracellular PRL were involved in cell proliferation through GHR. Combination of in vitro and in vivo results, GHR and PRL are important targets for suppressing NSCLC cell proliferation, which might improve the survival rate in NSCLC patients., 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 © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Methanobactins are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptidic (RiPP) natural products that are known for their ability to chelate copper ions. Crucial for their high copper affinity is a pair of bidentate ligands comprising a nitrogen-containing heterocycle and an adjacent thioamide or enethiol group. The previously uncharacterized proteins MbnB and MbnC were recently shown to synthesize these groups. In this chapter, we describe the methods that were used to determine that MbnB and MbnC are the core biosynthetic enzymes in methanobactin biosynthesis. The two proteins form a heterodimeric complex (MbnBC) which, through a dioxygen-dependent four-electron oxidation of the precursor peptide (MbnA), modifies a cysteine residue in order to install the oxazolone and thioamide moieties. This overview covers the heterologous expression and purification of MbnBC, characterization of the iron cluster found in MbnB, and characterization of the modification installed on MbnA. While this chapter is specific to MbnBC, the methods outlined here can be broadly applied to the enzymology of other proteins that install similar groups as well as enzyme pairs related to MbnB and MbnC., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cardiac glycosides (CGs) possess a chemical structure similar to steroids, and are inhibitors of the sodium potassium pump. An anti-tumor effect of CGs in breast and prostate cancers has been reported, but the effect of CGs on ovarian cancer is still unclear., Aims: In this study, the effects of CGs on proliferation, cytotoxicity and cell cycle of ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-3) have been investigated., Procedure: The cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were detected by MTT assay and LDH activity assay, respectively. CGs, at concentrations higher than IC50, decreased cell proliferation and showed increased cytotoxicity toward SKOV-3 cells. The colony-formation ability was reduced after treatment with digoxin and digitoxin for 10 days. Furthermore, we explored the effect of digoxin and digitoxin on the distribution of cell cycle by flow cytometry., Results: Results revealed that both digoxin and digitoxin led to cell cycle arrest in G 0 /G 1 phase with 24 or 48 hours, but the arrest of G 0 /G 1 phase was not observed at 72 hours. We evaluated the percentage of hypodiploid cell population as an index of the cellular fragments through flow cytometry. The data indicated that cellular fragments were significantly increased by treating with digitoxin at the concentrations of IC50 and 10 -6  M for 72 hours., Conclusion: Taken together, these data suggest that CGs decreased cell proliferation and increased cytotoxicity through cell cycle arrest at the G 0 /G 1 phase. CGs have anti-tumor effect in SKOV-3 cells and might be a potential therapeutic drug for ovarian cancer. Since this study is a preliminary investigation of CGs on SKOV-3 cells, more experiments might be performed in the future. Furthermore, more ovarian cancer cell lines might also be employed in the future studies to confirm the effect of CGs in ovarian cancer.

Purpose: The origin of blood in glaucoma-related disc hemorrhages (DH) remains unknown. A prior clinic-based study of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)-related DH showed that they had grayscale pixel intensities more similar to blood from retinal macroaneurysms and adjacent retinal arterioles than to blood from retinal vein occlusions or adjacent retinal venules, suggesting an arterial source. Here we assessed the densitometric profile of DH from fundus photographs in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS)., Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study of prospectively collected images., Methods: Stereo disc photographs of 161 DH events from 83 OHTS participants (mean age [standard deviation (SD)]: 65.6 [9.2] years; 46.6% female; 13.0% black race) were imported into ImageJ to measure densitometry differences (adjacent arterioles minus DH [ΔA] or venules minus DH [ΔV]). Their size as percentage of disc area, ratio of length to midpoint width, and location relative to the disc margin were also analyzed. We performed t tests to compare ΔA and ΔV, analysis of variance to compare ΔA and ΔV across DH recurrent events, and multivariable linear regression to identify determinants of ΔA and ΔV., Results: Mean (SD) ΔA and ΔV were -2.2 (8.7) and -11.4 (9.7) pixel intensity units, respectively (P < .001). ΔA and ΔV each did not differ significantly across recurrence of DH (P ≥ .92) or between DH events with and without POAG (P ≥ .26)., Conclusions: OHTS DH had densitometric measurements more similar in magnitude to adjacent arterioles than venules, supporting an arterial origin for DH. Vascular dysregulation may contribute to disc hemorrhage formation in ocular hypertension., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Despite the numerous risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD), cumulative evidence shows that electronegative low-density lipoprotein (L5 LDL) cholesterol is a promising biomarker. Its toxicity may contribute to atherothrombotic events. Notably, plasma L5 LDL levels positively correlate with the increasing severity of cardiovascular diseases. In contrast, traditional markers such as LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride are the therapeutic goals in secondary prevention for ASCVD, but that is controversial in primary prevention for patients with low risk. In this review, we point out the clinical significance and pathophysiological mechanisms of L5 LDL, and the clinical applications of L5 LDL levels in ASCVD can be confidently addressed. Based on the previously defined cut-off value by receiver operating characteristic curve, the acceptable physiological range of L5 concentration is proposed to be below 1.7 mg/dL. When L5 LDL level surpass this threshold, clinically relevant ASCVD might be present, and further exams such as carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity, exercise stress test, or multidetector computed tomography are required. Notably, the ultimate goal of L5 LDL concentration is lower than 1.7 mg/dL. Instead, with L5 LDL greater than 1.7 mg/dL, lipid-lowering treatment may be required, including statin, ezetimibe or PCSK9 inhibitor, regardless of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level. Since L5 LDL could be a promising biomarker, we propose that a high throughput, clinically feasible methodology is urgently required not only for conducting a prospective, large population study but for developing therapeutics strategies to decrease L5 LDL in the blood.

Biologically active ligands (e.g., RGDS from fibronectin) play critical roles in the development of chemically defined biomaterials. However, recent decades have shown only limited progress in discovering novel extracellular matrix-protein-derived ligands for translational applications. Through motif analysis of evolutionarily conserved RGD-containing regions in laminin (LM) and peptide-functionalized hydrogel microarray screening, we identified a peptide (a1) that showed superior supports for endothelial cell (EC) functions. Mechanistic studies attributed the results to the capacity of a1 engaging both LM- and Fn-binding integrins. RNA sequencing of ECs in a1-functionalized hydrogels showed ~60% similarities with Matrigel in "vasculature development" gene ontology terms. Vasculogenesis assays revealed the capacity of a1-formulated hydrogels to improve EC network formation. Injectable alginates functionalized with a1 and MMPQK (a vascular endothelial growth factor-mimetic peptide with a matrix metalloproteinase-degradable linker) increased blood perfusion and functional recovery over decellularized extracellular matrix and (RGDS + MMPQK)-functionalized hydrogels in an ischemic hindlimb model, illustrating the power of this approach., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)

An implant driver and tether system is described as a metal driver body and handle, a shaft for accepting a tether, and a distal end flange. The tether can be made of a soft material, such as silicone, and includes a retaining aperture, an elongated body, and a finger-securing aperture. During use, the tether is attached to the driver body by slipping the distal end flange of the driver body through the retaining aperture of the tether. The torque wrench is then attached to the handle of the driver., (Copyright © 2019 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: A number of Xylaria species are exclusively associated with nests of macrotermitine termites. A nesting site of Odontotermes formosanus in eastern Taiwan, which is the only macrotermitine termite known on the island, had been inundated during the raining season of 2010, and hundreds of Xylaria stromata emerged from it thereafter. A thorough examination of these stromata showed that they represent a mixture of different species., Results: Five Xylaria species were identified from the stromata collected from the nesting site, including two undescribed species, which are newly described as X. insolita and X. subescharoidea herein, and three known species X. brunneovinosa, X. escharoidea, and X. furcata., Conclusion: Totally, there are 28 Xylaria species growing on termite nests or ground in the world. Although O. formosanus is the only macrotermitine species known in Taiwan, the Xylaria diversity associated with its nests is fairly high; the species number has reached 12 with X. furcata, X. insolita, and X. subescharoidea added to the Taiwan mycobiota.

In this study, the potentiometric arrayed glucose biosensors, which were based on zinc oxide (ZnO) or aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) sensing membranes, were fabricated by using screen-printing technology and a sputtering system, and graphene oxide (GO) and Nafion-glucose oxidase (GOx) were used to modify sensing membranes by using the drop-coating method. Next, the material properties were characterized by using a Raman spectrometer, a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and a scanning probe microscope (SPM). The sensing characteristics of the glucose biosensors were measured by using the voltage-time (V-T) measurement system. Finally, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was conducted to analyze their charge transfer abilities. The results indicated that the average sensitivity of the glucose biosensor based on Nafion-GOx/GO/AZO was apparently higher than that of the glucose biosensor based on Nafion-GOx/GO/ZnO. In addition, the glucose biosensor based on Nafion-GOx/GO/AZO exhibited an excellent average sensitivity of 15.44 mV/mM and linearity of 0.997 over a narrow range of glucose concentration range, a response time of 26 s, a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.89 mM, and good reproducibility. In terms of the reversibility and stability, the hysteresis voltages (V H ) were 3.96 mV and 2.42 mV. Additionally, the glucose biosensor also showed good anti-inference ability and reproducibility. According to these results, it is demonstrated that AZO is a promising material, which could be used to develop a reliable, simple, and low-cost potentiometric glucose biosensor.

Pregnancy can exacerbate known cardiovascular disorders and unmask previously unrecognized problems. Patients with congenital heart disorders, valvular disease, primary pulmonary hypertension, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and acquired peripartum cardiomyopathy need a collaborative interdisciplinary team that includes a cardiologist with specialty training in obstetrics., (Copyright © 2020 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.)