Functional Characterization of Drosophila melanogaster CYP6A8 Fatty Acid Hydroxylase.

Genomic analysis indicated that the genome of Drosophila melanogaster contains more than 80 cytochrome P450 genes. To date, the enzymatic activity of these P450s has not been extensively studied. Here, the biochemical properties of CYP6A8 were characterized. CYP6A8 was cloned into the pCW vector, and its recombinant enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni2+-nitrilotriacetate affinity chromatography. Its expression level was approximately 130 nmol per liter of culture. Purified CYP6A8 exhibited a low-spin state in the absolute spectra of the ferric forms. Binding titration analysis indicated that lauric acid and capric acid produced type І spectral changes, with Kd values 28 ± 4 and 144 ± 20 µM, respectively. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the oxidation reaction of lauric acid produced (ω-1)-hydroxylated lauric acid as a major product and ω-hydroxy-lauric acid as a minor product. Steady-state kinetic analysis of lauric acid hydroxylation yielded a kcat value of 0.038 ± 0.002 min-1 and a Km value of 10 ± 2 µM. In addition, capric acid hydroxylation of CYP6A8 yielded kinetic parameters with a kcat value of 0.135 ± 0.007 min-1 and a Km value of 21 ± 4 µM. Because of the importance of various lipids as carbon sources, the metabolic analysis of fatty acids using CYP6A8 in this study can provide an understanding of the biochemical roles of P450 enzymes in many insects, including Drosophila melanogaster.

Ultrafast Real-Time PCR in Photothermal Microparticles.

As the turnaround time of diagnosis becomes important, there is an increasing demand for rapid, point-of-care testing (POCT) based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the most reliable diagnostic tool. Although optical components in real-time PCR (qPCR) have quickly become compact and economical, conventional PCR instruments still require bulky thermal systems, making it difficult to meet emerging needs. Photonic PCR, which utilizes photothermal nanomaterials as heating elements, is a promising platform for POCT as it reduces power consumption and process time. Here, we develop a photonic qPCR platform using hydrogel microparticles. Microparticles consisting of hydrogel matrixes containing photothermal nanomaterials and primers are dubbed photothermal primer-immobilized networks (pPINs). Reduced graphene oxide is selected as the most suitable photothermal nanomaterial to generate heat in pPIN due to its superior light-to-heat conversion efficiency. The photothermal reaction volume of 100 nL (predefined by the pPIN dimensions) provides fast heating and cooling rates of 22.0 ± 3.0 and 23.5 ± 2.6 °C s-1, respectively, enabling ultrafast qPCR within 5 min only with optical components. The microparticle-based photonic qPCR facilitates multiplex assays by loading multiple encoded pPIN microparticles in a single reaction. As a proof of concept, four-plex pPIN qPCR for bacterial discrimination are successfully demonstrated.

Barriers and facilitators on the HIV care continuum among adults living with HIV in high-income countries: a scoping review protocol.

BACKGROUND: As the life expectancy of people living with HIV increases with the advancements in antiretroviral treatment, the continuity of long-term therapy and health care for people living with HIV has gained more importance. However, the estimated proportion of people living with HIV who have access to treatment or are virally suppressed is unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is necessary to build strategies to improve treatment continuity by identifying the barriers and facilitators that affect the HIV care continuum. To enable this, we will conduct a scoping review to explore the barriers and facilitators related to the care continuum in high-income countries for adults living with HIV. METHODS: The review question will be identified based on the JBI guidelines for the development of scoping review protocols. Studies exploring the barriers to and facilitators of the HIV care continuum among adults living with HIV in high-income countries will be included in this review. A literature search will be conducted on the databases (platform) of MEDLINE (Ovid), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (EBSCO), Embase (Ovid), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library). Four researchers will screen articles for inclusion and subsequently build a charting form and collate the data to provide results. DISCUSSION: The results of this scoping review will provide comprehensive evidence for the barriers and facilitators to be considered in the care continuum of people living with HIV. Importantly, the results will provide insight for healthcare providers and researchers to develop interventions and research the continuity in caring for people living with HIV.

Structural characterization and fatty acid epoxidation of CYP184A1 from Streptomyces avermitilis.

The genome of Streptomyces avermitilis contains 33 cytochrome P450 genes. Among the P450 gene products of S. avermitilis, we characterized the biochemical function and structural aspects of CYP184A1. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed that CYP184A1 induced an epoxidation reaction to produce 9,10-epoxystearic acid. Steady-state kinetic analysis yielded a kcat value of 0.0067 min-1 and a Km value 10 µM. The analysis of its crystal structures illustrated that the overall CYP184A1 structure adopts the canonical scaffold of cytochrome P450 and possesses a narrow and deep substrate pocket architecture that is required for binding to linear chain fatty acids. In the structure of the CYP184A1 oleic acid complex (CYP184A1-OA), C9-C10 of oleic acid was bound to heme for the productive epoxidation reaction. This study elucidates the roles of P450 enzymes in the oxidative metabolism of fatty acids in Streptomyces species.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the fully mycoheterotrophic orchid Gastrodia elata.

Gastrodia elata, an obligate mycoheterotrophic orchid, requires complete carbon and mineral nutrient supplementation from mycorrhizal fungi during its entire life cycle. Although full mycoheterotrophy occurs most often in the Orchidaceae family, no chromosome-level reference genome from this group has been assembled to date. Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of G. elata, using Illumina and PacBio sequencing methods with Hi-C technique. The assembled genome size was found to be 1045 Mb, with an N50 of 50.6 Mb and 488 scaffolds. A total of 935 complete (64.9%) matches to the 1440 embryophyte Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs were identified in this genome assembly. Hi-C scaffolding of the assembled genome resulted in 18 pseudochromosomes, 1008 Mb in size and containing 96.5% of the scaffolds. A total of 18,844 protein-coding sequences (CDSs) were predicted in the G. elata genome, of which 15,619 CDSs (82.89%) were functionally annotated. In addition, 74.92% of the assembled genome was found to be composed of transposable elements. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a significant contraction of genes involved in various biosynthetic processes and cellular components and an expansion of genes for novel metabolic processes and mycorrhizal association. This result suggests an evolutionary adaptation of G. elata to a mycoheterotrophic lifestyle. In summary, the genomic resources generated in this study will provide a valuable reference genome for investigating the molecular mechanisms of G. elata biological functions. Furthermore, the complete G. elata genome will greatly improve our understanding of the genetics of Orchidaceae and its mycoheterotrophic evolution.

LIN28A enhances regenerative capacity of human somatic tissue stem cells via metabolic and mitochondrial reprogramming.

Developing methods to improve the regenerative capacity of somatic stem cells (SSCs) is a major challenge in regenerative medicine. Here, we propose the forced expression of LIN28A as a method to modulate cellular metabolism, which in turn enhances self-renewal, differentiation capacities, and engraftment after transplantation of various human SSCs. Mechanistically, in undifferentiated/proliferating SSCs, LIN28A induced metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) to glycolysis by activating PDK1-mediated glycolysis-TCA/OxPhos uncoupling. Mitochondria were also reprogrammed into healthy/fused mitochondria with improved functional capacity. The reprogramming allows SSCs to undergo cell proliferation more extensively with low levels of oxidative and mitochondrial stress. When the PDK1-mediated uncoupling was untethered upon differentiation, LIN28A-SSCs differentiated more efficiently with an increase of OxPhos by utilizing the reprogrammed mitochondria. This study provides mechanistic and practical approaches of utilizing LIN28A and metabolic reprogramming in order to improve SSCs utility in regenerative medicine.

Contribution of the Sub-Surface to Electrocatalytic Activity in Atomically Precise La0.7 Sr0.3 MnO3 Heterostructures.

Electrocatalytic reactions are known to take place at the catalyst/electrolyte interface. Whereas recent studies of size-dependent activity in nanoparticles and thickness-dependent activity of thin films imply that the sub-surface layers of a catalyst can contribute to the catalytic activity as well, most of these studies consider actual modification of the surfaces. In this study, the role of catalytically active sub-surface layers was investigated by employing atomic-scale thickness control of the La0.7 Sr0.3 MnO3 (LSMO) films and heterostructures, without altering the catalyst/electrolyte interface. The activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) shows a non-monotonic thickness dependence in the LSMO films and a continuous screening effect in LSMO/SrRuO3 heterostructures. The observation leads to the definition of an "electrochemically-relevant depth" on the order of 10 unit cells. This study on the electrocatalytic activity of epitaxial heterostructures provides new insight in designing efficient electrocatalytic nanomaterials and core-shell architectures.

The Loss of Function of the NODULE INCEPTION-Like PROTEIN 7 Enhances Salt Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis Seedlings.

Plants acquire nitrogen, an essential macronutrient, from the soil as nitrate. Since nitrogen availability is a major determinant of crop productivity, the soil is amended with nitrogenous fertilizers. Extensive use of irrigation can lead to the accumulation of salt in the soil, which compromises crop productivity. Our characterization of NODULE INCEPTION (NIN)-like PROTEIN 7 (NLP7), a transcription factor regulating the primary response to nitrate, revealed an intersection of salt stress and nitrate metabolism. The growth of loss-of-function mutant nlp7 was tolerant to high salinity that normally reduces the fresh weight and chlorophyll and protein content of wild type (Col-0). On a medium with high salinity, the nlp7 experienced less stress, accumulating less proline, producing less nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and expressing lower transcript levels of marker genes, such as RD29A and COR47, than Col-0. Nevertheless, more sodium ions were translocated to and accumulated in the shoots of nlp7 than that of Col-0. Since nlp7 also expressed less nitrate reductase (NR) activity, nitrate accumulated to abnormally high levels with or without salinity. We attributed the enhanced salt tolerance of nlp7 to the balanced accumulation of nitrate anions and sodium cations. Our results suggest that nitrate metabolism and signaling might be targeted to improve salt tolerance.

The complete chloroplast genome of Korean Gastrodia elata Blume.

The completed chloroplast genome of Gastrodia elata Blume (G. elata) from Korea was determined in this study. The cpDNA is 35,230 bp in length and lacked the large and small single copy (LSC and SSC) regions, due to the lost inverted repeat (IR). The overall AT content is 73.30%, and the cpDNA contains 20 protein-coding genes, 5 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Remarkably, the Korean G. elata cp genome was 74 bp smaller than that of the Chinese G. elata. It revealed substantial sequence variants 495 SNPs and 75 InDels between the two G. elata genomes.

Inhibition of SIRT6 potentiates the anti-tumor effect of doxorubicin through suppression of the DNA damage repair pathway in osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: SIRT6 has diverse roles in cells, and the role of SIRT6 in tumorigenesis is controversial. Considering the role of SIRT6 as an inducer of DNA damage repair, it might be involved in resistance to anti-cancer therapy. METHODS: We evaluated the prognostic significance of SIRT6 in 37 osteosarcomas and investigated the therapeutic efficacy of SIRT6 on the anticancer effects of doxorubicin, olaparib, and ATM inhibitor. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical expression of SIRT6 was significantly associated with shorter overall survival and relapse-free survival of osteosarcoma patients, especially in patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. In U2OS and KHOS/NP osteosarcoma cells, knock-down of SIRT6 significantly potentiated apoptotic effects of doxorubicin and SIRT6 overexpression induced resistance to doxorubicin. Moreover, SIRT6 induced the DNA damage repair pathway and SIRT6-mediated resistance to doxorubicin was attenuated by blocking the DNA damage repair pathway with olaparib and ATM inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that suppression of SIRT6 in combination with doxorubicin might be an effective modality in the treatment of osteosarcoma patients, especially for osteosarcomas with shorter survival with high expression of SIRT6.

FAM83H and SCRIB stabilize ß-catenin and stimulate progression of gastric carcinoma.

FAM83H primarily is known for its function in tooth development. Recently, a role for FAM83H in tumorigenesis, conjunction with MYC and ß-catenin, has been suggested. Analysis of public data indicates that FAM83H expression is closely associated with SCRIB expression in human gastric cancers. Therefore, this study investigated the roles of FAM83H and SCRIB in 200 human gastric cancers and gastric cancer cells. In human gastric carcinomas, both the individual and combined expression patterns of the nuclear FAM83H and SCRIB were independent indicators of shorter survival of gastric carcinoma patients. In MKN-45 and NCI-N87 gastric cancer cells, the expression of FAM83H and SCRIB were associated with proliferation and invasiveness of cells. FAM83H-mediated in vivo tumor growth was attenuated with knock-down of SCRIB. Moreover, immunoprecipitation indicates that FAM83H, SCRIB, and ß-catenin, form a complex, and knock-down of either FAM83H or SCRIB accelerated proteasomal degradation of ß-catenin. In conclusion, this study has found that the individual and combined expression patterns of nuclear FAM83H and SCRIB are prognostic indicators of gastric carcinomas and further suggests that FAM83H and SCRIB are involved in the progression of gastric carcinomas by stabilizing ß-catenin.

The role of age in determining the effects of lipo-PGE1 infusion on immediate arterial maximal flow velocity in patients with diabetes undergoing free flap surgery for lower extremity reconstruction: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus may have a negative effect on free flap perfusion in patients undergoing reconstructive surgery. Little is known of the effects of lipo-prostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1) on flap blood flow in diabetes. This study investigated the effects of lipo-PGE1 on maximal blood flow velocity of the free flap arterial pedicle in patients with diabetes. METHODS: This prospective observational study assessed maximal blood flow velocity in the arterial pedicle before and 30 min after infusion of 0.4 µg/h lipo-PGE1 in 40 patients with diabetes who received a free flap for lower extremity reconstruction. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether age, hemoglobin A1c concentration, duration of diabetes, and flap type were significantly associated with increased maximal blood flow velocity after lipo-PGE1 infusion or not. RESULTS: The maximal blood flow velocity of the free flap did not differ significantly before and 30 min after lipo-PGE1 infusion. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age <65 years was the only independent factor associated with increased maximal blood flow velocity after lipo-PGE1 infusion (odds ratio = 5.344; p = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Assessments of all patients with diabetes undergoing free flap surgery, when age was not taken into consideration, found that lipo-PGE1 did not significantly increase the maximal blood flow velocity of the free flap arterial pedicle. However, when age was taken into consideration, lipo-PGE1 increased blood flow velocity in patients <65 years old, suggesting that age influences the effect of lipo-PGE1 on the blood flow velocity.

Prediction of Smoking Abstinence in Women Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

BACKGROUND: This study examined whether baseline negative emotional states (depression and anxiety) would predict craving for cigarettes and other nicotine withdrawal symptoms in early abstinence and whether those emotional states and withdrawal symptoms would predict failure in quitting smoking at 3 months postquit among U.S. women living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHOD: The study is a secondary analysis of data from two smoking cessation studies of women living with HIV. Craving for cigarettes and other withdrawal symptoms were assessed weekly with a total of 229 observations during the first 4 weeks following quit day. Descriptive statistics were used to examine baseline characteristics of the participants. A random growth curve model was used to estimate between-person differences in a within-person trend of changes in the withdrawal symptoms. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of short-term smoking abstinence. RESULTS: Baseline anxiety was a predictor of postquit nicotine withdrawal symptoms but baseline depression was not. Neither baseline anxiety nor depression predicted postquit craving for cigarettes. Participants who received an HIV-tailored smoking cessation intervention showed a greater decline in craving symptom than those who received an attention-controlled intervention. HIV-tailored intervention and less craving predicted smoking abstinence at 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: Compared to an attention-controlled intervention, an HIV-tailored intervention effectively decreased craving for cigarette smoking after quitting-which effectively increased the rate of short-term smoking abstinence in women living with HIV.

Intravenous Lidocaine for the Prevention of Postoperative Catheter-Related Bladder Discomfort in Male Patients Undergoing Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Male patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) are prone to suffer from catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD). Lidocaine administration has been widely performed to reduce postoperative pain. Here, the effect of intravenous lidocaine administration on moderate-to-severe CRBD was evaluated in male patients undergoing TURBT. METHODS: Patients were randomly allocated to receive intravenous lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg bolus dose followed by a 2 mg/kg/h continuous infusion during the intraoperative period, which was continued for 1 hour postsurgery; group L) or placebo (normal saline; group C). The primary outcome was moderate-to-severe CRBD at 0 hour postsurgery (on admission to the postanesthetic care unit), analyzed using the χ test. The secondary outcome was opioid requirement during the 24-hour postoperative period. None, mild, and moderate-to-severe CRBD at 1, 2, and 6 hours postsurgery, postoperative pain, patient satisfaction, side effects of lidocaine and rescue medications (tramadol and fentanyl), and surgical complications were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 132 patients were included in the study (66 patients in each group). The incidence of moderate-to-severe CRBD at 0 hour postsurgery was significantly lower in group L than in group C (25.8% vs 66.7%, P < .001, relative risk: 0.386, 95% confidence interval: 0.248-0.602). Opioid requirements during the 24-hour postoperative period were significantly lower in group L than in group C (10.0 mg [interquartile range (IQR), 5.0-15.0 mg] vs 13.8 mg [IQR, 10.0-20.0 mg], P = .005). At 1 and 2 hours postsurgery (but not at 6 hours), the incidence of moderate-to-severe CRBD was significantly lower in group L than in group C (1 hour: 10.6% vs 27.3%, P = .026; 2 hours: 0.0% vs 15.2%, P = .003). Patient satisfaction was significantly greater in group L than in group C (5.0 [IQR, 4.8-6.0] vs 4.0 [IQR, 4.0-5.0], P < .001). No lidocaine-related side effects were reported. Rescue medication-related side effects and surgical complications did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous lidocaine administration resulted in lower incidence of moderate-to-severe CRBD, lower opioid requirement, and higher patient satisfaction in male patients undergoing TURBT without evidence of significant side effects.

Extent of Pedigree Required to Screen for and Diagnose Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer: Comparison of Simplified and Extended Pedigrees.

BACKGROUND: Obtaining an accurate pedigree is the first step in recognizing a patient with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, or Lynch syndrome. However, lack of standardization of the degree of relationship included in the pedigrees generally limits obtaining a complete and/or accurate pedigree. DESIGN: This study analyzed the extent of pedigree required to screen for colorectal cancer and to diagnose Lynch syndrome. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at 2 tertiary care centers. PATIENTS: A detailed family history was obtained from patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer from 2003 to 2016. A simplified pedigree that included only first-degree relatives was obtained and compared with the extended pedigree. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The eligibility of the 2 pedigrees was assessed for each proband. The proportion of patients who would be missed using a simplified rather than an extended pedigree was calculated based on the American Cancer Society guidelines for recommending screening for colorectal cancer, on the revised Bethesda guidelines and the revised suspected hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer criteria for screening for hereditary colorectal cancer, and on the Amsterdam II criteria for diagnosis of Lynch syndrome. RESULTS: The study examined 2015 families, including 41,826 individuals. Use of simplified and extended pedigrees was comparable in screening for colorectal cancer, with ratios of 183 of 185 (98.9%) for American Cancer Society guidelines, 295 of 295 (100%) for revised Bethesda guidelines, and 60 of 60 (100%) for revised suspected hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer criteria. However, the use of simplified pedigrees missed a definitive diagnosis of Lynch syndrome in 6 of 10 patients fulfilling Amsterdam II criteria based on extended pedigrees. The mean ages at diagnosis of the 4 probands included and the 6 missed using simplified pedigrees differed significantly (60.8 vs 38.2 y). LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by its recall bias, cross-sectional nature, lack of germline testing, and potential inapplicability to the general population. CONCLUSIONS: A simplified pedigree is acceptable for selecting candidates to screen for hereditary colorectal cancer, whereas an extended pedigree is still required for a more precise diagnosis of Lynch syndrome, especially in younger patients. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B97. EXTENSIÓN DE PEDIGREE REQUERIDO EN LA DETECCIÓN Y DIAGNÓSTICO DE CÁNCER COLORRECTAL HEREDITARIO SIN POLIPOSIS: COMPARACIÓN DE LOS PEDIGREES SIMPLIFICADO Y EL EXTENDIDO: La obtención de un Pedigree exacto es el primer paso para reconocer un paciente con cáncer colorrectal hereditario sin poliposis o síndrome de Lynch. Sin embargo, la falta de estandarización del grado de relación incluido en los Pedigrees generalmente limita la obtención de un Pedigree completo y / o preciso.Este estudio analizó el grado de Pedigree requerido para detectar el cáncer colorrectal y diagnosticar el síndrome de Lynch.Se obtuvo una historia familiar detallada de pacientes sometidos a cirugía por cáncer colorrectal desde 2003 hasta 2016. Se obtuvo también un Pedigree simplificado que incluía solo familiares de primer grado y se comparó con el Pedigree extendido.La elegibilidad de los dos Pedigrees se evaluó para cada sujeto de prueba (proband). La proporción de pacientes que se perderían usando un Pedigree simplificado en lugar de extendido se calculó en base a las guías de la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer y sus recomendaciones en la detección de cáncer colorrectal, en las pautas revisadas de Bethesda y en los criterios revisados de cáncer colorrectal hereditario sin poliposis para la detección hereditaria de cáncer colorrectal y según las normas de Amsterdam II para el diagnóstico del síndrome de Lynch.El estudio examinó a 2.015 familias, incluidas 41.826 personas. El uso de Pedigree simplificado y extendido fue comparable en la detección del cáncer colorrectal, con proporciones de 183/185 (98,9%) comparadas con las recomendaciones de la American Cancer Society, 295/295 (100%) para las pautas revisadas de Bethesda y 60/60 (100%) para los criterios revisados de sospecha de cáncer colorrectal hereditario sin poliposis. Sin embargo, el uso de Pedigree simplificado omitió un diagnóstico definitivo del síndrome de Lynch en 6 de diez pacientes que cumplían las normas de Amsterdam II basados en Pedigrees extendidos. Las edades medias al diagnóstico de los cuatro sujetos de prueba incluidos y los seis perdidos usando el Pedigree simplificado diferían significativamente (60.8 vs. 38.2 años).Un Pedigre simplificado es aceptable en la selección de candidatos para la detección de cáncer colorrectal hereditario, mientras que aún se requiere un Pedigree extendido para un diagnóstico más preciso de síndrome de Lynch, especialmente en pacientes más jóvenes. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B97. (Traducción-Dr. Edgar Xavier Delgadillo).

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Digital Storytelling Intervention for Smoking Cessation in Women Living With HIV.

BACKGROUND: People living with HIV in the USA smoke at a rate nearly three times that of the general population, and Black women are disproportionately affected by HIV infection. PURPOSE: This study was conducted to test the preliminary efficacy of a digital storytelling intervention for smoking cessation in U.S. women living with HIV. METHODS: Participants in the treatment arm viewed a film in which women living with HIV talk about quitting smoking, and those in the control arm viewed an attention-control film in which women talk about living with HIV infection. Participants in both arms received eight weekly video-call counseling sessions focused on smoking cessation and nicotine patches or gum during the same period. Participants were followed on a monthly basis from quit day for 3 months. RESULTS: Of the 53 participants randomized, four withdrew before receiving any intervention, one dropped out during the intervention, and 48 (90.6%) completed the study. No difference was found in the baseline characteristics between the two arms with the exception that the treatment arm had higher nicotine dependence scores [t(1.51) = 2.30, p = .03] than the control arm. Seven day point-prevalence abstinence rates at 3 month follow-up were not found to differ between the two arms. However, the odds of achieving 3 month prolonged abstinence were four times greater (odds ratio = 4.23, 95% confidence interval = 1.10, 16.23) in the treatment arm than the control arm when the analysis was performed with those (n = 49, 92.5%) who received any part of the allotted intervention. CONCLUSIONS: A digital storytelling intervention seems to be a valuable strategy to enhance the effect of conventional tobacco dependence treatment for women living with HIV. However, the underlying mechanism of the effect of digital storytelling necessitates further investigations in a large RCT.Clinical Trials Registration No. NCT03289676.

Identification of transcriptome-wide, nut weight-associated SNPs in Castanea crenata.

Nut weight is one of the most important traits that can affect a chestnut grower's returns. Due to the long juvenile phase of chestnut trees, the selection of desired characteristics at early developmental stages represents a major challenge for chestnut breeding. In this study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in transcriptomic regions, which were significantly associated with nut weight in chestnuts (Castanea crenata), using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data were generated from large and small nut-bearing trees, using an Illumina HiSeq. 2000 system, and 3,271,142 SNPs were identified. A total of 21 putative SNPs were significantly associated with chestnut weight (false discovery rate [FDR] < 10-5), based on further analyses. We also applied five machine learning (ML) algorithms, support vector machine (SVM), C5.0, k-nearest neighbour (k-NN), partial least squares (PLS), and random forest (RF), using the 21 SNPs to predict the nut weights of a second population. The average accuracy of the ML algorithms for the prediction of chestnut weights was greater than 68%. Taken together, we suggest that these SNPs have the potential to be used during marker-assisted selection to facilitate the breeding of large chestnut-bearing varieties.

Effect of Ketorolac on the Prevention of Postoperative Catheter-Related Bladder Discomfort in Patients Undergoing Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Urinary catheterization can cause catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD). Ketorolac is widely used for pain control. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of ketorolac on the prevention of CRBD in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP). All patients were randomly allocated to the ketorolac group or the control group. The primary outcome was CRBD above a moderate grade at 0 h postoperatively. CRBD above a moderate grade at 1, 2, and 6 h was also assessed. Postoperative pain, opioid requirement, ketorolac-related complications, patient satisfaction, and hospitalization duration were also assessed. The incidence of CRBD above a moderate grade at 0 h postoperatively was significantly lower in the ketorolac group (21.5% vs. 50.8%, p = 0.001) as were those at 1, 2, and 6 h. Pain scores at 0 and 1 h and opioid requirement over 24 h were significantly lower in the ketorolac group, while patient satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the ketorolac group. Ketorolac-related complications and hospitalization duration were not significantly different between the two groups. This study shows ketorolac can reduce postoperative CRBD above a moderate grade and increase patient satisfaction in patients undergoing RALP, suggesting it is a useful option to prevent postoperative CRBD.

Low-Voltage Organic Transistor Memory Fiber with a Nanograined Organic Ferroelectric Film.

Wearable technology offers new ways to be more proactive about our health and surroundings in real time. For next-generation wearable systems, robust storage and recording media are required to monitor and process the essential electrical signals generated under various unpredictable strain conditions. Here, we report the first fibriform organic transistor memory integrated on a thin and flexible metal wire. A capillary tube coating system allows the formation of a thin and nanograined organic ferroelectric film on the wire. The uniform morphology imparts excellent switching stability (∼100 cycles), quasi-permanent retention (over 5 × 104 s), and low-voltage operation (below 5 V) to the fiber-shaped memory devices. When sewn in a stretchable textile fabric, the memory fiber achieves long retention time of more than 104 s with negligible degradation of memory window even under a constant diagonal strain of 100% that exhibits reliable data storage under tough environments. These results illustrate the possibility of the practical, wearable fiber memory for recording electronic signals in smart garment applications.

The complete chloroplast genome of Castanea crenata Sieb. & Zucc.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Castanea crenata was sequenced and assembled using PacBio Sequel data. The cpDNA was 160,787 bp in length, containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,654 bp each separated by a large and small single copy (LSC and SSC) regions of 90,645 bp and 18,836 bp, respectively. The cpDNA contained 102 genes, including 65 protein-coding genes, 8 ribosomal RNA genes and 37 transfer RNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that C. crenata was closest to C. pumila var. pumila, which is known as a typical variety of American chinquapin or dwarf chestnut.