Photosynthetic biohybrid coculture for tandem and tunable CO2 and N2 fixation.

Solar-driven bioelectrosynthesis represents a promising approach for converting abundant resources into value-added chemicals with renewable energy. Microorganisms powered by electrochemical reducing equivalents assimilate CO2, H2O, and N2 building blocks. However, products from autotrophic whole-cell biocatalysts are limited. Furthermore, biocatalysts tasked with N2 reduction are constrained by simultaneous energy-intensive autotrophy. To overcome these challenges, we designed a biohybrid coculture for tandem and tunable CO2 and N2 fixation to value-added products, allowing the different species to distribute bioconversion steps and reduce the individual metabolic burden. This consortium involves acetogen Sporomusa ovata, which reduces CO2 to acetate, and diazotrophic Rhodopseudomonas palustris, which uses the acetate both to fuel N2 fixation and for the generation of a biopolyester. We demonstrate that the coculture platform provides a robust ecosystem for continuous CO2 and N2 fixation, and its outputs are directed by substrate gas composition. Moreover, we show the ability to support the coculture on a high-surface area silicon nanowire cathodic platform. The biohybrid coculture achieved peak faradaic efficiencies of 100, 19.1, and 6.3% for acetate, nitrogen in biomass, and ammonia, respectively, while maintaining product tunability. Finally, we established full solar to chemical conversion driven by a photovoltaic device, resulting in solar to chemical efficiencies of 1.78, 0.51, and 0.08% for acetate, nitrogenous biomass, and ammonia, correspondingly. Ultimately, our work demonstrates the ability to employ and electrochemically manipulate bacterial communities on demand to expand the suite of CO2 and N2 bioelectrosynthesis products.

An exploratory clinical trial of preoperative non-invasive localization before breast-conserving surgery using augmented reality technology.

PURPOSE: This single-center, randomized, prospective, exploratory clinical trial was conducted to assess the clinical efficacy of an augmented reality (AR)-based breast cancer localization imaging solution for patients with breast cancer. METHODS: This clinical trial enrolled 20 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between the ages of 19 and 80, had a single lesion with a diameter ≥ 5 mm but ≤ 30 mm, had no metastases to other organs, and had not received prior chemotherapy. All patients underwent mammography, ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative assessment. Patients were randomly assigned to ultrasound-guided skin marking localization (USL) and AR-based localization (ARL) groups (n = 10 in each group). Statistical comparisons between USL and ARL groups were made based on demographics, radiologic features, pathological outcomes, and surgical outcomes using chi-square and Student t-tests. RESULTS: Two surgeons performed breast-conserving surgery on 20 patients. Histopathologic evaluation of all patients confirmed negative margins. Two independent pathologists evaluated the marginal distances, and there were no intergroup differences in the readers' estimates (R1, 6.20 ± 4.37 vs. 5.04 ± 3.47, P = 0.519; R2, 5.10 ± 4.31 vs. 4.10 ± 2.38, P = 0.970) or the readers' average values (5.65 ± 4.19 vs. 4.57 ± 2.84, P = 0.509). In comparing the tumor plane area ratio, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of either reader's mean values (R1, 15.90 ± 9.52 vs. 19.38 ± 14.05, P = 0.525; R2, 15.32 ± 9.48 vs. 20.83 ± 12.85, P = 0.290) or the overall mean values of two readers combined (15.56 ± 9.11 vs. 20.09 ± 13.38, P = 0.388). Convenience, safety, satisfaction, and reusability were all superior in the AR localization group (P < 0.001) based on the two surgeons' responses. CONCLUSION: AR localization is an acceptable alternative to ultrasound-guided skin marking with no significant differences in surgical outcomes.

Exploration and genetic analyses of canopy leaf pigmentation changes in soybean (Glycine max L.): unveiling a novel phenotype.

KEY MESSAGE: Pigmentation changes in canopy leaves were first reported, and subsequent genetic analyses identified a major QTL associated with levels of pigmentation changes, suggesting Glyma.06G202300 as a candidate gene. An unexpected reddish-purple pigmentation in upper canopy leaves was discovered during the late reproductive stages in soybean (Glycine max L.) genotypes. Two sensitive genotypes, 'Uram' and PI 96983, exhibited anomalous canopy leaf pigmentation changes (CLPC), while 'Daepung' did not. The objectives of this study were to: (i) characterize the physiological features of pigmented canopy leaves compared with non-pigmented leaves, (ii) evaluate phenotypic variation in a combined recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (N = 169 RILs) under field conditions, and (iii) genetically identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for CLPC via joint population linkage analysis. Comparison between pigmented and normal leaves revealed different Fv/Fm of photosystem II, hyperspectral reflectance, and cellular properties, suggesting the pigmentation changes occur in response to an undefined abiotic stress. A highly significant QTL was identified on chromosome 6, explaining ~ 62.8% of phenotypic variance. Based on the QTL result, Glyma.06G202300 encoding flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H) was identified as a candidate gene. In both Uram and PI 96983, a 1-bp deletion was confirmed in the third exon of Glyma.06G202300 that results in a premature stop codon in both Uram and PI 96983 and a truncated F3'H protein lacking important domains. Additionally, gene expression analyses uncovered significant differences between pigmented and non-pigmented leaves. This is the first report of a novel symptom and an associated major QTL. These results will provide soybean geneticists and breeders with valuable knowledge regarding physiological changes that may affect soybean production. Further studies are required to elucidate the causal environmental stress and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Differential HBV replicative markers and covalently closed circular DNA transcription in immune-active chronic hepatitis B with and without HBeAg.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Molecular processes driving immune-active chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with and without hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate expression profiles of serum and intrahepatic HBV markers and replicative activity of HBV in CHB patients with or without HBeAg. METHODS: This study recruited 111 untreated immune-active CHB (60 HBeAg-positive and 51 HBeAg-negative) patients and quantified intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), pre-genomic RNA (pgRNA), total HBV DNA (tDNA), and replicative intermediates as well as serum HBV markers (HBV DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B core-related antigen). Correlations between HBV markers and clinico-virological factors influencing expression levels of HBV markers were analysed. RESULTS: Levels of all serum markers and intrahepatic cccDNA/tDNA as well as cccDNA transcriptional activity and virion productivity were significantly reduced in HBeAg-negative patients compared to those in HBeAg-positive patients. Additionally, correlations between intrahepatic cccDNA/pgRNA and serum markers were impaired in HBeAg-negative individuals. Aminotransferase levels were positively correlated with cccDNA transcriptional activity in HBeAg-positive patients, but not in HBeAg-negative patients. Notably, among HBeAg-positive patients, there was a progressive decline in pgRNA level, transcriptional activity, and serum HBV markers as liver fibrosis advanced, which was not observed in HBeAg-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: HBeAg loss is correlated with diminished intrahepatic HBV reservoirs and cccDNA transcription, leading to decreased serum HBV marker levels. Circulating HBV markers are not reliable indicators of intrahepatic HBV replicative activity for HBeAg-negative patients. Our findings reveal distinct disease phenotypes between immune-active CHB with and without HBeAg, highlighting the need to establish optimal surrogate biomarkers that can accurately mirror intrahepatic viral activity to aid in decision-making for antiviral therapy for immune-active CHB.

Synthesis of low-k SiONC thin films by plasma-assisted molecular layer deposition with tetraisocyanatesilane and phloroglucinol.

Low-k SiONC thin films with excellent thermal stabilities were deposited using plasma-assisted molecular layer deposition (PA-MLD) with a tetraisocyanatesilane (Si(NCO)4) precursor, N2plasma, and phloroglucinol (C6H3(OH)3). By adjusting the order of the N2plasma exposure steps within the PA-MLD process, we successfully developed a deposition technique that allows accurate control of thickness at the Ångström level via self-limiting reactions. The thicknesses of the thin films were measured through spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). By tuning the N2plasma power, we facilitated the formation of -NH2sites for phloroglucinol adsorption, achieving a growth per cycle of 0.18 Å cycle-1with 300 W of N2plasma power. Consequently, the thickness of the films increased linearly with each additional cycle. Moreover, the organic linkers within the film formed stable bonds through surface reactions, resulting in a negligible decrease in thickness of approximately -11% even upon exposure to a high annealing temperature of 600 °C. This observation was confirmed by SE, distinguishing the as-prepared film from previously reported low-k films that fail to maintain their thickness under similar conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement were conducted to evaluate the composition, insulating properties, and dielectric constant according to the deposition and annealing conditions. XPS results revealed that as the plasma power increased from 200 to 300 W, the C/Si ratio increased from 0.37 to 0.67, decreasing the dielectric constant from 3.46 to 3.12. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the composition before and after annealing, and the hysteresis decreased from 0.58 to 0.19 V owing to defect healing, while maintaining the leakage current density, breakdown field, and dielectric constant. The low dielectric constant, accurate thickness control, and excellent thermal stability of this MLD SiONC thin film enable its application as an interlayer dielectric in back-end-of-line process.

Age-Dependent Clinicopathological Characteristics of Patients with T1b Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Implications for the Possibility of Active Surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Active surveillance (AS) of low-risk T1a papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is generally accepted as an alternative to immediate surgery. The cut-off in the size criterion for AS has recently been extended in select individuals, especially older patients. We evaluated the clinicopathological differences of T1b PTC according to age to investigate the possibility of AS in older patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From a cohort study of 1269 patients undergoing lobectomy for PTC, 1223 PTC patients with T1 stage disease (tumor ≤ 2 cm) were enrolled. The clinicopathological characteristics between T1a and T1b patients according to age were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 1223 T1 cases, 918 (75.1%) were T1a (≤ 1 cm) and 305 (34.9%) T1b (> 1 and ≤ 2 cm). T1b PTC was associated with male sex, minimal extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion, occult central lymph node (LN) metastasis, and a higher number of metastatic LNs than T1a. However, in patients over 55 years of age, the clinicopathological features of the patients with T1a and T1b PTC were not significantly different except for minimal extrathyroidal extension, although many clinicopathological differences were observed in patients under 55 years of age. CONCLUSION: The clinicopathological features of patients with T1b PTC over 55 years of age are similar to those with T1a PTC and less aggressive than those with T1b PTC under 55 years of age. These findings suggest that AS may be possible in patients with T1b PTC over 55 years of age without high-risk features on preoperative examinations.

sEVs from tonsil-derived mesenchymal stromal cells alleviate activation of hepatic stellate cells and liver fibrosis through miR-486-5p.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are considered as a promising therapeutic tool for liver fibrosis, a main feature of chronic liver disease. Because small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) harboring a variety of proteins and RNAs are known to have similar functions with their derived cells, MSC-derived sEVs carry out the regenerative capacities of MSCs. Human tonsil-derived MSCs (T-MSCs) are reported as a novel source of MSCs, but their effects on liver fibrosis remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of T-MSC-derived sEVs on liver fibrosis. The expression of profibrotic genes decreased in human primary hepatic stellate cells (pHSCs) co-cultured with T-MSCs. Treatment of T-MSC-sEVs inactivated human and mouse pHSCs. Administration of T-MSC-sEVs ameliorated hepatic injuries and fibrosis in chronically damaged liver induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). miR-486-5p highly enriched in T-MSC-sEVs targeting the hedgehog receptor, smoothened (Smo), was upregulated, whereas Smo and Gli2, the hedgehog target gene, were downregulated in pHSCs and liver tissues treated with T-MSC-sEVs or miR-486-5p mimic, indicating that sEV-miR-486 inactivates HSCs by suppressing hedgehog signaling. Our results showed that T-MSCs attenuate HSC activation and liver fibrosis by delivering sEVs, and miR-486 in the sEVs inactivates hedgehog signaling, suggesting that T-MSCs and their sEVs are novel anti-fibrotic therapeutics for treating chronic liver disease.

ACE2 and TMPRSS2 immunolocalization and oral manifestations of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) entry into the host cells depends on the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). We investigated the distribution of ACE2- and TMPRSS2-expressing cells in various oral tissues to identify the underlying mechanism of oral manifestations in patients with coronavirus disease 2019. SUBJECTS: We analyzed the expression patterns of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the oral mucosa (tongue, palate, and buccal mucosa), trigeminal ganglion, vessels, and salivary glands of 9 Sprague-Dawley rats using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were strongly expressed in the intermediate layer of the squamous epithelia of tongue papillae and buccal mucosa. ACE2- and TMPRSS2-positive cells were observed in the taste buds of the tongue. Additionally, ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were co-expressed in the ductal epithelium and acinar cells of salivary glands. Furthermore, both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were stained in the neuronal cell body of trigeminal ganglia, but not in Schwann cells. Moreover, ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were expressed in capillaries, but not in venules/arterioles. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 can spread the suprabasal area of squamous epithelia of the oral mucosa, invades taste bud, trigeminal nerve, parotid gland, and microvessel, resulting in oral manifestations.

Effect of Echinochrome A on Submandibular Gland Dysfunction in Ovariectomized Rats.

Post-menopausal dry mouth or xerostomia is caused by reduced salivary secretion. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of echinochrome A (Ech A) in alleviating submandibular gland dysfunctions in ovariectomized rats that mimic menopause. Female rats that were eight-weeks-old were randomly divided into SHAM-6, -12; OVX-6, -12; and ECH-6, -12 groups (consisting of 6- and 12-weeks post-sham-operated, ovariectomized, and Ech A-treated ovariectomized rats, respectively). The ECH groups had lower body weight than OVX but similar food intake and estradiol or estrogen receptor ß expression. However, the ECH groups had lower mRNA expression of sterol-regulatory element binding protein-1c (Srebp-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc), fatty acid synthase (Fasn), cluster of differentiation 36 (Cd36), and lipid vacuole deposition than OVX mice. Moreover, reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and iron accumulation were lower in the ECH than in the OVX groups. Fibrosis markers, transforming growth factor ß (Tgf-ßI and Tgf-ßII mRNA) increased in the OVX than SHAM groups but decreased in the ECH groups. Aquaporin (Aqp-1 and Aqp-5 mRNA) and mucin expressions were downregulated in the OVX groups but improved with Ech A. In addition, Ech A prevented post-menopausal salivary gland dysfunction by inhibiting lipogenesis and ferroptosis. These findings suggest Ech A as an effective remedy for treating menopausal dry mouth.

Increased Pro-Inflammatory T Cells, Senescent T Cells, and Immune-Check Point Molecules in the Placentas of Patients With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy. To define the altered pathway in GDM placenta, we investigated the transcriptomic profiles from human placenta between GDM and controls. METHODS: Clinical parameters and postpartum complications were reviewed in all participants. Differentially expressed canonical pathways were analyzed between the GDM and control groups based on transcriptomic analysis. CD4+ T, CD8+ T, and senescent T cell subsets were determined by flow cytometry based on staining for specific intracellular cytokines. RESULTS: Gene ontology analysis revealed that the placenta of GDM revealed upregulation of diverse mitochondria or DNA replication related pathways and downregulation of T-cell immunity related pathways. The maternal placenta of the GDM group had a higher proportion of CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells than the control group. Interestingly, senescent CD4+ T cells tended to increase and CD8+ T cells were significantly increased in GDM compared to controls, along with increased programmed cell death-1 (CD274+) expression. Programmed death-ligand 1 expression in syncytotrophoblasts was also significantly increased in patients with GDM. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated increased proinflammatory T cells, senescent T cells and immune-check point molecules in GDM placentas, suggesting that changes in senescent T cells and immune-escape signaling might be related to the pathophysiology of GDM.

Mig-6 is essential for glucose homeostasis and thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an anti-obese and anti-diabetic tissue that stimulates energy expenditure in the form of adaptive thermogenesis through uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Mitogen-inducible gene-6 (Mig-6) is a negative regulator of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) that interacts with many cellular partners and has multiple cellular functions. We have recently reported that Mig-6 is associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, its function in BAT is unknown. We generated a brown adipocyte-specific Mig-6 knock-in mouse (BKI) to examine the role of Mig-6 in BAT. Mig-6 BKI mice had improved glucose tolerance on a normal chow diet. Mig-6 BKI mice also revealed activated thermogenesis and the size of the BAT lipid droplets was reduced. Additionally, Mig-6 regulated cAMP-PKA signaling-induced UCP1 expression in brown adipocytes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Mig-6 affects glucose tolerance and thermogenesis in BAT.

Fine-mapping and candidate gene analysis for the foxglove aphid resistance gene Raso2 from wild soybean PI 366121.

KEY MESSAGE: The foxglove aphid resistance gene Raso2 from PI 366121 was fine-mapped to 77 Kb region, and one candidate gene was identified. The foxglove aphid (FA: Aulacorthum solani Kaltenbach) is an important insect pest that causes serious yield losses in soybean. The FA resistance gene Raso2 from wild soybean PI 366121 was previously mapped to a 13 cM interval on soybean chromosome 7. However, fine-mapping of Raso2 was needed to improve the effectiveness of marker-assisted selection (MAS) and to eventually clone it. The objectives of this study were to fine-map Raso2 from PI 366121 using Axiom® 180 K SoyaSNP array, to confirm the resistance and inheritance of Raso2 in a different background, and to identify candidate gene(s). The 105 F4:8 recombinant inbred lines were used to fine-map the gene and to test antibiosis and antixenosis of Raso2 to FA. These efforts resulted in the mapping of Raso2 on 1 cM interval which corresponds to 77 Kb containing eight annotated genes based on the Williams 82 reference genome assembly (Wm82.a2.v1). Interestingly, all nonsynonymous substitutions were in Glyma.07g077700 which encodes the disease resistance protein containing LRR domain and expression of the gene in PI 366121 was significantly higher than that in Williams 82. In addition, distinct SNPs within Glyma.07g077700 that can distinguish PI 366121 and diverse FA-susceptible soybeans were identified. We also confirmed that Raso2 presented the resistance to FA and the Mendelian inheritance for single dominant gene in a different background. The results of this study would provide fundamental information on MAS for development of FA-resistant cultivars as well as functional study and cloning of the candidate gene in soybean.

Nucleic acid lateral flow assay for simultaneous detection of hygiene indicator bacteria.

A simple and rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) was developed for multiplex detection of hygiene indicator bacteria. Specifically, new PCR primers were designed for accurately detecting Escherichia coli, coliform bacteria, and total bacteria, and the results obtained as a colorimetric signal (generated by the accumulation of gold nanoparticles at distinct test zones on flow strips) could be identified by the naked eye in <10 min after the completion of PCR. The proposed LFA system did not exhibit any cross-reactivities with 8 distinct bacterial strains and can detect down to 1 colony forming unit (CFU)/mL. Furthermore, three species of cultured bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) inoculated onto sterilized ham were successfully analyzed using the LFA system, which demonstrated that this system shows sufficient sensitivity and specificity for food hygiene monitoring. The speed and simplicity of this LFA make it suitable for use in the food industry as part of routine screening analysis.

Research on the Longitudinal Section of River Restoration Using Probabilistic Theory.

Since the 1960s, many rivers have been destroyed as a consequence of the process of rapid urbanization. As accurate figures are important to repair rivers, there have been many research reports on methods to obtain the exact river slope and elevation. Until now, many research efforts have analyzed the river using measured river topographic factors, but when the flow velocity changes rapidly, such as during a flood, surveying is not easy; and due to cost, frequent measurements are difficult. Previous research has focused on the cross section of the river, so the information on the river longitudinal profile is insufficient. In this research, using informational entropy theory, equations are presented that can calculate the average river slope, river slope, and river longitudinal elevation for a river basin in real time. The applicability was analyzed through a comparison with the measured data of river characteristic factors obtained from the river plan. The parameters were calculated using informational entropy theory and nonlinear regression analysis using actual data, and then the longitudinal elevation entropy equation for each river and the average river slope were calculated. As a result of analyzing the applicability of the equations presented in this study by R2 and Root Mean Square Error, all R2 values were over 0.80, while RMSE values were analyzed to be between 0.54 and 2.79. Valid results can be obtained by calculating river characteristic factors.

Positive histopathologic assessment in salivary glands shows little impact on clinical features of established primary Sjögren's syndrome in a Korean population.

OBJECTIVES: The presence and severity of focal lymphocytic sialadenitis in minor salivary glands is a pathognomonic feature in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). However, it has not been determined whether performing minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB) in a setting of serologically and clinically established pSS provides additional clinical value. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the necessity of MSGB in established pSS patients with anti-Ro/SSA antibodies. METHODS: We extracted 185 patients with anti-Ro/SSA antibody-positive pSS from the Korean Initiative of pSS study, a prospective cohort study. We assigned them into two groups, 161 patients with focus scores ≥1 and another 24 with focus scores <1. The two groups were compared in various clinical aspects, including the severity of glandular dysfunction, systemic disease activity, extra- glandular manifestations, and other clinical indices and laboratory values. We also evaluated the relationship between focus scores and clinically important variables in pSS. RESULTS: Between the two groups, there were no significant differences in the severity of secretory dysfunction, the frequency of extra-glandular manifestations, systemic disease activity represented by various clinical indices, and laboratory findings possibly predicting the risk for lymphoma. Rather, theSjögren's syndrome disease damage index was higher in the group with focusscores <1. Among all variables, only serum immunoglobulin G levels were correlated with focus scores. CONCLUSIONS: Given the little influence on clinical phenotypes, routine MSGB could be omitted for serologically and clinically established pSS patients, especially in low-risk areas for lymphoproliferative diseases.

Comparison of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy and conventional reserve-bag oxygen therapy in carbon monoxide intoxication: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: High-flow nasal cannula oxygen (HFNC) creates a positive pressure effect through high-flow rates compared to conventional oxygen therapy. The purpose of this human pilot study is to compare the effects of HFNC and conventional oxygen therapy on the rate of carbon monoxide (CO) clearance from the blood in patients with mild to moderate CO poisoning. METHODS: CO-poisoned Patients randomly received 100% oxygen from a rebreathing reserve mask (NBO2, flow of 15 L/min) or HFNC (flow of 60 L/min). The fraction of COHb value (fCOHb) was measured in 30-min intervals until it fell to under 10%. We determined the Half-life time of fCOHb (fCOHb t1/2). RESULTS: A total of 22 patients had fCOHb levels ≥ 10% at the time of ED arrival, with 9 of them having fCOHb level ranging between 25% and 50%. There was no significant difference in the fCOHbt1/2 between the HFNC group and NBO2 group. However, the mean fCOHbt1/2 in the HFNC group (48.5 ±â€¯12.4 min) has a smaller standard deviation than that in the NBO2 group (99.3 ±â€¯93.38 min). There were significant between-group differences in the mean COHbt1/2 among the patients with fCOHb levels less than 25% (HFNC 43.6 ±â€¯10.6 vs. NBO2 134.2 ±â€¯111.3). CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot randomized controlled trial study, HFNC therapy did not reduce fCOHbt1/2 compared to NBO2 therapy but could be beneficial in maintaining a constant fCOHbt1/2 as well as in reducing fCOHbt1/2 in mild CO poisoning patients compared to conventional NBO2 therapy. However, further studies with a larger number of patients are needed to establish HFNC therapy as an alternative therapy for CO poisoning patients.

The Protective Effect of Echinochrome A on Extracellular Matrix of Vocal Folds in Ovariectomized Rats.

Here, we investigated the effects of sex hormones on extracellular matrix (ECM)-related gene expression in the vocal fold lamina propria of ovariectomized (after ovary removal) rats and verified whether echinochrome A (ECH) exerts any therapeutic effects on ECM reconstitution after estrogen deficiency in ovariectomized rats. Sprague-Dawley female rats (9 weeks old) were acclimatized for a week and randomly divided into three groups (n = 15 each group) as follows: group I (sham-operated rats, SHAM), group II (ovariectomized rats, OVX), group III (ovariectomized rats treated with ECH, OVX + ECH). Rats from the OVX + ECH group were intraperitoneally injected with ECH at 10 mg/kg thrice a week after surgery for 6 weeks. And rats were sacrificed 6 weeks after ovariectomy. Estradiol levels decreased in OVX group compared with the SHAM group. ECH treatment had no effect on the levels of estradiol and expression of estrogen receptor ß (ERß). The evaluation of ECM components showed no significant changes in elastin and hyaluronic acid levels between the different groups. Collagen I and III levels were lower in OVX group than in SHAM group but increased in OVX + ECH group. The mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, -2, -8, and -9 were significantly higher in the OVX group than in the SHAM group, but decreased in the OVX + ECH group. Thus, changes were observed in ECM-related genes in the OVX group upon estradiol deficiency that were ameliorated by ECH administration. Thus, the vocal fold is an estradiol-sensitive target organ and ECH may have protective effects on the ECM of vocal folds in ovariectomized rats.

Testing a Question Prompt Intervention to Improve Communication between Patients with HIV and Healthcare Providers: A Pilot Study.

We tested the feasibility and acceptability of a question prompt intervention for patients recently diagnosed with HIV using a single group pretest-posttest design. Three healthcare providers (HCPs) and 18 patients, enrolled by convenience sampling, participated. Patients chose questions from a list of 14 items about patients' adherence and health problems; then, they were provided with information. Communication time with nurses and number of questions significantly decreased, while health-related quality of life increased. The most frequently asked questions concerned medication adherence, sexual relationships, and the meaning of test results. The intervention facilitated communication with HCPs among patients.

Fluorescence polarization-based detection of cancer-related mutations using target-initiated rolling circle amplification.

We devised a new method to detect cancer-related mutations based on target-initiated rolling circle amplification in combination with fluorescence polarization. We then applied this method to identify the presence of KRAS G13D and G12D, two of the most frequent mutations found in colorectal cancer patients, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity.

Distinct clinical characteristics of anti-Ro/SSA-negative primary Sjögren's syndrome: data from a nationwide cohort for Sjögren's syndrome in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate clinical characteristics of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) who were negative for anti-Ro/SSA antibody but positive for minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB) compared to patients who presented positivity for anti-Ro/SSA antibody. METHODS: The data of 355 patients from the Korean Initiative of primary Sjögren's Syndrome (KISS), a nationwide prospective cohort for primary SS in Korea, were analysed. All patients fulfilled the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. Of these patients, 326 were positive for anti-Ro/SSA antibody and 29 were antibody-negative, although they had positive findings in MSGB. Various clinical features including all kinds of tests for evaluating secretory function, disease-related clinical indices and serological values available in the cohort were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The anti-Ro/SSA-negative group showed less rheumatoid factor positivity (p<0.001), leucopenia (p=0.003), hyper-gammaglobulinaemia (p<0.001), lower serum ß2-microglobulin level (p=0.034), more anti-centromere antibody positivity (p<0.001), higher score in dryness domain of EULAR SS patient-reported index (p=0.048) and more positivity for peripheral nervous system domain in EULAR SS disease activity index and loss of teeth in SS disease damage index (p=0.021 and 0.041, respectively) than patients who were positive for anti-Ro/ SSA antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Primary SS patients who are negative for anti-Ro/SSA antibody have different clinical characteristics compared to patients who are positive for such antibody in Korea. Therefore, clinicians should consider MSGB in patients with suspicious symptoms who are anti-Ro/SSA-negative.