Examining the Relationship Between Multilevel Resilience Resources and Cardiovascular Disease Incidence, Overall and by Psychosocial Risks, Among Participants in the Jackson Heart Study, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, and the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study.

We examined relationships between resilience resources (optimism, social support, and neighborhood social cohesion) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and assessed potential effect-measure modification by psychosocial risk factors (e.g., stress, depression) among adults without CVD in 3 cohort studies (2000-2018): the Jackson Heart Study, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, and the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study. We fitted adjusted Cox models accounting for within-neighborhood clustering while censoring at dropout or non-CVD death. We assessed for effect-measure modification by psychosocial risks. In secondary analyses, we estimated standardized risk ratios using inverse-probability-weighted Aalen-Johansen estimators to account for confounding, dropout, and competing risks (non-CVD deaths) and obtained 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using cluster bootstrapping. For high and medium (versus low) optimism (n = 6,243), adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for incident CVD were 0.94 (95% CI: 0.78, 1.13) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.75, 1.07), respectively. Corresponding HRs were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.04) and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.79, 1.06) for social support (n = 7,729) and 1.10 (95% CI: 0.94, 1.29) and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.16) for social cohesion (n = 7,557), respectively. Some psychosocial risks modified CVD HRs. Secondary analyses yielded similar findings. For optimism and social support, an inverse relationship was frequently most compatible with the data, but a positive relationship was also compatible. For neighborhood social cohesion, positive and null relationships were most compatible. Thus, specific resilience resources may be potential intervention targets, especially among certain subgroups.

Disease burden among refugees in camps on mainland Greece, 2016-2017: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of baseline health data for evidence-informed decision-making, these data are rarely available for displaced populations. At the height of the European refugee crisis, most of those seeking asylum in Europe were from regions with high prevalences of communicable and non-communicable diseases. To create an epidemiologic profile for refugees in camps on mainland Greece, this study assessed the prevalence of 11 communicable and non-communicable diseases among refugees utilizing Médecins du Monde (MdM) in-camp clinics. METHODS: The proportional morbidity of selected diseases among individuals utilizing MdM services were determined from data collected at refugee camp clinics on mainland Greece from April 2016 - July 2017. Overall and age-specific proportional morbidities were reported. Differences in disease burden among refugees from the largest sending countries - Afghanistan and Syria - were compared using proportional morbidity ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Patterns in results were compared with disease burden estimates in sending countries and with findings from comparable settings. RESULTS: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were the most prevalent outcome. Among RTIs, upper RTIs were most common, with a proportional morbidity of nearly 40%; throughout the study period, over 46% of children under 18 years had at least one upper RTI consultation. Musculoskeletal conditions (3.64%), were the most prevalent non-communicable outcome, followed by hypertension (2.21%) and asthma (1.28%). Afghans were 31.68% more likely than Syrians to have a consultation for at least one condition (PR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.25, 1.39). The proportional morbidity of RTIs was comparable to sending countries, but there was a comparatively lower burden of other conditions among refugees than literature estimates from sending countries. CONCLUSION: Refugees utilizing MdM clinics in camps had higher burdens of communicable diseases - predominantly RTIs - relative to non-communicable diseases. Non-communicable disease burdens were comparatively lower than reported prevalences from in-country populations. These findings can be attributed to a range of considerations including differences in demographic profiles between sending countries and refugee populations and missed opportunities for utilizing clinical care. Further investment is needed to capture the health profiles of displaced populations to support evidence-informed decision-making processes in humanitarian emergency responses.

Examining relationships between perceived neighborhood social cohesion and ideal cardiovascular health and whether psychosocial stressors modify observed relationships among JHS, MESA, and MASALA participants.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial stressors increase the risks for cardiovascular disease across diverse populations. However, neighborhood level resilience resources may protect against poor cardiovascular health (CVH). This study used data from three CVH cohorts to examine longitudinally the associations of a resilience resource, perceived neighborhood social cohesion (hereafter referred to as neighborhood social cohesion), with the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7), and whether psychosocial stressors modify observed relationships. METHODS: We examined neighborhood social cohesion (measured in tertiles) and LS7 in the Jackson Heart Study, Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, and Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study. We used repeated-measures, modified Poisson regression models to estimate the relationship between neighborhood social cohesion and LS7 (primary analysis, n = 6,086) and four biological metrics (body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose; secondary analysis, n = 7,291). We assessed effect measure modification by each psychosocial stressor (e.g., low educational attainment, discrimination). RESULTS: In primary analyses, adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ideal/intermediate versus poor CVH among high or medium (versus low) neighborhood social cohesion were 1.01 (0.97-1.05) and 1.02 (0.98-1.06), respectively. The psychosocial stressors, low education and discrimination, functioned as effect modifiers. Secondary analyses showed similar findings. Also, in the secondary analyses, there was evidence for effect modification by income. CONCLUSION: We did not find much support for an association between neighborhood social cohesion and LS7, but did find evidence of effect modification. Some of the effect modification results operated in unexpected directions. Future studies should examine neighborhood social cohesion more comprehensively and assess for effect modification by psychosocial stressors.

Characteristics and Longitudinal Patterns of Erectile Dysfunction Drug Use Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the U.S.

We investigated the longitudinal relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) drug use with behavioral factors, including substance use and sexual activities in men who have sex with men from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study during 1998-2016 (n = 1636). We used a bivariate random-intercept model to evaluate ED drug use along with other behavioral factors to assess relationships between the two outcomes over time on a population level and also at the individual level. Average ED drug use among men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV was positively correlated with average use of marijuana (r = .19), poppers (r = .27), and stimulants (r = .25). In this group, testosterone use (r = .32), multiple partners (r = .41), insertive anal intercourse with condom (r = .40), and insertive anal intercourse without condom (r = .43) all showed moderate correlations over time with average ED use (p < .001). Associations among MSM without HIV were similar, with average marijuana use (r = .19) and stimulant use (r = .22) being positively correlated with average ED drug use, and were also correlated with having multiple partners (r = .36), insertive anal intercourse with condom (r = .22), and insertive anal intercourse without condom (r = .18) over time. Positive within-individual associations between ED drug use and multiple partners and insertive anal intercourse with and without condom were observed regardless of HIV serostatus. This study showed that MSM who reported use of ED drugs were also, on average, more likely to use recreational drugs and engage in sexual activities, such as having multiple partners and insertive anal intercourse. Within individuals, average ED drug use was also positively correlated with sexual behaviors.

Factors influencing evidence-based nursing utilization intention in Korean practice nurses.

The purpose of this study was to describe Korean nurses' perceptions, attitudes and utilization intention for evidence-based nursing (EBN), and to explore what factors influence utilization intention. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 2012. Registered nurses directly involved in clinical practice were recruited at a medical centre in Korea. A total of 420 nurses completed a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that participants reported moderate scores regarding their perceptions and attitudes towards EBN, and rated themselves as higher than the median for utilization intention. Furthermore, this study revealed that perceptions of and attitudes towards EBN, occupational view and previous EBN education were significant factors affecting utilization intention. Nurse educators and managers should encourage nurses to have better attitudes towards EBN, help them be more satisfied with their work and provide them with appropriate education for EBN to establish evidence-based practice as a part of daily nursing care.

Effects of team-based learning on perceived teamwork and academic performance in a health assessment subject.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of team-based learning (a well-recognized learning and teaching strategy), applied in a health assessment subject, on nursing students' perceived teamwork (team-efficacy and team skills) and academic performance (individual and team readiness assurance tests, and examination scores). A prospective, one-group, pre- and post-test design enrolled a convenience sample of 74 second-year nursing students at a university in Suwon, Korea. Team-based learning was applied in a 2-credit health assessment subject over a 16-week semester. All students received written material one week before each class for readiness preparation. After administering individual- and team-readiness assurance tests consecutively, the subject instructor gave immediate feedback and delivered a mini-lecture to the students. Finally, students carried out skill based application exercises. The findings showed significant improvements in the mean scores of students' perceived teamwork after the introduction of team-based learning. In addition, team-efficacy was associated with team-adaptability skills and team-interpersonal skills. Regarding academic performance, team readiness assurance tests were significantly higher than individual readiness assurance tests over time. Individual readiness assurance tests were significantly related with examination scores, while team readiness assurance tests were correlated with team-efficacy and team-interpersonal skills. The application of team-based learning in a health assessment subject can enhance students' perceived teamwork and academic performance. This finding suggests that team-based learning may be an effective learning and teaching strategy for improving team-work of nursing students, who need to collaborate and effectively communicate with health care providers to improve patients' health.

Effects of a community-based intervention on cardio-metabolic risk and self-care behaviour in older adults with metabolic syndrome.

This pilot study was performed to investigate the effects of a community-based intervention (CBI) on cardio-metabolic risk and self-care behaviour in 92 older adults with metabolic syndrome at public health centres in Suwon, Korea. A prospective, pretest and posttest, controlled, quasi-experimental design was used. The older adults in the intervention group participated in an 8-week intensive lifestyle counselling, whereas those in the control group received usual care. The mean (standard deviation) age of the participants was 71.4 (4.43) years ranging from 60 to 84, and 75.0% of the participants were female. The intervention group at 8 weeks showed significant reduction in waist circumference by -1.35 cm (P<0.001) and improved self-care behaviour (+5.17 score, P<0.05) and self-efficacy (+4.84 score, P<0.001) when compared with the control group. The percentages of those who successfully completed the targeted behavioural modification were 71.7% for exercise and 52.2% for dietary control in the intervention group at 8 weeks. This pilot study provided evidence of the beneficial impact of the CBI for Korean older adults with metabolic syndrome.

A retrospective cross-sectional study of risk factors for communicable disease diagnoses among refugees in mainland Greek camps, 2016-2017.

Communicable disease risk is high in refugee camps and reception centers. To better understand the risks for communicable disease diagnoses among refugees and asylum seekers, this study assesses individual- and camp-level risk factors among individuals utilizing Médecins du Monde clinics in four large refugee camps-Elliniko, Malakasa, Koutsochero, and Raidestos-on mainland Greece between July 2016 and May 2017. Descriptive statistics are reported for the demographic characteristics of the study population and for communicable disease burdens within the four camps-Elliniko, Malakasa, Raidestos, and Koutsochero. A hierarchical generalized linear model was used to assess risk factors for communicable disease diagnoses while accounting for individual-level clustering. This study shows marginal patterns in risk factors for communicable disease. Males had marginally higher risk of communicable disease diagnosis than females (OR = 1.12; 95% CI 0.97-1.29), and increased age was more protective against communicable disease for females (OR = 0.957; 95% CI 0.953-0.961) than for males (OR = 0.963; 95% CI 0.959-0.967). Communicable disease risk was significantly different between camps, with Elliniko (OR = 1.58; 95% CI 1.40-1.79) and Malakasa (OR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.25-1.63) having higher odds of communicable disease than Raidestos. The demographic and epidemiologic profiles of displaced populations differ across settings, and epidemiologic baselines for displaced populations are fundamental to evidence-informed provision of humanitarian aid. Further, while influences and risks for negative health outcomes in complex emergencies are broadly, the causal mechanisms that underpin these relationships are not as well understood. Both practitioners and researchers should engage with further research to elucidate the mechanisms through which these risks operate among displaced populations, including multilevel analyses.

Chickenpox Outbreaks in Three Refugee Camps on Mainland Greece, 2016-2017: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Displaced populations face disproportionately high risk of communicable disease outbreaks given the strains of travel, health care circumstances in their country of origin, and limited access to health care in receiving countries. STUDY OBJECTIVE: Understanding the role of demographic characteristics in outbreaks is important for timely and efficient control measures. Accordingly, this study assesses chickenpox outbreaks in three large refugee camps on mainland Greece from 2016 - 2017, using clinical line-list data from Médecins du Monde (MdM) clinics. METHODS: Clinical line-list data from MdM clinics operating in Elliniko, Malakasa, and Raidestos camps in mainland Greece were used to characterize chickenpox outbreaks in these camps. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of chickenpox by sex, camp, and yearly increase in age. Incidences were calculated for age categories and for sex for each camp outbreak. RESULTS: Across camps, the median age was 19 years (IQR: 7.00 - 30.00 years) for all individuals and five years (IQR: 2.00 - 8.00 years) for cases. Males were 55.94% of the total population and 51.32% of all cases. There were four outbreaks of chickenpox across Elliniko (n = 1), Malakasa (n = 2), and Raidestos (n = 1) camps. The odds of chickenpox when controlling for age and sex was lower for Malakasa (OR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.38 - 0.78) and Raidestos (OR = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.24 - 0.56) when compared Elliniko. Odds of chickenpox were comparable between Malakasa and Raidestos (OR = 1.49; 95% CI, 0.92 - 2.42). Across all camps, the highest incidence was among children zero-to-five years of age. The sex-specific incidence chickenpox was higher for males than females in Elliniko and Malakasa, while the incidence was higher among females in Raidestos. CONCLUSION: As expected, individuals five years of age and under made up the majority of chickenpox cases. However, 12% of cases were teenagers or older, highlighting the need to consider atypical age groups in vaccination strategies and control measures. To support both host and displaced populations, it is important to consider risk-reduction needs for both groups. Including host communities in vaccination campaigns and activities can help reduce the population burden of disease for both communities.

Hypomethylation of ATP1A1 Is Associated with Poor Prognosis and Cancer Progression in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Dysregulated DNA methylation in cancer is critical in the transcription machinery associated with cancer progression. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, but no treatment targeting TNBC biomarkers has yet been developed. To identify specific DNA methylation patterns in TNBC, methyl-binding domain protein 2 (MBD) sequencing data were compared in TNBC and the three other major breast cancer subtypes. Integrated analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression identified a gene set showing a correlation between DNA methylation and gene expression. ATPase Na+/K+-transporting subunit alpha 1 (ATP1A1) was found to be specifically hypomethylated in the coding sequence (CDS) region and to show increased expression in TNBC. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database also showed that hypomethylation and high expression of ATP1A1 were strongly associated with poor survival in patients with TNBC. Furthermore, ATP1A1 knockdown significantly reduced the viability and tumor-sphere formation of TNBC cells. These results suggest that the hypomethylation and overexpression of ATP1A1 could be a prognostic marker in TNBC and that the manipulation of ATP1A1 expression could be a therapeutic target in this disease.

Multilevel Resilience and HIV Virologic Suppression Among African American/Black Adults in the Southeastern United States.

OBJECTIVE: To assess overall and by neighborhood risk environments whether multilevel resilience resources were associated with HIV virologic suppression among African American/Black adults in the Southeastern United States. SETTING AND METHODS: This clinical cohort sub-study included 436 African American/Black participants enrolled in two parent HIV clinical cohorts. Resilience was assessed using the Multilevel Resilience Resource Measure (MRM) for African American/Black adults living with HIV, where endorsement of a MRM statement indicated agreement that a resilience resource helped a participant continue HIV care despite challenges or was present in a participant's neighborhood. Modified Poisson regression models estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for virologic suppression as a function of categorical MRM scores, controlling for demographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics at or prior to sub-study enrollment. We assessed for effect measure modification (EMM) by neighborhood risk environments. RESULTS: Compared to participants with lesser endorsement of multilevel resilience resources, aPRs for virologic suppression among those with greater or moderate endorsement were 1.03 (95% confidence interval: 0.96-1.11) and 1.03 (0.96-1.11), respectively. Regarding multilevel resilience resource endorsement, there was no strong evidence for EMM by levels of neighborhood risk environments. CONCLUSIONS: Modest positive associations between higher multilevel resilience resource endorsement and virologic suppression were at times most compatible with the data. However, null findings were also compatible. There was no strong evidence for EMM concerning multilevel resilience resource endorsement, which could have been due to random error. Prospective studies assessing EMM by levels of the neighborhood risk environment with larger sample sizes are needed.

Autophagy inhibits cancer stemness in triple-negative breast cancer via miR-181a-mediated regulation of ATG5 and/or ATG2B.

Autophagy has a dual role in the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), but the precise relationship between autophagy and cancer stemness requires further investigation. In this study, it was found that luminal and triple-negative breast cancers require distinct therapeutic approaches because of their different amounts of autophagy flux. We identified that autophagy flux was inhibited in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) CSCs. Moreover, miRNA-181a (miR-181a) expression is upregulated in both TNBC CSCs and patient tissues. Autophagy-related 5 (ATG5) and autophagy-related 2B (ATG2B) participate in the early formation of autophagosomes and were revealed as targets of miR-181a. Inhibition of miR-181a expression led to attenuation of TNBC stemness and an increase in autophagy flux. Furthermore, treatment with curcumin led to attenuation of cancer stemness in TNBC CSCs; the expression of ATG5 and ATG2B was enhanced and there was an increase of autophagy flux. These results indicated that ATG5 and ATG2B are involved in the suppression of cancer stemness in TNBC. In summary, autophagy inhibits cancer stemness through the miR-181a-regulated mechanism in TNBC. Promoting tumor-suppressive autophagy using curcumin may be a potential method for the treatment of TNBC.

Effects of Erectile Dysfunction Drugs Use on T-cells and Immune Markers on Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Objective: Examine prospective relationships between erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs EDand CD4 and CD8 T-cells, and immune markers among men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: Data from Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, an observational prospective cohort study, with semi-annual follow-ups conducted in four U.S. centers from 1998 onwards was used. Marginal structural models using g-computation was fitted to estimate the mean differences for the effects of self-reported ED drug use on CD4 and CD8 T-cell outcomes and immune biomarkers. Results: Total of 1,391 men with HIV (MWH) and 307 men without HIV (MWOH) was included. Baseline mean CD4 cell count among MWH and MWOH was 499.9 cells/µL and 966.7 cells/µL, respectively. At baseline, 41.8% of MWH were virally suppressed. ED drug users reported a mean of 44.4 months of exposure to ED drugs. ED drug use was associated with increased CD4 cell outcomes among MWH but not MWOH. Mean differences in CD4 cell counts after 1 year of ED drug use was 57.6 cells/µL and increased to 117.7 after 10 years among MWH. CD8 counts were higher in ED drug users among MWH over 10 years than non-users; no consistent differences were found among MWOH. ED drug use appeared to reduce immune marker levels, such as IL-6 and increase markers, such as IL-10. We observed similar effects of ED drug use on biomarker levels among MWOH. Conclusion: Long-term use of ED drugs do not adversely affect immune function among MWH or MWOH. Future studies on the relationships between different types of ED drugs and effects on T-cell subtypes are warranted.

Multilevel resilience resources and cardiovascular disease in the United States: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantify the relationship between resilience resources at the individual (e.g., optimism), interpersonal (e.g., social support), and neighborhood (e.g., social environment) levels, and cardiovascular outcomes among adults in the United States. Method: On 9/25/2020, electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO) were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized intervention studies, and prospective cohort studies that examined the relationship between resilience resources at the individual, interpersonal, or neighborhood level and cardiovascular outcomes. Studies that met the eligibility criteria were summarized narratively and quantitatively. Because relevant search results yielded only observational studies, risk of bias was assessed using an adapted version of the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Results: From 4,103 unique records, 13 prospective cohort studies with a total of 310,906 participants met the eligibility criteria, and six of these studies were included in the meta-analyses. Most relevant studies found that higher levels of individual-level resilience resources were associated with lower incidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, with point estimates ranging from .46 to 1.18. Interpersonal-level resilience resources (i.e., social network) were associated with a lower coronary heart disease risk (risk ratio, .76; 95% CI [.56, 1.02]). Neighborhood-level resilience resources (i.e., perceived social cohesion and residential stability) were associated with a lower odds of stroke (odds ratio, .92; 95% CI [.84, 1.01]). Conclusions: Evidence suggests that higher levels of resilience resources are associated with better cardiovascular outcomes. However, more prospective studies with diverse populations are needed to strengthen the evidence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Social support, psychosocial risks, and cardiovascular health: Using harmonized data from the Jackson Heart Study, Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Purpose: Social support may have benefits on cardiovascular health (CVH). CVH is evaluated using seven important metrics (Life's Simple 7; LS7) established by the American Heart Association (e.g., smoking, diet). However, evidence from longitudinal studies is limited and inconsistent. The objective of this study is to examine the longitudinal relationship between social support and CVH, and assess whether psychosocial risks (e.g., anger and stress) modify the relationship in a racially/ethnically diverse population. Methods: Participants from three harmonized cohort studies - Jackson Heart Study, Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis - were included. Repeated-measures modified Poisson regression models were used to examine the overall relationship between social support (in tertiles) and CVH (LS7 metric), and to assess for effect modification by psychosocial risk. Results: Among 7724 participants, those with high (versus low) social support had an adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for ideal or intermediate (versus poor) CVH of 0.99 (0.96-1.03). For medium (versus low) social support, the aPR (95% CI) was 1.01 (0.98-1.05). There was evidence for modification by employment and anger. Those with medium (versus low) social support had an aPR (95% CI) of 1.04 (0.99-1.10) among unemployed or low anger participants. Corresponding results for employed or high anger participants were 0.99 (0.94-1.03) and 0.97 (0.91-1.03), respectively. Conclusion: Overall, we observed no strong evidence for an association between social support and CVH. However, some psychosocial risks may be modifiers. Prospective studies are needed to assess the social support-CVH relationship by psychosocial risks in racially/ethnically diverse populations.

Reduced miR-371b-5p expression drives tumor progression via CSDE1/RAC1 regulation in triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer; however, specific prognostic biomarkers have not yet been developed. In this study, we identified dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in TNBC by profiling miRNA and mRNA expression. In patients with TNBC, miR-371b-5p expression was reduced, and miR-371b-5p overexpression significantly mitigated TNBC cell growth, migration, and invasion. In addition, we found that expression of cold shock domain-containing protein E1 (CSDE1), a direct target gene of miR-371b-5p, was upregulated in TNBC cells, and inhibition of CSDE1 expression alleviated TNBC cell growth by regulating RAC1 transcription. Mechanistically, CSDE1, phosphorylated C-terminal domain (p-CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), and CDK7 form a complex, and downregulation of CSDE1 leads to weak interaction between RNAPII p-CTD and CDK7, resulting in a decrease in RNAPII p-CTD expression to reduce RAC1 transcript levels in CSDE1-deficient TNBC cells. Our data demonstrate that miR-371b-5p is a tumor-suppressive miRNA that regulates the CSDE1/Rac1 axis and could be a potential prognostic biomarker for TNBC.

Intracranial stenting of subacute symptomatic atherosclerotic occlusion versus stenosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Limited data are available concerning the outcome of angioplasty/stenting for subacute atherosclerotic intracranial artery occlusion, which is often associated with progressive symptom development in the salvageable brain under ischemic threat due to poor collateral blood supply. METHODS: Among 177 patients who underwent angioplasty and/or stenting for severe symptomatic intracranial steno-occlusion, 26 had subacute atherosclerotic intracranial artery occlusion. Outcome after stenting (N=22) was assessed according to procedural success (return of antegrade flow and residual stenosis<50%), adverse event (any stroke or death) rate, and restenosis (>50%) using weighted Cox proportional hazards regression in the overall cohort and in separate subgroups. RESULTS: Successful recanalization was achieved in 95%. Three adverse events (13.6%) occurred among patients undergoing stenting for occlusion, including 2 major strokes and 1 nonprocedure-related death. Good outcome (modified Rankin Scale≤2) was achieved in 73%. In the overall cohort, no significant difference was observed between the occlusion and stenosis groups in terms of the risk of adverse events (hazard ratio for the occlusion group, 1.055; 95% CI, 0.29-3.90) or the risk of restenosis (hazard ratio for the occlusion group, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.19-7.72). A trend toward a higher rate of adverse events was observed in older age (>65 years), progressive worsening, balloon-expandable stent, and no history of a preprocedural P2Y12 assay. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of patients undergoing angioplasty/stenting for subacute atherosclerotic intracranial artery occlusion, no significant difference in the rates of adverse events was observed. However, several factors, including age, tended to be associated with a higher event rate.

Examining Optimism, Psychosocial Risks, and Cardiovascular Health Using Life's Simple 7 Metrics in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Jackson Heart Study.

Background: Optimism has been shown to be positively associated with better cardiovascular health (CVH). However, there is a dearth of prospective studies showing the benefits of optimism on CVH, especially in the presence of adversities, i.e., psychosocial risks. This study examines the prospective relationship between optimism and CVH outcomes based on the Life's Simple 7 (LS7) metrics and whether multilevel psychosocial risks modify the aforementioned relationship. Methods: We examined self-reported optimism and CVH using harmonized data from two U.S. cohorts: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) and Jackson Heart Study (JHS). Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate the relationship between optimism and CVH using LS7 among MESA participants (N = 3,520) and to examine the relationship of interest based on four biological LS7 metrics (body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose) among JHS and MESA participants (N = 5,541). For all CVH outcomes, we assessed for effect measure modification by psychosocial risk. Results: Among MESA participants, the adjusted risk ratio (aRR) for ideal or intermediate CVH using LS7 comparing participants who reported high or medium optimism to those with the lowest level of optimism was 1.10 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.04-1.16] and 1.05 (95% CI: 0.99-1.11), respectively. Among MESA and JHS participants, the corresponding aRRs for having all ideal or intermediate (vs. no poor) metrics based on the four biological LS7 metrics were 1.05 (0.98-1.12) and 1.04 (0.97-1.11), respectively. The corresponding aRRs for having lower cardiovascular risk (0-1 poor metrics) based on the four biological LS7 metrics were 1.01 (0.98-1.03) and 1.01 (0.98-1.03), respectively. There was some evidence of effect modification by neighborhood deprivation for the LS7 outcome and by chronic stress for the ideal or intermediate (no poor) metrics outcome based on the four biological LS7 metrics. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that greater optimism is positively associated with better CVH based on certain LS7 outcomes among a racially/ethnically diverse study population. This relationship may be effect measure modified by specific psychosocial risks. Optimism shows further promise as a potential area for intervention on CVH. However, additional prospective and intervention studies are needed.

High-sensitivity detection of oxytetracycline using light scattering agglutination assay with aptasensor.

We present an aptamer-based biosensor (aptasensor) for rapid and high-sensitive detection of oxytetracycline (OTC) antibiotic in PBS inside a Y-channel PDMS microfluidic device. The detection was made by real-time monitoring of the agglutination assay of ssDNA aptamer-conjugated polystyrene latex microspheres with proximity optical fibers. The agglutination assay was performed with serially diluted OTC antibiotic solutions using highly carboxylated polystyrene particles of 920 nm diameter conjugated with OTC-binding ssDNA aptamer. Proximity optical fibers were used to measure the increase in 45° forward light scattering of the aggregated particles by fixing them around the viewing cell of the device with stable angle and distance to the detector. The detection limit was around 100 ppb for the current aptasensor system with the detection time less than 3 min.

Inhibition of Chk1 by miR-320c increases oxaliplatin responsiveness in triple-negative breast cancer.

Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) expression is enhanced in most cancers owing to oncogenic activation and constant replicative stress. Chk1 inactivation is a promising cancer therapy, as its inactivation leads to genomic instability, chromosomal catastrophe, and cancer cell death. Herein, we observed that miR-320c, downregulated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients, can target Chk1. In addition, downregulated miR-320c expression was associated with poor overall survival in TNBC patients. As Chk1 was associated with the DNA damage response (DDR), we investigated the effect of miR-320c on DDR in TNBC cells. To induce DNA damage, we used platinum-based drugs, especially oxaliplatin, which is most effective with miR-320c. We observed that overexpression of miR-320c in TNBC regulated the oxaliplatin responsiveness by mediating DNA damage repair through the negative regulation of Chk1 in vitro. Furthermore, using a xenograft model, a combination of miR-320c mimic and oxaliplatin effectively inhibited tumor progression. These investigations indicate the potential of miR-320c as a marker of oxaliplatin responsiveness and a therapeutic target to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy in TNBC.