Durhambuckner8774

Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is an accurate method of estimating lung congestion but there is ongoing debate on the optimal number of scanning points. The aim of the present study was to compare the reproducibility (i.e. interobserver agreement) and the feasibility (i.e. time consumption) of the two most practiced protocols in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF). This prospective trial compared 8- and 28-point LUS protocols. Both were performed by an expert-novice pair of sonographers at admission and after 4 to 6 days on patients admitted for AHF. mTOR inhibitor A structured bio-clinical evaluation was simultaneously carried out by the treating physician. The primary outcome was expert-novice interobserver agreement estimated by kappa statistics. Secondary outcomes included time spent on image acquisition and interpretation. During the study period, 43 patients underwent a total of 319 LUS exams. Expert-novice interobserver agreement was moderate at admission and substantial at follow-up for 8-point protocol (weighted kappa of 0.54 and 0.62, respectively) with no significant difference for 28-point protocol (weighted kappa of 0.51 and 0.41; P value for comparison 0.74 at admission and 0.13 at follow-up). The 8-point protocol required significantly less time for image acquisition at admission (mean time difference - 3.6 min for experts, - 5.1 min for novices) and interpretation (- 6.0 min for experts and - 6.3 min for novices; P value  less then  0.001 for all time comparisons). Similar differences were observed at follow-up. In conclusion, an 8-point LUS protocol was shown to be timesaving with similar reproducibility when compared with a 28-point protocol. It should be preferred for evaluating lung congestion in AHF inpatients.

To measure circulating histone H3 levels in children with severe sepsis and explore its relationship with severity of illness and organ failures.

Children aged 3 mo to 12 y with severe sepsis admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were prospectively studied. Healthy controls were enrolled from the outpatient department for comparison. Levels of H3 histones were measured on day 1 and day 3.

Thirty-seven patients and 14 controls with median (IQR) age 5 (0.67, 8) and 5 (3, 7) y, respectively were enrolled. Common diagnoses included severe pneumonia (n = 9), staphylococcal sepsis (n = 6), and seasonal tropical infections (n = 4). Two-third (n = 26, 70%) had septic shock. One third (35%) had an unfavorable outcome; 11 died and 2 discontinued care. Median (IQR) H3 levels were not statistically different among patients with sepsis and controls [0.84 (0.62, 1.13) vs. 0.72 (0.52, 0.87) ng/mL; p = 0.10]. There was no significant change in H3 between day 1 and day 3 [0.84 (0.62, 1.13) vs 0.74 (0.5, 0.98)unction, and clinical outcome. There was a trend towards elevated H3 in children with thrombocytopenia, which needs further evaluation.Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) are widely distributed in corns, peanuts, and other cereals, causing serious threat to food safety and human health. As shown by our previous studies, the recombinant yeast strain Kluyveromyces lactis GG799(pKLAC1-ZPF1) had the ability of degrading AFB1 and ZEN simultaneously. In this work, the agent preparation process was optimized for K. lactis GG799(pKLAC1-ZPF1), and the storage conditions of the prepared yeast agents were investigated, for obtaining the products with high storage activities and potent mycotoxin degradation efficiency. The optimal preparation process was as follows centrifugation at 6000 rpm for 15 min for collection of the yeast cells, spray drying with the ratio of protective compounds to yeast cells at 31 (w/w) and then stored at - 20 °C. Simultaneous degradation tests of AFB1 and ZEN were performed using the supernatants of reactivated yeast agents after three months of storage, and the degradation ratios for AFB1 and ZEN in reaction system 1 (70.0 mmol/L malonic buffer, pH 4.5, with 1.0 mmol/L MnSO4, 0.1 mmol/L H2O2, 5.0 μg/mL AFB1 and ZEN, respectively) were 48.2 ± 3.2% and 34.8 ± 2.8%, while that for ZEN in reaction system 2 (50.0 mmol/L Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, with 5.0 μg/mL AFB1 and ZEN, respectively) was 30.1 ± 2.7%. Besides, the supernatants of reactivated yeast agents degraded more than 80% of AFB1 and 55% of ZEN in contaminated peanuts after twice treatments. Results of this work suggested that the optimized process for K. lactis GG799(pKLAC1-ZPF1) was with high value for industrial applications.

A major QTL of qRtsc8-1 conferring TSC resistance was identified and fine mapped to a 721 kb region on chromosome 8 at 81 Mb, and production markers were validated in breeding lines. Tar spot complex (TSC) is a major foliar disease of maize in many Central and Latin American countries and leads to severe yield loss. To dissect the genetic architecture of TSC resistance, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) panel and a bi-parental doubled haploid population were used for GWAS and selective genotyping analysis, respectively. A total of 115 SNPs in bin 8.03 were detected by GWAS and three QTL in bins 6.05, 6.07, and 8.03 were detected by selective genotyping. The major QTL qRtsc8-1 located in bin 8.03 was detected by both analyses, and it explained 14.97% of the phenotypic variance. To fine map qRtsc8-1, the recombinant-derived progeny test was implemented. Recombinations in each generation were backcrossed, and the backcross progenies were genotyped with Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers and phwith and without resistant alleles were used for fine mapping. In BC5 generation, qRtsc8-1 was fine mapped in an interval of  ~ 721 kb flanked by markers of KASP81160138 and KASP81881276. In this interval, the candidate genes GRMZM2G063511 and GRMZM2G073884 were identified, which encode an integral membrane protein-like and a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein kinase, respectively. Both genes are involved in maize disease resistance responses. Two production markers KASP81160138 and KASP81160155 were verified in 471 breeding lines. This study provides valuable information for cloning the resistance gene, and it will also facilitate the routine implementation of marker-assisted selection in the breeding pipeline for improving TSC resistance.It has been a challenge to analyze minute amounts of proteomic samples in a facile and robust manner. Herein, we developed a quantitative proteomics workflow by integrating suspension trapping (S-Trap)-based sample preparation and label-free data-independent acquisition (DIA) mass spectrometry and then applied it for the analysis of microgram and even nanogram amounts of exosome samples. S-Trap-based sample preparation outperformed the traditional in-solution digestion-based approach and the commonly used filter-aided sample preparation (FASP)-based approach with regard to the number of proteins and peptides identified. Moreover, S-Trap-based sample preparation coupled with DIA mass spectrometry also showed the highest reproducibility for protein quantification. In addition, this approach allowed for identification and quantification of exosome proteins with low starting amounts (down to 50 ~ 200 ng). Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to label-free quantification of exosomal proteins extracted from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and MCF-10A non-tumorigenic epithelial breast cells. Prospectively, we envision the integrated S-Trap sample preparation coupled with DIA quantification strategy as a promising alternative for highly efficient and sensitive analysis of trace amounts of proteomic samples (e.g., exosomal samples).The effects of the opioid crisis have varied across diverse and socioeconomically defined urban communities, due in part to widening health disparities. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with a spike in drug overdose deaths in the USA. However, the extent to which the impact of the pandemic on overdose deaths has varied across different demographics in urban neighborhoods is unclear. We examine the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on opioid overdose deaths through spatiotemporal analysis techniques. Using Milwaukee County, Wisconsin as a study site, we used georeferenced opioid overdose data to examine the locational and demographic differences in overdose deaths over time (2017-2020). We find that the pandemic significantly increased the monthly overdose deaths. The worst effects were seen in the poor, urban neighborhoods, affecting Black and Hispanic communities. However, more affluent, suburban White communities also experienced a rise in overdose deaths. A better understanding of contributing factors is needed to guide interventions at the local, regional, and national scales.

The latest national data reports a 55% prevalence of metabolic syndrome in American Indian adults compared to 34.7% of the general US adult population. Metabolic syndrome is a strong predictor for diabetes, which is the leading cause of heart disease in American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors disproportionately impact this population. We describe the presentation, etiology, and roles of structural racism and social determinants of health on metabolic syndrome.

Much of what is known about metabolic syndrome in American Indian and Alaska Native populations comes from the Strong Heart Study as there is scant literature. American Indian and Alaska Native adults have an increased propensity towards metabolic syndrome as they are 1.1 times more likely to have high blood pressure, approximately three times more likely to have diabetes, and have higher rates of obesity compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Culturally informed lifestyle and behav Culturally informed lifestyle and behavior interventions are promising approaches to address structural racism and social determinants of health that highly influence factors contributing to these rates. Among American Indian and Alaska Native populations, there is scarce updated literature evaluating the underlying causes of major risk factors for metabolic syndrome, and progression to cardiometabolic disease. As a result, the actual state of metabolic syndrome in this population is not well understood. Systemic and structural changes must occur to address the root causes of these disparities.Hypertension is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally among all cardiovascular diseases. Purinergic signalling plays a crucial role in hypertension through the sympathetic nerve system, neurons in the brain stem, carotid body, endothelium, immune system, renin-angiotensin system, sodium excretion, epithelial sodium channel activity (ENaC), and renal autoregulation. Under hypertension, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is released as a cotransmitter from the sympathetic nerve. It mediates vascular tone mainly through P2X1R activation on smooth muscle cells and activation of P2X4R and P2YR on endothelial cells and also via interaction with other purinoceptors, showing dual effects. P2Y1R is linked to neurogenic hypertension. P2X7R and P2Y11R are potential targets for immune-related hypertension. P2X3R located on the carotid body is the most promising novel therapeutic target for hypertension. A1R, A2AR, A2BR, and P2X7R are all related to renal autoregulation, which contribute to both renal damage and hypertension.