Quantifying Structural Disadvantage in HIV Prevention: Development and Validation of the HIV-Specific Social and Structural Determinants Index in the United States.

Structural inequities significantly shape disparities across the HIV care continuum, yet few validated tools exist to quantify HIV-specific structural vulnerability at the population level in the United States. This study introduces and validates the HIV-Specific Social and Structural Determinants of Health Index (HIV-SSDI), a multi-dimensional, state-level index designed to capture structural disadvantage relevant to HIV prevention and care. Using publicly available state-level index (2008-2023) spanning nine structural domains, we developed the HIV-SSDI through exploratory factor analysis with three extraction methods: principal component analysis, maximum likelihood, and minimum residual.

Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing.

Although extant research has emphasized task-oriented processes in teams, its focus on dynamic teams in digital environments remains limited, particularly regarding non-linear effects. Integrating attention capacity theory and activation theory, this study proposes a curvilinear (inverted-U) relationship between task-oriented interaction and team organizing efficiency in digitally-mediated teams. Analyzing 455 spontaneous sports teams from an open-boundary organizational platform revealed support for the proposed curvilinear relationship, with team identification moderating the effect.

Bridging the gap: the role of 3D cell cultures in mimicking tumor microenvironment for enhanced drug testing accuracy.

Cell culture is a crucial technology in life science research, particularly in cancer studies. The morphology and biological properties of tumor cells, along with the mechanisms of tumor development, are highly dependent on their culture conditions. Antitumor drug sensitivity testing is essential for cancer treatment, helping to identify effective therapies and reduce patient treatment burden.

Enhanced Single-Molecule Imaging via Intersystem Crossing Suppression.

The red-emitting cyanine dye Cy5 is widely used in single-molecule imaging, but its utility is limited by triplet-state accumulation. This state facilitates energy transfer to molecular oxygen, producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) that lead to photobleaching. The triplet state also causes the dye's fluorescence intermittency and introduces temporal noise.

Hemodynamic simulation analysis of tandem carotid artery stenosis based on a patient-specific case.

Tandem carotid artery stenosis (TCAS) presents significant hemodynamic challenges, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. This study integrates imaging, pathology, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze a patient-specific TCAS case. A three-dimensional (3D) model of the carotid bifurcation was reconstructed from computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans, and CFD simulations assessed hemodynamic parameters under different stenosis conditions.

Development and validation of a machine learning model for predicting vulnerable carotid plaques using routine blood biomarkers and derived indicators: insights into sex-related risk patterns.

Background: Early detection of vulnerable carotid plaques is critical for stroke prevention. This study aimed to develop a machine learning model based on routine blood tests and derived indices to predict plaque vulnerability and assess sex-specific risk patterns across biomarker value ranges.

Methods: We retrospectively included 1701 hospitalized patients from Suzhou Municipal Hospital (2019-2020), selected from an initial cohort of 10,028 individuals.

Asiaticoside Mitigates Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Modulating TRIM27 Stability and Activating PGC-1α/Nrf2 Signaling.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease and is pathologically associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mitochondrial dysfunction. Asiaticoside (AS) has shown significant anti-inflammatory effects in a variety of diseases. Herein, the pharmacological influences of AS in COPD were probed.

Association of Atherogenic Index of Plasma With Stroke Risk in a Population With Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Stages 0 to 3: The First Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Background: The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) is a marker of lipids and atherosclerosis. However, its associations with stroke risk in a population with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome stages 0 to 3 remain unclear.

Methods: The data for this study were obtained from CHARLS (China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study).

WRKY transcription factors: Key regulators in plant drought tolerance.

Drought stress is one of the most common stresses that plants experience during their life cycles. To enhance drought tolerance, plants activate the expression of multiple genes involved in osmoregulation, antioxidant defense, and hormonal signaling pathways. WRKY TFs bind W-box cis-elements in target gene promoters via their DBDs to modulate transcriptional activity.

Development and validation of an improved prediction model for vaginal birth after previous cesarean section: a retrospective cohort study of a Chinese population.

Objective: The transition from one-child to two-child and three-child policy in China has increasingly led to a rise in the number of women who choose trial of labor after cesarean section (TOLAC). Achieving vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) is, however, not always guaranteed, and a failed TOLAC is associated with a high risk of maternal and neonatal complications. Although Grobman's model may help predict VBAC, variations in population characteristics and healthcare settings can limit its generalizability and validity on a global scale.

The exosomal miRNA-3184-3p derived from highly metastatic melanoma cells promotes metastatic competency via the positive feedback loop of NLK/Wnt/S100A11.

Protein secretion and extracellular vesicles represent distinct mechanisms through which cancer cells and stromal cells interact to modify the tumor microenvironment. However, most studies on these mechanisms have predominantly focused on elucidating the impact of cancer cells on stromal cells, leaving the interactions between cancer cells and adjacent cancer cells relatively unexplored. We utilized a heterogeneous melanoma metastasis cell model that our laboratory previously developed, comprising POL (Polymetastatic) cells with high metastatic potential and OL (Oligometastatic) cells with low metastatic potential.

miR-379-3p activates the MAPK/JNK/p38 pathway by negatively targeting DUSP1 expression to promote myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

BackgroundMyocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is a primary cause of cardiomyocyte death in various cardiovascular diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play significant roles in MI/RI.ObjectiveThis study aims to elucidate the function and mechanism of miR-379-3p in this context.

Lung microbiota: a new hope for treating acute respiratory distress syndrome?

The lung microbiota, present in healthy individuals, undergoes alterations in different diseases and is closely linked to changes in both systemic and alveolar immunity. These interactions play a crucial role in the onset and progression of numerous diseases. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), one of the most severe conditions encountered in intensive care units (ICU), is characterized by high incidence and mortality rates.

Stromal SRD5A2 promotes prostate growth through WNT5A-LEF1-IGF1 signaling in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Steroid 5α-reductase type 2 (SRD5A2) is a key enzyme in androgen metabolism and a pharmacologic target in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). While SRD5A2 is known to mediate stromal-epithelial interactions that influence prostate growth, the relationship between baseline SRD5A2 expression and prostate volume remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed SRD5A2 expression in human prostate tissues from the Medical Therapy of Prostatic Symptoms (MTOPS) trial and institutional biorepository cohorts.

Efficacy and Safety of Botulinum Toxin Type A in Primary Axillary Hyperhidrosis: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review.

Background: The clinical efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injections for the treatment in primary axillary hyperhidrosis is a subject of ongoing debate. This study aims to consolidate and analyze the available evidence regarding the use of BTX-A as a therapeutic intervention for this conclusion.

Method: This study was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered with PROSPERO.

Factors associated with patency following drug-coated balloon angioplasty of hemodialysis access.

The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of hemodialysis access patency after drug-coated balloon angioplasty (DCBA) in patients with arteriovenous fistula (AVF). The clinical and imaging data of patients with hemodialysis access dysfunction treated with drug-coated balloon (DCB) in our hospital from January 2020 to January 2024 were analyzed retrospectively, the patency of hemodialysis access was followed up. The length of the DCB is 4 cm.

Lichong Decoction represses colorectal cancer progression via inhibiting the PINK1/Parkin pathway regulated by Rab27B.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Lichong Decoction (LCD), a classical herbal formula, has been widely applied in clinical practice. Studies have validated its effectiveness in combating cancer; nevertheless, the exact pathways through which it influences colorectal cancer require further investigation.

Aim Of The Study: The mechanism of LCD in inhibiting colorectal cancer progression was investigated.

Rinsing Pretreatment With Hydrogen Peroxide Prior to Vacuum Packaging Delays Quality Deterioration and Inhibits Microbial Spoilage of Fresh Chilled Pork During Cold Storage.

To maintain sensory qualities and ensure microbial safety, freshly slaughtered and chilled pork was pretreated with 5% hydrogen peroxide (HO) solution for 1 min before vacuum packaging (VP) using polyethylene bags. During storage of 14 days at 4°C, sensory attributes including color, appearance, overall sensory score, pH, and volatile compounds, were assessed. Results demonstrated that HO pretreatment or VP alone could effectively maintain the color, appearance, and overall quality of fresh chilled pork.

Protein adsorption of in-line intravenous infusion filter and the corresponding mitigation plans.

Protein adsorption is one of the most frequently observed incompatibility issues during intravenous (IV) administration of therapeutic proteins, especially at low concentration, leading to a lower-than-expected drug recovery and potential insufficient therapeutic effect. With its porous structure and complex surface physicochemical property, the in-line filter is usually the main component where protein adsorption happens. Thus, comprehending the adsorption mechanism between proteins and filter membranes is essential for designing effective mitigation strategies.

Effects of high-intensity interval training vs. moderate-intensity continuous training on arterial stiffness in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: Arterial stiffness (AS) is regarded as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality, and it is significantly associated with global mortality rates. Physical activity (PA) plays a positive role in reducing AS and improving cardiovascular health. The aim of this study is to compare the differences between high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in their effects on reducing AS.

Nonequilibrium Solution-Based Assemblies from Bottlebrush Block Copolymers for Drug Delivery.

Kinetic aspects of the self-assembly process of block copolymers are of great interest, as they can direct assembly through specific pathways, yielding nonequilibrium states with complex and unprecedented nanostructures. Assembly kinetics of diblock bottlebrushes was shown to influence the material properties of their solid-state nanostructures, yet little is known regarding their solution-based structures. Herein, we target the nonequilibrium self-assembly of nanoparticles from a zwitterionic diblock bottlebrush consisting of poly(d,l-lactide) and poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) side-chains.

Association between triglyceride glucose weight adjusted waist index and stroke risk in different glucose metabolism status.

The triglyceride glucose-weight adjusted waist index (TyG-WWI) has emerged as a straightforward and reliable alternative for assessing insulin resistance (IR). However, the relationship between the TyG-WWI index and the incidence of stroke, especially in individuals with different glucose metabolism status, is still unclear. The data for this study was obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

piRNA gene density and SUMOylation organize piRNA transcriptional condensate formation.

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are essential for maintaining genome integrity and fertility in various organisms. In flies and nematodes, piRNA genes are encoded in heterochromatinized genomic clusters. The molecular mechanisms of piRNA transcription remain intriguing.

Analysis and verification of optimization of micro-perforated panels' sound absorption using the Taguchi method.

This study investigated the sound absorption coefficient of micro-perforated panels with multiple design factors, using the Taguchi method for analysis and optimization. The panels, made using stereolithography technology for three-dimensional printing, had four key factors: perforation rate, hole diameter, panel thickness, and wave surface. Their absorption coefficients were measured using an impedance tube and analyzed in two directions: namely, the absorption coefficient across various frequency bands and the frequency corresponding to the maximum absorption coefficient.