Human height is a classic, highly heritable quantitative trait. To begin to identify genetic variants influencing height, we examined genome-wide association data from 4,921 individuals. Common ...variants in the HMGA2 oncogene, exemplified by rs1042725, were associated with height (P = 4 × 10−8). HMGA2 is also a strong biological candidate for height, as rare, severe mutations in this gene alter body size in mice and humans, so we tested rs1042725 in additional samples. We confirmed the association in 19,064 adults from four further studies (P = 3 × 10−11, overall P = 4 × 10−16, including the genome-wide association data). We also observed the association in children (P = 1 × 10−6, N = 6,827) and a tall/short case-control study (P = 4 × 10−6, N = 3,207). We estimate that rs1042725 explains ∼0.3% of population variation in height (∼0.4 cm increased adult height per C allele). There are few examples of common genetic variants reproducibly associated with human quantitativetraits; these results represent, to our knowledge, the first consistently replicated association with adult and childhood height.
To minimize the usage of non-renewable resources and to maintain a sustainable environment, the exploitation of green nanobiopolymers should be enhanced. Biopolymers are generally developed from ...various microorganisms and plants in the specified condition. This review article discusses the current advances and trends of biopolymers, particularly in the arena of nanotechnology. In addition, discussion on various synthesis steps and structural characterization of green polymer materials like cellulose, chitin, and lignin is also encompassed. This article aims to coordinate the most recent outputs and possible future utilization of nanobiopolymers to the ecosystem with negligible effects by promoting the utilities of polymeric materials like polycaprolactones, starch, and nanocellulose. Additionally, strategic modification of cellulose into nanocellulose
via
rearrangement of the polymeric compound to serve various industrial and medical purposes has also been highlighted in the review. Specifically, the process of nanoencapsulation and its advancements in terms of nutritional aspects was also presented. The potential utility of green nanobiopolymers is one of the best cost-effective alternatives concerning circular economy and thereby helps to maintain sustainability.
This perspective presents the role of biodegradable green nanobiopolymers in conserving the environment.
•Twitter facilitated thousands of #OBAnes discussions during the pandemic onset.•The top three #OBAnes tweeted topics were neuraxial, COVID-19, and general anesthesia.•Doctors were the most common ...Twitter users of the #OBAnes hashtag.
#OBAnes is the most used hashtag in obstetric anesthesiology. The primary objective of the study was to characterize #OBAnes tweets at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Observational study of all tweets using #OBAnes between June 30, 2019 and October 19, 2020. A list of 19 topics was compiled to categorize each tweet. All Twitter users were manually assigned into one of 19 Symplur Healthcare Stakeholder categories.
There were 12 431 tweets with #OBAnes during the study period, posted by 1704 unique users. The top user category was Doctor (n = 1211, 71%) with 9665 (78%) tweets. The top three topics identified within Twitter conversations were neuraxial anesthesia, COVID-19, and general anesthesia.
Twitter facilitated thousands of obstetric anesthesia-related discussions during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with most conversations centering on anesthesia type (neuraxial or general anesthesia).
Background. Previous observational studies found highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to be associated with improved survival among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)– infected children and ...adolescents. However, these studies had limited follow-up of HIV-infected children undergoing HAART. Given that HIV infection is chronic and that exposure to HAART is likely to be life-long, there is a need to evaluate the long-term effect of HAART on survival in this population. Methods. The study included 1236 children and adolescents who were perinatally infected with HIV, who were on study or enrolled after January 1996 in a United States-based multicenter prospective cohort study (Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group 219/219C), and who were not receiving HAART at baseline; subjects were observed for a maximum of 10 years through June 2006. A weighted Cox regression model was used to estimate the effect of HAART on survival, appropriately adjusted for time-varying confounding by severity. Results. At the end of the 10-year follow-up period (median duration of follow-up, 6.3 years; interquartile range, 4.3– 9.8 years), 70% of participants had initiated HAART. Lower CD4 cell percentages, total lymphocyte counts, and albumin levels were associated with an increased probability of initiating HAART. Eighty-five deaths were observed, and the mortality hazard ratio associated with HAART, compared with non-HAART regimens, was 0.24 after adjusting for measured confounding by severity (95% confidence interval, 0.11– 0.51). Conclusions. The use of HAART was highly effective in reducing mortality during the period 1996– 2006 among children and adolescents infected with HIV. With improved long-term survival, continued follow-up is necessary to evaluate the effects of prolonged use of HAART on potential adverse events, immune function, growth, sexual maturation, and quality of life in this population.
Abstract Learning 2D sectional anatomy facilitates the comprehension of 3D anatomical structures, anatomical relationships, and radiological anatomy. However, the efficacy of technology‐enhanced ...collaborative instructional activities in sectional anatomy remains unclear, especially if theoretical frameworks, namely the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), are applied in instructional design. Thus, this study compared the educational impact of distinct 45‐min‐long technology‐enhanced collaborative learning tasks in sectional anatomy. A sample of 115 first‐year medical students was randomly divided into three experimental groups that used different supporting technologies to learn the sectional anatomy of the chest: IMAIOS e‐learning platform and Microsoft Surface Hub ( n = 37); anatomage table ( n = 38); anatomage table with CTML‐based presets ( n = 40). Prelearning and postlearning tests revealed that significant knowledge gains in sectional anatomy were obtained by all groups even though no inter‐group differences were found. Moreover, a five‐point Likert scale questionnaire showed that the learning session was highly valued by all participants and that users of the anatomage with CTML‐based presets reported higher enjoyment than users of the IMAIOS system (mean difference = 0.400; p = 0.037). In addition, students using the IMAIOS system and the anatomage with CTML‐based presets provided System Usability Scale (SUS) scores of 67.64 and 67.69, respectively, reaching the benchmark of usability. By contrast, students using the anatomage table without presets awarded a SUS score of 64.14. These results suggest that the integration of multimedia technologies in anatomy teaching and learning should be grounded on CTML principles of instructional design. Otherwise, students' perceptions of ed‐tech usability are potentially hindered.
We present a detailed study of oxygen contamination on the structural and magnetic properties for both Fe/MgO(001) substrate and MnPd bilayer grown on Fe/MgO(001) by using a plane wave self ...consistent field (PWscf) method based on DFT and DFT+U approaches, where a generalized gradient correction for exchange-correlation potential is taken into account. For the clean (
Mn
0.5
Pd
0.5
)
2
bilayer grown on Fe/MgO(001) substrate, we have found that the c(2x2)-MnPd/c(2x2)-MnPd arrangement, where the magnetic moments of the Mn (Pd) atoms belonging to the surface and subsurface of 4.61 (0.05
μ
B
) and -4.03 (0.21
μ
B
), is lowest in energy than the c(2x2)-MnPd/p(1x2)-MnPd, p(1x2)-MnPd/MnPd-c(2x2) and p(1x2)-MnPd/p(1x2)-MnPd arrangements. A ripple is obtained at the surface (subsurface) plane. The contamination by O (1-ML coverage) on top for both Fe/MgO(001) and MnPd/Fe(100) multilayers increases interlayer distances between the surface and subsurface layers, with a preferential adsorption of oxygen atoms on the fourfold hollow sites when both DFT and DFT+U approaches are used. Similar magnetic ordering is obtained for Fe/MgO(001) and O/Fe/MgO(001) as well as for (MnPd)
n
/Fe(100) and O/(MnPd)
n
/Fe(001) sytems, where n=1-2, taking into account both approaches. The DFT+U approach produces an enhancement of the magnetic moments but does not modify the magnetic ground states of those systems. Here, we found that one half of oxygen atoms is pushed out-of-plane while the other half penetrates the MnPd (Fe) surface, giving rise to the MnO (FeO) oxide surface, in agreement with available experimental data.
Graphic Abstract
Obesity is a serious international health problem that increases the risk of several common diseases. The genetic factors predisposing to obesity are poorly understood. A genome-wide search for type ...2 diabetes-susceptibility genes identified a common variant in the FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene that predisposes to diabetes through an effect on body mass index (BMI). An additive association of the variant with BMI was replicated in 13 cohorts with 38,759 participants. The 16% of adults who are homozygous for the risk allele weighed about 3 kilograms more and had 1.67-fold increased odds of obesity when compared with those not inheriting a risk allele. This association was observed from age 7 years upward and reflects a specific increase in fat mass.
Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth, disrupted regulatory pathways, and the accumulation of genetic mutations. These mutations across different types of cancer lead to disruptions in ...signaling pathways and alterations in protein expression related to cellular growth and proliferation. This review highlights the AKT signaling cascade and the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) regulating cascade as promising for novel nanotheranostic interventions. Through synergizing state-of-the-art gene editing tools like the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-Cas system with nanomaterials and targeting AKT, there is potential to enhance cancer diagnostics significantly. Furthermore, the integration of modified CAR-T cells into multifunctional nanodelivery systems offers a promising approach for targeted cancer inhibition, including the eradication of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Within the context of highly aggressive and metastatic Triple-negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), this review specifically focuses on devising innovative nanotheranostics. For both pre-clinical and post-clinical TNBC detection, the utilization of the CRISPR-Cas system, guided by RNA (gRNA) and coupled with a fluorescent reporter specifically designed to detect TNBC's mutated sequence, could be promising. Additionally, a cutting-edge approach involving the engineering of TNBC-specific iCAR and syn-Notch CAR T-cells, combined with the co-delivery of a hybrid polymeric nano-liposome encapsulating a conditionally replicative adenoviral vector (CRAdV) against CSCs, could present an intriguing intervention strategy. This review thus paves the way for exciting advancements in the field of nanotheranostics for the treatment of TNBC and beyond.
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Selective mortality during early life history stages can have significant populationlevel consequences, yet critical periods when selective mortality occurs, the strength of selection, and under what ...environmental conditions can be difficult to identify. Here, we used otolith microstructure and chemistry to examine the factors potentially linked to selective mortality of juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from California’s Central Valley during early ocean residence. Back-calculated size and growth rates of the population were compared across 3 sample periods: as juveniles exited the San Francisco Bay estuary (estuary-exit), after their first month at sea (summer-ocean) and 5 mo after ocean entry (fall-ocean). We compared mortality dynamics during years of exceptional recruitment (addition of individuals to harvestable population; 2000 and 2001) to a year of poor recruitment (2005). Otoliths from 2005 were also analyzed for sulfur isotopes to discern hatchery from naturally spawned stock. Significant size and growth-rate selective mortality were detected during the first month at sea in the low recruitment year of 2005, but not in 2000 and 2001. Individuals that were larger and growing faster during freshwater and estuarine rearing were more likely to survive to summer and fall in the low recruitment year. There was a slight, but insignificant, increase in the proportion of hatchery to naturally spawned individuals from estuary-exit to fall-ocean, suggesting that fish from neither origin were overwhelmingly favored. Our results suggest that Central Valley Chinook salmon can be subject to significant size and growth-rate selective mortality resulting in low adult abundance, and this mortality appears independent of origin.
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•A cost effective method with high adsorption capacity was developed.•The maximum adsorption capacity of 44.0mgg−1 was obtained for GAC-PH.•Acid modification increased the positively ...charged sites on the adsorbent.•The microcrystalline and interlamellar pores increase the adsorption.
Granular activated carbon was treated with different types of acids in order to improve its capability for the removal of perchlorate from drinking water. The characteristics of acid treated granular activated carbons were examined by SEM, XRD, Raman spectrum and FTIR spectroscopic analysis. The effect of various adsorption parameters such as contact time, initial perchlorate concentration, pH of the solution, temperature and presence of co-existing anions on the efficiency were studied. Maximum adsorption capacities were observed as 20.1, 37.5 and 44.0mgg−1 for GAC, GAC-AA and GAC-PH respectively at 303K. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms and kinetics for the process were investigated and found that the process follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The adsorption of perchlorate could be well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters, ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° were also evaluated.
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