<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sorting nexin 24</Emphasis> genetic variation associates with coronary artery aneurysm severity in Kawasaki disease patients

Background

The sorting nexin (SNX) family is involved in endocytosis and protein trafficking and plays multiple roles in various diseases. The role of SNX proteins in Kawasaki disease (KD) is not known. We attempted to test whether genetic SNX variation associates with the risk of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) formation in KD.

Methods and results

Chi-square tests were used to identify SNX24 genetic variants associated with KD susceptibility and CAA formation in KD; models were adjusted for fever duration and time of first administration of intravenous immunoglobulin. We obtained clinical characteristics and genotypes from KD patients (76 with CAA and 186 without CAA) in a population-based retrospective KD cohort study (n?=?262). Clinical and genetic factors were associated with CAA formation in KD. In addition, endothelial cell inflammation was evaluated. Significant correlation was observed between KD with CAA complications and the rs28891 single-nucleotide polymorphism in SNX24. Patients with CC?+?CT genotypes had lesser CAA complications. In lipopolysaccharide-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells, siRNA knockdown of SNX24 significantly decreased gene expression of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-8.

Conclusions

Polymorphisms in SNX24 may be used as genetic markers for the diagnosis and prognosis of CAA formation in KD.

     

Self‐Assembled BiFeO3‐ε‐Fe2O3 Vertical Heteroepitaxy for Visible Light Photoelectrochemistry

Self‐assembled vertical heterostructure with a high interface‐to‐volume ratio offers tremendous opportunities to realize intriguing properties and advanced modulation of functionalities. Here, a heterostructure composed of two visible‐light photocatalysts, BiFeO₃ (BFO) and ε‐Fe₂O₃ (ε‐FO), is designed to investigate its photoelectrochemical performance. The structural characterization of the BFO‐FO heterostructures confirms the phase separation with BFO nanopillars embedded in the ε‐FO matrix. The investigation of band structure of the heterojunction suggests the assistance of photoexcited carrier separation, leading to an enhanced photoelectrochemical performance. The insights into the charge separation are further revealed by means of ultrafast dynamics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies. This work shows a delicate design of the self‐assembled vertical heteroepitaxy by taking advantage of the intimate contact between two phases that can lead to a tunable charge interaction, providing a new configuration for the optimization of photoelectrochemical cell.     

Do the Preferences of Healthcare Provider Selection Vary among Rural and Urban Patients with Different Income and Cause Different Outcome?

BackgroundEqual access to healthcare facilities and high-level quality of care are important strategies to eliminate the disparity in outcome of care. However, the existing literature regarding how urban or rural dwelling patients with different income level select healthcare providers is insufficient. The purposes of this study were to examine whether differences of healthcare provider selection exist among urban and rural coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) patients with different income level. If so, we further investigated the associated impact on mortality.MethodsA retrospective, multilevel study design was conducted using claims data from 2007–2011 Taiwan’s Universal Health Insurance Scheme. Healthcare providers’ performance and patients’ travelling distance to hospitals were used to define the patterns of healthcare provider selection. Baron and Kenny’s procedures for mediation effect were conducted.ResultsThere were 10,108 CABG surgeries included in this study. The results showed that urban dwelling and higher income patients were prone to receive care from better-performance providers. The travelling distances of urban dwelling patients was 15 KM shorter, especially when they received better-performance provider’s care. The results also showed that the difference of healthcare provider selection and mortality rate existed between rural and urban dwelling patients with different income levels. After the procedure of mediation effect testing, the results showed that the healthcare provider selection partially mediated the relationships between patients’ residential areas with different income levels and 30-day mortality.ConclusionPreferences of healthcare provider selection vary among rural and urban patients with different income, and such differences partially mediated the outcome of care. Health authorities should pay attention to this issue, and propose appropriate solutions to eliminate the disparity in outcome of CABG care.     

Fine control of endothelial VEGFR-2 activation: caveolae as fluid shear stress shelters for membrane receptors

Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology - Recent experimental evidence points to the possibility that cell surface-associated caveolae may participate in mechanotransduction. The particular...     

Population and Single-Cell Analysis of Human Cardiogenesis Reveals Unique LGR5 Ventricular Progenitors in Embryonic Outflow Tract

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Warmest Congratulations to Dr. Yuan-Cheng Fung at His Centennial Celebration

Professor Y.C. Fung has made tremendous impacts on science, engineering and humanity through his research and its applications, by setting the highest standards, through educating many students and their students, and providing his exemplary leadership. He has applied his profound knowledge and elegant analytical methods to the study of biomedical problems with rigor and excellence. He established the foundations of biomechanics in living tissues and organs. Through his vision of the power of “making models” to explain and predict biological phenomena, Dr. Fung opened up new vista for bioengineering, from organs-systems to molecules-genes, and has provided the foundation of research activities in many institutions in the United States and the world. He has made outstanding contributions to education in bioengineering, service to professional organizations, and translation to industry and clinical medicine. He is widely recognized as the Father of Biomechanics and the leading Bioengineer in the world. His extraordinary achievements and commands in science, engineering and the arts make him a Renaissance Man for the world.     

High‐Voltage Photogeneration Exclusively via Aggregation‐Induced Triplet States in a Heavy‐Atom‐Free Nonplanar Organic Semiconductor

The electron–hole recombination kinetics of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are known to be sensitive to the relative energies of triplet and charge‐transfer (CT) states. Yet, the role of exciton spin in systems having CT states above 1.7 eV—like those in near‐ultraviolet‐harvesting OPVs—has largely not been investigated. Here, aggregation‐induced room‐temperature intersystem crossing (ISC) to facilitate exciton harvesting in OPVs having CT states as high as 2.3 eV and open‐circuit voltages exceeding 1.6 V is reported. Triplet excimers from energy‐band splitting result in ultrafast CT and charge separation with nonradiative energy losses of <250 meV, suggesting that a 0.1 eV driving force is sufficient for charge separation, with entropic gain via CT state delocalization being the main driver for exciton dissociation and generation of free charges. This finding can inform engineering of next‐generation active materials and films for near‐ultraviolet OPVs with open‐circuit voltages exceeding 2 V. Contrary to general belief, this work reveals that exclusive and efficient ISC need not require heavy‐atom‐containing active materials. Molecular aggregation through thin‐film processing provides an alternative route to accessing 100% triplet states on photoexcitation.     

Muscle oxygenation dynamics in response to electrical stimulation as measured with near‐infrared spectroscopy: A pilot study

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is used for preventing muscle atrophy and improving muscle strength in patients and healthy people. However, the current intensity of NMES is usually set at a level that causes the stimulated muscles to contract. This typically causes pain. Quantifying the instantaneous changes in muscle microcirculation and metabolism during NMES before muscle contraction occurs is crucial, because it enables the current intensity to be optimally tuned, thereby reducing the NMES‐induced muscle pain and fatigue. We applied near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure instantaneous tissue oxygenation and deoxygenation changes in 43 healthy young adults during NMES at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 mA. Having been stabilized at the NIRS signal baseline, the tissue oxygenation and total hemoglobin concentration increased immediately after stimulation in a dose‐dependent manner (P < 0.05) until stimulation was stopped at the level causing muscle contraction without pain. Tissue deoxygenation appeared relatively unchanged during NMES. We conclude that NIRS can be used to determine the optimal NMES current intensity by monitoring oxygenation changes.