User- and Message-Level Correlates of Endorsement and Engagement for HIV-Related Messages on Twitter: Cross-sectional Study

BackgroundYouth and young adults continue to experience high rates of HIV and are also frequent users of social media. Social media platforms such as Twitter can bolster efforts to promote HIV prevention for these individuals, and while HIV-related messages exist on Twitter, little is known about the impact or reach of these messages for this population.ObjectiveThis study aims to address this gap in the literature by identifying user and message characteristics that are associated with tweet endorsement (favorited) and engagement (retweeted) among youth and young men (aged 13-24 years).MethodsIn a secondary analysis of data from a study of HIV-related messages posted by young men on Twitter, we used model selection techniques to examine user and tweet-level factors associated with tweet endorsement and engagement.ResultsTweets from personal user accounts garnered greater endorsement and engagement than tweets from institutional users (aOR 3.27, 95% CI 2.75-3.89; P<.001). High follower count was associated with increased endorsement and engagement (aOR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04-1.06; P<.001); tweets that discussed STIs garnered lower endorsement and engagement (aOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.47-1.74; P<.001).ConclusionsFindings suggest practitioners should partner with youth to design and disseminate HIV prevention messages on social media, incorporate content that resonates with youth audiences, and work to challenge stigma and foster social norms conducive to open conversation about sex, sexuality, and health.     

Phenotype of Asthma-COPD Overlap in COPD and Severe Asthma Cohorts

BackgroundAsthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are airway diseases with similar clinical manifestations, despite differences in pathophysiology. Asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) is a condition characterized by overlapping clinical features of both diseases. There have been few reports regarding the prevalence of ACO in COPD and severe asthma cohorts. ACO is heterogeneous; patients can be classified on the basis of phenotype differences. This study was performed to analyze the prevalence of ACO in COPD and severe asthma cohorts. In addition, this study compared baseline characteristics among ACO patients according to phenotype.MethodsPatients with COPD were prospectively enrolled into the Korean COPD subgroup study (KOCOSS) cohort. Patients with severe asthma were prospectively enrolled into the Korean Severe Asthma Registry (KoSAR). ACO was defined in accordance with the updated Spanish criteria. In the COPD cohort, ACO was defined as bronchodilator response (BDR) ≥ 15% and ≥ 400 mL from baseline or blood eosinophil count (BEC) ≥ 300 cells/μL. In the severe asthma cohort, ACO was defined as age ≥ 35 years, smoking ≥ 10 pack-years, and post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity < 0.7. Patients with ACO were divided into four groups according to smoking history (threshold: 20 pack-years) and BEC (threshold: 300 cells/μL).ResultsThe prevalence of ACO significantly differed between the COPD and severe asthma cohorts (19.8% [365/1,839] vs. 12.5% [104/832], respectively; P < 0.001). The percentage of patients in each group was as follows: group A (light smoker with high BEC) – 9.1%; group B (light smoker with low BEC) – 3.7%; group C (moderate to heavy smoker with high BEC) – 73.8%; and group D (moderate to heavy smoker with low BEC) – 13.4%. Moderate to heavy smoker with high BEC group was oldest, and showed weak BDR response. Age, sex, BDR, comorbidities, and medications significantly differed among the four groups.ConclusionThe prevalence of ACO differed between COPD and severe asthma cohorts. ACO patients can be classified into four phenotype groups, such that each phenotype exhibits distinct characteristics.     

富氧水对高原移居青年心肺功能的影响

目的：探讨在高原服用富氧水对移居青年心肺功能的影响。方法：对进驻海拔3700m1年的10名青年在服用富氧水前和服用富氧水（每次500mL,一日2次）15天后分别用EGM-II型踏车功量计做坐位踏车运动,初始负荷功率为50W,每3min递增50W,以60r/min连续踏车至200W,3min后终止。用直线回归法计算每位受试者功率200W时的心率（HR）及血氧饱和度（SaO2）,记录运动终止5min后恢复HR,按公式计算心功能指数。结果：服用富氧水15天后,心功能指数增高,功率200W时SaO2增高;功率200W时的HR和运动终止5min恢复HR降低,差别有非常显著性意义（P〈0.01）。结论：服用富氧水能提高高原移居青年的心肺功能。     

动物胆汁与肠内容物中弯曲菌带菌情况的观察

在受检的10种常见动物中发现,鹌鹑、猫、狗、猪、鸡、鸭和牛的胆汁中弯曲菌带菌率分别为23.64％、14.29％、7.14％、6.64％、5.88％、5.55％和3.63％。体外实验证明,弯曲菌在胆汁中可存活4～7周。动物肠内容物的带菌率普遍高于同种动物的胆汁带菌率。进一步提示,这些家畜、家禽是弯曲菌的重要传染源。     

Three-Point Bending Properties of Hybrid Multi-Materials Using Adhesive Bonding Dependent on Strength Difference between Steel and Aluminum

The mechanical behaviors of two multi-materials, DP590 (steel sheet)–A356 (cast aluminum alloy) and SS330 (steel sheet)–A5052 (aluminum sheet), were studied. A structural adhesive was used for the joining of steel and aluminum at adhesion strengths of 10, 22, and 30 MPa. To demonstrate that the three-point bending properties depend on the difference in strength between steel and aluminum and adhesion strength, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and finite-element analysis (FEA) were performed. According to the results of the bending tests on both multi-materials under the same stacking conditions, the flexural stress increased with the improvement in the adhesion strength until interface separation or aluminum fracture. At the same adhesion strength, the DP590 (lower)–A356 (upper) and SS330 (upper)–A5052 (lower) configurations exhibited a tendency to decrease in the sudden stress drop due to aluminum fracture and interface separation. The bending results were analyzed through the FEA and the stress distribution as a function of the stacking and adhesion strength was confirmed.     

The Influence of Face Shields on the Quality of Colonoscopy in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background/AimsThe worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has led endoscopists to use personal protective equipment (PPE) for infection prevention. This study aimed to investigate whether wearing a face shield as PPE affects the quality of colonoscopy.MethodsWe reviewed the medical records and colonoscopy findings of patients who underwent colonoscopies at Asan Medical Center, Korea from March 10 to May 31, 2020. The colonoscopies in this study were performed by five gastroenterology fellows and four expert endoscopists. We compared colonoscopy quality indicators, such as withdrawal time, adenoma detection rate (ADR), mean number of adenomas per colonoscopy (APC), polypectomy time, and polypectomy adverse events, both before and after face shields were added as PPE on April 13, 2020.ResultsOf the 1,344 colonoscopies analyzed, 715 and 629 were performed before and after the introduction of face shields, respectively. The median withdrawal time was similar between the face shield and no-face shield groups (8.72 minutes vs 8.68 minutes, p=0.816), as was the ADR (41.5% vs 39.8%, p=0.605) and APC (0.72 vs 0.77, p=0.510). Polypectomy-associated quality indicators, such as polypectomy time and polypectomy adverse events were also not different between the groups. Quality indicators were not different between the face shield and no-face shield groups of gastroenterology fellows, or of expert endoscopists.ConclusionsColonoscopy performance was not unfavorably affected by the use of a face shield. PPE, including face shields, can be recommended without a concern about colonoscopy quality deterioration.     

Histone deacetylase inhibitors: a novel class of therapeutic agents in diabetic nephropathy

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are currently being tested as anticancer agents in clinical trials. Chromatin remodeling, such as through histone acetylation, is a fundamental phenomenon in eukaryotic cell biology, bearing implications to numerous physiological and pathological phenomena. Here, we discuss recent data from our own laboratory and those of others demonstrating antifibrotic and renoprotective effect of HDAC inhibitors in diabetic kidneys, and the possible mechanisms including the role of reactive oxygen species. HDAC inhibitors may prove to be a novel class of multitarget agents in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.     

恶性高血压致急性胰腺梗死一例报道

恶性高血压（MHT）是常见的高血压急症,病情一般进展较快,常累及心、脑、肾等重要靶器官,导致器官功能不全。血栓性微血管病（TMA）是MHT的严重并发症之一,以微循环中血栓形成导致组织器官功能受损为主要特点,大多病情危重,预后差。MHT靶器官损害中胰腺受累罕见,由于对其认识不足,临床缺乏早期诊断及治疗的经验,导致患者预后极差,病死率高。本文报道了1例MHT致急性胰腺梗死病例的诊断及治疗过程,以期为临床工作提供借鉴。     

Immunomodulation of Fungal β-Glucan in Host Defense Signaling by Dectin-1

During the course of evolution, animals encountered the harmful effects of fungi, which are strong pathogens. Therefore, they have developed powerful mechanisms to protect themselves against these fungal invaders. β-Glucans are glucose polymers of a linear β(1,3)-glucan backbone with β(1,6)-linked side chains. The immunostimulatory and antitumor activities of β-glucans have been reported; however, their mechanisms have only begun to be elucidated. Fungal and particulate β-glucans, despite their large size, can be taken up by the M cells of Peyer''s patches, and interact with macrophages or dendritic cells (DCs) and activate systemic immune responses to overcome the fungal infection. The sampled β-glucans function as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) on innate immune cells. Dectin-1 receptor systems have been incorporated as the PRRs of β-glucans in the innate immune cells of higher animal systems, which function on the front line against fungal infection, and have been exploited in cancer treatments to enhance systemic immune function. Dectin-1 on macrophages and DCs performs dual functions: internalization of β-glucan-containing particles and transmittance of its signals into the nucleus. This review will depict in detail how the physicochemical nature of β-glucan contributes to its immunostimulating effect in hosts and the potential uses of β-glucan by elucidating the dectin-1 signal transduction pathway. The elucidation of β-glucan and its signaling pathway will undoubtedly open a new research area on its potential therapeutic applications, including as immunostimulants for antifungal and anti-cancer regimens.