In multivariable analysis together with clinicopathologic characteristics, higher HHLA2 expression was an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSION The wide expression of HHLA2 in tumour cells and its association with cancer recurrence and patient survival suggest that HHLA2 represents a relevant immune checkpoint molecule in pancreatic and ampullary cancers.The nonlinear trimodal regression analysis (NTRA) method based on radiodensitometric CT distributions was recently developed and assessed for the quantification of lower extremity function and nutritional parameters in aging subjects. However, the use of the NTRA method for building predictive models of cardiovascular health was not explored; in this regard, the present study reports the use of NTRA parameters for classifying elderly subjects with coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic heart failure (CHF) using multivariate logistic regression and three tree-based machine learning (ML) algorithms. Results from each model were assembled as a typology of four classification metrics total classification score, classification by tissue type, tissue-based feature importance, and classification by age. The predictive utility of this method was modelled using CHF incidence data. ML models employing the random forests algorithm yielded the highest classification performance for all analyses, and overall classification scores for all three conditions were excellent CHD (AUCROC 0.936); CVD (AUCROC 0.914); CHF (AUCROC 0.994). Longitudinal assessment for modelling the prediction of CHF incidence was likewise robust (AUCROC 0.993). The present work introduces a substantial step forward in the construction of non-invasive, standardizable tools for associating adipose, loose connective, and lean tissue changes with cardiovascular health outcomes in elderly individuals.Primrose syndrome is characterized by variable intellectual deficiency, behavior disorders, facial features with macrocephaly, and a progressive phenotype with hearing loss and ectopic calcifications, distal muscle wasting, and contractures. In 2014, ZBTB20 variants were identified as responsible for this syndrome. Indeed, ZBTB20 plays an important role in cognition, memory, learning processes, and has a transcription repressive effect on numerous genes. A more severe phenotype was discussed in patients with missense single nucleotide variants than in those with large deletions. Here, we report on the clinical and molecular results of 14 patients 6 carrying ZBTB20 missense SNVs, 1 carrying an early truncating indel, and 7 carrying 3q13.31 deletions, recruited through the AnDDI-Rares network. We compared their phenotypes and reviewed the data of the literature, in order to establish more powerful phenotype-genotype correlations. All 57 patients presented mild-to-severe ID and/or a psychomotor delay. Facial features were similar with macrocephaly, prominent forehead, downslanting palpebral fissures, ptosis, and large ears. Hearing loss was far more frequent in patients with missense SNVs (p = 0.002), ectopic calcification, progressive muscular wasting, and contractures were observed only in patients with missense SNVs (p nonsignificant). Corpus callosum dysgenesis (p = 0.00004), hypothyroidism (p = 0.047), and diabetes were also more frequent in this group. However, the median age was 9.4 years in patients with deletions and truncating variant compared with 15.1 years in those with missense SNVs. Longer follow-up will be necessary to determine whether the phenotype of patients with deletions is also progressive.An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.Haplotype phasing maize genetic variants is important for genome interpretation, population genetic analysis and functional analysis of allelic activity. We performed an isoform-level phasing study using two maize inbred lines and their reciprocal crosses, based on single-molecule, full-length cDNA sequencing. To phase and analyze transcripts between hybrids and parents, we developed IsoPhase. Using this tool, we validated the majority of SNPs called against matching short-read data from embryo, endosperm and root tissues, and identified allele-specific, gene-level and isoform-level differential expression between the inbred parental lines and hybrid offspring. After phasing 6907 genes in the reciprocal hybrids, we annotated the SNPs and identified large-effect genes. In addition, we identified parent-of-origin isoforms, distinct novel isoforms in maize parent and hybrid lines, and imprinted genes from different tissues. Finally, we characterized variation in cis- and trans-regulatory effects. Our study provides measures of haplotypic expression that could increase accuracy in studies of allelic expression.In this study, fabrication of a composite containing the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and magnetite (Fe3O4) micro/nanoparticles is reported. In the first stage, the cement paste samples with a fixed 0.2 wt.% Fe3O4 additive in four different particle sizes (20-40 nm, 80-100 nm, 250-300 nm, and 1-2 µm) were prepared to check the effect of magnetite size. Magnetite was found to play an effective role in reinforcing cement matrix. The results showed that the cement paste reinforced by magnetite nanoparticles of 20-40 nm size range had the highest compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths compared to those of the other samples reinforced by larger particles. In the second stage, various amounts of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles of 20-40 nm size range were added to the cement to evaluate the influence of magnetite amount and find the optimized reinforcement amount. It was revealed that adding 0.25 wt.% Fe3O4 nanoparticles of 20-40 nm size range, as the optimal specimen, increased the compressive strength, flexural strength and tensile splitting strength by 23-32, 17-25, and 15-19%, respectively, and decreased the electrical resistance by 19-31%.SMYD3 (SET and MYND domain-containing protein 3) is involved in histone modification, which initiates oncogenesis by activating transcription of multiple downstream genes. To investigate associations of variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR) variants in the SMYD3 gene promoter, SMYD3 serum levels and SMYD3 mRNA expression in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and clinical progression of related liver disease. SMYD3 VNTRs were genotyped in 756 HBV patients and 297 healthy controls. SMYD3 serum levels were measured in 293 patients and SMYD3 mRNA expression was quantified in 48 pairs of hepatocellular tumor and adjacent non-tumor liver tissues. Genotype SYMD3 VNTR 3/3 was more frequent among HCC patients than in controls (Padjusted = 0.037). SMYD3 serum levels increased according to clinical progression of liver diseases (P = 0.01); HCC patients had higher levels than non-HCC patients (P = 0.04). Among patients with SMYD3 VNTR 3/3, HCC patients had higher SMYD3 levels than others (P  less then  0.05). SMYD3 mRNA expression was up-regulated in HCC tumor tissues compared to other tissues (P = 0.008). In conclusion, upregulation of SMYD3 correlates with the occurrence of HCC and SMYD3 VNTR 3/3 appears to increase the risk of HCC through increasing SMYD3 levels. SMYD3 may be an indicator for HCC development in HBV patients.BACKGROUND To investigate the anatomical and functional results of silicone oil (SO) removal after an extended period of SO tamponade in eyes having received vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS From May 2009 to August 2017, clinical records of patients who had vitrectomy for PDR and underwent SO removal were retrospectively reviewed. SO was in principle left in the eye for an extended period of time and would be removed promptly when complications relevant to SO rose, or at the same setting when other intraocular surgeries were performed. Main outcome measures include anatomical outcome, functional outcome, and postoperative complications. RESULTS Seventy-four eyes of 64 patients (31 males and 33 females) were analysed. The mean follow-up duration was 35.6 months (ranging from 6 to 99 months, median 32 months). The duration of SO tamponade ranged from 3 to 116 months (mean 26.89 months, median 16 months). Anatomical success was achieved in 95.9% at the last follow-up with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) becoming better or unchanged in 81.1%. Postoperative complications included ocular hypertension (>25 mmHg; > 4 weeks) in three eyes (4.1%), macular hole in two eyes (2.7%), transient choroidal detachment in one eye (1.4%), vitreous haemorrhage in four eyes (5.4%) and hyphaema in two eyes (2.7%). CONCLUSIONS The rate of retinal redetachment after an extended period of SO tamponade and removal was low and the majority of eyes obtained final visual acuity improvement. SO removal after an extended period of tamponade in PDR seems to be safe under proper indications and case selection.Recent advances in pharmacological agents have led to successful treatment of a variety of retinal diseases such as neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular oedema (DMO), and retinal vascular occlusions (RVO). These treatments often require repeated drug injections for an extended period of time. To reduce these repeated treatment burdens, minimally invasive drug delivery systems are needed. An ideal therapy should maintain effective levels of drug for the intended duration of treatment following a single application, recognising that a significant number of months of therapy may be required. There are numerous approaches under investigation to improve treatment options. This review will highlight the advantages and limitations of selected drug delivery systems of novel biomaterial implants and depots. The main emphasis will be placed on less invasive, longer acting, sustained release formulations for the treatment of retinal disorders.An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Vietnam is undergoing a nutrition transition, which is leading to marked shifts in body size at the population level, but up-to-date data are lacking. We therefore quantified the prevalence of undernutrition (stunting and thinness) and overnutrition (overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity) in school-aged children in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMc), Vietnam, and compared this with previous estimates. SUBJECTS/METHODS A cross-sectional survey of 10,949 children (6-18 years old) from 30 schools in HCMc, Vietnam in 2014-2015 was used to ascertain the nutritional status of children and adolescents. Different international classification systems (WHO, IOTF, IOTF for Asian children) were used to assess the prevalence of under and overnutrition. Comparisons were made with previous surveys in HCMc. RESULTS Regardless of definitions used, the prevalence of overnutrition was high, particularly in primary school children (20-30% were overweight, 20-30% were obese, and 50% had abdominal obesity), in boys, and urban children. Undernutrition was more prevalent in high-school children (8% were stunted, and 6-18% were thin, versus 2 and 2-9% in primary children, respectively), and in rural areas. Comparisons with previous surveys indicated substantial increases in overnutrition and decreased in undernutrition since 2009 in all age groups. CONCLUSIONS Overnutrition is increasingly common in school-aged children and adolescents in HCMc, while over and undernutrition continue to coexist. These findings highlight an urgent need for greater efforts to control malnutrition in children in HCMc.