Five-Year Outcomes After Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (From 110,599 Patients in a Danish Nationwide Register-Based Follow-Up Study).

The long-term cardiovascular risk for patients examined with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to rule out coronary heart disease compared with population controls remains unexplored. A nationwide register-based study including first-time CCTA-examined patients between 2007 and 2017 in Denmark alive 180 days post-CCTA was conducted. We evaluated 5-year outcomes of myocardial infarction (MI) or revascularization and all-cause mortality in 3 distinct CCTA-groups: (1) no post-CCTA preventive pharmacotherapy use (cholesterol-lowering drugs, antiplatelets, or anticoagulants); (2) post-CCTA preventive pharmacotherapy use; and (3) revascularization or MI within 180 days post-CCTA.

Concordance of Computed Tomography Regional Body Composition Analysis Using a Fully Automated Open-Source Neural Network versus a Reference Semi-Automated Program with Manual Correction.

Quick, efficient, fully automated open-source programs to segment muscle and adipose tissues from computed tomography (CT) images would be a great contribution to body composition research. This study examined the concordance of cross-sectional areas (CSA) and densities for muscle, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) from CT images at the third lumbar (L3) between an automated neural network (test method) and a semi-automatic human-based program (reference method). Concordance was further evaluated by disease status, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI categories.

Hepatocellular cystathionine γ lyase/hydrogen sulfide attenuates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by activating farnesoid X receptor.

Background And Aims: Hydrogen sulfide (H S) plays a protective role in NAFLD. However, whether cystathionine γ lyase (CSE), a dominant H S generating enzyme in hepatocytes, has a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD is currently unclear.

Approach And Results: We showed that CSE protein expression is dramatically downregulated, especially in fibrotic areas, in livers from patients with NAFLD.

Randomized clinical trial: Direct-acting antivirals as treatment for hepatitis C in people who inject drugs: Delivered in needle and syringe programs via directly observed therapy versus fortnightly collection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment in people who inject drugs (PWID) is delivered within settings frequented by PWID, such as needle and syringe programs (NSP). The optimal direct-acting antiviral (DAA) dispensing regimen among NSP clients is unknown. This study compared cures (Sustained virologic response 12 weeks post-treatment, [SVR ]) across three dispensing schedules to establish non-inferiority of fortnightly dispensing versus directly observed therapy.

Breast Cancer-Stromal Interactions: Adipose-Derived Stromal/Stem Cell Age and Cancer Subtype Mediated Remodeling.

Adipose tissue is characterized as an endocrine organ that acts as a source of hormones and paracrine factors. In diseases such as cancer, endocrine and paracrine signals from adipose tissue contribute to cancer progression. Young individuals with estrogen receptor-alpha positive (ER-α) breast cancer (BC) have an increased resistance to endocrine therapies, suggesting that alternative estrogen signaling is activated within these cells.

Reaching people receiving opioid agonist therapy at community pharmacies with hepatitis C virus: an international randomised controlled trial.

Background: Conventional healthcare models struggle to engage those at risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This international study evaluated point-of-care (PoC) HCV RNA diagnostic outreach and direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for individuals receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT) in community pharmacies.

Aims: We assessed the effectiveness of a roving nurse-led pathway offering PoC HCV RNA testing to OAT clients in community pharmacies relative to conventional care.

Interaction of , and Increases Susceptibility to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Background And Aims: Previous studies have reported that the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of and are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no studies have examined the effect of interactions between these three genotypes to affect liver disease severity. We assessed the effect of these three SNPs on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and also examined the gene-gene interactions in a Chinese population with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD.

Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Fatty Liver Disease is Associated with Greater Impairment of Lung Function than Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Background And Aims: We compared lung function parameters in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and examined the association between lung function parameters and fibrosis severity in MAFLD.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we randomly recruited 2,543 middle-aged individuals from 25 communities across four cities in China during 2016 and 2020. All participants received a health check-up including measurement of anthropometric parameters, biochemical variables, liver ultrasonography, and spirometry.

NAFLD improves risk prediction of type 2 diabetes: with effect modification by sex and menopausal status.

Background And Aims: The effects of sex and menopausal status on the association between NAFLD and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) remain unclear. We investigated the effect modification by sex and menopause in the association between NAFLD and T2D; also, the added predictive ability of NAFLD for the risk of T2D was assessed.

Approach And Results: This cohort study comprised 245,054 adults without diabetes (109,810 premenopausal women; 4958 postmenopausal women; 130,286 men).

Skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio as a predictor of NAFLD in lean and overweight men and women with effect modification by sex.

The effect of sarcopenic visceral obesity on the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is uncertain. We investigated (a) whether the skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SV ratio), as a measure of sarcopenic visceral obesity, is a risk factor for NAFLD; and (b) whether the SV ratio adds to conventional adiposity measures to improve prediction of incident NAFLD. Adults without NAFLD (n = 151,017) were followed up for a median of 3.

A novel radiomics signature based on T2-weighted imaging accurately predicts hepatic inflammation in individuals with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a derivation and independent validation study.

Background: Currently, there are no effective methods for assessing hepatic inflammation without resorting to histological examination of liver tissue obtained by biopsy. T2-weighted images (T2WI) are routinely obtained from liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan sequences. We aimed to establish a radiomics signature based on T2WI (T2-RS) for assessment of hepatic inflammation in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Resolution of, and Risk of Incident Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease With Changes in Serum 25-hydroxy Vitamin D Status.

Context: A protective or causative role of vitamin D status on the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains inconclusive.

Objective: To evaluate the association between changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status during follow-up and the risk of incident NAFLD and resolution of preexisting NAFLD.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Optimization of the left ventricle ejection fraction estimate obtained during cardiac adenosine stress Rubidium-PET scanning: impact of different reconstruction protocols.

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) estimation using adenosine stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) can be challenging. The short half-life of adenosine and the guideline-recommended adenosine infusion stop during Rubidium-82 acquisition protocol may affect the accuracy and repeatability of the LVEF measures.

Methods: This study comprised 25 healthy volunteers (median age 23 years) who underwent repeat myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) sessions employing Rubidium-82 PET/CT.

AiDAPT: automated insulin delivery amongst pregnant women with type 1 diabetes: a multicentre randomized controlled trial - study protocol.

Background: Pregnant women with type 1 diabetes strive for tight glucose targets (3.5-7.8 mmol/L) to minimise the risks of obstetric and neonatal complications.

Fasting ketonuria is inversely associated with coronary artery calcification in non-diabetic individuals.

Background And Aims: Increased levels of ketone bodies, an alternative fuel when glucose availability is low, may exert beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Whether increased ketone bodies are associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC), a recognized and strong cardiovascular risk factor, remains unknown. We investigated the association of fasting ketonuria with CAC and its progression.

CIRSE Standards of Practice on Thermal Ablation of Bone Tumours.

Background: Percutaneous thermal ablation is an effective, minimally invasive means of treating a variety of focal benign and malignant osseous lesions. To determine the role of ablation in individual cases, multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion is required to assess the suitability and feasibility of a thermal ablative approach, to select the most appropriate technique and to set the goals of treatment i.e.

House-edge information and a volatility warning lead to reduced gambling expenditure: Potential improvements to return-to-player percentages.

Cost-of-play information is one public health intervention recommended to help reduce gambling-related harm. In the UK, this information is given on electronic gambling machines in a format known as the "return-to-player", e.g.

Investigating the microbial and metalloprotease sequestration properties of superabsorbent wound dressings.

Exudate production is a natural part of the wound healing process, however levels of exudate need to be appropriately managed to maintain a moist wound environment which supports healing. An overly-exuding wound creates an environment favourable to bacterial growth. In recent years, a significant increase in commercially available superabsorbent dressings have become available which claim to absorb and retain excess exudate and its components.

Old and new classes of glucose-lowering agents as treatments for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A narrative review.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease with a global prevalence of about 55% in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM, obesity and NAFLD are three closely inter-related pathological conditions. In addition, T2DM is one of the strongest clinical risk factors for the faster progression of NAFLD to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Height and body mass index in molecularly confirmed Silver-Russell syndrome and the long-term effects of growth hormone treatment.

Objective: Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) causes short stature. Growth hormone (GH) treatment aims to increase adult height. However, data are limited on the long-term outcomes of GH in patients with molecularly confirmed SRS.

J-shaped relationship between serum zinc levels and the severity of hepatic necro-inflammation in patients with MAFLD.

Background And Aims: Zinc is an essential trace element that plays an important role in maintaining health, and affecting gene expression, signal transduction and regulation of apoptosis. It is uncertain whether serum zinc levels are altered in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). We aimed to investigate the association between serum zinc levels and the severity of hepatic necro-inflammation (HN) in patients with MAFLD.

Liver fat in adult survivors of severe acute malnutrition.

The association between severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in early childhood and liver fat in adults is unknown. We hypothesized that exposure to SAM, especially severe wasting, is associated with fatty liver later in life. In this observational study, abdominal CT was used to quantify mean liver attenuation (MLA) and liver:spleen attenuation ratio (L/S).

Long or Irregular Menstrual Cycles and Risk of Prevalent and Incident Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Context: The association of menstrual cycle length and irregularity with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is unknown.

Objective: We examined this association in large cross-sectional and cohort studies.

Methods: The cross-sectional study included 72 092 women younger than 40 years who underwent routine health examinations; the longitudinal analysis included the subset of 51 118 women without NAFLD at baseline.

The effect of wasting and stunting during severe acute malnutrition in infancy on insulin sensitivity and insulin clearance in adult life.

Adults who had non-edematous severe acute malnutrition (SAM) during infancy (i.e., marasmus) have worse glucose tolerance and beta-cell function than survivors of edematous SAM (i.