Protein Biomarkers of Adverse Clinical Features and Events in Sarcomeric Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heterogeneous condition that can lead to atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death in many individuals but mild clinical impact in others. The mechanisms underlying this phenotypic heterogeneity are not well defined. The aim of this study was to use plasma proteomic profiling to help illuminate biomarkers that reflect or inform the heterogeneity observed in HCM.

Rationale and Design of OPT-RATE AF: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Increased Physiologic Pacing Rates in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Cardiac physiologic pacing (CPP) after atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) has improved outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Emerging evidence suggests patients with HFpEF benefit from higher heart rates, yet the optimal pacing rate after AVN ablation remains unknown. Optimal Pacing Rate for cardiac resynchronization therapy after atrioventricular node ablation in persistent Atrial Fibrillation and heart failure (OPT-RATE AF) is a prospective, randomized crossover study of patients with HFpEF after AVN ablation for persistent AF (NCT06445439).

3-Dimensional Strain Analysis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Insights From the NHLBI International HCM Registry.

Background: Abnormal global longitudinal strain (GLS) has been independently associated with adverse cardiac outcomes in both obstructive and nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to understand predictors of abnormal GLS from baseline data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Registry (HCMR).

Methods: The study evaluated comprehensive 3-dimensional left ventricular myocardial strain from cine cardiac magnetic resonance in 2,311 patients from HCMR using in-house validated feature-tracking software.

Cost-effectiveness of Icosapent Ethyl for High-risk Patients With Hypertriglyceridemia Despite Statin Treatment.

Importance: The Reduction of Cardiovascular Events With Icosapent Ethyl-Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) demonstrated the efficacy of icosapent ethyl (IPE) for high-risk patients with hypertriglyceridemia and known cardiovascular disease or diabetes and at least 1 other risk factor who were treated with statins.

Objective: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of IPE compared with standard care for high-risk patients with hypertriglyceridemia despite statin treatment.

Design, Setting, And Participants: An in-trial cost-effectiveness analysis was performed using patient-level study data from REDUCE-IT, and a lifetime analysis was performed using a microsimulation model and data from published literature.

Predictors of Major Atrial Fibrillation Endpoints in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute HCMR.

Objectives: This study sought to identify predictors of major clinically important atrial fibrillation endpoints in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common morbidity associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The HCMR (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Registry) trial is a prospective natural history study of 2,755 patients with HCM with comprehensive phenotyping.

Admissions Rate and Timing of Revascularization in the United States in Patients With Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Clinical trials have shown improved outcomes with an early invasive approach for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). However, real-world data on clinical characteristics and outcomes based on time to revascularization are lacking. We aimed to analyze NSTEMI rates, revascularization timing, and mortality using the 2016 Nationwide Readmissions Database.

Distinct Subgroups in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in the NHLBI HCM Registry.

Background: The HCMR (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Registry) is a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded, prospective registry of 2,755 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) recruited from 44 sites in 6 countries.

Objectives: The authors sought to improve risk prediction in HCM by incorporating cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), genetic, and biomarker data.

Methods: Demographic and echocardiographic data were collected.

Sustainable Fisheries Management and the Welfare of Bycaught and Entangled Cetaceans.

The incidental capture of cetaceans and other protected marine wildlife in fishing gear has significant welfare implications. Many thousands of cetaceans are bycaught in fishing gear in European waters and hundreds of thousands die globally. We can expect many more to survive, but suffer from such interactions.

Summary Report Panel 2: Regulatory Issues.

The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life 2013 Conference convened four panels to discuss specific topics related to the effects of anthropogenic noise on aquatic ecosystems. The second of these four panels, the Regulatory Issues Panel, brought together several different perspectives: representatives of agencies responsible for regulating activities that introduce anthropogenic noise into aquatic ecosystems: representatives of the regulated industries, agencies, and consultancies that advise regulators and regulated industries; and nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders with an interest in anthropogenic noise. The goal of the panel was to help develop a more productive relationship between these groups.

Fulfilling EU Laws to Ensure Marine Mammal Protection During Marine Renewable Construction Operations in Scotland.

Large-scale offshore renewable energy infrastructure construction in Scottish waters is anticipated in coming decades. An approach being pursued, with a view to preventing short-range marine mammal injury, is the introduction of additional noise sources to intentionally disturb and displace animals from renewable sites over the construction period. To date, no full and transparent consideration has been given to the long-term cost benefits of noise reduction compared with noise-inducing mitigation techniques.

Genetic and antigenic analysis of invasive serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis in Canada: A decrease in the electrophoretic type (ET)-15 clonal type and an increase in the proportion of isolates belonging to the ET-37 (but not ET-15) clonal type during the period from 2002 to 2009.

Background: Serogroup C meningococcal disease has been endemic in Canada since the early 1990s, with periods of hyperendemic disease documented in the past two decades. The present study characterized invasive serogroup C meningococci in Canada during the period from 2002 to 2009.

Methods: Serogroup C meningococci were serotyped using monoclonal antibodies.

The utility of isotope-coded protein labeling for prioritization of proteins found in ovarian cancer patient urine.

Urine offers a number of attractive features as a sample type for biomarker discovery, including noninvasive sampling, quantity and availability, stability, and a narrow dynamic range. In this study we report the first application of isotope coded protein labeling (ICPL), coupled with in-solution isoelectric fractionation and LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF, to examine and prioritize urinary proteins from ovarian cancer patients. Following the definition of stringent exclusion criteria a total of 579 proteins were identified with 43% providing quantitation data.

Investigation of carryover of peptides in nano-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry using packed and monolithic capillary columns.

This article relates on reversed-phase column technology as the main cause of carryover in the LC-MS/MS analysis of proteomics samples. The separation performance and column carryover was investigated using four capillary columns with different morphologies by monitoring the remaining traces of tryptic peptides of bovine serum albumin in subsequent blank LC-MS runs. The following trend in column carryover was observed: capillary column packed with 3μm porous C18 particles≫2.

Analysis of phosphopeptide changes as spermatozoa acquire functional competence in the epididymis demonstrates changes in the post-translational modification of Izumo1.

Spermatozoa are functionally inert when they emerge from the testes. Functional competence is conferred upon these cells during a post-testicular phase of sperm maturation in the epididymis. Remarkably, this functional transformation of epididymal spermatozoa occurs in the absence of nuclear gene transcription or protein translation.

Synthesis of the HCV protease inhibitor Vaniprevir (MK-7009) using ring-closing metathesis strategy.

A highly efficient synthesis of Vaniprevir (MK-7009) has been accomplished in nine linear steps and 55% overall yield. The key features of this synthesis include a cost-effective synthesis of the isoindoline subunit and efficient construction of the 20-membered macrocyclic core of Vaniprevir (MK-7009) utilizing ring-closing metathesis technology. A high-performing ring-closing metathesis protocol has been achieved by simultaneous slow addition of the ruthenium catalyst (0.

Mumps epidemic in orthodox religious low-vaccination communities in the Netherlands and Canada, 2007 to 2009.

We assessed the epidemiological characteristics of a mumps virus epidemic (genotype D) that occurred in the Netherlands between August 2007 and May 2009 and its association with a subsequent mumps outbreak in Canada. In the Netherlands, five data sources were used: notifications (only mandatory since the end of 2008) (56 cases), laboratory confirmation data (177 cases), a sentinel general practitioner (GP) database (275 cases), hospitalisation data (29 cases) and weekly virological reports (96 cases). The median age of cases in the notification, laboratory and GP databases ranged from 13 to 15 years.

Comparison of the gradient kinetic performance of silica monolithic capillary columns with columns packed with 3 μm porous and 2.7 μm fused-core silica particles.

The kinetic-performance limits of a capillary silica C18 monolithic column and packed capillary columns with fully-porous 3 μm and fused-core 2.7 μm silica C18 particles (all 5 cm long) were determined in gradient-elution mode for the separation of peptides. To establish a kinetic plot in gradient-elution mode, the gradient time to column dead time ratio (t(G)/t₀) was maintained constant when applying different flow rates.