Multiple Blood Biomarkers and Stroke Risk in Atrial Fibrillation: The REGARDS Study.

Background Atrial fibrillation is associated with increased stroke risk; available risk prediction tools have modest accuracy. We hypothesized that circulating stroke risk biomarkers may improve stroke risk prediction in atrial fibrillation. Methods and Results The REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) study is a prospective cohort study of 30 239 Black and White adults age ≥45 years.

Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and association with clinical, sociocultural, and ancestral correlates among Hispanic/Latinos: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Background: Hispanics/Latinos represent the largest ethnic minority group in the United States. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the United States.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide data on the prevalence of AF and its correlates in a representative Hispanic/Latino population-based sample inclusive of all background groups.

The Role of Liquid Ink Transport in the Direct Placement of Quantum Dot Emitters onto Sub-Micrometer Antennas by Dip-Pen Nanolithography.

Dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is used to precisely position core/thick-shell ("giant") quantum dots (gQDs; ≥10 nm in diameter) exclusively on top of silicon nanodisk antennas (≈500 nm diameter pillars with a height of ≈200 nm), resulting in periodic arrays of hybrid nanostructures and demonstrating a facile integration strategy toward next-generation quantum light sources. A three-step reading-inking-writing approach is employed, where atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the pre-patterned substrate topography are used as maps to direct accurate placement of nanocrystals. The DPN "ink" comprises gQDs suspended in a non-aqueous carrier solvent, o-dichlorobenzene.

High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Risk of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation (from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study).

The relation between inflammation and prothrombotic state in atrial fibrillation (AF) is well recognized. This suggests a potential role for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, in improving prediction of stroke in participants with AF. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to examine the risk of stroke in 25,841 participants (40% black and 55% women) with and without AF who were enrolled in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study from 2003 to 2007.

Risk of early mortality after placement of a temporary-permanent pacemaker.

Background: Temporary-permanent pacemakers [TPPM] are externally placed permanent generators attached to active fixation transvenous leads. TPPM can be used as an alternative to standard temporary pacing leads when placement of a permanent pacemaker is contraindicated. We sought to determine the incidence and risk factors for early (within 6months) mortality after placement of a TPPM.

Utility of Nontraditional Risk Markers in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment.

Background: The improvement in discrimination gained by adding nontraditional cardiovascular risk markers cited in the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association cholesterol guidelines to the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk estimator (pooled cohort equation [PCE]) is untested.

Objectives: This study assessed the predictive accuracy and improvement in reclassification gained by the addition of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, the ankle-brachial index (ABI), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels, and family history (FH) of ASCVD to the PCE in participants of MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Methods: The PCE was calibrated (cPCE) and used for this analysis.

Association of Asymptomatic Bradycardia With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Importance: Bradycardia has been associated with lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in selected populations. There is a paucity of information available about heart rate (HR) less than 50 beats per minute (bpm) among middle-aged or older adults.

Objective: To determine whether asymptomatic bradycardia was associated with a lower cardiovascular risk profile, less subclinical atherosclerosis, and decreased incident CVD and mortality.

Utility of Nontraditional Risk Markers in Individuals Ineligible for Statin Therapy According to the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Cholesterol Guidelines.

Background: In the general population, the majority of cardiovascular events occur in people at the low to moderate end of population risk distribution. The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline on the treatment of blood cholesterol recommends consideration of statin therapy for adults with an estimated 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk ≥7.5% based on traditional risk factors.

Coronary artery calcium and risk of atrial fibrillation (from the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis).

Calcified coronary arteries are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is currently unknown whether coronary artery calcium (CAC) is associated with an increased risk for atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to address this question in 6,641 participants (mean age 62 ± 10 years, 53% women, 62% nonwhites) from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) who were free of baseline clinical cardiovascular disease and AF.

Determinants of developing widened spatial QRS-T angle in HIV-infected individuals: results from the Strategies for Management of Antiretroviral Therapy [SMART] Study.

Background: A widened electrocardiographic spatial QRS-T angle has been shown to be predictive of cardiovascular disease in HIV-infected individuals. However, determinants and risk factors of developing widened QRS-T angle over time in this population remain unknown.

Methods And Results: Spatial QRS-T angle was automatically measured from standard electrocardiogram of 1444 HIV-infected individuals without baseline widened spatial QRS-T angle from the Strategies for Management of Antiretroviral Therapy [SMART], a clinical trial comparing two antiretroviral treatment strategies [Drug Conservation (DC) vs.

Atrial fibrillation and the risk of myocardial infarction.

Importance: Myocardial infarction (MI) is an established risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the extent to which AF is a risk factor for MI has not been investigated.

Objective: To examine the risk of incident MI associated with AF.

Minor isolated Q waves and cardiovascular events in the MESA study.

Background: The significance of minor isolated Q waves in the resting electrocardiograms (ECGs) of apparently healthy individuals is unknown.

Objective: To examine the association between minor isolated Q waves and incident cardiovascular disease events in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Design: This analysis included 6551 MESA participants (38% white, 28% black, 22% Hispanic, 12% Chinese) who were free of cardiovascular disease at enrollment.

Electrocardiographic spatial QRS-T angle and incident cardiovascular disease in HIV-infected patients (from the Strategies for the Management of Antiretroviral Therapy [SMART] study).

Widening of the electrocardiographic (ECG) spatial QRS-T angle has been predictive of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in the general population. However, its prognostic significance in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients remains unknown. The spatial QRS-T angle was derived from the baseline resting 12-lead electrocardiogram of 4,453 HIV-infected patients aged 43.

ZnO-templated synthesis of wurtzite-type ZnS and ZnSe nanoparticles.

The controllable synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystals is important for exploiting their size-dependent properties in a variety of applications. The important wide-bandgap semiconductors ZnS and ZnSe crystallize in both the zincblende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) structures. While the ZB polymorphs are most stable, methods exist for synthesizing the WZ-type nanocrystals.

Projection structure of full length connexin 43 by electron cryo-crystallography.

We previously used electron cryo-crystallography to determine the three-dimensional structure of recombinant gap junction channels formed by a C-terminal truncation mutant of Cx43 (11). The dodecameric channel is formed by the end-to-end docking of two hexameric connexons, each comprised of 24 transmembrane alpha-helices. We have now generated two-dimensional crystals of the recombinant, full-length channel, as well as crystals in which the C-tail has been completely removed by trypsin digestion.