Trends in the use, complications, and costs of permanent pacemakers in Australia: A nationwide study from 2008 to 2017.

Objective: To characterize contemporary pacemaker procedure trends.

Methods: Nationwide analysis of pacemaker procedures and costs between 2008 and 2017 in Australia. The main outcome measures were total, age- and gender-specific implant, replacement, and complication rates, and costs.

Age-Related Tau Burden and Cognitive Deficits Are Attenuated in KLOTHO KL-VS Heterozygotes.

Background: Identification of new genetic variants that modify Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk will elucidate novel targets for curbing the disease progression or delaying symptom onset.

Objective: To examine whether the functionally advantageous KLOTHO gene KL-VS variant attenuates age-related alteration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers or cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults enriched for AD risk.

Methods: Sample included non-demented adults (N = 225, mean age = 63±8, 68% women) from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention and the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center who were genotyped for KL-VS, underwent CSF sampling and had neuropsychological testing data available proximal to CSF draw.

Long-term follow-up assessment of cardiac safety in SAFE-HEaRt, a clinical trial evaluating the use of HER2-targeted therapies in patients with breast cancer and compromised heart function.

Purpose: HER2-targeted therapies are associated with cardiotoxicity which is usually asymptomatic and reversible. We report the updated cardiac safety assessment of patients with compromised heart function receiving HER2-targeted therapy for breast cancer, enrolled in the SAFE-HEaRt trial, at a median follow-up of 3.5 years.

Fixed-Dose Netupitant and Palonosetron for Chronic Nausea in Cancer Patients: A Double-Blind, Placebo Run-in Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

Context: No clinical trials have examined the effect of netupitant/palonosetron (NEPA) on chronic nausea in patients with cancer.

Objectives: In this pilot randomized trial, we assessed the efficacy of NEPA and placebo on chronic nausea.

Methods: This double-blind, parallel, randomized trial enrolled patients with cancer and chronic nausea for at least 1 month, intensity ≥4/10 and not on moderately or highly emetogenic systemic therapies.

Self-reported physical activity and atrial fibrillation risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Although physical activity (PA) is an important component of cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, its role in atrial fibrillation (AF) risk is less well established.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to systematically summarize the evidence pertaining to the relationship of PA and risk of AF.

Methods: We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for prospective cohort studies reporting the risk of AF associated with a specific PA volume through March 2020.

Factors Contributing to Exercise Intolerance in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Reduced exercise capacity and exercise intolerance are commonly reported by individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF). Our objectives were to evaluate the contributing factors to reduced exercise capacity and describe the association between subjective measures of exercise intolerance versus objective measures of exercise capacity.

Methods: Two hundred and three (203) patients with non-permanent AF and preserved ejection fraction undergoing cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were recruited.

Integrating Air Quality and Public Health Benefits in U.S. Decarbonization Strategies.

Research on air quality and human health "co-benefits" from climate mitigation strategies represents a growing area of policy-relevant scholarship. Compared to other aspects of climate and energy policy evaluation, however, there are still relatively few of these co-benefits analyses. This sparsity reflects a historical disconnect between research quantifying energy and climate, and research dealing with air quality and health.

A low-cost telescope for enhanced stimulus visual field coverage in functional MRI.

Background: A common limitation of typical projection systems used for visual fMRI is the limited field of view that can be presented to the observer within the scanner. A wide field of view over which stimuli can be presented is critical when investigating peripheral visual function, in particular visual disorders or diseases that lead to the loss of peripheral vision.

New Method: We present a relatively low-cost Galilean telescopic device that can be used in most MRI scanners to double the effective visual field being presented.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Associates with Cerebral Vessel Pulsatility in a Cohort Enriched with Risk for Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: There is increasing evidence that vascular disease risk factors contribute to evolution of the dementia syndrome of Alzheimer's disease (AD). One important measure of cerebrovascular health is pulsatility index (PI) which is thought to represent distal vascular resistance, and has previously been reported to be elevated in AD clinical syndrome. Physical inactivity has emerged as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

A System for Assessing Dual Action Modulators of Glycine Transporters and Glycine Receptors.

Reduced inhibitory glycinergic neurotransmission is implicated in a number of neurological conditions such as neuropathic pain, schizophrenia, epilepsy and hyperekplexia. Restoring glycinergic signalling may be an effective method of treating these pathologies. Glycine transporters (GlyTs) control synaptic and extra-synaptic glycine concentrations and slowing the reuptake of glycine using specific GlyT inhibitors will increase glycine extracellular concentrations and increase glycine receptor (GlyR) activation.

No evidence for sylvatic cycles of chikungunya, dengue and Zika viruses in African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) on St. Kitts, West Indies.

Background: Dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses (DENV, CHIKV and ZIKV) are transmitted in sylvatic transmission cycles between non-human primates and forest (sylvan) mosquitoes in Africa and Asia. It remains unclear if sylvatic cycles exist or could establish themselves elsewhere and contribute to the epidemiology of these diseases. The Caribbean island of St.

Detection of antibodies in sheep and cattle on a veterinary campus in St. Kitts: Implications for one health in the Caribbean region.

is a ubiquitous zoonotic bacterium reported worldwide that causes Q-fever. Infections result in profound economic losses to livestock producers by causing abortions and low birth weights. Current information about the disease in the Caribbean region is scarce.

Outcomes Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Exchange: Focus on the Impacts of Device Infection.

Hemodynamic support with continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) therapy has proven a reliable treatment for advanced heart failure. Although modern LVADs are highly durable, device failure and infection can be resolved with surgical exchange of pump components. In this study, we investigated the incidence and outcomes of LVAD exchange with the HeartMate II and HeartWare HVAD.

Cessation of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Objective: To characterise the rate, causes and predictors of cessation of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Patients And Methods: Consecutive patients with AF with a long-term anticoagulation indication treated with NOACs (dabigatran, apixaban and rivaroxaban) in our centre from September 2010 through December 2016 were included. Prospectively collected data with baseline characteristics, causes of cessation, mean duration-to-cessation and predictors of cessation were analysed.

Current methods inadequate in assessing the association between junk food intake and metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents: letter to editor.

It is of great interest to understand how diet may influence the onset and progression of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in pediatric age groups, as MetS in childhood and adolescence is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes in adulthood. Recently, Azemati and colleagues (2020) reported no association between junk food intake and MetS in Iranian children and adolescents aged 7-18 years; however, we have identified some methodological limitations in this study, which are important to consider when examining MetS risk, especially in samples of this age. In response, we have developed a letter to the editor detailing the issues associated with defining MetS in pediatric age groups and how pubertal maturation and visceral adipose tissue are important variables to assess.

Laser writing of nitrogen-doped silicon carbide for biological modulation.

Conducting or semiconducting materials embedded in insulating polymeric substrates can be useful in biointerface applications; however, attainment of this composite configuration by direct chemical processes is challenging. Laser-assisted synthesis has evolved as a fast and inexpensive technique to prepare various materials, but its utility in the construction of biophysical tools or biomedical devices is less explored. Here, we use laser writing to convert portions of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) into nitrogen-doped cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC).

Slippery liquid infused fluoropolymer coating for central lines to reduce catheter associated clotting and infections.

Thrombosis and infections are two grave, interrelated problems associated with the use of central venous catheters (CVL). Currently used antibiotic coated CVL has limited clinical success in resisting blood stream infection and may increase the risk of emerging antibiotic resistant strains. We report an antibiotic-free, fluoropolymer-immobilized, liquid perfluorocarbon-coated peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line and its effectiveness in reducing catheter associated thrombosis and pathogen colonization, as an alternative to antibiotic coated CVL.

Check-if-apply approach for consumers and utilities to communicate about drinking water aesthetics quality.

Globally, consumers judge their drinking water through its aesthetic qualities because tastes, odors, and appearances are readily detectable by untrained consumers. Consumer feedback is critical to the water industry for efficient resolution of aesthetic water quality issues, although consumer descriptions of taste and odor issues can sometimes be unfocused or confusing. A user-friendly approach can facilitate consumer communications to utilities in the challenging task of describing drinking water taste and odor issues.

Increasing Trials Presented to Children With Autism: Using Frequency Building With Modeling and Feedback.

This study evaluated the effects of a staff training package on the frequency (rate) of trial presentations to children diagnosed with autism. The training consisted of a combination of repeated timings, modeling plus frequency building, and modeling in vivo with the client plus frequency building. The experimenters implemented 20-min training sessions or frequency-building sessions with staff that used 1-min timings for trial presentation in each phase.

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is associated with visceral fat in children.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has been associated with visceral fat partitioning in adults; however, the underlying mechanisms in childhood remain unclear and warrant exploration. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between SSB consumption and body fat in children aged 9-13 years and the potential modifying effect of children's sex and serum cortisol levels. A sample of 2665 Greek schoolchildren participated in the 'Healthy Growth Study', and anthropometric, body composition, dietary intake and serum cortisol data were assessed.