Accelerated development of cardiovascular risk factors mediates risk for major adverse cardiovascular events in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background: Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have high rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increased cardiometabolic CVD risk factors (CVDRFs, e.g., hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes mellitus).

Additive effect of high transportation noise exposure and socioeconomic deprivation on stress-associated neural activity, atherosclerotic inflammation, and cardiovascular disease events.

Background: Noise exposure and lower socioeconomic status (SES) are both independently linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Although these factors frequently coexist, their combined impact and the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the joint effects of high transportation noise exposure and lower SES on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and the role of the neural-arterial axis in mediating this relationship.

Anxiety and depression are associated with heightened risk of incident deep vein thrombosis: Mediation through stress-related neural mechanisms.

Controversy exists as to whether anxiety and depression increase deep vein thrombosis (DVT) risk, and the mechanisms mediating potential links remain unknown. We aimed to evaluate the association between anxiety and depression and DVT risk and determine whether upregulated stress-related neural activity (SNA), which promotes chronic inflammation, contributes to this link. Our retrospective study included adults (N = 118 871) enrolled in Mass General Brigham Biobank.

Heart-brain axis: Pushing the boundaries of cardiovascular molecular imaging.

Despite decades of research, the heart-brain axis continues to challenge investigators seeking to unravel its complex pathobiology. Strong epidemiologic evidence supports a link by which insult or injury to one of the organs increases the risk of pathology in the other. The putative pathways have important differences between sexes and include alterations in autonomic function, metabolism, inflammation, and neurohormonal mechanisms that participate in crosstalk between the heart and brain and contribute to vascular changes, the development of shared risk factors, and oxidative stress.

Atherosclerosis Imaging: Positron Emission Tomography.

Assessment of molecular changes by PET has introduced a new paradigm in atherosclerosis imaging, which has traditionally relied on anatomic changes visualized by conventional angiography or computed tomography. The use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to identify atherosclerotic changes in the vessel wall was first described more than 2 decades ago. Since then, PET tracers targeting macrophage activity, neoangiogenesis, smooth muscle activity, and other aspects of atherogenic changes have been proposed.

Assessing Coronary Artery and Aortic Calcification in Patients with Prostate Cancer Using F-Sodium Fluoride PET/Computed Tomography.

The aim of this study was to assess coronary artery and aortic calcification in healthy controls, angina pectoris patients, and prostate cancer patients using 18F-sodium fluoride PET/computed tomography (NaF-PET/CT). A retrospective analysis compared 33 prostate cancer patients with 33 healthy subjects and 33 patients with angina pectoris. Increased target-to-background ratio (TBR) of the coronary arteries, ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta was observed in cancer patients compared to healthy controls but not compared to angina pectoris patients.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Smooth Muscle Cells Heterogeneity in Experimental Aortic Dissection.

This study aims to illustrate the cellular landscape in the aorta of experimental aortic dissection (AD) and elaborate on the SMCs and functions among various cell types. Male Apolipoprotein deficient (ApoE) mice at 28 weeks of age were infused with Ang II (2,500 ng/kg/min) to induce AD. Aortas from euthanized mice were harvested after 7 days for 10×Genomics single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), followed by the identification of cell types and differentially expressed genes (DEGs).

PET-Based Imaging with F-FDG and F-NaF to Assess Inflammation and Microcalcification in Atherosclerosis and Other Vascular and Thrombotic Disorders.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) represents a method of detecting and characterizing arterial wall inflammation, with potential applications in the early assessment of vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis. By portraying early-stage molecular changes, FDG-PET findings have previously been shown to correlate with atherosclerosis progression. In addition, recent studies have suggested that microcalcification revealed by F-sodium fluoride (NaF) may be more sensitive at detecting atherogenic changes compared to FDG-PET.

Outcomes of extended transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for lumbar spondylosis.

This study aims to assess the results of extended transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for a two surgeon, single institution series. In total, extended TLIF with bilateral decompression was performed in 57 patients. Pain, American Spinal Injury Association scores, patient demographics, body mass index (BMI), perioperative indices and radiographic measurements were recorded and analysed.

Safety of instrumentation and fusion at the time of surgical debridement for spinal infection.

The present study aims to assess the results of single-stage instrumentation and fusion at the time of surgical debridement of spinal infections; vertebral osteomyelitis or epidural abscess. Nine patients with spinal infection were treated with instrumentation and fusion after radical debridement in a single-stage operation. Predisposing factors and comorbidities, pain, American Spinal Injury Association motor scores, primary pathologies, microbiology and perioperative markers were recorded.

Comparison of the different surgical approaches for lumbar interbody fusion.

This review will outline the history of spinal fusion. It will compare the different approaches currently in use for interbody fusion. A comparison of the techniques, including minimally invasive surgery and graft options will be included.

The management of malignant spinal cord compression: a modified technique of spinal reconstruction.

Objectives: This study aims to assess the results of a single-stage posterolateral transpedicular corpectomy and fusion in malignant spinal cord compression of the thoracolumbar spine.

Methods: Sixteen cases of thoracolumbar metastases were treated with single-stage posterolateral transpedicular corpectomy and fusion. A modified technique of nerve preserving bilateral cage placement was described.

A modified posterolateral transpedicular approach to thoracolumbar corpectomy with nerve preservation and bilateral cage reconstruction.

This retrospective study investigated the early results of a single-stage posterolateral transpedicular corpectomy and fusion in the thoracolumbar spine. A modified technique with nerve preservation and bilateral expandable cage implantation is described. Four patients with vertebral metastasis and one patient with vertebral osteomyelitis were included in this series.

Micro-geographic risk factors for malarial infection.

Background: Knowledge of geography is integral to the study of insect-borne infectious disease such as malaria. This study was designed to evaluate whether geographic parameters are associated with malarial infection in the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea (PNG), a remote area where malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality.

Methods: A global positioning system (GPS) unit was used at each village to collect elevation, latitude and longitude data.