BNP and NT-proBNP Thresholds for the Assessment of Prognosis in Patients Without Heart Failure.

Background: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)/N-terminal-pro hormone brain natriuretic peptides (NT-proBNP) enable risk stratification, diagnosing, and monitoring of heart failure patients. An additional prognostic value for BNP/NT-proBNP in nonheart failure patients and general population cohorts is described in the literature, but specific cut-off levels are only described for heart failure patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine thresholds for risk stratification in nonheart failure patients.

Elucidating the Binding Mode of Sulfur- and Selenium-Based Cationic Chalcogen-Bond Donors.

For a comparison of the interaction modes of various chalcogen-bond donors, 2-chalcogeno-imidazolium salts have been designed, synthesized, and studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction, solution NMR and DFT as well as for their ability to act as activators in an S1-type substitution reaction. Their interaction modes in solution were elucidated based on NMR diffusion and chemical shift perturbation experiments, which were supported by DFT-calculations. Our finding is that going from lighter to the heavier chalcogens, hydrogen bonding plays a less, while chalcogen bonding an increasingly important role for the coordination of anions.

High- vs. Low-Intensity Statin Therapy and Changes in Coronary Artery Calcification Density after One Year.

Background: Statin therapy promotes the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC). Comparing patients on high (HIST) vs. low-to-intermediate intensity statin therapy (LIST), randomized controlled trials with a one-year follow-up failed to document a relevant difference in the Agatston score and CAC volume.

The euro area's pandemic recession: A DSGE-based interpretation.

This paper augments the European Commission's open-economy DSGE model (GM) with COVID-specific shocks ('forced savings', labour hoarding) and financially-constrained investors to account for the extreme volatility of private domestic demand and hours worked during COVID-19, and it estimates the model on euro area data for the period 1998q4-2021q4. It takes a pragmatic approach of adapting the workhorse model of a policy institution to COVID-19 data. 'Forced savings' are central to explain quarterly real GDP growth during the pandemic, complemented by contributions from foreign demand and trade, and the negative impact of persistently higher savings after the first wave.

Domestic versus foreign drivers of trade (im)balances: How robust is evidence from estimated DSGE models?

Estimated DSGE models tend to ascribe a significant and often predominant part of a country's trade balance (TB) dynamics to domestic drivers ("shocks"), suggesting foreign factors to be only of secondary importance. This paper revisits the result based on more agnostic approaches to shock transmission and using "agnostic structural disturbances". We estimate multi-region models for Germany and Spain as countries with very distinct TB patterns since 1999.

Early commercial experience with a newly designed balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve: 30-day outcomes and implications of preprocedural computed tomography.

Objectives: We herein report a single-centre experience with the SAPIEN 3 Ultra balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) system.

Methods: Between March 2019 and January 2020, a total of 79 consecutive patients received transfemoral TAVI using the SAPIEN 3 Ultra device. Data were retrospectively analysed according to updated Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions.

Financial spillover and global risk in a multi-region model of the world economy.

This paper estimates a three-region DSGE model (EA, US, RoW) with international financial linkages in the form of cross-border equity holding and allowing for region-specific as well as global financial shocks, which match empirical measures of financial tightness and global stock market valuation. Spillover from financial shocks increases with international financial integration and is practically zero under full home bias in normal times. The global risk captures international synchronisation of financial cycles.

Carbonyl Activation by Selenium- and Tellurium-Based Chalcogen Bonding in a Michael Addition Reaction.

In the last years the use of chalcogen bonding-the noncovalent interaction involving electrophilic chalcogen centers-in noncovalent organocatalysis has received increased interest, particularly regarding the use of intermolecular Lewis acids. Herein, we present the first use of tellurium-based catalysts for the activation of a carbonyl compound (and only the second such activation by chalcogen bonding in general). As benchmark reaction, the Michael-type addition between trans-crotonophenone and 1-methylindole (and its derivatives) was investigated in the presence of various catalyst candidates.

Chalcogen Bonding Catalysis of a Nitro-Michael Reaction.

Chalcogen bonding is the non-covalent interaction between Lewis acidic chalcogen substituents and Lewis bases. Herein, we present the first application of dicationic tellurium-based chalcogen bond donors in the nitro-Michael reaction between trans-β-nitrostyrene and indoles. This also constitutes the first activation of nitro derivatives by chalcogen bonding (and halogen bonding).

Chalcogen Bonding: An Overview.

In the last few decades, "unusual" noncovalent interactions like anion-π and halogen bonding have emerged as interesting alternatives to the ubiquitous hydrogen bonding in many research areas. This is also true, to a somewhat lesser extent, for chalcogen bonding, the noncovalent interaction involving Lewis acidic chalcogen centers. Herein, we aim to provide an overview on the use of chalcogen bonding in crystal engineering and in solution, with a focus on the recent developments concerning intermolecular chalcogen bonding in solution-phase applications.

Catalytic Carbon-Chlorine Bond Activation by Selenium-Based Chalcogen Bond Donors.

Chalcogen bonding is a noncovalent interaction based on electrophilic chalcogen substituents, which shares many similarities with the more well-known hydrogen and halogen bonding. Herein, the first application of selenium-based chalcogen bond donors in organocatalysis is described. Cationic bifunctionalized organoselenium compounds activate the carbon-chlorine bond of 1-chloroisochroman in a benchmark reaction.

Carbon-Halogen Bond Activation by Selenium-Based Chalcogen Bonding.

Chalcogen bonding is a little explored noncovalent interaction similar to halogen bonding. This manuscript describes the first application of selenium-based chalcogen bond donors as Lewis acids in organic synthesis. To this end, the solvolysis of benzhydryl bromide served as a halide abstraction benchmark reaction.

(Pro)renin receptor (ATP6AP2) depletion arrests As4.1 cells in the G0/G1 phase thereby increasing formation of primary cilia.

The (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR, ATP6AP2] is a multifunctional transmembrane protein that activates local renin-angiotensin systems, but also interacts with Wnt pathways and vacuolar H -ATPase (V-ATPase) during organogenesis. The aim of this study was to characterize the role of ATP6AP2 in the cell cycle in more detail. ATP6AP2 down-regulation by siRNA in renal As4.

Role of sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphohydrolase 1 in the regulation of resistance artery tone.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which mediates pleiotropic actions within the vascular system, is a prominent regulator of microvascular tone. By virtue of its S1P-degrading function, we hypothesized that S1P-phosphohydrolase 1 (SPP1) is an important regulator of tone in resistance arteries. Hamster gracilis muscle resistance arteries express mRNA encoding SPP1.

Sphingosine kinase functionally links elevated transmural pressure and increased reactive oxygen species formation in resistance arteries.

Myogenic vasoconstriction, an intrinsic response to elevated transmural pressure (TMP), requires the activation of sphingosine kinase (Sk1) and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We hypothesized that pressure-induced Sk1 signaling and ROS generation are functionally linked. Using a model of cannulated resistance arteries isolated from the hamster gracilis muscle, we monitored vessel diameter and smooth muscle cell (SMC) Ca2+i (Fura-2) or ROS production (dichlorodihydrofluorescein).

Sphingosine kinase modulates microvascular tone and myogenic responses through activation of RhoA/Rho kinase.

Background: RhoA and Rho kinase are important modulators of microvascular tone.

Methods And Results: We tested whether sphingosine kinase (Sphk1) that generates the endogenous sphingolipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is part of a signaling cascade to activate the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway. Using a new transfection model, we report that resting tone and myogenic responses of isolated resistance arteries increased with forced expression of Sphk1 in smooth muscle cells of these arteries.

Nitric oxide-induced decrease in calcium sensitivity of resistance arteries is attributable to activation of the myosin light chain phosphatase and antagonized by the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway.

Background: NO-induced dilations in resistance arteries (RAs) are not associated with decreases in vascular smooth muscle cell Ca2+. We tested whether a cGMP-dependent activation of the smooth muscle myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) resulting in a Ca2+ desensitization of the contractile apparatus was the underlying mechanism and whether it could be antagonized by the RhoA pathway.

Methods And Results: The Ca2+ sensitivity of RA was assessed as the relation between changes in diameter and [Ca2+]i in depolarized RA (120 mol/L K+) exposed to stepwise increases in Ca2+ex (0 to 3 mmol/L).