The influence of transcatheter aortic valve replacement on left atrial mechanics: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: The morphology and function of the left atrium (LA) are intimately tied to left ventricular loading conditions. Data pertaining to the effect of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on LA function and geometry are scarce. The aim of the study was to quantify associations between TAVR and LA remodelling by pooling available data from published observational studies.

Cardiovascular Effects From Venous Blood Pooling in the Lower Limbs During Prolonged Sitting.

Purpose: To investigate whether venous blood pooling in the lower limbs from prolonged sitting induces harmful cardiovascular effects by reducing stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO).

Methods: A randomized crossover trial involving 16 participants (mean age = 24.8 years ± 6.

Synergistic Drug Combinations Promote the Development of Resistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Unlabelled: Combination therapy is an important part of cancer treatment and is often employed to overcome or prevent drug resistance. Preclinical screening strategies often prioritize synergistic drug combinations; however, studies of antibiotic combinations show that synergistic drug interactions can accelerate the emergence of resistance because resistance to one drug depletes the effect of both. In this study, we aimed to determine whether synergy drives the development of resistance in cancer cell lines using live-cell imaging.

Effects of intermittent exercise during prolonged sitting on executive function, cerebrovascular, and psychological response: a randomized crossover trial.

Emerging evidence indicates that acute bouts of uninterrupted prolonged sitting decrease cerebral blood flow and impair executive function. Few studies have investigated the use of feasible sedentary behavior interruptions to attenuate these effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of intermittent half-squat exercises during prolonged sitting on executive function.

The relationship between sleep duration and arterial stiffness: A meta-analysis.

Chronically short (<7 h) and long (>9 h) sleep duration may increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk relative to the recommended sleep duration (7-9 h). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of short and long sleep duration on arterial stiffness, a marker of CVD risk, in adults. Eleven cross-sectional studies were reviewed with a total sample size of 100,050 participants (64.

Ultrasensitive response explains the benefit of combination chemotherapy despite drug antagonism.

Most aggressive lymphomas are treated with combination chemotherapy, commonly as multiple cycles of concurrent drug administration. Concurrent administration is in theory optimal when combination therapies have synergistic (more than additive) drug interactions. We investigated pharmacodynamic interactions in the standard 4-drug 'CHOP' regimen in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma (PTCL) cell lines, and found that CHOP consistently exhibits antagonism and not synergy.

A framework to quantify flow through coral reefs of varying coral cover and morphology.

Flow velocities within coral reefs are greatly reduced relative to those at the water surface. The in-reef flow controls key processes that flush heat, cycle nutrients and transport sediment from the reef to adjacent beaches, all key considerations in assessments of reef resilience and restoration interventions. An analytical framework is proposed and tested with a suite of high-resolution numerical experiments.

Sedentary behavior and cardiovascular disease risk: An evolutionary perspective.

A ubiquitous aspect of contemporary societies is sedentary behavior (SB), defined as low intensity activities in a seated, reclined, or supine posture. Leading public health agencies, including the World Health Organization, have recognized the strong association between SB and poor health outcomes, particularly cardiovascular disease. However, while public health agencies have begun to advocate for "reductions" in SB, the current US guidelines are typically vague and non-specific.

Drug independence and the curability of cancer by combination chemotherapy.

Combination chemotherapy can cure certain leukemias and lymphomas, but most solid cancers are only curable at early stages. We review quantitative principles that explain the benefits of combining independently active cancer therapies in both settings. Understanding the mechanistic principles underlying curative treatments, including those developed many decades ago, is valuable for improving future combination therapies.

Nature-based solutions for atoll habitability.

Atoll societies have adapted their environments and social systems for thousands of years, but the rapid pace of climate change may bring conditions that exceed their adaptive capacities. There is growing interest in the use of 'nature-based solutions' to facilitate the continuation of dignified and meaningful lives on atolls through a changing climate. However, there remains insufficient evidence to conclude that these can make a significant contribution to adaptation on atolls, let alone to develop standards and guidelines for their implementation.

Protocol for a Longitudinal Study of the Determinants of Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Young Adults.

Context: As many as 76.7% of U.S.

A novel adaptation facilitates seed establishment under marine turbulent flows.

Seeds of Australian species of the seagrass genus Posidonia are covered by a membranous wing that we hypothesize plays a fundamental role in seed establishment in sandy, wave swept marine environments. Dimensions of the seed and membrane were quantified under electron microscopy and micro-CT scans, and used to model rotational, drag and lift forces. Seeds maintain contact with the seabed in the presence of strong turbulence: the larger the wing, the more stable the seed.

Quantitative analysis of the yeast pheromone pathway.

The pheromone response pathway of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a well-established model for the study of G proteins and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Our longstanding ability to combine sophisticated genetic approaches with established functional assays has provided a thorough understanding of signalling mechanisms and regulation. In this report, we compare new and established methods used to quantify pheromone-dependent MAPK phosphorylation, transcriptional induction, mating morphogenesis, and gradient tracking.

Enhancing the effects of chemotherapy by combined macrophage-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) and photochemical internalization (PCI).

Light-based treatment modalities such as photothermal therapy (PTT) or photochemical internalization (PCI) have been well documented both experimentally and clinically to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy. The main purpose of this study was to examine the cytotoxic effects of silica-gold nanoshell (AuNS)-loaded macrophage-mediated (Ma) PTT and bleomycin BLM-PCI on monolayers of squamous cell carcinoma cells. The two modalities were applied separately and in simultaneous combination.

Coral reef structural complexity provides important coastal protection from waves under rising sea levels.

Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems that support millions of people worldwide by providing coastal protection from waves. Climate change and human impacts are leading to degraded coral reefs and to rising sea levels, posing concerns for the protection of tropical coastal regions in the near future. We use a wave dissipation model calibrated with empirical wave data to calculate the future increase of back-reef wave height.

A facilitated diffusion mechanism establishes the Dorsal gradient.

The transcription factor NF-κB plays an important role in the immune system, apoptosis and inflammation. Dorsal, a homolog of NF-κB, patterns the dorsal-ventral axis in the blastoderm embryo. During this stage, Dorsal is sequestered outside the nucleus by the IκB homolog Cactus.

Photodynamic therapy enhances the efficacy of gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy.

Introduction: Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) employing the cytosine deaminase (CD) gene, which encodes an enzyme that converts the nontoxic agent 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), has shown promise both in experimental animals and in clinical trials. Nevertheless, with the transfection systems available presently the percentage of tumor cells incorporating the desired gene is usually too low for successful therapy. We have examined the ability of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to enhance the efficacy of the metabolites, converted from 5-FC by CD gene transfected rat glioma cells.

Effectiveness of scaling up the 'three pillars' approach to accelerating MDG 4 progress in Ethiopia.

This paper describes the integrated approach taken by the Government of Ethiopia with support from the Essential Services for Health in Ethiopia (ESHE) Project and assesses its effect on the coverage of six child health practices associated with reducing child mortality. The ESHE Project was designed to contribute to reducing high child mortality rates at scale among 14.5 million people through the 'three pillars' approach.

Who gives birth in private facilities in Asia? A look at six countries.

Over the past two decades, multilateral organizations have encouraged increased engagement with private healthcare providers in developing countries. As these efforts progress, there are concerns regarding how private delivery care may effect maternal health outcomes. Currently available data do not allow for an in-depth study of the direct effect of increasing private sector use on maternal health across countries.