Evidence-Based Application of Natriuretic Peptides in the Evaluation of Chronic Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction in the Ambulatory Outpatient Setting.

Background: Plasma NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) is commonly used to diagnose heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but its diagnostic performance in the ambulatory/outpatient setting is unknown because previous studies lacked objective reference standards.

Methods: Among patients with chronic dyspnea, diagnosis of HFpEF or noncardiac dyspnea was determined conclusively by exercise catheterization in a derivation cohort (n=414), multicenter validation cohort 1 (n=560), validation cohort 2 (n=207), and a nonobese Japanese validation cohort 3 (n=77). Optimal NT-proBNP cut points for HFpEF rule out (optimizing sensitivity) and rule in (optimizing specificity) were derived and tested, stratified by obesity and atrial fibrillation.

Swatting Flies: Biting Insects as Non-Invasive Samplers for Mammalian Population Genomics.

Advances in next-generation sequencing have allowed the use of DNA obtained from unusual sources for wildlife studies. However, these samples have been used predominantly to sequence mitochondrial DNA for species identification while population genetics analyses have been rare. Since next-generation sequencing allows indiscriminate detection of all DNA fragments in a sample, technically it should be possible to sequence whole genomes of animals from environmental samples.

Impact of Demographics and Psychological Factors on Three-Day Postoperative Pain Perception Following Hand Surgery.

Effective pain management is crucial for both comfort and outcomes, yet predicting and managing this pain is difficult. This study aimed to analyze postoperative pain in patients undergoing hand surgery at the Mayo Clinic Florida, examining how patient characteristics and anxiety affect pain outcomes. We conducted a single-arm clinical trial at Mayo Clinic Florida, recruiting patients undergoing hand surgery.

Cerebral cortical functional hyperconnectivity in a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8).

Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 8 (SCA8) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a bidirectionally expressed CTG•CAG expansion mutation in the ATXN8 and ATXN8OS genes. While SCA8 patients have motor abnormalities, patients may also exhibit psychiatric symptoms and cognitive dysfunction. It is difficult to elucidate how the disease alters brain function in areas with little or no degeneration producing both motor and cognitive symptoms.