Mobile health (mHealth) interventions for health promotion during the perinatal period in India: a scoping review.

Introduction: Perinatal and maternal mortality rates remain high in India compared to global levels, and there is significant heterogeneity in outcomes across Indian states. Many mobile health (mHealth) interventions have been developed to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in India, however it is unclear how mHealth can best support women in this culturally and resource diverse setting. Therefore, we aimed to identify mHealth interventions targeting women and their families in the perinatal period in India, identify barriers and facilitators to their uptake, and future research directions.

Changes in peak oxygen consumption in Fabry disease and associations with cardiomyopathy severity.

Background: Fabry disease (FD) causes multiorgan sphingolipid accumulation, with cardiac involvement responsible for the largest burden of morbidity and mortality. Exercise intolerance in FD is prevalent, yet the mechanisms of this are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess exercise intolerance in FD and identify whether this correlates with the phase of cardiomyopathy.

Functional and imaging outcomes of the Fontan circulation following pregnancy.

Introduction: The Fontan circulation palliates single-ventricle congenital heart disease by separating the systemic and pulmonary circulations. An increasing number of women with a Fontan circulation are wishing to become pregnant, however the ability to increase cardiac output during pregnancy is limited in many due to the chronic low output state. We describe pregnancy outcomes in these women at a large tertiary centre, including functional and imaging outcomes.

Long-term antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of rheumatic fever recurrence and progression to rheumatic heart disease.

Background: Rheumatic fever is a non-suppurative, inflammatory sequela of group A Streptococcus pharyngitis that can occur at two to four weeks after infection. Following an episode of rheumatic fever, there is a risk of developing rheumatic heart disease (RHD) later in life that carries significant risk of morbidity and mortality. RHD remains the largest global cause of cardiovascular disease in the young (age < 25 years).

Factors and framing effects in support for net zero policies in the United Kingdom.

Achieving ambitious carbon reduction targets requires transformative change to society, with behaviour change playing an important role. Climate change mitigation ('net zero') policies are needed to accelerate and support such behaviour change. This study examined factors and framing effects in public support for net zero policies in the United Kingdom (UK), making use of a large probability sample (n = 5,665) survey conducted in August 2021.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy in adults with structural congenital heart disease and chronic heart failure.

Aims: Evidence for CRT in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) and chronic heart failure is limited, with recommendations for its use extrapolated from the population with structurally normal hearts. This retrospective observational study investigates the efficacy of CRT in this heterogenous group, discussing factors predicting response to CRT.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients with structural ACHD who underwent CRT insertion or upgrade at a tertiary center in the United Kingdom were retrospectively studied.

Pregnancy outcomes in women following the Ross procedure.

Introduction: The Ross procedure, where a pulmonary autograft (neoaorta) replaces the aortic valve, has excellent long-term outcomes in patients with congenital aortic valve disease. However, there are reports of neoaortic dilatation and dissection. An increasing number of women are wishing to become pregnant following the Ross procedure, but little is known about the occurrence and risks of neoaortic dilatation and complications in pregnancy.

Comparison of left ventricular with right ventricular rapid pacing on tamponade during TAVI.

Background: Small studies have suggested left ventricular (LV) rapid pacing has similar safety and efficacy to conventional right ventricular (RV) rapid pacing in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, there are limited data on the comparative rates of tamponade. The study compared the rate of cardiac tamponade between LV and RV-pacing during TAVI.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on application of European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for exercise in adults with CHD: a data-based questionnaire.

Introduction: Regular physical activity is safe and effective therapy for adults with CHD and is recommended by European Society of Cardiology guidelines. The COVID-19 pandemic poses enormous challenges to healthcare teams and patients when ensuring guideline compliance. We explored the implications of COVID-19 on physical activity levels in adult CHD patients.

Differential sulfation remodelling of heparan sulfate by extracellular 6-O-sulfatases regulates fibroblast growth factor-induced boundary formation by glial cells: implications for glial cell transplantation.

Previously, it has been shown that rat Schwann cells (SCs), but not olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), form a boundary with astrocytes, due to a SC-specific secreted factor. Here, we identify highly sulfated heparan sulfates (HSs) and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) 1 and 9 as possible determinants of boundary formation induced by rat SCs. Disaccharide analysis of HS in SC-conditioned and rat OEC-conditioned media showed that SCs secrete more highly sulfated HS than OECs.

Structure and epitope distribution of heparan sulfate is disrupted in experimental lung hypoplasia: a glycobiological epigenetic cause for malformation?

Background: Heparan sulfate (HS) is present on the surface of virtually all mammalian cells and is a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), where it plays a pivotal role in cell-cell and cell-matrix cross-talk through its large interactome. Disruption of HS biosynthesis in mice results in neonatal death as a consequence of malformed lungs, indicating that HS is crucial for airway morphogenesis. Neonatal mortality (~50%) in newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is principally associated with lung hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension.

Heparan sulfate in lung morphogenesis: The elephant in the room.

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a structurally complex polysaccharide located on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix, where it participates in numerous biological processes through interactions with a vast number of regulatory proteins such as growth factors and morphogens. HS is crucial for lung development; disruption of HS synthesis in flies and mice results in a major aberration of airway branching, and in mice, it results in neonatal death as a consequence of malformed lungs and respiratory distress. Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions governing lung morphogenesis are directed by various diffusible proteins, many of which bind to, and are regulated by HS, including fibroblast growth factors, sonic hedgehog, and bone morphogenetic proteins.

Heparan sulfate phage display antibodies identify distinct epitopes with complex binding characteristics: insights into protein binding specificities.

Heparan sulfate (HS) binds and modulates the transport and activity of a large repertoire of regulatory proteins. The HS phage display antibodies are powerful tools for the analysis of native HS structure in situ; however, their epitopes are not well defined. Analysis of the binding specificities of a set of HS antibodies by competitive binding assays with well defined chemically modified heparins demonstrates that O-sulfates are essential for binding; however, increasing sulfation does not necessarily correlate with increased antibody reactivity.

Ergonomics and cytotechnologists: reported musculoskeletal discomfort.

Analysis of this survey of 244 responding cytotechnologists shows that a high percentage still suffer from musculoskeletal disorders commonly associated with poor ergonomic design in the workplace, despite the variety of ergonomically designed microscopes that have been introduced into the market. Although Kalavar and Hunting surveyed a small group of cytotechnologists in the Washington, DC, area in 1996, no broad-based study has focused specifically on these professionals. The landmark study of microscope ergonomics, published by Soderberg in 1980, documented widespread musculoskeletal complaints in the electronics industry.