Meaning of empowerment in peritoneal dialysis: focus groups with patients and caregivers.

Background: While peritoneal dialysis (PD) can offer patients more independence and flexibility compared with in-center hemodialysis, managing the ongoing and technically demanding regimen can impose a burden on patients and caregivers. Patient empowerment can strengthen capacity for self-management and improve treatment outcomes. We aimed to describe patients' and caregivers' perspectives on the meaning and role of patient empowerment in PD.

Association of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Burden With Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis Assessed by Serial Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography.

Importance: Several studies have reported that the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, as measured by serial coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography, is associated with the risk of future cardiovascular events. However, the cumulative consequences of multiple risk factors for plaque progression and the development of adverse plaque characteristics have not been well characterized.

Objectives: To examine the association of cardiovascular risk factor burden, as assessed by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score, with the progression of coronary atherosclerosis and the development of adverse plaque characteristics.

Combining Biomarkers and Imaging for Short-Term Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Apparently Healthy Adults.

Background Current strategies for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment focus on 10-year or longer timeframes. Shorter-term CVD risk is also clinically relevant, particularly for high-risk occupations, but is under-investigated. Methods and Results We pooled data from participants in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study), MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), and DHS (Dallas Heart Study), free from CVD at baseline (N=16 581).

A Boosted Ensemble Algorithm for Determination of Plaque Stability in High-Risk Patients on Coronary CTA.

Objectives: This study sought to identify culprit lesion (CL) precursors among acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients based on qualitative and quantitative computed tomography-based plaque characteristics.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) has been validated for patient-level prediction of ACS. However, the applicability of coronary CTA to CL assessment is not known.

Quantitative assessment of coronary plaque volume change related to triglyceride glucose index: The Progression of AtheRosclerotic PlAque DetermIned by Computed TomoGraphic Angiography IMaging (PARADIGM) registry.

Background: The association between triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and coronary atherosclerotic change remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the association between TyG index and coronary plaque progression (PP) using serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

Methods: A total of 1143 subjects (aged 60.

The Effects of High-Protein Diets on Kidney Health and Longevity.

Although high-protein diets continue to be popular for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, evidence suggests that worsening renal function may occur in individuals with-and perhaps without-impaired kidney function. High dietary protein intake can cause intraglomerular hypertension, which may result in kidney hyperfiltration, glomerular injury, and proteinuria. It is possible that long-term high protein intake may lead to CKD.

Association of Body Mass Index With Coronary Artery Calcium and Subsequent Cardiovascular Mortality: The Coronary Artery Calcium Consortium.

Background: Obesity is associated with higher risk for coronary artery calcium (CAC), but the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality is complex and frequently paradoxical.

Methods: We analyzed BMI, CAC, and subsequent mortality using data from the CAC Consortium, a multi-centered cohort of individuals free of established cardiovascular disease (CVD) who underwent CAC testing. Mortality was assessed through linkage to the Social Security Death Index and cause of death from the National Death Index.

Lipoprotein (a) and risk for calcification of the coronary arteries, mitral valve, and thoracic aorta: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background: Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and calcific aortic valve disease. We determined the relationships of Lp(a) with prevalence and progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC), mitral annular calcification (MAC), and thoracic aortic calcification (TAC) in a multi-ethnic cohort of middle to older-aged adults.

Methods: This analysis included 6705 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis participants.

Association of high-density lipoprotein levels with baseline coronary plaque volumes by coronary CTA in the EVAPORATE trial.

Background And Aims: Dyslipidemia with elevated triglycerides (TGL) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) predicts residual cardiovascular risk, despite goal LDL-C levels and optimal statin therapy. Coronary plaque characterization by CCTA can provide mechanistic understanding of coronary artery disease and associated prognosis. The role of HDL-C in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is not well understood in statin-treated patients with elevated TGL.

3-Year effect of weight loss via severe versus moderate energy restriction on body composition among postmenopausal women with obesity - the TEMPO Diet Trial.

Unlabelled: We have previously shown that a severely energy-restricted diet leads to greater loss of weight, fat, lean mass and bone mineral density (BMD) at 12 months in postmenopausal women with obesity than a moderately energy-restricted diet. We now aim to evaluate whether these effects are sustained longer term (ie, at 36 months). 101 postmenopausal women were randomized to either 12 months of moderate (25 to 35%) energy restriction with a food-based diet (moderate intervention), or 4 months of severe (65 to 75%) energy restriction with a total meal replacement diet followed by moderate energy restriction for 8 months (severe intervention).

Tornadic Shear Stress Induces a Transient, Calcineurin-Dependent Hypervirulent Phenotype in Mucorales Molds.

Trauma-related necrotizing myocutaneous mucormycosis (NMM) has a high morbidity and mortality in victims of combat-related injuries, geometeorological disasters, and severe burns. Inspired by the observation that several recent clusters of NMM have been associated with extreme mechanical forces (e.g.

Multi-Ethnic Genome-Wide Association Study of Decomposed Cardioelectric Phenotypes Illustrates Strategies to Identify and Characterize Evidence of Shared Genetic Effects for Complex Traits.

Background: We examined how expanding electrocardiographic trait genome-wide association studies to include ancestrally diverse populations, prioritize more precise phenotypic measures, and evaluate evidence for shared genetic effects enabled the detection and characterization of loci.

Methods: We decomposed 10 seconds, 12-lead electrocardiograms from 34 668 multi-ethnic participants (15% Black; 30% Hispanic/Latino) into 6 contiguous, physiologically distinct (P wave, PR segment, QRS interval, ST segment, T wave, and TP segment) and 2 composite, conventional (PR interval and QT interval) interval scale traits and conducted multivariable-adjusted, trait-specific univariate genome-wide association studies using 1000-G imputed single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Evidence of shared genetic effects was evaluated by aggregating meta-analyzed univariate results across the 6 continuous electrocardiographic traits using the combined phenotype adaptive sum of powered scores test.

Feasibility of measuring pericoronary fat from precontrast scans: Effect of iodinated contrast on pericoronary fat attenuation.

Background: Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation has been identified as a marker for cardiovascular risk. The effect of contrast enhancement on fat attenuation is unknown. We aim to compare precontrast coronary scans to postcontrast CCTA for quantification of pericoronary fat volume and attenuation.

Non-obstructive high-risk plaques increase the risk of future culprit lesions comparable to obstructive plaques without high-risk features: the ICONIC study.

Aims: High-risk plaque (HRP) and non-obstructive coronary artery disease independently predict adverse events, but their importance to future culprit lesions has not been resolved. We sought to determine in patients prior to confirmed acute coronary syndrome (ACS) the association between lesion percent diameter stenosis (%DS), and the absolute number and prevalence of HRP. The secondary objective was to examine the relative importance of non-obstructive HRP in future culprit lesions.

Association of Arterial Stiffness With Kidney Function Among Adults Without Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Our aims were to assess whether arterial stiffness is associated with a higher risk for kidney dysfunction among persons without chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: We analyzed data from the national health checkup system in Japan; for our analyses, we selected records of individuals who completed assessments of cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and kidney function from 2005 to 2016. We excluded participants who had CKD at baseline, defined as the presence of proteinuria or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.

Proteomic profiling of the monothiol glutaredoxin Grx3 reveals its global role in the regulation of iron dependent processes.

Iron is an essential nutrient required as a cofactor for many biological processes. As a fungal commensal-pathogen of humans, Candida albicans encounters a range of bioavailable iron levels in the human host and maintains homeostasis with a conserved regulatory circuit. How C.

Interleukin-2 drives cortisol secretion in an age-, dose-, and body composition-dependent way.

Background: Interleukin-2 (IL-2), one of the proinflammatory cytokines, is used in the treatment of certain malignancies. In some studies, transient increases in cortisol and ACTH secretion occurred. Thus, this agent may be used as an experimental probe of adrenal cortisol secretion.

Hyponatremia: A possible immuno-neuroendocrine interface with COVID-19 in a kidney transplant recipient.

There is fast-emerging, cumulative clinical data on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in kidney transplant recipients. Although respiratory tract symptoms are often the initial presentation among kidney transplant recipients who contract COVID-19, other clinical features which may indicate underlying SARS-CoV-2-related inflammation, such as gastrointestinal symptoms, are not uncommon. Hyponatremia can develop and may reflect underlying inflammation.

Comparative measurement properties of constant work rate cycling and the endurance shuttle walking test in COPD: the TORRACTO clinical trial.

Background: Exercise tolerance is an important endpoint in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinical trials. Little is known about the comparative measurement properties of constant work rate cycle ergometry (CWRCE) and the endurance shuttle walking test (ESWT). The objective of this sub-analysis of the TORRACTO study was to directly compare the endurance measurement properties of CWRCE and ESWT in patients with COPD in a multicentre, multinational setting.

Detection of carbapenem resistant enterobacteriace from fomite surfaces.

Accurately identifying carbapenem resistant enterobacteriace (CRE) from fomites is critical for infection control practices, research, and assessing patient risk. We compared a commercial CRE agar intended for patient use with a modified MacConkey agar. We found that our modified MacConkey agar was more selective at identifying CRE from environmental sources.

A structural variation reference for medical and population genetics.

Structural variants (SVs) rearrange large segments of DNA and can have profound consequences in evolution and human disease. As national biobanks, disease-association studies, and clinical genetic testing have grown increasingly reliant on genome sequencing, population references such as the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) have become integral in the interpretation of single-nucleotide variants (SNVs). However, there are no reference maps of SVs from high-coverage genome sequencing comparable to those for SNVs.

Comparison of dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate concentrations in serum, cerebrospinal fluid and urine in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type I receiving intravenous and intrathecal enzyme replacement therapy.

Aims: To validate a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the measurement of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in plasma and serum. To establish plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and urine reference intervals. To compare GAGs in serum with that in urine and CSF from patients with MPS I.

Multi-ancestry GWAS of the electrocardiographic PR interval identifies 202 loci underlying cardiac conduction.

The electrocardiographic PR interval reflects atrioventricular conduction, and is associated with conduction abnormalities, pacemaker implantation, atrial fibrillation (AF), and cardiovascular mortality. Here we report a multi-ancestry (N = 293,051) genome-wide association meta-analysis for the PR interval, discovering 202 loci of which 141 have not previously been reported. Variants at identified loci increase the percentage of heritability explained, from 33.