Optimal Medical Therapy for Heart Failure and Integrated Care in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Report From the ESC-EHRA EORP Atrial Fibrillation Long-Term General Registry.

Background: Heart failure (HF) often occurs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), with a major impact on prognosis. Few data are available on the effect of integrated treatment strategies to improve prognosis in patients with AF. We aimed to evaluate the association between HF (according to left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]), HF optimal medical therapy and adherence to the Atrial Fibrillation Better Care pathway, and major outcomes in patients with AF.

Revision of the group with descriptions of 42 new species from New Guinea (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae).

The group is the second species group of the New Guinean representatives of the recently described genus Shaverdo et al., 2023. The group is mainly defined by distinct scale- and/or spinula-like surface structures of the dorsal sclerite of the median lobe.

Geographical Requirements for the Applicability of the Results of the RACECAT Study to Other Stroke Networks.

Background The RACECAT (Transfer to the Closest Local Stroke Center vs Direct Transfer to Endovascular Stroke Center of Acute Stroke Patients With Suspected Large Vessel Occlusion in the Catalan Territory) trial was the first randomized trial addressing the prehospital triage of acute stroke patients based on the distribution of thrombolysis centers and intervention centers in Catalonia, Spain. The study compared the drip-and-ship with the mothership paradigm in regions where a local thrombolysis center can be reached faster than the nearest intervention center (equipoise region). The present study aims to determine the population-based applicability of the results of the RACECAT study to 4 stroke networks with a different degree of clustering of the intervention centers (clustered, dispersed).

 gen. nov., a new genus of Australasian diving beetles (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae), with the discovery of 31 new species from New Guinea.

Herein, (type species: W.J. Macleay, 1871) is described for a distinctive lineage of predominantly Australasian species previously assigned to Erichson, 1832.

Eastern Colombian Páramo Guignot, 1939 diving beetles are genetically structured, but show signs of hybridization, with description of new species and subspecies (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae).

We studied diving beetles from six eastern Colombian Páramo areas, as well as from the Altiplano. We discovered a highly characteristic new species, based on male genital morphology, , in the Páramo de Guantiva-Rusia. Specimens from the Altiplano around Bogotá, and the Páramos of Almorzadero, Chingaza, Matarredonda, Rabanal y Rio Bogotá and Sumapaz form one clade of genetically similar populations based on mitochondrial sequence data.

A novel soft cardiac assist device based on a dielectric elastomer augmented aorta: An in vivo study.

Although heart transplant is the preferred solution for patients suffering from heart failures, cardiac assist devices remain key substitute therapies. Among them, aortic augmentation using dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) might be an alternative technological application for the future. The electrically driven actuator does not require bulky pneumatic elements (such as conventional intra-aortic balloon pumps) and conforms tightly to the aorta thanks to the manufacturing method presented here.

A species-group key and notes on phylogeny and character evolution in New Guinean Broun, 1886 diving beetles (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae).

Detailed information about the known species groups of Broun, 1886 from New Guinea is presented, including species numbers, distribution, and references of species-group diagnoses, keys to the species, and species descriptions. An identification key to all species groups is provided. Phylogeny and morphological character evolution are discussed.

Combining PSA and PET features to select candidates for salvage lymph node dissection in recurrent prostate cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between pre-operative PSA value, Ga-prostate-specific-membrane-antigen (PSMA) PET performance and oncologic outcomes after salvage lymph node dissection (sLND) for biochemical recurrent prostate cancer (PCa).

Patients And Methods: The study included 164 patients diagnosed with ≤2 pelvic lymph-node recurrence(s) of PCa documented on Ga-PSMA PET scan and treated with pelvic ± retroperitoneal sLND at 11 high-volume centres between 2012 and 2019. Pathologic findings were correlated to PSA values at time of sLND, categorized in early (<0.

Additive Effects of Genetic Interleukin-6 Signaling Downregulation and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Lowering on Cardiovascular Disease: A 2×2 Factorial Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

Background Although trials suggest that anti-inflammatory approaches targeting interleukin (IL)-6 signaling can reduce cardiovascular risk, it remains unknown whether targeting IL-6 signaling could reduce risk additively to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering. Here, we assess interactions in associations of genetic downregulation of IL-6 signaling and LDL-C lowering with lifetime cardiovascular disease risk. Methods and Results Genetic scores for IL-6 signaling downregulation and LDL-C lowering were used to divide 408 225 White British individuals in UK Biobank into groups of lifelong exposure to downregulated IL-6 signaling, lower LDL-C, or both.

A new Colombian species of diving beetles from the Páramo de Sumapaz (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Bidessini).

is described from the Páramo de Sumapaz near Bogota D.C. at 3,500 m above sea level.

Generation of glucosylated -1-glycerolphosphate teichoic acids: glycerol stereochemistry affects synthesis and antibody interaction.

Lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) have been addressed as possible antigen candidates for vaccine development against several opportunistic Gram-positive pathogens. The study of structure-immunogenicity relationship represents a challenge due to the heterogenicity of LTA extracted from native sources. LTAs are built up from glycerol phosphate (GroP) repeating units and they can be substituted at the C-2-OH with carbohydrate appendages or d-alanine residues.

Multiple imputation with compatibility for high-dimensional data.

Multiple Imputation (MI) is always challenging in high dimensional settings. The imputation model with some selected number of predictors can be incompatible with the analysis model leading to inconsistent and biased estimates. Although compatibility in such cases may not be achieved, but one can obtain consistent and unbiased estimates using a semi-compatible imputation model.

A review of diving beetles from the Solomon Islands, reporting the discovery of six new species (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae).

The first account of the genus Erichson, 1832 in the Solomon Islands is provided, reporting 10 species for the Archipelago. Six of these are new to science: , , , and from Guadalcanal and , and from Bougainville. Guignot, 1942, described from Tulaghi Island of the Solomons, is recorded from Guadalcanal and Santa Isabel for the first time.

Three new species of Broun, 1886 from the southern slopes of the New Guinea central range, with introduction of the group (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae).

Three new species of the genus Broun, 1886: , and are described from New Guinea. The former two species are placed into the group, while the latter is suggested to be a member of a separate lineage, the newly introduced group. The only other species of that group is Shaverdo & Balke, 2014.

Genetically Predicted Midlife Blood Pressure and Coronary Artery Disease Risk: Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

Background Elevated blood pressure is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, it is not known whether midlife blood pressure affects later life cardiovascular risk independent of later life blood pressure. Methods and Results Using genetic association estimates from the UK Biobank and CARDIoGRAMplusC4D consortium, univariable mendelian randomization was performed to investigate the total effect of genetically predicted mean arterial pressure (MAP) at age ≤55 years on coronary artery disease (CAD) risk, and multivariable mendelian randomization was performed to investigate the effect of genetically predicted MAP on CAD risk after adjusting for genetically predicted MAP at age >55 years.

Thrombolysis in Stroke With Unknown Onset Based on Non-Contrast Computerized Tomography (TRUST CT).

Background Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in wake-up stroke (WUS) or stroke with unknown onset (SUO) has been recently proven to be safe and effective using advanced neuroimaging (magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography-perfusion) for patient selection. However, in most of the thrombolyzing centers advanced neuroimaging is not instantly available. We hypothesize that pragmatic non-contrast computed tomography-based IVT in WUS/SUO may be feasible and safe.

Racial Differences in Cardiovascular Biomarkers in the General Population.

Background The incidence and clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease (CVD) differ between blacks and whites. Biomarkers that reflect important pathophysiological pathways may provide a window to allow deeper understanding of racial differences in CVD. Methods and Results The study included 2635 white and black participants from the Dallas Heart Study who were free from existing CVD.

Ultrasensitive SPR detection of miRNA-93 using antibody-enhanced and enzymatic signal amplification.

MiRNAs are endogenous noncoding RNA molecules. They play important gene-regulatory roles by binding to the mRNA of target genes thereby leading to either transcript degradation or translational repression. In virtually all diseases, distinct alterations of miRNA expression profiles have been found thus suggesting miRNAs as interesting biomarkers.

cGAS-Mediated Innate Immunity Spreads Intercellularly through HIV-1 Env-Induced Membrane Fusion Sites.

Upon sensing cytoplasmic retroviral DNA in infected cells, cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) produces the cyclic dinucleotide cGAMP, which activates STING to trigger a type I interferon (IFN) response. We find that membrane fusion-inducing contact between donor cells expressing the HIV envelope (Env) and primary macrophages endogenously expressing the HIV receptor CD4 and coreceptor enable intercellular transfer of cGAMP. This cGAMP exchange results in STING-dependent antiviral IFN responses in target macrophages and protection from HIV infection.

Glacial refugia and postglacial expansion of the alpine-prealpine plant species .

The shrubby milkwort ( L.) is widely distributed in the Alps, but occurs also in the lower mountain ranges of Central Europe such as the Franconian Jura or the Bohemian uplands. Populations in these regions may either originate from glacial survival or from postglacial recolonization.

Advances in lens implant technology.

Cataract surgery is one of the oldest and the most frequent outpatient clinic operations in medicine performed worldwide. The clouded human crystalline lens is replaced by an artificial intraocular lens implanted into the capsular bag. During the last six decades, cataract surgery has undergone rapid development from a traumatic, manual surgical procedure with implantation of a simple lens to a minimally invasive intervention increasingly assisted by high technology and a broad variety of implants customized for each patient's individual requirements.