Prevalence of Vitamin K2 Deficiency and Its Association with Coronary Artery Disease: A Case-Control Study.

Background/objectives: Vitamin K2 analogs are associated with decreased vascular calcification, which may provide protective benefits for individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) by stimulating anti-calcific proteins like matrix Gla protein and adjusting innate immune responses. This study addresses a significant gap in understanding the association between serum levels of vitamin K2 analogs in different CAD types and examines their correlations with clinical risk parameters in CAD patients.

Methods: This case-control study enrolled CAD patients and healthy controls to assess and compare serum concentrations of two vitamin K2 analogs including menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7) via ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Baseplate Stability Is Affected by Bone Density and the Type and Amount of Augmentation.

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of bony increased offset (BIO) and metallic augments (MAs) on primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) baseplate stability in cadaveric specimens with variable bone densities.

Methods: Thirty cadaveric specimens were analyzed in an imaging and biomechanical investigation. Computed tomography (CT) scans allowed for preoperative RSA planning and bone density analysis.

The Kidney-Immune-Brain Axis: The Role of Inflammation in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Stroke in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Cardiovascular diseases such as stroke are a major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The underlying mechanisms connecting CKD and cardiovascular disease are yet to be fully elucidated, but inflammation is proposed to play an important role based on genetic association studies, studies of inflammatory biomarkers, and clinical trials of anti-inflammatory drug targets. There are multiple sources of both endogenous and exogenous inflammation in CKD, including increased production and decreased clearance of proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, metabolic acidosis, chronic and recurrent infections, dialysis access, changes in adipose tissue metabolism, and disruptions in intestinal microbiota.

Role of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension.

Background: Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), mainly known for its neuroprotective properties, belongs to the IL-6 (interleukin-6) cytokine family. In contrast to IL-6, the effects of CNTF on the vasculature have not been explored. Here, we examined the role of CNTF in AngII (angiotensin II)-induced hypertension.

Prevalence of High-Risk CTA-Based Carotid Plaque-RADS Subtypes in Patients With Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source.

Background: A modified computed tomography angiography (CTA)-based Carotid Plaque Reporting and Data System (Plaque-RADS) classification was applied to a cohort of patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source to test whether high-risk Plaque-RADS subtypes are more prevalent on the ipsilateral side of stroke. With the widespread use of CTA for stroke evaluation, a CTA-based Plaque-RADS would be valuable for generalizability.

Methods: A retrospective observational cross-sectional study was conducted at a single integrated health system comprised of 3 hospitals with a comprehensive stroke center between October 1, 2015, and April 1, 2017.

Prediction of isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation status in WHO grade II glioma by diffusion kurtosis imaging.

Purpose: Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status serves as a crucial prognostic indicator for glioma, typically assessed via immunohistochemical analysis post-surgery. Given the invasiveness of this approach, perhaps we can utilise convenient and noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods to predict IDH mutation status. However, the current landscape lacks a standardised MRI technique for accurately predicting IDH mutations.

Activation of osteoblast ferroptosis by risperidone accelerates bone loss in mice models of schizophrenia.

Background: Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulatory cell death, which plays an essential role in bone loss. This study investigated whether the mechanism of risperidone (RIS)-induced bone loss is related to ferroptosis.

Methods: The schizophrenia mice were induced by administering MK-801.

Intratumoral or Subcutaneous MK-2118, a Non-Cyclic Dinucleotide STING Agonist, With or Without Pembrolizumab for Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors or Lymphomas.

Background: We evaluated the non-cyclic dinucleotide stimulator of interferon genes agonist MK-2118 ± pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphomas.

Methods: This first-in-human study (NCT03249792) enrolled patients with refractory, advanced solid tumors or lymphomas. Patients received intratumoral (IT) MK-2118 100-20,000 µg (arm 1), IT MK-2118 900-15,000 µg plus intravenous (IV) pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks (Q3W; arm 2), or subcutaneous (SC) MK-2118 5000-150,000 µg plus IV pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W (arm 4); arm 3 (visceral injection of MK-2118) was not pursued.

Simple User-Friendly Reaction Format.

Utilizing the growing wealth of chemical reaction data can boost synthesis planning and increase success rates. Yet, the effectiveness of machine learning tools for retrosynthesis planning and forward reaction prediction relies on accessible, well-curated data presented in a structured format. Although some public and licensed reaction databases exist, they often lack essential information about reaction conditions.

Lateral Atrial Expression Patterns Provide Insights into Local Transcription Disequilibrium Contributing to Disease Susceptibility.

Background: Transcriptional dysregulation, possibly affected by genetic variation, contributes to disease development. Due to dissimilarities in development, function, and remodeling during disease progression, transcriptional differences between the left atrial (LA) and right atrial (RA) may provide insight into diseases such as atrial fibrillation.

Methods: Lateral differences in atrial transcription were evaluated in CATCH ME (Characterizing Atrial fibrillation by Translating its Causes into Health Modifiers in the Elderly) using a 2-stage discovery and replication design.

Patients With a Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Demonstrate Greater Asymmetry in Landing Kinetics Than Patients With a Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Autograft 6 Months After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background: Asymmetric landing kinetics 6 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are associated with higher risk of second anterior cruciate ligament injury. Little is known about landing kinetics after ACLR with an all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft despite its increasingly common use in young, active patients.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare landing kinetics during a bilateral drop vertical jump (DVJ) 6 months after ACLR in participants who had undergone primary ACLR with a QT or bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) autograft.

Triple-negative breast cancer modifies the systemic immune landscape and alters neutrophil functionality.

Cancer disrupts intratumoral innate-adaptive immune crosstalk, but how the systemic immune landscape evolves during breast cancer progression remains unclear. We profiled circulating immune cells in stage I-III and stage IV triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients and healthy donors (HDs). Metastatic TNBC (mTNBC) patients had reduced T cells, dendritic cells, and differentiated B cells compared to non-metastatic TNBC patients and HDs, partly linked to prior chemotherapy.

Empowering African Expertise: Enhancing Safety Data Integration and Signal Detection for COVID-19 Vaccines Through the African Union Smart Safety Surveillance Joint Signal Management Group.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated new vaccine development. Limited safety data necessitated robust global safety surveillance to accurately identify and promptly communicate potential safety issues. The African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (AU-3S) program established the Joint Signal Management (JSM) group to support identification of potential vaccine safety concerns in five pilot countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa), accounting for approximately 35% of the African population.

Extended quantum anomalous Hall states in graphene/hBN moiré superlattices.

Electrons in topological flat bands can form new topological states driven by correlation effects. The pentalayer rhombohedral graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) moiré superlattice was shown to host fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect (FQAHE) at approximately 400 mK (ref. ), triggering discussions around the underlying mechanism and role of moiré effects.

Superconductivity in 5.0° twisted bilayer WSe.

The discovery of superconductivity in twisted bilayer and trilayer graphene has generated tremendous interest. The key feature of these systems is an interplay between interlayer coupling and a moiré superlattice that gives rise to low-energy flat bands with strong correlations. Flat bands can also be induced by moiré patterns in lattice-mismatched and/or twisted heterostructures of other two-dimensional materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs).

First-principles study of structural, elastic, electronic, transport properties, and dielectric breakdown of CsTe photocathode.

The pursuit to operate photocathodes at high accelerating gradients to increase brightness of electron beams is gaining interests within the accelerator community, particularly for applications such as free electron lasers (FEL) and compact accelerators. Cesium telluride (CsTe) is a widely used photocathode material and it is presumed to offer resilience to higher gradients because of its wider band gap compared to other semiconductors. Despite its advantages, crucial material properties of CsTe remain largely unknown both in theory and experiments.

Cryopreserved human alternatively activated macrophages promote resolution of acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mouse.

Acute liver failure is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening condition most commonly caused by an overdose of acetaminophen (paracetamol). The antidote, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), has limited efficacy when liver injury is established. If acute liver damage is severe, liver failure can rapidly develop with associated high mortality rates.

A lectin produced by a Streptomyces species targets mammalian pancreatic acinar cells in mice and humans.

Lectins are produced in almost all life forms, can interact with targets (glycans) in a cross-kingdom manner and have served as valuable tools for studying glycobiology. Previously, a bacterial lectin, named Streptomyces hemagglutinin (SHA), was found to agglutinate human type B erythrocytes. However, the binding of SHA to mammalian cell types other than human erythrocytes has not been explored.

MK-801 attenuates one-trial tolerance in the elevated plus maze via the thalamic nucleus reuniens.

Anxiety, a future-oriented negative emotional state, is characterized by heightened arousal and vigilance. The elevated plus maze (EPM) test is a widely used assay of anxiety-related behaviors in rodents and shows a phenomenon where animals with prior test experience tend to avoid open arms in retest sessions. While this one-trial tolerance (OTT) phenomenon limits the reuse of the EPM test, the potential mechanisms remain unsolved.

Intra-patient comparison of microarchitecture of tumour negative lymph nodes from oesophageal cancer patients - Results from the MRC Oe02 trial.

Background: Regional lymph node (LN) status is a key prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer (OeC). Tumour-derived antigens can activate immune reactions in LNs, potentially reflecting the host's anti-tumour immune response. It remains unclear whether this response is homogeneous across all tumour negative LNs (LNneg) within individual OeC patients.

Automated extracellular volume fraction measurement for diagnosis and prognostication in patients with light-chain cardiac amyloidosis.

Aims: T1 mapping on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is useful for diagnosis and prognostication in patients with light-chain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA). We conducted this study to evaluate the performance of T1 mapping parameters, derived from artificial intelligence (AI)-automated segmentation, for detection of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and their prognostic values in patients with AL-CA.

Methods And Results: A total of 300 consecutive patients who underwent CMR for differential diagnosis of LVH were analyzed.

Reclassification of Salinisphaera halophila Zhang et al. 2012 as a Later Heterotypic Synonym of Salinisphaera orenii Park et al. 2012.

In the present study, the taxonomic position of Salinisphaera halophila (NZ_AYKF00000000) and Salinisphaera orenii (NZ_AYKH00000000) was re-evaluated. In addition, their metabolic potentials and mechanisms for mitigating stress conditions were determined. Comparisons of 16S rRNA gene sequences, analysis of the phylogenetic tree, phylogenomic tree, average nucleotide identity (ANI), and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were conducted.

Gut Microbiota Metabolites Sensed by Host GPR41/43 Protect Against Hypertension.

Background: Fermentation of dietary fiber by the gut microbiota leads to the production of metabolites called short-chain fatty acids, which lower blood pressure and exert cardioprotective effects. Short-chain fatty acids activate host signaling responses via the functionally redundant receptors GPR41 and GPR43, which are highly expressed by immune cells. Whether and how these receptors protect against hypertension or mediate the cardioprotective effects of dietary fiber remains unknown.

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.