Surgical and Pathological Results Following Neoadjuvant Nivolumab and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Resectable NSCLC: A Multicentre Real-World Series From England.

Background: To evaluate the real-world surgical and pathological outcomes following neoadjuvant nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy in a multicentre national cohort of patients.

Methods: Retrospective analysis on consecutive patients treated in three tertiary referral hospitals in UK with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy (nivolumab) for stage II-IIIB nonsmall cell lung cancer (March 2023-May 2024). Surgical and pathological outcomes were assessed.

Left ventricular elastance with resting volumetric transthoracic echocardiography identifies different phenotypes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: A retrospective analysis of a multicenter prospective observational study.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous entity including patients with different phenotypes of near normal, normal, and supernormal left ventricular (LV) function.

Objectives: To assess the value of resting LV elastance (also known as force) with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to identify HFpEF phenotypes.

Methods: In a prospective, observational, multicenter study, 2380 HFpEF patients were recruited from July 2016 to May 2024.

Endothelial cell (EC)-specific CTGF/CCN2 Expression Increases EC Reprogramming and Atherosclerosis.

Arterial endothelial cells (ECs) reside in a complex biomechanical environment. ECs sense and respond to wall shear stress. Low and oscillatory wall shear stress is characteristic of disturbed flow and commonly found at arterial bifurcations and around atherosclerotic plaques.

Finerenone and new-onset diabetes in heart failure: a prespecified analysis of the FINEARTS-HF trial.

Background: Data on the effect of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist therapy on HbA levels and new-onset diabetes are conflicting. We aimed to examine the effect of oral finerenone, compared with placebo, on incident diabetes in the Finerenone Trial to Investigate Efficacy and Safety Superior to Placebo in Patients with Heart Failure (FINEARTS-HF) trial.

Methods: In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 6001 participants with heart failure with New York Heart Association functional class II-IV, left ventricular ejection fraction 40% or higher, evidence of structural heart disease, and elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels were randomly assigned to finerenone or placebo, administered orally.

Low maternal iodine intake and subsequent risk of pharmacologically treated hypertension: A population-based prospective cohort study.

Background & Aims: Iodine deficiency is linked to multiple adverse health outcomes, but there is scarce knowledge regarding iodine intake and development of chronic hypertension. We aimed to investigate the prospective association between habitual dietary iodine intake and pharmacologically treated hypertension in mothers up to 10 years after delivery.

Methods: The present study is based on data from an ongoing pregnancy cohort and includes 58,629 women without thyroid dysfunction and hypertension at baseline.

Spiking-PhysFormer: Camera-based remote photoplethysmography with parallel spike-driven transformer.

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) can help camera-based remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) in measuring cardiac activity and physiological signals from facial videos, such as pulse wave, heart rate and respiration rate with better accuracy. However, most existing ANN-based methods require substantial computing resources, which poses challenges for effective deployment on mobile devices. Spiking neural networks (SNNs), on the other hand, hold immense potential for energy-efficient deep learning owing to their binary and event-driven architecture.

Energy availability and macronutrient intake over a 7-day training period in adolescent rugby players.

Background: Understanding the dietary intake of elite adolescent athletes and its adequacy with sport nutrition recommendation is a key issue for health and player development, as well as performance and recovery. Energy availability needs to be considered to ensure optimal health and performance in young athletes. The present study aimed to quantify energy availability, energy expenditure and macronutrient intake in young male rugby union players competing at national level.

Nanoscale Structure and Interfacial Electrochemical Reactivity of Moiré-Engineered Atomic Layers.

ConspectusThe electronic properties of atomically thin van der Waals (vdW) materials can be precisely manipulated by vertically stacking them with a controlled offset (for example, a rotational offset─i.e., twist─between the layers, or a small difference in lattice constant) to generate moiré superlattices.

Trends in Mortality Due to Cardiovascular Diseases Among Patients With Parkinson's Disease in the United States: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Parkinson disease (PD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) present significant health burdens, particularly among older adults. Patients with PD have an elevated risk of CVD-related mortality. Analyzing mortality trends in this population may help guide focused interventions.

Prognostic Value of D-Dimer in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection and Intramural Hematoma: Observations from the Acute Aortic Syndrome Group of the Registry of Acute Non-Traumatic Chest Pain in China.

Background: Acute type A aortic dissection (AAD) and acute type A intramural hematoma (AIMH) are life-threatening conditions with high mortality rates, and prognostic indicators are critical for guiding urgent treatment decisions. We assessed the prognostic significance of admission D-dimer levels in patients with AAD and AIMH.

Methods And Results: The prospective, multicenter, observational study in China recruited participants from 2013 to 2019.

Carotid Endarterectomy Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment in Clinical and Experimental Unilateral Carotid Artery Stenosis.

Background: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is widely used to treat carotid artery stenosis (CAS). However, the effects of CEA on unilateral CAS-induced cognitive impairment and the underlying mechanism remain poorly understood.

Methods And Results: Thirteen patients diagnosed with unilateral severe CAS underwent pre- and post-CEA assessments, including fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, cognitive assessments, and routine blood tests before and after CEA.

Prognostic Impact of 1-Year Changes in Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate After Stroke on 5-Year Outcomes: Insights From the Third China National Stroke Registry.

Background: The impact of long-term renal function change on stroke outcomes remains unclear. This study used the CNSR-III (Third China National Stroke Registry) cohort to determine whether changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate based on creatinine and cystatin C (eGFR) during the first year post stroke were associated with 5-year stroke outcomes.

Methods And Results: We included 4270 patients with centrally tested serum creatinine and cystatin C at admission and 1 year post admission and evaluated 5-year follow-up data.

Nocturnal pulse oxygen saturation dynamics at simulated high altitude: Predictive value for acute mountain sickness in healthy men born pre-term.

The physiological sequelae of pre-term birth might influence the responses of this population to hypoxia. Moreover, identifying variables associated with development of acute mountain sickness (AMS) remains a key practically significant area of altitude research. We investigated the effects of pre-term birth on nocturnal oxygen saturation ( ) dynamics and assessed the predictive potential of nocturnal -related metrics for morning AMS in 12 healthy adults with gestational age < 32 weeks (pre-term) and 12 term-born control participants.

Burden of Valvular Heart Diseases in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Population: The Bronx-Valve Registry.

Background: Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a major focus of cardiovascular medicine, but limited data are available for racial and ethnic minorities. The aim was to assess the burden and clinical correlates of VHD in a highly diverse area of the United States.

Methods And Results: Individuals with echocardiographic diagnosis of native VHD between January 2010 and December 2019 at a quaternary care health system of the Bronx (New York, USA) were included.

Number of Previous Strokes and the Association With Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Longitudinal Data From the GLORIA-AF Registry.

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who suffered a previous stroke are at increased risk of recurrent thromboembolic events and other major outcomes. The impact of the number of stroke episodes on the natural history of patients with AF is still unclear.

Methods And Results: Using data from the international, multicenter, and prospective GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation) Registry Phase III, we categorized patients with a recent diagnosis of non-valvular AF according to the number of previous strokes (either 0, 1, or ≥2 episodes).

Inhibition of aortic CX3CR1+ macrophages mitigates thoracic aortic aneurysm progression in Marfan syndrome in mice.

The pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) in Marfan syndrome (MFS) is generally attributed to vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) pathologies. However, the role of immune cell-mediated inflammation remains elusive. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified a subset of CX3CR1+ macrophages mainly located in the intima in the aortic roots and ascending aortas of Fbn1C1041G/+ mice, further validated in MFS patients.

Reevaluating Anti-Inflammatory Therapy: Targeting Senescence to Balance Anti-Cancer Efficacy and Vascular Disease.

Modulating immune function is a critical strategy in cancer and atherosclerosis treatments. For cancer, boosting or maintaining the immune system is crucial to prevent tumor growth. However, in vascular disease, mitigating immune responses can decrease inflammation and slow atherosclerosis progression.

Proteomic profiling of the large-vessel vasculitis spectrum identifies shared signatures of innate immune activation and stromal remodelling.

Background: Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and giant cell arteritis (GCA), the most common forms of large-vessel vasculitis (LVV), can result in serious morbidity. Understanding the molecular basis of LVV should aid in developing better biomarkers and treatments.

Methods: Plasma proteomic profiling of 184 proteins was performed in two cohorts.

Atrial Septal Defect in a Young Boy Presenting With a Rare Crochetage Sign: A Case Report.

An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common congenital heart anomaly that results in irregular blood flow between the systemic and pulmonary circulations due to an opening in the atrial septum. Ostium secondum ASD accounts for a large proportion of these defects and often goes unnoticed during childhood and adolescence. Pulmonary hypertension (PH), affecting a significant number of patients with ostium secondum ASD, is associated with functional limitations, heart failure, and tachyarrhythmias.

Diabetes mellitus and glymphatic dysfunction: Roles for oxidative stress, mitochondria, circadian rhythm, artificial intelligence, and imaging.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a debilitating disorder that impacts all systems of the body and has been increasing in prevalence throughout the globe. DM represents a significant clinical challenge to care for individuals and prevent the onset of chronic disability and ultimately death. Underlying cellular mechanisms for the onset and development of DM are multi-factorial in origin and involve pathways associated with the production of reactive oxygen species and the generation of oxidative stress as well as the dysfunction of mitochondrial cellular organelles, programmed cell death, and circadian rhythm impairments.

Valvular Heart Disease Care in Pakistan: Impact of the Multidisciplinary Valve Heart Team.

Background: Patients with complex valvular heart disease (VHD) should be evaluated by a multidisciplinary heart team (HT). In low- and middle-income countries, referral practices are more variable, permitting any physician to refer patients directly to a cardiac surgeon without prior formal evaluation by a cardiologist with expertise in VHD.

Objectives: The goal of the study was to examine the demographics of VHD patients seen in a large heart valve center in a low- and middle-income country and to assess the impact of the multidisciplinary HT in patients referred for valve surgery.

Prospective Pakistan Registry of Echocardiographic Screening in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of nonobstetric morbidity and mortality in pregnant women worldwide. Pakistan's high maternal and neonatal mortality rates underscore the need for effective screening protocols to detect cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with structural heart disease among pregnant women without active cardiorespiratory symptoms (no symptoms or symptoms attributed to pregnancy) attending routine antenatal appointments.

Valvular Heart Disease-Related Mortality Between Middle- and High-Income Countries During 2000 to 2019.

Background: Valvular heart disease (VHD) management has evolved rapidly in recent decades, but disparities in health care access persist among countries with varying socioeconomic backgrounds.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate global mortality trends from VHD and assess the difference between middle- and high-income countries.

Methods: We obtained mortality data from the World Health Organization Mortality Database for VHD and its subgroups (rheumatic valvular disease [RVD], infective endocarditis [IE], aortic stenosis [AS], and mitral regurgitation [MR]) from 2000 to 2019.

Ethnic Differences in Atrial Fibrillation in the United Kingdom.

Background: Within the United States, White individuals experience a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) while exhibiting a lower AF-related stroke risk compared to other ethnic groups. It is possible that these observations stem from phenomena unique to the United States, such as differential health care access. The United Kingdom provides socialized medicine, which ostensibly promotes equitable health care access.