Alternative Complement Pathway in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Low Plasma Properdin Levels Associate With Long-Term Cardiovascular Mortality.

Background: Complement activation may promote atherosclerosis. Yet, data on the to which extent complement, and more specifically the alternative complement pathway, is activated in patients with carotid atherosclerosis and related to adverse outcome in these patients, are scarce.

Methods And Results: We measured, by ELISA, plasma levels of factor D, properdin, C3bBbP (C3 convertase), and factor H in patients with advanced carotid atherosclerosis in a (n=324) and in a (n=206) cohort in relation to adverse outcome (mean follow-up 7.

Evidence for cellular and solute passage between the brain and skull bone marrow across meninges: A systematic review.

A potential two-way passage of cells and substances between the brain and skull bone marrow may open for new insights into neurological disease. The arachnoid membrane was traditionally considered to restrict cells and larger molecules in CSF from entering the dura and bone marrow directly. However, new data on exchange between brain and skull bone marrow have recently emerged.

The role of multi-modality imaging for the assessment of left atrium and left atrial appendage. A clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Structural, architectural, contractile or electrophysiological alterations may occur in the left atrium (LA). The concept of LA cardiopathy is supported by accumulating scientific evidence demonstrating that LA remodeling has become a cornerstone diagnostic and prognostic marker. The structure and the function of LA and left atrial appendage (LAA) which is an integral part of the LA, are key elements for a better understanding of multiple clinical conditions, most notably atrial fibrillation (AF), cardioembolism, heart failure and mitral valve diseases.

Impact of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage on Human Glymphatic Function: A Time-Evolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. The impact of SAH on human glymphatic function remains unknown.

Methods: This prospective, controlled study investigated whether human glymphatic function is altered after SAH, how it differs over time, and possible underlying mechanisms.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and lipid alterations in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Objectives: Indications of mitochondrial dysfunction are commonly seen in liver diseases, but data are scarce in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Analyzing circulating and liver-resident molecules indirectly reflecting mitochondrial dysfunction, we aimed to comprehensively characterize this deficit in PSC, and whether this was PSC specific or associated with cholestasis.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively included plasma from 191 non-transplant patients with large-duct PSC and 100 healthy controls and explanted liver tissue extracts from 24 PSC patients and 18 non-cholestatic liver disease controls.

Cortisol and C-reactive protein (CRP) regulation in severe mental disorders.

Background: People with schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) show abnormalities in the biological stress system and low-grade inflammation. However, whether the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis-immune regulation is disrupted in SZ and BD, is yet to be determined.

Methods: Cortisol and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in blood samples collected at or before 10 am in participants with SZ (N = 257), BD (N = 153), and healthy controls (N = 40).

Safety of baricitinib in vaccinated patients with severe and critical COVID-19 sub study of the randomised Bari-SolidAct trial.

Background: The Bari-SolidAct randomized controlled trial compared baricitinib with placebo in patients with severe COVID-19. A post hoc analysis revealed a higher incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs) among SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated participants who had received baricitinib. This sub-study aimed to investigate whether vaccination influences the safety profile of baricitinib in patients with severe COVID-19.

Prediction of late-onset preeclampsia using plasma proteomics: a longitudinal multi-cohort study.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder with substantial perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Pregnant women at risk of preeclampsia would benefit from early detection for follow-up, timely interventions and delivery. Several attempts have been made to identify protein biomarkers of preeclampsia, but findings vary with demographics, clinical characteristics, and time of sampling.

Intraoperative patient-specific volumetric reconstruction and 3D visualization for laparoscopic liver surgery.

Despite the benefits of minimally invasive surgery, interventions such as laparoscopic liver surgery present unique challenges, like the significant anatomical differences between preoperative images and intraoperative scenes due to pneumoperitoneum, patient pose, and organ manipulation by surgical instruments. To address these challenges, a method for intraoperative three-dimensional reconstruction of the surgical scene, including vessels and tumors, without altering the surgical workflow, is proposed. The technique combines neural radiance field reconstructions from tracked laparoscopic videos with ultrasound three-dimensional compounding.

Suboptimal adherence to a gluten-free diet in adults with both type 1 diabetes and celiac disease using urinary gluten immunogenic peptide measurement.

Objectives: Concurrent type 1 diabetes (T1D) and celiac disease (CeD) pose challenges in insulin dosage adjustments and gluten-free dietary adherence. Urine testing for gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) is a new method to detect gluten exposure within the last 3-12 h. Our aims were to compare gluten-free dietary adherence between T1D + CeD and CeD individuals and evaluate urinary GIP testing in an outpatient setting.

Three-Year Outcomes With a Supra-Annular, Self-Expanding Bioprosthesis and a Pericardial Wrap-The FORWARD PRO Study.

Background: The self-expanding, supra-annular Evolut valve is an established platform for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). Evolut PRO introduced an outer sealing wrap to mitigate paravalvular leakage. We evaluated the 3-year clinical outcomes and valve performance of the Evolut PRO in standard clinical practice for severe aortic stenosis (AS) patients at intermediate or higher risk for surgery.

Nurses' and physicians' experience of a new algorithm for tapering analgosedation in the paediatric intensive care unit: A focus-group investigation.

Aim/objective: Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome occurs frequently during the tapering phase of opioids and benzodiazepines in paediatric intensive care units. The aim of this study was to explore physicians' and nurses' experiences in patient care and staff collaboration during the tapering phase using a new "algorithm for tapering analgosedation" METHODS: We used a qualitative explorative design with focus groups. The framework method was followed including transcription, familiarisation, coding, developing a framework, applying the framework, charting data into the framework matrix, and interpreting the data.

Normothermic Machine Perfusion Reconstitutes Porcine Kidney Tissue Metabolism But Induces an Inflammatory Response, Which Is Reduced by Complement C5 Inhibition.

Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) is a clinical strategy to reduce renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Optimal NMP should restore metabolism and minimize IRI induced inflammatory responses. Microdialysis was used to evaluate renal metabolism.

Medical treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis: What have we learned and where are we going?

It has proven difficult to establish robust evidence for significant clinical benefits of medical treatment in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). For ursodeoxycholic acid, clinical practice guidelines only offer vague recommendations, leading to a situation of variable prescription rates depending on local reimbursement policies and physician preference. The difficulty in drug development in PSC is partly related to a poor understanding of critical disease processes with failure to identify relevant mechanisms of action of putative drugs.

The Effect of Everolimus Versus Calcineurin Inhibitors on Quality of Life 10-12 Years After Heart Transplantation: The Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial (SCHEDULE Trial).

Background: Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are associated with long-term complications after heart transplantation (HTx). Everolimus (EVR)-based immunosuppression allows for CNI withdrawal. We used data from The Scandinavian heart transplant everolimus de novo study with early CNI avoidance (SCHEDULE) trial to assess whether health-related quality of life (HRQoL) differed between patients on long-term treatment with EVR versus a CNI-based regimen.

Single-cell integration reveals metaplasia in inflammatory gut diseases.

The gastrointestinal tract is a multi-organ system crucial for efficient nutrient uptake and barrier immunity. Advances in genomics and a surge in gastrointestinal diseases has fuelled efforts to catalogue cells constituting gastrointestinal tissues in health and disease. Here we present systematic integration of 25 single-cell RNA sequencing datasets spanning the entire healthy gastrointestinal tract in development and in adulthood.

Gut microbiota diversity is prognostic and associated with benefit from chemo-immunotherapy in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

The gut microbiota influences multiple aspects of human health and disease. Several studies have indicated an association between the gut microbiota and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in various cancers, but there is scarce data from breast cancer. The randomized ALICE trial demonstrated improved progression-free survival (PFS) from adding the programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor atezolizumab (atezo) to immunomodulating chemotherapy (chemo) in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC), even for PD-L1 disease.

Report on the 12th international workshop on the CCN family of genes, Oslo, June 20-23, 2024.

The 12th international workshop on the CCN family of genes took place at the Scandic Holmenkollen Park Hotel in Oslo, Norway from June 20-23, 2024. In 2024, it was the second time, following the Nice meeting in 2022, that the scientific topics were expanded to include additional cellular signaling and communication pathways of interest to the CCN Society members, as suggested by Bernard Perbal in 2019. The 12th international CCN workshop, organized by Håvard Attramadal and Vivi T.

The effects of remdesivir on long-term symptoms in patients hospitalised for COVID-19: a pre-specified exploratory analysis.

Background: There is an unmet need for treatment of long-term symptoms following COVID-19. Remdesivir is currently the only antiviral approved by the European Medicines Agency for hospitalised patients. Here, we report on the effect of remdesivir in addition to standard of care on long-term symptoms and quality of life in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 as part of the open-label randomised NOR-Solidarity trial (NCT04321616).

Gut dysbiosis and neutrophil extracellular traps in chronic heart failure.

Background: Chronic heart failure (HF) patients have reduced microbiota diversity. Leakage of microbes and their metabolites into the bloodstream may activate neutrophils. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) consist of chromatin and proteases, and may contribute to HF pathogenesis.