N-Terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and stroke risk across a spectrum of cerebrovascular disease: The REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke cohort.

Background: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a commonly used clinical marker of cardiac function, is associated with the presence of stroke symptoms and is a strong risk factor for future atrial fibrillation, stroke, and all-cause mortality. Few data are available on the association between NT-proBNP levels and stroke recurrence.

Objective: We studied the relationship between NT-proBNP and risk of future ischemic stroke across the continuum of preexisting cerebrovascular conditions: asymptomatic, prior stroke symptoms, prior transient ischemic attack (TIA), and prior stroke.

A proposal for staging COVID-19 coagulopathy.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with significant hypercoagulability. However, despite prophylactic anticoagulation, critically ill patients with this condition develop thromboses. This forum discusses the lungs as the epicenter for the hemostatic issues, puts forward a proposal for staging COVID-19 coagulopathy based on available diagnostic markers, and suggest considering current and future treatment options based on these different stages.

Venous thromboembolism research priorities: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association and the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The impact of the Surgeon General's Call to Action in 2008 has been lower than expected given the public health impact of this disease. This scientific statement highlights future research priorities in VTE, developed by experts and a crowdsourcing survey across 16 scientific organizations.

Genetic, morphological and ecological variation across a sharp hybrid zone between two alpine butterfly species.

Identifying the mechanisms involved in the formation and maintenance of species is a central question in evolutionary biology, and distinguishing the selective drivers of populations' divergence from demographic processes is of particular interest to better understand the speciation process. Hybrid zones are recognized to provide ideal places to investigate the genetic architecture of speciation and to identify the mechanisms allowing diverging species to maintain their integrity in the face of gene flow. Here, we studied two alpine butterfly species, and which can be found flying together and hybridizing in narrow contact zones in the southern French Alps.

Influence of Sex on Platelet Reactivity in Response to Aspirin.

Background There are sex differences in the efficacy and safety of aspirin for the prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke. Whether this is explained by underlying differences in platelet reactivity and aspirin response remains poorly understood. Methods and Results Healthy volunteers (n=378 208 women) and patients with coronary artery disease or coronary artery disease risk factors (n=217 112 women) took aspirin for 4 weeks.

Proteomic profiles for Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment among adults with Down syndrome spanning serum and plasma: An Alzheimer's Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) study.

Introduction: Previously generated serum and plasma proteomic profiles were examined among adults with Down syndrome (DS) to determine whether these profiles could discriminate those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI-DS) and Alzheimer's disease (DS-AD) from those cognitively stable (CS).

Methods: Data were analyzed on n = 305 (n = 225 CS; n = 44 MCI-DS; n = 36 DS-AD) enrolled in the Alzheimer's Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome (ABC-DS).

Results: Distinguishing MCI-DS from CS, the serum profile produced an area under the curve (AUC) = 0.

Effects of diet, habitat, and phylogeny on the fecal microbiome of wild African savanna () and forest elephants ().

The gut microbiome, or the community of microorganisms inhabiting the digestive tract, is often unique to its symbiont and, in many animal taxa, is highly influenced by host phylogeny and diet. In this study, we characterized the gut microbiome of the African savanna elephant () and the African forest elephant (), sister taxa separated by 2.6-5.

Proteomic profiles of incident mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease among adults with Down syndrome.

Introduction: We sought to determine if proteomic profiles could predict risk for incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) among adults with Down syndrome (DS).

Methods: In a cohort of 398 adults with DS, a total of n = 186 participants were determined to be non-demented and without MCI or AD at baseline and throughout follow-up; n = 103 had incident MCI and n = 81 had incident AD. Proteomics were conducted on banked plasma samples from a previously generated algorithm.

Proteomic profiles of prevalent mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease among adults with Down syndrome.

Introduction: We sought to determine if a proteomic profile approach developed to detect Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the general population would apply to adults with Down syndrome (DS).

Methods: Plasma samples were obtained from 398 members of a community-based cohort of adults with DS. A total of n = 186 participants were determined to be non-demented and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at baseline and throughout follow-up; n = 50 had prevalent MCI; n = 42 had prevalent AD.

A classification of endangered high-THC cannabis (Cannabis sativa subsp. indica) domesticates and their wild relatives.

Two kinds of drug-type gained layman's terms in the 1980s. "Sativa" had origins in South Asia (India), with early historical dissemination to Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Americas. "Indica" had origins in Central Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkestan).

Hematocrit and incidence of venous thromboembolism.

Background: Patients with polycythemia vera with high hematocrit have increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Objective: To determine whether high hematocrit in the general population is also associated with elevated VTE risk.

Methods: The prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study performed a complete blood count in 13 891 adults aged 45 to 64 in 1987 to 1989.

The preparation of a novel iron/manganese binary oxide for the efficient removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr(vi)] from aqueous solutions.

To remove hexavalent chromium Cr(vi) efficiently, a novel Fe-Mn binary oxide adsorbent was prepared a "two-step method" combined with a co-precipitation method and hydrothermal method. The as-prepared Fe-Mn binary oxide absorbent was characterized transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), zeta potential, BET and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that the morphology of the adsorbent was rod-like with length of about 100 nm and width of about 50-60 nm, specific surface area was 63.

Soluble CD14, Ischemic Stroke, and Coronary Heart Disease Risk in a Prospective Study: The REGARDS Cohort.

Background Soluble CD14 (sCD14), a circulating pattern recognition receptor, has been suggested as a cardiovascular disease risk factor. Prospective studies evaluating sCD14 with incident cardiovascular disease events are limited, particularly among racially diverse populations. Methods and Results Between 2003 and 2007, the REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) study recruited 30 239 black and white participants across the United States.

New species of smiley-faced spider (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America.

is a genus of spiders that contained only two species until 2018 when it was demonstrated that a 'widespread' species was instead composed of multiple short-range endemics. This note redescribes Keyserling and describes a new species of (Araneae, Theridiidae), , both based on specimens from Brazil. We also examine specimens from several additional localities in Brazil displaying variation consistent with patterns previously found within the Caribbean: geographically isolated and unique localities may contain independent species lineages.

Measures of adiposity correlate with renal filtration in young nulliparous women: An observational cohort study.

Objective: Renal hyperfiltration, which has been documented in severe obesity and obesity-associated hypertension, can occur with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Identification of prepregnancy risk factors for unrecognized renal hyperfiltration could inform screening and intervention strategies to protect against pregnancy complications. In young, healthy, nulliparous women, associations between associations between measures of adiposity, insulin resistance, and renal vascular resistance were thus evaluated.

Resting heart rate and incidence of venous thromboembolism.

Background/objectives: Higher resting heart rate is a risk factor for arterial cardiovascular diseases. We assessed whether higher heart rate is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Methods: In a prospective epidemiologic cohort, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, we associated resting heart rate by electrocardiogram with physician-validated incident hospitalized VTE through 2015.

The fiddler crab, , follows Bergmann's rule.

Bergmann's rule predicts that organisms at higher latitudes are larger than ones at lower latitudes. Here, we examine the body size pattern of the Atlantic marsh fiddler crab, , from salt marshes on the east coast of the United States across 12 degrees of latitude. We found that followed Bergmann's rule and that, on average, crab carapace width increased by 0.

Enhancing group-based internet obesity treatment: A pilot RCT comparing video and text-based chat.

Objective: Internet delivery of behavioural weight control interventions offers potential for broad geographic reach and accessibility, but weight losses online fall short of those produced with the same programme delivered in-person. This pilot study examined feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a video-based platform for delivering weekly chat as part of a 6-month, 24-session online group behavioural weight control programme compared with the established text-based format, which has produced the best online weight losses to date.

Method: Women with obesity (N = 32) were randomized to either (a) weekly video group chat sessions and provided with a cellular-enabled scale (Video) or (b) Text-based weekly chat sessions and given a digital scale (Text) and followed for 6 months to determine weight loss and treatment engagement.

Mobile Health Access and Use Among Individuals With or At Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).

Background Mobile health (mHealth) technologies can deliver interventions to prevent and manage cardiovascular disease (CVD), but mHealth uptake among those with or at risk for CVD remains incompletely explored. Therefore, in this group, we assessed the prevalence of mHealth access and usage, and the association between CVD risk and mHealth uptake. Methods and Results Data were from 3248 adults in the 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey.

Temporally adaptive acoustic sampling to maximize detection across a suite of focal wildlife species.

Acoustic recordings of the environment can produce species presence-absence data for characterizing populations of sound-producing wildlife over multiple spatial scales. If a species is present at a site but does not vocalize during a scheduled audio recording survey, researchers may incorrectly conclude that the species is absent ("false negative"). The risk of false negatives is compounded when audio devices have sampling constraints, do not record continuously, and must be manually scheduled to operate at pre-selected times of day, particularly when research programs target multiple species with acoustic availability that varies across temporal conditions.