Association of Antidepressant Medication Type With the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in the ARIC Study.

Background The association of antidepressant medication type with the risk of cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) is unclear. We hypothesized that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRI s) are associated with lower risks of CVD events relative to tricyclics and other non- SSRI antidepressants. Methods and Results We studied 2027 participants from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study (mean age 63±10 years; 29% men; 78% white) treated with antidepressants at some time between 1987 and 2013.

Impact of Body Weight Dynamics Following Intentional Weight Loss on Fracture Risk: Results from The Action for Health in Diabetes Study.

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of body weight change following intentional weight loss on incident fracture and bone mineral density (BMD) in overweight and obese adults with diabetes. A total of 1885 individuals with type 2 diabetes (baseline age: 58.5 ± 6.

Sustaining eHealth engagement in a multi-year weight gain prevention intervention.

Introduction: Digital tools are widely used and effective in weight management interventions; however, usage declines over time. Strategies to promote continued engagement should be explored. We examined the effects of offering additional modes of weight reporting as well as periodic online campaigns to promote engagement, assessed by frequency of weight reporting, in a weight gain prevention study for young adults.

Interrelationships Between American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7, ECG Silent Myocardial Infarction, and Cardiovascular Mortality.

Background We examined the interrelationships among cardiovascular health (CVH), assessed by the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) health metrics, silent myocardial infarction (SMI), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods and Results This analysis included 6766 participants without a history of coronary heart disease from the Third Report of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Poor, intermediate, and ideal CVH were defined as an LS7 score of 0 to 4, 5 to 9, and 10 to 14, respectively.

Detection of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Using Bayesian Additive Regression Trees: The MESA.

Background We developed a new left ventricular hypertrophy ( LVH ) criterion using a machine-learning technique called Bayesian Additive Regression Trees ( BART ). Methods and Results This analysis included 4714 participants from MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) free of clinically apparent cardiovascular disease at enrollment. We used BART to predict LV mass from ECG and participant characteristics using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging as the standard.

Characterization and molecular docking of new Δ17 fatty acid desaturase genes from and .

Fatty acid desaturases are key enzymes in the biosynthesis of -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) conversion of -6 polyunsaturates to their -3 counterparts. In this study, we reported the characterization and molecular docking of Δ17 desaturases from and . These two new desaturase genes were screened using the known Δ17 desaturase gene (oPaFADS17) from as a template.

Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Black Versus White Medicare Beneficiaries With Implanted Cardiac Devices.

Background Black individuals in the United States experience higher rates of ischemic stroke than other racial groups but have lower rates of clinically apparent atrial fibrillation ( AF ). It is unclear whether blacks truly have less AF or simply more undiagnosed AF . Methods and Results We performed a retrospective cohort study using inpatient and outpatient claims from 2009 to 2015 for a 5% nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries.

Faculty Assessment of Emergency Medicine Resident Grit: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Assessment of trainees' competency is challenging; the predictive power of traditional evaluations is debatable especially in regard to noncognitive traits. New assessments need to be sought to better understand affective areas like personality. Grit, defined as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals," can assess aspects of personality.

Orientation effects on the nanoscale adsorption behavior of bone morphogenetic protein-2 on hydrophilic silicon dioxide.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (BMP-2) is a growth factor associated with different developmental functions in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Because of its favorable properties for the development of bone and cartilage tissue, BMP-2 promotes the biocompatibility of medical implants. In this research, molecular dynamics simulations were implemented to simulate the interaction of BMP-2 with a flat hydrophilic silicon dioxide substrate, an important biomaterial for medical applications.

Body Mass Index From Early-, Mid-, and Older-Adulthood and Risk of Heart Failure and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: MESA.

Background Obesity contributes significantly to risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and especially for heart failure (HF). An elevated body mass index (BMI) in older adults might not carry the same risk as in younger adults, but measured weights at other lifetime points are often not available. We determined the associations of self-reported weights from early- and mid-adulthood, after accounting for measured weight at older age, with incident HF/ASCVD risk.

Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Variants Associated With Blood Pressure Among 2 Cohorts of Older Adults.

Background Age-related changes in blood pressure are associated with a variety of poor health outcomes. Genetic factors are proposed contributors to age-related increases in blood pressure, but few genetic loci have been identified. We examined the role of mitochondrial genomic variation in blood pressure by sequencing the mitochondrial genome.

Effects of Intensive Systolic Blood Pressure Lowering on Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on Standard Glycemic Control and in Those Without Diabetes Mellitus: Reconciling Results From ACCORD BP and SPRINT.

Background Intensive systolic blood pressure ( SBP ) lowering significantly reduced cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) events in SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) but not in ACCORD BP (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Blood Pressure). Methods and Results SPRINT tested the effects of intensive (<120 mm Hg) versus standard (<140 mm Hg) SBP goals on CVD events and all-cause mortality. Using 2×2 factorial design, ACCORD BP tested the same SBP intervention in addition to an intensive versus standard glycemia intervention.

Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 and Heart Failure With Reduced Versus Preserved Ejection Fraction: MESA.

Background Higher fibroblast growth factor-23 ( FGF -23) levels are associated with incident heart failure ( HF ) in MESA (the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). FGF -23 is also associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. Whether the FGF -23 association with HF is similar for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction ( HF r EF ) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction ( HF p EF ) is not well established.

Neurodegenerative disease biomarkers Aβ, Aβ, tau, and p-tau in the vervet monkey cerebrospinal fluid: Relation to normal aging, genetic influences, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Background: The Caribbean vervet monkey () is a potentially valuable animal model of neurodegenerative disease. However, the trajectory of aging in vervets and its relationship to human disease is incompletely understood.

Methods: To characterize biomarkers associated with neurodegeneration, we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of Aβ, Aβ, total tau, and p-tau in 329 members of a multigenerational pedigree.

Primary Septic Arthritis of The Knee due to Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in a Previously Healthy Child.

Pediatric septic arthritis can be a devastating disease. Often, the diagnosis can be challenging as autoimmune and infectious causes may present in a similar fashion. Thus, we present the case of a five-year-old male patient, from the Pacific coast of Colombia, with chronic morning knee pain and stiffness thought to be caused by an autoimmune disease.

Predictors and outcomes of heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction.

Aims: While heart failure with preserved (HFpEF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are well described, determinants and outcomes of heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) remain unclear. We sought to examine clinical and biochemical predictors of incident HFmrEF in the community.

Methods And Results: We pooled data from four community-based longitudinal cohorts, with ascertainment of new heart failure (HF) classified into HFmrEF [ejection fraction (EF) 41-49%], HFpEF (EF ≥50%), and HFrEF (EF ≤40%).