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The detection and characterization of coronary artery stenosis and atherosclerosis using imaging tools are key for clinical decision-making in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. In this regard, imaging-based quantification can be improved by choosing the most appropriate imaging modality for diagnosis, treatment and procedural planning. In this Consensus Statement, we provide clinical consensus recommendations on the optimal use of different imaging techniques in various patient populations and describe the advances in imaging technology. Clinical consensus recommendations on the appropriateness of each imaging technique for direct coronary artery visualization were derived through a three-step, real-time Delphi process that took place before, during and after the Second International Quantitative Cardiovascular Imaging Meeting in September 2022. According to the Delphi survey answers, CT is the method of choice to rule out obstructive stenosis in patients with an intermediate pre-test probability of coronary artery disease and enables quantitative assessment of coronary plaque with respect to dimensions, composition, location and related risk of future cardiovascular events, whereas MRI facilitates the visualization of coronary plaque and can be used in experienced centres as a radiation-free, second-line option for non-invasive coronary angiography. PET has the greatest potential for quantifying inflammation in coronary plaque but SPECT currently has a limited role in clinical coronary artery stenosis and atherosclerosis imaging. Invasive coronary angiography is the reference standard for stenosis assessment but cannot characterize coronary plaques. Finally, intravascular ultrasonography and optical coherence tomography are the most important invasive imaging modalities for the identification of plaques at high risk of rupture. The recommendations made in this Consensus Statement will help clinicians to choose the most appropriate imaging modality on the basis of the specific clinical scenario, individual patient characteristics and the availability of each imaging modality.

Rain-gauge, satellite-derived, and re-analysis datasets were evaluated for trends in mean and extreme rainfall in and around S-SE Asia over 1979-2022. Results indicate rainfall increases in most of maritime and coastal regions and over adjacent seas during the wet season. Rain-gauge data show strong increases exceeding 50% in annual mean precipitation and various extreme precipitation indices over Vietnam and the northwestern part of Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) where precipitation is largely fed by moisture originated from the adjacent seas and the NW part of the Indian Ocean. Increasing precipitation trends are associated with strong warming-driven evaporation increases over the Indian Ocean. A moisture budget trend analysis using ERA5 re-analysis data shows that increasing evaporation results in increasing atmospheric vapour transport over the NW Indian Ocean along the pathway which typically supplies moisture to S-SE Asia during the summer monsoon season. The major part of increased moisture supply from the Indian Ocean ends up as precipitation over the Indian Peninsula and the adjacent oceanic regions, the Bay of Bengal, in particular. ERA5 also reveals pronounced increases in winter precipitation over the MSEA, in accordance with rain-gauge data, associated with strongly increasing transport of moisture originated from the South China Sea and the western tropical Pacific., The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)

ObjectiveCOVID-19 vaccines have a favorable safety profile in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) such as idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs); however, hesitancy continues to persist among these patients. Therefore, we studied the prevalence, predictors and reasons for hesitancy in patients with IIMs, other AIRDs, non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs) and healthy controls (HCs), using data from the two international COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) e-surveys.MethodsThe first and second COVAD patient self-reported e-surveys were circulated from March to December 2021, and February to June 2022 (ongoing). We collected data on demographics, comorbidities, COVID-19 infection and vaccination history, reasons for hesitancy, and patient reported outcomes. Predictors of hesitancy were analysed using regression models in different groups.ResultsWe analysed data from 18 882 (COVAD-1) and 7666 (COVAD-2) respondents. Reassuringly, hesitancy decreased from 2021 (16.5%) to 2022 (5.1%) (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.24, 0.30, P ConclusionVaccine hesitancy has decreased from 2021 to 2022, long-term safety concerns remain among patients with IIMs, particularly in Caucasians and those with poor physical function.

The yellow stem borer (YSB) (Scirpophaga incertulas) (Pyralidae: Lepidoptera) is a conundrum pest of paddy in India. One of the best ways to overcome the attack of this pest is to control the initial stage of its life cycle by parasitoids. Per cent infestation of yellow stem borer and extent of parasitization was assessed in organic and conventional paddy fields at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Results revealed that stem borer infestation was more (0.59%) in conventional rice than organic rice (0.47%). Larval parasitoids, viz., Myosoma chinensis (Szepligeti), Trathala flavoorbitalis, Temelucha philippinensis and pupal parasitoids Xanthopimpla punctata emerged from both conventional and organic cropping systems. Myosoma chinensis was the most dominant among all the parasitoids recorded and all are new records to Delhi region. This study indicated that organic cultivation practices supported more to beneficial insects. Overall per cent parasitization under organic ecosystem was higher (34.6%) to conventional ecosystem (13.3%).

Fetal neural stem cells (FNSCs) are present in the brain of human fetuses that differentiate into cells of neuronal and glial lineages. Difference in oxygen concentration between maternal and fetal circulation indicates that the developing fetus may be exposed to lower oxygen concentrations compared to adults. This physiological hypoxia may influence the growth and differentiation of the FNSCs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hypoxia on the differentiation potential of human FNSCs isolated from the sub-ventricular zone of aborted fetal brains (n=5). FNSCs were isolated, expanded, and characterized by Nestin and Sox2 expression, using immunocytochemistry and flowcytometry respectively. These FNSCs were exposed to 20% oxygen (normoxia) and 0.2% oxygen (hypoxia) concentrations for 48 hours, and hypoxia exposure (n=5) was evaluated by a panel of markers (CA9, PGK1 and VEGF). Whole human genome transcriptomic analyses (Genespring GX13) of FNSCs exposed to hypoxia (Agilent 4×44K human array slides), highlighted that genes associated with neurogenesis were getting enriched. The pathway analysis of these enriched genes (using Metacore) showed that WNT signaling played a role in determining the cell fate of FNSCs exposed to hypoxic environment. Microarray analyses was validated using neuronal and glial lineage commitment markers such as Ngn1, Ngn2, ASCL1, DCX, GFAP, Olig2 and Nkx2.2 using qPCR (n=9). This demonstrated upregulation of the neuronal commitment markers on hypoxia exposure, while no change was observed in astrocytic and oligodendrocyte lineage commitment markers. Increased expression of downstream targets of the WNT signaling pathway, TCF4 and ID2, by qPCR (n=9), indicated its involvement in mediating neuronal differentiation on exposure to hypoxia.

An analysis has been done to scrutinize the existence of dual solutions of the Casson nanofluid caused due to an exponential form of stretching surface which is situated in porous medium and second order velocity slip. An uniform magnetic field is considered in the transverse dirction of the flow. A suitable similarity transformation is employed to amend the model equations into solvable form and hence solved by adopting the MATLAB built-in bvp4c solver scheme. Results are discussed through both graphical mode and tabulations with respect to some novel flow parameters. The stability analysis has been studied and found two solutions, one is stable in nature and physically tractable. From the study, we have seen that the flow parameters associated with nanofluid enhance the heat transfer of the fluid. The Casson fluid parameter has also a power to increase temperature of the system.

Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells that play many critical roles in the central nervous system physiology including the uptake of excess glutamate from the synapse by Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs). Among the EAATs, EAAT2 are predominantly functional, astrocyte-specific glutamate transporters in the forebrain. Hypoxic brain injury is a pathological phenomenon seen in various clinical conditions including stroke and neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Glutamate excitotoxicity is an important cause of neuronal cell death in disorders involving hypoxic brain injury. As findings from rodent models cannot always be reliably extrapolated to humans, we aimed to develop a homogenous population of primary human astrocytes to study the effect of hypoxic injury on astrocyte function, especially glutamate uptake. We successfully isolated, established and characterized cultures of human fetal neural stem cells (FNSCs) from aborted fetal brains. FNSCs were differentiated into astrocytes, and characterized by increased expression of the astrocyte markers, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), EAAT1 and EAAT2. A concomitant decrease in neural stem cell marker, Nestin, was observed. Differentiated astrocytes were exposed to various oxygen concentrations mimicking normoxia (20% and 6%), moderate and severe hypoxia (2% and 0.2% respectively). Interestingly, no change was observed in the expression of glutamate transporter, EAAT2 and glutamate uptake by astrocytes, even after exposure to hypoxia. Our novel model of human FNSC derived astrocytes exposed to hypoxic injury, establishes that astrocytes are able to maintain glutamate uptake even after exposure to severe hypoxia for 48 hours, and thus provides evidence for the neuroprotective role of astrocytes in hypoxic injury.