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Background BMP10 (bone morphogenic protein 10) has emerged as a novel biomarker associated with the risk of ischemic stroke and other outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The study aimed to determine if repeated BMP10 measurements improve prognostication of cardiovascular events in patients with AF. Methods and Results BMP10 was measured using a prototype Elecsys immunoassay in plasma samples collected at randomization and after 2 months in patients with AF randomized to apixaban or warfarin in the ARISTOTLE (Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation) trial (n=2878). Adjusted Cox‐regression models were used to evaluate the association between 2‐month BMP10 levels and outcomes. BMP10 levels increased by 7.8% (P

The aim of this planning study was to compare the dosimetric outcomes of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), Proton Beam Therapy (PBT), and conventional External Beam Radiation Therapy (cEBRT) in the treatment of thoracic spinal metastases originating from breast or prostate cancer. Our study utilized data from 30 different treatment plans and evaluated target coverage and doses to vital organs at risk (OARs), such as the spinal cord, heart, esophagus, and lungs. The results showed that VMAT and PBT achieved superior target coverage and significantly lower doses to the spinal cord compared to cEBRT (target: median PTVD95%: 75.2 for cEBRT vs. 92.9 and 91.7 for VMAT (p < 0.001) and PBT (p < 0.001), respectively; spinal cord: median Dmax%: 105.1 for cEBRT vs. 100.4 and 103.6 for VMAT (p < 0.001) and PBT (p = 0.002), respectively). Specifically, VMAT was notable for its superior target coverage and PBT for significantly lower doses to heart, lungs, and esophagus. However, VMAT resulted in higher lung doses, indicating potential trade-offs among different techniques. The study demonstrated the relative advantages of VMAT and PBT over traditional RT in the palliative treatment of spinal metastases using conventional fractionation. These findings underscore the potential of VMAT and PBT to improve dosimetric outcomes, suggesting that they may be more suitable for certain patient groups for whom the sparing of specific OARs is especially important.

Inflammation plays a key role in cardiovascular disease by contributing to atherothrombosis. The PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes (PLATO) study (NCT00391872) compared ticagrelor to clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes and demonstrated fewer cardiovascular events with ticagrelor but lower white blood cell counts (WBC) with clopidogrel. In this further analysis of the PLATO biomarker substudy, we assessed associations between WBC and clinical characteristics, biomarker levels, and CYP2C19 polymorphisms. On-treatment mean (SD) WBC in the clopidogrel group was mildly reduced at each stage of follow-up compared with either the ticagrelor group (1 month: 7.27 (2.1) and 7.67 (2.23) x109/L for clopidogrel and ticagrelor, respectively; p

BackgroundTreatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is a substantial burden to healthcare systems worldwide. New tools are needed to improve precision of treatment by optimizing the balance between efficacy, safety, and cost. We developed a high-throughput multi-marker decision support instrument which simultaneously quantifies proteins associated with CVD.Methods and findingsCandidate proteins independently associated with different clinical outcomes were selected from clinical studies by the screening of 368 circulating biomarkers. We then custom-designed a quantitative PEA-panel with 21 proteins (CVD-21) by including recombinant antigens as calibrator samples for normalization and absolute quantification of the proteins. The utility of the CVD-21 tool was evaluated in plasma samples from a case-control cohort of 4224 patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) using multivariable Cox regression analyses and machine learning techniques. The assays in the CVD-21 tool gave good precision and high sensitivity with lower level of determination (LOD) between 0.03-0.7 pg/ml for five of the biomarkers. The dynamic range for the assays was sufficient to accurately quantify the biomarkers in the validation study except for troponin I, which in the modeling was replaced by high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-TnT). We created seven different multimarker models, including a reference model with NT-proBNP, hs-TnT, GDF-15, IL-6, and cystatin C and one model with only clinical variables, for the comparison of the discriminative value of the CVD-21 tool. All models with biomarkers including hs-TnT provided similar discrimination for all outcomes, e.g. c-index between 0.68-0.86 and outperformed models using only clinical variables. Most important prognostic biomarkers were MMP-12, U-PAR, REN, VEGF-D, FGF-23, TFF3, ADM, and SCF.ConclusionsThe CVD-21 tool is the very first instrument which with PEA simultaneously quantifies 21 proteins with associations to different CVD. Novel pathophysiologic and prognostic information beyond that of established biomarkers were identified by a number of proteins.

Background The pathobiology of myocardial infarction (MI) with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is often uncertain. Investigating biomarker concentrations and their changes may offer novel pathophysiological insights. Methods and Results In this post hoc study of the PLATO (Platelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes) trial, concentrations of hs‐cTnT (high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T), NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide), hs‐CRP (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein), and GDF‐15 (growth differentiation factor 15) were measured in patients with MINOCA at baseline (n=554) and at 1‐month follow‐up (n=107). For comparisons, biomarkers were also measured in patients with MI with obstructive (stenosis ≥50%) coronary artery disease (baseline: n=11 106; follow‐up: n=2755]). Adjusted linear regression models were used to compare concentrations and their short‐ and long‐term changes. The adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMRs) in patients with MINOCA (median age, 61 years; 50.4% women) indicated lower hs‐cTnT (GMR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.68–0.88]) but higher hs‐CRP (GMR, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.08–1.37]) and GDF‐15 concentrations (GMR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.02–1.11]) at baseline compared with patients with MI with obstructive coronary artery disease, whereas NT‐proBNP concentrations were similar. Temporal decreases in hs‐cTnT, NT‐proBNP, and hs‐CRP concentrations until 1‐month follow‐up were more pronounced in patients with MINOCA. At follow‐up, patients with MINOCA had lower concentrations of hs‐cTnT (GMR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.60–0.84]), NT‐proBNP (GMR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.36–0.56]), and hs‐CRP (GMR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.53–0.86]). One‐month GDF‐15 concentrations were similar between both groups with MI. Conclusions Biomarker concentrations suggest greater initial inflammatory activity, similar degree of myocardial dysfunction, and less pronounced myocardial injury during the acute phase of MINOCA compared with MI with obstructive coronary artery disease but also faster myocardial recovery. Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT00391872.

Nitrogenases are the only enzymes that activate the strong triple bond in N2. The mechanism for the activation has been very difficult to determine in spite of decades of work. In previous modeling studies it has been suggested that the mechanism for nitrogen activation starts out by four pre‐activation steps (A0–A4) before catalysis. That suggestion led to excellent agreement with experimental Elecrtron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) observations in the step where N2 becomes protonated (E4). An important part of the pre‐activation is that a sulfide is released. In the present paper, the details of the pre‐activation are modeled, including the release of the sulfide. Several possible transition states for the release have been obtained. An A4(E0) state is reached which is very similar to the E4 state. For completeness, the steps going back from A4(E0) to A0 after catalysis are also modeled, including the insertion of a sulfide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionAcoustic radiation is one of the most important white matter fiber bundles of the human auditory system. However, segmenting the acoustic radiation is challenging due to its small size and proximity to several larger fiber bundles. TractSeg is a method that uses a neural network to segment some of the major fiber bundles in the brain. This study aims to train TractSeg to segment the core of acoustic radiation.MethodsWe propose a methodology to automatically extract the acoustic radiation from human connectome data, which is both of high quality and high resolution. The segmentation masks generated by TractSeg of nearby fiber bundles are used to steer the generation of valid streamlines through tractography. Only streamlines connecting the Heschl's gyrus and the medial geniculate nucleus were considered. These streamlines are then used to create masks of the core of the acoustic radiation that is used to train the neural network of TractSeg. The trained network is used to automatically segment the acoustic radiation from unseen images.ResultsThe trained neural network successfully extracted anatomically plausible masks of the core of the acoustic radiation in human connectome data. We also applied the method to a dataset of 17 patients with unilateral congenital ear canal atresia and 17 age- and gender-paired controls acquired in a clinical setting. The method was able to extract 53/68 acoustic radiation in the dataset acquired with clinical settings. In 14/68 cases, the method generated fragments of the acoustic radiation and completely failed in a single case. The performance of the method on patients and controls was similar.DiscussionIn most cases, it is possible to segment the core of the acoustic radiations even in images acquired with clinical settings in a few seconds using a pre-trained neural network.

Apixaban is a direct oral anticoagulant, a factor Xa inhibitor, used for the prevention of ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Despite using recommended dosing a few patients might still experience bleeding or lack of efficacy that might be related to inappropriate drug exposure. We conducted a genome-wide association study using data from 1,325 participants in the pivotal phase three trial of apixaban with the aim to identify genetic factors affecting the pharmacokinetics of apixaban. A candidate gene analysis was also performed for pre-specified variants in ABCB1, ABCG2, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and SULT1A1, with a subsequent analysis of all available polymorphisms within the candidate genes. Significant findings were further evaluated to assess a potential association with clinical outcome such as bleeding or thromboembolic events. No variant was consistently associated with an altered apixaban exposure on a genome-wide level. The candidate gene analyses showed a statistically significant association with a well-known variant in the drug transporter gene ABCG2 (c.421G > T, rs2231142). Patients carrying this variant had a higher exposure to apixaban [area under the curve (AUC), beta = 151 (95% CI 59–243), p = 0.001]. On average, heterozygotes displayed a 5% increase of AUC and homozygotes a 17% increase of AUC, compared with homozygotes for the wild-type allele. Bleeding or thromboembolic events were not significantly associated with ABCG2 rs2231142. This large genome-wide study demonstrates that genetic variation in the drug transporter gene ABCG2 is associated with the pharmacokinetics of apixaban. However, the influence of this finding on drug exposure was small, and further studies are needed to better understand whether it is of relevance for ischemic and bleeding events.

Biomarker concentrations and their changes during acute coronary syndrome (ACS) provide clinically useful information on pathophysiological processes, e.g. myocardial necrosis, hemodynamic stress and inflammation. However, current evidence on temporal biomarker patterns early during ACS is limited, and studies investigating multiple biomarkers are lacking. We measured concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and I (hs-cTnI), NT-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, C-reactive protein, and growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) in plasma samples obtained at randomization in ACS patients from the PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes (PLATO) trial. Linear regressions with interaction analyses were used to investigate the associations of biomarker concentrations with the time from symptom onset and to model temporal biomarker concentration patterns. The study population consisted of 16,944 patients (median age 62 years; 71.3 % males) with 6,853 (40.3 %) having ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 10,141 (59.7 %) having non-ST-elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS). Concentrations of all biomarkers were associated with time from symptom onset (pinteraction<0.001), apart for GDF-15 (pinteraction=0.092). Concentration increases were more pronounced in STEMI compared to NSTE-ACS. Temporal biomarker patterns for hs-cTnT and hs-cTnI were different depending on sex whereas biomarker patterns for the other biomarkers were similar in cohorts defined by age and sex. Temporal concentration patterns differ for various biomarkers early during ACS, reflecting the variability in the activation and duration of different pathophysiological processes, and the amount of injured myocardium. Our data emphasize that the time elapsed from symptom onset should be considered for the interpretation of biomarker results in ACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) in patients with the severe disease primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) constitutes a distinct clinical phenotype (PSC-UC) with a high incidence of colorectal cancer. Today, PSC-UC diagnosis is built on clinical observations only. Tissue factor (TF) has a potential use in UC diagnostics, and also in colorectal cancer prognostication. Here we evaluate TF expression in an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cohort, with special focus on differences between UC and PSC-UC patients. Materials and methods: Colonic biopsies from UC (n = 23), PSC (n = 24), and healthy controls (n = 11) were stained for TF by immunohistochemistry. Mononuclear cell contribution to TF expression was verified using flow cytometry. Results: TF was distributed at three distinct colonic locations: in subepithelial pericryptal sheath cells, in mononuclear cells, and in the intestinal stroma. In contrast to UC—where inflammation was accompanied with TF up-regulation—PSC-UC activity remained low during inflammation. Stromal TF positivity was found exclusively in ongoing inflammation. Conclusion: Our study provides additional support for a divergent pathogenesis in PSC-UC, with an inflammatory environment that differs from classical UC. Stromal TF emerges as a new marker of colonic inflammation.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by a progressive elevation of pulmonary pressure leading to right ventricular dysfunction and is associated with a poor prognosis. Patients with PAH have increased numbers of circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) and altered expression of circulating microRNAs (miRs). The study aimed to evaluate the miR profile contained within purified EVs derived from the plasma of PAH patients as compared to healthy controls (HC). Circulating EVs, purified from platelet-free plasma were analyzed using flow cytometry, western blot, and electron microscopy. Total RNA isolated from EVs was subjected to Microarray analysis using GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array and bioinformatics tools. Overexpression and inhibition of miRs were conducted in human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (hPAECs) that had been incubated previously with either PAH- or HC-derived EVs. Cell proliferation (MTT assay) and angiogenesis (tube formation assay) were tested in hPAECs to determine miR functionality. MiR profiling revealed 370 heats while comparing PAH and HC groups, 22 of which were found to be down-regulated and 6 were up-regulated in the PAH EVs. Among the altered miRs, miR-486-5p was overexpressed, while miR-26a-5p was downregulated in PAH EVs compared to HC EVs. Inhibition of mir-486-5p or overexpression of miR-26a-5p in hPAECs post-exposure of PAH EVs abrogated proangiogenic and proliferative effects posed by PAH EVs contrary to HC EVs. The angiogenic and proliferative effects of the miRs from PAH EVs were observed to be mediated through nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation. PAH EVs carry and present an altered miR profile that can be targeted to restrict angiogenesis and reduce pulmonary endothelium activation. Further studies concerning miRs from circulating heterogeneous EVs in PAH patients are warranted to understand their potential as targets for treatment in PAH.

Background Whether factor V Leiden is associated with lower bleeding risk in patients with acute coronary syndromes using (dual) antiplatelet therapy has yet to be investigated. Methods and Results We pooled data from 3 randomized clinical trials, conducted in patients with acute coronary syndromes, with adjudicated bleeding outcomes. Cox regression models were used to obtain overall and cause‐specific hazard ratios (HRs) to account for competing risk of atherothrombotic outcomes (ie, composite of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death) in each study. Estimates from the individual studies were pooled using fixed effect meta‐analysis. The 3 studies combined included 17 623 patients of whom 969 (5.5%) were either heterozygous or homozygous (n=23) carriers of factor V Leiden. During 1 year of follow‐up, a total of 1289 (7.3%) patients developed major (n=559) or minor bleeding. Factor V Leiden was associated with a lower risk of combined major and minor bleeding (adjusted cause‐specific HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.56–1.00; P=0.046; I2=0%) but a comparable risk of major bleeding (adjusted cause‐specific HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.62–1.39; P=0.73; I2=0%). Adjusted pooled cause‐specific HRs for the association of factor V Leiden with atherothrombotic events alone and in combination with bleeding events were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.55–1.02; P=0.06; I2=0%) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.61–0.92; P=0.007; I2=0%), respectively. Conclusions Given that the lower risk of bleeding conferred by factor V Leiden was not counterbalanced by a higher risk of atherothrombotic events, these findings warrant future assessment for personalized medicine such as selecting patients for extended or intensive antiplatelet therapy.

Background The prothrombotic defect factor V Leiden (FVL) may confer higher risk of ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), compared with non–ST‐segment–elevation acute coronary syndrome, and may be associated with more myocardial necrosis caused by higher thrombotic burden. Methods and Results Patients without history of cardiovascular disease were selected from 2 clinical trials conducted in patients with acute coronary syndrome. FVL was defined as G‐to‐A substitution at nucleotide 1691 in the factor V (factor V R506Q) gene. Odds ratios were calculated for the association of FVL with STEMI adjusted for age and sex in the overall population and in the subgroups including sex, age (≥70 versus

The main class of nitrogenases has a molybdenum in its cofactor. A mechanism for Mo-nitrogenase has recently been described. In the present study, another class of nitrogenases has been studied, the one with a vanadium instead of a molybdenum in its cofactor. It is generally believed that these classes use the same general mechanism to activate nitrogen. The same methodology has been used here as the one used for Mo-nitrogenase. N2 activation is known to occur after four reductions in the catalytic cycle, in the E4 state. The main features of the mechanism for Mo-nitrogenase found in the previous study are an activation process in four steps prior to catalysis, the release of a sulfide during the activation steps and the formation of H2 from two hydrides in E4, just before N2 is activated. The same features have been found here for V-nitrogenase. A difference is that five steps are needed in the activation process, which explains why the ground state of V-nitrogenase is a triplet (even number) and the one for Mo-nitrogenase is a quartet (odd number). The reason an additional step is needed for V-nitrogenase is that V3+ can be reduced to V2+, in contrast to the case for Mo3+ in Mo-nitrogenase. The fact that V3+ is Jahn–Teller active has important consequences. N2H2 is formed in E4 with reasonably small barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tissue factor (TF) combined with its ligand FVII initiates blood coagulation and intracellular signaling. Obese and type 2 diabetic subjects have increased TF expression in their adipose tissue and an increased risk for thrombotic complications. Here we address the role of TF/FVII on adipocyte functions. Materials and methods: Subcutaneous fat was obtained by means of needle aspiration from healthy volunteers, and adipocytes were isolated after collagenase digestion. 3T3-L1 fibroblasts kept in culture were differentiated into adipocytes by addition of IBMX, dexamethasone, rosiglitazone, and insulin to the media. Proteins and mRNA were analyzed by western blot and RT-PCR. Coagulation activity was determined by a colorimetric FX-assay. Lipolysis was measured as free glycerol using a colorimetric method. Glucose uptake was evaluated by scintillation counting of D-[U-14C] glucose. Results: In isolated human primary adipocytes we found expression of TF and FVII. TF expression was confirmed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and both cell types were found to be procoagulant in a TF/FVIIa-dependent manner. FXa was generated without FVIIa added to the coagulation assay, and active site-inhibited FVIIa blocked FXa formation, supporting our finding of FVII production by human primary adipocytes. There was no evidence for a role of TF in either lipolysis or glucose uptake in our experimental settings. Conclusion: Human primary adipocytes express active TF and FVII, and the TF/FVIIa complex formed on the adipocyte surface can activate substrate FX. Whether the TF/FVIIa complex conveys signaling pathways leading to biological functions and has any biological activity in adipocytes beyond coagulation remains to be elucidated.

Here the authors probe a model electrolyte of a Li-ion battery for insights into the composition and concentration variation using ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy. The work highlights the necessity to stabilize the liquid phases and to differentiate surface and bulk compositions in the measurements.

Abstract Background Radiotherapy of liver metastases is commonly being performed with photon-beam based stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). The high risk for radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) is a limiting factor in these treatments. The use of proton-beam based SBRT could potentially improve the sparing of the healthy part of the liver. The aim of this study was to use estimations of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) to identify liver-metastases patients that could benefit from being treated with intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT), based on the reduction of the risk for RILD. Methods Ten liver metastases patients, previously treated with photon-beam based SBRT, were retrospectively planned with IMPT. A CTV-based robust optimisation (accounting for setup and range uncertainties), combined with a PTV-based conventional optimisation, was performed. A robustness criterion was defined for the CTV (V95% > 98% for at least 10 of the 12 simulated scenarios). The NTCP was estimated for different endpoints using the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman model. The ΔNTCP (NTCP IMPT − NTCP SBRT ) for RILD was registered for each patient. The patients for which the NTCP (RILD)

BackgroundCirculating biomarkers are associated with the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its complications by reflecting pathophysiological pathways and/or organ dysfunction. We explored the associations between 157 cardiovascular (CV) and inflammatory biomarkers and CV death using proximity extension assays (PEA) in patients with chronic CHD.Methods and findingsThe derivation cohort consisted of 605 cases with CV death and 2,788 randomly selected non-cases during 3-5 years follow-up included in the STabilization of Atherosclerotic plaque By Initiation of darapLadIb TherapY (STABILITY) trial between 2008 and 2010. The replication cohort consisted of 245 cases and 1,042 non-cases during 12 years follow-up included in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study between 1997 and 2000. Biomarker levels were measured with conventional immunoassays and/or with the OLINK PEA panels CVD I and Inflammation. Associations with CV death were evaluated by Random Survival Forest (RF) and Cox regression analyses. Both cohorts had the same median age (65 years) and 20% smokers, while there were slight differences in male sex (82% and 76%), hypertension (70% and 78%), and diabetes (39% and 30%) in the respective STABILITY and LURIC cohorts. The analyses identified 18 biomarkers with confirmed independent association with CV death by Boruta analyses and statistical significance (all p < 0.0001) by Cox regression when adjusted for clinical characteristics in both cohorts. Most prognostic information was carried by N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), hazard ratio (HR for 1 standard deviation [SD] increase of the log scale of the distribution of the biomarker in the replication cohort) 2.079 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.799-2.402), and high-sensitivity troponin T (cTnT-hs) HR 1.715 (95% CI 1.491-1.973). The other proteins with independent associations were growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) HR 1.728 (95% CI 1.527-1.955), transmembrane immunoglobulin and mucin domain protein (TIM-1) HR 1.555 (95% CI 1.362-1.775), renin HR 1.501 (95% CI 1.305-1.727), osteoprotegerin (OPG) HR 1.488 (95% CI 1.297-1.708), soluble suppression of tumorigenesis 2 protein (sST2) HR 1.478 (95% CI 1.307-1.672), cystatin-C (Cys-C) HR 1.370 (95% CI 1.243-1.510), tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2 (TRAIL-R2) HR 1.205 (95% CI 1.131-1.285), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) HR 1.347 (95% CI 1.226-1.479), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) HR 1.399 (95% CI 1.255-1.561), interleukin 6 (IL-6) HR 1.478 (95% CI 1.316-1.659), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) HR 1.259 (95% CI 1.134-1.396), spondin-1 HR 1.295 (95% CI 1.156-1.450), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) HR 1.349 (95% CI 1.237-1.472), chitinase-3 like protein 1 (CHI3L1) HR 1.284 (95% CI 1.129-1.461), tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1) HR 1.486 (95% CI 1.307-1.689), and adrenomedullin (AM) HR 1.750 (95% CI 1.490-2.056). The study is limited by the differences in design, size, and length of follow-up of the 2 studies and the lack of results from coronary angiograms and follow-up of nonfatal events.ConclusionsProfiles of levels of multiple plasma proteins might be useful for the identification of different pathophysiological pathways associated with an increased risk of CV death in patients with chronic CHD.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT00799903.