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Maternal mortality rates are at an all-time high across the world and are set to increase in subsequent years. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death during pregnancy and postpartum, especially in the United States. Therefore, understanding the physiological changes in the cardiovascular system during normal pregnancy is necessary to understand disease-related pathology. Significant systemic and cardiovascular physiological changes occur during pregnancy that are essential for supporting the maternal-fetal dyad. The physiological impact of pregnancy on the cardiovascular system has been examined in both experimental animal models and in humans. However, there is a continued need in this field of study to provide increased rigor and reproducibility. Therefore, these guidelines aim to provide information regarding best practices and recommendations to accurately and rigorously measure cardiovascular physiology during normal and cardiovascular disease-complicated pregnancies in human and animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social isolation and loneliness can occur in all age groups, and they are linked to increased mortality and poorer health outcomes. There is a growing body of research indicating inconsistent findings on the effectiveness of interventions aiming to alleviate social isolation and loneliness. Hence the need to facilitate the discoverability of research on these interventions. Objectives: To map available evidence on the effects of in‐person interventions aimed at mitigating social isolation and/or loneliness across all age groups and settings. Search Methods: The following databases were searched from inception up to 17 February 2022 with no language restrictions: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, EBM Reviews—Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, APA PsycInfo via Ovid, CINAHL via EBSCO, EBSCO (all databases except CINAHL), Global Index Medicus, ProQuest (all databases), ProQuest ERIC, Web of Science, Korean Citation Index, Russian Science Citation Index, and SciELO Citation Index via Clarivate, and Elsevier Scopus. Selection Criteria: Titles, abstracts, and full texts of potentially eligible articles identified were screened independently by two reviewers for inclusion following the outlined eligibility criteria. Data Collection and Analysis: We developed and pilot tested a data extraction code set in Eppi‐Reviewer. Data was individually extracted and coded. We used the AMSTAR2 tool to assess the quality of reviews. However, the quality of the primary studies was not assessed. Main Results: A total of 513 articles (421 primary studies and 92 systematic reviews) were included in this evidence and gap map which assessed the effectiveness of in‐person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness. Most (68%) of the reviews were classified as critically low quality, while less than 5% were classified as high or moderate quality. Most reviews looked at interpersonal delivery and community‐based delivery interventions, especially interventions for changing cognition led by a health professional and group activities, respectively. Loneliness, wellbeing, and depression/anxiety were the most assessed outcomes. Most research was conducted in high‐income countries, concentrated in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, with none from low‐income countries. Major gaps were identified in societal level and community‐based delivery interventions that address policies and community structures, respectively. Less than 5% of included reviews assessed process indicators or implementation outcomes. Similar patterns of evidence and gaps were found in primary studies. All age groups were represented but more reviews and primary studies focused on older adults (≥60 years, 63%) compared to young people (≤24 years, 34%). Two thirds described how at‐risk populations were identified and even fewer assessed differences in effect across equity factors for populations experiencing inequities. Authors' Conclusions: There is growing evidence that social isolation and loneliness are public health concerns. This evidence and gap map shows the available evidence, at the time of the search, on the effectiveness of in‐person interventions at reducing social isolation and loneliness across all ages and settings. Despite a large body of research, with much of it published in more recent years, it is unevenly distributed geographically and across types of interventions and outcomes. Most of the systematic reviews are of critically low quality, indicating the need for high quality reviews. This map can guide funders and researchers to consider the areas in which the evidence is lacking and to address these gaps as future research priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Surveillance of cigarette smoking behavior provides evidence for evaluating the impact of current tobacco control measures. We examined temporal changes and demographic differences in the incidence and mean age of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly in the United States. Methods: We conducted retrospective birth-cohort and cross-sectional analyses using self-reported data from the 1997-2018 National Health Interview Survey to evaluate trends and demographic differences in the incidence and mean age of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly among participants aged 18-84 years. We estimated the incidence and mean age of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly by using Poisson and linear regression. Results: Among adults born during 1950-1999, the incidence of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly before age 35 years decreased by 18.8% (95% CI, 17.0%-20.7%) per 10 years, with a peak incidence at age about age 18 years. Male, non-Hispanic White, and US-born people had a higher incidence of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly than female, other racial and ethnic, and non–US-born people, respectively (P <.001 for all). From 1997 to 2018, the mean age of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly decreased by 0.4% (95% CI, 0.2%-0.6%) per 10 years among adults who ever smoked. Conclusion: The incidence of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly decreased dramatically at all ages during the study period, which suggests a positive impact of current tobacco control measures. For evaluating trends in starting to smoke cigarettes regularly, incidence can be a more sensitive indicator of temporal change than mean age. Differences in smoking incidence by demographic subgroup suggest that additional opportunities exist to further reduce the incidence of starting to smoke cigarettes regularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of sustained uterine compression versus uterine massage in reducing blood loos after a vaginal delivery. Study Design This was a prospective randomized trial conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) between October 2015 and October 2017. Inclusion criteria were women with a singleton pregnancy at ≥36 weeks of gestation, with less than three previous deliveries, who were candidates for vaginal delivery. Participants were randomized into two groups, a sustained uterine compression group (group 1) and a uterine massage group (group 2). Incidence of postpartum hemorrhage (blood loss of ≥500 mL) was the primary outcome. We assumed that the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage at our institution is similar to previously published studies. A total of 545 women were required in each arm to detect a reduction from 9.6 to 4.8% in the primary outcome (50% reduction) with a one-sided α of 0.05 and a power of 80%. Factoring in a 10% dropout rate. Secondary outcomes were admission to intensive care unit (ICU), postpartum complications, drop in hemoglobin, duration of hospital stay, maternal pain, use of uterotonics, or of surgical procedure for postpartum hemorrhage. Results A total of 550 pregnant women were recruited, 273 in group 1 and 277 in group 2. There was no statistically significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Type of anesthesia, rate of episiotomy, lacerations, and mean birth weight were also equal between the groups. Incidence of the primary outcome was not different between the two groups (group 1: 15.5%, group 2: 15.4%; p = 0.98). There was no statistically significant difference in any of the secondary outcomes between the two groups, including drop in hemoglobin (p = 0.79). Conclusion There was no difference in blood loss between sustained uterine compression and uterine massage after vaginal delivery. Key Points Transabdominal uterine compression and uterine massage are appropriate to prevent postpartum hemorrhage. No significant difference in blood loss or maternal discomfort observed between the two techniques. Both methods are equally effective and either one can be used based on provider preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We examined the role of psychological well-being related measures in explaining the associations between obesity and increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs: hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and memory-related disease) in older adults., Methods: Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), UK (baseline: Wave 4-2008/2009; n = 8127) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), US (baseline: Waves 9 and 10-2008/2010; n = 12,477). Objective body mass index was used to define obesity. A range of psychological well-being related measures (e.g., depressive symptoms, life satisfaction) was available in ELSA (n = 7) and HRS (n = 15), and an index of overall psychological well-being was developed separately in each study. NCDs were from a self-reported doctor diagnosis and/or other assessments (e.g., biomarker data) in both studies; and in ELSA, NCDs from linked hospital admissions data were examined. Longitudinal associations between obesity status, psychological well-being measures, and NCDs were examined using Cox proportional hazard models (individual NCDs) and Poisson regression (a cumulative number of NCDs). Mediation by psychological well-being related measures was assessed using causal mediation analysis., Results: Obesity was consistently associated with an increased prospective risk of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and a cumulative number of NCDs in both ELSA and HRS. Worse overall psychological well-being (index measure) and some individual psychological well-being related measures were associated with an increased prospective risk of heart disease, stroke, arthritis, memory-related disease, and a cumulative number of NCDs across studies. Findings from mediation analyses showed that neither the index of overall psychological well-being nor any individual psychological well-being related measures explained (mediated) why obesity increased the risk of developing NCDs in both studies., Conclusion: Obesity and psychological well-being may independently and additively increase the risk of developing NCDs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in commensal and pathogenic enteric bacteria of swine is a public health threat. This study evaluated publicly available AMR surveillance data collected by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) by assessing AMR patterns and temporal trends in commensal E. coli isolated from cecal samples of swine at slaughter across the United States. We applied the Mann-Kendall test (MKT) and a linear regression trend line to detect significant trends in the proportion of resistant isolates to individual antimicrobials over the study period. A Poisson regression model assessed differences among years in the number of antimicrobials to which an E. coli isolate was resistant. Among the 3237 E. coli isolates, a very high prevalence of resistance for tetracycline (67.62%), and high resistance for streptomycin (24.13%), and ampicillin (21.10%) were identified. The MKT and the linear trend line showed a significantly increasing temporal trend for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, azithromycin, cefoxitin, ceftriaxone, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Compared to 2013 the number of antimicrobials to which an E. coli isolate was resistant was significantly higher in the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. The increasing temporal trend of resistance to important antimicrobials for human medicine (e.g., third-generation cephalosporins) and the increase in multidrug resistance in the later years of the study are concerning and should be followed up by studies to identify sources and risk factors for the selection of AMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer was the most diagnosed malignant neoplasm and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among Chinese females in 2020. Increased risk factors and widespread adoption of westernized lifestyles have resulted in an upward trend in the occurrence of breast cancer. Up to date knowledge on the incidence, mortality, survival, and burden of breast cancer is essential for optimized cancer prevention and control. To better understand the status of breast cancer in China, this narrative literature review collected data from multiple sources, including studies obtained from the PubMed database and text references, national annual cancer report, government cancer database, Global Cancer Statistics 2020, and Global Burden of Disease study (2019). This review provides an overview of the incidence, mortality, and survival rates of breast cancer, as well as a summary of disability-adjusted life years associated with breast cancer in China from 1990 to 2019, with comparisons to Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States., (© 2023 The Authors. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: Depression is a serious mental disorder often accompanied by emotional and physiological disorders. Visceral fat index (VAI) is the current standard method in the evaluation of visceral fat deposition. In this study, we explored the association between VAI and depression in the American population using NHANES data. Methods: A total of 2,577 patients were enrolled for this study. Data were collected through structured questionnaires. Subgroup analysis for the relationship between VAI and depression was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Results: For every 1 unit increase in VAI, the clinical depression increased by 14% (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04–1.25). High VAI scores (T3) increased the highest risk of developing depression (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.2–4.47). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a strong and stable association between VAI and the development of depression. Conclusion: Our study showed that depressive symptoms are associated with a high ratio of visceral adiposity index after controlling confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies in the United States have shown that breast cancer accounts for 30% of all new cancer diagnoses in women and has become the leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. Chondroitin Polymerizing Factor (CHPF), is an enzyme involved in chondroitin sulfate (CS) elongation and a novel key molecule in the poor prognosis of many cancers. However, its role in the development and progression of breast cancer remains unclear. Methods: The transcript expression of CHPF in the Cancer Genome Atlas-Breast Cancer (TCGA-BRCA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was analyzed separately using the limma package of R software, and the relationship between CHPF transcriptional expression and CHPF DNA methylation was investigated in TCGA-BRCA. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted using the Survival package to further assess the prognostic impact of CHPF DNA methylation/expression. The association between CHPF transcript expression/DNA methylation and cancer immune infiltration and immune markers was investigated using the TIMER and TISIDB databases. We also performed gene ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis with the clusterProfiler package. Western blotting and RT-PCR were used to verify the protein level and mRNA level of CHPF in breast tissue and cell lines, respectively. Small interfering plasmids and lentiviral plasmids were constructed for transient and stable transfection of breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and SUM1315, respectively, followed by proliferation-related functional assays, such as CCK8, EDU, clone formation assays; migration and invasion-related functional assays, such as wound healing assay and transwell assays. We also conducted a preliminary study of the mechanism. Results: We observed that CHPF was significantly upregulated in breast cancer tissues and correlated with poor prognosis. CHPF gene transcriptional expression and methylation are associated with immune infiltration immune markers. CHPF promotes proliferation, migration, invasion of the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and SUM1315, and is significantly enriched in pathways associated with the ECM-receptor interaction and PI3K-AKT pathway. Conclusion: CHPF transcriptional expression and DNA methylation correlate with immune infiltration and immune markers. Upregulation of CHPF in breast cancer promotes malignant behavior of cancer cells and is associated with poorer survival in breast cancer, possibly through ECM-receptor interactions and the PI3K-AKT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze the diagnosis and treatment of patients with concomitant malignant tumors after organ transplantation by compiling data from organ transplantation patients. Methods. By searching CNKI and PubMed databases, we made a systematic analysis of the studies of postorgan transplantation complicating malignant tumors in the last decade. Results. There were 10 articles on malignant tumors after renal transplantation, 8 articles on liver transplantation, 2 articles on heart transplantation, and 1 article on lung transplantation. The incidence of malignant tumors complicating renal transplantation is 10.4% in Europe, with skin cancer and Kaposi's sarcoma being common; the incidence in the United States is 3.4%, with PTLD having the highest incidence; the incidence of malignant tumors is relatively lowest in Asia, with gastrointestinal malignancies being the main ones. The mean time to complication of malignancy after renal transplantation is 3.83 years. The incidence of concurrent malignancies after liver transplantation is 8.8% in Europe, where skin cancer and Kaposi's sarcoma are common; 5.6% in Asia, where gastrointestinal tract tumors are prevalent; and 4.5% in the United States, where gastrointestinal tract tumors, PTLD, and hematologic diseases are predominant. The mean time to complication of malignancy after liver transplantation is 4.79 years. The incidence of malignancy after heart transplantation is 6.8-10.7%. The incidence of malignancy after lung transplantation is about 10.1%. Minimization of immunosuppression or modification of immunosuppression regimens may be a key component of cancer prevention. mTOR inhibitors and phenolate (MMF) reduce the incidence of de novo malignancies in patients after solid organ transplantation. Surgical treatment improves survival in patients with early malignancies. The use of external beam radiation therapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is limited due to the risk of radiation liver disease. Conclusions. The risk of concomitant malignancy needs to be guarded for 5 years of immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplantation surgery. Adjusting the immunosuppressive treatment regimen is an effective way to reduce concurrent malignancies. Systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy requires vigilance against the toxic effects of drug metabolism kinetics on the transplanted organ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the United States, and up to 60% of these patients develop liver metastasis. While hepatic resection is the curative treatment of choice, only 20% of patients are candidates at the time of diagnosis. While percutaneous thermal ablation (PTA) has demonstrated 24%–51% overall 5‐year survival rates, assurance of sufficient ablation margin delivery (5 mm) can be challenging, with current methods of 2D distance measurement not ensuring 3D minimum margin. We hypothesized that biomechanical model‐based deformable image registration (DIR) can reduce spatial uncertainties and differentiate local tumor progression (LTP) patients from LTP‐free patients. Methods: We retrospectively acquired 30 patients (16 LTP and 14 LTP‐free) at our institution who had undergone PTA and had a contrast‐enhanced pre‐treatment and post‐ablation CT scan. Liver, disease, and ablation zone were manually segmented. Biomechanical model‐based DIR between the pre‐treatment and post‐ablation CT mapped the gross tumor volume onto the ablation zone and measured 3D minimum delivered margin (MDM). An in‐house cone‐tracing algorithm determined if progression qualitatively collocated with insufficient 5 mm margin achieved. Results: Mann–Whitney U test showed a significant difference (p < 0.01) in MDM from the LTP and LTP‐free groups. A total of 93% (13/14) of patients with LTP had a correlation between progression and missing 5 mm of margin volume. Conclusions: Biomechanical DIR is able to reduce spatial uncertainty and allow measurement of delivered 3D MDM. This minimum margin can help ensure sufficient ablation delivery, and our workflow can provide valuable information in a clinically useful timeframe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-temperature related abiotic stress is an important factor affecting winter survival in lowland switchgrass when grown in northern latitudes in the United States. A better understanding of the genetic architecture of freezing tolerance in switchgrass will aid the development of lowland switchgrass cultivars with improved winter survival. The objectives of this study were to conduct a freezing tolerance assessment, generate a genetic map using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, and identify QTL (quantitative trait loci) associated with freezing tolerance in a lowland × upland switchgrass population. A pseudo-F2 mapping population was generated from an initial cross between the lowland population Ellsworth and the upland cultivar Summer. The segregating progenies were screened for freezing tolerance in a controlled-environment facility. Two clonal replicates of each genotype were tested at six different treatment temperatures ranging from −15 to −5°C at an interval of 2°C for two time periods. Tiller emergence (days) and tiller number were recorded following the recovery of each genotype with the hypothesis that upland genotype is the source for higher tiller number and early tiller emergence. Survivorship of the pseudo-F2 population ranged from 89% at −5°C to 5% at −15°C with an average LT50 of −9.7°C. Genotype had a significant effect on all traits except tiller number at −15°C. A linkage map was constructed from bi-allelic single nucleotide polymorphism markers generated using exome capture sequencing. The final map consisted of 1618 markers and 2626 cM, with an average inter-marker distance of 1.8 cM. Six significant QTL were identified, one each on chromosomes 1K, 5K, 5N, 6K, 6N, and 9K, for the following traits: tiller number, tiller emergence days and LT50. A comparative genomics study revealed important freezing tolerance genes/proteins, such as COR47, DREB2B, zinc finger-CCCH, WRKY, GIGANTEA, HSP70, and NRT2, among others that reside within the 1.5 LOD confidence interval of the identified QTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bayan Obo mine in China is the largest iron-niobium-rare-earth symbiotic and associated mine in the world. Its exploitation has brought great economic benefit over the years. At the same time, many environmental problems arise. One of the most serious problems is tailings. Based on the theory and method of life cycle assessment, the environmental problems caused by integrated exploitation technology for tailings in Bayan Obo mine have been studied. Environmental impact assessment method TRACI 2.1 developed by Environmental Protection Agency of the United States has been chosen in this study. Through the study of resource consumption, energy consumption, pollution input by raw materials, pollution from industrial emissions etc. of each process, 10 types of environmental impacts have been studied and their values have been calculated. Results show that the main environmental impact types are Human toxicity non-cancer, Human toxicity cancer, Ecotoxicity, Global warming air, Human health particulate air, respectively. And the pollution input by raw materials is much greater than that from industrial emission, which provides a typical case and support for green purchasing, green manufacturing, process improving etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital elevation models (DEMs) vary in resolution and accuracy by the production method. DEMs with different resolutions and accuracies can generate varied topographic and hydrological features, which can in turn affect predictions by soil erosion models, such as the WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model. This study investigates the effects of DEMs on deriving topographic and hydrological attributes, and on predicting watershed erosion using WEPP v2006.5. Six DEMs at three resolutions from three sources were prepared for two small forested watersheds located in northern Idaho, USA. These DEMs were used to calculate topographic and hydrological parameters that served as inputs to WEPP. The model results of sediment yields and runoffs were compared with field observations. For both watersheds, DEMs with different resolutions and sources generated varied watershed shapes and structures, which in turn led to different extracted hill slope and channel lengths and gradients, and produced substantially different erosion predictions by WEPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]