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Neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at high risk of punctate white matter injury (WMI) and impaired brain development. We hypothesized that WMI in CHD neonates occurs in a characteristic distribution that shares topology with preterm WMI and that lower birth gestational age (GA) is associated with larger WMI volume. (1) To quantitatively assess the volume and location of WMI in CHD neonates across three centres. (2) To compare the volume and spatial distribution of WMI between term CHD neonates and preterm neonates using lesion mapping. In 216 term born CHD neonates from three prospective cohorts (mean birth GA: 39 weeks), WMI was identified in 86 neonates (UBC: 29; UCSF: 43; UCZ: 14) on pre- and/or post-operative T1 weighted MRI. WMI was manually segmented and volumes were calculated. A standard brain template was generated. Probabilistic WMI maps (total, pre- and post-operative) were developed in this common space. Using these maps, WMI in the term CHD neonates was compared with that in preterm neonates: 58 at early-in-life (mean postmenstrual age at scan 32.2 weeks); 41 at term-equivalent age (mean postmenstrual age at scan 40.1 weeks). The total WMI volumes of CHD neonates across centres did not differ (p = 0.068): UBC (median = 84.6 mm3, IQR = 26–174.7 mm3); UCSF (median = 104 mm3, IQR = 44–243 mm3); UCZ (median = 121 mm3, IQR = 68–200.8 mm3). The spatial distribution of WMI in CHD neonates showed strong concordance across centres with predilection for anterior and posterior rather than central lesions. Predominance of anterior lesions was apparent on the post-operative WMI map relative to the pre-operative map. Lower GA at birth predicted an increasing volume of WMI across the full cohort (41.1 mm3 increase of WMI per week decrease in gestational age; 95% CI 11.5–70.8; p = 0.007), when accounting for centre and heart lesion. While WMI in term CHD and preterm neonates occurs most commonly in the intermediate zone/outer subventricular zone there is a paucity of central lesions in the CHD neonates relative to preterms. WMI in term neonates with CHD occurs in a characteristic topology. The spatial distribution of WMI in term neonates with CHD reflects the expected maturation of pre-oligodendrocytes such that the central regions are less vulnerable than in the preterm neonates. •We quantitatively assess the volume and location of WMI in term CHD neonates.•WMI in term CHD neonates occurs in a characteristic topology.•WMI distribution reflects regional variability in pre-oligodendrocyte maturation.•Term CHD neonates exhibit less central WMI relative to that of preterm newborns.•Younger birth GA predicts greater WMI volume independent of other risk factors

Many bird species are sexually monomorphic and cannot be sexed based on phenotypic traits. Rapid sex determination is often a necessary component of avian studies focusing on behavior, ecology, evolution, and conservation. While PCR‐based methods are the most common technique for molecularly sexing birds in the laboratory, a simpler, faster, and cheaper method has emerged, which can be used in the laboratory, but importantly also in the field. Herein, we used loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for rapid sex determination of blood samples from juvenile European blackcaps, Sylvia atricapilla, sampled in the wild. We designed LAMP primers unique to S. atricapilla based on the sex chromosome‐specific gene, chromo‐helicase‐DNA‐binding protein (CHD), optimized the primers for laboratory and field application, and then used them to test a subset of wild‐caught juvenile blackcaps of unknown gender at the time of capture. Sex determination results were fast and accurate. The advantages of this technique are that it allows researchers to identify the sex of individual birds within hours of sampling and eliminates the need for direct access to a laboratory if implemented at a remote field site. This work adds to the increasing list of available LAMP primers for different bird species and is a new addition within the Passeriformes order. Rapid sex determination is often a necessary component of avian studies focusing on behavior, ecology, evolution, and conservation. While PCR‐based methods are the most common technique for sexing birds, a simpler, faster, and cheaper method has emerged, which can be used in the laboratory, and importantly also in the field. Herein, we used loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for rapid sex determination of juvenile European blackcaps, Sylvia atricapilla, which were collected from the wild as part of a larger behavioral ecology and gene expression study investigating the neuronal and molecular architecture underlying migratory behavior.

Maintaining a stable level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is considered as a guarantee of preventing micro- and macrovascular complications. analysis of the interrelations of clinical and anamnestic parameters as a result of HbA1c alternation variants in patients with CHD and DM 2. 130 patients with CAD and DM-2 aged 63.9±8.8 years. Therapy: DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP agonists. Groups: HbA1c <7.0 (n-27; A); 7.0 8.0 (n-78; C). 2 years of observation. Variants of HbA1c alternation were noted. Patients were identified who maintained stable HbA1c>8.1 (C, n-50) and HbA1c<8 (A+B, n-47) and alternating HbA1c>8.1 (C´, n-5) and in whom HbA1c>8.1, became <8 (C-(A+B), n-28). The frequency of paroxysmal AF and stroke (TIA) increases with a decrease in HbA1c. The number of patients who underwent COVID is higher with HbA1c <8 and 2.2 times more often with unstable levels. In group (C), the greatest efficiency in reducing SBP was 34 mm Hg (p=0.0357); and DBP 11.7 (p=0.0003). The two-year dynamics of HbA1c in 75% is maintained at the target values >8.1% in 38.4% and in 36.15% - <8%. Patients with a history of COVID are higher in the group with HbA1c<8 and 2.2 times more likely in its various \"trajectories\". The incidence of paroxysmal AF and stroke increases with a decrease in HbA1c, but in AF depends on HbA1c trajectories, but not in stroke. The frequency of AMI, PCI, CABG has no relationship with the level of HbA1c.

Diet plays a key role in the maintenance and optimal functioning of immune cells. The Mediterranean dietary pattern is an example of a prudent choice of lifestyle and scientifically accepted to help preserve human health by protecting against major chronic and inflammatory diseases. Mediterranean diets (MedDiets) are characteristically high in the consumption of fruits, vegetables and salad, bread and whole grain cereals, potatoes, legumes/beans, nuts, and seeds. Their common central feature is the usage of olive oil as the main source of fat. The health benefits attributed to olive oil are specifically related to extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) intake with its high nutritional quality and multiple positive effects on health. Overall, MedDiets have direct (mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), tocopherols, polyphenols) and indirect (low saturated fats, well-balanced linoleic/alpha linolenic acid) effects on the immune system and inflammatory responses. In the present paper, we summarize the current knowledge on the effect of olive oil per se and MedDiets generally on immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, such as coronary heart disease (CHD)/cardiovascular diseases (CVD), obesity, type-2 diabetes, cancer, asthma, and allergies.

A number of prospective cohort studies have investigated the associations between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and the risk of hypertension, CHD and stroke, but revealed mixed results. In the present study, we aimed to perform a dose–response meta-analysis of these prospective studies to clarify these associations. A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed and Embase databases up to 5 May 2014. Random- or fixed-effects models were used to calculate the pooled relative risks (RR) with 95 % CI for the highest compared with the lowest category of SSB consumption, and to conduct a dose–response analysis. A total of six prospective studies (240 726 participants and 80 411 incident cases of hypertension) from four publications on hypertension were identified. A total of four prospective studies (194 664 participants and 7396 incident cases of CHD) from four publications on CHD were identified. A total of four prospective studies (259 176 participants and 10 011 incident cases of stroke) from four publications on stroke were identified. The summary RR for incident hypertension was 1·08 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·12) for every additional one serving/d increase in SSB consumption. The summary RR for incident CHD was 1·17 (95 % CI 1·10, 1·24) for every serving/d increase in SSB consumption. There was no significant association between SSB consumption and total stroke (summary RR 1·06, 95 % CI 0·97, 1·15) for every serving/d increase in SSB consumption. The present meta-analysis suggested that a higher consumption of SSB was associated with a higher risk of hypertension and CHD, but not with a higher risk of stroke.

Inverse associations between dairy consumption and CVD have been reported in several epidemiological studies. Our objective was to conduct a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies of dairy intake and CVD. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify studies that reported risk estimates for total dairy intake, individual dairy products, low/full-fat dairy intake, Ca from dairy sources and CVD, CHD and stroke. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to generate summary relative risk estimates (SRRE) for high v. low intake and stratified intake dose–response analyses. Additional dose–response analyses were performed. Heterogeneity was examined in sub-group and sensitivity analyses. In total, thirty-one unique cohort studies were identified and included in the meta-analysis. Several statistically significant SRRE below 1.0 were observed, namely for total dairy intake and stroke (SRRE=0·91; 95 % CI 0·83, 0·99), cheese intake and CHD (SRRE=0·82; 95 % CI 0·72, 0·93) and stroke (SRRE=0·87; 95 % CI 0·77, 0·99), and Ca from dairy sources and stroke (SRRE=0·69; 95 % CI 0·60, 0·81). However, there was little evidence for inverse dose–response relationships between the dairy variables and CHD and stroke after adjusting for within-study covariance. The results of this meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies have shown that dairy consumption may be associated with reduced risks of CVD, although additional data are needed to more comprehensively examine potential dose–response patterns.

Online learning has become an increasingly expected and popular component for education of the modern-day adult learner, including the medical provider. In light of the recent coronavirus pandemic, there has never been more urgency to establish opportunities for supplemental online learning. Heart University aims to be “the go-to online resource” for e-learning in CHD and paediatric-acquired heart disease. It is a carefully curated open access library of paedagogical material for all providers of care to children and adults with CHD or children with acquired heart disease, whether a trainee or a practising provider. In this manuscript, we review the aims, development, current offerings and standing, and future goals of Heart University.

Background The treatment of noncommunicable diseases (NCD), like coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus, causes rising costs for the health system. Physical activity is supposed to reduce the risk for these diseases. Results of cross-sectional studies showed that physical activity is associated with better health, and that physical activity could prevent the development of these diseases. The purpose of this review is to summarize existing evidence for the long-term (>5 years) relationship between physical activity and weight gain, obesity, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Methods Fifteen longitudinal studies with at least 5-year follow up times and a total of 288,724 subjects (>500 participants in each study), aged between 18 and 85 years, were identified using digital databases. Only studies published in English, about healthy adults at baseline, intentional physical activity and the listed NCDs were included. Results The results of these studies show that physical activity appears to have a positive long-term influence on all selected diseases. Conclusions This review revealed a paucity of long-term studies on the relationship between physical activity and the incidence of NCD.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major public health problem affecting a nation’s economic and social development. Risk assessing CHD in a timely manner helps to stop, reverse, and reduce the spread of many chronic diseases and health hazards. This paper proposes a cloud-random forest (C-RF) model combining cloud model and random forest to assess the risk of CHD. In this model, based on the traditional classification and regression trees (CART), a weight determining algorithm based on the cloud model and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory is applied to obtain the weights of the evaluation attributes. The attribute weight and the gain value of the smallest Gini coefficient corresponding to the same attribute are weighted and summed. The weighted sum is then used to replace the original gain value. This value rule is used as a new CART node split criterion to construct a new decision tree, thus forming a new random forest, namely, the C-RF. The Framingham dataset of the Kaggle platform is the research sample for the empirical analysis. Comparing the C-RF model with CART, support vector machine (SVM), convolutional neural network (CNN), and random forest (RF) using standard performance evaluation indexes such as accuracy, error rates, ROC curve and AUC value. The result shows that the classification accuracy of the C-RF model is 85%, which is improved by 8, 9, 4 and 3% respectively compared with CART, SVM, CNN and RF. The error rate of the first type is 13.99%, which is 6.99, 7.44, 4.47 and 3.02% lower than CART, SVM, CNN and RF respectively. The AUC value is 0.85, which is also higher than other comparison models. Thus, the C-RF model is more superior on classification performance and classification effect in the risk assessment of CHD.

BackgroundDepression is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), but less is known whether genetic susceptibility to CHD or regional-level social indicators modify this association.MethodsRisk factors of CHD including a Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) were measured for 19 999 individuals residing in Finland in 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012 (response rates 60%–75%). During the register-based follow-up until 2015, there were 1381 fatal and non-fatal incident CHD events. Unemployment rate, degree of urbanisation and crime rate of the municipality of residence were used as regional level social indicators. HRs were calculated using register-based antidepressant purchases as a non-reversible time-dependent covariate.ResultsThose having depression and in the highest quartile of PRS had somewhat higher CHD risk than predicted only by the main effects of depression and PRS (HR for interaction 1.53, 95% CI 0.95 to 2.45). Depression was moderately associated with CHD in high crime (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.90) and weakly in low crime regions (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.33; p value of interaction=0.087). Otherwise, we did not found evidence for interactions.ConclusionsThose having both depression and high genetic susceptibility need a special attention in healthcare for CHD.