Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Scholarly publishing depends on peer reviewers

The peer-review crisis is posing a risk to the scholarly peer-reviewed journal system. Journals have to ask many potential peer reviewers to obtain a minimum acceptable number of peers accepting reviewing a manuscript. Several solutions have been suggested to overcome this shortage. From reimbursing for the job, to eliminating pre-publication reviews, one cannot predict which is more dangerous for the future of scholarly publishing. And, why not acknowledging their contribution to the final version of the article published? PubMed created two categories of contributors: authors [AU] and collaborators [IR]. Why not a third category for the peer-reviewer?Scopu

Color doppler evaluation of the influence of type of delivery, sex, postnatal age and time post feeding on full term healthy newborns cerebral blood flow Doppler colorido na avaliação da influência do tipo de parto, sexo, idade pós-natal e tempo pós-mamada no fluxo sanguíneo cerebral em recém-nascidos a termo e saudáveis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate with Color Doppler the influence of type of delivery, sex, postnatal age and time post feeding on full term healthy newborns cerebral blood flow. METHOD: 50 newborns were studied. The Doppler parameters, peak-systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, mean velocity, pulsatility index and resistance index, were measured in the anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, posterior cerebral artery, and basilar artery. The data were compared and analyzed by statistical tests. Informed consent was obtained from all parents, and the study was approved by institutional ethical committee and review board. RESULTS: We observed not statistically significant differences on cerebral blood flow Doppler parameters in relation to type of delivery, sex, postnatal age and feeding in full term healthy newborns. CONCLUSION: We believe that the knowledge of these cerebral hemodynamic profile of newborns in the first days of life can contribute in an accurate interpretation of cranial Doppler abnormal findings when pathologic flow velocities are analyzed.<br>OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar com Doppler colorido a influência do tipo de parto, sexo, idade pós-natal e tempo pós-mamada no fluxo sanguíneo cerebral de recém-nascidos a termo e saudáveis. MÉTODO: Foram estudados 50 recém-nascidos. A Dopplervelocimetria foi obtida nas artérias cerebral anterior, cerebral média, cerebral posterior e basilar. Os parâmetros foram comparados e analisados pelos testes estatísticos Esta pesquisa foi aprovada pela comissão ética e de pós-graduação das instituições e o consentimento informado dos pais foi obtido em todos os casos. RESULTADOS: Não observamos diferenças estatísticamente significativas na Dopplervelocimetria do fluxo sanguíneo cerebral em relação ao tipo de parto, sexo, idade pós-natal e tempo pós-mamada dos recém-nascidos normais e saudáveis estudados. CONCLUSÃO: Acreditamos que o conhecimento deste perfil hemodinâmico do fluxo sanguíneo cerebral de recém-nascidos nos primeiros dias de vida possa contribuir para uma acurada interpretação dos achados do Doppler cerebral quando alterações patológicas de velocidade do fluxo sanguíneo forem analisadas

Importance Of Killer Immunoglobulin-like Receptors In Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the treatment of choice for many hematologic diseases, such as multiple myeloma, bone marrow aplasia and leukemia. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility is an important tool to prevent post-transplant complications such as graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease, but the high rates of relapse limit the survival of transplant patients. Natural Killer cells, a type of lymphocyte that is a key element in the defense against tumor cells, cells infected with viruses and intracellular microbes, have different receptors on their surfaces that regulate their cytotoxicity. Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors are the most important, interacting consistently with human leukocyte antigen class I molecules present in other cells and thus controlling the activation of natural killer cells. Several studies have shown that certain combinations of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors and human leukocyte antigens (in both donors and recipients) can affect the chances of survival of transplant patients, particularly in relation to the graft-versusleukemia effect, which may be associated to decreased relapse rates in certain groups. This review aims to shed light on the mechanisms and effects of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors - human leukocyte antigen associations and their implications following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and to critically analyze the results obtained by the studies presented herein.332126130Moretta, A., Marcenaro, E., Parolini, S., Ferlazzo, G., Moretta, L., NK cells at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity (2008) Cell Death Differ, 15 (2), pp. 226-233Andoniou, C.E., Andrews, D.M., Degli-Esposti, M.A., Natural killer cells in viral infection: More than just killers (2006) Immunol Rev, 214, pp. 239-250Gardiner, C.M., Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors on NK cells: The how, where and why (2008) Int J Immunogenet, 35 (1), pp. 1-8Rajagopalan, S., Long, E.O., Understanding how combinations of HLA and KIR genes influence disease (2005) J Exp Med, 201 (7), pp. 1025-1029McVicar, D.W., Burshtyn, D.N., Intracellular signaling the killer immunoglobulin-like receptors and Ly49 (2001) Sci STKE, (75). , re1Rajagopalan, S., Long, E.O., A human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G-specific receptor expressed on all natural killer cells (1999) J Exp Med, 189 (7), pp. 1093-1100. , Erratum in: J Exp Med 2000;191(11): following 2027O'Connor, G.M., Hart, O.M., Gardiner, C.M., Putting the natural killer cell in its place (2006) Immunology, 117 (1), pp. 1-10Boyton, R.J., Altmann, D.M., Natural killer cells, killer immunoglobulinlike receptors and human leukocyte antigen class I in disease (2007) Clin Exp Immunol, 149 (1), pp. 1-8Katz, G., Markel, G., Mizrahi, S., Arnon, T.I., Mandelboim, O., Recognition of HLA-Cw4 but not HLA-Cw6 by the NK cell receptor killer cell Ig-like receptor two-domain short tail number 4 (2001) J Immunol, 166 (12), pp. 7260-7267Laguila, V.J.E., Lieber, S.R., Lopes, P.L.B., Dutra, M.S.B., Vigorito, A.C., Penteado, A.F.J., Relationship between cytokine gene polymorphisms and graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in a Brazilian population (2005) Cytokine, 32 (3-4), pp. 171-177Viel, D.O., Tsuneto, L.T., Sossai, C.R., Lieber, S.R., Marques, S.B., Vigorito, A.C., IL2 and TNFA gene polymorphisms and the risk of graft versus host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (2007) Scand J Immunol, 66 (6), pp. 703-710Vizoni, S.L., Lieber, S.R., de Souza, C.A., Sell, A.M., Visentainer, J.E., Papel das citocinas na imunopatogênese da doença do enxerto contra o hospedeiro (2008) Rev Bras Hematol Hemoter, 30 (2), pp. 142-152Koh, L.P., Rizzieri, D.A., Chao, N.J., Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant using mismatched/haploidentical donors (2007) Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 13 (11), pp. 1249-1267Kärre, K., Immunology. A perfect mismatch (2002) Science, 295 (5562), pp. 2029-2031. , Comment on: Science. 2002;295(5562):2097-100Science. 2002;295(5562):2094-7Ruggeri, L., Capanni, M., Casucci, M., Volpi, I., Tosti, A., Perruccio, K., Role of natural killer cell alloreactivity in HLA-mismatched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (1999) Blood, 94 (1), pp. 333-339Ruggeri, L., Capanni, M., Urbani, E., Perruccio, K., Shlomchik, W.D., Tosti, A., Effectiveness of donor natural killer cell alloreactivity in mismatched hematopoietic transplants (2002) Science, 295 (5562), pp. 2097-2100. , Comment in: Science. 2002;295 (5562):2029-31Bishara, A., de Santis, D., Witt, C.C., Brautbar, C., Christiansen, F.T., Or, R., The beneficial role of inhibitory KIR genes of HLA class I NK epitopes in haploidentically mismatched stem cell allografts may be masked by residual donor-alloreative T cells causing GVHD (2004) Tissue Antigens, 63 (3), pp. 204-211Miller, J.S., Soignier, Y., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., McNearney, S.A., Yun, G.H., Fautsch, S.K., Successful adoptive transfer and in vivo expansion of human haploidentical NK cells in patients with cancer (2005) Blood, 105 (8), pp. 3051-3057Keller, M.D., Chen, D.F., Condron, S.A., Liu, N., Reinsmoen, N.L., Buckey, R.H., The effect of natural killer cell killer Ig-like receptor alloreactivity on the outcome of bone marrow stem cell transplantation for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) (2007) J Clin Immunol, 27 (1), pp. 109-116. , Erratum in: J Clin Immunol. 2007;27(6):659Ruggeri, L., Mancusi, A., Capanni, M., Urbani, E., Carotti, A., Aloisi, T., Donor natural killer cell allorecognition of missing self in haploidentical hematopoietic transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia: Challenging its predictive value (2007) Blood, 110 (1), pp. 433-440Ruggeri, L., Aversa, F., Martelli, M.F., Velardi, A., Allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation and natural killer cell recognition of missing self (2006) Immunol Rev, 214, pp. 202-218Cook, M.A., Milligan, D.W., Fegan, C.D., Darbyshire, P.J., Mahendra, P., Craddock, C.F., The impact of donor KIR and patient HLA-C genotypes on outcome following HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for myeloid leukemia (2004) Blood, 103 (4), pp. 1521-1526Witt, C.S., Christiansen, F.T., The relevance of natural killer cell human leukocyte antigen epitopes and killer cell immunoglobulinlike receptors in bone marrow transplantation (2006) Vox Sang, 90 (1), pp. 10-20Hsu, K.C., Keever-Taylor, C.A., Wilton, A., Pinto, C., Heller, G., Arkun, K., Improved outcome in HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for acute myelogenous leukemia predicted by KIR and HLA genotypes (2005) Blood, 105 (12), pp. 4878-4884Schellekens, J., Rozemuller, E.H., Petersen, E.J., van den Tweel, J.G., Verdonck, L.F., Tilanus, M.G., Activating KIRs exert a crucial role on relapse and overall survival after HLA-identical sibling transplantation (2008) Mol Immunol, 45 (8), pp. 2255-2261(2011) Registro Nacional De Doadores De Medula Óssea (REDOME), , http://www.inca.gov.br/conteudo_view.asp?ID=677, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Brasília: INCA, [cited 2011 Jan 12]. 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Preparation And Characterization Of Tellurium Oxide Based Glass: Li2o-tio2-teo2 System

Li2O-TiO2-TeO2 glass systems presenting large optical non-linearities are promising materials for optical device applications. The preparation and characterization of xLi2O:5TiO2:(100 - x)TeO2 glass systems with x = 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mol% are described. The glasses were melted in a high-purity alumina crucible placed in an electrical resistance furnace at 950°C for 30 min. The characterization was done by X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, density, dilatometry, UV-VIS cut-off, light absorption and linear refractive index measurements. The experimental results indicate that there is a structural change in the glass network for Li2O concentrations in the range 10-20 mol%. We have also used Lines' theoretical model to estimate the third-order non-linear optical susceptibility. The values obtained are comparable with experimental data found in the literature for this glass system. © 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.1911-2107114Ito, Sawada, (1939) Z. Kristallogr., 102, p. 13Stehlik, Balák, The crystal structure of tellurium dioxide (1949) Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications, 14, p. 595Brady, (1957) J. Chem. Phys., 27, p. 300Lindkvist, Refinement of the Structure of alpha-TeO2. (1968) Acta Chemica Scandinavica, 22, p. 977Neov, Kozhukharov, Gerasimov, Krezhov, Sidzhimov, (1979) J. Phys., 12 C, p. 2475Takizawa, Ohwada, Kato, Fukutani, (1989) J. Phys. Soc. Jpn., 58, p. 2167Heo, Lam, Sigel, Jr., Mendoza, Hensley, Spectroscopic Analysis of the Structure and Properties of Alkali Tellurite Glasses (1992) Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 75, p. 277Khatir, Romain, Portier, Rossignol, Tanguy, Videau, Turrell, (1993) J. Molec. Struct., 298, p. 13Sekiya, Mochida, Ohtsuka, Tonokawa, (1992) J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 144, p. 128Nasu, Matsushita, Kamiya, Kobauashi, Kubodera, (1990) J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 124, p. 275Wang, (1970) Phys. Rev., 2 B, p. 2045Lines, (1991) Phys. Rev., 43 B, p. 11978Lines, (1990) Phys. Rev., 41 B, p. 3383Swanepeol, (1983) J. Phys., 16 E, p. 1214Wemple, (1977) J. Chem. Phys., 67, p. 2151Taue, Grigorovich, Vancu, Optical Properties and Electronic Structure of Amorphous Germanium (1966) physica status solidi (b), 15, p. 627Nassau, (1981) Bell. Syst. Tech. J., 60, p. 327Nassau, Materials dispersion zero in glass mixtures (1981) Electronics Letters, 17, p. 769Rao, (1963) Phys. Chem. Glasses, 4, p. 22Canioni, Sarger, Segonds, Ducasse, Duchesme, Fargin, Olazeuaga, le Flem, (1992) Solid State Commun., 84, p. 1065Kim, Yoko, Sakka, (1993) J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 76, p. 248