The Seventeenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys: Complete Release of MaNGA, MaStar and APOGEE-2 Data

This paper documents the seventeenth data release (DR17) from the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys; the fifth and final release from the fourth phase (SDSS-IV). DR17 contains the complete release of the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey, which reached its goal of surveying over 10,000 nearby galaxies. The complete release of the MaNGA Stellar Library (MaStar) accompanies this data, providing observations of almost 30,000 stars through the MaNGA instrument during bright time. DR17 also contains the complete release of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 (APOGEE-2) survey which publicly releases infra-red spectra of over 650,000 stars. The main sample from the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS), as well as the sub-survey Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) data were fully released in DR16. New single-fiber optical spectroscopy released in DR17 is from the SPectroscipic IDentification of ERosita Survey (SPIDERS) sub-survey and the eBOSS-RM program. Along with the primary data sets, DR17 includes 25 new or updated Value Added Catalogs (VACs). This paper concludes the release of SDSS-IV survey data. SDSS continues into its fifth phase with observations already underway for the Milky Way Mapper (MWM), Local Volume Mapper (LVM) and Black Hole Mapper (BHM) surveys

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

MtDNA mutations linked with left ventricular hypertrophy

Aim: In left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the heart muscle thickens. One third of individuals with LVH never complain of heart problems. However, such patients have a high risk of sudden death. LVH can be caused by arterial atherosclerotic lesions. The linkage of mtDNA mutations 652insG, m.5178C&gt;A, m.3336T&gt;C, m.14459G&gt;A, 652delG, m.14846G&gt;A, m.1555A&gt;G, m.15059G&gt;A, m.3256C&gt;T, m.12315G&gt;A and m.13513G&gt;A with atherosclerosis was described earlier by our laboratory. The aim of the study was to analyze the linkage of these mtDNA mutations with LVH.Methods: DNA from white blood cells was isolated using a phenol-chloroform method. PCR-fragments of DNA contained the region of the investigated mutations. The heteroplasmy level of mtDNA mutations was analyzed using a pyrosequencing-based method developed by our laboratory.Results: We investigated two groups of individuals. One hundred and ninety-four patients with LVH. Two hundred and ten were conventionally healthy. It was found that mtDNA mutation m.5178C&gt;A was significantly associated with LVH. Single nucleotide replacement m.1555A&gt;G was associated with LVH at the level of significance P ≤ 0.1. At the same time m.12315G&gt;A and m.3336T&gt;C were significantly associated with the absence of this pathology. Single nucleotide replacement m.14459G&gt;A was associated with the absence of LVH at the significance level P ≤ 0.1.Conclusion: MtDNA mutations m.5178C&gt;A and m.1555A&gt;G can be used for molecular genetic assessment of the predisposition of individuals to the occurrence of left ventricular hypertrophy. They can also be used for the family analysis of this pathology. Mutations m.12315G&gt;A, m.3336T&gt;C and m.14459G&gt;A can be used in the development of LVH gene therapy methods

Mitochondrial mutations associated with cardiac angina

Aim: Cardiac angina is a disease in which discomfort or retrosternal pain may occur. Atherosclerosis of coronary arteries is one of the main risk factors for cardiac angina. The aim of the investigation was to analyze the association of 11 mitochondrial genome mutations with cardiac angina. In our preliminary studies an association of these mutations with atherosclerosis, a risk factor for cardiac angina, was found.Methods: We used samples of white blood cells collected from 192 patients with cardiac angina and 201 conventionally healthy study participants. DNA from blood leukocyte samples was isolated using a phenol-chloroform method. DNA amplicons containing the investigated regions of 11 mitochondrial genome mutations (m.12315G&gt;A, m.652delG, m.5178C&gt;A, m.14459G&gt;A, m.3336T&gt;C, 652insG, m.3256C&gt;T, m.1555A&gt;G, m.15059G&gt;A, m.13513G&gt;A, m.14846G&gt;A) were pyrosequenced. The heteroplasmy level of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations was analyzed using a method developed by our laboratory on the basis of pyrosequencing technology.Results: According to the obtained data, three mitochondrial mutations of human genome correlated with cardiac angina. A positive correlation was observed for mutation m.14459G&gt;A (P ≤ 0.05). One single nucleotide substitution m.5178C&gt;A (P ≤ 0.1) had a trend for positive correlation. A negative correlation for mutation m.15059G&gt;A with cardiac angina (P ≤ 0.05) was found.Conclusion: MtDNA mutations m.14459G&gt;A and m.5178C&gt;A can be used for evaluation the predisposition of individuals to atherosclerotic lesions. At the same time, mitochondrial genome mutation m.15059G&gt;A may be used for gene therapy of atherosclerosis

Some Molecular and Cellular Stress Mechanisms Associated with Neurodegenerative Diseases and Atherosclerosis

Chronic stress is a combination of nonspecific adaptive reactions of the body to the influence of various adverse stress factors which disrupt its homeostasis, and it is also a corresponding state of the organism’s nervous system (or the body in general). We hypothesized that chronic stress may be one of the causes occurence of several molecular and cellular types of stress. We analyzed literary sources and considered most of these types of stress in our review article. We examined genes and mutations of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes and also molecular variants which lead to various types of stress. The end result of chronic stress can be metabolic disturbance in humans and animals, leading to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress, energy deficiency in cells (due to a decrease in ATP synthesis) and mitochondrial dysfunction. These changes can last for the lifetime and lead to severe pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases and atherosclerosis. The analysis of literature allowed us to conclude that under the influence of chronic stress, metabolism in the human body can be disrupted, mutations of the mitochondrial and nuclear genome and dysfunction of cells and their compartments can occur. As a result of these processes, oxidative, genotoxic, and cellular stress can occur. Therefore, chronic stress can be one of the causes forthe occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases and atherosclerosis. In particular, chronic stress can play a large role in the occurrence and development of oxidative, genotoxic, and cellular types of stress

Some Molecular and Cellular Stress Mechanisms Associated with Neurodegenerative Diseases and Atherosclerosis

Chronic stress is a combination of nonspecific adaptive reactions of the body to the influence of various adverse stress factors which disrupt its homeostasis, and it is also a corresponding state of the organism&rsquo;s nervous system (or the body in general). We hypothesized that chronic stress may be one of the causes occurence of several molecular and cellular types of stress. We analyzed literary sources and considered most of these types of stress in our review article. We examined genes and mutations of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes and also molecular variants which lead to various types of stress. The end result of chronic stress can be metabolic disturbance in humans and animals, leading to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress, energy deficiency in cells (due to a decrease in ATP synthesis) and mitochondrial dysfunction. These changes can last for the lifetime and lead to severe pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases and atherosclerosis. The analysis of literature allowed us to conclude that under the influence of chronic stress, metabolism in the human body can be disrupted, mutations of the mitochondrial and nuclear genome and dysfunction of cells and their compartments can occur. As a result of these processes, oxidative, genotoxic, and cellular stress can occur. Therefore, chronic stress can be one of the causes forthe occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases and atherosclerosis. In particular, chronic stress can play a large role in the occurrence and development of oxidative, genotoxic, and cellular types of stress

Impact of COVID-19 on Diagnostic Cardiac Procedural Volume in Oceania: The IAEA Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocol Survey on COVID-19 (INCAPS COVID)

Objectives: The INCAPS COVID Oceania study aimed to assess the impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac procedure volume provided in the Oceania region. Methods: A retrospective survey was performed comparing procedure volumes within March 2019 (pre-COVID-19) with April 2020 (during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic). Sixty-three (63) health care facilities within Oceania that perform cardiac diagnostic procedures were surveyed, including a mixture of metropolitan and regional, hospital and outpatient, public and private sites, and 846 facilities outside of Oceania. The percentage change in procedure volume was measured between March 2019 and April 2020, compared by test type and by facility. Results: In Oceania, the total cardiac diagnostic procedure volume was reduced by 52.2% from March 2019 to April 2020, compared to a reduction of 75.9% seen in the rest of the world (p&lt;0.001). Within Oceania sites, this reduction varied significantly between procedure types, but not between types of health care facility. All procedure types (other than stress cardiac magnetic resonance [CMR] and positron emission tomography [PET]) saw significant reductions in volume over this time period (p&lt;0.001). In Oceania, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) decreased by 51.6%, transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) by 74.0%, and stress tests by 65% overall, which was more pronounced for stress electrocardiograph (ECG) (81.8%) and stress echocardiography (76.7%) compared to stress single-photon emission computerised tomography (SPECT) (44.3%). Invasive coronary angiography decreased by 36.7% in Oceania. Conclusion: A significant reduction in cardiac diagnostic procedure volume was seen across all facility types in Oceania and was likely a function of recommendations from cardiac societies and directives from government to minimise spread of COVID-19 amongst patients and staff. Longer term evaluation is important to assess for negative patient outcomes which may relate to deferral of usual models of care within cardiology