Forum: Feminism in German Studies

From Professor Wallach\u27s contribution entitled Jews and Gender : To consider Jews and gender within German Studies is to explore the evolution of German‐Jewish Studies with respect to feminist and gender studies. At times this involves looking beyond German Studies to other scholarship in Jewish gender studies, an interdisciplinary subfield in its own right. Over the past few decades, the focus on gender within German‐Jewish Studies has experienced several shifts in line with broader trends: an initial focus on the history of Jewish women and feminist movements gradually expanded to encompass the study of gender identity, masculinity, and sexuality. Historical and literary scholarly approaches now operate alongside and in dialogue with interdisciplinary scholarship in cultural studies, film and visual studies, performance studies, and other fields. [excerpt

Lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2: role in atherosclerosis and utility as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk

Atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations are widely prevalent throughout the world. Atherogenesis is highly complex and modulated by numerous genetic and environmental risk factors. A large body of basic scientific and clinical research supports the conclusion that inflammation plays a significant role in atherogenesis along the entire continuum of its progression. Inflammation adversely impacts intravascular lipid handling and metabolism, resulting in the development of macrophage foam cell, fatty streak, and atheromatous plaque formation. Given the enormous human and economic cost of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease and amputation, and premature death and disability, considerable effort is being committed to refining our ability to correctly identify patients at heightened risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease and acute cardiovascular events so that they can be treated earlier and more aggressively. Serum markers of inflammation have emerged as an important component of risk factor burden. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) potentiates intravascular inflammation and atherosclerosis. A variety of epidemiologic studies support the utility of Lp-PLA2 measurements for estimating and further refining cardiovascular disease risk. Drug therapies to inhibit Lp-PLA2 are in development and show considerable promise, including darapladib, a specific molecular inhibitor of the enzyme. In addition to substantially inhibiting Lp-PLA2 activity, darapladib reduces progression of the necrotic core volume of human coronary artery atheromatous plaque. The growing body of evidence points to an important role and utility for Lp-PLA2 testing in preventive and personalized clinical medicine

Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in the United Arab Emirates: Real-world, Single-centre Experience from an Emerging Programme

Background: Data on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are limited. Whether centres with a low volume of patients requiring the procedure can achieve similar outcomes as those reported in pivotal clinical trials remains unclear. This study evaluates procedural outcomes of patients undergoing TAVR in a newly established programme in the UAE. Methods: Procedural outcomes of consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral TAVR at a single centre in the UAE between January 2016 and November 2021 were compared with those at centres in the lowest quartile (Q1) of procedural volume in the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry, which covers centres in the US. Results: Among the 183 patients included in the study, the median age was 76 years (interquartile range [IQR] 71–82), and 42.1% of patients were women, with a median Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality score of 4.6 (IQR 2.9–7.5). Most of the patients (93.3%) received a balloon expandable valve. All-cause death within 30 days, stroke and major vascular complications occurred in 0.6%, 0.6% and 2.2% of patients, respectively, compared with 3.1%, 2.2% and 4% in patients treated at Q1 hospitals. Conclusion: Patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR at an emerging centre in the Middle East had favourable outcomes compared with those performed at Q1 hospitals in the US. These findings suggest that careful patient selection for TAVR is critical and may help optimise patient outcomes, especially when procedural volumes are low