Supplementary Material for: Stent Thrombosis with Biodegradable Polymer Drug-Eluting Stents versus Durable Polymer Sirolimus-Eluting Stents: An Update Meta-Analysis

<p><b><i>Objective:</i></b> Durable polymer sirolimus-eluting stents (DP-SES) are associated with a low risk of stent thrombosis; biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) were designed to reduce these risks. However, their benefits are still variable. <b><i>Method:</i></b> We undertook a meta-analysis of randomized trials identified by systematic searches of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Eleven studies (9,676 patients) with a mean follow-up of 22.6 months were included. Overall, compared with DP-SES, BP-DES significantly lowered the rate of definite or probable stent thrombosis (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.55-0.97; p = 0.03; I² = 0.0%) due to a decreased risk of very late stent thrombosis (RR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.11-0.63; p = 0.00; I² = 0.0%). However, BP-DES were associated with a comparable rate of early and late stent thrombosis. Meanwhile, BP-DES were associated with a broadly equivalent risk of target vessel revascularization (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.78-1.03; p = 0.13; I² = 0.0%), cardiac death (RR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.72-1.09; p = 0.24; I² = 0.0%), myocardial infarction (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.84-1.26; p = 0.79; I² = 0.0%), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE; RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.83-1.0; p = 0.08; I² = 0.0%). Furthermore, angiographic data showed that in-stent and in-segment late luminal loss were similar between the two groups. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Compared with DP-SES, BP-DES were associated with a lower rate of very late stent thrombosis and an equivalent risk of MACE. Larger randomized studies are needed to confirm this finding.</p

Supplementary Material for: The causal effect of obesity on the risk of 15 autoimmune diseases: a Mendelian randomization study

Introduction: Observational studies have shown that obesity is a risk factor for various autoimmune diseases. However, the causal relationship between obesity and autoimmune diseases is unclear. Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to investigate the causal effects of obesity on 15 autoimmune diseases. Methods: MR analysis employed instrumental variables, specifically single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with obesity measures such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. The study utilized UK Biobank and FinnGen data to estimate the causal relationship between obesity and autoimmune diseases. Results: Genetically predicted BMI was associated with risk for five autoimmune diseases. The odds ratio per 1-SD increase in genetically predicted BMI, the OR was 1.28 (95% CI, 1.18–1.09; P<0.001) for asthma, 1.37 (95% CI, 1.24–1.51; P<0.001) for hypothyroidism, 1.52 (95% CI, 1.27–1.83; P<0.001) for psoriasis, 1.22 (95% CI, 1.06–1.40; P=0.005) for rheumatoid arthritis, and 1.55 (95% CI, 1.32–1.83; P<0.001) for type 1 diabetes. However, after adjusting for genetic susceptibility to drinking and smoking, the correlation between BMI and rheumatoid arthritis was not statistically significant. Genetically predicted waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist and hip circumference were associated with 6, 6, and 1 autoimmune disease, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that obesity may be associated with an increased risk of several autoimmune diseases, such as asthma, hypothyroidism, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes

Erratum: Development of a Refined Tenocyte Differentiation Culture Technique for Tendon Tissue Engineering

We have established that human tenocytes can differentiate in the absence of exogenous fetal bovine serum (FBS) but in the presence of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and transforming growth factor-β₃ (TGF-β₃). The extent of tenocyte differentiation was assessed by examining cell survival, collagen synthesis, cell morphology and expression of tenocyte differentiation markers such as scleraxis (Scx), tenomodulin (Tnmd), collagen type I (Col-I) and decorin (Dcn). Our results indicate that 50 ng/ml IGF-1 and 10 ng/ml TGF-β₃ (in the absence of FBS) were capable of maintaining in vitro human tenocyte survival in 14-day cultures. The extent of collagen synthesis and messenger ribonucleic acid expression of Scx, Tnmd, Col-I and Dcn were significantly upregulated in response to IGF-1 and TGF-β₃. These findings have shown for the first time that human tenocytes can be maintained in long-term culture, in serum-free conditions, making this approach a suitable one for the purpose of tendon tissue engineering

Supplementary Material for: Improvement of Spinosad Production upon Utilization of Oils and Manipulation of β-Oxidation in a High-Producing <b><i>Saccharopolyspora spinosa</i></b> Strain

Spinosad, a member of polyketide-derived macrolides produced in the actinomycete <i>Saccharopolyspora spinosa</i>, has been developed as a broad-spectrum and effective insecticide. The β-oxidation pathway could be an important source of building blocks for the biosynthesis of spinosad, thus the effect of vegetable oils on the production of spinosad in a high-yield strain was investigated. The spinosad production increased significantly with the addition of strawberry seed oil (511.64 mg/L) and camellia oil (520.07 mg/L) compared to the control group without oil (285.76 mg/L) and soybean oil group (398.11 mg/L). It also revealed that the addition of oils would affect the expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism, precursor supply, and oxidative stress. The genetically engineered strain, in which <i>fadD1</i> and <i>fadE</i> genes of <i>Streptomyces coelicolor</i> were inserted, produced spinosad up to 784.72 mg/L in the medium containing camellia oil, while a higher spinosad production level (843.40 mg/L) was detected with the addition of 0.01 mM of thiourea

Supplementary Material for: Clinical Profile and Prognostic Significance of Atrial Fibrillation in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

<b><i>Objectives:</i></b> The clinical outcomes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are largely unpredictable. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) and its prognostic implications in Chinese patients with HCM. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> From 1999 to 2011, 654 unrelated HCM patients were consecutively recruited at Fuwai Hospital. Medical history, including electrocardiographic and echocardiographic data, was analyzed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> AF was documented in 158 patients (24%). During follow-up of 4.2 ± 2.8 years, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the presence of AF was associated with an increased risk for all-cause death (p = 0.001), cardiovascular death (p < 0.001), severe heart failure (p < 0.001) and ischemic stroke (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified AF as an independent predictor of stroke-related death (HR 6.71, 95% CI 1.23-38.58, p = 0.03), advanced heart failure (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.04-3.22, p = 0.04) and ischemic stroke (HR 9.98, 95% CI 4.06-24.53, p < 0.001). Furthermore, enlarged left atrial diameter was positively related to all-cause death (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.13, p < 0.001), cardiovascular death (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04-1.20, p < 0.001) and development of advanced heart failure (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.10, p = 0.01). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> AF predicts poor outcomes for patients with HCM. Left atrial dilation is also related to an adverse prognosis and provides additional prognostic information

Supplementary Material for: Plasma Exchange as an Adjunctive Therapy for Crescentic IgA Nephropathy

<p><b><i>Background:</i></b> Crescentic IgA nephropathy (CreIgAN) has a poor prognosis despite aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. The efficacy of plasma exchange (PE) in CreIgAN is not well defined. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Twelve patients with severe CreIgAN who received PE as addition to routine immunosuppressive therapy, followed for more than 6 months, were involved. Twelve matched historical controls who received immunosuppressive therapy alone were selected by propensity score matching. Renal survival, plasma IgA-IgG complex and active complement products were assessed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Nine men and 3 women received a median of 7 PE courses (range 5-10). Their baseline urine protein excretion rate was 5.8 (4.5-8.7) g/day, and their serum creatinine level was 705.3 ± 296.4 μmol/l. During a mean follow-up of 15.6 months (6-51 months), 6 of the 12 PE group patients were free of dialysis, while all the control patients were dialysis dependent (6 of 12 vs. 0 of 12, p = 0.014). In the PE group, dialysis had to be restarted for 1 patient owing to the development of severe pneumonia and pulmonary failure. PE was associated with a higher kidney survival rate (log rank test, p = 0.026) during follow-up. It also significantly decreased plasma IgA-IgG complex levels (pre-PE: 85.3 ± 25.9% vs. post-PE: 38.4 ± 12.4%, p < 0.001) and plasma and urinary active complement product levels, including C3a, C5a and soluble C5b-9. The latter levels remained low until the last follow-up. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This study indicated that PE could increase renal recovery rates in severe CreIgAN.</p><br