Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common monogenic heart disease with a frequency as high as 1 in 200. In many cases, HCM is caused by mutations in genes encoding the different components of the sarcomere apparatus. HCM is characterized by unexplained left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), myofibrillar disarray, and myocardial fibrosis. The phenotypic expression is quite variable. While the majority of patients with HCM are asymptomatic, serious consequences are experienced in a subset of affected individuals who present initially with sudden cardiac death (SCD) or progress to refractory heart failure (HF). The HCMR study is a National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-sponsored 2750 patient, 41 site, international registry and natural history study designed to address limitations in extant evidence to improve prognostication in HCM (NCT01915615). In addition to collection of standard demographic, clinical, and echocardiographic variables, patients will undergo state-of-the-art cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) for assessment of left ventricular (LV) mass and volumes as well as replacement scarring and interstitial fibrosis. In addition, genetic and biomarker analysis will be performed. HCMR has the potential to change the paradigm of risk stratification in HCM, using novel markers to identify those at higher risk.

Clinically recognized atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with higher risk of complications, including ischemic stroke, cognitive decline, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and death. It is increasingly recognized that AF frequently is undetected until complications such as stroke or heart failure occur. Hence, the public and clinicians have an intense interest in detecting AF earlier. However, the most appropriate strategies to detect undiagnosed AF (sometimes referred to as subclinical AF) and the prognostic and therapeutic implications of AF detected by screening are uncertain. Our report summarizes the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s virtual workshop focused on identifying key research priorities related to AF screening. Global experts reviewed major knowledge gaps and identified critical research priorities in the following areas: (1) role of opportunistic screening; (2) AF as a risk factor, risk marker, or both; (3) relationship between AF burden detected with long-term monitoring and outcomes/treatments; (4) designs of potential randomized trials of systematic AF screening with clinically relevant outcomes; and (5) role of AF screening after ischemic stroke. Our report aims to inform and catalyze AF screening research that will advance innovative, resource-efficient, and clinically relevant studies in diverse populations to improve the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of patients with undiagnosed AF.

Land cover and its associated biophysical parameters govern many land-atmosphere interactions. Several previous studies have demonstrated the utility of incorporating satellite-derived observations of land cover into climate models to improve prediction accuracy. In the developing world where agriculture is a primary livelihood, a better understanding of seasonal variability in precipitation and near-surface temperature is critical to constructing more effective coping strategies for climate changes and food security. However, relatively few studies have been able to assess the impacts of improved surface parameterisation on these variables and their seasonality. Using moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived products, we sought to address this shortcoming by adapting leaf area index (LAI) and vegetative fractional cover (FC) products, along with an improved representation of the land surface (i.e. land use land cover) into the Regional Atmospheric Modelling System in East Africa to evaluate the effect improved representations would have on simulated precipitation and land surface temperature (LST). In particular, we tested the hypothesis that improved phenological parameterisations could reduce error in precipitation and LST under dramatically different atmospheric conditions. The model was used to simulate dry/normal/wet rainfall years of 2000, 2001, and 2002 (respectively) in order to understand biases in this parameterisation under different boundary conditions. Our results show a dramatic improvement in LST simulation due to the use of the improved representations (spline functions) during most of the year, both spatially and temporally. Annual precipitation, which is dependent upon a much greater variety of surface and atmospheric characteristics, did not improve as much by adopting the spline representations of LAI and FC; the results were more equivocal. However, seasonal timing of precipitation improved in some areas, and this improvement has important consequences for integrated climate-agriculture assessments.

No abstract

Measurable residual disease (MRD) testing after initial chemotherapy treatment can predict relapse and survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, it has not been established if repeat molecular or genetic testing during chemotherapy can offer information regarding the chemotherapy sensitivity of the leukemic clone. Blood from 45 adult AML patients at day 1 and 4 of induction (n = 35) or salvage (n = 10) cytotoxic chemotherapy was collected for both quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assessment (WT1) and next generation sequencing (>500 × depth) of 49 gene regions recurrently mutated in MDS/AML. The median age of subjects was 62 (23–78); 42% achieved a complete response. WT1 was overexpressed in most patients tested but was uninformative for very early MRD assessment. A median of 4 non-synonymous variants (range 0–7) were detected by DNA sequencing of blood on day 1 of therapy [median variant allele frequency (VAF): 29%]. Only two patients had no variants detectable. All mutations remained detectable in blood on day 4 of intensive chemotherapy and remarkably the ratio of mutated to wild-type sequence was often maintained. This phenomenon was not limited to variants in DNMT3A, TET2, and ASXL1. The kinetics of NPM1 and TP53 variant burden early during chemotherapy appeared to be exceptions and exhibited consistent trends in this cohort. In summary, molecular testing of blood on day 4 of chemotherapy is not predictive of clinical response to cytotoxic induction therapy in AML. The observed stability in variant allele frequency suggests that cytotoxic therapy may have a limited therapeutic index for clones circulating in blood containing these mutations. Further validation is required to confirm the utility of monitoring NPM1 and TP53 kinetics in blood during cytotoxic therapy.

Background-GATA3 activates transcription of the T H 2 cytokines, including IL13, an important step in the allergic inflammatory pathway.

No abstract

Compelling data have linked disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with lung dysbiosis and the resulting dysregulated local and systemic immune response. Moreover, prior therapeutic trials have suggested improved outcomes in these patients treated with either sulfamethoxazole/ trimethoprim or doxycycline. These trials have been limited by methodological concerns. This trial addresses the primary hypothesis that long-term treatment with antimicrobial therapy increases the time-to-event endpoint of respiratory hospitalization or all-cause mortality compared to usual care treatment in patients with IPF. We invoke numerous innovative features to achieve this goal, including: 1) utilizing a pragmatic randomized trial design; 2) collecting targeted biological samples to allow future exploration of 'personalized' therapy; and 3) developing a strong partnership between the NHLBI, a broad range of investigators, industry, and philanthropic organizations. The trial will randomize approximately 500 individuals in a 1: 1 ratio to either antimicrobial therapy or usual care. The site principal investigator will declare their preferred initial antimicrobial treatment strategy (trimethoprim 160 mg/ sulfamethoxazole 800 mg twice a day plus folic acid 5 mg daily or doxycycline 100 mg once daily if body weight is < 50 kg or 100 mg twice daily if ≥50 kg) for the participant prior to randomization. Participants randomized to antimicrobial therapy will receive a voucher to help cover the additional