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Importance Current risk prediction guidelines for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy predict only sudden cardiac death and are imperfect, leading to avoidable deaths and unnecessary implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Objective To combine prospectively collected clinical history, imaging, genetic, and biomarker data to improve risk prediction of adverse events in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Design, Setting, and Participants A total of 2750 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were prospectively enrolled in the registry-based study from 44 sites in North America and Europe with expertise in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Participants were enrolled from April 1, 2014, to April 7, 2017. Exposures Patients underwent a health history questionnaire, blood sampling for biomarkers and genotyping, and contrast-enhanced CMR. Patients were followed up yearly by telephone and through records review regarding event documentation. Main Outcomes and Measures The predefined composite adjudicated primary end point was time to first event for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy–related deaths; nonfatal sustained ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) requiring cardioversion or defibrillation; and left ventricular (LV) assist device implant or heart transplant. A secondary end point was a composite of sudden cardiac death and nonfatal VA events. The elastic-net method identified the most important predictors. Cox proportional hazards regression assessed associations with time to the first end point. Results Of the 2750 prospectively enrolled patients, 2698 (98%) had analyzable data after 9 were excluded because they had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenocopies and 43 withdrew. Of these remaining patients, 1919 (71%) were male, mean age was 50 years (SD, 11 years), and 423 (16%) were from underrepresented racial and minority groups. The mean follow-up was 6.9 years (SD, 2.1 years). The primary event model in 104 patients included LV scar as a percentage of LV mass by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.86; 95% CI, 1.58-2.20; P < .001), LV mass index (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.01-1.17; P = .03), LV end-systolic volume index (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.12-1.46; P < .001 ), all per 10-unit increase, history of heart failure at study entry (HR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.75-4.77; P < .001), and log N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP; HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.17-1.70; P < .001) level per log unit, (C index for all, 0.77). An LGE percentage of the LV mass of 9% or higher substantially increased the primary composite event rate ( P = .001). The secondary sudden cardiac death and VA risk factor model (in 69 patients) included LGE%, LV mass index, LV ejection fraction, and log(NT-proBNP) (C index, 0.76). Conclusions and Relevance These results provide prospective evidence for incorporating cardiac magnetic resonance and NT-proBNP in the evaluation of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01915615

ABSTRACT Understanding how fish navigate complex natural environments requires bridging fine-scale biomechanics with ecological behavior. We investigated the volitional movement and energetics of wild red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) across laboratory, mesocosm and field settings. Using flow-respirometry, we quantified metabolic costs and swimming kinematics under ecologically relevant flow conditions shaped by bluff bodies mimicking mangrove roots and oyster mounds. Fish swimming in turbulent wakes exhibited reduced oxygen consumption and altered tailbeat dynamics, especially at high flow speeds. In a large outdoor mesocosm, dual accelerometers revealed a rich behavioral repertoire, including maneuvering and rest, which is not easily observable in confined lab settings. Spectral analysis and clustering identified eight distinct locomotory states, highlighting the limitations of summed acceleration metrics. Field telemetry tracked wild red drum across a 54 km estuarine corridor for a 3 year period through an array of 36 acoustic receivers, revealing movement patterns shaped by tidal flow and physical habitats. Hydrodynamic modeling showed that although laboratory trials demonstrated substantial energetic savings at high flows (approaching 100 cm s−1), wild fish were detected predominantly in low-velocity microhabitats (<30 cm s−1) near structurally complex features. This mismatch suggests that habitat selection is an adaptive strategy driven by ecological factors such as foraging opportunities, predation refuge and site fidelity, rather than hydrodynamic efficiency alone. Our multi-scalar approach demonstrates that whereas flow–structure interactions can reduce locomotor costs for fish, habitat use in the wild reflects broader ecological constraints, offering a framework for integrating biomechanics, physiology and ecology in conservation-relevant contexts.

The objective of this study was to compare drug response of uveal melanoma patient-derived cell lines (PDLs) and patient-derived organoids (PDOs) with response of commercially available cell lines and contextualize laboratory outputs in terms of clinical trial results. Uveal melanoma commercial cell lines, PDLs, and PDOs were treated with drugs that were ultimately utilized in clinical trials. Four treatments were chosen for promising laboratory results that failed to yield clinical response, while darovasertib was a surrogate positive control given initial favorable clinical trial data in the neoadjuvant setting. Drug concentrations were matched to laboratory work that supported progression to clinical trials. Viability was measured using PrestoBlueHS Cell Viability Reagent. Commercial cell lines showed promising viability reduction similar to prior laboratory results with treatments, including 5-μM darovasertib, 700-nM selumetinib, 700-nM selumetinib + 1000-nM MK-2206, 500-nM sotrastaurin + 1000-nM alpelisib, and 100-nM trametinib, with overall viability reduced to 32.5% for all drugs. However, PDLs (viability 52.8%) and PDOs (viability 80.4%) showed more treatment resistance ( P < 0.05), better simulating ultimate lack of efficacy found in clinical trials. While uveal melanoma with BAP1 loss demonstrated greater treatment resistance under some conditions, other factors such as cell morphology or culture in a three-dimensional environment appeared to be more consistent drivers of therapeutic sensitivity. PDLs and PDOs may more accurately represent uveal melanoma clinical response. Demonstrating efficacy of novel therapeutics in these models could improve the likelihood of successful translation for future clinical trials, but future studies are needed to define clinically meaningful in-vitro response thresholds.

Abstract Context Prior reports of plasma estradiol concentrations and their reference ranges in postmenopausal women identified marked variation, in part due to assay method and body mass index (BMI). Objective To develop an international reference range for plasma estradiol in postmenopausal women, support accurate assessment of concentrations during systemic and local (eg, vaginal) estradiol therapy, and improve risk prediction for diseases, including osteoporosis, breast, and endometrial cancers. Methodology Estradiol concentrations were measured using primarily liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays in 5 international cohorts of community-dwelling, postmenopausal women of primarily European ancestry aged 38-100 years who were not using exogenous estrogens (n = 7206). Measurements were harmonized to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reference measurement procedure (RMP) by re-assaying a subset of samples for each cohort and generating recalibration equations. Reference intervals were determined for all women, non-obese women, and specific BMI categories. Results Estradiol concentrations from separate LC-MS/MS assays correlated closely with the CDC RMP, and harmonization minimized inter-assay variability. Estradiol concentrations correlated with BMI but not with chronological age. The reference range (2.5th-97.5th percentile) was 1.1-18.2 pg/mL (4.0-66.8 pmol/L) with median of 4.9 pg/mL (18.0 pmol/L) for all postmenopausal women and 1.1-12.5 pg/mL (4.0-45.9 pmol/L) with median of 4.1 pg/mL (15.1 pmol/L) for non-obese women (BMI &lt; 30). Reference ranges increased progressively with higher BMI categories. Conclusion Cross-calibration of estradiol measurements with the CDC RP enabled the development of harmonized plasma estradiol reference ranges for postmenopausal women who were not using exogenous estrogens, suitable for future studies to establish clinical utility. Increasing obesity in postmenopausal women was associated with increasing estradiol concentration and BMI category-specific reference ranges.

Abstract Aims Alcohol and its relationship with cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain contentious. Several observational studies have found cardioprotective associations, while Mendelian randomization studies have found null or harmful effects of moderate drinking. Biases, including abstainer misclassification and sick-quitter effects, may obscure true associations. It is widely understood that former drinkers are often sick quitters. However, removal of former drinkers from analyses addresses bias in the abstainer group but fails to account for induced survivorship among current drinkers. This study sought to determine whether adjusting for biases altered the association between alcohol and CVD by comparing conventional models with those using (i) occasional drinkers as the reference group instead of lifetime abstainers and (ii) ‘intention-to-treat’ reallocation of former drinkers based on past drinking patterns. Methods and results The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis is a prospective cohort study of 6814 participants aged 45–84 years between 2000 and 2002 without baseline CVD. A total of 6755 participants were included after excluding those with missing data. Alcohol consumption was self-reported and classified as lifetime abstainer, former, or current drinker [occasional (≤1 drink/week), light (2–7 drinks/week), moderate (8–14 drinks/week), heavy (&gt;14 drinks/week)]. Outcomes included coronary artery calcium (CAC; 0, 1–100, 101–300, and &gt;300) and clinical events [myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, cardiovascular mortality, composite major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), and heart failure]. Of 6755 participants, 20.6% were lifetime abstainers, 24.1% former drinkers, and 55.3% current drinkers. Adjusting for biases altered the observed relationship between alcohol and CVD, showing increased harm with light drinking, decreased protection with moderate drinking, and a dose–response relationship between alcohol and CAC, particularly CAC &gt;300 in adjusted models. Protective associations between moderate drinking and MI [hazard ratio (HR): 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38–1.06] and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.53–1.25) were attenuated and became non-significant. Light drinking shifted from null to increased risk for MI (HR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.11–1.92), stroke (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.17–2.03), MACE (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.12–1.57), and heart failure (HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.10–1.84). Conclusion Associations between alcohol and CVD in observational studies are sensitive to methodologic variation. Results from models correcting for abstainer/sick-quitter biases may help explain discrepant results from previous studies.

Abstract Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is driven, in part, by glioma stem cells (GSCs), which sustain therapeutic resistance and recurrence. OLIG2 is a key regulator of GSC programs but the signaling pathways that cooperate with Oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (OLIG2) to maintain GSC states remain incompletely defined. Although Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling has been implicated in GSC biology, work to date has focused primarily on STAT3, and the contribution of STAT5 remains poorly defined. Here, we investigated whether STAT5B functionally cooperates with OLIG2 in sustaining GSC phenotypes. Methods Transcriptomic analyses, proximity ligation assays and biochemical studies were utilized to define OLIG2-STAT5B interactions in patient-derived GSCs. Functional consequences of OLIG2, STAT5B, BIRC5, and NUSAP1 suppression were assessed using small interfering RNA/short hairpin RNA-knockdown, stemness, and migration assays in EGFRvIII-expressing GSCs. In vivo tumor growth studies were performed using orthotopic xenograft models. Results OLIG2 and STAT5B expression were positively correlated in GBM datasets and patient-derived models. OLIG2 physically associated with STAT5B in EGFRvIII-expressing GSCs, and loss of OLIG2 reduced STAT5 activation, supporting a functional link between these factors. OLIG2 or STAT5B suppression induced convergent transcriptional changes, including downregulation of genes associated with GSC maintenance and proliferation, notably stemness regulators BIRC5 and NUSAP1. Silencing BIRC5 or NUSAP1 impaired GSC self-renewal and migration. In orthotopic models, STAT5B knockdown prolonged survival and phenocopied OLIG2 suppression and stemness loss. Conclusions These findings identify STAT5B as a functional partner of OLIG2 in GBM and define anOLIG2-STAT5B transcriptional axis that sustains GSC maintenance and malignant behavior. Targeting this axis may represent a therapeutic strategy to disrupt treatment-refractory glioma cell states.

Abstract Solitary plasmacytoma of bone (SPB) is a localized plasma cell neoplasm associated with a substantial risk of progression to multiple myeloma (MM), yet the role of adjuvant systemic therapy following definitive radiation therapy (RT) remains undefined. We conducted a randomized phase III trial (Alliance A061402) to evaluate whether the addition of systemic therapy with ixazomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (IXA-LEN-DEX) to zoledronic acid (ZA) improves outcomes compared with ZA alone in patients with SPB and minimal (< 10%) bone marrow plasma cell involvement following RT. Patients were randomized to receive six 28-day cycles of IXA-LEN-DEX-ZA or ZA alone. The primary endpoint was time to progression (TTP) to MM. The study was closed early due to poor accrual after enrolling 11 patients (IXA-LEN-DEX-ZA, n = 5; ZA, n = 6). All patients completed RT and planned treatment without dose reductions. The combination regimen was well tolerated, with limited grade ≥ 3 toxicities, including hypophosphatemia and lymphopenia. At follow-up extending beyond 4 years, the 1- and 4-year progression rates to MM in the IXA-LEN-DEX-ZA arm were 0% and 33%, respectively, compared with 37.5% and 58.3% at 1 and 2 years in the ZA-alone arm. Although underpowered, these findings demonstrate the feasibility and tolerability of an all-oral adjuvant systemic regimen in SPB and provide prospective data supporting further investigation of systemic strategies to delay progression to MM.

Abstract Background and aims Dementia represents a growing global health burden, with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease accounting for most cases through cumulative cerebrovascular damage. While periodontal disease (PD) is associated with cognitive decline, dental caries represents a distinct oral infection pathway characterized by bacterial invasion and infection, potentially contributing to vascular brain injury through microbial translocation, endothelial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and cerebral microvascular damage. The relationship between dental caries and incident dementia within a vascular framework remains understudied. Methods We analyzed 6,542 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study who received dental examinations at Visit 4 (1996–1998) and followed for incident dementia through 2023 using standardized surveillance (Figure-1). Cox proportional hazards models with competing risk accounted for death. Multivariable models adjusted for demographic factors, cardiovascular risk factors, BMI, physical activity, education, income, insurance status, APOE4 genotype, PD, and regular dental care. Results Mean age was 62.4 years; 54% female, 82% White, and 18% Black. Dental caries was present in 20%. Over median 25-year follow-up, individuals with dental caries demonstrated significantly higher cumulative dementia incidence (Gray’s test p&lt;0.0001). After full adjustment, dental caries remained independently associated with increased dementia risk (adjusted HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.02–1.42), independent of PD and APOE4 status (Figure-2). Conclusions Dental caries was independently associated with increased incident dementia risk. These findings support a potential role for caries-related oral infection in vascular brain injury pathways relevant to vascular dementia and stroke-related cognitive impairment. Oral infection prevention may represent a modifiable target within cerebrovascular disease prevention strategies. Conflict of interest Alana E. Barton, Souvik Sen, Kevin Moss, James Selph, Ryan Demmer, Pamela L. Lutsey, Priya Palta, Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, Karly Pikel, Wayne Rosamond: nothing to disclose Figure 1 - belongs to Conclusions Figure 2 - belongs to Conclusions

ABSTRACT Background Ab‐interno canaloplasty (ABiC) may be performed as a standalone procedure or in combination with phacoemulsification (ABiC+Phaco). This study aims to examine the comparative surgical outcomes of both procedures. Methods PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched for randomised controlled trials, cohort studies and retrospective case series published from inception to 31 March 2025 that compared outcomes of standalone ABiC and ABiC+Phaco in the treatment of open‐angle glaucoma (OAG). Random‐effects meta‐analysis was performed to pool the mean difference in intraocular pressure (IOP) and glaucoma medications compared to baseline. Results Eight studies with a pooled total of 663 eyes were included in final analysis. There was no significant difference in IOP‐lowering efficacy between ABiC+Phaco and standalone ABiC across all timepoints (6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years) with a mean difference of 0.25 mmHg (95% CI: −0.98 to 1.48) at 3 years. There was also no significant difference in glaucoma medication reduction between ABiC+Phaco and standalone ABiC across all timepoints, with a mean difference of 0.03 medication reduction (95% CI: −0.18 to 0.23) at 3 years. A small IOP‐lowering benefit of ABiC+Phaco versus standalone ABiC in primary OAG‐only studies (mean difference 0.75 mmHg, 95% CI: 0.03–1.47) was observed at 3 years. Conclusion Our meta‐analysis suggests that phacoemulsification may not offer significant additional IOP and glaucoma medication reduction to standalone ABiC. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to a moderate risk of bias across all included studies. Regardless, our findings are consistent with existing literature on the effect of adjunctive phacoemulsification on other ab‐interno MIGS.