Ralph B. D'Agostino

Bio: Ralph B. D'Agostino is an academic researcher from Wake Forest University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Framingham Heart Study & Framingham Risk Score. The author has an hindex of 226, co-authored 1287 publications receiving 229636 citations. Previous affiliations of Ralph B. D'Agostino include VA Boston Healthcare System & University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

Early Myocardial Strain Changes During Potentially Cardiotoxic Chemotherapy May Occur as a Result of Reductions in Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Volume: The Need to Interpret Left Ventricular Strain With Volumes.

Abstract: Cardiac dysfunction and myocellular injury from cancer therapeutics are identified by reductions in left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) or >15% deteriorations in myocardial strain.1 Myocardial strain may deteriorate as a result of increases in LV end-systolic volume (LVESV), reductions in LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), or both. Decreases in LVEDV caused by hypovolemia from poor oral intake, emesis, or myocardial loss2 occur during cancer treatment. We sought to determine the frequency with which decrements in myocardial strain were mediated by decreases in LVEDV versus increases in LVESV in patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic chemotherapy. The study was approved by the local institutional review board, and participants provided witnessed, written informed consent. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance examinations were performed on a 1.5-T Siemens Avanto scanner <6 hours before chemotherapy administration both before and 3 months after the initiation of cancer treatment. LV volumes, LVEF, LV mass, relative wall thickness, and midwall eulerian circumferential strain (ECC) were calculated from a series of LV short-axis white-blood cine stacks and a midcavity short-axis grid-tagged image.3 In addition, global longitudinal strain (GLS) was assessed from high-temporal-resolution 2- and 4-chamber cine views …

Pepsin in saliva as a biomarker for oropharyngeal reflux compared with 24-hour esophageal impedance/pH monitoring in pediatric patients.

Abstract: Background Pepsin in saliva is a proposed biomarker for oropharyngeal reflux. Pepsin may be prevalent in saliva from subjects with gastro-esophageal reflux and may correlate with proximal reflux by intraluminal impedance/pH monitoring (MII/pH). Methods Patients (3 days to 17.6 years, n=90) undergoing 24-hour MII/pH monitoring and asymptomatic controls (2 months to 13.7 years, n=43) were included. Salivary pepsin was determined using a pepsin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Eight saliva samples were collected from patients undergoing 24-hr MII/pH: (i) before catheter placement, (ii) before and 30 minutes after each of three meals, and (iii) upon awakening. One sample was collected from each control. Key Results In MII/pH subjects, 85.6% (77/90) had at least one pepsin-positive sample compared with 9.3% (4/43) in controls. The range of pepsin observed in individual subjects varied widely over 24 hours. The average pepsin concentration in all samples obtained within 2 hours following the most recent reflux event was 30.7±135 ng/mL, decreasing to 16.5±39.1 ng/mL in samples collected more than 2 hours later. The frequency of pepsin-positive samples correlated significantly with symptom index (rS=0.332, P=.0014), proximal (rS=0.340, P=.0010), and distal (rS=0.272, P=.0095) MII events. Conclusions & Inferences Concentration of salivary pepsin may not be an accurate measure of severity of reflux because of the wide range observed in individuals over 24 hours. Saliva samples must be obtained soon after a reflux event. Defining a regimen for optimal saliva collection may help to achieve the goal of using salivary pepsin as a biomarker for oropharyngeal reflux. Clinical Trial registry NCT01091805.

Location of Arterial Stiffening Differs in Those With Impaired Fasting Glucose Versus Diabetes Implications for Left Ventricular Hypertrophy From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To determine whether middle-aged and older individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), but no clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, exhibit abnormal changes in proximal thoracic aortic stiffness or left ventricular (LV) mass when compared with healthy counterparts. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, 2,240 subjects with normal fasting glucose (NFG), 845 with IFG, and 414 with diabetes, all aged 45 to 85 years and without preexisting coronary artery disease, underwent MRI determinations of total arterial and proximal thoracic aortic stiffness and LV mass. The presence or absence of other factors known to influence arterial stiffness was assessed. RESULTS After adjustment for clinical factors known to modify arterial stiffness, proximal thoracic aortic stiffness was not increased in those with IFG compared with those with NFG (1.90 ± 0.05 versus 1.91 ± 0.04 10−3 mmHg−1, respectively, P = 0.83). After accounting for clinical factors known to influence LV mass, LV mass was increased in those with diabetes relative to those with NFG (150.6 ± 1.4 versus 145.8 ± 0.81 g, P < 0.0009) but not in those with IFG in comparison with NFG (145.2 ± 1.03 versus 145.8 ± 0.81 g, P = 0.56). CONCLUSIONS Middle-aged and older individuals with the pre-diabetes state of IFG do not exhibit abnormal proximal thoracic distensibility or LV hypertrophy relative to individuals with NFG. For this reason, an opportunity may exist in those with IFG to prevent LV hypertrophy and abnormal aortic stiffness that is observed in middle-aged and older individuals with diabetes.

G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences

Abstract: G*Power (Erdfelder, Faul, & Buchner, 1996) was designed as a general stand-alone power analysis program for statistical tests commonly used in social and behavioral research. G*Power 3 is a major extension of, and improvement over, the previous versions. It runs on widely used computer platforms (i.e., Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X 10.4) and covers many different statistical tests of thet, F, and χ2 test families. In addition, it includes power analyses forz tests and some exact tests. G*Power 3 provides improved effect size calculators and graphic options, supports both distribution-based and design-based input modes, and offers all types of power analyses in which users might be interested. Like its predecessors, G*Power 3 is free.

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: the JNC 7 report.

Abstract: "The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure" provides a new guideline for hypertension prevention and management. The following are the key messages(1) In persons older than 50 years, systolic blood pressure (BP) of more than 140 mm Hg is a much more important cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor than diastolic BP; (2) The risk of CVD, beginning at 115/75 mm Hg, doubles with each increment of 20/10 mm Hg; individuals who are normotensive at 55 years of age have a 90% lifetime risk for developing hypertension; (3) Individuals with a systolic BP of 120 to 139 mm Hg or a diastolic BP of 80 to 89 mm Hg should be considered as prehypertensive and require health-promoting lifestyle modifications to prevent CVD; (4) Thiazide-type diuretics should be used in drug treatment for most patients with uncomplicated hypertension, either alone or combined with drugs from other classes. Certain high-risk conditions are compelling indications for the initial use of other antihypertensive drug classes (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, β-blockers, calcium channel blockers); (5) Most patients with hypertension will require 2 or more antihypertensive medications to achieve goal BP (<140/90 mm Hg, or <130/80 mm Hg for patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease); (6) If BP is more than 20/10 mm Hg above goal BP, consideration should be given to initiating therapy with 2 agents, 1 of which usually should be a thiazide-type diuretic; and (7) The most effective therapy prescribed by the most careful clinician will control hypertension only if patients are motivated. Motivation improves when patients have positive experiences with and trust in the clinician. Empathy builds trust and is a potent motivator. Finally, in presenting these guidelines, the committee recognizes that the responsible physician's judgment remains paramount.

疟原虫var基因转换速率变化导致抗原变异[英]／Paul H, Robert P, Christodoulou Z, et al//Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Abstract: 抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1（PfPMP1）与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用，在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员，通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。

Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure

Abstract: The National High Blood Pressure Education Program presents the complete Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Like its predecessors, the purpose is to provide an evidence-based approach to the prevention and management of hypertension. The key messages of this report are these: in those older than age 50, systolic blood pressure (BP) of greater than 140 mm Hg is a more important cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor than diastolic BP; beginning at 115/75 mm Hg, CVD risk doubles for each increment of 20/10 mm Hg; those who are normotensive at 55 years of age will have a 90% lifetime risk of developing hypertension; prehypertensive individuals (systolic BP 120-139 mm Hg or diastolic BP 80-89 mm Hg) require health-promoting lifestyle modifications to prevent the progressive rise in blood pressure and CVD; for uncomplicated hypertension, thiazide diuretic should be used in drug treatment for most, either alone or combined with drugs from other classes; this report delineates specific high-risk conditions that are compelling indications for the use of other antihypertensive drug classes (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers); two or more antihypertensive medications will be required to achieve goal BP (<140/90 mm Hg, or <130/80 mm Hg) for patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease; for patients whose BP is more than 20 mm Hg above the systolic BP goal or more than 10 mm Hg above the diastolic BP goal, initiation of therapy using two agents, one of which usually will be a thiazide diuretic, should be considered; regardless of therapy or care, hypertension will be controlled only if patients are motivated to stay on their treatment plan. Positive experiences, trust in the clinician, and empathy improve patient motivation and satisfaction. This report serves as a guide, and the committee continues to recognize that the responsible physician's judgment remains paramount.