Incremental Role of Cardiac CT Angiography in the Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease With Normal Ejection Fraction: A Comparison With Transthoracic Echocardiography.

Objective: Diastolic dysfunction (DD) is defined as impaired left ventricular (LV) relaxation, caused by structural or functional heart diseases. We sought to assess the role of cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) as a tool to evaluate LV DD in patients with normal EF using the diastolic expansion index (DEI), as compared to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) as the gold standard.

Methods: Patients presenting with atypical chest pain with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and having a normal LV ejection fraction on TTE underwent CCTA using a dual source CT scanner.

A Systematic Critical Appraisal of Clinical Practice Guidelines in Barrett's Esophagus Using the AGREE II Tool.

Background: Several clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist for managing Barrett's esophagus (BE). However, the methodological quality of these CPGs is not known. To summarize the methodological quality of CPGs, we performed a critical appraisal of all available CPGs for the management of BE published from January 2018 to February 2023.

Gallic acid-guar gum and chitosan-based polyelectrolyte complex film exhibited enhanced wound healing in full-thickness excision wound model.

Recently, there has been a great interest in the development of innovative wound dressing materials based on natural bioactives, as they can accelerate the healing process and address the issues related to traditional wound dressings. The current study focuses on developing a novel derivative of guar gum (GG) and gallic acid (GA) using a simple, free radical-mediated polymerization reaction aimed at enhancing the antioxidant properties of GG. Multiple spectroscopic investigations were performed to validate the GA-GG conjugate.

Light vs Heat: Dissecting the De-intercalation in Photo-rechargeable Batteries.

Does light or heat play a seminal role in photo-rechargeable batteries? This study unravels the effects of light in the exciton formation and separation processes in a photocathode, leading to the charging or de-intercalation of Li ions in a lithium-ion battery. Light induced oxidation of Ti to Ti in the Li(TiS-TiO) heterostructure cathode is shown here, while heating does not elicit such changes. With the aid of photogenerated electrons at the cathode, the de-lithiated Li ions from Li(TiS-TiO) get intercalated in the graphite anode during the photocharging process.

Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis for Ulcerative Colitis: Predictors of Early and Late Complications.

Background Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is often considered the preferred surgical treatment for ulcerative colitis. This study was conducted to investigate the early and late complications of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in patients with ulcerative colitis, as well as the factors associated with these complications. Methodology All relevant clinical and operative data of patients (n = 101) who underwent IPAA for ulcerative colitis between January 1995 and December 2018 were retrieved from a prospectively maintained database.