Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Encapsulation Geometry Impacts Three-Dimensional Developing Human Engineered Cardiac Tissue Functionality.

Cardiac tissue engineering has been working to alleviate the immense burden of cardiovascular disease for several decades. To improve cardiac tissue homogeneity and cardiomyocyte (CM) maturation, in this study, we investigated altering initial encapsulation geometry in a three-dimensional (3D) direct cardiac differentiation platform. Traditional engineered cardiac tissue production utilizes predifferentiated CMs to produce 3D cardiac tissue and often involves various cell selection and exogenous stimulation methods to promote CM maturation.

Head CT Guidelines Following Concussion among the Youngest Trauma Patients: Can We Limit Radiation Exposure Following Traumatic Brain Injury?

Introduction: Recent studies have provided guidelines on the use of head computed tomography (CT) scans in pediatric trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of these guidelines among concussed pediatric patients.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients four years or younger with a concussion from blunt trauma.

Comparison of QTc and Troponin Levels in ST Elevation MIs Compared with Non-ST Elevation MIs.

Objectives: ST elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarctions (NSTEMIs) have differences that can be important to differentiate. Our primary hypothesis was that corrected QT (QTc) duration and troponin I levels were higher in STEMIs compared with NSTEMIs. The objective of our study was to compare STEMIs with NSTEMIs for QTc duration and troponin levels.

The meaning of elevated troponin I levels: not always acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Troponin elevation can be caused by etiologies other than acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Our hypothesis was that elevated troponins occur more frequently in non-ACS cases but that ACS cases (type 1 ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] and type 1 non-STEMI [NSTEMI]) have significantly higher troponin elevations.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional cohort analysis of a random subset of all patients with elevated troponins (defined as ≥0.