Choroid plexus morphology in schizophrenia and early-stage psychosis: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The choroid plexus is an important structure within the ventricular system. Schizophrenia has been associated with morphological changes to the choroid plexus but the presence and extent of alterations at different illness stages is unclear.

Methods: We examined choroid plexus volumes in participants at clinical high-risk for psychosis (N = 110), participants with first-episode psychosis (N = 37), participants with schizophrenia (N = 28), clinical (N = 38) and non-clinical controls (N = 75).

Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Based T1 Mapping and Extracellular Volume Fractions Are Associated with Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: Extracellular volume fraction (ECV), measured with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI), has been utilized to study myocardial fibrosis, but its role in peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains unknown. We hypothesized that T1 mapping and ECV differ between PAD patients and matched controls.

Methods And Results: A total of 37 individuals (18 PAD patients and 19 matched controls) underwent 3.

Convolutional Neural Networks to Study Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Skeletal Calf Muscle Perfusion in Peripheral Artery Disease.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with impaired blood flow in the lower extremities and histopathologic changes of the skeletal calf muscles, resulting in abnormal microvascular perfusion. We studied the use of convolution neural networks (CNNs) to differentiate patients with PAD from matched controls using perfusion pattern features from contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) of the skeletal calf muscles. We acquired CE-MRI based skeletal calf muscle perfusion in 56 patients (36 patients with PAD and 20 matched controls).

Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Superficial Femoral Artery Velocity Measurements in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: Longitudinal associations of noninvasive 2-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (2D-PC-MRI) velocity markers of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) were analyzed along with the characteristics of peripheral artery disease (PAD). We hypothesized that the 2-year differences in MRI-based measures of SFA velocity were associated with longitudinal changes in markers of PAD.

Methods: A total of 33 (11 diabetic, 22 nondiabetic) patients with PAD with baseline and 2-year follow-up MRI scans were included in this secondary analysis of the Effect of Lipid Modification on Peripheral Artery Disease after Endovascular Intervention Trial (ELIMIT).

Pentafluoropropionic Anhydride Derivatization and GC-MS Analysis of Histamine, Agmatine, Putrescine, and Spermidine: Effects of Solvents and Starting Column Temperature.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is useful for the quantitative determination of the polyamines spermidine (SPD) and putrescine (PUT) and of the biogenic amine agmatine (AGM) in biological samples after derivatization. This GC-MS method involves a two-step extraction with -butanol and hydrochloric acid, derivatization with pentafluoropropionic anhydride (PFPA) in ethyl acetate, and extraction of the pentafluoropropionic (PFP) derivatives by toluene of SPD, PUT, and AGM. We wanted to extend this GC-MS method for the biogenic amine histamine (HA), but we faced serious problems that did not allow reliable quantitative analysis of HA.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Derived Microvascular Perfusion Modeling to Assess Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background Computational fluid dynamics has shown good agreement with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging measurements in cardiovascular disease applications. We have developed a biomechanical model of microvascular perfusion using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging signal intensities derived from skeletal calf muscles to study peripheral artery disease (PAD). Methods and Results The computational microvascular model was used to study skeletal calf muscle perfusion in 56 individuals (36 patients with PAD, 20 matched controls).

Comparison of Longitudinal Skeletal Thigh Muscle Findings With Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease With-Versus-Without Diabetes Mellitus.

The aim of this secondary analysis of ELIMIT (The Effect of Lipid Modification on Peripheral Artery Disease after Endovascular Intervention Trial) was to determine longitudinal changes over 24 months in skeletal thigh muscle volumes and individual muscle compartments in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) with and without diabetes. A total of 48 patients with available magnetic resonance imaging of the distal superficial femoral artery at baseline and 2 years were included in this analysis. Muscle volumes and superficial femoral artery wall, lumen, and total vessel volumes were quantified.

Magnetic resonance imaging based superficial femoral artery velocity measurements in peripheral artery disease.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) causes lower extremity dysfunction and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In this study, we analyzed how non-invasive 2-dimensional-phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (2D-PC-MRI) measured velocity markers of the distal superficial femoral artery (SFA) are associated with clinical and functional characteristics of PAD. A total of 70 (27 diabetic and 43 non-diabetic) PAD patients were included in this secondary analysis of data collected from the Effect of Lipid Modification on Peripheral Artery Disease after Endovascular Intervention Trial (ELIMIT).

The Peripheral Lymphatic System Is Impaired by the Loss of Neuronal Control Associated with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with venous vascular dysfunction below the level of injury, resulting in dysregulation of tissue fluid homeostasis in afflicted skin. The purpose of this study was to determine whether loss of neuronal control in chronic SCI also affects the skin lymphatic system. Morphology of lymphatics was characterized by immunohistochemistry and lymphatic gene expression profiles determined by DNA microarray analysis.

Hippocampal structural alterations in early-stage psychosis: Specificity and relationship to clinical outcomes.

Hippocampal dysfunctions are a core feature of schizophrenia, but conflicting evidence exists whether volumetric and morphological changes are present in early-stage psychosis and to what extent these deficits are related to clinical trajectories. In this study, we recruited individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) (n = 108), patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) (n = 37), healthy controls (HC) (n = 70) as well as a psychiatric control group with substance abuse and affective disorders (CHR-N: n = 38). MRI-data at baseline were obtained and volumetric as well as vertex analyses of the hippocampus were carried out.

Motivational signals disrupt metacognitive signals in the human ventromedial prefrontal cortex.

A growing body of evidence suggests that, during decision-making, BOLD signal in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) correlates both with motivational variables - such as incentives and expected values - and metacognitive variables - such as confidence judgments - which reflect the subjective probability of being correct. At the behavioral level, we recently demonstrated that the value of monetary stakes bias confidence judgments, with gain (respectively loss) prospects increasing (respectively decreasing) confidence judgments, even for similar levels of difficulty and performance. If and how this value-confidence interaction is reflected in the VMPFC remains unknown.

Imaging Approaches to the Diagnosis of Vascular Diseases.

Purpose Of Review: Vascular imaging is a complex field including numerous modalities and imaging markers. This review is focused on important and recent findings in atherosclerotic carotid artery plaque imaging with an emphasis on developments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT).

Recent Findings: Recent evidence shows that carotid plaque characteristics and not only established measures of carotid plaque burden and stenosis are associated independently with cardiovascular outcomes.

The anti-wrinkles properties of sodium acetylated hyaluronate.

Background: Intrinsic aging promotes wrinkles formation by an imbalance between matrix synthesis/degradation in favor of degradation. This is accelerated by the exposome leading to overproduction of protease and fewer remodeling.

Objective: Protecting the integrity of extracellular matrix appears as the most efficient anti-aging solution.

Design and preliminary evaluation of a newly designed patient-friendly discharge letter - a randomized, controlled participant-blind trial.

Background: Low health literacy has been associated with poor health outcome and impaired use of healthcare services. The hospital discharge letter represents a key source of medical information for patients and can be used to address the problem of low health literacy. The aim of this project was to develop and evaluate a new, patient-directed, version of the discharge letter.

The relationship between cognitive deficits and impaired short-term functional outcome in clinical high-risk for psychosis participants: A machine learning and modelling approach.

Poor functional outcomes are common in individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR-P), but the contribution of cognitive deficits remains unclear. We examined the potential utility of cognitive variables in predictive models of functioning at baseline and follow-up with machine learning methods. Additional models fitted on baseline functioning variables were used as a benchmark to evaluate model performance.

Implementation status of morbidity and mortality conferences in Austrian hospitals-A cross-sectional national survey study.

Introduction: Morbidity and mortality conferences (M&MCs) are an instrument for learning from past complications, unexpected follow-ups and deaths in hospitals and are important for improving patient safety. However, there are currently no quantitative data on the implementation of M&MCs in Austria. The aim of the study was to determine the status quo of the M&MCs in Austria.

Cellular and molecular changes that predispose skin in chronic spinal cord injury to pressure ulcer formation.

Patients with spinal cord injury have a predisposition to develop pressure ulcers. Specific characteristics of the patients' skin potentially involved have not yet been identified. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether loss of neuronal control affects cellular and molecular homeostasis in the skin.

Evaluation of an implemented new insulin chart to improve quality and safety of diabetes care in a large university hospital: a follow-up study.

Objectives: To evaluate structure, documentation, treatment quality of a new implemented standardised insulin chart in adult medical inpatient wards at a university hospital.

Design: A before-after study (3 to 5 months after implementation) was used to compare the quality of old versus new insulin charts.

Setting: University Hospital Graz, Austria.

Associations Between Carotid Artery Plaque Burden, Plaque Characteristics, and Cardiovascular Events: The ARIC Carotid Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Importance: It remains unknown whether in an asymptomatic community-based cohort magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of plaque characteristics are independently associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events when adjusted for carotid artery (CA) wall thickness, a measure of plaque burden.

Objective: To assess associations of CA MRI plaque characteristics with incident CVD events.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study is a prospective epidemiologic study of the incidence of CVD in 15 792 adults of which 2066 women and men were enrolled in the ARIC Carotid MRI substudy.

Relation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Based Arterial Signal Enhancement to Markers of Peripheral Artery Disease.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with impaired lower extremity function. We hypothesized that contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) based arterial signal enhancement (SE) measures are associated with markers of PAD. A total of 66 participants were enrolled, 10 were excluded due to incomplete data, resulting in 56 participants for the final analyses (36 PAD, 20 matched controls).

Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria.

Objectives: The discharge summary (DS) represents one of the most important instruments to ensure a safe patient discharge from the hospital. They sometimes have poor quality in content and often include medical jargon, which the patient and their relatives cannot easily understand. Therefore, many risks for patient safety exist.

Myocardial Extracellular Volume Fraction Adds Prognostic Information Beyond Myocardial Replacement Fibrosis.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance techniques permit quantification of the myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV), representing a surrogate marker of reactive interstitial fibrosis, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), representing replacement fibrosis or scar. ECV and LGE have been independently linked with heart failure (HF) events. In deriving ECV, coronary artery disease type LGE, but not non-coronary artery disease type LGE, has been consistently excluded.

Hand hygiene compliance in intensive care units: An observational study.

Aim: Health care-associated infections along with antibiotic resistance are a leading risk for patient safety in intensive care units. Hygienic hand disinfection is still regarded as the most effective, simplest, and most cost-effective measure to reduce health care-associated infections. To improve hand hygiene compliance and to prevent health care-associated infections, interventions of the "German Clean Hands Campaign" were implemented in a university hospital.

GC-MS measurement of spermidine and putrescine in serum of elderly subjects: intriguing association between spermidine and homoarginine.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods were developed, validated and used to measure serum spermidine (SPD) and putrescine (PUT) in 9 seropositive Helicobacter pylori (Hp +) and 18 seronegative Helicobacter pylori (Hp -) subjects (31-105 years). Homoarginine (hArg) was also measured by GC-MS. There were no statistical differences (unpaired t test) between the Hp + and Hp - subjects with respect to the serum concentrations of SPD (67.