Routine Sperm Cryopreservation before Vasectomy Is Not Cost-Effective and Does Not Increase Live Birth Rates Compared to Surgical Sperm Retrieval or Vasectomy Reversal.

Objectives: To determine if routine pre-vasectomy sperm cryopreservation is more cost-effective than fertility restoration for patients who desire additional children following vasectomy?

Methods: A scoping review was performed to collect published data regarding efficacy and outcomes of cryopreservation, vasectomy reversal, surgical sperm retrieval, and assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Cost data were collected from US-based facilities performing cryopreservation and andrology clinical care. A cost-effectiveness model was generated using TreeAge Pro cost-effectiveness modeling software with three different variations representing a balanced scenario with median expected parameter values, a scenario with assumptions/variables favoring pre-vasectomy cryopreservation, and a scenario favoring fertility restoration.

Artificial Intelligence for Clinical Management of Male Infertility, a Scoping Review.

Purpose Of Review: Infertility impacts one in six couples worldwide, with male infertility contributing to approximately half of these cases. However, the causes of infertility remain incompletely understood, and current methods of clinical management are cost-restrictive, time-intensive, and have limited success. Artificial intelligence (AI) may help address some of these challenges.

The magnetocardiogram.

The magnetic field produced by the heart's electrical activity is called the magnetocardiogram (MCG). The first 20 years of MCG research established most of the concepts, instrumentation, and computational algorithms in the field. Additional insights into fundamental mechanisms of biomagnetism were gained by studying isolated hearts or even isolated pieces of cardiac tissue.

The relationship between hematologic malignancies on male hypogonadism: a scoping review.

Introduction: The associated symptoms of hypogonadism have been reported in patients with various types of cancer. However, the prevalence and significance of hypogonadism among certain hematologic malignancies have not been completely summarized in recent literature.

Objective: In this review we aimed to examine the current literature on hypogonadism in patients with hematologic malignancies, with emphasis on leukemias, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma (MM).

Depth-Dependent Strain Model (1D) for Anisotropic Fibrils in Articular Cartilage.

The mechanical response of articular cartilage (AC) under compression is anisotropic and depth-dependent. AC is osmotically active, and its intrinsic osmotic swelling pressure is balanced by its collagen fibril network. This mechanism requires the collagen fibers to be under a state of tensile pre-strain.

Utilization of Re-VASC, the Novel Retroperitoneal Neovascularity Scoring System, for Characterization of T1a Small Renal Masses.

Early characterization of small (T1a, <4 cm) renal masses is imperative for patient care and treatment planning. Renal biopsy is a sensitive and specific procedure that can accurately differentiate small renal masses as malignant or benign. However, it is an invasive procedure with a nonnegligible complication rate and is not performed routinely at most institutions.

Sperm DNA fragmentation testing in clinical management of reproductive medicine.

Background: Approximately 8%-12% of couples worldwide face infertility, with infertility of individuals assigned male at birth (AMAB) contributing to at least 50% of cases. Conventional semen analysis commonly used to detect sperm abnormalities is insufficient, as 30% of AMAB patients experiencing infertility show normal results in this test. From a genetic perspective, the assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is important as a parameter of sperm quality.

Targeting Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor that regulates the cellular response to hypoxia and is upregulated in all types of solid tumor, leading to tumor angiogenesis, growth, and resistance to therapy. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascular tumor, as well as a hypoxic tumor, due to the liver being a relatively hypoxic environment compared to other organs. Trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and trans-arterial embolization (TAE) are locoregional therapies that are part of the treatment guidelines for HCC but can also exacerbate hypoxia in tumors, as seen with HIF-1α upregulation post-hepatic embolization.

Revenue and Cost Analysis of a System Utilizing Natural Language Processing and a Nurse Coordinator for Radiology Follow-up Recommendations.

Radiology reports often contain recommendations for follow-up imaging, Provider adherence to these radiology recommendations can be incomplete, which may result in patient harm, lost revenue, or litigation. This study sought to perform a revenue assessment of a hybrid natural language processing (NLP) and human follow-up system. Reports generated from January 2020 to April 2021 that were indexed as overdue from follow-up recommendations by mPower Follow-Up Recommendation Algorithm (Nuance Communications Inc.

Biomagnetism: The First Sixty Years.

Biomagnetism is the measurement of the weak magnetic fields produced by nerves and muscle. The magnetic field of the heart-the magnetocardiogram (MCG)-is the largest biomagnetic signal generated by the body and was the first measured. Magnetic fields have been detected from isolated tissue, such as a peripheral nerve or cardiac muscle, and these studies have provided insights into the fundamental properties of biomagnetism.

The Electric Field Induced by a Microcoil During Magnetic Stimulation.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to calculate the electric field produced by an implanted microcoil during magnetic stimulation of the brain.

Methods: The electric field of a microcoil was calculated numerically.

Results: The maximum value of the induced electric field is approximately 0.

Can MRI Be Used as a Sensor to Record Neural Activity?

Magnetic resonance provides exquisite anatomical images and functional MRI monitors physiological activity by recording blood oxygenation. This review attempts to answer the following question: Can MRI be used as a sensor to directly record neural behavior? It considers MRI sensing of electrical activity in the heart and in peripheral nerves before turning to the central topic: recording of brain activity. The primary hypothesis is that bioelectric current produced by a nerve or muscle creates a magnetic field that influences the magnetic resonance signal, although other mechanisms for detection are also considered.

Association of Congenital and Acquired Cardiovascular Conditions With COVID-19 Severity Among Pediatric Patients in the US.

Importance: Identifying the associations between severe COVID-19 and individual cardiovascular conditions in pediatric patients may inform treatment.

Objective: To assess the association between previous or preexisting cardiovascular conditions and severity of COVID-19 in pediatric patients.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from a large, multicenter, electronic health records database in the US.

Bidomain modeling of electrical and mechanical properties of cardiac tissue.

Throughout the history of cardiac research, there has been a clear need to establish mathematical models to complement experimental studies. In an effort to create a more complete picture of cardiac phenomena, the bidomain model was established in the late 1970s to better understand pacing and defibrillation in the heart. This mathematical model has seen ongoing use in cardiac research, offering mechanistic insight that could not be obtained from experimental pursuits.

Mechanical bidomain model of cardiac muscle with unequal anisotropy ratios.

The properties of cardiac muscle are anisotropic, and the degree of anisotropy may be different in the intracellular and extracellular spaces. In the electrical bidomain model, such "unequal anisotropy ratios" of the conductivity lead to unanticipated behavior. In the mechanical bidomain model, unequal anisotropy ratios of the mechanical moduli might also result in unanticipated behavior.

The mechanical bidomain model of cardiac muscle with curving fibers.

In the heart, cardiac muscle fibers curve creating zones of membrane forces resulting in regions of mechanotransduction. This study uses the finite difference method to solve the mechanical bidomain equations numerically for a complex fiber geometry. The magnitude of the active tension T is constant but its direction makes an angle with the x-axis that varies with position.