Human-in-the-Loop-A Deep Learning Strategy in Combination with a Patient-Specific Gaussian Mixture Model Leads to the Fast Characterization of Volumetric Ground-Glass Opacity and Consolidation in the Computed Tomography Scans of COVID-19 Patients.

The accurate quantification of ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and consolidation volumes has prognostic value in COVID-19 patients. Nevertheless, the accurate manual quantification of the corresponding volumes remains a time-consuming task. Deep learning (DL) has demonstrated good performance in the segmentation of normal lung parenchyma and COVID-19 pneumonia.

Ionizing Radiation-Induced Oxidative Stress in Computed Tomography-Effect of Vitamin C on Prevention of DNA Damage: PREVIR-C Randomized Controlled Trial Study Protocol.

Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) is inevitable in various X-ray imaging examinations, with computed tomography (CT) being a major contributor to increased human radiation exposure. Ionizing radiation may cause structural damage to macromolecules, particularly DNA, mostly through an indirect pathway in diagnostic imaging. The indirect pathway primarily involves the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to water radiolysis induced by IR, leading to DNA damage, including double-strand breaks (DSB), which are highly cytotoxic.

Vitamin C deficiency after kidney transplantation: a cohort and cross-sectional study of the TransplantLines biobank.

Purpose: Vitamin C deficiency is associated with excess mortality in kidney transplant recipients (KTR). We aim to evaluate plasma vitamin C status at different post-transplantation moments and assess the main characteristics associated with vitamin C deficiency in KTR.

Methods: Plasma vitamin C was assessed in 598 KTR at 3-, 6-, 12-, 24-, and 60-months post-transplantation, 374 late KTR with a functioning graft ≥ 1 year, and 395 potential donors.

Phase angle and donor type are determinants of coronary artery calcification in stable kidney transplant recipients at twelve months after transplantation.

Background And Aim: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) partially explains the excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation. This study aimed to investigate determinants of CAC in stable kidney transplant recipients at 12 months post-transplantation.

Methods And Results: CAC-score was quantified by the Agatston method using non-contrast enhanced computed tomography, and age- and sex-standardized CAC-percentiles were calculated.

Pre-Transplant Hyperparathyroidism and Graft or Patient Outcomes After Kidney Transplantation.

The impact of pre-transplant parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels on early or long-term kidney function after kidney transplantation is subject of debate. We assessed whether severe hyperparathyroidism is associated with delayed graft function (DGF), death-censored graft failure (DCGF), or all-cause mortality. In this single-center cohort study, we studied the relationship between PTH and other parameters related to bone and mineral metabolism, including serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) at time of transplantation with the subsequent risk of DGF, DCGF and all-cause mortality using multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses.

Hyaline and Cystic Degeneration of Uterine Leiomyomas: CT and MR Imaging with Histopathological Sample Analyses.

Leiomyomas are the most common solid benign uterine neoplasms; they are usually asymptomatic and are identified incidentally. Yet, responsive to stimulation by estrogens, leiomyomas may expand, potentially outgrowing their blood supply to undergo hemorrhage, fibrosis, calcification, and atrophy. These pathologic mechanisms commonly lead to leiomyomas degeneration, i.

Urinary Copper Excretion Is Associated with Long-Term Graft Failure in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Introduction: In chronic kidney disease, proteinuria increases urinary copper excretion, inducing oxidative tubular damage and worsening kidney function. We investigated whether this phenomenon occurred in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). In addition, we studied the associations of urinary copper excretion with the biomarker of oxidative tubular damage urinary liver-type fatty-acid binding protein (u-LFABP) and death-censored graft failure.

Low selenium intake is associated with risk of all-cause mortality in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Deficiency of the essential trace element selenium is common in kidney transplant recipients (KTR), potentially hampering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defence. Whether this impacts the long-term outcomes of KTR remains unknown. We investigated the association of urinary selenium excretion, a biomarker of selenium intake, with all-cause mortality; and its dietary determinants.

Plasma Copper Concentration Is Associated with Cardiovascular Mortality in Male Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) are at increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. We investigated whether, in KTR, post-transplantation copper status is associated with the risk of cardiovascular mortality and potential effect modification by sex. In this cohort study, plasma copper was measured using mass spectrometry in extensively-phenotyped KTR with a functioning allograft >1-year.

Plasma Thallium Concentration, Kidney Function, Nephrotoxicity and Graft Failure in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

The nephrotoxic effects of heavy metals have gained increasing scientific attention in the past years. Recent studies suggest that heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, and arsenic, are detrimental to kidney transplant recipients (KTR) even at circulating concentrations within the normal range, posing an increased risk for graft failure. Thallium is another highly toxic heavy metal, yet the potential consequences of the circulating thallium concentrations in KTR are unclear.

Plasma Lead Concentration and Risk of Late Kidney Allograft Failure: Findings From the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Studies.

Rationale & Objective: Heavy metals are known to induce kidney damage, and recent studies have linked minor exposures to cadmium and arsenic with increased risk of kidney allograft failure, yet the potential association of lead with late graft failure in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) remains unknown.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study in The Netherlands.

Setting & Participants: We studied outpatient KTRs (n = 670) with a functioning graft for ≥1 year recruited at a university setting (2008-2011) and followed for a median of 4.

Polyphenols and Novel Insights Into Post-kidney Transplant Complications and Cardiovascular Disease: A Narrative Review.

Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage kidney disease. It is, however, not devoid of complications. Delayed graft function related to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) nephrotoxicity, diabetes, and a particularly high-rate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, represent important complications following kidney transplantation.

Low Circulating Concentrations of Very Long Chain Saturated Fatty Acids Are Associated with High Risk of Mortality in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) are at increased risk of mortality, particularly from infectious diseases, due to lifelong immunosuppression. Although very long chain saturated fatty acids (VLSFA) have been identified as crucial for phagocytosis and clearance of infections, their association with mortality in immunocompromised patient groups has not been studied. In this prospective cohort study we included 680 outpatient KTR with a functional graft ≥1 year and 193 healthy controls.

Content-Based Medical Image Retrieval and Intelligent Interactive Visual Browser for Medical Education, Research and Care.

Medical imaging is essential nowadays throughout medical education, research, and care. Accordingly, international efforts have been made to set large-scale image repositories for these purposes. Yet, to date, browsing of large-scale medical image repositories has been troublesome, time-consuming, and generally limited by text search engines.

Exhaled Hydrogen as a Marker of Intestinal Fermentation Is Associated with Diarrhea in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background: Diarrhea is common among kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Exhaled hydrogen (H) is a surrogate marker of small bowel dysbiosis, which may drive diarrhea. We studied the relationship between exhaled H and diarrhea in KTR, and explored potential clinical and dietary determinants.

Novel Combined Antioxidant Strategy against Hypertension, Acute Myocardial Infarction and Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a physiological role in the modulation of several functions of the vascular wall; however, increased ROS have detrimental effects. Hence, oxidative stress has pathophysiological impacts on the control of the vascular tone and cardiac functions. Recent experimental studies reported the involvement of increased ROS in the mechanism of hypertension, as this disorder associates with increased production of pro-oxidants and decreased bioavailability of antioxidants.

Plasma Vitamin C and Risk of Late Graft Failure in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Results of the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Study.

Recent studies have shown that depletion of vitamin C is frequent in outpatient kidney transplant recipients (KTR) and that vitamin C is inversely associated with risk of death. Whether plasma vitamin C is associated with death-censored kidney graft failure remains unknown. We investigated KTR who participated in the TransplantLines Insulin Resistance and Inflammation Biobank and Cohort Study.

Creatine homeostasis and protein energy wasting in hemodialysis patients.

Muscle wasting, low protein intake, hypoalbuminemia, low body mass, and chronic fatigue are prevalent in hemodialysis patients. Impaired creatine status may be an often overlooked, potential contributor to these symptoms. However, little is known about creatine homeostasis in hemodialysis patients.

Introduction of the Grayscale Median for Ultrasound Tissue Characterization of the Transplanted Kidney.

Ultrasound examination is advised for early post-kidney transplant assessment. Grayscale median (GSM) quantification is novel in the kidney transplant field, with no systematic assessment previously reported. In this prospective cohort study, we measured the post-operative GSM in a large cohort of adult kidney transplant recipients (KTR) who consecutively underwent Doppler ultrasound directly after transplantation (within 24 h), compared it with GSM in nontransplanted patients, and investigated its association with baseline and follow-up characteristics.

The Association between Body Composition Measurements and Surgical Complications after Living Kidney Donation.

Obesity is considered a risk factor for peri- and postoperative complications. Little is known about this risk in overweight living kidney donors. The aim of this study was to assess if anthropometric body measures and/or surgical determinants are associated with an increased incidence of peri- and postoperative complications after nephrectomy.

Serum uric acid is associated with increased risk of posttransplantation diabetes in kidney transplant recipients: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Serum uric acid (SUA) is associated with fasting glucose in healthy subjects, and prospective epidemological studies have shown that elevated SUA is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Whether SUA is independently associated with higher risk of posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) remains unknown.

Methods: We performed a longitudinal cohort study of 524 adult KTR with a functioning graft ≥1-year, recruited at a university setting (2008-2011).

Functional vitamin K status and risk of incident chronic kidney disease and microalbuminuria: a prospective general population-based cohort study.

Background: Circulating desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix γ-carboxyglutamate (Gla) protein (dp-ucMGP), a marker of vitamin K status, is associated with renal function and may serve as a potentially modifiable risk factor for incident chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to assess the association between circulating dp-ucMGP and incident CKD.

Methods: We included 3969 participants with a mean age of 52.

Postoperative Ultrasound in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Association Between Intrarenal Resistance Index and Cardiovascular Events.

Unlabelled: Doppler ultrasound, including intrarenal resistance index (RI) measurement, is a widely used modality to assess kidney transplantation (KTx) vascularization. The aim of this study is to gain insight in the associations between early postoperative RI measurements and cardiovascular events (CVEs), all-cause mortality, and death-censored graft survival.

Methods: From 2015 to 2017, a prospective cohort study was conducted in patients in which RI measurement was performed immediately after KTx.