A Novel Method for Angiographic Contrast-Based Diagnosis of Stenosis in Coronary Artery Disease: In Vivo and In Vitro Analyses.

Background: The existing diagnostic methods for coronary artery disease (CAD), such as coronary angiography and fractional flow reserve (FFR), have limitations regarding their invasiveness, cost, and discomfort. We explored a novel diagnostic approach, coronary contrast intensity analysis (CCIA), and conducted a comparative analysis between it and FFR.

Methods: We used an in vitro coronary-circulation-mimicking system with nine stenosis models representing various stenosis lengths (6, 18, and 30 mm) and degrees (30%, 50%, and 70%).

Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Hip Flexibility and Pain in Taekwondo Participants: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: In sports, hip flexibility is essential to reduce injuries and improve performance.

Aim: This study aimed to examine the effects of auricular acupressure on hip flexibility and pain in Taekwondo participants.

Method: This randomized controlled trial was performed in the Republic of Korea from January 2021 to August 2021.

Reply to Marino et al. Choroidal Thickness Measurements in the Case of Diabetic Macular Edema. Comment on "Amjad et al. Choroidal Thickness in Different Patterns of Diabetic Macular Edema. 2022, , 6169".

We are pleased to see that Marino et al. have written a Comment: "Choroidal Thickness Measurements in the Case of Diabetic Macular Edema" [..

Axial shear rate: A hemorheological factor for erythrocyte aggregation under Womersley flow in an elastic vessel based on numerical simulation.

Erythrocyte aggregation (EA) is a highly dynamic, vital phenomenon to interpreting human hemorheology, which would be helpful for the diagnosis and prediction of circulatory anomalies. Previous studies of EA on erythrocyte migration and the Fåhraeus Effect are based on the microvasculature. They have not considered the natural pulsatility of the blood flow or large vessels and mainly focused on shear rate along radial direction under steady flow to comprehend the dynamic properties of EA.

Choroidal Thickness in Different Patterns of Diabetic Macular Edema.

This observational study investigated the changes in choroidal thickness (ChT) in different patterns of diabetic macular edema (DME) based on image processing using enhanced-depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (EDI-SD-OCT). Participants with ocular conditions affecting the fundus view, including retinal diseases, were excluded. After observing the patient's medical record, multicolor fundus photos, thickness maps, and subtypes of DME were diagnosed according to the criteria reported by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS).

Numerical simulation of spatiotemporal red blood cell aggregation under sinusoidal pulsatile flow.

Previous studies on red blood cell (RBC) aggregation have elucidated the inverse relationship between shear rate and RBC aggregation under Poiseuille flow. However, the local parabolic rouleaux pattern in the arterial flow observed in ultrasonic imaging cannot be explained by shear rate alone. A quantitative approach is required to analyze the spatiotemporal variation in arterial pulsatile flow and the resulting RBC aggregation.

Depletion-model-based numerical simulation of the kinetics of red blood cell aggregation under sinusoidal pulsatile flow.

Background: Previous numerical modeling studies on red blood cell (RBC) aggregation have elucidated the inverse relationship between shear rate and RBC aggregation under steady flow. However, information on the cyclic variation in RBC aggregation under pulsatile flow remains lacking.

Objective: RBC aggregation was simulated to investigate the complex interrelationships among the parameters of RBC motion under pulsatile flow.