Optimizing immunofluorescence with high-dynamic-range imaging to enhance PD-L1 expression evaluation for 3D pathology assessment from NSCLC tumor tissue.

Assessing programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression through immunohistochemistry (IHC) is the golden standard in predicting immunotherapy response of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, observation of heterogeneous PD-L1 distribution in tumor space is a challenge using IHC only. Meanwhile, immunofluorescence (IF) could support both planar and three-dimensional (3D) histological analyses by combining tissue optical clearing with confocal microscopy.

A novel computer-assisted tool for 3D imaging of programmed death-ligand 1 expression in immunofluorescence-stained and optically cleared breast cancer specimens.

Background: Programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are the two most common immune checkpoints targeted in triple-negative breast cancer (BC). Refining patient selection for immunotherapy is non-trivial and finding an appropriate digital pathology framework for spatial analysis of theranostic biomarkers for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors remains an unmet clinical need.

Methods: We describe a novel computer-assisted tool for three-dimensional (3D) imaging of PD-L1 expression in immunofluorescence-stained and optically cleared BC specimens (n = 20).

The ensemble of gene regulatory networks at mutation-selection balance.

The evolution of diverse phenotypes both involves and is constrained by molecular interaction networks. When these networks influence patterns of expression, we refer to them as gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Here, we develop a model of GRN evolution analogous to work from quasi-species theory, which is itself essentially the mutation-selection balance model from classical population genetics extended to multiple loci.

Strategies for post-cardiac surgery acute kidney injury prevention: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objects: Cardiac surgery is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the effects of various pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies for AKI prevention have not been thoroughly investigated, and their effectiveness in preventing AKI-related adverse outcomes has not been systematically evaluated.

Methods: Studies from PubMed, Embase, and Medline and registered trials from published through December 2021 that evaluated strategies for preventing post-cardiac surgery AKI were identified.

Prognostic Value of Apical Sparing of Longitudinal Strain in Patients with Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Older patients with aortic stenosis (AS) have a higher incidence of wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA). This study aimed to determine whether apical sparing of longitudinal strain (LS) could help diagnose ATTR-CA and provide useful prognostic information in symptomatic AS.

Methods: We performed vendor-independent two-dimensional speckle-tracking analysis of regional and global left ventricular LS in 16 patients with ATTR-CA and 31 patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to determine the best cutoff value of the apical sparing ratio (APSR) for diagnosing ATTR-CA.

A Family of Fitness Landscapes Modeled through Gene Regulatory Networks.

Fitness landscapes are a powerful metaphor for understanding the evolution of biological systems. These landscapes describe how genotypes are connected to each other through mutation and related through fitness. Empirical studies of fitness landscapes have increasingly revealed conserved topographical features across diverse taxa, e.

Left atrial booster-pump function as a predictive parameter for atrial fibrillation in patients with severely dilated left atrium.

Background: Left atrial (LA) dimension ≥50 mm had approximately four times the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the application of clinical and echocardiographic parameters could differentiate between the patients having severely dilated left atrium with and without AF.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study enrolled consecutive patients with LA dimension ≥50 mm and divided them into three groups: no AF (no-AF), paroxysmal AF (PAF) and non-paroxysmal AF (non-PAF) groups.

Clinical Outcomes of low-voltage area-guided left atrial linear ablation for non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients.

Background: The therapeutic effect of low-voltage area (LVA)-guided left atrial (LA) linear ablation for non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (non-PAF) is uncertain. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of LA linear ablation based on the preexisting LVA and its effects on LA reverse remodeling in non-PAF patients.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 145 consecutive patients who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation for drug-refractory non-PAF.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on long-term outcomes for coronary in-stent restenosis after drug-coated balloon angioplasty.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and coronary instent restenosis (ISR) treated with drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty have been excluded from randomized controlled trials. We aimed to investigate the clinical impact of CKD stratified by severity, on clinical outcomes for patients with ISR treated with DCB angioplasty.

Methods: This cohort study enrolled 1,376 patients treated with DCB angioplasty; 639 CKD patients defined as having an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.

Effect of medications after cardiac surgery on long-term outcomes in patients with cirrhosis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) after cardiac surgery in the liver cirrhosis (LC) patients. We conducted a population-based cohort study using data from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) from 2001 to 2013. The outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and liver and renal outcomes.

Factors Associated with Exercise-Induced Desaturation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Purpose: The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is a useful tool to assess the physiologic function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The recent study showed that patients with COPD with oxygen desaturation during the 6MWT had an increased risk of exacerbation and death compared with those without oxygen desaturation. This study aimed to explore the potential risk factors for exercise-induced desaturation (EID) in patients with COPD.

Effects of National Hospital Accreditation in Acute Coronary Syndrome on In-Hospital Mortality and Clinical Outcomes.

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a life-threatening medical condition that accounts for an annual expenditure of more than $300 billion in the United States. Hospital accreditation has been shown to improve patient and hospital outcomes for various conditions.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the benefits of hospital accreditation in patients with ACS.

Fixed-dose combination of amlodipine and atorvastatin improves clinical outcomes in patients with concomitant hypertension and dyslipidemia.

Hypertension and dyslipidemia are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, the clinical outcomes of fixed-dose combination (FDC) versus free-equivalent combination (FEC) of amlodipine and atorvastatin in the treatment of concurrent hypertension and dyslipidemia remain unknown. In this study, we included patients with newly diagnosed hypertension and dyslipidemia, without previously established cardiovascular disease, and treated with either FDC or FEC of amlodipine and atorvastatin were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan and follow-up for 5 years.

The incidence and survival after in-hospital cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation in end-stage kidney disease patients: A nationwide population-based study.

Background: This study analyzed the survival and protective predictors of in-hospital cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) to potentially help physicians create effective treatment plans for End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients.

Methods: We extracted the data of 7,116 ESKD patients who received their first in-hospital CPCR after initial dialysis between 2004 and 2012 from the National Health Insurance Research Database. The primary outcome was the survival rate during the first in-hospital CPCR.

The effect of human mobility and control measures on the COVID-19 epidemic in China.

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has expanded rapidly throughout China. Major behavioral, clinical, and state interventions are underway currently to mitigate the epidemic and prevent the persistence of the virus in human populations in China and worldwide. It remains unclear how these unprecedented interventions, including travel restrictions, have affected COVID-19 spread in China.

The effect of human mobility and control measures on the COVID-19 epidemic in China.

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak expanded rapidly throughout China. Major behavioral, clinical, and state interventions were undertaken to mitigate the epidemic and prevent the persistence of the virus in human populations in China and worldwide. It remains unclear how these unprecedented interventions, including travel restrictions, affected COVID-19 spread in China.

Comparison of 9-Month Angiographic Follow-Up and Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Biodegradable Polymer Drug-Eluting Stents and Second-Generation Durable Polymer Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients Undergoing Single Coronary Artery Stenting.

Background: The durable polymers (DP) used in first-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) were associated with long-term cardiovascular events, and thus biodegradable polymer DESs (BP-DESs) and second-generation DP-DESs were designed to overcome this problem. In this study, we compared angiographic follow-up and long-term clinical outcomes between patients who received BP-DESs or second-generation DP-DESs.

Methods: We enrolled 436 patients with single coronary lesions who received a second-generation DP-DES or BP-DES between June 2009 and October 2012.

Long-term Outcome of Neurological Complications after Infective Endocarditis.

Severe neurological complications following infective endocarditis remain a major problem with high mortality rate. The long-term neurological consequences following infective endocarditis remain uncertain. Otherwise, neurosurgeries could be performed after these complications; however, few clinical series have reported the results.

Targeted Next Generation Sequencing for Genetic Mutations of Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Approximately one-third of cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are caused by genetic mutations. With new sequencing technologies, numerous variants have been associated with this inherited cardiomyopathy, however the prevalence and genotype-phenotype correlations in different ethnic cohorts remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the variants in Chinese DCM patients and correlate them with clinical presentations and prognosis.

Effect of massive blood transfusion on late outcomes after surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection.

Massive blood transfusion (MBT) increased mortality and morbidity after cardiac surgery. However, a mid-term follow-up study on repair surgery of acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) with MBT was lacking. This study aimed to assess the impact of perioperative MBT on late outcomes of surgical repair for AAAD.

Risk factor analysis of postoperative acute respiratory distress syndrome after type A aortic dissection repair surgery.

To investigate the incidence, outcomes, and risk factors of postoperative acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients undergoing surgical repair for acute type A aortic dissection.This retrospective study involved 270 patients who underwent surgical repair for acute type A aortic dissection between January 2009 and December 2015. Data on clinical characteristics and outcomes were collected.

A circulating miRNA signature for early diagnosis of acute kidney injury following acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and is associated with adverse outcomes. The study aimed to identify a miRNA signature for the early diagnosis of post-AMI AKI.

Methods: A total of 108 patients admitted to a coronary care unit (CCU) were divided into four subgroups: AMIAKI, AMIAKI, AMIAKI, and AMIAKI.

Optimal Number of Heartbeats Required for Representing Left Chamber Volumes and Function in Patients with Rate-Controlled Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: The optimal number of heartbeats required for representing left heart chamber function in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) has not been extensively studied.

Methods: To determine the optimal number, we performed an automated quantification analysis of three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) data sets in 93 patients with AFib for whom 10-20 consecutive one-beat full-volume 3DE data sets were acquired twice. We measured left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and maximal left atrial volume (LAVmax) in each heartbeat; each parameter was averaged using a serial number of heartbeats randomly selected, and these values were compared with the averaged value obtained from the entire set of heartbeats.

Excessive irisin increases oxidative stress and apoptosis in murine heart.

Irisin is an exercise-related myokine. The abundance of irisin is associated with many diseases, such as myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. In cardiomyocytes, irisin modulates the mitochondrial thermogenesis, regulates ischemic responses, and affects calcium signaling.

Complete and incomplete revascularization in non-ST segment myocardial infarction with multivessel disease: long-term outcomes of first- and second-generation drug-eluting stents.

The therapeutic effects of reperfusion strategies with complete revascularization (CR) or incomplete revascularization (IR) in non-ST segment myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients with multivessel disease (MVD) are controversial. In such patients, whether utilization of different generations of drug-eluting stents (DES) for IR or CR affect long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) is unknown. This study included 702 NSTEMI patients with MVD who received first-generation (1G) or second-generation (2G) DES.