Cardiac MRI Evaluation of Determinants and Prognostic Implications of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Aortic Regurgitation.

Purpose To investigate the determinants and effect of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in aortic regurgitation (AR) using cardiac MRI. Materials and Methods This study included patients with moderate or severe AR who were enrolled in the DEBAKEY-CMR registry between January 2009 and June 2020. Patients with previous valve intervention, cardiomyopathy deemed unrelated to AR, severe aortic stenosis, and other confounders were excluded.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of second generation guanidinium-rich transporters toward cell-selective penetration.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) hold significant promise for intracellular delivery of various cargo molecules such as therapeutics. However, the lack of selectivity remains a critical challenge and limits the clinical application of CPPs. Using an automated peptide synthesizer, we generated a diversity-oriented library of 256 peptidomimetics containing four modified peptoid guanidine-bearing monomers incorporated alternatively with four α-amino acids.

Evaluation of meniscal injury on magnetic resonance imaging and knee arthroscopy in patient with anterior cruciate ligament tear.

Introduction: Meniscal injuries often occur in association with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Failure to detect meniscal tears in patients with ACL injuries can lead to more complex tears and make them more difficult to repair.

Objective: To determine the degree of correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and knee arthroscopy in diagnosing meniscal injuries in patients with ACL tears.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy and safety of azelastine hydrochloride in children with perennial allergic rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects up to 40% of the pediatric population. The US practice parameter recommends the use of INAH or INCS as first-line therapy for the treatment of AR. Although not directly targeted to children, the recent US Practice Parameters proposed intranasal antihistamines as first-line therapy whereas the ARIA guidelines did not.

Material-independent film formation and autonomous degradation of Cu-tetrahydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone metal-organic complexes.

Metal-organic complexes (MOCs) have extensively been studied as prominent components in interface engineering. Once the designated missions of MOC films are achieved, or while they are still operational, it is preferred that the films undergo degradation on demand in certain circumstances. Current research on MOC-film degradation predominantly relies on chemical treatment, which can alter the states and conditions of specific systems.

Outcomes of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Liver Transplantation Utilizing Extended Criteria Donor Grafts.

Background: The deceased donor shortage in the United States has led to increased utilization extended criteria donor (ECD) liver grafts. Centers often utilize ECD grafts in patients with low Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, like patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, few studies have directly examined the outcomes of using ECD grafts in patients with HCC.

Opioid use in thoracic surgery: a retrospective study on postoperative complications.

Background: Opioids are important medications that are used to control postoperative pain. The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program has reduced opioid use after surgery. In a surgical practice with a robust ERAS program, we wanted to determine if there was a relationship between in-hospital opioid use and postoperative complications.

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Chronic Aortic Regurgitation: Comparison With Cardiac Magnetic Resonance and Implications for Guideline Recommendations.

Background: Guidelines for echocardiographic evaluation of aortic regurgitation (AR) have not been validated against an independent quantitative standard.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the ASE (American Society of Echocardiography) AR guidelines against cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and to develop simplified approaches for detection of significant AR.

Methods: Patients with AR underwent echocardiography and CMR <4 hours apart.

Functional Response of Four Phytoseiid Mites to Eggs and First-Instar Larvae of Western Flower Thrips, .

The predation capacity and functional responses of adult females of the phytoseiid mites (Muma), (Corpuz and Rimando), (Corpuz and Rimando), and (Athias-Henriot) were studied on eggs and first instars of the western flower thrips, (Pergande), in the laboratory at 25 °C and 30 °C. At both temperatures, the functional response of all four phytoseiid mites was type II to first instars of the thrips. In contrast, when offered thrips eggs, the functional response was type III.

Head-to-Head Comparison Between F-FDG PET and Leukocyte Scintigraphy to Monitor Treatment Responses in Necrotizing Otitis Externa.

Background: Necrotizing otitis externa (NOE) is a rare disease associated with high morbidity and mortality, and there is currently no available accurate biomarker to assess treatment responses. The aim of the current study was to evaluate and directly compare the diagnostic performances of 18-Fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (F-FDG PET) and labeled leukocyte scintigraphy (LS) to monitor treatment responses in NOE.

Methods: Consecutive patients with NOE who underwent F-FDG PET at the end of antibiotic therapy and planar as well as single photon emission computed tomography-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy after completing the initial antibiotic treatment were retrospectively included.

Implications of myocardial strain in primary mitral regurgitation-a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study.

Aims: Chronic primary mitral regurgitation (MR) results in progressive left ventricular (LV) remodelling. Abnormal myocardial deformation (strain) can be present despite preserved ejection fraction (EF). Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature-tracking techniques allow assessment of global longitudinal strain (GLS) from routine cine images.

The Impact of Kidney/Pancreas Transplantation on Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Introduction: It is unclear whether kidney/pancreas (KP) transplantation will prevent the progression of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with insulin dependent diabetes (IDDM) and end-stage renal disease. We sought to determine the pre- and posttransplant prevalence of symptomatic PAD and changes in carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in KP recipients.

Methods: In this single center study, outcomes were compared between KP recipients with and without a history of PAD.

Development of an anti-tauopathy mucosal vaccine specifically targeting pathologic conformers.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies are associated with pathological tau protein aggregation, which plays an important role in neurofibrillary degeneration and dementia. Targeted immunotherapy to eliminate pathological tau aggregates is known to improve cognitive deficits in AD animal models. The tau repeat domain (TauRD) plays a pivotal role in tau-microtubule interactions and is critically involved in the aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins.

Association of secondary mitral regurgitation and right ventricular dysfunction among patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: The association between secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in heart failure patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) is unclear. Hence, our objective was to study the association between secondary MR and the occurrence of RV dysfunction among patients with NICM using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

Methods And Results: Patients with NICM were enrolled in a prospective observational registry between 2008 and 2019.

Life table parameters of Amblyseius largoensis, Amblyseius swirskii and Proprioseiopsis lenis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) fed on eggs and larvae of Frankliniella occidentalis.

The immature development and reproduction of the predatory mites Amblyseius largoensis (Muma), Proprioseiopsis lenis (Corpuz and Rimando), and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were investigated using both thrips eggs and first instars of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, as prey in a controlled laboratory environment at 25 °C and 60% relative humidity. When provided with thrips eggs as food, A. largoensis exhibited a notably shorter immature development period for both males (7.

Biphasic water-oil systems for functional augmentation of probiotic nanoencapsulated in luteolin-Fe shells.

Single-cell nanoencapsulation (SCNE) has great potential in the enhancement of therapeutic effects of probiotic microbes. However, the material scope has been limited to water-soluble compounds to avoid non-biocompatible organic solvents that are harmful to living cells. In this work, the SCNE of probiotic with water-insoluble luteolin and Fe ions is achieved by the vortex-assisted, biphasic water-oil system.