Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Volumes and Cerebrovascular Events: A 1-Year Follow-up.

Background And Objectives: Declines in stroke admission, IV thrombolysis (IVT), and mechanical thrombectomy volumes were reported during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a paucity of data on the longer-term effect of the pandemic on stroke volumes over the course of a year and through the second wave of the pandemic. We sought to measure the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volumes of stroke admissions, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), IVT, and mechanical thrombectomy over a 1-year period at the onset of the pandemic (March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021) compared with the immediately preceding year (March 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020).

From Forensics to Clinical Research: Expanding the Variant Calling Pipeline for the Precision ID mtDNA Whole Genome Panel.

Despite a multitude of methods for the sample preparation, sequencing, and data analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the demand for innovation remains, particularly in comparison with nuclear DNA (nDNA) research. The Applied Biosystems™ Precision ID mtDNA Whole Genome Panel (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA) is an innovative library preparation kit suitable for degraded samples and low DNA input. However, its bioinformatic processing occurs in the enterprise Ion Torrent Suite™ Software (TSS), yielding BAM files aligned to an unorthodox version of the revised Cambridge Reference Sequence (rCRS), with a heteroplasmy threshold level of 10%.

Global Impact of COVID-19 on Stroke Care and IV Thrombolysis.

Objective: To measure the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of IV thrombolysis (IVT), IVT transfers, and stroke hospitalizations over 4 months at the height of the pandemic (March 1 to June 30, 2020) compared with 2 control 4-month periods.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study across 6 continents, 70 countries, and 457 stroke centers. Diagnoses were identified by their ICD-10 codes or classifications in stroke databases.

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on liver cancer management (CERO-19).

Background & Aims: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems and it may have heavily impacted patients with liver cancer (LC). Herein, we evaluated whether the schedule of LC screening or procedures has been interrupted or delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: An international survey evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical practice and clinical trials from March 2020 to June 2020, as the first phase of a multicentre, international, and observational project.

Mitochondrial Reversible Changes Determine Diastolic Function Adaptations During Myocardial (Reverse) Remodeling.

Background: Often, pressure overload-induced myocardial remodeling does not undergo complete reverse remodeling after decreasing afterload. Recently, mitochondrial abnormalities and oxidative stress have been successively implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic pressure overload cardiac diseases. Therefore, we aim to clarify the myocardial energetic dysregulation in (reverse) remodeling, mainly focusing on the mitochondria.

B-type natriuretic peptides help in cardioembolic stroke diagnosis: pooled data meta-analysis.

Background And Purpose: Determining the underlying cause of stroke is important to optimize secondary prevention treatment. Increased blood levels of natriuretic peptides (B-type natriuretic peptide/N-terminal pro-BNP [BNP/NT-proBNP]) have been repeatedly associated with cardioembolic stroke. Here, we evaluate their clinical value as pathogenic biomarkers for stroke through a literature systematic review and individual participants' data meta-analysis.

Efficacy of surface treatments on the bond strength of resin cements to two brands of zirconia ceramic.

Purpose: To compare the shear bond strengths (SBS) of two cements to two Y-TZP ceramics subjected to different surface treatments.

Materials And Methods: Zirconia specimens were made from Lava (n = 36) and IPS e.max ZirCAD (n = 36), and their surfaces were treated as follows: no treatment (control), silica coating with 30-µm silica-modified alumina (Al2O3) particles (CoJet Sand), or coating with liners Lava Ceram for Lava and Intensive ZirLiner for IPS e.

Effect of metal primers on bond strength of resin cements to base metals.

Statement Of Problem: A strong and durable bond between a metal framework and a resin-based luting agent is desired. Metal primers have been shown to be very effective on noble alloys. However, there is insufficient information about their effect on base metals.

Seating position, seat belt wearing, and the consequences in facial fractures in car occupants.

Introduction: Trauma caused by traffic accidents is among the main etiologies involved in the occurrence of facial fractures throughout the world. However, the trauma mechanisms involved are different according to the location where the study was performed, due to different conditions of development, legislation, and culture. A retrospective study was done between February 2001 and July 2006, with the purpose of determining the epidemiology and the mechanisms involved in the occurrence of facial fractures among car occupants in the metropolitan area of São Paulo.

Influence of ultrasound, with and without water spray cooling, on removal of posts cemented with resin or zinc phosphate cements.

The efficacy of ultrasound, with and without water spray, was evaluated in vitro on the amount of force necessary to dislodge posts cemented with resin or zinc phosphate. Forty-two samples were divided into six groups: groups 1, 2, and 3, posts cemented with zinc phosphate; groups 4, 5, and 6, posts cemented with resin (Panavia F); groups 1 and 4 (controls), no ultrasound; groups 2 and 5, ultrasound without water spray; and groups 3 and 6, ultrasound with water spray. The Instron testing machine was used.