Quantification of valvular regurgitation by transthoracic 3D high pulse repetition frequency Doppler echocardiography.

Aims: To improve quantification of valvular regurgitation, a 3D high-pulse repetition frequency Doppler (3D HPRFD) method was developed for regurgitant volume (RVol) estimation from transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Although successfully applied and in selected clinical cases, a systematic clinical validation of 3D HPRFD has not been published. Hence, our aims were to investigate (i) feasibility of 3D HPRFD and (ii) correlation between 3D HPRFD and RVol estimates obtained by the 2D proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with either aortic regurgitation (AR) or mitral regurgitation (MR).

Nutritional Strategies To Improve VRE Control.

The rise of Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) strains among cellular therapy recipients raises concerns due to increased morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization costs, particularly impacting transplanted patients with diminished survival expectations. Recent research linking lactose to Enterococcus growth and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) emphasizes the need for data on reducing lactose in the diets of VRE-carrying patients, especially in cellular therapy contexts like CAR-T or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Responding to elevated VRE positivity rates in rectal swabs among patients in our BMT Unit, a unique nutritional strategy was implemented, introducing lactose-free milk and strictly enforcing lactose-free diets.

Measurement of Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Diffusivity of Porcine and Bovine Kidney Tissues at Supraphysiological Temperatures up to 93 °C.

This experimental study aimed to characterize the thermal properties of ex vivo porcine and bovine kidney tissues in steady-state heat transfer conditions in a wider thermal interval (23.2-92.8 °C) compared to previous investigations limited to 45 °C.

Effect of bubble size on ultrasound backscatter from bubble clouds in the context of gas kick detection in boreholes.

Early detection of gas influx in boreholes while drilling is of significant interest to drilling operators. Several studies suggest a good correlation between ultrasound backscatter/attenuation and gas volume fraction (GVF) in drilling muds, and thereby propose methods for quantification of GVF in boreholes. However, the aforementioned studies neglect the influence of bubble size, which can vary significantly over time.

Finite Element Approach for the Simulation of Modern MRAM Devices.

Because of their nonvolatile nature and simple structure, the interest in MRAM devices has been steadily growing in recent years. Reliable simulation tools, capable of handling complex geometries composed of multiple materials, provide valuable help in improving the design of MRAM cells. In this work, we describe a solver based on the finite element implementation of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation coupled to the spin and charge drift-diffusion formalism.

Spin and charge drift-diffusion in ultra-scaled MRAM cells.

Designing advanced single-digit shape-anisotropy MRAM cells requires an accurate evaluation of spin currents and torques in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with elongated free and reference layers. For this purpose, we extended the analysis approach successfully used in nanoscale metallic spin valves to MTJs by introducing proper boundary conditions for the spin currents at the tunnel barrier interfaces, and by employing a conductivity locally dependent on the angle between the magnetization vectors for the charge current. The experimentally measured voltage and angle dependencies of the torques acting on the free layer are thereby accurately reproduced.

Quantifying Valve Regurgitation Using 3-D Doppler Ultrasound Images and Deep Learning.

Accurate quantification of cardiac valve regurgitation jets is fundamental for guiding treatment. Cardiac ultrasound is the preferred diagnostic tool, but current methods for measuring the regurgitant volume (RVol) are limited by low accuracy and high interobserver variability. Following recent research, quantitative estimators of orifice size and RVol based on high frame rate 3-D ultrasound have been proposed, but measurement accuracy is limited by the wide point spread function (PSF) relative to the orifice size.

A side-by-side comparison of the performance and time-and-motion data of VITEK MS.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry systems are designed for rapid and reliable microbial identification. VITEK MS PRIME is the bioMérieux's new generation instrument equipped with a continuous load-and-go sample loading system, urgent slide prioritization for critical patient samples and new internal components for faster identification. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of VITEK MS PRIME and to compare it to that of the VITEK MS system.

Validation of a novel ultrasound Doppler monitoring device (earlybird) for measurements of volume flow rate in arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis.

Background: Controversy exists regarding surveillance of arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis to increase patency. A significant reduction in volume flow rate (VFR) should lead to diagnostic evaluation and eventually intervention. Several methods are available for VFR measurements, but all of them are associated with low reproducibility.

Optimization of a Spin-Orbit Torque Switching Scheme Based on Micromagnetic Simulations and Reinforcement Learning.

Spin-orbit torque memory is a suitable candidate for next generation nonvolatile magnetoresistive random access memory. It combines high-speed operation with excellent endurance, being particularly promising for application in caches. In this work, a two-current pulse magnetic field-free spin-orbit torque switching scheme is combined with reinforcement learning in order to determine current pulse parameters leading to the fastest magnetization switching for the scheme.

Data-Adaptive 2-D Tracking Doppler for High-Resolution Spectral Estimation.

Spectral broadening in pulsed-wave Doppler caused by the transit-time effect deteriorates the frequency resolution and may cause overestimation of maximum velocities in high-velocity blood flow regions and for large beam-to-flow angles. Data-adaptive spectral estimators have been shown to provide improved frequency resolution, especially for small ensemble lengths, but offer little or no improvement when the transit-time effect dominates. In this work, a method is presented that combines a data-adaptive spectral estimation method, the power spectral Capon, and 2-D tracking Doppler to enable improved frequency resolution for both high and low velocities.

Therapeutic effects of topical 0.03% Tacrolimus ointment in children with refractory vernal keratoconjunctivitis in Middle East.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to review the efficacy and safety profile in children treated with topical 0.03% Tacrolimus ointment for vernal keratoconjunctivitis in Middle East and to propose a treatment posology. According to recent studies, a complex non-IgE dependent mechanism plays a relevant role in the pathogenesis of vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Combining Automatic Angle Correction and 3-D Tracking Doppler for the Assessment of Aortic Stenosis Severity.

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is a narrowing of the aortic valve opening, which causes increased load on the left ventricle. Untreated, this condition can eventually lead to heart failure and death. According to current recommendations, an accurate diagnosis of AS mandates the use of multiple acoustic windows to determine the highest velocity.

Correction to: Acute epididymo-orchitis due to Salmonella Typhi in a young man from Bangladesh.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. Arnaldo Caruso was not listed among the authors.

Acute epididymo-orchitis due to Salmonella Typhi in a young man from Bangladesh.

S. typhi infection rarely involves the genitourinary system. We report the first described case of acute epididymo-orchitis due to S.

Lymphomagenic properties of a HIV p17 variant derived from a splenic marginal zone lymphoma occurred in a HIV-infected patient.

Despite antiretroviral therapy, HIV+ individuals still have increased risk to develop lymphomas, including marginal zone lymphomas, suggesting that factors other than HIV-related immunosuppression are probably acting as lymphomagenic factors in the HIV setting. The possible pathogenic involvement of HIV p17 protein variants was investigated in a particularly informative case of HIV-related splenic marginal zone lymphoma, which was negative for oncogenic virus infections, thus allowing us to assess the possible direct contribution of these HIV-encoded proteins to lymphomagenesis. The presence of p17 protein was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in lymphoma tissue.