Cardiomyocyte myofilament function in common animal models of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Human cardiomyocytes from very obese patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have markedly depressed calcium-activated tension and increased resting stiffness. To test if either are recapitulated by obese-HFpEF animal models, tension‑calcium and tension-sarcomere length relations were measured in myocytes from mice on a high fat diet (HFD) with L-NAME, ZSF1 rats, and Göttingen minipigs on HFD + DOCA (MP). Only MP myocytes displayed reduced Ca-activated tension, and none exhibited increased resting stiffness versus respective controls.

Preliminary protocol for measuring the reproducibility and accuracy of flow values on digital PET/CT systems in [O]HO myocardial perfusion imaging using a flow phantom.

Background: Several factors may decrease the accuracy of quantitative PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). It is therefore essential to ensure that myocardial blood flow (MBF) values are reproducible and accurate, and to design systematic protocols to achieve this. Until now, no systematic phantom protocols have been available to assess the technical factors affecting measurement accuracy and reproducibility in MPI.

Is the excretory phase necessary to identify upper tract urothelial neoplasms at CT urography? A 10-year population-based study.

Purpose: To assess the proportion of upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC) that are evident without the excretory phase at CT urography (CTU), and the proportion of potentially avoidable radiation.

Methods: UTUCs diagnosed between January 2008-December 2017 were retrospectively identified from a population-based cancer registry. For each patient, US, non-urographic CT, and MRI exams were assessed for a primary mass and secondary imaging findings (hydronephrosis, urinary tract thickening, luminal distention, fat stranding, and lymphadenopathy/metastatic disease).

Resection of colorectal carcinoma liver metastases: A population-based study in outcomes and factors associated with recurrent disease.

Objective: To assess the hepatic disease-free survival (HDFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients who underwent resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) in our population, and evaluate what factors are associated with these outcomes.

Methods: Patients with resected non-mucinous CRCLM between January 2013-February 2020 were retrospectively identified. Dates of diagnosis, surgery, and, if applicable, death were recorded.

A 17-month longitudinal surface sampling study carried out on public transport vehicles operating in England during the COVID-19 pandemic identified low levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA contamination.

Aims: To monitor severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA contamination in vehicles operating in England during the pandemic, to better understand transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 on public transport.

Methods And Results: We collected 1314 surface samples between December 2020 and April 2022 on trains and buses managed by five different transport operators. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was investigated through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

The Trochlear Paradox in Native Knees and Its Potential Impact on Total Knee Arthroplasty: An MRI-Based Correlation Study Investigating the Effect of Varying Posterior Femoral Condyle Angles on the Patellofemoral Joint.

Background: Since the beginning of total knee arthroplasty, implant alignment has been a central point of discussion. As diverse as the discussed alignment theories are, as uniform is the implant design, which is supposed to be based on the "average knee." Steady upgrades in prosthesis design and modern alignment theories have achieved improvements.

Revisiting the role of HR in the age of AI: bringing humans and machines closer together in the workplace.

The functions of human resource management (HRM) have changed radically in the past 20 years due to market and technological forces, becoming more cross-functional and data-driven. In the age of AI, the role of HRM professionals in organizations continues to evolve. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many HRM functions and practices throughout organizations creating system and process efficiencies, performing advanced data analysis, and contributing to the value creation process of the organization.

Clinical effects of different center of rotation reconstructions in total hip arthroplasty after femoral neck fractures: a cohort study including a follow-up analysis on patient's mobility and daily living ability.

Background: The aim of this study is a clinical evaluation of the center of rotation (COR) placement towards a patient's recovery with respect to daily living ability and mobility. In past experiments based on three-dimensional (3D) models, medialization of the COR in total hip arthroplasty (THA) showed a negative influence on muscle strength of the abductors and reaction force of the hip joint. This contradicts paradigms, where reduced hip loading forces are claimed to increase functional outcomes.

Deltoid Muscle Tension Alterations Post Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: An Investigation Using Shear Wave Elastography.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the utility of shear wave elastography (SWE) in assessing changes in deltoid muscle properties following reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA).

Methods: Our cohort consisted of 18 patients who underwent RSA due to various conditions, including osteoarthritis, cuff arthropathy, and irreducible proximal humeral fractures. Pre- and postoperative muscle elasticity and stiffness were measured using SWE and were compared with functional outcomes and radiological parameters.

Determination of the Terbium-152 half-life from mass-separated samples from CERN-ISOLDE and assessment of the radionuclide purity.

Terbium-152 is one of four terbium radioisotopes that together form a potential theranostic toolbox for the personalised treatment of tumours. As  Tb decay by positron emission it can be utilised for diagnostics by positron emission tomography. For use in radiopharmaceuticals and for activity measurements by an activity calibrator a high radionuclide purity of the material and an accurate and precise knowledge of the half-life is required.

Quantitative validation of Monte Carlo SPECT simulation: application to a Mediso AnyScan GATE simulation.

Background: Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are used in nuclear medicine imaging as they provide unparalleled insight into processes that are not directly experimentally measurable, such as scatter and attenuation in an acquisition. Whilst MC is often used to provide a 'ground-truth', this is only the case if the simulation is fully validated against experimental data. This work presents a quantitative validation for a MC simulation of a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system.

Brain PET and SPECT imaging and quantification: a survey of the current status in the UK.

Objectives: With disease-modifying therapies in development for neurological disorders, quantitative brain imaging techniques become increasingly relevant for objective early diagnosis and assessment of response to treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of Brain SPECT and PET scans in the UK and explore drivers and barriers to using quantitative analysis through an online survey.

Methods: A web-based survey with 27 questions was used to capture a snapshot of brain imaging in the UK.

A general framework to support cost-efficient fecal egg count methods and study design choices for large-scale STH deworming programs-monitoring of therapeutic drug efficacy as a case study.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) control programs currently lack evidence-based recommendations for cost-efficient survey designs for monitoring and evaluation. Here, we present a framework to provide evidence-based recommendations, using a case study of therapeutic drug efficacy monitoring based on the examination of helminth eggs in stool.

Methods: We performed an in-depth analysis of the operational costs to process one stool sample for three diagnostic methods (Kato-Katz, Mini-FLOTAC and FECPAKG2).

Right Ventricular Sarcomere Contractile Depression and the Role of Thick Filament Activation in Human Heart Failure With Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) contractile dysfunction commonly occurs and worsens outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and pulmonary hypertension (HFrEF-PH). However, such dysfunction often goes undetected by standard clinical RV indices, raising concerns that they may not reflect aspects of underlying myocyte dysfunction. We thus sought to characterize RV myocyte contractile depression in HFrEF-PH, identify those components reflected by clinical RV indices, and uncover underlying biophysical mechanisms.

Development of Erf-Mediated Craniosynostosis and Pharmacological Amelioration.

ETS2 repressor factor () insufficiency causes craniosynostosis (CRS4) in humans and mice. ERF is an ETS domain transcriptional repressor regulated by Erk1/2 phosphorylation via nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling. Here, we analyze the onset and development of the craniosynostosis phenotype in an Erf-insufficient mouse model and evaluate the potential of the residual Erf activity augmented by pharmacological compounds to ameliorate the disease.

Early surgery? In-house mortality after proximal femoral fractures does not increase for surgery up to 48 h after admission.

Purpose: The economic cost linked to the increasing number of proximal femur fracture and their postoperative care is immense. Mortality rates are high. As early surgery is propagated to lower mortality and reduce complication rates, a 24-h target for surgery is requested.

Triple modality image reconstruction of PET data using SPECT, PET, CT information increases lesion uptake in images of patients treated with radioembolization with [Formula: see text] micro-spheres.

Purpose: Nuclear medicine imaging modalities like computed tomography (CT), single photon emission CT (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are employed in the field of theranostics to estimate and plan the dose delivered to tumors and the surrounding tissues and to monitor the effect of the therapy. However, therapeutic radionuclides often provide poor images, which translate to inaccurate treatment planning and inadequate monitoring images. Multimodality information can be exploited in the reconstruction to enhance image quality.

Right Ventricular Sarcomere Contractile Depression and the Role of Thick Filament Activation in Human Heart Failure with Pulmonary Hypertension.

Rationale: Right ventricular (RV) contractile dysfunction commonly occurs and worsens outcomes in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction and pulmonary hypertension (HFrEF-PH). However, such dysfunction often goes undetected by standard clinical RV indices, raising concerns that they may not reflect aspects of underlying myocyte dysfunction.

Objective: To determine components of myocyte contractile depression in HFrEF-PH, identify those reflected by clinical RV indices, and elucidate their underlying biophysical mechanisms.

Concomitant fractures in patients with proximal femoral fractures lead to a prolonged hospital stay but not to increased complication rates or in-house mortality if treated surgically: a matched pair analysis.

Background: Impact of concomitant fractures on patients sustaining a proximal femur fracture remains unclear. Rising numbers and patient need for rehab is an important issue. The objective of our study was to investigate the impact of concomitant fractures, including all types of fractures, when treated operatively, for proximal femur fractures on the length of hospital stay, in-house mortality and complication rate.

Impact of a 5-Year Mass Drug Administration Programme for Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases on the Spatial Distribution of Childhood Anaemia in Burundi from 2007 to 2011.

Background: Childhood anaemia affects 1.8 billion people globally. Little is known about the long-term impact of mass drug administration (MDA) for the control of soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) on the spatiotemporal variation of anaemia prevalence and severity.

Half-life determination of Tb from mass-separated samples produced at CERN-MEDICIS.

Terbium-155 has been identified for its potential for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in nuclear medicine. For activity measurements, an accurate and precise half-life of this radionuclide is required. However, the currently evaluated half-life of 5.

Anticoagulants and fracture morphology have a significant influence on total blood loss after proximal femur fractures.

Introduction: Blood loss after proximal femoral fractures is an important risk factor for postoperative outcome and recovery. The purpose of our study was to investigate the total blood loss depending on fracture type and additional risks, such as anticoagulant use, to be able to recognize vulnerable patients depending on planned surgery and underlying comorbidities.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective single center study including 1478 patients treated operatively for a proximal femoral fracture between January 2016 and June 2020 at a level I trauma center.