Microvascular Dysfunction in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Quantitative Stress Perfusion Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study.

Objectives: This study sought to quantify myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and examine the relationship between myocardial perfusion and adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling.

Background: Although regarded as a nonischemic condition, DCM has been associated with microvascular dysfunction, which is postulated to play a role in its pathogenesis. However, the relationship of the resulting perfusion abnormalities to myocardial fibrosis and the degree of LV remodeling is unclear.

Lysine demethylase 3a in craniofacial and neural development during Xenopus embryogenesis.

Epigenetic modifier lysine demethylase 3a (Kdm3a) specifically demethylates mono‑ and di‑methylated ninth lysine of histone 3 and belongs to the Jumonji domain‑containing group of demethylases. Kdm3a serves roles during various biological and pathophysiological processes, including spermatogenesis and metabolism, determination of sex, androgen receptor‑mediated transcription and embryonic carcinoma cell differentiation. In the present study, physiological functions of Kdm3a were evaluated during embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis.

Physiological effects of KDM5C on neural crest migration and eye formation during vertebrate development.

Background: Lysine-specific histone demethylase 5C (KDM5C) belongs to the jumonji family of demethylases and is specific for the di- and tri-demethylation of lysine 4 residues on histone 3 (H3K4 me2/3). KDM5C is expressed in the brain and skeletal muscles of humans and is associated with various biologically significant processes. KDM5C is known to be associated with X-linked mental retardation and is also involved in the development of cancer.

Simultaneous multi slice (SMS) balanced steady state free precession first-pass myocardial perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance with iterative reconstruction at 1.5 T.

Background: Simultaneous-Multi-Slice (SMS) perfusion imaging has the potential to acquire multiple slices, increasing myocardial coverage without sacrificing in-plane spatial resolution. To maximise signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), SMS can be combined with a balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) readout. Furthermore, application of gradient-controlled local Larmor adjustment (GC-LOLA) can ensure robustness against off-resonance artifacts and SNR loss can be mitigated by applying iterative reconstruction with spatial and temporal regularisation.

Importance of operator training and rest perfusion on the diagnostic accuracy of stress perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Background: Clinical evaluation of stress perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is currently based on visual assessment and has shown high diagnostic accuracy in previous clinical trials, when performed by expert readers or core laboratories. However, these results may not be generalizable to clinical practice, particularly when less experienced readers are concerned. Other factors, such as the level of training, the extent of ischemia, and image quality could affect the diagnostic accuracy.

Prefabrication of a large pedicled bone graft by engineering the germ for de novo vascularization and osteoinduction.

Large and complex bone defects represent challenging clinical scenarios, typically requiring autologous vascularized bone transplants. In order to bypass the numerous associated limitations, here we aimed at ectopically prefabricating a bone graft surrogate with vascular pedicle. A hollow cylinder of devitalized cancellous bone was used to define the space of a large bone substitute.

Absence of Myocardial Fibrosis Predicts Favorable Long-Term Survival in New-Onset Heart Failure.

Background: Myocardial fibrosis, identified by late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance, predicts outcomes in chronic heart failure (HF). Its prognostic significance in new-onset HF and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is unclear. We investigated whether the pattern and extent of fibrosis predict survival in new-onset HF and reduced LVEF of initially uncertain pathogenesis.

Correction to: 3D SASHA myocardial T1 mapping with high accuracy and improved precision.

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Quantitative assessment of myocardial scar heterogeneity using cardiovascular magnetic resonance texture analysis to risk stratify patients post-myocardial infarction.

Aim: To determine whether heterogeneity of cardiac scar, as assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) texture analysis, may provide insight into better risk stratification for patients with previous myocardial infarction (MI).

Materials And Methods: Patients with previous MI (n=76) were followed for a median of 371.5 days after late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR.

Effect of cellular polyanion mimetics on tau peptide aggregation.

Tau protein aggregation is believed to be one of the key drivers of Alzheimer's disease. The two hexapeptide amino acid sequences VQIVYK and VQIINK of the tau protein are responsible for aggregation, and subsequent functional loss leading to Alzheimer's progression. Hence, it is important to understand the factors that promote the self-aggregation of this tau peptide fragments.

Preventive effect of artemisinin extract against cholestasis induced via lithocholic acid exposure.

Obstructive cholestasis characterized by biliary pressure increase leading to leakage of bile back that causes liver injury. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of artemisinin in obstructive cholestasis in mice. The present study was carried out on 40 adult healthy mice that were divided into 4 groups, 10 mice each; the negative control group didn't receive any medication.

Peroxiredoxin5 Controls Vertebrate Ciliogenesis by Modulating Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species.

Aims: Peroxiredoxin5 (Prdx5), a thioredoxin peroxidase, is an antioxidant enzyme that is widely studied for its antioxidant properties and protective roles in neurological and cardiovascular disorders. This study is aimed at investigating the functional significance of Prdx5 in mitochondria and at analyzing its roles in ciliogenesis during the process of vertebrate development.

Results: We found that several Prdx genes were strongly expressed in multiciliated cells in developing Xenopus embryos, and their peroxidatic functions were crucial for normal cilia development.

3D SASHA myocardial T1 mapping with high accuracy and improved precision.

Purpose: To improve the precision of a free-breathing 3D saturation-recovery-based myocardial T1 mapping sequence using a post-processing 3D denoising technique.

Methods: A T1 phantom and 15 healthy subjects were scanned on a 1.5 T MRI scanner using 3D saturation-recovery single-shot acquisition (SASHA) for myocardial T1 mapping.

S100P enhances the motility and invasion of human trophoblast cell lines.

S100P has been shown to be a marker for carcinogenesis where its expression in solid tumours correlates with metastasis and a poor patient prognosis. This protein's role in any physiological process is, however, unknown. Here we first show that S100P is expressed both in trophoblasts in vivo as well as in some corresponding cell lines in culture.

Five-minute whole-heart coronary MRA with sub-millimeter isotropic resolution, 100% respiratory scan efficiency, and 3D-PROST reconstruction.

Purpose: To enable whole-heart 3D coronary magnetic resonance angiography (CMRA) with isotropic sub-millimeter resolution in a clinically feasible scan time by combining respiratory motion correction with highly accelerated variable density sampling in concert with a novel 3D patch-based undersampled reconstruction (3D-PROST).

Methods: An undersampled variable density spiral-like Cartesian trajectory was combined with 2D image-based navigators to achieve 100% respiratory efficiency and predictable scan time. 3D-PROST reconstruction integrates structural information from 3D patch neighborhoods through sparse representation, thereby exploiting the redundancy of the 3D anatomy of the coronary arteries in an efficient low-rank formulation.

Postnatal breastfeeding education at one week after childbirth: What are the effects?

Background: The first week after childbirth is a crucial period for exclusive breastfeeding initiation.

Objective: This study aims to determine the association of postnatal breastfeeding education with knowledge, attitude, and exclusive breastfeeding practice at six months after childbirth among women who delivered at two district hospitals in the northeast part of Peninsular Malaysia.

Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study design.

Hybrid positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance of the heart: current state of the art and future applications.

Hybrid positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance (PET-MR) imaging is a novel imaging modality with emerging applications for cardiovascular disease. PET-MR aims to combine the high-spatial resolution morphological and functional assessment afforded by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the ability of positron emission tomography (PET) for quantification of metabolism, perfusion, and inflammation. The fusion of these two modalities into a single imaging platform not only represents an opportunity to acquire complementary information from a single scan, but also allows motion correction for PET with reduction in ionising radiation.

Meta-analysis of surgical strategies in perforated left colonic diverticulitis with generalized peritonitis.

Purpose: Surgical strategies for perforated diverticulitis (Hinchey stages III and IV) remain controversial. This systematic review aimed to compare the outcome of primary anastomosis, Hartmann procedure and laparoscopic lavage.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted through Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register and Health Technology Assessment Database to identify randomized and non-randomized controlled trials involving patients with perforated left-sided colonic diverticulitis comparing different surgical strategies.

KDM1A microenvironment, its oncogenic potential, and therapeutic significance.

The lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (KDM1A) was the first demethylase to challenge the concept of the irreversible nature of methylation marks. KDM1A, containing a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent amine oxidase domain, demethylates histone 3 lysine 4 and histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K4me1/2 and H3K9me1/2). It has emerged as an epigenetic developmental regulator and was shown to be involved in carcinogenesis.

Prioritizing and modelling of putative drug target proteins of Candida albicans by systems biology approach.

Candida albicans (Candida albicans) is one of the major sources of nosocomial infections in humans which may prove fatal in 30% of cases. The hospital acquired infection is very difficult to treat affectively due to the presence of drug resistant pathogenic strains, therefore there is a need to find alternative drug targets to cure this infection. In silico and computational level frame work was used to prioritize and establish antifungal drug targets of Candida albicans.

Pharmaceuticals residues in selected tropical surface water bodies from Selangor (Malaysia): Occurrence and potential risk assessments.

This study investigated the occurrence of nine pharmaceuticals (amoxicillin, caffeine, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, dexamethasone, diclofenac, nitrofurazone, sulfamethoxazole, and triclosan) and to evaluate potential risks (human health and ecotoxicological) in Lui, Gombak and Selangor (Malaysia) rivers using commercial competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit assays. Physicochemical properties of these rivers showed the surface samples belong to Class II of Malaysian National Water Quality Standards which requires conventional treatment before consumption. All the pharmaceuticals were detected in all three rivers except for triclosan, dexamethasone and diclofenac which were not detected in few of sampling locations in these three rivers.

The potential effects of Ocimum basilicum on health: a review of pharmacological and toxicological studies.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L., OB) is a plant world widely used as a spice and a typical ingredient of the healthy Mediterranean diet. In traditional medicine, OB is indicated for many maladies and conditions; OB-containing nutritional supplements are increasingly sold.

Extracellular enzymes and adhesive properties of medically important Candida spp. strains from landfill leachate.

The virulence properties of Candida spp. presents in landfill leachate still unknown until today and they constitutes a serious source of potential danger for humans. We investigate the antifungal susceptibility, production of hydrolytic enzymes and biofilm formation on polystyrene as well as glass in Candida spp.

The Emerging Role of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Evaluation of Patients with HFpEF.

Purpose Of Review: To give an update on the emerging role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This is important as the diagnosis of HFpEF remains challenging and cardiac imaging is pivotal in establishing the function of the heart and whether there is evidence of structural heart disease or diastolic dysfunction. Echocardiography is widely available, although the gold standard in quantifying heart function is cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

Understanding Dieting and Previous Weight Loss Attempts among Overweight and Obese Participants: Insights into My Body Is Fit and Fabulous at Work Program.

Background: A qualitative study providing an in-depth exploration of people's view and the increasing burden of overweight and obesity is required. This study aimed to explore the understanding of dieting and previous experiences on weight loss attempts among overweight and obese government employees in Kelantan, Malaysia, prior to recruitment into the intervention program.

Methods: Thirteen focus group discussions involving 129 participants from a weight-loss intervention program were conducted within the first 1 month of recruitment.