Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients With Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Review.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a viable treatment option for patients with severe aortic stenosis among all risk subsets. As TAVR use becomes more prevalent and patients live longer with their transcatheter valve, an increasing number of these patients can be expected to present with ACS. Overall, there is a paucity of high-quality data detailing incidence, pathophysiology, and management of ACS in this subset.

Platform for precise, personalised glucose forecasting through continuous glucose and physical activity monitoring and deep learning.

Emerging research has demonstrated the advantage of continuous glucose monitoring for use in artificial pancreas and diabetes management in general. Recent studies demonstrate that glucose level forecasting using deep learning can help avoid postprandial hyperglycemia (≥ 180 mg/dL) or hypoglycemia (≤70 mg/dL) from delayed or increased insulin dosing in artificial pancreas. In this paper, a novel hybrid deep learning framework with integration of content-based attention learning is presented, to effectively predict the glucose measurements with prediction horizons (PH) = 15, 30 and, 60 minutes for T1D and T2D patients based on past data.

Continuous Glucose, Insulin and Lifestyle Data Augmentation in Artificial Pancreas Using Adaptive Generative and Discriminative Models.

Artificial pancreas requires data from multiple sources for accurate insulin dose estimation. These include data from continuous glucose sensors, past insulin dosage information, meal quantity and time and physical activity data. The effectiveness of closed-loop diabetes management systems might be hampered by the absence of these data caused by device error or lack of compliance by patients.

Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided versus Angiography-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Stent Thrombosis Elevation Myocardial Infarction: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides intra-procedural guidance in optimizing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in stent implantation. However, current data on the benefit of IVUS during PCI in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients is mixed. We performed meta-analysis pooling available data assessing IVUS-guided versus angiography-guided PCI in STEMI patients.

InsNET: Accurate Basal and Bolus Insulin Dose Prediction for Closed Loop Diabetes Management.

It has been demonstrated that closed-loop diabetes management results in better glycemic control and greater compliance than open-loop diabetes management. Deep learning models have been used to implement different components of artifical pancreas. In this work, a novel deep learning model InsNET has been proposed to estimate the basal and bolus insulin level and insulin bolus in patients with type I diabetes utilizing subcutaneous insulin infusion pumps for closed loop diabetes management system.

Glucose Prediction using Wide-Deep LSTM Network for Accurate Insulin Dosing in Artificial Pancreas.

Closed-loop diabetes management has been shown to indicate improved glycaemic control and better compliance over open loop diabetes management. Currently, commercially available diabetes management devices rely on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors which monitor glucose levels from the interstitial fluid (ISF). As there exists a physiological delay between the blood glucose levels compared to the ISF glucose levels, it is crucial to predict or forecast glucose levels, in order to prevent hyperglycaemic events due to delayed insulin dosing.

A Point-of-Care Device for Fully Automated, Fast and Sensitive Protein Quantification via qPCR.

This paper presents a fully automated point-of-care device for protein quantification using short-DNA aptamers, where no manual sample preparation is needed. The device is based on our novel aptamer-based methodology combined with real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), which we employ for very sensitive protein quantification. DNA amplification through qPCR, sensing and real-time data processing are seamlessly integrated into a point-of-care device equipped with a disposable cartridge for automated sample preparation.

Aesthetic Evaluation Of The Lower Third Of The Face Comparing Cephalometric And Photographic Analysis Considering Nasolabial And Labiomental Angles In Young Adult Pakistani Population.

Background: Although the results derived from orthodontic treatment are focused at attaining an aesthetically pleasing soft tissue profile as directed by Angle's paradigm, however hard tissue including bone and tooth dimensions also play a pivotal role in attaining the set goal. This study was focused on evaluating the comparison of photographs and cephalometric radiographic images to dictate the differences that might occur when the same aesthetic evaluation technique is applied. A cross sectional comparative study was carried out at Frontier college of dentistry, Abbottabad and Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore from June to November 2020.

Left Ventricle Mass Regression After Surgical or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Veterans.

Background: Differences in left ventricular mass regression (LVMR) between transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) have not been studied. We present clinical and echocardiographic data from veterans who underwent TAVR and SAVR, evaluating the degree of LVMR and its association with survival.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed TAVR (n = 194) and SAVR (n = 365) procedures performed in veterans from 2011 to 2019.

Aptasensor for Quantification of Leptin Through PCR Amplification of Short DNA-Aptamers.

Protein quantification is traditionally performed through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which involves long preparation times. To overcome this, new approaches use aptamers as an alternative to antibodies. In this paper, we present a new approach to quantify proteins with short DNA aptamers through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) resulting in shorter protocol times with comparatively improved limits of detection.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Forecast of an Emerging Urgency in Pakistan.

Background/Aims Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global challenge due to little available knowledge and treatment protocols. Thus, there is a great need for collecting data related to COVID-19 from all around the world. Hence, we conducted this study, collecting daily data on COVID-19, to map the epidemiology outbreak and forecast its trajectory for May 2020.

Age-Stratified Sex Disparities in Care and Outcomes in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Women are undertreated and have worse clinical outcomes than men after acute myocardial infarction. It remains uncertain whether the sex disparities in treatments and outcomes persist in the contemporary era and whether they affect all age groups equally.

Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) registry, we evaluated 1,260,200 hospitalizations for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) between 2010 and 2016, of which 32% were for women.

Closed-Loop Implantable Therapeutic Neuromodulation Systems Based on Neurochemical Monitoring.

or intelligent neuromodulation allows adjustable, personalized neuromodulation which usually incorporates the recording of a biomarker, followed by implementation of an algorithm which decides the timing () and strength () of stimulation. Closed-loop neuromodulation has been shown to have greater benefits compared to neuromodulation, particularly for therapeutic applications such as pharmacoresistant epilepsy, movement disorders and potentially for psychological disorders such as depression or drug addiction. However, an important aspect of the technique is selection of an appropriate, preferably neural biomarker.

Relation Between Cardiology Follow-Up Visits, Evidence-Based Statin Prescribing, and Statin Adherence (from the Veterans Affairs Health Care System).

Statin use remains suboptimal in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We assessed whether outpatient care with a cardiology provider is associated with evidence-based statin prescription and statin adherence. We identified patients with ASCVD aged ≥18 years receiving primary care in 130 facilities and associated community-based outpatient clinics in the entire Veterans Affairs Health Care System between October 1, 2013 and September 30, 2014.

A randomized study on a 3-month versus a 7-month prednisolone regimen for the initial episode of childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome at a large Saudi center.

Background And Objectives: The standard International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (ISKDC) regimen of prednisolone of 2 months duration for the treatment of the initial episode of Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome (INS) was associated with a high relapse rate. The long prednisolone protocols were introduced in order to reduce the relapse rate and steroid toxicities. The main objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of a 3 months protocol of prednisolone versus a 7 months protocol for the first episode of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Influence of Cholecystokinin-8 on Compound Nerve Action Potentials from Ventral Gastric Vagus in Rats.

Objective: Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) has shown great promise as a potential therapy for a number of conditions, such as epilepsy, depression and for Neurometabolic Therapies, especially for treating obesity. The objective of this study was to characterize the left ventral subdiaphragmatic gastric trunk of vagus nerve (SubDiaGVN) and to analyze the influence of intravenous injection of gut hormone cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) on compound nerve action potential (CNAP) observed on the same branch, with the aim of understanding the impact of hormones on VNS and incorporating the methods and results into closed loop implant design.

Methods: The cervical region of the left vagus nerve (CerVN) of male Wistar rats was stimulated with electric current and the elicited CNAPs were recorded on the SubDiaGVN under four different conditions: Control (no injection), Saline, CCK1 (100[Formula: see text]pmol/kg) and CCK2 (1000[Formula: see text]pmol/kg) injections.

Injection moulded microneedle sensor for real-time wireless pH monitoring.

This paper describes the development of an array of individually addressable pH sensitive microneedles using injection moulding and their integration within a portable device for real-time wireless recording of pH distributions in biological samples. The fabricated microneedles are subjected to gold patterning followed by electrodeposition of iridium oxide to sensitize them to 0.07 units of pH change.

Extracellular pH monitoring for use in closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation.

Objective: Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has shown potential benefits for obesity treatment; however, current devices lack physiological feedback, which limit their efficacy. Changes in extracellular pH (pH) have shown to be correlated with neural activity, but have traditionally been measured with glass microelectrodes, which limit their in vivo applicability.

Approach: Iridium oxide has previously been shown to be sensitive to fluctuations in pH and is biocompatible.

Experience with second line drugs in frequently relapsing and steroid dependent childhood nephrotic syndrome in a large Saudi center.

Background And Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of second line drugs used at our center in frequently relapsing and steroid dependant (FR/SD) childhood nephrotic syndrome.

Patients And Methods: This was a retrospective study over a period of 3 years (July 2012 to July 2015) on the use of 4 second line drugs in FR/SD nephrotic syndrome in children treated at our center. These drugs were Levamisole, Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF), Cyclophosphamide, and Cyclosporine.

Blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome in a Pakistani pedigree.

Blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is a rare developmental ocular disorder. We report this condition affecting 4 members of a Pakistani family across three generations. A 2-year-old girl was brought to the clinic by her father for the correction of her shortened palpebral fissures.

Optimization of the Ugi reaction using parallel synthesis and automated liquid handling.

The optimization of a Ugi reaction involving the mixing of furfurylamine, benzaldehyde, boc-glycine and t-butylisocyanide is described. Triplicate runs of 48 parallel experiments are reported, varying concentration, solvent and the excess of some of the reagents. The isolation of the product was achieved by a simple filtration and wash procedure.

Gingival fine needle aspiration cytology in acute leukemia.

Background: Oral findings in acute leukemia (AL) are common and could be the presenting feature of the disease, namely, gingival enlargement, ulceration, bleeding, and infection. Gingival enlargement in AL is either due to leukemic infiltration, or due to reactive hyperplasia. To differentiate between them a biopsy is required, but being highly contraindicated, biopsy has been substituted in this study by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).