Surface Rendering of Cross-Sectional Imaging and Medical Illustration for Perinatal Planning in Conjoined Twins.

Introduction: Surface rendering of diagnostic imaging data can reveal hidden conditions with an almost life-like realism. However, early gestation images alone are often insufficient to accurately predict postnatal anatomy. Yet, time-sensitive decisions may have to be made before detailed imaging becomes possible.

Degradation of antipyrine in water with activated persulfate aided with biochar of olive pomace.

The degradation of antipyrine (AP) in water has been studied using persulfate activated with biochar obtained from gasification of olive pomace (BC) combined with ferric salts in the presence of UV-A radiation. Firstly, the adsorption of AP on biochar was evaluated. The data were adjusted using various kinetic models verifying that AP adsorption on BC occurs in three stages and follows pseudo-second order kinetics.

Pupil reflex as a marker of activity and prognosis in heart failure: a longitudinal and prospective study.

Aims: Compensatory mechanisms in heart failure (HF) are triggered to maintain adequate cardiac output. Among them, hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is one of the main ones and carries a worse prognosis. The pupillary reflex depends on the SNS, and we can evaluate it through pupillometry.

Fluid Flow Analysis of Neonatal Dual-Lumen Cannulas for Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Hemolysis persists as a common and serious problem for neonatal patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Since the cannula within the ECMO circuit is associated with hemolysis-inducing shear stresses, real-world internal fluid flow measurements are urgently needed to understand the mechanism and confirm computational estimates. This study appears to be the first experimental study of fluid flow inside commercial ECMO dual-lumen cannulas (DLCs) and first particle image velocimetry (PIV) visualization inside a complicated medical device.

STREI: a new index of right heart function in isolated severe tricuspid regurgitation by speckle-tracking echocardiography.

Aims: Right ventricular (RV) performance determines clinical management in severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Right atrial (RA) function complements RV assessment in TR. This study aimed to design a novel index by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STREI index) integrating RA and RV strain information and to evaluate the clinical utility of combining RV and RA strain for prediction of cardiovascular (CV) outcomes.

Neonatal venoarterial and venovenous ECMO.

ECMO remains an important support tool in the treatment of neonates with reversible congenital cardiopulmonary diseases. There are specific circumstances that call for either venoarterial (VA) or venovenous (VV) ECMO in neonates. While limited by the infant's the size and gestational age, ECMO can confer exceptional survival rates to a number of neonates who can often develop without devastating complications.

Insights into the adsorption of CO generated from synthetic urban wastewater treatment on olive pomace biochar.

In this investigation, a sustainable and low-cost method to capture CO generated from the treatment of urban wastewater was evaluated. We studied the adsorption of CO on olive pomace biochar. The experiments of degradation of synthetic wastewater mimicking effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with an initial Total Organic Carbon (TOC) concentration of 10 mg L were conducted by using the UV-C/HO process in the absence or presence of biochar.

Clinical utility and prognostic value of right atrial function in severe tricuspid regurgitation: one more piece of the puzzle.

Aims: The optimal management of severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) remains controversial. While right ventricular systolic function is an established prognostic marker of outcomes, the potential role of right atrial (RA) function is unknown. This study aimed to describe RA function by 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in at least severe TR and to evaluate its potential association with cardiovascular outcomes.

The 4A classification for patients with tricuspid regurgitation.

Introduction And Objectives: Significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Clinical evaluation of TR patients is challenging. Our aim was to establish a new clinical classification specific for patients with TR, the 4A classification, and evaluate its prognostic performance.

Prognostic Impact of Right Ventricular Strain in Isolated Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) systolic function is an established marker of outcomes in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Timely detection of RV dysfunction using conventional two-dimensional echocardiography is challenging. RV strain has emerged as an accurate and sensitive tool for the evaluation of RV function, with the capability to detect subclinical RV dysfunction.

Random attention can explain apparent object choice behavior in free-walking blowflies.

Flies are often observed to approach dark objects. To a naive observer they seem to pay selective attention to one out of several objects although previous research identified as a possible underlying mechanism a reflex-like fixation behavior integrating responses to all objects. In a combination of behavioral experiments and computational modelling, we investigated the choice behavior of flies freely walking towards an arrangement of two objects placed at a variable distance from each other.

Preoperative clinical model to predict myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery: a retrospective analysis from the MANAGE cohort in a Spanish hospital.

Objectives: To determine preoperative factors associated to myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) and to develop a prediction model of MINS.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Tertiary hospital in Spain.

Impact of right ventricular systolic function in patients with significant tricuspid regurgitation. A cardiac magnetic resonance study.

Background: Right ventricle (RV) dilatation and dysfunction are established criteria for intervention in severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR); however thresholds to support intervention are lacking. New measures of RV function such as RV shortening (RVS) and effective RV ejection fraction (eRVEF) may be earlier markers of RV dysfunction.

Purpose: to compare the prognostic impact of different parameters of RV function and to describe cut-off values of RV size/function and TR severity of poor prognosis.

Capture of ambient air CO from municipal wastewater mineralization by using an ion-exchange membrane.

The capture of ambient air CO from synthetic urban wastewater mineralization reaction was studied. An ion exchange membrane was used as sorbent, which adsorbs CO when dry and releases it when wet. The UV/HO degradation process was chosen to convert Total Organic Carbon (TOC) to carbon dioxide due to its advantages of convenience and fast kinetics over the conventional biological treatment that is usually used in urban wastewater treatment plants.

Prognostic implications of cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking derived multidirectional strain in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation.

Objective: Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) deformation parameters detect latent LV dysfunction in chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) and are associated with outcomes. The aim of the study was to evaluate cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) feature tracking (FT) deformation parameters in asymptomatic patients with AR and implications in outcomes.

Methods: Fifty-five patients with AR and 54 controls were included.

Quantitative cardiovascular magnetic resonance myocardial perfusion mapping to assess hyperaemic response to adenosine stress.

Aims: Assessment of hyperaemia during adenosine stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) remains a clinical challenge with lack of a gold-standard non-invasive clinical marker to confirm hyperaemic response. This study aimed to validate maximum stress myocardial blood flow (SMBF) measured using quantitative perfusion mapping for assessment of hyperaemic response and compare this to current clinical markers of adenosine stress.

Methods And Results: Two hundred and eighteen subjects underwent adenosine stress CMR.

Procoagulant microparticles are associated with arterial disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Microparticles (MPs) have been associated with inflammatory and thrombotic disease. High levels of MPs have been identified in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and associated with cardiovascular disease. We analyzed the procoagulant activity of MPs and its correlation with arteriosclerosis and arterial thrombosis in SLE patients.

Long-term follow-up of antiphospholipid syndrome: real-life experience from a single center.

Objective: The objective of this paper is to assess the prevalence of the main clinical manifestations and laboratory features at disease onset and during the ensuing 10 years of a large cohort of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) from a single center.

Methods: The study included all consecutive APS patients followed longitudinally in our center from 2003 to 2013. Descriptive statistics for demographics, clinical and laboratory features and mortality were performed.

Right ventricle assessment in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Introduction: Limited data are available regarding the evaluation of right ventricular (RV) performance in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of RV dysfunction in patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI and long-term changes.

Methods: Consecutive patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI from January 2016 to July 2017 were included.

Global longitudinal strain is a hallmark of cardiac damage in mitral regurgitation: the Italian arm of the European Registry of mitral regurgitation (EuMiClip).

Background: The search for reliable cardiac functional parameters is crucial in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). In the Italian arm of the European Registry of MR, we compared the ability of global longitudinal strain (GLS) and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) to detect cardiac damage in MR.

Methods: Five hundred four consecutive patients with MR underwent a complete echo-Doppler exam.

Solar photo-degradation of aniline with rGO/TiO composites and persulfate.

The solar photodegradation of aniline using reduced graphene oxide-based composites (rGO/TiO) and different electron acceptors such as HO and persulfate (PS) has been studied. To this end, an innovative self-sufficient drum reactor (operating with solar irradiation and artificial UV light) has been employed. The role of radicals and the new graphene morphology is evaluated.

Survival and Scoliosis Following Resection of Chest Wall Tumors in Children and Adolescents: A Single-center Retrospective Analysis.

Objective: We reviewed our experience with pediatric chest wall tumors (CWTs) to identify variables associated with survival, scoliosis development, and need for corrective scoliosis surgery.

Background: Chest wall neoplasms in children or adolescents are rare. Consequently, there are few large series that detail survival or quality of life indicators, like scoliosis.