Alterations in left atrial and left ventricular coupling in mixed aortic valve disease.

Aims: To characterize left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) function and atrioventricular (AV) coupling in patients with moderate mixed aortic valve disease (MMAVD) against those with isolated moderate or severe aortic valve disease and controls.

Methods And Results: Retrospective LA and LV peak longitudinal strain (LS) analysis were performed on 260 patients [46 MMAVD, 81 moderate aortic stenosis (AS), 50 severe AS, 48 moderate aortic regurgitation (AR), and 35 severe AR] and 66 controls. Peak LV and LA LS and AV coupling, assessed by combined peak LA and LV strain, was compared between the groups.

Considerations when asking about "disability" in disability inclusive research.

Purpose: There are several ways to include "disability" in research studies, which can be confusing or overwhelming for researchers, community members, and students. The aim of this paper is to share conceptualizations of disability and how to ask about "disability" in research studies. The paper provides a general introduction and brief analysis of the methodological approaches which can be used.

QTc Interval Prolongation Is Independently Associated with FGF23 and Predicts Mortality in Predialysis Chronic Kidney Disease.

Introduction: QTc interval prolongation is increasingly frequent as chronic kidney disease (CKD) advances and predicts death in dialysis. However, predictors and mortality risk in predialysis CKD are understudied. FGF23 induces left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) which is associated with QTc interval prolongation and death, suggesting a possible pathway from FGF23 to death that entails LVH and QTc prolongation.

Smartphone-assisted fluorescence-based detection of sunrise-type smart amplification process and a 3D-printed ultraviolet light-emitting diode device for the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Accurate and rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases plays a key role in clinical practice, especially in resource-limited countries. In this study, we integrated sunrise-type smart amplification process (s-SmartAmp), a convenient and sensitive isothermal amplification method for nucleic acid, into a portable 3D-printed device equipped with smartphone-assisted image analysis capabilities to develop a novel fluorescence-based sensing system for the on-site diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). To increase the efficiency of fluorescence (or Förster) resonance energy transfer, two types of sunrise probe systems were compared to detect the IS6110 DNA sequence of TB.

Quantitative lateral flow immunoassay for rapid detection of procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide in the monitoring of osteoporosis treatment.

Appropriate follow-up after treatment initiation in patients with osteoporosis is challenging. Serum biomarkers may offer more efficient monitoring of bone mineral density (BMD) than the currently used dual X-ray absorptiometry; however, significant changes in BMD often occur over at least 12 months. During teriparatide treatment for osteoporosis, monitoring with markers such as procollagen type I propeptide (PINP), which is derived from osteoblasts, can provide clinically useful information for disease management.

Gray matter volume drives the brain age gap in schizophrenia: a SHAP study.

Neuroimaging-based brain age is a biomarker that is generated by machine learning (ML) predictions. The brain age gap (BAG) is typically defined as the difference between the predicted brain age and chronological age. Studies have consistently reported a positive BAG in individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ).

Quantitative lateral flow immunoassay for rapid detection and monitoring of cerebrospinal fluid leakage following incidental durotomy.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage due to incidental durotomy is an inherent complication of spine surgery. With appropriate treatment, complications of CSF leakage, such as headache and even meningitis, can be reduced. CSF leakage could be detected on the basis of correlated clinical symptoms; diagnosis should be based on these symptoms and appropriate imaging studies.

Assessment of Pericardial Disease with Cardiovascular MRI.

Disorders of the pericardium are common and can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Advances in multimodality imaging have enhanced our ability to diagnose and stage pericardial disease and improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. Cardiovascular MRI (CMR) can be used to define pericardial anatomy, identify the presence and extent of active pericardial inflammation, and assess the hemodynamic consequences of pericardial disease.

The "MAC" Attack: When Mitral Annular Calcification Goes Rogue! A Case Series of Mobile Mitral Annular Calcifications.

• CAT is a rare non-neoplastic tumor which may be associated with mobile MAC. • Mobile component carries a high risk of embolization demonstrated in our case series. • Calcified thrombus and CAT may be on a spectrum ranging from acute to chronic.

Development of a multiplex and sensitive lateral flow immunoassay for the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection.

The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains a challenge. However, recent studies showed that synovial fluid biomarkers have demonstrated greater diagnostic accuracy than the currently used PJI diagnostic tests. In many diagnostic tests, combining several biomarkers into panels is critical for improving diagnostic efficiency, enhancing the diagnostic precision for specific diseases, and reducing cost.

Development a stacking pad design for enhancing the sensitivity of lateral flow immunoassay.

Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) have wide application in point-of-care testing, particularly in resource-poor settings. To achieve signal amplification in a gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow assay without an additional procedure or the need for complex fabrication, a new and simple method was developed for using a "stacking pad" configuration that adds an additional membrane between the conjugation pad and test pad to the conventional AuNP-based LFIA format. This design helps to accumulate the antibody and antigen on the stacking pad, hence extending the antigen/antibody binding interactions to enhance the test's detection sensitivity.

Pericardial Involvement with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma: A Rare Case of Constrictive Pericarditis.

• CLL/SLL can involve the pericardium and may present as constrictive pericarditis. • Echocardiography and cardiac MRI can aid in diagnosing constrictive pericarditis. • Radical pericardiectomy is a treatment option for malignant pericardial involvement.

Massive Left Atrial Thrombi during Dabigatran Therapy for Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation.

• Massive LA thrombus is rare in the absence of anticoagulation and mitral stenosis. • Direct-acting oral anticoagulants are widely used in nonvalvular AF. • Inadequate dosing of direct-acting anticoagulants may be difficult to recognize.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Implantation in Degenerated Bioprosthetic Valves.

The use of bioprosthetic valves for mitral valve disease has been increasingly popular with both patients and physicians, and current practice uses these valves for increasingly younger patients. However, these valves are known to degenerate over time. Historically, reoperation was the only recourse for a failing bioprosthetic valve.

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome and Vasovagal Syncope: A Hidden Case of Obstructive Cardiomyopathy without Severe Septal Hypertrophy.

A 36-year-old female with symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and syncope was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope on a tilt table test and with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) after a repeat tilt table test. However, an echocardiogram at our institution revealed obstructive cardiomyopathy without severe septal hypertrophy, with a striking increase in left ventricular outflow tract gradient from 7 mmHg at rest to 75 mmHg during Valsalva, with a septal thickness of only 1.3 cm.

The unresolved problem of beta-2 microglobulin amyloid deposits in the intervertebral discs of long-term dialysis patients.

Background: Dialysis-related destructive spondyloarthropathy caused by beta-2 microglobulin (β2M) amyloid deposits in intervertebral discs is a major burden for patients undergoing long-term dialysis. This study aimed to quantify the presence of β2M amyloid deposits in the intervertebral disc tissue of such patients and analyze whether there was a significant correlation between β2M accumulation and the duration of dialysis.

Methods: Two groups of patients who had undergone surgery for degenerative spinal pathologies were selected: the dialysis group (n = 29) with long-term dialysis and the control group (n = 10) with no renal impairment.

Thoracic aortic aneurysms: state of the art and current controversies.

Complications of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA), including aortic rupture and dissection, are often catastrophic and prophylactic intervention can be lifesaving. Controversies exist regarding the standardization of aortic imaging techniques, the best metric for assessing aortic risk and the optimal threshold for intervention. Areas covered: This review summarizes recent temporal trends in TAA disease, provides an overview of the role of multi-modality imaging in diagnosis of the disease, and reviews controversies around surgical thresholds for intervention and medical therapies in the management of TAA disease.

Pericardial Effusions: Causes, Diagnosis, and Management.

The presentation of a patient with a pericardial effusion can range from an incidental finding to a life-threatening emergency. Accordingly, the causes of pericardial effusions are numerous and can generally be divided into inflammatory and non-inflammatory etiologies. For all patients with a suspected pericardial effusion, echocardiography is essential to define the location and size of an effusion.

Effects of Strontium Ranelate on Spinal Interbody Fusion Surgery in an Osteoporotic Rat Model.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that afflicts millions of people around the world, and a variety of spinal integrity issues, such as degenerative spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis, are frequently concomitant with osteoporosis and are sometimes treated with spinal interbody fusion surgery. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of strontium ranelate (SrR) treatment of osteoporosis in improving bone strength, promoting bone remodeling, and reducing the risk of fractures, but its effects on interbody fusion surgery have not been adequately investigated. SrR-treated rats subjected to interbody fusion surgery exhibited significantly higher lumbar vertebral bone mineral density after 12 weeks of treatment than rats subjected to the same surgery but not treated with SrR.