Spatial Distribution of Brain PET Tracers by MALDI Imaging.

Evaluating tissue distribution of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracers during their development conventionally involves autoradiography techniques, where radioactive compounds are used for visualization and quantification in tissues during preclinical development stages. Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) offers a potential alternative, providing spatial information without the need for radioactivity with a similar spatial resolution. This study aimed to optimize a MSI sample preparation protocol for assessing PET tracer candidates with a focus on two compounds: UCB-J and UCB2400.

Perceptions of the usefulness of an online simulated clinical examination.

Objectives: This study aims at evaluating the role of Monash Online Simulated Clinical Examination (MONSCE, where students demonstrate their clinical consultation, problem solving and counselling skills in a virtual encounter) in relation to the Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).  The study addresses feasibility and application, student, tutor and Simulated Patient (SP) acceptance and also assessing future role in student assessment.

Methods: Drawing on social constructivism, the study employed a qualitative methodology to explore perspectives of medical students, examiners and SPs across metropolitan Melbourne, rural Victoria and Malaysia.

Cost Effectiveness of Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) as Destination Therapy: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) can extend life and improve quality of life among advanced heart failure patients ineligible for transplantation (destination therapy). High-quality evidence on the cost effectiveness of LVADs compared with optimal medical management is needed to inform policy. This study identifies economic evaluations of LVADs for destination therapy and assesses their methodological quality.

Large-scale genome-wide association analyses identify novel genetic loci and mechanisms in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality with both monogenic and polygenic components. Here, we report results from a large genome-wide association study and multitrait analysis including 5,900 HCM cases, 68,359 controls and 36,083 UK Biobank participants with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. We identified 70 loci (50 novel) associated with HCM and 62 loci (20 novel) associated with relevant left ventricular traits.

Evaluation of polygenic scores for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the general population and across clinical settings.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, with pathogenic variants found in about a third of cases. Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) demonstrate that common genetic variation contributes to HCM risk. Here we derive polygenic scores (PGS) from HCM GWAS and genetically correlated traits and test their performance in the UK Biobank, 100,000 Genomes Project, and clinical cohorts.