Revitalizing pancreas transplantation: creation of a hands-on training course for pancreas allograft procurement, backbench preparation, and transplantation.

Despite a steady increase in the number of organs available for transplant in the United States, over the last two decades there has been a precipitous decrease in the annual number of pancreas transplants performed. One overlooked consequence of this decline in pancreas transplant volume has been a decrease in experience in proper pancreas procurement and transplantation techniques for transplant surgeons as well as fewer trained abdominal transplant fellows entering the workforce certified for pancreas procurement and transplantation, with those achieving certification having less-developed judgment, skills, and experience. To augment current fellowship training and provide a concentrated experience in pancreas procurement and transplantation, the ASTS developed a hands-on surgical skills workshop focused on proper techniques for pancreas allograft procurement and backbench preparation.

Embracing Remote Academic Radiologists.

Over the past two years at our large academic center, we successfully developed a formal remote academic radiologist division - composed of permanent fully remote radiologists across multiple subspecialties, living geographically distant from our institution. In this article, we share our experience implementing a remote radiologist division, review the benefits and challenges of this approach, discuss expectations of academic remote radiologists as clinicians, educators, and scholars, and provide tips for success.

The good, the bad, the ugly - PPE and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The astounding efforts made by all parties to provide dental care during the COVID pandemic. The benefits and impact of the provision of billions of items of free PPE. Some concerns over counterfeit PPE and procurement activity.

A rapid, specific, extraction-less, and cost-effective RT-LAMP test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical specimens.

In 2019 a newly identified coronavirus, designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly from the epicenter in Wuhan (China) to more than 150 countries around the world, causing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, we describe an extraction-less method based on reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) intended for the rapid qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory specimens, including oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabs, anterior nasal and mid-turbinate nasal swabs, nasopharyngeal washes/aspirates or nasal aspirates as well as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from individuals suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider. The assay's performance was evaluated and compared to an RT quantitative PCR-based assay (FDA-approved).

Cardiac MRI of Hereditary Cardiomyopathy.

Hereditary cardiomyopathy comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases of the cardiac muscle that are characterized by the presence of genetic mutations. Cardiac MRI is central to evaluation of patients with cardiomyopathy owing to its ability to allow evaluation of many different tissue properties in a single examination. For example, cine MRI is the standard of care for assessment of myocardial structure and function.

Decoding the English standard operating procedures for dentists and the dental industry.

The recently published Standard operating procedure: transition to recovery for the resumption of dental treatment in England may prove to be not only the blueprint for the resumption of face-to-face treatments, but also a possible catalyst for change. Seemingly, the raison d'être of the new standard operating procedures is not just to outline the detailed procedures for kick-starting dentistry, but also to support practices through transition and the shift towards a preventative and minimally invasive clinical approach that meets the current clinical challenges, and possibly then goes beyond. Detailed guidance is also provided throughout the document, including the provision and type of required personal protective equipment and clinical guidelines.

What will be the new normal for the dental industry?

The COVID-19 situation has seen the cessation of all non-urgent dental care in the UK. Regular practice activity has come to a virtual standstill and the dental industry has seen a very significant reduction in its provision of products and services. There are differing government financial mitigations in place across dental practices for NHS and, to an extent private, activity, as well as for the dental industry.

Soil carbon storage in mangroves is primarily controlled by soil properties: A study at Dongzhai Bay, China.

Coastal wetlands are well known for their considerable capacity to store carbon (C). However, the spatial patterns and major controls of soil C concentration and C density in coastal wetlands remain poorly known. We measured soil total C concentration up to one meter depth and assessed environmental and biological factors influencing soil C input and decomposition processes across various geomorphologic settings and mangrove forest types at Dongzhai Bay, China.

Intubation Barotrauma and/or CPR Causing Tension Pneumoperitoneum.

Background: Review the radiologic findings and clinical significance of tension pneumoperitoneum.

Case Report: Imaging case presented to radiology during patient's prolonged and complicated hospital stay.

Conclusions: Tension pneumoperitoneum associated with barotrauma is a rare, but potentially life threatening complication of mechanical ventilation.

Counterfeit and Non-Compliant Dental Devices: The Dangers and How to Mitigate Them.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is dealing with a growing number of counterfeit and non-compliant dental devices and instruments for sale to dental practices in the UK. This paper examines the extent of the issue, the dangers posed by the use of counterfeit and non-compliant products, discusses initiatives to address the problem and how the dental team can identify these products and mitigate the associated risks. Clinical relevance: To ensure that all members of the dental team are aware of the dangers posed by counterfeit and non-compliant dental devices and instruments and how to mitigate such risks.

Ultrasonographic Diagnosis of Intrauterine Fetal Decapitation Secondary to Amniotic Band Sequence: A Case Report.

Background: Amniotic band sequence (ABS) is a rare disorder that can result in a wide spectrum of congenital craniofacial, limb, trunk, and viscera deformities. One of the more rare manifestations of ABS is intrauterine fetal decapitation.

Case Report: This case report presents the ultrasonographic diagnosis of first-trimester intrauterine fetal demise resulting from decapitation secondary to amniotic band sequence.

Measurement of hemoglobin oxygen saturation using Raman microspectroscopy and 532-nm excitation.

The resonant Raman enhancement of hemoglobin (Hb) in the Q band region allows simultaneous identification of oxy- and deoxy-Hb. The heme vibrational bands are well known at 532 nm, but the technique has never been used to determine microvascular Hb oxygen saturation (So(2)) in vivo. We implemented a system for in vivo noninvasive measurements of So(2).

Comparison of a new hemostatic agent to current combat hemostatic agents in a Swine model of lethal extremity arterial hemorrhage.

Background: Gaining hemostatic control of lethal vascular injuries sustained in combat using topical agents remains a challenge. Recent animal testing using a lethal arterial injury model has demonstrated that QuikClot zeolite granules (QCG) and the HemCon chitosan bandage (HC) are not capable of providing hemostasis and improving survival over the Army gauze field bandage (AFB). We have developed a new hemostatic agent consisting of a granular combination of a smectite mineral and a polymer (WoundStat) capable of producing hemostasis in the face of high-pressure arterial bleeding.