Magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) is a viable alternative to liver biopsy for steatosis quantification in living liver donor transplantation.

This study aimed to investigate whether magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) can be a viable noninvasive alternative to liver biopsy for the quantification of living liver donor steatosis. Hepatic steatosis for 143 donors was graded by MRI-PDFF. Study endpoints included liver volume regeneration in donors, recipient outcomes including length of hospital stay, deaths, primary non-function (PNF), early allograft dysfunction (EAD), and small for size syndrome (SFSS).

Non-invasive diagnosis: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are becoming the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide, significantly impacting public health and healthcare cost. The development of fibrosis is the main factor leading to early mortality and morbidity in NAFLD and ALD. Thus, it is important to timely and reliably evaluate these diseases at early stages, when fibrosis is not advanced or when steatosis predominates.

Analysis of dermatologic procedures billed independently by nonphysician practitioners in the United States.

Background: Nonphysician practitioners (NPPS), including nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are expanding their scope of practice outside of primary care and performing more procedures in dermatology.

Objective: To understand the scope and geographic pattern of practice by NPs and PAs in dermatology in the United States.

Methods: Cross-sectional retrospective cohort analysis of dermatology practices in the 2014 Medicare Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary master file, which reflects Part B carrier and durable medical equipment fee-for-service claims in the United States.

Current state of imaging in dermatology.

Medical imaging has dramatically transformed the practice of medicine, especially the field of dermatology. Imaging is used to facilitate the transfer of information between providers, document cutaneous disease, assess response to therapy, and plays a crucial role in monitoring and diagnosing skin cancer. Advancements in imaging technology and overall improved quality of imaging have augmented the utility of photography.

Porphyrin FRET acceptors for apoptosis induction and monitoring.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) stands to benefit from improved approaches to real-time treatment monitoring. One method is to use activatable photosensitizers that can both induce cell death (via singlet oxygen) and monitor it (via caspase detection). Here, we report porphyrins as caspase-responsive Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) acceptors to organic fluorophore donors.

Porphyrin-cross-linked hydrogel for fluorescence-guided monitoring and surgical resection.

We demonstrate that porphyrins can be used as efficient cross-linkers to generate a new class of hydrogels with enabling optical properties. Tetracarboxylic acid porphyrins reacted with PEG diamines to form a condensation polyamide in a range of appropriate conditions, with respect to reaction time, diisopropylethylamine initiator concentration, porphyrin-to-PEG ratio, porphyrin concentration, and PEG size. The network structure of the hydrogel maintained a porphyrin spacing that prevented excessive fluorescence self-quenching despite high porphyrin density.