Publications by authors named "Ronald J"
Purpose: To compare costs of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation versus non-IVUS-guided TIPS creation, accounting for differences in procedure time and resource utilization.
Materials And Methods: This single institution retrospective study estimated procedure time and resource utilization from 157 consecutive elective TIPS creation procedures, of which 91 were IVUS-guided and 66 were non-IVUS-guided. Differences in procedure costs were derived using time-driven activity-based costing.
Fluorine-19 (F) MRI has become an established tool for in vivo cell tracking following ex vivo or in vivo labelling of various cell types with F perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Here, we developed and evaluated novel mouse-specific radiofrequency (RF) hardware for improved dual H anatomical imaging and deep tissue F MR detection of PFCs. Three linearly polarized birdcage RF coils were constructed-a dual-frequency H/F coil, and a pair of single-frequency H and F coils, designed to be used sequentially.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPannexin 1 (PANX1) is upregulated in many cancers, where its activity and signalling promote tumorigenic properties. Here, we report a novel ∼25 kDa isoform of human PANX1 (hPANX1-25K) which lacks the N-terminus and was detected in several human cancer cell lines including melanoma, osteosarcoma, breast cancer and glioblastoma multiforme. This isoform was increased upon CRISPR/Cas9 deletion targeting the first exon near M1, suggesting a potential alternative translation initiation (ATI) site.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Cell therapies using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), particularly human adipose-derived stromal cells (hASCs), are gaining attention as potential treatments for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and critical limb ischemia (CLI), focusing on their ability to promote blood vessel growth.
- This study examined the effects of different natural polysaccharide hydrogels, specifically methacrylated glycol chitosan (MGC) and methacrylated hyaluronic acid (MHA), on the survival and pro-angiogenic functions of hASCs when encapsulated within them.
- Results showed that while hASCs maintained high viability in both hydrogels, those in MGC hydrogels secreted more pro-
Article Synopsis
- Plants experience fast developmental changes alongside slower physiological changes, with individual plants transitioning at different rates.
- Single-plant-omics can help identify specific transcriptional events linked to these changes and allow researchers to track a plant's biological age.
- A study on Arabidopsis revealed that while many genes change expression during the transition to reproductive growth, certain genes related to leaf size were identified earlier in the process, highlighting the potential of single-plant-omics to reveal complex developmental dynamics.
Article Synopsis
- * CRISPR base editors, specifically adenine and cytosine base editors, can accurately alter DNA but face challenges with delivery efficiency and safety when using viral vectors.
- * This study introduces non-viral minicircles as a new delivery method for base editors, showing improved gene expression and luminescence signals compared to controls, and sets the stage for future research in cancer models.
Purpose: To determine the degree of renal function deterioration after renal cryoablation in patients with a solitary functioning kidney on the basis of ablation volume.
Materials And Methods: Over a 15-year period, 81 percutaneous cryoablations were performed in solitary functioning kidneys. After exclusion of patients with baseline end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and insufficient follow-up, analysis was performed on 65 procedures in 52 patients (40 men; mean age, 63.
Purpose: To estimate the risk of hepatobiliary infection, including endoTIPSitis, liver abscesses, and cholangitis, after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation in patients with prior biliary intervention.
Materials And Methods: This multi-institution, retrospective study identified 76 patients (n = 48 males; mean age, 54.9 years; mean Model for End-stage Liver Disease [MELD] score, 13.
Article Synopsis
- This study focuses on the development of HER2-targeted chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cells as a potential therapy for ovarian cancer, offering a less complex and more cost-effective alternative to traditional CAR T cell therapies.
- CAR-NK cells were genetically modified to express both a HER2-targeted CAR and a PET reporter gene, allowing for better tracking and imaging of these immune cells after administration.
- Experimental results demonstrated that CAR-NK cells were more effective in killing cancer cells, reducing tumor size and improving survival in mice, while also allowing for successful monitoring through bioluminescence and PET imaging techniques.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term morphologic changes occurring in the liver after TIPS creation with correlation with hepatic function to gain insight on the physiologic impact of TIPS on the liver.
Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent TIPS creation between 2005 and 2022 and had contrasted CT or MRI studies prior to and between 1 and 2 years post procedure. Strict exclusion criteria were applied to avoid confounding.
Article Synopsis
- Cancer remains a serious global health challenge, and theranostics is a promising approach that merges diagnostic tools with personalized treatment strategies.
- The review covers the evolution of theranostics in oncology, discussing key developments over the last decade such as targeted drug delivery and advances in imaging, molecular biology, and nanomedicine.
- It highlights how these innovations improve diagnostic accuracy and enable tailored therapies for patients, while also addressing future challenges and potential advancements in the field.
Objective: Cement volumes are increasingly linked to orthopedic oncology and neurosurgical outcomes (construct durability, adjacent fracture), but manual cement volumetry remains time prohibitive. The authors aim to report performance of PACS-integrated volumetric software specifically for barium-enhanced polymethylmethacrylate cement.
Methods: Institutional review board-approved single-institution retrospective review of patients from 2019-2022 undergoing kyphoplasty for pathological compression fractures with a quantitative cement infuser providing true cement volume.
Rational And Objectives: To increase utilization of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) during ultrasound-guided targeted liver biopsies.
Material And Methods: Two educational training interventions performed to increase use of CEUS. First, 14 radiologists (fellowship-trained in Abdominal Imaging) given didactic teaching and case presentations on the use of CEUS.
Article Synopsis
- Cellular immunotherapy, particularly CAR T cell therapy, has seen advancements in treating cancers, but patient responses vary, and some tumors remain resistant.
- Researchers developed a synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptor to create a blood test that signals intratumoral interactions between engineered immune cells and cancer cells via secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP).
- The new system successfully demonstrated that the presence of CD19 in tumors leads to detectable SEAP levels in the blood, offering a potential method for monitoring immune responses in cancer therapies.
Circadian clocks are endogenous timekeeping mechanisms that coordinate internal physiological responses with the external environment. EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3), PSEUDO RESPONSE REGULATOR (PRR9), and PRR7 are essential components of the plant circadian clock and facilitate entrainment of the clock to internal and external stimuli. Previous studies have highlighted a critical role for ELF3 in repressing the expression of PRR9 and PRR7.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFYttrium-90 Radioembolization of a Large Hepatic Hemangioma.
Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol
January 2024
Purpose: To report efficiency of resin y90 delivery using SIROS via 175 cm TruSelect microcatheter with double-flush protocol (40 ml dextrose total).
Methods: IRB-approved retrospective review of all patients undergoing SIROS injection of y90 Sir-Spheres via TruSelect from 2019 through 2022 at one quaternary-care academic institution, including medical records.
Results: Included were 48 infusions in 25 patients across 11 cancer histologies.
Lumbar Artery Pseudoaneurysm following Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement.
J Vasc Interv Radiol
December 2023
Purpose: To compare the laboratory markers of acute liver injury after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation performed using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance with those using other techniques.
Materials And Methods: This single-center, retrospective study examined 293 TIPS procedures performed between 2014 and 2022 (160 men; mean age, 57.4 years; 71.