Non-pharmaceutical interventions and epigenetic aging in adults: Protocol for a scoping review.

Introduction: Aging is the strongest risk factor for most chronic diseases. The rising burden of an aging population and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), contributes to escalating costs for society. Several non-pharmaceutical interventions can lower the risk of NCDs, including common mental disorders (CMDs), and may slow down biological aging, as evidenced by outcome markers such as epigenetic clocks.

Practice of neuromonitoring in open and endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic repair-an international expert-based modified Delphi consensus study.

Objectives: Spinal cord injury is detrimental for patients undergoing open or endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. The aim of this survey and of the modified Delphi consensus was to gather information on current practices and standards in neuroprotection in patients undergoing open and endovascular TAAA.

Methods: The Aortic Association conducted an international online survey on neuromonitoring in open and endovascular TAAA repair.

Arterial Occlusion Effectiveness of Space Blanket‒Improvised Tourniquets for the Remote Setting.

Introduction: Control of severe extremity hemorrhage by tourniquet can save lives. In remote areas or in mass casualty incidents with multiple severely bleeding victims, lack of conventional tourniquets may make it necessary to improvise tourniquets.

Methods: Occlusion of the radial artery and delayed onset of capillary refill time resulting from windlass-type tourniquets were experimentally investigated by comparing a commercial tourniquet and a space blanket‒improvised tourniquet with a carabiner as a rod.

Acute type A aortic dissection in adolescents and young adults under 30 years of age: demographics, aetiology and postoperative outcomes of 139 cases.

Objectives: The prevalence and aetiology of acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) in patients ≤30 years is unknown. The aims of this clinical study were to determine the prevalence and potential aetiology of AADA in surgically treated patients ≤30 years and to evaluate the respective postoperative outcomes in this selective group of patients in a large multicentre study.

Methods: Retrospective data collection was performed at 16 participating international aortic institutions.

Rescue Blankets as Multifunctional Rescue Equipment in Alpine and Wilderness Emergencies-A Narrative Review and Clinical Implications.

The utilization of rescue blankets in pre-hospital emergency medicine exceeds protection from hypothermia and enhanced visibility by far. In this narrative review, we focus on emphasizing the alternative applications of these fascinating multifunctional tools in the pre-hospital setting. A literature search in PubMed and Web of Science yielded 100 results (last update was on 8 July 2022), a total number of 26 of which were included in this narrative review.

Risk of Permanent Pacemaker Implantation Following Bentall Operation.

Conduction disorders following cardiac surgery are common complications with incidences of permanent pacemaker dependency up to 5%. However, data on pacemaker implantation rates in the long-term follow-up after Bentall operations are scarce. In a retrospective study, a mixed cohort of 260 patients including endocarditis and aortic dissection undergoing Bentall operation between March 1996 and December 2015 was analyzed.

Rescue blankets as multifunctional rescue equipment in alpine and wilderness emergencies: a commentary.

Emergency applications of rescue blankets go far beyond protection from hypothermia. In this review alternative applicabilities of these remarkable multifunctional tools were highlighted. Newly fabricated rescue blankets prove impressive robustness.

Rescue Blanket as a Provisional Seal for Penetrating Chest Wounds in a New Ex Vivo Porcine Model.

Background: Open pneumothorax after a penetrating thorax trauma is a life-threatening disease with high mortality. An emergency application of a chest seal (CS) allowing the release of trapped air is the optimum initial therapy until surgical chest drainage is available.

Methods: In a newly developed experimental porcine model of open pneumothorax, we tested 3 different materials regarding their applicability for acute treatment of sucking chest wounds in prehospital emergency care, namely a commonly used rescue blanket (RB), plastic foil from a gauze package (packing material), and a commercial CS.

Bicuspid Aortic Valve Is Associated with Less Coronary Calcium and Coronary Artery Disease Burden.

(1) Background. Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is associated with genetic defects (NOTCH 1, GATA 5) and aortopathy. Differences in the flow patterns and a genetic predisposition could also affect coronary arteries.

Personalization of Conversational Agent-Patient Interaction Styles for Chronic Disease Management: Two Consecutive Cross-sectional Questionnaire Studies.

Background: Conversational agents (CAs) for chronic disease management are receiving increasing attention in academia and the industry. However, long-term adherence to CAs is still a challenge and needs to be explored. Personalization of CAs has the potential to improve long-term adherence and, with it, user satisfaction, task efficiency, perceived benefits, and intended behavior change.

Voice-Based Conversational Agents for the Prevention and Management of Chronic and Mental Health Conditions: Systematic Literature Review.

Background: Chronic and mental health conditions are increasingly prevalent worldwide. As devices in our everyday lives offer more and more voice-based self-service, voice-based conversational agents (VCAs) have the potential to support the prevention and management of these conditions in a scalable manner. However, evidence on VCAs dedicated to the prevention and management of chronic and mental health conditions is unclear.

Deliberative and Paternalistic Interaction Styles for Conversational Agents in Digital Health: Procedure and Validation Through a Web-Based Experiment.

Background: Recent years have witnessed a constant increase in the number of people with chronic conditions requiring ongoing medical support in their everyday lives. However, global health systems are not adequately equipped for this extraordinarily time-consuming and cost-intensive development. Here, conversational agents (CAs) can offer easily scalable and ubiquitous support.

A new way to use transit-time flow measurement for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objectives: Transit-time flow measurement is a recognized method for graft evaluation in coronary surgery. However, single flow measurement has been associated with a low specificity for detecting graft dysfunction. The goal of this study was to assess the value of transit-time flow measurement for assessing in situ internal mammary artery grafts during non-existent native coronary circulation and the relevance of collateral blood flow in target vessels.

Conversational Agents as Mediating Social Actors in Chronic Disease Management Involving Health Care Professionals, Patients, and Family Members: Multisite Single-Arm Feasibility Study.

Background: Successful management of chronic diseases requires a trustful collaboration between health care professionals, patients, and family members. Scalable conversational agents, designed to assist health care professionals, may play a significant role in supporting this collaboration in a scalable way by reaching out to the everyday lives of patients and their family members. However, to date, it remains unclear whether conversational agents, in such a role, would be accepted and whether they can support this multistakeholder collaboration.

Extra-anatomic carotid bypass in acute aortic dissection type A with carotid artery malperfusion.

Acute aortic dissection type A with subtotal or total occlusion of one carotid artery is a complex situation. An additional extra-anatomic carotid artery bypass can restore carotid artery perfusion after standard emergency surgery with aortic replacement.

Differences in coronary vasodilatory capacity and atherosclerosis in endurance athletes using coronary CTA and computational fluid dynamics (CFD): Comparison with a sedentary lifestyle.

Background: The aim was to assess the effect of endurance exercise on coronary vasodilatory capacity and atherosclerosis by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling.

Methods: 100 subjects (age 56.2y±11, 29 females) who underwent coronary CTA were included into this retrospectively matched cohort study.

Immediate Surgery in Acute Type A Dissection and Neurologic Dysfunction: Fighting the Inevitable?

Background: Neurologic dysfunction remains an ongoing challenge in the diagnosis of type A aortic dissection (AAD). Our study analyzed the impact of preoperative neurologic dysfunction (PND) on outcome and assessed a potential link between PND and specific patterns of postoperative neurologic injury.

Methods: Medical records of 338 patients (70.

[Traumatic aortic rupture - diagnosis and managment].

Road traffic accidents are the main cause of traumatic aortic ruptures, mostly in combination with other severe injuries. The pre-hospital mortality rate is high. Suspected aortic trauma, following a high traumatic aortic injury score, is an indication for computer tomography.

Standards of reporting in open and endovascular aortic surgery (STORAGE guidelines).

The number of patients undergoing surgery on the thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aorta has been steadily increasing over the past decade. This document aims to give guidance to authors reporting on results in aortic surgery by clarifying definitions of aortic pathologies, open and endovascular techniques and by listing clinical parameters that should be provided for full presentation of patients' clinical profile and in particular, their outcome. The aim is to help find a common language in the treatment of aortic disease and to contribute to a better understanding of this patient population.

Intracavitary right coronary artery - Or just a wrap? A cardiac CT imaging series.

Intracavitary right coronary artery (RCA) is a very rare anomaly occurring in less than 0.1% and up to 0.4% reported by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA).