The Retrograde Basilic Approach for Balloon-Assisted Maturation of Brachiocephalic Arteriovenous Fistulas.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and outcomes of an approach utilizing transbasilic access for balloon-assisted maturation (BAM) of brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistulas (BCAVFs).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective analysis comprised 28 patients (mean age, 63 years ± 10.8) who underwent endovascular treatment of their immature BCAVFs via a basilic approach from December 2016 to December 2018.

Post graduate remediation programs in medicine: a scoping review.

Background: Recognizing that physicians may struggle to achieve knowledge, skills, attitudes and or conduct at one or more stages during their training has highlighted the importance of the 'deliberate practice of improving performance through practising beyond one's comfort level under guidance'. However, variations in physician, program, contextual and healthcare and educational systems complicate efforts to create a consistent approach to remediation. Balancing the inevitable disparities in approaches and settings with the need for continuity and effective oversight of the remediation process, as well as the context and population specific nature of remediation, this review will scrutinise the remediation of physicians in training to better guide the design, structuring and oversight of new remediation programs.

Cord Lining Mesenchymal Stem Cells Have a Modest Positive Effect on Angiogenesis in Hindlimb Ischemia.

We investigated the use of human Cord Lining Mesenchymal Stem Cells (CL-MSCs) (US Patent number 9,737,568), in a rabbit hindlimb ischemia model, and evaluated their potential in stimulating neovascularization. Allogenic human CL- MSCs could potentially be used to treat patients with lower limb ischemia and non-healing wounds. Twenty rabbits were divided into two separate groups.

Outcomes of the paclitaxel-eluting Eluvia stent for long femoropopliteal lesions in Asian patients with predominantly chronic limb-threatening ischemia.

The fluoropolymer-coated, paclitaxel-eluting Eluvia stent has shown promising results for the endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal artery lesions in patients with claudication. The aim of the current study was to evaluate efficacy and safety outcomes of the Eluvia stent for the treatment of long femoropopliteal lesions in Asian patients. This is a single-center, retrospective study.

Early and Midterm Experience With the Absorb Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold in Asian Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: One-Year Clinical and Imaging Outcomes From the DISAPEAR Registry.

To report an experience with the Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) in an Asian cohort with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) from the DISAPEAR (rug mpregnated Bioresorbable tent in sian opulation xtremity rterial evascularization) registry. A retrospective analysis was conducted of 41 patients (median age 64 years; 23 men) with CLTI owing to >50% de novo infrapopliteal lesions (n=53) treated with the Absorb BVS between August 2012 and June 2017. The majority of patients (37, 90%) had diabetes, 24 (59%) had ischemic heart disease, and 39 (95%) had Rutherford category 5/6 ischemia with tissue loss.

Infected femoral pseudoaneurysms in intravenous drug abusers: a decade of experience from a Singapore tertiary centre.

Introduction: A pseudoaneurysm (or false aneurysm) is a haematoma that communicates with an artery through a disruption in the arterial wall. The femoral artery is the most common injection site among drug users, and infected femoral pseudoaneurysms are the most common vascular complications.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs) who presented with infected femoral pseudoaneurysms from January 2006 to December 2016 was carried out.

University Students' Notion of Autism Spectrum Conditions: A Cross-Cultural Study.

Cultural background might influence knowledge and attitudes regarding autism, influencing willingness to interact. We studied whether beliefs, knowledge, contact, and attitude differed between the UK and Malaysia. With mediation analyses, we studied how these factors influenced willingness to interact.

Defying hard-to-heal wounds with an early antibiofilm intervention strategy: 'wound hygiene'.

Biofilm has been implicated as a barrier to wound healing and it is widely accepted that the majority of wounds not following a normal healing trajectory contain biofilm. Therefore, strategies that inform and engage clinicians to reduce biofilm and optimise the wound tissue environment to enable wound progression are of interest to wound care providers. In March 2019, an advisory board was convened where experts considered the barriers and opportunities to drive a broader adoption of a biofilm-based approach to wound care.

ClariVein™ - One year results of mechano-chemical ablation for varicose veins in a multi-ethnic Asian population from Singapore.

Objectives: This study assessed the effectiveness and patient experience of ClariVein for varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) in a multi-ethnic Asian population from Singapore.

Methods: A total of 121 patients underwent mechano-chemical ablation. Patients were reviewed at an interval of one week, and at 3, 6 and 12 months post procedure and underwent Duplex ultrasound with patient satisfaction assessment.

Backbone resonance assignments for the SET domain of human methyltransferase NSD3 in complex with its cofactor.

NSD3 is a histone H3 methyltransferase that plays an important role in chromatin biology. A construct containing the methyltransferase domain encompassing residues Q1049-K1299 of human NSD3 was obtained and biochemical activity was demonstrated using histone as a substrate. Here we report the backbone HN, N, Cα, C', and side chain Cβ assignments of the construct in complex with S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM).

Novel use of the ClariVein® catheter for pharmacomechanical thrombolysis of thrombosed hemodialysis grafts: a case series.

Introduction: The aim of this prospectively collected case series is to demonstrate a novel technique of using the ClariVein® catheter for pharmacomechanical thrombolysis of thrombosed hemodialysis grafts.

Methods: The analysis comprised 11 procedures in 9 patients from 1 July to 31 December 2016 in which the ClariVein catheter was used in combination with urokinase. Demographic data, procedural data, technical and clinical success rates, and complications were evaluated.

Midterm Outcomes From a Pilot Study of Percutaneous Deep Vein Arterialization for the Treatment of No-Option Critical Limb Ischemia.

Purpose: To report the initial clinical experience with percutaneous deep vein arterialization (PDVA) to treat critical limb ischemia (CLI) via the creation of an arteriovenous fistula.

Methods: Seven patients (median age 85 years; 5 women) with CLI and no traditional endovascular or surgical revascularization options (no-option CLI) were recruited in a pilot study to determine the safety of PDVA. All patients were diabetic; 4 had Rutherford category 6 ischemia.

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Study of Concanavalin A Binding to Self-Assembled Monolayers of Mannosides on Gold Wire Electrodes.

The interactions of the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiolated mono-, di-, and tri-mannosides were studied on the surface of gold wires using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The SAMs of mannosides were prepared either pure or along with thiolated triethylene glycol (TEG) at different molar ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:9, and 1:19) to better understand and optimize the interaction conditions. The charge-transfer resistance of the [Fe(CN)]/ redox probe was compared before and after the interaction at different concentrations of Con A to determine the equilibrium dissociation constant () and limit of detection (LOD).

Surgical and endovascular venous arterialization: ready to take the "desert" by storm?

Patients with critical limb ischemia have a poor life expectancy, and aggressive revascularization is accepted to maintain their independence in the end stage of life. Bypass surgery and, more recently, endovascular interventions with angioplasty and stenting have become the treatment of choice to prevent amputation and resolve rest pain. Up to 20% of patients with critical limb ischemia are not suitable candidates for a vascular intervention because of extensive occlusions of the outflow in the crural and pedal vessels.

Endovascular retrograde recanalization in Asian critical limb ischaemia patients.

Background: To evaluate endovascular retrograde recanalization of critical limb ischaemia (CLI) patients with chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in an Asian population.

Methods: We conducted a single centre-based retrospective review of CLI patients with CTOs who had undergone endovascular retrograde recanalization using the subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention technique.

Results: A total of 40 CLI patients with CTOs underwent endovascular intervention.

Selective capture of glycoproteins using lectin-modified nanoporous gold monolith.

The surface of nanoporous gold (np-Au) monoliths was modified via a flow method with the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) to develop a substrate for separation and extraction of glycoproteins. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of α-lipoic acid (LA) on the np-Au monoliths were prepared followed by activation of the terminal carboxyl groups to create amine reactive esters that were utilized in the immobilization of Con A. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to determine the surface coverages of LA and Con A on np-Au monoliths which were found to be 1.

Structure of AcrH-AopB Chaperone-Translocator Complex Reveals a Role for Membrane Hairpins in Type III Secretion System Translocon Assembly.

Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are adopted by pathogenic bacteria for the transport of effector proteins into host cells through the translocon pore composed of major and minor translocator proteins. Both translocators require a dedicated chaperone for solubility. Despite tremendous efforts in the past, structural information regarding the chaperone-translocator complex and the topology of the translocon pore have remained elusive.

Application of Fragment-Based Drug Discovery against DNA Gyrase B.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics remains a serious threat to global health. The gyrase B enzyme is a well-validated target for developing antibacterial drugs. Despite being an attractive target for antibiotic development, there are currently no gyrase B inhibitory drugs on the market.

Lectin-carbohydrate interactions on nanoporous gold monoliths.

Monoliths of nanoporous gold (np-Au) were modified with self-assembled monolayers of octadecanethiol (C-SH), 8-mercaptooctyl α-D-mannopyranoside (αMan-C-SH), and 8-mercapto-3,6-dioxaoctanol (HO-PEG-SH), and the loading was assessed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Modification with mixed SAMs containing αMan-C-SH (at a 0.20 mole fraction in the SAM forming solution) with either octanethiol or HO-PEG-SH was also investigated.

The major cockroach allergen Bla g 4 binds tyramine and octopamine.

Bla g 4 is a male cockroach specific protein and is one of the major allergens produced by Blattella germanica (German cockroach). This protein belongs to the lipocalin family that comprises a set of proteins that characteristically bind small hydrophobic molecules and play a role in a number of processes such as: retinoid and pheromone transport, prostaglandin synthesis and mammalian immune response. Using NMR and isothermal titration calorimetry we demonstrated that Bla g 4 binds tyramine and octopamine in solution.

The influence of gold surface texture on microglia morphology and activation.

Microglial cells play a critical role in the propagation of neuroinflammation in the central nervous system. Microglia sense and respond to environmental signals including chemical, physical and biological cues from the surrounding cell/tissue components. In this project, our goal was to examine the effects of surface texture on BV-2 microglia morphology and function by comparing flat and nanoporous gold (np-Au) surfaces to the more conventional glass.

A perceptually relevant MSE-based image quality metric.

Image quality metrics (IQMs), such as the mean squared error (MSE) and the structural similarity index (SSIM), are quantitative measures to approximate perceived visual quality. In this paper, through analyzing the relationship between the MSE and the SSIM under an additive noise distortion model, we propose a perceptually relevant MSE-based IQM, MSE-SSIM, which is expressed in terms of the variance of the source image and the MSE between the source and distorted images. Evaluations on three publicly available databases (LIVE, CSIQ, and TID2008) show that the proposed metric, despite requiring less computation, compares favourably in performance to several existing IQMs.