Improving Diagnostic Efficiency for Knee Osteoarthritis with the Knee Intake Patient Survey (KIPS).

Objectives: Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most frequently encountered conditions in orthopedic practice. This study aimed to validate the Knee Intake Patient Survey (KIPS), a short-form questionnaire designed to assist in the initial diagnosis and treatment stratification for knee OA.

Methods: Patient intake survey results from a single adult reconstruction clinic were retrospectively analyzed alongside clinical diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

Perioperative Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Orthopedic Trauma: A Practical Review.

Background: Orthopedic trauma patients are at high risk for venous thromboembolic (VTE) complications. Despite this, VTE prophylaxis is often held peri-operatively out of concern for increased bleeding and associated complications. This review's purpose is to examine guidelines and studies on withholding prophylactic anticoagulation peri-operatively.

Investigating Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Primer for Clinicians.

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is an infiltrative disease that results from the deposition of amyloid fibrils in the myocardium, resulting in restrictive cardiomyopathy. The amyloid fibrils are predominantly derived from two parent proteins, immunoglobulin light chain (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR), and ATTR is further classified into hereditary (ATTRv) and wild-type (ATTRwt) based on the presence or absence, respectively, of a mutation in the transthyretin gene. Once thought to be a rare entity, CA is increasingly recognized as a significant cause of heart failure due to improved clinical awareness and better diagnostic imaging.

Cardiac MRI Evaluation of Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is an exciting noninvasive imaging modality with increasing utilization in the field of cardiovascular medicine. In conjunction with echocardiogram, computed tomography, and invasive therapies, CMR has provided exceptional capability to further evaluate complex clinical cardiac conditions. CMR provides both anatomical and physiological information of a variety of tissue types, without the need for ionizing radiation.

Diagnostic Feasibility of Cardiac PET CT in the Evaluation of Inflammatory, Infectious, and Malignant Heart Disease.

Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a power- ful imaging tool with diverse applications in the detection and diagnosis of various cardiac conditions, including inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic processes. Using the radiotracer 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), cardiac PET enables the identification of cardiac involvement in diseases such as sarcoidosis and severe infections affecting the heart tissue. Additionally, 18F-FDG PET is valuable in the evaluation of cardiac masses, helping to assess their metabolic activity and potential malignancy.

Diagnostic Feasibility and Accuracy of Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in the Evaluation of Ischemic Heart Disease.

Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET) can be used for the assessment of myocardial perfusion. Compared to other cardiac imaging techniques, notably Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT), cardiac PET offers superior image resolution, higher accuracy, quantitative measures of myocardial perfusion, lower radiation exposure, and shorter image acquisition time. However, PET tends to be costlier and less widely available than SPECT due to the specialized equipment needed for generating the necessary radiotracers.

Advances in Coronary CT Angiography: Applications and Implications for Coronary Artery Disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, necessitating advancements in diagnostic techniques. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) has emerged as a pivotal non-invasive tool for evaluating coronary artery anatomy and detecting atherosclerotic plaque burden with high spatial resolution. This review explores the evolution of CCTA, highlighting its technological advancements, clinical applications, and challenges.

Which Test is Best for Pain in the Chest?

Chest pain is one of the most common chief complaints seen in both the emergency department (ED) and primary care settings.1,2 It is estimated that 20-40% of the general population will suffer from chest pain at some point throughout their lives.3 Interestingly although obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) prevalence has declined, chest pain as a presenting symptom has become increasingly common over the last decade.

Update in Cardiovascular Prevention: From Risk Scores to Imaging.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This review explores the evolving evidence base surrounding ASCVD prevention, particularly regarding nontraditional biomarkers, risk scores, and cardiovascular imaging modalities. Additionally, this review examines cardiovascular risk scores, including the PREVENT and MESA-CHD scores, which incorporate both traditional and nontraditional factors, thereby aspiring to offer a more equitable and precise risk assessment.

HBV and HBsAg strongly reshape the phenotype, function, and metabolism of DCs according to patients' clinical stage.

Background: Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by HBV. Infected individuals who fail to control the viral infection develop chronic hepatitis B and are at risk of developing life-threatening liver diseases, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. Dendritic cells (DCs) play important roles in the immune response against HBV but are functionally impaired in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Coordination-regulated copper single-atom active sites for electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia.

The electrochemical conversion of nitrate to ammonia is necessary to restore the globally perturbed nitrogen cycle. Herein, the regulated coordination of active Cu single atoms to selectively modulate the energy barriers of proton-electron transfer steps was investigated and offered valuable insights for improving the selectivity and kinetics of the NORR.

Global trends in thyroid cancer 1990-2021: an analysis based on the GBD 2021.

This study evaluated the global burden of thyroid cancer (TC) from 1990 to 2021, analyzing its association with sociodemographic factors, sex, age, risk factors, and future projections. Using 2021 Global Burden of Disease data, we analyzed TC incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) across populations. Risk factors were assessed, and future trends forecasted using the Bayesian age-period-cohort model.

Value of Spleen Dynamic Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound Parameters in Predicting Hepatic Vein Pressure Gradient for Patients With Liver Cirrhosis.

Goals: To explore dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) parameters in predicting hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG) for patients with liver cirrhosis (LC).

Background: Noninvasive diagnosis of HVPG remains a challenge.

Study: This prospective study included patients with LC undergoing hepatic vein catheterization and pressure measurement at the hospital from May 2021 to January 2023.

A novel cellulose-derived graphite carbon/ZnO composite by atomic layer deposition as an over-wideband microwave absorbent.

It is a major challenge to obtain broadband microwave absorption (MA) properties using low dielectric or magnetic nanoparticle-decorated carbon composites due to the limited single conductive loss or polarization loss of the carbon materials used as substrates. Novel pure cellulose-derived graphite carbon (CGC) materials can be used as an exceptional substrate option due to their special defective graphitic carbon structure, which provides both conduction and polarization loss. Herein, CGC@ZnO composites were first synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) for use as microwave absorbents.

Transition metal complexes: next-generation photosensitizers for combating Gram-positive bacteria.

The rise of antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections poses a significant threat to public health, necessitating the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies. A photosensitizer (PS) can convert energy from absorbed photon into reactive oxygen species (ROS) for damaging bacteria. This photoinactivation action bypassing conventional antibiotic mechanism is less prone to resistance development, making antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) highly efficient in combating Gram-positive bacteria.

Evidence that staphylococcal superantigens promote within-patient bacterial persistence following post-operative surgical site infection.

is a predominant cause of post-operative surgical site infections and persistent bacteremia. Here, we describe a patient who experienced three episodes of infection over a period of 4 months following a total knee arthroplasty. The initial bloodstream isolate (SAB-0429) was a clonal complex 5 (CC5) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA), whereas two subsequent isolates (SAB-0485 and SAB-0495) were CC5 isolates but methicillin-sensitive .

Long-range ordered high-entropy intermetallics enable stable and efficient hydrogen evolution in seawater.

Long-range ordered high-entropy intermetallics (HEIs) were synthesized a thermodynamically-driven atomic ordering strategy. The (FeCoNi)(RuPt) HEI achieves 200 mA cm at an overpotential of 56 mV and a remarkable low Tafel slope of 50.4 mV dec in alkaline seawater.

mSphere of Influence: High-throughput screens to rapidly assign function to microbial genes.

Lori Huberman works in the field of fungal genetics, with an emphasis on investigating the genetic mechanisms fungi use to sense and respond to the nutrients and toxins in their environment. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how "Rapid quantification of mutant fitness in diverse bacteria by sequencing randomly bar-coded transposons" by K. M.

The high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway in .

The emerging fungal pathogen is known for its strong skin tropism and resilience against antifungal and disinfection treatment, posing a significant challenge for healthcare units. Although efforts to identify the effectors of its unique pathogenic behavior have been insightful, the role of the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway in this context remains unexplored. The study by Shivarathri and co-workers (R.

Introducing Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir + Ribavirin as a Generic Retreatment Regimen for Hepatitis C: Evaluation of a Government Program in Rwanda.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir is recommended for hepatitis C virus (HCV) retreatment in those who fail initial treatment but is unavailable in resource-limited settings. We describe a government sofosbuvir/velpatasvir + ribavirin (SOF/VEL + RBV) × 24 weeks retreatment program in Rwanda (November 2021-October 2022). Of 231 participants, 174 were cured (75.