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International Journal of Cardiology Oct 2023
Topics: Humans; Sarcopenia; Cachexia; Heart Failure; Muscle, Skeletal; Walking
PubMed: 37364716
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2023.131131 -
Scientific Reports Sep 2023Patterning of two or more liquids, either homogeneous in each phase or mixed with particles (including biological matter, such as cells and proteins), by controlling...
Patterning of two or more liquids, either homogeneous in each phase or mixed with particles (including biological matter, such as cells and proteins), by controlling their flow dynamics, is relevant to several applications. Examples include dynamic spatial confinement of liquids in microfluidic systems (such as lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip devices) or structuring of polymers to modulate various properties (such as strength, conductivity, transparency and surface finishing). State-of-the-art strategies use various technologies, including positioners, shakers and acoustic actuators, which often combine limited versatility of mixing with significant inefficiency, energy consumption, and noise, as well as tendency to increase the temperature of the liquids. Here, we describe a new kind of robotic mixers of liquids, based on electro-responsive smart materials (dielectric elastomer actuators). We show for the first time how an efficient soft robotic device can be used to produce, via combinations of rotations and translations, various spatial patterns in liquids and maintain them stable for a few minutes. Moreover, we show that, as compared to a conventional orbital shaker, the new type of robotic device can mix liquids with a higher efficacy (~ 94% relative to ~ 80%, after 8 min of mixing) and with a significantly lower increase of the liquids' temperature (+ 1 °C relative to + 5 °C, after 6 h of mixing). This is especially beneficial when mixing should occur according to controllable spatial features and should involve temperature-sensitive matter (such as biological cells, proteins, pre-polymers and other thermolabile molecules).
PubMed: 37735476
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41755-5 -
Epigenomes Aug 2023Although reported in the literature, ribosome heterogeneity is a phenomenon whose extent and implications in cell and organismal biology is not fully appreciated. This... (Review)
Review
Although reported in the literature, ribosome heterogeneity is a phenomenon whose extent and implications in cell and organismal biology is not fully appreciated. This has been the case due to the lack of the appropriate techniques and approaches. Heterogeneity can arise from alternative use and differential content of protein and RNA constituents, as well as from post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications. In the few examples we have, it is apparent that ribosomal heterogeneity offers an additional level and potential for gene expression regulation and might be a way towards tuning metabolism, stress, and growth programs to external and internal stimuli and needs. Here, we introduce ribosome biogenesis and discuss ribosomal heterogeneity in various reported occasions. We conclude that a systematic approach in multiple organisms will be needed to delineate this biological phenomenon and its contributions to growth, aging, and disease. Finally, we discuss ribosome mutations and their roles in disease.
PubMed: 37606454
DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7030017 -
Journal of Veterinary Emergency and... 2024To discuss the definitions of sepsis in human and veterinary medicine. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To discuss the definitions of sepsis in human and veterinary medicine.
DESIGN
International, multicenter position statement on the need for consensus definitions of sepsis in veterinary medicine.
SETTING
Veterinary private practice and university teaching hospitals.
ANIMALS
Dogs and cats.
INTERVENTIONS
None.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition associated with the body's response to an infection. In human medicine, sepsis has been defined by consensus on 3 occasions, most recently in 2016. In veterinary medicine, there is little uniformity in how sepsis is defined and no consensus on how to identify it clinically. Most publications rely on modified criteria derived from the 1991 and 2001 human consensus definitions. There is a divergence between the human and veterinary descriptions of sepsis and no consensus on how to diagnose the syndrome. This impedes research, hampers the translation of pathophysiology insights to the clinic, and limits our abilities to optimize patient care. It may be time to formally define sepsis in veterinary medicine to help the field move forward. In this narrative review, we present a synopsis of prior attempts to define sepsis in human and veterinary medicine, discuss developments in our understanding, and highlight some criticisms and shortcomings of existing schemes.
CONCLUSIONS
This review is intended to serve as the foundation of current efforts to establish a consensus definition for sepsis in small animals and ultimately generate evidence-based criteria for its recognition in veterinary clinical practice.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Dogs; Cat Diseases; Dog Diseases; Hospitals, Teaching; Sepsis
PubMed: 38351524
DOI: 10.1111/vec.13359 -
Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review Sep 2023Conservative management has emerged as an attractive option for partial thickness rotator cuff tears (PT-RCTs). A single algorithmic treatment strategy for patients with...
BACKGROUND
Conservative management has emerged as an attractive option for partial thickness rotator cuff tears (PT-RCTs). A single algorithmic treatment strategy for patients with symptomatic PT-RCT has not yet been developed. This systematic review aims to ascertain whether a conservative approach to PT-RCTs yields positive results in terms of clinical outcomes and functional recovery.
METHODS
This is a systematic review of the literature on patients with PT-RCTs receiving conservative treatment with physiotherapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, collagen injections, hyaluronic acid (HA) injections, or corticosteroids injections coupled with polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN). Outcomes such as the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Constant-Murley Score evaluations, as well as the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index and Euro Quality of Life-5D questionnaires were reported following a conservative approach.
RESULTS
Eleven studies were included. Six articles explored the outcomes of patients with PT-RCT treated with PRP injections. Significant improvements in VAS for pain were observed. Two studies examined collagen injections and reported variations in VAS for pain and Constant-Murley Score. Sodium hyaluronate and HA injections were studied in two other articles, showing notable improvements in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores. Corticosteroid and PDRN injections also displayed favorable outcomes. In addition, physical therapy protocols demonstrated improvements in VAS for pain and strength, particularly with eccentric rehabilitation.
CONCLUSIONS
Conservative management of PT-RCTs, involving physical therapy, PRP injections, collagen injections, corticosteroid injections, HA injections, and PDRN in jections, demonstrates favorable clinical outcomes. In addition, favorable results are observed in terms of decreased tear width and improved strength recovery, at least during a short-term follow-up. Unfortunately, long-term insight into the structural integrity of conservatively treated rotator cuff tendons following a partial injury has not been thoroughly evaluated yet.
STUDY DESIGN LEVELS OF EVIDENCE
Level IV-systematic review.
Topics: Humans; Rotator Cuff Injuries; Conservative Treatment; Quality of Life; Treatment Outcome; Shoulder Pain; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Collagen; Arthroscopy
PubMed: 37976129
DOI: 10.1097/JSA.0000000000000372 -
Reproductive Sciences (Thousand Oaks,... Aug 2023Both uterine endometrium and embryo contribute to implantation success. However, their relative role in the implantation success is still a matter for debate, as are the... (Review)
Review
Both uterine endometrium and embryo contribute to implantation success. However, their relative role in the implantation success is still a matter for debate, as are the roles of endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA), endometrial scratch (ES), endometrial microbiome, and intrauterine or intravenous measures that are currently advocated to improve the implantation success. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that the endometrium is more important than the embryo in determining the implantation success and the utility of these measures, especially when euploid embryos are transferred is limited. Although embryo implantation on epithelium other than the endometrium is a very rare event, evidence suggests that embryo implantation and growth is not limited to the endometrium alone. Embryos can implant and develop to result in livebirths on epithelium that lacks the typical endometrial development present at implantation. Currently, the role of embryo euploidy in implantation success is underappreciated. At a minimum, it is the author's opinion that until robust, definitive studies are conducted that demonstrate benefit, reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialist should be prudent in the way they counsel patients about the utility of ERA, ES, and other measures in improving implantation success.
Topics: Female; Humans; Embryo Implantation; Endometrium; Infertility; Uterus; Embryo, Mammalian
PubMed: 36988904
DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01224-w -
Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair Aug 2023Recovery of quiet standing balance early poststroke has been poorly investigated using repeated measurements. (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
BACKGROUND
Recovery of quiet standing balance early poststroke has been poorly investigated using repeated measurements.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate (1) the time course of steady-state balance in terms of postural stability and inter-limb symmetry, and (2) longitudinal associations with lower limb motor recovery in the first 3 months poststroke.
METHODS
Forty-eight hemiparetic subjects (age: 58.9 ± 16.1 years) were evaluated at weeks 3, 5, 8, and 12 poststroke. Motor impairments concerned the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FM-LE) and Motricity Index total score (MI-LE) or ankle item separately (MI-ankle). Postural stability during quiet 2-legged stance was calculated as the net center-of-pressure area (COP) and direction-dependent velocities (COP and COP). Dynamic control asymmetry (DCA) and weight-bearing asymmetry (WBA) estimated inter-limb symmetries in balance control and loading. Linear mixed models determined (1) time-dependent change and (2) the - and -subject associations between motor impairments and postural stability or inter-limb symmetry.
RESULTS
Time-dependent improvements were significant for FM-LE, MI-LE, MI-ankle, COP, COP, and COP, and tended to plateau by week 8. DCA and WBA did not exhibit significant change. -subject analyses yielded significant regression coefficients for FM-LE, MI-LE, and MI-ankle scores with COP, COP, and COP up until week 8, and with WBA until week 12. -subject regression coefficients of motor recovery with change in COP, COP, COP, DCA, or WBA were generally non-significant.
CONCLUSIONS
Postural stability improved significantly in the first 8 weeks poststroke, independent of lower limb motor recovery at the most affected side subjects. Our findings suggest that subjects preferred to compensate with their less affected side, making metrics reflecting inter-limb asymmetries in balance invariant for change early poststroke.: Clinicaltrials.gov. unique identifier NCT03728036.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Humans; Middle Aged; Linear Models; Lower Extremity; Motor Disorders; Weight-Bearing
PubMed: 37596887
DOI: 10.1177/15459683231186983 -
BMJ Case Reports Nov 2023An athletic man in his 40s was brought in to the emergency department by ambulance following a brief episode of central chest pain and dizziness five miles in to a ten...
An athletic man in his 40s was brought in to the emergency department by ambulance following a brief episode of central chest pain and dizziness five miles in to a ten mile stationary bike ride. Observations were normal at the scene and there were no ECG changes but he appeared unwell. Further assessment revealed no palpable right radial or brachial pulses and he complained of a severe right frontal headache. CT of the aorta showed an extensive type A dissection with a significantly dilated aortic root. Following emergency cardiothoracic surgery, he was found to have suffered cerebral hypoxia and died.
Topics: Male; Humans; Bicycling; Aortic Dissection; Aorta; Headache; Chest Pain
PubMed: 37977829
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-257207 -
Diabetes & Vascular Disease Research 2023To compare the cardiovascular and renal outcomes of GLP-1 RA versus DPP4i and basal insulin in the management of T2DM. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To compare the cardiovascular and renal outcomes of GLP-1 RA versus DPP4i and basal insulin in the management of T2DM.
METHODS
Data from 22 studies involving over 200,000 participants were pooled using the inverse variance method and random-effects meta-analysis. The review was reported in accordance with PRISMA.
RESULTS
Compared with DPP4i, treatment with GLP-1 RA was associated with a greater benefit on composite cardiovascular outcomes (HR:0.77, 95% CI:0.69-0.87), myocardial infarction (HR:0.82, 95% CI:0.69-0.97), stroke (HR:0.83, 95% CI: 0.74-0.93), cardiovascular mortality (HR:0.76, 95% CI:0.68-0.85) and all-cause mortality (HR:0.65, 95% CI:0.48-0.90). There was no difference in effect on heart failure (HR:0.97, 95% CI:0.82-1.15). Compared with basal insulin, GLP-1 RA was associated with better effects on composite cardiovascular outcomes (HR:0.62, 95% CI:0.48-0.79), heart failure (HR:0.57, 95% CI:0.35-0.92), myocardial infarction (HR:0.70, 95% CI:0.58-0.85), stroke (HR:0.50, 95% CI:0.40-0.63) and all-cause mortality (HR:0.31, 95% CI:0.20-0.48). Evidence from a small number of studies suggests that GLP-1 RA had better effects on composite and individual renal outcomes, such as eGFR, compared with either DPP4i and basal insulin.
CONCLUSION
Available evidence suggests that treating T2DM with GLP-1 RA can yield better benefits on composite and specific cardiorenal outcomes than with DPP4i and basal insulin.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42022335504.
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists; Heart Failure; Hypoglycemic Agents; Insulins; Myocardial Infarction; Stroke
PubMed: 38111352
DOI: 10.1177/14791641231221740 -
Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics &... 2023
Topics: Humans; Uncertainty; Decision Making
PubMed: 37539711
DOI: 10.1080/14737167.2023.2245138