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Clinical Transplantation Jul 2024Introducing new liver transplantation (LT) practices, like unconventional donor use, incurs higher costs, making evaluation of their prognostic justification crucial....
BACKGROUND
Introducing new liver transplantation (LT) practices, like unconventional donor use, incurs higher costs, making evaluation of their prognostic justification crucial. This study reexamines the spread pattern of new LT practices and its prognosis across the United States.
METHODS
The study investigated the spread pattern of new practices using the UNOS database (2014-2023). Practices included LT for hepatitis B/C (HBV/HCV) nonviremic recipients with viremic donors, LT for COVID-19-positive recipients, and LT using onsite machine perfusion (OMP). One year post-LT patient and graft survival were also evaluated.
RESULTS
LTs using HBV/HCV donors were common in the East, while LTs for COVID-19 recipients and those using OMP started predominantly in California, Arizona, Texas, and the Northeast. K-means cluster analysis identified three adoption groups: facilities with rapid, slow, and minimal adoption rates. Rapid adoption occurred mainly in high-volume centers, followed by a gradual increase in middle-volume centers, with little increase in low-volume centers. The current spread patterns did not significantly affect patient survival. Specifically, for LTs with HCV donors or COVID-19 recipients, patient and graft survivals in the rapid-increasing group was comparable to others. In LTs involving OMP, the rapid- or slow-increasing groups tended to have better patient survival (p = 0.05) and significantly improved graft survival rates (p = 0.02). Facilities adopting new practices often overlap across different practices.
DISCUSSION
Our analysis revealed three distinct adoption groups across all practices, correlating the adoption aggressiveness with LT volume in centers. Aggressive adoption of new practices did not compromise patient and graft survivals, supporting the current strategy. Understanding historical trends could predict the rise in future LT cases with new practices, aiding in resource distribution.
Topics: Humans; Liver Transplantation; United States; COVID-19; Graft Survival; Female; Male; Middle Aged; SARS-CoV-2; Tissue and Organ Procurement; Tissue Donors; Adult; Survival Rate; Prognosis; Practice Patterns, Physicians'
PubMed: 38952196
DOI: 10.1111/ctr.15379 -
Skin Research and Technology : Official... Jul 2024Consumer products such as electrical shavers exert a combination of dynamic loading in the form of pressure and shear on the skin. This mechanical stimulus can lead to...
BACKGROUND
Consumer products such as electrical shavers exert a combination of dynamic loading in the form of pressure and shear on the skin. This mechanical stimulus can lead to discomfort and skin tissue responses characterised as "Skin Sensitivity". To minimise discomfort following shaving, there is a need to establish specific stimulus-response relationships using advanced tools such as optical coherence tomography (OCT).
OBJECTIVE
To explore the spatial and temporal changes in skin morphology and microvascular function following an electrical shaving stimulus.
METHODS
Ten healthy male volunteers were recruited. The study included a 60-s electrical shaving stimulus on the forearm, cheek and neck. Skin parameters were recorded at baseline, 20 min post stimulus and 24 h post stimulus. Structural and dynamic skin parameters were estimated using OCT, while transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was recorded to provide reference values for skin barrier function.
RESULTS
At baseline, six of the eight parameters revealed statistically significant differences between the forearm and the facial sites, while only surface roughness (Rq) and reflectivity were statistically different (p < 0.05) between the cheek and neck. At 20 min post shaving, there was a significant increase in the TEWL values accompanied by increased blood perfusion, with varying magnitude of change dependent on the anatomical site. Recovery characteristics were observed 24 h post stimulus with most parameters returning to basal values, highlighting the transient influence of the stimulus.
CONCLUSIONS
OCT parameters revealed spatial and temporal differences in the skin tissue response to electrical shaving. This approach could inform shaver design and prevent skin sensitivity.
Topics: Humans; Male; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Adult; Skin; Forearm; Young Adult; Microvessels; Cheek; Water Loss, Insensible; Healthy Volunteers; Skin Physiological Phenomena; Electric Stimulation; Neck; Microcirculation
PubMed: 38951871
DOI: 10.1111/srt.13830 -
Eye (London, England) Jun 2024This study aimed to investigate the change of choroidal venous overload in Vogt‒Koyanagi‒Harada (VKH) disease. Clinical records of 52 patients with VKH disease (52...
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to investigate the change of choroidal venous overload in Vogt‒Koyanagi‒Harada (VKH) disease. Clinical records of 52 patients with VKH disease (52 eyes) and 24 control subjects (24 eyes) who underwent multimodal imaging, including fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), were retrospectively reviewed.
SUBJECTS/METHODS
Imaging data were assessed for signs associated with choroidal venous overload, e.g., choroidal perfusion delay, choroidal vascular hyperpermeability, dilated choroidal veins, and intervortex venous anastomosis (IVA). Dual FA and ICGA scoring for active posterior segment inflammation was performed. Clinical and imaging features associated with choroidal venous overload were compared between early- and late-stage VKH disease.
RESULTS
Choroidal perfusion delay, choroidal vascular hyperpermeability, dilated choroidal veins, and IVA were more prevalent in eyes with VKH disease (69.2%, 67.3%, 61.5%, and 65.4%, respectively) than in control eyes (25.0%, 20.8%, 25.0%, and 37.5%, respectively) (p < 0.05). All eyes with IVA in the early-stage of VKH disease had got other 3 signs. All choroidal venous overload signs were more prevalent in patients with early-stage (20 eyes) than in those with late-stage VKH disease (32 eyes) (p < 0.05). The number of choroidal venous overload signs were inversely related to disease duration (p < 0.001) and proportionally related to the total ICGA score (p < 0.001). IVA was significantly associated with the total ICGA score in logistic regression (p = 0.014).
CONCLUSIONS
Choroidal venous overload occurs early in VKH disease. Angiographic signs of choroidal venous overload may be useful markers to assess the status of VKH disease.
PubMed: 38951674
DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-03198-8 -
Neurocritical Care Jun 2024Targeted beta-blockade after severe traumatic brain injury may reduce secondary brain injury by attenuating the sympathoadrenal response. The potential role and optimal...
BACKGROUND
Targeted beta-blockade after severe traumatic brain injury may reduce secondary brain injury by attenuating the sympathoadrenal response. The potential role and optimal dosage for esmolol, a selective, short-acting, titratable beta-1 beta-blocker, as a safe, putative early therapy after major traumatic brain injury has not been assessed.
METHODS
We conducted a single-center, open-label dose-finding study using an adaptive model-based design. Adults (18 years or older) with severe traumatic brain injury and intracranial pressure monitoring received esmolol within 24 h of injury to reduce their heart rate by 15% from baseline of the preceding 4 h while ensuring cerebral perfusion pressure was maintained above 60 mm Hg. In cohorts of three, the starting dosage and dosage increments were escalated according to a prespecified plan in the absence of dose-limiting toxicity. Dose-limiting toxicity was defined as failure to maintain cerebral perfusion pressure, triggering cessation of esmolol infusion. The primary outcome was the maximum tolerated dosage schedule of esmolol, defined as that associated with less than 10% probability of dose-limiting toxicity. Secondary outcomes include 6-month mortality and 6-month extended Glasgow Outcome Scale score.
RESULTS
Sixteen patients (6 [37.5%] female patients; mean age 36 years [standard deviation 13 years]) with a median Glasgow Coma Scale score of 6.5 (interquartile range 5-7) received esmolol. The optimal starting dosage of esmolol was 10 μg/kg/min, with increments every 30 min of 5 μg/kg/min, as it was the highest dosage with less than 10% estimated probability of dose-limiting toxicity (7%). All-cause mortality was 12.5% at 6 months (corresponding to a standardized mortality ratio of 0.63). One dose-limiting toxicity event and no serious adverse hemodynamic effects were seen.
CONCLUSIONS
Esmolol administration, titrated to a heart rate reduction of 15%, is feasible within 24 h of severe traumatic brain injury. The probability of dose-limiting toxicity requiring withdrawal of esmolol when using the optimized schedule is low. Trial registrationI SRCTN, ISRCTN11038397, registered retrospectively January 7, 2021 ( https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN11038397 ).
PubMed: 38951446
DOI: 10.1007/s12028-024-02029-8 -
EJNMMI Physics Jul 2024Several factors may decrease the accuracy of quantitative PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). It is therefore essential to ensure that myocardial blood flow (MBF)...
BACKGROUND
Several factors may decrease the accuracy of quantitative PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). It is therefore essential to ensure that myocardial blood flow (MBF) values are reproducible and accurate, and to design systematic protocols to achieve this. Until now, no systematic phantom protocols have been available to assess the technical factors affecting measurement accuracy and reproducibility in MPI.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We implemented a standard measurement protocol, which applies a flow phantom in order to compare image-derived flow values with respect to a ground truth flow value with [O]HO MPI performed on both a Discovery MI (DMI-20, GE Healthcare) and a Biograph Vision 600 (Vision-600, Siemens Healthineers) system. Both systems have automatic [O]HO radio water generators (Hidex Oy) individually installed, allowing us to also study the differences occurring due to two different bolus delivery systems. To investigate the technical factors contributing to the modelled flow values, we extracted the [O]HO bolus profiles, the flow values from the kinetic modeling (Qin and Qout), and finally calculated their differences between test-retest measurements on both systems.
RESULTS
The measurements performed on the DMI-20 system produced Qin and Qout values corresponging to each other as well as to the reference flow value across all test-retest measurements. The repeatability differences on DMI-20 were 2.1% ± 2.6% and 3.3% ± 4.1% for Qin and Qout, respectively. On Vision-600 they were 10% ± 8.4% and 11% ± 10% for Qin and Qout, respectively. The measurements performed on the Vision-600 system showed more variation between Qin and Qout values across test-retest measurements and exceeded 15% difference in 7/24 of the measurements.
CONCLUSIONS
A preliminary protocol for measuring the accuracy and reproducibility of flow values in [O]HO MPI between digital PET/CT systems was assessed. The test-retest reproducibility falls below 15% in majority of the measurements conducted between two individual injector systems and two digital PET/CT systems. This study highlights the importance of implementing a standardized bolus injection and delivery protocol and importance of assessing technical factors affecting flow value reproducibility, which should be carefully investigated in a multi-center setting.
PubMed: 38951352
DOI: 10.1186/s40658-024-00654-y -
Zhonghua Fu Chan Ke Za Zhi Jun 2024To investigate the effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) perfusion on the levels of cytokines in uterine drainage fluid in patients with moderate to severe...
To investigate the effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) perfusion on the levels of cytokines in uterine drainage fluid in patients with moderate to severe intrauterine adhesions (IUA) following hysteroscopic adhesiolysis. Thirty patients with moderate to severe IUA who underwent hysteroscopic adhesiolysis at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University from November 2020 to March 2021 were randomly divided into two groups: the PRP group (15 patients with placement of intrauterine-suitable balloons and PRP infusion) and the control group (15 patients with placement of intrauterine-suitable balloons only). For all patients, the channel switch was opened 48 hours after the surgery. The drainage fluid of the uterine cavity was collected using syringes through the proximal end of the drainage channel switch at 24 hours after the surgery and through the drainage channel directly at 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours after the surgery, and the levels of related cytokines including platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in the drainage fluid of the uterine cavity were evaluated, respectively. (1) The changes in volumes of uterine cavity drainage fluid: the total drainage fluid volumes of the PRP group and the control group in 120 hours after the surgery were (21.8±2.9) and (22.7±2.7) ml, respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (=-0.847, >0.05). No significant differences were found in the volumes of drainage fluid between the two groups at 72, 96, and 120 hours after the surgery (all >0.05). (2) Variation in cytokine levels in the uterine cavity drainage fluid: ① PDGF-BB: median PDGF-BB levels at 24 and 48 hours after the surgery in the PRP group (6.6 and 9.6 μg/L, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the control group (4.7 and 2.7 μg/L, respectively; all <0.05). There were no significant differences in PDGF-BB levels between the two groups at 72, 96, and 120 hours after the surgery (all >0.05). ② VEGF-A: median VEGF-A levels at 24 and 48 hours after the surgery in the PRP group (3.5 and 2.8 μg/L, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the control group (1.6 and 1.2 μg/L, respectively; all <0.05). There were no significant differences in VEGF-A levels between the two groups at 72, 96, and 120 hours after the surgery (all >0.05). ③ IGF-1: median IGF-1 level at 48 hours after the surgery in the PRP group was significantly higher than that in the control group (39.5 vs 8.6 μg/L, <0.05). No significant differences were found in IGF-1 levels at 24, 72, 96, and 120 hours after the surgery between the two groups (all >0.05). ④ TGF-β1: There were no significant differences in TGF-β1 levles between the two groups at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours after the surgery (all >0.05). PRP perfusion following hysteroscopic adhesiolysis may increase the levels of PDGF-BB, VEGF-A, and IGF-1 in the uterine cavity drainage fluid, which plays a beneficial role in improving wound microvascular formation, reducing adhesion reformation, and promoting endometrial regeneration and repair.
Topics: Humans; Female; Tissue Adhesions; Hysteroscopy; Platelet-Rich Plasma; Adult; Cytokines; Drainage; Uterine Diseases; Uterus; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; Becaplermin
PubMed: 38951079
DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112141-20230811-00044 -
Journal of Vascular and Interventional... Jun 2024To evaluate efficacy of pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) embolization using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) and spectral curve analysis by...
PURPOSE
To evaluate efficacy of pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) embolization using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) and spectral curve analysis by characterizing contrast enhancement and vascular perfusion as a surrogate of the degree of vascular occlusion after embolotherapy.
METHODS
Nine consecutive adult patients underwent embolization for 21 PAVMs (size range 0.4-2.0cm; 15/21 simple angioarchitecture) and subsequent post-embolization chest DECT angiography. Twelve PAVMS were treated with vascular plugs ± coils, whereas nine PAVMs were treated with coils-only. Virtual spectral curves (VSC) were generated using dual-energy image post-processing in order to measure embolization effectiveness.
RESULTS
Complete occlusion of target PAVM was achieved in all cases on digital subtraction angiography at the end of the embolization procedure. With a median follow-up of 12.7 months, the vascular plug group demonstrated significantly less vascular opacification compared to the coils-only group, as measured by opacification between upstream feeding artery and and different downstream vasculature locations (Δslope1: median 79.1 versus 28.6, p=0.0030; Δslope2: 76.4 versus 28.6, p=0.0197; Δslope3: 78.9 versus 28.6, p=0.0041). Persistence occurred in three PAVMs based on size criteria, which demonstrated higher vascular vascular opacification by DECT (Δslope1: 72 versus 28.6, p=0.253; Δslope2: 65.1 versus 32.7, p=0.326; Δslope3: 72.9 versus 53.5, p=0.733), although statistical significance was not reached.
CONCLUSION
Similar to emerging literature, DECT showed improved occlusion in PAVMs treated with vascular plugs compared to coils alone.
PubMed: 38950821
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2024.06.027 -
Talanta Jun 2024Tumor spheroids are widely studied for in vitro modeling of tumor growth and responses to anticancer drugs. However, current methods are mostly limited to static and...
Tumor spheroids are widely studied for in vitro modeling of tumor growth and responses to anticancer drugs. However, current methods are mostly limited to static and perfusion-based cultures, which can be improved by more accurately mimicking pathological conditions. Here, we developed a diffusion-based dynamic culture system for tumor spheroids studies using a thin membrane of hydrogel microwells and a microfluidic device. This allows for effective exchange of nutrients and metabolites between the tumors and the culture medium flowing underneath, resulting in uniform tumor spheroids. To monitor the growth and drug response of the spheroids in real-time, we performed spectroscopic analyses of the system's impedance, demonstrating a close correlation between the tumor size and the resistance and capacitance of the system. Our results also indicate an enhanced drug effect on the tumor spheroids in the presence of a low AC electric field, suggesting a weakening mechanism of the spheroids induced by external perturbation.
PubMed: 38950503
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126473 -
PloS One 2024The placenta is a transient organ critical for fetal development. Disruptions of normal placental functions can impact health throughout an individual's entire life....
BACKGROUND
The placenta is a transient organ critical for fetal development. Disruptions of normal placental functions can impact health throughout an individual's entire life. Although being recognized by the NIH Human Placenta Project as an important organ, the placenta remains understudied, partly because of a lack of non-invasive tools for longitudinally evaluation for key aspects of placental functionalities.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal is to create a non-invasive preclinical imaging pipeline that can longitudinally probe murine placental health in vivo. We use advanced imaging processing schemes to establish functional biomarkers for non-invasive longitudinal evaluation of placental development.
METHODOLOGY
We implement dynamic contrast enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and analysis pipeline to quantify uterine contraction and placental perfusion dynamics. We use optic flow and time-frequency analysis to quantify and characterize contraction-related placental motion. Our novel imaging and analysis pipeline uses subcutaneous administration of gadolinium for steepest slope-based perfusion evaluation, enabling non-invasive longitudinal monitoring.
RESULTS
We demonstrate that the placenta exhibits spatially asymmetric contractile motion that develops from E14.5 to E17.5. Additionally, we see that placental perfusion, perfusion delivery rate, and substrate delivery all increase from E14.5 to E17.5, with the High Perfusion Chamber (HPC) leading the placental changes that occur from E14.5 to E17.5.
DISCUSSION
We advance the placental perfusion chamber paradigm with a novel, physiologically based threshold model for chamber localization and demonstrate spatially varying placental chambers using multiple functional metrics that assess mouse placental development and remodeling throughout gestation.
CONCLUSION
Our pipeline enables the non-invasive, longitudinal assessment of multiple placenta functions from a single imaging session. Our pipeline serves as a key toolbox for advancing research in mouse models of placental disease and disorder.
Topics: Animals; Female; Pregnancy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mice; Placenta; Uterine Contraction; Contrast Media; Mice, Inbred C57BL
PubMed: 38950083
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303957 -
Minerva Cardiology and Angiology Jul 2024Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome which is due to cardiac structural and/or functional abnormalities that result in elevated intra-cardiac pressures and/or...
Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome which is due to cardiac structural and/or functional abnormalities that result in elevated intra-cardiac pressures and/or inadequate cardiac output. Hemodynamic assessment in HF allows the identification and characterization of cardiac dysfunction, systemic and/or pulmonary congestion and the eventual impairment of systemic perfusion which are fundamental to phenotype HF, risk stratify HF patients and to guide their treatment. Patient hemodynamics can be characterized invasively with right heart catheterization but also non-invasively with the use of echocardiography and other non-invasive ultrasound tools. The aim of the present review is to summarize the main echocardiographic and ultrasound parameters to characterize the hemodynamics of patients with HF and help clinicians to make the most of these non-invasive tools to guide HF patient management.
PubMed: 38949760
DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5683.24.06471-8