Naturally occurring iridescent systems produce brilliant color displays through multiscale, hierarchical assembly of structures that combine reflective, diffractive, diffusive, or absorbing domains. ...The fabrication of biopolymer‐based, hierarchical 3D photonic crystals through the use of a topographical templating strategy that allows combined optical effects derived from the interplay of predesigned 2D and 3D geometries is reported here. This biomaterials‐based approach generates 2D diffractive optics composed of 3D nanophotonic lattices that allow simultaneous control over the reflection (through the 3D photonic bandgap) and the transmission (through 2D diffractive structuring) of light with the additional utility of being constituted by a biocompatible, implantable, edible commodity textile material. The use of biopolymers allows additional degrees of freedom in photonic bandgap design through directed protein conformation modulation. Demonstrator structures are presented to illustrate the lattice multifunctionality, including tunable diffractive properties, increased angle of view of photonic crystals, color‐mixing, and sensing applications.
Multifunctional, biomaterial‐based hierarchical 3D photonic crystals are developed via a combination of protein self‐assembly, colloidal assembly, and topographical templating. This biomaterials‐based approach generates the integration of multiple optical functions within a single material, including tunable diffractive properties, increased angle of view, and color mixing. These coexistent functions offer the end materials potential applications in wide‐angle pattern displays and dual sensing.
The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for different precocious calving criteria and their relationship with reproductive, growth, carcass and feed efficiency in Nellore cattle ...using the single‐step genomic BLUP. The reproductive traits used were probability of precocious calving (PPC) at 24 (PPC24), 26 (PPC26), 28 (PPC28) and 30 (PPC30) months of age, stayability (STAY) and scrotal circumference at 455 days of age (SC455). Growth traits such as weights at 240 (W240) and 455 (W455) days of age and adult weight (AW) were used. Rib eye area (REA), subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), rump fat thickness (RFT) and residual feed intake (RFI) were included in the analyses. The estimation of genetic parameters was performed using a bi‐trait threshold model including genomic information in a single‐step approach. Heritability for PPC traits was moderate to high (0.29–0.56) with highest estimates for PPC24 (0.56) and PPC26 (0.50). Genetic correlation estimates between PPC and STAY weakened as a function of calving age. Correlation with SC455, growth and carcass traits were low (0.25–0.31; −0.22 to 0.04; −0.09 to 0.18, respectively), the same occurs with RFI (−0.09 to 0.08), this suggests independence between female sexual precocity and feed efficiency traits. The results of this study encourage the use of PPC traits in Nellore cattle because the selection for such trait would not have a negative impact on reproductive, growth, carcass and feed efficiency indicator traits. Stayability for sexual precocious heifers (PPC24 and PPC26) must be redefined to avoid incorrectly phenotype assignment.
Fiorenzo G. Omenetto and co‐workers present a scanning electron microscopy image of a silk‐based inverse‐opal lattice in the shape of a diffraction grating. This optical element allows simultaneous ...control over the reflection (through the photonic bandgap) and the transmission (through 2D diffractive structuring) of light with the additional utility of being constituted by a biocompatible, implantable, edible commodity textile material, as described in article number 1805312.
ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to assess current management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing coronary stenting.DesignNon-interventional, ...prospective, nationwide study.Setting76 private or public cardiology centres in Italy.ParticipantsPatients with ACS with concomitant AF undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Primary and secondary outcome measuresTo obtain accurate and up-to-date information on pharmacological management of patients with AF admitted for an ACS and undergoing PCI with stent implantation.ResultsOver a 12-month period, 598 consecutive patients were enrolled: 48.8% with AF at hospital admission and 51.2% developing AF during hospitalisation. At discharge, a triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT) was prescribed in 64.8%, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in 25.7% and dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT) in 8.8% of patients. Among patients with AF at admission, TAT and DAT were more frequently prescribed compared with patients with new-onset AF (76.3% vs 53.8% and 12.5% vs 5.3%, respectively; both p<0.0001), while a DAPT was less often used (11.2% vs 39.5%; p<0.0001). At multivariable analysis, a major bleeding event (OR: 5.40; 95% CI: 2.42 to 12.05; p<0.0001) and malignancy (OR: 5.11; 95% CI: 1.77 to 14.78; p=0.003) resulted the most important independent predictors of DAT prescription.ConclusionsIn this contemporary registry of patients with ACS with AF treated with coronary stents, TAT still resulted as the antithrombotic strategy of choice, DAT was reserved for high bleeding risk and DAPT was mainly prescribed in those developing AF during hospitalisation.Trial registration numberNCT03656523.
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis is an endemic disease prevalent in tropical countries and is associated with a high incidence of portal vein thrombosis. Inflammatory changes caused ...by both parasitic infection and portal thrombosis can lead to the development of chronic liver disease with potential carcinogenesis. AIMS: To assess the incidence of portal vein thrombosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with schistosomiasis during long-term follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted involving patients with schistosomiasis followed up at our institution between 1990 and 2021. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients with schistosomiasis were evaluated in the study. The mean follow-up time was 16 years (range 5–31). Of the total, 73 (57.9%) patients presented portal vein thrombosis during follow-up. Six (8.1%) of them were diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, all with portal vein thrombosis diagnosed more than ten years before. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with schistosomiasis and chronic portal vein thrombosis highlights the importance of a systematic long-term follow-up in this group of patients.
RESUMO RACIONAL: A esquistossomose hepatoesplênica é uma doença endêmica prevalente em países tropicais e está associada a uma alta incidência de trombose da veia porta. Alterações inflamatórias causadas tanto pela infecção parasitária quanto pela trombose portal podem levar ao desenvolvimento de doença hepática crônica com potencial carcinogênico. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a incidência de trombose da veia porta e carcinoma hepatocelular em pacientes com esquistossomose durante um seguimento de longo prazo. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado estudo retrospectivo envolvendo pacientes com esquistossomose acompanhados em nossa instituição entre 1990 e 2021. RESULTADOS: Um total de 126 pacientes com esquistossomose foram avaliados no estudo. O tempo médio de acompanhamento foi de 16 anos (variando de 5 a 31). Do total, 73 (57,9%) pacientes apresentaram trombose da veia porta durante o seguimento e seis (8,1%) deles foram diagnosticados com carcinoma hepatocelular, todos com trombose da veia porta diagnosticada há mais de 10 anos. CONCLUSÕES: A incidência de carcinoma hepatocelular em pacientes com esquistossomose e trombose da veia porta crônica destaca a importância de um acompanhamento sistemático de longo prazo nesse grupo de pacientes.
Introduction and objectives: Contrast-induced-acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a potential complication of angiographic procedures. The DyeVert Contrast Reduction system (Osprey Medical, United ...States) is a device to reduce the concentration of contrast medium (CM) in the kidneys by decreasing the amount of CM delivered to patients. Unlike manual systems, few data are available on the DyeVert Power XT system, which is used in conjunction with automated contrast injection. The main aim of our study was to evaluate its effectiveness during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).
Methods: Between 2020 and 2022, 101 patients who underwent PCI with the DyeVert Power XT system (case group) were enrolled to evaluate the amount of CM saved through the use of this device, as well as the rate, severity, and predictors of CI-AKI. Patients who underwent PCI without the use of the device (control group) were enrolled to create a matched group allowing assessment of differences in CM and the CI-AKI rate.
Results: In the case group, the amount of CM saved was 114 ± 42 mL, representing an average of 32% of the total CM. Fourteen patients (13.9%) developed CI-AKI. The only independent predictors of CI-AKI were hematocrit (OR, 0.86; 95%CI, 0.74-0.99; P = .04) and ejection fraction (OR, 0.88; 95%CI, 0.82-0.95; P = .001). As a result of diversion by the device, the amount of CM delivered was lower in the case group than in controls (252 vs 267 mL; P = .42), but this difference was nonsignificant. Equally, the reduction in CI-AKI (14.3% vs 16.3%) was nonsignificant.
Conclusions: Hematocrit and ejection fraction may be more important predictors of CI-AKI than the CM volume normally used during PCI in the general population. The net practical benefit of DyeVert Power XT was low.
Introducción y objetivos: La nefropatía inducida por contraste (NIC) es una potencial complicación de los procedimientos angiográficos. El sistema DyeVert Power (Osprey Medical, Estados Unidos) permite reducir la concentración renal del medio de contraste al disminuir la cantidad administrada a los pacientes. Al contrario que sobre los sistemas manuales, existen pocos datos disponibles sobre el sistema DyeVert, que se utiliza junto a la inyección automática de contraste. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue evaluar su eficacia en procedimientos de intervencionismo coronario percutáneo (ICP).
Métodos: Entre 2020 y 2022 se incluyó a 101 pacientes a quienes se realizó ICP utilizando el sistema DyeVert Power XT (grupo de casos) para evaluar la cantidad ahorrada de medio de contraste, así como la tasa, la gravedad y los predictores de NIC. Además, se seleccionó un grupo control de pacientes a los que se había realizado ICP sin utilizar el sistema DyeVert para comparar la cantidad de medio de contraste administrado y la tasa de NIC.
Resultados: En el grupo de casos se redujo la administración de medio de contraste en 114 ± 42 ml (una media del 32% del total). Desarrollaron NIC 14 pacientes (13,9%). Los predictores de NIC fueron el hematocrito (OR = 0,86; IC95%: 0,74-0,99; p = 0,04) y la fracción de eyección (OR = 0,88; IC95%: 0,82-0,95; p = 0,001). Como resultado de la utilización del sistema DyeVert, la cantidad administrada de medio de contraste fue menor, pero sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas (252 frente a 267 ml; p = 0,42). La tasa de NIC fue menor con el sistema DyeVert, pero sin alcanzar la significación estadística (14,3 frente a 16,3%; p = 1,0).
Conclusiones: El hematocrito y la fracción de eyección, más que la cantidad de contraste administrada, pueden ser predictores de NIC en los pacientes que reciben ICP. El beneficio del sistema DyeVert fue bajo.
Schistosomiasis is an endemic health problem affecting about four million people. The hepatosplenic form of the disease is characterized by periportal hepatic fibrosis, pre-sinusoidal portal ...hypertension and splenomegaly. Liver function is preserved, being varices bleeding the main complication of the disease. The surgical treatment used in the majority of centers for the prevention of rebleeding is esophagogastric devascularization and splenectomy. Most authors reported better results with the association of surgical and postoperative endoscopic treatment.
The aim of this study was to compare the intra operative portal pressure decrease and esophageal varices behavior and rebleeding rates in patients submitted to surgical and postoperative endoscopic treatment after long-term follow-up.
A retrospective study of 36 patients with schistosomiasis with, at least, one previous bleeding from esophageal varices rupture submitted to esophagogastric devascularization and splenectomy, added to endoscopic varices postoperative treatment was performed. Patients were stratified according to the intra operative portal pressure decrease in two groups: reduction below and above 30%. Long-term varices presence, size and bleeding recurrence were evaluated.
Regarding varices behavior, no significant influence was observed in both groups of portal pressure fall. Regarding bleeding recurrence, despite three times more frequent in the group with lower portal pressure fall, no significant difference was observed. All patients were submitted to postoperative endoscopic treatment.
Esophageal varices banding, rather than portal pressure decrease, seems to be the main responsible factor for good results after combination of two therapies (surgery and endoscopy) for patients with portal hypertension due to schistosomiasis; further studies are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ambient temperature on the physical and chemical characteristics of the longissimus dorsi muscle by comparing the quality of meat from pigs reared ...in a controlled and in an uncontrolled environment, the latter provided with a shallow pool. Twenty castrated male pigs of the Topigs line were randomly allotted to two treatments: a controlled environment, with constant temperature (22 °C) and relative humidity (70%); and an uncontrolled environment in a conventional shed for rearing pigs equipped with a shallow pool, where pigs were subject to climatic variations. Meat from pigs kept in the controlled environment showed a greater capacity to retain intracellular water, higher tenderness, and lower cholesterol levels than meat from pigs reared in the uncontrolled environment, but displayed higher lipid oxidation and a lower concentration of DHA. Treatments had no effect on color, pH, chemical composition, or fatty acid profile (except DHA concentration). Rearing pigs in sheds equipped with a shallow pool minimizes the effects of environmental heat on meat quality, allowing the production of high-quality meat in warm climate regions without expensive investments. Animals reared in an uncontrolled environment equipped with a shallow pool are able to produce meat with characteristics within the quality standards and with similar quality to that of meat from animals raised in controlled environment.
Background:
The hanging liver maneuver and intrahepatic extra-Glissonian approach are distinct modalities to facilitate safe anatomical liver resections. This study reports a standardized combination ...of these techniques focusing on safety, results and correlation with portal pedicle anatomy in oncological patients.
Method:
Combined hanging liver maneuver and intrahepatic extra-Glissonian approach for anatomic right hepatectomy was described stepwise. Portal pedicle anatomy was correlated with the Glissonian approach failure and complications. Clinical characteristics of patients, perioperative outcomes, short and long-term survival rates were analyzed.
Results:
Thirty colorectal liver metastases patients submitted to the combined approach were evaluated. Anatomical variations of the right portal pedicle were present in 26.6%. Hanging liver maneuver was feasible in 100%, and Glissonian approach in 96.7% despite portal pedicle variations. Mean operative time was 326 min. Mean blood loss was 507 ml. Mean hospital stay was 8 days. There was no 90-day operative mortality and no significant morbidity. Oncological surgical margins were free. Overall and disease-free 5-year survival were 59 and 37%.
Conclusion:
Regardless of frequent anatomical variations of the right portal pedicle, the hanging liver maneuver, and intrahepatic extra-Glissonian approach can be combined, being useful for anatomical right hepatectomies in a safe and reproducible way in most patients.
Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are promising devices for bioelectronics, such as biosensors. However, current cleanroom‐based microfabrication of OECTs hinders fast prototyping and ...widespread adoption of this technology for low‐volume, low‐cost applications. To address this limitation, a versatile and scalable approach for ultrafast laser microfabrication of OECTs is herein reported, where a femtosecond laser to pattern insulating polymers (such as parylene C or polyimide) is first used, exposing the underlying metal electrodes serving as transistor terminals (source, drain, or gate). After the first patterning step, conducting polymers, such as poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), or semiconducting polymers, are spin‐coated on the device surface. Another femtosecond laser patterning step subsequently defines the active polymer area contributing to the OECT performance by disconnecting the channel and gate from the surrounding spin‐coated film. The effective OECT width can be defined with high resolution (down to 2 µm) in less than a second of exposure. Micropatterning the OECT channel area significantly improved the transistor switching performance in the case of PEDOT:PSS‐based transistors, speeding up the devices by two orders of magnitude. The utility of this OECT manufacturing approach is demonstrated by fabricating complementary logic (inverters) and glucose biosensors, thereby showing its potential to accelerate OECT research.
Ultrafast focused femtosecond laser has been introduced for the direct micropatterning of organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), providing high resolution (2 µm), selective cleanroom‐free patterning of insulating and conjugated polymer layers while preserving device operation, and high flexibility in device design. The approach has been validated in the fabrication of complementary inverters and glucose biosensors.
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