021) whereas weight lost group does not show any significant difference (
 = 0.972). Frequency of weight gain was more among patients who weighed < 50kg preoperatively (28 out of 30) (
 = 0.013) and 20 to 30years age group patients (
 = 0.043). No sex predilection was noted (
 = 0.149).

In post-MVR patients, weight gain has definitive influence over hemodynamics. In PPM subgroup, weight gained patients had significantly increased PA systolic pressure at follow-up. Young, < 50kg weighed, and PPM patients should be advised to maintain their weight post MVR for better hemodynamics.
In post-MVR patients, weight gain has definitive influence over hemodynamics. In PPM subgroup, weight gained patients had significantly increased PA systolic pressure at follow-up. Young, less then  50 kg weighed, and PPM patients should be advised to maintain their weight post MVR for better hemodynamics.
Even today, the search for the ideal cardiac valve continues. With advantages of having superior flow dynamics, avoidance of anticoagulation, and resistance to infection, homograft has been shown to have an edge over conventional prosthetic and bioprosthetic valves. But they suffer from disadvantages of limited availability and durability. Our center operates one of the oldest functioning valve banks in the country. We present our experience with homograft valve banking with antibiotic and cryopreserved homografts spread over a quarter century.

For donor selection, procurement, sterilization, and preservation, the recommendations of the American Association of Tissue Banks are being followed in accordance with statutory provisions of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994.

During 25-year period (1993-2017), 777 hearts were procured. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/e7449.html Age of the donors ranged from 2 to 60years and hearts were procured within 24h of death. A total of 1646 homografts (774 pulmonary, 774 aortic, 60 mitral valves, 20 descending thoracic aortae, and 18 monocusps) were harvested. A total of 546 (32%) homografts were rejected for various reasons. Nine hundred sixty-seven (56.7%) homografts were used in different procedures. Of these, 478 were pulmonary homografts, 425 were aortic homografts, 39 mitral homografts, 18 monocusps, and 7 descending thoracic aorta homografts. One hundred fifty-four (16%) homografts were antibiotic preserved and the rest 813 (84%) were cryopreserved.

It is possible to run a homograft valve bank with minimum costs. Though, cryopreservation is more expensive, it provides an opportunity to store the valves for an indefinite period and maintain an uninterrupted supply of homografts.
It is possible to run a homograft valve bank with minimum costs. Though, cryopreservation is more expensive, it provides an opportunity to store the valves for an indefinite period and maintain an uninterrupted supply of homografts.Aortic valve surgery invariably becomes a high-risk, challenging procedure when there is extensive calcification of the ascending aorta which precludes safe cross-clamping. Very few case reports of performing aortic valve surgery in this condition with a non-cross-clamping technique of using endoaortic occlusion have been reported. We describe and recommend a non-cross-clamping technique of using a semi-compliant polyurethane balloon catheter (CODA balloon, Cook Incorporated, Bloomington, IN) and report its successful outcome in a patient, with porcelain aorta, who underwent aortic valve replacement.Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in two different industry-sponsored trials (Edwards Lifesciences-the SAPIEN 3 system; Medtronic-the CoreValve, EvolutR, and EvolutPRO) in patients with low risk for surgical aortic valve replacement. In the balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 system, requirements for both non-inferiority (P  less then  0.001) and superiority (P  less then  0.001) were met for the primary outcome which was a composite of death from any cause, stroke, or re-hospitalization. In the self-expanding EVOLUT valve study, the requirement for the non-inferiority of TAVR was met for a composite of death and stroke. In both studies, the mean age of patients was 74, and extrapolation of these results to a younger low-risk population cannot be recommended. Moreover, unblinded adjudication of end points, the large numbers of concomitant procedures in the SAVR group, using a composite end point as the primary outcome and the use of estimated rather than actual figures remain some of the important concerns of these studies.Dextrocardia is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly where the base-apex axis of the heart is directed to right side. Incidence of dextrocardia is 1 in 10,000 live births, and it may be associated with other congenital cardiac diseases. In cases of dextrocardia, the atrial situs can be situs solitus, situs inversus, or situs ambiguous of which dextrocardia with situs inversus (mirror image dextrocardia) is more common (40%). If all the visceral organs also get mirrored, then it is called dextrocardia with situs inversus totalis. Though dextrocardia can be associated with other congenital cardiac anomalies, its association with rheumatic heart disease is extremely rare. We report a case of dextrocardia with rheumatic heart disease involving the mitral and tricuspid valves.Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare, malignant tumor of the lung and is the most common primary pulmonary malignancy in children. Here, we report a case of a boy who was diagnosed with type I regressed PPB after being mislabeled with congenital pulmonary malformation. A 10-year-old boy presented to our hospital with a history of worsening dyspnea. Since birth, his clinical status and radiographic images were concerning for congenital lobar emphysema that was managed conservatively. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed the persistence of a large cystic lesion and a diagnostic and therapeutic cystectomy was performed. Microscopic examination confirmed the presence of PPB type Ir. Patient was managed surgically alone with no added chemotherapy, as there was no overall survival benefit. PPB Ir has an overall favorable clinical outcome. Limited follow-up data are available due to the rarity of the lesion and the overlap with other congenital cystic lung malformations.

While youth have varying responses to mass shootings, possibly due to risk and protective factors as well as level of exposure, the mental health outcomes are significant and include posttraumatic stress, suicide, depression, substance abuse, and anxiety. Efforts at developing effective prevention and treatment programs are still underway but generally take a tiered public health approach. Mass shootings have significant mental health outcomes for youth survivors, particularly those with direct exposure or risk factors. Continued efforts are needed to better understand the effects of mass shootings and how to prevent them from occurring as well as how to best address the needs of survivors.
Despite the global increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), relevant research studies are lacking in Brunei Darussalam. Various studies have shown a significant association between a lowered 2D4D ratio (ratio of second digit/index finger to the fourth digit/ring finger) and ASD, making it one of the potential phenotypic biomarkers for early detection of autism, which is important for early intervention and management.

The objective of this study is to explore the association between 2D4D ratio and ASD in Brunei Darussalam, as a potential tool to complement early ASD diagnosis.

We conducted a case-control study comprising 28 ASD and 62 typically developing (TD) children in the case and control group, respectively (age range 3-11years old; median age 6yearsold). Median 2D4D ratios were measured, compared and analysed between the two groups. Logistic regression models were used to explore potential associations between the median 2D4D ratio and ASD in respective gender, for both left ts the importance of considering gender-specific biomarkers for ASD diagnosis.
The current American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and clopidogrel for 6months followed by lifelong aspirin after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, studies that have DAPT with aspirin following TAVR have questioned this recommendation as DAPT has been associated with more bleeding events compared to aspirin. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all the RCTs comparing DAPT (aspirin plus clopidogrel) with aspirin alone as antithrombotic treatment following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The databases of Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane library were searched from inception to Oct 1, 2020, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting aspirin plus clopidogrel with aspirin alone as antithrombotic treatment after TAVI were included. Revman 5.3 was used to conduct the analysis.

After screening 152 articles, four studies involving 1086 patients (541 patients in the stroke or myocardial infarction compared with DAPT.
Our systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that aspirin alone could decrease the risk of bleeding and was not associated with higher risk of mortality, stroke or myocardial infarction compared with DAPT.The effects of mental diseases on the employment and working situation can be substantial. They are one of the main reasons for inability to work and reduced earning capacity. Against this background the question arises about suitable occupational reintegration measures for people with severe mental illnesses. In recent years, the principle of supported employment has been internationally shown to be increasingly more successful. In this context mentally ill people are primarily placed at a position of the first employment market and supported on-site by a job coach. This concept is inclusive, individual and evidence based. Despite proven effectiveness, it has so far been insufficiently implemented in German-speaking regions. In the future it will be a matter of considering the individual needs for assistance of mentally ill people more intensively than previously and to respond with functional and in a best-case scenario, multiprofessional and flexible offers.Rivers are one of the major freshwater resources, which provide water for irrigation, domestic, recreational, environmental, and industrial purposes, but they are extremely vulnerable to pollution due to discharge of untreated waste. Establishing the baseline river water quality data is important, so that monitoring changes over time, assessing impacts of particular developmental projects and setting water quality standards for the protection of the river, can be undertaken. In the present study, water quality assessment was done for a segment of Yamuna River passing through Panipat district, Haryana, India. This study is an attempt to know the impact of wastewater generated due to urban and industrial activities taking place in Panipat city and nearby areas, on River Yamuna. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/OSI-930.html Furthermore, vulnerability zone of River Yamuna was delineated using CCME-WQI, NSF-WQI, and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The water quality samples were further evaluated for the agricultural and industrial purposes to determine whether the water can be used for irrigation and industrial requirements. The study also considered the existing land use land cover (LULC) on left and right banks of the River Yamuna and the wastewater carrying drain. River Yamuna travels nearly a distance of ≈ 44 Kms in and around Panipat district and the results of the study indicated that nearly 13 Km stretch of River is more vulnerable to pollution. Thus, it is suggested that wastewater discharge regulation, installation of effluent treatments plants, and maintenance of environmental flow are prerequisite to protect and restore the River Yamuna.
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has been testified to influence the initiation and evolution of sundry carcinomas. Recently, lncRNA FOXD2 adjacent opposite strand RNA 1 (FOXD2-AS1) has been found to display vital regulating functions in various cancers.

qRT-PCR was used to verify the dysregulation of FOXD2-AS1 expression in CCA cells and tissues, and the correlation of FOXD2-AS1 expression with clinicopathological characteristics was investigated. The viability, migration, and invasion of CCA cells were verified through CCK-8 assay, colony formation experiment, wound healing assay, and transwell assay. The regulatory networks of FOXD2-AS1 were analyzed by Bioinformatic prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assay.

We discovered that FOXD2-AS1 was significantly upregulated in CCA and its up-regulation was closely correlated with terminal TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and poor survival in the current research. In addition, it was revealed that FOXD2-AS1 was an independent prognostic factor. Functional tests uncovered that the cell viability, migration, and invasion could be restrained through downregulating the expression of FOXD2-AS1, while FOXD2-AS1 overexpression could facilitate the cell viability, migration, and invasion.

Hospital and ICU stay were significantly longer in patients with delirium (p < .001). Delirium was an independent predictor of prolonged ICU-stay. Independent predictors of delirium were age, dementia, alcohol abuse, cardiac arrest, hypotension, and leucocytosis. Infarct size or presentation with ST-elevation were not associated with incidence of delirium.

Development of delirium is frequent after acute MI and prolongs hospitalization. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/wnt-agonist-1.html Incidence of delirium is associated with clinical instability, preexisting comorbidity, and age rather than MI type or size.
Development of delirium is frequent after acute MI and prolongs hospitalization. Incidence of delirium is associated with clinical instability, preexisting comorbidity, and age rather than MI type or size.There is currently an interest in evaluating the role that antidepressants may play in the treatment of primary cutaneous disorders. It has been proposed that antidepressants could have anti-inflammatory effects, but the clinical relevance of this effect has not been adequately established. In the case of bupropion, evidence for its specific use in dermatologic conditions currently come only from a pilot study and a case report. While this level of evidence is unlikely to be sufficient to guide clinical practice, the authors of this brief update hope to sort the available information to serve as a guide and provide a structure for future research.Orofacial clefts (OFCs) have multiple etiologies and likely result from an interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Within the last decade, studies have implicated specific epigenetic modifications and noncoding RNAs as additional facets of OFC etiology. Altered gene expression through DNA methylation and histone modification offer novel insights into how specific genes contribute to distinct OFC subtypes. Epigenetics research has also provided further evidence that cleft lip only (CLO) is a cleft subtype with distinct etiology. Polymorphisms or misexpression of genes encoding microRNAs, as well as their targets, contribute to OFC risk. The ability to experimentally manipulate epigenetic changes and noncoding RNAs in animal models, such as zebrafish, Xenopus, mice, and rats, has offered novel insights into the mechanisms of various OFC subtypes. Although much remains to be understood, recent advancements in our understanding of OFC etiology may advise future strategies of research and preventive care.
To compare safety, efficacy, and hemodynamics of transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using self-expanding and balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valves (THVs) in patients with a small aortic annulus.

Few studies have directly compared TAVR outcomes using third-generation THVs, focusing on patients with small aortic annuli.

In a multicenter TAVR registry, we analyzed data from 576 patients with a small annulus and who underwent transfemoral TAVR using third-generation THVs. Propensity score matching was used to adjust baseline clinical characteristics.

The device success rate in the overall cohort was 92.0% (Evolut R 92.1% vs. Sapien 392.0%, p = 0.96). One year after TAVR, patients treated with Evolut R maintained a lower mean pressure gradient (mPG) and a higher indexed effective orifice area (iEOA) in the matched cohort mPG 9.0 [interquartile range (IQR) 6.0-11.9] vs. 12.0 [IQR 9.9-16.3] mmHg, p < .001; iEOA 1.20 [IQR 1.01-1.46] vs. 1.08 [IQR 0.90-1.28] cm
/m
, p < .001. However, no significant differences were reported in the incidence of severe prosthesis-patient mismatch and aortic regurgitation at 1 year. Furthermore, both groups showed comparable outcomes with no differences in terms of all-cause mortality (log-lank test, p = .81).

TAVR for patients with a small annulus using third-generation THVs was associated with high device success. Evolut R seems to be superior to Sapien 3 in hemodynamic performance for patients with a small annulus and body surface area up to 1 year after TAVR. Nevertheless, all-cause mortality at 1 year was similar between both groups.
TAVR for patients with a small annulus using third-generation THVs was associated with high device success. Evolut R seems to be superior to Sapien 3 in hemodynamic performance for patients with a small annulus and body surface area up to 1 year after TAVR. Nevertheless, all-cause mortality at 1 year was similar between both groups.
Pain is a common symptom in childhood cancer. Since children spend more time at home, families are increasingly responsible for pain management. This study aimed at assessing pain at home.

In this longitudinal observational study (April 2016-January 2017), pain severity and prevalence, analgesic use, and pain interference with daily life (Brief Pain Inventory Short Form) were assessed for 4 consecutive days around the time of multiple chemotherapy appointments. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used to report pain severity (with clinically significant pain defined as score≥4 on "worst pain" or "average pain in the last 24h"), pain prevalence, and analgesic use. Mixed models were estimated to assess whether patient characteristics were associated with pain severity, and whether pain severity was associated with interference with daily life.

Seventy-three children (50.7% male) participated (1-18years). A majority (N=57, 78%) experienced clinically significant pain at least once, and 30% reported clinically significant pain at least half the time. In 33.6% of scores≥4, no medication was used. We found an association between pain severity and interference with daily life the higher the pain, the bigger the interference (estimated regression coefficient=1.01 [95% CI 0.98-1.13]).

The majority of children experienced clinically significant pain at home, and families frequently indicated no medication use. A stronger focus on education and coaching of families seems essential, as well as routine screening for pain in the home setting.
The majority of children experienced clinically significant pain at home, and families frequently indicated no medication use. A stronger focus on education and coaching of families seems essential, as well as routine screening for pain in the home setting.

Objective Aortic stenosis (AS) is common among elderly patients. Since transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a less invasive procedure than surgical aortic valve replacement for symptomatic severe AS, super-elderly patients have tended to undergo TAVR. We retrospectively investigated the post-TAVR outcome in super-elderly patients with severe AS. Methods This analysis included 433 patients who underwent TAVR in the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics from 2012 to 2017. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/yap-tead-inhibitor-1-peptide-17.html Post-TAVR mortality, complications in-hospital, rehospitalization, the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class and echocardiographic parameters were compared between patients less then 85 years old (n = 290) and ≥85 years old (n = 143). Results The patients ≥85 years old less frequently had a history of coronary artery disease (73.1% vs. 62.2%, p=0.026) and hypertension (87.2% vs. 77.6%, p=0.012) than younger patients. Furthermore, the patients ≥85 years old had moderate-severe mitral regurgitation more frequently (19.3% vs. 28.7%, p=0.037) at baseline than younger patients. There was no significant difference in in-hospital outcomes between the age groups. The 30-day mortality was worse in patients ≥85 years old than in younger ones (0.7% vs. 3.5%, p=0.042). While there was no significant difference in the long-term mortality between the 2 groups, the estimated 1-year mortality from Kaplan-Meier curves were 9.6% in patients less then 85 years old and 14.9% in patients ≥85 years old. The rate of in-hospital complications, rehospitalization rate, improvement in the NYHA functional class and echocardiographic parameters were comparable between the two groups. Conclusion The outcomes of super-elderly patients after TAVR were acceptable, suggesting that these patients could benefit from TAVR.
The association between binge alcohol ingestion and atrial fibrillation (AF), often termed "holiday heart syndrome", has long been recognized. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are unknown.Methods and ResultsAn experimental model of binge alcohol-induced AF was developed to elucidate the mechanisms linking acute ethanol exposure to changes in ion channel transcription and AF susceptibility. AF-susceptibility during transesophageal electrical stimulation was enhanced 8 h after, but not immediately or 24 h after, acute alcohol intake. T-type calcium channel (TCC) blockade and calcineurin inhibition diminished the AF-promoting effect of ethanol. Long-term (8-24 h) exposure to ethanol augmented TCC isoform-expression (Ca
3.1 and Ca
3.2) and currents in cardiomyocytes, accompanied by upregulation of the transcription factors, Csx/Nkx2.5 and nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT), in the nucleus, and of phospho-glycogen synthesis kinase 3β (GSK3β) in the cytosol. Inhibition of proteied, but mechanistically enigmatic, "holiday heart syndrome".
HDL particles have various anti-atherogenic functions, whereas HDL from atherosclerotic patients was demonstrated to be dysfunctional. One possible mechanism for the formation of dysfunctional HDL is the oxidation of its components. However, oxidized HDLs (Ox-HDLs) remain to be well investigated due to lack of reliable assay systems.

We have developed a novel sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Ox-HDL by using the FOH1a/DLH3 antibody, which can specifically recognize oxidized phosphatidylcholine, a major component of HDL phospholipid (HDL-PL). We defined forced oxidation of 1 mg/L HDL-PL as 1 U/L Ox-HDL. We assessed serum Ox-HDL levels of normolipidemic healthy subjects (n=94) and dyslipidemic patients (n=177).

The coefficients of variation of within-run and between-run assays were 12.5% and 13.5%. In healthy subjects, serum Ox-HDL levels were 28.5±5.0 (mean±SD) U/L. As Ox-HDL levels were moderately correlated with HDL-PL (r=0.59), we also evaluated the Ox-HDL/HDL-PL ratio, which repr be a useful and easy strategy to evaluate HDL functionality, although the comparison study between this Ox-HDL ELISA and the assay of HDL cholesterol efflux capacity remains to be done. Our results indicated that probucol treatment may be associated with lower Ox-HDL levels.Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a non-Langerhans form of histiocytosis that occurs in systemic organs, such as bone, the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, lungs, and kidneys. We report the case of a 68-year-old woman with a cranial pharyngeal tumor and a bone lesion in the tibia. The case was diagnosed as ECD. Pathological analysis showed the typical feature of foamy macrophage accumulation. The macrophages were positive for CD68, and negative for CD1a and S100. The BRAF V600E mutation was identified. In addition, immunohistochemistry was performed for the detailed characterization of the macrophages. The macrophages had low proliferative activity and an M2-like phenotype, and they expressed colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) on the cell surface.In situ mantle cell neoplasia (isMCN) and leukemic non-nodal mantle cell lymphoma (nnMCL) are classified as an indolent subtype of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The tumor cells of isMCN are restricted to the inner layer of the lymphoid tissue mantle zone, exhibiting an in situ pattern histologically. On the other hand, nnMCL is distributed in the peripheral blood, bone marrow and sometimes the spleen, but lymphadenopathy or systemic organ involvement is rare. We report a case of isMCN in a submandibular lymph node resected from a 65-year-old Japanese male. The tumor cells were positive for cyclin D1 (CCND1) and SOX11 expression, and were restricted to the mantle zone area of the lymph node. However, tumor cells were also detected in the stomach mucosa, bone marrow tissue and peripheral blood, suggesting nnMCL. isMCN and nnMCL may have a partly overlapping disease spectrum, although the correlation between these two subtypes has not been well described. This present case demonstrated characteristics overlapping between isMCN and nnMCL.Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a common glomerular disease that is characterized by diffuse thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, and a common cause of nephrotic syndrome (NS). MN is often accompanied with malignant disease; The solid tumors are commonly associated with MN, whereas hematological malignancies are rarely found in patients with MN. A 68-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus visited a hospital with a chief complaint of general fatigue. He was previously not diagnosed with any complications of diabetes. Computed tomography revealed a pancreatic tumor, and the pathological findings of the biopsied tumor revealed the tumor was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Concurrently, he developed severe proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, systemic edema and hyperlipidemia, consistent with the diagnosis of NS. The biopsied renal specimen revealed minute spike lesions of glomerular basement membrane, and abnormal lymphocytes infiltrated in the kidney interstitially. Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody, proteinase-3-/myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and hepatitis B antigenemia, are absent in the patient.

In June 2020, a door-to-door household survey was conducted in Mvolo County, an onchocerciasis-endemic area in South Sudan. A total of 2357 households containing 15,699 individuals agreed to participate in the study. Of these, 5046 (32.1%, 95% CI 31.4-32.9%) had skin itching and 445 (2.8%, 95% CI 2.6-3.1%) were blind. An epilepsy screening questionnaire identified 813 (5.1%) persons suspected of having epilepsy. Of them, 804 (98.9%) were seen by a medical doctor, and in 798 (98.1%) the diagnosis of epilepsy was confirmed. The overall epilepsy prevalence was 50.8/1000 (95% CI 47.6-54.4/1000), while the prevalence of nodding syndrome was 22.4/1000 (95% CI 20.1-24.9/1000). Younger age, being male, skin itching, blindness, and living in a neighbourhood or village close to the Naam River were risk factors for epilepsy. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/s-2-hydroxysuccinic-acid.html The annual incidence of epilepsy was 82.8/100,000 (95% CI 44.1-141.6/100,000). Among children 7-9 years old without epilepsy, 34% were Ov16 seropositive, suggesting high ongoing Onchocerca volvulus transmission, but only 41.9% of them took ivermectin during the last mass distribution. In conclusion, a high prevalence and incidence of epilepsy was observed in Mvolo, South Sudan. Strengthening of the onchocerciasis elimination programme is urgently needed in order to prevent epilepsy in this region.The bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of bloodstream infections, where patients often suffer from relapse despite antibiotic therapy. Traditional anti-staphylococcal drugs display reduced effectivity against internalised bacteria, but nanoparticles conjugated with antibiotics can overcome these challenges. In the present study, we aimed to characterise the internalisation and re-emergence of S. aureus from human endothelial cells and construct a new formulation of nanoparticles that target intracellular bacteria. Using an in vitro infection model, we demonstrated that S. aureus invades and persists within endothelial cells, mediated through bacterial extracellular surface adhesion, Fibronectin-binding protein A/B. After internalising, S. aureus localises to vacuoles as determined by transmission electron microscopy. Viable S. aureus emerges from endothelial cells after 48 h, supporting the notion that intracellular persistence contributes to infection relapses during bloodstream infections. Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles were formulated using a water-in-oil double emulsion method, which loaded 10% vancomycin HCl with 82.85% ± 12 encapsulation efficiency. These non-toxic nanoparticles were successfully taken up by cells and demonstrated a biphasic controlled release of 91 ± 4% vancomycin. They significantly reduced S. aureus intracellular growth within infected endothelial cells, which suggests future potential applications for targeting internalised bacteria and reducing mortality associated with bacteraemia.The current efforts in moving closer towards a circular plastics economy puts massive pressure on recycled plastics, especially recycled polyethylene (rPE) and recycled polypropylene (rPP) to enter new markets. Their market penetration remained low so far, despite PE and PP constituting the largest share of plastic wastes. However, with the current imperative of more circularity comes a new focus on performance of recyclates. Hence, a detailed understanding of composition and structure-property relationships of post-consumer recyclates has to be developed. Five recycling companies from the Austrian and German markets were asked to supply their purest high-quality rPE and rPP grades. These were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and micro-imaging. Technological characterization included density measurements, determination of the melt flow rate (MFR), and Charpy impact testing. All recyclates contained diverse contaminants and inclusions ranging from legacy fillers like calcium carbonate to polymeric contaminants like polyamides or polyolefin cross-contamination. The overall amount, size, and distribution of contaminants varied significantly among suppliers. Furthermore, first structure-property relationships for polyolefin recyclates that link inorganic content and polymeric purity with density and impact performance could be derived.Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) provides multifactorial support and intervention for cardiac patients and improves quality of life (QoL). We aimed to assess clinical performance and QoL changes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) scheduled directly to inpatient CR (CR group) and those who were discharged home (DH group). The following patient-related outcomes were recorded 5 m walk time (5MWT), 6 min walk test (6MWT), handgrip strength (HGS) with dynamometer, Katz index of Independence of Activities in Daily Living (KI of ADL), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scores (HADS) Score. Quality of life was evaluated with Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ). Baseline data, 30-day and 6- and 12-month data were assessed. The CR group consisted of 52 patients and 53 were in the discharged home (DH group). When we compared outcomes between the groups, the 5MWT, 6MWT, HGS KI of ADL, and KCCQ were significantly better in the CR group at 30 days (p = 0.03, p = 0.01, p = 0.02, p = 0.048, respectively), and no difference was found in HADS scores. At 6 months, the effect of CR was sustained for 6MWT, HGS, KI of ADL, and KCCQ (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.03, p = 0.003, respectively) but not for 5MWT. Interestingly, at 12 months, the CR group had better performance only in 6MWT and HGS compared with the DH group (p = 0.04, p = 0.03, respectively). We showed that inpatient CR is strongly associated with better clinical performance and QoL in patients undergoing TAVR. All patients may benefit from CR after TAVR. The most important aspect of inpatient CR after TAVR from the patient's perspective may be better performance in daily activities; however, performance was attenuated after 1 year.Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a critical risk factor for postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preknowledge of MVI would assist tailored surgery planning in HCC management. In this multicenter study, we aimed to explore the validity of deep learning (DL) in MVI prediction using two imaging modalities-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) and gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI). A total of 750 HCCs were enrolled from five Chinese tertiary hospitals. Retrospective CE-CT (n = 306, collected between March, 2013 and July, 2019) and EOB-MRI (n = 329, collected between March, 2012 and March, 2019) data were used to train two DL models, respectively. Prospective external validation (n = 115, collected between July, 2015 and February, 2018) was performed to assess the developed models. Furthermore, DL-based attention maps were utilized to visualize high-risk MVI regions. Our findings revealed that the EOB-MRI-based DL model achieved superior prediction outcome to the CE-CT-based DL model (area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) 0.