Complex 3D microfluidic architectures formed by mechanically guided compressive buckling.

Microfluidic technologies have wide-ranging applications in chemical analysis systems, drug delivery platforms, and artificial vascular networks. This latter area is particularly relevant to 3D cell cultures, engineered tissues, and artificial organs, where volumetric capabilities in fluid distribution are essential. Existing schemes for fabricating 3D microfluidic structures are constrained in realizing desired layout designs, producing physiologically relevant microvascular structures, and/or integrating active electronic/optoelectronic/microelectromechanical components for sensing and actuation. This paper presents a guided assembly approach that bypasses these limitations to yield complex 3D microvascular structures from 2D precursors that exploit the full sophistication of 2D fabrication methods. The capabilities extend to feature sizes <5 μm, in extended arrays and with various embedded sensors and actuators, across wide ranges of overall dimensions, in a parallel, high-throughput process. Examples include 3D microvascular networks with sophisticated layouts, deterministically designed and constructed to expand the geometries and operating features of artificial vascular networks

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase&nbsp;1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation&nbsp;disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age&nbsp; 6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score&nbsp; 652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc&nbsp;= 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N&nbsp;= 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in&nbsp;Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in&nbsp;Asia&nbsp;and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701

Predictive Value of Annenxin A1 for Disease Severity and Prognosis in Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

This prospective, single-center study evaluated the clinical utility of annenxin (Anx)A1 level as a biomarker for determining the severity of illness and predicting the risk of death in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). A total of 105 patients (53 with severe [S]CAP, 52 with non-SCAP) were enrolled from December 2020 to June 2021. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. Serum AnxA1 concentration on days one and six after admission was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. AnxA1 level at admission was significantly higher in SCAP patients than in non-SCAP patients (p p = 0.01). Disease severity was significantly higher in patents with AnxA1 level ≥254.13 ng/mL than in those with a level p 670.84 ng/mL. These results indicate that AnxA1 is a useful biomarker for early diagnosis and prognostic assessment of CAP

Predictive Value of Annenxin A1 for Disease Severity and Prognosis in Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

This prospective, single-center study evaluated the clinical utility of annenxin (Anx)A1 level as a biomarker for determining the severity of illness and predicting the risk of death in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). A total of 105 patients (53 with severe [S]CAP, 52 with non-SCAP) were enrolled from December 2020 to June 2021. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. Serum AnxA1 concentration on days one and six after admission was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. AnxA1 level at admission was significantly higher in SCAP patients than in non-SCAP patients (p &lt; 0.001) irrespective of CAP etiology and was positively correlated with Pneumonia Severity Index and Confusion, Uremia, Respiratory Rate, Blood Pressure, and Age &ge; 65 Years score. AnxA1 level was significantly lower on day six after treatment than on day one (p = 0.01). Disease severity was significantly higher in patents with AnxA1 level &ge;254.13 ng/mL than in those with a level &lt;254.13 ng/mL (p &lt; 0.001). Kaplan&ndash;Meier analysis of 30-day mortality showed that AnxA1 level &le;670.84 ng/mL was associated with a significantly higher survival rate than a level &gt;670.84 ng/mL. These results indicate that AnxA1 is a useful biomarker for early diagnosis and prognostic assessment of CAP