Clinical Outcomes Following Atherectomy of Calcified Left Main Coronary

Copyright \ua9 2025 Mohamed Farag et al. Journal of Interventional Cardiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Introduction: Plaque modifying-debulking devices are the most effective initial strategy for percutaneous coronary intervention of severely calcified lesions including left main coronary artery. There are limited data comparing the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of these devices in left main lesions. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with calcified left main lesions treated with percutaneous intervention with adjunctive plaque modifying device at a large tertiary center between 2008 and 2021. The primary endpoint was long-term mortality at documented longest follow-up. Secondary endpoints included procedural complications and in-hospital clinical outcome. Results: A total of 302 patients with calcified left main lesions treated with rotational atherectomy (RA) (n = 240), intracoronary lithotripsy (n = 30), or excimer laser coronary atherectomy (n = 32) were included. Out of all patients, 55% presented with acute coronary syndromes. Technical success was achieved in 98.7% of the patients and procedural success was achieved in 95.4% of the patients. At a median follow-up of 42 (19–62) months, there was no difference in mortality between the 3 devices (RA 54/240 [23.4%] vs. lithotripsy 1/30 [3.3%] vs. laser 5/32 [15.6%], p = 0.128). Likewise, in-hospital clinical outcomes were similar. However, procedural complications were higher in the laser group. Conclusions: In patients with calcified left main lesions treated with percutaneous intervention, adjunctive plaque-modifying devices appear safe with survival exceeding 80% at long-term follow-up with no difference between the devices in relation to in-hospital clinical outcomes or long-term mortality risk

Metabolomics characteristics associated with milk yield and milk quality in sheep

Standart süt testleri, süt verimi ve kalitesi gibi izleme özelliklerini içerir. Standart süt testlerinin yapılmasına ek olarak, süt özelliklerini belirlemek için potansiyel biyobelirteçler olarak hareket edebilecek metabolitleri değerlendirmek artık mümkün. Bu çalışma İvesi koyunlarında süt verimi ve kalitesi ile ilgili metabolomik parametreleri belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışmamızda süt verimi yüksek 13, süt verimi düşük 13 olmak üzere toplam 26 İvesi koyunu incelenmiştir. Metabolomik analiz için sıvı kromatografi tandem kütle spektrometrisi kullanıldı. Aspartik asit, ornitin, anserin ve sistatiyonin düzeyleri açısından iki grup arasında farklı düzeylerde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark vardı (P<0.05 ve P<0.01). Süt verimi ile aspartik asit (r=-0,630) ve anserin (r=-0. 522) seviyeleri (P<0.01). Laktoz seviyeleri ile lizin (r=−0.501), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=−0.524) ve hidroksilizin (r=−0.511) seviyeleri arasında anlamlı bir negatif korelasyon bulundu (P<0.01). Somatik hücre sayısı ve alanin (r=0,493), aspartik asit (r=0,418), prolin (r=0,421), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=0,407), beta-alanin (r=0,433) ve tiyaprolin (r =0.434) seviyeleri (P<0.05) pozitif korelasyon gösterdi. Sonuçlarımız, koyun sütü verimi ve süt kalitesiyle ilgili metabolik olaylar hakkında, süt üretimini iyileştirmek ve koyun sütünün bileşenlerini geliştirmek için daha ileri araştırmalara rehberlik edebilecek önemli bilgiler sağlar. Somatik hücre sayısı ve alanin (r=0,493), aspartik asit (r=0,418), prolin (r=0,421), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=0,407), beta-alanin (r=0,433) ve tiyaprolin (r =0.434) seviyeleri (P<0.05) pozitif korelasyon gösterdi. Sonuçlarımız, koyun sütü verimi ve süt kalitesiyle ilgili metabolik olaylar hakkında, süt üretimini iyileştirmek ve koyun sütünün bileşenlerini geliştirmek için daha ileri araştırmalara rehberlik edebilecek önemli bilgiler sağlar. Somatik hücre sayısı ve alanin (r=0,493), aspartik asit (r=0,418), prolin (r=0,421), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=0,407), beta-alanin (r=0,433) ve tiyaprolin (r =0.434) seviyeleri (P<0.05) pozitif korelasyon gösterdi. Sonuçlarımız, koyun sütü verimi ve süt kalitesiyle ilgili metabolik olaylar hakkında, süt üretimini iyileştirmek ve koyun sütünün bileşenlerini geliştirmek için daha ileri araştırmalara rehberlik edebilecek önemli bilgiler sağlar

Prevalence and risk factors of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections among children from primary schools in western Tajikistan

BACKGROUND: Intestinal parasitic infections represent a public health problem in Tajikistan, but epidemiological evidence is scarce. The present study aimed at assessing the extent of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections among children of 10 schools in four districts of Tajikistan, and to make recommendations for control. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in early 2009. All children attending grades 2 and 3 (aged 7-11 years) from 10 randomly selected schools were invited to provide a stool sample and interviewed about sanitary situation and hygiene behaviour. A questionnaire pertaining to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics was addressed to the heads of households. On the spot, stool samples were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear examination for helminth diagnosis. Additionally, 1-2 g of stool was fixed in sodium acetate-acetic acid formalin, transferred to a specialized laboratory in Europe and examined for helminths and intestinal protozoa. The results from both methods combined served as diagnostic 'gold' standard. RESULTS: Out of 623 registered children, 602 participated in our survey. The overall prevalence of infection with helminths and pathogenic intestinal protozoa was 32.0% and 47.1%, respectively. There was pronounced spatial heterogeneity. The most common helminth species was Hymenolepis nana (25.8%), whereas the prevalences of Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Enterobius vermicularis were below 5%. The prevalence of pathogenic intestinal protozoa, namely Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar was 26.4% and 25.9%, respectively. Almost half of the households draw drinking water from unimproved sources, such as irrigation canals, rivers and unprotected wells. Sanitary facilities were pit latrines, mostly private, and a few shared with neighbours. The use of public tap/standpipe as a source of drinking water emerged as a protective factor for G. intestinalis infection. Protecte spring water reduced the risk of infection with E. histolytica/E. dispar and H. nana. CONCLUSIONS: Our data obtained from the ecological 'lowland' areas in western Tajikistan call for school-based deworming (recommended drugs: albendazole and metronidazole), combined with hygiene promotion and improved sanitation. Further investigations are needed to determine whether H. nana represents a public health problem

Soil-Transmitted Helminth Reinfection after Drug Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Infections with soil-transmitted helminths (the roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides, the whipworm Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm) affect over 1 billion people, particularly rural communities in the developing world. The global strategy to control soil-transmitted helminth infections is ‘preventive chemotherapy’, which means large-scale administration of anthelmintic drugs to at-risk populations. However, because reinfection occurs after treatment, ‘preventive chemotherapy’ must be repeated regularly. Our systematic review and meta-analysis found that at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment, A. lumbricoides prevalence reached 26% (95% confidence interval (CI): 16–43%), 68% (95% CI: 60–76%) and 94% (95% CI: 88–100%) of pretreatment levels, respectively. For T. trichiura, respective reinfection prevalence at these time points were 36% (95% CI: 28–47%), 67% (95% CI: 42–100%), and 82% (95% CI: 62–100%); and for hookworm, 30% (95% CI: 26–34%), 55% (95% CI: 34–87%), and 57% (95% CI: 49–67%). Prevalence and intensity of reinfection were positively correlated with pretreatment infection status. Our results suggest a frequent anthelmintic drug administration to maximize the benefit of preventive chemotherapy. Moreover, an integrated control strategy, consisting of preventive chemotherapy combined with health education and environmental sanitation is needed to interrupt transmission of soil-transmitted helminths

Metabolomics characteristics associated with milk yield and milk quality in sheep

Standart süt testleri, süt verimi ve kalitesi gibi izleme özelliklerini içerir. Standart süt testlerinin yapılmasına ek olarak, süt özelliklerini belirlemek için potansiyel biyobelirteçler olarak hareket edebilecek metabolitleri değerlendirmek artık mümkün. Bu çalışma İvesi koyunlarında süt verimi ve kalitesi ile ilgili metabolomik parametreleri belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışmamızda süt verimi yüksek 13, süt verimi düşük 13 olmak üzere toplam 26 İvesi koyunu incelenmiştir. Metabolomik analiz için sıvı kromatografi tandem kütle spektrometrisi kullanıldı. Aspartik asit, ornitin, anserin ve sistatiyonin düzeyleri açısından iki grup arasında farklı düzeylerde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark vardı (P&lt;0.05 ve P&lt;0.01). Süt verimi ile aspartik asit (r=-0,630) ve anserin (r=-0. 522) seviyeleri (P&lt;0.01). Laktoz seviyeleri ile lizin (r=−0.501), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=−0.524) ve hidroksilizin (r=−0.511) seviyeleri arasında anlamlı bir negatif korelasyon bulundu (P&lt;0.01). Somatik hücre sayısı ve alanin (r=0,493), aspartik asit (r=0,418), prolin (r=0,421), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=0,407), beta-alanin (r=0,433) ve tiyaprolin (r =0.434) seviyeleri (P&lt;0.05) pozitif korelasyon gösterdi. Sonuçlarımız, koyun sütü verimi ve süt kalitesiyle ilgili metabolik olaylar hakkında, süt üretimini iyileştirmek ve koyun sütünün bileşenlerini geliştirmek için daha ileri araştırmalara rehberlik edebilecek önemli bilgiler sağlar. Somatik hücre sayısı ve alanin (r=0,493), aspartik asit (r=0,418), prolin (r=0,421), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=0,407), beta-alanin (r=0,433) ve tiyaprolin (r =0.434) seviyeleri (P&lt;0.05) pozitif korelasyon gösterdi. Sonuçlarımız, koyun sütü verimi ve süt kalitesiyle ilgili metabolik olaylar hakkında, süt üretimini iyileştirmek ve koyun sütünün bileşenlerini geliştirmek için daha ileri araştırmalara rehberlik edebilecek önemli bilgiler sağlar. Somatik hücre sayısı ve alanin (r=0,493), aspartik asit (r=0,418), prolin (r=0,421), alfa-aminoadipik asit (r=0,407), beta-alanin (r=0,433) ve tiyaprolin (r =0.434) seviyeleri (P&lt;0.05) pozitif korelasyon gösterdi. Sonuçlarımız, koyun sütü verimi ve süt kalitesiyle ilgili metabolik olaylar hakkında, süt üretimini iyileştirmek ve koyun sütünün bileşenlerini geliştirmek için daha ileri araştırmalara rehberlik edebilecek önemli bilgiler sağlar.</jats:p

Truly Tiny Acoustic Biomolecules for Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy

Nanotechnology offers significant advantages for medical imaging and therapy, including enhanced contrast and precision targeting. However, integrating these benefits into ultrasonography is challenging due to the size and stability constraints of conventional bubble-based agents. Here bicones, truly tiny acoustic contrast agents based on gas vesicles (GVs), a unique class of air-filled protein nanostructures naturally produced in buoyant microbes, are described. It is shown that these sub-80 nm particles can be effectively detected both in vitro and in vivo, infiltrate tumors via leaky vasculature, deliver potent mechanical effects through ultrasound-induced inertial cavitation, and are easily engineered for molecular targeting, prolonged circulation time, and payload conjugation. © 2024 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH

Seasonally timed treatment programs for Ascaris lumbricoides to increase impact-An investigation using mathematical models.

There is clear empirical evidence that environmental conditions can influence Ascaris spp. free-living stage development and host reinfection, but the impact of these differences on human infections, and interventions to control them, is variable. A new model framework reflecting four key stages of the A. lumbricoides life cycle, incorporating the effects of rainfall and temperature, is used to describe the level of infection in the human population alongside the environmental egg dynamics. Using data from South Korea and Nigeria, we conclude that settings with extreme fluctuations in rainfall or temperature could exhibit strong seasonal transmission patterns that may be partially masked by the longevity of A. lumbricoides infections in hosts; we go on to demonstrate how seasonally timed mass drug administration (MDA) could impact the outcomes of control strategies. For the South Korean setting the results predict a comparative decrease of 74.5% in mean worm days (the number of days the average individual spend infected with worms across a 12 month period) between the best and worst MDA timings after four years of annual treatment. The model found no significant seasonal effect on MDA in the Nigerian setting due to a narrower annual temperature range and no rainfall dependence. Our results suggest that seasonal variation in egg survival and maturation could be exploited to maximise the impact of MDA in certain settings