Impact of dynamic computed tomographic angiography on endograft sizing for endovascular aneurysm repair.

Contains fulltext : 80349.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: To quantify dynamic changes in aortoiliac dimensions using dynamic electrocardiographically (ECG)-gated computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and to investigate any potential impact on preoperative endograft sizing in relation to observer variability. METHODS: Dynamic ECG-gated CTA was performed in 18 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. Postprocessing resulted in 11 datasets per patient: 1 static CTA and 10 dynamic CTA series. Vessel diameter, length, and angulation were measured for all phases of the cardiac cycle. The differences between diastolic and systolic aneurysm dimensions were analyzed for significance using paired t tests. To assess intraobserver variability, 20 randomly selected datasets were analyzed twice. Intraobserver repeatability coefficients (RC) were calculated using Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: Mean aortic diameter at the proximal neck was 21.4+/-3.0 mm at diastole and 23.2+/-2.9 mm at systole, a mean increase of 1.8+/-0.4 mm (8.5%, p<0.01). The RC for the aortic diameter at the level of the proximal aneurysm neck was 1.9 mm (8.9%). At the distal sealing zones, the mean increase in diameter was 1.7+/-0.3 mm (14.1%, p<0.01) for the right and 1.8+/-0.5 mm (14.2%, p<0.01) for the left common iliac artery (CIA). At both distal sealing zones, the mean increase in CIA diameter exceeded the RC (10.0% for the right CIA and 12.6% for the left CIA). CONCLUSION: The observed changes in aneurysm dimension during the cardiac cycle are small and in the range of intraobserver variability, so dynamic changes in proximal aneurysm neck diameter and aneurysm length likely have little impact on preoperative endograft selection. However, changes in diameter at the distal sealing zones may be relevant to sizing, so distal oversizing of up to 20% should be considered to prevent distal type I endoleak

Phylogenomic analysis of a 55.1 kb 19-gene dataset resolves a monophyletic Fusarium that includes the Fusarium solani Species Complex

Scientific communication is facilitated by a data-driven, scientifically sound taxonomy that considers the end-user¿s needs and established successful practice. In 2013, the Fusarium community voiced near unanimous support for a concept of Fusarium that represented a clade comprising all agriculturally and clinically important Fusarium species, including the F. solani species complex (FSSC). Subsequently, this concept was challenged in 2015 by one research group who proposed dividing the genus Fusarium into seven genera, including the FSSC described as members of the genus Neocosmospora, with subsequent justification in 2018 based on claims that the 2013 concept of Fusarium is polyphyletic. Here, we test this claim and provide a phylogeny based on exonic nucleotide sequences of 19 orthologous protein-coding genes that strongly support the monophyly of Fusarium including the FSSC. We reassert the practical and scientific argument in support of a genus Fusarium that includes the FSSC and several other basal lineages, consistent with the longstanding use of this name among plant pathologists, medical mycologists, quarantine officials, regulatory agencies, students, and researchers with a stake in its taxonomy. In recognition of this monophyly, 40 species described as genus Neocosmospora were recombined in genus Fusarium, and nine others were renamed Fusarium. Here the global Fusarium community voices strong support for the inclusion of the FSSC in Fusarium, as it remains the best scientific, nomenclatural, and practical taxonomic option availabl

In-vivo imaging of changes in abdominal aortic aneurysm thrombus volume during the cardiac cycle.

Contains fulltext : 80262.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: To evaluate in-vivo thrombus compressibility in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) to hopefully shed light on the biomechanical importance of intraluminal thrombus. METHODS: Dynamic electrocardiographically-gated computed tomographic angiography was performed in 17 AAA patients (15 men; mean age 73 years, range 69-76): 11 scheduled for surgical repair and 6 under routine surveillance. The volumes of intraluminal thrombus, the lumen, and the total aneurysm were quantified for each phase of the cardiac cycle. Thrombus compressibility was defined as the percent change in thrombus volume between diastole and peak systole. Continuous data are presented as medians and interquartile ranges (IQR). RESULTS: A substantial interpatient variability was observed in thrombus compressibility, ranging from 0.4% to 43.6% (0.2 to 13.5 mL, respectively). Both thrombus and lumen volumes varied substantially during the cardiac cycle. As lumen volume increased (5.2%, IQR 2.8%-8.8%), thrombus volume decreased (3.0%, IQR 1.0%-4.6%). Total aneurysm volume remained relatively constant (1.3%, IQR 0.4-1.9%). Changes in lumen volume were inversely correlated with changes in thrombus volume (r = -0.73; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In-vivo thrombus compressibility varied from patient to patient, and this variation was irrespective of aneurysm size, pulse pressure, and thrombus volume. This suggests that thrombus might act as a biomechanical buffer in some, while it has virtually no effect in others. Whether differences in thrombus compressibility alter the risk of rupture will be the focus of future research

Impact of dynamic computed tomographic angiography on endograft sizing for endovascular aneurysm repair.

Contains fulltext : 80349.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: To quantify dynamic changes in aortoiliac dimensions using dynamic electrocardiographically (ECG)-gated computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and to investigate any potential impact on preoperative endograft sizing in relation to observer variability. METHODS: Dynamic ECG-gated CTA was performed in 18 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. Postprocessing resulted in 11 datasets per patient: 1 static CTA and 10 dynamic CTA series. Vessel diameter, length, and angulation were measured for all phases of the cardiac cycle. The differences between diastolic and systolic aneurysm dimensions were analyzed for significance using paired t tests. To assess intraobserver variability, 20 randomly selected datasets were analyzed twice. Intraobserver repeatability coefficients (RC) were calculated using Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: Mean aortic diameter at the proximal neck was 21.4+/-3.0 mm at diastole and 23.2+/-2.9 mm at systole, a mean increase of 1.8+/-0.4 mm (8.5%, p<0.01). The RC for the aortic diameter at the level of the proximal aneurysm neck was 1.9 mm (8.9%). At the distal sealing zones, the mean increase in diameter was 1.7+/-0.3 mm (14.1%, p<0.01) for the right and 1.8+/-0.5 mm (14.2%, p<0.01) for the left common iliac artery (CIA). At both distal sealing zones, the mean increase in CIA diameter exceeded the RC (10.0% for the right CIA and 12.6% for the left CIA). CONCLUSION: The observed changes in aneurysm dimension during the cardiac cycle are small and in the range of intraobserver variability, so dynamic changes in proximal aneurysm neck diameter and aneurysm length likely have little impact on preoperative endograft selection. However, changes in diameter at the distal sealing zones may be relevant to sizing, so distal oversizing of up to 20% should be considered to prevent distal type I endoleak

Potential role of type I interferons in the treatment of pituitary adenomas

Cytokines, particularly those endowed with pro-inflammatory properties, are known to influence the release of anterior pituitary hormones by a direct and indirect action at the level of pituitary gland and hypothalamus. Type I interferons (IFNs) represent a group of cytokines that act through a common receptor composed by two chains (IFNAR-1 and IFNAR-2). Several in vitro and in vivo studies underline the fact that type I IFNs are involved in the regulation of the immune-endocrine circuitry. Treatment with type I IFNs of patients affected by chronic viral hepatitis, multiple sclerosis and tumors influences the secretion of pituitary hormones. This article reviews the current knowledge about the effects of IFN-alpha and IFN-beta on hypothalamic-pituitary function and describes the potential role of type I IFNs in the treatment of pituitary adenomas

An international initiative on long-term behavior of high-level nuclear waste glass

Nations using borosilicate glass as an immobilization material for radioactive waste have reinforced the importance of scientific collaboration to obtain a consensus on the mechanisms controlling the long-term dissolution rate of glass. This goal is deemed to be crucial for the development of reliable performance assessment models for geological disposal. The collaborating laboratories all conduct fundamental and/or applied research using modern materials science techniques. This paper briefly reviews the radioactive waste vitrification programs of the six participant nations and summarizes the current state of glass corrosion science, emphasizing the common scientific needs and justifications for on-going initiatives

The PPAR-\u3b3 agonist troglitazone antagonizes survival pathways induced by STAT-3 in recombinant interferon-\u3b2 treated pancreatic cancer cells

We have previously shown that cancer cells can protect themselves from apoptosis induced by type I interferons (IFNs) through a ras\u2192MAPK-mediated pathway. In addition, since IFN-mediated signalling components STATs are controlled by PPAR gamma we studied the pharmacological interaction between recombinant IFN-\u3b2 and the PPAR-\u3b3 agonist troglitazone (TGZ). This combination induced a synergistic effect on the growth inhibition of BxPC-3, a pancreatic cancer cell line, through the counteraction of the IFN-\u3b2-induced activation of STAT-3, MAPK and AKT and the increase in the binding of both STAT-1 related complexes and PPAR-\u3b3 with specific DNA responsive elements. The synergism on cell growth inhibition correlated with a cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, secondary to a long-lasting increase of both p21 and p27 expressions. Blockade of MAPK activation and the effect on p21 and p27 expressions, induced by IFN-\u3b2 and TGZ combination, were due to the decreased activation of STAT-3 secondary to TGZ. IFN-\u3b2 alone also increased p21 and p27 expression through STAT-1 phosphorylation and this effect was attenuated by the concomitant activation of IFNbeta-induced STAT-3-activation. The combination induced also an increase in autophagy and a decrease in anti-autophagic bcl-2/beclin-1 complex formation. This effect was mediated by the inactivation of the AKT\u2192mTOR-dependent pathway. To the best of our knowledge this is the first evidence that PPAR-\u3b3 activation can counteract STAT-3-dependent escape pathways to IFN-\u3b2-induced growth inhibition through cell cycle perturbation and increased autophagic death in pancreatic cancer cells