Molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of inflamed myocardium using ferucarbotran in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Introduction: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPIO)-based molecular imaging agents targeting macrophages have been developed and successfully applied in animal models of myocardial infarction

Digitale Bewegungsförderung und Sturzprävention in Pflegeeinrichtungen – der Status-Quo von Technikaffinität und der Bereitschaft zur Nutzung digitaler Lösungen bei Pflegepersonal [Promoting physical activity and preventing falls with digital tools in care facilities - the status quo of affinity for technology and willingness to use digital solutions among nursing home employees]

Hintergrund: Die Bedeutung der Digitalisierung im Gesundheitswesen wächst seit Jahren. Diese Studie untersucht das Ausmaß der Nutzung und Implementierung digitaler Lösungen im Bereich der Bewegungsförderung im Setting Pflege sowie die Technikaffinität und die Bereitschaft des Pflegepersonals zur Nutzung digitaler Lösungen. Ein weiterer Fokus liegt auf den Nutzungsbedingungen, die digitale Konzepte erfüllen sollten, sowie möglichen Risiken die bei der Nutzung derselbigen auftreten können. Methodik: Es wurde ein Onlinefragebogen mit quantitativen und qualitativen Fragestellungen zur Nutzungsbereitschaft und Voraussetzungen für digitale Lösungen entwickelt, unter Einbezug von zwei Fragebögen zur Technikaffinität (ATI und TA-EG). Die Pflegeeinrichtungen wurden deutschlandweit rekrutiert. Die Daten wurden qualitativ mit MAXQDA und quantitativ mit SPSS Version 27 analysiert. Ergebnisse: 200 Personen aus 15 Bundesländern nahmen an der Befragung teil. Eine flächendeckende Ausstattung mit digitalen Geräten und WLAN ist in Pflegeeinrichtungen noch nicht gegeben. Es zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede in der Technikaffinität bezogen auf das Alter (t (198) = 3,705; p = 0,000), das Geschlecht (t (196) = -2,952; p = 0,004) und die berufliche Funktion (ATI: t (198) = 2,286; p = 0,023; TA-EG: t (198) = 2,126, p = 0,035). 47 % der Teilnehmenden haben keine Erfahrung mit digitalen Lösungen im Bereich Bewegungsförderung und Sturzprävention. Als Risiken wurden Stürze, falsche Übungsausführungen und Verringerung der sozialen Kontakte identifiziert. 65,4 % (n = 53) der Einrichtungsleitungen, und 54,6 % (n = 65) der Angestellten sind bereit eine digitale Lösung zu nutzen. Die Erwartungen beinhalteten eine gute Wirksamkeit, Individualisierungsmöglichkeiten, einfache Handhabung, sowie eine gute Alltagsintegration. Schlussfolgerung: Bei der Implementierung digitaler Lösungen muss die strukturelle, bislang wenig digitalisierte Situation von Pflegeeinrichtungen berücksichtigt werden. Die Ergebnisse zur Technikaffinität lassen darauf schließen, dass eine Bereitschaft zur Nutzung an sich vorhanden ist. Mögliche Risiken und bisherige Erfahrungen, sowie Erwartungen an digitale Lösungen müssen in die Entwicklung derselbigen einfließen, um eine langfristige Nutzung zu ermöglichen

Are nursing home employees ready for the technical evolution? German-wide survey on the status quo of affinity for technology and technology interaction

Background Technological devices can support nursing home employees; however, their perspective is not sufficiently studied. Our aims were thus to (a) examine affinity for technology and technology interaction and related sociodemographic confounders, as well as (b) detect possible requirements and boundary conditions relevant for the development and implementation of assistive technologies among nursing home employees. Methods We conducted an online survey between May and July of 2022 among 200 nursing home employees in Germany. The survey included two questionnaires, that is, Affinity for Technology Interaction (ATI) and Affinity for Technology—Electronic Devices (TA-EG; subscales TA-EG-Enthusiasm, TA-EG-Competence, TA-EG-Positive Consequences, and TA-EG-Negative Consequences), as well as sociodemographic variables, that is, age, gender, professional groups, education/graduation level. We carried out factorial variance and multiple regression analyses. Results There were differences between age groups in ATI (lower score with increasing age) and between gender, age, and professional group in TA-EG (lower score for females, participants with higher ages, and nursing home managers). Predictors of ATI were age and professional group, predictors of TA-EG, TA-EG-Enthusiasm, and TA-EG-Competence were gender, age, and professional group. Predictors of TA-EG-Positive Consequences were education and professional group. Conclusions We observed rather high affinity for technology and technology interaction values overall, and particularly for nursing home employees compared to managers. Significant predictors for technology affinity and interaction may have important implications, for example the perspectives of nursing home employees and managers should be considered separately in the technological design, development, and implementation process. Furthermore, an open dialogue between all stakeholders should be encouraged to increase the probability of actual technology use

Identification of Cardiomyopathy-Associated Circulating miRNA Biomarkers in Muscular Dystrophy Female Carriers Using a Complementary Cardiac Imaging and Plasma Profiling Approach

Background: Different from males with Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) in whom overt myopathy is the rule, muscular dystrophy (MD) female carriers are mostly free of skeletal muscle symptoms. However, similar to MD males, these females are also prone to cardiomyopathy. Since circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as diagnostic biomarkers for various cardiovascular diseases, the aim of the current study was to identify specific circulating miRNAs in the plasma of female DMD/BMD carriers that may allow an early and accurate diagnosis of cardiac involvement in these cases.Methods: Twenty-nine female MD carriers and 24 age-matched healthy female controls were prospectively enrolled. All MD carriers and controls underwent comprehensive cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) studies as well as venous blood sampling on the same day.Results: An impaired left ventricular (LV) systolic function was detected in 4 (14%) MD carriers while late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) indicative of myocardial fibrosis was present in 13 female patients (45%)—with an exclusively non-ischemic pattern. Among the circulating miRNAs examined, six were significantly up-regulated in MD carriers compared to female controls: miR-206 (103-fold increase, p < 0.0001), miR-222 (41-fold, p < 0.0001), miR-26a (fourfold, p = 0.029), miR-342 (27-fold, p < 0.0001), miR-378a-3p (minimum 3,600-fold; almost undetectable in controls, p = 0.013), miR-378a-5p (64-fold, p < 0.0001); only two miRNAs were substantially down-regulated in MD carriers: miR-144 (p < 0.0001) and miR-29a (p = 0.002) (both undetectable in carriers). A significant down-regulation of the miR-29c (<0.001-fold, p = 0.006) was observed in MD carriers with abnormal CMR findings (comprising functional and/or structural abnormalities) compared to those with normal CMR examinations. Univariable analyses regarding the presence of abnormal CMR findings resulted in four significant variables: LV end-diastolic volume index (EDVi), LV end-systolic volume index (ESVi), an elevated plasma creatine kinase (CK), and decreased serum miR-29c levels. In subsequent multivariable analysis, the only independent predictor for an abnormal CMR among MD carriers was circulating miR-29c (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–0.99, p = 0.037). Moreover, an elevated CK and/or a downregulated miR-29c level (<0.05 × 10-3) resulted in an improved AUC value of 0.79 (0.62–0.97, p = 0.007) (79, 80 and 80%, sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy) for the CMR-based diagnosis of cardiomyopathy in MD carriers when compared to using the two parameters individually.Conclusion: In female MD carriers, down-regulation of circulating miR-29c relates to the presence of functional and/or structural cardiac abnormalities (as detected by CMR) and appears to be a promising novel biomarker—in addition to conventional CK plasma levels—for an early diagnosis of cardiomyopathy