Simultaneous Multi-Vessel Subacute Stent Thromboses in Zotarolimus-Eluting Stents

Despite its low incidence, stent thrombosis (ST) is one of the most dreaded complications of percutaneous coronary intervention. Endeavor (Medtronics Europe SA) is a new zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) with a favorable safety profile that was reported in early and ongoing trials. However, few lethal stent thromboses related to this new drug eluting stent (DES) have been reported. We experienced a case of simultaneous subacute ZES thromboses, 6 days after stent implantations in the proximal left anterior descending artery and the proximal right coronary artery (RCA)

An experimental and numerical study of particle nucleation and growth during low-pressure thermal decomposition of silane

Abstract This paper discusses an experimental and numerical study of the nucleation and growth of particles during low-pressure (∼1:0 Torr) thermal decomposition of silane (SiH 4 ). A Particle Beam Mass Spectrometer was used to measure particle size distributions in a parallel-plate showerhead-type semiconductor reactor. An aerosol dynamics moment-type formulation coupled with a chemically reacting uid ow model was used to predict particle concentration, size, and transport in the reactor. Particle nucleation kinetics via a sequence of chemical clustering reactions among silicon hydride molecular clusters, growth by heterogeneous chemical reactions on particle surfaces and coagulation, and transport by convection, di usion, and thermophoresis were included in the model. The e ect of pressure, temperature, ow residence time, carrier gas, and silane concentration were examined under conditions typically used for low-pressure (∼1 Torr) thermal chemical vapor deposition of polysilicon. The numerical simulations predict that several pathways involving linear and polycyclic silicon hydride molecules result in formation of particle "nuclei," which subsequently grow by heterogeneous reactions on the particle surfaces. The model is in good agreement with observations for the pressure and temperature at which particle formation begins, particle sizes and growth rates, and relative particle concentrations at various process conditions. A simpliÿed, computationally inexpensive, quasi-coupled modeling approach is suggested as an engineering tool for process equipment design and contamination control during low-pressure thermal silicon deposition.

Exhaustion of racing sperm in nature-mimicking microfluidic channels during sorting

Fertilization is central to the survival and propagation of a species, however, the precise mechanisms that regulate the sperm's journey to the egg are not well understood. In nature, the sperm has to swim through the cervical mucus, akin to a microfluidic channel. Inspired by this, a simple, cost-effective microfluidic channel is designed on the same scale. The experimental results are supported by a computational model incorporating the exhaustion time of sperm.Fil: Tasoglu, Savas. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Laboratory Center for Bioengineering. Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Safaee, Hooman. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Laboratory Center for Bioengineering. Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Zhang, Xiaohui. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Laboratory Center for Bioengineering. Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Kingsley, James L.. Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Department of Physics; Estados UnidosFil: Catalano, Paolo Nicolás. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Area de Investigación y Aplicaciones No Nucleares. Gerencia de Desarrollo Tecnológico y Proyectos Especiales. Departamento de Micro y Nanotecnología; Argentina. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Laboratory Center for Bioengineering. Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gurkan, Umut Atakan. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Laboratory Center for Bioengineering. Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Nureddin, Aida. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Laboratory Center for Bioengineering. Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Kayaalp, Emre. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Estados UnidosFil: Anchan, Raymond M.. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. Center for Infertility and Reproductive Surgery ; Estados UnidosFil: Maas, Richard L.. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Division of Genetics; Estados UnidosFil: Tüzel, Erkan. Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science. Department of Physics; Estados UnidosFil: Demirci, Utkan. Harvard Medical School. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Department of Medicine. Laboratory Center for Bioengineering. Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine; Estados Unidos. Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Health Sciences and Technology; Estados Unido

Rate of Isolation and Trends of Antimicrobial Resistance of Multidrug Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa from Otorrhea in Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

ObjectivesTo assess the rate of isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and multidrug-resistant PA (MDR-PA) from patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) otorrhea and the annual trend of antibiotic-resistance.MethodsOtorrhea samples were collected aseptically from 1,598 CSOM patients. The rate of bacterial isolation and the results of antibiotic susceptibility testing were evaluated retrospectively.ResultsThe PA isolation rate from CSOM otorrhea was 24.4%. Of the 398 isolated strains tested for their susceptibilities to 10 antibiotics, 395 strains showed definitive results. Of these, 183 (46.3%) were susceptible to whole antibiotics and 212 (53.7%) was resistant to more than 1 antibiotics, with the frequency of antibiotics-resistance increasing significantly over time. Although strains susceptible to all antibiotics decreased over time, the rate of isolation of MDR-PA did not change significantly. Resistance to aminoglycosides and quinolones was higher than to other antibiotics and significantly increased over time, whereas resistance to other antibiotics showed no trend.ConclusionMDR-PA, assessed using five individual antibiotics and six antibiotic-classes, showed no tendency to increase or decrease over time. This may have been due to increased concern about antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, leading to improved infection control within hospitals and healthcare centers

Vision Improvement with Refractive Correction Does Not Completely Exclude Major Eye Diseases: Analyses of Visually Impaired South Korean Population in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2011

Purpose. To investigate the association between vision improvement with refractive correction in the visually impaired eyes and the prevalence of ocular comorbidities in the South Korean population. Materials and Methods. The data of 24,620 individuals in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2009–2011) were reviewed. Visual impairment was defined as a presenting visual acuity < 20/60. The participants with visual impairment in at least one eye were divided into 3 groups according to the best-corrected visual acuity (group 1: <20/30, group 2: ≥20/30 but <20/25, and group 3: ≥20/25). The prevalence of ocular comorbidities was estimated and compared between the three groups. Results. Visual impairment in at least one eye was found in 3031 individuals. Groups 1, 2, and 3 comprised 23.5%, 22.2%, and 54.3% of these visually impaired eyes, respectively. The prevalence of cataract, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, corneal opacity, blepharoptosis, and pterygium was similar to or even higher in group 2 compared to group 1. The prevalence of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration was 5.40% and 11.39%, respectively, in group 2 and 3.31% and 3.76%, respectively, in group 3. Conclusions. Appropriate ophthalmologic examination is necessary even if people exhibit vision improvement after optical correction

Immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors

Among prospectively enrolled adult patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs; n = 46) or cytotoxic agents (n = 90), seroprotection and seroconversion rates after seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccinations were higher with ICI than with cytotoxic chemotherapy. These results support annual influenza vaccinations for cancer patients receiving ICIs.