Predicting Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias in Patients With Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Improvement Following Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Background: Patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D) often experience improvements in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). This study aimed to identify predictors of ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTA) in patients with CRT-D devices and LVEF improvement beyond guideline recommendations for a defibrillator.

Methods: Patients randomized to the CRT-D arm of the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial With Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy trial who improved their LVEF to > 35% at 12 months following CRT-D implant were included in this analysis (N = 651).

Plastic Surgery Involvement With Surgical Management of Infected Ventricular Assist Devices Decreased Lifetime Return to Operating Room and 90-Day Infectious Complications.

Background: The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for patients with end-stage cardiac failure awaiting heart transplantation has become increasingly common. However, ventricular assist device-related infections remain a major problem complicating their long-term use. Retrospective review has previously shown a decrease in lifetime return to operating room (RTOR) with no change in 90-day complications when a muscle or omental flap is used for coverage after washout for infection.

Breast Ultrasound Volume Sweep Imaging: A New Horizon in Expanding Imaging Access for Breast Cancer Detection.

Objective: The majority of people in the world lack basic access to breast diagnostic imaging resulting in delay to diagnosis of breast cancer. In this study, we tested a volume sweep imaging (VSI) ultrasound protocol for evaluation of palpable breast lumps that can be performed by operators after minimal training without prior ultrasound experience as a means to increase accessibility to breast ultrasound.

Methods: Medical students without prior ultrasound experience were trained for less than 2 hours on the VSI breast ultrasound protocol.

Deletion or Inhibition of Astrocytic Transglutaminase 2 Promotes Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury.

Following CNS injury, astrocytes become "reactive" and exhibit pro-regenerative or harmful properties. However, the molecular mechanisms that cause astrocytes to adopt either phenotype are not well understood. Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) plays a key role in regulating the response of astrocytes to insults.