Association of Subclinical Liver Fibrosis With Death in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Post Hoc Analysis of the ISCHEMIA Trial.

Background: The fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) score, a noninvasive marker of subclinical liver fibrosis, has shown prognostic utility in general surgical populations. Current risk assessment models for patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting do not account for liver dysfunction apart from overt liver cirrhosis. We analyzed the distribution of the baseline FIB-4 score and its association with all-cause death in patients with coronary artery disease using data from the International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness With Medical and Invasive Approaches (ISCHEMIA) trial.

Entropy Scaling of Viscosity IV-Application to 124 Industrially Important Fluids.

In our previous work [Yang X.J. Chem.

Association of liver dysfunction with outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Liver dysfunction is a known risk factor in the cardiovascular field. It specifically increases perioperative risk in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery. Since percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the much less invasive procedure for the treatment of coronary artery disease, we aimed to assess the relationship of liver dysfunction with outcomes in patients undergoing PCI.

Utilization of a High-Pressure Vibrating Tube Densimeter for Liquids at Temperatures Down to 100 K.

Unlabelled: A high-pressure vibrating tube densimeter, specified by the manufacturer for temperatures from (263 to 473) K at pressures up to 140 MPa, was tested at temperatures down to 100 K and from vacuum to pressures up to 10 MPa. To verify the functionality and overall performance under these conditions, the densimeter was calibrated with measurements under vacuum as well as methane and propane as reference fluids. The calibration range is  = (120 to 200) K at pressures from (2.

High-Pressure Gravimetric Measurements for Binary Gas Adsorption Equilibria and Comparisons with Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST).

Measurements of gas mixture adsorption equilibria at high pressures are important for assessing actual adsorbent selectivities but are often out of reach, given the challenging nature of the required experiments. Here, we report a high-pressure gravimetric binary gas adsorption equilibrium measurement system based on simultaneous gas density and mixture adsorption measurements in a single gas cell coupled to a magnetic-suspension balance. Compared to traditional techniques which rely on analytical measurements of gas composition, this approach does not require any sampling.

Mediastinal Rhabdomyosarcoma Feeding Off the Left Anterior Descending Artery.

We report the rare case of a 51-year-old patient with a 15 cm mediastinal rhabdomyosarcoma with blood supply from the left anterior descending artery presenting as a large mass including the pericardium with extensive contact to the epicardium compressing heart and left lung. The tumor was successfully removed through median sternotomy, blunt dissection from the heart and the left lung, resection of the infiltrated pericardium, and ligation of the tumor-feeding vessels using off-pump stabilizers. Histopathological examination revealed a spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma with R0 resection.

Application of Raman Spectroscopy for Sorption Analysis of Functionalized Porous Materials.

Functionalized porous materials could play a key role in improving the efficiency of gas separation processes as required by applications such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and across the hydrogen value chain. Due to the large number of different functionalizations, new experimental approaches are needed to determine if an adsorbent is suitable for a specific separation task. Here, it is shown for the first time that Raman spectroscopy is an efficient tool to characterize the adsorption capacity and selectivity of translucent functionalized porous materials at high pressures, whereby translucence is the precondition to study mass transport inside of a material.

The need for tumor surveillance of children and adolescents with cancer predisposition syndromes: a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary-care children's hospital.

Unlabelled: Expert recommendations for the management of tumor surveillance in children with a variety of cancer predisposition syndromes (CPS) are available. We aimed (1) at identifying and characterizing children who are affected by a CPS and (2) at comparing current practice and consensus recommendations of the American Association for Cancer Research workshop in 2016. We performed a database search in the hospital information system of the University Children's Hospital for CPS in children, adolescents, and young adults and complemented this by review of electronic patients' charts.

Influence of Mineral Composition of Chars Derived by Hydrothermal Carbonization on Sorption Behavior of CO, CH, and O.

The doping of SiO and FeO into hydrochars that were produced by the hydrothermal carbonization of cellulose was studied with respect to its impact on the resulting surface characteristics and sorption behavior of CO, CH, and O. During pyrolysis, the structural order of the Fe-doped char changed, as the fraction of highly ordered domains increased, which was not observed for the undoped and Si-doped chars. The Si doping had no apparent influence on the oxidation temperature of the hydrochar in contrast to the Fe-doped char where the oxidation temperature was reduced because of the catalytic effect of Fe.

Uncertainty analysis of adsorption measurements using commercial gravimetric sorption analyzers with simultaneous density measurement based on a magnetic-suspension balance.

A commercial gravimetric sorption analyzer, which is based on a magnetic-suspension balance, was significantly improved to reduce the uncertainty in adsorption measurements. In a previous paper, we investigated the force-transmission error (FTE) of the instrument's magnetic-suspension coupling, and we analysed the uncertainty of the density measurement. In the present paper, equations for the determination of the adsorption on porous and quasi non-porous materials are provided, where the FTE is taken into account, and a detailed uncertainty analysis is presented.

Accurate High-Pressure Measurements of Carbon Monoxide's Electrical Properties.

Accurate measurements of carbon monoxide's electrical properties were carried out at high pressure for the first time enabling stringent comparisons with theoretical values calculated ab initio. Dielectric permittivity measurements were conducted utilising a microwave re-entrant cavity resonator over the temperature range from (255 to 313) K and at pressures up to 8 MPa with a relative combined expanded uncertainty (k=2) less than or equal to 52 ppm. The new data enable carbon monoxide's molar polarizability to be correlated within 0.

Development of a new densimeter for the combined investigation of dew-point densities and sorption phenomena of fluid mixtures.

For the determination of dew-point densities and pressures of fluid mixtures, a new densimeter has been developed. The new apparatus is based on the well-established two-sinker density measurement principle with the additional capability of quantifying sorption effects. In the vicinity of the dew line, such effects cause a change in composition of the gas mixture under study, which can significantly distort accurate density measurements.

Application of a Two-Sinker Densimeter for Phase-Equilibrium Measurements: A New Technique for the Detection of Dew Points and Measurements on the (Methane + Propane) System.

We explore a novel method for determining the dew-point density and dew-point pressure of fluid mixtures and compare it to traditional methods. The () behavior of three (methane + propane) mixtures was investigated with a two-sinker magnetic suspension densimeter over the temperature range of (248.15 to 293.

Densimetry for the Quantification of Sorption Phenomena on Nonporous Media Near the Dew Point of Fluid Mixtures.

Phase equilibria of fluid mixtures are important in numerous industrial applications and are, thus, a major focus of thermophysical property research. Improved data, particularly along the dew line, are needed to improve model predictions. Here we present experimental results utilizing highly accurate densimetry to quantify the effects of sorption and capillary condensation, which exert a distorting influence on measured properties near the dew line.

Speed-of-Sound Measurements in (Argon + Carbon Dioxide) over the Temperature Range from (275 to 500) K at Pressures up to 8 MPa.

The speed of sound of two (argon + carbon dioxide) mixtures was measured over the temperature range from (275 to 500) K with pressures up to 8 MPa utilizing a spherical acoustic resonator. The compositions of the gravimetrically prepared mixtures were (0.50104 and 0.

Haemodynamic benefits of rapid deployment aortic valve replacement via a minimally invasive approach: 1-year results of a prospective multicentre randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: Aortic valve replacement (AVR) via minimally invasive surgery (MIS) may provide clinical benefits in patients with aortic valve disease. A new class of bioprosthetic valves that enable rapid deployment AVR (RDAVR) may facilitate MIS. We here report the 1-year results of a randomized, multicentre trial comparing the outcomes for MIS-RDAVR with those for conventional AVR via full sternotomy (FS) with a commercially available stented aortic bioprosthesis.

A randomized multicenter trial of minimally invasive rapid deployment versus conventional full sternotomy aortic valve replacement.

Background: Minimally invasive surgical procedures (MIS) may offer several advantages over conventional full sternotomy (FS) aortic valve replacement (AVR). A novel class of aortic valve prostheses has been developed for rapid-deployment AVR (RDAVR). We report a randomized, multicenter trial comparing the outcomes for MIS-RDAVR with those of conventional FS-AVR.

A comparative study of four intensive care outcome prediction models in cardiac surgery patients.

Background: Outcome prediction scoring systems are increasingly used in intensive care medicine, but most were not developed for use in cardiac surgery patients. We compared the performance of four intensive care outcome prediction scoring systems (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II [APACHE II], Simplified Acute Physiology Score II [SAPS II], Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [SOFA], and Cardiac Surgery Score [CASUS]) in patients after open heart surgery.

Methods: We prospectively included all consecutive adult patients who underwent open heart surgery and were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) between January 1st 2007 and December 31st 2008.

Influence of gestational age, cesarean section, and type of feeding on fecal human beta-defensin 2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Objective: : Development of the mucosal immune system is essential for controlling antigenic response. External factors are known to influence the immune system, such as breast-feeding or the mode of delivery. The aim of the present study was to investigate maturation of the enteric immune system.

Microbiota in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that compared with controls, children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) exhibit differences in the relationships between gut microbiota and disease activity.

Study Design: Children and adolescents (n = 69; median age, 14 years) with IBD and 25 healthy controls (median age, 14 years) were recruited for the study. The disease activity was determined according to the Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index or the Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index.

Computational and experimental evidence for the evolution of a (beta alpha)8-barrel protein from an ancestral quarter-barrel stabilised by disulfide bonds.

The evolution of the prototypical (beta alpha)(8)-barrel protein imidazole glycerol phosphate synthase (HisF) was studied by complementary computational and experimental approaches. The 4-fold symmetry of HisF suggested that its constituting (beta alpha)(2) quarter-barrels have a common evolutionary origin. This conclusion was supported by the computational reconstruction of the HisF sequence of the last common ancestor, which showed that its quarter-barrels were more similar to each other than are those of extant HisF proteins.

Twelve-month patency with the PAS-port proximal connector device: a single center prospective randomized trial.

Background: The PAS-Port (Cardica Inc, Redwood City, CA) is an automated system that allows for the clampless anastomosis of vein grafts to the aorta. The intent of this study was to prospectively compare one year graft patency of this system with conventional hand-sewn anastomoses in a prospective, randomized trial.

Methods: A total of 99 patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary bypass surgery were randomized to receive their proximal anastomoses with either the hand-sewn conventional technique or with the PAS-Port system.