Prevalence of Persistent Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Abnormalities on PET/MRI and DECT Imaging in Long COVID Patients.

The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence of inflammatory cardiopulmonary findings in a prospective cohort of long coronavirus disease (LC) patients. Subjects with a history of coronavirus disease 2019 infection, persistent cardiopulmonary symptoms 9-12 mo after initial infection, and a clinical assessment compatible with LC underwent cardiopulmonary F-FDG PET/MRI, dual-energy CT (DECT) of the lungs, and plasma protein analysis (subgroup). A control group that included subjects with a history of acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection but without cardiopulmonary symptoms at recruitment was also characterized.

Reactive oxygen species-related oxidative changes are associated with splenic lymphocyte depletion in Ebola virus infection.

The dysregulated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during viral infections may lead to immune cell death and ineffective host responses. ROS dynamics have been under-investigated in severe Ebola virus disease (EVD), a condition in which hyperinflammation and excessive immune cell death are well described but poorly understood. Through ex vivo immunohistochemistry and in vivo ROS-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) we demonstrate significant ROS-related oxidative changes in the spleens of domestic ferrets exposed to Ebola virus (EBOV).

Cortico-limbic interactions and carotid atherosclerotic burden during chronic stress exposure.

Background And Aims: Chronic stress associates with cardiovascular disease, but mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Advanced imaging was used to identify stress-related neural imaging phenotypes associated with atherosclerosis.

Methods: Twenty-seven individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 45 trauma-exposed controls without PTSD, and 22 healthy controls underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (18F-FDG PET/MRI).

Repeatability of computed tomography liver radiomic features in a nonhuman primate model of diet-induced steatosis.

Purpose: We describe a method to identify repeatable liver computed tomography (CT) radiomic features, suitable for detection of steatosis, in nonhuman primates. Criteria used for feature selection exclude nonrepeatable features and may be useful to improve the performance and robustness of radiomics-based predictive models.

Approach: Six crab-eating macaques were equally assigned to two experimental groups, fed regular chow or an atherogenic diet.

Semi-Automatic Graphical Tool for Measuring Coronary Artery Spatially Weighted Calcium Score from Gated Cardiac Computed Tomography Images.

The current standard for measuring coronary artery calcification to determine the extent of atherosclerosis is by calculating the Agatston score from computed tomography (CT). However, the Agatston score disregards pixel values less than 130 Hounsfield Units (HU) and calcium regions less than 1 mm. Due to this thresholding, the score is not sensitive to small, weakly attenuating regions of calcium deposition and may not detect nascent micro-calcification.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Monitoring of Hepatic Disease Induced by Ebola Virus: a Nonhuman Primate Proof-of-Concept Study.

Severe liver impairment is a well-known hallmark of Ebola virus disease (EVD). However, the role of hepatic involvement in EVD progression is understudied. Medical imaging in established animal models of EVD (e.

Inhibition of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor via DS-1040 to accelerate clot lysis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a randomized phase 1b study.

Background: The optimal treatment of intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) in hemodynamically stable patients remains unknown. Fibrinolytics reduce the risk of hemodynamic deterioration but increase bleeding risk. DS-1040, an inhibitor of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, enhanced endogenous fibrinolytic activity without increasing bleeding risk in preclinical studies.

Computed Tomography Imaging for Monitoring of Marburg Virus Disease: a Nonhuman Primate Proof-Of-Concept Study.

Marburg virus (MARV) is a highly virulent zoonotic filovirid that causes Marburg virus disease (MVD) in humans. The pathogenesis of MVD remains poorly understood, partially due to the low number of cases that can be studied, the absence of state-of-the-art medical equipment in areas where cases are reported, and limitations on the number of animals that can be safely used in experimental studies under maximum containment animal biosafety level 4 conditions. Medical imaging modalities, such as whole-body computed tomography (CT), may help to describe disease progression , potentially replacing ethically contentious and logistically challenging serial euthanasia studies.

Toward the determination of sensitive and reliable whole-lung computed tomography features for robust standard radiomics and delta-radiomics analysis in a nonhuman primate model of coronavirus disease 2019.

Purpose: We propose a method to identify sensitive and reliable whole-lung radiomic features from computed tomography (CT) images in a nonhuman primate model of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Criteria used for feature selection in this method may improve the performance and robustness of predictive models.

Approach: Fourteen crab-eating macaques were assigned to two experimental groups and exposed to either severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or a mock inoculum.

Pharyngeal Inflammation on Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging Before and After Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment.

There is upper airway inflammation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which reduces with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. Validate the use of positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify metabolic activity within the pharyngeal mucosa of patients with OSA against nasal lavage proteomics and assess the impact of CPAP therapy. Adults with OSA underwent [18F]-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose PET/MRI of the neck before and 3 months after initiating CPAP.

Reducing cardiovascular risk with immunomodulators: a randomised active comparator trial among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Recent large-scale randomised trials demonstrate that immunomodulators reduce cardiovascular (CV) events among the general population. However, it is uncertain whether these effects apply to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and if certain treatment strategies in RA reduce CV risk to a greater extent.

Methods: Patients with active RA despite use of methotrexate were randomly assigned to addition of a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor (TNFi) or addition of sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine (triple therapy) for 24 weeks.

Managing healthcare supply chain through artificial intelligence (AI): A study of critical success factors.

Healthcare is one of the most critical sectors due to its importance in handling public health. With the outbreak of various diseases, more recently during Covid-19, this sector has gained further attention. The pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in the healthcare supply chain (HSC).

Sleep apnea and carotid atherosclerosis in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA): leveraging state-of-the-art vascular imaging.

Purpose: To further characterize the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and carotid atherosclerosis, we examined the structural and metabolic features of carotid plaque using hybrid 18-F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET/MRI) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Methods: We studied 46 individuals from the MESA-PET and MESA-Sleep ancillary studies. OSA was defined as an apnea hypopnea index [AHI] ≥ 15 events per hour (4% desaturation).

Reconfiguration of food grain supply network amidst COVID-19 outbreak: an emerging economy perspective.

The procurement of food grains from farmers is one of the biggest challenges under the COVID-19 outbreak due to country-wise lockdowns. The present study aims to reconfigure the existing food grain supply chain network. The study advances the extant literature by proposing a novel mathematical model that considers the government guidelines issued to procure food grains from farmers under the COVID-19 situation.

An ensemble machine learning approach for forecasting credit risk of agricultural SMEs' investments in agriculture 4.0 through supply chain finance.

Credit risk imposes itself as a significant barrier of agriculture 4.0 investments in the supply chain finance (SCF) especially for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Therefore, it is important for financial service providers (FSPs) to differentiate between low- and high-quality SMEs to accurately forecast the credit risk.

Measuring Visceral Adipose Tissue Metabolic Activity in Sleep Apnea Utilizing Hybrid F-FDG PET/MRI: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is proinflammatory and is associated with cardiovascular (CV) disease. We investigated the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) metabolic activity in a pilot group of patients using positron-emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) with F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) tracer as a novel marker of adipose tissue inflammation.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed patients from an ongoing study, recruiting those with newly diagnosed, untreated OSA (Respiratory Disturbance Index [RDI] ≥ 5), using home sleep apnea testing (WatchPAT-200 Central-Plus).

Sleep apnea, coronary artery calcium density, and cardiovascular events: results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Study Objectives: Evaluate the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), coronary artery calcium (CAC) density, and cardiovascular events in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Methods: We analyzed 1,041 participants with nonzero CAC scores who had polysomnography and CAC density data from the fifth examination of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. OSA was defined as apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 15 events/h.

Sleep duration and vascular inflammation using hybrid positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging: results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Study Objectives: Short sleep duration (SD) is associated with cardiovascular disease. We investigated the relationship between objective SD and subclinical atherosclerosis employing hybrid positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging with F-FDG tracer in the MESA cohort.

Methods: We utilized data from Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis-SLEEP and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis-PET ancillary studies.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy Aggravates T Cell-Driven Plaque Inflammation in Atherosclerosis.

Background: Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) that target PD-1 (programmed cell death protein-1) and/or CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4) are commonly associated with acute immune-related adverse events. Accumulating evidence also suggests that ICIs aggravate existing inflammatory diseases.

Scan-rescan measurement repeatability of F-FDG PET/MR imaging of vascular inflammation.

Non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) of vascular inflammation and atherosclerotic plaque by identifying increased uptake of F-fluordeoxyglucose (F-FDG) is a powerful tool for monitoring disease activity, progression, and its response to therapy. F-FDG PET/computed tomography (PET/CT) of the aorta and carotid arteries has become widely used to assess changes in inflammation in clinical trials. However, the recent advent of hybrid PET/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) scanners has advantages for vascular imaging due to the reduction in radiation exposure and improved soft tissue contrast of MR compared to CT.

Atherosclerosis inflammation and burden in young adult smokers and vapers measured by PET/MR.

Background And Aims: Electronic cigarette (EC) use is popular among youth, touted as a safer alternative to smoking and promoted as a tool to aid in smoking cessation. EC cardiovascular safety however is not well established. The aim of this study was to examine cardiovascular consequences of EC use by evaluating their effect on the entire atherosclerotic cascade in young adults using noninvasive combined positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MR) and comparing EC use with age matched smokers of traditional cigarettes and nonsmoking controls.

Artificial intelligence-driven innovation for enhancing supply chain resilience and performance under the effect of supply chain dynamism: an empirical investigation.

Supply chain resilience (SCRes) and performance have become increasingly important in the wake of the recent supply chain disruptions caused by subsequent pandemics and crisis. Besides, the context of digitalization, integration, and globalization of the supply chain has raised an increasing awareness of advanced information processing techniques such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in building SCRes and improving supply chain performance (SCP). The present study investigates the direct and indirect effects of AI, SCRes, and SCP under a context of dynamism and uncertainty of the supply chain.