Assessing Regurgitation Severity, Adverse Remodeling, and Fibrosis with CMR in Aortic Regurgitation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is emerging as a valuable imaging modality for the assessment of aortic regurgitation (AR). In this review, we discuss the assessment of AR severity, left ventricular (LV) remodeling, and tissue characterization by CMR while highlighting the latest studies and addressing future research needs. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies have further established CMR-based thresholds of AR severity and LV remodeling that are associated with adverse clinical outcomes, and lower than current guideline criteria. In addition, tissue profiling with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and extracellular volume (ECV) quantification can reliably assess adverse myocardial tissue remodeling which is also associated with adverse outcomes. The strengths and reproducibility of CMR in evaluating ventricular volumes, tissue characteristics, and regurgitation severity position it as an excellent modality in evaluating and following AR patients. Advanced CMR techniques for the detection of tissue remodeling have shown significant potential and merit further investigation.

The Incidence of Thromboembolic Events During Hospitalizations Following Surgical Resection of Lower Extremity Sarcomas in Children: Utilizing the Pediatric Health Information System Database.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent occurrence during treatment for adults with sarcoma. The incidence and underlying risk factors of postsurgical VTE in children and adolescents undergoing resection of sarcoma are unknown. METHODS: Using International Classification of Disease revision-9 diagnostic and procedure codes, the Pediatric Health Information System database was queried for patients aged 18 years and younger, discharged from 2004 to 2015 with a diagnosis of lower extremity malignant neoplasm who had a tumor resection or amputation performed during the encounter. Malignant neoplasms of the pelvic bones and soft tissues were categorized as "pelvis tumors", whereas malignant neoplasms of bone and soft tissues of the lower limbs were categorized as "lower limb tumors". Hospitalizations were evaluated for the occurrence of VTE. Demographic characteristics (age at admission, sex, race, and race/ethnicity) and incidence of VTE were reported. RESULTS: There were 2400 patients identified. Of these, 19 experienced VTE (0.79%) during their surgical hospitalization encounter. By anatomic group, the rate of VTE was 1.4% (CI: 0.5%-3.2%) for tumors in the pelvis and 0.6% (CI: 0.3%-1.0%) in lower limb tumors. Categorizing by age, the incidence of VTE was 1.2% in patients aged zero to 5, 0.3% in patients 6 to 13, and 1.2% in patients 14 to 18 years old. (Table 1). The extremely low rate of VTE occurrence precluded further analysis of risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis, postsurgical VTE during hospitalization after pelvic and lower extremity sarcoma resection was an uncommon event in children and adolescents. There seemed to be an increased incidence of postsurgical VTE in pelvic tumors when compared with lower limb tumors, however, the rarity of all events precluded formal statistical analysis. A more robust data set would be required to determine if there are subsets of children and adolescents with sarcoma at higher risk of VTE that could benefit from thromboprophylaxis in the postoperative setting. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

A Survey of Bone Grafting Practice Patterns in North American Cleft Surgeons.

INTRODUCTION: Alveolar bone grafting aims to restore bony continuity of the alveolus and provide optimal periodontal support for teeth adjacent to the cleft. We created a survey of cleft surgeons to assess the current standard of care regarding this procedure. METHODS: A multiple choice survey was implemented using Qualtrics software and emailed to a list of 708 surgeons from the ACPA membership directory. Correlation between various provider factors and treatment practices was assessed with Fisher's exact test and likelihood ratio tests. RESULTS: The response rate was 17.5%. Eighty-seven percent of providers preferred to perform grafts prior to secondary canine eruption while 10% favored before central incisor eruption. Eighty-one percent favored palatal expansion prior to bone grafting. Wide variability existed regarding the time to initiate postoperative orthodontics; 43% waited 4 to 6 months. Sixty-four percent of surgeons now utilize cone beam CT to assess graft take. The majority of respondents utilized cancellous bone autograft (92%) from the anterior iliac crest (97%) as graft material. Seventy percent used three or more modalities for post-operative pain control management. Early career surgeons (0-5 years) appeared more likely to use non-autologous materials (p < .01) for grafting. CONCLUSION: Alveolar bone grafting prior to secondary canine eruption remains the most common strategy but other protocols are employed. Surgeons utilize multiple modalities for radiographic evaluation and most often use autologous cancellous bone as the primary grafting material. There is no true consensus on the perioperative timing and sequencing of orthodontic manipulation while principles of multimodal perioperative pain control appear widely accepted.

An Algorithmic Approach for Deploying Buccal Fat Pad Flaps and Buccal Myomucosal Flaps Strategically in Primary and Secondary Palatoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Recent publications have introduced the use of buccal myomucosal and fat pad flaps to augment palatal repairs with autologous tissue. We propose a workflow for intraoperative decision-making to introduce these adjuncts into standard palatoplasty procedures. DESIGN/PATIENTS: A retrospective chart review of a single-surgeon series of patients undergoing primary and secondary palatoplasties performed between October 2017 and November 2020 was completed after Institutional Review Board approval. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient demographics, phenotype, operative details, and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were included in a review. For those undergoing primary repair, 23.3% underwent a Furlow palatoplasty alone, 46.3% had a Furlow palatoplasty accompanied with acellular dermal matrix (ADM) and/or a buccal fat flap (BFF). A unilateral buccal myomucosal flap (BMMF) with or without augmentation with BFF or ADM was employed in 16.3% of the cases. Fourteen percent required a bilateral BMMF+/- ADM. Fistula occurrence was 2.3% (n = 1). For revisions, 27% underwent only a conversion Furlow palatoplasty, 26% had a conversion Furlow palatoplasty accompanied with ADM and/or a BFF, 33% had a unilateral BMMF or BMMF/ADM, and 14% required a bilateral BMMF+/- ADM. CONCLUSIONS: In severe phenotypes or complicated cases, buccal fat flaps and myomucosal flaps may be utilized. This approach has mostly replaced the use of ADM over time. An algorithmic approach to palatoplasty allows surgeons to tailor the extent of surgery to the needs of each patient.

Design and Validation of a 3D Printed Cranio-Facial Simulator: A Novel Tool for Surgical Education.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of current 3D printing technology to generate a craniofacial bony and soft tissue anatomical model for use in simulating the performance of a fronto-orbital advancement (FOA) osteotomy and then to further assess the value of the model as an educational tool. DESIGN: Anatomic models were designed with a process of serial anatomic segmentation/design, 3D printing, dissection, and device refinement. A validation study was conducted with 5 junior and 5 senior plastic surgery residents. The validation study incorporated a multiple-choice Knowledge Assessment test (KA), an Objective Structured Assessment of Technical skills (OSATs), a Global Rating Scale (GRS) and a Michigan Standard Simulation Experience Scale (MiSSES). We compared the scores of both the junior and senior residents and compared junior resident scores, before and after viewing a lecture/demonstration. RESULTS: MiSSES showed high face validity with a score of 85.1/90, signifying high satisfaction with the simulator learning experience. Simulation and the lecture/demonstration improved the junior resident average KA score from 5.6/10 to 9.6/10 (P = .02), OSATs score from 32.4/66 to 64.4/66 (P < .001) and GRS score from 13.9/35 to 27.5/35 (P < .001). The senior residents OSATs score of 56.3/66 was higher than the pre-lecture juniors (32.4/66) (P < .001), but lower than the post-lecture juniors (64.4/66) (P < .001). CONCLUSION: We have successfully fabricated a 3D printed craniofacial simulator capable of being used as an educational tool alongside traditional surgical training. Next steps would be improving soft tissue realism, inclusion of patient and disease specific anatomy and creation of models for other surgical specialties.

Determination of Ethnic Variation in Infant Nasolabial Anthropometry Using 3D Photographs: Implications for Bilateral Cleft Lip Nasal Correction.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess significant ethnic variabilities in infants' nasolabial anthropometry to motivate variations in surgical correction of a synchronous bilateral cleft lip/nasal anomaly, specifically whether a long columella is a European feature, therefore accepting a short columella and/or delayed columellar lengthening suitable for reconstruction in ethnic patients. METHODS: Thirty-three infants without craniofacial pathology (10 African American [AA], 7 Hispanic [H], and 16 of European descent [C]), ages 3 to 8 months, presenting to the Johns Hopkins All Children's general pediatric clinic were recruited. Four separate 3D photographs (2 submental and frontal views each) were taken using the Vectra H1 handheld camera (Canfield Imaging). Eighteen linear facial distances were measured using Mirror 3D analysis (Canfield Imaging Systems). Difference between ethnicities was measured using analysis of variance with the Bonferroni/Dunn post hoc comparisons. Pearson correlation was employed for interrater reliability. All statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp), with statistical significance set at P < .05. RESULTS: Nasal projection (sn-prn) and columella length (sn-c) did not differ significantly between groups (P = .9). Significant differences were seen between ethnic groups in nasal width (sbal-sbal [C-AA; P = .02]; ac-ac [C-AA; P = .00; H-AA; P = .04]; al-al [C-AA; P = .00; H-AA; P = .001]) and labial length (sn-ls [C-AA; P = .041]; sn-sto [C-AA; P = .005]; Cphs-Cphi L [C-AA; P = .013]; Cphs-Cphi R [C-AA; P = .015]). Interrater reliability was good to excellent and significantly correlated for all measures. CONCLUSIONS: African American infants exhibited wider noses and longer lips. No difference was noted in nasal projection or columella length, indicating that these structures should be corrected during the primary cleft lip and nasal repair for all patients and should not be deferred to secondary correction.

Patients With a History of Oronasal Fistula Repair Exhibit Lower Oral Health Measured With Patient-Centric Outcomes Measures.

INTRODUCTION: Oronasal fistulae following palatoplasty may affect patients' quality of life by impacting their ability to eat, speak, and maintain oral hygiene. We aimed to quantify the impact of previous oronasal fistula repair on patients' quality of life using patient-reported outcome psychometric tools. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 8- to 9-year-old patients with cleft palate and/or lip was completed. Patients who had a cleft team clinic between September 2018 and August 2019 were recruited. Participants were divided into 2 groups (no fistula, prior fistula repair). Differences in the individual CLEFT-Q and Child Oral Health Impact Profile-Short Form 19 (COHIP-SF 19) Oral Health scores between the 2 groups were evaluated using a multivariate analysis controlling for Veau classification and syndromic diagnosis. RESULTS: Sixty patients with a history of cleft palate were included. Forty-two (70%) patients had an associated cleft lip. Thirty-two (53.3%) patients had no history of fistula and 28 (46.7%) patients had undergone a fistula repair. CLEFT-Q Dental, Jaw, and Speech Function were all higher in patients without a history of a fistula repair; however, none of these differences were statistically significant. The COHIP-SF 19 Oral Health score demonstrated a significantly lower score in the fistula group, indicating poorer oral health (P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: One would expect that successful repair of a fistula would result in improved function and patient satisfaction, but the consistent trend toward lower CLEFT-Q scores and significantly increased COHIP-SF 19 Oral Health scores in our study group suggests that residual effects linger and that the morbidity of a fistula may not be completely treated with a secondary correction.

Impact of COVID-19 on neurological manifestations: an overview of stroke presentation in pandemic.

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a globally challenging issue after its emergence in December 2019 from Wuhan, China. Despite its common presentation as respiratory distress, patients with COVID-19 have also shown neurological manifestation especially stroke. Therefore, the authors sought to determine the etiology, underlying risk factors, and outcomes among patients with COVID-19 presenting with stroke. We conducted a systematic review of the electronic database (PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane library) using different MeSH terms from November 2019 to June 2020. A total of 39 patients with stroke from 6 studies were included. The mean age of our included patients was 61.4 ± 14.2 years. Majority of the patients (n = 36, 92.3%) with COVID-19 had ischemic stroke, 5.1% (n = 2) had hemorrhagic stroke, and 2.6% (n = 1) had cerebral venous thrombosis at the time of initial clinical presentation. Almost all of the patients presented had underlying risk factors predisposing to stroke which included diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and previous history of cerebrovascular disease. 51.2% (n = 20) of the included patients infected with COVID-19 with stroke died, while remaining patients were either discharged home or transferred to a rehabilitation unit. Exploring the neurological manifestation in terms of stroke among patients with COVID-19 is a step towards better understanding of the virus, preventing further spread, and treating the patients affected by this pandemic.

Formulation development of sugar free antacid chewable tablets for diabetes induced acidity in patients.

Sugar free chewable tablets are considered to be desired medication for diabetic population having acid reflex problems. The main objective of this study is to develop a patient complaint tablet dosage form which is sugar free, chewable and easy to use. The formulation is designed for hyperglycemic and dysphasic patients along acidity or stomach ulcer. For manufacturing Aluminum Hydroxide (Kyowa Japan), Magnesium Hydroxide (Taurus chemicals India) Simethicone, Povidone (JRS pharma) Sorbitol powder, Magnesium stearate, Dilcalcium phosphate anhydrous, SSG (JRS pharma) and Aspartame were used. The granules formed by wet granulation method and tablets are compressed by rotary compression machine. The pre-formulation studies of granules (Angle of repose, Bulk/Tapped density, Carr's compressibility index and Hausner's ratio), uniformity of content (assay), acid neutralizing capacity, Identification by FTIR spectroscopy all are found within the limits as per USP specifications. All three formulation batches are stable under accelerated and ambient stability conditions for 6 months and 24 months respectively. The formulation development of sugar free oral chewable antacid tablet is pharmaceutically stable and can further analyze for safety and efficacy studies.

Phytochemical standardization of Vasicinein cough syrup by high performance liquid chromatography-densitometry.

The highly oriented modern detection techniques provide a precise and definite tool for investigation in natural medicines. Current study directed the standardization of eminent biomarker Vasicine in a natural cough syrup. A highly accurate and precise method of High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) has been developed to certify the quantity of vasicine inside the syrup. Ethyl acetate, chloroform, ethanol and ammonia (6:3:1: 1 v/v) were mobile phase for the study. The TLC plate silica gel G60F254 was used with CAMAG Scanner III and CAMAG Linomate 5. The detected Rf value was 0.51 in both sample and reference standard at 254 nm. International conference of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines were followed for the validation of the developed method. Linearity was achieved in the range of 200µg to 1600µg with co-efficient correlation r2=0.9995. Accuracy was found in between 98.9 to 101.4% however precision was good at both inter and intra-day. As per the standardization of ICH, the developed method was found to be reproducible and showed sharp similar peak with high resolution.

Estimation of simvastatin and cetirizine by RP-LC method: Application to freeze and thaw (FT) stability studies.

Sensitive, simple, reliable and rapid HPLC technique for the estimation of simvastatin (SMV) and cetirizine has been designed in this study. The chromatographic conditions were set using Shimadzu LC-10 AT VP pump, with UV detector (SPD-10 AV-VP). System integration was performed with CBM-102 (Bus Module). Partitioning of components was attained with pre-packed C-18 column of Purospher Star (5 µm, 250 x 4.6 mm) at ambient conditions. Injected volume of sample was 10 µl. Mobile phase was composed of 50:50 v/v ratio of Acetonitrile/water (pH 3.0 adjusted with ortho-phosphoric acid) having 2 ml/minutes rate of flow. Compounds were detected in UV region at 225 nm. Percent Recovery of simvastatin was observed in the range of 98-102%. All results were found in accept table range of specification. The projected method is consistent, specific, precise, and rapid, that can be employed to quantitate the SMV along with cetirizine HCl. It was estimated by 3 successive cycles of freeze and thaw stability. Results of FT samples were found within accept table limits the method was developed and validated in raw materials, bulk formulations and final drug products.

Simultaneous determination of ACE inhibitors and dexibuprofen in active pharmaceutical ingredient, formulations and human serum by RP-HPLC.

The contemporary work describes a rapid and cost effective reversed phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the quantification of Captopril, Lisinopril and Dexibuprofen (DXP) simultaneously in dosage formulations, active pharmaceutical ingredients and human serum. The chromatographic system included LC-20A pump, Sil-20A auto sampler and SPD-20A UV/visible detector. The estimation was carried out by using a C18 (5µm, 250 ×4.6 mm) column with mobile phase methanol: water (80:20 v/v, pH 3.0) at 230 nm with a flow rate of 1.0 ml•min-1. The retention time of Dexibuprofen was 5.4 min while that of Captopril and Lisinopril were found to be 3.2 and 1.8 minutes respectively. There was no considerable variation exists in between the tested drug spiked in serum and the extent recovered, without interference of serum in concurrent approximation. The method developed was found to be precise, selective and validated for precision, linearity, specificity, accuracy, limit of detection and limit of quantitation. There is no such method reported earlier for the determination of ACE Inhibitors and DXP simultaneously. The present study helps in assessing the co-administration of both drugs in treatment and can be employed for quality control analysis and drug-drug interaction studies.

Survey results of COVID-19 pandemic on female surgical trainees: New normal work environment.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on surgical training globally. We aimed to explore and identify the specific challenges faced by women surgeons during the pandemic and provide recommendations for improvement. METHODS: A survey was conducted among trainee members of the Association of Women Surgeons, assessing various aspects of clinical training, mental well-being, and personal and professional life. RESULTS: The respondents were distributed across the United States, with the majority (28%) from the Midwest and Northeast. Training settings were predominantly academic university hospital programs (85%). The majority (92%) were resident trainees and 32% were in research. General surgery, constituting 86% of the respondents, was the most common specialty. There was a decline in surgical cases, research, mental health, and quality of didactics. Limited learning opportunities and challenges in job search were reported. Although virtual conferences were deemed affordable, the lack of networking was noted to be significant. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the need for ongoing support and adaptation in surgical training programs. These programs include the optimization of virtual platforms, prioritizing mental well-being, and ensuring equal opportunities. Strategies to mitigate the impact of future disruptions and promote gender equality are essential. Further research and workflow changes are warranted for effective capacity building.

Phytochemical analysis, GC-MS characterization and antioxidant activity of Hordeum vulgare seed extracts.

Barley scientifically known as Hordeum vulgare (HV) is a major grain crop. Over the course of time, great interest has been developed in the usage of barley, because of its various pharmacological activities. Current study is designed to determine the chemical constituents of Hordeum vulgare (HV) seed extract by GC-MS technique, and Invitro antioxidant assays i.e. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical (DPPH) and 2-azino-bis(3-ethyl benzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) methods. GC-MS identified 16 non-polar compounds in the hexane extract of HV plant, which includes carboxylic acid (6.25%), fatty acid (37.5%), carboxylic acid amide derivative of fatty acid (6.25%), triterpinoids (18.75%), fat soluble vitamin (6.25%), phytosterol (6.25%), stigmastanes (6.25%), beta diketones (6.25%), and cycloartenol (6.25%) respectively. The major compound includes Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (6.84%), n-Hexadecanoic acid (8.58%), 9,12-Octadecanoic acid (Z,Z)-, Methyl Ester (8.04%), 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) (57.01%), Lup-20(29)-en-3-one (3.57%), γ-Sitosterol (3.31%). Some constituents such as Lup-20(29)-en-3-one, campesterol and squalene were observed and were not previously reported. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content were determined using spectrophotometric technique and calculated as gallic acid equivalents GAE/g dry weight and rutin equivalent RE/g of dry weight respectively.The highest phenolic content exhibited by the acetone extract of HV seedsi.e. 0.0597 mg GAE/g while the highest flavonoid content exhibited by dichloromethane extract i.e. 0.09 mg RE/g and 0.25 mg QE/g of dry weight respectively. All the extracts showed significant antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS cation decolorization assays. Methanol and dichloromethane extract showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity i.e. 52.41% and 42.07% at the concentration of 100 mg/ml respectively. Moreover, the IC50 has been determined by the acetone and methanol extract of HV seeds. The high antioxidant activity of its seed extracts has made this plant pharmacologically important. Conclusively, there is a vast scope to further explore the active principals of barley so that more of its pharmacological properties can be identified.

Prevalence of Delirium After Abdominal Surgery and Association With Ketamine: A Retrospective, Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.

IMPORTANCE: Delirium is a common postoperative complication for older patients in the ICU. Ketamine, used primarily as an analgesic, has been thought to prevent delirium. OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence and association of delirium with low-dose ketamine use in ICU patients after abdominal surgery. DESIGN: Single-center, retrospective, propensity-matched cohort study. SETTING: Eight hospital academic medical center. PATIENTS: Cohort comprising 1836 patients admitted to the ICU after abdominal surgery between June 23, 2018 and September 1, 2022. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Propensity score matching (PSM) with a 3:1 ratio between no-ketamine use and ketamine use was performed through a greedy algorithm (caliper of 0.005). Outcomes of interest included: delirium (assessed by Confusion Assessment Method-ICU), mean pain score (Numeric Pain Scale or Critical Care Pain Observation Tool score as available), mean opioid consumption (morphine milligram equivalents), length of stay (d), and mortality. RESULTS: Prevalence of delirium was 47.71% (95% CI, 45.41-50.03%) in the cohort. Of 1836 patients, 120 (6.54%) used low-dose ketamine infusion. After PSM, the prevalence of delirium was 56.02% (95% CI, 51.05-60.91%) in all abdominal surgery patients. The ketamine group had 41% less odds of delirium (odds ratio [OR] = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37-0.94; p = 0.026) than patients with no-ketamine use. Patients with ketamine use had higher mean pain scores (3.57 ± 2.86 vs. 2.21 ± 2.09, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, patients in the ketamine-use group 60 years old or younger had 64% less odds of delirium (OR = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.13-0.95; p = 0.039). The mean pain scores were higher in the ketamine group for patients 60 years old or older. There was no significant difference in mortality and opioid consumption. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Low-dose ketamine infusion was associated with lower prevalence of delirium in ICU patients following abdominal surgery. Prospective studies should further evaluate ketamine use and delirium.

Echocardiographic Profiling Predicts Clinical Outcomes After Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies investigating the impact of residual mitral regurgitation (MR), tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and elevated predischarge transmitral mean pressure gradient (TMPG) on outcomes after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) have assessed each parameter in isolation. We sought to examine the prognostic value of combining predischarge MR, TR, and TMPG to study long-term outcomes after TEER. METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed the records of 291 patients who underwent successful mitral TEER at our institution between March 2014 and June 2022. Using well-established outcomes-related cutoffs for predischarge MR (≥moderate), TR (≥moderate), and TMPG (≥5 mm Hg), 3 echo profiles were developed based on the number of risk factors present (optimal: 0 risk factors, mixed: 1 risk factor, poor: ≥2 risk factors). Discrimination of the profiles for predicting the primary composite end point of all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization at 2 years was examined using Cox regression. Overall, mean age was 76.7±10.6 years, 43.3% were women, and 53% had primary MR. Two-year event-free survival was 61%. Predischarge TR≥moderate, MR≥moderate, and TMPG≥5 mm Hg were risk factors associated with the primary end point. Compared with the optimal profile, there was an incremental risk in 2-year event-rate with each worsening profile (optimal as reference; mixed profile: hazard ratio (HR), 2.87 [95% CI, 1.71-5.17], P<0.001; poor profile: HR, 3.76 [95% CI, 1.84-6.53], P<0.001). Echocardiographic profile was statistically associated with the 2-year mortality end point (optimal as reference; mixed profile: HR, 3.55 [95% CI, 1.81-5.96], P<0.001; poor profile: HR, 3.39 [95% CI, 2.56-7.33], P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The echocardiographic profile integrating predischarge TR, MR, and TMPG presents a novel prognostic stratification tool for patients undergoing mitral TEER.

Prognostic Value of Right Ventricular Afterload in Patients Undergoing Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) and secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) are associated with adverse outcomes after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. We aim to study the prognostic value of invasively measured right ventricular afterload in patients undergoing mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified patients who underwent right heart catheterization ≤1 month before transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. The end points were all-cause mortality and a composite of mortality and heart failure hospitalization at 2 years. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve-derived threshold of 0.6 for pulmonary effective arterial elastance ([Ea], pulmonary artery systolic pressure/stroke volume), patients were stratified into 3 profiles based on PH severity (low elastance [HE]: Ea <0.6/mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP)) <35; High Elastance with No/Mild PH (HE-): Ea ≥0.6/mPAP <35; and HE with Moderate/Severe PH (HE+): Ea ≥0.6/mPAP ≥35) and MR pathogenesis (Primary MR [PMR])/low elastance, PMR/HE, and secondary MR). The association between this classification and clinical outcomes was examined using Cox regression. Among 114 patients included, 50.9% had PMR. Mean±SD age was 74.7±10.6 years. Patients with Ea ≥0.6 were more likely to have diabetes, atrial fibrillation, New York Heart Association III/IV status, and secondary MR (all P<0.05). Overall, 2-year cumulative survival was 71.1% and was lower in patients with secondary MR and mPAP ≥35. Compared with patients with low elastance, cumulative 2-year event-free survival was significantly lower in HE- and HE+ patients (85.5% versus 50.4% versus 41.0%, respectively, P=0.001). Also, cumulative 2-year event-free survival was significantly higher in patients with PMR/low elastance when compared with PMR/HE and patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (85.5% versus 55.5% versus 46.1%, respectively, P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of the preprocedural cardiopulmonary profile based on mPAP, MR pathogenesis, and Ea guides patient selection by identifying hemodynamic features that indicate likely benefit from mitral-transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in PH or lack thereof.

Phytochemical characterization, antioxidant activity and antihypertensive evaluation of Ocimum basilicum L. in l-NAME induced hypertensive rats and its correlation analysis.

Ocimum basilicum Linn. (basil) is an aromatic culinary herb that has shown a great potential in therapeutic world. It has many promising pharmacological activities that make it centre for investigations for many researchers. Current study has been planned to determine chemical constituents of basil leaves extracts and their in-vitro and ex-vivo antioxidant and in-vivo antihypertensive potential. GC-MS studies of non-polar extracts showed presence of 75 compounds including monoterpenes, hydrocarbons, sesquiterpenes, triterpenes, phyto-sterols and phthalates. Higher percentages of fatty acids were also identified. The major compounds include linalool (7.65%), terpineol (1.42%), tau-cadinol (13.55%), methyl palmitate (14.24%), palmitic acid (14.31%), linolenic acid (1.30%) and methyl linolenate (17.72%). Electron spray ionization mass spectrometry ESI-HRMS/MS of the polar extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolic acid, amino acid, coumarin, lignin, flavanoid and terpene derivative. Total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were determined using spectrophotometric technique and calculated as gallic acid equivalents GAE/g dry weight and rutin equivalent RE/g of dry weight respectively. The highest phenolic content and flavonoid content were found in ethyl acetate extract 9.40 mg GAE/g and 15.9 mg RE/g of dry weight. All the extracts showed significant antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS cation decolorization assays. Dichloromethane extract possess the highest DPPH scavenging activity, i.e., 64.12% ± 0.23 at concentration of 4 mg/ml. Moreover in ex-vivo studies all the extracts showed prominent effect by inhibiting AAPS induce oxidation in Human erythrocytes being 69.24% ± 0.18 in dichloromethane extract, 64.44% ± 0.04 in ethyl acetate and 53.33% ± 0.09 in acetone extract. The methanol extract of O. basilicum exhibited significant decrease in systolic blood pressure in l-Name induced hypertensive rats at the dose of 50 mg/kg for 28 days. Total phenolic content had a higher linear correlation (r = 0.678) with antihypertensive activity, with a level of significance 95% showing that phenolic compounds in the leaves of the plant has important role in inhibiting l -NAME induced hypertension while flavonoid compounds may play a key role in the antioxidant activities of the plant, through synergism. Conclusively, O. basilicum leaves with bioactive metabolites are a potential source for the development of antihypertensive drugs.

National survey results on effect of COVID-19 pandemic on female surgeons: A new normal work environment.

BACKGROUND: The impact of COVID-19 reaches the overall well-being of women surgeons. We aimed to describe the impact of transitioning to a new challenging environment. METHODS: A survey of 60 quantitative questions using a Likert-like scale was distributed electronically via email across 1200 members of the Association of Women Surgeons in 2021. Family lifestyle factors including care for children, elderly family members, extent of household chores, and impact of COVID-19 pandemic were queried. RESULTS: A total of 139 members responded. Fifty one percent of these respondents had children at home and 31.2% indicated they needed additional help at home during that time. Eighteen percent of those in practice cared for their elderly family members. Of the survey participants, 71.2% felt the COVID pandemic resulted in a worsened clinical practice, with 30.9% noting a decrease in income. CONCLUSIONS: Women surgeons faced crucial challenges during and post pandemic. An awareness of the changing needs of women surgeons is essential.

Cleft Palate Fistula: A Review.

Background: The development of postoperative oronasal fistulae (ONF) is a complication that plagues all cleft surgeons to varying degrees. There is extensive literature discussing the incidence, functional impact, and treatment of ONF. The goal of this article is to provide an extensive review of the literature discussing the incidence, causative factors, functional impact, classification systems, and treatment of ONF. Methods: A literature review was performed using PubMed using the Medical Subject Heading terms "cleft palate" AND "fistula" OR "palatal fistula" OR "oronasal fistula". After review, a total of 356 articles were deemed relevant for this study. Results: Information regarding ONF care, prevention, and management in patients with cleft palate was collected from the articles included in this review. Treatment of ONF remains a challenging problem as there is not a consensus in the available literature on the best palatoplasty techniques for their prevention and treatment. A myriad of reconstructive options and adjunctive therapies exist, and their use is guided by the size and location of the fistula. Conclusions: Fistula treatment should be tailored to the specific needs of the patient, and consideration must be given to not only the ONF itself but also the patient's stage of growth and development. Large-scale, multicenter studies are needed in which ONF are described using standardized nomenclature, and improved outcomes reporting is necessary to better define an algorithm for a truly holistic approach to palate surgery and reduce the incidence of palatal fistula.