Advancing healthcare through thoracic ultrasound research in older patients.

This paper reports the proceedings of a meeting convened by the Research Group on Thoracic Ultrasound in Older People of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, to discuss the current state-of-the-art of clinical research in the field of geriatric thoracic ultrasound and identify unmet research needs and potential areas of development. In the last decade, point-of-care thoracic ultrasound has entered clinical practice for diagnosis and management of several respiratory illnesses, such as bacterial and viral pneumonia, pleural effusion, acute heart failure, and pneumothorax, especially in the emergency-urgency setting. Very few studies, however, have been specifically focused on older patients with frailty and multi-morbidity, who frequently exhibit complex clinical pictures needing multidimensional evaluation. At the present state of knowledge, there is still uncertainty on the best requirements of ultrasound equipment, methodology of examination, and reporting needed to optimize the advantages of thoracic ultrasound implementation in the care of geriatric patients. Other issues regard differential diagnosis between bacterial and aspiration pneumonia, objective grading of interstitial syndrome severity, quantification and monitoring of pleural effusions and solid pleural lesions, significance of ultrasonographic assessment of post-COVID-19 sequelae, and prognostic value of assessment of diaphragmatic thickness and motility. Finally, application of remote ultrasound diagnostics in the community and nursing home setting is still poorly investigated by the current literature. Overall, the presence of several open questions on geriatric applications of thoracic ultrasound represents a strong call to implement clinical research in this field.

Investigating the Mechanical Behavior and Energy Absorption Characteristics of Empty and Foam-Filled Glass/Epoxy Composite Sections under Lateral Indentation.

In this study, the crashworthiness behavior and energy absorption capacity of composite tubes under lateral indentation by steel rods aligned parallel to the specimen axis are investigated using experimental methods. Key parameters such as tube diameter, length, wall thickness, and indenter diameter are systematically examined and compared. Additionally, the influence of polyurethane foam fillers on damage modes and energy absorption capacity is rigorously analyzed. Contrary to conventional findings, smaller diameter specimens filled with foam demonstrate superior energy absorption compared to their larger counterparts, primarily due to enhanced compression of the foam volume. Experimental results reveal a complex interplay of damage mechanisms in composite specimens, including matrix cracking, fiber breakage, foam crushing, foam densification, foam fracture, and debonding of composite layers, all contributing to enhanced energy absorption. Increased tube thickness, length, and indenter diameter, alongside decreased tube diameter, are correlated with higher contact forces and improved energy absorption. Smoother shell fractures are promoted, and overall energy absorption capabilities are enhanced by the presence of foam fillers. This investigation provides valuable insights into the structural response and crashworthiness of composite tubes, which is essential for optimizing their design across various engineering applications.

Usefulness of the SARC-F questionnaire and the measurement of the hand grip strength in predicting short-term mortality in older patients hospitalized for acute heart failure.

PURPOSE: Sarcopenia is a potentially reversible syndrome that increases the risk of cardiogenic cachexia and adverse outcomes in older patients with heart failure (HF). Despite its clinical significance, sarcopenia remains underdiagnosed due to the complexities of comprehensive assessment in patients with acute HF. This study aimed to evaluate whether the SARC-F questionnaire, its inviduals components, and the handgrip strength test (HGS) can predict short-term prognostic risk in very old patients recently discharged after acute HF. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled patients aged 75 years or older hospitalized with acute HF in the Geriatrics Unit of a tertiary care hospital. All patients underwent physical examination, complete blood tests, point-of-care ultrasound, and a comprehensive geriatric assessment, including physical performance through SARC-F and HGS. The thirty-day post-discharge mortality rate was assessed by phone interview. RESULTS: Out of 184 patients hospitalized with acute HF who were enrolled in the study (mean [SD], 86.8 [5.9] years, 60.3% female), 47 died within 30 days after discharge. By multivariate logistic analysis, HGS (ß = - 0.73 ± 0.03, p = 0.008) and SARC-F [adjusted OR = 1.18 (CI 95% 1.03-1.33), p = 0.003] resulted independently associated with mortality. Furthermore, two SARC-F sub-items, namely, limitation in rising from a chair and history of falls [aOR: 3.26 (CI95% 1.27-8.34), p = 0.008; aOR: 3.30 (CI 95% 1.28-8.49), p = 0.01; respectively] emerged as determinants of 30-days mortality. CONCLUSION: SARC-F and HGS test independently predict 30-day post-discharge mortality in oldest-old patients hospitalized for acute HF.

Predicting In-Hospital Acute Heart Failure Worsening in the Oldest Old: Insights from Point-of-Care Ultrasound.

The decompensation trajectory check is a basic step to assess the clinical course and to plan future therapy in hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Due to the atypical presentation and clinical complexity, trajectory checks can be challenging in older patients with acute HF. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has proved to be helpful in the clinical decision-making of patients with dyspnea; however, to date, no study has attempted to verify its role in predicting determinants of ADHF in-hospital worsening. In this single-center, cross-sectional study, we consecutively enrolled patients aged 75 or older hospitalized with ADHF in a tertiary care hospital. All of the patients underwent a complete clinical examination, blood tests, and POCUS, including Lung Ultrasound and Focused Cardiac Ultrasound. Out of 184 patients hospitalized with ADHF, 60 experienced ADHF in-hospital worsening. By multivariable logistic analysis, total Pleural Effusion Score (PEFs) [aO.R.: 1.15 (CI95% 1.02-1.33), p = 0.043] and IVC collapsibility [aO.R.: 0.90 (CI95% 0.83-0.95), p = 0.039] emerged as independent predictors of acute HF worsening after extensive adjustment for potential confounders. In conclusion, POCUS holds promise for enhancing risk assessment, tailoring diuretic treatment, and optimizing discharge timing for older patients with ADHF.

Development and Implementation of Element Deletion Algorithm into an Open-Source Software Based on the Fracture Locus of Materials.

An accurate fracture simulation is often associated with how reliably the material model is represented. Hence, many models dealing with the calibration of ductile damage of materials have already been developed to predict failure initiation. Nevertheless, the challenge remains in obtaining an accurate representation of the fracture growth. Herein, an element deletion algorithm is developed and implemented into finite element open-source software. The deleted elements are replaced by new cells made of a virtual low-stiffness material. To better visualize the failure progression, the final model excludes these virtual cells from the representation. The functionality of the algorithm is tested through a series of two-dimensional simulations on three different geometries with a well-known behavior under uniaxial tension. Moreover, the failure response of a three-dimensional lattice structure is numerically investigated and compared against experimental data. The results of the two-dimensional simulations showed the capability of the algorithm to predict the onset of failure, crack nucleation, and fracture growth. Similarly, the onset and the initial fracture region were accurately captured in the three-dimensional case, with some convergence issues that prevent the visualization of the fracture growth. Overall, the results are encouraging, and the algorithm can be improved to introduce other computational functionalities.