INTRODUCTION Neuropsychiatric manifestations are common in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) and often include neurocognitive dysfunction (NCD). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can measure brain activation during tasks that invoke domains of cognitive function impaired by cSLE. This study investigates specific changes in brain function attributable to NCD in cSLE ...

Summary Vascularised composite allograft (VCA) transplantation is now a feasible reconstructive option for patients who have suffered significant soft tissue injuries. However, despite numerous technical advances in the field over two decades, number of challenges remain, not least management transplant rejection. Part difficulty faced by clinicians early recognition and prevention acu...

•VCA measurement in TR is sensitive to technical factors.•Intervendor agreement of VCA poor.•Technical settings, vendors and reference methods affect cut-offs for severe TR. BackgroundPrevious studies found different cutoffs vena contracta area (VCA) define tricuspid regurgitation (TR). The aim this study was investigate the factors associated with such variability by comparing variables vendor...

The purpose of this research was to advance the understanding of the behavior of small groups in online chat rooms. The research was conducted using Internet chat data collected through planned exercises with recruited participants. Analysis of the collected data led to construction of preliminary models of social behavior in online discourse. Some of these models, e.g., how to effectively chan...

Abstract Introduction Vascularised composite allotransplantation (VCA) permits like-for-like reconstruction following extensive soft tissue injuries. The initial management of injury can lead to the development anti-HLA antibodies through injury, transfusion and cadaveric grafting. role antibody-mediated rejection, donor-specific graft rejection in context VCA remains unclear. This systematic r...

Reconstructive transplantation has emerged as clinical reality over the past decade. Long-term graft acceptance has been feasible in extremity and facial vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) under standard immunosuppression. Minimizing overall burden of lifelong immunosuppression is key to wider application of these non-life saving grafts. Allograft tolerance is the holy grail of ma...

PURPOSE: Developing novel treatment concepts to minimize/avoid immunosuppression by induction of immune tolerance represents the prime task in the field of transplantation. In the clinic to date, this was achieved in highly selected patients in clinical trials of kidney transplantation combined with concomitant stem cell or bone marrow transplantation. Vascularized composite allotransplantation...

Contractile stimulation has been shown to initiate actin polymerization in smooth muscle tissues, and this actin polymerization is required for active tension development. We evaluated whether neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASp)-mediated activation of the actin-related proteins 2 and 3 (Arp2/3) complex regulates actin polymerization and tension development initiated by muscarinic...

Purpose During MitraClip procedure, one or more clips might be needed to effectively reduce the mitral regurgitation (MR). Three-dimensional vena-contracta (3D-VC) assessed by color Doppler three-dimensional trans-esophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) was proven to be well correlated with MR severity. However, its role in predicting the number of MitraClip devices needed during the procedure was...

CONTEXT Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the temporal relationship remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To determine whether antibodies to EBV are elevated before the onset of MS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND POPULATION Nested case-control study conducted among more than 3 million US military personnel with blood samples collec...