EXCLI Journal

The Role of Arterial Spin Labelling MRI in Assessing Perfusion Impairment of Renal Allografts. A Systematic Review.

2021-09-27T22:30:35+02:00

INTRODUCTION: -

Arterial spin labelling "functional" magnetic resonance imaging ASL MRI is considered as an intriguing alternative to contrast-enhanced imaging techniques in measuring the renal function in renal allografts. Our review article aims at shedding some light on the role of Arterial spin labelling (ASL) MRI in assessing the perfusion impairment in the renal allografts so that we can take preventive steps at an early stage to prolong the life of grafts. The research paper also emphasises various other techniques of MRI used to analyse other parameters which affect the renal allografts acutely and chronically.

METHODS: -

We collected our data considering PRISMA guidelines 2020 and applied exclusion and inclusion criteria in our search strategy. Various databases were used in the search strategy, such as PubMed, Cochrane, and science direct. We used the MESH strategy for PubMed, and two people scrutinised papers to conclude, and in total, we included ten research papers in our study.

RESULT: -

Our review article consists of patients from 20-98 having renal allografts in the past six months, and the value of renal cortical perfusion ranged from 35-304 ml/100 g/min as set by the ASL MRI. It has been interpreted that renal ASL perfusion was much lower in subjects with the functional imbalance of kidney transplants than healthy kidney transplant patients. It proved that it has a positive relation to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

CONCLUSION: -

In conclusion, ASL MRI has a vital role in detecting and at the same time reducing graft rejection. It is considered one of the best non-invasive procedures to detect any perfusion impairment at an early stage.

5-Azacytidine Incorporated Skeletal Muscle-Derived Hydrogel Improves Rat Skeletal Muscle Regeneration

2021-09-27T22:18:38+02:00

Decellularized skeletal muscle is a promising biomaterial for muscle regeneration due to the mimicking of the natural microenvironment. Also, inducing factors such as 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza), an epigenetic modifier, can induce myogenesis in various stem cells. In the current study, we investigated the effects of 5-Aza incorporated decellularized skeletal muscle-derived hydrogel on the viability and proliferation of muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) in vitro and muscle regeneration in vivo. Our experiments showed that more than 95% of DNA was removed by decellularization, while other components such as collagen were preserved. Also, the skeletal muscle-derived hydrogel containing 5-Aza showed promotion in the viability and proliferation of MDSCs. Moreover, histological analysis showed a significant muscle regeneration when 5-Aza incorporated hydrogel was administrated. Our result suggests the combination of 5-Aza with decellularized skeletal muscle as a muscle substitute for tissue regeneration.

Sex-specific differences in trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) concentrations before and after cardiac rehabilitation in acute myocardial infarction patients

2021-09-27T13:40:31+02:00

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a biomarker of cardiovascular risk and may enhance the progression of atherosclerosis. The aim of the study was to determine whether there are sex-specific differences in TMAO concentrations before and after cardiac rehabilitation in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. A total of 56 participants [45/56 (80.4%) males, 11/56 (19.6%) females] were drawn from AMI inpatients hospitalized at the Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria. For the assessment of TMAO, serum samples were collected within the first day after hospital admission due to AMI and at the start and end of cardiac rehabilitation. Shortly after hospital admission due to AMI, females had significantly higher TMAO blood concentrations than males. These initially high TMAO levels remained almost unchanged in the female AMI patients until the start of cardiac rehabilitation and only reached the lower TMAO concentrations observed in the male patients after rehabilitation. After AMI, women might be at higher cardiovascular risk due to persistently higher levels of TMAO. High TMAO levels in women might decrease after cardiac rehabilitation due to cardiac rehabilitation-associated lifestyle modifications. These lifestyle modifications after AMI might also prevent increases in TMAO concentrations in men.