This work was funded by R21CA134819 (CH), T32CA009035 (SD),and P30CA006927 (Cancer Center Core Grant). The authors would like to thank Elizabeth Culnan for her assistance with participant recruitment, Lia Boyle, Eva Panigrahi, and Kate Menezes for their assistance in the development of procedures, and Jeanne Pomenti with her assistance with manuscript preparation. We also thank the journal reviewers for their helpful suggestions.

1. Preparing for UV Exposure
	<ol>
		<li>Explain to the participant how MED testing works ("I'm going to expose some skin on your arm to UV light over the course of about 20 min, and tomorrow, we're going to check that section of your skin in order to determine how sensitive you are to the light. You may experience a sunburn in the small areas that we expose to UV. If the sunburn is painful or bothers you, you can treat it like you would any other sunburn.")</li>
	 <li>Staff and participant should wear UV protective glasses.</li>
	 <li>The participant should be wearing a short-sleeved shirt or roll her sleeve up.</li>
	 <li>Have the participant put on a glove to protect the skin on her hand. </li>
	 <li>Remove the Daavlin patch1 backing on the left and right sides of the patch, and place it on the inner lower arm just adjacent to the glove, avoiding any existing skin blemishes.</li>
		<li>Cover any additional skin on the arm with the participant's shirt or other material.</li>
	 <li>Place the arm so that the holes in the patch will be exposed to the UV light source. No other skin should be exposed to the UV light.</li>
	 <li>Tell the participant she will feel warmth but her arm will not be burning during the test.</li>
	</ol>
	2. Conducting UV Exposure
	<ol>
		<li>Patch holes (e.g. 6) should be exposed to UV at intervals throughout the exposure period. </li>
	 <li>Start with hole 1 open.</li>
	 <li>Select the total duration of the exposure based on the manufacturer specifications for the light source and the participant's Fitzpatrick skin type I-VI (very fair to very dark; Fitzpatrick, 1988).2 Fairer skin is more likely to burn.</li>
	 <li>Set a timer for the total duration of exposure (e.g. 20 min). A second backup timer may also be used. Start the timer(s). </li>
	 <li>For example, open hole 2 after 2 min, open hole 3 after 4 min, open hole 4 after 8 min, open hole 5 after 12 min, and open hole 6 after 16 min. Thus, the skin UV exposure times will be 20 min for hole 1, 18 min for hole 2, 16 min for hole 3, 12 min for hole 4, 8 min for hole 5, and 4 min for hole 6.</li>
	 <li>In order to more easily identify the exposed areas after 24-48 hr, mark the skin exposed on the far edge of the first and last holes of the patch and ask the participant to not wash off the marks until after the skin is examined.</li>
	 <li>Have the participant remove the glove and patch.</li>
	 <li>Reiterate to the participant that the skin must be reexamined in 24-48 hr.</li>
	</ol>
	3. Assessing the MED
	<ol>
		<li>After 24-48 hr, examine the exposed areas of skin. Red or pink skin indicates erythema or burning. Erythemetous skin exposed to the shortest duration of UV is defined as the minimal erythema dose or MED.</li>
	 <li>Future exposures to UV should be for durations shorter than the MED to avoid burning.</li>
	 <li>If the areas of exposure are difficult to identify, you may want to put the patch back on using the marks to align with the exposed skin. This is also helpful if using a skin color measurement device such as a spectrophotometer. </li>
	 <li>Spectrophotometers provide measures of L* (darkness) and b* (hue). a* refers to the redness of the skin. A higher a* value indicates redder skin.</li>
	 <li>If using a skin color measurement device such as a spectrophotometer, place the spectrophotometer aperture in the center of the hole to be measured. </li>
	 <li>Measure each of the 6 exposure areas in numerical order and one unexposed area near the others for comparison. Try to measure the center of each hole but not a freckle or mole or other non-UV discolorations. Label each of the measurements. The measurement from the unexposed area should be labeled 0 min and be listed next to area 6 (the shortest exposure area - 4 min).</li>
	 <li>Increases in a* values should correspond with increases in UV exposure duration. Try re-measuring values that are not in corresponding order.</li>
	 <li>A 2.5 point difference in the a* of unexposed skin compared to exposed skin indicates a significant difference in redness, suggesting potential burning.</li>
	 <li>Add 2.5 to the lowest a* value. Anything at or above this value would be considered potentially burning. The lowest exposure time above this value is considered the MED.</li>
	</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Fitzpatrick, T. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+validity+and+practicality+of+sun-reactive+skin+types+I+through+VI.">The validity and practicality of sun-reactive skin types I through VI.</a> Archives of Dermatology. 124, 869-871 (1988).</li><li>Bodekaer, M., Akerstrom, U., Wulf, H. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Accumulation+of+sunscreen+in+human+skin+after+daily+applications:+a+study+of+sunscreens+with+different+ultraviolet+radiation+filters.">Accumulation of sunscreen in human skin after daily applications: a study of sunscreens with different ultraviolet radiation filters.</a> Photodermatol. Photoimmunol. Photomed. 28, 127-132 (2012).</li><li>Kwon, I. H., Kwon, H. H., Na, S. J., Youn, J. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Could+colorimetric+method+replace+the+individual+minimal+erythemal+dose+(MED)+measurements+in+determining+the+initial+dose+of+narrow-band+UVB+treatment+for+psoriasis+patients+with+skin+phototype+III-V?.">Could colorimetric method replace the individual minimal erythemal dose (MED) measurements in determining the initial dose of narrow-band UVB treatment for psoriasis patients with skin phototype III-V?.</a> J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol. , (2012).</li><li>Youn, J. I., Park, J. Y., Jo, S. J., Rim, J. H., Choe, Y. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Assessment+of+the+usefulness+of+skin+phototype+and+skin+color+as+the+parameter+of+cutaneous+narrow+band+UVB+sensitivity+in+psoriasis+patients.">Assessment of the usefulness of skin phototype and skin color as the parameter of cutaneous narrow band UVB sensitivity in psoriasis patients.</a> Photodermatol. Photoimmunol. Photomed. 19, 261-264 (2003).</li><li>Henriksen, M., Na, R., Agren, M. S., Wulf, H. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Minimal+erythema+dose+after+multiple+UV+exposures+depends+on+pre-exposure+skin+pigmentation.">Minimal erythema dose after multiple UV exposures depends on pre-exposure skin pigmentation.</a> Photodermatol. Photoimmunol. Photomed. 20, 163-169 (2004).</li><li>Kraemer, C. K., Menegon, D. B., Cestari, T. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Determination+of+the+minimal+phototoxic+dose+and+colorimetry+in+psoralen+plus+ultraviolet+A+radiation+therapy.">Determination of the minimal phototoxic dose and colorimetry in psoralen plus ultraviolet A radiation therapy.</a> Photodermatol. Photoimmunol. Photomed. 21, 242-248 (2005).</li><li>Sachdeva, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fitzpatrick+skin+typing:+applications+in+dermatology.">Fitzpatrick skin typing: applications in dermatology.</a> Indian J. Dermatol. Venereol. Leprol. 75, 93-96 (2009).</li><li>Webb, A. R., Kift, R., Berry, J. L., Rhodes, L. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+vitamin+D+debate:+translating+controlled+experiments+into+reality+for+human+sun+exposure+times.">The vitamin D debate: translating controlled experiments into reality for human sun exposure times.</a> Photochem. Photobiol. 87, 741-745 (2011).</li><li>Otman, S. G., Edwards, C., Gambles, B., Anstey, A. V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Validation+of+a+semiautomated+method+of+minimal+erythema+dose+testing+for+narrowband+ultraviolet+B+phototherapy.">Validation of a semiautomated method of minimal erythema dose testing for narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy.</a> Br. J. Dermatol. 155, 416-421 (2006).</li><li>Taylor, D. K., Anstey, A. V., Coleman, A. J., Diffey, B. L., Farr, P. M., Ferguson, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Guidelines+for+dosimetry+and+calibration+in+ultraviolet+radiation+therapy:+a+report+of+a+British+Photodermatology+Group+workshop.">Guidelines for dosimetry and calibration in ultraviolet radiation therapy: a report of a British Photodermatology Group workshop.</a> Br. J. Dermatol. 146, 755-763 (2002).</li></ol>

We have nothing to disclose.

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) therapy is sometimes used as a treatment for various common skin conditions, including psoriasis, acne, and eczema. The dosage of UV light is prescribed according to an individual's skin sensitivity, which is determined as a function of the individual's Fitzpatrick skin type I through VI (very fair to very dark).2 Human skin varies in its sensitivity to UV radiation because of varying degrees of skin pigmentation, thickness, and other factors. Thus, to establish the proper dosage of ...

minimal erythema dose (med) testing

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) therapy is sometimes used as a treatment for various common skin conditions, including psoriasis, acne, and eczema. The dosage of UV light is prescribed according to an individual's skin sensitivity. Thus, to establish the proper dosage of UV light to administer to a patient, the patient is sometimes screened to determine a minimal erythema dose (MED), which is the amount of UV radiation that will produce minimal erythema (sunburn or redness caused by engorgement of capillaries) of an individual's skin within a few hours following exposure. This article describes how to conduct minimal erythema dose (MED) testing. There is currently no easy way to determine an appropriate UV dose for clinical or research purposes without conducting formal MED testing, requiring observation hours after testing, or informal trial and error testing with the risks of under- or over-dosing. However, some alternative methods are discussed.

<img alt="Figure 1" fo:content-width="4in" fo:src="/files/ftp_upload/50175/50175fig1highres.jpg" src="/files/ftp_upload/50175/50175fig1.jpg" /> 
Figure 1. The four steps of conducting MED testing: preparing for UV exposure, conducting UV exposure, assessing the MED, and determining the MED.
<img alt="Figure 2" src="/files/ftp_upload/50175/50175fig2.jpg" />
<p class="jove_content" fo:keep-toget...

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Minimal Erythema Dose MED Testing

This article describes how to conduct minimal erythema dose (MED) testing in order to determine the lowest dose of ultraviolet radiation that will cause erythema (burning) when administered to an individual.

Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) therapy is  sometimes used as a treatment for various common skin conditions, including  psoriasis, acne, and eczema. The ...

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41.2K Views.  Fox Chase Cancer Center. This article describes how to conduct minimal erythema dose (MED) testing in order to determine the lowest dose of ultraviolet radiation that will cause erythema (burning) when administered to an individual.

Video: Minimal Erythema Dose MED Testing

Quantitative Autonomic Testing

Disorders associated with dysfunction of autonomic nervous system are quite common yet frequently unrecognized. Quantitative autonomic testing can be invaluable tool for evaluation of these disorders, both in clinic and research. There are number of autonomic tests, however, only few were validated clinically or are quantitative. Here, fully quantitative and clinically validated protocol for testing of autonomic functions is presented. As a bare minimum the clinical autonomic laboratory should have a tilt table, ECG monitor, continuous noninvasive blood pressure monitor, respiratory monitor and a mean for evaluation of sudomotor domain. The software for recording and evaluation of autonomic tests is critical for correct evaluation of data. The presented protocol evaluates 3 major autonomic domains: cardiovagal, adrenergic and sudomotor. The tests include deep breathing, Valsalva maneuver, head-up tilt, and quantitative sudomotor axon test (QSART). The severity and distribution of dysautonomia is quantitated using Composite Autonomic Severity Scores (CASS). Detailed protocol is provided highlighting essential aspects of testing with emphasis on proper data acquisition, obtaining the relevant parameters and unbiased evaluation of autonomic signals. The normative data and CASS algorithm for interpretation of results are provided as well.

Standardized, comprehensive and fully quantitative testing of autonomic functions is described. The autonomic tests consist of evaluation of all three major autonomic domains including cardiovagal, adrenergic and sudomotor. The severity and distribution of dysautonomia is quantitated using Composite Autonomic Severity Scores.

Disorders associated with dysfunction of autonomic nervous system are quite common yet frequently unrecognized. Quantitative autonomic testing can be ...

X-ray Dose Reduction through Adaptive Exposure in Fluoroscopic Imaging

X-ray fluoroscopy is widely used for image guidance during cardiac intervention. However, radiation dose in these procedures can be high, and this is a significant concern, particularly in pediatric applications. Pediatrics procedures are in general much more complex than those performed on adults and thus are on average four to eight times longer1. Furthermore, children can undergo up to 10 fluoroscopic procedures by the age of 10, and have been shown to have a three-fold higher risk of developing fatal cancer throughout their life than the general population2,3.
We have shown that radiation dose can be significantly reduced in adult cardiac procedures by using our scanning beam digital x-ray (SBDX) system4-- a fluoroscopic imaging system that employs an inverse imaging geometry5,6 (Figure 1, Movie 1 and Figure 2). Instead of a single focal spot and an extended detector as used in conventional systems, our approach utilizes an extended X-ray source with multiple focal spots focused on a small detector. Our X-ray source consists of a scanning electron beam sequentially illuminating up to 9,000 focal spot positions. Each focal spot projects a small portion of the imaging volume onto the detector. In contrast to a conventional system where the final image is directly projected onto the detector, the SBDX uses a dedicated algorithm to reconstruct the final image from the 9,000 detector images.
For pediatric applications, dose savings with the SBDX system are expected to be smaller than in adult procedures. However, the SBDX system allows for additional dose savings by implementing an electronic adaptive exposure technique. Key to this method is the multi-beam scanning technique of the SBDX system: rather than exposing every part of the image with the same radiation dose, we can dynamically vary the exposure depending on the opacity of the region exposed. Therefore, we can significantly reduce exposure in radiolucent areas and maintain exposure in more opaque regions. In our current implementation, the adaptive exposure requires user interaction (Figure 3). However, in the future, the adaptive exposure will be real time and fully automatic.
We have performed experiments with an anthropomorphic phantom and compared measured radiation dose with and without adaptive exposure using a dose area product (DAP) meter. In the experiment presented here, we find a dose reduction of 30%.

We are developing a dynamic adaptive exposure technique using our scanning beam digital X-ray system. Rather than exposing an object uniformly, the exposure is adapted depending on the opacity of the object. Here we show an experiment on an anthropomorphic phantom that resulted in a dose saving of 30%.

X-ray fluoroscopy is widely used for image guidance during cardiac intervention. However, radiation dose in these procedures can be high, and this is a ...

Preparation and Pathogen Inactivation of Double Dose Buffy Coat Platelet Products using the INTERCEPT Blood System

Blood centers are faced with many challenges including maximizing production yield from the blood product donations they receive as well as ensuring the highest possible level of safety for transfusion patients, including protection from transfusion transmitted diseases. This must be accomplished in a fiscally responsible manner which minimizes operating expenses including consumables, equipment, waste, and personnel costs, among others.
Several methods are available to produce platelet concentrates for transfusion. One of the most common is the buffy coat method in which a single therapeutic platelet unit (&ge; 2.0 x1011 platelets per unit or per local regulations) is prepared by pooling the buffy coat layer from up to six whole blood donations. A procedure for producing "double dose" whole blood derived platelets has only recently been developed.
Presented here is a novel method for preparing double dose whole blood derived platelet concentrates from pools of 7 buffy coats and subsequently treating the double dose units with the INTERCEPT Blood System for pathogen inactivation. INTERCEPT was developed to inactivate viruses, bacteria, parasites, and contaminating donor white cells which may be present in donated blood. Pairing INTERCEPT with the double dose buffy coat method by utilizing the INTERCEPT Processing Set with Dual Storage Containers (the "DS set"), allows blood centers to treat each of their double dose units in a single pathogen inactivation processing set, thereby maximizing patient safety while minimizing costs. The double dose buffy coat method requires fewer buffy coats and reduces the use of consumables by up to 50% (e.g. pooling sets, filter sets, platelet additive solution, and sterile connection wafers) compared to preparation and treatment of single dose buffy coat platelet units. Other cost savings include less waste, less equipment maintenance, lower power requirements, reduced personnel time, and lower collection cost compared to the apheresis technique.

This article describes the process used by &#214;rebro University Hospital to produce double dose buffy coat platelet concentrates prepared from whole blood donations and treated with the INTERCEPT Blood System for pathogen inactivation. The in vitro quality of the final platelet units are evaluated over 7 days of storage.

Blood centers are faced with many challenges including maximizing production yield from the blood product donations they receive as well as ensuring the ...

A Novel Application of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging

Ultrasound is an attractive modality for imaging muscle and tendon motion during dynamic tasks and can provide a complementary methodological approach for biomechanical studies in a clinical or laboratory setting. Towards this goal, methods for quantification of muscle kinematics from ultrasound imagery are being developed based on image processing. The temporal resolution of these methods is typically not sufficient for highly dynamic tasks, such as drop-landing. We propose a new approach that utilizes a Doppler method for quantifying muscle kinematics. We have developed a novel vector tissue Doppler imaging (vTDI) technique that can be used to measure musculoskeletal contraction velocity, strain and strain rate with sub-millisecond temporal resolution during dynamic activities using ultrasound. The goal of this preliminary study was to investigate the repeatability and potential applicability of the vTDI technique in measuring musculoskeletal velocities during a drop-landing task, in healthy subjects. The vTDI measurements can be performed concurrently with other biomechanical techniques, such as 3D motion capture for joint kinematics and kinetics, electromyography for timing of muscle activation and force plates for ground reaction force. Integration of these complementary techniques could lead to a better understanding of dynamic muscle function and dysfunction underlying the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of musculoskeletal disorders.

We describe a new ultrasound-based vector tissue Doppler imaging technique to measure muscle contraction velocity, strain and strain rate with sub-millisecond temporal resolution during dynamic activities. This approach provides complementary measurements of dynamic muscle function and could lead to a better understanding of mechanisms underlying musculoskeletal disorders.

Ultrasound is an attractive modality for imaging muscle and tendon  motion during dynamic tasks and can provide a complementary methodological  approach ...

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy

Breath-holding techniques reduce the amount of radiation received by cardiac structures during tangential-field left breast radiotherapy. With these techniques, patients hold their breath while radiotherapy is delivered, pushing the heart down and away from the radiotherapy field. Despite clear dosimetric benefits, these techniques are not yet in widespread use. One reason for this is that commercially available solutions require specialist equipment, necessitating not only significant capital investment, but often also incurring ongoing costs such as a need for daily disposable mouthpieces. The voluntary breath-hold technique described here does not require any additional specialist equipment. All breath-holding techniques require a surrogate to monitor breath-hold consistency and whether breath-hold is maintained. Voluntary breath-hold uses the distance moved by the anterior and lateral reference marks (tattoos) away from the treatment room lasers in breath-hold to monitor consistency at CT-planning and treatment setup. Light fields are then used to monitor breath-hold consistency prior to and during radiotherapy delivery.

The current priority in breast cancer radiotherapy is to reduce cardiac doses without compromising target tissue coverage. The voluntary breath-hold technique described here is a simple, inexpensive solution to this problem and capable of being instituted widely without the need for specialized equipment.

Breath-holding techniques reduce the amount of radiation received by cardiac structures during tangential-field left breast radiotherapy. With these ...

Minimal Invasive Surgical Procedure of Inducing Myocardial Infarction in Mice

Myocardial infarction still remains the main cause of death in western countries, despite considerable progress in the stent development area in the last decades. For clarification of the underlying mechanisms and the development of new therapeutic strategies, the availability of valid animal models are mandatory. Since we need new insights into pathomechanisms of cardiovascular diseases under in vivo conditions to combat myocardial infarction, the validity of the animal model is a crucial aspect. However, protection of animals are highly relevant in this context. Therefore, we establish a minimally invasive and simple model of myocardial infarction in mice, which assures a high reproducibility and survival rate of animals. Thus, this models fulfils the requirements of the 3R principle (Replacement, Refinement and Reduction) for animal experiments and assure the scientific information needed for further developing of therapeutical strategies for cardiovascular diseases.

A highly reproducible model for myocardial infarction in mice with minimal invasive manipulations is described. The model can be easily performed, resulting in a high reproducibility and survival rate. Thus, the described model will reduce the number of required animals as requested by the 3R principle (Replacement, Refinement and Reduction).

Myocardial infarction still remains the main cause of death in western countries, despite considerable progress in the stent development area in the last ...

Intracoronary Acetylcholine Provocation Testing for Assessment of Coronary Vasomotor Disorders

Intracoronary acetylcholine provocation testing (ACH-test) is an established method for assessment of epicardial coronary artery spasm in the catheterization laboratory which was introduced more than 30 years ago. Due to the short half-life of acetylcholine it can only be applied directly into the coronary arteries. Several studies have demonstrated the safety and clinical usefulness of this test. However, acetylcholine testing is only rarely applied in the U.S. or Europe. Nevertheless, it has been shown that 62% of Caucasian patients with stable angina and unobstructed coronary arteries on coronary angiography suffer from coronary vasomotor disorders that can be diagnosed with acetylcholine testing. In recent years it has been appreciated that the ACH-test not only assesses the presence of epicardial spasm but that it can also be useful for the detection of coronary microvascular spam. In such cases no epicardial spasm is seen after injection of acetylcholine but ischemic ECG shifts are present together with a reproduction of the patient's symptoms during the test. This article describes the experience with the ACH-test and its implementation in daily clinical routine.

Intracoronary acetylcholine testing has been established for the assessment of epicardial coronary spasm more than 30 years ago. Recently, the focus has shifted towards the microcirculation and it has been shown that microvascular spasm can be detected using ACH-testing. This article describes the ACH-test and its implementation in daily routine.

Intracoronary acetylcholine provocation testing (ACH-test) is an established method for assessment of epicardial coronary artery spasm in the ...

Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement

Aortic valve stenosis has become the most prevalent valvular heart disease in developed countries, and is due to the aging of these populations. The incidence of the pathology increases with growing age after 65 years. Conventional surgical aortic valve replacement through median sternotomy has been the gold standard of patient care for symptomatic aortic valve stenosis. However, as the risk profile of patients worsens, other therapeutic strategies have been introduced in an attempt to maintain the excellent results obtained by the established surgical treatment. One of these approaches is represented by transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Although the outcomes of high-risk patients undergoing treatment for symptomatic aortic valve stenosis have improved with transcatheter aortic valve replacement, many patients with this condition remain candidates for surgical aortic valve replacement. In order to reduce the surgical trauma in patients who are candidates for surgical aortic valve replacement, minimally invasive approaches have garnered interest during the past decade. Since the introduction of right anterior thoracotomy for aortic valve replacement in 1993, right anterior mini-thoracotomy and upper hemi-sternotomy have become the predominant incisional approaches among cardiac surgeons performing minimal access aortic valve replacement. Beside the location of the incision, the arterial cannulation site represents the second major landmark of minimal access techniques for aortic valve replacement. The two most frequently used arterial cannulation sites include central aortic and peripheral femoral approaches. With the purpose of reducing surgical trauma in these patients, we have opted for a right anterior mini-thoracotomy approach with a central aortic cannulation site. This protocol describes in detail a technique for minimally invasive aortic valve replacement and provides recommendations for patient selection criteria, including cardiac computer tomography measurements. The indications and limitations of this technique, as well as its alternatives, are discussed.

The goal of this protocol is to describe in detail the technique of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement through a right anterior mini-thoracotomy and central aortic cannulation. This technique can potentially enhance patients&#39; comfort and, by reducing post-operative morbidity, promote lowering the length of stay and global costs.

Aortic valve stenosis has become the most prevalent valvular heart disease in developed countries, and is due to the aging of these populations. The ...

Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing

The incidence of clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is increasing due to the aging population, resulting in a significant economic and quality of life burden. Transgenic and other mouse models have been developed to recreate various aspects of this multifactorial disease; however, methods to accurately quantitate urinary dysfunction and the effectiveness of new therapeutic options are lacking. Here, we describe a method that can be used to measure bladder volume and detrusor wall thickness, urinary velocity, void volume and void duration, and urethral diameter. This would allow for the evaluation of disease progression and treatment efficacy over time. Mice were anesthetized with isoflurane, and the bladder was visualized by ultrasound. For non-contrast imaging, a 3D image was taken of the bladder to calculate volume and evaluate shape; the bladder wall thickness was measured from this image. For contrast-enhanced imaging, a catheter was placed through the dome of the bladder using a 27-gauge needle connected to a syringe by PE50 tubing. A bolus of 0.5 mL of contrast was infused into the bladder until a urination event occurred. Urethral diameter was determined at the point of the Doppler velocity sample window during the first voiding event. Velocity was measured for each subsequent event yielding a flow rate. In conclusion, high frequency ultrasound proved to be an effective method for assessing bladder and urethral measurements during urinary function in mice. This technique may be useful in the assessment of novel therapies for BPH/LUTS in an experimental setting.

We describe the use of high frequency ultrasound with contrast imaging as a method to measure bladder volume, bladder wall thickness, urine velocity, void volume, void duration, and urethral diameter. This strategy can be used to assess voiding dysfunction and treatment efficacy in various mouse models of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD).

The incidence of clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is increasing due to the aging population, resulting ...

Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response

Minimal erythema dose (MED) testing is frequently used in clinical settings for determining the smallest amount of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation necessary to produce erythema (inflammatory reddening) on the surface of the skin. In this context, the MED is regarded as a key factor in determining starting doses for UV phototherapy for common skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. In research settings, MED testing also has potential to be a powerful tool for assessing within- and between-persons variation in inflammatory responses. However, MED testing has not been widely adopted for use in research settings, likely owing to a lack of published guidelines, which is a barrier to obtaining reproducible results from this assay. Also, protocols and equipment for establishing MED vary widely, making it difficult to compare results across laboratories. Here, we describe a precise and reproducible method to induce and measure superficial erythema using newly designed protocols and methods that can easily be adapted to other equipment and laboratory environments. The method described here includes detail on procedures that will allow extrapolation of a standardized dosage schedule to other equipment so that this protocol can be adapted to any UV radiation source.

Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose MED Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response

Minimal erythema dose (MED) testing is used to establish dosage schedules for ultraviolet radiation phototherapy. It can assess individual variation in inflammatory response but lacks methodology for achieving reproducible results. Here, we present a precision implementation of MED and demonstrate its ability to capture individual variation in inflammatory response.

Minimal erythema dose (MED) testing is frequently used in clinical settings for determining the smallest amount of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation necessary ...