Jackie Brown

Pet expert Jackie Brown has spent 20 years following her passion for animals as a writer and editor in the pet publishing industry. She is contributing writer for National Geographics Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness: The Veterinarian's Approach to At-Home Animal Care (April 2019) and author of the book Its Raining Cats and Dogs: Making Sense of Animal Phrases (Lumina Press, 2006). Jackie is a regular contributor to pet and veterinary industry media and is the former editor of numerous pet magazines, including Dog World, Natural Dog, Puppies 101, Kittens 101 and the Popular Cats Series. Prior to starting her career in publishing, Jackie spent eight years working in veterinary hospitals where she assisted veterinarians as they treated dogs, cats, rabbits, pocket pets, reptiles, birds and one memorable lion cub. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons and miniature poodle Jger. Reach her at jackiebrownwriter.wordpress.com.

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Stem Cell Study Aims to Heal Your Dog's Allergies - Dogster.com

Performances by Jay Allen and Kylie Morgan, Melinda Doolittle, Charles Esten, Paul Freeman, Paul Greene, Ginna Claire Mason, MaRynn Taylor, Noah Thompson, Alicia Witt, and more covering hits from the early 2000s

Event raises awareness and funds for the Alzheimer's Association research grant program

*Photos available*

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hallmark stars Ashley Williams and Nikki DeLoach hosted the sixth annual Dance Party to End ALZ on Sunday, November 12 at Nashville's Wildhorse Saloon, which raised more than $300,000 for the Alzheimer's Association research grant program. The event founded by Kimberly Williams-Paisley was emceed by Apple Music radio host Kelleigh Bannen.

Williams and DeLoach opened the evening with a surprise performance of "Party In the U.S.A." The dynamic duo welcomed guests and shared why co-hosting the event meant so much to them after both losing a parent to dementia. Williams' mom, Linda, passed away with Alzheimer's in 2016, and DeLoach's dad, David, passed away with Pick's disease, a rare form of dementia, in 2021.

Dressed in 2000s fashion, performers took to the stage covering throwback hits from the era. Accompanied by Wildhorse Saloon's house band Three Lane, performances included:

"We are beyond grateful to the Nashville community, performers, generous sponsors and attendees near and far who joined us at the sixth annual Dance Party to End ALZ," said co-hosts Ashley Williams and Nikki DeLoach. "Everyone coming together for this cause means the world to us and our families. Together, we raised awareness and funds to support the Alzheimer's Association's research grant program, which is helping us get one step closer to ending Alzheimer's and all other dementia."

Event committee included:

Generous sponsors included:

Celebrities in attendance included:

Funds raised through the Dance Party to End ALZ will directly support the Alzheimer's Association's research grant program. To date, Dance Party to End ALZ has raised more than $2.1M to fund diverse and exciting Alzheimer's research from studying the impacts of genetics and sleep on the brain, to developing a smartwatch-based intervention for dementia risk reduction.

For more information and to donate, visit alz.org/DanceParty.

About the Alzheimer's AssociationThe Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia. For more information, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Association

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Ashley Williams and Nikki DeLoach Host Sixth Annual 'Dance Party ... - PR Newswire

You walk into your practice and one of your favorite clients calls in a panic: Gertrude has been vomiting all night! You can see her at 4 PM. Three oclock rolls around, and Gertrudes owner calls to cancel. She has stopped vomiting and is doing better.

Two days later, Gertrude is not doing well. Shes lethargic and weak. Your heart drops as you reach to pet her and notice her mucus membranes are jaundiced. You set to work running bloodwork and starting intravenous (IV) fluids. Her laboratory test results come back with screamingly high liver enzymes. You recommend transferring to a 24-hour care facility to give Gertrude the best chance.

What happened? Gertrude unfortunately got into Amanita mushrooms and has since gone into fulminant liver failure. Lets look at identifying these toxins and what we can do to prevent illness from them in the future.

Amanita mushrooms. (ikostudio / stock.adobe.com)

With more than 10,000 species of mushrooms estimated in North America and approximately 100 being toxic, identifying each mushroom isnt realistic.1 Treating each mushroom ingestion as a worst-case scenario may be the best course of action to save your patients life. Toxic mushrooms can cause hepatotoxicity, gastrointestinal disease, SLUDGE (saliva, lacrimation, urination, defecation, gastrointestinal signs, and emesis) signs, neurotoxicity, and even nephrotoxicity. In general, mushroom toxicities can have a quick onset or prolonged onset. Although not foolproof, those that have an onset of less than 3 hours typically are self-limiting, while those that have an onset of greater than 6 hours after ingestion tend to be the more life-threatening ones. With no true antidote, decontamination and supportive care are required.2

When working as an emergency veterinarian, I was taught that unless youre a mycologist, treat a patient for the worst-case scenario, as follows:

Knowing where mushrooms are often found is a great way to start. Although toxic mushrooms can be found throughout the United States, we can use what we know about their ecology to help clients identify the higher risks. Mushrooms generally like moist environments with decaying matter and woody debris. Many can be found in spring to fall, but it depends on the climate; some are happy to be out in the winter if the temperature is suitable, like in the Pacific Northwest.3

We know where to look; how do we tell whos who? Some will be obvious; for instance, the Amanita muscaria is depicted throughout art as a little red toadstool with white spots. And if your client admits to having psychedelic mushrooms, then maybe your job is a little easier. But for the rest of them? The death cap (Amanita phalloides) and angel of death (Amanita ocreata) both look like white mushrooms. If a client calls about a mushroom exposure, have them bag the fungi in a paper bag wrapped in a moist paper towel (tell them to wash their hands), in case you or a mycologist can identify them, but prepare them for treatment for the worst-case scenario. There is a list of volunteer mycologists on the North American Mycological Associations website.4 You can also try animal poison control, though they may not have a mycologist available.

What can we do to prevent pets from being exposed in the first place? Educate our clients!

First, we want to prevent exposure in our pets environment by eliminating the source. Educate your clients to check their yard for mushrooms weekly and remove them, stem and all. I pair it with instructions to clean up dog waste and ensure that its bagged and thrown in the trash to prevent spreading spores. Wash your hands. And please dont put it in compost.

For hiking, encourage clients to keep pets on a regular leash (not a retractable one) and stick to the middle of the trail so they can watch for any tempting mushrooms. Clients should keep their dogs within sight when off leash. If they live in a high-risk area and their dog likes to eat things, an off leash park may not be a good place for them unless they have a perfect leave it/drop it and recall. They could also walk the park to look for potential hazards before letting their dog loose.

If your client has a dog who likes to eat everything on walks, talk to them about muzzle training. Muzzles are a great tool not only for preventing bites but also for preventing dietary indiscretion. Ensure its a basket muzzle so the dog can pant, drink, and take treats. I prefer the JAFCO muzzle for this purpose, as they can still pant, drink, and take treats through a centrally placed hole in the front. Check out the Muzzle Up! Project for more information on utilizing muzzles and training dogs to wear them.5

To protect pets from recreational mushrooms, encourage clients to keep their pets in a separate room to avoid any chance of them getting into substances like psilocybin mushrooms. Educate your clients that if their pet is exposed to these, they should contact their veterinarian. Remind them we are not the authorities and want to help their pet.

Finally, let clients know what to do if their pet ingests a mushroom:

Utilize your social media and newsletters to send out mushroom education and reminders of what clients should do each season mushrooms sprout in your area to save time in the exam room. Keep mushrooms on your differential list and train your team to ask questions about mushroom exposure for sick patients. And remember, toxic mushrooms can look innocent, so unless you are a mycologist, it may be best to assume the worst.

A pocket of prevention is a recurring column brought to you by the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM). The ACVPM is an American Veterinary Medical Association-recognized veterinary specialty organization offering board certification in preventive medicine with the option of a specialty in epidemiology. Becoming a diplomate of the ACVPM means joining some of the most distinguished veterinary professionals in preventive medicine and public health at national and international levels. For more information, go to acvpm.org.

References

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Preventing mushroom toxicosis in our companion animals - DVM 360

Red blood cells: vipman4 - stock.adobe.com

Rituximab (Rituxan), cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) alone or combined with targeted agents (R-CHOP-X) demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with newly diagnosed, intermediate-risk, or high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), according to findings published in Cancer Cell.1

In the randomized, phase 2 GUIDANCE-01 trial (NCT04025593), patients were randomized 1:1 to receive R-CHOP-X or R-CHOP.2 A higher response rate was observed with R-CHOP-X vs R-CHOP arm, meeting the primary end point of the study, (88% vs 66%; P =.003), with an overall response rate (ORR) of 92% (95% CI, 85-99) in the R-CHOP-X arm vs 73% (95% CI, 62-85) in the R-CHOP arm (P =.005).1

With R-CHOP-X vs R-CHOP, 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 88% vs 63% (P <.001). For overall survival (OS), 2-year OS rates were 94% compared with 77% (P =.001). Additionally, the safety profile of R-CHOP-X was manageable, and no new clinically significant or unexpected toxicities were observed.

Our findings demonstrate efficacy and safety of R-CHOP-X, a mechanism-based tailored therapy, which dually targets genetic and microenvironmental alterations in patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, wrote the study authors led by Mu-Chen Zhang, MD, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.1

A total of 134 patients were screened and treated between July, 2019 and December, 2020, and 128 ended up being randomly assigned 1:1 to receive R-CHOP-X (n = 64) or R-CHOP (n = 64). The primary end point of the study was complete response (CR) rate.2 Secondary end points were PFS, OS, ORR, and number of patients with adverse events (AEs).

Between arms, baseline clinical and pathological characteristics were similar.1 The median age of those enrolled was 64 years (range, 25-74), most patients presented with relatively high-risk disease (77%), and 80% of patients had an elevated serum LDH level. Additionally, 52% of patients had 2 or more extranodal involvement sites, and 65% had international prognostic index 3-5. A total of 36% of patients presented with MYC/BCL2 double expression and 1 presented with MYC/BCL6 rearrangement lymphoma. No patients had MYC/BCL2 rearrangement.

To characterize patients, simplified 20-gene algorithm was established to include MCD-like (20% of patients), BN2-like (18%), N1-like (4%), EZB-like (2%), TP53 mutations (16%), and not otherwise specified (39%).

At the end of treatment, the CR rate was 88% (95% CI, 79-96) with R-CHOP-X vs 66% (95% CI, 54-78) with R-CHOP arm. For genetic subtypes, CR rates were 85% (95% CI, 62-100) for MCD-like, 91% (95% CI, 71-100) for BN2-like, 100% for N1-like, 100% for EZB-like, 82% (95% CI, 55-100) for TP53mut, and 88% (95% CI, 74-100) for NOS in the R-CHOP-X arm. In the R-CHOP arm, these rates were 54% (95% CI, 23-85), 67% (95% CI, 35-98), 50%, 100%, 60% (95% CI, 23-97), and 80% (95% CI, 63-97), respectively.

With a median follow-up of 36 months, the median PFS and OS were not reached. With R-CHOP-X, 3 patients had a partial response (PR), 2 of whom received radiotherapy of the residual lesion revealed by final positron emission tomography-computed tomography evaluation. The other underwent a splenectomy and was pathologically confirmed with DLBCL. Three patients had stable disease (SD). Two of these patients received chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and achieved CR, and the other died from disease progression. Further, 2 patients had progressive disease (PD) and were salvaged with second-line chemotherapy. These patients died from disease progression.

In the R-CHOP arm, 5 patients had a PR with 3 receiving radiotherapy and 2 given second-line treatment. Four of the 7 patients with SD received second-line treatment followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and achieved CR, and the other 3 died from disease progression, including 1 patient who was treated with CAR T-cell therapy. Additionally, 10 patients had PD. Three of the patients with PD were given CAR T-cell therapy and died from disease progression, and the other 7 received second-line therapy. Six of the 7 patients died from disease progression.

Looking at safety, grade 3-4 neutropenia was the most common AE observed in both treatment arms (81% with R-CHOP-X v 75% with R-CHOP). In the R-CHOP-X vs R-CHOP arms, grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia was seen in 31% vs 11% of patients, grade 3 anemia in 25% vs 20%, and febrile neutropenia that was a maximum of grade 3 in 20% vs 11%.

No grade 4 anemia was reported. While there were increased rates of cytopenia and thrombocytopenia with R-CHOP-X, this did not lead to an increase in grade 3 pulmonary infection (6% v 5%) or gastrointestinal bleeding complications (2% v 3%) compared with R-CHOP. Moreover, any grade infections were seen in 22% vs 20%, respectively, and no treatment-related mortality was seen.

The study authors concluded, genetic subtype-guided targeted agents combined with R-CHOP are effective, safe, and clinically feasible in newly diagnosed DLBCL. With the encouraging results of the POLARIX trial [NCT03274492], this genetic subtype-guided treatment of targeted agents combined with Pola-R-CHP [polatuzumab vedotin-piiq (Polivy), rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone] may further improve the clinical outcomes for [patients with] intermediate-risk or high-risk DLBCL.1

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Phase 2 GUIDANCE Trial of R-CHOP-X Meets Primary End Point in ... - Targeted Oncology

Morris Animal Foundation is inviting animal lovers to provide donations to its year-end fundraising campaign that is committed to advancing veterinary scientific exploration. Through this initiative, the organization aims to support longer, healthier lives for animals everywhere.

"The best gift we can give is the one that keeps our best friends by our side for years to come," expressedRyan Welch, Morris Animal Foundation Interim President & CEO, in an organizational release.1 "We're asking for the support of animal lovers to make that possible. Gifts to the Foundation this holiday season will directly power studies leading to new diagnostics, preventives, treatments, and even cures for the life-threatening diseases and painful conditions affecting animals everywhere. The need now is greater than ever."

The donations will support over 160 ongoing animal health studies. Some highlights include:

Those interested can also support the Morris Animal Foundations efforts by ordering holiday cards. These cards are eligible for the Board of Trustees matching gift to help animals around the world while offering loved ones a cherished note.

The campaign launched today and will run throughDecember 31, 2023.

References

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Morris Animal Foundation encourages donations for year-end ... - DVM 360

Baseline characteristics and topography of LVAD infections

Baseline characteristics of the study population are shown in Table 1. The median interval between LVAD implantation and initial 18F-FDG-PET/CT was 700 (IQR: 3431589) days.

DLIs were detected in 92/118 (78%) patients by 18F-FDG-PET/CT. Irrespective of DLI, an exclusive infection of the internal LVAD-components was found in 10/118 (8%). It is noteworthy that with 65/118 (55%), only half of the entire cohort presented with clinically apparent DLI. As an important finding, DLI could be identified by PET/CT in 30/53 (57%) patients who had a clinically inapparent driveline entry sites. Besides increased metabolic activity at the driveline entry site or the subcutaneous driveline pathway, in 43/118 (36%) infection of the outflow graft and in 38/118 (32%) the pump pocket was found (Fig.2B). At the time of PET/CT, 75/118 (64%) patients had a positive microbiological smear at the driveline entry site. The pathogens most frequently detected were Staphylococcus aureus in 19/75 (25%), Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 13/75 (17%) each, aerobic gram-positive bacilli in 8/75 (11%), enterobacteria in 7/75 (9%), Corynebacterium amycolatum, Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens in 5/75 (5%) each. Bloodstream infections were detected in 13/118 (11%) patients, 3 of whom had VAD-related bloodstream infections. Compared to patients with negative blood culture results, those with positive results showed increased levels of CRP (p<0.001) and WBC (p=0.02). At the time of PET/CT, 83/118 (70%) patients were already covered by antibiotic therapy due to a LVAD-specific infection or an unknown infection focus with an indication for empiric antibiotic therapy. No patient was in the intensive care unit at the time of infection diagnosis. A comparison of PET/CT parameters between the patients with and without driveline infection in PET/CT is shown in Table 2. CRP levels correlated with metabolic tissue activity close to internal components such as the pump pocket (r=0.27, p=0.003) and the outflow graft (r=0.19, p=0.047), but less with the subcutaneous driveline (r=0.17, p=0.073) and not with the driveline entry site (r=-0.08, p=0.40). Also, CRP levels correlated with imaging-derived systemic inflammatory activity (spleen signal (r=0.22, p=0.022), bone marrow signal (r=0.22, p=0.021), and mediastinal lymph node signal (r=0.27, p<0.001)). Of note, only 21/89 (24%) patients with DLI on PET/CT showed CRP levels below the upper reference limit (5mg/L), but 82/88 (93%) patients had a normal WBC (<10,5109/L). Fever (>38C) was found in 1/82 (1%) of the patients at the time of the PET/CT-diagnosed infection. Pulmonary infiltrates as a competing focus of infection and cause of an increase in inflammation parameters were detected in 9/118 (8%) patients in PET/CT. This group showed a significantly higher CRP (10.4mg/L (4.626) vs. 32.1mg/L (18.3 99.2), p=0.004).

(A) Schematic illustration of the LVAD system, subdivided in 4 components: (1) driveline entry site, (2) subcutaneous driveline pathway, (3) pump pocket, (4) outflow graft; (B) Infection topography; (C) Infection of subcutaneous driveline pathway; (D) Infection of subcutaneous driveline pathway and thoracic components.

WBC count did not correlate with any imaging-derived inflammatory parameters.

Sternal co-infection was associated with pump pocket infection (p<0.001, OR=7.25, 95% CI 2.6120.11), outflow graft infection (p=0.005, OR=3.8, 95% CI 1.4410.01), number of infected LVAD components (p=0.002) and PET/CT signal of mediastinal lymph nodes (p=0.031).

Correlation analysis of PET signal with device components, activity of aortic vessel walls and lymphoid and hematopoietic organs is shown in Fig.3. Metabolic activity at the driveline entry site correlated with a) the aortic vessel signal (r=0.32, p<0.001) and b) both lymphoid organs, namely spleen signal (r=0.20, p=0.030), and bone marrow signal (r=0.20, p=0.030), highlighting systemic interactions. Metabolic activity of the aortic vessel walls itself correlated with spleen signal (r=0.46, p<0.001) and bone marrow signal (r=0.32, p<0.001).

Heatmap: Spearman correlation of the parameters of the first PET/CT, n=118, in four patients CRP and CBC were missing; blue: r=-1, red: r=1; CRP C-reactive protein, WBC white blood cell count, SUV standardized uptake value, thVSL thoracic vessels, SPL spleen, BM bone marrow, MLNs mediastinal lymph nodes, scDL subcutaneous driveline pathway, DLES driveline entry site, OG outflow graft, PP pump pocket.

Multivariable analysis including metabolic activity at the driveline entry site, aortic vessel wall activity, spleen signal and bone marrow signal revealed an independent association between aortic vessel wall activity and metabolic activity at the driveline entry site (=0.04, 95% CI 0.010.06, p=0.001) and spleen signal (=0.43, 95% CI 0.180.68, p<0.001).

A longitudinal sub-analysis of repeated PET/CTs was performed to investigate potential changes in metabolic activity in the vessel wall, revealing stability over time (ANOVA, p=0.27).

Within the observation period, 22/118 (19%) patients suffered a CVE, of which 15/22 (68%) had an ischemic stroke and 8/22 (36%) a haemorrhagic stroke. No patient suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA) during the follow up period. One patient suffered both, an ischemic and haemorrhagic stroke. Seven patients had 2 or more CVE and 11/22 (50%) died within a median of 263days after the CVE (Table 3).

Characteristics of patients with ischemic stroke (n=15) compared with those without ischemic stroke (n=96) after excluding patients with haemorrhagic stroke (n=7) are shown in Table 4. The group with ischemic stroke after PET/CT demonstrated significantly higher metabolic activity at the driveline entry site (p=0.04), whereas the activity of other device components or CRP and WBC did not differ. In multivariable analysis adjusting for type of anticoagulant (VKA, heparin, others) and device exchange, higher metabolic activity at the driveline entry sitewas not significantly associated with ischemic stroke(OR=1.16, 95% CI 11.33, p=0.05). The type of anticoagulation (OR of heparin or others vs. VKA=3.22, 95% CI 1.317.88, p=0.01) proved to be an independent predictor for ischemic stroke. The type of anticoagulation in LVAD patients is often modified in the course of an inpatient stay and can therefore serve as an indicator for hospitalization with severe comorbidity, e.g., bleeding complications. Consequently, not only anticoagulation itself is a relevant competing cause of stroke, but also an indication of other contributing risk factors. The severity of infection as measured by fever (p=0.505), number of infected LVAD components on PET/CT (p=0.232) and laboratory parameters showed no association with the occurrence of CVEs. At the time of stroke, 14/22 (64%) patients were hospitalized due to following concomitant conditions: acute pump stop (n=1), driveline infection (n=6), gastrointestinal hemorrhage (n=1), heart transplant (n=2), device thrombosis (n=3) with indication for device exchange and domestic fall (n=1). In this context, VKA was paused in some patients, and anticoagulation was switched to heparin (n=6) or Argatroban (n=2). At the time of ischemic stroke, 8/15 (53%) patients were anticoagulated with vitamin K antagonists, four of whom were within, one was below and three were above the intended target International Normalized Ratio (INR) range. 7/15 (47%) patients were on heparin therapy under activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) control, of which three were below and one was above the target aPTT range. At the time of haemorrhagic stroke, 6/7 (86%) patients were receiving anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists, with one patient within and five patients above the intended target INR range. 1/7 (14%) patient was receiving heparin therapy and was within the target aPTT range. Ischemic stroke occurred more frequently in patients with Heparin/Argatroban compared to those who remained on VKA (p<0.001). In a log-rank test the incidence of ischemic stroke differed between patients with SUVmax of the driveline entry site above the median compared with those under the median (Fig.4; 2(1)=5.21, p=0.023). The hazard of ischemic stroke, adjusted for type of anticoagulation, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus, was about 10 times higher in the group with an increased uptake of the driveline entry site (HR=10.21, 95% CI 1.6463.52, p=0.013). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis demonstrated the diagnostic ability of the activity of the driveline entry site to predict ischemic stroke after initial PET/CT (Fig. 1 in supplement; AUC=0.67, p=0.04).

Kaplan Meier analysis on ischemic stroke-free survival; differences in the incidence of ischemic stroke between patients with SUVmax of the driveline entry site above versus below the median. The analysis revealed a significantly differing hazard for ischemic stroke (2(1)=5.21, p=0.023; HR=10.21, 95% CI 1.6463.52, p=0.013).

A log-rank test was used to determine the incidence of CVE for the comparison of SUVmax of the subcutaneous driveline pathway above versus below the median. The incidence of stroke differed significantly between the two groups (Fig. 2 in supplement; 2(1)=6.76, p=0.009). The hazard of suffering a CVE was 3.5 times greater in the group with an increased uptake of the subcutaneous driveline pathway (HR=3.53, 95% CI 1.289.72, p=0.015).

During the observation period, 47/118 (40%) patients died within 1715 (1050) days after implantation. Causes of death were sepsis (50%), right heart failure (17%), hemorrhage (6%), pump thrombosis (6%) and brain herniation after intracerebral hemorrhage (4%) or middle cerebral artery infarction (2%). Cause of death was unknown for 9%.

Deceased patients showed more often hyperlipidemia (p=0.008), increased CRP values (p=0.001) and history of device exchange (p=0.016).

In addition, metabolic activity of the subcutaneous driveline pathway (p=0.005) and thoracic lymph node signal were significantly higher in deceased patients (p=0.017). Binary logistic regression analysis including metabolic activity of the subcutaneous driveline pathway, hyperlipidemia, mediastinal lymph node signal and device exchange revealed increased mortality in patients with hyperlipidemia (OR=1.90, 95% CI 1.292.79, p=0.001) and higher metabolic activity of the subcutaneous driveline pathway (OR=1.13, 95% CI 1.021.24, p=0.016). No association was found between mortality and severity of infection as measured by fever (p=0.232), number of infected LVAD components in PET/CT (p=0.268) and laboratory parameters.

A log-rank test revealed a significant difference in survival of patients with metabolic activity of the subcutaneous driveline pathway above the median compared with those below the median (Fig.5; 2(1)=9.18, p=0.002). Patients with increased subcutaneous driveline metabolic activity showed a 13% increase in the risk of mortality in Cox regression analysis after adjustment for age, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia (HR=1.13, 95% CI 1.051.21, p<0.001).

Kaplan Meier survival analysis: Mortality; differences in survival between patients with SUVmax of the subcutaneous driveline pathway above versus below the median. The analysis revealed a significantly differing distribution of survival (2(1)=9.18, p=0.002; HR=1.13, 95%CI 1.051.21, p<0.001).

We performed a ROC analysis for prediction of mortality (Fig. 2, 3 in supplement). The analysis showed that both, CRP in the morning of the first PET/CT (Fig.3; AUC=0.68, p=0.001) and metabolic activity of subcutaneous driveline (Fig. 4 in supplement; AUC=0.65, p=0.005), can help to predict mortality.

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Interplay between driveline infection, vessel wall inflammation ... - Nature.com

ShipRocked, the horror-themed rock music cruise vacation, will be back for its 14th edition next February 4 to 10, 2024, onboard the Carnival Magic. The cruise is already completely sold out, with staterooms snapped up in just three days a new record. But don't worry, there's a waitlist you can join if you're still hoping to get on board this floating rock festival.

Joining the already impressive roster are some fantastic musicians for ShipRocked's fan-favorite all-star band, The Stowaways. Prepare to rock out with Michael Starr (Steel Panther), Hayley Cramer (Pop Evil), Bumblefoot, Roy Mayorga (Ministry / Stone Sour), Keith Wallen (Breaking Benjamin), Elias Soriano (Nonpoint), Emily Armstrong (Dead Sara), and many more. Kid Kapichi has also joined the ShipRocked lineup, promising a diverse array of rock performances.

Michael Starr of Steel Panther expressed his excitement, saying, "Hell yes! Im really excited to be invited to ShipRocked to jam with The Stowaways next year. Looking forward to hanging with everyone and having a kick-ass cruise together."

And it's not just about the music. ShipRocked goes the extra mile by offering onboard tattoo services, and in 2024, the talented Dawn Webb, along with tattoo artists Samantha Taylor and Colin Orion, will be there to make sure you leave with a piece of art on your skin.

The 2024 ShipRocked cruise sets sail from Miami, Florida, making stops at three new ports for ShipRockers: Bimini, The Bahamas; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and Grand Cayman.

The ShipRocked community is also deeply committed to charitable efforts, with the annual ShipRocked Cancer Sucks! onboard charity auction raising an incredible $125,000 for cancer research during the 2023 cruise. It's proof that this community knows how to rock for a good cause.

The full music lineup for ShipRocked 2024 is as follows:

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Sold Out SHIPROCKED 2024 Reveals Line-Up Additions - Metal Injection

Chimaira has announced their first festival appearance in 14 years for the upcoming Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival. The festival will take place between July 19 and 21, 2024 at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, OH. Chimaira has only promised that there's more news coming this week, so stay tuned! Here's hoping there's a full-on reunion in the works.

"We are pleased to announce our first US Festival appearance in 14 years," wrote Chimaira of the appearance. "Join us this July at the Mansfield Reformatory for Inkcarceration Festival 2024!" They added: "More announcements to come this week."

Chimaira's lineup for the shows is vocalist Mark Hunter, guitarists Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries, bassist Jim LaMarca, keyboardist Chris Spicuzza, and drummer Austin D'Amond. Tickets are available here.

As for Chimaira, they split up in 2014 and have thus far played three reunion shows (outside the planned 2024 one) one in 2017 and two in May of this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Impossibility Of Reason. Chimaira has not reunited in any long-term capacity just yet, though new music seems like a very slim possibility? In an interview with The Ex-Man With Doc Coyle, Arnold said the situation was complex.

"I won't say that new Chimaira material, while we're not talking about it, is completely off the table. But there's a very good chance we may never have it, but there may be. We all know in Chimaira that people want more music but like you guys I'm sure, we're not a band that's going to throw something together just because. There's going to be so much planning and stewing to make that happen.

"We've actually tried maybe you heard we were kind of geared up after that last show as you know, things were great. As you know, God Forbid is probably fired up right now, but then the pandemic hit and it just wiped everything out. It just stopped completely. Now for these shows it's re-getting everything going again."

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CHIMAIRA Announces First Festival Appearance In 14 Years - Metal Injection

Dream Theater reunited with founding drummer Mike Portnoy in late October, meaning longtime drummer Mike Mangini was out of the band. Portnoy parted ways with Dream Theater in 2010 and was replaced by Mangini between from then until this year. Mangini's time in Dream Theater also yielded the band's only GRAMMY, which they won for Best Metal Performance in 2022 for the song "The Alien".

In an interview with The Mistress Carrie Podcast, Mangini spoke a little about Dream Theater's choice to have Portnoy rejoin, saying that he simply understood the decision.

"The situation made sense to me when I heard it in that I don't know, I guess I just skipped out and thought, 'Oh, that's an original band member going back to a band. Oh, I get that. Okay, I get it.'" said Mangini. "And that's it. I mean, that is literally it."

He continued: "A decision was made that I understood. That's all it is. 'Cause when I heard the decision, I understood it. I tried to explain that I understood the parameters of that being a music thing. Anyway, it's as simple as that. And I'm telling you, I was, like, 'Okay, 'I get that.' I was with the band for 13 years. It was an unbelievable experience."

Mangini has since announced his new solo album Invisible Signs due out November 11. Upon Portnoy's rejoining, Mangini offered similar sentiments on his departure: "I understand Dream Theater's decision to get Mike Portnoy back at this time. As was said from Day 1, my place was not to fill all the roles that Mike held in the band. I was to play the drums in order to help the band carry on. My main role of keeping our live show working tightly on a nightly basis was an intense and rewarding experience.

"Thankfully, I got to experience playing music with these iconic musicians, as well as some fun times laced with humor. I also really enjoyed spending lots of time with the crew. And then there's the GRAMMY win, which was amazingly satisfying. To the fans: thank you so much for being amazing to me. I cherish the pictures I have of you all losing your minds and having fun. Finally, I really love the band, crew and management and wish them and the entire organization all the best."

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MIKE MANGINI On DREAM THEATER Reuniting With MIKE ... - Metal Injection

In a recent interview with the official Metallica fanzine So What!, drummer Lars Ulrich reflected about the turbulent journey the band undertook while navigating the challenges of crafting new music and supporting their lead singer, James Hetfield, during and after his rehab stint.

Batting back a question about whether he considered that the band might be over in the wake of Hetfield's situation, Ulrich noted: "That falls into the 'what-if' questions, and Im never a big proponent of the 'what-if' question. 'What if this happened instead of that?' Well, it didnt. We moved forward with the situation that were in."

The drummer went on to say that the band knew they needed to give Hetfield the space he needed to recover, and that they were willing to suspend everything else in the meantime. He also said that the pandemic, which hit shortly after Hetfield's return to rehab, gave the band even more time to focus on their inner dynamics and figure out how they wanted to move forward.

"What James went through at the tail end of 19 into 20 was something where it really felt like I and the rest of the guys in the band had to give him the space that he needed, had to really take a step back, and just suspend everything that was on the table. We needed to do that for our friend and for our bandmate and partner. Then, slowly, the pieces started coming back together in the spring of 20, and then everything got side-swiped by the horrific [events] of Covid and the lockdown. So, as we were giving the inner-band dynamics the time that they needed, we realized that there was no need to rush anything. And at the same time, like I said before, [we were] trying to figure out: how does Metallica make a difference, how can music make a difference, what can we do?"

For Ulrich, the key to making sure Metallica emerged from that period intact and in a good place to kickstart their next chapter was to simply keep the band moving, however slowly or methodically.

"I still cant get away from the analogy Ive said a million times: youre trying to keep the train on the tracks," he explained. "You dont want to necessarily 100% force its direction, but you want to ensure the train doesnt derail. And when I think back on 2020, thats kind of the overview. Obviously, there were a couple of things. There was the drive-in theater concert, and every time that we got back together, every time we would do Zoom calls or whatever, we would start understanding what headspace everybody was in and what everybody was capable of and willing to do. Also, where all the boundaries were as you were trying to move it forward." Ulrich explained.

"But nothing radically different than other times that wed been challenged in the past, so theres a part of me that sort of just you roll your sleeves up" Ulrich added. "You want to get back and get engaged. You accept the parameters that are put on it, and you try to make progress within those. Three years later, we have this incredible record. Its hard to believe that a part of what lives in this record the energy, the lyrics, the themes, production, all of it isnotsomehow correlated to the challenges that were thrown our way."

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