Corticosteroid treatment exacerbates nephrotic syndrome in a zebrafish model of magi2a knockout

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Complexities in the process of translating research documents in cross-cultural settings

ABSTRACT

In multilingual societies, where researchers and participants often do not speak the same language, research is a challenge as a mismatch of understanding between researchers, research instruments and participants often occurs. Reporting on the translation process is crucial because of the potential implications for the validity of the data that follow from it. We aimed to report on the complexities of such a translation process and many considerations that came to our attention. Methodologically, we used a detailed case study to demonstrate that the complexity of translation might be underestimated by researchers who may neglect to report on the challenges that they experience to benefit the wider research community. We emphasise that translating documents, particularly between languages that are not cognate, requires time and financial resources that researchers often do not anticipate or plan for. By discussing what happened to texts that were translated, and how we as researchers were challenged by considerations that were primarily linguistic but also straddled cultural and socio-political domains, we hope to encourage a deeper understanding of the translation task. We conclude that consideration of these complexities is necessary if the aim is the development of translated documents which complement the researchers’ goals.     

Quantification of the area and shunt volume of multiple,circular, and noncircular ventricular septal defects: A 2D/3D echocardiography comparison and real time 3D color Doppler feasibility determination study

Background

Quantification of defect size and shunt flow is an important aspect of ventricular septal defect (VSD) evaluation. This study compared three‐dimensional echocardiography (3DE) with the current clinical standard two‐dimensional echocardiography (2DE) for quantifying defect area and tested the feasibility of real time 3D color Doppler echocardiography (RT3D‐CDE) for quantifying shunt volume of irregular shaped and multiple VSDs.

Methods

Latex balloons were sutured into the ventricles of 32 freshly harvested porcine hearts and were connected with tubing placed in septal perforations. Tubing was varied in area (0.13–5.22 cm²), number (1–3), and shape (circle, oval, crescent, triangle). A pulsatile pump was used to pump “blood” through the VSD (LV to RV) at stroke volumes of 30–70 mL with a stroke rate of 60 bpm. Two‐dimensional echocardiography (2DE), 3DE, and RT3D‐CDE images were acquired from the right side of the phantom.

Results

For circular VSDs, both 2DE and 3DE area measurements were consistent with the actual areas (R² = 0.98 vs 0.99). For noncircular/multiple VSDs, 3DE correlated with the actual area more closely than 2DE (R² = 0.99 vs 0.44). Shunt volumes obtained using RT3D‐CDE positively correlated with pumped stroke volumes (R² = 0.96).

Conclusions

Three‐dimensional echocardiography (3DE) is a feasible method for determining VSD area and is more accurate than 2DE for evaluating the area of multiple or noncircular VSDs. Real‐time 3D color Doppler echocardiography (RT3D‐CDE) is a feasible method for quantifying the shunt volume of multiple or noncircular VSDs.     

Non-invasive Evaluation of Right Ventricular Function with Real-Time 3-D Echocardiography

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and feasibility of real-time 3-D echocardiography (3-DE) in assessing right ventricular (RV) systolic function. A latex balloon was inserted into the right ventricle of 20 freshly harvested pig hearts which were then passively driven by a pulsatile pump apparatus. The RV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global area strain (GAS) and RV ejection fraction (RVEF), derived from 3-DE, as well as the RVEF obtained from 2-D echocardiography (2-DE) were quantified at different stroke volumes (30–70 mL) and compared with sonomicrometry data. In all comparisons, 3-D GLS, GCS, GAS, 2-D RVEF and 3-D RVEF exhibited strong correlations with sonomicrometry data (r = 0.89, 0.79, 0.74, 0.80, and 0.93, respectively; all p values < 0.001). Bland–Altman analyses revealed slight overestimations of echo-derived GLS, GCS, 2-DE RVEF and 3-DE RVEF compared with sonomicrometry values (bias = 1.55, 2.72, 3.59 and 2.21, respectively). Furthermore, there is better agreement among GLS, 3-D RVEF and the sonomicrometry values than between GCS and 2-D RVEF. Real-time 3-DE is more feasible and accurate for assessing RV function than 2-DE. GLS is a potential alternative parameter for quantifying RV systolic function.