Comparative transport analysis of cell penetrating peptides and Lysosomal sequences for selective tropism towards RPE cells.

Cell penetrating peptides are typically nonspecific, targeting multiple cell types without discrimination. However, subsets of Cell penetrating peptides (CPP) have been found, which show a 'homing' capacity or increased likelihood of internalizing into specific cell types and subcellular locations. Therapeutics intended to be delivered to tissues with a high degree of cellular diversity, such as the intraocular space, would benefit from delivery using CPP that can discriminate across multiple cell types.

Strategic outline of interventions targeting extracellular matrix for promoting healthy longevity.

The extracellular matrix (ECM), composed of interlinked proteins outside of cells, is an important component of the human body that helps maintain tissue architecture and cellular homeostasis. As people age, the ECM undergoes changes that can lead to age-related morbidity and mortality. Despite its importance, ECM aging remains understudied in the field of geroscience.

Aging of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, , Implications for Regenerative Medicine and Restoration of the Master Body Clock.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain is the master regulator of the circadian clocks throughout the human body. With increasing age the circadian clock in humans and other mammals becomes increasingly disorganized leading to a large number of more or less well-categorized problems. While a lot of aging research has focused on the peripheral clocks in tissues across organisms, it remains a paramount task to quantify aging of the most important master clock, the human SCN.

Work capacity and central hemodynamics thirteen to twenty-six years after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Exercise tests and cardiac catheterization were performed in 53 patients, 13 to 26 years after intracardiac repair of tetralogy of Fallot. At the time of repair, the median age was 7 years, and 60% of patients with cyanosis had had a previous palliative procedure. The right ventriculotomy was closed without a patch in 21 patients (40%), a patch restricted to the right ventricle was inserted in 18 patients (34%), and in 14 (26%) the patch extended across the pulmonary anulus.

Pulmonary function thirteen to twenty-six years after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Lung function was evaluated in 68 patients 13 to 26 (median 19) years after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Age at repair was 7 years (9 months to 42 years) and 51% had a palliative shunt. An outflow patch was inserted in 56%.

Mitral mechanical valve without long-term anticoagulation. Eight-year follow-up.

In 12 patients with sinus rhythm (including 5 children and 6 young women), mitral valve replacement was performed with a microporous-surfaced valve similar to the Björk-Shiley Monostrut. After the first 3 months, permitting endothelialization of the suture ring to continue over the groove and adjacent metal valve ring, no long-term anticoagulant treatment was given. There was no thromboembolic complication in this group during follow-up for 6-8 years, during which four women gave birth to a total of seven children.

The five-year evaluation of a mechanical heart valve without anticoagulation in goats.

Two 5-year observations of goats with microporous surfaced Björk-Shiley Monostrut mitral heart valves without anticoagulation show the important point that one went through four the other two normal pregnancies with delivery of fourteen kids. Furthermore, the local findings on the valves suggest that the porous surface should be used only to invite a thin, endothelialized neointima over a preferably carbon-coated suture ring to continue over the groove and to the adjacent part of the valve flange. The vertical or central part of the ring and the struts, in the control material with a polished surface, have never been the origin of a thrombus and should therefore be polished.

Repair of complete atrioventricular canal. 15 year's experience.

Corrective surgery for complete atrioventricular canal was performed over a 15-year period on 72 patients, 49 of whom had Down's syndrome: 46 were without major associated cardiac anomalies and 15 had previously undergone pulmonary artery banding. The pressures in the right and left ventricles equilibrated in 77% of the patients. The early mortality rate was 18% and the late mortality 7%.

Development of an artificial heart valve.

When I reviewed the 21-year results with the Björk-Shiley tilting disc valves, I found out that to date, we still have to use these disc valves and all mechanical heart valves with anticoagulation therapy. The highest incidence of valve-related postoperative deaths after aortic valve replacements in Stockholm was anticoagulation-related bleeding, which continued at a rate of about 1% year after year. There is a need to improve the quality of life for heart valve patients, especially for children, for young females who want to have children, for the older generation who are on medical treatment, and for all patients in whom long-term anticoagulation of a perfect quality is impossible to guarantee.

Optimal microporous surface for endothelialization of metal heart valves in the blood stream.

Optimum surface porosity of a prosthetic heart valve was obtained with use of microspheres less than 40 microns in diameter. A thin and translucent neointima then forms on the valve surface, so thin that its nutrition is supplied by diffusion and thickening will not take place, thereby avoiding interference with the functioning disc. Larger microspheres tend to promote clotting and buildup of fibromyxoid soft tissue, which may cause such interference.

Modified porous metal-surfaced Björk-Shiley monostrut heart valve. Long-term study in goats without anticoagulation.

To diminish the risk of thrombosis on a mechanical heart valve without anticoagulation, specific areas of the valve ring should be polished, as thrombosis has not been found to start there. By limiting the porous-surfaced area to the groove and the adjacent part of the flange, the thin endothelialized covering of the carbonized suture ring will continue over the groove and top of the flange to the high-flow area. As the high-flow areas that are not completely covered with the neointima, i.

Mechanical failure of the Björk-Shiley valve. Updated follow-up and considerations on prophylactic rereplacement.

The early production series of the 29 to 31 mm 70-degree convexo-concave (CC70) Björk-Shiley heart valves constitutes a subgroup of CC70 values with an extra high risk of outlet strut fracture. The hazard function for mechanical failure among these valves has remained almost constant over a 7-year follow-up period, and the 7-year actuarial incidence of mechanical failure among these valves is 12.5%.

Sickle cell anemia and mitral valve replacement. Case report.

An 8-year-old black boy with sickle cell disease and severe hemolytic anemia crisis (95% hemoglobin S) also had mitral incompetence due to rheumatic valve disease. A 27 mm monostrut Björk-Shiley valve prosthesis was implanted after partial exchange transfusions had reduced the hemoglobin S to less than 40%. High-flow normothermic perfusion was used during extracorporeal circulation, with care taken to avoid hypoxia and acidosis.

Development of mechanical heart valves: past, present and future.

Aortic valve replacement with Bjork-Shiley tilting disc valves in 1753 patients gave a 15 year actuarial survival of 54%. Better results were obtained in narrow aortic roots and in pure aortic stenosis than in pure aortic insufficiency. Anti-coagulation was necessary.

Early mortality after 2,902 coronary artery bypass operations.

A review of 2,902 coronary artery bypass grafting operations is presented. During the 16-year study period the mean patient age rose from 51 to 59 years and the average number of grafts per patient from 1.5 to 3.

Angiographic studies of internal mammary artery grafts 11 years after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Of 99 consecutive patients with 101 internal mammary artery grafts, 91 of 97 hospital survivors (94%) underwent angiography 2 weeks after operation, 84 of 96 survivors (88%) after 1 year, 66 of 88 survivors (75%) after 5 years, and 37 of 69 survivors (54%) after 11 years (range 10 to 13 years). Thirty-five of the 37 patients who consented to a fourth postoperative angiographic study (95%, confidence limits 86% to 100%) still reported relieved angina 11 years after the operation, and seven patients (19%, confidence limits 5% to 33%) were completely free of symptoms. Angiographic findings in 30 patients with symptoms of angina were progression of the coronary artery disease in 22, (73%, confidence limits 56% to 91%), occluded or stenosed grafts in nine (30%, confidence limits 12% to 48%), and nonbypassed obstructions in six patients (20%, confidence limits 4% to 36%).

The porous metal-surfaced heart valve. Long-term study without long-term anticoagulation in mitral position in goats.

On review, all thromboembolic complications in mechanical heart valves start from a thrombus lining that covers the suture ring. The thrombus organizes to a fibrous white sheet over the suture ring, which then can protrude out over the polished surface of the valve ring flange. Pieces of the thrombus can be knocked off by the disc and cause emboli.