Metabolic profile and glycemic response in fully-grown sows born using assisted reproductive technologies.

The aim of the present work was to gain insight into the metabolism of pigs derived from assisted reproductive technologies during their adulthood. Approximately 4h after feeding, a blood sample was taken from 3.5 year old sows born by artificial insemination (AI group, n = 7) and transfer of in vitro produced embryos (IVP group, n = 11) to determine the physiological concentrations of the main biomarkers of carbohydrates (glucose and lactate), proteins (albumin, creatinine and urea) and lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides).

EValuating the Effect of periopeRaTIve empaGliflOzin on cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury: rationale and design of the VERTIGO study.

Background: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) is a serious complication in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation (ECC) that increases postoperative complications and mortality. CSA-AKI develops due to a combination of patient- and surgery-related risk factors that enhance renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) such as empagliflozin reduce renal glucose reabsorption, improving tubulo-glomerular feedback, reducing inflammation and decreasing intraglomerular pressure.

Durability of bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement in patients under the age of 60 years - 1-year follow-up from the prospective INDURE registry.

Objectives: We report 1-year safety and clinical outcomes in patients <60 years undergoing bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve intervention.

Methods: The INSPIRIS RESILIA Durability Registry is a prospective, multicentre registry to assess clinical outcomes of patients <60 years. Patients with planned SAVR with or without concomitant replacement of the ascending aorta and/or coronary bypass surgery were included.

Molecular mechanisms of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) promotes atrial remodeling and fibrosis, providing a substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF). Herein, we investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of AF in association with OSA in a cohort of cardiac surgery patients. A prospective study including patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Extreme In Situ Liver Surgery Under Total Vascular Exclusion with Right Hepatic Vein and Inferior Vena Cava Grafts for an Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

In this multimedia article, we demonstrate an extreme in situ liver surgery under total vascular exclusion with right hepatic vein and inferior vena cava grafts for an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in a centre with experience in highly complex hepatobiliary surgery and liver transplantation. This surgical approach after neoadjuvant chemotherapy provides an opportunity for surgical salvage in patients with large tumors invading the hepatocaval confluence. This patient was considered unresectable at another hospital and referred to our unit.

Contact pathway in surgical and transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Aortic valve replacement is the gold standard treatment for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, but thrombosis of bioprosthetic valves (PVT) remains a concern.

Objective: To analyze the factors involved in the contact pathway during aortic valve replacement and to assess their impact on the development of thromboembolic complications.

Methods: The study was conducted in 232 consecutive patients who underwent: transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR, = 155), and surgical valve replacement (SAVR, = 77) (MUVITAVI project).

Life expectancy after surgical aortic valve replacement for low-gradient aortic stenosis with preserved ejection fraction.

Introduction And Objectives: Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) can modify the natural history of severe aortic stenosis (SAS). However, compared with the general population, these patients have a loss of life expectancy. The life expectancy of patients who undergo SAVR due to low-gradient SAS with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is unknown.

Broadening the educational pipeline: the global landscape of master of science programs in reproductive science and medicine.

Reproductive health underpins overall health, and thus, research in reproductive science and medicine is essential. This requires a pipeline of trained scientists and clinicians, which is challenging given the relatively small size of the field. Educational programs outside the traditional doctorate or medical degrees are needed to generate and maintain a well-trained reproductive science and medicine workforce.

Accessory left atrial cords: A case report and literature review.

Introduction: Accessory left atrial cords are fibroelastic structures found in the left atrium. Left atrial cords may be associated with mitral valve disease, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and other congenital left-side anomalies.

Methods: We presented the case of a man with severe Mitral Regurgitation and two accessories left atrial cords attached to P2 scallop by a single tendon and performed a literature review using PUBMED/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases on December 4, 2021.

Reproductive fluids, added to the culture media, contribute to minimizing phenotypical differences between in vitro-derived and artificial insemination-derived piglets.

The addition of reproductive fluids (RF) to the culture media has shown benefits in different embryonic traits but its long-term effects on the offspring phenotype are still unknown. We aimed to describe such effects in pigs. Blood samples and growth parameters were collected from piglets derived from in vitro-produced embryos (IVP) with or without RF added in the culture media versus those artificially inseminated (AI), from day 0 to month 6 of life.

Pluripotent Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury Repair.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition of the central nervous system that strongly reduces the patient's quality of life and has large financial costs for the healthcare system. Cell therapy has shown considerable therapeutic potential for SCI treatment in different animal models. Although many different cell types have been investigated with the goal of promoting repair and recovery from injury, stem cells appear to be the most promising.

Growth analysis and blood profile in piglets born by embryo transfer.

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART), besides solving several reproductive problems, it has also been used as a tool to improve the animal productivity that is required for feeding the human population. One of these techniques, the embryo transfer (ET), has presented limitations in the porcine species, which could constrain its use in the porcine industry. To clarify the potential of this technique, we aimed to compare the impact of using ET or artificial insemination (AI) on the phenotype of the offspring during its first days of age, in terms of growth and blood parameters.

Nitric oxide-targeted protein phosphorylation during human sperm capacitation.

Among many other molecules, nitric oxide insures the correct progress of sperm capacitation by mediating phosphorylation events. For a more comprehensive understanding of how this happens, we capacitated human spermatozoa from healthy men in the presence/absence of S-Nitrosoglutathione, a nitric oxide donor, two nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, N-Nitro-L-arginine Methyl Ester Hydrochloride and Aminoguanidine Hemisulfate salt and, finally, with/without L-Arginine, the substrate for nitric oxide synthesis, and/or human follicular fluid. When analyzing the phosphorylation of protein kinase A substrates and tyrosine residues, we particularly observed how the inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis affects certain protein bands (~ 110, ~ 87, ~ 75 and ~ 62 kD) by lowering their phosphorylation degree, even when spermatozoa were incubated with L-Arginine and/or follicular fluid.

Culture Medium and Sex Drive Epigenetic Reprogramming in Preimplantation Bovine Embryos.

Assisted reproductive technologies impact transcriptome and epigenome of embryos and can result in long-term phenotypic consequences. Whole-genome DNA methylation profiles from individual bovine blastocysts in vivo- and in vitro-derived (using three sources of protein: reproductive fluids, blood serum and bovine serum albumin) were generated. The impact of in vitro culture on DNA methylation was analyzed, and sex-specific methylation differences at blastocyst stage were uncovered.

Life expectancy after aortic valve replacement in young patients.

Introduction And Objectives: In young patients with severe aortic stenosis, it is unknown whether their life expectancy restored after aortic valve replacement (AVR) is unknown.

Methods: We analyzed all patients aged between 50 and 65 years who underwent isolated AVR in 27 Spanish centers during an 18-year period. We compared observed and expected survival at 15 years of follow-up.

Differences in life expectancy between men and women after aortic valve replacement.

Objectives: Some researchers have observed an increased number of deaths during the follow-up of young patients who undergo aortic valve replacement due to severe aortic stenosis, suggesting that this procedure does not restore their life expectancy. Our goal was to confirm these findings and explore sex-based differences.

Methods: All patients between 50 and 65 years of age who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement in 27 Spanish centres during an 18-year period were included.

Risk Factors for Postoperative Pacemaker Implantation After Rapid Deployment Aortic Valve Replacement: Results from the RADAR Registry.

Introduction: Rapid deployment aortic valve replacement has been recently introduced in clinical practice. Different studies have reported a significant reduction in surgical times with excellent hemodynamic profiles and short-term results. However, an increase in permanent pacemaker requirements compared with conventional aortic valve replacement has been described.

Reproductive fluids, used for the in vitro production of pig embryos, result in healthy offspring and avoid aberrant placental expression of PEG3 and LUM.

Background: In vitro embryo production (IVP) and embryo transfer (ET) are two very common assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in human and cattle. However, in pig, the combination of either procedures, or even their use separately, is still considered suboptimal due to the low efficiency of IVP plus the difficulty of performing ET in the long and contorted uterus of the sow. In addition, the potential impact of these two ART on the health of the offspring is unknown.

Genome-wide DNA methylation dynamics during epigenetic reprogramming in the porcine germline.

Background: Prior work in mice has shown that some retrotransposed elements remain substantially methylated during DNA methylation reprogramming of germ cells. In the pig, however, information about this process is scarce. The present study was designed to examine the methylation profiles of porcine germ cells during the time course of epigenetic reprogramming.

Spanish experience with heart transplants from controlled donation after the circulatory determination of death using thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion and cold storage.

Heart transplantation from controlled donation after the circulatory determination of death (cDCDD) may help to increase the availability of hearts for transplantation. During 2020, four heart transplants were performed at three different Spanish hospitals based on the use of thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion (TA-NRP) followed by cold storage (CS). All donors were young adults <45 years.