Selective treatment algorithm for mitral valve annuloplasty in nonischemic functional mitral regurgitation.

Background: The success rate of mitral annuloplasty (MA) for functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) varies. This study evaluated the effectiveness of this procedure in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients after a selective treatment protocol was followed.

Methods And Results: This study analyzed 42 patients with nonischemic DCM and FMR (mean regurgitation grade, 3.

Fabrication of antireflective sub-wavelength structures on silicon nitride using nano cluster mask for solar cell application.

We have developed a simple and scalable approach for fabricating sub-wavelength structures (SWS) on silicon nitride by means of self-assembled nickel nanoparticle masks and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion etching. Silicon nitride SWS surfaces with diameter of 160-200 nm and a height of 140-150 nm were obtained. A low reflectivity below 1% was observed over wavelength from 590 to 680 nm.

Comparative study of anti-hepatitis B virus RNA interference by double-stranded adeno-associated virus serotypes 7, 8, and 9.

Using a hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mouse model, we previously showed that a single dose of double-stranded adeno-associated virus (dsAAV) vector serotype 8 carrying a small hairpin RNA (shRNA) effectively reduces HBV replication and gene expression, but the effect gradually decreases with time. In this report, we compared the anti-HBV RNA interference (RNAi) effect of dsAAV8 with those of dsAAV7 and dsAAV9, two other hepatotropic AAV vectors, and examined whether the sequential use of these heterologous AAV vectors could prolong the anti-HBV effect. Our results showed that shRNA delivered by each of the three dsAAV vectors profoundly reduced the serum HBV titer and liver HBV mRNA and DNA levels in the transgenic mice for up to 22 weeks, with dsAAV8 having the greatest inhibitory effect, followed by dsAAV9 and dsAAV7.

Effects of aging and dietary antler supplementation on the calcium-regulating hormones and bone status in ovariectomized SAMP8 mice.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of aging and long-term dietary antler supplementation on the calcium-regulating hormones and bone status in ovariectomized (Ovx) SAMP8 mice. The female SAMP8 mice were divided into four groups (in each group n = 6), Ovx or sham operated at the age of 2 months, and fed with 0.2% antler containing diet or control diet from the age of 2.

Using oily wastewater emulsified fuel in boiler: energy saving and reduction of air pollutant emissions.

The limited data for using emulsified oil have demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing flue gas pollutant emissions. The presence of a high concentration of toxic organic compounds in industrial wastewaters always presents significant problems. Therefore, this study was undertaken by using wastewater with COD of 9600 mg/L and total petroleum hydrocarbons-gasoline 440 mg/L for making an emulsified oil (wastewater content 20% with 0.

Thrombolytic therapy for acute left atrial thrombus formation in one patient with heart failure and atrial fibrillation.

Patients with a left atrial (LA) thrombus are considered at high risk of thromboembolic events. Reports about thrombolytic therapy are limited and optimal guidelines are lacking. In this report, a large, pedunculated, highly mobile thrombus of the LA attached via a short stalk to the LA appendage brim in a 59-year-old female with atrial fibrillation is described.

Ultrasensitive electrical detection of protein using nanogap electrodes and nanoparticle-based DNA amplification.

The present study describes an ultrasensitive protein biochip that employs nanogap electrodes and self-assembled nanoparticles to electrically detect protein. A bio-barcode DNA technique amplifies the concentration of target antigen at least 100-fold. This technique requires the establishment of conjugate magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through binding between monoclonal antibodies (2B2), the target antigen, and polyclonal antibodies (GP).

Saving energy and reducing emissions of both polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and particulate matter by adding bio-solution to emulsified diesel.

Development of emulsified diesel has been driven by the need to reduce emissions from diesel engines and to save energy. Emulsification technology and bio-solution (NOE-7F) were used to produce emulsified diesel in this study. The experimental results indicated that there were no significant separation layers in W13 (13 wt % water + 87 wt % PDF), W16 (16 wt % water + 84 wt % PDF), W19 (19 wt % water + 81 wt % PDF), E13 (13 wt % NOE-7F water + 87 wt % PDF), E16 (16 wt % NOE-7F water + 83 wt % PDF), and E19 (19 wt % NOE-7F water + 81 wt % PDF) after premium diesel fuel (PDF) was emulsified for more than 30 days.

Implication of substrate-assisted catalysis on improving lipase activity or enantioselectivity in organic solvents.

In comparison with the biocatalyst engineering and medium engineering approaches, very few examples have been reported on using the substrate engineering approach such as substrate-assisted catalysis (SAC) for naturally occurring or engineered lipases and serine proteases to improve the enzyme activity and enantioselectivity. By employing lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of (R,S)-naproxen esters in water-saturated isooctane as the model system, we demonstrate the proton shuttle device to the leaving alcohol of the substrate as a new means of SAC to effectively improve the lipase activity or enantioselectivity. The result cannot only provide a strong evidence for the rate-limiting proton transfer for the bond-breaking of tetrahedron intermediate of the acylation step, but also sheds light for performing the hydrolysis, transesterification or aminolysis in organic solvents for the ester substrate that originally lipases cannot catalyze, but now can after introducing the device.

Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion in a patient with cryptococcal meningoencephalitis: a hidden mediastinal small cell carcinoma.

We report a 59-year-old man with cryptococcal meningoencephalitis who presented with typical features of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). There was no evidence of lung disease or drugs causing SIADH. Studies for endocrine functions and tumor markers were normal.

Altering lipase activity and enantioselectivity in organic media using organo-soluble bases: Implication for rate-limiting proton transfer in acylation step.

With the hydrolytic resolution of (R,S)-naproxen 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl esters via a partially purified papaya lipase (PCPL) in water-saturated isooctane as the model system, the enzyme activity, and enantioselectivty is altered by adding a variety of organo-soluble bases that act as either enzyme activators (i.e., TEA, MP, TOA, DPA, PY, and DMA) or enzyme inhibitors (i.

Severe coronary artery spasm with anaphylactoid shock caused by contrast medium--case reports.

This study reports 2 cases of severe coronary artery spasm with anaphylactoid shock caused by contrast medium. The first patient had anaphylactoid shock in response to contrast medium and severe coronary spasms of both the left anterior descending coronary artery and the left circumflex coronary artery. The patient developed ventricular arrhythmia and complete atrioventricular block following the severe coronary spasm.

Unusual cause of hypokalemic paralysis in aged men: Sjögren syndrome.

Hypokalemic paralysis is a less recognized but reversible disorder in elderly patients. This report describes two elderly Chinese males (age 74 and 78 years) who had progressive muscle weakness and eventually paralysis. Physical examination showed symmetrical flaccid paralysis of extremities.

Combination of duplex ultrasound-guided manual declotting and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in thrombosed native dialysis fistulas.

Background: To investigate the safety, feasibility, efficacy, and long-term patency rate of manual declotting under duplex ultrasound (US) guidance followed by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in thrombosed native arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs).

Methods: Of 87 consecutive thrombosed AVFs evaluated by duplex US, 22 patients with 25 recently thrombotic events in 22 AVFs were suitable for manual declotting. PTA was performed following successful declotting, and long-term patency was assessed.

Manual thrombosuction in patients with acute myocardial infarction receiving primary coronary interventions--two case reports.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can be caused by a ruptured plaque with sudden thrombosis occlusion or an embolization formation. Previous investigations have described the use of thrombolytic therapy, balloon angioplasty plus stenting, and various mechanical thrombectomy devices to treat patients with AMI with intracoronary thrombus, but all of these methods have certain limitations. The authors report 2 cases of AMI, 1 caused by ruptured plaque and the other caused by embolization, with large thrombus formation and total occlusion of the infarct-related artery.

Acute and long-term outcomes of intracoronary stenting in aorto-ostial, left anterior descending artery-ostial and nonostial stenoses.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in ostial lesions is technically difficult and is associated with a lower procedural success rate, higher complication rate and restenosis rate as compared to nonostial lesions. The safety, feasibility, immediate and 6-month angiographic, and long-term clinical outcomes of stenting in aorto-ostial, left anterior descending artery (LAD)-ostial and nonostial stenoses, were retrospectively compared in 19 patients with 20 aorto-ostial lesions (group A), 97 with 97 LAD-ostial lesions (group B) and 1778 with 2242 nonostial lesions (group C). The major adverse cardiac events during hospitalization were similar among the three groups (p = 0.

Dendritic cells modulated by cytokine-expressing adenoviruses alleviate eosinophilia and airway hyperresponsiveness in an animal model of asthma.

Background: It has been found that TH1-related cytokines can decrease the accumulation of eosinophils in lung tissue and relieve airway constriction.

Objective: Dendritic cells (DCs) have been found to prime naive T-helper cells efficiently. In this study, DCs infected with TH1 cytokine-expressing adenovirus can be used to induce antigen-specific TH1 cells for treatment in an animal model of asthma.

Effects of age on plasma levels of calcium-regulating hormones and bone status in male SAMP8 mice.

This study was undertaken to examine whether the plasma levels of calcium-regulating hormones and bone status alter with age in male senescence accelerated mice (SAM), SAMP8. Age-matched senescence-resistant mice, SAMR1, were used as controls. The blood and femur samples were collected at 2.

Evaluating preload dependence of a novel Doppler application in assessment of left ventricular diastolic function during hemodialysis.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, commonly found in hemodialysis (HD) patients, is a major cause of intradialytic hypotension. Conventional Doppler interrogation of mitral flow velocities typically is load dependent. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) recently was proposed as a new and relatively load-independent approach to assess diastolic function.