Prevalence of Aortic Root Pathologies in Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome Secondary to Intra-Cardiac Shunts.

Background: Atrial septal defects can allow right to left shunting of venous blood which presents clinically as platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome. It is believed that concomitant presence of aortic root pathologies increases the likelihood of shunting.

Methods: The study included a review of 510 articles listed in PubMed of patients with platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome.

Gender Disparities after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement with Newer Generation Transcatheter Heart Valves: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Previous studies have demonstrated gender disparities in mortality and vascular complications after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with early generation transcatheter heart valves (THVs). It is unclear, however, whether gender-related differences persist with the newer generation THVs. We aim to assess gender disparities after TAVR with newer generation THVs.

Percutaneous Assist Devices for Infarct Size Reduction.

Improving myocyte salvage during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has proved elusive; the keys to success seem to be the ability to lower oxygen demand of ischemic myocardium and also activate salvage enzyme pathways to take advantage of endogenous cardioprotective mechanisms. Pharmacologic approaches have been largely unsuccessful. A percutaneous left ventricular (LV) assist device could improve myocyte salvage during AMI therapy if it were able to reduce myocardial oxygen demand, wall tension, and LV stroke work substantially.

Characterization of post-operative risk associated with prior drug-eluting stent use.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess risk of inpatient surgery at any time after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES).

Background: Risk of adverse events, including stent thrombosis (ST), in patients undergoing surgical procedures with prior DES remains poorly defined.

Methods: Outcomes of consecutive patients having inpatient surgical procedures after PCI with DES, placed from April 28, 2003 until December 31, 2006 at a tertiary-care medical center, were studied.

Novel approach for the three-dimensional culture of granulosa cell-oocyte complexes.

The in vitro culture of immature ovarian follicles is used to examine the factors that regulate follicle development and may ultimately provide options for reproductive infertility. The objective of this study was to develop a three-dimensional in vitro culture system for the growth and development of individual granulosa cell-oocyte complexes. An alginate hydrogel was used to encapsulate immature mouse granulosa cell-oocyte complexes (GOCs) that were subsequently maintained in a serum-free in vitro culture.