Development and testing of a transcatheter heart valve with reduced calcification potential.

Introduction: Patients from developing countries who require heart valve surgery are younger and have less access to open heart surgery than those from developed countries. Transcatheter heart valves (THVs) may be an alternative but are currently unsuitable for young patients because of their inadequate durability. We developed and tested a THV utilizing two new types of decellularized bovine pericardial leaflets in an ovine model.

Determination of quinclorac and quinclorac methyl ester in honey by online SPE-UPLC-MS/MS.

A method employing online solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled to UPLC-MS/MS was developed for the determination of residues of the acid herbicide quinclorac plus its transformation product, quinclorac methyl ester, in honey. The analytical method involved dissolving the honey in a mixture of methanol:water followed by direct injection into a two-dimensional UPLC system which is used to perform an automated SPE cleanup on a reusable phenyl cartridge prior to the target analytes being transferred onto an analytical UPLC column for subsequent chromatographic separation followed by MS/MS detection. The limits of quantitation for quinclorac and quinclorac methyl ester in honey were both set at 0.

Monomeric glutaraldehyde fixation and amino acid detoxification of decellularized bovine pericardium for production of biocompatible tissue with tissue-guided regenerative potential.

The effect of monomeric glutaraldehyde fixation and amino acid detoxification on biocompatibility and tissue-guided regenerative potential of decellularized bovine pericardium was evaluated. The degree of cross-linking, porosity, enzymatic degradation, alpha-galactosyl content, the efficacy of detoxification, and cytotoxicity towards human epithelial cells were assessed. Tissue was subcutaneously implanted for eight weeks in male juvenile Sprague-Dawley rats, and mechanical properties, host cell infiltration, and calcification were evaluated.

Impact of Three Different Processing Techniques on the Strength and Structure of Juvenile Ovine Pulmonary Homografts.

Homografts are routinely stored by cryopreservation; however, donor cells and remnants contribute to immunogenicity. Although decellularization strategies can address immunogenicity, additional fixation might be required to maintain strength. This study investigated the effect of cryopreservation, decellularization, and decellularization with additional glutaraldhyde fixation on the strength and structure of ovine pulmonary homografts harvested 48 h post-mortem.

Advantages of decellularized bovine pericardial scaffolds compared to glutaraldehyde fixed bovine pericardial patches demonstrated in a 180-day implant ovine study.

Glutaraldehyde (GA)-fixed bovine pericardial patches remain the cardiovascular industry standard despite reports of degradation, thickening, inflammation, calcification and lack of tissue remodelling. Decellularization provides the opportunity to attenuate some of these immune-mediated processes. This study compared the mechanical and morphological integrity of bovine pericardium that is GA-fixated (Glycar® patches) or decellularized (BPS), using a proprietary protocol, following implantation in an ovine model.