Deep learning versus manual morphology-based embryo selection in IVF: a randomized, double-blind noninferiority trial.

To assess the value of deep learning in selecting the optimal embryo for in vitro fertilization, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, noninferiority parallel-group trial was conducted across 14 in vitro fertilization clinics in Australia and Europe. Women under 42 years of age with at least two early-stage blastocysts on day 5 were randomized to either the control arm, using standard morphological assessment, or the study arm, employing a deep learning algorithm, intelligent Data Analysis Score (iDAScore), for embryo selection. The primary endpoint was a clinical pregnancy rate with a noninferiority margin of 5%.

Towards Automation in IVF: Pre-Clinical Validation of a Deep Learning-Based Embryo Grading System during PGT-A Cycles.

Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) is arguably the most effective embryo selection strategy. Nevertheless, it requires greater workload, costs, and expertise. Therefore, a quest towards user-friendly, non-invasive strategies is ongoing.

Transradial Crossover Balloon Occlusion Technique for Primary Access Hemostasis During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Initial Experience With the Oceanus 140 cm and 200 cm Balloon Catheters.

Objectives: The crossover balloon occlusion technique (CBOT) facilitates primary access hemostasis in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The CBOT is usually performed through the contralateral femoral artery. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in patients undergoing TAVR, the safety and feasibility of transradial CBOT using the new Oceanus balloon dilatation catheter (iVascular).

Safety and Efficacy of Intracoronary Infusion of Allogeneic Human Cardiac Stem Cells in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Left Ventricular Dysfunction.

Rationale: Allogeneic cardiac stem cells (AlloCSC-01) have shown protective, immunoregulatory, and regenerative properties with a robust safety profile in large animal models of heart disease.

Objective: To investigate the safety and feasibility of early administration of AlloCSC-01 in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: CAREMI (Safety and Efficacy of Intracoronary Infusion of Allogeneic Human Cardiac Stem Cells in Patients With STEMI and Left Ventricular Dysfunction) was a phase I/II multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤45%, and infarct size ≥25% of left ventricular mass by cardiac magnetic resonance, who were randomized (2:1) to receive AlloCSC-01 or placebo through the intracoronary route at days 5 to 7.

Prosthetic Mitral Surgical Valve in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Recipients: A Multicenter Analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prognosis and specific complications of patients with prosthetic mitral valves (PMVs) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Background: TAVR is performed relatively often in patients with PMVs, but specific risks are not well described.

Methods: A multicenter analysis was conducted, including patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR at 10 centers.

Antithrombotic treatment during coronary angioplasty after failed thrombolysis: strategies and prognostic implications. Results of the RESPIRE registry.

Background: Thrombolysis is still used when primary angioplasty is delayed for a long time, but 25%-30% of patients require rescue angioplasty (RA). There are no established recommendations for antithrombotic management in RA. This registry analyzes regimens for antithrombotic management.

Angina and Ischemia at 2 Years With Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds and Metallic Drug-eluting Stents. ESTROFA Ischemia BVS-mDES Study.

Introduction And Objectives: Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) have the potential to restore vasomotion but the clinical implications are unknown. We sought to evaluate angina and ischemia in the long-term in patients treated with BVS and metallic drug-eluting stents (mDES).

Methods: Multicenter study including patients with 24 ± 6 months of uneventful follow-up, in which stress echocardiography was performed and functional status was assessed by the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ).

Appendix E: Rapid-i: Closed Vitrification Device by Vitrolife.

Cryopreservation of gametes and embryos is a growing technique in numerous reproductive fields including human-assisted reproduction. With improved understanding of embryo physiology and optimized culture conditions, there are now more embryos than ever to vitrify for potential use in subsequent cycles. Many gametes and embryos have been cryopreserved in open systems, but there are concerns with regard to contamination from the liquid nitrogen and also cross-contamination between patients' germplasm.

Puncture Versus Surgical Cutdown Complications of Transfemoral Aortic Valve Implantation (from the Spanish TAVI Registry).

Vascular complications in transcatheter aortic valve implantation using transfemoral approach are related to higher mortality. Complete percutaneous approach is currently the preferred technique for vascular access. However, some centers still perform surgical cutdown.

WITHDRAWN: Use of Repositionable Transcatheter Aortic Valve Systems in Past Mechanical Prosthetic Mitral Valve Recipients.

This article has been withdrawn, at the request of the Editor, due to the absence of the corresponding permissions for use of all the data/images. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.

Myocardial Collagen Cross-Linking Is Associated With Heart Failure Hospitalization in Patients With Hypertensive Heart Failure.

Background: Excessive myocardial collagen cross-linking (CCL) determines myocardial collagen's resistance to degradation by matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and interstitial accumulation of collagen fibers with impairment of cardiac function.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate whether CCL and a newly identified biomarker of this alteration are associated with hospitalization for heart failure (HHF) or cardiovascular death in patients with HF and arterial hypertension in whom other comorbidities were excluded.

Methods: Endomyocardial biopsies and blood samples from 38 patients (invasive study), and blood samples from 203 patients (noninvasive study) were analyzed.

Galectin-3 and histological, molecular and biochemical aspects of myocardial fibrosis in heart failure of hypertensive origin.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate whether galectin-3 (Gal-3) is associated with myocardial histological and molecular parameters related to fibrosis and with the circulating biomarkers of the extracellular generation of mature fibril-forming collagen types I (C-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I, PICP) and III (N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type III, PIIINP) in two independent studies of hypertensive patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: Endomyocardial biopsies and blood samples from 39 HF patients (invasive study), and blood samples from 220 HF patients (non-invasive study) were analysed. Necropsies (n = 7) and blood samples (n = 20) from healthy subjects were used as controls.

Cryopreservation in ART and concerns with contamination during cryobanking.

The cryopreservation of gametes and embryos is vital to numerous fields of reproductive biology, including assisted human reproduction. With improved culture conditions, there are an increasing number of embryos to cryopreserve for potential use in subsequent cycles. Many of the gametes and embryos in human IVF are cryopreserved in open systems.

Association of cardiotrophin-1 with myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive patients with heart failure.

Cardiotrophin-1 has been shown to be profibrogenic in experimental models. The aim of this study was to analyze whether cardiotrophin-1 is associated with left ventricular end-diastolic stress and myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive patients with heart failure. Endomyocardial biopsies from patients (n=31) and necropsies from 7 control subjects were studied.

Ultrarapid vitrification of mouse oocytes and embryos.

Cryopreservation facilitates long-term storage of gametes and embryos for numerous purposes. For example, cryobanking of unique mouse strains, particularly transgenic mice, offers important protection of valuable genetics. It also provides a practical solution for facilities trying to house large numbers of research animals or those looking to relocate without the risk of introducing an animal-derived pathogen.

Postdilatation for treatment of perivalvular aortic regurgitation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Objectives: The study is made to describe the efficacy and safety of balloon postdilatation (BPD) for the treatment of residual aortic regurgitation (RAoR) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods And Results: A single-center observational study is made with 157 consecutive patients accepted to TAVI. The patients were divided into two groups (no BPD-period and BPD-period).

Long-term clinical performance of paclitaxel-eluting stents coated with a bioactive polymer (P-5) containing a triflusal derivative: results of the REWAC registry.

Aims: Although drug-eluting stents have dramatically reduced angiographic restenosis and clinical need for repeat revascularization procedures, some adverse effects, such as late stent thrombosis, have been described. We evaluated clinical performance of paclitaxel-eluting stents coated with a new bioactive polymer system (P-5) based on a copolymer of an acrylic derivative of triflusal in patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods And Results: This was a multicenter, observational, prospective study to assess the incidence of target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 6 months and clinical major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 1 and 6 months and 1 and 2 years post-stent implantation in 537 patients.

Osteopontin-mediated myocardial fibrosis in heart failure: a role for lysyl oxidase?

Aims: We investigated whether the pro-fibrotic matricellular protein osteopontin (OPN) is associated with the enzymes involved in the extracellular synthesis of fibril-forming collagen type I (i.e. procollagen C-proteinase, PCP) and its cross-linking to form insoluble fibrils (i.

Collagen cross-linking but not collagen amount associates with elevated filling pressures in hypertensive patients with stage C heart failure: potential role of lysyl oxidase.

We investigated whether the quality of myocardial collagen associates with elevated left-sided filling pressures in 38 hypertensive patients with stage C chronic heart failure. Filling pressures were assessed invasively measuring pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. Left ventricular chamber stiffness constant was calculated from the deceleration time of the early mitral filling wave.

Analysis of global gene expression following mouse blastocyst cryopreservation.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the cryopreservation procedure (slow freezing or vitrification) and cryoprotectants (1,2-propanediol or dimethylsulphoxide) on mouse blastocyst gene expression.

Methods: Cultured mouse blastocysts were cryopreserved with different protocols. Following thawing/warming, total RNA from re-expanded blastocysts was isolated, amplified and then analyzed using mouse whole-genome microarrays.