Graphene Oxide Significantly Modifies Cardiac Parameters and Coronary Endothelial Reactivity in Healthy and Hypertensive Rat Hearts .

Interactions of graphene oxide (GO) with an rat heart and its coronary vessels have not been studied yet. Moreover, the conflicting data on the "structure-properties" relationships do not allow for biomedical applications of GO. Herein, we study the impact of GO on the isolated rat heart, normotensive and hypertensive, under the working heart and the constant-pressure perfusion (Langendorff) regimes.

Autopsy Histopathologic Lung Findings in Patients Treated With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Context.—: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in the treatment of respiratory and cardiac failure, but data describing lung histopathology in ECMO recipients are limited.

Objective.

Impact of local delivery of allogeneic chondrocytes on the biological response and healing of the sternum bones after sternotomy.

Median sternotomy is the surgical method of choice for many procedures where one of the main problems is the long post-operative wound healing process leading to sternal dehiscence and the development of infection. This leads to prolonged hospital stay and increased mortality due to post-operative complications. A promising solution seems to be the use of allogeneic chondrocytes for wound treatment, whose properties in the field of cartilage reconstruction are widely used in medicine, mainly in orthopedics.

Long-term bio-functional performance of a novel, self-positioning balloon expandable transcatheter biological aortic valve system in the ovine aortic banding model.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate bio-functionality of a novel, proprietary balloon-expandable biological transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) system (InFlow, CardValve Consortium, Poland) in an ovine model of aortic banding.

Methods: Surgical ascending aorta banding was created in 21 sheep. Two weeks later, 18 biological valves were implanted within the model using 15-16 F InFlow TAVI systems and carotid cut-down approach.

Temporal, biomechanical evaluation of a novel, transcatheter polymeric aortic valve in ovine aortic banding model.

Objectives: The aim of the study is to evaluate the functionality, durability, and temporal biocompatibility of a novel, balloon-expandable polymeric transcatheter heart valve (ATHV) system (InFlow, CardValve Consortium, Poland). Along with expanding TAVI indications, the demand for new transcatheter valves is increasing.

Methods: A surgical ascending aortic banding model was created in 20 sheep.

Histopathological Examination of an Explanted Heart in a Long-Term Responder to Cardiac Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (STereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation).

Cardiac stereotactic body radiotherapy is an emerging treatment method for recurrent ventricular tachycardia refractory to invasive treatment methods. The single-fraction delivery of 25 Gy was assumed to produce fibrosis, similar to a post-radiofrequency ablation scar. However, the dynamics of clinical response and recent preclinical findings suggest a possible different mechanism.

The clinical value of the routine analysis of cardiac implantable electronic devices after the patient's death in a tertiary cardiovascular center.

Introduction: The postmortem interrogation of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) has not been regularly practiced yet. We presumed that it can provide data not only on the mechanism of the patient's death but also on possible device malfunctions contributing to its occurrence.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the usefulness of the explantation and interrogation of CIEDs after the patient's death in routine clinical practice, when combined with autopsy findings and clinical follow‑up starting from the time after device implantation.

Percutaneous access to coronary arteries in patients after transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures - is it a real problem?

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is still developing and changing our approach to treating patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis frequently coexists with coronary artery disease. Both diseases have similar risk factors for their development and one should expect a future progression of coronary artery disease.

Myofibrillolysis and fibrosis predicts myocardial insufficiency.

Introduction: Cardiocyte myofibrillolysis and interstitial fibrosis belong to histopathological changes in cardiomyopathies, leading to heart failure.

Aim: To evaluate these changes in apical resection during left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

Material And Methods: The studied group consisted of 40 patients with cardiomyopathy, and apical samples excised during left ventricular assist device implantation were studied (CM/VAD group, mean: 48.

State-of-the-art of transcatheter treatment of aortic valve stenosis and the overview of the InFlow project aiming at developing the first Polish TAVI system.

Initial experience of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or replacement (TAVR) has ap-peared as a promising minimally invasive technology for patients disqualified from surgical treatment (SAVR). Safety and efficacy of TAVI has been analyzed and assessed through numerous registries and trials. Furthermore, results obtained from comparative TAVI vs.

Cardiomyopathy development protection after myocardial infarction in rats: Successful competition for major dihydropyridines' common metabolite against captopril.

During the last 25 years angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors spectacularly conquered the field of cardiovascular diseases therapy. Nevertheless, lack of new studies concerning side effects associated with their chronic administration seems to be rather confusing. In our previous research, we proved that the main furnidipines' metabolite (M-2) possess multiple cardioprotective actions.

BRCA1 Reflects Myocardial Adverse Remodeling in Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Background: The role of BRCA1 in chronic ischemic episodes seems to be pivotal for adverse remodeling and development of ischemic cardiomyopathy, because of its role in DNA repair and apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of BRCA-1 in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM).

Material And Methods: The study group (IDCM) comprised myocardial samples from hearts explanted before transplantation owing to IDCM in 10 males (age 44 ± 5.

Aortic cusp extension valvuloplasty: repair with an extracellular patch.

Introduction: The proportion of valve repair procedures is increasing in experienced centers. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical and echocardiographic outcomes after aortic valve reconstruction with a novel surgical technique.

Material And Methods: The study group consisted of 30 patients (23 male and 7 female) at a mean age of 35 ± 14 years.

Dihydropyridines' metabolites-induced early apoptosis after myocardial infarction in rats; new outlook on preclinical study with M-2 and M-3.

Our previous studies established cardio-protective effects of furnidipine and its active metabolites called M-2 and M-3. The aim of current research was to compare the effects of single oral pretreatment with 20 mg kg(-1) of M-2 and M-3 on mortality, different forms of arrhythmias, blood pressures parameters and ST-segment changes during occlusion (for 90 min) and reperfusion in the model of myocardial infarction in rats evoked by left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion. Additionally, the development of programmed cell death and biochemical parameters in blood serum were studied at 4th day after infarction.

Biomechanical properties of hybrid heart valve prosthesis utilizing the pigs that do not express the galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) antigen derived tissue and tissue engineering technique.

The aim of the study was to estimate the biomechanical properties of heart valves conduit derived from transgenic pigs to determine the usefulness for the preparation of tissue-engineered heart valves. The acellular aortic and pulmonary valve conduits from transgenic pigs were used to estimate the biomechanical properties of the valve. Non-transgenic porcine heart valve conduits were used as a reference.

Fractal analysis of heart graft acute rejection microscopic images.

Background: Endomyocardial biopsy to evaluate rejection in the transplanted heart is accepted at the "gold standard." The complexity of microscopic images suggested using digital methods for precise evaluating of acute rejection episodes with numerical representation. The aim of the present was study to characterize digitally acute rejection of the transplanted heart using complexity/fractal image analysis.

Age-related changes in biomechanical properties of transgenic porcine pulmonary and aortic conduits.

The limitations associated with conventional valve prosthesis have led to a search for alternatives. One potential approach is tissue engineering. Most tissue engineering studies have described the biomechanical properties of heart valves derived from adult pigs.

Influence of proliferation signal inhibitors on vascular endothelial growth factor production in heart transplant recipients - preliminary report.

Proliferation signal inhibitors (PSI) are especially beneficial for heart transplant recipients, but are rarely used due to frequent side effects. As they may be caused by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), we performed a prospective cross-sectional pilot study to assess the influence of PSI and/or calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) presence in immunosuppressive protocols of heart transplant recipients on VEGF secretion. All electively screened heart transplant recipients willing to participate were enrolled in the study.

Coincidence of cellular and antibody mediated rejection in heart transplant recipients - preliminary report.

Antibody mediated rejection (AMR) can significantly influence the results of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). However, AMR and cellular rejection (CR) coexistence is poorly described. Therefore we performed a prospective pilot study to assess AMR/CR concomitance in endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs) obtained electively in 27 OHT recipients (21 M/6 F, 45.