Mixed cellular and antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplantation: In-depth pathologic and clinical observations.

Background: Little is known about mixed cellular and antibody-mediated rejection (MR) in heart transplantation. It remains unclear whether cardiac MR has distinctive pathologic and clinical features beyond those of simultaneous cellular rejection (CR) and antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). In this study we systematically explore the pathologic and clinical characteristics of MR in heart transplantation.

Atrial fibrillation ablation outcome is predicted by left atrial remodeling on MRI.

Background: Although catheter ablation therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF) is becoming more common, results vary widely, and patient selection criteria remain poorly defined. We hypothesized that late gadolinium enhancement MRI (LGE-MRI) can identify left atrial (LA) wall structural remodeling (SRM) and stratify patients who are likely or not to benefit from ablation therapy.

Methods And Results: LGE-MRI was performed on 426 consecutive patients with AF without contraindications to MRI before undergoing their first ablation procedure and on 21 non-AF control subjects.

A longitudinal study of the course of asymptomatic antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplantation.

Background: Growing evidence suggests worse cardiac allograft vasculopathy and mortality in patients with asymptomatic antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Debate continues about whether therapeutic intervention is warranted to avoid adverse outcomes. In this study we examine the course of individual episodes of untreated asymptomatic AMR on follow-up endomyocardial biopsy (EMB).

Mutations in 2 distinct genetic pathways result in cerebral cavernous malformations in mice.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are a common type of vascular malformation in the brain that are a major cause of hemorrhagic stroke. This condition has been independently linked to 3 separate genes: Krev1 interaction trapped (KRIT1), Cerebral cavernous malformation 2 (CCM2), and Programmed cell death 10 (PDCD10). Despite the commonality in disease pathology caused by mutations in these 3 genes, we found that the loss of Pdcd10 results in significantly different developmental, cell biological, and signaling phenotypes from those seen in the absence of Ccm2 and Krit1.

The role of postoperative testosterone in repair of iatrogenic hypospadias in rabbits.

Introduction: Testosterone administered preoperatively in hypospadiac children increases phallic size and improves skin vascularity. We histologically evaluated the role of postoperative testosterone in tissue remodeling in an animal model.

Materials And Methods: Hypospadias was created in 18 rabbits and repaired with a preputial onlay graft.

Histopathological evaluation of the uterosacral ligament: is this a dependable structure for pelvic reconstruction?

Objective: To explore, by histological examination, whether the uterosacral ligament complex is an adequate support structure for vaginal vault suspension and other reconstructive procedures of the female pelvis.

Materials And Methods: We dissected 14 fresh hemipelves from seven adult female cadavers. The uterosacral complexes were excised from the pelvic sidewall immediately beneath the uterosacral pedicle.