Improving mitral valve coaptation with adjustable rings: outcomes from a European multicentre feasibility study with a new-generation adjustable annuloplasty ring system.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance and safety of an adjustable semi-rigid annuloplasty ring for mitral regurgitation (MR) in a multicentre study.

Methods: Between March 2010 and December 2011, 30 subjects underwent mitral valve (MV) repair using the Cardinal adjustable annuloplasty ring. This device is a semi-rigid ring allowing postimplantation size adjustment, under beating-heart conditions, to optimize leaflet coaptation under echocardiographic guidance.

Society of cardiovascular anesthesiologists: the effect of blood pressure regulation during aortic coarctation repair on brain, kidney, and muscle oxygen saturation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy: a randomized, clinical trial.

Background: In this study, we compared the effects of 3 frequently used arterial blood pressure-regulating agents on brain (rScO2), renal (SrO2), and muscle (SmO2) oxygen saturation, during aortic coarctation repair in children. Based on the reported adverse effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on left-sided rScO2 during aortic coarctation repair, we tested the hypothesis that the alterations in left rScO2 occurring with SNP would not be present with sevoflurane and nitroglycerin (NTG). Additionally, we explored the effects of blood pressure regulation with SNP, NTG, or sevoflurane on right-sided rScO2, SrO2, and SmO2.

Real-time monitoring of somatostatin receptor-cAMP signaling in live pituitary.

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer using genetically encoded biosensors has proven to be a powerful technique to monitor the spatiotemporal dynamics of cAMP signals stimulated by G(s)-coupled receptors in living cells. In contrast, real-time imaging of G(i)-mediated cAMP signals under native conditions remains challenging. Here, we describe the use of transgenic mice for cAMP imaging in living pituitary slices and primary pituitary cells.

Psychiatric comorbidity and additional abuse of drugs in maintenance treatment with L- and D,L-methadone.

Sixty D,L- or L-methadone treated patients in maintenance therapy were interviewed for additional drug abuse and psychiatric comorbidity; 51.7% of the entire population had a comorbid Axis-I disorder, with a higher prevalence in females (P=0.05).

Pasireotide and octreotide stimulate distinct patterns of sst2A somatostatin receptor phosphorylation.

Pasireotide (SOM230) is currently under clinical evaluation as a successor compound to octreotide for the treatment of acromegaly, Cushing's disease, and carcinoid tumors. Whereas octreotide acts primarily via the sst(2A) somatostatin receptor, pasireotide was designed to exhibit octreotide-like sst(2A) activity combined with enhanced binding to other somatostatin receptor subtypes. In the present study, we used phophosite-specific antibodies to examine agonist-induced phosphorylation of the rat sst(2A) receptor.

Reassessment of CXCR4 chemokine receptor expression in human normal and neoplastic tissues using the novel rabbit monoclonal antibody UMB-2.

Background: The CXCR4 chemokine receptor regulates migration and homing of cancer cells to specific metastatic sites. Determination of the CXCR4 receptor status will provide predictive information for disease prognosis and possible therapeutic intervention. However, previous attempts to localize CXCR4 using poorly characterized mouse monoclonal or rabbit polyclonal antibodies have produced predominant nuclear and occasional cytoplasmic staining but did not result in the identification of bona fide cell surface receptors.

Reassessment of sst2 somatostatin receptor expression in human normal and neoplastic tissues using the novel rabbit monoclonal antibody UMB-1.

Objective: The overexpression of somatostatin receptor 2 (sst2) in neuroendocrine tumors is the molecular basis for diagnostic and therapeutic application of the stable somatostatin analog octreotide. Recent evidence has shown that the immunocytochemical evaluation of sst2A status is of value for predicting response to octreotide therapy and disease prognosis. However, due to the lack of monoclonal and limited availability of specific polyclonal anti-sst2A antibodies, only very few patients can currently benefit from in vitro sst2 evaluation.

Regional and cellular localization of the CXCl12/SDF-1 chemokine receptor CXCR7 in the developing and adult rat brain.

The chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) regulates neuronal development via the chemokine receptor CXCR4. In the adult brain the SDF-1/CXCR4 system was implicated in neurogenesis, neuromodulation, brain inflammation, tumor growth, and HIV encephalopathy. Until the recent identification of RDC1/CXCR7 as the second SDF-1 receptor, CXCR4 was considered to be the only receptor for SDF-1.

Mice with targeted Slc4a10 gene disruption have small brain ventricles and show reduced neuronal excitability.

Members of the SLC4 bicarbonate transporter family are involved in solute transport and pH homeostasis. Here we report that disrupting the Slc4a10 gene, which encodes the Na(+)-coupled Cl(-)-HCO(3)(-) exchanger Slc4a10 (NCBE), drastically reduces brain ventricle volume and protects against fatal epileptic seizures in mice. In choroid plexus epithelial cells, Slc4a10 localizes to the basolateral membrane.

Intracellular trafficking of somatostatin receptors.

The somatostatin receptor subtypes 1-5 (sst(1)-sst(5)) exhibit different intracellular trafficking and endosomal sorting after agonist exposure. The internalization of the somatostatin receptor subtypes sst(2), sst(3) and sst(5) occurs to a much higher extent after somatostatin exposure than of sst(1) or sst(4). After endocytosis, sst(2) and sst(5) recycle to the plasma membrane, whereas sst(3) is predominantly down-regulated.

Postoperative results after desflurane or sevoflurane combined with remifentanil in morbidly obese patients.

Background: This randomized prospective study with blinded postanesthesia care unit (PACU) observers compared the recovery profiles in morbidly obese patients who received sevoflurane or desflurane for maintenance of anesthesia in combination with a remifentanil target controlled infusion (TCI).

Methods: 50 morbidly obese patients scheduled for laparoscopic gastric banding were included to receive BIS-guided sevoflurane or desflurane anesthesia with BIS-triggered inhalation boli in combination with remifentanil TCI. In the PACU, the following recovery scores were investigated: Modified Aldrete score, a modified Observers' Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale (OAA/S), pain numerical rating scale (NRS), oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

Augmented reality for intraoperative guidance in endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting.

Endoscopic bypass grafting can be complicated by limited intraoperative orientation. A method to overlay the preoperative model of the coronary tree on the live endoscopic images of the heart was therefore developed. The method is three-fold: (1) the three-dimensional (3D) model of the coronary tree is reconstructed from traditional angiograms; (2) preoperative images are registered with the intraoperative position of the patient in the operating room (OR); and (3) an iterative and interactive identification of clinically relevant landmarks within the operative field on the heart surface before their registration with the preoperative model of the coronaries.

Cardio navigation: planning, simulation, and augmented reality in robotic assisted endoscopic bypass grafting.

Background: The aim of this study is to optimize the set-up and port placement in robotic surgery and enhance intraoperative orientation by video overlay of the angiographic coronary tree.

Methods: In three mongrel dogs and two sheep an electrocardiogram-triggered computed tomographic scan and coronary angiography were performed after placing cutaneous fiducials. The regions of interest (ie, heart, ribs, coronaries, internal thoracic artery) were segmented semiautomatically to create a virtual model of the animal.

A novel adhesion barrier facilitates reoperations in complex congenital cardiac surgery.

Objective: Reoperations are associated with an increased surgical risk due to adhesions. We prospectively evaluated a bioresorbable membrane after surgery for congenital heart defects over a 3.5-year period.

Primary repair for aortic arch obstruction associated with ventricular septal defect.

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the current outcome and reoperation rate after applying a one-stage correction strategy for interrupted aortic arch (IAA) with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and also for aortic coarctation and hypoplastic aortic arch (CoA-HyAA) with VSD beginning September 1999.

Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients with IAA (n = 12) or CoA-HyAA (n = 12) with VSD underwent early one-stage correction. Patients' mean age was 12 days (range, 2 to 188); mean weight was 3.