Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 prevalence in 1170 asymptomatic Norwegian conscripts.

Background: Accurate estimates of SARS-CoV-2 infection in different population groups are important for the health authorities. In Norway, public infection control measures have successfully curbed the pandemic. However, military training and service are incompatible with these measures; therefore extended infection control measures were implemented in the Norwegian Armed Forces.

Asymptomatic COVID-19 with ambiguous test results.

Background: Testing for SARS-CoV-2 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests is a significant part of the effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Mass testing of healthy individuals raises several issues, however, and the results can be challenging to interpret.

Case Presentation: A healthy 19-year-old man entered the military after two weeks of quarantine.

Postoperative administration of tranexamic acid as approach to reduce blood loss after open-heart surgery.

Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces perioperative bleeding among patients undergoing heart surgery. It is uncertain whether its postoperative administration, after prior administration before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), has an additional benefit.

Objective: Our study aimed to evaluate whether the postoperative administration of TXA reduces the blood loss after heart surgery.

Subclinical Endocarditis Might be a Hidden Trigger of Early Prosthetic Valve Calcification: A Histological Study.

Objective: Despite various improvements in valve prosthetics, early valve deterioration still occurs, leading to prosthetic failure. Studying the early phase of this deterioration is quite difficult, as the prosthesis to be examined is almost always explanted only after extensive deterioration. The objective of this research is to study the pathology of early valve deterioration in an early stage in order to reveal the possible trigger of the process.

A randomized, controlled trial of Veriset™ hemostatic patch in halting cardiovascular bleeding.

Background: Obtaining hemostasis during cardiovascular procedures can be a challenge, particularly around areas with a complex geometry or that are difficult to access. While several topical hemostats are currently on the market, most have caveats that limit their use in certain clinical scenarios such as pulsatile arterial bleeding. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of Veriset™ hemostatic patch in treating cardiovascular bleeding.

Movat Pentachrom stain reveals unexpected high osteogenesis rate in aortic valves.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Aortic valve (AV) stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease with an incidence of 3% for people ≥ 65years in the industrialized world with indication for a surgical or transcatheter valve replacement. Researchers suppose osteogenic processes as key mechanisms in calcific aortic valve stenosis. Recently, Torre et al.

Reducing Mediastinitis after Sternotomy with Combined Chlorhexidine-Isopropyl Alcohol Skin Disinfection: Analysis of 3,000 Patients.

Background: Reducing surgical site infections (SSI) following median sternotomy remains a challenge for cardiac surgeons. Standard prophylaxis of SSI at our institution includes pre-operative skin disinfection with isopropyl alcohol (IPA). The addition of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) has the theoretical advantage of longer antimicrobial activity (>48h), compared with 2 h for IPA alone.

Ex vivo 4D visualization of aortic valve dynamics in a murine model with optical coherence tomography.

The heart and its mechanical components, especially the heart valves and leaflets, are under enormous strain and undergo fatigue, which impinge upon cardiac output. The knowledge about changes of the dynamic behavior and the possibility of early stage diagnosis could lead to the development of new treatment strategies. Animal models are suited for the development and evaluation of new experimental approaches and therefor innovative imaging techniques are necessary.

Heart valve stenosis in laser spotlights: insights into a complex disease.

Degenerative heart valve disease is a life-threatening disease affecting about 3% of the population over 65 years. Up to date, cardiac surgery with heart valve replacement is the only available therapy. The disease is characterized by degenerative disorganization of the heart valve structure and alterations in the residing cell populations.

A rare cause of recurrent cerebral emboli despite oral anticoagulation.

We report on a patient with a history of colon carcinoma and clinical presentation of recurrent cardiac emboli despite oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. On delayed transoesophageal echocardiography, finally a left atrial myxoma was suspected. Surgery, however, revealed a left atrial metastatic tumour with histopathological features of a colon adenocarcinoma.

Reversal of myofibroblastic activation by polyunsaturated fatty acids in valvular interstitial cells from aortic valves. Role of RhoA/G-actin/MRTF signalling.

Valvular interstitial cells (VICs), the fibroblast-like cellular constituents of aortic heart valves, maintain structural integrity of valve tissue. Activation into contractile myofibroblasts occurs under pathological situations and under standard cell culture conditions of isolated VICs. Reversal of this phenotype switch would be of major importance in respect to fibrotic valve diseases.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated Fatty acids reduce the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients with history of prior myocardial infarction undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting.

Introduction: The impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) is still part of a lively debate. The present study evaluates the impact of orally administered omega-3 ethyl ester concentrate (omega-3 PUFA) on postoperative onset of AF in patients with recent myocardial infarction (≤ 3 months) undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Patients and

Methods: The study included a total of 198 patients with recent (≤ 3 months) myocardial infarction.

Heparinized blood better preserves cellular energy charge and vascular functions of intraoperatively stored saphenous vein grafts in comparison to isotonic sodium-chloride-solution.

Objective: Several studies have addressed the optimal storage conditions for vascular grafts during surgery. The results remain contradictionary. This may be attributed to the fact, that the various vascular beds have a different sensitivity to storage.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate induces contraction of valvular interstitial cells from porcine aortic valves.

Aims: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has emerged as a potent bioactive lipid with multiple functions in cardiovascular pathophysiology. Potential roles of S1P in heart valve diseases and expression of relevant receptors (S1P1, S1P2, or S1P3) in valve tissue and in valvular interstitial cells (VICs), the major cell population with essential functions in maintenance of valvular structure, are currently unknown.

Methods And Results: Exposure to S1P (62-2000 nM) of cultured VICs from porcine aortic valves on cell culture polystyrene resulted in contraction and nodule formation.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β prevents activation of focal adhesion kinase after ischemia/reperfusion of the rat lung.

Recent studies on the mechanisms of ischemic preconditioning in myocardial tissue have presented convincing evidence that multiple protective pathways converge on inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β). To directly address the role of GSK-3β in ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) of the lung, a rat model of left lung in situ ischemia was used. The specific non-competitive inhibitor of GSK-3β, TDZD-8, was injected (3 mg/kg, vehicle in controls) 5 min before the left lung hilum was occluded for 60 min.

Low dose aprotinin and low dose tranexamic acid in elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

The antifibrinolytic agents aprotinin and tranexamic acid have both been proven to be efficient in reducing postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients in cardiac surgery. In light of recent safety issues regarding aprotinin, this single-centre study compared efficacy and safety of low dose aprotinin (2 million KIU, pump-prime volume only) and low dose tranexamic acid (1 g, pump-prime volume) in 708 consecutive patients from two prospective registers undergoing elective cardiac procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Incidences of postoperative complications showed no significant differences between groups.

Cell-cell junctions and vascular endothelial growth factor in rat lung as affected by ischemia/reperfusion and preconditioning with inhaled nitric oxide.

Background: Previous investigations have shown that short term inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) before ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) prevents I/R-related consequences on lung function. Here we correlate effects of NO-induced preconditioning, especially on the lung permeability barrier, with analysis of cell junction proteins and the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Methods: A rat model of left lung in situ I/R was used.

Prevention of ischemia/reperfusion-induced accumulation of matrix metalloproteinases in rat lung by preconditioning with nitric oxide.

Background: Pulmonary ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is associated with degradation of structural proteins. Preconditioning by short-term inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) ameliorates some of the severe consequences of an I/R cycle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of NO preconditioning on I/R-induced changes of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity.

Preconditioning by inhaled nitric oxide prevents hyperoxic and ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat lungs.

Since the generation of nitric oxide (NO) is an essential step in the trigger phase of ischemic preconditioning, short-term inhalation of NO before ischemia should ameliorate ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the lung. We tested this hypothesis in high oxygen (>99%) ventilated rats in order to additionally evaluate compatibility of NO and exposure to hyperoxia. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats inhaled NO (15 ppm, 10 min) before the left lung hilum was clamped for 1 h, and the reperfusion phase was observed for 4 h (NO group).

Nitric oxide donor-induced persistent inhibition of cell adhesion protein expression and NFkappaB activation in endothelial cells.

Nitric oxide (NO), applied by inhalation or released from NO donors, has been used to reduce the expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAM) and ameliorate other consequences of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. In this study, we have assessed the time frames of pretreatment and of the duration of the preconditioned state using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the NO donor, SNAP, in combination with cysteine. The induction of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) and E-selectin by the cytokines TNFalpha and IL-1beta, and by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was reduced by SNAP/Cys preincubation (30 min, 1mM) to less than 10% of controls.

Protection against acute porcine lung ischemia/reperfusion injury by systemic preconditioning via hind limb ischemia.

Previous work on various organs and tissues has shown that ischemic preconditioning protects against reperfusion injury in these organs and also against secondary effects in the lung. In contrast, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of preconditioning in a remote organ (hind limb ischemia) on an ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) treatment of the lung itself. A porcine model of in situ left lung ischemia (90 min) and reperfusion (5 h) was used.

Protection of lung tissue against ischemia/reperfusion injury by preconditioning with inhaled nitric oxide in an in situ pig model of normothermic pulmonary ischemia.

Topical administration of nitric oxide (NO) by inhalation is currently used as therapy in various pulmonary diseases, but preconditioning with NO to ameliorate lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury has not been fully evaluated. In this study, we investigated the effects of NO inhalation on functional pulmonary parameters using an in situ porcine model of normothermic pulmonary ischemia. After left lateral thoracotomy, left lung ischemia was maintained for 90 min, followed by a 5h reperfusion period (group I, n = 7).

Attenuation of reperfusion-induced systemic inflammation by preconditioning with nitric oxide in an in situ porcine model of normothermic lung ischemia.

Study Objectives: Inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) can ameliorate pulmonary ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the lung in several experimental models, but toxic effects of NO were also reported. Here we investigate whether NO inhalation for a short period prior to surgery is sufficient to prevent symptoms of lung I/R injury, especially the inflammatory response.

Design: Using an in situ porcine lung model, normothermic left lung ischemia was maintained for 90 min, followed by a 5-h reperfusion period (group 1, n = 7).