Exogenous estrogen partially rescues progesterone deficiency and autophagosome enlargement in mouse model with lysosomal storage disorder.

Objective: Female mice exhibit progressive progesterone (P4) deficiency, luteal cell degeneration, and premature embryo implantation failure at 5 months old. We attempted to rescue embryo implantation in non-virgin mice (5-6 months old) with exogenous P4 treatment on days 1.5 post-coitum (D1.

Early and Mid-Term Outcomes of Coronary Protection during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Coronary obstruction (CO) is a fatal complication in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, data on the outcomes and details of coronary protection (CP) use in TAVR are limited.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the patients who had undergone CP during TAVR at our tertiary cardiac center from March 2017 to January 2024.

Coronary protective effect of the J-Valve during transcatheter aortic valve implantation for patients with aortic stenosis and low coronary artery openings.

Background: In recent years, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a widely used treatment for low-risk elderly patients. As an alternative to TAVI via the femoral artery, transapical TAVI (TA-TAVI) is a better surgical choice for patients with severe vascular diseases. The J-Valve assists doctors in completing valve implantation easily using its positioning locator device, which prevents the self-leaflet from approaching the sinus wall.

Simultaneous transapical transcatheter aortic and mitral valve replacement in patients with severe valve dysfunction: initial experience.

Background: Simultaneous transcatheter mitral valve in valve (VIV) replacement and aortic valve replacement experience is limited. We report our initial experience with simultaneous transapical transcatheter aortic and mitral valve replacement in patients with severe valve dysfunction.

Methods: A total of 8 patients had simultaneous transcatheter heart valve implants for severe mitral bioprosthesis failure (VIV), with a second valve procedure that included native aortic regurgitation (n = 3) or degenerated bioprostheses in the aortic position (n = 5).

Lower incidence of new-onset severe conduction disturbances after transcatheter aortic valve implantation with bicuspid aortic valve in patients with no baseline conduction abnormality: a cross-sectional investigation in a single center in China.

Background: With technological advancements, the incidence of most transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)-related complications, with the exception of conduction disturbances, has decreased. Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is also no longer considered a contraindication to TAVI; however, the effect of BAV on postoperative conduction disturbances after TAVI is unknown.

Methods: We collected information on patients who met the indications for TAVI and successfully underwent TAVI at our center between January 2018 and January 2021.

Innovative use of a self-expanding valve for valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement: experience from a four-year single-center study.

Background: Valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement (ViV-TMVR) is a minimally invasive option for patients with bioprosthetic mitral valve failure. Since January 2019, our center has been using a new innovative option, J-Valve, to treat patients with bioprosthetic mitral valve failure who were at high risk for open heart surgery. The aim of this study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of J-Valve and report the results from the four-year follow-up period of the innovative application of the transcatheter valve.

Prediction of Male Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Outcomes Using Body Surface Area Weighted Left Ventricular End-diastolic Diameter: Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The presence of a high left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) has been linked to a less favorable outcome in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. However, by taking into consideration the reference of left ventricular size and volume measurements relative to the patient's body surface area (BSA), it has been suggested that the accuracy of the predicting outcomes may be improved.

Objective: We propose that BSA weighted LVEDD (bLVEDD) is a more accurate predictor of outcomes in patients undergoing CABG compared to simply using LVEDD alone.

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement versus redo surgery for mitral prosthesis failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as an alternative to redo surgery. TMVR compared with redo surgical mitral valve replacement (SMVR) in patients with mitral prosthesis failure remains limited. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the outcomes of TMVR (including valve-in-valve and valve-in-ring) versus redo surgery for mitral prosthesis failure.

Upregulation of FOXA2 in uterine luminal epithelium and vaginal basal epithelium of epiERα-/- (Esr1fl/flWnt7aCre/+) mice†.

Forkhead box protein A2 (FOXA2) is a pioneer transcription factor important for epithelial budding and morphogenesis in different organs. It has been used as a specific marker for uterine glandular epithelial cells (GE). FOXA2 has close interactions with estrogen receptor α (ERα).

Case report: Transapical transcatheter double valve-in-valve replacement of degenerated aortic and mitral bioprosthetic valves with limited radiopaque landmarks.

A 67-year-old male patient who had undergone double valve replacement 11 years before presented with severe dyspnea to our department. The bioprosthetic aortic and mitral valves have failed. Because of the high risk of redo surgery.

Visualization of preimplantation uterine fluid absorption in mice using Alexa Fluor™ 488 Hydrazide†.

Uterine fluid plays important roles in supporting early pregnancy events and its timely absorption is critical for embryo implantation. In mice, its volume is maximum on day 0.5 post-coitum (D0.

Core Outcome Sets in Child Health: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Developing core outcome sets is essential to ensure that results of clinical trials are comparable and useful. A number of core outcome sets in pediatrics have been published, but a comprehensive in-depth understanding of core outcome sets in this field is lacking.

Objective: To systematically identify core outcome sets in child health, collate the diseases to which core outcome sets have been applied, describe the methods used for development and stakeholder participation, and evaluate the methodological quality of existing core outcome sets.

Fabrication of a donkey spleen ferritin-pectin complex to reduce iron release and enhance the iron supplementation efficacy.

Iron deficiency is a global issue, influencing more than one-third of the population in the world. Ferritin as a natural iron-containing protein is considered a marvelous iron supplement due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability and bioavailability. However, foodstuffs contain plenty of reductants which could induce iron release from the cavity of ferritin and cause oxidative damage.

Quality appraisal of clinical practice guidelines on physical restraints in ICU: a systematic review.

Background: Physical restraint has been regarded as a protective measure in the intensive care unit (ICU) in order to avoid unexpected events. But a great number of researches have proven that physical restraints can cause bad influences on patients' mental health, such as language delays of children, sense of uncertainty, loss of trust, etc. However, it is unclear whether there are currently high-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to guide clinical practice in physical restraints.

Varied effects of doxorubicin (DOX) on the corpus luteum of C57BL/6 mice during early pregnancy†.

Certain chemotherapeutic drugs are toxic to ovarian follicles. The corpus luteum (CL) is normally developed from an ovulated follicle for producing progesterone (P4) to support early pregnancy. To fill in the knowledge gap about effects of chemotherapy on the CL, we tested the hypothesis that chemotherapy may target endothelial cells and/or luteal cells in the CL to impair CL function in P4 steroidogenesis using doxorubicin (DOX) as a representative chemotherapeutic drug in mice.

New Internet-Based Warfarin Anticoagulation Management Approach After Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement: Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Mechanical heart valve replacement (MHVR) is an effective method for the treatment of severe heart valve disease; however, it subjects patient to lifelong warfarin therapy after MHVR with the attendant risk of bleeding and thrombosis. Whether internet-based warfarin management reduces complications and improves patient quality of life remains unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effects of internet-based warfarin management and the conventional approach in patients who received MHVR in order to provide evidence regarding alternative strategies for long-term anticoagulation.

The Effect of Minimally Invasive Thoracoscopic Left Atrial Appendage Excision on Cardiac Dynamic and Endocrine Function.

Purpose: Left atrial appendage (LAA) isolation is an effective surgical treatment for decreasing thromboembolic risk. We sought to evaluate the short-term effect of minimally invasive surgery with LAA excision on left atrial dynamic and endocrine function in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Methods: A total of 52 patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing minimally invasive surgery with LAA excision in Anzhen Hospital from October 2012 to June 2014 were enrolled in the study.

New warfarin anticoagulation management model after heart valve surgery: rationale and design of a prospective, multicentre, randomised trial to compare an internet-based warfarin anticoagulation management model with the traditional warfarin management model.

Introduction: Warfarin is an effective anticoagulant and the only oral anticoagulant available for patients with mechanical heart valves. The prothrombin time and the associated international normalised ratio (INR) are routinely tested to monitor the response to anticoagulation therapy in patients. Patients who undergo mechanical heart valve replacement need lifelong anticoagulation therapy, and their INR is regularly measured to adjust the anticoagulation strength and the dose of anticoagulation drugs.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation after previous mechanical mitral valve replacement in a patient with coexistent rheumatic aortic stenosis and regurgitation.

A 67-year-old female was referred to our center with rheumatic aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic regurgitation (AI). As the patient was a high-risk case for surgery, we chose transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) as the treatment of choice. However, the thickened, long, and mildly calcified aortic valve, and the very small distance (7 mm) between the aortic annulus and mechanical mitral valve (MMV) increased the risk of coronary artery occlusion and flap clamping of MMV.

Association of luteal cell degeneration and progesterone deficiency with lysosomal storage disorder mucolipidosis type IV in Mcoln1-/- mouse model†.

Transient receptor potential cation channel, mucolipin subfamily, member 1 (TRPML1) (MCOLN1/Mcoln1) is a lysosomal counter ion channel. Mutations in MCOLN1 cause mucolipidosis type IV (MLIV), a progressive and severe lysosomal storage disorder with a slow onset. Mcoln1-/- mice recapitulate typical MLIV phenotypes but roles of TRPML1 in female reproduction are unknown.

Structural analysis of the mitral valve in rheumatic and degenerative mitral valve diseases: implications for annuloplasty selection.

Background: Mitral valve (MV) repair has been recommended for MV diseases. Good repair requires a full understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the MV, however, currently little is known about the 3D structure of the rheumatic MV.

Methods: A total of 82 cases underwent 3DTEE.