We report for the first time upon a case of myxoma that involved both atrial and ventricular sides of the anterior mitral valve leaflet. Electron beam tomography (EBT) showed that the tumor was ...attached to both the atrial and ventricular sides of the mitral valve, while echocardiography did not. EBT also diagnosed dynamic obstruction of left ventricular outflow tract caused by the tumor.
In this work, we report top emission white OLED (TE‐WOLED) device for an application to large sized and high resolution OLED TV. Like as bottom emission device, we adopted 3 stack WOLED consisting of ...two blue and one yellow green (YG) light‐emitting units with a reflective metal as the bottom anode and a transparent compound as the top cathode. By using an optical simulation, we designed the device structure and found optimum positions for EML with consideration of viewing angle property. As a result, we demonstrate top emission white OLED comparable to bottom emission OLED, regarding efficiency, operating voltage and viewing angle.
Background
Various complications lead to reoperation in patients who undergo prosthetic valve replacement where inflammatory process could be involved. The goals of this study were to identify risk ...factors that correlate with reoperation in patients with prosthetic heart valves and to investigate the relationship between reoperation and inflammatory gene polymorphisms.
Results
The study included 228 patients from the EwhA–Severance Treatment Group of Warfarin. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of c-reactive protein (
CRP
), interferon-gamma, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, interleukin 10, transforming growth factor beta 1, and tumor necrosis factor genes were genotyped by means of SNaPshot and TaqMan assays. Thirty-nine patients (17.1 %) underwent more than one heart valve operation. A threefold increased risk for heart valve reoperation was evident in homozygous variant-type (TT) carriers as compared with ancestral allele carriers of
CRP
rs1205. Logistic regression analysis revealed that
CRP
rs1205 (OR 2.68, 95 % CI 1.22–5.90, p = 0.014), valve position (mitral valve OR 2.80, 95 % CI 1.01–7.80, p = 0.048; tricuspid valve OR 9.24, 95 % CI 2.46–34.70, p = 0.001; reference: aortic valve) and time after first operation (OR 1.13, 95 % CI 1.06–1.20, p < 0.001) affected the risk of reoperation.
Conclusions
Inflammatory gene polymorphisms could be a possible marker of risk for reoperation in patients with prosthetic heart valve surgery.
Abstract This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of lipid‐encapsulated (coated) zinc oxide ZnO on post‐weaning diarrhea (colibacillosis) in weaned piglets challenged ...with enterotoxigenic E scherichia coli ( ETEC ). Thirty‐two 35‐day‐old weaned piglets were orally challenged with 3 × 10 10 colony forming units of ETEC K 88 while eight piglets received no challenge (control). Each eight challenged piglets received a diet containing 100 ppm ZnO (low ZnO ), 2500 ppm ZnO (high ZnO ) or 100 ppm of lipid (10%)‐coated ZnO (coated ZnO ) for 7 days; control pigs received the low ZnO diet. Daily gain, goblet cell density in the villi of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, and villus height in the jejunum and ileum, which decreased due to the challenge, were equally greater in the coated ZnO and high ZnO groups versus low ZnO group. Fecal consistency score, serum interleukin‐8 concentration, subjective score of fecal E . coli shedding, and digesta pH in the stomach, jejunum and ileum, which increased due to the challenge, were equally low in the coated ZnO and high ZnO groups versus low ZnO . Results suggest that a low level of coated ZnO might well substitute for a pharmacological level of native ZnO in dietary supplementation to alleviate colibacillosis of weaned piglets.
For the purpose of determining the pathogenic role of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta 1) in the mechanism of chronic rheumatic heart disease, we evaluated the expression of TGF-beta 1, ...proliferation of myofibroblasts, and changes in extracellular matrix components including collagen and proteoglycan in 30 rheumatic mitral valves and in 15 control valves. High TGF-beta 1 expression was identified in 21 cases (70%) of rheumatic mitral valves, whereas only 3 cases (20%) of the control group showed high TGF-beta 1 expression (p<0.001). Additionally, increased proliferation of myofibroblasts was observed in the rheumatic valves. High TGF-beta1 expression positively correlated with the proliferation of myofibroblasts (p=0.004), valvular fibrosis (p<0.001), inflammatory cell infiltration (p=0.004), neovascularization (p=0.007), and calcification (p<0.001) in the valvular leaflets. The ratio of proteoglycan to collagen deposition inversely correlated with TGF-beta 1 expression in mitral valves (p=0.040). In conclusion, an ongoing inflammatory process, the expression of TGF-beta 1, and proliferation of myofibroblasts within the valves have a potential role in the valvular fibrosis, calcification, and changes in the extracellular matrix that lead to the scarring sequelae of rheumatic heart disease.
Abstract
It is demonstrated that electric transport in Bi‐deficient Bi
1‐
δ
FeO
3
ferroelectric thin films, which act as a p‐type semiconductor, can be continuously and reversibly controlled by ...manipulating ferroelectric domains. Ferroelectric domain configuration is modified by applying a weak voltage stress to Pt/Bi
1‐
δ
FeO
3
/SrRuO
3
thin‐film capacitors. This results in diode behavior in macroscopic charge‐transport properties as well as shrinkage of polarization‐voltage hysteresis loops. The forward current density depends on the voltage stress time controlling the domain configuration in the Bi
1‐
δ
FeO
3
film. Piezoresponse force microscopy shows that the density of head‐to‐head/tail‐to‐tail unpenetrating local domains created by the voltage stress is directly related to the continuous modification of the charge transport and the diode effect. The control of charge transport is discussed in conjunction with polarization‐dependent interfacial barriers and charge trapping at the non‐neutral domain walls of unpenetrating tail‐to‐tail domains. Because domain walls in Bi
1‐
δ
FeO
3
act as local conducting paths for charge transport, the domain‐wall‐mediated charge transport can be extended to ferroelectric resistive nonvolatile memories and nanochannel field‐effect transistors with high performances conceptually.
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR) in old and high risk patients. The goal of this study is to compare the early ...outcomes of conventional AVR vs. TAVI in high risk severe AS patients.
From January 2008 to July 2012, 44 high risk severe aortic stenosis patients underwent conventional AVR, and 15 patients underwent TAVI. We compared echocardiographic data, periprocedural complication, and survival. The mean follow-up duration was 14.5±10 months (AVR), and 6.8±3.5 months (TAVI), respectively.
AVR group was younger (78.2±2.4 years vs. 82.2±3.0 years, p<0.001) and had lower operative risk (Euroscore: 9.4±2.7 vs. 11.0±2.0, p=0.044) than TAVI group. There was no significant difference in early mortality (11.4% vs. 13.3%, p=0.839), and 1 year survival (87.4%±5.3% vs. 83.1%±1.1%, p=0.805). There was no significant difference in postoperative functional class. There was no significant difference in periprocedural complication except vascular complication (0% AVR vs. 13.3% TAVI, p=0.014). TAVI group had more moderate and severe paravalvular leakage.
In this study, both groups had similar periprocedural morbidity, and mortality. However, TAVI group had more greater than moderate paravalvular leakage, which can influence long-term outcome. Since more patients are treated with TAVI even in moderate risk, careful selection of the patients and appropriate guideline need to be established.
The authors conducted this prospective study to analyze the amount of interfractional prostate bed motion (PBM) and quantify its components with the use of an endorectal balloon (ERB).
A total of ...1,348 cone beam computed tomography images from 46 patients who underwent postprostatectomy radiotherapy were analyzed. For the pilot image, electronic portal imaging, guided by skin marks was performed to ensure proper positioning and inflation of the ERB. Then, for bone matching, manual or automatic registration of the planning and each cone beam computed tomography was performed, based on the bony anatomy of the pelvis. Shifts (bony misalignment BM) in three directions were recorded at each treatment session. For prostate bed matching, manual matching was conducted based on the anterior rectal wall and the shift (PBM) was recorded. Total setup error was defined as the shift from the skin mark to the prostate bed matching, based on anterior rectal wall stretched by the ERB. PBM was defined as the difference between the total setup error and BM.
Systematic errors for the total setup error were 1.0, 1.3, and 1.0 mm in the right-left, anterior-posterior, and superior-inferior directions, with random errors of 1.9, 2.4, and 1.9 mm, respectively. Systematic errors were 1.6, 1.6, and 0.3 mm for BM and 0.8, 1.1, and 0.9 mm for PBM, with random errors of 2.4, 2.5, and 1.1 mm for BM and 1.8, 2.2, and 1.9 mm for PBM.
The BM was the main component of the total setup error, suggesting that interfractional PBM was well controlled by the ERB device. Planning target volume margins of <5 mm were needed to include 95% of the interfractional variations when using an ERB.
To compare the mouse oocyte vitrification outcomes of the CryoLogic vitrification method (CVM) and the conventional open method using a Cryotop. Two CVM methods (original CVM and modified CVM) were ...tested.
Mature oocytes obtained from female BDF-1 mice were vitrified by two-step exposure to equilibrium and vitrification solutions. Three vitrification protocols were tested on three groups: the CVM-kit, modified CVM, and Cryotop groups. After exposure to the two solutions, the oocytes were vitrified. After warming, the oocytes were fertilized in vitro, and the embryo development was assessed. Blastomeres positive for caspase were counted using an in situ assay kit. The spindle morphology and chromosome configurations of warmed vitrified oocytes were also assessed.
The modified CVM and Cryotop groups showed similar developmental capacities, and similar proportions of cells with intact spindles and chromosome configurations. The modified CVM protocol was superior to the original CVM protocol for developmental competence and intact spindle preservation. However, the CVM group showed a relatively higher number of apoptotic cells in blastocysts.
Closed vitrification using the modified CVM protocol may be used as an alternative to the conventional open method, but strategies to decrease apoptosis in the blastomere need to be investigated.
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